“Agitated members of the American Psychological Association are making final plans to challenge a policy that allows psychologists to participate in the interrogation of detainees during the ‘war on terror.’ …[T]he 150,000-member association has been embroiled in an internal revolt over the group’s year-old interrogation ethics principles. Detractors say those principles are so weak and vague that psychologists could become pawns in detainee abuse. Currently, they are drafting alternative proposals, one of which would outright bar psychologists from taking part in interrogations, to present at the association’s annual meeting Aug. 10-13 in New Orleans.” (Salon)
Daily Archives: 8 Aug 06
The Mojave ‘boneyard’
“…[A] Mad Max vista of rugged brown earth, airline hulks and the machinery used to disembowel them: This is where jetliners come to die.” (Salon)
Not dead yet
The neocons’ next war: Sidney Blumenthal writes in Salon that the Lebanese conflict is being supported by US provision of signal intelligence to Israel as part of the neocon proxy war on Iran and Syria, emanating as it does from the office of the vice-president-in-chief. The ineffectual and bumbling Condoleezza Rice has been ‘briefed’ on these activities but, as of her first big international crisis as secretary of state, is already marginalized because of neocon opposition to her intentions to pursue diplomatic as opposed to interventionist options regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Blumenthal says. He is certainly one of those who sees evidence that the neocon shadow government continues to dictate US foreign policy. I am not sure, however, that Rice started to arouse neocon ire by proposing to negotiate with Iran. It is more likely that the choice of an ineffectual bumbler to head the State Dept. was engineered from the first — as it was in Bush’s first term with Powell and, indeed, as it was in the choice of Cheney’s running mate in the first place in the lead-up to 2000.
Meanwhile: others find the Lebanese war to be the first trumpet blast of Armageddon. Can apocalyptic vision be driving US encouragement of our Israeli proxies? After all, the other wing of the rabid right, along with the craven neocons, are the evangelicals. But, by and large, the born-again wing of the Republican constituency is being played for patsies by the men who believe in doing their damndest during their first and only life.
Giant Robot Imprisons Parked Cars
“A parking garage in New Jersey seizes up when the city of Hoboken fails to renew its software license, leaving hundreds of drivers stranded in the automated garage.” (Wired News)
