WASHINGTON, April 23 — Secretary of State Colin Powell has warned France that it will face consequences over its unyielding opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Even as France appeared eager to mend fences, the top U.S. diplomat — viewed as the least hawkish among the top Bush administration figures — indicated that Washington was reviewing its overall relationship with the government of President Jacques Chirac.

Bush era diplomacy. Insult a longstanding ally, hold a grudge and start a trade war that is entirely your own fault.

This Napoleonic complex by the Bushies that because we are the last superpower we can all of a sudden do whatever we want is going to be their downfall. 2 and a half billion dollars in imports with France this month alone. Add on a tariff to American import companies and do the math.

Example. Vivendi.

Film and Television

Universal Studios
Universal Pictures
October Films (majority interest)
Universal Studios Home Video
United International Pictures (33% - international distribution)
Cinema International BV (49% - video distribution)
Television Production and Distribution

CANAL+ (51% - European pay-TV provider)
Universal Television Group (production and distribution)
Brillstein-Grey Entertainment (50% ) - production
Multimedia Entertainment
USA Networks Inc. (43%)
Universal Pay Television (international distribution) partial
ownership of: HBO Asia Telecine (Brazil) Cinecanal (Latin America)
Showtime (Australia) Star Channel (Japan)
Telepiu (Italian pay television)
Publishing

Vivendi Universal Publishing

Education titles include:
Larousse
Nathan
Anaya
Coktel
Atica
Scipione
Bordas
Retz

Games titles include:

Sierra
Blizzard Entertainment


Interactive

Universal Studios New Media Group
Universal Studios Online
Universal.com
Universal Interactive Studios (software and video games)
Universal Digital Arts
Interplay (majority ownership - video game producer)
GetMusic (online music retailer)
Vizzavi (European multi-access portal)
Education.com
Flipside.com
@viso (50% with Softbank)
AllocinŽ
Bonjour.fr
Ad2-One
Atmedica
Scoot
EMusic.com
Duet (with Sony)
MP3.com
Music

Universal Music Group
MCA Records
MCA Records Nashville
Polygram
Motown
Decca Records
Deutsche Grammophon
GRP Recording Company
Geffen/DGC Records
Universal Records
Rising Tide
Interscope Records
Hip-O Records
Universal Music and Video Distribution
Universal Music International
MCA Music Publishing
Interscope Music Publishing
All Nations Catalog
Universal Concerts (concert promotion)
Theme Parks/Recreation/Retail

Universal Studios Hollywood

CityWalk
Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Studios Theme Park
Universal's Islands of Adventure Theme Park
CityWalk
Portofino Bay Hotel
Hard Rock Hotel
Royal Pacific Resort
Wet-n-Wild Orlando

Universal Studios Japan

CityWalk
Universal Mediterranea (Spain)

Universal Mediterranea Theme Park
Hotel Port Aventura
Telecommunications

Vivendi Telecom International
Cegetel
Retail

Spencer Gifts
Other

Vivendi Environnement (the world's #1 water distributor)
Vivendi Universal owns 26.8 million shares in Time - Warner
Cineplex Odeon Corporation (42% - theaters)
Cinema International Corporation (49% - international theaters)
United Cinemas International (49% - international theaters)
Viventures (venture capital fund)
Duet (music-subscription service with Yahoo! and Sony)

Syria. The United States says that they have harbored fleeing Iraqi's

they are on the list of states that sponsor Terrorism.

They harbor terrorist organizations, some of which maintain training camps in Syrian territory.

They possess chemical weapons facilities.

Today's gaurdian:
The White House has privately ruled out suggestions that the US should go to war against Syria following its military success in Iraq, and has blocked preliminary planning for such a campaign in the Pentagon, the Guardian learned yesterday.
[snip]

However, President George Bush, who faces re-election next year with two perilous nation-building projects, in Afghanistan and Iraq, on his hands, is said to have cut off discussion among his advisers about the possibility of taking the "war on terror" to Syria.

"The talk about Syria didn't go anywhere. Basically, the White House shut down the discussion," an intelligence source in Washington told the Guardian.


Which begs the question, what rationale did Bush have to invade Iraq? Becuase absolutly none of them hold up to scrutiny.

Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, Iraqi Minister of Information (currently on administrative leave)

Could he be bigger than Mahir?

Lets hope so.

He's got a way about him.
Don't know what it is.
But I know that I can't live without him....

"It's untidy. And freedom's untidy. And free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things."

--Donald Rumsfeld

Which is the Onion and which is todays NYT?

ASHINGTON, April 10 — The Pentagon contract given without competition to a Halliburton subsidiary to fight oil well fires in Iraq is worth as much as $7 billion over two years, according to a letter from the Army Corps of Engineers that was released today.

WASHINGTON, DC—With last week's announcement that it will award Halliburton a lucrative contract to put out Iraqi oil-well fires after the war, the U.S. government has officially stopped trying to hide its favoritism toward the Houston-based company. "When we first started cutting Halliburton sweetheart deals, we'd worry about how it would look, with Dick Cheney being their former CEO and all," White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said. "Somewhere along the line, though, we just kind of said, 'Ah, fuck it.'" Fleischer added that Halliburton has something "real juicy" coming its way when the U.S. invades Iran in July 2004.

Read it.

Peple in this country are getting exponentially stupider.
Rick Schmidt, founder of I.H.O.G., the International Hummer Owners Group
"Those who deface a Hummer in words or deed, deface the American flag and what it stands for."

The smears are getting more and more ridiculous. Now they are just flat out inventing things to attack.

Tom Daschle:
"I'm saddened, saddened that this president failed so miserably at diplomacy that we're now forced to war. . . . Saddened that we have to give up one life because this president couldn't create the kind of diplomatic effort that was so critical for our country."

Absolutly. Its awful that Bush's failed diplomacy has put us in this position. Does that mean Bush is personally responsible for any casualties? Gosh no. But he is according to the Republician Party.

Joe Lieberman:
When more people around the world see the current American president as a greater threat to peace than Saddam Hussein, then you know something is really wrong with his foreign policy.

Yep. But does this mean Lieberman himself feels Bush is a greater threat to peace than Saddam? Well no, he said that When people think that, it shows how wrong our foreign policy is. Not according to the GOP. They atrribute it to Lieberman. A particularly nasty smear considering he said the exact opposite.

If only there was a way to tell the Republican party how we feel about these kind of dirty tactics...

If only...

Disturbing fact of the day:

60% of Americans say they believe Hussein bears at least some responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks

Despite not a single shred of proof whatsoever.

More Anti American traitors!

Senator Arlen Specter:
"Congress should support the troops without endorsing the
president's policy."

Bob Dole:
"We don't support the president's decision," he said. "We do support
the troops."

PAT BUCHANAN: Well, I don't support the policy so much as I support
the troops.

Trent Lott:
Just because the President has made a decision and the troops
are already landing, Mr. Lott said, "I'm not going to endorse a
wrong decision after the fact."

Talking about Bush? No. Clintons actions in Kosovo.

My favorite joke from the late great Bill Hicks:
"I find myself in the unenviable position of supporting the war, but not the troops."

Bush's Holy War continues. Bribing soldiers who are fighting a war to be "baptised".

CAMP BUSHMASTER, Iraq - In this dry desert world near Najaf, where the Army V Corps combat support system sprawls across miles of scabrous dust, there's an oasis of sorts: a 500-gallon pool of pristine, cool water.

It belongs to Army chaplain Josh Llano of Houston, who sees the water shortage, which has kept thousands of filthy soldiers from bathing for weeks, as an opportunity.

''It's simple. They want water. I have it, as long as they agree to get baptized,'' he said.

Got this originally from TAPPED. Once again teh Chickenhawks are out.

Willaim Kristol:
"they hate the Bush administration more than they love America. "
"I very much hope the decent, pro-American liberals [snip] prevail over the anti-American left"ANd who is the "Anti -American" left?
"I'm talking about comments during the conduct of the war by serious Democratic politicians, including Mr. Rangel"

Charles Rangel. New York Congressman. Served in Korea and awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of an Armed Force or any civilian national of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after 5 April 1917, has been wounded or killed, or who has died or may hereafter die after being wounded.

The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army of the United States after 6 December 1941, distinguished himself or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military operations against an armed enemy; or while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

If anyones Interested, Kristol never served.

From the Onion.
Halliburton Favors
WASHINGTON, DC—With last week's announcement that it will award Halliburton a lucrative contract to put out Iraqi oil-well fires after the war, the U.S. government has officially stopped trying to hide its favoritism toward the Houston-based company. "When we first started cutting Halliburton sweetheart deals, we'd worry about how it would look, with Dick Cheney being their former CEO and all," White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said. "Somewhere along the line, though, we just kind of said, 'Ah, fuck it.'" Fleischer added that Halliburton has something "real juicy" coming its way when the U.S. invades Iran in July 2004.

They joke, But I wasn't.

FOX News supports Saddam.