THE PEACOCK REPORT (TPR)

AP: N.J. State Police to Review Arrests of Protesters

The Associated Press today reported that the New Jersey State Police intend to "review circumstances" of the arrests of protesters outside of a public meeting attended by Gov. Jon Corzine (Asbury Park Press, 01/24). Police last week charged radio personality Seth Grossman and former mayor of Bogota Township Steve Lonegan with defiant trespass after holding up signs and distributing protest literature, respectively, outside the meeting in Middle Township.

A video clip of the arrests is avaialable via the MoreMonmouthMusings blog.

"Freedom Brings Us Together" -- Ron Paul

"Freedom Brings Us Together" is the latest video message from presidential candidate Ron Paul, one of the most vigorous congressional defenders of liberty. Check it out.

N.Y. Times: Get Out of Iraq -- And Get Out Now

The New York Times, despite the post-9/11, let's-invade-Iraq-cheerleading that its now-disgraced, ex-writer Judith Miller offered the world, has come full circle on the matter. It now has this to say about the occupation: Get out. Get out now.

The following excerpt from today's editorial page of NYT (provided courtesy CommonDreams.org), sums up the paper's detailed and logical recommendation for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces:

Continuing to sacrifice the lives and limbs of American soldiers is wrong. The war is sapping the strength of the nation’s alliances and its military forces. It is a dangerous diversion from the life-and-death struggle against terrorists. It is an increasing burden on American taxpayers, and it is a betrayal of a world that needs the wise application of American power and principles.

A majority of Americans reached these conclusions months ago. Even in politically polarized Washington, positions on the war no longer divide entirely on party lines. When Congress returns this week, extricating American troops from the war should be at the top of its agenda.

It's time to act.

Happy 4th? Try "72"

Upon hearing "Happy 4th" or "Happy Holiday" this week, I intend to respond, with intentional puzzlement in my voice, "Happy 4th? Nah. Seventy-two."

"Um, 'seventy-two'? some might say with equal puzzlement.

"Yeah, 'seventy-two'.... Out of nearly 4,000 soldiers who died for no damn good reason in Iraq, 'seventy-two' are from New Jersey, my home state. Seventy-two young men -- and women -- from Jersey, sent to their early graves, all for a war based on lies."

Eeesh. Seventy-two Jersey-dead. For what?

Another four fatalities from the Garden State just in June, namely:

Sgt. Trista L. Moretti of South Plainfield;

Pfc. David J. Bentz III of Newfield;

Sgt. Eric L. Snell of Trenton;

Spec. Farid Elazzouzi of Paterson.

Where are you from? And how will you respond to "Happy 4th" this holiday?

If you're from California, try saying, "Four-hundred nineteen," the highest number of dead from any state in the nation.

From Texas? Say: "Three-hundred forty-three."

Pennsylvania: "One-hundred eighty-one."

New York?: "One-hundred seventy-eight."

Florida?": "One-hundred seventy."

Ohio?: "One-hundred sixty-six."

This is just too painful to continue to list.

For a list of all U.S. military personnel whom have perished in the so-called Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, check out Faces of the Fallen, a project of the Washington Post.

With Libby, Injustice for All

Various neoconservative pundits and politicians are praising President Bush's commutation of the jail sentence for convicted felon Lewis "Scooter" Libby, former chief adviser to Vice-President Dick Cheney; others, however, such as former federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega, are denouncing the president's involvement in this situation as "an egregious abuse of power."

While most news outlets are focusing their post-commutation coverage on the responses of Bush apologists such as former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), the Institute for Public Accuracy (IPA) is making available the following folks for additional viewpoints on the matter:

'Rev. Billy' Arrested for Reciting First Amendment in Public

Free speech gets clubbed over the head, from the Associated Press via Yahoo! News.

Searchable Database of CIA Abuses Now Available

The National Security Archive of George Washington University is now making available to the public "The CIA's Family Jewels" collection of declassified documents -- material that the privately run archive obtained after years of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and legal battles with the agency. Among its most astounding revelations is the now-verifiable fact that the CIA violated its own charter by spying on American citizens, including journalists and peace advocates.

For more information on how to obtain government documents -- requests that any concerned individual can make -- check out the archive's FOIA Basics page for a tutorial and other critical information.

Also, if you wish to support the work of this important organization, please consider making a pledge to the National Security Archive Fund.

Heightened Momentum of Government Waste Disclosed

The accelerated waste of federal taxpayer dollars continues to gain momentum, with wasteful contracts now exceeding $1 trillion, according to new report by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, "More Dollars, Less Sense" [full report] [summary]. One-fifth of those questionable procurements were awarded via noncompetitive, sole-source contracts, the report reveals. The committee, which previously disclosed a "worrisome trend" of such expenditures in separate a report one year ago, says the situation has "worsened significantly" since that time.

The Peacock Report (TPR) is simultaneously thankful for the committee's work, distressed by its findings, and yet is not surprised by its findings in the least. Much of what TPR seeks to accomplish is to uncover such waste, and we encourage the committee to take notice of this site as a means of assisting the panel, in some small way, in its future research.

Overthrow a Fascist Regime

Overthrow a Fascist Regime on $15 a Day is the latest work-in-progress by investigative reporter Wayne Madsen -- and The Peacock Report is urging all freedom-loving Americans this Memorial Day weekend to make it a priority to buy this book. Although publisher Trine Day has not yet released it to the market, you can order a copy in advance via Amazon.com.

Twain Kept a' Rollin'

The War Prayer by Mark Twain is one of the most pivotal antiwar writings of the past century. In that short story, Twain used his satirical wit to lambast churches nationwide that were rallying around the flag in a lustfest for battle during the Filipino campaign of the Spanish-American War.

TPR founder Steve Peacock takes The War Prayer to his fellow Christian writers at TheMastersArtist.com, with whom he is affiliated. Check out Prayer Factor, and if you haven't yet become acquainted with Twain's The War Prayer, make sure your follow links within the article giving you free online access to that classic work of American literature.