I had planned to write something here a couple of days ago about an article I read by Glen Greenwald, one of our favorite ‘pundits’, David Brooks, but my week was sidetracked a bit, and now seems to be settling once again…
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/07/17/brooks/index.html

a few people have mentioned that they would like to hear more about my spirituality and faith. I am beginning a project on that, and will be posting more on that in the near future. it will be a ‘work in process’, as long as I share, as I hope that when people read and listen to what I say, that if so moved, will share thier own insights and understanding. I believe that in sharing we can grow together, as well as stronger in any faith or spirituality any one of us claim as our own. I look forward to hearing your responses to this idea…

The web site here is really coming together very nicely… Thanks for all the hard, and diligent work that Susan, Andrew, and so many others have contributed to making this the best ‘blogspot’ on the net… bar none… and the comments here are always worth a couple of hours of read and thought… love ya all…

I thot the debates were great, watched most on u tube highlights, then caught part on CNN… I still haven’t made up my mind yet, but after what I hear today about Clinton and Obama, I hope they both mend their ways of dealing with disagrements/confrontations, I would tend to think ‘politics as usual’, and rule both of them out or down line on my short list… the debates did help me knock of one or two… although I could see those same people in some other kind of Cabinet level position in a Dem WH…

Just wanted to check in, and say hi, still have 12 pages of notes to sort and rewrite… then type… email to answer, etc… takes this old lady longer to get all that kind of stuff done than it did in years past… oh, BTW, I am so thankful that Nickolson resigned from VA… and vets are suing… maybe we will see some justice after all… will post more later… Marlene

Iran’s growing presence in Iraq

[snip]

“The Iranians are running the ship in Iraq, not the Americans. They also have [many] more chips on the table in Iraq than the US,” says Riad Kahwaji, who heads the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis. “The situation in Iraq is strategically more in favor of the Iranians than the Americans.”

Iran gives al-Maliki’s government an aircraft as a gift

“The Iraqi government would like to thank the Islamic government of Iran for this present, which we hope will contribute to the development of relations and common interests between the two nations,” al-Dabbagh told The Associated Press.

[snip]

The gift underlines the warmth of ties between the al-Maliki government and Tehran since the 2003 ouster of Saddam Hussein, who fought a ruinous, eight-year war against Iran in the 1980s.

…..Note, the story above keeps being updated, so the exact wordage may change slightly…..

Update, Update: His mother calls from Jordan and asks, “How is your friend, the Jewish”?

Update, Update: He has a second job late at night delivering the newspaper to Michael Dell’s house. You know, Michael Dell, the big Zionist who lives in a ten million dollar compound in Austin, Texas.

Update, Update: A nice couple from Minnesota constantly talking about Sweden, Sweden, Sweden say Bush went to Iraq beause Mossad told him to.

It was a good debate. I think most of the candidates answered at least a few questions well, and as with the question highlighted here, I think there were some revealing exchanges.

Here’s the link to the transcript, by the way:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/23/debate.transcript/index.html

http://thenexthurrah.typepad.com/the_next_hurrah/2007/07/cunningham-cifa.html

How interesting; is he now calling himself a liar?
It would seem that the logical conclusion by anyone hearing or reading this story would have to be that, by extension, the continued chaos caused by continued U.S. presence in Iraq, is what is causing continued Al-Qaida strength; and that the conclusion is according to the evidence that Bush himself is citing.

Bush cited intelligence that:

_Al-Qaida in Iraq was founded not by an Iraqi but by Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who had deep relations with al-Qaida leaders. The president said Zarqawi, who was killed by U.S. forces last year, set up operations with terrorist associates in Iraq long before U.S.-led forces arrived, and that in the violence and instability following Saddam Hussein’s fall, was able to expand the “size, scope and lethality” of his operation. Zarqawi formally joined al-Qaida in 2004 and pledged allegiance to bin Laden, he said.

_The merger gave al-Qaida senior leadership “a foothold in Iraq to extend its geographic presence and to plot external operations and to tout the centrality of the jihad in Iraq to solicit direct monetary support elsewhere.”

I Find Your Comments Interesting and Appreciate Your Thoughts and Contributions..Thanks..

The second reason is that some in Congress seem to believe that an impeachment attempt resulting in failure to convict could actually reduce the odds for ultimate success.

The only problem with all this is, by Nov’08, it might be too late. We all read comments about some sort of martial law declaration, which on the surface sounds like conspiracy theory. I don’t subscribe to it on face value. However, I do believe that the Bush Admin has an agenda focused on international domination of large parts of world economies, without the limits of traditional borders of countries, and without traditional government accountability, owned by unaccountable trans-national private business interests.

To get this, they’re probably not as interested in permanent martial law in the U.S., but it’s possible they might resort to some limited form of it to leverage their agenda. Naturally, this is just a theory, since I can’t prove it with evidence, only observing patterns.

Meanwhile, Congress is definitely behind, because they continue to just speak re-actively, instead of acting pro-actively. All the while the Bush Admin continues to push ahead with uncompromising determination, and consistently gaining ground in the process. The future as usual is fuzzy, but the possibility exists that new government after ’08 might be a moot point, if large enough amounts of international economies have already been hi-jacked for privatization.

Maybe what Congress needs to do is start racking up some high-profile successes which are most likely to succeed now, and in the process, get more of the valid reasons for impeachment out in the open to the general public. The sooner the better.

One way to start might be what’s known as Implied Contempt against Harriet Miers, and anyone else using ‘executive privilege’ to refuse to testify; where they don’t have to depend on DOJ; it’s all ‘in House’ so to speak; and also the Senate for that matter. The House and/or Senate Sergeant-at-Arms can arrest her, and she can be held in jail in a civil contempt procedure, as coercion to testify, analogous to the way Judi Miller was held. If it’s not an actual criminal conviction or criminal sentence, it would trump the possibility of a presidential pardon, because there wouldn’t be a crime to apply the pardon to. A good first step in re-asserting their co-equal branch authority. If she gives in and testifies, so much the better. If not, at least a line was drawn in the sand. Conyers has already referenced this as a possibility.

Meanwhile, simultaneously start hearings investigating impeachment, and keep it in the news, with new revelations every day. Also at the same time they could publicly announce the in-session delivery of weekly letters from the House to the Senate, advising on progress and asking in so many words if they’re ready to get on board yet. Have the delivery timed to interrupt any one of the Senate’s long-winded speeches. Hopefully, maybe enough on both sides of the aisle could be expedited to add up to a 67-conviction of impeachment majority, before it’s too late to matter.

On the debates, I can’t wait to see if the Republicans try the same thing…

Obama answered it well. Though, I really would like to hear a real explanation on his “bundles” and the other accusations Gravel made – particularly the one about foreign-owned banks.

I’m still rooting for Obama, because I think he’s the only one who can beat Hillary. In fact, I think Obama should select Gravel as his running mate. Or Kucinich.

New Petreus plan sees at least 2 more years in Iraq

By Robert Burns
AP Military Writer
War plan sets summer of 2008 as goal for U.S. troops to establish localized security

BAGHDAD — A revised U.S. military plan envisions establishing security at the local level in Baghdad and elsewhere by the summer of 2008, although it likely would take another year to get Iraqi forces ready to enforce any newfound stability, U.S. officials said today. …