Benazir Bhutto Brought Down

Another indicator that we are a very long way from any stability in any part of the Middle East or South Asia.

Just a guess; but I suspect that if we ever learn who was actually responsible we will learn it was a right wing religious extremist group that was aided by a few members of the Pakistan's state intelligence or security apparatus.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

It appears the Richard Dawkins is going to make a lecture tour of the south. I expect that some of proud supporters of America and free speech will supply us with some very humorous and utterly predictable reactions.

The Rev David Cox, of the First Southern Methodist Church, Charleston, South Carolina said: “I would certainly like to protest. [Dawkins] is a tool of Satan, of the AntiChrist it sounds to me. All God-fearing people will be opposed to an atheist touring.”

Leave it to a South Carolinian to lead the way.

Now it's Time

Merry Christmas

Ron Paul, Attracting Interesting Friends

It seams that the populist campaign of Ron Paul is attracting support from all over, including white supremacist. What may be surprising to some is Paul is refusing to distance himself from this group.

Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul has received a $500 campaign donation from a white supremacist, and the Texas congressman doesn't plan to return it

Of course if you knew more about Ron Paul it would not have been that much of a shock.

On Saturday, Ron Paul held a campaign rally in Philadelphia. As Atrios noticed, it attracted a large crowd, most of them quite vocal about ending the Iraq war. But if you looked carefully, there was also an element (most them also antiwar) that's become something of a fixture at Ron Paul rallies: skinheads, neo-Nazis, militiamen, and various stripes of right-wing extremists.

I bet he will do real well with some the heritage and confederate flag crowd here in South Carolina.

Outside the Tent Notes That

Mike Huckabee's new national campaign chairman is off to a flying start. He is already making stuff up and lying his ass off.

Rollins repeats this little 'christian nation' lie:

You go back to the signing of the constitution I think 26 of the people that signed it were ministers.

I know that bending the truth (often long past the breaking point) is the primary job of political spinmeisters, but even with that considered I do have to wonder about this obsessive desire of so many of the christian right to lie about our nations history in the effort to defend their goals.

It seems to me to be awfully unchristian of them.

Just More Evidence - Bush Lies

I know, this is no surprise to any thinking individual. It has been clear since the Brooks Brothers Riot that far to many republicans are eager to lie, cheat and steal to get the power they want.

For those few who still think that the President is a man of such virtue that he is incapable of telling a lie, lets consider the Iran NIE and the last few months.

For over a year the Bush administration has been pounding on the war drums. Iran could have a nuclear weapon any day, they are working overtime, at this very moment, to build a nuclear weapon to destroy our nation. These cries were echoed at what appeared at hourly intervals by members of the Bush administration and elected Republican enablers in the House and Senate.

Now it has become clear the President has known for months that Iran has discontinued any weapons development programs it had. What is interesting is that this new has not stopped him, or other members of the administration, from repeating their claims (for months) about Iran, this despite knowing they were lies.

And when the truth comes out, what does our President do?

Of course, he lies.

On Tuesday, President Bush said he was never forewarned by the intelligence community that Iran had suspended its nuclear weapons program in 2003:

In August, I think it was John — Mike McConnell came in and said, We have some new information. He didn’t tell me what the information was.

Now the White House is revealing that wasn’t true. In fact, Bush did know what the information was. CNN reports:

President Bush was told in August that Iran’s nuclear weapons program ‘may be suspended,’ the White House said Wednesday, which seemingly contradicts the account of the meeting given by Bush Tuesday.”

On Advent

Fr. Jake has a wonderful post.

and mentions one of my faviorate songs of the season.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.