"Can't Discuss"?

Phone carriers quiet on U.S. surveillance program - October 15, 2007 08:27:00 PM - Officials from AT&T, Verizon and Qwest tell Congress they can't discuss specifics about their companies' roles. Major U.S. telephone carriers refused to answer questions from the Democratic-led Congress about their possible participation in President Bush's warrantless domestic spying program, according to documents released by lawmakers Monday.

It might be interesting to hear the legal argument why they "cannot discuss" their participation in illegal activities.

Gates: United front needed on Iran nukes - 16 Oct 2007 at 11:27am - WASHINGTON -- The United State alone cannot force Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday. Gates called Iran as "an ambitious and fanatical theocracy," and said he has yet to find "the elusive Iranian moderate," according to remarks prepared for delivery at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs.

The Defense Department is pretty big -- he ought to be able to get one or two people to assist him in that search.

Pentagon: US missile hit Qatar farm - 16 Oct 2007 at 11:54am - WASHINGTON -- A U.S. Patriot missile was accidentally fired from a military base in Qatar, hitting a nearby farm, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

Putin warns against Iran attack on landmark visit - 16 Oct 2007 at 9:27am - TEHRAN (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday warned against military action against Iran and backed its right to nuclear energy, during the first visit to the country by a Kremlin chief since World War II.

Bush hosts Dalai Lama amid Chinese outrage - 16 Oct 2007 at 3:06pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush hosted the Dalai Lama on Tuesday despite China's warning that U.S. plans to honor the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader could damage relations between Beijing and Washington.

So it's now not only Russia, but also China that it's perfectly acceptable to infuriate, but Turkey mustn't be disturbed in the slightest way. Is it only because Turkey's cooperation makes the United States' continued occupation of Iraq much easier? Or is there some fundamental principle I've missed? It's worth recalling that both Russia and China did what they could to prevent the U.S. from embroiling itself in the current Iraq fiasco.

Thought for the day:
With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. -Steven Weinberg (1933 - )