Dan Lyons
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~ Tuesday, September 30, 2008
More troops in Afgh. will mean more US casualties, more public pressure to attack
Inside Pakistan. That will have disastrous results, turning Pak.populace
even more Vs. US, pro Taliban./
Pakistan Daily News, quoting experts.
Pakistan has nukes.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C09%5C30%5Cstory_30-9-2008_pg7_63
WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG ? for the credit mkt to freeze?
A couple of decades ago, money moved from ordinary people (who WANT to spend)
To wealthy people (who don’t want to spend MORE).
The deflation/recession should have happened then.
But the powerful came up with credit as a temporary solution, as well as imprinting
Ordinary people with the feeling they were entitled to spend drunkenly.
Maggie Thatcher discovered that people who ‘bought’ houses (with huge mortgages) then identified with the rich and voted right-wing. And Bush talked of the
‘ownership’ society.
But finally (with huge deficits and drunken Pentagon spending) the country ran out of money to lend, and the balloon collapsed.
Bush secretly authorized ground attacks within Pakistan.
But local experts warned that if the govt. officially accepted these,
It would fall, and the Pakistan people would side with Taliban.
ABC/30SEPT
AROUND THE WORLD, MOST PEOPLE DO NOT THINK QAEDA HAS BEEN WEAKENED
BY BUSHIES' ‘WAR ON TERROR’
MSNBC/30SEPT
NEW US ALLIES (sunni) THREATENED BY SHIA TAKEOVER.
Us fears Shia won’t pay them.
‘Unemployed, armed, trained, with chain of command…wow.”
WASH POST/30SEPT
IRANIAN INFLUENCE: Much of business in Shia South Iraq is done in FARSI,
(language of Iran)—
Iran rebuilding Iraq infrastructure;
one guy grinned, “US destroyed Saddam, Iran’s worst enemy.”
NYTIMES/30SEPT
INTRADE(ELEC.VOTE PRED.BACKED BY $BETS)
DEMS 338 /GOP 200
OBAMA 63/MCCAIN 37.4
POLLSTER: DEM 229/GOP 174
STRONG: DEM 184/ GOP 158
LEANING: DEM49/ GOP16
~ Monday, September 29, 2008
Swing states pro:Obama
McC leads in NO swing states that went Dem last election.
In swing states that went GOP, he leads by less than 2%.
Pro-Obama swing States: Iowa by 9, N.Mex by6, Colo by 5.4,VA by 1.8.
(Stepahanopolos says that if O. takes N.Mex & Colo, he wins.)
GLOBE & MAIL/29SEPT.
INTRADE(PRED.ELECT.VOTES BACKED BY $BETS):
DEMS 338 /GOP 200
Obama 58/McCain 41
-------------------
Pollster(elect.votes)
Dems 229/gop 174
Strong: dems 182/gop 158
Leaning: dems 47/gop 18
~ Sunday, September 28, 2008
SHIA BOMBED AGAIN? 50 casualties
What is quaeda strategy here?
To enrage Shia so they don't make necessary concessions
to Shia to enable reconciliation.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26928162/
US FEARS ‘OCT.SURPRISE’
i.e., an attack on some visible US target just before election.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/28September
Presumably this would help Obama, but perhaps not.
NO GAIN IN IRAQ /BUSHIE NEGOTIATIONS about US stay in Iraq;
Bushie of course blames Iran.
LATIMES/28SEPT
INTRADE (ELECT.VOTES PREDICTIONS BACKED BY $ BETS)
DEMS 311/GOP 227
OBAMA 58/ MCCAIN 41.5
-----]
POLLSTERS:(Electoral votes)
DEMS 229/GOP 174
STRONG: DEMS 182, GOP 158
LEANING:DEMS 47, GOP 16
~ Saturday, September 27, 2008
NARROW WIN OR LANDSLIDE?
Public polls show narrow electoral win for Obama.
But his aides say these polls ignore huge registration of new Dems.
If he takes Iowa, Colorado, and NewMexico…
“AIM AT ZERO NONCOMBATANTS KILLED, EVEN IF BINLADEN IS DOWN THERE.”
Absurd claim; airstrikes are NECESSARILY indiscriminate,
and airpower fans will continue airstrikes.
Taliban encounters are up 30% over last year.
WASHINGTON POST/27SEPT
INTRADE.COM:(PREDICTIONS BACKED BY $ BETS)
DEMS 311 / GOP 227
Obama 56/McCain 43
----
POLLSTER (ELECTORALVOTES
Dems229, GOP 174/
STRONG :DEMS 182, GOP 149
LEANING: DEMS 47, GOP 25
WHO WON DEBATE?
Uncommitted voters:Obama39%/McCain24%
~ Friday, September 26, 2008
MCCAIN WILL DEBATE:
If he bowed out because his presence & thought were necessary to the bailout discussion, and he was putting country ahead of politics—what then should we think of his
Last-minute decision to show up for the debate? (even when the bailout plan was still in chaos)? Has he now put politics ahead Of his country?
Observers said he contributed little to the discussion.
BOSTON.COM/26SEPT
Pollster.com (summary of all polls)
ELECTORAL VOTE PREDICTION:
DEMS 229/GOP 174
Strong:dems 182/gop146
Leaning: dems 47/gop 28
STRANGE POLL RESULTS: on all important issues, Bush leads McCain by far.
But overall, he leads only by 2 %. /msnbc/26Sept
One explanation: racism.
UNDECIDEDS: 22% OF VOTERS. More pessimist about economy than others.
Trust Obama more on economy 57% to 13%./
Obama 13% ahead in Michigan
SEATTLEPI/26SEPT
~ Thursday, September 25, 2008
DOZENS OF CASUALTIES IN IRAQ/
In Dyala, Sunni insurgents can strike ‘virtually at will’.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/25SEPT
KARZAI DENOUNCES CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AS COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE
Canada pullout in 2011/Dutch pullout in 2010
GLOBE&MAIL/25SEPT
POLLSTER (AVERAGE OF POLLS)
Dems 212/GOP169
STRONG:D 182/GOP 145
Leaning: D34, GOP 23 (1st time D lead here)
Looks like cheap McCain trick not working.
Intrade.com(electoral vote predictions backed by $ bets)
Shows Dems 278/GOP260/NEEDED FOR VICTORY: 270
Obama 14 points over McCain.
WHERE WERE NATO CHOPPERS?
Pak. Troops fired on them,but NATO says they were in Afgh.
Which version will Pakistanis believe/
BBC/25Sept
PRESIDENT NEEDS SMARTS/Earlier, McCain admitted he doesn’t
Understand economic subtleties, ‘But I have smart people around me.’
Sounds good—but different experts often give different advice..
Then the President has to be the Decider—and Bush showed what happens when he makes the wrong decisions.
~ Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Half of Afgh in enemy hands. Situation is dire’ says Rand expert.
Growing concern that Dutch & Canadians will call it quits.
New dire report will not be declassified before election.
Says Pent. Honcho: [Without huge changes] I am convinced that with any amount of troops, within any time, we will not be able to achieve our goals in Afghanistan.
ABC/24SEPT
INTRADE.com: (predictions backed by money bets)
Obama over 10 points ahead of McCain.
OBAMA REJECTS DEBATE POSTPONEMENT.
FRIDAY/6PM EASTERN, 9PMPACIFIC
VA will up benefits for brain-injured.
After all these years of war, VA finally admits
That some of 320,000 ‘mild’ brain damaged vets
Cannot earn a living.
USATODAY/24SEPT
POSTPONE DEBATE? Lincoln ran for office DURING THE CIVIL WAR !
Nor did Roosevelt postpone campaign during WWII !
Americans trust Obama more to handle econ.crisis.
Half of them worry about their own econ.position.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/new-polls-americans-weigh-in-on-economic-crises/
OBAMANS INCLINED TO GO AHEAD WITH FRIDAY DEBATE.
ONLY TWO DAYS FROM NOW !
(McCain’s offer to stop campaign is ONLY IF Obama will stop.)
APGOOGLE/24SEPT
Earlier, Obama sponsored a bill to limit executive ‘golden parachutes’.
McCain voted against this bill.
WASHINGTON POST/24SEPT
McCain SUSPENDS CAMPAIGN !!!(no more TV ads for now) for ‘patriotic’ reasons
(and to delay the debate between Obama and himself).
McCain has slipped 6-9 points behind Obama in polls.
Obama will have to change the content of his ads, at least.
But then, he’s better at positive messages than negative ones.
WASHINGTON POST/24Sept
US IMITATES LOSING SOVIETS
Expert says most GIs in big Afghan bases.
Like Soviets, we control big cities,
But insurgents control villages.
Prescription for defeat.
NEWSWEEK
UNDECIDEDS: poor people (racist?) 18%
With Obama 9 points ahead of M.,
M would have to get over half of the undecideds to win.
YahooNews/24sept
GOP couldn't win even with ALL the undecideds.
GATES PESSIMIST ON AFGH.
Pak.govt. can’t publicly approve of our necessary incursions into Pak.
Most of our supplies come thru Pak.
Afghans are ‘inhospitable’ to strangers.
No big addition to US GIs until next Spring or Summer
More allied troops unlikely.
WASHINGTON POST/24SEPT
POLL: OBAMA SHOOTS AHEAD
52% TO 43%(WashPost/ABC poll)
LONDON TIMES/24 SEPT
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4818022.ece
PAK.FINDS DOWNED US DRONE
US denies that any of its drones are missing.
3 times Pak.army has shot at invading US troops.
GLOBE&MAIL/24SEPT
OIL-SOAKED KIRKUK EXCLUDED FROM ELECTION LAW:
This issue ‘must’ be solved by March ‘09
The remaining votes will likely not be set up this year.
NYTIMES/24SEPT
$700 billion for bailout?Not much, compared to new Pent. Budget ($500,000,000,000).
(That doesn’t count the INVISIBLE parts of Pent. Budget.)
Pent is useless to protect our homeland. Homeland Security: only $40 billion.
SEATTLEPI/24SEPT
DEMS AHEAD IN ELECTORAL VOTES
DEMS 229/GOP166
STRONG: DEMS 186/GOP 146
POLLSTER/24September
INTRADE: Colorado, NewMexico now blue
Obama 6 pts ahead of McCain
~ Tuesday, September 23, 2008
MORE $ IN KEY COUNTIES TO OBAMA
In battleground counties around the country,
Obama raised more in 178 such counties(70%), McC in 69.
MSNBC23SEPT
PALIN KNEW ABOUT FORENSIC CHARGE TO RAPE VICTIMS
$1000 charge to victims for test (e.g., DNA test of rapist).
LONDON TELEGRAPH/23SEPT
BILLIONS MISSING IN IRAQ:
3 Iraqi honchos told Dem Congressional Caucus
that $13,000 MILLIONS couldn’t be traced.
This shold help Dems say “Why waste $ in Iraq
When US is near-bankrupt?”
WASHPOST/23SEPT
DEMS LEAD ON BOTH POLLSTER & INTRADE:
POLLSTER (ELECTORAL VOTES, STRONG + WEAK):
Dems 229/GOP 208
Strong only: DEMS 199,GOP 140
~ Monday, September 22, 2008
MIXED RESULTS: (ELECTORAL VOTES)
Strong + leaning:GOP208,Dems 202
Strong Only: dems 164, GOP 140 !
POLLSTER.COM/22SEPT
TREND TO DEMS: INTRADE.COM (prediction backed by $ bets)
Says: 270 electoral votes needed to win: Dems 298,
GOP 240.
COLO,NEV,NEWMEXICO all now listed as blue.
O. IS 4 PTS AHEAD OF mcC. For some time now.
Even if McC wins (& well he might, with GOP cheating)—
If Dems can take 61% of Senate,&House,
They can override his vetoes and GOP filibusters.
PAK.FIRES ON US COPTER INTRUDERS says a top honcho.
They turned around and went back to afgh.
MSNBC/22SEPT
Pakistan in danger of explosions,
counter-terrorism, more explosions.
Its police are inadequate.
Educated people are leaving.
LONDON TIMES/22SEPT
US / RUSSIA PLAY ‘CHICKEN’: Bushies didn’t hesitate to maneuver in Russ ‘backyard’(Poland, Czech Republic, Georgia). Now Russ send a convoy of war ships
into OUR backyard, into Venezuelan waters.
GLOBE&MAIL/22SEPT
~ Sunday, September 21, 2008
Taliban are better trained than allied forces and increasingly tolerated by local Afghans.
We count insurgent bodies..just as we did in Vietnam and the Soviets did in Afghanistan. What makes us think we can win in Afgh?
Our commanders say we need 10,000 more troops/from where?
Robert Fisk (noted expert) in InternationalClearinghouse, citing London Independent.
SOVEREIGNTY TRUMPS TERROR FIGHT
New Pak. Pres. Says no incursions by US will be allowed
‘in the name of anti-terrorism’.
Msnbc/21sept
“DEREGULATE HEALTH INDUSTRY LIKE BANKS” said McCain,
at an awkward time when even Bushies admit Banks need regulation.
LONDON TIMES/21September
In the past, he has advocated letting people put social security payments
Into the stock market !
300 casualties in Pakistan bombing: intended to wean Pak. From alliance with US.
It might INCREASE Pak. Govt’s fight against terrorists—but US thinks
The new govt. is not very interested in war vs. terrorists.
GOOGLE.NEWS/21sept
~ Friday, September 19, 2008
NEED FAR MORE AFGHAN GIs
Says commander.
ABC/19SEPT
We actually have thousands
Of TROOPS STATIONED AROUND THE WORD
WHO HAVE NEVER SPENT A DAY IN IRAQ
OR AFGHANISTAN—BUT PENTAGON WON’T USE THEM
GATES BEGS FOR MORE AFGHAN $ FROM ALLIES
If they won’t supply enough troops, they they ought to
Contribute money. But will they?
NEWS.YAHOO.COM/19SEPT
Afghan civilian deaths skyrocketing, says UN. 30% by US airstrikes.
GLOBE & MAIL/19September
(US-caused deaths turns ordinary Afghan against us—
while every expert says that their opinion is decisive in this conflict.)
IRAQ/US AGREEMENT COLLAPSING?
Can’t agree on immunity for GIs for crimes outside mil. Operations.
Maliki says they’ll ask UN for stopgap permission for US presence
For one year—but that might not happen either, so US would have to leave or act against Internatl law.
Bush has already conceded withdrawal timeline (which he refused for so long.)
But that concession is not enough.
NYTIMES/19sEPT
INTRADE.COM (PREDICTIONS BACKED BY MONEY BETS) SHOWS DEMS ALREADY WINNING MORE THAN ENOUGH ELECTORAL VOTES !
~ Thursday, September 18, 2008
S/Korea troops out of Iraq/
Once they had 3600 troops there; now the last of them will be withdrawn.
Even if Bushies can’t see it, our allies understand the futility of this project.
SEATTLEPI/19SEPT
MCCAIN CONFUSED ABOUT SPAIN:
Even though the questioner made it clear he was switching to discuss Spain,
McCain bumbled around about Mexico and Latin America.
Did he deliberately want to snub Spain? Earlier, after Spain pulled their troops out of Iraq, he talked about continuing close relations with Spain—a fellow NATO MEMBER!
His advisors, to cover his gaffe, said No, he would not talk to Spain’s premier!
BBC/18September
NEWSEEK GUESSES HE CONFUSED ‘Zapatero’ with the Zapatistas, a left-wing
Group in Mexico.But he wouldn’t admit this.
God help us if his hearing problems get us into more international troubles.
GATES DEFENDS UNAUTHORIZED US ATTACKS IN PAKISTAN
WILL PAK ACCEPT ‘HOT PURSUIT’?
In international custom, it’s OK for US to pursue Afghan attackers into their haven in Pakistan. Yes, but will Pakistanis accept that custom?
That’s what counts, not international opinion.
Remember, Pakistan has nukes.
MEDIA SILENCE ON OUTRAGEOUS MCCAIN STATEMENT
“Having a son in Iraq, she understands natl.security challenges.”
LONDON TELEGRAPH/ LONDON DAILY MAIL
So far, US media are silent about this claim.
Maybe they’re struck speechless.
After all,she can SEE Russia from Alaska!
ADQUATE FOREIGN-POLICY KNOW-HOW?
Just having son in Iraq is enough for Palin, says McCain.
(He hasn't left yet !)
LONDON TELEGRAPH/18SEPT/LONDON DAILY MAIL
So she knows how to deal with Iran, Pakistan, Russia ?
c'mon !!!
RUSS,BUSHIES ARM BORDER-COUNTRIES:
US: Ukraine, Poland, Czechs: /Russ: Venezuela.
Also Russ will sell groundàair missiles
To Iran/
LONDON TIMES/18SEPT
TAL. DON’T NEED PAK.SO MUCH/
They have ‘safe-houses’ near Kabul.
(that means they can attack during winter also.)
LATIMES/18SEPT
OBAMA FOR CHANGE: OVERALL, 48% Obama, 43% McCain/
M seen as ‘typical Republican’/(M better as ‘commander in chief’)/
M support up only among GOP, not among women in general/
Women evenly divided /
75% see Palin as political pick, Not as well-qualified/
46% see M as similar to Bush, 22% as more ‘conservative’./
Economy by far the top issue./Int.HeraldTribune18Sept
~ Wednesday, September 17, 2008
PAK. SENDS JETS TO BORDER (presumably to counter our drone planes
invading Pakistan.) /CHINA NEWS/17Sept
Tribesmen say they’ll help Pak. Army fend off invading Americans.
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS: Recent polls show Americans as much less moralistic
Than before (GOP has always used this moralism to capture votes).
--60%now worry that govt. WON’T DO ENOUGH to help people.
--Peace thru unilateral military power, not thru multilateral diplomacy:
Down from 14 pt lead to 2pt. Lead (in spite of 9/11).
The bad news: change from belief in absolute principles of right/wrong, to
‘Everyone shd.decide this for himself, in particular cases.”
Bad, because it ignores the absolute principle that no nation should start a war
unless they have good reason to believe a) it’s necessary as last resort,
and (b) war will work to prevent disaster without causing side-effect disaster.
NYTimes,p.A27/17SEPT
OBAMA LEADS BY 2 POINTS/
REUTERS/16September
At least the slide toward McCain has stopped.
Obama slightly ahead in INTRADE.com
(predictions backed up by money bets.)
O. also far ahead in STRONG ELECTORAL VOTES
(Pollster.com)
FOUR ‘COALITION’ TROOPS (probably US) KILLED IN AFGH.
SEATTLE PI/17SEPT
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1104ap_as_afghanistan.html
70 IRAQi CASUALTIES THIS WEEK.
~ Tuesday, September 16, 2008
VIOLENCE DOWN: SHIA/IRAN VICTORY
US needs more troops in Iraq than before Surge.
One in six Iraqis is refugee.
US never planned to hand Iraq over to Shias allied with Iran.
That’s what has happened.
THIRTY THOUSAND GIs WOUNDED,
LONDON INDEPENDENT
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-violence-is-down-ndash-but-not-because-of-americas-surge-929896.html
CIVILIAN DEATHS SPIKE:
600 THIS YEAR FROM AFGH ARMY & US
800 BY TALIBAN
REUTERS/16SEPT
You can bet the killings by infidel invader are more vivid to ordinary Afghan.
RUSS/BUSHIE CHICKEN
As NATO says it will welcome Georgia into NATO (next to Russ border)
And PALIN reminds us that any Nato country could drag us into war
With Russia, Putin announces a 27% rise in military spending.
REUTERS/16SEPT
CHANGE (Obama) vs. McCain’s experience:
Most important perceptions/
UPI.COM/16SEPT
M. has failed to grab 'change' banner from O.
PUPPET MALIKI BREAKS STRINGS
He is defying Bushies on several issues. He seems willing to forego a new agreement,
Just asking UN to extend their mandate (for US presence) for one more year.
Iran is gaining more influence over Iraq govt.
LATIMES/16SEPT
~ Monday, September 15, 2008
PULL OUT OF IRAQ IN 2011 OR IN 2015?
Hawks are quick to tell us of disaster if we pull out too soon.
But will the disaster be averted if we stay in for 7 more years?
They have no word on how that’s going to happen.
NUCLEAR ‘CHICKEN’
US sent ships to Georgia. Russ are sending ships to Venezuela,
For ‘war games’.
THE HINDU/15September
http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/12/stories/2008091256031400.htm
Before we invaded Afgh, we should have remembered:
--that Pashtun tribe (center of Tal) is divided between Afgh & Pakistan
--that Pak. Was main sponsor of Taliban;
--that Pakistan has NUKES.
PAKISTAN TROOPS FIRE ON GIs trying to enter Pak.
CHIEFS OF HALF-MILLION PAKISTANIS
THREATEN TO JOIN TALIBAN IN ATTACKING AFGH.
GUARDIAN/15SEPT
PETRAUS ASKS FOR RECONCILIATION (between Sunni, Kurds, & Shia.)
No sign of this happening./NYTIMES.15SEPT
NO AFGHAN SOLUTION WITHOUT HELP OF TALIBAN
Says a US expert. Petraeus also said, “We can’t kill or capture our way out
Of such a strong insurgency. Our soldiers must be diplomats as well as warriors.”
How this is possible, when our GIs are trained only to kill, and can’t speakThe language,
is not clear.
SEATTLEPI/15SEPT
~ Sunday, September 14, 2008
US ATTACKS ON PAK. CD. MEAN TERROR-ATTACKS ON LONDON
Warns Brit honcho.
LONDON TIMES/14SEPT
(Britain has huge Pak. population).
WE CAN’T AFFORD MCCAIN’S TAX CUTS/
Unless we cut govt spending, says Greenspan.
(Earlier, McCain admitted he’s weak on economics,
and that he was reading Greenspan to catch up.)
We (mysteriously) can’t cut nearly $1000 BillionsAnnually for Pentagon.
So McCain proposes cutting Social Security& Medicare.
GLOBE&MAIL/14SEPT
BRIT TROOPS HELP QAEDA: says a UN expert;
Qaeda harnesses traditional Afghan fears
About foreign takeover.
GUARDIAN/14SEPT
IN AFGH, WE CAN’T KILL OUR WAY TO VICTORY said Mullen, Pent.honcho.
LATIMES/14SEPT2008sep
But that’s just what we’re trying (everyone agrees we need more GIs in Afgh.)
Killing is what Pent. Does best, esp. indiscriminate killing from the air.
That obsession makes victory impossible.
FOOLISH ALLIANCES: The big powers got sucked into WWI catastrophe by their alliances with small powers—promising to fight on their side if they’re attacked.
Such alliances leave the big powers at the mercy of leaders of small powers, who may be foolish and rash.
Pres. Of Georgia stupidly planned for a long time an invasion of breakaway Ossetia—
Thus he provoked Giant Russia into invading Georgia.
REUTERS 14SEPT
If Georgia had been a member of NATO, we’d be bound by treaty to come to their aid
Militarily—an attack on Russ troops might well lead to nuclear Apocalypse.
(PALIN wants us (a) to admit Georgia into NATO, and then (b) to fight Russia
if they attack NATO member Georgia again. Meanwhile © Russ Pres. Says they WILL attack Georgia again if…
NATO is supposed to be helping us in Afghanistan—but they’re not providing much help. Canada is helping, but they’ve announced they will pull out in 2011.
We should pull out of NATO, which contributes nothing to our safety, but ups the chance for catastrophe.
~ Saturday, September 13, 2008
TOXIC US IMAGE: Among non-Muslim countries, envy, etc.
Among Muslim countries, hatred
(belief that US is out to attack all Muslims).
This among over 1000 millions of people worldwide, of every race and color and educational/economic strata.
ABC/13September
This move from dislike to hatred caused by Bush’s
‘WAR on terrorism’. (For a while, he actually called this
a ‘crusade’. Muslims have never forgotten the medieval
crusades of Christians vs. Muslims.
We should move from attacking Muslim countries to preventing/minimizing
Individuals’Attacks on our Homeland.
MCCAIN’S SMALL GAINS WERE NOT AMONG HIGHLY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE
(WEEKLY CHURCHGOERS)
/THO RELIGIOUS MCCAIN FANS MIGHT HAVE INCREASED DEDICATION.
/USATODAY/GALLUP/13SEPT
FOOLHARDY STUPIDITY:
--Perhaps 140,000 people near Galveston defied evacuation orders and stayed on;
many will be found dead when the hurricane passes over. Were they extra-courageous?
No—they were foolhardy and stupid.
--PALIN OKs a war with Russia if they attack Georgia again after G is admitted to NATO, and Russ Pres. Says they WILL attack again if Georgia moves again against breakaway Ossetia. Is Palin courageous with all her talk about NOT BLINKING?
No, she’s foolhardy and stupid…a war with Russia would leave both Russ and US in ruins—and might well end the human chapter of the earth’s history.
~ Friday, September 12, 2008
RUSS PRES:”I’D ATTACK GEORGIA AGAIN, EVEN ON NATO TRACK”
..if Georgia pulled another stunt like attacking South Ossetia.
REUTERS/12sEPT
Are we all on road to Apocalypse?
Big nations were sucked into WWI catastrope
by foolish alliances like NATO.
PAPERS BURY ‘PALIN OK’s WAR WITH RUSSIA’ STORY:
NY TIMES, LATIMES, USATODAY,BOSTON GLOBE, COLORADOAN--
DID NOT RUN HEADLINE ON THIS SCOOP.
SanFranciscoChron. & Canadian Globe&Mail &English Guardian DID.
SUNNI US ALLIES TO BE UNDER SHIA IRAQ GOVT on Oct 1.
A meeting between Sunni/Shia revealed deep distrust,disagreement.
LATIMES/12SEPT
Georgia invaded South Ossetia (whose people want to secede from Georgia as Georgia seceded from Soviet Union) giving Russia an excuse to invade Georgia.
PALIN (a) advocates admitting Georgia & Ukraine into Nato and
b) advocates war with Russia if they invade Nato member Georgia again.
Both Georgia and Ukraine are on the edge of Russia.
SanFranciscoChronicle/12Sept.
Remember, we invaded Cuba because they were (a) 90 miles from our shore,
And (b) they were too friendly with Russia.
One can imagine Russia calling our bluff; war between Russia and US
(each with thousands of H-bombs and delivery systems) would destroy the ozone layer and perhaps destroy all higher forms of life, including humans.
In the ABC interview, she appeared entirely ignorant of the ‘Bush doctrine’
Which authorizes our PREEMPTIVE strike at any country WE DECIDE is ready
To launch terrorist attacks on US.
(Our intelligence service is quite incompetent.)
~ Thursday, September 11, 2008
PALIN ADVOCATES WAR WITH RUSSIA
(which has enough nukes to wipe US off the face of the earth).
She says Russ could face military action if they invaded one of our NATO allies. Meanwhile, NATO is getting ready to admit Ukraine, right next to Russia, into NATO.
Latimes/11Sept
McCain .5 ahead of Obama, say bookies on Intrade/
However, Obama still far ahead in STRONG electoral votes, says POLLSTER,
188 to 130.
~ Wednesday, September 10, 2008
“YEARS MORE IN IRAQ” says Gates to Congress.
NEWS HOUR/10sept
This sounds like defeat in Afghanistan.
But then, Afgh. doesn’t have oil.
McCAIN & NUKES:
We now have about 100 nuclear power plants, whose waste-ponds are all vulnerable To small planes bombing them.
Since terrorism became a threat, nuke plants are simply goofy.
McCain would try to add 45 new nuke plants.
Congress wouldn’t let him,
And the locales would say, “Not in MY back yard.”
McCain cites his service on a nuke-powered aircraft as expertise on the safety of nuke plants (he had nothing to do with operating the nukes.)
Recently it was revealed that a nuke-submarine has been leaking radioactivity
For two years !
STATE PAID FOR 300 NIGHTS AT HOME:
Palin billed per diem for 300 nights
in her 600 days as Gov.
NYTIMES/10SEPT.
McCain: “Obama says we must lose in Iraq to win in Afgh.
I want to win in both wars.”
He may want pigs to fly, also, but who cares?
“WE’RE NOT WINNING IN AFGH’ says Pentagon.
Reuters/10Sept.
not winning = losing. Taliban can just wait
till we finally bug out==then take over.
ALL CANADIANS OUT OF AFGH.BY 2011
Promises PM.
Globe& mail/10Sept
No US democrat dares to advocate pullout
from BOTH of our pointless, winless wars.
McCain gained:
On POLLSTER:[Electoral votes]
198 STRONG for obama/115 STRONG for McCain.
On Intrade (people backing their choice with a money-bet):
Obama 53/McCain48
~ Tuesday, September 09, 2008
RICE endorses Palin weakly:
‘She gave a great speech’/
”She’s governor of a state”.
Nothing about her competence in foreign affairs.
ABCNEWS/9SEPT
POLLSTER (sums up other polls):
Obama:243 electoral votes/McCain 199
OBAMA:198STRONG ELECTORAL VOTES; mCCain 115
-----
BOOKIE shows slight weakening
INTRADE: obama 53/McCain 47
US ‘PRECISION’ BOMB MISSES
BY 1.5 MILES,
CAUSES 12 CIVILIAN CASUALTIES
Karzai protests again;
US uses airstrikes
To Minimize US casualties.
3 ‘coalition’ GIs killed. (Most are US)
AssocPress/9Sept
~ Monday, September 08, 2008
If everyone in my situation felt free to do X,
disaster would happen.
(However, no disaster results just from MY doing X.)
In fact, everyone in my situation
(most of 6 billion people)
have felt free to turn carbon into carbon dioxide, causing a many-sided disaster (rising seas, stronger hurricanes, a huge increase in allergic reactions, and so on).
It will do no good at all
for me to cut down on my carbon-usage.
Only COERCION can force enough people to cut down—
so the test of my moral good-will is
whether I back world-wide coercion in this line.
Bloody likely. The disaster is approaching.
POLLSTER sums up other polls:
States STRONG for Obama have 230 electoral votes;
States STRONG for McCain have only 115 electoral votes.
POLLSTER/8sept
A PIPELINE THRU GEORGIA would take oil to West without giving power to Russia.
Now the military threat to Georgia may mean that investors will not pay for construction and guarding of the pipeline.
NewEuropeNews, cited by info clearinghouse/8Sept.
Why wouldn’t Bushies see that at the first excuse (Georgia attacking Ossetia),
Russia would rush in ?
TALIBAN PROPAGANDA IMPROVES:
“They don’t have to defeat us, just convince ordinary Aghans.”
When Canadian casualties reach 100,
Canadians will rethink their commitment.
GLOBE&MAIL/8SEPT
PRECISION BOMBING, SHET !
Huge western Powers are losing in Afgh. Because of NECESSARILY indiscriminate
Airstrikes, enraging Afghans and Pakistanis.
GUARDIAN/8SEPT
3 IRAQI OPINIONS:
--ONE GROUP (INCLUDING Maliki) say the damage done by US invaders is already so great that they should just get out now.(Perhaps they want GIs out so they can trample the Sunnis.)
--SECOND GROUP agrees on the damage, but says now the GIs should stay to prevent
chaos.
--THIRD GROUP (Sunnis) want GIs to stay, to protect them from Kurds & Shia.
NYTIMES/8SEPT
~ Sunday, September 07, 2008
WORLD WILL PROBABLY NOT END…but is that good enough?
When the Swiss collider is turned on, there is a tiny‘above zero’ chance
That it will turn the world to goo.
Paradoxically, it could still be a foolish measure, even tho we very likely
Will find world unchanged.
Prudence multiplies the stakes times the probability—e.g.. a one in a thousand chance to win a million dollars is a good bet. Similarly a one in a trillion chance of earth-destruction is a bad bet.
TIMESONLINE.CO.UK/7SEPT
~ Saturday, September 06, 2008
AFGHANS ANGRY AT US:
They bomb us, they don’t understand our culture…
“We’re in lose/lose…to pacify afghans we need to use land forces;
to minimize US casualties, we need to use airstrikes.”
SEATTLEPI/6SEPT
~ Friday, September 05, 2008
Predictions of bookies are backed up
by money gained/lost
They predict Obama win, 57% to 35%
WWW.INTRADE.COM
A honcho refused to fire the guy who divorced Gov.Palin’s sister.This honcho got fired.
Some evidence pointed to a connection.
She said she welcomed an investigation: “Hold me accountable!”
But now she’s stalling; her people are refusing to testify.
ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS/5SEPT
Remember that VP may become President (esp.GOP! )
In ABC poll, 50% doubt Palin’s competence;
66% say Biden would be ready on Day One.
Anchorage Daily News/5Sept.
REMEMBER THIS: McCain favored our rushing into a SECOND war in Iraq,
When we were already entangled in Afghanistan.
Iraq drained resources from the Afghan campaign.
Now we're in real trouble there.
Obama opposed this second war.
GENERALS SAY:
’NO BIG GI PULLOUT THIS YEAR”
SEATTLEPI/5SEPT
That means Bush can’t pull an ‘October surprise’ in this line.
POLLSTER.COM ‘sums up’ and updates all the respectable polls.
TRENDS of electoral votes PREDICTED: OBAMA 260, McCain 179.
STRONG for OBAMA:231/McCain 115 !
~ Thursday, September 04, 2008
PALIN HAS LIED about why she fired
the guy who refused to fire
the guy who divorced her sister;
evidence: phone conversation by her aide.
ABC/4SEPT.
STOCKS PLUNGE TODAY: BY 231 POINTS
Makes it harder for McBush to say economy is basically healthy.
NEWSYAHOO/4SEPT
2 PROMINENT CONSERVATIVES DENOUNCE VP CANDIDACY:
..AS SELF-DEFEATING, CYNICAL.
They didn’t know mike was still on.
GUARDIAN/4SEPT
8 CANADIAN CASUALTIES;
from direct attack, not hidden bombs
Worst since ’06.
This may make war more unpopular in Canada,
May hurt right-winger PM’s chances in coming election.
/latimes/4sept
WHY PALIN? Last-minute choice: 2 possible reasons:
--the 4 other possible candidate all refused:
no pol is as ‘dead’ as the VP of a losing team.
--or else, GOP has given up on winning this November, is aiming for 2012,
so it aims at keeping loyalty of its PittBull base:
Palin: ‘I’m a hocky mother; what’s difference between PittBull
And Hocky mother? Lipstick.”
That should be reassuring to the rest of the world,
To hear that a possible future president sees herself as female PittBull.
Sperm-donor Johnson,
pushed into shotgun marriage,& onto TV,
Earlier said in his MYSPACE that he didn’t want children.
ABC/4SEPT
KARZAI SUPPORT THREATENED:
KARZAI PROMISES PUN. FOR
PROVIDERS OF FALSE INTEL:
US attacked a village, led to believe it contained insurgents;
Afgh. Honchos AND UNITED NATIONS says the raidKilled 90 civilians, incl. Women, children.
Karzai support among population threatened.
NYTIMES/4SEPT
PAK.PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS US RAID:
..inside Pakistan, killing 15-20 people,
including women & children.
Assoc.Press,4Sept
US is in lose/lose situation:
we can't afford to let insurgents hide out in Pak. to attack Afgh.
But every attack inside Pak. probably recruits
more Pakistanis into insurgent ranks.
~ Wednesday, September 03, 2008
PALIN’S CLAIM THAT IRAQ WAS A DIVINE PROJECT(UnitedPress3Sept)
Is parallel to Catholic doctrine of TRANSUBSTANTIATION:
The war LOOKS like a bloody fiasco, it SMELLS like a bloody fiasco;
It SOUNDS like a bloody fiasco—
but it’s really, substantially, divine.
WOMEN POLLED LAST WEEKEND:
FAVOR DEMS 52%/GOP41%
‘UNDERSTANDS WOMEN-ISSUES”
DEM TEAM 53%/gopTEAM 45%
‘Palin picked for pol. Reasons/59%
Palin picked for qualifications/20%
“Palin’s story touching” 41%
Biden’s story touching 64%
Boston.com/3Sept
NO GENERAL INFLATION: As I have been saying for months:
Even when gas & food prices spike, there can’t be PERSISTENT, GENERAL inflation when wages are falling and unemployment is rising: people who pay extra for gas/food must pay less for other things.
Indeed, gas prices are falling because Americans are driving
billions of miles less than before.
And retailers/wholesalers have not been able to pass on their elevated costs
to the consumers.
Indeed, the index for all commodities is down to the level it had last January.
NYTIMES(BusinessDay) /3Sept.
Whenever $ move from ordinary people (dying to spend more) to wealthy
who could HARDLY spend more, deflation results.
Palin’s future son-in-law describes himself
as a redneck who DOESN’T want children.
If he was 18 when he sired the kid, then in most states he would be a criminal(statutory rape).
Yet Palin is going to display him
As acceptable son-in-law.
CINDY WOULD ALLOW RAPE/INCEST ABORTIONS
But Palin wouldn’t;
And if something happens to McCain,
Pres.Palin will appoint SuPCtJustices,
Not Cindy.
CBS/3SEPT
PALIN: IRAQ IS DIVINE TASK
United Press/3September
Most Americans think God gave bad advice there
to Bush/Cheney/McCain/Palin
BY FAR, MOST AMERICANS DISLIKE CHENEY, BUSH’S CHOICE FOR VP.
Will they come to love Palin, McCain’s choice?
The difference: It's always been Cheney whose survival is in doubt;
but it's McCain who's 72 years old.
Bikini-clad President Palin?
‘BAD-NEWS LYONS’
It’s true that I emphasize the growing disaster in Afgh, not the relatively good news (temporarily) in Iraq. Bushies spend millions on broadcasting good news;
For tiny attempt at balance,
bloggers should heed bad news.
Remember, it was Bushies (backed by McCain) who moved resources
from Afghanistan to a second war in Iraq!
There is a picture of Palin in bikini,
carrying a rifle. This will appealTo male slobs
who lust for someone who looks like a woman,
But thinks like a male slob.
A President is only as good as his staff.
Has McCain good judgment in vetting staff?
His staff FIRST talked to Palin ONE DAY before he named herAs VP candidate.
Until then, she kept silent about pregnant daughter.
WASHINGTON POST/3SEPT
US ‘HANDS OVER’ SUNNI ALLIES TO SHIA GOVT.
Who will now pay AND CONTROL them.
NYTIMES/3SEPT
On the one hand, Shia are better able than Americans
(who don’t speak the language!) to detect insurgents posing
as allies.
On the other hand, the govt. is Shia and corrupt. They may eliminateSunniRivals, not infiltrators.
~ Tuesday, September 02, 2008
NEW POLLS (USATODAY,2SEPT):
Obama 7 points ahead./ 21% are undecided or could change mind./
OBAMA 4 POINTS AHEAD AS “STRONG,DECISIVE LEADER”
13 POINTS AHEAD AS ‘SHARES OUR VALUES’.
(McCain still leads as vs. terrorism).
NO ABORTION FOR RAPE VICTIMS?
In a debate, Palin said that even if her daughter were impregnated by a rapist,
She would ‘choose life’,
i.e., decide against abortion.
Would her daughter have a vote
on this decision?
GUARDIAN/2SEPT
The political question is this:
Does McCain understand the necessity
of carefully vetting his staff?
McCain poses as enemy of
‘pork-barrel earmarks’.
But as mayor, Palin pushed for
Millions of dollars in such earmarks.
LATIMES/2sept
Palin has hired lawyers to defend herself from ‘abuse of power’ charges:
I.E. that she fired official because he refused to fire the man whoDivorced her sister.
~ Monday, September 01, 2008
‘TOTAL ABSTINENCE’ AS BIRTH-CONTROL.
Right-wingers often say that abstinence is
the ONLY method that ALWAYS works.
Successsful abstinence, yes—
but teens can’t just DECIDE TO SUCCEED,
They can only decide to TRY.
And given youthful hormones,
their ATTEMPTED abstinence often fails,
as the Palin family can testify.
(Gov.Palin favors ONLY ABSTINENCE
for birth-control.)
ONLY 3 ROADS TO KABUL:
Taliban using strangle tactics just like those which drove out British
in 19th century
And Russ in 20th century.
They control areas 30 miles from Kabul,
Destroy supply convoys into Kabul.
Russ didn’t dare destroy planes supplying WestBerlin—
but ground-to-air missiles are now available to Taliban.
