I truly hate writing diaries - would rather have a root canal BUT sometimes there is a greater pain and need.

For the last 24 odd hrs. I have been nearly overwhelmed with hurt that "dying alone in the mountains" has happened to some of ours in Afghanistan.

More

Please read and recommend this diary.  Not mine so I can pimp it without shame.

It will make you crazy with fury.  Look who's spying on Gold Star Mothers with a view to them being possible "terrorists".

I WARN you, this will make yer blood prssure go off the charts.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/27/235434/951

This is NOT something we can let them get away with. This is WAAAAAAAAAY over the line!

PLease Read and recommend it.  This shall nopt pass.

I am sitting on some pics and a story that is so bad that it beats anything from Abu Ghraib all to hell and back.

It's tearing me apart and I'll be goddamned if I know what to do.

If you had something like that what would you do?

Flip for more.

From http://www.iraqtunnel.com/

The reason I find the story below so totally bizzarro is because - let's face it - the Iraqis are in no position to threaten anyone.  The Iraqi forces, along with the dwindling Coalition forces, can't secure the 6 miles of road to the airport,  much less threaten their powerful neighbor.

Also, the puppet governemnt in place in Baghdad is heavily weighted Shia who lean toward Iran, not away.

So, whom,  exactly, is doing all this threatening crap?

Well.....us.  Who else?   Ain't no way the "Iraqis" are doing it.

What I do find really worrying is that it seems that this is just another way, however limp, of sliding us into an aerial bombing attack on Iran. Soon.  Really soon.

Now, I hate, really hate, writing diaries. I really hate it, but this morning I was desperately casting around for news of the Wolf Brigade, the new offensive in Baghdad.  I was worried and what little news I had worried me more.

Every source I checked fanned the flames even more.  Raed In the Middle and Electronic Iraq made things worse.

From every source came pretty similar concerns.  The Wolf Brigade is comprised of the worst elements in Baghdad.  Fear of being shot, looting, and general unheaval from their new operation is widespread. Even the ever loatesome CNN

Didn't expect to see anything from Riverbend but I checked and was suprised to see she HAD posted.

She has the same worries and describes them but in politer terms.

Then to my shock came the following.  She rips right into Friedman and in a way only an Iraqi native could.

Friedman is a stupid, bullshit artist and she proves it.

Read on.

Rumors have been going around Iraq for months  that Americans were doing strategic bombing themselves and the Iraqis are afraid.

The horrific stories below give credence to those rumors, which was the subject of concern from Riverbend, girl blogger from Iraq.

The story below has the terrible ring of truth about it and it is horrific and shameful.

Well, ONE Brit, anyway.  George Galloway, the anti-war minister from Britain who beat the Labour candidate and calls Tony a liar flat out, is going to testify in front of a congressional hearing today regarding the oil for food scandal.

Now, I have no idea if the hearing is going to be televised, but it does promise to be a hell of a lot of fun.  Galloway says he is coming with "guns blazing" both barrels and since he did win a honking huge libel suit agaist a newspaper regarding these very same charges,  I gotta say, I am betting on George.

I would love to hear from British Kossacks regarding what they think of Gallloway and what they think will happen when he arrives to do battle wity Norm Coleman's committee.

But, I am betting right now, we are gonna see some serious ass kicking in D.C.

Get 'em,  George!

The pain of writing this is beyond words.  Never did I imagine I could ever say this, but the Contitution of the US in mortally wounded.

Of all the things in Patriot Act II,  I think the most frightening thing is that "news gathering"  is illegal.

What does that mean?  Is dailykos a news gathering site?  I believe it is and I believe under the new PA II, we all may be guilty if they choose to make it so - and I believe that they will.

I really do.

Guess Who?  You remember the guy we termed a thug and a murder suspect?  The guy who inflamed the poor Shi'a and held off US forces in Najaf?

Yup. Him.  Moqtada Al-Sadr. And it appears it will be with Sistani's agreement if not blessing.

You have to admit there is a certain poetic justice IF this happens.

This is from The New Republic and if it is correct and plays out that way, there is gonna be Shock And Awe in DC.  The NeoCons will have a collective stroke. (kewl!)

I would like to see if this is supported by Juan Cole but I have not yet seen his site because I not been able to accesss it for the last two day.  Anyone know what the problem is?

I welcome all opinions, updates, dissents and refutations. Bring it on.

If you weren't scared before, you should be now. Really, really scared.

See the site below and see how an attack on Iran could play out (and how, in fact, I think it will play out) and how it puts us all at enormous risk.  Nobody will get left out in this scenario.

An attack on Iran will not be at all like the one on Iraq and only the most suicidally insane could really think it won't be a prelude to disaster.

http://judicial-inc.biz/Sunburn_Missile.htm

I'm not much for writing diaries, but on the eve of this critical election, I ask you to remember this man.

Probably only second to the blood and carnage and terrible loss of the vicious, worthless war in Iraq, this story makes me sick, angry and ashamed of what this crazy bastard, George Bush has done to this country.

As I type this and as you read it, this man is rotting in prison for making a joke about Bush in a bar.  It is important to note that his arrest took place only 2 months after Bush was installed.

Heard it on CNN and it seems to have disheartened the Bush camp so much they've pulled him off the campaign trail at least for today.  Fox News is speculating as to why he is holed up in the White House when he should be out stumping.

Various theories as to why people are not coming, but there is talk about dropping the "loyalty oath" to get people to come.

Any other info about this development would be welcome. My personal theory is that Jeb told him he can't steal Florida for him again without risking prison.

This is my maiden diary and I'll admit some things: First that I am edgy about screwing up. Is it too long?  I am sure someone will straighten me on on that.

Second: I read this on an alternative news site that I have some questions about and I'd like help
confirming this because it is truly frightening.

If true, this is an egregious abuse.  Ascroft is an amazingly stupid man to have this kind of power to force removal of books from the library.  And the words that Kerry spoke at the convention about appointing an AG who would UPHOLD the Constitution are ringing in my ears. The smell of fascism is in the air.

Ashcroft Orders Libraries To Destroy
Copies Of Laws
Federal Statutes On Asset Forfeiture May Not Be Published,

In another move towards federal tyranny, the Attorney General John Ashcroft has ordered the American Library Association to destroy all copies of the federal laws on asset forfeiture and to deny access to those laws to the general public.

The unprecedented move, in which US citizens would be unable to read or know the text of the laws they are expected to obey, was another stage in the growing power of President George W Bush.

The American Library Association has refused the request of the "Justice" Department to destroy copies of the law, and made the following statement:

Statement regarding DOJ request for removal of government publications by depository libraries

The following statement has been issued by President-Elect Michael Gorman, representing President Carol Brey-Casiano, who is currently in Guatemala representing the Association:

July 30, 2004

Statement from ALA President-Elect Michael Gorman:

Last week, the American Library Association learned that the Department of Justice asked the Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents to instruct depository libraries to destroy five publications the Department has deemed not "appropriate for external use." The Department of Justice has called for these five these public documents, two of which are texts of federal statutes, to be removed from depository libraries and destroyed, making their content available only to those with access to a law office or law library.

The topics addressed in the named documents include information on how citizens can retrieve items that may have been confiscated by the government during an investigation.

The documents to be removed and destroyed include: Civil and Criminal Forfeiture Procedure; Select Criminal Forfeiture Forms; Select Federal Asset Forfeiture Statutes; Asset forfeiture and money laundering resource directory; and Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 (CAFRA).

ALA has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the withdrawn materials in order to obtain an official response from the Department of Justice regarding this unusual action, and why the Department has requested that documents that have been available to the public for as long as four years be removed from depository library collections. ALA is committed to ensuring that public documents remain available to the public and will do its best to bring about a satisfactory resolution of this matter.

Librarians should note that, according to policy 72, written authorization from the Superintendent of Documents is required to remove any documents. To this date no such written authorization in hard copy has been issued.

Keith Michael Fiels
Executive Director
American Library Association
(800) 545-2433 ext.1392