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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
One of the most satisfying things about the movie "V for Vendetta" was the realization the British people had finally come to view their government as nothing but liars and corrupt officials, and their official mouthpieces in the same way. One wonders if the reality show that is this country will ever gain the same ability to see things for what they are. Thank the Lord for people like you, Glenn.
First, as the Spanish Ambassador very eloquently explained when announcing that country's support for the war, it was because, when Saddam was told (after his venture into Kuwait) that there would be severe consequences if he did not abide by certain internationaly-mandated requirements, and then failed to abide by them, the UN and the West--if they were to maintain any credibility or maoral authority, had to step in and do what they said they would do.
That's very interesting, because the UN didn't back the invasion. It's nice to use the UN as an excuse, but they were horrified at our actions, as was most of the world, including the millions of people who poured out onto the streets in protest. Furthermore, it's interesting that our politicians on both sides of the aisle claimed to believe they were acting in good faith, when citizens of the world knew they were lying even then.
Personally, I am tired of the historical rewrites, not just from Friedman, but from most politicians. It was wrong and a bad idea then, and it's a bad idea now.
What predictions were made by the antiwar movement? That invasion would unleash a tide of extremism, that we would occupy Iraq for a decade, that U.S. standing within the international community would fall. We believed that Bush was trying to secure dominance within the region, and also avenge his father's legacy. All of these things have been proven true. And then there were no WMD's, not even a shred of evidence that they existed.
As for Friedman, I'm very sad to learn about his Iraq war position. I first heard of him through his book, Hot, Flat and Crowded. I was really excited by the idea of a Green New Deal, a revolution in green technology. I think that's a fantastic idea! No one specific technology is going to solve everything. Rather, we need to be trying 100 new things. And that's Friedman's idea.
The question I have is this: How should Friedman's ignorance modify my understanding? If he didn't know what a bad idea the war was, then why should I trust his opinions about green technology? It really is a question, and I'm having a difficult time reconciling the two ideas: Friedman as war apologist and Friedman as green technology advocate.
Hannity, is that you?
Especially when the books come out--and they will come out--detailing the reasons for the current economic crisis. In short, the notion that a few rich Republicans were the reason will be shot down and the connection between the Dems and laws and policies allowing people who could not afford a mortgage to take them on. -ehillesum
This has been debunked more times than a body can count. But one more time for posterity's sake:
Tue, Nov 25, 2008 7:29pm ET
Hannity baselessly blamed Democrats, CRA for financial crisis
Summary: Sean Hannity baselessly asserted that "[t]he federal government and the Democrats ... forced these banks, through the Community Reinvestment Act, to make these risky loans," adding, "The risky loans started the subprime mortgage crisis, which impacted all these financial institutions, which needed government bailouts." In fact, according to housing experts, the vast majority of subprime loans were made by independent lenders not covered by the CRA.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200811250018
nicely put. hope you don't mind if i steal your analogy...
of which the very unintelligent T. Freedman is almost always part of along with AIPAC.
I know it's the fear that talking openly about this will stir up anti-Semitism in the USA, but it's a bogus false fear.
Secrecy has always been historically the biggest ally of anti-Semitic forces because it allows enemies to create a "false truth" vs. a vs. the reality of Jewish Influence.
Oddly it's a truth the Israeli media has talked openly about for years.
I only wish we in the USA enjoyed the sort of freedom I read daily in the Israeli media.
Jewish voices in Israel seem to know the real danger of this sort of "pretending there is no tie" to extremists in Israel and key Team Bush supporters who formed the core group of the well-known warmongering Neo-cons here.
That truth stated clearly by Sharon himself was to use any means available to bend and twist American foreign policy to achieve his/Extreme Wing goals, and goals that are proving to be the worst possible long-term goals for Israel too boot.
Sharon's motivations were very myopic and tied to Saddam's $25,000 reward to families of suicide bombers.
He was all for invading Iraq to stop that.
As far as the consequences, he couldn't care less since the USA is big enough to take care of itself right?
From his overt support drew the support of the Neo-cons along with T. Freedman and his ilk, all who joined in the chorus of approval of taking action against Iraq and the eventual excuse making for its ultimate failure.
To the typical uninformed American news reader, there does exist a danger of creating the false notion that Israel and Jews are to blame, but that can and would be avoided IF Americans in general received honest and clear explanations OVER AND OVER AND OVER again which is necessary to sway the general public re: issues situations they are basically unfamiliar with.
One thing is certain. The deafening silence on this topic, and pretense that merely mentioning this proves anti-Semitism is the most effective way to ensure it does become an endless source for virulent anti-Semitism based on distortions and lies of the reality.
We already see it online. A growing # of Americans are finding out a part of this story or finding out 3rd or 4th hand various INcomplete details that inherently feed the fires of rabid, mindless Antisemitism beyond the reach of logic and reason and unaffected by the truth.
The only thing that can defeat it is real truth now, before these beliefs spread far and wide and become malignant.
An acknowledgment is essential that the Neo-Cons, the Extreme Right Wing in Israel colluded to mislead fellow Jews to achieve parts of their insane agenda and did so working together with the christian evangelical, Extreme Right Wing.
These sort of people do NOT deserve the protection accorded by the cultural imperative to never speak ill to a gentile of a fellow Jew. And that is what is protecting them, and that is in large part why their "ties" are never addressed and pretended to be irrelevant, because there are key gentiles who also support their actions.Biblically speaking they are the idolaters among Jews wandering in the Sinai desert who almost turned everyone against Moses when he left to receive the words.
And how Moses dealt with them when he found they had erected idols in his absence is a great inspiration for how to deal with today's Neo-Cons among us.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Once seen as a lunatic fringe, reactionary anti-women groups are courting respectability
Salon headlines in your mailbox
