Thursday, April 17, 2003

Exiled Shiite Chief: Iraqis Should Rebel [AP World News] The exiled leader of the biggest Iraqi opposition group called Thursday on Iraqis to converge in the Shiite holy city of Karbala to oppose a U.S.-led interim administration and defend Iraq's independence. Good for him! 11:37:53 PM    comment () A long way from Nuremburg. You've just got to laugh really. Certainly that was my reaction when I happened upon this development, courtesy of Bill Herbert: A coalition of lawyers and human rights groups yesterday unveiled a bid to use the UN's new International Criminal Court as a tool to restrain American military power. In a move Washington said vindicated U.S. claims that the court would be used for political purposes, the rights activists are working to compile war crimes... [Samizdata.net] War crimes trials are for the losers. If people in other countries are serious about restraining the US government (and they should be), the way to do it is to form a defensive alliance. 11:08:40 PM    comment () War is good, said Bush as the Louvre fell to looters. The fall of France was astonishingly swift. After regime change in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, it was only a matter of time before Tony Blair and George W. Bush said that they had "no plans" to attack France. The detested Jacques Chirac had long been a thorn in their sides. He was a past friend of Saddam Hussein, welcomed Arab exiles and had a suspiciously large Muslim population. Above all, he refused point-blank to disband his force de frappe weapons of mass destruction. As Donald Rumsfeld had said back in 2003: "Things mean consequences." France posed a clear and immediate threat. The coalition acted in pre-emptive self-defence. It was a pity about the Louvre. [Times Online] This article is meant as satire, although to the Crusader it's probably more like "wishful thinking." 12:16:29 PM    comment () Tim Robbins at The National Press Club via Common Dreams - A Chill Wind is Blowing in This Nation... - A speech given on Tuesday. I listened to a talk radio host drag this over the coals on my drive home Tuesday night. It's actually a pretty good description of the importance of the First Amendment at times of large differences of opinion. [whatreallyhappened] In this time when a citizenry applauds the liberation of a country as it lives in fear of its own freedom, when an administration official releases an attack ad questioning the patriotism of a legless Vietnam veteran running for Congress, when people all over the country fear reprisal if they use their right to free speech, it is time to get angry. It is time to get fierce. And it doesn't take much to shift the tide. My 11-year-old nephew, mentioned earlier, a shy kid who never talks in class, stood up to his history teacher who was questioning Susan's patriotism. "That's my aunt you're talking about. Stop it." And the stunned teacher backtracks and began stammering compliments in embarrassment. [End the War on Freedom] Tim Robbins comes across as much more rational that the people who have been attacking him. Also, unlike most leftists, he mentions opposing Clinton's unprovoked attack on Yugoslavia. 10:07:03 AM    comment ()

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