Sunday, July 30, 2006

Indonesian security services may have handled the Bali bomb

He's not the Secretary of Defense, He just plays one on TV

Bloglines - Mayor Martin O'Malley Pimps for Israel Lobby


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Bloglines - NYT Op-Ed: Dumb and Dumber on Lebanon

Another Day in the Empire

NYT Op-Ed: Dumb and Dumber on Lebanon

By Administrator on Uncategorized

Israel’s Jabotinksyite ethnic cleansers never had a better friend than the New York Times—although, as the airwaves, coaxial, and broadband pipes increasingly choke with images of dead Arab kids, killed with “precision” weapons (in other words, civilians are the target), this friendship, or marriage of convenience is under strain.

“Israel’s airstrikes against Hezbollah targets are legitimate so long as Hezbollah wages war against Israel and operates outside the control of the Lebanese government,” opines the “newspaper of record,” that is to say the newspaper of Zionist propaganda. “A better answer to the Hezbollah problem would be an immediate cease-fire, paving the way for an international force to patrol Lebanon’s southern border…. What is needed, as almost everyone now agrees, is a strong international force, including well-armed units from NATO countries, to move into southern Lebanon as quickly as possible. Its mission would be to disarm Hezbollah in accordance with U.N. resolutions, thereby reasserting the sovereignty of the Lebanese government and preventing further attacks against Israel. An immediate internationally imposed cease-fire would spare Lebanese civilians from further suffering.”

Of course, “well-armed units from NATO” will not be able to put an end to Hezbollah’s resistance any more effectively than Israel, now running from the small village of Bint Jbiel with reptilian tail tucked. Bint Jbiel is described as the “Hizbullah capital” by the racist Zionist Arutz Sheva Israel Broadcasting Network. In fact, the idea to replace IOF forces with NATO bullet stoppers is simply a scheme dreamed up by the Jabotinskyites, as they are accustomed to other people fighting their wars and suffering the result, for instance more than 5,000 dead Americans in Iraq, the vast majority poor kids brainwashed into believing an “Army of One” is a better deal than flipping burgers at McDonalds.

As for the “Hezbollah problem,” there would be no such thing if Israel had stayed out of Lebanon. Hezbollah is a direct result of Israel’s brutality and aggression, as people abused eventually organize and resist. Dumb and Dumber over at the New York Times seem clueless on this point, but then they are nothing more or less than “press offices of Israel’s Foreign Ministry,” a Pepe Escobar notes. Moreover, according to Escobar

Hezbollah’s asymmetrical war effort is absorbing everything thrown at it. Resistance is fueled by a mix of beggar’s banquet anger, creative military solutions and Shi’ite martyr spirit. Hezbollah fighters are using olive-green uniforms to confuse the Israelis. According to Jane’s Weekly, Hezbollah has done a perfect Vietcong—its fighters operating in a network of underground reinforced bunkers and command posts near the Lebanese-Israeli border almost unassailable by Israel Defense Force bombs.

The practical result is that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is ever more popular all over the Arab street. Kind of like the new, 21st-century Saladin. Hezbollah’s moral and political cache could not but rise among peoples and movements worldwide who keep being bombed to oblivion but never had a chance to bomb back.

For Hezbollah—as well as for Hamas—”winning” means not being disarmed and/or exterminated, the avowed goal of the State of Israel. Apart from Mao Zedong in China and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, Hezbollah may have also learned a lesson or two from the battlefields of Chechnya—as it configures itself, like the Chechens, as one of the only guerrilla groups in the world capable of facing an extremely powerful state army.

Naturally, after this NATO forces fails its mission to “disarm” the only militia that stands between Lebanon and Israeli crimes against humanity—that is if NATO is ever indeed deployed—Dumb and Dumber will call for more drastic measures. Even so, nothing short of reducing Lebanon to a “parking lot,” as neocon supporters on the street are fond of chanting, will defeat Hezbollah (in other words, kill ‘em all and let Allah sort ‘em out).

Escobar again:

So this is the way the “war on terror” ends—not with a single bang but with the multi-sonic bangs of asymmetrical actors getting re-energized in their fight against the US-Israel axis. The Israeli army could not put down a Shi’ite guerrilla outfit in southern Lebanon—nor a bunch of stone-throwing Palestinian kids, for that matter. The US Army could not cope with a bunch of scruffy Sunni Arabs armed with fake Kalashnikovs. Sunnis or Shi’ites, stateless or in failed states, freedom fighters or “terrorists”, they simply will not go away.

Pursuing their own logic, equally impatient Washington neo-cons and Israeli Likudniks would cherish nothing better than the wholesale destruction of civilian infrastructure in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon, and then in Syria and Iran.

What happened in Iraq, and is still happening in Gaza and now in Lebanon, spells that the world will have to get used to a new reality. But against this, the asymmetricals will not only be lurking in the shadows; they will retaliate.

Comments


Jim Fetzer/ 911 Panel Discussion Los Angeles

Straw joins criticism of Lebanese toll


[imra] Daily digest - Volume: 2 Issue: 1473 (10 messages)

imra Sun Jul 30 02:20:08 2006 Volume 2 : Issue 1473

In this issue of the imra daily Digest:

20 terrorists killed in Bint Jbeil
Observation: Turkey-Lebanon sea route to replace
of Syria-Lebanon land bridge for "humanitarian supplies"?
Summary of IDF Aerial Activity in Lebanon on July 29th
Seventh Jordanian Relief Plane Lands in Beirut
COS Halutz released from Ichilov Hospital
Erez Crossing Opening Hours July 30th
statement by zeev bielski, jewish agency
chairman on terror attack in seattle
Nablus: IDF troops kill Jihad head
Tables turned in fighting: 26 Hezbollah: 0 IDF dead
[Though Bush say don't reward terror] Rice pushing deal
on Shaba farms, international force

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

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: 20 terrorists killed in Bint Jbeil

20 terrorists killed in Bint Jbeil

Three days after First Lieutenant Yiftah Shrier, 21, was killed by an
anti-tank rocket in Bint Jbeil, fighters of his unit returned to the
southern Lebanese town. Commander: This is not revenge. We were ordered to
carry out a mission and we executed in the best possible way

Hanan Greenberg YNET 29 July 2006
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3283076,00.html

Three days after First Lieutenant Yiftah Shrier, 21, was killed by an
anti-tank rocket in Bint Jbeil, fighters of his unit returned to the
southern Lebanese town overnight Friday.

In fierce battles that started Friday afternoon and ended in the early hours
of Saturday, 20 Hizbullah terrorists were killed.

The air force provided cover for troops and targeted Hizbullah cells.

Commander of Brigade 101, Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Yochanan, told Ynet that
the mission was not "to settle accounts."

"This is not revenge. We were ordered to carry out a mission and we executed
in the best possible way. I explained to them we are at war and sometimes
there are casualties. We don't deal with revenge but with how best to
protect ourselves and harm terrorists," he added.

'We saw them falling'

Eighteen soldiers were killed in fighting between the IDF and Hizbullah in
Maroun al-Ras and Bint Jbeil.

In Friday's battle 30 terrorists engaged paratroopers in exchanges of fire
in the western neighborhoods of Bint Jbeil.

"It started in the afternoon when two terrorists tried to approach a house
in which our soldiers were present. The soldiers hit and killed them. Then
the attack took off. At least seven cells of terrorists started operating in
the area. Some were in open fields and others were in houses. They tried to
harm our soldiers and hired anti-tank rockets, Sagger and RPG. Our forces
were well prepared and gunned down cell after cell. We saw them falling,"
Lieutenant Colonel Yochanan added.

He said the Hizbullah cells were well organized.

'They did a professional job'

During the operation one soldier was seriously wounded. The army believes he
was injured by a malfunctioning rocket he was asked to fire, but a probe has
been launched to determine whether he was injured by friendly fire or by
Hizbullah gunmen.

"In one occasion we identified a house that served as command post for
terrorists. We found communication equipment, and managed to hit three
terrorists and called in a helicopter gunship to hit the place itself," said
an officer who took part in the fighting.

Soon after the battle ended soldier carried their injured comrades on
stretchers for two kilometers to an improvised helicopter landing pad.

"Our fighters took part in the evacuation. They did a professional job and
we were surprised by the large number of terrorists who took part in the
operation but we know how to deal with them. It was a long fight and
everyone exhibited a fighting spirit. I have to say I am proud of my
soldiers. The mental preparation paid off and I am happy with the battle's
results," Lieutenant Colonel Yochanan said.

(07.29.06, 16:27)

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

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Observation: Turkey-Lebanon sea route to replace
of Syria-Lebanon land bridge for "humanitarian supplies"?

Observation: Turkey-Lebanon sea route to replace of Syria-Lebanon land
bridge for "humanitarian supplies"?

Aaron Lerner Date: 29 July 2006

Public Security Minister Avi Dichter charged today on Israel Radio that
Syria continued to transfer weapons to Hezbollah.

The Syria-Lebanon land bridge is being used to transfer "humanitarian
supplies" from the Arab world to Lebanon without any third party
supervision.

The introduction of an effective third party supervision of the many
Syria-Lebanon crossing point - if even possible - would require considerable
time to implement, and there is no reason to believe that Syria and others
would accept a halt to the flow of "humanitarian supplies" until such
arrangements were in place.

The close proximity of Turkish ports makes them a viable immediate
alternative.

Iskenderun (formerly known as Alexandretta) and the much larger port in
Mersin are both well within a reasonable hauling distance for trucks
carrying "humanitarian supplies" bound for Lebanon. The cargo could be
inspected by Turkish authorities as it is loaded in containers to be shipped
on vessels bound for Lebanon within the framework of the sea "humanitarian
supply corridor" already being established.

Turkey has indicated that it is interested in playing a more active role in
promoting stability in the region and such a program would provide Turkey
with just such a high profile opportunity.

If the proposal for such an initiative were to come from Turkey rather than
Israel or the U.S. the chances of its acceptance and success in the region
would be considerably greater.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il

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

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Summary of IDF Aerial Activity in Lebanon on July 29th

July 29th 2006
IDF SPOKESPERSON ANNOUNCEMENT

Summary of IDF aerial activity in Lebanon

On July 29th 2006, the IDF carried out aerial attacks against more than 60
targets in Lebanon. Among them:
4 launchers used to launch rockets at Israel.
Tens of structures, headquarters and weapon storage facilities used by
Hezbollah terrorist organization.
Several vehicles, which were identified as carrying weapons.
Several bridges and routes leading to missile launch sites.

Since this morning, more than 90 missiles fired by the Hezbollah landed
inside Israel. Since July 12th, approximately 1,600 missiles have landed in
Israel.

The IDF will continue to use all means at its disposal in order to protect
the citizens of Israel and create the conditions for the return the abducted
IDF soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, to their homes.

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

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Seventh Jordanian Relief Plane Lands in Beirut

Seventh Relief Plane Lands in Beirut
www.petra.gov.jo/nepras/2006/Jul/29/7000.htm

Beirut, July 29 (Petra - Jordan News Agency)-- The seventh Jordanian relief
plane of the Jordanian Royal Air Force has landed in Beirut Airport carrying
about 16 tones of food, medical equipment, and furnishings for the military
field hospital presented by armed forces of Jordan and the Jordanian people
through the Hashemite Charity Organization.

The Jordan aid comes in implementation of His Majesty King Abdullah II's
directives to alleviate the suffering and plight of the Lebanese people.

Charge d'affaires at the Jordanian embassy in Beirut Dr. Mohamed Al Fayez
told Jordan News Agency that the plane is the seventh since the beginning of
the relief airlift which began last Wednesday to assist the Lebanese people.

He pointed out that other Jordanian planes will arrive today and next Monday
laden with assistance. The higher commission for relief in Lebanon will
handle the distribution of the medicine and the relief aid to all regions,
especially in the southern regions, he said.

He called on the Jordanian citizens in southern Lebanon to contact the
Jordanian embassy in order to facilitate transporting them to Beirut,
calling for providing the embassy with their phone numbers to help them ,in
cooperation with the Hariri Foundation, and ensure their safe arrival.

Al Fayez said the impression of the Lebanese people for the opening of the
field hospital is great, pointing out that Lebanese Minister of Education
and Higher Education Khaled Qabbani opened the field hospital yesterday as
it startsed work to relieve the suffering of the brethren Lebanese and to
treat the victims of Israeli aggression.

//Petra// Ashkar

29/07/2006 19:36:05

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

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: COS Halutz released from Ichilov Hospital

Halutz released from Ichilov Hospital
JPost.com Staff, THE JERUSALEM POST Jul. 28, 2006
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1153292022946&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz was released from Ichilov Hospital in
Tel Aviv on Friday after he arrived at the hospital's emergency room earlier
Friday evening suffering from abdominal pain.

As soon as the chief of staff arrived at the emergency room, the premises
were placed under heavy security.
Doctors pronounced Halutz in good health, and he was released.

IDF spokeswoman Brig.-Gen. Miri Regev assured Channel 2 that Halutz was
"completely fine," and was returning to his duties.

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

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Erez Crossing Opening Hours July 30th

July 29th 2006
IDF SPOKESPERSON UPDATE
The Erez crossing will be opened tomorrow, July 30th, for the following
hours: 7:00-10:30 and 15:00-18:00. Please contact the IDF news desk in
advance to inquire whether the crossing is open before heading out in the
direction of the crossing.

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

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: statement by zeev bielski, jewish agency
chairman on terror attack in seattle

JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL-PRESS STATEMENT
29TH JULY,2006

JERUSALEM:THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL, ZEEV BIELSKI
EXPRESSED HIS DEEP SHOCK AT THE MURDER OF PAMELA WAECHTER, AN INNOCENT
INDIVIDUAL, WHO WAS GUNNED DOWN ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE THE ONSET OF THE
SABBATH IN A TERROR ATTACK ON THE BUILDING OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF
GREATER SEATTLE.

BIELSKI CONVEYED HIS CONDOLENCES TO THE WAECHTER FAMILY AND TO MRS ROBIN
BOEHLER, CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER SEATTLE.HE
ALSO WISHED THOSE INJURED IN THE ATTACK A SPEEDY RECOVERY.

BIELSKI STATED:"JUST AS JEWS WORLDWIDE STAND BESIDE ISRAEL AT THIS TIME,WE
IN ISRAEL STAND BESIDE THE JEWS OF THE WORLD."

WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PARTNERSHIP 2000 PROGRAM BETWEEN THE JEWISH
AGENCY AND WORLWIDE JEWISH COMMUNITIES, SEATTLE IS PARTNERED WITH THE
ASHKELON COAST REGION AND THE ISRAELI TOWN OF KIRYAT MALACHI. AT PRESENT
THERE ARE 5 ISRAELI YOUTH PARTICIPATING IN SUMMER CAMPS ORGANIZED BY THE
JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE GREATER SEATTLE.

JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL
www.jewishagency.org

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

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Nablus: IDF troops kill Jihad head

Nablus: IDF troops kill Jihad head
Associated Press, THE JERUSALEM POST Jul. 30, 2006
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1153292028388&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

IDF troops killed a top leader of the Islamic Jihad terror organization in a
West Bank raid Saturday, the group said.
In announcements from mosque loudspeakers, Islamic Jihad said the group's
Nablus leader, Hani Awijan, 29, was killed by undercover IDF troops. The
soldiers came to arrest him while he was playing soccer with friends and
relatives, the group said. Another Islamic Jihad operative was also killed
in the operation.

The army confirmed soldiers operated in Nablus and said a terrorist was
killed in an exchange of fire.

Israel Radio said Awijan was responsible for a series of attacks on
Israelis. Over the past 17 months, Islamic Jihad has been responsible for
all 12 suicide bombing attacks in Israel, which killed 71 people.

News of the raid spread through Nablus, and large crowds gathered at the
hospital. Jihad activists burned tires in the streets and called for a
general strike in the city. Shops were quickly closed.

While most attention is on the Israel-Lebanon conflict and the month-long
IDF offensive in Gaza, security forces carry out nightly arrest raids in the
West Bank, searching for suspected terror operatives. Often more than 20 are
detained in a single night.

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

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Tables turned in fighting: 26 Hezbollah: 0 IDF dead

IAF hits road on Lebanon-Syria border; IDF leaves Bint Jbail
By Ze'ev Schiff and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies 30 July
2006
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/743736.html

An Israel Air Force air strike closed Lebanon's main crossing point to Syria
on Saturday for the first time since the start of the war between Israel and
Hizbollah, security sources said.

Three air strikes hit the road between Lebanese and Syrian immigration
offices at Masnaa area in the eastern Bekaa Valley, approximately 1 km
inland on the Lebanese side of the border, they said. There were no
casualties.

Traffic on the border had been interrupted by IAF attacks nearby, but it was
the first time it had been declared closed in the 18-day Israeli onslaught
in Lebanon.

The Israel Defense Forces said it had struck the road to cut arms supply
routes from Syria to Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.

"The military attacked the road from Lebanon to Syria to prevent the
smuggling of weapons," an IDF spokeswoman said.

An IDF officer said early Sunday that despite continued arms smuggling from
Syria to Lebanon, Israel has no plans of attacking Syria, Israel Radion
reported.

IAF aircrafts have been pounding southern Lebanon, southern Beirut and other
parts of the country in a war against Hezbollah which began after the
guerrilla group captured two IDF soldiers and began firing barrages of
rockets into Israeli territory.

6 soldiers hurt in clashes with Hezbollah
Israel Defense Forces troops pulled out of the southern Lebanon town of Bint
Jbail on Saturday afternoon, after clashes with Hezbollah left six soldiers
wounded and some 26 guerillas dead.

Armored Corps soldiers were still operating around the town, and were in
control of certain areas.

One of the soldiers sustained moderate-to-serious wounds when a rocket
misfired. The others were lightly hurt during clashes. All of the wounded
were transferred to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa.

During the day's fighting, a joint force of Paratroopers and soldiers from
the Golani Brigade seized Hezbollah equipment including five anti-tank
missiles, 30 hand grenades, 41 clips and 10 bullet proof vests.

"(Israeli) forces are still there at the moment," an army spokeswoman said.

Two UN peacekeepers hurt in IAF strike on UN post
Two Indian peacekeepers wounded in IAF strike on UN post in south Lebanon
Two United Nations peacekeepers were wounded Saturday when an IAF strike hit
near their border post in southern Lebanon, a spokesman said.

The two soldiers from the Indian battalion of the United Nations Interim
Force in Lebanon were "moderately wounded as a result of the impact of an
aerial bomb that hit in the vicinity" of their position in the border
village of Adaisseh, UNIFIL spokesman Milos Strugar said.

The two soldiers were evacuated to a UNIFIL hospital in the town of Ibl
Saqi.

Strugar said the observation tower inside the position was damaged.

Four unarmed officers with the UN observer force in south Lebanon were
killed in an IAF strike that destroyed their bunker in southern Lebanon on
Tuesday. The deaths sparked an angry spat between the world body and Israel
when UN chief Kofi Annan said the hit appeared intentional, which Israel
denied.

IAF hits bridges on Orontes River
Two IAF raids destroyed a bridge on the Orontes River in the Bekaa Valley
early Saturday, largely cutting off the town of Hermel from the rest of the
country. There were no casualties, residents said.

Meanwhile, IAF warplanes took out the launchers used by Hezbollah to fire a
new kind of missile at the Afula area, the furthest south that the guerilla
group has reached since it began battering the north of Israel more than two
weeks ago.

The initial investigation revealed that the missile has a range of 90
kilometers. The northern district police said that this kind of missile had
not landed in the area before. The level of damage caused by the missile
impact and the size of the warhead is also unprecedented, suggesting that it
could have weighed up to 100 kilograms.

Security officials are looking into the possibility that the missile could
have originated in Iran, and may even be a Zelzal missile, which has a range
of up to 200 kilometers. Hezbollah has moved some of its rocket and missile
launchers further north inside Lebanon following IAF attacks to destroy
them.

On Thursday night, IAF planes fired more than 30 missiles at suspected
Hezbollah hideouts in hills and mountainous areas in southeastern Lebanon.
The day before, the IAF scored a direct hit against Hezbollah's missile
command center deployed in Tyre, which was responsible for firing rockets on
the Haifa area.

The IDF believes that at least 200 Hezbollah operatives have been killed
since the fighting began more than two weeks ago, a military source said
Friday.

IAF warplanes struck three buildings in a village near the market town of
Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon as they renewed attacks on suspected Hezbollah
targets Friday, killing a Jordanian citizen and a Lebanese couple and
wounding nine people, including four children, Lebanese security officials
said.

IDF troops also killed five Hezbollah operatives in the Lebanese town of
Bint Jbail before dawn Friday, Israel Radio reported.

Israeli jets staged four bombing runs that left roads damaged in
southeastern Lebanon, the security officials said. No casualties were
reported.

Israeli artillery pounded the border village of Arnoun on Friday. The
village is outside Nabatiyeh and next to the strategic Crusader's Beaufort
Castle, which has a commanding view of the border area. More than 40 shells
struck the village, sending up clouds of gray smoke, witnesses said.

The security cabinet on Thursday authorized the mobilization of three
divisions of reservists, "to prepare the force for possible developments,"
but said that they will be deployed, if necessary, only after further
approval by the cabinet.

Israel launched its military blitz against Hezbollah on July 12, in response
to the militants' capture of two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border attack.

Lebanon's health minister estimated Thursday that as many as 600 civilians
have been killed so far, though the official toll stood at 382.

A total of 33 Israeli soldiers have died in the fighting and 19 civilians
were killed in Hezbollah's unyielding rocket attacks on Israel's northern
towns, the IDF said.

Mossad, IDF disagree over damage to Hezbollah
The heads of two Israeli intelligence agencies disagree over how much the
IDF assault has damaged Hezbollah, although both say the group has been
weakened.

The Mossad intelligence agency says Hezbollah will be able to continue
fighting at the current level for a long time to come, Mossad head Meir
Dagan said.

However, Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadlin disagrees, seeing Hezbollah
as having been severely damaged.

The IDF believes that at least 200 Hezbollah operatives have been killed
since the fighting began more than two weeks ago, a military source said
Friday.

Also, the IAF scored a successful direct hit Thursday against Hezbollah's
missile command center deployed in Tyre, which has been primarily
responsible for targeting Haifa and its surroundings. The regional command
center was located on the 12th floor of a Tyre building that the IAF
destroyed.

Both intelligence chiefs agree that Hezbollah remains capable of command and
control and still holds long-range missiles in its arsenal, they said at a
security cabinet meeting Thursday.

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

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: [Though Bush say don't reward terror] Rice pushing deal
on Shaba farms, international force

Rice pushing deal on Shaba farms, international force
By Aluf Benn and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents and News Agencies 30 Juy
2006
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/744083.html

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the region Saturday night for
the start of another round of shuttle diplomacy between Jerusalem and
Beirut, aiming to push a diplomatic solution for ending the war in Lebanon.

Rice met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Saturday night in private. She will
depart for Lebanon Sunday and will decide following meetings there whether
to return to Israel for more talks.

The deal being put forth by Rice is for the deployment in Lebanon of an
"international stabilization force" comprising 10,000 to 30,000 troops in
return for Israel's withdrawal from the controversial Shaba Farms, on the
western slopes of Mount Hermon.

The international force would assist the Lebanese army to deploy in southern
Lebanon and inspect the crossings between Syria and Lebanon, so that no arms
will be smuggled to Hezbollah.

Rice did not ask Olmert during their meeting to end the fighting at this
stage, but it is assumed at the Defense Ministry that the IDF has 7 to 10
days to continue its operation in Lebanon.

By Wednesday the U.S. would like to gain approval for a new Security Council
resolution that will call for an end to hostilities.

Israel sources estimate the U.S. will allow a few more days for mopping up
operations by the IDF.

Defense sources said that in view of Rice's return to Israel, it appears
that for the first time since the start of the war, the "diplomatic clock"
is beginning to tick faster.

According to the sources, the General Staff has received orders to
accelerate its offensive on areas close to the border in order to deepen any
possible attack on the Hezbollah before the declaration of a cease-fire.

Sources in Jerusalem said France has agreed to participate in the
international force presented by Rice, and that the release of the abducted
Israeli soldiers would be part of the deal.

France has drawn up a draft UN Security Council resolution that would call
for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Israel and Lebanon and
prepare for the deployment of an international force.

French President Jacques Chirac's office said in a statement on Saturday
that it would not deploy its troops until a cease-fire has been reached.
"The agreement between the sides is a precondition for the entry of a
multinational force in south Lebanon," read the statement.

Rice thanked Olmert Saturday night for allowing the opening of corridors for
the transfer of humanitarian assistance to Lebanese civilians.

Prior to the Olmert-Rice meeting, sources in Jerusalem said the Bush
administration has asked Israel to be flexible over the issue of a pullout
from Shaba Farms, so that the support of the Lebanese government to the deal
being formulated can be assured.

However, following the meeting Saturday night, sources in the Prime
Minister's Office said Rice did not present the withdrawal from Shaba Farms
as a condition for the support of the government of Lebanon. "Our position
is based on the decision of the Security Council that ruled that there is no
territorial dispute between us [Lebanon and Israel]," the sources said.

The Bush administration would like to further the Shaba Farms issue as a
gesture to Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, which would be in return
for an official Lebanese government request for such a force to be deployed
in its territory.

Over the weekend Olmert indicated his willingness to discuss the Shaba Farms
issue.

In response to a press question, officials at the Prime Minister's Office
reiterated the view Olmert presented during a meeting with France's Chirac,
during their meeting last month, that Israel will agree to talk about a
pullout from Shaba Farms after Security Council resolution 1559 calling for
the disarmament of Hezbollah is implemented and following the international
recognition of a Syrian declaration that the Shaba Farms are Lebanese
territory.

The defense establishment is opposed to the inclusion of Shaba Farms into
any diplomatic arrangement for ending the current confrontation, out of
concern that this will be interpreted as an achievement by Hezbollah's
leadership. The IDF is not opposed to a pullout on security grounds, but
would prefer to see the matter raised under different circumstances and not
as part of a cease-fire deal.

The defense establishment is also willing to release the three Lebanese
prisoners held in Israel, in return for a return of the abducted soldiers,
Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.

France presents UN draft resolution calling for immediate ceasefire
France has drawn up a draft UN Security Council resolution that would call
for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Israel and Lebanon and
prepare for the deployment of an international force.

The document, distributed to the 15 Security Council members on Saturday,
anticipates a draft resolution the United States is planning that would
place up to 20,000 peacekeepers along Lebanon's borders with Israel and with
Syria.

On Monday, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will preside over a meeting of
possible troop contributors to such a force, which would include the
25-member European Union, which has expressed interest, as well as Turkey
and nations now contributing to a UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

Chirac, whose country has emerged as the potential leader of the force, has
said troops could not be sent until there was a cease-fire accompanied by a
political deal.

In many respects, the French draft is similar to proposals the United States
and Annan have been discussing, except that it calls for an immediate end to
the fighting. The United States alone has refused to back such calls,
arguing that conditions first had to be ripe for a sustainable cease-fire.

At least 483 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Lebanon in the
conflict, and 51 Israelis have died.

In addition to an immediate cessation of hostilities, France, in its draft
resolution, outlined the following conditions for a permanent cease-fire:

-The release of abducted Israeli soldiers and "settlement of issue" of
Lebanese prisoners in Israel.

-Disarmament of all militia in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, and the
deployment of the Lebanese army along the Israeli-Lebanese border and
throughout the country

-A buffer zone in southern Lebanon between the Israeli border and the Litani
River, free of any armed personnel and weapons, except those of the Beirut
government's security forces and UN-mandated international forces.

-Annan, in coordination with regional and international parties, is to help
secure agreement in principle from Lebanon and Israel for a political
framework on the above cease-fire conditions.

-The UN Interim Force in Lebanon, after fighting has stopped, is to monitor
implementation of an agreement and help humanitarian access and the return
of the homeless.

-Delineation of international borders in Lebanon, especially the
Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms area, now part of Syria but claimed by
Lebanon. Hizbollah, before the current fighting, has used the Shebaa Farms
to justify armed resistance against Israel.

-The Security Council, after confirmation that Lebanon and Israeli have
agreed in principle on a political framework for a sustainable cease-fire,
should authorize deployment of an international force to support the
Lebanese armed forces.

Hezbollah ministers agree to disarm guerillas
Rice welcomed as a "positive step" the agreement by Hezbollah cabinet
members to seek an immediate cease-fire that would include the disarming of
militias.

In Beirut, Hezbollah politicians signed on to a proposed peace package
earlier Saturday that includes strengthening an international force in south
Lebanon and disarming the guerrillas, the government said.

The agreement, reached at a cabinet meeting, was the first time Hezbollah
had agreed to a proposal for ending the crisis that includes the deploying
of international forces.

Speaking to reporters en route to Jerusalem, Rice also praised Lebanese
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora for persuading Hezbollah to agree.

"The most important thing that this does for the process is that it shows a
Lebanese government that is functioning as a Lebanese government," Rice told
reporters traveling with her. "That is in and of itself extremely
important."

Olmert, meanwhile, met with Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Israel Defense
Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz for consultations Saturday, Israel Radio
reported.

Blair: Agreement on peacekeeping force possible within days
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Saturday he believed it was possible
to get agreement on a peacekeeping force for Lebanon within days and that
this could clear the way for a cease-fire.

Asked if he believed it was possible to get agreement on a multinational
force and even a cease-fire within days, Blair told a BBC television
interviewer: "I think that it is possible to do that, provided we are clear
about the ambitions."

"You won't get the force actually in [to Lebanon] within a few days but I
think you could get agreement in principle to the international
stabilization force. You then have to work out the details of it," he said.

"I think you could get a United Nations resolution based on an agreement
between the governments of Israel and Lebanon and I think if people can see
then a pathway to a proper, stable lasting resolution of the conflict then I
think you can get a cease-fire, yes," said Blair, who is in San Francisco
during a five-day U.S. visit.

Blair has come under strong criticism in Britain for supporting Bush and
refraining from calling for an immediate cease-fire.

He denied in the interview that he was giving a green light to Israel to do
what it wanted.

"What is happening in the Lebanon is absolutely terrible for the people
there. ... But you're not going to resolve it unless you can get the
cease-fire on both sides," he said.

The conflict began on July 12, when Hezbollah guerillas in southern Lebanon
carried out a cross-border raid on Israel Defense Forces soldiers patrolling
the frontier, kidnapping two and killing eight others.

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

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Bloglines - John Dean: Neocon Fearmongering and its Consequences


THE BLOVIATOR...home of the well reasoned rant

Cutting through the obfuscation of the mainstream media and the information glut of the blogosphere, in a one-man quest for Partial Information Awareness.


John Dean: Neocon Fearmongering and its Consequences

By akeelshah74@hotmail.com (Akeel Shah)




The following was posted on one of my favorite internet forums. It's a great excerpt from John Dean's latest critique (that's probably far too gentle, 'skewering' is probably more appropriate), of the Bush administration, Conservatives Without Conscience. It describes how the Bushies constantly provoke mass fear to further their political agenda, a hallmark of all authoritarian regimes. Can't wait to read more of this book.

"Any who act as if freedom's defenses are to be found in suppression and suspicion and fear confess a doctrine that is alien to America."
--President Dwight Eisenhower



The following is an excerpt from John Dean's latest book Conservatives Without Conscience and is one of the best summations of this particular political phenomenon as it applies to the current administration that I have seen.


Among the most troubling of the authoritarian and radical tactics being employed by Bush and Cheney are their politics of fear. A favorite gambit of Latin American dictators who run sham democracies, fearmongering has generally been frowned upon in American politics.* Think of the modern presidents who have governed our nation--Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, and Clinton--and the various crises they confronted--the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean war, the cold war, the Cuban missile crisis, the war in Vietnam, Iran's taking of American hostages, the danger to American students in Grenada, Saddam's invasion of Kuwait, the terrorist bombings at the World Trade Center in 1993, and Timothy McVeigh's 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma. None of these presidents resorted to fear in dealing with these situations. None of these presidents made the use of fear a standard procedure or a means of governing (or pursuing office or political goals). To the contrary, all of these presidents sought to avoid preying on the fears of Americans. (It will be noted that Nixon is not included in this list because he did use fear in both his 1968 and 1972 presidential campaigns, and he continued to use this tactic once in office.)

Frightening Americans, nonetheless, has become a standard ploy for Bush, Cheney, and their surrogates. They add a fear factor to every course of action they pursue, whether it is their radical foreign policy of preemptive war, their call for tax cuts, their desire to privatize social security, or their implementation of a radical new health care scheme. This fearmongering began with the administration's political exploitation of the 9/11 tragedy, when it made the fight against terrorists the centerpiece of its presidency. Bush and Cheney launched America's first preemptive war by claiming it necessary to the fight against terrorism. Yet it is almost universally agreed that the war has actually created an incubator in Iraq for a new generation of terrorists who will seek to harm the United States far into the future. Even well-informed friends of the Bush administration have adopted this view. Senator John McCain, in a 2004 speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, expressed his concern that we had "energized the extremists and created a breeding ground for terrorists, dooming the Arab world" in Iraq,84 and former National Security Adviser (to Bush I) Brent Scowcroft bluntly said of the war in Iraq, "This was said to be part of the war on terror, but Iraq feeds terrorism."85

------

*For example, President Alberto Fujimori manipulated the people of Peru for electoral gains and to justify authoritarian practices in 2000 by using the threat of terror. "Elitists and dictators have used fear tactics to control their constituencies since the beginning of time," noted scholar R. D. Davis in "Debunking the Big Lie," in National Minority Politics (November 30, 1995), 37. Chris Ney and Kelly Creedon, authors with expertise on Latin American politics, wrote that "fear won the election" in El Salvador in 2004, noting, "The rhetoric and tactics mirror those employed by other Latin American right-wing parties, including that of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet." They conclude with an observation remarkably applicable to American democracy: "The targeted use of fear is a powerful motivator, especially for people who have been traumatized by war, state terrorism, or economic insecurity. The implications for democratic government whether newly formed or well-established--are deeply disturbing." Chris Ney and Kelly Creedon, "Preemptive Intervention in El Salvador,'' Peacework (May 2004), 15.

------

Among the few who have spoken out against the politics of fear, no one has done so more forcefully, and with less notice in the mainstream news media, than former vice president Al Gore, who was the keynote speaker at a conference in February 2004 titled "Fear: Its Political Uses and Abuses." Gore analyzed the administration's continuous use of fear since 9/11 and expressed grave concern that no one was correcting the misinformation being fed to Americans by Bush and Cheney. "Fear drives out reason. Fear suppresses the politics of discourse and opens the door to the politics of destruction," Gore observed. "President Dwight Eisenhower said this: 'Any who act as if freedoms defenses are to be found in suppression and suspicion and fear confess a doctrine that is alien to America.' But only fifteen years later," Gore continued, "when Eisenhower's vice president, Richard Nixon, became president, we saw the beginning of a major change in America's politics. Nixon, in a sense, embodied that spirit of suppression and suspicion and fear that Eisenhower had denounced." Getting right to the point, Gore continued, "In many ways, George W. Bush reminds me of Nixon more than any other president....Like Bush, Nixon understood the political uses and misuses of fear." While much of the press has ignored Bush's and Cheney's fearmongering, letters to the editor occasionally surface to address it, like the letter from Steve Mavros to the New York Times saying he was "sick and tired of living in fear," yet "President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney want us to fear everything. Fear the terrorists, fear Muslims, fear gays."86

By and large Bush, Cheney, and their White House media operation have churned out fear with very few challenges from the media. Cheney regularly tells Americans that we are "up against an adversary who, with a relatively small number of people, could come together and mount a devastating attack against the United States," adding, "The ultimate threat now would be a group of al Qaeda in the middle of one of our cities with a nuclear weapon."87 Did the interviewer ask how likely that might be? Or what the government was doing to prevent it or to minimize its impact? No such questions were raised. The Bush White House understands that the media will treat their fearmongering as news, because fear sells news; it keeps people reading, watching, and waiting for updates. There is more fear to come, for the Bush White House is relying on it in their campaign for the 2006 midterm congressional elections. This, in turn, will set the stage for the 2008 presidential election, where authoritarians will make certain fear is a prominent part of the platform.

Bush's top political strategist, Karl Rove, gave the word to the political troops at a meeting of the Republican National Committee in early 2006. "America is at war--and so our national security is at the forefront of the minds of Americans," Rove said, as he rattled the White House saber. "The United States faces a ruthless enemy--and we need a commander-in-chief and a Congress who understand the nature of the threat and the gravity of this moment. President Bush and the Republican Party do. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for many Democrats."88 I have said little about Rove, principally because this is not a book about the Bush White House. But Karl Rove has all the credentials of a right-wing authoritarian, and if he has a conscience, it has hardly been in evidence during the five years in which he has been in the public eye. He is conspicuously submissive to authority, exceedingly aggressive in pursuing and defending the policies and practices he embraces (namely, whatever George W. Bush believes, or that which is politically expedient), and he is highly conventional. As a political strategist, Rove appreciates the value of fear, so it is not surprising that he proclaimed that the 2006 midterm elections would be won or lost based on how frightened Americans are about terrorism.

A writer for HarperÂ’s magazine recently collected facts that illustrate the 9/11 terror attack from a "detached perspective," leaving out hot hyperbole by making a cold comparison of hard numbers regarding causes of death in the United States:

In 2001, terrorists killed 2,978 people in the United States, including the five killed by anthrax. In that same year, according to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease killed 700,142 Americans and cancer 553,768; various accidents claimed 101,537 lives, suicide 30,622, and homicide, not including the [terror] attacks, another 17,330. As President Bush pointed out in January [2004], no one has been killed by terrorists on American soil since then. Neither, according to the FBI, was anyone killed here by terrorists in 2000. In 1999, the number was one. In 1998, it was three. In 1997, zero.* Even using 2001 as a baseline, the actuarial tables would suggest that our concern about terror mortality ought to be on the order of our concern about fatal workplace injuries (5,431 deaths) or drowning (3,247). To recognize this is not to dishonor the loss to the families of those people killed by terrorists, but neither should their anguish eclipse that of the families of children who died in their infancy that year (27,801). Every death has its horrors.89

On a broad base, Jim Harper, the director of Information Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, has observed, "We can compare the risk of terrorist attack to other dangers our country has historically faced: During the height of the Cold War, we drew within a few figurative minutes of midnight--the moment that the Soviet Union and United States would hurl their world-ending arsenals at one another." Harper further noted that "we didn't throw out the rulebook during the Cold War. The executive branch did not make extravagant claims to power," as are Bush and Cheney.90

------

*The total number of fatalities resulting from the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was 168.

------

Despite such realities, the Bush administration continually presents the public with a worst-case scenario. Clearly, the most serious threat from terrorists is that they obtain a weapon of mass destruction (WMD). But we face another very serious threat: namely, that our own government terrorizes us so much that we are willing to give up the ideals of democracy in exchange for reducing our fear. This threat to democracy seems well understood by Osama bin Laden and his troops. I have noted in the past, and I believe even more strongly today, that "the real danger posed by terrorism for our democracy is not that they can defeat us with physical or military force," rather "terrorism presents its real threat in provoking democratic regimes to embrace and employ authoritarian measures that (1) weaken the fabric of democracy; (2) discredit the government domestically as well as internationally; (3) alienate segments of the population from their government, thereby pushing more people to support (passively, if not outright actively) the terrorist organizations and their causes; and (4) undermine the government's claim to the moral high ground in the battle against the terrorists, while gaining legitimacy for the latter."91 This is precisely what is happening in America today, as Bush and Cheney are being sucker punched by Osama bin Laden. Authoritarianism is everywhere in the federal government, not because Bush and Cheney do not realize what they are doing, but because they are authoritarians, and they are doing what authoritarians do. In the process they have weakened the fabric of democracy, discredited the American government as never before in the eyes of the world, caused people to wonder if terrorists have a legitimate complaint, and taken the United States far from the moral high ground in refusing to abide by basic international law.

In citing the worst-case potential of the next terror attack in the United States--a nuclear weapon, a "dirty bomb," or a chemical or biological weapon that could kill or injure millions of Americans--the Bush administration is not making a baseless argument. Such things could happen. But there is much that can be done to reduce the potential, as well as the impact, of a WMD terror attack. It would, therefore, seem logical--if the Bush administration is truly concerned about such a catastrophic terror strike in the United States--for it to focus its efforts on such measures, rather than simply frightening people.

How serious is the Bush administration about addressing the possibility of another major terror attack in the United States? Remarkably, not very. Notwithstanding the level of importance the administration purportedly places on fighting terrorism, according to the 9/11 Commission's 2005 year-end "report card" Bush and Company were given five Fs, twelve Ds, and two incompletes in categories that included airline passenger screening and improvement of first responders' communication systems. The bipartisan members of the 9/11 Commission found that "there has been little progress in forcing federal agencies to share intelligence and terrorism information and sharply criticized government efforts to secure weapons of mass destruction," according to the Washington Post.* "We believe that the terrorists will strike again," 9/11 Commission chairman Thomas H. Kean told reporters. "If they do, and these reforms that might have prevented such an attack have not been implemented, what will our excuses be?"92 When the president and his cohort continue to raise the threat of terrorism but refuse to implement even the minimum measures recommended by the commission, it is clear they are playing the politics of fear. No one knows when, if ever, terrorists will use a weapon of mass destruction in the United States, but using the issue to frighten people while not addressing the 9/11 Commission's concerns is worse than irresponsible; it is cruel.

It appears that most Republicans are content to allow the Bush White House to engage in fearmongering if that is what is needed to win elections. Many contend that terrorism, after all, is a real threat, and they feel safer with Republicans in charge, because they believe Republicans will deal with the issue more effectively than Democrats. Of course, demagoguery is not new; there have always been and always will be politicians who appeal to emotions rather than reason, because it works.

There are, in fact, relatively few people who are truly intimidated by the possibility of terrorist attacks.** Those few who are genuinely frightened, however, help Bush and Cheney. Dr. Jost and his collaborators, in the study reported in Chapter 1, found that fear of terrorism is a useful recruiting tool for Republicans. When the Bush administration reminds people of terrorism, it clearly works to their political benefit. Jamie Arndt, a psychology professor at the University of Missouri, reported,
"Reminders of death create anxiety that causes people to cling to cultural and societal touchstones." Because the president is such a touchstone, "he may benefit from keeping [terrorism] in people's mind," Arndt said.93 This finding is corroborated by public opinion polls. While political exploitation of terror does not make a tremendous difference in voting behavior, it has been sufficient to keep Bush in the White House. At the outset of the 2004 presidential campaign, President Bush was more trusted than Senator Kerry to do a good job protecting the country from terrorists by a substantial margin of 53 percent to 37 percent.94 A CNN exit poll taken at the end of the race, after Bush had repeatedly raised the issue of terrorism, showed that people voted for Bush over Kerry on this issue by a similar--but better for Bush--58 percent to 40 percent margin.95

Fearmongering has serious political consequences. Timothy Naftali, a diplomatic historian at the University of Virginia who worked as a consultant to the 9/11 Commission, is troubled by the ramifications of Bush, Cheney, et al.'s use of fear and their politicizing of policies needed to deal with terrorism. A reviewer for Foreign Affairs noted that in Naftali's view, "the Bush administration's reliance on a 'politics of fear' has stymied a mature national conversation about counterterrorism. He urges the government to keep terrorism at the forefront of its concerns and pursue a pragmatic foreign policy while helping the public put the threat in perspective and evaluate the difficult tradeoffs between national security and civil liberties."96 Al Gore, in his keynote address at the 2004 conference on fear, also noted the consequences of Bush's preying on American fears. "Fear was activated on September 11 in all of us to a greater or lesser degree," Gore observed. "And because it was difficult to modulate or to change in particular specifics, it was exploitable for a variety of purposes unrelated to the initial cause of the fear. When the president of the United States stood before the people of this nation--in the same speech in which he used the forged document--he asked the nation to 'imagine' how fearful it would feel if Saddam Hussein gave a nuclear weapon to terrorists who then exploded it in our country. Because our nation had been subjected to the fearful, tragic, cruel attack of 9/11, when our president asked us to imagine with him a new fear, it was easy enough to bypass the reasoning process, and short-circuit the normal discourse that takes place in a healthy democracy with a give-and-take among people who could say, Wait a minute, Mr. President. Where's your evidence? There is no connection between Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.' At one point, President Bush actually said, 'You can't distinguish between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.' He actually said that," Gore added, and with disappointment explained how even he had trusted Bush to do the right thing, but that Bush had abused the trust people had in him.97

In short, fear takes reasoning out of the decision-making process, which our history has shown us often enough can have dangerous and long-lasting consequences. If Americans cannot engage in analytical thinking as a result of Republicans' using fear for their own political purposes, we are all in serious trouble. I am sure I am not alone in worrying about the road that we are now on, and where the current authoritarianism is taking the country. I only wish more people would talk about it.



And some more info from the same person who posted the first article:

Dean's book draws on an impressive array of historical facts and empirical evidence to show how the conservative movement in America has been hijacked and is now dominated by authoritarianism, both at the leadership as well as the popular level.

While familiar with some of the early pioneers who have helped us better understand the authoritarian social/psychological/political phenomenon such as Hannah Arendt and Stanley Milgram, I was unfamiliar with DeanÂ’s references to the more recent work in this area by those such as Bob Altemeyer.

The focus of DeanÂ’s book is on right-wing authoritarianism as it has expressed itself in the United States. While authoritarianism isn'’t exclusively a right-wing political phenomenon, empirical evidence demonstrates that it is primarily so. Someone who is an authoritarian personality type is much more likely to also be identified with the political right (as well as the religious right in particular) than the political left.

Recent research by those such as Altemeyer and others end up with the division of authoritarianism into three distinct sub-categories: 1) Social Dominators—Leaders; 2) Right-Wing Authoritarian —Followers; 3) The “very scary” Double Highs, i.e., those who score highly on both the Social Dominator as well as the Right-Wing Authoritarian scale.

The characteristics of the above authoritarian sub-categories are as follows (an asterisk represents a required characteristic):


Social Dominators- —Leaders:


typically men
dominating*
• opposes equality*
• desirous of personal power*
• amoral*
• intimidating and bullying
faintly hedonistic
• vengeful
• pitiless
• exploitive
• manipulative
• dishonest
cheats to win
• highly prejudiced (racist, sexist, homophobic)
• mean-spirited
• militant
• nationalistic
• tells others what they want to hear
• takes advantage of "suckers"
• specializes in creating false images to sell self
• may or may not be religious
• usually politically and economically conservative/Republican



Right-Wing Authoritarian- Followers:

men and women
• submissive to authority*
• aggressive on behalf of authority*
• conventional*
• highly religious
• moderate to little education
• trust untrustworthy authorities
• prejudiced (particularly against homosexuals, women, and followers
of religions other than their own)
mean-spirited
• narrow-minded
• intolerant
• bullying
• zealous
• dogmatic
• uncritical toward chosen authority
• hypocritical
• inconsistent and contradictory
• prone to panic easily
• highly self-righteous
• moralistic
• strict disciplinarian
• severely punitive
• demands loyalty and returns it
• little self-awareness
usually politically and economically conservative/Republican



The real danger to society is when authoritarian leaders (current GOP leadership) team up with authoritarian followers (majority of current GOP base). That's when you end up with creeping political authoritarianism, known also as fascism.



I know more than a little over the top, but the pic is hilarious...and disturbing at the same time. Perfect! ;-)


OK Johnny boy. You've more than made up for that sordid episode covering up for tricky dicky...but keep it coming anyway!




In Plane Site at Metacafe


9/11 Documentary - video powered by Metacafe

new articles on APFN


IS BUSH TRYING TO DODGE THE GALLOWS? — By Dave Lindorff, Sat Jul 29 16:00
[apfn-1] Secret 2001 Pentagon Plan to Attack Lebanon — Dscoffins@aol.com, Sat Jul 29 16:06
Professor Kevin Barrett, his controversial 9/11 views — The Voice of Arizona Radio Show, Sat Jul 29 17:03
DAY 19: AUDIO: "Crisis in the Middle East" — "Radio Your Way", Sat Jul 29 17:26
NON-FICTIONAL REALITY BASED INFORMATION ABOUT HEZBOLLAH — Hanna Jaeckel, Sat Jul 29 18:00
Memo to Condi: Iran is Shiite — Curtis Roys, Sat Jul 29 18:22
George W. Bush - Terrorist in the White House — THE WAR FOR ISRAEL, Sat Jul 29 20:18
THE FREE FLOW OF INFOMATION ACT.. — CONSTITUTATIONAL CRISIS !!!!, Sat Jul 29 20:33
Middle East: The Myth of Strategic Supremacy — Patrick Seale, Sat Jul 29 23:15
SWITCH TO DISTILLED WATER AND LIVE! — Ralph C. Whitley, Sr. a Veteran of One, Sat Jul 29 23:27
THE FREE FLOW OF INFOMATION ACT.. — National Press Club, Sat Jul 29 23:33
7/29/06 - C-SPAN 9/11 TRUTH CONF. HOST: ALEX JONES — "Radio Your Way", Sat Jul 29 23:40


The Israel Lobby in UK


Interesting Angle

Israeli Army Captain seeks asylum in USReuven Schossen, a former Israeli Army Captain, exposes corruption that he saw, and now seeks asylum in the USA.
http://www.iamthewitness.com/DarylBradfordSmith_Ruben-Schossen-15June2006.html

BELLACIAO - Israeli Army Captain seeks asylum in US - Jasper - Collective Bellaciao

Blogged with Flock


Bloglines - STATE DEPT. HID IRAQ OVERRUNS

Cosmic Iguana - Voice of the Evil Doers
Faith-based News for Extra-Terrestrials

STATE DEPT. HID IRAQ OVERRUNS

By cosmici

NY TIMES:

The State Department agency in charge of $1.4 billion in reconstruction money in Iraq used an accounting shell game to hide ballooning cost overruns on its projects in Iraq and knowingly withheld information on schedule delays from Congress, a federal audit released late Friday has found.

The agency hid construction overruns by listing them as overhead or administrative costs, according to the audit, written by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, an independent office that reports to Congress and the Pentagon.... [*]

State was usually a bastion of sanity in Repug Admins fighting off the war-mongers in Defense and the WH, but they could not resist the pervasive corruptive stench of BushCo and fell for the temptation of protecting their buddies. They should all be impeached, court martialed, tried, convicted, tarred and feathered and run out of town on a rail.




Bloglines - The horror of it (Plus: An additional note)

CANNONFIRE
Joseph Cannon (cannonfiremail@yahoo.com)

The horror of it (Plus: An additional note)

By Joseph

ISRAEL: HAVE YOU NO CONSCIENCE? These photos of civilian casualties in Lebanon came from uruknet. I have not shown the worst. ADDITIONAL NOTE: Where, exactly, were those Israeli soldiers when they were captured? It's a key question, since that "kidnapping" provided the rationale for this war. For a good discussion of the issue -- including the changing stories and the (deliberate?)




Battle Fatigue


Bloglines - Wanker of the Day

Eschaton



Minions of JINSA?