August 30, 2006

Harper and Emerson top all ReThuglican Fundraisers

The Tyee has a great article ( Bush 'Slush Fund,' Courtesy of Canada) that includes a presentation given to the Standing Committee on International Trade in Ottawa by Elliot J. Feldman, an American trade lawyer, in which he claims, with good reason, that this deal will kill NAFTA dead and have long term consequences on future US-Canada relations trade and otherwise, and not good consequences. From the presentation:

Political blowback?

Curious, that date, which traditionally is the kick-off for campaigns in the United States in election years. Yes, it's an election year, and the Republican control of Congress is considered in trouble. The entire Republican campaign war chest is less than $300 million. Canada will add to it by 150 per cent in funds to be expended for "meritorious initiatives." It does not require much imagination to foresee the strategic places where this money will be spent.

This peace on softwood lumber will probably not improve Canada's relations with the United States, because this colossal sum of money is going to the White House, not the U.S. Treasury. When the Democratic party l earns of it and understands it, it's not likely to be pleased, and it's possible that, despite the infusion of such money, the Democrats nevertheless will win in November. Canada may then have much improved relations with the Republican party but not with the United States.

At the height of the Watergate scandal, focus was on an illegal slush fund available to the Committee to Re-Elect the President, that was thought to be tipping the balance of American politics. The fund never exceeded $20 million. One of the articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon was that he received foreign campaign donations, perhaps as much as $50,000.

Correntewire has "$450 million slush fund for Bush from Canadian lumber deal, just in time for the mid-terms" which has some background on the SLA (Softwood Lumber Agreement) and the real deal itself through non-Rove indoctrinated American eyes. For example

If the story is true, the scope and audacity of this Republican maneuver is mind-boggling. And before we say "$450 million?? They would never do that!" let's remember that what we've laughingly called Iraq "reconstruction" was funded with suitcases full of cash, and $8.6 billion is missing, presumed stolen.) As usual, I'm never cynical enough about the Republicans, no matter how hard I try. And I do try.

And if the story is true, a $450 million slush fund would finance a lot of little October surprises. (Since Rove always operates at the margin, a lot of little surprises are more likely than the one big surprise that the BCW expects). It would finance, for example, any number of corrupt programmers if the election is close enough to steal. (Remember the Diebold programmer convicted of "tampering with computer files?)

And if the story is true, it fits perfectly into the pattern of Bush's life: Whenever he fucks up, someone with more money always bails him out. And $450 million is a lot of bailing.

Interior Health Authority 5+ - Kootenays 0

Why is Murray Ramsden insisting that he is so mystified by the tragic murder/suicide that took place at Penticton Regional Hospital yesterday? Does he feel any shame if the idea that maybe death was preferable to putting their fate into the hands of British Columbia's new improved method of delivering extended care to the elderly flits across his conciousness? Maybe this couple didn't find any reassurance in the fact that there was no doubt the wife would be placed in a facility somewhere in the Western Hemisphere once an empty bed was found. Forced separation of couples that have shared the same bed over fifty years, or testing the will to live of a man with a ruptured spleen by making him wait 7 or 8 hours and travel maybe 100 kilometers to access emergency treatment that had been available within walking distance of his home is just too complicated for this dummy to grasp.

I do realize that there are a lot of poor abused rich folks that need tax breaks, mega-project black holes that need truckloads of money daily down at the coast and a gigantic sea to sky corridor that requires public funds to ultimately benefit a now US owned private corporation that has to make everything oh so nice for the rich folks that are planning a really big party for 2010. Somehow these needs and the technique of improving extended care by eliminating thousands of available beds as fast as possible must be related. If I can figure any of it out, I'll get back to you and try to explain it in simple words and small numbers. The Campbell Crime family down thar in Victoriayay must be really smart, cause I can't understand their methods.

Ideology you say, what's that?

What's Happening in Iraq!

Thanks to a mental nudge from that man of few, but very well chosen words - the Canadian Cynic - I finally understand what in the hell is going on over there in Iraq. You see the PretzelDunce Bu$h gave the Iraqis freedom and democracy, whether they wanted it or not. But now that they have freedom, they hate themselves for their freedom. Naturally they are obliged to terrorize themselves with IEDs and roving death squads. That freedom is hate creating, terrorism causing stuff. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that Bu$hCo is considering alternatives to freedom and democracy, like maybe dictatorship. According to the Sunday Times of London

Senior administration officials have acknowledged that they are considering alternatives other than democracy. Everybody in the administration is being quite circumspect, but you can sense their own concern that this is drifting away from democracy.

Maybe the whole thing has just been a typical neo-con caused labor dispute. Saddam used to work for Uncle Sam, but he was taking too much of the proceeds for hisself, just like them nasty air-controllers back in Ronnie Raygun's day. So instead of just a lockout of the one man Baghdad local of the IBD (International Brotherhood of Dictators), they also added a new wrinkle - a simultaneous lockup. He'll undoubtably be more than happy to accept less of the swag now, if they'll just let him out of that cage, and the CEOs of Bu$hCo can split more of the proceeds of Iraq's oil amongst themselves, just like in the real America.

August 19, 2006

It is August 2006 and in downtown Toronto 25,000 - 30,000 scientists, doctors, activists and people with Aids from around the world are gathered to compare notes on the battle and give each other encouragement to continue the fight against the insidious HIV virus and Aids. Joining them are Bill and Melinda Gates and their Billions, the Big Dog himself - Bill Clinton, the leaders of every opposition party in Parliament, the Premier of Ontario and the Mayor of Toronto. For glamor there's Richard Gere, Alicia Keyes and the BareNaked Ladies. Except for an unfortunate case of laryngitis for Mick the Stones would have performed as well - their connection with the "center of the universe, TO goes way back. Missing, not because of laryngitis or prior scheduling but by intent was Steven Harper and any meaningful representative of the Government of Canada, the host country. The recently elected first female leader of an African country cancelled her plans to attend when she learned the Harpo was going to disrepect her by being no where around to welcome her to Canada - apparently not even Gum-Boot Crybaby McKay could be available, though it is debatable if sending him would be a sign of respect.

All week I've postponed ranting about how I feel about this disgraceful non-performance, because I was sure the Harp would realize what an asshole he was making of himself and show up before it was over or at least send Health Minister Tony Clement to show Canada's solidarity with the fight against this terrible worldwide threat. Hey you neo-con/fundamentalist bigots, you know it doesn't just kill fags and junkies, people you show every indication of preferring dead anyhow. Down the road it may well affect your own family, the virus doesn't discriminate and avoid Conservatives and Christians. Of course the chance of being infected can be reduced by avoiding so called risky behaviour, but if your future grandchild, for example, should some day in the future crawl over an infected needle (left in the grass because you closed down safe injection sites and sterile needle exchanges to satisfy your ideology) your own grandchild could wind up infected whether or not he believes in Jesus.

Harper has said he is philosophically opposed to safe-injection sites but would wait for evidence of Insite's effectiveness before making a decision.

Vancouver Sun, August 18

Neo-cons generally tend to be "philosophically" opposed to anything that doesn't fit their ideology, like say...global warming and evolution. Unfortunately, science and reality trump ideology and denial won't make the real world go away. Harper would like people to think his non appearance is the result of a scheduling conflict with his trip to the NWT - the fact is this conference had been planned for years and his trip couldn't have been planned until he became temporarily "acting" Prime Minister. As Dr. Keith Martin, liberal foreign affairs critic and surgeon said in a statement:

"....it is reprehensible that with 40 million people infected worldwide, and 14 million orphans, Stephen Harper and his new Conservative Government have chosen to stick their heads in the sand and ignore this problem."

A Brief Quiz:

Stephen Harper hid out up north this week because.....

    a)He was afraid of catching Aids from shaking hand with someone at the convention.

    b)Bill Clinton was there

    c)He was afraid of being in such an uncontrolled environment where he was likely to be booed

    d)all of the above

If you picked "d" you get a gold star!

For my final word on this, for now anyway - Thursday when he was tracked down with his head in the sand (looking for a diamond for Laureen?) in the Northwest Territories his final word on why he chose to hide out was that:

the conference had become "politicized."

Yo, Stephen can you hear me? YOU ARE A POLITICIAN. If you must avoid politicized situations maybe you should go back to Texas North and find another line of work. Let me rephrase that -

August 16, 2006

Maybe a more appropriate term would be Asses of Evil, but whatever. Now the the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon and Northern Israel has more or less held for three days, but no one is confident that it will last. Though, not surprisingly, Bush and "Combover" Olmert claim victory, most of the world, especially the Muslim world, sees the current situation as the resounding defeat for the Israeli OffenceDefence Forces, Bu$h and Condi's reborn Middle East and Israel's reign as the regional superpower that it is. All the IDF proved was that they were more efficient at killing women, children and old people and destroying civilian infrastructure than the nasty folks from Hizbollah.

Lets see now, perhaps we should tally up just the human loss of life. It is pretty well accepted that Israel murdered at least one thousand Lebanese, some Hizbollah and lots of Shia, but with their equal opportunity to die policies for Lebanese, also Sunni and Christians. I almost forgot, we have to add in UN unarmed observers and vacationing Canadians to the non-discriminatory death to all non-Jews pogrom program. It is probably pretty accurate to say the civilian non-combatant portion of the dead is at least 80% in Lebanon - that is some collateral damage. This ratio isn't improved by attacking from the air such strategic targets as convoys of Christians trying to evacuate the South, non-military aid convoys or barracks full of sleeping Lebanese Army soldiers.

Now lets total up the fatalities inflicted by the "terra-rists." According to the UK Guardian

In what has turned out to be Israel's longest war since its founding, the country has lost 104 soldiers and 39 civilians.

This may not include the last 24-36 hours before the ceasefire took effect, which saw some of the heaviest fighting of the war as Israel tried to occupy as much Lebanese territory as possible in the time left. Some reports (CBC Radio) have suggested as many as 40 IDF soldiers were killed by Hizbollah ambushes and anti-tank rockets during this final attempt by the IDF to grab land. By my math this looks like 75% dead soldiers - 25% civilians.

Politically I would rather be Nasrallah right now than Ehud Olmert. Most Israelis don't feel much like winners either and it appears that soon Sharon would have a better chance of being Israeli PM, coma and all, than Mr. Combover. Let's see what Israel won and lost in this 34 day war crime spree.

Israel (and the Bu$h cabal's) Goals

Secure release of IDF captured soldiers

No, the only success here has been convincing most MSM that the soldiers weren't captured while they were in Lebanon, showing no respect for the Lebanese border

Disarm and if possible eradicate Hizbollah

No on both, and Hizbollah has made it clear that they will not disarm as long as Iraeli forces are on Lebanese territory. Israel and Hizbollah have both stopped the air and rocket attacks on each other's territory, but any Israeli soldier is a legitimate target if he is in Lebanon.

Sucker Syria and/or Iran to respond so that USisrael could treat them to "Shock and Awe"

Again, no such luck. Assad and Ahmadinejad both were more than content to sit back and cheer on Hizbollah from the sidelines and watch Israel throw away whatever sympathy and respect they had anywhere in the world outside of the land of the Three Anglo Amigos - Bush, Harper and Blair.

Today, most of the Muslim world, or the Arab street is celebrating the victory by "ragtag" Hizbollah over the fourth strongest military on earth, backed by the mightiest. Sure the US/Israel could launch the mother of all Shock and Awe campaigns on Hizbollah, Syria and Iran and nobody could stop them. That would solve the Middle East problem permanently. Of course most likely there would be nothing but an uninhabited gravel pit stretching from the eastern shores of the Meditaranean to Afghanistan (or beyond) into Pakistan. I think that is the "good" scenario, if Russia, China, Pakistan and India don't jump into the fray.

If I was Israel, I wouldn't worry so much about Iran pursuing nuclear technology, as is its right by a treaty that Iran hasn't violated, I would worry that Hizbollah might get some of those shoulder mounted ground to air missiles that the mujahadeen used so effectively against the Ruskies in Afghanistan. Israel's cowardly air strikes on civilians would instantly become more costly and helicopters - too easy, like Dick Cheney shooting lawyers. Israel is the nuclear outlaw, we know they have bombs, but then like Pakistan and India, they haven't signed onto the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Program. I can count the known nuclear outlaw (or terrorist) countries on the fingers of one hand - Israel, United States of Annihilation, Pakistan, India and North Korea.

August 13, 2006

Every Sunday Global News stages a "pretend debate" between wild eyed rightwing nut Ezra Levant and purported to speak for the left, center right Stephen LeDrew. It's more like 2 or 3 minutes of sound bites traded back and forth from various niches of the conservative/right. Ezra boy musta had his wheaties or crystal meth this morning. The whole time LeDrew was speaking Ezra was shaking his head no and almost drooling. When LeDrew responded to Ezzie's insane foaming spew by saying everybody was opposed to "terra-rists" and added no one could oppose the ceasefire in Lebanon, young, but angry, Ez said that he was against the ceasefire. He said approximately:

"I believe in killing terrorists, not splitting the difference with them"

And as the ever so brief "debate" came to a close Ezra continued to mutter about being against the whole idea of a ceasefire and how pro killing he is.

Well Ezzie, why don't you leave your screed sheet (Western Standard) in some trusted hands while you get yo lily white ass over to the Mideast and kick some butt and do some killing. You're still a young guy, born in 1972. If that's too old for the Canadian Forces just go down across the 49th and join the US Army. You would be a young recruit to them. They'll take guys in their forties, with criminal records and you don't have to have an IQ with more than two digits. You can go to Afghanistan, Iraq or maybe join the UN Force being assembled to be the meat in the Israeli-Hezbollah sandwich. Just think of the day in the future when your hero Stevie Harper pins a medal on your chest for going over there and killing all them terra dudes!

thanks to The Wingnuterer for the pic of our killer in reserve.

August 5, 2006

"If the water resources in your country are rapidly decreasing, and the neighbouring country has an intact water supply... and if you think that in the future you will need the other countries water supply... then you will not attack that country saying you need their water. If you attack that country you will do so for another reason, hiding your real objective behind a wall of deception and lies."

aangirfan from Monaco sez that:

Israel has gone into Southern Lebanon to get control of water supplies.

Israel can increase its water supply by approximately 40% if it has continued access to the Litani river through permanent occupation of southern Lebanon.

Consequently, contrary to the pro-Israel pundits' reassurances that this war is not about occupation, all the tangible signs indicate the exact opposite, ie, the distinct possibility of a "war of acreage" whereby Israel would expand its territory, acquire a new strategic depth, and simultaneously address its chronic water shortage by exploiting the Litani.

Access to the Litani would translate into an annual increase of water supply by 800 million cubic meters. This in turn might allow Israel to bargain with Syria over the Golan Heights, source of a full one-third of Israel's fresh water. However, a more likely scenario is Israel's continued unwillingness to abide by United Nations Resolutions 242 and 338 calling for its withdrawal from the Syrian territories.

Ahhh, poor Lebanon, to have water and live to the north of a thirsty and self-annointed war monger rogue nation. Jeepers, sounds like Canada. Alberta is fooling the thirsty Americans though, they're fouling their own water as fast as they can turning mud into oil for Amerikans, (and some money for Calgarians).

August 3, 2006

The war in Lebanon continues with thousands of Israeli troops on the ground and a resumption of normal bombing of "terra" infested neighborhoods. Thus ends the kinda, sorta 48 hour cessessation of bombing, during which the IAF only bombed things they really wanted to bomb.

An AP-Yahoo report today says:

JERUSALEM - On a table facing his desk, Ehud Olmert keeps photographs of three Israeli soldiers whose capture by Islamic militants in Gaza and Lebanon sparked the latest Mideast crisis.

For Hezbollah, victory means simply avoiding defeat. It will be perceived by many Muslims to have won by keeping the capacity to fire even short-range rockets into Israel.

.........

Hezbollah will argue that it withstood three to five weeks of fighting with the region's most powerful army, supported and equipped by the world's most powerful army, that of the United States. In that sense, a long war is better for Hezbollah.

Hezbollah and its leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, will be hailed by many in the Arab and Muslim worlds as heroes and new Saladins, whose religious faith was transmuted into astounding bravery rarely shown by the huge Arab armies of the secular Arab states that fought Israel in the 1967 and 1973 wars.

Q'ana Revisited

The attack on Q'ana so grossed out most of the world that the Israelis even pretended to cease air strikes temporarily, or at least they claimed they were going to do so. The Israeli military had claimed that the apartment building was a fair target because Katyusha rockets were launched from it or it's immediate vicinity, and it was sheltering terrorists. Now the IDF's own investigation shows that not only were no rockets launched from the area, but Israeli military personnel were even aware that civilians were taking shelter in the building. According to Haaretz recently:

As the Israel Air Force continues to investigate the air strike, questions have been raised over military accounts of the incident.

It now appears that the military had no information on rockets launched from the site of the building, or the presence of Hezbollah men at the time.

The Israel Defense Forces had said after the deadly air-strike that many rockets had been launched from Qana. However, it changed its version on Monday.

August 2, 2006

Today marks one month since the still undecided national election in Mexico. Despite the efforts of the Mainstream Media in the US to create an alternate reality, no one has been declared a winner in this election yet. Estimates of the crowd in Mexico City pictured above on July 18 range from 1-2 million. It should rankle Americans to notice that apparently Mexico hasn't "progressed" far enough with its democracy to create Free Speech Zones in which to isolate opposition groups.

As the U.S. media distorts the aftermath of the July 2 election, evidence suggests there may be an attempted theft in progress

Enough InfoTainment Already

Over at TomsDispatch Frieda Berrigan suggests that we would be much better served if the media slavishly followed the activities of the world's Arms Dealers instead of Brad, Angelina and what's her name, oh yeah, Jennifer. Here are a couple samples from a Tomgram called: Frida Berrigan on the Weapons Trade as Entertainment

But don't be fooled. Like Hollywood, the arms industry has sex to spare. After all, the weapons themselves are all gleaming golden curves and massive thrusting spikes; they move at breath-robbing speed, make ear-splitting noise, and are capable of performing with awesome lethality. Just ask the Bush administration if you can't fall in love with weapons this sexy and the military that wields them

What if American girls grew up reading Jane's Defence Weekly instead of (or in addition to) JANE?

So, when the Bush administration inked that arms deal with arch-rival Pakistan and agreed to send Islamabad F-16 fighter planes whose only likely use would be against India, you can hardly blame the Indians for being heartbroken.

In fact, twenty of our top twenty-five arms clients in the developing world in 2003 -- a full 80% of them -- were undemocratic regimes and/or governments with records as major human-rights abusers.

Olmert's Option:

Over at the Galloping Beaver (one of my favorite Canadian Blogs) Dave has this solution for Ehud - it worked for boy non-savant George, didn't it?

I have a better idea. Why doesn't the US lend Israel an aircraft carrier, fly Ehud Olmert onto it in a flight-suit and codpiece, have a huge blue and white MISSION ACCOMPLISHED sign hung strategically in front of CNN's cameras and Israel can do what the US did in Iraq by pretending it won.

As Tom Friedman pointed out last week on Press the Meat, America doesn't export hope anymore - it exports fear and hate! Mr. Friedman isn't noted for wisdom in my universe, but even he can see beyond the occasional analogy that he trips over and then repeats until our ears go numb.

August 1, 2006

METULLA, Israel, July 31 — As Israel poured soldiers and artillery shells into southern Lebanon, it vowed Monday to press ahead with its war on Hezbollah and made a number of airstrikes after promising a 48-hour pause in its air campaign.

I recall the Israeli ambassador to somewhere claiming that there was no use calling a cease fire, as Hizbollah would just violate it. Excuse me, but did or did not Israel announce a 48 hour cessasation of air strikes and then completely ignore the announcement? I would imagine it is terrible to be one of the people stuck in a war zone with no where to go and no way to get there.

on the other hand -

Meanwhile, Hezbollah held its fire, with the Israeli Army counting only three mortar shells landing in Israel on Monday and no rockets,

So Israel claims to call a break in air strikes but only Hezbollah actually follows through. Mr. Ambassador, tell me again, why is any cease fire a waste? Of course Condi (known in some circles as Ms. SuperTanker) -

...accepted Israel's explanation for resuming airstrikes barely 12 hours after the suspension was announced.