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To: CIMA who wrote (16407)8/23/1998 2:34:00 AM
From: CIMA  Respond to of 116764
 
PLAN "B"

One of the first questions a reporter asked U.S. Defense Secretary
Cohen, at a Pentagon news conference, announcing Thursday's headline news item,
involved, again, a comparison between the "surprise" attacks on the Sudan and
Afghanistan with the movie, Wag the Dog (now available on video).

What followed was the first time in American history that U.S. Senators
instantly responded to such a grave development, by questioning the timing and
legitimacy of these attacks on terrorist camps. Repeatedly, the Clinton White
House staff and Secretary Cohen dismissed any connection between these attacks
and an attempted distraction from the ongoing Monica Lewinsky testimony before
Thursday's Grand Jury. It is an eerie revelation that the Pentagon press machine
had actually prepared Secretary Cohen for likely questions comparing between
Thursday's attacks and "Wag the Dog."

It is clearly extraordinary for a U.S. Senator to quickly criticize the
President, accusing him of possibly manipulating the media to distract from the
Lewinsky matter. That Senator Dan Coats, an Indiana Republican, spoke so
forcedly on this matter is minor compared to the deliberative queries posed by a
more senior Senator, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. Senator Specter challenged
the timing of this strike, contrasting the immediacy of this action to previous
retributive military attacks, involving pro-Arab fanatical movements.

Pursuant to comments from these two Senators, others quickly responded
in support of the President's action. There remain a few contradictions. For
example, the FBI investigative team has been unable to pinpoint blame for the US
embassy bombings, having just arrived on the scene. That observation repudiates
the broad media spin that Thursday's strike had been planned for over a week. If
so, the attack was premature and perhaps directed at the wrong target, Mr. Osama
bin Laden. New developments in the FBI investigation are still surfacing.
Several days ago, it was widely believed that the bomb contained ammonium
nitrate; today it was discovered that the bomb was composed of TNT. A
significant discrepancy such as the bomb's composition reveals how precipitous
Thursday's strike might have been.

How easily words can be manipulated by the linguistically inclined US
President. A "terrorist camp" could be any gathering of Arabs or a few tents in
the desert. A "chemical weapons" factory might be a pharmaceutical plant. Media
spins are child's play for hard-core PR agents and intelligence types. Airstrike
photography, depicting blurred rooftops, is captioned as a "terrorist complex."
An "intelligence report," announcing that the pharmaceutical plant produces the
precursor chemicals for nerve gas, sends chills down any dubious American,
especially when other points are added for emphasis - items like the plant was
guarded by Sudanese military guards and "Sudan is high on the list of terrorist
nations."

Who is paraded before the cameras to rebut the Wag-the-Dog scenario?
Reverend Jesse Jackson, perhaps the only minister in America without a Church,
but who has his own CNN television show - the same reverend who counseled Ms.
Hillary, in her time of grief. We have the bodies, Reverend Jackson, informs
us. People were killed, he reminds us. And, that makes Thursday's strike right.
He warns us that bombs have gone off in Northern Ireland, but fails to assist us
in remembering that thousands of Albanians have been murdered in Kosovo or that
up to 2 million North Koreans starved to death.

Ironic isn't it? Senator Orrin Hatch condemned President Clinton Monday
night, but it was the Honorable Senator from the Great State of Utah who had
first, long and loudest been a critic of Osama bin Laden, the alleged terrorist.
Will the more cynical believe that Senator Hatch has now been mollified by
Thursday's attack? That connection should not be quickly dismissed. Senator
Hatch is one of the leading proponents of a broad Anti-Terrorism Bill. With the
Thursday bombing, Senator Hatch's memorable Monday night fulminating criticism
of President Clinton now transforms into a cloying, embarrassing adulation, less
than 67 hours later.

NO leading Congressman was notified in advance of this attack, another
frightening Clintonian precedent. It was rumored that Sandy Berger, Clinton's
National Security Adviser, attempted to contact Senator Gephardt. But that
failed, with the lame excuse, that the Senator could not be reached on a "secure
phone." This same Senator has reclused himself from the media, in the wake of
Clinton's humiliating Monday night confession. Perhaps, he was bitter about
having also been misled by his President, or eager to distance himself from a US
President whose approval ratings were destined to dive.

Amazing what a few Tomahawk cruise safely missiles lobbed from a few
aircraft carriers in the Indian Ocean. Nobody important dies, not even the
terrorist in question, but wail until you see the latest polls!

It appears that with every turn in the Grand Jury investigation, some
remarkable event transpires, somehow restoring a disgraced US President. A weak,
cowardly, but defiant Clinton on Monday night evolves into the decisive, potent
Commander-in-Chief emerging from Air Force One with the codes for a nuclear
strike by his side.At least one delightful development occurred on Thursday
afternoon: Monica Lewinsky left the Grand Jury without a single photo
opportunity. This wasn't a distraction from Clinton's domestic difficulties?

Hollywood couldn't have done it better. This is Plan B, now in progress.
Updates tonight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
===========================================================================
SERIOUS COPYWRITE(c)1996. CYRIUSS' NOTES, FAST FORWARD, THE GUIDING
LIGHT, FANATICS AND FRAUDS! ARE TRADEMARKS OF STELIAN Finanz PLC Geneva.

CYRIUSS' PUBLICATIONS -- BRINGING OPINIONATED COMMENTARIES, TO YOU.

CYRIUSS' NOTES website, stockhouse.com
===========================================================================




To: CIMA who wrote (16407)8/23/1998 2:40:00 AM
From: CIMA  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 116764
 
THE POLICE STATE

During the Clinton era, the United States of America has been progressively
converted into a Police State. We are neither enthused nor paranoid in
publishing this observation. Let's take the subject of intercity public
transportation within the United States. Thirty years ago, there was no need for
metal detectors and widespread travel throughout the US was freely enjoyed.
Today, every innocent American not only suffers the indignity of having their
privacy invaded at every airport, no matter how small, but also must prove with
a government-issued photo identification. What's next in store for Americans,
subsequent to Thursday's military strike at the "heart" of global terrorism?

This past spring, readers of this column chided us about our concerns of a
united Islamic uprising spreading across the globe. Even DR. DOOM did not
believe it could happen so quickly. While Thursday's military action hardly
dealt a serious blow toward ending international terrorism, it accomplished
several negative goals. The missile strikes have now:

1. Confirmed, throughout the Arab World, that the U.S. President is a perverted
psychopath, who would use heavy artillery to distract from his domestic
problems;

2. Broadened and amplified fanatical anti-American sentiment throughout the Arab
world;

3. Thrown back any hope for lasting peace in the Middle East by nearly 40 years;

4. Placed overseas travel by Americans, for either business or pleasure, into
serious jeopardy;

5. Accelerated the demand and actual need for heightened security measures
within the borders of the United States, forcing Americans to further relinquish
civil liberties;

6. Splintered the United States and its small cadre of allies from the rest of
the world, possibly even imperiling the permanence of the United Nations.

This may bring a yawn or a "ho-hum, what's next?" feeling as you read this. But,
worldwide opinion of Americans continues to establish historic records on the
Animosity Scale. Cautiously, world leaders have been taken aback by Clinton's
decision to attack two sovereign nations. Aside from the usual suspects,
Canada's Chretien, England's Blair, Germany's Kohl, Australia's Howard and (of
course) Israel's what's-his-name, world reaction ranged between outright rioting
to cautious and muted remarks.

Even Clintonian allies made disparaging remarks. The Indonesian Foreign
Ministry issued a statement, which failed to mention the United States by name:
"Indonesia strongly condemns any form of terrorism, although in the fight
against terrorism, Indonesia can not condone intervention or aggression toward
sovereign nations." A spokesman for the UN Secretary-General announced he "was
concerned over these developments and awaits further details." Long one of the
strongest allies in the Middle East, Turkey was silent, but their most popular
newspaper ran a headline, dubbing the airstrike, "The Monica Missiles." Japan's
Prime Minister issued an ambiguous statement, China issued a cautious one,
pointing to the UN Charter as the determining factor. We all know, by now, how
Russia and France reacted, as their countries have extensive Muslim citizens and
ties.

The sheer number of Muslims and Islamic allies vastly outnumber the
seemingly minor Anglo-American amount of support. The balance of power, if one
considered the above to be equal, remains on the sidelines, but with a rising
mistrust of the current US government. Previously, we measured how badly Germany
would be damaged by a collapse in the Russian economy. Political support of the
current Chancellor may be seriously challenged in the coming months, if it has
not already been.

From cowboy airmen in Italy flying past cable cars to what some may
consider a madman in the White House, the term Ugly American has taken on a new
meaning. It no longer refers to the ordinary Joe and Jane living in Kansas, Iowa
or Dallas; it points to any American wearing a military or corporate uniform.
Retributive acts against Americans could spell major troubles for American
business interests, something that has only recently dawned upon overseas US
government officials. Do you remember the torturous kidnappings the Red Brigade
frightened numerous Italian businessmen with, for nearly a decade?

The US President, considered by the majority of American to be
untrustworthy, may have accomplished the exact opposite of what he announced,
"to protect Americans." Rather, Mr. Clinton has placed anyone carrying an
American passport at enormous risk. Thursday, we published how US politicians
and appointees had united to shake the widespread belief that Mr. Clinton
attacked to distract. The tide turned and an overwhelming number of Americans
had been swayed that this was not a "Wag the Dog" scenario. The Fourth Estate
has not been so easily convinced. After all, did you know which video the White
House reporters were watching, outside of Clinton's summer vacation home,
minutes before he made his Thursday announcement? You got it: Wag the Dog.

In a Police State, the first goal is mind control, through the
manufacturing, and molding, of popular public opinion. This has been a
continuous, unrelenting process, spanning the past forty years of American life.
Mr. Clinton, and his ilk, may have perfected this procedure. That it is being
accomplished by this unworthy individual, wrapping himself in the same cloak of
patriotism he disgraced thirty years earlier, should concern you.

This may not worry you now. But, when it finally hits you in the wallet,
you will notice. By then, far too much damage will have occurred and in
paraphrasing the President's Monday night speech, "too much time and at too high
a cost."

By then, the US military will have achieved what it failed to do,
during the Red Scare days of the 1950's and what was nearly accomplished in
1970-- having soldiers, Reserve Guard or otherwise, on streetcorners throughout
America. US Civil Liberties are on a fast track for elimination.

Look at the stock market of any totalitarian nation, despotic, dictorial
or faking it (like Russia), and ask those citizens/subjects how well off they
are. Chuckle all you want about this conclusion. Two years ago, Indonesia's thug-style government was being passed off as a "managed democracy."

The USA is about five years away, in DR. DOOM's optimistic opinion. Depending on the race for presidential impeachment, it may even come sooner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
===========================================================================
SERIOUS COPYWRITE(c)1996. CYRIUSS' NOTES, FAST FORWARD, THE GUIDING
LIGHT, FANATICS AND FRAUDS! ARE TRADEMARKS OF STELIAN Finanz PLC Geneva.

CYRIUSS' PUBLICATIONS -- BRINGING OPINIONATED COMMENTARIES, TO YOU.

CYRIUSS' NOTES website, stockhouse.com
===========================================================================




To: CIMA who wrote (16407)8/23/1998 11:39:00 AM
From: Richnorth  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 116764
 
HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED

Indeed! What you quoted was a line from Shakespear.
In more recent times, a character by the name of Doc Holiday in the B/W movie, "The Outlaw", said,

"Ya never know what she can do FOR ya or TO you."



To: CIMA who wrote (16407)8/23/1998 6:38:00 PM
From: goldsnow  Respond to of 116764
 
Congress must impeach Clinton if warranted-Specter
04:17 p.m Aug 23, 1998 Eastern

By Patrick Connole

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress has the duty to impeach President Clinton if Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's report warrants such action, Sen. Arlen Specter, who would play a key role in any legal actions against the president, said Sunday.

''If the case is there and if it's an open and shut case, I think it's our duty, and I think the House will respond and so will the Senate,'' the Pennsylvania Republican told the ''Fox News Sunday'' program.

Specter's comments came amid increasing debate on whether Clinton could save his presidency after admitting to the nation last Monday that he had lied, and had indeed had a sexual affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Democratic Party stalwart, former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, wrote an essay published in the Washington Post Sunday that said Clinton must stop putting his personal interests ahead of the national interest, and fulfill his duties even if it means resigning.

''This will require personal sacrifice and may even require his resignation, but it would fulfill the president's most important oath, to preserve and protect our nation,'' he wrote.

Specter said it would be wrong for him to urge Clinton to quit, as have other Republicans like former Vice President Dan Quayle and House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, of Texas.

''I think that it is counterproductive for Republicans to call for his resignation on this date of the record. I think that if there is to be resignation it is going to be like it was during former President (Richard) Nixon where a Republican Senator Barry Goldwater and Republican Senator Hugh Scott went and gave the president the bad news,'' Specter said.

Rep. Paul McHale of Pennsylvania, the one Democrat in Congress to call for Clinton to resign, repeated his assertion on Sunday, telling the ABC-TV news show ''This Week,'' that the rule of law demanded the president step aside.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a California Republican, said on the same program the Lewinsky affair was ''a great embarrassment,'' but that it did not call for impeachment.

''Many of us are repulsed by what we've heard of the president's conduct, but the price for the American people to pay for a resignation or impeachment is punishing the American people as much as the president,'' Pelosi said.

Specter said impeachment also would be a tough political option, since ''nobody wants to put Vice President (Al) Gore in office for two years and run against an incumbent president.''

Clinton adviser James Carville, a passionate defender of the administration, told NBC-TV's ''Meet the Press'' that Clinton should be judged ''in totality as the person he is.''

''He is a wonderful father and a good man who did something wrong,'' Carville said.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, on ABC's ''This Week,'' was asked if she felt ''ill-used'' by the president and said she did not. She said she had complete confidence in his ability to lead the nation.

A New York Times editorial on Sunday said that even though the American people were leery of Clinton's personal history before first electing him in 1992, they expected ''a measure of self-discipline and dignity from presidents while in office.''

''Even his most tolerant supporters would not have expected reckless behavior in the Oval Office. The plain fact, then, is that the standards of trust that Mr. Clinton had to meet were not set particularly high, but he managed through persistence to violate them,'' the New York Times said.

Clinton vacationed in Martha's Vineyard off the Massachusetts coast Sunday, skipping his usual churchgoing and evidently planning to spend the day alone with his wife Hillary and daughter Chelsea.

The latest CBS/New York Times poll showed that Americans continue to have widely divergent views of Clinton's character and his performance as president.

Clinton's overall job rating was measured at 65 percent, compared to 31 percent disapproving. But when asked if Clinton shared the same moral values as most Americans, only 36 percent of those polled said yes, and 59 percent said no.

Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.



To: CIMA who wrote (16407)8/23/1998 7:11:00 PM
From: goldsnow  Respond to of 116764
 
That was the week we wish wasn't
Rob Morse
OF THE EXAMINER STAFF ÿSunday, August 23, 1998
<Picture>
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cancel that headline. Now polls show Americans are happy about last week, because two days after Bill Clinton admitted being a liar, he shot $100 million worth of fireworks at bad guys holed up in two beggar nations.

He was "sending a message," the form of warfare used by a president more concerned with symbolism than substance, and more concerned with not taking losses than winning.

The cruise missile is the perfect political weapon. No American casualties. Buildings go down. Polls go up.

The message terrorists will get is that the U.S. doesn't have the stomach to send commando forces to kill them. The rules of war in America say that American troops should never die, even if they're trying to stop some madmen who may wipe out Manhattan with a suitcase nuke.

That's partly the fault of the media, because they'd be all over Clinton as soon as the first helicopter burned in the desert. It's also the fault of a president who has his eye on the polls even more than he does on women.

Last week, we were so wrapped up in Clinton's sex life and on-again-off-again relationship with the truth that we missed a debate between guv wannabes Dan Lungren and Gray Davis.

Darn, I forgot completely about these guys.

So you wanted real debate, not negative TV ads? What you got were two intelligent, articulate, experienced men arguing about who was going to put the lethal injection needle deeper in the veins of the two inmates a year executed at San Quentin.

This debate was in Fresno, where there is high unemployment, low achievement test scores and far too much teen pregnancy and gang activity. But no, killing a couple of guys a year is a bigger issue.

Fortunately, Labor Day is coming, and soon we'll have good old negative ads.

Incidentally, for this debate Lungren's people remembered that he has the Nixon problem -- profuse debate sweat ™ so they cranked the air-conditioning up in the auditorium and didn't let him outside all day.

Lungren has a sense of humor, so he gave reporters sweat bands printed with his name.

Davis doesn't sweat at all because he's a cyborg.

Last week, columnist Mike Barnicle was fired by the Boston Globe for inventing two kids with cancer for a column. As if there aren't enough real kids with cancer.

This came just two months after Globe columnist Patricia Smith was fired for fabricating columns, including one about a woman with brain cancer.

The only good news for Boston is that its cancer rate isn't as high as previously thought.

Barnicle is brazen. In the fabricated column, the fake kids with cancer shared an interest in the Red Sox and one kid's favorite song was "The Star-Spangled Banner," because it was played before each game at Fenway.

Never mind the fake patriotism or making up kids with cancer. Barnicle sullied the Red Sox.

The shame of it is that the Globe's editor had tried and failed to fire Barnicle a few weeks before for stealing lousy George Carlin jokes.

So it goes. Even the demand for Barnicle's resignation had been seen in print before.

Last week the Assembly voted to pave paradise for a parking lot -- apologies to Joni Mitchell and all the animals and people who use the Candlestick Point Recreation Area.

It's almost unthinkable for the state to give up a big chunk of a park for a private enterprise, but the private enterprise is the 49ers' proposed stadium-mall, and Mayor Brown has powerful allies in the Assembly.

Of course, the way the DeBartolo family is going, there may be plenty of free parking for nothing. How about some parking downtown, Mr. Mayor?

Last week, Brown announced that after Labor Day the public would be allowed to visit Treasure Island. Good for him. About time. I am volunteering my services as a tour guide.

See the homes where you can live if you're not an ex-girlfriend of the mayor.

See the Treasure Island Museum which is no longer there.

See where the former gang members formerly stood guard.

See where the DeBartolo casino will never be.

See where the voters said no to the emperor's no clothes.

Come on over. Willigan's Island is a regular fantasy island.

Lastly, last week Mayor Brown appeared on the TV show "Politically Incorrect." Naturally, the talk revolved around Bill Clinton's lies and peccadilloes, with Brown and actor Ron Silver taking Clinton's side against ditzy actress Victoria Jackson, formerly of "Saturday Night Live."

Jackson was rattling on about what a liar Clinton was when she abruptly said that when the movie is made she wants to play Monica Lewinsky.

Without skipping a beat, Brown asked her if she wanted to do some rehearsing, and then cackled the patented Willie Brown cackle. The guy can say anything and get away with it.

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Cut, print, it's a wrap and it's real
08/21/1998

Try Elba instead of the Vineyard
08/19/1998

It's not my fault - Ken started it
08/18/1998

Rob Morse Archives:

c1998 San Francisco Examiner ÿ