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Bush '05-'06

Bush Silences a Dangerous Witness
George W. Bush may have felt a thrill of vindication as he went to bed with visions of Saddam Hussein dangling at the end of a rope, but Bush achieved something more important for the Bush Family legacy. He silenced a unique witness who, if given the opportunity, could have testified about the roles of George H.W. Bush and other top U.S. officials in aiding and abetting Hussein's crimes against humanity. By making sure that Hussein never appeared before an international tribunal, Bush kept those Bush Family secrets safely tucked away. December 30, 2006

Troop 'Surge' Seen as Another Mistake
Official Washington missed the role that new Defense Secretary Robert Gates would likely play in helping George W. Bush sell an Iraq War escalation. Senate Democrats had hoped Gates instead would push for a military disengagement. In this guest essay, former U.S. intelligence analysts W. Patrick Lang and Ray McGovern describe how the Bush-Gates team manufactured the consent of skeptical generals. December 24, 2006

Congress, the Voters & a Peace Plan
When American voters overturned Republican majorities in the House and Senate, they sent a clear message that they wanted the Iraq War wound down. That view was reinforced a month later by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group. But George W. Bush is signaling he still wants to escalate the war. In this guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky suggests a course of action for political leaders who want peace. December 23, 2006

Bush's 'Global War on Radicals'
George W. Bush is laying the groundwork for a wider war in the Middle East by stretching the parameters of the "global war on terrorism" to add to his enemies list what he calls "radicals and extremists." The change makes the struggle so amorphous that Bush theoretically could strike at anyone he doesn't like whether there's a credible link to international terrorism or not. The word shift also portends an endless war between the United States and the world's one billion Muslims. December 23, 2006

A Very Dangerous New Year
Political pressures on George W. Bush make the first few months of 2007 a very dangerous time for an escalation of war in the Middle East. Intelligence sources say Bush -- along with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair -- are weighing the possibility of Israeli-led attacks on Syria and Iran, with the United States providing logistical back-up. In this view, the proposed "surge" of U.S. troops to Iraq and the dispatch of a second aircraft carrier task force to Iranian waters are part of the plan. December 21, 2006

No Military Hope, So Send More Troops
Rather than admit responsibility for one of the worst political/military blunders in U.S. history, George W. Bush is on the verge of committing more U.S. troops to the Iraq quagmire, a course reportedly opposed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this guest essay, two former U.S. intelligence analysts -- W. Patrick Lang and Ray McGovern -- warn that this Surge could force the U.S. military to wage a bloody battle to reclaim Iraq while deepening the prospect of a strategic defeat. December 20, 2006

Top Ten Things Not to Do in Iraq
George W. Bush seems determined to "double down" his bet on the Iraq War despite overwhelming public opposition and the recommendations for a phased withdrawal from the bipartisan Iraq Study Group. Bush is now toying with the idea of adding 15,000 to 30,000 more U.S. troops, a scheme called "The Surge." In this guest essay, Ivan Eland puts that plan at the top of his list of ten things not to do in Iraq. December 19, 2006

Robert Gates Lines Up with Bush
The appointment of Robert Gates to replace Donald Rumsfeld as Defense Secretary was widely viewed as a sign that George W. Bush was prepared to accept more realism on the Iraq War and possibly agree to a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops. That wishful thinking led Democrats to treat Gates as a closet ally and to support his nomination unanimously. But the new Defense Secretary now is signaling that he's onboard with Bush's determination to press ahead in Iraq until "victory." December 19, 2006

Iraq 'Defeat' Not Fault of U.S. Troops
George W. Bush, who famously hates to admit mistakes, seems headed toward a military escalation of the Iraq War, in part, he says so as not to betray the sacrifice of the American soldiers who already have fought and died in Iraq. In this guest essay, novelist Steve Hammons writes that whatever the outcome in Iraq, there should be no question about the courage and honor of the U.S. forces sent to fight a misbegotten war. December 16, 2006

A Way Forward, a Look Back
U.S. policy in the Middle East is staggering toward the abyss along a path marked in the past few days by the Saudi ambassador's abrupt resignation and George W. Bush's postponement of a major speech on the Iraq War. It's increasingly apparent that Bush has no intention of changing direction despite prospects for a region-wide conflict. As the crisis worsens, some hidden history is relevant as are thoughts on what a creative path forward might look like. December 13, 2006

Government Checks Naughty or Nice
Besides endless warfare abroad, the interminable "war on terror" requires the steady erosion of freedoms at home. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that the Bush administration claims the unchecked right to rate American travelers as possible security risks, as Ivan Eland observes in this guest essay. December 12, 2006

Pinochet's Death Spares Bush Family
The heart-attack death of notorious Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet means the Bush Family can breathe a little easier, knowing the criminal cases against Pinochet can no longer implicate his longtime friend and protector, George H.W. Bush. Pinochet also was protected from facing justice by George W. Bush, who sidetracked an FBI recommendation to indict Pinochet for the terrorist murder of a Chilean dissident and an American woman in Washington in 1976. December 12, 2006

Time for Bush to Go!
The American political system is hurtling toward a constitutional crisis because of George W. Bush's obstinance about changing course in the Iraq War or in his broader ideological approach toward the Middle East. Bush has made clear that not even Bush Family fixer James Baker will influence the actions of "The Decider." So, as U.S. policy in the oil-rich region spins out of control, the stark choice confronting the American people will be whether the country can stand two more years of this or whether it's time for Bush to go. December 8, 2006

Readers Comment on Bush, Gary Webb
Our readers comment about George W. Bush's political future and the meaning behind Gary Webb's life and death. December 11, 2006

Coming Clash Over Iraq Policy
Despite Washington's conventional wisdom that a major overhaul of the Iraq War policy is looming, the appointment of CIA Director Robert M. Gates to be Defense Secretary and President George W. Bush's recent remarks about achieving "victory" suggest that no significant change is likely. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland sees Bush willing to make little more than cosmetic adjustments. December 5, 2006

Readers Comment on Gates, Iraq, Law
Our readers offer views on the speedy confirmation of Robert Gates as Defense Secretary, the Iraq War and the Military Commissions Act of 2006. December 7, 2006

Robert Gates & Locking You Up Forever
The Senate is expected to quickly confirm former CIA Director Robert M. Gates as the new Defense Secretary, without reexamining some troubling chapters of Gates's past. But these lingering questions about his independence and integrity might be especially relevant given the fact that the next Defense Secretary will inherit sweeping new powers to lock up indefinitely not only "unlawful enemy combatants" but "any person" who is alleged to have aided them. December 1, 2006

Gates, Hadley: More of the Same
Even as the Democrats prepare to assume control of Congress, the Bush administration is pressing ahead on its Middle East war policies, just with a few new faces. In this guest essay, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern looks at early indications that Defense Secretary nominee Robert Gates may become just the President's latest yes man. November 30, 2006

Why Trust Robert Gates on Iraq
Two decades ago, then-CIA deputy director for intelligence Robert M. Gates made wildly erroneous predictions about what would happen in Central America if the United States didn't bomb Nicaragua and overthrow its leftist government. Gates staked out a position considered too extreme even by the Reagan administration. But now, Official Washington is treating Gates as the returning Wise Man who will help guide the nation out of the Iraq debacle when he replaces Donald Rumsfeld as Defense Secretary. November 27, 2006

Blackmail & Bobby Gates
Unresolved mysteries about former intelligence officer Robert Gates mean that his secret -- and possibly illegal -- activities in the 1980s could come back to haunt the United States if he is confirmed as Defense Secretary. Though Gates denies all wrongdoing, substantial evidence now exists that Gates engaged in controversial plans to arm the Iranians and the Iraqis, a past that conceivably could open him to pressure and even blackmail. November 15, 2006

Gates & the Iran-Contra Legacy
Official Washington quickly tired of the Iran-Contra scandal in the late 1980s, with its complex tales of money-laundering and arms smuggling. So, most Americans missed that Iran-Contra was a test run for an all-powerful Executive who could override the nation's laws and the U.S. Constitution. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland examines what it means for George W. Bush to pick Robert Gates, an Iran-Contra veteran, to be Defense Secretary. November 15, 2006

Robert Gates-Gate
The first test of the new Democratic majority's mettle may come during the lame-duck session of Congress with the Republicans still in control and George W. Bush determined to rush through the nomination of Robert Gates to be Defense Secretary, replacing Donald Rumsfeld. Gates is a longtime Bush Family loyalist who appears to have deceived Congress over the Iran-Contra and Iraqgate scandals. In this guest essay, former CIA officer Ray McGovern describes his 36-year experience with Robert Gates. November 14, 2006

Open Letter to Levin on Robert Gates
Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern urges Sen. Carl Levin, ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, to take a serious look at the appointment of former CIA director Robert Gates to be the new Defense Secretary. Sent November 11, 2006

Bush's Belated Accountability Moment
Over the past six years, George W. Bush has rejected the idea of outside oversight of his administration. Two years ago, he asserted that Election 2004 was his "accountability moment," even though government secrecy was shielding many of his official actions from the view of American voters. Now, with the Democratic congressional victories, Bush may get a taste of what real oversight and meaningful accountability actually mean. November 12, 2006

Democrats, the Truth Still Matters!
Democrats, being Democrats, often put governance, such as enacting legislation and building coalitions, ahead of oversight, which can involve confrontation and hard feelings. Given that tendency, we are re-positing a story from last May that examined why President Bill Clinton and the last Democratic congressional majority (in 1993-94) shied away from a fight over scandals from the Reagan-Bush-I era -- and the high price they paid for the decision. November 12, 2006

The Secret World of Robert Gates
Replacing Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon with Robert Gates is a sign the Bush Family is circling the wagons around the embattled presidency of George W. Bush. Gates is a trusted hand of George H.W. Bush, but there remain troubling questions about whether Gates is a trustworthy government official. Since his last confirmation as CIA director in 1991, new evidence has surfaced suggesting that he may not have told the full truth. November 9, 2006

Readers React to Election, Gates
Comments from readers about the Democratic election victory and the appointment of Robert Gates to succeed Donald Rumsfeld. November 10, 2006

American Voters Just Say No
By throwing out the Republican majority in the House, the American voters just said no to George W. Bush -- and to his dark vision of endless war abroad and the end to the Republic at home. The stunning election results now set the stage for a historic battle over the U.S. constitutional system. Bush indicates he won't back down; the Democrats face some tough decisions on how to proceed. But the American people made clear they're sick and tired of Bush's claims to unlimited power. November 8, 2006

Disregarding Democracy
The Bush administration is hedging its bets on the Nov. 7 elections, saying a possible voter rebuff of Republican congressional candidates won't force George W. Bush to change course on the Iraq War. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland points out that this White House has long disregarded democracy -- at least when it doesn't match George W. Bush's interests. November 7, 2006

Readers React to Bush '06 Push
Comments from readers about our recent articles on George W. Bush's last-ditch campaign to save the Republican majorities in the House and Senate. November 5, 2006

America's Slide to Totalitarianism
With some last-minute polls showing a strong Republican comeback, Election 2006 may yet serve as a ratification of George W. Bush's dark vision of endless war abroad and an end to the American Republic at home. Though Americans may not understand the stakes, Bush will surely interpret a Republican victory as an endorsement of his assertion of "plenary" -- or unlimited -- powers and the effective elimination of the "unalienable" rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. November 6, 2006

Bush Will Say Anything
In the final days before the pivotal Nov. 7 elections, George W. Bush is rallying Republicans with stump speeches that are remarkable -- even by today's standards -- in their disdain for facts and logic. Bush's performance has added another question that may be answered in the voting -- have most of the American people lost the ability to differentiate between spin and reality? November 4, 2006

America's Point of No Return
George W. Bush has reframed the pivotal Nov. 7 elections around John Kerry's "botched joke" and the premise that a Democratic victory means "the terrorists win." Much less attention is getting paid to what continued Republican congressional majorities would mean for America's constitutional liberties and for a near-endless "World War III" against Muslim militants around the globe. November 2, 2006

How Neocon Favorites Duped U.S.
With the U.S. death toll in Iraq now over 2,800 and no end in sight, the Nov. 7 elections may be the last chance for voters to exact some accountability on the architects and enablers of the war. This "special report" explains how Washington's political/media system became a conveyor belt for disinformation from Iraqi "defectors" closely allied with George W. Bush's neoconservatives. November 1, 2006

Readers' Comments
Comments from readers about recent articles. November 3, 2006

Al-Qaeda Wants Republicans to Win
Despite George W. Bush's assertion that a Democratic victory on Nov. 7 would mean that "the terrorists win and America loses," the evidence actually points to a conclusion that a Republican victory would much better serve al-Qaeda's interests. As U.S. intelligence agencies know, Osama bin Laden has long understood that Bush's blunderbuss "war on terror" is al-Qaeda's best ally in spreading violent extremism throughout the Muslim world. October 31, 2006

All the President's Lies
Out on the stump for Republican candidates, George W. Bush is letting loose a crowd-pleasing stem-winder full of distortions and lies, remarkable even by his standards. As his crowds chant "USA, USA," Bush presents the Democrats as people who don't want to detain terrorists, won't question terrorists and oppose putting terrorists on trial. The speech shows that Bush remains confident in his ability to paint a false reality without paying a price. October 30, 2006

Winning the Spin Battle
Having jettisoned "stay the course," George W. Bush is redefining the Republican message for the Nov. 7 elections. It is that a Democratic victory means "the terrorists win and America loses," as the President said in a speech in Georgia. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland suggests that Americans who see the Iraq War as a disaster for the nation should get into this game of clever catch phrases. October 31, 2006

Why Conservatives Balk at GOP
George W. Bush says the U.S. government's highest duty is to protect the safety of Americans. But many traditional conservatives -- and other Americans -- disagree, saying the top priority must be defense of the Constitution and individual liberties. In this guest essay, William Frey explains why he and other conservatives believe the modern GOP has lost its way. October 26, 2006

Misreading al-Qaeda on Iraq
An emerging argument for keeping the U.S. military in Iraq is that to leave would give Osama bin Laden an important political and strategic victory. Terrorism expert Peter Bergen made this point in a New York Times article echoing George W. Bush's stump speeches. But Bergen and other advocates of a prolonged U.S. occupation appear to have missed a recent intercept of an internal al-Qaeda message that welcomed the idea of "prolonging" the Iraq War. October 27, 2006

How Democrats Might Blow It, Again
As the Democrats read the polls and stock up on champagne, they are losing focus on what would happen if the Republicans engineer an upset victory in Election 2006. George W. Bush would surely interpret another GOP win as a broad mandate for waging "World War III" against his Muslim enemies and for eliminating many of the nation's precious constitutional rights, as he puts in place an increasingly authoritarian state under an imperial President. October 24, 2006

Readers React on Bush's Power
Comments from readers about stories on George W. Bush's expanding powers and the manipulation of intelligence. October 23, 2006

U.S. Arrogance in Iraq
Facing the prospects of Republican losses in the Nov. 7 election, George W. Bush has jettisoned his "stay the course" mantra and is looking for a new sales pitch to give the voters some hope that he has a workable plan for Iraq. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland argues that election-year gimmicks -- and badgering the Iraqi government to do what it can't do -- won't be enough to solve the intractable problems in Iraq. October 24, 2006

Giving Osama What He Really Wants
The Republican National Committee and George W. Bush are claiming that what Osama bin Laden really wants is a U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq -- and that U.S. voters should deny him that wish. But recent U.S. intelligence actually reveals the opposite, that al-Qaeda realizes that "prolonging" the U.S. occupation serves its interests by creating thousands of new jihadists. October 21, 2006

Bush's Absolute Power Grab
Many Americans don't want to believe a totalitarian structure could be put in place in their own country. They don't want to view the various pieces of George W. Bush's "anti-terror" system in that dark a light. But -- as Carla Binion argues in this guest essay -- America already has traveled far down that scary road. October 21, 2006

Who Is 'Any Person' in Tribunal Law?
The New York Times lead editorial assures American citizens that they won't disappear into George W. Bush's new draconian legal system outside the protection of the U.S. Constitution. But is that comforting message true? The law actually contains a number of provisions that apply to "any person" who is viewed by the Bush administration as aiding America's enemies. Indeed, some references make clear that the "any person" can be a U.S. citizen who could be denied constitutional rights. October 19, 2006

Shame on Us All
October 17, 2006, should go down in history as the antithesis of July 4, 1776. On that glorious day, the American Founders proclaimed that all people possessed "unalienable rights," including the crucial legal right of habeas corpus. Some 230 years later on a dreary fall day in Washington, George W. Bush signed a law repealing America's founding principles and establishing a parallel system for prosecuting enemies of the state, including U.S. citizens. October 18, 2006

Readers React on Tribunal Law
Comments from readers about our stories on the Military Commissions Act of 2006. October 20, 2006

Republican v. Democrat on Security
National security again stands as a major issue in the U.S. national elections. But unlike 2002 and 2004, polls show it is not the Republican strong suit it once was. That's in part because the American people know more of George W. Bush's real record. In this guest essay, national security expert Burt Hall compares how the two parties have dealt with terrorism. October 20, 2006

Iraq Deaths: Politics vs. Science
The cost of the Iraq War in blood and money keeps rising. Yet, perhaps the most shocking recent news was the medical study estimating that the war has killed more than 600,000 Iraqis. In this guest essay, Dr. Curren Warf examines the science behind the study and the political attacks on the numbers. October 18, 2006

Is U.S. Worsening Iraq Civil War?
One of the internal contradictions in George W. Bush's Iraq War policy has been the risk that arming and training a Shiite-dominated military would encourage it to violently subjugate the rival Sunni minority, a development that could end up looking a lot like genocide. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland argues that it may be time for the U.S. to back away from Shiite-run security forces. October 18, 2006

N. Korea Bomb Tied to Bush Fiasco
U.S. intelligence has determined that North Korea's Oct. 9 nuclear bomb came from plutonium supplies that were unfrozen in 2003 in Pyongyang's response to George W. Bush's "axis of evil" threats. The plutonium had been kept under lock and key through an agreement negotiated by the Clinton administration, a deal that Bush first disparaged and then swept aside. October 17, 2006

Foley 'October Surprise' Claim Flops
Immediately after Rep. Mark Foley resigned over a page-sex scandal, senior Republicans and the right-wing news media began spreading a conspiracy theory claiming Foley was done in by a Democratic dirty trick. The "October Surprise" allegation spread quickly despite a lack of evidence, but -- now with more known about the story's back story -- the GOP theory has collapsed. October 16, 2006

Canada's New Bush-Style Politics
For decades, Canada has been known as America's pleasant neighbor to the North, with a political process more focused on practical solutions than ideological combat. But that may be changing as Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper adapts lessons from America's Republicans to the goal of building the same kind of right-wing powerhouse in Canada that George W. Bush relies on in the United States. October 14, 2006

Bush & His Dangerous Delusions
So what happens if an American President loses touch with reality and no one around him has the courage to intervene? Though this might sound like the plot of a political thriller, it appears increasingly as if that is the reality the United States is now facing, as George W. Bush drifts deeper and deeper into a made-up world where facts and logic are not tolerated. October 12, 2006

More Readers on Bush's 'Delusions'
Comments from readers about whether George W. Bush suffers from "delusions" or just plain lies. October 15, 2006

Bush's Tough-Talkin' Korean Bungle
Even before 9/11, George W. Bush was talking tough to North Korea, letting the communist dictatorship know it was near the top of his list for regime change. But Bush's harsh rhetoric and threatening actions -- especially in the context of the 2003 invasion of Iraq -- sent North Korea off in a hasty pursuit of nuclear weapons, an unintended consequence that is provoking a new crisis. October 10, 2006

Moon, North Korea & the Bushes
U.S. intelligence documents reveal that Washington Times founder Sun Myung Moon gave millions of dollars to North Korea's communist leaders in the early 1990s as they were scrambling for resources to develop nuclear weapons and other sophisticated military hardware. But Moon also put large sums of money into Bush family pockets -- and has escaped legal complications. October 11, 2006

Moon Backer Responds on N. Korea
Comments from a supporter of Rev. Sun Myung Moon about his business dealings with North Korea. October 13, 2006

A Way Out of Iraq?
The worsening political disintegration of Iraq -- combined with George W. Bush's refusal to admit that his 2003 invasion was a mistake -- has led some analysts to look for creative approaches for resolving the crisis. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland argues that partitioning Iraq may be the only way to avert disaster. October 10, 2006

Bush's Failed Policy of Kill, Kill, Kill
George W. Bush's strategy of killing his way to victory over Islamic extremism is dooming the United States to a bloody defeat in Iraq and a broader failure against Muslim radicals around the globe. This troubling message has been written on the wall for several years now, though Official Washington is only just beginning to read it. But what can be done? October 6, 2006

Al-Qaeda's Fragile Foothold
In a newly disclosed internal communique, an al-Qaeda leader frets that the terrorist organization has alienated key Iraqi insurgent groups -- and says an extended U.S. occupation is needed to give al-Qaeda time to mend fences. "Prolonging the war is in our interest," said one of Osama bin Laden's top lieutenants in a letter intercepted by the U.S. military. October 4, 2006

Kissinger's Bad Advice on Iraq
As the situation worsens in Iraq, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has emerged as a White House adviser, urging George W. Bush to resist calls for withdrawing U.S. troops. But is Kissinger charting the same disastrous course for a prolonged war in Iraq as he did in Vietnam? In this guest essay, Ivan Eland examines whether Kissinger is the right man to be giving advice at this dangerous moment. October 3, 2006

Readers React to Latest News
Comments from readers about the latest news. October 3, 2006

Why Capitol Pages Fear Retaliation
Capitol Hill pages kept quiet about Rep. Mark Foley's suggestive e-mails for years out of fear that they would be blacklisted from future political jobs in the Republican-controlled U.S. government. This fear of retaliation was one of the lessons that the pages learned from watching how the adults behaved in today's Washington. October 2, 2006

Dereliction of Duty
President Bush is continuing to pound away at those who doubt his judgment about the war in Iraq, and a majority in Congress is staying in line. In this guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky accuses the Washington Establishment of a dereliction of duty that has put comfortable careers back home ahead of the welfare of U.S. troops abroad. October 1, 2006

Bush Throws Down the Gauntlet
Gone suddenly is the Republican strategy for trying to "localize" the Nov. 7 congressional elections and stop Democrats district by district. George W. Bush has thrown down the gauntlet to Democrats for a "nationalized" referendum on his handling of the "war on terror" and the Iraq War. The big question now is whether the American people will view Bush's "World War III" as a necessity or as a mad rush to destruction. September 29, 2006

How to Avoid World War III
The neoconservatives surrounding George W. Bush are eager to take the United States into "World War III" against many of the one billion Muslims on the planet. But before this wholesale carnage begins -- with the inevitable political repression at home -- peace-loving people around the globe might want to look at some alternatives. September 28, 2006

Readers React to World War III
Some comments from readers  about the prospect of following George W. Bush into World War III and other topics. September 28, 2006

Still, Never Having to Say 'Sorry'
Two-and-a-half years ago, we published an article about the Bush administration's strange refusal to admit to even one second thought about what it might have done to prevent 9/11. Now, with the Right assembling a counter-history that pins the blame on former President Bill Clinton, we have dug back into our archives to republish that story. September 27, 2006

Negroponte Muddies NIE Waters
When George W. Bush found himself on the defensive over a U.S. intelligence estimate that recognized the obvious -- that the Iraq War had enflamed anti-Americanism and made the terrorist threat worse -- his intelligence czar John Negroponte tried to soften the political impact. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland looks behind the battle over the NIE,  September 27, 2006

Losing a War, Winning a Police State
The U.S. intelligence community has reached a consensus on the obvious -- that George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq has worsened the global terrorist threat and made Americans less secure. But losing ground in the "war on terror" has side benefits for Bush. More terrorism strengthens the rationale for expanding his presidential powers, for lining the pockets of friendly corporations and for stripping away constitutional rights of the American people. September 26. 2006

Bush's 'Dirty War' Amnesty Law
The United States is following a troubling path marked by previous "dirty war" governments -- granting amnesty to human rights violators, in this case apparently up to and including President George W. Bush. Yet the debate about the compromise legislation on the treatment of "war on terror" detainees has virtually ignored Bush's demand for amnesty, which has been slipped into the bill without using the word "amnesty" or even explaining what Bush has done that needs protection from future prosecution. September 23. 2006

'Devil' in the Eye of the Beholder
The U.S. pundit class, which cheered when George W. Bush used his 2002 United Nations speech to effectively announce an unprovoked invasion of Iraq, has reacted in horror and fury over Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez giving a speech to the U.N. that referred to Bush as "El Diablo." In this guest essay, media critic Jeff Cohen looks at when some of the same outraged pundits thought it was fine to toss around the d-word and other epithets. September 23. 2006

Readers React to Recent Bush Stories
Some comments from readers  about the Bush Family's secret history of dealing with international terrorists and then concealing the facts. September 22, 2006

Bush Shields Dad on Chile Terrorism
George W. Bush is following in his father's footsteps in protecting former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet for his alleged role in a terrorist assassination attack in Washington, D.C., three decades ago. At the time, George H.W. Bush was CIA director and he appears to have tolerated and then covered up Pinochet's connection to the double homicide. But the younger George Bush may now be protecting the Bush Family legacy as well. September 22. 2006

Bush's Empty Words to the U.N.
In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly, George W. Bush invoked the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and said its principles are "as true today as they were when they were written." The only problem is that Bush is violating about one-third of those human rights tenets, including bans on arbitrary arrests, unfair trials and mistreatment of detainees. September 20. 2006

What to Do About Iran's Nukes
In this guest essay, Ivan Eland looks at the quandary that George W. Bush faces -- and helped create -- in dealing with Iran's nuclear program. September 20, 2006

Bush's Way or the Highway
George W. Bush's threat to stop interrogating terror suspects unless Congress rewrites the Geneva Conventions to his liking marks the reemergence of the petulant President of before 9/11, who would threaten to "go back to Crawford" if he didn't get his way on legislation. Like then, Bush is facing political resistance to his policies -- and he doesn't like it. September 18. 2006

More Readers React to Bush Tirade
Some comments from readers and from MSNBC's Keith Olbermann about George W. Bush's recent tirade about torture. September 20, 2006

New Clues in the Plame Mystery
Washington's new "conventional wisdom" -- that Karl Rove and the Bush administration got a bum rap on the "outing" of CIA officer Valerie Plame -- has been destroyed by new evidence that Rove and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage were much closer than most pundits understood. Right-wing columnist Robert Novak also has blown big holes in the notion of Bush administration innocence. September 15. 2006

Readers React to Plame Stories
Some comments from readers about the investigation into how the Bush administration leaked the identity of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame, including our reporting on the Rove-Armitage connection. September 17, 2006

U.S. Press Bigwigs Screw Up, Again
For the past two weeks, Washington's "conventional wisdom" crowd has been chastising anyone who ever thought that the Bush administration had willfully leaked the name of CIA officer Valerie Plame to punish her husband for criticizing the Iraq War. That "conspiracy theory" had supposedly been disproved by the admission of former State Department official Richard Armitage, who said he inadvertently blurted out the name as gossip. But now columnist Robert Novak discloses that Armitage's account was "deceptive," meaning that the U.S. press bigwigs have screwed up again. September 14. 2006

Nov. Election Is Next Gulf of Tonkin
In this guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky warns that the upcoming congressional elections will be a referendum that will either commit the United States to fight "World War III" or will reassert a two-party system that could put the brakes on this new rush to war. He says the key will be an emergency investment in honest media to explain the consequences to the American people.  What do you think? September 13. 2006

Review of 'Case for Impeachment'
Peter Dyer reviews "The Case for Impeachment: The Legal Argument for Removing President George W. Bush from Office." September 13, 2006

9/11's Dark Window to the Future
The fifth anniversary of 9/11 recalls that tragic day but also has become a reminder of America's continuing march toward a new-age totalitarianism in which political and ideological forces shape reality. As George W. Bush seeks to revive the sentimental unity that followed the attacks, his supporters are busy using the event as cover for consolidating right-wing political power and enshrining a bogus history. September 11. 2006

Shareholder Letter to Disney
A Disney shareholder demands accountability for deceptive "docu-drama" on 9/11. September 12, 2006

Who Benefits from 9/11 Angst?
In this guest essay, Ivan Eland explains how excessive 9/11 commemorations help al-Qaeda terrorists spread more fear and let a few American politicians boost their poll numbers. September 12, 2006

Bush Exploited, Shamed 9/11
Rarely has history witnessed the contrast between how a united people rallied in the face of tragedy as occurred on 9/11 and how that country's leadership then exploited that unity for ideological and partisan goals. In this heartfelt guest essay on the fifth anniversary of 9/11, political analyst Brent Budowsky looks back at that tragic day and its equally tragic exploitation by President George W. Bush and his political followers.  September 10. 2006

Readers React on 9/11 Exploitation
Some comments from readers about the Right's political exploitation of 9/11, now including a prime-time network "docu-drama." September 10, 2006

ABC's 9/11 'Docu-fraud' Must Go!
Should ABC-TV air a docu-drama on a historical event as searing as the 9/11 attacks with dialogue and scenes invented by screenwriters with an apparent ideological bias against the people whose words are being made up? In this guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky says minor touch-ups are not enough, the whole project must go. What do you think? September 9. 2006

Election 2006 & World War III
George W. Bush has raised the stakes for Election 2006, making it a referendum on whether the American people want to follow him and his neoconservative advisers into what they call "World War III," a virtually endless conflict against Muslim extremism. In a Sept. 5 speech to military officers, Bush also made clear that Americans should be prepared to sacrifice some of their most precious liberties and watch the end of the democratic Republic. September 7, 2006

More Readers' Comments on Bush/Terror
Some comments from readers about George W. Bush and the "war on terror." September 8, 2006

What If Bush Debated Ahmadinejad?
In this guest essay, Ivan Eland speculates how the debate between George W. Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad might have played out if the White House hadn't summarily rejected it. September 7, 2006

Al-Qaeda's 'Simon Says'
One of George W. Bush's pro-Iraq War argument is that Americans must listen to al-Qaeda's calls for driving U.S. forces out of Iraq and thus recommit to keep U.S. troops there. But Bush may be playing into al-Qaeda's hands through a kind of a reverse "Simon Says," in which al-Qaeda tells Americans what to do when it really wants the opposite.  Behind the scenes, al-Qaeda sees its success tied to Bush's clumsy "war on terror" spreading hatred in the Middle East. September 6, 2006

How Obtuse Is the U.S. Press?
The Washington press corps is swinging into full backlash mode, whipping anyone who challenged how the White House handled the smearing of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson and the outing of his CIA wife. Seizing on a new disclosure putting blame on a senior State Department official, the Washington Post and the New York Times have rallied to George W. Bush's defense -- despite reams of evidence that Bush and his aides were behind the anti-Wilson operation. Which raises the old "Shawshank Redemption" question: "How can you be so obtuse?" September 3, 2006

More Readers' Comments
Some comments from readers about our stories, "Smearing Joe Wilson, Again" and "How Obtuse Is the U.S. Press?" September 3, 2006

Smearing Joe Wilson, Again
The Washington Post's editorial page is at it again, smearing someone who dared expose the Bush administration's Iraq War deceptions. The whipping boy this time is former Ambassador Joseph Wilson who had the audacity to challenge George W. Bush's false claims about Iraq trying to buy uranium from Africa. In an upside-down editorial, the Post is now blaming Wilson for the administration's exposure of his CIA wife's identity. September 1, 2006

Missing the Point on CIA Leak Case
Conservative pundits are claiming that the White House was vindicated by the disclosure that former State Department official Richard Armitage may have been the first official to tell a reporter about Valerie Plame's CIA identity. But that doesn't change the relevant fact that White House aides willfully peddled Plame's covert identity to some half dozen reporters. In this guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky calls the Armitage story a meaningless diversion from the treachery committed by top aides to George W. Bush. August 31, 2006

Double Standards on War Crimes
Saddam Hussein's war-crime defense -- that Iraq was aiming at pro-Iranian forces when it killed Kurdish civilians -- raises questions of double standards, since the Bush administration supported Israel when its bombs killed about 1,000 Lebanese civilians while going after Hezbollah fighters. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland compares the two arguments. August 30, 2006

Bush, Katrina & Trent Lott's House
Returning to the devastated Gulf Coast for a 13th time since Hurricane Katrina, George W. Bush was mourning again the destruction of Sen. Trent Lott's "fantastic" house which overlooked the water. In doing so, Bush revealed that his deepest sympathies go to people of his privileged class, while he strains to project concern for average folk, especially the black ones. August 29, 2006

Bush's Disdainful Presidency
George W. Bush's crude behavior as President, including insults about people's personal looks, is usually dismissed by the U.S. news media as simply his "inner frat boy" coming out. But a U.S. News report that Bush intentionally farts while greeting new White House staffers suggests that Bush enjoys exerting his power over subordinates in ways reminiscent of how ancient royalty treated lowly subjects. August 26, 2006

More Readers' Comments
Some more comments from readers about our story, "Bush's Disdainful Presidency." August 29, 2006

Aero's Cloaks and Daggers
In a mystery reaching from the countryside of North Carolina to dank prisons on the other side of the world, anti-torture activists are investigating a charter airline company, Aero Contractors, over suspicions that it's flying CIA prisoners from the "war on terror" to countries that practice torture. August 26, 2006

Does More War Require a Draft?
The Bush administration is forcing 3,500 Marines, who had served their country and had returned to private life, to go back into military service as a way to fill the ranks thinned by the long war in Iraq. Now, with neoconservatives salivating about waging wars against other Middle East adversaries, the question -- posed in this guest essay by political analyst Brent Budowsky -- is whether some form of military draft is just around the corner for young Americans. August 24, 2006

The Cult of the Offensive
U.S. President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appear to be in denial about strategic disasters they have encountered in Iraq and Lebanon, respectively. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland looks at what lessons the two reversals hold for the future. August 24, 2006

Is Bush a Clear & Present Danger?
As George W. Bush digs in his heels on keeping U.S. troops in Iraq indefinitely and points toward future conflicts with other Middle Eastern nations, the question arises whether his bombastic foreign policy -- and his refusal to admit mistakes -- make him "a clear and present danger" to U.S. national security. There's also the troubling fact that Bush's unpopularity around the world has made him a perfect foil for Islamic extremists. August 23, 2006

An American Turning Point
Official Washington has grudgingly come to agree that George W. Bush's Iraq War was a military and political disaster. But the pundit class still won't recognize that there is no practical way to recover from the blunder as long as Bush and his team remain in power. In this guest essay, Peter Dyer says the United States must go even further and put Bush on trial as a war criminal. August 20, 2006

Bush Makes New Enemies Daily
By adopting neoconservative phrasing like "Islamic fascists," George W. Bush is signaling that he shares the extremist neocon vision that the United States is engaged in "World War III" against militants living among the world's one billion Muslims. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland argues that Bush is expanding his enemies list beyond all control. August 17, 2006

Israeli Leaders Fault Bush on War
As more Israelis criticize Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for his handling of the botched invasion of Lebanon, some Israeli leaders are privately faulting U.S. President George W. Bush for egging Olmert into his fateful decision. Sources say Bush gave Olmert a green light for the attacks in May and then bought Olmert time in July for the Israeli bombardments to succeed. Only recognition of Israel's failure led to U.S. support for a cease-fire. August 13, 2006

The Bush-Bin Laden Symbiosis
George W. Bush used the latest terrorism scare to remind Americans that he is their protector in a long war against "Islamic fascists." But the history of the past five years is that Bush and al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden have enjoyed a strangely symbiotic relationship that included bin Laden's "October Surprise" videotape that may have put Bush over the top in Election 2004. The new fears about mid-air explosions are sure to boost Republican political prospects again. August 11, 2006

Lieberman's Loser 'Bipartisanship'
Beyond the Iraq War, a key reason Sen. Joe Lieberman lost Connecticut's Democratic primary was the distaste many rank-and-file Democrats felt toward his hunger to be liked by Washington's insider class -- including by Fox News -- rather than to fight for principles that Democrats hold dear. Lieberman's view of partisanship also was to tolerate it when displayed by Republicans but to object when it was demonstrated by Democrats. August 9, 2006

A 'Pretext' War in Lebanon
The American people have been sold the notion that Israel's bombardment of Lebanon was justified by an unprovoked "kidnapping" of two Israeli soldiers on July 12. The reality now appears to be quite different: that U.S. President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert signed off on the war almost two months earlier and then sought a pretext. August 9, 2006

9/11 Commission Downplayed Israeli Link
Like Social Security in domestic policy, Israel can be the fatal "third rail" for politicians who dare to touch it.  In this guest essay, Ivan Eland notes that even the 9/11 Commission downplayed the Israeli motive in al-Qaeda's reasoning behind the terrorist attacks on the United States. August 9, 2006

Bush Wants Wider War
George W. Bush and his neoconservative advisers saw the Israel-Hezbollah conflict as a chance to get the Israelis to spread the war to Syria and achieve the long-sought goal of "regime change" in Damascus. But sources say the Israeli government torpedoed the scheme, deciding instead to concentrate on rooting Hezbollah guerrillas out of southern Lebanon. August 3, 2006

Bush's Iran-Friendly Foreign Policy
George W. Bush remains wedded to the use of military violence -- both by the United States and Israel -- to create a "new Middle East" that is more compliant to the wishes of Washington and Tel Aviv. But beyond the questions of morality and war crimes, there are doubts that the strategy will work. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland argues that the chief beneficiary of Bush's bloody follies will be the Islamic fundamentalist regime in Iran. August 2, 2006

Who Is Israel's Friend?
Some U.S. politicians and pundits present themselves as Israel's friend, abhorring any criticism of Israeli government policy and positioning themselves for expected political advantage. But sometimes real friends are the ones who tell you that you're making a mistake and need to go in a different direction, even when you don't want to hear it and even when they'll take heat for saying what needs to be said. August 1, 2006

War in the Age of 'Poodle-ism'
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has earned the nickname, the Poodle, as George W. Bush's lapdog. But in this guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky argues that Blair is not alone, that timidity in the face of today's neoconservative bullies is so pervasive in U.S. politics and journalism that the phenomenon deserves its own label, "poodle-ism." July 30, 2006

Biblical Pacifism to the Crusades
Though the Crusades date back almost a millennium, they continue to color events in today's Middle East, as many Muslims view U.S. intervention through that ancient prism. But the Crusades also marked a shift in Christianity away from the pacifism taught by Jesus to the self-righteous use of violence espoused by George W. Bush and many modern Christians. July 29, 2006

Whose 'Moral Clarity'?
"Moral clarity" is again the watchword for George W. Bush as he signals a green light to Israel to use whatever military force is necessary to crush the Lebanese "terrorist" organization, Hezbollah. But the morality behind the endless Middle East conflicts is not so clear -- and Bush's routine resort to violence, therefore, may be doing more harm than good. July 27, 2006

Review of 'The One Percent Doctrine'
Ron Suskind's new book lays bare the Bush administration's contempt for fact, even when the lives of U.S. soldiers and national security are at stake. But "The One Percent Doctrine" goes only so far in addressing the motives behind Bush's obsessions, as this review by historian Peter Dale Scott reveals. July 27, 2006

Israel Wins Battles, Not War
The Bush administration, now working through Israel, appears determined to rely again on violence to mid-wife a new Middle East. But the broad application of force runs dangerous risks and can bring about disastrous results, as Iraq has shown since 2003. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland looks at what might lie ahead for Israel in its new wars against Hezbollah and Hamas. July 26, 2006

A 'New' Mideast? W's or Osama's
George W. Bush's belligerent reaction to the bloody chaos roiling Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq and the larger Middle East underscores why Osama bin-Laden took the chance of releasing an "October Surprise" videotape before Election 2004. The CIA determined that bin-Laden knew that by denouncing Bush, the al-Qaeda leader could help Bush to a second term. Bin-Laden saw Bush's warlike tendencies as an asset in creating a radical "new" Middle East. July 24, 2006

Stain of Guantanamo
After World War II, American leaders espoused principles of universal law that applied to all nations, prohibiting aggression and demanding civilized treatment of enemy captives. In this guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky looks at how the stain of Guantanamo shows how the current generation of American leaders has failed to uphold those principles. July 22, 2006

A New War Frenzy
In a replay of the emotional war frenzy that preceded the Iraq invasion, the Bush administration and other Middle East war hawks are prepping the American people for an even bigger conflagration. Like the run-up to the Iraq War four years ago, the propagandists are depicting the confrontation in Lebanon in black-and-white terms, at times crossing over into anti-Arab bigotry. July 20, 2006

Terrorism on Both Sides
The word "terrorism" is often thrown around carelessly -- and subjectively -- applied to enemies but not to friends. Yet, a more evenhanded use of the word might avert human catastrophes like the one playing out in Lebanon. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland looks at evidence of terrorism on both sides. July 19, 2006

The Abyss Beckons
The Israel-Lebanon conflict has opened up new options for George W. Bush and his neoconservative advisers to resume their violent reshaping of the Middle East. Though stymied by the quagmire in Iraq and resistance from U.S. commanders to more adventures, Bush's neocons can now repackage their strategy as a defensive struggle to protect Israel. July 18, 2006

War of the Worlds
Americans sometimes forget what made their nation the beacon of liberty and reason for the world. They hear politicians say they must sacrifice constitutional freedoms for personal safety. In this guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky recalls the wise principles that have guided the nation. July 17, 2006

Bush Agrees Bin-Laden Helped in '04
George W. Bush recognized after Election 2004 that he had gotten a political boost from a videotape released by Osama bin-Laden only four days before Americans went to the polls. Privately, the CIA concluded that bin-Laden's goal was to ensure a second term for Bush and the continuation of his clumsy "war on terror." July 14, 2006

What's Rove Got to Do With It?
Columnist Robert Novak's confirmation that White House political guru Karl Rove was one of the sources peddling the secret identity of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame raises another troubling question: Why did George W. Bush bring Rove in on such a sensitive, discrete secret? It appears that Bush put his political desire to punish a critic ahead of his responsibility to protect national security secrets. July 13, 2006

The Enduring Logic of Withdrawal
The U.S. military continues to sink deeper into the quicksand of Iraq, not only with a lengthening death toll but with damage to its reputation from alleged atrocities like the rape-murder of a 14-year-old girl and the slaying of her family in Mahmudiya. The logic of withdrawal holds that an American pullout can protect the U.S. military from further damage and stand as good a chance as any to limit the spread of Iraqi violence -- and encourage the Iraqis to send al-Qaeda and other foreign jihadists packing. July 10, 2006

Was Bob Woodward Slam-Dunked?
New evidence undercuts Bob Woodward's famous account that CIA director George Tenet misled George W. Bush about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction with the assurance that it was a "slam-dunk" case. U.S. intelligence insiders gave a different version of that meeting to author Ron Suskind -- and leaked documents challenge Woodward's depiction of Bush as a leader who wanted to make sure "no one stretches to make our case." July 7, 2006

Endless War on Terror (Phase Two)
With virtually no public debate, the Bush administration has redefined what victory means in the "war on terror."  Immediately after the 9/11 attacks, George W. Bush said the goal was to crush al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups with "global reach." Now, the war's mission creep has come to include destruction of potential "homegrown terrorism" -- with dramatic implications for the future of America's democratic Republic. July 6, 2006

CIA: Osama Helped Bush in '04
CIA analysts concluded that Osama bin-Laden's release of a videotape four days before Election 2004 was a covert attempt by the terrorist leader to influence American voters to give George W. Bush a second term. The troubling CIA assessment was disclosed in a little-notice passage of Ron Suskind's new book. But it also fits with other evidence of a long-term symbiotic relationship between the Bushes and the bin-Ladens. July 4, 2006

A July Fourth Call to Arms
George W. Bush has spurred Republican congressmen and his right-media allies into an ugly assault on the New York Times and other news outlets for not obeying Bush's edicts on what information can be released about the "war on terror." In this guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky comments on how those accusations of treason and espionage are an affront to the principles of a free press that the Founders established as a bedrock of democracy. July 3, 2006

The '06 Stakes Just Got Raised
The U.S. Supreme Court's rebuff of George W. Bush over his military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay marks a historic repudiation of Bush's self-image as an all-powerful "war president." But the fragility of what amounts to a one-vote margin on the high court also highlights the enormous stakes now on the table for the congressional elections in November 2006. June 30, 2006

One Percent Madness
According to author Ron Suskind, the Bush administration's War on Terror is guided by Dick Cheney's "one percent doctrine," that if a terrorist threat is just one percent possible, the United States must act like it's a certainty. But this strategy has a touch of madness, leaving the nation trapped in a dark world of dangerous, unintended consequences. June 27, 2006

Terrorists in Miami, Oh My!
The Bush administration's high-profile round-up of seven young black men in Miami for what amounts to "aspirational" terrorism stands in marked contrast to the see-no-evil approach taken toward right-wing Cuban terrorists who have been protected by the Bush family for three decades. Though the Cubans have engaged in actual terrorism, including the mid-air bombing of a Cubana Airlines plane, they are shielded from ever facing justice for their crimes. June 24, 2006

Win One for Gipper Khameini
By pursuing Dick Cheney's "one percent doctrine" -- that the U.S. must react to any one percent terror threat -- the U.S. government is setting off a chain of unintended consequences around the world. It's like a geopolitical version of the old lady who swallowed a fly. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland looks at what happened with Iran because George W. Bush swallowed Iraq. June 22, 2006

The Hariri Mirage: Lessons Unlearned
In October 2005, a drumbeat began about Syria's presumed guilt for the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri. From President Bush to the New York Times editorial page, almost everyone agreed that Syrian security forces must have been responsible, though there was some debate about whether "regime change" was called for. However, with little notice in the past half year, the initial Hariri investigation has crumbled. Still, the American people have heard almost nothing about this changed situation. June 16, 2006

Haditha, Vietnam & War Crimes
Memories of the My Lai massacre hover over the U.S. slaughter of 24 civilians at Haditha, Iraq. The recollections are especially poignant for Lawrence Colburn, one of the few Americans who tried to stop the killing at My Lai,  and to Colin Powell, an Army major in Vietnam who botched an early My Lai investigation and then helped sell the case for war with Iraq 35 years later. June 13, 2006

Zarqawi's Death May Aid Insurgency
Since the first days of the Iraq War, the Bush administration has expected that eliminating key enemy leaders would be the magic bullet for winning the war. The reality, however, has turned out very differently. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland looks at the possibility that the killing of terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi will become the latest false turning point. June 13, 2006

The Trumpet Summons Us Again
In this guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky examines the prospects for profound political change in this election year. June 10, 2006

Overselling Terror
George W. Bush can expect a political boost from the killing of terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and the recent arrest of 17 alleged terror plotters in Canada. But those developments obscure a very different reality: new intelligence discoveries suggest that Bush has long been exaggerating the danger from al-Qaeda and Islamic terrorism. June 9, 2006

Why Democrats Lose
The defeat of Democrat Francine Busby in a special congressional election outside San Diego was a case study in why Democrats lose. With conservatives dominating the media and with Busby running a "safe" consultant-driven campaign, the Republicans pounced on a minor verbal slip-up by Busby in the final days and propelled Brian Bilbray to victory. The question now is: what can the Democrats do to ever break out of their cycle of losing? June 7, 2006

Readers React to 'Why Dems Lose'

Iran Nukes: U.S. Denial of Reality
The disastrous U.S. invasion of Iraq has limited Washington's options in dealing with Iran's nuclear experimentation. First, Iran saw what happened to Iraq when it agreed to United Nations weapons inspections; the invasion came anyway. Plus, the 135,000 U.S. troops  in Iraq are now almost hostages to possible Shiite retaliation if the United States does attack Iran. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland examines the Bush administration's dwindling choices on Iran. June 7, 2006

Haditha, Bush & Nuremberg's Laws
As the U.S. military wraps up its investigation of the alleged U.S. Marine massacre of Iraqi civilians in Haditha, George W. Bush says he expects any Marines implicated in the murder to be brought to justice. But Bush -- and the U.S. news media -- miss the point that under the Nuremberg Principles established by U.S. and allied jurists after World War II, the architects of aggressive war -- in this case, including Bush -- are culpable for the crimes of their subordinates. In this guest essay, Peter Dyer reminds us of these legal standards. June 6, 2006

Vote 2006: For Whom the Bell Tolls
Will Election 2006 be just another round of consultant-driven politics or will it stand as a transcendent political moment when U.S. voters repudiate what they have seen happen to the American Republic over the past six years? In this passionate guest essay, political analyst Brent Budowsky sees the November balloting as a potential turning point for a revived patriotism and a reborn democracy. June 5, 2006

Washington's Orwellian Consensus
Disclosures of spying on Americans and George W. Bush's sinking poll numbers have surprisingly not changed the political dynamic in Washington, as Bush continues to fend off serious oversight while consolidating his imperial presidency. Bush's ultimate trump card in gaining this Orwellian consensus has turned out to be his control of government secrets, with only the November elections looming as a potential obstacle in his path. June 2, 2006

Colombia's 'Narco-Presidente'
The re-election of Colombia's president Alvaro Uribe marked a rare victory for George W. Bush in South American elections. Uribe gives Bush one regional ally whose country can serve as a base for challenging Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez. But Uribe also carries with him baggage as a political leader who tolerates political violence and narco-trafficking by his allies. June 1, 2006

Honoring the Dead, Questioning War
The admonition to "support the troops" has often been used to stifle debate about the wisdom of George W. Bush's war policies. But the mounting U.S. death toll is proof that the greatest failure to "support the troops" may have been the political cowardice that ducked a full debate before American soldiers were committed to battle. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland looks at how fuzzy "patriotism" can be the greatest betrayal of the troops. May 31, 2006

Bush's My Lai
The latest war-crimes scandal in Iraq -- the alleged murder of two dozen Iraqis in Haditha at the hands of U.S. Marines -- is drawing comparisons to the Vietnam War's My Lai massacre. But the bigger issue is whether George W. Bush should be held accountable since he misled both the American public and U.S. troops into believing that the invasion of Iraq was a way to avenge the 9/11 attacks -- a lie that created the conditions for atrocities. May 30, 2006

Bush's Enron Lies
When Ken Lay's Enron Corp. collapsed in fall 2001, George W. Bush's defenders said the President proved his ethical mettle by rebuffing pleas to bail out Lay, one of Bush's top political donors. But that story wasn't true. Behind the scenes, Bush pushed several plans to put hundreds of millions of dollars in Enron's coffers. One scheme was run by the National Security Council in summer 2001, while it was ignoring warnings about an impending al-Qaeda attack. May 26, 2006

Government Secrecy Is a Farce
The Bush administration has exploited the "war on terror" to wrap many of its most controversial policies in tight secrecy, such as spying on Americans and torturing detainees. Then, when the secrets are revealed, the White House exaggerates the real harm to national security and threatens prosecution of leakers and journalists. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland examines the fictitious nature of many "secrets" and their harmful effect on democracy. May 25, 2006

Bush's Garroting of Democracy
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales warned U.S. news organizations that they face prosecution for revealing government "secrets" while his Justice Department conducted an extraordinary raid on a congressman's Capitol Hill office, prompting a protest from House Speaker Dennis Hastert. The Bush administration seems to be signaling that its steady garroting of the institutions -- and the principles -- of American democracy will continue. May 24, 2006

Liberty Over Safety
After more than two centuries of Americans sacrificing safety for liberty -- from the Lexington Green to the Normandy beaches -- the Bush administration is telling Americans that they now must swap their liberties for a bit more safety. The historical shift can be seen by comparing Patrick Henry's revolutionary vow of "give me liberty or give me death" to Sen. Pat Roberts's self-centered observation that "you have no civil liberties if you're dead." May 19, 2006

Bush: 'Alpha Male on the Cruise Ship'
At a press conference with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, George W. Bush asserted his primal dominance by poking fun at Howard's bald head and homely appearance. Bush's put-down humor has long made him the ultimate caricature of the wise-cracking guy that many Americans have encountered on vacation: the alpha male on the cruise ship. May 18, 2006

Readers React to Bush/Alpha Story

Stopping Hayden & the NSA
The Bush administration's internal debates about how far to go in encroaching on constitutional freedoms turned to splitting hairs about what could be done politically rather than what the law allowed. In that sense, the supposed "moderates," like National Security Agency director Michael Hayden, sacrificed principle for expediency. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland argues that the violations were egregious enough to justify closing down both Hayden's nomination to be CIA director and the NSA. May 17, 2006

Dixie Chicks, Valerie Plame & Bush
More than any recent President, George W. Bush has demonstrated an almost pathological hostility toward dissent. Two cases illustrate Bush's techniques for punishing critics -- the use of surrogates to damage the careers of dissenters like the Dixie Chicks, who have faced three years of boycotts for criticizing Bush, and a more hands-on approach, as happened with the exposure of CIA officer Valerie Plame after her husband criticized Bush's Iraq evidence. May 16, 2006

Iran, Bush & Nuremberg
George W. Bush often lectures the American people and other nations on the need to respect the rule of law. But a consistent inconsistency of his administration has been Bush's own flouting of rules that get in his way, especially international laws against the use of force against other countries. In this guest essay, Peter Dyer looks at how Bush continues to turn his back on well-established principles of civilized behavior. May 15, 2006

Bush's 'Big Brother' Blunder
Some Americans are so afraid of terrorism that they're willing to trade off their "unalienable rights" for a small measure of additional security. But George W. Bush's massive investment in a "Big Brother-style" data base of phone calls made by some 200 million Americans may not only intrude on constitutional rights but lessen the nation's safety by diverting money better spent on more practical strategies, like hiring translators and inspecting cargo. May 13, 2006

This Time, It Really Is Orwellian
Over the past several years, the word "Orwellian" has sometimes been overused in describing George W. Bush's authoritarian policies. But a newly disclosed government operation to electronically warehouse the phone records of 200 million Americans over their lifetimes does truly capture the essence of George Orwell's Big Brother nightmare. May 12, 2006

Hey, Democrats, the Truth Matters!
"Centrist" Democrats are urging the party to forego investigations of the Bush administration if Democrats win control of one or more houses of Congress in November. But the idea of helping Republicans sweep scandals under the rug was tried before, by President Bill Clinton, and it didn't work out very well, either for the American people or the Democrats. May 11, 2006

Failed Intelligence Reorganization
The sudden ouster of CIA Director Porter Goss highlights yet another failure by the Bush administration to address bureaucratic problems that endanger the United States. As occurred with the Department of Homeland Security -- during the Katrina crisis -- politics and cronyism were again allowed to trump efficient government. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland examines why the administration's intelligence reorganization failed. May 10, 2006

The CIA, a Bush Family Fiefdom
The latest CIA shakeup promises again to fix the glaring problems that have made the United States more vulnerable to security threats, like 9/11, and to strategic blunders, like Iraq. But the core problem is still being missed. It is the political corruption of the intelligence analysis that has grown worse because George W. Bush sees the spy agency as a Bush family fiefdom. May 9, 2006

Rummy Logic & Enduring Lies
Facing hecklers over Iraq War lies, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld appealed for renewed faith in George W. Bush's honesty. But Rumsfeld then resumed the Bush administration's long pattern of deceiving the American people with what might be called "Rummy logic." Yet, even as the public catches on, the mainstream news media continues to act the fool. May 8, 2006

Colbert & the Courtier Press
The outrage sweeping Washington journalism circles over comedian Stephen Colbert's lampooning of George W. Bush is just the latest sign of a national news media that puts coziness with insiders ahead of its responsibility to hold the Bush administration accountable. The American people are discovering that one of the biggest threats to the future of the Republic is the courtier press. May 5, 2006

Bush, Iran & the WMD Boomerang
Another downside of the Iraq War is that it has become an object lesson to other nations, like Iran and North Korea, about what happens to a country and its leaders if they comply with international demands and scrap their weapons of mass destruction. The United Nations can't protect them from a devastating military attack ordered by George W. Bush. In other words, the Iraq invasion appears to have had a boomerang effect, spurring rather than stopping the spread of WMD. In this guest essay, Ivan Eland looks at this dilemma. May 4, 2006

A Reverse Thousand Days
Americans who want to restore traditional concepts of a limited Executive and "unalienable rights" for all citizens have less than 1,000 days left in George W. Bush's presidential terms to do so, roughly the same length of time that John F. Kennedy served in a presidency cut short by assassination. Now, the goal of undoing Bush's concept of himself as the all-powerful Commander in Chief faces what might be called "a reverse thousand days." May 2, 2006

Target: Negroponte & Iran
Neoconservatives are getting annoyed with Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte because he is supporting a more tempered analysis of Iran's potential nuclear threat -- viewing it as unlikely anytime this decade. This assessment from U.S. analysts is disrupting plans for an early confrontation with Iran as favored by George W. Bush and many of his advisers. April 29, 2006

Bush's Hypocrisy: Cuban Terrorists
George W. Bush always gets applause when he recites his old line about anyone who harbors a terrorist is equally guilty as the terrorist. But the moral clarity on harboring grows hazy when it's Bush and his family doing the harboring of right-wing Cuban terrorists. April 26, 2006

Bush Brandishes Jail Time at Critics
Beset with shrinking poll numbers and growing evidence of wrongdoing, George W. Bush and his supporters are brandishing threats of criminal prosecutions against critics. But the list of troublemakers keeps expanding, now including U.S. generals, CIA officers and investigative journalists from mainstream newspapers that previously had done Bush's bidding. April 23, 2006

Shame on the Post's Editorial Page
As one of the most influential newspapers in the nation's capital, the Washington Post -- and especially its editorial section -- must bear a large share of the blame for the truncated debate that preceded the Iraq invasion. But even worse, despite all the disclosures of George W. Bush's Iraq War lies, Post editorials continue to smear the President's critics. April 20, 2006

Should Ex-Generals Speak Out?
Almost on cue, Iraq War defenders are questioning the loyalty of more than a half dozen former U.S. generals who have criticized the Bush administration's casual misuse of the American military. Though the ex-generals held their tongues until they left government, George W. Bush's defenders are accusing them of violating the principle of civilian control of the military. April 18, 2006

'Jack Bauer,' Bush & Rummy
This season's TV drama "24" features an in-over-his-head U.S. President who sets in motion a dangerous plot that he can't handle, forcing counter-terrorism agent Jack Bauer into a position of having to "take down" the President. Meanwhile, in real life, the United States faces a parallel crisis, a reckless President George W. Bush taking actions that have spiraled out of control.  April 15, 2006

George Bush IS a Liar
The White House is back to its argument that George W. Bush was just a victim of bad intelligence when he rushed the nation to war with Iraq in 2003. But the evidence is now overwhelming that Bush is a liar who apparently believes he can get away with saying whatever he wants to the American people without fear of accountability. April 14, 2006