The Torture Memos: Rationalizing the Unthinkable – A Must-Read

David Cole’s new book is two things: First, a collection of six of the previously-published “torture memos” written between 2002 and 2006 by lawyers at the Bush-era Office of Legal Counsel. Yes, the ones that used law to justify the “enhanced interrogation techniques” now so well known. And, second, Cole’s commentary on this distortion of the law and its implications for our society

Flu Nightmare: In Severe Pandemic, Officials Ponder Disconnecting Ventilators From Some Patients

With scant public input, state and federal officials are pushing ahead with plans that — during a severe flu outbreak — would deny use of scarce ventilators by some patients to assure they would be available for patients judged to benefit the most from them.

Sarah Palin In Hong Kong: ‘I Will Share With You Candidly A View Right From Main Street, U.S.A’

RealClearPolitics reports: Former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, criticized for her lack of foreign policy experience, emerged in Asia on Wednesday to share her views from “Main Street U.S.A” with a group of high-flying global investors. In her first trip to the region, the former Alaska governor addressed an annual conference of investors in Hong [...]

Seven Former CIA Directors Want To Bury The Truth

Foreign intelligence agencies have been holding back their liaison activities and their cooperation with the CIA because of the crimes associated with secret prisons, torture and abuse, and extraordinary renditions. It is quite unbelievable that CIA leaders decided to compromise the governments and intelligence services of the European community by locating secret prisons and using logistical facilities within their borders. It is very unlikely that any member of the European Union will cooperate with such CIA activities in the future.

Fox News’ Takeaway of Qaddafi U.N. Speech: Qaddafi Loves Obama!

TalkingPointsMemo reports: The big news from the United Nations today? According to Fox News, it was Qaddafi praising President Obama as a “son” of Africa.

WellPoint CEO Lies About Amount Spent on Healthcare

WPost’s Neocons In High Dudgeon Over European Missile Shield

President Barack Obama’s plan to scrap a proposed anti-ballistic missile shield in East Europe has given the Washington Post a new hobby horse to ride. In an editorial titled “Missile Strike,” the opinion writers predictably excoriated President Obama’s decision to scrap the shield as a concession to Kremlin hardliners who “implausibly claimed to feel threatened” by U.S. interceptors and radars.

Scam Of Ages

In 1980 my brother died in one of those notorious one-car accidents that plague the nuclear whistleblower set. He’d arrived that afternoon with his wife and three children with U-Haul in tow to start a new life. He and my hubby drove into town to get formula and disposable diapers for his youngest, never made it home. By morning he was dead, hubby was in ICU.

Entrapping ACORN

ACORN, an umbrella organization of community groups that serves poor people in major cities across the country through housing, legal advocacy, family services, and higher wages, has lost all federal funding, after decades of working for low-income, disadvantaged Americans.

Irony Is Dead: Fox News Exec Urges Staffers To Be ‘Fair’ And ‘Impartial’

The website Mediaite obtained an e-mail written by from Fox News Vice President of News and Washington managing editor Bill Sammon and sent to Fox News D.C. bureau staffers. The e-mail was sent after a Fox News producer was caught pumping up the crowd during the 9/12 tea party broadcast. From: Sammon, Bill Sent: Monday, [...]