American Gothic: Self-Portrait With Shackles

Here we are, because time has some of the qualities of a tsunami, deposited in 2005, whether we like it or not. As the year changed, nature trumped the Bush administration in an appropriately, if horrifyingly Biblical, way, with a preemptive strike against shorelines jammed with rich tourists and poor peasants alike. And even in … Continue reading “American Gothic: Self-Portrait With Shackles”

Meanwhile, Back in Iraq…

While the world’s attention has been focused for the past 10 days on the catastrophic tsunamis in South Asia and the subsequent relief efforts, the situation for the United States and its dwindling number of allies in Iraq appears to have worsened. The administration of President George W. Bush and its supporters continue to insist … Continue reading “Meanwhile, Back in Iraq…”

What Kind of People Have We Become?

We are more than 225 religious leaders from a wide diversity of backgrounds. Notable within our ranks are many Latino and Latina leaders who are more concerned to oppose torture than to applaud appointing a Hispanic to the cabinet. Whatever our backgrounds, we all agree that this appointment should be concerned with the content of … Continue reading “What Kind of People Have We Become?”

It’s Worse Than Illegal

The following remarks were delivered at a press conference for Veterans for Common Sense. My professional credentials are in intelligence, but I believe the nomination of Alberto Gonzales for attorney general is first and foremost a moral issue, so I will address it from a moral perspective. In a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, … Continue reading “It’s Worse Than Illegal”

Ignorance and Illogic About Iraq

As 2005 proceeds, I predict that the mess in Iraq will depart from American consciousness, overtaken by the media’s fixation on Michael Jackson. The lack of knowledge about events on the ground in Iraq is stunning. With no end yet in sight, let’s ponder the consequences of the Iraq war so far: (1) over 1,300 … Continue reading “Ignorance and Illogic About Iraq”

Gonzales Faces Stormy Hearing

Led by a dozen retired generals and admirals, including a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, human rights groups are urging the U.S. Senate to carefully scrutinize the role of White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales in devising detention and interrogation policies for the Bush administration’s “war against terrorism” before confirming him as attorney … Continue reading “Gonzales Faces Stormy Hearing”

Bush’s Checks Returning NSF

A nation’s foreign policy is bankrupt, Walter Lippmann wrote, when its strategic assets, its arms and alliances, are insufficient to cover its liabilities – i.e., its commitments to defend critical territory and vital interests. Japan’s strike on Pearl Harbor and rapid seizure of Guam, Wake Island, and the Philippines, Lippmann wrote, revealed the bankruptcy of … Continue reading “Bush’s Checks Returning NSF”

Indonesian Govt on the Offensive in Tsunami-Stricken Aceh

BANGKOK – While volunteers, relief workers and families are busy collecting and searching for bodies in Indonesia‘s tsunami-stricken Aceh province, Indonesian soldiers are continuing their offensive against separatist rebels, critics say. This, say international human rights groups, is hindering the delivery of badly needed humanitarian aid to survivors of the world’s worst natural disaster in … Continue reading “Indonesian Govt on the Offensive in Tsunami-Stricken Aceh”