U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the BBC World Service on Wednesday that the invasion of Iraq was illegal.Annan’s credibility is seriously strained on matters of intervention. While we have serious reservations about the war in Iraq, President Bush’s ever-changing rationale and the way the invasion and occupation have been handled, Annan has been at helm […]

Reality may finally be breaking through the rosy rhetoric coming from President Bush on the campaign trail.On the stump, Bush talks about the progress being made in Iraq, touting a schedule that includes elections in January. But a classified National Intelligence Estimate from July – first reported on by the New York Times – makes […]

The voters in Auburn and SAD 17 spoke loudly during Tuesday’s special elections.New schools were approved in each district by a large margin. In Auburn, a proposal to replace Lake Street School passed by a huge margin, 1,646-534. A new elementary school in Paris also passed easily.Both localities will take advantage of state funding to […]

Brian Hamel has the right idea, but he jumped the gun with his press conference Monday and missed a golden opportunity.Hamel is challenging Rep. Michael Michaud in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District. On Monday, Hamel chided his opponent for the early stages of a negative campaign. Michaud has hired a political research firm that Hamel says […]

The town of Paris has launched a new Web site.While the page is still under construction, the shell made its debut Monday at www.town.paris.me.us.Selectmen, while embracing the new site, are reluctant to embrace the new technology. After a short discussion at the town meeting, selectmen passed on the opportunity to have e-mail addresses through the […]

The Pentagon has pushed back an important test of the country’s antimissile system until later this year.No worries, though. The system will still be deployed before the Nov. 2 election despite the fact it has major components that are not yet operational and has never knocked down a realistic target.Missile defense has been a major […]

President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell finally have used the “G” word to describe the carnage being allowed in the Darfur region of Sudan: genocide.Now, it’s time for action.The U.S. Congress, and now the executive branch, have identified the murder, rape and terror campaign taking place in Sudan as genocide. The only thing […]

Anonymous sources in the Pentagon have suggested the Navy’s destroyer program could be scaled back and the development of a new class of ship delayed in an effort to cut costs.The Pentagon’s budget request for 2006 – with plans for beyond – isn’t due until February, but reports have the people in Bath pretty nervous.Bath […]

The United States government has made people disappear.It’s ghastly, a violation of international law and of the Geneva Conventions, but no one is being held accountable and, as far as we know, the practice continues.The CIA refuses to provide information about “ghost detainees” to military officers investigating the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib. One […]

Tonight at midnight, the 1994 ban on certain semiautomatic assault weapons most likely will expire.This marks a failure in leadership and a capitulation by Washington to the gun lobby.Already, the lines are forming for the chance to buy weapons such as Uzis and Tech-9s, along with large-capacity magazines and other refinements necessary to turn them […]