An Olympian Decision by Steven Jonas, MD, MPH

by Steven Jonas, MD, MPH
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
crossposted on Buzzflash.com
Oct. 6, 2009

So there was the crew at The Weekly Standard cheering the news of Chicago’s loss. And the Chicago loss we’re talking about here does not concern the Cubs. They haven’t made it since Fred Merkle of the New York Giants committed his classic “boner” in 1908. But that’s another story. “Hah,” said Sean Hannity, trying oh-so-unsuccessfully to cover up his gloating, “he [Obama] didn’t do his due diligence.” (Hannity never uses the term “the President,” at least not when I listen to him. I listen for a few minutes at a time now and then to see how long it takes for him to tell a lie, or take something out of context, or use two wrongs make a right, or go on one of his whining jags — Beck cries, Hannity whines. The record has been three minutes and 40 seconds, although it’s usually much less.) These guys were absolutely celebrating the loss. Whatever happened to patriotism? Oh I know. It’s invoked only when they are trying to line up people to support a GOP president for some killing/torture policy or other.

On Guantánamo, Lawmakers Reveal They Are Still Dick Cheney’s Pawns by Andy Worthington

by Andy Worthington
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
www.andyworthington.co.uk
6 October 2009

I like to believe that, despite studying Guantánamo for four years, I still have a sense of humor, but last Thursday I lost it, after 258 members of the House of Representatives (including 88 members of President Obama’s own party) voted for an idiotic, paranoid and unjust motion proposed by Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ken.), which was designed to “Prohibit the transfer of GITMO prisoners, period” (those were his exact words). Just 163 Representatives voted against the motion, which, as JURIST described it, also supports “adding Guantánamo detainees to the federal ‘no fly’ list, and adopting Senate language forbidding the release of photos showing detainee abuse.”

Andy Worthington Discusses Guantánamo And Bagram On Antiwar Radio

by Andy Worthington
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
www.andyworthington.co.uk
6 October 2009

On Friday, just a few hours before I spoke to Jeff Farias, I was interviewed by Scott Horton for Antiwar Radio (the 22-minute show was broadcast on Monday, and is available here). In our tenth outing, Scott and I ran though some recent history: the administration’s decision not to push for new legislation authorizing the indefinite detention of prisoners in Guantánamo (and why it’s only a slight improvement on previous plans), the latest postponement in the fatally flawed Military Commission “terror trials” (which I wrote about here and here), the few dozen people in Guantánamo regarded as having any genuine connection to terrorism, and the government’s claims that, nevertheless, somewhere between 50 and 65 prisoners will eventually be put on trial (although whether in federal courts or in a revived version of the Military Commissions has not yet been decided).

Gerald Celente: The demise of the American dollar?

Dandelion Salad

RussiaToday
October 06, 2009

The Independent newspaper has reported that Middle Eastern countries along with Russia, Japan, China and France are holding secret meetings to end oil trading using the dollar. So what does this mean for the American dollar and the future of the global economy?

Barack Obama and the ‘Unipolar Moment’ By Noam Chomsky

Dandelion Salad

By Noam Chomsky
http://inthesetimes.com
Oct. 6, 2009

Every powerful state relies on specialists whose task is to show that what the strong do is noble and just and, if the weak suffer, it is their fault.

In the West, these specialists are called “intellectuals” and, with marginal exceptions, they fulfill their task with skill and self-righteousness, however outlandish the claims, in this practice that traces back to the origins of recorded history.

[…]

As Barack Obama came into office, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice predicted he would follow the policies of Bush’s second term, and that is pretty much what happened, apart from a different rhetorical style that seems to have charmed much of the world.

[…]

via Barack Obama and the ‘Unipolar Moment’ — In These Times

Peace of the Action by Cindy Sheehan

by Cindy Sheehan
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox Blog
Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox
October 06, 2009

“You gotta make me do it.”
Barack Obama

I had just walked back into my hotel room yesterday after chaining myself to the White House fence and being arrested, when I saw White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, say that removing troops from Afghanistan was “not an option.”

Hundreds of us were out in front of the White House as this nation is heading into the 9th year of what is the longest overt military misadventure, next to Vietnam.

Memo to Obama: Dismiss McChrystal by Michael Carmichael

by Michael Carmichael
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
PlanetaryMovement.org
October 06, 2009

Mr. President:

As you are more than well aware General Stanley McChrystal is a highly decorated soldier who has served America fearlessly and capably for many years. Earlier this year, you appointed General McChrystal to the post of Commander of both the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and US Forces Afghanistan.

Dollar Hysteria By Mike Whitney

Submitted on Buzzflash

Dandelion Salad

By Mike Whitney
Information Clearing House
October 06, 2009

Robert Fisk lit the fuse with his hyperventilating narrative which appeared in Tuesday’s UK Independent titled, “The Demise of the Dollar”.  The article went viral overnight spreading to every musty corner of the Internet and sending gold skyrocketing to $1,026 per oz.  Now every doomsday website in cyber-world has headlined Fisk’s “shocker” and the blogs are clogged with the frenzied commentary of bunker-dwelling survivalists and goldbugs who’re certain that the world as we know it is about to end.

From Fisk’s article:

“In the most profound financial change in recent Middle East history, Gulf Arabs are planning – along with China, Russia, Japan and France – to end dollar dealings for oil, moving instead to a basket of currencies including the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan, the euro, gold and a new, unified currency planned for nations in the Gulf Co-operation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Qatar.

Robert Fisk on the Gulf ‘ditching the dollar’ in oil trade + Max Keiser: Dollar to be buried way before 2018

Dandelion Salad

AlJazeeraEnglish
October 06, 2009

Gulf states have held secret talks with Russia, China, Japan and France to replace the US dollar with a basket of currencies in the trade of oil, the UK’s Independent newspaper says.

The report by Robert Fisk, the newspaper’s Middle East correspondent, was published on Tuesday and cited unidentified sources in Gulf Arab states and Chinese banking sources in Hong Kong.

Al Jazeera has this exclusive interview with Robert Fisk and Steven King, chief economist from the HSBC Group.

Actor Daniel Sunjata: 9/11 was an inside job. New investigation will reveal government cover-up

Dandelion Salad

[Note: Russia Today pulled the video.  When or if they replace it, I’ll post it here.  Sorry about that.]

Update: found the replacement and added Part 2 of the interview

RussiaToday
October 06, 2009

In an exclusive interview with RT, “Rescue Me” Actor Daniel Sunjata explains his demand for a new 9/11 independent investigation. He says truth will reveal September 11th was an inside job.

Kucinich: White House Afghanistan Charm Offensive Misplaced

Dandelion Salad

by Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Washington, Oct 6, 2009

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), who has been a leading advocate against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, today made the following statement after the Obama Administration invited Members of Congress to the White House to discuss options for Afghanistan one day after Administration officials indicated that withdrawal is not an option:

“This week marks eight years of a war that continues to take the lives of innocent civilians. The region is plagued with rising violence and ongoing corruption. Meanwhile, Americans and Afghans continue to die; just days ago we saw the most deadly attack on American troops in more than a year. Instead of discussing all of our options for Afghanistan, including an immediate withdrawal, the Administration is initiating a charm offensive with high level meetings at the White House, with the intention of shoring up sinking support for continuing the war in Afghanistan.

“Sending additional American service members to Afghanistan does not increase security and it is not an act of diplomacy. Sending additional troops sends one message: The U.S. is ramping up combat operations. This message only encourages the Taliban and other insurgent groups to do likewise. Congress must take control of this war by eliminating its funding and bringing our troops home,” said Kucinich.

see

October 2002 – Iraq War Resolution Revisited by Dennis Kucinich

61 arrested in protest at White House – What Happened to the First Amendment?

President Obama, The Sermon on the Mount and the War in Afghanistan

Biden Democrats, Cracking Open the Afghan Escape Hatch by Robert S. Becker

Afghanistan on Dandelion Salad

October 2002 – Iraq War Resolution Revisited by Dennis Kucinich

Dandelion Salad

by Dennis Kucinich
kucinich.us
Oct. 6, 2009

Dear Friends,

Seven years ago this week the House of Representatives debated the Iraq War Resolution which was presented by President Bush. I made the case for NOT going to war. I analyzed the Bush war resolution, paragraph by paragraph, and pointed out “Key Issues” which argued against Congress voting to go to war. I distributed the attached analysis, personally, to over 200 members of Congress from October 2, 2002 until October 10, 2002 when the vote occurred.

When you hear people say: “If only we had known then what we know now,” remember, some did know of the false case for war against Iraq. And since so many know now that we should not have gone to war against Iraq, then why are we still there?

61 arrested in protest at White House – What Happened to the First Amendment?

Dandelion Salad

TheRealNews
October 06, 2009

An estimated 500 people gathered to protest as the Afghanistan war nears the start of its ninth year

***

Just a reminder:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

from the archives:

Cindy Sheehan Protests Afghan War Outside The White House + Sheehan & Others Arrested at Obama-Occupied White House

Where Do Our Premiums Go?

President Obama, The Sermon on the Mount and the War in Afghanistan

Ralph Nader on the G-20, Healthcare Reform, Mideast Talks and His First Work of Fiction

Stand Up! Fight Back!

Where Do Our Premiums Go?

Dandelion Salad

bravenewfilms
October 04, 2009

Netting $2.5 billion in profits last year wasn’t enough for WellPoint, the nation’s largest insurance company.

Now, WellPoint’s affiliate, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, is suing the state of Maine for refusing to guarantee it a profit margin in the midst of a painful recession.

Forward this video to a friend in Maine!

http://sickforprofit.com