Iraq: One in Three US Military Dollars Spent Goes to Halliburton

Iraq: One in Three US Military Dollars Spent Goes to Halliburton
From CorpWatch.org

"..The size and scope of the government contracts awarded to Halliburton in connection with the war in Iraq are significantly greater than was previously disclosed and demonstrate the U.S. military's increasing reliance on for-profit corporations to run its logistical operations..."

"...The amount of money [earned by Halliburton] is quite staggering, far more than we were originally led to believe. This is clearly a trend under this administration, and it concerns me because often the privatization of government services ends up costing the taxpayers more money rather than less."
U.S. Rep Henry Waxman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



This is freedom? This is the answer to the evils of Big Government? Toiling to pay your taxes to Halliburton while the nation's deficit could fill up the Grand Canyon?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"...Independent experts said the trend toward outsourcing logistic operations has resulted in new problems, such as a lack of accountability and transparency on the part of private military firms and sometimes questionable billing practices..."

"...."At the end of the day, neither these companies nor their employees are bound by military justice, and it is up to them whether to show up or not," Singer said. "The result is that there have been delays in setting up showers for soldiers, getting them cooked meals and so on."
A related concern is the rising cost of hiring contract workers because of skyrocketing insurance premiums. Singer estimates that premiums have increased by 300 percent to 400 percent this year, costs that are passed on to the taxpayer under the cost-plus-award fee system that is the basis for most contracts...."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

COMPANION STORY: Two U.S. Firms Hit Iraq Jackpot

Operation Iraqi Freedom: The well-hidden and forgotten wounded

Operation Iraqi Freedom:
The well-hidden and forgotten wounded

Wounded, Weary And Disappeared
From Tom Paine.com

"......the president has not shown up at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to shake
hands with the recovering Robert Garrisons or Kenneth Dixons. Journalists should
pay these visits for him, to tell us the stories of these men and women, whose
problems will stretch into the coming years. And they should ask the president
why he is so reluctant to see these troops he sent so confidently into battle....."

Operation Iraqi Freedom: More lies on the Way

More lies, exaggerations, and cover-your-ass-syle WMD intelligence reports are on the way....



".....Canon Andrew White said Tony Blair had joined forces with the Americans to produce evidence on how the WMDs were removed by Saddam Hussein prior to invasion."

In a Long Presidential Race, Dean Sprints

DEAN WOWED 10,000 IN BRYANT PARK LAST NIGHT

In a Long Presidential Race, Dean Sprints
By JODI WILGOREN
NY Times Aug 27, 2003

"....The large and energetic crowds that followed Dr. Dean, and the meticulousness of his schedule and stage-managed events, prove he remains a phenomenon...."

From the Lessig blog

An excellent blog-related interview with Howard Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi at Professor Lawrence Lessig's blog

Excerpt:

L: So when the Democratic Leadership Council attacks your campaign, are they attacking your campaign because they're not comfortable with this form of democracy?

T: Yes. I really think that's a good part of it. I think the one reason we have so much opposition — even within our own party — is because they like being in charge. They like it the way it is, or at least, too many of them do. And they're actually afraid of what would happen if people actually gave a damn again and started becoming involved and actually demanded that issues like healthcare got addressed without special interests whacking it down.

So yes, I have come to believe that a large part of why the DLC attacks Howard Dean so vehemently has a lot more to do with the power of what they're saying this campaign is about. They're not real thrilled with it.

Unprepared for Peace in Iraq by Sen. Robert Byrd

From the Washington Post

Unprepared for Peace in Iraq

By Robert C. Byrd
Tuesday, August 26, 2003; Page A13

As the situation in Iraq continues to spiral out of control, an anxious nation watches. Despite assurances to the American people that our troops would be welcomed with open arms as liberators, U.S. soldiers are increasingly being met with guns and car bombs. The bombing at the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad has clearly exposed our vacant policy in Iraq. The American people are told to be patient, that winning the peace will take time. Meanwhile, the frustration of the Iraqi people grows by the day, as does their anger. The inability of the United States even to restore basic amenities further fuels the fire.


Before the war began, I urged the president to think through the consequences. There was no doubt as to the military outcome of war between the United States and Iraq; our might was unquestioned. But I was very concerned about the repercussions that would follow, especially if we were unable to persuade key allies to join our effort.

Today I urge President Bush to review his options. It is time to ask the world community not only for assistance in restoring peace and security in Iraq but also for participation in moving Iraq toward self-government. While the secretary of state has opened a dialogue with the United Nations, it must be a true exchange and not a U.S. monologue.

What has become tragically clear is that the United States has no strong plan for turning Iraq over to the Iraqi people and is quickly losing even its ability to maintain order. The administration is stumbling through the dark, hoping by luck to find the lighted path to peace and stability.

Despite the best hopes for an Iraqi democracy, the Iraqi people and the world see only the worst fears of occupation. Instead of inspiring steps toward self-government, we witness hit-and-run murders of U.S. soldiers, terrorist attacks and sabotage. Our military action in Iraq has forged a caldron of contempt for America, a dangerous brew that may poison the efforts of peace throughout the Middle East and result in the rapid invigoration of worldwide terrorism.

The president's stubborn insistence that much of the world be shut out of real participation in the rebuilding effort in Iraq is obviously costing lives. In addition, it is costing the United States credibility in Iraq and around the globe. We promised to improve the quality of life, yet so far we have failed to deliver. As a result, increasing numbers of Iraqis see the United States only as occupier, not liberator.

Instead of giving the young people of Iraq a reason to turn away from the violence of terrorism, we have, through failures and unkept promises, fed the seeds of discontent. The inability of the United States to secure the peace in Iraq virtually guarantees al Qaeda a fertile field of new recruits.

War has proved far easier than peace. We had the weapons to win the war, but not the wisdom to secure the peace. The coalition of those who might be willing to share the burden of building a new Iraq will be harder to muster now. But the challenge is too great for the United States alone. The rapidly rising anti-American sentiment demands that an international effort be initiated before Iraq slips from decades of dictatorship to decades of chaos.

The administration's reconstruction effort is costing the American people $1 billion a week. It is costing the lives of American soldiers and of civilians from many nations. Only an entirely closed mind could fail to grasp the need for a change in course. Close cooperation with the international community might yet yield a plan for peace and security for the people of Iraq. Haughty statements and unilateral actions will not advance our cause. We must work with other countries to forge what we cannot achieve alone: a lasting peace for Iraq and, in fact, for the Middle East region as a whole.

A hallmark of true leadership is the ability to admit when one is wrong and to learn from errors. Candidate George W. Bush spoke about the need for humility from a great and powerful nation. He said, "Let us reject the blinders of isolationism, just as we refuse the crown of empire. Let us not dominate others with our power -- or betray them with our indifference. And let us have an American foreign policy that reflects American character. The modesty of true strength. The humility of real greatness." It is time for the Bush administration to swallow its false pride and return to that philosophy of humility before it is too late.

The writer is a Democratic senator from West Virginia.


© 2003 The Washington Post Company

Bush MIA in Alabama

Bush MIA in Alabama
Even the Christian Right sees Bush for the Rove-bum-sucking hypocrite he is

Excerpt:

"......Glaringly obvious by default in all this is President Bush. Here is the opportunity for Mr. Bush to show some genuine leadership and throw his moral support behind Judge Moore and the hundreds of thousands whom he has now come to represent and what does he do or say? Nothing! Not a peep out of the man. Apparently Karl Rove has given him his marching orders and advised him to stay away from such “contentious” issues. After all, he has an election next year and wouldn’t want to rock the boat or make any waves, especially waves that the media might consider to be religious ones at that. It seems to never fail that those grass roots supporters of the Republican Party who feel most deeply and passionately about religious or social matters are destined to meet with the same old treatment time and time again from the Republican establishment. Tell ‘em how much we are on their side when it comes time for elections, promise them to be mindful of their concerns and govern with those in mind and then sweep them under the rug once they are gullible enough to continue voting for men and women who promptly abandon them and their cause when installed in office.

For a man who claims to be guided by his faith and once stated during the election contest of 2000, that the most influential person in his life was Jesus Christ, the President has amazingly seemed to have lost his tongue. Hmmm – one wonders if this affliction is endemic to the water source of Washington D.C. or has a more potent source that can be traced to the machinations of Karl Rove’s brain. Find your voice Mr. President and find it quickly lest when it comes time next year and you regain it, your friends will no longer hear it....."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"....The impish fiends that comprise such as “Americans United for Separation of Church and State” and “the ACLU”, the groups that filed suit against Moore to have the monument removed, seem to have made it their mission in life to banish any and all references to God from the public arena anywhere in this land...."

Impish fiends?
Come on, people!
Get real!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

".......They are longing to see someone, anyone, in public office take a principled stand and give voice to the grief and despair they are feeling as they daily witness the heritage of their beloved nation being shredded before their eyes by those who would remake society into a moral abyss....."

My comments to the Christian Right:

The heritage of our beloved nation is a civic heritage. We are not a theocracy, people. Pakistan is on the brink of being a total theocracy with a fundamentalist political majority. Is this what you want for America? I certainly hope not!
When you realize that your American heritage is based in civil law and when you realize that the wording of the Constitution does not bear even a vague resemblance to the story of Moses...and realize you are still perfectly free to civilly disobey the court order (which I support your RIGHT to do)..then you JUST MIGHT start to "get it". Monument or no monument, what is in your hearts and souls can never be taken away. But certain inalienable rights can indeed be lost by a theocratic style of governing.
If you win what you consider to be your "culture war" and we slowly inch our way to becoming a theocracy, we will all stand to lose our true American heritage.
Your religion will also be damaged by the push and pull of those who would seek worldy political gain. No one truly knows what is in another man's heart.
Judge Moore may wish to seek worldly gain from this grand protest. A Senate seat, perhaps?

Freedom of religion is indeed an American birthright according to our Constitution. So is Freedom of Speech. You're within your rights to stage this protest.
But in the end, I do not believe you are right to make your courthouses a place of worship.

President Bush is using Christ to seek worldly gain...your political favour, to be precise.
Beware the same of Judge Moore.

Hold on to God...and not the ways of the world...lest you lose your souls along with your true American heritage.

India/Pakistan It's A Small World

It's A Small World

The Hellblazer blog has an important message to relay today.
Yesterday's bombings in Bombay may likely be linked to the US War on terror (past, present, and/or future) in ways that are
well-explained by educated and reliable writers at Stratfor.com. The geopolitical implications are most concerning.
The Bush adminstration has unilaterally bitten off far more than it can chew. The cracks are beginning to show.

See link HERE.

Note: Meanwhile, the U.S. is making the powderkeg known as Pakistan happy by selling them 28 F-16 Fighter aircraft. *which are capable of carrying nuclear devices*

Stratfor.com:

".....Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is due to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush at Camp David in late June. The leaders reportedly will discuss a range of topics, including the sale of 28 F-16 fighter craft to Pakistan. Those aircraft -- along with [ $1.8 billion] debt forgiveness and trade status -- likely will be Washington's reward for Pakistan's support in the war against al Qaeda...."

BREAKING NEWS:

A new crisis in the US War on 'terror'?

India Blames Muslim Militants for Blasts

"...India's government blamed Muslim militants Tuesday for explosions that shook Bombay a day earlier and accused rival Pakistan of trying to destabilize the country.
Indian officials stopped short of saying Pakistan had dispatched the bombers, but the comments appeared sure to undermine a fragile peace process between the two nuclear-armed neighbors...."

Toby Keith Reconsiders

Toby Keith picks 'n chooses who gets a boot up the ass
When it comes to war, Toby is "pro-choice".




TO KICK OR NOT TO KICK? THAT IS THE QUESTION...


"...Look, my stance is I pick and choose my wars. This war here [in Iraq], the math hasn't worked out for me on it....." Toby Keith

Chris at Interesting Timesblog has posted an interesting story, indeed.
It seems that even Toby Keith, the "put-a-boot-up-your-ass" pro-war proponent, is not convinced that Iraq was such a hot idear.

Link HERE.

Update: Hutton Inquiry

Update: Hutton Inquiry


No, no....not THIS Hutton.....



The Hutton who does business here.....


Revelations at the heart of the Kelly affair: the story so far--
After two weeks of testimony the inquiry already has answers to many questions, says Paul Waugh

Are you interested in the status of the microscopic look at the sex-up of the infamous British dossier..aka The Hutton Inquiry?
You should be.
It's the dossier responsible today, at least in part, for our men and women giving their lives in guerilla warfare.
Doesn't that piss you off?
It's the con job with which our own American leadership fell into false step and about which they either exaggerated or lied to us.
This is a great summary of the testimony to date.

My fellow Americans-We Have Been Conned

My Fellow Americans--We Have Been Conned

IRAQ: A BAIT-AND-SWITCH CON JOB
by Richard Reeves
Universal Press Syndicate




"..Vice President Richard Cheney and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, leaders of the zealots, told us how easy it would be..."




...War on the cheap....."




"....The zealots seemed capable of saying anything to "bait" us into war -- and they have prevailed. Their dream, essentially a unilateralist, single-superpower dream, was of a Middle East controlled by the United States, with the rest of the world, led by the United Nations, cleaning up the mess and the details..."




"..Americans, deceived and conned, have woken up to find their magnificently trained, equipped and motivated young soldiers pinned down in a hostile environment....."




Most of the Democrats chasing the chance to run against him next year are now criticizing the war, mildly to be sure, but they voted for it when they had a chance to slow him down and ask what exactly he had in mind.
They know, as the president knows, that now that our troops are in harm's way, most politicians must "support" them, whatever that means. That's the "switch."

To Bush Administration: Lose the Political Pride

BUSH ADMINISTRATION: LOSE THE POLITICAL PRIDE FOR THE SAKE OF OUR TROOPS AND THEIR MISSION! HELP THEM AND THE WORLD TO WORK TOGETHER TO COMBAT TERROR OR WE WILL FAIL MISERABLY!

How very dismaying to read this article tonight.
- "U.S. May Drop Bid for New U.N. Resolution"
Our leaders are acting like possessive children.
Every dead or wounded soldier is their fault every bit as much as the Iraqi resistance itself.
I never thought I'd live to see a day we'd have such horrific leadership in this nation.

Excerpt:

"...Powell has made clear that Washington won't cede any of its decision-making powers in Iraq.

France, Russia, India and other countries have ruled out sending soldiers to Iraq unless a multinational force is authorized by the United Nations.

France's deputy U.N. ambassador Michel Duclos said the current impasse would not exist if a genuine international partnership had been established at the outset, under the guidance of the United Nations, to address Iraq's problems.

``Sharing the burden and the responsibilities in a world of equal and sovereign nations means also sharing information and authority,'' Duclos said..."

The Dying Vision

THE DYING VISION

"The president's vision will, in the coming months, either be launched successfully in Iraq, or it will die in Iraq."

Condoleeza Rice




Even the Bush administration's favorite NeoCon Bill Kristol can see it's dying.
When you hear him pleading for Bush to listen to the "critics", we know we have a problem!

Note that Kristol gives the lamest reasons to ignore consideration of the need for a new U.N. resolution with wide international support.
This is what makes him the NeoCon he is. This leopard will not change his spots. Given Kristol's favorable status with those connected with the Bush administration, he may wind up being a wider part of the problem by sticking stubbornly to the PNAC "new-world-order" blueprint.

At least he acknowleges that it IS "painfully obvious that there are too few American troops operating in Iraq".
Truer words were never spoken.
However, if we hold onto pride and painfully obvious American greed (both political power-greed and economic-greed), we will soon see the
military draft reactivated...along with more American deaths and American citizens pouring into the dissenting streets.

Mark these words.

Road Map to Nowhere

WHY is Condoleeza Rice leaning on Israel while pushing Palestine toward a civil war?
Does the Bush administration believe this will bring about MORE peace?

REALLY??!

I think Israel gets a slap in its face every time we tell them to stop defending themselves by tracking down Hamas leaders.
The Sharon-method of "tracking down terror suspects" is much like Bush's own recent "tracking down" of Uday and Qusay Hussein.
We're taking no prisoners--just killing them.
As a nation, what a fine example we have recently set.
Look how far this method of "justice-seeking" has gotten Israel these past 60 years.

We are becoming the new version of Sharon's Israel.
What a pity.
Bush has helped set us on a course for a never-ending cycle of violence.
Playing into the tribal and vengeful hands of terror.

We may be a powerful nation, but, much like Sharon's Israel, our leaders have absolutely no clue how to successfully fight non-state-supported terrorism.

When we become the new Israel, our "tribal religion" will be far more dangerous than the tribes that espouse Islamic or Jewish faiths.
Our American-tribal tenet, as it stands today, seems to be our faith in "the speading of democracy".
The Christian missions did their part in destroying many innocent lives throughout the world.
Imagine what the new tribal faith of extremist America could do......

Why does Condoleeza Rice state that "..Despite the horrific events of recent days, we have seen progress toward peace for Israelis and Palestinians'' ??!??????? What progress? Where?

How can Rice say. "The terrorists will not succeed'' when, every single time an or an innocent is blown apart by a suicide bomb, terror
succeeds in its mission?

Terror will continue to succeed until we, in concert with the good people of the world community, start DOING something instead of talking about bogus road maps and telling nations that they must adopt our version of "democracy".
Concentrate on the health of our OWN democracy in the U.S.
It is suffering from what could be a terminal illness.

Until then, people of Israel---build that security fence HIGH and do what you must to protect the innocent.



Your leader is failing you...much like our own leader GW Bush is failing America.

I pray for your safety this day.

The Media Is Lying to Us

THE MEDIA IS LYING TO US.



It may be a peddling of soft lies, but the result is a fatally misinformed American public.

HERE'S SOME PROOF:

LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE IN THESE POLL RESULTS!

IN A RECENT NEWSWEEK POLL, 1,011 Americans were asked the same questions that are now being posed to the INTERNET public-at-large.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU ASK MORE PEOPLE------**PEOPLE WHO MAY VERY WELL BE MORE INFORMED.

LOOK AT THE VARIANCE IN RESULTS....ESPECIALLY QUESTIONS 4 and 5!
Re: US TROOPS: MOST PEOPLE SAY "BRING THEM HOME NOW!"



ON THE INTERNET:
There are already 16,563 web site responses represented here..this is 16 times that of the NEWSWEEK telephone poll.
* Percentages may not total to 100% for each question due to non-responses

The percentages on the left represent the results of the national poll (1,011 people),not including the INTERNET response (16,563 people).

The percentages shown on the left are the INTERNET responses.

The poll was taken August 22-23, 2003 and had a +/- 3 percent margin of error. 1. Do you approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?


Yes 17% / 53%
No 81% / 36%
Don't know 2% / 11%


2. How confident are you that the United States will successfully establish a stable, democratic form of government in Iraq over the long term?

Very confident 9%/ 54%
Somewhat confident 7% / 40%
Not too confident 13% / 6%
Not at all confident 69% / undefined%
Don't know 1% / undefined%



3. How well do you think U.S. efforts to establish security and rebuild Iraq have gone since major combat ended on May 1?

Very well 6% / 18%
Somewhat well 9% / 37%
Not too well 14% / 21%
Not at all well 71% / 19%
Don't know 0% / 5%


4. From what you know now, do think the United States did the right thing in taking military action against Iraq last March?

Yes, the United States did the right thing 19% / 61%
No, it did not do the right thing 78% / 33%
Don't know 2% / 6%



5. For how much longer would you support keeping large numbers of U.S. military personnel in Iraq to help establish security and rebuild the country?

Less than one year 23% / 28%
One to two years 13% / 28%
Three to five years 9% / 19%
Six to 10 years 4% / 3%
More than 10 years? 3% / 11.5%
No longer--bring them home now 44% / 7%
Don't know 4% / undefined%


6. Do you support this current level of U.S. spending (about $1 billion a week) to establish security in Iraq and rebuild the country?

Yes, I support current spending levels 20% / 34%
No, the U.S. should reduce spending and scale back its efforts 76% / 60%
Don't know 4% / 6%


REMEMBER THIS....THE MEDIA IS SPOUTING OUT THE TELEPHONE-NEWSWEEK POLL NUMBERS AS IF THEY ARE GOSPEL TRUTH AND RELIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC OPINION.

THAT'S PURE BULLSHIT!

LOOK at the replies by the INTERNET on question 2.
69% of those polled say they are NOT AT ALL CONFIDENT that the United States will successfully establish a stable, democratic form of government in Iraq over the long term.
NOW---look at Newsweek's statement in the title of their Sept 1 article which I have posted DIRECTLY BELOW.

( "The public posture is confident, but the jitters are real. Under fire in Iraq, Team Bush ponders its options" )

IT'S A LIE!
Over two thirds of us see it falling apart.



They've gotten it wrong before.
They're getting it wronger today.
Don't believe all you see.
Heck--don't believe THIS if you have the informed intuition not to. ;)

SEE: http://www.msnbc.com/news/956458.asp

Also see NY Times article about the Newsweek poll and an ABC Poll of 1,024 people. These results not be getting the weight that they wind up receiving in the media and the press. It seems not only frivilous and disingenuous, but nearly criminal when American lives are at stake. I highly disrespect today's American media for this reason.

If we had a leader who had an ounce of true humility, he would go to the United Nations immediately and implore them to fully contribute to what could be a very worthy effort. Our poor American leadership has caused an influx of terror in the entire Middle Eastern region and strong distaste for America by those who could have been our best allies. The Bush administration has engendered mistrust in the American people as well. It's a prideful, secretive, and defensive leadership that will SINK the mission in Iraq if things don't change very soon.
If we only want to hold onto Iraq like it's our little treasure, we will never..I repeat NEVER win the hearts and minds of anyone, Iraqi, Russian, German, or American.
The intent of the is administration is looking possessive and greedy. It doesn't seem like we're acting in good faith.
I really hope Bush doesn't think God is leading his soul....because I never saw God that way. If God is that way, I don't want to be a member of His club anymore.

The poll results would CHANGE if the Bush administration began to LEAD in a meaningful way.

Groping In the Dark Newsweek

Under all the Bush propaganda about Iraq lies a dark truth.

The American public is no longer fooled by the Bush-spun "rosy optimism".

Newsweek
Sept 1, 2003
Groping in the Dark
The public posture is confident, but the jitters are real. Under fire in Iraq, Team Bush ponders its options

Jimmy Breslin speaks of the preposterous, wandering, delusional language of Bush and his administration

Howard Dean Wesley Clark- I Smell Success!

I Smell Success!

DREAM TEAM 2004:

TODAY ON CNN/WOLF BLITZER, HOWARD DEAN SAYS HE WOULD GLADLY ACCEPT WES CLARK AS RUNNING MATE

Dean also beautifully ripped away at the out-of-touch DLC leadership.
He also firmly claimed that the U.S. flag doesn't belong to one of his supreme nay-sayers Tom DeLay and his wacko extremist ilk.

Some people Dean mentioned as trusted potential security advisors:

Joseph Hoar
Ivo Daalder
Susan Wright

Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity

Insults to Intelligence
It's Not too Late to Speak Out
by Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity

Excerpt:

"....While it is too late to prevent the misadventure in Iraq, the war is hardly over, and analogous "evidence" is being assembled against Iran, Syria, and North Korea. Yes, US forces will have their hands full for a long time in Iraq, but this hardly rules out further adventures based on "intelligence" as spurious as that used to argue the case for attacking Iraq.

The best deterrent is the truth. Telling the truth about the abuse of intelligence on Iraq could conceivably give pause to those about to do a reprise. It is, in any case, essential that the American people acquire a more accurate understanding of the use and abuse of intelligence. Only then can there be any hope that they can experience enough healing from the trauma of 9/11 to be able to make informed judgments regarding the policies pursued by this administration--thus far with the timid acquiescence of their elected representatives.

History is littered with the guilty consciences of those who chose to remain silent. It is time to speak out."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity---who are they?
Are they for real?
Answer: Yes, of course they are.

"Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, a group of retired spies, issued an open letter to Bush Monday reflecting the view of many in the intelligence community that the central culprit is Vice President Dick Cheney. The open letter called for Cheney's resignation...." Nicholas Kristof

Have you read "INTELLIGENCE UNGLUED"?
*It's a letter to President Bush, which charges the vice president drove the U.S. to war with a "campaign of deceit" -- and then the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity call for Cheney's head.*

Where Is Dick Cheney?

Oh Where,

Oh Where Has Our Dick Cheney Gone?



Credit: www.vitalmusic.net

Oh Where,

Oh Where Can He Be?


They thought he might be here. But, no....

He's been out making hay while our sons die.

Get Real, Rumsfeld!

GET REAL, RUMSFELD!!
Someone get this nutty coot out of the Defense Department before it's too late! He's detached from reality!

Rumsfeld Seeking to Bolster Force Without New G.I.'s
By THOM SHANKER


WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, seeking to increase the nation's combat power without hiring more troops, is poised to order a sweeping review of Pentagon policies, officials say. It will include everything from wartime mobilization and peacekeeping commitments, to reservist training and incentives for extended duty.

Your volunteers aren't toys, Rumsfeld. Quit playing games with their lives, drop the PNAC blueprint and get on bended knee and appeal to the U.N. for their cooperation and power-sharing in Iraq as you should have done all along. The pride of the Bush administration is taking American lives. That's shitty leadership, pure and simple. Sorry--someone's got to say it.

Fighting the Big One Thomas Friedman

WE MAY FAIL
Pentagon / Bush Administration Utter Incompetency--
What A Damned Pity!

Fighting 'The Big One'
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

Excerpt:

"....We may fail, but not because we have attracted terrorists who understand what's at stake in Iraq. We may fail because of the utter incompetence with which the Pentagon leadership has handled the postwar. (We don't even have enough translators there, let alone M.P.'s, and the media network we've set up there to talk to Iraqis is so bad we'd be better off buying ads on Al Jazeera.) We may fail because the Bush team thinks it can fight The Big One in the Middle East — while cutting taxes at home, shrinking the U.S. Army, changing the tax code to encourage Americans to buy gas-guzzling cars that make us more dependent on Mideast oil and by gratuitously alienating allies.

We may fail because to win The Big One, we need an American public, and allies, ready to pay any price and bear any burden, but we have a president unable or unwilling to summon either."

Bill Simon Drops Out of Recall Race

Buh-Bye, Bill Simon from your *fair-weather friends at the GOP!
*legal disclaimer: No, FOX News...I did not say fair and balanced-please oh please don't sue me*


OOPS--NOT ANYMORE!

Bill Simon does a total 180-degree within less than one week!
The future of his campaign obviously wasn't up to "the people" at all.
It was up to the guy Bill Simon was drooling over in the Meet the Press interview last Sunday....Karl Rove.


KARL? OH-I'M A GREAT ADMIRER!

Obviously, the Meet The Press appearance was Bill's last gasping chance before cuddly Karl cut Bill's throat.

Note--Even though I can imagine, if asked about the situation, Karl's comment would be:


"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"


Aug 17- MEET THE PRESS:

BRIAN WILLIAMS: "Mr. Simon, are you in this race till the very end?

MR. BILL SIMON: I’m in this race, Brian. I’m not under any pressure to quit.
The bottom line is this: What we need to do now is campaign hard for the next 52 days, give our citizens a message, a vision for the state of California. That’s the most important thing. We should have a series of debates. We ought to let our people make a decision. It’s up to the people. They’ve led this recall movement, Brian. This is no time for experts. It’s not time for politics. It’s time for our people.

MR. WILLIAMS: Would a telephone call from, say, to pick a name, a Karl Rove, for the good of the party, to streamline things, to make sure the GOP gets this Statehouse and holds it, have any sway with you?

MR. SIMON: Well, certainly, I’d be happy to talk to Mr. Rove. I’m a great admirer of his. But right now what I’m looking forward to is campaigning around the state which is what I’ve been doing the last week. And I know that our people are hungry for leadership, and Lieutenant Governor said, many millions of people voted for him. They voted for me, too.
...............................

OTHER SIMON QUOTES 8-17 on Meet The Press:

"Well, our people now know that I was right on these issues, Brian, and I believe that they’re going to embrace my vision and my solutions for the problems that beset California right now."

---OBVIOUSLY NOT.

"You know, I’m running hard, Brian, and I’ll just say this. I admire Mr. Dreier, but I’ve got other endorsements. This is not about endorsements. This is not about politics. This is about doing the right thing. That’s why our people are fed up because we’ve been having too much politics out here. We’ve been having too much emphasis on people saying this is the right thing, theoretically, to do in terms of who ought to run and who shouldn’t run. What we need to do is focus on the message. Where’s Mr. Schwarzenegger stand on the issues? We don’t even know. Why don’t we have a forum where we can find out where all our candidates stand on the issues? This election has got to be about the people. It’s not about politics."

---OBVIOUSLY IT IS.

"I believe, as has happened the last two campaigns that I’ve run, that the people are going to coalesce around me, and on October the 7th, I will be the winner."

--OBVIOUSLY YOU WON'T BE.


Because........

FROM CNN:


"Republican Bill Simon, who was a prominent rival to Arnold Schwarzenegger in California's race to recall Gov. Gray Davis, dropped out of the running Saturday.
"I come before you today to announce that I am withdrawing as a candidate for governor," Simon said in a videotaped statement recorded in Sacramento. "I strongly believe the desire of Californians must come before the aspirations of any single candidate. There are too many Republicans in this race and the people of our state simply cannot risk a continuation of the Gray Davis legacy. For these reasons, I think it is wise to step aside."


Buh-bye, Billy!!!
You were a L-O-S-E-R in 2002
and a L-O-S-E-R you shall remain,


so says the one you so greatly admire-- big ol' cuddly Karl.




Someone else will have to steal the governor's seat fair and square...but it won't be YOU, Monsieur Proven Loser!

Bring them home

Hey, Bush Administration--If you're going to keep our precious men and women in harm's way, how's about making sure they get everything they need to succeed?
Ample equipment, food and water (along with your immediate, earnest and humble attempts to get UN back-up) would be a good start.
If you can't do that, Then BRING THEM HOME NOW!

Fri, Aug. 22, 2003

Army short on replacement parts in Iraq
By ROBERT BURNS
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The Army overcame enormous logistics obstacles in the successful march to Baghdad last spring, but sustaining the force has become a problem, a senior Army general said Friday.
Gen. Paul Kern, chief of the Army Materiel Command, cited as an example the Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, which he said has sustained so much wear and tear in Iraq that the Army is months' short of replacements for the steel tracks on which they travel.
Kern said the Army also is in short supply of replacement tracks for Abrams tanks, Paladin howitzers and other vehicles.
Similarly, the Army has had trouble supplying enough tires for Humvee utility vehicles and generators for electrical power, Kern said in an interview with a group of reporters at the Pentagon.
Kern said these shortfalls are being addressed and have not created a major combat readiness problem. He said they reflect the difficulty of maintaining a high pace of operations in Iraq at the same time the Army remains active in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the world.

St John of the Cross

"The soul lives by that which it loves rather than in the body which it animates.
For it has not its life in the body,
but rather gives it to the body and lives in that which it loves."

St. John of the Cross

Truth Is Not Partisan

Tell ALL The Truth


Tell all the truth but let it slant----
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise.



As lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind----

Emily Dickinson


Truth Is Not Partisan
Letter to the Editor
Published August 21, 2003
Syracuse Post Standard
by: This Very Blogstress-Iddybud

Note: This was in response to the usual insulting commentary about how we citizens are unpatriotic, unfair, and politically spiteful for questioning the Bush administration.


"It's a pity the war is nothing more than a partisan issue to so many people in this nation. This is a matter of life and death to our most precious resource in America-our soldiers with their lives on the line every moment they remain in harm's way.

We seem to have gravely erred on the side of rosy optimism in Iraq. It's time to admit that and come together, regardless of our individual political persuasions.
Our Congress failed to ask some hard questions before they gave our President authority to make pre-emptive attack. We now learn that it was very easy for the Bush administration to have had serious doubts about the intelligence they used, yet they made the conscious decision to relay it to us in the 2003 State of the Union speech. We now learn that the CIA had soundly warned the Bush administration of guerilla war long before Vice President Cheney was on national television assuring us that we'd be warmly greeted as "liberators". There hasn't been one shred of evidence that Iraq was the imminent threat we were told they were-except for some rusty parts buried under a rose bush.



"American troops are dying in real-time. Let's conduct an investigation for truth in real-time."



I am tired of hearing that American citizens are "desperate", "haters", and "misinformers" whenever they began to ask for truth from their elected leaders. If truth is, indeed, the "greatest of weapons" as Mr Snyder states, then he and others like him should not resort to base partisan-level and insult American citizens for their search for the truth. It is an unsophisticated affront to our collective sense of the very ideal of American freedom and decency.

If we all had the same crystal ball Mr. Snyder seems to possess in his averring that "the truth will soon be known", then perhaps we would have no need to ask questions. Until we are all clairvoyant, I see no ludicrousness in asking reasoned questions and I see no conflict with the timing of those questions. American troops are dying in real-time. Let's conduct an investigation for truth in real-time. Terror has existed since the dawn of mankind. There is no endgame in sight to our war on terror.
If we wait until war on terror is ended, we will never have had the right to know what was true. America is made of strong and resilient people with a brilliant Constitution to match. As a nation, we will surely not fall apart by looking at ourselves with a clear eye-here and now. We have nothing to lose except more American lives.

Mr. Snyder says he trusts that Americans are not "fickle to believe false assertions". He is absolutely correct. Free passes are only given to those leaders who are deemed trustworthy. Our trust has been shaken for clear reasons and it's time to see the reality of the situation without insulting those who ask the hardest questions. There are no double standards and there is no prematurity when we have already committed our service men and women to war and after-the fact revelations and naturally-resulting questions arise."

AISH.Com: It's Time To Get Angry

FROM AISH.COM: IT'S TIME TO GET ANGRY
by Jeffrey Dunetz

Mr. Dunetz does a good job of explaining why we need to develop a better sense of moral conscience and clarity now..and see, with the veil fully lifted,
the need for intelligent and prompt action by our own U.S. government. The veil seems to be covering the minds of our own citizenry..and our own U.S. Representatives. Dear God...what has happened to our common sense of decency? These are very real and totally innocent people dying almost every day since the Intifada began. It hurts to think of what could have been resolved by now, had we all..each one of us... listened to our conscience and demanded action.
It's not too late. Write to your Representatives today...use your heart along with your head. Are those images on your FOX and CNN screens not striking you as real? How is it that we have become so dulled to the pain of others?

Excerpt:

"..One of the people my anger is directed at is the guy on the radio. He just described the bombing that targeted so many innocent children as part of the cycle of violence. I am upset because he equated Israel's killing of a terrorist to the blowing up of a busload of civilians who were going home from their evening prayers, as if there was no moral difference..."


It's also time to get more balanced moral clarity on the Progressive front.
Anything other than moral honesty and fairness will only prolong the nightmare.
Or: Honestly, kids...Wouldn't YOU build a fence if your neighbor wished you blown to bits?

One additional point regarding American politics:
I believe there is a confusion with some on the left in American politics as well as in the American media. I concur with many progessive political beliefs, but I don't believe the Israel plight gets a fair moral shake by today's "progressive". I'm definitely no FOX News fan..I think they are horribly biased...biased to great fault. Yet I see confusion there and everywhere in the media about the most important and volatile conflict in this world. If there is ever going to be a peace settlement while duly protecting innocent lives in both Israel and Palestine, we must realize that politicians like Howard Dean are not left-wing radicals.
Far from it--those who employ true terror are possibly more intimidated by the political rise of Howard Dean than they are by Bush. Howard Dean is not going to be able to be pinned down to these ignorant-yet-neat categorizations by the U.S. press. Howard Dean would be the best candidate for finding a solution to this dreadful problem. I believe he would pay far more than lip service.
An example of angst surrounding an emerging candidate who sees through the grey areas and would concentrate on an end to true terror can be found
here at an Al Jazeerah site.

If you see the media misrepresenting Howard Dean, let them know immediately. This could be the man who finally understands the priorities of those with moral conscience and who finally understands what needs to be done for the true protection of the innocent.

Yes--I am repulsed in knowing that a young idealistic American woman, Rachel Corrie, was run over by an Israeli tank. Her story was never sensationalized by the American media..not like the sordid tale of Gary Condit. Does this not also make you angry? A lack of media-focus on all these issues is pathetic..it shows us Americans as callous and uncaring, easily-distracted boobs.

I appeal to all who read this: Let media and your government know you are not this uncaring.

Dean's support Jumps in New Hampshire

Poll: Dean's Support Jumps in New Hampshire


Howard Dean- 28%
John Kerry-21%
Dick Gephardt-10%
Joe Leberman- 4%

All results shown HERE

SEE HOWARD DEAN'S NEW SITE FOR YOUNG DEMOCRATS-- GENERATION DEAN --which seeks to reach out to and involve millions of young Americans who care passionately about changing their country.

See video of Dr. Dean's appearance at the Young Democrats of America National Convention in Buffalo, NY last Friday

Iraq: It's Falling Apart

JESUS, IT'S FALLING APART

IF WE AREN'T GOING TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE PLEA TO THE UN FOR A NEW RESOLUTION AND ACCEPT WIDE UN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING, THEN BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW

I think of the folly of this Iraq adventure, and I think of the lies we were told to enable a bunch of possibly well-intentioned (misled)--and definitely greedy megalomaniacs to plan and execute a new world order. I think of the way our unelected President is an ignorant and bitterly comical marionette for
these men in the shadows. I see that Saudis and other Middle-Eastern nationals are preparing for a holy war against our American troops in Iraq- with increasing numbers of Islamists crossing Iraq's borders in preparation for a jihad, or holy war. I read about the bombing at the site of UN Headquarters in Baghdad and think about the way Bush has stupidly and stubbornly refused to accept or promote wider international UN peacekeeping in Iraq. I read about at least one soldier dying each day. I read about soldiers dying of heatstroke...getting a rationed one MRE and limited water each day..they're in hell and fake-patriots drone on about supporting those abused troops.
I see the Abu-Hafs of AlQaeda bragging about tripping up our electrical grid, causing blackouts over the northeastern US last week. (Maybe true/maybe not). Yet all I recall is being "reassured" by Homeland Security within moments of the lights going out that was that this wasn't an act by terrorists. This is interesting since they still don't know what the hell happened five days later. Homeland Security is only a name for a newly overbloated federal bureaucracy.
And now AlQaeda avers they'll target the White House next.
Osama is out there free and plotting. Probably laughing about the Iraq diversion to which Bush drove us.
It strengthened the Taliban. It strengthened Osama. It strengthened Islamic fundamentalist determination to rid their lands of occupiers.
The international support we could have had after 9-11 has been squandered by a war-crazed Bush.
It's getting fucking ridiculous now.
Is anyone out there getting angry yet?
The entire Bush administration has failed us by bowing to the PNAC and their ilk.
I believe we should bring our troops home now.
Proper plans for war were not made. Our men and women overseas suffer and may die because of it.
No--I didn't say BRING THEM ON.
I said:
BRING THEM HOME.



LIAR-IN-CHIEF:
"Shucks--I didn't really mean 'Mission Accomplished'--but don't ya think I looked really cool at the time?"

President Bush, revising his earlier characterization of the fighting in Iraq, said in an interview released yesterday that combat operations are still underway in that country

PLEASE READ THIS BRIEF ARTICLE CAREFULLY.
THINK ABOUT IT.
THEN ASK YOURSELVES WHY THE PRESS NEVER "PRESSED" BUSH ON THIS STATEMENT.
WHY WAS THERE NO FOLLOW-UP ANALYSIS OF HIS INCREDIBLY FALSE ANSWER?
ARE MEMBERS OF TODAY'S PRESS THAT STUPID?
ARE THEY AFRAID OF LOSING THEIR JOBS IF THEY ASK FOR BASIC TRUTH?
IS THIS PRESIDENT SUCH A BUMBLER THAT THE PRESS SHIES AWAY FROM PRESSING HIM...THUS ALLOWING HIM TO GET AWAY WITH BOLD-FACED LIES?

Excerpt:

"On July 25, President George W. Bush made a truly staggering statement to the press after a meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan: “The fundamental question is, did Saddam Hussein have a weapons program?

And the answer is, absolutely. And we gave him a chance to allow inspectors in, and he wouldn’t let them in. And therefore, after a reasonable request, we decided to remove him from power, along with other nations, so as to make sure he was not a threat to the United States and our friends and allies in the region.”

This statement is worth reading carefully. The president of the United States has stated, in a public forum, that he invaded Iraq because Saddam Hussein would not allow weapons inspectors back into his country.

So far as I am aware, this statement has not been the subject of any serious critical analysis in the mainstream American media......

SOME PEACE APOINTMENT!!

"Western European societies are unprepared for the massive immigration of brown-skinned peoples cooking strange foods and maintaining different standards of hygiene ...



...all immigrants bring exotic customs and attitudes, but Muslim customs are more troublesome than most."

Daniel Pipes



Daniel Pipes...the warped bigot who's about to get a recess appointment to the board of directors/U. S. Institute of Peace from GW Bush...because he'd never EVER pass through any other way!
* Opposition to his nomination has come from a number of newspapers, including the Washington Post, the Dallas Morning News and the Chicago Tribune. Pipes' nomination also caused controversy within the Jewish community. The Christian Right loves him, though. Bush panders at the expense of world peace and national unity once again.

From The Crisis Papers:
Bernard Weiner looks at Post 9/11 America Two Years On

America Two Years after 9/11:



25 Things We Now Know

By Bernard Weiner
Co-Editor, "The Crisis Papers."
August 18, 2003

"....As the presidential election run-up approaches, and if we do our jobs correctly, more and more citizens will add up what has happened to their country since the terror attacks of two years ago, and decide that Bush&Co. has to go -- preferably by resignation, but, if not, by impeachment or by the voters."

Credit: http://www.villagevoice.com/sutton/

BRING 'EM ON!

'Zsa Zsa Saddam' to Taunt Iraqi Regime Loyalists



What do they have in common?
They'll soon be TAUNTING Saddam loyalists!

**SEE THE ACTUAL PHOTOS HERE**

".."We're going to do something devious with these," said a chuckling Lieutenant-Colonel..."

Muhuahahahaha!
OOOOOOO! What an awesome and devious secret weapon!
And fun, too! Weee!

Gee, aren't you glad our tax dollars are going
toward lame ideas fostered by these "brain-trusts"?
Typical shitty GOP-related humor, you say?
No!!! Ya think?!


"Most of the locals will love 'em and they'll be laughing. But the bad guys are going to be upset, which will just make it easier for us to know who they are."

Hey! Great idea. If you can't find 'em, taunt 'em. They'll be saying:


"The bastards! They made Saddam look like Lisa Douglas!"

Tres intelligent:

-One of the posters shows Saddam's head on Elvis's dancing body, a gold crucifix hanging around his hairy chest.-

Oh, yeah. Way to go---that'll surely foster great relations with the typical Shi'ite citizen...you friggen idiots!

Flush 'em out with their bitter anger at the sight of has-beens and dead stars!
Bring 'em on.....


Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!

Killing Saddam
The summer blockbuster to come
BY TOM HAYDEN



"....It has been a bad summer for the Pentagon and the White House, but Saddam's death could be their summer hit. Nothing the growing number of critics can say compares to the potential public gratification and fortification of righteousness that the White House hopes to generate by the coming assassination. That the administration lied, that the occupation costs $4-billion per month, that we have antagonized our allies, that thousands of Iraqis are collateral damage -- all these venial sins will be forgiven, they assume, when Saddam is dead and gone. To seal the victory, at some later date, weapons of mass destruction will be discovered, both Bush and Blair assure us. That prospect should finish off the lingering critics and set the stage for a triumphal November 2004.

But what if the master plan is left unfulfilled? It seems unlikely, but Saddam may elude the Delta posse or already be dead. Or what if the pursuit climaxes in Saddam's ritual death, but the chaos in Iraq continues unabated? What if Saddam, living or dead, is not the deux ex machina behind the daily shootings and woundings of American soldiers? What if the occupiers are facing a vengeful Iraqi nationalism, not the remnants of the old regime?

There is an opening for the peace movement here. If and when Saddam is killed the question becomes, "Why should American troops continue to die if the dictator is dead?" If the ritual symbolizes victory, why shouldn't the American troops come home and leave the rest to the Iraqis? Why shouldn't Paul Bremer III declare victory, set a date for a national Iraqi election and a parallel American troops withdrawal? Or are American troops dying for purposes other than overthrowing the dictatorship?"....

Foreign Policy:
George Will separates the Conservatives from the Neo-Conservatives

I think Mr. Will has done a very good job deconstructing Tony Blair's
neoconservative rhetoric here and reforming it in the light of reality.


THE FACE OF NEOCONSERVATISM


Excerpt:

"...Blair seems to think: Boston, Baghdad, Manchester, Monrovia -- what's the difference? Such thinking is dangerous. Blair's argument is true only if it is trivial: "Ordinary" people choose freedom, democracy and the rule of law because those who do not so choose prove thereby that they are not ordinary.

But there are a lot of them in the world. Some of them are waging guerrilla war against American forces in Iraq.

Blair's thinking is Bush's, too. "There is a value system that cannot be compromised, and that is the values we praise," the president says. "And if the values are good enough for our people, they ought to be good enough for others."

But one must compromise in the face of facts, those stubborn things. It is a fact that not everyone is inclined to praise "the values we praise." And not every society has the prerequisites -- of institutions (political parties, media) and manners (civility, acceptance of pluralism) -- of a free society.

Bush and Blair and many people called neoconservatives believe that moral objectives in politics are universally applicable imperatives. If so, then either national cultures do not significantly differ, or they do not matter or they are infinitely malleable under the touch of enlightened reformers. But all three propositions are false and antithetical to all that conservatism teaches about the importance of cultural inertia and historical circumstances."

Lessons in how to lie about Iraq

The problem is not propaganda but the relentless control of the kind of things we think about
Brian Eno
Sunday August 17, 2003
The Observer

"....When I first visited Russia, in 1986, I made friends with a musician whose father had been Brezhnev's personal doctor. One day we were talking about life during 'the period of stagnation' - the Brezhnev era. 'It must have been strange being so completely immersed in propaganda,' I said.
'Ah, but there is the difference. We knew it was propaganda,' replied Sacha...."

The Criminal Revenge Against The Wilson Family:

Will there be an investigation into whether Bush administration officials violated the law and undermined national security in order to mount a political vendetta?

by David Corn



"Under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982, it is a crime for anyone with access to classified information to reveal intentionally the identity of an undercover intelligence officer."

_____________________________

Just another reason to impeach the worst President in U.S. History.
*Which apparently doesn't happen anymore unless the President is Democrat who has an affair.
The GOP impeachers don't "do" criminal and totally unethical liars who are one of their own.*

WHY?
Please! Tell us we didn't go and pick off another journalist!
Talk about your photo shoots...



U.S. Troops Shoot Dead Reuters Cameraman in Iraq

"....The U.S. armed forces said on Sunday that their troops had "engaged'' a Reuters cameraman. It said soldiers had thought his camera was a rocket-propelled grenade launcher........"

IS TO

AS

IS TO

_______________________

Visit the
all-new
Pakistani-Fried
KFC!!




Hundreds of angry Pakistani Shi'ite Muslims went on a rampage in Karachi on Sunday, setting fire to a a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet.

"WE DO CHICKEN RIGHT BRIGHT"

Bush and Saudis Sittin' in a Tree -- K-I-S-S-I-N-G
Prez Exempts Gays from Marriage, Saudis from Guilt
By Greg Palast


Chimp eye for the W.A.M.Y.
Mmmmwaaaaah!

"I couldn't be more opposed than I am to Tom DeLay.''

Wesley Clark


Gawd--we certainly hope so!

"Former NATO commander Gen. Wesley Clark said on Sunday he was being drawn into politics and would decide in two to three weeks whether to seek the Democratic presidential nomination...."

Knock Knock!
Hundreds of insurgents in a convoy of trucks attacked a police
headquarters in southeastern Afghanistan yesterday, triggering a gunbattle
that killed 22 people.


www.mnftiu.cc/mnftiu.cc/home.html

VP Dick Cheney took marching orders early in 2001 about how to handle the California crisis--
directly from Enron's Ken Lay.

"Nooo price caps, Dick.."
"Aye-Aye, Cap'n Enron!"

We have just witnessed the worst blackout in American history.
In the case of the northeast grid, which corporate-energy taskmaster will he now obey?