I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

The CIA has an inglorious history, to put it mildly. I don't want it commanding weapons, but I am not sure that is worse than what the CIA used to do. For example, it staged a coup in Chile in the early 70s that led to the fascist dictastorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, and the loss of thousands of lives as a result. The same thing would have happened in Cuba in the 60s if the agency had had its way. They are one reason why I am skeptical about the term "national security." It seems that they have frequently used it to further non accountability more than the national goals. A lot of the time, they have just embarrassed us - like when we mistakenly bombed the Chinese embarssy in Yugoslavia because Company men, using old maps, told the military it was a different target.

Blue, Yorkie

I thought "Allah" was something a Real Housewife of New York said, or is that Gwen Stefani or both?

HL and Athena, I think that there was a disrespect for analysis during the Bush administration and that unfortunately analysis has continued to suffer under the Obama administration.  I imagine that once a program is trashed it's difficult to rebuild but I feel it's something that needs to be done.  To my mind the analysis part is the important function of the CIA which has been subjugated by the militarization side.

Lee Atwater on the Republican's Southern Strategy in his own voice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_8E3ENrKrQ&feature=player_embedded

Hi Everyone!

Been busy working inside and outside.  Until it snows, the leaves are a never-ending nightmare.

Athena ... I read your new forum.  I think it's a great topic.  We've talked privately in the past so you are aware of the comorbid illness I have.  I know I shouldn't be worried about this .. but I am terrified of having my private matters on an open forum.  I have been open before about other issues on this site ... and it's come back to bite me in the butt ... many times. There are just too many damn hateful people out there. 

I will read your thread regularly, but I'm not ready to participate. I can say that taking Tamoxifen and Arimidex put me in a spiral of depression and crying jags.  I had to quit taking them ... I chose quality over longevity.

hugs to all,

Bren

Don't need a Patraeous scandel to shift our attentions away from Benghazi...just shift the channel off of Faux News.  Wow, if the affair(s) started years ago, is their "shifting our attention from Benghazi" kind of the same stupidity as Obama's mother having the foresight to publish Obama's birth announcement in a Honolulu paper while giving birth in Kenya, 48 years earlier, knowing he would want to run for President one day?

I'd say, if all this were true, we have one smart strategic family in the White House.  Ofcourse, they can still be smart and strategic and none of this be true.  More like, who the heck are these wackos that come up with this stuff?  Where is their logic?  Let's be real, thinking like this is true cause to fear for our nation.

It's their mindless mantra....impeachment, socialism, communism, secession, take back America, real American....they've all lost their meaning, they're just RW blather.  Thoughtful people don't speak or write with such laxity.  They're tools of the "Conservative Entertainment Complex" (love David Frum's new term).

Good luck, Alexandria. I don't think I have the imagination to writer a novel.

I suppose the "Watergate" element of Benghazi is that.....(roll drums...) Obama killed the ambassador himself!!!!!

I have a question for those on the Mirror thread. It is a knowledge test and it's a true or false test, so you should be able to complete it:

There were weapons of mass destructions in Iraq... True or False

Alexandria, if we get an overall incorrect response (and I'm not counting) then we won't have to wonder about Benghazi.

But, Athena, the wmd are buried out in the desert "somewhere." Didn't you get the memo?

Goodness, I hope we are not going to bury an important health discussion simply because we fear the opinions of people who have less brain power in their entire voting blocks than we have in our little fingers???? Come on folks, WHO CARES what some people think. They can kiss my ass. I am crazy, but at least not stupid or ignorant (both of which are truly dangerous and offensive). Besides, there's the ignore button.

I care about the opinions of people I have respect for. The rest? The jokes they could make about nutsos are not half as funny as mine.

Alexandria.....you came up with the question I have wondered about so long.  Surely all those conspiracy people have something better to do than try to lay everything but a sunny day ( of course that is acrually a positive thing ) at the President's feet. 

I'm thinking ---especially with all the Rupublicans alightning just a little frrom their high horses ( excuse me Enjoy ) today, those little ole' bitty conservs next door are going to left eating dust.  But then, it takes a while to get over your loss.....in order to do that you would have to take responsibility for listining to all those wild lies your news source pourned won your op;en gullet. 

Some days it is just too hard to truly be yourself and stand proud that you are.

Jackie

sorry no spell checker.

Athena - what about those that were terribly wrong doing a post-mortem?  I for one want it on the record that Rasmussen was the 4th worst poll in a list of 40 or so, while it was cited by that bunch as the most reliable election poll because of how it counts Democrats.  Hey, these people need to eat some humble pie and learn something.  Obviously they missed that part of their childhood - the learning part.

And now we have some Republicans actually fessing up to the unfairness of long voting lines.  David Frum citing the "Conservative Entertainment Complex" as duping them (i.e. Rush, Fox, et al).

People want to be 100% correct, usually, because it brings shame upon themselves.  Do these people feel no shame for what they've stood for?

You guys are so silly.  Nothing and no one must be allowed to disturb the bubble! 

Linda