Ex-prison overseer accepts her role but says others involved

Many shared blame in Abu Ghraib
Matthew B. Stannard, San Francisco Chronicle Original Article

Hers was the name linked to Iraq's notorious Abu Ghraib prison from the very beginning, even before the place became a symbol for prisoner abuse, back when it was just an old jail reopened to hold common criminals after the toppling of Saddam Hussein.

What would Reagan say about Iraq, Ukraine and President Bush?

Echoes of the Gipper
Peter Robinson, WSJ Original Article

What would Ronald Reagan say? Democracy movements rising to power in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan; elections in Afghanistan and Iraq; a new Palestinian leader who appears genuinely committed to establishing a democratic state; pro-democracy demonstrations in Beirut. What would the man Margaret Thatcher called the Great Liberator make of it all?

Getting Serious with Syria.

Squeeze Out Syria to Build a Free Lebanon
James Phillips, The Heritage Foundation Original Article

The assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14 provoked a strong Lebanese backlash against Syrian domination, long sustained by targeted killings and systematic intimidation. Massive public protests--the largest anti-government rallies ever staged in the Arab world--prompted the resignation of Lebanon's pro-Syrian Prime Minister Omar Karami on February 28. Yet 10 days later, President Emile Lahoud slapped the Lebanese opposition in the face by reappointing Karami as prime minister.

President Clinton believed with absolute certainty that Iraq provided Al-Qaeda with weapons of mass destruction.

Sandy Burglar Gets Away With It
Rush Limbaugh Original Article

It's a great April Fool's joke. Sandy Burglar admits, ladies and gentlemen, to taking documents out of the National Archives three to four different occasions and is going to get a $10,000 fine and loose his security clearance for three years. (story)

The Unelected Judiciary: The Most Dangerous Branch of Government.

The Emperor's New Robes
Ann Coulter, Human Events Original Article

On the bright side, after two weeks of TV coverage of the Terri Schiavo case, I think we have almost all liberals in America on record saying we can pull the plug on them. Of course, if my only means of entertainment were Air America radio, Barbra Streisand albums and reruns of "The West Wing," I too would be asking: "What kind of quality of life is this?"

No evidence found due to shredding of documents.

Kofi Aide Shredded Thousands of Documents
Nile Gardiner, Human Events Original Article

"Hell no!" was Kofi Annan's bullish response when asked last week if he would resign over the oil-for-food scandal. The UN secretary-general's office was in full spin mode following the release of the eagerly awaited Volcker Interim Report on questions of conflict of interest involving Annan, whose son Kojo was employed by the UN oil-for-food contractor Cotecna.

Mr. Peretz gives full and ungrudging credit to President Bush.

Sensible Words from (Gasp!) The New Republic
Pat Sajak, Human Events Original Article

It’s difficult to pin down the exact genesis of epochal world events such as the demise of The Soviet Union. It’s harder still to look at small, isolated events and accurately predict they will lead to major developments. But an extraordinary column by Martin Peretz, the Editor-in-Chief of The New Republic may be one of those small events which could lead to a major shift in American political discourse.

UN embraces free markets as fix to environmental degradation.

Extra, Extra! The UN Embraces Free Markets!
Tim Worstall, TCS Original Article

A completely shocking report comes from the United Nations today, almost unbelievable in its implications for us as a species, the environment and the rest of the planet. Called the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment you will have seen it splashed across the newspapers, everybody from Xinghua to Al Jazeera weighing in, via the Washington Post, Guardian, Independent and, well, here's the Google News search, have a look yourself.

Justice was served on both sides.

U.S. officer convicted in shooting death of wounded Iraqi is dismissed from military
Melissa Eddy, AP Original Article

A U.S. Army captain convicted in the shooting death of a wounded Iraqi was dismissed Friday from the armed forces, but the military court did not impose a prison sentence. Capt. Rogelio "Roger" Maynulet, 30, was convicted Thursday of assault with intent to commit voluntary manslaughter, which carries a 10-year maximum sentence. He argued the killing was "honorable" because he wanted to end the man's suffering.

Kofi Annan must go.

A Last Shot at Credibility
NRO Original Article

There was once a political rule of thumb laying down that the king could do no evil; only the ministers advising him could. It was a most useful principle: Whenever something went wrong, a scapegoat would be found, saving the king from embarrassment. All very Shakespearean, but times have changed, and democratic leaders now accept responsibility for their failures, and failings. It's a different story at the U.N., of course, where Kofi Annan more resembles Richard II than Richard Nixon.

The richer you get, the healthier your environment gets.

It’s the End of the World as We Know It...
Jonah Goldberg, NRO Original Article

It's the end of the world, and I feel fine. The bad news is that a new United Nations report says the world's coming to an end. But, first, some good news: America's doing great!

Yet no question of what was on the documents. Wonder if the ACLU will attempt to secure orginals thru FOIA.

Berger Will Plead Guilty To Taking Classified Paper
John F. Harris and Allan Lengel, Washington Post Original Article

Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger, a former White House national security adviser, plans to plead guilty to a misdemeanor, and will acknowledge intentionally removing and destroying copies of a classified document about the Clinton administration's record on terrorism.

Sunnis beginning to join the government.

Iraqis Urged to Join Security Forces
ANTONIO CASTANEDA, Associated Press Original Article

Influential Sunni scholars encouraged Iraqis to join the country's security forces and protect the country, issuing an edict Friday that departed sharply from earlier warnings against participating in the fledgling police and army.

Our prayers are with him.

Pope Said Conscious, in Grave Condition
VICTOR L. SIMPSON, Associated Press Original Article

Pope John Paul II suffered heart failure and was in "very grave" condition Friday, but he was lucid and spent the morning celebrating Mass and receiving top aides, asking one to read him the biblical account of Christ's Crucifixion and burial, the Vatican said.

I think he has lost it.

JACKO RACE CARD
DAVID K. LI, New York Post Original Article

A shameless Michael Jackson yesterday compared himself to 20th-century black icons Nelson Mandela and Jack Johnson, implying he's been persecuted because of race. The accused child molester made that stunning assessment on the Rev. Jesse Jackson's radio show on the eve of Jacko's biggest day yet in court.

Liberals cheered when Janet Reno defied the courts to seize Elian Gonzalez.

Selective Restraint
John Fund, WSJ Original Article

The sad case of Terri Schiavo has raised passions not seen since five years ago. Then another bitterly divided family argued in Florida courts over someone who couldn't speak on his own behalf: Elian Gonzalez. In both cases, those who were unhappy with the courts' decisions strained to assert the federal government's power to produce a different outcome. The difference is that in Mrs. Schiavo's case, Congress backed off after passing a bill that merely asked a federal court to hear the case from scratch, something that U.S. District Judge James Whittemore declined to do. By contrast, those who wanted the federal government to intervene in Elian Gonzalez's case went all the way, supporting a predawn armed federal raid on the morning before Easter to seize the 6-year-old boy despite a federal appeals court's refusal to order his surrender.