consortiocracy?

Yes, this is very true. But it leads to a further question Glenn; what, exactly, is The United States?

Some say it is the government of a specific territory, others say it is the people themselves, other say other things. What say you Glenn?

nor do I know why you emigrated, however Thanksgiving is for gratitude toward God and Independence Day for our country. Memorial Day is for soldiers, Christmas for Jesus and Martin Luther King day for his leading the civil rights movement - all holidays are in essence grateful reminiscences.

What do you call it whe3n it is our own government that is the puppet on the string of consortia?

I added this comment:

"Wait, didn't Alicia Shepherd and Neal Conan say on Talk of the Nation Thursday that what constitutes torture is open to debate and therefore the word "torture" is never used on NPR?

I guess it's only torture to NPR when other countries do it. NPR quite clearly uses a double standard when using words that reflect poorly on this country and its government. The media in other countries routinely describe what we have done to detainees as torture, in the same sense they would apply it internationally. Only NPR and other "liberal" media outlets remain in denial. NPR is guilty of rank hypocrisy."

be correct as it's "democratic", although it has never been put to the people and has been conducted through subterfuge, brazen lies and tyrannical methods. Maybe the NYT could show some interest in the plight of Cynthia McKinney, American citizen and former presidential candidate, who was arrested in international waters on 1st July by the Israeli navy. She, with other humanitarians from different countries, was on a small boat called "The Spirit of Humanity", carrying medical supplies supplies to the people of Gaza, when intercepted by the Israelis who now seem to believe they have a divine right to the eastern Mediterranean. The NYT can get itself into a lather about Iran if it so wishes but anyone who's being paying attention for the last eight years or so has a fairly good idea of what's really going on.

I'm really looking forward to reading a column in the NYT from Reza Pahlavi, eldest son of the late and deposed Shah, about how dastardly the present Iranian regime is compared to his father's glorious reign when he was a puppet on a string to British and American consortia. Why not? After all, Mr.Pahlavi is resident in the United States and has been on CNN criticizing the Iranian election. It was so much better when Dad was in charge and there were no elections and the better class of person was able to live the "dolce vita".

For anyone who might be interested, here's a poem of mine that I always post somewhere on Independence Day:

http://www.normbreyfogle.com/about/poetry.asp?page=propogandaday

Have a happy Independence Day. -- ondelette

There is no better day to be reading Glenn on this issue. The whiners need to be reminded that they are fecal matter on the bootheels of our Founders. Now and forever, unworthy of the honor of being Americans. Over-educated dissemblers whose views aren't in line with those of most Americans, any true Christians, or any free people in this world.

Thanksgiving is in November. July 4th isn't about gratitude.

I know that the UK press routinely calls it torture, whether it's torture performed by or on behalf of America, or UK complicity in torture.

From today's Guardian for example, a piece headed "CIA's London chief to face jury over waterboarding torture tapes", begins

"Senior CIA officials, including the London station chief, have been called before a grand jury in Virginia investigating the potentially illegal destruction of 92 video tapes recording the torture and interrogation of al-Qaida detainees."

Why sing about this? Is it new, or unique? Admittedly no to both.

What does matter is making enough noise that mobilizes the Obama army to mutiny (ok a navy term) against the expected top-down military type control. The real issue is what will it take to stop participating in torture and terrorism directly or indirectly. I encourage debate on how this goal can be worked and what resources can be devoted to bringing concerted pressure on this issue.

IMHO the time is critical as Glenn's previous articles have pointed to the issue of political assimilation of the GOP tactics by the DEM, if there is no chorus against it now it will be understood policy.

Thanks for reading.

b

"And, Adnoto, what exciting revolutionary actions will you be telling us about that you plan to take part in today? Or are you just going to hang around and repeat your usual disdain for others who write and comment here but aren't doing whatever it is you think they should be doing...out there?"

-- Kitt

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

At the very least, stop voting for 90% plus of the candidates who claim to be progressive but are constantly proven by their own voting records to be FAKE progressives.

If the blatant failure of Obama to even attempt to live up to any more than the tiniest, tiniest fraction of his campaign promises doesn't teach progressives a lesson, I fear nothing will.

Stop voting for the "lesser of two evils."

There are two other countries you could be a citizen of, Brazil and Israel. You can pipe your blog from anywhere in the world. How about it?
As for "Go fuck yourself with 'as bad as our enemies' " ondelette , isn't there another country you'd rather be part of?
No one happy here? Ingratitude raised to an art form.

America isn't even close to being as bad as our enemies as much as you, and your fans, want it to be true.

Our guys rendered Muzafar Avazov to the Uzbeks for interrogation and they boiled him alive. Our guys shoved M16 muzzles up Iraqi prisoners butts. Our guys put a screwdriver through a guy's face and dragged him down the stairs on his knees. Our guys pulverized a guy's muscles till his kidneys and heart gave out. Our guys crushed a guy's penis with their boots, and dislocated people's shoulders, put them back, and dislocated them again. Our guys killed a woman's kid and showed her a picture of her baby lying in his own blood. Go fuck yourself with 'as bad as our enemies'.

Have a happy Independence Day.