July 23, 2007

Ruh-Roh

This from the Washington Post:
Destabilizing Iraq, Broadly Defined -- by Walter Pincus

Be careful what you say and whom you help -- especially when it comes to the Iraq war and the Iraqi government.

President Bush issued an executive order last week titled "Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq." In the extreme, it could be interpreted as targeting the financial assets of any American who directly or indirectly aids someone who has committed or "poses a significant risk of committing" violent acts "threatening the peace or stability of Iraq" or who undermines "efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform . . . ."
^^^
However, the text of the order, if interpreted broadly, could cast a far bigger net to include not just those who commit violent acts or pose the risk of doing so in Iraq, but also third parties -- such as U.S. citizens in this country -- who knowingly or unknowingly aid or encourage such people. [emphasis added]
Click here for the complete text.
***
And we all know the penchant this administration has for interpreting things broadly.
I may be in trouble:
Every day, I click on 5 sites that help feed the hungry, give health care to children around the world, save the rainforest, etc. What if one of those sites is deemed to be involved in 'destabilizing Iraq?' I may suddenly find myself unable to buy food. Or my index finger might get lopped off.
I'll keep you posted. Or if you don't hear from me for several days-- it could be due to the missing digit --so, to be safe, pack up and head for the hills.

15 comments:

two crows said...

hey, m e--
who the hell knows what's in people's [sheeple's?] little minds? maybe the latest outcome of American Idol? _that_ can certainly be a distraction.
***
btw--apologies: I forgot to add the link. it's there now if you need help finding the original article.

jmsjoin said...

two crows
It really is horrible. Under Bush it is just like under the Nazi's. As you know, they have a great influence on the Bush family.
It is terrible because the more I get around the more I hear from everybody that they are afraid to say anything negative about Bush because of trolls or worse.
Most of us I believe have had various problems with this.

two crows said...

hey, AAP--
and it just keeps getting worse.
I think my optimism of last week was premature. or completely misplaced.

right now, I'm feeling as if I should pull my hurricane preparedness kit [it includes everything I think I'll need if I come home to find I have no home] and get out of dodge -- Run down to the coast and beat the crowd-- book a ship to take me across the gulf to Mexico -- now while I still have access to my bank account and can still afford to get out of the country.

jmsjoin said...

Hi two crows
I should have put this on your censure post but I just wanted to make sure you got this response to you.

jmsjoin said...

m e
If you only knew how close you are. two crows can tell you!

Larry said...

We are a nation of sheep, and
someone else owns the grass.

George Carlin

Quote of the Week!

Snave said...

How can people not be concerned about what Bush is doing? What is the matter with Americans? These blatant attempts to undermine the Constitution by concentrating power in the executive branch are bad news... All the administration needs is a national or "catastrophic" emergency and America as we know it goes down the toilet.

TC, "now while I still have access to my bank account and can still afford to get out of the country." That might be, while you are still allowed to leave the country. The new passport restrictions remind me of stories a Russian prof I had at U of Oregon told about how Soviet citizens used to have to get government permission to take car trips to see relatives. They want to restrict our access to information and restrict our participation in the marketplace of ideas... why wouldn't they want to restrict our physical space as well? Scheise.

This just seems to be getting worse and worse, and nobody is doing anything about it.

two crows said...

hey, Larry and Snave--
we're getting a lesson in what the Germans went through in the 1930's and 40's,
hindsight is a wonderful thing. for the last 70+ years people have been saying, 'why didn't they see it coming? why didn't they leave?
we're finding it's not so easy to do as it looks from the outside, huh?

do we leave? WHEN do we leave? if it entails leaving family behind, it's an even harder decision than if we're on our own. and on, and on.

12:43 PM

jmsjoin said...

two crows
Don't panic but you know how I feel. Did you read my manifesto? As I was saying, the Gulf or Mexico won't be saf either.
I am a survivalist and the survivalist believed at least in the 70s that Nova Scotia would be the only safe place. Someone tried to get me too go there with them.

Mary Ellen said...

an average patriot,

I have a pretty good idea how close we are..check out the story I did just the other day on my blog.

THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPENING HERE

I rail all the time about our loss of freedoms. Today I also have some video on the Justice Dept. Oversight hearings. We know longer have justice in America. :-(

two crows said...

hi, AAP--
who knows _where_ will be safe?
in Europe -- all but Germany and Poland were safe in 1938 -- but by 1940 people needed to flee Austria. and France in 1941. then later, Denmark and Holland. etc. etc.

we could pick a place SO carefully -- only to wake up and find the contagion had followed us there.

terrifying.

two crows said...

I hear you, m e.
and I'm as scared as you are.

TomCat said...

Dang! I know I commented on this yesterday!! I must have flunked the word verification and not noticed.

I said that when people start connecting the dots, as ME suggested, may be when the dots are cockroach droppings on the gulag floor.

two crows said...

blech! TC--
what a mind-picture!

TomCat said...

May it stay in mind only, TC.