Redefining War Crimes out of Existence

The Washington Post today details how the Bush administration is desperately scrambling to get Congress to pass a law to retroactively legalize torture. OK, this is not exactly what the Post said — they would not be so ill-mannered towards the government. But the...

Piqued A Peck

I stumbled across former Ambassador Ed Peck on Fox News' "Dayside" in the middle of his appearance today. It was unfortunate because the couple of minutes I watched were hilarious. Mike Jerrick seemed absolutely livid he had to listen to Peck and was openly rude to...

Bringing It All Back Home

Interesting developments in the town where I was born: As the fighting continues overseas, some lessons from the Middle East conflict are hitting home right here in Alabama. Members of the Montgomery Police Department SWAT team are in a five day counterterrorism...

Fighting Israel’s Wars

That "robust" multi-national force Condolezza Rice wants to take over from the IDF in crushing Hezbollah is looking sicklier by the moment: NATO says it is otherwise engaged, and no one except the Italians and possibly the Turks has stepped forward to apply for the...

Meanwhile in Gaza

From the London Times: "Three young girls and a disabled man were among 16 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip today."

Christiane Redeems Herself…a Bit

Against my better judgement tonight I was watching Larry King Live, and was witness to something that gave me a feeling that approached satisfaction -- as close to such a feeling as one can get watching CNN. Thanks to CNN transcripts, I don't even have to paraphrase...

Bad Habits Are Hard To Break

The disturbingly graphic photographs tell only half the story: What many found more horrifying was that these civilian victims of an Israeli attack had earlier been refused shelter at a UN base. But would they really have been “safer” there or just luckier? In...

New York Perspectives on the Israeli-Lebanon conflict

I was in New York last weekend and came across several rallies on both sides of the conflict. I attended the “Jewish Unity Event in Support of Israel” service at the West Side Institutional Synagogue on Sunday night. Speakers urged attendees to unquestioningly...