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kpete
kpete's Journal
kpete's Journal
April 30, 2014
But imagine the horror if a different scenario played out. Imagine if in early March 2009, Private Palin and two other U.S. soldiers were captured by Al Qaeda militants on the outskirts of Diyala, Iraq. Imagine our beloved troops hooked to electrodes, handcuffed naked and tormented by dogs, tactics Americans learned were applied at Abu Ghraib 10 years ago this week. And imagine Private Palin gasping for air as AQI terrorists simulated drowning him, just like American interrogators did when they waterboarded Abu Zabaydah, torture that produced no actionable intelligence. As the Washington Post reported in 2009:
That doesn't sound like "a task that is from God." And if it had been performed on her own son, Sarah Palin probably would not have referred to his near-suffocation and drowning as a "baptism."
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/29/1295640/-The-Baptism-of-Private-Palin
Ms. Palin: "Imagine our beloved troops hooked to electrodes, handcuffed naked and tormented by dogs"
In June 2008, then-Gov. Palin described America's war in Iraq as "a task that is from God." Just three months later, John McCain's new running mate spoke at the deployment ceremony for her 19-year old son and the Alaska-based 25th Infantry Division's 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, known as the "Arctic Wolves." Mercifully, PFC Palin safely completed his tour and returned home.But imagine the horror if a different scenario played out. Imagine if in early March 2009, Private Palin and two other U.S. soldiers were captured by Al Qaeda militants on the outskirts of Diyala, Iraq. Imagine our beloved troops hooked to electrodes, handcuffed naked and tormented by dogs, tactics Americans learned were applied at Abu Ghraib 10 years ago this week. And imagine Private Palin gasping for air as AQI terrorists simulated drowning him, just like American interrogators did when they waterboarded Abu Zabaydah, torture that produced no actionable intelligence. As the Washington Post reported in 2009:
The methods succeeded in breaking him, and the stories he told of al-Qaeda terrorism plots sent CIA officers around the globe chasing leads.
In the end, though, not a single significant plot was foiled as a result of Abu Zubaida's tortured confessions, according to former senior government officials who closely followed the interrogations. Nearly all of the leads attained through the harsh measures quickly evaporated, while most of the useful information from Abu Zubaida -- chiefly names of al-Qaeda members and associates -- was obtained before waterboarding was introduced, they said.
In the end, though, not a single significant plot was foiled as a result of Abu Zubaida's tortured confessions, according to former senior government officials who closely followed the interrogations. Nearly all of the leads attained through the harsh measures quickly evaporated, while most of the useful information from Abu Zubaida -- chiefly names of al-Qaeda members and associates -- was obtained before waterboarding was introduced, they said.
That doesn't sound like "a task that is from God." And if it had been performed on her own son, Sarah Palin probably would not have referred to his near-suffocation and drowning as a "baptism."
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/29/1295640/-The-Baptism-of-Private-Palin
April 28, 2014
Over the weekend, while nation-wide attention was focused on the racist comments reportedly made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, some conservative commentators were focused on something else: Sterling's party affiliation.
Specifically, certain conservatives were taking the media to task for supposedly ignoring Sterling's ties to the Democratic Party. But a bit of context was missing. Sterling is a registered Republican.
A search of The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's website using Sterling's name, date of birth, and address turns up a Republican registration, and the registrar-recorder's office confirmed the*
information to TPM on Monday. (The initial tip came to TPM from public records compiler eMerges.).........
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/donald-sterling-registered-republican
Right’s ‘Democrat Bundy’ Meme Collapses: Sterling Registered GOP
Over the weekend, while nation-wide attention was focused on the racist comments reportedly made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, some conservative commentators were focused on something else: Sterling's party affiliation.
Specifically, certain conservatives were taking the media to task for supposedly ignoring Sterling's ties to the Democratic Party. But a bit of context was missing. Sterling is a registered Republican.
A search of The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's website using Sterling's name, date of birth, and address turns up a Republican registration, and the registrar-recorder's office confirmed the*
information to TPM on Monday. (The initial tip came to TPM from public records compiler eMerges.).........
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/donald-sterling-registered-republican
April 28, 2014
Sen Warren re: banking industry executives: “They crashed the economy, and then they got bailed out.
“I’m worried the power in the financial services industry. I’m worried about the fact that cops were taken off the beat in financial services, and that these guys were allowed to paint a bull’s eye on the backs of American families,” Warren said of banking industry executives. “They crashed the economy, and then they got bailed out.”
“And what bothers me now is they still strut around Washington, they block regulations they don’t want and roll over agencies whenever they can,” Warren added.
She went on to say it will continue to be a central issue for her during her time in the Senate, but wouldn’t say if former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s actions toward banking executives would determine whether or not Warren backs her in 2016.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news-campaigns-economy-budget/204483-warren-blasts-financial-services
?w=655
April 27, 2014
?w=655
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/12-682_j4ek.pdf
It's SO About Race.
?w=655
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/12-682_j4ek.pdf
April 27, 2014
ouch:
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/132025/
Meet The Press (Then & Now)
ouch:
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/132025/
April 27, 2014
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/204491-palin-waterboarding-is-how-we-baptize-terrorists
McCain won’t allow himself to react to this because he can’t admit the magnitude of his mistake.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) defended the controversial enhanced interrogation technique of waterboarding this weekend, and implied that the practice would still be commonplace “if I were in charge.”
“They obviously have information on plots to carry out Jihad,” she said at the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual meeting on Saturday evening, referring to prisoners. “Oh, but you can’t offend them, can’t make them feel uncomfortable, not even a smidgen. Well, if I were in charge, they would know that waterboarding is how we baptize terrorists.”
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/204491-palin-waterboarding-is-how-we-baptize-terrorists
April 27, 2014
-Solomon Northup
http://cwmemory.com/2013/12/14/solomon-northup-on-humane-masters/
For any neo-confederate acquaintance who may wonder aloud if slavery was so bad after all....
“There may be humane masters, as there certainly are inhuman ones – there may be slaves well-clothed, well-fed, and happy, as there surely are those half-clad, half-starved and miserable; nevertheless, the institution that tolerates such wrong and inhumanity as I have witnessed, is a cruel, unjust, and barbarous one. Men may write fictions portraying lowly life as it is, or as it is not – may expatiate with owlish gravity upon the bliss of ignorance – discourse flippantly from arm chairs of the pleasures of slave life; but let them toil with him in the field – sleep with him in the cabin – feed with him on husks; let them behold him scourged, hunted, trampled on, and they will come back with another story in their mouths.”
-Solomon Northup
http://cwmemory.com/2013/12/14/solomon-northup-on-humane-masters/
April 27, 2014
Racism is a part of this, too, I think, but the general point is that his employees don't earn their keep. He gives it to them, and they take it from him.
http://deadspin.com/exclusive-the-extended-donald-sterling-tape-1568291249
http://www.eschatonblog.com/2014/04/takers.html
I support them and give them food, and clothes, and cars, and houses...
V: Do you know that you have a whole team that's black, that plays for you?
DS: You just, do I know? I support them and give them food, and clothes, and cars, and houses. Who gives it to them? Does someone else give it to them? Do I know that I have—Who makes the game? Do I make the game, or do they make the game? Is there 30 owners, that created the league?
DS: You just, do I know? I support them and give them food, and clothes, and cars, and houses. Who gives it to them? Does someone else give it to them? Do I know that I have—Who makes the game? Do I make the game, or do they make the game? Is there 30 owners, that created the league?
Racism is a part of this, too, I think, but the general point is that his employees don't earn their keep. He gives it to them, and they take it from him.
http://deadspin.com/exclusive-the-extended-donald-sterling-tape-1568291249
http://www.eschatonblog.com/2014/04/takers.html
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