Disagreements on how to deal with suspected or actual terrorists who are in our custody rest on some basic assumptions, legal and otherwise. The first of these is whether or not we are at war or the equivalent of war, … Continue reading →
As more details emerge on the background of the Virginia Tech shooter, it turns out that his history was one long, loud warning sign that something extremely bad was about to happen. So how is it that this young man—who … Continue reading →
The commenter known as “unknown blogger” wrote in the previous thread: “Impotent.” “Weak.” “They must have cut a deal.” [quoting those who criticize the Blair government’s public handling of the affair]. Tsk, tsk. Such a tremendous amount of disappointment around … Continue reading →
I’ve written before about Peter Braestrup’s book Big Story: How the American Press and Television Reported and Interpreted the Crisis of Tet 1968 in Vietnam and Washington. It describes how the media got the Tet Offensive wrong. Braestrup’s conclusion is … Continue reading →
[Part I here.] By early 1943, the time of the Rosenstrasse Protest, the Final Solution were well underway. The Nazis had been very careful about their policy of extermination of the Jews; one can view the entire operation as a … Continue reading →
[Part I can be found here.] Shelby Steele, a supporter of the war in Iraq, discusses the semantic and conceptual problem we face when we have no clear definition of victory: Without a description of victory, a war has no … Continue reading →
That’s the most important piece of evidence we’ve heard yet, said the King, rubbing his hands; so now let the jury— If any one of them can explain it, said Alice, (she had grown so large in the last few … Continue reading →
Here’s Alice, called as a witness at the trial of the Knave of Hearts in Wonderland (otherwise known as France—minus the jury, that is): What do you know about this business? the King said to Alice. Nothing, said Alice. Nothing … Continue reading →
I’m off to the Palais de Justice, and I’m not just sightseeing. Today is the occasion of the second al Durah/France2 defamation trial, that of defendant Pierre Luré§at : Luré§at, 39, a Jerusalem resident and president of an association called … Continue reading →
…and maybe not so slowly, after all. Nidra Pollner’s second report, this one focusing on the trial, sounds very, very promising: It was a beautiful trial. It was held in an atmosphere of respect for justice… And here is part … Continue reading →
The great Mark Twain wrote, in one of his pithiest and most insightful aphorisms: History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Not all the rhymes of history are beautiful poetry, of that we can be sure. Case in point: … Continue reading →
When I first read this I thought it was from the Onion. But no, it turns out to be for real. It appears that some person or persons in Australia are seeking vengence for naturalist Steve Irwin’s death by killing … Continue reading →