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Putin Says Russia Warned U.S. on Saddam By / Reuters — Permalink ASTANA, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, in comments sure to help President Bush, declared Friday that Russia knew Iraq's Saddam Hussein had planned terror attacks on U.S. soil and had warned Washington. | |
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Billmon: Putin on the Ritz — So, how much do you think this cost? [snipped quote] And in what coin was Bush's soul mate paid? Thorley Winston: From Reuters: [snipped quote] Developing - updates moved to the extended version Ace: Poll: 100% of All Current Russian Presidents Believe George W. Bush Will Win Re-Election — How else to explain Putin's... |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: MAYBE HE'S JEWISH TOO — Vladimir Putin: Straussian neocon who no doubt has Halliburton ties. Ezra Klein: Sez Putin — Now far be it for me to question some as virtuous as Putin, but this is going to get overblown for no good... Tom Maguire: Bush Gets Support From An Ally On Iraq — This is probably not what John Kerry had in mind when he exhorted the... |
| Also: Mike Hendrix, Charles Johnson, Jonah Goldberg, Steve Antler, Jon Henke, The Big Trunk, Captain Ed, Mitch Berg | |
U.S. Hostage Beheaded, Terror Group Says AP — Permalink RIYADH, Saudi Arabia June 18, 2004 — The al-Qaida group that kidnapped American Paul M. Johnson Jr. said in an online statement Friday that it had killed the hostage, and posted three still photographs of his beheaded body. | |
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Donald Sensing: Kidnaped American civilian Paul Johnson, Jr., held as hostage by al Qaeda terrorists in Saudi Arabia, was murdered (not... John Hawkins: It would be a huge step up from how our men are being treated now. Blackfive: According to the AP, via ABC News: U.S. Hostage Beheaded, Terror Group Says American Hostage Paul Johnson Has Been... |
Jan Haugland: Hostage killed - reports that Saudi al-Qaeda commander killed — The Saudi terrorists have beheaded American hostage... James Joyner: (HT: OF Jay) UPDATE: Drudge links a somewhat more detailed AP story [quote] "In answer to what we promised … to kill the...[end quote] Pejman Yousefzadeh: SICKENING — Remember: This is why we fight. |
| Also: Jeralyn Merritt | |
Russia 'warned U.S. about Saddam' CNN — Permalink MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) — Russian intelligence services warned Washington several times that Saddam Hussein's regime planned terrorist attacks against the United States, President Vladimir Putin has said. | |
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Tom Smith: Oh, that Iraqi terrorist connection — The interesting question is how the media will handle the latest revelation that Iraq was planning terrorist strikes against the US. Smash: LEMME GET THIS STRAIGHT: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced today that he personally warned President Bush... Captain Ed: The Left Covers Their Eyes And Ears — After the revelation this morning that Russia had repeatedly warned the US... |
The Poor Man: Rushin' Attack — Pooty-Poot, today: "Russian intelligence services warned Washington several times that Saddam... Joe Katzman: Russian Intel: Saddam Was Planning Terrorism Against the USA — Well, how's this for a bombshell? [snipped quote] Hmmm..... Bill Hobbs: Meanwhile, it's worth noting that the government of Russia has revealed that it provided the U.S. government with... |
| Also: Damian Penny, KJL, Oliver Willis | |
Unconfirmed Reports Say Saudi Qaeda Leader Killed -TV Reuters — Permalink DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Arabiya television said it had unconfirmed reports that the top al Qaeda leader in Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz al-Muqrin, was killed Friday. The television, which is majority owned by Saudis, did not give any details. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Is it just me or does it strike you that the fact that Saudi Arabia could so quickly kill the lead Al Qaeda terrorist in their country? Charles Johnson: Breaking News — There's a report that Abdulaziz al-Muqrin, leader of the savages who murdered P@ul J0hnson, has been killed. Steven Taylor: May it Be So — Unconfirmed Reports Say Saudi Qaeda Leader Killed -TV "Al Arabiya television said it had unconfirmed... |
Joe Gandelman: Awwwwwwwwwwwww... This just in: DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Arabiya television said it had unconfirmed reports that the top al... Ace: Al Qaeda Leader in Saudi Arabia Reported Killed — Better late than never. And can I say something? I'm glad he's dead. KJL: (I just heard on CNN; here's Reuters.) |
U.S. hostage Johnson apparently beheaded CNN — Permalink (CNN) — Three chilling photographs on an Islamist Web site appear to show the beheaded body of American hostage Paul Johnson, who was kidnapped a week ago by Islamic militants connected with al Qaeda. | |
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James Joyner: UPDATE: CNN — U.S. hostage beheaded "An Arabic TV news network said Friday that American hostage Paul Johnson Jr. has been beheaded by his Saudi captors. Tim Blair: PAUL JOHNSON — CNN reports: "Three chilling photographs on an Islamist Web site appear to show the beheaded body of... |
Joe Gandelman: Here is the sad-but-expected news report, which reads, in part: (CNN) — An Arabic TV news network said Friday that... KJL: THEY KILL AGAIN — Reports: Paul Marshall Johnson has been beheaded by al Qaeda. |
Terror Group Beheads U.S. Hostage Johnson By / AP — Permalink RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - An al-Qaida group said Friday it killed American hostage Paul M. Johnson Jr, posting three photos on the Internet showing his body and severed head. The message, in the name of Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, appeared as a 72-hour deadline set by the group ended. | |
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H.D. Miller: That's the Drudge headline announcing that Al Qaeda terrorists have beheaded their hostage, American Paul Johnson. Steve M.: It's horrifying if Paul Johnson has really been beheaded (and, alas, it certainly seems likely). Charles Johnson: U.S. Hostage Beheaded, Terror Group Says. |
Moe Lane: Damn them. Damn them to hell. And before anyone asks, I specifically limit my curse to the people who did this. Steve Soto: Another US Hostage Beheaded — According to a website usually used by Al Qaeda affiliated organizations, American... |
9/11 commission: No link between bin Laden and Saddam MSNBC — Permalink Former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean chairs the 9/11 Commission, and former U.S. Congressman Lee Hamilton of Indiana is the vice chairman. They joined Chris Matthews, on Wednesday, to talk about their 9/11 report, the lack of an Iraq connection, as well as the roots of extremism. | |
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Patterico: Here's Lee Hamilton reinforcing the point on Chris Matthews's Hardball: "There are all kinds of ties. John Cole: Tom Kean and Lee Hamilton, 911 Commissioners: "THOMAS KEAN, 9/11 COMMISSION CHAIRMAN: Well, that's what our staff has found. Betsy Newmark: For example, check this MSNBC headline for a story of Chris Matthews interviewing Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton. "9/11... |
Cori Dauber: So, what's the headline for this on the MSNBC web page? 9/11 commission: No link between bin Laden and Saddam What's it going to take? Bill Hobbs: Meanwhile, 9/11 Commission Chairman Thomas Kean, a Republican former governor of New Jersey, told MSNBC: "It doesn't... |
Saddam and al Qaeda By / TCS — Permalink The 9-11 Commission has issued "Overview of the Enemy," its preliminary assessment of the al Qaeda network. Early press attention has focused on the conclusion that there was "no credible evidence that Iraq and al Qaeda cooperated on attacks against the United States." | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: SADDAM HUSSEIN AND HIS TERRORIST TIES — James Joyner makes a valuable contribution to fleshing out this issue with this piece. Steven Taylor: More OTB@TCS — James Joyner has a new TCS: Tech Central Station column on the Saddam-al Qaeda connection debate. James Joyner: TCS: Saddam and al Qaeda — My second piece for TCS, Saddam and al Qaeda, is now up. |
Robert Garcia Tagorda: But, in a perceptive Tech Central Station essay, James Joyner urges us to think more critically of it: "It should be... Glenn Reynolds: Plus this observation: [snipped quote] Indeed. ANOTHER UPDATE: This piece by James Joyner is worth reading, too. |
Whopper: George W. Bush By / Slate — Permalink This administration never said that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and al Qaeda. [A]cting pursuant to the Constitution and [the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002] is consistent with the United... | |
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John Cole: Tim Noah, Idiot — Check out this Bush "Whopper" from Tim Noah. Jon Henke: UPDATE: Eugene Volokh notes that Slate is running with this, too. Eric Soskin takes it apart in much the same manner as I have....but moreso. |
Tom Maguire: And let's note that Tim Noah has picked this letter for his "Whopper" files, so a new lefty meme is born! Eugene Volokh: Slate's Supposed "Whopper" of the Week: Slate's Whopper of the Week column — intended to expose supposed... |
TEDDY'S BAD DAY New York Post — Permalink The opening night of next month's Demo cratic convention in Boston is set to feature an emotional party tribute to hometown hero Ted Kennedy, who has served in office longer than every other senator but one. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Eric Fettmann looks at the elastic approach to character that Democrats have. Mike Hendrix: Got a big anniversary coming up, and the Dems are breaking out the party favors, none of which include an aqualung: [snipped quote] The rest of this piece is well worth a look too. Edward Driscoll: SWIMMING TO BOSTON: Eric Fettman of the New York Post writes: [snipped quote] Wonder if this writer from the Boston Globewill be covering the event. |
Jeff Goldstein: Conventional wisdom — From the New York Post's Eric Fettman: [snipped quote] Well, actually, Eric, the DNC is perfectly... Michelle Malkin: The New York Post's Eric Fettman hits one out of the park today in pointing out that the Democrats will honor Kennedy at... Tim Blair: TEDDY'S BIG SPLASH — Happy anniversary, Mr Senator: "The opening night of next month's Democratic convention in Boston... |
Report: Body of Beheaded American Found Fox News — Permalink RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The body of American hostage Paul M. Johnson Jr. (search), apparently beheaded by an Al Qaeda-linked Saudi militant group, was found Friday in Riyadh soon after a Web site posted pictures of his death, according to local officials. | |
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Emperor Darth Misha I: Islamist Swine... ...do it again, sawing the head off of one of our countrymen and taping the incident. Cori Dauber: This has not been confirmed by the government (either government, as far as I know) but there is an image of a... |
Bird Dog: Update: Paul Johnson's body found, FoxNews reports. Joe Gandelman: Johnson's body is found. —Photos posted by Drudge. WARNING: They're explicit. —President Bush denounces terrorists and calls them "barbaric." |
Putin: Russia Gave Bush Iraq Intelligence By / AP — Permalink ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AP) - Russia gave the Bush administration intelligence after the September 11 attacks that suggested Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq was preparing attacks in the United States, President Vladimir Putin said Friday. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: Interestingly, Vladimir Putin has come out saying that "Russia gave the Bush administration intelligence after the... Glenn Reynolds: HMM. THIS REPORT puts a different spin on the week's news: [snipped quote] (Emphasis added.) That's the difference between revenge and preemption. |
Roger L. Simon: Timing is Everything... I would assume anyway... to a man like Vladimir Putin who is suddenly revealing (in an AP... Steve M.: PUTIN CAMPAIGNS FOR BUSH'S REELECTION — Russia gave the Bush administration intelligence after the September 11 attacks... |
Bush Gets Boost From McCain on Iraq By / AP — Permalink FORT LEWIS, Wash. (AP) - Before cheering troops, President Bush got a strong endorsement on Iraq and a boost for his re-election campaign Friday from Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican courted by Democrat John Kerry to be his running mate. | |
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Hindrocket: In Nevada, McCain said: [snipped quote] r1862437438.jpg The fact that the Democrats were desperate to snag as a... Joe Gandelman: He Spurned Johnney's Advances... ....and now he's running around with Georgie.... |
Billmon: McCain — I assume, or at least hope, this will crush the naïve love affair that some on the left have been having... |
Calmer times in Israel? By / Townhall.com — Permalink WASHINGTON — While no one was looking, something historic has happened in the Middle East. The Palestinian intifada is over, and the Palestinians have lost. For Israel, the victory is bitter. The last four years of terrorism have killed almost 1,000 Israelis and maimed thousands of others. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: A FAILED INTIFADA — I very much hope that this article is right. Roger L. Simon: Krauthammer Agrees — Charles Krauthammer, the only shrink I still listen to (okay, that's an exaggeration), concurs with this blog's recent post. Betsy Newmark: Charles Krauthammer says that the Palestinian intifada is over and the Israelis have won. "For Israel, the victory is bitter. |
Mike Hendrix: Pay heed, George — There's a lesson here somewhere, I think: [snipped quote] Yep, there's a lesson here all right. McQ: Israel's lesson for the US — Charles Krauthammer points to a little noted event in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. |
9/11 Chair Hamilton Slams Media Distortions NewsMax.com — Permalink Vice Chairman of the 9/11 Commission Lee Hamilton blasted the mainstream press yesterday for distorting the Commission's findings on links between Iraq and al Qaida, saying those findings actually support Bush administration contentions. | |
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Captain Ed: However, today, both the Republican and Democratic co-chairs vehemently denied this is what the Commission said: "Vice... Bill Hobbs: There were connections, and the 9/11 Commission's vice chairman, Democrat Lee Hamilton, said so yesterday and blasted the press for distorting the Commission's report. |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: ANOTHER UPDATE: It seems that Lee Hamilton, the Democratic Vice Chairman of the 9/11 Commission, is backing the Bush... Betsy Newmark: Granted that the USA Today headline comes from an editorial by a Bush advisor, but it is still abundantly clear that the... |
Kerry's Search: In Depth, In Secret WaPo — Permalink John F. Kerry has been phoning friends at all hours and reviewing vice-presidential choices dating to 1932 as the Democratic candidate nears what many consider the biggest — and most telling — decision of his general-election campaign, according to Democrats inside and outside the campaign. | |
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Noam Scheiber: Now back to the previously scheduled HIVS, which begins with today's juicy Washington Post piece puzzling out what Kerry is looking for in a running mate. Daniel Drezner: And it won't be a hard rumor to start. (emphases in original)" Jim VandeHei and Lois Romano, "Kerry's Search: In Depth, In Secret." Susan Q. Stranahan: The Washington Post's Jim VandeHei and Lois Romano report at length about the veepstakes in an article best summarized by the headline, "Kerry's Search: In Depth, In Secret." |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH . . . Here is a story with the latest rumors on who could be John Kerry's pick for a running mate. Matt Yglesias: VP Stuff — This all goes on for quite a long time without really telling us much. Betsy Newmark: The Washington Post has a long article on Kerry's veep search. It says nothing. Kerry might be picking Gephardt, Edwards, or....someone else. |
| Also: Taegan Goddard, Mathew Gross | |
al-Qaida Leader Killed in Saudi Raid AP — Permalink RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - The leader of al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia was believed killed in a raid in the capital Friday, hours after his group claimed the beheading of an American engineer, Saudi security officials said. A U.S. official confirmed that al-Moqrin has been killed. | |
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Jeralyn Merritt: Hostage Kidnapper al-Moqrin Dead — After a shoot-out today, Abdulaziz al-Moqrin, the alleged leader of the al Qaida... Steven Taylor: US Official Confirms that al-Moqrin is Dead al-Qaida Leader Killed in Saudi Raid [snipped quote] Sadly, too late to save Paul Johnson, but good news nonetheless. |
Steve Soto: Hours after an Al Qaeda-affiliated group claimed credit for beheading an American captive, Saudi security forces in... |
Israel's Intifada Victory By / WaPo — Permalink While no one was looking, something historic happened in the Middle East. The Palestinian intifada is over, and the Palestinians have lost. For Israel, the victory is bitter. The past four years of terrorism have killed almost 1,000 Israelis and maimed thousands of others. | |
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Joseph Alexander Norland: Here comes my wet blanket — As David Gerstman notes in an earleir IsraPundit article, Charles Krauthammer published an... James Joyner: Israel's Intifada Victory — Charles Krauthammer, not known for his sunny optimism, proclaims, "The Palestinian intifada is over, and the Palestinians have lost." Edward Driscoll: THE INTIFADA'S OVER, writes Charles Krauthammer. And the Israelis won: [snipped quote] RTWT. |
Jan Haugland: Charles Krauthammer is not the first to pronounce the second intifada over, but he does it convincingly. Hindrocket: This morning, Charles Krauthammer writes that while terrorism in Israel is not over, the Intifada is, and Israel has... Stephen Green: Charles Krauthammer declares Intifada II is over, and that the Palestinians lost. |
| Also: Ken Masugi | |
Bush and Cheney Talk Strongly of Qaeda Links With Hussein NYT — Permalink "No, they're not," Mr. Cheney said. "The New York Times does not. 'The Panel Finds No Qaeda-Iraq Ties,' " he said, quoting the headline. "That's what it says. That's the vaunted New York Times. Numerous — I've watched a lot of the coverage on it and the fact of the matter is they don't make a distinction. | |
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Ezra Klein: The President and Vice-president reaffirm their lies, now proven wrong, and do so without any apparent sense of shame:... Gregory Djerejian: Still, of course, the 9/11 commission does state, as Lee Hamilton has pointed out, that "connections" between Saddam and... |
Zachary Roth: Spin Buster — Parroting the President Conservatives, including the vice president himself, have been quick to attack... Cori Dauber: And so a page one, below the fold piece goes to the President and Vice President's having taken up the issue. |
Cheney blasts media on al Qaeda-Iraq link CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — Vice President Dick Cheney said Thursday the evidence is "overwhelming" that al Qaeda had a relationship with Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, and he said media reports suggesting that the 9/11 commission has reached a contradictory conclusion were "irresponsible." | |
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Nick Confessore: CNN reports: [snipped quote] Among conservatives, charges of media bias have truly become the last refuge of the scoundrel. Steve Soto: He blames the media. Then, he goes further and reintroduces the red herring that it was possible that Saddam had something to do with 9/11. |
David Allan Pell: And surprise, surprise: It's the media's fault. Tim Dunlop: There doesn't appear to be a transcript, but CNN have this story in which the big, bad VP completely bluffs the media by... |
CHENEY: CLEAR LINKS BETWEEN SADDAM, AL-QAEDA; CALLS NY TIMES ARTICLE 'OUTRAGEOUS' Drudge Report — Permalink In an EXCLUSIVE interview with CNBC's 'Capital Report': Vice President Dick Cheney said that there were clearly ties between Saddam Hussein and the al-Qaeda terrorists, and he called the New York Times coverage of the story "outrageous." | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: I saw the Cheney interview, and was impressed with the forceful rebuttal that he gave, and I hope that he goes to other interviews and gives a similar rebuttal. Tom Maguire: No Sale — Dick Cheney just isn't buying the 9/11 Commission report which told us... well, what did it tell us? Cori Dauber: Update: Slammed! The Vice President, in an interview yesterday, went straight after the New York Times. |
Christopher Kanis: CHENEY FOR PRESIDENT — I wish this interview had been on a more widely-viewed source, and I wish the President would come out and talk the way his VP does. Andrew Sullivan: CHENEY VERSUS THE NYT: The vice-president's direct attack on the New York Times' portrayal of the 9/11 Commission report was a zinger. |
Failed Preemption WaPo — Permalink NINE MONTHS AGO, as a confrontation loomed between Iran and the United Nations over Iran's illicit nuclear programs, three European governments staged a preemptive operation. | |
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Dale Franks: Pre-Emption, European Style — The editors of the Washington Post editorialize About Europe's attempt to use pre-emptive... Tom Maguire: UPDATE: No, this is probably not what John Kerry had in mind when he advocated multilateral diplomacy either: NINE... Stephen Green: News flash: Mel Gibson is rich and powerful. News flash: European diplomacy yields disappointing results. |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Dog bites man: "NINE MONTHS AGO, as a confrontation loomed between Iran and the United Nations over Iran's illicit... Rich Lowry: EUROPE'S "FAILED PREEMPTION" — A good Washington Post editorial today on the Europeans' failed gambit in Iran. |
Private rocket aims for the stars By / Nature — Permalink Aspiring space tourists might want to start saving up for their celestial vacation. On Monday, a team of engineers will try to launch a manned rocket 100 kilometres up to the edge of space. If successful, it will be the first such aircraft to be pushed there with private cash, rather than government funds. | |
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Jan Haugland: To boldly go where no private money has gone before — SpaceShipOne will launch on Monday, trying to become the first... |
Tom Smith: Cool comet — Photos from Stardust's encounter with comet Wild 2. and spaceshipone. |
Al Qaeda Says It Beheads U.S. Hostage in Saudi Reuters — Permalink DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda militants beheaded an American engineer they had held hostage since last week after the Saudi government failed to meet its demands to release jailed militants, an Islamist Web site said Friday. | |
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Andy McCarthy: This just in from Reuters: After describing the three photos of "what appeared to be Paul Marshall Johnson's severed... |
Steven Taylor: More on the Paul Johnson Beheading — Reuters now has the details [snipped quote] James Joyner has some additional info as well. |
Qaeda's Muqrin Killed Disposing U.S. Hostage Body -TV Reuters — Permalink DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi security forces Friday killed the leader of al Qaeda in the kingdom, Abdulaziz al-Muqrin, and two other militants while they were disposing of the body of a beheaded U.S. hostage, Arabiya television said. | |
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Stryker: If I were a terrorist or nascent Iraqi insurgent, I wouldn't be too concerned about "American Justice," but I would be... |
Emperor Darth Misha I: [UPDATE: Well, that certainly didn't take long (link thanks to LC Revandryn and LC Brian) "DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi... |
Time to Act on N. Korea By / WaPo — Permalink It has been 60 years since the world first heard of Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler's successful escape from Auschwitz, an escape that brought to light accounts of Hitler's extermination camps. Their testimony forced representatives of the democratic world to face truths that many did not want to believe, even after the war. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: This editorial represents his latest clarion call on the subject—this time on behalf of the North Korean people. Rich Lowry: HAVEL ON NORTH KOREA — A notable call to action from Vaclav Havel on the Washington Post op-ed page today. |
McQ: Vaclav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic, makes an eloquent case for acting against North Korea now. Stephen Green: Vaclav Havel argues that it is "time to act" on North Korea. Charles Krauthammer declares Intifada II is over, and that the Palestinians lost. |
Putin: Russia warned U.S. of Iraq terror CNN — Permalink (CNN) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country warned the United States several times that Saddam Hussein's regime was planning terror attacks on the United States and its overseas interests. | |
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Smash: Huh? LEMME GET THIS STRAIGHT: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced today that he personally warned President Bush... |
Daniel Drezner: I'm not feeling the love from Russia — CNN International reports that the Russia Federation warned the United States... |
Questioning Nearly Every Aspect of the Responses to Sept. 11 By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, June 17 - For most of 2002, President Bush argued that a commission created to look into the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks would only distract from the post-Sept. 11 war on terrorism. | |
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Cori Dauber: Every aspect of their constructed image regarding the way they'd handled the attacks and terrorism is now challenged. Jason Van Steenwyk: The Lies Continue — Here's a laugher from the New York Times: "Now, in 17 preliminary staff reports, that panel has... Laura Rozen: From Friday's New York Times: "For most of 2002, President Bush argued that a commission created to look into the Sept... |
Howard Kurtz: The New York Times takes a similar tack: "For most of 2002, President Bush argued that a commission created to look... Magpie @PacificViews: From the New York Times, in the first few paragraphs of Douglas Jehl's story summing up the activities of the 9/11 commission. |
Pressure at Iraqi prison detailed USA Today — Permalink WASHINGTON — The officer who oversaw interrogations at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad testified that he was under intense "pressure" from the White House, Pentagon and CIA last fall to get better information from detainees, pressure that he said included a visit to the prison by an aide to national security adviser Condoleezza Rice. | |
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Digby: Today, Spencer Ackerman, pinch hitting for Josh Marshall at Talking Points, references this USA Today article about the same fellow, connecting many of the same dots and more. |
Spencer Ackerman: Let's connect a few dots in the Abu Ghraib scandal. Don't miss this blockbuster story in USA Today. |
Putin: Russia Warned U.S. of Possible Iraq Attack By / LAT — Permalink MOSCOW — Lending support to the Bush administration's claim of a connection between Iraq and Al Qaeda, Russian President Vladimir V. Putin said today that Russian intelligence received several reports before the war with Iraq that Saddam Hussein's regime was planning terrorist attacks against U.S. targets. | |
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Kevin Drum: Kim Murphy, the LA Times' Moscow correspondent, writes this: [snipped quote] Why do Russian political circles think that Vladimir Putin wants George Bush to win reelection? |
Steve Soto: Putin Claims Russia Told US About Saddam's Plans To Attack US While Putin's Military Was Assisting Hussein — Vladimir... |
WHAT ABOUT OUR TROOPS? By / New York Post — Permalink THE most critical decision Iraq's new government will make after June 30 will be on the status of Coalition forces. It will tell us whether we should stay on to help rebuild the country — or pack up our rucksacks and leave. | |
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Christopher Kanis: Ralph Peters notes that if we really insist on putting the Iraqis in charge now, the least bad option is to be prepared... Stephen Green: Ralph Peters says, "In this war, if you're not winning, you're losing." Moe offers perspective on yesterday's torture video. |
James Joyner: The Right to Fight — Ralph Peters asks, in his NY Post op-ed today, "What about our troops?" [snipped quote] Well, sure. |
How the Holy Warriors Learned to Hate By / NYT — Permalink Afghanistan is no longer a terrorist factory sending thousands of killers into the world," President Bush announced on Tuesday, as he stood in the White House Rose Garden next to his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai. And, true, Afghanistan has been a success story, at least compared with Iraq. | |
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Edward _: I thought about this while reading an op-ed piece in The New York Times by Waleed Ziad: How the Holy Warriors Learned to... Stephen Green: I can't say I (yet) endorse this argument, but it bears examination. News flash: Mel Gibson is rich and powerful. |
James Joyner: How The Holy Warriors Learned To Hate — Waleed Ziad has an interesting op-ed in today's NYT entitled, "How The Holy Warriors Learned To Hate." |
Civilian Charged In Beating of Afghan Detainee WaPo — Permalink A former Army Special Forces soldier working as a contractor for the CIA in Afghanistan was charged yesterday with brutally assaulting a prisoner during three days of interrogations that ended in the Afghan man's death last year. | |
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Jeralyn Merritt: Today, an excellently researched and reported story in the WaPo by Susan Schmidt and Dana Priest gives one possible answer." |
Michael Froomkin: Update: Washiington Post explains the background to the prosecution. |
Kerry Proposes Raising Minimum Wage By / AP — Permalink ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry on Friday proposed raising the federal minimum wage to $7 an hour by 2007, which he contended would benefit working women more than any other group. | |
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Ezra Klein: Mo' Money And Its Problems — I'm all for this: [snipped quote] This is a very good thing. |
Steve Antler: Last refuge of a political scoundrel... Finally Kerry is proposing substantial increases in the minimum wage. |
Arduous Occupation NRO — Permalink Trying — but rewarding — times. A year into the occupations of Japan and Germany, supporters of World War II should have been having second thoughts — at least if America then were operating by contemporary rules. | |
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KJL: MAKING YOUR WAY THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD — Don't forget to check out the homepage today: Meghan Gurdon on diplomatic... |
Andrew Sullivan: Here's Rich Lowry, rightly pointing out the need to be patient in bringing a turn-around in Iraq, but finding a way to... |
President Discusses Economy, Iraq in Cabinet Meeting White House — Permalink THE PRESIDENT: I've just met with my Cabinet. We discussed primarily the economy. And I was pleased with the report I got. The U.S. economy is strong and it's getting stronger. People are going back to work. | |
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John Cole: First, he has this quote up: "This administration never said that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and al Qaeda." Bob Harris: (Note: this entry posted by Bob Harris) A source who prefers anonymity has sent Atrios a print-quality color photo of... Cori Dauber: This is what President Bush said today in response to a reporter's question about the 9/11 Commission's statement about the link between al Queda and Saddam. |
Jon Henke: Center Spin Doctor For American Progress — For the second time today - read the first here - I note that (Center for... Jason Van Steenwyk: I hate to even ask, but here's a question to the President from a White House reporter I know only as "Deb." |
Transcript for Sept. 14 MSNBC — Permalink Sept. 7 - This is a rush transcript provided for the information and convenience of the press. Accuracy is not guaranteed. MR. TIM RUSSERT: Our issues this Sunday: America remembers September 11, 2001. In Iraq, six months ago, the war began with shock and awe. | |
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Spencer Ackerman: It was in response to this: "MR. RUSSERT: The Washington Post asked the American people about Saddam Hussein, and this... |
Steve M.: Dick Cheney, 9/14/03 A clever way to fudge the facts, given that a large percentage of Americans couldn't find Iraq or... |
At a Fork in Gephardt's Path, a Job Interview of Sorts By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, June 17 - For a man in the middle of the vice-presidential frenzy, Representative Richard A. Gephardt was remarkably relaxed. Tranquil even. Instead of endless meetings on legislative strategy, Mr. Gephardt is enjoying long walks along the waterfront with his wife. | |
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Susan Q. Stranahan: The New York Times' Carl Hulse sets his contender piece in the office of a guy generally considered to be on the short list: Rep. Richard A. Gephardt. |
Taegan Goddard: Meanwhile, the New York Times looks at one of the finalists: "For a man in the middle of the vice-presidential frenzy, Representative Richard A. Gephardt was remarkably relaxed. |
9/11 Tapes Reveal Ground Personnel Muffled Attacks By / New York Observer — Permalink Despite having boarded her train at 5 a.m. that morning in Washington, D.C. , Rosemary Dillard's linen jacket was still creaseless, her carriage professional and crisp, as she walked down the train platform at Princeton Junction on the morning of June 4. | |
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Oliver Willis: 9/11 Tapes Reveal Ground Personnel Muffled Attacks What's more, the decades-old procedure for a quick response by the nation's air defense had been changed in June of 2001. |
Atrios: Rumsfeld should be fired for this alone: This week, when the 9/11 commission holds its 12th and final hearings on... |
Silence and Cruelty By / TNR — Permalink One: We have learned that Saddam Hussein's Baathist dictatorship was just as bad as everyone said, and worse. We have learned about the 300,000 Shia killed after the 1991 war, the perhaps 30,000 people buried in a single grave, the 40,000 marsh Arabs killed,... | |
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Gene @HarrysPlace: Paul Berman's latest — I was going to link to Paul Berman's latest piece in The New Republic, but david t beat me to it. Andrew Sullivan: WHAT BUSH HAS WROUGHT: Berman also worries in the new New Republic - rightly - about the future of interventionism in... |
David T: Well, Sullivan's days of defending the President's position are over and he has come out clearly as a Berman liberal. |
Public Support for War Resilient Pew Research Center — Permalink Americans are paying markedly less attention to Iraq than in the last two months. At the same time, their opinions about the war have become more positive. The number of Americans who think the U.S. military effort is going well has jumped from 46% in May to 57%, despite ongoing violence in Iraq and the widening prison abuse scandal. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: UPDATE: Here is a direct link to the poll. Ampersand @Amptoons: (This may reflect the boost Bush got from Reagan's death, in which case I doubt it'll last). Hindrocket: Amazingly Enough, Americans Support War — The latest Pew Research Survey contains good news for President Bush. |
Bill Hobbs: Poll: More Americans Think Bush Right on Iraq iraqbushup.gifNew data from The Pew Research Center shows that the... Steve Soto: My latest "glass half empty" moment came this afternoon when I read the results of the latest Pew Center poll, released... Chris Bowers: Pew Poll — Lots of nteresting stuff in the new Pew poll: The Reagan Bounce Before Gipperporn During Gipperporn Approve 44 50 Disapporve 48 41 OK, I was wrong in my prediction. |
| Also: Captain Ed, Taegan Goddard | |
Rumsfeld Admits He Told Jailers to Keep Detainee in Iraq Out of Red Cross View By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, June 17 - Senior Pentagon officials acknowledged Thursday that a suspected Iraqi terrorist who was held in a military jail - but kept off prison rosters - should have been registered more quickly with the International Committee of the Red Cross. | |
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Andrew Sullivan: We really do need to see two in particular: [snipped quote] In the first, we can find out what kinds of torture or abuse Rumsfeld has deemed legit. Michael Froomkin: Oh, wait, it's today now, make that 13 ghost detainees. |
Katherine R: From the NY Times: [snipped quote] So, please, please please: if your Senator is on the Judiciary committee and s/he... |
Bush Allies Till Fertile Soil, Among Baptists, for Votes By / NYT — Permalink INDIANAPOLIS, June 17 - President Bush's re-election campaign took its effort to enlist churches in turning out conservative voters to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention this week, urging pastors to do everything short of risking their churches' tax-exempt status to support the president's re-election. | |
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Nathan Hallford: Fertile Ground: The Bush campaign courts Baptists. |
SLZoll: Nice Soul You Got There — Be a Real Shame if it Burned in Hell 'Cause You Didn't Vote Right Let's read some passages... |
Transcript: President Bush Speaks About 9/11 Commission WaPo — Permalink President Bush met with the media following a cabinet meeting Thursday. Speaker: George W. Bush, President of the United States BUSH: I've just met with my Cabinet, and we discussed primarily the economy. And I was pleased with the report I got. | |
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Gregory Djerejian: Accountability Watch — President Bush yesterday on Don Rumsfeld: [snipped quote] Never ever ever? Not even an entsy weentsy little bit? David Adesnik: DOES ANYONE UNDERSTAND WHAT BUSH IS SAYING ABOUT AL-QAEDA AND IRAQ? |
Spencer Ackerman: "Just remember," George — Costanza once advised Jerry Seinfeld, "it's not a lie if you believe it." |
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan White House — Permalink The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon. The President had a very good Cabinet meeting earlier today. They discussed the war on terrorism, and the progress being made on the President's five-point plan for transitioning to a democratically elected representative government in Iraq. | |
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KJL: THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE TORTURE TAPE — From yesterday's White House press briefing: "Q On Tuesday, the American... Bob Harris: Fun with Scottie (Note: this entry posted by Bob Harris) The following are cherry-picked excerpts of today's fun with... |
Digby: Spin Out — Commenter Ras_Nesta alerted me to some rather testy exchanges in this morning's gaggle. |
Bush Defends Assertions of Iraq-Al Qaeda Relationship By / WaPo — Permalink President Bush yesterday defended his assertions that there was a relationship between Saddam Hussein's Iraq and Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda, putting him at odds with this week's finding of the bipartisan Sept. 11 commission. | |
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Cori Dauber: So lets take a look at the Post's version, and I'll add others through the day hopefully. |
David Adesnik: According to tomorrow's paper, "President Bush yesterday defended his assertions that there was a relationship between... |
Borderline Republicans Opinion Journal — Permalink For the most part, President Bush's calls for immigration reform seem to have fallen on deaf Congressional ears. And one of the main reasons is the anti-immigrant groups on the political left that have been making inroads with Republicans. | |
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Mark Krikorian: Well, I finally got my wish, in Thursday's editorial on immigration.Other than mentioning me, though, it's essentially... Steve Antler: And today, find this at OpinionJournal: "The cool reaction to Mr. Bush's guest-worker proposals is the most prominent example of party division on immigration. |
Michelle Malkin: WHY THE WALL STREET JOURNAL IS SNORT-WORTHY — I will get to this execrable editorial from the Open Borders brigade at the Wall Street Journal editorial page in a (long) moment. Steve Bainbridge: Scary Nativists — Important WSJ editorial today (available free at Opinion Journal.com) on the strange bedfellows with whom some of the nativists in the GOP are cavorting. |
Defense Department Regular Briefing DefenseLINK — Permalink SEC. RUMSFELD: Good afternoon. Media reports in the last few days have focused on what some have termed a surge in violence in Iraq, the attacks being waged by enemies of freedom who are threatened by the steady advances that are being made in that country. | |
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Spencer Ackerman: Forty years later, here's Donald Rumsfeld: "This much is certain: coalition forces cannot be defeated on the battlefield. |
Steve M.: Donald Rumsfeld today |
Politics: Unfiltered WaPo — Permalink On Friday, June 18 at 8:30 p.m. PBS will debut "Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered," a new weekly half-hour talk show hosted by the conservative pundit and journalist. Carlson, who regularly co-hosts CNN's Crossfire, will also act as managing editor of the new program which he hopes will be less partisan in tone. | |
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David Neiwert: The hate these days — Why, who should descend from Olympus to mingle with the common folk the other day but Tucker... |
Andrew Sullivan: Tucker Carlson, another dissident. |
Kerry woos middle class By / Washington Times — Permalink COLUMBUS, Ohio — The battle for middle-class voters in November's presidential election reached full pitch yesterday as Sen. John Kerry campaigned here, promising universal health coverage and an expansion of after-school day care. | |
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Eugene Volokh: A blast from the past: From a Washington Times news story: [snipped quote] Yup, he was only a lad, you really couldn't... Kim du Toit: No Class, Not Even Middle — I see that F**kface is going after the middle-class soccer-mom vote now:The battle for... Joanne Jacobs: Not their fault — In a speech to a black audience in Ohio, John Kerry said blacks in prison aren't to blame. |
Emperor Darth Misha I: Shut Up, F**kface (via the Imperial Firearms Advisor, we learn that F**kface al-Q'erry is trying to buy appeal to the soccer moms. Edward Driscoll: THE SOFT BIGOTRY OF LOW EXPECTATIONS: At the end of a Washington Times article on John Kerry's campaign trek through... Steve Bainbridge: A literal nanny state — In a nation that was founded on principles of limited government and, in particular,... |
Rumsfeld admits to holding 'ghost detainees' By / Knight Ridder — Permalink WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld admitted Thursday that he ordered the secret detention of at least two prisoners captured in Iraq so that they could be interrogated by the Central Intelligence Agency, a move that some legal experts say may have violated the Geneva Conventions. | |
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Michael Froomkin: Just yesterday we learned about one, then another, Rumsfeld-approved 'ghost' detainee, unpersons, hidden from the Red Cross, in violation of the 4th Geneva Convention. |
Jeralyn Merritt: Rumsfeld and the 'Ghost Detainees' — Turns out it was not just one detainee that Rumsfeld ordered held from the Red Cross, but at least two detainees. |
NEW NAME FOR KABBALAH QUEEN OF POP By / New York Post — Permalink Don't call her Madonna anymore - call her Esther. In the most bizarre name change since Puff Daddy became P. Diddy, the Material Girl has adopted the ancient Hebrew name of Esther. | |
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Moe Lane: Because one of the iconic sex objects of my adolescence and youth - a woman that successfully reinvented herself a dozen... |
Jeff Goldstein: Madonna: "Call me Esther. I go by Esther now. |
Worshipers at the Secular Altar By / LAT — Permalink Everyone knows that the place of religion in the public sphere is facing serious challenges. There is some confusion, however, about where those challenges come from. Is it from civil libertarians? Atheists? Actually, no. The larger answer to the question may surprise you. | |
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Kevin Drum: LA TIMES EDITORIAL PAGE...I missed this op-ed by David Klinghoffer in the LA Times this morning, but Matt Yglesias is... |
Matt Yglesias: No, F**k You — Indeed, The Day After Tomorrow really does play the exact same role in my worldview as the story of Noah and the flood does in the Abrahamic religions. |
Bush and 9/11 Report: Into the Frame DEBKAfile — Permalink The US independent commission's interim account of the September 11 terror attacks in the United States is full of holes and inconsistencies, according to American and Israeli intelligence experts close to the war against al Qaeda. | |
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Jan Haugland: PS: For what it is worth, DebkaFile is extremely critical to the interim report for a number of reasons, in particular... Roger L. Simon: Of course I don't trust this analysis from DEBKAfile of the commission findings either, but it sure is interesting and... Steve Antler: UPDATE: Debkafile weighs in: "[The] US commission based its findings on the testimony of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed now in US custody after being captured in Karachi. |
Charles Johnson: DEBKAfile has an interesting analysis of the commission's findings: The US independent commission's interim account of... Tom Smith: Debka claims the commission has fallen victim to al Qaeda disinformation. |
The Document Sean Hannity Doesn't Want You To Read Center for American Progress — Permalink Speaking at the Take Back America conference on June 3, American Progress CEO John Podesta said, "I think when you get so distant from the facts as — as guys like Limbaugh and Sean Hannity do, yeah, I think that tends to — it kind of — it tends to corrupt the dialogue." | |
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David Neiwert: Now, I wonder how Carlson would categorize the following material: Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the... Atrios: Hannity the Deceiver — Hannitizing the truth, from CAP. |
Kevin Raybould: The Truth Shall Set You Free — Unless you are Sean Hannity, apparently. Courtesy of the Center for American Progress. |
Steyn's way By / Boston Phoenix — Permalink WITHIN THE TIGHT little world of conservative punditry, there are lines of demarcation that are rarely, if ever, crossed. Respectable commentators such as Paul Gigot, George Will, and David Brooks work for respectable outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. | |
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Michelle Malkin: Anyway, I call the attention of all fellow Steyn lovers to this flaccid, attempted hit piece on Mr. Steyn. |
Tim Blair: Steyn has lately come to the attention of the Boston Phoenix's Dan Kennedy, who is offended by the idea of an intelligent, sharp-writing conservative. |
Bush Reasserts Hussein-Al Qaeda Link WaPo — Permalink President Bush insisted today that "numerous contacts" between the ousted government of Saddam Hussein and the al Qaeda terrorist network showed that the former Iraqi leader was a threat to the United States, despite a report by the Sept. 11 commission that found no "collaborative relationship" between Iraq and al Qaeda. | |
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Deacon: McFilthy and McNasty um, I mean Walter Pincus and Dana Milbank continue to distort the story surrounding the 9/11... David Allan Pell: You Gotta Like the Reasoning — It wasn't exactly Plato or Freud, but it's tough to argue with the reasoning President... |
Joe Drymala: Let's look at today's statement by Bush, after the September 11 commission refuted evidence of a Saddam-Al Qaeda link... |
Bush Disputes Al Qaida-Saddam Conclusion AP — Permalink WASHINGTON June 17, 2004 — Saddam Hussein had "numerous contacts" with al-Qaida, President Bush said Thursday in disputing the Sept. 11 commission's finding that the former Iraqi leader had no strong ties to the terrorist network responsible for the attacks. | |
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Mary InLosGatos: Bush says that because Saddam Hussein had contacts with al Qaeda, it must be true that Saddam collaborated with al Qaeda. Kos: Bush linked Saddam to 9-11 — The latest spin out of the White House is that none of them ever linked Iraq to 9-11, just that Saddam had "contacts" with terrorists. SK Bubba: Pining for the fjords... Why does stuff like this: [quote] "There was a relationship between Iraq and al-Qaida," Bush insisted following a meeting with his Cabinet at the White House.[end quote] |
John Cole: There may have been no relationship according to Oliver, but the 9/11 commission sees things differently: [quote] "This...[end quote] Steve Soto: Despite the evidence to the contrary documented by the 9/11 Commission, Bush still insists that Saddam and Al Qaeda worked together. Kash: Picking up where I left off in the previous post, here's some more of the statement that Bush made this morning about... |
Bush Says Iraq Posed Threat Because of Terror Link (Update1) Bloomberg — Permalink June 17 (Bloomberg) — President George W. Bush said ''numerous contacts'' between Iraq and the al-Qaeda terrorist network justified the U.S.-led war on Saddam Hussein's regime. ''There was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and al- Qaeda,'' Bush told reporters after meeting with his Cabinet at the White House. | |
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KJL: IRAQ & AL QAEDA — "There was a relationship"..., George W. Bush, today. |
Roger L. Simon: UPDATE: Bush has clarified his view on Iraq and Al Qaeda today:''There was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and... |
Retired Envoys, Commanders Assail Bush Team By / WaPo — Permalink The Bush administration does not understand the world and remains unable to handle "in either style or substance" the responsibilities of global leadership, a group of 27 retired diplomats and military commanders charged yesterday. | |
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Mary InLosGatos: Open Thread — A reminder: a number of bipartisan experts and leaders (retired generals, envoys, and ambassadors) came... Captain Ed: "The Weenie Caucus" Tees Off On Bush — I had little to say initially about the statement signed by the group Diplomats... |
Mitch Berg: Open Memo To "Diplomats and Military Commanders for Change" — To: Former Diplomats and Generals (and residents of Silly, Trite America) From: Serious America Re: Your Prescience. Mike Alissi: Word from the Exes 27 votes against Bush: [snipped quote] Update: Listing of signatories here. |
Please pick Edwards By / The Hill — Permalink A cabal of House Democrats is quietly lobbying Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) to select Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) as his vice-presidential running mate. The group is trying to fly beneath the radar of their former minority leader, Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.),... | |
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Matt Yglesias: Apparently congressfolks think, sensibly, that Edwards would help congressional candidates more than Gephardt would. Taegan Goddard: Meanwhile, The Hill notes that a "cabal" of House Democrats "is quietly lobbying" Kerry to select Edwards. |
Jeffrey Dubner: According to The Hill, 22 House Dems have signed a letter to Kerry advocating the selection of John Edwards. Shawn @LiquidList: Politics: First the Senate, Now the House — The Hill reports today that a stealthy group of House members are calling on Kerry to "Please Pick Edwards." |
Iraq & al Qaeda NRO — Permalink The 9/11 Commission raises more questions than it answers. The 9/11 Commission's staff has come down decidedly on the side of the naysayers about operational ties between Saddam Hussein's regime and Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. | |
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Dan Darling: Andrew McCarthy, a former chief assistant US attorney general, explained how these overtures actually occurred in a... Tom Maguire: Andrew McCarthy has a long rebuttal to the Commission effort. And Andrew Sullivan finds the "No Sale" sign hung around Commission members Tom Kean and Lee Hamilton. Captain Ed: Big Trunk reviews an NRO article by US Chief Assistant Attorney Andrew McCarthy, who successfully prosecuted Abdul... |
Ace: But there's no connection between Iraq and Al Qaeda, and there never has been, except in the imaginings of Bush's... Mitch Berg: Lock Step — So Powerline has linked to Andrew McCarthy's catalogue of the links between Iraq and Al Quaeda. Michelle Malkin: If you haven't already seen this takedown of the 9/11 Commission by Andrew McCarthy, it's devastating. |
| Also: Jan Haugland, Mike Hendrix, Pejman Yousefzadeh, Edward Driscoll, The Big Trunk, Charles Johnson, Steve Antler, Glenn Reynolds, Cori Dauber | |
Panel Finds No Qaeda-Iraq Tie; Describes a Wider Plot for 9/11 NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, June 16 - The staff of the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks sharply contradicted one of President Bush's central justifications for the Iraq war, reporting on Wednesday that there did not appear to have been a "collaborative relationship" between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein. | |
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Ace: Some headlines: MSNBC: 9/11 panel sees no link between Iraq, al-Qaida Washington Post: No Evidence Connecting Iraq to Al... Andrew Sullivan: The NYT itself reported that "The report said that despite evidence of repeated contacts between Iraq and Al Qaeda in... Robert Cox: The New York Times: Panel Finds No Qaeda-Iraq Tie; Describes a Wider Plot for 9/11 Similar headlines and stories appeared in other newspapers around the country. |
Tom Maguire: The NY Times headline was that "Panel Finds No Qaeda-Iraq Tie". Captain Ed: 9/11 Commission Report: Seriously Flawed — By now, you have read that the 9/11 Commission report that found "no... Cori Dauber: The lead article is headlined, "Challenges Bush: A Chilling Chronology Rewrites the History of the Attacks." (That's on paper. |
| Also: David Adesnik, Hindrocket | |
McCain, Bush Begin to Mend Ties WaPo — Permalink After being courted by John F. Kerry to consider joining the Democratic presidential ticket, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will join President Bush on Air Force One on Friday and introduce him at a campaign event in Reno, Nev., campaign officials said yesterday. | |
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H.D. Miller: Look at this one, occasioned by the news that Republican Senator John McCain, who has repeatedly rebuffed John Kerry's... Liz Cox Barrett: He points to a piece in today's Washington Post — headlined, "McCain, Bush Begin to Mend Ties" — as "merely the bugle... Shawn @LiquidList: And by the way, McCain said "I promise you I will not be vice president of the United States." on the Today Show yesterday. |
Tom Maguire: Now We Are Out Of The Box — Let's accept this story as demonstrating that John McCain won't be running as John Kerry's Vice-President. Jesse Taylor: So...How's Life? McCain and Bush begin to mend ties. Just a bit of advice to George: don't ask McCain how his kids are doing. Steven Taylor: McCain Emphasizes his "No" to Kerry — McCain, Bush Begin to Mend Ties "After being courted by John F. Kerry to... |
| Also: Taegan Goddard, Captain Ed | |
Fahrenheit 9/11 gets help offer from Hezbollah By / Guardian — Permalink The controversy over Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 just won't go away. The film, which is being advertised with the strapline "Controversy? What controversy?", has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America, meaning no one under 17 can see it. | |
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John Hawkins: Michael Moore's Hezbollah Connection — I think this says everything you need to know about what Michael Moore's new... Damian Penny: On the other hand, Moore should be worried about this kind of publicity: Meanwhile, in the United Arab Emirates, the film is being offered the kind of support it doesn't need. Charles Johnson: Terrorists Love Moore — The United Arab Emirates distributor for Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11 has gotten offers... |
Jan Haugland: Hezbollah offers to help Michael Moore — Via Glenn Reynolds, an interesting piece about Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11... KJL: HEZBOLLAH OFFERS TO HELP MICHAEL MOORE'S MOVIE? Glenn Reynolds: MICHAEL MOORE UPDATE: from The Guardian, a report that his film Fahrenheit 911 is getting a favorable reaction abroad: [snipped quote] Indeed. |
Changing Warhorses in Midstream By / LAT — Permalink On Jan. 5, 1762, the Czarina Elizabeth died. Russia was in the midst of the Seven Years' War, fighting alongside Austria and France and against the Prussia of Frederick the Great. | |
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Susanna Cornett: He points out a very interesting fact from an article in the LA Times: "Pollster Scott Rasmussen recently reported that... Matthew Yglesias: In other news, Michael Barone thinks voting for Kerry is like voting for McClellan and surrender... James Joyner: Changing Warhorses in Midstream — Michael Barone's LA Times op-ed, Changing Warhorses in Midstream" makes a rather... |
Mark Kleiman: Analogies — Michael Barone notes that if McClellan had defeated Lincoln, the South would have won the Civil War, and... Kevin Drum: In the latest entry in the Bombastic George Bush Mythmaking Contest, Michael Barone compares Bush — seriously! — to Abraham Lincoln. Betsy Newmark: Here, Michael Barone looks at critical changes in leadership while their countries are at war and ponders what the effect might be of changing horses in midstream. |
An Iraq Sideshow WaPo — Permalink IN A PAIR of interim staff reports, the Sept. 11 commission yesterday gave the fullest and most detailed report on the planning of the attacks that the American public has received to date. | |
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Brad DeLong: The Washington Post editorial staff writes: "An Iraq Sideshow (washingtonpost.com): ...showing a peculiar instinct for... Max B. Sawicky: The so-called liberal WaPo editorialist huffs: "IN A PAIR of interim staff reports, the Sept. 11 commission yesterday... Cori Dauber: A comprehensive review of the plot is released with all sorts of new information, and the media wants to obsess —... |
Jesse Taylor: The Washington Post wrote this morning on the September 11th Commission's report that Iraq and al-Qaeda didn't have operational ties. Matthew Yglesias: NEARLY AS IRRESPONSIBLE? This morning's Washington Post editorial is one of those that seems designed to make me mad. David Adesnik: Anticipating the "Bush lied" chorus, the editors of the WaPo write that "The accusation is nearly as irresponsible as the Bush administration's rhetoric has been." |
No 10: Saddam let al-Qaida operate Guardian — Permalink Deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein did let al-Qaida operate out of Iraq, Downing Street insisted today. A US report yesterday said there was no conclusive evidence of a link between the former Iraqi dictator and Osama bin Laden's terrorist group. | |
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Jan Haugland: Tony Blair says Saddam let terrorists operate. Now Vladimir Putin says Saddam not only allowed, but actively planned, terrorism against the west. Kevin Drum: PERMISSIVE ENVIRONMENTS....Bizarrely, Glenn Reynolds links approvingly to this Guardian piece: [snipped quote] That's it? Glenn Reynolds: SADDAM AND AL QAEDA — THE BRITISH VIEW: [snipped quote] It seems hard to argue with that. |
Captain Ed: Deacon joins in by pointing out that Tony Blair also objects to the thrust of the report, saying that "Saddam's was a... Deacon: According to this report, Downing Street is insisting that Saddam created "a permissive environment" for terrorists and... |
Black Blog Ops By / Weekly Standard — Permalink WHEN WILL George Smiley and Karla begin to blog? Smiley and Karla are the two central characters from John Le Carre's finest set of Cold War intelligence thrillers. Smiley was the best of the operatives, patiently wending his way through misinformation and misdirection, deceptions and deceits. | |
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Joe Carter: Choir Preachers, Shepherds, Thinkers, and Dirty Tricks: Black Ops in the Blogoshere — In his recent Weekly Standard... Bird Dog: Blogs and Mischief — Hugh Hewitt raised the issue of black blog ops, where blogs are created to advance hidden agendas. Ace: Spooky Action at a Distance Update: Jeremy spoke in class today, and he tips me to this weirdly synchronicitous Hugh... |
Tom Maguire: Disinformation Decentralized — Hugh Hewitt has some interesting ideas on disinformation and "Black Blog Ops", which we would like to see renamed "Blops". Taegan Goddard: Dirty Political Blog Tricks — Hugh Hewitt writes in the Weekly Standard about the potential mischief political blogs... Tim Blair: PLOY UNCOVERED — Hugh Hewitt wonders at the possibilities of political backstab blogging: "Get it started and growing as a pro candidate X blog. |
| Also: Kos, David Adesnik, Hugh Hewitt | |
Rumsfeld ordered prisoner held off the books By / MSNBC — Permalink Pentagon officials tell NBC News that late last year, at the same time U.S. military police were allegedly abusing prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld ordered that one Iraqi prisoner be held "off the books" — hidden entirely from the International Red Cross and anyone else — in possible violation of international law. | |
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TChris: Rumsfeld Authorized Illegal Detention — If Iraq ever becomes truly sovereign, will the Iraqi government try to hold Donald Rumsfeld accountable for this? Matthew Yglesias: When the Abu Ghraib story broke, the line from the right was that this was just a few bad actors and it had nothing to do with U.S. policy. Atrios: Rusmfeld - War Criminal — There really isn't any doubt. But, as I was reminded of again last night, official Washington only cares if it involves a Democrat with his zipper down. |
Jeanne D'Arc: Jim Miklaszewski describes the search for a place to put him: The Iraqi prisoner was captured last July as deadly attacks on U.S. troops began to rise. Tim Dunlop: Today we learn that Donald Rumsfeld has been involved in this disreputable and, by most accounts, illegal practice. Laura Rozen: "Rumsfeld ordered prisoner held off the books: Iraqi terror suspect hidden from International Red Cross," NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports. |
| Also: Mark Kleiman, Oliver Willis, Digby, Mathew Gross, Harley | |
Rumsfeld Issued an Order to Hide Detainee in Iraq NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, June 16 - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, acting at the request of George J. Tenet, the director of central intelligence, ordered military officials in Iraq last November to hold a man suspected of being a senior Iraqi terrorist at a... | |
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Katherine R: Ghosts, living and dead — Most of you have probably already seen this story, which was on the front page of the NY... Phillip Carter: Superior orders — The New York Times reports that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld personally ordered the clandestine... Michael Froomkin: The Disappeared — Today's bombshell is in the New York Times, Prison Abuse: Rumsfeld Issued an Order to Hide Detainee in Iraq. |
Daniel Drezner: I'll just cut and paste this Eric Schmitt/Thom Shanker story in the New York Times for why I stand by that belief Brad DeLong: This is a truly astonishing blend of immorality, criminality, and incompetence: Michael Froomkin writes Jeanne D'Arc: Ghost World — In November of last year, Donald Rumsfeld, at the request of George Tenet, ordered military officials in... |
| Also: Andrew Sullivan, Adam Mordecai, David Allan Pell, Harley | |
Gephardt interviewed by Kerry for 2d slot By / Boston Globe — Permalink WASHINGTON — John F. Kerry spent 90 minutes yesterday interviewing Representative Richard A. Gephardt, as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee began the closing phase of his search for a running mate, according to a Democratic official close to both men. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: THE BETTER PART OF VALOR — If there are going to be more stories like this one, then I will lose a lot of respect for the Kerry political machine. Taegan Goddard: When a selection is finally made, the Boston Globe reports that His aides have already "developed a plan that includes... |
Howard Kurtz: We are entering the veepstakes home stretch, as the Boston Globe reports: "John F. Kerry spent 90 minutes yesterday... |
Gephardt Auditions for the Kerry Ticket NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, June 16 - Senator John Kerry met with Representative Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri for close to 90 minutes Wednesday afternoon as the senator's search for a vice-presidential running mate entered a more intensive phase of face-to-face interviews. | |
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H.D. Miller: (Clearly not, not when well-worn duds like Dick Gephardt and Bob Graham are your go-to guys.) Taegan Goddard: Gephardt Auditions For Kerry's Veep — Sen. John Kerry met with Rep. Dick Gephardt "for close to 90 minutes Wednesday... |
Noam Scheiber: The New York Times suggests the motivation for yesterday's extended Kerry-Gephardt meeting was primarily strategic:... |