Bushed!: KBR Rape Case, CIA Waterboarding Tapes and Katrina
By Nicole Belle Wednesday Jan 09, 2008 1:02pm
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Keeping track of the Bush scandals so we don't have to, Keith Olbermann updates some truly egregious violations of decency on the part of the Bush administration:
First up is Jamie Leigh Jones, the KBR employee who accused her company and the federal government of covering up the gang rape she suffered at the hands of her co-workers in Iraq. Tuesday, it was announced that the Pentagon has declined to investigate further. Because, you know, that would mean accountability and justice, and we can't have any of that under BushCo, can we?
And then there is news report that a federal judge has denied the request of 11 Yemeni detainees to investigate the CIA's destruction of waterboarding tapes, saying that he trusts that the Justice Department will do a full and complete investigation---of themselves. Um, yeah. Has this judge not been paying attention for the last 7 years?
And finally, Olbermann tallies the total amount of damages asserted against the US Army of Engineers for the Katrina disaster. And you thought that the occupation in Iraq was a black hole of off-budget expenditures. Get a load of this number:
$3,014, 170, 389, 176,410 But to be fair:
The corps, which constructed the levee system overwhelmed during Hurricane Katrina, received 247 claims and faces nearly 500,000 more for damages and deaths that occurred in the hurricane's aftermath, USA Today reported Monday.
One personal injury claim seeks $3 quadrillion, about 250 times the U.S. gross domestic product, and another resident in the heavily damaged New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward is seeking $6 trillion.
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Tough to keep track of all the Bush administrations scandals and crimes,,makes one dizzy just the way they want to keep the public. Glad you are on it
although
[Please do not spam multiple threads with the same message. Thanks-Sitemonitor]
Sorry but when the I/P conflict and Bush's trip to Israel and the history of the conflict is ignored so completely by the so called "progressive" blogosphere it seems necessary. I apologize
[I do understand your concern (no snark on 'concern' intended). It is important, IMO. However, we can't have every thread turn into other topics, which is why I took the ones down after your first post-Sitemonitor]
I don't see how a claim of "$3 quadrillion" is going to help their case.
So the rape case is being covered up? Who should we contact to try to get that resolved! Blackwater gassing our guys, raping our woman, killing innocent civilians and we keep paying them?
More of us have to push members of Congress for impeachment, the push the media to cover the topic more.
Blue Lensman @ 3:
You're talking about it right? Every rock radio dj, shock dj and news anchor was talking about it this morning. Katrina, FEMA are back in the public eye! That's helping the case right there.
Thanks for putting the focus back (however briefly) on Katrina, which many of us here in New Orleans refuse to refer to as anything other than 'the Federal Flood.' Calling it Katrina insiuates that the city of New Orleans was 'hit by a hurricane,' which in turn plays into republican talking points which NEVER refer to this catastrophic engineering failure as ANYTHING but a 'natural disaster,' thereby insinuating that this was simply an unfortunate weather event which was nobodies fault but god's.
To recap then: New Orleans was not 'hit by a hurricane.' We were missed by a hurricane. The catastrophic flooding damage the city suffered was a direct result of the failure of the federally funded and constructed floodwall system, which did not even come close to performing up to it's advertised specs. The Army Corps of Engineers own report (as well of those of three other independent engineering firms) admits this.
So all the other noise about corrupt louisiana politics, lazy negroes lying around waiting for 'the federal government to come and fix everything,' the city behing 'below sea level' and ' set to flood again,' or how it should be 'relocated to higher ground' (for the record , where? Baton Rouge? Sorry, that's not a deep water port) are, in addition to being mostly bullshit, principally noise-distraction put out by the Right Wing wurlitzer to move the discussion away from the obvious. Which is:
1.The federal government 9through it's agency the Army Corps of Engineers) broke New Orleans.
2. The federal government should fix it.
Stop.
Check please.
There's not enough money in the universe, let alone the banks, to cover the ongoing outrage being perpetrated on NOLA.
So I'd settle for ending the foreign escapades and spending that money here.
We're living in a Chicago School economics nightmare
$3 quadrillion? That's chump change. I say go for $3 badooglezillionbillion.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
-Edmund Burke
PLEASE READ, TRANSLATE, E-MAIL, POST, AND SHARE THIS WITH ALL PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW. DO YOUR INDIVIDUAL DUTY, ORGANIZE WITH OTHERS, AND CARRY OUT THE ACTIONS STATED BELOW. THERE IS NO BETTER TIME THAN NOW! UNITE AS ONE AND SECURE A FUTURE FOR OUR HUMANITY.
--------------------------------------------------------------
DECLARATION OF HUMANITY
WE AS FREE HUMANS OF THIS WORLD, in order to form a more perfect global union, establish justice, insure tranquility, provide for the common good, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity and happiness, do ordain and establish this DECLARATION OF HUMANITY to take effect immediately.
In realizing that some choose to act only in self-interest to gain power and wealth, without concern for fellow human life, justice, or our environment, and also realizing these ambitions have led to immense suffering throughout the world, and that we as a human race are capable of more by will of our collective wisdom,
Given that our chosen leaders, governments, business institutions, and media have generally failed in protecting the people from these abuses of power,
We as a united people concerned for the future of our humanity, demand our inalienable rights based on these common universal truths to take place immediately:
ARTICLE 1
We realize that the economic and technological development of the world is important, but not the cost of human lives, violent conflict, and moral bankruptcy. We demand that militarism, especially that with is perpetuated and funded by global super powers to come to an end, before causing irreversible conflict and damage. We demand that our national governments stop intervening in other countries by force, violence, occupation, threat, or deception.
ARTICLE 2
We realize that a sustainable future for humanity depends on the welfare of the interconnected life on this planet, and our shared environment. We demand that our governments spend the resources and powers endowed to them by us the people, on rapid development of environmentally sustainable technologies, and to promote global unity, justice, welfare, tranquility, and respect of the rights of ALL humans.
ARTICLE 3
We realize that the excesses of a consumer society not only deprive us of our true happiness, but endanger our environment and create new forms of slavery in developing nations. We demand a new lifestyle based on reduced consumption, and fair distribution of wealth to all workers of this world.
ARTICLE 4
We realize the root of conflict to be ignorance, prejudice, and greed, and so we demand respect for all unique people and cultures of this world. We demand government departments to be established to promote our common human values for future generations, and to prevent humans rights from being abused by those given power, militaries, and business interests.
OUR ACTIONS
In order to reclaim our rights as free humans, we are willing to take the following necessary actions until they are guaranteed, including:
1) Stopping all work every Monday of the week, going on general strike if needed, and marching in non-violent protest instead in our cities.
2) Not supporting leaders, governments, or institutions that act contrary to our common values by not paying taxes to them.
3) Not supporting corporations or institutions that materially corrupt these leaders, or abuse our human rights and values for financial gain, by refusing to buy their goods and services.
4) Conducting non-violent symbolic means of defiance and civil disobedience until these true rights are given to all.
WE FREE HUMANS OF THIS WORLD are united in our values and determined to not rest until we succeed in securing the future of humanity by our collective strength. May we create a brighter future for all of us.
January 1st, 2008
Chair: Fed ready to cut interest rates
Inflation time. Stock up on Ramen Noodle while you can.
John@7 what's happening in NOLA in regards to the buildings that were slated to be torn down? What is a good source of news about NOLA? I found and tune into wwoz.org on the web because of a fundraising after the Federal Flood, may I suggest FEMA Flood as a different name? More focussed outrage!
Sorry we, as a country, let you down.
L.A. Confidential @ 12:
Feds will have to slash rates to 0%.
Problem is we'll probably be forking out $10 for a loaf of bread by then.
Ruthless People @ 10:
One dj this morning said that 3 quadrillion pennies stacked on top of each other would reach from here to Saturn!
"One personal injury claim seeks $3 quadrillion"
Not to worry! The Federal Reserve will just print up that $3 quadrillion as they always do. But of course, they will have to chop down every tree in the world to do it.
L.A. Confidential @ 14:
Agreed and that is whats scary. They are doing what Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe has already done and just look at that hyperinflationary situation going on there.
Definition of Schadenfreude: Bush twin raped by KBR employee during night out bar-hopping in Houston.
BobD @ 13:
I'd suggesting reading Harry Shearer's archives at Huffingtonpost.com, as well as his comment strings. Unlike a lot of bloggers, he patiently addresses every bit of troll-generated misinformation on there, and provides helpfull links to documentation of his points.
FEMA Flood sounds snappy, but it draws attention away from the main point. While FEMA's response was and continues to be a disgraceful example of the kind of stumblebum governance and crony capitalism that the Bush whitehouse specializes in (read Harry's reportage on how the multiple levels of politically connected out-of-state subcontractors siphon off most of what little money actually makes it down here) FEMA had nothing to do with the actual failure of the floodwalls, for which the Corp's culpability stretches back through several administrations. The bottom line though, is that they KNEW those cheesey little floodwalls weren't up to spec, but did nothing about it. In fact the Bush administration had recently cut the ACE's allotment by half. Not the total cause of it certainly, but a reckless gamble nontheless. And of course the continued footdragging pays great dividends for Republicans, who have seen a reliably democratic voting bloc in New Orleans scattered to the four winds.
This happened on George W. Bush's watch, through the incompetence and neglegence of an agency under his command. It's time for the Commander Guy to step up and take some 'personal responsibilty.'
Needless to say, we ain't holding our breath down here. Still, it would be nice if people acknowleged the massive investment people here have put in with their own blood sweat and tears to achieve what recovery we have, and stop peddling tired tropes about lazy welfare bums lying around waiting for a handout.
Call your reps about the KBR/ Jamie Leigh Jones case. Let them know you want a full investigation of KBR
Give some $$$
http://www.jamiesfoundation.org/
Don't worry. The Feds have everyones best interest at heart.
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/04/0426_dow/image/2_great_depressio...
BobD @ 15:
I heard it too. NPR. I thought it was a useless factoid. Just imagining that our country's debt is not even 1/300 of that is enough to make me instantly side with the government. Posting that much is just an abuse of the justice system.
BobD @ 15:
Let them roll the pennies themselves.
Nick @ 22:
Go for well above what you would like so what ever percentage the judge reduces it by is what you had in mind to begin with. Which would still be 1/2 the treasury. Everybody's happy!
I will support the lawsuit if I can be named in the class action as a recipient. That way I can get back that "middle class tax cut" Bush swindled me out of when he gave it to the rich.
Why don't one of the dem candidates add a new plank to their happy, smiley-face-for-change platforms?
A signature program to fix New Orleans. Make it you Man-To-the-Moon mission.
Ruthless People @ 23:
I heard they're willing to settle for pennies on the dollar...
Tuesday, it was announced that the Pentagon has declined to investigate (the Jamie Leigh Jones rape case) further. Because, you know, that would mean accountability and justice, and we can’t have any of that under BushCo, can we?
F***!!!
Sorry if I sound pessimistic, but I just don't see anything getting done unless we the people get off our butts and take action ourselves. Does that sound harsh? Sorry.
I just can't see anything getting done unless we get off our collective asses and start helping each other out as well as band together and STAND together. National strikes, boycotts for starters.
Nick @ 22:
NPR Cool, I heard it on The River, a rock station. Was flicking through the channels and heard Katrina Suit and kept listening. either 5,800 or 58,000 times more money than Gates has. Either one boggles the average persons mind. Keep the comparisons simple and maybe Americans will keep talking about it and maybe DC will hear the buzz!
john doheny @ 19:
Unfortunatedly, New Orleans is not only a disgrace in terms of the Bush administration... but also a disgrace in terms of who, we, as a society are.
It takes two to tango: Bush, if he had a shred of both humanity and decency, should have stepped down due to his administration piss poor record handling the catastrophe (although I claim that he should have stepped down right after his initial inaguration, but that is a whole other matter). However, this society, if it had any thing resembling respect for human dignity and social consiciousness... this society, the American people, should have had put enough pressure on Bush to quit and spend the rest of his misserable life either in prison or in constant shaming. Alas, we live in a Randian dystopia...
Bush is responsible for the flooding of New Orleans, because he stole the money slated to rebuild the levees, so he could offset the tax breaks he gave to his super rich friends:
February 2001
Bush’s first budget proposed more than half a billion dollars worth of cuts to the Army Corps of Engineers for the 2002 fiscal year. Bush proposed half of what his own officials said was necessary for the critical Southeast Louisiana Flood Control Project (SELA)—a project started after a 1995 rainstorm flooded 25,000 homes and caused a half billion dollars in damage
February 2002
The president unveiled his new budget. Bush provided just $5 million for maintaining and upgrading critical hurricane protection levees in New Orleans—one fifth of what government experts and Republican elected officials in Louisiana told the administration was needed. Bush knew SELA needed $80 million to keep working, but the he only proposed providing a quarter of that.
February 2004
The SELA project sought $100 million to strengthen the levees holding back the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, but Bush offered only $16.5 million. The Army Corps of Engineers asked for $27 million to pay for hurricane protection upgrades around Lake Pontchartrain—but the White House cut that to $3.9 million. Gaps in levees around Lake Pontchartrain, which were supposed to be filled by 2004, were not filled because of budget shortfalls.
May 25, 2007
Donald Powell, recovery chief for the Gulf Coast, publicly stated, "the federal government is responsible for this hurricane damage because of the failure of the levee system.” This is the very first statement ever out of the White House that accepts responsibility for the failure of the federal flood protection system in Louisiana.
BobD @ 15:
But ... wouldnt gravity make the stack .... nevermind ...
earl @ 33:
When I first posted I was going to make the same comment but bit my tongue as well! The Letterman thread has this great link to a video about coins. http://blueherald.com/2008/01/turn-in-your-coins/ maybe they need the coins to pay their legal bills?
My God...the United States has become so pathetic.
3,014, 170, 389, 176,410.No figure can come close to the damage these cretins have done to the human spirit. This country seems to have lost its soul.
Now that is rich, isn't it? Bush is calling for an end to occupation of Arab land by Israel. Read that again. Wow. Just f'ing wow.
jr @ 9:
indeed we are.
since the 80's, and no it is proof positive that neoliberalism is a huge, monumental failure.
You loons are just too funny. Keep up the good work. I need a good laugh every day.
Samson- @ 38:
stray words...
should have been:
and it is proof positive that neoliberalism is a huge, monumental failure.
earl @ 33:
Like global warming and evolution Republicans don't believe in gravity.
Samson- @ 40:
Ruthless People @ 42:
Whereas neoconservatism has been a huge success across the board!
Finally got the link to work on this @#$%^&* computer. I usually hang on every word that Keith utters, but this time he said things most of us know. The quadrillion was something that was new to me. Is there that much money in the world?
Ruthless People @ 43:
:-)
yeah, not the best track record for the neocon movement (understatement of the year) either.
military imperialism or economic neocolonialism... howzabout neither?
32 azureblue... well said! It's true that the Bu$h Dog-and-Pony Show is at direct fault on this topic. Thanks too to john doheny for his thoughts and prose. It's pathetic that this can happen and not only that, but for those folks to have to put up with being totally ignored by those who created this fiasco. It's totally effed up!
ConcernedCanuck @ 37:
you said it! Effing WOW!! That guy (Bu$h) is mentally ill.
Ruthless People @ 41:
To quote the great Bill Hicks:
"You know the world's 12 thousand years old and dinosaurs existed, they existed in that time, you'd think it would have been mentioned in the fucking Bible at some point. "And lo Jesus and the disciples walked to Nazareth. But the trail was blocked by a giant brontosaurus... with a splinter in his paw. And O the disciples did run a shriekin': 'What a big fucking lizard, Lord!' But Jesus was unafraid and he took the splinter from the brontosaurus's paw and the big lizard became his friend. And Jesus sent him to Scotland where he lived in a loch for O so many years inviting thousands of American tourists to bring their fat fucking families and their fat dollar bills.And oh Scotland did praise the Lord. Thank you Lord, thank you Lord. Thank you Lord."
With the way inflation is going, in a few short years, $3 quadrillion will buy you a top of the line computer, and $6 trillion will buy you a loaf of bread. See? The guy is just thinking ahead.
Blue Lensman @ 3:
That's easy man. All that have to do is type the amount on a computer terminal. That how we've been comming up with all of this money ,just print it!!
And some of you call Paul nuts because he likes a gold/silver standard.
Anyway getting off topic.
BUSH = worst president in history, not by mistake, but by design.
rain @ 44:
Not in U.S. dollars. At least, not yet. If the Federal Reserve continues with their warped monetary policies, we might just see that and more. Just to compare, this might be what $3 quadrillion might look like: $3,000,000,000,000,000.00
Impeach. Please?
Blue Buddha @ 49:
I can't argue with that. Several years ago, I bought a Yugoslavian 500 billion dinar note for about $10 as a novelty. Yugoslavia as everyone knows, had one of the worst cases of hyperinflation in history (1993-1995). If he is planning ahead, maybe he should be buying commodities like gold, silver and the like instead of trying to get dollars that continue to devalue.
laughing at you @ 39:
I don't usually feed the trolls, but I've got a question for you (if you're still lurking): If the demise of the United States gives you a good chuckle, what makes you sad?
TIA.
Take those Katrina personal injury claims from the Bush family personal fortune, since the American taxpayers certainly didn't screw up the levies or the rebuilding (non) efforts. Then they can all get in line for mortgages and at Dollar General like most of America.
Litabell @ 54:
Lifting an ice cream cone to his mouth to take a look, but going too far north and splattering in on his forehead.
take a lick, not a look.
Samson- @ 38:
Sorry, I thing you meant to say, "a huge, monumental success." They've accomplished many of their goals. They're winning, we're losing.
~ keep up the pace !! the world needs you guy's to stay on it !
Love and best wishes from Australia !
IMPEACH BUSH AND CHENEY !!
It is at the point now where investigations are not doing any good under this administration anyhow.
We need to just keep track of all of these violations and put them on hold until we get this bitch out of office and then lower the boom on not only his ass, but these cheap justices in robes also.
We the people need to demand from our new President, a team of independent investigators to review all of these violations and illegal practices, as well as over turn much of the shit this ass hole has done and wash all of it in his nasty ass face when we get his ass out of office.
So I quess if the guys at KBR don't have any laws applied to them than neither should Ms Jones. If Ms Jones decides to take the law into her own hands everyone should just look the other way if it gets a little nasty.
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