Loose cannons

Family values I

"NEW YORK — Adelphia Communications Corporation founder John Rigas and his two sons siphoned millions of dollars from the [now bankrupt] company as if it were a 'private piggy bank', for everything from 100 pairs of bedroom slippers to a new golf course, a prosecutor told jurors... He said the family bought a Gulfstream III jet from the king of Jordan and used it as a taxi service for trips to New York City and to see the Buffalo Sabres hockey team." — Associated Press, March 2.

Family values II

"The Rigases also hid billions of dollars of debt, stole $100 million and lied about revenue from 1999 to 2002, prosecutors allege." — Bloomberg News, March 2.

Can't fool all the people all the time

"Large majorities in four Muslim states that are key US allies — Jordan, Pakistan, Morocco and Turkey — say they believe America's real motive in conducting a war on terrorism is to control oil and dominate the world." — From the March 17 Baltimore Sun report on an international survey of public opinion conducted in late February and early March by the Washington-based Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.

Pre-evidentiary strike

"Right after 9/11, even though there was no connection with Iraq and everybody knew it, [US defence secretary Donald] Rumsfeld asked for and got from the president in writing, in a presidential decision directive, instructions to prepare for the invasion of Iraq." — Former White House anti-terrorism chief Richard Clarke, March 23.

From Green Left Weekly, March 31, 2004.

Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

From GLW issue 577