Condi: Woodward Is Nuts

Reporters Press Tony Snow on the Woodward Book -- He Denies White House in Denial

NEW YORK At his briefing this afternoon, Tony Snow, White House press secretary, faced probing questions from reporters fueled by numerous tidbits and charges already emerging from Bob Woodward's new "State of Denial" book.

Snow tried to counter some allegations and put off others. One high point came when a reporter asked about Woodward's depiction of very strong and ongoing disputes between Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld -- leading to Rumsfeld refusing to take her calls. Snow replied that he had asked Rice about this specifically and she said, "That is ridiculous and I told that to Woodward."

Asked about Woodward claiming that Gen. John Abizaid had stated that Rumsfeld had lost all credibility, Snow simply said the reporters should ask Abizaid about that.

When a reporter pointed out that former top aide Andrew Card had confirmed today the charge in Woodward's book that Card had once sought Rumsfeld's exit, Snow said he had tried to reach Card himself today, unsuccessfully so far. He said he had not asked the president about this. He said it was traditional for the resignations of everyone to be on the table when the White House mulls a shakeup.



He denied the White House was in "denial" about the war, saying that it was indeed a "war" and that people focus too much on Baghdad when there is progress elsewhere.

Snow also hit the Woodward book, and any such book, for being partly based on interviews with "smart" people who did not get their way. He said just about any Washington memoir could have been subtitled, "If Only They'd Listened To Me."

Read Story Here
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Well I was just going to blow this off as another Bash Bush book (How many is that now 3000?) but when Condi Gets Mad watch out! These people have been ticking off Condi alot lately and It's fun to see her get mad and finally fight back! Woodward seems to be the type of guy to hang around important people, drink cocktails with them, and somehow later on pop out a book.

Democrat in PA Comes Unhinged In Republican Headquarters

Police: Man will be cited for tirade

WILKES-BARRE – A city man who drove his car through a department store in the Poconos two years ago will be cited after committing another “bizarre” act on Monday which ended when he threw a jug of apple cider at an off-duty police officer, authorities said.

Patrick Tosh, 54, of Barney Street, walked into the Republican headquarters near Boscov’s on South Main Street at about 2 p.m. Monday and shouted profanities while holding a jar of apple cider and a sign that read, “Santorum did nothing for FIMA. He sucks,” according to police and witnesses.

“He started to put down (U.S. Sen.) Rick Santorum … and he demanded that Rick Santorum come to his home for two straight days,” said Joyce Dombroski-Gebhardt, a Republican committeewoman who volunteers at the center, which opened four weeks ago.

“He was going berserk,” said another volunteer, Gina Nevengloski. “He was as red as a fire engine.”

Tosh also demanded that 200 signs for Republican state House candidate Christine Katsock be placed on his lawn, said Dombroski-Gebhardt.

Wilkes-Barre police Lt. Paul Middleton, who was off duty and not in uniform, happened to be inside the headquarters when the incident occurred.

“Paul said, ‘Those are ladies, watch your mouth,’” Dombroski-Gebhardt recalled.

Tosh eventually walked outside the building and began pouring apple cider on the windows, said Dombroski-Gebhardt. When Middleton walked outside to stop him, Tosh threw the apple cider and the jar at the officer and ran.

“His bizarre behavior continues,” said city police Lt. Steven Olshefski.

An officer arrived on a motorcycle and Middleton hopped on, but they couldn’t find Tosh, said Dombroski-Gebhardt. But Olshefski said police know where to find him and he will be charged with summery counts of disorderly conduct, scattering rubbish and harassment. Olshefski noted that Middleton was struck in the leg with the jug and was not injured.

Tosh could not be reached for comment. Olshefski said police received a few calls over the weekend about Tosh “acting silly.”

In 2004, Tosh was arrested after police said he crashed a stolen car through a Target store in Stroud Township, drove around in the store, then drove back out. No one was injured. Police said Tosh was not under the influence. He pleaded no contest to criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and receiving stolen property and in June 2005 was sentenced to nine to 23 months in the Monroe County Correctional Facility and two years of probation, according to court documents. He was also ordered to pay more than $12,000 in fines.

Read Story Here
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Well damnit here they come the sign stealers, the registering the dead and the imprisioned to vote, tire slashers of "Get Out The Vote Vans", throwing apple cider at Republican Headquarter windows, fruit and nut wing of the unhinged Democrat party. Knew they were bound to show up. Arm yourselves people we arent safe!

Zawahiri / I Cant Take Bush Anymore

Al-Qaida No. 2 Calls Bush Failure, Liar
Bush has beaten me up

Al-Qaida No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri whined about President Bush in a video statement released Friday, calling him a failure and a liar. "Why don't you tell them how many million citizens of America and its allies you intend to kill in search of the imaginary victory and in breathless pursuit of the mirage towards which you are driving your people's sons in order increase your profits?" al-Zawahri said in a portion of the video released by the Virginia-based IntelCenter.
It said the message was titled "Bush, the Pope, Darfur and the Crusades."

The video was the latest to come from al-Zawahri since earlier this month. Al-Qaida released a string of videos for the anniversary of Sept. 11, showing increasingly sophisticated production techniques in a likely effort to demonstrate that it remains a powerful, confident force despite the U.S.-led war on terror.

An intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said U.S. experts view the tape as a typcial propaganda message, whose main thrust is a call for more people to join the jihad.



It wasn't immediately clear when the message was recorded, but al- Zawahri made a reference to the pope, indicating the message was produced sometime after Pope Benedict XVI's controversial comments about Islam on Sept. 12, the official said.

Read Story Here
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Well you know Bush must be doing something right when you have Zawahiri whining about how bad this war is going for him. Yep Bin Laden is dead. Zawahiri is to much on the camera these days, and I bet all those Taliban we couldnt shoot at because they were in a graveyard attending a funeral? YEP! I BET IT WAS USAMA!!! I bet in the next few weeks we will see another video from Zawahiri advocating voting for Democrats in November. They know that's the only party that will deliver for them because it sure wont be the Republicans.

Senate Approves Terror Detainee Interrogation Bill

Senate Approves Terror Detainee Interrogation Bill
Thursday, September 28, 2006

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday endorsed President Bush's plans to prosecute and interrogate terror suspects, all but sealing congressional approval for legislation that Republicans intend to use on the campaign trail to assert their toughness on terrorism.

The 65-34 vote means the bill could reach the president's desk by week's end. The House passed nearly identical legislation on Wednesday and was expected to approve the Senate bill on Friday, sending it on to the White House.

The bill would create military commissions to prosecute terrorism suspects. It also would prohibit blatant abuses of detainees but grant the president flexibility to decide what interrogation techniques are legally permissible.

The White House and its supporters have called the measure crucial in the anti-terror fight, but some Democrats said it left the door open to abuse, violating the U.S. Constitution in the name of protecting Americans.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who helped draft the legislation during negotiations with the White House, said the measure would set up a system for treating detainees that the nation could be proud of. He said the goal "is to render justice to the terrorists, even though they will not render justice to us."

"There is no question that the rush to pass this bill — which is the product of secret negotiations with the White House — is about serving a political agenda," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. (Well Of Course He's going to say that)



Senate approval was the latest step in the remarkable journey that Bush has taken in shaping how the United States treats the terrorism suspects it has been holding, some for almost five years.

The Supreme Court nullified Bush's initial system for trying detainees in June, and earlier this month a handful of maverick GOP senators embarrassed the president by forcing him to slightly tone down his next proposal. But they struck a deal last week, and the president and congressional Republicans are now claiming the episode as a victory.

While Democrats warned the bill could open the way for abuse, Republicans said defeating the bill would put the country at risk of another terrorist attack.

"We are not conducting a law enforcement operation against a check-writing scam or trying to foil a bank heist," said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "We are at war against extremists who want to kill our citizens."

Approving the bill before lawmakers leave for the elections has been a top priority for Republicans. GOP leaders fought off attempts by Democrats and a lone Republican to change the bill, ensuring swift passage.

Read Story Here

Bush: Democrats Have Become Obstructionits

Bush Criticizes Democrats On Terror War
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Well thank heavens. Throw those Lunatic's in a Freezer and Blast The Red Hot Chili Peppers at them ALL DAY LONG until they tell where the next terror attack is going to be. Teddy, just go have another shot of Bourbon! Just sit down and shut the **** up, we will conduct this war on terror with out without you!

New Al-Qaida In Iraq Leader Needs Help/Getting Ass Kicked

al-Qaida in Iraq: 4,000 Insurgents Dead

CAIRO, Egypt - The new leader of al-Qaida in Iraq said in an audio message posted on a Web site Thursday that more than 4,000 foreign insurgent fighters have been killed in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. It was believed to be the first major statement from insurgents in Iraq about their losses.

"The blood has been spilled in Iraq of more than 4,000 foreigners who came to fight," said the man, who identified himself as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir - also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri - the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq. The voice could not be independently identified.



The Arabic word he used indicated he was speaking about foreigners who joined the insurgency in Iraq, not coalition troops.

Al-Masri is believed to have succeeded Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who died in a U.S. airstrike north of Baghdad in June.

In the message, the speaker also called for explosives experts and nuclear scientists to join his group's holy war against the West.

Read Story Here
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Hey wait a minute, wasnt there a leaked intelligence document drawn up last April leaked to and reported by the New York Times saying Iraq was fueling more terrorism? If that's the case why does this guy need help? Give it up Masri your screwed!!!

Getting The Real Gist Of The De-Classified NIE Report

NIE released, and it isnt too kind to those who wish to "redeploy."

With the release of the NIE today we find that the New York Times was cherry picking a single fact out of the NIE briefing which in reality proves that we must continue to fight terrorist over there. If we do and we defeat them, then our mission will not only be successful from a tactical perspective, but we also will begin to see the change in hearts and minds we are seeking.

The NIE also tells a tale about how Al Qeada is descimated and broken into much smaller individual self-radicalized groups. Additionally, it tells about the apparent appeal of extremist and how greater pluralism and political responsiveness (democracy) can allieviate at least some grievences which jihadist exploit.

Granted, it is only a prediction, but it is a far different picture than what many Democrats and media would like to portray. It is also in direct opposition to what the New York Times was trying to sell the American public. Infact the NIE draws the complete opposite conclusion.

Dont just take my word for it, read the document your self. Keep in mind that this is from APRIL of 2006. A lot has happened since then. Here are the key findings

Declassified Key Judgments of the National Intelligence Estimate .Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States. dated April 2006

Key Judgments

United States-led counterterrorism efforts have seriously damaged the leadership of al-Qa’ida and disrupted its operations; however, we judge that al-Qa’ida will continue to pose the greatest threat to the Homeland and US interests abroad by a single terrorist organization. We also assess that the global jihadist movement—which includes al- Qa’ida, affiliated and independent terrorist groups, and emerging networks and cells—is spreading and adapting to counterterrorism efforts.
Although we cannot measure the extent of the spread with precision, a large body of all-source reporting indicates that activists identifying themselves as jihadists, although a small percentage of Muslims, are increasing in both number and geographic dispersion.

If this trend continues, threats to US interests at home and abroad will become more diverse, leading to increasing attacks worldwide.
Greater pluralism and more responsive political systems in Muslim majority nations would alleviate some of the grievances jihadists exploit. Over time, such progress, together with sustained, multifaceted programs targeting the vulnerabilities of the jihadist movement and continued pressure on al-Qa’ida, could erode support for the jihadists.

We assess that the global jihadist movement is decentralized, lacks a coherent global strategy, and is becoming more diffuse. New jihadist networks and cells, with anti- American agendas, are increasingly likely to emerge. The confluence of shared purpose and dispersed actors will make it harder to find and undermine jihadist groups.

We assess that the operational threat from self-radicalized cells will grow in importance to US counterterrorism efforts, particularly abroad but also in the Homeland.

The jihadists regard Europe as an important venue for attacking Western interests. Extremist networks inside the extensive Muslim diasporas in Europe facilitate recruitment and staging for urban attacks, as illustrated by the 2004 Madrid and 2005 London bombings.

We assess that the Iraq jihad is shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives; perceived jihadist success there would inspire more fighters to continue the struggle elsewhere.

The Iraq conflict has become the .cause celebre. for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement. Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight.

We assess that the underlying factors fueling the spread of the movement outweigh its vulnerabilities and are likely to do so for the duration of the timeframe of this Estimate.

Four underlying factors are fueling the spread of the jihadist movement:

(1) Entrenched grievances, such as corruption, injustice, and fear of Western domination, leading to anger, humiliation, and a sense of powerlessness;

(2) the Iraq .jihad;.

(3) the slow pace of real and sustained economic, social, and political reforms in many Muslim majority nations; and

(4) pervasive anti-US sentiment among most Muslims.all of which jihadists exploit.
Concomitant vulnerabilities in the jihadist movement have emerged that, if fully exposed and exploited, could begin to slow the spread of the movement. They include dependence on the continuation of Muslim-related conflicts, the limited appeal of the jihadists. radical ideology, the emergence of respected voices of moderation, and criticism of the violent tactics employed against mostly Muslim citizens.

The jihadists. greatest vulnerability is that their ultimate political solution.an ultra-conservative interpretation of shari.a-based governance spanning the Muslim world.is unpopular with the vast majority of Muslims. Exposing the religious and political straitjacket that is implied by the jihadists. propaganda would help to divide them from the audiences they seek to persuade.
Recent condemnations of violence and extremist religious interpretations by a few notable Muslim clerics signal a trend that could facilitate the growth of a constructive alternative to jihadist ideology: peaceful political activism. This also could lead to the consistent and dynamic participation of broader Muslim communities in rejecting violence, reducing the ability of radicals to capitalize on passive community support. In this way, the Muslim mainstream emerges as the most powerful weapon in the war on terror.
Countering the spread of the jihadist movement will require coordinated multilateral efforts that go well beyond operations to capture or kill terrorist leaders.
If democratic reform efforts in Muslim majority nations progress over the next five years, political participation probably would drive a wedge between intransigent extremists and groups willing to use the political process to achieve their local objectives. Nonetheless, attendant reforms and potentially destabilizing transitions will create new opportunities for jihadists to exploit.

Al-Qa’ida, now merged with Abu Mus’ab al-Zarqawi’s network, is exploiting the situation in Iraq to attract new recruits and donors and to maintain its leadership role.
The loss of key leaders, particularly Usama Bin Ladin, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and al-Zarqawi, in rapid succession, probably would cause the group to fracture into smaller groups. Although like-minded individuals would endeavor to carry on the mission, the loss of these key leaders would exacerbate strains and disagreements. We assess that the resulting splinter groups would, at least for a time, pose a less serious threat to US interests than does al-Qa.ida.
Should al-Zarqawi continue to evade capture and scale back attacks against Muslims, we assess he could broaden his popular appeal and present a global threat.
The increased role of Iraqis in managing the operations of al-Qa.ida in Iraq might lead veteran foreign jihadists to focus their efforts on external operations.
Other affiliated Sunni extremist organizations, such as Jemaah Islamiya, Ansar al- Sunnah, and several North African groups, unless countered, are likely to expand their reach and become more capable of multiple and/or mass-casualty attacks outside their traditional areas of operation.

We assess that such groups pose less of a danger to the Homeland than does al- Qa.ida but will pose varying degrees of threat to our allies and to US interests abroad. The focus of their attacks is likely to ebb and flow between local regime targets and regional or global ones.
We judge that most jihadist groups.both well-known and newly formed.will use improvised explosive devices and suicide attacks focused primarily on soft targets to implement their asymmetric warfare strategy, and that they will attempt to conduct sustained terrorist attacks in urban environments. Fighters with experience in Iraq are a potential source of leadership for jihadists pursuing these tactics.

CBRN capabilities will continue to be sought by jihadist groups.
While Iran, and to a lesser extent Syria, remain the most active state sponsors of terrorism, many other states will be unable to prevent territory or resources from being exploited by terrorists.

Anti-US and anti-globalization sentiment is on the rise and fueling other radical ideologies. This could prompt some leftist, nationalist, or separatist groups to adopt terrorist methods to attack US interests. The radicalization process is occurring more quickly, more widely, and more anonymously in the Internet age, raising the likelihood of surprise attacks by unknown groups whose members and supporters may be difficult to pinpoint.

We judge that groups of all stripes will increasingly use the Internet to communicate, propagandize, recruit, train, and obtain logistical and financial support.


For me this is the single most important line:

We assess that the Iraq jihad is shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives; perceived jihadist success there would inspire more fighters to continue the struggle elsewhere.


So how do they percieve success? Can you say redeployment? Good, I knew you could! Conversely there was this line:

Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight.


Here is the caveat:

We assess that the underlying factors fueling the spread of the movement outweigh its vulnerabilities and are likely to do so for the duration of the timeframe of this Estimate.


Which leads me to ask, what is the time frame of the estimate? I am guessing up until that date.

Again, what strikes me is how the NIE findings are the complete opposite of what the New York Times sought to persuade the public to believe. No wonder Pelosi wanted to hold a closed door session of the house to read this before it hit the fan.

The next question is whether or not the media will correctly report what is in the NIE and what it honestly says. Like I said before, I am not going to hold my breath. I would lean toward no.

NIE Report....PDF Format....Adobe Acrobat Required

NIE De-Classified Text
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WOW! Boy did the New York Times leave alot of stuff out. Now after reading the whole thing I can see what President Bush was saying. And the whole thing was written BEFORE Zarqawi was killed!! I think the Times has once again opened mouth and iserted foot. Basically what this thing is saying is if we DONT FINISH THE JOB IN IRAQ, all hell will probably brake lose. Zarqawi was pleading for help in a letter shortly before he got killed, saying they were failing. Everything in Iraq has been reduced to the Suni-Triangle, and when that job is complete, GAME OVER! Great job Times, I suppose we can expect some more nonsense from you just before the elections! Just next time you leak classified information, make sure it's current and up to date! Unreal!!!!

Bush To De-Classify Intel Report

Bush to Release Part of Intel Assessment

President Bush on Tuesday said it is naive and a mistake to think that the war with Iraq has worsened terrorism, disputing a national intelligence assessment by his own administration. He said he was declassifying part of the report.
"Some people have guessed what's in the report and concluded that going into Iraq was a mistake. I strongly disagree," Bush said.

He asserted that portions of the classified report that had been leaked were done so for political purposes, referring to the Nov. 7 midterm elections.

Bush announced that he was ordering parts of the report declassified during a White House news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Portions of the document that have been leaked suggest that the threat of terrorism has grown worse since the Sept. 11 terror attacks and the war in Afghanistan, due in part to the war in Iraq.

Democrats have used the report to bolster their criticism of Bush's Iraq policy. The administration has claimed only part of the report was leaked and does not tell the full story.

Both the chairman and the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee have urged the White House to release the material.

Using a portion of the report to attack his Iraq policy and suggest it has fanned more terrorism is "naive," Bush said.



"I think it's a mistake for people to believe that going on the offense against people that want to do harm to the American people makes us less safe," he said.

Bush said he had directed National Intelligence Director John Negroponte to declassify those parts of the report that don't compromise national security. The National Intelligence Estimate was written in April.

"You read it for yourself. Stop all this speculation," Bush said.

He complained that "somebody leaked classified information for political purposes," Bush said, criticizing both the news media and people in government who talked to them about classified material.

Read Story Here

Negroponte Rejects Claim That U.S. Is at Greater Risk of Terrorist Attack

CIA Director Hayden: 5,000 terrorists have been captured or killed since 9/11

Dems Lose Vote for Closed House Session


UPDATE: Delassified NIE Key Judgements
PDF Format....Adobe Acrobat Required
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President Bush, get rid of ALL the Clinton leftovers in your administration! It's obvious that this whole thing is an election ploy. But whomever is leaking this stuff to the New York Times REPEATEDLY needs to go! Have these people been asleep since 1978? We have had terrorist attacks repeatedly since then. The Terrorists declared a "Jihad" on US! They have been trying and sometimes succeeding at hitting us. ANYONE that believes we shouldnt go after THEM instead of waiting until they come here AGAIN is insane! We were NOT in Iraq on 9-11, when the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia were blown up, The Beruit Marine Barrack's Bombing, The FIRST attack on the WTC in 1993, all the Hijacking of Planes, and Ships over the years, The US Embassy in Tehran, Iran in 1978, etc, etc, etc,! Iraq wasnt even in the picture in ANY of these cases!! Does this report include ALL the attacks that have been thwarted?

Condi Mad Says Clinton "Flat Wrong"

RICE BOILS OVER AT BUBBA

September 25, 2006 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday accused Bill Clinton of making "flatly false" claims that the Bush administration didn't lift a finger to stop terrorism before the 9/11 attacks.

Rice hammered Clinton, who leveled his charges in a contentious weekend interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News Channel, for his claims that the Bush administration "did not try" to kill Osama bin Laden in the eight months they controlled the White House before the Sept. 11 attacks.

"The notion somehow for eight months the Bush administration sat there and didn't do that is just flatly false - and I think the 9/11 commission understood that," Rice said during a wide-ranging meeting with Post editors and reporters.

"What we did in the eight months was at least as aggressive as what the Clinton administration did in the preceding years," Rice added.

The secretary of state also sharply disputed Clinton's claim that he "left a comprehensive anti-terror strategy" for the incoming Bush team during the presidential transition in 2001.

"We were not left a comprehensive strategy to fight al Qaeda," Rice responded during the hourlong session.

Her strong rebuttal was the Bush administration's first response to Clinton's headline-grabbing interview on Fox on Sunday in which he launched into an over-the-top defense of his handling of terrorism - wagging his finger in the air, leaning forward in his chair and getting red-faced, and even attacking Wallace for improper questioning.

The "Fox News Sunday" show had its best ratings since the capture of Saddam Hussein in December 2003, according to Nielsen Media Research. Two versions of the interview were the two most-watched clips on YouTube yesterday, totaling more than 800,000 views.

After Clinton got angry during the questioning, Wallace said Clinton aide Jay Carson tried to get his producer to stop the interview. Carson said he was concerned that time was running out and that little of the philanthropy efforts of the former president had been addressed.


In her pointed rebuttal of Clinton's inflammatory claims about the war on terror, Rice maintained the Bush White House did the best it could to defend against an attack - and expanded on the tools and intelligence it inherited.

"I would just suggest that you go back and read the 9/11 commission report on the efforts of the Bush administration in the eight months - things like working to get an armed Predator [drone] that actually turned out to be extraordinarily important," Rice added.



She also said Clinton's claims that Richard Clarke - the White House anti-terror guru hyped by Clinton as the country's "best guy" - had been demoted by Bush were bogus.

"Richard Clarke was the counterterrorism czar when 9/11 happened. And he left when he did not become deputy director of homeland security, some several months later," she said.

Rice noted that the world changed after 9/11.

"I would make the divide Sept. 11, 2001, when the attack on this country mobilized us to fight the war on terror in a very different way," Rice said.

Rice cited the final 9/11 commission report to substantiate her claims, while Clinton relied on Clarke's book as the basis for many of his rehashing the events leading up to the Sept. 11 attacks.

"I think this is not a very fruitful discussion. We've been through it. The 9/11 commission has turned over every rock and we know exactly what they said," she added.

Transitioning to the global war on terror, an animated Rice questioned, "When are we going to stop blaming ourselves for the rise of terrorism?"

Asked about recently leaked internal U.S. intelligence estimates that claimed the Iraq war was fueling terrorist recruiting, Rice said: "Now that we're fighting back, of course they are fighting back, too."

"I find it just extraordinary that the argument is, all right, so they're using the fact they're being challenged in the Middle East and challenged in Iraq to recruit, therefore you've made the war on terrorism worse.

"It's as if we were in a good place on Sept. 11. Clearly, we weren't," she added.

"These are people who want to fight against us, and they're going to find a reason. And yes, they will recruit, but it doesn't mean you stop pursuing strategies that are ultimately going to stop them," Rice said.

She insisted U.S. forces must finish the job in Iraq and the wider Middle East to wipe out the "root cause" of violent extremism - not just the terror thugs who carry out the attacks.

"It's a longer-term strategy, and it may even have some short-term down side, but if you don't look at the longer term, you're just leaving the problem to somebody else," she said.

She also said Middle East countries like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have a "major educational reform" effort under way to root out propaganda literature and extremist brainwashing.

In Latin America, home to outrageous Venezuelan bomb thrower Hugo Chavez, Rice said the U.S. approach is to "spend as little time possible in talking about Chavez and more time talking about our positive agenda in Latin America," including several trade agreements.

Read Story Here

9-11 Commission Report....PDF Format

Hillary Defends Bubba...Video
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Well Bubba did it now! He even has Condi mad. I'm not sure we want Condi mad! Has Condi ever been mad? Oh Bubba What Have You Done?

My Convo With A Kurdish, Iraqi

I am trying to combat the comments from Arianna Huffington and others that all the commercials we have been seeing from the people of Kurdistan, Iraq are Propaganda. And that Iraq has completely gone to hell. I have known Dany for 2 years, his full name will be taken out, so will the email address and phone number of his friend. Keep in mind an instant message between here and Iraq takes a little bit so I tend to type faster than he answers but you can figure that out. And his English isnt that good yet. (Actually mine isnt either) And he is fully aware AT THE END of my converstation with him that I will be posting this on my blog. And it would be useless for me to call "Miss Candice" as he calls her because if she is working with the US Military she couldnt tell me anything anyway lol. And he has a message for ALL of you! Here goes:
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marriee76: Hey You!!!!
Dany: HI DEAR
marriee76: What are you doing?
Dany: IAM WORKING NOW
Dany: AND YOU N?
marriee76: What are you working on?
Dany: YES
Dany: AT RADIO
marriee76: Your on the radio?
marriee76: We saw the commercials!!!!
Dany: JUST NOW
Dany: YES
marriee76: It says Thank You America!
Dany: http://www.radionaaja.com/
marriee76: From Kurdistan
Dany: YA
marriee76: Are you in the commercials?
Dany: NO IAM TECHNICAL FROM RADIO STATIONS
Dany: I HAVE NEW AMERICAN FRIEND HERE
marriee76: I mean are you one of the people in the commercials we are seeing here in America?
Dany: SHE IS WHOMEN ARE YOU LIKE TO ASK HIM ABOUT KURDISTAN LIVE ?
Dany: YES
marriee76: Who are all those people in thoise commercials?
Dany: KURDIS
marriee76: http://www.theotheriraq.com/
marriee76: Are you LIVE on the radio?
Dany: NO IAM ESTABILSHH BROADCOAST RADIO
marriee76: What does that mean?
marriee76: Go to that website I put there
Dany: IM TEACHNICAL FROM RADIO
Dany: OK
marriee76: Look at the commercials
marriee76: Right Now!
marriee76: They are all from Kurdistan
Dany: YES I KNOW DO YOU NEED THE MORE KURDISH SITE ?
marriee76: Sure
marriee76: I cant speak Kurdish
marriee76: Hell I can barely speak English
Dany: http://www.pukmedia.com/
Dany: yes i know
marriee76: lol
marriee76: I cant understand that site lol it's all in Arabic
Dany: yes im sorry
marriee76: Is your radio station in English?
Dany: do you like to speak to one whomaen here she is from usa ?
Dany: yes
marriee76: Sure
marriee76: Maybe she can tell me what the hell is going on lol
Dany: im sure she is tell you every thing because she is my ral friend
Dany: she is name is candace
marriee76: Thats good
marriee76: Candice
marriee76: Hi Candice!!!!!
Dany: she is from north carolanya
marriee76: North Carolina!
Dany: she is not here now
marriee76: Where is he?
marriee76: she^
Dany: but she is in my city now
marriee76: Oh WOW
marriee76: Did you see the commercials?
Dany: yes
marriee76: Is she part of the commercials?
Dany:
Dany: itis here mobile namber
marriee76: What is Candaci there for?
marriee76: Candice
Dany: she is working with us military
marriee76: If I call her what would I say?
Dany: tould him iam friend of azad from radio naaja
marriee76: You know all the Military dont you?
Dany: just now you can call him
marriee76: I cant make those kind of long distance calls
Dany: u r free to call him
marriee76: My phone wont let me
Dany: iam every days phone him
marriee76: But in America some numbers I cant call
Dany: but she is every time call to her home in usa
marriee76: She may be able to call here but i am not able to call there lol
Dany: she is have email to
marriee76: That I can do
Dany: let me send you here email addrees
marriee76: I can email her
marriee76: Ok
Dany:
Dany: yes terday she is was in my home
marriee76: She is a Soldier?
Dany: no
marriee76: A contractor?
Dany: no
marriee76: I couldnt get your radio station to come up here in America
marriee76: I might be blocked
Dany: i dont know her job i dont asked him about his job because itis not good to me
Dany: but she is veru veru good whomen
marriee76: Oh well she probably cant tell you anyway
marriee76: Hey!!
Dany: yes
marriee76: Those commercails are all over our TV
marriee76: I was going to say something else and I forgot
marriee76: Are you ever on the Radio?
Dany: but you can ask him about every thing here in kurdistan im sure she is answer you
marriee76: I will she will probably wonder who I am lol
Dany: no no never
marriee76: She doesnt know me
Dany: she like all american know kurdish here
Dany: she is inviting some groups from usa to come to here
marriee76: In those commercials it shows people traveling to Kurdistan
Dany: im sure if you call him she can help you
Dany: for evry thing
marriee76: Well I will email her
marriee76: But I want to talk to you right now
Dany: ok im ready
marriee76: What is going on there?
Dany: here is ful safe here is no any us camps
marriee76: Thats what I saw on the commercial
Dany: pnly afew soliders to training our police
marriee76: Kurdistan looks beautiful
Dany: yes
marriee76: These people here are still bitching about the troops coming home
Dany: yes we know
marriee76: What are they saying there about all that crap?
marriee76: The troops want to finish the job dont they?
Dany: we are kurdish every time saying viva usa
Dany: in same area yes
Dany: but here save
marriee76: Baghdad is the only problem area yet?
Dany: the some troops from anothere places coming here to holiday and to rests
Dany: yes
Dany: of courses
marriee76: So all we are seeing on tv is from Baghdad?
Dany: yes
marriee76: Thats what I thought!
marriee76: They make it look like the whole Country has gone to hell
Dany: ya
marriee76: But I knew different
marriee76: Most of Iraq is OK?
Dany: yes
marriee76: Just Baghdad is the problem?
Dany: all kurdish area is full save and good
marriee76: Thats what I saw on the vommercials
marriee76: commercials even
Dany: yes and many arabs area is bad
marriee76: But we almost have them under control?
Dany: yes
marriee76: Awwwwwwwwwww Good
marriee76: I am so happy
marriee76: I wish these people would quit bitching
Dany: i hope too
marriee76: Some dont believe the commercials
marriee76: No matter how many time I say I have a Kurdish friend that says it is all good in Kurdistan, they dont believe me
Dany: hhhhhhhhh
marriee76: lol
marriee76: What do you think would happen if the troops came home?
Dany: if you call miss candace then i thing you get more more informatiom about kurdista
Dany: ohhhh itis very very danger to all iraq
marriee76: I need to be able to convince some people here in America of that
Dany: itis good
marriee76: How is your wife and babies?
Dany: they are very good
marriee76: Thats good
marriee76: Do they work at the radio station too?
Dany: they have many regards to your family too
Dany: no
marriee76: Awww kiss them for me
Dany: my wife working at unviristy here
Dany: my son hozan in usa school here
marriee76: WOW
Dany: heis in 6th grade
marriee76: USA has a school there?
Dany: yes
marriee76: Oh Man
marriee76: Thats great
Dany: yes
Dany: we many americans techeres
marriee76: I am so happy your family is doing good
Dany: thanks
marriee76: YW
marriee76: Well i just thought I would check in on you and see how you are doing
marriee76: I will email Candice
marriee76: You take care
Dany: ok if you like to speak with american techers i can send you his nuber phone
Dany: to call them
marriee76: Ok next time lol
marriee76: Oh wait
Dany: ok
marriee76: Is there anything you want to tell the American people? I am going to put this on my blog!
Dany: i like to tell the american people trhanks thanks thanks to your government for help iraqi people to save thim under larg or very big dictator saddam
marriee76: Thank's Danny and you are welcome!
Dany: ok i hope see you every days at like time now
Dany: ok my dear i have go to go
Dany: bye bye
Dany has signed out. (9/25/2006 12:04 PM)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now who could begrudge the People of Iraq thier Freedom? All the crap we are seeing on TV is in Baghdad! The rest of the Country especially in Kurdistan is stable, and the job is almost complete! Cant we all just let the troops finish thier job so they can come home with the honor and respect they deserve? Oh and PISS OFF ARIANNA!!!

Clinton Unhinged/Bubba Goes Balistic

Clinton faults Bush for inaction on bin Laden

WASHINGTON - Former President Bill Clinton, angrily defending his efforts to capture Osama bin Laden, accused the Bush administration of doing far less to stop the al Qaeda leader before the September 11 attacks.

In a heated interview to be aired on Sunday on "Fox News Sunday," the former Democratic president defended the steps he took after al Qaeda's attack on the USS Cole in 2000 and faulted "right-wingers" for their criticism of his efforts to capture Osama bin Laden. (-)

"But at least I tried. (Ah huh) That's the difference in me and some, including all of the right-wingers who are attacking me now," Clinton said when asked whether he had failed to fully anticipate bin Laden's danger. "They had eight months to try, (And you had 8 years) they did not try. (We picked up where you left off with your people still in charge Bubba) I tried. So I tried and failed." ( Yes you did )

The September 11 attacks occurred almost eight months after President George W. Bush succeeded Clinton in January 2001.

"I authorized the CIA to get groups together to try to kill him," Clinton said. He added he had drawn up plans to go into Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban and launch an attack against bin Laden after the attack on the Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden. (Then why didnt you? )



"Now if you want to criticize me for one thing, you can criticize me for this: after the Cole, I had battle plans drawn to go into Afghanistan, overthrow the Taliban and launch a full-scale attack search for bin Laden. But we needed basing rights in Uzbekistan -- which we got after 9/11," Clinton said.

The former president complained at the time the CIA and FBI refused to certify bin Laden was responsible for the USS Cole attack. (Ah Huh )

"While I was there, they refused to certify. So that meant I would have had to send a few hundred special forces in helicopters, refuel at night," he said. ( Gee Ya Think? )

Earlier this month, Clinton dismissed as "indisputably wrong" a U.S. television show that suggested her was too distracted by the Monica Lewinsky scandal to confront the Islamic militant threat that culminated in the September 11 attacks. (He Was)

Clinton Goes Balistic

Clinton Comes Unhinged....Video

Clinton Red Faced Mad...Video

Clinton: You Have That Smirk On Your Face...Video

Wallace: 'I felt as if a mountain was coming down in front of me'...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well what can you really say? You can draw your own conclusion. I know what mine is!

Army Ends Best Recruit Year Since 1997

Army Ends Best Recruit Year Since 1997

WASHINGTON -- The Army is ending its best recruiting year since 1997 and expecting similar success in 2007, despite the weight of grim war news from Iraq, Army Secretary Francis Harvey said Thursday.

In an Associated Press interview, Harvey said the Army will enlist its 80,000th soldier on Friday, reaching its goal for the year with eight days to spare. That is a considerable turnaround from last year when the Army missed its target for the first time since 1999 and by the widest margin in more than two decades.

At the start of this recruiting year, which began Oct. 1, 2005, many questioned whether the Army would reach 80,000, given the many alternative career options available to young people and the growing unpopularity of the Iraq war. But a package of new financial incentives, new recruiting approaches and a bigger recruiting corps did the trick.

Army recruiters are making more use of the Internet to attract young prospects, and the Army this year began allowing people as old as 42 to enter the service; the maximum age previously was 35.

Harvey said the Army would stick with the formula it used over the past 12 months, while adding a few new wrinkles for recruiters.

He described himself as "moderately optimistic" about reaching the 80,000 goal again next year. It is too early to know the final number for the current recruiting year, which ends Sept. 30, but Harvey said it would be the highest in nine years. Last year the Army fell short of its goal by the widest margin since 1979.

Harvey was flying to New York to personally enlist on Friday the 80,000th recruit - Shirley Salvi, 23, a Rutgers University graduate who will report to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., to become an Army linguist or intelligence analyst.

The trend in recruiting is particularly important for the Army now because it is striving to expand its overall ranks. The expansion is fundamental to an Army plan that increases the number of combat brigades available for fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, thereby giving soldiers more breathing room between overseas tours.

The Army secretary said combat brigades now get, on average, only 14 months at home for every 12 months at war. The goal is 24 months at home for every 12 months at war, but Harvey said they currently are moving in the wrong direction. Not long ago, combat brigades were getting 18 months between war tours.

By the end of the budget year on Sept. 30, the active-duty Army expects to have a total of nearly 504,000 soldiers, up from 492,000 a year ago. A year from now it hopes to reach its goal of 512,000, but that will not happen if recruiting slips again. Harvey indicated he expects recruiting to remain strong in the coming year.

"We're sticking with all the improvements we made" over the past year, including a beefed up recruiting corps, Harvey said. "If we start seeing trends that we don't like, we may" add even more recruiters, he said.

There are now about 6,600 recruiters for the active-duty Army, up from 6,401 a year ago and 5,119 two years ago. The Army National Guard and Army Reserve also have greatly increased their recruiting corps.

The outlook for 2007 is brightened a bit by the fact that the Army expects to begin the new recruiting year with about 14 percent of the target number of 80,000 already signed up. Many who signed up this month, for example, did so with the understanding they will not begin basic training for several weeks or months. The Army began the 2006 recruiting year with about 12 percent of the year's total already signed up.

Read Story Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All these brave men and woman said "Send Me", without Coercion, or a Draft. But all the Liberals ever say is "You go enlist then", I guess plenty of people DID JUST THAT! God Bless Our Troops!!

House Passes Bill To Make Voters Show ID

House Passes Bill To Make Voters Show ID:

WASHINGTON — The House voted Wednesday to require Americans to show proof of citizenship in order to vote, and the Senate moved to build a 700-mile fence along the Mexican border as Republicans sharpened attacks on illegal immigration.

The 228-196 House vote on a new photo ID plan and the Senate's consideration of the fence were both part of a get-tough policy on illegal immigrants that Republicans have embraced after Congress' failure to agree on broader legislation that would set a path for undocumented workers to attain citizenship.

House GOP leaders have insisted that tighter borders and tougher laws must precede more comprehensive immigration changes. The House passed the fence bill last week and plans votes Thursday on other enforcement measures: to increase penalties for people building tunnels under the border, make it easier to detain and deport immigrant gang members and criminals and clarify the ability of state and local authorities to detain illegal immigrants.

Republican sponsors of the voter identification bill said it was a commonsense way to stop fraud at the polls. People need photo IDs to board planes, buy alcohol or cash checks, said Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich., chairman of the House Administration Committee. "This is not a new concept."

"This is what Americans want," said Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., "They want safe borders and they want safe ballots." (Damn Right We Do)

But Democrats assailed the legislation, saying it could hurt minorities, the poor and the elderly groups that tend to vote Democratic who might have trouble producing a photo identification. (Really it's a requirement by LAW that an adult 18 or over carry an ID anyway in the ENTIRE COUNTRY! And Most places it costs $6.00 that's all!) Heck in Georgia they will not only come to your house and sign you up for an ID Card, they will deliver it and pay for it and give it to you for FREE!

"This bill is tantamount to a 21st century poll tax," said Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md. "It will disenfranchise large number of legal voters." (YEAH RIIIIGHT! If they were LEGAL they would already have an ID card)

Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., said he was initially denied a voter ID required under a Missouri state law because he doesn't have a driver's license and couldn't immediately produce a passport or birth certificate. His congressional ID card was not accepted. (And what does it take to get a Birth Certificate? $10.00 dollars? Which MOST Americans have anyway, If they are LEGAL!)

Read Story Here

How They Voted/Final Tally/House Clerk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gee this time there should be NO mistakes while voting. You either show ID and prove you are a valid registered voter or you dont get to vote! Every single time I vote in Oklahoma, (I ALWAYS have to show ID, I dont even have to show my voter ID card, just my ID. And we have the simplest ballots in the Country, you finish the arrow to the cantidate, it's starts with an arrowhead, and ends with the tail of the arrow, you just draw a line between the head and the tail! Easy! Simple!) That pretty much rules out attempts made by the Democrats for years by registering, the Dead, Convicted Felons, Illegal Aliens, and anyone else they can possibly drag in off the streets to vote! Now all the Liberals have to do is steal signs out of front yards and slash the tires of the "Get Out The Vote" Vans that Republicans take the elderly and handicapped to the polls to vote in. ( But we will be watching for that this time I hope) Wonder what thier excuse will be this time when they lose? Some Machine screwed up? I'm sure they will come up with some excuse! The Liberals NEVER fail to find fault in voting procedures.

Ok I Have Had Enough Of This Shit

You can say what you want politicaly at the United Nations, but when you run around OUR Country bashing OUR President there is only one thing left to say:


GO HOME AND PISS OFF HUGO CHAVEZ!!!!..WE DONT WANT YOU IN OUR COUNTRY ANY MORE,.. AND IF AN ACCIDENT SHOULD BEFALL YOU ON YOUR WAY HOME,.. I WONT BE SHEDDING A TEAR!!! ..I'LL BE DANCING IN THE STREET!

................The Devil Himself Hugo Chavez



I want to know how this little bastard got a VISA to come into this Country when ALOT of other people are waiting in line? And why was he speaking at the United Nations when he isnt even a member? However I do agree with him on one thing, MOVE THE UN TO VENEZUELA!!! Go home you slimy little Moron!!! This guy is making the Lunatic President of Iran look like Gentle Ben. I hope we arent paying for Security for this idiot, if we are I want my money back, and I will make sure it show's up on my TAX FORM!!

Never again will I stop at a CITGO gas station to get gas! I'll stop somewhere else. Every single dollar of CITGO gas goes into Hugo Chavez pocket. I wont be contributing to this Lunatic's wallet!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chavez Calls Bush "The Devil"

Chavez Calls Bush, Alcoholic, Says He Walks Like John Wayne

Well Chavez, John Wayne had Balls, and True Grit, you have neither!

Chavez Flees Country

Gee ya think? I would flee the Country too If I were Chavez, I mean there could be an ACCIDENT or something :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will give credit where credit is due!

RANGEL: AN ATTACK ON BUSH IS AN ATTACK ON ALL AMERICANS... 'You do not come into my country, my congressional district, and you do not condemn my president. If there is any criticism of President Bush, it should be restricted to Americans, whether they voted for him or not. I just want to make it abundantly clear to Hugo Chavez or any other president, do not come to the United States and think because we have problems with our president that any foreigner can come to our country and not think that Americans do not feel offended when you offend our Chief of State'...

Charlie Rangel: You Wont Bash My President...Video

Nancy Pelosi: You Thug

Andy Card: Chavez Is Minor Pest/Like A Knat Flying Around

And where it's NOT!
Senator Harkin D-Iowa Defends Chavez

Democrats Waste Time And Money On Yet Another Investigation Into The Iraq War

Dems Waste Time On Yet Another Investigation Into The Iraq War

WASHINGTON - Accusing Republicans of failing to adequately monitor the conduct of the war in Iraq, Senate Democrats on Wednesday announced their own series of hearings into what they called a failed policy.

"Three years into war, the American people still don't have a clear picture of what's gone wrong in Iraq -- or how to set it right," said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

"We've been going backward for too long," he said.

Democrats said they had invited Republicans to attend the hearings, which will start in Washington on Monday and move across the country in October and November -- before and after the November 7 congressional elections in which control of both houses are at stake.

Reid and other top Democrats told a news conference the current Congress had conducted fewer oversight hearings than previous wartime Congresses. They said lawmakers held 152 days of hearings on the Korean War and 328 days on Vietnam.

Republicans countered that they had held dozens of hearings and briefings on Iraq and the full Senate had debated many aspects of the war.



"We all understand how important the war on terror is, especially the ongoing fighting in Iraq," said a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. "It's no surprise, however, that on the day after a national poll showed improving American attitudes toward the liberation of Iraq that the Democrat leadership would want to change the subject."

Democrats earlier this week called for Congress and the Pentagon to probe the Bush administration's rebuilding effort. They said hiring and contracting practices in Iraq recalled the government's botched response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Democrats have tried to keep a spotlight on the violence in Iraq, while Republicans have hammered Democrats for planning to "cut and run" from that country.

Also on Wednesday, White House spokesman Tony Snow denied reports the White House was losing confidence in Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

"That's absolutely false," Snow said, adding Maliki was working toward suppressing violence and creating national reconciliation. "So it is not true to say there's a lack of confidence in the prime minister. The man has been in power for barely more than a hundred days, and frankly there has been considerable progress.

Dems Waste Time With Yet Another Investigation-Read Story Here
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These Morons are briefed constantly on the situation in Iraq and they have to launch another investigation? What for? They know everything that is going on! They make sure they do! The House Armed Services Committee is advised on ALL happenings ALL the time while we are at War on ALL fronts. What a waste of taxpayer time and money this is! These Lunatic's are to busy to pass anything in the House or Senate to protect this Country from another terrorist attack, but they find the time and insist they need another investigation into something they already know!!! AND ALL THIS BEFORE THEY GO ON VACATION AGAIN!!! This is exactly what will be going on if they get elected to the House or the Senate, constant, taxpayer money
wasting investigations!!! NOTHING will get done for the next 2 years should they regain control. Absolutely NOTHING!! Except this kind of crap!! This is mind boggling.

Bubba? Are You Feeling OK?/Clinton Praises Bush

Clinton Praises Bush

In some of his most candid comments since leaving the White House, former President Bill Clinton offered surprising praise for the man who replaced him — and said President Bush is right for staying the course in Iraq.

"I keep reading that Bush is incurious, but when he talks to me he asks a lot of questions," Clinton said in the wide-ranging profile penned by writer David Remnick in the Sept. 18 edition of The New Yorker magazine.

Different Thinkers

Clinton told Remnick he was surprised that Bush is often criticized as incurious and intellectually shallow. He quickly explained that people just misinterpret both Bush and his dad, the former president, because their brains work differently than most people.

"So I can't give him a bad grade on curiosity. I think both he and his father, because they have peculiar speech patterns, have been underestimated in terms of their intellectual capacity. You know, the way they speak and all, it could be, it could just relate to the way the synapses work in their brains."

On the heated matter of Iraq and U.S. involvement there, Clinton seemed supportive of the current policy. He told Remnick: "Whether you were for or against the original action, it would be better if it did not end in calamity and chaos, mass killing within Iraq, more terrorist bases there.

"And I think you have to say that this is a national security issue — and I say that because I don't think we should have done it until after the U.N. inspections were over, until we had secured Afghanistan, and we had a consensus in the world community. I never thought Saddam [Hussein] presented any kind of a terrorist threat.

"But once you break these eggs you've got to kind of make an omelet. And we've just got to be straight about that. And, if it is obvious that there is nothing positive that can come from our committed involvement there, then we have to say we'd be prepared to say we'll come home — but we're not there yet.



"Seventy percent of those people did vote. They voted to set up this government. And most of them, if left to their own devices, without the people with the guns in the middle, would find some way to make some sort of decent go of it."

Newfound Admiration

Clinton also expressed backhanded admiration for Bush's straightforwardness in presenting his agenda, which Clinton argues is one of the most conservative to emanate from a Republican-controlled White House.

"I also think that he was genuinely more conservative on questions like concentrations of wealth and power, weakening of environmental and health regulations — things of that kind — than any president we've had in a very, very long time," Clinton said.

"Even more conservative than Reagan, probably, and way to the right of his father and Nixon and Eisenhower. But the thing that bothers me about having an ideology as opposed to a philosophy is that, if you have an ideology, then the outcome is dictated before the facts are in, before the arguments are heard. And that, I think, can cause problems."

But Clinton said that Bush, despite employing the slogan "compassionate conservatism," never hid his radical-right agenda. "He said, ‘Vote for me, and I'll give you judges like Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia,' and that's exactly what he did."

In the same vein, Clinton seemed angered with the way the White House, even as Iraq verged on civil war, remained on the rhetorical and ideological offensive.

"I'm sick of Karl Rove's bulls***," Clinton declared. But Remnick writes: "And yet there was a trace of admiration in the remark, a veteran pol's regard for the way his rival had packaged a radical brand of American conservatism as ‘compassionate conservatism' and kept on pushing it long after its sell-by date had passed."

Said Clinton: "Nixon was a communist compared to this crowd."

Clinton sees that same determination to prevail in himself, and believes that's what set him apart from Democratic losers Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, Al Gore, and John Kerry.

"We've got to be in the winning business, because without winning it's the other guy, and the other guy's ideas, that prevail."

Read Story Here

Bill Clinton and Laura Bush Team Up To Send Water Pumps To Africa, Just keep your hands to yourself, Bubba!!
Read Story Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Has Bubba been smokin somethin funny?

House Passes Border Fence Bill

House Passes Border-Fence Bill

Wasting no time on an issue of concern to many voters, the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill that would fence 700 miles of the U.S.-Mexican border.

H.R. 6061, the "Secure Fence Act of 2006," calls for a double-layered fence to protect about a third of the long and porous border.

A similar provision was included in a larger bill that the House passed last December, but with that bill stalled because of differences with Senate legislation, Republican leaders are forging ahead on their own.

"Every year, nearly one million illegal immigrants cross into America," Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert said in a news release announcing passage of the bill.

"This is a clear threat to our safety. Some of these people are coming for work, but countless others are drug dealers, gang members and some are even terrorists. That is why building this fence is common sense. And if we build the fence, it will be harder for them to come here illegally."

Democrats opposed

The Secure Fence Act passed on a vote of 283-138, with 131 Democrats voting against the measure -- something that should concern the American people, Hastert said. "They don't want border security; instead they would rather jeopardize our national security and put Americans at risk," he said.

Democrats, for their part, say Republicans are the ones who are obstructing immigration reform because they refuse to accept a "comprehensive" Senate plan that would give illegal aliens a path to citizenship as well as secure the border.

On Thursday, a number of Democrats dismissed the House border-fence bill as a political ploy to impress voters before they go to the polls.

But House Republicans insist that border security is a key element of national security and must come before other immigration "reforms." Many Republicans reject what they call "amnesty" plans for people who sneak into the country without going through legal immigration channels.

Hastert said House Republicans are now consulting with the Senate on the best ways to boost border enforcement, aside from a fence.

"The time to address this border security emergency is now -- before Congress leaves for the November elections," Hastert said.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) was one of the many Republicans who voted for the bill.

"The current porous nature of our border is an open invitation to disaster," Smith said in a news release. "Terrorists are looking for any weakness to exploit in their efforts to attack Americans at home and we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to this threat."

Smith says statistics show that illegal incursions have dropped significantly along a 14-mile stretch of the San Diego-Mexico border that has a fence. Smith said that fence has helped reduce illegal immigrant apprehensions from approximately 200,000 in 1992 to about 9,000 in 2005.

"Border security is a fundamental and absolutely critical component of our national security and a basic responsibility of the United States as a sovereign nation. Today's vote is a critical step in our renewed efforts to focus on the security deficiencies at our borders and push the Senate to act on security measures," Smith said.

Republicans say in the weeks ahead, they will work on legislation to increase border enforcement, crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants, and help states and communities enforce immigration laws.

Read Story Here
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Well at least the Republicans are at work in the House. Doesnt it just figure the Democrats would try and block this one? This is going to be one of the big issues this election and what have we got for Democrat leadership? NILL! NADDA! NOTHING!!!
What the hell is wrong with the Democrats? Dont ANY of them want to protect this Country? Is there NO Tool or Method to protect this Country that the Democrats wont try to take away?

President Bush Pushes Democracy At United Nations

Bush Addresses U.N. with Message of Hope

A more peaceful future in a more hopeful world -- that was the theme of President Bush's U.N. address today, taking his message beyond the audience of the world body and directly to the people of the Middle East.

"My country desires peace. Extremists in your midst spread propaganda and claim that the West is engaged in a war against Islam," Bush said. "This propaganda is false, and its purpose is to confuse you and justify acts of terror."

The President faced a tough audience where opinions are divided on issues like Iran's nuclear defiance and skepticism about Iran.

Today, he took them head on. But today's speech was different. Instead of the usual White House address, President Bush had the official global bully pulpit to advance his message of defending civilization against extremism.

On Iraq, he called on world leaders not to stand by as the country struggles to find its political footing, and he made this pledge to the Iraqi people

The President said, "You stood firm in the face of horrendous acts of terror and sectarian violence, and we will not abandon you in your struggle to build a free nation."

He promised the same to the people of Afghanistan. The President acknowledged the plight of the Lebanese, and pledged support to help rebuild the country. But he blamed Hezbollah for waging war with Israel and undermining the sovereignty of Lebanon's government.



On Iran, the President had both praise and a stern demand. He praised the Iranian people for their history and culture.

He said, "To the people of Iran -- the United States respects you, we respect your country. We admire your rich history, your culture vibrant culture, and your many contributions to civilization." But he warned them, "Iran must abandon nuclear ambitions."

President Bush also took aim at Syria and the U.N. itself for not doing enough about the genocide in Darfur, and the Mideast peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Bush said, "I'm optimistic that by supporting the forces of democracy and moderation, we can help Israel and the Palestinians to build a more hopeful future and achieve the peace in the Holy Land we all want."

While President Bush remains hopeful about the vision he laid out, it is one that's far from reality today.

Video

Full Text

President Lunatic Of Iran Goes On 32 Minute Rant

Tailand PM Overthrown While Addressing UN

Bush Names Special Envoy To Monitor The Situation In Darfur
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Well if President Bush HAD to go to this thing I'm glad he layed out his plan for Democracy throughout the Middle East/World. However I was hoping to see Bush layout President Lunatic of Iran! I still think Ahmadinejad should have been arrested the minute he touched American soil. And Kofi is LEAVING in December, that's a good thing. Now if we just didnt have to pay for this crap!

Sometimes addressing the United Nations can cost you your Country! Just ask the PM of Tailand lol.

Consumer Confidence Zooms/Jobless Claims Dip/Deficit Drops 14%

WASHINGTON - Consumer confidence zoomed to a seven-month high as lower gasoline prices made people feel a lot better about the current economic climate and their own financial standing.

The RBC Cash Index, based on the results of the international polling firm Ipsos, showed confidence rebounding to 93.7 in early September.

That marked an improvement from August, when consumer confidence sank to a three-month low of 74.8. At that time, the toll of soaring energy prices was blamed for weighing on consumers' psyches. The recent drop in energy prices, however, provided people with some relief and propelled confidence to its best reading since February.

"The drop in pump prices is very visible to consumers and seems to have a huge impact," said Lynn Reaser, chief economist at Bank of America's Investment Strategies Group. "Consumers seem to view gasoline prices as a barometer to their overall well being."

After surging past $3 a gallon in many areas, gasoline prices are now hovering around $2.62 a gallon nationwide, the Energy Department says.

Economists believe that price relief figured prominently in the upswing in consumers' feelings about current economic conditions. This measure shot up to 118.8 in early September. That was up sharply from 92.1 in August and was the highest reading on record. Ipsos started the confidence index in 2002.

The drop in other energy prices also is good news for consumers and businesses alike, analysts said.

Oil prices, which surged to a record closing high of $77.03 a barrel in mid-July, have since eased and are now above $63 a barrel. Natural gas prices, meanwhile, fell to a two-year low on Thursday, raising hopes that homeowners who depend on gas to heat their homes will see lower bills this winter.

Consumers' sentiments about making a purchase, saving and other investment decisions also improved considerably in September.

This investment measure jumped to 110 in September, up from 83.2 in August. It was the second-best showing on record, trailing only a reading of 111.7 in late January 2002, when the economy was in recovery mode after the 2001 recession.

Analysts mostly attributed the pickup in September's investment measure to receding mortgage rates. Rates on 30-year mortgages fell this week to 6.43 percent, the lowest since early April, according to Freddie Mac.

Analysts also believe the Federal Reserve's decision in early August to halt a rate-raising campaign that began more than two years ago probably played a role in the improvement in the investment index. Many economists predict the central bank will leave rates alone again when they meet next week.

That will give borrowers breathing room, said Richard Yamarone, economist at Argus Research.

Analysts track consumer confidence for clues about consumers' willingness to spend, an important factor shaping economic activity. Economists were hopeful that the retreat in energy prices will leave people with more money in their wallets that they will spend on other things.

"The consumer is not going to get hit as hard as some people had feared," said T.J. Marta, a fixed-income strategist with RBC.

Consumers' feelings about future economic conditions rose to 39.4 in September from 21.8 in August.

The confidence index is benchmarked to a reading of 100 on January 2002, when Ipsos started the gauge.

A gauge measuring consumers' sentiments about jobs clocked in at 119.4 in September, down slightly from 120.5 in August. Hiring picked up in August, pulling the unemployment rate down to 4.7 percent.

Consumer Confidence Skyrockets

US Jobless Claims Dip

Deficit Drops 14%
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WOW! This economy is kicking butt!

George Soros Slams War On Terror

Soros Slams Terror 'War,' Compares White House to Nazis


Billionaire philanthropist George Soros compared the Bush administration to socialist and communist regimes Thursday while criticizing America's war on terror.

The liberal political activist said the U.S. strategy of fighting a "war" against terrorism is "false" and a "dismal and disheartening situation." Critics say Soros is only trying to hurt Republicans' chances in the November elections and warn that he is undermining efforts to protect Americans from terrorists.

Soros told an audience at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, "We are working with a very false frame when we talk about a 'war on terror,' and yet it is universally accepted.

"Everybody now recognizes that invasion of Iraq was a real blunder, but the war on terror is still the frame that is accepted by Democrats and Republicans alike," Soros claimed. "It is a false, misleading, counterproductive, destructive frame."

By using the word "war," he argued, the Bush administration is invoking military terminology in response to a situation that, Soros believes, should be dealt with diplomatically. He also said the "war on terror" is "counterproductive," because there are "innocent victims," which "breeds rage and resentments and feeds into the terrorist case."

"It is a war that cannot be won without lots of adverse consequences," he added.

Soros also accused the president of using the war on terror for political gain and compared the Bush White House to the most murderous regimes in human history.



"President Bush is exploiting it even further ahead of these elections," Soros said. "I would voice my concerns about the similarities between this administration and the Nazis and communist regimes."

In 2004, Soros gave more than $23 million to political advocacy groups known as "527s" to defeat Bush, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Matthew Vadum, an analyst with Capital Research Center, said Soros has apparently decided to try a different strategy to influence the upcoming midterm elections.

"Instead of vigorously contesting the election this November," Vadum told Cybercast News Service, "George Soros has apparently opted to attack President Bush and the Republican Party by undermining America's war on terror."

Vadum urged Americans to examine the claims Soros is making from another perspective.

"Soros argues that it is a phony war, an empty advertising slogan that Bush is using to pull the wool over gullible Americans' eyes," Vadum said. "But U.S. soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan who put their lives on the line every day beg to differ."

Read Story Here
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Now just remember this is the man that has dumped MILLIONS of dollars into the Democrat Party and now calims to "Own It"! This shows the Liberal Mindset when it comes down to the critical question "Are we at War"? The Left, Democrats, Liberals do NOT believe we are at war even though they watched the same news we did on September 11, 2001. They saw the planes crash into our buildings, they have seen Usama Bin Laden and Iman Zawahiri swear to Allah they are going to kill us no matter what. They have seen attempts made by these kind of terrorist scumbags try over and over again to get to us and have been arrested and/or/killed in the process of trying to carry out failed attacks. But these Lunatic's think we are NOT at war! They think this ALL can be solved by "Diplomacy"! How in the hell do you have Diplomacy with someone who would gut you like a pig, or cut your head off? YOU CANT!! Mr. Soros YOU ARE WRONG! We have been at WAR with these Lunatics! But this is the Liberal playbook for this year's elections. They whine "We are instilling fear into the American people" IT ISNT FEAR, WE ARE PISSED!! We are SICK of being attacked, and sick of nothing being done about it and we arent taking it ANYMORE!

Dont John Murtha And The Rest Of The Democrats Have ANYTHING Better To Do?

John Murtha Introduces The Same Tired Old Resolution:
Murtha Demands Secretary Rumsfeld's Resignation AGAIN:
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Today I introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives calling for the immediate resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

The President must show the American people and the world that there is accountability for the mistakes that have made in the war in Iraq. We must restore our credibility with our allies and the world in order to effectively fight the global threat of terrorism.

Secretary Rumsfeld has failed in managing the military response to this threat and should be replaced with someone who is capable of not only recognizing the mistakes that have been made but addressing them head on for the good of our military and our great nation.

H. Con. Res. __________

Expressing the Sense of Congress that the President should immediately replace the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 13, 2006

Mr. Murtha introduced the following resolution, which was referred to the committee on___________


Whereas ----

After 9/11, the United States government had unprecedented support from international allies as well as the American people for military action against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan

The initial phase of the war in Afghanistan was successful in dismantling al Qaeda operations, removing the Taliban authority which was harboring al Qaeda, and allowing for the Afghani people to establish a representative government

The Secretary of Defense imposed a cap on the number of ground forces in Afghanistan prior to the war in Iraq

The Bush administration concluded in April 2002 that Osama bin Laden was in Tora Bora, Afghanistan during the battle for Tora Bora in December of 2001 and that the failure to commit the sufficient number of ground forces directly resulted in the failure to capture him

A resurgence of Taliban influence and violence is now occurring in Afghanistan

In the months prior to the war in Iraq, The Secretary of Defense repeatedly and forcefully asserted to Congress and the American people that there was no question that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and that they were a threat to the United States, which is now known to be false

The Secretary of Defense rejected estimates from top military commanders regarding the troop strength that would be required to secure Iraq, failed to anticipate the level of violent opposition among Iraqis to US occupation, and publicly doubted the war in Iraq would take [longer than] six months

The Secretary of Defense expressly forbade his staff to develop a plan for post-war Iraq and threatened to fire anyone who raised the issue

The Secretary of Defense failed to ensure that US troops had adequate protective gear for their mission at the start of the Iraq war, including a shortage of 40,000 protective body armor units, radio frequency jammers to thwart remote detonation of improvised explosive devices, and up-armored high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs)

Failure of the Secretary of Defense to anticipate the troop strength needed to secure Iraq or to develop a post-war plan resulted in foreign fighters entering the country who have incited attacks against US soldiers and fomented sectarian violence, the latter of which has precipitated a civil war between Sunni and Shia Iraqis

The Secretary of Defense asserted at the start of the Iraq war that Iraqi oil production would pay for the war yet US expenditures in Iraq now exceed $8 billion per month and Iraqi oil production is still below prewar levels

The Secretary of Defense failed to provide the necessary training, supervision, personnel and guidelines for the management of prisoners and detainees which directly led to the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison, severely undermining US efforts to win hearts and minds of the Iraqi people critical to securing Iraq

The Secretary of Defense has failed to address the flagging readiness of US ground forces, in particular the US Army, whose preparedness for war has eroded to levels not witnessed by our country in decades, thus hindering the ability of the US to respond to other potential threats to national security

US armed forces cannot sustain the current operational tempo in Iraq and a large percentage of US troops have done over three tours in Iraq

With 130,000 troops, key measures of success in Iraq have not been met and in some cases are worsening, including: the level of employment; the level of oil production; the level of electricity production; the training of Iraqi security forces; and the number of violent incidents, which have increased from an average of 400 per week before the establishment of an interim Iraqi government in the spring of 2004 to almost 800 per week this year

The Secretary of Defense has failed to ensure adequate accounting of billions of dollars of expenditures of the Coalition Provisional Authority

At the time of the introduction of this resolution, 2,672 US service members have died in Iraq and 337 have died in Afghanistan, exceeding the number of people who died on 9/11; in addition, over 20,000 US service members have been wounded

Terrorism incidents around the world have increased since the US entered Iraq

A survey of 116 top national security experts indicates that eighty-seven percent of them believe the Iraq war has had a negative impact on the war on terrorism while ninety three percent of them believe that the war in Afghanistan has had a positive impact on the war on terrorism

Democrats and Republicans are united against terrorism; Democrats and Republicans are united for a strong military; Democrats and Republicans are united for a strong America

Therefore, be it resolved that --------

It is the sense of the Congress that, for the good of the country, the United States of America must restore credibility both at home and abroad and that the first step toward restoring that credibility must be to demonstrate accountability for the mistakes that have been made in prosecuting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq by immediately effecting the resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and replacing him with someone capable of leading the nation's military in a strategy to resolve our deployment in Iraq, prevent regression in Afghanistan, reconstitute our military readiness, and refocus on the threats to national security posed by diffuse and proliferating terrorist cells as well as belligerent states.

___________________________________
JOHN P. MURTHA

Member of Congress



Boot Murtha . Com
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Of course the above is ALL seen through the Democrats eyes. And this bill has already been defeated in the Senate. Instead of working on legislation that would in ANY way help the American people, push along some of the other resolutions that are backed up in the House, like maybe passing some bills that realte to PROTECTING THIS COUNTRY FROM TERRORISTS the Democrats throw out a NEW (Same Old) Resolution calling for Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation AGAIN!!!! Why must we still put up with this crap? Why cant the Democrats do ANYTHING else? This arguement is Old, Tired, Worn Out, a WASTE of the Taxpayers (Yours and Mine) dollars, and just plain idiotic at this point!!! And they dont have but a few weeks before they take off AGAIN for CAMPAIN Season! Cant we put an end to this nonsense and get back to running the Country instead of holding up progress? Murtha, GET A CLUE, move on to something else LIKE PROTECTING THIS COUNTRY!!! If this doesnt show the American people that Democrats are the party of Obstruction, I dont know what does! They are NOT interested in protecting the American people and this crap proves it.

Tony Blair Attacks Europe's "Mad Anti-Americans"

Blair attacks Europe's "mad anti-Americans"

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair launched a withering attack on Thursday on what he called "mad anti-Americanism" among European politicians.

Blair, U.S. President George W. Bush's closest ally in the so-called war on terror, said the world urgently needs the United States to help tackle the globe's most pressing problems.

"The danger is if they decide to pull up the drawbridge and disengage. We need them involved," Blair said, spelling out his political vision in a pamphlet published by The Foreign Policy Center think-tank.

"The strain of, frankly, anti-American feeling in parts of European politics is madness when set against the long-term interests of the world we believe in," he said.

Blair, accused by critics of being Bush's poodle who slavishly follows Washington's line, sought to stifle a revolt in his ruling Labour Party last week by promising to quit within a year after almost 10 years in office.

His popularity has tumbled in opinion polls after government scandals over sleaze and mismanagement were compounded by controversy over the wars in Iraq and Lebanon.

As he did during the Iraq War, he sided squarely with Washington over the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas, angering Arab nations and European allies by refusing to call for an immediate ceasefire.

Responding to those who have criticized the White House, Blair said in his pamphlet: "The danger with America today is not that they are too much involved."



"We want them engaged. The reality is that none of the problems that press in on us can be resolved or even contemplated without them," he added.

Laying out his vision for countering extremists, he said: "We need to construct an alliance of moderation that paints a future in which Muslim, Jew and Christian, Arab and Western, wealthy and developing nations can make progress in peace and harmony with each other."

Blair, returning from a trip to the Middle East, said the stand-off between Israel and the Palestinians remains "a -- perhaps the -- genuine source of anger in the Arab and Muslim world, going far beyond anti-Western feeling."

"The issue of even-handedness rankles deeply," he acknowledged.

Blair pledged to making Middle East "an absolute priority for the rest of my time in office."

But analysts believe his efforts are unlikely to break the logjam there, nor restore his reputation. His trip smacked of an attempt to burnish his reputation as his career draws to a close, they argue.

"He is not as instrumental as he needs to be, or would like to believe he is," said Rosemary Hollis, a Middle East expert at British think-tank Chatham House.

Read Story Here
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We have no greater ally than Tony Blair and Britain! Tony Blair has been right along side us in this war on terror from day 1 and has paid a heavy political price for it. But then he sees what is at stake for the world. I sure wish some in this Country would. (Cough) "Those On The Left" (Cough). He keeps this up and I might have to refer to him as "Tony The Tiger". Go get em Tony!

"Death Watch"

Now Coming To Theater's IN THE USA!!!!

TORONTO -- Big buzz has turned into big bucks for controversial film "Death of a President," as Newmarket inked a deal Monday in Toronto to release in U.S. theaters the pic about the fictional assassination of President Bush.
Also inked Monday were deals to release the pic in Canada by Maple Pictures and in five European territories by consortium Indie Circle.

While purely coincidental -- negotiations started latenight after the pic preemed Sunday at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival -- deal was struck as the real Bush observed a moment of silence in Gotham to mourn the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

No one involved in the deals would discuss price, but the total value of the three pacts is said to be close to $3 million.

While no U.S. release date has been set, Newmarket is said to be mulling a fall release to take advantage of the controversy surrounding its Toronto preem.

Helmed by Gabriel Range, "Death" is a British production lensed mostly in Chicago. Blighty broadcaster Channel 4 financed the pic's budget of around $4 million and its Film 4 unit is repping worldwide rights. Pic is slated to air on its More 4 satcaster on Oct. 9 and then be broadcast on Channel 4 on Oct. 17.

The most successful pic Newmarket has distribbed is Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," which grossed $370 million. Most of its ticket buyers were evangelical Christians, many of whom are the political conservatives who have objected vociferously to the fictional depiction of Bush's murder.

"I, like everyone else, came with a preconceived notion of what this film would be about and was shocked to discover that 'Death of a President' is first and foremost a riveting and commercial political thriller that in no way sensationalizes anything or advocates violence," said Newmarket co-founder Chris Ball.

Indie Circle is a consortium of theatrical distribs Haut et Court in France, Lucky Red in Italy, A-Film in Holland, Cineart in Belgium and Frenetic Switzerland.

Andrea Occhipinti, owner of Lucky Red, which will release the pic in Italy, said, "It's very today. It's very provocative and controversial, and we like those kind of films." He added, though, that "Death" does not advocate assassination. "It's not a film suggesting this should happen."

Styled as a look back at Bush's murder on Oct. 19, 2007, pic is similar in style to that of the many docs aired on cable in recent weeks examining the Sept. 11 attacks, with actors posing as interview subjects narrating over archival news footage, some doctored, such as the swearing in of Dick Cheney as the 44th president of the United States.

Pic traces the hunt for the assassin and explains how the fictional President Cheney attempts to use the murder to invade Syria, ultimately settling for an expansion of law enforcement powers under the Patriot Act.

High-profile deal comes at the mid-way point of the Toronto Intl. Film Festival, a sprawling event that is part celebrity frenzy as studios market their upcoming releases with red carpet galas, part industry confab with distribs on the hunt for acquisitions, and part tourist attraction for film lovers who line up for hours for the chance to see pics that often won't come back to Canada for months if ever at all.



Unlike other major fests like Cannes or Sundance, in which festgoers are densely packed together, it is easy for an office-tower worker to walk through the streets of downtown Toronto -- think Gotham with far less trash and traffic -- without even knowing that a fest was taking place. Theater venues are spread across about four square miles in the city.

And while industry gossip spreads like wildfire via BlackBerry, other events can go unnoticed. Early on Monday, a triple homicide was discovered on the 19th floor of the Delta Chelsea, a downtown hotel favored by festivalgoers and which once served as the fest's press center.

Three people were found dead with stab wounds, though it wasn't clear if they are connected to the fest.

There were only 658 homicides in all of Canada last year -- there can be that many homicides in a single year in Los Angeles alone. So the triple slaying was big news in town. Still, it was slow to penetrate the fest-bubble that attendees sometimes find themselves in.

"I hope you're talking about the name of a film," said one publicist when told of the news. Even at the festival's center -- the Four Seasons, Park Hyatt and the Intercontinental hotels, within blocks of one another, where execs and agents in from L.A. pack the bars -- media and industry festgoers have been outnumbered at times by packs of first-year college students starting classes at nearby U. of Toronto.

Distribs and publicists fully take over the second and third floors of the Intercontinental, outfitting makeshift offices for the 10-day duration of the fest. At the Weinstein Co.'s digs, teams of publicists sat amid stacks of releases for Toronto preems like "Bobby" and "Shut Up and Sing" while phones were managed and reporters massaged.

Down the hall and up the stairs, a similar scene played out for Miramax and big PR shops like the Dart Group and mPRm. In the other hotels, behind closed-door suites, execs from specialty divisions like Fox Searchlight and Focus Features held meetings and plotted out media and acquisition strategies.

While pushy paparazzi are a rare sight, the hotspots attract groups of teenage girls armed with digital cameras who wait for hours behind barricades for a glimpse of stars like Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Penelope Cruz, who attend the fest. The public interest in the fest -- be it for celeb sightings or the steady diet of sophisticated films -- sometimes makes it difficult for the pros who come to town to kick the tires of prospective properties.

On the local Craigslist service, tix for hot screenings like "Borat" or "Death of a President" can fetch $100 or more. And even pics that have been panned by critics in early reviews are often oversubscribed. Dozens were turned away from a midday Monday screening of Darren Aronofsky's "The Fountain."

On Saturday, a red-carpet blowout for early award-season contender "Babel" attracted a crowd of thousands, and the squeals of Pitt's teen fans could be heard more than two blocks away.

At the same time, and giving the fest a schizophrenic feel, inside helmer Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu talked loftily about the "journey" of his filmmaking process.

At fest midpoint, the acquisitions marketplace is still expected to produce more deals. Two pics that preemed Monday night are still up for grabs: Sarah Polley's helming debut, "Away From Her" and "Bonneville," which stars Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Joan Allen.

In other deal news Monday, the Weinstein Co. announced it will handle international sales on the first two films from Anthony Mosawi's the Mayhem Project, horror pic "Clock Tower," based on the Japanese vidgame of the same name, and "Make It Happen," about an aspiring dancer who leaves her small town for Chicago.

Read Story Here
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This movie doesnt advocate violence one film critic says? Well neither did "Taxi Driver" I suppose, John Hinckley Jr. just up and decided one day to go out and shoot President Reagan out of the blue, for no reason, Riiiiiiiight!! Couldnt be because he was obsessed with that movie no way. How naive do these people think we are? The far left loones will be lining up to see this movie I bet. I just posted about this crap a week or two ago Death Of A President Post
I just knew this filth would be picked up here. There shouldnt be a movie made or seen about the assassination of ANY President, Republican OR Democrat. This is outrageous.