Author: miri

The Washington Post editorial department has been writing editorials that are supportive of President Bush’s Iraq policy…until today. They still support the idea of war with Iraq, but they are now saying:

… with more diplomatic suppleness, more flexibility on timing and less arrogant tactics and rhetoric, the administration might have won the backing of long-standing friends such as Turkey, Mexico and Chile. In effect, Mr. Bush and some of his top aides, most notably Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, have managed to convince much of the world that French President Jacques Chirac is right and that America’s unrivaled power is a danger that somehow must be checked — ideally by the votes of other nations on the Security Council.

Watching my TV right now, I think all hope of a sensible time-line is thrown out the window. “Tomorrow is the moment of truth.” Not that they really gave us any clear idea of what the heck was meant by that statement. I mean, goodness forbid this administration gives us a clear statement rather than a vauge sound-byte.

And, just to show you how unimportant the US TV networks seem to find this whole thing, NBC didn’t even cary the full press-conference. They stopped coverage to show an oh-so-important area football game. (Other networks might have done the same thing, that just happens to be the one I noticed as I was flipping the channels. ABC showed the full press conference.)

I know it’s hard not to play “what if,” but I think it’s just awful that all the news coverage of the Elizabeth Smart return seems to be blaming the child for not escaping or fighting against her attackers. She’s a little girl! She was scared and confused – just stop it. I hope like hell she’s being protected from the press coverage.

Wow, I guess the legislature has nothing better to do – freedom fries? Are you sure someone from The Onion didn’t hack CNN?

Not that they should be worried about anything else.

In the name of defending life, the White House offers a policy that would bring more disease and death. This absurdity is exceeded only by the moral blindness that lies behind it.

Nope, this isn’t an issue that needs addressing…gotta worry about the nationality of fries and toast.

As always, love The Onion: “Bush Offers Taxpayers Another $300 If We Go To War.

Our President: The Diva. This just really says so much about his mindset, doesn’t it? (BTW, there are a lot of interesting stories linked to and talked about in that blog – check them out.)

More about the two suspects who died during “interrogation” by the American military.

Just War – or a Just War: by Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States and winner of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize.

The heartfelt sympathy and friendship offered to America after the 9/11 attacks, even from formerly antagonistic regimes, has been largely dissipated; increasingly unilateral and domineering policies have brought international trust in our country to its lowest level in memory.

Carter makes many other good points in his essay, but the above statement really struck me. The administration has really squandered an opportunity. The world was feeling love for the US in a big way after 9/11…now? Not so much. Good, thoughtful and internationally minded leadership would have been able to take the support that was shown for the US after 9/11 and done some good with it.

Is the US resorting to torture?

U.S. officials have admitted using techniques that this nation previously denounced as violations of international law. One official involved in the “interrogation center” in Afghanistan said “if you don’t violate someone’s human rights, you probably aren’t doing your job.”

Well, it took some hand-holding, but my mom was able to add photographs to her online album all by herself. Go mom!

Here’s more about how the fight over abortion is going to hold up funding to fight AIDS in Africa. It still makes no sense to me. Even Representative Henry Hyde – “a fierce opponent of abortion” – has been trying to get the bill through without it being muddled up.’

Further proof that the US only supports democracy when it suits their needs. Turkey’s parliament voted down the notion that US be allowed to use their country as a war base. Many of the people who voted against the idea said they did so because of the way their constituents feel about the war. It was democracy in action. The Turkey military, minister and US government are working towards insisting on a re-vote. No doubt, after twisting the arms of those who voted their conscience.