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“I think it will strike a lot of people as being very accurate”

Rep. Maurice Hinchey

Shuster: You think they deliberately let al Qaeda get away right after the 9/11 attacks? You really believe that?

Hinchey: yes I do. There’s really no question about that because the leader of our military operation in the United States called back our military. Called them back from going after the head of al Qaeda because there was a sense…

Shuster: Congressman, you can accuse them of malfeasance, you can accuse them of dropping the ball, of having an awful plan. I think that would be justified. But to suggest that they deliberately let Osama bin Laden get away so that they could justify the war in Iraq, that will strike a lot of people as crazy.

Hinchey: I don’t think it will strike a lot of people as crazy. I think it will strike a lot of people as being very accurate. And all you have to do is look at the facts of that set of circumstances and you can see that’s exactly what happened. When we went in there, when our military went in there, we could have captured them. We could have captured most of the al Qaeda, but we didn’t. And we didn’t because of the need felt by the previous administration and the need of the previous head of the military, that need to attack Iraq which was completely unjustified…

h/t digby

Afternoon Edition

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

Now with U.S. News.  39 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Switzerland confronts backlash over minaret ban

by Peter Capella, AFP

1 hr 13 mins ago

GENEVA (AFP) – Switzerland confronted an international backlash and charges of intolerance on Monday as the country’s Muslim leaders urged calm over a shock vote to ban new minarets.

The Vatican joined Muslim leaders in expressing dismay after a referendum on Sunday voted for a constitutional ban on the construction of towers attached to mosques from where the faithful are traditionally called to prayer.

Some 57.5 percent of those who cast ballots supported the measure amid a high turnout by Swiss standards of 53 percent.

Weekend News Digest

Weekend News Digest is an Open Thread

Now with World and U.S. News.  57 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Rumsfeld decision let Bin Laden escape: Senate report

AFP

Sun Nov 29, 11:27 am ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Osama bin Laden was “within the grasp” of US forces in late 2001 but escaped because then-defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld rejected calls for reinforcements, a hard-hitting US Senate report says.

The report, set for release Monday, is intended to help learn the lessons of the past as President Barack Obama prepares to announce a major escalation of the conflict, now in its ninth year, with up to 35,000 more US troops.

It points the finger directly at Rumsfeld for turning down requests for reinforcements as Bin Laden was trapped in December 2001 in caves and tunnels in a mountainous area of eastern Afghanistan known as Tora Bora.

Nike!

Well here’s the last of my Thanksgiving Marathon posts and frankly I’m not sorry to see them go because the research is taking forever.

And you miss stuff, like I almost missed AMC’s Batman triple feature.

In fairness, it does start at 2:30 am which is why I’m posting early and will post promote this so I don’t drive down any more of the Front Page than I need to.

Updated twice!  Now with Listiness!

Afternoon Edition

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

Now with U.S. News.  38 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Bomb attack blamed in deadly Russia train disaster

by Kirill Kudryavtsev, AFP

15 mins ago

UGLOVKA, Russia (AFP) – An elite passenger train carrying hundreds of people from Moscow to Saint Petersburg was derailed by a bomb attack that left dozens dead and nearly 100 injured, officials said Saturday.

The attack occurred late Friday about 400 kilometres (250 miles) northwest of Moscow in a forest where the same train, the Nevsky Express, popular with tourists and commuters, was hit by a similar bomb attack in August 2007.

“We are indeed talking about a terrorist attack,” Vladimir Markin, spokesman for the federal investigative committee, was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

Saturday Morning Marathon

Well, Thanksgiving is starting to pass and programming returning to normal.  We still have many Marathons running in some places you might not expect.  By the time you read this VH-1 and ESPN will have already started their morning (which I’m beginning to suspect is a feature not a flaw).

We also have some double features-

  • ABC FamilyRichie Rich and Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish starting at 11 am and going until 3 pm.
  • FX– Ice Cube in Are We There Yet and Are We Done Yet from 11 am to 3:30 pm.
  • SpikeLethal Weapon 2 & 3 from 1 pm to 6 pm and double Forrest Gump from 6 pm to Midnight.
  • Comedy Central– has Barbershop and Barbershop 2: Back In Business from 2:30 pm to 7 pm.
  • Oxygen– is running back to back Legally Blonde from 8 pm to Midnight.

Your ‘regular’ Marathons look something like this-

  • ESPNSports Center 5 to 10 am.
  • VH-1Jump Start 5 to 9 am.  Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy noon to 8 pm.
  • MTVWorld’s Strictest Parents 6 to 11 am.
  • OxygenAmerica’s Next Top Model 8 am to 8 pm.
  • HistoryIce Road Truckers 8 am to 8 pm.
  • TV LandMarried With Children 8 am to 6 pm.  Roseanne 10 pm to 2 am.  Three’s Company 2 to 6 am.
  • DiscoveryDirty Jobs 10 am to 3 am.
  • MSNBCLockup (various varieties) noon to 7 am.
  • Tru TVWorld’s Wildest Police Videos noon to 6 pm.
  • BravoAmerica’s Next Top Model noon to 10 pm.
  • DisneySonny With A Chance 2 pm to 7 pm.
  • TLCWhat Not To Wear 4 pm to 2 am.
  • TV GuideLook-A-Like 4 pm to 8 pm.  My Fair Brady: Maybe Baby 10 pm to 2 am.
  • A&ECriminal Minds 7 pm to 11 pm.
  • NickGeorge Lopez 10 pm to 6 am.

Afternoon Edition

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

Now with World and U.S. News.  42 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Dubai debt scare rattles world markets

AFP

1 hr 20 mins ago

NEW YORK (AFP) – US stock markets tumbled on Friday as fears of debt defaults bred fresh concern for the world economy, while Europe shares recovered slightly from Dubai’s shock request to suspend major loan repayments.

Investors had “headed for the exit door” after the Dubai government’s investment vehicle Dubai World sought to suspend debt payments for six months, IG Markets analyst Ben Potter said.

The price of oil slumped to a seven-week low point close to 72 dollars and the dollar struck a 14-year low against the yen.

Marathon Friday Morning

This is too hard and yet a public service.

The problem is that you only get a 3 hour slice and then you have to track 20 layers of channels.

Until 8 pm it looks kinda like this-

7 pm Update!

  • SpikeBand of Brothers starts @ 9 am and continues until 11 pm.
  • A&ECriminal Minds starts @ 8 am and continues until 11 pm when it is interrupted for CSI: Miami and then returns at midnight for 3 more episodes.
  • E!Keeping Up With The Kardashians starts @ 9 am and finishes @ 4 pm with a break between noon and 2 for Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami
  • DiscoveryDeadliest Catch @ 9 am and continues until 3 am.
  • TLCSay Yes To The Dress @ 6 am and continues until 1 am.
  • USANICS starts @ 6:30 am and stops @ 12:30 for Monk.  White Collar starts @ 1:30 and continues until 7.
  • SciFiJames Bond starts @ 8 am and continues until 5:30 am.
  • FXThat 70s show starts @ 8 am and finishes @ 5 pm.
  • TravelBizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmer starts @ 9 am and continues until 8.
  • TV LandSanford and Son starts @ 9 am and is replaced @ 4 pm by Andy Griffith until 10.
  • VH-1- Jump Start starts @ 5 am and continues until 11 am.
  • Tru TVHaunting Evidence starts @ 9 am and is replaced by Forensic Files @ 3 pm until 6 with 6 more episodes from 9 to midnight.
  • Food TVDiners, Drive-Ins and Dives starts @ 2 pm and continues until 11 pm.
  • TNTCharmed from 8 am to 11 am.  Law and Order after that until 7.  300 at 8 pm with a repeat at 10
  • BravoReal Housewives of New Jersey starts @ 8 am and is followed by Goodfellas @ 5 pm with a repeat at 8.
  • ESPNSports Center 5 am to noon.
  • Animal PlanetI’m Alive starts @ 1 pm and is interrupted at 10 pm, 1 am, and 5 am for Pit Bulls and Parolees.

Afternoon Edition

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

Now with after nap update and World and U.S. News.  68 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 German military chief quits over Afghan strike

by Simon Sturdee, AFP

1 hr 4 mins ago

BERLIN (AFP) – Germany’s top general quit on Thursday over an air strike in Afghanistan on two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in which dozens of civilians are thought to have perished.

The resignation, announced in parliament by Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg together with that of a senior ministry official, followed press revelations that a military report about the September 4 strike was suppressed.

The news came at an unfortunate time for Chancellor Angela Merkel, as parliament was debating extending the mandate for the German mission in Afghanistan. Even before the air strike it was opposed by a majority of voters.

Afternoon Edition

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

Now with after nap update and World and U.S. News.  68 Story Final.

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 German military chief quits over Afghan strike

by Simon Sturdee, AFP

1 hr 4 mins ago

BERLIN (AFP) – Germany’s top general quit on Thursday over an air strike in Afghanistan on two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in which dozens of civilians are thought to have perished.

The resignation, announced in parliament by Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg together with that of a senior ministry official, followed press revelations that a military report about the September 4 strike was suppressed.

The news came at an unfortunate time for Chancellor Angela Merkel, as parliament was debating extending the mandate for the German mission in Afghanistan. Even before the air strike it was opposed by a majority of voters.

Raiders @ Cowboys

Fuck the Cowboys.

Not only are they the division rivals of my team (to the extent I have one.  Week 12?  Seems about time to shift my attention from Baseball.) the Giants, but they are also the most arrogant team in the NFL.

America’s Team?

Fuck you.

I have hopes for an upset since it’s always a pleasure to see the ‘Boys lose but I have no expectations the Raiders can deliver.

Packers @ Lions

Pfft.  Did I mention I’m only half troll?

This would be a fight to the death except that there’s not much honor in slaying a troll.  The Lions are a pathetic program and have been for years.

Yet I am conflicted by my troll heritage and natural sympathy for the underdog.

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