Lydia Cornell: THE FREEDOM REPORT * NO MORE BUSHMEN! NO MORE WAR!

Friday, August 11, 2006

THE FREEDOM REPORT * NO MORE BUSHMEN! NO MORE WAR!

As the Native Americans reminded us: "No tree has branches so foolish as to fight among themselves."

You can reach my Home page at: LYDIA CORNELL

And to discuss SPIRITUAL SOLUTIONS to the world crises, along with some amazing prayer miracles in the next few weeks, please check out RADICAL PRAYER at my other blog THE PEACEMAKERS * LIGHT OF TRUTH

When I went on the USO tour of Beirut to visit the Marines, terrorism was in its infancy. This was right before the first major "truck bomb suicide attack" against U.S. Peacekeeping Forces. US Magazine published my "Beirut Diary" when I returned, and I did Good Morning America. We visited aircraft carriers USS INCHON, USS SUMTER AND USS SHREVEPORT.

Ambassador Joe Wilson, ex-CIA agent Larry Johnson, me and Jack Carter at Doug Basham's Progressive Talk fundraiser in Vegas. (June 2006.)

Hi Everyone. You can now leave comments here; we are experimenting with new websites, so please forgive the confusion. I am still on a spiritual retreat. This blog is back up and I will check in periodically.

GEORGE W. BUSH OUT-TRICKS RICHARD NIXON!

The BRAD BLOG congratulates George W. Bush for outlasting former President Richard M. Nixon in office!

It has been no easy feat to out-slick Tricky Dick, but with the help of a compliant rubber-stamp congress and a castrated roll-over media, Bush has managed to get away with a contempt for his country in a way that Nixon could only have dreamt of. As the legendary and mysterious Freeway Blogger has previously pointed out, we're all wearing the blue dress now...
BRADBLOG.com

Gibson Converts to Judaism: Changes Name to Mel Gibstein

Reuters - In his boldest bid yet to apologize to the Jewish community, actor Mel Gibson today announced that he had converted to Judaism.

The news took many Jews aback, since conversion to Judaism is a demanding process that can take months or even years of study, and Mr. Gibson accomplished the feat in a record time of forty-five minutes.

But a spokesman for the "Lethal Weapon" star explained how Mr. Gibson pulled off his lightning-fast conversion: "This is Hollywood -- a lot of things can be done by special effects."

Moments after his conversion to Judaism, Mr. Gibson paid a visit to the registrar's office in Los Angeles County and had his name legally changed to "Mel Gibstein" in a show of commitment to his new chosen faith.

Then it was off to Malibu, where the 50-year old actor was bar mitzvahed on the beach in a small, private ceremony.

"Today, I am a man," Mr. Gibstein said before a gathering of friends and well-wishers from the local watering hole Moonshadows. "A Jew man!"

Mr. Gibstein, whose Lexus LS sedan now sports a license plate reading "LCHAIM," said that he was "thoroughly enjoying being a Jew" and vowed to only shop wholesale from now on.

The actor added he would begin production of a new film, "Mad Matzoh Beyond Thundershalom," as soon as he kicks his drinking problem.

"I am really committed to reheeb," he said. "I mean rehab." (story sent by my friend Michael Levy)

Open thread. Please comment on the Mideast Crisis and on LIEBERMAN LOSING THE PRIMARY!
Lieberman losing is a good sign for peace lovers everywhere. We are not going to let them get away with endless war.

Every great statesman and spiritual leader knows that you can't fight fire with fire. Fighting our enemies embodies them with power, attention and new life. Withdraw forces, trust that the Iraqi people will find their way much faster than they will if we stay in Iraq attracting suicide attacks! Why are (bush-cheney-rove) such control freaks? Why are they playing God? They don't trust the Iraqi people to manage their own country? There is a higher power and everyone has access to it. It is not helping anyone to keep our troops in Iraq. In fact, OUR VERY PRESENCE IS CAUSING HELL TO BREAK LOOSE!

We need to understand our enemy. We need face-to-face dialogue with the "Other." Bush and Condi have to let down their macho pride and sweet talk Syria. We should be charming our enemies, getting to know them and doing everything in our power to prevent more children from being killed.

The more I obsess over a problem, the more I bring it into my life (because I’m thinking about it all day long.) The very thing I don't want is attached to me like a ball and a chain simply because I can't let it go. The less I diet, the more weight I lose. The less I nag my husband, the more agreeable he is. We give our enemies life, we empower them, validate and give them "body" by fighting them! That's why Christ said, "Resist NOT evil." Whatever you strike out at, only hits you back harder. When I expect the best in people and see the good in them, the good is all I see. (They rise to the occasion.)

Here is the commercial-free unedited version of the radio show I did in June for Doug Basham's Progressive Talk in Vegas. Doug is one of my favorite people and a fantastic, brilliant host!

DOUG BASHAM PROGRESSIVE TALK

See more pix:

DougBasham.com

LOVE & PEACE! xo, Lydia

Getty Images

HOW TRUE. I love what BRADBLOG has up on his front banner: "The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people
who count the votes decide everything." - Joseph Stalin

447 Comments:

Joe lost...so it seems average americans are not all for an optional unecessary war after all....

By clif, at 9:41 PM
And with NEY resigning for his illegal activities...and Delay being forced back on the ballet. Even though he said he will support a write in canidate, looks like Roves stragety has a few flats...

By clif, at 9:43 PM
But if Lieberman continues in his head-up-his-ass, moves he would make a perfect choice to replace dumsfeld after the dems take the house and hold hearings like congress is supposed to do, unlike the "K Street" repugs do not do, except to give their clients...er I mean campaign supporters a mouth piece to advocate what they already paid for...laws their lawyers wrote for them

By clif, at 9:47 PM
BTW McKinney also lost....two wins for the progressive movement.....which believes the congress is supposed to represent the people....not enrich them selves and grab power....while ignoring the law they expect the rest of us to uphold.

By clif, at 9:49 PM
BTW here is what Pat Lang thinks about how well Hezbollah was doing. This does not mean he agrees with their motives. He is just making a comment about their strategy and tactics;

An End To Militias

We have tended to think of Hizbullah in terms of mobs of men marching around Beirut in odd looking uniforms carrying yellow flags. We are now learning that reality is more like this fellow on the left. The big war in the south of Lebanon is not over yet. We have yet to see a really serious Israeli ground effort there, but based on what has happened so far, I think we have to rate the Hizbullah army as a serious ground force. It is said that the Hizbullah army was trained by the Iranians but, I think that in a more profound sense they were trained by the Israel Defense Force. Clausewitz maintained that the best school of war is war itself. This is a variant of the old saw that claims that "whatever does not kill you makes you stronger." The Hizbullah army fought the IDF for many years. Throughout that time the Hizbullahis (or Hizbalians according to POTUS) observed the methods and "style" of the IDF. Israeli soldiers returned from Lebanon express surprise that the guerrillas look and dress like them. They should not be surprised. It is a kind of compliment.

On the other hand you have these guys, seen here observing a demonstration. The Lebanese Army is a force of "asphalt soldiers." They have never really fought anyone and their governments have carefully avoided putting them to that test. They are a mixed group in confessional terms, although the command of the force has always been entrusted to a Maronite Christian under the terms of the National Accord.

Israel has said that it is one of its war aims to have this force move to the south where it would occupy the border country and "control" the Hizbullah army after disarming it with the "assistance" of an international or possibly interplanetary force from outside Lebanon.

The Lebanese government has now offered to send 15,000 of these perhaps fierce, but certainly untested, tigers to accomplish this stated Israeli desideratum in return for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. The Israelis no longer seem as charmed by the prospect.

Why?

1- The Hizbullah army command does not seem concerned at the prospect of 15,000 Lebanese Army troops in their area.

2- What will be the re-action of these 15,000 soldiers when confronted with the idea of actually fighting their own countrymen who are in arms against a common foe?

3- The most frequently heard suggestion for consolidating armed force under the Lebanese government has been the incorporation of the militias (read Hizbullah) into the Lebanese Army. The Lebanese Army has nicer uniforms, and the survivors of the fights in Bint J'bail and Aita al-Sha''b will look good in them.

That will take care of the Israelis' problems?

Pat Lang

By clif, at 9:55 PM
And another article where he rates them against other middle east "guerrilla's"

"An Arab Guerrilla Army"

"Hizbullah is proving to be something altogether new, an Arab guerrilla army with sophisticated weaponry and remarkable discipline. Its soldiers have the jihadist rhetoric of fighting to the death, but wear body armor and use satcoms to coordinate their attacks. Their tactics may be from Che, but their arms are from Iran, and not just AK-47s and RPGs. They've reportedly destroyed three of Israel's advanced Merkava tanks with wire-guided missiles and powerful mines, crippled an Israeli warship with a surface-to-sea missile, sent up drones on reconnaissance missions, implanted listening devices along the border and set up their ambushes using night-vision goggles.

NEWSWEEK has learned from a source briefed in recent weeks by Israel's top leaders and military brass that Hizbullah even managed to eavesdrop successfully on Israel's military communications as its Lebanese incursion began." Newsweek

---------------------------------------------------------------------

There have been Arab guerrilla armies before. The "Arab Revolt" against the Turks in WW1 was in part a campaign fought by Beduin guerrilla forces and in part a conventional war fought by "regular" units of infantry, cavalry, etc. led by former Ottoman officers of Arab extraction and advised by the British and French.

In the Iraq of the '20s and the Syria and Palestine of the '30s Arab guerrillas fought colonial and Zionist forces for years. In the end they all were defeated by the application of technology, western methods of warfare, and police methods imported by the colonial powers from such places as India and Ireland.

The Lebanese Hizbullah "Arab Guerrilla Army" is something different. What Newsweek describes is a force in transition, a force becoming a real army. Vo Nguyen Giap wrote in "People's War, People's Army" that a national resistance movement's armed force must "evolve" from political agitprop activities to guerrilla war and eventually to the status and capability of regular armed forces if it is to succeed in defeating its enemies and seizing " a place at the table" in its country's future.

Some will say that Hizbullah's army is not a "national force." They will say that it is merely a cats-paw of the Iranians and the Syrians. They will say that the money and the equipment are Iranian. This is all true, but the polling today in Lebanon indicates that the Lebanese (both Christian and Muslim) believe Hizbullah's army to be a national force. I would welcome comments in regard to that polling.

I think that the Lebanese/Israeli war is pounding the "arch" of Lebanese society with a hammer, driving the "keystone" into the arch and tightening the fabric of cohesive national resistance to Israel. That keystone is now painted with a yellow flag.

Pat Lang

The website Sic Semper Tyrannis 2006, has very good non-partisan analysis of the situation in the Mideast. They also have good articles about the military and intel matters in general, having spent they majority of their lives in those realms

By clif, at 10:05 PM
Chris Matthews said "we have a winner....Ted Lamont"

By clif, at 10:06 PM
Too bad..Soo sad..for Lieberman

Naa Naa Naa naa good bye

Naa Naa Naa naa good bye

Joe don't let the door hit you where you speak from....

By clif, at 10:07 PM
Al Gore has a movie called "Inconvenient Truth" which is about the causes of Global Warming and the problems that result from it. There is a parallel in the situation we now find our country in. This is our aiding Israel in it's actions in response to Hezbollah. The results of this situation might be something we can call "inconvenient consequences". By this I mean situations we could find ourselves in, because we did not stop to think about the fallout of aiding Israels military action and blocking a cease fire it .

One situation has already started, the insurgency in Iraq is growing again. They have been aided in their recruiting because young Iraqi men are more willing to join the insurgency to fight Americans. This is because the American Government is supplying the Israelis the bombs that they drop on Muslims in Lebanon. So we can expect the violence against American military forces to escalate in the near future. Thus the longer the combat stretches on, the more dangerous duty in Iraq becomes. From both the Sunni insurgents and the Shite militias, who would come to see that attacking an ally of Israel is their contribution to the forces fighting Israel.

And it does not just involve danger to soldiers in a combat zone. The raised tensions are spilling on to the Arab street. In Cairo, Riyadh, Islamabad, Ankara, Muslims are venting their anger against the actions of Israel, and the US support of Israel. These cities are the capitals of countries which we consider our friends in the region. But given the anger the leaders must balance their streets again our foreign aid. The rulers must allow the masses to vent their anger, but in a controlled way. Otherwise the anger for Israel and the US could spill out on to their own countries. This could result in mass actions where the people demand their rulers side with Lebanon,(and Hezbollah) which would put them at odds with us.

If this mass action begins in those Muslim countries, one of the the inconvenient consequences, could come in the form of Egypt who tears up their peace treaty with Israel. This would change the situation in the north because Israel would have to position forces in case Egypt decides to attack. The Gaza strip would become much more volatile because the Hamas would accept open support from Egypt, which would destroy the blockade Israel has attempted to encircle Gaza with to keep more weapons out. Egypt could give Hamas, aid support both militarily and economically. They could become a safe haven from which Hamas would have a much larger stage from which to launch attacks upon the country of Israel. The entire southwest border of Israel from the Red Sea, to the Mediterranean would become much hotter for Israel and would require more guards, and monitoring. However Israel has dealt with a very antagonistic Egypt before, so this would not be a disaster.

Turkey quiting NATO and becoming a true thorn in the side of Europe, and demanding both NATO and US bases close down and their forces evacuate the country. This would deny the US an airbase we have used for decades, and create a much larger problem in Iraq if Turkey were to decide to attack the Kurds who use Iraq as a safe haven in Hezbollah style attacks on Turkey. As bad as Turkey turning toward the more radical trend in Islamic states would create severe problems for the US but like the loss of Iran in 1979, the loss of Turkey as an ally could be overcome.

The fall of the house of Saud in Saudi Arabia could be debilitating for allies of Israel. The new rulers of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia could decide to change who they are willing to sell oil to. They also could decide to use the Euro or some other currency to price oil in, thus undercutting the dollar on the world market. the effects of this would ripple through out the worlds economy. This is the first scenario which could be called a disaster, because there exists no replacement for the oil the Saudis put on the world stage everyday. thus the loss of the kingdom to radical extremists would undermine the worlds economy, and create many tensions, along with the realignment of who accepts the Saudis demands, and those who do not.

Each of these scenarios are bad, real bad for the US and Israel. However bad these scenarios might be, they pale in comparison to the scenario that could play out in Pakistan. Pakistan is an unstable country which makes it the most dangerous for several reasons. Pakistan has the Taliban and their supporters holding control over significant portions of its territory. The intelligence agency actively supports the Taliban and has been accused by Armed Karzai of actively training the Taliban while the Taliban makes a resurgence in the war in Afghanistan. If the street turns on Musharraf, he would have a dangerous choice to make. One that has far ranging consequences for the US.

If Musharraf turns to actively supporting the enemies of Israel, thus supporting Hezbollah, Hamas, but most important the Taliban, and Osama Bin Laden, we would find our situation in Afghanistan very precarious. We would lose their support in fighting elements when they cross the border. Pakistan would become an OPEN safe haven for the Taliban just as it did in the Soviet invasion. They would have a place to retreat to, recover, resupply, and re-attack. if that was all he or those who overthrow him do, we might be able to overcome that situation. IT would be much harder if our forces in Iraq are trying to fight to hold their bases, or fight their way out of Iraq. However our military has always been able to improvise, adapt and overcome many dire situations.

the real danger that Pakistan would pose if it flip allegiance to the Taliban ET AL would be the very fact the possess nuclear weapons, and missiles. The Nuclear weapons are thought to include some made of plutonium, which is the more desired warhead for deployment on a missile. The longer range missile could reach Israel, and their uranium based bombs could be air delivered, or smuggled into Israel or even the US. A militant Pakistan which would automatically posses nuclear weapons upon the militants taking over, would be the most disastrous result of this fallout of the ripples that the war between Israel and Hezbollah has begun. Just as a disturbance off the coast of Africa can become a raging hurricane upon crossing the Atlantic, if the conditions are right. The disturbances in each country caused by the masses reactions to the situation between Israel and Hezbollah, could become a raging storm which leads to changes in internal leadership, and the resulting change in alliances outside the country. And Pakistan is the worst "hurricane" we could face from this ripple that is spreading through out the region.

The longer the situation between Israel vs Hamas and Hezbollah(and by association Lebanon) remains as explosive as it is right now, these scenarios have a chance to become reality. The questionable gains the neo-cons desire from Israel's destruction of Hezbollah are doubtful without much more massive destruction of the areas that Hezbollah operate in Lebanon. The desire of the neo-cons to enlarge the conflict to get Syria and, or Iran involved, raises the possibility of a mass uprising of the Muslim peoples against Israel, the US and those governments that the US props up in the region. Both these desires raises the possibility of an inconvenient scenario, which would have devastating consequences for the US in the region of the middle east, let alone our homeland.

By clif, at 10:38 PM
Hey what happened to the Freedom Blog? Is this the "All clif all the time blog"? Please more cut-and-paste; I must have more massive cut-and-pastes.

By Freedom Fan, at 10:44 PM
Okay Joe Lieberman lost. He was the last decent democrat since Patrick Moynihan. Now you folks have only loonie leftists like chuckie rangel, barbara boxer, and robert byrd.

This is an outrage! I blame Diebold.

By Freedom Fan, at 10:49 PM
BTW foole, I only added two posts from Pat Lang. But do continue to be dishonest and distort reality to your liking, repugs are Soooo good at that.

By clif, at 11:25 PM
Fantasy Foole said...

Hey what happened to the Freedom Blog?

Do not know.

Is this the "All clif all the time blog"?

No fooles are allowed...otherwise you would not be here.

Please more cut-and-paste; I must have more massive cut-and-pastes.

Wait...TT will be here soon with the Iowa chicken hawk, or Mann the anorexic Nazi, or some reichwingnut bloviation which was about 1/2 of his posts....

Or dolt can cut and paste from the website we debunked here as not entirely accurate or honest, seems they are about as much about cut and paste as you claim I am.

By clif, at 11:31 PM
Fantasy Foole said...

Okay Joe Lieberman lost.

RIGHT couldn't happen to a better backstabbing candidate

He was the last decent democrat since Patrick Moynihan.

Far from it son, Paul Wellstone was a very good democrat, so is Russ Feingold and so was Bob Kerrey among others but in your delusional fantasy world anybody who does not goose step in line with you is no good right son?

Now you folks have only loonie leftists like chuckie rangel, barbara boxer, and robert byrd.

Only loonie to a reichwingnut...like the foole

This is an outrage!

Not to the voters of Connecticut

I blame Diebold.

blame who you choose, but the voters of Connecticut have expressed their choice...too bad for you wingnuts they didn't drink the kool aid you want them to.

By clif, at 11:55 PM
Ahhh... good to be back on eBlogger.

I think if we (including me) keep things civil, Lydia might leave it here.

I have a couple of thoughts on the MidEast and the CT elections, and I'll post them tomorrow night if this blog is still up.

By TalllTexan, at 1:25 AM
Bernard Lewis thinks MAD may not work with Ahmadinejad

Bernard Lewis is said to be the greatest living Western scholar of Islam, someone with deep sympathy for the Muslim world, without forgetting its dark side. Writing in the Wall Street Journal online edition today, Lewis now expresses deep concern over an apocalyptic Iran armed with nukes.

It seems increasingly likely that the Iranians either have or very soon will have nuclear weapons at their disposal … The language used by Iranian President Ahmadinejad would seem to indicate the reality and indeed the imminence of this threat.

Would … the … fear of mutual assured destruction, restrain a nuclear-armed Iran from using such weapons against the U.S. or against Israel?

...The phrase “Allah will know his own” is usually used to explain such apparently callous unconcern; it means that while infidel, i.e., non-Muslim, victims will go to a well-deserved punishment in hell, Muslims will be sent straight to heaven. ... the threat of direct retaliation on Iran—- is … already weakened by the suicide or martyrdom complex that plagues parts of the Islamic world today…

... Mr. Ahmadinejad and his followers clearly believe that this time is now, and that the terminal struggle has already begun and is indeed well advanced. It may even have a date, indicated by several references by the Iranian president to giving his final answer to the U.S. about nuclear development by Aug. 22.

What is the significance of Aug. 22? ... This, by tradition, is the night when many Muslims commemorate the night flight of the prophet Muhammad on the winged horse Buraq, first to “the farthest mosque,” usually identified with Jerusalem, and then to heaven and back (c.f., Koran XVII.1). This might well be deemed an appropriate date for the apocalyptic ending of Israel and if necessary of the world.

It is far from certain that Mr. Ahmadinejad plans any such cataclysmic events precisely for Aug. 22. But it would be wise to bear the possibility in mind.

This is alarming. It seems clear that other nations should be ready for some kind of Iranian strike on August 22. The best current guess is that Iran does not yet have a nuclear device, based on the public record, although Tehran could have the ingredients of a dirty bomb. Iran’s neighbors, like the Saudis, are beginning to arm themselves with anti-missile systems. They should put themselves on high alert very soon.

It is even possible that Iran may send a team of suiciders with a dirty radioactive device to Lebanon, to place in the path of Israeli troops. There is no foolproof defense against such a move – they could simply load up a small ship or plane with a simple device. However, there is no evidence in the public record that the Iranians have actually tested a radioactive device, though they could have exploded a mockup. If there is any Iranian attempt to strike at Israel or US forces, it would be a nuclear asus belli . The Iranian regime would be rapidly destroyed, and achieve its eagerly-sought martyrdom, taking along innocent bystanders.

Ahmadinejad may be mad, but he’s cleverly mad. Today’s Iranian proxy war on Israel was cleverly designed, both strategically and tactically. The mullahs may therefore wait a few years until they have their nukes all lined up. August 22 comes once a year, and 2006 may not be the time they choose. Or they might fire their long-range missiles at Tel Aviv or even Jerusalem on August 22. GPS-guided missiles could be devastating. However, no doubt Israel has make it unmistakably clear what kind of action would trigger massive retaliation. The Syrians at least are not eager for martyrdom.

Hitler overreached when he attacked Russia. Ahmadinejad may also overreach. It fits his malevolent paranoid style. The big question today is how many people he will take with him if he does overreach.

If the Bush doctrine of nuclear preemption is ever justified, it would be in cases like this. But there are no easy answers. We are just lucky to have a tough-minded administration in Washington, and not the flabby thinkers of the Carter and Clinton years.

James Lewis 8 08 06

americanthinker.com
/comments.php?
comments_id=5795

By TalllTexan, at 1:34 AM
Looks like Lieberman lost last night, that says that Americans are fed up with Bush and his war and corrupt policies and want a change.

BTW anyone see Donny Deutche, last night, he said that 1/3 of Americans belive the Bush Administration might have been behind 9/11 and that 2/3 of our country has completely lost faith in our government.Looks like the writing is on the wall for you repugs, america has woken up and is sick and tired of you guys and is ready for a change.

By Mike, at 7:56 AM
TT said I think if we (including me) keep things civil, Lydia might leave it here."

I think being civil is a good plan TT, but I have to ask, why were you so afraid to come over to the other Blog,, Volt wasnt?, I just dont get it.

By Mike, at 8:01 AM
Not much to say about Lieberman the incumbant repug chickenhawk losing i see or the fact that 1/3 of Americans belive the Bush Administration might have been behind 9/11 and that 2/3 of our country has completely lost faith in our government?

By Mike, at 2:57 PM
Good to see Tiny inTellect is back to HIS cut and pastey boy routine.....

And about Mr Lewis. NOT every one see's him as a sage...but instead an appologist for western imperialism inh the middle east, which has happened since the end of WW1

As these quotes from an article about lewis shows....neo-con repug appologists are still just that...appologising and attempting to legitmise western imperialist adventures in the middle east....

Some thing they would decry if the tables were reversed....

It would appear from the fulsome praise heaped by mainstream reviewers on Bernard Lewis's most recent and well-timed book, What Went Wrong? Western Impact and Middle Eastern Response (Oxford University Press, 2002), that the demand for Orientalism has reached a new peak. America's search for new enemies that began soon after the end of the Cold War very quickly resurrected the ghost of an old, though now decrepit, enemy, Islam. Slowly but surely, this revived the sagging fort1unes of Orientalism, so that it speaks again with the treble voice of authority.

The mainstream reviewers describe Bernard Lewis as "the doyen of Middle Eastern studies," the "father" of Islamic studies, "[a]rguably the West's most distinguished scholar on the Middle East," and "[a] Sage for the Age." It would appear that Lewis is still the reigning monarch of Orientalism, as he was some twenty-five years back when Edward Said, in his Orientalism, dissected and exposed the intentions, modalities, deceptions, and imperialist connections of this ideological enterprise. This Orientalist tiger has not changed his stripes over the fifty-odd years that he has been honing his skills. Now at the end of his long career-only coincidentally, also the peak-he presents the summation, the quintessence of his scholarship and wisdom on Islam and the Middle East, gathered, compressed in the pages of this slim book that sets out to explain what went wrong with Islamic history, and that has so mesmerized reviewers on the right.

Lewis's scholarly mask slips off rather abruptly when he appears on television, a feat that he accomplishes with predictable regularity. Once he is on the air, his polemical self, the Orientalist crouching tiger, takes over, all his sermons about objectivity forgotten, and then he does not shrink from displaying his sneering contempt for the Arabs and Muslims more generally, his blind partisanship for Israel, or his bristling hostility toward Iran. One recent example will suffice here. In a PBS interview broadcast on 16 April 2002, hosted by Charlie Rose, he offered this gem: "Asking Arafat to give up terrorism would be like asking Tiger to give up golf." That is a statement whose malicious intent and vindictive meanness might have been excusable if it came from an official Israeli spokesman.

http://www.counterpunch.org/alam06282003.html

By clif, at 2:58 PM
And the american thinker is another reichwingnut propoganda site....

By clif, at 3:04 PM
BTW Tiny inTellect if you want to be CIVIL on a blog...discuss the topic of the BLOG..and don't cut and paste opposition propoganda like you do REGULARILY...otherwise you another STUPID troll trying to diosrupt the BLOG for political reasons...

By clif, at 3:06 PM
Cliffy,did you get drummed out of the army for talking to yourself?

By Rusty Shackelford, at 3:11 PM
You're damn right Mike that 9-11 crap WAS an inside job,we all know it was,you code pink boys are just a little slow on the uptake.

By Rusty Shackelford, at 3:13 PM
hey genius you are capable of reading arent you? it is 1/3 of all Americans that think The Bush Administration were somehow involved in 9/11, and it wasnt me that said it it was Donny Deutche, 1/3 of Americans, thats 100,000,000 people that think these guys are so corrupt that they could actually be involved I dont think thats a code pink Genius, and thats not even taking into account the 2/3 of all Americans who have completely lost faith in our government, thats 200,000,000 in case you arent smart enough to figure it out that are sick and tired of you clowns and your corrupt self serving policies and evil agenda's and that was clearly evidenced by Lieberman losing last night which is only the first of many the Country is sick and tired of the Neo Cons and your time is just about up, your reign of evil is almost over.

By Mike, at 4:10 PM
Who is this Douche guy? How does he know all this stuff? Do you think it was an inside job? Are you one of the 1/3rd.?

By Rusty Shackelford, at 4:42 PM
Or are you just ignorant? Which is it?

By Rusty Shackelford, at 4:43 PM
...the Country is sick and tired of the Neo Cons and your time is just about up, your reign of evil is almost over.
-mikey

Perhaps, synaptically-challenged one, you forget that Carl Rove controls Diebold and Diebold decides who gets elected. Bwahahaha.

By Freedom Fan, at 4:45 PM
Clif, when Lydia appoints you as the board moderator, let me know.

She did write that A) this was an open thread, and B) that she invited comments on the Middle East. So what's your beef?

The article I posted was about the Middle East, and you are the last person to complain about cut and pastes. You are the king of those.

By TalllTexan, at 4:58 PM
FF, I checked and the expiration is not until August of 2008. Maybe she renewed today.

By TalllTexan, at 5:01 PM
TT said "FF, I checked and the expiration is not until August of 2008. Maybe she renewed today."

what is that supposed to mean Troll Tex, were you going to buy it and pull the plug on the site.......I thought you like it here so much?????

By Mike, at 5:22 PM
Mike, I was responding to FF on another forum.

By TalllTexan, at 5:25 PM
I know exactly what you were refering to Troll Tex, Lydia's Domain Name........and like usual you didnt answer my question, so i'll ask it again:

what is that supposed to mean Troll Tex, were you going to buy it and pull the plug on the site.......I thought you like it here so much?????

By Mike, at 5:29 PM
...and no, Mike, I wouldn't do such a thing. It was a lighthearted exchange.

Even if I wanted to, which I don't, I would be in the wrong legally.

Take it easy pal.

By TalllTexan, at 5:29 PM
Looks like someone beat you to the punch with buying that Domain Name Slick!!

LOL :D

By Mike, at 5:30 PM
So you say TT, I guess I have no choice but to take you at your word.

By Mike, at 5:32 PM
Mike, the name "Lydia Cornell" has trademark protection since she is a public figure. Lighten up.

By TalllTexan, at 5:33 PM
one thing TT buy someone's domain name out from under them on the sly wouldnt make you in the wrong legally, it would make you morally wrong, something many repugs dont seem to have much of a problem with.

By Mike, at 5:34 PM
i'll be back later tonight, as for lightening up, I think i've done that considering I almost died a few days ago, that changes your whole outlook on life and makes you realize how precious it is.

By Mike, at 5:37 PM
Mike said

"I almost died a few days ago,"

Mikey

Consuming 13 bags of Cheezies, 4 Whoppers, 107 Gummie Bears, a carton of Joe Loui's, 2 garlic pizza's, 7 chocolate milkshakes, 28 pickled eggs, 3 fish burgers, 15 jelly donuts, bucket o chicken, 3 sacks of onion rings, and 9 Jamaican Patties, would most certainly bring me closer to God as well......my condolences!

By Johnny moo moo, at 6:33 PM
Seems Lydia just cant get enough of Johnny Moo Moo.

BTW Lyd, you forgot to mention my name on Doug Basham.....Im a little sad as I thought I was your favourite Atheist?

Maybe next time?

By Johnny moo moo, at 6:38 PM
Mooooooooooooo!!

By Johnny moo moo, at 6:38 PM
what did she say on Basham johnny, I heard the beginning and they were both great, but it kept cutting out on me, I think my dial up connection was too slow.

By Mike, at 6:44 PM
Hey Mike,

Good to count you among the living. Tell us about it when you feel up to it.

Yeah Carl Rove pulled up in a Wonder Bread truck and wanted to buy Ms. Cornell's site, but I talked him outta it.

Where's wharf? Still making rhymes and eating worms perhaps?

By Freedom Fan, at 7:43 PM
Thanks FF, thats actually pretty decent of you on all counts, btw I didnt know you and Karl were so tight.

as for the accident, I got hit from behind on my motorcycle by a drunk in a car, I flipped over the handle bars and the bike was flipping through the air and gonna land on me till I twisted my body and flipped to the side, I struck my back on the spoiler of a car flipped over that car and hit my back and head on the car in front of that and landed under the second or would that be the fourth car.

luckily for me I hit the second car with my head (i'm pretty hard headed) and lucily for me i'm a tough person to hurt as well.

as for Worf I have no idea where he is at the moment, but he did make it very clear he would never post on this blog again.

BTW FF, any idea why both sites went down the past two days, do you think the domain name expiring had something to do with it, what happens to a site when the domain name expires?

By Mike, at 8:14 PM
clif said...

"Joe lost...so it seems average americans are not all for an optional unecessary war after all...."

Hey cliffy,
Is it "average americans" or party loyalists who usually vote in primaries?

And I congradulate the dem party for having such a large tent. Joe was a dyed in the wool lib and toed the party line on everything BUT the war on terror.

I guess it's now official, You can't be a dem if you actually love your country.

By Voltron, at 8:28 PM
btw clif, whattaya think it'll mean for the lib base when Lieberman wins the nov. elections as an independent?

By Voltron, at 8:38 PM
Volt, you made a good point that it is party loyalists that vote in primaries, but your second point that if you dont support the war you hate your country is a bunch of BS.

I am strongly against the war in iraq, not the war on terrorism, and I love my country and strong on national defense and securing our borders and ports.

By Mike, at 8:41 PM
Aw mikey, "hate" is such a strong word.

I guess a better way of saying it is that dems put partisan politics and their agendas BEFORE their country.

By Voltron, at 8:59 PM
Dolty boy the party which put politics ahead of the country IS the repugs where they HAD delay who earned his nickname by squeezing every repug to VOTE the party line or facerecriminations, something he was called before the ethics committee in congress.

And I wonder why 13,000 people registered to vote in the primary in conneticut if ti was JUST hardliners?

By clif, at 9:22 PM
BTW today in 1974 the crook Nixon had to resign...HAPPY GET RID OF REPUG CROOKS DAY

By clif, at 9:23 PM
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

By clif, at 9:27 PM
Volt said "Aw mikey, "hate" is such a strong word.

I guess a better way of saying it is that dems put partisan politics and their agendas BEFORE their country."

agreed, hate is a strong word, but if your being honest with me, then it really must be a matter of perspective, because from my point of view it is the repugs that put partisan politics and their agenda's before their country, I feel that with every fiber of my being and i'm the farthest thing from a partisan or political person.

I am all for keeping us safe and Bush has done nothing to do that, he has practicly abandoned Afghanistan, the war on terrorism and the search for Osama (the guy that attacked us) to invade an oil rich country that had nothing to do with the terrorists who attacked us for his self serving reasons. He has done nothing to secure our borders and ports in the 6 or so years he has been in office despite every other word out of his mouth being that he is out to protect us and keep us safe.

in fact he has not only not done anything with our ports but he sold port security to a middle eastern country not the wisest thing to do particularly from people claiming muslims should be converted or exterminated.

Lastly not only has Bush DONE NOTHING TO KEEP US SAFE, but he has circumvented defied and and and trampled on the Constitution all in the name of keeping us safe while in fact we are much LESS SAFE due to his foolish policies.

By Mike, at 9:30 PM
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

By Ziegfreid, at 9:36 PM
And dolty boy, joe the traitor has an uphill climb in his attempt to ignore the VOTERS. The democratic senators and house members will stand with the PEOPLE and the choice they make at the ballot box. You do remember the PEOPLE are the ones who are supposed to make choices as to who actually gets to serve...With 60% of the American electorate against the war Joe has a built in handicap

By clif, at 9:39 PM
Guess Coulterguist is not just a plagerist, but some of IT's footnotes are as full of BULLSH*T as IT is

By clif, at 9:41 PM
But as they say in the repug world..bullsh*t in bullsh*t out, the stupid minions will eat it up anyway....

Hell look at the ones we got here for example who still defend the lying plagerist

By clif, at 9:43 PM
See dolty boy,

with comments like this..it is going to be harder to spin the fringe elements...60 % is a majority....bigger than bush ever got too.

With new polls that show that 60% of Americans are against the war, no longer can Karl Rove, Mehlman and the Repuglican talking heads label the anti-war Democrats as "fringe" candidates who represent their party's "extreme wing." Not only do these candidates like Lamont speak for most of their party, but they speak for most of America as well. Polls now prove that to be against the war is to be firmly in America's mainstream. It is war-mongers like Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Rove and Mehlman who are statistically out of touch with mainstream America.

By clif, at 9:55 PM
Also dolty one...don't think Joe has solid support if Lamont can carry Joe's hometown...

Lamont rolled up lopsided margins in the Farmington Valley, Litchfield County, the lower Connecticut River Valley and scattered suburbs around the state. He won Hartford and Lieberman's hometown of New Haven, which first elected Lieberman to the state Senate in 1970.

By clif, at 9:58 PM
Clif said "it is going to be harder to spin the fringe elements...60 % is a majority....bigger than bush ever got too.

With new polls that show that 60% of Americans are against the war, no longer can Karl Rove, Mehlman and the Repuglican talking heads label the anti-war Democrats as "fringe" candidates who represent their party's "extreme wing." Not only do these candidates like Lamont speak for most of their party, but they speak for most of America as well. Polls now prove that to be against the war is to be firmly in America's mainstream. It is war-mongers like Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Rove and Mehlman who are statistically out of touch with mainstream America."

great points Clif, thats exactly what I said last night when I reposted what Donny deutche said.

By Mike, at 10:04 PM
Just checking in.

Did anyone hear Bill O'Reilly today going on and on about dems smearing Lieberman, after O'Reilly did the same thing to every other dem?

I happened to sneak a minute of radio time against my teacher's wishes.
Love later,
Lyd

By Lydia Cornell, at 10:13 PM
No Lydia..if I have a choice between root canal with no anesthetic and listening to Bill O'Liely, well I'll have to think on that one for a while...

By clif, at 10:33 PM
that's funny Clif. I'd rather have root canal too.

By Lydia Cornell, at 10:43 PM
Don't know if Bush knows about it...but at least they are doing ONE thing right...

Nuclear specialists move uranium

U.S. and international officials completed a covert operation yesterday to remove 90 pounds of easy-to-handle uranium from a research facility in Poland that was vulnerable to theft by terrorists, according to Bush administration officials.
"We are in a race against time in preventing terrorists from getting their hands on this kind of material," said Bryan Wilkes, a spokesman for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), who took part in the uranium-removal operation.
"There is more to be done, and our people are working around the world to help secure this material," he said in a telephone interview from Warsaw.

By clif, at 11:03 PM
"The defeat of Hezbollah would be a huge loss for Iran, both psychologically and strategically. Iran would lose its foothold in Lebanon. It would lose its major means to destabilize and inject itself into the heart of the Middle East. It would be shown to have vastly overreached in trying to establish itself as the regional superpower. The United States has gone far out on a limb to allow Israel to win and for all this to happen. It has counted on Israel's ability to do the job. It has been disappointed. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has provided unsteady and uncertain leadership.... His search for victory on the cheap has jeopardized not just the Lebanon operation but America's confidence in Israel as well."

Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post, August 4, 2006

By clif, at 11:19 PM
"But the administration now has to admit what anyone -- including myself -- who believed in the importance of getting Iraq right has to admit: Whether for Bush reasons or Arab reasons, it is not happening, and we can't throw more good lives after good lives.... But second best is leaving Iraq. Because the worst option -- the one Iran loves -- is for us to stay in Iraq, bleeding, and in easy range to be hit by Iran if we strike its nukes.... We need to deal with Iran and Syria, but from a position of strength -- and that requires a broad coalition. The longer we maintain a unilateral failing strategy in Iraq, the harder it will be to build such a coalition, and the stronger the enemies of freedom will become."

Thomas Friedman, New York Times, August 4, 2006

By clif, at 11:19 PM
Looks like two more traitorous rats have jumped off the sinking ship USS Neo-con commanded by George the Dumb and navigated by The Dumsfeld

By clif, at 11:21 PM
BTW both Kuwait and Kurdish Iraq have had large anti Israel-American rallies decrying, Israel's bombing of many civilian areas..and the US government tacit support both by delaying a cease fire..and resupplying of bombs,

This is the same Kuwait where I was greeted as a hero and they shook our hands and said god bless America, god bless George(HW) Bush, now they decry his son and GWB's actions...

If we are losing the Kuwaiti street and Kurds...we are going to find it harder to achieve much in the region, because up to the middle of July they were our strongest allies, and supporters.

By clif, at 11:27 PM
as for the accident, I got hit from behind on my motorcycle by a drunk in a car, I flipped over the handle bars and the bike was flipping through the air and gonna land on me till I twisted my body and flipped to the side, I struck my back on the spoiler of a car flipped over that car and hit my back and head on the car in front of that and landed under the second or would that be the fourth car.

luckily for me I hit the second car with my head (i'm pretty hard headed) and lucily for me i'm a tough person to hurt as well.
-Mike

Jaysus, Mike. You must be a tough guy. Tough and lucky. You're still smartin I'm certain.

The Lord must have had plans and decided to keep you around. Maybe he wants you to become a Republican.

By Freedom Fan, at 12:32 AM
Republicans [in a 2004 poll] agreed that America is generally fair and decent, 83 percent to 7 percent. Eighty-one percent agreed that the world would be a better place if more countries were like the United States.

By contrast, Democrats were nearly split, with only 46 percent agreeing that America is generally a fair and decent country, and with 37 percent saying America is not a generally fair and decent country. Only 48 percent of Democrats said they thought that the world would be a better place if more countries were like the United States.

Democrats constantly complain that the nation has never been so divided, but consider that half of them think the statement that America is a good country is a divisive remark.

So remember: When you vote Democratic, you're saying NO to mindless patriotism. This country isn't so great!

The free world, which is rapidly boiling down to us and Israel, is under savage attack. Treason is rampant in the country. True, Democrats hate Bush, but they would hate anybody who fights the war on terrorism. It is a hostile world, and there is now a real question about the will of the American people to survive.
-Ann Coulter

So it appears that I was being a bit unfair: There is actually a slim majority of liberals who love their country.

By Freedom Fan, at 1:31 AM
Mike said

"what did she say on Basham johnny,"

Ludia and Doug were chuckling about doing it "doggy style" with Ann Coulter.

She did mention the story about the young man who had a choice between going to jail or going to Iraq; I forget who told that story?

And she kept barking "choose love not fear" stuff and how this alone will save the world.

Pretty much all the usual rhetoric we discuss on the blog.

.........

BTW, sounds like your pain and suffering could be worth a cool fifty thousand.......party time!

I cant stand tail-gaters.

By Johnny moo moo, at 4:21 AM
Never fear Lieberman lovers:

The Republican party and its multi-billionaires will have plenty of money to pay for Liebermans Democratic spoiler attempt.

Lieberman has been on all the shows crying about he is trying to "save" America from partisan politics.

If Lieberman is so concerned about partisan politics, why did he spend 18 years doing nothing?

Did the problem arise the day he lost election?

Lieberman fired all his campaign staff as if it were their fault he was hugging around Bush every chance he had.

Now the day after Lieberman loses, we are suddenly hit with a " major terror alert".

How convenient to scare Americans who are against the war and voted a candidate in the primary with the same belief.

How elaborate that many officials say this one is the "Real Deal".

Maybe that is because all the other "terror alerts" were phony?

Only in Bush's world do we see fear used to control elections.

This is Bush's America.

By Larry, at 7:14 AM
Larry said "How convenient to scare Americans who are against the war and voted a candidate in the primary with the same belief."

This is proof that you are insane. If they wanted to help Lieberman, they would have done this on Monday.

By TalllTexan, at 7:59 AM
TalllTexan,

This photo, taken by an unbiased "freelance Lebanese" journalist, is begging for a caption.

I'm thinking:

"The Quiet Woman"
"The Perfect Liberal"
"Nice Day For A...White Wedding"

By Freedom Fan, at 9:09 AM
Mike,

Glad to hear you're ok.
An accident like that could've killed you, big fella!

By clippy, at 9:10 AM
Fantasy Foole quoting a plagerist and dishonest author as proof only shows how desperate you are...coulterguist is not believed except by the backwash any more

By clif, at 9:15 AM
LONDON -- British authorities said Thursday they thwarted a terrorist plot to simultaneously blow up several aircraft heading to the U.S. using explosives smuggled in hand luggage. Security was raised to its highest level in Britain, and carry-on bags were banned on all flights. Huge crowds backed up at London's Heathrow airport as officials searching for explosives barred nearly every form of liquid outside of baby formula.

Police arrested 21 people, saying they were confident they captured the main suspects in what U.S. officials said had the earmarks of an al-Qaida plot.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the terrorists planned to use liquid explosives disguised as beverages and other common products and set them off with detonators disguised as electronic devices.

The extreme measures at a major international aviation hub sent ripples throughout the world. Heathrow was closed to most flights from Europe, and British Airways canceled all its flights between the airport and points in Britain, Europe and Libya. Numerous flights from U.S. cities to Britain were canceled.

Washington raised its threat alert to its highest level for commercial flights from Britain to the United States amid fears the plot had not been completely crushed. The alert for all flights coming or going from the United States was also raised slightly.

Two U.S. counterterrorism officials said the terrorists had targeted United Airlines, American Airlines and Continental Airlines. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

A U.S. intelligence official said the plotters had hoped to target flights to major airports in New York, Washington and California.

British Home Secretary John Reid said the 21 people were arrested in London, its suburbs and Birmingham following a lengthy investigation, including the alleged "main players" in the plot. Searches continued in a number of locations.

The British Broadcasting Corp. said police were evacuating homes in High Wycombe, a town 30 miles northwest of London, near one of the houses being searched. Police refused to confirm the report or to discuss any details of the searches.

The suspects were "homegrown," though it was not immediately clear if they were all British citizens, said a police official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. Police were working closely with the South Asian community, the official said.

The official said the plotters intended to simultaneously target multiple planes bound for the United States.

"We think this was an extraordinarily serious plot and we are confident that we've prevented an attempt to commit mass murder on an unimaginable scale," Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson said.

Prime Minister Tony Blair, vacationing in the Caribbean, briefed President Bush on the situation overnight. Blair issued a statement praising the cooperation between the two countries, saying it "underlines the threat we face and our determination to counter it."

White House spokesman Tony Snow said Bush also had been briefed by his aides while at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he has been on vacation.

"We do believe the plot involved flights from the U.K. to the U.S. and was a direct threat to the United States," Snow said.

While Snow called the plot a serious threat, he assured Americans that "it is safe to travel."

Chertoff, the homeland security chief, said the plot had the hallmarks of an operation planned by al-Qaida, the terrorist group behind the Sept. 11 attack on the United States.

"It was sophisticated, it had a lot of members and it was international in scope. It was in some respects suggestive of an al-Qaida plot," Chertoff said, but he cautioned it was too early in the investigation to reach any conclusions.

It is the first time the red alert level in the Homeland Security warning system has been invoked, although there have been brief periods in the past when the orange level was applied. Homeland Security defines the red alert as designating a "severe risk of terrorist attacks."

"We believe that these arrests (in London) have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted," Chertoff said.

By clippy, at 9:27 AM
Larry I do accept the "plan" was real. The majority of the planners arrested in England..and PAKISTAN were Pakistanis, just as the majority of the 9-11 hijackers were Saudis, seems the citizens who live inside "allies" of the US seem to be very interested in doing severe damage to the US and Great Britain.

NO Iranians were arrested either today or in connection with 9-11, no Iraqi's...but the implications of who is trying to attack the US is LOST on the NEO-CON fooles and their babbling minions.

Al Qaeda is a Sunni Fundamentalist terror organisation. They do not recruit Shites who they see as being heretics. They recruit in Saudi Arabia...Pakistan..Egypt..Jordan...Kuwait
Afghanistan...among other SUNNI dominated places.

The WAR in Iraq was a diversion from the war on Sunni fundamentalist terrorism...and as the arrest of PAKISTANI terrorists shows, Iraq is taking personal, equipment and money from the true wa