Turkey, Iraq, and Imperial Gall by Jacob G. Hornberger October 17, 2007 U.S. Empire gall is manifesting itself once again in Iraq. President Bush is telling Turkish officials to “show restraint.” Turkey is threatening to send troops into northern Iraq to suppress cross-border raids that Iraqi Kurds have been inflicting on Turkey. “Show restraint?” These people are something else. Exactly how much restraint did the U.S. Empire exercise ...
Shenandoah, Liberty, and the State by Jacob G. Hornberger October 15, 2007 I was watching the 1965 movie Shenandoah last night and it reminded me of how differently 19th-century Americans viewed the concept of liberty and the role of the state, compared to today’s Americans. Keep in mind that our American ancestors lived without such things as income taxation and the IRS, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public ...
More Comedy and Perversity in the War on Immigrants by Jacob G. Hornberger October 12, 2007 The federal government’s war on immigrants would be comical if it weren’t so tragic. At the same time that the feds are cracking down on illegal immigration nationwide, they’re “quietly rewriting federal regulations to eliminate barriers” to immigration. Why? Because according to an article in the Los Angeles Times, there is a nationwide farm ...
An Orwellian World of Secrecy and Torture by Jacob G. Hornberger October 11, 2007 The Supreme Court has declined to consider the appeal of Khaled el-Masri. He’s the German citizen of Lebanese descent who was kidnapped by agents of the U.S. government, whisked away to a secret overseas prison camp, and tortured. Fortunately, they didn’t execute him because he turned out to be innocent. Yes, that’s right—after being labeled ...
Financing the Empire with Inflation by Jacob G. Hornberger October 10, 2007 The New York Times is reporting that U.S. officials are reacting with “contented silence” to the enormous drop in the value of the dollar. Well, of course they are. This is the way they are able to finance their out-of-control federal spending by not raising taxes. Nothing new here — this is what profligate ...
Blackwater Sovereignty by Jacob G. Hornberger October 9, 2007 If things are going as swimmingly in Iraq as U.S. officials say they are, then how come U.S. officials have to be escorted around the country by the gun-toting cowboys from Blackwater who are shooting innocent people on the street? I also still don’t understand this sovereignty business in Iraq. I thought that Iraq is supposed ...
Conscience and Killing in Iraq by Jacob G. Hornberger October 8, 2007 A federal judge has issued a stay in the Army’s court martial of Lt. Eric Watada, which had been scheduled to begin tomorrow. The reason: despite Army objections the trial might violate the double-jeopardy clause of the Constitution, which apparently sometimes still applies to the military. Watada’s case is unique. Unlike other U.S. military personnel, especially officers, Watada refused ...
Iran and the Constitution by Jacob G. Hornberger October 5, 2007 Amidst all the talk about whether President Bush is going to wage another war of aggression — this time against Iran — it’s important that we keep one fact in mind: Under the U.S. Constitution, President Bush is precluded from waging war against Iran without a declaration of war from Congress. That is, despite what President ...
Monetary Policy and Welfare-Warfare Adventures by Jacob G. Hornberger October 4, 2007 As we have been saying for the last several years, the out-of-control federal spending to fund both domestic welfare-state programs and foreign warfare-state adventures, would ultimately threaten the economic and financial well-being of the American people. Among the threats were inflation, i.e., a debasement of the currency, and a flight from the dollar, resulting in a ...
What’s the Standard for Foreign Meddling by Jacob G. Hornberger October 3, 2007 If President Bush decides to wage another undeclared war, this time against Iran, he will have at least two possible rationales by which to market the war to the American people — Iranian WMDs and Iranian meddling in Iraq. Given that many people have realized what a crock the WMD rationale was for invading and ...
A Cancerous Growth in Our Nation’s Capital by Jacob G. Hornberger October 2, 2007 Washington, D.C., officials are undoubtedly jumping up and down in their offices exclaiming, “We’re No. 1! We’re No. 1!” after a new congressional report was published yesterday. The report declared that the United States has consolidated its position as the world’s leading arms dealer, accounting for 42 percent of the world market. Sales to ...
Dropping to Their Knees at Yale by Jacob G. Hornberger October 1, 2007 Last week I blogged about how the real purpose of government assistance — the dole —is to keep the dole recipient in line, ensuring that he doesn’t stray too far from supporting his dole provider. I pointed to Columbia University, which was recently threatened with a reduction of its dole for having invited Iranian President ...
