March 2, 2005

The BuzzFlash Mailbag

The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Read the BuzzFlash FAQ for info on submitting to the Mailbag.

Monday, May 10, 2004

Question from "Gannon":
"In your denunciations of the Abu Ghraib photos, you've used words like "sickening," disgusting," reprehensible." Will you have any adjectives left to adequately describe the pictures from Saddam Hussein's rape rooms and torture chambers? And will Americans ever see those images?"

McClellan:
"I'm glad you brought that up, Jeff, because the President talks about that often. We did remove a brutal regime from power that was responsible for mass graves and torture chambers and rape rooms. And this was a regime that encouraged and tolerated that kind of activity. It stands in stark contrast to the way we're addressing this issue of prison abuse. When something like this comes to light, the US acts quickly and swiftly to bring people to justice and to take steps to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Q from "Gannon":
"This is a matter of degree. Those prisoners will survive being photographed naked, but many of Saddam's victims will never be seen again, and did not survive the torture chambers. Will Americans ever see the photographic evidence of that? I think if you contrast the two, you're going to get a much different perspective on this."

McClellan:
"We should never forget the atrocities carried out by the former regime. We are having the former head of that regime come to trial before long, and he will be held responsible for these atrocities."

Q from "Gannon":
"Will the pictures emerge at that time?"

McClellan:
"He will be accountable for those atrocities."

Wednesday, May 12, 2004

McClellan: "Jeff?"

Q from "Gannon":
"Despite warnings that the release of the Abu Ghraib pictures might put Americans in danger, CBS went ahead and did it anyway. The feeding frenzy over these photos has been briefly interrupted by the videos of Nick Berg being brutally beheaded. But they won't show that on the air. Do you find any inconsistency with regard to the media treatment for releasing these photos they knew would inflame the Arab street, but not airing something that they also know would inflame the American street, or at least the center and right part of it would see the President."

McClellan:
"What's important---Jeff, I'm sorry to speed this up, but the helicopter is landing and we have to leave for another event. But what's important is that America shows the world how we act when these kind of issues come to light, when prisoners are mistreated. And we act by holding people responsible who committed these acts and taking steps to make sure something like this doesn't happen again. It stands in stark contrast to a regime like Saddam Hussein's who tolerated and encouraged these kind of atrocities."

Rock, Well . . . Didn't

It was unclear if this routine was some sort of commentary on racism
or a gratuitous slap at Hollywood, but either option is hardly encouraging.

The giant oil companies just announced record profits for 2004. Exxon Mobil, the biggest oil company in the world, had after-tax profits of 26 billion dollars last year on its ongoing operations, up 52 per cent from 2003. ChevronTexaco had 13 billion dollars in profits, up 85 per cent from a year ago. And Shell Oil had profits of 19 billion dollars, up 48 per cent from 2003.

That $2 per gallon of gas and those $400 a month heating bills? Right from our pockets to theirs!

Oil company profits soar (the-spark.net)

Certify argued to the 4th Circuit that the Court could not order the government to produce its star witness against Moussaoui because (are you ready?) he, the witness, is out of the country at an undisclosed location. True, but the witness is in the custody of the federal government! The out-of-the country argument is a sham. This is similar to a ruling recently by the federal court that ruled that Guantanamo Bay prisoners had no access to federal courts for claims that they be charged or released because-they are out of the country!! Of course, in federal custody, but that does not matter.