Instahoglets 3rd Feb 06

Wondering when Bush will finally admit that "Mission Accomplished" has turned into "Mission Impossible"? Never. It's all about the Fear Factor and fearful voters.

Battle of Evermore (d.j. rummie remix) - Rumsfeld is now following Abizaid and the Heritage Foundation and calling it the Long War. It's certainly snappier than the Great War On Terror, but how will we know when the terrists have lost? And exactly which terrists does he mean? The UDA, ETA, Al Qaida, Aryan Nation, vegans, Quakers, some other handful of groups that will spring up? One things for sure, the military isn't gonna go chasing them in multi-billion warships and stealth fighters. Funny how the bright toys get all the bucks, eh?

The guys on the ground are changing tactics whether the desk-drivers at the Pentagon like it or not. They are using the "oil-stain" strategy so beloved of McCain and others, one city block at a time. "Kill them with kindness," said Capt. Sean Troyer, with the 1st Squadron 61st Cavalry Regiment in eastern Baghdad. "We're going to wave at them, treat them nicely, with cultural sensitivity, with respect." About fucking time. Three years ago would have been better news still. This is good news from Iraq, folks, and I don't mind saying so.

The bad news is that there's been such incompetence and corruption already that this tactic is climbing uphill in the battle for hearts and minds. Bastards like Robert Stein have killed G.I.'s by their actions as well as stealing millions. Stein served as a comptroller and funding officer in 2003 and 2004 for the Coalition Provisional Authority and has just pled guilty to bribery, conspiracy, money laundering and other charges involving $3.6 million in reconstruction money stolen and bribes paid.

Never mind Micheal Moore - shoot this bastard for treason! Or maybe not. He's probably made a plea deal which means a whole lot of other robbing bastards will be sleeping badly right now. Shoot them instead.

The IAEA council has postponed it's vote on whether to report Iran to the UN Security Council until Saturday. The Bush regime must be having trouble blackmailing and bullying enough of a majority vote.

Republicans are merrily going about Karl Rove's master plan for victory in the 2006 elections by fearmongering and war-stirring. However, TomDispatch has an interesting post which says Rove won't be around to direct the final phases - he is going to fall, says Elizabeth De la Vega.

My fellow countryman Mr. Shakes notes that Rummie is comparing Hugo Chavez to Hitler while Media Matters notes that Pat Robertson is asking for Chavez' assassination again. At the same time, the Right is in a froth about the head of the NAACP likening Republicans to Nazis. Who is right? Well...anyone remember what George's grandfather did for a living?

Over at wingnut haven Tech Central Station an article says There is an important law about power that is too often overlooked by rational and peace-loving people. Any form of power, from the most primitive to the most mind-boggling, is always amplified enormously when it falls into the hands of those whose behavior is wild, erratic, and unpredictable. You mean like, say, a sociopath?

(It's ok to call it the Bush Regime now. In the Sotus address Bush called the Iranian government a "regime". I would argue that it is at least as democratic a government as Bush's. Both rigged elections, are really controlled by people who weren't elected by anyone (Cheney, Rove) and both kept independents off the ballot sheet with the collusion of members of the "opposition".)