Mayor of London Attacks Warren G. Harding as 'Racist':

"This is a president [Bush] who uses the death penalty with complete abandon and disregard for any respect for life. This is no example. So let everyone recognise what has happened here today: that Britain does not support this war for oil. The British people will not tolerate being used to prop up the most corrupt and racist American administration in over 80 years."

This quote from London Mayor Ken Livingstone (via Andrew Sullivan) is a vicious slur against one of our American leaders. What the hell did Harding do to you, Ken?!!!
Actually, reading this short bio on Harding makes me think he could have been a pretty good and ineffectual leader of France in 2003:

Before his nomination, Warren G. Harding declared, "America's present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration; not agitation, but adjustment; not surgery, but serenity; not the dramatic, but the dispassionate; not experiment, but equipoise; not submergence in internationality, but sustainment in triumphant nationality...."

A Democratic leader, William Gibbs McAdoo, called Harding's speeches "an army of pompous phrases moving across the landscape in search of an idea." Their very murkiness was effective, since Harding's pronouncements remained unclear on the League of Nations, in contrast to the impassioned crusade of the Democratic candidates, Governor James M. Cox of Ohio and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Before 9/11 This Would Have Been Big News:

AUBURN, N.Y. — Robert Chambers, who became notorious in the 1980s as the "Preppie killer" when he strangled a young woman during a tryst in Central Park, was released from prison Friday after serving his full 15-year sentence for manslaughter.

French President Chirac!

NATO Vote In Favor Of Protecting Turkey wins 16-3, Loses Via Veto:

France, Belgium and Germany continued the Old Europe unilateralism by denying protection to fellow NATO member Turkey. From a NATO press conference:

Q: Klaus Pompers: Very short question, Secretary General: Who is to blame?

Robertson: I don’t allocate blame. Three countries have broken silence. Therefore, 16 countries agree with the tasking.

Also of note from the press conference was a question from a reporter from Belgium. With the future of Turkey riding on this vote, this the question Belgium asked:

Q: Jan Balliauw, Belgium Television. I’m here. Belgium is a small country and host country of NATO. Will it have consequences for the position of Belgium in the alliance? For instance, the location of headquarters?

What brave people....

Saddam, It's Time to Get Dressed:
When I have trouble getting my three year old daughter dressed, I tell her I will count to 3 and if she isn't getting dressed following the countdown then I will "do it for her".

The trouble comes when, after I've counted to 3 and I start to dress her by force, she begins to wail that NOW she is willing to comply to the dressing demand.

A parent has choice here. A parent can give in to the wailing, hoping the child will now comply, or a parent can continue to dress the child by force, all the while advising the child that a fair chance had been given to her and, unfortunately, once the count of 3 had passed, then alternatives to forced dressing were no longer negotiable.

I am like the latter parent. Once the count of 3 has come and gone, nothing, I mean nothing, can change the course of events. My daughter's decision to comply must be made PRIOR to the counting of 3.

Saddam, the US is counting and 3 will be reached on Thursday evening. Nothing you say on Friday will make a difference, none of your wailing will divert us from your forced compliance. You see, the USA is very good parent (and France and Germany are the horrible parents you see at the mall with the ill-behaved kids).

Iraqis Flown to Hungary:

Iraqi volunteers have started arriving in the village of Taszár (about 180km south-west of Budapest), with the local mayor saying fears among locals of becoming a target for terrorists are running high.

A special plane carrying the first batch of Iraqi exiles and opponents of Saddam Hussein arrived in Taszár last Wednesday, for "non-combat training" from the US military. More were expected to arrive at the weekend, with exact numbers being kept secret.Stern explained that training would include learning interpreting skills and support functions (like translation and liaison work) in support of the coalition forces in the event of any conflict with Iraq.

"They will also have basic training in self defense," he said, adding that when their training was over they would be flown to "outside of Hungary".

Péter Matyuc, Director-in-Chief for Communication at the Hungarian Defense Ministry (HM), said that "dozens" of Iraqi exiles had landed in Taszár.

Unconfirmed reports in the Hungarian media have speculated the numbers of arrivals at anywhere between 500 and 3,000.

Stern did not rule out that some of those trained in Taszár could take part in any future administration which might be formed after the liberation of Iraq from what he described as "Saddam Hussein’s brutal grip".

Hungarian PM Supports US:

"Now is the moment for us to realize that America and Europe will lose out if they are unable to forge a united stance regarding Iraq," said Medgyessy in an interview with Hungarian daily Népszabadság.

Speaking in Athens last week, Medgyessy emphasized that, for the sake of UN prestige and the future, Baghdad could not be allowed to ignore the relevant Security Council decision.

Could someone please contact the NYTimes and inform them that Hungary is part of Europe?

Warning! This Is Not a Joke. Not from The Onion:

From the Boston Globe...really:

"Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but for a cause like peace Felix Arroyo was prepared to forgo it - once every other week.

At least that was until after yesterday's Boston City Council meeting, when the councilor pledged his ''hunger'' strike would also include lunch.

As part of his fast-for-peace program, Arroyo said he'll consume only coffee and other liquids from sunrise to sunset - when he gets to have dinner - on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.

''We are doing something to bring attention to an issue that is escalating today,'' he said. ''With war, we will continue planting hate for generations of children. Why don't we go to the roots and kill it now.''

The every-other-week timing of the move drew snickers from some of Arroyo's council colleagues. One joked privately that his proposed hunger strike was ''a little like saying you're going to jump off a building and then only putting a leg over the ledge.''

Still, Arroyo, who was elevated to the council upon the departure of Francis ''Mickey'' Roache, said shortly after his second council meeting that he's going to contact officials in cities across the country, hoping his movement will catch on. ''Eventually, it's important to do this in an organized way,'' he said. ''I think it will grow.''

Let's hope not.

Anti-American German Computer Game for Kids:

The German government commissioned and distributed an anti-American computer game for kids. The game seeks to help some pathetic inhabitants of the Earth to create a more sustainable future. Of course, these people inhabit a fictional island...but you tell me what this island looks like!



Worst Op-Ed Ever?

Dinah PoKempner, general counsel of Human Rights Watch, seriously argues that America's style of war that seeks to limit civilian casualties is dangerous to....civilians. I this man insane? Is the Boston Globe insane? Answer to both questions is a resounding, "Yes!"

"Some American cultural values that shape the new war paradigm are not universally appreciated, such as efficiency and a fascination with gadgetry."

Oh, yes. A fascination with carpet bombing would be much more universally appreciated.

"This explains the US view that it is acceptable to attack civilian morale in the form of nonmilitary targets whose destruction can undermine public support for war: turning the lights off in Belgrade or Baghdad, targeting the enemy's industrialist supporters, destroying civilian propaganda outlets or symbols of the regime such as monuments or civilian administration. All are off-limits under international law, which limits attacks to targets that make a direct contribution to military action."

Why do they hate us? For turning off the lights!

"It is ironic that at the moment the United States, by virtue of its military prowess, can most afford to set the highest standard in armed conflict, it is backing away from time-honored laws that impose the constraints of humanity upon slaughter."

The United States is the first world power to EVER place a high value on the lives of its enemy's civilian population. This Op-Ed is pure anti-American vitriol, filled with lies, and unbecoming of even the Boston Globe's low standards.\

Nelson Mandela, A Vicious Anti-American:

Former South African President Nelson Mandela slammed President Bush and his stance on Iraq, saying, "If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America."

My Very First Cartoon:


Hope you like it.

February 5, 2003 - A Day of Reckoning for the United Nations:

"Let there be no misunderstanding," Bush said. "If Saddam Hussein does not fully disarm, for the safety of our people, and for the peace of the world, we will lead a coalition to disarm him."

Read It All:

"To say this war is all about oil is factually identical to saying that this war is all about maintaining our society and lifestyle. If that is not worth fighting for, what is? One may find that offensive ideologically, but my experience with the people who have SPLIT WOOD NOT ATOMS on their bumper stickers have actually split very little wood in their lives. If one feels deeply about NO BLOOD FOR OIL, you must either drive a solar-powered electric car, ride a horse or a bicycle, or walk. You must remove your home from the city power grid. You must discard all plastic items. You must also abandon television, radios and movies, all of which rely on electricity generated by oil. You must forgo modern medicine, surgery and dentistry, likewise driven by oil-fired electricity at many stages. You must grow your own food.

Do all of these things, and you will have my frank admiration for your dedication to a moral cause. Do anything less and you are a hypocrite mouthing an easy lie in an attempt to strike a pose of moral superiority."

Iraqi Dissidents Attack UN on "Save Me" Man:

In a press release yesteday:

This morning, in Baghdad, a young Iraqi citizen tried to seek refuge with the UN inspectors. He managed to get into one of the inspectors' cars shouting, "Save me,
save me," only to be handed to the Iraqi authorities.


“This incident sends the wrong message to Iraqi scientists,” explained Ahmed Shames. “Scientists are being asked to give information to UN inspectors and promised protection, yet they can’t seem to even protect one man. No doubt this man and his family will be interrogated, tortured and executed as is the practice of the regime. This is not going to fill scientists with confidence in the UN.”

Tony Snow and Fox News, First to Mention "Save Me" Story:

Bloggers across the world have wondered for 48 hours how the inhuman treatment by the UN of an Iraqi citizen would be reported by the press. The response has been, as expected, pathetic. But at least Tony Snow of Fox mentioned it in an interview with White House Chief of Staff Andy Card.

SNOW: OK. Yesterday, there was an incident where a guy jumps into a U.N. van at the facility in Baghdad and he says, you know, "Save me."

He's got a notebook.

CARD: Clutching his notebook.

SNOW: Clutching his notebook, and the U.N. didn't save him. They turned him over to Iraqi authorities. Now, if you're an Iraqi scientist and you see that, is there any way, under any circumstances, that you'd talk to the U.N.?

CARD: Well, again, the burden is on Saddam Hussein to have compliance.

SNOW: I understand that, but this is one of these cases where the United States has talked about trying to get scientists out of the country, yet you have a guy asking for help, and as far as I can tell, the U.N. didn't help.

CARD: Well, we would like to see the Iraqi people be freed from the burdens that they're carrying because of Saddam Hussein.

SNOW: Were you disappointed when you saw that?

CARD: I was disappointed in that I want Saddam Hussein to create a climate where his people feel comfortable in cooperating with the civilized world.