Hows the view from the top George Will?

http://townhall.com/columnists/GeorgeWill/2009/04/16/forever_in_blue_jeans

Conservative commentator George Will looks down on Americans in general. Well already I have problems with this guy. First of all, he's conservative, synonomous with regressive policy, repression, etc. The same people that thought blacks, women and Native Americans were inferior to white men. But I won't say that about him. That's how I, as well as my brothers, are different. George, the commentator, the co-signer, Mr. 2 cents, believes wearing blue jeans is for kids... as well as animation and video games. Well, one would guess he hasn't considered anything outside of his world of suits and lattes.

On the contrary, his beef with denim isn't railed against all adults, only wealthy adults. I totally agree with George on this, I'm sick of rich people prancing around wearing affordable clothes! They should be wearing top of the line fasion all the time! Well, I only think so because it makes it easier to decide who to mugg in the streets.

Video games came home in the 80's, and there they have carved a comfortable nook in family life. For me, they filled the time I couldn't spend outside, with my working parents, or mutilating kittens. Outside of my life I could say for sure its brought people together under a common flag. Sure, we all cringe at the thought of WOW and EVE geeks, but... wait, that shit is a collosal waste of time. But what you do for leisure is what YOU WANT TO DO. The industry agrees, that why its worth billions. Billions of dollars changing hands, new technology being developed, new software, and new manufacturing techniques, are invaluable elements not limited to the gaming culture.

Animation evolved similarly. Animation can tell stories that would otherwise be impossible to tell. Pictures have been used as aids for thousands of years. And if you don't like King of the Hill, Xbox, or denim, then you probably wouldn't be welcome on my block. So, George Will, go fuck yourself.

(And FYI, GQ Magazine endorses denim!)

NAACP calls for firing of N.Y. Post cartoonist

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Leaders of the NAACP on Saturday called for the firing of the New York Post cartoonist whose drawing lampooning the federal stimulus bill has drawn charges that it's racist and encourages violence toward President Obama.

NAACP's Benjamin Todd Jealous says the organization will take issue "national" if Post cartoonist isn't fired.




Speaking at the civil rights group's annual meeting in New York, NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous said that if Sean Delonas is not fired, the group will call for protests of the paper and Fox television affiliates, which are owned by Post parent company News Corp.
"There is consensus that if the Post does not ... get rid of the journalists who are responsible for this bit of hate speech seeing the light of day, that we will move this from a local, regional issue to a very national issue," Jealous said.
The group also called for the cartoonist's editor to be fired.
Many critics said the cartoon played on historically racist images by appearing to compare Obama, the nation's first black president, to a chimpanzee that had been shot by police officers.

The cartoon references the mauling of a Connecticut woman by a chimpanzee who was later shot and killed by police.
In its caption, one of the officers says, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."
Obama had signed the bill the day before the cartoon ran.
On its Web site Thursday, the paper offered a qualified apology, saying it was "most certainly not our intent" to express racism, but also accusing some of jumping at a chance to attack a paper they already disliked. "To them, no apology is due," the paper wrote. "Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon -- even if the opportunists seek to make it something else."
But NAACP Chairman Julian Bond said that explanation rings hollow.
"This is tastelessness taken to the extreme," he said. "For the publication to suggest the only people who object to it are constant critics of the New York Post is beyond ridiculous.
"This was an invitation to assassination of the president of the United States and anyone who was not offended by it doesn't have any sensibilities."

We are all extremists now; UK

For most of the past century, Britain's secret state bugged, blacklisted and spied on leftists, trade unionists and peace campaigners, as well as Irish republicans and anyone else regarded as a "subversive" threat to the established order.
That was all supposed to have been brought to a halt in the wake of the end of the cold war in the early 1990s. MI5 now boasts it has ended its counter-subversion work altogether, having other jihadist fish to fry (it will have soon doubled its staffing and budget on the back of the 9/11 backlash).
Whether those claims should be taken at face value must be open to question. But it now turns out that other arms of the secret state have in any case been stepping up to the plate to fill the gap in the market.
The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) insists that its confidential intelligence unit – reported last week to be now coordinating surveillance and infiltration of "domestic extremists", including anti-war protesters and strikers – is not in fact a new organisation, but has been part of its public order intelligence operations since 1999, liaising with MI5 and its 44 forces' special branch outfits across the country.
But yes, Acpo's spokesman tells me, it is in the business of targeting groups such as those involved in the recent Gaza war protests, trade unionists taking part in secondary industrial action and animal rights organisations – though only if they break the law or "seek to break the law".
Now, that qualification could be used to cover a very wide group of political and industrial activists indeed: including all those students who have been occupying university buildings since the new year in protest at Israel's carnage in the Palestinian territories; all those engineering construction workers who staged mass walkouts at refineries and power stations over the past couple of weeks; and all those who blocked streets – or threw their shoes at police – around the Israeli embassy in London at the height of the Gaza bombardment in January.
Add to that the fact that Acpo, and the government as a whole for that matter, bandies around the term "extremism" without being able to make even a face-saving stab at what it actually means – "there doesn't seem to be a single, commonly agreed definition", Acpo's spokesman concedes – and you have a recipe for a new lease of life for the harassment and criminalisation of legitimate dissent, protest and industrial action.
In case there were any doubt about the kind of thing this intelligence outfit is up to, a recent advertisement for its new boss specified that the unit would be specifically working with government departments, university authorities and private corporations to "remove the threat" of "public disorder that arises from domestic extremism" using "secret data" and "sensitive source material".
But since Acpo operates as a private company outside the Freedom of Information Act – and the budget and staffing of its confidential intelligence unit are, well, confidential – who's going to hold them to genuine account?
It is this kind of blurring of the distinction between political violence and non-violent protest that has seen catch-all anti-terrorist legislation routinely abused in recent years. That's exactly what seems to have happened over the weekend, when police arrested nine people on the M65 motorway near Preston allegedly on their way to join George Galloway's Viva Palestina aid convoy to Gaza.
Security sources said the arrests were in connection with a "potential threat of terrorism in the Middle East" — and it seems they didn't mean a renewed Israeli use of white phosphorus and heavy artillery shells against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza strip.
Six have already been released, but the operation instantly delivered a "Galloway aid convoy link to terror suspects" headline in yesterday's Mail on Sunday, casting a shadow over the 150-vehicle convoy, including 12 ambulances and a fire engine, which is intended to transport £1m worth of aid and highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The crudely politicised timing of these arrests — "security sources" have been quoted as saying the three still being held had been under surveillance for two months – underlines how easy it is to play anti-democratic political games once the mantras of terrorism and national security have been invoked. But the net can be thrown far wider under the even more meaningless badge of "extremism".

Cartel For Thought

Mexican cartels are taking over small towns near the border of the US and Mexico. But something is bothering me about this issue. Supposedly last spring 70 cartel members took over a town, Villa Ahumada, and all the police quit last spring in this town. They are taking specific targeted towns along the border to create strategically placed travel points. That seem really specific for trafficking drugs across the border, and its supposed to be all weed and coca that this is all about. but most bud here in the U.S. is grown in the U.S. But that's not the issue I'm having with this.

Ive heard a lot of theories about how martial law will be implemented and in most cases the "conspirators" say that as we get nearer to this, the U.S. government would use local gangs or gangs in general as a front in the beginning stages of a "martial law" type of status. I really didn't see how this could be possible, but i think I'm starting to see how this might be.

Cartels at this point have the government almost on its knees and according to congress Mexico is becoming a bigger threat to the United States than Iran. Mexico is at the edge of martial law, and this is all from Mexican drug cartels? I thought to myself if the U.S; intended on martial law as an inevitability, they could fund cartels and give them orders, in return for a transaction they believe is valuable without thinking of further down the road consequences. If our country wanted to take control of key positions across the Mexican border, and tell the cartels THEY will be in control of these small towns, they could at a later point take them back from the cartels and use them as a secondary border control after martial law would be implemented in the U.S. In a way it would grant them power to stop people in Mexico AFTER people begin to flea south of the border to avoid capture. What this would allow them is a space to search within outside of the U.S. to find hiding Americans within 80 to 100 miles of the border, where the police and military will be pushed out of by gangs and cartels.
These types of tactics are talked about in tsun tsu's the art of war. the government convinces the cartels they will have the power by giving them power, and you say they already had it, giving them alot of space to work and lots of "we will let this one slide" ideals. Once you have successfully hired your enemy, you use your enemy, than take your enemy/friend as your prisoner, or if they are as influential as they seem, make them your prisoner/employee. Seeing as how they are already so desensitized to blood and death and murder, what better a ruthless prison guard? or the "Lieutenant Stewy" captured from the cartel, getting his name "stewy" from stewing over 3000 people in vats of acid. Would there be a better employee of death? hmmm....

-Pinky

Work Or Riot: YOU CHOOSE!!!!

From time to time I come across pictures that I feel are worth sharing so here one is.

You thought rich was a good thing?

--Ali-- I've recently taken a job as an appliance technician. The job is simple. Fix what is broken, right what is wrong, and in some cases, convince people that coffe served at 150 degrees F. is hot enough. I did about 7 calls a day with my teacher. And of the so far 21 calls I've been to, 14 of them were to clients worth over $500,000. Nine car garages, silverware made of actual silver, Aunt Jemima maids, walls covered in artwork, and appliances worth more than my car were the norm. And, the most consistent factor of all of these people is a friendly nievety. Like they floated on a cloud above regular mortal men. Most of these people aquired weath not through hard work (which decreases the trade deficit and brings actual money to the country), but through the buying and selling of things already made. Most of these people had no clue about the things god honest working men and women know: Ohms, torque, amps, volts, psi, order/serial numbers, lead time, working time (for composites), time sheets. When this country shifted to a bunch of desk jockeys banking on demand of assets (like stock market traders) we lost the strength to create new assets and products. Ford has gone to shit selling ideals of grandure rather than making cars and trucks that fit our actual needs. Do ya get it yet? The GNP will keep going down as long as Americans don't build cars for export, make toys for export, make shirts, make anything at all! Selling value, and creating value are two very different things. Lets get back to work America.

Buy A Gun With Your Stimulus Check??

maybe a little over the top but interesting none the less.

_NorthSide_

Feds consider searches of terrorism blogs

By Thomas Frank, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The Homeland Security Department may soon start scouring the Internet to find blogs and message boards that terrorists use to plan attacks in the USA.
The effort comes as researchers are seeing terrorists increasingly use the Internet to plan bombings, recruit members and spread propaganda. "Blogging and message boards have played a substantial role in allowing communication among those who would do the United States harm," the department said in a recent notice.
Homeland Security officials are looking for companies to search the Internet for postings "in near to real-time which precede" an attack, particularly a bombing. Bombings are "of great concern" because terrorists can easily get materials and make an improvised-explosive device (IED), the department said.
"There is a lot of IED information generated by terrorists everywhere — websites, forums, people telling you where to buy fertilizer and how to plant IEDs," said Hsinchun Chen, director of the University of Arizona's Artificial Intelligence Lab. Chen's "Dark Web" research project has found 500,000,000 terrorist pages and postings, including tens of thousands that discuss IEDs.
Chen and others aren't sure how helpful blogs and message boards will be in uncovering planned attacks.
"I just can't envision a scenario where somebody posts to a message board, 'I'm getting ready to launch an IED at this location,' and the government will find that," said terrorism analyst Matt Devost. A lot of postings about attacks are "fantasy, almost role-playing," Devost said.
Internet searches are used routinely by government agencies, such as the Defense Department, in gathering intelligence, said Chip Ellis of the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism.
The searches use methods similar to a Google query and can be helpful in uncovering the latest IED technology, Ellis said.
Steven Aftergood, an intelligence expert at the Federation of American Scientists, praised Homeland Security for "trying to develop innovative approaches" and said its effort would not jeopardize privacy because the department would be scanning public websites.
The department, which declined comment, has made no decision about using Internet searches and is reviewing statements that companies submitted last month describing their ability to do the searches.

Now Who's the Terrorist!?

http://cryptogon.com/docs/endgame.pdf


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h1955/text

The facts show that our government and its three letter gangs have set in motion a series of events if the form of bills, directives, executive orders, and defense contacts ect. ect. That individually seem almost harmless but combined have a seemingly endless arm of totalitarian power. That should the people of this police state we call our country militarize, mobilize, and organize ourselves in revolution against the oppression and terror of the current regime we will face a seemingly insurmountable level of opposition. Through the implementation of Martial Law, REX-84, and other Continuation Of Government (COG) procedures the government gives itself the power to suspend Habeas Corpus and endless other rights normally protected by the Constitution, it also gives them the power to suspend the Constitution itself. Furthermore it gives them the power to detain citizens of the police state labeled as "Homegrown Domestic Terrorist" for an "undetermined and indefinite" period of time. The reality is that KBR, Halliburton, and politicians working to set up their own forms of shadow government are spending billions of dollars on no-bid contracts to build and or renovate large scale detention facilities. Facilities that are trying to be passed off as FEMA facilities but all evidence points to the contrary. Especially when you read documents like the Immigrations and Customs Enforcements' (ICE) ten year plan entitled "Endgame". Which has already been set into action by the Office of Detention and Removal (DRO). This program specifically targets "potential domestic terrorist" as one of its main objectives. Taxpayer dollars are further being wasted to dispose of links and block access to archived copies of this and many other documents related to this and many of the press releases regarding KBR/Halliburton involvement and contracts regarding the construction of theses detention facilities.

On a closing note, you may read this and generalize this as mere conspiracy theory. But I urge you to do some of your own research and you'll see that I present this to you not as opinions or assumptions but as facts that I as the author have gathered in my own research. If you take nothing from this blog and others but a increased level of dissent or a renewed level of interest on what our government is doing then I have done my part. So once again I strongly urge you to not take what the television tells you what they think you should know but to gather your own information and for your own ideas.

"The government constantly needs a reminder that free citizens will only be governed by consent not control."

_NorthSide_

iRevolt

--ALI-- Its a cause. Its the spirit of America. Its what founded America. Our right to create millitias and bear arms was supposed to be the check against a government gone mad. A government that spends more money on weapons than it does on education. I worked on a base that had over 80 F-16 fighters worth over 32 million each(est. total assets over 3 billion). But I've never seen a public school worth more than ONE F-16.

Do you think the country itself is moving in the right direction? The government has led America for too long, its time to take back the helm; its time to remember its "For the people, by the people."

Obama And The Politics Of Being Biracial

"Talk of the Nation, December 18, 2008 · President-elect Barack Obama defines himself as African-American. His mother is a white American, and his father is a black African. This hits a nerve with some people, who wonder why Obama doesn't use the term biracial to describe his race."


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98455533





--Ali-- Because I am actually biracial, I can directly relate to this phenomenon. It really bothers me when white people get offended, or are confused by Barak Obama calling himself black. These people getting ass hurt by this fact should ask themselves a better question. Why does it matter if he calls himself black instead of mixed? I don't care about race at all. On a test I mark more than one box even if it says "mark one box." I don't go around playing up my black and Korean-ness because it has nothing to do with who I am. It only effects how other people treat me. Halle Berry, Lewis Hamilton, Ne-Yo, Tyson Bedford, Naomi Campbell, Tiger Woods, they're all the first "black" people to win or even dominate predominately white mediums. Its like when someone says "merry Christmas" and you're Jewish or something. Its easier to just go with it.

Timberlands' Earthkeepers; The Official Boot of the Revolution??

_NorthSide_ Stylish, functional, and environmentally responsible? You bet. "One or more major components (i.e. fabric, lining or upper) contain at least 50% recycled polyethylene therephthalate (PET), the plastic used to make soda bottles." So now you can remain stylish as you put in work. Timberland has not only released these environmentally friendly boots but they are also taking actions beyond that.

"What is an EarthKeeper?

OK, we made up the word, but it’s not too hard to figure out. “Earth”—where we all live, plus “keeper”—a protector or guardian. Put them together and ta-da—a new way to call someone who cares about the environment. Earthkeepers are people doing small things, like recycling, biking instead of driving and using energy-efficient light bulbs. And people doing bigger things, like replanting eroded areas and retrofitting their engines to run on bio fuel. You’re probably an Earthkeeper already.

Our Mission

We at Timberland started Earthkeepers because we love the outdoors. Making outdoor boots, shoes and gear is what we do for a living. No more outdoors means no more living. For us—or anyone else. Of course, we realize that by making our products, we’re part of the problem. We believe it’s time for companies, like ours, to take a look at how the way they do business affects the environment and do something about it. Earthkeepers is one way we’re trying to do exactly that. Our goal—inspire and engage one million Earthkeepers. We know we don’t have all the answers. So we hope you share yours. Or, just look around to learn a few things you didn’t already know. Or, help spread the word. The more Earthkeepers the better. You can start by planting a virtual tree.


We’re doing other things, too, like cutting back our emissions, using renewable energy and putting more organic and recycled materials in our gear. Look here for more info on what we’re doing to improve the way we operate. Check back here often to find out more about Earthkeepers and find out about events in your area."

They've also started a very informative and forward thinking website full of useful information about conserving our environment. But they're not just talking they are putting into action practical changes that can help reduce their carbon footprint as well as ours individually. So give them a look and some love and get your earthkeepers, because not only will you look good you ll feel good about doing a bit of your part.

http://earthkeeper.com/blog/

Darfur

"For too long, the people of Darfur have suffered at the hands of a government that is complicit in the bombing, murder, and rape of innocent civilians. My Administration has called these actions by their rightful name: genocide. The world has a responsibility to help put an end to it. ... I promise this to the people of Darfur: the United States will not avert our eyes from a crisis that challenges the conscience of the world." – President George W. Bush, 5/29/07


_NorthSide_ For far too long have the powers of the world that be stood by or turned a blind eye to the atrocities to the people of world. President Bush was quick to chastise Saddam Hussein as an evil dictator that must be removed from power, who no doubt committed horrible acts upon the people of his country. Yet he stands by as hundreds of people are brutalized, murdered, raped, and kidnapped every day in Africa. Where the most innocent beings there is children are kidnapped and brainwashed into becoming soldiers. All because the U.S. and other superpower countries don't stand to gain anything from asserting a presence in countries like Darfur. You may ask why do we not hear about these horrible conditions on Fox news or CNN, its because the media also doesn't stand to gain anything by covering these stories. Not to say that the people of the United States don't care, but more that they are ignorant to the rest of the world because they wait for mainstream media sources to force feed them their daily dose of world news and believe that mainstream media will tell them everything they need to know.

I do not claim to be a world political strategist but I do know that action must be taken to prevent acts such as these from happening. More than making press releases on the White House website.


--ALI--
What hurts me the most about this is that governments around the world dance around the definition of "Genocide." Mostly because there is an active UN resolution that demands immediate and unconditional action by all powers to stop it at all costs. So while they count and sort bodies holding a dictionary in their hands they could have put that shit aside and save lives. I guess they don't see them as people. When someone jumped my boy Shane, I didn't think, does Shane deserve this, what do I have at stake? Hell no, me and Zach bolted straight out the door and handled him, and his friends.

www.eyesondarfur.org/
www.24hoursfordarfur.org/

Operation Iraqi Freedom and National Security

"Operation Iraqi Freedom" and "National Security"

Operation Iraqi Freedom, beginning March 19, 2003, was not in the interest of national security or even "The Global War on Terrorism." In 2003 the Bush administration defined "The Global War on Terrorism" as "[the call] for defeating terrorist organizations of global reach through the direct or indirect use of diplomatic, economic, information, law enforcement, military, financial, intelligence, and other instruments of power." State sponsorship of terrorist are a key concern, especially those seeking weapons of mass destruction, or WMDs (National Strategy). By the time this official mandate was released the Taliban laid in ruins. The haven for Bin Ladens operations in Afghanistan had been pushed under the mountain ranges bordering Pakistan. Then, a new focus would arise from the "long memory" of American interest, Iraq.

Targeting Saddam Husein, who had long been a threat to peace, was not a sudden or vindictive move. In the 1980's Saddam, using chemical weapons, massacred a Shiite village of Kurds. During the same period, during the Iraq Iran war, Saddam authorized the use of chemical weapons to attack Iran. In spite of being the lesser of two evils, his deplorable actions would not be forgotten. The eventual invasion of Kuwait would prompt the first military intervention by a UN supported coalition, fueling deep concern for regional and even worldwide stability. In 1998, after several years of UN disarming of Iraq, Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman sponsored the "Iraq Liberation Act," which made regime change in Iraq and official United States policy (Draper p2). Such change was deemed necessary considering economic sanctions had failed to deter Saddam's efforts to attain nuclear capabilities. With documented attempts to acquire "yellow cake uranium" and high strength aluminum tubes (which could be used to enrich uranium) Saddam's intent was very evident. A nuclear armed Iraq would devastate the region and create conditions not unlike Afghanistan under Taliban rule. "The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. America will not accept a serious and mounting threat to our country and our friends and our allies," (State of the Union p9).

Saddam Hussein did have a history of despotism, however the perceived threat was either overestimated or engineered. The crimes against his people (gassing the Kurds in North-east Iraq) was deplorable and cited to characterize his future intent. I argue that it was an internal affair (Saddam would later be hung for that particular crime) parallel to American enslavement and segregation of African Americans, and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War Two. Although, if you consider the "National Strategy for Combating Terrorism" and the mounting evidence against Saddam, Iraq did fit the profile of a "State sponsor of Terrorism." The underlying conditions and international environment were conducive to terrorist activity (National Strategy p6). But, the central justification for invading Iraq was that Iraq either had or almost had weapons of mass destruction (State of the Union p7-9). But to put it plainly, the credibility of this Intelligence was hidden under bureaucracy, in addition to being completely inaccurate. "We are strongly supporting the International Atomic Energy Agency in its mission to track and control nuclear materials around the world," )State of the Union p6). That's fine, but "in early march, [only weeks] before the invasion of Iraq began [in 2003], the International Atomic Energy Agency dismissed the [yellow cake] uranium reports about Niger, noting that they were based on forged documents," (Sanger 2). True that notice wasn't long before the invasion, but Ambassador Joseph Wilson (sent by the CIA) traveled to Niger in 2002 and found the claims to be false well in advance of even the invasions planning (Wilson 1). Even senior republicans Henry Kissinger and Brent Snowcroft (National Security Advisor to George Bush Senior) warned that "the administration has not shown that Iraq poses an urgent threat to the United States," (Purdum and Tyler 1). It only became more apparent that evidence fueling the charge into Iraq was crafted to suit the agenda (to depose Saddam). Secretary of State Colin Powell attempted to quell the critics in his May 2003 speech. Powell asserted that "the integrity of our process [was] maintained throughout..." and that the evidence was solid (Dao and Shanker 1). The forced resignation of Powell would serve to justify the criticism he set out to defeat. The suspicions of many would later be confirmed by ground forces during the invasion. "It was a surprise to me then, it remains a surprise to me now, that we have not uncovered weapons, as you say, in some forward sites," said Lieutenant General James Conwas, commander of the First Marine Expeditionary Force (Dao and Shanker 2). The 25,000 liters of biological agents, 500 tons of nerve agents, and the 38,000 liters of botulism toxin mentioned in the State of the Union address were never found. The materials to produce them were never found. Only two mobile labs, leftover from before the first Gulf War, were ever found. But as Lt. General James Conwas assures America "believe me, it's not for a lack of trying," (Dao and Shanker 2).

No one can deny that Operation Iraqi Freedom has been a hard fought and exceedingly costly war. But by choosing to act alone (National Strategy 2) America has only itself to blame. The complete failure for the Bush administration to collect credible intelligence, make pre and post war plans, and maintain the checks and balances inherit to our democracy, has caused an unjust, unproductive war. With our military stretched to the breaking point our nation is left more vulnerable than ever. So I say again, Operation Iraqi Freedom, having devestated two nations, is not in the interest of national security.

Works Cited

Dao, James and Thom Shanker. "Powell Defends Information He Used to Justify Iraq War"

The New York Times. 31 May. 2003. 28 Nov. 2008

Draper, Robert. "Prisoner of War" GQ Oct. 2008: 264-265

Langer, David. "After the War: The President; Bush Claim on Iraq Had Flawed Origin, White

House Says."The New York Times July 8, 2003. 28 Nov. 2008

Purdum, Todd and Patrick Tyler. "Top Republicans Break with Bush on Iraq Strategy"

The New York Times. 16 Aug. 2002. 28 Nov. 2008

United States Government. Executive Address. National Strategy for

Combating Terrorism Washington D.C.: United States, February 2003

United States Government. Executive Address. The State of the Union Address Washington D.C.

United States, January 2003

"Wilson: Commuting Libby's Sentence Is 'Corrupt." All Things Considered Narr. Neil Connan.

NPR. 02 July 2007

Blackwater Guards Charged With Manslaughter

Iraq
Blackwater Guards Charged With Manslaughter
NPR.org, December 8, 2008 · Five American security guards charged in connection with the shooting deaths of 14 civilians in Baghdad last year surrendered to federal agents in Utah on Monday.
The Justice Department, which unsealed the indictments on Monday, said the five Blackwater Worldwide guards fired a grenade into a girls' school, shot an unarmed civilian point-blank as he held up his hands and used machine guns on bystanders.
The five guards, who were contracted by the U.S. to protect State Department personnel, surrendered Monday and were due to ask a federal judge in Utah for bail. A sixth Blackwater guard has admitted to killing at least one Iraqi in a plea deal.
"None of these victims was an insurgent, and many were shot while inside of civilian vehicles that were attempting to flee," prosecutors wrote in court documents. "One victim was shot in his chest while standing in the street with his hands up."
The five were charged with 14 counts of manslaughter and 20 counts of attempted manslaughter. They are also charged with using a machine gun to commit a crime of violence, a charge that carries a 30-year minimum sentence.
The incident occurred last year in a busy Baghdad intersection known as Nisoor Square. At the time, witnesses said the security guards opened fire unprovoked. Women and children were among the victims, and the shooting left the square littered with blown-out cars.
The shootings increased tensions between Washington and the fledgling Iraqi government in Baghdad. The Iraqi government sought the right to prosecute the men in Iraqi courts.
The guards who surrendered in Salt Lake City were reportedly hoping to get the case moved to Utah, where they think they'll find sympathetic jurors.
From staff and wire reports

_NorthSide_ I Believe that there may be more to this story than has actually come to light thus far. Furthermore I find it hard to believe that an army for hire such as Blackwater comprised mostly for former military personnel who know first hard the ramifications of violating U.N. and NATO guidelines would fire on innocent civilians unprovoked. Not to say that the Blackwater personnel may not have had made some serious mistakes and and miscalculated split second decisions when being fired upon. Its is easy for us here in the comfort of our homes to make assumptions as to what happened. I think that where this incident first happened the U.S. government tryed to sweep this under the rug and as the Iraqi government continued to pressure Washington for action they finally realized this wasn't going away and expected actions to be taken. I do however find it easy to believe that a company like Blackwater who wouldn't jeopardize its multi-billion dollar defense contracts would quickly throw its personnel under the bus due to increased pressure from the U.S. and Iraqi governments. Should the evidence as the trial progresses further implicate them as they're currently being prosecuted as I do believe that they should be held fully accountable. And I'll eat my words.

Ali- Interesting that Blackwater, a government security contractor, held off prosecution for so long. I don't think moving the case to Utah will help them. True, that place is full of nut jobs, racists, and religious fanatics, but I doubt that even they (probably an all white jury) would condone a murder spree by madmen. Remember Trolley Square? I believe they should be thrown to the mercy of Iraqi courts, since they didn't fall under the UCMJ which normally excludes international prosecution. If the Iraqis get them though, I'm pretty sure they will be hung as soon as the very short trial is over.

Religon?

--Ali-- I was born and raised Muslim. I can't say it influenced me beyond me not eating pork for the first half of my life... and a nagging urge to Jihad against the Infidel... But around 15 years of age I chose to be baptised in a Southern Baptist church. I believed in Christianity. I stopped cursing for 2 years. I chose not to drink or smoke or have sex. I went on mission trips, I witnessed to non-believers, and I even went to Bible study! Living according to the Word was great, but joining the Air Force changed all that. I got married and lost my virginity to my wife, yeah, "awwww." What a crock of shit all that was. I had a head full of ideals that didn't function in the real world. I still believed in God though, nothing would ever change that. However my chosen path waned. I studied Islam again, and even studied with the Mormons. Then I had an epiphany. Anyone that specific about religion, I mean the stuck up Christians, holier than thou Catholics, nut job Mormons, they're all full of shit. You gotta focus on God for a second and then you'll get what I mean. Imagine you are God. Now imagine there are 20 different people saying 20 slightly, but clearly different things about what you, as God, want from us, as people. Some people saying you have to be baptised, circumcised, kosher, this that and the other thing. If you are all powerful God you wouldn't give a shit less about the specifics, all you care is that your creations love each other. I love God, and I spread love through my actions, nuff said.





-Northside- I cant even say how much I agree with Ali, even though I didn't grow up subscribing to and particular religion. I'm thankful I was never forced into a religion I did not choose for myself, I was encouraged to choose what was right for me. I did however grow up in a home of what people would call christian values. But I also have researched many religions and have come to find that we as a people can take many lessons from all religions. I have come to the same conclusion as Ali, that you must come up with a set of values and morals that you think are important to you and what you want for your family. More important than what any one book or person call tell you is, that things like compassion and understanding for others, are above all.