Are You Better Off Now Than You Were Four Years Ago?

I got the image from a post on a Fark.com discussion.

Other News
The brewing scandal over White House handling of Iraq weapons evidence took on a new twist today:

CIA Director George J. Tenet successfully intervened with White House officials to have a reference to Iraq seeking uranium from Niger removed from a presidential speech last October, three months before a less specific reference to the same intelligence appeared in the State of the Union address, according to senior administration officials.

Tenet argued personally to White House officials, including deputy national security adviser Stephen Hadley, that the allegation should not be used because it came from only a single source, according to one senior official. Another senior official with knowledge of the intelligence said the CIA had doubts about the accuracy of the documents underlying the allegation, which months later turned out to be forged.

The new disclosure suggests how eager the White House was in January to make Iraq's nuclear program a part of its case against Saddam Hussein even in the face of earlier objections by its own CIA director. It also appears to raise questions about the administration's explanation of how the faulty allegations were included in the State of the Union speech.
[full story]

And then there's this:

The small circle of senior civilians in the Defense Department who dominated planning for postwar Iraq failed to prepare for the setbacks that have erupted over the past two months.

The officials didn't develop any real postwar plans because they believed that Iraqis would welcome U.S. troops with open arms and Washington could install a favored Iraqi exile leader as the country's leader. The Pentagon civilians ignored CIA and State Department experts who disputed them, resisted White House pressure to back off from their favored exile leader and when their scenario collapsed amid increasing violence and disorder, they had no backup plan.

....

"There was no real planning for postwar Iraq," said a former senior U.S. official who left government recently.
[full story]

Music in my head today

• "Run-Around" by Blues Traveler
• "Blame it on Your Heart" by Patty Loveless
• "Too Much of Nothing" by Peter, Paul & Mary
• "Wasn't Born to Follow" by The Byrds
• "You Make Lovin' Fun" by Fleetwood Mac

Although I did learn that vinegar by itself makes a pretty good salad dressing, and that jalapeños are the killer salad ingredient.

Posted by Me at 23:08 link

The Buck Stops, uh, Over There Somewhere

"If there was a concern about the underlying intelligence there, the president was unaware of that concern, as was I," Rice said.

"I am responsible for the approval process in my agency," he said. "The president had every reason to believe the text presented to him was sound."
[full story]

Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld made a startling admission to the US Senate:

"We did not act in Iraq because we have discovered dramatic new evidence of Iraq's pursuit of weapons of mass murder," Rumsfeld told a senate subcommittee.

"We acted because we saw the existing evidence in a new light through the prism of our experience on September 11," he said, referring to the 2001 terror attacks in the United States that killed some 3,000 people.

His testimony effectively swept aside the government's arguments put to the United Nations and the international community for invading Iraq: the threat of an attack on the United States.
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It appears the American public are, in fact, losing faith in the Bush administration:

Americans are expressing rising dismay with U.S. casualties in Iraq, declining confidence in the Bush administration — and growing doubt whether the war was worth fighting.

The administration faces trouble on credibility and casualties alike. Half the public thinks it "intentionally exaggerated" evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. And 52 percent, a majority for the first time, call the level of U.S. casualties "unacceptable."
[full story]

Bring The Boys Back Home?

To pull out of Iraq now would be the worst thing we could possibly do.

I lobbied against the Iraq war for all I was worth, on the grounds that wars should be fought only when absolutely no other viable alternatives exist -- inspections, imperfect as they were, were keeping Saddam from posing an imminent threat to the US or our allies. Also, the rightful party to make the decision to go to war would have been the UN Security Council.

All that being said, to pull out of Iraq now would create a dangerous power vacuum, likely soon to be filled by another dictator, a majority theocracy, a bloody civil war, or a foreign invader.

Also, to pull out now would be to shirk the moral and legal obligation we took on when we invaded, conquered and occupied (feel free to substitute your favorite euphemisms for these terms, if it'll ease your mind). As Tom Tomorrow put it on April 10, "Congratulations folks, you just adopted 22 million Iraqis."

All that having been said, the best choice for nation builder would be the UN, not the US. It's the smartest choice for the US, because turning interim administration over to a more impartial body would defuse a lot of the suspicion that the US really wants to run Iraq and take its wealth. Also, the UN has a lot more experience with projects of this nature.

We'd also have a much easier time recruiting peacekeepers from other nations to relieve the strain our troops. I think a majority of soldiers did support the war, as well they should have, but I think almost all of them want to come home now, with their mission secured.

Other countries certainly don't seem eager to commit their troops as things stand now:

The Pentagon is beginning to bring some of the longest-serving ground troops home from Iraq but is having trouble with its long-term plan to replace American troops with soldiers from other nations.

....

Three nations that were counted on for large numbers of troops — India, Pakistan and Portugal — are balking. The Pentagon hoped those three countries would contribute a total of 25,000 to 30,000 troops.

Portuguese officials confirmed that they would send just 120 paramilitary police, not regular soldiers. Portuguese officials said they would consider sending military troops if the United Nations or NATO authorized a force.

Indian and Pakistani officials have also said they need a U.N. mandate creating a peacekeeping force before sending troops. In addition, both nations want the United States to pick up the costs and generally oppose putting their troops under American control.
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A labor department report released today shows US jobless benefit claims have reached a 20-year high.

CBS News today reported the CIA had warned the White House that claims Iraq was seeking to buy nuclear materials from Africa were likely bogus. President Bush included the claims in this year's State of the Union address anyway.

CIA officials warned members of the President’s National Security Council staff the intelligence was not good enough to make the flat statement Iraq tried to buy uranium from Africa.

The White House officials responded that a paper issued by the British government contained the unequivocal assertion: “Iraq has ... sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.” As long as the statement was attributed to British Intelligence, the White House officials argued, it would be factually accurate. The CIA officials dropped their objections and that’s how it was delivered.

“The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa,” Mr. Bush said.

The statement was technically correct, since it accurately reflected the British paper. But the bottom line is the White House knowingly included in a presidential address information its own CIA had explicitly warned might not be true.
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Howard Dean today called on those responsible for the deceptions to resign. Click here to sign his petition.

Posted by Me at 20:52 link

Time Travel

On the drive up, at the dramatic pass near Fancy Gap, Va., I saw a car fire. Not a few flames coming up out of the hood, but HUGE flames, about 15 feet high, completely ENGULFING a Buick LeSabre (with SC plates) from front to back; even the tires were burning. Black smoke was visible for miles. Both doors on the driver's side were open, as if everyone had fled in haste. I hope everyone made it out. As I passed the inferno, two lanes over, the heat was palpable, like walking uncomfortably close to a bonfire. I saw a distressed-looking family sitting with police outside a police car several hundred yards up the road. The rest of the drive was uneventful.

Friday, a 30 minute drive put us on the Blue Ridge Parkway, just south of Shenandoah National Park. We set out to walk a few hours on the Appalachian Trail. The side trail that connects the AT to the BRP near Humpback Rocks was muddy and crowded. The need to keep the muddy-footed dogs on a short leash, combined with the oppressive heat and humidity, helped us decide to cut our walk short. Still, we did see some beautiful woods, and the great view from the Rocks. Plus — I don't think any shower feels half as good as the one after a sticky midsummer hike!

Friday night, we headed over to Gypsy Hill Park for 4^th of July fireworks, a delightfully, totally, smalltown America event. We sat in the grass on a hillside above the local high school football stadium along with a polite, family-oriented crowd of Stauntonites, and waited. And waited. About 20 minutes late, the fireworks started. No music, just a pretty good display of pyrotechnics. And the softness of a Southern night.

Saturday, we checked out the Frontier Culture Museum, probably Staunton's most famous attraction. Consisting of a visitor's center and four reconstructed 18^th century farmsteads (German, Scots/Irish, English and American), the museum immerses the visitor into the past in a completely organic way. Understanding what living 200 years ago was like requires very little imagination when you're practically walking around in it, standing in the rooms, the barn, the garden... The Irish forge was especially captivating. I couldn't recommend the museum any more highly.

That evening, we strolled around the downtown sidewalks. Both of us were impressed by the remarkably-preserved buildings and the vibrant downtown. We toyed with the idea of taking in a Shakespeare play, but we had the dogs with us. Instead, we drove back to the park and played a little frisbee with Sage. He's not quite as swift as he once was, but he's still a capable "Retrievrador". Also, it's still impossible to keep him from jumping into a creek. Oh well!

Sunday, after a hearty breakfast, we took in Eaver's Car Museum, which turned out to include a merchantile store museum as well. They've recreated an American "general store" with some items dating back more than 100 years. In the other section are a bunch of beautifully preserved specimens of American automotive muscle from the 50's and 60's, as well as the very last Cadillac Elvis ever bought. If you ever find yourself at exit 217 on I-81, it's worth a look.

We were just going to head our separate ways at this point, but instead we decided to head back to downtown Staunton to see the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace and Museum, which was a very good decision. First we toured the museum, which was fascinating, if verbose, then we took the guided tour of the manse. We discovered that Woodrow Wilson hadn't exactly sprung from humble beginnings. With our insights from the Frontier Culture Museum still fresh, we were easily able to imagine ourselves living in that beautiful house. Never mind that Wilson himself lived there little more than a year! Oh well, the house was still fascinating and we learned as much about the times as about the man. After the tour, which was excellent start to finish, we went back to the museum for the parts we'd missed. I decided that, while Wilson may have done great things, he doesn't seem to have enjoyed himself all that much. Except, perhaps, in his Pierce Arrow Presidential limousine, which he got to keep after he left office!

After that, it was time to head for home. Not that I wanted to.

Posted by Me at 23:42 link

All The News That Gives Me Fits™

The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia is a wonderful place, and I just enjoyed a wonderful long weekend there — but so much happened in the world today that I've decided to hold off telling you about the trip for at least another day. Besides, by then I may even have a picture or two to share....

Africa and president Bush take center stage this week. That's not just because Bush is in Africa.

Large friendly crowds of Liberians have greeted US military experts on the streets of the capital, Monrovia.

The BBC's Mark Doyle said at times the Americans couldn't get out of their cars because of the ecstatic crowds chanting "No more war, we want peace".

Washington has not yet announced a decision on whether to deploy its troops as a peacekeeping force, despite mounting international pressure to do so.

In another development, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Tuesday ordered an immediate resumption of UN humanitarian work in Liberia and return of UN aid workers.

Mr Annan also appointed a senior US diplomat, Jacques Klein, as his top envoy to Liberia.

Earlier this week, the West African regional group, Ecowas, agreed to provide 3,000 troops for a peacekeeping force in Liberia.
<full story>

Meanwhile, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the deadliest conflict on this planet since World War II may have ended.

Members of one of the main Congolese rebel groups have arrived in the capital, Kinshasa, to take up their posts in the transitional government.

The new administration of national unity was named by President Joseph Kabila on Monday.

....

Mr Bemba told the BBC's Network Africa programme that his movement believed the war in the DR Congo had come to an end.

He said the MLC would now become a political party and prepare itself for elections, which are due to be held in two years time.
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Meanwhile, back in the States...

AS US President George W Bush proclaims his commitment to Africa during this week's five-day trip, his Republicans in Congress are planning on cutting back the money allocated to his much-vaunted plans to tackle HIV/Aids and encourage development.
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Knowing all that we know now, the reference to Iraq's attempt to acquire uranium from Africa should not have been included in the State of the Union speech," the White House statement said. In the speech, Bush was trying to make the case that Iraq was reconstituting its nuclear weapons program.
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Americans have become more critical of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq as well as his efforts regarding the economy and health care, according to an opinion poll released on Tuesday.

Bush's overall job performance rating of 60 percent is down 14 points from its post-Iraq war peak of 74 percent, according to a nationwide Pew Research Center poll conducted from June 19 to July 2.

Sixty-seven percent of respondents continued to support the decision to go to war in Iraq, down slightly from 74 percent in mid-April. But less than a quarter -- 23 percent -- thought the U.S.-led war in Iraq was "going well," compared with 61 percent in April.

Twenty-nine U.S. soldiers have been killed by hostile fire in Iraq since Bush declared major combat over on May 1, and guerrillas in the past week have resorted to using heavier weapons such as mortars.

Two separate blasts in central Iraq wounded three U.S. soldiers on Tuesday.

Asked about Bush's efforts to improve the economy, 62 percent said they thought the president "could be doing more," up from 53 percent who thought that in May.

The U.S. jobless rate surged to a nine-year high of 6.4 percent in June, according to government figures last week.

Seventy-two percent of those polled, including a majority of Republicans, said the president could be doing more to deal with U.S. health care problems.
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A House panel Tuesday passed a bill that would curb spending on U.S. nuclear weapons programs, in what lawmakers termed "a shot across the bow" of the Bush administration.

Showing rare bipartisan unity, the House Appropriations subcommittee unanimously approved the $27.1 billion measure to fund energy and water programs in 2004, including a boost in funding for the controversial Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump.

Overall the bill would be an increase of around $942 million over the current fiscal year but would slash more than $326 million from President Bush's budget request for the federal agency which oversees nuclear weapons programs.

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers expressed skepticism about whether the current U.S. nuclear stockpile was appropriate in a world without a superpower foe.

"We have a Cold War footprint," said Ohio Republican Rep. David Hobson, the subcommittee's chairman. "We need to look better at what the future is."

The bill would also cut most of the $15.5 million Bush had requested to study new, smaller nuclear weapons that could be used to destroy deeply buried bunkers, aides said. Critics say they fear the move could spark a new nuclear arms race.

The National Nuclear Security Administration — which is part of the U.S. Department of Energy — would still receive $8.5 billion next year, an increase of $330 million over 2003.

But the bill would cut a largely symbolic $60 million from an effort to help Russia dispose of its Cold War nuclear arsenal, to show Congress' displeasure with slowdowns that have seen the program accumulate some $1 billion in unspent funds.
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Back in Red, White & Blue

File this under "It's about time":

The cable television station MSNBC Monday fired Michael Savage for anti-gay comments. The popular radio talk show host who did a weekend TV show for the cable channel referred to an unidentified caller to his show Saturday as a “sodomite” and said he should “get AIDS and die.” “HIS COMMENTS were extremely inappropriate and the decision was an easy one,” MSNBC cable spokesman Jeremy Gaines said.
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