Actual factual reporting from Dana Bash and Lisa Goddard of CNN: Republicans again block Iraq withdrawals

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Republican senators on Friday were again able to block a Democratic amendment that would set “definite timelines” for bringing home American combat forces from Iraq.
…

GOP senators have filibustered every Democratic-led push to bring troops home from Iraq. They used a procedural vote Wednesday to kill a proposal that would have required the Pentagon to give troops returning from Iraq stateside time equal to their time in the combat zone.

Six Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the plan, but the final vote was four short of the 60 needed to break a filibuster.

Facts and numbers and truth – I don’t know if I can stand it. What will they do next – label lies as lies?

Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo thinks the people complaining about Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s desire to visit “Ground Zero” and lay a wreath when he comes to New York for the UN meeting should just Grow Up.

Josh doesn’t understand the problem – no one remembered to send Iran a thank you for all of the assistance they provided in pushing the Taliban out of Afghanistan and rounding up al Qaeda and Taliban people who tried to escape through Iran. I mean you could sort of ignore the condemnation of the attack by all levels of the Iranian government including the Supreme Leader, because most of the world did that, but Iran provided real material assistance to out our allies, the Northern Alliance, and actually captured terrorists, so a note really was called for.

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Sundown tonight marks the beginning of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, for Jews, and their most important holy day. It is a day of fasting and contemplation.

For my Jewish friends, I bid you peace and forgiveness.

The GOP has a lot of damn gall claiming they have respect for the troops when at their 2004 convention they openly denigrated those who had won a Purple Heart for wounds received in combat: Delegates mock Kerry with ‘purple heart’ bandages. The Purple Heart was first awarded by George Washington during the Revolutionary War and is the oldest medal for combat in the United States military.

When GOP House Leader John Boehner says that the loss of nearly 4000 of America’s military men and women is a small price to pay for the war of choice in Iraq, he again demonstrates how much respect his party has for the troops.

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Invest 93L has become Subtropical Depression Ten …and fades away at 10PM [updated]

Position: 30.6 N 87.1 W. [10PM CDT]
Movement: Northwest [325°] near 9 mph.
Maximum sustained winds: 30 mph.
Wind Gusts: 40 mph.
Minimum central pressure: 1005 mb.

Currently 10 miles Northeast of Pensacola, Florida.

It came ashore in Santa Rosa County as not much more than a heavy rainstorm.

Concentration

They won’t escape today!

[Editor: Every morning Sox comes into the office to stare intently at the mini-blinds hoping to catch the shadows of the doves that land on the edge of the roof. The window faces East and the rising sun casts a shadow on the blinds as the doves’ tail feathers hang over the edge. I have a large stock of mini-blinds and they are rarely totally trashed when he leaps into action.]

Friday Ark

Keith Olbermann has a Special Comment on Bush’s hypocrisy for condemning Petraeus ad.

He starts with excerpts from the Shrubbery’s press conference:

“I thought the ad was disgusting. I felt like the ad was an attack not only on General Petraeus, but on the U.S. Military.”

“And I was disappointed that not more leaders in the Democrat party spoke out strongly against that kind of ad.

“And that leads me to come to this conclusion: that most Democrats are afraid of irritating a left-wing group like Moveon.org or more afraid of irritating them, than they are of irritating the United States military.”

“That was a sorry deal.”

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