Run-Up

Iran


It’s strange how this “run-up to war” thing happens. Usually we forget, from one war to the next, how it felt the time before. But this time it's recent and we can still remember the run-up to Iraq.

Cheney, aka Stentman, his brain regularly deprived of sufficient oxygen and consequently running in reptile mode, directs his secret government to ready the engines of war. Build-up of bunker busters, securing of necessary foreign bases, clandestine cross-border maneuvers, CIA financing of internal anti groups, and now kidnappings on both sides. The precursors are rolling in. Writers begin predicting, and heavy armament, aircraft carriers and missle ships, begin to move into position. You can almost hear the dull thrub across the land.

Bush is getting ready himself. He is reported to be having daily “end-time” religious instruction in the White House. Great pressure is building domestically, but he’s not paying attention, really. Fredo can speak for himself. Rove is getting down in public. All hell is breaking loose, but God and the meds make it seem far away.

Bush is starting to get that look, head thrust forward, squinty eyes darting from left to right, trying to surpress that heh-heh sadistic chortle. He’s peeved that nobody likes anything he does, but God has told him he’s right, and he knows what’s coming. That’s ‘cause He’s going to make it happen thru him, Bush, and Iraq will look like a comma in history.

That is, a comma before the run-up to WWIII.

It seems unstoppable. The following article puts the pieces together all too well.

Easter Surprise: Attack on Iran, New 9/11… or Worse
by Heather Wokusch
www.dissidentvoice.org
March 29, 2007

The Bush administration continues moving closer to a nuclear attack on Iran, and we ignore the obvious buildup at our peril.

Russian media is sounding alarms. In February, ultra-nationalist leader Vladimir Shirinovsky warned that the US would launch a strike against Tehran at the end of this month. Then last week, the Russian News and Information Agency Novosti (RIA-Novosti) quoted military experts predicting the US will attack Iran on April 6th, Good Friday. According to RIA-Novosti, the imminent assault will target Iranian air and naval defense capabilities, armed forces headquarters as well as key economic assets and administration headquarters. Massive air strikes will be deployed, possibly tactical nuclear weapons as well, and the Bush administration will attempt to exploit the resulting chaos and political unrest by installing a pro-US government.

Sound familiar? It's Iraq Déjà vu all over again, and we know how well that war has gone.

Seymour Hersh has published numerous articles in The New Yorker detailing the Bush administration's plans to invade Iran. Must read on ...

No Overlap (but if they stay, that will make 3)

US carrier deploys amid Iran tensions
Fri Mar 30, 12:01 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz will sail Monday to support US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US Navy said, amid a spike in tensions over Iran's seizure of 15 British marines and sailors.

The Nimitz, and its battle group of destroyers and guided missile cruisers, will relieve the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, which this week took part in war games exercises in the Gulf with another carrier, USS John S Stennis.

The new battle group will be in position by late-to-mid April, but there will be no overlap with the Eisenhower, and the number of US carriers in the area would stay at two, a navy official said on condition of anonymity.

"If anything, there would be a point where there is only one in the region," the official said, on condition of anonymity.

The Stennis and the Eisenhower wound down their show of force involving 15 warships in the Gulf on Thursday.

The two carrier deployment in the Gulf was the highest level US naval presence in the key strategic channel since the US invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

The Nimitz will support operations in Iraq, the Horn of Africa and Afghanistan, the navy said in a press release.

The Stennis had been operating in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea but entered Gulf waters on Tuesday, escorted by the guided-missile carrier USS Antietam, the Fifth Fleet said.

Now That's Pretty Damned Specific!

by way of Rense.com

Sneak Attack By US Forces On Iran Planned
- Russian Military Sources Warn

General Ivashov Calls For Emergency Session Of
UN Security Council To Ward Off Looming US Aggression
By Webster G. Tarpley
3-25-7


WASHINGTON DC -- The long awaited US military attack on Iran is now on track for the first week of April, specifically for 4 AM on April 6, the Good Friday opening of Easter weekend, writes the well-known Russian journalist Andrei Uglanov in the Moscow weekly "Argumenty Nedeli." Uglanov cites Russian military experts close to the Russian General Staff for his account.

The attack is slated to last for twelve hours, according to Uglanov, lasting from 4 AM until 4 PM local time. Friday is a holiday in Iran. In the course of the attack, code named Operation Bite, about 20 targets are marked for bombing; the list includes uranium enrichment facilities, research centers, and laboratories.

The first reactor at the Bushehr nuclear plant, where Russian engineers are working, is supposed to be spared from destruction. The US attack plan reportedly calls for the Iranian air defense system to be degraded, for numerous Iranian warships to be sunk in the Persian Gulf, and the for the most important headquarters of the Iranian armed forces to be wiped out. Read more...

Hi Ho Silver, Away!

That Old Time Religion

And I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singing, "We're gonna vent our frustration
If we don't we're gonna blow a 50-amp fuse"

Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want

"Governor Mancin seems to believe that all he has to do is make promises while the children who attend Marsh Fork continue to breathe in coal dust," says Bill Price of
Charleston, WV. "We are not interested in promises. We want a new school for these kids so that they do not have to breathe in polluted air while they are trying to learn."

"This is exciting that students and community members have joined together to demand a safer school for the kids who attend Marsh Folk Elementary," says Sarah Kidder, a student at Glenville State College and a key protest organizer. "These kids should not have to endanger their lives simply by going to school and having to breathe in air polluted by coal dust."

Massey has been attempting to build a second coal silo near the school, but the WV Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in 2005 rejected Massey's permit request for the second silo. On Tuesday, March 13, the state Surface Mine Board overturned the DEP's order that blocked the silo.

"The situation at Marsh Fork is an embarrassment to West Virginia," said Lindsey Warf of Bluefield, WV. "People from other states can't believe this is happening in the US."

Contrary to Massey's public claim that the silo would reduce coal dust, their 2005 air quality permit application associated with the second silo's operation predicts an increase in coal dust emissions by three and a half tons of dust per year.

Global Warming Part 2

You know I like to look for contrarian evidence for views that I hold. I watched "An Inconvenient Truth" and thought it correct.
1. The earth's atmosphere is warming.
2. Polar icecaps and glaciers are melting.
3. Atmospheric CO2 is increasing.
4. Human activity is the cause.

After watching this new documentary, I remain convinced of 1, 2, and 3, but I think 4 is probably not true.

See for yourself. Yes, CO2 levels are going up, but it the result of global warming, not the cause. The ocean is the giant CO2 collector, and when it warms up it gives off much more CO2 than the puny addition by humans.

The cause of the global warming is indeed, the sun. Not the rays that heat us, but the cosmic rays which stream down on us from the solar wind. These rays vary with the sunspot cycle, which is the cause of global warming. Check out the movie.

Is Bush Cracking?

Sorry, I couldn't resist using this photoshopped picture again.

Not with the original article, but I can hope.

By way of http://www.rense.com/:

http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/

"March 13, 2007 --Our White House Press Corps sources report further disturbing news about President George W. Bush. Our sources have witnessed a clearly inebriated Bush approaching members of the press corps and making rude comments, including one particularly crude remark about First Lady Laura Bush. In that case, Bush, nodding toward Laura, called her a "c**t."

While Bush's drinking is no secret to the White House press contingent, that particular comment was reportedly the worst they have heard uttered by Bush.

Our sources also report that Laura Bush's stays at the White House are less frequent and that her overnight trips to the Mayflower Hotel often coincide with the president's drunken binges.

Note: Some of our female readers were shocked to see the "C" word in the above news item. This editor wants to make it clear that word was used by George W. Bush to denigrate his wife. It was his word, not mine. It is important that the public knows what kind of person Mr. Bush is by the offensive words he uses.

The editor also wants to make clear that the President chose a public press gaggle to use this word -- that is not a private moment between him and his wife. If Mrs. Bush feels her privacy has been violated, she must understand that it is her responsibility to herself, her children, and the nation to end this abusive relationship by legally separating from the President and becoming a role model for other women around the country and the world who find themselves locked into similar abusive marriages.

Nevertheless, we have "asterisked" the word in question. However, Mr. Bush cannot asterisk his own vile words."

Hope Springs Eternal

Hawaii: State's Legalization Of Pot Could Yield $33 Million Annually

West Oahu, HI: Taxing and regulating cannabis in Hawaii in a manner similar to alcohol could yield the state approximately $33 million in annual revenues and cost savings, according to an economic analysis released last week by the University of Hawaii.

The study found that regulating cannabis could create annual tax revenues of up to $23 million. The study added that prosecuting and enforcing state pot laws costs taxpayers approximately $10 million per year. Of this total, more than 40 percent is spent by state and county law enforcement solely to enforce marijuana possession laws.

"Those who favor legalization ... argue that policies like those involved in the regulation of alcohol and tobacco are far more effective in limiting the individual and social costs involved," the study states. "[T]axation is significantly cheaper in terms of enforcement and outcomes than outlawing substances."
The study also reports that law enforcement efforts to restrict Hawaii's pot supply have been ineffective because the black market price of marijuana per ounce has fallen over the last decade -- indicating a marked increase in supply and consumption.

A previous nationwide analysis of marijuana policy by Boston University economist Jeffrey Miron reported that enforcing state and federal pot laws costs taxpayers an estimated $7.7 billion annually.

John Dean has made the point that this administration is the most secretive ever. But this ...

"Don't discuss polar bears": memo to scientists

(Please supply your own awwwwww (poor animal) sound)

Telephone Tax Take

Apparently 30% of early filers are forgetting to pick up their $30 - $60 in Telephone Tax refund. This tax, instituted by Nixon to fund the Vietnam War, is finally being retired. See also my true-life tale of Telephone Tax fun.

Blocked in China

I ran across a website that tests to see if your URL is blocked in China. I guess this accounts for the lack of Chinese vistors.

Note: If you read the comments on the site, you'll see some doubt that the test is real. I checked a few, most were not blocked. Who knows?

At What Point Are We Obligated to Take Action to Stop the Madness?

I've found an interest blog at Organizing Notes. The blogger/activist Bruce Gagnon has some worthwhile stuff going on there.. While researching this statement from his blog

The Nuremberg War Crime Tribunal, in 1950, released the following statement to the citizens of the world:

"Individuals have international duties which transcend the national obligations of obedience. Therefore [individual citizens] have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring."

The occupation of Iraq and the continued funding of the occupation by Congress in my mind is a crime against peace and humanity. We must collectively act now as instructed by international and moral law.

I ended up going to the Nuremberg War Crime Tribunal Principal 82, issued in 1950,

Principle I
Any person who commits an act which constitutes a crime under international law is responsible therefor and liable to punishment.

Principle II
The fact that internal law does not impose a penalty for an act which constitutes a crime under international law does not relieve the person who committed the act from responsibility under international law.

Principle III
The fact that a person who committed an act which constitutes a crime under international law acted as Head of State or responsible Government official does not relieve him from responsibility under international law.

Principle IV
The fact that a person acted pursuant to order of his Government or of a superior does not relieve him from responsibility under international law, provided a moral choice was in fact possible to him.

Principle V
Any person charged with a crime under international law has the right to a fair trial on the facts and law.

Principle Vl
The crimes hereinafter set out are punishable as crimes under international law:

Crimes against peace:
Planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances;

Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the acts mentioned under (i).

War crimes:
Violations of the laws or customs of war which include, but are not limited to, murder, ill-treatment or deportation to slave-labor or for any other purpose of civilian population of or in occupied territory, murder or illtreatment of prisoners of war, of persons on the seas, killing of hostages, plunder of public or private property, wanton destruction of cities, towns, or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity.

Crimes against humanity:
Murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation and other inhuman acts done against any civilian population, or persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds, when such acts are done or such persecutions are carried on in execution of or in connection with any crime against peace or any war crime.

Principle VII
Complicity in the commission of a crime against peace, a war crime, or a crime against humanity as set forth in Principles VI is a crime under international law.

and then to Wikipedia for this: Nuremberg War Crime Tribunal

Application in the war on terror

A number of legal analysts have advanced the argument that the principle of "command responsibility" could make high-ranking officials within the Bush administration guilty of war crimes committed either with their knowledge or by persons under their control.[10]

As a reaction to the September 11, 2001 attacks the U.S. Government adopted several controversial measures (e.g., invading Iraq, introducing "unlawful combatant" status, conducting "extraordinary renditions", and allowing "enhanced interrogation methods", which has been described as torture). Alberto Gonzales and others argued that detainees should be considered "unlawful combatants" and as such not protected by the Geneva Conventions in multiple memoranda regarding these perceived legal gray areas.[11]

Gonzales' statement that denying coverage under the Geneva Conventions "substantially reduces the threat of domestic criminal prosecution under the War Crimes Act" suggests, at the least, an awareness by those involved in crafting policies in this area that US officials are involved in acts that could be seen to be war crimes.[12] The US Supreme Court challenged the premise on which this argument is based in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, in which it ruled that Common Article Three of the Geneva Conventions applies to detainees in Guantanamo Bay and that the Military Tribunals used to try these suspects were in violation of US and international law.[13]

On April 14, 2006, Human Rights Watch said that Secretary Rumsfeld could be criminally liable for his alleged involvement in the abuse of Mohammad al-Qahtani.[14] Dave Lindorff contends that by ignoring the Geneva Conventions the US administration, including President Bush, as Commander-in-Chief, is culpable for war crimes.[15] In addition, former chief prosecutor of the Nuremberg Trials Benjamin Ferencz has called the invasion of Iraq a "clear breach of law," and as such it constitutes a war crime.[16] On November 14, 2006, invoking universal jurisdiction, legal proceedings were started in Germany -for their alleged involvement of prisonerabuse- against Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, John Yoo, George Tenet and others.[17]

Lieutenant Watada has refused to be deployed to Iraq charging that the invasion of iraq was illegal, and as such he is bound by the command responsibility to refuse to take part in an illegal war. Otherwise he himself could face legal challenges. For this he stands trial at this moment.

The Military Commissions Act of 2006 is seen as an amnesty law for crimes committed in the War on Terror by retroactively rewriting the War Crimes Act[18] and by abolishing habeas corpus, effectively making it impossible for detainees to challenge crimes committed against them.[19]

Wow, if you made it through all of that and got it, you know now that we have war criminals as leaders. And, they have attempted to bullet-proof themselves from the consequences of their crimes. And that we have to do something to stop it. If you go to the Organizing Notes blog you can read how they are organizing and implementing non-violent actions.

Lord have mercy!

Ray Revealed

Are you familiar with ZeFrank? He runs "The Show" and has enlisted his minions to find "Ray", the creator of the viral song - "I'm about to whip somebody's ass." Now watch and listen to Ray in person. Click on title.