Another Tomgram worth reading

Although I realize that this is the third article in a row by Tom, I found the information so important that I just had to share it with the byte&chew audience.  Rocky

October 25, 2011
Tomgram: Glenn Greenwald, How the Rich Subverted the Legal System

What if, last Friday, President Obama had stepped to the podium at the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room and begun his remarks this way: “Good afternoon, everybody.  As a candidate for President, I pledged to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end -- for the sake of our national security and to strengthen American leadership around the world.  After taking office, I announced a new strategy that would end our combat mission in Iraq and remove all of our troops by the end of 2011.  Today, I’m here to tell you that I’m breaking that pledge.  It will not happen.  Instead, I’m leaving 3,000 to 5,000 U.S. troops in that country indefinitely.”

Of course, the president made no such claim (nor, if things had turned out differently in Iraq, would he have done so).  Nonetheless, according to news reports, such an outcome -- thousands of American troops in Iraq, possibly for years -- was the administration’s first choice, while military commanders were evidently eager to leave tens of thousands of troops behind.  It was the outcome that Washington had been negotiating for and lobbying Iraqi politicians about all year.  Because the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki refused to give U.S. troops legal immunity, full withdrawal (with the possibility of reinsertion later) became the administration's default position, and President Obama was left to take unreserved credit for fulfilling an election campaign pledge to bring all U.S. troops home by the end of 2011, the outcome he hadn’t wanted.  (“Today, I can report that, as promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year...”)  Keep this in mind as well: given the State Department’s militarization there -- it plans to run a mercenary “army” of perhaps 5,000 hired guns from its monster Baghdad embassy in 2012 -- and a recent, little-noted statement by Iraqi cleric and American opponent Muqtada al-Sadr, the American war will not necessarily end next year either.

Mainstream papers reported all this, including the preferred plans for staying in Iraq, even while hailing the president’s decision to leave and keep his pledge, with no hint of the striking hypocrisy involved.  (The New York Times front-page headline read: “Last U.S. Soldiers to Exit From Iraq in 2011, Obama Says, Fulfilling Vow to End Eight-Year War -- Dispute With Baghdad Is Cited.”)  Whether anyone outside the mainstream media is impressed with this sort of presidential maneuver anymore is an open question. Certainly, Glenn Greenwald wasn’t and that shouldn't surprise anyone.  With his scathingly on-target regular columns at Salon.com, it would be no exaggeration to say that Greenwald has had a hand in making many of us immune to American political and financial hypocrisy of every sort.

Now, he’s written a new book, just out today, With Liberty and Justice for Some: How the Law Is Used to Destroy Equality and Protect the Powerful, that -- again, who could be surprised? -- is surely the book for the Occupy Wall Street moment in this country.  Riveting to read, it’s a must for understanding how immunity and impunity became, economically and legally, a way of life for the Washington and Wall Street elite. Tom

Comments

[Wing Nut]

Anything from the New York Times should be taken with a grain of salt. Liberal propaganda at its finest.

Take care,
WN

[Rocky]

....and I do the same with the Union Leader and Fox News (so called)

[Antonio Andolini]

Don't be dissin' my Useless Reader (a/k/a Onion Loader.)

[Antonio Andolini]

You want to re-elect this character?
http://www.obamacounter.com/

[Wing Nut]

Nice one AA. It will be nice to see the worst President since Carter finally out of the Oval Office.

Take care,
WN

[toonist]

Kindof hard to get anyhting done when the right wing whackos fillibuster everything put forward! "Our objective is to make Obama a one term President!"

[Wing Nut]

Glad to see conservatives are working hard to get the worst President since Carter out of office. You have to do what you can to save this country from the incompetent buffoon currently sitting in the Oval Office. I don’t know why they are working so hard. His record speaks for itself and my adjective for that record is “pitiful”.

Luv ya toonist,
WN

[Wing Nut]

By the way toonist, I like how you've taken a play from the Obama play book. If at first you don't succeed then blame others. First he blames GW for all his problems. The polls show that the people gave grown tired of that approach so he’s taken a new approach and blames the Tea Party for all his problems. Quite an interesting tactic when you consider that the Tea Party is relatively new and only recently won seats in Congress. It is hard to believe the mess he’s created is their fault, but that doesn't stop him from saying they are to blame.

Whatever happened to the "buck stops here" mentality? That is the approach that a true leader would take. Not Obama, he continues to take the low road. That is not surprising to me.

WN

[toonist]

"Our objective is to maka Obama a one term President." I agree he's not a leader, a true leader would have shoved those words right up Mitch's ass! Obama's a rookie and has no place in the oval office but neither do the likes of Mitch or Boner!

[warren]

Oh Bummer.... Carter is no longer our worst President.

[toonist]

Hwy warren where ya been buddy????

[toonist]

Oh and wn...it's not Obama's problems that are blamed on GW it's OUR problems! That Texas turd made a mess of this country just like he did with the other, a Texas professional baseball team and a Wildcat Oil Biz, that his daddy bought for him! It's gonna take years, perhaps decades, to clean up the mess that dirtbag left US when he walked out of the Oval Office!

[Rocky]

Toonist, don't confuse WN with the facts, his mind is made up! WN is a practicing Republican and GW is a Republican, so, see no evil hear no evil........Just got to get that damn Democrat out of Washington, that will take care of all our problems. Looks like Romney will be our savior. He looks like a politician, talks like a politician, he's a multimillionaire and a Republican. Look no further he has all the attributes that makes him relate to the everyday folks like us. I feel more confident already!

[Wing Nut]

Rocky,

Anybody is better than Obama. By the way, I've voted for Democrats in the past. I bet you cannot say the same about voting for Republicans (speaking of close minded). Also, I'd never vote for a far left ideologue like Obama. If I wanted a socialist at the top of the political chain I’d move to Europe. Again, his record speaks for itself. Since you are a Democrat (apparently on the far left side of the spectrum) I won't confuse you with the facts since your mind is probably already made up about "The One". I guess your world will come tumbling down in November 2012 when your Savior is voted out of office.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

By the way, shouldn’t you be down in NYC with your OWS movement complaining about Zionists bankers and threatening them with violence?

Take care,
WN

[toonist]

Yeah voting Republican must make him feel like he's in the top 1%

[Rocky]

You've hit the nail right on the head toonist, I watch these poor working class folks voting Republican and against their best interest and the only explanation I have is that it's a "wanna be" move. Now I can understand people with money voting Republican because it's in their best interest, but working slobs living from paycheck to paycheck?.....it's a form of insanity. Oh by the way WN, not only have I voted Republican several times, but I was a registered Republican for several years, so was my dad. They say you trade your youth for wisdom, there's hope for you yet WN.

[warren]

??? Are you admitting to Your Insanity there Rocky?

[warren]

Hey toonist, It looks like I've returned from my exile in Vorkuta. It's good to hear your voice as well...

[toonist]

Missed ya man!

[warren]

Lets be Thankful that No Politician can decide what is best for the rest of Us and Act with no Opposition at all, here in America...yet. There was a Twilight Zone episode once where a Man was placed in His own perfect world.
He soon changed his mind. Opportunity for everyone without forcing anyone to Pay for anothers Failure, whether Banker or Bum is what America should be about.

[Wing Nut]

I like your last statement Warren. You won't convince Rocky that America is about opportunity without forcing others to pay for another's failure. Apparently he thinks that those who have worked hard and achieved success should be forced to give up their hard earned money and give it to the government for redistribution to others.

Rocky, they tried that in Cuba and Russia. Newsflash! It doesn't work.

Take care,
WN

[warren]

I've had it with BOTH Parties WN. Every Election coming down to a choice between "the lesser of two evils". Romney and Perry disgust me! ( just like McShame did in '08 ).
Looks like We have an Interesting Election in Berlin on Tues. November 8th though! Less than two weeks away! I'm voting for "pride, dignity & prosperity" for Berlin's average "working slob" as Rocky would so condesendingly call 'em. Power to the People, eh?

[jon]

interesting post from ihub

Friday, October 28, 2011 12:18:25 PM
Re: None
Post # of 101841
I rode my shares all the way up and all the way down like a chump.

Interesting thing I had confirmed to me yesterday by my source at PSNH. Clean Power / Gestamp owns 33% of the Berlin Project. If you notice the "know-it-alls" on this board who spent their time knocking Clean Power are no longer posting. I thought CPD/Gestamp owned a share but I was surprised its 33%. LMAO I think its a riot the "little train that couldn't" ended up with 33% of a $250 million dollar project and LLEG ended up with peanuts.

I've learned my lesson in my one and only investment in the Pinkie world. When a company doesn't have to file an annual report there's no way to do proper DD. From now on I'll let the Day Traders play with the pinks.

[Rocky]

It's my understanding that Cate Street has a history of flipping investments. How interesting it would be if long term CPD/Gestamp ended up with the whole project! The "bad man" from CPD may have to be dealt with after all by our mayor. Stay tuned.

[warren]

The Cat ( Berlin ) caught the Mouse ( Biomass Project ), jon. Despite some Local "Exterminators" who wanted to deny Berlin a Meal. There is more "Good Food" to come, all because of this Excellent Start in the right direction. CPD/Gestamp were wise to back a Winner instead of going down with their Own ship.
( 33% is better than Zip. )

Vote "Pride, Dignity & Prosperity" this November 8th.