BuzzFlash Mailbag for December 11, 2007

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Subject: Jane Harmon on NPR "All Things Considered" 12-11-07

Rep. Harman Says She Raised Concerns to CIA: "I think destroying videotapes that were made for whatever reasons in connection with the interrogations was flat wrong in 2003 and it surely was flat wrong in 2005 when it was done."

Jonathan Turley on The Randi Rhodes Show (audio at www.WhiteRoseSociety.org)

Randi Rhodes Show Monday, December 10th, 2007 mp3

"This is actually much more serious that was listened before it. I lay out the case that I believe has at least six indictable offenses at tomorrow's Roll Call."

"It's absolutely bizarre to think that the Justice Department should review a case in which high-ranking officials, ranging from the CIA to the White House including possibly The Justice itself, could be indicted."

And Turley on KO: http://www.youtube.com/... Posted on YouTube: December 10, 2007

Turley's - The Hill http://TheHill.com

Alex

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Subject: Al Gore at Oslo

I just watched -- on Free Speech TV -- Al Gore's address made in Oslo at the presentation of his Nobel Prize for Peace. It was a movingly memorable speech, well-delivered and rich in substance, that I predict will have long-lasting historical significance.

In my opinion, this country -- no, the whole world -- is at a crisis point because of the Republican dominance in the last 25 years.

Reagan's ignoring of the HIV/Aids problem early on led to it being spread unchecked throughout the world. He was also responsible for the restoration of monopolies for the enrichment of large corporations which today effectively control and manipulate media, energy and politicos. During Reagan's tenure, we saw every type of traditional American industry -- great and small -- being bought out, beat out, or sold out to be replaced by foreign-produced goods.

Across the board, Reagan installed foxes guarding hen-houses, particulary in the matters of environment, public lands and civil rights.

The warnings of scientists about the signs of global warming were ridiculed consistently by the republicans. Rush Limbaugh became the all-knowing hero of the right, mocking and denigrating anyone whose intelligence and knowledge presented a threat to absolute conservative control and motivations.

The 21st century -- which many of us envisioned would bring enlightenment, peace and resolution of environmental as well as other problems -- instead brought us George W. Bush. Our expectations were doomed, shot to hell!

Today we still have the republicans and Bush/Cheney thwarting all hopes and endeavors to improve the world for our children and grandchildren.

There are millions of people who are eventually going to realize what has happened. What does it take to wake them up before it is too late?

Creed Ballew
Arkansas

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Subject: CNN Poll: Edwards by far the best head-to-head against Republicans

"On the Democratic side, Edwards performs best against each of the leading Republicans. In addition to beating Huckabee by 25 percent and McCain by 8 percent, the North Carolina Democrat beats Romney by 22 percentage points (59 percent to 37 percent) and Giuliani by 9 percentage points (53 percent to 44 percent)."

"Edwards is the only Democrat who beats all four Republicans, and McCain is the only Republican who beats any of the three Democrats," Holland said. "Some might argue this shows that they are the most electable candidates in their respective parties."

Poll: Huckabee would lose to top Democrats by double digits (CNN)

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: The Bush Administration's Fallback Position On Iran Revealed - Tuesday's LA Times

"Reading between the lines it still looks as if an Iran war is in the cards with either Israel or America to launch that first strike. Either way, though, President Bush is sure to tell us something like 'Nobody hates war more than me but, doggone it, if I hadn't given the go ahead Israel would have been wiped off the face of the earth.'"

"What's Israel got to do with it?"

"As a convenient scapegoat in case attacking Iran turns out to be as bad or worse than what's happening in Iraq."

"Won't President Bush mention Iran's oil?"

"Not a word."

"Will he get away with it?"

"Not if we stop him?"

"But how?"

"Troops out now."

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Mailbag ... 12/10/07 Getting Into The Spirit Of Christmas

To the Buzzreader who has a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit. I join you, friend. I can remember when I had more trouble getting the money for my kids presents ... when they were young ... all of us home ... stocking hung by the chimney with care (one of the kids always snuck into those stockings, even though I knew it every time) ... that done ... and the tree lighted for the first time, I sat down for the night, no matter the time ... and turned on the station for the "the Mormon Tabernacle Choir" which was on with the usual Christmas concert! That was the thing that did it for me, it was almost chilling!! It happened the same way every year! Now ... I have a problem with that,too. I have a problem, even hearing it ... and feeling the spirit of Christmas ... I have something on my mind every evening ... about seeing the things I have seen since the war in Iraq started.

Some of the worst is the massacre of the family ... many years ago now ... when they were trying to make it home from a relative before the curfew ... at the check point ... the American military ... the family sped up to make it, the military ... opened fire on them and killed the mother, father and four kids, one of the kids, a 7 month old baby ... not yet weaned ... where was his God that night? It was in Time or Newsweek ... BuzzFlash also helped with the story. I think it was in 2003-4 ... early in the war ... that child was treated miserably on this night ... and it was not the only story of us and our outrageousness!! This story was I think, "The Massacre at Tal Afar." So sad, even now I want to cry at the thought ... we could now be doing the same thing in Iran ... had not someone found out about the plans of the Cretins in Government!

Something that has always bothered me were the stories that republicans of all stages, told of the mass graves, by Saddam!! I've sat in front of the TV and watched the Iraqis burying their dead, that we slaughtered, just digging a hole ... and tossing many bodies in the same grave ... they have nothing ... how could they have funerals, regular burials like we do? when we are not here in 50 years ... what will the story be? The American slaughterhouse? It should be! Unless one of these republican types running now gets in ... they will find a nice way of saying it was the Iraqis' fault! I think, Buzzreader friend, it is the pure hate you feel ... for what has happened to this country, and how hard it is to feel any spirit of any kind. If God was what we were taught ... why is he allowing this to happen?

I want to spit in the face of all republicans running ... who feel that the war must be continued. One of the funniest things said by a democrat running ... and I am not even sure of them now, was said by Joe Biden. Someone asked him about Giuliani ... and he said, "How can anyone tell. He knows a noun ... a verb ... and 911"... and aptly it got a big laugh! But, anyone who runs on 911 is not getting to first base with me ... and likely is the one thing that has hurt Hillary more than anything ... even though she did not cause it ... she will not denounce it ... or at least I have not heard her.

My mind is still not set ... and like my democrat sister ... I will be voting more against someone than for someone ... and that bothers me, too. Right now ... until we get a person in the White House who feels that the people of this country should be put before anything ... since we pay for everything ... the president of the US ... should put his hand on the Constitution and swear to be true to the American People who have put him or her there ... and paid for everything. I am also a very strict person ... that the country should be the country ... and not even bring religion into it. Think about it folks ... why should we, in the Constitution of this country, make laws about anything other than the country? Think about it!

I have grown so sick of my old codger brother and uncle comparing the deaths in Iraq ... to the number of abortions every year ... the two have nothing to do with each other!! Whatever happened to the separation of Church and State?

Shirley ... St. Louis

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Subject: PS to My Mailbag Comment ... 12/10/07

Once again ... to the Buzz reader who cannot get into the spirit of the holiday ... Christmas. It is true ... that there is no satisfaction in giving, I will to my grandkids ... and a small donation to BuzzFlash ... that is where I would like it to all go. I will no longer donate to any candidate, be it democrat ... which it will be. Up until now, I have either donated ... or done some kind of work, but no more. They have to get there on their own, now.

And, your remarks about the Evangelical, Fundamentalist, Christians ... have almost turned me away from organized religion. No one HAS to attend a church to have a relationship with the Almighty. He does not mandate it ... even if you believe the Bible word for word!!!! I have an aunt ... the very fundamentalist, old fashioned (bless her ... she is very ill ... aging) who did not believe in alchohol of any kind, even though her husband was an alcoholic ... everyone saw it ... as was all his brothers ... except my father, who was lucky enough that the stuff made him sick! Okay ... in the scripture ... where God turned water to wine ... my mother once asked auntie what that meant. Auntie replied ... that she thought he actually turned it into grape juice!! So, see ... anyone can make a judgment on anything.

The Bible was written as a moral compass for all, and was written by many so-called prophets. So ... yes, being Christian taught ... and raised in a Christian family ... I have always had the sorrow and pity for the Iraqi families ... and people look at me like I am nuts when I say that ... but, hey ... if he is the loving God I thought of when I was a child ... and would still like to ... he does not look at it kindly either ... Of that, I am quite sure!

Hang in there, Buzzreader, if you can afford it make a contribution where we get our source of the news ... I cannot do much ... but, I always feel after a donation, no matter how small ... that I have paid for the right to pull in all the sanity from this sight, that BuzzFlash staff and the the wonderful Mailbag writer ... allow me to read. This will be, one day, the most read website in this country ... make no mistake ... it will be!

Shirley ... St. Louis

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Subject: I Will Mark Your Word

Hi Buzz...

Again "Mark My Word of Chicago" says what I want to say and he says it loud and clear. To me an "Octogenarian" ... Dennis K(61) is a youngster ... and if he has a very young wife with a pierced tongue ... so what!!! ... it's fine with me as long as it isnt a "FORKED TONGUE"... To me he seems to be the only real PATRIOT standing on the debating platform ... I can still see him when he said "Yes I voted against the patriot act, because I read it" !!!!! Also my friends ... I hope to yet see before I die what I call a UFO "Unidentified Flying Object"... Notice this ... that is what he called it ... and that is what I call it ... I do not say extra terrestrial or aliens or such ... He also voted against the war ... and the only one to call for IMPEACHMENT ... which is what we all want ... Little by little Dennis K is looking like a much bigger man than I thought at first ... and I am going to start listening to him more and more every chance I get ... Yep we all make up our own minds ... and I will make up my own and I do NOT HATE him because he has a young wife ... my late brother in law had a wife 30 years younger than himself and they got along just the greatest ever until death them did part.

Genie

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Subject: Tapes Of Torture

"Protecting the identities of the interrogators" is given as the reason for the destruction of the CIA detainee torture tapes.

It seems like everything this administration has done has been to cover their own asses! Never has any president and his minions been so subversive and secretive. We have been fed lie after lie after lie. No one is ever found culpable; no subpoenaed documents are ever given over; and the whole lying pack goes unchallenged and unpunished.

Blurring and obscuring is no great art; we see it every day in the form of blipped faces and crotches on our television screens. Remember the photos from Abu Ghraib?

Why is it so important to protect the identities of torturers? Does that justify misrepresenting the truth to us? I used to think Hitler, Pinochet and Idi Amin were monsters because of the horrible tortures they committed. Never did I expect to see our own country sanctioning and inflicting torture on other human beings. It makes no sense to torture someone until they are willing to confess to anything! To hell with the truth, when all we have to do is torture someone into admitting whatever we tell them to say.

Joe Biden wants to have an independent investigation into the tapes in question, yet he can get next to no support from our other elected weasels. An investigation of oneself amounts to no investigation at all!

We are suffering from the whims and illogical reasoning of sick-brained leaders in the White House and gutless wonders in our Congress. Planet Earth is indeed in jeopardy.

Creed Ballew
Arkansas

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Subject: What's Behind This Switcheroo On Iran's Quest For Nuclear Weapons?

"A few honest and righteous ones in our intelligence services finally speaking out?"

"A mutiny in the intelligence services in the midst of a war? Ridiculous!"

"What then?"

"A last minute change of course, with, for the time being at least, the Iran war being put on hold."

"But why this use of the intelligence services to tell us that Iran gave up on nuclear weapons three years ago?"

"To provide President Bush with a plausible denial that keeps him from having to face the music in a court of criminal justice for his role in this ongoing conspiracy against us."

"Shades of President Reagan and Iran-Contra. Can Bush get away with it?"

"That's up to us."

A BuzzFlash Reader

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