News Commentary

Glenn Greenwald: Obama, Congress and Syria

"The Congressional vote which Obama said he would seek appears, in his mind, to have no binding force at all. There is no reason to believe that a Congressional rejection of the war's authorization would constrain Obama in any way, other than perhaps politically. To the contrary, there is substantial evidence for the proposition that the White House sees the vote as purely advisory, i.e., meaningless. Recall how - in one of most overlooked bad acts of the Obama administration - the House of Representatives actually voted, overwhelmingly, against authorizing the US war in Libya, and yet Obama simply ignored the vote and proceeded to prosecute the war anyway." Continue reading →

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Germany’s Hitler-Era Homeschool Laws Still In (Brute) Force

"The Wunderlichs simply felt that they could teach their children better. They opposed the idea of being forced to send them to the government-monopoly schools whose power is based on a law imposed during the WWII era. The Wunderlichs are Christian, and preferred that their children receive an education incorporating Christian themes, and devoid of some elements force-fed to German kids in the public schools. That doesn’t sit well with the German regime, however, which is, by its own admittance, in the business of preventing 'dissent,' including the emergence of 'separate philosophical convictions.' In other words, the ban on homeschooling is about control." Continue reading →

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Bombing Syria Is An Act of War

"2 years ago the president told Assad to leave office. Looking for the lowest-cost way to accomplish this objective (without explicitly using American forces), the president then supported the rebels covertly. When the rebels lost ground in the last year, the president looked for a pretext. The chemical event, no matter how it came to be, is that pretext. Although the president has tried to sell bombing as a limited one-time event in response to a chemical event, none of the major players believes this. They know that it is an act of war. The president further acknowledges that it is an act of war by seeking congressional approval." Continue reading →

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Patent “Trolls” are Bad. Patents are Worse.

"As bad as patent trolls are — according to Kinsella they cost the US economy somewhere around $500 billion — legitimate patent holders, companies like Monsanto and Apple, can be — and often are — worse. Speaking of Apple, imagine a scenario where the company going after Adam Carolla and the rest of the podcasting world wasn’t some tiny dot-com-era relic in Texas, but the multi-billion dollar corporation from Cupertino, Calif. In this hypothetical situation, who would have the money or power to fight against Apple? How could a DIY podcast held together with string and some spit defend against Apple if it held the 'podcasting patent' and wanted money for its license?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPatent “Trolls” are Bad. Patents are Worse.

A Bad Argument for Bombing Syria

"Obama said: 'When you start talking about chemical weapons, in a country that has the largest stockpile of chemical weapons in the world, where over time their control of chemical weapons may erode, where they’re allied to known terrorist organizations, that in the past have targeted the United States, then there is a prospect, a possibility in which chemical weapons, that can have devastating effects, could be directed at us and we want to make sure that that does not happen.' He proposes military measures to punish the Assad regime for its alleged use of nerve gas. But that would not in the slightest reduce terrorist acquisition of parts or all of the Syrian government’s stock of nerve gas." Continue reading →

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2 of the Worst Warmongering Neocons Demand To Know

"Why were Beyonce and Jay Z allowed to visit Cuba? Of course, the real question is: how dare the state order us to stay away from places we want to go, East German style? I must say, I'd love to visit Cuba myself. I am told that if one does, one can go through Mexico City and the Cubans do not stamp your passport. Indeed, I'd like to visit Iran, Syria, Gaza, North Korea, and all the other places the parasites don't want us to go." Continue reading →

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Nine Reasons Why Bombing Syria Is Not an Act of Justice

"If the U.S. unilaterally bombs Syria, it can’t possibly be an act of neutral justice in response to a chemical attack. Why not? Several reasons. (1) The U.S. has supported anti-Assad (anti-Syrian) rebel forces against Assad for several years. (2) The U.S. has not been a neutral presence in that region since 1919. [..] (3) The U.S. has selected immediate violence as a response without taking the time to pursue other remedies. (4) The U.S. is threatening to act on incomplete information. (5) The existing framework of international law doesn’t allow for unilateral bombing by the U.S. or any other state. (6) Any attack may kill and wound innocent Syrians. [..] " Continue reading →

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Mark Steyn Correctly Worries about Obama’s Looming Syrian Adventure

"The problem with the American way of war is that, technologically, it can’t lose, but, in every other sense, it can’t win. No one in his right mind wants to get into a tank battle or a naval bombardment with the guys responsible for over 40 percent of the planet’s military expenditures. Which is why these days there aren’t a lot of tank battles. The consummate interventionist Robert Kagan wrote in his recent book that the American military 'remains unmatched.' It’s unmatched in the sense that the only guy in town with a tennis racket isn’t going to be playing a lot of tennis matches." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMark Steyn Correctly Worries about Obama’s Looming Syrian Adventure

11 Reasons Why We Should Not Attack Syria

"As U.S. political and media leaders prepare for military strikes against Syria, the parallels to the lead-up to the war with Iraq should give us pause. Weapons of mass destruction, we are told, are being used by a cruel Middle Eastern despot against his own people. A military strike is inevitable, media voices say; we must respond with missiles and bombs. The arguments sound all too familiar. There are a great many differences between circumstances in Syria and Iraq, of course. Nonetheless, critics warn that, much as it did in Iraq, a military incursion here could have disastrous consequences. Here are 11 reasons the United States should stay clear of military action." Continue reading →

Continue Reading11 Reasons Why We Should Not Attack Syria

Obama’s Latest Arguments Do Not Hold Water

"Obama declares that the U.S. membership in the UN and solemn agreement to its Charter is irrelevant. He does not intend to abide by the agreement and thus international law. What messages does this declaration send? Obama is saying he’ll break or adhere to a compact on a selective basis as he pleases. Next week, he might support a UN action and the following week not. In this same speech, Obama says 'We cannot raise our children in a world where we will not follow through on the things we say, the accords we sign,…' He doesn’t seem to realize that his statement about going it alone regardless of the U.N. smashes that accord that the U.S. signed." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama’s Latest Arguments Do Not Hold Water