Author name: davidswanson

Nation's Largest Anti-War Coalition Resolves to Work for Prosecution of War Criminals

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By David Swanson

United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ), the largest coalition of peace organizations (over 1,400 of them) in the United States, held a national assembly in Chicago December 12-14, and drafted documents establishing the movement’s agenda for the coming year.

Proposals to work for the prosecution of high officials guilty of war crimes, including the crime of launching an aggressive war, were approved and written into all three of UFPJ’s key documents, which are revised from read more

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Liz Holtzman for Senate

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By David Swanson

New York state could soon be represented in the U.S. Senate by a woman with more respect for and understanding of democratic representation, the Constitution, and the rule of law than we’ve grown accustomed to finding in Washington, D.C., a woman who has done more to oppose the abuses of power of the Bush administration than have most current members of the House or Senate.

Elizabeth Holtzman has asked the Governor of New York David Paterson to consider appointing her to fill read more

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Somebody Should Arm the Senate Armed Services Committee

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By David Swanson

I’ve never had any use for the Senate Armed Services Committee before, or even for the idea that someone who was armed could provide a service, but the report on U.S. torture policy that the committee released on Thursday is noteworthy.

There’s nothing new in it. I’ve read similar reports by lawyers and academics and activist groups with none of the resources of the SASC. The report reaches conclusions we’ve all known for years: torture has not been the read more

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Stuart Taylor Jr.'s Crusade for Torturers

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By David Swanson

The Pardon Scorecard is expanding rapidly, tracking punditry and advocacy against and in support of Bush pardoning crimes he authorized. Happily, the Against column is much longer than the Support column. Sadly, Bush is highly unlikely to give a rat’s ass. Even more sadly, most of the statements against such pardons begin by announcing that Bush has every right to make them if he chooses, before proceeding to criticize, read more

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Familiar Drivel But From Obama's Deputy and No Doubt Approved By Him

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This is from Steve Hildebrand:

This is not a time for the left wing of our Party to draw conclusions about the Cabinet and White House appointments that President-Elect Obama is making.

So, you’re not even going to deny that these are a bunch of right-wingers? You’re going to ask that people shut off their brains and mouths and simply obey?

Some believe the appointments generally aren’t progressive enough. Having worked with former Senator Obama for the last two years, I can tell read more

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When Would You Say "Enough"?

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By David Swanson

Imagine that you took your family to the White House for a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, and you were all standing in the front row as the president made some brief remarks, you and your spouse and your two children, a little girl and a little boy. And imagine that after talking for a few minutes the president turned to his chief of staff, handed him a knife, and said “Would you mind grabbing that little girl out of the front row and bringing her up here and slitting read more

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International Herald Tribune Says U.S. Peace Movement Happy to Keep Iraq War Going

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Take a look at this article:

Obama’s Thoughts Evolve on US Troops in Iraq
By Thom Shanker, International Herald Tribune

Washington – On the campaign trail, Senator Barack Obama offered a pledge that electrified and motivated his liberal base, vowing to “end the war” in Iraq.

True, and important, but he also made the details clear to anyone trying to find out. These details:

But as he moves closer to the White House, President-elect Obama is making it clearer than read more

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