Monthly Archives: December 2005

December 24, 2005 — Paul Mirengoff

Two cheers for democracy

Diana West, in an important column, questions whether President Bush is correct about the transformative powers of the democratic process. Noting the apparent success of the Shi’ite Muslim religious coalition in the recent Iraqi elections, as well as electoral developments in Egypt and among Palestinians, West disputes Bush’s claim that “the terrorists know that democracy is their enemy.” West is correct that we should not consider democracy to be a »
December 24, 2005 — John Hinderaker

How Sweet

The folks in Berkeley really know how to celebrate Christmas, as the AFP reports in “Bush Bashing Part of Berkeley Holiday Spirit”: Bobble-head Jesus dolls and glow-in-the-dark Virgins de Guadalupe were available at Oddball novelty store in Berkeley as Christmas Eve neared, but the last Saddam Hussein and Bush action figures set was gone from the window. “People seem to be grooving on it. They love to make fun of »
December 24, 2005 — John Hinderaker

Will the Abuses Never End?

Check out this story from the New York Post: “Cheney Abuses Power.” Sounds like grounds for impeachment to me. »
December 24, 2005 — Scott Johnson

Thinking about the Great Liberator

Today’s New York Times story on the NSA surveillance program represents another epidemic of lawbreaking among the “current and former government officials” who are the sources of the Times story. According to the Times, “The current and former government officials who discussed the program were granted anonymity because it remains classified.” As in its original story on the NSA surveillance program, the tone is ominous and the implication of illegality »
December 23, 2005 — Paul Mirengoff

Panic attack

There are signs of panic among Democrats as President Bush’s poll numbers improve, with the prospect of additional improvement when the American presence in Iraq diminishes. Tonight, a rather desperate Alan Colmes criticized the Bush administration for attacking Congressman Murtha and other Democrats when they called for troop withdrawal, even though Bush knew he would be withdrawing troops soon. Colmes may not be a heavyweight, but one nonetheless would hope »
December 23, 2005 — Paul Mirengoff

Clintonista and 9/11 commission slander the Washington Times

Earlier today, I mentioned Tom Joscelyn’s new blog. One of Joscelyn’s adversaries when it comes to the issue of links between Iraq and al Qaeda has been Daniel Benjamin, former Clinton administration official, author of the book The Age of Sacred Terror, and persistent crtic of the Bush administration. Benjamin’s not the most reliable guy in the world. In his book, Benjamin and co-author Steven Simon presented the false claim »
December 23, 2005 — Paul Mirengoff

Partisan to its core

Peggy Noonan on the MSM: More and more and day by day the MSM is showing us that its response to the popularity of conservative media and the rise of alternative news sources is to become less carefully liberal. What in the past had to be hidden is now announced. . . .Fine with me, except that as a consumer of news I think they’re making a mistake. In a »
December 23, 2005 — John Hinderaker

Ignorance or Bias? Take Your Pick

The Associated Press breathlessly reports that Judge Sam Alito advocated warrantless wiretaps when he was in the Reagan Justice Department: Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito defended the right of government officials to order domestic wiretaps for national security when he worked at the Reagan Justice Department, an echo of President Bush’s rationale for spying on U.S. residents in the war on terror. Then an assistant to the solicitor general, Alito »
December 23, 2005 — John Hinderaker

Fighting Terrorism With Org Charts

The Washington Times says that White House investigators have briefed Congressmen on their Hurricane Katrina inquiry. Their conclusion: “The National Response Plan did not function as planned.” Now there’s a surprise! The Times reports: The plan, formally in effect for 12 months, provides rules for allocating roles and responsibilities during a domestic emergency. The plan also specifies how federal agencies are to coordinate with state and local governments and the »
December 23, 2005 — Paul Mirengoff

The Joscelyn file

Thomas Joscelyn, who has written so well about the evidence of connections between Iraq and al Qaeda, has a new blog. Right now, he’s focusing on the release of Mohammed Ali Hammadi, who hijacked TWA Flight 847 in 1985 and killed a member of the U.S. Navy in the process. The problem goes beyond Hammadi — it seems that the European legal system is such that terrorists responsible for killing »
December 23, 2005 — Scott Johnson

More on the legality of the NSA program

Yesterday we received a message responding to John’s analysis of the legality of the NSA program. Our correspondent has asked us to withhold identifying information and we have agreed to do so. He is a gentleman who has had occasion to focus on the issues for professional reasons and adds a close analysis of pertinent provisions of FISA to the probable facts in support of John’s conclusion: I appreciated your »
December 23, 2005 — Paul Mirengoff

Europe — the next terrorist frontier

This report suggests that the master terrorist Musab al-Zarqawi is establishing a terrorist network in Europe. Terrorist investigations in Britain, Germany, Bosnia, Denmark and most recently Spain and France apparently are finding links to Zarqawi. Some of the suspected networks are thought to be involved in supporting the terrorists in Iraq, but counter-terrorism officials reportedly are worried that Zarqawi could be planning to employ his network to start attacking Europe. »
December 23, 2005 — Scott Johnson

The Twilight Zone, part 3

Don’t miss John’s invaluable analysis of the legal issues raised by the NSA program: “On the legality of the NSA electronic intercept program.” In my view, the legality of the NSA program described by the president and the New York Times is overdetermined for the reasons spelled out in the Department of Justice letter released yesterday. Parts of the letter are conclusory; John’s lengthy analysis provides the legal support for »
December 22, 2005 — Paul Mirengoff

Defector du jour

The other day it was E.J. Dionne; today it’s Robert Novak. The lionization of the Senators Hagel, Murkowski, Sunnunu, and Craig — the four Republicans who opposed President Bush on the Patriot Act — continues. Previously, administation critics lionized Senator Voinovich (John Bolton) and Senators McCain and Graham (torture). McCain and Graham also received praise for joining the gang of 14, as did other members such as Senators Warner, Snowe, »
December 22, 2005 — Paul Mirengoff

Live and let spy

ou’ve got to love Ann Coulter. Via Real Clear Politics »
December 22, 2005 — Paul Mirengoff

The twilight zone, Part Two

The blogosphere remains the best source of analysis on the legality of the NSA electronic intercept program. And John’s analysis immediately below is the best analysis I’ve seen on the blogosphere. (The Justice Department letter mentioned in the add-on to John’s piece is also quite good, and it is through the blogosphere that it becomes part of the public debate). I still think there is room for doubt about the »
December 22, 2005 — Paul Mirengoff

The Joscelyn file

Thomas Joscelyn, who has written so well about the evidence of connections between Iraq and al Qaeda, has a new blog. Right now, he’s focusing on the release of Mohammed Ali Hammadi, who hijacked TWA Flight 847 in 1985 and killed a member of the U.S. Navy in the process. The problem goes beyond Hammadi — it seems that the European legal system is such that terrorists responsible for killing »