Clipmarks | Surge Clips

Cataloguing Biden's Whoppers

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:26:27 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: ..... president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; he falsely claimed Gov. Sarah Palin supported a windfall profits tax on oil companies; he said he's always been for clean coal in spite of his record of voting against it in the Senate.

Biden said we have to drill for more of our own oil, easily leading viewers to conclude he and Obama are in favor of more domestic drilling, but as the American Thinker blog's Rick Moran noted in a list of "Biden's Big Lies," "Biden has opposed offshore drilling and even compared offshore drilling to 'raping' the Outer Continental Shelf."

Gov. Palin called Biden on his claim that Gen. David McKiernan in Afghanistan said that the surge could not be applied in Afghanistan; in fact, McKiernan has said that some aspects of Gen. David Petraeus' Iraq strategy could be part of our war efforts in Afghanistan.

Clip Source: www.investors.com

Carter nor Bill Clinton, whose twists and turns before a grand jury led to his impeachment, ever stared into the camera and spouted such a string of outright fabrications as if they were gospel truths the way Barack Obama's running mate did last week.

Thankfully, the blogosphere has been having a field day cataloguing Joe's whoppers. First, as InstaPundit's Michael Totten instantly noted after the debate, Biden — the great, seasoned foreign policy expert who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — falsely claimed France and the U.S. "kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon."

There was also Biden's accusation that John McCain is soft on regulation, when in fact he tried to beef up regulations on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — an explanation for why he got so little campaign money from Fannie and Freddie over the years — under $22,000 — as opposed to the more than $126,000 Obama received in his short time in the Senate.

Sen. Biden falsely claimed that Obama didn't pledge to meet with Iran's

Tags: biden's gaffes, hexbollah/lebanon, mccain on regulation fm/fm, met ahmadinejad, clean coal, domestic drilling, troop funding, mckiernan afghanistan

Winning the War.

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:12:46 GMT

clipped by: oscarrob

Clip Source: aplagueonbothyourhouses.typepad.com

John McCain believes the Vietnam War was winnable. Now he argues that an Obama administration would accept defeat in Iraq, with grave costs to American honor and national security. Is McCain’s quest for victory a reflection of an antiquated pre-Vietnam mind-set? Or of a commitment to principles we abandon at our peril? Is there any war McCain thinks can’t be won?

The Wars of John McCain.

If the surge is working as he says and the Iraqis are capable of policing their own country, what is left to win? He keeps saying that Obama would accept defeat. How is it accepting defeat if you leave after achieving your goals? I thought the goal was to make the country safe for democracy. Apparently it is or soon will be (if the surge has worked as McCain says and the Iraqis can take care of themselves). What other win is there?

Tags: war, iraq, politics, mccain, obama

Facts in Biden/Palin debate (1)

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:47:30 GMT

clipped by: Yassin_M

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

THE US COMMANDER IN AFGHANISTAN

Claim: Joe Biden said that the US "commanding general in Afghanistan said the surge principle in Iraq will not work in Afghanistan". Sarah Palin responded by saying that "McClellan did not say definitively the surge principles would not work in Afghanistan".

Fact: On 2 October, the Washington Post quoted the head of the Nato-led coalition in Afghanistan, Gen David McKiernan, as saying: "The word I don't use for Afghanistan is 'surge'."

Verdict: Mrs Palin not only got the name of the US commander in Afghanistan wrong, but it would seem she also distorted his position.

Palin Gets Afghanistan Commander's Name, Strategy Wrong

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:23:55 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Sarah Palin gets wrong both the commanding general in Afghanistan's name and position.

The commanding general in Afghanistan didn't merely state that Surge tactics won't work! He also said that tribal involvement in the COIN strategy wouldn't work either! Absolutely right on infrastructure in Afghanistan though! Know what they really need in Afghanistan to enhance security? ROADS.

Palin thinks our commander in Afghanistan is someone named "McClellan." It is, I believe, McKiernan. And Palin is DEAD WRONG. He absolutely said that tribal involvement in Afghanistan COIN strategy would not work.

Tags: politics, united states, afghanistan

Bush Favors Bankers Over Soldiers

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:05:12 GMT

clipped by: Geshizar

Clip Source: www.truthdig.com

It was a weird week to be in the United States. On Tuesday, secretary of the treasury Henry Paulson told us that “this is all about the American taxpayer – that’s all we care about.” But when I flipped the page on my morning paper, I came across the latest gloomy statistic which Americans should care more about. “As of Wednesday evening, 4,162 U.S. service members and 11 Defence Department civilians had been identified as having died in the Iraq war.” By grotesque mischance, $700bn – the cost of George Bush’s Wall Street rescue cash – is about the same figure as the same President has squandered on his preposterous war in Iraq, the war we have now apparently “won” thanks to the “surge” – for which, read “escalation” – in Baghdad. The fact that the fall in casualties coincides with the near-completion of the Shia ethnic cleansing of Sunni Muslims is not part of the story.

Tags: duh w, war, debt, death, greed the american way

Couric Hides Embarrassing Palin Tape

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:05:27 GMT

clipped by: spirithiker
clipper's remarks: CBS is getting a little too cozy with Republican candidates in exchange for exclusivity.

This goes against journalistic ethics and just plain good common sense.

There have been several other signs of favoritism by Couric and CBS towards the McCain campaign which smacks of CBS becoming a media machine for the Republican party.

Palin is reported to be unable to name another Supreme Court ruling aside from Roe v Wade; and she floundered on simple American political history questions taught to middle school students.

The fact that Palin somehow graduated from University of Idaho with a minor in political science makes these flounderings and blunders unacceptable as a Vice Presidential candidate. The Republican Party should hang its head in shame.

I wonder how she would do on the TV show "Are you smarter than a 5th grader?"

Clip Source: www.bluetidalwave.com

In Monday's column from Howard Kurtz about Sarah Palin's disastrous interview with Katie Couric, he mentions more embarrassing footage of Palin was not released by CBS

"And the worst may be yet to come for Palin; sources say CBS has two more responses on tape that will likely prove embarrassing

CBS Evening News insiders say the censoring of the Palin interview was orchestrated by CBS News heads and Couric in an effort to show the McCain campaign that they should choose the struggling nightly news program for their exclusive interviews

With the McCain campaign's public crusade against NBC and MSNBC, CBS and Couric saw an opening to shore up her last place ratings among the big three nightly news programs. Speculation had swirled for months around Couric's future as a news anchor.

This summer CBS News was caught editing an interview with John McCain to correct his wrong answers to questions posed by Couric over the basic facts of the surge.

Tags: politics

Petraeus: Don't say "victory;" McCain: "Victory"

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:58:37 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Blasts Obama for not saying what Petraeus says is unwise to say. McCain is strong on posturing, weak on foreign policy wisdom.

Clip Source: thinkprogress.org

McCain disregards Petraeus’ advice, hits Obama for not using the word ‘victory.’»

Delivering a campaign speech in Columbus, OH today, John McCain blasted Sen. Barack Obama for not using the word “victory” when speaking about Iraq:

McCAIN: By the way, on Friday night, did you ever hear the word victory from Senator Obama?

CROWD: No!

McCAIN: My friends, if we continue this surge under this great general, we will come home – and our troops will come home – with victory and honor. And not in defeat.

As ThinkProgress has frequently noted, the “great general” to whom McCain referred – David Petraeus – has explicitly suggested not using the language McCain seems so fond of. “This is not the sort of struggle where you take a hill, plant the flag and go home to a victory parade… it’s not war with a simple slogan,” Petraeus said. He added that he doesn’t think he’ll ever use the word, citing the “need for real restraint” in public pronouncements. Watch it:

[Video]

Tags: mccain, victory, petraeus, obama

Satellite Images Show Ethnic Cleanout in Iraq

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:33:08 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken

Clip Source: www.sciam.com

Satellite images show ethnic cleanout in Iraq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Satellite images taken at night show heavily Sunni Arab neighborhoods of Baghdad began emptying before a U.S. troop surge in 2007, graphic evidence of ethnic cleansing that preceded a drop in violence, according to a report published on Friday.

The images support the view of international refugee organizations and Iraq experts that a major population shift was a key factor in the decline in sectarian violence, particularly in the Iraqi capital, the epicenter of the bloodletting in which hundreds of thousands were killed.

"By the launch of the surge, many of the targets of conflict had either been killed or fled the country, and they turned off the lights when they left," geography professor John Agnew of the University of California Los Angeles, who led the study, said in a statement.

Our findings suggest that the surge has had no observable effect,

There's a surge we can all support

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:14:19 GMT

clipped by: lifecyce1898

Clip Source: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Obama pulls ahead in latest US opinion poll

Democratic candidate Barack Obama is leading in the latest opinion poll ahead of November's US presidential election.

The Illinois Senator has a nine-point lead over John McCain, according to the Washington Post/ABC News survey.

Two weeks ago, the candidates were virtually even in the polls, but the financial crisis in the US appears to have prompted a surge in Obama's popularity.

Sham Drilling Bill Sends Crude Oil Up $12 A Barrel

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:47:38 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: The ruse began late Monday night, when Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a 290-page bill and then waved it through less than 24 hours later, 236-189. "Closed" rules prohibited the GOP from offering alternatives. The real game was to give vulnerable Democrats political cover by letting them vote for more offshore drilling -- while also making more drilling all but impossible, thus appeasing the party's green wing.
...
The bill would allow exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf, but only in waters 100 or more miles out in the Atlantic and Pacific. The farthest reaches of the OCS contain resources, but undersea geography and deep water make development very -- if not prohibitively -- expensive. Areas closer to land are far richer and easier to access. Conveniently, Mrs. Pelosi's bill imposes a 50-mile "buffer zone" around the country.

Clip Source: www.suitablyflip.com

Today's Paulson-driven rally on Wall Street is taking place despite another surge in crude oil prices.

The price per barrel has soared more than $12 from the early week lows - the most severe rebound since the oil bubble was pierced in mid-July. Guess what else happened early this week.

A quick look at the course of crude oil over the last few months offers further evidence that futures prices are reacting rationally to political events. Oil began its swift declines when the President lifted the executive ban on offshore drilling on July 14th. When Congress left for vacation two weeks later without taking up the issue, the Republican "Guerrilla Congress" stayed behind to debate in the dark and make the people's case for defettering domestic energy production. Both of those events appear to have catalyzed major reductions in oil prices.

The disappointing reversal observed this week offers further confirmation that "Pelosi's drilling ruse" was just that.

Tags: wall street, paulson rally, sham drilling bill, crude oil up $12

Did the Surge Work?

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:26:28 GMT

clipped by: Kelika
clipper's remarks: more: "Essentially, our interpretation is that violence has declined in Baghdad because of intercommunal violence that reached a climax as the surge was beginning," said lead author John Agnew, a UCLA professor of geography and authority on ethnic conflict. "By the launch of the surge, many of the targets of conflict had either been killed or fled the country, and they turned off the lights when they left."

"If the surge had truly 'worked,' we would expect to see a steady increase in night-light output over time, as electrical infrastructure continued to be repaired and restored, with little discrimination across neighborhoods,"

Clip Source: economistsview.typepad.com

New evidence suggests that "ethnic cleansing by rival Shiites may have been largely responsible for the decrease in violence for which the U.S. military has claimed credit":

UCLA study of satellite imagery casts doubt on surge's success in Baghdad, EurekAlert: By tracking the amount of light emitted by Baghdad neighborhoods at night, a team of UCLA geographers has uncovered fresh evidence that last year's U.S. troop surge in Iraq may not have been as effective at improving security as some U.S. officials have maintained.

Night light in neighborhoods populated primarily by embattled Sunni residents declined dramatically just before the February 2007 surge and never returned, suggesting that ethnic cleansing by rival Shiites may have been largely responsible for the decrease in violence for which the U.S. military has claimed credit, the team reports in a new study based on publicly available satellite imagery.

Tags: iraq, surge, ethnic cleansing

Russia’s Armed Forces Advancing, Blindly

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:43:38 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: Russia makes some good equipment, such as air-defence systems. The infusion of money helps it exercise its atrophied military muscles. A growing proportion of soldiers are volunteers (known as kontraktniki), who are more disciplined than much-abused conscripts. The slow move to a smaller, all-professional army in place of the million-strong, largely conscript force is made more urgent by Russia’s demographic decline.

The forces that invaded Georgia were largely made up of professionals. Despite problems in keeping them supplied, they were for the most part better behaved than the South Ossetian militiamen who looted and destroyed Georgian villages. The Russian army seems to have fought better in Georgia than it did in either of the post-Soviet wars in Chechnya, the now-subdued breakaway province across the border from Georgia. Indeed, the forces sent into Georgia included the Vostok battalion, made up of pro-Kremlin Chechens.

.....continued

Clip Source: www.economist.com

A more aggressive Russian army is still no match for NATO, but is strong enough to scare some neighbours

The Russians lost their most senior commander in the field because, by their own accounts, they did not know where Georgian units were. Russian forces lacked surveillance drones and night-vision equipment. Radios worked poorly, and commanders resorted to using mobile phones. Troops barely co-ordinated with the air force, which lost several jets (among them a Tu-22 strategic bomber)

What Vladimir Putin, Russia’s prime minister, has called a “punch in the face” for Georgia may have been an attempt to demonstrate the restoration of Russia’s military power. But it also exposed the poor results from Russia’s recent surge in defence spending.

The first of its new Borey-class nuclear submarines launched last year is useless because its planned intercontinental ballistic missile, the Bulava, designed to outwit anti-missile defences, has been plagued by test failures

Tags: russia, defense spending, borey-class nuclear submarine, nato neighbors

Hang in there Texans!

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:31:36 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: I'm staying put, but for those that need to evacuate, stay safe.

Clip Source: www.click2houston.com

All of the forecast models predict Ike will hit somewhere north of Corpus Christi to near the Texas-Louisiana border.

Hurricane force winds extend 115 miles from Ike's center and tropical storm force winds extend 255 miles.

"About 1 a.m. Saturday it's going to begin to make landfall as a Category 3 -- it wouldn't surprise me at all if it's a Category 4," Yanez said. "It is going to spend much of Saturday moving out of here."

A 15- to 22-foot storm surge is expected wherever Ike makes landfall.

"That's the most dangerous part of a hurricane," Yanez said.

Isolated tornados are expected on the east side, commonly called the "dirty side," of the storm. Some wind gusts in Houston could reach 100 mph.

Tags: hurricane, ike

Will Biden withdraw?

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:44:47 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: Seriously. I see the possibility strong. We know how much Obama likes do-overs considering how often he sought to have his vote changed in the Illinois Senate. He now needs Hillary more than ever. If there is a dramatic McCain surge after the convention that holds for over a week following the convention, I suggest we should ready ourselves for a Biden withdrawal.

Clip Source: cayankee.blogs.com

When will Biden withdraw from the 2008 presidential campaign?

Pics of Hurricane Ike

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:01:36 GMT

clipped by: monstersmom
clipper's remarks: Halfway through viewing I realized my mouth was hanging open - unbelievable!

Clip Source: www.boston.com

In its brief lifespan of only 13 days, Hurricane Ike wreaked great deal of havoc. Affecting several countries including Cuba, Haiti, and the United States, Ike is blamed for approximately 114 deaths (74 in Haiti alone), and damages that are still being tallied, with estimates topping $10 billion. Many shoreline communities of Galveston, Texas were wiped from the map by the winds, storm surge and the walls of debris pushed along by Ike - though Galveston was spared the level of disaster it suffered in 1900.

Tags: hurricane, ike, damage, flood, texas