Glenn Greenwald's Blog, page 138

The pastor and cheap, selective concern for "blood-spilling"

(updated below)

After WikiLeaks published the Afghanistan war logs, political and media figures fell all over themselves to publicly condemn the group for having "blood on its hands," despite the fact that (1) there is, as Wired noted just yesterday, "no evidence to date . . .  that anyone has suffered actual harm due to the documents" and (2) many of the people most vocally condemning WikiLeaks have enormous amounts of blood on their own hands from the endless wars, bombing...

The Pastor and cheap, selective concern for "blood-spilling"

After WikiLeaks published the Afghanistan war logs, political and media figures fell all over themselves to publicly condemn the group for having "blood on its hands," despite the fact that (1) there is, as Wired noted just yesterday, "no evidence to date . . .  that anyone has suffered actual harm due to the documents" and (2) many of the people most vocally condemning WikiLeaks have enormous amounts of blood on their own hands from the endless wars, bombing campaigns, occupations, and...

Obama wins the right to invoke "State Secrets" to protect Bush crimes

(updated below)

In a 6-5 ruling issued this afternoon, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals handed the Obama administration a major victory in its efforts to shield Bush crimes from judicial review, when the court upheld the Obama DOJ's argument that Bush's rendition program, used to send victims to be tortured, are "state secrets" and its legality thus cannot be adjudicated by courts.  The Obama DOJ had appealed to the full 9th Circuit from last year's ruling by a 3-judge panel which...

Obama wins the right to invoke "State Secrtes" to protect Bush crimes

In a 6-5 ruling this afternoon, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals handed the Obama administration a major victory in its efforts to shield Bush crimes from judicial review, when the court upheld the Obama DOJ's argument that Bush's rendition and torture programs are "state secrets" and its legality thus cannot be adjudicated by courts.  The Obama DOJ had appealed to the full 9th Circuit from a ruling by a 3-judge panel which rejected the "state secrets" argument and held that it cannot be...

Various matters

A miserable flu prevented me from writing yesterday and may do so again today.  I'll summon the limited energy I have (do you hear the sickness-caused melodramatic martyrdom?) to note the following items of interest:

(1) Time Magazine has a lengthy new article examining -- and largely deriding -- the intensifying fight over net neutrality.  Just as was true for prior articles on this topic, Time does so without bothering to mention that the corporation which owns it, Time Warner Inc., is

Book matters

There are 3 items, all related to books, which I wanted to note for the holiday:

(1) Over the next few weeks, I'll be finishing my latest book, and am currently working with my editor -- without much success -- to select a title.  For my prior book, I strongly disliked the title chosen by the publisher ("Great American Hypocrites"), and when I objected, was told that if I produced a better one, that would be used instead.  After soliciting suggestions from various people, I submitted 10...

In defense of Alan Simpson

The President's Deficit Commission is designed to be as anti-democratic and un-transparent as possible.  Its work is done in total secrecy.  It is filled with behind-the-scenes political and corporate operatives who steadfastly refuse to talk to the public about what they're doing.  Its recommendations will be released in December, right after the election, to ensure that its proposals are shielded from public anger.  And the House has passed a non-binding resolution calling for an...

AP refuses to use WH/NBC propaganda terms for Iraq

On August 18, NBC News anchor Brian Williams began his broadcast -- shown live to West Coast viewers, something done only for very significant occasions -- by excitedly declaring:  "It's gone on longer than the Civil War, longer than World War II.  And tonight, U.S. combat troops have pulled out of Iraq."  He immediately called in Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel, who was exclusively embedded with the 4th Stryker Brigade.  Engel excitedly announced that "the last American combat...

The profound mystery of the "enthusiasm gap"

I'm somewhat pressed for time today, but wanted to note the following items, all of which are significant in their own right and, taken together, make an important point:

(1) Huffington Post's Sam Stein notes the increasing number of conservatives who now advocate same-sex marriage; how that places them to the left on this human rights issue of Barack Obama, who continues to explicitly oppose marriage equality; and how Democratic operatives are worrying that the Party, as a result, risks...

The "nobody could have known" excuse and Iraq

(updated below - Update II - Update III [Wed.:] - Update IV [Wed.:] - Update V [Wed.:] - Update VI [Wed.:])

The predominant attribute of American elites is a refusal to take responsibility for any failures.  The favored tactic for accomplishing this evasion is the "nobody-could-have-known" excuse.  Each time something awful occurs -- the 9/11 attack, the Iraq War, the financial crisis, the breaking of levees in New Orleans, the general ineptitude and lawlessness of the Bush...