The War President

Hanging it up

2006-04-17T08:12:00.000-05:00

Like many before me, I'm hanging up the keyboard and taking my place on the sidelines. This is a familiar spot for me as I have always been a pretty mediocre dude. The most exceptional thing in my life is my beautiful wife and our incredible daughter. I consider having them in my life to be my only successes.

I could use this space to give you a bunch of excuses as to why I'm not going to be posting anymore, but instead I'll just leave you with a warning: our government has gone too far and will continue to erode America unless we stop them. If you're reading this, likely you already know, but just in case....

We need to stand up and fight. If I were a single man, I'd probably already have been in the news and possibly in jail. I know the government is telling you otherwise, but dissent is patriotic. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that dissent is our duty as American citizens. A duty that's required of us in order to maintain the freedom we have come to know and love. You are not free if you do not have the freedom to say NO. Do you want to be spied on? Do you want to pick yet another fight with yet another middle-eastern country in the name of "democracy"? Do you want Americans locked up with no trial for years to be "rendered" silent? Do you want "free speech zones"? What about internment camps? Death squads? How 'bout a president with no sense of propriety? You can say no to all of these things, but it's not democracy unless your voice carries weight. You can say no to all of these things, but if you can still be sent to jail for it, it's not freedom. It's something else. And that something is what America is becoming.

Like I said before, I'm a pretty mediocre dude, and my words are probably not going to be sufficient to inspire the emotion required. If you are reading this, I urge you to stand up for America. Don't just write letters and tap away on your keyboard. Stand out in front of your county courthouse with giant blown-up pictures of dead Iraqi children. Stage sit-in's at your local governmental institutions. If you've got the money, take out advertisements in the classifieds or on your local tv stations. Inform the masses. Freak out the squares. DO SOMETHING GODDAMMIT. America can't affoard to wait much longer.

Here we go

2006-04-03T09:23:00.000-05:00

Government in secret talks about strike against Iran

The Government is to hold secret talks with defence chiefs tomorrow to discuss possible military strikes against Iran.

Get ready for world war 3 guys and gals. Russia is not going to sit on their hands while we destroy the hard work and money they've put into that reactor. Not to mention all the Russian scientists working in it who will likely be killed.

Here's something else to consider: Sadaam was a pushover. He'd been under several years of oppressive sanctions. His people were about to revolt, and his army was a collection of untrained malcontents who gave up when the war started. Iran, on the other hand, has had no problems getting what they want. Has no morale issues with the people or the military. Has a huge navy and a decent airforce. Oh and the government actually has the support of it's constituency.

If you need any more evidence that this is folly, just scroll down and check out this post.

Perspective

2006-03-16T08:36:00.000-06:00

I read an article just now about how Cincinnati passed an ordincance that protects the civil liberties of the LGBT community. Reading the article, I couldn't help but think, "God we are still fighting this fight? What is wrong with us? Why is this still an issue? Why is bigotry still so prevalant and acceptable? I thought this was the 21st century."

So, I thought I'd do a little word replacement with the article, so we could get a different perspective on the situation. Here's the article with some words replaced:

An amendment to Cincinnati's human rights ordinance that offers protections to blacks, hispanic and asian people was approved Wednesday by City Council.

The amendment passed by an 8-1 margin. Chris Monzel, who had introduced an ordinance granting "equal rights to all Cincinnatians," was the only council member to vote no.

The amendment, sponsored by Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell and council members David Crowley, Chris Bortz, Laketa Cole and John Cranley, was approved by Council's Law and Public Safety Committee Tuesday.

Under the human rights ordinance as amended, blacks, hispanic and asian people can't be fired from a job or evicted from an apartment, for example, because of their skin color.

Council approved a similar amendment to the human rights ordinance in the early 1990s, but opponents placed a charter amendment on the ballot in 1994 that banned the city from passing any ordinance protecting people of color. Voters overturned that amendment last year, after a campaign spearheaded by community leaders and business groups.

What year is this again?

Civics Class

2006-03-15T14:38:00.000-06:00

Glenn has another magnificent post up. Go check it out!

Everything you ever wanted to know about how our government and media work

This Feingold Censure Resolution is unmasking the hideous underbelly of almost every Washington institution as vividly as anything that can be recalled. Each of the rotted Beltway branches is playing so true to form that the distinct forms of corruption and dishonesty which characterize each of them are standing nakedly revealed. As ugly of a sight as it is, it is highly instructive to watch it all unfold.

Fantastic insight to the current democratic dilemma.

Reason #1

2006-03-15T10:42:00.000-06:00

If you ever start to wonder if maybe invading Iraq was the right decision, or if you ever start to doubt your convictions about opposition to war, take a good hard look at this picture. This is exactly why war is bad.

These children were killed by Americans. How does that make you feel? Does it make you proud to be American? Does it make you want to support the troops? Does it make you want to congratulate the president for a job well done?

It makes me cry.

Booga Booga!

2006-03-11T08:51:00.000-06:00

FBI: No Credible Threat, but Be Vigilant

Thanks for the tip, FBI!

The FBI said Friday there is no specific, credible threat of a terror attack aimed at college basketball arenas or other sports stadiums, but acknowledged alerting law enforcement to a recent Internet posting discussing such attacks.

"We didn't have anything to do, so we looked around on the internets and drummed this ~~bullshit~~ terror alert up.

Reminder

2006-03-10T14:12:00.000-06:00

The OMNI Center for Peace is hosting a march and rally for peace tomorrow at 2pm. We're going to gather at the Walton Arts Center parking lot and march to the square. Check out bringhometroops.org for more information.

Bring a couple bottles of water so you don't dehydrate. I'm going to do my best to be there; if I do make it my wife will be absent, since she just had oral surgery. I'm going to bring my baby girl too, so I'll probably not be right in the thick of the crowd.

Hope to see you there.

Mission Accomplished!

2006-03-10T14:07:00.000-06:00

Official: Iraq may still seek WMDs

A former top CIA official said Thursday that despite the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Iraq is likely to be looking for weapons of mass destruction within the next five to 10 years.

Heckuva job, dipshit.

The Real Reson for Sabre Rattling

2006-03-03T13:28:00.000-06:00

Here's a good article by Dr. Elias Akleh. The Iranian Threat: The Bomb or the Euro? He does a good job of summarizing in the first paragraph:

Iran does not pose a threat to the United State because of its nuclear projects, its WMD or its support to "terrorists organizations" as the American administration is claiming, but rather in its attempt to re-shape the global economic system by converting it from a petrodollar to a petroeuro system. Such conversion is looked upon as a flagrant declaration of economic war against the US that would flatten the revenues of the American corporations and eventually might cause an economic collapse.

Go read the rest. It's worth it.

DHS Gets Serious About Crime

2006-03-03T13:21:00.000-06:00

FEMA critic's shirt gets him tangled up in ticket

He was cited by a group of
Homeland Security officials for selling a T-shirt on federal property - in this case, near a FEMA center in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart in Chalmette, La.

Barisich, 49, says he didn't sell the shirt, which said: "Flooded by Katrina! Forgotten by FEMA! What's Next, Mr. Bush?" He says he gave it away.

The government is sticking to its guns. "If we ignored this violation, you could have potentially 20 to 30 people standing out in front of the (FEMA) center, obstructing things," says Dean Boyd, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesman. "We've got a duty and a job under the law."

So, wait... let me get this straight; it's illegal to sell things near federal installations, or on them? I think just about every square foot of populated land in America is near a federal building or other property. Ignoring the slippery slope fallacy, this is just about the most rediculous thing I've read all day.

Barisich says he was ticketed after six DHS officers gathered at his truck. Boyd says he can't confirm the number. Barisich says he was told he would be arrested if he did not take the ticket. "I said, 'Do you really want to arrest me? Am I the only one here who thinks this is asinine? You're harassing a person who just lost everything.' "

Those DHS officials must be really bored.

Ferocious Yawn

2006-03-03T12:21:00.000-06:00

Ferocious Yawn
Originally uploaded by The War President.

This dude can yawn with the best of them. Watch out you don't get sucked into that gaping maw of his. He could swallow small children whole.

Friday cat blogging has never been so dangerous.

Health Food

2006-03-02T15:41:00.000-06:00

Cancer chemical found in drinks

Traces of a cancer-causing chemical have been found in British soft drinks at eight times the level permitted in drinking water, BBC News has learned.

The Food Standards Agency watchdog says these do not pose an immediate health risk, but questions need answering.

Benzene, which can cause certain cancers, is thought to be formed when two commonly used ingredients react.

The results came in industry tests prompted by the FSA after the chemical was found in tests on drinks in the US.

Man am I glad we've switched to organic foods. They taste better and they probably won't give you cancer as quickly.

This Greenwald Guy is Great!

2006-03-01T11:51:00.000-06:00

I just started reading his blog this morning, but I think I'm in love. This dude is very well spoken and much more knowledgable than I. He's updated a lengthy and important post to include recent developments regarding the NSA wiretapping scandal. Well worth the read. Please go check out, "Important developments in the NSA scandal"

Here's a small tidbit:

For several weeks now, many people, including many at this blog, have speculated that two important as-yet-unrevealed facts were likely true: (a) that Gonzales’ conspicuous efforts to confine his statements defending the NSA program to "the program described by the President" strongly suggested that there are other warrantless eavesdropping programs directed at Americans on U.S. soil which have not yet been disclosed; and (b) the whole AUMF justification for the warrantless eavesdropping program is an after-the-fact justification which the DoJ only invented long after the program started; the notion that the AUMF exempted the Administration from FISA was not an actual understanding of the AUMF which anyone -- including the Administration -- had when the AUMF was enacted.

Bush Slays them Overseas

2006-03-01T11:20:00.000-06:00

Thousands join Indian anti-Bush protests

Bush landed at Indira Gandhi international airport early evening after flying in from a surprise visit to Afghanistan.

Earlier about 100,000 Muslim men, many of them wearing prayer caps, had gathered in the heart of the Indian capital shouting anti-Bush slogans.

...

In the eastern city of Kolkata, a leftist stronghold, about 25,000 communist supporters converged on the city centre to take part in a public meeting organised by the "Committee Against Bush Visit".

125,000 protestors in one day. I wish Amercans would get it together and start making big waves like this at home.

New on the 'Roll

2006-03-01T09:31:00.000-06:00

Unclaimed Territory - by Glenn Greenwald

Name:Glenn Greenwald

For the past 10 years, I was a litigator in NYC specializing in First Amendment challenges (including some of the highest-profile free speech cases over the past few years), civil rights cases, and corporate and security fraud matters.

View my complete profile

This blog is by no means new, but I just found it today and added it to the blogroll. I hope you'll go check out his work.

Haloscan

2006-02-28T10:43:00.000-06:00

I have changed the commenting system to Haloscan. If you'd like to preserve your previous comments, let me know and I'll replace them.

Unspin This Article

2006-02-28T10:36:00.000-06:00

IAEA Cites Tehran's Lack of Cooperation

If you just read the title of this Yahoo! News article, you might think that Iran already had the bomb, and they were denying IAEA access to anything. The fact is that if you read the whole article, you learn that the IAEA has been in Iran for 3 years and has not found any evidence that Iran is making bombs. Iran has also agreed to allow Russia to do the actual enriching of their fuel to appease the IAEA and the UN.

What this article would have you believe is that since we haven't found evidence in the 3 years we've been searching, then there must be some evidence we haven't seen. The foregone conclusion is that Iran is making nukes. Facts have no bearing on that conclusion.

This is virtually the same rhetoric we heard about Sadaam. Sadaam even let the IAEA into his personal quarters (as if he had nookular bombs in his fridge or something) and yet we still heard that he was not being cooperative enough. Years and too many lives later, we find that, oops, Sadaam was telling the truth. Sorry bout that Eyerack.

Experts estimate that Iran already has enough black-market components in storage to build the 1,500 operating centrifuges it would need to make the 45 pounds of highly enriched uranium needed for one crude weapon.

I wonder if these are the same experts who told us that Sadaam had stockpiles of WMD's under his bed?

There is no justification to invade Iran, just as there was no justification for invading Iraq.

Support the Troops!

2006-02-28T09:27:00.000-06:00

Just like a fetus is not important to the right once it's born, soldiers cease to hold value once they become disabled. Instead of trying to bolster the national budget by cutting back on things like, oh I don't know, Halliburton kickbacks, or maybe holding off a few years on that congressional pay increase, Bush would attempt to force our disabled vet's to suffer even more than they already have by cutting funding for veterans healthcare. Way to support the troops, Chimpy.

Veterans May Face Health Care Cuts in 2008

After an increase for next year, the Bush budget would turn current trends on their head. Even though the cost of providing medical care to veterans has been growing by leaps and bounds, White House budget documents assume a cutback in 2008 and further cuts thereafter.

In fact, the proposed cuts are so draconian that it seems to some that the White House is simply making them up to make its long-term deficit figures look better. More realistic numbers, however, would raise doubts as to whether Bush can keep his promise to wrestle the deficit under control by the time he leaves office.

If anyone thinks that Bush gives even the slightest care about getting the deficit under control, they are seriously deluded. The only budget Bush cares about is his own. As long as he and his cronies are getting richer on the backs of disabled vets and taxpaying Americans, he's going to continue to ignore national concerns.

Go warm up the fighter jets, ma!

2006-02-28T09:15:00.000-06:00

US: Iran has one-week 'opportunity' to defuse standoff

The United States said that Iran had a one-week 'opportunity,' before the March 6 meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog agency, to ease fears that it seeks atomic weapons.

Crime and Punishment

2006-02-28T09:10:00.000-06:00

Here in bizarro world, lies aren't bad, just the people who point them out. War is good as long as you have a post-invasion justification or 3. The president can spy on American citizens without warrant and sell our port security to nations with terrorist ties all the while telling us how tough he's being on terrorism.

The WaPo has a great editorial about another fact of our twisted world.

Homicide Unpunished

The de facto principles governing the punishment of U.S. personnel guilty of prisoner abuse since 2002 now are clear: Torturing a foreign prisoner to death is excusable. Authoring and implementing policies of torture may lead to promotion. But being pictured in an Abu Ghraib photograph that leaks to the press is grounds for a heavy prison sentence. In addition to Mr. Graner, seven lowly guards appearing in photos, none of whom were involved in fatalities, have been sentenced to prison. But according to a well-documented new report by Human Rights First, only 12 of 98 deaths of detainees in U.S. custody have resulted in punishment of any kind for any U.S. official. In eight cases in which prisoners have been tortured to death, the steepest sentence meted out has been five months in jail.

In bizarro world, you go to war on the justification that you're ousting a ruthless dictator. Then you go on to rule with a tyrannical presence that would make even the ousted leader shudder.

Why is this man still president?

2006-02-28T09:00:00.000-06:00

ASZ's Sukabi has a great summary of the latest presidential popularity poll. It's definitely worth the read. Please go read America's Love Affair With Mr. Popularity....

Mired in Lies

2006-02-25T11:26:00.000-06:00

In an administration mired in lies, telling the truth is a crime.

Plame Whistleblowers Targeted by Administration

Two top Bush administration officials who played an active role in the leak of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson, have been removing from their jobs, career State Deptartment weapons experts who have spoken to investigators during the past two years about the officials role in the leak, according to a half-dozen State Department officials.

The State Department officials requested anonymity for fear of further retribution. They said they believe they are being sidelined because they have been cooperating with Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation into the outing of undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson, and have disagreed with the Bush administration's intelligence that claimed Iraq sought 500 tons of yellowcake uranium ore from Niger - an explosive piece of intelligence that was included in President Bush's January 2003, State of the Union address that was found to be based on crude forgeries, but helped pave the way to war.

The reshuffling, which has been conducted in secret since late last year, has led to a mini-revolt inside the State Department, numerous officials who work there said.

Truth doesn't need to be legislated. It will stand on its own. It's the liars who have to resort to these tactics to uphold their positions.

New Jersey vs. Dumbya

2006-02-25T09:46:00.000-06:00

Washington told to justify port deal in court

The Bush administration was ordered by a U.S. federal judge on Friday to explain why it did not give New Jersey officials documents and information Washington had about a deal allowing an Arab company to take over management of a container terminal in Newark.

U.S. District Court Judge Jose Linares signed an order demanding to know why the government did not carry out a full investigation into the change of ownership of the container terminal at Port Newark.

The judge set a hearing for Wednesday and said in the order he would issue a preliminary injunction blocking the deal, pending a full investigation, unless he was satisfied with Washington's answers.

The judge asked in the order that federal officials explain why New Jersey officials were not given the same documents and information that Washington used to approve the deal, under which state-owned Dubai Ports World would take over management from the British company P&O.

On Thursday, the State of New Jersey sued the federal government to block the deal on the grounds it violated the 10th Amendment, which says states control anything not explicitly mentioned in the U.S. Constitution.

Earlier, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine urged the governors of states with ports affected by the deal -- Louisiana, New York, Florida, Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania -- to join the lawsuit.

Go Jersey! I hope these other states will join them in standing up to our Retard in Chief.

Friday Cat Blogging

2006-02-24T15:43:00.000-06:00

Left Eye
Originally uploaded by The War President.

This is my first day of posting and also happened to be a Friday, so I thought I'd go ahead and join the millions of bloggers uploading pics of their cats.

This is one of 2 cats I share a house with. His name is Left Eye

Cheney Admits Failure

2006-02-24T14:58:00.000-06:00

Cheney said another terrorist attack against United States all but certain

Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday he is almost certain that terrorists will attack the United States again. "It's not a matter of if, but when," he said.

In other words, nothing we've done in the last 5 years has made us any safer. All those civil liberties we gave up. All those extra taxes we paid. All that debt we've racked up. And all those people we killed.

All for naught. So sayeth our VP.

Great Post from Shakes

2006-02-24T14:48:00.000-06:00

This was posted a couple of months ago, but I missed it then and am just now seeing it. I think it's a fantastically well written post by a blogger I sincerely admire. Please take a few moments to go read this post.

Thank a Progressive for the Luxury of Your Disdain

Thanks to progressives, we have Social Security, a minimum wage, welfare, a 40-hour work week, overtime pay, job protections, equal opportunity, and labor unions—all of which are resoundingly supported by a plurality of Americans, and all of which are also perpetually under attack from conservatives.

Thanks to progressives, we have legalized birth control and safe and legal abortions—both of which are supported by a plurality of Americans, and both of which are also perpetually under attack from conservatives.

Thanks to progressives, we have equality (such as it is), and strides made toward full equality for all Americans are being made almost exclusively by progressives, as conservatives continue their assault on minority communities, women’s rights, and LGBT equality.

Go read the rest.

Fox Guards Henhouse

2006-02-24T11:50:00.000-06:00

UAE terminal takeover extends to 21 ports

A United Arab Emirates government-owned company is poised to take over port terminal operations in 21 American ports, far more than the six widely reported.

The Bush administration has approved the takeover of British-owned Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. to DP World, a deal set to go forward March 2 unless Congress intervenes.

Bush: "Huh? I didn't know man, really. But I'll ~~kill~~ veto any bill denying the ~~terrorists~~ UAE full control of our ports!"

via Maru

Here's Bush, for the Gold

2006-02-24T11:42:00.000-06:00

Bush's Mysterious 'New Programs'

Not that George W. Bush needs much encouragement, but Sen. Lindsey Graham suggested to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales a new target for the administration's domestic operations -- Fifth Columnists, supposedly disloyal Americans who sympathize and collaborate with the enemy.

"The administration has not only the right, but the duty, in my opinion, to pursue Fifth Column movements," Graham, R-S.C., told Gonzales during Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Feb. 6.

"I stand by this president's ability, inherent to being commander in chief, to find out about Fifth Column movements, and I don't think you need a warrant to do that," Graham added, volunteering to work with the administration to draft guidelines for how best to neutralize this alleged threat.

"Senator," a smiling Gonzales responded, "the president already said we'd be happy to listen to your ideas."

Get ready for indefinite internment! I personally can't wait.

Trouble in Iraq

2006-02-24T11:09:00.000-06:00

Day Two of Iraq's civil war: Hundreds killed, 7 US soldiers killed

Day two is far worse than day one with the political crises widening as hundreds of Sunnis and Shia are killed and Sunni mosques continue to burn.

Efforts for Shia and Sunni to hold a joint demonstration protesting against the violence seen in the past two days were thwarted when a fake police checkpoint was set up by men in uniforms who then killed many Shia and Sunnis.

The Iraqi's are doing so well after our fantastic liberation effort! They love freedom!