A 10-Year Reckoning

This weekend will mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the day that changed the United States forever. There will be remembrance ceremonies in many cities and towns. In many cases, they will be accompanied by military displays, to remind everyone that the America of George W. Bush and Barack Obama responded with anger, striking first … Continue reading “A 10-Year Reckoning”

Ten Years After 9/11: Have We Become the Enemy of Freedom?

We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men — not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to … Continue reading “Ten Years After 9/11: Have We Become the Enemy of Freedom?”

Post-9/11: All Eyes on You

In the latest installment of a year-long advertising campaign on the Washington metro, subway riders are treated to a series of smart, mod photographs of leather-clad VPPs (very pretty people) who we assume are spies, operatives, or fugitives á la Jason Bourne. There’s a Carrie Moss with long hair, posing as though caught mid-mission, stilettos … Continue reading “Post-9/11: All Eyes on You”

Taking the Justice Out of the Justice System

Can you even remember the world before 9/11? You know, the one where you weren’t stripped in the airport or body-wanded at the ballpark? It’s as much a lost world as anything Conan Doyle ever imagined. And it seems there’s no turning back. An administration voted into office by a populace tired of George W. … Continue reading “Taking the Justice Out of the Justice System”

Did Tenet Hide Key Info on 9/11?

With few exceptions, like some salacious rumor about the Kennedy family, the mainstream U.S. news media has shown little interest in stories that throw light on history — even recent, very relevant history. So it comes as no surprise that, when a former White House counterterrorism czar accuses an ex-CIA director of sitting on information … Continue reading “Did Tenet Hide Key Info on 9/11?”

The USA PATRIOT Act: Dispelling the Myths

On Behalf of Campaign for Liberty Re: The USA PATRIOT Act: Dispelling the Myths Before the House Judiciary Committee May 11, 2011 Bruce Fein & Associates, Inc. 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 1000 Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: 703-963-4968 bruce@thelichfieldgroup.com Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on … Continue reading “The USA PATRIOT Act: Dispelling the Myths”

Evidence of 2002 Taliban Offer Damages Myth of al-Qaeda Ties

The central justification of the U.S.-NATO war against the Afghan Taliban – that the Taliban would allow al-Qaeda to return to Afghanistan – has been challenged by new historical evidence of offers by the Taliban leadership to reconcile with the Hamid Karzai government after the fall of the Taliban government in late 2001. The evidence … Continue reading “Evidence of 2002 Taliban Offer Damages Myth of al-Qaeda Ties”

American Warscapes

The other day, at the invitation of economics professor Marty Melkonian, I took a rare jaunt out of my hometown to Hofstra University on Long Island and gave a talk in that college’s lecture series, The International Scene, to a group of lively young students. It was filmed and will soon appear on C-SPAN’s Book … Continue reading “American Warscapes”

Better Safe Than Sorry?

“Better safe than sorry” is a popular English idiom that can be traced back to Irish novelist Samuel Lover’s Rory O’More (1837). Essentially, it means that it is better to take precautionary actions rather than be sorry that you didn’t if something bad happens. One example was when we were worried about the H1N1 (or … Continue reading “Better Safe Than Sorry?”