C. GATSBY'S Weblog: "you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free. John 8:32

In Schweizer’s article, he advocates the toppling of the Iranian government, but fails to grasp Iran’s history and the reasons for her deep hatred of America.

First, the U.S. extinguished the rising Iranian democracy in 1953 by toppling Mossedegh and installing a brutal Monarch, the shah (a top ten human rights abuser). Next, during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, America requested the Shah to command his secret police, Savak, to fire on the revolutionary crowds, but the Shah refused. Later, the US supplied Iraq’s Saddam Hussein with chemical and biological weapons and encouraged him to attack Iran in the 1980s.

Hussein used weapons of mass destruction on the Iranians, and even though U.S. intelligence corroborated Iraq’s “almost daily” use of chemical weapons against both the Iranians and Kurds, Reagan and Bush Sr. turned a blind eye to the atrocities.

Sweitzer condemns Iran for detaining four Americans at undisclosed locations. Is this anything different than Bush’ rendition program of kidnapping Muslims, some innocent, flying them to secret bases, and torturing them?

Now, Bush has classified Iran as part of the “axis of evil.” When you threaten/bully a country, most will not be idle and wait to be invaded like Iraq, but will rapidly militarize like North Korean and Iran have done.

America must learn from her mistakes of the current Bush Iraqi War. Intelligence of Iranian nuclear weapons must be verified with numerous sources, and the UN should be involved in all levels to provide a united front. Diplomacy should be kept open between Iran and America as per the recommendations of the Baker Report. Another U.S intervention, condemned by military leaders, would only lead to disaster.

BY Christian Gatsby

Attn:  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Attn:  House Leader Nancy Pelosi
Fr:     Christian Gatsby
Date: 06/18/07

You and your fellow democrats campaigned last year on ending corruption. In the current issue of The New Yorker, Seymour Hersh interviews Gen. Taguba regarding his report on the Abu Ghraib abuses in Iraq. Gen. Taguba claims very strongly that former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld lied before Congress under oath about when and what he knew of the Abu Ghraib tortures.

Rumsfeld, under oath before Congress, stated this when articles about the Taguba report surfaced, “it was not yet in the Pentagon, to my knowledge.” Rumsfeld also told the senators about the infamous photographs, “I say no one in the Pentagon had seen them.” At a separate House hearing, Rumsfeld, referring to when he became aware of the Abu Ghraib photographs, said:

“January 13th . . . I don’t remember precisely when, but sometime in that period of January, February, March. . . . The legal part of it was proceeding along fine. What wasn’t proceeding along fine is the fact that the President didn’t know, and you didn’t know, and I didn’t know.”

Gen Taguba insists that Rumsfeld lied under oath. ‘“Rumsfeld is very perceptive and has a mind like a steel trap. There’s no way he’s suffering from C.R.S.—Can’t Remember Shit. He’s trying to acquit himself, and a lot of people are lying to protect themselves.” It distressed Taguba that Rumsfeld was accompanied in his Senate and House appearances by senior military officers who concurred with his denials” (The New Yorker).

No man is above the law. Rumsfeld must be punished for lying under oath before Congress. Many have served honestly in government, and for Rumsfeld not to be punished would do a dishonorable service to those.

Once again another covertly, American funded, terrorist group has spiraled out of control and now unleashes its horror on innocents. Like the former American backed Afghan Mujahideen that splintered into various factions, including al Qaeda and the Taliban, the G. W. Bush backed terrorist group Fatah al-Isalm, which has al Qaeda links, has balked at its American backers and is attacking Palestinian groups, Gaza political offices, and civilians.

Bush authorized covert support of Fatah al-Islam, a Sunni terrorist group, so that it could attack the Shiite Hezbollah. Bush’s support, contrary to his statements that no one should fund terrorists ( “You're either with us or against us in the fight against terror”) has erupted the Middle East in yet another conflict, increasing instability in this fragile region.

When will Bush learn to stop meddling in Middle East affairs? His unprovoked, Iraq invasion has only emboldened al Qaeda, created a new generation of terrorists and extremists, and created instability in the region, according to the National Intelligence Estimate.

Now, with his initial support of Fatah al-Islam, Bush has only added to the turmoil, instability, and civilian deaths of the Middle East.

Bush needs to practice what he preaches, and stop funding terrorists and dictatorships.

by Christian Gatsby

Justice has been served and once again another Bush official goes to jail. White House counselor Libby was convicted and sentenced to jail for lying to a grand jury and federal investigators and fabricating a tale of how he first learned of CIA agent Valerie Wilson's identity.

However, the same Republicans who supported the indictment of President Clinton over lies about sex now declare it was wrong to arraign Libby for lies about disclosing a CIA officer's identity to silence political detractors.

Bushites and neocons urged leniency for Libby, including Joint Chiefs chairman Peter Pace; former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Iraq war architects Doug Feith and Richard Perle. It would be nice if these same people would apologize to the family members of killed soldiers in Iraq and to the American public for misleading them about the Iraq war and weapons of mass destruction.

Vice president Cheney’s former advisor, Mary Matalin, in a letter to the court begging for leniency, stated that Libby is an "extraordinary role model for integrity and humility." I guess Matalin condones lying to investigators and does not mind if her children imitate Libby and lie to teachers, family members, and others.

No man is above the law. Libby, tried and found guilty, must be punished. Many have served honestly in government and for Libby not to be punished, would do a dishonorable service to those.

BY Christian Gatsby