Senator Craig To Resign

Sen. Craig

As of this posting, U.S. Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) is preparing to resign in the wake of his guilty plea on charges he solicited for sex in an airport men's room.

Shades of former Democratic New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, who announced to a stunned state that he was resigning, three years ago, because of his "truth" that he was a gay American.

What Craig and McGreevey have in common is not their sexual orientation. But their conduct. Both engaged in sexual behaviors unbecoming to their offices. Resigning, for both, is, and was, the right thing to do.

That aside, it is scandalous that in 2007, being gay or bi-sexual is considered a political liability. Perhaps these politicians would have acted in more adult manners had they not feared the repercussions of admitting their sexual leanings.

A person's sexual orientation does not disqualify, nor qualify him for elected office. The focus should, rather, be, on his policies and how well he carries out his sworn duties.

Yet Another Political Plan For Iraq

Still hopeful

A new report indicates that most of the benchmarks for a political solution to the Iraq conflict have not been met by the government there. U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin, both Democrats, have gone so far as to call for the resignation of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. Even Republicans, like Sen. John Warner, have been expressing no confidence in al-Maliki.

Now, an 11th hour plan has been proposed which ostensibly would create a real consensus government. One that would even let disenfranchised former Baath party members participate.

Even more encouraging is the announcement by Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr that his militia will cease operations for six months.

President Bush has muted his criticism of al-Maliki and has told an American Legion audience in Reno, Nevada, saying that al-Maliki, "has courageously committed to pursue the forces of evil and destruction."

All this comes at a time when the president wants to pump $50 billion additional dollars into the Iraq war effort.

Let's hope that this last-ditch political effort works. And that the fighting, and resulting deaths, end in Iraq.

The Cost Of War, The Cost Of Peace

Looking for hidden weapons

Ideological arguments about the war in Iraq aside, it's interesting to look at the cost to the taxpayers of the United States.

President Bush is asking for an additional $50 billion to wage this unpopular war. This is before Gen. David Petraeus addresses Congress about the future of U.S. military involvement in Iraq. The president said he would wait until Petraeus reported to Congress next month. But apparently he's changed his mind and is pushing for even more involvement now.

By the way, in 2005 President Bush pledged $50 million to the Palestinian Authority to ensure that disengagement would be a success. Does anyone really think that was money well spent?

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Photo credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Robert C. Brogan www.army.mil

UN Finally Takes Action On Darfur

Ban

The United Nations has finally authorized a hybrid peacekeeping force for Darfur that includes troops from the African Union.

Underscoring his concern for the problem, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will travel to the region to witness the situation first hand.

"I am deeply concerned about the recent escalation in violence in Darfur that has caused the death of hundreds of people in the last few weeks alone, " Ban told reporters at the UN.

"Attacks such as the one on the Adilla police on August 1, the repeated bombardments of villages in Southern Darfur that followed, including just three days ago, and the attack on Kilkil Abu Salam in Northern Darfur on August 18 are simply unacceptable."

In addition to the peace keeping effort, Ban says he will push for a political solution. And for humanitarian aid and development for the 2 million people made refugees by the conflict.

Peace Talks A Threat To Hamas

The latest attempt at a peace process between the Israelis and Palestinians may be derailed by Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is scheduled to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in November to discuss a peace proposal. The talks are being brokered by the United States.

Rival Hamas is threatening a major reign of terror in Israel in an attempt to destabilize negotiations.

This makes it hard for Hamas to declare it is the legitimately elected representative of the Palestinian people. Those who work for war, rather than peace, certainly don't have the best interest in their constituency.

Pollution Free Energy Being Perfected

Researchers at Purdue University say they are perfecting pollution free energy technology.

The announced near-breakthrough would generate hydrogen on demand.

They are expected to release the results of their research at a forum in California next month.

CBS Translator Abducted, Killed In Iraq

We were just discussing the plight of translators working for the U.S. military immediately after the invasion of Iraq who have been threatened by insurgents and who, sadly, have been denied visas to enter the United States as refugees. Now a translator for CBS has been abducted and killed.

Anwar Abbas Lafta is the third CBS employee to be killed in Iraq.

Prior to working for CBS, Lafta served as a translator for ... the U.S. military.

France Sheds Its Milquetoast Image

Sarkozy, talking tough

France is timid no more.

French Pres. Nicholas Sarkozy has made his first major foreign policy address. And he sounds like ... well .. George W. Bush.

Well, actually, he sounds even tougher than the president of the United States.

He's warning Iran that it should expect a military response if it doesn't abandon its nuclear weapons aspirations.

He also had some harsh words for Russia. Attacking Moscow for its brutality as it attempts to reassert itself on the world stage.

It sounds like Sarkozy is taking morally correct positions without concern about international repercussions. He bears watching. If he keeps on this path, other world leaders may wish to emulate him.

Iraqi Friends Left Behind

Pelley

As the debate over the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq heats up, we should be looking very closely at the Iraqis that would be left behind.

Scott Pelley reported on 60 Minutes about thousands of Iraqis who helped the American forces as translators and in other positions. Who are now labeled a collaborators.

These Iraqis who believed in the good of the United States and who helped are now in fear for their lives. And have been asking for visas to the United States.

But instead of rewarding them for helping us, their pleas to come to the U.S. have, thus far, fallen on deaf ears.

If we want to maintain any sense of credibility, we need to re-evaluate our response and let them in. Failure to do so is not only wrong. But it sets American troops up for the prospect of less assistance the next time they are ordered onto foreign soil.

Limiting Public Expression In Finland

It all started with a teacher singing in public. Doing his karaoke thing.

It ended with the 15-year-old student who video taped him having to pay the equivalent of more than $1,000.

The teacher filed a libel suit against the youngster after the video appeared on You Tube. A court ruled in the teacher's favor.

If the teacher didn't want to be embarrassed by his singing, he shouldn't have been singing in public in the first place.

I'd show you the video, except the kid took it down, at his headmaster's request, just weeks after it was posted.

That's right, he took it down, yet the teacher went forward with the lawsuit. And was upheld by the court.

The student sure learned a lesson. But was it the right one?

Political Fight Over Iraq Heats Up

"It's no time to quit" is the mantra of a group called FreedomsWatch.org that has been posting videos urging the American people to call their members of Congress to urge them to not pull the troops out of Iraq.

They are powerful messages. Some of them featuring returning disabled Iraq war veterans.



They come in advance of Gen. David Petraeus' scheduled report to Congress about the effectiveness of the surge that began around the first of the year.

Even opponents of the war, like Hillary Clinton, believe the surge has been a success. But she, and others, argue, it's too little too late.

Complicating the matter is the ineffectiveness of the Iraqi government in taking control of the situation. The real question is what should the United States, given the Iraqi's inability to step up to the plate, do now? Does this mean we have no choice but to remain? Or does it mean we should leave because the Iraqis seemingly will never be ready to take over?

Hamas Style "Lion King" Used To Vanquish Fatah

The civil war, and that is what it has become, between Hamas and Fatah in the Palestinian territories is more than a war of bullets.

It's also a propaghanda war.

Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV has produced a "Lion King"-like cartoon character to vanquish Fatah rats who, the animated film suggests, attacks mosques, Islamic values, women and children with the backing and funding of Israel and the United States.

It's a powerful and effective distortion of the reality of Hamas.

Easing The Pain Of Veterans

It happens after and during every war.

Not all the casualties are physical. Many of the troops suffer psychological difficulties.

They used to say they were "shell shocked." Today, post traumatic stress syndrome is what it's usually called.

People in a combat zone suffer from what they see. From what they experience. From what they must do.

It's one thing to shoot at targets. It's another to take a human life. Or to be injured in battle. Or to see a comrade wounded or killed. Someone you've counted on. Someone who counted on you.

Unfortunately, we hear stories all-too-often about there not being enough programs tending to the emotional needs of the returning vets. Many of the faceless, nearly invisible homeless people on our streets are veterans. Brave men who put on the uniform of the United States of America, followed orders, and went to war. Only to return feeling apart from the same society they took an oath to defend.

So when we hear of programs designed to help traumatized returning veterans, we should take notice.

Outward Bound has launched such an endeavor. Outward Bound is best known for its outdoor, rugged adventures designed to help troubled youth get in touch with themselves and learn to trust and work with others. The same concept is now being applied to returning veterans.

And best of all, it appears to be working.

Read about it here, in the International Herald Tribune.

To contribute to Outward Bound and learn more about their other programs, visit their website, http://www.outwardbound.org/.

Muslims Resent FBI Release Of Photos

Still wanted for questioning

A Muslim organization is complaining that the FBI in Seattle released a photo of two men acting suspiciously around and asking questions about a ferry.

This shows that Shakespeare is as relevant today as he was when he was alive. Because as Shakespeare once wrote, "Honest Othello dost protest too much." Honest Muslims, dost protest too much too.

Who said these suspects were Muslim? The picture doesn't indicate they are Muslim. It just shows two guys.

They could be Arab Christians. They could be Hispanic. They could be Israelis. They could be anything.

More importantly, does this mean law enforcement should feel constrained about publishing information about suspect.

Imagine this. There's a sexual predator loose in your neighborhood. He is attempting to pick up schoolgirls.

The cops send out an alert. But they don't tell you what he looks like. Because they may offend some ethnic, religious or racial group.

Maybe the guy is black. The NAACP might complain.

Maybe he is white. Some white power group might gripe.

Maybe he is Hispanic. Some Hispanic civil rights group might squawk.

Frankly, I care nothing about the religious leanings, or lack thereof, of anyone who would commit terrorist acts. I only care that they are prevented from carrying on their tasks.

Also, remember these two guys are just wanted for questioning. It doesn't mean they've done anything wrong. But as they say here in New York, "if you see something, say something." If it gets to the point where citizens can't report suspicious activities to the authorities, then let's just dismantle law enforcement and let chaos reign.

Civil Liberties Union Challenges Warrantless Wiretaps

Challenging warrantless wiretaps

The New York Civil Liberties Union is challenging in court the government's warrantless wiretap program.

At issue are the convictions of two men in Albany New York on charges of money laundering and providing material support for terrorism.

The NYCLU argues that using wiretaps to set up a sting operation against Mohammed Hossain and Yassin Aref was unconstitutional.

The case strikes right at the heart of the issue of whether protecting national security and civil liberties are mutually exclusive.

The friend of the court brief argues that the president may not impose what is essentially military rule over the nation's civilian population.

"It is a fundamental principle of our country that the president cannot use his authority as commander-in-chief to violate the rights of civilians off the battlefield," said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman.

"That President Bush is authorized to conduct war in Afghanistan does not give him the right to spy without warrants in the United States."

America's Drop Out Problem

Rumberger

America's young people are at risk.

According to the U.S. Education Department's National Center For Education Statistics, five out of every 100 young adults enrolled in high school drop out.

Teenagers in lower income households are, according to the latest statistics, six times as likely than those from affluent households to drop out.

The figures represent up to more than a half-a-million high school dropouts each year.

Russ Rumberger, director of the California Dropout Research Project, says there are a number of factors that contribute to the drop out rate. A recently completed study finds that early children involved in pre-school programs are less likely to drop out. Those in schools with smaller class sizes are more likely to complete their education. And those whose teachers are well paid have a better chance of making it through the 12th grade.

Rumberger was my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk. Guest co-host Susan Richard, anchor at 1010WINS, New York's all-news radio station and I interviewed him.

UN Loses More Credibility

It's so hard to take the United Nations seriously.

Iran has been appointed to the UN anti-racism committee.

This is the same Iran that is calling for the destruction of the state of Israel. And which denies the Holocaust.

The same Iran, by the way, that is defying a United Nation's agency over its nuclear weapons program.

I know people who used to use drugs to get this kind of distortion of reality. But in today's reality, no drugs are necessary.

When Is Illegal Not Illegal?

The Kansas Court Of Appeals has redefined the term illegal with regards to immigrants who come into the United States without authorization.

The panel overturned a lower court ruling denying probation to an undocumented immigrant. Saying that he was wrongly held based on his immigration status.

According to the court, the only time an illegal alien is really illegal is if he's been caught, deported, and has returned.

A Barton County judge sentenced Nicholas L. Martinez to one year in jail after he pleaded guilty to delivery of cocaine and endangering a child by using his young son to give the drugs to an undercover police officer. The judge denied Martinez probation based on his immigration status.

Another Call For Troop Withdrawal

Time to withdraw

Another voice for troop withdrawal from Iraq. Once again, it's a U.S. senator making the call. But this time, it's not a Democrat.

John Warner, who the Financial Times calls, ""the most influential Republican senator on military affairs" says pulling some troops out soon would send a message to the Iraqis that they have to take control of the situation.

The Virginia senator's comments are yet another blow to the president's attempt to show that the troop surge is working and should be given more time.

U.S. Intelligence Community Breaks With Bush On Iraq

Military success, political failure

The top U.S. military man in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, is expected to tell Congress next month that the surge that began around the first of the year is working.

President Bush has said that he would wait to hear from the military before deciding what to do about Iraq. Presumably, that means using Petraeus' report as reason to not announce a troop withdrawal date.

While the military may give the president cover for his policy, the intelligence community does not.

The National Intelligence Estimate says it's unlikely that Iraq's political leaders will quickly put aside their deep sectarian differences to unite the country.

Clearly the Iraqi people favor a representative government. After all, they, at great personal peril, voted in this government.

But the people they've elected lack the political will to pull in the same direction and stop the violence. In short, they've failed the people who entrusted them with this important task.

The military may be right. Their tactics may be working. But without the political will power of the Iraqis behind them, it all may be for naught.

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Photo credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jeffrey Alexander http://www.army.mil/

Should Virginia Tech Students Be Permitted To Carry Guns?

VT memorial dedication

Virginia Tech reopens with fall classes with fresh memories of the massacre on campus that punctuated the end of the last school year.

The college announced some new security measures. Including an Internet notification system in the event of an emergency. And increased counseling for troubled students.

But some are suggesting that that's not enough. Some are actually suggesting that students be permitted to arm themselves in order to protect themselves. Among them Cato Institute senior fellow Robert Levy.

"At the Virginia Tech press conference after the slaughter of 32 defenseless people, the university's president cautioned that it wouldn't be possible to have police guard every classroom and dorm," Levy writes.

"What he omitted was this cold, hard fact: By making the university a 'gun free zone,' his administration and the state legislature had fostered a climate in which ubiquitous police would be necessary. Without a means to protect themselves, Virginia Tech students, faculty, and other employees were more likely to be victimized by the only people on campus who had readily available guns: killers and lunatics."

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/geeknerd99/1175026318/

FBI Seeks Suspicious Men Who Scoped Out Ferries

FBI released photo

These two guys, who were acting suspiciously around ferries in Washington State, are being sought by the FBI for questioning.

Meanwhile, the discovery of a suspicious package on a ferry caused for its evacuation and temporary shutdown in Seattle.

The pair were asking questions about the operation of the ferry. And had been seen three weeks previously acting suspiciously. Prompting a ferry employee then to snap the photo the FBI has released.

One Seattle newspaper ran the photo. The other did not suggesting that the two could just be tourists and it would be wrong to display their images unfairly tainting them as potential terrorists.

You can provide information about the two by calling the FBI's Seattle field office at FBI's 206-622-0460.

Why The UN Can't Stop Iran's Nuclear Weapons Program

If it comes to a military showdown with Iran over its nuclear weapons program, many opponents will claim that the United Nations wasn't given a chance. So in advance of that possibility, let's discuss why the UN is impotent when it comes to Iran.

Nothing is done at the United Nations without the approval of the Security Council. The five permanent members of the Security Council have veto power. China is a member of the Permanent Five.

China has a long-standing connection to Iran. And is counting on Iran to provide its energy needs in the future.

According to Realite-EU, which analyzes the Middle East for the news media, more than 100 Chinese companies are doing contract work in Iran. And they are huge trading partners. To the tune of $10 billion annually.

Worse, China has assisted Iran in its missile development program.

Those who are hoping for a UN brokered diplomatic solution to the problem shouldn't be holding their breaths.

Iran Becomes More Dangerous

Iran says it has developed what it is calling a "smart bomb." A missile guidance system. Which presumably could be delivered from aging fighter jets.

If so, this makes Iran even more dangerous. Especially at a time when it continues, in defiance of international condemnation and law, to develop its nuclear weaponry program. And as Iran's president threatens to wipe Israel off the map.

The time is coming closer where a military option will likely be seriously considered in order to stop this madness.

Militants Put Squeeze On Baghdad

Not just car bombings now

A new tactic by the insurgency in Iraq. They're putting the squeeze on Baghdad by taking control of the electrical grid.

If this isn't an indication of a complete breakdown in civil order, I don't know what is.

I imagine this won't be highlighted in General Petraeus' report to Congress. When he presumably makes a pitch, next month, for an extension of the military mission in Iraq.

When do we say enough is enough and turn this mess over to the Iraqis?

No Smoking Ban Doesn't Apply To Rolling Stones

London's no smoking in public places laws apparently doesn't apply to the Rolling Stones.

But it does apply to their fans.

The operators of the O2 arena were warned, but not fined, after two members of the legendary rock band lit up while on stage.

While the Stones were puffing away, their fans were precluded from smoking. Ushers threatened fans who tried to follow suit with eviction.

Maybe this speaks to the absurdity of the law. Though, as a non-smoker, I must admit I enjoy the prospect of attending a concert in a smoke free environment.

The bigger issue really is, how far should government intrude onto our daily lives.

In New Jersey, cops in one town will ticket you if you're driving your car while smoking if there are kids along for the ride.

It's illegal in most states to drive without your seat belt fastened.

Many states require motorcyclists to wear helmets.

In many jurisdictions, parents can lose custody of their children, and/or go to jail, if they smack them. What was considered proper discipline in the past is now called child abuse.

Some places drinking in public, even if on private property, will earn you and/or the property owner a fine.

Some of these laws are probably necessary. But governments that can't manage their own budgets and that are often rife with scandal shouldn't be telling the people they were created to serve how to run their lives.

Hillary Says Surge Is Working

Ahead of the competition

I never thought I'd hear the words come out of Hillary Clinton's mouth.

Speaking before a Kansas City VFW group, the New York U.S. Senator declared the new military surge in Iraq ... is working.

But she says it comes too late. And suggests the best way to honor those who have and are serving is to bring them home.

Her comments have caused a break in ranks with the other Democratic presidential nomination hopefuls. George Edwards, for example, is saying through his campaign manager that Clinton is, basically, talking out of both sides of her mouth.

Make no mistake about it. Clinton's comments are always calculated. There's a reason she's saying this.

Perhaps it's because she's read the military reports. And she knows that when General David Petraeus appears before Congress next month, he's going to say the same thing.

She's likely anticipating that the president will use Petraeus' comments as reason to press forward in Iraq. Clinton is, basically, rebutting the president before he announces his decision.

Like a good chess player, Clinton is always moves ahead of her opponents.

Neo Nazism In Modern Germany

Returning?

It's Germany's dirty little secret.

The return of Neo Nazism in this day and age. In a country that has taken great pains to recognize recent historical transgressions. And to outlaw Nazi activities.

Now comes a report of 50 right wing Germans attacking a group of Indians during a festival in Muegeln/Bernau which is located in the former East Germany.

There have been increasing incidents of intolerance exhibited in many European nations. This all sounds sadly familiar to the build up to the Holocaust and World War II.

ADL Bigwig Changes Course On Armenian Genocide

Foxman

Remember the old adage? If it walks like a duck and if it quacks like a duck, it's a duck.

The same can be applied to genocide.

Shame on Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, for refusing, for so long, to recognize the near obliteration of the Armenian people by the Ottoman empire as a genocide.

The ADL is supposed to be fighting hatred directed at all people. Acknowledging the massacre of the Armenians does nothing to take away from recognizing the horror of the Nazi Holocaust against the Jews.

Jewish leaders who berated Foxman for his stance should be commended. And, in the final analysis, so should Foxman, for belatedly, but correctly, changing his position. Recognizing publicly that the atrocities committed against the Armenians in the years 1915-1918 constituted genocide.

Obama Wants To Loosen Cuba Travel Restrictions

Democratic presidential aspirant Barack Obama says he wants to make it easier for Cuban Americans to travel to Cuba to visit relatives.

Now isn't this something? A presidential candidate willing to think outside the box. Without pandering to those in the expatriated Cuban community who try to hold both parties hostage to their views.

There's no question that, under Fidel Castro, there have been awful human rights violations in Cuba. But separating families doesn't do anybody any good.

Obama is raising an issue that's not oft-discussed in this campaign. At his own political peril.

He apparently is willing to take unpopular stands on principle. That's refreshing, especially for a politician.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barackobamadotcom/1154180498/

Is The Surge Working?

Is the surge failing?

Two previous critics of the war in Iraq from the Cato Institute recently returned from Baghdad declaring that, to their surprise, the U.S. military surge designed to bring order to the chaos there was actually working. They argued that the military should be permitted to complete its job.

This view is likely a precursor of what Congress will be told next month by the top U.S. military man in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus. But how accurate a depiction will that be?

Foreign Policy and the Center for American Progress conclude that it's a scene viewed through rose colored glasses.

They conducted a survey of 100 of what they call "the nation's most respected foreign policy hands." Concluding that the surge is failing and the war on terrorism may be faltering.

Among those participating in the survey were former secretaries of state, senior White House aides, military strategists and people from the intelligence community.

Some argue that, if the U.S. withdraws, the war on terrorism will be fought, not in Iraq, but on the streets of the United States. But those surveyed discount that dire prediction.

The complete Terrorism Index report can be read at http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3924

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Photo credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jeffrey Alexander http://www.army.mil/

Shades Of The Old Soviet Union

Kasporov's group brought pressure

The Berlin Wall is history. The Soviet Union dead. But in Russia, some of the reprehensible tactics of the old Communist regime seem entrenched.

A Russian journalist has been released from a psychiatric clinic, where she was held, against her will, for 46 days.

Larisa Arap was institutionalized after an article she wrote about alleged child abuse at a psychiatric clinic was published in an opposition newspaper.

Worse, it was a physician who turned her in. She had gone to to the doctor to receive a certificate indicating that she was mentally fit to drive a car, a requirement of Russia's driver's license renewal system. The doctor recognized her as author of the article and notified authorities.

Dissidents in the old Soviet Union were often sent to mental institutions in order to silence them. She was released after public pressure was brought by the human rights organization, United Civil Front, which is headed by former Russian chess champion Garry Kasparov.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/edyson/390108176/

Muslim Sensitivities Cause The BBC To Fold

Drug overdoses are OK

The BBC has scraped plans to air a segment of its popular program Casualty because of sensitivities expressed by Muslims.

The episode was to depict a mass casualty situation, caused by an explosion created by Muslim extremists.

Of course, we wouldn't want the popular media to demean Islamic extremists, who we know would never set off explosions. This would be a terrible mischaracterization of extremists.

Sarcasm aside, this is another sad example of self censorship of expression.

Most people recognize that there are Muslim fanatics who attempt to impose their will on the rest of us, oftentimes through violence. Most of us recognize that Muslim fanatics have set off explosions against their perceived enemies. Most of us recognize that these fanatics have threatened to, and likely will, attack again.

Most of us know that Muslim extremists were behind the attacks on the London subway system.

Peace loving and law abiding Muslims who opposed the airing of the show are misdirected. Their ire should be directed, not at the BBC for producing the fictional account, but at those who use their religion as excuse to commit terrorist acts.

France To The Rescue In Iraq

France's foreign minister says the United States cannot resolve Iraq's problems by itself. So he is offering his country's assistance.

Say what you will (and I certainly have) about there being no weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq, there's no question that the world community joined the United States in believing there were. France included.

But most of the other nations of the world were content to sit back and watch as the United States, joined by a relatively small contingent known as "The Coalition," invaded in search of the WMDs.

For them it was a win-win situation. If the weapons were found, it was at the peril of the U.S. and the other nations alone. If they weren't, then they escaped egg on the face.

Those nations have been content to sit back and watch the U.S. take its lumps, both in physical and political casualties, while trying to restore order.

This has weakened the United States internationally. And has failed to serve the Iraqi people well.

But countries like France know that, anti-American rhetoric aside, they and the rest of the world, are more secure with a strong United States. Strong politically, economically and militarily.

Also, other nations should feel a moral responsibility to help mediate the chaos of Iraq.

France's gesture may come just in the nick of time. The Iraqi prime minister is planning to meet with the Iranian president to discuss an oil deal. This is the kind of relationship that can only make leaders in the West cringe.

Sharpton Sets Conditions For Imus' Return

Sets conditions

Now that Don Imus has settled with CBS Radio for his firing for calling the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy headed hos" the betting is that he will soon return to someone else's airwaves.

That speculation gives Rev. Al Sharpton opportunity to come up with five conditions for Imus' return.

Sharpton outlined those conditions in a column in the New York Daily News.

Interesting, that Sharpton, who has, in the past, ruined the reputations of police officers and prosecutors, and who has his own radio show, wasn't required to meet five conditions before he was allowed on the air.

Who is Sharpton to set these conditions? Who is he to be the arbiter of what is permissible speech?

Just as Sharpton has the right to try to hold a radio audience, so does Imus.

Clinton Scores A New Endorsement

Admired

U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton has received a new endorsement in her bid for the Democratic nomination for president. But it may not be one she'd like to tout.

Former Hollywood Madam Heidi Fleiss has told a Nevada newspaper that she is a "big fan" of the former first lady.

A former first lady (of the night) herself, Fleiss told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that all women, even Republicans, ought to respect Clinton because of her smarts. Fleiss now runs a Nevada laundromat.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/_millhollin/1122135716/

Medicare Won't Pay For Hospital Mistakes

Starting next year, hospitals will no longer be reimbursed by Medicare for mistakes they made in patient care.

That means if a doctor leaves an instrument in a patient after sewing him or her up on the operating table, the hospital will have to incur the cost of the second procedure to remove it.

Or if the nurse fails to turn a bed-ridden patient often and the patient develops bed sores, the hospital, again, will have to pay for treatment.

Advocates hope this will pressure hospitals to provide better patient care.

The good news to patients: hospitals will not be able to pass on the costs of treatment for their mistakes onto them.

Firefighters Die Battling Another Ground Zero Fire

Deutsche Bank building burns

Two New York City firefighters died battling a 7-alarm blaze in the Deutsche Bank building at Ground Zero.

The building was abandoned after being damaged during the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. It was in the process of being dismantled, floor by floor. A slow process because they've been finding remains from the 9/11 attack. And also because of the fear of asbestos pollution.

Ironically, it was the fear of asbestos that may have made fighting the fire more difficult. Protective polyurethane had been put into place to prevent dislodged asbestos from going airborne during the demolition project. New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer says that polyurethane likely hampered the firefighting effort.

Officials say that air quality tests in the neighborhood have found no evidence of asbestos.

The line of duty deaths strike especially hard at the New York City Fire Department because the location brings back memories of the 343 firefighters and paramedics who died on September 11th. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the Deutsche Bank building fire and with the entire FDNY community.

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Photo credit: copyrighted Paul Martinka/ NY Post Special to paltalk.com cannot be reproduced without permission.

Walking Across The Country For Peace

DC bound

Sometimes taking the road less traveled results in new experiences.

We're driving back to the East Coast from Detroit, and my son Daniel mapped out a route along US 30 through the Allegheny Mountains to enjoy. Along the way, we spotted a handful of men with backpacks and anti-war signs.

They were headed from Chicago to Washington, DC. Where on September 11th they hope to demand an end to the war in Iraq.

Led by Mario Penalver, a graduate student in the humanities program at the University of Chicago, they are also advocating the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

Although small in number, Penalver says they've received positive responses along the way. He says about seven in 10 people they meet show their support for their effort. Roughly reflecting, he says, the national public sentiment for troop withdrawal.

We came across Penalver and his group not far from the Flight 93 memorial. A worthwhile stop for all Americans and other freedom loving people in the world.

You can show your support for, or challenge, Penalver, when he's my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk at 5 PM New York time Monday August 20th. Click here to join in the conversation.

You can follow Penalver's journey by going to www.marchofthepeople.org

FBI, CIA Editing Wikipedia Articles

Can Wikipedia be trusted?

A new tracing program has revealed that edits to Wikipedia have come from FBI and CIA computers.

A Wikipedia spokeswoman says the edits may violate the online encyclopedia's conflict-of-interest guidelines. So what?

The veracity of many of the Wikipedia articles come into question. For example, for a short time, the narrative about First Daughter Jenna Bush said her fiance had forgiven her for her "affair" with "Saddam Hussein." Wikipedia caught and removed it. But this kind of "Wikipedia vandalism" is all-too-common.

Then there was the case of one of Wikipedia's own volunteer editors claiming to be a college professor with multiple degrees. Turns out the editor was really a community college dropout. Given this track record, one should question everything posted to Wikipedia.

Then there's the possibility that the CIA and FBI edits about the Iraq war and the Guantanamo prison might actually be accurate. Then again, maybe not, given the CIA's failure to properly analyze the information claiming weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and the FBI bosses ignoring agent's precursor warnings about 9/11.

The fundamental problem with Wikipedia is that the articles are anonymous. So the reader can't analyze the motivation for them.

The same really goes for anything posted on the Internet. If an author remains anonymous, his or her assertions can't be properly challenged and defended.

Man Can't Pay Wife's Medical Bills, Tosses Her To Her Death

Who's going to pay for this?

A Kansas City, Missouri man is being held on second-degree murder charges after he tossed his ailing wife from their fourth floor apartment balcony to her death, allegedly because he couldn't afford her astronomical health costs.

According to court documents, Stanley Reimer kissed his wife goodbye and then threw her over the railing. His wife, Cristie Reimer, had suffered from cancer and neurological problems and weighed just 75 pounds. The medical costs ranged from $700-$800 a week.

Court papers indicated that she had no medical insurance, however, published reports suggested that Reimer qualified for family health benefits on his job. The reports said that due to privacy concerns, his employer wouldn't say whether he was covered.

Of course, even if he had medical insurance, it's likely that it didn't cover the full cost of his wife's treatment.

This tragedy underscores the need for some kind of national health care. Those who argue that the cost of national health care is too much for the country to sustain should look at the price tag attached to the war in Iraq. Perhaps if the nation wasn't spending billions of dollars on such an unpopular war, there would be revenues to cover national health care.

Agreements that companies made with their employees, to provide health care benefits through retirement to their deaths, are being unilaterally withdrawn. Some long time Ford Motor Company retirees, for example, are seeing their health benefits reduced at year's end.

Apparently those who have outlived the actuarial tables need to be penalized for beating the odds. After all, without adequate health care, they may kick the bucket saving the companies tons of money.

Ford Fusion Makes History

The winners

Since I'm filing this dispatch from Detroit, I thought I'd toss a little automotive news into the mix.

Ford Motor Company has set a land speed record with a hydrogen powered Ford Fusion.

The Hydrogen 999 Fusion, the world's first production-based hydrogen fuel cell race car, reached 207.279 miles per hour at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Besides Ford's obvious bragging rights, this puts into light the possibility that alternative energy sources can be developed emancipating us from dependency on foreign oil.

The last time we were given news that offered such optimism was when Al Gore's son was clocked by the cops doing 100+ miles an hour in a Prius!

Rudy Opposes 2-State Solution

Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Guiliani says he is not enamored with the long touted two-state solution to solve the Middle East crisis.

Guiliani cautions that the creation of a Palestinian state would mean the world would have to contend with one more nation that supports terrorism.

In an article in the magazine of the Council on Foreign Relations, Guiliani writes that the Palestinians don't yet qualify for statehood:

"Palestinian statehood will have to be earned through sustained good governance, a clear commitment to fighting terrorism, and a willingness to live in peace with Israel," Guiliani writes in Foreign Affairs.

"America's commitment to Israel's security is a permanent feature of our foreign policy."

Hitler Was A Secret Patron Of Jewish Music

Secretly played Jewish music

Adolph Hitler is out of the closet.

The Guardian reports that records belonging to the fuhrer have been discovered. Which show that behind closed doors, the number one Nazi listened secretly to the music of Russian and Jewish musicians.

Interestingly, Hitler had barred Russian and Jewish musicians from performing publicly. And had been touting the playing of "pure" German music.

U.S. Wants To Designate Elite Iranian Military Unit Global Terrorist

The Washington Post reports that the United States will designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a "specially designated global terrorist."

The problem with this designation is that it's a military unit. Calling it a terrorist group opens the door for other military units to be similarly named.

For example, some voices around the world already claim that the President Bush, as commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces, is a terrorist.

Americans, naturally, reject this contention. Proudly noting that the U.S. military is a highly trained and professional operation. To reduce it to the same level as, say, al Qaeda, is insulting.

Iran's president is, without a doubt, a supporter and and an exporter of terrorism. But to call his elite military force a terrorist sets a bad precedent.

Are The Russians Testing The U.S. Defenses?

Russia has claimed that it has flown bombers over Guam, a U.S. territory.

The Pentagon denies the Russian bombers flew over any U.S. territory, or close enough to U.S. naval vessels to warrant concern or reaction.

Still, we seem to be experiencing a precursor to a new Cold War. Something we thought ended when the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union crumbled.

The Russians have, in recent weeks, planted their flag below the ice at the North Pole. They've also announced plans to re-establish a naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea.

Now they claim they've flown over a naval base located on a U.S. territory.

The focus of the U.S. military has changed since 9/11. And the generally held belief has been that Russia, while certainly not a staunch ally, no longer remains a threat.

But this claim, accurate or mere bluster, should convince the Pentagon that Russia is an awaking bear, possibly one hungry from years of hibernation.

More News Media Self Censorship

Giving newspapers away at the ball game

A humor columnist for New York's Metro newspaper has been fired for joking about how newspaper circulation is down.

Elliott Kalan, who is a writer for the Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central, wrote in a recent column that nobody reads newspapers any longer.

"As this very copy of Metro shows," he wrote, "the only way to get most people to read a newspaper is to literally force it into their hands.”

Metro is a free newspaper handed by hawkers to commuters outside train stations.

I'm one of those New York commuters who happily accepts a copy of Metro when it's offered. It gives me a quick read on top national, international and local stories. But no more. I will henceforth refuse to accept it, opting instead for Metro's competitor, amNew York.

Here's why. Columnists are hired to give their opinions. Publishers should let them do their jobs.

Also, he's right. Newspaper circulation is down. Many people who otherwise wouldn't read the paper are reading newspapers like Metro because they are free.

Rather than being offended by his words, Kalan's bosses should be proud. Because they are keeping the tradition of strong newspapers alive. They're just following a different business model.

By the way, as I vacation in Detroit, I am noticing that the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press are thinner than ever. I walked into a Big Boy restaurant in Farmington, Michigan and saw that they are giving away free copies of the Detroit News to every breakfast customer. Fans entering Comerica Park to watch the Tigers pay are offered free newspapers too.

And along the Jersey shore, you are given a free Asbury Park Press with every cup of coffee you purchase at a QuickChek convenience store.

Once again, proving Kalan, who was fired for telling the truth, correct.

Sierra Leone - The Latest Experiment In Democracy

UN peacekeeping troops are gone. The civil war is over. Now the people are speaking in Sierra Leone.

By the millions, Sierra Leone citizens have been jamming polling stations for the opportunity to vote in elections.

This is reminiscent of Iraqis, walking, not driving, to the voting booth. Under threat of death by those wishing to derail the process. To vote in huge numbers during two national elections.

There are those who argue, given the political crisis and sectarian violence, that the Iraqi government is not representative of the people. But the International Election Commission of Iraq reported voter turnout there at 72 percent. Compared with the 64 percent who the U.S. Census Bureau says voted in the 2004 presidential election in the United States.

Perhaps, since the United States so wishes to export democracy, the Iraqis can be called upon once more to vote in a referendum about the U.S. troop presence in their country.

A recent poll suggested that most Iraqis want the United States out. An official vote would lend weight to their current position.

If the Iraqi people say in a national election that they want the U.S. troops to remain to fight for order, then the U.S. government will have support for its policy. If they vote the troops out, it will make it easier for the United States to withdraw without regard to the consequences on the ground.

Interestingly, even the Democrats are now saying that withdrawal from Iraq won't be imminent. The three leading candidates for the Democratic nomination for president, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama and former U.S. Sen. John Edwards say that, if elected, they would keep some troop presence in Iraq.

Pakistani Christians. Hindus Told To Convert Or Face Suicide Attacks

Hindus and Christians in Peshawar have reportedly received letters from jihadists threatening suicide attacks if they do not convert to Islam.

The International News reports that they were told in the letters to comply or, "you will be eliminated."

The report says security has been increased in the Christian and Hindu communities, especially around their houses of worship.

Traveling to Saudi Arabia? Leave Your Bible At Home

Not welcome in Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is trying to encourage foreign tourism. But when you clear Customs in the KSA, you'd better be careful about what you bring. And what you wear.

The Saudi government is barring, and considering confiscating on sight, Bibles.

Same goes for crucifixes and stars of David. Not to be worn in the kingdom.

It might offend the religious sensibilities of the populous.

Of course, there rightly be a hue and cry if western nations barred Saudi subjects from wearing their traditional religiously significant garb entering their countries. Or prohibited Saudis from taking the Koran with them as they crossed western borders.

Isn't it time to stop this global double standard?

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alaala/162856724/

Landlord Ousts Business For No Habla Espanol

The other day on News Talk Online on paltalk.com we discussed whether it's time, given the huge influx of Spanish speaking immigrants to the United States, to declare English the official language of the country.

The question is, is English truly endangered? Or will, in time, these Hispanic immigrants assimilate into society, adopting English as their native tongues?

The story about a Florida businessman being evicted by his landlord for not speaking Spanish underscores the debate.

Stuart, Florida businessman Tom McKenna, owner of Seacoast Water Care, has been asked by his landlord to move to another location because he does not speak Spanish. Apparently his inability to speak Spanish is an affront to some in that South Florida community.

This reminds me of the time I walked into an electronics store in Miami. I walked up to the counter and the Israeli-born store owner started speaking to me in Spanish.

I told him, "I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish."

His response, in English, was, "you're in southern Florida and you don't speak Spanish? You should be ashamed of yourself!"

My response was to talk out the door and spend my money elsewhere.

Feminist Author Attacked By Muslim Lawmakers

Taslima Nasreen

It appears that feminism and Islam are mutually exclusive concepts.

The exiled Bangladeshi feminist author Taslima Nasreen was physically attacked by Muslim lawmakers and members of a political party at a book launch in India.

Objects were hurled at her. Some people screamed for her death.

These are people well within the system in India who are acting in such a juvenile manner.

Certainly there may be Muslims who find Nasreen's writing's offensive. They have the right to speak out to make their displeasure known.

But those who employ bullying tactics such as these don't deserve to have their viewpoints heard. We should turn a deaf ear to their protests unless and until they learn to express themselves in a civilized manner.

Your Black Muslim Bakery Ordered To Liquidate

Chauncey Bailey's last, unpublished, story may have played a part in a federal bankruptcy judge's decision to order the Your Black Muslim Bakery in Oakland, California to liquidate.

Bailey, the editor of the Oakland Post, had been investigating the bakery which had been suffering from financial troubles. He had been threatened before he was fatally shot while walking to work.

An employee of the bakery has been charged in his murder.

A federal bankruptcy judge has ordered the bakery's liquidation, saying its financial situation has gotten worse, not better, while under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Bailey was an outspoken, crusading reporter who fought injustices in Oakland's black community.

Immigrant Arrested In Newark Execution Killings Was On Bail

Mayor Booker

One of three people suspected in the execution style killings of three college students outside a Newark, New Jersey elementary school was on bail at the time of the killings on charges that he sexually assaulted a 4-year-old child.

The arrest of Jose Carranza, an illegal Peruvian immigrant, is renewing the debate about how bail is applied.

Two juveniles are also being held as suspects.

Carranza, who turned himself into Newark Mayor Cory Booker at a police station, was arrested in April on an assault and battery charge and just last month for allegedly sexually assaulting a child according to published news reports.

The question is, when an illegal immigrant is arrested for a major offense, why is he or she not detained but permitted to be released on bail?

A Return Of The Cold War?

Returning to the Middle East?

Another Cold War may be on the horizon.

China is threatening to use its economic power to devalue the U.S. dollar.

And Russia says it wants to reactivate an old Soviet naval base in Syria and establish a further presence in the Mediterranean Sea to gain a foothold in the Middle East.

The former threat is in response to the Congress talking about imposing trade sanctions on China.

The impetus for the Russian threat can be reduced to three letters. O I L.

Of course, there are those who argue the reason the United States has such a large military presence in the Middle East has little to do with terrorism and everything to do with oil.

What's needed now, more than ever, is smart diplomacy on the part of the United States. A daunting task, given the world's perception of the Bush administration.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/argenberg/178923133/

Government Proselytizes Troops

Stephen Baldwin and friend

The United States government is proselytizing troops in Iraq.

The Nation reports that a Defense Department agency, America Supports You, is planning on distributing what it describes as a controversial apocalyptic video game, Left Behind: Eternal Forces, to U.S. troops in the combat zone.

The Nation also says that born again Christian actor Stephen Baldwin is also being scheduled to perform with his Operation Straight Up evangelical entertainment troupe for the troops. The tour will be called the Military Crusade In Iraq.

Stephen Baldwin is an entertaining fellow. Celebrities should be encouraged to perform for the troops in Iraq. But using them to convert those who are not evangelical Christians runs contrary to what this nation is all about.

It also sends the wrong message to those in the Muslim world who question the motives for being there.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmcphotos/120135681/

9/11 Kin May Grieve At Ground Zero During Memorial Service

Relatives can descend the ramp this year

Relatives of those who died at the World Trade Center site on September 11th have been given permission to briefly descend the long ramp into the construction pit of Ground Zero to grieve during this year's sixth anniversary memorial service.

But the actual service will be held at a nearby park.

The site was changed, much to the chagrin of the family members, for safety reasons. The family members had pushed for a halt to construction on the site on September 11th so that the memorial could be held there instead.

This seems like a reasonable compromise. It keeps those participating in the memorial service safe. Yet allows the family members to get close to where their loved one's perished.

They, understandably, view the bedrock of the World Trade Center site as hallowed ground. The final resting place for the hundreds who died and whose bodies were never recovered.

But the pragmatic fact is, Ground Zero is not being preserved as a memorial park. It is being redeveloped. While there should, and plans say their will, be a fitting permanent memorial to those who died, the family members should start preparing themselves for the inevitability that the day will come, possibly before next year's anniversary, when the site will no longer accommodate large group visits. All the relatives who feel the need to take the long walk down the ramp should be certain to participate this year. It may very well be their last opportunity.

Egypt Arrests 2 Christians For Insulting Islam

Adel Fawzi and Peter Ezzat, Egyptian Christians, are being held by security forces in that nation for comments attributed to them on a Canadian-hosted Christian web site.

The two are being held on suspicion of insulting Islam and the prophet Mohammad on the Middle East Christian Association's website http://www.m-e-c-a.com/.

The organization Christian Solidarity International says in a statement that the attorneys for the two have been denied access to them.

According to CSI, the men are likely undergoing torture.

In a letter to Pres. Bush, CSI President John Eibner says incidents of Christians being prosecuted in Egypt are on the upswing.

"If present trends of violence, intimidate and discrimination continue, the tragic fate of oriental Jewry could befall the Christians of the Islamic Middle East within a generation," Eibner wrote.

Missing Weapons In Iraq

When the United States invaded Iraq the troops moved across the country so quickly that there wasn't time to properly dispose of weapons abandoned by the fleeing Iraqi military. Weapons that were quickly picked up by the populous and are now being used on fellow Iraqis and coalition troops.

Now comes word that our very own weapons ... thousands of them ... purchased for the new Iraqi military have gone missing. Which means, presumably, that American bullets are being fired at American troops.

It also raises a larger issue. If the Iraqi military can't account for their weapons. If those weapons are ending up in the hands of the insurgents who wish to destroy the country. How can the United States ever turn control of the country over to the Iraqi military?

Hillary Surges

Surging

I was in the kitchen the other day as a visitor was plopped on my sofa watching the Democratic presidential debate at Chicago's Soldier Field when I heard the rapid fire of expletives emanating from the living room.

"I hate that f---ing bitch," he yelled.

The peace and serenity of my home was shattered as he watched Hillary Clinton field a question.

My friend had better get used to it. Because Hillary isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

A new poll indicates that the New York U.S. senator has a solid 18 percent lead nationally over her strongest opponent, fellow Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

Of course, this race is still in the early stages. And both Obama and second runner up John Edwards, a former U.S. senator from North Carolina, are poised to give Clinton a run for her money.

But Clinton is the consummate political strategist. Seemingly every answer to every question has been researched thoroughly before she opens her mouth. She figures out what the voters want to hear, takes her positions and remains true to her talking points. They day she strays and says something extemporaneously will be the day she makes some real news.

People either love or hate Hillary Clinton. There seems to be no middle ground.

My advice to my friend, who obviously falls into the "hate Hillary" camp, is to pace himself. Hillary Clinton is in this race 'til the end. And, perhaps, will be around as the first woman president for at least four more years. At the rate he's going, he's going to run out of expletives long before Mrs. Clinton exits the national political stage.

Bridge Collapse Could Spur Increased Gas Taxes

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is toying with the idea of raising his state's gasoline tax in the wake of the deadly I-35W bridge collapse in Milwaukee.

His thinking is that more money is needed to repair the aging highway infrastructure in his state. Pawlenty previously opposed increasing gasoline taxes.

There are those in Washington thinking along the same lines as Pawlenty. At least one member of Congress says the federal gasoline tax should be increased.

A dissenting voice comes from the Cato Institute. Cato senior fellows Jerry Taylor and Peter Van Doren favor eliminating federal gasoline taxes.

Federal gasoline taxes, Taylor and Van Doren write "...overcharge motorists in low-maintenance, low-construction locations and undercharge those in high-maintenance, high-growth areas.

"We find no compelling reason for a federal gasoline tax at all and call for its repeal. Fuel taxes are at best matters of local governmental concern and they should only be a fraction of current charges on motorists."

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hellyes/988136537/

College Presidents Denounce UK Boycott Of Israel

Bollinger

A full page ad in the New York Times today denounces the decision by the University and College Union in the UK to promote a boycott of Israeli educational institutions.

The statement was penned by Columbia University President Lee Bollinger. Nearly 300 college and university presidents have signed onto the statement.

Other university presidents are being asked to join in the condemnation of the boycott effort.

Those who signed the statement are to be congratulated for having the fortitude to stand up to their misguide British colleagues.

When Fireworks Morph Into Pipe Bombs

It was originally reported that two college students driving with suspicious devices in the trunk of their car near a South Carolina Navy weapons station were only transporting fireworks.

Apparently that spin was misleading at best.

Authorities say Ahmed Abda Sherf Mohamed and Yousef Samir Megahed were carrying pipe bombs.

Their defense attorney says the pair had a reason for having the devices. A reason that will become apparent in court.

Meanwhile, federal, state and local authorities are investigating whether this incident was terrorism related. The naval weapons station is also the home of a brig where enemy combatants have been held.

The Newest Highway Safety Issue: DWT

Driving While Texting

DWT -- driving while texting -- has become the latest highway safety issue.

A new Harris poll finds that nine out of 10 Americans think it's unwise and unsafe to text while driving. But, according to the poll, 57 percent have done it one time or another!

One may be able to argue that driving while talking on a cellular phone isn't all that dangerous. But texting?

What message can be so urgent that it can't wait until you're safely stopped before answering.

I've actually seen pedestrians walk into traffic while texting. They look like drunks, trying, unsuccessfully, to walk a straight line.

Nearly 90 percent of those who participated in the Harris Interactive survey believe DWT should be outlawed. It's a shame that we even need a law. This is an issue where common sense should prevail.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmiked/251033610/

19-Year-Old Arrested In Chauncey Bailey's Murder

Broussard

A 19-year-old handyman has been arrested for the killing of Oakland Post Editor Chauncey Bailey.

Oakland, California police say they do not believe the confessed gunman, Devaughndre Broussard, was acting alone. Hinting that the killing was related to Bailey's investigation into the affairs of the Your Black Muslim Bakery. Broussard was an employee of the bakery.

Al Qaeda Threatens Embassies

Adam Yahiye Gadahn

In a newly released video, al Qaeda is threatening U.S. embassies.

It also threatens to attack U.S. interests at home and abroad.

What is particularly disturbing is that the al Qaeda representative on the hour-long tape is Adam Yahiye Gadahn, known in international terrorism circles as Azzam the American.

If you find this a bit treasonous you'll be happy to know that the government is a step ahead of you. Gadahn was indicted in October on treason charges. He's on the FBI's Most Wanted list and there's a $1 million reward for information leading to his apprehension.

This makes him a decidedly unique person. The last time anyone was indicted for treason was during World War II.

Gadahn was raised in California, but then moved to Pakistan after converting to Islam about a decade ago.

Agent Orange All Over Again

Stuart

The Pentagon is taking its public protests about Agent Orange during the Vietnam War and applying them to depleted uranium and the wars in Iraq.

Veteran's groups complained that servicemen and women who were in Vietnam were coming down with cancers and other ailments after being exposed to Agent Orange. The Pentagon discounted those accounts. Just as it is trying to minimize reports of illnesses contracted by armed forces who came into contact with depleted uranium in Iraq.

R.B. Stuart, who, as a guest on News Talk Online raised this issue, has a story in today's New York Sun which offers hope that there will be accountability over this issue.

Stuart writes that the Pentagon has been given until October to provide a comprehensive report about the effects of the suspect weapons on the health of the soldiers in country.

We do a great job of supporting the troops when they are marching off to war. But we fail as a country, and as a society, to care for them when they come back with physical and mental illnesses contracted while putting their lives on the line for this nation.

We owe it to them, and to our future fighting men and women, to be transparent and honest about illnesses contracted. We have a moral and legal responsibility to treat them when they come home.

Every single member of Congress who voted to send them to Iraq should vote to treat them when they come back.