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Simpson: Veterans 'Not Helping Us' Save Country From Debt

Thu, 09/02/2010 - 11:45 — Dave Culver

Aging vets' costs concern Obama's deficit co-chair

Brian Beutler, Talking Points Memo

Submitted by Evergreene Digest Contributing Editor Thomas Sklarski

National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility co-chairman Alan Simpson

If Social Security is "a cow with 310 million tits" then what's the proper metaphor for veteran's benefits? We don't know. But Alan Simpson seems to think they're too expensive. Or too overused. Or something. Anyway, it's bad.

"The irony (is) that the veterans who saved this country are now, in a way, not helping us to save the country in this fiscal mess," said Alan Simpson, co-chair of the White House's fiscal commission, according to the Associated Press.

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Rumsfeld Rules of Engagement Allowing 30 Innocent Civilian Murders for Every One High Value Target

Wed, 09/01/2010 - 11:06 — Dave Culver

God's reasoning is in inverse proportion to the Pentagon's. Then with the gift of God's son Jesus, the whole calculus of war is subtracted. "Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you. Mt 5:44.

Michael McCarthy, Pax Vobiscum

Submitted by Evergreene Digest Contributing Editor Gary Kohls

“…a former targeting expert who'd worked for the Pentagon in the initial "Shock and
Awe" campaign said (on National Public Radio’s “This American Life”) that the threshold ratio not to be exceeded was 30 civilians to be killed in order to execute one high value target.1

“There you have it--the morally callous thinking that is prohibited by the principles of our Christian faith. Decapitate the leadership to end the war sooner, despite "taking out" innocents at the same time. The concept of "collateral damage" has been invented to obfuscate the fact of the certain unavoidable deaths of great numbers of civilians in all of these wars fought in population centers, large and small.

“In Afghanistan / Pakistan this has been one of the major issues in the conduct of the war, with many innocents being killed in bombings and raids. Our armed forces are given woefully insufficient information on who is friend and who is foe, and more enemies are being created daily as more civilians die in Predator drone attacks and special forces missions. We might sometimes "get our man" but the local community is more deeply turned against us.

Fact Check: Is Iraq combat really over for US?

Wed, 09/01/2010 - 08:54 — Dave Culver
  • Despite President Barack Obama's declaration Tuesday (August 31) of an end to the combat mission in Iraq, combat almost certainly lies ahead.
  • The occupation of Iraq isn't over - it's being rebranded

Calvin Woodward, Associated Press, New York Times | NY

Iraqi policemen stand guard at a check point in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said the end of American combat operations Tuesday leaves his country independent and an equal to the United States and he assured his people their own security forces will protect them.

Despite President Barack Obama's declaration Tuesday (August 31) of an end to the combat mission in Iraq, combat almost certainly lies ahead.

And in asserting the U.S. has met its responsibilities in Iraq, the president opened the door wide to a debate about the meaning of success in the muddle that most — but not all — American troops are leaving behind.

A look at some of the statements Obama made in his Oval Office speech and how they compare with the facts:
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Medal of Honor

Tue, 08/31/2010 - 11:51 — Dave Culver
  • "It's fun killing people.  I get to roam around and feel like soldiers feel. I've played the bad guys before, but this will be even better because it's based on the real thing. You don't want to hurt other Americans, but you've got to win the game.” --A 13 year old player.
  • The Killing Games We Play
  • War Games: Army Lures Civilians By Letting Them Play Soldier
  • Going to the Mines to Look for Diamonds

Wikipedia

Medal of Honor (MoH) is the name of a series of first-person shooter games set in World War II, and with an upcoming title based on the conflicts of present day Afghanistan that will be released in October 2010.

The first game was developed by DreamWorks Interactive (currently known as Danger Close) and published by Electronic Arts in 1999 for the PlayStation game console. Medal of Honor spawned a series of follow-up games including multiple expansions spanning various console platforms and the PC and Apple Mac. The series was created by filmmaker Steven Spielberg.

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The Killing Games We Play, Coleen Rowley, Evergreene Digest

Minneapolis Denies Permits for Anti-War March at Democratic National Convention

Fri, 08/27/2010 - 15:30 — Dave Culver

Officials responsible for making the decision to turn down the application for the anti war march have not even bothered to put forward coherent reasons that are consistent with the law.

Women Against Military Madness

The agency designated with the authority to issue parade permits in Minneapolis, the Public Works Department has turned down an application from the Anti-War Committee (AWC) for a mass march and rally on the opening day of the proposed Democratic National Convention.

Officials responsible for making the decision to turn down the application for the anti war march have not even bothered to put forward coherent reasons that are consistent with the law. An official told the AWC that it was too soon to submit an application. City law does not establish any dates that are “too early”—in fact the ordinance says “parade permit applications should be filed as soon as possible in advance of the parade or event.”

City officials say another reason for rejecting the permit application is because they will not approve any parade permits for a date that is not on a weekend or holiday. Leaving aside the fact that this restriction in and of itself is probably unconstitutional, the requested date for the permit is September 3, Labor Day, 2012—a legal holiday in Minneapolis.

“It’s clear City officials just do not want to see a major anti war march that coincides with the opening day of the Democratic National Convention. We have a right to protest and if the DNC is held here we will do exactly that on September 3, 2012,” states Meredith Aby, of the AWC.