Category: long story short

Still working on a chapter today. I’m about three or four weeks overdue for a “to done” style posting here. When I get a round tuit it will be a doozy. Got a DFA meetup tonight, then back to finishing up the Chapter 4 rewrite. Then sleep, glorious sleep.

An official said a soldier was convicted in the U.S. military justice system of killing a prisoner by hitting him with a rock, and was reduced in rank to private and thrown out of the service but did not serve any jail time. (Article) Perhaps President Bush could embrace this within the US too, as…

The Bush administration has told the Supreme Court that the court’s authority does not extend to Guantanamo, because it is not US territory and is not subject to US law. I am willing to guess that the government would also not accept proceedings in Cuban courts as authoritative there. Clearly, the administration is quietly making…

The two teams are part of the 100 Marine sharpshooters deployed by three battalions around the city. One sniper secreted away in another corner of Fallujah has “26 confirmed kills,” military officers here report. …The snipers were deployed in early April, as guerrilla ambushes claimed more than 50 Marine lives…. …the sharpshooters are an offensive…

Bush made the comment during a Rose Garden news conference, while discussing his goal of more freedom in the Middle East. “There’s a lot of people in the world who don’t believe that people whose skin color may not be the same as ours can be free and self-govern,” Bush said. “OURS”!! What an idiot!!

The human rights group Amnesty International said it had warned U.S. and British authorities…. “We have talked to ex-prisoners, who say when they were taken into custody they were hooded and beaten, sometimes numerous times and subjected on some occasions to psychological torture and acts of sexual humiliation,” Amnesty’s Neil Durkin told Sky News. “They…

The right sure has found their swing when it comes to Kerry bashing this week. Turns out, and here’s a huge surprise, John Kerry has a problem with the truth. Wow. That came outta left field. Can’t these yahoos at least come up with a new line? What Gore must be thinking right about now….…

I’m actually pro-Kerry (despite the unpleasantness of him beating my candidate in the primaries), but this John Kerry is a Douchebag but I’m Voting for Him Anyway .com site is probably not too bad a way to reach out to the undecideds who aren’t wowed by his persona. (Pardon the French.)

Now the US Army is floating the idea of reinstating the draft. That is sooo typical of the Army. Sure they are concerned that the best prospects are going to the prestige services like the Marines and the Air Force. They should be concerned. But how about stepping up to the challenge? How about making…

Maybe I just don’t get it. Did there used to be like all kinds of dangerous carburetors in all our food? I don’t think so! But, wow, the agribusiness conglomerates are rushing to protect us (like they really care!), so every package of anything in the store just has to let us know–in great big…

Much to blog about from the last few weeks (pop culture conference in Texas, publishing / technology conference in Berkeley, and now here I am posting from New Orleans), but too much big fun to want to sit in front of a computer posting to the blog, so ideally it will all come pouring out…

Never ask yourself, “What would I do in this situation?”

Reuters, 4/23/04 [A] U.S. general said on Thursday the rebels had “days not weeks” to turn in their heavy weapons…. Lieutenant-General James Conway, commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force…said the weaponry handed over so far was unusable “junk.” Complete article This is totally outrageous. This is no time to be cutting corners on vital…

“Early Thursday, Marines launched a major assault on the village of Karma….” Complete article.

The Bush administration came into office with a grievance in foreign affairs: We’re not getting “ours.” We are acknowledged to be the world’s only superpower. So where are the fruits of arrogance, avarice, and venality to which we are now so abundantly entitled? Hence, unilateralism and preemption–and a new style of swift, lean, cost-effective, technologized,…

A spokesman for the Sunni Muslim assembly [said] the situation regarding the Italian hostages, who were armed when they were abducted, was different to those of the Japanese and other nationals who had been released…. “They are trained escorts of the coalition led by the Americans. In truth they are like soldiers, the same as…

The latest assassination of a Hamas leader, combined with Sharon’s legal troubles and the real possibility that he may soon be forced to step down, has me wondering if he’s getting in a few last hits before leaving office.

Oft disturbing conversation on Kos today about alleged attrocities by US forces, here. Two posters made a connected point worth reflecting on this week — that Tim McVeigh and DC sniper John Muhammad were both vets of the first Persian Gulf war. And that today’s little seen, presumably unfilmed violence in Fallujah has the potential…

-The interim authority that was fashioned by the US and the Iraq Governing Council was to be headed by a triumvirate (Shiite, Sunni, Kurdish) that could act only when unanimous. This was intended to head off leadership by the Shiite majority (i.e., democracy). -Ayatollah Sistani allowed Shiites on the Council to vote for the plan,…

Any time you ask this guy a question, he tries to make you feel bad. Q: Is Iraq another Vietnam? A: The people posing that question are endangering our troops. And should feel bad. As should you. Q: Will there be greater international burden sharing in Iraq? A: That question is demeaning to the good…

If somebody had just given the White House the Gate Assignments and scheduled departure times of the 9/11 aircraft, they would definitely have kept a sharp eye out for action-plans that might have filtered up from subordinates. (OK. Now I’m sputtering.)