Month: December 2004

While billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars have been awarded in lucrative contracts to companies such as Bechtel and Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR), there are few signs that any reconstruction has actually taken place in war-torn Iraq. The infrastructure is in a state of collapse, with 70 percent unemployment. One reason for this … Continue reading “Rebuilding Iraq: ‘Somebody Has to Do It’”

NEW YORK – Many of the more draconian provisions affecting privacy, secrecy, and asylum-seekers originally included in Congress’ intelligence reform bill passed this week were omitted in the law’s final version. But the agreed compromise still contains language that troubles human and civil rights organizations. The House of Representatives’ version of the bill would have … Continue reading “Intel Bill No Win for Rights”

Although I had some thoughts at the time, I thought it would be churlish to question the decision of Pat Tillman, in his fourth year as a linebacker for the NFL Arizona Cardinals, with a $3.6 million contract, to give up professional sports and enlist in the Army Rangers after the 9/11 attacks. Although he … Continue reading “Tillman’s True Tragedy”

"When truth becomes war’s first fatality, Trust quickly becomes the second." "Since my son’s death … I don’t trust them [the Pentagon] one bit." One need only read the article in the Los Angeles Times to sense the loss felt by Mrs. Mary Tillman whose son, former pro-football star Corporal Pat Tillman, was killed in … Continue reading “US Credibility Under Friendly Fire”

It was a Maalox moment for Donald Rumsfeld. At a forum held with U.S. troops in Kuwait who are headed to Iraq, the barrage of friendly fire soon scored a direct hit when a scout with the Tennessee National Guard, one Specialist Thomas Wilson, rose, and, his voice confident and clear but with an undertone … Continue reading “Rebellion in the Ranks”

Feeding the Iraq Moloch … There is no excuse for government’s paying for innocent hostages. Killing innocents will isolate the terrorists to the support of immoral people. The exchange of hostages is only reasonable if all are combatants. As long as we release their innocents and they behead ours my support for this war will … Continue reading “Backtalk, December 11, 2004”

The United States is poised to punish some of its closest friends overseas for supporting the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a growing number of its soldiers are being sanctioned for abusing prisoners in the "war on terrorism," said U.S. human rights groups Wednesday. A measure inserted into the current omnibus appropriations bill in Congress … Continue reading “US Attacks Global Court as GIs Sanctioned”

One of the advantages of writing anonymous editorials is that you can wantonly spew forth bile without worrying about anyone pointing the finger at you individually. In the Dec. 2 issue of the pro-Yushchenko English-language Kyiv Post newspaper, an editorial entitled "An Orange March East" featured the following passage: "What should Viktor Yushchenko and his … Continue reading “Something Rotten in the State of Ukraine”

While opinions are divided over whether the revamp of the U.S. intelligence community laid out in the compromise bill just approved by Congress will improve the performance of the relevant agencies, there is little doubt that the failure of President George W. Bush to push the bill through would have badly damaged his political credibility. … Continue reading “Bush Gets Weak Intel Reform – Barely”

President Bush said last week that, “Any election [in Ukraine], if there is one, ought to be free from any foreign influence.” I agree with the president wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, it seems that several U.S. government agencies saw things differently and sent U.S. taxpayer dollars into Ukraine in attempt to influence the outcome. We do not … Continue reading “US Hypocrisy on Ukraine”