Tuesday Topic Week 18

AMERICA IS WAITING

There have been a few occasion where I forgot to post the Tuesday Topic until I was gently reminded by Agent 99 in her interminable quest to right the wrongs foisted upon us.

In fact she reminded me today before I was even awake this morning.

But alas - I too am waiting for today's Tuesday Topic to be posted at One Million Blogs for Peace!

Tuesday Topic Week 17

In this 17th week of the One Million Blogs for Peace campaign we have seen renewed calls for impeachment of both Bush and Cheney, defection of some Republicans from the Bush "Bring it on" foreign policies, more evidence of Gonzales lying to Congress, and continued evasion of congressional oversight by Bush and Cheney.

But in a classic Bushco prestidigitatorial move - POOF - that all disappears. "Look over here! There's TERROR. KKKarl, Dick and I will protect you!"

This week the Tuesday Topic is a challenge to be creative in quest of an end to hostilities in Iraq culminating in a contest next month.

Here then, with no further ado, is this weeks Tuesday Topic:

Seventeenth Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Are you planning on participating in the upcoming August Challenge at One Million Blogs for Peace?
It will entail making a YouTube video promoting peace in Iraq and One Million Blogs for Peace.
Why will you or will you not be participating?

Tuesday Topic Week 16

Tomorrow we celebrate the birthday of our country. Founded on concepts which today only seem as a fond memory. We will go out to watch fireworks displays and revel in the memory of the freedoms our forefathers fought and died for. Freedoms which have been surrendered in the name of fighting "Terror".

The War on Terror has cost us our right to Habeas Corpus, ushered in illegal spying on our citizens and hindered our ability to show our dissatisfaction.

We have a man serving as president who rewrites the laws to exclude him as he laughs at our judges and juries.

Our forefathers are surely rolling over in their graves!

It's time to again declare our independence. To declare our independence form this current administration and return to the concepts on which this once great country was founded.

One step in the right direction is to end the war in Iraq as well as the threats and aggression towards Iran.

Here is today's Tuesday Topic from One Million Blogs for Peace:

Sixteenth Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 3 July 2007
With America's birthday tomorrow, how do you feel the American Revolution works as a parallel to the Iraq War?
Would the United States have cooperated with French occupation for years after they assisted in the revolution?
Can self-determination be enforced?

Tuesday Topic Week 15

This week we have seen even more subpoenas issued by the Senate calling on Cheney and the Whitehouse to explain themselves in the illegal wire tapping scandal.

We've learned wasteful spending by the government has reached an all time high, plagued by fraud, and mismanagement with a sharp increase in no-bid contracts.

We've also seen the horrible birth defects {WARNING - VERY GRAPHIC} caused by the Depleted Uranium we've been spreading all over the place in Iraq. Yet the war goes on!

When will it all end?

Here's this weeks fashionably late Tuesday Topic from One Million Blogs For Peace:

Fifteenth Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
We all want the Iraq War to end tomorrow.
But when do you think it will end?
Explain what you think will change or what events will transpire to eventually end the War.

Tuesday Topic Week 14

Fourteen weeks after the start of the One Million Blogs for Peace Tuesday Topic we have seen no end to the violence in Iraq. Just today a truck bomb exploded in Baghdad killing 78 people, bringing the total to over 150 for the day. Hundreds more were injured, some with severe burns over 100% of their body. Many of these injured are expected to die from their wounds. The situation is further aggravated by the lack of medical facilities, personnel and supplies.

In the meantime our soldiers sacrificing in this illegal war are being forced to keep fighting indefinitely without pause even though our own Army Mental Health experts claim they need a break. Yet at the same time the State Department is deeply concerned about protecting the mental health of diplomats when they make those "surprise visits".

As these events unfold 10,000 troops are bearing down on another Iraq province to wipe it clean of suspected Sunni Insurgents, which is very strange considering that we learned just last week that the U.S. is funding the Sunni Insurgents - very strange indeed!

But then what can you expect from our leaders who have such a cavalier attitude regarding the laws of our land and our constitutional rights.

So here then is this weeks Tuesday Topic:

Fourteenth Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
According to this report by the Fund for Peace, Iraq ranks as the second least stable country in their Failed States Index (Afghanistan ranks eighth).
Given this fact (and Somalia's presence at third), what do you think the overall impact of foreign invasion is on a country?
Has the era of invading a nation to install a new government been exposed as a failure?
If not, can you provide an example of a country that has stablized as the result of invasion since World War II?

Tuesday Topic Week 13

This week marks the thirteenth week of the One Million Blogs for Peace Tuesday Topic.
In the past week we have seen more extremely weak responses from Congress towards resolution of the war in Iraq as well as further threats towards Iran and Somalia.

The Democrats caved in to Bush's fear mongering and the war will go on into perpetuity, leading to a dismal approval rate for this Congress in which we had such high hopes.

An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll just released shows only 19% of voters think this country is headed in the right direction and the 23% approval rating for Congress is the lowest ever.

With these items in mind, here is the:

Thirteenth Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
In combatant countries in the Iraq War, myopia seems to keep misgivings about the War at bay amongst much of the population.
The media and politicians are able to collaborate in getting citizens to ignore the travesties of a War that has enacted a civilian death-toll equivalent to at least twenty-one September 11th's.
What types of daily activities or behaviors (as opposed to large one-time protests) do you think can help alert these populations to the fact that this is unacceptable?
What do you think of the idea of refusing to rise for anthems or pledges in combatant countries until the War is ended?

Tuesday Topic Week 12 (Belated)

OOPS - This past week has been a hectic one for me and in all the goings on it is all of a sudden Friday and I realized I had forgotten all about the weekly Tuesday Topic for this week.

I hope Storey won't be too disappointed in me.

So with no further delay here is the...

Twelfth Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Assuming you had access to relatively limitless resources, what do you think would be the ideal event to protest the Iraq War?
Describe in detail how you would plan, recruit for, and conduct the event.

Tuesday Topic Week 11

by BB2

Today marks the eleventh week of the One Million Blogs for Peace Tuesday Topic campaign.



During this week we have seen the Democrats fold to the Bush War Machine, giving him even more money than he had asked for and dropping demands for a withdrawal time line while throwing us a bone in the form of some aid for Katrina Victims amounting to about 7% of the war budget along with some other domestic pork totaling another 10% of that budget.

These are the Democrats that we voted in during the last election based on their promises to put an end to the war.
These are the Democrats who are, with the exception of less than a handful, merely trodding along the same slimy path we've been going down the last 6 1/2 years.

We have also seen Cindy Sheehan, an outspoken personality in the peace movement become disgusted with the Democrats, writing them a scathing letter as she quit the party and then days later resigning from the peace movement itself.

So, with all that in mind, here is today's Tuesday Topic.

Eleventh Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 29 May 2007
Cindy Sheehan, perhaps the most famous personality in the effort to end the Iraq War in America, announced yesterday that she is leaving the peace movement.

She cites extreme disillusionment with both American politicians and the peace movement in general, as well as personal exhaustion and strife, as her reasons for the departure.

What do you think of this decision and its reasoning?

What impact, if any, do you think her announcement will have on the peace movement?

What parts, if any, of her frustration do you relate to?

Tuesday Topic Week 10

So another week has gone by but nothing has changed regarding Iraq. In fact it seems the Democrats are turning into a bunch of whimpering puppies.

We find that as an Agreement Nears On Iraq Funding Bill they have

confirmed they will abandon plans to include a troop withdrawal timetable in the war supplemental spending ....

We also find that the Bush administration has been sneaking in plans to double force by Christmas

With that in mind, here is the tenth Tuesday Topic from the One Million Blogs for Peace:

Tenth Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Over 1,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since three US soldiers were kidnapped in Iraq.
During that time, the predominant focus of thousands of US troops has been to locate those three soldiers.
What does this say to you about the priorities and ethos behind the Iraq War?

Tuesday Topic Week 9

When I first read today's Tuesday Topic I was thrown by the author's use of the phrase "foreign soldiers". The image which first came to mind was one of the Iraqi soldiers who had been killed. But certainly many more than 3,000 Iraqi soldiers had died a long time ago. Then I thought about the British soldiers and other coalition troops, but I didn't think there had been that many deaths among them.

I was confused, stuck in the thinking of "Us" and "Them".

So I posed the question at One Million Blogs for Peace:

I'm confused by your term "foreign soldiers".
Do you not mean "American" or "Coalition" soldiers?
Or does it refer to our troops as in foreign to Iraq?

Blog Master Storey Clayton replied:

Yes, it means foreign to Iraq. It's in the same sense that "foreign combatants" appears in the OMBFP pledge.

In my opinion, one of the best ways to engage people to change their perspective about this war (and other similar issues of political compassion) is to challenge them to shed their natural nationalistic biases. Americans have a shocking tendency to assume everything from an American perspective, and if they see it as "us" in Iraq, it's hard to understand that the Americans and others are actually foreign occupiers.

Using consistent language to illuminate what's really going on helps get people to confront the realities they might rather oversimplify.

So here is today's Tuesday Topic. Remember we are "Them"!

Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Well more foreign soldiers have now been killed in Iraq than were killed in the 9/11 attacks.
While there are obvious distinctions in the manner of death and status of the dead (civilian vs. military), the fact remains that each dead person leaves a gaping and torturous hole in the world of the people they leave behind.
Could you imagine politicians leveling the same rhetoric against the Iraq War that was leveled against 9/11?
Do you feel that those responsible for perpetrating the war have any sense of this responsibility they bear?

Tuesday Topic Week 8

by BB2
Today marks the eighth week of the One Million Blogs for Peace Tuesday Topic series.
The questions this week address the new government for Iraq.

While we may feel we know the answer, we must ask ourselves on what basis do we judge? Is it based on our culture and perceptions of our own government, or do we feel we understand the Iraqi culture to the point where we can make that choice?

Obviously Bush and Company think they know, but look at the damage they have done. Just this evening on the CBS Evening News there was a report on the orphans in Iraq begging in the streets of Baghdad, selling trinkets to passersby in hopes of getting something to eat. No schooling, no hopes for the future. These will be the next generation of recruits for the militants.

Here is todays Tuesday Topic:

Tuesday, 8 May 2007
Describe the political and governmental format for Iraq that you feel gives Iraq its best chance at long-term peace.
What do you see as potential pitfalls of other systems?

I cannot judge what type of government they need, nor will I try beyond saying it must be one negotiated by the people which works to benefit the people.

It certainly is not the "Democracy" George Bush is trying to ram down their throats.
A Democracy built on the foundation of oil theft by American and British oil companies under the proposed Iraqi Oil Law.

As for the second question the pitfalls in ALL forms of government are Greed and Corruption.
.

Tuesday Topic

by BB2


The sixth Tuesday Topic has now been posted at One Million Blogs for Peace.

For anyone who has been following the Tillman and Lynch stories in the blogosphere, neither of the revelations from the hearings this week will come as any surprise.

What is good about the hearings is the fact that the truth is now beginning to receive coverage in the main stream media.

Here is yesterday's Tuesday Topic:

Tuesday, 24 April 2007
It has recently been revealed that at least two highly publicized accounts of U.S. soldiers in the Iraq War were largely, if not wholly, falsified.
What does this say to you about the motives of those prosecuting the Iraq War?
How much faith do you have that any of the information we are getting about Iraq has validity?

Waiting for the Tuesday Topic

by BB2
It seems this weeks Tuesday Topic is slow in coming. The Blogmaster at One Million Blogs For Peace may still be away as he mentioned in the latest post at his blog.

Therefore as we wait for this week's topic I shall bring a little light hearted musical interlude to break the dirge like atmosphere around here.
[special thanks to Homeyra for hanging this on the wall at her wonderful home which is Forever Under Construction]
(I don't know how she keeps getting those building permit extensions.)

Late nite music with wacky Iranians

.

Tuesday Topic

by Bluebear2
Today is the fifth Tuesday in the Million Blogs for Peace endeavor to stop the war.

In the past week we have lost a great man. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was perhaps my favorite author. His works were so fitting for the time, as I was coming of age in the 60's.

In October, 2005 Kurt was interviewed on the PBS show "Now" and read a letter to George W. Bush:

"I am an elder in this the greatest Democracy in the history of the world. I will be 83 in November. I am a member of what has been called the Greatest Generation. I am a combat infantry veteran with a Purple Heart and a Battle Star and I now want to put my President on notice and I'm talking about IMPEACHMENT! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
If he commits oral sex in the oval office, and I don't care with whom, that will be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
OUT HE GOES!
There. I've thrown down the gauntlet! If that be treason, make the most of it!"

The moderator then asked what he meant by the oral sex item. Kurt explained that it seemed to be the only thing left that would cause an impeachment. (This comment was not specific to Bush, but rather to politicians in general)

He also went on to say we have a 2 party system. The winners and the losers. The winners are made of two groups. The Republicans and the Democrats. The losers are the rest of us.

In this past week we have also had a tragic incident at Virginia Tech which has taken over the media's attention. Bush has raced off to the scene to use it as another of his backdrops to try and gain political points. Much the same way he has been using our military personnel.

At the same time, the scandals: Gonzales getting caught lying about his actions; Rice facing a subpoena; Rove being exposed for obstruction of justice; several years worth of government e-mails deleted; Cheney facing articles of impeachment, all are receiving no notice.

Therefore it is only fitting that this weeks Tuesday Topic is based on a quote of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. and a pitcher of warm spit.

Fifth Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
When asked about the anti-war movement during Vietnam and at the time, during 2003, Kurt Vonnegut (who passed away last week) said the following:
"When it became obvious what a dumb and cruel and spiritually and financially and militarily ruinous mistake our war in Vietnam was, every artist worth a damn in this country, every serious writer, painter, stand-up comedian, musician, actor and actress, you name it, came out against the thing. We formed what might be described as a laser beam of protest, with everybody aimed in the same direction, focused and intense. This weapon proved to have the power of a banana-cream pie three feet in diameter when dropped from a stepladder five-feet high.

And so it is with anti-war protests in the present day. Then as now, TV did not like anti-war protesters, nor any other sort of protesters, unless they rioted. Now, as then, on account of TV, the right of citizens to peaceably assemble, and petition their government for a redress of grievances, 'ain't worth a pitcher of warm spit,' as the saying goes."
What do you think of this quotation?
How do you think the modern anti-war movement can rise above the value of a pitcher of warm spit?

Tuesday Topic

by Bluebear2



Today is the fourth installment of the One Million Blogs for Peace Tuesday topic.

I have chosen to post the film festival which follows as my answer to the request to post a photo regarding the war in Iraq.

If any of you have a photo you wish to submit, post a link or use the Thumbsnap utility in the comments to post your photo and I will upload it to this page. (Click on the little picture at the top of the comment edit box. Choose a photo from your computer. For internet photo - download photo to your computer first.)

Here is todays topic:

Tuesday, 10 April 2007
Find and post a photo of the Iraq War.
What does this photo say to you about the war?
Do you think this photo could change others' minds about the war?

from Agent 99
















"The extent of damage to the bridge was not immediately clear."




(AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed )

Tuesday Topic

by Bluebear2
Today marks the third week of the One Million Blog campaign to enlist one million blogs in an effort to end the war in Iraq.

In the past week we've seen no resolution in the UK/Iran situation, with Bush stirring the pot by labeling the British sailors hostages and we've received warnings regarding an impending attack on Iran.

Senator McCain took a leisurely stroll through a Baghdad mall and didn't experience any problems and we finally received a confession from one of Guantanamo's worst offenders.

So here is today's Tuesday Question.
This one is harder to answer without knowing the Iraqi culture.
I'm going to have to think about this one.


Tuesday, 3 April 2007
Try to imagine yourself as a lifelong Iraqi citizen.
What do you think would motivate you?
How do you think your life would change if foreign combatants left the country?
How do you think you would feel about the United States and other occupying countries?

Tuesday Topic

by Bluebear2
Today I bring you the second Tuesday Topic.
In the past week we have seen an escalation of the saber rattling in the Persian Gulf with evidence of an impending invasion and the continuing violence in Iraq.

At the same time we see the wheels falling off the Bush Administration. We have seen the Attorney Firing Scandal and the involvement of the Attorney General. We've also heard the calls for an end to the war and for impeachment.

I see hopeful signs, people aren't buying the bullshit anymore. I also fear what Bushco might do while cornered.

With all that in mind, here is todays question.

Second Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Have you convinced anyone else to change their opinion about the Iraq War?
If so, describe that experience and how you convinced them.
If not, imagine what would change your mind if you felt differently about the War.

Tuesday Topic

by Bluebear2
Upon joining One Million Blogs for Peace I pledged to take part in the campaign to put an end to the war in Iraq. While the pledge is rather narrow in scope, dealing only with the war in Iraq, my desire is to stop Bush's impending war with Iran, as well as put an end to all wars.

I have already touched on the subject, exposing the ray guns here and here, depleted uranium (the blog entry following this), the false reasons for war here and the changing perspectives of the populace here.

Agent 99 has brought her wisdom here and here as well as her frustration here.

The folks at One Million Blogs for Peace will be issuing a weekly topic every Tuesday which I will pass along to our loyal 6 or 7** readers for comments.

For more information about One Million Blogs for Peace, or to register your blog, click on the green button in the right side-bar and it will take you to them.

So here is todays topic:

First Tuesday Topic
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
Think back four years ago, to when you first heard that the Iraq War had started.
Were you for or against the war at the time?
If you were for it, what has changed your mind over the last four years?
If you were against it, why were you against it?

Or if you wish, consider this an Open Thread.

**(To steal a phrase from the yellow and green blog.)
.