|
July
19, 2005
Weather
continues hot, fires continue to burn in the West, and you can see where
the Carib is getting walloped with the latest hurricane: all things considered,
I'll take fire. Fire purifies, and certainly there are places that need
such more than the West, but let's take what we can get for now!
Our
fading freedoms
FBI
says it has files on rights groups
Cincinnati Enquirer
"The FBI has thousands of pages of records in its files relating
to the monitoring of civil rights, environmental and similar advocacy
groups, the Justice Department acknowledges. The organizations, including
the American Civil Liberties Union and Greenpeace, are suing for the release
of the documents. The organizations contend that the material will show
that they have been subjected to scrutiny by FBI task forces set up to
combat terrorism. The FBI has identified 1,173 pages related to the ACLU
and 2,383 pages about Greenpeace, but it needs at least until February
to process the ACLU files and until June to review the Greenpeace documents,
the government said in a filing in U.S. District Court in Washington."
(07/17/05)
Frankly,
is there ANY organization left, including grandma's quilting circle, that
isn't in the Feebes' or some guvmint agency database? With thousands of
agencies and thousands of databases, with banks and credit unions and
local block wardens all turning in reports, we ARE a police state, people,
and a whole lot more effective one than the Third Reich! - maybe even
than the USSR. The time has come, or is past time, to find and trash these
databases, and their backups, and the backups of the backups.
Mama's
Note: Unfortunately, these things are much easier to create than to kill.
The obvious answer is to eliminate the police state. Then those data bases
can be found and eliminated with no chance they will resurface later.
US
governors raise concerns on National Guard role
Reuters
"Governors voiced concern about repeated National Guard deployments
overseas and considered ways to improve schools on Saturday as they opened
their annual meeting in Iowa, traditional host of the country's first
presidential nominating contest. ... Several called for a national dialogue
on the role and mission of the National Guard, expressing frustration
with the heavy reliance on Guard units in Iraq and Afghanistan and repeated
overseas deployments of state units. Those deployments have separated
families and caused a hardship for local communities, some governors said,
while raising questions about the size of the military and the future
of the National Guard.... 'It is absolutely clear that we don't have enough
personnel, full-time or part-time, to take care of all the needs and concerns
that America is assuming now,' said Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, a Democrat
and potential 2008 candidate." (07/16/05)
It is about
time. I've been having a bit of a discussion on-line about the role of
the National Guard; it is BOTH a state agency and a federal agency, but
both the federal laws and regulations as well as tradition make it clear
that the State Governor is the Guard's Commander-in-Chief EXCEPT when
"federalized" - and the problem is that federalization was once
only in case of a major crisis, like a declaration of war, a massive attack
or incident (like the Berlin Crisis or the Pueblo Incident) or a flagrant
case of revolt or near revolt (the Little Rock High School incident in
the Eisenhower administration); not a regular rotation for occupation
duty. The states have done this to themselves. States need to follow California's
example of establishing a State Guard to defend the state during times
of deployment, but even more important they need to STOP accepting federal
money - because federal money comes (surprise, surprise!) WITH strings!!
Pay for the guard troops yourself and you have control of them. This is
a "fading freedom" because the state military forces (the "organized
militia") are an important, if misunderstood, protection against
both local AND federal tyranny which have been allowed to weaken.
Massachusetts:
Ballot initiative limits sought
Boston Globe
"As conservative groups launch a drive for a referendum to ban
same-sex marriage, Beacon Hill Democrats are moving swiftly to pass a
bill that would make it more difficult for such a question or any other
to reach the state election ballot. The bill, which could be voted on
in the Senate as early as next week, is provoking an outcry from government
watchdogs, the administration of Governor Mitt Romney, and Secretary of
State William F. Galvin, among others. The measure would prohibit groups
backing ballot questions from paying outside firms for each signature
gathered, a common practice that critics see as encouraging fraud but
that backers view as essential given the short time in which groups must
gather signatures required under state law." (07/16/05)
Far too
many states have NO provision for referendums or initiated laws, which
is sheerest hypocrisy in lands which crow about their "democratic"
governments. And many states, like Mass, already have draconian limits
on the process which mean that it can be seldom used. However, this may
cause people to realize how fragile this power can be.
Mama's
Note: Too bad people are wasting their time and liberty on issues like
homo "marriage." A far better use of it would be to limit government
powers in other areas.
Our
Right to Defend Ourselves
Texas:
Man fatally shoots home invasion suspect
Click2Houston
"A homeowner fatally shot a man trying to break into his southwest
Houston home Friday, Local 2 reported. Officers with the Houston Police
Department said a man in his 30s was fatally shot five times by the owner
of a home in the 7800 block of Bellewood near Wirt. The homeowner told
police the man tried breaking into his home at about 3:45 a.m., and that
when he approached the suspect, that man walked back to his car to retrieve
a gun. Police said when the suspect approached the home a second time,
the homeowner opened fire on the man at the front door, hitting him at
least five times. Paramedics tried to revive the man at the scene but
their efforts were not successful. He was pronounced dead at the scene."
(07/15/05)
I realize
that many schools tell you to ALWAYS shoot to kill in self-defense situations
like this, but this guy - five shots! Or more! - seems to be acting more
like a cop than a home-defender. Of course, the would-be burglar was pretty
stupid, so it might have taken that many to stop him. But we need to be
careful of using excessive force in defense.
Mama's
Note: That is exactly a big reason we need to encourage people to get
proper training in the use of their guns. Just owning one does not make
one a safe or proficient defender of anything!
Britain
looks to extend war on terror
CNN
"As the first funeral for a victim of the London bombings was
held Sunday, British politicians were looking to expand the nation's battle
against terrorism both at home and abroad. Home Secretary Charles Clarke
is expected to discuss additional antiterrorist legislation with opposition
leaders in the next few days. The move will come more than a week after
the bombings on three London subway trains and a bus during morning rush
hour July 7 that killed 55 people and wounded more than 700."
(07/17/05)
The British
clearly have a right to defend themselves - and according to some commentators,
concentrated too much on IRA and eco-terrorists and not enough on other
threats, given their close alliance with the US and other factors. But
I hope and pray that they concentrate on the real enemies (first making
sure that they know who they are) and NOT on what looks and feels good,
as has been the case in the US.
Rooster
fights fox
Ananova [UK]
"A 3ft rooster fought off a fox after it broke into his coop.
Rooster Cogburn made sure the fox did not come near his hens reports the
Daily Express. Owner Tim Stone from Shepton Mallet, Somerset said: 'I
was asleep when I heard a huge commotion. I went outside to see what it
was all about and saw fur and feathers everywhere. There was a yelp and
I saw the fox limping off. The rooster was strutting around like a boxer
after a fight and crowing like mad.' He didn't have a scratch on him so
I can only imagine he beat the fox within an inch of his life. I don't
think he'll be coming back. 'The bird was named Rooster Cogburn after
John Wayne's sheriff character in the film True Grit.'" (07/15/05)
Well, defense
doesn't always require firearms: the use of animals is long established
as an effective way, against both animal and human threats!
Mama's
Note: I've never heard of a rooster being 3 feet tall! Something mighty
fishy here. A fox is not without self-defense capabilities and his teeth
would make short work of a rooster, no matter how feisty. I suspect this
is wishful thinking and a tall tale at best.
Utah:
Man claims he pulled gun in self defense
Channel 4 News
"The flamboyant owner of a local computer business says he did
not break the law when he pulled a gun last month, in the presence of
several angry residents. Witnesses say it happened after Dell Schanze
sped through a Draper neighborhood in his black sports car. Moments later,
Schanze was reportedly approached by three men acting in a threatening
manner. One witness told ABC 4 News that the angry neighbors had threatened
Schanze with a rock. At that point, Schanze, who holds a concealed weapons
permit, pulled a handgun from his holster. However, he claims he was acting
in self-defense --and that he never meant for people to see his gun. ...
Utah state code No. 76-10-506 states that if a person draws a weapon in
the presence of two or more persons, and is not acting in self defense,
then that person is in the wrong. Schanze says, therefore, because he
was acting in self defense he broke no law." (07/16/05)
It may
have been self-defense at that moment, but it appears that he was in the
wrong in general, because of his own threatening and aggressive activities:
speeding through residential neighborhoods is, to my way of thinking,
an act of aggression which should be resisted - and preferably NOT by
calling the cops.
Rhode
Island: Residents question effectiveness of new gun law
Chriho Times
"Rhode Islanders with a permanent restraining order against them
will have to surrender their guns. As of last Wednesday -- when Governor
Carcieri singed the domestic violence legislation into law -- guns belonging
to people with permanent restraining orders against them must be surrendered
within 48 hours of being served with the order. They also have the option
of selling their firearms to a licensed firearm dealer, or give them to
another person who is not related by blood or marriage." (07/15/05)
Arghh.
So people with restraining orders aren't allowed to defend themselves
or their families? I've known several people with restraining orders where
THEY were the ones that needed to be able to defend themselves, but because
they couldn't afford as good a lawyer, were stuck in the role of bad guy.
Even so, just owning a gun should NOT be used as a punishment for something
that might not be related at all - and removing a person's right to defend
themselves is a bad deal that should be a last resort - not the first.
Mama's
Note: These bogus restraining orders are handed out like ad flyers without
question, especially in divorce cases - and often against the wishes of
the woman involved. They are simply another way to criminalize people
to increase the power of the government and police.
California:
Experts called in weapons case
San Luis Obispo Tribune
"The Atascadero Police Department and the San Luis Obispo County
Bomb Task Force took possession of a large number of weapons and ammunition
found Thursday in the 6600 block of Alcantara Avenue in Atascadero. Around
11:40 a.m. Thursday, Atascadero officers responded to a report of suspicious
circumstances in the Alcantara Avenue neighborhood. The suspicious circumstances
were determined to be unfounded, but during a follow-up investigation,
officers discovered a collection of weapons. The collection included about
35 firearms ranging from handguns to shotguns and rifles, about 25 swords,
bayonets and daggers, between 2,000 and 3,000 rounds of ammunition and
roughly 15 potentially explosive devices resembling hand grenades. ...
According to a police report, the property taken into custody did not
appear to be connected to any criminal activity." (07/15/05)
So, even
though there is NO connection to any criminal activity, it is okay to
seize them? When the original reason for a response was apparently bogus?
If you live in California, it is past time to get out.
Oh,
the Silly, Silly Government!
Massachusetts:
Medicaid rolls surge with Romney aid
Boston Globe
"At a time when other states are kicking people off Medicaid to
save money, Massachusetts is headed in the opposite direction. Over the
past year, the state has added 50,000 people to its Medicaid program,
which provides health insurance for the poor. Enrollment reached 985,000
this spring, and in the coming months, it could top 1 million, an all-time
high, according to state officials. There is no single explanation for
the surge, say those who follow Medicaid's fortunes, but the most critical
one may be a change in the political climate. Governor Mitt Romney has
promised to provide health insurance to everyone in Massachusetts, and
his administration has concluded that signing more people up for Medicaid
is one way to accomplish that goal. ''I'm not a giant fan of the governor's,
but I will give him credit for putting his money where his mouth is,'
said John E. McDonough, executive director of Health Care For All, an
advocacy group based in Boston. Romney insists putting more people on
Medicaid is affordable. 'When everyone is insured, care will be better
and costs will be lower,' said Romney in a telephone interview."
(07/17/05)
Oh, if
only basic knowledge of economics were required for state officials -
this mess will just get worse, and I'm not sure that they are really unintended
consequences: the powers-that-be may WANT things to get worse. You know,
it is strange: we have no problem with requiring credentials or education
or experience for many elected positions: local district attorneys, sheriffs,
coroners, county surveyors, fire chiefs, and the like: but none for positions
like governor. Maybe we should!
Mama's
Note: Oh, they do have requirements: money, connections, money and connections
come to mind. That and the promise to "do something." Oh, and
did I mention the money?
Meth's
rising US impact
Yahoo! News
"In Keizer, Ore., the other day, a toddler in diapers and a T-shirt
was found walking along a busy road. When police investigated, they found
that the 16-month-old boy had been left alone by his parents, who had
been sleeping and were subsequently arrested for possession of a controlled
substance -- methamphetamine. A few weeks earlier and a few miles away
in the state capital of Salem, police investigated whether girls at the
Waldo Middle School -- barely in their teens -- had been using meth, possibly
exchanging sex for the drug. Around the country, law-enforcement officials
say methamphetamine use has become an epidemic. Federal officials estimate
there are 1.5 million regular meth users in the United States today. As
of 2003, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 12.3
million Americans had tried methamphetamine at least once -- up nearly
40 percent over 2000 and 156 percent over 1996. But the impact ranges
beyond meth users to crime victims, since addicts typically steal to support
their addiction." (07/17/05)
Speaking
of unintended consequences that SHOULD have been foreseen. They may not
have known it would be specifically meth, but the war on some drugs has
pushed things to the condition that meth is being used, not as a drug
of choice, but as the last available: it doesn't require foreign sources,
or long times or large areas for growing, and the recipe (deadly as it
is) is really, really simple, even for brain-dead users of the stuff.
So when these guys point fingers at how bad the plight of meth-users and
their children is, the other four fingers point back at the drug-warriors
which helped largely to make this the worst drug problem we have today.
As I've discussed before, millions of American and British and German
military personnel used meth for years in World War II, but didn't come
home as drug-crazed worn-out nut cases: it is the poor quality control
and the impurities that almost certainly make street meth the deadly chemical
it is today: again, directly as the result of the war on some drugs.
How
much should precedent bind judges?
Christian Science Monitor
"Whomever President Bush nominates to fill Sandra Day O'Connor's
seat on the US Supreme Court will inherit enormous power immediately upon
confirmation. It is the power to assume Justice O'Connor's role of breaking
deadlocks in major cases. But perhaps more important, it includes the
raw judicial power to overturn many of O'Connor's decisions, should four
other like-minded justices agree to take up the task. With high-court
opinions on affirmative action, school vouchers, states' rights, and so-called
"partial birth" abortion hanging in the balance, questions about
the importance of upholding Supreme Court precedent will play a central
role in upcoming confirmation hearings, legal analysts say."
(07/17/05)
As usual,
the CSM is good for laughs, IF their ignorance and biases were not so
sickening. Courts make mistakes, and the Supreme Court makes BIG mistakes:
we should not forget Dred Scott or dozens of other cases. Some people
have gone so far as to suggest OUTLAWING the use of precedent ("case
law") to decide cases - a return with a vengeance to strict construction
of both constitution and lesser laws. Obviously, the CSM (and most of
the media) thinks otherwise.
Mama's
Note: Without basic integrity and respect for the rule of law, it won't
make any difference what they do. They will continue to support the tyranny
of government until the people get sick of it enough to get rid of the
whole thing.
Florida:
Rare rifle back in WWII veteran's hands
Palm Beach Post
"Sixty years after he helped the United States defeat Japan in
World War II, Navy veteran Bruno Filippelli won a small battle of his
own Friday. The 79-year-old Delray Beach man retrieved the rare Japanese
rifle he had turned in to West Palm Beach police Saturday for a $75 Target
gift card, as part of the department's gun buyback program. ... The weeklong
saga began when a photo of Filippelli and the rifle appeared in Sunday's
edition of The Palm Beach Post. The picture prompted local collectors
and gun aficionados to contact police and request that the gun be spared
from destruction. Fewer than 100 of the rifles were produced. Gun experts
and dealers say as few as 50 remain, including about 20 in the United
States. .... Filippelli said he kept the gun in his closet for 60 years,
unaware of its rarity. When he heard that West Palm Beach was conducting
a buyback program to curb violence, he said he wanted to get involved."
[FND Editor's note: Well, frankly, I don't think he deserves to get it
back - MLS] (07/16/05)
Well, Mary
Lou, you are right - but at the same time, I am glad that they spared
a rare historical item, and am willing to give him a LITTLE benefit of
the doubt for his age. His desire to get involved could (and perhaps now
can) be diverted to something that will really help the community, like
teaching children how to properly handle and treat weapons. The silliness
here isn't the return of the weapon, but the entire buyback program, which
preys on the patriotism, civic-mindedness (and sometimes feeblemindedness)
of too many citizens, leaving them defenseless and thinking the cops will
take care of them. (And they will, but not in the way they hope!)
Reporter
says Cheney aide was a source
Indianapolis Star
"The vice president's chief of staff, Lewis Libby, was a source
along with the president's chief political adviser for a Time story that
identified a CIA officer, the magazine reporter said Sunday, further countering
White House claims that neither aide was involved in the leak. In an effort
to quell a chorus of calls to fire deputy White House chief of staff Karl
Rove, Republicans said that Rove originally learned about Valerie Plame's
identity from the news media. That exonerates Rove, the Republican Party
chairman said, and Democrats should apologize." (07/17/05)
Sick of
this yet? It wasn't just Republicans that said Rove learned about this
so-called secret agent from the media: it was the media themselves. But
far be it for the Democrats (or the GOP, either) to give up using so lovely
a club!
Mama's
Note: Take a look at this article from the Independent
Institute for the straight story about Rove.
UK:
Muslims condemn attacks, Six arrested under anti-terror act
Houston Chronicle
Las Vegas
"Ten days after Islamic radicals carried out deadly attacks on
the London transport system, Britain's largest Sunni Muslim group today
issued a binding religious edict, a fatwa, condemning the July 7 suicide
bombings as the work of a 'perverted ideology.' In the northern city of
Leeds, which has been a focus of the investigation into the bombings,
six men were arrested under Britain's anti-terror law. West Yorkshire
police said the men are not believed to be involved in the bombings, but
offered no further details on why the six were arrested." (07/17/05)
Apparently
so that they seem to be doing something! A silly, stupid reason, to be
sure. And so one group (sure to be condemned by the radicals that seem
to make up most of the faith) have condemned the killings - that only
leaves hundreds of other Islamist clerics to praise them and breed another
generation.
Stem
cell "science, morality" tug at Frist
Tennessean
"As a doctor, Bill Frist sees great promise in embryonic stem
cell research, saying the versatile cells could lead to cures for diseases
such as diabetes and could open up unimagined new forms of medical treatment.
But as a Republican who hopes to rally conservative support for a possible
presidential campaign, the Senate majority leader from Tennessee is a
bit more wary. Many antiabortion activists object to research on embryonic
stem cells because they can only be obtained by destroying embryos. So
as Frist prepares to bring legislation to the Senate floor that could
lift limits on federal support for research using embryonic stem cells,
he finds himself trying to balance different personal and political instincts
on an issue that touches on ethical, medical and religious realms. 'I,
like everybody, struggle with the issue,' Frist said last week in an interview
with reporters from regional newspapers." (07/17/05)
Unfortunately,
he's wrong. If he were a libertarian, he'd have no "struggle"
- it is wrong to spend taxpayers money on research, especially if such
use is immoral for some of those taxpayers.
Mama's
Note: Without the government strings, there is no reason why such research
couldn't be conducted much more effectively and use the cord blood stem
cells from newborns that are now simply thrown away. There is simply no
good reason to create human embryos for this purpose. None at all.
Sniffer
dogs train for double duty
Washington Times
"The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency now trains dogs
to detect both humans and drugs as a measure to double up efforts at more
than 300 ports of entry nationwide. The dual-detector dogs now will sweep
vehicles and rail cars for odors of illegal aliens and drugs from entering
the country. Before this policy change, separate canines were used to
detect humans and narcotics. 'We're maintaining our traditional mission
of narcotics detection, but we're adding concealed humans,' said Lee Titus,
director of the agency's Canine Enforcement Program. 'That's where our
main focus is. We're strengthening the border, looking for potential terrorists
while maintaining that traditional mission of narcotics interdiction.'"
(07/17/05)
I'll believe
they can do it when I see it, and not a moment before - this will cause
more grief, of a certainty.
Bill
strives to protect privacy
Wired
"A bipartisan group of senators introduced comprehensive identity-theft
legislation Thursday that throws some of the burden for preventing the
increasingly common crime onto businesses and other organizations that
collect personal information. The new legislation also would give consumers
more control over their personal data. The Identity Theft Protection Act,
introduced in the Senate commerce committee by a bipartisan coalition,
addresses problems with recent high-profile data breaches by requiring
entities that collect sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers,
to secure the data physically and technologically and to notify consumers
nationwide when data is compromised." (07/15/05)
A "solution"
that will not work and is far more complex than a real solution: prohibit
a person or company from collecting any information not needed to provide
the service being purchased. There is no need for 99% of businesses to
have this kind of personal information used to try and sell you more products,
or make more money by selling your information to other companies, or
to the government. Now, will Congress make GOVERNMENT also take responsibility
for identity theft?
Mama's
Note: You can't avoid giving this information to government (they already
have it), but you can avoid doing business with companies that demand
unnecessary information. I make a point of telling them - in writing -
why I decided not to buy their stuff or use their service when I'm asked
for things like my telephone number or zip code in the course of a simple
purchase. In a store, I just put the items back on the counter and walk
away, then write to the manager later. If enough people did this consistently,
someone might get a clue.
Mideast
Tarbabies and Woes
Iraq:
Suicide bombing death toll hits 90
Houston Chronicle
"New suicide bombings killed at least 22 people in the Baghdad
area today, while relatives struggled to identify charred bodies from
a fiery suicide attack near a Shiite mosque in Musayyib that killed more
than 90 people. The government raised the death toll from Saturday's attack
in the town south of the Iraqi capital to 'more than 90,' making it the
second deadliest single terrorist bombing since the overthrow of Saddam
Hussein in April 2003. More than 150 people were wounded." (07/17/05)
Although
the prominent Shi'I cleric (see next story) claims this violence is due
solely to the US presence, this doesn't wash. There is no US presence
in Indonesia or Pakistan where these sorts of deaths occur, nor in Lebanon.
Islamists do NOT want peace, but control. There is no way that this was
a legitimate attack against occupation forces - the killers are using
it as an excuse.
Mama's
Note: If there were no US forces or citizens there, however, they couldn't
be killed by these things. If the Muslims want to continue killing their
own people, it's their problem, not ours.
Iraqi
resistance "legitimate"
BBC News
Moqtada Sadr, the radical Iraqi Shia cleric whose militia led uprisings
against US troops in Najaf has told the BBC armed "resistance is
legitimate". Speaking to Newsnight, Mr. Sadr said that even US President
George W Bush would agree that fighting an occupation force was a correct
course of action. Mr. Sadr argued that it is the presence of foreign troops
which is the cause of Iraq's current problems. "The occupation in
itself is a problem. Iraq not being independent is the problem. And the
other problems stem from that - from sectarianism to civil war,"
he said. "The entire American presence causes this." Mr. Sadr,
who is a figurehead for many of Iraq's poor Shia Muslims, said he would
not play any part in drafting that constitution or take on an official
political role as long as the US troops remain. "I personally shall
not interfere. I say that our constitution is the Koran and the Sunnah
and I refuse any political role while the occupation is present,"
he said, although adding that he would not stop any others participating.
This is
in an interview which was broadcast Monday night (British Time) on the
BBC. What to me is critical (even though he claims to be attempting to
moderate things) is his statement about he Koran and Sunnah (the traditions)
- this would be like a western European state claiming that they didn't
need a constitution because they had the Bible and Canon Law - indeed,
it is proclaiming the merging of church and state as has not been seen
in the West since 1870 when the Papal States were merged into the newly-formed
Kingdom of Italy.
Israel
threatens to invade Gaza Strip
Tampa Tribune
"Israel threatened Sunday to invade Gaza if Palestinian leader
Mahmoud Abbas does not control militants who have stepped up rocket and
mortar attacks ahead of Israel's planned pullout from the coastal strip
next month. Abbas pledged to do his utmost to stop the barrages but warned
that an invasion of Gaza would 'sabotage everything.' Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon said all restraints are off and thousands of Israeli troops have
massed along the Gaza border. The sudden escalation is the most serious
threat yet to a 5-month-old truce that had drastically reduced Palestinian-Israeli
violence after more than four years of bloodshed." (07/17/05)
It would
seem to me, despite the desperate cries of the anti-Israeli lobby (and
I'm no great fan of Israel myself), that Israel is in the right here.
Imagine if the same situation were taking place in San Diego, or El Paso,
or Brownsville: missiles and mortar rounds fired over the border from
Mexico into California or Texas: or say, in Detroit or Buffalo or Bellingham,
and it was Canadian rounds falling into US neighborhoods: it would be
justification indeed for a declaration of war and invasion.
US
reportedly tried to influence Iraq vote
MSNBC
"The Bush administration proceeded last year over congressional
objections with a covert plan to try to influence Iraqi elections in January,
the New Yorker magazine reported, citing unnamed current and former officials.
The article, by award-winning journalist Seymour Hersh, said "the
methods and the scope of the covert effort have been hard to discern,"
and the report offered few details. These activities were kept, in part,
"off the books," and were conducted by retired CIA officers
and other non-government personnel, and "used funds that were not
necessarily appropriated by Congress," Hersh reported."
(07/17/05)
Another
example of how government has run amok. I supposed they should be expected
to influence the vote - and they should be expected to lie to Congress
and use money that hasn't been appropriated, like virtually every other
administration in history: but it doesn't make it right, if they did.
Groups
gather in Southfield with hope of shaping Iraq's future
Detroit Free Press
"Policymakers and experts involved in shaping the future of Iraq
met in Southfield on Saturday for the third Iraqi-American Conference
for a Free and Democratic Iraq. The conference explored ideas on how to
protect the country, its freedom and the rights of the people. Recommendations
will be sent to the Iraqi government. Sami Al Sumaidaie, the United Nations'
ambassador to Iraq, said Iraqi-American organizations representing various
ethnic and religious groups are trying to have a positive impact on the
country's future." (07/17/05)
Southfield
is hardly the place you'd expect a conference like this, and assuming
they avoid meddling and trying to force solutions on the Iraqi people,
I rather hope that they can make a positive difference. I hope that the
right to keep and bear arms for ALL Iraqis is on the agenda.
Iraq:
First criminal case brought against Saddam
USA Today
"The first criminal case has been filed against Saddam Hussein, stemming
from the 1982 massacre of dozens of Shiite villagers in retaliation for
a failed assassination attempt against the former leader, the head of
the tribunal overseeing his prosecution said Sunday. The date for the
trial of Saddam and three others was expected to be determined in a few
days. If convicted, they could face the death penalty." (07/17/05)
You might
think this has taken a while, but have you looked at how long it is between
an arrest and a charge being filed for far less serious cases here in
the US? "Justice delayed is justice denied" is a dead saying,
today.
Nathan
Barton's views in this commentary are his own, and not necessarily those
of TPoL, RRND, FND, or other persons associated with these publications.
He is a libertarian writing from the Four Corners. Be sure to visit my
blog, Liberty's Outpost.
Special
Feature! Add your signature to the NEW
Declaration of Independence
By Robert Greenslade
To Read
previous Commentaries, go
to the archives page and click onto the link for the day. The commentaries
are linked from the daily front pages.
Your feedback is always welcome! Please use the form below. If you enter
your email address, the author can respond to your comment. Not all feedback
can be answered personally, of course, but you will find most of it on
the Mailbag page. Please allow at least 48 hours for it to be published.
Thanks for reading The Price of Liberty!
Please
note: Information about readers is never given or sold to anyone
for any purpose. Remember, however, that many people can read and recover
anything posted to web sites or email unless it is carefully encrypted.
MamaLiberty)
Visit the
Rational
Review News Digest
|
