Countries Al Queda Operated in as of 11.10.01

Note that Iraq was not on the State Department’s list:

Albania
Algeria
Afghanistan
Azerbaijan
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belgium
Bosnia
Egypt
Eritrea
France
Germany
India
Iran
Ireland
Italy
Jordan
Kenya
Kosovo
Lebanon
Libya
Malaysia
Mauritania
Netherlands
Pakistan
Philippines
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
South Africa
Sudan
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uzbekistan
Yemen

—————————————

Official State Department page (published November 10, 2001):
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/terrornet/12.htm

The Path to Florida (Gore v Bush)

An interesting article from Vanity Fair on Florida 2000, and how both camps are gearing for more of the same in 2004:

You can download the full story in PDF format here: Part 1 & Part 2.

Bush Bashers

The cognitive dissonance among Mr. Bush’s supporters is incredible. Over and over again, the only explanation they seem to be able to muster as to why reasonable people disagree with his administration is that such folks must hate Mr. Bush. Hmmm… clearly Mr. Bush’s supporters are not paying attention, nor carefully reading many of the posts made in this board.

But hey, whatever explains one’s world view, right?

I’ll say it again, I’m an average male that happened to serve in the Marines, I put myself through college after the Corps, I follow politics extremely closely and, as I have carefully documented, I (and countless folks around our country) have substantive and legitimate reasons to want to hold Mr. Bush accountable for the self-admitted “miscalculations” that got us into Iraq (and which will keep our armed forces there for years to come — which is exactly what Osama Bin Ladin wanted, a permanent target).

Honestly folks, if you guys don’t know what’s going-on in Iraq you’ve better start paying attention.

“At best, the experts said, Iraq will have a tenuous stability. A middle-ground estimate envisions increased extremism and fragmentation that impede efforts to build a central government and adversely affect efforts to democratize the country.” [ LINK ]

Mr. Bush chose to go into Iraq when he didn’t have to. To me, this is the biggest issue of this campaign, and the single gravest breach of trust that any Commander-in-Chief (or leader of any type) can make.

Now, I have documented these legitimate grievances, and (if any of you have read them and are intellectually honest) you will conclude that, as a citizen of this nation, I have a right to hold this administration accountable… and I will make sure that everyone I come in physical contact with is aware of these grievances, and that they vote their conscious come November 2nd. (As an aside, Mr. Bush’s supporters should be extremely honest, and ask themselves one simple question, “If Clinton had made the same miscalculations and decisions that Bush has made, would I be supporting Clinton at this point?”)

Now, if you guys feel more comfortable believing that it’s just personal and that these “left-wing loonies” are just a bunch of Bush Bashers, well, you keeping on deluding yourselves with that simple-minded explanation of the world.

Kerry: Bush Failed To Tell Truth About Iraq

“True leadership is about looking people in the eye and telling the truth, even when it’s hard to hear,” Kerry told members of the National Guard Association.

Kerry blasted Bush for failing “the fundamental test of leadership. He failed to tell you the truth.”

“You deserve better. The commander in chief must level with the troops and the nation,” he added. “And as president, I will always be straight with you — on the good days, and the bad days.”

[...]

“Two days ago, the President stood right where I’m standing and did not even acknowledge that more than 1,000 men and women have lost their lives in Iraq,” Kerry said.

AP Story

My Pet Goat

One expects the president of the U.S. to be at the ready 24/7. And that’s why this president, Mr. Bush, is such a disappointment and unlike any president we’ve had before. At the precise time when Mr. Bush was supposed to have been “strong,” “resolute,” and a man of “action,” he sat in a kid’s chair and read “My Pet Goat”:

Note that as he sat there, in the kid’s chair reading “My Pet Goat,” Mr. Bush was told that a SECOND plane had hit the World Trade Center Towers. So, Mr. Bush knew that America was under attack when he went into the classroom, and yet our self-described war president chose to keep a photo-op, in stead of doing his job.

You can watch the all too painful video clip of Mr. Bush reading “My Pet Goat” here, courtesy of the MemoryHole.org.