November 9, 2006

Rummy: Problem with Iraq War Is Americans Are Too Dumb to Understand It

November 9, 2006November 9, 2006 Jon Ponder

In the Oval Office yesterday, Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s exit statement to the American people summed up why the Iraq war has become a debacle:

The great respect that I have for your leadership, Mr. President, in this little understood, unfamiliar war, the first war of the 21st century — it is not well-known, it was not well-understood, it is complex for people to comprehend. And I know, with certainty, that over time the contributions you’ve made will be recorded by history.

Sorry, sir, but some of us mere citizens understood from the outset that invading Iraq would open a Pandora’s Box of nasties — the ratcheting up of terrorist activities worldwide, the creation of a 51st American state in the Third World, as well as the insertion of American secular democracy into the one-thousand-year-old-conflict between Islam and Christendom, a long and unwinnable war that has only brought death and destruction to both sides.

With not a smidgeon of military expertise — but perhaps with an insight into world history not shared or that was simply ignored by our betters in Wasington — we saw that once these nasties had been released, there would be no way to put them back in the box.

Why did Rumsfeld, Cheney, Pres. Bush and the others do it? As the president finally admitted during a campaign stop last week, it was always about the oil, stupid. These high rollers took all our chips, placed them on top of the Iraqi oil fields and rolled the dice. It was anything but a sure bet, as we have seen.

Rummy is right about one thing: Pres. Bush’s “contributions… will be recorded by history.” He will be remembered as the Worst President Ever, in large part because he took the United States into a needless and disastrous war under false pretenses.

Impeachment is too good for him.

Bob Gates Was Accused of ‘Shaping Intel’ for Reagan

November 9, 2006November 9, 2006 Jon Ponder

Former CIA agent Larry Johnson reminds us that Bob Gates, Pres. Bush’s nominee to replace Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, was accused of tailoring intelligence to fit the political agenda of the Reagan Administration:

The press has forgotten that Bob Gates, during his time at CIA, acquired a reputation for trying to tailor intelligence to satisfy political masters in the Reagan White House.

In addition, Bob Gates, a man of enormous intellect and a photographic memory, conveniently forgot salient facts and meetings surrounding the Iran Contra scandal.

The doubts about Gates surfaced during confirmation hearings held in the fall of 1991 to consider his nomination to become the Director of CIA. Ironically, the questions then are still relevant today. Several analysts came out publicly against Gates. These included Melvin Goodman and Harold Ford. Remember Harold Ford? The guy who moved to the Department of State and faced the bullying of John Bolton?

And:

I remember talking to the South African analyst back in 1988, who told me about the time Bob Gates tried to change the lede on an intelligence piece, which argued that Nelson Mandela was NOT a communist. Gates wanted the lede to say that Mandela was a communist. The analyst kicked back hard and ultimately prevailed, but this behavior was consistent with his reputation as a political animal willing to curry favor with the political masters downtown and sacrifice sound analysis.

Gates was also a key figure in the Iran-Contra Scandal. Primarily he is a Bush family factotum.

Sounds like damaged goods to me.

Dobson Quits Haggard Counseling Team

November 9, 2006November 1, 2007 Jon Ponder

On Tuesday, while the media was focused its Election Day coverage, Rev. James Dobson, one of the leaders of the American homophobe movement, quietly removed himself from the team trying to cure Pastor Ted Haggard of his bisexuality and his drug habit:

“Emotionally and spiritually, I wanted to be of help – but the reality is I don’t have the time to devote to such a critical responsibility,” Dobson said.

The other two members of the team, Pastors Jack Hayford of The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, Calif., and Tommy Barnett of First Assembly of God in Phoenix, declined to comment…

The counseling process, called restoration, could take years, said H.B. London, vice president for church and clergy at Focus on the Family.

Yes, since changing a person’s innate sexual persona is like changing his left-handedness or eye color, it can take a very long time.

Day: November 9, 2006

Rummy: Problem with Iraq War Is Americans Are Too Dumb to Understand It

Bob Gates Was Accused of ‘Shaping Intel’ for Reagan

Dobson Quits Haggard Counseling Team

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“The man is afraid of the voice of the people and that the people understand and know what he’s doing. He’s trying to stifle the ability of journalists to let the people of America know what’s really going on with their government.”

— “Kamala Harris called President Donald Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House ‘absolutely abhorrent,’” The Wrap reports.

“Not one of them is trained in technical skills. Not one research PhD, as opposed to China, where half the cabinet is science and technology PhDs. We’re led by grifters and fools.”

— Columbia professor Jeffrey Sachs, on X, on President Trump’s 35-person cabinet.

“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far… The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”

— Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), breaking with President Trump in a direct-to-camera video.

Numerati

1,000

10%

“The unprecedented spate of mid-decade redistricting for the U.S. House has changed the congressional districts for one-tenth of Americans and significantly altered the makeup of at least one-fifth of districts, according to a new study,” the Associated Press reports.

71%

A new Fox News Poll finds 71% of voters think the Trump administration lacks a clear strategy for ending the Iran War, including 95% of Democrats, 83% of independents, and 43% of Republicans. Sixty percent say U.S. military action against Iran was the wrong decision, while just 37% say it was right.

$9.5 billion

“The Trump administration last year spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government and save taxpayers money, according to a new estimate by a congressional watchdog,” CNN reports.

470

Reuters has documented at least 470 targets of retribution under Trump’s leadership – from federal employees and prosecutors to universities and media outlets. The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.