Olbermann v. O’Reilly

No, honestly, I don't watch Keith Olbermann JUST because of his periodic smackdowns of Fox "News"' pompous-ass-in-chief Bill O’Reilly.

They're just an added bonus.

Crooks & Liars has the video.

Supporting the troops

I'm not entirely sure it's fair to draw conclusions, or even what conclusions to draw, but the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier seems to contrast markedly with the kidnapping of 2 US soldiers.

At least as far as governmental reaction.

Israeli reaction: Invade Palestine.

BushCorp™ reaction: Blame the media for not focusing enough on the "good" news in Iraq.

Now I'm far from convinced that the Israeli reaction is the correct one.

But I'm pretty sure it's clear which government sees supporting its soldiers as rather more than mere jingoistic sloganeering.

It must be an election year

In a dangerous bit of pre-election grandstanding, Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.) is calling for the prosecution of the New York Times and other papers for publishing the shocking news that, yes, the US is trying to track terrorists' financial transactions.

"We're at war, and for the Times to release information about secret operations and methods is treasonous," King said.

Even the White House is rather more sanguine than Mr King:

In a letter printed yesterday on the Times Web site, [Times executive editor, Bill] Keller said the administration argued "in a half-hearted way."

He noted that after the report was published, the Treasury Department "trumpeted . . . that the U.S. makes every effort to track international financing of terror. Terror financiers know this, which is why they have already moved as much as they can to cruder methods. But they also continue to use the international banking system, because it is immeasurably more efficient than toting suitcases of cash."

Taken along with the astonishing stupidity of things like Rick Santorum's incredible WMD non-find, one might be tempted to just sit back and chuckle warmly at these desparate wingnut antics.

My fear, though, is that as the election draws nearer, and GOPers become increasingly panicked, they may become as dangerous as cornered beasts. This is after all, the party of power at all costs. And scarier still they are, at the moment, the party in power.

If ever a thought should give you a chill on a hot summer's night, that should.

Republicans Back Amnesty...For Insurgents

Ahh, the good ol' days (last month) when nothing could make a wingnut wingnuttier than the A word, amnesty. Screeches of "rule of law", "protecting our borders" and "what part of ILLEGAL imigration don't you understand?" where heard ricocheting around the rightwing blogosphere, their comrades in racism on talk-radio, and indeed in the very halls of congress.

But then, of course, we were talking about hard-working immigrants who, rather than let their families starve to death waiting for years for a work visa that may of may not ever come, had the temerity to cross some of the most inhospitable real estate on the planet in search of a better life.

The scum.

But now that our friends in the Iraqi government are proposing amnesty for insurgents, as long as they only attacked Americans, the GOP's leading lights are singing a different tune.

TED STEVENS - “IF THAT’S AMNESTY, I’M FOR IT:”
MCCONNELL SUGGESTED A RESOLUTION COMMENDING IRAQIS FOR GIVING TERRORISTS AMNESTY
ALEXANDER COMPARED IRAQI AMNESTY FOR TERRORISTS TO NELSON MANDELA’S PEACE EFFORTS

Some would point out the irony of this occuring on the same day as the 2,500th US soldier's death. But one suspects that the Republicans still wouldn't get it.

Mission: Still Being Accomplished

Bush's surprise visit to Iraq today prompts a couple of thoughts. First, of course, is this: what does it say about the US that its president has to literally sneak into a country. I mean think about it, the president of the most powerful country on the planet HAS TO SNEAK INTO another country? And I'm not talking about secret meetings necessitated by political considerations, I'm talking about SNEAKING INTO A COUNTRY because of concerns for personal safety. Has this EVER happened before to another US president? Ever?

On the bright side, aids traveling with the president did receive some snazzy freebies on the flight over.

Yep, you can keep your peanuts and pillows, it helmets and flak jackets for the BushCorp™ crew.

Suicide as PR?

As if the moral justifications for its continuing detention of untried prosoners at Gitmo weren't already thin enough, the new BushCorp™ line is that the suicides of three of its inmates were mere public relations.

A MILITARY investigation into the suicides of three inmates at Guantanamo Bay was under way yesterday as American officials sought to counter international condemnation over the deaths, dismissing them as a “PR stunt” aimed at discrediting the US.

The suicides by hanging of the three men, two Saudis and one Yemeni, on Saturday sparked renewed calls from foreign governments and human rights groups for the military facility to be closed or moved.

About 465 foreign nationals are being held there without charge, some for almost four years. Yesterday, however, Colleen Graffy, a senior State Department official, dismissed the suicides as a “good PR move to draw attention” and “a tactic to further the jihadi cause”.

Ah yes, just good PR. Damn terrorists. Not only are they beating our Army to death in the dusty, IED strewn streets of Iraq, they're challenging the US in the only other area (besides our military) where we felt we had clear global dominance: marketing.

I hope this doesn't give Ron Popeil any ideas.

Or maybe I do.

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