Misblog

Web: NYT, Washington’s Boyhood Home Is Found. A story tailor made for the 4th of July.

Washington's presidency is widely considered to be the gold standard of American presidents—hopefully all Americans will deepen their love of country by learning more about it, its founding presidents, and their spouses.

If you do not know where to begin check-out the The American Presidents Series.

White House demagoguery stating that Guantanamo detainees may walk our streets because of the recent United States Supreme Court decision of Boumediene v Bush (06-1195 pdf 650K) appears to be a confession that it had and has no right to lawfully hold the detainees.

That hardly seems to be the result of our United States Supreme Court who on numerous occasions, in judicial decision after judicial decision, warned the lawless and rogue administration that their law-free-zone was not constitutional.

It may be that the administration's rogue, lawless, and myopic law-free-zone means that it has inadvertently become in locus parenti for detainees—of course this is not quite the end game the administration had in mind².

Perhaps spokespuppet Dana Perino meant to say the White House has been hoisted by its own petard³—or maybe that comes in a "not my fault" book after being thrown overboard retiring.

Web: White House says ruling could free detainees in US

-----notes-----

1. Most prosecutors will assure White House spokespuppet Dana Perino she does not have to worry about Khalid Sheikh Mohammed walking around her neighborhood.

Even though Mohammed was tortured and evidence obtained by torture will be excluded from his non kangaroo trial, there is ample other evidence, prior to Khalid's American custody, that make it very unlikely that he will pay Perino a visit anytime soon.

2. Our rogue and lawless president envisioned a secret extra-judicial system whereby he designates some person an enemy combatant-->the designated enemy combatant appears, without counsel before a meaningless kangaroo kombat status review tribunal-->appears before a meaningless kangaroo military kommission-->sentence to prison or death, as a set of military officers determine-->disposed of no questions asked; no shit!

That our president is not on trial in both America and the International Court is both frightening and amazing!

3. One wonders whether United States Supreme Court Justices sometimes read various newspaper reports, with delectable delight and private chuckles.

The Three Trillion Dollar War is a book format of a paper published by economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and government budget-finance policy wonk Linda J. Bilmes. Their original paper provoked quite a few comments and the book addresses those comments while updating the original paper. The current operating war costs of $800 billion dollars exceed the original $50 billion dollar estimate by more than a factor of 10! At the current dollar burn-rate of $16 billion dollars per month the original estimate would barely cover three months operating costs of war!

Worldcat

When you add in the future costs and interest on the entirely borrowed money you get the conservative and staggering estimate for a Three Trillion Dollar War!

If we were originally chasing down 50,000 terrorists that works out to $60,000,000 per terrorist—guess who wins if Bush's War continues.

The Three Trillion Dollar War is a must read book for those trying to understand the potential magnitude of the costs for Bush's disastrous, discretionary, and preemptory war:

Originally Published June 01, 2007; Updated and Republished July 03, 2008:

Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc. a Boeing Company subsidiary is alleged to have facilitated the torture of human beings by providing essential flight services and logistic support for our rogue, arrogant, ignorant, incompetent, and ineffective president's illegal CIA torture program.

The complaint alleges:

• In July 2002, Ethiopian citizen Binyam Mohamed, while in CIA custody, was stripped, blindfolded, shackled, dressed in a tracksuit, strapped to the seat of a plane and flown to Morocco where he was secretly detained for 18 months and interrogated and tortured by Moroccan intelligence services.
• In January 2004, Mohamed was once again blindfolded, stripped, and shackled by CIA agents and flown to the secret U.S. detention facility known as the "Dark Prison" in Kabul, Afghanistan where he was again tortured and eventually transferred to another facility and then to the U.S. Naval Station at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, where he still remains.
• In May 2002, Italian citizen Abou Elkassim Britel was handcuffed, blindfolded, stripped, dressed in a diaper, chained, and flown by the CIA from Pakistan to Morocco where he was tortured by Moroccan intelligence agents and where he is now incarcerated.
• In December 2001, Egyptian citizen Ahmed Agiza was chained, shackled, and drugged by the CIA and flown from Sweden to Egypt where he was severely abused and tortured and where he still remains imprisoned.

Shame on Boeing if these allegations prove true!

Link to Misblog's:

• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-29
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-28
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-27
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-26
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-25
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-24
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-20a
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• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-22
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-21
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-17a
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-20
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-19
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-18
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-17
• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-16
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• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-13
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• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-11
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• Who Will Stop The Torture Update-9
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• Who Will Stop The Torture

Web:

• Updated 07/03/2008 AP, Sweden pays $500,000 to exonerated terror suspect. Sweden takes the lead in compensating a torture victim Muhammed Alzery for their part in his torture—Sweden facilitated our CIA rendition for torture program by secretly and extra-judicially handing over Egyptians Muhammed Alzery and Ahmed Agiza.

  "He [Alzery] was deported from Sweden by the security police under circumstances that were not acceptable,"--Swedish Chancellor of Justice Goran Lambertz--

• ACLU Sues Boeing Subsidiary for Participation in CIA Kidnapping and Torture Flights (5/30/2007)
• Herald Tribune, Boeing subsidiary enabled CIA torture activities

Originally Published June 2, 2008; Updated and Republished June 13, 2008; Updated and Republished July 02, 2008:

If you are sitting down to "talk some sense" into the Iranians you are not talking to them—you’re trying to impose your ideas and perceptions on them—we don’t want McCain sitting down to “talk some sense” into the Iranians, either.

McCain and others demagoguing Iran¹ will find it helpful to seek out other information like these photographs from California and Tehran photographers of the very beautiful and typical Iranians: After the Revolution: Contemporary Photography from Tehran and California.

Unfortunately, the world is currently more inclined to impose an international boycott on Israel—of course someone suggesting you only talk with the aim of “talking sense into another” may be unable to perceive this inclination.

Blog:

• UPDATED 06/12/2008 Travel with Rick, Iran Slideshow and Iran postings. I think Rick Steves also has an PBS travel show on his Iran travels (properly "minded" of course), scheduled to show in January 2009 (see note from Public Radio International, The World which recently interviewed Rick.)

  "We can talk to whomever we like — but it reminds me of my early trips to the USSR, when only those with nothing to lose would risk talking openly to us (at least when our “guide” was present). So many who've commented on the blog have assumed I am not troubled by the lack of freedom here. Civil liberties for women, religious minorities, and anyone who chooses not to embrace this self-described “revolution of values” are, to me the mark of a modern, free, and, I believe, sustainable democracy. Those both for and against my trip here all agree with that. A key word here is sustainable. I believe — given time and a chance to evolve on their cultural terms — the will of the people ultimately prevails. For now, this country is not free (and no one here claims it is). A creepiness that comes with big government pervades the place. I wonder how free-minded people cope. I am excited to sort this out as our trip goes along."--Rick Steves, May 19, 2008--

  

  "...By the way, our government guide has not stopped me from going anywhere or talking to anyone. We haven't been able to film just anywhere, but I've been free to roam about on my own without him and have fun connecting with locals. And I have absolutely never traveled to a place where I had such an easy and enjoyable time connecting with people. Young, educated people speak English. Locals were as confused about and fascinated by me as I was about them. ..."--Rick Steves, May 29, 2008--

  Rick's great slideshow photos are numerous, varied, larger, and higher resolution.

Web:

• UPDATED 07/02/2008 AFP, Negotiated end to nuclear standoff possible: Iranian FM and WP, Chairman of Joint Chiefs Says More Troops Needed in Afghanistan.

• UPDATED 06/13/2008 Reuters, Big powers to offer Iran "generous" deal. EU's Javier Solana heads to Iran (hopefully not to talk some sense into them) to meet with Iran's negotiator Saeed Jalili.

  He hopes to convince Iran to modify their access to the NPT nuclear fuel cycle in exchange for incentives offered by the United States, China, Russia, Britain, Germany and France.

  Unfortunately, in the current environment it will be difficult to convince Iran that any agreement will not impede their legitimate access to nuclear power, which Iran will need as their relatively small oil reserves are depleted.

• UPDATED 06/04/2008 UPI, Remarks by Sen. Obama at AIPAC meeting. Obama clarified that Jerusalem's status must be negotiated between the Jews and Palestinians (WP, Obama Backs Away From Comment on Divided Jerusalem). We have made clear to both that our embassy will not be moved to Jerusalem.

  America currently gives $3 billion a year to Israel. The total of all US aid to Israel 1949-2006 is a whopping $98.7 billion dollars. See U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel, CRS RL33222, (2007)—not a bad return on Israel's lobbying efforts!

• McCain criticizes Obama on Iran. Those wanting more information on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, (AIPAC), should read John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M Walt, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, (2007) and a rebuttal by Abraham H. Foxman, The Deadliest Lies: the Israel lobby and the myth of Jewish control, Palgrave Macmillan, (2007)

-----notes-----

1. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not the only one calling for the destruction of Israel. Our president and his Christian "fundamentalist base" are also calling for Israel's destruction—it's part of their practiced and professed Christian belief and a predicate to the "Second Coming of Christ".

Amazingly, as recent as last week some of Israel's leaders and supporters expressed their support for one of those calling for its destruction—fundamentalist American preacher and McCain supporter, John Hagee (every Christian "fundamentalist", including our president share Hagee's belief).

Of course when Hagee expressed his belief very publicly and McCain wanted to "pass the hat and plea for votes", at AIPAC, he denounced Hagee (ironically the Israeli leaders and supporters did not), although not in the same terms as he denounces Ahmadinejad.

Educate yourself—it's the universal vaccine against demagoguery and demagogues, not to mention protection against electing them as our leaders! [If you need a place to begin, but not end, check-out what University of Chicago Professor of History of Modern Christianity, Martin Marty, has to say. Marty also participates in the Martin Marty Center for Advanced Study of Religion.]

King Bush the Idiot informs his subjects what Russia informed us a decade ago—you will waste a lot of resources and lives fighting to change tribal Afghanistan. "We're going to increase troops [in Afghanistan] by 2009,--King Bush the Idiot--"

Unfortunately, it has become trite to quote and then ignore George Santayana's prescience:

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."¹--George Santayana--

Knowing that King Bush the Idiot does not read maybe his chief of staff can arrange a tour of the recently remodeled United States National Archives, where his pathetic presidency will be stored.

As they pass²artist Robert Aitken's statue of a young lady, sitting while reading, entitled "The Future" perhaps the chief of staff can read aloud the inscription at its base:

"What is past is prologue"³--Robert Aitken Statue, Future--

• UPDATED AP, Bush says US to send more troops to Afghanistan

-----notes-----

1. A variant of "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it", which of course implies King Bush the Idiot first learned about the past.

2. The beautiful and prescient statue is located on Pennsylvania Avenue and 7th.

3. The inscription comes from William Shakespeare's "The Tempest": "Whereof what’s past is prologue", William Shakespeare, circa 1623.

Originally published March 17, 2008, Updated and Republished April 25, 2008, Updated and Republished May 02, 2008; Updated and Republished May 21, 2008; Updated and Republished June 06, 2008; Updated and Republished July 01, 2008:

These six eight eight-point-five nine 10 11 12 combined indicators signal an Iran attack is imminent:

12. UPDATED 07/01/2008 Bush, Cheney and the so called congressional "Gang of Eight"³ (Nancy Pelosi, Roy Blunt, Sivestre Reyes, Peter Hoekstra, Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, John Rockefeller, and Christopher Bond) have begun running major covert operations against Iran to provoke a Casus Beli sufficient to justify an Iran War debacle—guess if you can't manufacture intelligence to begin an Iran War debacle you just have to try provoking it!

    The secret covert operations are being directed out of Vice President Cheney's office in the White House (New Yorker Magazine, Preparing the Battlefield).

    November 2008 cannot come too soon for this American—any chance we can just skip the conventions and hold early elections?!

11. UPDATED 06/06/2008 Israel's low level Transport Minister, Shaul Mofaz, sends up a trial balloon that Israel will attack Iran if it does not stop uranium enrichment (Reuters, Israel to attack Iran unless enrichment stops: minister).

    If Israel preemptively attacks Iran, America must immediately stop ALL monetary financial aid ($3 Billion per year)², military loan guarantees, and delivery of all (defensive and offensive) military hardware to Israel.

    America must make crystal clear that we will not defend Israel in ANY war preemptively initiated by Israel. America must make crystal clear that it will defend Israel if she is attacked.

    UPDATED 06/09/08 Guess the trial balloon didn't go over so well (AP, Israel backs away from minister's Iran statement).

10. UPDATED 05/21/2008 Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has urged the United States (House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during yesterday's visit) to blockade Iran. (AFP).

    Go for it Olmert (guarantee it will distract the Israelis from your being investigated for corruption - Reuters and AP)! If you think you have enough support in Israel to declare war against Iran—get your submarines in the water and begin an Israeli naval blockade (an act of war under international law)! We want no part of an Israel-neoconservative Israel-Iran war or ANY American politician that does!

9. UPDATED 05/21/2008 Jerusalem Post is quoting "senior officials" as saying Bush plans to attack Iran in the coming months—a claim spokespuppet Dana Perino says isn't worth the paper it's written on—yeah, but is it true Perino?(AP)

8. UPDATED 04/25/2008 Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Michael Mullen, using vague and militarily meaningless words, states that the Pentagon is planning for "potential military courses of action" against Iran. (WP and AFP)

   • 8.5. UPDATED 05/02/2008 Secretary of Defense Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Michael Mullen, continue their "Mutt and Jeff" comic routine on Iran attack...(CBS)
7. UPDATED 03/18/2008 On Wednesday Speaker Pelosi will begin an "India Only" visit extending through the Easter weekend, ostensibly to talk about the stalled nuclear deal with India. (UPI)
6. Israel announces it is preparing to conduct nation wide nuclear drills on April 6, 2008. (UPI)
5. United States simultaneously deploys all four of its SSGN submarine platforms—combined they carry up to 616 cruise missiles, 250 special forces troops, and special equipment.(NavNews)
4. The Chief Commander of Middle East Forces, four star Admiral William Fallon, resigns. (AP)
3. Cheney travels to Middle East ostensibly for peace talks with Israel and Saudi Arabia, makes a surprise pop-up visit to Iraq with the delusional declaration that Iraq has been a successful endeavor¹ (no word on whether he went shopping in the market just like back home).(AFP and AFP)
2. Cold War antiquarians, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, travel to Russia ostensibly for talks about Missile Defense. (AFP)
1. Hard-line nationalist Iranian politicians overwhelmingly win in Iran’s parliamentary elections. (AP)

There is absolutely NO American national security interest to protect by attacking Iran, NONE—It is hard to over-state how foolish it is for America to attack Iran!

Conflating Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein produced the Iraq debacle. Conflating Israel's interests with America's interests will produce the Iran debacle.

America has no interest in attacking Iran on behalf of Israel, Israeli Lobby, or neoconservatives—None, nada, zero, zip, zippo, nothing, null, goose egg, nil, zilch.

-----notes-----

1. Well then, having declared success all that remains is to bring our troops home from Iraq.

2. Total of all US aid to Israel 1949-2006 is a whopping $98.7 billion dollars. See U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel, CRS RL33222, (2007)—not a bad return on Israel's lobbying efforts!

The former Israel defense minister neglected to mention that Israel does not currently have the conventional weaponry to more than irritate Iran. Additionally, the cost to Israel will likely exceed the cost of 18 cascades and the resources to rebuild any Israel manage to destroy (i.e. those less than several meters underground).

If Israel attacks Iran with non-conventional weapons (e.g. low yield nuclear "bunker buster"), irritating Iran will be the least of its concerns.

3. Not to be confused with the Chinese Communist Party's so called Eight Immortals.

The Army’s Combined Arms Center has released its first history (104Meg pdf) on the Iraq debacle—many more are likely to follow¹.

Web:

• Updated 06/30/2008 AP, Army study: Iraq occupation was understaffed
• NYT, Occupation Plan for Iraq Faulted in Army History
• NPR, Army Critiques Post-Invasion Phase of Iraq War

-----notes-----

1. On Point I, The United States Army in Operation Iraqi Freedom can be viewed on the Global Security web site. For other official publications on the Iraq War see GPO Bookstore, Official Reports on the War in Iraq.

Originally Published June 28, 2008; Update and Republished June 30, 2008:

California's Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has declared an emergency in counties affected by fire. This will free up federal dollars to assist those counties with fire fighting expenses.

California's fire season is off to a record breaking start with more than 1,000 fires currently burning, two of which are major wildfires.

Web: Calif. firefighters dig in to protect Big Sur

Blog:

• Updated 06/30/2008 California Fire News. Stats as of June 25, 2008:

  • Fires: 1,032
  • Acres: 132,235
  • Contained Fires: 232
  • Personnel Committed: 11,989
  • Water Tenders: 360

Seymour Hersh is reporting that House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader, Harry Reid, while publicly castigating and condemning the Iraq debacle are secretly authorizing and funding the creation of an Iran debacle¹!

To say our congressional leadership has some explaining to do is the proverbial understatement.

Is it possible that our entire leadership has become completely unhinged and disconnected from those they supposedly represent?

Web: Seymour M. Hersh, PREPARING THE BATTLEFIELD: The Bush Administration steps up its secret moves against Iran

Media:

• Updated 07/01/2008 NPR Audio,Seymour Hersh On Covert Operations In Iran (44 mins). NPR's Terry Gross talks with Hersh about his article.

• Updated 07/01/2008

-----notes-----

1. Under the category of will we never learn—the CIA is apparently working with supporters and members of the People’s Mujahedeen of Iran (PMOI). The PMOI is yesterday's declared "terrorist group" cum today's "freedom fighter" group (see exiles back armed opposition).

Evidently, American and British intelligence, paramilitary, and Special Forces are providing significant assistance (cash, weapons, and personnel) to PMOI.

The "Findings and Determination" under which we are conducting this secret war against Iran, including all its funding must be immediately made public—one debacle by secrecy and deception is quite enough.

Additionally, hearings and investigations must be conducted to determine the exact extent of our involvement in the Iran secret American military action.