Christopher Hall

What does everyone think about Joe Biden? He is the person who would be a heartbeat away from the Presidency in an Obama Administration. There have been 137 posts and 3649 views on the Sarah Palin thread, but no comments on Biden whatsoever. As I recall, he was vetted and recommended by Caroline Bouvier Kennedy Schlossberg, Jim Johnson (for a little while, at least), and Eric Holder, but I don't recall seeing much about everyone's views on Biden since Obama picked him. Was the vetting process adequate, has he helped the ticket, has he hurt it, does he have baggage, does he enhance Obama's chances on picking up certain "purple" states, what foreign policy decisions has he made in the past, ect.?

Stephen- This is an outstanding essay. I will give more detailed input later, but thanks for the reading material. Chris

I believe that the stcok market will come back, as it has always done. I am not defending what the Fed has done, and I wanted to see it let AIG (and probably Fannie and Freddie) fail. In fact, I view the Fed as a shadow government of potentially dubious Constitutionality (at least when it acts as a de facto government). Would someone please explain to me what "China Syndrome" means? I think I know, but I would like to hear one or more explanations. Thanks.

This rocks, Pamela. I like the way you worked in your interest in the JFK assassination. Maybe the next administration will generate the release of more assassination documents that have been under lock and key for 44 years.

Adele...I agree with most of what you say. However, it was not JUST the CIA. It was not JUST the international bankers. It was some SECRET group superior to them. The only names that come to mind are Bilderbergers, CFR, TLC and Nazis, and maybe not even just them. The identity of the group may be unknowable. I disagree that Angleton was a key player; I think he was more an interested observer; Dulles, Phillips and Hunt were the CIA players, working with LBJ, Hoover and certain military. The mafia, Castro and Kruschev, etc. were fall-back plausible patsies. Jack Jack, I agree with your statement concering the involvement of "international" players in the murder of JFK The apparatus used to carry out the hit (along with the murder attempts made against Charles DeGaulle) was Permindex. Permindex was headed by British Special Operations Executive (SOE) Major Louis Mortimer Bloomfield of Montreal Canada. Clay Shaw was a director on the board of Permindex. I believe this is what LBJ meant when he blurted out "we were running a damn Murder Inc. in the Carribean" LBJ was pointing his finger at Permindex. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permindex As late as 1963 Louis Mortimer Bloomfield was still a recruiting officer with the FBI's counter espionage "Division Five". Division Five had been created top to bottom by "Colonel Sir William "Intrepid" Stephenson, Colonel Mortimer Bloomfield, General Julius Klein and Walter Sheridan. Walter Sheridan was also known as RFK's right hand man inside the Kennedy justice department's criminal division. Sheridan headed up the highly irregular "Get Hoffa" unit. Division Five would play a major role in the Kennedy murder and cover up. Walter Sheridan remained on the Kennedy family payroll up until the mid to late 1980's. Ted Kennedy eulogized Sheridan at his funeral in 1995. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...752C0A963958260 Strange bedfellows to be sure. And of course this is the same Walter Sheridan who went to work under cover of investigative journalist for NBC in order to wreck Jim Garrison's investigation. Garrison had uncovered Permindex with his arrest of Clay Shaw. Did you see that Permindex Board of Directors? Joe Bonnano, Roy Cohen. What an interesting group.

The problem is that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae is just the tip of the iceberg. The whole system is under threat. As much as it must hurt, Bush had no choice but to nationalize them. What alternative strategy do you suggest Bush should take? Let everyone take their lumps and then lets move on. We eitther take the big hit, suffer and then rebuild or we die the death of a thousand cuts. I'll take the big hit. I agree. Let them, and Lehman Brothers, fail. The market will recover, and they shouldn't and won't recover. In the future, investment and mortgage houses will behave differently, knowing that there is no Federal safety net to stop their self-induced free falls. The problem is that Bush and his economic advisers are not confident that the market will recover without help from the government. They are aware of the real losses that the banks are facing. Bush did not take Fannie May and Freddie Mac into public ownership because he has become a born-again socialist: he acted because he feared a systemic global financial crisis that would prompt the biggest depression since the 1930s. The scale of the Fannie and Freddie failure is immense. The sum involved is £3 trillion – about double the entire annual output of the British economy. The crisis began in August 2007. Since then central banks all over the world have cut interest rates, pumped money into the banking system, agreed to swap worthless mortgage-backed securities for rock-solid government bonds and have taken failing banks into public ownership. Yet, none of these measures have come close to solving this problem. Banks and mortgage companies are still asking their governments for more help. We are fast reaching the point where there is nothing left to give. I agree completely, John, but I would still rather see failures than massive, socialist, bailouts.

This was a waste of money. I am glad you picked it up cheap. Most of us have forgotten more about the JFK assassination that Furman will ever know.

The problem is that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae is just the tip of the iceberg. The whole system is under threat. As much as it must hurt, Bush had no choice but to nationalize them. What alternative strategy do you suggest Bush should take? Let everyone take their lumps and then lets move on. We eitther take the big hit, suffer and then rebuild or we die the death of a thousand cuts. I'll take the big hit. I agree. Let them, and Lehman Brothers, fail. The market will recover, and they shouldn't and won't recover. In the future, investment and mortgage houses will behave differently, knowing that there is no Federal safety net to stop their self-induced free falls.

The point I'm trying to make is that the Bush administration made such a big deal out of claiming they were going to track them down and bring them to justice, and then, unable to do so, expects us not to hold them acocuntable. Al Zawahiri is alive and captured. Why don't they at least account for the whereabouts of the others? Are they going to drag them out as arch-villains after the new 9-11 of the new administration? Pam- I agree with Ron that OBL is better alive than dead to the Administration. It is news to me that Al Zawahiri is alive and captured. Are you sure that's correct? Chris

I was also very disappointed by the film. I agree that the main problem was that it did not keep close enough to the facts. If they wanted to, they could make a great film about Angleton. I have read an excellent film script on Angleton and the death of Mary Pinchot Meyer. Unfortunately, the producer has been unable to raise the necessary funds. The dramatized history of the CIA, 1947-1984 would make a great TV mini-series. All the information is in about 12 published books on the subject. If only TV companies had the courage to make it. It has been a while since I watched the Good Shepherd. Does it even portray the Kim Philby matter?

Could any of you direct me to the best book about JJA or the book which may best chronicle his endeavors and exploits (even though it may also cover other CIA personnel and matters)? Thanks.

He's probably dead, and has been that way for years. Dead men don't wear plaid - I mean, dead men tell no tales. I have thought OBL to be dead for quite a few years. Mullah Omar may also be dead. I think that Al-Zawahiri (sp?) is alive.

The following contains some developments on this matter: http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlDC/west...pdate_92980.asp The sergeant who essentially pushes the reporter across the street should be relieved of his badge and gun. I wouldn't trust him as a mall cop.

Nat- I had forgotten about this event/debate. I didn't know that Wolf Blitzer was the moderator and I didn't watch any of it. Nonetheless, the old media has historically been able to set the agenda for public debate, but its ability to do so is now being whipsawed by conservative and liberal blogs and news aggregators. It's about time. I don't want to only be able to consider and evaluate the issues that the alphabet media, Fox, NTT, WaPo, etc. have determined fit for my consumption. Given their corporate ownership, I certainly don't trust their objectivity.

The following article about the arrest of an ABC reporter by a Denver Police Sergeant at the request of a hotel (for filming the entry and exit of certain of its guests) is amazing: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Conventions/...8622&page=1 And notice that the guests he was filming were Democratic Senators and high level donors (aka lobbyists). ABC News needs to go to bat for this reporter. This reporter was doing his job on a city sidewalk and gets roughed up because the expensive hotel wants its guests to not have to worry about being filmed with each other. ABC reporters and other reporters in Denver need to flock in droves to the police sergeant's house and to the Denver Police Chief's house to do a little more filiming and reporting. The cops say they are charging him with trespass, interference (whatever that is - I must have missed the day in law school that we covered this crime) and failure to obey a lawful order. Since when is "quit taking pictures on a city sidewalk" a lawful order? And the Denver Police Department took him down with a total of 6 officers. He doesn't look like much of a threat to me. I hope that this reporter is acquitted and that he sues the City of Denver for violation of his civil rights and the hotel which called the law on him for wrongful prosecution and whatever tort may arguably apply to this kind of malicious harassment. Most importantly, I hope that ABC stays on the "follow the money" line of stories that it is running and that it makes them a focal point of the next 2 and 1/2 months of coverage. While the other media was chasing leads on the Recreate 68 group (you can't call a group of 50 people a crowd) and on the nonsense going on inside the convention center, this reporter was actually doing investigative journalism.

I don't understand your comments about the religious thing on television last week or Wolf Blitzer, which means I have been doing more reading and less television watching (a perrenial New Years resolution, I might add). I am a Catholic and not an evangelical, so I don't really follow the evangelicals' voting trends and positions. Remember a few short months ago when Rev. Hagy, the Houston-based 400 lb televangelist from whom McCain recently disassociated himself, called the Catholic Church "the great whore" and then apologized to any Catholics who "might have been offended by my remarks." This is the same preacher whose church pays him over $1,000,000 per year (and he will modestly admit that "I'm worth every bit of it") and who ran around on his first wife. I don't follow that crowd (Pat Robertson, the late Rev. Falwell, etc.). Also, there is no corporate wing to the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. There are Democratic and Republican wings to the corporate multi-national interests, and they are nurtured and bought with the same dollars. That is why you see pictures of both parties seemingly equally represented at the Bilderberg Group, CFR and Tri-Lateral Commission meetings. The Democratic and Republican Parties do their bidding, not the other way around.

------ It is usefull to compare Hillary's role to that of Teddy Kennedy in 1980, Jesse Jackson of 1988. Howard Dean in 2004. As the dems have moved right they used to find a need to show a prime time bone to their left/core. Usually this candidate is more akin to what poll majorities want but considered "too liberal" for the media kingmakers. It is therefor notworthy just how far right this years version is. Hillary was amazingly trying to donn the role of Tribune of the (White) working class, -- actually it was more a draping of lanuage by CNN-- even when Clinton's had done more than anything to declassify the democrats. It is truly a remarkable sign of just how far this party has come and just how top-down this election has been administered, that the role of Teddy, Jesse and Howard will now be played by Ms. Rosewater von Wallmart! You make good points, Nat. There will be a similar throwing of bones to the true conservatives (as distiniguished from the neocons) next week in Minneapolis, but I couldn't bring myself to watch it if I wanted to do so. I might have to break down and watch WJC tonight since his petulance will be on display and could provide the only drama the convention will likely have. And where are all the protesters who were supposed to be holding demonstrations?

And for anyone who thinks that life in the Olympic Village is all work and practice, check out the folowing link for a summary of recreation in the village: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/oly...icle4582421.ece

Thanks, Jim, this is fascinating research with some interesting associations. For example, I didn't know that George Mohrenschildt's brother was one of the creators of Radio Free Europe. How curious that his brother happens to meet LHO and Marina in Dallas. I also didn't know that Oswald wrote letters to RFE while he was in the USSR. On a personal basis, I remember the RFE ads which used to run on television (with the Drifters singing "On Broadway" in the background). It is similarly interesting that Richard Helms is the common CIA thread in LHOs life for a good many years.

Thanks for the tip (and teasers) on this book, Nat. I just ordered it ($31.00 delivered) on Amazon ( appropriately in view of the South American subject matter of this treatise). It should take me years to complete (not literally, but several months). Nelson and his clan are figures about whom I know little. Not content with mere wealth and the political clout that it garners, they apparently had to seek political office to achieve a feeling of self worth. I have often gotten a chuckle in watching this group of well-heeled New Yorkers go to Arkansas, West Virginia and beyond to achieve their objectives. Unfortunately, the Rockefeller Republicans (with whom I share little) have morphed into present day NeoCons. Thanks again for the tip.

Hi Peter, In a situation like this, I think the western media is useless as a source of credible information. The western media is merely a cheerleader for Washington. The only source of information I use is the alternative media, including this forum. There was a good piece by Michael Klare posted on Common Dreams this week which backgrounded the situation well: http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/08/04/10977/ I know the Russians have shown they are capable of brutal suppression at times and are determined to control the Caspian oil routes. However, if the roles of America and Russia were reversed, America would have secured control of those routes, with force if necessary, long before now, imo. The Georgians, despite the tragic loss of life, should be thankful that it wasn't US forces invading their country, as I believe they have even less concern for civilian casualties, as was shown in Iraq. The US have a long history of subversive interference in smaller nations as well as being responsible for the invasion of some 45 sovereign nations since 1900. Further, their recent efforts to install missile defence systems in Poland and the Czeck Republic, fully aware of the discomfort caused to Russia, show they are prepared to ratchet up tensions when it suits their purpose. As the Buchanan article posted by Maggie points out, the US would never permit the Russians to carry out subversive activities in Cuba, Mexico or anywhere near their backyard. So why should Russia allow the US to do the same? It will be interesting to see where this all leads. I think it's got a while to go yet. Mark- Could you please direct me to a list of the 45 soverign nations for which the US is responsible for invading since 1900? Thanks. Chris

Maggie which "neutral parties" besides the UN said this? Do you have a link to the UN report? I saw it mentioned in an article from a website I never heard of before but there was no link to actual report. The Georgians themselves will say so. It has always been their intention to reassert control over these areas. But I don't suppose that is 'neutral'. Maggie- Did you read the link that I posted on 2 separate occasions? Each side blames the other for the August 1 and 2 skirmishes according to that article. I don't think that we will ever know who started the fighting this month or, for that matter, that either side has entirely clean hands. I have enjoyed chatting with you on this matter and I will give you the final word(s). Chris

Thanks, Bill. I was hoping to see some shooting event coverage by NBC. Chicks with guns is, of course, my favorite genre. Chris Across their various channels (NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, Telemundo, USA, Oxygen, Universal HD) NBC is supposedly showing all sports with US competition. If you click on "TV schedule" in the olymipcs section on the front page of Yahoo you'll get here http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/schedule/television and hopefully you can catch some of that shooting. Thank, Matthew, I will check this out later tonight.

Thanks. I may PM you about it someday. Actually, until a few years ago Levi's jeans were made in Knoxville, Tn, where I live. Maggie- I appreciate your well-reasoned reply to my post. My replies are in the text above. Chris Maggie- My replies are in the text above. I have limited them to matters pertaining to Georgia, Russia, the former USSR and the US over the course of the last 100 years, which I regard as modern history. Chris

Thanks, John. Dissent (including dissent from the prevailing liberal orthodoxy) is not a crime. As a conservative, I have learned quite a bit from participating in these forums. It has expanded my worldview considerably. I would say that almost all of the last 20 books I have read were authored by someone left of center (presently I am reading "Whiteout: The CIA, Drugs and the Press" by Alexander Cockburn and Jeff St. Clair, who are left of left). I have learned facts that I previously didn't know, because I intentionally read materials written by someone with whom I probably have little in common. I challenge anyone else on these forums to do the same thing. You may just learn something. It beats sitting smugly at your monitor knowing that you will never have a pet idea challenged. A lack of diversity of thought is not a good thing.