Yes - I misspoke - meant to say nuclear powered and nuclear armed.

Jackie proposes sanctions against Iran and refers to them as a "nonmilitary" option. Maybe. But cranking up sanctions is hard to describe as nonviolent. Sanctions against Iraq are estimated to have cost the lives of 1 million Iraqis, disproportionally children. Sanctions kill. Speaking of killing, the Israelis are reported to be assassinating and terrorizing Iranian nuclear scientists. The covert ops of the Israelis and Americans are also hard to construe as "nonmilitary." Talking about Iran as THE problem, out of the context of international disarmament is an example of fragmented and dangerous thinking precisely when we need global solutions. Jackie does pay lip service to the idea of Israeli "concessions" on nuclear transparency, but the target of her remarks remains Iran as the bad guy who must be stopped. Interesting conversation. Thanks to both Jeffrey and Jackie.

Both Jackie and Jeffrey seemed to attribute the disappearance of nuke funding in the Senate version of the Stim bill to -- well, nothing. Poof. It just vanished. The truth is that there was a massive emailing and calling campaign to Senators and the WH organized by several peace groups. I'm not sure if that did the trick, but not even mentioning it seems an oversight. Ordinary people have been trying to "ban the bomb" (i.e., abolish nukes) for 60 years. Please acknowledge our existence.

Quoting Wonderment: Both Jackie and Jeffrey seemed to attribute the disappearance of nuke funding in the Senate version of the Stim bill to -- well, nothing. Poof. It just vanished.

The truth is that there was a massive emailing and calling campaign to Senators and the WH organized by several peace groups. I'm not sure if that did the trick, but not even mentioning it seems an oversight.

Ordinary people have been trying to "ban the bomb" (i.e., abolish nukes) for 60 years. Please acknowledge our existence.

I didn't know that. Congratulations. When you mentioned it last week or whenever it was, I thought it seemed like a futile plea. Good on you.

Quoting bjkeefe: I didn't know that. Congratulations. When you mentioned it last week or whenever it was, I thought it seemed like a futile plea. Good on you.

Hell, even Ronald Reagan wanted to abolish nuclear weapons. The only crazies are the people who don't.

Quoting claymisher: Hell, even Ronald Reagan wanted to abolish nuclear weapons. The only crazies are the people who don't.

Yes. I just meant that particular item in the bill at that particular time -- I thought it was either going to be ignored or that someone important in Congress was going to insist on keeping it.

Thanks for the great diavlog. Would you like to comment on the news just reported by Financial Times: "Iran has built up a stockpile of enough enriched uranium for one nuclear bomb, United Nations officials acknowledged on Thursday. In a development that comes as the Obama administration is drawing up its policy on negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear programme, UN officials said Iran had produced more nuclear material than previously thought." Full story at http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f367aada-f...077b07658.html Thanks

Quoting mvantony: [...]

So, this must make you happy:

Giving an acceptance speech that did not mention the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process or a two-state solution, Mr Netanyahu instead placed much of his focus on Iran's enrichment of uranium.

Quoting mvantony: [...]

Thanks. Glad to hear you've got your reservations about him.

The Lieberman-Netanyahu phenomenon is a big deal. It's the rough equivalent of David Duke being named Sec. of State and Dick Cheney elected president. Israel is now completely dominated by right-wing parties -- Likud, Kadima and Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteynoo, which is reminiscent of the KKK. The peace process is a joke after Gaza, not that there was much hope before Gaza. I don't expect much from Obama either. The Dem. Congress is virtually owned by the Israel-can-do-no-wrong lobby. Obama will have his hands full merely restraining the warmongering Netanyahu. That besides having his hands full with Afghanistan, Iraq, the economic meltdown and everything else.

Quoting Wonderment: Obama will have his hands full merely restraining the warmongering Netanyahu. That besides having his hands full with Afghanistan, Iraq, the economic meltdown and everything else.

Which is why we must, MUST, focus all our attention on the Fairness Doctrine.

Which is why we must, MUST, focus all our attention on the Fairness Doctrine.

LOL. It actually may be a cynically smart move. The Repubs are so disgraced and clueless that they have to change the subject to Option Z): Anything Else. On the other hand, I did have the rather grim thought this morning as I watched the DJIA go from dead to deader that the Obama presidency could last maybe 3 months. Not literally, of course, but in the sense that all the cards will be quickly dealt. The Repubs can keep their simple strategy of saying everything Obama proposes sucks. That way if the economy is worse or the same in 4 years, they will cluck, "We told you so" and if not they will bite the bullet, take another 4 yrs of Obamaism and plan for 2016. Of course, shit will happen in 4 years that no one can anticipate -- war, terrorism, any number of Katrinas, etc. But absent a major war or 9/11 scale event, it seems to me that the economy has now dwarfed everything else in importance to voters. Obama's presidency will be judged on how much richer or poorer we get.

Quoting Wonderment: [...]

Agreed, sadly. It's really too bad that the economy is in such a mess. I'd love to see what Obama could do in the foreign policy arena if he had an economy in the place where it was a dozen years ago.

Quoting Wonderment: Both Jackie and Jeffrey seemed to attribute the disappearance of nuke funding in the Senate version of the Stim bill to -- well, nothing. Poof. It just vanished.

The truth is that there was a massive emailing and calling campaign to Senators and the WH organized by several peace groups. I'm not sure if that did the trick, but not even mentioning it seems an oversight.

Ordinary people have been trying to "ban the bomb" (i.e., abolish nukes) for 60 years. Please acknowledge our existence.

you single?

you single?

Married, waaaaaaaay too old for you, and wrong gender (judging by the preference expressed on your blog). But I love you too, sweetie.

Quoting Wonderment: Married, waaaaaaaay too old for you, and wrong gender (judging by the preference expressed on your blog). But I love you too, sweetie.

I wish I could I find a clip to dingalink, but Wonderment has just cleared up an open question that Bob Wright has apparently been pondering for years.

I wish I could I find a clip to dingalink, but Wonderment has just cleared up an open question that Bob Wright has apparently been pondering for years.

Don't worry, Jeff. Bob will never dig deep enough into the comments to discover my disambiguated identity. On to REALLY important stuff: I notice you are making a strong move on my second-place ranking in total posts. I figure you'll whiz by me in a month or so. Nice. Congrats to Uncle Ebenezeer for joining the 1000 club as well.

Quoting Wonderment: Don't worry, Jeff. Bob will never dig deep enough into the comments to discover my disambiguated identity.

On to REALLY important stuff: I notice you are making a strong move on my second-place ranking in total posts. I figure you'll whiz by me in a month or so. Nice.

Congrats to Uncle Ebenezeer for joining the 1000 club as well.

You're right about Bob, all the more so since he's given up acknowledging our contributions to the sewer, here. (sniff.) Of course the real race is with Brendan's prodigious output. What good is a Liberal Mafia (now with Thug Moderators!) if we can't drown out the opposition with the sheer volume of our sterling prose?

Thanks guys, although as I mentioned to Brendan, due to the failure to carry-over totals from the old site, I think I broke the 1K mark a while back. Still, I remember when Bloggin' Noggin did the seemingly unthinkable, so many moons ago so I still cherish the achievement. Oddly enough, I don't even think my post rate has increased since becoming unemployed.

Quoting Wonderment: Don't worry, Jeff. Bob will never dig deep enough into the comments to discover my disambiguated identity.

On to REALLY important stuff: I notice you are making a strong move on my second-place ranking in total posts. I figure you'll whiz by me in a month or so. Nice.

Congrats to Uncle Ebenezeer for joining the 1000 club as well.

I don't know what your disambiguated identity is, but I think I've known/ suspected your gender for some time... You disclosed some good hints in the past. And I'm really offended that no one congratulated me when I reached the 1000 comments. But, I'll accept it. Sniff! Great to see some positive mood around!

Quoting Ocean: I don't know what your disambiguated identity is, but I think I've known/ suspected your gender for some time... You disclosed some good hints in the past.

And I'm really offended that no one congratulated me when I reached the 1000 comments. But, I'll accept it. Sniff!

Great to see some positive mood around!

Congratulations on reaching 1172 posts Ocean!

Quoting AemJeff: Congratulations on reaching 1172 posts Ocean!

Thank you, Jeff! I really appreciate it.
I'm glad that I haven't been accumulating "negative points" due to paucity of posting...

(fist bump) to Ocean. Congrats. How long have you been commenting here? I didn't realize you had so many posts.

Quoting Ocean: Thank you, Jeff! I really appreciate it.

I'm glad that I haven't been accumulating "negative points" due to paucity of posting...

I'm sure I could find one or two fellow members of the community who count at some of my posts as negative points! But not in your case, certainly. Race you to 2000!

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: (fist bump) to Ocean. Congrats. How long have you been commenting here? I didn't realize you had so many posts.

Hey! Thanks! I had to go back and look to answer your question. I started in June 08. Let's say that was the first wave of comments before the gap.

Quoting Ocean: I

Great to see some positive mood around!

what positive mood? wonderment's (unfortunate) gender just broke my heart!!!

Quoting nikkibong: what positive mood? wonderment's (unfortunate) gender just broke my heart!!!

I'm sorry to hear that. Man, you have to get out of that karma! How many hearts do you have after all? It's not fair!!! Cheer up!!! More suitable friends will come around!!!

Quoting AemJeff: I'm sure I could find one or two fellow members of the community who count at some of my posts as negative points! But not in your case, certainly. Race you to 2000!

Thanks but I'm in no shape for races... Perhaps in the future. Who knows?

yeah! moveon.org indeed!

Yo sí pensé en ti y tenía la intención de felicitarte por los mil y tantos, pero como que de repente medio desapareciste, me dije, no pues, ¿para qué? Si ella ya no nos hace caso...... But anyway, it's great to have you back among the brokenhearted, disenchanted and cranky, if in fact you ever left. Welcome home, Ocean!

Quoting Wonderment: Yo sí pensé en ti y tenía la intención de felicitarte por los mil y tantos, pero como que de repente medio desapareciste, me dije, no pues, ¿para qué? Si ella ya no nos hace caso......

No desaparecí por completo, solo dejé de escribir por un tiempo. En cuanto a no hacer caso... eso es otro tema!

But anyway, it's great to have you back among the brokenhearted, disenchanted and cranky, if in fact you ever left. Welcome home, Ocean!

Brokenhearted, disenchanted and cranky??? Hmmm... we have to talk about that. Thank you for the kind words.