From: Richard Kissack [rkissack@cis

= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; RETURN to Home page=
= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = RETURN to Newsletter Archive

<= strong> = CLINTON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY NEWSLETT= ER

“Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate for a moment to prefer the latter.”

-= Thomas Jefferson-

http://www.clintoncountydemocrats.org<= /span>

Octob= er 9, 2006

COMING EVENTS

Friday, October 13 - Approximately 10:00 A.M= .

Durgin Center at Ashford University

A discussion of issues important to the American people.=

Senator Ted Kennedy and Iowa Secretary of State Chet Cul= ver

Saturday, October 14

Jefferson-Jackson = Day Dinner in Des Moines with Bill Clinton

Tuesday, October 17

Pizza Ranch, North 11^th Street across from Fareway Grocery
6:30 P.M. Election Day t= raining for precinct captains.

7:30 P.M. The Clin= ton County Democratic Central Committee will meet.

<= /span>

Saturday, October 21 – 7:00 P.M.=

Timberlanes in Maquoketa=

State Representative Tom Schueller fund raiser.=

<= /span>

Thursday, October 19 & 26 - 6:00-9:00 P.M.

Clinton Community College

NATIONAL ISSUES FORUM WORKSHOP

“The New Challenges of American Immigration: What Should We Do?” There will be two = 3 hour sessions wherein participants will consider three perspectives on this difficult issue. The Forum is rooted in the simple notion that people need to come together to reason and deliberate about common problems. There is no cost, but registration is requested by calling the Colle= ge at 563-244-7100 and registering for class #18660.

=

Y= ARD SIGNS

Last= week we began our major effort to put out yard signs for all Democratic candidates. The growing numbe= r of signs indicates a ground swell of support for the Democratic candidates, a desire for a return to honesty and integrity in government and the election= of candidates who not only will listen to people, but actually follow through = with their support. If you haven’t received your yard signs yet, call Democratic Headquarters, 242-9064. We’ll be = there as quickly as possible.

<= o:p>

S= ENATOR BARACK OBAMA HELPS IOWA DEMOCRATS

Last= week we traveled to Davenport to hear Senator Barack Oba= ma, our next Congressman Bruce Braley, our next Sec= retary of Agriculture Denise O’Brien, our next Iowa First Lady Mary Culver a= nd our next Secretary of State. A capacity crowd packed the gym at Eisenhower Elementary School. The event was emceed by Scott County’s favorit= e son Bill Gluba who is working hard for the election= of Braley. The enthusiastic crowd applauded frequently a= nd gave many standing ovations. = The support for Democrats in all offices was apparent. The political rally was heavily co= vered by the news media including Fox News that left their large air pollu= ting van parked just out side the main entrance.

While Bruce Braley was laying out a definite program = that he intends to promote in Congress, his opponent continued his nasty attack = ads on the legal profession and the constitutional rights of people for legal recourse. Bruce has spent his= legal career representing ordinary people against large corporations and protecti= ng their rights to a defense against legal charges. George W. Bush’s agent in Iowa, Mike Whalen, apparently would deny people these rights.

HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH OF THE REPUBLICAN MESS?

ARE YOU MAD ENOUGH TO VOLUNTEER?

WE NEED YOUR HELP T= O WIN THIS ELECTION!

HELP ELECT DEMOCRAT= S AND PROMOTE THE

DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN FOR SECURITY AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL AMERICANS.<= /p>
We need volunteers putting up yard signs, telephoning, contacting their friends and neighbors.=

CONTACT THE PEOPLE AT DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS.=

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.<= strong>

A MESSAGE TO TEACHERS FROM ANOTHER TEACHER

I ho= pe you read NEA President Reg Weaver’s viewpoint= in the October issue of NEA Today. He talks about the importance of teacher involvement in politics as part of our responsibility in promoting education so that we have well equipped schools with good well paid teachers. There are several of us in Clin= ton County who have been w= orking together for the past forty years to improve education. The problem is we need the involve= ment of more and younger teachers. (Dick Kissack, a past President of the Clinton Education Association and a life member of the National Education Association (NEA), that group of teachers = whom the Bush Administration referred to as a ‘bunch of terrorists’.= )

NEA PRESIDENT’S VIEWPOINT

“We choose to ignore pol= itics at our own peril. Education d= ecisions rest in the hands of politicians.”

“WHY POL= ITICS? We need to hold elected leaders accountable for great public schools. As pub= lic education advocates, we have a responsibility to make our voices heard on t= he issues that impact our students, our schools, and our communities. ‘G= reat public schools for every child’ is a vision worth fighting for and achieving this vision requires the highest level of commitment.<= /span>

“We are in a powerful po= sition to make great public schools a reality for all children and students, but o= nly to the extent that we elect candidates who support public education and the work that we

do.= We have a professional duty to support our friends who stand up for children a= nd public education, and retire those who stand in the way of continued progre= ss.

“Public educati= on is being challenged from every direction. We are battling the worst cuts to federal education funding in a decade, and we have lived with the negative consequences of the so-called ‘No Child Left Behind’ law for al= most five years.

“Protecting the= basic right of every child to a great public school means stepping up as never be= fore and electing leaders who will work with us to close the gaps in student achievement; sustain and expand upon our relationships with ethnic minority communities; improve upon the salary and wages of teachers, education suppo= rt professionals, and college faculty; realize school funding that is adequate= and equitable; and effect meaningful changes during the upcoming reauthorizatio= n of ‘No Child Left Behind’, the current version of the Elementary a= nd Secondary Education Act.

“Your leadershi= p and advocacy begin in your schools and classrooms, but they don’t end the= re. If we stand on the sidelines, we will allow the opponents of public educati= on free reign to undermine our work and dictate our future and the future of o= ur nation. In this election, we need for you to actually become involved. We need for you to= give it your all by working tirelessly to elect pro-public education candidates.= ” (You may read the entire article by going to the NEA website: http://www.neatoday.org

RETURN HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND MORALITY TO GOVERNMENT.

VOTE DEMOCRATIC

<= strong>              =      CLINTON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY NEWSLETTER

̶= 0;There oughta be limits to freedom.”

(Geor= ge W. Bush, May 21, 1999 while Governor of Texas)

http://www.clintoncountydemocrats.org<= /span>

Octob= er 16, 2006

COMING EVENTS

Monday, October 16 - 8:00 P.M.=

Culv= er-Judge Debate:   There will be a pre-debate rally at St. = Ambrose University at 6:30 P.M. before the d= ebate to wave signs and cheer the next Governor of Iowa and a Watch Party at the = Hat Pub and Eatery after the debate. If you would like to take part, call Amanda York at our Democratic Headquarters 242-9064. We’d like to = have some Democrats from Clinton = County participating.= The debate is sponsored by the Quad-City Times and KWQC-TV Channel 6=

Look for the debate on your local NBC affiliate.

Tuesday, October 17

Pizza Ranch, 1347 11^th Street N.W. (across from Fareway Grocery)

6:30 P.M. Election Day t= raining for precinct captains.

7:30 P.M. The Clin= ton County Democratic Central Committee will meet.

FINAL ELECTION DAY PLANS

<= /span>

Saturday, October 21 – 7:00 P.M.=

Timberlanes in Maquoketa=

State Representative Tom Schueller fund raiser.=

<= /span>

Thursday, October 19 & 26 - 6:00-9:00 P.M.

Clinton Community College

NATIONAL ISSUES FORUM WORKSHOP

“The New Challenges of American Immigration: What Should We Do?” There will be two = 3 hour sessions wherein participants will consider three perspectives on this difficult issue. The Forum is rooted in the simple notion that people need to come together to reason and deliberate about common problems. There is no cost, but registration is requested by calling the Colle= ge at 563-244-7100 and registering for class #18660.

Tuesday, November 7

ELECTION NIGHT CELEBRATION

Help us celebrate a big Democratic victory. We will have a place with a large = screen TV tuned into the auditor’s office, draught beer and hors d’oeu= vres for a big Democratic Party. We’ll decide the time and place at the October Central Committ= ee meeting.

.

HAVE THEY NO DEC= ENCY?

A l= ong range objective of the Clinton County Democrats is to interest people and g= et them to participate in politics and encourage young people. The campaign strategies of people = like Karl Rove, Christopher Rants and Mike Whalen make that very difficult. Their negative ads have turned many people off giving them the impression that politics is dirty business. Rove, Rants and Whalen have done Democracy a great harm. Their= whole goal is to win elections by any means possible basically spreading lies and= distorted statements. The American people will not participate until we make politics a n= oble profession.

THE REPUBLICAN P= ARTY HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY THE ‘RELIGIOUS’ EXTREMISTS

“As a former three-term Republican U.S. senator from Missouri and an ordained Episcopal priest, John C. Danforth has watched the changes in his party and the church with growing alarm. Aft= er penning two op-eds for The New York Times criti= cizing the right for its focus on wedge issues—abortion, stem-cell research,= gay marriage, the Schiavo case, the public display = of religion—that drive people apart, he speaks out again to call for a change.

“The Republican Party has been taken over by something that it’s not,” Danforth says. ‘People do not= want a sectarian political party, including a lot of people who are traditional Republicans.’ In Faith and Politics, Danforth provides suggestions for moving toward a more secular Republican party that inspires trust in the pe= ople of the United States= . Based on years of hard- won political experience and a life of religious service, he calls for Christians to look to the Bible and Christian teachin= gs for ways in which they can practice their faith day to day and turn the country’s focus to a common ground once more.
(The above comments were taken from an interview on NPR by Kansas City Star newsman Steve Kraske with Senator Danforth about his book Faith and Politi= cs: How the "Moral Values" Debate Divides America and How to Move Forward Together.)

“THE INCOME GAP BETWEEN = THE RICHEST AND POOREST AMERICANS IS WIDER THAN AT ANY TIME IN HISTORY, AND WE MUST TAKE URGENT MEASURES TO BEGIN CLOSI= NG IT”

̶= 0;In 1873 the country worshipped gold, its politics were venal, and 1 percent of Americans sat on 20 percent of the nation's wealth. And they weren't shy ab= out it.   Yet, most Americans= were better off than their parents had been. There were 5 1/₂ million= families who earned poverty-level wages, but 5 1/_=
2 million were in the middle class, the most prosperous such group in the wor= ld. Capitalism played a big role, but government did, too, with the passage of = the Homestead Act of 1862, giving 160 acres to settlers who would live on the l= and for at least five years. In the early 20th century, the wages of industrial workers kept poor families moving up into the middle class. After World War= II, income growth soared, thanks to the happy confluence of private enterprise = and government benefits. Social Security and Medicare freed families from worri= es about providing for their elderly parents, while the GI Bill and student lo= ans enlarged the educated middle class. Income inequality, as a consequence, sh= rank sharply through the 1970s in a phenomenon called the "Great Compression."

̶= 0;Today, however, the wealth escalator doesn't work. In fact, while many families thought they were going up, they have actually been going down. In sectors = of the economy where jobs could be mechanized or automated, tens of thousands = now have no work. At the same time, most of the income gains we have reaped from productivity went to just the top 1 percent of Americans, who earned more t= han the bottom 50 percent-a degree of income disparity never before seen in America. Today we confront a situation in which economic growth no longer helps most American workers. <= o:p>

“Increases in income have fal= len significantly behind increases in fixed costs for home mortgages, car payme= nts, health insurance, and education. The income gains from having both parents = work have been wiped out: The income from most two-parent families, in inflation-adjusted dollars, leaves them with less discretionary income than= in the one-parent, single-paycheck family of the 1970s.

̶= 0;The reason so many Americans believe this is a bad economy is that for them, it truly is. Three government initiatives to allow greater economic equity amo= ng all Americans suggest themselves urgently:=

v       More= support for education at all l= evels.

v       A major effort to brake soaring healthcare costs;

v       A new minimum wage-it was last r= aised nearly a decade ago, and its purchasing power has deteriorated to the lowest inflation-adjusted level since 1955.

̶= 0;America's lopsided Gilded Age gave birth to a strong populist reaction. Today, similar forces are simmering just below the surface. Inequality and insecurity have simply become too pervasive a feature of American= life. The American Dream shouldn't just be a dream.” (This is a condensation of an edit= orial by Mortimer B. Zuckerman, Editor in Chief, of U.S. News & World Report. You may read the enti= re editorial in the October 2 issue or by going to their website www.usnews,co= m)

DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN FOR SECURI= TY AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL AMERICANS

=

=

=

PREPOSTEROUS ALLGEGATION OF THE MONTH<= /b>

R= 20;The Congressman Foley scandal is the fault of ABC News and Democrats.” Speaker Dennis Hastert. The Republica= n Party has elevated hypocrisy and arrogance to new levels.

<= /a>        =      CLINTON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PAR= TY NEWSLETTER

http://www.clintoncountydemocrats.org

Octob= er 23, 2006

=

AN EASY WAY TO V= OTE

You= can go to the County Auditor’s office in the north end of the County Administration Building any time before November 7. Charlie Sheridan will walk you through the process. IT’S EASY!

HOURS: Monday – Friday 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. Also: Saturday October 28 and November 4 from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

COMING EVENTS

Thursday, October 19 & 26 - 6:00-9:00 P.M.

Clinton Community College

NATIONAL ISSUES FORUM WORKSHOP

“The New Challenges of American Immigration: What Should We Do?” There will be two = 3 hour sessions wherein participants will consider three perspectives on this difficult issue. The Forum is rooted in the simple notion that people need to come together to reason and deliberate about common problems. There is no cost, but registration is requested by calling the Colle= ge at 563-244-7100 and registering for class #18660.

Tuesday, November 7 Starting at 9:00 P.M.

ELECTION NIGHT CELEBRATION

Help us celebrat= e a big Democratic victory. We will be watching the returns co= me in and celebrating at Remington’s at the Frontier Motor Inn. Their large screen and other TVs w= ill be tuned to receive returns as soon as they’re posted at the Clinton Cou= nty Auditor’s office and from the State and National races. Plenty of draught beer, sodas and = hors d’oeuvres will be part of a big CELEBRATION for the Clinton County Democrats.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS

Remember – a big turnout favors the Democrats.

Satu= rday, October 28    R= 20;Get Out the Vote”   We = need Democrats who will make phone calls, do door knocking and literature drops.

Tues= day, November 7   We need poll watchers! We will be operating voter checks from each precinct. We need about eight volunteers at each precinct site.

PHONE DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS TO VOLUNTEER – 242-9= 064

A CONTRAST BETWE= EN CANDIDATES

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO SEND BRUCE BRALEY TO CONGRESS

Bru= ce Braley promises to be a full time congressman with cl= ose ties to the people of the First District.&= nbsp; He is required to give up his law practice in order to serve in Congress. He promises to be i= n the First District often to maintain close ties to his people.

Mik= e Whalen has no intention of establishing close ties to the people in this District. He has demonstrated= in his public appearances that he is arrogant, insensitive and contemptuous of ordinary people. He probably = plans to move the operation of his corporate empire to his office in Washington. WE MUST NOT LET THAT HAPPEN! His desperate and vicious attacks = on Bruce Braley are the sign of a man who anticipa= tes failure. There is no logic connecting his charges and conclusions shown in his TV ads. If he and George W. Bush are examp= les of Ivy League educations, our nation is in trouble.

BUSH’S BUM= PTIOUS INSULTS RESULT IN FAILED FOREIGN POLICY

= 220;As Inheritors of the wisdom and democracy of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, we should try to see the best in people of all countries and help to improve t= he standard of living and well-being of people as well. As a frequent traveler to China and as a student of history, I have noticed that to insult another nation o= nly unites its people against us. But if we ask what we can do to help improve that nation’s standard of living, then we may find that even an ‘evil empire’ can change.”        (Wesley M. Wilson, Olympia Washington in a let= ter in U.S. News & World Report 10-16-06)

NOTABLE QUOTATIONS=

Karl Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff, has made it clear that the 2006 elections will come down to a simple statement: "Vote for Republicans or you will die."   Rove has initiated a nat= ion wide campaign for candidates at all levels to concentrate on personal attac= ks on their opponents. This poli= cy has shown up recently in the hate literature and radio ads of LaMetta Wynn and Lester Shields. It&#= 8217;s a great disappointment that these once respected people have let the extreme right wing that controls the national Republican Party take over their campaigns. They need to be mo= re vigilant of what is being distributed in their names.

RETURN HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND MORALITY TO GOVERNMENT.

VOTE DEMOCRATIC

“WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO PEACE ON EARTH?”

“I was against the war before it started= . I always thought it was a terrible decision, badly thought out, badly planned, and then horribly executed. I want to see our troops come home right awa= y, and so do most Americans. Unfortunately, too many politicians in both parti= es refuse to listen. So when will the troops come home? When we won't = put up with it anymore - when we change our government.   And how will we do that?   By voting the b------- out!<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> On November 7, you should vote for anyone who's against the war and vote again= st anyone who's for the war. It's that simple.

“That gives us new possibilities for November 7th. If we all go = out and vote for peace candidates and get our friends to vote, and if our votes= are really counted, it's no contest. There'll be a change in the Congress, and = then we'll just have to keep building so we can get a President who won't send o= ur soldiers to fight a war based on lies. We should have thrown the b-= ------ out years ago. Let's do it now! Give Peace A Vote!” (Willie Nelson)

DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN FOR SECURI= TY AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL AMERICANS

HOW THE REPUBLIC= AN PARTY IS DESTROYING OUR DEMOCRATIC VALUES

"Republ= icans are planning to spend the vast majority of their sizable [$50+ million] financial war chest over the final days of the campaign attacking Democratic House and Senate candidates over personal issues and local controversies.&q= uot;

“This quote = from the front page of the Washington Post confirms what we at the Democr= atic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) have been saying for months. Facing midterm electoral prospects that grow worse by the day, Republicans are embarking on an unprecedented campaign of slander and misinformation.&#= 8221; (Senator Senator Charles Schumer, Chair of= the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee)

<= /span>

<= strong>       CLINTON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY NEWSLETTER

Octob= er 25, 2006

SPECIAL EDITION

=

IT'S GO TIME!!!

&nbs= p;

&nbs= p;

&nbs= p;

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO=

GET OUT THE VOTE!!!!=

&nbs= p;

GOTV TRAINING

SATURDAY OCTOBER 28TH

We will be discussing Election Day strategy=

and going over the schedule of the final 3 = days leading up to the

Democratic Victory!

10:00AM

Frances Banta Waggoner Library
505 10th St
De Witt,= IA 52742

1:00PM

= Lyons Train Depot

56 25= ^th Ave N

= Clinton, IA 52732

SPREAD THE WORD!!! WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS!= !!

=

If you are unable to attend one of these training, but you still plan to help get out the vote please ca= ll Amanda at Democratic Headquarters (563) 241-1356

IT'S NOT TOO LATE!

VOLUNTEER TODAY!!!

CONTACT AMANDA AT DEMOCRAT HEADQUARTERS

224 22^nd Place Clinton, IA

(563) 241-1356

ayork@iowademocrats.org

=

=

       RETURN HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND MORALITY TO GOVERNMENT.

VOTE DEMOCRATIC

<= /a>                CLINTON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY NEWSLETTER

http://www.clintoncountydemocrats.org

Octob= er 30, 2006

=

HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH OF THE REPUBLICAN MESS?

ARE YOU MAD ENOUGH TO VOLUNTEER?

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO WIN THIS ELECTION!

CONTACT THE PEOPLE = AT DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

COMING EVENTS

Tuesday, October 31     5:00 P.M.=     Pi= zza Party with State Senator Roger Stewart and Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller at the Pizza Ranch, 1347 11th Street NW, Clinton, Iowa.
(A $25 per person suggested contribution includes dinner.)

It&= #146;s important that we return a proven leader to the Iowa Senate.

Tuesday, November 7 Starting a= t 9:00 P.M.

ELECTION NIGHT CELEBRATION

Help us celebrate a big Democratic victory. We will be watching the returns co= me in and celebrating at Remington’s at the Frontier= Motor Inn. Their large screen and o= ther TVs will be tuned to receive returns as soon as they&#= 146;re posted at the Clinton County Auditor’s off= ice and from the State and National races.&nbs= p; Plenty of $1.00 draught beer, sodas, and free snacks and =

hors d’oeuvres from 9:00 – 11:00 P= .M. will be part of a big CELEBRATION = for the

= Clinton County= Democrats.

Help us plan!&= nbsp; We need numbers! If yo= u plan to attend, send us numbers. However, come anyway. = We just want to be sure there’s plenty of foo= d.

TRUE PATRIOTS SHOW= THEIR COLORS AT THE POLLS

“Thi= s is not about politics. Ever since 9/11, more people are flying Old Glory and displaying stickers and magnets on their cars and trucks. In addition, America is engaged in a war, be it illegal or not. As a society, we are told one of= the reasons for this war is to defend the rights and freedoms of Americans. If that is true, why have close to= 3,000 U.S. troops died in the= Mideast conflict? Did they not defend our freedom and rights?

”If one can’t get their sorry butt of= f the sofa and spend 10 simple minutes going to vote, then why fight for those ri= ghts and freedoms? Does it really matter? I don’t know, maybe ask the parents= that lost a son or daughter. Perhaps ask a young widow. Or you could ask the sma= ll child that wonders what happened to Daddy.

”If you don’t exercise your right to = vote, then you should not wave a flag or display a symbol. TRUE patriotism can be displayed by casting a vote.” (Jerry Laake, Davenport= . Quad City Times -Tuesday, September 19, 2006)

BLIND FAITH IN BAD LEADERSHIP IS NOT PATRIOTISM

NOTABLE QUOTATIONS

= 48;I have two children, 12 and 13= . I like to tell them that the benefits of a democracy also come with an obligation; we have to care. We have to be part of making change happen whe= n we see things going on that we don't like or don't think are right. And we can= 't afford to become cynical and give up on hope and the basic goodness of peop= le. But ‘the people’ have to make their voices heard. I am happy to j= oin my voice with yours, and hope this is the beginning of a better story for my daughters.” Carol M. = in New York, New York –= ;

THE = BUSH ADMISTRATION ROLE IN URANIUM ENRICHMENT IN = NORTH KOREA

"There is some evidence that the Bush administration was seeking to manipulate intelligence on Nort= h Korea. During a visit to Pyongyang by lead negotia= tor James Kelly in October 2002, he presented what U.S. officials described as "proof" that the North had a secret uranium-enrichment program, undercutting Clintonite claims that Kim was adhering to a pledge not to advance his nuclear program. Bush officials lat= er said the North Koreans had confessed. But diplomats now say that was a translation error. (Kelly could not be reached for comment.) While Kim was clearly violating the spirit of his '94 agreement by secretly importing centrifuge equipment, U.S. intelligence sources tell NEWSWEEK that their monitors in the region have n= ever detected telltale emissions from any centrifuges. Earlier in 2002, the then Pacific commander Adm. Dennis Blair told a Pentagon meeting chaired by Under Secretary of Defense Stephen Cambone that Blair= 's surveillance and monitoring teams had still detected nothing. According to a participant who would speak only if he was not identified, that led Cambone to stalk over to Blair after the meeting, jab= his finger into his chest and declare that he expected more out of him."     (Newsweek Oct 23, 2006, page 38)   Check th= eir website:   http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15265432/site/newsweek/=

WHY = BUSH’S WAR IN IRAQ IS A FAILURE

“On NPR Morning Edition, October 24, 2006 - Steve Inskeep discussed with George Packer, author of 2005's highly acclaime= d The Assassins' Gate: Ameri= ca in Iraq, a slew= of recently released books that examine U.S. policy and military strategy behind the Iraq war.

“= 47;The books are Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq by Michael Gordon and Bernard Trainor; <= span style=3D'font-family:Arial;font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>Im= perial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone by Rajiv Chandrasekaran; The Prince of the Marshes and Other Occupational Hazards of a Year in Iraq by Rory Stewart; Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq= by Thomas Ricks; and State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III by Bob Woodward.” Several excerpts from the books follow:

“The= civilians in the Pentagon really brought the uniform military under their control in a way that ignored and discouraged expert military advice. The uniformed mili= tary failed to stand up to the civilians and give them their best advice and, if necessary, resign in the face of what some of them thought was an unworkable war plan.

”Donald Rumsfeld so intimidated everyone a= round him, chewed out four-star generals in public, humiliated his civilians aides, told [Secretary of State Condoleezza] Rice that she wasn't in the ch= ain of command. By the time we went to war with Iraq, there was a cowed, compliant defense establishment that, whatever its inner= most misgivings, was ready to go [into] battle with him simply because he had br= oken their will to object or