John McCain did during the most recent Petreus testimony, give a forthright explanation of success in Iraq. He defined success in Iraq and so we know exactly when he thinks our troops can come home and stop being casualties in Iraq.

Success – the establishment of a peaceful, stable, prosperous, democratic state that poses no threat to its neighbors and contributes to the defeat of terrorists – this success is within reach.

Well, we could quibble about the definition of prosperous or democratic, but I would think the U.S.A. can lay claim to those goals. But if the U.S.A. was plopped into the Middle East right now, would it pass the test that it poses no threat to its neighbors?  

Especially after McCains own speaking on the matter, and after ongoing comments from Cheney, Bush and Patreus, wouldn't it be logical to say that the U.S.A. is a threat to Iran?

So if the U.S.A. was swapped in for Iraq, McCain STILL wouldn't declare success, and STILL wouldn't let the troops come home.

All John McCain wants if for Iraq to be BETTER than the U.S.A. and then he'll bring the troops home. BETTER than the U.S.A., is that too much to ask?

In a surprising piece of news, the regime leader of a major country prevented the medical care of millions of his own countries children. By preventing countless childrens doctor visits, he has condemned many children in his own nation to medical difficulties that were entirely in his power to prevent.

DOJ Warns of Crime ''Sanctuary''
''If the search of Rep. William Jefferson's (D-LA) House office is deemed unconstitutional, such a ruling 'could not help but convert a Member's office into a sanctuary for crime.' So the government argues in an April 2 brief that previews its legal strategy for gaining access to more than 20,000 paper records and computer files seized in the controversial and unprecedented May 2006 search of Jefferson's House office building.'' (Roll Call (via TPMMuckraker.com)).

This is an interesting argument. I always thought the best place to shield a criminal operation from prosecution was the Vice-President's office, it proclaims complete protection from any investigation, above the court system, above congressional investigation; the Perfect Place to Plunder a Nation.

But then again, the REAL perfect crime environment created by this administration is Stock Fraud through insider information. How does that work? (answer below the fold)

"Americans, rightly so, are concerned about whether or not we can succeed in Iraq. Nobody wants to be there if we can't succeed, especially me. And these -- violence on our TV screens affects our frame of mind, probably more so today than what took place in Vietnam. I want to remind you that after Vietnam, after we left, the -- millions of people lost their life. The Khmer Rouge, for example, in Cambodia. And my concern is there would be a parallel there; that if we didn't help this government get going, stay on its feet, be able to defend itself, the same thing would happen. There would be the slaughter of a lot of innocent life. The difference, of course, is that this time around the enemy wouldn't just be content to stay in the Middle East, they'd follow us here." from: President Bush Discusses the Global War on Terror in Tipp City, Ohio

Hmm, so pulling out of Vietnam caused the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia? And it's America's fault? Don't quite get that one.

The thing I REALLY don't get is this whole "terrorists will follow us home" crap.

"The role that Congress plays is one in which to send legislation to the President. He has been very clear from the beginning: He will not sign a bill that includes a surrender date or micromanages the generals in this war. He said that again this morning." from: Press Briefing by Dana Perino.

I for one am sick and tired of the spin phrase "micro-managing the war" being applied to Democrats efforts to stop George Bush's war without end in Iraq. Setting dates for withdrawal can not, in REAL LIFE, be considered micro-management at all. Such directives must be considered DIRECT AND LARGE SCALE management of the war in a way that George Bush and Dick Cheney refuse to own up to.

I would like the press to ask the White House the next time this spin phrase of "micro-managing the war" is used, if the White House would explain what "macro-managing the war" might look like if an administration was actually up to such a task?

...Bush was having a great time, Reichert told a group of veterans in Orting recently. At least until he came even with one of the bus drivers.

The president turned to Reichert and said the bus driver had flipped him off.

Later, Reichert called the school district. After an investigation, the 43-year-old bus driver was fired in early September. She filed a union grievance earlier this month against the district, claiming wrongful termination." from: Dave Reichert disputes claims he's just a clone of Bush.

Well it's glad to know that Dave Reichert is around to protect the President from having to see the opinion of some working class schmoe probably making $10-12 dollars an hour at most in a part time job.

Now, with elections that might go badly for the Republicans looming, a large number of American Navy vessels have been accumulating in waters off the Mideast. Some have speculated George Bush will attack Iran before the election because either a) he hopes to sway the election to Republicans or b) Bush thinks that if Democrats take control of one or both houses of congress he may actually be held accountable for his incompetence and may not be able to attack Iran later.

And now? The Saudi's are securing their oil facilities. From terrorist attacks? Perhaps. Or perhaps they know attacks with Iran are imminent and as one of the U.S. biggest business partners they feel they might be a target of reprisals.

Here is a tinfoil hat scenario for you (perhaps even a foil covered windows in apartment scenario). Maybe Karl Rove and George Bush planned to release the Mark Foley stuff so Republicans will lose control of the Senate and the House. This will make it "understandable" when George dissolves both bodies later under the "unitary-master-of-the-universe" legal arguments of Alberto Gonzales.

Republicans might not "get it" if Bush dissolved a Republican led congress, but Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter would totally be behind dissolving a Democrat led congress...

But then again maybe Bush/Rove just plan to invade Iran before the congressional elections and after the bloody counter attack by Iran they will call off the elections because of the "emergency" that "no one could have anticipated"...

These days it can be so hard to be a conspiracy fan...

Here are a couple recent reports about Laura and George:

'...When Mr. Bush had key Republicans to the White House to discuss Iraq, he told them, "I will not withdraw, even if Laura and Barney are the only ones supporting me."'

This quote implies that maybe it would make a difference to George if Laura did NOT support him in something, but then we get this tidbit:

Laura Bush And Fmr. WH Chief Of Staff Card Urged The President To Replace Rumsfeld...

We all know that George did NOT replace Rumsfeld, so I guess George does NOT care what Laura thinks.

Maybe it's all about how Barney feels about things? If it's okay with Barney it's okay with George? Makes as much sense as anything...

Well, there is a reason for this. Let's consider the example of the administrations domestic policies, what is the signature domestic issue for George Bush? The issue he has accomplished the most for and still touts in almost every speech where he can work it in? Tax cuts...

What is about the only domestic issue that the government controls that would affect George Bush PERSONALLY? Tax cuts...

Sen. Maria Cantwell helped arrange more than $11 million in federal money in the past year for projects benefiting clients of a lobbyist who is advising her re-election campaign and still owes her money from a personal loan.
Cantwell, a Democrat who is in a tight re-election race, has reported for years that former campaign manager Ron Dotzauer owes her between $15,000 and $50,000 for a personal loan predating her first Senate election in 2000. Dotzauer now runs a lobbying firm

But I think Republicans are really worried that a politician is daring to have a monetary stake that might influence a lobbyist.

Republicans know that the money MUST flow from lobbyist to politician and influence MUST go with it.

For a Democrat to lend money TO a lobbyist is just unnatural to any Republican, especially unnatural to those in the leadership at the moment, Boehner, Hastert; Frist, etc.

Coalition forces handed over control of Iraq's armed forces command to the government Thursday, a move that U.S. officials have hailed as a crucial milestone on the country's difficult road to independence. from: Iraq Takes Military Reins From Coalition.

We have already had reports of Iraqi troops failing to support American troops under attack and sometimes even attacking American troops directly. And that was when those Iraqi troops were under American control. Now that the troops are technically under Iraqi control, what is to stop the Iraqi government from bowing to overwhelming pressure from their own population and starting a war against the American occupation forces?

What else does George Bush like to do? He likes to bash gays by suggesting they can't marry. Another thing he supports (although he didn't create this particular stupid policy himself) is the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which is used to kick out of the Armed Forces anybody who is found to be a homosexual. "CNN reports that during the last 10 years, over 11,000 outed gays have been discharged from the military."

Where does this all lead?

I guess Joe Lieberman thinks Americans are weaker than our enemies. The White House says that our enemy is Islamic Fascists. Islam appears to be having a pretty vigorous battle going on between the Shiites and the Sunnis (and that's just two of the branches of Islam), yet the "Islamic Fascists" seem to be carrying on their end of the "war on terror" just fine. Apparently Mr. Lieberman thinks America is too weak to support political campaigning during the same war. Mr. Lieberman must really hate America to make these kinds of claims...

"Our friends from Oklahoma claim to be hurt by the cynical reaction to their insistence that they will fight tooth-and-nail to keep the franchise where it has been for the past 40 years. It's inconceivable, however, that they didn't thoroughly investigate the political climate in Seattle before handing over $350 million for the franchise.

(And let's not allow the crocodile tears they've mustered about the media questioning their integrity impress us too much. They know realpolitik. After all, one of Bennett's partners is Aubrey McClendon, who gave $250,000 to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the group that ran a since-discredited smear campaign against Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's war record. Republican Sen. John McCain called that effort "dishonest and dishonorable.")" from: Sonics aren't long for KeyArena by Ted Miller.

But there is one super secret place where a criminal could operate above the law, the Vice-President's office.

The kidnappers group was later identified. But no one involved is in the slightest danger of being jailed.  How is this possible? Sure, the mafia or a drug gang might buy off the local police or judges or even the local federal agents or federal judges, but some other federal agency might come in and investigate anyway.

But these kidnappers are safe...

The trick? If you want to terrorize and kidnap people, you have to go for the BIG con...

When Judicial Watch tried to get records of Jack Abramoff's visits to the White House, they got the complete run around and white wash treatment, the received records of just TWO visits from the Secret Service, but no records held by the White House itself: "But it's not clear that the group will ever be able to get the records they want from the White House. Melanie Sloan, whose group Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington has also filed a FOIA request with the Secret Service for Abramoff's and his associates' visits, is not optimistic: "[The White House] just going to claim executive privilege." from: How Often Did Abramoff Visit? The White House Won't Tell