Para_Frog

Hmmm...of all the things I gather from Ron Paul's campaign - it's not an overwhelming sense of Judeophobia. It's that ALL alliances need to be modified so that they stop bleeding us dry. Now, cutting off funding to the UN? I'm all over that. We could still use our assets for humanitarian aid (the Navy has changed their recruitment ads to feature the humanitarian mission of the service)...we just won't have the UN to skim 80% before it gets to those in need. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Ron Paul makes too much sense. Which is why he probably doesn't have a chance. Common Sense Ron Paul for President - fo shizzle! - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Anything else I can do for you princess? Smootchy smootchy. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

William Jefferson Clinton- Impeached by the House of Representatives over allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice, but acquitted by the Senate. Scandals include Whitewater - Travelgate Gennifer Flowersgate - Filegate - Vince Fostergate - Whitewater Billing Recordsgate - Paula Jonesgate- Lincoln Bedroomgate - Donations from Convicted Drug and Weapons Dealersgate - Lippogate - Chinagate - The Lewinsky Affair - Perjury and Jobs for Lewinskygate - Kathleen Willeygate - Web Hubbell Prison Phone Callgate - Selling Military Technology to the Chinesegate - Jaunita Broaddrick Gate - Lootergate - Pardongate Edward Moore Kennedy - Democrat - U. S. Senator from Massachusetts. Pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, after his car plunged off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island killing passenger Mary Jo Kopechne. Barney Frank - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 1981 to present. Admitted to having paid Stephen L. Gobie, a male prostitute, for sex and subsequently hiring Gobie as his personal assistant. Gobie used the congressman's Washington apartment for prostitution. A move to expel Frank from the House of Representatives failed and a motion to censure him failed. DNC - The Federal Election Commission imposed $719,000 in fines against participants in the 1996 Democratic Party fundraising scandals involving contributions from China, Korea and other foreign sources. The Federal Election Commission said it decided to drop cases against contributors of more than $3 million in illegal DNC contributions because the respondents left the country or the corporations are defunct. Sandy Berger - Democrat - National Security Advisor during the Clinton Administration. Berger became the focus of a criminal investigation after removing highly classified terrorism documents and handwritten notes from the National Archives during preparations for the Sept. 11 commission hearings. Robert Torricelli - Democrat - Withdrew from the 2002 Senate race with less than 30 days before the election because of controversy over personal gifts he took from a major campaign donor and questions about campaign donations from 1996. James McGreevey - Democrat - New Jersey Governor . Admitted to having a gay affair. Resigned after allegations of sexual harassment, rumors of being blackmailed on top of fundraising investigations and indictments. Jesse Jackson - Democrat - Democratic candidate for President. Admitted to having an extramarital affair and fathering a illegitimate child. Gary Condit - Democrat - US Democratic Congressman from California. Condit had an affair with an intern. Condit, covered up the affair and lied to police after she went missing. No charges were ever filed against Condit. Her remains were discovered in a Washington DC park.. Sowande Ajumoke Omokunde - Democrat - the son of newly elected U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, was booked on charges of criminal damage to property for allegedly slashing tires on 20 vans and cars rented by the Republican Party for use in Election Day voter turnout efforts. Daniel David Rostenkowski - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Illinois from 1959 to 1995. Indicted on 17 felony charges- pleaded guilty to two counts of misuse of public funds and sentenced to seventeen months in federal prison. Melvin Jay Reynolds - U.S. Representative from Illinois from 1993 to 1995. Convicted on sexual misconduct and obstruction of justice charges and sentenced to five years in prison. Charles Coles Diggs, Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Michigan from 1955 to 1980. Convicted on eleven counts of mail fraud and filing false payroll forms- sentenced to three years in prison. George Rogers - Democrat - Massachusetts State House of Representatives from 1965 to 1970. M000ember of Massachusetts State Senate from 1975 to 1978. Convicted of bribery in 1978 and sentenced to two years in prison. Don Siegelman - Democrat Governor Alabama - indicted in a bid-rigging scheme involving a maternity-care program. The charges accused Siegelman and his former chief of staff of helping Tuscaloosa physician Phillip Bobo rig bids. Siegelman was accused of moving $550,000 from the state education budget to the State Fire College in Tuscaloosa so Bobo could use the money to pay off a competitor for a state contract for maternity care. John Murtha, Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania. Implicated in the Abscam sting, in which FBI agents impersonating Arab businessmen offered bribes to political figures; Murtha was cited as an unindicted co-conspirator Gerry Eastman Studds - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 1973 to 1997. The first openly gay member of Congress. Censured by the House of Representatives for having sexual relations with a teenage House page. James C. Green - Democrat - North Carolina State House of Representatives from 1961 to 1977. Charged with accepting a bribe from an undercover FBI agent, but was acquitted. Convicted of tax evasion in 1997. Frederick Richmond - Democrat - U.S. Representative from New York from 1975 to 1982. Arrested in Washington, D.C., in 1978 for soliciting sex from a minor and from an undercover police officer - pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. Also - charged with tax evasion, marijuana possession, and improper payments to a federal employee - pleaded guilty. Raymond Lederer - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania from 1977 to 1981. Implicated in the Abscam sting - convicted of bribery and sentenced to three years in prison and fined $20,000. Harrison Arlington Williams, Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Senator from New Jersey from 1959 to 1970. Implicated in the Abscam sting. Allegedly accepted an 18% interest in a titanium mine. Convicted of nine counts of bribery, conspiracy, receiving an unlawful gratuity, conflict of interest, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. Sentenced to three years in prison and fined $50,000. Frank Thompson, Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Representative from New Jersey from 1955 to 1980. Implicated in the Abscam sting, convicted on bribery and conspiracy charges. Sentenced to three years in prison Michael Joseph Myers - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania from 1976 to 1980. Implicated in the Abscam sting - convicted of bribery and conspiracy; sentenced to three years in prison and fined $20,000; expelled from the House of Representatives on October 2, 1980. John Michael Murphy - Democrat - U.S. Representative from New York from 1963 to 1981. Implicated in the Abscam sting. Convicted of conspiracy, conflict of interest, and accepting an illegal gratuity. Sentenced to three years in prison and fined $20,000. John Wilson Jenrette, Jr - Democrat - U.S. Representative from South Carolina from 1975 to 1980. Implicated in the Abscam sting. Convicted on bribery and conspiracy charges and sentenced to prison Neil Goldschmidt - Democrat - Oregon governor. Admitted to having an illegal sexual relationship with a 14-year-old teenager while he was serving as Mayor of Portland. Alcee Lamar Hastings - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Florida. Impeached and removed from office as federal judge in 1989 over bribery charges. Marion Barry - Democrat - mayor of Washington, D.C., from 1979 to 1991 and again from 1995 to 1999. Convicted of cocaine possession after being caught on videotape smoking crack cocaine. Sentenced to six months in prison. Mario Biaggi - Democrat - U.S. Representative from New York from 1969 to 1988. Indicted on federal charges that he had accepted bribes in return for influence on federal contracts.Convicted of obstructing justice and accepting illegal gratuities. Tried in 1988 on federal racketeering charges and convicted on 15 felony counts. Lee Alexander - Democrat - Mayor of Syracuse, N.Y. from 1970 to 1985. Was indicted over a $1.5 million kickback scandal. Pleaded guilty to racketeering and tax evasion charges. Served six years in prison. Bill Campbell - Democrat - Mayor of Atlanta. Indicted and charged with fraud over claims he accepted improper payments from contractors seeking city contracts. Frank Ballance - Democrat - Congressman North Carolina. Pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering related to mishandling of money by his charitable foundation. Hazel O'Leary - Democrat - Secretary of Energy during the Clinton Administration - O'leary took trips all over the world as Secretary with as many 50 staff members and at times rented a plane, which was used by Madonna during her concert tours. Lafayette Thomas - Democrat - Candidate for Tennessee State House of Representatives in 1954. Sheriff of Davidson County, from 1972 to 1990. Indicted in federal court on 54 counts of abusing his power as sheriff. Pleaded guilty to theft and mail fraud; sentenced to five years in prison. Mary Rose Oakar - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1977 to 1993. Pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of funneling $16,000 through fake donors. David Giles - Democrat - candidate for U.S. Representative from Washington in 1986 and 1990. Convicted in June 2000 of child rape. Gary Siplin - Democrat state senator Florida- found guilty of third-degree grand theft of $5,000 or more, a felony, and using services of employees for his candidacy. Edward Mezvinsky - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Iowa from 1973 to 1977. Indicted on 56 federal fraud charges. Lena Swanson - Democrat - Member of Washington State Senate in 1997. Pleaded guilty to charges of soliciting unlawful payments from veterans and former prisoners of war. Abraham J. Hirschfeld - Democrat - candidate in Democratic primary for U.S. Senator from New York in 1974 and 1976. Offered Paula Jones $1 million to drop her sexual harassment lawsuit against President Bill Clinton. Convicted in 2000 of trying to hire a hit man to kill his business partner. Henry Cisneros - Democrat - U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1993 to 1997. Pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of lying to the FBI. James A. Traficant Jr. - Member of House of Representatives from Ohio. Expelled from Congress after being convicted of corruption charges. Sentenced today to eight years in prison for accepting bribes and kickbacks. John Doug Hays - Democrat - member of Kentucky State Senate from 1980 to 1982 Found guilty of mail fraud for submitting false campaign reports stemming from an unsuccessful run for judge. He was sentenced to six months in prison to be followed by six months of home confinement and three years of probation. Henry J. Cianfrani - Democrat - Pennsylvania State Senate from 1967 to 1976. Convicted on federal charges of racketeering and mail fraud for padding his Senate payroll. Sentenced to five years in federal prison. David Hall - Democrat - Governor of Oklahoma from 1971 to 1975. Indicted on extortion and conspiracy charges. Convicted and sentenced to three years in prison. John A. Celona - Democrat - A former state senator was charged with the three counts of mail fraud. Federal prosecutors accused him of defrauding the state and collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars from CVS Corp. and others while serving in the legislature. Celona has agreed to plead guilty to taking money from the CVS pharmacy chain and other companies that had interest in legislation. Under the deal, Celona agreed to cooperate with investigators. He faces up to five years in federal prison on each of the three counts and a $250,000 fine Allan Turner Howe - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Utah from 1975 to 1977. Arrested for soliciting a policewoman posing as a prostitute. Jerry Cosentino - Democrat - Illinois State Treasurer. Pleaded guilty to bank fraud - fined $5,000 and sentenced to nine months home confinement. Joseph Waggonner Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Louisiana from 1961 to 19 79. Arrested in Washington, D.C. for soliciting a policewoman posing as a prostitute Albert G. Bustamante - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Texas from 1985 to 1993. Convicted in 1993 on racketeering and bribery charges and sentenced to prison. Lawrence Jack Smith - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Florida from 1983 to 1993. Sentenced to three months in federal prison for tax evasion. David Lee Walters - Democrat - Governor of Oklahoma from 1991 to 1995. Pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor election law violation. James Guy Tucker, Jr. - Democrat - Governor of Arkansas from 1992 to 1996. Resigned in July 1996 after conviction on federal fraud charges as part of the Whitewater investigation. Walter Rayford Tucker - Democrat - Mayor of Compton, California from 1991 to 1992; U.S. Representative from California from 1993 to 1995. Sentenced to 27 months in prison for extortion and tax evasion. William McCuen - Democrat - Secretary of State of Arkansas from 1985 to 1995. Admitted accepting kickbacks from two supporters he gave jobs, and not paying taxes on the money. Admitted to conspiring with a political consultant to split $53,560 embezzled from the state in a sham transaction. He was indicted on corruption charges. Pleaded guilty to felony counts tax evasion and accepting a kickback. Sentenced to 17 years in prison. Walter Fauntroy - Democrat - Delegate to U.S. Congress from the District of Columbia from 1971 to 1991. Charged in federal court with making false statements on financial disclosure forms. Pleaded guilty to one felony count and sentenced to probation. Carroll Hubbard, Jr. - Democrat - Kentucky State Senate from 1968 to 1975 and U.S. Representative from Kentucky from 1975 to 1993. Pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the Federal Elections Commission and to theft of government property; sentenced to three years in prison. Joseph Kolter - Democrat - member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1969 to 1982 and U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania from 1983 to 1993. Indicted by a Federal grand jury on five felony charges of embezzlement at the U.S. House post office. Pleaded guilty. Webster Hubbell - Democrat - Chief Justice of Arkansas State Supreme Court in 1983. Pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud and tax evasion charges - sentenced to 21 months in prison. Nicholas Mavroules - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 1979 to 1993. Pleaded guilty to charges of tax fraud and accepting gratuities while in office. Carl Christopher Perkins - Democrat - Kentucky State House of Representatives from 1981 to 1984 and U.S. Representative from Kentucky from 1985 to 1993. Pleaded guilty to bank fraud in connection with the House banking scandal. Perkins wrote overdrafts totaling about $300,000. Pleaded guilty to charges of filing false statements with the Federal Election Commission and false financial disclosure reports. Sentenced to 21 months in prison. Richard Hanna - Democrat - U.S. Representative from California from 1963 to 1974. Received payments of about $200,000 from a Korean businessman in what became known as the "Koreagate" influence buying scandal. Pleaded guilty and sentenced to federal prison. Angelo Errichetti - Democrat - New Jersey State Senator was sentenced to six years in prison and fined $40,000 for his involvement in Abscam. Daniel Baugh Brewster - Democrat - U.S. Senator from Maryland. Indicted on charges of accepting illegal gratuity while in Senate. Thomas Joseph Dodd - Democrat - U.S. Senator from Connecticut. Censured by the Senate for financial improprieties, having diverted $116,000 in campaign and testimonial funds to his own use Edward Fretwell Prichard, Jr. - Democrat - Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky. Convicted of vote fraud in federal court in connection with ballot-box stuffing. Served five months in prison. Jerry Springer - Democrat - Resigned from Cincinnati City Council in 1974 after admitting to paying a prostitute with a personal check, which was found in a police raid on a massage parlor. Guy Hamilton Jones, Sr. - Democrat -Arkansas State Senate. Convicted on federal tax charges and expelled from the Arkansas Senate. Daniel Flood - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania from 1945 to 1947, 1949 to 1953 and 1955 to 1980. Pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge involving payoffs and sentenced to probation. Otto Kerner, Jr - Democrat - Governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968. While serving as Governor, he and another official made a gain of over $300,000 in a stock deal. Convicted on 17 counts of bribery, conspiracy, perjury, and related charges. Sentenced to three years in federal prison and fined $50,000. George Crockett, Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Michigan. Served four months in federal prison for contempt of court following his defense of a Communist leader on trial for advocating the overthrow of the government. Cornelius Edward Gallagher - Democrat - U.S. Representative from New Jersey from 1959 to 1973. Indicted on federal charges of income tax evasion, conspiracy, and perjury Mark B. Jimenez - Democrat fundraiser - sentenced to 27 months in prison on charges of tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit election financing offenses. Bobby Lee Rush - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Illinois. As a Black Panther, spent six months in prison on a weapons charge. Bolley ''Bo'' Johnson - Democrat - Former Florida House Speaker - received a two-year term for tax evasion. Roger L. Green - Democrat - Brooklyn Democrat Assemblyman. Pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for accepting travel reimbursement for trips he did not pay for and was sentenced to fines and probation. Gloria Davis - Democrat - Bronx assemblywoman. Pleaded guilty to second-degree bribe-taking. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

So it makes it OK for Democrats to abuse their positions in sexual malfeasance simply because they're the "peace and love" party? I think they're all hypocrites and they ALL suck. Our elected officials are a joke. How many Democratic presidential candidates have invoked God simply due to the venue? You think for a minute they aren't as agnostic as the rest of the party? Hail FSM and all that? Hell, Hillary manages her own drawl when she speaks to blacks. WTF? Ron Paul for President - double fo shizzle. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Awe...not even style points? - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

PA deleted. Your one warning. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

This is good shit if it's enough to get Lanes to post! There has been rumor for some time 'round these parts that he is queer as a football bat. As with say Sen. Byrd, however, Craig brings home the porkage - so people have turned the other cheek without solid evidence. They won't now. It's been widely accepted that this was his last term. I begrudgingly agree with whackadoo on this one, to wit: If you're gonna smoke pole, knock yourself out...just quit trying to sell me that you're a saint. There is no tolerance for douchebags in Idaho - he's through. Ron Paul for President - fo shizzle. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard. Thank you Clovis. "I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming." - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

The very BEST winery for Cal-Ital (specializing in Sangiovese) is Benessere. Very reasonably priced...and they're very nice folks. Benessere Every sommelier in the valley will tell you the same thing. Two at Coppola and one each at Grgich, Opus, BV, and Mondavi all steered me there. Have lunch and/or dinner at the Rutherford Grill - magnificent food and no corkage fee. They're in the BV parking lot. - C. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

There was only ONE undefeated team last year - And one of our cheerleaders was on every talk show on the planet. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

The footbeds go long before the soles...and it makes a HUGE difference. Almost any minor foot/leg pain in running can be traced to the need for new shoes. 300 miles max..and that is with perfect mechanics, which few of us have. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Really...this was about coitus Ka-boomus... But I have thoroughly enjoyed watching it devolve into the same tired bullshit. I wanted a little insight into the possibility that it's a fantastic cover story for a homicide. I personally think that if the man had shot the woman, he would be staring at an indictment right now. Fo shizzle... - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Dude, that's the minors. They get like $125 and three ham sandwiches a week. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Oh shit...my stomach hurts... - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Not true. There is no selective high-risk activity clause in SGLI. Whether you tell the boss or not. And the class must be an Air Force thing. The Army or Marine Corps have no such requirement at the branch level. That may change at the level of various commands however. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

There is no outward ban on such behavior in the military, but you might keep it on the down-low anyway. I'm a First Lieutenant in the Army and have been skydiving for 16 years. Back when I was in Special Operations (as a Marine NCO) that sort of thing was encouraged in your spare time. I have a certain superior right now, however, who has a frothing-at-the-mouth prejudice against skydiving/BASE jumping - and anyone who does it. He has even spoken out against it as reckless at a public ceremony (it was directed at me). We've lost 4 soldiers this year to motorcycle accidents...I haven't had more than a sprained ankle in 16 years...but I'm the reckless one apparently. It's cost me at least one assignment. Just be careful who you let know you skydive. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

What the...I mean...Why the...Errrr, um... I got nuttin... Darwinian Gun Control ...Or perhaps the perfect murder? edit to acknowledge a good point... - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

That's just funny/tragic/stupid guuuud stuff. Panel Finds Astronauts Flew While Intoxicated Jul 26, 2007 By Frank Morring, Jr./Aviation Week & Space Technology A panel reviewing astronaut health issues in the wake of the Lisa Nowak arrest has found that on at least two occasions astronauts were allowed to fly after flight surgeons and other astronauts warned they were so intoxicated that they posed a flight-safety risk. The panel, also reported "heavy use of alcohol" by astronauts before launch, within the standard 12-hour "bottle to throttle" rule applied to NASA flight crew members. A NASA spokesman declined comment on the findings, which were obtained by Aviation Week & Space Technology. The spokesman said a press conference has tentatively been scheduled for Friday afternoon on the issue. At the direction of Administrator Michael Griffin, NASA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard S. Williams set up the panel to review astronaut medical and psychological screening after Nowak was arrested in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 5 on charges of attempted murder and attempted kidnapping for allegedly stalking and threatening a woman who was dating another astronaut. The attempted murder charge was subsequently dropped. The panel is composed of military and civilian government physicians, psychologists, lawyers, safety experts and astronauts under the chairmanship of U.S. Air Force Col. Richard Bachmann, dean of the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. Panel members visited Johnson Space Center in April to gather information from flight surgeons and the astronaut office on astronaut health screening. A panel member said Wednesday the report was still in draft form, and probably would be released in August. Separately, Griffin ordered JSC Director Mike Coats to review intake and on-going psychological screening for astronaut candidates and astronauts, and to recommend changes if necessary. Griffin also directed Coats, himself a former astronaut, to "determine whether there were any areas of concern - any leading indicators we might have picked up on, based on Lisa Nowak's dealings with other astronauts or NASA employees," in the words of Deputy Administrator Shana Dale. The Bachmann panel report apparently does not deal directly with Nowak or mention any other astronaut by name. Coats' findings also will be part of the press conference on Friday, according to the agency spokesman. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Yeah, I got sucked in too. 1) The factions would descend into middle-age barbaric conflict and hundreds of thousands, maybe millions would die or be displaced. 2) The surrounding states would posture for control. I think Iran would win that one. 3) Gas would hit $6.00 within 3 months. Which, I think is a good thing. Market demand would force the hand of auto makers into going electric, hydrogen, something other than petroleum. Which would end up sending the middle east back to the 7thC. B.C. where they want to be anyway. I say suck it up and ride a bicycle for a bit until things settle down sans oil. Screw them. Just my $.02. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

This hurts...but I agree with every word you said here. It sums up my philosophy from the outset. Shoot me now. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

C'mon Wendy - it's not exactly an evil trolling thread. Good points... - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

...in international affairs analysis. Suspend your biases for a minute. As impossible as that may be for some. There are a couple of distinguished opinions on the subject I am actually curious to hear. Set aside your thoughts on the war, the president, the elections, blah blah blah. Based on what you know of these particular individuals' motivations, the state of US border security, and the global petroleum market, How best to deal with this?: Article My thoughts: 1 - The Venezuelan opposition is correct. As evil as they may be, only Western oil giants have the bandwidth to operate their resources at any level of efficiency, so that one may self-destruct on them. Same for Iran, who is currently fuel rationing because they can't quite get it right. 2 - Iran's hidden agenda is disconcerting. Their eagerness to establish themselves in the western hemisphere is rabid. 3 - The state of the Latin American economy makes the population susceptible to recruitment into smuggling not drugs, but ordinance, into the US. Or worse - recruitment as terrorist pawns. Discuss. (Intelligently Please - I'm certain this isn't some secret Halliburton profiteering scheme. There really might be something here to worry about from a national security standpoint.) - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Incorrect. He did both, but was only brought up on charges for one. Armitage leaked, not Libby. Ding ding ding. You win a cookie. And bless his heart...it wasn't out of spite. He just had a very dumbass moment. And owned up to it. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member

Incorrect. He did both, but was only brought up on charges for one. Well...because they couldn't prove, at least the US Atty didn't think, that he did. I personally think the leak was higher and Novak should have been indicted for publishing classified information. But that would make me a civil rights abusing nazi according to buffy. - Harvey, BASE 1232 TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA BLiNC Magazine Team Member