Pope John Paul II, who died April 2, leaves a mixed legacy. In his native Poland, and elsewhere in the Communist world, he was a catalyst of revolutionary change in the ’80s, but this same anti-Communism caused him to ally… Read morePope leaves mixed legacy—will successor be Black?
From the LA Times, April 1: Fred Korematsu, the Japanese-American whose court case over his refusal to be interned during World War II went to the U.S. Supreme Court and became synonymous with this nation’s agonized debate over civil liberties… Read moreFred Korematsu dead at 86
Reads the latest communique from the Biotic Baking Brigade, dated March 30: William Kristol, founder of the Project for the New American Century (a leading neo-con think tank) and a key figure in American foreign policy for over 20 years,… Read morePNAC piggie gets just desserts
According to documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union, torture in occupied Iraq has not been confined to Abu Ghraib jail, where abuse and sexual humiliation of inmates caused worldwide outrage last year. The new revelations concern a facility… Read moreU.S. Army documents: Abu Ghraib was tip of iceberg
JTA reports that more than 500 scholars have now signed a petition blasting C-Span’s decision to air a talk by Holocaust-denier David Irving. JTA reports, “The petition was organized by the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies in response… Read more500 scholars blast C-Span over Irving
President Bush has tapped Defense Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz to take over as head of the World Bank. Bush told a news conference March 15 that Wolfowitz, now Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s top deputy, is “a compassionate, decent man who… Read moreBush nominates Wolfowitz to World Bank, keeps straight face
The administration of California’s Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has followed the Bush White House in producing "video press releases" neatly disguised as actual news items for distribution to TV news stations—Bush to promote the Iraq war, Arnold to promote his anti-union… Read more“Covert propaganda” in California
In another gesture of perverse irony, the Bush administration has appointed John Bolton, a longtime anti-UN ideologue, as ambassador to the UN (replacing John Danforth, who is stepping down). Currently State Department undersecretary for arms control (where he has exhibited… Read moreAnti-UN ideologue appointed UN ambassador
The unclassified 21-page summary of a 400-page secret Pentagon report prepared by Vice-Admiral Albert Church confirms that at least six detainees have died in more than 70 proven cases of abuse in Afghanistan and Iraq, and reveals that the U.S…. Read morePentagon torture report exonerates brass
The Pentagon is funding development of a Pulsed Energy Projectile (PEP), a laser that generates a burst of expanding plasma when it hits something solid, like a human being, inducing excruciating pain from up to a mile away. The program… Read morePentagon develops ultra-pain weapon
The ACLU and Human Rights First filed suit in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s home state of Illinois on behalf of eight men who suffered psychological and physicial injuries while detained by US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Rumsfeld bears direct… Read moreRumsfeld sued over prisoner abuse
On Feb. 28, a federal judge in South Carolina ruled that the U.S. must charge or release accused "dirty bomber" Jose Padilla within 45 days. The Justice Department vows it will appeal. Padilla, a US citizen, has been held without… Read moreDoJ vows to appeal Padilla ruling
