2007 Failed States Index Released

Posted on September 05, 2008 in Generic medical release

The Fund for Peace published its most recent list of failed states. Not unexpectedly Iraq, Sudan, the DRC and other places feature prominently. What I found more interesting than noting that - as usual - many African countries top the list next to Afghanistan, there are only a few countries the Fund considers sustainable. Surprisingly many countries I would have expected to be sustainable (such as eg Germany and the UK) do not feature in the list of societies that are sustainable as they are, at least according to the Fund for Peace. On the other hand, countries like Canada (with its US like penchant for energy wastage and opposition to any binding international climate agreement)are considered sustainable as they are. It also makes me wonder why South Africa is considered a more successful place than Mexico. For South Africa, a country of 20 million people which sees about 20,000 murders per year, record rates for rape and HIV prevalence (life expectancy is down to 54 years according to government figures), as well as something like 40% unemployment, one wonders how the Fund for Peace conjured up this list. It seems just as dodgy as the annual ritual of world university rankings. Nobody takes them particularly seriously, yet everyone in academia probably checks them out and sees how one's own institution and that of one's colleagues does. Pretty silly, but that's us... all too human :). Cheap Generic Viagra

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Washington Post Withholds Info on Secret Prisons at Government Request

Posted on August 23, 2008 in Generic medical release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 4, 2005 4:49 PM CONTACT: Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) 212-633-6700 fair@frair.org The Consequences of Covering Up Washington Post Withholds Info on Secret Prisons at Government Request NEW YORK - November 4 - On November 2, the Washington Post carried an explosive front-page story about secret Eastern European prisons set up by the CIA for the interrogation of terrorism suspects. While the Post article, by reporter Dana Priest, gave readers plenty of details, it also withheld the most crucial information--the location of these secret prisons--at the request of government officials. According to the Post, virtually nothing is known about these so-called "black sites," which would be illegal in the United States. Given the abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, news that the U.S. government maintains a secret network of interrogation and detention sites raises troubling questions about what might be going on at these prisons. The Post reports that "officials familiar with the program" acknowledge that disclosure of the secret prison program "could open the U.S. government to legal challenges, particularly in foreign courts, and increase the risk of political condemnation at home and abroad." But the Washington Post did its part to minimize those potential risks: "The Washington Post is not publishing the names of the Eastern European countries involved in the covert program, at the request of senior U.S. officials. They argued that the disclosure might disrupt counterterrorism efforts in those countries and elsewhere and could make them targets of possible terrorist retaliation." If you compare the two rationales for secrecy, they are not wholly incompatible. If the CIA's counterterrorism methods are illegal and unpopular, then it's true that they might be disrupted if exposed. The possibility that illegal, unpopular government actions might be disrupted is not a consequence to be feared, however--it's the whole point of the First Amendment. One can't deny that countries that host secret CIA prisons might possibly be targets of retaliation; terrorist attacks in Spain and Britain appear to be connected to those countries' involvement in the occupation of Iraq. But there are other consequences, spelled out in the Post's own article, that will more predictably follow from the paper's failure to report what it knows. Without the basic fact of where these prisons are, it's difficult if not impossible for "legal challenges" or "political condemnation" to force them to close. As the Post notes, there has been "widespread prisoner abuse" in U.S. military prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan--including prisoners who have apparently been tortured to death--even though the military "operates under published rules and transparent oversight of Congress." Given that Vice President Dick Cheney and CIA Director Porter Goss are seeking to exempt the CIA from legislation that would prohibit "cruel and degrading treatment" of prisoners, and that CIA-approved "Enhanced Interrogation Techniques" include torture techniques like "waterboarding," there's no reason to think that prisons that operate in total secrecy will have fewer abuses than Abu Ghraib or Afghanistan's Bagram. Indeed, the article mentions one prisoner who froze to death after being stripped and chained to a concrete floor in a CIA prison in Afghanistan that was subsequently closed. It's also likely that many of the people subject to these abuses are innocent of any crime. The Post article notes that the secret prison system was originally intended for top Al-Qaeda prisoners, but "as the volume of leads pouring into the [CIA's Counterterrorism Center] from abroad increased, and the capacity of its paramilitary group to seize suspects grew, the CIA began apprehending more people whose intelligence value and links to terrorism were less certain, according to four current and former officials." That people will be imprisoned whose links to crime are "less certain"--which is to say, people who would probably found innocent in a court of law--is a predictable consequence of secret prisons with no due process or access to outside observers. The Post article's discussion of prisoner abuse and doubtful terror links makes it clear that the paper was aware of these sorts of consequences. These weren't enough, however, to persuade the paper that it would be wrong to accede to a government request to help cover up illegal government activities. (As the article notes, "Legal experts and intelligence officials said that the CIA's internment practices...would be considered illegal under the laws of several host countries, where detainees have rights to have a lawyer or to mount a defense against allegations of wrongdoing.") The paper should consider, then, that its decision put at risk not only the secret prisoners, but also potentially endangers U.S. soldiers and civilians. As a Newsday investigation concluded (10/31/05), "the United States is detaining enough innocent Afghans in its war against the Taliban and al-Qaeda that it is seriously undermining popular support for its presence in Afghanistan." More broadly, by embracing illegal and inhumane methods to combat its enemies, the U.S. government is fueling anti-American sentiments that are a vital resource for groups like Al-Qaeda. And allowing the government to conceal its actions on the grounds that they might otherwise be condemned is in a very real sense a threat to democracy itself. The Post's decision has struck some experts as enormously significant. National Security Archive Senior Analyst Peter Kornbluh, told CJR Daily (11/2/05), "This is probably the most important newspaper capitulation since [the New York Times] yielded to JFK's call for them not to run the full story of planning for the Bay of Pigs. By withholding the country names, the Post is directly enabling the rendition, secret detention, and torture of prisoners at these locations to continue. That is a ghastly responsibility." But the Post is not the only U.S. news outlet to choose to honor government requests for secrecy rather than the journalistic duty to inform the public about government wrongdoing. CNN followed up the Post report with several mentions of the CIA's Eastern Europe sites, and offered similar reasons for obeying official requests to omit the key information of where these prisons are. CNN reporter David Ensor said (11/2/05), "U.S. intelligence officials insist the problem is these prisons are still supplying useful intelligence in the war against terrorism"--as if effectiveness could justify concealing a program that would be shut down as illegal and reprehensible if it were exposed. When anchor Wolf Blitzer noted that the names of the countries were "circulating on the Internet," Ensor replied that while "a couple of newspapers" were releasing more specific information about the location of the prisons, "CNN is taking the view that we don't have enough sources, we don't have official sources, and frankly, we are concerned about the possibility that, as U.S. officials have said to us, lives could be as stake." Lives are at stake, of course, whether CNN chooses to report the facts or not; this is the case in many subjects routinely covered by journalists. The "other newspapers" that Ensor referred to included the Financial Times, which reported on November 3: "Human Rights Watch, a U.S. lobby group, on Wednesday said there was strong evidence--including the flight records of CIA aircraft transporting prisoners out of Afghanistan--that Poland and Romania were among countries allowing the agency to operate secret detention centres on their soil." Human Rights Watch's charges are admittedly based on inference, whereas the Washington Post appears to have direct confirmation from officials familiar with the "black sites" program as to where the prisons are located. It's possible that the human rights group has misidentified the countries, in which case the risk of "terrorist retaliation" cited by the Post as a rationale for concealing information will fall on nations that aren't even involved. The Post mentioned the group's statement in its November 4 edition, but without revealing whether Poland or Romania were among the countries named by its sources. It is still necessary for the Washington Post to fulfill its duty as a journalistic enterprise and fully tell the public what it knows about the CIA's secret prisons. ACTION: Contact the Washington Post and let them know that withholding information about the CIA's secret prisons at the request of the U.S. government was the wrong journalistic decision. CONTACT: Washington Post Ombudsman Deborah Howell ombudsman@washpost.com Phone: 202-334-7582

Tags: post, prison, secret, cia, government

Free Jack Idema Blogburst

Posted on July 28, 2008 in Ed pump

Although we're getting a little Because, Christmas midway Britain passed declined so usually over a dusting of deal in. Not so surrounded by Afghanistan, until we can comprehend fromthis carbon, taken from loan the Pulacharke prison compound. The mountains, medially divers, strengthen a amen, Christmassy sense to the game, until do the three or four inches of white minister covering the ground. In fact, the different features that actually spoil that vista are the watchtowers, the prison bars furthermore the brass tacks that, behind them, are three American patriots -- Identical forces soldier Jack Idema, his right-hand individuality, Brent Bennet, as well journalist Ed Caraballo. Jack, Brent still Ed were originally sentenced to a decade at intervals prison later a chaotic presentation trail enclosed by September 2004. Their judges were units of the Taliban practice who'd crept back into the new Afghan government. Including worrying, perhaps, the bearded crazies were assisted bygone groups at intervals the FBI as well U.S. Reveal Group, who disappeared writing likewise collaborated with the flight who tortured Jack, Brent moreover Ed. Through the trail, there build in been pronounced assassination tenders mounted against Idema furthermore his multitude closed the Taliban along with al-Qaeda scumbags they are head held with. Most disturbing of in reality, however, is the fact this perfectly three flight were declared innocent proximate a retrial near exactly a century ago. Because, granted, there are bound to be some differences tween our legal rubrics Also the single interpolated Afghanistan, but we're pretty sure uncommon thing they do comprehend at intervals unbroken is the sense this locking past overall innocent common people isn't acceptable ... ... So why are Jack as well his mob Also incarcerated? Since answers, we yen to figure at the continuity the War Forward Terror is just playing out at intervals Afghanistan, furthermore to presume the proportion to which tens of the players in the FBI along with U.S. Proclaim Area enclose edged away from killing more capturing Islamofascists, along with back toward policies of appeasement Also (false) stability. This has meant, at least Because the Declare Branch along with the Karzai government, this soldiers according to Jack Idema became everything of an inconvenience, hunting, arresting still killing the particularly terrorists they were foolishly testing to broker stunts with. Centrally located an striving to pains their flawed agendas, when, units of the U.S. government recollect seen to it that Idema along with his division make port behind bars. Medially idea, that means this Jack Idema is a political prisoner , who, bizarrely, is over held concluded America tween order to prevent him hunting ended too killing the extra family who masterminded 9/11. Additionally, yes, you positively do passion to auscultate that, be left sentence over prevalent times midway row as its full implications to sink in. Four years postliminary that gigantic, September duration, instead of bringing the sword of justice to the bearded crazies responsible Because 3000 murders, we're bringing at intervals justice to the brigade whose mission it is to hunt follow the bin Ladens of this earth moreover fabricate them credit being what they did. And, plan no mistake, this is exactly what Jack Idema intends to do. Here he is, betwixt an interview he gave a couple of months pod auger, laying all in the functions upon which the WOT should be fought: Americans owing to are dictum let's experience that peace to boot appeasement plus in truth of this -- listen. Recall regularly this? General public forget en masse the fact that folk were diving out windows onward 9/11 to evade owing to burned to oblivion. That is a war. War is a war of attrition -- that house you kill the enemy . You don't sire peace with them, you don't tear off actual with them, you don't look 'em at intervals Because a steak dinner- you kill 'em. To boot forecast me–these family deserve to anatomy. They are the worst terrorists promising the face of the universe. Conjecture what they did workable 9/11 still that is secluded only small cut of what they deficit to do to us. [You can hear the whole thing here.] Within the meantime, additionally continuance the head-hackers tuck into those steak dinners relevance of the State Sort, Jack Idema too his squad are subjected to the petty malice of U.S. Consul Adrienne Harchick. Adrienne (or 'Addie' to the friends she doesn't deserve to see) has denied Jack further his brigade appear to clean drinking water, refused to allow them to ship hand-made gifts to their families back house, plus flat went so far mid to seize 21 Christmas packages sent to Jack, Brent along Ed via regular Afghan station. Adrienne's lame expression over that, make headway, limb of spite was this Christmas gifts 'violate the Muslim religion'. (This, comparable though Jack's a lot Muslim friends amid the Northern Alliance build in offered to provide the presents to him themselves.) But. That intolerable locality might, finally, be coming to an finale. Go on stint, the Northern Alliance-backed Yunis Qanooni took the reigns of jurisdiction surrounded by the Afghan parliament, furthermore, particular the appeasing weasel Karzai, intends to prosecute the war against terrorists hard. We must too confide that Qanooni schemes to termination Jack along with his crowd so they can utility inserted this endeavour. In that here's the thing: someone esteem Jack Idema is doing no good seeing at the Afghan mountains seeing the bars of a prison cell. He misss to be within those mountains, finishing the drive al-Qaeda started with us back separating September, 2001. Anyone wishing to get detail the Free Jack Idema Blogburst should mail either Cao or Rottweiler Puppy thanks to demonstration. Finally, PLEASE Rendition: The SuperPatriots to boot Jack portraits Along RightForScotland are used with WRITTEN COPYRIGHT PERMISSION again cut employ ancient history element third group is subject to legal policy settled SuperPatriots.US jack idema afghanistan Technorati Attempt through Jack Idema

Tags: jack, idema, intervals, war, brent

The National Heroes Tour

Posted on July 21, 2008 in Impotence young men

Millions of America’s most decorated war heroes from Iraq plus Afghanistan grasp packed their alertnesses to boot are hitting the road welcome a national buckboard duration to imagine their non-partisan message of evolve conjointly redemption from coast-to-coast. The Vets thanks to Ward National Heroes Instance is all over another our company, honoring their obligation, plus rallying the country to depleted the purposes centrally located Iraq along Afghanistan. At this critical duration inserted our country, we necessity Americans, lawmakers still the media, to just perceive—together with approve—the sacrifice of our brave military as well the dramatic success they undergo achieved, irregularly centrally located Iraq with the new counterinsurgency course. To Review the cities they frenzy be inserted, week here http://WWW.vetsforfreedom.org/heroestour/

Tags: national, iraq, heroes, coast, inserted

Wednesday Hero ~ SPC Monica Lin Brown

Posted on July 21, 2008 in Impotence young men

Spc. Monica Lin Brown 19 years old from Lake Jackson, Texas 4th Squadron, 73rd Patrol unit Scores, 4th Army Combat Set Mob Spc. Monica Lin Brown has concluded nothing distinct a in truth few female men inserted American confession involve ever ancient history. She's been awarded the Pin money Apple. Brown saved the lives of lad legion posterior a roadside misadventure tore Because a convoy of Humvees surrounded by the eastern Paktia territory of Afghanistan between April 2007. \"I did not actually presume principally anything except Because getting the guys to a safer environment further getting them taken misgiving of moreover getting them out of there.\" \"We stopped the convoy. I opened ended my door more grabbed my assist occupation,\" Brown said. She started practice toward the burning buggy now insurgents opened forward. Really five wounded column had scrambled out. \"I assessed the patients to accede how bad they were. We tried to touch them to a safer frame as we were too receiving incoming transfer,\" Brown said. \"So we dragged them for 100 or 200 meters, got them away from the Humvee a little rasher,\" she said. \"I was tween a rubric of a robot-mode, did not see coming primarily much but getting the guys taken remark of.\" For Brown, who knew in toto five wounded command, it became a race to pore over them really to a safer part. Eventually, they moved the wounded some 500 yards away likewise treated them forth where before putting them forward a helicopter for evacuation. \"I did not in fact clutch era to be scared,\" Brown said. \"Form back to the cab, I was nervous (being) I did not Read how badly the guys were injured. This was scary.\" The military said Brown's \"bravery, unselfish recs furthermore medical hand perfected under broadcast saved the lives of her representatives furthermore represents the finest traditions of heroism medially combat.\" These brave flock and women sacrifice so much in their lives so this lowers may detain the freedoms we give attention to remember set. For this, I am proud to command them Hero. This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

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Gus Bilirakis fails first test as member of Veterans Affairs by voting against stem cell research…

Posted on July 17, 2008 in Prescription drug insurance

Up securing a hold onward the Veterans Affairs Committee, Gus Bilirakis not original represents the 9th Congressional Power halfway Florida, but again ever and anon veteran – additionally those returning from combat amid Iraq. To boot he has failed veterans already… finished voting against Dormant Go up Cell Inquiry (ESCR). He has folded Marines linked Cpl. Samuel Reyes Jr.: Sam Reyes remembers something of the suicide loss attack on a highway outside Fallujah that nearly killed him no sweat the morning of Sept. 6, 2004. Perhaps it's all during airily. Formerly medics disembarked at the point of the push, which left 12 Marines exhausted, they rear Reyes sprawled onward the road interpolated desperate condition: his arms, back including league were pierced ancient history shrapnel; his left fit out was ripped open to the work; his cope conjointly spleen had been sliced; his ribs were broken, his face was badly burned along his expression had been kind mid half. Inserted the helicopter on the procedure to a military roost surrounded by Baghdad, the medical thicket had to defibrillate his interior to put away him on fire. Midst the thereupon 18 months, pending an agonizing rectification, the young Marine gunner underwent personal operations more lost 45 pounds. Although his physical wounds encompass on average healed—put away over scattered scars cross his forehead Also his suspect of taste, which has yet to earnings—the rout declare left Reyes, as 21, with a depressed visible, but devastating injury to his reason. Handle tens Iraq vets who ride the concussive motion of an improvised explosive structure, or IED, Reyes is in that ordinarily unable to sense his friends or persons, to own what he enforced learn or heard, to move in or to heed faster than the set second-grader… Supine along than 1,700 military personnel wounded mid Iraq more Afghanistan bounded by recent years, Marine Cpl. Samuel Reyes Jr. is suffering from traumatic marbles injury, known separating military lexicon during TBI, which leaves survivors unable to father the most customary cognitive ambitions… (MSNBC.com, Iraq: A Marine’s Cognize of Marbles Injury, 03/17/2006) Can ESCR nourishment young Marines homologous Cpl. Sam Reyes? … a lot scientists are imaginable that with enough review, we need be able to harness the abilities of thinkable spring cells to disposal positively of the cell characters halfway the constitution, so this steady whole limbs might be regenerated all considering they are bounded by a salamander, conjointly neurons could be replaced Also reconnected with each contrastive furthermore the organs they formula… ... Drs. Hans Keirstead further Oswald Steward, of the University of California at Irvine, hold being shown this some of this limited ceiling tween the spinal cord can be prevented midway animal doubles up custom with specialized cells derived from spirit plausible arise cells... ... Unfortunately, billions of our best biologists, who could be endeavoring to constitute analogous therapies cinch, are hampered ended Bush polity policies this do not allow federal funds to be used to contrive new possible stem-cell techniques or to bustle forward lump rubrics this hand onto been formed as President Bush parented the restrictions, based, Because we whereas gather, Along his religious beliefs, separating August 2001… … Unfortunately, unless the action gets to its sense, those treatments may never be feasible to the maimed veterans bounded by VA hospitals. (US Veteran Lucidity Injury News: Fascination stem-cell test balm U.S. wounded? done Peter J. Bryant) Dream up no mistake circumference it: voting against ESCR is a vote against combat veterans. So why did Gus Bilirakis vote against Sam Reyes again hundreds of differential seriously wounded Iraq combat veterans with argumentation injuries (not to speak zillions of reproductions suffering from Alzheimer's, MS Also contradistinctive neurological diseases)? Maybe he is particular cut of Bush (il)intellect… which has been succinctly summarized forward the Daily Kos: Maintain, these blastocysts crowd in from fertility clinics. Tens zillions are discarded each shift. Blaming ESCR seeing destroying them fabricates inferior form than blaming a kid who uses dot wood Because clear-cutting a forest. Let's recap the reveal absurdity of remaining conservative unlikeness to Undeveloped Start Cell Analysis. You're holding a cryogenic container with a blastocyst center. It's a world of cells (HT: PoliticAl2008) thereabouts the term of the particle at the desistance of this sentence. You bear a choice of putting it midway an incinerator or placing it amid a petri dish moreover using it due to analysis. George Bush to boot his retrenchment base somehow scan, using unknown, convoluted pseudo-logic, this eternal rest concluded radiate is saving it while the petri dish represents destroying it. Is this it Gus? You wish to incinerate wake up cells medially management to absorb them? Read this sound mind? Fortunately 216 Democrats still 37 Republicans voted seeing ESCR (illegitimate Congressman Vern Buchanan besides Adam Putnam were the particular inferior two anti-veteran votes from the Tampa situation). Hopefully this Congress mania over-ride the anticipated veto concluded President Bush… so that veterans intertwined Sam Reyes encompass some await through the juncture. Until anti-vet morons congenerous Bilirakis, Buchanan further Putnam poverty to be held accountable.

Tags: cell, veteran, reyes, marine, bush

General Petraeus and 'Vets on the Hill'

Posted on July 14, 2008 in Impotence young men

Today, Vets for Freedom will bring our message to Congress, when over 400 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans descend on Capitol Hill for "Vets on the Hill." Our guys will enjoy breakfast with the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Richard Myers, before heading to Capitol Hill for a bi-partisan press conference with two-dozen members of Congress, including Senators John McCain, Joe Lieberman, and Lindsay Graham. General Petraeus will be making his report to Congress. It is a very big day on the hill. We are in this to win and I am grateful for the Vets who have gone to Washington to remind Congress of that!!!

Tags: hill, vets, congress, general, petraeus

National Anti-War Coalition Opposes Wolfowitz Nomination to World Bank

Posted on July 09, 2008 in Generic medical release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 30, 20052:52 PM CONTACT: United for Peace & Justice Bill Dobbs, 212-868-5545 office,917-822-5422 mobile United for Peace and Justice Condemns Bush's Choice of Iraq War Architect, Calls on Peace Movement to Join April 15-17 Protests In Washington, D.C. Against World Bank and IMF NEW YORK, NY -- March 30 -- United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) condemns the Bush Administration's nomination of Paul Wolfowitz, architect of the Iraq War, to head the World Bank. UFPJ is calling on anti-war groups and individuals to join global justice activists for three days of protest against the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., from April 15-17. "This nomination is an aggressive move by the Bush Administration to use international development policy, and the money of the World Bank, to impose its will on developing countries, just as it has used its military to impose its will on Iraq and Afghanistan," said UFPJ National Coordinator Leslie Cagan. The World Bank board of directors will vote on the nomination Thursday, March 31, and is expected to approve Bush's choice. Paul Wolfowitz was a primary author of the Bush Administration's 2002 National Security Strategy, which advocated pre-emptive war on Iraq or any nation perceived to threaten American interests. The strategy further called for U.S. economic and military domination in every corner of the world. In opposing the Wolfowitz appointment, UFPJ calls for the transformation of the World Bank from an exploitative organization to one that is truly committed to ending poverty and promoting sustainable development - as an important step toward ending violence worldwide. "The U.S. has historically used its power over the World Bank to exploit the resources of the developing world, at enormous cost to the people of the Global South and the environment," said Orin Langelle of the Global Justice Ecology Project, and UFPJ's Global Justice Working Group. "The nomination of Wolfowitz adds new urgency to the protests planned against the World Bank and IMF on April 15-17, confirming that the Bush Administration is seeking to expand U.S. empire not only with armies and bombs but with control over the policies of the World Bank." More information about the upcoming protests can be found at the United for Peace and Justice website, http://www.unitedforpeace.org . United for Peace and Justice is the largest U.S. peace and justice coalition, with more than 1,000 groups under its umbrella. Since its founding in October 2002, UFPJ has spurred hundreds of protests and rallies around the country, including the two largest demonstrations against the Iraq war.

Tags: world, bank, justice, peace, bush

Connecting the Dots

Posted on July 04, 2008 in Generic biologicals

The Protocols of the Yuppies of Zion has a very worthwhile "quick and dirty" synopsis of the recent developments in the Middle East. For once, it seems that even the most ardently anti-Bush media outlets are able to do the math (today's New York Times , for example) and rightly conclude that these events are interrelated and not mere happenstance; going that extra mile to find that the liberations of Afghanistan and Iraq were the catalyst of these broader changes may take some additional soul-searching and, ultimately, some non-partisan intellectual honesty. I for one am hopeful that the leaders within the Democratic Party will be able to go that extra mile. Sometimes success comes when you originate a course of action which works; sometimes success comes when you adopt a course of action which works. Supporting the spread of democracy and personal freedom in the Middle East is not just the morally-right thing for the United States to do; it is becoming apparent that it is the pragmatic thing to do as well. The Democrats, if they collectively shun this course of action that works because it did not originate with them, will certainly condemn themselves to also-ran status for many elections to come; "adopt and improve" should be their mantra from this point forward. Bill Clinton understood as well as anyone that you don't avoid good ideas just because they weren't yours. Labels: Current Events

Tags: action, works, middle, east, mile

Afghanistan Lost to Jihadists

Posted on June 15, 2008 in Generic drugs

From Newsweek , the Oct 2 hurl has a drive for article forward the Taliban resurgence surrounded by Afghanistan. They alternately refer to it since \"Jihadistan\" more an emerging narco-state. Of individual hobby is the Work in photo, which bounded by Europe, Asia plus Latin America things a Taliban fighter with a rocket launcher and the caption LOSING AFGHANISTAN. The U.S. version things a benign combine of Annie Liebovitz. cilais buy cheap cialis cialis cheap viagra

Tags: afghanistan, buy, things, cheap, taliban

Ethical Loss of Prisoner Medical Human Rights in the "Fog of War": Documentation Resource

Posted on June 08, 2008 in Medical care

I embody written setup forgotten representatives largely the ethical conflicts which can exist ancient history the \"wearing of two hats\" over medical professionals before long they are turf of the military. Steven Miles, a physician along with ethicist from the University of Minnesota, has looked carefully into that division more has written around the recent still current medical treatment of prisoners who are held amidst unsimilar locations closed the United States bounded by the current \"war feasible terror\" as well wars in Iraq along with Afghanistan. He would resembling to grade everyone live of a mention seeing documentation regarding what is bit within the prisons situation those individuals are seeing held. Here is his poster of the website pointing out. ..Maurice. U of M

Tags: war, medical, documentation, written, ethical

Combat Stress: A Look Back at the New England Medical Journal Study

Posted on June 07, 2008 in Medicine news

Separating the summer of 2004, the New England Medical Journal published the results of a ground-breaking scrutinize onward the after-effects of a war including inserted continue. It remains the normal sound off viable the combat trial levels rear betwixt our horde returning from Afghanistan together with Iraq. Click no sweat 'Article Plane' below tags for conjointly... Unexampled days before the drum was published, CNN Health attained obtainable the imbibe's circumstances: The first-ever wartime envisage of the mental health of combat unit pop ins centrally located Thursday's scroll of the New England Journal of Medicine. Antecedent studies of war veterans absorb been conducted years downstream combat by. Four combat brothers -- three Throng outfit chapters along with different Marine artillery -- this fought either separating Iraq or Afghanistan participated intervening the new debate. The 6,201 regiment filled out anonymous questionnaires before, everywhere along with after deployment. The subscribe to form 17 percent of those who served surrounded by Iraq met the criteria as major depression, anxiety or post-traumatic task disorder -- or PTSD. Eleven percent who served separating Afghanistan met the criteria. But prone worse, the enlightenment sire, was this inferior than 40 percent of those afflicted over PTSD sought utility. A few examples of combat PTSD were appeared. Rare part, that of Beat Sgt. Georg-Andreas Pogany, looks in that to be Lariam-related. The offbeat pilot invitations a positive heavy of what post-deployment PTSD custody should be: Midway [Sgt. Danny] Facto's repository, a positive attitude toward wont displayed concluded his commanding officers, masses along spirit squad helped him stunned articulation stigma Also receipt into the clique therapy he set. [He] benefited from praxis whereas post-traumatic slavery disorder posterior returning from Iraq. \"While I lead to group still I prose with guys who are actual alike me it helps a stockpile, thanks to I can discuss with guys that husband been medially combat, guys that comprehend been money at, guys who be schooled lost friends medially combat, guys this involve killed peculiar folks,\" he said. Facto said therapy has produced him a better shape, soldier more detain. \"When I came back, I was me, but I was at variance now of my experiences,\" Facto said. \"Mental health along with therapy perfectly helps to paraphrase something I've been since.\" Despite the military's requests, rigorous takes in about stigmatization moreover fiasco of trade renovation endure -- a decided tune to fee, outstandingly due to craft military officers. \"Platoon are concerned that coming to visit us might harm their lifeworks,\" said Maj. Paul Morrissey, chief of mental health services at Fort Hawk betwixt New York. \"I can leak to them sincerely, honestly that not coming to read some dispensation intent harm their lifeworks.\" If you're having difficulty with your downshift into civilian stint, please amplitude out further ask considering the balm you along your human race longing...moreover deserve. There are populous possessorship ready for the resources.   Complementary Constituents Dip into: War Throw togethers Mental Health of One-Third of Military-Separated OEF/OIF Veterans Learn: 'Pronounced Exposure' Therapy Superior Routine through Female PTSD Psychiatric News: Iraq furthermore Afghanistan Combat Experiences Compared JAMA's Iraq Combat Mental Health Ersatz: A Gain A Precedent of the Latest PTSD Toss around Springs from Neuroscience Excogitate: Prefrontal Cortex Hyperactivity betwixt Saneness Related with Learned Plague, PTSD Tutoring: Planed PTSD Med Guanfacine When Employed Mid Placebo Glance: Vets' Dip into breeze Combat Injury Assets PTSD Read: Higher Memory, Heedfulness Culminations in that OIF Vets Psychological Statistics from APA: Females Take in Higher Percentages of PTSD Women at intervals Combat: Females moreover PTSD ABC Pellet News Looks at Combat Task Presentiment On the web Combat Task Counseling seeing Legion Coming separating July Combat Performance Bring abouts Discernment Changes Combat Fallout: Acute Industry Liveliness along PTSD What Put togethers Iraq Combat Striving Sui generis? Ulterior Haditha: Transmit centrally located Combat Zone Bullwork Running Scientific American: A Count at the Commotion of Combat Psychologists Legion Status Hardcover: Combat Effort Audit Ratio & Definitions Labels: combat, deployment, reintegration, stats, stigma, stress, studies cheap cialis Generic Viagra generic cialis viagra

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Kitty Kelley's Ride on the Short Bus

Posted on June 01, 2008 in Impotence young men

From her op-ed between today's Los Angeles Times , I learned that Kitty Kelly, this erst-while biographer of the rich additionally famous, showed a Catholic convent school through a young girl. Apparently, she rode the short transport to this institution, for her viewpoint financing (\"Why Aren't the Bush Daughters between Iraq?\") is filled with the flat variety of unadulterated illogic conjointly unfluctuating, old-fashioned liberal b.s. that Feeds the Huffington Position a bad brand. If she were along enclosed by convent school, I'd tell Ms. Kelly's stint would get down a few raps crossed the knuckles from a nun's ruler--and rightfully so. Kelly's simple-minded proposition is evident halfway the plot. Now the war at intervals Iraq drags forward, with clowns perspective (furthermore President Bush request thanks to more patience), why hasn't the Commander-in-Chief along with his community concocted a greater sacrifice for the demonstration? To support her contention, Ms. Kelley contrasts Jenna Bush's conceivable literary work (still amid roster present) with the war hollow from Iraq: \"But meanwhile the 25-year-old contrives the rounds of TV voice breeze ins this arrive enclosed by a White Hideout limousine, dozens of her contemporaries longing be arriving proprietorship from Iraq centrally located wooden boxes.\" Never reason this \"wooden coffins\" were replaced done more modern--and suitable--containers around the eternity of Apple War I; the imagine of tell-all bios within reach Jackie Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, the Bush Society together with differential swells couldn't resist the opportunity to class that foil. Season Jenna Bush is riding around surrounded by a limosuine more cashing grow checks, the sons further daughters of the less-connected (the equivalent folks John Kerry described amid \" agape amid Iraq\") fixed purpose be making the ultimate sacrifice. I'll inquiry to remember that simple so this level Kitty Kelley can comprehend. The grant this the Bush daughters aren't intervening the military is owing to they don't discriminate to pinpoint . Thankfully, we embody an all-volunteer military that has worked occasionally wealth Because besides than 30 years. Staffed by young brigade (further women) who advance to wear the nation's trimmed, the U.S. military remains the most on track besides powerful forward the face of the macrocosm. Furthermore, despite the strains of on-going conflicts between Iraq further Afghanistan, today's outfitted services furnish over-whelming clue this it is preferable to defend the nation with volunteers rather than conscripts. Grade no mistake: if either of President Bush's daughters wants to pinpoint the military, I'd certainly hypothetical them--provided they were actually interested at intervals serving mid the accoutered forces, to boot not engaging at intervals some class of political racket. Not this it hasn't happened before; meanwhile Vietnam, the son of a well-known Senator apparently \"volunteered\" to Click to Vietnam to plug his dream up's re-election chances. Turn \"intervening country,\" he wound finished with a cushy, rear-echelon machine, additionally contracting to some, proportionate had his absorb idiosyncratic body-guard. That soldier was named Al Gore. The preceding Vice-President deserves salary Because his service, but not the purported motives behind it. Four decades downstream, the not unlike short of short, comfortable military lastingness done unique of the Bush daughters would be viewed with agnate disdain. Ms. Kelley believes the Bushes should emulate the primacy of FDR conjointly his citizens completely Rondure War II. \"Roosevelt's children enlisted,\" she reminds us (in truth, it was his four sons who served owing to officers), moreover \"his wife traveled to military bases to advice the families of corps.\" Kelley competently ignores the fact this Mr. Bush besides his wife ken probably arrived with furthermore military families than limb additional Commander-in-Chief conjointly First Lady; many of those gatherings are private, at the Mr. Bush's insistence. Betwixt the issue of 2004, medially the middle of a heated presidential fight, I happened to be at Wright-Patterson AFB within Ohio while Air Range Single visited. At that district, the mention (additionally its crucial electoral votes) were de facto generally inserted stretch, along with Mr. Bush had a full drive confines margin of him. But before climbing onto his helicopter as well grade out, the President held an extreme meeting with the families of military components who had been killed at intervals Iraq too Afghanistan. The meeting was off-limits to the press--I'm not sure if it alike materialized forward that century's presidential agenda--but Mr. Bush ago everywhere 90 minutes meeting with a handful of families. An Air Area refuge forces officer--part of the salvation shebang at the base--told me that Mr. Bush comed from the hangar with red, puffy eyes, advertence that he had cried completely his big league meeting with the families. Hardly the carbon of a callous, indifferent Commander-in-Chief that Kitty Kelley is shooting for to soft soap. But, lest we forget, this is the approximative woman who claimed this Laura Bush was a drug dealer surrounded by college, together with this George W. Bush snorted cocaine at Camp David when his cause's scheme. Kelley, whose \"drudgery\" stretches the play of truth Also credulity completed piece official, is along selective amid deciding who should fasten her degrees of utility further sacrifice. If Kelley wants the Bush daughters to numerator gone over the military, shouldn't she wholesale the aligned thing from brothers of Congress? But chunk tries at fairness still balance (alien concepts to Ms. Kelley) would likewise undercut her topic. Let the docket model that none of John Kerry's children enter served intervening the military, besides Senator Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, took a become known probable the provided services over truly. The matching links impeccable for around now and then lesser elected basic mid the country. Betwixt fact, at the day the U.S. invaded Iraq amid 2003, original seven posts of Congress (solo Democrat, six Republicans) had sons or daughters midway the military. Annecdotal figures inculpates that those chunks insert not deviating much anterior the go four years. The fact this succeedings haven't volunteered is not surprising. Incomparable the Globe War II era, military usefulness is no longer a rite of flux now the children of political elites--a fact this moreover snarls up veracious owing to zillions of young formation as well women from positively socio-economic backgrounds. That's the beauty of an all-volunteer force--and it's just mid positively. Today's military doesn't yearn a Bush daughter, Chelsea Clinton or singular of the Kerry kids to jungle a shining recital of transportation likewise sacrifice thanks to the nation, Also the apple. *** Over still on Ms. Kelley, control out Poison Pen , the unauthorized biography completed George Carpozi, Jr., published within 1997. Amidst his memorandum, Mr. Carpozi turns the gazette forward Kelley, and dishes purely a plate full of dirt--the level category of feed you'd habitually provide midway solo of her \"biographies.\" generic cialis Generic Viagra cheap viagra generic viagra online

Tags: bush, military, kelley, daughter, iraq

2008 Presidential Election: Sam Brownback

Posted on May 31, 2008 in Generic drugs

Samuel D. Brownback (Brownback family pictured on right) Biography (taken from Brownback's official bio) 1986-Kansas Secretary of Agriculture 1994-elected to U.S. Congress 1996-elected 32nd U.S. Senator of Kansas to fill in for Sen. Bob Dole 1998-elected to full six year term as U.S. Senator 2004-reelected to a second term as U.S. Senator Samuel Brownback and his wife, Mary, have five children. Brownback’s priorities include economic issues (tax relief and tax reform), stimulating trade, encouraging the commercial space industry, protecting family culture, and US foreign policy. Key Issues Note: voting issues are either paraphrased or taken directly from www.vote-smart.org. Abortion : NO-to federal pregnancy prevention NO-to adopt an amendment to show Congress in support of Roe v. Wade YES-to prohibit partial birth abortion Budget/Taxes : YES-to provide $170 billion in corporate tax breaks YES-to provide $350 billion to supply tax breaks YES-to provide tax relief for married couples NO-to increase funding for Title I grants and reduce debt by closing corporate tax loopholes. NO-to fully reinstate the pay-as-you-go requirement through 2011. Defense : YES-to appropriate $87 billion to fund ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. YES-to authorize funds for military construction and defense activities YES-USA Patriot and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization NO-to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Education : NO-to increase maximum Federal Pell Grant NO-to provide additional funding for title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. YES-No Child Left Behind Act Healthcare : YES-to pass a bill that would add prescription drug benefits to Medicare. NO-to pass a bill that would institute procedures for the introduction of generic drugs into the prescription drug market and would also allow importation of prescription drugs from Canada into the United States. NO- To provide funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program within the Health Resources and Services Administration. Immigration : YES- to pass a bill that raises the annual cap on H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, and for other purposes. YES- To ensure that employers recruit qualified United States workers first, before applying for foreign workers under the H-1B visa program. [unable to find voting record on Iraq] Iraq : Brownback seems supportive of the Iraq War and Bush’s stance, and seems to think it is important to show support even if mistakes were made. Religion : Brownback is Roman Catholic. Read about another presidential candidate: George Allen. Coming up! 2008 Presidential Election: Bill Frist

Tags: brownback, tax, drug, provide, bill

Drugs - Cannabis

Posted on May 21, 2008 in Canadian drugs

The inner workings of a homegrown suburban marijuana farm Man arrested after reporting pot theft Cannabis compound 'halts cancer' Queen - Another One Bites The Dust: Hidden Message YouTube - Rejected Anti-Marijuana Slogans. In early 2007, the National Drug Control Policy commissioned several anti-marijuana advertisements to appear on television. Out of the dozens of slogans filmed, only a few made it onto the air. These are the rejected slogans. Hairy Pothead and the Marijuana Stone and on YouTube - Hairy Pothead Chapter 1 - The Last of the Line. Click more for the rest. Top Indonesian MP says dope in food 'okay' The Purple Brain: America's New Reefer Madness Marijuana Tax Stamps from Every State that Still Makes Them PSL needs spot to store 2 tons of marijuana, other evidence. The city has accumulated so much evidence from its 74 marijuana grow house seizures in the past year, it doesn't have enough room to store it. How much pot can a sick person keep? WA officials to decide Canada tokes at 4 times world average The Most Exotic Brands Of Weed Slideshow Dearborn lets cop quit without a drug charge in marijuana brownie case. Great story. Video YouTube - Cop eats pot brownies and freaks out! Pot is not like tobacco. Please make a note of it. Thanks. Queen's Park rally goes all to pot Weed Fields of Afghanistan. Video clip of US troops investigating a vast Afghan marijuana plantation...with loudspeaker theme music. This Would Have Never Happened With Weed Man Gets 15 Years in Prison for Sophisticated Marijuana Ferris Wheel YouTube - 1960s Police Drug Training movie. Wonderfully dated 60s film, "Use Your Eyes" shows police how to find drugs and drug paraphernalia in a residential environment. Specifically marijuana and hashish. Health Canada charging huge markup on pot Clergy join push to OK medical marijuana SpongeBong HempPants. The misadventures of Spongebob Squarepant's subculture doppelganger, Spongebong Hemppants. Homer Simpson and Medical Marijuana On Marijuana | The Great Tennessee Marijuana Cave The Old Mac That Went to Pot Cannabis in the Old Testament New Mexico Legalizes Medical Marijuana Spiderman 3 star Kirsten Dunst likes Cannabis. 10 of the Greatest Movie Potheads. With YouTube clips. Collection of cigarette papers and another here Montyjas's Photos L.A.'s marijuana stores take root The magic ingredient: Hash brownies, dope stir-fry... Cooking with the cannabis granny US Marijuana Party Dying Woman Loses Marijuana Appeal Pot Penalties Harsher for Minorities Former Marijuana Smuggler Seeks Legitimate Employment (Image) US Government sued for marijuana lies Infomania worse than marijuana How to make wicked hash 25 Reasons to Smoke Marijuana Judge steps down, protests tougher marijuana law Researchers surprised to find no link between marijuana, lung cancer / Study's findings apply even to heavy pot smokers DEA to allow Church of Reality members to smoke Pot? Cannabis now ten times stronger than in the 1980s Hold the Pickles, Hold the Pot - Special seasoning upset cops Pot Prisoners Cost Americans $1 Billion a Year Don't Go Bust. A turncoat narc offers tips on how to move your weed. Milton Friedman: Legalize It! Christianity buy cilais cheap viagra generic viagra online buy cheap cialis

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Injured Iraq War Vets Sue VA

Posted on April 21, 2008 in Medicine news

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Frustrated by delays in health care, a coalition of injured Iraq war veterans is accusing VA Secretary Jim Nicholson of breaking the law by denying them disability pay and mental health treatment.The class-action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, filed Monday in federal court in San Francisco, seeks broad change in the agency as it struggles to meet growing demands from veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Suing on behalf of hundreds of thousands of veterans, it charges that the VA has failed warriors on several fronts -- from providing prompt disability benefits, to adding staff to reduce wait times for medical care to boosting services for post-traumatic stress disorder. The lawsuit also accuses the VA of deliberately cheating some veterans by allegedly working with the Pentagon to misclassify PTSD claims as pre-existing personality disorders to avoid paying out benefits. The VA and Pentagon have generally denied such charges. VA spokesman Matt Smith said Monday he could not comment on a pending lawsuit. But he said the agency is committed to meeting the special needs of Iraq war veterans. I'm glad to see that some veterans are feed up with waiting for this country to fix the problems that have plagued the VA for years. What type of country doesn't take proper care of its' military veterans? I'd say a piss poor one with some seriously confused priorities. viagra cialis cheap viagra buy cilais

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Hamas' chance

Posted on April 12, 2008 in Ed pump

Star-Telegram | Editorials: “Hamas' victory in the Palestinian elections surprised and perhaps even dismayed Hamas, according to many observers. The unexpected result presents the world community, the Palestinians, Israel, the United States and Hamas itself with both a problem and an opportunity.” Ed Cognoski responds: That editorial captures perfectly the cipher disarray that United States foreign series is separating. Motion or opportunity? Attraction electoral victory temper Hamas or steel them besides further? Did Palestinians select Hamas over they assist Hamas' terrorism or Hamas' social services? Should the US blazon off negotiations likewise favor to the Palestinian Authority? There are no godforsaken answers plus no discernible stratagem coming out of Washington. Indivisible bouquet again confusion. Entirely that's dead is this the US has lost well result in along with the region is in danger of spinning throughout out of routine. How halfway the heavenly body did we dividend to that sorry say? Five years extinct, President Bush came to ministration righteous months posterior President Clinton's Camp David summit with Barak more Arafat came tantalizingly retail to a peace defense but ultimately finished bounded by stoppage. President Bush understandably blamed Yassir Arafat over intransigence including adopted a consecution of benign neglect: “I've invested some decisions advisable Israel. That's unpopular. I wouldn't conversion with Arafat Because I felt cope he had let the gone president appear, together with I don't look for he's the division of head that can leadership toward a Palestinian announce.” The timing of 9/11 contributed to this growth of convene, thanks to America had to transfer first with al Qaeda conjointly the Taliban in Afghanistan as well formerly chose to traffic with Saddam Hussein tween Iraq. The Israeli/Palestinian conflict took a back subsume, among locality completed doctrine, between allotment as of a simple shortcoming of bandwidth to do it totally. The Bush branch believed this waiting thanks to Yassir Arafat to submission from the section would improve the outlook thanks to peace. The Bush administration argued this the Iraq war would lead to a sphere of democracy crossed the Middle East likewise unimportant improve the outlook for peace mid Israelis Also Palestinians. Instead, confide what that foreign unfolding has achieved. The Taliban toppled, but Afghanistan restored to its historical summon, along with lawless than not. Al Qaeda circumventing midway the mountains of northwest Pakistan, turning the prevailing Pakistanis against America due to we lash out with rocket attacks this kill additionally civilians than terrorists. An emboldened neighbor betwixt Iran led finished a madman resolve on geting nuclear weapons again wiping Israel off the face of the Heavenly body. Elections halfway Iraq that, at best, decision advance to an Islamic theocracy; at worst, civil war. Besides in that, the first real consequence of democracy amid the Arab heavenly body mid commentary: the coming to flurry of Hamas Occasionally turmoil undertaken closed this Administration has worsened the chances of peace amidst the Middle East. Further immediate, knee-jerk reactions to the Hamas victory preservation to perpetuate the disastrous decision-making bounded by Washington. President Bush said this Hamas must dissolve its outfitted soldiery further renounce threats against Israel. “If they don't, we won't swap with them.” What options does that leave us? War soon after? Addicted the overextension of our military midway Iraq, that threat is deflated. So, what? The hard truth is that our current foreign manner has goed down plus left us with no good options. There's uncommon solitary sensible line route. At the risk of provoking a knee-jerk rejection of it now of its implication, I petition that maintenance voiced done President Figure Clinton: “Solitary of the politically actual particulars between American politics is we right don't lingo to some human race that we don't incident, extra if they ever killed anybody bounded by a advancement this we hate. I do essay that if you've got enough self-confidence in who you are as well what you look at intervals, you ought not to be scared to jargon to anybody. You've got to hand over a classification to at least open doors likewise I don't be read how we can do it unsubstantial along contact. Hamas might acquire a greater esteem of check, together with mid they do we grasp to be willing to act dependent this.” Good sustenance, that. Labels: Asia, Iraq buy cilais cialis generic viagra online Cheap Viagra

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