Weekend Show *Preview* for 8/5 - 8/6/06 (not the live thread)

On the Sunday shows I'm probably most interested in Fox News Sunday's line up. I want to hear Newt and Biden, mostly to see if they've changed their act for their second appearance together in three weeks. What is this, a do over or the beginning of a traveling show? Actually, that might have some interest. Maybe they're auditioning to get their own show if this whole presidential thing doesn't work out. Hadley made news on Iraq this week by saying that this is mostly sectarian violence now, instead of terrorism or insurgency, meaning the "C" word is now in play. There have been a lot of "I told you so" comments from people who have been trying to foment just such an outcome. This is his chance to turn the tables on some of the harshest critics of the Bush White House. Is this the beginning of a new PR offensive? Do I detect the machinations of Tony Snow or Karl Rove? Rice is going to be reasonable and probably playing dignified defense over our efforts in Lebanon, Iraq and elsewhere, so is Hadley on Fox to throw some bombs? We'll just have to see. Ambassador Ayalon has been doing some good work on the shows he's done, so if he gets a chance I expect him to mop up the floor with Chattah, who seems to be a bit of a "Baghdad Bob" figure.

CBS Face The Nation has their usual "fair and balanced" guests lined up, with a Democrat who hates the President and all he has ever done matched up against a Republican who hates the President and most of what he's done... depending on which way the wind is blowing, of course. Both men believe that they have a shot at the Presidency in '08, which is, of course, proof positive that neither of them are in touch with reality. That should place a value on their comments on this show. Amusement value only in Face The Nation. this week. Hagel will probably supply several hours of sound bites for the DBM in his 10 minutes of air time.

ABC This Week is going to do a drive by assault on Condi with George "interruptus continuous" Stephanopoulos doing his best to not let her respond. He'll also probably try to lay personal blame for "all that hass wrong in the world since the Clintons were in power" on her in order to provide fodder for any Hill vs Condi '08 race. The current Connecticut Democrat Senate race is probably very conflicting for the folks at ABC News. Lieberman is an ally of longstanding, particularly for the solid Clintonista types like 'lil Georgie Steponallofus. But the MoveOn.ORG cult is so seductive to the latent Stalinist tendencies of most of the News division. And besides, Ned Lamont is a favorite of Oberführer Kos. Oh worry, worry, worry. The Roundtable is looking like a vomitorium of Bush Derangement Syndrome. George and Cokie both have long histories of personal enmity for the Bush family and Sam Donaldson is salivating at the chance to strike back at President Bush for calling him a "has been" in the White House briefing room this week. A woman scorned has nothing on a prima donna journalist who's been laughed at and ignored.

NBC Meet The Press has also got Condi and I expect 'lil Timmah to be in full attack hunch, leaning on the table and getting increasingly insistent that the Secretary of State isn't responding to the ~~vicious~~ juicy quotes damning the administration's policies that he dropped on the table like victims of an Israeli massacre.... whew, I think I was channeling him a bit there. Moving on to Connecticut there is less conflict around the NBC News water coolers over Lieberman getting what he deserves for having supported the vicious war mongers in this White House (channeling again). Timmah will be respectful to Lanny Davis for his devotion to the Clinton's but Russert is part of the People's Republic of Massachusetts wing of the Democrat party, still loyal to the sainted Speaker Tipp, and anyone who supports something that both Teddy and John Frickin Kerry oppose must simply be destroyed. It's a rule. He'll also be kind to Jim Dean, little brother of Howard "the scream" Dean. Timmah is a party man, first, last and always. Watch for an attempt to get both Davis and Dean to show agreement on blaming all of the worlds problems on Bush. After all, Timmah must perform his role and demonstrate the common front of the Democrat party against any and all things Republican, regardless of any other minor differences there may be.

On Saturday, as usual, the Journal Editorial Report will probably offer the most adult and informative discussion all weekend, outside of whatever Brit Hume says, of course (I hope Brit's not still on vacation). I am interested to see which Michael Oren shows up and wonder if he'll blame all of the current problems on the extreme right wing or extremist religious elements in Israel. He's been known to go both ways on things like this. I've sent Fox News Watch a message about their show for this week, but I doubt seriously that they'll talk about the growing evidence of the "Qana massacre" having been staged. I know that they'll ignore "Green Helmet Guy" and his traveling refrigerated truck of "massacre victims" on demand. Somebody ought to Photoshop his vest with something like "Atrocities-R-Us" or "Acme Atrocity in a Box." Then with World War 3 likely well underway (depending on your definitions and level of paranoia) they carve out time to discuss Mel Gibson and MTV. And they wonder why they're losing audience? The Beltway Boys will take a swing (and miss) on the Middle East situation, then move on to what they really love, which is turmoil in the electoral process. They'll point to the likely fates of Lieberman and McKinney and draw diametrically opposed conclusions. Mort will certainly see it as a clear sign of trouble for the Republicans, while Fred will be schizophrenic, relishing McKinney's doom and lamenting Lieberman's. Watching those two is like watching over the hill fencers hack at each other with wet fish instead of swords. But like a moth to a flame, I'm usually drawn in. Addiction is a terrible thing...

Overall the drive by media is attempting to blame Bush for anything and everything, particularly in the Middle East, while at the same time they try desperately to drum up interest in their political coverage of this fall's elections and the opening shots of the 2008 race for the White House. The warning signs are there that the money men in their industry might like to replace them with something profitable and interesting to viewers, such as reruns of Gilligan's Island. They have to prove that they can attract more eyeballs and therefore more ad revenue. The fact that they think being more shrill and partisan is the way to do that should tell you all you need to know about how successful they're likely to be. We may literally be watching the final couple of years of regular network news programs of all types, including these Sunday morning gab fests. As a political and news junkie I will lament their passing, but I've already moved most of my business to new media, so I won't lack for a "fix."

The individual shows are posted below, with the Saturday shows first, then individual posts on each of the Sunday shows.

My latest tirad. Comments?

Hypothetical Military Match Up. USA vrs the China/Iran/Syrian Axis. I will even add China as a potential Axis member.

Even if you multiply the CIA facts by a factor of the 5 on the absurd notion that they are successfully "hiding" their real military from us, the Iran/Syria Axis comes NO where near the US ALONE in Military power.

I am not even going to bother putting Israel, Japan, South Korea, India and the NATO countries on our side. The scale all ready tips so heavily to the US there is no reason to pile on.

This is JUST a comparison between the US and the Iran/Syrian Axis. For fun I will include Egypt and the Saudis as part of the Iran/Syrian Axis to show how absurd the "It's World War Three" babbling is.

http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/united_states/united_states_military.html

USA.

Military branches:
Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age; 17 years of age with written parental consent (2006)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 67,742,879
females age 18-49: 67,070,144 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 54,609,050
females age 18-49: 54,696,706 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 2,143,873
females age 18-49: 2,036,201 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$518.1 billion (FY04 est.) (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.06% (FY03 est.) (2005 est.)

***Snip***

http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/iran/iran_military.html

Iran.

Iran Military - 2006

Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 18,319,545
females age 18-49: 17,541,037 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 15,665,725
females age 18-49: 15,005,597 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 862,056
females age 18-49: 808,044 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.3 billion (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.3% (2003 est.)

****Snip*****

http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/syria/syria_military.html

Syria

Military branches:
Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Force (includes Air Defense Command) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy); women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 4,356,413
females age 18-49: 4,123,339 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 3,453,888
females age 18-49: 3,421,558 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 225,113
females age 18-49: 211,829 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
5.9% (FY00)

***Snip*****
http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/egypt/egypt_military.html

Egypt

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for conscript military service; three-year service obligation (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 18,347,560
females age 18-49: 17,683,904 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 15,540,234
females age 18-49: 14,939,378 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 802,920
females age 18-49: 764,176 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2.44 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.4% (2004)

******Snip****

http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/saudi_arabia/saudi_arabia_military.html

Saudi Arabia

Military branches:
Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 7,648,999
females age 18-49: 5,417,922 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,592,709
females age 18-49: 4,659,347 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 247,334
females age 18-49: 234,500 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$18 billion (2002)

****Snip******

href="http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/China/China_military.html">http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/China/China_military.html

China

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
10% (2002)

Military branches:

People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes Airborne Forces), and II Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed Police (PAP); Reserve and Militia Forces (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18-22 years of age for compulsory military service, with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 17 years of age for women who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 342,956,265 females age 18-49: 324,701,244 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 281,240,272 females age 18-49: 269,025,517 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 13,186,433 females age 18-49: 12,298,149 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $81.48 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.3% (2005 est.)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.