BAGHDAD - The U.S. command said Wednesday the highest-ranking Iraqi in the leadership of al-Qaida in Iraq has been arrested, adding that information from him indicates the group’s foreign-based leadership wields considerable influence over the Iraqi chapter.

Khaled Abdul-Fattah Dawoud Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, also known as Abu Shahid, was captured in Mosul on July 4, said Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner, a military spokesman.

“Al-Mashhadani is believed to be the most senior
U.S. says top al-Qaida in Iraq figure captured
Al-Mashhadani was reportedly an intermediary between bin Laden, others


Iraqi in the al-Qaida in Iraq network,” Bergner said. He said al-Mashhadani was a close associate of Abu Ayub al-Masri, the Egyptian-born head of al-Qaida in Iraq.

More progress in Iraq

Hey there, Sounds like you have quite a telecast lined up for tonight.

Just thought I would point out that your webmasters better get on the special characters on your front page in the word Deja Vu and it seems the Quotes on the "Insert Name Here" Girl need to be altered. What can I say, I'm a classic nitpicker.

Other than that, looking forward to a great showing tonight. Thank you for being one of the few news shows that prides itself on news and not airhead anchors feeding us crud like Paris Hilton. Looking forward to the Cheney Admin. Info. He's the sole reason people should be scared of just impeaching bush. We need to knock both of those fools outta the park and kick America into Damage Control mode. They obviously don't realize that in being a politician, they are playing around with more than just their own reputations.

Oh yeah....First post! ::Does the Dance:: ^_^

"Homeland" - why does that word give me the creeps ...

So King George plans to leave office with everything put back to where it was before he came in? How thoughtful of him.

On a different thread, lookie lookie what the House Oversight Committee has dug up:

It seems that all those nice political cronies that BushCo put in charge of Federal Government Agencies have been doing a heckofajob in helping their Repugnikant candidates win elections in 2006.  Even Karl Rove has a smile so big you can see it from behind his balding head.

Yuppers, folks, these lovely agencies have announced grants, made appearances and been oh-so-helpful to 18 vulnerable Repugnikants in the months just prior to the 2006 elections.

Read all about it:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/17/AR2007071701892_pf.html

Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Committee, believes that this is just the tip of the iceburg at how Federal Agencies and taxpayer money were used for grants and to ferry their shills for the political purposes of the GOP.

Stay tuned - we haven't heard the end of this.

I think John Fogerty said it pretty well.

Since George W. Bush took office, the United States has sunk to unprecedented lows in sports and pop-culture domination.

By MIKE MILIARD
The United States of America is a nation with a proud history. A proud history, that is, of kicking ass in sports and shoving our own peculiar brand of pop culture down the throats of every other country on the planet. But since a certain Texan took office in 2000, it has been our ass that has been kicked on playing fields around the globe and our throats that have been choked by the cultures of other nations.
Coincidence? Consider the events of just the past few weeks. The NBA finals pit a team led by an American player — the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron “King James” James, much hyped as the next Michael Jordan — against the San Antonio Spurs, a team featuring a bunch of foreign guys. The foreign guys blew out the team with the American superstar, and the MVP of the series was Tony Parker, who was born in France. Yes, France.

2008’s presumed Democratic presidential front-runner, Hillary Clinton, after much ballyhoo, finally chose a campaign song. Her quest for the presidency — that’s president of America — will take Celine Dion’s “You & I” as its soundtrack. It’s a mawkish tune which a) sucks, and b) was originally written for an Air Canada commercial and is sung by a chanteuse from Charlemagne, Quebec, which, I’m pretty sure is north of the 49th parallel.

And in May, the nation — as it now does every year — came to a halt to watch the finale of American Idol, a show that crowns a young American under-thirtysomething as the cream of our national singing crop. What can be more American than that, you ask? Hmm. Perhaps a show less Simon-ized. Idol was created by Simon Fuller (a Brit), developed by Simon Jones (a Brit), and has as its de facto figurehead and true star Simon Cowell (a Brit). Co-executive producer, along with Fuller, is Nigel Lythgoe (a Brit). Happy Fourth of July.

The problem, as LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy is wont to say, is that we’re losing our edge. America’s once unshakable global hegemony is slipping, even when it comes to the shit we’re supposed to be good at. We suck at sports. There’s precious little originality in our art, and, when there is, it’s rarely as good as that produced by artists in other countries. Whereas once we were properly accused of cultural imperialism, today’s USA resembles a junkie searching for a fix from some country — any country — that can come up with a reasonably good facsimile of American culture. Give us your British rappers, your Japanese baseball players, your Australian actors.
If the 20th century was “The American Century,” the 21st is shaping up to be anything but. It’s hard not to notice that our plummeting place in world affairs coincides roughly with late 2000, early 2001. Is it unfair and perhaps disingenuous to lay America’s utter ineptitude at the feet of George W. Bush? Maybe. But he’s screwed up pretty much everything else he’s touched so far. And with his approval ratings as dismal as they are — 27 percent, with a bullet! — we might as well. Another Mission Accomplished.
*************
But we are rich. We just have no soul anymore. Which to me equals lack of inspirational leadership.

Is "DJ VU" one of those inside jokes like the "internets"?

Nothing makes me angrier than this administrations failure to kill Osama Bin Laden.  Apparently all you have to do to get away with the murder of 3000 American citizens is hide in the mountains.  Ted Kazinski hid in the mountains and we found him with out the military, but that was under a compitent president who gave a sh**.  

Everytime I see photos of troops in Iraq, I wonder why aren't they in the mountains of Aftganistan and Pakistan finding Bin Laden.  Instead of pretending to be supporting a government in Iraq that is going on vacation for a month.  Our founding fathers did not take vacations in the middle of the revolutionary war.  

Of course they haven't killed Bin Laden because they need someone for us all to fear.  That's why they try so hard even now, to mention him with Iraq as often as possible.  They know the flaw in thier logic is that Iraqis want us out of thier country and if we left Iraqis would kill all the foreign fighters in thier country and have the civil war they have already started.  Al Qeada wants to terrorize us here, but there is oil in Iraq and none in Aftganistan.  So they pretend if we don't fight in Iraq that Iraqis will come here and terrorize us.  Which is nonsense, but it keeps thier friend getting billions of dollars in defense contracts and oil revenue.  They don't care if Al Qaeda attacks again.  They will just use it as an excuse to attack Iran and declare martial law.

Impeachment is to leanient for these guys.  They should spend the rest of thier lives doing hard labor in Levenworth.          
 

RE Fitzgerald: Did I miss it somewhere? Wasn't he supposed to testify before congress? Did that happen?

Remember that the Democrats make up the smallest minority of our armed forces, and Liberal Democrats are almost non existent in uniform. -
Wayne, M'town TN (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 10:23 PM)

As usual, here I go again stating the facts regarding those "cowardly liberals" who, according to Wayne, are "almost non existent" in the military.  Hypocrisy calling Wayne....Hello, Wayne…

DEMOCRATS:

Richard Gephardt: Air National Guard, 1965-71;  David Bonior: Staff Sgt., Air Force 1968-72;  Tom Daschle: 1st Lt., Air Force SAC 1969-72;  Al Gore: enlisted Aug. 1969; sent to Vietnam Jan. 1971 as an army journalist in 20th Engineer Brigade;  Bob Kerrey: Lt. j.g. Navy 1966-69; Medal of Honor, Vietnam;  Daniel Inouye: Army 1943-'47; Medal of Honor, WWII;  John Kerry: Lt., Navy 1966-70; Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V Purple Hearts;  John Edwards: did not serve;  Charles Rangel: Staff Sgt., Army 1948-52; Bronze Star, Korea;  Max Cleland: Captain, Army 1965-68; Silver Star & Bronze Star, Vietnam;  Ted Kennedy: Army, 1951-1953;  Tom Harkin: Lt., Navy, 1962-67; Naval Reserve, 1968-74;  Jack Reed: Army Ranger, 1971-1979; Captain, Army Reserve 1979-91;  Fritz Hollings: Army officer in WWII, receiving the Bronze Star and seven campaign ribbons;  Leonard Boswell: Lt. Col., Army 1956-76; Vietnam, DFCs, Bronze Stars, and Soldier's Medal;  Pete Peterson: Air Force Captain, POW. Purple Heart, Silver Star and Legion of Merit; Mike Thompson: Staff sergeant, 173rd Airborne, Purple Heart; Bill McBride: Past candidate for Florida Governor, Marine in Vietnam; Bronze Star with Combat V; Gray Davis: Army Captain in Vietnam, Bronze Star; Pete Stark: Air Force 1955-57, Chuck Robb: Vietnam; Howell Heflin: Silver Star; George McGovern: Bomber pilot, many missions, Silver Star & DFC during WWII;   Bill Clinton: Avoided service with student deferments. Entered draft but received 311; Jimmy Carter: Annapolis grad. Seven years in the Navy;  Walter Mondale: Army 1951-1953;  John Glenn: WWII and Korea; six DFCs and Air Medal with 18 Clusters;  Tom Lantos: Said to have served in Hungarian underground in WWII, saved by Raoul Wallenberg;  Wesley Clark: U.S. Army, 1966-2000, West Point, Vietnam, Purple Heart, Silver Star. Retired 4-star general;  John Dingell: WWII veteran; * John Conyers: Army 1950-57, Korea.

REPUBLICANS:  

Dennis Hastert: did not serve;  Tom Delay: did not serve; Former House Whip Roy Blunt: did not serve;  Bill Frist: did not serve;  Rudy Giuliani: did not serve;  George Pataki: did not serve;  Mitch McConnell: did not serve;  Former Senator Rick Santorum: did not serve;  House Minority Whip Trent Lott: did not serve;  DICK CHENEY: did not serve. Had "other priorities"! Several deferments, the last for wife's pregnancy;  John Ashcroft: did not serve. SEVEN deferments to teach business; Jeb Bush: did not serve; Karl Rove: did not serve.  Saxby Chambliss: did not serve. "Bad knee." The "man”, and I use that term loosely, attacked Max Cleland's patriotism;  Paul Wolfowitz: did not serve;  Vin Weber: did not serve;  Richard Perle: did not serve;  Douglas Feith: did not serve;  Eliot Abrams: did not serve; Richard Shelby: did not serve;  Jon Kyle: did not serve;  Tim Hutchison: did not serve;  Christopher Cox: did not serve;  Newt Gingrich: did not serve;  Donald Rumsfeld: served in Navy (1954-57) as aviator and flight instructor;  George W. Bush: six-year National Guard commitment (in FOUR years); questions about his service remain!!;  RONALD REAGAN: made war propaganda movies;  Gerald Ford: Navy, WWII;  Phil Gramm: did not serve;  John McCain: Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross;  Bob Dole: Army officer WWII;  Chuck Hagel: two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, Vietnam;  Disgraced and now in prison Congressman Duke Cunningham: nominated for Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Stars, Air Medals, Purple Hearts;  Jeff Sessions: Army Reserves, 1973-1986;  JC Watts: did not serve;  Lindsey Graham: National Guard LAWYER;  George Herbert Walker Bush: Pilot in WWII. Shot down by the Japanese; Tom Ridge: Bronze Star for Valor in Vietnam.

SUPREME COURT JUSTICES:  

Antonin Scalia: did not serve; Clarence Thomas: did not serve. My personal favorites!!

PUNDITS & PREACHERS:  

Sean Hannity: did not serve;  Rush Limbaugh: did not serve;  Bill O'Reilly: did not serve;  Michael Savage: did not serve;  George Will: did not serve;  Paul Gigot: did not serve;  Bill Bennett: did not serve;  Pat Buchanan: did not serve;  Bill Kristol: did not serve;  Kenneth Starr: did not serve;  Michael Medved: did not serve.

Well, well, well, Wayne, those “cowardly liberals” sure outrank those “brave neo cons” -  HAH!! The republicans can wrap themselves in the American flag until they are mummified by it; however, their military service records tell a very different story! With the exception of “some”, it's very interesting, and equally nauseating to listen to and watch which party and people  “wrap” themselves in the American flag!!

Hypocrites!!

Six + years and barely a dent against terrorism if any at all and the terrorists orgainzations as well the Sunni and Shiite have us bogged down in Iraq while the terrorists grow stronger and more brazen and outspoken. We played right into their hands by invading Iraq so that our military is kept busy trying to run down car bombers and suicide bombers while the main terrorists groups grow stronger and threaten the US. Talk about being in a position of getting caught with your pance down. Imagine being confronted on more then one front at this time with our military personnel worn out trying to act as policemen in Iraq. Yes sir, the terrorists had a pretty good idea how Bush would react and welcomed him to Iraq to take pot shots at our troops while growing stronger in Iraq as well as in other parts of the world. Bush is making progress in Iraq against  the terrorist some would have you believe (give me a fu-k'n break). We are supposed to have hundreds of top-notch marketing and advertising professionals in this country some of which I assume work for our government, but the terrorists and their #200 black market purchased video cams whip our ass everytime on the PR front. It's not the equipment stupid but the message. Bush the aggressor and occupier is being whipped in the PR game by the poor and down trodden terrorists who are winning converts. This will go on and on and on until we elect a leader who knows how to better the terrorists at their own game. Bush is an amateur, no, not even an amateur. And those military brass who know better just go along with this idiot for fear of losing their jobs.    

Sorry Keith.  Barack only spent 4.8 million more then Hillary, has more on hand, and he spend the majority of the 3 million of that money on staff. Staff that will be helping to build a ground game in key states. Seems prudent to me.

Remember that the Democrats make up the smallest minority of our armed forces, and Liberal Democrats are almost non existent in uniform. -

Wayne, M'town TN (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 10:23 PM)

As usual, here I go again stating the facts regarding the "cowardly liberals" who, according to Wayne are "almost non existent" in the military.  Hypocrisy calling Wayne....Hello, Wayne….

DEMOCRATS:

Richard Gephardt: Air National Guard, 1965-71;  David Bonior: Staff Sgt., Air Force 1968-72;  Tom Daschle: 1st Lt., Air Force SAC 1969-72;  Al Gore: enlisted Aug. 1969; sent to Vietnam Jan. 1971 as an army journalist in 20th Engineer Brigade;  Bob Kerrey: Lt. j.g. Navy 1966-69; Medal of Honor, Vietnam;  Daniel Inouye: Army 1943-'47; Medal of Honor, WWII;  John Kerry: Lt., Navy 1966-70; Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V Purple Hearts;  John Edwards: did not serve;  Charles Rangel: Staff Sgt., Army 1948-52; Bronze Star, Korea;  Max Cleland: Captain, Army 1965-68; Silver Star & Bronze Star, Vietnam;  Ted Kennedy: Army, 1951-1953;  Tom Harkin: Lt., Navy, 1962-67; Naval Reserve, 1968-74;  Jack Reed: Army Ranger, 1971-1979; Captain, Army Reserve 1979-91;  Fritz Hollings: Army officer in WWII, receiving the Bronze Star and seven campaign ribbons;  Leonard Boswell: Lt. Col., Army 1956-76; Vietnam, DFCs, Bronze Stars, and Soldier's Medal;  Pete Peterson: Air Force Captain, POW. Purple Heart, Silver Star and Legion of Merit; Mike Thompson: Staff sergeant, 173rd Airborne, Purple Heart; Bill McBride: Past candidate for Florida Governor, Marine in Vietnam; Bronze Star with Combat V; Gray Davis: Army Captain in Vietnam, Bronze Star; Pete Stark: Air Force 1955-57, Chuck Robb: Vietnam; Howell Heflin: Silver Star; George McGovern: Bomber pilot, many missions, Silver Star & DFC during WWII;   Bill Clinton: Avoided service with student deferments. Entered draft but received 311; Jimmy Carter: Annapolis grad. Seven years in the Navy;  Walter Mondale: Army 1951-1953;  John Glenn: WWII and Korea; six DFCs and Air Medal with 18 Clusters;  Tom Lantos: Said to have served in Hungarian underground in WWII, saved by Raoul Wallenberg;  Wesley Clark: U.S. Army, 1966-2000, West Point, Vietnam, Purple Heart, Silver Star. Retired 4-star general;  John Dingell: WWII veteran; * John Conyers: Army 1950-57, Korea.

REPUBLICANS:  

Dennis Hastert: did not serve;  Tom Delay: did not serve; Former House Whip Roy Blunt: did not serve;  Bill Frist: did not serve;  Rudy Giuliani: did not serve;  George Pataki: did not serve;  Mitch McConnell: did not serve;  Former Senator Rick Santorum: did not serve;  House Minority Whip Trent Lott: did not serve;  DICK CHENEY: did not serve. Had "other priorities"! Several deferments, the last for wife's pregnancy;  John Ashcroft: did not serve. SEVEN deferments to teach business; Jeb Bush: did not serve; Karl Rove: did not serve.  Saxby Chambliss: did not serve. "Bad knee." The "man”, and I use that term loosely, attacked Max Cleland's patriotism;  Paul Wolfowitz: did not serve;  Vin Weber: did not serve;  Richard Perle: did not serve;  Douglas Feith: did not serve;  Eliot Abrams: did not serve; Richard Shelby: did not serve;  Jon Kyle: did not serve;  Tim Hutchison: did not serve;  Christopher Cox: did not serve;  Newt Gingrich: did not serve;  Donald Rumsfeld: served in Navy (1954-57) as aviator and flight instructor;  George W. Bush: six-year National Guard commitment (in FOUR years); questions about his service remain!!;  RONALD REAGAN: made war propaganda movies;  Gerald Ford: Navy, WWII;  Phil Gramm: did not serve;  John McCain: Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross;  Bob Dole: Army officer WWII;  Chuck Hagel: two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, Vietnam;  Disgraced and now in prison Congressman Duke Cunningham: nominated for Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Stars, Air Medals, Purple Hearts;  Jeff Sessions: Army Reserves, 1973-1986;  JC Watts: did not serve;  Lindsey Graham: National Guard LAWYER;  George Herbert Walker Bush: Pilot in WWII. Shot down by the Japanese; Tom Ridge: Bronze Star for Valor in Vietnam.

SUPREME COURT JUSTICES:  

Antonin Scalia: did not serve; Clarence Thomas: did not serve. My personal favorites!!

PUNDITS & PREACHERS:  

Sean Hannity: did not serve;  Rush Limbaugh: did not serve;  Bill O'Reilly: did not serve;  Michael Savage: did not serve;  George Will: did not serve;  Paul Gigot: did not serve;  Bill Bennett: did not serve;  Pat Buchanan: did not serve;  Bill Kristol: did not serve;  Kenneth Starr: did not serve;  Michael Medved: did not serve.

Well, well, well, Wayne, those “cowardly liberals” sure outrank those “brave neo cons” -  HAH!! The republicans can wrap themselves in the American flag until they are mummified by it; however, their military service records tell a very different story! With the exception of “some”, it's very interesting, and equally nauseating to listen to and watch which party and people  “wrap” themselves in the American flag!!

Hypocrites!!

Countdown - Excuse the double post - hit submit twice!!

Nothing makes me angrier than this administrations failure to kill Osama Bin Laden.  Apparently all you have to do to get away with the murder of 3000 American citizens is hide in the mountains.  Ted Kazinski hid in the mountains and we found him with out the military, but that was under a compitent president who gave a sh**.  

Everytime I see photos of troops in Iraq, I wonder why aren't they in the mountains of Aftganistan and Pakistan finding Bin Laden.  Instead of pretending to be supporting a government in Iraq that is going on vacation for a month.  Our founding fathers did not take vacations in the middle of the revolutionary war.  

Of course they haven't killed Bin Laden because they need someone for us all to fear.  That's why they try so hard even now, to mention him with Iraq as often as possible.  They know the flaw in thier logic is that Iraqis want us out of thier country and if we left Iraqis would kill all the foreign fighters in thier country and have the civil war they have already started.  Al Qeada wants to terrorize us here, but there is oil in Iraq and none in Aftganistan.  So they pretend if we don't fight in Iraq that Iraqis will come here and terrorize us.  Which is nonsense, but it keeps thier friend getting billions of dollars in defense contracts and oil revenue.  They don't care if Al Qaeda attacks again.  They will just use it as an excuse to attack Iran and declare martial law.

Impeachment is to leanient for these guys.  They should spend the rest of thier lives doing hard labor in Levenworth.          
 
jen,il

So lets not elect Mr. Edwards. He doesn't believe there are terrorists He believes the War on terror is nothing more than a "bumper sticker"

Why didn't we  impeach B Clinton. He didn't even try.

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 12:45 PM)

Jeez Pam - 2 days in a row - you are hot, girl.

Where on earth did you find that info? Was it already compiles somewhere or did you do it yourself?

Really good job.

Awesome post, Pam.  We can always depend on you to do the research.  Thanks a bunch!

C A, Tuscaloosa, Al

Your numbers are in-accurate 14+ years is what you must have meant.

Pam, me too - great great post.

Bottom line Mrs Madeleine Albright's mission was a failure, because it had no teeth. Much the same that Hitler promissed the world that he would not continue hais acts of agreesion after he anexed Austria and Czech. - K. Collins, USN (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 11:58 AM)

K -

I was most definitely NOT a failure; however, let's say it was for sake of debate (although I strongly disagree).

Please explain to me why Condaleeza Rice and this arrogant Administration has REFUSED and repeatedly to talk to Kim Jon-Il?

This, sir, is just ONE of many examples of an Adminstration who truly believes they eat something other than the rest of us; as they feel their shit DOES NOT STINK!!

I disagree with you completely about former Secretary of State Madeline Albright!!

PEACE!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California

Left out Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Keith O.
Don't they even get to be mentioned. People want to know?

Independent & mad in Madtown -

Thank you.  I constantly research these things to have the TRUTH ready to combat the lying neo cons!! It sure came in handy with Wayne!!

It's also accurate, but feel free to check Wayne!!

PEACE!!

According to an Army Times Poll of Professional military men 60% are Republican, 205 are Independent and 13% are Democrats with the remainder listed as other. Liberal Democrats are almost absent from the serving military.

Help!  This blog has been invaded by conservative Republicans!!!!!

Pam Bignardi, San Pedro, California

Left out Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Keith O.
Don't they even get to be mentioned. People want to know?
Jason R, Richmond, VA (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 1:20 PM)

NO I DID NOT - RE-READ SIR!!

"Al Gore: enlisted Aug. 1969; sent to Vietnam Jan. 1971 as an army journalist in 20th Engineer Brigade;  Bill Clinton: Avoided service with student deferments. Entered draft but received 311"

I copied and pasted it for you, as I'm sure you won't re-read; however, I suggest you read something thoroughly BEFORE commenting!!

PEACE!!

Off your meds again, Larry in Charleston?

P

Can't speak for Mr's Rice, Only her staff. Congratulations Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill for you work on bringing the North to the table in dismantleing their reactor.

About the men in the above listing who have or have not served, Stephen Ambrose, the late historian, in his book "Citizen Soldiers" had a wonderful quote from a front line sargent, " The guys who talk the toughest are always the ones who were never in combat". That may not be exact, but that's the gist of it. Ain't that right, George, Dick, Karl?

thank you pam. that list should be published every day, in every newspaper and on the web.

Did I Miss Mr.Olbermann also in your line up?

Wayne- Maybe what Pams post proves is that they may not be liberal democrates going into the military but they become liberal democrates when they leave.  The military teaches that your squad is only as good as the least among you.  A liberal priciple if ever there was one.

According to an Army Times Poll of Professional military men 60% are Republican, 205 are Independent and 13% are Democrats with the remainder listed as other. Liberal Democrats are almost absent from the serving military.
Wayne, TN

I think we has talking about registered voters as a whole. Not just  the 20 to 30 people that Pam listed who are  serving (or did serve) in office.

Wayne, TN (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 1:32 PM)

Truth hurts Wayne and statistics DON'T LIE!! You are NEVER correct!!

PEACE!! Continue living in you world of lies and spewing factually incorrect data!! No one believes you Mr. Bad Hand!!

CIAO "Cowardly Neo Con"!!

Re: A small sample of who is serving in our military -

Cp. Jose Gutierrez, first soldier to die in Iraq. According to talk radio and "some" in the US Senate, he was a law-breaker with no respect for America.

He was an "illegal" immigrant. He lost his parents in a war, lived on the streets and then in a home for orphaned boys before coming to USA. Went to high school, community college, then joined the Marines to serve "his" country, save for college and money to support his sister. He was 22 when he died.

Currently approximately 35,000 non-citizens are serving in the US military and about 8,000 enlist each year.

I haven't heard any complaints from the conservatives as far as these men serving in our military.

Tom, Clinton bombed Al Qeada camps twice.  You probably don't remember because you were busy analysing a stain on a dress. And screaming "No war for Monica". What this last intellegence report proves is that Republicans have lost all credibilty that they are capable of fighting terrorism.

"Left out Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Keith O.
Don't they even get to be mentioned. People want to know?"

OK. folks, I'm confused about something here.  Since when did the validty of a person's opinion hinge on whether or not they ever served in the Military?

And before anyone ambushes me, no, I have not served in the Military.  The draft was abolished the year before I was eligible, and I chose not to volunteer.

Is my opinion about Iraq/Iran/the "War on Terror" (HAH!) any less valid because I did not serve in the Military?  Are politicians that did not serve automatically less effective than those who did serve?

You don't have to have poked your eye out with a fork to know that it wouldn't be a good idea to do so.

And while we're on the subject, I resent the implication that Dubya's vacation in the Air National Guard (when he actually showed up, anyway) qualifies him to be a better CIC than I would be.

If you are nit-picking Wayne, what percentage of the Republicans are "social-conservatives", "neo-consevatives", "compassionate-consevatives",& "centists"?  Also what percentage in the poll of Professional military clarifies the standing of the rank & file, not lifers?  I would like to know the specifics, as you have on so many occassions admitted that you pick apart words.  Where are the sub-catagories of each pary?  I have never heard of the National Liberal Democratic Party here in the U.S., nor have I heard of the National Neo-Conservative Republican Party.  Also, you state that the Democrats make up the smallest percentage, when the Independent affiliation is given a strict numeric value, and not a percentage.  Also according to your post the segment listed as other is given no percentage you just state that "other" rounds out the poll. So 60%(R) + 13%(D) + 205(I) + x = 100% of surveyed Professional military men in an Army periodical. It appears that your assertion contains a flaw.

Pam, check the news from the weekend - won't find it on Keith O. North Korea shutting down reactors and want to talk. OOPs , Bush right again. Liberals are suchignorant fools.

Jason R, Richmond, VA (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 1:20 PM)

Keith,

I apologize about exposing your age; however, it is meant to defend you against the neo cons, i.e. Jason R, Richmond, VA (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 1:20 PM).

Keith Olbermann was born January 27, 1959, making him forty-eight years old. America’s participation in the Vietnam conflict occurred from 1959 to April 30, 1975. Therefore, Keith Olbermann was ZERO when the conflict began and was just sixteen years old when it concluded.

I’m going out on a limb here; however, I believe his age made him ineligible to serve in Vietnam sir!!  Nice try though!!

Next??

Awesome job Pam!  

Ian, "homeland" gives me the creeps also.  Every time I hear it I want to puke.  It sounds so much like the Nazi's use of "fatherland" and the Soviet's use of "motherland."  Coupling that with the actions of this criminal administration and the word justifiably gives one the creeps.  Why didn't they come up with some other title with "national" in it?  It wouldn't give people visions of storm troopers banging down doors like "homeland" does.  

Wayne, TN: I saw the same poll. That 60% of the professional military personnel were republican, 13% are Democrat, 205 Independents and the rest other. The rest of the poll indicated that 60% of the republican professional military personnel felt that Bush was doing a terrible job in the war on terror and in Iraq, 13% of the Dems felt the same way along with 205 Independents and all the others. According to the poll what that indicated is that right wing neo-conservatives mistakenly elected to the office of President are all absent minded as to how to use the military appropriately.

Wayne that is a very interesting stat, if it is to be believed.  Now how do you explain the fact that 70% of the military, 70% of Iraqis and 70% of the American public think we should be out of Iraq yesterday?  Are 70% of each of these groups flaming liberals?  I don't think so.  Based on the percentage in the military who want us out of Iraq and using your numbers, at least 50% of professed republicans want us to be gone yesterday.

Thank you so much Pam for your 12:45 pm post. Did you eventually end up just copying and pasteing "did not serve" during the Republican/NeoCon list? ;) I've always found it most interesting that the biggest war hawks, more often than not, have never served. Go freakin' figure...

Once again, Pam, YOU ROCK!

Can we get Jim Webb nominated?  At least he's honest enough to call a pig, a pig. Love how he took down Sen. Graham last week. Do any of these pro-war guys really think they're getting a look at how things really are in Iraq? I've got one nephew over there on his 2nd go round and another training in 29 Palms,
please, God, protect them all.

Flipkid, Blue State (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 2:01 PM)

It matters when the majority of those who sent our brave men and women to Iraq, including the “Architect” Paul Wolfowitz himself, in addition to those who continue to support George W. Bush's policies in Iraq, to include TV pundits, NEVER SERVED in the military, even when their “Country called upon them.”

I hope that explains why I posted this, as Wayne STILL refuses to answer C A about serving in Vietnam.  

Those that refused to serve in Vietnam, avoided the draft, received multiple deferments, etc. defend this illegal invasion of Iraq, yet they have never served one day in the military or in combat.

It's called hypocrisy!!

PEACE FRIEND!!

Christina, Helena, AL (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 2:16 PM)

Awesome post friend!!!!

PEACE!!

Larry, When was bush right the first time?  

thank you pam. that list should be published every day, in every newspaper and on the web.
barbinalbanyny (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 1:52 PM)

You're welcome and I agree!! It just might shut up the TV pundits, i.e. Hannity, the Comedian Rush and O'Reilly who have ruthlessly supported this war AND George W. Bush!!

They all SMACK of hypocrisy!!

PEACE!!

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