First, while I’m thinking about it…has anybody noticed this really bizarre ad on the article pages? It’s a photo of Obama and Ahmadinejad, - head shots, and naturally it’s one where Ahmadinejad is looking a more than less frenzied, (he sort of goes back and forth) but still no MORE frenzied than McCain looks crazed. Anyway, there’s THAT ‘imagery’ for the eye to ponder. And the text poses this question:

“Is it OK to Unconditionally Meet with Anti-American Foreign Leaders?”

Now how LAME is that? Even for the uniformed.

Then, right below the ‘question’ is a ‘yes’ button and a ‘no’ button, to click.

Well, I’m EXTREMELY resistant to propaganda. I admit that I haven’t always been ‘this’ resistant to it, but these past 8 years of rabbit hole stuff, and all of the alternative realities, has just taken an enormous toll on me, resulting (at least sometimes) in an outwardly hostile rejection of anything STUPID! Still, I figured what the hell, and clicked the ‘yes’ button. (actually, I was sort of curious to know what it was about, and I’d missed the really, really, really, tiny print at the bottom).

And of course I would click ‘yes’..absolutely. How else are you gonna find out anything from these alleged ‘anti-American Foreign (is that an oxymoron) leaders, if you don’t talk to ‘em? And now that I think about that, is there a difference between anti-American “Foreign” leaders and any other kind of anti-American leaders? I mean, if they aren’t ‘foreign’ then that would make them anti-American, *American* leaders, right? How STUPID is that? Well, maybe not so stupid if we consider Dick Bush et al, since they’re about as ANTI-American as they come. But, they aren’t ‘leaders’. They’re tyrannical dictators.

So I click the button, and the response is: “Elect a leader with good judgment”. (Well, I PLAN to) and it’s an ad for John McCain, with a space to sign-up for more propaganda. So, more rabbit hole stuff…John McCain, - good judgment? See what I mean? All of the language from the totalitarian propaganda machine is a flip of reality. It’s ‘antitheses-speak.” Anything they say actually means something else, and usually the opposite. Some folks would just call them flat out LIES, but that isn’t always enough to explain the phenomena.

Meantime, they must think that this stuff actually ‘works’ or they wouldn’t keep doing it? On the other hand, stuff like this is a TOTAL insult to the average person’s intelligence, (which is how Hillary lost her no-so-inevitable crown) so you’d THINK they would have figured that out by now.

Anyway, I just wondered if any of ya’ll had paid any attention to that. Poor McSame, he’s just gone totally ‘round the bend and deep into the rabbit hole…never to be seen or heard from again.

I’ll get back to the deep-thinking after I finish my Genocide Paper: How the Genocide Convention Has Failed (Miserably) and Why.

Ed Harges:

“The best basis for a theory I can come up with is that the sheer mammoth scale, the terrifyingly massive cruelty, of the (still relatively recent) Nazi crimes against the Jews has caused the rest of humanity, especially in the US, where we’re so proud of having “won” WWII, to compensate psychologically for our collective “survivors’ guilt” by essentially granting Jews a kind of superhuman moral immunity. Pride in defeating Nazism and mythically “saving the Jews” has, in America, fused with our own nationalism itself. Our collective guilt about Hiroshima and Nagasaki surely intensifies our need to feel proud of “saving the Jews”

~~~~

I agree, there is a guilt there. But I think it’s deeply rooted in the reality of the western worlds treatment of the Jews. Not only what happened in Germany during the war, but perhaps more so what happened before the war, during the war, and after the Jews were liberated. We expressed shock when we discovered the treatment of the Jews, and others in the concentration camps, but like it or not, we knew about the treatment of the Jews and the concentration camps before we ever entered the war. Legislation to remove the Jews from civil society was enacted in Germany years before the outbreak of World War II. And the first labor camps were opened in 1933. We became involved in late 1941.

People were rescued and sent home, except for many Jews. When the rescued Jews needed somewhere to go we did not want them. Nobody else did either. So we welcomed the easy climb onto the “send them back to their homeland” bandwagon. And we’ve been knocking ourselves out ever since to make sure they stay there. And to make sure that works for them.

I’m old enough to remember press and politicians speaking comfortably about having “solved the Jewish problem.”

The original crime of stealing land from the people who were already there and had been for thousands of years, could not and can not be acknowledged. After all, we are the good guys. We don’t commit crimes. So no matter what Israel does, we will acquiesce, before we will ever face our guilt.

A lot of people have wondered, what does the Israeli government have that they use as a club to keep us under their thumb? If there is a club, that’s it. But I don’t think there really is a club. I think the Israelis are smart enough to know if they don’t maintain a strong economic interdependence and a strong presence of ‘Israel First’ politicos, sooner or later they will push to far and someone in our government, who feels no false sense of guilt and obligation will push back. Why after all did they support Hillary for president? Because people who don’t do deep thinking function on irrational reactionism. Or false pride. Or guilt.

cyrena:

“... while I’m sure that the oil has of course been a component, it is really far, far, far larger than that, and IS a result of the unholy union between the US and Israel. (I call them the “Terrorist Twins”)
And while it may not be visible from the surface, that AIPAC has the ‘power to call war’ on behalf of Israel, the DUAL-CITIZENSHIP of so many of those who DO have that power, makes the point of who is running the show.”

~~~~

And none of them would be able to wield the force they do if we didn’t have so many “Christians” in government who don’t do deep thinking and function on irrational reaction-ism. Or guilt. Personally I believe the powers that be in Israel, and likewise their handmaidens here, have nothing but deep-seated contempt for us. They probably see themselves as doing us a great favor by pretending to like us. Because our willingness to allow for anything goes, shows we feel guilt and obligation. That we’re cowardly and not to bright. I mean how DUMB does someone have to be to not see when they’re being used?

“The Terrorist Twins” I like that. So apropos.

He is too old to tick. But I would have to vote for him if Clinton had won, because he is less likely to cause more damage, again being too old.

If AIPAC is not so powerful, then why do all the politicians, and I do mean every jack one of them, approach their conference on bended knee?

ASS!
This is NOT the John McCain who was running in ‘00. but is is The REAL Mac who was an Intricate player in th ekeating S&L;Scandal of the ‘80’s. I damn near fell for his BS in ‘00, when Gore was a obvious agent for the neo CON Dems (DLC, covert operatives).Bu tI held my nose agaisnt Gores Copr Stench and voted for him anyway. I grant Al has appeared to changed his allegience, but I reserve some right to be skeptical.Bu tMac has apparently decided since Bush /Cheney et all can let their ‘Freak Flag fly’ he can too. He thinks the ‘Con’ is still viable. Mac is as corrupt as Nixon, as Senile as Ronny ,as much of a yes man as HW, as Arrogant as Bill and as Stupid as W.
The Corps are bumming their Second Horse finally got knocked out th ethe race this past week. they are now stuck with the Puppet who is an accumulation of of the weakness all their other puppets.
Any Self Respecting REAL REpublican should be putting this embarrassment and detriment on the next train OUT!If the Republicans want to save Face and what is left of their Party it is High time they exocise these criminals from their midst!
We Dems have Rid Ourselves of Our Infiltrator- and am working to get rid of the Rest in Congress. It is time the True Patriotic Republicans do the same!they have ruined Your party and brought OUR country to it’s Knees.
WE can All smell the rancid Stench of Corporatism which has infected our Demcoracy- We must debrised them from Our Great Nations existence! Good Bye Corp Whores!

“Louise is alright she’s just near, she’s delicate and seems like the mirror, she makes it all so concise and so clear, that Johanna’s not here.”
Bob Dylan

Greetings from an independent thinking American. Your comments on Senator McCain prompt me to provide this link:
http://thebeerdoctor.newscloud.com/

Strangely Louise, after being banned from the Huffington Post, now I have been added to their Off The Bus blog roll, where you can just click on: beerdoctor.

I agree Ed, and with your other posts as well. I’ve never for a moment believed that this was ONLY about oil, or specifically ONLY about the US getting the oil. ISRAEL wants it too! Israel wants it all, and of course I’ve mentioned that here before. They want the land, the air, the ocean, the fish in the ocean, the oil in the ground and the ocean, and absolutely EVERYTHING else there is to be had, and they don’t want anybody else to even breathe any of the same.

And, this didn’t just come about, and we know that too. Oh no…this operation has been directed by Israel from the inception of…Isreal.

Actually, I had begun a response to SamSneddegar, (and we’ve been communicating here on this for a long time now) just to let him know that while I’m sure that the oil has of course been a component, it is really far, far, far larger than that, and IS a result of the unholy union between the US and Israel. (I call them the “Terrorist Twins”)

And while it may not be visible from the surface, that AIPAC has the ‘power to call war’ on behalf of Israel, the DUAL-CITIZENSHIP of so many of those who DO have that power, makes the point of who is running the show.

Meantime, when I get some other work finished up here, (hopefully within the next few days) I’m going to check out some of the books from the reading list that you provided on the other thread. I’ve already read several of them, but a few are new to me.

I guess my main focus is one the huge (60 year long) list of violations to International Law that Israel has been able to get away with. NOT because they haven’t been cited and had decisions made against them in the Would Court, such as with the apartheid wall that they built on Palestinian territory. 14 out of 15 international jurists have made it clear that they are AGAIN in violation of the laws of the land, and of course they have been since their inception, in crimes against humanity, crimes against the peace, genocide, torture, and more illegal wars of agression than I can even keep track of. Broken treaty after broken treaty, and on and on.

BUT…NOTHING EVER HAPPENS TO THEM as a result! EVER! And we’re talking about an entire international community that SHOULD BE holding them accountable!

So….that’s my big and overarching theme/dilemna here. How can international legal order be utilized to control and reign in ROGUE STATES. The US is of course in violation as well, but even the US has been challenged in a few of their violations. But, never Israel. I don’t get it.

OK…thanks again.

The whole McCain persona is not moderate, and is truly not even maverick. The John McCain persona is most aptly described as right-wing with moderate warps and maverick feints.

The John McCain of today is not the John McCain of eight years ago. Simply put, his maverick bent is bent. He heroically withstood the tortures of the Viet Cong prison. But his thirst for the power of the presidency gives him an expeditious bow to Bush and an awkward allegiance to Republican dogma.

Thus, there is a dissonance to John McCain, his campaign and his speeches. It reminds you of the opening strains of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Warped video: discordant music, slow-motion distortion of form and meaning.

Just when his foreign policy speeches start to make sense, one suspects that neocon propaganda twists his reason toward rants: claiming that Democrats are selling out to al Qaeda dominance.

Neocons still own the Republican Party, and to be its candidate McCain must balance on the beam of Bush peace propaganda, fear-mongering, and the Bush war against terrorism.

But McCain statements, especially 100 years of war, seem to lean even more toward militancy than even Bush. When denying the intent of his own words, McCain repeatedly evokes the long-term occupations of Korea, Japan, Germany or Kuwait.

You’re welcome.

I think I’m a liberal. Then something happens to make me think I’m a conservative. Leading me to only one conclusion. I think I’m a liberal/conservative.

But I know I’m a democrat.

And I believe occasionally my liberal/conservative mind leads me to rational conclusions. Like It’s good to avoid too much government, an accepted “conservative” position. Yet I hate the reality of the “WAY TOO MUCH” government the alleged conservatives have created. Is that liberal or conservative? I think that’s just plain smart.

I also think thinking is an important ingredient required if one wants to occasionally be smart enough to recognize bad stuff when it happens. I also think just believing things will get better will never bring change.

Actually when you think about it the liberals are more conservative than the conservatives. Like the liberals spend, but try to avoid debt. The conservatives borrow and spend and borrow some more. The liberals respect human rights. The conservatives respect the rights of the unborn. OK, exaggerations, a bit, but pretty close to right on.

My thought process regarding McCain is based on my memory, which no doubt does occasionally fail me, but on this issue I am reasonably certain. Meaning my certainty is based on what appears to me to be a reasonable conclusion, based on memory of news reports, photo’s, published coerced confessions etc.

I really don’t think being a prisoner of war necessarily makes one a war hero. On that I agree with Jessica Lynch. And as I said, I think [again based on a rational THOUGHT process] that deep, deep down McCain feels the same way.

I also think at some point in time a political operative, or co-operative [repub of course] approached, or influenced McCain propelling him into his present career, much like they tried to do with Lynch.

It’s not a belief based on faith, rather a thought based on thinking.

And, I really don’t care.

Other than I THINK it’s important in this context to try and understand where the man is coming from. Because any hidden self doubt, based on an unknown troubling reality can lead a person to do sometimes whacky things.

Geez! look at what we just went through in the dem candidate primary. Dems don’t want an emotionally insecure candidate, and none of us should want an emotionally insecure president.

Been there, done that.

Simply put, I have absolutely no faith in McCain as a potential president and I think rational thinking leads me to that belief.

I think he was a POW in Vietnam, but will always be open to proof, if any exists, that he wasn’t. Because if it turned out he made the whole thing up that would strengthen my position that he has some major self doubt hidden down there, somewhere.

But I appreciate your comments.

By the way I don’t have a husband so believe I know, I don’t need to think about that.

...I predict the Republicans will rue it forever—-and so will the country.

Why didn’t they go for a real small-government conservative like Ron Paul when they had the chance?

Idiots.

Hello Louise,

Thank you for taking the time to read my posting and for your comment.

Your response would seem to support my position—you state you “think his war record is correct”.  I submit that you are using the word “think” as a substitute for “believe”—in short, you are basing your position on FAITH; and NOT evidence.

My whole point is that “FAITH” can hardly be justified by the overwheliming continuous record of government fabrictions instead of truth.  And to continue to hold to such unwarranted “FAITH” is both irrational and dangerous.

You strike me as the kind of woman who could find her husband in bed with her sister and still believe he has not been unfaithful—just because he says so.  Religiously commendable perhaps; but hardly practical.

I think McCains war record is correct.

I also think that kinda bothers him.

He comes from a military family with a long history of military successes. His success is he survived being in prison.

Like Bush who smarts from a of lack of real achievement, he has to prove something.

The fact that it doesn’t make sense to us doesn’t make it any less real to him.

Bush has McCain about where Johnson had Humphrey in ‘68.  It was reported at that time that Johnson used to say in private, “I’ve got Hubert’s balls in my pocket.”

One of the best moments in the primary campaign came during a debate when McCain challenged Romney on the issue of torture.  It was a complete, unequivocal break with Bush on that issue.  Then, after he had secured the nomination he went back to Washington and voted in favor of giving the CIA the right to use waterboarding, amoung other things, in their interrogations which Bush had requested.  Just unbelievable.

You aver, “It is Israel’s bipartisan stranglehold on our political process that makes these wars unstoppable.”

No, no, Ed. You are making the Izzies the mouse that roared again. Look at it this way: no ten percent of the earth’s oil, no invasion of Iraq, and no occupation of Iraq. The Bushitter gang of thugs don’t care squat about Israel and never have. Yes, AIPAC owns many politicians in our Congress, but none of them have the power to go to war for Israel, and wouldn’t do so unless they had some credible excuse for it that had NOTHING to do with Israel, say like you knew Feinstein would do and Schumer would do and Wexler would do and HILLARY would do. Why couldn’t she say why she voted to go to war? Because to do so would be to admit that AIPAC bought and paid for her long ago, something that might be true but not something she’d ever admit.

Consider this: the only thing today which makes the US dollar worth ANYTHING is that with 135 or so of them you can buy a barrel of oil. As another poster mentioned, Saddam planned to sell his oil for euros, and so did Iran once plan to sell theirs for currencies other than ours. Once oil is no longer pegged to the dollar, the dollar will assume the position it deserves, and that is WORTHLESS.

Don’t cry for me, Argentina.

Time To Ask Yourself The Unthinkable About McCain…

Do we REALLY know McCain is a Vietnam Vet and/or POW?

Sounds insane, but, the truth is we ONLY know what we have been told. And we DO know that we are often told lies—big lies; lies so outrageous that at the time it seems impossible that they are not true.

This is the Hitler propaganda technique personified—“if you say something so absolutely outrageous; people naturally assume it must be true for they believe, quite naturally, that no one would tell such a lie…”

For all we know McCain is NOT even a Vietnam veteran; much less a former POW. Unfortunately, we live in times and with a government that makes ANY assumption regarding the truth of what we are told to be risky; and the wise person questions ALL and accepts NONE.

In these times the honest person is at a distinct disadvantage—most of us limit our untruths to telling telemarketers we already own a product, etc. but since we NEVER would tell huge, damaging lies, we make the misguided assumption that others also would not. AND, that is just the state of mind the PIPS (People In Power) are counting on to get away with their lies.

It only stands to reason that people who would not hesitate for a minute to engage in mass killing on an industrial scale and risk the existence of the entire human race to make a buck would have absolutely NO hesitation to tell lies on an industrial scale as well—especially since they control the records, sources of information; threaten and kill those who do not go along; as well as the mass media.

The truth is I do NOT REALLY know McCain is a Vietnam Vet and/or POW; and neither do you. NOT even his family REALLY knows; any letters he wrote could easily have been faked and he could have been sunning himself in some CIA resort during his “POW” Days.

Witnesses??? Do you mean fellow “POW’s” who could easily have been at that SAME resort??

Military records??? Do you mean those same military records that gave us the “Gulf of Tonkin Incident”??? Or those military records that gave us “Weapons of Mass Destruction In Iraq”???

At a minimum we must confront the fact that McCain is a roper—a person who is used to compromise and mislead the public on a grand scale. I find it hard to believe that anyone who purports to be what McCain claims to be would advocate putting American Service Personnel at risk in “Iraq-nam”.

So I feel it is my duty to ask, “What is wrong with this picture?” and personally I must adopt the Sherlock Holmes premise:

“When all other explanations have been eliminated; what is left; no matter how unlikely; MUST be the truth.”

And, based on that, I feel the probability that McCain claiming to be a Vietnam POW to be right up there with him claiming to be an alien abductee. I may NOT be right; but you must admit it IS a distinct possibility.

Now, am I just “swift-boating” Mccain?  Not hardly, I was a member of D-6-2 101st Airborne 8 aug 66 -7 aug 72.  Frankly, I cannot believe that ANYONE who served can even remotely endorse torture not only on moral and ethical grounds; but especially for what that type of policy would mean to American POW’s.

He’s both, opportunistic and mentally impaired - note his challenge to debate a man whose Harvard Law Review professor called the smartest person he’s ever known. 

As far as I can determine McCain’s campaign fund cupboard is as bare as old Mother Hubbard’s, at least compared to mega-buck Obama’s cupboard.  If it’s true that money elects a President, McBush doesn’t stand a chance in November.  (Of course he had that recent ‘secret’ meeting with the mega-buck Bush backers.  If it was profitable, we would be assured, if elected, that his first term will be Bush’s third term.)

There are some folks who are brave enough to indict the Dick Bush mafia, but they won’t be able to do it until after the fact. (as soon as they’re out of power)

Same with the World Court. We can join it when Obama takes office. It’s the thugs that have refused to join it, because they would be the first ones hauled before it.

WOW Louise!! And bravo!

Here it is…

•  “..It’s the fascist way, and the way of empire.”

And in the end…oil or not, this was the reason, and it remains the reason, for the War on Iraq.

I don’t disagree that oil was PART of the original plan. Specifically…the CONTROL of the oil, and not just Iraq’s oil. We’re talking about CONTROL of the entire Middle East, and CONTROL of the oil for the purposes of PROFIT, which includes CONTROLLING how much is kept IN THE GROUND!

To the extent that OIL was the reason, it was to assure that the world’s entire oil supply would be owned and operated by a few multinational corporations..primarily US and British…same ones who’ve been controlling it for decades.

It’s worth noting that even though the take over of Iraq and Iran were planned long ago in the Clean Break papers, and put into motion by the PNAC, Saddam had every intention of selling Iraq’s oil to WHOMEVER WANTED TO BUY IT, and planned on the Euro as a base for those transactions. Clearly, that would have upset the Imperial applecart. So, he had to go.

The chaos is mandatory for the profits as well as the imperial takeovers. Only so long as instability can be created and maintained, can these profits be achieved, and the fascist empire succeed.

Ironically enough though, at least part of this plan (Cheney’s top priority) has yet to be realized, because Iraq still hasn’t been willing to sign over their oil to the transnationals that have long since been lined up and waiting to take over. And because of the created chaos, it’s difficult to know exactly how much of the oil they’ve actually been able to get to. Still, trillions upon trillions of dollars in PROFIT are still being made by the profiteers, even if that oil stays in the ground. (or probably BECAUSE it does!)

“There are major contradictions in the McCain America has witnessed over the years that are truly troubling.”

It is simple: the decent side is warring with the opportunistic side, and the latter won. Of course, the other possibility is more troubling. He is mentally impaired after the heavy stresses of 71 years.

Whatever the reason for his inconsistencies, we cannot afford four more years of Bush policies that pander to the rich and neglect real needs of America.

Actually, it was Saddam’s plan to convert to Euro-dollars.

SamSnedegar, June 4 at 3:05 am #

Excuse me sir, but if acquiring the oil was the goal it sure doesn’t look like it from here! In fact that as a scenario appears less likely every day. We had ample access to Saddam’s oil before the kid took over. AMPLE.

At this point in time we’re not seeing any benefits whatsoever from OUR control (?) of Iraq’s oil.

When a decision is made to do something evil, if the decider guy wants the support of all those behind him who aren’t, he has to create a rational that brings them on board. Now we all know his rational was 9/11 and WMD. And we all know that was BS, so it must have been the oil, right?

Wrong.

In the mind of the decider guy it was war in Iraq because, “I want it!” He had that worked out long before he became the repub candidate. Perhaps that after all, is why he was selected.

War profiteers, climbed on board. And a whole slew of new profiteers were created, but the bucks, the really big bucks have come as a result of the chaos.

I believe the CHAOS was the goal. Perhaps not in the decider guys mind, who knows what’s in there, but certainly in the mind of his chief advisor the VP, the guy who REALLY makes the decisions. He, as you know has a long and provable history of taking tax dollars and funneling them into private entities.

He was selected because he could and would be the champion of the war profiteers. That, I believe was something that happened long before the light went on in the attic and the kid realized 9/11 was an excuse to attack Iraq, ergo Saddam, ergo I’ll have my second term.

And in his mind the campaigning and the two term thing were/are really the only things that matter. And to a degree the same thing can be said about politicians in general, particularly republican politicians. Didn’t McClellan cite this as one of the things that caused him to begin questioning the validity of his presidents position?

The repubs don’t want an end to the war in Iraq, because that would put a lot of their base in jeopardy. You know, the rich and powerful who are making buku bucks right now.

The last thing in the world they’re worried about is controlling Iraq’s oil. If they’re smart, they’re already making huge profits from speculating on the oil futures market. One of the real reasons we’re getting raped at the pump.

Being seen as controlling and profiting from the oil in Iraq could put a leak in that bubble. And slow down the propaganda campaign going on to convince us we need to rape the face of America because of the so-called oil shortage.

If we want to see going after Iraq’s oil as the only reason for the war in Iraq, they don’t have a problem with that.

It actually works for them, because the chaos and the so-called “Iraqi” corruption and civil war feed into the notion that we cant make the oil pay, and therefore we need to accept there are major oil shortages, and therefore we need to get the people on board, so we can get the government on board, so the very expensive development of the little oil that is here can be subsidized by the tax-payers and therefore become another opportunity for the profiteers to make big short term profit on small personal investment.

To that degree I suppose we can say the war was for oil. But actually, the war was for profit, political gain and chaos. Chaos that guarantees profit and political gain. And I agree, to that end they have been very successful.

What we should be worried about is the fact that McCain has a so-called warrior mentality so he doesn’t focus on any of that chaos/profit stuff and will do as he is told.

And we should really be worried about who they select as his VP, because THAT’S who will make the decisions for decider guy number two, McCain. And you can bet they’ll select someone who works for the profiteers. It’s the fascist way, and the way of empire.

What makes McCain ticks? “TICKS.”

As my former boss at a D.O.D. ‘defense’/war contractor told me, “No D.O.D. engineer can look down on a whore.”  Interesting perspective from a former Air Force sergeant at Cheyenne Mountain, and one with which I can wholeheartedly agree, now that I’m long out of that industry and saving lives, instead of taking them.

Is there any prosecutor in this nation brave enough to indict any of the Bush mafia for war crimes?
How can we join the World Court?

I’m sure that McCain has done some good things, and clearly he’s made some mistakes. And although I don’t really know him personally, I believe, that he does have the best of intentions for our country.

However, no matter how good McCain is or what he plans for our country in the long run it doesn’t matter. Because he will never be able to over come the lying cheating stealing Republican right wing.

A McCain election as president would give those crooks at least another 4 years to loot the country and inflict misery on the American people.

we went to Iraq and occupied her for control of her oil. if we don’t stay the course, we don’t control diddly. so the statement, “while planning to pour trillions more down the rat hole of failed imperial adventures” is disingenuous at best and stupid for a man of Scheer’s intelligence.

when a writer gives up his integrity to please his money providers, his work will suffer, and he won’t be able to explain ANYTHING satisfactorily so long as he refuses to face the same reality of which his own exposure got him fired from a major money source, the LA Times.

you can’t talk sensibly about Iraq unless you want to talk about oil, and obviously Scheer doesn’t want to do that any more. too bad.

oil is why we went there. oil is why we stay there. in the 21st century oil isn’t everything, it is the ONLY thing (thanks Vince).