Hit By Friendly Fire

Hit by friendly fire
With his polls down, Bush takes flak on Iraq from a host of critics--including some in his own party
By Kevin Whitelaw

Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel is angry. He's upset about the more than 1,700 U.S. soldiers killed and nearly 13,000 wounded in Iraq. He's also aggravated by the continued string of sunny assessments from the Bush administration, such as Vice President Dick Cheney's recent remark that the insurgency is in its "last throes." "Things aren't getting better; they're getting worse. The White House is completely disconnected from reality," Hagel tells U.S. News. "It's like they're just making it up as they go along. The reality is that we're losing in Iraq."

That's strikingly blunt talk from a member of the president's party, even one cast as something of a pariah in the GOP because of his early skepticism about the war. "I got beat up pretty good by my own party and the White House that I was not a loyal Republican," he says. Today, he notes, things are changing: "More and more of my colleagues up here are concerned."

Indeed, there are signs that the politics of the Iraq war are being reshaped by the continuing tide of bad news. Take this month in Iraq, with 47 U.S. troops killed in the first 15 days. That's already five more than the toll for the entire month of June last year. With the rate of insurgent attacks near an all-time high and the war's cost set to top $230 billion, more politicians on both sides of the aisle are responding to opinion polls that show a growing number of Americans favoring a withdrawal from Iraq. Republican Sens. Lincoln Chafee and Lindsey Graham have voiced their concerns. And two Republicans, including the congressman who brought "freedom fries" to the Capitol, even joined a pair of Democratic colleagues in sponsoring a bill calling for a troop withdrawal plan to be drawn up by year's end. "I feel confident that the opposition is going to build," says Rep. Ron Paul, the other Republican sponsor and a longtime opponent of the war.

Sagging polls. The measure is not likely to go anywhere, but Hagel calls it "a major crack in the dike." Whether or not that's so, the White House has reason to worry that the assortment of critiques of Bush's wartime performance may be approaching a tipping point. Only 41 percent of Americans now support Bush's handling of the Iraq war, the lowest mark ever in the Associated Press-Ipsos poll. And the Iraq news has combined with a lethargic economy and doubts about the president's Social Security proposals to push Bush's overall approval ratings near all-time lows. For now, most Republicans remain publicly loyal to the White House. "Why would you give your enemies a timetable?" asks House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. "[Bush] doesn't fight the war on news articles or television or on polls."

Still, the Bush administration is planning to hit back, starting this week, with a renewed public-relations push by the president. Bush will host Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafari and has scheduled a major speech for June 28, the anniversary of the handover of power to an Iraqi government from U.S. authorities. But Congress's patience could wear very thin going into an election year. "If things don't start to turn around in six months, then it may be too late," says Hagel. "I think it's that serious."

Bush's exit strategy--which depends on a successful Iraqi political process--got a boost last week when Sunni and Shiite politicians ended weeks of wrangling over how to increase Sunni representation on the constitution-writing committee. Now, however, committee members have less than two months before their mid-August deadline. And given how long it took to resolve who gets to draft the document, it's hard to imagine a quick accord on the politically explosive issues they face.

Congressman Gets U.S. Document Subpoena

Congressman Gets U.S. Document Subpoena
==SNIP-------
Na Na Na Na Boo Boo!

Plane Crash Kills Wal-Mart Heir - GOD HAS SPOKEN

Plane Crash Kills Wal-Mart Heir - New York Times
John Walton, a son of the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. founder, Sam Walton, died in a plane crash near Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming yesterday.

Mr. Walton, 58, was the only person aboard an ultralight aircraft when it crashed about 1:20 p.m., Wal-Mart said in a statement.

Mr. Walton, listed in Forbes magazine in March as the world's 11th-richest person, with a net worth of $18.2 billion, had been a Wal-Mart board member since 1992 and was chairman of the holding company True North Partners, based in Bentonville, Ark., Wal-Mart said in the statement.

Mr. Walton was also chairman of the Walton Family Foundation, which donated at least $700 million to education-related causes from 1998 to 2004, USA Today reported last year.

In 1998, Mr. Walton; Ted Forstmann, a co-founder of Forstmann Little & Company; and Michael Ovitz, former president of the Walt Disney Company, created a $200 million scholarship fund to help low-income students attend private and parochial schools in New York, Los Angeles, Washington and Chicago.

A member of the Green Berets during the Vietnam War, Mr. Walton was awarded the Silver Star for saving members of his unit, Wal-Mart said.

Mr. Walton, Sam Walton's second-oldest son, worked as a crop duster and a boat builder before founding True North, Wal-Mart said. He was married and had one son, the company said.

The cause of the crash has not been determined, Wal-Mart said in the statement. A Wal-Mart spokesman, Marty Heires, declined to comment beyond the statement.

CBC Arts: Geldof defends Bush's Africa policy

CBC Arts: Geldof defends Bush's Africa policy
George W. Bush has done more to help Africa than other U.S. presidents, says Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof.

Geldof made the comment in an interview in the current issue of Time magazine. The Irish rocker was relating how he had to defend Bush while he was in France.


Bob Geldof (AP photo)
"[The French] refuse to accept, because of their political ideology, that he has actually done more than any American president for Africa. But it's empirically so," Geldof said.

The interview, which also included U2 lead singer Bono and Four Weddings and a Funeral screenwriter Richard Curtis, appears as organizers rush to finalize the details of Live 8, a series of concerts being held around the world on July 2.

The goal of the event is to put pressure on the leaders of the G8 nations, who are meeting in Scotland from July 6 to 8, to help poor African nations.

The lineup and venue for the Canadian edition of Live 8 will be unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday.


RELATED STORY: Venue for Canada's Live 8 concert still unconfirmed

Geldof reveals in the interview that he was initially reluctant to help spearhead Live 8 because he thinks 1985's Live Aid can't be topped.

"Not to be immodest, but the first one was perfect in almost every sense," he said.

"Artistically, people seemed to up the ante, and the performances were pretty great across the board. Huge amounts of money were raised, not a penny lost, and politically it elevated the issue onto the global table. The whole thing just worked, unbelievably."


FROM THE ARCHIVES: Banding Together: Singing Out for Disaster Relief

However, the former leader of the Boomtown Rats says he finally gave in and agreed to stage the concerts after being pressured by Bono and Curtis, two close friends.

Geldof was also asked how he is paying for the concerts, to which admittance is free.

"The funding? It's a massive risk. In the U.K. we raised a lot of it from a text-message ticket lottery. I raised $5 million through an underwriting loan. We did an auction of the DVD rights. You find a way," he explained.

Time asked Geldof about the criticism from some corners about the predominantly white lineup for the concerts. Geldof defended his decision to recruit the likes of Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Joss Stone and Madonna, saying he picks performers based on how many fans they have.

Geldof said he is also campaigning to have Pope Benedict involved in some way in Live 8, and Bono added that he thinks Bush can make a huge contribution.

"He feels he's already doubled and tripled aid to Africa, which he has. But he started from far too low a place," the U2 frontman said.

"He can stand there and say he paid at the office already. He shouldn't, because he'll be left out of the history books. But it's hard for him because of the expense of the war and the debts. But I have a hunch that he will step forward with something."

Alaska Native and Native American Issues - ENewsBlog

Alaska Native and Native American Issues - ENewsBlog
All Tribes Energy Alliance2005-06-26 06:24:37
Link


WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, all rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and


WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is the oldest and largest national organization established in 1944 and comprised of representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and local Tribal concerns; and

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of NCAI; and


WHEREAS, that all of the Tribes across America combine their efforts in alternative energy and regionalize opportunities to become the next energy supplier for all of America; an


Whereas, the Tribes fully exploit all the technologies available in the Alternative Energy Field including: solar, wind, wave, falling water, and/or biomass waste resources for all of the Tribes to achieve sustainable energy independence; and


Whereas, the Tribes give full consideration in establishing All Tribes Energy Alliance regionalizing by different areas of Indian Country; pooling their resources available exploiting solar, wind, wave, falling water, and/or biomass waste resources to not only met Tribes’ energy needs but have the ability to supply neighbors surrounding the reservations; and


Whereas, the Tribes rapidly become educated on the declining fossil fuel of America which uses 25% of the world’s oil and America’s current economy drains their natural resources and pollutes the environment. Tribes can be in the center of commerce of America and every Tribe has solar ability, wind power, some tribes near the ocean, tribes have falling water and/or have available biomass waste that can convert into energy; and


Whereas, the Tribes realize that the future of Energy can be the future of a new tribal economy and combing forming regional setting of developing energy it can and will bring prosperity and in our life time we can eliminate poverty, improve our quality of life and bring us into prosperity; and


Whereas, the Tribes form the All Tribes Energy Alliance, partnership with their Tribal Colleges and high schools to establish curriculum that full addresses energy needs and start on the path of developing tribal expertise within the Alternative Energy fields; and


Whereas, the Tribes launch this endeavor at the earliest possible time for America’s Energy Crisis can become a prosperous opportunity for Tribes to launch new tribal energy economy for America is busy at war and opportune time to establish the Tribes in becoming Energy Suppliers to all of America and their energy needs.


NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, NCAI supports this resolution for it addresses the national, regional and local goals and objectives of the Tribes and it brings great prosperity becoming and establishing Alternative Energy projects across all of Indian Country.


BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI requests unanimous support for this resolution for it brings new tribal economies that meet and exceed our tribal goals and fulfills tribal self-determination to a new level of empowering Tribes.


BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, NCAI calls upon the Tribes to become more aware of the Energy Crisis of America and how the Tribes through alternative energy projects by can become major Energy Supplier for America. Also, readily available technology in this Alternative Energy Field with such opportunities as transfer of knowledge and know-how with potential to form Tribal International Renewable Resource Centers which can provide Tribes with Technical Assistance, Training, with capacity to have business incubator with recommendations on potential industrial opportunities with by-products and durable goods that replaces steel, aluminum and copper.


CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted at ___________________________________the National Congress of American Indians, held at ________________________________________________with a quorum present.




_____________________________________

President






ATTEST:




_________________________Recording Secretary

Adopted by ______________________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________








All Tribes Alternative Energy Alliance


Mission Statement


All Tribes Alternative Energy’s vision is to be recognized, both nationally and worldwide, as a center of excellence providing support for the development and growth of The Tribes renewable and sustainable energy industries.


Mission

To assist the development of the Tribal sustainable energy industry through standards development, equipment testing, research and development, demonstration, education, training and policy analysis. Educating on the availability of existing technologies in the alternative energy field. Create more awareness of the opportunities to become major energy suppliers for all of America. Work with existing Native Organizations in the Energy field or friend non-native companies already established and willing to work with the Tribes.


All Tribes Energy Alliance Education and Policy


Overview

Through the Tribal International Renewable Resource Centers - All Tribes Energy Alliance Education and Policy program provides education and training in renewable energy and sustainable energy at all levels, including short courses, award courses, and information dissemination. It also provides policy analysis and market research services.

The program seeks to continue and expand on the nationally and internationally recognized work that was previously undertaken by the Tribal International Renewable Resource Center in the areas of education and policy, complimentary to the covered by the training and professional development activities of the Center. A wide range of areas related to sustainable energy and greenhouse gas abatement are covered by the Energy program and include:

grid integrated/connected renewable energy systems, devices, components and related issues;

energy efficiency and energy management in industry, transport and residential and commercial buildings;

greenhouse gas auditing, abatement and trading, as related to energy;

stationary and transport uses of fuel cells, alternative transport fuels, hydrogen-energy systems and the Hydrogen Economy; and

implementation of sustainable energy solutions in developing countries.

Tribal economic feasibility demonstrations of energy and materials production from renewable resources;

Establish regional Tribal Renewable Resource Centers across all of Indian Country with capabilities of establishing regional Renewable Resource Parks on tribal lands.

Establish regional technology transfer centers of the Tribal International Renewable Resources Centers with ability to launch new tribal ventures that provide goods and services to support tribal achievements of sustainable-resources with tribal wealth-expanding, economies.

Education Program

The Education component of the All Tribes Energy Alliance Program has four areas of work/activity:

Short courses and professional development;

Partnership with Tribal Schools and community outreach;

Partnership with Tribal Schools and Education; and

Provide Tribes Technical Assistance and Further Education in the Alternative Energy field.

Policy Program

The Policy component of the All Tribes Energy Alliance program seeks to provide independent tribal policies formulation and analysis, as well as tribal market research in the areas covered by All Tribes Energy Alliance , with emphasis on all of Indian Country perspectives. It will provide support, as resources permit, to Tribal industries, Tribal communities and different levels of partnerships and launching new Tribal Ventures.. It will actively seek to be part of, and interact with, other interstate and national policy initiatives and groups as required.

Technical and Further Education

As interest in renewable energy technologies increases, both nationally and internationally, there is a need for a strong network of trained installers to meet the demand from customers.

All Tribes Energy Alliance , in conjunction with leading Technical and Further Education tribal colleges institutions and other universities willing to establish a partnership with this endeavor, is seeking to address this issue through the development and delivery of materials and of courses at level related to the areas covered by the All Tribes Energy Alliance programs and future programs developed as need arises.

Community Education

All Tribes Energy Alliance has a strong commitment to school & community education. Schools can access free of charge teaching resources as well as information on renewable energy sources & technologies at the dedicated schools website. All Tribes Energy Alliance also presents workshops for schools and community groups on renewable energy, energy efficiency and greenhouse issues. Some of the activities in this area include:

Development of web-based and printed information related to the areas covered by the All Tribes Energy programs;

Regular, ad hoc, seminars in areas covered by the All Tribes Energy Alliance programs;

Development of resources for use in all Native American schools on renewable energy, energy efficiency, the hydrogen economy/fuel cells and greenhouse gas issues;

Development and offering of Schools workshops and activities on renewable energy, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas issues;

Assist the implementation of the Certificate I in Renewable Energy in High School in All of Indian Country Schools.

"AND WE WON'T BE B ACK 'TIL IT''S OVER, OVER THERE"

During World War II, there was a song that was song by Americans, that had as part of its lyrics, the refrain "...And, we won't be back 'til it's over over there."

I pray that people in this country DO NOT feel that this is the mission we will impose on our proud sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters who currently are "in country" in Afghanistan and Iraq. WHY?

Because, when you are dealing with relgions as old as Christianity, and Islam, we are talking ahout centuries of discord that trace their history back before the Crusades.

This article/ editorial was generated by a man who called into the Washington Journal program put on by C-Span, in which he said that part of the problem was letting troops rotate in and out of Iraq. His solution was to put them there and not let them come back until it is over, echoing the "We won't be back 'til it's over over there." He also said we must resume the draft.

He must not actually KNOW anyone who has been in Iraq. I know guys that have been there, one has been two times...they beleive it is time to bring ALL the troops home, NOW, as do I.

Bush and his cadre say there is no timetable to bring people home.

That is an openended commitment to continue the slaughter of our young men and women, and FOR NO REASON.

This is NOT WWII, and there is no flag to take. This is a religious, fundamentalist war, and involves people who are stirred up by rhetoric similar to the rhetoric that inspired us during WWII , and ironically, also spurred the Nazi troops...i.e.,
"For God and Country". Xenophobia, patriotism, and religion are volatile components of a mixture that is emotion driven, and not logical.

It is a mutually accepted race to destruction.

Bring the Troops Home, NOW!

~CodeWarriorz Thoughts

With our economy in the trash, and our men and women dying in Iraq...why is this ASSHOLE laughing?

Doing the "Gavel Walk"- by Sensen Baby

Big F'ing BABY Sensenbrenner takes his toy gavel and runs home to cry to Mommy that the big bad Democrats asked to many "hard questions".

BIG F'ING BABY