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June 2004


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'PRIVATIZING' THE MILITARY, TOO

Wednesday, 30 June 2004 1:51 P GMT-07
My last blog focused on the ideological concept of economic "privatization" as being a major factor behind the abject failure of the U.S. occupation of Iraq.  That ideological fixation has not been limited to the civilian side of the occup

IDEOLOGICAL OBSESSION & CRONYISM

Wednesday, 30 June 2004 1:46 P GMT-07
The occupation of Iraq is officially over.  We know that because the Bush administration and the --  for the most part -- obsequious media tell us so.  (For a discussion of how much of a sham this turning over of "sovereignty" really is

THE NEO-CONS CONNED?

Tuesday, 29 June 2004 2:10 P GMT-07
The following report appeared in The Progressive Populist, http://www.populist.com , for June 15, 2004.  Earlier it appeared in the American Reporter , http://www.american-reporter.com . It makes the case that the nefarious Iraqi exile, Ahmad Chala

REBUILDING IRAQ A SHAMBLES

Monday, 28 June 2004 11:59 P GMT-07
We hear quite a lot about the fighting and the killing going on in Iraq, what is happening with our troops and how that aspect of the occupation has been mismanaged.  We don't hear much about the corruption, scandal and iniquity that is characteris

A TANGLED WEB OF DECEIT

Sunday, 27 June 2004 11:59 P GMT-07
I had the opportunity of seeing Michael Moore's scathing documentary film, "Fahrenheit 9/11" yesterday.  Had to drive 50 miles to find a theater that was showing it, but it was well worth the trip.  Everyone should see it, especially tho

INVENTING 'SOVEREIGNTY'

Thursday, 24 June 2004 4:03 P GMT-07
The handover of "sovereignty" from the U.S. to the Iraqi interim government is to take place in less than a week.  What this means in actuality is still a matter of speculation.  Even the Bush administration can't seem to make up it's min
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TRUTH GETTING ITS PANTS ON

Wednesday, 23 June 2004 3:00 P GMT-07
L.A Times columnist Robert Scheer makes the same point that I endeavored to make when posting yesterday's blog, "9/11 Report Triggers More Lies," but Scheer makes the point much more lucidly.  I like his use of the old aphorism, "a l

9/11 REPORT TRIGGERS MORE LYING

Tuesday, 22 June 2004 11:59 P GMT-07
The staff report issued by the 9/11 Commission has triggered another spate of lying on the part of both Bush and Cheney.  How they can boldly maintain "we never said that" in the face of their own words is beyond me.  They must be feeli

ABUSE OF POWER WEAKENS U.S.

Tuesday, 22 June 2004 11:59 P GMT-07
There was a problem with my first attempt to post this, so I'm trying again.After the 9/11 attacks the U.S. had the the strong support of almost the entire world in it's proclaimed effort to stamp out the scourge of terrorism.  Our moral strength w

WEB OF DECEPTION KEEPS GROWING

Saturday, 19 June 2004 3:32 P GMT-07
The president and vice president just don't know when to quit.  Having dug themselves into a hole with their lies and deceptions about many aspects of the Iraq war, they seem intent only on digging it deeper.  We can only hope that their strategy o

A MORE FITTING TRIBUTE TO REAGAN

Saturday, 19 June 2004 2:22 P GMT-07
One could argue that with the Washington DC airport and an important building in our capital city named for him, Ronald Reagan has been given enough recognition.  Among conservatives, desperate to find a way to tie a troubled Bush administration

DIPLOMATS & MILITARY COMMANDERS FOR CHANGE STATEMENT

Friday, 18 June 2004 4:35 P GMT-07
Here is the statement issued by Diplomats and Military Commanders For Change, described in my previous blog today, "Clarion Call To Defeat Bush."  It can be found, with a link to the names and identities of the signatories at,  http://dip

A CLARION CALL TO DEFEAT BUSH

Friday, 18 June 2004 4:33 P GMT-07
Two days ago, June 16, 2004, a group of 27 former senior diplomatic officials and retired military commanders issued a forceful statement in which they express their joint opinion that George W. Bush has severely damaged our country's national s

ENERGY BILL STILL A BOONDOGGLE

Friday, 18 June 2004 12:39 P GMT-07
The Bush administration is attempting to revive their grossly unprincipled energy policy.  Remember, it was the product of secret meetings between Dick Cheney and representatives of the oil, gas, coal and nuclear industries.  Cheney is still stonew

ANATOMY OF THE IRAQ-alQAEDA MYTH

Thursday, 17 June 2004 11:59 P GMT-07
The Center For American Progress, http://www.americanprogress.org  , posted this Progress Report today.  It goes down the list of those on record as having concluded that there was no meaningful link between Saddam Hussein's Iraq and Osama bin Lade

WILL CHENEY AND TRUTH EVER MEET?

Thursday, 17 June 2004 3:37 P GMT-07
Another Daily reality Check mailing from American Family Voices, and another look at how Dick Cheney continues to play fast and loose with the truth.  And how Bush and Colin Powell can't seem to make up their minds what they believe.  I'll have mor

PRESCRIPTION PLAN PROBLEMS PROLIFERATE

Thursday, 17 June 2004 2:59 P GMT-07
A lot of good stuff in The Progress Reports this week.  I meant to post this yesterday but computer problems got in the way.  This is the 2nd segment of Tuesday's Report and takes a look at part of the mess created by the new Medicare legislation

HALLIBURTON BECOMING A BLACK HOLE

Wednesday, 16 June 2004 10:26 A GMT-07
Dick Cheney's lies keep piling up and Halliburton is looking more and more like a Black Hole as its "improprieties" mount up as well.  Nor does it appear at all likely that the Bush administration or G.O.P. dominated Congress is going to d

ASHCROFT WORST A.G. IN HISTORY

Tuesday, 15 June 2004 5:05 P GMT-07
No question.  John Ashcroft IS the worst A.G. in the history of our country.  (Even worse than Reagan's Ed Meese!)  From the assault on our constitutional rights in the so-called but badly mis-named Patriot Act to attempts to withold facts from Co

TRUTH IS 'LEFT BEHIND' AGAIN

Tuesday, 15 June 2004 3:23 P GMT-07
The Bush administration has left truth behind once again.  This time the State Department and Colin Powell are the main culprits.  Powell is again reduced to admitting a major error in issuing an official report claiming -- inaccurately -- that ad
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REAGAN: MEDIA MYTH VS. REALITY

Monday, 14 June 2004 3:37 P GMT-07
I'm going to end this three-day effort at setting the record straight on America's 40th president, with this summary of how the media has treated Ronald Reagan -- especially during the orgy of adulation that we've been force-fed over the past week. 

HOW THE EAST WAS WON

Monday, 14 June 2004 2:05 P GMT-07
Continuing with the examination of the real Ronald Reagan after a solid week of exaggerated and uncritical praise.  In an earlier post in this series I wrote that I credited Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev with playin

REAGAN CLOSED EYES TO ATROCITIES

Sunday, 13 June 2004 4:59 P GMT-07
For most of the past week Americans have been subjected to a seemingly non-stop paean of praise and hero-worship for former president Reagan.  This ostentatious celebration presented a portrait of the man and his contributions to his country and the
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REAGAN'S OSAMA CONNECTION

Sunday, 13 June 2004 2:00 P GMT-07
Another "War Stories" column by Fred Kaplan tells the little known details of how Reagan's refusal of an offer by Gorbachev to pull Soviet troops out of Afganistan in exchange for the U.S. to stop arms shipments to the Afgan Taliban rebels

THE ODD COUPLE: RON & MIKHAIl

Saturday, 12 June 2004 11:59 P GMT-07
In this second report examining the actual record of Ronald Reagan's presidency, Fred Kaplan looks at the roles of Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in the ending of the cold war.  Despite Kaplan's statements that Reagan had a role in this important even

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