The Mother of all Flip FLops
FLIP:
Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised.” And, “[Saddam Hussein is] a threat because he is dealing with al Qaeda.” 3/17/03 George W. Bush
FLOP:
DIANE SAWYER: But stated as a hard fact, that there were weapons of mass destruction as opposed to the possibility that he could move to acquire those weapons still ?
PRESIDENT BUSH: So what’s the difference?– ABC interview 12/16/03
He should ask Mr. Aznar’s party if there’s any difference between holding office and being trounced out in ignominy. Then get his head of his ass and read the writing on the wall.
Worldwide protests demand Iraq pullout – From Sydney to Tokyo, from Santiago, Chile, to Madrid, London, New York and San Francisco, demonstrators on Saturday condemned U.S. policy in Iraq and said they did not believe Iraqis were better off or the world safer because of the war. Journalists estimated that at least a million people streamed through Rome, in probably the biggest single protest.
Here’s me giving a shout-out to Dr. No! in case his channel surfing coincided with me caught on camera kicking a cop in the nuts. (No, not really. It was perfectly peaceful where I was and the Law was amiable and helpful.)
I can’t say I have the same expectation from the thugs the Bush administration just hired for the campaign. The Emperor is protected by a large and efficient Secret Service detail. His delicate eyes are shielded from dissent by sucking local homeland security coffers dry to keep anti-Bush signs out of camera range. (And no doubt taxpayer Joe Schmuck agrees that protecting the Emperor’s image is more important than having an efficient local response to terror.)
Yet BushCo has retained the Vance Corporation, a private security firm with an unsavory record for being associated with violence during labor disputes, as reported at Kos. Atrios has entries on Vance here and here. Demonstrators at any lefty assembly should digitally archive any incidents of people trying to start fights so the images can immediately be uploaded and matched to Rethug wonks, as happened with the Pasty Guys in Beige Pants Riots of Election 2000. (The Vance guys are pro headbusters, though, and we have a right to know what role Bush/Cheney intends them to play.)
Some demonstration pictures from around the globe (out of the Yahoo slideshow):
Code Pink
You go, Congresswoman Waters!
The Real Axis of Evil
Why aren’t they arresting Total Dick Cheney instead?
This death wasn’t newsworthy to domestic media
(Note: apologies to anyone who had their surfing disrupted as I fixed some links.)