Al An American Agent

As you know I am slow to jump on conspiracy theories. This one comes from Egypt.

In a June 15, 2005 editorial titled "All the Evidence Proves that Al-Zarqawi is an American Agent," a leading Egyptain government daily Al-Akhbar states that Al-Zarqawi is working for the U.S. and is massacring Iraqis in an effort to extend the occupation in Iraq.......Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi's official title is 'leader of Al-Qa'ida's faction in Iraq.' Osama bin Laden is the commander of the Al-Qa'ida organization, and this proves that [Al-Zarqawi's commander,] bin Laden, has [also] been an American agent ever since he operated against the USSR forces in Afghanistan in favor of the Americans!

Without knowing more I could debate this in both directions. I'd hate to think my country is doing something like this but unfortunately I wouldn't put it past the single minded PNAC boys. At this point this just looks like someones speculation. What do you think?

Coffee Table

Open forum. Let's talk. Something other than personal snipes at each other would be appreciated by many of us I am sure.

More Silly Statements

Supporters of the Patriot Act countered that the rules on reading records are a potentially useful tool in finding terrorists and argued that the House was voting to make libraries safe havens for them.

And if anything happens Abdul, run to a library they are safe havens for us terrorists. ....What!@#*&
Libraries safe havens for terrorists because they can't violate civil rights of privacy? Mr. Nadler what say you?

``If the government suspects someone is looking up how to make atom bombs, go to a court and get a search warrant,'' said Jerold Nadler, D-N.Y. ..you mean they aren't safe havens after all? These guys have become laughable. The sad part is many Americans want to play their silly game. Gee ,if they really are smart terrorists you would think instead of going to the library they would get a wi-fi laptop and do it from their own home...whadda ya think? The rules still allow the government to write their own warrant for internet records at libraries. If it was guns we were talking about instead of books you'd see these "tough on terrorism" guys screaming from the rooftops.
Many librarians are quickly destroying records to avoid having to comply with the rule.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told Congress in April that the government has never used the provision to obtain library, bookstore, medical or gun sale records.
But when asked whether the administration would agree to exclude library and medical records from the law, Gonzales demurred. ``It should not be held against us that we have exercised restraint,'' he said.
Authorities have gained access to records through voluntary cooperation from librarians, Gonzales and FBI Director Robert Mueller said.
In other words we have taken library records but we haven't had to force anybody.....yet. Pardon me for using a hackneyed expression but, when freedom and privacy is diminished the terrorists win. Why is that so hard to understand.

Like A New Puppy, The Eyes Open

How long has much of America been saying the military invasion won't work. If they'd listened to us ...well

"I think the more accurate way to approach this right now is to concede that ... this insurgency is not going to be settled, the terrorists and the terrorism in Iraq is not going to be settled, through military options or military operations," Brig. Gen. Donald Alston, the chief U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, said last week, in a comment that echoes what other senior officers say. "It's going to be settled in the political process."
Gen. George W. Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, expressed similar sentiments, calling the military's efforts "the Pillsbury Doughboy idea" - pressing the insurgency in one area only causes it to rise elsewhere. "Like in Baghdad," Casey said during an interview with two newspaper reporters, including one from Knight Ridder, last week. "We push in Baghdad - they're down to about less than a car bomb a day in Baghdad over the last week - but in north-center (Iraq) ... they've gone up," he said.
....in a Memorial Day interview on CNN's "Larry King Live," Vice President Dick Cheney said he believed the insurgency was in its "last throes."

Didn't everyone quit listening to him a long time ago? Has he said ANYTHING that turned out to be right?

Problems Not Over Yet

The ooey gooey problems of the rich.

Jackson is required to maintain a pool of $3 million. However, he recently missed a $350,000 payment to the pool, prompting his lenders to threaten to call the loan, according to sources close to Jackson. Jackson has been facing a cash crisis for some time. In addition to the $69 million loan, he has received another loan for $270 million, secured by his 50% stake in Sony/ATV. Jackson's stake in that business is valued at about $450 million. That loan, however, is due at the end of this year, meaning that Jackson's financial troubles will mount if not addressed.

Sometimes it's ok to be an average joe/jane.

It's Your Money

From the Denver Post:
It has been nearly three months since three individuals were removed from President Bush's Social Security town hall in Denver," ............The Secret Service's job is to protect the president from harm, not embarrassment. Determining that the person who ran off Bauer, Weise and Young was not an agent - as the Secret Service says it has - is not enough.
The guy who did this wore an earpiece and lapel pin like an agent. Bauer, Weise and Young say the man refused to identify himself but acted like an agent.
He told them to leave before Bush arrived, ........Newly disclosed memos prove that only those who agree with the president on privatizing retirement accounts get to speak at Bush's Social Security roadshow, even though it is paid for by taxpayers of all political persuasions.
At a recent forum in New York, Bush actually used the word "propaganda" to describe what he is doing. ..............The continuing silence makes it look like the White House has manipulated the Secret Service into something the agency must never become: A political arm of the president.

Most of us are well aware of being omitted from the pResidents family gatherings. But now we find he may have his own private police force. Paid for by you and me. More proof everyday that this is not the President of all the people. The most undemocratic President in history.