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Agustin Aguayo vs. the Secretary of the Army
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 20, 2006: DCP will be there!
Aguayo v. the Secretary of the Army: The first military conscientious objector case to come before the powerful and influential D.C. Circuit Court in the 35 years since the Vietnam War. U.S. Combat Medic Facing Up to Seven Years Military Prison For Refusing a Second Deployment to Iraq Could Be Freed by U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C.
Press briefing Tuesday, November 21, 2006.
Who: American Voices Abroad (AVA) Military Project and U.S. citizens abroad supporting U.S. soldiers stationed abroad
What: Press briefing 8:15 to 8:45 am Tuesday, November 21, 2006 re: Aguayo vs. the Secretary of the Army
Where: John Marshall Park (between the U.S. District Court & the
Canadian Embassy) 4th & Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001 (near Judiciary Square Metro Station)
When: Press briefing 8:15 to 8:45 am Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Informal Interviews to follow until Court Session begins at about 9:30 am Security Clearance of Press & Visitors; *
John Marshall Park Entrance to the U.S. District Court
333 Constitution Avenue, NW (Photo ID is required. No cameras are allowed.)
Oral Arguments follow, about 9:30 to ca. 11:00 am**
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Floor, U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia
---------- Background Information ---------
U.S. Combat Medic Facing Up to Seven Years Military Prison For Refusing a Second Deployment to Iraq Could Be Freed by U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C.
Agustin Aguayo’s full statement to the court, as well as pleadings and court decisions, can be found on www.AguayoDefense.org. Also see http://agustin-aguayo.blogspot.com/
Washington, DC: Army Specialist Agustin Aguayo, age 34 – a Mexican-born, naturalized U.S. citizen from Los Angeles and a decorated Iraq War veteran – is facing a sentence up to seven years in military prison for refusing to deploy to Iraq for a second time. His refusal to deploy, at the beginning of September, 2006, followed a more than two-year struggle to get the Army to grant him an immediate honorable discharge on the grounds that he is a conscientious objector (CO). In 2005, he decided to challenge the Army’s denial of his application in a civil court – the federal U.S. District in Washington, D.C., which has jurisdiction over all U.S. military personnel stationed outside the U.S.
On November 21st, 2006, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit will consider Agustin’s appeal in his civil court case, Aguayo vs. The Secretary of the Army, and decide upon the merit of his claim that the Army wrongfully denied his 2004 application to be recognized as a CO. The three judges hearing the appeal are: Douglas H. Ginsburg (Chief Judge), David R. Sentelle, and A. Raymond Randloph. This is the first military conscientious objector case to come before the powerful and influential D.C. Circuit Court since 1971, during the Vietnam War. Decisions on appeal are often issued only after several months, but the judges could also rule immediately from the bench to free Aguayo.
Aguayo, who is a combat medic with the 1st Infantry Division, enlisted in the Army prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He was initially assigned to the Schweinfurt Army base in Germany. In February, 2004, at the beginning of his first deployment from Germany to Iraq, he filed his application for recognition as a conscientious objector. In preparing his application, he was counseled by Military Counseling Network (MCN), in Bammantal, Germany, a project of the German Mennonite Peace Committee and a member of the GI Rights Hotline. While in Iraq, Aguayo refused to load his gun as required when on guard duty or patrol.
Although the officers and experts who interviewed Aguayo found him to be sincere and recommended granting his CO application, it was ultimately denied by higher officers in August, 2004. No reasons were given. With the assistance of American Voices Abroad Military Project (AVA), a network of U.S. peace activists in Europe and the Center on Conscience and War in DC, Aguayo’s wife Helga after several months raised enough funds to retain attorneys Peter Goldberg and Jim Feldman of Philadelphia to file his civil lawsuit as a plaintiff against the Secretary of the Army. In this suit, Aguayo argues that the Army has given no grounds for rejecting his application. “Under compulsion of conscience,” Aguayo wrote in his statement to the court, “I will risk court-martial and imprisonment rather than deploy.”
On August 24, 2006, U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ruled in favor of the Army and against Aguayo. Meanwhile, in Schweinfurt he had received orders to deploy to Iraq for another year. His active dutycontract, due to expire in January, 2007, was extended (he was stop-lossed) by the Army until at least September, 2007. On August 25th, he filed the present appeal. His petition to the federal court for a stay of deployment to any war zone pending the court’s decision on the appeal was denied. The Army moved to have the appeal dismissed and summarily affirm Lamberth’s decision, but this petition was also denied, and the appeal was put on an expedited track.
On September 1st, Aguayo’s unit, the Army’s 1st Infantry Division deployed to Iraq again. On September 2nd, he turned himself in to the U.S. military police in Schweinfurt, expecting to serve a jail sentence.
But his rear detachment commander ordered him brought to Iraq, by force if needed. In uniform, Aguayo escaped through a rear window of his military living quarters in Schweinfurt. Now AWOL (absent without leave) and a fugitive, he made his way to his family in California. Following a dramatic press conference in Los Angeles on September 26th, during which Aguayo for the first time spoke with the media about his beliefs, he drove with family and supporters to Fort Irwin, the Army training camp in the Mojave Desert, and turned himself in.
According to the Army, Aguayo may now be charged with “desertion to avoid hazardous duty, and missing movement.” These charges combined carry a stiff penalty of seven years imprisonment. The final charges will be determined at a pre-trial Army Article 32 hearing in Germany scheduled for early December. At the beginning of October, Aguayo’s unit in Germany sent military personnel to Fort Irwin to bring him to the U.S. military detention center in Mannheim, Germany – the largest overseas U.S. military prison with approximately 200 U.S. military. Currently he is in pre-trial confinement.
Aguayo’s attorney, Peter Goldberger, says that all of Aguayo’s actions arose out of his sincere conscientious objector beliefs, which have been wrongly denied by the Army, and that the charges must therefore be dismissed if the Court of Appeals finds his case against the Army to have merit. The Army argues that the federal court should defer to their military “expertise” regarding their denial of Aguayo’s conscientious objector application. The outcome of this case will, Aguayo’s attorneys say, “likely profoundly influence the willingness of the civilian courts to question the Executive’s refusal to honor the right of U.S. military personnel to exercise their freedom of religion, including the right -- in accordance with conscience -- not to participate in war.”
Aguayo’s immediate family – his wife, Helga, age 33, and their eleven-year-old twin daughters – have returned to Los Angeles from the Army base in Schweinfurt, where they were living with him and also where they waited for him to return during his first year-long deployment to Iraq. Their contact with Agustin has been reduced to brief phone calls he is allowed to make from Mannheim. “He has never before broken the law,” she says. “He is a conscientious objector, but the Army forced him to become a resister. If he is a true conscientious objector, what else could he have done? We have been married for fifteen years. I know him better than anyone, and I know he is sincere.”
Helga is struggling to raise funds for his sizable legal fees and is seeking a job to support their children. Funds can be donated for the Aguayo case via the Website www.AguayoDefense.org.
Agustin is allowed to receive correspondence and postcards in the Mannheim prison. According to Helga, “Letters and postcards from supporters are pouring in, and this very much lifts Augie’s spirits. Heis sad, though, that he cannot reply, as he is only allowed ten stamps a month.”
The Army will forward correspondence to Germany. Agustin Aguayo’s postal address is:
SPC Agustín Aguayo,
Unit 29723
Box LL
APO, AE 09028-3810
USA
EXCERPTS OF AGUSTIN AGUAYO’S STATEMENT TO THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT
I have been to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom II, and I know what to expect. I know what will be expected of me. And because of this first-hand knowledge, I simply cannot take part in this deployment… By helping countless soldiers for “sick-call” as well as driving soldiers around on patrols I helped them get physically better and be able to go out and do the very thing I am against – kill…
As a result of Operation Iraqi Freedom II, I have seen many veterans whose lives have been shattered. Many men came back with missing parts, and countless physical and emotional scars, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have personally seen my comrades come back to commit suicide, drink themselves to death, and develop a strong addiction to drugs. It is obvious to me that these men’s lives were destroyed by war. What participation in war does to our own soldiers is another reason why war is fundamentally immoral and wrong…
In my last deployment, I witnessed how soldiers dehumanize the Iraqi people with words and actions. I saw countless innocent lives which were shortened due to the war. I still struggle with the senselessness of it all – Iraqi civilians losing their lives because they drove too close to a convoy or a check point, soldiers being shot by mistake by their own buddies, misunderstandings (due to the language barrier) leading to death. This is not acceptable to me. It makes no sense that to better the lives of these civilians they must first endure great human loss…
I would much rather suffer the consequences of missing a movement – prosecution by court-martial – than be part of any war activity. To participate in this deployment I would have to ignore my deep sense of responsibility to uphold my moral values. No human has the moral authority to decide when it’s acceptable to end another’s life in this way.
I have made my choice for peace, for humanity, and for a better tomorrow. Even though I understand that one of the consequences of refusing to deploy may possibly be a trial by court-martial and even my imprisonment, I cannot and will not deploy.
Agustin Aguayo
August, 2006
Schweinfurt Army Base, Germany
Agustin Aguayo’s full statement to the court, as well as pleadings and court decisions, can be found on www.AguayoDefense.org. Also see http://agustin-aguayo.blogspot.com/
###
Thank you Karen! I've been saying signs around here that say "Do not participate in illegal war. Thank you Ehren Watada."
Looks like the effort of a private citizen and they seem to be staying up.
Thanks DiAnne.
Watada's mother, Carolyn Ho, sent a statement of support for the press conference tomorrow.
A group called Payday http://www.refusingtokill.net appears to be supporting the efforts.
I told my Indonesian-American friend that Curious George was in Indonesia today.
He wrote back:
Yes, and he was welcoming by thousands of protesters there. One of my good friend just sent me text message few minutes ago.
I heard the crowd in Jakarta on NPR tonight. Not pretty. Pretty direct and clear however.
The sad thing to me is the undeniable fact that as an American, I am no longer admired in most countries for being a citizen of this country. I know many professional people whose businesses are foreign owned. When they have to go out of the country, they make every effort to hide the fact that they are American. Our President has so seriously harmed our reputation, the 9/11 terrorists could have only dreamed that we would be so thoroughly despised. We are a shell of what we once were. We are no longer a beacon of what might be good and right. And all for the love of oil.
To: Askus, Q13
Subject:
Would you please e mail me a list of advertisers you plan to use during the showing of the O J SIMPSON SPECIAL. Thank You .
From: Receptionist, Tnw
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 4:28 PM
Subject: RE:
We appreciate the time you took to write us. News Corporation, parent company of the FOX Network, decided today to cancel the OJ Simpson program that was slated to air Nov. 27 & 29. It will not air on Q13 FOX or any other Fox station. They have also canceled the publication of the book.
Best regards,
Tribune Television Northwest
Even though she hasn't yet taken office, media already trumpeting Pelosi's "failure" as House speaker
http://mediamatters.org/items/200611200006
Several media outlets have already begun questioning incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) suitability for that position, despite the fact that Pelosi will not actually assume the office of speaker until the new Congress convenes on January 3, 2007. Citing her role in the race for House majority leader between Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and John Murtha (D-PA), and her reported intention not to install Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) as House intelligence committee chairwoman, CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Slate.com's Timothy Noah, and others have reported that Pelosi's "blunders" have "underscored her inability to get the job done," and that she already has "two strikes" against her.
{More on link. NeoCons claiming Dem failure before the Dems have even begun as a majority...? I assume that's to deflect from the failures they've produced over the last six years... koff, koff... Iraq, torture, cronyism, corporate economy... koff, koff, a-hack, koff, koff....}
http://www.americanprogress.org/cartoons
Today's American Progress Cartoon
White House Brushes Off CIA Report on Iran
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/112006S.shtml
The White House dismissed a classified CIA draft assessment that found no conclusive evidence of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons program.
Carolyn Byerly | Those Missing Media Voices
http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/112006WA.shtml
Carolyn Byerly writes: "The case of the missing voices arose again two weeks ago during national network election coverage. As the votes rolled in and the nation made a political shift on November 7, who was there to probe its meaning for the nation's female majority or the emerging multicultural sector? Women comprise more than half the population in the United States, and people of color are approaching half. Yet as we approach 2007, new studies reveal that women and minorities are making little progress in taking control of America's broadcast media."
Nicaragua Adopts Strict Abortion Ban
http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/112006WB.shtml
Nicaraguan president Enrique Bolanos signed a bill Friday banning abortion in all cases - including when a woman's life is endangered - despite opposition from doctors, women's rights groups and diplomats.
{{{Hmmmm... Can we ship the anti-choice crowd to Nicaragua, or invite them to move there? Snark....}}}
William Fisher | How Long Is Long Enough?
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/112006A.shtml
William Fisher writes, "With everyone's attention riveted on Iraq, Iran, and North Korea these days, it's difficult to find anyone interested in thinking about the bankruptcy of US policies right here in our own hemisphere."
Bush: "I Would Understand If Israel Chose to Attack Iran"
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/112006B.shtml
When President George Bush and President Jacques Chirac met several weeks ago, Bush told his French counterpart that the possibility that Israel would carry out a strike against Iran's nuclear installations should not be ruled out, and that if such an attack were to take place, he would understand it.
Ron Suskind | Send in the Subpoenas
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/112006C.shtml
"The new Democratic Congress may well come down to a series of confrontations between the competing urges to investigate and to lead, between delving into past wrongdoings and building consensus on how to proceed in Iraq," writes Ron Suskind.
Posted by: NonnyO at November 21, 2006 01:16 AM:
The White House dismissed a classified CIA draft assessment that found no conclusive evidence of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons program.
How many times must we revisit this ignorance of facts?
A Prescription for Peace
Teaching Tommy During an Era of Fascism
By Doug Soderstrom,
In looking back at that of my own education, I have come to the conclusion that much of what I learned was a matter of propaganda. And I am sorry to say that it wasn’t until “that sorrowful day in September” that I decided to take a serious look at the history of our country, and it was that which has made all the difference, that which no doubt changed my life.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article15691.htm
How many times must we revisit this ignorance of facts?
Posted by: woz at November 21, 2006 01:36 AM
I don't honestly know, woz.
At this late date, I'd just be happy if anyone in Lamestream Media discussed anything other than Hillary in '08 and whoever the NeoCons and Lamestream Media spinmeisters want to run against her.... never mind the FACT that no Democrat is even talking about Hillary or '08 yet - the spinners are spinning this web and cramming it down our throats. Only Hillary running will guarantee a Dem loss. This country is not advanced enough intellectually (as a whole, exceptions noted) to accept a woman as a leader of this nation yet. It won't be ready until/unless the fundies no longer have a choke-hold on the kool-aid drinkers and/or our educational system teaches people to think for themselves instead of brainwashing them or teaching them to pass standardized testss.
In other words, I'd be happy if Lamestream Media snooze anchors clearly and flatly stated that "the CIA did NOT, repeat NOT, find nuclear weapons in Iran...."
I think we are going to be treated to another dog and pony show and kingie georgie is going to talk someone - anyone - into bombing Iran. We don't have the military numbers to fight another war, at least not on the ground.
The only way georgie can get enough soldiers for another ground war is to start a draft. Rangel could just be playing into georgie's hands if he introduces such idiotic legislation as reinstating the draft....
Anyway, that's my rant for the day.
Yeah - the media seems to have a whole other agenda that's got nothing to do with what's fact and what's not. Whoever these excuses for journalists are - they really love this government for going into things boots and all which guarantees lots of body bits and blood. Thanks to the internet that we can sift through and find stuff that has some substance instead of the same old, tired old, repetitions.
Hey BB,
On walking and chewwing bubblegum, that article is weird.
It says dems should act like repellicans, AND..
AND... Big and here..
They are going out of their way to say who walked bush 'blissfully' through the last years without once mentioning their role.
They even say so far georgie has been 'scandal free'.
I am not sure what that WaPo article is about, but I say ALL democrats, indys, liberals and the surviving sane repellicans should all make a deal...
Whatever it is we are doing, do not trust the WaPo any more than you do Foe News.
That article is not right BB. There is something wrong with their words.
Posted by: oncall at November 21, 2006 12:13 AM
U.S. is most unfriendly country to visitors, survey says
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rude immigration officials and visa delays keep millions of foreign visitors away from the United States, hurt the country's already battered image, and cost the U.S. billions of dollars in lost revenue, according to an advocacy group formed to push for a better system.
To drive home the point, the Discover America Partnership released the result of a global survey on Monday which showed that international travelers see the United States as the world's worst country in terms of getting a visa and, once you have it, making your way past rude immigration officials.
-snip-
"Between 2000 and 2006, the number of overseas visitors, excluding those from Mexico and Canada, has declined by 17 percent," said Geoff Freeman, executive director of the Discover America Partnership, "and business travel in that period has dropped 10 percent."
Travel Industry Association statistics show that the U.S. share in world tourism declined from 7.4 percent in 2000 to 6 percent last year. A one-percentage point increase, according to the association, would mean 7.5 million additional arrivals, $12.3 billion in additional spending, 150,000 additional U.S. jobs, $3.3 billion in additional payroll and $2.1. billion in additional taxes.
With about 50 million visitors a year, the United States is the world's third most-popular destination, after Spain and France.
"The problem is that since September 11, this country has viewed visitors more as a threat than an opportunity," Freeman said. "The entry process has created a climate of fear and frustration that is keeping foreign visitors away."
"Unless Congress understands there is a problem, nothing will be done ... though it wouldn't take much to make a change," Freeman said.
http://tinyurl.com/ynz29j
Guilty of missing movement and desertion, however, should have been granted CO status thus the situation should not have arisen in the first place. Also it is interesting to have the case arise from a medic vice say someone in infantry. Don't typically think of a medic as someone who needs CO status - a lot of otherwise peacenik sorts have historically joined the medical side of the services in order to avoid carrying a gun (back when there was a draft).
Military judges tend to be quite fair when judging their own. This will be interesting.
The more I think about that article BB, the more it bothers me.
It bothers me so much in fact that I will make sure to find out WHY it bothers me so much, and I will let you know what I find.
The. Words. Are. Not. Right.
If I Did It: A Message to Liberal Elitists from George W. Bush
If I was carried away by the noble ideal of turning the Middle East into Midland; and if my dad blew it when he had his chance; and if I knew that I was the instrument of the Almighty, who knew the Iraqis wanted to be free to blow other Iraqis to smithereens and chop off their heads; and if I knew in my gut that we couldn't fail, because we're America; and if I didn't give a flying fig what a bunch of old-fart cut-and-runners thought; and if a heap of people died as a result of my commitment to freedom (but they weren't freedom-lovers); and if I've driven the world nuts, and if some evildoers think the United States is something other than a beacon of freedom--well, if I did any of that, and I'm not saying I did, tough. I'm the decider and you're not, you get my drift?
http://www.tpmcafe.com
_________________________________________________
Couple Calls for Orgasm for Peace
SAN FRANCISCO (Nov. 19) - Two peace activists have planned a massive anti-war demonstration for the first day of winter.
But they don't want you marching in the streets. They'd much rather you just stay home.
The Global Orgasm for Peace was conceived by Donna Sheehan, 76, and Paul Reffell, 55, whose immodest goal is for everyone in the world to have an orgasm Dec. 22 while focusing on world peace.
"The orgasm gives out an incredible feeling of peace during it and after it," Reffell said Sunday. "Your mind is like a blank. It's like a meditative state. And mass meditations have been shown to make a change."
The couple are no strangers to sex and social activism. Sheehan, no relation to anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, brought together nearly 50 women in 2002 who stripped naked and spelled out the word "Peace."
The stunt spawned a mini-movement called Baring Witness that led to similar unclothed demonstrations worldwide.
The couple have studied evolutionary psychology and believe that war is mainly an outgrowth of men trying to impress potential mates, a case of "my missile is bigger than your missile," as Reffell put it.
By promoting what they hope to be a synchronized global orgasm, they hope to get people to channel their sexual energy into something more positive.
The couple said interest appears strong, with 26,000 hits a day to their Web site, http://www.globalorgasm.org.
"The dream is to have everyone in the world (take part)," Reffell said. "And if that means laying down your gun for a few minutes, then hey, all the better."
(sent by friend, AP & on AOL main page)
By the way, if you depend on radio, internet and newspapers and blogs for most of your news, with the exception of the occasional TV special that has some merit, consider donating to NPR - it's not that bad and it's listener-supported.
Today they had obtained audio transcripts of military tribunals at Guantanamo and played them on the air. Chilling to hear and in the final analysis, kangaroo court compared to regular court. No habeas corpus. Imagine being a guy from Algeria who has been acquitted from charges for something you were accused of in Bosnia and the day you are released you are picked up by the US government and shipped to Gitmo. Five years later, no witnesses, no charges, and after your "trial," you are declared an enemy combattant, still don't know why.
I also recommend Radio Nation, Democracy Now, Hightower Report and Eat the State. You can get almost any radio on-line. Seems like guerilla video possible now, with uTube but there has already been some censorship. Be the media. Support Independent media. If po'd at MSM, boycott all their advertisers and let them and the advertisers know you are doing it.
Check out this editorial -- the amazing thing is that I don't think the author intended it as snark -- http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/editorial/15986574.htm
Posted by: dwahzon at November 21, 2006 11:56 AM
Readers of the Lost Snark
Center for American Progress on Media:
- talks about how FOX had to cancel the OJ show & how its ratings are sagging anyway
- says O'Reillyhad never heard of News Corps even though FOX is part of News Corps.
- FOX News and FOX Broadcasting are both Murdoch entities (News Corp)
- On Election night 2006, FOX had fewer views than CNN in the key 25-54 demographic = big drop
- FOX has a 13% decilne this year in prime time
& down 17% in October
- FOX now has a rep for incendiary commentary v news
- Leaked memos funneled FOX programmers to look for statements from Iraqi insurgents being thrilled at Dem-controlled House, & to target Nancy Pelosi.
- Stories on Hurricane Katrina and the war in the mideast have played better on CNN, considered by consumers to have better reporting
- MSNBC is on the rise, up 14% this year, with The Olbermann Factor popular, with his ratings alone up 67%. He is drawing almost as many in key 25-54 demographic as O'Reilly on FOX. Olbermann is headed down in ratings since the election, with O'Reilly headed down.
http://www.americanprogress.org
KILL BILL - NEUTERING BUSH'S TORTURE LAW
By Bob Geiger
Dem Chris Dodd seeks to kill Bush's "torture bill"
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/44546/
~~~~~~~~~
I left this message on that article:
It's not enough to amend MCA '06. Leahy wants to amend the habeas corpus section he pleaded for during the debates on the bill, too.
The entire MCA '06 ALL needs to be REPEALED. Period.
Ditto Warner's bill. Ditto the so-called Patriot Act ad it's amendments. Ditto the FISA snooping without warrants. Ditto practically every bill that has infringed on our rights and privileges and privacy that has been enacted since "inauguration day" 2001.
They ALL need to be REPEALED, not just amended and declared "fixed." Dumbya has his idiotic signing statements. And he might also start regularly employing veto powers. Whatever.
REPEALING all the bad legislation enacted since January 2001 is the only thing that can "fix" what ails us.
We, the People, want our Constitution, Bill of Rights, Geneva Conventions, and US law back, and we most certainly want the balance of powers back, since WE do not need a dictator, not now, not ever.
Even though UPI is Moonie-owned, they run an Arab press review that identifies the countries and leanings of each paper reviewed, this time on possible implications of cooperation between Syria & Iraq.
http://www.upi.com/InternationalIntelligence/view.php?StoryID=20061121-053606-4358r
It's possible to find other such reviews, looking in English-language press. I hadn't realized some of these papers were London-based, for example, or that if so, they are backed from outside the country, as by the Saudis.
I am curious what papers middle easterners in the US read and I know Congressman McDermott recommends the Star, in Lebanon. Robert Fisk was on BBC this morning, reporting for them, and he lives in Lebanon, which is what he was reporting on (the assassination).
"REPEALING all the bad legislation enacted since January 2001 is the only thing that can "fix" what ails us."
I am with Nonny, WE must clean the slate and start over.
"They ALL need to be REPEALED, not just amended and declared "fixed.""
Amen Sister!
These are the main ones I have:
http://www.haaretz.com (Israel)
http://www.mideastweb.org
http://www.juancole.com (US)
http://www.Akhbar.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.uruklink.net
Georgie and his people have been steadily riddling our entire justice system with confusion and backdoors to be used later.
The only way to FIX this is to repeal EVERYTHING to bill clintons last day and systematically erase all traces of george and the busheviks from our laws and legislation.
If the Egyptians could erase a Living God from living memory, then so can too george w. bush be forgotten like a bad dream.
Christy
One of Georgie's first Executive Orders reclassified a bunch of stuff from past administrations. I would look carefully through Clinton's stuff too - he was inlong enough to have been pressured. I think we should go back to Nixon andselectively repeal. Alot of what makes the government less transparent was put in after Vietnam and Watergate.
I read that Congressional inquiries into Abu Graib and Guantanamo have been limited compared to Congressional inquiries into, say, whether Bill Clinton was properly or improperly using his personal Christmas card list!
White House Lowers Economic Projections
NYT: http://tinyurl.com/yfydmk
Dianne,
It is no secret my feelings about Clinton.
Yes, I think he is charming and yes he is an economic genius. Yes, he is one hell of a diplomat. He was a very good president.
Yet, I know he is a liar and he was raised by a gangster and everyone pretends that it means nothing.
I am from Dixie. I know what Bill Clinton is.
What he was not is a paraniod narcissistic meglomaniac with molevolent tendancies.
And whatever it was he stole from us was never enough to be widely missed. He did not burn nations to the ground in greed.
Under his administrations laws we had a chance. georgie was NEVER LEGALLY ELECTED, therefore all his changes to our system were illegal and in pursuit of treason against US.
I say the Domino Theory works, when you apply it to the right battle line.
Military Documents Hold Tips on Antiwar Activities
NYT: http://tinyurl.com/yzaudx
An antiterrorist database used by the Defense Department in an effort to prevent attacks against military installations included intelligence tips about antiwar planning meetings held at churches, libraries, college campuses and other locations, newly disclosed documents show...
~snip~
The Defense Department tightened its procedures earlier this year to ensure that only material related to actual terrorist threats — and not peaceable First Amendment activity — was included in the database.
The head of the office that runs the military database, which is known as Talon, said Monday that material on antiwar protests should not have been collected in the first place...
The leader of one antiwar group mentioned repeatedly in the latest military documents provided to the A.C.L.U. said he was skeptical that the military had ended its collection of material on war protests.
“I don’t believe it,” said the leader, Michael T. McPhearson, a former Army captain who is the executive director of Veterans for Peace, a group in St. Louis.
~snip~
“Veterans for Peace is a peaceful organization,” the entry said, but added there was potential that future protests “could become violent.”
~~~~~~~
Military Documents Hold Tips on Antiwar Activities
NYT: http://tinyurl.com/yzaudx
Ammo against the Ethics of FOX/Murdoch/NewsCorp:
A spokesman for News Corp., owner of Fox Broadcasting and publisher HarperCollins, confirmed that the company had conversations with representatives of Nicole Brown Simpson's and Ron Goldman's families over the past week and that the families were offered all profits from the planned Simpson book and television show, but he denied that it was hush money.
"There were no strings attached," News Corp. spokesman Andrew Butcher said.
Denise Brown told NBC's "Today" show Tuesday that her family's response was "Absolutely not."
"They wanted to offer us millions of dollars. Millions of dollars for, like, 'Oh, I'm sorry' money. But they were still going to air the show," Brown said. "We just thought, 'oh my god.' What they're trying to do is trying to keep us quiet, trying to make this like hush money, trying to go around the civil verdict, giving us this money to keep our mouths shut."
http://www.comcast.net/entertainment/index.jsp?cat=ENTERTAINMENT&fn=/2006/11/21/525621.html&cvqh=itn_oj
'More popular' President Bush defends son from 'hostile audience'
After delivering a speech at a leadership conference in Abu Dhabi, former President George Herbert Walker Bush was forced to defend his son from verbal attacks by the "hostile audience," on the same day that a new poll reveals that more Americans preferred the first Bush president.
"We do not respect your son," a woman in the audience told Bush. "We do not respect what he's doing all over the world."
The Associated Press reported that "Bush appeared stunned as the audience of young business leaders whooped and whistled in approval" at the woman's comments, coming after the "retired president had just finished a folksy address on leadership by telling the audience how deeply hurt he feels when his son the president is criticized."
According to the AP, Bush's voice "quivered" in response.
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/More_popular_President_Bush_defends_son_1121.html
Christy
My position is that I come from 5 generations of Democrats and my values are much more in line with them, but personally I think our foreign policy has left much to be desired for several decades. We have had needless wars and when supposedly at peace, have depended on clandestine prop-ups of dictators etc. depending on our corporate interests, but not really related to quality of life of the average Joe.
So yes I voted for Clinton/Gore and Clinton/Lieberman but with few illusions. I think he's more respected in the world than the Bush dynasty and has done some good things with Clinton Global Initiatives.
My problems are more with the way the system is set up in general.
Some very interesting analysis
Republicans Are Lucky They Did Not Lose More Seats
Jay Cost Tue Nov 21, 8:30 AM ET
Election Day 2006 was a bad day for the Republican Party. But it could have been much, much worse.
[...]
By my estimate, between 1946 and 1994, a 54% two-party vote for the Democrats would have produced a 258 D to 177 R Congress. This would have been a 55 seat pick-up for the Democrats. So - the structural protections that the GOP had in place mitigated what would otherwise have been a truly disastrous result. It saved the Republicans about 26 seats.
What do I mean by "structural protections?" [...]
Read the rest here...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/realclearpolitics/20061121/cm_rcp/republicans_are_lucky_they_did_1
You are right Dianne, it has been atleast two decades since things made any real sense or progress.
Scary to think I came of age in this era.
I will never trust a pharoh, not a king, a czar a prime minister... not any president as long as I live. Not theirs, not ours.
Like... I can like them, but I don't trust ANY of them anymore.
I already have taught my kids to never trust them either.
I am holding out for a hero.
I wondered how the court case and press conference was going.
Christy
I bought my baby a shirt that said "Question Authority" - that was 25 years ago.
UPDATE on the Aguayo case:
First of all, there was a lot of good press there this morning, despite the cold weather. But once in the courtroom (I was not in there; I had to teach today), apparently the judges appeared divided, or at least inconclusive. The rendering will not happen for ten days to six months!
Meanwhile, Augie sits in jail in Germany. Anyone want to participate in a letter-writing effort? We can send him cards and cheer...
Democrats Plan Series of Votes on Ethics Reforms
WaPo: http://tinyurl.com/ydbuls
Despite divisions among Democrats over how far to go in revising ethics rules, House leaders plan a major rollout of an ethics reform bill early next year...
~snip~
...Instead of forwarding one big bill, Democrats will put together an ethics package on the House floor piece by piece, allowing incoming freshmen to take charge of high-profile issues and lengthening the time spent on the debate. The approach will ensure that each proposal -- including banning gifts, meals and travel from lobbyists as well as imposing new controls on the budget deficit -- is debated on its own and receives its own vote. That should garner far more media attention for the bill's components before a final vote on the entire package...
Why Russia Banned "Borat"
WaPo: http://tinyurl.com/uaq24
re Borat & censorship by Russia - kinda wondering how that former KGB agent critical of Putin was given Thallium poison too.
.. and in related news...
U.S. seeks to reinstate Padilla terrorism charge
Prosecutors claim judge erred in ruling that took life sentence off the table
MIAMI (AP) - Federal prosecutors have asked an appeals court to reinstate a key terrorism charge against alleged al-Qaida operative Jose Padilla, contending a judge erred in finding that it duplicated other counts in the same indictment.
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15835397/
I think the voodoo worked.
Satan seems to be picking on georgie lately.
Couldn't happen to a more deserving guy.
current(11/20) state-by-state Bush (dis)approval ratings at
http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/Approval50StateBushApproval061116.htm
Net positive ratings only in 3/50 states: Utah and Idaho at +12%, wyoming at +1%. Only Utah and Idaho have approval rates of more than 50% (55% each).
Net disapproval ratings range from -3% (ND) to -50% (NY). Lowest approval ratings in US are 24% (NY) and 26% (both MA and RI)
Most satisfying to see Texas with net disapproval of -18%. : )
Lots more at the above url.
A friend pointed out that China hasn't had a terror attack since 9/11 so maybe we should adopt their form of authoritarian govenment rather than the Russian model.
need Republican robocalls by a Republican company? Go here.
http://www.gopcalls.com/
Posted by: DiAnne at November 21, 2006 10:35 PM
Great! I'll use that one the next time I hear that line. ..
November 22, 2006
Rest in Peace
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Reports: Bush daughter robbed in Argentina
Barbara Bush had purse stolen while guarded by Secret Service, papers say
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15846961/
Motorcycle Officer Critically Injured In Motorcade Crash
November 21, 2006
HONOLULU -- Three Honolulu police motorcycles in President George W. Bush's motorcade were involved in an accident on Tuesday morning at Hickam Air Force Base.
A 30-year-old officer's condition has worsened. He was last reported in critical condition. He underwent surgery for internal bleeding.
"The injuries are severe enough that it could go either way," Capt. Frank Fujii said.
http://www.thehawaiichannel.com/news/10371566/detail.html
hey, is this thing on?
Bush Agenda Shows Superpower Fatigue
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/21/news/assess.php
We're stretched thin in Iraq, limiting our clout as a superpower either militarily or economically.
Posted by: monkey at November 22, 2006 08:05 AM
I often wonder how many people have been needlessly injured or wrongfully detained during shrub's propaganda/money junkets. A certain nausea creeps in with the awareness that we pay all travel, security & salaries for him & his entourage.
My heart goes out to this young man who was faithfully performing his duty to protect one so undeserving.
new thread--holiday actions!
From Think Progress...
This Thanksgiving, progressives have a lot to be thankful for. Here's our list:
We're thankful for our country's troops.
We're thankful America dumped the 109th Congress.
We're thankful Rick Santorum will have more free time to find the WMD.
We're thankful we don’t have to go to war with the Secretary of Defense we had.
We're thankful for "red state values," like protecting reproductive rights, supporting stem cell research, and rejecting discrimination.
We're thankful Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), who calls climate change the "greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people," will no longer chair the Senate environmental committee.
We're thankful that Matt Drudge does not rule our world.
We're thankful Al Gore helped the country face the inconvenient truth.
We're thankful Bill O'Reilly does not resort to name calling - well, besides labeling the Progress Report/ThinkProgress as "far left loons," "kool-aid zombies," "hired guns," "vile," "haters," a "far left smear website," and "a very well-oiled, effective character assassination machine."
We're thankful minimum wage ballot initiatives passed in six states.
We're thankful the Dixie Chicks aren't ready to make nice.
We're thankful Ted Haggard bought the meth but never used it.
We're thankful for the 100,000 readers who responded to our Tell the Truth About 9/11 campaign.
We're thankful for "the Google" and "the email" (and the "series of tubes" that make them possible) -- but not iPods, which are endangering our nation.
We're thankful Maf54 isn't online right now.
We're thankful people send us Jack Abramoff's email.
We're thankful Keith Olbermann's ratings are up and Bill O'Reilly's ratings are down.
We're thankful President Bush's secret plan for Iraq is safe with Conrad Burns.
We're thankful we won't spend Thanksgiving turkey hunting with Dick Cheney.
We're thankful the "Decider" only gets to make the decision 789 more days.
And last but not least: We're thankful to the Progress Report readers for their tips, energy and support.
http://thinkprogress.org/
Here's some good news about Tammy Duckworth...
CHICAGO (AP) -- Iraq war veteran and failed congressional candidate Tammy Duckworth has a new mission: directing the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced Tuesday.
http://tinyurl.com/yestgg = news from Chicago's 1010 WINS radio station