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(CNN) — To his congregants, he lived the humble existence of a pastor.
But a high-flying Connecticut priest was charged this week with first-degree larceny in the theft of almost $1.3 million from his church’s coffers to fund a lavish double life that included swanky hotels and male escorts, said Capt. Chris Corbett of the Waterbury Police Department in Connecticut.
Nothing wrong with a little male escort action, eh?
Rachael Maddow did her second show from Afghanistan last night. It was as well done, if not better, than the first. Mostly straight reporting while asking a lot of questions and laying out the options ahead.
She interviewed a number of service people, of various ranks, and spent a good deal of time listening to Richard Engel explain the situation in various locations.
Most of the video was original and a lot of the Engel stuff was shot while walking through a Kabul market.
There was one LOL scene where RM ignore a bunch of emeralds & other gems but buys a small carpet woven with images of guns and tanks etc. while a chagrined Engel looks on.
Some of the best reporting from a war zone I’ve ever seen.
Just listening to Chris Jansing describe the duck boat sinking and saying (I think) the duck boat sinked.
I’m not sure I heard it correctly; as I was doing something else and the TV was on in the background; but if so it should be one of those hazards of live TV moments.
I watched Rachel last night too she was standing outside of the buildings that house “Contractors” showing the open sewer system and no paved roads. The owners of the properties lease them out and live else where, and won’t pay taxes to the sewer or the roads paved.
What Rachel left out many of those Contractors work for Our State Department. It’s not like they are free lancing. Private Contractors are supporting the Military in Afghanistan, supplementing our troops. Many of those contractors are U.S. Military Veterans.
I have received jewelry from Kabul – Garnet and Silver Necklace and earrings and turquoise bracelet. My favorite souvenir was my Beavis and Butthead T- Shirt from Afghanistan.
My Husband went to Afghanistan and All I got was this lousy T-shirt.
“What Rachel left out many of those Contractors work for Our State Department. It’s not like they are free lancing. Private Contractors are supporting the Military in Afghanistan, supplementing our troops. Many of those contractors are U.S. Military Veterans.”
So it is Halliburton types stealing money from the US Government as well as Afghan warlords & politicians. That knowledge doesn’t make me feel a lot better.
It was fascinating to see the contrast between the ugly mcmansions & the dirt roads and open sewers they’re built next to and to have explained why that happens.
What is it about ultra rich thieves and tyrants that make them want to construct such garish homes.
So it is Halliburton types stealing money from the US Government as well as Afghan warlords & politicians. That knowledge doesn’t make me feel a lot better.”"
You “Assume” that it’s Halliburton as if that’s the only company that operates in Afghanistan. That’s a very ignorant statement.
Private Contractors are not only hired for SECURITY.
The State Department of the U.S. A., has many Private Contractors in their employ.
How do you think the infrastructure is being put in place?
There is 90% illiteracy rate in Afghanistan. We are training the police and other civil servants – judges and lawyers.
Rachel made a comment about the Justice System. Right now in Kandahar the locals are using the Taliban to mediate disputes. The Afghan Government, and Allies want an Afghan Government Judicial System put in place. Who do you think are training those people? Private Contractors working for OUR State Department – because that’s the State Department’s Mission, that is the civilian’s side – not the military’s duty. It is going slowly for multiple reasons- Karzai doesn’t really want to share any power with any other entity inside of Afghanistan if he can help it. The Police are corrupt, and the illiteracy rate makes it difficult even to find a translator that can speak in two languages, let alone write in two languages.
As I mentioned in a previous post – Afgans like the cell phones, and the satellites but they aren’t really are interested in the rest we and the coalition have to offer.
Patraeus has said he wants to set up local militias in the provinces, and this is something that Karzai has kept blocking while McChrystal was leading the mission. This is the same system Patreaus used in Iraq to turn around the insurgency.
Karzai vs Patreaus, I would put my money on Patreaus.
Laree, you should send an e-mail to Rachel with your obvious intricate knowledge of what’s going on on the ground there. I think she would appreciate it.
Halliburton “types”not Halliburton.
Halliburton may be one of the contractors you refer to and I can certainly understand why you would think I was referring to them. . They have a long and well deserved association with graft and faulty construction.
I was impressed with her coverage – when Geraldo goes over for Fox, he seems to spend a lot of time with the military, which Rachel did too. But it was nice to see her give us a view a lay of the land so to speak.
I am not gung ho on Afghanistan -it’s like rolling a huge bolder up a steep hill but I understand it’s just a crappy situation we find ourselves in so I support the President in his decision.
My son is in Afghanistan now and the pictures he sends back tell a story just as compelling as anything a news show could tell. He is teaching Afghans beekeeping, apple tree planting and grafting, and many agricultural procedures so the people can learn to better support themselves. The pictures he sends show such abject poverty, such barren countryside, and yet these people have smiles on their faces and such appreciation for what these particular troops are doing. He loves the Afghans and to me, what he and his fellow troops are doing there is so important and so under reported and I wish I could show you his pictures so it can be shown how grateful these people are for the help they are getting from the U. S. Army and yet no one reports on it.
Halliburton “types”not Halliburton.
Halliburton may be one of the contractors you refer to and I can certainly understand why you would think I was referring to them. They have a long and well deserved association with graft and faulty construction.”
You brought up Halliburton. The companies in Afghanistan, do not just “Build” hard scape – They Train People “Afghans” to take over the civil infrastructure. Which is really a very hard slog, considering how PRIMITIVE Afghanistan is, and the illiteracy rate, not to mention the culture of deep seated corruption. That’s just how they do things in that part of the world, and the Afghans are not unhappy with the way they do things – they don’t show an inclination to do things any differently than they have for centuries.
“You brought up Halliburton.”
Only as a reference point to your comment.
I never even mentioned the contractors in my first comment. You did in yours. Rachael made it appear they were mostly Afghansowning the houses.
For the most part I agree with your opinion of the contractors. I used the name Halliburton because they are the poster boy for bad contractors that YOU referred to. Jeeeze!
“You brought up Halliburton.”
Only as a reference point to your comment
fritz3 Says:
July 8, 2010 at 8:41 am
So it is Halliburton types stealing money from the US Government as well as Afghan warlords & politicians. That knowledge doesn’t make me feel a lot better.
No I didn’t name any company that is contracting services in Afghanistan – you did. I am not going to comment on companies that are operating in Afghanistan that I have no knowledge of.
I am pointing out that some of those companies are contracted to OUR own State Department., to assist the State Department to perform their part of the mission in Afghanistan. It’s not like those building Rachel pointed out are full of free lancing private contractors.
On the Afghans owing the properties that the Private Companies are Leasing for the contractors. When Rachel pointed out the open sewer system not being fixed because of the property owners not paying their taxes – this is effecting their health. Since my husband has been their he has been congested – they have something like 65% dried feces floating around in the air, and it’s not just human waste, it’s also their animal’s dung. He is using OMNARIS right now.
Oh that is BEA-U-TI-FUL. I of course disagree with her history of Bush’s involvement, but “I guess the Republican Party is for permanent war” and “Bill Kristol and Liz Cheney must resign” are…see first sentence.
Another one down. Chris Matthews agrees with Steele, too. So does EJ Dionne. The escalation of the Afghanistan conflict is Obama’s work, and a land war there is unwinnable. Period.
In fairness to the President – Ann is leaving out that Pakistan already has nuclear arms, and that both Afghanistan and Pakistan border – state sponsor of terror “Iran” Iran who wants nuclear arms.
It’s a rough neighborhood, and I don’t think we want Al Qeada, the Taliban or Iran to get near Pakistan’s nukes. That would constitute a National Security Interest on the United States part. I do believe the President of the United States is looking at the bigger geopolitical picture.
The Nation building in Afghanistan, I completely agree with her, it’s a freakin waste of time, and the Afghans aren’t all that interested.
In reality the Afghanistan war is not Obama’s war just as the Iraq war was not Bush’s war. They are both America’s wars and to call them otherwise is to denigrate the military who fight for the USA.
In reality, all wars take courses directed by the leaders. Bush invaded Afghanistan, then got distracted by invading Iraq, thereby screwing up the invasion of Afghanistan, after which he screwed up the invasion of Iraq. It all got dumped in Obama’s lap, and now he’s…hell, I can’t even keep track of what he’s doing in Iraq…and he’s working an occupation of Afghanistan that has not the faintest of glimmer of success while they wait in the rocks for the American public to demand the inevitable.
What Part of Commander and Chief don’t you get? President Obama is the head of the U.S. Military – Their leader. He tells the Military what he wants, and they do it. He got plenty of advice took lots of time, and decided on a policy for the Afghanistan War he decided on a “A Surge” this is Obama’s War – he didn’t withdraw the U.S. Military from Afghanistan, that was an option, that would have been his decision too, not George W Bush’s decision, because George W Bush isn’t the President anymore.
Example: If Obama withdrew the troops tomorrow would George W Bush get credit? The answer is NO.
joe, i don’t get how Bush “screwed up” the Afghan war by invading Iraq– like Coulter says, Bush realized that u couldn’t nation build in a land like that– however, Iraq with it’s literacy, freer thinking and infrastructure certainly was (and has proven to be) changeable and winnable– Bush knew to leave behind a small contingent of military to go after jihadis on both sides of the border and not get bogged down with a counter-insurgency in that god-forsaken place– what’s really happening is Obie is being distracted by the Afghan and not keeping his eye on the prize of Iraq which could use some work as it’s starting to “back-slide”– get those jokers to settle on a Prime minister–
July 8, 2010 at 7:11 am
(CNN) — To his congregants, he lived the humble existence of a pastor.
But a high-flying Connecticut priest was charged this week with first-degree larceny in the theft of almost $1.3 million from his church’s coffers to fund a lavish double life that included swanky hotels and male escorts, said Capt. Chris Corbett of the Waterbury Police Department in Connecticut.
Nothing wrong with a little male escort action, eh?
July 8, 2010 at 7:25 am
Rachael Maddow did her second show from Afghanistan last night. It was as well done, if not better, than the first. Mostly straight reporting while asking a lot of questions and laying out the options ahead.
She interviewed a number of service people, of various ranks, and spent a good deal of time listening to Richard Engel explain the situation in various locations.
Most of the video was original and a lot of the Engel stuff was shot while walking through a Kabul market.
There was one LOL scene where RM ignore a bunch of emeralds & other gems but buys a small carpet woven with images of guns and tanks etc. while a chagrined Engel looks on.
Some of the best reporting from a war zone I’ve ever seen.
July 8, 2010 at 8:13 am
Just listening to Chris Jansing describe the duck boat sinking and saying (I think) the duck boat sinked.
I’m not sure I heard it correctly; as I was doing something else and the TV was on in the background; but if so it should be one of those hazards of live TV moments.
July 8, 2010 at 8:21 am
I watched Rachel last night too she was standing outside of the buildings that house “Contractors” showing the open sewer system and no paved roads. The owners of the properties lease them out and live else where, and won’t pay taxes to the sewer or the roads paved.
What Rachel left out many of those Contractors work for Our State Department. It’s not like they are free lancing. Private Contractors are supporting the Military in Afghanistan, supplementing our troops. Many of those contractors are U.S. Military Veterans.
I have received jewelry from Kabul – Garnet and Silver Necklace and earrings and turquoise bracelet. My favorite souvenir was my Beavis and Butthead T- Shirt from Afghanistan.
My Husband went to Afghanistan and All I got was this lousy T-shirt.
http://youhavetobethistalltogoonthisride.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-husband-went-to-afghanistan-and-all.html
July 8, 2010 at 8:41 am
“What Rachel left out many of those Contractors work for Our State Department. It’s not like they are free lancing. Private Contractors are supporting the Military in Afghanistan, supplementing our troops. Many of those contractors are U.S. Military Veterans.”
So it is Halliburton types stealing money from the US Government as well as Afghan warlords & politicians. That knowledge doesn’t make me feel a lot better.
It was fascinating to see the contrast between the ugly mcmansions & the dirt roads and open sewers they’re built next to and to have explained why that happens.
What is it about ultra rich thieves and tyrants that make them want to construct such garish homes.
July 8, 2010 at 9:20 am
So it is Halliburton types stealing money from the US Government as well as Afghan warlords & politicians. That knowledge doesn’t make me feel a lot better.”"
You “Assume” that it’s Halliburton as if that’s the only company that operates in Afghanistan. That’s a very ignorant statement.
Private Contractors are not only hired for SECURITY.
The State Department of the U.S. A., has many Private Contractors in their employ.
How do you think the infrastructure is being put in place?
There is 90% illiteracy rate in Afghanistan. We are training the police and other civil servants – judges and lawyers.
Rachel made a comment about the Justice System. Right now in Kandahar the locals are using the Taliban to mediate disputes. The Afghan Government, and Allies want an Afghan Government Judicial System put in place. Who do you think are training those people? Private Contractors working for OUR State Department – because that’s the State Department’s Mission, that is the civilian’s side – not the military’s duty. It is going slowly for multiple reasons- Karzai doesn’t really want to share any power with any other entity inside of Afghanistan if he can help it. The Police are corrupt, and the illiteracy rate makes it difficult even to find a translator that can speak in two languages, let alone write in two languages.
As I mentioned in a previous post – Afgans like the cell phones, and the satellites but they aren’t really are interested in the rest we and the coalition have to offer.
Patraeus has said he wants to set up local militias in the provinces, and this is something that Karzai has kept blocking while McChrystal was leading the mission. This is the same system Patreaus used in Iraq to turn around the insurgency.
Karzai vs Patreaus, I would put my money on Patreaus.
July 8, 2010 at 9:29 am
Laree, you should send an e-mail to Rachel with your obvious intricate knowledge of what’s going on on the ground there. I think she would appreciate it.
Not sarcastic. You know your stuff.
July 8, 2010 at 9:32 am
Halliburton “types”not Halliburton.
Halliburton may be one of the contractors you refer to and I can certainly understand why you would think I was referring to them. . They have a long and well deserved association with graft and faulty construction.
July 8, 2010 at 9:37 am
Joeremi Says:
July 8, 2010 at 9:29 am
I was impressed with her coverage – when Geraldo goes over for Fox, he seems to spend a lot of time with the military, which Rachel did too. But it was nice to see her give us a view a lay of the land so to speak.
I am not gung ho on Afghanistan -it’s like rolling a huge bolder up a steep hill but I understand it’s just a crappy situation we find ourselves in so I support the President in his decision.
July 8, 2010 at 9:40 am
My son is in Afghanistan now and the pictures he sends back tell a story just as compelling as anything a news show could tell. He is teaching Afghans beekeeping, apple tree planting and grafting, and many agricultural procedures so the people can learn to better support themselves. The pictures he sends show such abject poverty, such barren countryside, and yet these people have smiles on their faces and such appreciation for what these particular troops are doing. He loves the Afghans and to me, what he and his fellow troops are doing there is so important and so under reported and I wish I could show you his pictures so it can be shown how grateful these people are for the help they are getting from the U. S. Army and yet no one reports on it.
July 8, 2010 at 9:43 am
fritz3 Says:
July 8, 2010 at 9:32 am
Halliburton “types”not Halliburton.
Halliburton may be one of the contractors you refer to and I can certainly understand why you would think I was referring to them. They have a long and well deserved association with graft and faulty construction.”
You brought up Halliburton. The companies in Afghanistan, do not just “Build” hard scape – They Train People “Afghans” to take over the civil infrastructure. Which is really a very hard slog, considering how PRIMITIVE Afghanistan is, and the illiteracy rate, not to mention the culture of deep seated corruption. That’s just how they do things in that part of the world, and the Afghans are not unhappy with the way they do things – they don’t show an inclination to do things any differently than they have for centuries.
July 8, 2010 at 10:02 am
“You brought up Halliburton.”
Only as a reference point to your comment.
I never even mentioned the contractors in my first comment. You did in yours. Rachael made it appear they were mostly Afghansowning the houses.
For the most part I agree with your opinion of the contractors. I used the name Halliburton because they are the poster boy for bad contractors that YOU referred to. Jeeeze!
July 8, 2010 at 10:50 am
fritz3 Says:
July 8, 2010 at 10:02 am
“You brought up Halliburton.”
Only as a reference point to your comment
fritz3 Says:
July 8, 2010 at 8:41 am
So it is Halliburton types stealing money from the US Government as well as Afghan warlords & politicians. That knowledge doesn’t make me feel a lot better.
No I didn’t name any company that is contracting services in Afghanistan – you did. I am not going to comment on companies that are operating in Afghanistan that I have no knowledge of.
I am pointing out that some of those companies are contracted to OUR own State Department., to assist the State Department to perform their part of the mission in Afghanistan. It’s not like those building Rachel pointed out are full of free lancing private contractors.
On the Afghans owing the properties that the Private Companies are Leasing for the contractors. When Rachel pointed out the open sewer system not being fixed because of the property owners not paying their taxes – this is effecting their health. Since my husband has been their he has been congested – they have something like 65% dried feces floating around in the air, and it’s not just human waste, it’s also their animal’s dung. He is using OMNARIS right now.
July 8, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Wow Ann Coulter agrees with RNC chairman Micheal Steele, and is calling for Bill Kristol to resign.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=37950
July 8, 2010 at 2:57 pm
-Ann Coulter-
Oh that is BEA-U-TI-FUL. I of course disagree with her history of Bush’s involvement, but “I guess the Republican Party is for permanent war” and “Bill Kristol and Liz Cheney must resign” are…see first sentence.
July 8, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Another one down. Chris Matthews agrees with Steele, too. So does EJ Dionne. The escalation of the Afghanistan conflict is Obama’s work, and a land war there is unwinnable. Period.
July 8, 2010 at 3:02 pm
In fairness to the President – Ann is leaving out that Pakistan already has nuclear arms, and that both Afghanistan and Pakistan border – state sponsor of terror “Iran” Iran who wants nuclear arms.
It’s a rough neighborhood, and I don’t think we want Al Qeada, the Taliban or Iran to get near Pakistan’s nukes. That would constitute a National Security Interest on the United States part. I do believe the President of the United States is looking at the bigger geopolitical picture.
The Nation building in Afghanistan, I completely agree with her, it’s a freakin waste of time, and the Afghans aren’t all that interested.
July 8, 2010 at 3:04 pm
joeremi Says:
July 8, 2010 at 3:02 pm
“The escalation of the Afghanistan conflict is Obama’s work, and a land war there is unwinnable. Period.”
That’s the pretense they are having a hard time selling to Americans.
July 8, 2010 at 3:06 pm
My meaning of “pretense” is that we can some how persevere in Afghanistan. Only if they change the definition of “winning”
July 8, 2010 at 4:25 pm
In reality the Afghanistan war is not Obama’s war just as the Iraq war was not Bush’s war. They are both America’s wars and to call them otherwise is to denigrate the military who fight for the USA.
July 8, 2010 at 4:33 pm
In reality, all wars take courses directed by the leaders. Bush invaded Afghanistan, then got distracted by invading Iraq, thereby screwing up the invasion of Afghanistan, after which he screwed up the invasion of Iraq. It all got dumped in Obama’s lap, and now he’s…hell, I can’t even keep track of what he’s doing in Iraq…and he’s working an occupation of Afghanistan that has not the faintest of glimmer of success while they wait in the rocks for the American public to demand the inevitable.
July 8, 2010 at 5:31 pm
fritz3 Says:
July 8, 2010 at 4:25 pm
What Part of Commander and Chief don’t you get? President Obama is the head of the U.S. Military – Their leader. He tells the Military what he wants, and they do it. He got plenty of advice took lots of time, and decided on a policy for the Afghanistan War he decided on a “A Surge” this is Obama’s War – he didn’t withdraw the U.S. Military from Afghanistan, that was an option, that would have been his decision too, not George W Bush’s decision, because George W Bush isn’t the President anymore.
Example: If Obama withdrew the troops tomorrow would George W Bush get credit? The answer is NO.
July 9, 2010 at 1:09 am
joe, i don’t get how Bush “screwed up” the Afghan war by invading Iraq– like Coulter says, Bush realized that u couldn’t nation build in a land like that– however, Iraq with it’s literacy, freer thinking and infrastructure certainly was (and has proven to be) changeable and winnable– Bush knew to leave behind a small contingent of military to go after jihadis on both sides of the border and not get bogged down with a counter-insurgency in that god-forsaken place– what’s really happening is Obie is being distracted by the Afghan and not keeping his eye on the prize of Iraq which could use some work as it’s starting to “back-slide”– get those jokers to settle on a Prime minister–
July 9, 2010 at 1:10 am
oh, and if it all goes to sh**– blame Bush of course–
July 9, 2010 at 3:50 am
“oh, and if it all goes to sh**– blame Bush”
You got that right, Toon. I completely agree.
July 9, 2010 at 10:03 am
u would fritzy–