In There Are Two Kinds Of People In the World, Chris Bowers writes,
More to the point, the notion that there is a major divide in the Democratic Party either over whether to withdraw troops or not, or over which issue is more important, Iraq or terrorism, is simply untrue. For decades now, Harris has regularly polled the country on which issues it considers to be the most important. In their latest poll, only 3% of the country listed "terrorism," while 35% listed either "the war" or "Iraq." Further, numbers form Pew and CBS show less than 20% of Democrats opposing withdrawal.
This is not a major divide. This is a select few policy wonks ("a host of younger journalists and policy mavens-from newly formed groups like the Truman National Security Project and the Foreign Policy Leadership Council to New Republic editor-at-large Peter Beinart") standing almost entirely alone against the vast, vast majority of their party. Harris has found this to be the case for two years now. Further, the Pew and CBS numbers were taken months ago when the war was more popular than it is now.
Which reminds me of a frustration I have about Iraq – which is one issue, and another issue, fighting terrorism. They are two separate issues. That they are conflated daily by the media and of course any member of the Bush administration when they say that Iraq is the front of the war on terror. If one were to rank Iraq along with other nations on a list of where the most active terrorist organizations were they would have ranked below such U.S. allies such as Pakistan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. There were at most a few transitory terrorists in Iraq before Bush decided to kick out weapons inspectors. The idea that the invasion of Iraq would serve as flypaper and all the world's jihadists would flock to Iraq and be too occupied there to perpetrate any attacks against western targets has proven to be absurd – see Spain, England, Bali.I cannot find a single notable Democrat that does not support the battle against terrorists, though there are plenty that think we've accomplished as much as we can in Iraq and the further lose of life and tax dollars to continue to occupy Iraq is counter productive. It is draining resources away from fighting terrorism and dividing the country. The Democrat's dilemma is trying to correctly frame the two separate issues that have been joined at the hip by the Bushies and a lazy press. Those that think Iraq and the terrorism sponsored by Al-Queda are one and the same are an obstacle to victory over terrorism. The blockheaded refusal by the far right conservatives to separate Iraq from terrorism is more about loyalty to a political leader and his obviouslt failed policies then doing what is right for the country. Democrats certainly aren't taking advice from this blogger, but until they start to honestly frame the issues the public may stick with the dishonest and dangerous framing that is espoused by conservatives and the media. It is an a tired old phenomenon, the public's tendency to stick with what they "know" rather then accept a truth that requires some hard choices and admitting they put their faith in the wrong folks in 2004. From January 12, 2004, War College Study Calls Iraq a 'Detour'
A report published by the Army War College criticizes the Bush administration's global war on terrorism as "unfocused" and contends that the war in Iraq is "unnecessary" and a "detour" that has diverted attention and resources from the threat posed by Al Qaeda.
The report warns that the administration's global war on terrorism may have set the United States "on a course of open-ended and gratuitous conflict with states and non-state entities that pose no serious threat to the United States."
BellSouth Denies Giving Phone-Call Records to NSA
AT&T and Verizon have both declined to confirm or deny the USA Today report, saying they do not comment on national security matters.
AT&T confirmations or denials may very well be irrelevant at this point, Whistle-Blower's Evidence, Uncut
Klein supports his claim by attaching excerpts of three internal company documents: a Dec. 10, 2002, manual titled "Study Group 3, LGX/Splitter Wiring, San Francisco," a Jan. 13, 2003, document titled "SIMS, Splitter Cut-In and Test Procedure" and a second "Cut-In and Test Procedure" dated Jan. 24, 2003.
Here we present Klein's statement in its entirety, with inline links to all of the document excerpts where he cited them. You can also download the complete file here (pdf). The full AT&T documents are filed under seal in federal court in San Francisco.
Index of 500 Full Length Cartoons on YouTube
“I think my shadow is the only living thing one sees over there,” said the Learned Man. “See! how nicely it sits between the flowers. The door stands half-open: now the shadow should be cunning, and go into the room, look about, and then come and tell me what it has seen. Come, now! be useful, and do me a service,” said he, in jest. “Have the kindness to step in. Now! art thou going?” and then he nodded to the Shadow, and the Shadow nodded again. “Well, then, go! but don’t stay away.”
from The Shadow by Hans Christian Andersen
The Long Goodbye 