Roundup: Media's Take

A Foreign Policy of Try, Try Again

Steven R. Weisman, writing in the New York Times (Jan. 18, 2004) THE American occupation in Iraq has been one of relentless trial and error.One early reversal occurred with the American administrators' dismissal of the Iraqi Army, followed by a decision to keep many soldiers on the payroll to avoid trouble. A promise to withdraw a large number of American forces quickly from Iraq was offered and then canceled. Beyond these military shifts, the goal of tra

ONeill's Comments Show We Can No Longer Turn a Blind Eye

Paul Vitello, writing for Newsday (New York) (Jan. 13, 2004) The war in Iraq has become a fact of life in the U.S. - another worry in a sea of murky worries, and about as threatening to the average American as mad cow disease.Except for the people killed and maimed daily on Iraqi soil, and except for the people who might be maimed or killed, and except for the families and loved ones of the people in those categories, Americans seem to be moving on.We have

Like Vietnam? In One Way, Yes

William Pfaff, writing in the IHT (Jan 3, 2004): It is true that some critics have warned of a 'new Vietnam,' but they nearly always do so in terms that suggest only that the eventual victory will be more costly than the Bush government expected. The Vietnam analogy is wrong in military terms… The relevant analogy of Vietnam with Iraq is political. The Bush administration's ambition in Iraq is identical to that of the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations in Vietnam. It is t

Why Washington DC Voters Still Can't Vote for President

James Dao, writing in the New York Times (Jan. 12th, 2004) Danny Glover's voice purred on answering machines, urging people to turn out for Representative Dennis J. Kucinich. Rock bands thumped out chords for Howard Dean. The Rev. Al Sharpton quipped and bellowed for votes.It felt as if primary season had arrived in Washington this weekend, a bit earlier than usual. And it had, sort of. On Tuesday, district voters will go to the polls to cast ballots for

The Media Are Misinterpreting Religion in This Election

Steven Waldman, writing for the

Bush Gets 'Vision Thing' And Embraces Big Risks

Elisabeth Bumiller, writing in the New York Times (Jan. 12, 2004)It was in a moment of irritation during the 1988 campaign that the Republican presidential candidate, Vice President George Bush, first derided"the vision thing," as he called it, thus employing an ungainly piece of Bush-speak to describe a leader's ability to set forth inspiring national goals. Mr. Bush, who may have been one of the most selfeffacing presidents in recent American history, went on to be

American Historians Talk About War, but Is Anyone Listening?

Bob Thompson, writing for the

Don't Rationalize or Justify the Horrors of Terrorism

Reuven Frank, writing for the Los Angeles Times (Jan. 11, 2004)Repeat an unimaginably brutish and outrageous phrase often enough and it becomes common parlance.A mere few years after news accounts first carried the words"suicide bomber," we now accept that there is such a thing, that his -- or her -- presence in the day's news is commonplace.No one any longer stops to think how bizarre an idea it is. A suicide bomber? Someone so intent on murder and des

Japanese Troops Go Abroad for the First Time Since WWII

Mutsuko Murakami, writing for the South China Morning Post (Jan. 10, 2004)In the future, historians may define 2004 as a significant turning point for Japan. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is sending Self-Defence Forces abroad to a war zone for the first time since the second world war. He will give formal orders this month to despatch up to 700 troops to Iraq and its vicinity to"help rebuild the war-ravaged country". A mainstay of about 600 troops will be s

U.S. Can Not Keep Unabom Papers

Bob Egelko, writing for the

A New Phase of Aviation History Is Upon Us: The Paranoia Years

Mark Lawson, writing for the

Even Thatcher Didn't Last, So What Chance Has Blair?

William Rees-Mogg, writing in the Times (London) (Jan. 5, 2004)How long will Tony Blair last? Margaret Thatcher had ten years of real power, from her election victory on May 3, 1979, to Nigel Lawson's resignation as Chancellor on October 29, 1989. There followed a dismal year which included the poll tax, rising unemployment, the Gulf War, the pound joining the Exchange Rate Mechanism, the resignation of Geoffrey Howe and finally the end of her own leadership.M

Francis A. Boyle: The Illegalities of the Bush Jr. War Against Afghanistan

[The author served as Legal Advisor: to the Palestine Liberation Organization on Creation of the State of Palestine (1987-1989), to the Palestinian Delegation to the Middle East Peace Negotiations (1991-1993) and sometime to the Provisional Government of the State of Palestine. He is a Professor in International Law.]The"Blowhard Zone" On September 13, I got a call from FOX News asking me to go on the O'Reilly Factor program that night, two days after the tragic e

Congressional Research Service: Presidential Claims of Executive Privilege ... History, Law, Practice and Recent Developments

[Morton Rosenberg is a Specialist in American Public Law American Law Division.] ABSTRACT This report provides a brief review and discussion of the historical and legal development of the constitutionally-based prerogative of the President to maintain the confidentiality of documents or other materials or information that reflect presidential decisionmaking and deliberations. The evolving nature and scope of the presidential privilege is described and discussed and recent court deci

Stephen Labaton: The Law Ranks Its Privileges

THE investigation of President Clinton's link to Monica S. Lewinsky is barely a month old and it has already set a peculiar record: Most variations on the ancient legal concept of special privileges that excuse people from testifying in court and before grand juries. Before the White House began threatening to invoke the recognized doctrines of lawyer-client privilege and executive privilege to block the testimony of top aides, other Administration lawyers were trying to craft a new

Why the Tea Party’s Hold Persists

by Theda Skocpol

Pundits keep predicting the Tea Party's demise, but it never sticks. Here's why.

David J. Theroux: Founding Fathers' advice to deficit 'super committee': Bring US troops home

David J. Theroux is founder, president, and CEO of The Independent Institute and publisher of “The Independent Review.”As the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (otherwise known as the deficit “super committee”) gets down to business, the 12-member panel should give serious consideration to what America’s Founding Fathers would have done to control federal spending. If the committee members did that, they would have little choice but to recommend that the Obama administration immediately begin a steady withdrawal of all US troops from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and reduce America’s military presence overseas.

Jeffrey Lord: The Party of Stars ... The GOP Talent Pool of 2012 Looks Like the Democrats of 1960

Jeffrey Lord is a former Reagan White House political director and author. He writes from Pennsylvania at jlpa1@aol.com. Will the Republican National Convention of 2012 -- scheduled to be reaching its zenith one year from today -- look more like a political version of American Idol? Showcasing an explosion of fresh political faces destined to star in American politics for decades into the future? Is it 1960 all over again? When the Democratic National Convention was showered with so much sparkling new political talent that it shaped both the party and the nation for the next quarter century? Except this time, in 2012, it's show time for Republicans? With a new Republican Kelly or Jennifer or Carrie just waiting to be discovered? While today's media follows the traditional ups-and-downs of the campaign trail (Perry is beating Romney! Palin is getting in! Palin is out!

Gordon Brown: History will charge Europe's leaders with West's decline

Gordon Brown is the former prime minister of Great Britain.When the history of the 21st century is written, people will rightly ask why it was that Europe was found wanting during its most intractable economic crisis.They will ask why Europe slept as an undercapitalized banking system floundered, unemployment remained unacceptably high, and the continent’s growth and competitiveness plummeted.Worse still, if a reconstruction plan does not come soon, Europe’s leaders will be charged with “the decline of the West” and then face accusations for being, in the words of Winston Churchill about the 1930s, “resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity and all-powerful for impotence.”

Jeffrey Lord: Obama's Churchill Dilemma

Jeffrey Lord is a former Reagan White House political director and author. He writes from Pennsylvania at jlpa1@aol.com.