Archive for July 9th, 2007


Armenian genocide was model for Nazis

Systematic participation of doctors in state terrorism began with the Armenian genocide in Turkey in 1915. Medical personnel were directly involved in the killings, often participating in torture. Behaeddin Shakir and Mehmet Nazim established extermination squads staffed by criminals.The Armenian genocide provided the template for the Nazi holocaust, leading to the most notorious example of medical complicity in state abuse.

This from an article on the sickening history of doctors and MDs being used to torture and maim those who a regime wishes to destroy, a bloodstained history that continues to this day in the United States and elsewhere.

From a 2004 article in the New England Journal of Medicine

There is increasing evidence that U.S. doctors, nurses, and medics have been complicit in torture and other illegal procedures in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay. Such medical complicity suggests still another disturbing dimension of this broadening scandal.

The article helps explain why the medical care at Gitmo is world class. It’s not out of concern for the detainees but quite the opposite. It’s so their medical history can be used to break them.

[doctors] have turned over prisoners’ medical records to interrogators who could use them to exploit the prisoners’ weaknesses or vulnerabilities.

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The public favors impeachment

impeachment ticket

45% of the public favors impeaching Bush and 54% favors impeaching Cheney.

The Vermont Senate voted in April to call for the impeachment of Bush, yet it was blocked in the House by the Democratic leader because it would be too “divisive.”

Goodness, we certainly don’t want to be “divisive” when a president invades countries based on lies, repeatedly violates the Geneva Convention, and uses the Constitution for Kleenex. Better to roll over, play dead, and pretend to be an opposition party instead.

Yet you hear that same argument way too often from liberals and Democrats. It’s the same crap the civil rights movement had to deal with the 60’s. “We agree with your goals but not your tactics,” they squeal, all the while doing whatever they can to block you while pretending to be an ally.

That Bush and Cheney have committed any number of impeachable offenses has been documented by a former Attorney General of the United States who has written an Articles of Impeachment.

Do we know what would happen after a successful impeachment? No. Nor do we know what forces of reaction would be put into play if it looked like impeachment would happen. Outcomes can never been completely predicted in advance during times of political upheaval. But the current corrupt and criminal administration of George Bush can and must be replaced.

All that’s required is that we do it.

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Blogger broke news of Villaraigosa affair

The blogger, Luke Ford, wonders why the LA Times sat on the story, and says Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s troubles could just be starting, as there may be multiple other women too.

Ford describes himself as hard right politically (and who better to leak a story like this to) however Villariagosa has admitted he cheated on his wife, who is divorcing him.

There was a time that Villaraigosa was a respected progressive and labor organizer. But those days are long gone.

Reader Joe Hartley says “You would be aghast, Bob, to see the rapid decline of the LA Times since you left. ” (Sue and I moved to Connecticut from LA. in Feb. of this year)

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