The Patraeus Effect: No one allowed out of the Green Zone

by Geezer Power …7:21PM PDT

Diplomatic Convoys Curtailed in Iraq

By MATTHEW LEE
The Associated Press
Tuesday, September 18, 2007; 6:53 PM

WASHINGTON — The United States on Tuesday suspended all land travel by U.S. diplomats and other civilian officials throughout Iraq, except in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone. The move follows a weekend incident involving private security guards protecting a diplomatic convoy in which a number of Iraqi civilians were killed.

In a notice sent to Americans in Iraq, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said it had taken the step to review the security of its personnel and possible increased threats to those leaving the Green Zone while accompanied by such security details.

~MORE~

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The American Nation is Disintegrating…Truth Suppressed!

by GEF @ 6:22 PM EDT

Two Videos which tell us exactly what’s going on in this Country and in Iraq! Our Constitution is being held Hostage by our Government!! Hat Tip to C&L!

The Assault On Free Speech In America

By: Logan Murphy on Wednesday, September 19th, 2007 at 8:45 AM – PDT

On Tuesday’s Hardball, Joe Conason from The New York Observer and Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink had a lot to say about Monday’s controversial tasering of a University of Florida student and go in depth about the state of free speech, or lack thereof, in America today. The discussion of free speech zones and political expression took an interesting turn when Benjamin claimed to have been pulled out out of a Hillary Clinton rally for wearing a shirt that read “Troops. Home. Now.”

VIDEO LINK

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Bill Maher on The Situation Room: Cutting through the spin

By: Nicole Belle @ 7:11 PM – PDT

(guest blogged by Bill W.)

Bill Maher, just as straightforward as ever, helps Wolf Blitzer cut through all of the spin about the war in Iraq, President Bush and Gen Petraeus’ “Enron Surge Report,” the reasons behind the Democratic majority’s failure thus far to bring about a change of direction in Iraq, and of course, Sen Larry Craig:

Blitzer: You know he’s back, Larry Craig, he came back to congress today. He showed up for a Republican strategy meeting, still saying his intent is to resign, but it’s not a hundred percent. What do you think he should do?

Maher: I’d love to see him stay. I’d love to see him stay and run for President. I’d love for him to take what’s left of that party down with him. …

VIDEO LINK

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First the Good News…

anthony @ 19:35 BST

Foreign policy expert says Bush has ruled out first-strike on Iran…

President Bush is not going to bomb Iran…

…Now the Bad

…unless an “accidental” incident forces his hand, according to well-respected foreign policy moderate Steve Clemons, who laid out his case in Wednesday’s Salon article, “Why Bush Won’t Attack Iran.”

Clemons, director of the American Strategy Program at New America Foundation and publisher of The Washington Note, says Bush has deviated from a Cheney-laid track to launch a first-strike on Iran, citing, as examples, frustrations that the vice president’s aides are airing, a conversation with a journalist who sat in on a December 2006 strategy meeting, and private conversations with high-level foreign policy players.

More…

Related Stories: More Bad News, I’m Afraid…

Bolton: US would support preemptive Israeli strike on Iran

President Bush’s former United Nations ambassador John Bolton said the United States would stand behind a pre-emptive strike by Israel against countries developing “WMD facilities.”

In his remark, printed in Tuesday’s edition of the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot, Bolton directly referenced Iran.

“The greatest concern is to prevent Iran and other countries in the region from acquiring nuclear weapons,” Bolton said, according to JTA.org, a Jewish news service. “We’re talking about a clear message to Iran — Israel has the right to self-defense –and that includes offensive operations against WMD facilities that pose a threat to Israel. The United States would justify such attacks.”

Bolton’s remarks follow an Israeli airstrike on Syria Sept. 6 against what US officials described as an effort to attack nuclear material the country had received from North Korea.

More…

Israeli Attack on Syria Could Presage Strike on Iran

Reports surfaced this week that Israel had launched an air attack against a site in Syria believed to be a nuclear-related facility containing material delivered by North Korea.

The Sept. 6 air strike generated surprisingly little outcry from the rest of the world, and not as much press as might be expected.

But it could have major implications: Some see the attack as a warning to Iran that Israel will not allow a nuclear-armed adversary in the region.

More…

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China’s Ultimatum: Let Us Invade Taiwan Or We’ll Dump The Dollar

anthony @ 18:50 BST

Financial analyst says China could use huge dollar reserves as blackmail for beefing superpower status

Paul Joseph Watson

The Fed’s decision to cut interest rates again is likely to send the dollar tumbling to historic new lows, leading one financial analyst to predict that China’s fury at the devaluation of its huge dollar reserves will provoke them into giving the U.S. government a terse ultimatum – let us invade Taiwan unopposed or we’ll dump the dollar and bring about economic chaos.

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