Monday, December 04, 2006

Bolton swings out

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIX MIX -- DC.

U.S. AMBASSADOR JOHN BOLTON GOT A LITTLE CONFIRMATION SHY AND TOOK HIMSELF OUT OF THE RUNNING.

EARLIER, THE CONFIRMATION PROCESS HAD BEEN BY-PASSED AS A RESULT OF A RECESS APPOINTMENT. FACED WITH STANDING BEFORE CONGRESS, SWINGING JOHN BOLTON DECIDED HE DID NOT WANT ALL THAT ATTENTION.

PICTURED BELOW IN BETTER TIMES, JOHN BOLTON ONCE HAD HIGH HOPES FOR WHAT HE TERMED "MY OWN KIND OF 'RELATING,' IF YOU FEEL ME."



AS HE EXITED THE PUBLIC STAGE, JOHN BOLTON WAS HEARD TO DECLARE, "WITH ALL THOSE NATIONS, ALL THOSE PEOPLE, I REALLY THOUGHT I'D GET A LITTLE ACTION ON THE SIDE, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. YOU KNOW A LITTLE SEX, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. YOU KNOW A LITTLE **** ***** AND SOME ***** SOMETHING-SOMETHING. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN."


FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Meanwhile, in the US, war resistor Mark Wilkerson finds inspiration and support from the past -- specifically from his great-grandfather. Writing at his website, Red, White & Blurry: My Life As An AWOL Soldier, Wilkerson explains that his grandmother passed on a letter to him, one that his great-grandfather wrote then-US-president Calvin Coolidge when his son (John F. Hemphill) died in Nicaragua. Wilkerson reproduces the letter as his site and notes:
"When I read this for the first time, I couldn't help but crying. Because through this letter, I can't help but feel that my great-grandfather would be proud of what I'm going through, and could relate with me on many levels. I feel that reading this somehow connected me again to a part of my family that I haven't been close to much lately, and I'm thankful for that. I also feel more now, than ever, that as a veteran, it is my obligation to speak out when I feel that an injustice is being done in our country today through this so-called War on Terrorism."

Mark Wilkerson self-checked out of the US military for approximately eighteen months before, August 31st, announcing at Camp Casey III that he would be turning himself in. Speaking with Dennis Bernstein on KPFA's Flashpoints the same day, Wilkerson explain that he had applied for c.o. status but been denied and told that he could not begin the rebuttal process until after he completed his second deployment in Iraq.


Wilkerson is part of a movement within the military of war resistance that also includes
Kyle Snyder, Ehren Watada, Joshua Key, Ivan Brobeck, Darrell Anderson, Ricky Clousing, Camilo Meija, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Jeremy Hinzman, Corey Glass, Joshua Casteel, Clifford Cornell, Agustin Aguayo, Patrick Hart, Joshua Despain, Katherine Jashinski, and Kevin Benderman. Those are only some of the names of those resisting who have gone public.Information on war resistance within the military can be found at Center on Conscience & War, The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline, Soldier Say No!, the War Resisters Support Campaign, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans For Peace. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters.

Their actions are helping to end to the war as are the actions of others demanding an end to the illegal war. Today on WBAI's Law and Disorder, co-host Michael Ratner spoke with Marjorie Cohn (president of the National Lawyers Guild) about the need to press Congress but also the need to do much more. Cohn agreed and noted that the advances of the Civil Rights era weren't a gift that a generous Congress just decided to offer, they resulted from demands, protests and activism. Mike will be addressing the broadcast later today at his site Mikey Likes It! (The four hosts of the program are Ratner, Dalia Hashad, Heidi Boghosian and Michael Smith.)

And finally, tomorrow on KPFA (airwaves and online):

KPFA Special Broadcast: Robert Gates Confirmation HearingTuesday, December 5th, 06:00amLive, gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Robert Gates Secretary of Defense confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill. With Larry Bensky, Aaron Glantz and our guest experts.

This will also be carried at the Pacifica website. For more background on Gates see Consortium News and for Robert Parry's latest click here. Gates shouldn't be back-patted and glad-handed with his history. Danny Schechter the News Dissector notes: "Sadly, I saw John Kerry on CNN say he will vote for Gates because the country doesn't need a debate now on his appointment as the new Rummy Dummy. Huh?"



Recommended: "Iraq Snapshot"
"And the war drags on"
"NYT: 'Annan Adds His Voice to a Growing Chorus That Is Calling the Situation in Iraq a 'Civil War'' (Wong)"
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"Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Kim Gandy, Bay Fang"
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"Dave Zirin, Iraq"
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A Note to Our Readers
Editorial: Return of the Toad, Robert Gates
TV: Big Rip Off
What happened in Amman?
The One About The Nation
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Worst Video Collection
NYT: Wednesday Repeats
Highlights
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"Bully Boy channels Whitney Houston"
"THIS JUST IN! BULLY BOY, GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT"

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