Progress Report: Bush's Deafening Silence

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#160;#160;DON'T MISS

DAILY TALKING POINTS: Conservatives Aiding and

Abetting Terrorists and Criminals.

 

EDUCATION: American Progress's Ben Hubbard and David

Halperin on the myth of the liberal campus.

 

ECONOMY: That Rosy Unemployment Rate.

 

IRAQ: Salem Chalabi, failing to return to Iraq to face

murder charges, reportedly removed from overseeing

Saddam's trial.

 

JUSTICE: Study finds judges appointed by President

Bush are the most conservative on record in the areas

of civil rights and civil liberties.

 

9/11: New York's Port Authority joins lawsuit against

Saudi Arabia for terror attacks that killed almost

3,000 Americans.

 

 

DAILY GRILL

" They could sense I would be one of the great pilots

of all time. "

 

- George W. Bush on his military service, 1988

 

VERSUS

 

" George W. Bush began flying a two-seat jet especially

designed for training purposes more frequently in the

weeks just before he quit flying for the Texas Air

National Guard#8230; The T-33 jet is designed to help

train pilots early in their career, allowing for a

more experienced pilot to sit behind a trainee before

the trainee is permitted to fly solo in a single-pilot

jet. "

 

- AP, 9/10/04

 

 

DAILY OUTRAGE

Bob Novak, who won't reveal who helped him disclose

the identity of an undercover CIA operative, went on

CNN and demanded CBS reveal its confidential sources.

 

 

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by David Sirota, Christy Harvey, Judd Legum and

Jonathan Baskin

 

SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

IRAQ Out Of Control

ASSAULT WEAPONS Bush's Deafening Silence

INTIMIGATE Throw Novak Off The Air

UNDER THE RADAR Go Beyond The Headlines

 

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Correction: In Friday's Progress Report, we mistakenly

said $145 million has been spent by the U.S.

government in Iraq. The figure is actually $145

billion. We regret the error.

 

IRAQ

Out Of Control

 

The mission in Iraq is far, far from accomplished. A

surge in deadly violence this weekend brought the

bloodiest day in Iraq in recent months; suicide

bombings, mortar fire and fierce battles between

insurgents and U.S. and Iraqi security forces,

including a firefight between an Iraqi crowd and a

U.S. helicopter crew, killed dozens, leaving even more

injured. Attacks against U.S. forces now average 87

per day, the worst monthly average, reports Newsweek,

" since Bush's flight-suited visit to the USS Abraham

Lincoln in May 2003. " Casualty figures keep

escalating: the U.S. death toll passed 1,000 last week

and over 7,000 have been wounded. Secretary of State

Colin Powell admitted this weekend, " We did

miscalculate the difficulty " of winning the peace in

Iraq.

 

FALLUJAH FAILINGS: In a significant setback for U.S.

efforts in Iraq, Fallujah, one of the nation's biggest

cities, is now entirely under the control of rebel

insurgents. This weekend, the Iraqi military force put

in place in the explosive city by the Marines

disbanded. There is strong evidence that many members

have been working with insurgents against the U.S.

forces that provided them with weapons and paychecks.

Last April, the White House withdrew Marine troops

from the city, hoping the newly created Brigade would

work with the Iraqi government to fight the

insurgency. The city quickly fell under the control of

the insurgents, as many in the Brigade openly joined

the rebel forces against the United States. Today, the

city is a safe haven for insurgents, a place to " take

refuge, plot attacks and run manufacturing centers for

car bombs and other explosives. "

 

GENERAL DISAGREES WITH APPROACH TO FALLUJAH: Lt. Gen.

James Conway, the outgoing U.S. Marine Corps general

in charge of western Iraq, said yesterday that he had

disagreed with the hasty order that sent his troops to

invade Fallujah in April as well as the subsequent

decision to withdraw from the city and turn over

control to the disloyal Brigade. Conway said the

disastrous assault increased tensions while making the

region more hostile to U.S. forces: " We felt like we

had a method that we wanted to apply to Fallujah, that

we ought to probably let the situation settle before

we appeared to be attacking out of revenge. " Instead,

higher ups insisted on the attack, and then demanded

troops pull out when the fighting grew fierce. " I

would simply say that when you order elements of a

Marine division to attack a city, you really need to

understand the consequences of that, and not, perhaps,

vacillate in the middle of that. Once you commit to do

that, you have to stay committed. " Marine Col. Jerry

Durrant agrees: " The whole Fallujah Brigade thing was

a fiasco. "

 

LIGHTS OUT IN IRAQ: Nineteen months after the invasion

of Iraq, the Bush administration has failed to achieve

significant reconstruction, contributing to the

ongoing frustrations of the Iraqi people. According to

Bathsheba Crocker, of the Center for Strategic and

International Studies, when it comes to economic

opportunity, services, and social well-being, " Iraq is

actually moving backward. " The Los Angeles Times

reports the job of restoring electricity to war-torn

Iraq is " steeped in errors and misjudgment. "

Electricity for Iraqis was central to White House

reconstruction plans, but today, Iraq's largest source

of electricity, the Baiji power plant, " produces less

than half the electricity it generated " two years ago.

Why is the country still in the dark? Lack of

planning, inconsistent leadership and an over-reliance

on private contractors. The Bush administration

" vastly underestimated the time, money and effort

needed to restore the country's power grid. " It's

indicative of the failures of the entire

reconstruction process, still marked by " tainted water

supplies, limited sewage treatment and curtailed

construction of public buildings. " The ongoing failure

has dire ramifications for the unstable security

situation, producing " a deep reservoir of confusion

and anger that feeds the country's deadly insurgency. "

 

PROBLEMS WITH DEMOCRACY: The increased violence has

serious ramifications for the scheduled elections.

" We're dealing with a population that hovers between

bare tolerance and outright hostility, " says a senior

U.S. diplomat in Baghdad. " This idea of a functioning

democracy here is crazy. We thought that there would

be a reprieve after sovereignty, but all hell is

breaking loose. " The Bush White House is blithely

insisting elections will occur in January as planned.

Security concerns, however, have left others less

confident. Former Secretary of State Madeleine

Albright stated this weekend on Meet the Press that

" It would be lovely if they took place in January, but

I sure don't see it. " Iraqi officials are also

increasingly skeptical. One senior Iraqi official told

Newsweek, " I'm convinced that it's not going to

happen. It's just not realistic. How is it going to

happen? " Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari echoed that

thought, saying, " The timetable really depends at the

end of the day on the security situation. " Some worry

that the Bush administration, desperate to avoid the

appearance of yet another setback, will stick to the

schedule despite ongoing problems. Ghassan Atiyya,

director of the independent Iraq Foundation for

Development and Democracy, warns, " Badly prepared

elections, rather than healing wounds, will open

them. "

 

ASSAULT WEAPONS

Bush's Deafening Silence

 

In 1999, then-Gov. George W. Bush supported the ban on

assault weapons, saying " it makes no sense for assault

weapons to be around our society. " In 2003, then-White

House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said that Bush not

only " supports the reauthorization of the current

assault weapons ban " but would " work with Congress " to

make sure it remained the law. But during his

presidency, " Mr. Bush has never once demanded that his

G.O.P. leaders cease playing first responder to the

demands of the gun lobby and take the initiative " to

extend the assault weapons ban. When the clock strikes

midnight tonight, military assault weapons will #8211;

once again #8211; be freely available across the

country. (For more Bush flip-flops check out President

Bush: Flip-Flopper in Chief.)

 

NO SURPRISE TO THE NRA: In 2000, NRA First Vice

President Kayne Robinson said that if George Bush was

elected " we'll have...a president where we work out of

their office " and that the NRA had " unbelievably

friendly relations " with Bush. The Los Angeles Times

describes the expiration of the ban as " a trophy Bush

can lay at the NRA's feet as the group readies its

presidential endorsement. " Pressure from the NRA also

caused Sen. Norm Coleman #8211; who supported

extending the ban during his 2002 campaign #8211; to

switch his position.

 

ASSAULT WEAPONS POSE ACUTE THREAT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT:

According to a 2002 report by the Bureau of Alcohol,

Tobacco and Firearms, assault weapons " pose an

enhanced threat to law enforcement, in part because of

their ability to expel projectiles at velocities that

are capable of penetrating the type of soft body armor

typically worn by the law enforcement officers. " Last

week, scores of law enforcement personnel from around

the country #8211; including police chiefs from

Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta

and Seattle #8211; assembled at the National Law

Enforcement Officers Memorial " to demand that

President Bush and Congress reauthorize the federal

assault weapons ban before it expires. "

 

GUN MANUFACTURERS READY: Gun manufactures have already

been " taking orders for semiautomatic rifles and

high-capacity ammunition magazines " that will become

legal tonight at midnight. The gun manufacturer

Beretta " has been offering customers two free 15-round

magazines after Sept. 14 with the purchase of two of

its weapons. " Current law " restricts the capacity of

ammunition magazines to 10 rounds. " Armalite Inc. is

" allowing customers to order banned assault weapons

now and have them shipped once the ban is lifted. "

Israel Military Industries Ltd. is expected to

reintroduce Uzis to the U.S. market. Robert A. Ricker,

a former executive director of the American Shooting

Sports Council, predicted " an incredible buying

frenzy. "

 

BROAD SUPPORT FOR EXTENDING THE BAN: A recent poll by

the Annenberg Public Policy Center showed that 68

percent of Americans support the ban. Support for the

ban extends to all demographics: 61 percent of

Republicans, 61 percent of people who live in rural

areas and 62 percent of conservatives. Among people

who have a gun in their home, a solid majority #8211;

57 percent #8211; support extending the ban.

 

BOON FOR TERRORISTS: The impact of the expiration of

the assault weapons ban may be broader than you think:

newly legal assault weapons could find their way into

the hands of al Qaeda terrorists. An al Qaeda training

manual recovered in Afghanistan urged terrorists " to

come to America and buy assault weapons. "

 

INTIMIGATE

Novak's Duplicity

 

In a move of stunning hypocrisy this weekend,

journalist Bob Novak went on CNN to demand CBS News

reveal the confidential sources which gave them

President Bush's National Guard records. On the

Capital Gang, Novak, who has strenusously claimed his

right as a reporter not to reveal his sources to law

enforcement officials in the leak of an undercover CIA

agent, said, #8220;I'd like CBS, at this point, to say

where they got these documents from.#8221; He then

repeated himself: #8220;I think they should say where

they got these documents.#8221; The Wall Street

Journal's Al Hunt was perplexed, asking Novak,

#8220;You're saying CBS should reveal its

source?#8221; He replied, #8220;Yes.#8221; Hunt asked

again, #8220;You think reporters ought to reveal

sources?#8221; Novak, then embarrassed said, #8220;No,

no. Wait a minute...I'm just saying in that

case.#8221; Hunt summed up, #8220;So in some cases,

reporters ought to reveal sources?#8221; Novak

replied, #8220;Yes.#8221;

 

Under the Radar

 

NATIONAL SECURITY #8211; POWELL DISSES CHENEY: Just

days after Vice President Dick Cheney embarrassed

himself by claiming terrorists would attack America if

people voted for John Kerry, he and the Bush campaign

sought to " clarify his remarks. " They said Cheney

actually meant that Kerry would not respond as

forcefully as Bush when an attack occurs. But

Secretary of State Colin Powell disagreed. Asked how

he believes Sen. John F. Kerry would respond to a

terrorist attack, Powell said, " As commander in chief,

I think he'd respond to it in a robust way. " Powell

had already made news earlier in the week, as British

journalist James Naughtie reported the Secretary of

State called neo-cons Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald

Rumsfeld and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz

" f---ing crazies. "

 

9/11 #8211; MORE POTENTIAL DEATHS THAN ACTUAL ATTACKS:

According to the UK Independent, which cited a new

report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office,

" Up to 400,000 New Yorkers breathed in the most toxic

polluting cloud ever recorded after the twin towers

were brought down three years ago, but no proper

effort has been made to find out how their health has

been affected. " The report " provides the latest

evidence of a systematic cover-up of the health toll

from pollution after the 9/11 disaster, which doctors

fear will cause more deaths than the attacks

themselves. " The Bush administration " suppressed

evidence of increasing danger " and officially

announced that the air around the felled buildings was

" safe to breathe. " Another report reveals that it has

since " failed at least a dozen times to correct its

assurances, even when it became clear that people were

becoming sick. " Just days after 9/11, the White

House's Council of Environmental Quality #8211; headed

by a former asbestos industry lawyer-lobbyist #8211;

doctored EPA press releases to claim the air was safe

to breathe. In fact, " Asbestos was found at 27 times

acceptable levels " near Ground Zero. After that, the

White House refused to immediately fund critical

health screening tests for those exposed to toxic

chemicals during the attack, instead waiting

two-and-a-half years to address the situation.

 

FOREIGN POLICY #8211; FREUDIAN SLIP?: Apparently, the

Bush administration has conflated Saddam Hussein with

Osama bin Laden so many times that even its own

officials have become confused. Secretary of Defense

Donald Rumsfeld mixed up the names of bin Laden and

Hussein twice in a speech at the National Press Club

on Friday, at one point referring to Hussein as the

leader of the al Qaeda-backed Northern Alliance in

Afghanistan. At another point Rumsfeld said, " Saddam

Hussein, if he's alive, is spending a whale of a lot

of time trying to not get caught. And we've not seen

him on a video since 2001. " He meant bin Laden.

Rumsfeld might just be following the White House

script. After all, in 2002 Bush said, " You can't

distinguish between al Qaeda and Saddam when you talk

about the war on terror. "

 

TERRORISM #8211; PUTIN'S RESPONSE: Russian President

Vladimir Putin has taken swift action in response to a

spate of deadly terrorist attacks in Russia, but some

are concerned he is using terrorism as an excuse to

consolidate his own power. In contrast to President

Bush's foot-dragging on creating the Department of

Homeland Security after 9/11, Putin has quickly

proposed a new federal agency to " engage

non-governmental organizations and other groups to

mobilize society in the fight against terror. " But

some of Putin's other proposed changes could limit

democracy in the country. He is seeking changes in

election procedure, for instance, which could " further

increase the clout of the pro-Kremlin faction and its

allies that already enjoy an overwhelming majority. "

Putin also plans to propose legislation providing for

regional governors in the Duma to be elected by

regional legislatures " on the recommendation of the

president. Putin had already seriously cut into the

governors' powers but he appears intent on doing away

with any vestiges of their autonomy. "

 

HOMELAND SECURITY #8211; INSECURE BORDERS: An

investigation by Time Magazine supports 9/11

Commission findings that the Bush administration has

failed to establish effective border security since

9/11. Time reports, " Despite all the talk of homeland

security, sneaking into the U.S. is scandalously

easy#8212;and on the rise. Millions of illegal aliens

will pour across the U.S.-Mexican border this year,

many from countries hostile to America#8230;The U.S.'s

borders, rather than becoming more secure since 9/11,

have grown even more porous. And the trend has

accelerated in the past year. " A nationwide survey of

the U.S. Border Patrol conducted last month found the

majority of the nation's customs and border officials

believe " they are ill-equipped to prevent another

terrorist attack. " Read more about the Bush

administration's inadequate efforts to improve border

control and plug other gaps in Homeland Security in

American Progress' report, " Failing Grades. "