Limbaugh to visit Afghanistan with US aid official (as US GOVT outreach)

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is expected to visit Afghanistan with the top U.S. aid official to spotlight America's aid work there, officials said on Thursday.

Political commentator Mary Matalin, a former White House aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, will also be on the trip. She said she was not being paid to go and would pay her own way to Dubai but she believed the U.S. government would cover the cost of her visit to Afghanistan from there.

The Bush administration has come under sharp criticism for the Education Department's payment of $240,000 to conservative commentator Armstrong Williams to tout President George W. Bush's education plan.

Spokesmen for Limbaugh were not immediately available to comment.

"It's trying to get people to pay attention to all the good things we are doing in Afghanistan," a U.S. official who asked not to be named said of the trip, which is expected to take place next week. "This is just a different kind of outreach."

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N17299126.htm

The stated reason (by unnamed US official) is to draw attention to "all the good things we are doing in Afghanistan" -the AMERICAN public's attention. The point is made that Matalin The Philanthropist does volunteer work for the WH. Is Rush a PR volunteer?

[goodboy]

1. would I be out of line if I said I hoped a camel shit in his face? (nt)

[AFSCME girl]

4. Not at all! n/t

:evilgrin: :hi:

[leftchick]

2. how can he leave the country?

isn't he charged with a crime right now?

[NNN0LHI]

3. Well, thats where the dope is n/t

[Webster Green]

10. Yeah, and its some real strong heroin too!

Best to go easy at first, pig-boy. It would be easy to OD if you're not used to the strength.

[icymist]

5. Send the lying, pompous, over-weight, and drug addicted goofball

into the poppy fields of Afghanistan..... I'd bet the people of that war-torn country will gaze at him in wonder and horror at the sight of this... this.... blubber-head!

[Delphinus]

6. Get ready for some more spin.

It's all about the good we're doing there? It's more propaganda. And, look at who's going. They won't reach anybody but the rw fundies who believe * is christ incarnate.

[underpants]

26. I have noticed a concerted effort to mainstream Rush

His name is popping up all over the place. I think they are trying to establish him as a credible source, a person of record to be listened to.

Of course MSM is going right along with it.

[maxrandb]

42. Well, Someone Has to Replace Dan Rather!! n/t

[blm]

7. Did Rush switch from Oxycontin to heroin?

.

[icymist]

9. They practically the same thing.

Oxycontin is the synthetic form.

[VegasWolf]

40. All those POPPY fields!! Just TOO much for Limpdick to pass up.

[blm]

43. Limbaugh in Afghanistan will look like the Cowardly Lion in the poppies.

His eyes will be rolling to the back of his head.

[Crunchy Frog]

8. But what about that anal cyst of his?

Isn't that supposed to keep him out of war zones? I think he may be pressing his luck here just a little bit.:P

[Guckert]

11. The drug sniffing dogs will earn their money on that flight

I hope he brings the Hillbilly Heroin so the troops can forget they are traveling in unarmored vehicles while DUMBya has a new Limo and soon to have a new Helicopter.

[goose4739]

12. This administration is un-effing-believable

I can't take it anymore! Pickles Bush working with inner-city gangs...Pig Limbaugh on a mercy mission...Reagan's criminals all getting back in office. Shrub and his gang have really dragged this country down to the lowest, most cowardly, die-without-a-squeak depths.

[Rose Siding]

20. A mercy mission would be ok- this is admin PR

Al Franken entertains the troops with the USO- Political positions don't really matter in that instance but this is different.

Welcome to DU, goose :hi:

[coffeenap]

31. Franken is exactly why he is going--Al has repeatedly

chided him and his cohorts for NOT going.

[Rose Siding]

34. Limbaugh is going as part of a govt outreach program

This is very different than the private, non-governmental USO events.

[Mikimouse]

13. Lucky for him...

that most Afghans shun pork as unclean!

[qanda]

14. I heard on C-SPAM this morning that Daran Kagan was going too

But she dropped out of the trip at the last minute.

[dbt]

15. We're sending a pig to a Muslim country?

[dusty64]

27. Don't insult pigs.

They are quite intelligent creatures unlike slimebaugh. Looks like the propaganda machine continues unstopped, and to think the Democrats are scared to touch this issue. Unfreakinbelievable!

[oddmanout]

16. Lets take up a collection....

How about we take up a collection to leave him there! I would donate a months pay to have someone leave that bloated, hypocritical, sexist, racist, windbag out in the Afghan desert.

:headbang:

:dem:

[confludemocrat]

17. Your taxpayer dollars at work

What kind of "outreach" is this??? Sending a disgusting professional propagandistic shilling liar with a bad drug problem to the worlds capital of opium on a paid junket. Honest to god these people think they have a blank check to do anything and they don't care how it looks and how devoid of relevance it is!

[Ian David]

29. Remove Rush Limbaugh from American Forces Radio Petition

Remove Rush Limbaugh from American Forces Radio Petition
www.petitiononline.com/mmfa2/petition.html

To: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld

We request that Secretary Rumsfeld remove talk radio host Rush Limbaugh from the American Forces Radio and Television Service (formerly known as Armed Forces Radio). Mr. Limbaugh, whose program is broadcast for one hour per day to U.S. troops overseas, has spent the past four weeks condoning and trivializing the abuse, torture, rape and possible murder of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. guards at the Abu Ghraib prison—gross misconduct that you have described as “fundamentally un-American.”

In recent weeks, Rush Limbaugh has: Compared the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. guards at Abu Ghraib to a fraternity initiation; called the abuse “brilliant” and “effective”; said the guards were just “having a good time” and “blow some steam off”; likened the abuse to “a Britney Spears or Madonna concert … the MTV music awards”; compared pictures of the abuse to “good old American pornography”; and said “the reaction to the stupid torture is an example of the feminization of this country.”

Limbaugh’s radio program is broadcast to American troops via the American Services Network, a taxpayer-funded radio and television broadcasting agency that reaches nearly 1 million US troops in more than 175 countries, including Iraq.

Both Secretary Rumsfeld and President Bush have rightly denounced the acts that took place at Abu Ghraib – but American service men and women abroad are getting the wrong message when the Department of Defense simultaneously broadcasts Limbaugh’s condoning of what Secretary Rumsfeld has called “fundamentally un-American” acts. Limbaugh’s comments directly contradict orders issued by the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq -- which, according to the Washington Post, bar “military interrogators from using the most coercive techniques available to them in the past” -- thus undermining the military’s chain of command. The comments may also inflame anti-American sentiment abroad, putting our service men and women at risk.

In addition, as Media Matters for America detailed in a May 2 report, Meet the New Rush, Same as the Old Rush, Mr. Limbaugh has recently made several racially-charged and sexist remarks on his broadcast. For example, Mr. Limbaugh said on April 26 that women who protest sexual harassment “actually wish” to be sexually harassed. And on March 26, Mr. Limbaugh said, “A Chavez is a Chavez. These people have always been a problem.” Given the extraordinary importance of troop morale and unity during this time of conflict, we ask Secretary Rumsfeld to review whether it is appropriate for the U.S. government to broadcast such messages, which may sow seeds of discord in the ranks.

We, the undersigned, ask Secretary Rumsfeld to order the American Services Network to cease broadcasting Rush Limbaugh’s radio program immediately, before he further undermines the military’s command structure and endangers our troops.


To sign the petition:
www.petitiononline.com/mmfa2/petition.html

[denese]

18. the good news is...

he is a rather large target.
Denese

[AValdoux]

19. Why not Baghdad?

He's always going on about good its going in Iraq. The liberal MSM is under-reporting our many successes. How about a live feed from Falluja? According to him the Iraqis are grateful the US liberated them and brought freedom.


AValdoux

[susu369]

22. My thoughts exactly

[StaggerLee]

23. No kidding

And maybe they could let him ride around Iraq in one of those unarmored humvees by himself.

Man, that would be beeeyooootiful.

[StaggerLee]

21. I wonder if he'll get to ride in the same helicopter

That Osama got to ride in when he was whisked out of Tora Bora by the Army Brass.

[tanyev]

24. Haven't the people of Afghanistan suffered enough?

[AlCzervik]

25. I wonder if he's going there to hold himself as an example

of why drugs are bad.

[Beer Snob-50]

28. who is paying pigboys way??

[Horse with no Name]

30. Oh Gawd

They run Dan Rather out on a rail and then are attempting to sell this loud-mouthed junkie "Bush Bitch" as a credible source.
What is this world coming to.
Oh wait...I can answer that
:nuke:

[ElectroPrincess]

32. Maybe they'll finally issue that arrest warrant and ole'

Rush will have to stay in the USA and face the music in The Big House.

Well, we can DREAM, can't we? :evilgrin:

[DU GrovelBot]

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[tom_paine]

35. More of our Tax Dollars going to Paid Imperial Propagandaists and Liars

Interesting: How would the Busheviks feel if a Democratic Administration was using Taxpayer Moneis rto fund Michael Moore to take a trip to draw attention to "all the good things" about Healthcare Reform.

Actually, it is almost pointless to make these comparisons, and easy as fish in a barrel numbering since 2000 in the hundreds.

The answer is this, to ALL situations like this:

Pigboy Limba, is a Member of the PARTY. Like the Communist and Nazis Parties they pattern their propaganda after, PARTY members are enttled to any taxpayer moneis the PARTY decides they should receive. They are permitted to act as spokespersons for THE STATE because THE Bushevik PARTY IS the State of Amerika.

Naturally, Non-PARTY Members and other Enemies of the State do not deserve equivalent treatment as our Godly, Noble and Honest PARTY Members.

That is the answer. Keep repeating it to yourself, because the Sovietization of Amerika has only just begun.

[leesa]

36. Wonder how much cash dough boy's getting for this one?

[pompano]

48. I would have figured....

I would be funny if a soldier handed Lush Limpballs a rifle and said “I got two kids at home and a wife that loves me...you fight this fuckin war”

Could you imagine how quick the deferrment cyst on his ass would reappear and the CNN corporate “matress back” could get him out of a war zone if this actually happens? Lickety Split?

Talent on loan from Oxycontin?

[LinuxInsurgent]

37. more official propaganda

Linkage between right-wing commentator and U.S. official = State Propaganda to make Afghanistan occupation look good.

Afghanistan is not gonna get better cause Rush went to see it and talk about it...it will just muddy the info coming back to the American public, that's all.

If any Taliban readers are reading this...can you rid us of this man, please?

[Zerex71]

38. He can stay there.

[rocktivity]

39. What about his drug charges? Isn't he a flight risk?

:shrug:
rocknation

[chicagojoe]

41. Gosh, I hope he doesn't "lose his head".

What a piece of shit. All of these Radical Right assholes are just using their "support of the troops" as a means to draw attention to their own pathetic, cowardly selves. Our troops deserve a hell of a lot better than that son of a sow.

FUCK YOU, LIMBAUGH!!!

[etherealtruth]

44. Are we donating him to the remnants of the Taliban?

I'm serious, why would let one of "our crazies" go there?

[AFSCME girl]

45. I sure hope so!!!!!!!!!! n/t

:evilgrin:

[Rose Siding]

46. a little more from the Post...

snip>
The always-reliable National Enquirer reported Jan. 11 that Limbaugh was divorced from his third wife and predicted Limbaugh and Kagan would marry soon. We are assured that this is utter nonsense, but the AID folks nonetheless speculated about a wedding in beautiful downtown Kandahar.

Turns out AID folks in Kabul, who are coordinating the trip, found themselves begging for rooms in Dubai, which were hard to book because of a major event this weekend. At this point, it appears the visitors will be split up into three hotels.

Cable traffic cautioned the group that "lodging is scarce" in Kabul and they should expect to be put in packing crates, known as "hooches," which are "multi-bunk rooms." AID folks were looking for a double bed for Limbaugh and Kagan's hooch, but none was available. Just as well, it turns out, because last night Kagan, who had been scheduled to go as Limbaugh's guest, dropped out of the trip.

The group is flying around Afghanistan for several days in a military C-130 transport, apparently stopping in Herat and Kandahar, in addition to Kabul.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33668-2005Feb17.html

[TryingToWarnYou]

47. Golly, wheres those insurgents when you really want them?

[proudbluestater]

49. These would not be considered "goodwill" ambassadors

Hatemongers, yes.

[Dr Fate]

50. Bush pays the media to lie for him.

n/t

[NomoBreaks]

51. Do you think they might talk trade??

We could give them Rush and they could give us....

On second thought, they can just take him.

That would be thanks enough.

[bling bling]

52. Are they serious? "Different kind of outreach"

A different kind of outreach to who? Rush Limbaugh doesn't need to go to Afganistan to get his audience on board. They already are. And Lush certainly doesn't reach out to anybody else ever. What a waste of time and money that is.

I'd like to see good things that have been done in Afghanistan too but I don't want to see/hear about it from that asshole who does nothing but broadcast his vile contempt and hatred towards me and anyone else who doesn't walk in lockstep with him.