Bush's Bloody Report Card Comes from Mike McConnell

President Bush's Director of National Intelligence offered his candid assessment of eight years of George W. Bush. A Washington Post piece reported on his speech.

The next U.S. president will govern in an era of increasing international instability, including a heightened risk of terrorist attacks in the near future, long-term prospects of regional conflicts and diminished U.S. dominance across the globe, the nation's top intelligence officer said Thursday.

World stability F
Economy F
Consumer Safety F
Health Care F
Funneling taxpayer money to his corporate friends A+
Spying on Americans A+
Lying to the people A+
Playing the permanent political campaign to the detriment of the country A+

Bush made the world in his image, greedy, heavy handed, and violent. McConnell's assessment is a direct reflection of eight years of George W. The world is a much bloodier place.

Gates Opens Door for More Attacks, Petraeus the Man to Deliver

Days after Pentagon Chief Robert Gates lowered the bar for America to use international force, General David Petraeus takes over the U.S. Central Command. CentCom covers Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan. What's the General been up to since he stepped down as head of the Iraq command? It's been six weeks.

In between the two events, the IAEA unofficially revealed Iranian experiments to enrich spent nuclear fuel. The Jerusalem Post noted Saddam Hussein achieved this level before Israel preemptively wiped out Iraq's nuclear facilities. Deja vu?

Iran Parallels Saddam's Nuclear Program

The Jerusalem Post reported "Iran has recently tested ways of recovering highly enriched uranium from waste reactor fuel in a covert bid to expand its nuclear program, according to an intelligence assessment."

When Saddam Hussein achieved similar capabilities in the 1980's, Israel responded by bombing Iraq's nuclear facilities.

IAEA officials would not comment on the leaked report. That's odd. Such information could be the linchpin for an attack. Or is that lynchpin?

Combine this story with Pentagon Chief Bob Gates lessening the standard for an American attack, and it could soon be "bombs over Tehran."

What if Wall Street & Big Oil Want McCain?

Write the script for a McCain win in light of people's financial concerns. The stock market would soar a week before election, stabilize and even grow a bit. This would occur despite dire news on the state of the economy.

Tuesday-- 889 point rise in the Dow Industrials
Wednesday-- 74 point fall (stability in current environment)
Thursday-- 190 point rise

While people won't have time to receive their IRA or 401(k) statements, a temporary relaxation of the financial vise could help John McCain.

Hurting Republican chances is ExxonMobil's record, record, record 3rd quarter profit of $14 billion. But not many citizens follow the financial papers. A deep drop in the price of gas could divert the public's attention.

A bribe of $1.50 a gallon can go a long way. It's not due to supply and demand, unless it takes seven months for that relationship to actualize. Consumers significantly cut back driving since March, yet gas prices soared through July. They eased slightly in August and September, helping BP and ExxonMobil achieve record profits.

Gas prices cratered through the floor in October, nearing $2 a gallon for regular unleaded. Big oil clearly wants John McCain. The question remains as to Wall Street's desire.

Pentagon Chief Gates Says U.S. Can Attack Whoever, Whenever

Just what the world wanted to hear, a lame duck President extends the situations under which he can conduct preemptive war. The irony is Defense Department Secretary Bob Gates made his remarks to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Gates said:

“Today we also make clear that the United States will hold any state, terrorist group or other nonstate actor or individual fully accountable for supporting or enabling terrorist efforts to obtain or use weapons of mass destruction — whether by facilitating, financing or providing expertise or safe haven for such efforts.”

In other words, President Bush can attack anyone, anywhere, anytime with complete impunity.

Two Vastly Unpopular, Nuclear Armed Lame Ducks

Elections in Israel and America will select new chief executives for those nuclear armed countries. Pariahs George W. Bush and Ehud Olmert have months left to serve in their lame duck status.

The Bush administration conducted a raid in Syrian territory. Such an expansion is historic. What other measures might the pair take in their few remaining months as commander in chief? What do they say about cornered wounded animals? Maybe, we should come up with a new term, one other than lame duck...

Economy Tanks, but Gun Sales Rise

If Americans are going to stuff what little remains of their investment cash in a mattress, it helps to protect it. The Washington Post reported the combination of political and economic factors prompted an increase in firearm sales, a rise of 10%. Ammunition sales are up as well.

The tanking economy raises the prospect of crime. Others are concerned that gun purchases could be restricted in the future. If tribal Pakistanis can have Chinese made AK-47's, why not Americans? Aren't we all worried about al Qaeda? Why not arm 299,990,000 to protect them from the dangerous 10,000? If we're all armed, who needs police? We can do without courts as well in the new world of tribal justice.

Oh, that's not what our founding father's wanted with that right of habeas corpus? Why didn't they grant citizen's the right to own cannons? Tupperware parties have been replace by personal, pink taser events. What's next, your home nuclear device to enforce the Sampson option? If I can't have my house, no one will...

U.S. Troops Raid Syria

That October surprise could be underway. An American military contingent conducted a raid inside Syria. Four helicopters with U.S. troops conducted a raid on a building under construction, said Syrian news reports.

A US military spokesman couldn't confirm or deny the reports. He said: "It's a developing situation." One that develops to highlight John McCain's military strengths? Time will show how much fun "bomb, bomb, bomb" singing is had. But the first round is in the bag.

Jewish Group Behind Obsession Movie Distributed in Swing States

The Clarion Fund, a nonprofit group, circulated 28 million free copies of the movie "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West." Three Jewish leaders comprise the officers of the group. It shares the same New York City address as a Jerusalem based group focused on Israel's national security.

CLARION FUND INC
270 MADISON AVE FL 9
% ELI D GREENBERG ESQUIRE
NEW YORK , NY 10016

The two year old nonprofit spent an estimated $50 million to influence the election. John McCain is the intended beneficiary. What impact will the movie have? Will the American vote be manipulated by a group concerned about Israel's security? Given their difficulty in convincing American Jews, how might their message work?

Makings of Holy War

What happens when the armed forces of powerful countries get fundamentalist faith? The United States military has a strong fundamentalist Christian influence. Israel's Chief Rabbinate for their Defense Forces has been accused of expanding its activities outside religion and religious services.

While the fundamentalist Sunni al Qaeda is yet to control a country and its military, fundamentalist Shia Iran has an army. How might they interact to bring the return of Christ, the promised Jewish Messiah, or the Hidden Imam?

I can just picture John Wayne telling the religious armies, "Now you boys holster your prophecies. The world has more important things to address, doggone it!"

Democracy Means Chinese AK-47 for Private Militias

Chinese manufacturers make more deadly products than infant milk formula. The Pakistani government purchased AK-47 assault rifles from the Communist economic giant.

The buy is instructive. Democracy means having your own AK-47. Now I know why Homeland Security Secretary did nothing over Jewish paramilitary groups training in the Catskill Mountains!

Pakistan plans to give tens of thousands of life ending, assault rifles to people in the tribal areas of that unstable country. The U.S. secretly armed Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan as freedom fighters fought Russian military might. What role did our $10 billion in annual military support to Pakistan play in this decision?

American soldiers are conducting "train the trainer" sessions, according to the Washington Post:

Last week, after months of Pakistani delays, about 30 U.S. military trainers were permitted to set up operations north of the region, a U.S. official said. The trainers will provide counterinsurgency instruction to Pakistani army soldiers, who in turn will train members of the Frontier Corps, the government's paramilitary force in the FATA.

Paramilitaries, from corporate giants to rag tag local groups, have become a widespread phenomena. Osama bin Laden showed the difficulty of controlling armed insurgents, once they're launched. How will current decisions come back to haunt us?

Uncle Sam's Thin Air

The U.S. government makes laughable statements in regard to respecting the sovereignty of other countries. The BBC reported:

A suspected US missile strike has killed at least eight students at a religious school in north-western Pakistan, witnesses say.

At least two missiles, reportedly fired by pilotless US drones, hit the school early on Thursday.

The US state department has affirmed "its support for Pakistan's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity".

The Bush administration has shown similar disdain for citizen's privacy. Uncle Sam listened to Americans talking to loved ones in the Middle East, in contrast to his promise to only monitor al Qaeda calls to citizens. The Washington Post noted Homeland Security will take over flight passenger screening in January.

Security officials say the additional personal information -- which will be given to airlines to forward to the federal agency in charge -- will dramatically cut down on cases of mistaken identity, in which people with names similar to those on watch lists are wrongly barred or delayed from flights.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) chief Kip Hawley said yesterday that, except in rare situations, passengers who do not provide the additional information will not be given boarding passes.

By taking over watch-list vetting from industry, the officials said, the government will consistently apply the most up-to-date list information and more sophisticated computer programs to catch name variations, and will avoid the risk of giving sensitive data to foreign air carriers, Chertoff said.

U.S. officials said Secure Flight will not tap commercial data, conduct "data-mining" or generate risk scores on passengers.

Is that like respecting other country's sovereignty? Where's the Predator in this scenario?

Iran Has NeoConitis

The Middle East became more inflamed when Iran's advisers recommended a pre-preemptive attack on Israel. The double pre came from Israel's threats to preemptively attack Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities. Do I hear a triple pre, maybe from the U.S.?

Uncle Sam would need to take his attention away from doubling down every few weeks on the big money boy bailout. President George Bush's giant $770 billion rescue plan morphed into a $3 trillion behemoth. Bush's plan replaces greed and leverage with greed and a tad less leverage.

From double down to triple pre, it's the neoconservative way...

Calling for Real Americans to Stand Up and Purify Nation

North Carolina Congressman Robin Hayes said at a McCain-Palin campaign rally, "liberals hate real Americans that work and achieve and believe in God." I.e, real Americans love corporate givaways, hate soft liberals, work hard, and pray. Funny, I go to church with a bunch of people Mr. Hayes would find "liberal" and they're gainfully employed, most of them professionals. I've seen a number of them pray fervently for the healing of a loved one, for families in crisis.

Republicans floated the "Real American" meme the last week. From V.P. candidate Sarah Palin to Rep. Michele Bachmann to McCain adviser Nancy Pfotenhauer, all launched into a purity tirade. Pure, as in not tainted by liberal thought or practice.

Hitler wanted Germany to be pure. He hated blacks, a theme which also arose in the North Carolina rally.

Representative Patrick McHenry cheered what he called the “biggest crowd John McCain has gotten in North Carolina” and emphasized that this was a critical election with a stark choice between the candidates.

“It’s like black and white,” someone in the crowd at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center yelled out, laughing. McHenry let the remark pass and finished his speech.

And Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama because they're both black. That's the racial spin offered by Rush Limbaugh and company.

Real countrymen, purity, defending the homeland, overwhelming military might... Does any of that sound familiar? Maybe so...

Bush Not Far from Impunity Zone

America's best friend in the Middle East watches the clock tick down on the Bush administration. Israel's Haaretz reported:

The November 4 election will thrust the United States into an 11-week presidential transition period, in which George W. Bush will continue to wield full power, but will not be shackled by political constraints. The U.S. will have to make two decisions during this period: whether to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities, and how to proceed with the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that began at the Annapolis conference.

Israel will need to assess their preemptive attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Who's more likely to get their back, should they pull the trigger? The Bush in the hand, for sure.

Iraq's Sovereignty?

After President Bush invaded Iraq, Secretary of State Condi Rice wrote her boss informing him of Iraq's sovereignty. Five years later, that free nation's laws remain subservient to their invaders. A new agreement ensures American military personnel and contractors stay above Iraq law. It looks like a "not" needs to be added to her note.

Frances Townsend Offers New President Risk Management Advice

Frances Townsend has advice for the next U.S. President. Tell the public quickly and clearly how they plan to protect the country from a terrorist attack. What?

What about all the measures Fran and the Bush administration took to protect the country? Won't they continue? The AP reported:

"God help them if something happens before they've done that," Frances Fragos Townsend said Wednesday during a discussion at George Washington University on homeland security and the presidential transition.

God help us all from incompetent bureaucrats, spinning things. Think Hurricane Katrina Lesson Learned report, Fran. It failed to tell the public honestly what happened. Who did it protect?

From GedenK to Play the News, Israel Gets Public Involved in Attack on Iran

GedenK's cool ads encouraged the world to prevent another holocaust. Now people can play an online game on Israel attacking Iran's nuclear facilities. Haaretz reported:

Israel considers a nuclear Iran an existential threat. Others fear Iran could transfer weapons to militant groups, yet Tehran maintains its nuclear industry is being built for peaceful purposes.

Will Iran and Israel go to war or can a compromise be found? Haaretz.com has teamed up with playthenewsgame.com to bring our readers a new and exciting interactive experience - a game that lets you put your news savvy to the test.

Cool, hip, fun and games? That's not war.

Bush Orders Military to Patrol Brazilian Airspace

The world's police will now patrol Brazilian airspace under an order from President Bush. Ostensibly, America will be hunting drug smugglers. Our help is needed to address:

"the extraordinary threat posed by illicit drug trafficking to the national security of that country."

Tragets include Bolivia and Venezuela. Bush ordered support for democratic institutions in those countries, i.e. groups that oppose their current democratically elected leaders. Back to Brazil, I hope they keep buying U.S. Treasuries and help us through our extraordinary financial threat.

Bush Fails to Fill White House WMD Position

Newsweek reported "more than a year after Congress passed a law creating a White House "czar" to focus on the weapons of mass destruction issue, the post has yet to be filled-the apparent victim of yet another clash over presidential powers."

The position was recommended by the 9/11 Commission and included in a bill passed summer 2007. The issue is reporting to Congress. President Bush is loathe to have any White House employee answer to the people's legislature. The story noted:

Top White House lawyers, led by David Addington, Vice President Dick Cheney's ever-vigilant chief of staff, recoiled at the idea of creating a new White House office whose director was answerable to Congress, according to two sources (who asked not to be identified talking about internal matters.)

Another kink could be existing positions charged with monitoring WMD. Paul Wolfowitz has such a role in the State Department. He might not want to share. Wolfowitz and Addington, haven't they made enough messes?

Rice: I'll leave no lie unimproved in pusuit of ME peace

As her tenure as Secretary of State winds down, Condoleezza Rice promised to forge ahead on Middle East peace. Rice promised to "leave no lie unimproved" in the pursuit of an agreement.

"It is very difficult. There is a hard road course. But if we do not drive the cart, we most certainly will not succeed," she said.

Commenting on the relative balance between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Rice compared Israel to a mulligan in golf. She noted:

I have a policy on mulligans. I try for only one, and after that I count it as a stroke. One per 18. Well, except for the first hole, when we have a "hit until you're happy" rule.

Apparently, Israel has a "hit until you're happy rule" for the difficult course to peace.

Bush Signs Bill Leading Country through Rapids

On Tuesday, October 14, 2008, the President signed into law an important bill. As the country faces serious whitewater, George W. provided critical leadership by signing S. 3550 into law. It names a portion of the Rappahannock River in the Commonwealth of Virginia as the John W. Warner Rapids. America will survive...

Israel: Nation of Laws Unequally Applied

One current and one past Prime Minister spoke on the state of laws in the Jewish State. Haaretz reported Shimon Peres said:

"Though there are several religions in Israel, there is only one law and one police."

Peres was in Acre on Monday, after clashes between the city's Arab and Jewish populations raged for several days. During a Muslim-Jewish conference, he called for an end to violence.

Meanwhile in the Jerusalem Post, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said there was no doubt that there has been discrimination against the Arab population in Israel.

"I have decided that I must change this situation. The October 2000 events (when 13 Arab citizens were killed) became a significant milestone in the relations between Arabs and Jews in the state of Israel. You came here today to ask me to look into the attorney-general's decisions. I will not do that - I do not have the authority to do it, but I do have the right to share your pain and sorrow, a right that I will not give up."

For those not getting equal treatment under the law? A Bill Clinton like "I feel your pain." How Democratic is that?

Freedom Fried

Aviation Week reported the Pentagon will ink a deal for Raytheon's Silent Guardian. The truck mounted pain ray drives off crowds with a microwave like beam. Like other "nonlethal" law enforcement tools, it has the capacity to kill. When will that domestic combat brigade get their Silent Guardian? Their task clearly fits:

They may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control or to deal with potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE, attack.

The 1st BCT’s soldiers also will learn how to use “the first ever nonlethal package that the Army has fielded,” 1st BCT commander Col. Roger Cloutier said, referring to crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them.

Soldiers would need to train on crowd management and control. That includes monitoring the unruly body's movement. Congress helped approve a new tool, domestic satellite surveillance, that should help immensely. The Wall Street Journal reported:

The program is designed to provide federal, state and local officials with extensive access to spy-satellite imagery -- but no eavesdropping -- to assist with emergency response and other domestic-security needs, such as identifying where ports or border areas are vulnerable to terrorism.

Get ready to be freedom fried. Thomas Jefferson must be rolling over in his Monticello grave, the rotating cold spot on the computer image.

Frances Townsend Warns on Election Influencing by al Qaeda

Ex-White House Homeland Security Advisor, Frances Townsend spoke on al Qaeda at the New America Foundation. Some of her remarks referenced the Presidential election.

Townsend reminds that Al Qaeda has linked attacks to political changes in Spain and Britain, though she stops short of saying that there may be an attack in the next few weeks. “Couple their understanding with geopolitics and their obvious intent to try to influence it with the current economic crisis.”

What obvious intent to influence it with the current economic crisis? The meltdown came courtesy of poor lending practices, Las Vegas style financial products, and big money boys hoarding their chips. I've heard the welfare mother accusation, but not the terrorist-Wall Street link.

Townsend finishes up by worrying about counterterrorism “complacency” in the next administration — and while she says the point stands “regardless of who’s elected” it’s pretty obviously a dig at Sen. Barack Obama.

The SEC, Treasury and Federal Reserve Bank complacency helped foster the current crisis. Is Homeland Security similarly infected? Fran and her replacement don't think so.

Oppression Turns Homeward

Americans travelling abroad were assured of privacy as long as they weren't talking to al Qaeda. Bush lied, yet again, according to ABC News. The National Security Agency eavesdropped on hundreds of citizens in the Middle East. The NSA even spied on military officers.

Maryland State Police named nonviolent activists as terrorists. The Washington Post reported police added 53 citizens to terror watch lists in 2005 and 2006. They targeted opponents of the Iraq War and the death penalty.

On October 1, the Bush administration began domestic satellite surveillance. He has an Army combat brigade at his disposal. In an emergency, the President can control state National Guard units. The current financial crisis was described in significant national security terms to members of Congress.

The picture painted a several thousand point drop in stock markets, credit evaporating, and public unrest, requiring the implementation of martial law. The first two are well on their way. What about the third?

Financial Meltdown Qualifies as National Emergency

The White House produced a National Continuity Policy in May 2007. One of the key essential functions is "Protecting and stabilizing the Nation's economy and ensuring public confidence in its financial systems."

The meltdown has been years in the making, but mid September produced a crisis point. The big money boys quit trusting each other to make good on their deals. The ghost of credit past visited Wall Street, making them pay for their sins of Vegas style credit bets, leverage, and off balance sheet items. But, big money boys don't cotton to "pay day loan" rates to move their debt.

Wall Street cried out for Hank Paulson and the Treasury to make the ghost go away. The President's financial team called key members of Congress. They talked about markets falling thousands of points, credit freezing, and the need to institute martial law to maintain order. Therefore, the government needed to set aside $700 billion to buy bad financial instruments produced or held by Wall Street.

The Bush administration continues sampling the menu of financial interventions on our tab. With the announced purchase of corporate commercial paper, the total is $3 trillion. Yet, nothing is enough for Wall Street. Even the requested interest rate cut, which came in at .5%, didn't please the markets. Dow futures went from green to red in a matter of hours. It opened down 200 points.

The financial system remains at risk. What tools does the Bush administration have at its disposal? On October 1, two new domestic security tools began. One, an Army combat unit is now at the President's disposal. The 2,500 to 4,000 troops can't intimidate the whole country. But it can impact regional unrest, voters in critical areas, and our elected leaders in Congress.

The second tool is satellite surveillance. While legal restrictions exist as to its application, such details haven't stopped the Bush administration in the past.

America has a deeply infected financial system. The abscess spread to integrated global markets. This alone is reason for George W. Bush to institute NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/NSPD 51. Will he do so? If yes, will it be publicly or in secret? He has a domestic army with the best intelligence tools at their disposal.

It sounds like King George Bush, shortened to KGB. Stay tuned.

Judge Orders Chinese Uighurs Freed from Guantanamo

In 2004 Chinese Uighurs held in Guantanamo Bay were declared non-enemy combatants. They lingered as no other countries stepped up with open arms. Seven years after their detention, a U.S. District judge ordered them freed into America.

China wants them back, concerned about their links to Muslim separatist groups in the Communist country. Bush wants them elsewhere, far away from the U.S. media. An appeal is likely in order. Let's hope the Constitution stands...

No Plane, No Pain, No Palin

Dick Cheney may be in his special bunker, readying for an Iranian nuclear-ectomy. Recently he was seen slinking around the Capital, lobbying for an Iranian blockade. Given his lack of success, how might things escalate? Reuters reported:

The Pentagon denied on Tuesday an Iranian news report that a U.S. military aircraft had violated Iranian territory and had been forced to land in Iran, saying all American planes were accounted for.

"All aircraft in the region are accounted for and we have no reports of any aircraft landing in Iran," Lt. Col. Patrick Ryder told reporters.

"I haven't heard anything like that," said Pentagon Bryan Whitman.

The Iran news agency reported earlier that a U.S. warplane had violated Iranian territory and had been forced to land in Iran.

The plane wasn't U.S. military, but Republicans are desperate. The McCain-Palin ticket needs wars or whores. George W. and Dick Cheney would use the whore card if they had one. Thus, expect wars. It will fulfill McCain's campaign promise, "There will be more wars, my friend."

Rebranding Israel to Focus Away from Middle East Conflict

With crisis comes opportunity. Israel approached 9-11-2001 with that perspective. Haaretz reported "Foreign Min., PR firm rebrand Israel as land of achievements ":

The rebranding idea was first proposed by the Israeli consulate in New York following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks there. The idea was that with the war on Islamic terror having suddenly gone global, Israel had an opportunity to escape its image as the main source of conflict with the Islamic world.

The project involved extensive research on Israel's international image, which was initially conducted by American experts hired and paid by international Jewish donors. In late 2005, however, the Foreign Ministry decided to make the effort an official ministry program. Since then, it has conducted a few pilot projects, such as inviting international journalists to tour Israel's wine industry.

"Our research shows that Israel's brand is essentially the conflict," said Ido Aharoni, the ministry official in charge of the program. "Even those who recognize that Israel is in the right are not attracted to it, because they see it as a supplier of bad news. The conclusion is that it is more important for Israel to be attractive than to be right."

By the end of this year, Israel will have a new international image, if the Foreign Ministry's rebranding project is successful. The British firm Acanchi, which the ministry hired to craft the new image, is now in the final stages of preparing to launch the new brand.

Fiona Gilmore, Acanchi's founder and a leading expert in rebranding countries and cities, toured the country last week and met with a wide range of Israelis - public figures, businessmen, academics and activists in various causes. Her mission is to create a brand disconnected from the Arab-Israeli conflict that focuses instead on Israel's scientific and cultural achievements.

The contract with Acanchi, which has helped to rebrand locales ranging from Lebanon to Northern Ireland, was signed about six weeks ago.

Seven years after 9-11 Israel will be reborn from a marketing perspective. Otherwise, things are pretty much the same. They still have nuclear weapons. America still gives them billions a year in weapons and military support. And they just declared villages as enemy military bases, promising widespread destruction. That's an achievement worthy of preemptive reporting to the United Nations.

The Day Freedom Died 10-1-08

Two seemingly disparate articles point to the slippery slope of government intrusion and control over citizens. Stacked atop past abuses by the Bush administration and the moves seem particularly ominous. What happened on October 1, while citizens were consumed by the financial meltdown?

First, the U.S. military now has a combat unit assigned to domestic service. Those are fighting men and women, combat soldiers fresh from the battlefields of Iraq. They are not bridge builders, fence menders, gasoline truck drivers, health care workers, or pilots of medical evacuation planes.

Second, the government approved use of a satellite surveillance system for domestic security purposes. The program is restricted to emergency response and scientific studies, but can be expanded to homeland security and law enforcement surveillance. When did the Bush administration let something like the law curtail their activities? The cabal threatened martial law to get Congress to pony up a new $700 billion for Wall Street's bailout. At least Rep. Brad Sherman shared that threat on the floor of the House. Bye, bye, Miss American pie....

Fact Check Me

Sarah Palin noted, "betcha people talking about the accuracy of my assertions, means they aren't talking about our economy, now flushing down the tank. Nor are they discussing McCain's multiple personality comments on the Corporafornication bill, which he eventually voted for. Wink,wink!"

IDF: Villages to be Considered Military Bases

Three Israeli officials believe air power will determine the winners of their next war. GOC Northern Command Gadi Eisenkot presented his "Dahiyah Doctrine," under which the IDF would expand its destructive power beyond what it demonstrated two years ago against the Beirut suburb of Dahiyah, considered a Hezbollah stronghold.

"We will wield disproportionate power against every village from which shots are fired on Israel, and cause immense damage and destruction. From our perspective, these are military bases," he said. "This isn't a suggestion. This is a plan that has already been authorized."

Major General (Res.) Giora Eiland recommends preemptive action: that Israel pass a clear message to the Lebanese government, as soon as possible, stating that in the next war, the Lebanese army will be destroyed, as will the civilian infrastructure.

"People won't be going to the beach in Beirut while Haifa residents are in shelters," he writes.

While two leaders' recommendations deal primarily with striking Shi'ite strongholds, Eiland sees Lebanon's infrastructure as a primary target, in a plan highly reminiscent of the one proposed by then-IDF chief of staff Dan Halutz, which was eventually shot down by U.S. opposition.

So much for Bush's fiction that democracies don't war....

Check: Iran Won't Stop Nuclear Enrichment

Israel ponders its next move on the Middle East chess board. Not only did Iran say it would continue enrichment, it plans to supply other nations. Now them's fighting words!

America's best friend Israel already said it would not allow a nuclear armed Iran. The French Foreign Minister just reiterated that point:

"First, because you will hit them before. And this is the danger. Israel has always said it will not wait for the bomb to be ready. I think that (the Iranians) know. Everyone knows."

The question is when? Given John McCain's free fall in the polls, Republicans need a diversion. Weeks ago I pondered, would it be wars or whores? The odds of the former just went up. Checkmate awaits.

Palin's Terror Pallin'

Somehow the floundering Palin lamprey survived hours of squirming on the boat deck. Once dehydrated and disoriented, it found a host in Gwen Ifill and Joe Biden. Hours of sucking revived the parasite. The leech is back. Knock it off before it gets a good hold!

Kim Jong Il's Nuclear ProLiferation

Israel's representative to the IAEA said the axis of evil had grown, stating at least six Arab nations had ignored arms control agreements. Haaretz noted:

Middle Eastern countries which had obtained the means produce doomsday weapons and ballistic missiles covertly from North Korea while ignoring commitments as members of the NPT and other arms-control regimes.

"At a time when the international community concentrates on North Korea's nuclear activities and its non-compliance with safeguards agreements, the Middle East is at the receiving end of North Korea's reckless practices,"

Israeli envoy David Danieli told the global meeting in Vienna. "North Korea has long become a source of proliferation of dangerous weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles in the Middle East," he said.

"At least half a dozen countries in the region who do not even pay lip service to control regimes and are acting in bad faith regarding their stated policy and their undertakings regarding non-proliferation conventions have become eager recipients of North Korea mostly through black market and covert network channels," Danieli said, but did not name the six nations.

And this accusation came from a country with over 200 nuclear weapons and a nonsignatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Name them and provide the evidence. It's time for a clean accounting from all parties.

Mirror for America's Dark Night

What happened to my country? Is Declare Yourself saying voting is heroic? Gazans voted and got a mask.

Unfortunately, vote casting won't wipe out American executed torture. Welcome to the dark night of our soul.

This Candidate Sponsored by

Several organizations pushed the line in supporting Presidential candidates. Lines blurred when church pulpits boldly came out for their candidate, despite clear IRS rules prohibiting nonprofits from doing such a thing.

They smudged further when the National Rifle Association showed up at Consol Energy coal mines. The NRA film crew hoped to get miners to speak out against Barack Obama, the candidate endorsed by United Mine Workers Union. In protest, miners stayed home for the day.

"This was a surprise visit," explained VP Local 1702, Safety Chairman Eric Greathouse, "and a lot of the miners felt this was a direct slap in the face of the union because they were trying to coerce our people into saying things against Barck Obama."

"Consol doesn't let anybody on their property - never," said Safety Committee Member Mark Dorsey, "And for them to let the NRA come on the property and solicit our membership was totally uncalled for. We made our endorsement to our political process and we didn't bother them and they shouldn't be harassing our membership over this."

The game to take back the CorporaWhorehouse on Pennsylvania Avenue is hot and dirty. Expect more line crossing in the next four weeks...

Israel Gets Advanced U.S. Defense Capabilities

International news sources reported on the Pentagon's approval of an Israeli purchase of twenty five F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets and the deployment of an advanced defensive radar system in the Negev Desert. The Jerusalem Post reported:

A Pentagon official said Wednesday that the sale of the stealth jets to Israel was essential to American national interests and was meant to ensure that Israel maintained its qualitative edge over armies of neighboring countries.

The BBC had this to say about the radar system:

The US has deployed long-range radar in Israel to give early warning of any missile strike by Iran, officials say.

The radar has been set up at an air base in the Negev desert and will be operated by 120 US military personnel.

Other developments on containing the Iranian threat include:

1. A six-year probe has not ruled out the possibility that Iran may be running clandestine nuclear programs, the chief UN nuclear inspector said Monday, urging Iran to reassure the world by ending its secretive ways.

Arab members - backed by Iran - this year have again asked conference organizers to include an item on Israel - a move being protested by Israel.

A draft of the document made available to The Associated Press "expresses concern about the Israeli nuclear capabilities" and urges Israel to throw its atomic activities open to full IAEA view.

2. In a last-minute bid to pass Iran sanctions legislation before the end of the congressional session, the US House of Representatives approved a bill late Friday tightening trade restrictions and asset freezes on the Islamic Republic.

3. On September 25, 2008, the United States Department of Commerce issued guidance to the U.S. exporting community designed to encourage exporters’ vigilance on Iran’s efforts to procure items for use in Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.

4. Iranian support for Shiite militia groups poses the biggest threat to long-term stability in Iraq, where recent improvements in security are ``fragile,'' the U.S. Defense Department said. Iran continues to ``fund, train, arm and direct'' groups intent on destabilizing its neighbor and its influence in Iraq is ``malign,'' the Pentagon said in its quarterly report to Congress.

5. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that Iran will stand beside the Hamas government in Gaza and that Israel is weakening and on the path to eventual destruction, state television reported.

6. House leaders shelved a bill endorsing a blockade of Iran, but shortly afterwards V.P. Dick Cheney was seen slinking around the Capital.

Stay tuned, folks! Weapons have one use and Senator John McCain said, "There will more wars, my friend!"