Former Half-Governor Sarah Palin's current half-truths

By GottaLaff

Once again, Halfy McNotVP is mangling the truth to make Elected by a Wide Margin President Obama look like a weak, America-hating doody head (that's a political term I picked up on the street).

It's also rather contradictory to suggest Obama is reluctant to accept superpower status when one remembers how Halfy's crowd revels in accusations that he is an evil dictator who wants to control us, our pets, and the entire world:

Her ghost writers said the following in a Facebook post:

Asked this week about his faltering efforts to advance the Middle East peace process, President Obama did something remarkable. In front of some 47 foreign leaders and hundreds of reporters from all over the world, President Obama said that “whether we like it or not, we remain a dominant military superpower.”

Whether we like it or not? Most Americans do like it.

Here’s what the President actually said:

But what we can make sure of is, is that we are constantly present, constantly engaged, and setting out very clearly to both sides our belief that not only is it in the interests of each party to resolve these conflicts but it’s also in the interest of the United States. It is a vital national security interest of the United States to reduce these conflicts because whether we like it or not, we remain a dominant military superpower, and when conflicts break out, one way or another we get pulled into them. And that ends up costing us significantly in terms of both blood and treasure.

The corporate media has already picked up her side of the story, which means the punditiots will be pushing this misleading meme instead of, you know, the truth.

Which is exactly how Halfy takes control of the message and stirs up her wacky groupies.

Poll-itics: Troops shift political parties, fewer Republicans

By GottaLaff

The troops are still more conservative than they are liberal, and are veering independent, but still...

An exclusive survey of some 1,800 active-duty troops shows the percentage of self-identified Republicans has decreased by one-third since 2004, from 60 percent to 41 percent, while the percentage of self-identified independents has nearly doubled to 32 percent during the same period.

The poll goes on to say that they don't feel great about Afghanistan, feel better about Iraq, and are about even when it comes to President Obama.

H/t: Ellen, HuffPo

Video- Mrs. Obama visits the Pentagon to thank military and civilian employees for their service to the nation 4/9/10

Coming Soon: Military To Break Silence On Wikileaks Video

By GottaLaff

Greg Sargent is reporting that the military will be commenting as early as today, about the combat video that came out yesterday:

The military will publicly address the veracity of the notorious Wikileaks video, which apparently depicts an American helicopter killing two Reuters journalists during a July 2007 attack in Baghdad, as early as today, a Centcom spokesman confirms to me.

Separately, a military official confirms (as he did to several other news orgs) that they’ve concluded the footage is genuine.

This video makes me wonder what else is out there, and of course, what isn't. Hopefully, once the acknowledgment by the military is announced, there will be a real discussion about the wars in which we're engaged in general, about incidents like this one specifically, and maybe even what's in store for the future.

Reports of sexual assault in military rose 11% in 2009

By GottaLaff

Reporting assaults is a positive thing, but fear of retribution is certainly not:

The number of sexual assaults reported in the U.S. military rose 11 percent last year, the Defense Department said Tuesday, but Pentagon officials conceded that they still don't know how common sexual assaults are because many troops fear retribution if the attacks come to the attention of their commanders.

Here's a not positive thing: Sexual assault is even more common in the military than it is for civilians.

But back to the upside... at least now more victims feel they can come forward.

Now back to the down side:

Women in the military, in particular, are reluctant to come forward for fear of appearing weak or being ostracized for reporting a fellow soldier, Pentagon officials say. Many women also complain that they've been accused of being gay under the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy after rebuffing unwanted advances from their male colleagues.

Now hold on just a minute, what? "Just saying no" to some offensive horny and/or violent animal forcing himself on you means you're (gasp!) gay, which is already considered to be as a bad thing that you have to hide?

Don't Ask Don't Tell has more negatives than a photographer's dark room.

This has wrong written all over its back, front, top, and bottom.

You know what I want to do when I read reports like this?

Don't ask.

Army of God wants YOU

By GottaLaff

Hey kids! Look! A vicious vigilante organization called Repent Amarillo (click on images to enlarge):


How unholy can you get?

They're invested in the usual: porn, strip clubs, guns, and yes, indoctrinating our children:

It's saturated with military imagery: men in uniform, humvees, helicopters, helmets; they compare themselves to special forces; they call themselves the Army of God, and sport Bible quotes glorifying warfare. [...]

They are a "rabid group of religious nuts" who object to the usual targets of fundie hatred — gays — but also harrass people who visit sex shops, engage in consensual heterosexual activity outside the bounds of traditional marriage, and…well, here's a list of their targets. [...]

Keep this in mind. This is the future the Pat Robertsons, the James Dobsons, the Sarah Palins want for us — a kind of Saudi Arabia that differs only in the name we give our prophet.

See above images to see who they specifically target.

Isn't religious zealotry the bees knees?

Earlier today, I posted about the rise in hate groups, including video that goes into some detail. People who feel they have to go to extremes like this must have had disturbing, sad, and most likely violent upbringing. What makes them the way they are? Why are they so afraid?

Much more info about this stellar group of not-Christians here.

H/t: Joeyess

Cartoon of the Day

Click to enlarge, via.

Lieberman to Lead Effort to Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Why they would trust Joe with something this important is beyond me. Hell, his BFF McCain isn't even behind it anymore. Via Taegan-

"Just when you thought Joe Lieberman couldn't frustrate and perplex liberals any further, he is going off to become chief sponsor of the most significant piece of socially progressive legislation that Congress will deal with this year," reports the New York Daily News.

"Next week, the Connecticut senator will announce that he's taking the lead on repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the 1993 law that prohibits gay people from serving openly in the armed forces. Since implementation of the statute nearly 20 years ago, the military has discharged some 14,000 qualified men and women, many of them serving in critical jobs like Arabic and Persian translation."

**Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks this is a bad idea.

Video- General Petraeus: Soldiers may not care if gay ban is repealed

I don't think that was the answer Gregory was angling for.

Operation 'Iraqi Freedom' to become 'New Dawn'

Meh. Maybe it'll help with morale, but I see no reason for this.

BAGHDAD, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- The war in Iraq has a new name, "Operation New Dawn," to reflect the reduced role U.S. combat troops are playing, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said.

The new name will go into effect in September, when U.S. combat troop levels are supposed to drop to about 50,000, The Washington Post reported Friday.

Since 2003, the war has been known as "Operation Iraqi Freedom."

(snip)

Changing the name at the same time the mission shifts sends "a strong signal that Operation Iraqi Freedom has ended and our forces are operating under a new mission," Gates said.

The decision has drawn some criticism, ABC News reported.

"You cannot end a war simply by changing its name," Brian Wise, executive director of Military Families United, said in a statement. "Despite the administration's efforts to spin realities on the ground, their efforts do not change the situation at hand in Iraq."

VIDEO: First Lady Celebrates Women in the Military

By GottaLaff



The first lady is always a treat.

First Lady Michelle Obama invites women serving in the military to tea at the White House and recognizes their accomplishments as well as the inspiration they provide to women of all ages.

Poll: Only Slight Rise in Concern About Islamic Extremism After Fort Hood

Obviously Fox is slacking at it's job. Further findings they note state the older and less educated you are, the more likely for you to be afraid. Go figger.

A new Pew survey taken shortly after the November 5 shootings at Fort Hood shows a modest uptick in concerns about Islamic extremism in the United States and internationally but no dramatic surge in such worries. Slightly more than half of Americans (52 percent) reported being "very concerned about the possible rise of Islamic extremism in the United States," up from 46 percent in April 2007.

Check out this graph comparing fears about Islamic extremism in 2007 versus today:

Interesting to note that Pew found Americans paying very close attention to the Fort Hood shooting, with more following that story closely than any other, according to the group's News Interest Index.

VIDEO: Nidal Malik Hasan is not being charged with terrorism

By GottaLaff

Per the press conference on MSNBC just now, you might be interested to know that Nidal Hasan, the man who is being charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder at Fr. Hood, is not being charged with terrorism. There may be further charges in the future.

To quote my pal Twitter CindyScott54, "I'm sure that will cause some whigs to flip."

Yes, there was some major ball-dropping, plenty of warning signals, rampant conclusion-jumping, and a whole lot of inappropriate profiling.

And it was without a doubt an inexcusable crime, a devastating tragedy... but officially, it was not terrorism.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Dueling Obama Ft. Hood speeches: "Best ever" v. "Unemotional"

By GottaLaff

Why not just have a weekly show featuring two critics arguing, ending with thumbs up or down and call it "At the Speeches"?

Exhibit A:

Was it George W. Bush’s megaphone-amplified rallying cry on the ruins of the World Trade Center? Bill Clinton’s shared grief and call for restraint after the Oklahoma City bombing? Ronald Reagan’s wrenching tribute to the Challenger crew?

President Barack Obama’s salute to the 13 dead from a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, was largely unemotional.

Exhibit B:

President Obama's speech at Fort Hood may go down as one of his best ever.

The president was able to balance his duties as Commander in Chief while consoling a nation in the aftermath of a terrible tragedy. That he was able to do this while taking away the focus on the shooter's religion was even more impressive.

It was one of those speeches that makes you especially proud to be an American.

Marc Ambinder: "I guarantee: they'll be teaching this one in rhetoric classes. It was that good. My gloss won't do it justice. Yes, I'm having a Chris Matthews-chill-running-up-my-leg moment, but sometimes, the man, the moment and the words come together and meet the challenge. Obama had to lead a nation's grieving; he had to try and address the thorny issues of Islam and terrorism; to be firm; to express the spirit of America, using familiar, comforting tropes in a way that didn't sound trite."

Chuck Todd: "That's going to be a speech that's remembered and quoted from for quite some time; struck a balance of commander and consoler; not easy."

All in all, I'd give it 3 thumbs up. The video is already out.

Live Streaming Video- Ft Hood Memorial Service

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Blackout: Military Personnel Banned From H1N1 Vaccine Sites

By GottaLaff

My pal Allen McDuffee has a post up that he wanted to share, and with good reason. It's pretty disturbing.

Here are some excerpts, but please read the whole thing:

Shortly after the Pentagon announced that all Armed Services personnel would soon be facing a mandatory H1N1 vaccination program, I started receiving email from soldiers, airmen, marines and sailors because of a previous story I had written on the anthrax vaccine.

[...]

With a vaccine that was so new and little known about it, like many Americans, troops were heading to the web to find answers to their very legitimate questions -- not only for themselves, but for their families who have the option of receiving the vaccine on base. What they found instead is that several websites and blogs with key information asking critical questions had been blocked from their viewing.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allen-mcduffee/blackout-military-personn_b_346908.html&cp

[...]

The Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sites, however, are all available for military personnel. The official word from governmental agencies is welcome but critics, regardless of whether they were considered experts, are not.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allen-mcduffee/blackout-military-personn_b_346908.html&cp

[...]

Making sure that servicemen and servicewomen consent to the vaccine and are informed is apparently not a concern for the Department of Defense. But the message is very clear for one service member who contacted me: "All you need to know is what we're telling you, so shut up and take the vaccine with no questions asked."

Nass, one of the experts whose site has been blocked, points out the real shame in all of this: "It's unfortunate that the service members who are defending our civil rights are not afforded the same consideration."

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allen-mcduffee/blackout-military-personn_b_346908.html&cp

Please read the whole thing here. Then please talk me down.

Video- Fort Hood Briefing on Tragic Shooting

Don't Ask Don't Tell Hearing Expected in November

By GottaLaff

Ana Marie Cox tweeted:

SenGillibrand tweets she's getting a DADT briefing from Defense officials. SenateArmedServices hearing on DADT expect in Nov.

And here is Sen. Gillibrand's own very tweet:

There is no reason whatsoever to discriminate against and eliminate talented people who could benefit our military. None.

I'm tired of saying that.

VIDEO: 1 in 3 women in military are raped

By GottaLaff

Speaking of horrific rape crimes, please take a look at this:

On October 13th, 2009, to kick off a national campaign to educate the public about a new Department of Defense study that says 1 in 3 women in the military are raped, Staff. Sgt. Sandra Lee comes forward for the first time to announce to the public that she had been raped twice while deployed to Iraq. A press conference was held by the Times Sq. Recruiting station, and then a march was conducted.

PDF of a Department of Defense study here, titled: Factors associated with women's risk of rape in the military.



H/t: R_U_Nuts

Video- President Obama Introduces the Troop Town Hall

Somehow Glenn Beck will turn this into a fascist takeover of the military or some equally batshit crazy screed.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Deployed U.S. troops can participate in a virtual town hall with President Obama, now that the White House has started a Web-based, interactive meeting hall.

(snip)

Troops can submit questions anonymously through Sept. 25 by video, text, e-mail or a link on the Military OneSource Web site at http://townhall.militaryonesource.com. Participants will vote on the questions submitted, and Obama, along with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, will answer the top five to 10.

"You are carrying out the complex missions of the 21st century. You are bearing the greatest responsibility for America's security," Obama said in the video. "And we must always ensure that we are hearing from you and communicating clearly with you. That's what this new tool lets us do."

Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have started similar virtual town hall sessions.