Who’s looking forward to the next four years? “Three former political radicals” predicted the rebirth of social activism in America at an art gallery gathering. They were Jamal Joseph, Tom Hayden and Bernardine Dohrn. The New York Times quotes them as saying “we’re fine and really eager to resume our normal lives.” Not that there was anything ever wrong with their normal lives. Dohrn, the former founder of the Weather Underground said they were “definitely not now, or then, terrorists.” For them, there was nothing in the past to apologize for, and everything to look forward to. They said the new President would be a “benefactor of [the antiwar movement’s] transformations and an “inspiration for social movements”.
The NYT looks at another winner: Jamie Gorelick is described as being in the running for the post of Attorney General. “Ms. Gorelick would also bring corporate experience to an Obama administration at a time of financial crisis. … [She used to work as ] Vice chairwoman at Fannie Mae, the giant mortgage lender, where she was paid a reported $25.6 million in salary and other compensation from 1998 to 2003. She went on to join the Washington law firm Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr as a partner, where she has represented a range of clients, including Duke University in defending claims brought against it by some of its lacrosse players in a highly publicized rape investigation. She was a Democratic appointee on the 10-member commission that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks.”
Congratulations. Whoever said everyone’s a winner knows some winners are winninger than others. This calls for a little music.
[youtube SESr9D5Gd7A]
Gorelick was well known for her role in creating a “Wall” between intelligence agencies and law enforcement, which was alleged to have contributed to the September 11 intelligence failure. However that may be, it’s interesting to speculate how she and her chief might react to revelations such as this, also from the New York Times.
The United States military since 2004 has used broad, secret authority to carry out nearly a dozen previously undisclosed attacks against Al Qaeda and other militants in Syria, Pakistan and elsewhere, according to senior American officials.
These military raids, typically carried out by Special Operations forces, were authorized by a classified order that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld signed in the spring of 2004 with the approval of President Bush, the officials said. The secret order gave the military new authority to attack the Qaeda terrorist network anywhere in the world, and a more sweeping mandate to conduct operations in countries not at war with the United States.
Well it isn’t secret any more. Which calls for a little more music.
[youtube W8Ar9Q0Eru4]
Join the conversation as a VIP Member