There was a time in the last century when parties grew in their thinking toward problem solving; voters were confident that politicians came to Washington to improve a nation, not to undermine it. Few politicians wanted to turn back the clock. Now the populace is led by vicious infighting and dishonest media to believe that the past seventy years of limited progressive heritage was a nightmare that must be effaced. In fact, we cannot really bring to question the decision to go to war a...

Bush’s strategy, despite folly in Iraq, stays course of “screw it.”   Iran thinks it can run with the nuclear ball without wise coaching.   Connecticut’s Shays fears Lieberman’s pro-war and shifts to Lamont.   Rumsfeld’s irony equates war critics to the ‘30's right wing wimps.   Home security is now the jurisdiction of Scotland Yard grit.   Copyright © 2006 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: Septemb...

Representative S. King of Iowa.“My wife lives here with me, and I can tell you … she’s at far greater risk being in Washington, D.C., than the average civilian in Iraq.”  Bill O’Reilly said that if he were president of Iraq, he would run it “just like Saddam did.” And as President of Iraq, violation of curfew, he said, “You’re on the street” [after curfew] “you’re dead. … shot between the eyes.” Neal Cavuto on NSA surveillance: “Yes, it is not great to necessarily hear they’re collect...

The greater the punishment, the greater resistance and resentment. The amoral streak entrenched in all terrorists and thugs want collateral damage in order to rile civilians against the “aggressors,” particularly when an “invader” is opposed to victims’ beliefs and ways of life. It is wishful thinking that a “once and for all” form of punishment and then “leave us in peace” will soothe the savage beast when the degree stops short of total oppression and empire consummation on the part of Isr...

Aside from the obvious that there is no solution to the Wild Mideast and never will be, Israel continues to botch its national defense by always appearing as the aggressor by its continual destructive overreaction without any real results. Its three or four year span of parading its overwhelming military superiority, thanks to supplies from the US, in reaction to PLO suicide bombers was to no avail until they constructed a wall, along with the help of Arafat’s convenient death. Though Israel ga...

Modifying the First Amendment to save the flag from a handful of thugs is not worth the hassle; in fact modification would show weakness. One who burns or maliciously defaces the flag — and it better be his own personal property — in public does it at his own peril. As I said a while ago if one thinks he’s funny or damnably heretical, he is free to barbecue the flag that he himself has paid for as long as its on his own property, but not in someone else’s backyard. There are ordinances about ...

 As long as abortion was illegal and secretive it was not an issue. When Roe took it out of the closet it was no longer a private issue because religion made it public and the decision made it politics. Abortion, not unlike homosexuality, was rarely thought of except for the subculture of midwives, hungry doctors and criminal entrepreneurs involved. In the light of day abortion prompted the self anointed religious and moral doomsayers out of the woodwork to pass judgment, rightly or wrongly...

Senator Santorum uncovers Iraqi “WMD.” Kerry’s timetable runs out of time. If there is premature withdrawal Cheney claims terrorists will follow to take the war to us. Global warming will no longer be a threat — when gasoline reaches ten dollars a gallon. Beware! Twenty year old mustard gas can still give you a hot foot. Connie Chung is the next American Idol. Except for the Iraqis right to kick us out, only General Casey can draw down troops; Congress can’t. http://st...

Perhaps the most divisive issue among Democrats is Iraq and its withdrawal. This is understandable for two essential reasons. Out of deference to our troops there and most particularly those who died and the seriously wounded from the conflict. As Kerry said many years ago, “How do you ask the next man to die for a mistake?” No one wants to be in this position of confessing to a catastrophic foreign policy — the haunting echoes of Vietnam. The other agony is that what other catastrophe might eve...

The symbolic gesture of thumbs down on a timetable for Iraqi withdrawal is logically consistent with Congress’ vote only the other day to appropriate almost another $100 billion for the war effort. If this rejection didn’t mean further sacrifice of our troops it would be comical that such things persist as staying the course, taking the war on terrorism off shore — which I suspect means substituting Iraqi civilian casualties for our own — or paving the way for democracy in the Middle East. The d...

There are some people who will seldom if ever admit they were wrong. Ann Coulter surely would never apologize to the 9/11 widows; the detestable anti-war bloc that demonstrates against families burying their war heroes have no regrets. Gays will not admit they’ve gone too far in their Me-ism craze to tread on the majority’s sanctity of marriage, rather than to limit their cause to simply equal rights. Liberals refer to Conservatives as fascists while communist is the Conservative call-word for L...

   On Okinawa for the first time Marines in the Pacific had to deal with significant numbers of civilians. Our platoon came upon a large cave whence emanated a burst of rifle shot. The platoon retaliated with dominant firepower for some thirty seconds. There was no return fire — just screams, groans and cries. Slowly several women and children emerged from the mouth. The Marines were aghast; the first team of the first squad cautiously — making certain the civilians were not booby trap...

Naturally we oppose preferential treatment for anybody — except our own kind, family and friends. Anything beyond is alien, and most particularly beyond our control. The number of eleven million illegal immigrants already in the country — not counting those with visa overstays and fraudulent green cards — is simply too overwhelming for INS. The borders must be fully protected by federalized military, and by hardball politics with Mexico and corporations that do business south of the ...

I was appalled at the time in ‘93 when the generals like little children stamped their feet in protest — virtually a coup — over Clinton’s executive order to permit Gays in the military. I am equally disappointed — since they waited until their comfortable pensions were secure—in the retired generals demanding the resignation of Rumsfeld, who on his own cognizance should have resigned three years ago for taking — as Iraq was not his initiative — the brunt of criticism for the Bush and Ch...

It’s ludicrous for the Los Angles Times to call for the early retirement of the duly elected Vice President. In fact, even if such a move — surely, inconceivable since Cheney is no Agnew — were contemplated by the President its legality would be questionable. As a liberal I am disturbed by the trend to kick an administration when it’s down. The American people, rightly or wrongly, elected this administration to carry on its policies of the first four years — that is, in the main, the ...