Intelligence Has Nothing To Do With It

Once Upon a Time...: Walking into the Iran Trap, Part I:

It is simply not true that the Bush administration's decision to go to war with Iraq was the result of 'bad intelligence.' In the most significant sense, that decision had nothing at all to do with the quality of the intelligence they were getting. The decision was one of policy -- a decision that depended 'not upon available facts but upon judgment.' As the Star-Tribune editorial points out, the Clinton administration had virtually the same intelligence -- yet came to a different conclusion altogether with regard to the proper course of action.

But this tactic serves an important purpose: it passes blame off to another party, and in effect lets the administration off the hook. The administration thus hopes to insulate itself from examination, criticism and accountability. It's as if the administration is saying: 'The intelligence made us do it.'

But the intelligence, whatever it was, didn't make them do anything. They had already decided what they wanted to do -- and the intelligence was almost irrelevant.

I've said before that the Bushies might want to rekindle the war-lust of the mob again by forcing a confrontation with Iraq or Syria. Here is an article that makes the case not only for such a thing happening, but takes opposition to the premise that underlies such actions. It's important reading, so read it!

New Medicare plan to cut free drugs

.: Albany Democrat-Herald :. Archives:

Under federal rules effective Jan. 1, low-income and elderly patients who enroll in the program, known as Medicare Part D, will lose the ability to get free medications through the drugmakers’ tax-deductible charities, known as patient-assistance programs.

Some companies, going further, said this week that they would drop patients who were merely eligible for Part D, whether or not they actually enrolled in it, as allowed under long-standing rules.

As a result, in about six weeks, up to half of the roughly three million to four million charity patients nationwide may lose free access to more than 1,200 brand-name drugs, according to estimates of three companies. Other recipients should be unaffected.

There are no words to fit this news. This is your corporatocracy at work. This is Katrina for the elderly and homeless.

Bush Wanted To Bomb al-Jazeera; Free Speech A Quaint Notion

Shakespeare's Sister:

'He made clear he wanted to bomb al-Jazeera in Qatar and elsewhere. Blair replied that would cause a big problem.

'There's no doubt what Bush wanted to do -- and no doubt Blair didn't want him to do it.'

Iraqi Leaders Call For Implementation Of Murtha Plan

Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Iraqi Leaders Call for Pullout Timetable:
"The participants in Cairo agreed on ``calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops according to a timetable, through putting in place an immediate national program to rebuild the armed forces ... control the borders and the security situation'' and end terror attacks."

Whether the Republicans realize it or not, the real majorities are taking back their countries by the end of next year.