Why Did President Obama Choose Ghana as His Africa Destination?

Allison Kilkenny, 07.11.2009

radio host, writer, allisonkilkenny.com

A quarter of US oil imports are expected to come from West Africa by 2015. That could explain why Obama chose Ghana over, say, his father's homeland of Kenya.

How Iceland's Lawyers Enabled Fraud

Iris Erlingsdottir, 07.10.2009

Icelandic journalist and writer

The lack of clear ethical rules and the frontier justice mentality in Iceland continues to cause confusion and raise questions about the legal profession's ability to regulate itself in Iceland.

Obama Does Moscow, and Vice Versa

William Bradley, 07.08.2009

California-based political analyst NewWestNotes.com

Unlike most of the rest of Europe, Russia is hardly in the grips of Obamamania. He's certainly more popular than George W. Bush or John McCain, but that's damning with faint praise.

History Has Not Yet Judged Bush

James Denselow, 07.08.2009

Writer on Middle East geopolitical and security issues

Certainly Bush's rewriting of his Iraq legacy will be helped by his decision to reverse his earlier policies, abandoning the idealism of the top-down reinvention of Iraq, for reality-based pragmatism.

Sarah Palin, John Edwards and the Way We Choose Our Vice Presidents

Lincoln Mitchell, 07.08.2009

Assistant Professor in the Practice of International Politics, Columbia University

The Edwards and Palin stories both underscore the quirk in our electoral system through which vice presidents are nominated.

In Dependence Day 2009

Larry Gellman, 07.06.2009

We have never been more reliant on the generosity of others and less able to act like grown-ups and fend for ourselves than any time since the Revolution.

Mark Sanford: When Bullsh**ters See Red...

Mark Goulston, M.D., 07.04.2009

When bullsh**ters see red, their common sense is dead. What is it that Mark Sanford, Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Elliott Spitzer AND Bernie Madoff ha...

Why Trial Date for African Embassy Bombing Suspect Is Good News

Andy Worthington, 07.03.2009

Journalist and author of "The Guantanamo Files"

The government will not use any statements made by the suspect in secret prisons, nor will the evidence "be very different" from that used when his alleged co-conspirators were tried by the federal court in 2001.

Fourth of July: A Long Road Ahead, But Reason to Celebrate

Clint Wilder, 07.06.2009

Author, The Clean Tech Revolution

I like fireworks as much as anyone, but the whole rah-rah America thing always seemed pretty distasteful when Bush and Cheney were running the show.

The GOP's Palin Food Fight: Why Now?

William Bradley, 07.02.2009

California-based political analyst NewWestNotes.com

This is a fight between some neocons who still want to promote Palin and their discredited geopolitical agenda against some Republican would-be modernizers.

Would You Hire Michael Jackson's Dermatologist or Mark Sanford's Spiritual Advisor?

Sybil Adelman Sage, 07.02.2009

Television writer

I wasn't aware dermatologists will father your children and I'm even less familiar with what services a spiritual advisor provides.

Torturing the Rule of Law

Shahid Buttar, 07.01.2009

Civil rights lawyer and MC

Our nation continues to undermine international law by sweeping torture under the rug, with serious implications going forward.

Betraying the Idea of America

Andrew Reinbach, 07.02.2009

Journalist

This shabby performance is all the more dismaying because abandoning the Bush/Cheney years and all they represent is why Mr. Obama was elected in the first place.

Celebration, Fear and Loathing on National Sovereignty Day

Tom Andrews, 06.30.2009

former Member of Congress, Maine

Don't be surprised if the spike in violence that came in advance of Iraqi Day of National Sovereignty continues. And don't be surprised if here at home, the right-wing goes on the attack with its favorite weapon, fear.

The Republican Summer Olympics of 2009

Gary Cohan, 06.29.2009

Physician, Radio Host, Author, Civil Rights Activist

Republicans' private embraces are often in complete contradistinction with their own oft-trumpeted, Biblically-mandated "moral" guidelines for the rest of us.

Gut Check

Kate Clinton, 06.24.2009

As much as I was fully prepared to be disappointed in the Obama administration, I am surprised by my disappointment. They seem to have other priorities than full civil rights for LGBT people.

Judge Orders Release from Guantanamo of Al-Qaeda Torture Victim

Andy Worthington, 06.24.2009

Journalist and author of "The Guantanamo Files"

In over three years of researching and reporting about the prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, I learned that many of the men were "Mickey Mouse" prisoners, with no connection to terrorism whatsoever.

Congress Finally Votes for Impeachment... But...

Rob Kall, 06.22.2009

host, Rob Kall Bottom up Radio Show WNJC 1360, and pubisher, OpEdNews.com

It is a bit ironic that this august body could unanimously deal with a sex crime but not with massive war crimes against humanity.

Attention, Don Rumsfeld: Here's What You've Yearned For

Harry Shearer, 06.22.2009

Actor, author, director, satirist, musician, radio host, playwright, multi-media artist

Don? This thing on? I'm sure HuffPo hasn't made it into your briefing folders, but here you go: Colin Powell lied. Condi lied. I've said it before. I'll say it again.

Big Coal Writing House GOP Talking Points on Clean Energy Bill

Josh Dorner, 06.19.2009

Deputy Press Secretary for the Sierra Club

Big Coal is writing the talking points for the House GOP that attack the American Clean Energy & Security Act, coming up for a vote as soon as next week.

Obama, Gay Rights, and the LeBron Factor

Carlos Watson, 06.19.2009

Publisher of The Stimulist, MSNBC Anchor

It's easy to fall into the trap that LeBron James' teammates often do -- we get so used to watching him put up fantastical stats each night, we assume he can do anything. The same is true of Obama.