Followed by a Goon Shadow

“They can’t find Osama bin Laden, but they’ve saved us from Cat Stevens.

They can appoint Daniel Pipes, the notorious Muslim basher, to the U.S. Institute of Peace; but they won’t let Tariq Ramadan, a renowned Muslim scholar, teach at the University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies.

Is this the world’s mightiest force for liberty going about its noble work, or is this Colonel Klink of Stalag 13 with computers and opinion polls?

Cat Stevens? The erstwhile poet of the pop charts, now Yusuf Islam, Muslim teacher and peace advocate? Tied to terrorists? Well, “ties” can be about anything when the government doesn’t have to spell them out. [link]“

So starts Dan Carpenter’s opinion piece in today’s Indianapolis Star. Well, Dan, you’re not the only one thinking like this. I’m at that point too. I’ve been holding off a rant about this ever since I first heard about the diverted plane. But now, I think, it’s time.

Did you know that one of President Bush’s advisors, one James Baker III, is involved in the legal suit of the families of the victims of 9/11… and that he’s the legal council and representing the Saudi government and NOT the victims? Yes, that’s right, Baker has stepped up to the plate to defend AGAINST the victims families. Why?

How about the ties between the Saudi Royal Family and terrorism? Why has there been no investigation into the Saudi royal family’s funding of terrorist activities? Why, when FBI agents wanted to investigate it, were they ordered to “back off” from any inquiries into Saudi Arabian financing of terror networks, especially if they touched on Saudi royals and their retainers? What about the $7 billion the Saudis gave to Saddam Hussein for his nuclear program? Don’t you think obstructing this investigation is unpatriotic and unamerican? Not only that, isn’t obstructing justice a crime?

How can they ignore something like that, and yet keep Cat Stevens from entering this country because of “activities that could be potentially related to terrorism”… could be… potentially… that’s so vague it could be construed to include just about any one of us. And yet, the Saudis are allowed to come and go as they please and no one is allowed to investigate the money trails? This is absolute and utter horseshit!

Where is Osama bin Laden? Don’t ask Bush, Our Employee just changes the subject to Iraq. Why isn’t everyone jumping all over BushCo for using FORGED DOCUMENTS (Niger uranium?) to justify the war we’re now in which has resulted in thousands of deaths, yet they can go on and on for weeks about Dan Rather’s forged documents which resulted in… absolutely nothing? What the FUCK is wrong with this picture?

Here’s another question that people should be asking… Who is profitting off of this war? Follow the damned money, and the answers lead right back into top members of our own government. These people are going to be OBJECTIVE and FAIR-MINDED about investigating the very things they’re profitting from? Not hardly. You’d have to be a fool to believe they could be. And yanno what’s the worst part? Anyone who questions these policies can be blanketed with a label or put on a list that links them with “activities that could be potentially related to terrorism” under the USA Patriot Act… even if they’ve spent their entire adult lives supporting peace.

Cat Stevens - Peace Train

Now I’ve been happy lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun

Oh I’ve been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be, some day it’s going to come

Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again

Now I’ve been smiling lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun

Oh peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train
Yes, peace train holy roller

Everyone jump upon the peace train
Come on now peace train

Get your bags together, go bring your good friends too
Cause it’s getting nearer, it soon will be with you

Now come and join the living, it’s not so far from you
And it’s getting nearer, soon it will all be true

Now I’ve been crying lately, thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating, why can’t we live in bliss

Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again