>> The Indians never posed a serious threat to American settlers, nor did they have neighboring allies who launched an all-out war on the U.S. in 1776. <<

Actually, the Indians on the Great Plains, and in the Minnesota Woodlands, did pose a serious threat to the settlers. That's why the government treated with the Indians, who reserved subsistence rights (still extant) in exchange for ceding their lands. Of course, the US promptly broke nearly all of the treaties it signed with the Indian nations.

The mention of the military informant in the Olympia/Tacoma area reminds me that in the aftermath of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul last year, a group of political activists, the "RNC 8," were charged with "conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism."

As in the case of the Washington activists, a regime of infiltration and surveillance involving local police and the FBI preceded the preemptive arrests and detention of the RNC 8, who were members of the anarchist/anti-authoritarian RNC Welcoming Committee. They were arrested in a series of SWAT team raids on homes in Minneapolis, on the weekend before the RNC convened.

The case has dragged on and on, and the RNC 8 defendants and their lawyers will appear for a scheduling hearing in Ramsey County District Court (St. Paul) at 9 a.m. Wednesday, August 19.

More than five months have elapsed since the defendants last appeared in court. In the interim, on April 8, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner dismissed “terrorism” counts against the RNC 8. The eight defendants still face felony charges of conspiracy to commit riot in the 2nd degree and conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property in the 1st degree.

Considerable public support from across the political spectrum has developed for the RNC 8. The prosecution is seen as an effort to repress free speech and intimidate groups that would organize political street protests. Dissent is not a crime, and Gaertner, a candidate for Minnesota governor in 2010, should drop the charges against the RNC 8.

For more information go to: www.rnc8.org

I pay for two-thirds of insurance premiums for several employees. This is becoming increasingly costly for our small business. How will this "insurance exchange" save money for small businesses? Is this the "public option" that President Obama is now talking about? This is confusing.

As part of the pre-emptive police repression prior to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, a number of independent press outlets -- Glass Bead Collective, I-Witness Video -- were targeted. The videographers variously were detained, had their equipment confiscated, money stolen, before the RNC convened. Glen Greenwald was in the Twin Cities and reported on the raids at private homes in south Minneapolis: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/08/31/raids/index.html

The FBI and Secret Service worked with local law enforcement agencies, especially the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department, to perpetrate this over-the-top policing regime.

During the street protests in St. Paul, around 50 journalists were arrested, including Amy Goodman, and those from mainstream (local TV news, NY Post) and alternative outlets. Hundreds of protesters and bystanders were maced, tear gassed, and subjected to various incendiary and impact projectiles.

When various reporters and pundits are not busy regurgitating pronouncements of law enforcement authories (e.g. Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball in Newsweek: http://www.newsweek.com/id/157030 ), they are confidently propounding erroneous information, like Ledeen and the greatly exaggerated demise of Ayatollah Khamenei, etc.

Steven Emerson, the so-called "terrorism expert," said the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing was the work of Mideast terrorists. Many Middle East pundits were predicting an imminent US or Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities throughout 2008 and this year.

How often do these guys have to be wrong before they get the gong from the news talk shows?