Month: February 2012

Gitmo’s Gotta Go

The Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba, perhaps better known by its nickname “Gitmo,” is an affront to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the legacy of our national heritage. It should be closed now and all the people detained there returned to the place where they were seized. In this I wholeheartedly endorse … Continue reading “Gitmo’s Gotta Go”

Shi’ite-Led Govt. Still Targeting Rivals, Even As Cabinet Drops Boycott

The Shi’ite-led government in Iraq has selected a new target for harassment: Iraqiya spokesman Haider al-Mulla and two other lawmakers. This comes despite recent efforts by Iraqiya to lessen political tensions that threaten to ignite a sectarian war. Meanwhile, at least two Iraqis were killed and 26 more were wounded over the last two days.

AIPAC Obtained Missile Secrets

Author Norman F. Dacey made powerful enemies. He turned the cozy estate-planning industry upside-down after publishing How to Avoid Probate in 1965. The book sold 2 million copies as Dacey barnstormed [.pdf] the country advising Americans how to structure their estates to avoid the costs, delays, and publicity of probate by setting up trusts. Dacey … Continue reading “AIPAC Obtained Missile Secrets”

The Syrian Crucible

The arrest and pending trial of foreign “democracy activists” in Egypt on charges they violated laws prohibiting funding by foreign governments of NGOs has caused an uproar in Washington. Secretary of state Hillary Clinton has publicly warned Cairo this endangers the $1.55 billion in aid the US is supposed to shell out this year, but … Continue reading “The Syrian Crucible”

Offshore Everywhere

Make no mistake: we’re entering a new world of military planning. Admittedly, the latest proposed Pentagon budget manages to preserve just about every costly toy-cum-boondoggle from the good old days when MiGs still roamed the skies, including an uncut nuclear arsenal. Eternally over-budget items like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, cherished by their services and … Continue reading “Offshore Everywhere”

Obama Terror Drones: CIA Tactics in Pakistan Include Targeting Rescuers and Funerals

Courtesy of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. The CIA’s drone campaign in Pakistan has killed dozens of civilians who had gone to help rescue victims or were attending funerals, an investigation by the Bureau for the Sunday Times has revealed. The findings are published just days after President Obama claimed that the drone campaign in … Continue reading “Obama Terror Drones: CIA Tactics in Pakistan Include Targeting Rescuers and Funerals”

U.S. Leak on Israeli Attack Weakened a Warning to Netanyahu

When Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told Washington Post columnist David Ignatius this week that he believes Israel was likely to attack Iran between April and June, it was ostensibly yet another expression of alarm at the Israeli government’s threats of military action. But even though the administration is undoubtedly concerned about that Israeli threat, the … Continue reading “U.S. Leak on Israeli Attack Weakened a Warning to Netanyahu”

Early End to US Combat Role in Afghanistan Draws Cheers, Jeers, Confusion

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s surprise announcement Wednesday that US troops will phase out their combat role in Afghanistan by mid-2013 is drawing mixed reactions, as well as a fair bit of confusion, from both critics and supporters of the 11-year-old war here. The frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, Mitt Romney, called the decision … Continue reading “Early End to US Combat Role in Afghanistan Draws Cheers, Jeers, Confusion”