Wednesday August 16, 2006, 12:53 pm
This speech will be historical! I'm so glad and relieved that there are young men and women that stand up for what's legally and morally right!

Wednesday August 16, 2006, 1:12 pm
What Lt Watada says is actually what one expects from the country with the constitution that has been a model for all democracies in the world, as far as I know!

Wednesday August 16, 2006, 7:43 pm
Maybe he'll say something like this tomorrow, at the trial:
"Today, I speak with you about a radical idea. It is one born from the very concept of the American soldier (or service member). It became instrumental in ending the Vietnam War - but it has been long since forgotten. The idea is this: that to stop an illegal and unjust war, the soldiers can choose to stop fighting it.
Now it is not an easy task for the soldier. For he or she must be aware that they are being used for ill-gain. They must hold themselves responsible for individual action. They must remember duty to the Constitution and the people supersedes the ideologies of their leadership."
Let's hope the whole process will help to find peaceful solutions to all problems in the best interest of all parties involved!

Thursday August 17, 2006, 2:11 am
Now that we know that Bush Sr and Bush Jr LIED for OIL, and redefined the MEANING of our nation's constitution, it is obvious that Saddam Hussein would be a better president of United States than either Bush or any of their co-conspirators.

Thursday August 17, 2006, 3:11 am
He's a brave man. I hope things work for him and people understand that oil is traded with money, not blood.

Thursday August 17, 2006, 8:58 am
Make mine the words by Doris and Randall...Lt.Watada is really in his right!

Thursday August 17, 2006, 9:10 am
Kudos, Doris ... this article made it to THE FRONT PAGE!

Thursday August 17, 2006, 9:48 am
Today I'm sending many thoughts over a great sea and a great continent - Lt Watada's on trial - let's hope the whole process will help to find peaceful solutions to all problems in this world in the best interest of all parties involved! We do care for a little girl killed many years ago, we must also care about those who are reluctant to go out and kill more little girls (and boys, and their relatives...)...

Thursday August 17, 2006, 1:37 pm
Every officer of our armed forces takes an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Duty, honor and country is the code officers lives by. Patriotism as practiced in the military is an intelligent devotion to the interests of the United States above every other consideration. This means that one's religion, political and personal beliefs take second consideration.

Lt. Watada voluntarily joined the military. By not accepting his responsibility to follow a direct order he showed a lack of courage, loyalty, discipline, readiness and sense of responsibility which are part of what makes up an officer in the United States military. I believe traitor is a better fit for Lt. Watada than patriot.

Thursday August 17, 2006, 1:44 pm
Lt. Calley was your kind of patriot, Tony; you'd have our soldiers massacre anyone who disagrees with you.

Thursday August 17, 2006, 1:57 pm
The point I'm trying to make is....if he doesn't want to fight, then why did he Volunteer to join?
I'm sorry , but you cannot have a military made up of idiots that think they can decide which wars to fight.
This guy is a disgrace and should be sent to Levenworth.

Thursday August 17, 2006, 2:09 pm
Check your local recruiting station and "test" the B.S. the recruiter gives potential recruits ... most of these "boys" and "girls" are far poor towns where they can't get jobs or an education; the military promises them a job and paid college expenses ... it's their only ticket out of poverty.

Thursday August 17, 2006, 3:13 pm
"The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) 809.ART.90 (20), makes it clear that military personnel need to obey the "lawful command of his superior officer," 891.ART.91 (2), the "lawful order of a warrant officer", 892.ART.92 (1) the "lawful general order", 892.ART.92 (2) "lawful order". In each case, military personnel have an obligation and a duty to only obey Lawful orders and indeed have an obligation to disobey Unlawful orders, including orders by the president that do not comply with the UCMJ. The moral and legal obligation is to the U.S. Constitution and not to those who would issue unlawful orders, especially if those orders are in direct violation of the Constitution and the UCMJ." Quote from an authoritative source:

http://www.westpointgradsagainstthewar.org/laws_and_treat%C4%B1es_violated_by_pr.htm

that is: these West Point Graduates, who are experienced and mature men, call this war "illegal and dishonorable" - and they have been teaching generations of officers which rules apply...
Tony T, do note that all civilized countries have similar rules since the Nuremberg Trials against the war crimes of the Nazis, where the US played the dominant part, and also please note: since then no soldier is excused by referring to the fact that he was given an order, he must always take the responsibility himself to consider if the order given is lawful or not... because above the orders, rules and oaths at the local or national level are set the international rules that the countries, that have signed the conventions, have agreed to make a superior law - so you are not excused for obeying orders that are in violation with these international rules - You can read more in the very link I give in this comment.

Thursday August 17, 2006, 4:07 pm
Tony thinks "I'm sorry, but you cannot have a military made up of idiots that think they can decide which wars to fight."
But I'm not the least sorry to remind you: all the civilized countries in the world agreed that they couldn't have military forces that were made up of idiots that couldn't themselves decide which wars to fight, but blindly obeyed orders...
Now that was settled after the Nuremberg Trials against the Nazis where every war criminal claimed that he had just obeyed orders...
The case of Lt Watada may need clarification: "Lt. Ehren Watada is IN NO SENSE A 'CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR'. That is a valid position to have; but it is NOT the position of Lt. Watada, and has NOTHING to do with the stance he has taken. Lt. Watada, unlike a Conscientious Objector, has NOT taken a religious or philosophical stance against WAR in general. At least, not in this instance. HE IS, RATHER, REFUSING AS AN OFFICER AND AS A SOLDIER, TO OBEY ILLEGAL ORDERS -- which is the DUTY of EVERY SINGLE OFFICER AND SOLDIER. HE IS NOT MAKING AN EXCEPTION OF HIMSELF OR ASKING FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF HIS "PHILOSOPHY". Rather, Lt. Watada is REFUSING TO LEAD MEN IN BATTLE OR INTO HARM'S WAY, AS AN OFFICER IN A COMMAND POSITION, because THE ORDERS ARE ILLEGAL; THE WAR IS ILLEGAL. If the war were a "just war" such as WWII is regarded to be, then Lt. Watada might have no problem with it.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THIS DISTINCTION. Lt. Watada's case APPLIES TO EVERY SINGLE SOLDIER, no matter their philosophy, religion, or personal beliefs of any kind. AN ILLEGAL ORDER IS ALWAYS AND FOREVER AN ILLEGAL ORDER, no matter what your beliefs or feelings. ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL for EVERYONE. Lt. Watada is HOLDING HIMSELF ACCOUNTABLE -- as should we ALL. "
(Quote from Care2 member, peace-warrior and activist B Mutiny T... who's got the distinctions quite right...)

Thursday August 17, 2006, 8:33 pm
Hoorah, LT!! Way to go, Sir! I, for one, commend you for having the courage and integrity not only to recognize something that's wrong but to also make a stand against it. I agree whole-heartedly with your position which is why I chose to ETS after 15 years of service (including a tour in Afghanistan). I enlisted to serve the citizens of my country and to defend the Constitution, not to secure the economic interests of corporations or to defend a would be dictator who'd like to shred the Constitution! All I can say is that I'll follow you into battle and cover your back any day, Sir!

Sgt. Goodnight (Plugger)

Friday August 18, 2006, 11:50 am
Hi Sgt Ted, I wish Lt Watada could read what you have written here in your comment! He'd be as uplifted as I am! Thank you, Sgt!
BTW You can support Lt Watada on his home-page - just click "visit site" above and you'll find it! :-)

Friday August 18, 2006, 2:20 pm
I'm glad he refused.....it probably saved some lives not having a coward like him leading brave soldiers into combat.....it probably saved his own life also....his own troops would have fragged his cowardly ass.

Friday August 18, 2006, 3:48 pm
Have you any personal experience, Tony, of being part of a troop with the inclination to "fragg" someones "ass" - is this something that is to be commonly expected in American troops perhaps? It sounds very mean and illegal to me, but I can't find this expression in my dictionary, it is probably too vulgar. Is there a veteran around to explain how law abiding US troops are in general? Or is Tony's just a morbid wishful thinking?

Friday August 18, 2006, 3:59 pm
Tony T you are completely correct in you comments, I agree with you. When you are in the military the way it works is that you follow orders and you are working for your government. No matter the war or police action
or anything the military is ordered to do.
My personal desire is to do away with war forever. I wish.............. but if you volunteer to serve your country then that is exactly what you should be doing. I'm glad that more veterans are acting toward an end to war,but anyone in active duty needs to support our country , personal views don't really fit.

Friday August 18, 2006, 4:35 pm
Tony T.
LIARS can NOT give me THE OATH.
I would rather be called ''a traitor'' than be a MURDERER for a LIAR.

Thomas T. Panto - VETERAN !

Friday August 18, 2006, 5:00 pm
There is a law against obeying unlawful orders and a soldier is NOT expected to be blindly obeying what ever he is ordered to do, but to use his own judgement, because he is to be held accountable for what he has done, orders or not. A soldier is not a robotic part of a machinery, but an intelligent human being who is responsible for his acts. Perhaps blind obedience is something that is constitutional in Cuba or Cambodia, but in an international war crimes trial, the argument about having followed orders would not be valid. As it wasn't in the trials at Nuremberg, where the Nazi war criminals were tried and found guilty in spite of them claiming that they just had followed orders - and in this very trial the US played the dominant role and set the tone... and justly so, I think...

Friday August 18, 2006, 5:03 pm
"When you are in the military the way it works is that you follow orders and you are working for your government. No matter the war or police action or anything the military is ordered to do."

Does that apply to the german soldiers enlisting before they knew exactly what Hitler was up to? Indonesian soldiers enlisting under Soeharto who thought they were to defend their country but were ordered to destroy East Timor and commit a genocide? Japanese soldiers enlisting to defend their country before WW2 started? The soldiers enlisting in Saddam Hussein´s iraqi army, believeing they were to defend their country, before he launched the war on Iran in the 80´s?

Maybe you´ll say "they´re all dictatorships" - but what about the many illegal american interventions in South America during the twentieth century? They had nothing to do with "defending the homeland", only with defending some US business interests. Is it still OK to go to war and kill innocent people, to keep up the profit margins of United Fruit or some other company? Democracies, too, act immoral, and if they do, is "I was only following orders" a sufficient excuse?

I´d rather put it like this: If your country is under attack, under a grave, direct threat, then you "follow orders and you are working for your government" - otherwise it is every soldiers, and citizens, duty to try to find out what´s going on and NOT follow orders blindly. Since Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11 and did not possess any weapons that could threaten the US, it is every americans duty to scrutinize the reasons for this war and take a stand.

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/oil/2005/crudedesigns.htm

...

Friday August 18, 2006, 7:09 pm
Tony -- so, if you were a soldier in the United States Army, and your Commanding Officer ordered you to shoot your grandmother, your "duty" would then be, to shoot your grandmother? Of course not! that would be an ILLEGAL ORDER, would it not?
Well, then, how about, if your Commanding Officer ordered you to shoot SOMEONE ELSE'S GRANDMOTHER -- an unarmed Civilian. ALSO an Illegal Order, wouldn't you say so? And, your CLEAR duty, as in the case of being ordered to SHOOT YOUR OWN GRANDMOTHER, would be, to NOT obey that order!!!
Don't try to weasel out of this by saying, er, well, "it never happens".
Have you read the book or seen the movie, The Caine Mutiny? in which an INSANE Captain Queeg gives WRONG orders during an emergency situation -- and is RELIEVED OF COMMAND, FORCIBLY, by his Officers? The Trial Scene with Humphrey Bogart playing the insane Captain Queeg, is one of the famous movie scenes. In so far as that situation is at least a PLAUSIBLE one, it is QUITE POSSIBLE that a Commanding Officer could give wrong or ILLEGAL or EVIL orders under stress, or for a variety of reasons -- INCLUDING TREASON. If a Commanding Officer gives orders that are TREASONOUS -- is a soldier BOUND to obey them??? OF COURSE NOT!!!!! A soldier would be BOUND BY HIS OATH OF LOYALTY TO DIS-OBEY AN ORDER THAT WAS TREASONOUS. If Benedict Arnold, as your Officer, gives you an order, are you bound to obey it? Do you know your history that well?
It is Lt. Watada's contention, that BUSH LIED TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TO CONGRESS; about WMD's and other things -- THEREBY, whether he uses that exact word or not doesn't matter, BUSH IN EFFECT BROKE HIS OWN OATH TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES -- IN EFFECT, COMMITTING A FORM OF TREASON AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. There are no two ways about it. Did Bush NOT lie? Bush DID lie, it is ON RECORD that he lied -- THEREFORE, as in the case of Bendict Arnold, traitor to the American Revolution who would have sold us to the British, BUSH HAS LOST ANY POSSIBLE RESPECT HE COULD HAVE AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF of American troops. Bush has SOLD US TO HALLIBURTON; which is making BILLIONS off of the blood of our sons and daughters; not to mention the bodies of Iraqi citizens and civilians, women and children and babies and grandmothers who have done NO WRONG TO THE UNITED STATES. They are JUST HAPPENING TO BE IN THE WAY OF THE OIL GRAB.
EVERY SOLDIER'S DUTY IS TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLES OF LT. WATADA, SUZANNE SWIFT, KEVIN BENDERMAN, AND MANY OTHERS; AND REFUSE TO OBEY ANY ORDER TO DO ANY HARM TO ANY IRAQI HUMAN BEING OR PROPERTY. PERIOD. NO Iraqi is attacking American Territory; they are just firing mortars at us because we are THERE. WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO SHOOT IRAQI GRANDMOTHERS OR GRANDFATHERS OR GRANDCHILDREN OR ANY OTHER IRAQIS. NONE. TO SHOOT ANY IRAQI AT ALL FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER, IS TO FOLLOW A CLEARLY ILLEGAL, IMMORAL ORDER. THE U.S. ARMY HAS NO BUSINESS AT ALL BEING IN IRAQ; AND IS THERE NEITHER BECAUSE THE IRAQI PUBLIC WANTS IT, OR THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WANTS IT. ONLY THE OIL MOGULS WANT IT. IT IS A CLEARLY ILLEGAL ORDER TO ASK ANYONE ANYWHERE TO DIE FOR OIL THAT MAKES GAS FOR AMERICAN SUVS.

Friday August 18, 2006, 7:26 pm
u know in WWII, those who refused to fight were put in concentration camps and experimented on for starvation, like the Nazis's were doing, don't know if this Canada or only US or both, seen black & white doc's on it. Seeing as they were against war & killing the gov'ments used them to experiment on torture, starvation......-how far would it take to kill one of them off, well documented actually. NOW THAT THEY DO NOT ALLOW THIS (AH EXCUSE ME, MOHAMMAD ALI DID THE SAME THING AND LOST HIS BELT AND JAILED., SO WHY CAN'T PEOPLE DECARE ON SPIRITUAL GROUNDS NOW, THAT IT IS AGAINST THEIR VALUES SPIRITUALLY AND MORALLY? AH SOMEONE HAVE SOME LINKS FOR THAT, TOO MUCH FOR ME NOW THX

Friday August 18, 2006, 10:18 pm
It is important to remember that one can be in support of his country and against its government. When a government is unchecked and abuses its power, especially in initiating wars against other nations, its citizens and soldiers alike have the moral obligation to rein in the power of that government for the sake of the country. I'll let the words of some great Americans support my argument.

"To (say) that we are to stand by the president right or wrong is not only unpatriotic and servile, but it's morally treasonable to the American public." --Theodore Roosevelt

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." --Thomas Jefferson

"It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from his government." --Thomas Payne

"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president." --Theodore Roosevelt

The emotion that this administration has exploited to manipulate the people into supporting their economic wars is not a matter of patriotism, rather it is nationalism. Nationalism could be described as an extreme form of patriotism that goes beyond "love for or devotion to one's country" to "a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups". (Definitions compliments of Webster.com) This is to say nationalism gives the impulse to consider your country and culture better than all others, to look down upon other countries and cultures, and even to desire to conquer or destroy other countries and cultures. (It was an elevated sense of nationalism that led the German people to follow Hitler's bid to take over the world and exterminate all Jews.) Nationalism promotes discrimination, hate, and violence. That is a far cry from "All men were created equal" which the United States was founded on.

So, when those of you who have confused patriotism and nationalism (and likely have not served in the military, having more mouth than balls) see fit to call Lt. Watada a coward, I know that's just wishful thinking on your part. After all, it's far easier to follow blindly and feign an understanding of your cause than it is to form your own opinion independent of the majority and propaganda then make a stand for what you believe. Furthermore, those of you condoning the practice of "fragging" are just as cowardly as that practice itself. After all, when bullets are flying around you from all directions, why would you slip a grenade into someone's foxhole or bunker when you could just walk up to them and shoot them--unless you don't have the guts. So, those who think Lt. Watada should be "fragged" for being a coward should look in the mirror. I did my time in Afghanistan and let me tell you, plenty of officers were thinking what Lt. Watada thinks, but none of them had the courage to speak out or take action. They were all too concerned with their careers than the ethical dilemma before them. The fact that he has taken a stand puts him way out in front in my book.

"It is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them toward the patient labors of peace." --Andre Gide

So, as a parting shot, let me say, to those who want to regurgitate propaganda as if it were irrefutable fact, stick to toilets and not web sites for intellectuals.

Friday August 18, 2006, 11:54 pm
Mad Dog On A Leash

By Sheila Samples

"We should prepare to go on the offensive. Our aim is to smash Lebanon, Trans-Jordan, and Syria. The weak point is Lebanon,
for the Moslem regime is artificial and easy for us to undermine. We shall establish a Christian state there, and then we will smash the Arab Legion, eliminate Trans-Jordan; Syria will fall to us. We then bomb and move on and take Port Said, Alexandria and Sinai." ~~David Ben-Gurion, May 1948

I have been stunned by many things on the US political scene since I was jerked violently awake on Nov. 22, 1963. However, one thing that simply flew under the cuckoo's nest of my awareness was the total influence on our Congress; the control of our media, our courts, our universities, our entire society -- even our religion -- by the state of Israel. I had no idea.

I've learned a lot about both Israel and the United States in the last five years -- most of which I fervently wish I didn't know. I learned very quickly in the wake of 9-11 that the neoconservatives in the US claim an ideological right -- the Zionists in Israel a theological right -- to do whatever they want to whomever they want whenever they want, and those who question their increasingly bloody aggression are labeled "anti-American" or "anti-Semitic." Those who protest are ostracized from both religious and patriotic society (not to be confused with "civilized" society) and are immediately bombarded with ridicule and vicious ad hominems. Some receive death threats. Some receive death.

I learned that there is a vast difference between Jews, or people of Israel, and the warmongering Zionists who control the state of Israel, just as there is between most American citizens and the cowardly neo-fascist chickenhawks who control the United States. The people of both regimes cry out against the barbaric genocide and ethnic cleansing perpetrated in their name -- they shriek, they march in protest, but the world media pushed the "mute" button long ago, and no sound emerges from the weeping masses.

As these two "democracies" force their way across the Middle East, it's as if Charles Manson is stalking the innocent with a mad dog on a leash. Neither can be reasoned with, and no living creature in their path is safe. But it is easy to tell where they've been, because the landscape is littered with rotting corpses of innocent men, women and children, with mass graves and displaced millions fleeing for their lives.

From the Frying Pan...

The current conflict raging in the Middle East has less to do with self-defense or protecting the homeland than with zionist politics, Christo-fascist talking points and corporate media spin. It is a war of extermination -- a carefully planned crusade for world dominion, and it has been simmering on US and Israeli back burners for decades.

Every writer addressing this subject since George Bush was fraudently installed in the White House has pleaded with Americans to pay attention to the plan, "Rebuilding America's Defenses: Strategy, Forces and Resources for a New Century" penned by Dick Cheney while he was defense secretary, by Donald Rumsfeld, Scooter Libby, Paul Wolfowitz and Jeb Bush, which calls for seizing the world's resources and establishing permanent military bases throughout the Middle East. That plan was immediately put in place and is being relentlessly carried out.

Ninety pages too formidable? Okay, try the September 2002 "National Security Strategy of the United States of America," whose 35 pages puts in place a barbaric pre-emptive war policy that destroys 230 years of honor, dignity, decency -- and democracy. This manifesto was also written by Cheney and Wolfowitz, and is a direct result of behind-the-scenes input from then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Colin Powell.

In his article, "Dick Cheney's Song of America," David Armstrong writes, "In early 1992, as Powell and Cheney campaigned to win congressional support for their augmented Base Force plan, a new logic entered into their appeals. The United States, Powell told members of the House Armed Services Committee, required "sufficient power" to "deter any challenger from ever dreaming of challenging us on the world stage." To emphasize the point, he (Powell) cast the United States in the role of street thug. "I want to be the bully on the block," he said, implanting in the mind of potential opponents that "there is no future in trying to challenge the armed forces of the United States."

Armstrong's article is 11 easy-to-read, eye-opening pages and was entered into the Congressional Record by Rep. John Larson (D-CT) in Oct. 10, 2002 -- one month after Cheney's National Security Strategy was released.

If you're wondering what these homework assignments have to do with what's going on in Lebanon, Israel and Gaza today, take a look at "A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm," a document written in 1996 by neoconservatives Douglas Feith, Richard Perle and David Wurmser, among others, for incoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. No more Mr. Good Guy when dealing with the Palestinians, "A Clean Break" calls for a hot pursuit policy -- in effect, a familiar smoke 'em out, get 'em on the run and chase 'em clean out of the realm. Those who choose to stay and fight for their land will die. It's their choice.

"Clean Break," although the Likudnik game plan, was written by American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) power-mad neocons, who fantasized that Israel could seize the "strategic initiative along its northern borders by engaging Hizballah, Syria, and Iran, as the principal agents of aggression in Lebanon," and suggested that after these wars, which would all be successful, of course -- Israel could reshape "the strategic balance in the Middle East" by attacking Saudi Arabia and Egypt. "Clean Break" is a mere six pages, and is a Zionist's wet dream...

Into The Fire...

They can't stop now. They wouldn't, even if they could. The neo-cons' thirst for blood has reached unquenchable proportions. No one has worked more feverishly for total Middle East war than the Weekly Standard's ghoulishly grinning editor, Bill Kristol, who wrote in his July 24 "It's Our War" that Hezbollah is intent on wiping Israel off the map for Iran, and now is the time to strike Iran's nuclear facilities.

"Why wait?" Kristol asked. "Does anyone think a nuclear Iran can be contained? That the current regime will negotiate in good faith? It would be easier to act sooner rather than later. Yes, there would be repercussions--and they would be healthy ones, showing a strong America that has rejected further appeasement."

Then there's Dick Cheney, the madman who pulls the levers, who is chillingly indifferent to suffering and -- being bloodless himself -- doesn't see what all the fuss is about. Cheney's plans go beyond just controlling the world's resources; he knows he won't be here much longer, so he's desperate to seize all the riches, if you will, and take them with him. In this administration, Cheney is the "go to" guy for arrogant, barbaric murder.

According to journalist Seymour Hersh, whose article, "Watching Lebanon," will be published in the Aug. 21 issue of the New Yorker, Israeli officials came to Washington earlier this summer "to get a green light for the bombing operation and to find out how much the United States would bear."

Hersh writes that "Israel began with Cheney. It wanted to be sure that it had his support and the support of his office and the Middle East desk of the National Security Council." After getting Cheney's blessing, Hersh said he was told, "persuading Bush was never a problem, and Condi Rice was on board."

And evangelical Zionists, such as Pat Robertson, who are lusting for Armeggedan, at last see an opportunity to rid the Holy Land of the Palestinians. Only after a crusade wherein the entire Middle East explodes in a tsunami of blood --only then will Robertson be swept up in glory, leaving the rest of us below to choke to death on depleted uranium dust and to drown in the blood of the innocent.

Those of you who don't know Robertson are, well, damn lucky. Robertson makes Charles Manson look like a pussy. As far back as 1985, Robertson told his brain-dead followers that God wants all Palestinians exterminated. "God told the Israelites to kill them all -- men, women and children -- to destroy them," Robertson said.

What are we to think of that? Robertson, God's most vocal confidant, says Palestinians are an abomination -- a contagion for which there is no cure and whose only function is to "cause trouble for the Israelites, and pull the Israelites away from God, and prevent the truth of God from reaching the Earth." He explained it was "more merciful" to kill Palestinians sooner rather than later because if they continue to reproduce, Israel will be burdened with having more to kill in the future. According to Robertson, the only way to look at such mass extinction is, "God, in love, took away a small number so that He might not have to take away a large number."

Last, but not least, we have Israel's militant leaders -- and America's Decider, George Bush. The Zionists are very good at what they do, whether blowing things apart with US bombs and missiles or crushing everything in their path with US bulldozers. But don't take my word for it. In his book, "You Gentiles," Maurice Samuels (p.155) wrote, "We Jews, we are the destroyers and will remain the destroyers. Nothing you can do will meet our demands and needs. We will forever destroy because we want a world of our own."

One has only to stumble through the ruins of Sabra, Shatilla, Jenin, Gaza and Qana -- to recall the torture, assassinations, collective punishment of civilians, destruction of infrastructure, denying sustenance to those dying of thirst and hunger -- to realize that Israel is the "cod piece" of the Middle East. The Zionists who control it make Charles Manson's mad dog look like a pussy.

And, what of George Bush -- what part is he playing in all of this? It is incomprehensible to believe he is in charge of, even aware of, anything. In recent weeks, I have watched Bush, the man at the helm of the most powerful nation on earth, run and hide, blather and bumble his way thorugh fund-raising speeches, make an ass of himself at the G8 Summit gathering in Russia, crudely grope another world leader, and refuse to discuss anything more serious than "slicing the pig."

Two weeks into the Lebanon crisis, wherein "Condi," as Bush crudely calls this nation's Secretary of State, lurched around the Middle East and was sent home empty-handed -- twice -- he was finally backed into a corner and asked about the bombs dropping on Lebanon and the Hezbollah rockets raining down on Israel. Bush responded inanely that Israel was merely exercising its right to defend itself," before launching into his familiar, Texas-style "Remember the 9-11 Alamo..."

Are We Done Yet?

These widely different factions have divergent goals but they need each other to achieve them, and their eyes are riveted on a single prize -- Iran. This oil-rich nation must be brought to its knees before the neo-cons can have their New World Order, before Cheney can control the world's resources, before Israel can have its final solution in the Holy Land, before Bush can spread freedom and democracy and death and rid the world of yet another safe haven for plotters and planners and evil terrorists.... Iran is all that is standing between true believers and their ascension into Heaven. The same people who lied us into the Iraq war are telling the same lies about Iran -- the WMDs are now nuclear bombs, and no UN resolution, no US Congress, no US media will stop the madness.

They will have their war, knowing full well that an assault on a nation fully capable of retaliation will sign the death warrants of millions of innocents as well as of every US service member on the ground in the Middle East. Unfortunately, such losses carry little weight with all but a handful of the members of the US Congress and the majority of the American people who blindly support Zionist Israel and who advocate ethnic cleansing as a final solution to the problems of the Middle East.

Edward Said, the late Palestinian-American theorist, wrote one month before the Iraq invasion, "We cannot in any way lend our silence to a policy of war that the White House has openly announced will include three to five hundred cruise missiles a day (800 of them during the first 48 hours of the war) raining down on the civilian population of Baghdad in order to produce "Shock and Awe", or even a human cataclysm that will produce ... a Hiroshima-style effect on the Iraqi people... What sort of God would want this to be a formulated and announced policy for His people? And what sort of God would claim that this was going to bring democracy and freedom to the people not only of Iraq but to the rest of the Middle East?"

Said pleaded with the American people to speak out before it's too late. "Who knows what more evil will be done in the name of Good?" Said asked. "Every one of us must raise our voices, and march in protest, now and again and again. We need creative thinking and bold action to stave off the nightmares planned by a docile, professionalised staff in places like Washington and Tel Aviv and Baghdad. For if what they have in mind is what they call "greater security" then words have no meaning at all in the ordinary sense...The question is, how long can they keep getting away with it?"

How long, indeed. Look around. They have come for the others. Only we the people remain, and most of us are blind to our shame, our national disgrace. If we do not raise our voices now and again and again, we will be done. Then, God help us, we will realize -- too late -- that we are all Charles Mansons now.


*************
Sheila Samples is an Oklahoma writer and a former civilian US Army Public Information Officer. She is a regular contributor for a variety of Internet sites. Contact her at: rsamples@sirinet.net. © 2006 Sheila Samples

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0608/S00168.htm

Saturday August 19, 2006, 2:22 am
here is link to his site, there is a PETITION LINK TO THE LEFT
http://www.thankyoult.org/

Monday August 21, 2006, 4:30 pm
To Tony T. When the political rhetoric regarding Canada [ borders not secure enough, haven for terrorists, mad cow disease, Cdn. politicians who call your President a moron, etc.] reaches a fever pitch [the rumblings have already begun- haven't coalesced yet to make daily alarmist headlines in the media outlets and in the viewers/listeners minds ], will you follow your command, cross the border, point your gun at us believing that we/I am a convoluted 'threat' to the USA's security ............................and discover later, that it was a master plan for water and other natural resources and you were but a single chess piece in a board game that began long before you and I were born?

1992, a Canadian comedian joked, "The U.S. needs water, flush twice!"
Do not worry friend, I don't flush twice and have a bucket of water for your dog also.

To anyone: Regarding the U.N.: Have you read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recently? This is a living document, that needs to be assimilated by all who study it. Whenever I read it I can not help but wonder of the untold suffering that brought it into existence and wonder how much more suffering before people 'get it'. Translated into 330 languages. It is an international guide book for individuals and collectives, in my opinion. I consider myself and have for many years, a citizen of this world and although Canadian born, it does not make me feel patriotic or defensive, nor do I look to south of the border for my protection.

The weather, animals, flora do not recognize these social constructs called countries, borders, flags, ..so why do you? I do not have a problem if all borders are dissolved. One world, one 'country', and humane documents we all agree upon.

It is a vision within reach and I think Lt. Watada is bringing it closer. He is articulating the ethical military mind grounded in a higher calling. A fine role model. And he and others like him bring us all a step back from chaos and widespread destruction. I was 14 during the Invasion of the Bay of Pigs. For 5 days all that was broadcast via the media was what to do in the case of nuclear war. And so I had to think of life being no more. And I saw on national television 4 young protesters shot down by their country's national guard. Flashback, 1966 Viet Nam war: I'm riding a bus from Florida to Montreal, a young man sat down beside me as we travelled through a Georgia night, and he spoke of his fear of going to Viet Nam, he was on his way to boot camp. And I saw at bus stations, signs that read, "For Whites Only". The news showed gnashing dogs teeth and fire hoses aimed at human beings.

Reservations...the herding and confinement of Native Americans...broken treaties, broken dreams, a systematic culling, genocide, buffalo massacre, and the follow throughs, just in case the founding fathers spoke over your heads ->crappy biased western [cowboys and indians] films I watched as a youngster. It is no surprise your present president who is but one year older than I is a head tripping cowboy for he was raised on the same hypocrasies and gruels as I yet he must have acquired a taste for it that I could not stomach. It is a sordid history on this continent that we transplants share, the environmental robber barons and puny lords of politics shine no better in a land called Canada.

To Lt. Watada and Tiger Woods and to the spirit of Crazy Horse- go for it!

Monday September 4, 2006, 1:03 pm
"Every officer of our armed forces takes an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic"

The key part of that phrase in my book is defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign AND DOMESTIC! It doesn't say to defend Bush's delusions of grandeur or Halliburton's profit margin.
Considering we currently have an administration who feels empowered to ignore the Constitution & wipe their ass on the Bill of Rights, and has no qualms about fabricating excuses to send our soldiers into harms way; I'd say the greatest threat to this nation IS a domestic enemy. Lt. Watada IS doing his duty by refusing to be a part of it.