FT.com / World - Learn from the fall of Rome, US warned
Topic: Miscellaneous
4:43 pm EDT, Aug 14, 2007
Drawing parallels with the end of the Roman empire, Mr Walker warned there were “striking similarities” between America’s current situation and the factors that brought down Rome, including “declining moral values and political civility at home, an over-confident and over-extended military in foreign lands and fiscal irresponsibility by the central government”.
At least we have our McDonalds and American Idol! All Rome had was bread and circuses!
Movie News - Lohan Arrested Again for DUI, Cocaine - AOL News
Topic: Miscellaneous
12:26 pm EDT, Jul 24, 2007
The troubled saga of Lindsay Lohan took another dangerous turn early Tuesday when police charged her with drunken driving and cocaine possession after a frightened woman dialed 911 to report being chased by Lohan's SUV.
U.S. to crack down on terror bankrolls - USATODAY.com
Topic: Miscellaneous
1:51 pm EDT, Jul 19, 2007
President Bush unveiled a new executive order that allows the administration to block bank accounts and any other financial assets that might be found in this country belonging to people, companies or groups that the United States deems are working to threaten stability in Iraq.
Bush cited the "unusual and extraordinary threat" to national security and foreign policy of the United States "posed by acts of violence threatening the peace and stability of Iraq and undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq and to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people."
Unconstitutional search and seizure anyone? They already could do this, they just needed a court order and some measure of proof the money was being used illegally. Now they think they can do so by executive fiat? And just out of curiosity, what does "working to threaten stability in Iraq" mean? Does this mean Blackwater gets their funds seized? For some reason I doubt it.
This rocks. some Australian guys build a Trojan Horse full of people dressed like Greek solders, and then try to get it past security into various places in Sydney. The only place that denies them access is the Turkish Consulate.
Fred Thompson -- made exoneration of this convicted felon one of his principal missions over the last two years. And he does so while running around spitting out tough and righteous sermons about the need to restore the "rule of law": "It is a sad irony that a nation that is so dedicated to the rule of law is doing so much to undermine the respect for it," he said in the very same speech where he urged Libby's pardon. One of the prime defenders of Lewis Libby has the audacity to say such things with a straight face because he knows how broken our political and media institutions are.
Greenwald does a nice job boiling down just how screwed up the political right is.
Vice President Exempts His Office from the Requirements for Protecting Classified Information :: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform :: United States House of Representatives
Topic: Miscellaneous
2:16 pm EDT, Jun 21, 2007
The Oversight Committee has learned that over the objections of the National Archives, Vice President Cheney exempted his office from the presidential order that establishes government-wide procedures for safeguarding classified national security information. The Vice President asserts that his office is not an “entity within the executive branch.”
hmmm... Not within the excutive branch... Well it's sure as hell not part of the legislative or judicial branches, so it's either executive or non-governmental, in which case Cheney shouldn't have any access to any government information outside what the general public has.
Oh, and the Secret Service can tell him to provide his own security.
Bush Anoints Himself as the Insurer of Constitutional Government in Emergency | The Progressive
Topic: Miscellaneous
6:24 pm EDT, May 21, 2007
The subject of the document is entitled “National Continuity Policy.”
It defines a “catastrophic emergency” as “any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government function.”
This could mean another 9/11, or another Katrina, or a major earthquake in California, I imagine, since it says it would include “localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies.”
NATIONAL JOURNAL: Secret Order By Gonzales Delegated Extraordinary Powers To Aides (04/30/07)
Topic: Miscellaneous
2:41 am EDT, May 1, 2007
When the committees began to inquire into the firings of the U.S. attorneys, the official said, Congress had a right to know that the firings were part of an ambitious effort to install administration loyalists throughout the department. The official spoke on the condition that neither his position nor agency be identified, because he feared retaliation from his superiors and the White House for disclosing aspects of the program.
Referring to the firings of the U.S. attorneys and the broader plan targeting other Justice employees, the senior official said, "You cannot separate one from the other. They were one and part of the same plan by the White House."
Murray Waas once again showing why he may be the best political reporter in all of Washington (his only competition coming from Sy Hersh).
Maliki's Office Is Seen Behind Purge in Forces - washingtonpost.com
Topic: Miscellaneous
3:33 pm EDT, Apr 30, 2007
Since March 1, at least 16 army and national police commanders have been fired, detained or pressured to resign; at least nine of them are Sunnis, according to U.S. military documents shown to The Washington Post.
Although some of the officers appear to have been fired for legitimate reasons, such as poor performance or corruption, several were considered to be among the better Iraqi officers in the field. The dismissals have angered U.S. and Iraqi leaders who say the Shiite-led government is sabotaging the military to achieve sectarian goals.
