Day: August 1, 2008

George Bush went out of his way not to use the term “mission accomplished” yesterday when he quietly declared the surge in Iraq to be a success. Bush’s declaration has been ignored by just about everyone, except for Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who used it as an opportunity to trot out one of the tired-est of the GOP Big Lies: that Saddam Hussein’s government was behind the 9/11 attacks.
“[We] are introducing a resolution recognizing the strategic success that the surge has achieved in a central front — the central front of the war on terror against the enemies who attacked America on 9/11/01”
— Lieberman
First, here’s a bit of Bush’s non-declaration of Mission Accomplished II mumbo-jumbo:

BUSH: This has been a month of encouraging news from Iraq. Violence is down to its lowest level since the spring of 2004, and we’re now in our third consecutive month with reduced violence levels holding steady. General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker caution that the progress is still reversible, but they report that there now appears to be a “degree of durability” to the gains we have made.

A significant reason for this sustained progress is the success of the surge. Another is the increasing capability of the Iraqi forces. Iraqi forces now have 192 combat battalions in the fight — and more than 110 of these battalions are taking the lead in combat operations against terrorists and extremists.

A little later, during a press conference held by Lieberman and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to congratulate Dear Leader on his latest triumph, Lieberman said this:

LIEBERMAN: That’s why Senator Graham and I are introducing a resolution recognizing the strategic success that the surge has achieved in a central front — the central front of the war on terror against the enemies who attacked America on 9/11/01, and expressing our thanks to our troops who’ve made that success possible.

The lie that Saddam was behind the Sept. 11 attacks has been knocked down multiple times, most recently on March 13, when the Pentagon said there was no “no direct link between late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and the Al-Qaeda network.” (PDF)

It is beyond outrageous that they’re still out there selling this disinformation five years after the invasion.

Beta Upsilon Chi reject?

The University of Florida is having a hard time keeping out a Christian-only fraternity. The school, recently (and proudly) named America’s top party college by Princeton Review, refused to give Beta Upsilon Chi, also known as Brothers Under Christ or BUCs, status as an official student organization because it requires members to be Christians.

“The University of Florida welcomes all kinds of student groups including those with a religious focus,” said Janine Sikes, UF spokeswoman. “(But) if someone who is a non-Christian wants to join, they should be able to.”

Nah, say the Bucs, who won a partial appeals court victory by forcing the school to recognize the frat while the final ruling is decided.

“All we’re trying to do is get a group of guys who share a common bond in Jesus Christ together,” said Damion Dam, a 20-year-old UF finance/pre-med major and fraternity president.

Is it me, or does that sound…icky?

But anyway, how do guys know if they share your common bond in Jesus if you won’t let them in the door?

Religious groups at UF walk a tightrope between specialization and discrimination. The Christian Veterinary Fellowship, which conducts mission work in other countries, is an example of an officially recognized group with a religious focus.

“That doesn’t mean that we ask everyone who comes to our meetings whether they’re Christian or not,” said Michelle Bellville, a fourth-year vet student and group president. “We’re open to everyone.”

But she said members are likely to be Christians or searching for religion.

While no one who wasn’t in one cares about fraternities or sororities, there’s a lot at stake here. For starters:

Recognition of the organization will allow it to receive funding from Student Government, use the school’s facilities and advertise on campus.

But it’s more than that.

“It has repercussions for all other religious groups who desire to assemble on university campuses,” [Brett Williams, national board member of BUCs] said.

I hope UF wins.