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ODDS & ENDS

© 2005 Chuck Klein 
 

ODD: It seems VP, Dick Cheney, has been asking Republican law makers for support on allowing the CIA to be exempt from any legislation barring "cruel, inhumane or degrading" treatment of prisoners when the President believes it necessary to prevent a terrorist attack. Without getting into the matters of ethics, morals or even legalities, the reality is that the President - if he would have to order such "treatment" - would be getting his information from this agency. The CIA is the same gang, that while using identical tactics all along, failed to learn in advance of the fall of the USSR, the Berlin Wall and the 9/11 attack. Scary!

ENDS: It seems the President has ordered White House staff to attend mandatory briefings on ethical behavior and the handling of classified material. Hmm, wonder how they will address the "cruel, inhumane or degrading" treatment of prisoners issue? Either the President and the VP should attend these classes or the definition of "cruel, inhumane or degrading" will have to be changed. Of course, the real solution might be to just dump the CIA and assign all internal and external espionage to the FBI . . . no wait, weren't these the guys who brought us Waco and Ruby Ridge?

ODD: France, the great stalwart of humanity, the nation that chided us for attacking Iraq and supporting Israel, has somehow been experiencing massive riots.   How can it be that these holier-than-thou people have been suffering  widespread urban insurrection by the very people they welcomed with open arms - Muslims. Of course these religious zealots could continue to populate France (it's estimated they're 10% of the population now) until they take control by legal vote, but that would be out of character for these violence preaching fundamentalists. Somehow, as the French get their comeuppance, I can't muster any sympathy.

END: On the same subject of immigration, most other countries of Europe are enacting and enforcing strict immigration policies including tight borders, requiring new-comers to learn the local language and have sufficient funds in the bank to ensure they will not become a burden to the natives. Is there a lesson here America?

ODD: The EPA has been awful quiet over the recent Gulf Coast hurricane clean-up. Where's all the ordinary household pollutants such as motor oil, paint cans, pesticides, bleach, tires, etc. that are found in every household - not to mention industrial chemicals from retail, wholesale or manufacturing plants - going? In the name of expediency, is all this "stuff" just being dumped into some swamp where it will leach into streams, rivers, oceans and aquifers?