Friday, June 20, 2014

Iraq: U.S. KIA: 4,486 and WIA: 32,223 Neo-Cons Want More

GOP Neo-cons Hit the Talk Show and Cable TV 24-7 Cycles
(Yet, Never Saw Combat)

Four Examples

Plus This Father and Daughter Tag Team

Our troops suffered and died. All the country got was that lousy T-shirt. All the while, these ässhølës seek some sort of redemption and more combat without one single apology — long over due.

Chris Matthews reminds us here of their hypocrisy on HARDBALL. It is worth watching:


They show zero shame and yet remain shameless. They are despicable, period. End of story.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Nightmare on "K" Street: 2003 Pre-Invasion Talk Redux

GOP-Conservatives (Hardcore Neo-Cons) Newest /Oldest Game

They Look Familiar, Don't They
(Sadly, they sound the same, too)

Bloodstained Country, Bloodstained Hands, Red-faced Liar

It doesn't hurt to remember failed history — but, let's not repeat it.  Below is a look back at the architects of the failed war in Iraq and that mess we now see and they have the gall to talk about returning to what? Finish the job, part III (i.e., George H. W. Bush who wouldn't start it, and then George W. Bush couldn't end it after he started it) and without a clear cut victory. And, here we are now.



Sadly, there are hundreds of GOPers trying to dismiss the talk today by blaming Obama for crap they unloaded on the world in 2004-2011 with the same talk.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Iraq Part III: Repeating the Failed Past is Not Leadership Today

"Fool me once, shame on ... shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again."
(Nashville: Sept 17, 2002)


(Paul Wolfowitz, William Kristrol, L. Paul Bremer)
Pompous Prognosticators

Excellent reminder here (9-minute segment) about the people from that failed, bogus, phony, lying Bush-Cheney era. It's a time in American history that we must never forget and certainly never repeat again:


And, this second rundown (8-minute segment) highlighting a few key Neo-cons and their latest attempt at some sort of redemption. They are some of the ones along with their documented previous failures that got us into Iraq on lies and false premises in the first place. Now their ploy may be as bad in scope as the ISIS in theirs.


I hate making predictions since I am frequently wrong. However, in this case, I will make one more try about being correct: Iraq will get worse before it gets better. Along the way, we do not need the rats from the rust bucket USS George W. Bush ship of state that sunk us years ago to climb back on board to pretend to tell us what the solutions are now in Iraq that they could never find when they were in office mucking everything up that kind of got us to this mess today. 

In a word: Ignore them (actually that's two words). Stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Honest Look and Analysis of How Americans Think Today

One Political Side 
(the DEMS)

The Other Political Side
(the GOPers)

Whatever happens in DC these days or no matter how big it happens or even how it happens, we constantly hear reminders: “It's politics as usual.” Both parties know that expression better than anyone and boy do they milk it for all it's worth. It’s not the slogan per se, but it’s the public cynicism and apathy tied to it. What we have in essence is that one side can't govern and the other side won't. Take your pick, but keep in mind, it always changes after the next election depending on who takes the majority reins of power.

“It's the economy, stupid" (a phase coined by James Carville who ran Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign). Boy did he nail it with that slogan. It still rings true today as it did back then. My variation of that for today might be: “It's the big money, stupid.” But, that’s a topic for later.

All this brings me to the subject of this post. I found this very excellent article written by William J. Astore at Salon.com. He is a retired lieutenant colonel (USAF), and he is a Tom Dispatch.com regular. He has taught at the Air Force Academy and the Naval Postgraduate School, and now teaches History at the Pennsylvania College of Technology. 

The Article's Title is Catchy and I piggybacked on it for my post today: 

“Inside America’s militarized mind: How propaganda and perpetual war have poisoned our imagination”

There’s not much in the piece that I disagree with. This extract really hit home with me (he has great links, too):

“Unlike the recruiting poster of old, Uncle Sam doesn’t want you anymore — he already has you. You’ve been drafted into the American national security state. That much is evident from Edward Snowden’s revelations. Your email?  It can be read. Your phone calls? Metadata about them is being gathered. Your smart phone?  It’s a perfect tracking device if the government needs to find you. Your computer? Hackable and trackable. Your server? It’s at their service, not yours.”

“Many of the college students I’ve taught recently take such a loss of privacy for granted.  They have no idea what’s gone missing from their lives and so don’t value what they’ve lost or, if they fret about it at all, console themselves with magical thinking — incantations like “I’ve done nothing wrong, so I’ve got nothing to hide.”  They have little sense of how capricious governments can be about the definition of “wrong.”

Reminded me further of that line from a TV show when one says: “I don’t worry about this since I don’t have anything to hide.” Says the other person: “No, but we have plenty to protect.” 

Hope you read the article – it sure gets you thinking. Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Talk Turkey About the VA Mess: Dump the Turkeys

Typical VA Claims Officer

VA Claims Pending

VA Claims Backlog

The ultimate homecoming with no VA care worries, but it's coming home the hard way.


Those who came home broken and wounded (physically and mentally) need and seek VA treat that has been promised then the real battle starts as they hear: Take a number, get in line, and prepare to wait a very, very long time. Your care you get will damn good once we get to you.  

That my friends amounts to one single thing about this long lingering saga lacking: Strong focused leadership from the top down. That's the way the system is supposed to be. So, it's time to clean house and put in place leaders who can lead, manage, and supervise to work and stop these scenes.

They Paid the Price: The bill is Due, so pay up, America

Updates here from the VA (press releases about steps being taken now). A lot more remains. Stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by.