Friday, May 28, 2004
Hey..hey..slash and burn...that's how they feed the world.....
Nods to Graham Parker for the lyrical title inspiration.....
The Bush peeps have offered up their proposal for the 2006 budget..and surprise! There's a fascinating round of domestic spending cuts, according to this Washington Post piece.
Interestingly enough the cuts are coming to programs that Bush has been touting on the campaign trail (psst...and one of the programs being cut isn't Iraq):
Department of Education: cut from $1.7 billion to $1.5
Department of Veterans Affairs: cut to below 2004 levels
WIC Nutrition Program: cut by $122 million
Head Start: $177 million (or 2.5% of it's budget)
Bush's homeownership program (one of his campaign stump speech staples) would essentially go away.
National Institutes of Health: cut by 2.1%
HOMELAND SECURITY:cut by $1 billion
But we sure have buckets of money to send to Iraq...to the tune of $55-$75 billion next year.
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The Bush peeps have offered up their proposal for the 2006 budget..and surprise! There's a fascinating round of domestic spending cuts, according to this Washington Post piece.
Interestingly enough the cuts are coming to programs that Bush has been touting on the campaign trail (psst...and one of the programs being cut isn't Iraq):
Department of Education: cut from $1.7 billion to $1.5
Department of Veterans Affairs: cut to below 2004 levels
WIC Nutrition Program: cut by $122 million
Head Start: $177 million (or 2.5% of it's budget)
Bush's homeownership program (one of his campaign stump speech staples) would essentially go away.
National Institutes of Health: cut by 2.1%
HOMELAND SECURITY:cut by $1 billion
But we sure have buckets of money to send to Iraq...to the tune of $55-$75 billion next year.
...the sin...and the mess we're in....
Fallujah is one of the regions in Iraq where much of the fighting has gone down between the US and the Al Sadr faction. There is a peace agreement in place negotiated with the US and local factions. Fallujah is now under the security control of a Saddam-era general.
It would seem the peace agreement doesn't stop Fallujah from becoming an Islamic fundamentalist state within Iraq, however.
This piece from Signon Sandiego says,
With the departure of the Marines, the position of the U.S.-appointed civil administration has been weakened in favor of the clerics and the mujahedeen who resisted the U.S. occupation. That is a pattern that could be repeated elsewhere in Iraq after the occupation ends June 30, unless other legitimate leaders come forward to replace those tainted by association with the occupation.
Fallujah, which calls itself the "City of Mosques," provides the religious fundamentalists with fertile ground for wielding power. The city's estimated 300,000 residents are known for their religious piety.
Women rarely appear in public and when they do, they are covered from head to toe in accordance with Islam's strict dress code for women. The lives of men revolve around Islam's tradition of praying five times a day.
Unlike other Iraqi cities, Fallujah has never allowed liquor stores. Its famous kebab restaurants have prayer rooms, an unusual feature in most Muslim nations. Many of its adult male population wear beards, a hallmark of religious piety.
However, steps taken by the mujahedeen over the past month have gone beyond simply encouraging piety.
On Sunday, for example, scores of masked mujahedeen, shouting "Allahu Akbar," or "God is Great," paraded four men stripped down to their underpants atop the back of a pickup truck that drove through the city. Their bare backs were bleeding from 80 lashes they had received as punishment for selling alcohol. They were taken to a hospital where they were treated and released.
Residents said a man found intoxicated last week was flogged, held overnight and released the next day.
Fallujah's women hair stylists shut down their shops several months ago after repeated attacks blamed on Muslim militants.
On Tuesday, the mujahedeen expanded their "clean up" campaign. About 80 masked, armed men, accompanied by local police, forced hundreds of street hawkers at gun point to clear out from the streets and confine their businesses to designated areas.
The masked men later moved to the city's used car market and "persuaded" dealers to move away from the city center because they were blocking traffic. In both cases, the police stood by without intervening.
According to residents, barbers have been instructed not to give "Western" haircuts – short on the back and sides and full on top – or to remove facial hair. Four youths with long hair were stopped at a market by mujahedeen on Sunday and marched to a public market where they were shorn.
"Are we Muslims, or not?" asked Abdul-Rahman Mahmoud, a 40-year-old father of three. "We are. So, we must apply God's laws. The mujahedeen's word is heard and respected, and the same goes for our clerics."
Congratulations Bush and Company. You're turning Iraq into Afghanistan.
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It would seem the peace agreement doesn't stop Fallujah from becoming an Islamic fundamentalist state within Iraq, however.
This piece from Signon Sandiego says,
With the departure of the Marines, the position of the U.S.-appointed civil administration has been weakened in favor of the clerics and the mujahedeen who resisted the U.S. occupation. That is a pattern that could be repeated elsewhere in Iraq after the occupation ends June 30, unless other legitimate leaders come forward to replace those tainted by association with the occupation.
Fallujah, which calls itself the "City of Mosques," provides the religious fundamentalists with fertile ground for wielding power. The city's estimated 300,000 residents are known for their religious piety.
Women rarely appear in public and when they do, they are covered from head to toe in accordance with Islam's strict dress code for women. The lives of men revolve around Islam's tradition of praying five times a day.
Unlike other Iraqi cities, Fallujah has never allowed liquor stores. Its famous kebab restaurants have prayer rooms, an unusual feature in most Muslim nations. Many of its adult male population wear beards, a hallmark of religious piety.
However, steps taken by the mujahedeen over the past month have gone beyond simply encouraging piety.
On Sunday, for example, scores of masked mujahedeen, shouting "Allahu Akbar," or "God is Great," paraded four men stripped down to their underpants atop the back of a pickup truck that drove through the city. Their bare backs were bleeding from 80 lashes they had received as punishment for selling alcohol. They were taken to a hospital where they were treated and released.
Residents said a man found intoxicated last week was flogged, held overnight and released the next day.
Fallujah's women hair stylists shut down their shops several months ago after repeated attacks blamed on Muslim militants.
On Tuesday, the mujahedeen expanded their "clean up" campaign. About 80 masked, armed men, accompanied by local police, forced hundreds of street hawkers at gun point to clear out from the streets and confine their businesses to designated areas.
The masked men later moved to the city's used car market and "persuaded" dealers to move away from the city center because they were blocking traffic. In both cases, the police stood by without intervening.
According to residents, barbers have been instructed not to give "Western" haircuts – short on the back and sides and full on top – or to remove facial hair. Four youths with long hair were stopped at a market by mujahedeen on Sunday and marched to a public market where they were shorn.
"Are we Muslims, or not?" asked Abdul-Rahman Mahmoud, a 40-year-old father of three. "We are. So, we must apply God's laws. The mujahedeen's word is heard and respected, and the same goes for our clerics."
Congratulations Bush and Company. You're turning Iraq into Afghanistan.
Go..go Johnny go...go....Johnny be good....
Heh...thought this would be about John Kerry, did ya?
Nope.
Republican Senator John Warner (Virginia) is rocking the GOP boat. As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Warner is responsible for the hearings into the Abu Grahib prison torture scandal.
Warner's hearings have been held very much in the public eye to the dismay of his colleagues in the House and some GOP Senators.
Warner hasn't gone out of his way to hurt the GOP with the hearings and according to the Washington Post story has the full backing of Majority Leader Frist.
The whining from the Bush machine on both sides of the aisle is reaching fever pitch, however:
John Cornyn (R-Texas)"a real distraction from trying to win the war, especially at this most fragile time."
Tom DeLay (R-Seventh Circle of Hell)"We should not allow it to distract us from the war at hand."
James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma)"I think he should stop the hearings at this point; we've heard enough. We have a war to win, and we need to keep our talents concentrated on winning the war as opposed to prisoner treatment."
As an aside....notice how these guys all use the same language? I wonder who's in charge of sending out the talking points..?
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Nope.
Republican Senator John Warner (Virginia) is rocking the GOP boat. As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Warner is responsible for the hearings into the Abu Grahib prison torture scandal.
Warner's hearings have been held very much in the public eye to the dismay of his colleagues in the House and some GOP Senators.
Warner hasn't gone out of his way to hurt the GOP with the hearings and according to the Washington Post story has the full backing of Majority Leader Frist.
The whining from the Bush machine on both sides of the aisle is reaching fever pitch, however:
John Cornyn (R-Texas)"a real distraction from trying to win the war, especially at this most fragile time."
Tom DeLay (R-Seventh Circle of Hell)"We should not allow it to distract us from the war at hand."
James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma)"I think he should stop the hearings at this point; we've heard enough. We have a war to win, and we need to keep our talents concentrated on winning the war as opposed to prisoner treatment."
As an aside....notice how these guys all use the same language? I wonder who's in charge of sending out the talking points..?
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Jogging in the twilight zone
Haider Hamoudi, an Iraqi-American USAID contractor living in Baghdad, has a very interesting OP-ED piece in today's Asia Times called Joggin in the twilight zone. I highly recommend reading the entire piece.
One thing really jumped out at me as I read the story. It's something that Hamoudi mentions offhand as he's describing the scenery he sees as he's jogging inside the Green Zone in Baghdad. Here he's talking about the Rasheed Hotel which is inside the Green Zone - that part of Baghdad which houses the CPA and which is under exceptionally high security.
Now... I'm wondering why pirated DVDs are being openly sold inside the one area of Iraq which is totally and completely under U.S. control and which one has to have a pass or badge to even enter? Here in the States we've got record companies suing kids for downloading copyrighted music files from the internet. We've been riding China for years now to crack down on pirated music and movies. And we're allowing pirated DVDs to be openly sold in the Green Zone? Is this how we demonstrate our respect for law and order?
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One thing really jumped out at me as I read the story. It's something that Hamoudi mentions offhand as he's describing the scenery he sees as he's jogging inside the Green Zone in Baghdad. Here he's talking about the Rasheed Hotel which is inside the Green Zone - that part of Baghdad which houses the CPA and which is under exceptionally high security.
The Rasheed's most famous ornament, a mosaic of the first president Bush - George H W - in the central lobby, was removed by the US forces soon after their arrival. The hotel is now the domain of the occupation forces and is not open to the public. It is also the target of frequent mortar attacks, as it lies dangerously near the entrance to the Green Zone. My badge gets me inside, and at times I do venture in for a cigar or the pirated digital video discs (DVDs) sold in the lobby, but for the most part I avoid the place. It is too stark a reminder of the most negative aspects of the occupation. I have nothing against all the US soldiers being compelled to fight this war, and my greatest sympathies extend to them, but I still don't feel comfortable watching armed and jackbooted 20-year-olds from the backwoods of the United States tracking dirt around Baghdad's finest hotel.
Now... I'm wondering why pirated DVDs are being openly sold inside the one area of Iraq which is totally and completely under U.S. control and which one has to have a pass or badge to even enter? Here in the States we've got record companies suing kids for downloading copyrighted music files from the internet. We've been riding China for years now to crack down on pirated music and movies. And we're allowing pirated DVDs to be openly sold in the Green Zone? Is this how we demonstrate our respect for law and order?
...you can't boogey with the boogeyman....
Lately as I've been reading my emails and cruising bloggerdome...I've noticed that there's a prevailing skepticism about the new terror attack warnings. There appears to be the notion that the Bush Administration trots out the "terror alert" beast whenever Bush's poll ratings go on the snide.
Being one who likes to feed the beast...here's a bit of grist for this mill:
In yesterday's reporting in the New York Times, David Johnston has the following:
Contradicting news reports Tuesday saying that new information pointed to a specific threat, the officials said Mr. Ashcroft and Mr. Mueller had no new intelligence to suggest that an attack was being planned or that preparations were under way.Instead, the officials said they would issue a new call for public awareness and ask again for the public's help in apprehending suspected terrorists who have long been sought by the F.B.I. and whose names are on the bureau's Web site.
I thought it was kind of weird that this stuff was trotted out and Ridge didn't bother to raise us to fuschia...chartreuse..or whatever the next color up the ladder is.
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Being one who likes to feed the beast...here's a bit of grist for this mill:
In yesterday's reporting in the New York Times, David Johnston has the following:
Contradicting news reports Tuesday saying that new information pointed to a specific threat, the officials said Mr. Ashcroft and Mr. Mueller had no new intelligence to suggest that an attack was being planned or that preparations were under way.Instead, the officials said they would issue a new call for public awareness and ask again for the public's help in apprehending suspected terrorists who have long been sought by the F.B.I. and whose names are on the bureau's Web site.
I thought it was kind of weird that this stuff was trotted out and Ridge didn't bother to raise us to fuschia...chartreuse..or whatever the next color up the ladder is.
I'm sorry....so sorry....
The New York Times has finally seen the error of their ways.
I've personally thought that their reporting in the lead up to the Iraq invasion was abyssmal. Times reporter Judith Miller was especially bad in her reliance upon sources such as Ahmed Chalabi (who was known even then as a nefarious character).
In this mea culpa the Times editorial staff admits to a series of errors and bad judgement on some of their stories:
But we have found a number of instances of coverage that was not as rigorous as it should have been. In some cases, information that was controversial then, and seems questionable now, was insufficiently qualified or allowed to stand unchallenged. Looking back, we wish we had been more aggressive in re-examining the claims as new evidence emerged — or failed to emerge.
The problematic articles varied in authorship and subject matter, but many shared a common feature. They depended at least in part on information from a circle of Iraqi informants, defectors and exiles bent on "regime change" in Iraq, people whose credibility has come under increasing public debate in recent weeks. (The most prominent of the anti-Saddam campaigners, Ahmad Chalabi, has been named as an occasional source in Times articles since at least 1991, and has introduced reporters to other exiles. He became a favorite of hard-liners within the Bush administration and a paid broker of information from Iraqi exiles, until his payments were cut off last week.) Complicating matters for journalists, the accounts of these exiles were often eagerly confirmed by United States officials convinced of the need to intervene in Iraq. Administration officials now acknowledge that they sometimes fell for misinformation from these exile sources. So did many news organizations — in particular, this one.
The Times states specific stories that it feels lacked the proper rigorous research. Further, they show that stories that debunked some of the page one pieces that needed more research (such as the aluminum tubes for nukes in Iraq) were often buried on page 15 or some such several days later.
I plan to see if the Times holds themselves now to their new decree:
We consider the story of Iraq's weapons, and of the pattern of misinformation, to be unfinished business. And we fully intend to continue aggressive reporting aimed at setting the record straight.
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I've personally thought that their reporting in the lead up to the Iraq invasion was abyssmal. Times reporter Judith Miller was especially bad in her reliance upon sources such as Ahmed Chalabi (who was known even then as a nefarious character).
In this mea culpa the Times editorial staff admits to a series of errors and bad judgement on some of their stories:
But we have found a number of instances of coverage that was not as rigorous as it should have been. In some cases, information that was controversial then, and seems questionable now, was insufficiently qualified or allowed to stand unchallenged. Looking back, we wish we had been more aggressive in re-examining the claims as new evidence emerged — or failed to emerge.
The problematic articles varied in authorship and subject matter, but many shared a common feature. They depended at least in part on information from a circle of Iraqi informants, defectors and exiles bent on "regime change" in Iraq, people whose credibility has come under increasing public debate in recent weeks. (The most prominent of the anti-Saddam campaigners, Ahmad Chalabi, has been named as an occasional source in Times articles since at least 1991, and has introduced reporters to other exiles. He became a favorite of hard-liners within the Bush administration and a paid broker of information from Iraqi exiles, until his payments were cut off last week.) Complicating matters for journalists, the accounts of these exiles were often eagerly confirmed by United States officials convinced of the need to intervene in Iraq. Administration officials now acknowledge that they sometimes fell for misinformation from these exile sources. So did many news organizations — in particular, this one.
The Times states specific stories that it feels lacked the proper rigorous research. Further, they show that stories that debunked some of the page one pieces that needed more research (such as the aluminum tubes for nukes in Iraq) were often buried on page 15 or some such several days later.
I plan to see if the Times holds themselves now to their new decree:
We consider the story of Iraq's weapons, and of the pattern of misinformation, to be unfinished business. And we fully intend to continue aggressive reporting aimed at setting the record straight.
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
"He is trampling out the vintage where His grapes of wrath are stored..."
David Brock over at Media Matters for America is taking the fight directly to Rush Limbaugh and Donald Rumsfeld.
Rush's show is broadcast for one hour per day to the troops on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. The Service is funded at taxpayer expense.
Brock has sent a letter to Rumsfeld requesting that Rush's program be removed from the the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. Brock asserts in the letter that Rush is broadcasting "pro-torture propganda" over the radio and that these comments are fundamentally unAmerican (not to mention against the direct orders of the military command). Brock also says that these comments could inflame anti-American sentiment.
Brock has a petition on his site where folks can sign on to the letter to Rumsfeld to request that Rush be removed from the Service.
Brock's letter is obviously very negative about Rush. Interestingly though..he draws on his former conservative hack roots to tug at the heartstrings of people in general to drive his point home:
As we approach Memorial Day, and as Americans honor our soldiers, the men and women of our military deserve better than to be subjected to a radio host who excuses the worst among their ranks rather than celebrating the best, and who continually uses prejudiced rhetoric that divides rather than unites Americans. I look forward to your response and hope the Department of Defense will send a clear signal to our troops that it does not sanction Mr. Limbaugh's remarks.
I think I can hear the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" playing in the background when I read that last paragraph.....
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Rush's show is broadcast for one hour per day to the troops on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. The Service is funded at taxpayer expense.
Brock has sent a letter to Rumsfeld requesting that Rush's program be removed from the the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. Brock asserts in the letter that Rush is broadcasting "pro-torture propganda" over the radio and that these comments are fundamentally unAmerican (not to mention against the direct orders of the military command). Brock also says that these comments could inflame anti-American sentiment.
Brock has a petition on his site where folks can sign on to the letter to Rumsfeld to request that Rush be removed from the Service.
Brock's letter is obviously very negative about Rush. Interestingly though..he draws on his former conservative hack roots to tug at the heartstrings of people in general to drive his point home:
As we approach Memorial Day, and as Americans honor our soldiers, the men and women of our military deserve better than to be subjected to a radio host who excuses the worst among their ranks rather than celebrating the best, and who continually uses prejudiced rhetoric that divides rather than unites Americans. I look forward to your response and hope the Department of Defense will send a clear signal to our troops that it does not sanction Mr. Limbaugh's remarks.
I think I can hear the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" playing in the background when I read that last paragraph.....
Look at me...I can be...centerfield
John Kerry has been pushing very hard lately on the notion that he is a centrist. The Washington Post has a piece that discusses Kerry's targeting of "swing voters" and disaffected Republicans. This strategy pushes a prevailing centrist theme. The piece also says that Kerry privately reassures his liberal voters that he will continue to support their core issues.
In my opinion, this is a double edged sword. In the end it may push the election to Kerry (although with the beating Bush has rightfully been taking over Iraq and certain sectors of the economy Kerry doesn't have to do much right now to capitalize). This also reinforces the notion though that there isn't much difference between Democrats and Republicans.
This is an irritant to me. I see some very fundamental differences between the parties and between the basic ideologies that each party generally adheres to. While the Republicans tend to be more lock step on their ideas and Democrats tend to be a much more loose affiliation, there are some general themes where the parties don't see eye to eye.
I definitely want to see Kerry win this thing..and I want him to do what it takes to convince voters that he's the guy. But I hope he doesn't do it at the expense of the Democrats being viewed as "Just like Republicans only with a conscience"...or some such.
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In my opinion, this is a double edged sword. In the end it may push the election to Kerry (although with the beating Bush has rightfully been taking over Iraq and certain sectors of the economy Kerry doesn't have to do much right now to capitalize). This also reinforces the notion though that there isn't much difference between Democrats and Republicans.
This is an irritant to me. I see some very fundamental differences between the parties and between the basic ideologies that each party generally adheres to. While the Republicans tend to be more lock step on their ideas and Democrats tend to be a much more loose affiliation, there are some general themes where the parties don't see eye to eye.
I definitely want to see Kerry win this thing..and I want him to do what it takes to convince voters that he's the guy. But I hope he doesn't do it at the expense of the Democrats being viewed as "Just like Republicans only with a conscience"...or some such.
Tom Paine.com has a link to the Drum Major Institute's review of the voting records of the Senate and the House. The legislators are given a grade based on their voting record on bills friendly to "middle class values".
TomPaine.com describes the Drum Major Institute as "public policy think tank".
This report shows that Democratic legislators vote far more often for bills consider "friendly" to middle class values. Those values as outlined by Drum Major include:
*Making ends meet
*Affording every day essentials
*Saving for the future
*Obtaining affordable health insurance for themselves and their family
*Avoiding bankruptcy
These were the reports "main findings":
MAIN FINDINGS:
∑• The Senate, overall, earned a B for its support of the financial stability of the American middle class. However, this
average grade masks great disparities. Votes broke down, for the most part, along party lines.
• While almost all—96 percent—of Democratic Senators received an A, fully one quarter of Republican Senators received an
F for their failure to support the middle class.
• Senators Kyl (R-AZ), Allard (R-CO), Chambliss (R-GA), Craig (R-ID), Crapo (R-ID), Lott (R-MS), Burns (R-MT), Gregg (R-NH),
Sununu (R-NH), Nickles (R-OK), Cornyn (R-TX), Enzi (R-WY), and Thomas (R-WY) all scored lowest in their class with grades of F.
• The House of Representatives, overall, did a poor job of voting with the middle class, receiving a less than acceptable
grade of C. As with the Senate, however, there were great disparities: 36 percent of the House received a failing grade,
while 21 percent earned an A.
• Party divisions were especially evident in the House. Overall,
only Democrats voted consistently for the middle class.
• 66 percent of Republican members of Congress received an F,
compared to 1 percent of their Democratic peers.
• Two pieces of legislation garnered strong support from both
parties: the Unemployment Compensation Amendment Act
of 2003 (HR 2185) and the American Dream Downpayment
Act of 2003 (S 811).
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TomPaine.com describes the Drum Major Institute as "public policy think tank".
This report shows that Democratic legislators vote far more often for bills consider "friendly" to middle class values. Those values as outlined by Drum Major include:
*Making ends meet
*Affording every day essentials
*Saving for the future
*Obtaining affordable health insurance for themselves and their family
*Avoiding bankruptcy
These were the reports "main findings":
MAIN FINDINGS:
∑• The Senate, overall, earned a B for its support of the financial stability of the American middle class. However, this
average grade masks great disparities. Votes broke down, for the most part, along party lines.
• While almost all—96 percent—of Democratic Senators received an A, fully one quarter of Republican Senators received an
F for their failure to support the middle class.
• Senators Kyl (R-AZ), Allard (R-CO), Chambliss (R-GA), Craig (R-ID), Crapo (R-ID), Lott (R-MS), Burns (R-MT), Gregg (R-NH),
Sununu (R-NH), Nickles (R-OK), Cornyn (R-TX), Enzi (R-WY), and Thomas (R-WY) all scored lowest in their class with grades of F.
• The House of Representatives, overall, did a poor job of voting with the middle class, receiving a less than acceptable
grade of C. As with the Senate, however, there were great disparities: 36 percent of the House received a failing grade,
while 21 percent earned an A.
• Party divisions were especially evident in the House. Overall,
only Democrats voted consistently for the middle class.
• 66 percent of Republican members of Congress received an F,
compared to 1 percent of their Democratic peers.
• Two pieces of legislation garnered strong support from both
parties: the Unemployment Compensation Amendment Act
of 2003 (HR 2185) and the American Dream Downpayment
Act of 2003 (S 811).
It's all screwed up...all screwed up (AC/DC)
This week US District Court Judge Robert Jones freed Oregon resident Brandon Mayfield from "material witness" status with the US Justice Department. See the Friday, May 21 post at Voice of a Veteran for the piece from the Oregonian newspaper.
Mayfield was detained as a material witness by the FBI. He was held in jail for two weeks without being charged with a crime.
Spanish authorities had sent the FBI a set of fingerprints that they'd lifted from a bag near the site of the Madrid train bombing. The bag was found in a van parked near the site. Mayfield's name was one of six came up as a possible match to the fingerprints. The FBI never actually had the original fingerprint from the site. They had a copy of the print.
The day after the fingerprint was submitted to the FBI, the Spanish authorities linked the fingerprint to an Algerian man. Despite the Spanish authorities insistance that Mayfield was not the man whose fingerprint they found, Mayfield continued to be held.
According to the affadavit filed against Mayfield by prosecutors, Mayfield handled the child custody case involving one of the defendants in the Portland Seven federal jihad case. A phone call was made two years ago on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks between Mayfield's residence and an Ashland man who runs an Islamic charity. That man, Pete Seda, now is on a federal terror watch list. Mayfield's law firm was listed in a business directory run by a Portland man who was a business associate of Wadih El-Hage, Osama bin Laden's personal secretary. El-Hage was convicted in the 1998 bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa. Mayfield was observed driving to the Bilal mosque in Beaverton "on several different occasions." This appears to be the real impetus for holding Mayfield.
So essentially Mayfield was held by the FBI because they didn't use the original fingerprint to do the indentification...and because he's a Muslim who's name was on paperwork for child custody case for some bad guys...and his name was in a business directory who had a business association with another bad guy.
Mayfield was also subjected to the USA Patriot Act. His home was searched without permission and his phone was wiretapped without the regular warrants.
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Mayfield was detained as a material witness by the FBI. He was held in jail for two weeks without being charged with a crime.
Spanish authorities had sent the FBI a set of fingerprints that they'd lifted from a bag near the site of the Madrid train bombing. The bag was found in a van parked near the site. Mayfield's name was one of six came up as a possible match to the fingerprints. The FBI never actually had the original fingerprint from the site. They had a copy of the print.
The day after the fingerprint was submitted to the FBI, the Spanish authorities linked the fingerprint to an Algerian man. Despite the Spanish authorities insistance that Mayfield was not the man whose fingerprint they found, Mayfield continued to be held.
According to the affadavit filed against Mayfield by prosecutors, Mayfield handled the child custody case involving one of the defendants in the Portland Seven federal jihad case. A phone call was made two years ago on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks between Mayfield's residence and an Ashland man who runs an Islamic charity. That man, Pete Seda, now is on a federal terror watch list. Mayfield's law firm was listed in a business directory run by a Portland man who was a business associate of Wadih El-Hage, Osama bin Laden's personal secretary. El-Hage was convicted in the 1998 bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa. Mayfield was observed driving to the Bilal mosque in Beaverton "on several different occasions." This appears to be the real impetus for holding Mayfield.
So essentially Mayfield was held by the FBI because they didn't use the original fingerprint to do the indentification...and because he's a Muslim who's name was on paperwork for child custody case for some bad guys...and his name was in a business directory who had a business association with another bad guy.
Mayfield was also subjected to the USA Patriot Act. His home was searched without permission and his phone was wiretapped without the regular warrants.
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Between a rock and a hard place in Iraq
Todd Pearson has a piece at Centerfield on a possible deal between the Coalition Provisional Authority and al-Sadr. Todd makes a valid point in that using blunt force against al-Sadr seems to have only increased his popularity. But, cutting deals with Iraqi insurgent groups is a mixed blessing at best.
The Associated Press has a report out on how Fallujah is emerging as an Islamic mini-state. I'm not sure how Rumsfeld and Bush expect cutting a deal with al-Sadr will turn out differently. The point being that this strategy seems counterproductive to the stated goal of freeing the Iraqi people so that they could live in a democracy. First Fallujah and now al-Sadr, not to mention the Kurds in the north - all well armed groups with their own agendas.
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The Associated Press has a report out on how Fallujah is emerging as an Islamic mini-state. I'm not sure how Rumsfeld and Bush expect cutting a deal with al-Sadr will turn out differently. The point being that this strategy seems counterproductive to the stated goal of freeing the Iraqi people so that they could live in a democracy. First Fallujah and now al-Sadr, not to mention the Kurds in the north - all well armed groups with their own agendas.
Spitzer for Kerry's Veep?
I know, nobody is talking about it. But, why not? Eliot Spitzer, the dynamo Attorney General of New York, just oozes law and order. This guy plays hardball with the best of 'em and wins. And he's usually in the corner of the little guy... taking on Big Business while the SEC seems to be spending most of it's time playing catch up to Spitzer's lead.
Spitzer is on the cutting edge of keeping internet business toeing the straight and narrow too. He's taken on PayPal, VeriSign, and spammers (more spammers). He is already controversial with allegations by the anti-abortion crowd that he's in bed with the abortion industry. But, anyone taking on all comers like he has is bound to be considered controversial by somebody.
Two great interviews of Spitzer from the second half of last year, here and here. Here is a bio on Spitzer.
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Spitzer is on the cutting edge of keeping internet business toeing the straight and narrow too. He's taken on PayPal, VeriSign, and spammers (more spammers). He is already controversial with allegations by the anti-abortion crowd that he's in bed with the abortion industry. But, anyone taking on all comers like he has is bound to be considered controversial by somebody.
Two great interviews of Spitzer from the second half of last year, here and here. Here is a bio on Spitzer.
Here we go again...
The Associated Press is reporting that Al Queda or other terrorists are planning a major attack here in the United States sometime this summer. A top counterterrorism official speaking on condition of anonymity said, "There is clearly a steady drumbeat of information that they are going to attack and hit us hard."
What I really, really, really don't understand is why President Bush's own statements about Osama bin Laden aren't part of the context here in terms of the media.
That is a major league flip-flop!
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What I really, really, really don't understand is why President Bush's own statements about Osama bin Laden aren't part of the context here in terms of the media.
"The important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our Number One priority and we will not rest until we find him!" George W. Bush, Sept. 13, 2001
"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and I really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." George W. Bush, March 13, 2002
That is a major league flip-flop!
Ugh
"Just a few bad apples"...? Not so much.
Apparently the prisoner abuse is more widespread than we were previously told, according to an Army survey.
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Apparently the prisoner abuse is more widespread than we were previously told, according to an Army survey.
It's the dirty story of a dirty man..and his clinging wife doesn't understand...
Okay...time for one of those station breaks where we get to be shallow and lazy....
I need some good book recommendations. What are you all reading out there that you think is great? I'm planning to wade through Bill Clinton's book. I have Clarke's and Woodward's on the "to buy" list. I'm hoping to get some good fiction. I just picked up The Devil Wears Prada, To Have and to Hold and Rule of Four. Other suggestions?
What movies have you seen recently? What are you planning to see? (I saw a review of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Newsweek and it looks pretty fantastic.) My kids are bugging me to take them to Shrek 2. I'm considering The Stepford Wives when it comes out..and I'm wondering if it's worth $7 to drool over Brad Pitt's biceps in Troy.
Thoughts?
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I need some good book recommendations. What are you all reading out there that you think is great? I'm planning to wade through Bill Clinton's book. I have Clarke's and Woodward's on the "to buy" list. I'm hoping to get some good fiction. I just picked up The Devil Wears Prada, To Have and to Hold and Rule of Four. Other suggestions?
What movies have you seen recently? What are you planning to see? (I saw a review of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Newsweek and it looks pretty fantastic.) My kids are bugging me to take them to Shrek 2. I'm considering The Stepford Wives when it comes out..and I'm wondering if it's worth $7 to drool over Brad Pitt's biceps in Troy.
Thoughts?
There must be.. 50 ways to get Bin Laden
(Thanks Adam Sandler..for the lyrics that inspired this title)
Despite our apparent efforts, Al Qaida has more than 18,000 potential terrorists out there. Some are reportedly in the United States preparing a strike for this Summer.
According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies(IISS), Bin Laden's network appears to be operating in more than sixty countries. The report suggests that US efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq have boosted Al Qaida's recruiting efforts.
(Duh)
Researcher Christopher Langton of the IISS said it could take up to 500,000 US troops to bring stability into Iraq.
So are we really going after Al Qaida or aren't we? I really need someone to give me an explanation as to why we have concentrated so much effort into Iraq when the main problem and the main enemy is Bin Laden.
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Despite our apparent efforts, Al Qaida has more than 18,000 potential terrorists out there. Some are reportedly in the United States preparing a strike for this Summer.
According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies(IISS), Bin Laden's network appears to be operating in more than sixty countries. The report suggests that US efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq have boosted Al Qaida's recruiting efforts.
(Duh)
Researcher Christopher Langton of the IISS said it could take up to 500,000 US troops to bring stability into Iraq.
So are we really going after Al Qaida or aren't we? I really need someone to give me an explanation as to why we have concentrated so much effort into Iraq when the main problem and the main enemy is Bin Laden.
We the People...in order to form a more perfect union.....
The citizens of the EU are going through one of the greatest exercises possible. They're debating how to establish their constitution.
This piece in the Boston Globe discusses the struggles and stresses as the European Union tries to come together on a body of law.
I'm a major US Colonial History fan. I love to read about the founding fathers and their passion for putting our nation together. Their foibles and struggles have always fascinated me. Their love of country and their extreme devotion to the American experiment was always been so moving to me. Today as I read this section of the piece I actually got tears in my eyes. It gave me such a pang for our nation...especially considering the circumstances of where our nation is right now....
The bitter debate is over big issues still on the table such as the legal force of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, the voting weights for EU countries, and whether or not nations will have veto power in such areas as taxation, foreign policy, and EU funding.
There are other deeply emotional issues, such as whether or not the preamble to the constitution should include a reference to ''God" or to Europe's ''Christian tradition," as has been proposed.
So far the preamble has no mention of God or Christianity, and the fiercely secular French government is insistent that to have any such mention would violate the separation of church and state.
Italy, Spain, and Poland -- Europe's most Catholic countries -- have been adamant that Europe's history of Christianity be recognized as part of what binds these countries.
But the most profound battle lines in the debate have been drawn between London -- which seeks to temper and tone down what it sees as too much integration of the countries and a loss of independence -- and Paris and Berlin, which want closer cooperation among European countries in fields such as tax, social policy, and justice.
Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison have to be smiling....
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This piece in the Boston Globe discusses the struggles and stresses as the European Union tries to come together on a body of law.
I'm a major US Colonial History fan. I love to read about the founding fathers and their passion for putting our nation together. Their foibles and struggles have always fascinated me. Their love of country and their extreme devotion to the American experiment was always been so moving to me. Today as I read this section of the piece I actually got tears in my eyes. It gave me such a pang for our nation...especially considering the circumstances of where our nation is right now....
The bitter debate is over big issues still on the table such as the legal force of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, the voting weights for EU countries, and whether or not nations will have veto power in such areas as taxation, foreign policy, and EU funding.
There are other deeply emotional issues, such as whether or not the preamble to the constitution should include a reference to ''God" or to Europe's ''Christian tradition," as has been proposed.
So far the preamble has no mention of God or Christianity, and the fiercely secular French government is insistent that to have any such mention would violate the separation of church and state.
Italy, Spain, and Poland -- Europe's most Catholic countries -- have been adamant that Europe's history of Christianity be recognized as part of what binds these countries.
But the most profound battle lines in the debate have been drawn between London -- which seeks to temper and tone down what it sees as too much integration of the countries and a loss of independence -- and Paris and Berlin, which want closer cooperation among European countries in fields such as tax, social policy, and justice.
Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison have to be smiling....
Monday, May 24, 2004
When you wish upon a star......
The Wall Street Journal has this Battleground States poll map which shows the recent Zogby polling for the most closely contested states.
As far as I can tell, Kerry leads all states but three.
Apparently Bush's coattails cut both ways, too.
The latest polling gives the edge to Democrats in some hotly contested races:
Alaska
KTUU poll. 4/27-5/1. (4.4%)
Knowles (D) 45
Murkowski (R) 45
Undecided 8
Colorado
Tarrance Group 4/27-29(4.5%)
Salazar (D) 52
Coors (R) 41
Illinois
Wilson Research Strategies 5/4(5%)
Obama (D) 44
Ryan (R) 28
Kentucky
Louisville Courier-Journal. 5/5-11 (3%)
Bunning (R) 50
Mongiardo (D) 27
North Carolina
Mason-Dixon. 5/14-17(4%)
Bowles (D) 45
Burr (R) 35
Undecided 20
Ohio
Penn, Schoen and Berland (D). 4/18-19(3.4%)
Voinovich (R) 47
Fingerhut (D) 32
Oklahoma
Tulsa World. 3/26-4/5 (3.4%)
Carson (D) 37
Coburn (R) 35
Pennsylvania
Bennet Petts and Blumenthal 5/2-3 (4%)
Specter (R) 52
Hoeffel (D) 40
South Carolina
Global Strategy Group 3/14-18. (3.9%)
Tenenbaum (D) 47
Condon (R) 40
South Dakota
Mason-Dixon. 5/10-12. (5%)
Daschle (D) 49
Thune (R) 47
Oklahoma, Ohio, North Carolina and Colorado could be possible pickups for the Democrats, if this keeps up.
All other things remaining the same this would tip the Senate to the Democrats. Voinivich doing so shakily in Ohio is a real surprise to me. I had previously thought he was pretty untouchable.
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As far as I can tell, Kerry leads all states but three.
Apparently Bush's coattails cut both ways, too.
The latest polling gives the edge to Democrats in some hotly contested races:
Alaska
KTUU poll. 4/27-5/1. (4.4%)
Knowles (D) 45
Murkowski (R) 45
Undecided 8
Colorado
Tarrance Group 4/27-29(4.5%)
Salazar (D) 52
Coors (R) 41
Illinois
Wilson Research Strategies 5/4(5%)
Obama (D) 44
Ryan (R) 28
Kentucky
Louisville Courier-Journal. 5/5-11 (3%)
Bunning (R) 50
Mongiardo (D) 27
North Carolina
Mason-Dixon. 5/14-17(4%)
Bowles (D) 45
Burr (R) 35
Undecided 20
Ohio
Penn, Schoen and Berland (D). 4/18-19(3.4%)
Voinovich (R) 47
Fingerhut (D) 32
Oklahoma
Tulsa World. 3/26-4/5 (3.4%)
Carson (D) 37
Coburn (R) 35
Pennsylvania
Bennet Petts and Blumenthal 5/2-3 (4%)
Specter (R) 52
Hoeffel (D) 40
South Carolina
Global Strategy Group 3/14-18. (3.9%)
Tenenbaum (D) 47
Condon (R) 40
South Dakota
Mason-Dixon. 5/10-12. (5%)
Daschle (D) 49
Thune (R) 47
Oklahoma, Ohio, North Carolina and Colorado could be possible pickups for the Democrats, if this keeps up.
All other things remaining the same this would tip the Senate to the Democrats. Voinivich doing so shakily in Ohio is a real surprise to me. I had previously thought he was pretty untouchable.
Two-faced creatures...prisoners of the twilight zone...changing features...contradiction to the bone...
Jack Wheeler, pundit extraordinaire from NewsMax has a new reason he's developed that the Abu Grahib prison torture scandal is "phony".
According to his op-ed in the Washington Times, the scandal is phony because there are no calls for Brigadier General Janice Karpinski to resign. Wheeler asserts that the reason she's not being asked to resign is because she's a woman.
Wheeler further goes on to say, Mr. Rumsfeld stood straight up to the world and accepted responsibility for Abu Ghraib. He took it like a man. War is not woman's work. It is man's work — not because men are more brutal or stronger, but because they can endure the stresses of combat and be accountable for the failures those stresses inevitably create. They don't whine, deviously evade, blame others, make up excuses and whimper, "It's not my fault!" If they do, they are despised and looked upon with contempt by their male comrades.
Besides the obvious sexually stereotypical and misogynitstic silliness of the above Wheeler quote, it's fascinating to me that Wheeler is so blatantly duplicitous. According to Wheeler...the scandal is phony because Karpinski hasn't been asked to resign...but Rumsfeld took responsibility "like a man" ....and nowhere does Wheeler call for his resignation. He says in the piece that Karpinski's superiors knew she wasn't doing her job properly. So where's the call for their resignations from Wheeler?
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According to his op-ed in the Washington Times, the scandal is phony because there are no calls for Brigadier General Janice Karpinski to resign. Wheeler asserts that the reason she's not being asked to resign is because she's a woman.
Wheeler further goes on to say, Mr. Rumsfeld stood straight up to the world and accepted responsibility for Abu Ghraib. He took it like a man. War is not woman's work. It is man's work — not because men are more brutal or stronger, but because they can endure the stresses of combat and be accountable for the failures those stresses inevitably create. They don't whine, deviously evade, blame others, make up excuses and whimper, "It's not my fault!" If they do, they are despised and looked upon with contempt by their male comrades.
Besides the obvious sexually stereotypical and misogynitstic silliness of the above Wheeler quote, it's fascinating to me that Wheeler is so blatantly duplicitous. According to Wheeler...the scandal is phony because Karpinski hasn't been asked to resign...but Rumsfeld took responsibility "like a man" ....and nowhere does Wheeler call for his resignation. He says in the piece that Karpinski's superiors knew she wasn't doing her job properly. So where's the call for their resignations from Wheeler?
Honesty is hardly ever heard....and mostly what I need from you...
President Bush will be giving a speech this evening apparently to reassure Americans about the situation in Iraq.
With Bush's approval rating on the Iraq situation hitting all time lows on virtually every aspect of the issue, it appears Rove and company are trotting him out in an effort to right the sinking ship.
I have spent some time today trying to think what Bush could say to change my mind about him. The only thing I can come up with is, "I resign for the good of my country."
Not likely to happen, eh?
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With Bush's approval rating on the Iraq situation hitting all time lows on virtually every aspect of the issue, it appears Rove and company are trotting him out in an effort to right the sinking ship.
I have spent some time today trying to think what Bush could say to change my mind about him. The only thing I can come up with is, "I resign for the good of my country."
Not likely to happen, eh?
Taking on health care, part two
In last week's Miami Herald former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala has a piece on what she calls the "crisis" in health care insurance.
Ms. Shalala notes that roughly 44 million Americans have no health insurance and can't get the basic health care services that they need. This problem is putting a huge economic burden on the citizens of the United States.
Skyrocketing health care costs are putting a huge burden on small businesses too. Many can no longer afford to offer health insurance to their employees. It's simply not financially viable for them to continue to offer it. This leaves hundreds of thousands of Americans with no health insurance.
It's become a vicious cycle. Employers are unable to offer health insurance because of the rising costs. Individuals with no health insurance don't go in to see a doctor until they are very ill and the cost for treating them is much greater than it would be had they gone in earlier. As they have no insurance they can't possibly pay the entire cost, in general. Thus hospitals and doctors must charge inflated rates to cover the cost of those who cannot pay.
A single payer universal health care system would cover everyone. In the end it could even be the cheaper alternative to the current system...as I'll address in the next post.
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Ms. Shalala notes that roughly 44 million Americans have no health insurance and can't get the basic health care services that they need. This problem is putting a huge economic burden on the citizens of the United States.
Skyrocketing health care costs are putting a huge burden on small businesses too. Many can no longer afford to offer health insurance to their employees. It's simply not financially viable for them to continue to offer it. This leaves hundreds of thousands of Americans with no health insurance.
It's become a vicious cycle. Employers are unable to offer health insurance because of the rising costs. Individuals with no health insurance don't go in to see a doctor until they are very ill and the cost for treating them is much greater than it would be had they gone in earlier. As they have no insurance they can't possibly pay the entire cost, in general. Thus hospitals and doctors must charge inflated rates to cover the cost of those who cannot pay.
A single payer universal health care system would cover everyone. In the end it could even be the cheaper alternative to the current system...as I'll address in the next post.
Sunday, May 23, 2004
Blame it on the rain......
the daily kos has a piece on their site that explains why it looks like the President has been in a fight.
The Crawford branch of the White House says that he took a spill on his bike. Apparently the bike path was slippery due to all that rain they've had in Crawford recently.
Oh and by the way....the recent rain totals for Crawford:
May 22: 0"
May 21: 0"
May 20: 0"
May 19: 0"
May 18: 0"
May 17: 0"
May 16: 0"
May 15: 0"
May 14: 0.03"
May 13: 2.79"
May 12: 0"
May 11: 0.15"
May 10: 0"
May 9: 0"
Since May 15 it's been over 80 degrees every day too.
Why is it so much better to make stuff up than just tell the truth? Oy.
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The Crawford branch of the White House says that he took a spill on his bike. Apparently the bike path was slippery due to all that rain they've had in Crawford recently.
Oh and by the way....the recent rain totals for Crawford:
May 22: 0"
May 21: 0"
May 20: 0"
May 19: 0"
May 18: 0"
May 17: 0"
May 16: 0"
May 15: 0"
May 14: 0.03"
May 13: 2.79"
May 12: 0"
May 11: 0.15"
May 10: 0"
May 9: 0"
Since May 15 it's been over 80 degrees every day too.
Why is it so much better to make stuff up than just tell the truth? Oy.
I can't change your mind...you can't change my color...
Bill Cosby has apparently stepped into some controversy.
An article in last week's Washington Post says that Cosby gave a speech at a gathering commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Brown vs Board of Education decision. Cosby apparently gave a rather memorable speech.
According to the Post's Richard Leiby, Cosby slaughtered some pretty sacred cows:
"They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English," he exclaimed. "I can't even talk the way these people talk: 'Why you ain't,' 'Where you is' . . . And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk. And then I heard the father talk. . . . Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. . . . You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth!"
Mr Leiby also reports:
The Post's Hamil Harris reports that Cosby also turned his wrath to "the incarcerated," saying: "These are not political criminals. These are people going around stealing Coca-Cola. People getting shot in the back of the head over a piece of pound cake and then we run out and we are outraged, [saying] 'The cops shouldn't have shot him.' What the hell was he doing with the pound cake in his hand?"
Yikes.
I can't decide if Cosby is incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.
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An article in last week's Washington Post says that Cosby gave a speech at a gathering commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Brown vs Board of Education decision. Cosby apparently gave a rather memorable speech.
According to the Post's Richard Leiby, Cosby slaughtered some pretty sacred cows:
"They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English," he exclaimed. "I can't even talk the way these people talk: 'Why you ain't,' 'Where you is' . . . And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk. And then I heard the father talk. . . . Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. . . . You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth!"
Mr Leiby also reports:
The Post's Hamil Harris reports that Cosby also turned his wrath to "the incarcerated," saying: "These are not political criminals. These are people going around stealing Coca-Cola. People getting shot in the back of the head over a piece of pound cake and then we run out and we are outraged, [saying] 'The cops shouldn't have shot him.' What the hell was he doing with the pound cake in his hand?"
Yikes.
I can't decide if Cosby is incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.
Outsourcing the GOP
Just when you thought it couldn't get any stranger, out comes a report that the Bush-led GOP has been outsourcing it's fund-raising and vote-seeking operations to two call centers in India. MisLeader.org is where I first learned about it. They cite a Hindustan Times piece which apparently first outted the GOP operation.
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And I'm here...to remind you...of the mess you left when you went away...
The Bush Administration knows that they've made some mistakes in regard to Iraq. Even though the President said during his last press conference that he couldn't think of any mistakes he'd made...I'll bet trusting Ahmed Chalabi would rank up there in the top ten.
Chalabi is a very keen player, however. And just because the Bush people have smacked him down..doesn't mean he's out quite yet.
This analysis by SFGate.com outlines the powerful connections that Chalabi has put together.
Due to Chalabi's role in the Iraqi Governing Council, he's been able to install his surrogates in key places in Iraq's governmental structure. Chalabi's people apparently control large sections of the natural resource and banking contracts and stand to make huge sums of money.
Chalabi has also had key allies in Washington, chiefly among the neoconservative powerbase. Dick Cheney, Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz and the State Department's John Bolton to name a few. These men gave Chalabi access to key documents regarding the "de-Baathification" of Iraq. The tribunal system in Iraq is under the control of Chalabi's nephew, Salem. It's well funded (by the US) and has huge power in Iraq.
The Bush people may be hard pressed to knock Chalabi out of power.
What's worse...the Bush people may have been duped by Chalabi into knocking Hussein out of power at the behest of Iran.
Chalabi has connections to an individual who alledgedly works for the Iranian intelligence services (thanks for the article, Manny). Chalabi may have been getting and feeding information to this guy in an effort to oust Hussein from the Iranian end.
Given that the information Chalabi gave the neoconservative set that was used as impetus for invading Iraq has turned out to be complete and total horse droppings...it would appear that the US may have been used as tools by the Iranian government.
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Chalabi is a very keen player, however. And just because the Bush people have smacked him down..doesn't mean he's out quite yet.
This analysis by SFGate.com outlines the powerful connections that Chalabi has put together.
Due to Chalabi's role in the Iraqi Governing Council, he's been able to install his surrogates in key places in Iraq's governmental structure. Chalabi's people apparently control large sections of the natural resource and banking contracts and stand to make huge sums of money.
Chalabi has also had key allies in Washington, chiefly among the neoconservative powerbase. Dick Cheney, Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz and the State Department's John Bolton to name a few. These men gave Chalabi access to key documents regarding the "de-Baathification" of Iraq. The tribunal system in Iraq is under the control of Chalabi's nephew, Salem. It's well funded (by the US) and has huge power in Iraq.
The Bush people may be hard pressed to knock Chalabi out of power.
What's worse...the Bush people may have been duped by Chalabi into knocking Hussein out of power at the behest of Iran.
Chalabi has connections to an individual who alledgedly works for the Iranian intelligence services (thanks for the article, Manny). Chalabi may have been getting and feeding information to this guy in an effort to oust Hussein from the Iranian end.
Given that the information Chalabi gave the neoconservative set that was used as impetus for invading Iraq has turned out to be complete and total horse droppings...it would appear that the US may have been used as tools by the Iranian government.
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