Justice filtered through a Republican mind.

You are taken prisoner in Afghanistan, bound and gagged, flown to the other side of the world and then imprisoned for months in solitary confinement punctuated by interrogations during which you have no legal advice. Finally, you are told what is to be your fate: a trial before a panel of military officers. Your defence lawyer will also be a military officer, and anything you say to him can be recorded. Your trial might be held in secret. You might not be told all the evidence against you. You might be sentenced to death. If you are convicted, you can appeal, but only to yet another panel of military officers. Your ultimate right of appeal is not to a judge but to politicians who have already called everyone in the prison where you are held “killers” and the “worst of the worst”. Even if you are acquitted, or if your appeal against conviction succeeds, you might not go free. Instead you could be returned to your cell and held indefinitely as an “enemy combatant”.

Sad to say, that is America's latest innovation in its war against terrorism: justice by “military commission”. Over-reaction to the scourge of terrorism is nothing new, even in established democracies. The British “interned” Catholics in Northern Ireland without trial; Israel still bulldozes the homes of families of suicide bombers. Given the barbarism of September 11th, it is not surprising that America should demand retribution—particularly against people caught fighting for al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

Where's Perle? Laying low.

Best summary of tale behind the tale of the uranium claim.

From Declan Walsh in Monrovia. Liberia.

The US is considering sending peace-keeping troops [to Liberia] to support a 3,000-strong West African force. Mr Taylor has promised to leave if they deploy. But his fighters, some not paid for months, have hinted at a final spree of looting as a form of severance pay. They call it Operation Pay Yourself.

Choice words. If you can't say anything real nice, the best advice is not to say anything at all. At east not something like this:

Mr Ratner was forced out of Ratners in 1992 - a year after he made his fateful remarks at the Institute of Directors annual convention. Mr Ratner described his cut-glass sherry decanter sets as "total crap" and said the earrings he sold were cheaper than a prawn sandwich but would not last as long.