In the News: May-21

Cheney defends Bush's national security policies - 21 May 2009 at 11:57am - WASHINGTON -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday defended the interrogation methods used against terrorism suspects, saying the Bush administration obtained specific information critical in combatting terrorists.

Again, the usefulness of a technique has no bearing on its legality. And, if this is typical Cheney, he's not able to cite the specific critical information which was obtained.

Obama says US prisons tough enough for detainees - 21 May 2009 at 11:09am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama vigorously defended his plans to close the Guantanamo prison camp on Thursday and promised to work with Congress to develop a system for imprisoning detainees who can't be tried and can't be turned loose.

There are detainees who cannot be tried? Even in a grand jury?

House rejects probe into Pelosi CIA claims - 21 May 2009 at 12:48pm - WASHINGTON -- House Democrats on Thursday defeated a Republican push to investigate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's claims that the CIA misled her in 2002 about whether waterboarding had been used against terrorism suspects.

Three U.S. soldiers killed in Baghdad bombing - 21 May 2009 at 7:05am - The U.S. military says 3 soldiers have been killed and nine others wounded in a roadside bombing in southern Baghdad.

Thought for the day:
I'm convinced there's a small room in the attic of the Foreign Office where future diplomats are taught to stammer. -Peter Ustinov (1921 - 2004)