Month: June 2004

Venezuela Opposition Upbeat about Last Phase of Recall Effort

CARACAS (IPS) – The opposition movement in Venezuela assumed a triumphalist attitude Monday while President Hugo Chávez’s supporters urged people to wait for the final results of the last phase of the signature-gathering effort aimed at activating a recall referendum to oust the president. "We have enough signatures. More than 700,000 people made this dream … Continue reading “Venezuela Opposition Upbeat about Last Phase of Recall Effort”

The Defense of ‘Command Influence’

Throughout the six hours of testimony on Abu Ghraib by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld et al. before the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on May 7, a recurring question was why the various command levels seemed to be in a “business as usual” mode given the explosive nature of the investigation on prisoner … Continue reading “The Defense of ‘Command Influence’”

They Should Never Have Been in Prison

BAGHDAD, (IPS) – Largely lost amidst the horrors of the graphic torture photographs that continue to emerge out of Abu Ghraib is a leaked report from the International Committee of the Red Cross published a few weeks ago by the Wall Street Journal. In its report, the ICRC, the only organization besides the United States … Continue reading “They Should Never Have Been in Prison”

‘It Is Getting Worse by the Day Here’

Late night writing due to the sweat alarm that has gone off, shortly after the electricity has cut out yet again. The electricity seems to have gotten worse lately, which is not surprising, in that this coincides with the gas shortage – also growing more severe by the day. So many things leave imprints on … Continue reading “‘It Is Getting Worse by the Day Here’”

Getting Yugoslavia Wrong – Again

It is always fascinating to watch the eagerness with which so-called progressives unquestioningly accept an official history full of virtuous U.S. officials and villainous savages trying the patience of the peaceful, law-abiding Great Powers. Case in point: the wars in the former Yugoslavia, and Stacy Sullivan’s recent account of them in Foreign Policy In Focus. … Continue reading “Getting Yugoslavia Wrong – Again”
Memorial Day Makes a Vet Wonder: What Ever Happened to ‘the Buck Stops Here’? As we celebrate Memorial Day and the opening of the W.W.II Memorial, I am distressed at the lack of character of our recent presidents who fail to take responsibility for their actions. We all know the sad tale of Bill Clinton … Continue reading “”

The United States of Boeing

The U.S. has, slowly, since the beginning of the twentieth century, become a giant weapons factory. A partnership between massive private firms and government exists, all funded by the U.S. taxpayer. One of the largest such firms is Boeing. Boeing’s history mirrors that of the U.S. at large. Begun as a manufacturer of civilian aircraft, … Continue reading “The United States of Boeing”