"...(and much of what is going on remains unknown because Israel is still preventing journalists from entering Gaza in defiance of their own Supreme Court's order to allow access):"--Glenn

Part of the US military strategy since Desert Storm is to control the information and its flow outward from the atrocities committed. The Pentagon is a fine teacher in many facets of awe-inspiring warfare, not the least of these is to win over the press to your side, isolate them or simply put them in harm's way-- to essentially scare them into complying with the distorted messages that the military apparatus keeps grinding out.

We all know how positive we feel about Hamas rockets, US/Israeli phosphorus conflagration and Iraqi casualties when we get the pure, even-handed news reports from the cajoled or repressed press.

Could we experience a renaissance of introspective and Fairness Doctrine approaches forthwith if Glenn's peculiar interviews catch on? I can only hope that it is contagious and viewed by other pundits/interviewees as the only way to meet the high standards that Americans and the world need--as to our deserving such accurate, educated journalism is another matter.

You face those devils (Hewitt's, O'Reilly's) head on enough--they may not only get the point, but get the axe as well.

Strangely is not a word I would associate with LF's understanding of what is perverse, deviant or in reality phobic-- that would be --strangely masculine how men with phallic missiles and suped-up humvees kill and get killed (not if they can help it).

Is it femininity that's strange or is it masculinity's curse to be fixated in an aura of ambivalent fog?

--it is to see how analysis of factions warring over ancient Gaza's, gods and guns distill down into the psychology of why we choose to fight or to negotiate instead.

It's not a mistake to conclude that a pervasive element masculine gender-based aggression is continually glorified at the expense of "strangely feminine" caution or patience.

Who are the exalted presidents and kings of history--those inclined to analyze all sides/arguments, dispassionate of fear tactics to purpose their assaults or--the blustery, leaders who charge ahead full steam with corporate profits as their engine?

The heroes of Israel, Gaza, Afghanistan and Iraq ask for equality and peace, but not as the war hawks define it.

Watch the MSM schnooze-and-loose-your-views apologists for give-America-the-benefit of the doubt foray into war-is- necessary apologetics because Israel is special and nations don't like them and they suffer for being Jews.

For every one Jew killed count the non-Jew. Is this what special means?

"Please try to stop confusing the sandal operas you see on TV with the facts in the ME."--DM

Sorry, my capacity to watch soaps and ME reality is challenged. Be my teacher, oh informed one.

On subject--psychology of war conflict and ME turmoil does have interesting and historic perplexities for all indulgent masochists.

1. If we follow the quaint FISA laws of allegedly shackling the courts and law enforcement from doing their job, my constituents will assume I'm a cowardly, treasonous pinko that sides with terrorist activity.

2. If I obstruct the President's good will to overide many laws that guarantee privacy, the NSA, FBI, HS, CIA and other conscientious survellance entities, they will gather their data files on me and use the information to ruin my career.

3. I'm ashamed that I believed the bs since 1/01 that I've been fed, but it's easier now to go along because Bush has institutionalized the correctness and made respectable that spying on Americans is good for everyone.

4. I never really understood the point of the BOR, Constitution/Amendments and rule of law, after all, they look so impotent when we have a war of terror on the home front and wherever we choose to fight it.

5. If we hold accountable the high, powerful officials (from the top, to let's say, committee members responsible) the government would collapse. It could not function without the great leadership if they went to jail.

(It's much safer for the accused, traitorous, whistle blowers to go to jail than our illustrious Bush, Cheney, Gonzales, Ashcroft, to name only a few promoters of trust-me rulership).

"(3) the use by the FBI of those letters that threatened people with criminal punishment if they revealed its contents. The latter making all the recipients co-conspirators in the FBI's inanities."-illyonnoc

Good, three points of constant irritants, for sure, illyonnoc.

Your number three, among other (sneak and peak abuses) keeps me awake at night. Once the FBI tapped into the PATActI&II, they saw a gold mine of opportunities, a short cut to investigation (loosely used) they had been dreaming of since J E Hoover.

When one sees how the once minor activities and behavior of everyday Americans have morphed into devious-appearing, assaults on the Homeland, will we understand the mind set of rightest, authoritarian policing of our thoughts and affiliations. (think recent party conventions for ample proof)

I like your addition. It does quantify how very far the precedent (and President) has been engraved upon the institutions of government to allow full-- unitary and signing, executive power at the expense of Congressional oversight.

Wow, what a joke. Did I say Congressional oversight?

Blast, I wish Biden would shut up sometimes. Why can't he let Obama pick whoever as CIA Director without his casting aspersions on the pick.

Do I see some cracks forming in the Obama/Biden team. I hope not. I don't think Obama needs to consult (pay homage) for whatever reason to Feinstein.

Shut up Joe, Barack got's enough bickering going on, don't add to it.

"His crime was not playing along with the team."

The obvious weakness of this Admin is that all disloyalists are the enemy (rather nixonish). You only appoint staunch partisans to government vacancies and when some slip by or see the light and bolt--

make them pay. Such weak rulers that to go to such measures to ensure their agenda and positions meet with the least resistance. Bullying, brownshirt tactics at their finest.