I thought that you might find the following articles interesting:
1999 War Games Foresaw Problems in Iraq
WASHINGTON — The U.S. government conducted a series of secret war games in 1999 that anticipated an invasion of Iraq would require 400,000 troops, and even then chaos might ensue.
(snip)
“The conventional wisdom is the U.S. mistake in Iraq was not enough troops,” said Thomas Blanton, the archive’s director. “But the Desert Crossing war game in 1999 suggests we would have ended up with a failed state even with 400,000 troops on the ground.”
(snip)
The war games looked at “worst case” and “most likely” scenarios after a war that removed then-Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power. Some are similar to what actually occurred after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003
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Did You Know that Eric Massa Hates the Troops and America and wants this nation to be attacked again? You didn’t??? It could be because its not true. However, according to the latest “hit piece” from Rep. Randy Kuhl’s campaign, this must obviously be the case.
I’m getting highly annoyed and pretty tired of debunking these attack ads from Rep. Kuhl. Rep. Kuhl, when are you going to start sending out ads that detail your positions on issues instead of sending out these attack ads on Mr. Massa??? How about something positive from you, about only you, for a change? Do you have any plans for that type of advertising? You are running out of time, though. (And I could use the break from doing these reports. PLEASE???)
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So the guy can’t tell a joke; I’ve not been known for my sense of humor, either (just ask my spouse).
I request anyone who is not familiar with the background of Kerry’s comment to read this:
MSNBC host Chris Matthews read from the AP article during the October 31 edition of Hardball, noting that Kerry “opened his speech … with several one-liners, joking at one point that Bush had lived in Texas but now ‘lives in a state of denial.’ Then he said: ‘You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.’” Matthews further described the White House’s characterization of Kerry’s remarks as a “violent interpretation,” then later, during an interview with former House Republican Leader Dick Armey (TX), said:
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From The Fighting 29th:
Trivium
Ad Tweaks and Internet Ads, which includes the new Massa commerical and an internet ad from Majority Action, which focuses on Rep. Kuhl’s opposition to stem cell research (although I don’t recall them using the word “embryonic” in the ad).
Closing Time
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Recent developments at the Canandaigua VA Hospital regarding the closure of an in-patient acute psychiatric unit by November 30, 2006, have triggered strong reaction from local veterans, Senator Clinton, and Congressional Candidate Eric Massa. Earlier this year, the hospital was deemed to be a “Center of Excellence”, one of three across the country.
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(Print article from Olean Times Herald; not available on-line at the time of this posting.)
(Update: On-line article now available: War in Iraq a strategic blunder, Massa tells St. Bona audience)
Congressional candidate Eric Massa spoke at St. Bonaventure University yesterday. Topics discussed included the Iraq War, the Patriot Act, Election Reform, and Health Care.
Democracy cannot be built at gunpoint in a world region where American democracy is not widely accepted, he said.
Mr. Massa said it is America’s moral imperative to demand solutions to national issues instead of arguments.
“No politician in the U.S. has the right to tell me I’m un-American because I disagree with George W. Bush,” he said.
“If we destroy the Constitution of the United States of America in an effort to try to protect it, then we have lost,” he said. “Is this country worth fighting for, or do we surrender to an unprecedented power grab…when the powers they seek don’t make us secure? I’m not ready to surrender just yet.”
Massa wants “clean” election reform; of the $700,000 he has raised so far for his campaign, no contributions have come from American corporations.
(Eric Massa will also be attending and speaking at the Citizens’ Hearing on Health Care, tomorrow, 10:00 am at the Allegany-Limestone school auditorium.)
Upstate GOP congressmen face fresh attacks on Iraq
Yesterday on this site, we posted an article regarding MoveOn’s efforts in running an advertisement related to Randy Kuhl’s Iraq War support. The above AP article provides more local information on the subject.
Eric Massa, a retired Navy commander challenging Kuhl, met with veterans Wednesday in Corning, arguing that the current U.S. policy in Iraq has failed and the war-torn country should be divided into three separate ethnic states.
(snip)
“My opponent chose to make this the central issue of the election, by going to Iraq 100 days before and returning without any solutions,” said Massa.
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Sometimes, a coincidence is just that – a coincidence. Sometimes, when too many coincidences occur under similar circumstances, it just makes you wonder.
Last night on “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” (MSNBC, weeknights at 8:00 pm EST), they revisited a story that they had first broadcasted this past October. I leave it up to you to decide if these are all purely coincidental.
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Now, this is interesting:
Retroactive War Crime Protection Proposed
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration drafted amendments to the War Crimes Act that would retroactively protect policymakers from possible criminal charges for authorizing any humiliating and degrading treatment of detainees, according to lawyers who have seen the proposal.
(snip)
“I think what this bill can do is in effect immunize past crimes. That’s why it’s so dangerous,” said a third attorney, Eugene Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Justice.
(snip)
Interrogation practices “follow from policies that were formed at the highest levels of the administration,” said a fourth attorney, Scott Horton, who has followed detainee issues closely. “The administration is trying to insulate policymakers under the War Crimes Act.”
Is it possible that the “policymakers” feel that they could be charged with war crimes and that they need this retroactive protection? I’m somewhat at a loss for words right now…
President Bush held a press conference today. One reporter asked him the following question:
QUESTION: Mr. President, if I could turn to Iraq for a moment, when you and Prime Minister Blair met at the White House a few months ago, you were asked about mistakes and missteps. And he said the one mistake he made was miscalculating and thinking that a young democracy, as you put it, would be born very quickly after the fall of Saddam.
Are you prepared today to agree with him and acknowledge that you had the same expectations which were wrong?
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Congressman Randy Kuhl, as part of a congressional delegation, traveled to Iraq this past weekend.
I have not seen any news regarding the results of his trip; therefore, I will instead share researched items that I feel are relevant to a trip such as this one.
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