ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SMIRK
By Peter Fredson
August 4, 2005
He got his way. As usual. The petulant, arrogant, disaster of a President did an end-run around the advice of both friends and enemies. He appointed John Bolton to be U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Assembly.
Even his friends told him that Bolton was petulant, arrogant, occasionally vicious, vindictive, scheming and dogmatic. None of that would seem to make him a “diplomat.”
We know that Bolton would like the U.N. to (…)
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ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER SMIRK
4 August 2005 par (Open-Publishing)
2 comments -
Market Fundamentalists Lose in Iran (For Now)
4 August 2005 par (Open-Publishing)
1 commentThe prevailing spin on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s rise to Iran’s presidency wrongly suggests that a win for his rivals could have ushered a dawn of enlightenment. The mainstream press has largely described Iran’s competing factions as little more than vote-rigging theocrats arrayed against tolerant modernizers. In particular, strong support for Ahmadinejad among the Basij militia and Revolutionary Guard corps has earned him a reputation as a Muslim fanatic. But there is a quite modern side to his (…)
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IF THE U.N. SHOULD HAPPEN TO ASK MY OPINION
3 August 2005 par (Open-Publishing)
1 commentIF THE UN ASKED MY OPINION
By Peter Fredson
August 3, 2005
It is a possibility, as remote as my being invited to go along on a space walk, that people at the UN would ever ask my opinion on any subject. However, if that should occur, here is what I might say:
In the U.S. we have a President who is shallow, callow, petulant, impatient, querulous, secretive, vengeful, impulsive and who believes that aggressivity, preemption, lying and disregard of rules makes for a good democracy. It (…) -
The Sharon files - the ongoing story
3 August 2005 par (Open-Publishing)
By Amir Oren
"With regard to Oded Tal, there is a conversation between Gilad Sharon and Appel in which Gilad says that now that their man in the [Israel Lands] Administration - he is referring to Oded Tal - is leaving, someone else has to be planted in his place, even before the elections."
That amazing quotation, from the transcript of the police wiretap of a conversation between arch-entrepreneur David Appel and the son of then-minister of infrastructure, Ariel Sharon, in the Spring of (…) -
WHY ALL THAT SECRECY?
2 August 2005 par (Open-Publishing)
1 commentWHY ALL THE SECRECY?
By Peter Fredson
August 2, 2005
We all know that secrecy is one of the hallmarks of the George W. Bush administration. We know that unusual steps are taken to prevent the public from finding out what decisions were made, how they were influenced, what actions were taken and who profited by them. We know that records are sealed so that inquiring minds cannot, for years, find out what stupidities have been perpetrated.
We suspect that this is done to prevent the (…) -
EXPLANATIONS STILL NEEDED
2 August 2005 par (Open-Publishing)
FULL AND HONEST EXPLANATIONS NEEDED
By Peter Fredson
August 2, 2005
As I reviewed events of the past five years, it struck me that many still lacked full, honest, candid and open explanations. We have had several congressional investigation committee reports, but they are strangely lacking in forthright assessments of some basic problems. We have had hundreds of daily made-to-order White House “explanations” which somehow lack the crystalline ring of truth.
We have had several Press (…) -
While Senate Stalled on Bolton, Bush’s U.N. Plans Advanced
2 August 2005 par (Open-Publishing)
While Senate Stalled on Bolton, Bush’s U.N. Plans Advanced
By STEVEN R. WEISMAN
WASHINGTON - Now that he is finally going to the United Nations as ambassador, John R. Bolton is supposed to "provide clear American leadership for reform" there, President Bush said Monday. But American officials say much of their reform agenda at the United Nations has been accomplished during the months while Mr. Bolton’s nomination languished.
"Most of the reforms sought by the United States are well on (…) -
My "no-spin zone"
2 August 2005 par (Open-Publishing)
Every day hundreds of commentaries, articles, essays, and blogs are published on the internet debating Bush’s actions with respect to terrorism, Iraq, imperialistic US policies, etc. Opinions are pro this, con that, and the gray moral middle.
My "No Spin" bottom line is simple: George W. Bush is a murderer.
murder: n. The unlawful killing of one human by another ...
There may be other charges to add to the list, but there is no need to go any further. Every new lie Bush spews (…) -
Uncle Sam’s Iron Curtain of Secrecy
2 August 2005 par (Open-Publishing)
1 commentThe Bush administration is subverting the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
On January 31, the People for the American Way publicly protested that the Justice Department claimed it would cost the group a minimum of $372,999 for the feds to search their files (in response to an FOIA request from the group) for cases in which the Justice Department requested secret proceedings in court involving immigrants arrested and held after 9/11.
This is typical of the how the Bush administration is (…) -
HOW MUCH DO I LOATHE THEE 2
1 August 2005 par (Open-Publishing)
8 commentsHOW MUCH DO I LOATHE THEE 2?
LET ME COUNT THE WAYS
Part Two
By Peter Fredson
August 1, 2005
I was puzzled by the ascension of George W. Bush to the highest office of our country. After perusing hundreds of stored files pertaining to his life, I am still puzzled. There is a missing element.
I believe it has to do with the Far Right penchant for secrecy, coupled with a strategy of stealth, misdirection, and simple imposition. At sometime in the indoctrination of Bush by a (…)