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King Fahd Dies
Longtime ruler of Saudi Arabia, King Faud, has died. Fahd's half brother, former Crown Prince Abdullah, is now the King of Saudi Arabia.
Besides being the ruler of the country which owns one-fourth of the worlds petroleum supplies, King Fahd was also the custodian of the two most holy site in the Islam religion, Mecca and Medina.
As some may remember, it was King Fahd who allowed a military presence by the United States in 1990 following the first Gulf War, in order to better monitor the activities of Saddam Hussein, whom he felt threatened his kingdom.
Though Fahd assured his nation that the United States presence in the holy lands would be for a short duration, fundamentalist islamists protested the move strongly. It is the presence of US troops in the holy land that was the reason given by Osama bin Laden for the 9/11 attacks.
King Fahd, ruler of the House of Saud, and the Bush family, have had long established ties, both business and personal, which were strained by the fact that 15 of the 19 terrorists involved in 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centers in New York, were from Saudi Arabia.
Since the new King is Fahd's half brother, and also a member of the House of Saud, it is unclear how this change in monarchy will affect the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States.
Of more pressing concern, however, is in what ways will this change of rulers affect the tenuous political climate in the Middle East.
Any thoughts?
We're down a Fahd...
My thoughts... just another PRIMO opportunity to connect the dots (as you have above) for those whose heads are buried so deeply in fine desert silt that current events actually seem ok with them.
Blood is thicker than water.
Bush and the Fahds are thicker than oil.
King Frahd the W
Wonderfully witty thoughts, monkey...
Todays Five Minutes is the Bolton recess appointment...please call 202-456-1111 if you have thoughts to share with the administration...
As for the Saudis--the web of relationships is vast and complex, and involves drugs, arms, and religious tradeoffs, as well as oil business convolutions. There are so many sides to the stories, my head spins when I think about it.
What do we know about Abdullah? Can we follow the money with him?
Oh, speaking of King's...
Bush Reportedly to Appoint Bolton Today By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent
7 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Frustrated by Democrats, President Bush will circumvent the Senate on Monday and install embattled nominee John Bolton to be ambassador to the United Nations, a senior administration official said.
202-456-1111
202-456-1111
Dialing...
Hey all
Be sure to call the WhiteHouse and let them know what you think of Mr. Bolton. I just called and told them that Mr. Bolton does not represent America. While he may embody the "tough guy - Bring 'em on" philosophy of Mr. Bush, he is too far removed from the average American. I also said he is the Wrong man and the Wrong time (W = Wrong). And, I told them that I did not agree with the underhanded and "slick" way of using recess appointment powers to install Bolton. America's image in the world needs to be improved and Mr. Bolton is certainly not the man to do it with his arrogant and forceful demeanor.
Bolton: Wrong for America
I called too. They are very polite, aren't they?
Let's keep it going...
Posted by: Karen at August 1, 2005 09:48 AM
Cynical me wants to know why are we calling the White House...
When has the WH ever released any data or reports about the number of people who have called to complain about George's policies/actions? Isn't there someplace else we can call that will actually report to the world how we really feel about this???
Another Rovian move...
Throw caution to the wind, recess appoint Bolton, take eyes off Roberts, Rove, Downing Street memo, tanking poll numbers et al.
Roving Reporters
Vote at MSNBC: Is it appropriate for President Bush to bypass the Senate and appoint John Bolton to be U.N. ambassador?
14171 responses
Yes 26%
No 74%
Go vote here ==> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
We need to somehow get the message out there that this is against the will of the people (as if that matters to this regime).
Help spread the word on what MSNBC says about this nomination... It's not very flattering to this regime, if you read the whole article. And this stupid recess appointment could come back to bite them during the Roberts confirmation, not to mention the CIA investigation.
Disclaimer: I don't usually care what MSNBC says, but it's a bit more mainstream and does reach a lot of people. Perhaps this article will help open up some eyes... (I can always dream, can't I?)
Bush appoints Bolton to U.N. post
President bypasses Senate, appointment lasts until Jan. 2007
--snip--
Could affect Roberts nomination
The end run around the Senate confirmation process would certainly annoy senators — particularly Democrats — at a time when Bush’s nomination of John Roberts to serve on the Supreme Court hangs in the balance. It also could hamper Bolton at the United Nations, by sending him there as a short-timer without the Senate’s backing.
--snip--
Last week, critics raised a fresh concern, saying Bolton had neglected to tell Congress he had been interviewed in a government investigation into faulty prewar intelligence on Iraq.
--snip--
Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee said he would vote against Bolton — if given the chance — and would oppose a recess appointment if it is accurate that Bolton’s form was originally incorrect. “Any intimidation of the facts, or suppression of information getting to the public which led us to the war, absolutely should preclude him from a recess appointment,” said Chafee, of Rhode Island.
Also Friday, 35 Democratic senators and one independent, Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont, sent a letter to Bush urging against a recess appointment. “Sending someone to the United Nations who has not been confirmed by the United States Senate and now who has admitted to not being truthful on a document so important that it requires a sworn affidavit is going to set our efforts back in many ways,” the letter said.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8758621/
Call/write/email your senators and representatives and tell them how you feel about the Bolton appointment. Even though it's a done deal, voice your opinion!
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
America is becoming a Christian version of Saudi Arabia under Bush.
Load this link.
After you load it, hit "reload" several times to see Bush at his best.
http://asshat.org/
From American Progress:
WHY A BOLTON RECESS APPOINTMENT IS BAD FOR AMERICA: If President Bush decides to make a recess appointment of John Bolton he "would be the first U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to hold office without Senate confirmation." A U.N. ambassador can be effective only if other nations believe he has the trust and confidence of the country he represents and Bolton would "bear the stigma of not having the Senate's backing." Many conservatives agree. Sen Pat Roberts (R-KS) "said a recess appointment 'would weaken not only Mr. Bolton but also the United States' because the international community would see the new ambassador as lacking bipartisan support." Even the right-wing Wall Street Journal editorial page thinks a recess appointment is a bad idea.
From The Washington Note...
Stygius: Will Negligence Reform the United Nations?
--snip--
We've learned over the past few months that faith in Bolton's "effectiveness" requires an almost surreal suspension of disbelief. Why does Bolton lack the credibility to continue in public service? His appalling record as the undersecretary in charge of proliferation controls is what has energized my opposition to Bolton. In a world where the nuclear threat to an American city has actually grown since the end of the Cold War, Bolton's assault-through-negligence on agreements like Nunn-Lugar has been breathtakingly myopic. But let's review an inexhaustive list of reasons why Bolton's nomination deserves to die with indignity:
* his manipulation of intelligence for political purposes, and subsequent mischaracterizations to the committee
* his indifference to genocide
* his possibly perjurous claim to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Ambassador Hubbard supported Bolton's stupidly inflammatory speech that paralyzed diplomacy on the Korean peninsular for years
* his unsubstantiated claims about other countries used to justify castrating America's agreements like the Biological Weapons Protocol
* his attempts to undermine WMD disarmament talks with Libya, and talks with Iran while alienating the United Kingdom
* his sabotage of US-Russia agreements to dispose tons of weapons-grade plutonium and chemical weapons
* his insubordination at State, including preventing inconvenient intelligence from reaching his bosses
* his involvement in passing off the unsubstantiated Niger-Iraq uranium story that helped propel the country into war
* his neglect of and indifference to the Non Proliferation Treaty
* his evident desire to maintain influence on policy in DC, despite senators being sold the nomination on the grounds that Bolton would no longer be a decision maker
* his glaring "forgetfulness" on his SFRC nomination form
Look, this isn't even an exhaustive list, just what I slapped together in a few minutes. The bullying of intelligence officials exist within this context, not in a vacuum. Any one of these reasons ought to be sufficient to kill this nomination. Put them all together and we see we've got a real problem on our hands.
--snip--
Can John Bolton possibly be an effective ambassador? I foresee he won't last six months, personally. But when the United Nations is on the brink of serious reform, and there are so many co-existing security demands facing the US, having a loose screw at the UN is the wrong move. While we applaud Secretary Rice for anticipating Bolton's blundering about and ostracizing him from the reform process, why go to such lengths when at a crucial time we need the grownups firmly in charge?
--snip--
http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/
Everything to distract. Now Bolton. Go to other blogs and read postings of GOP plants to annoy us with outlandish boastings, use up our energies, as if we've then accomplished something.
Happy and relieved we have DCP. We will work very hard to taking back the dialogue, getting our house in order, literally, and stop their nonsense.
Posted by: Marjorie G at August 1, 2005 12:08 PM
Marjorie knows...
We will NOT be distracted. We will NOT give up. We WILL take back our country and restore our democracy!
Madame has it right: the will of the people does not matter to this regime. Period. It's all about the egomaniacal power of the cabal in the WH (and PNAC aims as stated on their web site seem to be uppermost in their minds) with pResNitwit as its mouthpiece, and everyone else be damned. They're all acting like spoiled brats.... They need a swift smack on the butt to get their attention....
http://www.senate.gov/
If you don't already have your senators' web sites marked in your favorites file, you can get to it through this web site, and write to him/her directly.
pResNitwit must have been up at the crack of dawn to make that appointment. He has no inkling that the "reforms" in the UN that he and his cabal want are not in the best interests of the US. I think he sent Bolton in because of Bolton's unpleasant personality and ability to use strong-arm tactics... right in keeping with the Gonzilla redefinitions of torture that the WH has backed. The whole gang of schoolyard bullies are installing their people where they can do the most harm to the US (and that's what they will try to do re: the SCOTUS nomination, too).
I particularly like what Kennedy had to say:
But Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., sharply criticized the move. “The abuse of power and the cloak of secrecy from the White House continues,” Kennedy said. “It’s bad enough that the administration stonewalled the Senate by refusing to disclose documents highly relevant to the Bolton nomination. It’s even worse for the administration to abuse the recess appointment power by making the appointment while Congress is in this five-week recess.”
Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, a senior Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said that “the president has done a real disservice to our nation by appointing an individual who lacks the credibility to further U.S. interests at the United Nations. I will be monitoring his performance closely to ensure that he does not abuse his authority as he has in the past.”
Republican Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio also said he was disappointed in the appointment. “I am truly concerned that a recess appointment will only add to John Bolton’s baggage and his lack of credibility with the United Nations,” Voinovich said.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8758621/
Was it Fahd or Abdullah with whom pResNitwit was pictured holding hands like a schoolgirl (or gay couple)??? Or do I have the mideast countries mixed up???
Tomorrow is the special election in Ohio congressional district 2. Paul Hackett needs last minute donations. I just sent in another contribution. If you would like to help
http://www.swingstateproject.com/
Posted by: Marjorie G at August 1, 2005 12:08 PM
Marjorie knows...
We will NOT be distracted. We will NOT give up. We WILL take back our country and restore our democracy!
Posted by: madame defarge at August 1, 2005 12:12 PM
OK, FIMO* time. Voice your opinion to your senators/representatives http://www.congress.org and the friggin' WH comment line just for the hell of it (202-456-1111).
And then move on. We've got other battles to fight. kay's suggestion is a good one. Every dollar helps. http://www.swingstateproject.com/
Even though Congress is in recess, we have to keep our eye on the balls and be ready to take action.
(*F It, Move On)
Posted by: madame defarge at August 1, 2005 10:06 AM
I am so disappointed he did it. What is the purpose? To ramrod another war into existence?
There's always the media. Might as well use this to our advantage in any way we can, since we are forced to swallow it.
The media is waking up. I think they listen to the people.
Another Rovian move...
Throw caution to the wind, recess appoint Bolton, take eyes off Roberts, Rove, Downing Street memo, tanking poll numbers et al.
Roving Reporters
Posted by: monkey at August 1, 2005 10:10 AM
I smell war.