Guess Who’s Sticking It
to the Man?

One of the best television commercials I have seen in a while comes from Sprint promoting its “Fair & Flexible Plan” for cell phones. We see a pompous business executive discussing the Sprint plan and then telling his assistant that joining the plan is his way of “sticking it to the Man.” The assistant is … Continue reading “Guess Who’s Sticking It
to the Man?”

Can You Say ‘Permanent Bases’?

We’re in a new period in the war in Iraq – one that brings to mind the Nixonian era of “Vietnamization”: A president presiding over an increasingly unpopular war that won’t end; an election bearing down; the need to placate a restive American public; and an army under so much strain that it seems to … Continue reading “Can You Say ‘Permanent Bases’?”

US Risks Reporter’s Life to Strike Tough Pose

The George W. Bush administration went well beyond refusing to negotiate with terrorists in its handling of the threat by freelance journalist Jill Carroll‘s abductors to kill her if all female detainees were not released from U.S.-run prisons in Iraq. According to Iraqi officials, U.S. officials delayed the scheduled release of six female prisoners whom … Continue reading “US Risks Reporter’s Life to Strike Tough Pose”

Who Will Blow the Whistle Before We Attack Iran?

The question looms large against the backdrop of the hearing on whistleblowing scheduled for Tuesday afternoon by Christopher Shays, chair of the House Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations. Among those testifying are Russell Tice, one of the sources who exposed illegal eavesdropping by the National Security Agency, and Army Sgt. Sam … Continue reading “Who Will Blow the Whistle Before We Attack Iran?”

Sanction the IAEA Board, Not Iran

You probably heard that – as a result of extreme pressure brought by the Bush-Cheney administration – a special meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors was convened last week to discuss what to do about the “gravest” threat to develop to “our” national security since the end of the Cold War. … Continue reading “Sanction the IAEA Board, Not Iran”

The Bureaucracy Strikes Back

In the first installment of this series, I offered 42 names to begin what now seems an endless – and ever growing – list of top officials as well as beleaguered administrators, managers, and career civil servants who quit their government posts in protest or were ridiculed, defamed, threatened, fired, forced out, demoted, or driven … Continue reading “The Bureaucracy Strikes Back”

Putin the Peacemaker

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation to the leaders of Hamas to come to Moscow killed two birds with one stone: it elevated his international stature to statesmanlike proportions, and it showed up American policymakers as a bunch of petulant ideologues. Putin not only invited Hamas for talks, but explicitly rejected the U.S.-Israeli position that Hamas … Continue reading “Putin the Peacemaker”

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

If one watches corporate media or listens to Cheney administration propaganda, one is either not getting information about Iraq at all, or hearing that things are looking up as the U.S. approaches another "phase" in the occupation. Just taking a brief look at the "security incidents" reported by Reuters for Feb. 12 gives a little … Continue reading “Out of Sight, Out of Mind”

Backtalk, February 13, 2006

The Adulation of IgnorancePlease bear with me because this might sound a bit strange. I was at a loss to understand the Bush administration’s policies until I recently watched the movie Goldfinger. In the movie, James Bond discovered that Goldfinger’s target was the gold depository at Fort Knox. But what puzzled 007 was that, although … Continue reading “Backtalk, February 13, 2006”