In order to hide a conspiracy, an important step is to disseminate any number of ridiculous conspiracy theories so people will associate a truth teller with the nut-job theorists.

In any large conspiracy, only a very few number really know the scope and purpose. The pawns may know a bit, but not enough to answer all the questions they would have to field should they go public. And such pawns are usually obedient functionaries, not accustomed to doubting the diversionary explanations of superiors, much less openly questioning.

So they don't really know what happened on a larger scale. It would be stupid to accuse the powerful of a crime without complete, hard evidence, as recent events leading up the the 2003 invasion demonstrate. That's why the notion that "someone would spill the beans" is itself quite naive.

Bobbie Kennedy may have been on to something, but at this stage there are so many whacked-out theories that to repeat Kennedy's theories is to risk being called a conspiracy nut.

I suspect that more then a few of the wilder 9/11 theorists may be in fact working to cover up the truth.

Not that we can really know for sure after all this time and destruction of evidence. The best we can hope for is enough information to make an informed guess.

Mike Pace;

If you want to call truth telling and self awareness "America-bashing," that's your right.

American liberties are hardly UNPARALLELED ( caps yours. )

If you're frightened because you think there are Islamists from the other side of the world who are driven to come here and start cutting heads off us all, you should see a psychiatrist. You're crazy.

If you think Jihadist Islamists are conservative in the usual sense, you're pretty silly. They're radical extremists, not conservatives.

Bush isn't conservative in any good sense of the word either. He's a radical extremist too. But you knew that, right?

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"Tiberius" ( not the real Tiberius, of course ):

I called it propoganda and that's what it is. Why are you so childish that you can't admit that?

No problem. I admit it. You called the article propaganda.

Propaganda is factually false, the article is factually correct, ergo your proclamation is bull.

AND you're no Tiberius either.

Nyah nyah nyah....

I recently heard ( I think on Randi's show ) that Tillman may have witnessed some of our military contractors ( mercenaries ) selling guns and ammo to Taliban fighters.

Given that quite a few mercenaries aren't even American citizens, this isn't as far fetched as it seems at first.

Blackwater Inc. : soon to be America's own Gestapo?

I know James T. Kirk, and you sir, are no Tiberius.

The real Tiberius doesn't get all defensive and touchy when a little criticism comes his way. Real men can take it. Real men know how to admit flaws.

Your kind always over-reacts to real news about American military adventures and the havoc they wreak: "Oh, so we all bad and they all good?"

Childish petulance.

"but I don't see much(any) reviling of Islamists..( from the left) "

You must think the best way to solve a problem is to revile it.

Or torture somebody.

I bet your kids have a wonderful life.

How can you sleep at night with all those fears you have of big, bad bogeyman Islamists blowing up your McMansion?

Get a grip, dude. 19 nuts with box cutters don't an invasion make.

The Greek democratic system didn't last very long, it was followed by centuries of autocracy, and only wealthy men could vote.

Thank them for the idea if you like, but the author is not wrong.

How can we tell whether anything Bush says is sincere? The third generation of politicians in a ridiculously wealthy political family, George W Bush grew up learning the difference between appearances and reality.

His image has been buffed and polished by experts. We see virtually nothing that's not pre-spun. How can we trust any analysis based on public images of him?

Bloominthal is an excellent analyst, but in this case I don't trust the accuracy of his source material.

At 20 most people wonder who they are. Their job is to figure it out.

By 40, if you don't know who you are, you're in tough shape.

If it takes starting a band to figure our who you are, then go for it.

Excellent reply by Mr. Tennis, as always.

So *this* is the horrible thing that Baldwin said to his daughter? I've been hearing talking heads yammer on about his transgression. This is it?

News flash, I can be liberal as hell and still tell my kid he's being a pig.

Not to insult the fine reputations of porcine creatures around the world.

Why do I get the feeling that if a right wing celebrity like Mel Gibson or Aaaanold said something like this, the MSM would yawn and ignore it?

Halberstam's eloquent words need no comment.

But I don't think Dick Chaney is actually all that competent. I think his true skills are blackmail, intimidation and other dirty tricks.

It looks a lot like competence from the outside, but it's not.

"An unfettered marketplace works perfectly"

Regardless of the context, this sentence makes no sense.

I know, I know: Chicago-style economists, deep-pockets think tanks and industry groups have been saying things like this for decades. Such talk has "respectability." It's still baloney.

Sugarman is dead on.

If these 8 or so were fired for not bringing trumped up charges against Democrats, then the other 93 must be performing within expectations.

Remember this the next time some swing voting friend sez: "They're all corrupt."

Hammers and table knives, bleach and Drano.

Gasoline, kerosene, glue and rubbing alcohol.

All of these are dangerous things.

Shouldn't these be kept from us too?

Sometimes I *really* want one or more of these things, just like a drug addict wants drugs.

How are these things different then morphine?