Best case scenario for Iraq

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Sunday March 20, 2005 · 9:25 AM PST

2005/03/20 · 09:25

This is what I've been hammerring away at for quite a while- Iraq will be a failed state if there is not some sort of power sharing arrangement. Due to the U.S. predisposition for geographic Federalism (and a desire to have the oil located in easily exploited rump mini-states) we have been discussing divvying up Iraq into cantons. However, as Juan Cole notes:
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Usury is a sin, Damn it.

Myrkury

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Wednesday March 09, 2005 · 10:44 AM PST

2005/03/09 · 10:44

We've been talking a lot about Credit Cards and the pending legislative repeal of the 13th Amendment via the Barnkuptcy Bill.
There has been some talk about the responsibility of debtors and the like, and it is tempting to let the moral analysis of "promise keeping" frame the issue.
Two quick things at the top- 1 Prospective promises have always been considered contingent, in fact breech of contract whenever slightly profitable to society is encouraged in many respects by the law, Google "efficient breech of contract".
2 Usurers, which is exactly what Credit Card Companies are, are EVIL Read More

Porter Goss says- "I'm incompetent, stop me now!"

Myrkury

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Thursday March 03, 2005 · 6:19 AM PST

2005/03/03 · 06:19

Seriously-
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) - In a rare public appearance Wednesday, CIA Director Porter Goss said he is overwhelmed by the many duties of his job, including devoting five hours out of every day to prepare for and deliver intelligence briefings to President Bush.

"The jobs I'm being asked to do, the five hats that I wear, are too much for this mortal," Goss said. "I'm a little amazed at the workload."
Link
Dude, many of us prepapre five hours a day for appearances, plus some other stuff too. It's called a job fer Pete's sake. Do any of these GoOPers actually work?
That's it: Myrkury for CIA director. I'm marginally qualified, I could use the money, I'm loyal and patriotic, and pleanty willing to obey my chain of command and keep my mouth shut. We do need a functioning CIA after all. Read More

Great Article on N. Korea and BushCo methodology- Hawk Engagement

Myrkury

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Thursday February 10, 2005 · 6:25 AM PST

2005/02/10 · 06:25

This is a fabulous piece, I know we're supposed to do analysis in diaries, so here goes: It's a fabulous article and can speak for itself:

the purpose of negotiating with North Korea is not to settle anything,"... "You have these multilateral negotiations in Beijing simply to show to the other parties in the region - China, South Korea, Russia and Japan - that it is not possible to make any deals with North Korea... the purpose of the negotiations is to mobilize a `coalition for punishment'."... "hawk engagement," is only a means to an end... "engagement does not operate without an exit strategy, engagement is the exit strategy."

That is the BushCo MO- talks are only a prelude to an attack. Read More

BushCo opresses Christians

Myrkury

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Thursday February 03, 2005 · 6:43 AM PST

2005/02/03 · 06:43

Looks like we did it as a favor to the Kurds, who systematically disenfranchised Assyrian and Chaldean Christian voters. This happened both here in the U.S. and in Iraq:

Iraq's Christians Disenfranchised at Home and in U.S.
And
"In northern Iraq, protests have repeatedly broken out over the last few days in several cities, where officials claim that hundreds of thousands of citizens, many of them Kurdish Christians, were not able to vote..." Link
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Stupid Question of the Day- Health Economics and Risk/Reward modeling

Myrkury

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Thursday December 02, 2004 · 12:21 PM PST

2004/12/02 · 12:21

From an article on the possible dangers of Pfizer's libido enhancing testosterone patch for women:
"Is an increase in approximately one sexually satisfying encounter a month ... worth the possibility of an increase in breast cancer or coronary artery disease?" asked Dr. Sidney Wolfe, head of Public Citizen's Health Research Group. He urged the FDA panel to reject the drug."
Now I think people should be able to drug themselves legally with marijuanna- and that causes lung cancer AND makes you stupid (c.f. Wings). If this patch gets you 25% more orgasms per month for a little heart disease, let folks choose and you will see why the good Doc gets the prize. So let's answer his question:
What stupid dangerous but legal things do people do to have 25% more satifying sexual experiences
But this brings up another point y'all can discuss- Read More

The Guantanimo Clinic, you are the next patient

Myrkury

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Wednesday December 01, 2004 · 11:20 AM PST

2004/12/01 · 11:20

Great article in Salon about the Red Cross report on Gitmo. One of the things that caught my eye was the following:
Q:The Red Cross suggested doctors were either tipping interrogators off to thresholds of pain for specific detainees or letting them know what ailed the detainees to help them in their interrogation process.
A:That's exactly right. We don't have a copy of the report so it's hard to know exactly what's in there. But it sounds like doctors are opening up their files and allowing the interrogators to look at the files and then consulting with them. It's clearly a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions to engage in medical experimentation. And some of these techniques may rise to that level. It's quite a serious offense against the laws and customs of war.
</understatement>
Why do this? The claim that useful information is still being gained at Gitmo is absurd? Or maybe the situation is much worse- I can think of only one way that this could be true...
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Kossacks at Law?! Take the poll

Myrkury

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Monday November 29, 2004 · 9:00 PM PST

2004/11/29 · 21:00

Lots of us are lawyers, as has been noted a few times before. Not surprising, really, given the natural association between law, public policy and logorhea. I certainly enjoy reading many of our resident counselors' posts, but I've been properly brainwashed to appreciate legal thought- even when manifested in a drunken 2 a.m. flame about how Jane's Addiction ripped off old Sisters of Mercy stuff. But I also get a feeling that the non-lawyers around here get a kick out of us too- at least when Judge Judy isn't available.
And to me, this raises a few ethical questions. I'm hoping that this diary can be a little bit of a place for lawyers to do a little introspection about what it means to actively blog when one is an attorney. Read More

One From Column A, One From Column B- more U.S. foreign policy ineptitude

Myrkury

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Friday November 19, 2004 · 8:41 PM PST

2004/11/19 · 20:41

China is busily getting ready to kick our asses on the world stage. We're strung out in Iraq and will need international assistance somewhere- but China will block it:
In September, China threatened to veto any move to impose sanctions on Sudan over the atrocities in Darfur. It has invested $3 billion in the African country's oil industry, which supplies it with seven per cent of its needs.
Then, this month, it said that it opposed moves to refer Iran's nuclear stand-off with the International Atomic Energy Agency to the United Nations Security Council.
A week before, China's second biggest state oil firm had signed a $70 billion deal for oilfield and natural gas development with Iran, which already supplies 13 per cent of China's needs.
And while we're protecting our M.E. sources with 6 Billion a month in troops on the ground China... Read More

The lessons of modern war Iraq today, Afghanistan in the 80's

Myrkury

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Friday November 12, 2004 · 11:27 PM PST

2004/11/12 · 23:27

Three helicopters in one week. link It is enough to make me think we are facing a planned, Russian supported, counterattack in Iraq- and it stands a decent chance of working due to the much noted incuriosity of the White House.
Why do I think that we are facing a Russian supported, planned counterattack? Before the U.S. invaded, it was reported by Knight-Ritter services "that two former Soviet Army generals have been so deeply involved in helping to prepare the Iraqi military for a rematch with the Americans that on the eve of this war, Saddam ordered them decorated with high honors in Baghdad." It is worth reading the full article.
Update [2004-11-13 9:46:47 by Myrkury]: "Meanwhile, the U.S. military said four American helicopters had been hit by insurgent ground fire in two separate attacks near Fallujah. Their uninjured crews were able to return to base safely." there has been a tactical shift by the insurgents- they are rolling out an effective anti-air support strategy. Read More

Calm before the storm, a personal reflection

Myrkury

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Monday November 01, 2004 · 9:57 AM PST

2004/11/01 · 09:57

That's what today is. I'm not worrying about the election this afternoon- for some reason I'm at peace right now. Not confident mind you, simply at peace. I am going to pick up my son from school in a few hours and we are going home to make cookies and brownies to hand out to voters and election workers. We'll have dinner and then get to bed early because tomorrow is the big day- read below the fold for where I've been and what I'm doing tomorrow- I'm diarying this now because I'm hoping that you'll see a bit of yourself and share some of the good vibes I'm feeling right now... Read More

Rove's Oct. Surprise Foiled by MI cops!

Myrkury

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Saturday October 30, 2004 · 2:49 PM PDT

2004/10/30 · 14:49

Karl Rove's insidious plot to remind Americans of the dangers of terrorism and replace the ugly, unpopular and equally power mad Dick Cheney has been foiled.
Michigan police jumped into action when a phone caller said "I've turned my van into a bomb and I am going to crash it into the Capitol Centre and try to kill Cheney," Read More

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