William Fisher

NEW YORK – To combat the Bush administration’s penchant for secrecy, U.S. citizens have been forced to unearth new sources for information they once read in their daily newspapers. But thanks to a few dedicated individuals and not-for-profit groups – and the Internet – such material is easier to come by than ever before. "The … Continue reading “Activists Crawl Through Web to Untangle US Secrecy”

A growing number of American Jews believes that major changes in U.S., Israeli, and Palestinian policies are essential to the resumption of any meaningful negotiations for peace – but they are fighting an uphill struggle because of President George W. Bush’s support for the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Many peace advocates are … Continue reading “US Jewish Groups Press Mideast Peace”

NEW YORK – "It’s always a fight to find out what the government doesn’t want us to know. It’s a fight we’re once again losing. … [President Bush] has clamped a lid on public access. … It’s not just historians and journalists he wants locked out; it’s Congress … and it’s you, the public, and … Continue reading “Secrecy Cloaked During Election Campaign”

Groups representing Arab and Muslim-Americans are confused by what appear to be conflicting signals from the Bush administration – which claims to be making serious efforts to "build bridges" to these constituencies, but simultaneously continues to practice discrimination and harassment. They note the following: – In Washington, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Robert Mueller … Continue reading “Arabs, Muslims Puzzled by Govt ‘Outreach’”

A landmark reform plan prepared by 40 civil society groups from 15 Middle East and North African (MENA) countries for a recent G8 meeting in New York is at risk of "a false start," according to one of its signatories. The meeting to discuss the seven-point plan, on the sidelines of the United Nations General … Continue reading “Mideast Reformers Call for Change From Within”

As one key provision of the USA PATRIOT Act – a central plank of the Bush administration’s "war on terror" – was being ruled unconstitutional, some federal politicians were using reform of the country’s intelligence community as a vehicle for enacting parts of "PATRIOT Act II." Intelligence reform was a principal recommendation of the so-called … Continue reading “Court Cuts, Politicians Push Police Powers”

Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are again contacting Arab and Muslim Americans for what they describe as "voluntary interviews," as the Bush administration launches a new anti-terrorism campaign designed to thwart efforts to disrupt the U.S. elections. In conjunction with the FBI campaign, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) … Continue reading “Govt Targets Arab, Muslim Americans Again”