I am sure most Kossacks are much better versed in Geography than I am, but thought I would try to share my morning's journeys with maps.  Educated in the US after 8th grade, I have a shallow understanding of any region outside North America and Western Europe.

I will never forget when I first realized that Iran was sandwiched between Iraq and Afghanistan, well since Iran is considerable bigger than either - sandwiched may not be the right phrase.  That simple peek at a map transformed my understanding of the Middle East and gave me to believe that perhaps Iranian oil was the real target after all in all this.  Oh, how I long for an energy economy that eliminates all this intrigue.

More below the fold

This is the title of a remarkable article on Truthout today about Mccain's role within and ties to PNAC, and the future role of a McCain-led America in world affairs.

I have been troubled lately with all of the remarks about a Colombo-like Mccain as being incoherent, and reminded forcefully of the same Bush Alfred E. Newman act that led the American public to be disarmed by misunderstanding the exact and sinister nature of W's ideas.

So it was with great interest that i followed Elliott Cohen's argument that McCain would move further towards the insanity of the past seven years.

John McCain has long been a major player in a radical militaristic group driven by an ideology of global expansionism and dominance attained through perpetual, pre-emptive, unilateral, multiple wars. The credo of this group is "the end justifies the means," andthe end of establishing the United States as the world's sole superpower justifies, in its estimation, anything from military control over the information on the Internet to the use of genocidal biological weapons.

An AF Lt. Col, Donald Christy died of depression some days back, while we were arguing the merits/demerits of Rev. Wright.  Here is the link.  I feel so sad, not just for Lt Col Christy and his family, but for all of us having our focus on what shouldn't matter when people are suffering so.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/...

Rand Corp released a study recently that 300,000 recent vets are suffering from mental problems, VA has been covering up vet suicides at about 1,000 per month.

Let's take back the DNC from the DLC.  YES, we can!

In the midst of the happy Obamania frenzy, please let us do one thing:  sign up as many (diverse) progressives as possible as Precinct Committeemen.  This isn't sexy, and many of you won't read further, but I urge you strongly to help build the party longterm, right now.

You have to be voted in by the people in your own precinct, whom you will be meeting during the campaign anyway.   You get a petition from your County Party, have your neighbors sign it,  and put yourself on the Ballot in the November primary.

I'd like to direct your attention to a moving post over at DU by volcanojen, dedicated to the three young civil rights workers murdered 44 years ago in Mississippi by the Ku Klux Clan, in conspiracy with law enforcement, for daring to register black people to vote. One black Mississippian and two white students.   Dr. King said, in those years, "You can kill me, but you can't make me hate you."  This is the philosophy Barack Obama exudes.

http://www.democraticunderground.com...

The ringleader of the murders, Edgar Ray Killen, was finally convicted on June 21, 2005, the 41st anniversary of the crimes.  That was only three years ago!  This history is raw in Mississippi, where black voters tonight voted for one of their own for president.  I was forwarded  a moving email today that said

Subject: Today, I Cried...

Today, I cried.....I voted for a black man and, I cried.

I cried for my father and my grandfather and all grandfathers before

 

Check out this thread on DU, with a great graphic.
Huge Win For Obama Last Night - Clinton needed 60% Blowout Wins, Didn't Get Them, Nets few Delegates
Makes the point her firewall didn't hold.

http://www.democraticunderground.com...

It makes me think, we are falling into the MSM's framing, and agreeing with the notion of "wins"  as though they were "winner take all," as Olberman pointed out last night.  It's our own fault for claiming "11 in a row," but this is something we can influence.  I agree the campaign's rules are about who wins the most delegates.

Looks like this may take longer than I had wished, and now is the time to dig deep to help.

We need to win this to save the Democratic party, to assure a positive future for the country, and to retain all those enthusiastic new voters.

The truth is that Obama, with our help, fought her to a draw - even as she cast doubt on his credentials, his patriotism, his veracity, and his honor.

I  do hope the Party elders step in

The right is beating us on frames again, and in the heat of the primary race we can't afford to lose our diligence about this.  I am not a regular diarist, so  I hope I am following the rules.  I particularly want the campaigns to see this post.

I read a wonderful post by Jeffrey Feldman here: <http://jeffrey-feldman.typepad.com/frameshop> Feldman is my favorite reframer, I recommend a regular visit to his site.

Juan Cole also has an excellent piece here <http://www.juancole.com> today titled "Obama Scores against McCain"  analyzing the dynamics of Iraqi factions and dispelling the myth that Al Qeada is a major factor there.  Obviously McBush would love to keep it simplistic because it justifies a dangerous and hopeless  world view that went out with the Cold War.

Lt. Col. Jeff LATAS (USAF ret), AZ CD8, has joined the Peace Team.  http://www.peaceteam.net/...

With 20+ years of active military service, LATAS is a strong and credible voice - we should never have gone into Iraq, our occupation is a destabilizing force, and by the way, let's shift our energy policy so that we don't need to look to MiddleEastern sands to fuel our economy.

Tell our CURRENT legislators to end the illegal occupation of a country that meant us no harm, and sign the pledge to ONLY support candidates who make a SPEEDY withdrawal from the occupation of Iraq a major campaign issue.  And then send them your financial support, from that page.