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Let’s just call Thursday’s edition of Bushed! the “Bush Legacy Edition,” for I know that this is exactly what I will remember about the Bush administration for decades to come.
Our first shameful part comes from the single most underreported fact of Operation Enduring Freedom: the Iraqi casualties. The number of Iraqis killed daily has nearly doubled, from an average of 20 in January to 39 in the first two weeks of March. The total death count of Iraqis is now well over 1 million, a staggering number. But sadly a number that too few people are aware of, as a recent Pew study suggest. In fact, only 28% of those surveyed knew that our own American casualties is just under 4,000, while nearly half believed it to be 3,000 or fewer.
Next up is the story that we’ve brought you earlier, of the Pentagon decision to not make available online their report (.pdf) that acknowledges no link between al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein. The ridiculous aspect is that while this is not news (the Iraq Study Group said the same exact thing), the Pentagon felt that early coverage of the report’s release made it too “politically sensitive.”
And finally, making a return appearance in the scandals of the Bush Administration, the Halliburton subsidiary KBR and the semi-treated wastewater they have been supplying the troops in Iraq for washing needs, which may have contributed to the complaints of skin abscesses, diarrhea and cellulitis amongst the troops. In a press conference yesterday. DoD spokesperson Geoff Morrell blamed the troops for not listening to warnings to drink only bottled water.
Q And with regards to the Pentagon IG report on the dirty water that was supplied to troops in Iraq by KBR, what is the secretary’s comment? What is your comment?
MR. MORRELL: I haven’t spoken to the secretary about it. You know, we’ve all been to Iraq several times. Everywhere you go they make it perfectly clear that you don’t want to drink the water, so I’m a little surprised myself that this is an issue. As I understand it, the bottled water, which is what you’re supposed to be drinking in Iraq, had no issues whatsoever in the testing that was done. Evidently, there was some issue with some of the other water that was, I guess, primarily meant for washing.
And — but still, based upon this IG report, which I think is over 14 months old or something by now, the period in question, that there’s no evidence that any of the illnesses were related to the water. So as far as we can tell, there was no widespread health risk or illness associated with the few problems that were discovered with the water system. But I think our encouragement is always — for journalists and warfighters alike is read the signs and just drink the bottled water.
Mr. Morrell apparently doesn’t read the reports his department prepares, since it specified that this dirty water was used for showers and laundry. But hey, let’s hear the Bush administration talk about how much they appreciate the troops now. Will Sen. McSame continue these kinds of policies if he wins?
No Trackbacks To “Countdown’s Bushed! Death, Destruction and Secrecy In Iraq“
The principals of KBR, of Halliburton and of The Carlisle Group should all be put on trial for crimes against the Us Military and the People of America.
What a sad and troubling testimony.
♣Bangkok Bob♣ @ 1:
But Spitzer! Don’t forget Spitzer!
This comment may be read a couple of hundred times.
http://freewayblogger.blogspot.....cisco.html
These signs will be read a couple of hundred thousand times.
Legacy Year
And the Denver Chamber of Commerce is claiming that punishing corporate criminals is “a direct assault on our business climate.”
Did you guys see this on Media Matters? CHris Matthews is such a douchebag.
And what’s up with the lie that our war in Iraq was based on bad intelligence?
It was all calculated.
I got to split. This is to freaking insane.
John Adams would never have let this happen….why is John Adams suddenly on the forefront of my thoughts whenever I’m on the internets?
I hope CL is getting good specie for that advert.
Whenever I have brought up the million people killed in Iraq in conversation I am inevitably told that the number is false. That it’s merely propaganda created by ‘dems’ to make shrub look bad. I get the impression that most people simply refuse to believe it.
As for KBR, after all the abuses and deprivation the soldiers have had to deal with so far it doesn’t surprise me to hear that the shrub co. criminal gang has started poisoning them outright. It’s time for a military rebellion and it needs to start at the top.
L.A. Confidential @ 5:
Are they suggesting that business and criminal enterprise are the same?
Anyone seen “Iraq for Sale”?
MargeAggedon @ 10:
Apparently, though not all businesses, just large corporate.
MargeAggedon @ 10:
Government of the corporations, by the corporations, for the corporations… and their buddies.
You know the fire drill by now.
For the Corporation, obeying the law is a cost benefit computation.
If the profit is greater than the potential fines, take the profit.
It is simple.
liberalHUSSEINmoderation @ 11:
http://profile.myspace.com/ind.....651211c15d
The total death count of Iraqis is now well over 1 million…
ONE MILLION people slaughtered.
At what point is it politically acceptable for us to compare this administration to that of Hitler? Must we reach the 6 million casualty mark first, before comparisons become palatable to the world’s citizenry?
There are no acceptable excuses for what the USA regime has done, for what the lame Congress has not done.
Thanks for keeping Impeachment off the table, Nancy. You worthless bitch!
Performance enhancing drugs should not be by persons playing professional sports or occupying the White House.
Although, there should be an exception made for GW Bush.
Lollimom @ 15:
or what the enraged Citizens of the USA in their masses still refuse to do…
Bush told the troops in Afghanistan yesterday that he’d be there with them if he were Young enuff. Like Vietnam. Where he was too old, I guess? see http://sideshow.me.uk/smar08.htm#03140354
Ruth @ 19:
The dickwad idiot son just spews shit out. He doesn’t really think about what he’s saying.
If it comes across his earing device, he says it.
Site-Monitors:
I know this is off topic, but it is very serious and good for the Democrats.
I just watched an interview by Kira Phillips on CNNI where she interviews Iraqi Soldiers, without any censorship or minders.
To a man, Every one of them said they favor a Democrat to win in November.
Their reason? They are sick and tired of the Republicans Ineptness. They have seen for almost 6 years what the Republicans can do and are ready for a change. Not one person said they wanted a Republican. This interview spoke Volumes.
An Average Joe @ 16:
Please, she doesn’t think she has the votes. With the Blue Dogs she may be right.
You go to war with the army you have, remember Rumy, that scoundrel.
Here is Pelosi calling Bush a liar in a most effective way. Take what you can get.
This is priceless.
Sorry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up2ySBv5OX0
Verdillac @ 18:
As somebody above said, the US citizenry are under a blanket of secrecy from this information. Most of them don’t believe it when you toss it out there. Corporate media isn’t focusing on it. There are no pictures, no videos.
The rest of the world knows better, however.
Alice Hussein @ 14:
Cool, thanks Alice!
Anyone notice that the Dow is back DOWN to about where Bush was when he took office?
Man…everythings just so overwhelming right now…I weep for my country, for our troops, for the innocent Iraqis…I feel absolutely powerless to do anything. Sometimes I wonder if being blissfully ignorant is worse than knowing a great many evils being done in our names, and being unable to affect any meaningful change…I think I’m gonna get shit-faced tonight.
Another example of the ‘excellent’ support for the troops, or is it screwing over of, this ‘patriotic’ or is is vitriolic administration engages in daily….Hell of a future for a someone who is ligitimately interested in joining the armed service now… IF the hidden IED’s don’t get cha, if the firefights don’t get cha, if the goddamned neverending redeployments and stop loss orders and stress don’t get cha, the freakin bathwater or your goddamned contaminated uniform will….
Someone remind me again why it’s such a freakin good thing for recruiters to be allowed to go on high school campuses to troll for victims, er I mean potential recruits for this so-called army of one…PFFT! JD
Lollimom @ 15:
Please allow me to channel my inner conservative:
First of all these 1 million dead Iraqis aren’t white Christians.
Secondly, 1 million dead Iraqis? 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A! 9/11! U! S! A!
Ok back to reality, yes I hope for war crimes trials. I think the entire executive branch ought to be arrested.
Filthy Harry @ 26:
Yes, and Bear Stearns receives a BAIL-OUT from the Federal Reserve Bank.
Now let’s talk welfare for those sons of bitches in Corporate Amerca.
#11 liberalHUSSEINmoderation Says:
Anyone seen “Iraq for Sale”?
Complete Movie at Google Video: 1hr 16mins
Robert Fisk: The cult of the suicide bomber
Lollimom @ 30:
I’m on the fence on this, mostly cause economics isn’t my strong point (hey, I could be the repub candidate for prez!) but my initial reaction is:Fucking conservatives, talk all this smack about the freemarket, til it hurts them, then they scream for govt welfare. But, and this is the point I don’t know about, would ordinary bank account holders be screwed ultimately if Bear Stearns failed? How many people would not be able to retire as planned if Bear Stearns failed? If the answer is FDIC would protect the bank account customers then I’d definitely lean towards: Fuck em! Let the free market handle it.
Did any notice that while the idiot in chief was spewing his bullshit they had the Dow in the lower corner dropping so fast it made your head spin? I kept yelling for someone to shut the fucker up.
FISA vote in the House now. Straight down party lines, except for 1 Bluedog.
Hussein Hussein @ 35:
Hopefully the closed session they had last night didn’t go well for the repugnantcants.
I watched part of the Morrell questioning ovr this. Olberman is correct. Morrell is a moron.!
But, this arrogant Bush loyalist appointee thinks he is supporting the troops by overpaying KBR for clean water that they do not provide. Morrell will not address this with KBR and will support our troops by his incompetence.
This Morrell has no sane reason to be in his position. There is only one remedy for him. Your fired !
Wow. Morrell is either the most disingenuous or the most ignorant spokesman ever.
I saw some of the congressional testimony on this, and they were piping the EFFLUENT WATER FROM THE REVERSE OSMOSIS operation for troop use!!!
So they all the worst parts out of the unsafe water, then PIPED THE CONCENTRATED WASTE PRODUCT, the “worst of the worst”, to our own troops.
Acting Patriotic @ 31:
I’m gonna purchase this movie, and show it to as many people as I can…
Robt @ 37:
“Moron” is too good for this asshole.
Thoughts:
When you use dirty water to shower with, you breathe that stuff in in the form of steam.
3.2 million Iraquis displaced. Think about one of NYC’s boroughs being emptied of people.
Think about how burdensome financial regulation is. Repubs always want to get rid of regulation because it’s “too costly”. I’m beginning to think that maybe the bailouts are too costly.
For the video contest MoveOn is doing, again (I posted this a couple days ago), someone could make a crawl of Bush/McCain high crimes and misdemeanors. The crawl would go on and on and on while a song runs to the tune of “Yes we can” with a lot of sonic distortion. I’ve no video/computer/music talent……
Sorry for the typo — “Iraqis”
Today our Warrior President aid that “IF he was a few years younger” that he would like to be involved in the Afghanistan democracy building. (I guess that he feels badly about missing out on the Viet Nam deal.) No word from him about wanting to fight in Iraq, however - regardless if he was younger or not. (Some of the American Guardsmen are pretty darn old as it is.)
Honest George @ 43:
Perhaps they could use him for target practice.
Breaking News, no immunity for telecoms!