The following is a selection of recent letters sent to the World Socialist Web Site.
On “Portrait of an ‘antiwar’ Democrat: Former Feith aide makes radio reply to Bush”
As a former navy intelligence officer, I find this whole thing sickening—this lying political cabal at the Pentagon, these shadow operators, how they’ve perverted/compromised the intelligence/analytical process. Thankfully, there were other intels telling the truth—such as Scott Ritter—former Marine who told us there were no WMDS—whom the media pretty much ignored (although he was on Jon Stewart), as well as CIA analysts who knew the real truth. There is a good documentary out of CIA analysts speaking out against these whacko neo-cons, although I can’t remember the name of documentary.
Every one of these Bush/Cheney stooges needs to go to jail. And by the way, I was an active duty intel as well as in reserves. Regarding the navy reserves, some of these folks have never served one day on active duty, came into the reserves directly, some as a result of political pull—one guy like this in my unit actually worked for Cheney. This has been some years back. What a true embarrassment—I think I’m going to go home and rip all my Navy Intel patches off my flight jacket.
RM
21 February 2007
On “US appeals court upholds denial of habeas corpus rights to Guantánamo detainees”
This very fine analysis might be made a little stronger by two additional points, the first of which I believe, but am not entirely certain, is correct.
1. The component of the MCA [Military Commissions Act] proscribing from judicial review pending habeas corpus cases is ex post facto and hence unconstitutional.
2. It always helps to integrate the fact that the impetus for the MCA and the “war on terror” is 9/11, itself an act of terror staged (or, conservatively, permitted to occur) by the Cheney-Bush administration. Hence, this posture that liberals argue is defensive overreaction reflects liberal blindness to the initiative taken by the present administration to implement the basis for overt fascist rule.
Without something like the second point, the article is weakened by its reduction to ruing the destruction of rights that the neo-cons—and the TV show “24”—argue is a necessary accommodation to the dire threats of terror that the US faces from foreign enemies.
Regards,
MG
Los Angeles, California, USA
21 February 2007
On “Deadly house fire in Petersburg, Virginia: the human cost of social inequality”
Excellent nonbiased article. I grew up in Petersburg, left the area over 15 years ago and it is a shame how the area remains the same if not worse.
RLT
21 February 2007
On 2007 New South Wales Election
Thanks Patrick for your decent coverage of Australian political events. I read today’s on-line Sydney Morning Herald and truly it seems more like a teenage girlie magazine than a decent newspaper, even a bourgeois one! Keep up the good work and good luck in your parliamentary elections.
JQ
ACT Australia
22 February 2007