God Bless America-Jazeera

When our actions actually match our principles, people like us. Go figure.

and if the Gulf states do foot the bill

Its quite remarkable how much the cost of operations doesn’t enter into the discussions of command and control. I happened to see ten minutes of CNN the other day and there was all sorts of hand wringing over whether turning command over to NATO would increase or decrease the likelihood of the US being involved in a protracted conflict. Not one word was said over whether turning over to NATO might mitigate some of the costs that the US taxpayer would otherwise bear with no discussion whatsoever.

It’s as if our deficits are a HUGE PROBLEM unless they’re a non-factor whatsoever.

You mean, I assume, our “stated principles”.

Here is commentary worthy of reading:
http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1107ap_ml_palestinians_arab_spring.html

It has less Israeli-centric and US-centric baggage than most commentaries, with the added plus of not being inflammatory or shrill.

It sure didn’t help us to veto the settlement resolution at the UN.
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That, I think, might have been politically expedient for Obama, but I think it was the last nail in the coffin for any ideas that we could be both unconditionally pro-Israel and an honest broker.

“Everyone was furious after you vetoed the UN resolution on the Israeli settlements–but this has made people forget all about that…”
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I would not hang your hopes on the italicized commentary, Joe. Despite a statement from one Palestinian, the “settlement” issue is not going to go away.
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If you are captivated by that notion, please remember that I told you so…

Interesting overview fitty, thanks.

Thanks fitty. This is the first article I have read that gives an idea of how the Palestinians are reacting to the protests and changes in other ME countries.

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
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I keep Al Jazeera streaming during my time on line. I find it is the only news source that gives you voices that are not the usual suspects.

Our deficit is only a problem if Obama does something. An overview of GOP spending for the past 30 years attests to that.
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They are responsible for 11.5T of the 14T, I think…

“It’s as if our deficits are a HUGE PROBLEM unless they’re a non-factor whatsoever.”
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Actually, at this point, it’s like it’s a huge f@cking lie that “conservatives” tell to get the rubes to follow them as they wage war against the middle-class. How their outrageous hypocrisy on the matter isn’t apparent to everyone, I’ll never understand.

“I’ll be happy to languish in cringing total wrongitude in this case.”
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That would certainly be the best outcome. But, either way, this was never like Iraq or Afghanistan; motives, missions or leaders. That was always sloppy thinking, whether just about everyone else was doing it or not.

One interesting point her Joe:
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If Israel can find a way to abandon it’s paranoia, and move away from it’s self-perception as a superior and invincible force, some real good might come of all this.
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If you hadn’t noticed, it appears so far that nowhere is there a lot of sentiment for Islamic extremists stepping into the political vacuums created.
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When the wave finally reaches the shores of Iran, and, assuming (and I’m sure it will come to pass) that the old guard in the heart of the ME will be swept away, the Iranian government may be toppled as well.
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Bloodshed hasn’t stopped the flames…

“It’s on Al-Jazeera all the time,” he said, “Libyans dancing in the streets and saying, ‘Merci Obama, Merci Sarkozy.’ ”

That’s nice. Now Fox can say that Obama’s fellow Muslims are happy that the President is finally showing his true colors..

Joe, you are sounding like Newt Gingrich.

http://www.channel4.com/news/libya-a-womans-cry-for-help-in-tripoli-hotel
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Here is what actual journalists in Lybia are experiencing.
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As a Libyan woman makes a desperate, dramatic plea for help in a Tripoli hotel, Channel 4 News Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Miller witnesses how Gaddafi’s forces deal with dissent.
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http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

That’s pretty harsh apr.
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Funny, but harsh.

A young Palestinian, how nice. Did you check to see if he bled red blood? Or was it some other color? He likes dancing in the streets? That memory is one of Palestinians dancing in the streets after 9/11. I forgive him for that. I hope he forgives America and the Zionists (well maybe not them) for what he has suffered.

The check is in the mail, no problem.

I know. JK brings the harsh out in me. I wouldn’t mind if he was honest. When you read George Will, Krauthammer, Crystal, et al you know they have a consistent point of view. You may not agree but know they are stating their beliefs.
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With Joe you get a pseudo liberal who writes in a passive aggressive style that trys to intimidate by dropping names, echoing talking points, claiming expertise where he probably has none and supports the Village point of view. Yet he has disdain for progressives that disagree with his “agenda”.
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When he states in another post about Bob Herbert leaving the NY Times and states he might agree with him lately, that is an example of a JK straddle. Why is he just now pondering Bob Herbert’s words on the poor and disadvantaged? Strange for an avowed liberal.

O/T
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What not having a union can mean:
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Here is an occasion I think we might agree the CEOs,
top management at Tepco, enabling politicians and negligent regulators at the Japanese Fukushima nuclear plant should be suited up and sent into the site.
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Nuclear Gypsies:
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Because the workers are not directly employed by the power companies and move around so often, it’s nearly impossible to keep tabs on their health, and to any event the power companies like Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) are not obligated to cover their heath care costs. Attempts in the 1980s to unionize were unsuccessful, and it’s unclear whether there is a movement to change that.

Many workers accept the conditions and risks of the work because of the pay. One of the anonymous “Fukushima 50”, the workers currently working on rescuing the damaged plant, told the Mainichi Daily News that he decided to work at the plant even after the disaster not only because he wanted to do this important job, but because he wanted to continue working for the company: “I want to keep supporting myself with this job. If I turned it down, I would be put in a bad position. I want to continue this work for the company. I want to cooperate with the company and do what I’m told as much as possible.”

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Electric_Power_Company
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Tepco:
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On August 29, 2002, the government of Japan revealed that TEPCO was guilty of false reporting in routine governmental inspection of its nuclear plants and systematic concealment of plant safety incidents. All seventeen of its boiling-water reactors were shut down for inspection as a result. TEPCO’s chairman Hiroshi Araki, President Nobuya Minami, Vice-President Toshiaki Enomoto, as well as the advisers Shō Nasu and Gaishi Hiraiwa stepped-down by September 30, 2002.[13] The utility “eventually admitted to two hundred occasions over more than two decades between 1977 and 2002, involving the submission of false technical data to authorities”.[14] Upon taking over leadership responsibilities, TEPCO’s new president issued a public commitment that the company would take all the countermeasures necessary to prevent fraud and restore the nation’s confidence. By the end of 2005, generation at suspended plants had been restarted, with government approval.
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In 2007, however, the company announced to the public that an internal investigation had revealed a large number of unreported incidents. These included an unexpected unit criticality in 1978 and additional systematic false reporting, which had not been uncovered during the 2002 inquiry. Along with scandals at other Japanese electric companies, this failure to ensure corporate compliance resulted in strong public criticism of Japan’s electric power industry and the nation’s nuclear energy policy. Again, the company made no effort to identify those responsible.

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All The Old Bleeding Heart Liberals Are Pandering To Our Enemies
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(Reuters) – Former President Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn will visit Cuba next week to meet with President Raul Castro and discuss ways to improve U.S.-Cuba relations, a Carter spokeswoman said on Friday.
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The visit, made at the invitation of the Cuban government, raised the possibility that Carter would get involved in the case of U.S. aid contractor Alan Gross, recently sentenced to 15 years in prison for providing illegal Internet access to Cuban groups.
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The case has strained U.S.-Cuba relations after a brief warming under President Barack Obama.
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Carter, 86, was to arrive in Havana on Monday for a three-day trip “to learn about new economic policies and the upcoming (Communist) Party congress and to discuss ways to improve U.S.-Cuba relations,” said a statement from Carter spokeswoman Deanna Congileo.

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Well we can always hope Jimmy and Rosalynn will decide to stay in Cuba. Miracles have happened before.

“Merci’ Obama – Merci’ Sarkozy” – Somehow Joe’s words and the pictures do not match up, wonder why?
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Heeeeere’s rusty!
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Doin’ the stoopid…

Everyone should go see ‘Miral’ today. If you’re in the NY area, it is being shown exclusively at the Angelika Film Center in Manhattan, Houston Street.

Even dumber than usual rustyblog. Not only are most of those photos not from libya, but they don;t prove anything. No captions, no articles, just a string of photos. You reek of desperation. And stoopid.

Defense Secretary: Libya Did Not Pose Threat to U.S., Was Not ‘Vital National Interest’ to Intervene
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ABC News – Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that Libya did not pose a threat to the United States before the U.S. began its military campaign against the North African country.
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On “This Week,” ABC News’ Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper asked Gates, “Do you think Libya posed an actual or imminent threat to the United States?”
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“No, no,” Gates said in a joint appearance with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “It was not — it was not a vital national interest to the United States, but it was an interest and it was an interest for all of the reasons Secretary Clinton talked about. The engagement of the Arabs, the engagement of the Europeans, the general humanitarian question that was at stake,” he said.

Yea, I am “stoooooopid”. Kinda stupid like Joey Klein thinking his little Palestinian friend means this too…or that the “Gulf States” are going to fill up our banks with oil dollars. Fairy tales and dreams.
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“Everyone was furious after you vetoed the UN resolution on the Israeli settlements–but this has made people forget all about that…And the Gulf States hate Gaddafi so much, I’m sure they’ll pay for all your military expenses.”

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When do you think they will send a check, ohiolibby? Tomorrow? 10 years from now? Never?
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Desperation is to continually support a failed Presidency. To speak out against any violence in the Middle East, and out of the same breath support the overthrow of Gaddafi. This really makes tons of sense to me!!

Trust me, I won’t come in your mouth.

Someone whom I have great respect for as a ME expert is Juan Cole. He has another great article entitled: “An open letter to the left.”..www.juancole.org. It’s well worth the read regardless of where you come down on intervention in Libya.

Except, of course, that I’m not supporting obama, anything in the middle east, or gaddhafi (not here, anyway). but keep changing the subject. I suppose it’s the only option you have when you’re obviously wrong.

Exiled: I am really looking forward to seeing this when it becomes available. The endtimers are going to become hysterical about the movie, ignoring it is directed by Jewish Julian Schnabel.

i have pointed JK to Juan Cole, hoping he would take time to read his site rather than Drudge. Thanks for pointing us to his latest article. It IS worth the read.
Also, worth a read is Cole’s essay:
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http://www.juancole.com/2011/03/top-ten-ways-that-libya-2011-is-not-iraq-2003.html
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Top Ten Ways Lybia 2011 is Not Iraq 2003
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I was wavering on our action in Lybia until I read his article. I respect his expertise on the Middle East.

Ohiolib;
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At least he did admit he was stupid. He did get that part right…

Wow. Need I say anything? Anything at all?
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Too precious…

Steve Clemons response to Cole’s open letter.
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http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/2011/03/tally_on_libya/
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Both are worth reading.

Trust me, as a twelve year old minority male, I know better than to believe that.

Thanks for the link to Clemons. Why aren’t he and Cole asked to participate in the pundit talk fest on cable and Sunday talk shows? Maybe because they would make the Village pundits look hapless?
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Clemons does appear on The Rachel Maddow Show.