In his speech this week to his anti-extremism conclave in Washington, President Obama declared that “former extremists have the opportunity to speak out, speak the truth about terrorist groups, and oftentimes they can be powerful messengers in debunking these terrorist ideologies.” But what about former victims of government extremism speaking out? Maher Arar is a […]
Tag Archives | Terrorism
Counterpunch: Obama’s Sordid Record on Censorship and Secrecy
Counterpunch, January 14, 2015 Blindfolding the Republic Obama’s Sordid Record on Censorship and Secrecy by JAMES BOVARD Republicans are condemning President Obama’s failure to attend the Charlie Hebdo march in Paris as if his omission was the equivalent of a hate crime. Rep. Randy Weber (R-Tx) took the cake with a bizarre tweet complaining that […]
FFF: Freedom Lost in Obama’s Secrecy-Censorship Crossfire
FUTURE OF FREEDOM FOUNDATION, September 2014 issue of Freedom Daily Freedom Lost in Obama’s Secrecy-Censorship Crossfire by James Bovard On June 2 the Supreme Court provided invaluable aid to the Obama administration’s campaign to protect Americans from evidence of federal abuses. The Court acceded to the administration’s appeal and refused to hear a free-speech case […]
Obama Gets Bum Rap on Paris
Lots of folks are hammering Obama for not going to Paris for the march this past weekend. I think he is getting a bum rap. There was no excuse for the murder of the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists. But the event turned into a Parade of Political Hypocrites with a vanload of repressive politicians hijacking the […]
Torture and the New Definition of American Virtue
The Washington Post/ABC News poll earlier this week showed that most respondents approved of CIA torture and most opposed disclosing the Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA abuses. Apparently, as long as the government denies its atrocities, Americans can still feel virtuous. And seeking the truth is giving aid & comfort the enemy… Another […]
Senate Torture Report – My Initial Two Cents+
I have not finished reading the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on CIA torture. Following are some of my initial thoughts via Twitter @jimbovard – #TortureReport CIA interrogators often did not speak the language of detainees so they compensated by beating hell out of them — James Bovard (@JimBovard) December 11, 2014 #TortureReport With all the […]
Torture Deja Vu: Congress Covered up Torture 8 Years Ago
It is good that Americans are finally learning some of the details of the CIA torture regime thanks to the Senate Intelligence Committee report. But were the most shocking details redacted? Will we ever know? Following is a piece I wrote 8 years ago after Congress enacted the Military Commissions Act which effectively retroactively legalized […]
Jim Bovard
Thanks! I do try to make it warm for them.....
Ron Redrift
Not satisfied with the long list of government off