Afghanistan -- What We Need to Do
AUSTIN, Texas --- Until a few days ago, it seemed there were
only two ways we could possibly lose the war in Afghanistan at this late
date. The first was if great numbers of Afghans starve to death this winter,
thus canceling out the good we have done by getting rid of the Taliban and
inciting a new wave of terrorists. The second would be an Islamist uprising
in Pakistan, the overthrow of President Pervez Musharraf and war between
India and Pakistan, thus rather more than canceling out any good we have
done.
True, Al Qaeda seems to have leaked away at the end, like water dribbling out of cupped hands. First they were all holed up in Tora Bora and we were pounding the stuffing out of them and then ... they weren't there. Since we suspected the Pakistanis would let them through, it can't have come as much surprise. We have learned a great deal about how deeply implicated the ISI, the Pakistani CIA, was in the Taliban government.
True, Al Qaeda seems to have leaked away at the end, like water dribbling out of cupped hands. First they were all holed up in Tora Bora and we were pounding the stuffing out of them and then ... they weren't there. Since we suspected the Pakistanis would let them through, it can't have come as much surprise. We have learned a great deal about how deeply implicated the ISI, the Pakistani CIA, was in the Taliban government.
Annual Christmas Booklist
AAUSTIN, Texas -- Fellow procrastinators of the world, unite! Now
is the time to begin thinking about Christmas shopping. We still have a few
days left, so there's no rush for those who have been known to do it all on
Christmas morning at the Jiffy Mart (everyone appreciates a nice can of
WD-40).
For those who consider it wussy to begin shopping before the 24th, here's the annual Christmas book list -- the best one-stop shopping in town, items to suit all ages and personalities.
We prefer, of course, to shop at independent bookstores, but if a chain store is all that's available, it will do. Though there are no guarantees on the quality of the Christmas help: I once heard a woman ask for "The Odyssey" by Homer, to which the high-school honey hired for the holidays replied, "Uh, Homer Who?"
A fun book for almost anyone on you list is "Seabiscuit, An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand (Random House, $24.95). Unless you're a horse person, you probably think you don't want to read the biography of a racehorse, but you do want to read this one. It's a love of a book about a love of a horse.
For those who consider it wussy to begin shopping before the 24th, here's the annual Christmas book list -- the best one-stop shopping in town, items to suit all ages and personalities.
We prefer, of course, to shop at independent bookstores, but if a chain store is all that's available, it will do. Though there are no guarantees on the quality of the Christmas help: I once heard a woman ask for "The Odyssey" by Homer, to which the high-school honey hired for the holidays replied, "Uh, Homer Who?"
A fun book for almost anyone on you list is "Seabiscuit, An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand (Random House, $24.95). Unless you're a horse person, you probably think you don't want to read the biography of a racehorse, but you do want to read this one. It's a love of a book about a love of a horse.
Bad News When Madmen Lead the Blind
The autumn started with a huge national jolt of shock, fear, grief
and anger. Winter has begun with many worries here at home and grim
satisfaction about warfare abroad. A line from "King Lear," early in Act
4, is hauntingly appropriate:
"'Tis the time's plague when madmen lead the blind."
Shakespeare's observation fits the current era, and not only with reference to the murderous qualities of Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda network. Few media outlets -- and certainly none of the major national brands -- are willing to scrutinize the unhinged aspects of the adulated leadership in the White House.
Deep introspection for any society is difficult. Precious little danger of that, in the here and now. After more than 100 days of big-type rhetorical questions, the media answers are largely self-satisfied. "Why do they hate us?" Because we're great, though sometimes clumsy on the world stage. "How can the violence in the Middle East be stopped?" By continuing to back Israel, no matter what.
"'Tis the time's plague when madmen lead the blind."
Shakespeare's observation fits the current era, and not only with reference to the murderous qualities of Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda network. Few media outlets -- and certainly none of the major national brands -- are willing to scrutinize the unhinged aspects of the adulated leadership in the White House.
Deep introspection for any society is difficult. Precious little danger of that, in the here and now. After more than 100 days of big-type rhetorical questions, the media answers are largely self-satisfied. "Why do they hate us?" Because we're great, though sometimes clumsy on the world stage. "How can the violence in the Middle East be stopped?" By continuing to back Israel, no matter what.
Israel and Palestine Today
AUSTIN -- Since we have declared war on a noun, we are now by
definition in the definition business. The shortest version of our
definitional problem, as we see in attacks from India to Israel, is that one
man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
Lewis Lapham, the editor of Harper's, writes in a scathing essay, "We might as well be sending the 101st Airborne Division to conquer lust, annihilate greed, capture the sin of pride." Since President Bush has given us his own somewhat exuberant definition -- "We go forth to defend freedom, and all that is good and just in the world" -- we can only hope there will be no further mission creep.
Lewis Lapham, the editor of Harper's, writes in a scathing essay, "We might as well be sending the 101st Airborne Division to conquer lust, annihilate greed, capture the sin of pride." Since President Bush has given us his own somewhat exuberant definition -- "We go forth to defend freedom, and all that is good and just in the world" -- we can only hope there will be no further mission creep.
Public Lands and Corporate Mining
AUSTIN -- When George W. Bush was governor of Texas, many
political observers had a theory that whenever he started holding photo ops
with adorable little children, it was time to grab your wallet because it
meant some unconscionable giveaway to the corporations was in the wind.
I did not fully subscribe to the theory, but having noticed a number of adorable-child ops in the past few weeks, I decided to check for what might be flying under the radar, with the following results:
-- The Bush administration has reversed Clinton-era regulations for mining on public lands, including a measure that gave federal officials power to block mining operations that could cause "substantial and irreparable harm." The Environmental Protection Agency says about 40 percent of Western watersheds have been polluted by mining. From California to Alaska, bankrupt and abandoned gold mines leak acid and heavy metals into streams. There are 500,000 abandoned mines around the country with cleanup costs estimated in the tens of billions.
I did not fully subscribe to the theory, but having noticed a number of adorable-child ops in the past few weeks, I decided to check for what might be flying under the radar, with the following results:
-- The Bush administration has reversed Clinton-era regulations for mining on public lands, including a measure that gave federal officials power to block mining operations that could cause "substantial and irreparable harm." The Environmental Protection Agency says about 40 percent of Western watersheds have been polluted by mining. From California to Alaska, bankrupt and abandoned gold mines leak acid and heavy metals into streams. There are 500,000 abandoned mines around the country with cleanup costs estimated in the tens of billions.
Announcing the P.U.-litzer Prizes for 2001
The P.U.-litzer Prizes were established a decade ago to give
recognition to the
stinkiest media performances of the year.
As each winter arrives, I confer with Jeff Cohen of the media watch group FAIR to sift through the large volume of entries. This year, the competition was especially fierce. We regret that only a few journalists can win a P.U.-litzer.
And now, the tenth annual P.U.-litzer Prizes, for the foulest media performances of 2001:
"LOVE A MAN IN A UNIFORM" AWARD -- Cokie Roberts of ABC News "This Week"
On David Letterman's show in October, Roberts gushed: "I am, I will just confess to you, a total sucker for the guys who stand up with all the ribbons on and stuff, and they say it's true and I'm ready to believe it. We had General Shelton on the show the last day he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and I couldn't lift that jacket with all the ribbons and medals. And so when they say stuff, I tend to believe it."
PROTECTING VIEWERS FROM THE NEWS PRIZE -- CNN Chair Walter Isaacson
As each winter arrives, I confer with Jeff Cohen of the media watch group FAIR to sift through the large volume of entries. This year, the competition was especially fierce. We regret that only a few journalists can win a P.U.-litzer.
And now, the tenth annual P.U.-litzer Prizes, for the foulest media performances of 2001:
"LOVE A MAN IN A UNIFORM" AWARD -- Cokie Roberts of ABC News "This Week"
On David Letterman's show in October, Roberts gushed: "I am, I will just confess to you, a total sucker for the guys who stand up with all the ribbons on and stuff, and they say it's true and I'm ready to believe it. We had General Shelton on the show the last day he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and I couldn't lift that jacket with all the ribbons and medals. And so when they say stuff, I tend to believe it."
PROTECTING VIEWERS FROM THE NEWS PRIZE -- CNN Chair Walter Isaacson
John Ashcroft and Terrorism
AUSTIN, Texas -- By George, we need honest, reasoned debate
around here and not fear-mongering, so anyone out there who suspects
Attorney General John Ashcroft of being a nincompoop is clearly aiding
terrorists and giving ammunition to America's enemies. Ashcroft says so, and
if that's not reasoned debate, what is?
Under the high standards of reason set forth by Ashcroft, we are allowed to present CORRECT information (those who present incorrect information, like some people in government, erode our national unity and diminish our resolve) as to what the attorney general is up to. While Operation Enduring Freedom continues in Afghanistan, enduring freedom is not looking so good here at home -- and like the A.G., I would be the last to encourage people of goodwill to remain silent in the face of evil.
Here is some CORRECT information about enduring freedom:
Under the high standards of reason set forth by Ashcroft, we are allowed to present CORRECT information (those who present incorrect information, like some people in government, erode our national unity and diminish our resolve) as to what the attorney general is up to. While Operation Enduring Freedom continues in Afghanistan, enduring freedom is not looking so good here at home -- and like the A.G., I would be the last to encourage people of goodwill to remain silent in the face of evil.
Here is some CORRECT information about enduring freedom:
Freep Heroes - Autumn 2001
FREEP HERO
Representative Barbara Lee
Representative Barbara Lee of Oakland, California, the lone dissenter in the U.S. House of Representatives in a 480-1 vote in favor of President Bush’s use of force resolution. Lee said “We must not rush to judgment. Far too many innocent people have already died. Our country is in mourning. If we rush to launch a counterattack, we run too great a risk that women, children and other noncombatants will be caught in the crossfire.” She warned against allowing “outrageous acts by vicious murderers [to] inflame prejudice against all Arab Americans, Muslims, Southeast Asians, or any other people . . .” In March 1999 Lee was the sole House member to vote against the bombing of Serbia. If things spin out of control in the Middle East, and well they might if the United States overreacts, future historians will record that Lee, like the late Senator Wayne Morris who voted against the Tonkin Gulf resolution that started the Vietnam escalation, was a lone voice of sanity and decency. Read the text of her dissent in the Autumn issue section.
THE FREE PRESS SALUTES:
The Columbus Dispatch
Representative Barbara Lee
Representative Barbara Lee of Oakland, California, the lone dissenter in the U.S. House of Representatives in a 480-1 vote in favor of President Bush’s use of force resolution. Lee said “We must not rush to judgment. Far too many innocent people have already died. Our country is in mourning. If we rush to launch a counterattack, we run too great a risk that women, children and other noncombatants will be caught in the crossfire.” She warned against allowing “outrageous acts by vicious murderers [to] inflame prejudice against all Arab Americans, Muslims, Southeast Asians, or any other people . . .” In March 1999 Lee was the sole House member to vote against the bombing of Serbia. If things spin out of control in the Middle East, and well they might if the United States overreacts, future historians will record that Lee, like the late Senator Wayne Morris who voted against the Tonkin Gulf resolution that started the Vietnam escalation, was a lone voice of sanity and decency. Read the text of her dissent in the Autumn issue section.
THE FREE PRESS SALUTES:
The Columbus Dispatch
Enron: What took so long?
AUSTIN -- Hail and farewell, o Enron! What a flameout. The
Establishment media, sucking its collective thumb with unwonted solemnity,
is treating us to meditations on two themes: "How the mighty have fallen,"
and, "Who would have thunk it?" Pardon me while I snort, in lieu of ruder
noises, and offer two themes of my own: "What took so long?" and, "Anyone
with an ounce of common sense."
Noam Chomsky -- Saying What Media Don't Want Us to Hear
"If liberty means anything at all," George Orwell wrote, "it means the
right to tell people what they do not want to hear."
From all indications, the gatekeepers for big media in the United States don't want to hear what Noam Chomsky has to say -- and they'd prefer that we not hear him either.
Mainstream journalists in other nations often interview Chomsky. Based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he's a world-renowned analyst of propaganda and global politics. But the chances are slim that you'll ever find him on a large network here at home.
Chomsky is ill-suited to providing soundbites -- and that's not just a matter of style. A few snappy words are sufficient when they harmonize with the conventional wisdom in a matter of seconds. It takes longer to intelligibly present a very different assessment of political realities.
From all indications, the gatekeepers for big media in the United States don't want to hear what Noam Chomsky has to say -- and they'd prefer that we not hear him either.
Mainstream journalists in other nations often interview Chomsky. Based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he's a world-renowned analyst of propaganda and global politics. But the chances are slim that you'll ever find him on a large network here at home.
Chomsky is ill-suited to providing soundbites -- and that's not just a matter of style. A few snappy words are sufficient when they harmonize with the conventional wisdom in a matter of seconds. It takes longer to intelligibly present a very different assessment of political realities.