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Colin Powell's sterling reputation in Washington hides his life-long role
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Recounting the controversial presidential campaign
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Is the national media a danger to democracy?
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The story behind President Clinton's impeachment
Nazi Echo
Pinochet & Other Characters
The Dark Side of Rev. Moon
Rev. Sun Myung Moon and American politics
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Contra drug stories uncovered
Lost History
How the American historical record has been tainted by lies and cover-ups
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The 1980 October Surprise scandal exposed
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Editorials
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More Comments, Criticism
November 21, 2006 |
Editor's Note: Below are
readers' comments about our story on what to do next and about our work
on the Robert Gates nomination:
We must get on the Democrats' case, starting now. Priorities:
(1) All Troops out of Iraq, beginning January 1.
(2) Universal, single-payer health care -- NOT what Hillary Clinton
has been talking about: "incremental changes" in the health-care-for-
profit status quo.
(3) Campaign finance reform -- this, because the Dems feed at the
same corporate money trough as the Republicans and march to many of
the same corporate tunes. Unless we can get the lobbyists out of the
picture, the Dems will deliver very much the same lousy public
policies that their predecessors have.
Sincerely, Jean Bond
--
Recent events and G.W.'s twisting of facts to favor his administration
show that the American people need a counter-balancing force that will
actually get though to them. Rather that counting on a "free press"
(since only a small fraction of people actually read any way), what is
needed is a strong voice that that will get exposure "on the air" and
some one the populous will listen to. Because of his abilities in this
regard I suggest the Democratic Party some how enlist Bill Clinton to be
a "spokesman" for the Party and blunt some of the major points made be
G. W. Words spoken by him are often taken as official Democratic policy
by the press and the American people any way. I'm sure he would be more
than happy to help out.
Walter Poole
Bridgewater, NJ
--
I
remember watching a documentary/interview piece on Gore Vidal, in
which he recollects being in Washington D.C. with his father and
admiring the various monuments there. Apparently his father said,
“Yes, they will make wonderful ruins”. This was my first exposure
to the concept of the U.S. as an empire that, like all empires
before it, it too shall pass into history, but not before wrecking
horrendous havoc and hardship on its self and indeed the world at
large.
There was
an overwhelming sense about George W. Bush being a laughable fool,
and on the night of September 10, 2001, most intelligent peoples
went to bed that night chuckling at how ridiculous he was. On the
morning of September 11, we awoke to the horror of the Twin Towers
disaster, and within hours, we grew cold at the realization that
in this time of crises, W. Bush was in charge; he had the
mightiest military machine at his disposal, and most frightening,
he had his finger on the nuclear button. In those short few hours,
he went from buffoon to the most powerful and dangerous man on
earth. It became clear as crystal in the subsequent days what path
America would choose; once again, the dogs of war were to be
unleashed, and the Military Industrial Complex was assured of more
public funds for its shareholders.
During all
this, I too watched the mainstream media, the Democrats, and “the
enlightened” wither beneath the neoconservative onslaught on truth
and justice and the cornerstones of American style democracy. I
too tuned into the alternative media: The Daily Show with Jon
Stewart, AlterNet, Democracy Now, and a few others, and got the
“real” stories. Yet, during all this, Halliburton, the major oil
companies, and the rest raked in millions, billions of dollars in
profits; mergers and acquisitions occurred at a frantic pace, and
the producers of goods and services went to China, and workers
here at home lost their jobs. While all attentions were focused on
“the war against the terrorists” and “the axis of evil”, the
corporate elite quietly took further control of the economy.
Today, the middle class is virtually non-existent, there are more
poor people in our midst, and “democracy” seems a quaint pastime.
We are
witness to the collapse of the American Empire. Like all empires
before it, it is being destroyed from within. The Republicans had
their run and accomplished much: a virtual elimination of the
Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the entrenchment of a police
state, the formation of a virtual secret police to spy on and
control its citizens. I have not heard the Democrats talk about
undoing these works, on restoring the Constitution to its former
glory, on the dismantling of the apparatus of oppression and
intimidation. It appears that nothing will change save the change
in name of the governing party. Now it is the Democrats turn to
take the helm of good ship America and enjoy the spoils of the
past six year’s efforts. Why should they be any different? They
too are of the same elites as the Republicans, and I see no course
change ahead. The “alternative media” will continue to report “the
truth”, but it won’t dare state the obvious which to me is clear:
America’s
course into oblivion by its own hand continues unabated. It is
just too damn bad that it will be dragging the rest of the world
down with it. At least it will leave wonderful ruins.
Ellis Dee,
Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada
--
It seems that you
don't really understand who is pulling the U.S.'s Mideast foreign
policy strings. It's not G. W. Bush; it's not the Republicans; it's
not the neocons; it's not the Christian Right; it's not the
Democrats; or any combination of those ... it's the monied
elite--the Halliburton and petroleum company barons, etc. who are
following a globalist agenda. No amount of grassroots expose and
protest will change America's intrusion and "pre-emptive" aggression
in Afghanistan, Iraq, and soon, Iran, Syria, etc. now that that
aggression is inexorably in motion. That's because Big Money and
the Globalists want to keep things stirred up over there and are
using Israel as a pawn to do that.... It gives them an excuse to
stay there, the center of world power (whoever controls the most oil
reserves controls the world).
I like your writing, but I increasingly sense, partly because of
your naive suggestion in your "America, What to Do Next?" article,
that independent news media like yours may somehow be able to help
stem the tide, that you fail to grasp the deep and bitter root (the
lust for wealth, power, and world conquest) underlying the U.S.A.'s
intervention in the Mideast.
Bob Giffin
--
If Americans read
more in-depth and gave up all their ridiculous sports
interests for a deeper understanding of their own nation as well as the
nations of others we wouldn't have had this mess in the first place.
Americans are some of the most ignorant people on the face of the
Earth. For it to have taken six years for them to finally understand
the ramifications of the Bush Presidency leaves very little hope for the
future...
Steve Naidamast
--
Thank you for taking on, once and for all, the Israeli
lobby in your recent piece, What to Do Next? This is
the key to the entire global mess, and until the US
changes its Israeli policy, and more important until
Israel is forced out of the Occupied Territories,
absolutely nothing will change fundamentally. This is
the crux of the matter.
It takes courage to challenge this sacred cow, but
challenged it must be--over and over and over again.
Please do not let up. Make it a constant focus of all
your work. It is our only hope.
Charlie Kaften
--
Thought you might like to know that at least one of your readers was
inspired to action. My letter to my senators:
Nominee Robert Gates could easily prove to be very vulnerable to
blackmail or worse by other countries with knowledge or evidence of
Gates's culpability in several extremely shady, if not illegal,
certainly immoral secrecies involving weapons to Iraq, the
Iran-Contra debacle, and the Reagan election deal over the Iranian
Hostage crisis.
You must be very forthright in your questions of Mr. Gates. More
information has come to light since he was last questioned, and even
then there was maneuvering by Bush I, Tenet, Boren, etc. to get
Gates confirmed, with too much concealed from the public.
This man does not appear to be clean, and it is up to you to do the
research and bring out the accusations and either get solid evidence
that clears Mr. Gates or that confirms that indeed Mr. Gates must
not represent our government in such a high national security
position.
Sincerely,
Robert Locke
--
A friend informed me of your website. I recently did some
research into the finances of Dr. Gates using publicly available
information. It shows yet another rich Bush crony will be joining
his adminstration.
I also found his speech from Texas A&M after declining the
National Intelligence Director's job.
Thought your staff might find these interesting.
Alan Prest --
To: Sen. Bill Nelson
From: Robert F. Maloney
Subject: Robert Gates -- NO Sam Nunn -- YES
I am an 80-year-old WW II veteran and you got my vote Tuesday
and I congratulate you on another term in the Senate.
NOW LISTEN UP!
Support Sam Nunn for SecDef.
We do not need Gates, another Bush crony.
Gates lied to Congress and covered up the Reagan Iran-Contra
mess.
We have had enough of lies from Bush cronies.
Sam Nunn wrote Goldwater-Nichols Act and knows how to organize
the Pentagon.
Sam Nunn has respect of Generals and Admirals. And he respects
them.
Sam Nunn knows about cheating and lying defense contractors and
what should be done with them.
Sam Nunn knows about Pentagon cost overruns. Example: "Sticker
Shock" at 2 billion $ each B-2 Bomber.
Sam Nunn through Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) has worked on
WMD with top people around the world.
Sam Nunn is loyal Democrat. He founded DLC.
Sam Nunn will tell Congress the TRUTH.
Democrats are under no obligation to "reach out" to
Republicans. They stuck their finger in your eye for 6 years. Now
it's payback time - with caution. (See Reference 1.)
Democrats are up there now to LEAD.
Republicans are to follow.
American voters have spoken.
If Republicans don't like this idea, "make them an offer they
can't refuse".
In Europe's darkest hour, FDR reached out and brought 2 staunch
Republicans into his Cabinet - Secretary of War Stimson and
Secretary of Navy Knox.
Remind Bush of that every chance you get. A little history
lesson for GW. He needs it.
Sincerely,
Robert F. Maloney
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