Irregular Times Diaries: Unfit Discussion

In a time of the spring, old paths are obscured and new growth begins.

January 15, 2009

Instructions for Hotel Use

by @ 12:39 am. Filed under homeland insecurity

Homeland Security has reached the inside of the Hilton hotel in Woodland Hills, California, where the Guest Services Directory instructs visitors to “study the layout of the room, and determine anything that might help or hinder emergency exiting”. An engrossing documentary on PBS? That might hinder emergency exiting, if you just have to find out how string theory is related to the philosophy of the Southern Indian dynasty of the first millenium of the Common Era.

A particularly useful instruction is found next to the elevators on the first floor: “ALARM SOUNDS LIKE WHOOP”. Remember: Alarm does not sound like DING or OOOOOOO. Alarm sounds like WHOOP.

Practice that sound now, before you go to sleep.

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

128 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5128 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5128 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5128 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5128 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5 (128 votes, average: 2.95 out of 5)

October 24, 2008

Got The Item?

by @ 12:48 pm. Filed under American Patriots, Be Afraid, fun, homeland insecurity, humor, politics

We The People

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

217 Votes | Average: 2.93 out of 5217 Votes | Average: 2.93 out of 5217 Votes | Average: 2.93 out of 5217 Votes | Average: 2.93 out of 5217 Votes | Average: 2.93 out of 5 (217 votes, average: 2.93 out of 5)

September 30, 2008

We Gonna Take Your Money - Sinfest

by @ 9:35 pm. Filed under American Patriots, Be Afraid, Broken Taboo, Foreigners, Outrages, ethics, fun, homeland insecurity, liberty, money, politics

Oh no they didn't

Oh no they didn’t!

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

312 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5312 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5312 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5312 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5312 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5 (312 votes, average: 2.99 out of 5)

June 17, 2008

Home Safety Month

by @ 7:41 pm. Filed under homeland insecurity

This month is Home Safety Month, brought to you by the Home Safety Council. I could go on and on about exactly home you should be safe at home, but that’s not the main point.

The main point of Home Safety month is that, if you’re going to do something unsafe, you should be sure to do it outside the home.

Don’t forget to tell the kids.

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

212 Votes | Average: 2.87 out of 5212 Votes | Average: 2.87 out of 5212 Votes | Average: 2.87 out of 5212 Votes | Average: 2.87 out of 5212 Votes | Average: 2.87 out of 5 (212 votes, average: 2.87 out of 5)

June 5, 2008

Your Cell Phone Is a Spying Device

by @ 2:44 am. Filed under Outrages, homeland insecurity, liberty, media, video

Northeastern University has revealed that a team of its researchers used people’s cell phones to track their movements without their knowledge and without their permission. 100,000 people were spied upon by the Northeastern University team. That’s illegal for academic researchers to do in the United States, so Northeastern University chose to spy on people outside of the USA, in some foreign country that they refuse to name.

The Associated Press is reporting the story, but only part of the story. “That type of nonconsensual tracking would be illegal in the United States, according to Rob Kenny, a spokesman for the Federal Communications Commission,” the AP writes.

What the AP quotes Rob Kenny as saying is not exactly true. Academics, and other private citizens like you and I cannot legally use cell phone networks to spy on people’s private movements and communications, but the government can.

cell phone bug protect america act movieThanks to the Patriot Act and the Protect America Act, the American federal government has the power to do the same thing here in the United States that the researchers from Northeastern University did outside of the USA.

The White House can take the information your cell phone beams back to its network, and use that to see where you go and what you do, not just who you talk to with your cell phone. They don’t need a search warrant to do it. They don’t need your permission. They don’t even need to tell you they’re spying on you. No judge approves the spying. No one can stop it.

This kind of spying is a tool of political power.

With this power, the President can track political activists.

The President can eavesdrop on congressional aides.

George W. Bush has the power to spy on Barack Obama’s campaign.

The tricky part is that you can never be sure that you’re being spied on when you’re carrying your cell phone… and you can never be sure that you aren’t being spied on either.

Never being sure if someone from the government is watching where you go, or listening to what you say, you can never be sure that you’re alone.

That kind of environment stifles free speech, free association, and even free thinking.

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

268 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5268 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5268 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5268 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5268 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5 (268 votes, average: 3 out of 5)

March 15, 2008

A Bomb Ain’t Nothing To A Crane

by @ 6:17 pm. Filed under homeland insecurity

Two dangerous events have taken place in Manhattan recently. First, there was the bombing. A guy rode up on a bicycle and set a bomb to go off outside of a military recruiting center when no one would be there. It was a little bomb, a big firecracker, really. It broke the glass on a window and a door. The bomber lost his bicycle.

Homeland Security went on high alert trying to find the bicyclist. It was the top story for three days.

Then, there was the crane. Today, a big crane in New York City fell over. It hit a bunch of apartment buildings. At least 4 people are dead.

No one’s saying that we have to give up the freedoms of the Bill of Rights because of the accident with the crane. Lots of people have spent several years working hard to get rid of the freedoms of the Bill of Rights to protect Americans from bombers, who haven’t been able to do much but break windows.

Why the difference in reaction? Why are people so ready to freak out when it comes to a bomb that doesn’t do much damage, but just shrug when it’s a crane that kills people?

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

223 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5223 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5223 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5223 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5223 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5 (223 votes, average: 3.02 out of 5)

February 14, 2008

Sinfest FISA pt. 2

by @ 4:13 pm. Filed under American Patriots, Be Afraid, Broken Taboo, Democratic Losers, Outrages, Republican Heroes, ethics, fun, general, homeland insecurity, humor, legislation, liberty, politics

Sinfest pokin' fun at FISA

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

295 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5295 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5295 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5295 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5295 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5 (295 votes, average: 2.94 out of 5)

February 12, 2008

Sinfest FISA

by @ 7:09 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Broken Taboo, Democratic Losers, Outrages, Republican Heroes, activism, ethics, fun, general, homeland insecurity, humor, legislation, liberty

FISA, anyone?

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

287 Votes | Average: 3.05 out of 5287 Votes | Average: 3.05 out of 5287 Votes | Average: 3.05 out of 5287 Votes | Average: 3.05 out of 5287 Votes | Average: 3.05 out of 5 (287 votes, average: 3.05 out of 5)

January 24, 2008

Senate Delays Eavesdropping Vote

by @ 9:31 pm. Filed under American Patriots, Be Afraid, Outrages, activism, election 2008, ethics, general, homeland insecurity, legislation, liberty, politics

En lieu of the recent posts on the main blog about the FISA ordeal, I thought I should share this little story I came across when I logged on to Yahoor today.

(Link)

Senate delays eavesdropping vote
By PAMELA HESS, Associated Press Writer2 hours, 39 minutes ago

The Senate on Thursday signaled support for granting legal immunity to telecommunications companies that helped the government conduct warrantless eavesdropping, a sign that the contentious provision may be headed for approval next week.

On a strong 60-36 vote, senators rejected an amendment that would have killed the immunity provision and strengthened the powers of a secret court to oversee the surveillance of phone calls and e-mails that involve people inside the United States.

Further action on the legislation was delayed until Monday, pushing Congress closer to a Feb. 1 deadline for enacting a new law. If a new law is not signed by the president by then, some eavesdropping practices that are now legal would be prohibited.

The Bush administration is insisting that any new law also protect from potentially crippling civil lawsuits those telecommunications companies that helped the government eavesdrop on Americans after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, R-Nev., blamed Republicans for the delay, saying they were trying to block a series of amendments majority Democrats sought to offer.

“It appears the president and Republicans want failure. They don’t want a bill,” Reid said.

The draft bill, written by the Senate Intelligence Committee, would update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The law, first enacted in 1978, dictates when federal agents must obtain court permission before tapping phone and computer lines inside the United States to gather intelligence on foreign threats. Agents may tap lines outside the country without court oversight.

It was the second time in six weeks the Senate had taken up the FISA modernization bill, only to see action stymied. Reid abruptly closed down debate in December when it became clear the Senate couldn’t finish work before the holiday break.

Most vexing to the intelligence agencies, without an extension of the law the government would return to needing individual court orders to listen in on any communication that passes through U.S. telecommunications switches and computer servers — even those that are between people who are outside the country. This is not required by FISA, according to legal experts, but became the practice over time to provide firms with legal protections.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, and Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., on Thursday proposed extending the existing law for 30 days to buy the Senate additional time to produce a bill. The House completed its version of the bill last fall.

In a move to resolve the immunity issue, the key impasse on the legislation, the White House ended months of resistance Thursday and agreed to give House members access to secret documents about its warrantless wiretapping program.

The Bush administration is trying to persuade the House to agree to retroactively shield from liability those companies that helped the government eavesdrop on Americans without the approval of the FISA court. About 40 such civil lawsuits are pending against telecommunications firms, and the administration says if the cases go forward they could reveal information that would compromise national security. It also contends that the companies could be bankrupted if the lawsuits are successful.

The companies were helping the administration carry out the so-called Terrorist Surveillance Program, a still-classified effort that intercepted communications on U.S. soil without oversight from the FISA court from Sept. 11, 2001, to Jan. 17, 2007.

Reyes and Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan, the top Republican on the House intelligence panel, requested access to the White House documents in May. House Democrats say they will not support telecom immunity without seeing them first. Some senators were given access to the documents last fall.

The documents include the president’s authorization of warrantless wiretapping, Justice Department legal opinions going back to 2001, and the requests sent to the telecommunications companies asking for their assistance.

I’m trying really hard to be surprised these days…really hard…

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

292 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5292 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5292 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5292 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5292 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5 (292 votes, average: 2.84 out of 5)

January 8, 2008

Another Comic

by @ 2:13 am. Filed under Be Afraid, ethics, fun, general, homeland insecurity, politics

I’m still lazy, so here’s another comic;

Sinfest - Empire

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

280 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5280 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5280 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5280 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5280 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5 (280 votes, average: 2.88 out of 5)

December 1, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 12/1/07

by @ 10:04 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

December 1, 2007 - Saturday

1705 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3881
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28582

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 77353
(MAXIMUM): 84502
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $473,314,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

241 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5 (241 votes, average: 3.01 out of 5)

November 28, 2007

24 Hours left to help Beth Hafer (D-PA) via online fundraiser

by @ 9:24 pm. Filed under Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, democrats, election 2008, ethics, homeland insecurity, politics, video

There’s only 24 hours left to help Beth raise funds for her PA 18 race against naughty Tim, whether it be 5, 10, or 25 dollars to help Tim start packing. Please consider helping out PA-18 because this is sadly our current Congressman in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUT3BEfcl-s

oh wait and also here on KDKA news:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwh-OCFCOTc

You can help us change direction and priorities by donating the the Hafer campaign at:
www.gecturf.com/bhafer

Your donation is greatly appreciated in these last 24 hours!!!
Check out Beth’s recent labor endorsement at www.midatlanticlabor.org

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

238 Votes | Average: 2.96 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.96 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.96 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.96 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.96 out of 5 (238 votes, average: 2.96 out of 5)

November 25, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 11/25/07

by @ 8:50 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

November 25, 2007 - Sunday

1700 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3875
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28530

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 77327
(MAXIMUM): 84244
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $471,621,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

241 Votes | Average: 3.1 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.1 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.1 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.1 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.1 out of 5 (241 votes, average: 3.1 out of 5)

November 23, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 11/23/07

by @ 9:12 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

November 23, 2007 - Friday

1699 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3874
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28530

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 77323
(MAXIMUM): 84240
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $471,065,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

238 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5 (238 votes, average: 2.94 out of 5)

November 20, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 11/20/07

by @ 8:00 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics

November 20, 2007 - Tuesday

1696 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3873
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28489

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 77305
(MAXIMUM): 84222
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $470,210,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

259 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5259 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5259 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5259 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5259 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5 (259 votes, average: 3.02 out of 5)

November 17, 2007

Pentagon Cover Up – 15,000 or More US Deaths in Iraq War?

by @ 4:47 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

Pentagon Cover Up

15,000 or More US Deaths in Iraq War?

By MIKE WHITNEY

The Pentagon has been concealing the true number of American casualties in the Iraq War. The real number exceeds 15,000 and CBS News can prove it.

CBS’s Investigative Unit wanted to do a report on the number of suicides in the military and “submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Defense”. After 4 months they received a document which showed–that between 1995 and 2007– there were 2,200 suicides among “active duty” soldiers.

Baloney.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

248 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5248 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5248 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5248 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5248 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5 (248 votes, average: 2.99 out of 5)

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/28/07

by @ 8:35 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

November 17, 2007 - Saturday

1693 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3867
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28489

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 77225
(MAXIMUM): 84140
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $469,377,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

233 Votes | Average: 2.79 out of 5233 Votes | Average: 2.79 out of 5233 Votes | Average: 2.79 out of 5233 Votes | Average: 2.79 out of 5233 Votes | Average: 2.79 out of 5 (233 votes, average: 2.79 out of 5)

November 16, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 11/16/07

by @ 7:09 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, media, politics, war and peace

November 16, 2007 - Frinesday

1691 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3865
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28451

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 77213
(MAXIMUM): 84128
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $469,081,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

244 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5244 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5244 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5244 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5244 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5 (244 votes, average: 2.88 out of 5)

November 7, 2007

If You Read No Other Diary Entry

by @ 5:04 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

Read this one. Last week, on “60 Minutes,” one of Bush’s LIES, that’s LIES, not faulty intelligence, LIES, was clearly exposed. Three weeks before the invasion of Iraq, the primary source for “intelligence” about chemical weapons of mass destruction was exposed. Not after the invasion but before.

Faulty Intel Source “Curve Ball” Revealed

60 Minutes: Iraqi’s Fabricated Story Of Biological Weapons Aided U.S. Arguments For Invasion

(CBS)*Did Saddam Hussein have weapons of mass destruction? No, he did not. We’ve known that for some time now. So where did the intelligence come from that he was building up his arsenal? Fantastically, the most compelling part came from one obscure Iraqi defector who came in and out of history like a comet. His code name, ironically, was “Curve Ball” and his information became the pillar of the case Colin Powell made to the United Nations before the war. Who is Curve Ball and how did he fool the world’s elite intelligence agencies?

U.N. inspectors in Iraq visited a suspected WMD location — Djerf al Nadaf, Curve Ball’s secret site. And what did they find there? A wall — the very wall that had appeared on the overhead imagery back in 2001. Curve Ball had claimed the mobile bio-weapons trucks entered through doors at one end of a warehouse.

“When the inspectors examined the facility, they found that this was an impossibility,” explains Jim Corcoran, whose job it was to relay intelligence to the inspectors in Iraq.

Corcoran learned the wall blocked any entrance to the warehouse. As for Curve Ball’s hidden doors at the other end that would allow the trucks to exit?

“Again, there was a wall there, no doors. And outside there was a stone fence that would have made it impossible for this to have occurred,” Corcoran says.

Corcoran knew Djerf al Nadaf was of great importance, so he sent inspectors back 20 days later to take samples, to see if any traces of biological agents were there. “They proved negative,” Corcoran tells Simon. “There was nothing there.”

But the inspectors’ findings in Iraq made no impact; the war began three weeks later.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

243 Votes | Average: 3.07 out of 5243 Votes | Average: 3.07 out of 5243 Votes | Average: 3.07 out of 5243 Votes | Average: 3.07 out of 5243 Votes | Average: 3.07 out of 5 (243 votes, average: 3.07 out of 5)

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 11/7/07

by @ 7:53 am. Filed under Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

November 7, 2007 - Wednesday

1683 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3857
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28385

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 76226
(MAXIMUM): 83042
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $466,567,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

237 Votes | Average: 3.08 out of 5237 Votes | Average: 3.08 out of 5237 Votes | Average: 3.08 out of 5237 Votes | Average: 3.08 out of 5237 Votes | Average: 3.08 out of 5 (237 votes, average: 3.08 out of 5)

November 4, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/28/07

by @ 7:40 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

November 4, 2007 - Sunday

1680 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3849
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28385

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 76075
(MAXIMUM): 82883
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $465,712,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

224 Votes | Average: 2.82 out of 5224 Votes | Average: 2.82 out of 5224 Votes | Average: 2.82 out of 5224 Votes | Average: 2.82 out of 5224 Votes | Average: 2.82 out of 5 (224 votes, average: 2.82 out of 5)

November 2, 2007

Bush Vetoes Water Projects Bill

by @ 12:24 pm. Filed under Blogroll, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, Republican Heroes, The Fringe, democrats, environment, ethics, general, homeland insecurity, money, politics, republicans

‘lo and behold, what do I find when I wake up and log into Yahoo this morning?

(link)

Bush vetoes water projects bill
By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer 22 minutes ago

An increasingly confrontational President Bush on Friday vetoed a bill authorizing hundreds of popular water projects even though lawmakers can count enough votes to override him.

Bush brushed aside significant objections from Capitol Hill, even from Republicans, in thwarting legislation that provides money for projects like repairing hurricane damage, restoring wetlands and preventing flooding in communities across the nation.

This level of opposition virtually assured that Bush would have a veto overridden for the first time in his presidency. He has used the veto very sparingly for most of the time he has been in office, but has made more use of it recently.

“When we override this irresponsible veto, perhaps the president will finally recognize that Congress is an equal branch of government and reconsider his many other reckless veto threats,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

“More than two years after failing to respond to the devastation and destruction of Hurricane Katrina, he is refusing to fund important projects guided by the Army Corps of Engineers that are essential to protecting the people of the Gulf Coast region.”

The $23 billion water bill passed in both chambers of Congress by well more than the two-thirds majority needed to vacate a veto and make the bill law.

Bush objected to the $9 billion in projects added during negotiations between the House and Senate. He hoped that his action, even though it is sure not to hold, would cast him as a friend to conservatives who demand a tighter rein on federal spending.

But Bush never vetoed spending bills under the Republican Congress, despite budgetary increases then, too. Attempting to demonstrate fiscal toughness now, in the seventh year of his presidency, carried the risk being criticized for doing too little, too late or as waging a transparently partisan attack against the Democrats who now run Capitol Hill.

The president took the gamble, making it part of a broader effort to more pointedly and frequently take on Democratic leaders.

The legislation originally approved by the Senate would have cost $14 billion and the House version would have totaled $15 billion. Bush and a few Republicans complained that the final version was larded with unneeded pet projects pushed by individual lawmakers — sending the overall cost of the bill much higher.

“Only in Washington could the House take a $14 billion bill into a conference with the Senate’s $15 billion bill and emerge with a compromise that costs taxpayers over $23 billion,” said White House press secretary Dana Perino.

She also said Bush vetoed the bill because it is “fiscally irresponsible” and falls outside the scope of the Army Corps’ mission.

Critics noted that the bill piles more work on the Army Corps of Engineers, which already has a backlog of $58 billion worth of projects and an annual budget of only about $2 billion to address them.

If Bush is overridden, the measure would give a green light to projects in virtually every state. It only authorizes the projects; the actual funding must be approved separately.

The authorizations include:

_$3.6 billion for major wetlands and other coastal restoration, flood control and dredging projects for Louisiana, a state where coastal erosion and storms have resulted in the disappearance of huge areas of land;

_nearly $2 billion for the restoration of the Florida Everglades;

_nearly $2 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers to build seven new locks on the upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers;

_$7 billion for various projects related to hurricane mitigation in Mississippi and Louisiana, including assuring 100-year levee protection in New Orleans;

_hundreds of smaller dredging, wetlands restoration and flood control projects across the country.

The Congressional Budget office says the bill includes projects that, if fully funded, would cost $11.2 billion over the next four years and $12 billion in the decade after that. The bill also calls for increased oversight of the Corps, requiring an outside review of water construction projects.

The veto was Bush’s fifth. Four of those have come since Democrats took over Congress in January, but this one was unusual because it also pits the president against a sizable number of lawmakers from his own party. Previous Bush vetoes include two of bills allowing expanded federal research using embryonic stem cells, and a spending bill that would have required troop withdrawals from Iraq.

Last month, Bush vetoed a major expansion of a children’s health insurance program, also over objections from some Republicans. But he has far more partisan unity on that issue than on the water projects bill. It was the first time Bush went into a veto knowing it was a futile effort. This turns the tables somewhat on him, as he has been criticizing Democrats almost daily for wasting time by passing legislation they knew he would not accept.

Isn’t it funny that now that there’s a Democratic majority in Congress Bush is finally taking the packaging off his veto pen? Ain’t it also funny that Bush considers things that will cost around 14 billion over the next 14 years to help fix some badly needed things is “fiscally irresponsible” and yet I just found an article that report economists are speculating that the war in Iraq could balloon to over $1 TRILLION dollars. Whether that is true or not that same article is reporting that the daily cost is over $200 million a day.

Which is fiscally irresponsible? Adding in things to help protect American citizens from natural disasters and restore the environment for $14 billion, or continue an occupation of a foreign nation that serves as nothing but a black hole for the economy and is turning this into the most expensive military campaign in American history?

You want to be fiscally responsible? Pull troops out of Iraq and STOP GIVING TAX BREAKS TO COMPANIES FOR OUTSOURCING AMERICAN JOBS!

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

317 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5317 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5317 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5317 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5317 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5 (317 votes, average: 2.95 out of 5)

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 11/2/07

by @ 6:00 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

November 2, 2007 - Friday

1678 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3845
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28385

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75971
(MAXIMUM): 82776
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $465,145,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

230 Votes | Average: 2.87 out of 5230 Votes | Average: 2.87 out of 5230 Votes | Average: 2.87 out of 5230 Votes | Average: 2.87 out of 5230 Votes | Average: 2.87 out of 5 (230 votes, average: 2.87 out of 5)

October 31, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/31/07

by @ 6:46 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 31, 2007 - Wednesday

1676 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3839
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28276

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75971
(MAXIMUM): 82776
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $463,594,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

255 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5 (255 votes, average: 3 out of 5)

October 30, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/30/07

by @ 6:51 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 30, 2007 - Tuesday

1675 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3839
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28276

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75971
(MAXIMUM): 82776
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $463,314,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

256 Votes | Average: 2.85 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 2.85 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 2.85 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 2.85 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 2.85 out of 5 (256 votes, average: 2.85 out of 5)

October 28, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/28/07

by @ 2:40 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 28, 2007 - Sunday

1673 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3839
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28276

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75900
(MAXIMUM): 82703
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $463,764,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

243 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5243 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5243 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5243 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5243 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5 (243 votes, average: 3.02 out of 5)

October 27, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/27/07

by @ 1:13 pm. Filed under Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 27, 2007 - Saturday

1672 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3839
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28276

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75775
(MAXIMUM): 82560
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $463,485,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

260 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5260 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5260 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5260 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5260 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5 (260 votes, average: 2.99 out of 5)

October 26, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/26/07

by @ 6:56 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 26, 2007 - Firday

1671 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3838
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28276

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75759
(MAXIMUM): 82542
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $463,194,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

255 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5 (255 votes, average: 3.02 out of 5)

October 25, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/25/07

by @ 5:59 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

October 25, 2007 - Thursday

1670 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3838
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28276

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75598
(MAXIMUM): 82368
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $462,904,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

256 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5 (256 votes, average: 2.97 out of 5)

October 24, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/24/07

by @ 6:09 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 24, 2007 - Wednesday

1669 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3836
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28276

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75598
(MAXIMUM): 82368
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $462,626,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

256 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5 (256 votes, average: 3.02 out of 5)

October 23, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/23/07

by @ 6:09 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 23, 2007 - Tueday

1668 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3834
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28276

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75564
(MAXIMUM): 82331
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $462,345,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

258 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5258 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5258 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5258 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5258 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5 (258 votes, average: 2.9 out of 5)

October 20, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/7/07

by @ 6:52 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 20, 2007 - Saturday

1665 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3832
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28276

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75383
(MAXIMUM): 82126
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $461,513,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

247 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.94 out of 5 (247 votes, average: 2.94 out of 5)

Nukes? Over MY Head? It’s More Likely Than You Think

by @ 1:06 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, fun, general, homeland insecurity, war and peace

Kind of scary when you think about it.

Link

70 Punished in Accidental B-52 Flight
By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press WriterFri Oct 19, 7:58 PM ET

The Air Force said Friday it would punish 70 airmen involved in the accidental, cross-country flight of a nuclear-armed B-52 bomber following an investigation that found widespread disregard for the rules on handling such munitions.

“There has been an erosion of adherence to weapons-handling standards at Minot Air Force Base and Barksdale Air Force Base,” said Maj. Gen. Richard Newton, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations.

Newton was announcing the results of a six-week probe into the Aug. 29-30 incident in which the B-52 was inadvertently armed with six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles and flown from Minot in North Dakota to Barksdale in Louisiana without anyone noticing the mistake for more than a day.

The missiles were supposed to be taken to Louisiana, but the warheads were supposed to have been removed beforehand.

A main reason for the error was that crews had decided not to follow a complex schedule under which the status of the missiles is tracked while they are disarmed, loaded, moved and so on, one official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record.

The airmen replaced the schedule with their own “informal” system, he said, though he didn’t say why they did that nor how long they had been doing it their own way.

“This was an unacceptable mistake and a clear deviation from our exacting standards,” Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne said at a Pentagon press conference with Newton. “We hold ourselves accountable to the American people and want to ensure proper corrective action has been taken.”

Newton acknowledged that the Air Force needs to “restore the confidence” lost among the American people after the August incident, which raised questions about the safety of the country’s nuclear arsenal.

“We are making all appropriate changes to ensure this has a minimal chance of ever happening again,” Wynne said.

Newton said the flight in question resulted from an “unprecedented string of procedural errors,” beginning with a failure by airmen to conduct a required inspection of the missiles before they were loaded aboard the B-52 bomber at Minot. The crew flying the plane was unaware nuclear warheads were on its wing, though it wasn’t explained what role they played in the mistake.

Highest among those to be punished are four officers who were relieved this week of their commands, including the 5th Bomb Wing commander at Minot — Col. Bruce Emig, who also has been the base commander since June.

In addition, the wing has been “decertified from its wartime mission,” Newton said.

Some 65 airmen have been decertified from handling nuclear weapons. The certification process looks at a person’s psychological profile, any medications they are taking and other factors in determining a person’s reliability to handle weapons.

After it was loaded with the missiles, the B-52 sat overnight at Minot, flew the next morning to Louisiana, and then sat on a tarmac again for hours before anyone noticed the nuclear warheads.

Newton avoided repeated questions on what extra security would have been required if crews had known the nuclear weapons were on the plane. But another official later said privately that security was increased as soon as the nuclear warheads were discovered.

The Air Combat Command ordered a command-wide stand-down — instituted base by base and completed Sept. 14 — to set aside time for personnel to review procedures, officials said.

The incident was so serious that it required President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to be quickly informed.

Wynne prefaced his remarks about the B-52 incident by saying that, in publicly confirming that nuclear weapons were involved, he had authorized a one-time exception to U.S. policy, which states that the location of nuclear weapons will never be confirmed publicly. He said he made this exception because of the seriousness of the episode and its importance to the nation.

The weapon involved was the Advanced Cruise Missile, a “stealth” weapon developed in the 1980s with the ability to evade detection by Soviet radar. The Air Force said in March that it had decided to retire the Advanced Cruise Missile fleet soon, and officials said after the breach that the missiles were being flown to Barksdale for decommissioning.

___

On the Net:

Air Combat Command: http://www.acc.af.mil

Have we had nuclear weapons for so long our military is becoming caviler in regards to their handling?

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

274 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5 (274 votes, average: 2.92 out of 5)

October 19, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/19/07

by @ 6:51 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 19, 2007 - Friday

1664 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3830
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28276

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75288
(MAXIMUM): 82027
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $461,233,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

252 Votes | Average: 2.89 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 2.89 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 2.89 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 2.89 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 2.89 out of 5 (252 votes, average: 2.89 out of 5)

October 18, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/18/07

by @ 6:41 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 18, 2007 - Thursday

1663 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3829
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28171

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 75164
(MAXIMUM): 81902
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $460,946,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

261 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5261 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5261 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5261 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5261 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5 (261 votes, average: 2.92 out of 5)

October 14, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/14/07

by @ 8:06 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 14, 2007 - Sunday

1659 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3826
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28171

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 74983
(MAXIMUM): 81710
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $459,845,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

270 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5 (270 votes, average: 3.01 out of 5)

October 13, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/13/07

by @ 9:29 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 13, 2007 - Saturday

1658 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3823
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28171

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 74983
(MAXIMUM): 81710
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $459,548,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

254 Votes | Average: 2.89 out of 5254 Votes | Average: 2.89 out of 5254 Votes | Average: 2.89 out of 5254 Votes | Average: 2.89 out of 5254 Votes | Average: 2.89 out of 5 (254 votes, average: 2.89 out of 5)

October 10, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/10/07

by @ 11:18 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

October 10, 2007 - Wednesday

1656 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3818
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28093

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 74837
(MAXIMUM): 81556
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $458,705,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

262 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5262 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5262 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5262 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5262 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5 (262 votes, average: 3 out of 5)

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/9/07

by @ 12:05 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 9, 2007 - Tuesday

1655 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3817
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28093

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 74837
(MAXIMUM): 81556
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $458,434,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

266 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5266 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5266 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5266 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5266 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5 (266 votes, average: 3.04 out of 5)

October 8, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/8/07

by @ 8:04 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, money, war and peace

October , 2007 - Monday

1654 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3815
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28093

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 74691
(MAXIMUM): 81405
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $458,261,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

274 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5 (274 votes, average: 2.99 out of 5)

October 6, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/6/07

by @ 4:15 pm. Filed under Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 6, 2007 - Sunday

1652 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3812
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28009

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 74691
(MAXIMUM): 81404
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $457,609,021,911

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

247 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5 (247 votes, average: 2.98 out of 5)

October 4, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/4/07

by @ 9:41 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

October 4, 2007 - Thursday

1650 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3808
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28009

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 74689
(MAXIMUM): 81391
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $457,034,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

252 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5 (252 votes, average: 2.84 out of 5)

From Errand to Fatal Shot to Hail of Fire to 17 Deaths

by @ 1:15 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

From Errand to Fatal Shot to Hail of Fire to 17 Deaths

By JAMES GLANZ and ALISSA J. RUBIN

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/world/middleeast/03firefight.html?_r=2&bl&ex=1191556800&en=2794af83a6d6c99c&ei=5087&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

BAGHDAD, Oct. 2 — It started out as a family errand: Ahmed Haithem Ahmed was driving his mother, Mohassin, to pick up his father from the hospital where he worked as a pathologist. As they approached Nisour Square at midday on Sept. 16, they did not know that a bomb had gone off nearby or that a convoy of four armored vehicles carrying Blackwater guards armed with automatic rifles was approaching.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

265 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5265 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5265 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5265 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5265 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5 (265 votes, average: 2.9 out of 5)

October 3, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/3/07

by @ 2:54 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

October 3, 2007 - Wednesday

1649 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3808
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28009

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 74432
(MAXIMUM): 81120
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $456,752,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

265 Votes | Average: 3.11 out of 5265 Votes | Average: 3.11 out of 5265 Votes | Average: 3.11 out of 5265 Votes | Average: 3.11 out of 5265 Votes | Average: 3.11 out of 5 (265 votes, average: 3.11 out of 5)

October 2, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 10/2/07

by @ 3:15 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

October 2, 2007 - Tuesday

1648 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3807
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 28009

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 74431
(MAXIMUM): 81119
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $456,478,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

264 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5264 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5264 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5264 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5264 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5 (264 votes, average: 2.98 out of 5)

Why Be in Denial - The Democrats Are Pro-War

by @ 3:07 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Democratic Losers, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, democrats, ethics, general, history, homeland insecurity, legislation, politics, war and peace

Why be in denial? People who believe in a cause believe in it, act on that belief and the belief can be inferred from their actions.

It should be obvious to everyone, after today, as it has been obvious to many of us since the initial vote on the war, nearly five years ago now, that the Democrats always have favored the war, and there has never been any fundamental change in their attitude.

The vote in February to fund the war, and the current vote, speak louder than words.

Senate approves $150B in war funding

By ANNE FLAHERTY

Thwarted in efforts to bring troops home from Iraq, Senate Democrats on Monday helped pass a defense policy bill authorizing another $150 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

274 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5274 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5 (274 votes, average: 2.92 out of 5)

September 11, 2007

9/11 Memories

by @ 1:37 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, general, history, homeland insecurity, personal, politics, war and peace

The weekend before the attack, I was working, as usual, for one of New York’s mega-law firms on the 59th floor of the North Tower. I have no particular memory of that weekend. It was uneventful. Probably, at some point, I wandered around alone on one of the four floors that the firm occupied and availed myself of the view. I left work on Monday morning, at about 7:30 AM.

Next day, Tuesday, I got up to go to a 12-step meeting that was a few blocks south of the World Trade Center. The meeting, which was my home group at the time, met from 7:30 to 8:30. Usually, from there, I went to my current job, which was teaching ESL at a private school about a mile north of the Twin Towers. However, my hours had been cut, so I wasn’t going to work. So, my wife argued with me about the meeting, and I ended up not going.

Shortly after 9:00 AM, a friend of my wife’s called her to tell us a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I think she said “a small business jet.” I was concerned but not overly upset. During WWII, a fighter-bomber had hit the Empire State Building. I turned on the TV, and it was immediately obvious that this was no small plane. Shortly after, my wife and I went outside to the nearest street corner, which was line-of-sight to the towers. Along with hundreds of neighbors, we watched the huge plume of smoke for a few minutes, and then we went back inside. On TV I saw the second plane hit, and immediately realized that this was some kind of a terrorist attack. We went out again to watch but nothing much could be seen because of the smoke.

A few minutes later, on TV, I saw the South Tower fall. I refused to believe my eyes. We went out again and I swore I could see the tower hidden in the smoke. We went back inside and saw the North Tower fall. We went back outside. Soon, we were aware of crowds of people walking north away from the site, covered with dust. It took us a moment to realize that these were people fleeing the disaster. At one point my wife and I helped a tall, well-dressed old man, in his seventies, who stumbled and almost fell in front of us. As we caught him, he sobbed: “I feel so guilty!”

The next few hours were a nightmare of police cars, fire trucks, helicopters, etc. The fall of the towers was played over the air over and over again. At one point, my wife and I walked over to the local hospital, St. Vincents, with the idea of giving blood. There was already a huge line. Standing by the emergency room entrance were several dozen teams of paramedics, nurses and doctors, each with a gurney, ready to receive the survivors who never came. I could see the pain and fear on their faces as they stood there with those empty gurneys. We went home after awhile.

In the late afternoon, I determined to volunteer to help. I walked along the West Side Highway along with a bunch of construction workers who had been working on a building site in mid-town. We went through several lines of police to reach a location about a quarter mile north of WTC 7, which was still in flames. At that point, there were thousands of people milling around: local residents, people like myself who wanted to help and construction workers, paramedics, etc., who had genuinely useful skills.

After awhile, it was evident to me that there was nothing I could do personally. I watched WTC 7 being slowly engulfed in flames. It was obvious it was going to fall soon. I’m not a morbid type, so I walked home slowly as it got dark. I passed through Greenwich Village as I walked. The bars were full, but I was amazed that some people seemed to be relatively calm. As I walked though my neighborhood, Chelsea, people were already setting up the little shrines with candles that were all over the City for the next few months.

At home, my wife watched the videos of the towers falling and the streets filled with debris over and over. After awhile, I stopped watching. We eventually fell asleep at some point early in the morning. It was a bad day: a very bad day.

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

263 Votes | Average: 2.91 out of 5263 Votes | Average: 2.91 out of 5263 Votes | Average: 2.91 out of 5263 Votes | Average: 2.91 out of 5263 Votes | Average: 2.91 out of 5 (263 votes, average: 2.91 out of 5)

August 31, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/30/07

by @ 5:52 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 30, 2007 - Thursday

1616 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3733
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27506

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70980
(MAXIMUM): 77513
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $447,229,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

232 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5232 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5232 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5232 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5232 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5 (232 votes, average: 2.98 out of 5)

August 30, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/29/07

by @ 6:26 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 29, 2007 - Wednesday

1615 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3732
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27506

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70749
(MAXIMUM): 77272
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $456,195,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

267 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5267 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5267 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5267 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5267 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5 (267 votes, average: 2.97 out of 5)

August 28, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/28/07

by @ 5:04 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 28, 2007 - Tuesday

1614 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3732
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27506

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70749
(MAXIMUM): 77272
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $455,907,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

257 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5257 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5257 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5257 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5257 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5 (257 votes, average: 3.09 out of 5)

August 27, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/27/07

by @ 4:16 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 27, 2007 - Monday

1613 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3728
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27506

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70749
(MAXIMUM): 77272
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $455,632,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

249 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5249 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5249 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5249 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5249 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5 (249 votes, average: 3.04 out of 5)

August 26, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/26/07

by @ 3:13 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 26, 2007 - Sunday

1612 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3728
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27506

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70663
(MAXIMUM): 77183
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $455,521,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

252 Votes | Average: 3.21 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 3.21 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 3.21 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 3.21 out of 5252 Votes | Average: 3.21 out of 5 (252 votes, average: 3.21 out of 5)

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/25/07

by @ 8:23 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 25, 2007 - Saturday

1611 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3724
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27506

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70604
(MAXIMUM): 77121
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $455,071,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

270 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5 (270 votes, average: 2.9 out of 5)

August 24, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/24/07

by @ 6:56 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 24, 2007 - Friday

1610 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3724
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27506

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70359
(MAXIMUM): 767873
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $454,764,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

233 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5233 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5233 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5233 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5233 Votes | Average: 3 out of 5 (233 votes, average: 3 out of 5)

August 23, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/23/07

by @ 6:01 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 23, 2007 - Thursday

1609 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3722
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27506

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70264
(MAXIMUM): 76771
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $454,478,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

247 Votes | Average: 2.96 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.96 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.96 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.96 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.96 out of 5 (247 votes, average: 2.96 out of 5)

August 22, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/22/07

by @ 6:26 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 22, 2007 - Wednesday

1607 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3707
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27409

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70182
(MAXIMUM): 76683
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $454,200,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

256 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5 (256 votes, average: 3.02 out of 5)

August 21, 2007

THE PETRAEUS REPORT - COUNTDOWN

by @ 4:35 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, Republican Heroes, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

Let’s assume that the General will perform his public act of defecation on September 15.

Today being August 21, that means

THE PETRAEUS COUNTDOWN

25 DAYS

Petraeus Report Won’t be Written by Petraeus
James Joyner | Wednesday, August 15, 2007

The long-touted September progress report wherein counterinsurgency guru David Petraeus will tell us how the Surge is going won’t actually be written by Petraeus. And, no, it’s not just that he’s going to staff it out like he did the COIN manual he “wrote.” No, it’ll be written in the White House.

Administration and military officials acknowledge that the September report will not show any significant progress on the political benchmarks laid out by Congress. How to deal in the report with the lack of national reconciliation between Iraq’s warring sects has created some tension within the White House.

Despite Bush’s repeated statements that the report will reflect evaluations by Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, administration officials said it would actually be written by the White House, with inputs from officials throughout the government. And though Petraeus and Crocker will present their recommendations on Capitol Hill, legislation passed by Congress leaves it to the president to decide how to interpret the report’s data.

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/arc…n_by_petraeus

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

275 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5275 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5275 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5275 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5275 Votes | Average: 2.84 out of 5 (275 votes, average: 2.84 out of 5)

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/21/07

by @ 2:00 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 21, 2007 - Tuesday

1606 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3707
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27409

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70182
(MAXIMUM): 76683
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $453,914,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

247 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5247 Votes | Average: 2.98 out of 5 (247 votes, average: 2.98 out of 5)

August 20, 2007

IRAQ CASUALTIES - US

by @ 7:55 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

Every US death individually, including home town.
http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/list.php

MILITARY CASUALTY INFORMATION
http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASUALTY/oif-deaths-total.pdf

CASUALTY TYPE

Hostile 3,013
Nonhostile 647
Total 3,660

GENDER

Male 3,584
Female 76
Total 3,660

OFFICER/ENLISTED

Officer
E5-E9 1,170
E1-E4 2,142
Total 3,660

AGE

35 439
Total 3,660

COMPONENT

Active 2,938
Reserve 286
National Guard 43

Total 3,660

RACE/ETHNICITY

American Indian or Alaska Native 39
Asian 68
Black or African American 346
Hispanic or Latino 397
Multiple races, pending, or unknown 46
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 39
White 2,725
Total 3,660

The source has a further breakdown by branch of service

http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASUALTY/oif-deaths-total.pdf

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

254 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5254 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5254 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5254 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5254 Votes | Average: 2.92 out of 5 (254 votes, average: 2.92 out of 5)

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/20/07

by @ 6:32 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 20, 2007 - Monday

1605 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3706
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27409

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 70059
(MAXIMUM): 76552
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $453,621,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

249 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5249 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5249 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5249 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5249 Votes | Average: 2.88 out of 5 (249 votes, average: 2.88 out of 5)

August 19, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/19/07

by @ 3:50 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 19, 2007 - Sunday

1604 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3706
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27409

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 69973
(MAXIMUM): 76458
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $453,343,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

268 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5268 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5268 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5268 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5268 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5 (268 votes, average: 3.02 out of 5)

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/18/07

by @ 7:39 am. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 18, 2007 - Saturday

1603 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3702
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27409

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 69973
(MAXIMUM): 76458
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $453,343,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

282 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5282 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5282 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5282 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5282 Votes | Average: 2.9 out of 5 (282 votes, average: 2.9 out of 5)

August 18, 2007

Update on the Surge

by @ 2:51 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

The madness goes on. This is what the US Establishment has engendered by its criminal invasion.

The Number of Car Bombings in Baghdad is Higher Now Than in Last December

A Bloody Week in Iraq

By PATRICK COCKBURN

It was a bloody week in Iraq. In the Sinjar district of northern Iraq five vehicle-born bombs have killed at least 200 people and injured 300. The casualties may rise to make the atrocity the worst single bombing of a civilian target in Iraq in the past four years. All the victims were Yazidis, members of a pre-Islamic sect, many of whom live in this part of northern Iraq.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

256 Votes | Average: 3.11 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.11 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.11 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.11 out of 5256 Votes | Average: 3.11 out of 5 (256 votes, average: 3.11 out of 5)

August 17, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/17/07

by @ 8:49 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 17, 2007 - Friday

1602 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3702
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27409

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 69806
(MAXIMUM): 76258
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $452,765,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

242 Votes | Average: 3.05 out of 5242 Votes | Average: 3.05 out of 5242 Votes | Average: 3.05 out of 5242 Votes | Average: 3.05 out of 5242 Votes | Average: 3.05 out of 5 (242 votes, average: 3.05 out of 5)

August 16, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/16/07

by @ 7:02 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 16, 2007 - Thursday

1601 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3699
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27279

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 69660
(MAXIMUM): 76112
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $452,476,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

238 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5238 Votes | Average: 2.95 out of 5 (238 votes, average: 2.95 out of 5)

August 15, 2007

Sudden Consolidation of Executive Power in Gonzales and McConnell

by @ 9:55 pm. Filed under Conspiracies, homeland insecurity, liberty, mysteries

Thanks to John Stracke for bringing to my attention today’s news that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has gained new powers to rush through death penalty cases to quick execution even when the quality of justice is sacrificed in the practice.

It’s a bald-faced grab for power. Executing terrorists fast has no benefit to domestic security (or Homeland Security, as the new politics of fear tells me I’m supposed to say). In fact, quickly executing people who may be able to give valuable information hurts security, as the too-quick execution of Timothy McVeigh showed. Too many secrets about the people behind the Oklahoma City bombings died with McVeigh.

The new death penalty powers come right on the heels of Alberto Gonzales getting powers to force Americans to participate in huge electronic spying programs against their fellow citizens, in what looks more and more like the old Total Information Awareness project.

Those who have read the new law that gives those powers, the Protect America Act, know that there is only one other person in the federal government who shares the power with Alberto Gonzales to run its Internet and telephone spying programs: The Director of National Intelligence, Mike McConnell.

Michael McConnell also was caught in a grab for power today. It seems that Director McConnell has pushed through yet another dramatic new program to spy against Americans. Domestic law enforcement agencies now have the power to use military spy satellites that were designed to spy against the Soviet Union to peer down at the United States, and see what people are are doing here - no terrorist threat required for the spying.

This is a dramatic consolidation of power in the hands of just two men in the federal government - Gonzales and McConnell. Why the power grab now? What do they plan to do with that power that they weren’t doing before?

I’m speaking to the small segment of Americans who is paying attention and cares about preserving the liberty that is the foundation of American government. Something very big is going on, right before your eyes.

Keep an eye to the skies… and wave hello to McConnell and Gonzales.

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

255 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5255 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5 (255 votes, average: 3.09 out of 5)

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/15/07

by @ 7:02 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 15, 2007 - Wednesday

1600 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3699
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27279

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
MINIMUM): 69513
(MAXIMUM): 75955
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $452,192,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

234 Votes | Average: 2.86 out of 5234 Votes | Average: 2.86 out of 5234 Votes | Average: 2.86 out of 5234 Votes | Average: 2.86 out of 5234 Votes | Average: 2.86 out of 5 (234 votes, average: 2.86 out of 5)

August 14, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/14/07

by @ 6:51 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 14, 2007 - Tuesday

1599 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3690
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27279

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 69284
(MAXIMUM): 75723
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $451,905,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

241 Votes | Average: 3.14 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.14 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.14 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.14 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.14 out of 5 (241 votes, average: 3.14 out of 5)

August 13, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/13/07

by @ 8:37 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 13, 2007 - Monday

1598 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3689
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27279

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 69045
(MAXIMUM): 75495
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $451,626,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

272 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5272 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5272 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5272 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5272 Votes | Average: 2.97 out of 5 (272 votes, average: 2.97 out of 5)

8/13/07 - CASUALTIES/ROVE/CHENEY – NOT GEORGE’S BEST DAYS

by @ 3:01 pm. Filed under American Patriots, Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, Republican Heroes, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, links, politics, war and peace

Not a great day for George. Five more dead Americans, and 57 more dead Iraqis to think about. His right-hand man resigns. Cheney reveals it was all bullshit from the start.

Sunday: 5 GIs, 57 Iraqis Killed; 37 Iraqis Wounded

Although violence remains relatively light, U.S. forces took a heavy hit on Saturday; five American servicemembers were killed and four wounded. At least 57 Iraqis were killed and 37 more wounded during the latest incidents. Also, one security contractor from Fiji was killed, two other Fijians were wounded, and an American was wounded during an attack on their convoy.

Karl Rove Resigns

“I just think it’s time,” Mr Rove said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, adding that he was quitting for the sake of his family.

Dick Cheney ‘94: Invading Baghdad Would Create Quagmire

Transcript:

Q: Do you think the U.S., or U.N. forces, should have moved into Baghdad?

Cheney: No.

Q: Why not?

Cheney: Because if we’d gone to Baghdad we would have been all alone. There wouldn’t have been anybody else with us. There would have been a U.S. occupation of Iraq. None of the Arab forces that were willing to fight with us in Kuwait were willing to invade Iraq.

Once you got to Iraq and took it over, took down Saddam Hussein’s government, then what are you going to put in its place? That’s a very volatile part of the world, and if you take down the central government of Iraq, you could very easily end up seeing pieces of Iraq fly off: part of it, the Syrians would like to have to the west, part of it — eastern Iraq — the Iranians would like to claim, they fought over it for eight years. In the north you’ve got the Kurds, and if the Kurds spin loose and join with the Kurds in Turkey, then you threaten the territorial integrity of Turkey.

It’s a quagmire if you go that far and try to take over Iraq.

The other thing was casualties. Everyone was impressed with the fact we were able to do our job with as few casualties as we had. But for the 146 Americans killed in action, and for their families — it wasn’t a cheap war. And the question for the president, in terms of whether or not we went on to Baghdad, took additional casualties in an effort to get Saddam Hussein, was how many additional dead Americans is Saddam worth?

Our judgment was, not very many, and I think we got it right.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

285 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5285 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5285 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5285 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5285 Votes | Average: 3.04 out of 5 (285 votes, average: 3.04 out of 5)

August 12, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/12/07

by @ 2:41 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 12, 2007 - Sunday

1596 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3684
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27279

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 69045
(MAXIMUM): 75495
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $451,345,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

241 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 2.99 out of 5 (241 votes, average: 2.99 out of 5)

August 11, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/11/07

by @ 6:42 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

August 11, 2007 - Saturday

1596 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3684
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27279

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 69045
(MAXIMUM): 75495
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $451,067,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

270 Votes | Average: 2.93 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 2.93 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 2.93 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 2.93 out of 5270 Votes | Average: 2.93 out of 5 (270 votes, average: 2.93 out of 5)

August 10, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/10/07

by @ 7:31 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, war and peace

August 10, 2007 - Friday

1595 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3684
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27279

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 69045
(MAXIMUM): 75495
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $450,766,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

251 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5251 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5251 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5251 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5251 Votes | Average: 3.02 out of 5 (251 votes, average: 3.02 out of 5)

August 9, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/9/07

by @ 10:19 pm. Filed under Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, general, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 9, 2007 - Thursday

1594 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3681
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27104

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 68973
(MAXIMUM): 75423
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $450,473,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

241 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.09 out of 5 (241 votes, average: 3.09 out of 5)

August 8, 2007

IRAQ BODY COUNT – ONGOING – 8/8/07

by @ 1:21 pm. Filed under Be Afraid, Our Glorious War Machine, Outrages, activism, history, homeland insecurity, politics, war and peace

August 8, 2007 - Wednesday

1593 days into the war

U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ: 3680
U.S. MILITARY WOUNDED IN IRAQ: 27104

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS
(MINIMUM): 68747
(MAXIMUM): 75194
(LANCET ESTIMATE) 600,000

COST OF THE WAR SO FAR (ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST MILLION): $450,194,000,000

Please note that the above figures, from the IBC website, are NOT estimates of total Iraqi civilians killed as a result of the US invasion and its aftermath. Rather, they are a count of Western-reported verifiable violent deaths, and likely to be a small percentage of the true figure. Les Roberts, author of the Lancet Report, believes the actual number may now be as high as 1,000,000.

RED DAVE

1 Stars2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars

241 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5241 Votes | Average: 3.01 out of 5 (241 votes, average: 3.01 out of 5)