Month: July 2004

I rise in strong opposition to this incredibly dangerous legislation. I hope my colleagues are not fooled by the title of this bill, “Declaring genocide in Darfur, Sudan.” This resolution is no statement of humanitarian concern for what may be happening in a country thousands of miles from the United States. Rather, it could well … Continue reading “US Must Stay Out of Sudan”

KARACHI – For no clear reason, the atmosphere around the resumption of the long-delayed India-Pakistan peace dialogue is marked by effusive official optimism on either side, and an aura of hope and expectation among both peoples. The two governments, whose foreign ministers met Wednesday and set a September date for more substantial discussions, have by … Continue reading “India, Pakistan Optimistic About Peace Talks”

MANILA – “There’s nothing for me here,” overseas contract worker Crisanto Molejona declared in a television interview on the eve of the arrival of Angelo de la Cruz, a 46-year-old Filipino truck driver who was almost beheaded by his Iraqi captors. Molejona’s sentiment, and situation, was a contrast with that of de la Cruz, who, … Continue reading “Released Filipino a Star, but Reality Bites Others”

Two-thirds of U.S. citizens believe their government should “never use physical torture” against detainees, and 90 percent reject sexually humiliating prisoners, as was done by U.S. soldiers at Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib jail, according to a major survey of attitudes here. The poll, conducted by the University of Maryland’s Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA), was … Continue reading “Survey: US Public Rejects Torture”

Recent press reports have left little doubt where George W. Bush, if reelected in November, will be tempted to train his sights. A senior White House aide said last week that the U.S. president, fresh from toppling the Taliban and Saddam Hussein, may well decide to orchestrate regime change inside Iran. Although such a policy … Continue reading “Iran’s Challenge to the Bush Doctrine”

The countdown is finally over, and a 567-page 9/11 Commission report [pdf] is out. According to the Commission Chairman, they have seen “every single document” and have interviewed “every single relevant witness and authority.” According to all Commission members, this report should be considered a resounding success, since it encompasses all information relevant to the … Continue reading “The Puzzling 9/11 Report”

WASHINGTON – Capping 18 months of work, the bipartisan 9/11 Commission released its 567-page report here Thursday, and challenged President George W. Bush and Congress to make sweeping changes to the structure of the U.S. intelligence community. The report’s central recommendations called for the creation of a “National Counter-Terrorism Center” (NCTC) that would feature joint … Continue reading “9/11 Panel: Security Overhaul Needed”

President Bush’s neoconservatives have announced that they are relaunching the Committee on the Present Danger. The new CPD will be totally different from the original. I was a member of the Committee on the Present Danger. It was a bipartisan private organization consisting largely of former presidential appointees who distrusted naiveté about Soviet intentions. One … Continue reading “Neocons the Real Present Danger”

Vice President Dick Cheney can toss around the F-word all he wants in response to the criticism directed at him as a result of his close ties to Halliburton, the company he headed from 1995-2000, but he can’t hide from the truth. It was Cheney who urged Congress in 1996 to ease sanctions against Iran, … Continue reading “Halliburton Ignores Sanctions”

OTTAWA – Canada’s broadcast regulator has approved Qatar-based news channel al-Jazeera for the country’s digital cable TV market, but with censorship rules that are so stringent it is unlikely to be carried in this country, say television executives. The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved al-Jazeera for digital distribution last week, but accepted demands … Continue reading “Yes Means No for al-Jazeera in Canada”