This woman is a terrorist sympathizer who parades behind the banner of peace. Unfortunately, there are so many sheep in the US willing to follow those like her. It saddens me to know that democracy means idiots, murderers and terrorists have more rights than those trying to live right.

Isn't freedom of speech wonderful? That anyone who can figure out how to access the internet can post unsubstantiated insults? God Bless America, "Bill."

Katrina vanden Heuvel for President!

Don't you think that Katrina vanden Heuvel would be happier living in Russia or even France? Just think of all the good times she and her comrades would have celebrating the numerous difficulties that the United States must deal with regarding its domestic and international agendas. I'm reasonably sure that a large majority of Americans would also be happier.

Katrina is one of the very few media members left out there who isn't afraid to stand up to the bellicose idiocy and self-righteous hypocrisy of right wingers. Indeed, in "Bush's America," her magazine The Nation is almost the only thing left that reminds me America hasn't quite gone full-blown fascist yet! God bless Katrina, and may the draft-dodging chickenhawks and every one of their Fox News Channel toadies fall into a deep vat of hydrochloric acid!

It would be refreshing if ms. VdH could properly discern the history of USA interventions. In the biggest 3 cases (Germany, Japan, South Korea), we freed enslaved people, eliminated tyranny in their neighboring countries, installed democracy. All 3 are now prospering economies. There are a number of lesser examples. Her claims of nefarious schemes by our administration are akin to conspiracy theories by nuts like Lyndon Larouch. The Hussein regime has killed millions and yet not a peep of protest in all these years from groups her ilk. Yet when the USA finally does something about it, they align themselves (in effect) with the tyrant! Some friend of freedom!

I think she's kinda cute, for a lefty.

All I know if that KvH is really smart, really funny, and really hot.
I swoon.

The proper history of US interventions, John: Japan is the only true success, and our use of nuclear weapons spawned the Cold War. The Russians held the Germans at bay nearly three times as long as we were even in the war, and were storming Berlin from the other side as we were. They lost many more soldiers than we did. This is recognized widely in the rest of the world, but our media chose to portray us as the only strong country. Britain withstood everything the Germans could throw at them as well, as I recall. As for South Korea, last I checked it was still a militarized zone, and tyranny is alive and well just to the north. Nice track record. I'm fairly impressed that you even included it... you might as well think of Vietnam as a "success" rather than an "excess." The same "domino theory" of communism we were fighting against is exactly what we are engaging and promoting with democracy in the middle east. Kind of oxymoronic, since democracy means the right of a people to choose their own system of government.

Educate yourself. Read THE NATION.

The proper history of US interventions, John: Japan is the only true success, and our use of nuclear weapons spawned the Cold War. The Russians held the Germans at bay nearly three times as long as we were even in the war, and were storming Berlin from the other side as we were. They lost many more soldiers than we did. This is recognized widely in the rest of the world, but our media chose to portray us as the only strong country. Britain withstood everything the Germans could throw at them as well, as I recall. As for South Korea, last I checked it was still a militarized zone, and tyranny is alive and well just to the north. Nice track record. I'm fairly impressed that you even included it... you might as well think of Vietnam as a "success" rather than an "excess." The same "domino theory" of communism we were fighting against is exactly what we are engaging and promoting with democracy in the middle east. Kind of oxymoronic, since democracy means the right of a people to choose their own system of government.

Educate yourself. Read THE NATION.

The proper history of US interventions, John: Japan is the only true success, and our use of nuclear weapons spawned the Cold War. The Russians held the Germans at bay nearly three times as long as we were even in the war, and were storming Berlin from the other side as we were. They lost many more soldiers than we did. This is recognized widely in the rest of the world, but our media chose to portray us as the only strong country. Britain withstood everything the Germans could throw at them as well, as I recall. As for South Korea, last I checked it was still a militarized zone, and tyranny is alive and well just to the north. Nice track record. I'm fairly impressed that you even included it... you might as well think of Vietnam as a "success" rather than an "excess." The same "domino theory" of communism we were fighting against is exactly what we are engaging and promoting with democracy in the middle east. Kind of oxymoronic, since democracy means the right of a people to choose their own system of government.

Educate yourself. Read THE NATION.

The proper history of US interventions, John: Japan is the only true success, and our use of nuclear weapons spawned the Cold War. The Russians held the Germans at bay nearly three times as long as we were even in the war, and were storming Berlin from the other side as we were. They lost many more soldiers than we did. This is recognized widely in the rest of the world, but our media chose to portray us as the only strong country. Britain withstood everything the Germans could throw at them as well, as I recall. As for South Korea, last I checked it was still a militarized zone, and tyranny is alive and well just to the north. Nice track record. I'm fairly impressed that you even included it... you might as well think of Vietnam as a "success" rather than an "excess." The same "domino theory" of communism we were fighting against is exactly what we are engaging and promoting with democracy in the middle east. Kind of oxymoronic, since democracy means the right of a people to choose their own system of government.

Educate yourself. Read THE NATION.

The proper history of US interventions, John: Japan is the only true success, and our use of nuclear weapons spawned the Cold War. The Russians held the Germans at bay nearly three times as long as we were even in the war, and were storming Berlin from the other side as we were. They lost many more soldiers than we did. This is recognized widely in the rest of the world, but our media chose to portray us as the only strong country. Britain withstood everything the Germans could throw at them as well, as I recall. As for South Korea, last I checked it was still a militarized zone, and tyranny is alive and well just to the north. Nice track record. I'm fairly impressed that you even included it... you might as well think of Vietnam as a "success" rather than an "excess." The same "domino theory" of communism we were fighting against is exactly what we are engaging and promoting with democracy in the middle east. Kind of oxymoronic, since democracy means the right of a people to choose their own system of government.

Educate yourself. Read THE NATION.

The proper history of US interventions, John: Japan is the only true success, and our use of nuclear weapons spawned the Cold War. The Russians held the Germans at bay nearly three times as long as we were even in the war, and were storming Berlin from the other side as we were. They lost many more soldiers than we did. This is recognized widely in the rest of the world, but our media chose to portray us as the only strong country. Britain withstood everything the Germans could throw at them as well, as I recall. As for South Korea, last I checked it was still a militarized zone, and tyranny is alive and well just to the north. Nice track record. I'm fairly impressed that you even included it... you might as well think of Vietnam as a "success" rather than an "excess." The same "domino theory" of communism we were fighting against is exactly what we are engaging and promoting with democracy in the middle east. Kind of oxymoronic, since democracy means the right of a people to choose their own system of government.

Educate yourself. Read THE NATION.

The proper history of US interventions, John: Japan is the only true success, and our use of nuclear weapons spawned the Cold War. The Russians held the Germans at bay nearly three times as long as we were even in the war, and were storming Berlin from the other side as we were. They lost many more soldiers than we did. This is recognized widely in the rest of the world, but our media chose to portray us as the only strong country. Britain withstood everything the Germans could throw at them as well, as I recall. As for South Korea, last I checked it was still a militarized zone, and tyranny is alive and well just to the north. Nice track record. I'm fairly impressed that you even included it... you might as well think of Vietnam as a "success" rather than an "excess." The same "domino theory" of communism we were fighting against is exactly what we are engaging and promoting with democracy in the middle east. Kind of oxymoronic, since democracy means the right of a people to choose their own system of government.

Educate yourself. Read THE NATION.

The proper history of US interventions, John: Japan is the only true success, and our use of nuclear weapons spawned the Cold War. The Russians held the Germans at bay nearly three times as long as we were even in the war, and were storming Berlin from the other side as we were. They lost many more soldiers than we did. This is recognized widely in the rest of the world, but our media chose to portray us as the only strong country. Britain withstood everything the Germans could throw at them as well, as I recall. As for South Korea, last I checked it was still a militarized zone, and tyranny is alive and well just to the north. Nice track record. I'm fairly impressed that you even included it... you might as well think of Vietnam as a "success" rather than an "excess." The same "domino theory" of communism we were fighting against is exactly what we are engaging and promoting with democracy in the middle east. Kind of oxymoronic, since democracy means the right of a people to choose their own system of government.

Educate yourself. Read THE NATION.

M Faulkner:

You're kidding, right? "Japan is the only true success"? Where have you been living these past 50 years? France? Iraq? The moon?

"...our media chose to portray us as the only strong country"? You must not have access to cable and the History Channel. I watch it all the time. The Soviet Union kicked butt in WWII, according to the History Channel.

"...As for South Korea, last I checked it was still a militarized zone..." When did you last check, Faulkner? Last I heard we were pulling out of Korea. And we were able to keep the North out of the South for over 50 years. Not too shabby.

"...you might as well think of Vietnam as a 'success' rather than an 'excess.' I don't think any serious person would charactertize the Vietnam War as a "success," but hindsight is 20-20, isn't it Faulkner? It sure is easy to criticize American foreign policy when many of the policymakers have been dead for 20 years or more.

"...democracy means the right of a people to choose their own system of government" as pertains to the situation in the Middle East. Geez, man. Do you really believe that the average Iraqi citizen believed that he had a choice?? Did any German have a choice during WWII? How about the Japanese?

If you get your information from "The Nation," perhaps you should start reading something else. How about Pravda?

KvdH seems to take every isssue extant in the world and tries to take her opinion on it as far left as she possibly can. She could be one of the most dangerous people in the world - if anyone other than a miniscule group of leftists agreed with what she is saying. I can't believe she is serious about most of the issues to which she speaks. She, Eleanor Clift, and Molly Ivins, to name a few, need to be locked in a padded cell for eternity - oops, Sartre already thought of that.

hansen@stanfordalumni.org
hansen@stanfordalumni.org
hansen@stanfordalumni.org
hansen@stanfordalumni.org

EOT

Amazing how many people on the right want to just blatantly bash anything on the left. I just visited the former Soviet Union, and they did indeed get their butt kicked in WWII. Many were fighting with horse drawn carriages. Ukraine had the largest loss of life outside of Germany, due to the Nazi forces that stormed throughout it. We came in at the end only after being dragged in. Quite a different matter than what we're doing now. It's going really well too, isn't it? I don't remember this many attacks on our troops in Germany and Japan after the war.

The existence of a liberal mainstream media outlet is a lie.

Amazing how many people on the right want to just blatantly bash anything on the left. I just visited the former Soviet Union, and they did indeed get their butt kicked in WWII. Many were fighting with horse drawn carriages. Ukraine had the largest loss of life outside of Germany, due to the Nazi forces that stormed throughout it. We came in at the end only after being dragged in. Quite a different matter than what we're doing now. It's going really well too, isn't it? I don't remember this many attacks on our troops in Germany and Japan after the war.

The existence of a liberal mainstream media outlet is a lie.

It is really surprisingly how folks in this US of A are bashing folks who have a different opinion about political things wich happen in our country.
I thought the US was about beeing different and having another attitude. Not some stupid narrow-minded view that we all should be eating, shitting and thinking the same.
This is not communist China or some other dictatorship state?
I saw this guy on tv with a baseball-cap who yelled at some women who cursed on the Bush administration for this War with: "You are a commi man.."
Shame on you! This guy should be stripped of his American citizenship and deported for callling a fellow American who uses his/her rights for free expression a 'çommi'
These are not Americans but former stasi- based narrow-minded ecocentric persons America don't need.
This country was created by man who were freeing themselves as a colony from the British and now have become a right-wing semi-communist controlled state were there is no place for real freedom of expression.

The name calling here is hilarious. There's not a cogent argument for either side among you.

The name calling here is hilarious. There's not a cogent argument for either side among you.

Katrina is so full of her one sided view it's pathetic. Anyone who thinks that the only thing Americans want is free health care and guaranteed handouts.

Her ideals are a sure ticket to continuing the progression of the US' as a second rate society in all respects.

Seriously, though. Why do all political discussions seem to degrade into silly name calling and unreasonability?
Robert: "Hitler redux"? I really hope that comment was made in jest because it made me laugh. If you compare the current administration to Hitler, it is a serious and vicious insult to those who died in Nazi Germany. The US has apparently made some mistakes under George W but to compare him to a genocidal maniac bent on power and domination is an extremely tired and intellectually dishonest statement.
And your comment "Any effort to improve the human condition is vigourously opposed by the same loudmouth group of haters and destroyers every time" - I suppose you are implying that it is the government's responsibility to make people happy. Well, it's not. It's the government's responsibility to protect the lives and rights of its citizens, not to ensure their complacency.

The US has committed its fair share of crimes over the past 225+ years. The US is certainly not without guilt. However, harping on the past does nothing to form the future. We need to remember our mistakes, of course. But debates where both sides seem to believe they spoke with the actors from history are pointless.

KvH is one of the most intellectually DISHONEST people in alternative media today. She is too prone to making statements that are extremely misleading and her articles generally offer little in the way of footnotes and factual data.
Even when I agree with her, I find myself disliking her commentary because she does harm to the opinions we share, IMO. Not that KvH claims to be even handed, but I hope for a truly unbiased source of information one day. It is damaging to the arguments The Nation makes when it claims to represent the unspoken, downtrodden masses yet uses emotion and non-factual suppositions to sway people as opposed to reason and proven fact. And no, specific human interest stories do not prove arguments made in an article.

Enough rambling. I think we would be best served as a nation if we forget about our ideological labels and just seek truth. Read information and news from a variety of sources, left and right. Moderate, religious, whatever. The only way we can find the truth is to know the facts. Unfortunately, Miss vH rarely presents them in a scientifically unassailable way which makes The Nation little more than a well funded college newspaper.

Why give her any press?

I have heard this lady at other occasions and my take on this lady is that many MANY things which she expresses her opinion on are just her opinion without any true knowledge on it.

For instance, Once she said that force which is preventing the Iraqi women in Iraq from taking a more frontal position in the society is because of the thinking which was left by Saddam Hussein's regime. This is far from the truth. Saddam and his thugs were evil people but they were pro-advancement.

The force which is preventing Iraqi people from taking a more stage role in the Iraqi society is due to the Religious zeal which exists within parts of that society. Specially the zealous religious fanatics who are pro-religious government in the south of Iraq. The religious authorities of Iraq.

She also has this affinity for Shirin Ebadi character who received the Nobel Peace prize. She things that she is some sort of Hero!
If she knew better she would have known that Mrs. Ebadi is an oppertunist first and formost. All she is trying to do is to become a partner with Iranian regime, in order to fill her pocket.

I think KVH is the hottest woman in the public domain - even if I disgree with her 100%

As I cruise through the hundreds and thousands of websites devoted to political talk I am beginning to notice a similarity between postings.

One would start to think that there are perhaps a few hundred or even a few more who are on a perpetual search for any sites with liberal leanings and their assignment is to attack and attack and attack any site they feel may actually have intelligent discussions about the right and left in this country by simply making the exact same statements over and over and over.

I see the same wording in some cases from one site to the next.

The rightwing nutcases refuse to allow any discussion or belief different than their own.

They also use the same phrases as the morons at fauxnews, and hate radio.

The Christian Taliban as well as the media is slowing destroying any dissent in this country.

The shame of course is that the media in order to maximize profits will keep leaning further and further to the right to make more money irrespective of whether or not it hurts the country in the long run.

I have a bunch of links to sites that show the encroachment of the Christian Taliban and their fellow travelers, who are playing the victim game, in order to further enrage their followers and attempt to garner sympathy from those who are not right or left, but more independent, but I am not sure if linking to Time, or other independent sites is a commerican linking or not as they all ask for support of some sort and Time of course keeps popping up asking you to subscribe.

But it just amazes me how the Christian Taliban which has more radio stations, more televisions stations, more churches and more money than practically God keep trying to claim they are being attacked and will be forced into the catacombs in order to survive.

What a bunch of hypocrites they are.

The "Republic" form of government (in which we live) reassures me each day that discussions of right and left - and all the passion that is contained therin will remain a way to pass the time on websites and not the way we rule our nation.

Imagine if decisions our country made were made by way of phone polls... the truth moving every day one way and then the other.

Yikes.

hansen@stanfordalumni.org

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hansen@stanfordalumni.org

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hansen@stanfordalumni.org

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