DRAMATIC VIDEO: SPECIAL FORCES FIREFIGHT IN IRAQ

This video captures a number of firefights in Iraq as well as showing enemy combatants preparing rockets and IEDs for use against U.S. forces.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/1vvfIUcVuYg&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

SEXUAL TRAUMA AFFLICTS 15 PERCENT OF U.S. VETERANS

Sexual trauma afflicts 15 pct of U.S. veterans

28 Oct 2008 04:00:13

Source: Reuters
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N27312542.htm

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Nearly 15 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seeking medical care from the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department have suffered sexual trauma, from harassment to rape, researchers reported on Tuesday.

And these veterans were 1.5 times as likely as other veterans to need mental health services, the report from the VA found.

"We are, in fact, detecting men and women who seem to have a significant need for mental health services," said Rachel Kimerling of the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in California.

The study, presented at a meeting of the American Public Health Association in San Diego, raises many questions.

Kimerling said in a telephone interview the term "military sexual trauma" covers a range of events from coerced sex to outright rape or threatening and unwelcome sexual advances.
Kimerling said for her purposes it is not necessary to find out what kind of sexual trauma occurred. Her study also did not determine when it happened.

"If you think about military service where you are living and working so closely with the same people, that even if it is not sexual assault ... it is possible that severe sexual harassment is just as traumatic," she said.

The study does not cover active-duty servicemen and women, as VA services are only available to discharged veterans.

A spokeswoman for the VA said about 40 percent of all discharged veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have sought medical care of some sort from the VA, which has a universal screening program for military sexual trauma.

Kimerling said that may mean many veterans are unaware they can be helped and she said she hoped more would come forward to seek treatment.

"There are dedicated health care services for military sexual trauma at every VA facility across the nation," she said.

Sexual trauma can lead to depression, anxiety, substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder, Kimerling said.

"We know there are effective, evidence-based treatments for them that are used in VA," she added.

Most veterans who were affected were women, with more than one in seven women seeking health care services of some sort also reporting sexual trauma. Just under 1 percent of male veterans also reported military sexual trauma.

OCTOBER SURPRISE? U.S. ATTACKS SYRIA: 9 KILLED

Most insiders think the United States is going to launch some kind of an "October Surprise" as a way for the BUSH administration to help JOHN McCAIN in his bid for the White House.

This information was provided us via LORI PRICE, managing editor of CLG News http://www.legitgov.org/


US Attacks Syria, Nine Killed near Iraqi Border

27 Tishrei 5769, 26 October 08 08:14by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

(IsraelNN.com)

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/128087

Two to four United States helicopters attacked Syria, near the Iraqi border, Sunday evening, killing at least nine people. The site was near the target Israel bombed last year.

Foreign media reported that residents in the village of Al-Sukkariya, approximately 300 miles northeast of Damascus and about 10 miles inside Syrian territory and near the main border crossing from Syria into Iraq. Syrian government news agencies confirmed the attack, and a private Syrian television channel reported that nine men died and 14 were wounded.

Two of the helicopters reportedly landed in the village, where eight American soldiers jumped out and carried out the operation. The soldiers quickly returned to the helicopters, and all of the craft left the scene.

It was the first time the U.S. has attacked on Syrian land.

American military spokesperson Sergeant Brooke Murphy said officials are investigating the report.

The targets reportedly were construction workers and were civilians, including five people from one family, local residents reported to news agencies. Terrorists have used the nearby border crossing to transport weapons, money and guerillas to help Sunni opposition to the Iraqi government, backed by the U.S.

The Bush administration has charged Syria with not preventing Al Qaeda terrorists from infiltrating into Iraq.

IRAQ TROOP DEAL "CRUSHING DEFEAT FOR BUSH" VIDEO FROM REAL NEWS NETWORK

In an article on ipsnews.net, journalist and investigative historian Gareth Porter analyzed the final draft of the US Iraq Status of Forces Agreement on the US military presence in Iraq.

He states that the agreement “represents an even more crushing defeat for the policy of the George W. Bush administration than previously thought.” The deal not only calls for a clear deadline for a withdrawal of combat troops by 2011, it will also be unlikely the a residual non-combat force of US Troops would be allowed to remain in Iraq for training and support purposes.

Porter also states: “The clearest sign of the dramatically reduced US negotiating power is the willingness of the United States to give up extraterritorial jurisdiction over US contractors and their employees and over US troops in the case of major and intentional crimes that occur outside bases and while off duty.”

The Real News Network spoke to Gareth Porter. WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2613

THE END OF AMERICA----MUST SEE VIDEO BY AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR NAOMI WOLF

This video is an awakening to what has happened to America and what lies ahead for America.

Award-winning author Naomi Wolf takes you through a 75-minute video with several commercial breaks as she outlines how what has happened to America is exactly what happened in Germany under the Nazis in 1933.

The rights of American citizens are being taken away and you will see one example after another of how American citizens are being treated just like the citizens of Germany were treated in 1933.

There are examples of torture and how the Bush administration has twisted the words of the Constitution around to allow the torture of American citizens, and to claim anyone who doesn't follow the Bush doctrine can be called an "enemy combatant."

Throughout this video you will see scene after scene from vintage footage of Nazi Germany and how what is happening in the United States is an exact duplicate.

Naomi Wolf calls the "the closing society" and for good reason. The United States stands on the brink of destruction and there is one last chance Americans have at preserving America as the home of the brave and land of the free.

That day is November 4, 2008. A vote for McCain and Palin is a vote for another step toward a society similar to what happened to Germany under Nazi rule.

The choice is yours. The choice is now. A mis-step now will be "The End of America."

I highly recommend you watch it this video. It may be the most important 75 minutes of your life. Remember: there are several commercial breaks so don't close this video until you have seen it from start to finish and then go out and vote on November 4 for either a free society or a totalitarian society.

The choice is YOURS.

Commentary by BILL CORCORAN, editor of CORKSPHERE

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.snagfilms.com/films/watch/the_end_of_america/

SADR CITY: A TINDER BOX READY TO EXPLODE: WASHINGTON POST

The SURGE is over and now IRAQ, and in particular the SADR CITY neighborhood of BAGHDAD, stands ready to explode.

You could cut the tension in SADR CITY with a butter knife.

In Sadr City, a Repressed but Growing RageLimited by Cease-Fire, Mahdi Army Fighters Increasingly Restless as Iraqi Troops Go on Offensive

By Sudarsan RaghavanWashington Post Foreign ServiceThursday, October 23, 2008; A12

http://tinyurl.com/69jtpl

BAGHDAD -- Outside the tan, high-walled house, Shiite militiamen stood guard. Inside, men sat on a red carpet, their backs against a wall adorned with images of Shiite saints, their anger rising with each sentence. Hashim Naseer, a tribal leader, remembered how Iraqi soldiers arrested his brother early this month at a nearby park along with other Shiite fighters of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army.

"We thought this government was for Shiites, but now they have become worse than Saddam Hussein's regime," said Naseer, 40. "We placed much faith in the Iraqi security forces, but they are taking advantage of us."

Seven months after intense clashes with U.S. and Iraqi government forces rocked Baghdad's Sadr City enclave, a sense of betrayal and frustration flows through its sprawling expanse. Iraqi army units, backed by U.S. forces, are launching pre-dawn raids and arresting dozens of suspected militiamen, despite a deal between Sadr and Iraq's government. Residents, once fearful of the Mahdi Army militia, have become informants, and senior Sadrist leaders have been assassinated.

Yet the enclave, Sadr's largest popular base in the capital, has remained relatively calm. In interviews, Mahdi Army fighters insist they are shackling their rage and complying with Sadr's cease-fire, issued last year.

"Sayyid Moqtada al-Sadr told us: 'If they arrest you, do not do anything. If someone does bad things to you, don't retaliate,' " said Ahmed Abu Zahara, 37, a Mahdi Army commander, using an honorific for Sadr. "We are still obeying the Sayyid."

American and Iraqi officials have described Sadr's cease-fire as a key reason for Iraq's sharp drop in violence. They also cite the "surge" of 30,000 U.S. troops and the rise of the Awakening forces, made up mostly of Sunni former insurgents, who allied with U.S. forces for money and position.

Now, the surge troops have left. And concerns are growing that many Awakening fighters could rejoin the insurgency, as the Shiite-led government, long suspicious of the former fighters, takes control of the movement.

Read more: http://tinyurl.com/69jtpl

MENTALLY UNSTABLE SOLDIERS REDEPLOYED TO IRAQ

Stretched Thin, Army Puts Some Vulnerable Soldiers Back on the Frontlines

By BOB WOODRUFF, JAMES HILL and JAIME HENNESSEY
Oct. 23, 2008—

http://abcnews.go.com/International/WoodruffReports/story?id=6095812&page=1

Two weeks before his second deployment to Iraq last September, Army Specialist Michael DeVlieger broke down.

"At first, I thought it was something that everybody experienced," DeVlieger told ABC's Bob Woodruff, "and just through time and perseverance I guess it would pass." It didn't pass.

After an 11-day hospitalization, DeVlieger was given a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, three psychiatric prescriptions -- and deployment orders.

"Eighteen hours after he got out of the hospital, he deployed to Iraq," DeVlieger's wife, Christine DeVlieger, recalled. He left for Iraq despite Pentagon policy requiring that service members establish three months of "stability without significant symptoms" before deploying.

"I was a ticking time bomb," Michael DeVlieger said.

Citing privacy, officials at DeVlieger's base in Fort Campbell, Ky., declined to comment except to say there was a combat stress unit assigned to DeVlieger's base in Iraq.

'Stretched Too Thin'

More than 600,000 Americans have served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Psychological trauma is cumulative," explained Dr. Paul Ragan, a former Navy psychiatrist who is an associate professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University. More deployments can mean more mental stress, and for some, more mental illnesses, he said.

Army surveys show that for those soldiers deployed once, the rate of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder is 12 percent. For those deployed three or more times, the rate is 27 percent.

"People who have psychiatric symptoms, actively symptomatic with PTSD or depression, are being sent back to the very situation that caused their PTSD and depression," Ragan said.
The Army's chief psychiatrist, Dr. Elspeth Ritchie, agrees with the Rand Corp.'s estimate that 300,000 service members have demonstrated post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Some are returning to the battlefront, although the Army is not keeping track of how many.

"I certainly would not want to lump all soldiers who have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and say they are impaired and not able to do their job," Ritchie told Woodruff. "I think that would be very stigmatizing."

Many soldiers, as Ritchie points out, receive treatment and cope successfully with PTSD or depression.

"We have a number of reasons for sending the soldiers back to war -- we have a mission, clearly," Ritchie said.

The mission asks a lot of a few. Less than 1 percent of the population serves, and serves again.
"We know the Army is stretched too thin. We know how busy we are. We know we need more forces," Ritchie said.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/International/WoodruffReports/story?id=6095812&page=1

HEY, FOX NEWS: WHAT ABOUT THIS IN BAGHDAD TODAY?

FOX NEWS recently dispatched BILL HEMMER to Baghdad and as you would expect he provided nothing but glowing reports on how calm and wonderful everything is in the capitol city of IRAQ.

You spoke too soon FOX NEWS and BILL HEMMER.


Bomb kills 9 people in Baghdad

The Associated Press

Thursday, October 23, 2008

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/23/news/ML-Iraq.php

BAGHDAD: A suicide car bomber targeted an Iraqi minister during rush hour Thursday morning in Baghdad, killing at least nine people and wounding 14, officials said.

The blast underscored the continued dangers facing Iraqis despite a sharp decline in violence over the past year as insurgents defy security improvements. Militants have frequently targeted Iraqi government officials.

The attacker rammed the car into the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry convoy as it passed through the central Bab al-Sharji area, a ministry spokesman said.

The Shiite minister, Mahmoud Mohammed al-Radhi, escaped unharmed but three of his guards were killed, spokesman Abdullah al-Lami told the al-Arabiya TV station.

At least four other people were killed in addition to the guards, and 14 people were wounded, according to police and hospital officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information.

"It is the latest in a series of criminal acts that are targeting development process in Iraq," al-Lami said.

REMEMBER IRAQ?

It wasn't long ago that a story about the war in Iraq would at least make the front page of most newspapers, albeit under the fold, but now you can go through an entire newspaper, or watch an hour of cable news, and NEVER, NEVER, NEVER read or hear a word about the IRAQ WAR.

We still have 160,000 young AMERICANS in Iraq, and the Iraqi government has just turned down a plan that would have brought U.S. troops home, and so Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has gone on record saying the future of IRAQ will be left to the next President.

So BUSH walks out of the White House on January 20 and turns his back on the mess he has created which has so far cost 4,200 AMERICAN lives, and another 30,000 AMERICANS wounded. Some of them will be disabled for life and if JOHN McCAIN were elected President they would find their veteran benefits cut even more because that is what McCAIN has done in the past to legislation to help veterans.

But here is what took place TODAY in IRAQ. You'll not find this in any newspaper in the U.S. or on any cable news show.

Commentary by BILL CORCORAN, editor of CORKSPHERE.


44 Iraqis Killed, 14 Wounded; Mass Grave Found

Updated at 6:31 p.m. EDT, Oct. 22, 2008

http://www.antiwar.com/updates/?articleid=13630

For the fifth day in a row, a mass grave has been discovered. This one contained at least 34 victims. Overall, at least 44 Iraqis were killed and 14 more were wounded in violence across Iraq. No Coaltion deaths were reported. Meanwhile, a Shi'ite cleric has issued a fatwa against a controversial U.S.-Iraqi security pact.

A mass grave was discovered in Qaim, near the Syrian border. Police said it contained at least 34 bodies. Many of the victims are believed to be part of a group of police recruits who went missing three years ago. Two of the dead were women.

In Baghdad, a bomb killed one civilian and wounded three others in Bab al-Sharqi. Near Andalus Square, another bomber injured three more. Two people were wounded during a bombing in Mansour.

A bomb planted on a car injured one person in Zaafaraniyah. One dumped body was found.

Five large weapons caches were confiscated in Sadr City.

In Mosul, a car bomb killed four people and wounded three others. An Iraqi soldier was wounded in a drive-by shooting. A dumped body was found. Also, 21 suspects were arrested across the province.

One suspect was killed and another was wounded as they were allegedly planting a bombing in Zamar. Another four people were arrested.

In Balad Ruz, a bomb killed a policeman.

A decapitated body was found in Tuz Khormato. The victim was a Turkman who had been kidnapped a month ago.

FRIENDLY FIRE AIRSTRIKE KILLS 9 AFGHAN SOLDIERS---WASHINGTON POST

I hope I will never read another BS report about our precision bombing techniques. That is just another LIE sold to the unsuspecting American public about how the U.S. Air Force has the equipment to make precision bombing attacks.

Coalition Airstrike Kills 9 Afghan Soldiers, Officials Say

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/22/AR2008102200176.html?hpid=topnews

By Candace RondeauxWashington Post Foreign Service Wednesday, October 22, 2008; 10:12 AM

KANDAHAR AIR BASE, Afghanistan, Oct.22 -- Nine Afghan soldiers were killed and four others injured by a U.S. airstrike on an Afghan army checkpoint Wednesday in an apparent friendly fire incident in eastern Afghanistan, according to Afghan and U.S. military officials.

The predawn airstrike occurred after a convoy of coalition troops came under fire as they returned to their base in Khost province, according to a statement released by the U.S. military. Coalition soldiers called for air support after exchanging fire with Afghan troops near an Afghan army checkpoint in the Sayed Kheil area in what military officials said could be "a case of mistaken identity on both sides."

U.S. military officials did not release the nationalities of the coalition soldiers involved in the incident. But the majority of coalition forces based in eastern Afghanistan are U.S. soldiers.

HATED AL-QAEDA WEB SITE ENDORSES McCAIN---WASHINGTON POST

On Al-Qaeda Web Sites, Joy Over U.S. Crisis, Support for McCain

By Joby Warrick and Karen DeYoungWashington Post Staff WritersWednesday, October 22, 2008; A13

http://tinyurl.com/55dzu6

Al-Qaeda is watching the U.S. stock market's downward slide with something akin to jubilation, with its leaders hailing the financial crisis as a vindication of its strategy of crippling America's economy through endless, costly foreign wars against Islamist insurgents.

And at least some of its supporters think Sen. John McCain is the presidential candidate best suited to continue that trend.

"Al-Qaeda will have to support McCain in the coming election," said a commentary posted Monday on the extremist Web site al-Hesbah, which is closely linked to the terrorist group. It said the Arizona Republican would continue the "failing march of his predecessor," President Bush.

The Web commentary was one of several posted by Taliban or al-Qaeda-allied groups in recent days that trumpeted the global financial crisis and predicted further decline for the United States and other Western powers. In language that was by turns mocking and ominous, the newest posting credited al-Qaeda with having lured Washington into a trap that had "exhausted its resources and bankrupted its economy." It further suggested that a terrorist strike might swing the election to McCain and guarantee an expansion of U.S. military commitments in the Islamic world.

U.S. MARINES COMBAT VIDEO

The subject line says it all. U.S. Marines in combat.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/VNwuLq212WQ&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

VIDEO MONTAGE OF IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN WARS: MUSIC BLACK STONE CHERRY'S RAIN WIZARD

JOHN McCAIN blurted out today that "victory has been achieved in Iraq" and it was totally overlooked by the media, but I'm sure the troops seen in this video montage from IRAQ and AFGHANISTAN will be happy to know at least half of the two wars is over.

The video features music by Black Stone Cherry's Rain Wizard.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/BKK1-Ey-eGY&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

VIDEO OF MORE RACIST SUPPORTERS OF McCAIN AND PALIN

It is hard to believe that so many of the McCain/Palin supporters are RACISTS, and proud of it.

In this VIDEO you see and hear McCain/Palin supporters spout racial epithets about BARACK OBAMA.

The only thing missing in this video are MSNBC's JOE SCARBOROUGH and PAT BUCHANAN.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/zjx7rP2zw8Q&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW VIDEO TO ACTIVATE THIS UGLY VIDEO

FRIGHTENING VIDEO: McCAIN SUPPORTERS IN PA.CALL OBAMA A TERRORIST

It is absolutely frightening to listen to these McCain supporters going to a McCain rally put on public display how stupid they are. They call Obama a terrorist and much worse. This video was made at McCain rally in Bethlehem, Pa.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/itEucdhf4Us&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO VIEW THIS ANGRY MOB OF McCAIN SUPPORTERS.

ARMY TIMES: IRAQI PM SLAMS TOP U.S. SOLDIER FOR SAYING IRAN BRIBED IRAQI OFFICIALS.

Iraq’s PM slams top US soldier over comments

By Hamza Hendawi - The Associated PressPosted : Friday Oct 17, 2008 15:58:46 EDT

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_Iraq_Odierno_101708/

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s prime minister slammed America’s top military commander in Iraq on Friday, saying he “risked his position” when he said Iran sought to bribe lawmakers to vote against a security agreement between Iraq and the United States.

“The American commander has risked his position when he spoke in this tone and has regrettably complicated relations,” Nouri al-Maliki told a group of visiting Kuwaiti journalists in an interview shown on Iraq’s state television. “The man is known to be good and kind, but how can he speak like this about a baseless case? What has been said is truly regrettable.”

Al-Maliki’s surprisingly strong-worded criticism of Gen. Ray Odierno underlined the touchiness of the issue of relations between Iraqi politicians and Iran, which the United States accuses of meddling in Iraq’s affairs, including the arming, training and financing of Shiite militants.

Many in Iraq’s Shiite political elite had lived in exile in Iran for decades when Saddam Hussein was in power, returning to Iraq after the 2003 ouster of the late dictator’s Sunni-led regime. Iraq’s largest Shiite party, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, was created in Iran in the early 1980s and its Iranian-trained militia, the Badr Brigade, fought on Iran’s side in its 1980-88 war with Iraq.

The country’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, is Iranian-born and remains a citizen of the Persian nation more than 50 years after he arrived in Iraq.

Iran has consistently opposed the U.S. presence in Iraq and made no secret of its opposition to the proposed U.S.-Iraqi security pact, which provides for the departure of American troops by 2012. Iran has called for its rejection and accused Washington of pressuring the Iraqi government to approve it.

The pact has yet to be approved by al-Maliki’s Cabinet before it goes to parliament for a vote.
Odierno, who last month succeeded Gen. David Petraeus as the overall commander of U.S. and allied forces in Iraq, told the Washington Post in an interview published Monday that U.S. intelligence reports suggested that Iran has attempted to bribe Iraqi lawmakers to derail the agreement, which is needed for U.S. troops to stay in Iraq after their U.N. mandate expires Dec. 31.

He said he had no definitive proof of the bribes, but that “there are many intelligence reports” that suggest Iranians are “coming in to pay off people to vote against it.”

The charge was repeated Wednesday in Baghdad by a U.S. military spokesman, Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, who said the military suspected that Iranian agents were trying to bribe Iraqi politicians to oppose the security pact, but that it had no reason to believe Iraqi politicians had taken the bribes.

“There are indicators that Iranian agents may come across the border and use money or other bribes to influence Iraqi politicians,” he said.

“It’s a whole different matter whether Iraqi politicians would accept that.”

But al-Maliki’s comments and a statement by his government issued late Wednesday branding Odierno’s comments “inappropriate” suggest that the Iraqis may want an official apology.

A senior Shiite lawmaker, however, says he doesn’t understand why the government is making such a fuss over Odierno’s remarks when it is an open secret that Iran has a strong lobby in Baghdad’s corridors of power, including the 275-seat parliament.

The lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject and claims to have rejected Iranian overtures to win his goodwill, said Iran has consistently been pushing its “agenda” in Iraq and that it should be no surprise to anyone that it would use all means possible to torpedo the U.S.-Iraq security agreement.

IRAQIS STAGE MASS ANTI U.S. RALLY

The mainstream media never reports on Iraq anymore, and when they do mention Iraq they would have you believe everything is peachy keen.

Not so.

Iraqi people are opposed to any pact that keeps U.S. troops in Iraq and they want U.S. troops out of Iraq NOW.

Iraqis stage mass anti-US rally

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7677551.stm

Supporters of Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr have staged a mass demonstration in Baghdad in protest against plans to extend the US mandate in Iraq.

An estimated 50,000 protesters chanted slogans such as "Get out occupier!".

Iraqi and US negotiators drafted the deal after months of talks but it still needs approval from Iraq's government.

Under the agreement US troops would withdraw by 2011, and Iraq would have the right to prosecute Americans who commit crimes while off-duty.

The UN mandate for US-led coalition forces expires at the end of this year. About 144,000 of the 152,000 foreign troops deployed there are US military personnel.

Political battle
Chanting slogans and waving banners, tens of thousands of Shias, mainly young men, marched on the eastern suburb of Sadr City towards the centre of Baghdad.

The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad says Moqtada Sadr's militant opposition to the US presence has strong grassroots support among many Shias - and this was a physical manifestation of that opposition.

He says leaders of the 30-strong Sadr bloc in the Iraqi parliament will have expressed that rejection at a meeting of Iraq's Political Council for National Security late on Friday.

The meeting of top political leaders and the heads of parliamentary factions was convened to discuss the draft agreement covering the US military presence after its mandate expires.

No decisions were taken but the Council is to meet again to hear back from military experts on what is a very complex and detailed document.

Our correspondent says its passage through parliament may follow naturally if it is approved by the Council, but this is by no means assured and a tough political battle is already shaping up.
In Washington, US defence chief Robert Gates has been courting support for the deal from key members of Congress - although their approval is not mandatory.

BOXES OF VETERAN BENEFIT CLAIM FORMS FOUND WAITING TO BE SHREDDED

VA claims found in piles to be shredded

By Rick Maze - Staff writerPosted : Thursday Oct 16, 2008 16:35:50 EDT
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/10/military_va_stopshredding_101608w/

Department of Veterans Affairs regional offices have been ordered to immediately stop shredding documents after an investigation found some benefits claims and supporting documents among piles of papers waiting to be destroyed.

Claims often include personal records supplied by veterans that are not duplicated in government files and might be difficult to replace, such as certificates for births, deaths and marriage.

In a statement, VA Secretary James Peake said only a handful of documents were found among piles of documents set aside to be shredded. But he is not pleased.

“I insist on the highest possible standards for processing and safeguarding information in VA’s custody,” Peake said. “It is unacceptable that documents important to a veteran’s claim for benefits should be misplaced or destroyed.”

Peake said three of VA’s 57 regional offices were involved, without naming them. Veterans of Foreign Wars said they were told four regional offices — in Detroit, St. Louis, St. Petersburg, Fla., and Waco, Texas — were identified as having documents in shredding bins that should not have been there.

VFW National Commander Glen Gardner said the problem could be significant.

“The VA inspector general conducted a routine investigation of Detroit’s mailroom and discovered five documents in the shredder bin, then three pieces are found in St. Louis, two in Waco, and some more in St. Petersburg,” he said. “The question that begs to be asked and answered is how many veterans had their disability and compensation claims disappear down a paper shredder?”

Peake said VA’s inspector general continues to investigate and that anyone who violated policies on protecting documents will be held accountable.

Among the records found waiting to be shredded were applications for disability compensation, education benefits, home loans and pensions for low-income veterans, officials said.

The halt in shredding was ordered by Patrick Dunne, the retired Navy rear admiral sworn in just weeks ago as VA’s new undersecretary for benefits.
Dunne’s order aims to prevent any documents from being destroyed until officials can determine if this is a widespread problem.

Continue reading here: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/10/military_va_stopshredding_101608w/

GRAPHIC VIDEO: FRIENDLY FIRE: ROUGH LANGUAGE, COVER-UP.

This video shows what is possibly a friendly fire incident in Iraq. The language is very rough. Watch the confusion as our GIs try to sort out what is happening inside a house in Iraq.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/qLlDsTaFLxA&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

VIDEO: THE RACIST BIGOTED MCCAIN/PALIN MOB CAUGHT ON TAPE

This video is a clear indication a vast majority of the McCain/Palin supporters are racists and bigots.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/cI5YVFAdtRo&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

3 SOLDERS, 16 CIVILIANS KILLED IN INCREASED FIGHTING IN AFGHANISTAN

Official: Afghanistan suffering from Iraqi gains

By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
(10-14) 08:11 PDT KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) --

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/10/14/international/i041155D66.DTL

U.S. military successes in Iraq have forced sophisticated and well-trained insurgents to pour into Afghanistan instead, part of the reason violence has spiked in Afghanistan, the Afghan defense minister said Tuesday.

In a demonstration of the increasingly deadly attacks, a roadside blast in the east where U.S. soldiers operate killed three NATO troops, while two separate roadside bombs in the south killed 16 Afghan civilians, officials said.

The Afghan defense minister, Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak, said terrorists who would have once fought in Iraq have been "diverted" to Afghanistan.

"The success of coalition forces in Iraq and also some other issues in some of the neighboring countries have made it possible that there is a major increase in the foreign fighters," Wardak told a news conference. "There is no doubt that they are (better) equipped than before. They are well trained, more sophisticated, their coordination is much better."

The top U.S. commander in eastern Afghanistan, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Schloesser, told The Associated Press last month that he is seeing a spike in the number of foreign militants — including Arabs and Chechens — flowing into Afghanistan. He said militant Web sites have been encouraging fighters to go to Afghanistan instead of Iraq.

CNN REPORTS: ARMY TELLS FEMALE SOLDIER SHE CAN'T BRING PUPPY HOME FROM IRAQ

Puppy stays in Iraq, Army tells soldier

Story Highlights
Soldiers rescue puppy from a burning pile of trash back in May
10,000 people sign online petition urging Army to let puppy come home with soldier
Operation Baghdad Pups says it has gotten 50 dogs transferred to the U.S.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/14/iraq.puppy.ap/index.html

WASHINGTON (AP) -- More than 10,000 people have signed an online petition urging the Army to let an Iraqi puppy come home with a Minnesota soldier, who fears that "Ratchet" could be killed if left behind.

"I just want my puppy home," Sgt. Gwen Beberg of Minneapolis wrote to her mother in an e-mail Sunday from Iraq, soon after she was separated from the dog following a transfer. "I miss my dog horribly." Beberg, 28, is scheduled to return to the U.S. next month.

Ratchet's defenders are ratcheting up their efforts to save him. On Monday, the program coordinator for Operation Baghdad Pups, which is run by Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International, left for a trip to the Middle East to try to get the puppy to the U.S.

And last week, Beberg's congressman, Democrat Keith Ellison, wrote to the Army urging it to review the case.

Beberg and another soldier rescued the puppy from a burning pile of trash back in May. Defense Department rules prohibit soldiers in the U.S. Central Command, which includes Iraq, from adopting pets, but exceptions have been made. Operation Baghdad Pups says it has gotten 50 dogs and six cats transferred to the U.S. in the last eight months.

"I'm coping reasonably well because I refuse to believe that Ratchet has been hurt," Beberg wrote in the e-mail to her mother, Patricia Beberg. "If I find out that he was killed though -- well, we just won't entertain that possibility."

The mother said her daughter sent another e-mail saying that she confirmed that the dog was still alive and doing OK.

Operation Baghdad Pups' program coordinator, Terry Crisp, is scheduled to arrive in Baghdad on Wednesday. Crisp said the adopted dogs left behind face death on Iraqi streets.
She said Iraqis view dogs and cats as nuisances and carriers of disease, and U.S. soldiers have rescued many of them from abuse.

JON STEWART RIPS FOX NEWS----FUNNY, FUNNY VIDEO

Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," has put together a collection of FOX NEWS clips showing how the so-called "news station" has done everything possible to avoid talking about the economy.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/sAiyaDFKFS8&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

MORE PALIN SUPPORTERS AT A RALLY IN JOHNSTOWN, PA. WATCH VIDEO

There is not a particle of difference between the people you see in this video and the people you can see in vintage movie clips from the Hitler's Nazi Germany.

This is what you get when you inflame a crowd like Sarah Palin has done with her hate-filled rhetoric directed at Barack Obama.

Somewhere in this crowd of Palin supporters could easily be another Lee Harvey Oswald and that is what so many in the media are worried about but won't come right out and say it.

Listen closely to what they are saying. They are repeating word-for-word what they are hearing on FOX NEWS and "hate radio" shows like RUSH LIMBAUGH.

However, we will.

WATCH THIS FRIGHTENING VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/gHrExRHZnm0&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

VIDEO OF OHIO SUPPORTERS OF McCAIN/PALIN: OMIGAWD! ARE THESE PEOPLE IGNORANT

Anybody wanna bet 100% of these Ohio McCain/Palin supporters are racists? Of course they are. How can so many people be so dumb. This video is a clear indication of the meatheads that support McCain and Palin.

Anybody also wanna bet 100% of these Ohio McCain/Palin supporters are diehard FOX NEWS watchers? Of course they are. They ALL use FOX NEWS "talking points."

My question to all these McCain/Palin supporters opposed to abortion is real simple: Would you adopt a black baby?

WATCH THIS VIDEO AND THEN ASK YOURSELF: IS THIS COUNTRY WORTH SAVING FOR CLOWN LIKE THIS?

http://www.youtube.com/v/utXFkXwaG7A&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE THIS VIDEO

IRAQ TODAY QUESTIONS WHY MEDIA PLAYS DOWN VIOLENCE WHEN 9 ARE KILLED AND 13 WOUNDED IN BAGHDAD TODAY

Nine killed, 13 injured in car bombing in marketplace in Bayaa, southwest Baghdad, a predominantly Shiite area. (Earlier reports gave lower casualty counts but this is the most current as of posting time.)

SOURCE: http://warnewstoday.blogspot.com/

Note: This AFP report, like all wire service reports on violence in Iraq, includes what has apparently become an obligatory disclaimer to the effect that "violence is down sharply in Iraq," which you will see if you follow nearly all of these links. There appears to be a law against reporting on incidents without this statement. In fact, as our readers are well aware, dozens of Iraqis die in terrorist attacks, assassinations, and gun battles every day. To whatever extent this may be happening at a lesser rate than at some time in the past, why do the corporate media feel compelled to continually spin it as good news? The situation is completely unacceptable and would inspire horror if it were happening in any other country in the world. -- C

THE OTHER PTSD: SEXUAL ABUSE OF WOMEN IN THE MILITARY---WATCH VIDEO

This video takes you inside of what is happening to many, many women who serve in the military---PTSD, or Sexual Abuse in the Military.

This NBC special looks at how women who have been sexually abused in the military are being treated.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/qtY_Wh-oUkM&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO ACTIVATE THIS VIDEO

POLITICO REPORTS: CIVIL RIGHTS ICON, JOHN LEWIS, SAYS McCAIN/PALIN STIR HATE

Civil rights icon says McCain stirs hate

By: Mike Allen and Jonathan Martin October 11, 2008 04:21 PM EST
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14488.html

Civil rights icon John Lewis compared Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to George Wallace in a posting to Politico's forum "The Arena," accusing McCain of fostering “an atmosphere of hate” and “hostility” like the one that led to white supremacists’ 1963 bombing of a church in Birmingham, Ala. Lewis, a Democratic congressman from Georgia who has endorsed Obama, pointed in his posting to “the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign,” and said the senator and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, “are sowing the seeds of hatred and division.”

McCain, in a book he wrote with aide Mark Salter called “Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life,” had lauded the leadership of Lewis in the non-violent civil-rights movement. McCain called the accusation “shocking and beyond the pale” and called on Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to repudiate it."

Brad Woodhouse of the Democratic National Committee said on Fox News: "I don't think Senator Obama would agree with that. ... I don’t think we would agree with those comments."Lewis didn't accuse McCain of imitating Wallace, but suggested there were similarities. His sharp words may be dismissed as those of a partisan Democrat in a campaign season. But the former head of SNCC and hero of Selma is somebody who McCain has lavished praise upon over the years, including in his book on courage and bravery and repeatedly invoking Lewis's name in public appearances. Appearing with Obama at a forum at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in August, McCain included Lewis as one of "three wise men" he would consult as president. "He can teach us all a lot about the meaning of courage and commitment to causes greater than our self-interest," McCain said of Lewis. Now, Lewis is castigating McCain in the harshest of terms. "George Wallace never threw a bomb," Lewis noted.

"He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama." McCain quickly fired back hard, calling the comments “a character attack against Governor Sarah Palin and me that is shocking and beyond the pale.” “The notion that legitimate criticism of Senator Obama's record and positions could be compared to Governor George Wallace, his segregationist policies and the violence he provoked is unacceptable and has no place in this campaign,” McCain said in the statement.

“I am saddened that John Lewis, a man I've always admired, would make such a brazen and baseless attack on my character and the character of the thousands of hardworking Americans who come to our events to cheer for the kind of reform that will put America on the right track. McCain also put the onus on Obama to distance himself from the remarks: "I call on Senator Obama to immediately and personally repudiate these outrageous and divisive comments that are so clearly designed to shut down debate 24 days before the election. Our country must return to the important debate about the path forward for America.” The full Lewis posting, sent to Politico's Fred Barbash, referee of "The Arena," with the heading “Rep. John Lewis On Hostility of McCain-Palin Campaign": “As one who was a victim of violence and hate during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, I am deeply disturbed by the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign. What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse. “During another period, in the not too distant past, there was a governor of the state of Alabama named George Wallace who also became a presidential candidate. George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.

"As public figures with the power to influence and persuade, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all. They are playing a very dangerous game that disregards the value of the political process and cheapens our entire democracy. We can do better. The American people deserve better.”

Politico has asked the Obama campaign for comment.

VIDEO: MSNBC'S RACHEL MADDOW TALKS ABOUT SARAH PALIN'S SECESSIONIST TIES

Rachel Maddow, host of MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show," dissects Sarah Palin's ties to secessionists in Alaska who want to set up Alaska as their own country.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR3ZRUTgcCI&feature=email

FUNNY VIDEO: HEY SARAH PALIN (WITH LYRICS AND SUB-TITLES)

Everyone is getting into the act of mocking Sarah Palin and this video is no exception. It is hilarious and the lyrics are priceless.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DIc8jdra0o&feature=email

SICKENING VIDEO: THE McCAIN/PALIN MOB

This is another video which shows all the hate-speech by Sarah Palin and John McCain have fired up the McCain/Palin base who are capable of committing the most despicable of all acts on Barack Obama.

WATCH THIS SICKENING VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/KjxzmaXAg9E&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

FRIGHTENING VIDEO OF McCAIN/PALIN SUPPORTERS SPOUTING OFF

This video of McCain/Palin supporters clearly indicates the inflammatory language both candidates have been saying about Barack Obama has hit home with the unhinged people who support McCain and Palin.

This street walk video was made in Bethlehem, Pa. and you get to see and hear McCain and Palin supporters in what can be best described as a parade of nutcases who have been fired up by McCain and Palin and are capable of doing anything.

WATCH THIS FRIGHTENING VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/itEucdhf4Us&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE THIS VIDEO

WASHINGTON POST: McCAIN IS WRONG ABOUT IRAQ: 24 KILLED AND 45 INJURED IN NEW WAVE OF VIOLENCE ACROSS IRAQ

John McCain keeps telling people at his campaign stops that we are "winning the war" in Iraq, but McCain ignores the rising tide of violence in Iraq.

24 Killed, 45 Injured in Bombings and Shootings Across Iraq

By Mary Beth Sheridan and Qais MizherWashington Post Staff WritersSaturday, October 11, 2008; A17

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/10/AR2008101002896.html

BAGHDAD, Oct. 10 -- A car bomb exploded in a market in southern Baghdad late Friday afternoon, killing at least 14 people and prompting an outburst of sectarian rioting, according to police and witnesses.

The attack was one of numerous bombings and shootings around the country in which 24 people were killed and 45 injured. They illustrated the tenuousness of the security situation in Iraq, where violence has fallen to four-year lows in recent months but political and sectarian divisions can quickly lead to bloodshed.

The bomb in a red Daewoo sedan blew up in the Abu Dsheer neighborhood, a Shiite enclave in the largely Sunni area of Dora, according to Iraqi security officials. The district had been a hotbed of insurgency before U.S. troops engaged in major combat there last year during the buildup of forces.

The U.S. military now considers parts of Dora safe enough to begin removing the giant blast barriers installed around the city as part of its counterinsurgency strategy to control the population and forestall attacks.

But the melee that broke out Friday afternoon showed how easily ethnic tensions can flare.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/10/AR2008101002896.html

BUSH USES US SOLDIERS IN IRAQ AS PAWNS TO HELP McCAIN

President Bush has been using U.S. soldiers deployed to Iraq like pawns in a chess game in an effort to help John McCain in his bid for President of the United States.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki had announced in July he wanted U.S. troops out of Iraq, but Bush declined the request because he felt keeping U.S. troops in Iraq would help John McCain.

EXCLUSIVE: Maliki Suggests Bush Pushed To Extend U.S. Presence In Iraq To Help McCain»

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/09/23/maliki-bush-mccain-iraq/

Last July, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said U.S. troops should be out of Iraq “as soon as possible” and endorsed Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) withdrawal plan. Obama “talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes,” Maliki told Der Spiegel magazine.

Days later, as Obama wrapped up meetings with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh reiterated his government’s stance, saying “the end of 2010 is the appropriate time for the withdrawal.”

Negotiating the post-UN mandate security agreement with Iraq, Bush argued for more time and both sides ultimately agreed that all U.S. troops would be out of Iraq by the end of 2011, not 2010, even though Bush has said previously that “if they were to say, leave, we would leave.”

Why did Bush go back on his word? A source tells ThinkProgress that White House communications staff were concerned that Maliki’s endorsement of the 2010 time line would damage Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) presidential campaign. Indeed, during an interview with Iraqi television last week (according to an Open Source Center translation), Maliki suggested that the U.S. presidential elections played a role:

Actually, the final date was really the end of 2010 and the period between the end of 2010 and the end of 2011 was for withdrawing the remaining troops from all of Iraq, but they asked for a change [in date] due to political circumstances related to the [U.S] domestic situation so it will not be said to the end of 2010 followed by one year for withdrawal but the end of 2011 as a final date.

In fact, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that as part of the security agreement, Bush wanted U.S. troops to stay in Iraq even longer. “It was a U.S. proposal for the date which is 2015, and an Iraqi one which is 2010, then we agreed to make it 2011,” Talabani said.

But by endorsing Obama’s time line, Maliki indirectly slighted McCain, who has consistently and strenuously argued against setting a withdrawal date and has even said he wouldn’t mind having U.S. troops in Iraq for 100 years. But Maliki’s new position has left McCain scrambling, first saying its “a pretty good timetable,” but then denying he used “the word timetable” and later settling on “anything is good.”

Despite Bush’s constant refrain that commanders, not politics, will decide the course in Iraq, it seems that trying to help his party retain the White House is more important.

SOLDIERS SERVING OVERSEAS FIND IT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO VOTE

Some overseas soldiers' voting hampered

Deborah Hastings - The Associated Press

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/284094/36/

American soldiers can hump 60-pound packs through the broiling desert, kill for their country and die for it, but they can't always vote for their commander in chief.

A solution has long been proposed: Just get rid of the Byzantine process which forces those in far-flung battle zones to vote by mail that must be delivered to thousands of local election districts across the United States.

But the Pentagon has found that bringing military voting into the 21st century is not so simple.

The number of absentee military ballots applied for that ultimately get counted is consistently low.

In the last federal election, only about 30 percent of overseas military ballots were tallied, according to data from the federal Election Assistance Commission, which monitors election problems, and the Pew Center on the States.

Change won't come in time for the November presidential election, when record numbers of voters are expected to decide between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.

For soldiers, the stakes couldn't be higher.

The winner may well decide how long they stay in battle, and how soon they come home.

No one knows why some 70 percent of overseas military ballots weren't recorded in 2006.

No one keeps centralized records on military ballots or voter turnout. But anecdotal evidence collected from local voting districts, which number more than 7,000, points to ballots that arrived late, ballots not properly filled out and ballots mailed to the wrong location -- most of which get discarded.

Then there are the ballots of troops who never mailed them back at all.

Contributing to the confusion are states and local election districts with competing and sometimes confounding rules governing overseas ballots. And the mail-in process can take up to 60 days from start to finish, even though many absentee ballots weren't available until this month.

Continue reading here http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/284094/36/

VIDEO: OBAMA ASKS: "WHY WON'T McCAIN SAY IT TO MY FACE?"

This short interview of Barack Obama with Charley Gibson of ABC News poses the question so many people are asking. Why does McCain continue to attack Obama but he won't say it to his face?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDz7iJYJXmE&feature=email

ABC NEWS VIDEO. BIDEN, THE VIEW AND MUCH MORE.

This video is crammed full of some great moments from the political trail. You will see Joe Biden cracking up over the SNL impersonation of him. Also, the women of "The View" talking about Sarah Palin including the SNL Tina Fey impersonation of Palin. And there is much, much more.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=5983382

BUSH ADMIN LISTENS TO PHONE CONVERSATIONS OF TROOPS OVERSEAS

Absolutely disgusting. According to a new report from ABC, thanks to the Patriot Act, the government has been listening into phone calls from troops in the middle east, and passing clips of them around the office. Not just that, but the clips are of private moments between troops and their wives and girlfriends.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-soltz/government-intrudes-on-tr_b_133342.html

From ABC:

Faulk says he and others in his section of the NSA facility at Fort Gordon routinely shared salacious or tantalizing phone calls that had been intercepted, alerting office mates to certain time codes of "cuts" that were available on each operator's computer.

"Hey, check this out," Faulk says he would be told, "there's good phone sex or there's some pillow talk, pull up this call, it's really funny, go check it out. It would be some colonel making pillow talk and we would say, 'Wow, this was crazy'," Faulk told ABC News.

Faulk said he joined in to listen, and talk about it during breaks in Back Hall's "smoke pit," but ended up feeling badly about his actions.

Oh, he felt badly? How about I start listening into the phone calls of NSA staff, and posting the best stuff on blogs, so we can all have a laugh.

Asked for comment about the ABC News report and accounts of intimate and private phone calls of military officers being passed around, a US intelligence official said "all employees of the US government" should expect that their telephone conversations could be monitored as part of an effort to safeguard security and "information assurance."

"They certainly didn't consent to having interceptions of their telephone sex conversations being passed around like some type of fraternity game," said Jonathon Turley, a constitutional law professor at George Washington University who has testified before Congress on the country's warrantless surveillance program.

Turley is right, and frankly, the response to ABC from the intelligence official is a disgrace.
Let me tell you something about being in a warzone. It's grueling, it's mentally taxing, it's hot, you see men blown up and losing limbs. For many, the one bit of calm they have is a brief moment when they thought of their wives or girlfriends back home, who they haven't seen for months.

But it was also agonizing. They could see them in their heads, but they couldn't touch them or smell them.

The best troops have is a brief telephone call sometimes. And, yes, it was as close to intimate as they can get. A tiny bit of good amidst the hell of war.

For the government to think that it was acceptable to listen in and pass around troops' most intimate moments, like some high-tech peeping toms, some satellite-powered voyeurs, is one of the greatest insults I can think of to those men and women in uniform sacrificing everything they have for their nation.

It's good that Senator Jay Rockefeller has started an investigation into this. I sincerely hope that he does not stop until everyone who let this happen is accounted for, and their heads roll. And I hope Republicans, who used to be all about limited government, and who swore to uphold our Constitution and Constitutional rights wake up and realize what's happening.

Our troops deserve a lot better from the government they're fighting for.

Crossposted at www.vetvoice.com

HILARIOUS VIDEO FROM JON STEWART ABOUT OBAMA/MCCAIN DEBATE

Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central, keeps churning out hilarious videos and this one is no exception as Stewart picks apart the last debate between Barack Obama and John McCain.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=187584&title=word-war-ii&byDate=true

READ THIS AND REMEMBER JOHN McCAIN RECEIVED AN "F" RATING FROM IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR

John McCain has one of the WORST records in Congress when it comes to supporting legislation that will help returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. In a recent study, the Iraq, Afghanistan Veterans Against the War (IAVA) http://www.iava.org/ gave McCain an "F" because of his abysmal record in Congress of supporting Veterans.

McCain talks BIG but he doesn't back up his talk with ACTION in the Senate.

Here is a report from Veterans for Common Sense http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/articleID/8077 on the status of how Veterans are being treated (or more appropriately not treated) by the Bush administration, John McCain and the Department of Veteran Affairs.


On July 17, 2007, Jim Nicholson announced his resignation as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, effective no later than October 1, 2007. Nicholson cut and ran just as veterans and Congress were gathering pitchforks and torches in a broad based effort to evict him.

The few veterans and elected officials who pay close attention to VA healthcare and benefits policy exhaled in relief as Nicholson, who had no relevant qualifications, said he would finally quit.

Most expect him to return to partisan politics and run for office in Colorado.

Only a few months on the job in early 2005, Nicholson fell flat on his face before Congress by claiming VA had enough money. He returned a few months later begging for $3 billion in emergency funds, much of it to care for our 230,000 wounded, injured, and ill from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars already treated at VA hospitals.

Sadly, Nicholson wasn’t served well, either. His top aides knew about the Walter Reed Army Medical Center fiasco during the summer of 2004. Yet our wounded warriors needlessly suffered for two more years until the Washington Post amplified the superb reporting by Salon’s Mark Benjamin, forcing the military and VA to start addressing the problems.

This sad morality play was driven by the enormous pressure from the White House to keep VA spending down in order to preserve President George W. Bush’s tax cut for the rich, who enjoy unprecedented wealth as hundreds of thousands of our homeless veterans sleep on the streets every night.

Using two key measures, Nicholson’s disastrous record of corruption, cronyism, and devastation at VA is far worse than FEMA’s “Heck of a job Brownie” after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

First, when a veteran needs healthcare, VA must provide it immediately, without question, and without waiting. Jonathan Schulze, who earned two Purple Heart medals, committed suicide in 2006 after three failed attempts to get care for his Iraq War – related PTSD.

Second, when a veteran needs disability compensation, VA must provide it immediately, without bureaucratic hassles, and without endless waiting, so they can put food on the table, pay the rent, and take care of their family. Jason Stiffler was kicked to the curb in 2003 by the military and VA, subsisting on a few hundred dollars a month after getting wounded in the Afghanistan War. Nicholson took a wrecking ball to VA. Pity on the state that wants to elect someone with such an abysmal record.

If Nicholson was the captain of the ill-fated Titanic, then he relished, with extremist religious zeal, the orders from Karl Rove and Grover Norquist to sail VA into an iceberg and drown VA in red tape. In the midst of disaster Nicholson approved $3.8 million in undeserved cash “performance” bonuses while hundreds of thousands of veterans remained homeless, waited months to see doctors, and even waited years to receive disability benefit payments.
Our next VA secretary should remember Jonathan Schulze and Jason Stiffler, and learn that VA failures cause catastrophic consequences. VA’s next leader faces several major unresolved issues:

• Congress must provide VA with mandatory full funding so there is better planning and so VA can eliminate the delays our veterans face when seeking medical care or disability benefits.

• VA must provide mandatory and universal PTSD and TBI screening for all recent war veterans. Our veterans earned early detection and treatment, and this is much cheaper for taxpayers in the long-run.

• VA must automatically approve all disability claims for six months at a modest level so our new war veterans stop falling through the cracks while waiting on VA to review 800,000 backlogged disability claims.

• VA must automatically approve disability claims for our combat veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan when a doctor diagnoses them with PTSD.

Thirty eight years ago, Neil Armstrong, a Korean War Navy aviator, landed on the moon. When we set our sights on it, we can attain lofty goals. Let’s make it our mission to house all our 200,000 homeless veterans and make sure they don’t fall through the cracks as they did after the Vietnam War and Gulf War.

VIDEO: KEITH OLBERMANN: ODE TO SEAN HANNITY

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann resurrects John Cleese from "Monty Python's Flying Circus" to skewer the tiny-brained FOX NEWS' Sean Hannity when Robert Gibbs, campaign director of the Obama/Biden campaign, called out Hannity as a anti-Semite.

It is a delicious VIDEO (thanks Peggy) and toward the end of the video Olbermann and MNBC's Rachel Maddow talk about how Sarah Palin will now appear ONLY on the Sean Hannity "Hannity and Colmes" show and FOX NEWS' Greta Van Sustern show before the election.

This is a MUST WATCH Video:

http://www.youtube.com/v/19RiO30O9a8&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

McCAIN SCORES "F" IN SUPPORT OF VETERANS

Obama outscores McCain in veterans’ group’s report card

By Roxana Tiron
Posted: 10/07/08 12:01 AM [ET]

http://tinyurl.com/4sevh7

Barack Obama outscored his Republican rival, Vietnam veteran John McCain, in a report card issued by an influential, nonpartisan veterans’ group.

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA’s) http://www.iava.org/ Action Fund gave the Arizona senator a “D” as part of its congressional report card. Obama received a “B” from the group.

McCain is among three senators who scored a “D.” Only one senator, Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), received an “F.”

McCain — a former Navy officer and prisoner of war — and Obama, who has not served, have made military and veterans’ issues central to their campaign as they try to show voters who would be a stronger advocate for those who have fought in two wars in the last seven years.

Much of IAVA’s scoring revolves around legislation to boost education benefits for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, known as the “Post 9/11 GI Bill: Fair Education Benefits for Veterans.”

The bill was the brainchild of Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and garnered wide sponsorship throughout the upper chamber.

Because of campaigning, McCain missed six votes on the issues the group rated, out of which four were the votes regarding the GI Bill.

The maximum of points for an “A+” in the Senate is 11. McCain received a total of three. IAVA gave two points to those who co-sponsored the GI Bill — its main priority for 2008.

McCain did not sponsor that bill, but sponsored a competing bill with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C). One major aspect of the McCain-sponsored bill was the ability for veterans to transfer educational credits to their spouses and children. Ultimately, the transferability option was included in Webb’s GI overhaul bill. As a result, McCain issued strong support for the bill, but was not present at the final vote.

IAVA did not credit McCain for the bill he sponsored with Graham and Burr because the group opposed it and threw its full support behind Webb’s bill.

“Sen. McCain has been endorsed by 21 past National Commanders of the American Legion, the largest veterans’ organization in America, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the largest organization of combat veterans in America,” said Lang Sias, national veterans director on McCain’s campaign. “Sen. McCain is proud of having fought hard to ensure that an extremely high priority for career service members — the freedom to transfer their education benefits to their spouse or their children — was included in the final version of the GI Bill. John McCain made the GI Bill better for military families and veterans.”

Despite being a co-sponsor of the GI Bill, Obama did not score a particularly high mark, but well above McCain. IAVA gave Obama a “B,” or a total of seven points. Obama, who like McCain has been on the campaign trail, missed four votes on issues the group rated. One of those votes was a procedural vote regarding the veterans’ education bill. Obama was present for the other three votes regarding the bill, including final passage.

Obama’s running mate, Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), also scored a “B.” He missed three votes that coincided with campaigning during the primaries, when Biden himself was a presidential candidate.

“Sen. Obama has a long record of supporting our veterans and honoring the sacred trust with our veterans and military families. The fact that IAVA has recognized his unending support is a great tribute,” said Obama national security spokeswoman Wendy Morigi. “If he is fortunate enough to be elected in November, veterans can rest assured knowing that he will fight for them every day as president.”

“We think attendance is important,” said Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA executive director of the scoring. “Lawmakers have to put the money where their mouth is. You can’t support the troops if you do not vote on the key issues.”

IAVA is officially releasing its congressional report card Tuesday, the same day Obama and McCain are going into another presidential debate. Rieckhoff said the release was planned that way to make veterans’ issues part of Tuesday’s debate, because none of the candidates approached that topic in detail.

“We hope that it lets them know that people are watching and that veterans are watching,” he said in an interview. “Whoever the president is, they have a huge challenge ahead with veterans’ issues. These guys have a chance to turn the page.”

In the Senate scoring, IAVA focused on nine legislative actions: boosting of funding for veterans’ healthcare in 2007 and 2008; more money for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, known as MRAPs, for troops fighting in Iraq; expanded veterans’ benefits in 2007; 2008 legislation dealing with adaptive housing for disabled veterans, disability claims processing and education benefits for apprenticeships and on-the-job training; stopping the McCain-sponsored competing GI bill; and three votes on the Webb-sponsored GI Bill.

Among the Senate’s co-sponsors of the education benefits overhaul are several who received an “A+” for their support of veterans. Those members not only co-sponsored the landmark education bill, but also voted in favor of all the other legislation on IAVA’s agenda. Among those who received an “A+” are: Webb, Susan Collins (R-Maine), who is facing a tough reelection campaign, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the Senate majority leader, Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), a former candidate for president, scored an “A.” So did retiring Sens. John Warner (R-Va.), who was pivotal in negotiations on the GI Bill, and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), an original co-sponsor of the bill, as well as Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Kit Bond (R-Mo.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.).

In the House, 249 lawmakers received an “A” or “A+” for voting on 13 bills relating to veterans issues. Many of the freshman and vulnerable Democrats have received an “A+.” Democrats, and particularly the freshmen, have made it a key point to prove that their party is strong on national security. Among those vulnerables receiving an A+ are Reps. Chris Carney (D-Pa.), Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.), Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) and Nancy Boyda (D-Kan.). Another Democratic vulnerable, Rep. Nick Lampson (Texas), received a “B.”

Several vulnerable Republican members earned top grades, but many of them have also scored “B’s.” Among them, Reps. Robin Hayes (N.C.), Christopher Shays (Conn.), Randy Kuhl (N.Y.) and Ric Keller (Fla.) stand out with an “A.” Reps. Don Young (R-Alaska) and Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) received a “B,” as did Reps. James Walsh (R-N.Y.) and Steve Chabot (R-Ohio).

Reps. John Campbell (R-Calif.), Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), John Duncan Jr. (R-Tenn.) and Chris Cannon (R-Utah) scored a “D.” Rep Ron Paul (R-Texas) scored the only “F.”

IAVA has about 105,000 members and makes no political contributions or endorsements.

SARAH PALIN INCITES ASSASSINATION OF BARACK OBAMA

"Kill him!", Palin supporter says of Obama in her presence. She says nothing.

On the heels of a McCain supporter yelling that Obama was a "terrorist" today - and McCain said nothing in response to admonish the supporter - the Washington Post reports (via ThinkProgress) that a Palin supporter at one of her rallies today yelled for Obama to be assassinated after Palin, again, told the lie that some of Obama's best friends are terrorists:

"Now it turns out, one of his earliest supporters is a man named Bill Ayers," Palin said."Boooo!" said the crowd."And, according to the New York Times, he was a domestic terrorist and part of a group that, quote, 'launched a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol,'" she continued."Boooo!" the crowd repeated."Kill him!" proposed one man in the audience.

Palin went on to say that "Obama held one of the first meetings of his political career in Bill Ayers's living room, and they've worked together on various projects in Chicago."Palin went on?

Just like she did when speakers at her church said that terrorist attacks against Israelis were "God's judgment" for Jews having the audacity not to embrace Christianity. Just like she did when a visiting witch doctor at her church lamented the fact that, as he claimed, Jews control the banking industry and that's why Wall Street is so corrupt.

Not a word from Sarah Palin when her supporters talk of killing Barack Obama.

Not a word from Sarah Palin when her own church talks of the propriety of launching terrorist attacks against Jews in Israel.

In one day, McCain's supporters are so enraged by McCain's new rhetoric, calling Obama an un-American terrorist sympathizer, that McCain's supporters are now labeling Obama himself a "terrorist" and calling for him to be killed.

And McCain has no problem with this.

Nor does Sarah Palin.

VIDEO: "PALIN-LAND." A FRIGHTENING LOOK AT PALIN SUPPORTERS

This video captures the type of person who supports Sarah Palin. They are a frightening lot.

During a recent rally where Palin said Barack Obama hangs around with terrorists (a reference to Bill Ayers who committed his terrorist acts when Obama was eight years old), one Palin supporter started chanting: "Kill 'em! Kill 'em! Kill 'em."

The message was directed at Barak Obama.

The Palin audience cheered.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1417423198?bctid=1834283910

NEWEST U.S. CASUALTY REPORTS AND VIOLENCE IN IRAQ: MEMO TO BARACK OBAMA

When Barack Obama and John McCain face off tonight in the second of their three debates, Obama should remind McCain there is STILL a war going on in IRAQ and there are STILL U.S. casualties on a daily basis and the violence continues in IRAQ The following is a list of U.S. casualties events taking place in IRAQ:

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

War News for Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Source: http://warnewstoday.blogspot.com/

LATEST U.S.Casualty Reports from IRAQ:

Mosul:#1: One U.S. soldier and one Iraqi policeman were killed in a shootout overnight on Tuesday in the Hay Domiz neighbourhood of southeastern Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraqi police and the U.S. military said. One gunmen was also reported killed and four others were arrested. Another police officer was also wounded.

Sgt. Joshua Haun, of Paradise, was injured when on a supply mission with the 49th Military Police Brigade in northern Iraq in August 2006. The convoy he was in was hit by a roadside bomb. Haun was severely injured during the incident and continues to recover more than two years later.

Sgt. First Class Diaz, 46, formerly of Brooklyn, is a U.S. Army combat medic stationed in Heidelberg, Germany is back on active duty, has a chronic neck injury as a result of a car bombing earlier this year during his second tour of Iraq.

MNF-Iraq is reporting the death of a Multi-National Division - North soldier a small-arms fire attack in Mosul on Tuesday, October 7th. One Iraqi Police was also killed in the attack.

The DoD is reporting what appears to be a new death previously unreported by the military. Sgt. William P. Rudd died from small arms fire in Mosul on Sunday, October 5th. He was an Army Ranger.

The DoD is reporting what appears to be another new death previously unreported by the military. Spc. Jason E. von Zerneck died from a vehicle incident in Qara Bagh Karez, Afghanistan, on Thursday, October 2nd. No other details were released.


Security incidents in IRAQ:

Baghdad:#1: Two powerful bombs exploded outside the Iraqi capital's tightly-guarded Green Zone on Tuesday as US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte was ending a visit focused on a controversial military pact. An Iraqi military officer said at least one soldier was wounded in the blasts which went off in quick succession at a time of heavy traffic. The first blast targeted a parked Iraqi armoured vehicle and a car bomb went off minutes later at a nearby parking lot opposite the foreign ministry, on the edge of the Green Zone where Iraq's government and the US embassy are located. Witnesses said a limpet-type magnetic mine had been used in the first attack against the armoured vehicle parked at a security checkpoint leading to the Green Zone. The tyres of the vehicle caught fire and the doors were blown out. Minutes after the attacks, Negroponte began his scheduled press conference with Zebari. The latest attacks in the central Salhiyah neighbourhood of Baghdad came despite a tight security cordon and stepped-up checks on vehicles and followed a spate of bombings in the capital last week.Iraqi police say that two blasts in front of the Foreign Ministry have wounded at least five people.

#2: Five civilians were wounded when two mortar shells landed in central Baghdad on Tuesday, an Iraqi police official said. "One of the two mortars landed on a civilian vehicles parking lot in al-Allawi area, central Baghdad, leaving five civilians wounded," the source told Aswat al-Iraq.

Kut:#1: A civilian man was killed by the fire of unidentified gunmen, two of them were wounded in a feud with the killed man's family in eastern Kut city, a police source in Wassit said. "Unidentified gunmen waged an armed attack during the early hours of Tuesady on a family in Anwar al-Sadr area, eastern Kut, leaving one member killed. Two of the gunmen were injured in the clashes," the source told Aswat al-Iraq.

#2: Policemen found two unidentified bodies of a young man and a young woman in the area of al-Ghabat, eastern Kut city, on Tuesday, a police source in Wassit province said.

Mosul: Gunmen killed a shop owner in central Mosul.

#3: Gunmen killed a governmental employee in al Quds neighborhood in Mosul.

#4: Gunmen killed a butcher and injured his son in their shop in Mosul.Northern Iraq

McCAIN PLANS TO CUT MEDICARE, MEDICAID---WALL ST. JOURNAL

Not only has John McCain been a champion for deregulation that put the country in the financial bind we are seeing today, but McCain also wants to cut Medicare and Medicaid according to the right wing Wall Street Journal.

OCTOBER 6, 2008

McCain Plans Federal Health Cuts
Medicare, Medicaid Spending Would Be Reduced to Offset Proposed Tax Credit

By LAURA MECKLER
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122315505846605217.html#

John McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs.

The Republican presidential nominee has said little about the proposed cuts, but they are needed to keep his health-care plan "budget neutral," as he has promised. The McCain campaign hasn't given a specific figure for the cuts, but didn't dispute the analysts' estimate.

In the months since Sen. McCain introduced his health plan, statements made by his campaign have implied that the new tax credits he is proposing to help Americans buy health insurance would be paid for with other tax increases
.
But Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Sen. McCain's senior policy adviser, said Sunday that the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid. Those government health-care programs serve seniors, poor families and the disabled. Medicare spending for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30 is estimated at $457.5 billion.

Mr. Holtz-Eakin said the Medicare and Medicaid changes would improve the programs and eliminate fraud, but he didn't detail where the cuts would come from. "It's about giving them the benefit package that has been promised to them by law at lower cost," he said.

Both Sen. McCain and his Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama, have recently sought to refocus on health care. The issue once ranked at the top of voters' domestic concerns, but has in recent months been eclipsed by energy and the economy.

Sen. McCain charges that the Obama plan, which would create a government-run marketplace in which people could buy coverage, would lead to government-run health care. Sen. Obama charges that Sen. McCain's plan would leave many people unable to get insurance.

Sen. Obama's campaign turned up the volume in a major push on health care over the weekend with two days of attacks from the stump, four new television advertisements, a series of health-care events across the country and fliers to voters' homes in swing states.

Sen. Obama is focused on Sen. McCain's plan to offer a new tax credit of $2,500 per person and $5,000 per family toward insurance premiums. This would allow people to buy health coverage on the open market, where they may have more choices and might look for a better bargain

In exchange, the government would begin taxing the value of health benefits people get through work. If an employer spends $10,000 to buy a worker health insurance, the worker would pay taxes on that money.

"It's a shell game," Sen. Obama told an outdoor rally of 28,000 people Sunday in Asheville, N.C. "Sen. McCain gives you a tax credit with one hand -- but raises your taxes with the other."

Sen. McCain's plan actually would lower taxes for most people. But that means the plan wouldn't pay for itself, because it cuts certain taxes more than it raises others.

The federal government imposes two taxes on wages, generally: an income tax, which funds the government's general operations, and the payroll tax, paid for by employers and employees, which funds Social Security and Medicare. If Sen. McCain were to apply both of these to the value of health benefits, he could fully pay for his new tax credits.

That is what aides have in the past suggested he would do.

In April, when Sen. McCain gave a major speech about his health plan, Mr. Holtz-Eakin, the senior policy adviser, said the tax provisions alone were budget neutral -- meaning that health benefits would have to be subject to both income and payroll taxes.

Campaign officials have regularly implied since then that the tax plan was a wash. In the vice-presidential debate last week, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin described Sen. McCain's proposed tax credits and said: "That's budget neutral. That doesn't cost the government anything, as opposed to Barack Obama's plan to mandate health-care coverage and have this universal, government-run program."

Mr. Holtz-Eakin said the campaign never intended to apply the payroll tax to health benefits. That means that most people would see a net tax cut, contrary to Sen. Obama's assertions. Only those with very rich benefits packages are likely to see a net increase in taxes. But it also means that Sen. McCain must fill a huge budget hole -- which the campaign says will come from cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, a Washington think tank, estimates that the McCain plan would cost the government $1.3 trillion over 10 years. The plan would allow as many as five million more people to have insurance, it estimates.

Mr. Holtz-Eakin said the plan is accurately described as budget neutral because it assumes enough savings in Medicare and Medicaid spending to make up the difference.

He said the savings would come from eliminating Medicare fraud and by reforming payment policies to lower the overall cost of care. He said the new tax credits will help some low-income people avoid joining Medicaid. The campaign also proposes increasing Medicare premiums for wealthier seniors.

Sen. Obama also would rely on some Medicare savings to pay for his health-care plan, which would offer subsidies to help consumers pay for premiums. The Tax Policy Center estimates that his plan would cost $1.6 trillion over 10 years and cover 34 million more people.
Write to Laura Meckler at laura.meckler@wsj.com

VIDEO: JOHN McCAIN AND HIS ROLE IN THE " KEATING FIVE SCANDAL"

If John McCain is stupid enough in tonight's debate to bring up Barack Obama's "ties" to Bill Ayers or Rev. Jeremiah Wright, I hope Obama gets a chance to talk about what is in this video and how John McCain played a major role in the savings and loan scandal that cost 23,000 Americans their life savings.

The problems started when deregulation took place under that bonehead Ronald Reagan and then McCain kept voting for more and more deregulation.

The media aren't going to tell the truth, but this VIDEO does about John McCain's role in the "Keating Five" scandal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDofbll86dY&eurl=http://www.keatingeconomics.com/

IF YOU HAVE DRAFT AGE CHILDREN THIS VIDEO WILL SCARE THE HELL OUT OF YOU

John McCain knows nothing but war, war, war and more war. And if John McCain is elected President you can bet your bottom dollar we will be going to war with IRAN, PAKISTAN and perhaps even NORTH KOREA.

Anyone who has military age children or grandchildren should take a long hard look at this video because electing JOHN McCAIN is a one-way ticket for your loved ones to be drafted and shipped to some foreign country to fight in still another incursion into a sovereign nation.

McCain is already on record saying he would be for reinstating the military draft.

Click on this link: http://corksphere.blogspot.com/2008/09/mccain-said-he-would-consider-draft.html to see and hear McCain say he would consider a military draft.

This video is not an exaggeration. It is the TRUTH.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/PdJUCU1UH2w&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

POLITICO EXCLUSIVE: OBAMA TO HIT McCAIN ON "KEATING FIVE" SCANDAL

It's about time!

Nice guys finish LAST.

The Obama campaign is going to launch an attack on John McCain and his connections to the "Keating Five" savings and loan scandal that sent hundreds of people to the poor house.

Exclusive: Obama to hit McCain on Keating Five

By: Mike Allen October 5, 2008 11:28 PM EST
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14302.html

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Monday will launch a multimedia campaign to draw attention to the involvement of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the “Keating Five” savings-and-loan scandal of 1989-91, which blemished McCain’s public image and set him on his course as a self-styled reformer.Retaliating for what it calls McCain's “guilt-by-association” tactics, the Obama campaign is e-mailing millions of supporters a link to a website, KeatingEconomics.com, which will have a 13-minute documentary on the scandal beginning at noon Eastern time on Monday.

The overnight e-mails urge recipients to pass the link on to friends.The Obama campaign, including its surrogates appearing on radio and television, will argue that the deregulatory fervor that caused massive, cascading savings-and-loan collapses in the late ‘80s was pursued by McCain throughout his career, and helped cause the current credit crisis.

Obama-Biden communications director Dan Pfeiffer said: “While John McCain may want to turn the page on his erratic response to the current economic crisis, we think voters will find his involvement in a similar crisis to be particularly interesting. His involvement with Keating is a window into McCain’s economic past, present, and future.”

Obama’s offensive comes after McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, spent two days telling voters, donors and reporters that Obama showed poor judgment in his relationship with the former radical William Ayers. McCain’s campaign has vowed to make a major issue of Obama’s Chicago relationships in coming days, with a senior McCain official telling Politico that they are “the vehicle that allows us to question Obama’s truthfulness about his past and his plans for the future.”

The McCain campaign also plans to invoke money launderer Tony Rezko. Officials say they will not bring up Obama's former minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, because McCain has forbade his campaign from using that as an attack. But the officials said outside groups supporting McCain might highlight Wright.

Responding to the Keating blast from the past, a Republican official said the Obama team seemed "frantic" at "the mere mention of the word 'Ayers.'"

“The fact that the Obama team is recycling this old garbage 24 hours after Bill Ayers entered the race is a testament to how worried the Obama camp is of an unfettered airing of his associations," the official said. "Obama is a clever enough politician to know that his unexplored relationships with terrorists and felons are a serious liability in a race this close.”

IF THE SHEET FITS....

Analysis: Palin's words may backfire on McCain

Analysis: Sarah Palin, propping up sagging campaign, uses words that could backfire on ticket

DOUGLASS K. DANIELAP News
Oct 05, 2008 19:52 EST
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/222097.php

By claiming that Democrat Barack Obama is "palling around with terrorists" and doesn't see the U.S. like other Americans, vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin targeted key goals for a faltering campaign.

And though she may have scored a political hit each time, her attack was unsubstantiated and carried a racially tinged subtext that John McCain himself may come to regret.

First, Palin's attack shows that her energetic debate with rival Joe Biden may be just the beginning, not the end, of a sharpened role in the battle to win the presidency.

"Our opponent ... is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect, imperfect enough, that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country," Palin told a group of donors in Englewood, Colo. A deliberate attempt to smear Obama, McCain's ticket-mate echoed the line at three separate events Saturday.

"This is not a man who sees America like you and I see America," she said. "We see America as a force of good in this world. We see an America of exceptionalism."

Obama isn't above attacking McCain's character with loaded words, releasing an ad on Sunday that calls the Arizona Republican "erratic" — a hard-to miss suggestion that McCain's age, 72, might be an issue.

"Our financial system in turmoil," an announcer says in Obama's new ad. "And John McCain? Erratic in a crisis. Out of touch on the economy."

A harsh and plainly partisan judgment, certainly, but not on the level of suggesting that a fellow senator is un-American and even a friend of terrorists.

In her character attack, Palin questions Obama's association with William Ayers, a member of the Vietnam-era Weather Underground. Her reference was exaggerated at best if not outright false. No evidence shows they were "pals" or even close when they worked on community boards years ago and Ayers hosted a political event for Obama early in his career.

Obama, who was a child when the Weathermen were planting bombs, has denounced Ayers' radical views and actions.

With her criticism, Palin is taking on the running mate's traditional role of attacker, said Rich Galen, a Republican strategist.

"There appears to be a newfound sense of confidence in Sarah Palin as a candidate, given her performance the other night," Galen said. "I think that they are comfortable enough with her now that she's got the standing with the electorate to take off after Obama."

Second, Palin's incendiary charge draws media and voter attention away from the worsening economy. It also comes after McCain supported a pork-laden Wall Street bailout plan in spite of conservative anger and his own misgivings.

"It's a giant changing of the subject," said Jenny Backus, a Democratic strategist. "The problem is the messenger. If you want to start throwing fire bombs, you don't send out the fluffy bunny to do it. I think people don't take Sarah Palin seriously."

The larger purpose behind Palin's broadside is to reintroduce the question of Obama's associations. Millions of voters, many of them open to being swayed to one side or the other, are starting to pay attention to an election a month away.

For the McCain campaign, that makes Obama's ties to Ayers as well as convicted felon Antoin "Tony" Rezko and the controversial minister Jeremiah Wright ripe for renewed criticism. And Palin brings a fresh voice to the argument.

Effective character attacks have come earlier in campaigns. In June 1988, Republican George H.W. Bush criticized Democrat Michael Dukakis over the furlough granted to Willie Horton, a convicted murderer who then raped a woman and stabbed her companion. Related TV ads followed in September and October.

The Vietnam-era Swift Boat veterans who attacked Democrat John Kerry's war record started in the spring of 2004 and gained traction in late summer.

"The four weeks that are left are an eternity. There's plenty of time in the campaign," said Republican strategist Joe Gaylord. "I think it is a legitimate strategy to talk about Obama and to talk about his background and who he pals around with."

Palin's words avoid repulsing voters with overt racism. But is there another subtext for creating the false image of a black presidential nominee "palling around" with terrorists while assuring a predominantly white audience that he doesn't see their America?

In a post-Sept. 11 America, terrorists are envisioned as dark-skinned radical Muslims, not the homegrown anarchists of Ayers' day 40 years ago. With Obama a relative unknown when he began his campaign, the Internet hummed with false e-mails about ties to radical Islam of a foreign-born candidate.

Whether intended or not by the McCain campaign, portraying Obama as "not like us" is another potential appeal to racism. It suggests that the Hawaiian-born Christian is, at heart, un-American.

The fact is that when racism creeps into the discussion, it serves a purpose for McCain. As the fallout from Wright's sermons showed earlier this year, forcing Obama to abandon issues to talk about race leads to unresolved arguments about America's promise to treat all people equally.
John McCain occasionally says he looks back on decisions with regret. He has apologized for opposing a holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. He has apologized for refusing to call for the removal of a Confederate flag from South Carolina's Capitol.

When the 2008 campaign is over will McCain say he regrets appeals such as Palin's? ___

EDITOR'S NOTE — Douglass K. Daniel is a writer and editor with the Washington bureau of The Associated Press.
Source: AP News

U.S. RAID IN IRAQ KILLS 3 WOMEN AND 3 CHILDREN

Remember back when the Iraq war started almost six years ago how Vice President Dick Cheney predicted American troops would be greeted "as liberators and the Iraqi people would be throwing flowers at our troops.?"

That was then and this is today.

If things keep going the way they have been going in Iraq, there won't be any Iraqi left to greet U.S. troops "as liberators and throw flowers at them" because U.S. troops will have KILLED most of them.

11 Iraqis killed in U.S. raid in Mosul

By Corinne Reilly and Yasseem Taha McClatchy Newspapers
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/53490.html

BAGHDAD — Eleven members of an Iraqi family were killed Sunday during a U.S. raid in Mosul, including three women and three children, officials said.

Neighbors told Iraqi police in Mosul that the family was peaceful, but the U.S. military said five of the dead were terrorists who had targeted American soldiers.

A military spokesman said at least some of the Iraqis were killed when a member of the family detonated a suicide bomb inside the house the Americans were raiding. It's unclear whether gunfire from U.S. soldiers is responsible for some deaths, Navy Lt. Cmdr. David Russell said.

"At this point we're still working with the hospital to try to sort that out," he said.
A police spokesman in Mosul, Brig. Gen. Khalid Abdulsatar, said most of the dead appeared to have been killed by shrapnel from a bomb.

No U.S. soldiers were reported killed or injured.

Seven other Iraqis died in two additional incidents of violence in Mosul this weekend.
According to a military statement, American soldiers were in the northern Iraq city Sunday morning looking for a wanted terrorist.

They entered a house where they believe the terrorist lived, the statement said, and people inside began shooting at them. The soldiers returned fire. A suicide bomber then detonated an explosives vest inside the house, the military said.

Five men, three women and three children were killed. Another child was injured and one was left unharmed.

"This is just another tragic example of how al Qaida in Iraq hides behind innocent Iraqis," said Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, another military spokesman. "The terrorist exploded his suicide vest in close proximity to women and children, and in a house full of explosives and weapons."

Soldiers found guns and bomb-making materials inside the house after the firefight, the military said.

A police official in Mosul said the raided house is in the city's 17th of July neighborhood and that the Iraqis killed were all related.

Neighbors told police that the dead weren't involved in terrorism and that they were Arab natives of Mosul, the police official said.

He said authorities found evidence of a suicide bomber near the house, including body parts.
Other police officials said the neighborhood where the family died is often the site of U.S. raids.

Though violence has dropped dramatically across Iraq in recent months, Mosul remains dangerous.

Elsewhere in the city on Sunday, gunmen killed four mourners and injured six others during a funeral procession in the al Zinjili area, police said. One of the dead was an Iraqi army officer.

Also on Sunday, police found the dead bodies of three men who were kidnapped Saturday in Mosul's Wahda neighborhood.

VIDEO: SARAH PALIN CHANNELS MISS SOUTH CAROLINA

OMIGOD! The comparison between Sarah Palin and the Miss South Carolina, who stumbled all over herself trying to answer a simple question, are so similar it is frightening.

REMEMBER: Should the McCain/Palin ticket win, Sarah Palin would be a heartbeat away from being President of the United States should something happen to 72-year old JOHN McCAIN who already has had four bouts with cancer.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/w2QbhsT5BF8&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

HEART-BREAKING VIDEO: VETERANS REMEMERED: FOR ALL MY VETERAN COMRADES

The IRAQ and AFGHANISTAN wars have been shoved out of the news by non-stop political coverage and in the case of FOX NEWS some of the most mundane tabloid news topics ever put on what is supposed to be a news outlet, but this veteran will not forget the brave young Americans who continue to serve our country and those who are shown in this video from the VIETNAM WAR who have given so much for the UNITED STATES of AMERICA.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/LVlkFVstJiE&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

VIDEO: 200,000 HOMELESS VETERANS ON THE STREETS OF AMERICA

There are now over 200,000 homeless veterans living on the streets of America, and one out of every three soldiers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan suffers from severe mental health problems which the United States government is doing nothing about.

It is estimated one out of every three returning vets from Iraq and Afghanistan will attempt suicide.

The Bush administration and John McCain have done nothing for these veterans and have actually cut funding to help returning veterans deal with their mental health issues.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/FsTmBVav-r0&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

GRIPPING VIDEO: A HOMELESS VETERAN TELLS HIS STORY. A MUST WATCH

There are thousands of homeless American veterans and the list is getting longer and longer every single day.

This video captures the story of one Vietnam veteran telling in his OWN words how the VA (Veterans Administration) system let him down.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/cNWIzMqNM18&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

HILARIOUS BUT TRUE VIDEO: MCCAIN IN THE MEMBRANE: KEITH OLBERMAN OF MSNBC'S COUNTDOWN

Keith Olberman is rapidly overtaking Bill O'Reilly in the ratings race, and definitely has overtaken O'Reilly with people who have more than a single digit IQ.

McCain in the Membrane is Keith Olberman's latest segment from his MSNBC "Countdown" show and it's terrific.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/qPpJibIyMrs&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

UNREAL VIDEO: SARAH PALIN SOUNDS LIKE MISS SOUTH CAROLINA

This video is both hilarious and frightening. Miss South Carolina was a beauty pageant contest and Sarah Palin is running for the second highest office in the United States, but when compared to each other they sound the same.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/ZkB1QQ_tK3o&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

CNN BREAKING NEWS: PALIN ZINGS OBAMA FOR TERRORIST TIES: PROVES SHE CAN'T READ

Republican Vice President candidate Sarah Palin lashed out at Barack Obama Saturday saying he has ties to terrorist Bill Ayers.

Palin cited an article in Saturday's New York Times about Obama's relationship with Ayers, now 63. But that article concluded that "the two men do not appear to have been close. Nor has Mr. Obama ever expressed sympathy for the radical views and actions of Mr. Ayers, whom he has called 'somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8.' "

Palin hits Obama for 'terrorist' connection

Story Highlights
Sarah Palin criticizes Barack Obama's ties to William Ayers
Ayers was a founder of the radical 1970s group Weather Underground
Palin: "This is not a man who sees America as you and I do"
Obama camp: McCain-Palin "would rather spend their time tearing down" Obama

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/04/palin.obama/index.html

(CNN) -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Saturday slammed Sen. Barack Obama's political relationship with a former anti-war radical, accusing him of associating "with terrorists who targeted their own country."

Palin's attack delivered on the McCain campaign's announcement that it would step up attacks on the Democratic presidential candidate with just a month left before the November general election.

"This is not a man who sees America as you and I do: as the greatest force for good in the world," Palin said at a fundraising event in Colorado, according to a statement released by the McCain-Palin campaign. "This is someone who sees American as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who targeted their own country."

Obama's Chicago, Illinois, home is in the same neighborhood as Bill Ayers, a founder of the radical Weather Underground, which was involved in several bombings in the early 1970s, including the Pentagon and the Capitol, and the two have met several times since Obama's 1995 campaign for a state Senate seat.

Palin cited an article in Saturday's New York Times about Obama's relationship with Ayers, now 63. But that article concluded that "the two men do not appear to have been close. Nor has Mr. Obama ever expressed sympathy for the radical views and actions of Mr. Ayers, whom he has called 'somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8.' "

Several other publications, including the Washington Post, Time magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times, The New Yorker and The National Review, have debunked the idea that Obama and Ayers had a close relationship.

Watch CNN's Truth Squad examine Palin claims »

Riot and bomb conspiracy charges against Ayers were dropped in 1974, and he is now a professor of education at the University of Illinois in Chicago
.
Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan called Palin's comments "offensive" and "not surprising given the McCain campaign's statement this morning that they would be launching Swift Boat-like attacks in hopes of deflecting attention from the nation's economic ills."

With Obama rising in polls while the country struggles in the grip of a financial crisis, Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign decided to shift attention away from the troubled economy and onto issues of his opponent's character, judgment and personal associations, the Washington Post reported.

"We're going to get a little tougher," a senior Republican operative said, requesting anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss strategy. "We've got to question this guy's associations. Very soon. There's no question that we have to change the subject here."

The Obama camp said the tactic wouldn't work.

"What's clear is that John McCain and Sarah Palin would rather spend their time tearing down Barack Obama than laying out a plan to build up our economy," Sevugan said.

Obama and Ayers met at meeting for a school reform project in 1995 and again later that year.

Then, Ayers hosted an event where then-Illinois state Sen. Alice Palmer, who planned to run for Congress, introduced the young community organizer as her chosen successor, campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said. Both men also served on a charitable board together, he said.

Labolt also said the two have not spoken by phone or exchanged e-mail messages since Obama came to the U.S. Senate in 2005 and last met more than a year ago when they encountered each other on the street in their Hyde Park neighborhood.

Obama and McCain will meet for their second debate Tuesday night and will take questions directly from voters in a town hall-style format.

PART 2 OF VIDEO ON HOW RONALD REAGAN STARTED THE DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA

In this Part Two Real Network News video, award winning journalist Robert Parry brings viewers the inside story on how PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN's ideas of less government was the forerunner of the financial crisis the United States finds itself in today.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2479

RONALD REAGAN'S IDEAS LED TO CURRENT FINANCIAL FIASCO: WATCH VIDEO

You would never know it by watching cable news or even reading your local newspapers, but the whole mess the United States finds itself in now started with Ronald Reagan who wanted to get government out of every one's business.

IN PART ONE OF THIS REAL NEWS NETWORK VIDEO, AWARD WINNING JOURNALIST ROBERT PARRY EXPLAINS THE BEGINNINGS OF THE NEOCON MOVEMENT UNDER RONALD REAGAN THAT LEAD TO THE MESS WE ARE IN TODAY.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/2-55ZguQzoU&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

WATCH THE BILL O'REILLY VIDEO ATTACKING DEMOCRATIC CONG.BARNEY FRANK THAT ALL RIGHT WING RADIO NUTS LOVE

FOX NEWS' Bill O'Reilly goes totally ballistic in an interview with Democratic Cong. Barney Frank over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

This video is now the odds on favorite of talk radio, better known as "hate" radio, as the audio portion is played over and over again on right wing talk radio in an effort to feed the appetite of the kind of disgruntled people who are stupid enough to listen to right wing "hate" radio.

Watch as Bill O'Reilly screams, yells, points fingers (where is O'Reilly's dumb "body language expert on this one?) and is a hair's breath away from being hauled off in a straight-jacket.

To his credit, Congressman Frank kept his cool and was able to say O'Reilly is either "too dumb" or "too stupid" to understand what went on in Washington with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

This is a classic and you can watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/v/yrfPMa3lONU&hl=en&fs=1

Click on arrow in center of picture to activate video.

U.S. MARINES IN REAL COMBAT VIDEO: "OPERATION PHANTOM FURY". GRAPHIC

Watch as U.S. Marines engage the enemy in IRAQ during "Operation Phantom Fury." The VIDEO is actual footage from the battle and the music is sensational.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/enm9Dhp79Vk&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

CLOSE COMBAT IN IRAQ: VIDEO IS GRAPHIC WITH RAW LANGUAGE

This video shows what our young soldiers are going through in IRAQ while the media is fixated on the election.

The video is REAL and the language can be "colorful" to say the least.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/AlFvqCnHRwA&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

REAL VIDEO COMBAT FOOTAGE FROM IRAQ

There is still a war going on in IRAQ and young Americans are still engaged in combat.

This video gives a glimpse of what our troops are going through in IRAQ

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/M2vZal7HZgc&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

WATCH VIDEO OF BILL O'REILLY IN HIS YOUTH

This video is a spoof of FOX NEWS's loudmouth BILL O'REILLY and it is appropriately titled: LIL' O'REILLY.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/-teM03FPUow&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

WHO'S SARAH PALIN? WATCH VIDEO AND FIND OUT

This video cuts through the BS and tells the truth about Sarah Palin.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/AtIBfHvuPgw&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

SARAH PALIN GOES ON FOX NEWS TO BLAST KATIE COURIC: WATCH VIDEO

The day after the Vice President debate Sarah Palin went on her "user fiendly" FOX NEWS to diss Katie Couric.

Watch video here:

http://www.youtube.com/v/1Q0fTHnFGm0&hl=en&fs=1

Click on arrow in picture to activate video

WATCH VIDEO OF SARAH PALIN READING GOP TALKING POINTS IN DEBATE

Most everyone agrees Sarah Palin didn't fall on her face during the Vice President debate, but what few people realize is if you watch closely Palin is reading her answers from GOP "talking points."

Here is just one example:

http://www.youtube.com/v/pZ7Fp6QH150&hl=en&fs=1

Click on arrow to activate video

BREAKING NEWS FROM CNN: BOMBS KILL 20 IN BAGHDAD

Bombs targeting worshippers kill 20 in Iraq

Story Highlights
Worshippers were leaving early morning prayers to mark the end of Ramadan
The suicide bomb blasts also wounded 35 others
Shiite followers of Ayatolla Ali al-Sistani began their Eid celebrations Thursday

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/10/02/iraq.violence/index.html

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Suicide attacks outside two Shiite mosques killed at least 20 people in Baghdad on Thursday as worshippers left early morning prayers marking the end of Ramadan, the Interior Ministry said.

The suicide bomb blasts also wounded 35 people, a ministry official said.

The bombs went off as worshippers left the mosques to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of a month of fasting.

440 KILLED IN IRAQ IN SEPTEMBER: 25 WERE US SOLDIERS

Iraq violence kills 440 in September: 25 US soldiers killed

Wed Oct 1, 3:02 AM ET

http://tinyurl.com/3p2tyt

BAGHDAD (AFP) - The number of Iraqi civilians and security personnel killed in insurgent and militia violence in September was 440, little changed from August, security officials said on Wednesday.

At least 359 civilians, 26 Iraqi soldiers and 55 policemen were slain in September, according to figures collected by the interior, defence and health ministries, officials who had the access to the data said.

In August, 383 civilians, 18 Iraqi soldiers and 30 policemen, a total of 431 people, were killed.
In September, 66 militants were killed and 920 were arrested, the officials said.

The US military, meanwhile, reported at least 25 soldiers killed in September, according to independent website www.icasualties.org, compared with 23 in August.

At least 4,176 US soldiers have been killed in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, according to an AFP count based on the website.

FUNNY VIDEO: SHOUTING NEWS: PALIN VS PIT BULL

Everyone is getting into the act mocking Sarah Palin. In this video even a Pit Bull is used to mock Palin.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/7ScFpbCN2m8&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

VIDEO SHOWS HOW FOX NEWS EDITED OUT CLIPS FROM JON STEWART SHOW ON JOHN McCAIN

FOX NEWS loves to shout to the world they are "fair and balanced" but in reality FOX NEWS is a branch of the Republican National Committee.

In this VIDEO you will see how FOX NEWS edited a clip from the JON STEWART "Daily Show" to make John McCain look good.

FOX NEWS IS SHAMELESS AND NOT EVEN A NEWS ORGANIZATION.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/0gh6r5ALVMo&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

VIDEO: DAVID LETTERMAN'S TOP TEN THINGS HEARD AT SARAH PALIN DEBATE CAMP

David Letterman put together his "Top 10" of what was overheard at the Sarah Palin debate camp.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/3ugTnp4XCJw&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

VIDEO OF CNN'S JACK CAFFERTY: HOW CAN ANYONE TAKE SARAH PALIN SERIOUSLY?

CNN's Jack Cafferty doesn't spare any words in this video on his true feelings about Sarah Palin.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/j9HIYmT5Rpo&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

VIDEO OF CHRIS ROCK ON LARRY KING TALKING POLITICS

Comedian Chris Rock satdown with Larry King and talks about his feelings about politics. It is hilarious.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/yzddXBLFB7Q&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

BEST OF SARAH PALIN: KEITH OLBERMAN'S GREATEST HITS ON VIDEO

Keith Olberman, host of MSNBC's "Countdown," spliced together some of Sarah Palin's greatest "hits" in anticipation of tonight's VP debate.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/q-Z3-UFYpNE&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

FANTASTIC VIDEO: COMEDIAN JON STEWART PREVIEWS TONIGHTS VEEP DEBATE: GAMS AND GAMMER

Jon Stewart host of "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central does a fantastic job of splicing all the latest developments in the Sarah Palin soap opera in this video.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.indecision2008.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=186764

STOP LYING ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THE "SURGE." BOMB OUTSIDE SHIITE MOSQUE IN BAGHDAD KILLS 17

The American public has been sold a bill of goods on the so-called success of "the surge."

There was a lull in violence for a very short period of time and now Iraq, and in particular Baghdad, is now in the throes of a series of suicide bombings that have killed almost two dozen people.

And according to sources in Iraq, the violence is going to escalate.

Women suicide bombers are signing up by the hundreds to carryout suicide attacks on not only Iraqi civilians but U.S. troops.

Meanwhile, the mainstream media in the United States is fixated on the election and tonight's vice president debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin.

The United States "fiddles" while Baghdad "burns."


Bombs outside Shiite mosques in Baghdad kill 17

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press
Oct. 2, 2008, 4:43AM

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/6035483.html

BAGHDAD — Suicide bombers targeted Shiite worshippers as they left morning prayers today at two Baghdad mosques, killing 17 people and injuring more than 30 others, police said.

In a separate attack, gunmen fatally shot six people as they were traveling in a minibus in Wajihiyah, a town about 60 miles north of Baghdad.

The dead included two children, three women and a man, police in Diyala province said. Another woman and her small child were injured.

The bombings in Baghdad occurred as Shiite worshippers were celebrating the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

No group claimed responsibility but attacks on Shiite civilians are widely associated with Sunni extremists such as al-Qaida in Iraq in a bid to reignite the sectarian conflict that plunged the nation to the brink of civil war two years ago.

In the deadliest attack, a suicide car bomber in a white Mercedes sedan detonated his explosives about 20 yards from a mosque in Zafaraniyah in southeastern Baghdad. He set off the bomb when Iraqi soldiers tried to stop him from approaching the building, police said.

That attack killed 12 people, including three Iraqi soldiers, and injured 23, police said.

In the other attack, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt as worshippers were leaving the Rasoul mosque in the capital's eastern New Baghdad district. Five people died and nine were injured, police said.

HILARIOUS VIDEO OF TINA FEY AS SARAH PALIN ON SNL

This collection of video clips of the REAL Sarah Palin and Tina Fey of Saturday Night Live playing Sarah Palin is hilarious and couldn't come at a better time as the debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden is held on Thursday night from St. Louis.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/rIDkq9iwm_w&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

PALIN CAN'T NAME ANY SUPREME COURT DECISION OTHER THAN ROE V. WADE SHE DISAGREES WITH: WATCH KATIE COURIC INTERVIEW

Sarah Palin was asked by CBS' Katie Couric if she could think of any other Supreme Court decision she disagrees with other than Roe v. Wade and in this video you see how she struggles to try and think of one......and fails.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/r9s3l89TQBk&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

WATCH VIDEO AS SARAH PALIN EXPLAINS WHY WOMEN SHOULD BE FORCED TO BEAR THEIR RAPISTS' BABIES--INTV WITH KATIE COURIC

CBS' KATIE COURIC interviews Republican Vice President candidate SARAH PALIN on why she believes a woman who has been raped should have the rapists' baby.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/v77WekmM8F8&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE THIS STARTLING VIDEO

SARAH PALIN CAN'T NAME A NEWSPAPER SHE READS: WATCH KATIE COURIC INTERVIEW

Republican Vice President candidate SARAH PALIN danced around and couldn't come up with the name of ONE newspaper or magazine she reads when asked by CBS' Katie Couric what newspapers or magazines she reads.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/xRkWebP2Q0Y&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND SHAPED-ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

THE VIDEO THAT SHOULD SINK JOHN McCAIN'S WHITE HOUSE DREAMS

This video is frightening when you think the GOP has put up a man for President of the United States, John McCain, whose whole portfolio is his so-called expertise on the military.

McCain is seen lying about how General David Petraeus travels around Baghdad without body armor and unprotected by troops.

Time after time in this video McCain is caught telling a flat out lie about conditions in Iraq as well what he said about the Confederate flag.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/u-R5Vh5tOWk&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO.

WATCH HOW McCAIN WAS SO WRONG AS HE PUSHED FOR IRAQ WAR RIGHT AFTER 9/11

Does anyone really want someone like John McCain in charge of this country? Watch this video and listen to McCain as he makes one misstatement after another about Iraq as he pushes for going to war with Iraq two months after 9/11.

Just imagine what McCain will be doing if elected when it comes to Iran. He will use the same twisted rationale to lead the United States into another war.

We don't have the troops to fight a war with IRAN so that means there will have to be a military draft if McCain is elected.

There are already plans in the works to upgrade the Selective Service Board and there are also plans in the works to close off the borders with Canada and Mexico so young military age women and children can't avoid the draft by going to Canada or Mexico.

A vote for McCain/Palin is a vote for your children or grandchildren to be drafted and sent to the ongoing wars in IRAQ or AGHANISTAN, or a new war with IRAN.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Hv4qWkiCHbM&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN CENTER OF PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

FRIGHTENING VIDEO ABOUT SARAH PALIN AND HER SCARY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

This video about Sarah Palin and her religious beliefs is enough to scare the hell out of anyone who is thinking of voting for the McCain/Palin ticket.

Listen as Palin describes how God was helping her become Governor of Alaska and how our troops are on a mission from God in Iraq.

And there is more.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1417423198?bctid=1827891038

VIDEO: SARAH PALIN CAN'T THINK OF ONE NEWSPAPER SHE READS IN KATIE COURIC INTERVIEW

It just keeps getting worse for Sarah Palin. Katie Couric asked Palin what newspapers or magazines she reads for information and Palin couldn't think of one.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/YC79WhGdBXM&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW IN PICTURE TO ACTIVATE VIDEO

NOBODY ELSE HAS THIS LIST OF 25 US GIS KILLED DURING SEPTEMBER IN IRAQ. NAMES, HOMETOWNS, CAUSE OF DEATH

The following is a list of 25 US GIs killed during the IRAQ WAR which includes names, hometowns, and cause of death.

To get more information click on "BLUE."

Source: http://icasualties.org/oif/prdDetails.aspx?hndRef=4-2008


Date
Total
Name
Place of Death - Province
Cause of Death
30-Sep-2008
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
NAME NOT RELEASED YET
Baghdad (northern part)
Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
29-Sep-2008
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
NAME NOT RELEASED YET
Baghdad (northern part)
Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
27-Sep-2008
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Private 1st Class Jamel A. Bryant
Baghdad (Southeast of)
Non-hostile - vehicle rollover
25-Sep-2008
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Staff Sergeant Ronald Phillips Jr.
Bahbahani - Babil
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
24-Sep-2008
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Captain Michael J. Medders
Jisr Naft - Diyala
Hostile - hostile fire - suicide bomber
23-Sep-2008
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
1st Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown
Salman Pak - Babil
Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
21-Sep-2008
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Staff Sergeant Matthew J. Taylor
Baghdad
Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
18-Sep-2008
7
US: 7 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Chief Warrant Officer Corry A. Edwards
Tallil - Dhi Qar
Non-hostile - helicopter crash

US
Sergeant Daniel M. Eshbaugh
Tallil - Dhi Qar
Non-hostile - helicopter crash

US
Sergeant Anthony L. Mason
Tallil - Dhi Qar
Non-hostile - helicopter crash

US
1st Sergeant Julio C. Ordonez
Tallil - Dhi Qar
Non-hostile - helicopter crash

US
Chief Warrant Officer Brady J. Rudolf
Tallil - Dhi Qar
Non-hostile - helicopter crash

US
Corporal Michael E. Thompson
Tallil - Dhi Qar
Non-hostile - helicopter crash

US
Robert Vallejo II
Tallil - Dhi Qar
Non-hostile - helicopter crash
17-Sep-2008
2
US: 2 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Captain Darrick D. Wright
Baghdad
Non-Hostile - Illness - Heart Attack

US
Private 1st Class Leonard J. Gulczynski I
Baghdad
Non-hostile - vehicle accident
14-Sep-2008
4
US: 4 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Colonel (Chaplain) Sidney J. Marceaux Jr.
Walter Reed Army Medical Center - NA
Non-hostile - illness

US
Lieutenant Colonel Ralph J. Marino
Camp Buehring
Non-hostile - illness

US
Sergeant Wesley R. Durbin
Tunnis - Baghdad
Non-hostile - shooting incident

US
Staff Sergeant Darris J. Dawson
Tunnis - Baghdad
Non-hostile - shooting incident
10-Sep-2008
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Sergeant 1st Class Daniel R. Sexton
Balad (Joint Base Balad) - Salah Ad Din
Non-hostile
05-Sep-2008
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Private Jordan P. P. Thibeault
Balad (FOB Hammer) - Salah Ad Din
Non-hostile
04-Sep-2008
2
US: 2 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Private 1st Class Bryan R. Thomas
Baghdad (eastern part)
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack

US
Sergeant Kenneth W. Mayne
Baghdad (eastern part)
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
02-Sep-2008
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0



US
Private 1st Class Patrick W. May
Baghdad
Non-hostile
Total
25
US: 25 UK: 0 Other: 0

NORAD: SARAH PALIN HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER RUSSIAN PLANES FLYING OVER US AIR SPACE

Sarah Palin told CBS' Katie Couric Russian planes, or Putin's plane, fly over Alaska. According to NORAD that is NOT TRUE.

NORAD: Sarah Palin has no role in guarding U.S. airspace despite claims in Katie Couric interview

BY JAMES GORDON MEEK DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
Tuesday, September 30th 2008, 5:21 PM
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/09/30/2008-09-30_norad_sarah_palin_has_no_role_in_guardin.html

WASHINGTON - When Russian bombers approach American airspace and U.S. Air Force fighters are scrambled, Sarah Palin's phone doesn't ring.

The Alaska governor has no command authority over the guardians of U.S. airspace despite her recent suggestion otherwise.

"She doesn't have any role in that process," Air Force Maj. Allen Herritage, spokesman for the Alaska North American Aerospace Defense Command, told the Daily News.

MUST SEE SHOCKING VIDEO: WHAT WE CHOSE TO IGNORE

This video will shock you. It outlines how the Federal government has taken over the personal rights of every American.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Jl1VIhdpl4c&hl=en&fs=1

CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO ACTIVATE VIDEO