Charlie Rose

tartufe  12/23/2008 10:58 PM Report

WORLD’S TOP THREE SCAMERS OF U.S. TREASURY: 1. OSAMA BIN LADEN, 2. NOURI MALAKI, 3. HAMID KARZAI. (HENRY PAULSON HONORABLE MENTION).

OSAMA BIN LADEN

11/01/04 - Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden said he is trying to bankrupt the U.S. through its war on terror, a strategy he says felled the Soviet Union two decades ago in Afghanistan, according to a translation by al-Jazeera television of his videotaped statement.

“All that we have to do is to send two mujahedeen to the furthest point East to raise a piece of cloth on which is written al-Qaeda, in order to make the generals race there to cause America to suffer human, economic, and political losses without their achieving for it anything of note other than some benefits for their private companies,” bin Laden said, according to the al-Jazeera transcript.

Well, the wiley old fox may live in a cave but he’s well on his way. And he even cites the M-I complex - accurately!

NOURI MALIKI (VIA BUSH, CHENEY, M-I COMPLEX OF COURSE)

By Bob Deans Cox News Service Published on: 02/28/08.

The Iraq war will cost Americans between $3 trillion and $5 trillion, including military spending, broader economic costs and decades of benefits and medical care for combat veterans, a Nobel prize-winning economist told the Joint Economic Committee on Thursday.

HAMID KARZAI

“And Afghanistan will not allow the international community leave it before we are fully on our feet, before we are strong enough to defend our country, before we are powerful enough to have a good economy.” Karzai said.

He then added that the world community can’t leave “before we have taken from President Bush and the next administration billions and billions of more dollars.”

“No way that they can let you go.” said Karzai, whose remarks drew laughter.

As of last summer, the United States had spent about $200 billion on the war in Afghanistan, according to congressional officials. Both Bush and President-elect Obama have made continued U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan central to their foreign policies.

HENRY PAULSON - HONORABLE MENTION

By: CNBC.com [28 Nov 2008 ] 01:56 PM ET

Given the speed at which the federal government is throwing money at the financial crisis, the average taxpayer, never mind member of Congress might not be faulted for losing track.

CNBC, however, has been paying very close attention and keeping a running tally of actual spending as well as the commitments involved. And there’s been quite a jump since we last tabulated things two weeks ago.

Try $7.36 trillion dollars. That’s more than double what was spent on WWII, if adjusted for inflation, based on our computations from a variety of estimates and sources.

COMMENTARY

We (Congress/Bush) have given Mr. Paulson a license to steal (TARP).

He has outdone the top three non-resident scammers, and history will wonder (1) how he did it, (2) how he gained the presumptive right(?), and (3) why he was never tried, convicted and incarcerated (for crimes against humanity if nothing else). Of course many other conspirators are due the same attention. Citigroup, a large recipient of TARP funds to rescue their hedge fund operations - the very corrosive part that should be allowed to fail - comes to mind.

It’s obvious that to date the financial wise-guy hedgers got the bailout medicine when excising the putrescent corruption from the financial body before gangrene set in was what was really needed. The really vulnerable and more extensive mortgagee’s crises have gone begging (literally). The predators seem to prevail a la the law of the jungle. Maybe we’re not that much a higher form of animal after all?

Oligarchic governance is a lethal combination. Like a corrupt cop.

Paulson et al should be consigned to living under a Detroit bridge for the downturn’s duration with their victims. Osama bin Laden has to be applauding him and all his ilk - firing his AK47 in the air with great jubilation over the accomplishments of the three non US coconspirators, but doubtless equally exuberant for his unexpected partner and allies “Allie Baba Paulson and his forty plus thieves.”

We’re run by a ship of fools, venal whores and grasping children.

doodahdaze  12/07/2008 08:34 AM Report

The only part of your "plans" that hold any promise of "really working" in the real world; And thereby any chance of being approved by the majority of American people, their President, Congress, AND her husband. Is the the part, where you say, send Hillary Clinton to you... I think, I speak, on behalf of the whole world, "Hey,if you want her, you can have her."

tartufe  12/06/2008 05:06 PM Report

You (intentionally) miscon'screw' my construing. But thanks for providing the opportunity to elaborate. My spleen is backed up with our faux military mercy. Since you have taken a solemn oath "to waste anymore time arguing with" me, I'll leave with a few thoughts for your neocon soul.

My recommendations for Obama's first 10-100 days:

1. Initiate meaningful job stimulus program.

2. Start FBI, SEC, etc investigation of perpetrators of financial meltdown (including AIG, Citigroup, Rubin, Summers, conspiracy of Paulson, Bernanke et al). Without retributive justice this horrific scene equivalent of a bin Laden 9/11 will repeat.

3. Abolish GITMO.

4. Send Hillary to ME for initial feelers for talking protocol procedures.

5. Hillary to Russia with idea of conceding the Polish et al missile defense sites and a rapprochement.

6. Reopen trade with Cuba.

7. Obama, Gates and top military (in confidence) to discuss best way to start extrication from A-P (Afghanistan-Pakistan) quagmire. With goal of some large fraction of current military budget channeled to disaffected poor(?).

8. Hillary to Iran for protocol talks on how to keep dialogue ongoing.

9. Hillary to China for general stroking and maybe Darfur mutual approach.

10. Thence to N. Korea to make them feel important if nothing else.

11. Back to ME to emphasize administrations persistence and determination.

12. To emphasize we intend to be an honest broker this time we expect concessions from both sides but perhaps a little more from Israel. Especially on occupied territories.

13. Establish watch-dog agency to audit and carefully oversee stimulus expenditures to curtail inevitable corruption attendant with government contracts.

14. Have Hillary orchestrate an Arab League meeting with Obama as an invited speaker and attendee in order to cajole and exhort them to agree to meet with Israelis (preferably as a group) to assure mutual trade and relations would be done under a two-state solution etc.

15. Make plans for an extended (months long) goodwill trip around the globe, asking nor giving nothing but good relations. Include African nations as a feel-good tribute to their tribalism and racial pride. If security permits to the hot spots as well - who knows what his 'magic' holds in this regard.

doodahdaze  12/06/2008 10:13 AM Report

Too-shay tartufe, leave it to you to take one's words and misconscrew them into out of context. Just to proove over and over again that the words that echo your mind come from an unreasonable, anti-pragmatic, hypocrite-dogmatic, semi-automatic truth-bending-exaggerating Neonader fanatic...

I'm going to waste anymore time arguing with you...

Yer disthpickable.

tartufe  12/05/2008 07:23 PM Report

You are Prest-on to accurately designate me as a "miserable bastard," made so because our military does indeed kill innocent people so, "are you implying that our military kills innocent people . . . ." Not implying, I'm stating it merely by reference to our last two conflicts. How in your charming bit of innocence did you get the idea the military was averse to killing - innocent or otherwise. Preemptive wars ipso facto carry that baggage. Every death - theirs and ours - are by definition both needless and thus innocent.

The "acceptable collateral kill ratio" was 30:1 at one time. Here's a corroborating excerpt, "One of the most important features of the Vietnam War was the fact that the most vicious and civilian-damaging operations by the U. S. war machine were carried out in South Vietnam, which the United States was allegedly protecting against aggression and "saving" from North Vietnam. All the napalm was dropped in South Vietnam, and the immense program of chemical warfare was also carried out exclusively in the south. While this is where the war was fought, a key consideration was that publicity could be kept low because the victims were under the political control of the United States and its puppet government ...." Google has plenty more. Try it yourself, it'll be more convincing.

We are far from nice, despite your seemingly naive desire for us to be so. Our history is rife with examples of what "miserable bastards" we can be. My characterization of like kind comes naturally - as you so accurately point out. We pillage (war), plunder (subprime) and would doubtless rape babies, kick puppies and evict the young and aged (check the underpass in your town) if a buck were even remotely possible.

doodahdaze  12/05/2008 02:52 PM Report

tartufe a.k.a. sock puppet, right smack dab in the middle of your mentally disturbed inspired ranting gibberish comment you say, "We do things more because we can than of necessity."... Trying to summarize the gist of your shallow, short-sighted conclusion and therefore accusations; are you implying that our military kills innocent people, not out of necessity, but rather, just because they can?. Because if that is what you truly believe, then you truly are a miserable basterd. If anything, our military is responsible for INVENTING better and more effective WAYS of PROTECTING innocent lives... And if you're so certain that you know what motivates and causes terrorism. That we need to lead by example, not just for the sane people (which I have no problem with), but also for the criminally insane. Then maybe you and Sean Penn should go to Pakistan and meet with Osama and show him how to properly hold a tea cup and do a curtsy. AND SAVE THE WORLD!!!... OH! HALLELUJAH!!!

tartufe  12/05/2008 11:58 AM Report

The retrograde WWII perception that we should, and are even capable, of policing the world is the very arrogance that is winning us enemies and losing friends. The hatred driven terrorism is fueled in part by our megalomania. Our dollar idolatry, as exampled by our M-I complex in back-to-back preemptive wars (Gulf of Tonkin, WMDs) with total disregard for human life, followed by the current exporting of fraudulent Ponzi-scheme type financial instruments world-wide, all for the obscene wealth of a few financial wise-guy oligarchs and their Bahamas tax-free retreats.

We have a responsibility to police a lions share of the world's misery, but unfortunately it's origin is within our own shores. FUTILELY killing civilians will accelerate the next potential terrorist attack, rather than deferring or avoiding it.

We are technologically arrogant. We do things more because we can than of necessity. An Air Force staff sergeant directing a missile firing drone from Colorado may be classified as an amazing feat in itself, but is short sighted and pointlessly counter-productive - long term. China for instance is catching up in the space adventurism. How long before all these capabilities are common stuff world wide?

Then will we be so sanguine re human life when others are applying the same type proportionality ratios to us? (Will it travel in Peoria?) Our outrage would be formidable - a la 9/11 yet again. Their deaths must create the same rage, with the added feeling of impotence re retaliation. Terrorism becomes more appealing to them as their only retort. We as the smarter(?), more civilized(?) have a responsibility then to act like it and cease the mindlessness.

The objective becomes more illusive every day, IF it is to obliterate the Taliban and al Qaeda (an amorphous group?). They have doubtless grown in recruits since our arrival. Our mindlessness (from the bowels of Cheyenne mountain as well as on site) will insure our abject failure - but not from the lack of practice. We're run by a ship of (buck-chasing M-I complex oligarchic) fools. Our responsibility is to be more responsible. I'm not at all hopeful.

doodahdaze  12/05/2008 07:30 AM Report

tartufe, it's amazing the foolish things we can say, and positions we can take, when we don't bear the bottom line RESPONSIBILITY. Number one, how do YOU know so much FACTUAL details of what's going on there. Have you been there?, have you consulted ALL the commanding officers? If the answer is yes to both questions, then maybe you and Sean Penn should send your resumes to Osama himself.

As long as YOU have the freedom to PURSUE an economic profit and there are TV shows like "American Idol" and YOU and all the people, intelligent and not-so-intelligent (like your buddy, Sean Penn), have the right to say what they think (generally). Then WE will continue to be a target of Terrorist... The oil argument doesn't hold water. BECAUSE! They say we're a target because we're over there buying their oil, it's ALL about the oil!... Yeah. Well when the day comes that we don't need, don't want their oil. THAT'S GOING TO PISS THEM OFF EVEN MORE!! DUH.

It really stinks that America has to "police" the world. But that's what it's boiling down to. Now would you prefer to do it in your own backyard, like Israel for example. Or would you prefer it done not at all like your childish comment suggests. And why stop there?, maybe we should get rid of all the police, after all, they're just a bunch of "arrogant jingos"; much worst than those noble Taliban. The Taliban votes Democrat.

tartufe  12/04/2008 10:06 PM Report

The US military via the air force and their missile firing drones are creating long term enemies that are now bringing predictions of non-nuclear mass destruction attacks in the foreseeable future. Our arrogance in our 30:1 proportion of civilians to bad guy kill will come home to roost. An aggregation of all Pakistan civilians killed will justify (rightly or wrongly) a terrorist attack - massive or otherwise.

The objective in Afghanistan and Pakistan is fanciful and doubtless illusive. What would victory be? Would we leave if Osama bin Laden were dead (whether by old age or missile fire)? Another will take his place. Then what? Do we stay until they vote us out a la Iraq?

Another 9/11 type attack is more likely the longer we stay than were we to leave tomorrow.

What goes around comes around. Technology is transferable - from nukes to missile firing drones.

How many civilian deaths would the arrogant jingos deem acceptable in Peoria?

doodahdaze  12/04/2008 11:48 AM Report

Neccessity is the mother of invention. The U.S. military continues to learn from mistakes. Protecting humanity from insanity is serious business.