By David Swanson
March 29, 2009
Spain has begun a criminal investigation into six of Bush and Cheney's torture lawyers, and our own Justice Department has got some 'splaining to do.
Read on.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Welcome to Vietnam, Mr. President
By Ray McGovern
March 28, 2009
I was wrong. I had been saying that it would be naïve to take too seriously presidential candidate Barack Obama’s rhetoric regarding the need to escalate the war in Afghanistan.
Read on.
March 28, 2009
I was wrong. I had been saying that it would be naïve to take too seriously presidential candidate Barack Obama’s rhetoric regarding the need to escalate the war in Afghanistan.
Read on.
Friday, March 27, 2009
The MSM and Swimming Naked
By Robert Parry
March 28, 2009
There’s a Wall Street saying about what happens to traders who have taken too many chances, when the stock prices ebb: “When the tide goes out,” it’s said, “you see who’s been swimming naked” – what might be called the ultimate consequence of a bear (or bare) market.
Read on.
March 28, 2009
There’s a Wall Street saying about what happens to traders who have taken too many chances, when the stock prices ebb: “When the tide goes out,” it’s said, “you see who’s been swimming naked” – what might be called the ultimate consequence of a bear (or bare) market.
Read on.
No Angry Mob, But a Movement
By Michael Winship
March 27, 2009
A college friend of mine, after much quaffing from the keg, so to speak, would start singing a faux hymn that began, “We are sliding into sin – whee!”
Read on.
March 27, 2009
A college friend of mine, after much quaffing from the keg, so to speak, would start singing a faux hymn that began, “We are sliding into sin – whee!”
Read on.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Iraqi Civil Strife Threatens US Pullout
By Ivan Eland
March 27, 2009
Bosnian Serb leaders have threatened to withdraw from Bosnia-Herzegovina, the decentralized entity created by the 1995 Dayton Accords, which ended a brutal civil war in the Balkans that killed more than 100,000 people in the early 1990s.
Read on.
March 27, 2009
Bosnian Serb leaders have threatened to withdraw from Bosnia-Herzegovina, the decentralized entity created by the 1995 Dayton Accords, which ended a brutal civil war in the Balkans that killed more than 100,000 people in the early 1990s.
Read on.
Lost History Hurts Obama's Iran Bid
By Robert Parry
March 26, 2009
March 26, 2009
President Barack Obama and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke past each other in a recent exchange partly because both countries nurse historical grievances against the other and neither has fully acknowledged that mutual history dating back three decades.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Bush's 'Lawyer-Shopping' for Torture
By Jason Leopold
March 24, 2009
March 24, 2009
In 2005, after pushing out the Justice Department lawyer who had overturned President George W. Bush’s claimed authority to abuse “war on terror” prisoners, his administration reinstated key elements of the memos granting Bush virtually unlimited powers over the detainees, according to a list of still-secret documents.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Laissez Unfair
By Brent Budowsky
March 24, 2009
This is a tale of Washington, Wall Street and wounded troops. It is a story about socialism for the few who game the system and Darwinian capitalism against the many who suffer the pain and pay the cost.
Read on.
March 24, 2009
This is a tale of Washington, Wall Street and wounded troops. It is a story about socialism for the few who game the system and Darwinian capitalism against the many who suffer the pain and pay the cost.
Read on.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
WPost Elitists Feel for Wall St. Brethren
By Robert Parry
March 22, 2009
One interesting trait of elitists is that they show remarkable class solidarity, often more so than people of lesser means. Which may help explain why the Washington Post’s editorial writers penned three editorials last week decrying the populist outrage over the AIG bonuses.
Read on.
March 22, 2009
One interesting trait of elitists is that they show remarkable class solidarity, often more so than people of lesser means. Which may help explain why the Washington Post’s editorial writers penned three editorials last week decrying the populist outrage over the AIG bonuses.
Read on.
The Iraq War's Six Years of Mayhem
By David Swanson
March 22, 2009
Thus far, 4,261 members of the U.S. military have been killed in Iraq and 67,237 wounded.
Read on.
March 22, 2009
Thus far, 4,261 members of the U.S. military have been killed in Iraq and 67,237 wounded.
Read on.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
How to Really Hit Back at Wall Street
By Brent Budowsky
March 21, 2009
Let’s ban political contributions to any candidate, of any party, for any office by any company that receives bailout money, until the money is paid back in full.
Read on.
March 21, 2009
Let’s ban political contributions to any candidate, of any party, for any office by any company that receives bailout money, until the money is paid back in full.
Read on.
CIA Has 3,000 Docs on Torture Tapes
By Jason Leopold
March 21, 2009
The CIA has about 3,000 documents related to the 92 destroyed videotapes that showed “war on terror” detainees being subjected to harsh interrogations, the Justice Department has disclosed, suggesting an extensive back-and-forth between CIA field operatives and officials of the Bush administration.
Read on.
March 21, 2009
The CIA has about 3,000 documents related to the 92 destroyed videotapes that showed “war on terror” detainees being subjected to harsh interrogations, the Justice Department has disclosed, suggesting an extensive back-and-forth between CIA field operatives and officials of the Bush administration.
Read on.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Good News, Bad News
By Robert Parry
March 20, 2009
The good news is that – thanks to our readers – we did meet the grant challenge from a donor.
Read on.
March 20, 2009
The good news is that – thanks to our readers – we did meet the grant challenge from a donor.
Read on.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Losing the Oxygen of Journalism
By Gray Brechin
March 19, 2009
We seldom think of oxygen unless it’s absent. You’d think about it a lot if it suddenly exited this room; you’d start gasping and writhing, your eardrums would burst, you and your neighbors would do a lot of bleeding on each other, then you’d die.
Read on.
March 19, 2009
We seldom think of oxygen unless it’s absent. You’d think about it a lot if it suddenly exited this room; you’d start gasping and writhing, your eardrums would burst, you and your neighbors would do a lot of bleeding on each other, then you’d die.
Read on.
Framing Obama -- by the WPost
By Robert Parry
March 19, 2009
March 19, 2009
An insidious power of a propagandistic newspaper – especially one with great influence – is how it can “frame” an issue so the assumptions behind a story guide the readers to a preordained conclusion under the guise of presenting a fair journalistic account.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Torture Revealed Yet Again
By David Swanson
March 19, 2009
As with the evidence that Bush, Cheney and gang intentionally lied us into a war, or the evidence of illegal and unconstitutional spying, each time a major new piece of evidence of torture emerges, it is impossible not to hope that this is the one that will compel the Justice Department or Congress or the courts or the American people to act decisively.
Read on.
March 19, 2009
As with the evidence that Bush, Cheney and gang intentionally lied us into a war, or the evidence of illegal and unconstitutional spying, each time a major new piece of evidence of torture emerges, it is impossible not to hope that this is the one that will compel the Justice Department or Congress or the courts or the American people to act decisively.
Read on.
CIA's Panetta Is Falling Short
By Melvin A. Goodman
March 18, 2009
President Barack Obama’s CIA director, Leon Panetta, needed only one month to establish that he lacks the courage, contrariness, judgment, and political and intellectual independence to reform the Central Intelligence Agency.
Read on.
March 18, 2009
President Barack Obama’s CIA director, Leon Panetta, needed only one month to establish that he lacks the courage, contrariness, judgment, and political and intellectual independence to reform the Central Intelligence Agency.
Read on.
Indentured Servants, Circa 2009
By Barbara Koeppel
March 18, 2009
The immigration imbroglio is the gorilla in the room that won’t go away.
Read on.
March 18, 2009
The immigration imbroglio is the gorilla in the room that won’t go away.
Read on.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
New Evidence of Bush Torture Crimes
By Jason Leopold
March 17, 2009
As more pieces of a very ugly mosaic fall into place – including new details from a confidential 2007 report by the International Committee of the Red Cross about interrogations at CIA “black sites” – any remaining doubt that the Bush administration engaged in a conscious policy of torture is disappearing.
Read on.
March 17, 2009
As more pieces of a very ugly mosaic fall into place – including new details from a confidential 2007 report by the International Committee of the Red Cross about interrogations at CIA “black sites” – any remaining doubt that the Bush administration engaged in a conscious policy of torture is disappearing.
Read on.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
WPost Is a Neocon Propaganda Sheet
By Robert Parry
March 15, 2009
For Americans who hear the name Washington Post and still think of “All the President’s Men” – brave journalists and editors facing down a corrupt President – today’s version of the newspaper would be a sad disappointment, a betrayal of a noble past.
Read on.
March 15, 2009
For Americans who hear the name Washington Post and still think of “All the President’s Men” – brave journalists and editors facing down a corrupt President – today’s version of the newspaper would be a sad disappointment, a betrayal of a noble past.
Read on.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Brave, Living and Dead
By Michael Winship
March 14, 2009
In this bicentennial year of Abraham Lincoln's birth, I recently was re-reading part of Doris Kearns Goodwin's epic history, Team of Rivals.
Read on.
March 14, 2009
In this bicentennial year of Abraham Lincoln's birth, I recently was re-reading part of Doris Kearns Goodwin's epic history, Team of Rivals.
Read on.
Gates Carries Over Iraq-WMD Lie
By Melvin A. Goodman
March 14, 2009
March 14, 2009
In 1987, President Ronald Reagan nominated Robert Gates to be Director of Central Intelligence (DCI), but he was denied confirmation because a majority of members on the Senate Intelligence Committee believed he was lying about his knowledge and role in the Iran-Contra Affair.
Friday, March 13, 2009
War Crimes & American Rejectionism
By Peter Dyer
March 13, 2009
On June 13, 1899, one of the largest battles of the Philippine-American war took place on the southern outskirts of Manila.
Read on.
March 13, 2009
On June 13, 1899, one of the largest battles of the Philippine-American war took place on the southern outskirts of Manila.
Read on.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Israel Lobby Knocks Out Freeman
By Melvin A. Goodman
March 12, 2009
March 12, 2009
Israel is capable of debating sensitive national security issues dealing with a variety of Israeli-Arab issues, but this does not appear to be possible in the United States.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Oh, What a Lovely Class War!
By Michael Winship
March 11, 2009
My goodness, how they howl when the proverbial shoe is on the proverbial other foot. You'd think the Red Army had just left Moscow and was preparing a frontal assault on the Federal Reserve.
Read on.
March 11, 2009
My goodness, how they howl when the proverbial shoe is on the proverbial other foot. You'd think the Red Army had just left Moscow and was preparing a frontal assault on the Federal Reserve.
Read on.
Timidity Derails Obama Intel Choice
By Ray McGovern
March 11, 2009
On Tuesday morning, Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair, employed the indicative mood in describing the high value that Chas Freeman, his appointee to head the National Intelligence Council (NIC), will bring to the job — “his long experience and inventive mind,” for example.
Read on.
March 11, 2009
On Tuesday morning, Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair, employed the indicative mood in describing the high value that Chas Freeman, his appointee to head the National Intelligence Council (NIC), will bring to the job — “his long experience and inventive mind,” for example.
Read on.
The Neocons Strike Back
By Robert Parry
March 11, 2009
The neoconservatives have demonstrated that their power in Washington remains strong as they have succeeded in keeping veteran diplomat Chas Freeman out of a top intelligence job.
Read on.
March 11, 2009
The neoconservatives have demonstrated that their power in Washington remains strong as they have succeeded in keeping veteran diplomat Chas Freeman out of a top intelligence job.
Read on.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Can Obama's Change Find El Salvador?
By Don North
March 11, 2009
More than a quarter century ago, the U.S. government under Ronald Reagan drew a Cold War line in El Salvador and made the defeat of the leftist Farabundo Marti Front for National Liberation (the FMLN) a major foreign policy goal.
Read on.
March 11, 2009
More than a quarter century ago, the U.S. government under Ronald Reagan drew a Cold War line in El Salvador and made the defeat of the leftist Farabundo Marti Front for National Liberation (the FMLN) a major foreign policy goal.
Read on.
Finally, Putting Country First
By Brent Budowsky
March 10, 2009
We Americans have our backs against the financial wall. We are in a war against fear, greed and corruption of the marketplace.
Read on.
March 10, 2009
We Americans have our backs against the financial wall. We are in a war against fear, greed and corruption of the marketplace.
Read on.
Obama's DNI Urged to Backi Freeman
By Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity
March 10, 2009
March 10, 2009
We write to give strong endorsement to your choice of Chas Freeman for Chair of the National Intelligence Council.
Monday, March 09, 2009
The Threat to Obama's Presidency
By Robert Parry
March 9, 2009
Less than two months into Barack Obama’s presidency, it has become clear that the top threat to his ability to accomplish his goals – from reversing the recession to reforming health care to building a greener economy – is not just an obstructionist Republican Party but a U.S. news media that remains largely tilted to the Right.
Read on.
March 9, 2009
Less than two months into Barack Obama’s presidency, it has become clear that the top threat to his ability to accomplish his goals – from reversing the recession to reforming health care to building a greener economy – is not just an obstructionist Republican Party but a U.S. news media that remains largely tilted to the Right.
Read on.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Who Wants to Watch the Watchmen?
By Lisa Pease
March 8, 2009
I was really looking forward to seeing “Watchmen.” While I had not read the graphic novel, I was familiar with Alan Moore's work from his novel “V for Vendetta,” and the Wachowski brothers' magnificent movie based on the novel.
Read on.
March 8, 2009
I was really looking forward to seeing “Watchmen.” While I had not read the graphic novel, I was familiar with Alan Moore's work from his novel “V for Vendetta,” and the Wachowski brothers' magnificent movie based on the novel.
Read on.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Bush Boasted about Tortured Captive
By Jason Leopold
March 8, 2009
About the time President George W. Bush was boasting of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri’s capture in late 2002, the alleged mastermind of the USS Cole bombing was undergoing waterboarding, according to top-secret documents released in a New York federal court case.
Read on.
March 8, 2009
About the time President George W. Bush was boasting of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri’s capture in late 2002, the alleged mastermind of the USS Cole bombing was undergoing waterboarding, according to top-secret documents released in a New York federal court case.
Read on.
Yoo Defends His Legal Memos
By Jason Leopold
March 7, 2009
Former Justice Department lawyer John Yoo refuses to back down on his post-9/11 legal opinions that gave President George W. Bush virtually unchecked power, even though many of the memos have since been repudiated for overreaching and inferior scholarship.
Read on.
March 7, 2009
Former Justice Department lawyer John Yoo refuses to back down on his post-9/11 legal opinions that gave President George W. Bush virtually unchecked power, even though many of the memos have since been repudiated for overreaching and inferior scholarship.
Read on.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Neocons Wage War on a 'Realist'
By Robert Parry
March 6, 2009
In a normal world, people in Washington might welcome the hiring of a “realist” to oversee the production of U.S. intelligence analyses, with the hope that even if the truth doesn’t set you free, it at least might be the foundation for sound policies.
Read on.
March 6, 2009
In a normal world, people in Washington might welcome the hiring of a “realist” to oversee the production of U.S. intelligence analyses, with the hope that even if the truth doesn’t set you free, it at least might be the foundation for sound policies.
Read on.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
War Crimes and Double Standards
By Robert Parry
March 5, 2009
New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof – like many of his American colleagues – is applauding the International Criminal Court’s arrest order against Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for his role in the Darfur conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Read on.
March 5, 2009
New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof – like many of his American colleagues – is applauding the International Criminal Court’s arrest order against Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for his role in the Darfur conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Read on.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
House Strikes Deal for Rove Testimony
By Jason Leopold
March 4, 2009
The House Judiciary Committee cut a deal with representatives of ex-President George W. Bush that will result in aides Karl Rove and Harriet Miers testifying in Congress’s long-running investigation into the firings of nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006. But the testimony, at least for the time being, will not be public.
Read on.
March 4, 2009
The House Judiciary Committee cut a deal with representatives of ex-President George W. Bush that will result in aides Karl Rove and Harriet Miers testifying in Congress’s long-running investigation into the firings of nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006. But the testimony, at least for the time being, will not be public.
Read on.
Iran in the Crosshairs
By Gareth Porter and Ray McGovern
March 4, 2009
Last year, the Middle East dodged the danger of an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities and the inevitable spread of hostilities.
Read on.
March 4, 2009
Last year, the Middle East dodged the danger of an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities and the inevitable spread of hostilities.
Read on.
How Close the Bush Bullet
By Robert Parry
March 4, 2009
March 4, 2009
Earlier this decade when some of us warned that George W. Bush was behaving more like an incipient dictator than the leader of a constitutional republic, we were dismissed as alarmists, left-wingers, traitors and a host of less printable epithets.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Justice Memos Gave Bush Total Power
By Jason Leopold
March 3, 2009
Lawyers for George W. Bush’s Justice Department asserted that the President had unlimited powers to prosecute the “war on terror” on American soil and could ignore constitutional rights, including First Amendment freedoms of speech and the press and Fourth Amendment requirements for search warrants, according to nine secret memos just released.
Read on.
March 3, 2009
Lawyers for George W. Bush’s Justice Department asserted that the President had unlimited powers to prosecute the “war on terror” on American soil and could ignore constitutional rights, including First Amendment freedoms of speech and the press and Fourth Amendment requirements for search warrants, according to nine secret memos just released.
Read on.
Monday, March 02, 2009
CIA Destroyed More Torture Videos
By Jason Leopold
March 2, 2009
The CIA destroyed 92 videotapes – far more than previously known – to prevent disclosure of evidence revealing how the agency’s interrogators subjected “war on terror” detainees to waterboarding and other brutal methods, according to court documents filed by the Justice Department.
Read on.
March 2, 2009
The CIA destroyed 92 videotapes – far more than previously known – to prevent disclosure of evidence revealing how the agency’s interrogators subjected “war on terror” detainees to waterboarding and other brutal methods, according to court documents filed by the Justice Department.
Read on.
The American Media Misdiagnosis
By Robert Parry
March 2, 2009
March 2, 2009
It’s widely agreed that there are a number of factors dragging down American newspapers, including the economic recession and the impact of the Internet, but a reason rarely mentioned is that the national news media failed in its most important job – to serve as a watchdog for the people.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Hockey Mom Takes on Radio Right
By Lynne Gillooly
March 1, 2009
My name is Lynne and I am a 52-year-old basketball-playing Hockey Mom. I own a small business and have four children. Until 1999, I was an Independent voter. I voted for R. Reagan and Bush 41, but not for Bush 43.
Read on.
March 1, 2009
My name is Lynne and I am a 52-year-old basketball-playing Hockey Mom. I own a small business and have four children. Until 1999, I was an Independent voter. I voted for R. Reagan and Bush 41, but not for Bush 43.
Read on.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Obama's War with the Right (& Media)
By Robert Parry
February 28, 2009
February 28, 2009
In a startling ambitious budget message, President Barack Obama has thrown down the gauntlet to the American Right not only by tying the current economic crisis to the recklessness of the past eight years under George W. Bush but by tracing it back further to the anti-regulatory, anti-labor and anti-government policies of Ronald Reagan.
Good Lives in Bad Times
By Michael Winship
February 28, 2009
In 9th grade high school English, we read that famous William Carlos Williams poem:
Read on.
February 28, 2009
In 9th grade high school English, we read that famous William Carlos Williams poem:
Read on.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Can You Trust the Republicans?
By Robert Parry
February 27, 2009
If you watch the pundits on cable news or read the big-name newspaper columnists, you will find a general consensus that the national Republicans are returning to their core principles in their near-unanimous opposition to President Barack Obama’s stimulus bill and other proposals.
Read on.
February 27, 2009
If you watch the pundits on cable news or read the big-name newspaper columnists, you will find a general consensus that the national Republicans are returning to their core principles in their near-unanimous opposition to President Barack Obama’s stimulus bill and other proposals.
Read on.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Leahy, Pelosi Differ on Bush Inquiry
By Jason Leopold
February 26, 2009
February 26, 2009
In one week, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy says he will begin establishing a “commission of inquiry” to investigate the Bush administration’s use of torture and other abuses of power, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is objecting to his plan of granting immunity to some witnesses.
The GOP's Anti-Obama Propaganda
By Robert Parry
February 25, 2009
February 25, 2009
Today’s Republicans are thumbing through Newt Gingrich’s worn playbook of 1993 looking for tips on how to blunt President Barack Obama’s political momentum and flip it to their advantage. In doing so, they also appear to have dug in to what might be called the secret appendix.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
'News' Media Disgraced in Levy Case
By Jeff Cohen
February 24, 2009
For four months beginning in May 2001, major U.S. media outlets, including all three cable news channels, took the American public for a ride -- perpetrating a hoax that a married congressman was somehow involved in the disappearance of a female intern.
Read on.
February 24, 2009
For four months beginning in May 2001, major U.S. media outlets, including all three cable news channels, took the American public for a ride -- perpetrating a hoax that a married congressman was somehow involved in the disappearance of a female intern.
Read on.
JFK, FDR and 'Seven Days in May'
By Lisa Pease
February 24, 2009
Robert Parry recently wrote of how President Obama's early actions might bring him a "Seven Days in May moment," referring to a fictitious coup attempt from a film of the same name, in which a popular military figure nearly took over the government.
Read on.
February 24, 2009
Robert Parry recently wrote of how President Obama's early actions might bring him a "Seven Days in May moment," referring to a fictitious coup attempt from a film of the same name, in which a popular military figure nearly took over the government.
Read on.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Obama Signals 'Bush-Lite' on Liberties
By Ivan Eland
February 24, 2009
February 24, 2009
Barack Obama entered the presidency as one of the most rhetorically pro-civil liberties politicians in recent memory.
Anti--Gay Bias Should Anger Christians
By Howard Bess
February 23, 2009
On Aug. 23, 2008, Australian diver Matthew Mitcham executed the highest-scoring dive ever made in Olympic history. The dive was a complicated maneuver called a back 2½ somersault with 2½ twists. Matthew nailed it with perfection.
Read on.
February 23, 2009
On Aug. 23, 2008, Australian diver Matthew Mitcham executed the highest-scoring dive ever made in Olympic history. The dive was a complicated maneuver called a back 2½ somersault with 2½ twists. Matthew nailed it with perfection.
Read on.
Yoo's Memos Give Retroactive Cover
By Jason Leopold
February 23, 2009
A Justice Department inquiry has found that the Bush administration’s legal opinions justifying the torture of “war on terror” detainees were hastily drafted after one prisoner was already subjected to waterboarding, a practice that creates the sensation of drowning, according to several sources familiar with the still-classified report.
Read on.
February 23, 2009
A Justice Department inquiry has found that the Bush administration’s legal opinions justifying the torture of “war on terror” detainees were hastily drafted after one prisoner was already subjected to waterboarding, a practice that creates the sensation of drowning, according to several sources familiar with the still-classified report.
Read on.
Capital Hypocrisy Rooted in Money
By Michael Winship
February 23, 2009
The great movie comic and professional curmudgeon W.C. Fields once said, "You can fool some of the people some of the time - and that's enough to make a decent living."
Read on.
February 23, 2009
The great movie comic and professional curmudgeon W.C. Fields once said, "You can fool some of the people some of the time - and that's enough to make a decent living."
Read on.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Obama's 'Seven Days in May' Moment
By Robert Parry
February 20, 2009
February 20, 2009
Only one month into his presidency, Barack Obama is finding himself confronting not only George W. Bush’s left-behind crises but an array of influential enemies in the military, financial circles, the political world and the media – determined to thwart Obama’s agenda for “change.”
Read on.Prosecution for Bush War Crimes
By Marjorie Cohn
February 20, 2009
Since taking office, President Barack Obama has instituted many changes that break with the policies of the Bush administration. The new President has ordered that no government agency will be allowed to torture, that the U.S. prison at Guantánamo will be shuttered, and that the CIA’s secret black sites will be closed down.
Read on.
February 20, 2009
Since taking office, President Barack Obama has instituted many changes that break with the policies of the Bush administration. The new President has ordered that no government agency will be allowed to torture, that the U.S. prison at Guantánamo will be shuttered, and that the CIA’s secret black sites will be closed down.
Read on.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Gunplay, a Chimp & the Presidency
By William Loren Katz
February 19, 2009
On Feb. 18, New York Post published a cartoon of two policemen who have just slain the author of the economic stimulus package -- a chimpanzee who lies in a pool of blood. The paper's defense was that the cartoon was just good-hearted fun, no harm intended to the African-American President who devised and signed the package.
Read on.
February 19, 2009
On Feb. 18, New York Post published a cartoon of two policemen who have just slain the author of the economic stimulus package -- a chimpanzee who lies in a pool of blood. The paper's defense was that the cartoon was just good-hearted fun, no harm intended to the African-American President who devised and signed the package.
Read on.
The US Media & Democracy in Crisis
By Robert Parry
February 19, 2009
For those of us who have criticized the U.S. mainstream media for failing to resist right-wing pressure over the past three decades, there is a sad sense of vindication watching the downward spiral of so many once-venerable newspapers. But this trend carries with it a new threat to American democracy.
Read on.
February 19, 2009
For those of us who have criticized the U.S. mainstream media for failing to resist right-wing pressure over the past three decades, there is a sad sense of vindication watching the downward spiral of so many once-venerable newspapers. But this trend carries with it a new threat to American democracy.
Read on.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
'Bitter' Gore; 'Principled' McCain
By Robert Parry
February 18, 2009
When we started Consortiumnews.com back in 1995, it was already apparent that the mainstream U.S. press corps was beyond reform. The corporate media had, in effect, merged with the growing right-wing media in overplaying the “Clinton scandals.”
Read on.
February 18, 2009
When we started Consortiumnews.com back in 1995, it was already apparent that the mainstream U.S. press corps was beyond reform. The corporate media had, in effect, merged with the growing right-wing media in overplaying the “Clinton scandals.”
Read on.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Needed NBC Series: 'Catch a Cheney'
By Jeff Cohen
February 17. 2009
I have a plan to get NBC out of last place in the ratings. I’m promising blockbuster audience and international buzz. As a once disgruntled ex-employee, I now just want to be positive and help NBC, which needs all the free advice it can get.
Read on.
February 17. 2009
I have a plan to get NBC out of last place in the ratings. I’m promising blockbuster audience and international buzz. As a once disgruntled ex-employee, I now just want to be positive and help NBC, which needs all the free advice it can get.
Read on.
Obama Seeks Deal on Bush Privilege
By Jason Leopold
February 17, 2009
Hoping for a negotiated settlement, Barack Obama’s Justice Department has requested a two-week delay in a court deadline regarding enforcement of congressional subpoenas demanding the testimony of two Bush administration officials.
Read on.
February 17, 2009
Hoping for a negotiated settlement, Barack Obama’s Justice Department has requested a two-week delay in a court deadline regarding enforcement of congressional subpoenas demanding the testimony of two Bush administration officials.
Read on.
The Price of America's Prison Gulags
By Anthony Gregory
February 17, 2009
A three-judge panel has tentatively ruled that “[t]he California prison system must reduce overcrowding by as many as 55,000 inmates within three years to provide a constitutional level of medical and mental health care,” according to the New York Times.
Read on.
February 17, 2009
A three-judge panel has tentatively ruled that “[t]he California prison system must reduce overcrowding by as many as 55,000 inmates within three years to provide a constitutional level of medical and mental health care,” according to the New York Times.
Read on.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Obama & the Media Dilemma
By Robert Parry
February 16, 2009
It was only a few years ago – when the Republicans controlled both Congress and the White House – that the U.S. news media offered up one-sided coverage of the Bush administration, relying on Republicans, right-wingers and pro-war military experts to shape what Americans got to see and read.
Read on.
February 16, 2009
It was only a few years ago – when the Republicans controlled both Congress and the White House – that the U.S. news media offered up one-sided coverage of the Bush administration, relying on Republicans, right-wingers and pro-war military experts to shape what Americans got to see and read.
Read on.
Republicans Bet on America's Failure
By Brent Budowsky
February 16, 2009
February 16, 2009
The passage of the $787 billion jobs bill represents a great victory for President Obama, a huge triumph for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and a tremendous moment for the smart Republican senators: Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Torture Report Erodes Bush's Defense
By Jason Leopold
February 15, 2009
A key line in George W. Bush’s defense against war crimes charges has weakened with the disclosure that an internal Justice Department watchdog has concluded that the legal advice, which cleared the way for Bush’s policies on torture and other abuse of detainees, was tainted by political influence.
Read on.
February 15, 2009
A key line in George W. Bush’s defense against war crimes charges has weakened with the disclosure that an internal Justice Department watchdog has concluded that the legal advice, which cleared the way for Bush’s policies on torture and other abuse of detainees, was tainted by political influence.
Read on.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Obscene Wealth Can Be a Deadly Sin
By Howard Bess
February 14, 2009
February 14, 2009
In America it is common to define immorality as the misuse of sexual relationships.
The Oligarchy's Bailout Ball
By Michael Winship
February 14, 2009
You know what they say -- half a million dollars just doesn't go as far as it used to.
Read on.
February 14, 2009
You know what they say -- half a million dollars just doesn't go as far as it used to.
Read on.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Conyers Subpoenas Rove, Again
By Jason Leopold
February 13, 2009
Rejecting a compromise offer from ex-White House political adviser Karl Rove, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers issued another subpoena — the third in less than a year — demanding that Rove appear before Congress in 10 days to answer questions about his role in the firings of nine U.S. Attorneys and the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman.
Read on.
February 13, 2009
Rejecting a compromise offer from ex-White House political adviser Karl Rove, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers issued another subpoena — the third in less than a year — demanding that Rove appear before Congress in 10 days to answer questions about his role in the firings of nine U.S. Attorneys and the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman.
Read on.
The Ultra-Radical Republicans
By Robert Parry
February 13, 2009
Sixteen years ago, when another new Democratic President was trying to enact an economic package, the Republicans were entrenched in opposition, too. But there was a striking difference between those Republicans and today’s: the 1993 Republicans still showed some respect for democracy.
Read on.
February 13, 2009
Sixteen years ago, when another new Democratic President was trying to enact an economic package, the Republicans were entrenched in opposition, too. But there was a striking difference between those Republicans and today’s: the 1993 Republicans still showed some respect for democracy.
Read on.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
New Details on Torture Deaths
By Jason Leopold
February 12, 2009
In December 2002 – as the Bush administration was ratcheting up its harsh questioning of detainees – several captives died from “abusive” treatment at the hands of U.S. military interrogators in Afghanistan, according to newly declassified Defense Department documents.
Read on.
February 12, 2009
In December 2002 – as the Bush administration was ratcheting up its harsh questioning of detainees – several captives died from “abusive” treatment at the hands of U.S. military interrogators in Afghanistan, according to newly declassified Defense Department documents.
Read on.
The Case for a G.W. Bush Monument
By David Swanson
February 12, 2009
A letter to the editor in my local newspaper, the Charlottesville Daily Progress, has persuaded me to rethink the truly remarkable accomplishments of President George W. Bush and inspired me to join the movement to erect a Bush Memorial on the National Mall.
Read on.
February 12, 2009
A letter to the editor in my local newspaper, the Charlottesville Daily Progress, has persuaded me to rethink the truly remarkable accomplishments of President George W. Bush and inspired me to join the movement to erect a Bush Memorial on the National Mall.
Read on.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The GOP Jihad on Obama
By Robert Parry
February 10, 2009
February 10, 2009
Only a few weeks into Barack Obama’s presidency, a threatening political and media dynamic has rushed to the fore cutting short a very brief honeymoon.
The Fallacies of a 'Truth Commission'
By David Swanson
February 10, 2009
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy has now joined House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers in proposing some sort of "truth and reconciliation" commission for the crimes of Bush and Cheney, as if Bush and Cheney have multiplied into a whole population that simply cannot be processed by our judicial system.
Read on.
February 10, 2009
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy has now joined House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers in proposing some sort of "truth and reconciliation" commission for the crimes of Bush and Cheney, as if Bush and Cheney have multiplied into a whole population that simply cannot be processed by our judicial system.
Read on.
A Government of Laws, Not of Men
By Peter Dyer
February 10, 2009
Now that the unprecedented lawlessness of the Bush administration is history, we have an equally unprecedented opportunity to reaffirm the foundation of American democracy: the rule of law.
Read on.
February 10, 2009
Now that the unprecedented lawlessness of the Bush administration is history, we have an equally unprecedented opportunity to reaffirm the foundation of American democracy: the rule of law.
Read on.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Leahy Calls for Truth Commission
By Jason Leopold
February 9, 2009
As Democratic leaders struggle over what to do about the Bush administration’s past abuses, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy joined those advocating a “truth and reconciliation commission” that would seek facts, not jail time.
Read on.
February 9, 2009
As Democratic leaders struggle over what to do about the Bush administration’s past abuses, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy joined those advocating a “truth and reconciliation commission” that would seek facts, not jail time.
Read on.
The GOP's Filibuster Hypocrisy
By Robert Parry
February 9, 2009
Though seemingly forgotten by most TV talking heads, it was only three years ago, when the Republicans had control of both the White House and Congress – and “filibuster” was a dirty word.
Read on.
February 9, 2009
Though seemingly forgotten by most TV talking heads, it was only three years ago, when the Republicans had control of both the White House and Congress – and “filibuster” was a dirty word.
Read on.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Gambling at Revolving-Door Roulette
By Michael Winship
February 7, 2009
Not even three weeks in office and President Barack Obama is discovering that being in charge is no bed of roses, even when you have a garden of them just outside your Oval Office windows.
Read on.
February 7, 2009
Not even three weeks in office and President Barack Obama is discovering that being in charge is no bed of roses, even when you have a garden of them just outside your Oval Office windows.
Read on.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Panetta Is Deferential to Republicans
By Ray McGovern
February 6, 2009
“I am a creature of Congress,” said Leon Panetta with a toothy grin, which was returned by equally wide smiles from members of the Senate Intelligence Committee meeting to consider his nomination to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Read on.
February 6, 2009
“I am a creature of Congress,” said Leon Panetta with a toothy grin, which was returned by equally wide smiles from members of the Senate Intelligence Committee meeting to consider his nomination to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Read on.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Why Not Cut Military Spending?
By David Swanson
February 5, 2009
In the ordinary course of things in Washington, D.C., and on television, there are two separate conversations.
Read on.
February 5, 2009
In the ordinary course of things in Washington, D.C., and on television, there are two separate conversations.
Read on.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Is Peace Still an Option?
By Norman Solomon
February 4, 2009
The United States began its war in Afghanistan 88 months ago. "The war on terror" has no sunset clause. As a perpetual emotion machine, it offers to avenge what can never heal and to fix grief that is irreparable.
Read on.
February 4, 2009
The United States began its war in Afghanistan 88 months ago. "The war on terror" has no sunset clause. As a perpetual emotion machine, it offers to avenge what can never heal and to fix grief that is irreparable.
Read on.
First,, Jail All Bush's Lawyers
By Robert Parry
February 3, 2009
If new Attorney General Eric Holder really means what he said in his oath – that he will “support and defend the Constitution of the United States” – then he must give serious consideration to prosecuting crimes committed by the Bush administration, including its torturing of detainees.
Read on.
February 3, 2009
If new Attorney General Eric Holder really means what he said in his oath – that he will “support and defend the Constitution of the United States” – then he must give serious consideration to prosecuting crimes committed by the Bush administration, including its torturing of detainees.
Read on.
Accepting the End of the US Empire
By Ivan Eland
February 3, 2009
When you stop to think about it, people measure how well their lives are going not by their absolute state of being but by their situation relative to their expectations.
Read on.
February 3, 2009
When you stop to think about it, people measure how well their lives are going not by their absolute state of being but by their situation relative to their expectations.
Read on.
Monday, February 02, 2009
More Pressure for Bush Torture Probe
By Jason Leopold
February 2, 2009
Amid grassroots pressure to hold senior Bush administration officials accountable for torture and other crimes, an influential Democratic senator said President Barack Obama and Congress have no choice but to mount a serious investigation because to do nothing would invite a repetition of the abuses.
Read on.
February 2, 2009
Amid grassroots pressure to hold senior Bush administration officials accountable for torture and other crimes, an influential Democratic senator said President Barack Obama and Congress have no choice but to mount a serious investigation because to do nothing would invite a repetition of the abuses.
Read on.
Out in the Cold at Christmas
By Sherwood Ross
February 2, 2009
Every Christmas season a large electric star visible for miles is illuminated on a mountainside overlooking Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to commemorate the time the holy family of Christianity took refuge in a manger on the night of Christ’s birth.
Read on.
February 2, 2009
Every Christmas season a large electric star visible for miles is illuminated on a mountainside overlooking Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to commemorate the time the holy family of Christianity took refuge in a manger on the night of Christ’s birth.
Read on.
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Bad Bank v. Good Bank Option
By Brian Barger
January 30, 2009
So what's wrong with creating a "good bank" owned by the American people?
Read on.
January 30, 2009
So what's wrong with creating a "good bank" owned by the American people?
Read on.
Honoring an Iraq War Whistleblower
By Ray McGovern
January 30, 2009
Thank you, one and all, for coming this evening at such short notice and in such encouraging numbers. Our first order of business this evening is the presenting of the Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence (SAAII) award to former Danish intelligence officer, Maj. Frank Grevil.
Read on.
January 30, 2009
Thank you, one and all, for coming this evening at such short notice and in such encouraging numbers. Our first order of business this evening is the presenting of the Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence (SAAII) award to former Danish intelligence officer, Maj. Frank Grevil.
Read on.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
GOP Schools Obama on Partisanship
By Robert Parry
January 29, 2009
January 29, 2009
It is possible that President Barack Obama genuinely believes in reaching out to Republicans or perhaps he is just going through the motions because he knows the American people favor bipartisanship. But he can no longer harbor any real hope that his overtures to the GOP will bring significant votes for his policies.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
New Bush/Rove Privilege Fight Looms
By Jason Leopold
January 27, 2009
George W. Bush is seeking to extend his sweeping concept of executive privilege into his post-presidency, with the first battle likely to be fought over a renewed demand from House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers that Karl Rove finally testify about the politicization of the Justice Department.
Read on.
January 27, 2009
George W. Bush is seeking to extend his sweeping concept of executive privilege into his post-presidency, with the first battle likely to be fought over a renewed demand from House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers that Karl Rove finally testify about the politicization of the Justice Department.
Read on.
The Republic Needs Bush's Prosecution
By Ivan Eland
January 27, 2009
The Obama administration is reluctant to turn over too many rocks in the Bush administration’s conduct in the “war on terror.”
Read on.
January 27, 2009
The Obama administration is reluctant to turn over too many rocks in the Bush administration’s conduct in the “war on terror.”
Read on.
Monday, January 26, 2009
With Bush Gone, Time to Exhale
By Vincent Guarisco
January 26, 2009
January 26, 2009
I call it Christmas in January. Indeed. I'm sure most of us are feeling a little less stressful (a bit lighter) after January 20th? Pinch me hard and quick, I'm as giddy as little tyke unwrapping presents under a tree. I can hardly believe this two-term misery tour is finally over.
Europe Hopes Obama Shifts on 'Terror'
By Don Ediger
January 26, 2009
President Barack Obama can make great strides in combating al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups if he abandons George W. Bush's heated rhetoric and unrealistic view of how terrorism is structured, says Rik Coolsaet, a top European expert on terrorism.
Read on.
January 26, 2009
President Barack Obama can make great strides in combating al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups if he abandons George W. Bush's heated rhetoric and unrealistic view of how terrorism is structured, says Rik Coolsaet, a top European expert on terrorism.
Read on.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Bush's Faith-Based Gravy Train
By Howard Bess
January 25, 2009
During the presidential tenure of George W. Bush, a very significant, largely unnoticed organizational innovation took place.
Read on.
January 25, 2009
During the presidential tenure of George W. Bush, a very significant, largely unnoticed organizational innovation took place.
Read on.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
George W. Bush's Sci-Fi Disaster
By Robert Parry
January 24, 2009
In retrospect, George W. Bush’s presidency could be viewed as a science-fiction disaster movie in which an alien force seizes illegitimate control of a nation, saps its wealth, wreaks devastation, but is finally dislodged and forced to depart amid human hope for a rebirth.
Read on.
January 24, 2009
In retrospect, George W. Bush’s presidency could be viewed as a science-fiction disaster movie in which an alien force seizes illegitimate control of a nation, saps its wealth, wreaks devastation, but is finally dislodged and forced to depart amid human hope for a rebirth.
Read on.
A Different March on Washington
By Michael Winship
January 24, 2009
January 24, 2009
The image from Barack Obama’s inauguration that will stay with me forever is people walking. Walking from wherever they lived or were staying in Washington, DC. And all headed for the exact same place.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Democrats Inch Toward Torture Probe
By Jason Leopold
January 23, 2009
January 23, 2009
As President Barack Obama reverses some of ex-President George W. Bush’s most controversial “war on terror” policies, a consensus seems to be building among Democratic congressional leaders that further investigations are needed into Bush’s use of torture and other potential crimes.
Mitchell's Appointment Marks Change
By Brent Budowsky
January 23, 2009
January 23, 2009
In the most important single move for Middle East peace in this decade, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton are sending former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell as special envoy for Middle East diplomacy.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Obama Frees Bush Historical Records
By Robert Parry
January 22, 2009
When authoritarian forces seize control of a government, they typically move first against the public’s access to information, under the theory that a confused populace can be more easily manipulated. They take aim at the radio stations, TV and newspapers.
Read on.
January 22, 2009
When authoritarian forces seize control of a government, they typically move first against the public’s access to information, under the theory that a confused populace can be more easily manipulated. They take aim at the radio stations, TV and newspapers.
Read on.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Jimmy Carter's Wise Counsel
By Ivan Eland
January 21, 2009
At the request of President-elect Barack Obama, President George W. Bush convened an awkward meeting of all living former presidents at the White House to meet, and presumably give advice and encouragement to, the new guy.
Read on.
January 21, 2009
At the request of President-elect Barack Obama, President George W. Bush convened an awkward meeting of all living former presidents at the White House to meet, and presumably give advice and encouragement to, the new guy.
Read on.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Historical Mystery of Bush's Presidency
By Robert Parry
January 20, 2009
After little more than two years of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon resigned and his successor, Gerald Ford, famously declared, “our long national nightmare is over.” But the painful end game of Nixon’s presidency was nothing compared to the eight excruciating years of George W. Bush.
Read on.
January 20, 2009
After little more than two years of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon resigned and his successor, Gerald Ford, famously declared, “our long national nightmare is over.” But the painful end game of Nixon’s presidency was nothing compared to the eight excruciating years of George W. Bush.
Read on.
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