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Today's
Stories
December
10, 2004
Kathy
Kelly
From Haiti to Iraq: Burying Water
December
9, 2004
Greg
Moses
Ask Not Who Bankrolled Fallujah
Joshua
Frank
Cobb and the Ohio Recount: Vote Fraud as Fundraiser!
Ralph
Nader
An Open Letter to Bush: It's Time to
Disclose the Real Casualty Figures
Lee
Sustar
Bhopal: the Making of a Disaster
Tom
Barry
Restrictionist Resurgence
Mickey
Z.
Sander Hicks and the 9/11 Truth Movement
Christopher
Brauchli
Bush in the Bubble
Mark
Donham
Why are House Democrats Trying to
Deny Cynthia McKinney Seniority?
Gary
Corseri
On the Anniversary of John Lennon's Death, 2012
Paul
de Rooij
The Voices of Sharon's Little Helpers
December
8, 2004
Ralph
Nader
Will the Real Michael Moore Ever Re-Emerge?
Ann
Harrison
The Ohio Recount: Reluctant Officials
and Few Rules
Paul
Craig Roberts
War Crime
Dave
Lindorff
They've Got a Secret: Inside the $40 Billion Black Budget for
Spying
Patrick
Cockburn / Andrew Buncombe
CIA Warning on Iraq: Fallujah Did Not Break the Back of the Insurgency
Col.
Dan Smith
Rules of Engagement in Iraq
Emily
Alves / Michael Johnson
Paradise Lost: Corruption and Clientelism in Costa Rica
Richard
Oxman
The Dylan Bob Wouldn't Mention: Up With Dylan Thomas
Ron
Jacobs
In Fallujah, Freedom Isn't Free
December
7, 2004
Patrick
Cockburn
Running Battles in Baghdad
Behrooz
Ghamari
Lost Muslim Voices of Dissent
Dave
Lindorff
American Fantasies: Psst! Hey Buddy,
Did You Hear How Well the War's Going?
Joshua
Frank
Dean at the DNC?
Richard
Oxman
Down with Dylan: the Insufferable Interview
Ray
McGovern
All Mosquitoes, No Swamp
John
Chuckman
The Invasion of Hallifax: The Imperial Wizard Visits Canada
James
Petras
Latin America: the Empire Changes Gears
Website
of the Day
ToxMap: Who's Poisoning You
December
6, 2004
Paul
Craig Roberts
Paranoia and Pre-emption: Is the
Bush Administration Certifiable?
December
4 / 6, 2004
Alexander
Cockburn
Politicize the CIA? You've Got to
be Kidding
Joe
Bageant
Dining with the Rhinos
Alan
Maass
Reporting from the Ground in Iraq: an Interview with Patrick
Cockburn
Brian
Cloughley
Democracy, Bush-style, in the Gulf
Laura
Carlsen
Latin America Shifts Left
Lenni
Brenner
Jefferson, Madison, Bush and Religion
Anna
Ioakimedes
Brazil's Haitian Mission: Doing God's Work or Washington's?
Uri
Avnery
Widow of Opportunity?
Fred
Gardner
Supreme Court Hears Medical Pot Case
Dave
Zirin
Steroids to Heaven
Jackie
Corr
Mining Camp Blues: the Red State Variation
Don
Fitz
Will Greens Abandon IRV?
Lucy
Herschel
"Art can be a Weapon of the Oppressed": an Interview
with Artist Anthony Papa
Richard
Oxman
No Angels in America: Bashing the Gay Play
Ron
Jacobs
Holiday Greeting Card
Poets'
Basement
Collins, Albert, LaMorticella
December
3, 2004
Dave
Lindorff
Lie Then Escalate
Ben
Tripp
Fun With Boycotts: How to Shop in a
Time of Crisis
Joe
Allen
Murder in El Salvador: the Assassination of Teamster Organizer
Gilberto Soto
Matthew
B. Riley
Human Rights Court Fails Lori Berenson
Meir
Shalev
In the End, It is the Violin that Wins
Bob
Wing
The White Elephant in the Room: Race and Election 2004
Christopher
Brauchli
When McCain Bit His Tongue
Sasan
Fayazmanesh
The EU, the US, Israel and Iran
December
2, 2004
Tito
Tricot
No Justice in Chile: I'm a Torture
Survivor in a Country Where Torturers Still Run Free
Behzad
Yaghmaian
The Murder of Theo Van Gogh and Muslim Migration
Dr.
Susan Block
Lana and Me: Meetings with Remarkable Apes
Frank
/ Chowkwanyun
Liberalism and Its Bounds
Lee
Sustar
Standoff in Ukraine: the Bad v. the Corrupt
Patrick
Cockburn
Another Grim Record in Iraq
Mark
Engler
Seattle at Five
Michael
Donnelly
Something Stinks in South Bend: the Firing of Tyrone Willingham
Nate
Collins
The Bay Area Mall on an Ohlone Burial Grounds
Saul
Landau
The Assassination of Danilo Anderson
December
1, 2004
Phillip
Cryan
Associated with Whom? Rightist Bias
in Wire Coverage of Colombia
Dave
Zirin
What's the Matter with "Leon"?:
Budweiser's Racist Commercial
Ghali
Hassan
Iraq's Health Care Under the Occupation:
200 Children Die Every Day
Donna
J. Volatile
Beware Western Nations Threatening "Democracy"
Patrick
Cockburn
How Saddam Tried to Arm the Insurgency
Nick
Meo
Chemical War Over Afghanistan
Mike
Ferner
The Battle of Toledo
Mokhiber
/ Weissman
Shame and Determination on Global AIDS Day: 40 Million and Rising
Kathy
Kelly
Looking the Other Way: the Real Crimes
of the UN in Iraq
November
30, 2004
Jennifer
Van Bergen
The Veil of Secrecy
Toni
Nelson Herrera
Meeting Kurtz: When Art is a Crime
Paul
Craig Roberts
The Bush Delusions: Successful at Incompetence
Patrick
Cockburn
The Insurgency Strikes Back: There Are No Safe Havens in Iraq
Chuck
Munson
WTO Protests Five Years Later: Seattle Weekly Trashes Anti-Globalization
Movement
Adam
Williams
Citizenship Sold: Back to Business in Indiana
Gregory
Elich
A Dangerous Turn in the US Plans for
North Korea
Website
of the Day
Read Lynne Cheney's Lesbian Novel Online!
November
29, 2004
Dave
Lindorff
Blowback in Ukraine: The Hand of
the CIA?
Omar
Barghouti
"The Pianist" of Palestine:
Roadblock Concerto at Gunpoint
Mike
Whitney
The US Media and Fallujah: How to
Market a Siege
Uri
Avnery
The Abu Mazen Style: "Give Me
Some Credit!"
Matt
Vidal
Globalization and Economic Inequality: a Look at the Numbers
Patrick
Cockburn
An Interview with Iraq's Foreign
Minister
Alan
Farago
Sex Change and Salvation: God, Girly Men and Endocrine Disrupters
Justin
Huggler
Bhopal 20 Years Later
Antony
Loewenstein
How Australia Reported Arafat's Death and Legacy
Gary
Leupp
Ukraine: Poll Results Aren't the Real
Issue
Website
of the Day
Mosul: Images from a Kill Zone
November
27 / 28, 2004
Peter
Linebaugh
Torture & Neo-Liberalism with
Sycorax in Iraq
Alexander
Cockburn
What Happened to O'Reilly's Loofa?
Fred
Gardner
Ashcroft v. Raich: Medical Marijuana and the Supreme Court
Kathy
Kelly
What We Can Control
Diane
Christian
The Other Cheek: "Empire Doesn't Analyze, It Acts"
Gary
Leupp
One More Neocon Target: South (Yes, South) Korea
Lenni
Brenner
Equality and Rights of Return: Jefferson Instructs the New York
Times
Ron
Jacobs
Death Squads and Iraq's Elections: the Mysterious Murders of
the AMS Clerics
Joshua
Frank
An Interview with Kevin Zeese on Nader, Kerry and the ABB Crowd
Toni
Solo
The Murder of Danilo Anderson
Saul
Landau
Fallujah, the 21st Century Guernica
JoAnn
Wypijewski
Matthew Shepard Case 6 Years Later: Why Hate Crimes Laws are
No Cure for Homophobia
Justin
Taylor
Empire's Lawless Opportunities
Amos
Harel
The Case of Captain R.
Walter
A. Davis
Tabloid Justice
Stephen
Hendricks
God's Kind of Men
Poets'
Basement
Albert, LaMorticella and Ford
November
26, 2004
Peter
Feng
Gavin Newsom: Man or Machine?
Greg
Moses
It's the White Vote, Stupid
Liaquat
Ali Khan
The Devil's Work: Bush's Minority Appointments
Michael
Mandel / Gail Davidson
Why Bush Should Be Banned from Canada: a Memo to the Ministry
of Immigration
Dave
Lindorff
Nation of Sheep, Turkey of an Election: Urkrainians Show the
Way
Gary
Corseri
When Black Friday Comes...
Paul
Craig Roberts
Whatever Happened to Conservatives?
Website
of the Day
Iraq Pipeline Watch
November
25, 2004
Willliam
Loren Katz
Giving Thanks to Whom?: "Thanks
to God We Sent 600 Heathen Souls to Hell Today"
Mitchel
Cohen
Why I Hate Thanksgiving
Mike
Ferner
An Uncommon Mom
November
24, 2004
Gila
Svirsky
License to Kill: the Example of Violence
is Set by the State
Winslow
T. Wheeler
The
Other Mess in Congress
Christopher
Brauchli
The Company He Keeps: the Syndicate of Tom Delay
Dave
Lindorff
Double Standards on Exit Polls: Hypocrisy Sans Irony
Ron
Jacobs
The Occupation of Iraq is the Root of t he Problem
Ken
Sengupta
Witnesses: War Crimes in Fallujah
Diana
Barahona
The Final Holocaust or Why I Voted for Ralph Nader
John
L. Hess
Safire the Shameless
Jason
Leopold
Did Harvard Hire (Another) War Criminal?
Jeffrey
St. Clair
The Mark of McCain: the Senator Most Likely to Start a Nuclear
War
Map
of the Day
Now and Then: 2004 v. 1860
November
23, 2004
Forrest
Hylton
Bush and Uribe at the Beach
November
22, 2004
Dave
Zirin
Fight Night in the NBA: Selective Outrage
in Detroit
Paul
Craig Roberts
On to Iran: We Won't Get Fooled Again?
Michael
Mandel / Gail Davidson
Why Bush Should be Banned from Canada
Kathie
Helmkamp
Our Son: a Marine Who Won't Kill
Ken
Sengupta
The Triangle of Death: "This is Now the Most Dangerous Place
in Iraq"
Mike
Whitney
Greenspan's Hammer
Roger
Burbach
Why They Hate Bush in Chile
Website
of the Day
Fed Up with Government Lies and Corporate Spin?
November
20 / 21, 2004
Alexander
Cockburn
The Poisoned Chalice
Todd
May
Religion, the Election and the Politics of Fear
Abbas
Ahmed Ibrahim
The Horrors of Fallujah: a First-Hand Account
Kevin
Zeese
Mishandling Nader
Landau
/ Hassen
After Arafat
Tom
Barry
The Vulcans Consolidate Power: The Rise of Stephen Hadley
Fred
Gardner
Pot Shots: Ask Dr. Todd
Justin
E.H. Smith
Triumph of the Will: the Sequel
Carl
Estabrook
Where We Are Now
Gary
Leupp
Imperial History-Making vs. Reality-Based Thought: a Dialogue
Dave
Lindorff
Apocalypse Soon
Jenna
Michelle Liut
Plans Colombia and Patriota: Wanton Wastes of Money, Manpower
and Lives
Mickey
Z.
The Granma Moses of Radical Writing: an Interview with William
Blum
Greg
Moses
The Same Old Struggle Against Imperial America
Sharon
Smith
Abortion Rights and the Election: What Now?
Ron
Jacobs
Sandwiches and Car Bombs
Ben
Tripp
Raising d'Etre: Finding Money in Hollywood These Days
Richard
Oxman
Basketbrawl Two Pointer: Iraq Rules!
Gilad
Atzmon
Politics and Jazz
Poets'
Basement
LaMorticella, Albert, Ford, & Anon.
Website
of the Day
Voice of the Forest
Hot Stories
Alexander Cockburn
Behold,
the Head of a Neo-Con!
Subcomandante
Marcos
The
Death Train of the WTO
Norman Finkelstein
Hitchens
as Model Apostate
Steve Niva
Israel's
Assassination Policy: the Trigger for Suicide Bombings?
Dardagan,
Slobodo and Williams
CounterPunch Exclusive:
20,000 Wounded Iraqi Civilians
Steve
J.B.
Prison Bitch
Sheldon
Rampton and John Stauber
True Lies: the Use of Propaganda
in the Iraq War
Wendell
Berry
Small Destructions Add Up
CounterPunch
Wire
WMD: Who Said What When
Cindy
Corrie
A Mother's Day Talk: the Daughter
I Can't Hear From
Gore Vidal
The
Erosion of the American Dream
Francis Boyle
Impeach
Bush: A Draft Resolution
Click
Here for More Stories.
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Weekend Edition
December 11 / 12, 2004
An Interview with God
God
Returns, Supports Bush 100 Percent
By
JOHN STANTON
God has returned to America. His interest
in this nation and its people is the subject of much discussion
here in this country mainly from those disgruntled Americans
who, in the 2004 national elections, lost to God's choice, President
George W. Bush. Anyway, the losers can't figure out why God cares
about this place. After all, they say, Earth is located in the
outer realm of the Milky Way galaxy--the Orion Arm to be exact---along
with the 100 billion stars and billions of other objects that
make up the Milky Way. The Milky Way is one of at least 125 billion
other galaxies that are known at the present time. All of which
is to wonder why God bothers with Americans and, more interestingly,
how God covers the unfathomable distances between galaxies.
God consented to an interview
on this matter and visited me at my home in Virginia.
As for travel, God said that
it has to do with String Theory, multiple dimensions and changing
space. On his enthusiasm for America, God claimed that the most
faithful are the most malleable--an American trait he likes--and
it's easier being God when there are a majority of unquestioning
subjects. And besides, God said he likes the support he is getting
in the USA these days and figures that the separation of church
and state will finally end under President George W. Bush.
God is Fashionable,
Can Bench Press a Galaxy
God is as white as fresh snow,
wears a flowing sparkling gown, a well trimmed white beard, and
holds a golden staff. In short, he looks like Gandalf in the
Lord of the Rings series. God is 12 feet tall and 1000 pounds
of solid muscle. He can bench press a galaxy while at the same
time willing the creation of millions of different species on
planets all over the universe. And, of course, he is proficient
in the use of all types of firearms. God points out that he has
multiple personalities just as the universe has multiple dimensions
and that he really is the One God. For example, in America he
is the Judeo Christian God and in other countries he could be
Allah, Brahma or Buddha. God said that he is like a Swiss Army
Knife--multifunctional for all occasions. He said there are billions
of species like us but that "the Americans have impressed
me with their audacity to think I'm on their side."
Why has God paid a visit to
America? Polls show that over 90 percent of Americans believe
in God. In the early 1950's they inscribed In God We Trust on
all their currency to show the Communists of the day that they
were not atheists. In times of national crisis such as 9/11 or
the attempted removal of "under God" in the American
Pledge of Allegiance, Americans will gather together in public
to sing God Bless America or recite the Pledge with an ending
emphasis on Under God. And God said he is most pleased that 70
percent of Americans believe that Darwin and Wallace's Theory
of Evolution is false. Creationism "is the way to go"
he said. He is thrilled that many US Senators and Congressmen
are introducing legislation on God's behalf and that President
Bush authorized the filing of legal briefs in support of displaying
the Ten Commandments in public institutions.
God Discovers
Pentagon Plot, Endorses Cycle of Violence
God was not pleased with the
two-earner trend in America. He said that women need to be home
with the children because "you don't want those strangers
in day care guiding your children." God was visibly upset
over the subject of abortion, gay marriage, and the sexification
of America. He indicated that the country needed to be purified
of these sins and that he had confidence in the good people running
America would set things straight. He noted that there was some
merit in women in the USA wearing burkas in public or at least
veils.
God joked about Secretary of
Defense Donald Rumsfeld's plot to drug him and extract information
on the technology he uses to traverse the vast distances of the
universe. "Rumsfeld and the Flag Officers over in the Pentagon
thought they could develop me as a weapons system," he said.
"I just love that American attitude, by golly" But
admire that attitude as he did, God said that Rumsfeld and his
plotters had crossed the line and that, "at this moment
they are no longer relevant." Later I learned that Rumsfeld
was giving one of his "stuff happens" briefings and
it was being televised on national television. The videotape
showed that Rumsfeld was in mid-sentence "freedom isÖ"
and then, poof!, he was gone. Rumsfeld's opponents called it
a miracle but I was saddened because there was no better liar
and ruthless Washington, DC operative than Rumsfeld. I admired
his clarity of purpose. But, God had his reasons and who was
I to argue with him.
The elimination of the plotters
led God to say that there's no problem with the endless cycle
of violence. "It's what makes God tick. The universe depends
on it. It's what makes life worth living. I like high stakes
and life is the highest of them all. Life and death games must
be played whether on the streets of America or the slums of Iraq."
He said, for example, that he applauded the beheadings of foreigners
in Iraq as well as the killing by the US military of anything
that moved in Fallujah. God said that President Bush should continue
his Global War on Terror and the militarization of the world.
But he pointed out that Americans shouldn't flatter themselves
too much. "Today I'm with you and tomorrow I could be against
you. I could take this planet and toss it into the sun. What
do a billion lives mean to me when I can create a billion more
to play with?"
God Finds Comedy
in Government, Media
God indicated that Comedy Central
television has nothing on the politicians, military commanders
and business leaders that appear on "the serious" channels
like CNN, Fox, NBC, CBS, ABC and their assorted affiliates. When
you know they are lying is when it most hilarious, according
to God. Besides, Americans like their lies and myths and there
is nothing wrong with that, he pointed out, "After all they
think I'm some peaceful divinity."
"And so what if the military
tried to make heroes out of Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman. Of
course the Pentagon was lying. But they know most Americans believe
whatever the Pentagon's storyline is. What do you expect from
a people that put a floating eyeball and pyramid on the back
of their currency [one dollar bill]?" God pointed out that
these are the days of unaccountability in America and that everyone
should take advantage of "life in the big lie." Truth
is out and religion is in, according to God.
He said when he reads the major
newspapers like the Washington Post and the New York Times; he
ignores the comic section because the comedy is on the front
page and editorial page. "But the most humorous moments
for me came when President Bush was on TV telling Iran not to
interfere in the Iraqi elections. I laughed till I cried. Imagine
that. Bush knows his country has, over the decades, meddled in
more elections [Georgia, Ukraine, most recent for example] than
any other country. And then in another speech, Bush was telling
his audience that they found Saddam in a hole in Iraq. No one
pointed out that Bush was holed up in a bunker out West on 911."
God began laughing uncontrollably but pointed out that Bush was
his man. "You have to lie to lead, " God said, "and
this group of leaders running your country, including Democrats,
are the best I've seen in a dozen galaxies."
God said that Americans will
always believe in him. "You remember when I said the truth
is out and religion is in. Look, violence, lying cheating, killing,
hustling are just part of life. There's no peace in this universe
and that's the truth. And no, there is no Satan. That's simply
a fairy tale. I'm the damn Creator, I ought to know. People try
so hard to cover their violent natures and stench with words
like freedom and democracy, and with fancy clothes and perfumes.
They portray their enemies as vile but that is just looking in
the mirror and not liking what they see. And you all want power.
I'll tell you, if you accept Me, it's a lot easier to live in
this violent world. I take responsibility for you. You are absolved.
Again, I point out to you that
a life or a billion lives mean nothing to me. I have destroyed
whole galaxies and a billion species at the snap of a finger.
I let my own son be nailed to a cross not to save you but because
he was preaching non-violent nonsense. I thought I'd leave him
on Earth but he is my son--though not the only--and he is coming
around to my way of thinking."
God was getting impatient,
but I had to ask about free will. "Whether you accept me
or not, you are created in my violent image. Look around you.
All things are created and die in a never ending violent cycle.
War, disease, genocide, crime, drugs, hate, love, laughter, sacrifice,
honor-- these are all designed into the universe I made. Do you
have any reason to believe you can change anything? Just be thankful
I've taken a liking to you. "
Whew! Good thing President
Bush has an open line to God.
John Stanton is a Virginia based writer specializing
in national security and political matters. He is the author
of America
2004: A Power But Not Super and co-author of America's
Nightmare. Reach him at cioran123@yahoo.com
Weekend Edition
Features for November
27 / 28, 2004
Peter
Linebaugh
Torture & Neo-Liberalism with
Sycorax in Iraq
Alexander
Cockburn
What Happened to O'Reilly's Loofa?
Fred
Gardner
Ashcroft v. Raich: Medical Marijuana and the Supreme Court
Kathy
Kelly
What We Can Control
Diane
Christian
The Other Cheek: "Empire Doesn't Analyze, It Acts"
Gary
Leupp
One More Neocon Target: South (Yes, South) Korea
Lenni
Brenner
Equality and Rights of Return: Jefferson Instructs the New York
Times
Ron
Jacobs
Death Squads and Iraq's Elections: the Mysterious Murders of
the AMS Clerics
Joshua
Frank
An Interview with Kevin Zeese on Nader, Kerry and the ABB Crowd
Toni
Solo
The Murder of Danilo Anderson
Saul
Landau
Fallujah, the 21st Century Guernica
JoAnn
Wypijewski
Matthew Shepard Case 6 Years Later: Why Hate Crimes Laws are
No Cure for Homophobia
Justin
Taylor
Empire's Lawless Opportunities
Amos
Harel
The Case of Captain R.
Walter
A. Davis
Tabloid Justice
Stephen
Hendricks
God's Kind of Men
Poets'
Basement
Albert, LaMorticella and Ford
|