Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
by John Cole| 29 Comments
This post is in: Politics
A very sensible and fair column by Krugman on electronic voting appears in todays NY Times. Has he gotten the message?
*** Update ***
I am so sick and tired of reading about Krugman, reading Krugman, etc., that I now officially declare that krugman has jumped the shark and that this site will be a Krugman free zone (unless he unleashes some really egregious lies).
This post is in: War
The noose tightens:
Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Saddam Hussein’s top lieutenant, has probably been captured or killed in a raid by US forces, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC)said on Tuesday.
Mouwafak al-Rubai, a Shiite member of the IGC, told Reuters that US troops had conducted a major operation on a suspicious target in the northern city of Kirkuk, and al-Douri might have been killed or caught, Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV channel reported.
A US military spokesman could not confirm the report at the moment, but said the US-led coalition authority will give details about the incident later.
The US military has blamed al-Douri for passing money for or even coordinating a number of anti-coalition attacks, and offered a reward of 10 million dollars for anyone who provides information leading to his capture of killing.
US forces last month destroyed one of his houses near Saddam’s hometown of Tikrit and detained in Samarra his wife and daughter and a son of his physician, all of whom US officials said might help them to know about al-Douri’s whereabout.
Al-Douri, number six on the most wanted 55 list, was the vice chairman of the former Revolutionary Command Council and remained the highest ranking official at large other than Saddam himself.
I am sure this will be spun as bad news somewhere…
They didn’t catch him. Damn.
US troops that encircled the town of Hawijah for 12 hours on Tuesday in a swoop for Saddam Hussein’s deputy Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri as part of a massive manhunt across north-central Iraq failed to find the wanted fugitive, a US spokesperson said.
“Al-Duri was not captured in this raid,” said Major Doug Vincent, spokesman for the 173rd Airborne Division, which mounted the huge search operation, told reporters who accompanied the 1 200 troops involved.
The principal target of the search in this town of 80 000 people, 45km west of Iraq’s northern oil centre of Kirkuk, was someone who had a “close relation with al-Duri,” another US officer told reporters.
As Donald Sensing frequently notes, ‘First reports are always wrong.’
by John Cole| 2 Comments
This post is in: General Stupidity
I know this is going to just kill all the conspiracy theorists out there, but here is more evidence that the Bush trip to Iraq was not merely undertaken to ‘overshadow’ Hillary. From an online chat with Dana Milbank:
Nashville, Tenn.: Is there any indication that Hillary Clinton’s Thanksgiving trip to Iraq played any role in motivating the President’s decision to make the secret trip?
Dana Milbank: None whatsoever. But that doesn’t stop people from speculating. Fodder for conspiracy types: The Pentagon knew weeks in advance about plans for her trip. Cold water for conspiracy types: the Clinton trip was to have been the week before but was delayed because of Medicare votes.
by John Cole| 21 Comments
This post is in: Previous Site Maintenance
After two years of running this site, I have finally banned someone for their comments. Previously, I had banned people for ‘viagra spamming’ and for random drive-bys filled with nothing but obscenities. However, JadeGold has now gone too far, and the website will be a better place without he/she/it.
In the past, JadeGold has accused me, repeatedly, of being a McVeigh supporter, has questioned my motives and intent for everything I have ever written, has engaged in a pattern of intentionally dishonest debate, including shifting the topic of every thread so that it has nothing to do with the original post, continues to insist that Bush is ‘your President’ and other idiotic nonsense, has talked extensively of a military background while showing no evidence of any military knowledge, as well as a variety of other really annoying behaviors.
One of the side effects of having JadeGold post comments here is that decent lefties (like Kimmitt) get tarred with JadeGold’s obnoxiousness, and I find that there is just a genuine air of hostility with every thread because of Jade’s asshole behavior. The final straw, however, was this bile directed at Steve Malynn, who spent a number of years in the military, including in the NationalGuard/Reserve:
As I’m always interested in the gouge provided us by weekend warriors–perhaps Steve could enlighten us as to why he thinks the folks in Samarra were ‘Saddam fedayeen.’
I’m always profoundly interested in what a weekend a month as experience can provide us.
That is it. I am done with you. You are banned. Goodbye, and now go cry to anyone who will listen at Eschaton or the Daily Kos or elsewhere that I am intolerant and censored you. I really don’t give a shit, because I know that this site will be a much better place.
Demon be gone.
Now- all you right-wingers, with the real asshole gone, I expect you to clean up your acts and be respectful to the lefites who do post here in good faith.
*** Update ***
Some have suggested the ban be temporary. I am fine with that. I will unban he/she/it on 1 January 2004 in the spirit of the New Year. If he/she/it behaves, he/she/it can stay and play.
by John Cole| 3 Comments
This post is in: Popular Culture
Wanted: women to test new orgasm machine. No, really. An American surgeon who has patented a device that triggers an orgasm has begun a clinical trial approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States and is looking for female volunteers.
by John Cole| 16 Comments
This post is in: General Stupidity
Someone better get to Romano Prodi, quicklike, and show him the error of his ways:
The president of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, Sunday expressed shock over the slaying of seven Spanish intelligence officers in Iraq.
“I am shocked to have to mourn again new casualties in Iraq, for a terrorist attack against a Spanish convoy,” Prodi said in a statement.
“This month was the bloodiest since the end of the war and Spain paid its death toll for trying to contribute to stabilise Iraq and help civilians get back to normal life.”
Prodi said the latest attack “will not weaken the determination of the international community to help to establish a free and democratic government in Iraq.”
The Spanish intelligence agents were killed on Saturday in an ambush south of Baghdad. An eighth Spanish agent was injured.
Damnit, Romano- those were not terrorists! According to Josh Marshall and the always sickening Atrios, clearly these are freedom fighters. Or guerillas. Perhaps Romano Prodi should read this bit from Marshall again:
We
by John Cole| 15 Comments
This post is in: General Stupidity
I am sure someone is going to explain to me how this is all just about his policies:
Laurie David [wife of SEINFELD creator Larry David] has sent out invites to the planned Tuesday evening meeting at the Hilton with the bold heading: ‘Hate Bush 12/2 – Event’
“This is the most important meeting you can attend to prevent the advancement of the current extremist right wing agenda. Do not miss this meeting. This will be a high-level briefing to discuss the strategies… to affect what happens next November.”
Political heavies Harold Ickes, Former Deputy White House Chief of Staff and Campaign Manager for the