April 2009 archive

Apr 29 2009

Abu Ghraib Cremation Ovens Controversy

[Recently posted at the Daily Kos – please see questions about (unwarranted?) banning below]

On the holocaust anniversary yesterday, President Obama spoke eloquently about other holocausts in Rwanda and Somalia.  But he steered clear of discussing the human remains and ashes in US run prisons overseas:

there was something about living in cells at Abu Ghraib that never felt right. “We had some kind of incinerator at the end of our building,” Specialist Megan Ambuhl said. “It was this huge circular thing. We just didn’t know what was incinerated in there. It could have been people, for all we knew—bodies.” Sergeant Davis was not in doubt. “It had bones in it,” he said, and he called it the crematorium.

This was reported by award winning journalists in The New Yorker just over a year ago.  But for obvious reasons I've never heard any politician mention it.

Now that it's suddenly appropriate to discuss illegal US torture policy – and in honor of the holocaust anniversary – is it possible we can investigate why our soldiers report that Iraqi detainees were evidently burned in ovens?

Yesterday Obama said, “part of the responsibility for the Holocaust rests with people who accepted the assigned role of bystander.”

I think he means it.  So maybe he was too busy to read The New Yorker during the primaries.  

Rather than be bystanders, let's make sure he sees the article today.

 


Apr 29 2009

Thomas Friedman Is A Yutz – Here Is Why.

This will come as no surprise but Thomas Friedman is a yutz. There are many reasons why folks might agree with the Dog on this (his unquestioning and revenge based support of the Iraq War being a huge one) but today is the first time the Dog has felt the need to call out the New York Time columnist in any blog posting. Why is today different? The Dog is so very glad you asked gentle reader! Today Mr. Friedman crossed the line, today he makes a completely spurious argument against torture prosecutions. You can find Mr. Friedman’s column here.  

Apr 29 2009

The Stars Hollow Gazette

Purity

HarlequinSome people are using Arlen Specter as an example of what happens to a party that demands “purity”.  Instead it’s a perfect example of “beltway think”.

You see Arlen feels his 29 years as a Washington Weasel entitles him to another six regardless of his constituents.

He is a valuable unique man.  A Galtian architect of policy.  A super hero of moderate conservatism and upholder of the two party system.

A thoroughgoing Villager with no connection to the voting public he supposedly Represents.

He actually represents only those interests who promote and provide his lifestyle of privilege and uses his power only to protect them from the righteous wrath of the shafted 99%.

What an aristocrat.

What a vain pompous ass.

How typical.

Apr 29 2009

Wednesday Morning Science Supplement

From Yahoo News Science

1 Envoys more optimistic for climate treaty

by Shaun Tandon, AFP

Tue Apr 28, 10:52 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Top climate envoys said they were more optimistic about sealing a global warming deal this year after a US-led meeting of major economies, but they sparred on the level of their commitments.

US President Barack Obama, who champions aggressive action against global warming, invited negotiators from 17 other major economies including developing powers such as China and India to meet in Washington.

The talks came as the clock ticks to a December meeting in Copenhagen that is meant to approve a new global treaty to slow down the planet’s rising temperatures.

Apr 29 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXVI

Art Link

Bouquet

I grieve for us

One more life

extinguished

this time in

California

on our dime

in our time

in our name.

Who is to blame?

We all pulled

the plug.

This candle

was snuffed out

Now don’t we

feel better?

–Robyn Elaine Serven

–December 13, 2005

Apr 29 2009

Late Night Karaoke

Better Late Than Never

Apr 29 2009

Geithner; Gold on the Hill

GthnrGld

copyright © 2009 Betsy L. Angert.  BeThink.org

Today, Timothy Geithner garners much attention.  Initially, when introduced on the national scene, people pondered; “Who is he?” The former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has an impeccable résumé.  Some said his record speaks for itself.  Average Americans might have admired his ascendancy. Taxpayers could have appreciated that a man of his age would wish to manage the complexity of the United States coffers.   Countless may have considered the enormous challenge he accepted; yet, not comprehend, for Secretary Geithner, this may have been the plan.

Early on, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner had his sights set high.  As a child, born to an affluent, and influential family, he learned that all he desired could be his.  He saw the potential for power in political prospects.  The practicality of a profitable purpose also was apparent to Tim.  When a lad, there was no reason for Timothy to reflect on the concrete pavements beneath his feet.  Geithner would not have supposed he would work as a laborer.  Nor had he likely seen himself as one among the swarms of ordinary citizens.   His personal history may have helped him to know, he would not have to pound the streets to seek pennies for his pocket.  Unconventional as his life had been, Timothy Geithner might have imagined as others did; he was destined for greatness.

Apr 29 2009

Suicide Prevention

(Cross-posted at The Free Speech Zone)

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are reporting a significant rise in the number of suicide attempts and threats compared to this time last year, and mental health advocates say effects of the economy are to blame.

In just the first 18 days of April, CMPD answered 81 reports of a suicide attempt or threat, that’s up 55 percent from the 52 reports in that time last year.

_______________

Mental health advocates say they’ve seen the same spike in patients with suicidal thoughts. With most of the calls recently to counselors with the Mecklenburg County Mobile Crisis Team, the feelings of hopelessness and the effects of the economy go hand-in-hand.



“(They tell us that) that they’ve lost their health care, their unemployment benefits are about to run out,” said Bill Cook, of the mobile crisis team.

http://www.news14.com/content/…

Apr 29 2009

“So the wind is like music to the trees, right?”

Kos’s 6:00PM Open Thread:

Kos here. My five-year-old son and I were out for a drive yesterday doing errands, when he noticed trees swaying strongly in gusty wind. He pointed at one and said, “The trees are dancing!” I laughed quietly, and said, “No, it’s the wind blowing them around.”



He pondered that for a second or two, then said, “So the wind is like music to the trees, right?”

I’m still pondering that.

Apr 29 2009

Special Prosecutor formally requested by Conyers and Nadler!

Short and sweet:

Representatives John Conyers and Jerry Nadler have officially and formally requested that Eric Holder appoint a special prosecutor!

Apr 28 2009

Justifying Torture: Scott Horton & Bruce Ackerman On Jay Bybee & His Torture Memos

Crossposted from Antemedius

Not a single Democrat questioned Bybee at the session, and the proceedings came to a quick conclusion. The following month he was confirmed by the full Senate. Just six months prior to the hearing, Jay Bybee had signed legal memos providing cover for CIA agents torturing detainees — yet Congress voted him to a lifetime on the federal bench. How did this happen? And what will become of Judge Bybee now?

American News Project via Real News Network – The Jay Bybee Problem

How did Jay Bybee breeze through confirmation for his appointment to the Federal Appeals Court?



Transcripts below…

Apr 28 2009

Exposing two important myths about torture.

Torture apologists are shouting desperate arguments from the rooftops to justify their support for enhanced interrogation, and it is common to see people in liberal and progressive circles take a “no harm done” position regarding many of the techniques the US used on their political prisoners. Here, I want to discuss flaws in two common statements:  

Myth 1: It isn’t torture if the technique is psychological.

Myth 2: It isn’t torture because our techniques have no long term effects.

If we want to fight pushback — if we want to make sure that our country does not torture again — we need to understand what is wrong with these memes. In particular, we need to understand the popularized fiction that was created by the people who tortured in your name.  

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