Iraq

Subjective Value Theory in Iraq

by Jacob G. Hornberger December 22, 2003

Subjective value theory in economics holds that value is subjective — that is, that the value of any item, like beauty, lies in the eyes of the beholder. Moreover, value is comparative, rather than absolute: In response to the question, “Are diamonds valuable?” the proper answer is, “Compared with what?”For ...

Iraq: Democratic or Free?

by Sheldon Richman November 17, 2003

The White House website has this to say about Iraq: “Under the leadership of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and the new Iraqi Governing Council, major strides are being planned and made in three key areas: security, economic stability and growth, and democracy.” Let’s focus on that last ...

U.S. Senators Are the Real Cowards

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 10, 2003

The Pentagon has gracefully decided to reduce criminal charges brought against Army Sergeant Andreas Pogany from “cowardice” to “dereliction of duty.” That’s right — cowardice is a criminal offense under U.S. military law, punishable by death or incarceration and dishonorable discharge. What did the good sergeant do ...

Albright “Apologizes”

by Sheldon Richman November 7, 2003

In 1996 then-UN Ambassador Madeleine Albright was asked by 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl, in reference to years of U.S.-led economic sanctions against Iraq, “We have heard that half a million children have died. I mean, that is more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the ...

Should the U.S. Military in Iraq Adopt Israeli Methods?

by James Bovard November 1, 2003

The Associated Press reported on September 18 that an Israeli military official declared that the U.S. military “is showing interest in Israeli software instructing soldiers on how to behave in the West Bank and Gaza.” The United States is looking at the Israeli policies as examples of how American soldiers can better handle a hostile population in Iraq. That may ...

Bush’s New Morally Bankrupt PR Campaign on Terrorism and Iraq

by Jacob G. Hornberger October 8, 2003

The Bush administration is at it once again — engaging in a new public-relations campaign to scare the American people half to death with the possibility of terrorist attacks with weapons of mass destruction and to garner support for its invasion and continued occupation of Iraq, which has not only cost the lives of thousands ...

Desperately Seeking WMDs

by Sheldon Richman October 6, 2003

The Bush administration wants $600 million to continue looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. It’s already spent $300 million in search of the elusive weapons. This is beginning to look like an obsession. With chief weapons searcher David Kay now confirming to Congress that his massive team ...

What’s Love of Democracy Got to Do With It?

by Jacob G. Hornberger September 29, 2003

Is it possible that the “We’re here to establish democracy” rationale being used to justify the continued occupation of Iraq is just as false and deceptive as the rationale that Iraq’s “weapons of mass destruction” posed an imminent threat to the United States? After all, think about it: When ...

A Nightmare in Iraq

by Sheldon Richman September 24, 2003

Americans soldiers are killing innocent Iraqi civilians almost on a regular basis. In recent days and in separate incidents they killed eight Iraqi policemen, an Iraqi interpreter working for the U.S. occupiers, a woman and her child at a wedding, and a young teenager at another wedding. Many more ...

Bush’s Iraqi Smoke

by Sheldon Richman September 19, 2003

The Bush administration long ago set the record for misleading the American people. Compared to President George W. Bush and his minions, Bill Clinton was an amateur. And don’t think that’s a small achievement. It isn’t easy to choose words that will both deceive and allow the speaker to claim later that ...

Another Phony Justification for Invading Iraq

by Jacob G. Hornberger September 10, 2003

In a 15-minute speech explaining why the American people should support the occupation of Iraq, President Bush offered another phony justification for the U.S. government’s invasion of Iraq: to fight the “war on terrorism.” There’s at least one big problem with that justification: It is the U.S. government’s own interventionist ...

Oh, Now the U.S. Cares About Iraqis

by Jacob G. Hornberger September 8, 2003

Labeling resisters to the U.S. occupation of Iraq as “terrorists” obfuscates an important point — that there are people in Iraq and all over the Middle East who hate the United States ... and, equally important, have good and sound reasons for hating the United States. That’s the last ...