Iran, the Downfall of America & More

Culled from various sites:

• Daniel Ellsberg: A Coup Has Occurred (consortiumnews.com)
• Iran Reformist Warns Democracy at Stake:

  One of Iran's top reform politicians said Wednesday that demonizing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — such as in this week's Columbia University forum — only strengthens hard-liners' hand as Iranians rally around their otherwise unpopular leader.

• Gates seeks $190 billion for wars: Any of that going to be used on Iran, hmm?!?
• Glenn Greenwald takes down Dianne Feinstein, but does he realize that she represents the core of the Democratic party?
  

A link roundup for today

More links:

• What World War III May Look Like
• No More Dirty Tricks Campaign
• A 9/11 every day for 5 or 10 years?
• I called. Have you?
  

Why Republicanism is an Unholy Crock of Shit

David Vitter (R-La) attempts to spend our money on bullshit science:

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., earmarked $100,000 in a spending bill for a Louisiana Christian group that has challenged the teaching of Darwinian evolution in the public school system and to which he has political ties.
. . .
"This program helps supplement and support educators and school systems that would like to offer all of the explanations in the study of controversial science topics such as global warming and the life sciences," Vitter said in a written statement.

If you are Republican and offended by both my name-calling AND what Vitter has done, why are you a Republican anyway?

Iran, MoveOn.org, & Krugman!

First, great news! Paul Krugman is blogging! Read early and read often as they say.

Iran

• Israel's bombing of Syria. Not a good sign.
• Pressuring Iran

Democrats join in condemnation of MoveOn.org. But you should not.

And Arthur Silber.

What is wrong with the New Atheists?

Jake Young: Why Pairing Science and Atheism is High-Brow

Jason Rosenhouse: Young on Dewey on Being High-Brow
Larry Moran: Jake Young Wants Atheist Scientists to Keep a Low Profile
PZ Myers: Taking exception to Jake

Jake Young: Pairing Science and Atheism Redux

Links to be aware of ....

-- Video regarding Blackwater; private security corporation, recently in the news.

-- Annotated version of Bush's Sept. 13th speech

-- Naomi Klein: Why failure is the new face of success

-- Towards Iran: Rice swipes at IAEA, urges bold action on Iran

-- TomDispatch: American Exceptionalism Meets Team Jesus, Tom Engelhardt interviews James Carroll

Philosophy Bites: Brad Hooker on Consequentialism

Philosophy Bites: Brad Hooker on Consequentialism

Tally: Week of Aug. 31 - Sep, 6

Received: 493 letters
Published: 73 letters

Most Popular Topic:
Iraq War 43
Opposed 40
Support 3

Second Most Popular Topic:
Sen. Larry Craig 41

Ron Paul at the GOP Debate

I put this here in case you have not seen it. Justin Raimondo comments on it.

Nu Beats -- Checkout Ronald Jenkees

Ronald Jenkees

George Carlin on America's Owners

Keeping up-to-date on Iran

I recommend these sites:

• Antiwar.com (good for news)
  
• Informed Comment Global Affairs (good for analysis)
  
• Arthur Silber (good for theory)
  

Indicators on the Road to War with Iran -- The Rumors

Then there are the rumors about impending war:

• BartCop's friend in the Navy
• Barnett R. Rubin's friend
  

Indicators on the Road to War with Iran

First, here is a previous post on the topic. Some links are repeated here.

But a summary so far:

• 7/11: Lieberman certainly wants to "confront" Iran. All of the Senate votes and agrees.
  
• 8/15: Branding the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist: Iranian Unit to Be Labeled 'Terrorist'
  
• 8/28: Raw Story: "Study: US preparing 'massive' military attack against Iran"
  
• 8/28: Bush warns of "nuclear holocaust". More details here.
  

There are a number of CIA analysts and others who feel war to be imminent:

• Larry Johnson: Stopping the New War Before It Starts
  
• Robert Baer: Prelude to an Attack on Iran
• Ray McGovern: Do We Have The Courage To Stop War With Iran?

And, of course the neo-cons want it:

• John Bolton: hopes the bombs start falling on Iran real soon
• Michael Ledeen's new book: The Iranian Time Bomb

Maha says impeachment would mean an exoneration

Nat Hentoff ("History Will Not Absolve Us") provides another corrective to Maha's reluctant support for impeachment.

Update: Maha was not too happy with me (see comments). Is this headline any better? "Maha says an almost certain/highly likely failed impeachment means an exoneration"

Are we still a democracy?

What about freedom?

In many way, not so much:

http://www.chris-floyd.com/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1272&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=135

http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/2007/09/let-mourning-bells-toll-for-this-is-how.html

http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/2007/08/killing-us-softly-with-boot-always.html

http://whoisioz.blogspot.com/2007/08/enchain.html