Why Are We Back In Iraq?

I just received an e-mail from John Kaspar - a singer/songwriter from New Jersey - whose song, "Conspiracy of Silence" has been selected to be included on a CD compilation of anti-Bush, anti-war music to be released to college and public radio stations during late summer 2004, entitled "ELECTION DAY USA."

Trust me (or check it out for yourself), the dude rocks! My favorite line from John's song: "The president seems to have dangerous thoughts in his head. His war-minded handlers are pushing him over the edge."

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 7/31/2004 11:51:00 PM

I'd like to take this time, one hour before John Edwards' speech at the Convention, to officially endorse the Kerry/Edwards ticket. While I probably would've pulled the Democratic lever in November (or December or January) anyway, today marks the day that this (capitol l) Liberal has finally been won over.

Initially, I supported Sharpton, then I switched to Kucinich, then I fell in love (and even volunteered) with the Dean campaign. While I wish Senator Kerry would make a stronger statement in regards to when we will be pulling our troops out of Iraq, I believe that he will do the right thing, as long as the votes are counted accurately in November (or December or January).

The primary reason why I am joing the bandwagon is the unexpected and unprecedented inclusiveness of the ongoing Democratic Convention. Frankly, I'm amazed that all of Senator Kerry's opponents in the primaries were rewarded with air time during what should - by all rights - be his big show. The speeches by the Als, Gore and Sharpton, were particularily effective for my turnaround.

Go Kerry. Go Edwards. Defeat this undemocratically elected resident, rebuild our country's tarnished image, find out what really happened the past four years, and then pursue criminal charges against the entire neocon gang.

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 7/28/2004 09:02:00 PM

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (Democrat - 14th District NY) has recently garnered headlines (along with Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson, Corrine Brown, Julia Carson, William Lacy Clay, Joseph Crowley, Elijah Cummings, Danny Davis, Raul Grijalva, Michael Honda, Barbara Lee, Jerrold Nadler & Edolphus Towns) for requesting the Electoral Assistance Division of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs to send election observers to monitor the presidential election in the United States scheduled for November 2, 2004.

While I applaud this pro-active attempt to preserve our crumbling democratic system, I am deeply disturbed about a recent development concerning Rep. Maloney's upcoming (Sept. 14th) primary battle against Robert Jereski.

I received the following letter from the Jereski for Congress campaign:

While Congresswoman Maloney has received mostly high marks for her 12 years in Congress from liberal groups such as the ACLU and Emily's List, she has also voted in favor of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Patriot Act, the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) [Star Wars] and a national identification card. In November of 2003, Rep. Maloney sponsored and introduced a bill, HR 3439, which seeks to embed CIA agents within local police departments (though thanks to the work of the "The Campaign to Demilitarize the Police" Link the bill has supposedly been revised a bit).

Maloney's actions and statements regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are extremely disturbing. Especially in light of the 9-11 Commission Report which states that "right or wrong, it is simply a fact that American policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and American actions in Iraq are dominant staples of popular commentary across the Arab and Muslim world."

The purportedly liberal Rep. Maloney is to the right of Resident Bush on this issue. She has actually written "that the United States can learn a lot from the Israeli approach to security.” On June 10, 2003 Israel made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Hamas political leader Abdelaziz Rantisi which "deeply troubled" Dubya (at least, publicly). Maloney signed a letter to Bush along with 33 House Democrats that basically justified assassination "as an application of Israel's right to self defense." I can only assume that - four months ago - Rep. Maloney must have been pleased as punch that a second attempt on Rantisi's life proved successful (just weeks after he was chosen to head Hamas, in the wake of a prior assassination).

IF YOU HAVE ANY DECENCY, CAROLYN MALONEY, CALL BACK YOUR HENCHMEN AND ALLOW THE VOTERS OF NEW YORK TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES IN THE SEPTEMBER 14TH PRIMARY!

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 7/24/2004 10:37:00 PM

The following (abridged) letter was published in The New York Times on Friday, July 9th:

RE Paul Krugman's June 29 column critizing the Coalition Provisional Authority: I was in Iraq for seven months as director of private-sector development.....Mr. Krugman includes my appointment in his charge of "cronyism." If the administration wanted to reward a friend, it would come up with something better than seven months of 16-hour days and seven-day workweeks dodging rockets and mortars and living in a trailer....

Mr. Foley (and The Timesneglected to mention that he's an "old school" pal of Dubya's and that he was annointed a "Pioneer" during the 2000 Presidential Selection (to be designated a Pioneer you have to have raised over $100,000 in campaign contributions) - in other words - a crony. This link will take you to the Pioneer page for Thomas C. Foley: $47,500 in 2000

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 7/21/2004 11:47:00 PM

The repulsive (due to her words not looks) Andrea Peyser of The New York Post wrote a particularly ugly column regarding Martha Stewart's sentencing on Friday. This would be the same Andrea Peyser that used to refer to Christiane Amanpour as the “CNN war slut", which even Rupert Murdoch drew offense to.

One of Ms. Peyser's favorite tricks is to claim to be a late convert to the anti-posses. She writes that "six months ago, when first called up to Martha duty, I was a complete novice to her venal ways." Hmmm...that explains the warmth in the column she wrote a year ago on 6/20/30 about Ms. Stewart entitled "How You, Too, Can Be A Fashionable 'Felon.'"

Ms. Peyser is practically gleeful about the fact that Ms. Stewart will soon have to submit to strip searches. "As many a stubborn inmate has learned the hard way, dear Martha, there is nary a crevice which you may call your own private property." The self-proclaimed pro-choice Democrat (though registered as a Democrat, she considers herself a Libertarian even though she votes Republican) chose the word crevice for obvious reasons. Perhaps if Whoopi Goldberg employed the same word at the Kerry benefit she'd still be shilling for Slim-fast.

Showcasing all of her feminine qualities, Ms. Peyser appears to be hopeful that Martha will be raped or abused in prison. "Maybe by this time next year, someone far bigger than me will show Martha the way."

You've got to hand it to the Post. They're smart enough to let the most vile opinions emanate (or enemahate) from women such as Deborah Orin, Michelle Malkin and Andrea Peyser.

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 7/18/2004 08:57:00 PM

Robert Jereski, a friend of mine, is running as a Democratic candidate for Congress as a representative of the 14th District. Two of his platform issues are: (1.) Our misdirected war on terrorism must be returned to its true mission of engaging Al Qaeda. (2.) The U.S. Occupation has become a focal point of destabilization and terrorism. The primary is on September 14th, as long as Bush doesn't cancel all of our elections. Visit his website to learn more or donate at: Jereski for Congress

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 7/14/2004 06:30:00 PM

25 US troops have been killed in Iraq in the last week. Why isn't that on television or in the papers? Does anybody still care?

I've recently discovered a blog written by an infantryman stationed in Mosul, Iraq. While he isn't a liberal, he does share a fondness for Hunter S. Thompson. Check out his website for a view from within the maelstrom.

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 7/11/2004 04:35:00 PM

Disregard my previous post, I was right about the muzzling of Richard Roeper's blurb ("Everyone in the country should see this film") on Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" print advertisements.

But I might have been wrong about the reason for the change.

Originally, I surmised that pressure from the right may have compelled The New York Times to cut the quote to "...see this film" so that the McCain-Feingold Act (the campaign finance law that prohibits soft money from being used just before an election) would not be violated. But it wasn't the fault of the government or the Media. It was the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) that objected to Mr. Roeper's comment because the film was branded with an R rating. Perhaps the quote should have been "everyone in the country should see this film but the MPAA won't let 'em."

Of course, Mel Gibson's "The Protocols of the Christ" also received an R rating and much has been written about the grassroots campaign that elicited the support of churches and religious organizations. ""The violence is necessary to understand the sacrifice Jesus made," says First Family pastor Jerry Johnston. His Baptist church has rented out a half-dozen theaters in Kansas City, Kan., and has reserved auditoriums the night of Feb. 27 for children 11 and older." (USA Today "Kids will see R-rated 'Passion'" by Scott Bowles, Feb 17 2004) I guess no one in the MPAA cared about that "kiddie crusade."

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 7/03/2004 08:14:00 PM