Israel Warns: Free Soldier or Prime Minister Dies
Israel last night threatened to assassinate Palestinian prime minister Ismael Haniyeh if Hamas militants did not release a captured Israeli soldier unharmed. 

Gilad Shalit and the children slaughtered in the Israeli artillery barrage on the beach share a common misfortune. They are simply pawns in Israel's never-ending quest to subjugate the Palestinian people.

Bush made a show of urging restraint. What a farce. He is a puppet and always has been. I went to dinner last night at friends. They had another couple over, the husband had worked for the Republican minority staff of the Foreign Relations committee in the mid 1980's.  The Committee was preparing a "democracy" initiative for the Middle East when the subject came up of Israeli "democracy" for Israeli and West Bank Arabs. AIPAC and the Israel Lobby landed on em like a ton of bricks.

Israel Detains Palestinian Ministers
Knocks out Electricity to Half of Gazans

Half of the Palestinians in Gaza, who were already living pretty miserable lives after decades of marginalization and brutalization by the Israelis, were left without electricity yesterday.

Palestinian officials like Saeb Erekat rejected the idea that knocking out electricity for hundreds of thousands of people is targeting a "terrorist infrastructure." In fact, destroying electricity generation capability interferes with water purification. Palestinian children will die because of this, from drinking unpurified water. And what crime did Palestinian toddlers commit, to be murdered in this way?

The Israelis escalated the crisis by detaining Hamas government ministers. The likelihood is that the captors of the Israeli soldier are freelancers. This wasn't something plotted out by the Haniyeh government, which, in fact, recently granted a huge concession on the issue of potentially recognizing Israel.

PM Ismail Haniyeh called for the United Nations Security Council to intervene.

The ministers detained are members of a freely and democratically elected government. I can't imagine under what legal authority the Israelis have arrested them. But everyone in the Middle East can see exactly what "elections" and "democracy" amount to. Bush's promises have never seemed so hollow.

Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, called for the US to get involved as an honest broker. Well, I suppose miracles do happen.

I am upset about the renewed crisis in Palestine because it is an emotional issue and will spill over into Sunni Arab Iraq. It is likely that pro-Palestinian Sunni guerrillas will kill some US troops specifically to avenge the people of Gaza. This is one reason I am complaining about the massively disproportional character of the Israeli response. It has the potential of further endangering American lives in the region.

And, it is counter-productive. The Israelis can't get back their soldier by destroying electricity plants in Gaza. They can't get more security by depriving Palestinians of security.

PS Jeff Morley at WaPo does a fine piece on the beach bombing background to the current round of violence

Part I: Ringing Ears Hear No Evil: Marine SYSCOM’s Lightweight Approach to Head Injury

Enough of Israel and their Lobby? I have. A rogue state by any other name:

Israel Threatens to Assassinate PM
	Israel Bombs PA Interior Ministry

Israel Arrests 64 PA Lawmakers, Ministers

On Friday, June 30th, The War Tapes opens in the following cities: BERKELEY, CA (Landmark Shattuck Cinemas) BOSTON, MA (Kendall Square Cinema) CONCORD, NH (Regal (Hoyts) Concord 10) SAN FRANCISCO, CA (The Castro Theatre), BUSHVILLE, DC (E Street Cinema)

The War Tapes opens tonight in Berkeley and at the Castro Theater San Francisco. Soldiers with cameras take you to the heart of the Iraq Disaster. One of the "stars" Sgt. Bazzi will answer questions from the audience after the Castro showing today and tommorrow.  SF Chron review (little man falling off chair) is  here.  Front page story on film here

What the media doesn't show because the media did not produce it.

Trailer plus clips and outtakes at film website

[An Occasional Series]

U.S. losing war on terrorism, experts say
Poll finds that more than 8 in 10 respondents blame the Iraq war

The amnesty plan that wasn't from a "government" that isn't is a proposition quite readily defended as this report on the apparent quick collapse of Mailiki's "national reconciliation plan"  from AP makes plain.

It would have been arguably better had Mailiki made no proposal at all than this for it will surely expose and widen the already gaping cleavages in Iraq.

Martin Seiff of UPI referring to the Unity Government - worth remembering throughout the continuing farce that is Bush's Iraq

"Trouble is, none of it is real"

From today's  Progress Report another "Mission Accomplished". If opposition to the War in Iraq was the focus of the Democratic Campaign '06, the effect would be devastating. With the I word on their lips, Democratic candidates could deliver the unambigous message, a tale of Republican reign of failure not only around the globe but here at home too.  NASCAR dads do not like losers,and that is exactly what George Bush is, and exactly the message that the War Wing of the Party would tongue tie if they tried to deliver it.

"As a result of the United States military, [the] Taliban is no longer in existence."

Loser of the United States
September 2004

2006 The Taliban Can
Like a Phoenix,Taliban Waging Full Blown Insurgency
Karzai Government Rocked

Time for an “Agonizing Reappraisal”

by Patrick J. Buchanan

The US urges restraint - but what does that matter? 

 Residents Flee in Terror from Israeli Army

Why I didn't give 2 "Cheers for Sharon" with Dr. Jentleson is explained in Informed Comment's roundup of life in Israel's Gaza Ghetto. Time to call a rogue state, a rogue state.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Israel Detains Palestinian Ministers
Knocks out Electricity to Half of Gazans
Half of the Palestinians in Gaza, who were already living pretty miserable lives after decades of marginalization and brutalization by the Israelis, were left without electricity yesterday.
Palestinian officials like Saeb Erekat rejected the idea that knocking out electricity for hundreds of thousands of people is targeting a "terrorist infrastructure." In fact, destroying electricity generation capability interferes with water purification. Palestinian children will die because of this, from drinking unpurified water. And what crime did Palestinian toddlers commit, to be murdered in this way?
The Israelis escalated the crisis by detaining Hamas government ministers. The likelihood is that the captors of the Israeli soldier are freelancers. This wasn't something plotted out by the Haniyeh government, which, in fact, recently granted a huge concession on the issue of potentially recognizing Israel.
PM Ismail Haniyeh called for the United Nations Security Council to intervene.
The ministers detained are members of a freely and democratically elected government. I can't imagine under what legal authority the Israelis have arrested them. But everyone in the Middle East can see exactly what "elections" and "democracy" amount to. Bush's promises have never seemed so hollow.
Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, called for the US to get involved as an honest broker. Well, I suppose miracles do happen.
I am upset about the renewed crisis in Palestine because it is an emotional issue and will spill over into Sunni Arab Iraq. It is likely that pro-Palestinian Sunni guerrillas will kill some US troops specifically to avenge the people of Gaza. This is one reason I am complaining about the massively disproportional character of the Israeli response. It has the potential of further endangering American lives in the region.
And, it is counter-productive. The Israelis can't get back their soldier by destroying electricity plants in Gaza. They can't get more security by depriving Palestinians of security.

posted by Juan @ 6/29/2006 06:33:00 AM 0 comments   

 Pat Buchanan surveys the wreckage of Bush foreign policy. Trenchant and incontestable.

Time for an “Agonizing Reappraisal”

by Patrick J. Buchanan

Gazing across what Zbigniew Brzezinski once called the “arc of crisis,” U.S. foreign policy appears to be disintegrating.

Starring Michael Ledeen, Harold Rhode, AIPAC syy Larry Franklin, Special Guest Star Manucher Ghorbanifar (Raygun Award Winner for Iran Contra). Opening soon n Federal District Court

Three Days in Rome: In which a neoconservative jack-of-all-trades, a pair of Pentagon hawks, and an Iranian exile with a knack for tall tales try to outflank the CIA and conjure a coup in Tehran

By Laura Rozen

On Sunday, Larry Johnson posted a very thought and reply provoking comment on the causes and the effects of the failed US Counterinsurgency operation in Iraq. The US Military after Vietnam essentially abandoned counterinsurgency training and as a consequence, lost what institutional learning it had from that disaster in South East Asia. Well, the damned thing about history is that sometimes it actually does seem to repeat itself

The US military in Iraq today reported soberly that Operation Forward Together was bogged down.  Many predicted this. If you'd like to know why see Larry's  Preparing For Retreat --   and the comments thereto.

Bush has lost the War in Iraq. Make no mistake about that.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. military issued a sober assessment Tuesday of the Baghdad security crackdown, saying violence had decreased slightly but not to "the degree we would like to see" in the two weeks since 75,000 Iraqi and American troops flooded the capital.

US Admits Baghdad Offensive Progressing Slowly

While the claim of declined violence is debatable, it would not be surprising because the Bush regime publicized this very offensive months ago and even its timing.

Thankfully Gen Casey has the wisdom to plan a timetable for exit and the foresight to leak it to the media.  57% of the Amerian people want to cut and run from this catastrophe.

Sometimes fixed timetables DO aid the enemy like 5 months notice that you are coming to get them.

Gallup: Majority of Americans Want Congressional Plan for Withdrawal
Public Supports Democratic Party Ideas

WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans say Congress should pass a resolution that outlines a plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday. Half of those surveyed would like all U.S. forces out within 12 months.
The poll finds support for the ideas behind Democratic proposals that were soundly defeated in the Senate last week. An uptick in optimism toward the war after the killing of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi earlier this month seems to have evaporated.

How much courage does it take for heaven's sake?  Hopefully the New York Times is awake and smelling the coffee.

Still waiting for the Democratic Party leadershp. Thank you Russ Feingold and John Kerry!

John Kerry: Cut and Run Fundraising

Cantwell, Brown, McCaskill

Equipment worn out

WASHINGTON - The annual cost of replacing, repairing and upgrading Army equipment in Iraq and Afghanistan is expected to more than triple next year to more than $17 billion, according to Army documents obtained by the Associated Press.

Troops Worn Out

Resistance Growing in US Military
AWOL's and Administrative Discharges in Theater Rise

= US Military Ground Down in q-W-agmire

Why Gen Cassey Wants to Cut and Run

 1+2=3. Figuring out that the military adventure in Iraq is no great feat. What mystifies me though is the breathtaking failure of the Democratic Party from cutters and runners to cutters and trotters to its Bush Wing to grasp the magnitude of the catastrophe and not only the immediate military aspect either.  The Democrats need to put issue distance - major issue distance - between themselves and Bush starting with Iraq as the fulcrum and extending naturally

• to the War in Afghanistan
• the War on Terror to Iran
•  to New Orleans
• to K St. crony capitalism
• to civil liberties
• to Executive power
• to the CoverUp Congress
• to the deficit..
• to Bush adminstration megalomania
• to Bush administration incompetence
• to Bush administration lies

 Get it?? The Party doesn't and don't why.  Must be rocket science