At least 38 Million US citizens watched Obama acceptance speech, topping Olympics

Via TPM:

(38 million is the) estimate of how many people watched Obama’s acceptance speech last night, according to Nielsen — and that doesn’t include people who watched on PBS or C-Span.

That’s more Americans than watched the Olympics opening ceremony, the season finale of American Idol, or the Oscars. TPM Election Central

That number also doesn’t include people who watched in on the Web, like I did.

“Up is down” for McCain just as much as it is/was for Bush

I really implore you to watch the two following videos (30 seconds, and 1:44 min to spare?) to understand just how much McCain is like Bush:

The latest McCain ad:

Here is what Obama actually said during the Speech the ad “quotes”:

The one thing I find most troublesome about the Bush administration is that it has proven over and over again that it has no problem whatsoever to twist the facts to further its own agenda. Iraq and its non-existent WMD is the biggest example for this tactic, but there are countless others.

For McCain to run an ad that completely and intentionally distorts such easily veriffiable facts shows he has as little qualms about lying to get what he wants as Bush did.

Rice asks Plaestinians to come back to the table

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called on Palestinians to resume peace talks with Israel, on the eve of her latest Middle East visit. BBC

Right. Because the US has never taken a side in this before:

Benefits to Israel of U.S. Aid
Since 1949 (As of November 1, 1997)

Foreign Aid Grants and Loans
$74,157,600,000

Other U.S. Aid (12.2% of Foreign Aid)
$9,047,227,200

Interest to Israel from Advanced Payments
$1,650,000,000

Grand Total
$84,854,827,200

Total Benefits per Israeli
$14,630 link

And some newer numbers from Dec 2002:

Since 1973, Israel has cost the United States about $1.6 trillion. If divided by today’s population, that is more than $5,700 per person.

This is an estimate by Thomas Stauffer, a consulting economist in Washington. For decades, his analyses of the Middle East scene have made him a frequent thorn in the side of the Israel lobby.

For the first time in many years, Mr. Stauffer has tallied the total cost to the US of its backing of Israel in its drawn-out, violent dispute with the Palestinians. So far, he figures, the bill adds up to more than twice the cost of the Vietnam War.
Christian Science Monitor

That’s about 1/3 of all foreign aid spend by the US.

U.N. Security Council urges end of Gaza violence

The U.N. Security Council on Sunday urged Israel and Palestinian militants to cease all violence in Gaza after the U.N. secretary-general condemned what he called Israel’s “excessive” use of force. (…)

“Members of the Security Council are deeply concerned about the loss of civilian life in southern Israel and Gaza and condemn the escalation of violence,” the council said in a statement read by Russian Ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, the council’s current president.

“These events underscore the need for all parties to immediately cease all acts of violence,” the statement said. Reuters

Plaestinian leader Abbas breaks contact with Israel citing mass killings

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has suspended contact with Israel in protest at an assault on Gaza which has killed about 100 people, an aide says.

The suspension came amid angry demonstrations in Gaza and clashes with Israeli troops in the West Bank.

Israeli PM Ehud Olmert vowed to carry on the assault, which came in response to militant rocket attacks on Israel.

The violence intensified on Saturday, when nearly 70 people were killed in one of Gaza’s bloodiest days in years.

This all “started” because a rocket fired from what is jokingly called Palestine into Israel, killing a 40-year old jewish man. So the going rate apparently is one 44-year old jew against 100 Palestinians, including women and children.

Scores die in raids on Gaza

Israel’s military killed at least 54 Palestinians yesterday - almost half of them civilians, including four children - in its most violent assault on the Gaza Strip since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power last June. The latest deaths bring to more than 80 the number of Palestinians killed since a rocket fired from inside Gaza killed a 44-year-old Israeli in the town of Sderot last week. Two Israeli soldiers also died in the fighting.

The latest bloodshed comes as an Observer investigation revealed how Israel is again deliberately obstructing the transfer of urgent medical cases for treatment outside Gaza in the latest extension of its policy of collective punishment of Palestinians.Guardian

Israel warns of invasion of Gaza

Israel’s deputy defence minister has said it will be left with “no choice” but to invade Gaza, if Palestinian militants step up rocket attacks.

Matan Vilnai said the Palestinians risked a big disaster - using the Hebrew word for the Holocaust.

Mr Vilnai said Israel would use all its might to defend itself, after rockets hit the city of Ashkelon, 10km (six miles) from Gaza. BBC

Al Jazeera turns 10

They grow up so fast. Soon it will be a teenager and will start to be difficult: Middle-eastern news station Al Jazeera is turning 10 years old today. link

For a peek behind the scenes at this extraordinary network, watch the documentary Control Room. It’s quite good.

UN denounces Israel cluster bombs

The UN’s humanitarian chief has accused Israel of “completely immoral” use of cluster bombs in Lebanon.
UN clearance experts had so far found 100,000 unexploded cluster bomblets at 359 separate sites, Jan Egeland said. BBC

I’d like to add that those are Made in the USAâ„¢ cluster bombs.

Makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, doesn’t it? Or maybe that’s just that piece of shrapnel that shredded your intestines on the way to school courtesy of the Military Industrial Complex of the good old U.S. of A.

South Lebanese warned of strikes

It’s escalating. And that’s their word, not mine:

Israel has warned residents of southern Lebanon that it will escalate operations there as it continues its campaign against Hezbollah militants. BBC

Or else!

Not a resolution yet, only a draft:

The US and France have agreed the wording of a UN resolution to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

It calls for a “full cessation of hostilities”, demanding that Hezbollah halt all attacks and Israel stop all offensive military operations. BBC

It’s also unclear what would happen if either Israel (never!) or Hezbollah break the ceasefire. Is either side going to be sent to their room without dinner? I mean how much worse than all out war can it get?

Israel bombs Lebanese highway

Israel today extended its assault on Lebanon, making its first major attack on the Christian heartland north of Beirut and destroying four key bridges providing a vital aid supply route.

The Israeli air force strikes severed Lebanon’s last significant road link to Syria, stopped a convoy carrying 150 tonnes of relief and cut what the UN called its “umbilical cord” for aid supplies.
Guardian (emphasis added)

100,000 March Against U.S. and Israel in Baghdad

Not part of the plan, I take it? (Of course not. We all know there isn’t even a plan. This is the Bush administration we’re talking about here.)

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 4 — More than 100,000 followers of the Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr marched today to show support for Hezbollah, denouncing Israel and the United States for the violence in Lebanon.

The protesters filled 20 blocks of a wide boulevard and dozens of side streets in the Shiite-dominated Sadr City section of the capital. New York Times

Israel to widen air and ground raids in Lebanon

The Israeli army has been told to prepare for a possible advance in what could be its deepest incursion into Lebanon for more than 20 years.

The defence minister’s order could see the army push up to the Litani river, about 30km (19 miles) north of the border, in pursuit of Hezbollah. BBC

Guardian: Israel bombs Lebanese highway, cutting it off from outside world

Israeli aircraft bombed southern Beirut last night and today launched raids on the highway north of the city, threatening to cut Lebanon’s only remaining link with the outside world. Guardian

All part of operation Without Thinking Twice, I take it?

Before and after images of Beirut

Via the New York Times:

More detailed view here.

NYT: Bush’s Embrace of Israel Shows Gap With Father

The NY Time has a very interesting story on how Bush Jr’s “foreign policy” differs from his father, particularly in reepsect to Israel:

When they first met as United States president and Israeli prime minister, George W. Bush made clear to Ariel Sharon he would not follow in the footsteps of his father.

The first President Bush had been tough on Israel, especially the Israeli settlements in occupied lands that Mr. Sharon had helped develop. But over tea in the Oval Office that day in March 2001 — six months before the Sept. 11 attacks tightened their bond — the new president signaled a strong predisposition to support Israel.

“He told Sharon in that first meeting that I’ll use force to protect Israel, which was kind of a shock to everybody,” said one person present, given anonymity to speak about a private conversation. “It was like, ‘Whoa, where did that come from?’ “

(…) “The current approach simply is not leading toward a solution to the crisis, or even a winding down of the crisis,” said Richard N. Haass, who advised the first President Bush on the Middle East and worked as a senior State Department official in the current president’s first term. “There are times at which a hands-off policy can be justified. It’s not obvious to me that this is one of them.”New York Times (emphasis added)

When a guy whose nickname is “The Butcher of Beirut” makes more sense than the US president you know you’re in trouble. Just in case you were wondering.

Olmert says fighting will go on

It’s official. Israel will not stop before it has cleansed liberated the areas it now holds and/or is invading of Hezbollah with the help of international peacekeepers. (link)

Right. Because that worked so well in Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq and… wait for it… Israel. Where do I sign up?

And you know Theyâ„¢ are eyeing Iran:

Hezbollah militants have claimed they used a new type of rocket for the attack - a Khaibar-1, thought by the Israelis to be a modified Iranian Fajr-5, which has a longer range than the Katyusha rockets they usually fire into Israel. BBC

How convenient. Unless of course wars aren’t you thing.

The story so far

Thousands of Israeli troops pushed into Lebanon on a wider front on Tuesday after the Israeli cabinet decided to widen its offensive, aiming to push Hezbollah back from the border before a cease-fire is declared and a multinational force is deployed there. New York Times

Or in other words:

Israel starts a war of convenience (see Iraq, Bush, and Blair for more on the subject) and not only doesn’t care what the world thinks, it also expects the world to come to its rescue. You know…, because it’s Israel.

(uncomfortable silence)

(my personal opinion), oh and Thom’s too

Thom Yorke:

ive had enough of this

our government sitting on the fence with the US while world war 3 appears
to be breaking out in Lebanon and Northern Israel.

we must throw Tony Blair our of office NOW.

he does not represent the views of the british people.

he does not represent the views of his foreign office and officials.

he does not even represent the views of those in his cabinet.

he cares far too much about his relationship with Bush, and Murdoch.

this man is not fit to be our prime minister.

its a nice sunny day. come on lets do it. you know it makes sense.

a vote of no confidence. or something. anything..

Thom (Yorke)Dead Air Space

Back from vacation

It’s quite a bummer to come back from a beach vacation in France and read this:

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told the Syrian military on Monday to raise its readiness, pledging not to abandon support for Lebanese resistance against Israel.

“We are facing international circumstances and regional challenges that require caution, alert, readiness and preparedness,” Assad said.

“The barbaric war of annihilation the Israeli aggression is waging on our people in Lebanon and Palestine is increasing in ferocity,” Assad said in a written address on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the foundation of the Syria Arab Army. Reuters

Say and do

They say:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, heading for a weekend trip to the troubled Middle East, said she would work with allies in the region to help create conditions for “stability and lasting peace.” AP

They do:

The Bush administration is rushing a delivery of precision-guided bombs to Israel, which requested the expedited shipment last week after beginning its air campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, American officials said Friday.

The decision to quickly ship the weapons to Israel was made with relatively little debate within the Bush administration, the officials said. Its disclosure threatens to anger Arab governments and others because of the appearance that the United States is actively aiding the Israeli bombing campaign in a way that could be compared to Iran’s efforts to arm and resupply Hezbollah. New York Times

Leave… if you can

Israel has massed troops and tanks on the border with Lebanon and called up thousands of reserve troops, in a possible prelude to a ground offensive.Planes dropped leaflets on southern Lebanon warning any civilians to leave. (emphasis added)BBC

That reminds me: How are these people supposed to leave when the bridges they have to cross are either bombed already or still under fire? That sort of thing sounds more like “without thinking twice” than “restricted pinpoint attacks.”

Israel calls up army reservists

Israel has called up thousands of reserve troops and told civilians to quit southern Lebanon immediately, amid threats of a large-scale incursion.

(The move has widened speculation that Israel is preparing for a large ground offensive.

Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz has warned that Israel is prepared to launch a full-scale ground operation if necessary, saying “we have no intention of conquering Lebanon but… we will do it without thinking twice”. BBC (emphasis added)