Today McClatchy reports that a Senate Committee headed by John D. Rockefeller IV, D- W. Va that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney knowingly lied in the run up to the Iraq war.

WASHINGTON— A long-awaited Senate Select Intelligence Committee report made public Thursday concludes that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney made public statements to promote an invasion of Iraq that they knew at the time were not supported by available intelligence.

I agree that the decision by The New York Times to hire smirking war monger William Kristol was idiotic.

However, the Old Gray Lady has certainly spoke truth to power in their final editorial of 2007.

The piece entitled "Looking At America" cuts straight to the chase:

There are too many moments these days when we cannot recognize our country. Sunday was one of them, as we read the account in The Times of how men in some of the most trusted posts in the nation plotted to cover up the torture of prisoners by Central Intelligence Agency interrogators by destroying videotapes of their sickening behavior. It was impossible to see the founding principles of the greatest democracy in the contempt these men and their bosses showed for the Constitution, the rule of law and human decency.

There's more ... a lot more ...

I don't know about you, but when I read that President George W. Bush had surpassed the popularity ... or rather lack of popularity levels of the only President to ever resign his office, Richard M. Nixon, I took notice.  On the same day that he broke this infamous record he held a press conference ... and here is what he said:

Firm says Bush administration’s handling of video ruined its spying efforts

Remember back when the Administration "foiled" a terrorist plot in England and later we were to learn that the premature exposing of that plot, although perfect timing just before the '06 elections, blew the cover too quickly and made it so conviction of those involved became impossible.  Well they have done it again but this time they blew catching Osama Bin Laudin.  Follow me to learn about how this administration values scaring the American people MORE that actually stopping the war on terror.

The Corporate Media Front Pages The Announcement.

Well it was really only a matter of time.

 

All of the talk of 'democracy.'  All the photos of purple fingers.  One of the main reason for invading Iraq ... "to bring democracy to a freed nation."

 

Is now turning into what most of us on the left predicted.  The installation of a strongman of our choosing.  Someone who will get the "oil sharing agreement" (read: get Iraq's oil into the hands of the multinational oil companies).

 From the article:  

(CNN) -- Iraq's former interim prime minister accused Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki of fomenting the sectarian violence plaguing the war-ravaged nation and said Sunday he will return to Baghdad soon to "reverse the course in Iraq."

A former CIA field officer Bob Baer on Tuesday said the US is "gearing up for a military strike on Iran." Baer has written a column for Time indicating that Washington officials expect an attack within the next six months.
 

Reports that the Bush Administration will put Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the terrorism list can be read in one of two ways: it's either more bluster or, ominously, a wind-up for a strike on Iran. Officials I talk to in Washington vote for a hit on the IRGC, maybe within the next six months. And they think that as long as we have bombers and missiles in the air, we will hit Iran's nuclear facilities. An awe and shock campaign, lite, if you will. But frankly they're guessing; after Iraq the White House trusts no one, especially the bureaucracy.

Looks like we can't call him "Mr. 28%" anymore.

The latest Newsweek Poll shows Bush now at 26%.

"In the new poll, conducted Monday and Tuesday nights, President Bush’s approval rating has reached a record low. Only 26 percent of Americans, just over one in four, approve of the job the 43rd president is doing; while, a record 65 percent disapprove, including nearly a third of Republicans."

The question is:  How low will he go before Congress takes him on?

"the 26 percent rating puts Bush lower than Jimmy Carter, who sunk to his nadir of 28 percent in a Gallup poll in June 1979."

George W. Bush who is known for his candor and honesty has said:

"We are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi Government."

and:  

"If the Iraqi Government ask us to leave we will leave"

Well ...  Mr. Smarty Pants .. this is where the rubber meets the road.

President George W. Bush met privately with Focus on the Family Founder and Chairman James Dobson and approximately a dozen Christian right leaders last week to rally support for his policies on Iraq, Iran and the so-called "war on terror."

On his radio show today Dobson told of the Oval Office Meeting in which the President was soliciting support from the fundamentalist.

Dobson went on to enumerate a series of meetings convened by Christian right leaders in Washington to discuss the supposedly existential threat to the United States from a nuclear Iran.

When Our Great Leader Boy King Flight Suit / Cod Piece War President, Decider, Commander Guy, Pentulant Child, Dry Drunk said this today in front of the the Associated General Contractors of America:

Slowly but surely the truth will be known.

"Either we'll succeed" (smirky Laugh / Chuckle)

"Or we won't succeed."

"But the definition of success, (as I describe it) is sectarian violence going down."

Now the money quote:

"Success is not no violence."

He went on .... follow me ...

There is really not much I can say ... a picture is worth 1,000 words ...

Came across this thanks to our friends at Crooks and Liars & Huffington Post. and TMP Cafe ...

I wanted to be sure everyone here at DailyKos would see "The Man Behind The Curtain."

Enjoy.

During an address to the 2007 policy conference held in Washington DC, Vice President Dick Cheney said that Congressional members who are questioning Halliburton's plan move their headquarters to Dubai aren't "supporting the troops; they are undermining them."

"Where else can our troops get contaminated water?" said Cheney, the former head of the corporation.  "What other company is willing to charge the taxpayers for meals they don't serve, or ten dollars for a diet Coke?"  "... and find another corporation so willing to work for 'no bid contracts'."

"To criticize this nobel, selfless, corporation merely because they want to move their headquarters closer to 'the action' and gain a better tax advantage simply don't understand the real purpose of the 'war on terror.' Those obstructionist in Congress, who question this move have not learned the real lessons on 9/11."

Slightly edited from this story.

Do you have any other quotes from Uncle Dick?

This diary is going to be short and to the point.

Currently from "unknown sources within the administration" we are hearing that Iran is supplying arms to Iraq.
Quite a claim from the worlds largest arms merchant.  That Iran is "meddling" in Iraq.  As if someone who shares a common border shouldn't have any say in a neighbor country's affairs all the while the neighbor is being occupied by an Imperial aggressor from around the world .... but I digress.

The main point of this diary is to with two simple examples show how loaded with propaganda, fear mongering and out and out lies our main stream media has become.

Here you go:  Images of Iran

From the main stream press (Newsweek):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...

From the Internet:
http://lucasgray.com/...

watch both links.

Support net neutrality!  The last vestige of open, "propaganda free" information in America ....

Please pass this on to your friends.

This link came to me by way of a reply form fellow Kossak "AmazingChicken."  AmazingChicken credits his Mum whose sent him the FLASH page.  It had an incredible impact on me and the hundred of so friends I sent it to.

It shows that Iran is more like Europe than our concept of an Arab state.

To bomb this country ... to bomb any country actually ... would be shear madness.

Sure they have a leader who is a raving lunatic, but fuck, so do we.

We have to look past the MSM images that are being fed to us by the same corporations who benefit financially from war (and also own the MSM).  We MUST speak out NOW.  Congress needs to inform Bush that is he invades, bombs, strikes Iran he will be impeached.

Please send this link to EVERYONE you know today.

Time is running short ... PLEASE RECOMMEND.

Thanks AmazingChicken!

VoteVets launched a powerful ad campaign last week opposing President Bush’s escalation policy.

This new ad will run during today’s Superbowl. The ad, part of the "Americans Against Escalation In Iraq" campaign, will air in Washington, D.C., Minnesota, and Maine.

It is a powerful ad.  Vote Vets received support from MoveOn to help finance the placement.

Sorry I don't know how to "imbed" the ad but you can watch it here, here and here.

It says a lot that this ad will run now.  A few years ago the corporate media would have blocked it's running.

If someone knows how to post it please do so.  Wish I was watching the Super Bowl in Washington, D.C., Minnesota or Maine.

Visit Votevets.org

As I watched the interview with President George W. Bush on "60 Minutes" and the subsequent one on the PBS News hour with Jim Lehrer I was shocked at "the Presidents new manner."

Gone is the ramrod straight posture, the crisp well crafted Rovian sound bites of old (not that he didn't mangle a few)  They are replaced now with and open shirt "regular guy," so slouched in a chair it looks like he is going to slide out at any time. staring at the ceiling and talking about death and destruction like he was discussing his favorite pie recipe ...

At any point I expected him to say: "Dude, look at the patterns in the ceiling."

This Gives A whole new meaning to the term:  WAR ON DRUGS.

"Jim Buckmaster, the chief executive of Craigslist, caused lots of head-scratching Thursday as he tried to explain to a bunch of Wall Street types why his company is not interested in “monetizing” his ridiculously popular Web operation."

Go Jim.

"Appearing at the UBS global media conference in New York, Mr. Buckmaster took questions from the bemused audience, which apparently could not get its collective mind around the notion that Craigslist exists to help Web users find jobs, cars, apartments and dates — and not so much to make money."

Yeah Bro!
What a novel concept.   Serve your community, make a good living, and don't fuck it up just so you can have more money that you know what to do with.

European diplomats are considering a meeting with Iran on the sidelines of next week's U.N. General Assembly in hopes of de-escalating the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program - but the United States won't be getting an invitation.

<snip>

The Bush administration, which is pushing for U.N. sanctions against Iran, has  ... led European negotiators to work on having a meeting - without America.

So Much for American clout.

Looks like the rest of the world wants the "back massager", "talk with your mouth fuller" off riding his bike rather than crashing though the china shop this time.

Read all about it:

http://apnews.myway.com/...