Bush says that if the Iranians attempt to 'infiltrate, send their agents, or surrogates to bring harm to troops or citizens' in a sovereign nation they will be brought to 'justice', meaning 'captured or killed'.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black...

Not including the wanton butchery of Afghanistan and Iraq, Bushco has had black ops teams running around loose in Iran for AT LEAST the past TWO YEARS!

Who will bring Bush to 'justice'? And when?

Chuckles is going to capture all the Iranians? Now that's funny.

April 14, 2008
American Hegemony Is Not Guaranteed
by Paul Craig Roberts [EXERPT]

".....According to the neocon propaganda, the "special groups" (have you ever heard of them before?) are breakaway elements of Sadr's militia.
Nonsensical on its face, the Petraeus/Crocker testimony is just another mask in the macabre theater of lies that the Bush regime has told in order to justify its wars of naked aggression against Muslims.
Fact #1: Sadr is not allied with Iran. He speaks with an Iraqi voice and has his militia under orders to stand down from conflict. The Badr militia is the Shi'ite militia that is allied with Iran. Why did the U.S. and its Iraqi puppet Maliki attack Sadr's militia and not the Badr militia or the breakaway elements of Sadr's militia that allegedly now operate as gangs?
Fact #2: The Shi'ite militias and the Sunni insurgents are armed with weapons available from the unsecured weapon stockpiles of Saddam Hussein's army. If Iran were arming Iraqis, the Iraqi insurgents and militias would have armor-piercing rocket-propelled grenades and surface-to-air missiles. These two weapons would neutralize the U.S. advantage by enabling Iraqis to destroy U.S. helicopter gunships, aircraft, and tanks. The Iraqis cannot mass their forces as they have no weapons against U.S. air power. To destroy U.S. tanks, Iraqis have to guess the roads U.S. vehicles will travel and bury bombs constructed from artillery shells. The inability to directly attack armour and to defend against air attack denies offensive capability to Iraqis.
If the Iranians desired to arm Iraqis, they obviously would provide these two weapons that would change the course of the war.
Just as the Bush regime lied to Americans and the UN about why Iraq was attacked, hiding the real agenda behind false claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and connections to al-Qaeda, the Bush regime is now lying about why it needs to attack Iran. Could anyone possibly believe that Iran is so desirous of having its beautiful country bombed and its nuclear energy program destroyed that Iran would invite an attack by fighting a "proxy war" against the U.S. in Iraq? ....."

"Bush vowed to protect US interests ..."

When an irate group of Saudis reacted to U.S. support of Israeli atrocities in Palestine Bush vowed to protect "US" interests ... by oblitering Afghanistan.
Then Bush vowed to protect "US" interests ... by oblitering Iraq.
Now Bush vowes to protect "US" interests ... by oblitering Iran.

I think that when Bush vows to protect "US" interests ... he means "US" as in Israeli ... not the United States of America.
This is a catastrophy of Biblical proportion for the United Sataes.

Perversely, I ALMOST want Bush to lob a potshot at Iran.

Just to see the whole 'American Dream' house of cards come crashing down...

Bush's statement regarding Iran, "we will bring you to justice" --. Pray tell me who will bring the Bush administration to justice for it's myriad of crimies against Iraq (war crimes, crimes against humanity -- the murder laws unenforced) and the citizens of the U.S., both against Iraq, and the citizens of the U.S.??? Tell me that? So far, it looks like no one.

How can the public continue to believe Republicans and to support them after all their lies, crimes and disasters?

Why does the U.S. hate Iran so much? Because they kicked out our bastard, the Shah, and took Americans hostage. Gee, that's getting to be a long time ago, and it's bordering on an obsessive psychosis. Why don't we denounce the Saudis for supporting Sunni insurgents?, because our bastards are still in charge there. Maybe what Iran needs to do is explode that nuclear weapon ASAP to bring us to the negotiating table---it'd serve as meeting a pre-condition in an ironic way.

JohnR- The Imams in Iran have stated PUBLICLY that atomic weapons are ANATHEMA to Islam, and ANYONE who conducts research in Iran on nuclear weapons will be subject to Sharia law and will be executed.

Besides that, if Iran did successfully test a nuke, the US and Israel would cream themselves screaming 'see, SEE, WE TOLD YOU THEY HAD NUKES!'... right before Tehran is rendered into a glowing green glass crater...

To JohnR: Hmmm...sounds similar to a small island nation just south of Key West, doesn't it?

I'm 64 and for most of my life I've seen the U.S. cultivate, curry, train, and protect vile, heinous thugs and call them "friends".

But let even one of them disobey or try to protect local interests above the paternal Godfather and they will be branded the most evil, despicable, and rotten creatures ever brought forth on the earth.

I find it really sad and beyond understanding that the majority of the populace seems to continue to buy into the hypocrisy. No wonder Bill O'Reilly is such a big hit. Hearing him turns my stomach nearly every time I chance onto a TV tuned into Big Bill in every airport and hotel lobby.

All these stories appearing as the drumbeat to attack Iran 'pre-empively'' show how the MSM is nothing more than propaganda machines for the Capitalistic Fascists running this country.

Notice how these stories flooded the press at the same time ABC and Associated Press tried tied to expose the 'smoking gun' of White House crimes against humanity - the choreographing of torture.

Guess which stories 'had life' ? (overseas BOTH, US one)

The USA is a dictatorship and like all tinpot dictatorship the views and opinions of the people never countered for shit. Like the invasion of Iraq, all Bush has to do is point his evil finger and pronounce Iran Axis of evil, when in truth it is the USA that is evil.

Bush thinks that by his words alone he can get Iran to quiver in abject fear; but from the past performance of Iran, President Ahmadinajad plays Bush like a maestro and if I might add, to demonstrate his disdain, President Ahmadinajad HAS CALLED ALL OF OPEC TO STOP SELLING OIL IN US$.

Bush fails to realise that he holds an empty gun and he thinks he can fool Iran by words alone. Every time that the USA fails to live up to their threat, America goes down another rung in the credibility stakes. Why threaten if you do not have the power to enforce ? Already we see that the DPRK, Iran, Venezuela do not give a hoot for what the USA wants; America is now a second rate power.

There is one reason why the criminal invasion of Iraq took place by Bush et al.

OIL. The original military plans were titled: Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL).

The first reason and last reason to occupy Iraq is OIL.

Cui Bono.

Mr. Bush would do better to drop the Spaghetti Western/Crusader BS and instead position McCain to fight the Red Chinese Communist Bastards. It suits his era better--and he'd come across as less confused.

But, if they want to remind their core %28 why the rest of the world wants to vomit whenever they hear a Republican speak...so be it. Bush and friends will be doin' just fine in retirement, what with all their oil profit windfalls from talkin' like that.

Viva our awesome democratic system!

I thought the USA wanted a democracy in Iraq. If "free and fair" elections in Iraq are held, the Shiites will win - on the grounds of simple majority. The ousting of Hussein did the Iranians a favor precisely because the majority of Iraq are Shiites - and the reason why most Iraqis could not stand his A**. My question is: Why is any Shiite considered an enemy to the USA? ANY Shiite?! The reality is, at least I thought, was that a USA invasion of Iraq was due to the Shiite oppression by Hussein and acted as a liberator for both Shiites and Kurds in Iraq. I am confused here...WHO ARE THE REAL ENEMIES IN IRAQ USA!? Answer this significent question for me please. At least the Nazis had clear cut answers to who their friends and foes were...why not USA? Hmmmm? Perhaps the USA is unable to make up its mind on this matter. Perhaps ALL Iraqis, regardless of demographic, are considered eemies of the USA. Of course, this possibility would not be surprising.

Are we still fighting the Iraqi war, I thought that mission was accomplished five years ago. ___ Silly me.

Well if this "new" motivation sputters, we can be assured Cheney will think of another motivating reason.

Which somewhat brings me to this article: If the USA invaded Iraq to "liberate" the Shiites, why would the USA then invade Iran if the USA did Iran a favor by ousting, indeed funded the killing, of Hussein? Sadly ironic is that the USA would like to invade a nation that actually could be a valuable ally in the so-called "War on Terror" against al-Qaeda.

"Red- Chinese- communist- bastards"???

Wonder if Wal-Mart, Sears, Target, Home Depot, K-Mart, Dollar stores, GM Buick division, IBM, AutoZone, Ace Hardware, Pep-Boys, Cosco, Hallmark, Boeing, H/Packard, military base stores, etc, etc, etc, and on forever, know about that situation? ___ Imagine that, and those outfits even sell a few items made in China.

I'm gonna write to my Congressman and tell him. Wonder if Obama and Hillary know about this?

Despite USA stating that it will not invade Iran, I think the USA will. In fact, I think the USA would nuke Iran if it comes down to it. Nothing the USA would say convinces me otherwise. The USA is waiting for ONE screw-up with Iran in order for the USA to invade, and sadly nuke, Iran. The nuke part comes in the equation because in order for USA to "win" a war against Iran, the USA would have to nuke them.

Iran wasn't even mentioned as a threat prior to bush. Only bush and his lapdog media keep pushing this complete fabrication of facts on America. Iran's 'weapons grade uranium' is next to 'Saddam's chemical bombs' in never never land.
Only bush, Cheney, and George Monbiot actually believe this 'Iranian Nuclear Weapons' issue.
The interest is oil and Israel. Everything else is simply a distraction from the truth.

Hope you are wrong ~AHURAMAZDA~ But I believe you may be correct.

obonodori, Apr 14, 1:01 p.m. says "I find it really sad and beyond understanding that the majority of the populace seems to continue to buy into the hypocrisy. No wonder Bill O'Reilly is such a big hit. Hearing him turns my stomach nearly every time I chance onto a TV tuned into Big Bill in every airport and hotel lobby."

The last part of this statement answers the first part. We all know how brainwashing works. And this bunch has been saying it 'over and over - you know - catapulting the propaganda,' and it becomes the mantra of those hearing it, and it spreads.

The current propaganda being "catapulted" daily is why I haven't any doubts about the coming bombing of Iran.

Yesterday, I watched my grandchildren, all 4 of them together. As I watched them, thoughts of sending them to fight a war for the American Empire crossed my mind. I made a vow that that would never happen as long as I am alive. No president, congressperson, general, or whomever can look me in the eye and tell me they have to serve, NEVER.

Okay,
According to Chomsky in short: US may have some long-term interest chopping off the small chunk of Iran where there is oil( in 5 to 10 years).

Iran is of course surrounded on 3 sides...Iraq, Afghanistan and by sea. It's American real-polotic (both the pragmatic or neo-con variety I would assume)

Ahuramazda April 14th, 2:09 pm

And you better believe if that one incident doesn't occur naturally, it'll be manufactured to fit the bill.

Thank you, Wilmoor - you took the words right out of my mouth.

The only question is whether the powers that be can generate enough mileage from escalating the current canards about Iran or there needs to be another 9/11 in the US traceable to Iran.

Either way - if not July 4th, I vote for a mid-August strike while most minds are on vacation.

OK, time for the excuse for war in Iraq checklist:

Iraq and Saddam Hussein helped commit 9/11 - first lie.

Iraq has Weapons of Mass Destruction - second lie.

Saddam Hussein needed to be overthrown - third lie.

Iraq was liberated in a necessary regime change - fourth lie.

Al Queda has been Iraq all along - fifth lie.

Iran is helping arm insurgents and harming US troops - sixth lie.

Iran is a danger because it might be developing nukes - seventh lie.

Iran is behind the ongoing insurgency in Iraq, and we are sure that they are developing nukes, and here is another photoshopped image as 'proof' - most recent lie.

Did I miss any?

From the Esquire interview with Adm. Fallon, on Iran:

"Get serious. They're ants. WHEN the time comes, we'll crush them."

It cannot be repeated enough - Fallon was fired not because he did not agree with the ant crushing, but because he disagreed with the ant crushing timetable. He said WHEN, not if, understand? He did not say, for example, "if diplomacy and/or containment fail, then we'll have to go to Plan B, Operation Ant Crushing." He said WHEN the time comes - which clearly reveals that the ONLY plan is Operation Ant Crushing, and the clock is rapidly ticking down...

75 million people living in a country over 4000 years old...

"Serious" Americans consider them ANTS to be CRUSHED.

There is just no way in hell God is still blessing the USA. No f**king way...

Bush isn't smart enough to understand Iran.

Bottle- Bush doesn't even understand himself.

Since they know unless their idiots that they can't win, the best thing they can do to run out the clock is to keep making up new reasons (lies) for the war and everything else that they have done and plan on doing.
The lies of Bush are endless, get over it already! …You can't count them all because he will keep making up new ones until his mouth stops moving.
There have never been enough brave Dems to impeach him, and even if there were they would be scared the cornered Rat would nuke Iran and then a depression comes harder and faster then it is already scheduled from US bankruptcy.
We are all between a rock and Iraq..
Soon McCain will be singin …. "Bomb Bomb bomb, Bomb Bomb Obama!

Bush is dying for any excuse to bomb Iran.

The people talk. The people complain. But Bush holds all the cards. Yet, isn't democracy about government 'By the people, for the People'?

The American people are being trodden on, ignored, treated like fools. Yet what do they do? Nothing! Absolutely nothing. In fact they're about to elect another President who will have the same powers as Bush does. Beats me! It's insanity.

P.S. Is imitation the reason?

www.dangerouscreation.com

He already has the excuse...
The Congress even passed it.

If he does nuke Iran, then there is no reason not to Impeach. If he cancels the election and disbands congress, the military will blow his brains out before we can hang him.

It's his call... between a rock and Iraq like all of us.

Hoytdouglas (1:48pm) has it right. The only reason for our continuing presence is our desire for their OIL.

However, in order to understand why we in America have reached a place where the obscene lawlessness of our nation's actions can become accepted as 'just the way it is', and we can tolerate so many outright lawless actions and morally repugnant policies without the outrage that motivates real resistance, I think we need to look more closely at what we have become as a people. We must come to know how we may be complicit in this national nightmare, and why we are so passively allowing this to continue. There are obviously way too few of us now who are capable of acting with moral courage in this present time to effectively fight for an end to this failed policy.

A friend recently summed up the recent Petreaus report in this way:

"It is interesting that Petraeus and the ambassador couldn't say when we could leave Iraq, but they could predict what would happen if we left Iraq.

Everything had a common theme: if things go well in Iraq, we have to stay there in order to maintain the progress. If things go badly, we have to stay there so as to have progress.

Bottom line: whether things go well or ill, we have to stay in Iraq. When can we leave? They don't know. There are no criteria for when we can leave. Which means that we can never leave.

I guess that's the point."

And I think that is the truth we must acknowledge. We clearly, as this nation, have no serious intention of getting out of Iraq, not for a very long time. Of course, no one will come out and actually say this (especially our Democrats, who have effectively enabled this whole imperial venture). And more importantly, no one within our media or government will come out and say loudly that the real reason we went into Iraq in the first place was OIL (as Alan Greenspan briefly suggested awhile back). Every other reason that has been given for why this war is necessary, and for why we must "stay the course", has by now been exposed as patently phony (see Galen's good list, 3:24pm). Trying to get any sense from this administration about what condition on the ground will represent a circumstance when we can leave, as we just saw, only gets us more reasons for delaying withdrawal.

We must, in order to stimulate a real debate, get our REAL reason for staying in Iraq out in the open for public examination much more aggressively than we are! We went there primarily because they have the oil WE must have to maintain our American Way of Life! We all know, as does our government, that the world's oil resources will run out sometime soon in the face of our ever-expanding consumerism and mushrooming world demand, and we intuitively recognize that we must secure America's access to what's still left soon, or we are doomed economically as a society. America's prosperity depends upon our consumption of about 25% of the energy resources of the world. Nothing else makes any sense as our actual motive for the continuation of this disaster as being so all-important, so worth the awesome and growing costs in lives and treasure, that we can all continue to tolerate this insane occupation endlessly. As Vice-President Cheney has insisted, "the American Way of Life is non-negotiable". And, of course, the secret energy policy of our nation, as apparently worked out between Cheney and the big oil companies, is to divide up the middle-east oil fields, and get the international oil companies in place to begin pumping that oil as soon as we can quell the local resistance. And soon we may be able to move on to their next phase of this plan; Iran. We cannot allow that to happen.

So the uncomfortable question we must ask ourselves is, WHO ARE WE, we who have illegally invaded another sovereign nation, slaughtered a million or more of their citizens, destroyed the livability of their land, just so we can secure THEIR resources in order to extend OUR way of life a bit longer. Because the 'ungrateful' Iraqis keep fighting to stop us, we demonize them and call them terrorists, and continue the slaughter and the torture. We, living out of our myth of our God-blessed national exceptionalism, must come to see that perhaps we have now become the real terrorists, by giving our permission with our ongoing passivity for this horror show to go on and on. Many have pretended to embrace the discredited motives for this occupation their lies have offered up to us so we can excuse ourselves for any personal responsibility for the torture, rape and pillage we permit, just so that we might avoid the worst of the coming energy shortages our excesses have created. Until we face up to our nation's real and dishonorable reason for this international war crime, and all the supporting crimes and violations of our rights that we tolerate, and what it says about our own de-facto support for this as a people, we have no chance of awakening to reality, and uniting to stop this criminal effort to dominate the world for our privileged benefit. Given WHO WE ARE now, I fear that we may be unable to find the honesty within ourselves to change this direction. Way too many of us have become blindly addicted to our American Way of Life. It's as if we are willing to give the warmongers our permission now to do anything. Torture, more wars, suspension of our constitutional rights, all are permissible, if only they help us to 'win'. Just, for God's sake, don't allow our gasoline to go to $5/gallon, please!

I know that it is difficult, in the present climate of fear (and the threat of reprisals) that these neo-con criminals have created, to speak honestly and boldly about why our nation is mired in this insane effort to exert "full spectrum domination" over the world, as the neo-con objectives state. However, we must also see that this whole deplorable attempt to secure by force our own prosperity just a bit longer at the expense of the Iraqis is being done at the risk of exacerbating the consequences of our most threatening challenges. We must, as a nation, begin to responsibly face up to the changes soon upon us as many of our necessary resources become ever more scarce, and the effects of global climate change impact negatively on the livability of our planet. We must finally begin to address as a top priority the question of our energy independence with an eye to building a basis for a sustainable economic future. America must soon prepare to take the lead in facing these issues, or our planet faces untold suffering not far ahead. And for us to rise up and demand such leadership, we will have to face up to our own complicity in the status quo in Iraq, and embrace the real sacrifices to ourselves and our way of life truly opposing this crime might require of us all.

Luckily, the corporate "mainstream" media will come to the rescue with a slew of special reports on the history of Iran, of Iranian-US/Euro relations,etc. so that it will become common knowledge that an attack on Iran would be an abomination. All of our citizens will know that a democratically elected President Mosaddeq was overthrown by the CIA because he nationalized British Petroleum. The Shah was installed, and he gave the oil contracts to US companies. The Shah ruled despotically until overthrown internally by various groups with the theological authoritarians emerging in power.
Nearly all Americans will know that in the Reagan years Iran was the victim of US-backed Iraqi aggression and chemical warfare. It will be shown over and over, like Dean's scream, that Rumsfeld shook hands with Saddam, sealing the deal between Saddam and our military-industrial complex. It will be thoroughly explained that Iran has attacked no one, and that Iranians might have reason for a bit of concern about what is occuring in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The corporate mainstream media will draw a logical analogy between Iran's situation and Canada and Mexico being bombed and invaded by a military force proportionately more powerful than the US.

Yes, armed with this knowledge the American public will fully realize the deep insanity of Cheney/Bush. So, not to worry.

so if iran is developing nukes.....THEN LET'S BOMB EVERY OTHER COUNTRY LOOKING TO DEVELOP NUKES....even if we don't have proof......HEAVEN HELP US !

I'm not one for making comments in these discussions; rather I like to read them to see where people are coming from. I see a lot of people attacking bush on the Iran issue, rightfully so, but the core of the problem is much, much more serious and at a much higher level. You see, for about the last 100 years, this country, and indeed the world has, has been totally controlled by an insidious organization known as the committe of 300. the Amercan people elect NOBODY; our presidents are appointees by the committe of 300, this is sent to the royal institute of international affairs in London to execute, and they in turn communicate it to the council on foreign affairs....the agenda of this committee? A 1 world government; but already, nothing happens in this world of any significance without committee approval. The committe has set up a number of executivce branches all over, especially in the u.s. We have not elected a president since before FDR! The agenda of this insidious organization, in part, is tobring the U.S. down.....part of that was to de-industialize the u.s.......they have succeeded; do you see any steel mills going for example? There is more, but I leave it to all of you to do the research.....committee of 300, tavistock, the council on foreign relations....did you know british MI 6 was who had both lincoln and kennedy murdered?

Elaja08- small historical correction...MI6 DID NOT exist during the Lincoln presidency.

Oops.

And thats how you lose ground in here.

JOSO, a brilliant, lengthy dissertation, but did you tell us how the nation's consciousness can be raised to the point WE LEARN WHO WE REALLY ARE AND HOW WE HAVE BEEN COMPLICIT IN CREATING this Frankenstein? ELAJA08: Can u answer GALEN;furthermore, tell us your sources that "prove" your "point of view"?

Elaja:
Very good and on the mark. The US is being punished for what reason , well we know. Also I agree these people are puppets that are running. Stories like this one do one thing, people attack the Prez who is on his way out and not look at the people who are running or the real issues.
My point has always been this, it is the wild card that even the inner core can't prevent, if the people think GB shouldn't be in the WH then why is he still there?

IMPEACH both BUSH and CHENEY ..... before they can attack Iran, and any other sovereign nation.

Pull our U.S. Military out of the TRAP that MadCowBoy Bush and his NeoCons Gang were lured into.

BRING OUR TROOPS HOME.............NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If Iran were indeed supplying weapons to the Iraqis resisting the Iraq occupation and its puppet government, they would have shoulder-fired missles to destroy choppers and aircraft; rocket-propelled grenades that can destroy tanks and armored vehicles; and also laser-guided anti-tank missles with a range of over a mile (like Hizballah does in Lebanon). They don't. I think it is largely a trumped-up, false accusation. An intended excuse to attack Iran prior to the election.

here is a link to a video of a lecture by Dr. John Coleman, the man I consider to be the foremost expert on these matters: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=170819614143019768

Galen is correct, MI6 was not around at the time of Lincoln; perhaps what I missed is that it may have been the predecessor to it. At any rate, my intent is to hopefully get people to start researching these organizations and find out how our counttry was taken away from us.

Imprinting , imprinting, imprinting...I guess I might as well go back to mainstream media...unless there is a "motivation" for something other than war around here...is there?
Is there anybody out there?

Gee Willickers H. Christos - "the new motivation for war" as the home page top headline...come on people now, smile on each other, everybody get together and try to love one another right now...right now...right NOW!

Have you seen the new gig by Greenwald on how YOU would spend $3,000,000,000,000? How about keeping to something like that, at least for headlines?!

Something I think Bush should watch because he knows next to nothing about Muslims. Seems that someone finally decided to ask Muslims what they think - and here are the results:

How Muslims Think

What is it about the West that the Muslim world admires? Do Muslim women really want equality? Are Muslim terrorists really all that religious? We talk to one of the authors of a new book based on the most extensive world wide poll of Muslims, that talked to over 50,000 people in more than 35 countries. The answers may surprise you.

http://www.cbc.ca/sunday/2008/04/041308_4.html

WernerS asks "...did you tell us how the nation's consciousness can be raised to the point WE LEARN WHO WE REALLY ARE AND HOW WE HAVE BEEN COMPLICIT IN CREATING this Frankenstein?

Well, not really. In the first instance, I guess I'm making a point that we have now got the government we deserve, and, subconsciously, also the government most of us want that is willing to do the dirty work for us, in order to extend our comfortable way of life for awhile longer. Without the approach they are taking, we will be left at the mercy of those who control our energy resources. We can't let that happen, now can we?

However, I don't think we are incapable of looking inward at what we have become. There are many writers out there (such as Howard Zinn) who have exposed the long history of our country's policies that position us to steal the resources of the world for our own use. Of course, we are conditioned by our media and national myths to believe in our entitlement to such pillage, and in the always noble motives for our many international interventions, and we have successfully diminished the humanness of most foreign peoples to avoid guilt over this blatant bloody hegemony. Naturally, our leaders have had to respond to this conditioned population by extending our national reach through military might, and now that our situation is becoming somewhat desperate in the face of resource shortages, we have seen the emergence of an extreme administration like this one, that doesn't even attempt to hide our naked efforts to control the world for our benefit.

In its best interpretation, the candidacy of Obama is tapping into our latent disgust with this situation, and our desire for change. This change we long for may have something to do with our own hope that we can stop this suicidal path we are on, both personally and as a nation. For me, the unprecedented response to his contentless call for 'change' is a hopeful sign, even though we are far from admitting our role in our present mess. Perhaps, if he is lucky enough to overcome all the hurdles left in his path, he can take us a few steps along the path to an honest assessment of our important challenges, and what it will require of us.

The real answer, I think, lies in the more personal and 'spiritual' dimension. We must come to a point where we are so disgusted with this whole milieu, and with our own support of this rape of our planet, that we can finally turn away from and repudiate this whole national disgrace, starting with Iraq. Such epiphanies are hard to occasion in others, I know, and they are painful to embrace on a personal level. They also reveal a challenge to us to actually change the way we think and operate, and engage in the task of forging a new way forward as participants in the new direction. Real change in our lives of this paradigmic nature is extremely uncommon, and wrenching. Given the consequences we face if we do not soon change our relationship to our planet and the other living things on it, we must hope for forces to emerge that can hasten our widespread awakening. This will require daring to find and elevate transformative leadership, and creating and embracing a new vision for our national destiny. Or, if we cannot transform ourselves, it may come in the full-scale collapse some predict as a consequence of our neglect and stubborn persistence on this pathway.

All I can offer anyone who grasps any truth in this picture I paint is to look inward at our own fear and disgust in this time, and to our own hopes for a new way of relating to our lives that respects the wholeness about us. We can continue as we are, and we will face resource wars, economic collapse, and perhaps a demeaning dog-eat-dog scramble for what remains when the dust settles. Or, we can recognize that we still have some time to adjust to the new conditions we now have, and figure out with one another how to cooperate and collaborate to figure out a better outcome for our species. Can we do that? I don't know. But I fear out time is running out fast.

Not having time to read every comment ahead of mine, forgive me if I am in some way repetitious. Admittedly, we are in "rotation mode" (my own phrase).The excuse for staying this week is Iran, next week it could again be Al Quaeda and then Iran......you get the picture. What I want to know is why, when Patreaus & Crocker appeared before Congress last week, no one bothered to ask them why, if they were in a meeting with Maliki on 3/21 as to plans for the Shiite militia fiasco 3/25, they did not intercede to prevent it. During his interrogation by members of Congress, I didn't see anything in the news about either of them being questioned as to this aspect of the attack. The news media, of course, was centered on only those questions that were being put forth by the presidential candidates. The reason there was no effort made to deter Maliki from his "Basra Bath" was it was clearly intended that it should appear a renegade action on the prime minister's part (quite possibly engineered by Cheney, in Iraq perhaps 2 weeks earlier) All so convenient, and occurring just before the general & ambassador were to appear before Congress. It's so clear and logical that presented with the sequence of events a 10-year old could figure it out. Trouble is, the 10-year old won't have a vote; it'll be his dumb parents and grandparents voting for McCain so we can sacrifice more American lives and piss away more U. S. dollars.

Not having time to read every comment ahead of mine, forgive me if I am in some way repetitious. Admittedly, we are in "rotation mode" (my own phrase).The excuse for staying this week is Iran, next week it could again be Al Quaeda and then Iran......you get the picture. What I want to know is why, when Patreaus & Crocker appeared before Congress last week, no one bothered to ask them why, if they were in a meeting with Maliki on 3/21 as to plans for the Shiite militia fiasco 3/25, they did not intercede to prevent it. During his interrogation by members of Congress, I didn't see anything in the news about either of them being questioned as to this aspect of the attack. The news media, of course, was centered on only those questions that were being put forth by the presidential candidates. The reason there was no effort made to deter Maliki from his "Basra Bath" was it was clearly intended that it should appear a renegade action on the prime minister's part (quite possibly engineered by Cheney, in Iraq perhaps 2 weeks earlier) All so convenient, and occurring just before the general & ambassador were to appear before Congress. It's so clear and logical that presented with the sequence of events a 10-year old could figure it out. Trouble is, the 10-year old won't have a vote; it'll be his dumb parents and grandparents voting for McCain so we can sacrifice more American lives and piss away more U. S. dollars.

BRING OUR TROOPS HOME………….NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are they all crippled and stupid or just stupid . Russian soldiers figured it out in 1917 that no one was going to BRING THEM HOME......NOW!!!!!!!!!!!or any time so they shot their officers , deserted , walked home from the eastern front ,joined with the peasants , overthrew the aristocracy , executed the czar and his family and started a revolution that wasn't any more egalitarian than the monarchy but wasn't any worse .

When will bleeding-hearts catch on to the inevitable fact that in 1 or 5 or 100 years the soldiers will BRING THEMSELVES HOME...or not go initially.

It would help immensely if all bleeding hearts were to praise mass-desertion otherwise they are just part of the problem