Video: The Last Doughboy: WWI Vet Honored At 107, Frank Buckles of West Virginia may be the last surviving American-born veteran of World War I. Now, Buckles is honored at the Pentagon
The Kenyan Parliament met Thursday for the first time since a power-sharing deal was struck to end a political crisis that had plunged the country into chaos.
Kenya Politicians from the ruling party and the opposition spoke sweet words of unity but the top leaders continued to sit apart from one another in the chamber. Honorable members, you must now become the ambassadors of peace and reconciliation, President Mwai Kibaki told the lawmakers. Please forget the history of what has happened, not because you want to put it aside, but because you want to do something much better.
The lawmakers who include 21 women, a record here now begin the delicate business of carrying out the much-anticipated and possibly awkward power-sharing deal. Under it, the top opposition leader, Raila Odinga, becomes prime minister, and the ruling party and the opposition divide the cabinet posts.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/07/2008 00:00 ||
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Good. Odinga can start carving out a sinecure for Barak Obama, who, along with his wife, mean Michelle, will have to flee America permanantly once Hillary is elected.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
03/07/2008 11:05 Comments ||
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Has the Hillary paid the Kenyans the cows they asked in payment for dissing them?
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said Friday that Colombian rebels helped Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa get elected, citing as evidence a rebel's letter seized during a cross-border raid that has sparked an international crisis.
Correa walked out of the 20-nation Rio Group summit after the accusation, but an aide said he had merely gone to the bathroom. Or Ran crying to his political masters.
Prostate problems; always hit you at the worst time ...
As other leaders complained, Uribe waited for Correa to return before continuing.
Uribe said his forces seized a letter during their raid Saturday on a rebel camp just across the border with Ecuador in which Raul Reyes the rebel leader killed in the raid told the guerrillas' top commander about "aid delivered to Rafael Correa, as instructed."
Correa, who has broken off relations with Colombia and sent troops to the border over the raid, denounced the accusation and proposed an international peacekeeping force to guard the Colombian-Ecuadorean border. "I reject this infamy that the government of Rafael Correa has collaborated with the FARC," Correa bellowed into the microphone as he accused Uribe of lying. His comments drew loud applause from other leaders, who met Uribe's speech with silence.
The summit was to have focused on energy and other issues, but those were overshadowed by the diplomatic crisis in the Andes after the deadly Colombian cross-border raid into Ecuador on Saturday that killed a senior Colombian rebel and 24 others.
It began quietly, with the host, Dominican President Leonel Fernandez, appealing for unity. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said it was time to cool tensions and predicted the summit "is going to be positive." I guess he finally talked to his generals and they told him of the asskicking he was going to get.
"People should go cool off a bit, chill out their nerves," Chavez said before the summit started. "I think the meeting today is going to be positive, because it is going to help the debate. We have to debate, talk, and this is the first step toward finding the road."
But the accusations began quickly, with Correa criticizing "the aggression of Colombia" and Uribe saying that Correa is a dishonest partner in the fight against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. "We didn't inform him (of the raid) because we have not had cooperation from the government of President Correa in the fight against terrorism," Uribe said.
Latin American foreign ministers on Thursday drafted a statement saying national sovereignty must be respected. The draft, to be submitted to the presidents on Friday, mirrors one earlier in the week from the Organization of American States, said Chilean Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley.
Where's the draft about countries not harboring terrorists who attack other countries?
Chavez has ordered thousands of troops and tanks to Venezuela's border with Colombia and threatened to slash trade and nationalize Colombian-owned businesses. Correa has also sent troops to the border, although Uribe has said he won't do the same.
Guess who the cool customer is here ...
The summit marks the first face-to-face encounters between Chavez, Correa and Uribe since the international crisis began.
Correa told reporters he wants Uribe to apologize for the attack in Ecuadorean territory and give his "formal and firm commitment" that Colombia will never "violate" the sovereignty of another country.
On his arrival in Santo Domingo late Thursday, Chavez claimed the strike was "planned and directed by the United States." Later, he said he had information that "gringo soldiers" participated in the attack, but provided no evidence.
He never does. That's not the point, of course, trifling with 'evidence' ...
U.S. Southern Command spokesman Jose Ruiz neither confirmed or denied this week that the U.S. military took part in the attack. The latest body was discovered Thursday, according to Ecuador's security minister, Gustavo Larrea.
Uribe is hugely popular among Colombians cracking down on the FARC, which finances itself through kidnapping and drug trafficking.
Nicaragua, a leftist ally of Venezuela and Ecuador, broke relations with Colombia on Thursday. The attack also cut off all contacts between the rebels and France, where the freedom of French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt has become a national cause, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Friday.
Uribe has refused to rule out future military incursions into Ecuador or Venezuela, saying he first needs assurances from Correa and Chavez that they are not harboring rebels.
One of the rare regional voices offering support for Colombia was Salvadoran President Tony Saca, who said the Colombian government should be able to defend its citizens. "We need to understand Colombia has the legitimate right to go after terrorists ... wherever they may be, of course without harming the sovereignty of another country," Saca said.
#2
Must have gotten the report that a quarter of his tanks can't move out of the motor pool, another quarter broke down within kilometers of their departure, another quarter are springing fuel leaks that make the civic plaza fountain blush and no one told the army to have adequate refuel capability, and the last quarter are waiting for maps.
#5
CHINESE MIL FORUM > SINO DAILY - CHINESE MILITARY OFFICIALS [General Jing Zhiyuan] CALL FOR COMBAT READINESS, in the continuation of the "military struggle" [Reunification agz TAIWAN?], which is also indic in the article as "the imperative", and for the PLA to maintain same in suppor of any PRC-CPC agenda.
The United States is building up forces on Guam with an eye toward a future conflict with China, Pacific forces commander Adm. Timothy Keating said recently.
Keating told a group of defense reporters on Jan. 28 that the issue of the strategic buildup on Guam, which has been underway for the past three years, was not raised by Chinese military officials during his recent visit to China.
Asked if the Chinese are monitoring the buildup, Keating said: I kind of hope they do. We've got a number of B-2s in Guam now. I'm hoping they notice. We're doing our best to make sure they do. We want them to understand that we're going to continue to course around the Pacific in ways apparent and maybe not quite so apparent, but we're going to utilize all the arrows in our quiver, if you will, and B-2s in Guam, continuous bomber presence writ larger in Guam and elsewhere. We've been told to do it by Defense Policy Guidance, and we're most assuredly doing it.
Guam is being upgraded by the Pentagon as a central strategic operating base in the Pacific and would be used in case of a future conflict with China over Taiwan or other issues, or as a base for operations for a war in Korea.
Additionally, Guam is being beefed up to better project power to the strategic oil-producing region of the Middle East.
Enhancements have included hardened storage facilities for B-2 bombers, additional attack submarines and better communications and infrastructure. The mutual build up began in the 1980s, and has been the major conflict assumption by both sides since then. Iraq/Afghanistan/Iran and the WoT are just interludes in that assumption.
#2
At least someone in the Pentagon is awake and paying attention. China is wanting to be the sole power in the Pacific and is working towards that goal.
#3
trailing wife: China conflict estimates are why the US Army is going from heavy armored divisions to Stryker brigades; and why the US Navy is obsessed with "littoral" operations.
The error is assuming that a US-China conflict will be a traditional war scenario. Odds are it will be anything but that. China is more and more a confederacy, and its military run by near hereditary "princes", warlords. How this will mutate in the future is anyone's guess.
The Chinese themselves have a similar resignation to an eventual conflict with the US. Both sides thinking that it is not particularly something they want, just that it is inevitable.
#4
The USN's obsession with littoral combat operations has been a long evolution. Despite the focus on missiles and long-range, the USN's flag officers are still obsessed with naval gunnery. Littoral, or shallow water, operations are ideal for showing the flag and firing off a few big, long-ranged guns. It's much more showy than having a carrier sitting several hundred miles off shore and just letting the flyboys have all the fun.
Every ship commander afloat (and most of those not afloat) dreams of taking his half-billion dollar vessel in close enough to see "the whites of his eyes" and blasting away in a firefight.
There's always been a fight at the flag level between the blue water navy and the shallow water boys. The fight is over mission, money, and the future of the USN. For the last 65 years the blue water navy proponents have had the upper hand, but recently a lot of money has been pouring into the shallow water boy's pockets and projects. It'll move back to blue water when a few of the littoral combat ships get their nifty black hulls scored by a few hits from a lucky patrol boat.
#5
When is the Navy going to convert a large container shipping vessel or a old oil tanker into a UACV aircraft carrier. I shouldn't take more than a crew of 100, be fairly cheap and disposable.
#6
GUAM NEWS > A NEW POWER PLANT is reportedly being considered for the US Marines; + A B-1 Bomber has reportedly collided wid two vehicles.
The news of the propsosed MARINE POWER PLANT is ambiguous to me, since it is NOT clear at this time whether any said US force buildup-relocation will occur on a future GUAM AS A DE FACTO NEW US STATE, ala "CUBA/GUANTANAMO" SCENARIO AS AFFECTED BY POST-COLD WAR DEV IN SUPER-TECHNOLOGIES [e.g. GMD, SPACESTRIKE, LUNAR/MOON-BASED COMMUNICATIONS PLANS, etc.]; versus a future Guam as a DE FACTO NEW INDEPENDENT SOVEREIGN NATION.
TMK, CHINA still desires to dominate Asia-Pacific vv the USA+ other major Pacific Powers; whereas post 9-11 RADICAL ISLAM HAS BECOME A NEW PLAYER = FUTURE THREAT IN PACOA POWER PLAYS, albeit for now is still fighting for Islamist "land bridges" into WESTPAC + CENTPAC.
Lest we fergit, NET > various articles on growing or intensifying Radical Islamist queries in CANADA. RUSSIA'S NEW ANTI-NUKE/WMD TERROR DOCTRINE > IMO DOES NOT REQUIRE RUSSIA TO SEEK LOCAL SOVEREIGN GOVT. CONSENT TO ATTACK AND DESTROY INTERNATIONAL-BASED TERROR ORGS-CELLS, EITHER PREEMPTIVELY OR IN RESPONSE TO A DEADLY TERROR STRIKE AGZ RUSS.
BRUSSELS: The United States expects to conclude negotiations with Poland on a missile shield site by the end of President George W. Bush's term in office in January, officials said Wednesday.
"I would say the odds were extremely high that they would be successful," Dan Fried, assistant secretary of state for European affairs, said when asked if he expected the negotiations to be wrapped up by the end of Bush's presidency. Speaking after talks at NATO, he declined to give a more precise time frame for negotiations on U.S. defense commitments, which Poland is seeking in return for its agreement to allow interceptor missiles to be based on its territory.
John Rood, the acting U.S. under secretary of state for arms control, said he was hopeful of a deal "in the near term."
The Bush administration wants missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic as part of a global system to protect the United States and allies from long-range missiles from "rogue states" like Iran and North Korea.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/07/2008 00:00 ||
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A complete misuse and waste of American resources.
Posted by: ed ||
03/07/2008 8:15 Comments ||
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I disagree Ed, but I'd like to hear your side on that.
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/07/2008 18:58 Comments ||
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Federal archivists at the Clinton Presidential Library are blocking the release of hundreds of pages of White House papers on pardons that the former president approved, including clemency for fugitive commodities trader Marc Rich.
The archivists' decision, based on guidance provided by Bill Clinton that restricts the disclosure of advice he received from aides, prevents public scrutiny of documents that would shed light on how he decided which pardons to approve from among hundreds of requests. . . .
The decision to withhold the records could provide fodder for critics who say that the former president and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, now seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, have been unwilling to fully release documents to public scrutiny. . . .
Posted by: Mike ||
03/07/2008 13:17 ||
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#2
But hey just like her husband said. Shes the more qualified candidate to take on the Republican attack machine. After all, shes been fully vetted. Except for thier refusal to turn over portions of her college records, the First Lady Archives, the Clinton Presidential Archives, The Clinton Foundation donars, her 2007 tax returns, her personal campaign loan information, her relationship with Sandy Berger, and
This woman would NOT be good for the USA.... read some of Powerline's writings about her
An adviser to Barack Obama who called Hillary Clinton a monster during an interview has resigned, apologizing for the remark amid pressure from the Clinton campaign. Samantha Power, an unpaid foreign policy adviser to Obama and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, made the offending comment during an interview with the Scottish newspaper The Scotsman.
With deep regret, I am resigning from my role as an adviser to the Obama campaign effective today, Power said in a statement Friday. Last Monday, I made inexcusable remarks that are at marked variance from my oft-stated admiration for Senator Clinton and from the spirit, tenor, and purpose of the Obama campaign. And I extend my deepest apologies to Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and the remarkable team I have worked with over these long 14 months.
Power had released an apology, saying her remarks do not reflect my feelings about Senator Clinton.
Powers original comments came during what the newspaper described as an unguarded moment, as Power was describing how the Clinton campaign was stopping at nothing to catch up to Obama in the Democratic race. She is a monster, too that is off the record she is stooping to anything, Power told the newspaper, which published the remarks in Fridays edition and released them earlier on the papers Web site.
In saying it was off the record, Power tried to withdraw her remark, but the newspaper explained at the bottom of its story that the interview with Power, who was promoting her book, was established as on the record in advance. The newspaper wrote that it was too late for her to retract her comment.
Power also told the newspaper Clinton was appealing to low-income voters by trying to suggest Obama would endanger their jobs. The amount of deceit she has put forward is really unattractive, she said.
Clinton supporters on a conference call Friday called for Power to leave the campaign. Sen. Obama has talked about a new kind of politics. This is the worst kind of politics, New York Rep. Gregory Meeks said. This is personal character assassination.
Obama has said he would fire anyone using personal attacks on his political rivals and the campaign quickly denounced Powers comments, even before she resigned. Senator Obama decries such characterizations, which have no place in this campaign, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said.
#1
She needed to resign. Calling Hillary a "monster" is beyond the pale. It's a vile insult to patriotic Monster-Americans like the Cookie Monster, Sully and Mike from Monsters, Inc., Cecil the Sea-Sick Sea-Serpent, whatever it was that lived in the Addams' family's basement, the cast of Monster Garage, monster truck owners, . . . Obama's gonna need their votes come November.
Posted by: Mike ||
03/07/2008 12:41 Comments ||
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This one hated her some jooos with a passion. Watch for her return if the obamessiah somehow gets elected...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
03/07/2008 13:42 Comments ||
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Well, I, for one, would like to welcome Hillary to the community of Monster-Americans.
#6
Would the response, "yeah, I said it, and in my opinion she is a monster" not cut the mustard in today's political asslicking contest for president?
Why can't anybody show some balls in this day and age and offend 1% of the population to impress the other 99%? I would drop my complaint immediately if a person actually put it that way.
I tend to think that the Internet, and the anonymity of e-mail, has made it easier for people to pose as tough guys, to offer a lot of big talk, to metaphorically pound their chest, to attempt to intimidate and make threats they would never dare to speak face to face.
Over at the Huffington Post, one of their contributors is trying to determine how seriously to take threats of violence at the Democratic Convention in Denver this summer. There's something happening here
And what it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a blog over there
Telling me that I've got to beware
The messages include:
Rick, if the Machine tries to give the Clintons the victory at the convention, I swear to God, [1968] Chicago's going to look like a Sadie Hawkins dance. People my age are going to be throwing stones. We all have transportation cell phones disposable income the Internet free time and Seattle as our example. Part of me is scared of a riot. Part of me isn't. The nomination belongs to Obama. Do you think we're going to let the Democratic Leadership Council take it? "God gave Noah the rainbow sign. No more water, fire next time."
There's battle lines being drawn
And nobody's right, if everybody's wrong
Also:
Not to mention that there's going to be a significant Iraq veteran contingent at the convention, ready to rock 'n' roll. We've already had planning meetings about it we're going about it the same way that we would plan any decent military operation.
What a field day for the Heat
A thousand people in the street
And:
I can't emphasize enough how potentially scary things could get we've got folks working on the inside of the convention, and it's all done on a cell basis, so that folks only know what they need to know.
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
Step outta line, the Man come, and take you away
In the HuffPo comments section, a lot of people denouncing this talk, but also comments like:
"I'd rather have violence in the convention center in Denver hell, I'd rather have Armageddon than a bunch of corrupt pols overturning the will of the voters and handing the nomination to a candidate whose comeback has rested solely on negative ads and ugly politicking."
"Violence is the only refuge against the people who refuse to let go of power."
"American civic life was founded in violence. Jefferson openly advocated revolution every few generations to ensure that government responsive to the needs of the people. If the Party defies the will of the people, it should reap what it sows."
This could just be more look-how-tough-I-sound boasting. On the other hand, after yesterday's Times Square bombing, and the reports that it was tied to rambling anti-war messages sent to members of Congress... maybe threats of violence ought to be taken more seriously.
Posted by: Mike ||
03/07/2008 11:45 ||
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Denver is gonna get real ugly around convention time. Remind me not to drive through it that week.
#2
I seem to remember there being plans for a '68 about a month ago when the d-race was still undecided.
So this is the politics of 'change and hope'? - I'm no b.o. fan but if I were in charge of his campaign I would be shaking my head in disgust about this nihilism.
Great inline, a song older than what the potential 'anarchists' will be. Sad, very sad.
#3
Too bad granny and gramps didn't have "transportation cell phones disposable income the Internet free time and Seattle" as their example. Like Abbie Hoffmann would've been, like, president, man! And we'd all have our own dope farms and, like, if we didn't, the government would, like, mail it to us, man. Like, that's all the government would exist for, man, to send us fresh primo dope!
Wow. Nice 60's wet dream, boys and girls.
What kinda rep do the Denver cops have for putting up with this shit?
#4
The Denver cops are like Berkley's. Some surrounding cities are better than others... but Denver is a sanctuary city after all, so you can pretty much glean what will happen. The cops will stand off to the side and let things happen, until the protesters try to get in and disrupt their political masters. THEN they will break heads, but not until.
#5
"transportation cell phones disposable income the Internet free time and Seattle"
Maybe not if their parents put their foot down.
(of course they won't)
Posted by: Kelly ||
03/07/2008 13:38 Comments ||
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I wish them a speedy healing from the wounds they will incur. Some of the National Guard here will be getting back from Iraq just before that, special forces troops. And some of them are Denver SWAT.
And if you think the Denver cops are gentle, need I remind you of their treatment of rowdy fans at the CU/CSU game a few years ago? Batons and CS. And lots of arrests.
This ain't Seattle. They want Chicago? They'll get Chicago. Or worse.
These little anarchists need some education in the self defense laws around here.
Like the "Home is my Castle" law - meaning folks living in downtown can use deadly force to defend themselves and their property.
And there is no legal requirement for "back to the wall".
I guess I'm finally getting my carry permit here in Colorado. Cannot use my Florida and Georgia and Utah ones any linger.
#7
I think they'll be disappointed if they don't get their skulls cracked. I had a few professors in college, and some other people I knew that were (or said they were) in Chicago in 68. They talked about it like it was friggin Omaha Beach...
Every protest or rowdy behavior I have seen in Denver, the cops just hung off to the side and watched. Maybe it was orders not to actually do their job and police, maybe they are too PC.
I hope you are right OS. I would love to see the protesters slapped down when they turn to rioters, but I ain't holding my breath.
#9
Denver has done a great job re-building its city recently - Colfax is a lot different I am told than it was 10 years ago. I would guess/hope that anything outside of a "controlled burn" would be frowned upon - but of course it was up to the tax payers to spend the money on the extra police, right?
I think the DNC deal is a lot like the Olympics - everyone wants to host it until it shows up in town.
#11
Crowd control techniques have come a long way since 9/11 kids, let alone 1968. Anarchy is a better story told than broadcast live in front of Shepard Smith.
#13
I hope the Denver cops do stand back and let the Clinton and Obama gangs beat the hell out of each other. I want to see some serious red-on-red violence done. It's like Hamas and Fatah killing each other; the only problem is that they never kill enough.
Every Clintonista or Obamanaut that gets offed in internecine warfare should be one less voter at the polls. Of course, knowing the Dem penchant for voting the cemeteries, it will probably mean only one less thug out there destroying Republican offices and property, not one less vote.
I hope they rip themselves apart to the point where it will take two generations to put them back together. If half of these lefty losers sit out the election, McCain's a done deal. And while that's not a great state of affairs by any means, it's a LOT better than the Dem alternative.
The state of New York fined the personal corporation of Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken $25,000 for not carrying workers' compensation insurance for almost three years. The New York Workers' Compensation Board levied the fine against Alan Franken Inc. in August 2006 for failure to carry the insurance from June 2002 to March 2005.
Rules are for little people! Don't you know who he is?
Brian Keegan, a board spokesman, said a number of notices were sent to the address the New York agency had listed for Franken, but the television personality and political commentator didn't become aware of the fine until Tuesday, said his campaign spokesman, Andy Barr.
Huh whatcha talkin about? Ohhh yeah that. Yeah well let me say something really evasive so you can all understand
"If there's a mistake by the Frankens it was an inadvertent mistake as opposed to trying to evade the law," Barr said.
The fine was reported recently by Minnesota Democrats Exposed, a Web site sympathetic to incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, whom Franken is seeking to unseat in November. Blue Team Blue Team we need obfuscation now! This is not a drill!
The Franken team believes it may have been a clerical mistake on the part of the Workers' Compensation Board, but it's also possible the Frankens did not keep the insurance current, Barr said. If the latter turns out to be true, he said, Franken will pay the fine. Niiice one Al. Screw em over first and then ask for forgiveness later youll fit right in.
Barr said Franken and his wife moved from New York to Minnesota around the time the fine was imposed. He said Franken established the corporation to receive payments for speeches, royalty checks from his TV and movie roles and other income. The corporation typically had anywhere from no employees to one or two part- or full-time employees at any one time, Barr said. Remember Al, when youre explaining this one to your fat-cat Union endorsements, wear the industrial-grade Pandering knee-pads.
he just found out there's no Republican Superdelegates
GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul is hinting to supporters that he is ending his long-shot campaign for the presidency. The Texas Republican congressman addressed supporters in a 7 1/2- minute video on his campaign Web site Thursday night and did not specifically say he was quitting the race.
He said that although victory in the conventional political sense is not available in the presidential race, many victories have been achieved due to the hard work and enthusiasm of his supporters. in the conventional or unconventional or even "alternative" sense...loser
He said that he hoped that one day he and his supporters could look back and say his campaign was a significant first step that signaled a change in direction for the country. Paul said their job now was to plan for the next phase of their effort. time to sulk in your Mom's basement, losers, no r3VOLution :-(
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/07/2008 05:52 ||
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He's still alive?
Posted by: Mike ||
03/07/2008 6:12 Comments ||
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What will the Paulites do now that they won't be spamming blogs?
Posted by: Mike ||
03/07/2008 9:06 Comments ||
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It has been exasperating to read some people from the Spanish liberal (european sense) blogosphere. They looked only at his small state propositions and gave him unconditional support and construe every support by over two people as if this was the sign he was going to win. His abusrd aideas in international politics, his views on WOT, his extravagant theory about how American Civil War would have been avoided (by buying slaves). Nothing mattered. In fact I think they supported him despite knowing strictly nothing about him. He could have been a registered child molester and three times convict for fraudulent bankruptcy for what they knew. And they still adored him blindly, told he was going to walk on water. Just like Obama supporters
#8
Damn it anyhoo! Sounds like 08 will be the last time Ill ever get to go to a GOP presidential primary and caucus with folks with purple dreadlocks and multiple face piercings.
The controversy over the Pentagon decision to award a $35bn refuelling tanker contract to EADS spilled into the presidential race yesterday, when a senior Democrat suggested that John McCain, the Republican nominee, was responsible for the deal being "outsourced" to a European company.
Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House speaker, said Boeing had been on course to supply the US Air Force with tankers until Mr McCain "intervened". "My understanding is that it was on course for Boeing before. I mean, the thought was that it would be a domestic supplier for it," Ms Pelosi told reporters. "Senator McCain intervened, and now we have a situation where the contract may be - this work may be outsourced."
The air force originally chose Boeing to supply it with 100 tankers. But Congress cancelled the deal after it emerged that Darleen Druyun, a former top air force acquisitions official, had held illegal job discussions with Boeing while still negotiating the deal. Ms Druyun admitted boosting the value of the deal to help Boeing.
Mr McCain has pointed to his aggressive investigation into the Boeing deal as evidence that he is willing to stand up to powerful corporate interests.
The tanker scandal claimed the career of former Boeing chief executive Phil Condit. Ms Druyun and Mike Sears, Boeing's former chief financial officer, were sent to jail.
So Speaker Pelosi is suggesting that Boeing should be rewarded for their illegal, criminal behavior. Why does that not surprise me?
The suggestion by Ms Pelosi came as Boeing supporters on Capitol Hill opened a new line of attack against the deal, which ultimately could be worth more than $100bn as the air force replaces its entire fleet of about 600 in-flight refuelling tankers.
Pat Roberts, a Republican senator from Kansas, where Boeing has a strong presence, claimed the decision to award the deal to EADS and Northrop Grumman, its US partner, ran counter to US trade policy. Mr Roberts said the decision "defies common sense" because the US was pursuing a subsidies case against Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS, at the World Trade Organisation. "This is an outrage. It truly makes me question our trade agenda," the Kansas senator told the Senate finance committee.
That might make sense in the arcane world of trade rules, but it sure sounds like sour grapes ...
Mr Roberts' attack follows a spate of criticism in Congress. The decision stunned most analysts, who expected Boeing, which has supplied the US military with in-flight refuelling tankers for five decades, to win.
Boeing will have 10 days to lodge a protest with the Government Accountability Office, the oversight arm of Congress, after it receives an air force briefing.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/07/2008 00:00 ||
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If I remember correctly, the Air Force was supposed to lease the tankers twice in back to back leases with each lease costing the taxpayers more than double the bucks of an outright purchase.
Wasn't the lobbyist for Boeing Tom Daschle's wife?
#2
Wasn't the lobbyist for Boeing Tom Daschle's wife?
I think you're right. I'd forgotten that....
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/07/2008 7:00 Comments ||
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I'm no fan of Airbus, but the right plane won on this one. Boeing was arrogant and tried to use political influence to cram its old technology that is not suited to current AF strategic thinking down the AF's throat. As the article said, Boeing screwed the pooch with Darleen Drunyon and delayed the procurement of badly needed tankers for years. Boeing's corrupt practices forced a recompete and the 767 just didn't measure up to the new requirements. The AF has been fighting a losing battle to recapitalize its aging fleet (see PBD 720 and the more recent creation of AF Cyber Command as symptoms) and the kind of political shenanigans that Boeing has engaged in and is engaging in is just NOT HELPFUL. Besides, the new planes will be built in Alabama, not France.
#5
Why should Pelosi even care - with Dems in power there won't be any wars or fighting or stuff, so there won't be any need to refuel warplanes in flight. Spend the money on the poor illegal immigrant children!
#6
Where is the McCain rapid response team, or the RNC's for that matter? Of all the attack angles to take on this deal, trust Speaker Pelosi to pick the most idiotic one.
At least Sen. Roberts chose one which applies beyond any particular selection - questioning trade policy in general.
The McCain campaign needs a surrogate on tonight's news asking questions of why the Speaker is siding with the convicted, and for that matter, opposing a decision which shifts jobs from France to Alabama (IIRC, the consortium committed production to Alabama which arguably could have remained in Europe - a slight hooray for the weak dollar).
#7
Oh yeah, wait until her constituants find out she has a position about long distance flying planes of gas other that they should be banned or named Al Gore.
"My understanding is that it was on course for Boeing before. I mean, the thought was that it would be a domestic supplier for it," Ms Pelosi told reporters.
How is it the 'Speaker of the House' speaks in 'I means' s and pronouns? You know, its like, totally, not, umm, antiappropriate manners, know what I'm sayin?
The United Nations' top human rights official, who has criticized many countries and been attacked by them in response, said Friday that she is quitting after only one term.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour announced that she has told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that she will be unavailable for a second term in the job, which is a magnet for criticism from a broad range of countries. She acknowledged that she found much of the criticism had been hurtful, but she said, "I am not quitting because of this pressure. On the contrary, I have to resist the temptation to stay to confront it, she said.
Ms. Arbour has been critical of many governments, ranging from Zimbabwe to China. Her criticism of the American-led "war on terror" drew an angry response from the United States in 2005. She criticized China's use of the death penalty and said the U.S. war on terror was eroding the worldwide ban on torture, noting reports of secret U.S. detention centres. John Bolton, the U.S. Ambassador to the UN at the time, said it was "inappropriate and illegitimate for an international civil servant to second-guess the conduct that we're engaged in the war on terror, with nothing more as evidence than what she reads in the newspapers."
At the end of a 2006 trip to Russia that included a visit to Chechnya said expressed serious concern about reports that Chechen security forces use torture. "I have no doubt that these phenomena are more than mere allegations, and have a considerable basis in reality," Ms. Arbour said.
Israeli ambassador Itzhak Levanon last year rejected Ms. Arbour's criticism of Israeli military action against Palestinians. "The misguided and deeply disturbing statement by the high commissioner blatantly disregards events on the ground," Mr. Levanon said. A recent mistake by her office inflamed anger among pro-Israel groups. While the office later clarified that Ms. Arbour did not endorse a provision in an Arab human rights charter equating Zionism with racism, her original support for the document led to a fury of reaction among pro-Israel websites, with some blog entries calling for her death.
Zimbabwe Justice Minister Patrick Anthony Chinamasa told the council on Monday that his country "joins others in voicing its discontent with the office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights for repeated dereliction of duty." Last year Ms. Arbour denounced as "shocking" police violence against opposition party members in Zimbabwe.
Ms. Arbour, however, has been well-regarded by human rights organizations. "The criticism she receives is a tribute to the good work that she's been doing," said Amnesty International spokesman Peter Splinter. "The criticism she receives is directly proportional to the work she does." Mr. Splinter said Amnesty regretted that she is leaving. "She's done a very good job. She's brought direction to the office. She's brought resources. She's been outspoken. She's been unflinching in challenging human rights violations in big and powerful countries as well as in countries not so big and not so powerful. It's going to be a real challenge for the secretary-general to replace her." The previous article is very much in the MSM tradition of the "she annoys everyone, so she's doing her job well" spin. However, on the Heritage Foundation website, I found some things the AP neglected to mention:
During her tenure as High Commissioner, Arbour oversaw a number of positive actions, such as criticizing the government of Zimbabwe for attacking and oppressing its political opposition. However, Arbour has also demonstrated a troubling willingness to provide cover for authoritarian regimes. The following examples are from the past year alone:
During a February 2008 trip to Cuba, Arbour praised the Communist nation for taking "significant" actions in the field of human rights and demonstrating "unprecedented positive engagement with the UN human rights system." She cited the visit to Cuba by the U.N.'s Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Jean Ziegler, and the country's announcement that it intends to sign international agreements on civil and political rights and on economic, social, and cultural rights. As the human rights group UN Watch pointed out, Arbour should not have praised Cuba but instead should have criticized the government's widespread oppression of its citizens and rejection of human rights standards.
Arbour traveled to Iran in September 2007 to attend a human rights conference sponsored by the Non-Aligned Movement. As reported by the Islamic Republic News Agency, Arbour "expressed pleasure with being at the NAM meeting and described Iran's representation office in the U.N. in Geneva as 'very good.'" Although the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights has not posted her remarks, she apparently failed to mention Iran's extensive human rights abuses and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's infamous statements that Israel "must be wiped off the map" and that "Zionists are the true manifestation of Satan."
Arbour has also displayed a troubling lack of clear thinking on the primacy of rights, including on the following occasions:
In early 2008, Arbour praised the Arab Charter on Human Rights as "an important step forward" to help "strengthen the enjoyment of human rights" and welcomed its entry into force despite the fact that the Charter explicitly calls for the elimination of "Zionism." This phrasing is commonly known among Islamic nations to mean the elimination of Israel. Only after being challenged did Arbour retreat and clarify that she did not endorse that part of the Charter.
In January 2008, Arbour encouraged the U.N. to push for "economic and social rights, including the human rights responsibilities of companies, to be given greater attention in the run-up to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." Arbour criticized Western countries' "overemphasis" on political and civil liberties at the expense of economic and social rights. It is doubtful that the victims of political repression in Belarus, Cuba, China, Sudan, or Zimbabwe would agree. Arbour specifically faulted anti-terrorism laws for making human rights activists shift their attention from economic and social issues to the supposed erosion of civil liberties caused by anti-terrorism efforts. Arbour went further to dismiss economic freedom: "[The] assumption was that prosperity will look after the right to health and education, which I think is a completely misguided view of what human rights are about. There's no reason to assume that prosperity will transform itself naturally into any form of social justice."
Arbour refused to stand up for free speech after cartoons published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten elicited riots and protests in Islamic countries. The newspaper requested the submissions after hearing that artists were refusing to illustrate works about Islam due to fear of retribution. Arbour wrote the Organization of the Islamic Conference emphasizing that she understood Muslims' concerns and deplored "any statement or act showing a lack of respect towards other people's religion," and charged U.N. experts in religious freedom and racism to investigate the matter. This gave justification to efforts by the OIC to constrain freedom of speech in the U.N. Human Rights Council.
Iranian political factions started campaigning on Thursday for next week's legislative election, which is expected to see conservatives cement their grip on parliament and reformists sidelined.
Campaigning was officially allowed to start at midnight (2030 GMT Wednesday) ahead of the March 14 vote, official media reported.
Reformists have complained that hundreds of their candidates have been disqualified in the pre-vote vetting process, effectively wrecking their chances of wresting back control of the 290 seat chamber from conservatives.
According to interior ministry figures, 4,476 candidates have been cleared to stand.
Iran's Islamic leaders have urged a clean campaign and a high turnout to show Western enemies the country is unified at a time of mounting tensions over its controversial nuclear programme.
State television has in the last days been carrying interviews with prominent personalities -- such as Olympic weightlifting champion Hossein Rezazadeh -- urging voters to cast their ballots.
The authorities will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2004 election, where only just over half the electorate voted nationwide and a mere 37 percent in Tehran. "The behaviour of the Iranian people in the elections will be against the expectations of American officials," predicted Interior Minister Mostafa Pour Mohammadi.
He also appeared to deny reports that the authorities were considering blocking the Internet on election day, describing such suggestions as "rumours". "We are seeking to develop communication and we are not supposed to be turning back the clock by cutting the Internet."
But he also said that large posters showing pictures of candidates would not be allowed, in a change from previous election campaigns. "The candidates can use their traditional methods for campaigning, except for putting up posters and tracts in public. They can use text messages, Internet and email."
The campaign appeared to be slow gaining momentum in central Tehran, with only a smattering of election billboard advertisements containing only text popping up on the capital's streets. "Have a Good Election, Have a Good Life," read the slogan of a conservative faction on display in Tehran.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/07/2008 00:00 ||
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[6 views]
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NEW YORK (AP) -- The dollar struck new record lows against the euro Thursday after the European Central Bank kept its benchmark rate on hold and the U.S. released another batch of dour economic reports.
The euro fetched a record $1.5370 in late New York trading before falling back to $1.5365. The European currency closed at $1.5262 Wednesday. Meanwhile, the British pound broke through $2 again after the Bank of England also decided to keep its key refinancing rate unchanged at 5.25 percent. The British pound rose to $2.0092 in New York, compared with $1.9916 it traded the night before.
"Inflationary pressures similarly remain something of a high-profile concern of the Bank of England, but speculation continues to point toward a quarter-point cut during the second quarter," said James Hughes of CMC Markets.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/07/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Strange times we are in. According to Bloomberg.com, 5-year inflation indexed US Treasuries have a negative yield (-0.12%).
#2
Is it surprising with the Fed dumping low interest money on the capital market trying to keep Wall Street happy. Any different than the Donks spending blindly to buy votes with? In their desperate attempt to 'save' the economy, they're going to make a situation which will make recovery longer and harder instead of accepting rises and drops as a 'natural' aspect of the market and eat the pain now. I don't about you, but the fed has understated inflation for years and its become even more exasperated in the last year. When the index is corrected watch the Cost of Living increase eat any give away programs the pols have planned. And those variable rate mortgages, just wait for the howls.
#3
Accountants/investment people I talk to say that as soon as this election is over the prime is going to skyrocket regardless of who gets elected. They also have the prime rate at 12%-14% by 2010 and not dipping below 10% for five years beyond that at least.
Everyone was singing praises for Greenspan all those years. Sometimes I wonder - if he had only let the prime get to 8% or 9% for a while in 1998-2000 or so perhaps the tech bubble's burst might have been minimized and this subprime mess mitigated as well.
If you mess with the true cost of borrowing, you'll always have hell to pay in the end.
Posted by: no mo uro ||
03/07/2008 6:22 Comments ||
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#4
prime rate at 12%-14% by 2010 and not dipping below 10%
Not surprising. Appears qualified future borrowers will be made to repay the losses incurred from unqualified previous borrowers.
#5
It's not just a matter of keeping Wall Street happy. The European financial sector took a much bigger hit, and they needed even more to be reassured that the world hadn't come to an end.
#6
Yep, Europe bought Wall Street's bad paper, and now we (the American taxpayer) have to make it right all around. I'm no black helicopter freak, but at times the unelected, unaccountable Federal Reserve does not look much like a friend of the average American...
#8
The Euro debuted at 1.18 to $1. It got as low as .81 to $1. The equivalent swing the other way would have to Euro at 1.65 to $1. Keep sliding baby until ship loads of Chryslers are exported to Hamburg.
Posted by: ed ||
03/07/2008 20:58 Comments ||
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#10
That's the whole point. The Euros won't due to structural and societal barriers. So let the dollar slide until it becomes painful for US consumers to buy foreign products. Then production will return to the US. Same for energy. Raise the price so high that we are forced to tap our vast reserves.
Posted by: ed ||
03/07/2008 21:32 Comments ||
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#11
Raise the price so high that we are forced to tap our vast reserves
That won't happen until the Greens and the leftists get voted out first.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said Friday that Colombian rebels helped Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa get elected, citing as evidence a rebel's letter seized during a cross-border raid that has sparked an international crisis.
The archivists' decision, based on guidance provided by Bill Clinton that restricts the disclosure of advice he received from aides, prevents public scrutiny of documents that would shed light on how he decided which pardons to approve from among hundreds of requests. . . .
I tend to think that the Internet, and the anonymity of e-mail, has made it easier for people to pose as tough guys, to offer a lot of big talk, to metaphorically pound their chest, to attempt to intimidate and make threats they would never dare to speak face to face.
The state of New York fined the personal corporation of Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken $25,000 for not carrying workers' compensation insurance for almost three years. The New York Workers' Compensation Board levied the fine against Alan Franken Inc. in August 2006 for failure to carry the insurance from June 2002 to March 2005.
The United Nations' top human rights official, who has criticized many countries and been attacked by them in response, said Friday that she is quitting after only one term.
NEW YORK (AP) -- The dollar struck new record lows against the euro Thursday after the European Central Bank kept its benchmark rate on hold and the U.S. released another batch of dour economic reports.
