Yes, I am for real.

From Sadly, No!:

U.S. Clears Way for Arms Sales to Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration cleared the way Wednesday to sell arms to Iraq just as it does to other allies, reversing the ban in place for much of Saddam Hussein's regime.

Bush made a presidential determination that the standard methods of engaging in munitions transfers with friendly nations are now appropriate in the case of Iraq and will promote democratic reforms, help achieve reconstruction and strengthen the Iraqi government.

The United States, Bush decided, will rely on the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act in making Iraq eligible for arms sales on a case-by-case basis.

Um. Wasn't selling Iraq arms what got us in to all this trouble in the first place? I thought Bush was a peace president? Shouldn't that mean he wants less weapons in the world? Maybe he plans to use Iraqi troops to invade Iran. Is that ironic or moronic? I think I'll go listen to some Alanis and try to figure that out.

My country tis of thee

Defining Love of Country

By Patti Davis
Newsweek

President Bush, on the other hand, says that he loves this country and, giving him the benefit of the doubt, I assume he does love his conceptualized idea of America. But I don’t think he loves us—the people who make up this land. The huddled masses. The millions of citizens who just want a peaceful, safe life. Those who want to put their kids through school and see them grow up; who want to take vacations to other countries without fearing for their lives because so much of the world hates us.

I don’t think you lie to people you love. I don’t think you send them off into dangerous situations on the basis of murky, cobbled-together information that isn’t really information at all. I don’t think you keep them scared all the time. I don’t think you respond to horrors like public beheadings with cowboy slogans that sound like they came from old John Wayne movies.

Guess that is another child of Reagan that won't be speaking at the RNC, eh?

I'm a little bit country, they're totally moronic

In the WTF category of the day, from GWBWYPGN and Hoffmania:

Linda Rondstate booted from Vegas hotel for dedicating a song to Michael Moore

Singer Linda Ronstadt not only got booed, she got the boot after praising filmmaker Michael Moore and his new movie "Fahrenheit 9/11" during a performance.

Before singing "Desperado" for an encore Saturday night, Ronstadt called Moore a "great American patriot" and "someone who is spreading the truth." She also encouraged the audience at the Aladdin hotel-casino to see the documentary about President Bush.

Ronstadt's comments drew loud boos, and some of the 4,500 people in attendance stormed out of the theater. People also tore down concert posters and tossed cocktails into the air.

"It was a very ugly scene," Aladdin President Bill Timmins told The Associated Press. "She praised him and all of a sudden all bedlam broke loose."

Timmins, who is British and was watching the show, said he didn't allow Ronstadt back in her luxury suite afterward and she was escorted off the property.

Ronstadt's antics "spoiled a wonderful evening for our guests and we had to do something about it," Timmins said.

No mention of what happened to the people who trashed the hotel and threw their drinks. They probably got a free trip to the White House. What the fuckity fuck is wrong with people? I mean, if I went to a concert and the performer talked about supporting Bush, I would probably boo at the statement but I would not storm out and trash shit. How fucking old were these people? Come ON!

Of course, this is forcing me to adore Michael Moore even, er, more, because his response to Bill Timmins is pretty damn awesome, I must say.

eta: Well, well. TBogg posts a link to an eyewitness account that gives a very different story. Methinks Mr. Timmins had a bit too much to drink and was hallucinating. *snerk*

Sadly, No! has printed a letter from John Heacock that talks about the state of our prisons in Iraq, including the detention of children. He's one of the good guys, I think, and it is unfortunate that not everyone in his position thinks the way that he does.

I hope you are wrong in thinking the shit will really hit the fan when facts about how kids were treated get out, but I'm afraid that you are right. I hope that the story of the kid at Abu Ghraib is the only incident. We tried to treat our kids as well as we could, and keep them safe from other prisoners and each other, and did a B+ job. The fact that the Army doesn't even admit holding juveniles is a telling reflection of how clueless it was about having some plan or philosophy of imprisonment.

Saint Helen and the Urban flip-flop

Holden posted this at Atrios yesterday, and it is so awesome, I have to share it here, too:

from Monday's press briefing

Q Prime Minister Blair took full personal responsibility for taking his nation into war under falsehoods -- under reasons that have been determined now to be false. Is President Bush also willing to take full, personal responsibility --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think Prime Minister Blair said that it was the right thing to do; that Saddam Hussein's regime was a threat.

Q Those were not the reasons he took his country into war. It turned out to be untrue, and the same is true for us. Does the President take full, personal responsibility for this war?

MR. McCLELLAN: The issue here is what do you to with a threat in a post-September 11th world? Either you live with a threat, or you confront the threat.

Q There was no threat.

MR. McCLELLAN: The President made the decision to confront the threat.

Q Saddam Hussein did not threaten this country.

MR. McCLELLAN: The world -- the world, the Congress and the administration all disagree. They all recognized that there was a threat posed by Saddam Hussein. When it came to September 11th, that changed the equation. It taught us, as I said --

Q The Intelligence Committee said there was no threat.

MR. McCLELLAN: As I said, it taught us that we must confront threats before it's too late.

Q So the President doesn't take full responsibility?

MR. McCLELLAN: The President already talked about the responsibility for the decisions he's made. He talked about that with Prime Minister Blair.

Q Personal responsibility?

MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, go ahead.

Hahahah. McClellan might just have the worst job in the whole world, y'all. One of these days, the man is going to break down and be all "LA LA LA! I'M NOT LISTENING! LA LA LA! CAN'T YOU SEE MY FINGERS IN MY EARSLALALALALLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Personal responsibility. Ha! Good one, Helen!

Speaking of, I was listening to 102.1 this morning and they were talking about Bush's snub of the NAACP. Basically, and I completly agree with their point, they said that Bush needed to suck it up because DC is all about name calling and disagreement. You are the PRESIDENT. You have to meet with people you DISAGREE with and PRETEND to be NICE to them. It's your FUCKING JOB. OKay, that last part is just what I was saying. And the fact that maybe the NAACP leaders would have been a little nicer to the Prez if he had attempted to talk with them ONCE during his FOUR YEARS in office. Plus, this is an ELECTION YEAR! This is the year you do your sucking up. It's practically in the Constitution, dude. Again, that last part might just be me.

Anyway, then they started talking about how, gee, Bush has decided to go to the Urban League convention coming up in Detroit. But, you see, they had the head of the UL on their show two weeks ago, before the NAACP dust up, and he was saying how he hadn't heard from Bush, even though they invited him over a year ago to attend. The schedules have also already been printed and the Prez is no where to be found on it! Now, all of the sudden, he wants to attend. I am sure it has nothing to do with the drubbing he took in the press and from the African American community over his decision to have other plans during the NAACP Convention, or the fact that Michigan is a big swing state. I just loved listening to them call him out on his hypocrisy and opportunism.

I mean, really, do they think we are all that dumb? That we don't see? They are so transparent in their attempted manipulations, I can hardly even believe it.