The newly reported drug and mental health issues with William Rehnquist highlight problems in a judicial system that protects and insulates judges who may be unfit due to problems with alcohol abuse, drugs, health, mental health, advanced age or other factors. Republicans in the Nixon and Reagan Administrations probably were well aware of the problems with William Rehnquist, yet allowed him to be confirmed and then made Chief Justice. Rehnquist was the deciding vote in a large number of 5 to 4 split decisions in the Supreme Court.
Rehnquist also failed to recuse himself from cases dealing with both drug use and the CIA, since he had some wierd delusions involving the CIA. Rehnquist also was the deciding vote on a huge number of cases, sometimes writing a bizarre reasoning for the majority opinion. In a death penalty case for example, Rehnquist reasoned that a plaintiff may indeed be innocent based on newly discovered evidence, but should be put to death anyway because of some artificial deadline established by the state for final appeals. Such confounded reasoning may be the result of mental impairment.
Some state courts have had some unfit judges as well. In Portland, Oregon a judge, Shirley Field, displayed some obvious signs of mental illness as well as alcohol abuse, yet it was a lengthy period before she could be removed from the bench. Some important cases involving the life and death of some defendants and what evidence would be allowed or disallowed were ruled on by this judge before she was removed due to serious mental fitness issues.
Judges will face complex cases in which careful and fair rulings on what evidence will be allowed certainly call for a very clear mind. No doubt most judges are fair and carefully weigh evidence, but in the cases in which impaired or mentally ill judges sit on a bench, there needs to be mechanisms to question the fitness of some judges in order to ensure a fair trial for those involved in the justice system.
Sabtu, 06 Januari 2007
Jumat, 05 Januari 2007
Senator Biden Believes That Some Top Bush Administration Insiders Believe The Iraq War Is Lost
Senator Joseph Biden now believes that some important White House insiders which may even include Vice President Cheney privately believe that the Iraq War is lost, but still give public support to Bush on the issue. If this hunch is indeed true, then a good question is why go along with a failed policy simply to prove some loyality to Bush. Loyalty to the good of the nation should be the overriding ethic guiding the Iraq War policy.
With over 40 insurgent or militia groups are now operating within Iraq, most with anywhere from 1,000 to about 100,000 members per organization, with these armed groups in active combat against each other and keeping the cycle of sectarian violence alive should be apparent to any rational member of the Bush Administration. So far they've had absolutely no answer to this problem. And in some years such as 2002, Bush even approved $92 million dollars to arm and train Iraqi insurgents to combat Saddam Hussein in a Hungary military base once used for staging the Clinton era attacks onYugoslavia. When this expensive arming and training of antiSAddam Hussein insurgents failed, Bush then found WMD excuses to order U.S. troops into Iraq in 2003. These U.S. trained antiSaddam Husein insurgents then established or increased membership in militia groups in response to the Baathists and the Sunni backed insurgent groups including the tiny 1,000 member Al Qaeda in Iraq organization. The cycle of violence is simply out of control with no way that the militia groups will disarm due to neighborhood security concerns due to the high secular tensions.
Bush's solution to send more American troops into danger in Iraq to stand between the 40 or more armed organizations and act as police against more sectarian violence certainly seems a hopeless effort when even the biggest political party in Iraq, the Shiite Supreme Council For The Islamic Revolution In Iraq has it's own violent militia group, the Badr Organization that refuses to disarm and is a chief cause of sectarian violence in Iraq. The U.S. has no real good reliable ally outside of a few individual moderate politicians who really yield very little political clout because they're too civilized to have their own armed militia groups. How Bush plans to make a success of this is a near exercize in insanity. Rational persons, which of course does not include Bush, see no chance of success really possible in this deeply dire mess.
With over 40 insurgent or militia groups are now operating within Iraq, most with anywhere from 1,000 to about 100,000 members per organization, with these armed groups in active combat against each other and keeping the cycle of sectarian violence alive should be apparent to any rational member of the Bush Administration. So far they've had absolutely no answer to this problem. And in some years such as 2002, Bush even approved $92 million dollars to arm and train Iraqi insurgents to combat Saddam Hussein in a Hungary military base once used for staging the Clinton era attacks onYugoslavia. When this expensive arming and training of antiSAddam Hussein insurgents failed, Bush then found WMD excuses to order U.S. troops into Iraq in 2003. These U.S. trained antiSaddam Husein insurgents then established or increased membership in militia groups in response to the Baathists and the Sunni backed insurgent groups including the tiny 1,000 member Al Qaeda in Iraq organization. The cycle of violence is simply out of control with no way that the militia groups will disarm due to neighborhood security concerns due to the high secular tensions.
Bush's solution to send more American troops into danger in Iraq to stand between the 40 or more armed organizations and act as police against more sectarian violence certainly seems a hopeless effort when even the biggest political party in Iraq, the Shiite Supreme Council For The Islamic Revolution In Iraq has it's own violent militia group, the Badr Organization that refuses to disarm and is a chief cause of sectarian violence in Iraq. The U.S. has no real good reliable ally outside of a few individual moderate politicians who really yield very little political clout because they're too civilized to have their own armed militia groups. How Bush plans to make a success of this is a near exercize in insanity. Rational persons, which of course does not include Bush, see no chance of success really possible in this deeply dire mess.
THE KING OF QUEENS Will End It's Nine Year Reign In May
The excellent and durable, Kevin James comedy, THE KING OF QUEENS will be ending in May. This great comedy vehicle for standup comic, Kevin James, not only provided funny scripts that managed to hang on for years longer than many sitcoms, but has proven itself a durable syndication entry as well. With a strong cast of supporting actors such as veteran comic, Jerry Stiller, and the outrageous and funny, Patton Oswald, THE KING OF QUEENS managed one of the longer runs for a sitcom in recent years.
Part of the end for this great sitcom may have come from moving it from the powerful Monday night comedy slot over at CBS. Strong comedy entries from CBS soon died after being moved from this ratings strong Monday night comedy block, including the great Ted Danson vehicle, BECKER, and OUT OF PRACTICE and COURTING ALEX. In eace case, CBS had hoped that these programs with strong ratings could be used to establish a "tentpost" on another night to hang other comedy series on and create another comedy block. But CBS audiences just never seemed to warm to this idea, and every Wednesday or Sunday Night CBS comedy block attempt eventually failed. One of the worst failures resulted some years back when CBS paid a great deal of money to lure the very popular, but certainly aging, FAMILY MATTERS comedy from ABC's then highly successful Friday night comedy block. As popular as Jaleel White's Urkiel character was at the time, he was certainly growing older and much taller, and CBS audiences just seemed to reject watching this once very popular comedy series almost immediately while the rest of the ABC Friday night comedy block remained strong in ratings until only a few years ago when ratings finally softened and this long running ABC comedy block finally collapsed.
Ratings were so bad for FAMILY MATTERS over at CBS, that they actually aired some of the worst paid advertising programs during this time slot, figuring this awful dreck was somehow better than airing fresh episodes of FAMILY MATTERS. FAMILY MATTERS finally returned during the summer ratings sewer period, and aired the final episodes that CBS purchased including a sort of finale episode. It wasn't a very dignified end to a very good comedy series. The program certainly deserved better.
If THE KING OF QUEENS had been left alone in the Monday night time slot, then it probably had a few more years of life in it. The show always seems plenty good, with no real signs of writer or actor fatigue really visable. But you never know if the cast just feels that it's time to leave while the series is still good, much like the well loved series, MASH, SEINFELD, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND and FRIENDS that made an exit while still plenty good. Thanks so much for the laughs, THE KING OF QUEENS. You'll be greatly missed.
Part of the end for this great sitcom may have come from moving it from the powerful Monday night comedy slot over at CBS. Strong comedy entries from CBS soon died after being moved from this ratings strong Monday night comedy block, including the great Ted Danson vehicle, BECKER, and OUT OF PRACTICE and COURTING ALEX. In eace case, CBS had hoped that these programs with strong ratings could be used to establish a "tentpost" on another night to hang other comedy series on and create another comedy block. But CBS audiences just never seemed to warm to this idea, and every Wednesday or Sunday Night CBS comedy block attempt eventually failed. One of the worst failures resulted some years back when CBS paid a great deal of money to lure the very popular, but certainly aging, FAMILY MATTERS comedy from ABC's then highly successful Friday night comedy block. As popular as Jaleel White's Urkiel character was at the time, he was certainly growing older and much taller, and CBS audiences just seemed to reject watching this once very popular comedy series almost immediately while the rest of the ABC Friday night comedy block remained strong in ratings until only a few years ago when ratings finally softened and this long running ABC comedy block finally collapsed.
Ratings were so bad for FAMILY MATTERS over at CBS, that they actually aired some of the worst paid advertising programs during this time slot, figuring this awful dreck was somehow better than airing fresh episodes of FAMILY MATTERS. FAMILY MATTERS finally returned during the summer ratings sewer period, and aired the final episodes that CBS purchased including a sort of finale episode. It wasn't a very dignified end to a very good comedy series. The program certainly deserved better.
If THE KING OF QUEENS had been left alone in the Monday night time slot, then it probably had a few more years of life in it. The show always seems plenty good, with no real signs of writer or actor fatigue really visable. But you never know if the cast just feels that it's time to leave while the series is still good, much like the well loved series, MASH, SEINFELD, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND and FRIENDS that made an exit while still plenty good. Thanks so much for the laughs, THE KING OF QUEENS. You'll be greatly missed.
Kamis, 04 Januari 2007
U.S. Using Covert Organization And Support For Terrorists To Bring Down Iranian Government
For about a year, a secret U.S. government organization known as the ISOG, the Iran Syria Policy And Operations Group have been involved in efforts to provide covert support to antiIranian government dissidents and help to build an international effort, especially among MidEast states to oppose Iran both politically and militarily. In February, there is expected to be a new funding mandate in Congress to provide antimissile defenses and other defensive systems to some MidEast states to repel any Iranian missiles should the U.S. go to war with Iran.
One organization that is officially listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department, but has received a great deal of support among many in Congress, including some in the Bush Administration is the Marxist Islamist antiIranian terrorist organization, the MEK(Mujahedin-e-khalq). While the Bush Administration publicly opposes terrorism, there is strong evidence that with the support of as many as 200 members of Congress, as well as influencial persons such as former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and Richard Perle, that this terrorist organization is receiving either unofficial or official covert support in the U.S. Front organizations for this terrorist organization that comprises around 10,000 members, largely operate from bases in Iraq.
In 2003, after the beginning of the second Iraq war, bases of this terrorist organization that were long protected by Saddam Hussein were under military attack by the U.S. forces. But then the relationship quickly changed as the MEK reached an apparent ceasefire treaty with the U.S. government in exchange for intelligence transfers and spy activity on behalf of the U.S. government about the Iranian government. The MEK remains perhaps the strongest source of intelligence data on Iran's nuclear program and other military activites.
Under the guise of humanitarian fundraisers, the MEK is able to raise million in funds in the U.S. and elsewhere. Richard Perle once even acted as a keynote speaker at a MEK front organization fundraising event. But Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld wanted to go even farther by arming the MEK fighters as a frontline covert military force to clear the path for any American military efforts in Iran. Dick Cheney was able to satisfy the concerns of Condoleeza Rice where the Marxist Islamist fighters of the MEK supposedly were asked to quit their official organization, but then incorporated into a new organization comprised of the very same terrorists who were then trained and supplied with arms by either the U.S. military or by CIA operatives.
MEK leader, Maryam Rajavi operates out of Paris with a website and fundraising activity to secure funds out of Europe and the U.S. But so far the Iranian government has described the bombing and other terrorist attacks by MEK related forces as merely "pinpricks" in their security and has no doubt resulted in the covert war of Iranian support for radical proIranian Shiite militia group attacks on American forces in Iraq. Perhaps as many as 600 Americans have lost their lives as a result of the low level Iranian support for militia groups in Iraq to counter the support for the low level terrorist war supported officialy and unofficially by the U.S. in Iran. With both American and Iranian lives lost in this low level covert war waged by both Iran and the U.S., better relations between the two states seem difficult to nearly impossible.
It is not clear whether members of the James Baker Iraq Study Group were aware of this covert war waged by both Iran or the U.S. against one another. But it certainly makes inclusion of Iran very difficult in any MidEast peace talks.
One organization that is officially listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department, but has received a great deal of support among many in Congress, including some in the Bush Administration is the Marxist Islamist antiIranian terrorist organization, the MEK(Mujahedin-e-khalq). While the Bush Administration publicly opposes terrorism, there is strong evidence that with the support of as many as 200 members of Congress, as well as influencial persons such as former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and Richard Perle, that this terrorist organization is receiving either unofficial or official covert support in the U.S. Front organizations for this terrorist organization that comprises around 10,000 members, largely operate from bases in Iraq.
In 2003, after the beginning of the second Iraq war, bases of this terrorist organization that were long protected by Saddam Hussein were under military attack by the U.S. forces. But then the relationship quickly changed as the MEK reached an apparent ceasefire treaty with the U.S. government in exchange for intelligence transfers and spy activity on behalf of the U.S. government about the Iranian government. The MEK remains perhaps the strongest source of intelligence data on Iran's nuclear program and other military activites.
Under the guise of humanitarian fundraisers, the MEK is able to raise million in funds in the U.S. and elsewhere. Richard Perle once even acted as a keynote speaker at a MEK front organization fundraising event. But Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld wanted to go even farther by arming the MEK fighters as a frontline covert military force to clear the path for any American military efforts in Iran. Dick Cheney was able to satisfy the concerns of Condoleeza Rice where the Marxist Islamist fighters of the MEK supposedly were asked to quit their official organization, but then incorporated into a new organization comprised of the very same terrorists who were then trained and supplied with arms by either the U.S. military or by CIA operatives.
MEK leader, Maryam Rajavi operates out of Paris with a website and fundraising activity to secure funds out of Europe and the U.S. But so far the Iranian government has described the bombing and other terrorist attacks by MEK related forces as merely "pinpricks" in their security and has no doubt resulted in the covert war of Iranian support for radical proIranian Shiite militia group attacks on American forces in Iraq. Perhaps as many as 600 Americans have lost their lives as a result of the low level Iranian support for militia groups in Iraq to counter the support for the low level terrorist war supported officialy and unofficially by the U.S. in Iran. With both American and Iranian lives lost in this low level covert war waged by both Iran and the U.S., better relations between the two states seem difficult to nearly impossible.
It is not clear whether members of the James Baker Iraq Study Group were aware of this covert war waged by both Iran or the U.S. against one another. But it certainly makes inclusion of Iran very difficult in any MidEast peace talks.
A Woman's Place Is In The U.S. House
San Francisco Democrat Nancy Pelosi takes over as the first female Speaker Of The House today. There is a fond hope that she can help lead the country as well as Congress in a more responsible and honest direction than the Old boys" network of some many years. Some of her important priorities such as tightening up the ethics and lobby relationship with Congress with new regulations are way overdue. Lobbyists unfortunately outnumber members of Congress by as much as 32 to 1.
There is also a hope that both working people and the middle class will gain more clout and attention in he new Congress. Labor union members cast 74% to 76% of their votes Democratic candidates for either the House or Senate which brought the big victory that brought Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats to power.
Nancy Pelosi was raised in a very strict and traditional Italian American Roman Catholic household. This has helped to shape her values and integrity. The American public has every reason to expect that her religious as well family background will result in both honest and fair leadership for the nation. Voters wanted big changes for the old system, including more honesty and ethics. Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats now need to deliver on this mandate for change. It is difficult to imagine that the Democrats could have ever lost control of Congress to begin with. You would think that a party supposedly better representing working people than the Republicans would have had a more permanent lock on power. But it is also a sign that you need to do a good job every single day out and be responsible to the voters or they will replace you.
Nancy Pelosi is now in the hotseat to ensure that Democrats deliver on both the change and ethics that the voters demanded, and restore their position as the party that protects the interests of both working people and the middle class, the broad majority of the American public and voters.
There is also a hope that both working people and the middle class will gain more clout and attention in he new Congress. Labor union members cast 74% to 76% of their votes Democratic candidates for either the House or Senate which brought the big victory that brought Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats to power.
Nancy Pelosi was raised in a very strict and traditional Italian American Roman Catholic household. This has helped to shape her values and integrity. The American public has every reason to expect that her religious as well family background will result in both honest and fair leadership for the nation. Voters wanted big changes for the old system, including more honesty and ethics. Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats now need to deliver on this mandate for change. It is difficult to imagine that the Democrats could have ever lost control of Congress to begin with. You would think that a party supposedly better representing working people than the Republicans would have had a more permanent lock on power. But it is also a sign that you need to do a good job every single day out and be responsible to the voters or they will replace you.
Nancy Pelosi is now in the hotseat to ensure that Democrats deliver on both the change and ethics that the voters demanded, and restore their position as the party that protects the interests of both working people and the middle class, the broad majority of the American public and voters.
Iraq Plans More Executions Today; Italy Plans To Move For UN Death Penalty Ban
As of the execution of Saddam Hussein didn't do enough to widen secular problems in Iraq and help to further tear the nation apart, the execution of two more convicted defendants from the Saddam Hussein regime are planned for today.
Worldwide reaction to the secular fighting and circuslike execution of Saddam Hussein is having some positve effect though , as after the critical statements from the Vatican condemning the morality of the execution, the diplomatic mission of Italy will introduce a UN resolution to ban the death penalty worldwide. Whether this resolution will pass or unfluence some of the worst regimes in the world to respect sich a resolution remains to be seen. But it is a step in the right direction towards a morality basis in the justice systems of the world. Some states such as North Korea continue to routinely execute persons by firing squad for simply making some contact with the world outside of North Korea, where only some government members within the ruthlessly Stalinist regime are allowed to make contact outside the nation. In Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority region and some other Muslim areas, the death penalty can still be used against anyone who converts to any faith outside of their Islamic faith. Italy's planned resolution would be a major human rights protection against such outrageous abuses of law to enforce religious or political obedience to the state.
Worldwide reaction to the secular fighting and circuslike execution of Saddam Hussein is having some positve effect though , as after the critical statements from the Vatican condemning the morality of the execution, the diplomatic mission of Italy will introduce a UN resolution to ban the death penalty worldwide. Whether this resolution will pass or unfluence some of the worst regimes in the world to respect sich a resolution remains to be seen. But it is a step in the right direction towards a morality basis in the justice systems of the world. Some states such as North Korea continue to routinely execute persons by firing squad for simply making some contact with the world outside of North Korea, where only some government members within the ruthlessly Stalinist regime are allowed to make contact outside the nation. In Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority region and some other Muslim areas, the death penalty can still be used against anyone who converts to any faith outside of their Islamic faith. Italy's planned resolution would be a major human rights protection against such outrageous abuses of law to enforce religious or political obedience to the state.
Rabu, 03 Januari 2007
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Could Resign Soon
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is giving signals that he absolutely will not seek a second term in the future Iraqi election, and could even resign if a government shakeup takes place. In a Wall Street Journal interview, al-Maliki, expresed both frustration and fatigue at his job.
Renewed sectarian conflict in the wake of the badly botched execution of Saddam Hussein may cause events to move along even faster and force al-Maliki to resign very soon. Shiite hardliners could make a real grab for total power in this event, although a slight hope is that a coalition of moderates from the Iraqi parliament could still form a ruling coalition. But with sectarian frictions and conflict at an increasing level, the lack of support for a moderate coalition government by influential leading Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani, the chances for any moderate government emerging in Iraq are dimming considerably.
Renewed sectarian conflict in the wake of the badly botched execution of Saddam Hussein may cause events to move along even faster and force al-Maliki to resign very soon. Shiite hardliners could make a real grab for total power in this event, although a slight hope is that a coalition of moderates from the Iraqi parliament could still form a ruling coalition. But with sectarian frictions and conflict at an increasing level, the lack of support for a moderate coalition government by influential leading Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani, the chances for any moderate government emerging in Iraq are dimming considerably.
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