Author: Eric Garris

On Thursday, Congress passed a resolution that was amended to specifically link the War in Iraq to 9/11.

The sponsor of the resolution, Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) responded to critics, saying “there is a direct connection between the war in Iraq and the bombing of Sept. 11.”

House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-Tx.) said U.S. troops in Baghdad are “fighting the same evil and upholding the same virtues” as the passengers aboard Flight 93 who battled the hijackers or the police and firefighters who lost their lives at the World Trade Center. “It is one and the same conflict,” he said.

The resolution passed overwhelmingly, 406-16, with 15 Democrats and Republican Congressman Ron Paul courageously voting against.

In the Forward magazine, John Kerry makes it clear that his Mideast foreign policy will closely follow the policy of Likud.

He promises to interfere all over the region. Except in one area: he opposes international efforts to oppose The Wall, citing Israeli sovereignty.

He promises to spend US tax money to tackle anti-Israel propaganda.

He promises to be more of a hawk when it comes to Iran and Syria.

He promises to “never compromise America’s special relationship” with Israel.

Can you imagine a major Presidential candidate making such pledges to any other country and not being torn apart by the media and the opposition?

The San Francisco Chronicle ran a very nice obituary of Mike Mayakis, longtime libertarian and antiwar activist, and my best friend. Following is the article:

Mike Mayakis – Libertarian activist and agile debater

by Charlie Goodyear, Chronicle Staff Writer
August 19, 2004

Mike Mayakis, a prominent Libertarian whose surprising political positions made him a formidable debater, has died. He was 53.

Mr. Mayakis died at his home in San Francisco on Sunday after a long struggle with leukemia.

A native of Los Angeles, he moved to San Francisco in 1971 and worked for more than a decade at the Haight Ashbury Switchboard as a counselor and trainer for the service that provided information, assistance and counseling to the city’s growing counterculture.

Mr. Mayakis was elected to the switchboard’s Board of Trustees in 1973 and became its president in 1980.

During the 1970s, he worked as an aide to liberal Republican state Sen. Milton Marks of San Francisco and eventually became active in Libertarian politics, founding a chapter of Students for a Libertarian Society at San Francisco State University.

In 1982, Mr. Mayakis was the Libertarian Party’s candidate for state Senate. He was elected chair of the San Francisco Libertarian Party and held that position three times during the 1980s.

He became well known for defying assumptions in political debates. He argued frequently for the rights of smokers when he himself was an asthmatic.

In 1988, he worked for the Libertarian Republican Organizing Committee at the Republic Convention in New Orleans. But he was never a Republican, and in 1995 helped found the popular Web site Antiwar.com.

His failing health took its toll on his political activism. But Mr. Mayakis turned his frustrating experiences with the medical system into a guide called "Express Hospital Emergency Room Admission & Survival Kit" to help other patients.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Honeycutt; siblings Matthew Mayakis, Martha Mayakis and Sara Tisher, all of Los Angeles; and stepfather Lloyd Daic, also of Los Angeles.

A memorial service is being planned. For details, phone (650) 838-0381.

My best friend for the past 26 years died this evening. He was 54 and finally gave up his long battle with leukemia. I saw him yesterday and he was in so much pain. I am glad that pain is gone, but very sad that Mike is gone.

Some of you knew Mike. Without Mike, there would be no Antiwar.com. I would have long ago given up political action if it weren’t for his constant prodding and pep talks.

Mike insisted I use my political time efficiently and get on the Web, urging me to secure the Antiwar.com domain back in 1995.

Mike gave me constant input and advice to help build Antiwar.com. He wrote one article for us, Superman vs. the War Party.

Mike was very active in the Libertarian Party, and held many positions and ran for office once or twice. His views on the LP are most notable in his "Turning Burnout Into Victory."

I love Mike and I will miss him so much.

As they move ahead toward abandoning their pacifist constitution, Japan’s Navy is ahead of America’s in trying to appeal to the MTV generation. Check this out! This page actually appears on the Japanese Navy website.

Now read this hilarious article by Mike Rogers over at LewRockwell.com.

My old associate Tom Palmer, who is now a Senior Fellow (formerly Vice-President) of the Cato Institute, explains his foreign policy:

Our Enemies’ Handiwork
The radical Islamicists have shown us again what they really are. The world should see the photos they released of their latest act of savagery. What else can one do but find and kill all of them before they kill all the rest of us, Muslim and non-Muslim alike?

Thanks to Lew Rockwell for this story.