Author: Man Eegee

[From the diaries by susanhu.]

Beware, Eegee is one pissed off Latino right now.

Military officials gave a report detailing the torture that has occurred at the Guantanamo Bay prison in a hearing today before the Senate Armed Forces Committee.

You want outrage?  Here’s outrage:

Interrogators subjected a suspected terrorist to abusive and degrading treatment, forcing him to wear a bra, dance with another man and behave like a dog, military investigators reported Wednesday, saying that justified their call for disciplinary action…. More below:

They said they recommended that Army Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller be reprimanded for failing to oversee his interrogation of the 9-11 suspect at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

But Gen. Bantz J. Craddock, commander of U.S. Southern Command, said he overruled their recommendation and will instead refer the matter to the Army’s inspector general. Craddock concluded that Miller did not violate any U.S. laws or policies, according to officials familiar with the report.

AP via Yahoo – emphasis mine

I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!

The Bush Administration is a failure.  

The Republicans are unfit to govern.  

Tell everyone you know that these fuckers are torturing people in our name AND refusing to hold anyone accountable.

Here is what they are doing in our name:

According to investigators:

_A Female interrogator in one case smeared what she described as menstrual blood — it was fake — on a prisoner, but they recommended no further action on the allegation because it happened some time ago. The woman was disciplined, investigators said.

_A Navy officer threatened one high-value prisoner by saying he would go after his family. This was in violation of U.S. military law, the investigation found.

_Military interrogators impersonated FBI and State Department agents. This practice was stopped after the FBI complained.

_Interrogators improperly used duct tape on a detainee. An FBI agent said a prisoner was bound on the head with duct tape, his mouth covered, because he was chanting verses from the Quran.

_Interrogators used cold, heat, loud music and sleep deprivation on prisoners to break their will to resist interrogation. These techniques were approved at certain times at Guantanamo.

_Chaining a detainee to the floor in a fetal position was not authorized; however, the investigation could not confirm an FBI agent’s allegation that detainees were left in this position for long periods.

These are not allegations.  They have now been officially reported to the United States Senate.

Now will you PLEASE sign the damned blogroll?

</rant&gt

Ugh, I’ve been totally engulfed in my determination to find the RNC talking points that have been referenced in a few articles that I’ve seen.  I figured the best way to find them would be in Freeperville.  I’ll post them below the fold, but then I’m off to take a shower…

Update [2005-7-13 12:3:53 by Man Eegee]: The best response to this, in my opinion, is not to enter the argument with rebuttals, but rather to call them on the B.S. Write letters to your local papers, contact your media sources, Congress(wo)men, Senators, etc.

Let them know that you have read the RNC talking points and are appalled that they are spinning a very serious situation. Our national security has been compromised with the Plame outing, otherwise there wouldn’t even be an investigation.

• Republicans = corrupt
• Republicans = following Bush’s lead and refusing to admit mistakes
• Republicans = playing politics with our national security
• Rinse and Repeat
  If you can stomach it, here’s the link.  Disclaimer:  I have no way of verifying this information.
  

  PARTISAN ATTACKS ON KARL ROVE RESEARCH AND TALKING POINTS
  E-Mail forwarded by Texas GOP National Committeewoman, Denise McNamara | 7/12/05 | Scott Jennings

  Posted on 07/12/2005 10:05:04 PM PDT by anymouse

  • The Democrats Are Engaging In Blatant Partisan Political Attacks.
  • Karl Rove Discouraged A Reporter From Writing A False Story Based On A False Premise.
  • The False Premise Was Joe Wilson’s Allegation That The Vice President Sent Him To Niger And That His Report Was Shown To The Vice President.
  • The Senate Select Committee On Intelligence Confirmed That Rove Was Right And Wilson Was Wrong: The Vice President Didn’t Send Wilson Anywhere.
  • Both The Senate Select Committee On Intelligence And The CIA Found Claims Wilson Has Made To Be Inaccurate.
  • Karl Rove Has Fully Cooperated With This Investigation For More Than A Year And Has Permitted Any Reporter He Spoke With About Joe Wilson To Discuss Their Conversations.
  • Government Investigators Have Specifically Asked Every Witness In This Case, Including Karl Rove, Not To Discuss The Subject Matter Of The Investigation.
  • Time Magazine Reporter Matt Cooper Called Karl Rove, Rove Didn’t Call Cooper.
  • Cooper Told Rove He Called To Discuss Welfare Reform And Brought Up Wilson In Their Conversation.
  • Rove Said He Was Willing To Discuss The Wilson Situation Only If Cooper Promised Not To Use, In An Effort To Kill An Inaccurate Story.

  Cooper’s Own Email Claims Rove Warned Of Potential Inaccuracies In Wilson Information:

  “[Time Reporter Matt] Cooper Wrote That Rove Offered Him A `Big Warning’ Not To `Get Too Far Out On Wilson.’ Rove Told Cooper That Wilson’s Trip Had Not Been Authorized By `DCIA’ – CIA Director George Tenet – Or Vice President Dick Cheney.” (Michael Isikoff, “Matt Cooper’s Source,” Newsweek, 7/18/05)

  Karl Rove’s Lawyer, Robert Luskin: “A Fair-Minded Reading Of Cooper’s E-Mail Is That Rove Was Trying To Discourage Time Magazine From Circulating False Allegations About Cheney, Not Trying To Encourage Them By Saying Anything About Wilson Or His Wife.” (Pete Yost, “White House In A Bind Over Rove E-Mail,” The Associated Press, 7/12/05)

  · Luskin: “The Fair Inference … Is That Rove Was Trying To Warn Time … Away From Perpetuating Things That Turned Out To Be False, And Not Try To Encourage Him To Say Anything About Wilson’s Wife.” (Richard Simon and Richard B. Schmitt, “Democrats Take Aim At Rove In Leak Case,” Los Angeles Times, 7/12/05)

  Rove Didn’t Know Wilson’s Wife Name; Rove Didn’t Say Her Name:

  Newsweek Reporter Michael Isikoff Said Cooper E-Mail Does Not Indicate Rove Knew Plame Was Covert Operative. “[A]s many people have pointed out, and we pointed out, Karl Rove doesn’t identify Valerie Plame by name, so that’s an important distinction. And there’s nothing in the e-mail that indicates whether or not Rove knew that she was a covert operative. In fact, there’s nothing in the e-mail that indicates he does.” (CNN’s, “Inside Politics,” 7/11/05)

  “Luskin Said Yesterday That Rove Did Not Know Plame’s Name And Was Not Actively Trying To Push The Information Into The Public Realm.” (Josh White, “Rove Told Reporter Of Plame’s Role But Didn’t Name Her, Attorney Says,” The Washington Post, 7/11/05)

  Joe Wilson Falsely Claimed That It Was Vice President Cheney Who Sent Him To Niger, But The Vice President Has Said He Never Met Him And Didn’t Know Who Sent Him:

  Wilson Says He Traveled To Niger At CIA Request To Help Provide Response To Vice President’s Office. “In February 2002, I was informed by officials at the Central Intelligence Agency that Vice President Dick Cheney’s office had questions about a particular intelligence report. … The agency officials asked if I would travel to Niger to check out the story so they could provide a response to the vice president’s office.” (Joseph C. Wilson, Op-Ed, “What I Didn’t Find In Africa,” The New York Times, 7/6/03)

  Joe Wilson: “What They Did, What The Office Of The Vice President Did, And, In Fact, I Believe Now From Mr. Libby’s Statement, It Was Probably The Vice President Himself …” (CNN’s “Late Edition,” 8/3/03)

  Vice President Cheney: “I Don’t Know Joe Wilson. I’ve Never Met Joe Wilson. … And Joe Wilson – I Don’t [Know] Who Sent Joe Wilson. He Never Submitted A Report That I Ever Saw When He Came Back.” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 9/14/03)

  CIA Director George Tenet: “In An Effort To Inquire About Certain Reports Involving Niger, CIA’s Counter-Proliferation Experts, On Their Own Initiative, Asked An Individual With Ties To The Region To Make A Visit To See What He Could Learn.” (Central Intelligence Agency, “Statement By George J. Tenet, Director Of Central Intelligence,” Press Release, 7/11/03)

  Tenet: “Because This Report, In Our View, Did Not Resolve Whether Iraq Was Or Was Not Seeking Uranium From Abroad, It Was Given A Normal And Wide Distribution, But We Did Not Brief It To The President, Vice-President Or Other Senior Administration Officials.” (Central Intelligence Agency, “Statement By George J. Tenet, Director Of Central Intelligence,” Press Release, 7/11/03)

  Wilson Denied His Wife Suggested He Travel To Niger, But Documentation Showed She Proposed His Name:

  Wilson Claims His Wife Did Not Suggest He Travel To Niger To Investigate Reports Of Uranium Deal; Instead, Wilson Claims It Came Out Of Meeting With CIA To Discuss Report. CNN’S WOLF BLITZER: “Among other things, you had always said, always maintained, still maintain your wife, Valerie Plame, a CIA officer, had nothing to do with the decision to send to you Niger to inspect reports that uranium might be sold from Niger to Iraq. … Did Valerie Plame, your wife, come up with the idea to send you to Niger?” JOE WILSON: “No. My wife served as a conduit, as I put in my book. When her supervisors asked her to contact me for the purposes of coming into the CIA to discuss all the issues surrounding this allegation of Niger selling uranium to Iraq.” (CNN’s “Lade Edition,” 7/18/04)

  But Senate Select Committee On Intelligence Received Not Only Testimony But Actual Documentation Indicating Wilson’s Wife Proposed Him For Trip. “Some [CIA Counterproliferation Division, or CPD,] officials could not recall how the office decided to contact the former ambassador, however, interviews and documents provided to the Committee indicate that his wife, a CPD employee, suggested his name for the trip. The CPD reports officer told Committee staff that the former ambassador’s wife `offered up his name’ and a memorandum to the Deputy Chief of the CPD on February 12, 2002, from the former ambassador’s wife says, `my husband has good relations with both the PM [prime minister] and the former Minister of Mines (not to mention lots of French contacts), both of whom could possibly shed light on this sort of activity.'” (Select Committee On Intelligence, “Report On The U.S. Intelligence Community’s Prewar Intelligence Assessments On Iraq,” U.S. Senate, 7/7/04)

  Wilson’s Report On Niger Had “Thin” Evidence And Did Not Change Conclusions Of Analysts And Other Reports:

  Officials Said Evidence Was “Thin” And His “Homework Was Shoddy.” (Michael Duffy, “Leaking With A Vengeance,” Time, 10/13/03)

  Senate Select Committee On Intelligence Unanimous Report: “Conclusion 13. The Report On The Former Ambassador’s Trip To Niger, Disseminated In March 2002, Did Not Change Any Analysts’ Assessments Of The Iraq-Niger Uranium Deal.” (Senate Select Committee On Intelligence, “Report On The U.S. Intelligence Community’s Prewar Assessments On Iraq, 7/7/04)

  “For Most Analysts, The Information In The Report Lent More Credibility To The Original Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Report On The Uranium Deal, But State Department Bureau Of Intelligence And Research (IN) Analysts Believed That The Report Supported Their Assessments That Niger Was Unlikely To Be Willing Or Able To Sell Uranium.” (Senate Select Committee On Intelligence, “Report On The U.S. Intelligence Community’s Prewar Assessments On Iraq, 7/7/04)

  CIA Said Wilson’s Findings Did Not Resolve The Issue. “Because [Wilson’s] report, in our view, did not resolve whether Iraq was or was not seeking uranium from abroad, it was given a normal and wide distribution, but we did not brief it to the president, vice president or other senior administration officials. We also had to consider that the former Nigerien officials knew that what they were saying would reach the U.S. government and that this might have influenced what they said.” (Central Intelligence Agency, “Statement By George J. Tenet, Director Of Central Intelligence,” Press Release 7/11/03)

  The Butler Report Claimed That The President’s State Of the Union Statement On Uranium From Africa, “Was Well-Founded.” “We conclude that, on the basis of the intelligence assessments at the time, covering both Niger and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the statements on Iraqi attempts to buy uranium from Africa in the Government’s dossier, and by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons, were well-founded. By extension, we conclude also that the statement in President Bush’s State of the Union Address of 28 January 2003 that: `The British Government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.’ was well-founded.” (The Rt. Hon. The Lord Butler Of Brockwell, “Review Of Intelligence, On Weapons Of Mass Destruction,” 7/14/04)

  Sens. Roberts, Bond And Hatch All Dismissed Wilson’s Claims:

  Sens. Pat Roberts (R-KS), Kit Bond (R-MO) And Orrin Hatch (R-UT) All Stated, “On At Least Two Occasions [Wilson] Admitted That He Had No Direct Knowledge To Support Some Of His Claims And That He Was Drawing On Either Unrelated Past Experiences Or No Information At All.” (Select Committee On Intelligence, “Additional Views Of Chairman Pat Roberts, Joined By Senator Christopher S. Bond And Senator Orrin G. Hatch; Report On The U.S. Intelligence Community’s Prewar Intelligence Assessments On Iraq,” U.S. Senate, 7/7/04)

  “The Former Ambassador, Either By Design Or Through Ignorance, Gave The American People And, For That Matter, The World A Version Of Events That Was Inaccurate, Unsubstantiated, And Misleading.” (Select Committee On Intelligence, “Additional Views Of Chairman Pat Roberts, Joined By Senator Christopher S. Bond And Senator Orrin G. Hatch; Report On The U.S. Intelligence Community’s Prewar Intelligence Assessments On Iraq,” U.S. Senate, 7/7/04)

  “[J]oe Wilson Told Anyone Who Would Listen That The President Had Lied To The American People, That The Vice President Had Lied And That He Had `Debunked’ The Claim That Iraq Was Seeking Uranium From Africa … Not Only Did He NOT `Debunk’ The Claim, He Actually Gave Some Intelligence Analysts Even More Reason To Believe That It May Be True.” (Select Committee On Intelligence, “Additional Views Of Chairman Pat Roberts, Joined By Senator Christopher S. Bond And Senator Orrin G. Hatch; Report On The U.S. Intelligence Community’s Prewar Intelligence Assessments On Iraq,” U.S. Senate, 7/7/04)

  Rove Has Cooperated Fully With Special Investigator:

  “[Luskin] Said Rove Had Fully Cooperated With Special Prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald And The Grand Jury Probe.” (Richard Simon and Richard B. Schmitt, “Democrats Take Aim At Rove In Leak Case,” Los Angeles Times, 7/12/05)

  Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald Has Said Rove Was Not The Focus Of Investigation:

  “[Luskin] Said He Has Received Repeated Assurances From Fitzgerald’s Office That Rove Is Not A Target In The Case.” (Bill Saporito, “When to Give Up a Source,” Time, 7/11/05)

  Cooper Called Rove; Rove Didn’t Call Cooper:

  “Rove’s Lawyer, Robert Luskin, Said [Time Reporter Matt] Cooper Called Rove During The Week Before Novak’s Story Appeared …” (Bill Saporito, “When To Give Up A Source,” Time, 7/11/05)

  Cooper Told Rove He Was Calling To Talk About Welfare Reform:

  “[Luskin] Said Wilson’s Wife Came Up As An Afterthought In A Conversation That Cooper Had Initiated, Primarily For A Story About Welfare Reform.” (Richard Simon and Richard B. Schmitt, “Democrats Take Aim At Rove In Leak Case,” Los Angeles Times, 7/12/05)

  During Cooper/Rove Conversation, Cooper Raised The Question Of Wilson’s Trip:

  “Cooper Had Called Rove To Discuss Other Matters On A Friday Before Deadline, And The Topic Of Wilson Came Up Briefly. Luskin Said Cooper Raised The Question.” (Josh White, “Rove Told Reporter Of Plame’s Role But Didn’t Name Her, Attorney Says,” The Washington Post, 7/11/05)

  Rove Believed He Was Only Discussing Wilson On Background:

  “Cooper Proceeded To Spell Out Some Guidance On A Story That Was Beginning To Roil Washington. He Finished, `Please Don’t Source This To Rove Or Even WH [White House]’ And Suggested Another Reporter Check With The CIA.” (Michael Isikoff, “Matt Cooper’s Source,” Newsweek, 7/18/05)

  Discuss…

I edited the titled from “More Guantanamo Outrage”

The commanding officer of Guantanamo Bay prison was relieved from duty on July 9th due to “allegations of inappropriate management practices” [Duh!]  

From the Boston Globe:

The officer, Captain Leslie J. McCoy, who had commanded Guantanamo since March 2003, was the subject of an investigation into inappropriate personnel and administrative practices unrelated to the base’s detention camp for suspected terrorists.

[snip]

McCoy was relieved of his duties Saturday by Rear Admiral Annette E. Brown, the region commander, who had ”lost confidence in his ability to effectively lead,” Dooling said.

More Guantanamo outrage below the fold…

The military is already trying to spin this as being unrelated to detainee practices.  They are refusing to give any details to the “allegations”, but they are obviously strong enough to merit a transfer.

It’s not a secret that the United States is using torture practices to extract information from “terrorists”.  We are seeing widespread deterioration of our justice system as a result of the Republican Administration.  How do they respond?  By pretending that there isn’t a problem.

Inmates from the US-led war on terror held at the prison camp at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba are well treated, play outdoor sports, and have access to a broad Muslim-approved menu, a US senator who traveled to the site said.

US Senator Pat Roberts, a conservative Republican from Kansas, said on “Fox News Sunday” that he just returned from visiting the Guantanamo detention site.

“They have a Muslim menu down there of 113 dishes,” said Roberts, chairman of the US Senate Intelligence Committee.

“I saw them playing soccer. I saw them playing ping-pong. I saw them playing … I think it was volleyball,” he said.

AFP via Yahoo – emphasis mine

Face it folks, we will continue to torture people until enough of us call for change.  We have to summon the energy to fight back hard against the spin.  

“THEY’RE TERRORISTS!  YOU SUPPORT THE ENEMY!”

Well, here’s a good start for a rebuttal: “They’re not all guilty in Guantanamo”

The Pentagon has determined four more prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, no longer pose much of a threat and plans to release them, a senior official said Friday.

No information on those four was available. The State Department is making arrangements to send them to their home countries, said Rear Adm. James M. McGarrah, who oversees the reviews of prisoners and whether they should remain at Guantanamo, told reporters at the Pentagon.

Their fate was determined by a quasi-judicial process called an administrative review board, which the Pentagon created after human rights groups complained about the indefinite nature of the detentions at the U.S. naval base.

LA Times – emphasis mine

Keep fighting everyone!  We’re making a difference.  For starters, add your name to the list here.  Make a stand for justice.

I wanted to post a follow-up to a diary I submitted during Memorial Weekend.  It was regarding the Gold Star Mothers and their decision to refuse membership to Ligaya Lagman who lost her son, Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman, in 2004 in Afghanistan.

The reason they denied her application for membership was because she was not a U.S. citizen.  Their board refused to make an exception even though she has Permanent Residency status, causing public outcry.

Well, some good news has arrived.  The organization has reversed course and changed their rules.

After hearing about her interest in joining, New York Gov. George Pataki and other lawmakers urged the group to change its rules.

“Quite simply, the loss a mother endures when her son or daughter makes the ultimate sacrifice for our nation — is no less honorable or admirable because of her citizenship status,” Pataki said Monday.

The change was approved unanimously Monday during the American Gold Star Mothers’ annual convention in the Dallas area.

“This change to our constitution was the right thing to do, but we had to make the change the right way,” said Judith Young, the group’s new president.

More than 140 military service members who were not U.S. citizens have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Legal residents who are not citizens have long served in the U.S. military.

AP via MSNBC.com

Thanks to all of you who joined me in respectfully asking the Gold Star Mothers to reconsider.  Now Mrs. Lagman and other foreign-born mothers who have to endure the loss of a child to Bush’s war will receive the support they deserve.

I’ve been trying to find the words to express the crisis we are facing here in the American Southwest with regards to the failed Immigration policies of the United States.  I hope to continue the conversation I started with my first BooTrib diary about the need for our elected officials to take a serious look at reform of our immigration system.

Regardless of how you feel about this issue, there is one underlying factor that cannot be ignored any longer–people are dying by the hundreds in the desert heat of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

More below the fold…
As I’ve mentioned in many comments here, President Bush has soured the debate on Immigration Reform by insisting that it’s a Homeland Security issue.  By using his terrorism meme, this becomes solely about “Securing our Borders” rather than a full-fledged dialog on other issues such as economics and human rights.

Tom Barry, policy director of the International Relations Center, recently wrote this analysis, entitled, “The Immigration Debate: Whose Side Are You On?”.  I recommend that you read the full thing, it’s very good.

This issue concerns me greatly for several reasons.  First of all, I am a 7th generation Arizonan of Mexican descent.  My family was in this area before the current border was in place.  The same blood flows through my veins, through all our veins.  Secondly, I work amongst the Latino activist organizations here in Tucson that are bastions of hard-core liberal Democrats.  We are trying to fight for the human rights of these people but are increasingly frustrated by the lack of focus on this issue.

In May of 2005, Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain introduced the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act (S.1033).  While the bipartisanship signal sent was great, both Senators came under immediate fire from their party bases.  It seems like there is one thing all people can agree to regarding immigration–to disagree.  Why?

RubDMC provides our community with a daily reminder of the human rights crisis in Iraq.  I hope you will all take the time to visit the Derechos Humanos website regularly to see the lives lost here in the United States.  There may not be poetry, but it should still cut deep to the heart.  These people are not criminals, they are immigrants seeking employment or residency to help bring themselves and their families a better life.

Probable hyperthermia; gunshot wound; multiple injuries due to motor vehicle accident; hypothermia due to exposure to the elements…

The crisis will continue as long as the debate remains stagnant.  I hope to jump-start this dialog here.  What are your thoughts?

[From the diaries by susanhu.] The Republican Party has proven once again that they don’t give a damn about the United Nations and what it stands for.  Rather than work together with the international body on important global affairs such as the Iraq debacle, the Darfur crisis, or nuclear proliferation, the Republican Congress has voted to withhold 50% of its annual dues to the United Nations if it doesn’t complete their list of over four dozen reforms.

Details below the fold…
From the Associated Press via Yahoo News:

Led by Republicans, the House voted 221-184 for a bill that would withhold one half of assessed U.S. dues, currently around $440 million a year, if the U.N. doesn’t accomplish nearly four dozen steps to improve its accountability and root out corruption.

Failure to comply would also result in U.S. refusal to support expanded and new peacekeeping missions.

“History shows that when Congress stands tough, when it says that if you don’t reform we are not going to pay, then change occurs,” said House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, R-Ill., author of the legislation.

::: snip :::

The House rejected, on a 216-190 vote, an alternative offered by Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., that would have made similar demands for change but leave it to the secretary of state to decide whether to withhold up to 50 percent of payments.

And of course, the Bug Man himself couldn’t resist spewing out some of his trademark poison:

“Far from promoting justice and respect for international law, the United Nations has become one of the world’s greatest apologists for tyranny and terror,” said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas. “The U.N.’s corruption is so breathtaking in its scope as to be almost universal.”

I will never understand why 51% of this country felt that Republicans were better fit to handle the delicate situation our country finds itself regarding the need for diplomacy.  Bush has created a MESS of our global system.  It will take our party and a small handful of sane Republicans to restore the trust the world once had in the United States as a true leader.

Democrats, and their few Republican allies, said there was no dispute over the need for U.N. reform, but argued that the Hyde approach was heavy-handed. “I can’t believe that when our men and women are fighting in Iraq, that we would move forward with legislation like this when we need to draw countries together,” said Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., who cosponsored the Lantos alternative.

Eight former U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations, including Madeleine Albright and Jeanne Kirkpatrick, also weighed in, telling lawmakers in a letter this week that withholding of dues would “create resentment, build animosity and actually strengthen opponents of reform.”

So what’s the potential impact on the United Nations if the Republican Senate decides to push this through and send it to Bush’s desk?

The Hyde bill, with amendments, lists 46 changes sought. They include cutting the public information budget by 20 percent, establishing an independent oversight board and an ethics office and denying countries that violate human rights from serving on human rights commissions.

The secretary of state would have to certify that 32 of the 46 changes had been met by September 2007, and all 46 by the next year, to avoid a withdrawal of 50 percent of assessed dues.

U.S.-assessed dues account for about 22 percent of the U.N.’s $2 billion annual general budget.

What the HELL are they thinking?  Add this to the loooooong list of proof that they are way out of the mainstream.  The Republicans in Congress are a bunch of radical right-wing chickenhawks and deserve to be tossed out in next year’s elections.

Here is the contact information for Rep. Henry Hyde, the genius who introduced this stupid bill.  Join me in sending him some inbox and fax-clutter expressing our displeasure at his attempt to weaken our international alliances:

Washington D.C.
2110 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4561
Fax: (202) 225-1166

District Office
50 East Oak Street, Suite 200
Addison, IL 60101
Phone: (630) 832-5950
Fax: (630) 832-5969

I would list his email address, but the coward refuses to allow anyone to email him from outside his district.  From his website:

Note: Because of the volume of mail I receive, only residents of the 6th District can e-mail me. Other than this e-mail service, I do not have a public e-mail address for residents outside my district to use.

Here’s the link anyways.  

The House of Representatives is challenging President Bush again by defying one of his veto threats; this time it’s regarding the Patriot Act.

Update [2005-6-15 19:44:3 by Man Eegee]:

For a comprehensive look at how the law changed the way libraries operated, check out this link

Also, be sure to read The Maven’s comment below regarding Rep. Bernie Sander’s reaction to the amendment, which he sponsored.

Details below the fold…

The House voted Wednesday to block the FBI and the Justice Department from using the anti-terror Patriot Act to search library and book store records, responding to complaints about potential invasion of privacy of innocent readers.

Despite a veto threat from President Bush, lawmakers voted 238-187 to block the part of the anti-terrorism law that allows the government to investigate the reading habits of terror suspects.

The vote reversed a narrow loss last year by lawmakers complaining about threats to privacy rights. They narrowed the proposal this year to permit the government to continue to seek out records of Internet use at libraries.

Last year, a similar provision was derailed by a 210-210 tie tally after several Republicans were pressured to switch their votes.

In the meantime, a number of libraries have begun disposing of patrons’ records quickly so they won’t be available if sought under the law.

AP via Yahoo News (Emphasis Mine)

The only reason these Orwellian tactics weren’t reversed last year was because the Republican leadership twisted some of their members’ arms behind their back until they cried Uncle (Rove).

This is a small victory for the Democrats who finally woke up to the fact that maybe the Congress went a little too far in rolling back our personal rights as Americans in the aftermath of 9/11.  (I’m kidding folks, I hate the “Patriot” Act).

So keep your heads up, we’re starting to see some W’s in our column that are worth having.  Now if we can just get rid of the other W…

I floated an idea in one of the Open Threads about doing a weekly roundup of diaries that you may have missed throughout the week.  It seemed to get a good response, so this is Part 1 of the series.  I will probably post these on Sunday nights/early Monday mornings.

I have included the diary link, author, and a brief excerpt of the content.  

Feel free to add comments below with links to diaries you would like to recommend to your fellow BooTribbers that aren’t on the list below the fold.

::: Drum Roll :::
A Real Struggle: Tying together progressive philosophy
by pyrrho, Sun Jun 5th, 2005

For me the real struggle is between:

• those that want to let other people do their own thing,
• and people that want to control other people.

that is the basic conflict for me.

Sunday Griot: Where Strawberries Come From
by Omir the Storyteller, Sun Jun 5th, 2005

This new berry the Creator had created was of course the strawberry.  The Creator made it in the shape of a heart, and He made it sweeter than the other berries, to remind us that love is the most important thing in our lives, and sweet above all else.

Denial, Delusion and Bush, the dry drunk
by profmarcus, Sun Jun 5th, 2005

several years ago, i heard bush described as a “dry drunk…” as a veteran of 12-step programs, that term conjures up a very specific image – someone who, even though he or she has given up the substance of choice, still exhibits all of the behaviors of the addiction… i thought at the time it was an apt description… little did i know how it would continue to manifest down the road…

Under the Big Tent — Gov. Perry’s Circus Arrives in Fort Worth
by muledriver, Sun Jun 5th, 2005

Well, he had a choice. Get the Church to hold a religious service in the Capitol or conduct government business in a Church.   Ah, what the heck. The fundamentalists spent the legislative session in the Capitol giving directions, the polite thing to do
is to go to their place. Besides, it was easier to take the Barnum and Perry Circus to Fort Worth than bring the entire congregation to Austin.

The mother of all Dinosaurs
by boran2, Mon Jun 6th, 2005

Scientists report that 70-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex discovered in Montana, unlike other dinosaur fossils found so far, has soft tissues, including blood vessels and possibly cells lining them, that have retained some of their original flexibility, elasticity and resilience;

Bush, Disassembling and the Way the World Works
by timelord, Mon Jun 6th, 2005

I was party to a conversation about whether Bush actually believes what he says when he insists charges that abuse is going on at Guantanamo are “absurd,” or whether he is really disassembling.

I think the answer is yes and no: he thinks he doesn’t believe it, but he knows it’s true, because that’s how the world works. It’s a belief that links upper class guys like him to working class guys like the saps who voted for him.

Nail Tom Delay and NAIL HIM NOW!!!
by mole333, Mon Jun 6th, 2005

The battle against Republican corruption continues. Generally I focus my efforts on several particularly corrupt Republicans, like Mike Oxley (OH), Roy and Matt Blunt (MO) and Conrad Burns (MT).

But most people are focusing on that most scandal ridden and nastiest of Republicans, Tom DeLay. So I want to push several efforts that represent a renewed attack on DeLay’s corruption.

Coingate: Fund Facts to Know and Tell
by ePluribus Media, Tue Jun 7th, 2005

Official filings for the Tom Noe business that incorporated one of the controversial coin funds are no longer in good order and may limit the legal protections available to him. Noe’s 1995 divorce judgment refers to a second, unnamed partner who may be benefiting from his/her position as co-owner of the coin fund’s parent company. ePluribus Media also offers a brief look at each of Noe’s identified business partners.

A timeline of the related Ohio corporate filings depicts the evolution of Noe’s overlapping and nested coin related companies.

Advani Resigns
by outlanddish, Tue Jun 7th, 2005

Well, here I sit in Texas visiting family, and in India there are dramatic happenings.  The head of the BJP, the Hindu Nationalist Party, has resigned.

Please help with Awaken the MSM campaign
by smintheus, Tue Jun 7th, 2005

So please don’t turn your back on the Awaken the MSM campaign I’ve headquartered at dKos. Many in the Kos diaspora were strong supporters of that campaign last week.  But today the diary really foundered without you. Here is the link, if you care to go over and write some more letters to the media:  http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/7/8421/73358

Italian Referendum on Assisted Procreation
by rom wyo, Wed Jun 8th, 2005

On December 11th, 2003, the Italian Senate passed one of the most reactionary laws in Western Europe regulating assisted procreation. In keeping with Berlusconi’s concept of power, there was no parliamentary debate nor were any of the opposition amendments allowed that would have made the law more palatable for the citizenry of a “modern democratic republic.”

The law was simply ram-rodded through both houses of parliament thanks to Berlusconi’s comfortable rubber-stamp majority. Much to the satisfaction of the Vatican State.

Benefit of the Doubt, Part II
by Aaron Barlow, Wed Jun 8th, 2005

The fundamentalist right has had us on the run for some years now, partly by taking advantage of our inclination to refuse absolutes, to consider, to question.  

They have been hitting us about the head with their certainly.  We have been running away with our tails between our legs, stopping only now and again to look at them, to admire their success and wonder how we can imitate it.

California: energizing the future
by Madrone, Wed Jun 8th, 2005

Imagine the state of California pulling together cities, counties, universities, businesses, energy experts, environmentalists, and citizens to create an energy program that ends our dependence on foreign oil, makes energy a lower cost of doing business, and builds new industries to keep California’s economy healthy.

Catholic Women Watch New Pope
by Frederick Clarkson, Wed Jun 8th, 2005

“As with any transition of power,” CFFC stated in a press release today, “the first 100 days are a crucial indicator and opportunity to establish the values and priorities of a new administration.

As we reach Day 51 of the papacy of Benedict XVI, Catholics for a Free Choice… reveals that the new pope is squandering that chance.

Republican Senate Candidate Endorses Hate Speech!
by Lavoisier1794, Thu Jun 9th, 2005

I received the following email from the Maryland Democratic Party Chair Terry Lierman and it is truly shocking.  Apparently Michael Zak, a speaker at a GOP dinner in Calvert County, said that “mastery over blacks has always been Democratic policy.”  And get this: Lt. Governor Michael Steele, a likely candidate for Senate and favorite of the rightwing blogosphere, called Zak’s book “his favorite book!”

FRC in Bed with KKK
by urizon, Thu Jun 9th, 2005

Dobson’s Family Research Council paid former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke $82,000 for his list of radical right-wing donors.

Now there’s a shocker, huh?

Bolton the Fixer
by Bearpaw, Thu Jun 9th, 2005

It is no longer possible to argue that the Iraqi intelligence estimates of 2002 were not affected by politicization. And John Bolton helped create the chilling climate in which that Iraq NIE had to be written. This was no mere intelligence failure. Sir Richard Dearlove had that exactly right, at the time.  The intelligence was fixed and Bolton was a prime fixer.

SusanHu’s FOIA Project UPDATE
by Tirge Caps, Thu Jun 9th, 2005

The purpose of this diary is to outline the next steps in the enormous task of sorting through the documents made available to the ACLU via their Freedom of Information Act request concerning US detention practices and a list of detainees at Guantanamo Bay made available by the Associated Press.

Recruiting abuse – Ever Jandres (learning disabled Salvadorian) still in the US Army
by keres, Thu Jun 9th, 2005

Wondering what had become of Ever (especially in light of the positive outcome of Ms. Cobb’s protest on behalf of her son), I did a web search and could not find anything past the initial report of Ever’s induction.  So, I emailed Ms. Phillips (she and her husband are working to free Ever) and got the following response:

Philly is In! (US Climate Protection Agreement, that is)
by stand strong, Thu Jun 9th, 2005

So in the meantime from when I first spoke to Mrs. Bolling, even through a tense phone call when she called me out on my above linked comment (whereas her impression of me was almost completely destroyed), she had taken my interest seriously and had been researching ths US Climate Protection Agreement and creating a proposal to deliver to Mayor Street.

Yesterday, I got a phone call that she was preparing to deliver in today.

Today I got a phone call that Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street had signed on.

Calls for Deputy President to be Fired for Corruption
by Londonbear, Thu Jun 9th, 2005

Just in case this got your hopes up, this is about South Africa (with a topical comment on Zimbabwe at the end). The outcome of this and some other cases of corruption allegations in the South African administration will test just how robust institutions of that emerging democracy are.

Bolivia Update: Right backed down
by whataboutbob, Fri Jun 10th, 2005

President Carlos Mesa has resigned, and the next in line of succession, Senate Speaker Hormando Vaca Diez, has also declined the post, which is significant, since he was claiming the post yesterday.

German Justice for 9/11 Suspects
by Dvx, Fri Jun 10th, 2005

Germany’s Federal High Court of Justice (BGH) yesterday affirmed the acquittal of Abdelghani Mzoudi on charges of aiding and abetting the 9/11 hijackers.

Meanwhile, the retrial of fellow student Mounir el Motassadeq on like charges is nearing its end, and defense attorneys see grounds for optimism.

Guatamalen women “all afraid”
by Boudicca, Fri Jun 10th, 2005

And with very good reason: the brutal murder of women and girls is spiralling out of control. Of 500 murders in 2004, only one ended in conviction; many of the murders involve sexual abuse, torture and mutilation. Yet Guatemalan women’s rights have made great strides:

Quotable
by James Benjamin, Fri Jun 10th, 2005 – First Diary

Click the link and you’ll get a book review. It looks like it’ll end up on my list of books to pick up in the near future.  From the book review, it appears that Dr. Pape has done a thorough study of suicide bombings and those who perpetrate suicide bombings.  The basic thrust of his research is that the profile of the suicide bomber as portrayed by our politicians and the mass media is clearly false.
Rather than being under-educated religious fanatics, suicide bombers tend to be educated, secular types whose main objective is to remove occupying powers from their own national soil.

Military Injustice
by debraz, Sat Jun 11th, 2005

Mark Benjamin’s story “Military Injustice” chronicles one soldier’s personal battle with the military he dedicated 16 years of his life to serving. His heartbreaking story shows a web of deceipt and the frightening reality of unchecked power. At a time when our government is espousing the “spread of democracy” and the need for extending the powers of the Patriot Act, Lt. Goodrum’s story chilled me to the core.

Target the Corrupt Republican Campaign (ongoing)
by mole333, Sat Jun 11th, 2005

I ask you to do this because it is the clear context in which the Republican leadership would introduce H.R. 1316, which can be thought of as the “Make Congress More Corrupt” bill, which was approved along party lines, with six Republicans supporting and three Democrats opposing it. See below…

Free Culture II: GNU, RMS, and the Free Software Foundation
by Egarwaen, Sat Jun 11th, 2005

Last time we looked at the roots and reasons of the Free Culture movement. Now we’ll move on a little and look at the first of the Free Culture organizations – the Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project. Both organizations are focused solely on software, but are still significant, as we’ll see shortly.

Welcome BooTribbers of the world!  To help save the modems of our compadres on dial-up, we’re moving the Welcome Wagon over to this part of the pond.

To check out the previous threads, please visit Diane101’s diary here.  

For newcomers, this is a place to introduce yourself to the community as well as get a splash of mojo.  Welcome, and if you want to help out with the Welcome Wagon Crew, please visit this diary.  

Bienvenidos to you all!

Update [2005-6-10 12:18:23 by Man Eegee]:Please Unrecommend Part 12 so they are not both on the Rec. List. Thanks everyone for your help!

Update [2005-6-10 16:9:37 by Man Eegee]: BooTribber Cake or Death has launched Part 14. Please Unrecommend this diary and head on over to the other one and Recommend. I’ll be back soon, I just got released from work early and am now heading home. WOOHOO!

Hi everyone, many of you don’t know me but I’ve been a regular here from the beginning–first as a lurker and now as a proud member of the BMT Welcome Mat Society.  🙂

I wanted to take the time to discuss the way this site has developed over the past three months since it went live.  Many of you have joined over the past few days via links from DailyKos, and to you all I say ‘Welcome’.  The welcome mat is also extended to anyone who just happened to stumble into the Frog Pond on their own.  

The BooMan Tribune, while a spin-off of DailyKos, is not the same site.  Sure the design is similar, there are a lot of crossposts and familiar faces, but a distinct difference in style can be found here.

Follow me below the fold for the Golden Rule of BooMan Tribune…
From the BooMan himself on March 22nd:

Post Script: Today I have had to try to arbitrate my first dispute here at BooTrib and it wasn’t a process I particularly enjoyed. But it comes with the job.
And I just want to disseminate a new rule based on my semi-collected thoughts:

Not everyone is as smart as you. Not everyone one is as well informed as you. Not everyone writes as well as you.

And I don’t care how dumb, ignorant, and illiterate you are, there is someone, somewhere who is more so.

So, when it comes to having disagreements and debates and discussions…this is the rule:

Don’t be a prick.

Don’t act in a way that would get you punched in the face or thrown out of a dinner party. Don’t treat other people with disrespect even if you think they are stupid and ill-informed.

Don’t mock someone because they have trouble expressing themselves.

Don’t be a prick.

That’s the rule.

You can believe it or not, but this rule has worked to a huge extent here.  I realize that we got a big influx of new members recently, but I believe we can still commit to civility and respect towards one another and continue this site trademark.

On another note (this may also change with more members), the pace here is much, much slower than DailyKos.  And that’s okay.  I have found it quite rewarding to be able to chew on a diary for longer than a day <gasp> and then possibly write something in response, or not.  I am constantly humbled by the level of talent, insight and level-headedness found here.  This observation extends to all the new virtual faces I’ve seen, thank you for being an active participant.

To wrap it up, I went from being a lurker to a researcher on the topics that I feel passionate about because of the BooMan Tribune.  There is a lot of hope to be found here but we are going to be walking a tight-rope over the coming days, trying to feel our way through a growth spurt.  

All I can say is:  Let’s be patient.  This includes me.

In the coming days and weeks expect to see a new user guide and updated FAQ’s, as well as top-notch diaries (hopefully from you).  The way I see it, as long as this place continues to be a venue for hope through political activism, then I’m happy to keep swimming around in the Frog Pond.

Peace, Pax, Pace, Pacem y Paz.