Distractions.

Looking for something to take your mind off the media marathon they call the Olympic Games? I know I am. Never been big on sports, frankly - I just can't get interested enough, particularly in the win/lose part of it all. Anyway, if you're like me and constitutionally disinclined to sit in front of the television hour after hour watching athletes run, hop, swim, or do something with a ball, join me in thinking about a few other things this weekend and beyond. Stuff like:


The Cheney War Plan - Sy Hersh said last week that one of his sources related a story to him about some high-level planning meeting regarding how to get up a war with Iran. According to this source, Cheney was fond of a scheme to assemble a small fleet of bogus Iranian PT boats, man them with disguised Navy Seals, and have them fire on U.S. vessels in the Straits of Hormuz, thereby provoking a kind of Gulf of Tonkin incident (except even more contrived than the original). This brought two things to mind. First was the administration's empty rhetoric about "supporting the troops." Second, that close encounter some months back between Iranian PT's and a Navy ship, wherein a mysterious radio voice (not from the Iranians) called in a cartoon-like threat, apparently with the intent of provoking a confrontation.


Cheney's fratricidal plan was shot down, according to Hersh's source. Was the mystery taunt Plan B?


Candid Camera. Video cameras are playing an increasingly important role in activism and the protection of human rights around the world. I'm thinking not only of the footage of a NYC police officer "checking" a rider in the critical mass ride last week, but of the very productive deployment of cameras by B'Tselem in the form of the "Shooting Back" project in the occupied territories. Not only do these efforts document abuses beyond the power of official denial, but the mere presence of cameras (and outside observers) can serve to shield the vulnerable from harm. In a place like the West Bank, the more Web videos the better. Same goes for Iraq. Great work, B'Tselem!


Shocked, Shocked. The Bush administration tried to coax an exiled Iraqi security chief into claiming Saddam helped train the 9/11 hijackers? They also tried, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that Iraq was behind the anthrax attacks of late 2001? The sun rose yesterday? All part of a pattern.


That's what's on my mind, folks. And yours?


luv u,


jp

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