The New Credibility Gap

The infinite chutzpah of the War Party is exemplified by its taking out after Joe Wilson for having … a credibility problem. Look who’s talking! These are the same people who stovepiped lies cooked up by a bunch of Iraqi exiles and passed it off as “intelligence”: nuclear “centrifuges” that didn’t exist, links to Al … Continue reading “The New Credibility Gap”

Padilla, Hamdi, and Rasul: Charge Them or Release Them

Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that Yaser Hamdi and Shafiq Rasul (and other Guantanamo detainees) are entitled to seek habeas corpus relief in U.S. federal district courts to challenge their detention by U.S. military officials, the question naturally arises: What relief should the federal district courts provide in those habeas corpus proceedings as … Continue reading “Padilla, Hamdi, and Rasul: Charge Them or Release Them”

Report: Indian Anti-Terror Law Preys on Minorities

NEW DELHI – Ahead of the Indian government’s proposed move to repeal a draconian anti-terror legislation, a new report says the law is used to settle personal vendettas, frame children, torture prisoners and systematically target the minority Muslim community. Lashing out at the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2002 (POTA), human rights lawyer Nitya Ramakrishna charges, … Continue reading “Report: Indian Anti-Terror Law Preys on Minorities”

The Vote for Gulf War II

The Select Committee on Intelligence has just issued a report [pdf] highly critical of the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) of October 2002, which served as the basis for the “Congressional Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq.” Various congresspersons are now saying that if they had known in October … Continue reading “The Vote for Gulf War II”

Where Is This ‘Safer’ America?

President George Bush says that America is safer because of our war against Iraq. I respectfully disagree. For one thing, our “shock and awe” campaign has turned into a show and tell of America’s military limitations. We have not been able to defeat the Iraqi resistance, and trying to do so has put a great … Continue reading “Where Is This ‘Safer’ America?”

Terrorism and the Election: Trial Balloons and Spin

Tom Ridge, the federal official in charge of defending the United States against terrorism, was on message when he told a July 14 news conference: “We don’t do politics at Homeland Security.” Such high-level claims of patriotic purity have been routine since 9/11. But in this election year, they’re more ludicrous than ever. Days earlier, … Continue reading “Terrorism and the Election: Trial Balloons and Spin”

Whom Did Martha Stewart Kill?

Martha Stewart has been sentenced to 5 months in prison and two years of supervised release for not telling the truth about a legal stock tip. The only thing she has been found guilty of is lying about a noncrime. Mrs. Stewart was neither charged with, nor found guilty of, insider trading. Neither she nor … Continue reading “Whom Did Martha Stewart Kill?”

Biotech Art Case Continues; Artist Restricted

At a June 29 arraignment hearing, a judge ordered that University of Buffalo art professor Steven Kurtz report all future purchases of bio-matter to university and government agents, Assistant United States Attorney William Hochul, Jr., told The NewStandard. Kurtz, co-founder of the Critical Arts Ensemble, a group of artists whose work challenges government and corporate … Continue reading “Biotech Art Case Continues; Artist Restricted”

Backtalk July 17, 2004

Condoleezza Needs to Call Anonymous Great piece. I think it very wise for Antiwar.com to post articles by people who have worked for the state and recognize the missteps. And like other recent pieces by former intel analysts, this one reminds me of Sam Adams’ book about the CIA during the Vietnam entitled War of … Continue reading “Backtalk July 17, 2004”