Dispassionate Lib is pleased to welcome a more passionate liberal than you might otherwise see. Phil Althouse is now a guest blogger here. Hi Phil!

Casey Tompkins makes a silly recommendation for a an idea for a google bomb he got from the equally silly Ken Jacobson. Don't get me wrong, I like Casey, he's one of the good guys, articulate and a straight shooter, even though he sometimes is silly.

I think a better idea for a google bomb, that is not so silly is to change google's priority for defining the question of what is a Jew.

Ya think? Wasn't it dead already? Who finally woke the old geezer up to this fact?

Arafat Warns U.S. Backing for Sharon Will Destroy Peace Process

April 14 (Bloomberg) -- Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat warned that U.S. support for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to retain some Jewish settlements in the West Bank could kill the Middle East peace process.

Sharon, who's scheduled to visit the White House today, said before leaving Israel that he will ask for U.S. President George W. Bush's backing of his proposal to evacuate the Gaza Strip while keeping six settlement areas in the West Bank.

``The Palestinian leadership warns of the dangers of reaching such an accord, because it means clearly the complete end of the peace process,'' said a statement faxed by Arafat's office in the West Bank city of Ramallah.


Reference:
Bloomberg.com: U.S.

Full text posted here: Transcript of President Bush's press conference

Yes, I'm still doing enemy reconnaissance and watching Fox News. And once that demagog Hannity signed off, Greta had Bill Kristol there for a point-counterpoint analysis of the President's Press Conference with a reporter from the Washington Post (and damn me for not remembering her name). I was shocked, I tell you, shocked that the son of the godfather of the neo-con movement actually stated that the president lacked leadership. Yes THAT President, Bush, the Shrub, Jr., Dubya, George Walker Bush (43).

After some discussion of POTUS completely ducking some questions: Would he apologise? What was his biggest mistake? Has he ever admitted a mistake? Who is the ventriloquist and who is the dummy, him or Cheney? What is your favorite color? And Kristol shucks them of as meaningless questions anyway, disregarding totally the idea that POTUS's perceived hubris and arrogance mean anything.

Then comes the clincher, making me again a believer in Kristol's fairness despite his ideology. He tells us that the most disapointing thing about POTUS last night was his lack of portraying "presidential leadership" qualities.

From the transcript to illustrate Kristol's point:

QUESTION: *** it sounds like you will have to add some troops. Is that a fair assessment?

BUSH: *** that's up to General Abizaid,

(He's the Commander in Chief, he's allowed to make these decisions.) More:

QUESTION: Mr. President, why are you and the vice president insisting on appearing together before the 9-11 commission? And, Mr. President, who will we be handing the Iraqi government over to on June 30th?

BUSH: We'll find that out soon. That's what Mr. Brahimi is doing. He's figuring out the nature of the entity we'll be handing sovereignty over.
*** And, secondly, because the 9-11 commission wants to ask us questions, that's why we're meeting.

That's what Brahimi is there for, to tell Shrub what to do, and Dick will be with him at the hearing to do the same.

QUESTION: *** Yet you mentioned yesterday that you think perhaps the time has come for some real intelligence reforms. That can't happen without real leadership from the White House. Will you? And how will you?

BUSH: *** I heard a summary of that from Director Mueller *** I'm open for suggestions. I look forward to seeing what the 9-11 commission comes up with. I look forward to seeing what the Silberman-Robb commission comes up with. I'm confident Congress will have some suggestions.

In other words, I'll let Mueller, the commissions and congress decide. (I'll get back to you).

So, who's actually running this country while Bush rides around in his shiny new pick-up truck? Sounds like General Abizaid, Mr. Brahimi, Dick Cheney, Director Mueller, two commisions, Congress and don't forget Condi and Carl Rove.

BTW, if you get a chance to see the replay, check out Dr. Rice, it's all about body language, but you can tell she was pissed. She's going to end up holding the bag, wait and see. It all comes down to the PDB and she gets stuck with that to keep POTUS blameless for the screw-up. All that work, all that potential, that grand future, all gone with the simple phrase:

BUSH: *** And the other thing I look back on and realize is that we weren't on a war footing. The country was not on a war footing, and yet the enemy was at war with us.

He hangs her out to dry. Remember her sworn testimony last week:

FIELDING: * * * And we've heard testimony about Clarke warning you and the NSC that State and CIA and the Pentagon had concerns and were convinced there was going to be a major terrorist attack.
On July 5th, I believe it was, domestic agencies, including the FBI and the FAA, were briefed by the White House. Alerts were issued. The next day, the CIA told the CSG participants, and I think they said they believed the upcoming attack would be spectacular, something quantitatively different from anything that had been done to date.
So everybody was worried about it. Everybody was concentrating on it. And then later the crescendo ended, and again it abated.
RICE: Of course. * * * And the president of the United States had us at battle station during this period of time. He expected his secretary of state to be locking down embassies. He expected his secretary of defense to be providing force protection.
He expected his FBI director to be tasking his agents and getting people out there. He expected his director of central intelligence to be out and doing what needed to be done in terms of disruption, and he expected his national security advisor to be looking to see that -- or talking to people to see that that was done.

Perjury, no. Political whack job? You bet she was pissed.

Here's where POTUS passes the buck, first to CIA

QUESTION: *** I'd like to ask you about the August 6th PDB *** Did that trigger some specific actions on your part in the administration, since it dealt with potentially hundreds of lives and a blackmail attempt on the United States government?
BUSH: *** All those reports concern me. As a matter of fact, I was dealing with terrorism a lot as the president when George Tenet came in to brief me. I mean, that's where I got my information.
*** I didn't think there was anything new ***

Then to FBI:

What was interesting in there was that there was a report that the FBI was conducting field investigations. And that was good news, that they were doing their job.

But it's not my fault

***But of course I expect to get valid information. I can't make good decisions unless I get valid information.

And of course, someone who is unaccountable to the American People did it, making us all blameless.

QUESTION: *** Do you believe the American people deserve a similar apology from you, and would you prepared to give them one?
BUSH: *** The person responsible for the attacks was Osama bin Laden.

Regrets? Responsibility, Mistakes?

QUESTION: *** Personal responsibility for September 11th?

BUSH: I feel incredibly grieved when I meet with family members, and I do quite frequently. I grieve for, you know, the incredible loss of life that they feel, the emptiness they feel. There are some things I wish we'd have done, when I look back.

LIKE WHAT? Don't just point fingers, give us some constructive plans, other than the knee jerk creation of the Homeland Security Department and sending our men and women out to risk their lives in furtherance of the Imperium. Oh, that's right, your people have to get back to you. Great plan!

OK, just tell us what you "wish we'd have done," or might have done wrong.

QUESTION: *** what would your biggest mistake be, would you say, and what lessons have learned from it?

BUSH: I wish you'd have given me this written question ahead of time so I could plan for it.
John, I'm sure historians will look back and say, gosh, he could've done it better this way or that way. You know, I just - I'm sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with answer, but it hadn't yet. *** See, I'm of the belief that we'll find out the truth on the weapons. *** I hope - I don't want to sound like I have made no mistakes. I'm confident I have. I just haven't -***

Those weapons must be somewhere...

QUESTION: ***you and members of your administration made several claims about Iraq: that U.S. troops would be greeted as liberators with sweets and flowers; that Iraqi oil revenue would pay for most of the reconstruction; and that Iraq not only had weapons of mass destruction but, as Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld said, we know where they are.

Still linking the unlinkable:

BUSH: *** First, the lesson of September the 11th is that when this nation sees a threat, a gathering threat, we got to deal with it.

Not under there

QUESTION: *** One of the biggest criticisms of you is that whether it's WMD in Iraq, postwar planning in Iraq, or even the question of whether this administration did enough to ward off 9-11, you never admit a mistake. Is that a fair criticism, and do you believe that there were any errors in judgment that you made

BUSH: *** And, of course, I want to know why we haven't found a weapon yet.

This is Classic, one for the Ages
QUESTION: *** I'd like to know if you feel, in any way, that you have failed as a communicator *** Have you failed in any way to really make the case to the American public?

BUSH: *** maybe I need to learn to communicate better.

On the other hand, a Democrat, who some feel are the most vile of partisan hacks and cannot stomache their ilk any longer, H U M B L Y, admits her administration's faults, but reminds the 9/11 commission that she warned Ashcroft to do more about terrorism.

What kind of behavior before the commission, Reno's or Ashcroft's, would you try to teach your children?

Reno admits mistakes, defends record on terrorism

By FRANK DAVIES
Miami Herald

WASHINGTON - Blunt and humble, Janet Reno Tuesday decried partisanship, blame and recriminations over the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. She praised FBI agents while lamenting FBI failures with some sharp words.

Reference:
Mercury News

P.S. I can't wait for FBI Director Freeh's book when he leaves this all behind. That's the guy with all the dirt, just like good old J. Edgar. He's the guy saying that neither adminstration was on a war footing, in direct contradiction to Dr. Rice's quip that the Bush administratioin was at "Battle Stations." CYA much Condi?

To sum up the commission so far:
Bush expected "good information," expected everyone was doing their job
Rice thought the President acted reasonably given the information she gave him.
FBI says "we didn't say that," and "nobody told us" to go to DefCon 1
CIA says "we did our best" and reported all they knew.
Ashcroft says "Clinton blew it."
Reno slaps Ashcroft then says "quit picking on me."
Clarke says , "I'm sorry," but they're all full of it, and the buck should stop somewhere.

Ashcroft blames Clinton for pre-Sept. 11 problems

By SHANNON MCCAFFREY
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - An unapologetic Attorney General John Ashcroft battled charges Tuesday that he failed to focus on terrorism before the Sept. 11 attacks and blamed the Clinton administration for constructing legal obstacles that thwarted investigations into the al-Qaida terror network.

Reference:
KansasCity.com

Figures. I've felt for a long time that the only way to fight partsan BS is with more partisan BS. A charge like this just cannot stand unchallenged. Blaming Clinton is just the same as blaming all Democrats, which is a campaign tool against John Kerry, and it's wrong.

But the axe swings both ways Johnny:

Others, however, laid the blame at Ashcroft's feet. Former acting FBI Director Thomas Pickard said Ashcroft rejected requests for more counterterrorism funding in the summer before the attacks, opting instead to concentrate on traditional crimes such as those involving guns and drugs. Pickard said he learned Ashcroft had rejected his appeal for more money on Sept. 12, 2001.

I'm listening to that great non-partisan, Sean Hannity, interview Solicitor General Ted Olson, who always gives me chills when he describes his phone call with his wife, Barbara, just before her plane crashed into the Pentagon. That man has a heart of stone as in the next breath he defends everything Ashcroft said at the 9/11 hearings, and took apart every point Janet Reno made which by any remote stretch of the imagination could be construed to be critical of Bush or Ashcroft. Unbelievable how much this man truly believes in the cult of Bush.

Jerry Pournell has always been one of my favorites. He can cut through the crap and nail the situation on this planet or any other.

Iraq could have become a Federal Republic with rather weak central power but strong state powers, which is, you may recall, what I advocated a year ago; but the problem is that the United States doesn't understand what a Federal Republic is. We have been too busy converting the USA into an Imperial state, winner take all in one big national election, strip real power from the States. The States retain power only so long as the ruling elites of the US allow it.

Please read it all. he's getting blogrolled as soon as I get back home.

Don't twist this and think for one moment I in any way endorce Sadr or his men or methods. That said, keep in mind that he is probably viewed as a patriot to his cause and people, and may soon become a martyr. You defeat such people by co-opting them, by negotiating with them. The either/or approach leaves you with either a populist or a dead hero. Alas, this subtle distinction is lost on our policy makers.

From | Reuters.com
Iraq's Sadr Says Ready to Die for Anti-U.S. Drive

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, wanted by U.S.-led forces in Iraq, said Tuesday he was willing to die for his campaign to end their occupation.

But the radical preacher also appeared to leave the door open to negotiation, saying his only demand was to keep foreign troops out of the holy city of Najaf, where he himself is based.

"I am ready to sacrifice (myself) and I call on the people not to allow my death to cause the collapse of the fight for freedom and an end to the occupation," Sadr told Lebanon's al-Manar television, run by the Shi'ite Hizbollah group.

Sadr, whose Mehdi Army militia has confronted occupation forces including Polish, British and Italian troops, urged non-American soldiers to distance themselves from U.S. leadership "and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Iraqi people."

U.S. commanders in Iraq have said they want Sadr dead or alive and have vowed to re-establish control over Najaf.

I'm part Italian, and I grew up on the ourskirts of Youngstown, so I know what it looks like when a Don wants to lean on someone to make them behave.

Scalia isn't following the Constitution - lancastereaglegazette.com

"You may wonder what makes our Constitution so special. I am here to persuade you that our Constitution is something extraordinary, something to revere," Scalia said in his speech
* * *
But Scalia's understanding of the Fourth Amendment -- which is part of the same Constitution he claims to "revere" -- might be a little hazy.

Under a Scalia directive, a federal marshal ordered two reporters -- one from The Associated Press and the other from the Hattiesburg American, a sister Gannett paper to the Eagle-Gazette -- to erase audio copies of the speech.

After some resistance, both reporters complied with the directive.

The move, while not a violation of the First Amendment, could certainly be looked at as a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects all citizens from illegal search and seizure.

The move also violates the Privacy Protection Act of 1980, which prohibits such seizures and allows law enforcement to confiscate a reporter's material only in limited circumstances, such as if officers suspect the journalist is committing a crime.

No crime was committed -- unless Scalia believes being held accountable for his words is a violation of any state law in the entire country. There's no evidence to suggest the reporters were clandestinely recording the speech or trying to practice "gotcha journalism." They were simply doing their jobs.

Does Shrub read my stuff or what? Or did they read Kerry's platform and decide to make sure that even if Bush Inc. loses the White House, there was no way in hell a liberal foreign policy could ever be impemented for at least a generation

Christian Science Monitor:

...Mr. Bush would shatter the historic role of the United States as the primary Middle East mediator...

The "Plan" will not work with Shrub in office:

1. Restart the Roadmap to Palestine/Israel peace.
2. Get NATO to help with Iraq security.
3. Expose and Shun the Saudi, Syrian and Iranian link to terrorists.
4. Go back to the UN, & pump Iraq's oil to pay for reconstruction.
5. Rejoin the Community of Nations to bring all humanity a better life, not just our own profits.

Powell blew #2 Sunday. #1 will be dead by weeks end. #3 and #4 are unprofitable for Haliburton et al. And #5 -- I doubt the world would have us anymore, just tolerate us and try to ignore us like you would any spoiled bully.

More from CSM:

This week, President Bush is expected to wink approval of a plan by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that would start to dictate to Palestinians the land they can have and the land they can't.
* * *
Bush's blessing of it would only leave an impression among Palestinians and Arab nations that the US is all too willing to defer the creation of a Palestinian state.

OK, So Arafat can't be dealt with, we know that now (as if there was ever a doubt). So why have the RepubLikuds let him live?

This is more that a Bush Flip/Flop. This once again proves the callous disregard Shrub has for even pretending to keep his word. Right on the very eve of the Iraq war, as if everyone didn't know it was a cheap political ploy, Bush stood there, with Blair and the Spainish PM, and said with a straigt face that even with all the trouble with Iraq, they were not abandoning the road map...blah...blah...riiight George.

With this, ABM. and Iraq, this appointed incompetant, the Resident-in-Thief, this unaccountable turd has thrown away sixty years of good will and credibility for our foreign service. Good thing I didn't follow my other desired career path into the state department. I'd already be writing my tell-all book.

These Cynical Hypocritical Bastards! I don't even want to debate the merits of the policy. Maybe it's time, maybe it'll be a disaster. Maybe I don't care anymore when my leader spits in my eye and tells me it's raining. I don't care if he does it during a hurricane, he spit in my eye once to many times and I want him off my island. The Tribe Has Spoken!!!