2006 GDAEman Blog Retrospective

Working backwards from December, 2006.....

December

Iraqi blogger Riverbend Ponders: Is the Iraq Debacle Intended? I offer several perspectives.

The Justice in Executing Saddam Hussein. Fairness demands equity. For his execution to be fair, those who have committed similar crimes must also be tried and punished (Bush and Olmert).

World War III: Has it Started? I say no, but we're well on our way.

Sure, he's a democrat, but Edwards Speaks Truth to Power. This one has a link to the introduction of Lawrence Goodwyn's seminal book on the populist revolt in the late 1800s.

Funny. Hussein attacks a small town of Dujail in 1982, kills 148 people and he gets hung. Prime Minister Olmert of Israel attacks an entire country, kills over 1,300 civilians, destroys the county's infrastructure and.... ? ? ? Olmert and Hussein Cross the Same Line on Disproportionate Actions. I guess we just have to wait 25 years.

If you're a mother and haven't gotten around to protesting the Iraq war, this might be just the incentive you need: Iraq's Damaged Children.

Merry Christmas Bonuses on Wall Street. NY Times article about end-of-year bonuses in the financial sector, averaging $600,000. Nice little stocking stuffer. Imagine the wealth of the people handing out these bonuses.

Video link to Bush's One Fingered Victory Salute.

Even the pundits on the left are going a bit soft. A Critique of Christian Parentis' Critique of the Iraq Study Group report.

The behind-the-scenes Deal Baker is Offering Bush for going along with the Iraq Study Group report.

The story of how Kucinich Saved Cleveland Muny Light.

A Radical Poem entitled, "Let us Rant."

We all know it, but can we articulate why the Iraq War is Illegal? Here's the answer in the words of the British diplomat in charge of the middle east during the US and UK run-up to the Iraq war. "The investigation", referenced below, has started... and it began in Britain.

This one is worth looking at if only to see the side-by-side timelines of the Iraq and Vietnam wars. I was surprised by what I saw. Iraqization and Predicted Length of Iraq War.

PLEASE add to this; I'm sure it's not complete. Bush Extreme Actions List.

Look. We really need to strive to have Bush indicted for war crimes. It's the least we can give back to the rest of the World. It starts with serious investigations, which will take on a life of their own (with a little nudge from the public). Bush and Conspirators Should be Investigated for Crimes Against Peace

So many predictable commentaries from the pundits on the Iraq Study Group report. I felt the need to step back and look at it in a broader context. The Iraq Study Group Report: Plutocratic Damage Control

Senator Brownback is a Joke. That was my thought when he announced his intention to run for the Republican presidential nomination.

Republicans are worse than Democrats. You can't "compromise" with them, because they don't leave room to negotiate. How do you "meet half-way" on taking an irreversible step towards killing the Social Security Program? That's the premise behind Why the 109th Congress Could Not be Bipartisan.

It's easy to dismiss Democrats, but I have to give credit to Senator Leahy, who is to a Probe Dangerous Government Traveler Screening Program. Have you heard of the government's Automated Targeting System, or ATS? I hadn't until Leahy exposed it to the media.

A dip into pop-culture with a piece on Lindsay Lohan and Robert Altman's Death.

"Chavez Buying Votes" provides a quote from Greg Palast's book.

November

Huge Ineffective US Military, is a telling quote by Chalmers Johnson, author of "Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire," and "The Sorrows of Empire: Militarism, Secrecy, and the End of the Republic." The entry includes links to reviews of these two books.

In this open letter to the Washington Post, I suggest that Charles Krauthammer's Pay Should Be Docked, thereby giving him more time to spend checking his facts. Krauthammer repeated a discredited claim about Hugo Chavez making an anti-semitic comment.

Regardless of Nukes, this brief essay describes why the US is likely to be funneled down a path into war with Iran. War in Iran = Spreading of the Iraq War.

Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King would be proud,"Gaza Human Shield" is an inspiring story. Not sure I'd stand in front of the IDF.

Shocking, but true: 20% of Republicans Support Bush Impeachment.

List of US Corporations with Offshore Tax-Havens. We need to challenge their corporate charters... the death sentence for corporations.

"War is a Racket" the full text of Marine Major General Smedley Butler's famous essay.

Must'a been in a "full text" mood... Here's the full text of the lyrics to The 1913 Massacre by Woodie Guthrie.

Damn it! This blog was supposed to focus more on economic issues. Oh well, here's a contribution to that end. In Debt We Trust is a documentary by Danny Scheckter. This blog entry reflects on the topic at two levels.

A Parting Shot at Rumsfeld... with and original comic strip!

A challenge: Do Democrats have Cajones? I doubt it, so that leaves the job to average people.

.... BUT, at least the Democrats can say they have a plan. The Democrats To Do List.

Back when "they" decided to try Saddam Hussein for his retaliation against the town of Dujail for an assassination attempt on his life, it was said this case was chosen because it was easy to prove. It was also noted that Fallujah is Bush's Dujail, and that who ever chose the case against Hussein might be laying the groundwork for similar charges against Bush. This piece expounds on the US military incursions into Fallujah.

Brad Will: Rest in Justice

October

I'd love to have other people contribute to this piece entitled, Etrajudicial Executions in Iraq. I think it has potential. What do you think?

" Maliki: America's Man in Iraq." Remember when Nixon said, "I am not a crook" ? Well, in what felt like a scripted moment, Maliki said, "I am not America's man in Iraq." OK. A little warning to Maliki. The US disposes former friends who are no longer "their man," e.g., in 1961, Diem was America's man in Vietnam. In 1963, with US approval, he was overthrown and executed along with his brother. Kinda like Saddam, Noriega, and a long list of others.

"Silenced Majority" points out the obvious about our "liberal" media, with polling data on public sentiments about Bush's War, etc.

"Kill Bush" Note the quotation marks. These are NOT my words, and I'm very careful to point that out in this curious assessment of the internet records on that phrase.

There really are courageous heros in the US military, and some of them haven't gone AWOL. Vokey and Cerveny: True Americans will introduce you to two, if you aren't already familiar with them.

September

We all need to say it loud, clear and often, "US Keep your Hands off Hugo Chavez."

So, Arnold Schwarzenegger is a racist. I get close to the edge myself on this one entitled, Arnold's Blood. I hope Austrians aren't too offended.

This Big-picture Activist Straregy is laid out in a blog entry entitled " Take it to a Higer Level." If ever there was a time, we're living it.

One indication of the damage done by US-Israel to Lebanon is reflected inRelief Resources Provided to Lebanon. This is just a snap shot, a small fraction of the relief; it's very telling.

August

Network Neutrality for the internet is a HUGE issue that is in play. This is a "Take Action Now" issue, so I've tried to make it easy for people by identifying the Senate Swing Votes on Network Neutrality and providing a link to the Senate contact information.

Faux News military analysts talk tough about Iran. This entry, Bush Leading the Nation into Another Trap: Iran should put a chill into anyone who contemplates attacking Iran. If nothing else, the map showing how big Iran is compared to Iraq should give pause.

Yes, the US has lost the war in Iraq. The private intelligence analysis outfit, Stratfor, basically comes out and says it. As do many of my posts, I link to the source for readers to see the full context.

Iraq and The Length of World War II, the title speaks for itself. This entry comes with a bonus goofy picture of Bush.

For those who like literature, Freedom and Fear is a reflection motivated by a passage in Alan Paton's "Cry, The Beloved Country," set in 1940s South Africa. I've typed the passage for others to read.

Federal U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor struck down President Bush's warrantless surveillance program. This commentary includes links to Taylor's decision and an analysis by Glenn Greenwald.

Another US soldier says "Hell no," and went AWOL. Acutally, Sergeant Ricky Clousing was a bit more eloquent than that, leaving a quote by Martin Luther King. about the primacy of conscience over being expedience and cowardice.

Thomas Friedman is a pompous weenie. There I said it, and it makes me feel better (try it out loud in front of a mirror). The Buzz of Justice Served is an open letter to Friedman, suggesting that the "buzz" he heard among Syrian journalists, in response to Hezbollah's strong military response to Israel, is a reflection of their desire to see justice served. It includes the partial transcript of Friedman's comments.

In Cuban Propaganda Campaign I ponder how the US would react if Cuba announced a propaganda campaign, of relative proportion in size to what Republicans were proposing to foist against Cuba.

July

The Lebanon Damage Report 2006 was my most significant work this year. It is linked to a number of related subjects, including Lebanon: Village Damage by District, a work in progress, Lebanon Damage: Roads and Bridges,
Impacts of Cluster Munitions, which includes a link to a summary of US Prohibitions on Israeli use of cluster munitions.

I commented on the military reviewing its procedures regarding detainees following a Supreme Court ruling that the Geneva Conventions should apply in the conflict with al-Qaida. It seemed to me that they were preparing to say, "Gee, we didn't know the Geneva Convention applied, but we'll do better in the future." It reminded my of the phrase, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse."

In relation to Lebanon, former diplomat, Edward Peck, was interviewed on DemocracyNow! and discussed the "selective morality" of Israel. My piece on the topic is 425 and Selective Morality, which includes a link to the interview and a Wikipedia bio on Peck that I started.
In Remember Qana 1996 and 2006, prompted by another massacre of civilians in Qana, Lebanon, I reflect back on the massacre in 1996, with a link to a graphic video from that time.

June

June was a slow month for me. But in this open letter to the Associated Press, I point out that Al-Zarqawi is a Bit Player in Iraqi Insurgency. Though he did have a lot of money.

May

Hey. I just call'm the way I see'm. William Arkin: Apologist. What celebrity payola pundit isn't an apologist? Has anyone read "Cable News Confidential"?

Our country is supposed to be led by civilians. In another example of what makes the United States a military empire, our generals are giving policy speeches. So I emplore, Generals, Stop Making Political Speeches.

I'm reminded to update this one. I've been tracking the growth in the number of times the following exact phrase comes up via a Google search: "Time for Cheney to Resign."

It's important to give constructive feedback to the news wires when you see sloppy journalism. Case-in-point: AP's Pete Yost and Supposed Intelligence.

Here's another one.... AP's Jack Stokes and the Salvador Option in Iraq. Gotta wonder if Negroponte has helped instigate death squads in Iraq like he did in Central America.

Sticking with the theme of open letters, here's another one: Open Letter: Georgetown and Feith.

April

What's cool about this one is that the corporate media was FINALLY coming around. Deliberately Misled. A video grab of NBC/Wall Street Journal poll results in which 57% of Americans believe they were "deliberately missled" by Bush into the Iraq war.

Think globally, act locally. They're doing it in cities and states across the Nation. Illiniois Resolution to Impeach Bush.

With a blog, you can make up your dream headlines: "General Miller Indicted." I want my blog to be #1 on Google when this headline is for real. He's the guy that "Gitmoized" Abu Ghraib, after bringing torture to Guantanamo Bay. Good links, particularly to an Famous Signal City Interview with Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, the scape goat of Abu Ghraib.

Why Tom Delay Resigned.

March

Scalia Not Impartial on Hamdan, and the photo of him giving the Italian version of the finger. Also includes a link to contact the US Supreme Court.

One of my blog entries got translated into Korean and back into english. The result could get me in trouble with the Secret Service: The Citizen Will Show. In a way it's poetic.

Gary Hart Calls on "the people" to Check Bush "Tyranny." It's easy to dismiss politicians, but here's a case in which one is really speaking honestly. It is a sign of the scary times in which we live.

One reason the Democrats took back control of Congress: Si se Puede by the Hundreds of Thousands. Protests by those concerned about immigrant's rights were HUGE and sustained. Truly historic.

Censure Bush for Violating 4th Amendment. It must be done to set the record straight.

I'd write more about the real estate bust, but it's become such a popular and well-covered topic. The Biggest Fear in Real Estate. What's not being said is that major institutions, like pension funds and large banks, are deeply invested real estate investments. As goes the real estate market goes the US and world economy. It's too big to let fail, so the US tax payers will get stuck bailing out people who will walk away with great amassed wealth.

This was a strange one. Remember the United Arab Emirites port deal? It was strange when Dubai asked the US to review it for a second time as a security risk. DP World Requests Second Review?

February

You're invited to add to this list. I'm sure I didn't get them all. Bush Failures.

Haiti's Preval and the Rule of Law. The picture of the beach looks nice. Notice the helicopter in the background.

MUST KNOW US History: Operation Northwoods.

The Democrat's mantra... at least it was supposed to be. Immediate Phased Redeployment: Republican Lite? UK journalist Robert Fisk had a funny line about "redeployment." Goes something like, "You'll hear a lot about "redeployment" in the coming months. It's like Napoleon's redeployment from Moscow, or Britain's redeployment from Dunkirk, or Custer's last redeployment."

Actor Richard Dreyfuss got it right. Impeachment Articles: An Obligation.

I hear I'm in a documentary where I'm being escorted out of a theater repeatedly saying, "Anne Coulter is a Joke" to applause. So is Michelle Malkin: The Asian Anne Coulter.

January

Lieutenant General Michael V. Hayden, USAF, former Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), argued that the warrantless spying was necessary to "Detect and Prevent" potential terrorist acts. I'm not buying it. Jonathan Landay, with Knight Ridder, should be nominated for journalist-of-2006 for his exchange on the 4th Amendment of the US Constituion. Hayden got it wrong.

You like Hampden's quirky ways? Baltimore Neighborhood Proposal to Limit Corporate Power. Keep the franchise chains off the Avenue.

Another example of a mainstream figure speaking truth to power. Revolutionary Power. You really should read this excerpt from the introduction to Paul Krugman's book, The Great Unraveling... that is, if you like getting chills down your spine.

The Big Lie: Are We Living One?

YIKES! It just keeps getting scarier. Consolidation of Pentagon Power. At least Stephen Cambone (an honest to god fascist) is leaving with Rumsfeld.

That's it!