This Week in the News
This week, establishment paragon Allan Greenspan published his memoirs detailing his work as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank under multiple Presidents. Greenspan has faced some criticism for his statement in the book that the Iraq War is 'largely about oil." Such a statement from a prominent Republican stunned many Americans who assumed the war was about weapons of mass destruction, deposing Saddam Hussein, bringing democracy to Iraq or some combination of the three. In the wake of the book's publication, 911 call centers throughout the US have been overwhelmed by citizens reporting stolen innocence.
This week, the Catholic Church announced that it is "going green," by installing solar panels in the Vatican and buying carbon offsets in Central Europe. According to a Vatican spokesman, the Vatican will be carbon neutral within the decade and the Church hopes to set an example for it followers throughout the world. Asked about the probable impact of the Church's environmental message on its US flock (which burns more carbon than any European country), Cardinal Guido "Hangdog" Redwood stated, "Well, in the 1980s we told them to stop killing people in Central America and they did not stop. In 2002 we told them it was immoral to invade Iraq and that had no effect. So, right now.... I think it is safe to buy coal stocks."
This week President Bush continued his long battle against children seeking medical insurance. In a press conference, the President once again threatened to veto a bipartisan bill that would extend medical coverage to millions of children under the federal SCHIP program. The President accused the bill's supporters of trying to "federalize healthcare." (real quote). Off the record, the President continued, "Its been like the damn Childrens Crusade, all these little ankle biters whining about the vaccinations, and their measles and their asthma.... "
“The attitude of the [Catholic] church was scandalously close to the dictatorship” that killed more than 15,000 Argentines and tortured tens of thousands more, “to such an extent that I would say it was of a sinful degree.” Thus testified Fr. Reuben Capitaino, in the trial of Fr. Christian von Wernich, a priest accused of conspiring with Argentina's government to kill thousands of leftists during Argentina's "Dirty War." (1976-1983) According to witnesses, Fr. von Wernich was present during the torture of leftists and provided material assistance to the Argentinian police all while pretending to assist Catholics searching for lost relatives. Fr. von Wernich offers as his defense the church's often ignored 11th Commandment, "Thou shalt not questions the prerogatives of those in power." According to von Wernich, "We talk a good game, but most of the time, 11 trumps 1-10."
This week, the Iraqi government concluded that employees of Blackwater, a mercenary firm hired by the US to provide security in Iraq, killed eight civilians without provocation. While the US has yet to complete its own investigation, the incident has spotlighted the role mercenary firms play in the Iraq conflict, particularly as it appears that Blackwater is immune from prosecution in both Iraq and the US. Asked whether it was sound policy to employ mercenary armies beyond the reach of civilian law and the Uniform Code of Military Conduct, Secretary of State Condelezza Rice stated, "Did you see that ad by MoveOn.Org.? Wasn't that offensive? People should get really upset about that. I mean the nerve of that group..."
This week, the Catholic Church announced that it is "going green," by installing solar panels in the Vatican and buying carbon offsets in Central Europe. According to a Vatican spokesman, the Vatican will be carbon neutral within the decade and the Church hopes to set an example for it followers throughout the world. Asked about the probable impact of the Church's environmental message on its US flock (which burns more carbon than any European country), Cardinal Guido "Hangdog" Redwood stated, "Well, in the 1980s we told them to stop killing people in Central America and they did not stop. In 2002 we told them it was immoral to invade Iraq and that had no effect. So, right now.... I think it is safe to buy coal stocks."
This week President Bush continued his long battle against children seeking medical insurance. In a press conference, the President once again threatened to veto a bipartisan bill that would extend medical coverage to millions of children under the federal SCHIP program. The President accused the bill's supporters of trying to "federalize healthcare." (real quote). Off the record, the President continued, "Its been like the damn Childrens Crusade, all these little ankle biters whining about the vaccinations, and their measles and their asthma.... "
“The attitude of the [Catholic] church was scandalously close to the dictatorship” that killed more than 15,000 Argentines and tortured tens of thousands more, “to such an extent that I would say it was of a sinful degree.” Thus testified Fr. Reuben Capitaino, in the trial of Fr. Christian von Wernich, a priest accused of conspiring with Argentina's government to kill thousands of leftists during Argentina's "Dirty War." (1976-1983) According to witnesses, Fr. von Wernich was present during the torture of leftists and provided material assistance to the Argentinian police all while pretending to assist Catholics searching for lost relatives. Fr. von Wernich offers as his defense the church's often ignored 11th Commandment, "Thou shalt not questions the prerogatives of those in power." According to von Wernich, "We talk a good game, but most of the time, 11 trumps 1-10."
This week, the Iraqi government concluded that employees of Blackwater, a mercenary firm hired by the US to provide security in Iraq, killed eight civilians without provocation. While the US has yet to complete its own investigation, the incident has spotlighted the role mercenary firms play in the Iraq conflict, particularly as it appears that Blackwater is immune from prosecution in both Iraq and the US. Asked whether it was sound policy to employ mercenary armies beyond the reach of civilian law and the Uniform Code of Military Conduct, Secretary of State Condelezza Rice stated, "Did you see that ad by MoveOn.Org.? Wasn't that offensive? People should get really upset about that. I mean the nerve of that group..."
posted by Jack Reed at 11:23 AM
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