It's Official! GW Has Outsourced The Office of The President of the US to The Carlyle Group.

[elehhhhna]

It's the ultimate privatization scheme!


The Carlyle Group

Private Partnership
Founded 1987

The Carlyle Group is a Washington, D.C. based global private equity investment firm with at least $44.3 billion of equity capital under management. <1> The firm operates four fund families, focusing on leveraged buyouts, venture & growth capital, real estate and leveraged finance investments. The firm employs more than 300 investment professionals in 14 countries with several offices in North America, Europe and Asia; its portfolio companies employ 184 000 people worldwide.
...
Carlyle specializes in the following industries: Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Consumer & Retail, Energy & Power, Healthcare, Industrial, Real Estate, Technology & Business Services, Telecommunications & Media, and Transportation. The Carlyle Group's investments are focused on East Asia, Europe and North America.
...
Critics of the Carlyle Group frequently note its connections to various political figures. Some of the sectors and companies in which it invests are highly sensitive to political activity, indeed, its actions may be viewed as a form of political arbitrage. This may create conflicts of interest when political decision makers have their own personal wealth <1> linked to such investments. Unlike most private equity firms which are predominantly located in New York, Boston or around San Francisco, Carlyle is the only large private equity firm located in Washington, D.C. Corporate headquarters are on Pennsylvania Avenue.
...
Politicians affiliated with Carlyle:

James Baker III, former United States Secretary of State under George H. W. Bush, Staff member under Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, Carlyle Senior Counselor, served in this capacity from 1993 to 2005.

George H. W. Bush, former U.S. President, Senior Advisor to the Carlyle Asia Advisory Board from April 1998 to October 2003.

George W. Bush, current U.S. President. Was appointed in 1990 to the Board of Directors of one of Carlyle's first acquisitions, an airline food business called Caterair, which Carlyle eventually sold at a loss. Bush left the board in 1992 to run for Governor of Texas.

Frank C. Carlucci, former United States Secretary of Defense from 1987 to 1989; Also, former Princeton wrestling partner of present US Secretary of Defense,

Donald Rumsfeld. Carlyle Chairman and Chairman Emeritus from 1989 to 2005.

Richard Darman, former Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget under George H. W. Bush, Senior Advisor and Managing Director of The Carlyle Group from 1993 to the present

William Kennard, Chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under President Bill Clinton, Carlyle's Managing Director in the Telecommunications & Media Group from 2001 to the present.

Arthur Levitt, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under President Bill Clinton, Carlyle Senior Advisor from 2001 to the present

Liu Hong-Ru,former chairman of China's Securities Regulatory Commission

John Major, former British Prime Minister, Chairman, Carlyle Europe from 2002 until 2005

Frank McKenna, Canadian ambassador to the United States and former member of Carlyle's Canadian advisory board

Mack McLarty, White House Chief of Staff under President Bill Clinton,
President of Kissinger McLarty Associates, Carlyle Senior Advisor from 2003 to the present

Anand Panyarachun, former Prime Minister of Thailand(twice), former member of the Carlyle Asia Advisory Board until the board was disbanded in 2004

Thaksin Shinawatra, deposed Prime Minister of Thailand, former member of board, who resigned on taking office in 2001

Fidel Ramos, former president of the Philippines, Carlyle Asia Advisor Board Member until the board was disbanded in 2004



Baker, Poppy, et. al. are now publicly pulling the strings.

Add the UAE recently taking a large position in CG, as well as investments in CG by The BinLaden Group, and just face facts; The office of the POTUS is being outsourced to very shady gang--right now, and right before our own eyes!

How can we stop this? Please advise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlyle_Group

[porphyrian]

1. That will make the investigations of the next two years more interesting. - n/t

[izzie]

2. Right on and I think this is just what is going on.

Few years ago I read Baker was giving an office in the Old WH office building and I could see it coming.. One thing we can always count on is that power does not go to far from money and the thought that those big money people may lose some.

[elehhhhna]

4. rate it up, then -- important peole are surfing here. Help get it

on their radar. :patriot:

[porphyrian]

14. I'll be so glad to see these corrupt cold warriors gone. - n/t

[izzie]

71. I think I would also but we do need a mix

New thinking and a little from old times just to show what happened before. Our life is made up of that stuff.

[elehhhhna]

3. LOL. Doyou know they own the co that has the contract to run the

US office of Personnel Management? The USOP investigates and grants or denies security-clearances, among other things.

How can we be sure WHO will be allowed by The Carlyle Group to conduct these investigations?

[Binka]

5. Holy Moly Woman You Are Gorgeous!

Kids too! I knew someone as kind and smart as you would be a beauty. K & R. Good information E.

[elehhhhna]

10. only from a distance, binks!

Good thing you're offshore...

LOL

How's everything? Isn't it about time for sunset cocktails by the pool, there?

[Binka]

11. Drinking A Bottle Of Nero D'Avola As I Type

Better here today honey. The dark clouds are lifting ever so gently. GO LAMPSON!

[elehhhhna]

31. LMAO -- "Nero D'Avola" ?!1!!1 Are you joking? There exists a wine ..

that's name means "Nero's classroom"? And you are drinking this wine now, in celebration of the schoolin' our new congress will give George W. Bush?

Just how clever ARE YOU? Sheesh,, Binks!

Save me some!

Avola = Aula, meaning "Classroom"
http://www.google.com/translate_t

[porphyrian]

7. Congress can investigate the investigators independently.

That is sick, though.

[cosmicdot]

60. that company would be USIS

I do believe.

http://www.usis.com/ (looks like a newer website)

USIS once was a governmental agency.

from sourcewatch:

US Investigations Services (USIS) was formerly the Office of Federal Investigations, a US government agency in the Office of Personnel Management, until it was transformed into a private, employee-owned company by President Clinton and Congress.

I 'think' this is the bill which included privatizing this agency. It was passed in 1998. The effective date of the private agency was October 1999. The blog link at the bottom says 1996. ?
H.R. 1757 passed the Senate by a vote of 51-49

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=105&session=2&vote=00105


Carlyle war profiteering
``````````````````````````

In the spring of 2004, USIS was given a $200 million contract by the US military's Civilian Police Assistance Training Team to help train police in counterinsurgency operations.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=US_Investigations_Services

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Information_Agency


Don't know if USIS still has the underground western Pennsylvania office. Could that have been Cheney's "undisclosed location"?

an archived Carlyle page
http://web.archive.org/web/20010217102606/www.thecarlylegroup.com/html/funds/cp2/transactions/usinv_tr.html

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Col. Ted Westhusing's "suicide" in Iraq

~snip~

Westhusing's frustration centered on the actions of USIS in particular. His mission in Iraq was to oversee their $79 million contract to train Iraqi police for "special operations." ~snip~
http://stonefruit.blogspot.com/2005/11/col-ted-westhusings-suicide-in-iraq.html



knr

[Tellurian]

9. This may be Pelosi's first challenge-

unless this will be considered pre-Pelosi!

[elehhhhna]

32. Tell, they've been cooking this up since at least the late 1930's

Manchurian Candidate, anyone?

[elehhhhna]

33. Feeling Skulled and Boned, yet. anyone?

[donsu]

6. poppy has always run things

poppy is the enabler of all things corrupt and murderous

[porphyrian]

8. He also pegged an old lady in the head with a golf ball.

It's probably about time for some come-around for that Cold War fossil.

[Binka]

13. That Co-Dependent Shit Of A Swine Must Be Muzzled

Hey Poppy and you and your nasty vacuous mother/wife Babs can KISS MY ASS! I feel better now. Thanks!

[SouthernBelle82]

26. Bingo

Why else is everyone involved with Bush go back to Poppy? If you think of it though they actually go back to Prescott. Nixon was someone who Prescott helped to form with politics and was "Under his wing" so to speak. So Cheney, Rumsfeld and Poppy all go back to Nixon. Don't forget Prescott had some steel company which he sent money and support to the Nazi's and Hitler. It all connects and that is something that just amazes me. I would be interested too in seeing how many of these people were also involved with BCCI.

[earth mom]

27. Where's that Octafish " Know Your BFEE" thread?

Anyone got it? I didn't bookmark it.

[Spazito]

30. Here it is.....

A MUST READ thread, imo:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2214484

[goforit]

51. yah where is Octafish?

[fooj]

67. Octafish is out and about...

Posted to him on another thread. Seems as though lots of us are keeping an eye on this...

I think the old man is scared shitless. He's back in the saddle to PROTECT POPPY. I don't think this is about protecting Dimson's "residency". Everything idiot son has done from the very beginning ties (directly or indirectly) to Poppy. Wouldn't it be something if Dimson ultimately destroys H.W.? That's what I'm betting on.

[conscious evolution]

12. I wonder how much

that no-bid contract is going to cost us taxpayers.

[Spazito]

15. That was my first thought when I saw Poppy's people coming out

of the shadows to be front and center again. No longer is the Carlyle Group running things from behind the curtain, they are outrageously front and center, proudly showcasing their acquisition.

[stellanoir]

16. 5th rec !!!

Doesn't it sorta seem as though he's been their stooge and fall guy all along?

Smells like a deranged set up to me.

A good cop/bad cop game.

Let the NeoCons commit OTT illegal stuff, and call in those largely tarnished by Iran/Contra as the great redeemers.

Make a boatload of dough in the process.

Move to Paraguay and enjoy the sunset drinking Pina Coladas with Ken Lay.

While middle america and our pesky Constitutional rights are evicerated and the Iraqis suffer.

My. . . I am in a rainy Sunday sort of mood.

Still, there is hope as we've recovered a modicum of checks and balances at least.

[mom cat]

70. Depends on the courage of the Dems.

Why am I not very confident?

[Dover]

17. ...

[Dover]

18. ..

[Dover]

.

[Dover]

19. And don't forget Carlyle's affiliation to policy think tanks like CSIS.

Center for Strategic and International Studies (primarily right wing). And 'rightwing' is being used as a non-partisan term for a collection of individuals, politicians and corporations who are working toward a particular agenda.
Just check out their board of trustees and the policy discussions on this site for a view of what's in the works.

http://www.csis.org/

Also a profile of this group:

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/gw/1590

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. Impeach him before he sells the country off to them for a song!

The good news is, that the shadow government is now in the open.

[elehhhhna]

34. Too late to stop the buying frenzy. FYI Carlyle is a finalist in our PORTS

annual re-sale...

Still In The Shadows: DP World

In February, the Bush Administration approved the sale of a UK-based firm, which operates at least 20 US port facilities, to a United Arab Emirates firm, DP World. The proposal generated a firestorm of protest, resulting in the decision to find a domestic buyer for US operations.
It's nine months later ... and the US facilities remain under the control of DP World, despite a March announcement that they would be sold.

In November, The Business (London) reports that a French firm, the third largest in the world, is "planning an audacious bid for P&O’s ports in the United States." (Data corrected: 8/11 misinterpreted as 11 August instead of 8 November.)

The French firm, CMA CGM, would be a junior partner with investment bank Morgan Stanley.


Port Deal Bigger Than Reported
In in September, the Financial Times reported that Morgan Stanley (an investor), the Carlyle Group (an investor) and privately-held SSA Marine (the largest US container terminal operator) were among the final bidders in phase two of the sale.



http://uspolitics.about.com/b/a/207926.htm

[elehhhhna]

35. And an update from the above links' "comments" section:

5 bidders (8 firms total) continue to perform due diligence and financial audits of the US assets and management contracts. The firms have been asked to submit final bids no later than November 30. DP World will then choose the new owner or ask for another round of bids if necessary.

Companies confirmed bidding via press reports or financial and government sources include

- Carlyle Group (75%)w/ Carrix (25%)
- Morgan Stanley (75%)w/ CMA CGM (25%)
- Marine Terminal Corp (50%) w/ Canadian investment firm (50%)

2 other firms bidding believed to be investment funds, one Government related and one major US insurance firm....


IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN CG (Carlyle Group) and CGM?

[The Backlash Cometh]

39. If you're selling to Caryle and if we impeach Bush, there may be

a retaliation factor involved that we should consider. Would it prove to be a homeland security issue?

[elehhhhna]

41. Why would we sell it to Bush, Baker, Carlucci and THE EMIR of Dubai...

not to mention a strong possibilty of OBL's frikking family?

It already IS a United States* Security issue!

* No way I'm saying or writing "homeland" again. Ever. Lets' just blast that term out the lexicon right now.

[Gwerlain]

89. I never had any question what they had in mind...

I've been calling it the "Department of Fatherland Security" since the day it was announced.

[truedelphi]

53. Homeland security fuels the corruption

And corruption fuels homeland security

And challenge either of those and you have a nice suite of rooms furnished by Halliburton for the long term (Okay not so nice and not so sweet)

[The Count]

21. You mean, the guys in business with the Bin Ladens on 911? Sweeet!

That should be good to spill...
BTW, there was a demonstration in NYC in fromt of their headquarters last year. No permit, but on the sidewalk, public space, peaceful...In an unprecedented move, ALL PROTESTERS WERE ARRESTED!

[elehhhhna]

36. Don't forget the Emir of Dubai recently buying into Carlyle Group..

So, let's sell our ports. Again.

Seller: Dubai

Buyer: Dubai, Bush, Baker et. al.

Now that should go over well.

Bear in mind that Bush JUST SIGNED a super-expensive (to us) Port Security Bill, which--against the complaints of even some Reeps in Congress-- completely ignored the security of our rail systems.

Hmmm.


Shell game, anyone?

[Up2Late]

22. I agree with most of that, but you better have a more reliable souce...

...that Wikipedia for that Rumsfeld line, that a VERY serious charge! (Donald Rumsfeld. Carlyle Chairman and Chairman Emeritus from 1989 to 2005) Just sayin'

[elehhhhna]

40. Reread that -- it says (poorly) that Carlucci was CG's Chair from '98-2005, and

that Carlucci is the former Princeton wrestling partner (and roomate, btw), of present US Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld.


Donny has throw buhzillions of dollars to Carlyle via our Pentagon.

Hmmm.

[The Count]

23. The Bin Ladens own the White House then...

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,5-2001365686,00.html
>
> TUESDAY OCTOBER 23 2001
> Bin Laden family to end ties to Carlyle
> FROM CHRIS AYRES IN NEW YORK
> THE family of Osama bin Laden is close to ending its relationship
> with the Carlyle Group, the US investment group backed by George
> Bush Snr, the former President, and John Major, the former Prime
> Minister.
>
> It is understood that Carlyle Group and the Saudi Binladin Group,
> the Middle Eastern conglomerate owned by the family of bin Laden,
> have decided to part company by “mutual consent”.
"

[elehhhhna]

37. Can't prove they sold off their shares--it's a private partnership.

No "blue-sky" reporting required.

[madmusic]

24. Behind the Bushes (stories that will make you cringe)

http://prorev.com/bush3.htm

EDIT: One such story:

PROGRESSIVE REVIEW, August 2000: Besides helping to make "faith-based" the politicians' favorite euphemism for 'religious,' the (Manhattan Institute) has fostered the notorious Charles Murray as well as one of George Bush's favorite writers, Michael Magnet, author of the 'The Dream and the Nightmare,' the latter being all those poor folks mucking up the place. In a review in the Texas Observer, Michael King wrote:

"Poor people are poor and nasty because they choose to be so, and any attempt by the community at large to ameliorate their unhappy circumstances is by definition counterproductive. And though he tap-dances around the subject in various statistical ways, the undeserving poor (a.k.a. the underclass), whom Magnet pities and despises in almost equal measures, are most specifically the black urban poor: those foul-mouthed, crack-smoking, baby-dropping, white-folks mugging, wild-running Caliban-caricatures of the suburban imagination, who refuse to work because they have learned (apparently from reading Norman Mailer, Michael Harrington, and R.D. Laing) that they can act crazy on street corners selling dope without fear of retribution while readily pocketing twenty grand a year on welfare.

"What are the solutions to this cultural catastrophe? Do nothing - only much more nothing. Scratch these neo-cons and one inevitably turns up Charles Murray (of Losing Ground and The Bell Curve), the "brilliant" sociologist who has concluded repeatedly that all welfare programs should be abolished because they do more harm than good (especially by allowing able-bodied mothers to stay home with their kids when they should be on the job market keeping wages down). Lately Murray has taken to saying the same thing about public education, since certain children are, well, ineducable. (We all know who they are.) Magnet suspects Murray is right, although he says he wouldn't go that far - the requisite political will is unfortunately lacking, and perhaps in the short-term, "casualties would be too great." He counsels instead the usual draconian measures to force welfare mothers (only the deserving widowed or divorced, of course) into the job market, although with surprisingly liberal provisions for day care and Head Start programs." (According to the Manhattan Institute, "Referring to this book, Gov. Bush has said, other than the Bible, that it was the most important book he had read...")

[Joanne98]

29. Here's the book if anybody wants to read it.

http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Nightmare-Sixties-Legacy-Underclass/dp/1893554023

This is why we need to talk about MONEY! They've invented all this BULLSHIT theory as an excuse to steal the world blind. They're PIGS!

[madmusic]

42. You inspired a new post...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2696630&mesg_id=2696630

But no one cares... :cry:

[elehhhhna]

44. I care.

Read it just now.

Board's moving too fast. Pls repost later next week & it should get some attention. I Rec'd it.

[madmusic]

48. Thanks. Maybe some agree more with BushCo nowadays. n/t

[elehhhhna]

55. LOL they'd better not.

DINOs, appeasers and Freeps? OH MY!



George W . Bush, ensconced in the the Green Zone, tells New Dem Congress "La la la la la I can't HEAR yoooooooou!!11!!" repeatedly as...



Poppy's sent in to pacify the people.

[AntiFascist]

43. The bottom line is the long-term agenda seems to be population reduction...

the BFEE has aligned with the nutball religious right so that it can capitalize on the dangerously armed Middle East. Why is there no plan to end the war in Iraq? Because, as classified reports have shown, it is now a generator for terrorists. The more the merrier and the sooner they can get apocalytpic war under way, the sooner that the corrupt class which supports the BFEE can begin really begin the process of stealing the resources that the underclasses need for survival. New Orleans has served as a demonstrative microcosm of the process they wish to continue worldwide.

[SouthernBelle82]

25. Very interesting

So now this makes some more sense on why Clinton is so chummy with the Bush's. One of his former White House staff members is a part of them. At first I thought it was nothing but Bohemian Grove but now this makes sense too. And this also makes sense as to why Hillary and Bill are both supportive of Iraq.

[upi402]

50. Clintons are Republicans in that sense.

Only smarter about it.

[AntiFascist]

66. This website looks interesting...

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/MENA/mena.html

"This area of the website has been assembled in response to the persistent claims of a few individuals (well, just one, really) that Mena is a myth, that the CIA never ran cocaine through the Mena airport, or laundered the proceeds through various Arkansas financial institutions including Morgan Guarantee, Madison S&L, Worthen Bank, and most importantly, the Arkansas Development Finance Authority. That such activities took place at Mena (among other locations) should hardly be surprising, as a read through most newspapers shows that government connections to drug running are not only commonplace, they have become the inevitable symptom of these totally corrupted times."

OMG - I know the owner of this website! And, before anyone flames, I can vouch that he is likely not anti-Semitic.

[Joanne98]

28. Iraq has been sold off. Who bought the state's assets?

I think we can probably guess!

[elehhhhna]

38. We've been sold off, and guess who bought our states assets?

Carlyle Group, and to a lesser extent, Halliburton. What they didn't buy, they got the "outsourcing" contracts for.

Hmmm.


Lou?

Keith?

Anybody?

[WinkyDink]

45. I think you mean "looted". Why spend money, when bombs and tax-payers will get it for you

FREE?

"Democracy is messy."

[FraDon]

46. Haiku: Carlyle Group

Center cannot hold.
The old grey puppet masters
ooze from the shadows.

[SoCalDem]

47. Hello, Dad.. Why is Mr Baker taking over?

[Laelth]

49. K&R - Significant

We need to find a mole, get a reliable deposition indicating criminal activity, and seize the assets of the company within the US. And I'm thinking I need to buy a bullet-proof vest just having made that suggestion.

:shrug:

-Laelth

[conscious evolution]

56. Will a whistleblower do?

Google David A. Smith
He worked for Haliburton
He recieved misdirected E-mails.

[Laelth]

57. I am familiar with his story.

I thought his info. regarded no-bid contracts. He doesn't directly implicate Carlyle, does he? Just owning Halliburton stock (as the Carlyle Group does) doesn't make the Carlyle Group responsible for the actions of Halliburton.

-Laelth

[conscious evolution]

58. It's all related.

Read the Ides of October/CorpGovActivist journals.
Also read Octafish's BFEE stuff.

Itwill take a while to do so but it is important to follow links in their stuff.The Ides threads point out a couple of really good SEC search engines and a rough tutorial on their use.It is amazing what kind of stuff the bfee has their hands into.
Haliburton is but one of many companies used by the bfee to profit off of war and oil.

[elehhhhna]

76. David worked in the contracts section--the emails were about bribes to

Ngeria.

He's all over DU, btw. His DU Journal has updates regularly.

He's going to hit the MSM, bigtime, shortly.

[conscious evolution]

77. true

But he kicked open a can of worms when he came forward.

[elehhhhna]

78. True dat. Brave man, that David.

I'd have had a mighty struggle with my own cowardice over that decision.

[conscious evolution]

80. a mighty struggle with my own cowardice

Same here.
I hope if I ever am in such a situation I will remember the words of Nathan Hale
"I regret that I have but one life to give...."
http://www.answers.com/topic/nathan-hale

[elehhhhna]

83. deep down I'd try to justify using my childrens safety & wellbeing as an excuse

then probably do it anyway.

[moodforaday]

52. kick&rec -nt

[Lasthorseman]

54. Lord

we talked about this ride, my last ride, you know the one just before the Apocalypse.
Can I go and tack him up now.
And really I'm not religious at all, I just like horses.
http://www.earthpulse.com/src/subcategory.asp?catid=1&subcatid=2
http://www.scl.cc/home.php
http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/faq_17apr.htm
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,1945834,00.html
http://infowars-shop.stores.yahoo.net/9myandre.html
May you live in interesting times indeed!

[Diane R]

59. On CBS news tonight they were referred to them as 'these respected, WISE men'. Barf. n/t

[chill_wind]

61. Connecting ALL the Dots: Carlyle, Baker, Iran Contra & BCCI

And don't forget the many tentacles of BCCI and Baker Botts in all this.
BCCI connects huge here. BCCI connects to everything. EVERYTHING. It was blm who dubbed BCCI "The Holy Grail of global fascism."

But then, then there is also Baker Botts (James Baker)

I heartily recommend this outstanding "big-picture" ProSense thread from October titled

BCCI, Iran Contra relevance: UAE, Saudi, Pakistan, money and Bush family



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2870996

It's a Carlyle and Baker Botts fixers' world, and some might speculate they are calling in their chits on junior in more ways than one. Think especially Florida 2000. Think of Bush's threats to Congress about the UAE.

And then here is elehhhhna's awesome thread.

What you aren't hearing and won't hear on the nightly Pravda:

He says the government shouldn't overreact to corporate scandals. He watched the September 11 attacks at the Ritz-Carlton with the Bin Laden family. He's defending the Saudi's against a trillion-dollar lawsuit brought forth by the September 11 families. He led the campaigns of the last four Republican presidents. Now he's been chosen as Bush's personal envoy in charge of restructuring Iraq's $132 billion in debt. Some say he's the most powerful lawyer in the world. He may be one of the busiest. Who is he?

Connecting the Dots:
Special Envoy to Iraq James A. Baker of Baker Botts and The Carlyle Group,


* He's the Senior Counsel for The Carlyle Group, a company that invests pension funds in defense and telecommunications companies around the world. The Carlyle Group is the nation's 10th largest defense contractor, with extensive ties to Enron, Global Crossing, Arthur Andersen, the Saudi Royal Family, and the Bin Ladens.

* Through his law firm, Baker & Botts, he is also working to assist American oil companies in the Caspian Region. This work right now involves a pipeline to be built through Afghanistan, a pipeline that Texas oil companies were negotiating with the Taliban to build before 9-11.

Is this the same James A. Baker working for the Department of Justice as the Counsel for Intelligence Policy at the time of the September 11 attacks? "The Office serves as adviser to the Attorney General and various client agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Defense and State Departments, concerning questions of law, regulation, and guidelines as well as the legality of domestic and overseas intelligence operations."

More, and for even more at the internal links see
http://www.hereinreality.com/baker.html

and more
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Baker

[file83]

62. Don't forget the Bilderbergers, The Council on Foreign Relations, The Trilateral Commission...

in this discussion of "outside influences" on policy making in this country's government, and our other allies (and foes!). These are real groups comprised of the World's elite, playing the world like a board game.

[savemefromdumbya]

63. Carlyle Group = rogues

[progressoid]

64. markin' this one for a read tomorrow!

[symbolman]

65. NOW America has TWO UNELECTED pResidents!

We are being HIJACKED by the BUSH Family. THere is NOTHING Democratic about ANY of THIS. NOTHING.

They just WALK on IN and ROB the Treasury, if one can't pull it off they drag in ANOTHER? A Senile old bastard with his EVIL wife? If Bush Junior is IMPOTENT, then HE SHOULD BE IMPEACHED and BOTH Bushs THROWN OUT of the White House and ALL of their PALS, PARDONED by Bush Senior in the FIRST place!!

Doesn't anyone care? I can't believe this, it's a TOTAL OUTRAGE and all I see is, "Oh Thank GOD someone is in charge who knows what to do.."

Hey, folks, we VOTED BUSH SENIOR OUT and ELECTED President CLINTON!!

If we are going to bring in OLD Presidents then I want CLINTON BACK.

[opihimoimoi]

68. ME TOO....CLINTON AND CARTER

Them 2 dudes were GOOD for this NATION..This Bush guys we got are all Failures and costly too.

GET THE HOOK....

[FernBell]

69. k&r

[halobeam]

72. K & R

[NastyDiaper]

73. Why the "The Office of The President of" qualifier?

[elehhhhna]

74. Because that's what their function is called. Suits the definition:

Office of the President of the United States - personnel

The Executive Office of the President includes personnel who directly support or advise the President of the United States and are not members of the Cabinet. Examples include the White House Press Secretary, the Office of Presidential Communications (including senior media relations personnel and Presidential speechwriters), and White House-based Presidential policy and legal advisors, including those focused on domestic, social, foreign and national security policies of the federal government of the United States. Because the President of the United States is often referred to as the "leader of the Free World", the Executive Office of the President of the United States is generally considered to include some of the world's most influential people. Given the huge competition for influential jobs of this nature, the Executive Office of the President of the United States also is known for attracting some of the world's brightest people and people with extraordinary public policy and political expertise. Many also possess working relationships with the President that pre-date his or her election.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Office_of_the_President_of_the_United_States

[helderheid]

75. WATCH THIS FILM: Who is the Carlyle Group?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3812980944246356209&q

Dutch Documentary (mostly in English with Dutch subtitles) Translation of the first one minute forty seven seconds of this program.

"The war in Iraq is over. The rubble is still smoking while the first dozers are already entering the country. After the coalition forces destroyed Baghdad it is now primarily American companies who are to rebuild Iraq. An interesting point is that these companies usually have people on the payroll who have been politicians. Is this a conflict of interests or a new (global) way of doing business? One of the corporations that work this way is the Carlyle Group. On their payroll are people like : George Bush (Sr.), James Baker III and old premier John Major. The Carlyle Group is a private investment bank which doesn't come to the publics attention very often but it is one of the biggest US investors of the defense industry, telecom, property and financial services. What is the Carlyle Group? Who are the people behind the name? And how much power does Carlyle have?"

[elehhhhna]

79. you dutch, helderheid?

[helderheid]

81. No but married to one - lived in the Netherlands a couple years. You?

[elehhhhna]

82. Yep.

Maiden name Derksen, family, and lots of 'em, in Arnhem. Met them all there in '99. Time to go back, with the kids.

[helderheid]

85. My son was born there - we moved to the States when he was 10 months old

We took him and his sister who was born here back to Holland last May for a visit. It sure was nice to be back!

[elehhhhna]

87. How old are the kids?

Mine are 13 + 10 -- can't wait to take them over, where their extra-super tallness won't unusual. Interesting feeling, blending in with the crowd for a change... Thinking summer/fall '08. Trying to go see Hub's (as-yet unmet)family and visit their ancestral home in Mayo Ireland next fall.

[conscious evolution]

90. extra-super tallness

The netherlands is the only place I have ever been that I was average height.It was weird not being able to see over crowds.It was the only time I ever felt claustrophobic in a crowd.

[helderheid]

91. Mine are 6 and 4 - I stood out like a sore thumb there at 5' - my husband is 6'4"

I think something in my genetics had me going for a tall man to give my kids a fighting chance! :)



I was wearing high heels!

When living in Holland, I felt like I was swimming in a sea of asses as that was where I came up to on most of the locals :evilgrin:

[elehhhhna]

92. Oh helderheid you two are so CUTE!

[helderheid]

93. awww thanks!! That was a WONDERFUL day... we've been married 7 years now. :)

[PuraVidaDreamin]

86. Excellent documentary, very well done.

I'd forgotten about how they had manhandled
Cynthia McKinney.

Is James Baker still involved/invested with Carlysle?

Thanks for that movie link!

[helderheid]

88. I'm not sure what the makeup is these days - this film was from 2003

[civildisoBDence]

84. Interlocking directorates are bad enough. When they interlock with the WH,

I think it's a form of treason.

Newsprism

[elehhhhna]

94. Conflicts checks: First year law school concept.