Ron Kovic, paralyzed Vietnam Vet turned anti-war activist, dedicated his book Born on the Fourth of July to “my country and its people.” Born on the Fourth of July (famously turned into a film by Oliver Stone starring Tom Cruise as Kovic) remains a compelling and moving account of Kovic’s experience as eager volunteer Marine […]

Updated below with specific language.
Yesterday I objected to the proposed changes to the War Crimes Act on the grounds that by specifying certain acts as illegal Congress risked condoning unspecified acts. That is, by pre-interpreting what interrogation techniques violate the Geneva Conventions (which set the standards of the War Crimes Act) Congress drastically limits […]

It’s hard to have faith in an administration that openly flaunts its efforts to fail as stewards of this country. Whatever It Is, I’m Against It:
Wolfie asked Chimpy if Iran would nuke Israel if it had nukes. Bush responded that he believes everything that everyone tells him without reservation, which is why he has the […]

As it becomes increasingly clear that the right is framing the grounds for preventive war with Iran, we on the left have to recognize that were are about to walk off of a moral cliff. A crisis is advancing upon us and contra Charles Krauthammer, that crisis is not of Iran’s making, but America’s. For […]

Some officials at the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the State Department said they’re concerned that the offices of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney may be receiving a stream of questionable information that originates with Iranian exiles, including a discredited arms dealer, Manucher Ghorbanifar, who played a role in […]

Rebiya Kadeer, a Muslim Uighur leader and former political prisoner, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Uighurs are probably one of the most unknown (or more accurately, forgotten) ethnic groups living under colonial occupation anywhere in the world. East Turkestan (Xinjiang) is under an intense Chinese military occupation. Uighurs will never be […]

Today is September 2, 2006. Very soon we can expect an inundation of stories, tributes and exploitations of the 5 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. Today, though, before we are thrust into the past I think it is useful to consider where we are right now […]

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Last night I was talking with Austin about the prospects of war with Iran. He thought the only way Bush could get the next war he wants is by actually going to Congress to declare war. I disagreed strongly, though largely on the grounds that I don’t see the narrative established in the media […]

How does one react to news from the war on terror? The UK case was a victory over organized terror without a question, but the administration’s triumphalism seemed misplaced and downright partisan. Certainly there must be a way to draw a distinction between the administration’s war on terror and actual anti-terrorism operations:
Bush says […]

I wrote this on Saturday on my way to Vegas. My hotel had no access (wtf?).

Maureen Dowd had a nice line this morning, saying that the administration continues to confuse simplicity for clarity. How is it that Bush and his suddenly active State Department are so confident in their appraisal of the Middle East, […]