The Fulcrum
Friday, April 29, 2005
The Italian Side of the Story
How sad, especially for me - I consider myself a real patriot - that upon hearing today that the US and Italians could not come to agreement over what happened during the rescue mission of Giuliana Sgrena I immediately sided with the Italians.
After years of being lied to about everything that goes on in Iraq, who could believe anything that BushCo says about it now?
The death of agent Nicola Calipari became a national tragedy in Italy. Sgrena became a heroine. The US won't even admit the possibility that our soldiers at that check point might have panicked. I don't buy into the conspiracy theories that say Sgrena's car was fired on because the US doesn't think that the Italians should have paid any kind of ransom for her. But it saddens me to think that I immediately discount any announcement from this administration.
How sad is that?
After years of being lied to about everything that goes on in Iraq, who could believe anything that BushCo says about it now?
The death of agent Nicola Calipari became a national tragedy in Italy. Sgrena became a heroine. The US won't even admit the possibility that our soldiers at that check point might have panicked. I don't buy into the conspiracy theories that say Sgrena's car was fired on because the US doesn't think that the Italians should have paid any kind of ransom for her. But it saddens me to think that I immediately discount any announcement from this administration.
How sad is that?
Friday... At Last
Is there anything better than to get to Friday knowing that you have nothing that has to be done over the weekend?
For one of the few times I can remember over the past year, there's nothing that I have to do this weekend. No where to go. Maybe we'll go out for dinner tomorrow. Perhaps we'll actually get to a movie.
Ahhh...
So what are you all doing this weekend?
For one of the few times I can remember over the past year, there's nothing that I have to do this weekend. No where to go. Maybe we'll go out for dinner tomorrow. Perhaps we'll actually get to a movie.
Ahhh...
So what are you all doing this weekend?
Monday, April 25, 2005
Support the Goddamn Troops Already!
For all the yellow ribbons and stickers I see everywhere, it seems that Republicans - and BushCo., especially - still can't seem to grasp that "support" means more than just a bumper sticker.
Republicans seem to be more and more ignorant of history as time goes on. If they would only look to the examples set during World War II, they would find examples galore about what it really means to support our troops in combat. Far from retreating from their earlier entreaties to "keep shopping," BushCo. have continued to talk out of both sides of their mouths when it comes to getting the equipment our soldiers need to them. Despite congressional hearings and plenty of press - for as long as our press can pay attention to any one thing - about the need for more armored Humvees, soldiers are still dying in Iraq because of a lack of these sturdy vehicles.
Even the US Marine Corps has marines breaking ranks to complain about the lack of armored vehicles and what that has meant in terms of dead marines. The "brass" is not happy about this turn of events and some are paying the price - check out the details in this New York Times article. It seems that there is still only one, small, contractor up-armoring Humvees for the military. Imagine if the president were just to ask one of The Big-Three auto makers to produce armor kits for military vehicles. The press coverage alone would be worth a couple of points of market share for the winning contractor.
But like the rest of Bush's dirty little war, this is being run on the cheap - or at least being sold to the American people on the cheap. No sacrifices, no tax increases to pay for it, no pictures of the dead.
Dead that would still be alive but for a few pieces of armor.
Republicans seem to be more and more ignorant of history as time goes on. If they would only look to the examples set during World War II, they would find examples galore about what it really means to support our troops in combat. Far from retreating from their earlier entreaties to "keep shopping," BushCo. have continued to talk out of both sides of their mouths when it comes to getting the equipment our soldiers need to them. Despite congressional hearings and plenty of press - for as long as our press can pay attention to any one thing - about the need for more armored Humvees, soldiers are still dying in Iraq because of a lack of these sturdy vehicles.
Even the US Marine Corps has marines breaking ranks to complain about the lack of armored vehicles and what that has meant in terms of dead marines. The "brass" is not happy about this turn of events and some are paying the price - check out the details in this New York Times article. It seems that there is still only one, small, contractor up-armoring Humvees for the military. Imagine if the president were just to ask one of The Big-Three auto makers to produce armor kits for military vehicles. The press coverage alone would be worth a couple of points of market share for the winning contractor.
But like the rest of Bush's dirty little war, this is being run on the cheap - or at least being sold to the American people on the cheap. No sacrifices, no tax increases to pay for it, no pictures of the dead.
Dead that would still be alive but for a few pieces of armor.
Cornyn Bares Republicans' Fangs
John Cornyn (R - TX), perhaps intentionally, revealed the Republicans' real reason for wanting to "nuke" the nomination filibuster rule in the Senate. In an interview on NPR this afternoon, Cornyn said something to the effect that they wanted to get this "cleared up now" because there was a Supreme Court nomination "coming up."
Now, to my knowledge, there has been no definitive statement that any of the Supremes is stepping down and I'm pretty sure that Cornyn has no inside line to know which one of them might nod off permanently in the near future. But it's revealing that he would move so quickly to steer the discussion from BushCo's federal judge nominations to a seat on the Supreme Court.
Do democracy a favor. Call your Congress-critter, balance out the fundamentalist, right-wing whack-jobs that are doing the same. Tell them that then nuclear option is no option. Perhaps, just maybe, they'll do the right thing.
Now, to my knowledge, there has been no definitive statement that any of the Supremes is stepping down and I'm pretty sure that Cornyn has no inside line to know which one of them might nod off permanently in the near future. But it's revealing that he would move so quickly to steer the discussion from BushCo's federal judge nominations to a seat on the Supreme Court.
Do democracy a favor. Call your Congress-critter, balance out the fundamentalist, right-wing whack-jobs that are doing the same. Tell them that then nuclear option is no option. Perhaps, just maybe, they'll do the right thing.
