Remember this the next time time someone describes the absolute necessity of killing really bad people: The National Security Archive has just posted a declassified, 400-page Sandia National Laboratories report on bin Laden, written in 1999. One of the big conclusions: the Clinton Administration thought that its August 1998 cruise missile strikes would make the [...]
Archive for August, 2008
Not Helpful
Posted: August 22, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, al-Qaida, bin Laden, terrorism
0
Endorsements
Posted: August 21, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: Castle Bravo, Chris Haw, Jesus, McCain, nonviolence, nuclear weapons, Obama, presidential race, Shane Claiborne, voting
After surveying the very large sample of quotes on nonresistance and war, David Bercot writes in A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs that (I’m paraphrasing) the early Christians were opposed to war and that they allowed members of the military to join and remain in the church only if they refused to kill. Bercot wrote [...]
Halden over at Inhabitatio Dei wrote an interesting post regarding Christianity and the “sacrament” of voting. I wrestle with this question often, and will write more about it in my much-promised-and-as-yet-undelivered post on my feelings on the presidential candidates in light of Christian nonviolence. What do you think?
Bugliosi 1, Iraq War Apologists 0
Posted: August 18, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: expatbrian, Iraq, The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder, Vincent Bugliosi, WORLD GONE MAD
expatbrian over at WORLD GONE MAD posted a series of YouTube videos of a congressional hearing that touched on The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder. Check it out.
Incoming
Posted: August 18, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: Christianity, defense contractors, defense spending, Georgia, Navy, nonviolence, Pentagon, Russia
Everyone knows that war in general and the Iraq war specifically has meant big money for defense contractors, but a new congressional report puts it in stark relief: …[T]he scale of the use of contractors in Iraq is unprecedented in US history, according to a new congressional report that may be the most thorough official account [...]
A commentor in a post below challenged what he felt was a “revision of history” concerning the nonviolence of the early church in the pre-Constantinian period. In case he or anyone else is interested, Thom Stark posted a fantastic series a while back surveying the early church and their teachings on violence. Check it out. [...]
Calm Down
Posted: August 16, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: Gandhi and Jesus, Georgia, McCain, missile defense, nonviolence, nuclear weapons, Russia, soteriology, Terrance J. Rynne, United States
I feel like I woke up this morning in a time warp: Moscow — Russia warned Poland on Friday that it is exposing itself to attack — even a nuclear one — by accepting a U.S. missile interceptor base on its soil, delivering Moscow’s strongest language yet against the plan. American and Polish officials stuck [...]
I vote for Anselm. Just added this blog to the blogroll.
Recruiters Busted Threatening Potential Recruits
Posted: August 15, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: recruiters, Texas
I’m late to the story, but On the Homefront is on top of it: Army Recruiter Suspended for Threatening High School Student with Jail Time, Sparks Bipartisan Call for Investigation A story involving an Army recruiter in Texas last week has led to a bipartisan call for an investigation. The recruiter from the Greenspoint Recruiting [...]
Security
Posted: August 15, 2008 in UncategorizedTags: civilian diplomacy, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Iran, security
Hank Brusselback for VP, please. “If the government isn’t willing to talk to people, then the people need to be willing to (talk to each other),” Brusselback said. “It comes from a belief in the nature of security — it’s not about weapons, fear and posturing on the world stage. It’s about communication, talking to [...]
