From Reuters : U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld argued on Tuesday that the guerrillas fighting U.S.-led foreign forces and the American-backed government in Iraq do not deserve to be called an "insurgency." Asked at a Pentagon news conference why he did not think the word insurgency applied to enemy forces in Iraq, Rumsfeld said he had "an epiphany." "I've thought about it. And, over the weekend, I thought to myself, you know, that gives them a greater legitimacy than they seem to ...

Bush addressed the nation tonight, and I think he was especially candid with the people of America. It's especially refreshing to hear what he had to say regarding the War on Terror and the insurgency in Iraq. IMHO he was honest and forthright. From the Washington Post : The address came on the heels of four major speeches in which Bush acknowledged setbacks and surprises in the war and took responsibility for ordering the invasion on the basis of inaccurate intelligence. The admissio...

It occurred to me today, as I was listening and reading and watching all about the wiretap non-scandal and the post-9/11 assumption of powers, all in the name of the War on Terror... When do "We the People" get these civil liberties back? When can we fly without strip searches and shoe removal? When can we pick up the phone without wondering if anyone's listening? (No one is, I promise, unless you're already a terrorist.) (I could also go into "When can I stop worrying about the Mu...

Let's all give thanks to the mighty ACLU for protecting our rights as citizens of the greatest nation on earth. From The American President , the finest two-hour infomercial the ACLU could have ever asked for: ANDREW SHEPHERD: For the record, Yes, I am a card-carrying member of the A.C.L.U. But the more important question is why aren't you, Bob? This is an organization whose sole purpose is to defend the Bill of Rights. Why would a senator, his party's most powerful spokesman and a...

The Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution Link No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be d...

The Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be depri...

A fascinating article for those who don't realize the fight with terror is real. And the fight is all around us. From the Post Chronicle : The FBI has initiated an intense investigation into the increase in purchases of large numbers of disposable cell phones by individuals who emanate from the Middle East and Pakistan. The cheap cell phones, which do not require purchasers to sign a contract or have a credit card, have many legitimate uses, and are popular with those who have bad c...

The War on Terror is being fought using false information! The Bush Administration used faulty information to initiate an attack on allies' soil! I always thought Pakistan was an ally in the War on Terror! But here we are, bombing people on Paki soil! Here, read for yourself, from Yahoo News : Al-Qaida's No. 2 leader was invited to a dinner marking a Muslim festival on the night of the devastating U.S. missile strike in a Pakistani border village, but he failed to show up, P...

In a classic example of "preaching to the choir", Al Gore spoke on MLK Day regarding Bush and wiretapping before a forum of members of the Liberty Coalition, a civil liberties advocacy group, and the American Constitution Society for Law and Public Policy, a liberal legal group. They were on the edge of their chairs while Gore reviled the Bush Administration for what he deemed to be an utter disregard for the Constitution and the laws of the US. From AXcessNews.com : In speaking before...

Here's responsible statesmanship of the worst kind. Jacques Chirac, President of France and the guy with his finger on the button of France's nuclear arsenal, threatened to use nuclear weapons in response to any terrorist attack on France that originated from abroad. For example, after a 9/11-type attack on French soil, the retaliation would be a nuclear strike on Afghanistan. Chirac showing his tough, manly side. From today's Washington Post : French President Jacques Chirac s...

Here's an unexpected turn of events. He claims that despite al-Qaeda's preparations for fresh US attacks, he wants to sue for peace. He claims that he's got several projects underway and the only way we can prevent them from happening is to accede to bin Laden's demands. He claims that he doesn't want to fight any more, but can we take it at face value? From Yahoo News : Osama bin Laden warned that al Qaeda was preparing new attacks inside the United States, but said the group was op...

Found this article at the Independent.co.uk : It is complete garbage, and I'll tell you why after the article. George Bush considered provoking a war with Saddam Hussein's regime by flying a United States spyplane over Iraq bearing UN colours, enticing the Iraqis to take a shot at it, according to a leaked memo of a meeting between the US President and Tony Blair. The two leaders were worried by the lack of hard evidence that Saddam Hussein had broken UN resolutions, though pr...

"I am for socialism, disarmament, and ultimately for abolishing the state itself as an instrument of violence and compulsion. I seek social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class, and sole control by those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal. --ACLU founder Roger Baldwin Peggy Lamson, "Roger Baldwin: Founder of the American Civil Liberties Union, A portrait" Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1976, p.192 Now from The American President , the finest two-hour infom...

The New York Times reported last night that the Patriot Act was going to be passed, as the motion to reject its renewal was rejected 96-3... Earlier today, the Senate handed the administration a victory as it voted, 96 to 3, not to hold up the Patriot Act to incorporate changes urged by Senator Russell D. Feingold, the act's most persistent critic. Mr. Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin, said he wants to make the Senate debate several more days on the bill, and under the Senate's rules he...

Well, Saddam decided that the court was worth his time after all. Instead of hunger striking, refusing to acknowledge the court's authority over him, or calling for the removal of Americans from his country and reinstating himself as potentate over Iraq, Saddam decided to address his captors from the witness stand! From Reuters : BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein formally took the stand in his trial for the first time on Wednesday after earlier acknowledging in court that he gave...