Maddow And Olbermann Expose McCain's Fake Empathy For The Troops

Despite what McCain says and what his history is with our armed forces, what matters is his voting record and what that means in a McCain presidency.

George Bush Hits A New Low: Using Tortured U.S. Vets As Pawns

One thing that I know is a constant about George Bush is that he will always find a new low to sink to. The latest news is almost hard to fathom and as usual the traditional media outlets in the U.S. are not reporting it. Thankfully the International press is so that word can get out, outlets like the U.K. Independent do not care for simple soundbites. Oh, did you want to know what I'm making a ruckus about?

From The U.K. Independent:

The US is holding hostage some $50bn (£25bn) of Iraq's money in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to pressure the Iraqi government into signing an agreement seen by many Iraqis as prolonging the US occupation indefinitely, according to information leaked to The Independent.

US negotiators are using the existence of $20bn in outstanding court judgments against Iraq in the US, to pressure their Iraqi counterparts into accepting the terms of the military deal, details of which were reported for the first time in this newspaper yesterday.

Iraq's foreign reserves are currently protected by a presidential order giving them immunity from judicial attachment but the US side in the talks has suggested that if the UN mandate, under which the money is held, lapses and is not replaced by the new agreement, then Iraq's funds would lose this immunity.

That money is supposed to go to settle the claims of U.S. troops that were tortured under Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War. George Bush's Administration is threatening the Iraqis with this for one major reason, that is to be able to stay in Iraq indefinitely. This would keep feeding our Military-Industrial complex in an enormous way and falls right in line with Bush and his father lucrative relationship with the Carlyle Group (among others).

Sickening? Oh yes.

I only wish it were January 20, 2009 already so this nightmare would be over.

McCain Ignores Webb's Bill To Support The Troops

Senator Jim Webb is a hard man to criticize when it comes to our nation's military. The Republicans love(d) to own the issue of who supports our soldiers more, but they are beginning to lose on the issue, even after years of getting away with doing nothing for our brave soldiers. Jim Webb (D-VA) has a bill in the Senate that will support our troops in terms of educational assistance (aptly named the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act). Now he is calling out Presidential contender John McCain to support him on it.

From The Hill:

“McCain needs to get on the bill,” Webb told reporters after a Christian Science Monitor breakfast meeting on Wednesday. He said legislation mirroring the post-World War II GI bill should not be considered a “political issue.”

Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Il.), the Democratic presidential candidates, both have signed on to the bill.

In a major coup for Webb, Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), the former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, signed on as a co-sponsor earlier this month. Warner is a close ally of McCain, who is the ranking member on Armed Services. Warner has often been the committee’s top Republican with McCain
busy on the campaign trail.

Webb’s bill has 51 co-sponsors, including nine Republicans. Webb, a former secretary of the Navy, said he may have to get 60 co-sponsors to ensure Senate passage, but then added that many more Republicans could vote for the bill if McCain endorsed it.

Not surprisingly, The Hill notes George Bush is advocating against it, saying that it will encourage Americans to leave the service while the military is having trouble enlisting people. It is a ridiculous argument, but then again, it is a ridiculous Presidency. With McCain's willful ignorance of the bill, it isn't hard to see what kind of President he'll be, despite his military record. With McCain, it is party before principles.

Oh and before anyone asks what is McCain's response to this....remember that Webb introduced this bill in January of 2007. If a Senator is silent on this for over a year and another Senator has to call you out publicly, that is a powerful response by itself.

Obama Girl Headed For U.S.O?

Not quite Al Franken funny, but these girls could help the sagging morale in Iraq and Afghanistan: