In the wake of the recent violence in Mumbai, U.S. intelligence agencies confessed to having warned Native American authorities that an attack was imminent.
Well, too little, too late, fellas. If the so-called "terrorists" had known that Bush was listening in on their phone calls, they probably would've called the whole thing off weeks ago. But the Shrub kept it all a big secret, and now hundreds of innocent people are dead - including the so-called "terrorists".
This is this problem inherent with Bush's domestic spying program as well. Even if he was actually eavesdropping on so-called "terrorists" and not on working families, the shroud of secrecy surrounding such a scheme wouldn't discourage any attacks. In fact, it would instill so-called "terrorists" with a sense of confidence that their plotting had gone undetected. Bush may think he's saving lives by spying on so-called "terrorists" without their knowledge, but he's really just setting us all up for another Mumbai.
Oh well. When Obama assumes the throne next month, Bush's high crimes will all be a thing of the past...as will that distinctive clicking sound I hear in the background whenever Nancy Pelosi and I are having phone sex.
In circumstances like these, air strikes to "take out" terrorist camps may take out the camps, but certainly will not "take out" the terrorists. And neither will war.
Also, in our bid for the moral high ground, let's try not to forget that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the LTTE of neighboring Sri Lanka, one of the world's most deadly terrorist groups, were trained by the Indian Army.
Releasing Frankensteins
Thanks largely to the part it was forced to play as America's ally, first in its war in support of the Afghan Islamists and then in its war against them, Pakistan, whose territory is reeling under these contradictions, is careening toward civil war.
As recruiting agents for America's jihad against the Soviet Union, it was the job of the Pakistani Army and the ISI to nurture and channel funds to Islamic fundamentalist organizations. Having wired up these Frankensteins and released them into the world, the U.S. expected it could rein them in like pet mastiffs whenever it wanted to. Certainly it did not expect them to come calling in the heart of the homeland on September 11. So once again, Afghanistan had to be violently remade.
Now the debris of a re-ravaged Afghanistan has washed up on Pakistan's borders. -->
Posted by: . | December 12, 2008 at 01:19 PM
Nobody, least of all the Pakistani government, denies that it is presiding over a country that is threatening to implode. The terrorist training camps, the fire-breathing mullahs, and the maniacs who believe that Islam will, or should, rule the world are mostly the detritus of two Afghan wars. Their ire rains down on the Pakistani government and Pakistani civilians as much, if not more, than it does on India.
If, at this point, India decides to go to war, perhaps the descent of the whole region into chaos will be complete. The debris of a bankrupt, destroyed Pakistan will wash up on India's shores, endangering us as never before.
If Pakistan collapses, we can look forward to having millions of "non-state actors" with an arsenal of nuclear weapons at their disposal as neighbors.
It's hard to understand why those who steer India's ship are so keen to replicate Pakistan's mistakes and call damnation upon this country by inviting the United States to further meddle clumsily and dangerously in our extremely complicated affairs. A superpower never has allies. It only has agents.
-->
Posted by: . | December 12, 2008 at 01:20 PM
continues here
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175013/arundhati_roy_the_monster_in_the_mirror
(until next time! a bientot)
Posted by: . | December 12, 2008 at 01:21 PM
The India/Pakistan turmoil is quite perplexing and presents an enormous challenge for the incoming administration.
It is a problematic issue that well-reasoned parties from both sides of the political aisle should realize is a---Aw, fuck it! What am I saying? Let's go bowling-without pants.
Posted by: Walter | December 12, 2008 at 02:21 PM
"Although not all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative".
--John Stuart Mill
Posted by: >> | December 12, 2008 at 02:29 PM
With a small c, of course ... But Mill also meant it with a large C, and he dubbed the Conservatives "The stupid party".
Posted by: >> | December 12, 2008 at 02:30 PM
kb has a little action going. at this rate, he will be able to quit selling blood and pay off his student loans by the time he is 90.
Posted by: 24 | December 12, 2008 at 02:36 PM
*Nature fights back against the gas guzzlers*
(all those lovely 4x4s and pick-up trucks that won't be available) :sigh:
DETROIT -- Cash-starved General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC within weeks will be hit by $9 billion in bills for already-delivered auto parts, a tab they likely can't afford to pay without emergency government assistance.
Parts suppliers, hammered in recent months by a severe downturn in U.S. auto sales, face shortfalls of their own if the auto makers fail to pay.
The impending payments to suppliers, which in GM's case account for nearly half the cash the company had available at the end of the third quarter, present the most immediate threat to the auto makers.
Posted by: Angelica Pickles | December 12, 2008 at 03:08 PM
"Although not all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative.
--John Stuart Mill "
Posted by: >> | December 12, 2008 at 02:29 PM
"With the proper consideration in choice of allies, victory may be guaranteed in any conflict." - B. Arnold
Posted by: << | December 12, 2008 at 03:29 PM
Although not all liberals are devoid of morals, most are not wearing pants.
Posted by: John Stuart Mill | December 12, 2008 at 04:30 PM
If Congress is unable or unwilling to provide the bail out for GM, I will.
Posted by: Rex Tillerson (sans pants) | December 12, 2008 at 04:34 PM
Allow me to take the many reasons I admire and appreciate Chomsky and reduce it to a level that even a right wing moron can understand.
Chomsky wears no pants.
Posted by: kb | December 12, 2008 at 04:43 PM
kb has a little action going. at this rate, he will be able to quit selling blood and pay off his student loans by the time he is 90.--24
Instead of uttering crude innuendos, why not do something positive like starting a charity drive for him so he won't have to sell his services in the bathroom stalls?
It's so easy to criticize and mock the unfortunates, but it takes gumption to actively take measures that will mitigate their suffering.
And, just to show that I am willing to participate, I will donate my pants.
Posted by: >> | December 12, 2008 at 05:06 PM
Hear former Republican speechwriter discuss how Anarchism is what Republicanism was supposed to be like.
Posted by: kb | December 03, 2008 at 06:32 PM
Um dude you support gun control, blanket affirmative action, and want to dismantle the free market, among other massive assaults on personal freedoms. You wouldn't know anarchy if it bit you in the arse; and if you ever experienced it you'd run off screaming with fear back to the Chomsky section in the library.
Posted by: mandible claw | December 24, 2008 at 06:56 AM
Why does Kb STILL keep goin on and on about Chomskey?!?!?
I actually read "Derailing Democracy" Whew! WOW!
I have never read such a pedantic, dull, unreadable pile of propaganda ever in my life. ONE Chomskey book should be MORE than enough for anybody. It speaks to your character KB.
To emphasize the dullness of the book. I will tell how I came to read it.
I had to do a weekend in jail for a D.U.I. So I got the book to pass the time. I tried to read Chomskey before but was unable to force myself to keep on due to the boredom. But I figure Chomskey is best read as a "captive audience", if you will. There were many times during the read that I seriously considered going into the shower to be analy sodamized, as that would have been more comfortable. But I forged on. So I now have a Chomskey "under my belt". To be honest, I feel stupider. Chomskey is propagandistic garbage mixed with half truths with a big heaping helping of disengenuousness.
Seriously KB, This story is 100% true. And in final, you talking about him as a god-like person is pathetic. The man is shameless in his attempts at writing books that are readable, let-alone true. Get over him, and yourself.
Posted by: Konradical | December 24, 2008 at 04:31 PM
The attacks in Bombay, yes I still call it that, I also call Zimbawee Southern Rhodesia---make something of it if you want; anyway those attacks were terrible. Did the author say they were made by "so-called terrorist", if these people don't count as terrorist then who does. Some warning was given to the government of India, but so many warnings are recieved each day it is impossible to act on each and every one. A sensable person realizes this, and I sure the author of this post does,too. Just a political hack at work.
Posted by: Ron Russell | February 21, 2009 at 04:21 PM