Breaking Political Stories and Commentary. "We're at the height of the Roman Empire for the Republican Party, but the tide slowly but surely goes out." --Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
From Yahoo News:
NEW YORK (AFP) - An incident this week in which former pop star Cat Stevens was deported from the United States to London as a "no-fly" terrorist risk was caused by a spelling error.

Stevens, 57, gave up his successful pop career in the late 1970s, taking the name Yusuf Islam and converting to Islam.

He had been travelling from London to Washington on Tuesday when his flight was diverted to Bangor, Maine, where he was detained on "national security grounds" and summarily put on a plane to London, according to US security officials.

Asa Hutchinson, the US Department of Homeland Security's under secretary for border and transportation security, refused to specify the allegations against Islam.

Time magazine, in its on-line edition, quoted aviation sources with access to the "no-fly" list as saying there is no entry on the list under the name "Yusuf Islam," but that there is a "Youssouf Islam" on the list. They said the incorrect name was added to the list this summer.
When I originally said how stupid all this was -- "Bush 1 Terrorists 0: Cat Stevens Banned From America" -- Bush supporters went off on how dangerous he was, and how I couldn't even question this because the Bush Administration had secret information about Cat Stevens.

So will those people now acknowledge they were wrong? Come on, I've admitted when I've made mistakes. If you piled on to say that Cat Stevens was rightfully banned from this country, can you show the some cojones and admit what Bush's government already has: that it was a mistake on their part?

Comments
on Sep 29, 2004
Well... i don't trust the CIA or the FBI, but isn't it possible that when the article says incorrect name, it means that they meant to put Yusuf Islam?
on Sep 29, 2004
I wonder if the government will ever admit that it was just a spelling mistake? Great articles.
on Sep 29, 2004
Having read the rest of the article, I have to concur with sandy2 in that it appears that what is being admitted is that they wrote "YOUSSOUF" on the no-fly list instead of putting "YUSUF" as they presumably meant to, in order to properly match his passport. If the name had been spelled correctly, Mr. Islam would not have been "deported" because he would not have been allowed to board the US-bound plane in the first place.
on Sep 29, 2004
Has there been a single attack on american soil since 911?


And it was 60 years before 9/11 happend that Pearl Harbor happened. Since then we've tightened up security the army and not allowed any attacks to come upon our shores. Yet George doesn't read his memos and we die. I'd feel much safer with John Kerry rather than someone who doesn't read when they should and makes decisions with little knowledge of what they're doing. If you look closely at the policies of Bush they doen't work and it's not because he doesn't care or try. It's because he lacks the political know how or the information required because he's too lazy to actually read up on things.

Please Mr. President, read your memos! I don't wanna die because you don't wanna read. At least maybe have your librarian of a wife read them to you. Perhaps before you go to sleep she can read them instead of the children's book you probably have her read.

Does anybody think it's ironic that someone who hates to read soo much married a librarian?
on Sep 30, 2004
What about terrorist attacks between that 60-year time span, those don't count?

Last time I thought about it, I knew there was attack in OKC by a Domestic Terrorist in 1995, and the WTC was also bombed in 1998, I could be missing some, but you get the point, I think. Also I guess the attacks on Marines in Beirut in the 1980s does not count as Terrorism either, hmm?


- GX
on Sep 30, 2004
*mini thread hijack*

GX: Have you visited the OKC memorial?
on Sep 30, 2004
Was it a mistake when Israel made the same decision without the happy coincidence of a spelling mistake? Wait, don't bother to answer... It's hopeless...
on Sep 30, 2004
GX: Have you visited the OKC memorial?


I was born and raised in Lawton, Oklahoma, moved away in 1998, but on a visit down to Dallas, Texas to see my Older Brother, Sister in Law, Niece, and Aunt, I saw it than.
I headed up North to see the Memorial, and I must say parts of it are a real tear jerker, and it is well done.
My Dad was the LTC in charge of the emergency Army relief (?), who sent supplies, personnel, etc. up from Fort Sill to OKC, he got some credit for it latter on, though my Dad just said he was doing his job, nothing special.

- GX
on Sep 30, 2004
I went a few years back, and it was a very powerful experience for me. Very sad. The baby in the bowtie really got to me. The statue of Christ with his back turned really touched me as well. The entire experience was just extremely emotional. I agree that it was very well done.
on Sep 30, 2004


Of course I realize that you are not of Christian faith, but I think the statue and the concept is very powerful regardless.
on Sep 30, 2004
Yes the statue is well done, and I can appreciate art and statues even if I don't agree with them religiously. Though the message with that statue, though a Christian one, should translate well across the different religious borders.

- GX
on Sep 30, 2004
blogic,
interesting link, but from reading the article the US government did not yet admit to a spelling mistake, and it's not clear if they wanted Yusuf banned or someone else with a similar name. They may indeed have good reasons for banning cat stevens, but they do need to clarify the issue. They'll have to if it comes to court.

Paul.