The Weekly Rewind

You know why you’re here, so let’s just get right to it.

Heckle: to $4.109. That was the average price of a gallon of gasoline earlier this week, setting a new record. According to AAA, gas prices have risen 40 percent in the last year. We just keep getting screwed deeper and deeper, but at least the pace is slowed from a sprint to a stroll……it still hurts like hell.

Applaud: to avoiding a knee jerk reaction. The Congress voted to override President Bush’s veto of a Medicare bill aimed at forestalling an 11 percent cut in payments to doctors taking care of Medicare patients. The House voted 383 to 41 to override the veto, while the Senate voted 70 to 26. We need a long term solution to what will become a bigger problem and we need serious thoughts and discussions NOW.

Heckle: to lives cut down due to misguided thinking. Nine American soldiers died last Sunday , in the worst violence against Americans in Afghanistan in three years. The killings illustrated the growing threat of Taliban militants and their associates, who in recent months have made Afghanistan a far deadlier war zone for American-led forces than Iraq. Which once again points to the fact that our beef is with the Taliban, (which knows no country) and not the country of Iraq who we conveniently invaded. Our focus should not be on Iraq or even Afghanistan, but on the Taliban.

Applaud: to our troops bravery and determination. It was reported that the Taliban insurgents who attacked a remote American-run outpost near the Pakistan border on Sunday outnumbered allied forces almost three to one and some breached the NATO compound in a coordinated assault that took the defenders by surprise. The attackers were eventually “driven back in a pitched four-hour battle.” Once again, our focus should be on fighting the Taliban. Ours troops should be commended for their grit and determination in fighting back this overwhelming force.

Applaud: to waking up. On Wednesday, Pentagon leaders announced that a surge in forces in Afghanistan will occur “sooner rather than later.” The moves are expected to happen within weeks, as officials prepare to lower troop levels in Iraq. And I am sure for our troops already in Afghanistan, this cannot happen soon enough!

Heckle: to the fact we cannot be this blind. In Afghanistan, “the killing of civilians in foreign military airstrikes is shattering Afghans’ support for keeping international troops in their troubled land and driving angry young men into the arms of the Taliban.” A spokesperson for NATO explained, “There is a perception problem.” You think? We seem to have a big problem in this area of the world with people’s perceptions. Could it be that we truly suck in communicating our intentions and our purpose? And maybe the fact that we don’t seem to give a crap about the people who actually live there and are just trying to live their lives and take care of their families? Yeah it’s a possibility. This administration is not known for its communicative skills.

Heckle: to combining the church and state. The Bush administration is seeking to require “all recipients of aid under federal health programs to certify that they will not refuse to hire nurses and other providers who object to abortion and even certain types of birth control.” The proposed rule would force hospitals, clinics and medical schools to sign “written certifications” as a prerequisite to getting federal funds. I’m sorry is the country being run by Americans or by the Vatican?

Heckle: to “remain calm, all is well”, yeah sure it is. Earlier this week, President Bush tried to calm consumers troubled by the economy, but his words had little effect. By the end of the day on Tuesday, the Dow had closed at its lowest level in two years, and the government reported that prices had jumped at their sharpest pace in 27 years. Sorry Mr. Bush, too little, way too late. Remember Kevin Bacon at the parade panic near the end of Animal House?

Heckle: to just plain criminal. According to internal Army documents, “shoddy electrical work” by private contractors at “American military facilities” in Iraq is causing more “deaths and injuries from fires and shocks than the Pentagon has acknowledged.” There were 283 fires between August 2006 through January 2007. What a surprise, the Pentagon not being honest and upfront about something as serious as this. Not only do our troops have to live with the fact that every time they go out on patrol they may not come back. They also have to worry that they may die taking a shower, or sleeping, or just relaxing back at base camp. There is no excuse for this and the companies responsible should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Be good, stay informed….later.

The Weekly Rewind

Ok, turn off the TV, or at least turn the sound down, March Madness will still be there after you finish reading The Weekly Rewind…..I’ll try to make it quick.


Heckle: to paying no attention to the 800 pound gorilla in the room. About half of the state legislatures nationwide are scrambling to plug gaps in their budgets, shot through by rapid declines in corporate and sales tax revenue, distressed housing markets and a national economy on the verge of a recession. Just remember we are not ‘officially’ in a recession….

Heckle: to a not so pleasant vision of the future. Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) current visit to Iraq is bolstering the belief by the country’s politicians that if he is elected president, “the American military would have a large presence in Iraq for a very long time.” Jalaladeen Sagheer, a senior member of the leading Shiite Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, described McCain’s visit as “an advertisement for the American elections.” As if we need anymore negative advertising.

Applaud: to someone with knowledge of the impending crisis speaking out. The current economic crisis “is likely to be judged in retrospect as the most wrenching since the end of the second world war,” writes former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan in the Financial Times. He also argues that “market flexibility and open competition” are “our most reliable and effective safeguards against cumulative economic failure.” Hmmm, that would mean wild market speculation and obscene corporate profits would help lead the way to economic failure….

Applaud: to a long time coming. Reports are that an internal Department of Justice investigation into the firing of at least eight U.S. attorneys is approaching its conclusion. The report will likely be released in the spring, and it “will almost certainly be explosive.” This will be interesting. What surprises will this hold for our lame duck president and his cronies?

Heckle: to continually spreading the manure. Vice President Cheney made a surprise visit to Iraq this week, in order to reaffirm “the unwavering commitment” of the United States to rebuilding Iraq. Cheney told reporters that it was “especially significant” he was in Iraq five years after the March 2003 U.S. invasion. Shortly after his arrival, “two explosions rocked Baghdad.” How unwavering is our commitment…read on….

Heckle: to our ‘unwavering commitment’. The success of the US ’surge’ strategy in Iraq may be under threat as Sunni militia employed by the US to fight al Qaida are warning of a national strike because they are not being paid regularly. Leading members of the awakening councils “have said they will stop fighting unless payment of their $10 a day wage is resumed.” According to a survey by Guardian Films, four of the 49 councils have quit while 38 more are threatening to leave. Maybe the Bush(whacked) Administration should consider diverting some of the obscene amounts of money being paid to government contractors and instead pay the militias their paltry $10 a day wage.

Heckle: to the fact that maybe $10 a day just isn’t enough. A conference to reconcile Iraq’s warring political groups began to unravel even before it got under way on Tuesday, with the main Sunni Muslim Arab bloc pulling out and protesting it had not been properly invited. I’m sorry did we not put the proper ribbon on the outside of the envelope? Once again, why are we there??

Heckle: to not knowing when to hold ‘em, or knowing when to fold ‘em. JPMorgan Chase agreed earlier this week to buy banking giant Bear Stearns for $2 a share, less than one-tenth the firm’s market price last Friday. The bank and the Federal Reserve “will guarantee the huge trading obligations” of Bear, “which was driven to the brink of bankruptcy by what amounted to a run on the bank.” Now just remember we are only in a slowdown…..

Heckle: to ruining peoples lives for profit. “My life has been flushed down the drain,” said one Bear Stearns employee. Bear Stearns had always encouraged its 14,000 employees, from secretaries to top executives, to be long-term holders in the company’s stock, and the employees own over 30 percent of the company. Remember, slowdown…...

Heckle: to more manure. Following weeks of oil prices hitting over $100 a barrel, Vice President Dick Cheney met Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah on Friday for talks that will include discussions on cooperation to stabilize the oil market. “I’m sure they will talk about the need for a cooperative way forward to try and stabilize this market, reduce the volatility in the market, and serve the interests of both consumers and producers alike,” John Hannah, national security adviser to Cheney, told reporters. Oh and while giving the impression that they care about stabilizing things and helping the consumers, I’m sure they will also talk about ways to keep profits in the pockets of Bush(whacked) Administration supporters.

Heckle: to not listening to the service chiefs in the field. The LA Times reports that “turmoil over the war has increased” inside the Pentagon, with some commanders, including Gen. Davis Petraeus, advocating continued high troop levels in Iraq. On the other side “are the military service chiefs who fear that long tours and high troop levels” will leave “the Army and Marine Corps hollowed out and weakened.” Can the Congress tell the Pentagon to shut up and sit down while they hear from the true line commanders in the field?

Heckle: As the economy sours, voters are increasingly demanding immediate government relief, which is a problem for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), “whose focus has been on longer-term solutions such as tax and spending cuts and free trade.” “The notion of ‘the market will straighten things out, be patient’ — that has photos of Herbert Hoover juxtaposed with it,” said pollster John Zogby. McCain is nothing more than the same song and dance we have had for almost the past 8 years.. Can we really handle, or yet survive 4 more years at this pace? I don’t think so..


And then we come to our Tool Of The Week. This week it is none other than Vice President and multi-tool winner, Dick Cheney, who wins the TOTW award with this little exchange with ABC Reporter Martha Raddatz as broadcast on Good Morning America:

V.P. Cheney: On the security front, I think there’s a general consensus that we’ve made major progress, that the surge has worked. That’s been a major success.

Raddatz: Two-third of Americans say it’s not worth fighting.

V.P. Cheney: So?

Raddatz: So? You don’t care what the American people think?

V.P. Cheney: No…

There you folks, this is part and parcel with the 'rethuglican' philosophy, “You don’t like the way we do things on your behalf? How much money did you give our canididates? I’m sorry you’re not wealthy enough and not financially beneficial to us, so we don’t care what you think.”


Okay, back to the games, that wasn’t too hard was it? And a Happy Easter to all from Kemp and I.

Be good, stay informed…..later

GAO & NIE Agree

Another document has been released that shows Iraq is failing to meet a majority, if not indeed all, of the US-set benchmarks.

The latest is a GAO report that was leaked to the Washington Post, that states; “Iraq has failed to meet all but three of 18 congressionally mandated benchmarks for political and military progress, according to a draft of a Government Accountability Office report. The document questions whether some aspects of a more positive assessment by the White House last month adequately reflected the range of views the GAO found within the administration. […] The strikingly negative GAO draft, which will be delivered to Congress in final form on Tuesday, comes as the White House prepares to deliver its own new benchmark report in the second week of September, along with congressional testimony from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker. They are expected to describe significant security improvements and offer at least some promise for political reconciliation in Iraq.”

Keep in mind that this GAO report comes a few days after the new NIE was released that reported the very same thing… that Iraq is not meeting their benchmarks… and went even further and questioned some of the leaders in Iraq.

It also comes a few weeks before Gen. Petraues’ the White House’s testimony to Congree about the situation in Iraq.

Is it any wonder then that the public doesn't trust the White House to report honestly on the progress? In fact, the Bush(whacked) Administration is already in top spin mode regarding the “strikingly harsh” GAO report on Iraq.

The precise reason the GAO report was leaked to the Washington Post was because the source feared that the administration would try to “water down” its conclusions… well, and this really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, the Pentagon is indeed watering-down the report, with Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell saying that after reviewing a draft of the GAO report, Pentagon officials made what he called, “factual corrections” and then offered some “suggestions” on some of the actual grades that the GAO had assigned.



Said Mr. Morrell;

“We have provided the GAO with information which we believe will lead them to conclude that a few of the benchmark grades should be upgraded from ‘not met’ to ‘met,’”

‘Information’… riiiiiiight…

Models of a modern major general

The Sunday Times is reporting that up to five Pentagon generals and admirals would resign rather than approve what they would consider a "reckless attack" on Iran.

Said a source with ties to British intelligence; "There are four or five generals and admirals we know of who would resign if Bush ordered an attack on Iran."

That's just lovely, isn't it?

When a President loses the backing of his generals in the Pentagon, isn't that the ballgame? Shouldn't Bush just pack-up his toys and go home??

Think about it... if this would actually happen, Bush will be viewed as more of a loser/idiot abroad... and our nation would be viewed with the same contempt and disgust... thus lessening our already-dropping standing on the world stage.

2008 can not come fast enough...