Antiwar.com

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”

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?”

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”

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”

Hong Kong, followed closely by Singapore, retains the highest rating in the latest edition of the “Economic Freedom of the World” annual report released here Thursday by the Cato Institute and more than 50 other libertarian think tanks around the world. The United States tied for third place with New Zealand, Switzerland and the United … Continue reading “Asia Tops Economic Freedom Survey”

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”

This week’s decision by the U.S. State Department to cut up to $18 million in aid to its staunchest anti-terrorism ally in Central Asia is being welcomed by human rights activists, who called the move long overdue. The slap at the government of President Islam Karimov, who has ruled Uzbekistan with an iron hand since … Continue reading “US Cuts Aid to Uzbekistan”

Some observers believe that with the departure of George Tenet as CIA director, along with critical reports from both the Senate Intelligence Committee and the 9/11 commission (surely the House Intelligence Committee cannot be too far behind) regarding massive intelligence failures of radically different kinds, the time for reform may be at hand. Indeed, the … Continue reading “Toward More Intelligent Intelligence”

LONDON – The long-awaited inquiry report into intelligence failures that led Britain to join the invasion of Iraq reveals what went wrong, but stops short of saying who went wrong. The 196-page report by Lord Butler discloses "serious flaws" in intelligence that led to Britain’s involvement in the war. Key intelligence relied on third hand … Continue reading “Report Reveals Lies, Not the Liar”

According to several military analysts working both inside and outside of government, the Bush administration’s oft-repeated claim that militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is the direct link between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein does not ring true. Zarqawi, a Jordanian who heads a group that reportedly claimed responsibility Tuesday for killing a Bulgarian worker held captive … Continue reading “Experts Dispute Bush Line on Zarqawi”