Bits and Pieces for the Week of August 5 - 11

Veteran's with rare forms of cancer are returning from the Depleted Uranium battlefields of Iraq. Currently, the State Department's Web site says fears about adverse health effects of depleted uranium, or DU, are "unwarranted," and it lists worries about DU under a section called "identifying misinformation." Deny all you want, when the "Butcher's Bill" comes due, guess who will have to pay for it! On July 23, Iraq's environment minister blamed "at least 350 sites in Iraq being contaminated during bombing" with depleted uranium weapons for about 140,000 cases of cancer there and for between 7,000 and 8,000 new cases each year. (7 of 6)

A little Shia on Shia action going on in the Basra area of Iraq. (7 of 6)

I wondered how long it would it take? Bush War Adviser Says Draft Worth a Look. Finally, this will end the Iraq War! (7 of 6)

Computer Repair Fraud (video) (Mike)

I think Veterans Administration Secretary Nicholson should keep his mouth shut and finish out his job! He says Vets are, "...carrying around too much weight and not getting enough exercise..." I'm sorry, do you know each case scumbag? Yes, I can diet all I want but I cannot exercise with my back in this condition! Aaargh!! (7 of 6)

Mosul Dam on Brink of Breach? 70% of Mosul, Iraq's 2nd largest city, could be destroyed. It's the Middle East's 4th largest dam and is a large provider of electricty. (7 of 6)

How long "6 months" really is in GOP land. (Mike)

It's back to the old days for drug use in the U.S. Military. "They don't do anything to you [for using]," a reservist tells me. "Two from my unit were sent home after they got caught more than once." What happened to them? "Nothing. They're still in the unit. Just got sent home." The "no tolerance" days are over. Have to keep quotas up. I wondered how long it would take? (7 of 6)

The media is too kind...Democrats in Congress learn art of compromise. Call it what you want, as long as the Dems win the elections in '08'! Only with a solid Democratic majority will Progressives be able to make small gains against the neo-cons and GOP-Lite Dems! (7 of 6)

The headline reads, Militants Use Water as Weapon. Since we destroyed the Iraqi's infrastructure, what does that make the U.S.? (7 of 6)

You're in a War Zone, without enough electricty for A/C cooling, now...Western Baghdad Loses Water in Summer Heat...because the already strained electricity grid cannot provide sufficient power to run water purification and pumping stations. (7 of 6)