Veterans Have Big Win in Federal Court

Melissa Posted This Yesterday Over At DKOS, it quickly moved off the list even before I caught it when I got home from work. it's now been Rescued, if you have a KOS account Visit Link and Rate It, as well as the comments, Up today, 1-12-08, so that it gets the readers it should, and is brought back from obscurity to the Rec List, and Visit the Embedded Links to find out More!

Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:50:07 PM EST
On Thursday, a federal court ruled that a lawsuit regarding VA’s failure to provide appropriate health care and benefits to veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can go forward. The case claims that the VA benefit system is unconstitutional because of extreme delays in determining whether veterans are entitled to support. The case also argues that VA fails to provide health care to veterans, even those that are suicidal. The plaintiffs are two veterans groups, Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth. The lawyers representing the plaintiffs are Disability Rights Advocates, a nonprofit lawfirm in Berkeley, California, and Morrison & Foerster, a large private lawfirm headquartered in San Francisco.

This is Melissa Kasnitz, a DRA lawyer on the case. I’m happy to respond to comments. Our press release on the ruling, and the press release from Veterans for Common Sense, are attached below. The order is available at our website. I'm not linking to it because it is a 42 page pdf (and because I don't know how).

For people who are not familiar with the lawsuit, Ilona diaried it extensively when the case was first filed.

This ruling is extremely significant – it means that veterans will have their day in court to argue that the existing system is unfair.

DRA Press Release:

DISABLED VETS WIN KEY RULING IN NATIONAL SUIT AGAINST VA OVER MISTREATMENT
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – A federal court in San Francisco today cleared the way for a major national class action lawsuit on behalf of disabled veterans to directly challenge the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The ruling affirms the rights of veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to sue in federal court over the huge backlog of claims, the lengthy waiting time that veterans face in receiving needed mental health care, and the inadequacy of care for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The complaint, filed in the United States District Court in July, seeks a judicial finding that VA’s system of handling claims and appeals is so dysfunctional that it violates veterans’ constitutional and statutory rights. The suit also calls for court orders requiring VA to provide immediate medical and psychological help to returning troops and to screen them for risk of suicide.
"VA first mistreated hundreds of thousands of veterans, then took the position that the vets could not bring their grievances to court to be heard," says Melissa Kasnitz, the managing attorney for Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a non-profit law firm in Berkeley, California. "Today, VA’s shameful effort to keep these deserving veterans from their day in court was rejected."
Most disabled veterans cannot receive medical treatment without an approved disability claim. However, VA now has a backlog of over 600,000 applications for claims, and a decision on a claim can take up to twelve years to be processed through appeals. Some pending claims go back to the Vietnam era. Even after claims have been approved, veterans face serious problems in receiving care. Because the demand for medical care and treatment by VA has risen dramatically since the U.S. became involved in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, VA has long waiting lists and, in some cases, no appropriate treatment for disabled veterans is available.
"We can now address the disgraceful fact that it takes an average of 177 days for VA to process an initial claim for disability benefits, and an additional 657 days, on average, for an appeal, so most veterans wait years for needed medical and mental health treatment, unless they give up or die first," said DRA attorney Sid Wolinsky.
Many disabled veterans give up in despair or frustration, fall into drug or alcohol dependency, or commit suicide. In fact, the total number of military suicides in 2005 was greater than the cumulative death toll from Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, according to a CBS News investigation. "Improper delays and denials of treatment and benefits have contributed to an epidemic of suicides," according to Co-counsel Gordon Erspamer of Morrison & Foerster; "Because VA refuses to act, we have to ask the Court to protect our returning soldiers."
The suit claims that numerous VA practices violate the constitutional and statutory rights of veterans with PTSD by denying veterans adequate procedural safeguards in VA benefits process, access to the judicial process, mandated medical care, and VA benefits as a result of their condition. In addition to seeking a declaration from the court that these practices violate the constitutional and statutory rights of veterans, the lawsuit seeks an injunction preventing VA from continuing certain policies and procedures. No money damages are being sought, and the class action lawsuit will not address the individual claims of any veteran. The Court dismissed an additional claim that VA’s procedures violate the Rehabilitation Act which requires government agencies to ensure that their programs are accessible to people with disabilities. Plaintiffs in the case include two non-profit organizations, Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth, on behalf of all veterans who are seeking or receiving health care or disability benefits from VA. Plaintiffs are represented by the public interest law firm Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) and the private law firm of Morrison & Foerster,
Among those veterans suffering with PTSD the most are returning Iraq and Afghanistan troops. Between 15-50% of returning troops have PTSD, according to the complaint. These troops are being deprived of critical mental health services, especially in the early phases of the illness when identification and treatment are crucial. Left untreated, severe PTSD can lead to substance abuse, depression and suicide. Veterans with PTSD and other psychiatric disabilities may also be the most unprepared to face the bureaucratic battles necessary to secure the benefits to which they are entitled.
The suit alleges that VA has not only shortchanged the disabled veterans for whom they are supposed to provide care, but it has also consistently presented misleading statistics to the American public. Specifically, the complaint says that VA has falsely understated the length of time it takes to decide a veteran’s claims and the true cost of caring for disabled veterans.
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can develop in a person who witnesses, or is confronted with, a traumatic event. PTSD is the most prevalent mental disorder arising from combat. According to the complaint, "more than any previous war, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to produce a high percentage of troops suffering from PTSD," due to the widespread use of improvised explosive devises, multiple rotations, the ambiguity of fighting combatants dressed as civilians, and the use of National Guard members and Reservists.

VCS Press Release:

Jan. 11: Victory for Veterans - Judge Rules in Favor of VCS in Case Against VA
Veterans for Common Sense
Jan 11, 2008
January 10, 2008, Washington, DC – The U.S. District Court in San Francisco today handed an enormous victory to veterans who sued the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) over lengthy delays for medical care and disability benefits. The Judge’s ruling means our class action lawsuit against VA will move forward, with the first court hearing scheduled for next month.
"We won this round against VA. Veterans will have our day in court. The VA must now release documents under discovery about their deliberate attempts to deny and delay medical care and disability benefits for all veterans, especially our Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans," said Paul Sullivan, the executive director of Veterans for Common Sense (VCS), the lead plaintiff organization that filed suit against VA.
On July 23, 2007, VCS and Veterans United for Truth (VUFT) filed a class action lawsuit against VA in order to force VA to provide prompt and high-quality medical care and disability benefits to veterans, especially those with mental health conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). "Our Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are committing suicide while waiting for VA to answer their pleas for medical care. VA must make sure all our veterans receive prompt and high-quality medical care and disability benefits. The long waits at VA must end," added Sullivan.
Shortly after VCS and VUFT filed suit, VA filed a motion to dismiss the case. On December 14, 2007, the U.S. District Court heard oral arguments in the case. On January 10, 2008, the Court ruled against VA and ordered the lawsuit to go to trial. The Court also ruled VA must provide free medical care for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans for two years. The Court ruling means discovery in the class action lawsuit will begin immediately. The first court date is set for February 22, 2008.
"The February hearing will focus on the VA's failure to provide mandated health care to our nation's veterans, which has lead to an epidemic of suicides by our returning warriors, who have been forced to carry on the battle alone ," Sullivan said.
As of October 2007, the Department of Defense had deployed a cumulative total of 1.6 million service members to the Iraq and Afghanistan war zones. Of those, 750,000 are now veterans eligible for VA healthcare and disability benefits. According to VA, more than 264,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have already been treated at VA hospitals. However, of the 52,000 diagnosed by VA with PTSD, only 19,000 are receiving disability compensation for PTSD. According to VA statistics, veterans wait more than six months on average for disability benefit decisions from VA.
VCS is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC, with 12,000 members. VCS focuses on issues related to veterans' healthcare, veterans' benefits, national security, and civil liberties. VCS and VUFT are represented by the law firm Morrison & Foerster, located in San Francisco, California, and by the advocacy group, Disability Rights Advocates, located in Berkeley, California. "This victory for our veterans was possible because of the generous free legal assistance of these two prestigious organizations," Sullivan said.

For information about the lawsuit, please go to our web site at: Veterans PTSD Class Action
Veterans For Common Sense Article

I am adding an Op-Ed by Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq/Afgan Vet, that he has over at the Huffington Post: Veterans Caught in the Middle Again

As well as this Op-Ed, Yesterdays Lies by John Cory who is a Brother Vietnam Veteran. who received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with V device, 1969 - 1970.

And this, "Body Of War" by Russell Mokhiber on the Documentary by Phil Donahue "Body of War, this link is to the Trailer!

And this from todays, 1-12-08, LA Times on Honoring The Fallen: War casualties not forgotten by L.A. parish

Protesters Arrested Today at U.S. Supreme Court

David swanson, over at After Downing Street has this up Demanding the Closure of Guantanamo Prison Camp along with a pic of the group.

and, Washington DC January 11, 2008
By David Swanson, this link to more photos: 79 photos | 150 views

Here's a couple I'll add:

Lets see whats taking place elsewhere, like these, photos from Rome, Italy

And at 10 Downing Street Cageprisoners

A letter being handed in to Downing Street at 11am by former British
detainees led by Moazzam Begg, now a Cageprisoners spokesperson, to call on the British government to take action.

A copy of the letter to Gordon Brown is available Here

Below you will find the ones that Really should be Held in Their Own Creation but Created In Our Names!

November 2007: Artists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese created the exhibit "Line Up" depicting doctored photographs of George W. Bush and members of his administration. The exhibit, being shown at the New York City Public Library, is critical of the war in Iraq. "It is simply inappropriate to have political attack art, in the form of egregious doctored photographs of the President and other high-ranking officials who have dedicated their lives to public service, in a taxpayer-funded building frequented by schoolchildren and the general public," said Matthew Walter, director of communications for the state GOP. In response, Roberta Waddell, curator of the library's print collection, said the exhibit was in keeping with a historical tradition, calling the exhibit a relevant example of political commentary.
Via Dartmouth University's page Photo Tampering Throughout History

END THE REIGN OF THE GUILTY!!

If No Impeachment Hearings Than We Send The Message We Aprove Of ALL That's Been Done In Our Names!!
That message being sent to the Present World, but Especially To The Generations To Follow Us, In This Country!!

The Global Movement
More Photo's-Slideshow

In the past 24 hours, thousands of Amnesty International supporters staged protests in more than 30 countries spanning all five major continents, calling for an end to the unlawful detention centers at Guantánamo Bay.

Take action today to help us tear down Guantánamo Bay.

Saturday Jan. 12th Radio Tribute to Dave Cline

RADIO ON SATURDAY

Tune in to the radio tribute to David Cline on WBAI 99.5 FM in New York on Saturday, January 12, Noon - 3 PM EST {WBAI is streamed live over the Internet in multiple formats:
MP3: 24K or 64K or .ram
OGG: 24K or 64K

See WBAI Stream


Expected guests: Paul Zulkowitz, Michael McPhearson, Thomas Brinson, Ken Dalton, Jerry Hassett, Steve Hayes, Stephan Smith, Bryan-David Kee, Marcy J. Gordon, Sue Schnall, Jesse Myerson, Jose Vasquez, Joe Cross, Cindy Sheehan, Eric Laursen, Clark Kissinger, Lori Purdue, Medea Benjamin, David Swanson

IN PERSON ON SUNDAY

A Tribue to Dave Cline
(January 8, 1947 - September 15, 2007)
Antiwar Activist, Labor Organizer, Humanitarian, Vietnam Veteran Against the War, Veteran For Peace

Medal "For Peace and Friendship between Nations" awarded to David Cline by Vietnam Union of Friendship Association

SUNDAY, January 13, 2 - 6 PM

Featuring: STEPHAN SAID aka SMITH, RANDY CREDICO, BRYAN & MARCY, PAT SCANLON, BRIAN JONES as 'Dave Cline', and The Bush Chain Gang; MCs John McDonagh of WBAI & Michael McPhearson of Veterans For Peace; Lori Purdue, Joel Landy, Ron King, Steve Bloom, Jackie Sheeler, Sue Schnall, Sgt. Geoff Millard, Joe Cross, Yonathan Shapira, Video by Andrew Courtney

FREE Refreshments/Cash Bar & Menu Service/Auction & Raffle

CONNOLLY'S
121 West 45 Street, New York NY 10036
(Between Broadway & Sixth Avenue)
SUBWAY: #1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, Shuttle to Times Square Station
PARKING GARAGE: Manhattan Parking, 137 West 45 Street, 212-944-5118

DONATION SUGGESTED
Donations to Veterans For Peace will go toward antiwar events in David Cline's honor.

RSVP & INFO: zool at zoolTheArtandPolitics@hotmail.com or 646-549-1615

David Cline was a highly decorated, disabled Vietnam War combat veteran. A leading member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Dave is prominently featured in 'Sir, No Sir!' an award-winning documentary about GI resistance. As President of Veterans For Peace, David oversaw tremendous growth in membership and helped found Iraq Veterans Against the War. A true humanitarian, David Cline was a co-founder of the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign.

Veterans For Peace, founded in 1985, is a 501(c)3 national membership organization and an official NGO represented at the United Nations.

AUCTION ITEMS STILL NEEDED!

Dave Cline plays "Touch a Name on The Wall" by Joel Mabus

"Body of War"

January 9, 2008

Phil Donahue's Body of War

Why Picket the New York Times in DC on Friday?
By RUSSELL MOKHIBER

Well, it has to do with a movie I just saw.

It's called Body of War.

It was produced by Phil Donahue.

The star of the movie is a young man named Tomas Young.

He's an Iraq war vet.

Young had been on duty in Iraq a mere five days when he was hit by a bullet under his collar bone.

The bullet shattered his spine.

And now he's paralyzed from the chest down.

The movie is about his daily struggle to live.

It's about his wife and mother, who care for him.

And its about the politicians who sent him to Iraq.

I watched the movie last night at home in West Virginia with my wife and my two boys--aged 10 and 13.

I'm not sure what effect the movie had on the boys.

It held their attention for the full 87 minutes.

The bottom line lesson from Tomas Young--don't make impetuous decisions --about attacking another country or signing up for the military.

The boys were quiet afterwards. The older one picked up a book and read into the night. The younger one went straight to bed.

In the past, we have talked about Iraq war. We have talked about the possibility of a draft.

The boys see the pictures of dead American soldiers in the newspaper.

But this is the first time they've seen a documentary on the real life effects of the Iraq war.

And it wasn't easy for anyone.

This movie links the suffering of this one young man--25-year old Tomas Young of Kansas City, Missouri--directly to the votes of our politicians.

The Senators who voted for it--including John Kerry, John Edwards, and Hillary Clinton--come off as scripted stooges for President Bush.

Mr. Kerry--aye.

Mrs. Clinton--aye.

Mr. Edwards--aye.

One of the heros of the movie is our own Senator, Robert Byrd, who opposed the war from the beginning.

He was one of 23 Senators who voted against the war resolution in October 2002.

Thousands have died since.

Tens of thousands have been wounded.

Wounded.

It means not being able to walk.

It means not being able to cough, because you have lost control of your stomach muscles.

It means having your mother shove a catheter into your penis so that you can pee.

"Don't worry, Tomas, I've had your pee on my hands before," the mother says to Tomas.

It means taking a slew of medications every day--anti-nausea drugs, painkillers, blood thinners, anti-depressants--that's just the beginning of the list.

It means struggling against incredible odds to keep together your marriage.

It means traveling across the country to speak out against the illegal war that put you in the wheelchair.

It means holding accountable those who put us in this mess.

On January 22, 2008, Donahue will find out whether or not his movie will be nominated for an Academy Award.

If it is nominated, this will help Donahue line up a distribution deal.

Right now, he's traveling the country showing the film to college audiences.

"I discovered a great American in Tomas Young, a warrior turned anti-warrior, a voice of courage rising above the war drums," Donahue writes on his web site. "To all the main-streamers in the press who supported the invasion of Iraq, to the pundits who continue to talk tough while other people's kids die, to all the merry warriors who recruited Jesus to assist them in this massive foreign policy blunder--I have a soldier for you."

Eddie Vedder wrote two original songs for the movie. As the credits roll, we hear Vedder's voice:

I speak for a man who gave for this land
took a bullet in the back for his pay
spilled his blood in the dirt and the dust
and he's come back to say

That what he has seen is hard to believe
and it does no good to just pray
he asks of us to stand, and we must
end this war today

Which brings me to this Friday, January 11, 2008 at 12 noon.

In honor of Tomas Young, there will be a protest in front of the New York Times Washington office at 1627 I St NW (Farragut West Metro stop).

Why the New York Times?

Because the Times recently signed on William Kristol as a columnist. Kristol was the lead pundit cheerleader for war--with Iraq, with Lebanon and now with Iran.

As Donahue said--to the pundits who continue to talk tough while other people's kids die--I have a soldier for you.

Russell Mokhiber is the editor of the Corporate Crime Reporter.

View the Trailer of "Body of War"

As Greyhawk Says: "What Dreams May Come..."

Submitted by: GreyHawk on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 23:30

November 2007: Artists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese created the exhibit "Line Up" depicting doctored photographs of George W. Bush and members of his administration. The exhibit, being shown at the New York City Public Library, is critical of the war in Iraq. "It is simply inappropriate to have political attack art, in the form of egregious doctored photographs of the President and other high-ranking officials who have dedicated their lives to public service, in a taxpayer-funded building frequented by schoolchildren and the general public," said Matthew Walter, director of communications for the state GOP. In response, Roberta Waddell, curator of the library's print collection, said the exhibit was in keeping with a historical tradition, calling the exhibit a relevant example of political commentary.

Via Dartmouth University's page Photo Tampering Throughout History.

It's a great accompanying animated picture to have up in one window while reading either (or both) of the following pieces:

Chris Floyd ties Bush and BCCI to Sibel Edmonds bombshell by Inky99 on DailyKos

or

Bush Ordered by Judge to Reveal if Copies of Emails Exist by marktheshark, also on DailyKos.

Yesterday's Lies

By John Cory
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Tuesday 08 January 2008

War is a waltz,
A dance with the Devil
On the bones of Angels.
- John Cory

On September 21, 2007, Sgt. Gerald Cassidy died - alone and forgotten in all the body counts and statistics of war, political polls and campaign strategies. He was unconscious for perhaps days before passing away like crumpled and discarded newsprint, barely noticed, simply brushed aside with yesterday's lies.

Sergeant Cassidy did not die in Iraq or Afghanistan. He died in America, at a new medical unit in Fort Knox - in America - where we support the troops, according to every single lapel-flag-pin-wearing politician and pundit on the airwaves, and yet, Sgt. Gerald Cassidy died neglected and unnoticed.

Shame on us.

Among headlines for that week were these gems: (taken from democracynow.org)

*"Report: Telecoms, White House Lobbying Congress to Dismiss Wiretap Suits"
*"Senate Rejects Anti-War Measure, Condemns MoveOn.org"
*"Bush Vows Child Health Insurance Bill Veto"

Our Senate was too busy creating more veterans and condemning free speech to notice Sgt. Gerald Cassidy. And our president was too busy stealing healthcare from children to have time for someone like Gerald Cassidy. It takes a lot of concentration to rob a child. Adults are easy.

My friend Remy at Welcome Home Soldier does tireless work on behalf of veterans, and she was so pained by the story about Sgt. Cassidy and this article VA Reports up to 30 Percent of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Suffer From TBIYesterday's Lies , she sent them to me and asked, "Why do we allow this kind of thing?" And being a true Louisiana belle, she began taking action. If you're looking for something to do about this issue - go join her.

A group of Vietnam vets from Charlie Company, 1/52nd 198th, posted talk on their forum about the January 2008 article in GQ magazine about PTSD. The article covers Vietnam, 9/11 and all that has followed in Iraq and Afghanistan and PTSD. The article is titled, "The Long Shadow of War" by Kathy Dobie.

And there it is - all the pain and death of yesterday's lies coming down hard in the winter storms of today.

As I browse through old pictures of my days in war, I find myself wanting to crawl inside a photograph or two just to touch and smell those wonderful faces and hear their voices again. And sometimes when I rub my fingers over a particular photo, I'm never sure which side of the picture I'm on. Am I looking in or looking out?

When Sergeant Cassidy died, he took another piece of America with him. How many more pieces can we lose before we become totally lost ourselves?

Yesterday's lies kill and wound our troops, and yet Congress, afraid to face the truth, continues to fund and support the great lie of war. So look closely, my friends, and ask yourselves, how it is that we manage to find increasing amounts of money for war but continue to reduce funds for the care of our wounded and suffering troops?

Shame on us.

Have we forgotten our promise to veterans, in Lincoln's words, "to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan?" Are we so penny wise and pound foolish as to begrudgingly buy the bullets yet refuse to pay for the bread and bandages needed for the survivors? Or have we become so jaded that we view the flood of returning wounded as a burgeoning market in the for-profit healthcare industry with war as the ultimate profit generator?

In his farewell address, Gen. Douglas MacArthur spoke these words: "Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn."

Those words were spoken to the cadets at West Point. But they are for us - the citizens of this great experiment in democracy. We should be equally obsessed with duty, honor and country not as a slogan, but as a call to action. There is no "us" or "them" - as though our troops are not part of our daily fabric of American life. It is and was from the beginning, "We the people." There is no differentiation between civilian and soldier.

Yes, it's election season and the race is capturing all the ink and airtime. I've said it before and I'll say it again - if you Democratic presidential candidates want my vote, then here is what you do:

Go to Dover AFB and don't tell me they won't let you in - you're Congressional members elected by "We the people," for cripes sake! Go to Dover and meet a plane of caskets and serve as pallbearers for the entire load. Carry them gently and with love for the price they have paid and send them home to their loved ones with a tear and a kiss.

Open your home or a community center somewhere and prepare a meal for several families who have lost their loved ones in this war, or who have wounded to tend to, and feed them the fresh baked bread of compassion and a warm supper of empathy and recognition for their fulfillment of duty, honor, country. Take their children in your arms and listen to them tell you how much they loved their daddy or mommy or uncle. And weep for yourselves that you never met them.

And do this all without cameras, campaign advisers and media consultants. We'll know about it - trust me. We will know. And if you're afraid, remember duty, honor, country as defined by General MacArthur, because it applies to you as well.

And then, by God, if you truly want my vote, you will go to Westfield, Indiana, and you will embrace the loved ones of Sgt. Gerald Cassidy and ask for their forgiveness on behalf of a grateful nation. And you will listen as they tell you all about him and show you their family photo album - not just the ones of him in uniform, but the boy and teenager, and the man who lived duty, honor, country. Then you will go to his graveside and place a wreath with the promise that you will never forget him. And on the ride back across the Indiana snow, you will write the beginning legislation that will never let this happen again: The Gerald Cassidy Veterans Bill.

That night as you drift off to sleep, you will hear the whispered lullaby: "War is a waltz, a dance with the Devil on the bones of Angels." And you will understand.

Then you can sleep the good sleep, knowing you have begun to put an end to yesterday's lies.



-----------------------
John Cory is a Vietnam Veteran. He received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with V device, 1969 - 1970.

RNN News asks: "Time for Cheney 'Impeachment' Hearings?"

Richard French of RNN, regional News Network, out of New York's Hudson Valley aired a report, on January 3rd, after a sitin at Congressman Jerry Nadlers office.

Richard French of RNN News on growing movement for Cheney Impeachment.


And asks the Question: Time for Cheney 'Impeachment' Hearings?


Than yesterday, January 7th, they had another, updated report, after George McGovern's Op-Ed on 'Impeachment' on Sunday. This one carry's some of the original parts, from above report, but adds parts of what McGovern had said as well as an interview with Ray McGovern about the Charges for Impeachment.

From the 'Richard French Show'

On RNN TV New Yorks Hudson Valley
With Ray McGovern

Still working on that 'Successful Surge'!

We all know the Why for the 'Surge', we all know the spin of the Success stories of that 'Surge', which seem to always overlook the 'Why'.

Well here's another example of why the 'Why' still hasn't been achieved, even with the many Walls built around Ethnically Cleansed Neighborhoods

A suicide bomber has killed eight Iraqis, including soldiers, in an attack on Army Day celebrations.

Army Day - a public holiday in Iraq - marks the anniversary of the founding of the Iraqi Army in 1921 with its first battalion, the Musa Al-Kadhem and involves high-ranking officers and government officials as well as Iraqi soldiers.

You can watch the BBC Video of the celebrations and bombing in another one of those 'Safe Neighborhoods' of Baghdad.

When will we start being Honest with Ourselves, as the World already knows, about What We Have Done?

When will those seeking the job of President not only be Honest to the American People, who hopefully will be doing the hiring, and not the Supremes, about the Depths of Hatreds created and Destruction of our Morality as a Nation, but also be Honest with themselves about what this Nation Now Faces?

When will We, as a Nation, start holding those Responsible, Accountable??

The Key....

involves high-ranking officers and government officials as well as Iraqi soldiers.

Yep the 'Surge' is doin wonders giving the 'Government of Iraq' the Space Needed to Govern and Protect!!

Perfectly Clear - Enlightenment

From the description at site: I don't believe there is anything I can say that this video doesn't already say for itself. Please watch.

PS- I have been alerted to a typo (thanks, cybervigilante): AT one point it says "OUT" instead of "OUR". I'll reupload an additional corrected version later.

And neither do I!