Gregory Jaczko, the chairman of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, made some comments to the press earlier this week. Jaczko, it seems, is worried. He believes, as noted in an Associated Press story, that “U.S. nuclear plant operators have become complacent, just nine months after the nuclear disaster in Japan.” The NRC head thinks that a slew of events at over a dozen domestic nuclear facilities reveal the safety of America’s reactors to be something less than optimal.

To be clear, safety concerns at any kind of plant, be it a soda bottler or a microchip manufacturer, are probably not trivial, but when the safe and secure operation of a nuclear facility comes into question–as the aftermath of Chernobyl or the ongoing crisis in Japan will tell you–it ratchets up concern to a whole different level. So, when the man who more or less serves as the chief safety officer for the entirety of the nation’s nuclear infrastructure says he’s worried, many, many other people should be worried, too.

If you thought that only Republican Administrations would assert broad and sweeping powers when they control the White House, think again.

The House leadership, prior to a closed caucus meeting, will devise a bill to continue US involvement in Libya, as a counterpoint to Dennis Kucinich’s War Powers resolution to end involvement. This comes just as over 60 House Republicans issued their own resolution of disapproval of the war in Libya.

The House Republican leadership, after agreeing to allow a vote on a privileged War Powers resolution from Dennis Kucinich which would end US involvement in the war in Libya, has now yanked that vote from the calendar….In a statement, Kucinich said he was “disappointed that the President and leadership feel the need to buy even more time to shore up support for the War in Libya.

Dennis Kucinich’s War Powers Act vote to end US involvement in the war in Libya, known as House Concurrent Resolution 51, will get a vote in the House tomorrow.

The ease with which the Army decided to put Manning in medium security, and out of almost a year of solitary confinement, makes the unending excuses out of the Pentagon pathetic.

Dennis Kucinich spoke on MSNBC today about the Pentagon’s surprise move of Manning from Quantico to Ft. Leavenworth. Kucinich said he’s been “absolutely stonewalled by the Department of Defense.” He continued: “frankly, I don’t believe anything they say when it comes to Bradley Manning.”

Marine rules clearly stated that Members of Congress such as Rep. Kucinich are allowed “official visits” with prisoners without monitoring by the government or military. However, the Pentagon, State Department, and Quantico base have refused to allow official visits by Kucinich or UN Special Rappoteur on Torture Juan Mendez.

The US Government appears to be sweating from the heat brought on by the United Nations after the international organization’s lead torture investigator publicly criticized the United States’ decision to deny official visits to Wikileaks whistleblower Bradley Manning. Sign our letter to Quantico and Pentagon leaders: follow your own rules and allow official visits to PFC. Bradley Manning. Click here to add your name.

Apparently, our “national interest” in the credibility of the UN extends only so far as it allows us to bomb other countries, but not so far as it might expose our own treatment of detainees to independent evaluation.