THE PEACOCK REPORT (TPR)

Senate Report Condemns Bush Falsification of Iraq 'Evidence'

Summing up its Phase II Final Report on Prewar Iraqi Intelligence,U.S.Senate Intelligence Committee Chmn. Jay Rockefeller [D.-W.Va.) today said:

"Before taking the country to war, this Administration owed it to the American people to give them a 100 percent accurate picture of the threat we faced. Unfortunately, our Committee has concluded that the Administration made significant claims that were not supported by the intelligence.

"In making the case for war, the Administration repeatedly presented intelligence as fact when in reality it was unsubstantiated, contradicted, or even non-existent. As a result, the American people were led to believe that the threat from Iraq as much greater than actually existed."

A bipartisan 10-5 majority voted in favor of the report. The panel said that intelligence was unable to substantiate "statements and implications by the President and Secretary of State" suggesting that Iraq and al-Qa’ida had a partnership, or that Iraq had provided al-Qa’ida with weapons training,

The committee also rejected:

1) "Statements by the President and the Vice President indicating that Saddam Hussein was prepared to give weapons of mass destruction to terrorist groups for attacks against the United States were contradicted by available intelligence information;

2) Statements by President Bush and Vice President Cheney regarding the postwar situation in Iraq, in terms of the political, security, and economic, did not reflect the concerns and uncertainties expressed in the intelligence products;

3) Statements by the President and Vice President prior to the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate regarding Iraq’s chemical weapons production capability and activities did not reflect the intelligence community’s uncertainties as to whether such production was ongoing:

4) The Secretary of Defense’s statement that the Iraqi government operated underground WMD facilities that were not vulnerable to conventional airstrikes because they were underground and deeply buried was not substantiated by available intelligence information.

5) The Intelligence Community did not confirm that Muhammad Atta met an Iraqi intelligence officer in Prague in 2001 as the Vice President repeatedly claimed.

Help Wanted

Tired of your desk job? Ready to retire your cast-iron spatula at Burger Slop? Looking for travel and adventure? Well, Exhortations to the Oblivious has got an idea for you! Don't thank me, however. All gratitude goes to the Pentagon!

The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency launched a recruitment campaign earlier this month seeking over 600 skilled drivers to carry defense products in exotic lands, all overseas. No fooling.

One drawback, however -- okay, one of many drawbacks -- is the fact that you'll have to put your driving skills to the test on the roads of, um, Iraq and northern Kuwait.

Oh, and as just an aside, you'll be driving wheeled oil tankers, filled to the brim with flammable petrochecmicals.

But don't worry about that, because outgoing, disgraced Secy. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld likely doesn't care in hoot if want to keep wearing your NASCAR cap while on duty. Even that dusty ol' cap you bought at Winn Dixie 27 years ago.

Additionally, in a clear sign that Bush Administration officials are sincere when they utter the phrase "compassionate conservatism," you won't be held accountable if a rocket slams into your truck and all the fuel spills out (or, more than likely, burns and dissipates into a thick, toxic black cloud). If you are lucky enough to not feel oneness with the cloud, if you what I mean, then you're home free to collect your pay.

Before signing on, however, read the fine print from the actual contract solicitation, enlarged below for your convenience:

The contractor has the responsibility to deliver to the Government at destination all product entrusted in the contractor’s custody at origin except for the loss of product caused by the hostile acts of third parties such as terrorists or insurgents. The contractor assumes all other risks.

Contractor bears all risk and responsibility for personal injury or deaths of its employees or agents or subcontractor employees or for any damage to or loss of equipment during the thransportation [sic] of the fuel. The cause for damage or loss include, but are not limited to, hostile acts or thurd [sic] parties such as terrorists or insurgents, the U.S. military destroying disabled vehicles which must be abandoned, or theft or pilferage by third parties of disabled or abandoned vehicles. Claims for these types of losses will not be paid under this contract.

The U.S. Military or Coalition Forces will provide security escort for convoys transiting to locations in Iraq and returning to Navistar. The U.S. Military or Coalition Forces providing security escorts are acting to ensure that mission critical fuel reaches its destination. DESC [Defense Energy Support Center] is not responsible for the actions of U.S. Military or Coalition Forces. DESC does not warrant that the security escorts will keep the contractor’s employees , agents, subcontractor employees, or equipment free from harm.

Don' t you just love the part where it says that DoD "is not responsible for the actions of U.S. Military or Coalition Forces." In other words, if your protectors accidentally blow your head off, well, too bad!

Just one other stipulation:

The U.S. Military or Coalition Forces may not be available to provide security escort for vehicle recovery missions.

Still not sure if you're up the the challenge? Then get a copy of Iraq for Sale, an independent documentary that's simply chock full of live interviews and video footage of contractor truck-convoys in action.

A decision will be imminent. I can feel it.

Forward, march!

Malls, Sweet Malls (Part II)

How comforting to know that there's still time to get a piece of the $1.3 BILLION shopping mall-development pie underway at the Pentagon, which in its infinite wisdom (and despite the trend towards downsizing and outsourcing just 'bout everything else) intends to unveil the details of this project on or around Dec. 29 -- just in time for the post-Christmas shopping rush!

According to a recently amended presolicitation notice, whose predeccessor document had previously been scooped up by sister-site The Peacock Report (see What The World Needs Now...Are Malls, Sweet Malls), the billion-dollar-plus project simply has been delayed, not destroyed. Mall profiteers rejoice!

Marines Need Your Help In Simulating Death, Dismemberment

The U.S. Marine Corps needs your help: if you specialize in creating make-believe disasters (Karl Rove wannabes need not apply in this case), and can actually simulate carnage for in-person viewing, the the Corps has got a contract for you. Specifically, the USMC is looking for 40 "Advanced Military Casualty Simulation Kits" for use at Camp Lejeune. You know which simulation kit I'm talking about. "This is the one for creating a disaster where application of makeup on multiple casualties creates the widest range of wounds. This kit contains specialty wounds associated with gunshots, like perforations, major avulsions, and complex jaw wounds, and a large supply of makeup components," as a recent FedBizOpps solicitation put it.

The contracting notice points out that the kits must contain:

a) Bleeding Strap on Moulages complete with Reservoir Bag & Pump Assembly;

b) 2 Compound Fracture Humerus (Upper Arm);

c) 2 Compound Fracture Tibia (Lower Leg);

d) 5 Dozen Assorted Stick-On Injury Simulations;

e) 1 Make Up Palette

f) 1 Pair Of Scissors;

g) 1 Mirror;

h) 1 Measuring Cup;

i) 2 Atomizer Mist Sprayer;

j) 1 Casualty Simulation Wax;

k) 1 Body Adhesive For Stick-On Wounds;

l) 2 Bottles Of Coagulant Makeup Blood;

m) 3 Packages Of Powder To Make;

n) Three Gallons Of Simulated Blood;

o) 1 Methyl Cellulose For Blood Thickening;

p) 2 Packages Of Broken Plexiglas, Simulating Glass Imbedded In Wound;

q) 2 Fake Dirt

r) 1 Glycerine For Simulating Perspiration;

s) 1 Cold Cream;

t) 1 Mineral Oil;

u) 1 Charcoal;

v) 3 Latex Compound to simulate scars;

w) 2 Petroleum Jelly;

x) 2 Pressure Sensitive Tape;

y) 1 Plastalene Modeling Paste - White;

z) 1 Plastalene Modeling Paste - Dark

zz) 2 Each Makeup Liners--Colors: Red, Blue, Brown, White, Yellow, Black, & Flesh.

zzz) Also Included: An Assortment of Cotton Balls (100 Pk.), Cotton Applicators/Swab Sticks (100 Pk.), Tongue Depressors (100), Tissues, Makeup Sponges (Set Of 6), and Spatulas (Pk. 6)

If you don't believe me, check out the the Sept. 16 document for yourself. Of course, the unanswered question is this: with tens of thousands of civilian deaths in Iraq, and close to 3,000 deaths and untold casualties sustained by U.S. troops, why is there still a need to simulate such carnage? 

Truth... Or Consequences (Quote of the Week)

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in a speech to the American Legion this week that "it's a strange time" in which we live, referring to the media's belated criticism of the War on Iraq, et al. Indeed, we are living in a strange time, Mr. Secretary, as you apparently think we Americans should be goose-stepping in unison, marching on Newsweek and the New York Times with torches in hand.

The following excerpt, which Exhortations to the Oblivious learned about via William M. Arkin's "Early Warning" blog at WashingtonPost.com (see: Rumsfeld's Enemy: It's Us), is ETTO's unequivocal pick for Quote of the Week:

It seems that in some quarters there's more of a focus on dividing our country than acting with unity against the gathering threats.

It's a strange time:

When a database search of America's leading newspapers turns up literally 10 times as many mentions of one of the soldiers who has been punished for misconduct -- 10 times more -- than the mentions of Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith, the first recipient of the Medal of Honor in the Global War on Terror;

Or when a senior editor at Newsweek disparagingly refers to the brave volunteers in our armed forces -- the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines, the Coast Guard -- as a "mercenary army;"

When the former head of CNN accuses the American military of deliberately targeting journalists; and the once CNN Baghdad bureau chief finally admits that as bureau chief in Baghdad, he concealed reports of Saddam Hussein's crimes when he was in charge there so that CNN could keep on reporting selective news;

And it's a time when Amnesty International refers to the military facility at Guantanamo Bay -- which holds terrorists who have vowed to kill Americans and which is arguably the best run and most scrutinized detention facility in the history of warfare -- "the gulag of our times." It’s inexcusable.

Those who know the truth need to speak out against these kinds of myths and distortions that are being told about our troops and about our country. America is not what's wrong with the world.
The struggle we are in -- the consequences are too severe -- the struggle too important to have the luxury of returning to that old mentality of "Blame America First."

(The full text of Rumsfeld's remarks are available at DoD's DefenseLink.)

Ain't G.O.T. No Satisfaction

It's obvious that the federal government's decision to infuse nearly a billion dollars into a global anti-corruption initiative would never suffice, 'cause obviously it will take a sum greater than $750 million to adequately spread Washington, D.C.'s love of fairness, equal opportunity and strong ethics to each and every corner of the planet. Now, U.S. taxpayers get to throw around (throw away?) even more of the treasury, purportedly in the name of solving the world's problems... starting with... you guessed it: the Government of Tanzania (G.O.T.)!

According to a July 26 procurement notice, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide up to $2.6 million to "provide technical support to Tanzania's public procurement reform program." In other words, Tanazania's elected and public officials are exploiting their governmental positions for the sake of self-enrichment, and the Good Ol' USA, golly gee willickers, is going to help those Tanzanian devils to clean up their act -- with the help, of course, of a U.S. contractor capable and willing to spread that big, bagfull of U.S. cheer and love.

Exhortations to the Oblivious is aware of counter-criticisms that over-emphasize the arguably pibbly level of each dose of corporate welfare doled out by USAID and other treasury-transfer organizations such as the U.S. Trade & Development Agency. However, ETTO urges the reader -- before he or she dismisses us as whiny liberals or as anti-Put-Ronald-Reagan's-Face-On-Mount-Rushmore-types, to consider:

(1) USAID and USTDA are expert specialists in siphoning money from the U.S. citizenry just a few hundred-thousand or a million or so at a time, and: (2) Weighing the following nitty gritty details of this seemingly miniscule $2.6 million larceny:

USAID, in the project's Request for Proposals, suggests that, out of the $2.6 million award, the selected vendor ultimately will spend:

i) $200,000 to host four "multi-stakeholder forums."

ii) $200,000 to "develop and pilot integrity pacts."

iii) $45,000 to "prepare a code of ethics."

iv) $200,000 to conduct four more "multi-stakeholder forums" in Year Two of the contract.

v) $25,000 to "disseminate code of ethics."

vi) $220,000 to "rollout integrity pacts," (whatever the hell that involves).

It's been rumored, once again, that disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and ex-Congressman/convicted-felon Randy "Duke" Cunningham plan to submit bids on this project. However, these rumours could not be independently confirmed.

Sock It To Me, Georgie-Poo

In order to help the Iraqis to re-occupy their country, President Bush needs to arrange the shipment of the following police equipment:

-- 49,963 black plastic whistles;

-- 70,780 pairs of boot socks, size small;

-- 155,208 pairs of boot socks, size medium;

-- 70,870 pairs of boot socks, size large;

-- 52,405 pairs of boot socks, size extra-large;

-- 8,804 handheld wand-style metal detectors;

-- 454 searchlights, each with a 2,000,000-candlepower minimum;

-- 2,282 vehicle towing straps,

AND, while we're at it:

-- 339,763 Glock 9mm pistol magazines, containing 15-rounds each.

Oh, never mind. Exhortations to the Oblivious has belatedly discovered that the U.S. Army on Monday (July 24) already began coordinating the procurement and delivery of these specific items. Our apologies for this oversight.

Although it's no excuse, Exhortations founder Steve Peacock this week turned 42, and he has been busy playing the Harp rather than keep an eye on how the federal government is enabling contractors to loot the U.S. Treasury. He is truly sorry.

Cash In and Kiss Your Food Stamps Goodbye

Attention, cashiers of America! Your days of making $6.50 an hour cashiering at the supermarket -- you know, that store where you bring your government-issued food stamps because the place refuses to pay you enough to actually shop there -- may be over. Well, at least for one of you.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is looking to hire an experienced cashier and the agency is looking to pay you quite well -- in the $42,040-$54,649 range, no less.

There's one catch, however. You have to move to Baghdad. Yes, that one. The one in Iraq. Yes, the country where your future employer, the U.S. government, has sent about 2,500 of our soldiers to early graves in a war based on Executive Branch lies and fraud. But don't concern yourself with that, 'cause soon you'll be making big bucks and living a Baghdad dream.

And fret not about getting yourself blasted to bits, because according to a May 9 federal personnel-services notice that Exhortations to the Oblivious has so graciously acquired, you'll be living in a protected USAID compound, which the notice says is  "located within the guarded and fortified International Zone in Baghdad. Housing is provided in the newly built hard houses."

The document clearly indicates living in a Hard House will be fun, as it is situated within a USAID compound that "comprises also a restaurant, gym, and an office building."

Sounds like fun! I say throw your food-stamp card in the garbage right now, then go and tell your manager at Price Chopper to kiss your rear end -- because you're Baghdad-bound, baby!

Compassionate Conservatism for One Million Homeless Iraqis

I'm reposting this article, which originally was distributed via Indymedia Oct. 19, 2004, because of the sad irony that it represents. Take note of the fact that I wrote the piece in my awestruck response to Bush Administration reaching the 1,000 mark of dead U.S. soldiers -- we are now around the 2,500 mark, and Lord knows how high that body count will go.

The situation in Iraq is improving, our President says. Put in the context that the U.S. government will spend hundreds of millions of dollars to help Iraqis displaced by the conflict -- and to rebuild critical infrastructure, such as water treatment systems, which U.S. forces destroyed during the conflict -- there's, er, um, some truth to Bush's claims, isn't there?

USDA Gets Sheepish on America

A confession: I lack knowledge about sheep sperm and blood. As a result, I cannot comment on such matters authoritatively. There is, however, a bright spot regarding this shortcoming (no pun intended): the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), which maintains a frozen depository of this stuff, apparently doesn’t know much about the topic either. Why else would it use your tax dollars to hire private contractors to take a closer look at the bodily fluids of sheep on its behalf?

The USDA today (not to be confused with the newspaper USA Today) launched a search for private sector help in this matter. Not just the USDA, but the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation  in the National Animal Germplasm Program  of the Agricultural Research Service  of the USDA (of the Fort Collins, Colorado, USDA facility, that is). The department intends to award a contract to conduct ongoing analyses of semen and white blood cells from various sheep breeds “for the purpose of determining the genetic distance between the sheep breeds tested.”