Oh ho ho: “According to an analysis of campaign contributions by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, Democrat Barack Obama has received nearly six times as much money from troops deployed overseas at the time of their contributions than has Republican John McCain, and the fiercely anti-war Ron Paul, though he suspended his campaign for the Republican nomination months ago, has received more than four times McCain’s haul.” Wow. Barack Obama hates American troops so much that he takes all of their money! [OpenSecrets via AMERICAblog]

Last week all the Obamatards hated Andrea Mitchell for complaining about how Barack Obama didn’t invite the press to his basketball games in Iraq. This week they will love Andrea Mitchell for saying this McCain attack ad is “literally not true.” You know, the one about how Showboat Barry wouldn’t visit the troops in Germany because he couldn’t bring along cameras. (The truth is that he gave the troops the brushoff because he was busy inventing man-made AIDS.) [YouTube via Huffington Post]

No timetables for leaving Iraq, declares our George W. Bush! The terrorists would dine out on a timetable! This is why we do not have a timetable for leaving Iraq, even though the Iraqi government wants one (although they have elections too and may be PANDERING to bums who will be killed upon withdrawal[!]). Today, however, “The United States and Iraq have agreed to set a ‘general time horizon’ for the ‘further reduction of U.S. combat forces in Iraq.’” Ooh, this is the ticket. It’s sort of like saying “nothing will change at all, and this crap should temporarily appease both of our stupid constituencies,” but with a different set and sequence of words. [NYT]

SUPPORT THE TROOPS: “The U.S. Army doubled its use of ‘moral waivers’ for enlisted soldiers last year to cope with the demands of the Iraq war, allowing sex offenders, people convicted of making terrorist threats, and child abusers into the military.” [Guardian]

Jesus, there’s another video of Ben Johnson, the chairman of the Iowa Federation of College Republicans. In this one, he talks about his organization’s efforts to support the troops. And he totally says, at one point, “we send packages to their units.” MORE »

Have you heard about a more innocent era, when everybody dressed sharp and we actually fought (and won!) wars against actual heavily armed military enemies and you could go to the bathroom without a senator trying to rape you? And do you like any combination of these things: America, The Troops, Veterans, Half-Naked Girls, Nostalgic Half-Naked Girl Pinups, and/or calendars? Oh good, then you may enjoy the Pinups For Vets calendar of nostalgic World War II-style pinup pictures of this pretty gal, Gina Elise. Somehow it is a fund-raising thing, for veterans?

Pin Ups For Vets

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There is no greater enemy to the U.S. war machine than public policy lecturer Linda J. Bilmes. The terrorist lady has written several economic reports on the costs of the Iraq occupation — all showing the price of the endless war is gazillions of dollars more than anyone in Washington will admit.

Her latest report (written with Nobel laureate in economics and terrorist professor Joseph E. Stiglitz) got the attention of Veterans Affairs benefits bureaucrats, who figured the war costs would be even greater once you factor in the long-term health care needs of more than 50,000 maimed and injured U.S. troops.

Learn about the anti-American activity of reading public DoD websites, after the jump.

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• France recommits larger number of soldiers, takes leadership of the “United Nations Interim Force of Lebanon.” [WP, W$J]

• Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) has eyes opened during 14th trip to Iraq, says we need “to have a timeline for troop withdrawal.” [WP]
• Bush spends this week fishing with family in Kennebunkport, hiding from Cindy Sheehan, and covering up his New England roots. [WP]
• Emergency contraceptive “Plan B” approved by FDA, to be available in pharmacies without a prescription by the end of the year. [WP, NYT]
• All the big names are going to Iowa pretending to fundraise for mid-terms, but it’s really about 2008. [NYT]
• Kentucky Governor signs plea deal in hiring scandal; Kentucky Attorney General holds press conference, respects seersucker Thursday. [NYT]
• State Department secretive about investigation into Israel breaking secret agreements and secretly using restricted bombs. [NYT]

• Second “I had an abortion” campaign launched, first was in ‘72. [Feministing]
• “More and more there is the sinking sensation at the Times that the Internet isn’t Kansas.” [Romenesko]
• 68% of Americans support bringing all troops home by the end of this calendar year or by one year from now. [Eschaton]
• Slutty kid may offend Muslims. [LGF]
• Atlas Shrugs interviews John Bolton: “You remember Godfather, Frank Sinatra, it was supposed to be Frank Sinatra, he’s crying, you’re godfather. Same thing happens, somebody slap him. So how could you have so much faith in the Lebanon government? I mean, I want to believe, John. I believe in you. I want to believe.” [Atlas Shrugs]

• Americans fighting terrorism may be protected from “prosecution for past violations of the War Crimes Act of 1996…That law criminalizes violations of the Geneva Conventions governing conduct in war and threatens the death penalty if U.S.-held detainees die in custody from abusive treatment.” [WP]
• No significant troop withdrawal in sight this year. [LAT]
• “Unable to agree on major lobbying and ethics legislation, Senate and House leaders have made plans to adopt vastly scaled-back versions of the measures as part of their rules so that lawmakers can claim that they responded to recent congressional scandals.” [WP]
• Pro-immigrant rights groups divided by Senate immigration measure, some say it contains “loopholes that could criminalize individuals, including legal immigrants, for helping family members or friends who are in the country illegally.” [WP]
• Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.) has a wife and close friend inside consulting firm ICG Government, “a consulting company for technology firms seeking government contracts.” [WP]
• Minimum wage may increase to $7.15, House votes today. [NYT]

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