Via Andrew Sullivan, I read Roger Cohen’s piece in the NYTimes from the 26th. The following note was given to an Afgan released from Guantanamo back in 2006:

“An Administrative Review Board has reviewed the information about you that was talked about at the meeting on 02 December 2005 and the deciding official in the United States has made a decision about what will happen to you. You will be sent to the country of Afghanistan. Your departure will occur as soon as possible.”

That’s it. The whole thing. And that language? Brutal. Orwell guessed 22 years early.

Andrew’s post is here. The NYTimes piece is here.

A great graph found via this post at Kevin Drums site. Shows the change in the country from 2004 to 2008. It’s subtle, but it’s clearly there, and important to remember amid all this ridiculous “center-right” talk.

A stinging editorial from Esquire endorsing (sort of) Obama. Amazingly written and saying all the things that need to be said after the past seven years of disaster:

Bushism must be ripped out, root and branch, everywhere it has been established, or else the presidential election of 2008 is a worthless exercise in futility. Barack Obama may not be the man to do it, but John McCain, for all his laudable qualities, clearly is neither willing nor able to do so.

Esquire Endorses Barack Obama for President – Election 2008 – Esquire.

The people in urgent need of long-term banishment – Glenn Greenwald – Salon.com:

The GOP has controlled the House for all but 20 months of the last 14 years. They’ve controlled the White House for the last 8 years, and also had control of both houses of Congress for 4 of those years. It’s amazing what “the Left” can accomplish by never being in power, and how “the Right” is powerless to stop it even as they control the levers of Government.

And a few long-form posts coming soon, for those finding themsleves wanting for updates.