News of the Month

June 14, 2003

It’s been an interesting month; the fallout from Oil War II continues to haunt us, in every way from our consciences to our pocketbooks. What is it about the sheep out there, that they can’t see that just about everything our glorious emperor does to foster to that illegal, immoral, and stupid war harms us almost as much as it harmed – and continues to harm – the Iraqis?

Oh, let’s start with a scandal! Martha Stewart was indicted by a court in New York for securities fraud – it seems she sold some stock in a biotech company run by a friend of hers, and the SEC believes the friend told her the stock was about to tank, right before she sold it. Oh, come on! That’s as American as … as, well, as the American president! Dear little Georgie the Porgie did the very same thing, back in 1990. And it wasn’t even a company owned by a friend of his; he himself was a member of the board of the company, Harken Energy of (where else?) Houston, Texas. As the Washington Post reported in July of 2002, “President George W. Bush was aware that the oil company for which he worked was about to lose millions of dollars 16 days before selling his stock in the company in 1990.” Why are we on about Martha? If it’s good enough for Georgie, it’s good enough for…. Oh! I keep forgetting – his daddy’s rich and powerful, so it’s OK for him to break the law – like the time he deserted from the United States Armed Forces during a time of war, again without anybody’s even noticing, let alone punishing him. Well; I said we were going to start with a scandal.

Of course, the big news in Texas last month was the walkout by most of the Democrats in the state House of Representatives over redistricting. Let me read from an editorial on May 22 in the Austin American-Statesmen about this issue; it’s a pretty good summary of the situation:

“U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s insolent attempt to force the Texas Legislature to redistrict and add Republicans to the state’s congressional delegation has blown up in a series of astonishing explosions. First, he angered legislators by forcing redistricting down their throats, which motivated the Democrats to organize a successful quorum-busting trip to Oklahoma to kill the bill. Then it was revealed that the Department of Public Safety misled an arm of the Homeland Security Department to initiate a search for Democratic state Rep. Pete Laney’s private airplane.”

So why did Mr. Delay take the unprecedented and arrogant step of coming back to Texas from Washington and trying to impose his own personal redistricting plan on us? You know the Bush junta and its allies and thugs are already planning to prevent any outcome in November next year except a Bush “victory”. I mean, there’s bill before Congress mandating that every state follow the 2000 Florida election model for national elections. (And we all know just how honest and forthright that was, don’t we?) Could it be that those in power don’t want to leave anything to chance? That maybe Texas was just the first shot across the bow by the pirates as they pull, push, manipulate, or steal power in every state? These people are thorough, friends – they aren’t going to leave any stone unturned in their quest for total, complete, absolute power, not only over our colonies like Iraq but also over our own people.

Then, what we learned after the Killer Ds’ walkout was at least as interesting as what happened during it. First we learned that the state Homeland Security office had illegally asked the national Homeland Security department to hunt down the wayward reps. The national office is, of course, is saying, “Well, gee! We didn’t know it was an illegal request. It’s all their fault!” And the fault may actually be, in this case, here in Texas – why else would a DPS commander order the destruction of every shred of the records of the event? But ... it gets even better! They missed one videotape, which shows that not only did the Texas Homeland Security director go into the state office during that time (which you’d expect), but none other than Governor Goodhair himself stopped by, to say … what? Take a guess.

As the Statesmen article concludes:

“All this embarrassing fallout, remember, stems from DeLay’s arrogant demand that the Legislature redistrict Texas to send more Republicans to Washington. DeLay’s bullying fractured the Legislature at a critical juncture, destroyed much of the session’s hard work and pushed the DPS into an epic blunder. As in classic Greek drama, hubris inevitably ends in a downfall.”

When the Gestap – ah, Homeland Security Department – was formed, we were told, over and over, that this was an agency whose sole job was fighting terrorism. The enabling law says just that, explicitly – the Department shall not be used for intelligence purposes unless there is a clear indication that criminal activity is involved. Hah! Did you see the TV miniseries on the rise of Hitler in Germany in the ‘20s and ‘30s? The Homeland Security Act, along with the misnamed USA PATRIOT Act, are the first steps toward the same kind of repression Germany saw during the ‘30s and ‘40s.

And, speaking of that miniseries, did any of you notice the parallels between the Reichstag fire in Berlin in 1933 and events of today? Less than a month after President Hindenberg was forced to name Adolph Hitler Chancellor of the German Republic, the Reichstag (the German parliament building) burned down. That night, a “dazed” Dutch Communist named Marinus van der Lubbe was found at the scene and charged with arson. (He was later found guilty and executed.) The next day, with Hindenberg dying, Chancellor Hitler declared a national emergency and suspended civil liberties. We still don’t know for sure whether the Nazis were the real culprits, but they certainly lost no time using the fire as an excuse for clamping down on the nation, and as a lever to gain power at the next election.

Sounding familiar? That’s because we’ve had our Reichstag fire – on September 11, 2001. As with the original, we have no evidence that the Bush junta was behind it, but we know for sure that W himself knew about it ahead of time. There’s just too much evidence of that to draw any other rational conclusion. Were the parallels between Hitler’s rise and W’s just coincidence? Hardly – but woe to the one who dares to say that. Here’s a story from the Washington Post about what happened to one man who expressed that opinion:

“Ed Gernon, longtime head of the movie and miniseries division of Canadian-based production company Alliance Atlantis, was let go because of an interview he gave regarding CBS’s May sweeps miniseries ‘Hitler: The Rise of Evil.’ In the April 12 TV Guide, the publication says that ‘Gernon stated his belief that fear fueled both the Bush administration’s adoption of a preemptive-strike policy and the public’s acceptance of it.’ According to the article, ‘Gernon said a similar fearfulness in a devastated post-World War I Germany was absolutely behind that nation’s acceptance of Hitler’s extremism.’

“Gernon is quoted as saying of the miniseries, which tracks Hitler’s rise to power in 1930s Germany: ‘It basically boils down to an entire nation gripped by fear, who ultimately chose to give up their civil rights and plunged the whole world into war. I can’t think of a better time to examine this history than now,” he added. The article further quotes him as saying that ‘when an entire country becomes afraid for their sovereignty, for their safety, they will embrace ideas and strategies and positions that they might not embrace otherwise.’

“So today is Gernon’s last day of work at Alliance Atlantis.”

Amazing – they don’t even realize that by doing that, they demonstrate, as graphically as possible, the exact truth of what Mr. Gernon was saying! Oh, well, as P. T. Barnum once said, “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”

And, we continue to learn interesting things about Oil War II, as the dust – and lies – settle again to the ground. Remember Private Jessica Lynch? Heroically rescued in a blaze of gunfire from a hostile Iraqi hospital from her evil captors? Remember? Well, it’s all lies. Every bit of it. Here’s the real truth about Saving Private Lynch, from an article in the Toronto Star, May 5:

“Precision teams of US Army Rangers and Navy Seals, acting on intelligence information and supported by four helicopter gunships, ended Lynch’s nine-day Iraqi imprisonment in true Rambo style, raising America’s spirits when it needed it most. All Hollywood could ever hope to have in a movie was there in this extraordinary feat of rescue – except, perhaps, the truth.

“Dr. Harith Houssona, 24, who came to consider Lynch a friend after nurturing her through the worst of her injuries, said, ‘The most important thing to know is that the Iraqi soldiers and commanders had left the hospital almost two days earlier. The night they left, a few of the senior medical staff tried to give Jessica back. We carefully moved her out of intensive care and into an ambulance and began to drive to the Americans, who were just one kilometre away. But when the ambulance got within 300 metres, they began to shoot. There wasn’t even a chance to tell them “We have Jessica. Take her.” ’

“At midnight, the sound of helicopters circling the hospital’s upper floors sent staff scurrying for the x-ray department - the only part of the hospital with no outside windows. The power was cut, followed by small explosions as the raiding teams blasted through locked doors. A few minutes later, they heard a man’s voice shout, ‘Go! Go! Go!’ in English. Seconds later, the door burst open and a red laser light cut through the darkness, trained on the forehead of the chief resident.

“ ‘We were pretty frightened,’ said Dr. Anmar Uday, 24. ‘There were about 40 medical staff together in the x-ray department. Everyone expected the Americans to come that day, because the city had fallen. But we didn’t expect them to blast through the doors like a Hollywood movie.’ Dr. Mudhafer Raazk, 27, observed dryly that two cameramen and a still photographer, also in uniform, accompanied the U.S. teams into the hospital. Maybe this was a movie after all.

“Initial reports indicated Lynch had been shot and stabbed after emptying her weapon in a pitched battle when her unit was ambushed after its convoy became lost near Nasiriya. A few days after her release, Lynch’s father told reporters none of the wounds were battle-related. The Iraqi doctors are more specific. (Dr.) Houssona said the injuries were blunt in nature, possible stemming from a fall from her vehicle.

“Three days after the raid, the doctors had a visit from one of their U.S. military counterparts. He came, they say, to thank them for the superb surgery. ‘He was an older doctor with gray hair and he wore a military uniform,’ (Dr.) Raazk said. ‘I told him he was very welcome, that it was our pleasure. And then I told him: “You do realize you could have just knocked on the door and we would have wheeled Jessica down to you, don’t you?” He was shocked when I told him the real story.’ “

There’s a lot more to the story than that – details of Private Lynch’s exemplary treatment by the Iraqi doctors and hospital staff – that I don’t have time to read now. Go to the Toronto Star’s web site and look for the story, by Mitch Potter on May 5. Oh – I need to give you one final note, also from the article:

“What troubles the staff in Nasiriya most are reports that Lynch was abused while in their care. All vehemently deny it. Told of the allegation through an interpreter, nurse Shinah wells up with tears. Gathering herself, she responds quietly: ‘This is a lie. But why ask me? Why don’t you ask Jessica what kind of treatment she received?’

“But that is easier said than done. At the Pentagon last week, U.S. Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ryan Yantis said the door to Lynch remains closed as she continues her recovery at Washington’s Walter Reed Army Medical Centre. ‘Until such time as she wants to talk – and that’s going to be no time soon, and it may be never at all – the press is simply going to have to wait.’ ”

Are any of you surprised – really? Naah; of course not.

Fallout? You want fallout? The money is literally falling out of the skies for most-favored corporations like Halliburton and their wholly owned subsidiary, Kellogg Brown & Root. Here’s an excerpt from a really interesting article from the New York Times on May 22:

“Let’s see. Who’s less patriotic, the Dixie Chicks or Dick Cheney’s long-term meal ticket, the Halliburton Company? The Dixie Chicks were excoriated for simply exercising their constitutional right to speak out. With an ugly backlash and plans for a boycott growing, the group issued a humiliating public apology for ‘disrespectful’ anti-Bush remarks made by its lead singer, Natalie Maines. The Chicks learned how dangerous it can be to criticize the chief of a grand imperial power.”

Yeah, well, let me say right here and now, for the record, I’m ashamed, too, Natalie!

“Halliburton, on the other hand, can do no wrong. Yes, it has a history of ripping off the government. And, yes, it’s made zillions doing business in countries that sponsor terrorism, including members of the ‘axis of evil’ that is so despised by the president. But the wrath of the White House has not come thundering down on Halliburton for consorting with the enemy. And there’s been very little public criticism. This is not some hapless singing group we’re talking about. Halliburton is a court favorite. So instead of being punished for its misdeeds, it’s been handed a huge share of the riches to be reaped from the reconstruction of Iraq and U.S. control of Iraqi oil.”

Of course, we all know why Halliburton is given such favored treatment, don’t we? Now let me see … who was CEO of Halliburton before he recommended to Governor George W. Bush that there was only one possible choice for a Presidential running mate – he himself? By George! It’s none other than Vice President Dick Cheney! Back to the article:

“The federal government has been well aware of Halliburton’s shenanigans. In (a) letter to Secretary Rumsfeld, (Representative) Waxman noted that ‘Halliburton was fined $3.8 million in 1995 for re-exporting U.S. goods through a foreign subsidiary to Libya in violation of U.S. sanctions.’

“It’s remarkable there’s been so little attention paid to the Halliburton contracts,’ said Mr. Waxman. In addition to doing business in countries that have sponsored terrorism, the congressman said, Halliburton has been accused of overcharging the U.S. government for work it did in the 1990s. And last year the company agreed to pay a $2 million settlement to ward off possible criminal charges for price gouging. ‘Their reward for that terrible record,’ said the congressman, ‘was a secret no-bid contract, potentially worth billions, to run Iraq’s oil operations.’ ”

Can you spell “corruption,” friends? When I went to school, they said that the Harding and Grant administrations were the most corrupt in US history. Why? Because neither of those gentlemen knew his bum from his elbow when it came to administering a country. Well, both of those incompetent men were swept under the rug in terms of corruption and incompetence by the superbly incompetent Ronnie Ray-gun. Well, guess what, folks? We have another incompetent booby in office – and guess what: we have another corrupt administration – perhaps the most corrupt of all time, in terms of raw dollars wasted. (Of course, some of the blame for that goes to inflation, but not all of it.)

Are we noticing a pattern? Incompetent president – corrupt administration. Leader too stupid to notice that his “advisors” are stealing the country blind – advisors who take advantage of the opportunity, and steal the country blind. Oh: there’s one other pattern here, that you may or may not know about. All 4 of these magnificently incompetent presidents were Republicans. Something to think about, eh?

And, speaking of the Repugs – ah, Repubs – and Democrats, I suppose you’ve all seen the line-up of candidates who want to face off against Emperor Georgie next year? Each of them claims to be an effective alternative to his highness. Hmph. Did you see that paragraph on the Statesman’s “Daily Briefing” page last month, that both the Republican and Democratic parties have asked the Federal Election Board not to close the loopholes in the rules against “soft money” in campaigns? There’s no more difference between the Democratic and Republican wings of the Republicrat party than between the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The only difference lies in who’s taken the parties over, and what they’re doing with the tools for power the parties provide.

The Bush junta, for example, is using the Republican Party’s current power and influence to try to solidify its power base and create an empire, the Constitution be damned. The Democrats? Well, 10 to 1 the Democratic leadership is getting ready to take another dive next year, as they did in 2000. Who’s going to get the Democratic nomination? You know that the Republicans are masters at manipulating the Democrats into selecting the weakest possible opponent for their candidate – and that probably means Bob Graham, the man whom Howard Dean (rightly) calls “Bush lite.” Could Howard Dean – or Dennis Kucinich – the two candidates most likely to pull the country away from the deadly path the Bush crime family has set it onto – win? I doubt it. If there’s any danger of that, there’s always the “Wellstone solution” to fall back on.

“What,” you ask, “can I do about it?” I’ll tell you – stand up and speak out against the path this nation is following. Do you realize how much it scares them for people to stand up and speak out? Look at what happened to the Dixie Chicks. One offhand comment, that a lot of us agree with, and the full force of the oligarchy is turned on them. They must have scared our glorious leaders spitless (uh, you do know the meaning of the word “euphemism”, don’t you?) for them to have brought out that much firepower against three Texas women. What can you do? Speak out – it’s one of the most powerful weapons we have against oppression.

OK; next step – what do you stand up and say? The simple truth, of course. It’s amazing how hard it is to find the truth among the Bush junta’s lies and other weapons of mass deception. You just have to look for it. Tell the truth about “saving Private Lynch.” Or what is the truth about those intelligence reports that both Georgie W and Tony Blair used as excuses for their little adventure in Iraq?

First, consider this, from an article in the New York Times on May 30:

“ ‘The American people were manipulated,’ bluntly declares one person from the Defense Intelligence Agency who says he was privy to all the intelligence there on Iraq. These people are coming forward because they are fiercely proud of the deepest ethic in the intelligence world – that such work should be nonpolitical – and are disgusted at efforts to turn them into propagandists.

“ ‘The Al Qaeda connection and nuclear weapons issue were the only two ways that you could link Iraq to an imminent security threat to the U.S.,’ notes Greg Thielmann, who retired in September after 25 years in the State Department, the last four in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. ‘And the administration was grossly distorting the intelligence on both things.’

“The outrage among the intelligence professionals is so widespread that they have formed a group, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, that wrote to President Bush this month to protest what it called ‘a policy and intelligence fiasco of monumental proportions.’ ”

The same thing is going on in Britain, where Tony Blair also misused intelligence information in his campaign of lies to push his nation into aggression against Iraq. On June 5, it was reported by The Guardian that the heads of both MI5 and MI6 (the domestic and foreign intelligence services, respectively) have told Mr. Blair in no uncertain terms that he is never again to pass off lies as intelligence. In the words of the story:

“MI6 and MI5 chiefs have sought the government's assurance that it will never again pass off as official intelligence information which does not come from them. They are also insisting that any information used by Downing Street claiming to be based on intelligence should be cleared by them first.

A bit further down in the story, it says:

“Senior officials in the security and intelligence services made it clear that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's Iraq was not as great as ministers suggested.”

Bill Clinton lies about a consensual sex act, and he’s impeached and nearly removed from office. Georgie W lies about … well, lots of things, in order to trick Congress into backing his right-wing handlers’ deadly exercise in Jingoism, and people cheer! US forces commit horrible acts – acts which are, by all accepted legal definitions, war crimes, and the sheep go, “So what?”