Opinion

Read Jackie K. Cooper's other articles on HuffingtonPost.com

The Nation -- Hurricane Katrina is often called a natural disaster, as if it was all nature's fault, not man's.

Three years before the 2008 election, Barack Obama was a freshman Senator from Illinois who had wowed the crowd with his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

When the Clinton administration prosecuted the blind cleric, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, and nine co-defendants in federal court in New York for their roles in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, much less was known about al-Qaeda and the risks of using ordinary criminal process for terror suspects. Part of the legacy of that trial was the disclosure of information to the lawyers for the defendants that wound up promptly in the hands of al-Qaeda members who eventually would plan and execute the next attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The information, which revealed some of what our government knew about international terrorism and how we knew it, helped shield some of the terror enterprise's deadly planning from those trying earnestly to monitor and stop terrorism. No one will ever know how to apportion responsibility, but there should be no doubt that this was one of many contributing factors to the loss of nearly 3,000 innocent lives in the horrific attacks of 9/11.

Thomaston, Maine - I've always regarded children's birthday parties with a little trepidation. With choreographed theme parties, home-delivered bouncy castles, and gift bags for every child (and sibling) now the status quo, it is hard to feel good about just grilling hot dogs at the neighborhood park.

WASHINGTON -- What do past and present leaders like Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Juan Peron, Benito Mussolini and Huey Long have in common?

Right-Wingers Have Reasons to Worry About Trying KSM

It cannot be said often enough that the chief of staff of the United States Army, Gen. George Casey, responded to a massacre of 13 Americans in which the suspect is a Muslim by saying: "Our diversity ... is a strength."

Creators Syndicate - If there was ever a more irresponsible decision by a U.S. attorney general than Eric Holder's decision to try the mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attack and four others as common criminals in a civilian court in New York City, I can't recall it.

Creators Syndicate - So, as it turns out, did I not need to have my breasts squeezed in the mammogram machines every year between the ages of 40 and 50? Could I have missed the two scares in there, especially the one when both of my kids were babies?

Creators Syndicate - Attorney General Eric Holder adopted a tough guy pose when he announced that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others will be tried in federal court for the most heinous terror attack on Americans in history. "After eight years of delay," he intoned, "those allegedly responsible for the attacks of September 11 will finally face justice. It is past time to finally act."

Creators Syndicate - As George W. Bush famously asked, "Is our children learning?"

Creators Syndicate - It is amazing how a phrase can emerge seemingly out of nowhere to become the statement du jour — used, overused and ultimately abused. Last year, there was "low-hanging fruit" everywhere. Today, everyone's being "thrown under the bus."

Creators Syndicate - The Boy Scouts' motto is: Be prepared. Who knew it meant preparing to defend themselves against purple-shirted union thuggery over community service? Kids, pay attention. This is a teachable moment for all of you on power, politics and Big Labor's culture of corruption.

Creators Syndicate - The loudest voices on the right never tire of telling us that they are the truest patriots.

Creators Syndicate - "The political risks of failure are pretty high."

Poor, put-upon Sarah Palin.

Let me tell you a fairy tale. Once upon a time, a gorgeous blond California girl -- let's call her "Carrie" -- wanted to be a beauty queen.

Creators Syndicate - I really hate defending Sarah Palin. I mean, I don't agree with her on anything.

Creators Syndicate - What's up with Barack Obama? The candidate for change once promised to take on the powerful banking interests but is now doing their bidding. Finally, a leading Democrat, in this case Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, has a good idea for monitoring the Wall Street fat cats who all but destroyed the American economy, and the Obama administration condemns it.