Where Were You - What Were You Doing
Four years ago. Where were you? What were you doing?
I was in Mexico. Sitting on a beach. A beautiful white sand beach gazing at the turquoise water. Mad as hell! I didn't want to go on that vacation because I knew what was coming. I didn't care that the tickets had be bought months in advance. I didn't care that we shouldn't disappoint our friends that were meeting us there. I didn't care that it wouldn't make one damn bit of difference where I was because there was nothing I could do to stop that madness. But I was sick, sick at heart that I was expected to 'enjoy' a holiday with life-long friends when people were being slaughtered by shock-n-awe half a world away to appease the greed and mendacity of the boy king and his puppet masters. I knew it would turn out to be a horrible turning point in the history of our country and of the world.
I couldn't do it. I just could not force myself to feel good about where I was and what I was doing when people were dying for a cause I knew was wrong in ever fiber of my being. I have been mad, livid, infuriated and disappointed many times in my life at the leaders of this country, but never ever have I hated them with so much passion as I felt that day and every day since.
Every day is a new tally of death and destruction of incomprehensible magnitude and still they continue to drag us on and on to the breaking point. Every day we read of more young lives squandered to old men's foolishness. Every day we are left to wonder how many innocent Iraqis have perished in horrible ways because of our leader's hubris. We will never know the honest answer to that question because they don't want us to know.
Every day we wonder how we can help mend the damage to soldier's lives and those of their families caused by the burden of multiple deployments with a Veterans administration that has been gutted to the bones and a Defense Department that is only interested in the shuffling of paperwork and making sure the contractors get paid for jobs not done or done well.
So here we are 4 years later, a much poorer country in spirit, in pocketbook, nearly devoid of any respect around the world and devastated by the sheer pruning of so many young lives by old men. If you read what I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the beautiful round tree in my front yard that was shattered by an early snow storm so many years ago, then you know how I feel about our country at this moment.
/ rant
My Selections
Diary: Kindness of a Stranger
By CanadianBill
CB writes lovingly in this diary of history, memorials, friendship and deeds of kindness.
sherlyle tells of a rescue that has rippled through her life and pays homage to her rescuer.
Wide Awake in NJ speaks of the events that lead to becoming an activist and how another kossack was helpful in understanding a tragic loss.
saugatojas relates a beautiful Remembrance Day ceremony in Britian.
Rydra Wrong sums up the feelings of many that read this diary.
Diary: Waxman Hearing: Tom Davis Reveals His Cards
By: emptywheel
emptywheel once again zeros in on key testimony during the hearings that could have stunning impact in the coming days.
QuickSilver reports on what is obvious to a child. Out of the mouth of babes.
markthshark on the tendency of Republicans to match jobs with campaign donations rather than professionals.
SueDe on Davis's skewed tack during the hearings.
wardlow's outstanding comment with background information is a stunner.
Dallasdoc asks the $64 question that goes to chain of command.
subtropolis on the difficulties of putting things to rights after these 'asshats' are gone.
litagatormom gives who's who and what's what plus excellent legal interpretation.
jiacinto calls a foul on the chilling implications of their reasoning.
Newsie8200 boils it down to the essential element.
Diary: Showdown over Executive Privilege Looms
By: StevenD
StevenD writes that is may come down to the SCOTUS to determine if we will ever have the testimony of key operators from the Executive Branch give in open hearings. It will could come down to the court choosing to side with Bush or the Congress. Will they make the RIGHT choice this time around?
A Mad Mad World speaks to the difference a couple of years can make.
inclusiveheart clarifies a difference.
Kimberley on words to remember.
RFK Lives on the looming showdown of political will.
RElland and Bearpaw discuss the one element of the Plame outing that should have been trumpeted from day one!
hester brings some outstanding quotes from today's Krugman column in the NYTimes.
Diary: The many forms of fundamentalism
By: teacherken
teacherken explores his thoughts regarding an article by James Carroll in the Boston Globe.
BenGoshi equates.
Turkana's analogy resonates.
hestal has a quote from Jimmy Carter that pierces their balloon.
Granny Doc shows her wisdom on this issue.
MrMichaelMT and Spoc42 have an excellent reflective exchange of views.
langerdang makes a pithy assessment.
Diary: Sen. Feinstein: Prosecutor purge tied to CIA probe
By: Nuisance Industry
NI reports on the Senator's declarations of a link between Carol Lam's MZM investigations and her firing. "Fired San Diego U.S. attorney Carol Lam notified the Justice Department that she intended to execute search warrants on a high-ranking CIA official as part of a corruption probe the day before a Justice Department official sent an e-mail that said Lam needed to be fired, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Sunday."
Dallasdoc on 'keeping it real'.
gustynpip on how far we have to go.
jorndorff has information on another key US attorney, Debra Yang, that resigned then jumped the other direction.
KuanShiYin reports the details of Yang's selling out.
joanneleon's appraisal of key mistakes made by Bushco.
mmacdDE's analogies go in all directions. Sweet!
Diary: A Mini-Rant on Drive-By Diaries
By: A Mad Mad World
AMMW explores a common complaint at the site on rude/uncaring diarists and their poor diary-tending habits.
tryptamine and Crashing Vor have some things to say about simple courtesy.
Diary: Crappy Anniversary - 4 years in Iraq by the numbers
By: clammyc
clammy has a stunning, compact array of statistics that show the costs of this war in human terms and the lack of progress in the so-called rebuilding of Iraqi infrastructure. Damn that one little bombing a day!
clammyc also has a 'joke' of sorts that illustrates the contempt for opposing points a view. Excellent.
musikman on wanton slaughter and unmitigated war-profiteering.
Diary: Neocons Braintrust US Atty Firings, Links to Bush
By: Valtin
Whoa, were to start with this diary? Valtin does some very serious digging and hunting for connections and finds a motherlode. This is the kind of investigative reporting that you never see anymore in the MSM. Lucky us that we have such talent here.
OHdog on the mendacious tendency of the cabal to have a pre-positioned fall guy in all cases.
MarkC brings some additional information on one of the players in this mess.
adios follows up with more information on Bradford Berenson. Follow the thread for more great input.
Terminus has more on this incestuous brigade of brigands.
darthstar makes an excellent point about the downside for such a small circle of power.
Tulip is truly grateful for another piece of the puzzle.
Front Page: Four years
By: BarbinMD
If you missed this, please go read it for the astounding content in context.
sedrunsic remarks on where and with who Bush chose to mark the anniversary.
Buckeye Hamburger's most excellent proposal.
Lestadelc puts the shoe on the other foot.
Brooke In Seattle found good reason to yell at her TV today.
Churchill's progression.
Overseas on the contrast between then and now through the eyes of a reporter.
Diary: LA Times: Investigations Dems' weapon of choice
By: occams hatchet
oh examines the following for clues in direction: "Impeach!" cried some. "Investigate!" insisted others. "Legislate!" shouted a third group.
Well, here we are. It's the Ides of March. Which camp is prevailing?
Dallasdoc provides further diagnosis on the progress of the 'patient'.
bernardpliers and occams hatchet discuss strategy.
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From gloriana
Teacherken nominated this one for A Mad Mad World, from last night's TC Diary.
From snakelass
jawbone makes a fine point!
From LightEmittingPickle
GTPinNJ has an interesting statistic about supporters of how GWB has run the Iraq war
From LAMaestra
This has got to be on top comments. Up to y'all, of course, but I'm still chucking.
From noweasels
buhdydharma on the wording needed to end the war.
Jeepers! A "medieval weapons diary hijack" (quote stolen from buhdy!!) -- well worth the read
Tonight's Top Mojo is brought to you by sardonyx Thank you so much, sar!
First, Top Mojo excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, and C&J comments:
1) Thanks! by Sarah R Carter — 145
2) What time? by emptywheel — 134
3) Let's hear it by Sarah R Carter — 91
4) Chilling implication by jiacinto — 77
5) Obstruction of justice is still a crime by Dallasdoc — 69
6) Marcy... by victoria2dc — 68
7) Impeachment will hop onto the table by RumsfeldResign — 67
8) The perfect storm scandal is as elusive as... by Johnny Gentle Famous Crooner — 64
9) Don't be so sure by Steven D — 62
10) Yes by emptywheel — 59
11) I sell furniture and computers to the government by totallynext — 57
12) I'm watching this situation very carefully. by Mr Met — 54
13) When Lam's resignation was announced, by 2lucky — 53
14) The perfect storm scandal by joanneleon — 52
15) Well, what they're actually arguing is by Newsie8200 — 50
16) Wasn't there an executive order covering Cheney? by Dallasdoc — 50
17) As a pediatrician, I'm stunned. And frightened. by DrFood — 49
18) only the President and Vice President by QuickSilver — 47
19) All this talk about... by DawnG — 47
20) I think Knodell by Mehitabel9 — 46
21) It's pretty simple by MediaFreeze — 46
22) Oh yes, I remember it well. by Panda — 44
23) to me by Turkana — 43
24) Or he dies...but the VP has ZERO constitutional by skippythebox — 43
25) A while back by shanti2 — 41
26) Approx. 20% more homophobic than white or by PhillyGal — 41
27) That is a very dangerous precdent by jiacinto — 41
28) And so it begins, again by vigilant meerkat — 40
29) You should support by Eddie in ME — 40
30) Knock it off with the goddam purist BS already. by Mehitabel9 — 40
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1) You've got to watch Fox like a hawk by beachmom — 277
2) Tip Jar by Valtin — 234
3) The Bush administration is on the Lam by Nuisance Industry — 176
4) The tragedy of this essay, for me... by Maryscott OConnor — 170
5) Place your bets by Steven D — 169
6) Good catch. Recommended. by Newsie8200 — 158
7) Thanks! by Sarah R Carter — 145
8) Tip Jar - 19 March by Jerome a Paris — 137
9) What time? by emptywheel — 134
10) Tip Jar by Skulnick — 131
11) I don't know by TerranceDC — 127
12) this first comment may sound familiar by teacherken — 111
13) Highly recommended. by JaciCee — 110
14) tips? by Nuisance Industry — 109
15) Let's hear it by Sarah R Carter — 91
16) Stop the war NOW! by One Pissed Off Liberal — 81
17) tip by TeresaInPa — 80
18) Tip jar by AAbshier — 79
19) Chilling implication by jiacinto — 77
20) Obstruction of justice is still a crime by Dallasdoc — 69
21) Marcy... by victoria2dc — 68
22) Impeachment will hop onto the table by RumsfeldResign — 67
23) The perfect storm scandal is as elusive as... by Johnny Gentle Famous Crooner — 64
24) Well, that settles it by Nina Katarina — 63
25) Don't be so sure by Steven D — 62
26) Yes by emptywheel — 59
27) Tips and Errata by Andrew Ekud — 59
28) here i am! by buhdydharma — 58
29) I sell furniture and computers to the government by totallynext — 57
30) Tips? by Valtin — 54
31) I'm watching this situation very carefully. by Mr Met — 54
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