Looks like approval rating of about .00000035%

Bluebear 2 and Kira,

I think with numbers this low and everyone against him, the only thing Bush can do right is resign.

So flood the white house for him to resign, its time.
president@whitehouse.gov

Remember he's not done one thing right, since the Iraq war tanked. He hates his job and looks tired. Plus, impeachment trials will only make things worse. Washington is a disaster, and until we get it under control Bush won't be held accountable.

So lets make sure he resigns entirely! And oh yeah, prepare for the worldwide ICC trials for Cheney and their surrogates....

Doug E.

Ahh, the old propaganda by omission trick. Thanks John and Brad for reporting on this, otherwise, we would have never known the truth.

wow, sorry i missed it. Me and some of my friends represented Women in Black against the war on Charles St, in Baltimore. Even we lasted 4 hours and attracted passers by.

I would say a LOT of people drove by, some in peace decorated cars, honking and giving us a thumbs up or peace sign. A LOT cheered, waved and smiled.

Some walked by god blessing us for what we were doing. And some joined us and stood for a while.

ONLY two people yelled at us for not supporting the "War on Terror" one was some ditto head looking guy in a convertible who yelled. "War brings Peace."

An elderly lady and her husband walked by, and she screamed at us that 'we" should go to Iraq and that we were supporting the Terrorists and we should be ashamed of ourselves. Her husband pulled her along.

One African American gentleman did shout we should be concerned about New Orleans. Which I don't blame him. Unfortunately, I am doing all I can on that front. I have been covering the abominations that have happened to the citizens of the gulf coast on my news site . .in the only way i know how to make people aware.

O' yah, I was even interviewed on camera for Indy Media. . . . so I did talk about New orleans then and how a lot of their national guard was in Iraq instead of helping here at home where the National Guard belongs. I hope i did ok on camera.

But well, at least WE lasted FOUR hours from 11am to 3PM, the times designated by Women in Black.

I hope Camp Katrina on the mall in DC is thriving. I would have liked to have been in 2 places at once yesterday.

Ok that came out wrong. Strike unfortunately. That was a total mis speak. Am I allowed to mis speak? Cripes i sounded like freakin Bush.

What I meant was "unfortunately, i am not in a position financially to do more for those victims of Katrina, However, i am doing my best to get the news out on my website, which I am hopeful will get to people who CAN do something to help those people.

JPentz, you rock

Doug,

Help me out please. What exactly are worldwide ICC Trials?

Guess I'm just a little out of the loop there.

I have to leave now, but I'll check back later - it sounds good!

You do as well Brad !!! Thank you for all you do!

Will post pictures as soon as my friend sends them.

Bluebear,

ICC is the International Criminal Court.

An international criminal court world trial takes place at the Hague traditionally, in Deutschland. Thtere a tribunal convicts and sometimes kills a member convicted of war crimes.

That's where Cheney and all his surrogates must be placed and thats out job.

Doug E.

See video and chickenhawks at:

www.mykeru.com

Correction:
See video of the "big" "freedom march" and a lot of chickenhawks at:

www.mykeru.com

Does anyone have any word on (or pictures from) Camp Katrina?

Daily Dissent also had a picture of people at the Wargasm Walk for Sept 11.

HERE

While I doubt they got the size crowd they wanted ( or the White House claims HERE ), there were quite a few people celebrating the War on Terra. Funny thing is, a lot of folks interviewed said they didn't even realize it was a tax-payer funded event thrown by the Department of Defense - they said they were just there to support the troops.

Doug,

Bush will not resign (as much as I hope to be wrong). Our best option is to take Congress in 2006. That's where our efforts should be. I believe that Cindy, DSM and Rovegate (and sadly Katrina) will help but letters and calls to Congress (and the unread and unheard sent to the WH) won't do it.

Someone needs to set the press straight about how many showed for the Pentagon-organized Rally for War. Send 'em a photo or two along with the real non-Rovian numbers of how many showed up.

Geez, it even sounds demented to say 'rally for war'.

DONT GIVE BUSH ANYMORE CREDIT THAN HE IS DUE.

He is a whiny stuckup brat, and all that matters to him is image. He will resign unconditionally if enough pressure is applied, that's how the chuckzpah works.

Honestly everyone needs to force him to resign. The rest of the squad will be much easier to deal with once Bush leaves.

ROLLCALL

Kestrelbrighteyes - I'm sorry to see that picture. It's sad there were that many people marching. It wasn't photo-shopped was it? :hopeful:

ALSO: I've been concerned about the Red Cross as a place to donate to victims of Katrina. I haven't seen a discussion here - but might have missed it - so:

Which organizations are getting high marks for getting our donations to the victims of Katrina? I found this link, but would like to know if anyone has more info or better info. Thanks.

American Institute of Philanthropy

Doug E #9

Thanks, That is what I was guessing. Although I haven't heard the Official Name I was aware of the court in the Hague for trying war crimes etc.

That is where they belong for sure. I seem to recall charges already being brought against Bush and Co there last spring.

I don't recall the context though.

Kira #16

I checked this out a while back.

This site evaluates charities, Charity Navigator. There's a good link there about avoiding scams, and also the info. to be sure to earmark funds for a particular cause, e.g. Katrina relief.

One that came out with high marks is Direct Relief International.

Hey Valley Girl - I'm looking at the link I gave in my #16 for the American Institute for Philanthropy, and see that Direct Relief Intl. only gets a B+. Did you look at the list there? I haven't checked to figure out why they only gave them a B+. Red Cross is rated A-.

"AIP, a leading charity watchdog that issues letter grade (A to F) ratings of nonprofit groups, identifies the following relief charities, which are providing aid to the victims. These charities have received an “A” or “B” grade based on the portion of their budget going to program services and their fundraising efficiency."

Hey Guys,

Operating out of California now, for a few weeks before I go back.

I have come to the mental end with this administration. Where are the patriots in this generation that are willing to force the issue, at any cost. Where are the militia's of individuals calling for the resignation of this administration or war against this governement.

Where did this generations patriots go? Are they hibernating or where they never there. Who am I? And what am I willing to sacrifice? What is necessary to sacrifice? How does it start?

Damn, perhaps we all beleive the wrong thing. The buck should stop with the president. But I am begining to beleive FDR meant that on a more personal level, the buck stops here. Perhaps the buck stops with each and everyone of us, and we have not gotten the clue yet. The buck stops with me. What am I and what are you willing to sacfrifice?

Charlie- New Orleans

Hey Charlie - N.O. - Big Hugs to you & yours. I'm trying to find the best way to give to Katrina victims. Do you have any first-hand knowledge of a group that is most worthy?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please visit this link to read all about the 10 ways/groups you can donate to. I'm copying a few of them, but the whole site is a very important read. Many, many good ways to help and other things needed by groups other than money.

Thanks - Kira
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

10 Great Ways You Can Help

"As often happens in big disasters, huge enterprises like the Red Cross and the Salvation Army and others get the bulk of the money raised (the Red Cross has already raised over $350 million). Sometimes these big operations do not have the nimbleness or the understanding of the local community to apply the aid in the smartest and most strategic way. That's when we have to trust the people we know, and the local grassroots groups that have been serving their communities for decades.

What follows is one list of 10 great things happening in response to Hurricane Katrina. These are deserving places for your support, whether it is to give housing, use your tech skills, volunteer or give hard cash."

# American Friends Service Committee (via veteran reporter Doug Ireland): "If you'd like to make a donation that will actually help the poorest citizens of New Orleans, Biloxi, and the many small Southern towns devastated by Katrina, you should do so through the American Friends Service Committee. They've established a special Hurricane Relief fund. The AFSC was founded by Quakers in 1917 to provide conscientious objectors with an opportunity to aid civilian war victims. It's still Quaker-run, and its sterling history of agitation and education for peace is matched by its long record, for nearly a century, of lean, effective, on-the-ground service to victims of war and famine. A gift to the AFSC won't be wasted."

# Cindy Sheehan and Veterans for Peace. From Michael Moore: "Join with me in bypassing the colossally inept and incompetent Bush administration and get help DIRECTLY to the people of the New Orleans area --- right now. Many don't know who to trust. I have a way, though, for each and every one of us to do something that can affect people's lives TODAY. I've been working with a group that, I guarantee you, will get direct aid to the people who need it most. Cindy Sheehan, the brave woman who dared to challenge Mr. Bush at his summer home has joined The Veterans for Peace set up camp in Covington, Louisiana, on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. They are accepting materials and personally distributing them to those in need and are going to be delivering much-needed supplies." Needed now: paper plates, paper towels, toilet paper, baby diapers, baby wipes, baby formula, Pedialyte, baby items in general, powder, lotion, handy wipes, sterile gloves, electrolytes, LARGE cans of veggies, school supplies, and anything else to lift people's spirits. Visit VFPRoadTrips.org for instructions on shipping these things, or driving them there yourself.

# Supporting local foundations and organizations. From Sara Van Gelder, editor of Yes Magazine: "Here are some local groups who need donations to enable them to provide immediate disaster relief. These groups come well-recommended by trusted sources as organizations with a long-term commitment to stricken areas and a strong track record of making a difference."

a slight correction is in order re #9, where Doug Eldritch wrote

"ICC is the International Criminal Court.

An international criminal court world trial takes place at the Hague traditionally, in Deutschland."

The Hague is in The Netherlands, which is also known as Holland, and the people who live there are called Dutch.

But Deutschland is something quite different.

Gambitch: We ship them there anyway because they are forced to recognize it. Taking away someone kicking and screaming is the same thing as taking them away....

We drag them away kicking and screaming to the Hague. And by the way I know it is in Holland, I thought they also call the Netherlands deutscheland though?

Doug E.

Hi Charlie - my best thoughts and wishes will be with you when you return home. I like your idea of personal responsibility, and I'll take my share, happily, but I think HST meant it literally. He was, after all, civil society's CEO and the military's commander in chief. Chain of command, and all that. Hi Gambitch - If the US were a signatory at least they'd have a chance to try them here first rather than shipping them to The Hague in the Netherlands for trial there. Our not being part of the statute means that the bad guys will be unable to ever leave the States again for fear of being detained in any signatory nation and shipped to The Hague for trial for which, even thought they might not recognize the court, they would be incarcerated until their cases were disposed of. But I don't think they really mind being cooped up, since they have no use for the rest of the world anyway.

Bob in Prague

Doug,
Deutschland is Germany.

Doug, Deutschland is what the people who live in Germany call their country. Nederlanden is what the Dutch call their country (we call it the Netherlands). They speak Dutch in the Netherlands, and although it's linguistically close to German, even someone who knew neither language could hear the difference, and anyonbe who knew one of them wouldn't be able to understand much in the other. You should check Europe out. It's pretty cool, even though I learned to my amazement from some highly placed government official or other that it's less than half the size of the Gulf Coast region that got hit by Katrina.

Bob again

The BCFOL is protected by the neocons in Congress and the Supreme Court. There is no threat of impeachment at this time. We must vote them out and make sure the votes are counted.

PRIMAL SCREAM

I feel like a scream that is silent...

like a natural disaster that is inevitable,

watching the big bang theory,

played out on TV,

unheard, unwanted and ignored.

Mother earth can not take much more before...

she will shake off violently the diabolical,

the greed, the apathy, the lies, the hate,

the pavement and money that cover Her skin.

How much more of everything need be made...

are We going to sell, buy and throw out,

before the world dies, before the end,

before We awake, and find love.

We think You can scam and We can buy and sell...

a new jungle, our way out, our freedoms,

our way to love and new trees,

and this dance is boring and catastrophic,

a real life boring catastrophe

big bang theory being realized here and now.

You and We are driving full speed into our family trees...

with our foot... hard down on the gas...

toward extinction,

to an inevitable collective,

fade out kind of insanity,

global group suicide.

Wake up, hit the breaks, stop the madness...

YouWe are out of our forever greedy, throw away minds,

and the unborn children are going to be mad as hell,

when they become aware next year,

and ask why, what the evil are you doing... and why.

Stop it... just say no, mellow out, slow down fast...

sacrifice today for tomorrows child-run fast

wake up, smell the sleep

and

use up the our eternal... LOVE

9/11 Truth Rally Marches In Front Of NY Media

9/11 Truth: End The Media Blackout

Doug,

I don't think we can, or should, just drag them over to the Hague kicking and screaming, for the rather technical reason that the act of doing so is not in accordance with international law. Violating international law in order to haul in a couple of violators of international law sounds, you know, strange, to me.

Of course, if there's some way to get America to first become an ICC signatory, I'm all for it. I'm just a stickler for following the rules to get something done.

Brad: Get William Rodriguez on one of your shows.

We need to start a website to help the President get on with his life... send him back to Crawford.

It could be a satirical pro-Bush website that explains how he is tired, stressed, and underappreciated... and that we should push for his return to Crawford where he can ride bikes, go to baseball games, and trade inside stock tips with his buddies.

Then we could have a pro-Bush impeachment rally.

Could be nice.

I don't have the server space or the time to do it... but somebody should.

Maybe the folks thet were not there were down in NO, Mississippi, LA helping the victims. Like Dr. Dean. Oh wait he never showed.

or in Deutschland looking for the Hague

Where was John Kerry by the way. They could have used his 3 months of war boatsman expertice down there.

Was it George Carlin who once asked about the sound of "one hand clapping?"

We now have the answer to the Vietnam-era question, "What would happen if they gave a (freedom walk) and nobody came?" The answer? They'd still claim thousands of people were there.

After this photo and the scenes from New Orleans, Karl Rove must hate cameras. Damn technology!

I can't believe my eyes! Is this for real?

Bush Takes Blame

If Bush is willing to take blame for this disaster, like the recent reports indicate...

Bush accepts his failure

Then he needs to do the only right thing there is, he needs to fucking resign.

It was his fault for being so short-sighted and caring more about money and the Iraq war. He can't blame that on anybody. Its time he sobers up and resigns, that's the only right thing to do. America hates him for his failings.

Think about this. We can't prosecute Bush right away even if we can start impeachment proceedings. He'll be free as a bird for quite a while. The best thing to do is just have him resign.

That way the canard "problem" is resolved and America can get back to accountability.

For his failure and other criminal negligence as well as documented lies, he must resign.

And don't think for a second America's cause will falter, we have to get rid of Cheney and his sociopaths....if Bush's out, we can have a true investigative panel get Cheney,Rumsfeld and pals thrown in jail.

Then we can get them to the Hague. I fully believe we can prosecute the bastards. And that Cheney will accept a death sentence at the Hague if there is no other option.

But its god damn time....Bush has to leave period. Do the only dignified thing, since he has failed the country miserably. Resign and spend time with his family.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY I!

Doug

THE CORPORATE BUSHIT BAND is performing live to promote their greatest coverups. A botched investigation by FEMA to coverup all evidence of any government involvement in 911, 2 rigged presidential elections, and their personal ongoing favorite, the freedom war of Iraq. Where's all that corporate dollar publicity?

Doug # 40

Isn't that "Aye"?

Here's mine: Aye

Aye is correct!!

Much better for all involved if he just resigns even though we can get impeachments started....it goes quicker, less bloody.

Besides we all know no matter what * will get off scott free for a while, he never says the buck stops here....he lets his cronies do massively evil things and then supports them later by saying he had nothing to do with it.

Read the modus operandi...

Doug E.

Democrats need to just make the final deal.....Bush resigns for good and Roberts gets confirmed immediately

After all, Roberts will get confirmed anyway and everyone will hate bush anyway. Roberts is a maniac federalist whacko, and Democrats can't stop him regardless.

Plus that sets up a winning situation for Bush, cause Roberts can just "throw out" his most serious criminal offenses....he'll still do time but not the time of those PNAC psychos. Win win, for everybody....

Yes I know its called lets make a deal.....America is in such a shit state there's not any options but "lets make a deal" anyway.

Doug E

"The Buck Stops Here" is Harry S. Truman.

Keep lamblasting Congress & Bush and his Adm. with cries for their resignations. Eventually the sound will become deafening.

Re #9 and #22:

I thought it important to point out that the US is one of a very small number of countries who have failed to ratify the Rome Statute of the ICC. In fact, Bush un-signed the US from the statute in 2002, after Clinton had signed it shortly before leaving office.

You can read about it here:
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/icc-US_threats-eng

So basically you've got a problem shipping Bush, Cheney and Rummy to the Hague court they refuse to recognize.

{ed note: Deleted due to repeated, flagrant violations of the very few rules we have here: Insulting other commenters, posing under different names, etc.}

Cover-up: toxic waters 'will make New Orleans unsafe for a decade'

This EPA person was on Air America this morning.

Yet another coverup for the convenience of the Corporations which thru bush & buddies running this country.

Wonderful photo and article ! Thank you.

Just found out our high school allows military recruiters access to the kids EVERY day at lunch time and they even have an office in the school.

The No Child Left Behind Act Section 9528 clearly states military to have ONLY as much access as any other recruiter, college, employer etc.

Have faxed both Principal and Superintendent of schools, contacted several parents, with 17 year old sons. This is going to stop ! We are getting a group together to attend the next School Board meeting. Didn't even know this was going on til a chance comment from my child.

I wonder how many other schools this is happening too and we don't even know.

Texas Lady - go to Michael Moore's website. He has a link to a form to fill out to exempt your children.

In my boring nature, I was watching CSPAN on Sunday morning just after the Washington Journal and a fairly good number of Pentagon families went on the walk.

Texaslady

Same thing in my grandson and grandaughter's high school. Complaints got us nothing. We are countering it with the Opt Out program , which is legal. Many groups here are leafleting the area schools, but if the child does not take it to the parent (signature of parent required), it's not much use. I don't know what else can be done.

I think our friend Ken might be a bit overwrought over the fact that Bush has accepted responsibility for the federal government's failures in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

After all, he spent several days (and a lot of passionate rhetoric about Constitutional divisions of power) telling us it wasn't Uncle Sam's job to repair the damage to people and property. Now Bush has acknowledged that it was.

Gee, Ken...you'd better check with Karl Rove before your next post. Get on the same page with the boss, man. There's nothing so pathetic as a loyal Boswell who doesn't know what his master is thinking.

Texaslady,

I don't understand why you would not want the best and the brightest kids defending your freedoms in the military. You and the world complains about the stupid ones playing highschool pranks on detainees in Iraq why not help get some of the rich smart ones into the army. I can bet you that Bush would not win the next election for president and by the time these kids get out of high school and military training they would not have to serve very long under bush. Do you hate the military so bad you want to ses it fail?

HCOCDR, they weren't high school pranks. It was torture. The U.S. military's own report said that, and so did the Red Cross. Those who have been sent to Iraq are not there to defend anyone's freedom, not mine and not that of the Iraqis.

I don't want to see the military fail, but if they do fail it will be their doing and not mine.

You want to see torture you should have seen what was going on in Iraq before we got here, you should see what happens to the people that are taken by the tuckfuriest here, you should see how the women are treated, and how Saddam went into the villages here and pulled the young girls from their famlies and forced them the work in his palaces and become playthings for his sons and the soldiers. When you look at the baby clothes rapped around the tiny bones in the mass graves, or you see the photos of the mothers fases as they clutched their dying children breathing in poision gas dropped from the planes. The 50,000,000 Iraqi people here are free thanks to us. Thanks to our President. Yes, they do give us flowers and thank us everyday. The New Iraq Army is growing stronger every day. They are taking it to the Anti-Iraqi-Forces and freedom and liberity will not be stopped here.

eye doug

Kool-aid.

Ahh Commander HOC, you know no amount of torture done there could make up for the torture going on with them now.

After all, blackwater mercenary contractors are handling all the....problems themselves and 'situations' that come out.

Former torturers with black death faces have been hired by these mercs, and the USA to police the whole country. Nah, its no big deal. Only 10000 times worse than before...

Soldiers who aren't fabricated in some delusional captain-america comic book out of bill o'reilly's ass, are actually coming home mentioning they were in hell. Iraq is hell, what a thought. They despise hell so badly they never want to return. Guess the "green zone pizza parlor" wasn't what the leaders thought, since it would take 20 years of UN generals to now clean up the real non-fiction Iraq.

Doug

The Iraqi people are free? Free from what? Suicide bombs? Nope. American occupation troops? Nope. Tribal rivalries? Nope.

They're free from Saddam Hussein. That's it. One tyrant is under arrest. They've held an election and tried unsuccessfully to draft a constitution. But the country is no freer and no more united now than it was during the first Gulf War...possibly less so. And what the average Iraqi wants more than anything else under the brutal sun is for American troops to get the hell out of his country. Now.

140 or more free Iraqis dead this morning from suicide bombers who did not exist here before we came in the name of stopping terror.

Ask Israel if they exsisted.

My freedom can be defended on American soil by my son and two other family members stationed in Afganistan and Iraq.

And, call from Principal today, military recruiters are knocked down to 2 times a month only and no office on the campus. I am still amazed.

The best and brightest need to STAY ALIVE.

You need to read Senator Byrd's article, he says it is time Iraq stands on it's own feet and begin bringing our people home.

HCOCDR or troop as you call yourself - have you checked the new Iraq consititution for women?
Their rights have dropped back 50 years.

Which dictator would you like to go take out next there are plenty around, and just take the troops
that like to kill with you, let the rest come home.
Just for instance Niger which are letting children starve, thats pretty bad.

Nana - google 20 U.S.C.@7908 which takes you into Section 9528 which is signed by Ron Paige and D.Rumsfeldt.

the school has to allow equal access to employment, college etc. recruiters as they do for military recruiters. Copy these and send to your Superintendent and ask why military are getting more access. Attend your School Board meeting and ask why they allow this? One question I had was would you allow tobacco companies to distribute cigarettes?
Write to your newspapers and let the parents know about OPT Out and what the school is doing. Schools hate pressure from parents.

And - unitedforpeace.org has a counter recruitment 101 with facts that recruiters do not tell the kids.
Like the $100. a month the army holds out for the GI Bill supposedly toward tuition but then is counted as income and taken off what you can get for tuition.

OR the Delayed Enlistment program - which you can sign up change your mind - don't let the recruiters tell you opposite.

Wonderful, wonderful information and there is a link to grandmothers for peace.

I called a phone number listed on one of those sites and again got such helpful information for a peaceful protest.
www.leavemychildalone.com will give you lists of organizations in your part of the country to help persuade the school officials to follow the law.

if we each just take the first step, maybe we can save a life.

TexasLady,
I wish there was a handout with true info re enlistment & Iraq war (including DU information) that was posted and/or handed out to the school kids. A requirement ... sort of like Enlistment 101 for kids.

Kira actually there is it is called Counter Recruitment 101 and get it from www.unitedforpeace.org

One paragraph explains when you are signing this contract with the Army..the contract is binding to you but not to them.

They can change anything that was promised, your pay, allowances, benefits without notice.

I guess what makes me so angry is the tuition lie,
so many kids want help with education but are not told exactly how it is computed so when and if they get out of the service and apply get quite a sticker shock.

But you are right, they also need to know about the side effects like DU, or fighting to get benefits while lying in the hospital.

I was informed that I should be allowed to offer opposing literature each time recruiters are handing out their brochures. Probably have to find the Law for that as well but I will.

WOW, Texaslady, thanks for the bounty of info. I'm ready.

I don't know how prevalent this is around the country, but when my son went to use his VA to buy a house, he found not one realator or seller in our area who would touch a VA loan. Period. Not interested.

TX you are wrong about the military and you are wrong about Iraq.

"""HCOCDR or troop as you call yourself - have you checked the new Iraq consititution for women?
Their rights have dropped back 50 years""""

I have checked it. Have you????

CHAPTER TWO: Rights and Freedoms

Part One: Rights

Article (14): Iraqis are equal before the law without discrimination because of gender, ethnicity, nationality, origin, color, religion, sect, belief, opinion or social or economic status.

Article (15): Every individual has the right to life and security and freedom and cannot be deprived of these rights or have them restricted except in accordance to the law and based on a ruling by the appropriate judicial body.

Article (16): Equal opportunity is a right guaranteed to all Iraqis, and the state shall take the necessary steps to achieve this.

Article (20): Citizens, male and female, have the right to participate in public matters and enjoy political rights, including the right to vote and run as candidates.

Care to read ours 86 years ago.

There are some bad guys here but most believe in doing whats right. We will and should continue to help them defeat those who don't we can never build walls around our country to keep them out just as our policies helped take down those walls that kept people in.

So, Hcocdr - just out of curiousity, what's your job over there in Iraq?

Sorry to disapoint you Ms. TX. Do you think we can thank Ms. Cindy for this?

http://www.estripes.com/...le=31566&section=104

The Army brought in 5,455 active-duty recruits in August, about 200 more than its goal for the month, as all four services reached their targets. The Navy, Marines and Air Force all will be able to meet their annual goals by the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30, if they maintain their current rates...

Defense officials said retention numbers among the four services remain ahead of goals for the year.

Anthony Cordesman, a defense expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Army’s recruiting problems earlier in the year might be less significant in the short term when compared to those high retention figures.

“Retention is great deal more important when you’re in a war because you need skilled personnel,” he said. “And retention tends to be good in war, because people want to finish their mission.”

Kira - I have three family members in Iraq and Afganistan...not one has as much free time as HCOCDR has...makes you wonder doesn't it?

HCOCDR you need to expand your research to those who are actually in Iraq right now...like Darh Jamail, or Arron Glantz...one cannot learn without exploring both sides of the issues. I try to read yours but you say the same thing over and over without any facts.

Do you ever wonder why when it was Saudis that committed the 9/11 crime (so the story goes)
and OBL is a Saudi national. And women can't even drive a car in Saudi...we are fighting for Iraq's democracy? Why aren't we fighting for Saudi democracy?

And again why haven't one Bush family member enlisted in the Noble Cause. I guess your life is more expendable than theirs. Think about it.

Mission = to put Islam as the offical religion of the state, and the basis of it's legislation. Clerics will govern, that is theocracy, not democracy. They will be no better off.

Bring them home, and TAKE CARE OF THEM WHEN THEY GET HOME!

Cindy Sheehan points out,

"not one Senator, Congress person or member of Bush's criminal administration has any loved one serving in Iraq"

Why, if it's such a noble cause ?

HCOCDR - google Iraq women's rights -
World War 4 Report

08/10/05 - 600 hundred women demonstrated in the streets imploring the UN to ensure their rights.

08/16/05 - Abu Dubai online magazine story by Rhys Jones "unless sweeping changes are made there will be a huge erosion of 13 million women's rights." Rights they have enjoyed since 1959.

08/29/05 - Iraqi activist - Safia Taleb having second thoughts about the success she celebrated with a two finger victory sign. We have lost all the gains we made over the past 30 years. It's a big disappointment. Human rights should not be linked to Islamic sharia law at all.

(Bush stated he did not understand that womens rights are being threatened with this new constituition)

08/28/05 - Top Sunni Hajim al-Hassani stated too much religion and too little protection of women's rights are being written into the constituition.

Yanar Mohammed of the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq claims the new draft constituion could lead to the Talibanization of Iraq and escalation of violence toward women.

New law set to be passed states a ban on a widow from working for 3 months following the death of her husband. Who will feed her children?

Women will have equal rights AS LONG as they don't contradict religious values.
The 25% quota of women in decision making bodies was agreed upon in 2003-04 HOWEVER it has been amended and is now only for the first two elections.

YOU GO NANA ! Can you believe there are more support pro-peace groups in Florida than Texas.
Imagine that. But I have heard from several in just the few days I have been researching. So we are getting stronger.

Oh yes, Pentagon has hired a BeNow Inc. of Wakefield, MA, marketing firm to compile info on kids from 16 - college age. Privacy advocates said the plan is to circumvent laws that restrict government's right to collect citizen information by turning it over to private firms to do the work.

Start looking around and if 7-11 convenience stores and others have recruiting literature out, call the corporate offices and see what their policy is.
One person told me they were able to remove the literature at certain stores. Also remove it from Town Hall bulletin boards.

Kira had a great idea, we need information on counter military like the effects of DU, what it means when you sign the contract and what the military can do to you. A enlisted person has sold their heart, body and soul when in the military.

Let me know if I can help with more information.
Good luck

Doug - The ICC in The Hague wil never sentence anyone to death. The death sentence is an anachronism observed by very few countries, the US in particuar in this case. The civilized world has long reealized that it is a brutal, counter-productive practice appealing to the all too human desire for revenge. I personally think that incarceration for the rest of their miserable lives is more fitting for these creeps. And people, please stop feeding the Ho Commander. Having served for four years as a soldier myself I could never hate the military, but when I was in (65 to 69) I did indeed hate the treads, pukes, and just plain lifers who toed the LBJ/RMN line so feverishly and blindly. America, love it or leave it! they used to chant, to which I replied, America, save it or screw it! I think Ho Commander has inhaled too much DU already, and I really wish he could get his mind right, because that's something I wouldn't wish on anyone. Let's stop this madness now!

Bob in Prague

Saw a few minutes of freedom walk on tv. Did they all have matching t shirts and seem a tad apathetic? Kinda' staged looking.