Arms Control Center talks about Tactical Nuke in Baghdad

Dispite the silence from the Pentagon, people are still talking about the video of the explosion in Baghdad earlier this month that had the telltale bright flash of light, rising column of fire and mushroom cloud.

According to the Arms Control Center (www.armsControlCenter.org) a "Tactical" nuclear weapon differs from a "strategic" nuclear weapon as follows:

"Strategic Nuclear Weapons" are the largest warheads, over 1 Megaton (1 million tons of TNT) in yield, with the highest yield blasts, designed to destroy entire cities or hardened military targets.

"Tactical Nuclear Weapons" are smaller warheads, with low yields from 0.1 to Kiloton (100 Tons of TNT) to 1 Megaton (1 million tons of TNT) designed to be used ON A BATTLEFIELD in a specific theater of operations. Hence, Tactical Nuclear Weapons create a much smaller blast, much lower blast area and far smaller blast wave (wind).

The Arms Control Center also says Tactical Nuclear Weapons can be as small as an artillery shell.

The explosion in the video seems to indicate exactly that type of tactical nuclear explosion. The brilliant white flash is key to making this identification. As seen in the video, the flash was far more spectacular (by a factor
of 100) and lasted far longer than any and all other explosions at the ammo dump. This fits what one would
expect to see with a 0.1 Kiloton tacical nuclear detonation.

Morgan Spurlock Making Sense

Did Tactical Nukes or Daisycutters Explode in Baghdad?

That seems to be the question of the year.

More footage by U.S. soldiers. This is good quality. The soldiers in the video don't even seem to know exactly what is exploding in front of them. You can hear them asking repeatedly what kind of ordinance was in there.

"That shockwave almost knocked me off my feet." - U.S. Soldier in background.

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"This shit is just beginning man." - U.S. Soldier & Cameraman

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"It would be a damn miracle if nobody gets hurt." - U.S. Soldier #1

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"Well, looks like we will be getting few more squads in." - U.S. Soldier #1

"To do what?" U.S. Soldier #2

"Stand around and look at flames." U.S. Soldier #1

These are truly the stakes.

The Camp Falcon Coverup

Did a Tactical Nuke go off in southern Baghdad on October 10th? Or was it a Dasiycutter that went off in the city?

This is possibly the biggest story of the year and most Americans won't hear a peep about it out of the Corporate American Media.

I have often wondered just how desperate the Republicans are right now. What lengths would they go to in order to preserve their power in the coming election?

We already know about the gerrymandering, and the crooked secretaries of state who are bought and paid for by republicans and their corporate masters. We know about Choicepoint, Inc. and the lists of votes that were thrown out.

But if we were attacked and the situation in Iraq has taken a serious turn for the worse, would they try to cover it up? For instance, if we had an Ammo dump in Baghdad attacked and a tactical nuke was detonated during that attack, would they tell the American people? Or would they clam up and hope nobody noticed?

If this breaking story is true, then it is going to be HUGE.

On October 10th, Iraqi insurgents launched at attack described as "one of the most sustained and ferocious mortar and rocket attacks in three years."

During this attack, the insurgents blew up an Ammo Dump at Camp Falcon. It was the largest U.S. Ammo dump in Iraq and reportedly contained some depleated Uranium and Chemical weapons. The size of some explosions have led to suspisions there were also tactical nukes or possibly daisycutters in that dump as well. The Pentagon initially reported no casualties but Arabic News Services have reported 9 cargo planes of casualties were unloaded at the al-Habbaniyah military hospital.

Pictures and video that have made it to the Internet show huge explosions that reportedly lasted three hours. Some pictures show explosions so large that from miles away it turned the night into day.

Here is a Video of the Explosions from an Arabic News Service. At 3:57 in the video there is a huge explosion and mushroom cloud. What the hell is going on over there?!?!



Here is a timeline of the story so far, titled Camp Falcon, What Really Happened?

The U.S. government is being unusually quiet about an attack of this magnitude, and as usual the corporate U.S. media is following suit and not asking any questions.
Fortunately, information is getting out via foreign and independant news agencies.

I will post more as more information comes out.

Catchy Nancy Skinner Ad

The Ads the Democrats Should be Running

These are fantastic.

Better,


Our Country,


Medicine,


And Finally one for Halloween,

The Infameous Corker Racist Ad

What is the RNC thinking? They are airing this slimy ad in Tennessee, against Harold Ford, Jr. The racist overtones are really hard to miss. There is one segment of the ad that feels like an old Sesame Street segment "One of these things doesn't belong here".



Every segment with someone talking on the street had something to do with public policy except one.

The apparently naked white woman claiming to have had sex with the cantidate who also just happens to be a black man... hmmmm...

What public policy does that address exactly?

Harold Ford Jr. put out this in response to the nastiness of the campaign being waged against him.



There is something I am missing in this story because I don't know what he meant by "I love my family and I won't speak ill of them."

Something That Really Touched Me

On October 2nd, Carl Roberts IV walked into an Amish Schoolhouse in Lancaster, PA, killed five young school girls, injured five others and then shot himself.

Carl Roberts IV was not Amish. He did not have anything against the Amish as a people. He chose them because he rightly thought they made an easy target. That’s the catch-22 of pacifism; it makes you an easy target and thus can attract trouble. He had some kind of fixation on young girls and he targeted these girls to take out his pent up frustration on. Mr. Roberts was obviously severely mentally fucked up.

The thing that has gotten to me was the reaction of the Amish people.

Before they even buried their children, they publicly forgave the man who lined their daughters up against a chalkboard, tied their feet together and shot them one at a time, execution style.

Damn.

I found that deeply touching.

But then... they did what really got to me.

As letters, flowers and donations started pouring in from all over the world, the Amish Elders set up a committee to decide how that money should best be spent.

One of the first things they did was set up a fund for the wife and children of the man who committed this horrendous offense against them.

These people exemplified precisely what Jesus really taught.

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.
- Luke 6:27-30

A lot of Conservative Christians like to talk about how America was founded on Christian principles but in my opinion nothing has exposed how far we have strayed from them more than these simple people and their generous acts of kindness.

Can you imagine a different universe where, on September 12th 2001 our President would have gotten on TV and forgiven the men who hijacked and crashed those planes and then announced an aid package for the families of the men who committed the attack?

Can you imagine how, in the real world, those same Christian Conservatives (along with most Americans) would have attacked any President who dared even consider such a reaction to 9-11?

Anybody who has ever been a victim of any violent crime can relate in some tiny way, to what it takes emotionally, to be capable of such forgiveness.

I think this is an example to aspire to.

ROFLMFAO!!!

Only a true computer nerd is gonna get this. My favorite part is the very end. "I am root!"

TV Ads the DNC Should Be Running

DailyKos has a link to some great parodies of the apple vs pc ads. They are doing Republicans vs Democrats and they are hilareous!

Baghdad Burning is Back

Riverbend, a girl blogger in Iraq, is finally back after a long absence from blogging to talk about the Lancet study.

The latest horror is the study published in the Lancet Journal concluding that over 600,000 Iraqis have been killed since the war. Reading about it left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, it sounded like a reasonable figure. It wasn't at all surprising. On the other hand, I so wanted it to be wrong. But... who to believe? Who to believe....? American politicians... or highly reputable scientists using a reliable scientific survey technique?

The responses were typical- war supporters said the number was nonsense because, of course, who would want to admit that an action they so heartily supported led to the deaths of 600,000 people (even if they were just crazy Iraqis…)? Admitting a number like that would be the equivalent of admitting they had endorsed, say, a tsunami, or an earthquake with a magnitude of 9 on the Richter scale, or the occupation of a developing country by a ruthless superpower… oh wait- that one actually happened. Is the number really that preposterous? Thousands of Iraqis are dying every month- that is undeniable. And yes, they are dying as a direct result of the war and occupation (very few of them are actually dying of bliss, as war-supporters and Puppets would have you believe).

For American politicians and military personnel, playing dumb and talking about numbers of bodies in morgues and official statistics, etc, seems to be the latest tactic. But as any Iraqi knows, not every death is being reported. As for getting reliable numbers from the Ministry of Health or any other official Iraqi institution, that's about as probable as getting a coherent, grammatically correct sentence from George Bush- especially after the ministry was banned from giving out correct mortality numbers. So far, the only Iraqis I know pretending this number is outrageous are either out-of-touch Iraqis abroad who supported the war, or Iraqis inside of the country who are directly benefiting from the occupation ($) and likely living in the Green Zone.

R.I.P HABEUS CORPUS

Keith Olbermann nailed it again tonight. Republicans have succeeded in their dream of destroying the Constitution.

Ask yourself:

If you are pulled off the street tomorrow, and they call you an "unlawful enemy combatant" — exactly how are you going to convince them to give you a court hearing to prove you are not?

Thoughts on North Korea

When it comes to the secretive and nefarious North Korea, intelligence is limited. We should take every opprotunity to listen to someone who might know what he is talking about.

Hwang Jang Yop is the highest-ranking North Korean government official ever to defect to South Korea. He defected in 1997 at the age of 74. He was a high level official in the North Korean government who knew it's leader, Kim Jong Il personally for years. And he does not like Kim Jong Il. He has even described him as a "Devil".

He is described thusly:

He had been close to the country's founder, Kim Il Sung, the father of Kim Jong Il, and is often described as the younger Kim's former mentor. Hwang is also widely seen as the intellectual architect of the North's "juche" philosophy of self sufficiency.

Mr Hwang has known for a long time that North Korea has nuclear ambitions. He claimed that they signed a deal with Pakistan in 1996 for Uranium technology.

Mr. Hwang has also said that North Korea "Cannot use" Nuclear Weapons because they were only "intended as a threat".

That means that the Republicans' current policy of treating North Korea as a threat is playing right into their hands and legitimizing their quest for nuclear weapons.

Mr. Hwang says that "Six Party Talks are useless" with North Korea and that "sanctions won't work" because they won't hurt Kim Jong Il.

According to Hwang, the key to ending the North Korean threat is... China.

China is the last remaining ally and main aid donor to its impoverished neighbor, but their relations have been strained by Beijing's support of the U.N. resolution. Still, Beijing succeeded in blocking an even tougher one pushed by the U.S. and Japan.

"No Chinese officials like the North Korean leader, but they keep him in power," Hwang said, adding that Kim's regime serves Beijing's interests by helping keep U.S. influence in the region at bay.

Democrats Detail Solutions

Nancy Skinner, Democratic Candidate for Congress, wrote another fantastic piece, detailing her plan to revitalize America's economy, save our outsourced manufacturing base and significantly reduce factors that worsen global warming, all at the SAME TIME!

Meanwhile Republicans continued to stumble around, pointing fingers and making toothless threats.

Ask yourself next month, who would you rather see lead?

Democrats who have a plan to reverse our downward spiral...

or Republicans who can't decide if they want to "stay the course" or "Cut and run."

Republican Poster Child - Mike Tyson!?!

You Know You Are Desperate For Endorsements When...

If I were running for anything the last person I would want endorsing me is a convicted rapist known for biting ears off his opponents.

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio // U.S. Senate candidate Michael S. Steele garnered support from an unlikely source Monday -- former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.

At the news conference in Ohio, where he will return to the ring Friday night, Tyson wore a white-and-blue "Steele for U.S. Senate" T-shirt as he posed for photos with fans and signed autographs.

Mike Shared his expert knowledge of politics with the press:

Tyson said he used to believe black Republicans were "sellouts," but he said he changed his mind after researching the Maryland lieutenant governor.

Mike's epiphany that led him to support a Republican also leads him to believe it is now ok to fight women.

At a news conference at an Italian restaurant, Tyson said he would likely go just four rounds and that future stops on the tour might include bouts with women, possibly professional boxer Ann Wolfe.

When asked if he was joking about fighting women, Tyson said, "I'm very serious."

Republican Pleads Guilty to Bribery

This is not a good year for Republicans. All their chickens seem to be coming home to roost at once.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges in the congressional investigation into corruption and bribery involving disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to the Justice Department.

Robert F Kennedy Jr Endorses Nancy Skinner

Nancy Skinner's new campaign ad highlights the fact she is running on a platform of solutions and innovative ideas. All "Toilet" Joe Knollenburg has to offer, on every subject, is "Do nothing and we will be ok."

Nancy Skinner For Alternative Fuels

Nancy makes the argument that alternative fuels are possible, but we have to make an effort. This is from 2003 during her anti-SUV campaign. She proposes to take back the welfare money our government currently pays to the oil industry and invest that into making fuel cells viable in the near future, rather then the distant future.

Conservatism is a Mental Illness

I knew it!

A study funded by the US government has concluded that conservatism can be explained psychologically as a set of neuroses rooted in "fear and aggression, dogmatism and the intolerance of ambiguity".

Solving the Korean Stalemate, One Step at a Time

More solutions from Democrats.

While the rightwingers wring their hands, point their fingers and make blustering threats.

By JIMMY CARTER
Published: October 11, 2006

In 1994 the North Koreans expelled inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency and were threatening to process spent nuclear fuel into plutonium, giving them the ability to produce nuclear weapons.

With the risk of war on the Korean Peninsula, there was a consensus that the forces of South Korea and the United States could overwhelmingly defeat North Korea. But it was also known that North Korea could quickly launch more than 20,000 shells and missiles into nearby Seoul. The American commander in South Korea, Gen. Gary Luck, estimated that total casualties would far exceed those of the Korean War.

Responding to an invitation from President Kim Il-sung of North Korea, and with the approval of President Bill Clinton, I went to Pyongyang and negotiated an agreement under which North Korea would cease its nuclear program at Yongbyon and permit inspectors from the atomic agency to return to the site to assure that the spent fuel was not reprocessed. It was also agreed that direct talks would be held between the two Koreas.

The spent fuel (estimated to be adequate for a half-dozen bombs) continued to be monitored, and extensive bilateral discussions were held. The United States assured the North Koreans that there would be no military threat to them, that it would supply fuel oil to replace the lost nuclear power and that it would help build two modern atomic power plants, with their fuel rods and operation to be monitored by international inspectors. The summit talks resulted in South Korean President Kim Dae-jung earning the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for his successful efforts to ease tensions on the peninsula.

But beginning in 2002, the United States branded North Korea as part of an axis of evil, threatened military action, ended the shipments of fuel oil and the construction of nuclear power plants and refused to consider further bilateral talks. In their discussions with me at this time, North Korean spokesmen seemed convinced that the American positions posed a serious danger to their country and to its political regime.

Responding in its ill-advised but predictable way, Pyongyang withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, expelled atomic energy agency inspectors, resumed processing fuel rods and began developing nuclear explosive devices.

Six-nation talks finally concluded in an agreement last September that called for North Korea to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and for the United States and North Korea to respect each other’s sovereignty, exist peacefully together and take steps to normalize relations. Each side subsequently claimed that the other had violated the agreement. The United States imposed severe financial sanctions and Pyongyang adopted the deeply troubling nuclear option.

The current military situation is similar but worse than it was a decade ago: we can still destroy North Korea’s army, but if we do it is likely to result in many more than a million South Korean and American casualties.

If and when it is confirmed that the recent explosion in North Korea was nuclear, the international community will once again be faced with difficult choices.

One option, the most likely one, is to try to force Pyongyang’s leaders to abandon their nuclear program with military threats and a further tightening of the embargoes, increasing the suffering of its already starving people. Two important facts must be faced: Kim Jong-il and his military leaders have proven themselves almost impervious to outside pressure, and both China and South Korea have shown that they are reluctant to destabilize the regime. This approach is also more likely to stimulate further nuclear weapons activity.

The other option is to make an effort to put into effect the September denuclearization agreement, which the North Koreans still maintain is feasible. The simple framework for a step-by-step agreement exists, with the United States giving a firm and direct statement of no hostile intent, and moving toward normal relations if North Korea forgoes any further nuclear weapons program and remains at peace with its neighbors. Each element would have to be confirmed by mutual actions combined with unimpeded international inspections.

Although a small nuclear test is a far cry from even a crude deliverable bomb, this second option has become even more difficult now, but it is unlikely that the North Koreans will back down unless the United States meets this basic demand. Washington’s pledge of no direct talks could be finessed through secret discussions with a trusted emissary like former Secretary of State Jim Baker, who earlier this week said, “It’s not appeasement to talk to your enemies.”

What must be avoided is to leave a beleaguered nuclear nation convinced that it is permanently excluded from the international community, its existence threatened, its people suffering horrible deprivation and its hard-liners in total control of military and political policy.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president, is the founder of the Carter Center and the winner of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize.

Jeb Bush Goes into the Closet

This is too funny. The heat is on. The President's brother is not a popular person and he doesn't keep very popular friends.

By now, Mr. Bush was cornered. He was surrounded by signs that said "Pittsburgh is a Santorum Free Zone," "Honk if you're sick of Rick," and a crowd growing increasingly louder, according to Mr. Vandenburgh...

As a precaution, the governor was ushered into a T-station supply closet and stayed there until the crowd left.

The Democrats' Positive Message

100Actions.com has a post called "Spread Our Positive Message" that's worth checking out...

It's not enough to harp on unethical and incompetent Republican behavior. Remind your friends and family of the Democratic Agenda and the many reasons to vote for Democrats this fall.

Below are seven of the planned positive changes Democrats plan to make:

1. Double the size of Special Forces to destroy Osama Bin Laden and terrorist networks like al Qaeda.

2. Implement the bipartisan 9/11 Commission proposal to secure America’s borders and ports and screen 100% of containers.

3. Prohibit the Congressional pay raise until the nation's minimum wage is raised.

4. Make college tuition deductible from taxes, permanently. Cut student loan interest rates. Expand Pell Grants.

5. Pass initiatives for energy-efficient technologies and domestic alternatives such as biofuels.

6. Fix the Medicare prescription drug program, putting seniors first by negotiating lower drug prices and ending wasteful giveaways to drug companies and HMOs.

7. Promote stem cell research that offers real hope to millions of American families who suffer from devastating diseases.

Nancy Skinner for Congress

You Know Your Campaign is Going Badly When...

This is like Christmas in October.

The Backstory:

On September 15, 2004, a woman locked herself inside the bathroom of Sherwood's Washington, D.C. apartment, and called 911 to report she was assaulted. When police arrived, the woman, Cynthia Ore, accused Sherwood of choking her, though he maintained he was only giving her a backrub. No charges were filed because both Sherwood and Ore refused to provide any details.

The details of that incident went unnoticed until 2005, when Veronica Hannevig, who ran against Sherwood on the Constitution Party ticket in 2004, distributed a copy of the police report to several newspapers and television stations. Sherwood initially contended that Ore was merely a "casual acquaintance". [1] He eventually admitted he had a five-year extramarital affair with Ore, but denied abusing her. [2]

Ore later filed a $5.5 million lawsuit against Sherwood, accusing him of repeatedly assaulting her during their relationship. [3] On November 8, 2005, Sherwood and Ore ended the lawsuit by reaching a settlement, the terms of which were not released.

The Ore incident damaged Sherwood’s standing with some Republicans. In April 2006, Martha Rainville, a Republican running for the U.S. House seat in Vermont, announced that she would return a campaign contribution from Sherwood’s political action committee. She cited her belief in "strong family values". [4] But Sherwood received strong support from Republican leaders for the 2006 Republican primary in his district

The Plot in PageGate Thickens

Hastert only has days to save his job.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, under fire for his handling of the Foley page scandal, may have just one or two days to turn the affair around–or quiet it– or face being forced to step aside, say senior GOP House and party officials.

--------------------------------------------------

Congressman Tom Reynolds, who has been accused of covering up about Mark Foley's predatory practices, tried to hide behind a group of children today to avoid questions about the Foley scandal.

"Reporter: Congressman, do you mind asking the children to leave the room so we can have a frank discussion of this, because it's an adult topic. It just doesn't seem appropriate to me.

Reynolds: I'll take your questions, but I'm not going to ask any of my supporters to leave.

Reporter: Who are the children, Congressman? Who are these children?

Reynolds: Pardon me?

Reporter: Who are these children?

Reynolds: Well, a number of them are from the community. There are several of the "thirtysomething" set that are here and uh I've known them and I've known their children as they were born.

Reporter: Do you think it's appropriate for them to be listening to the subject matter though?

Reynolds: Sir, I'll be happy to answer your questions, I'm still, uh…"

----------------------------------------------
And if you think that is shameful, then check this out:
Matt Drudge blamed the victims. He said the pages were "egging the congressman on".

"And if anything, these kids are less innocent — these 16 and 17 year-old beasts…and I've seen what they're doing on YouTube and I've seen what they're doing all over the internet — oh yeah — you just have to tune into any part of their pop culture. You're not going to tell me these are innocent babies. Have you read the transcripts that ABC posted going into the weekend of these instant messages, back and forth? The kids are egging the Congressman on! The kids are trying to get this out of him. We haven't got the whole story on this."

Cafferty asks, "What Are We Becoming?"

He says it so well:

Cafferty: President Bush is trying to pardon himself. Here's the deal: Under the War Crimes Act, violations of the Geneva Conventions are felonies, in some cases punishable by death. When the Supreme Court ruled that the Geneva Convention applied to al Qaeda and Taliban detainees, President Bush and his boys were suddenly in big trouble. They've been working these prisoners over pretty good. In an effort to avoid possible prosecution they're trying to cram this bill through Congress before the end of the week before Congress adjourns. The reason there's such a rush to do this? If the Democrats get control of the House in November this kind of legislation probably wouldn't pass.

Republicans Protected Pedo-Foley!!!

There have been some very disturbing updates in the Pedo-Foley Scandal, the latest scandal to rock the Republians.

Also, turns out pages were being warned about Foley as early as 2001.

There have been more and more examples of what Foley actually said coming out and many of them are "too graphic to be broadcast."

Screw it, I'll publish it. This is what blogs are for!

Get a load of some of the CREEPY messages, from Congressman Foley to a 16 year old Page:

Maf54 (7:37:27 PM): how my favorite young stud doing
Maf54 (7:39:32 PM): you need a massage
Maf54 (7:46:33 PM): did any girl give you a haand job this weekend
Maf54 (7:48:00 PM): did you spank it this weekend yourself
Maf54 (7:54:31 PM): where do you unload it
Maf54 (7:55:02 PM): completely naked?
Maf54 (7:55:51 PM): cute butt bouncing in the air
Maf54 (7:58:37 PM): well I have aa totally stiff wood now
Maf54 (7:59:48 PM): is your little guy limp…or growing
Maf54 (8:00:12 PM): so you got a stiff one now

Turns out Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert has known for quite some time that Foley was compromised, but he did nothing because he didn't want to risk losing that seat.

Yes, that is right, he protected a potential pedophile purely to maintain politcial power.

It's good to see Reid and Pelosi displaying some Cahones for a change.

Even people I wouldn't normally expect to speak up about this are coming out hard with the condemnation of the Republcians for this disgusting protection of a homosexual pedophile.

How is this for Creepy?

H.R.5749
Title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect youth from exploitation by adults using the Internet, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Foley, Mark [FL-16] (introduced 7/10/2006)

ABC aired a segment about this scandal:

Nancy Skinner on Flashpoint this Morning

Nancy Skinner did a great job on Flashpoint this morning! She was articulate, forceful and stayed on message.

Good Job Nancy!

.