People who function outside the law are, by definition, outlaws. Originally being declared an outlaw amounted to a near certain death sentence, because there was no protection for such people, anyone could kill them without fear of reprisal. It was the secular version of excommunication.

The Coalition Provisional Authority declared “military contractors” outlaws, i.e. they weren’t subject to anyone’s laws. The worst that could officially, legally happen to a “contract employee” was to be fired and sent home, if the corporation felt it was necessary.

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While a lot of people are commenting on the historical ignorance displayed by Dana Perino, White House spokesweasel, regarding Cuban/US history as exemplified by Lower Manhattanite’s post, All You Ever Need To Know, Juan Cole takes on Rudy Giuliani’s rewriting of Reagan’s Iran actions in Giuliani, Reagan, and Kissing up to Ayatollahs with fancy Cakes.

This isn’t history for me, I lived through these events. I read about them in newspapers, not history books. I have the quaint view that no one should work in the White House at any level who doesn’t actually know American history. World history would be very nice, but American history is an absolute minimum requirement.

[Update: Olga has reorganized as a Tropical Storm and the center moved North and is tracking through the center of Hispaniola.]

Position: 19.0 N 70.6 W. [10 PM CDT]
Movement: West [275°] near 15 mph.
Maximum sustained winds: 60 mph.
Wind Gusts: 70 mph.
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 240 miles.
Minimum central pressure: 1004 mb.

Currently 55 miles Northwest of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.