How Cheney Stays Alive

Today it was "revealed" that Cheney wants all television sets to be turned to Fox News - The "Right" View on News - when he checks into a hotel. This is clearly in anticipation that any controversial news could agitate him too much - and with decaffinated coffee, this is the only recipe for survival for Dick Cheney. And, of course, I almost forgot to mention his tactic to shoot first.

Pres. Bush: Warmonger?

The Washington Post reports today that President Bush will announce his continued focus on reemptive war:

"If necessary, however, under long-standing principles of self defense, we do not rule out use of force before attacks occur, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy's attack. When the consequences of an attack with WMD are potentially so devastating, we cannot afford to stand idly by as grave dangers materialize."

This kind of language is very dangerous. It alerts the world that the only remaining super power is willing to use its power. It will lead to arms races (already seen in China) and sends a wrong message to the world: The US administration continues to erode the impression that it is a benign power. Thank you Pres. Bush!

MSNBC's Tom Curry: Misleading his readers

Sometime's I come across something that is so misleading that it needs to be rectified. This time it is a comment from Tom Curry concerning Russ Feingold's attempt to introduce a resolution to censure the president. The author writes:

Feingold’s resolution would censure Bush for ordering surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA) to listen in on conversations of al Qaida suspects outside the United States with persons inside the United States.

This is misleading because it alleges that Bush ordered secret surveillance
a) that the operation was targeted (while it was clearly not) and
b) perhaps even legal despite the fact that there never was a warrant

In reality we should be aware that., for better or for worse, the President has limited yet another basic right, the right to have once conversation private if there is no reason to believe that the conversation contains anything illegal. This, however, is but one of the steps that Preisdent Bush (with the help of Congress and the support of many including Democrats such as Joe Lieberman) has done to strengthen national security at the expense of basic freedoms.

If the terrorist's goal had been to do this they have succeeded. When the US calls for human rights violantions in many countries, you have to increasingly admit that the US cannot claim to represent liberty. It's a realy pity!

Russ Feingold is Right: President Bush Should Be Censured

A president who has so blatantly broken the law, in my opinion, should at least be censured if not even impeached. But with a Congress controlled by Republicand and Democrats too afraid to challenge Bush on such an issue, even a censure remains unlikely.

The New York Times quotes Vice President Dick Cheney as saying: "The American people already made their decision. They agree with the president." This seems to suggest that the American president can unravel the great American democracy if he has the support of the American public. It is sad that the slow slide into authoritarianism can be justified as necessary in terms of national security but wars have been used before to undermine democratic states around the world, especially in those countries with a strong executive.

"Our forefathers fought for the right to fee speech."

What probably is a typo, the New York Times, quoted Pamelyn Ferdin, president of a radical animal rights group and former child star, said that "Our forefathers fought for the right to fee speech." While this was meant as a complaint againts the recent convictions of six members for terrorism and "Internet stalking", it reminded me of another country, half way around the globe, called Singapore, that has just charged one of its most outspoken critics in contempt of court "because he made critical comments about the Singapore judiciary"(Reuters). Dr. Chee Soon Juan was earlier declared bankrupt after failing to pay S$500,000 in damages awarded to former prime ministers Goh Chok Tong and Lee Kuan Yew for allegedly misleading Parliament.

If speaking freely can cost you S$500,000, then it is indeed the right to fee speech that founding father Lee Kuan Yew seems to have fought for.