THE ABSOLUTE WORST EVER

Now we know beyond a doubt that the war in Iraq is an unmitigated disaster. I also learned today that the Pentagon has been under reporting the real level of violence in Iraq. Am I surprised? Under this administration? Of course not. It has been absolutely essential to the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld crazed and fascistic leaning policies for the American people to be as clueless and as uninformed as possible. The trio has been lying to us since January, 2000 when sworn into office.

The ISG Report was released today. Bottom line – Bush’s neonut policy has visited chaos, carnage and mayhem on the region that could spread throughout the Middle East to include Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel. No one wonder W.’s poor father was reduced to tormented sobs when speaking to a group the other day. As much as I have
criticized the Bush family, it was painful to see an 82 year old man and former President of the U.S. so broken.

The ISG Report from CNN.com:

FINDINGS OF IRAQ STUDY GROUP

TONY BLAIR AGREES WE ARE NOT WINNING IN IRAQ

Our only ally, really, now admits the obvious. LS

From the BBC News.com

BLAIR AGREES WE ARE LOSING IN IRAQ

ARE WE LOSING AFGHANISTAN TOO?

An editorial writer for the New York Times thinks so. LS

Excerpts:

Afghanistan was supposed to be the good war - and the war America was winning. But because of the Bush administration's inattention and mismanagement, even the good war is going wrong.

The latest grim news is that after years of effort - and more than $1 billion spent - Afghanistan's American-trained police force is unable to perform even routine law enforcement work. According to an article in yesterday's Times, investigators for the Pentagon and the State Department found that the training program's managers did not even know how many police officers were serving, while thousands of trucks and other American-purchased police equipment have simply disappeared.

The failure to provide local security - or even a semblance of impartial justice - helps explain why so many Afghans have lost confidence in the pro-Western government of President Hamid Karzai, and why a growing number are again turning to the Taliban for protection. The failure to stand up an effective police force also helps explain why opium cultivation rose by nearly 60 percent this year.

"LOSING THE GOOD WAR"

BUSH SAYS HE WILL CONSIDER THE FINDINGS OF THE ISG REPORT but does he mean it, asks Dan Froomkin of the Washington Post. Mr. Froomkin observes that as long as Bush stays close to Cheney and Rove, it is unlikely he will change any of his views on Iraq. LS

Excerpts:

We'll know for sure once words turn into action. But in the meantime, it strikes me that as long as Vice President Cheney and political guru Karl Rove remain Bush's closest advisers, then the answer is probably not.

Cheney and his loyalists are largely responsible for the deception, delusion and incompetence that brought us to where we are today in Iraq. Rove intentionally turned the war into the most ferocious and divisive of partisan issues. Neither man has shown any sign of remorse.

DAN FROOMKIN ON ISG AND BUSH

GORE,WHO WAS THE TRUE WINNER IN 2000, SAYS IRAQ IS WORST STRATEGY MISTAKE IN U.S. HISTORY. Think about it. Had the recount in Florida taken place as it should have in a real democracy, Gore would have been rightfully installed as President elect. We would most certainly not be in this horrific mess. I wonder how former Justice O'Connor sleeps at night?

Gore says that Bush should realize the disaster in Iraq isn’t about him. That is a tall order, sir. How else does a blatant narcissist see the world but through himself? From Raw Story.com. LS

Excerpts:

"This is an utter disaster," Gore told Today show host Matt Lauer. "This was the worst strategic mistake in the entire history of the United States. And now we, as a nation, have to find a way, in George Mitchell's words, to manage a disaster."

The former Senator from Tennessee, who lost to President Bush in a close election eventually decided by the Supreme Court, expressed hope that the Commander in Chief will recognize that this "isn't all about him."

GORE SAYS IRAQ IS WORST STRATEGY MISTAKE EVER

BRING US BACK TO BASICS, LIKE HAVING OUR LAWMAKERS WORK FOR THEIR SALARIES

Rep. Hoyer says Congress will return to a 5 day work week, a stunning change from the lazy, do nothing, country club loving Republican 2 day work week. Republicans are naturally screaming and are of course accusing Dems of not caring about family life. My advice to lawmakers who run for office, if you don't want to work like the rest of us do, don't run. Move the family to Washington, Virginia or Maryland. Republican indolent whiners fail to understand it should be considered an honor and privilege to serve our nation. Guess they don't get it. From Raw Story.com. LS

"CULTURE SHOCK IN WASHINGTON: HAVING TO ACTUALLY WORK