Lobbyists, aides to senior officials and others encouraged invasion and now help firms pursue contracts. They see no conflict. 14 July 2004 | Los Angeles Times by Walter F. Roche Jr. and Ken Silverstein WASHINGTON — In the months and years leading up to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, they marched together in the vanguard of those who advocated war. As lobbyists, public relations counselors and confidential advisors to senior federal officials, they warned against Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, praised exiled leader Ahmad Chalabi, and argued that toppling Saddam Hussein was a matter of national security and moral duty. […]
Daily Archives: July 14, 2004
7 posts
Patriot Act Amendment Fails In House 9 July 2004 | Boston Globe by Susan Milligan WASHINGTON — House Republicans yesterday beat back what was shaping up as a successful attempt to rewrite a controversial provision of the USA Patriot Act, by more than doubling the time usually alloted for a floor vote so that House leaders could persuade enough fellow Republicans to change their votes and the outcome. The reversal spared the White House a legislative defeat. As the official 15-minute voting period finished, the House appeared to have approved by a 213-206 vote an amendment that would have required […]
9 July 2004 | WorkingForChange.com by Greg Palast Bush and Republicans should give up ill-gotten Lay loot that bought the White House When the feds swoop down and cuff racketeers, they also load the vans with all the perp’s ill-gotten gains: stacks of cash, BMWs, whatever. Their associates have to cough up the goodies too: lady friends must give up their diamond rocks. Under the racketeering law, RICO, even before a verdict, anything bought with the proceeds of the crime goes into the public treasury. But there seems to be special treatment afforded those who loaded up on the ‘bennies’ […]
[ The story claims that the inspector general of Health and Human Services determined that the Bush Administration broke no laws in withholding information from Congress. First, there is no inspector general, but only an acting inspecting general (Dara Corrigan). The previous inspector was the Bush-appointed Janet Rehnquist (yes, daughter of William), who stepped down after the General Accounting Office determined that she undermined the independence of the office, showed poor judgment and created “an atmosphere of anxiety and distrust”…. The main job of the inspector general is to ferret out fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid, the giant […]
Recovering a hijacked faith July 13, 2004 | Boston Globe by Jim Wallis MANY OF US feel that our faith has been stolen, and it’s time to take it back. A misrepresentation of Christianity has taken place. Many people around the world now think Christian faith stands for political commitments that are almost the opposite of its true meaning. How did the faith of Jesus come to be known as pro-rich, pro-war, and pro-American? What has happened? How do we get back to a historic, biblical, and genuinely evangelical faith rescued from its contemporary distortions?
8 July 2004 | Misleader.org In the months after the tragic attacks of 9/11, President Bush told the American people that he had “no ambition whatsoever to use [the War on Terror] as a political issue.”1 But according to a new report, the Bush Administration is now demanding that international allies coordinate the arrest of al Qaeda terrorists to coincide with key U.S. political events, so as to maximize political benefits for the President. According to the New Republic, top Pakistani intelligence officials have confirmed that the Bush Administration is demanding the Pakistani government find as many “high value” terrorist […]
July/August 2004 | Mother Jones DOLING OUT diplomatic posts is a time-honored way for presidents to repay political patrons. But by awarding ambassadorships to 19 Pioneers—supporters who raised at least $100,000 for his 2000 campaign—George W. Bush, a former co-owner of the Texas Rangers, has been in a league of his own. His choices include five big-league execs. Here, the baseball bunch. —Benjamin Leslie Pioneer Posting Service Personal Donations to GOP in 2000 Baseball Affiliation Diplomatic Distinctions George Argyros: Spain. 2001 – present. $123,000 Former owner of Seattle Mariners. No Spanish. Mercer Reynolds III: Switzerland 2001 – 2003. Called back […]