Occasional
Papers

So far, the Bush Administration has rejected nearly every critical analysis of the situation, including much of the Iraq Study Group report. It lost Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, a key figure in the build-up of the war, and his successor Robert Gates still has not made much progress on a new strategy. But why not turn to the only reliable ally left: the U.S. media?
 
 
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Only seconds now until the door gives way to the Marines boot. Four more soldiers wait in line, with M-16s pressed to their faces and trembling trigger fingers. One is ready to unleash death and destruction from the Humvees M2 machine gun. All senses fixed on this door, the soldiers don't even notice the occasional clicking of the embedded photographers camera.  [Full text]

When Sandra Day O’Connor announced her retirement in June 2005, George W. Bush had finally an opportunity to pick the first Supreme Court nominee since Stephen Breyer in 1994. This opened also an opportunity for various lobbies and interest groups to try to push a candidate who shares their point of view, changing the direction and having “their man” on the highest court of the United States for a couple of decades. It was even more important at the time when some controversial cases were about to be argued before the Supreme Court, others were supposed to reach it in foreseeable future. These cases in June 2005 concerned assisted suicide, gay rights and military service, and abortion, the last being an issue that was believed to play a key role in Bush’s first nomination to the highest court of the United States.  [Full text]

Even though the idea of freedom of the press is commonly expressed in democratic constitutions and widely commented in legal analysis, the very conception of free press is only superficially perfectly clear. Established as a concept enabling media to serve as a fourth branch of government controlling the Montesquieu triple of executive, legislature and judiciary, it evolved into a couple of theories depending on needs of people using it.  [Full text]

Many people love sports. They always have. Sports are fascinating and it is a part of our social life. Sportsmanship matters as well as team ethics. We appreciate team spirit and team work and we are eager to compete with each other. Of course, that indicates the big word fair play. Yes, we just love the game whether we are participants or just spectators. But recent events like the steroid misuse in baseball or the doping drama in cycling make us think.  [Full text]