The unidentified author of "Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror" is Michael Scheuer, a CIA analyst based in Langley, Va., according to Jason Vest. The freelance writer reports in the Phoenix that Scheuer doesn't want to be anonymous at all but is compelled to keep his identity secret because of arcane classified regulations. Vest earlier wrote an article about a secret memo on Iraq that appeared in dozens of AAN papers.

Continue ReadingBoston Phoenix Reveals Identity of “Anonymous” CIA Officer

Andrew Scutro wanted to see how well American troops communicated with Iraqis when he went to the suffering Middle East nation but confronted some communication barriers of his own. He would have loved to accompany an Iraqi handyman to his neighborhood but was warned that being seen with an American could endanger the man. Freelance writer Whitney Joiner interviews Scutro about the weeks he spent embedded with a civil affairs unit.

Continue ReadingCoast Weekly Writer Covers Battle for Hearts and Minds in Iraq

It's the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, and the nation is in a period of mourning and memories. Some alternative weeklies are pointedly eschewing additional coverage, but most are taking a special look back at the day that changed everything. Their viewpoint, of course, is quite different from the largely sentimental outpourings of the mainstream media. Alt-weeklies look at Sept. 11 and see lost civil liberties, Muslim communities under siege and Americans who are confused, angry, sad and at times uplifted. Here is a sampling of the alternative view of Sept. 11.

Continue ReadingAlternative Takes on Sept. 11 Anniversary
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One phrase that has not been synonymous with Sept 11 is "civil liberty." The one-year anniversary not only marks a significant day in history but also the continuation of an assault on the Bill of Rights. "The U.S. Department of Justice continues to wage its own war to keep Americans in the dark about its vast incursions into their civil liberties — including secret arrests and deportations, lowered barriers to covert searches, and a 'don’t ask, won’t tell' attitude toward public scrutiny," Richard Byrne writes in the Boston Phoenix.

Continue ReadingGovernment Recall: Civil Liberties