by Danny Schechter
The symmetry was perfect. Up in New Haven, where I spent the weekend at the War, Documentary and Iraq conference, we watched “IRAQ FOR SALE†and learned how the war has in many respects been outsourced to private contractors, ie. mercenaries and politically connected corprations, who have profited while the killing goes on and on. And then, yesterday, we learned on page one of the New York Times that, lo and behold, we’ve lost our own country too to the same interests. The war had come home or maybe clearly came from "home." The headline was stark and the facts undeniable:
“In Washington, Contractors Take on Biggest Role Ever.â€
contracting has soared during the Bush presidency, fueled by a philosophy that encourages outsourcing almost all government work.
LETS BE FRIENDS
And while privatization runs rampant in the sewer of corruption that is our Nation’s capitol, the horse-traders and deal-makers in our Congress were being courted by George W. W Bush who knows that to get get along he has to go along with the new power equation. And so there he was “aw shucksing†in with that down home country style asking as Nancy Pelosi spoke of a new era of bi-partisanship. The co-optation of the Democratic majority has begun anew as The Prez told his critics how much he respects them and their right to disagree with him in this “time of war.â€
In a rare appearance before an audience of Democrats, President Bush said Saturday that he did not question the patriotism of those who disagreed with his Iraq strategy and asked lawmakers not to let dissension over the war entirely erode their trust in him.
“I welcome debate in a time of war, and I hope you know that,†Mr. Bush said. “Nor do I consider a belief that if you don’t happen to agree with me, you don’t share the same sense of patriotism I do. You can get that thought out of your mind if that’s what some believe.â€
The president’s words were met with applause from House Democrats, who
gathered here at a secluded resort along the James River for their
annual issues conference. Newly in control of Congress, Democrats
invited Mr. Bush to their retreat, eager to show that they could no
longer be overlooked by the White House.
What more is there to say? The handwriting is on the wall. He has
returned to the playbook he used in Texas, so well documented by Molly
Ivins in her book “Shrub,†where he wooed (ie “worked withâ€) Texas
Democrats (Incidentally, the Pres issued a statement after she died
saying how much he respected and admired his relentless critic in
chief.) Haha.
WASHINGTON POST: Democrats Split on How to End the War Those Who Aren't In Congress Press Clinton and Obama
letters.washingtonpost.com
Meanwhile, another market is blown to smithereens in Baghdad as at
least 125 people die or are wounded as the carnage continues As does
the surge despute growing doubts expressed even by those who favor the
new “plan.†(See Mediachannel video)
letters.washingtonpost.com
The New York Times reports today: "A growing number of Iraqis blamed
the United States for creating conditions that led to the single worst
suicide bombing in the war.''
BBC: BRITS INVOLVED IN SURGE TOO
British officers have expressed serious concerns about the
commitment of Iraqi troops they are training for the new US offensive
in Baghdad.
Their comments underline the scale of the challenge in making the new
security plan for the capital work and continuing problems building up
the new Iraqi army.
The BBC has learnt that the British military is preparing up to 1,500
Iraqi soldiers for service there - a deeper level of involvement in the
US security push in Baghdad than previously acknowledged.
COSTS OF SURGE — UP, UP AND AWAY
A report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office shows that the
real troop increase associated with President Bush's escalation policy
could be as high as 48,000, more than double the 21,500 soldiers that
Bush has claimed. Moreover, despite administration assertions that the
escalation would cost $5.6 billion, the CBO report estimates that
"costs would range from $9 billion to $13 billion for a four-month
deployment and from $20 billion to $27
billion for a 12-month deployment."
Combat units being sent to Iraq need to be backed up by "substantial
support forces, including personnel to staff headquarters, serve as
military police, and provide communications, contracting, engineering,
intelligence, medical, and other services." According to the CBO, while
the Pentagon has specified the number of combat troops being deployed
as part of the escalation, it has "not yet indicated which support
units will be deployed along with the added combat forces, or how many
additional troops will be involved.
And while all this goes on unabated except by some Dem “chatter†and
non-binding blather, an American General takes over in Afghanistan.
“People are confident that this is winnable, “ said the outgoing
British General who sounds like the Russian General who said something
similar, tovarich, years ago. Ho Ho.
www.guardian.co.uk
And Plans for war with Iran move along undetected by the media machine
which sold us one war and is already complicit in selling another.
www.zmag.org
And this despite the fact that the US government cannot prove any link between Iranian actions and the Iraq conflict.
www.latimes.com
DEJAVU ALL OVER AGAIN
Toronto Sun’s Eric Margolis: Fight Against Iran too Familiar
With disturbing deja vu, the U.S. Congress and media are
swallowing the administration's torrent of unproven allegations against
Iran precisely the way they lapped up its grotesque lies about Iraq. www.ichblog.eu/content/view/337/2/
And in that other war—the one against human rights and Constitutional protections:
Life harsher in new Guantanamo unit - Yahoo! News
news.yahoo.com
INDO DISASTER
In another part of the world, the war with global climate change opened a new front as the Mail & Guardian reports:
At least twenty people have been killed in severe flooding in the Indonesian capital
and surrounding areas where nearly 340,000 people have been displaced
following several days of torrential rain, officials said on Sunday.
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso declared "highest alert" for the city at
midnight on Saturday after heavy rains continued in the upper areas
around the city of Bogor.
A friend writes from Jakarta that this is bad, very bad.
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