From the San Jose 'Mercury News':

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/9194702.htm

***BEGIN ARTICLE***

Posted on Mon, Jul. 19, 2004

Ex-Stanford physicist slams arrest of chess figure in Japan

BROTHER-IN-LAW ACCUSES U.S. OF USING BOBBY FISCHER AS PAWN

By Nicole C. Wong

Mercury News

The brother-in-law of American chess legend Bobby Fischer blasted the
Bush administration Monday for Fischer's recent arrest in Japan, saying
Fischer is a pawn in a game of election-year politics.

``What Bobby's accused of is playing chess 12 years ago in Yugoslavia,''
said Russell Targ, a former Stanford laser physicist whose late wife was
Fischer's sister. ``It looks like it's a distraction from the war and
the economy. Let's arrest Bobby Fischer. That will take people's minds
off their troubles.''

Fischer broke a U.S. ban on doing business with the former Balkan
country in 1992, when the onetime world chess champion won $3.5 million
by outmaneuvering Russian chess superstar Boris Spassky in an exhibition
rematch. If extradited to the United States, Fischer could face up to 10
years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

The 61-year-old has been on the run since trouncing Spassky at the
tournament, traveling to Tokyo, Budapest, Hungary, and elsewhere. While
some chess fans miss watching his brilliant maneuvers, they've tired of
his tirade against Jews and the United States, particularly his praise
of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Fischer was arrested by Japanese immigration officials last week at
Tokyo's Narita airport for trying to fly with a revoked American
passport.

Still in Japan

Officials there told the Associated Press today that Fishcer has been in
their custody since and was being processed for deportation, though he
could appeal their deicison.

Targ, who was in Iceland in 1972 when Fischer first beat Spassky in a
Cold War showdown, has not been in touch with his brother-in-law for
more than a decade. He called for Fischer's release.

``Prosecuting Bobby right now is ridiculous,'' Targ said in his first
comments to the press since Fischer's arrest. ``He's a political
prisoner now.''

Targ blamed President George H.W. Bush for first making a scapegoat of
Fischer, who defied sanctions against Yugoslavia as the country was
embroiled in civil war. ``He didn't know what to do about ethnic
cleansing in Yugoslavia,'' Targ said of the former president. ``Now
George the Second doesn't know what to do about 900 Americans in Iraq or
the economy, but let's arrest Bobby.''

The White House on Monday referred questions about Fischer's case and
Targ's comments to the State Department, which referred questions to the
Department of Justice, which said charges have not been filed.

Miyoko Watai, president of the Japan Chess Association, said her friend
is ``depressed very much.''

Smiley faces

But some local chess aficionados are smirking.

Alan Kirshner, who runs the Success Chess school in Fremont, said he's
received e-mails with smiley faces about Fischer's arrest.

``Everyone respects his chess. No one respects him,'' Kirshner said.

Stanford chemistry Professor Richard Zare, a longtime faculty sponsor of
the university's student chess club, said Fischer's virulent anti-
Americanism and anti-Semitism make him ``the type of person you might
not want to get trapped in an elevator with.''

But Zare still marvels at Fischer's intricate understanding of chess and
ability to quickly see how moving any piece in any direction could
affect who wins the game.

``The possibilities grow astronomically in chess,'' he said. ``Even
chess computers struggle to do what Bobby Fischer was able to do with
his feel of the game,'' he said.

***END ARTICLE***

--
banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)

The brother-in-law of American chess legend Bobby Fischer blasted the
Bush administration Monday for Fischer's recent arrest in Japan, saying
Fischer is a pawn in a game of election-year politics.

Fischer's own family is against his arrest? What a scoop. "Hey Charley, hold
the headline on the Petunia Festival, I think we've got something here!"


``What Bobby's accused of is playing chess 12 years ago in Yugoslavia,''
said Russell Targ, a former Stanford laser physicist whose late wife was
Fischer's sister. ``It looks like it's a distraction from the war and
the economy. Let's arrest Bobby Fischer. That will take people's minds
off their troubles.''

Wouldn't that be wild if it were true? Unfortunately for the ego of the chess
world, there's no indication as of yet that the US Government cares about him
at all. His passport wasn't renewed, and since then, nature has simply taken
its course.


The 61-year-old has been on the run since trouncing Spassky at the
tournament,

Trouncing Spassky, I like that. Probably few players' reputations have
suffered as much from a *victory* as Fischer's did after that match. He took
an even bigger hit from it than Karpov took in 1978.



While some chess fans miss watching his brilliant maneuvers, they've tired of
his tirade against Jews and the United States, particularly his praise of the
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.


Actually, people have been surprisingly willing to sweep that under the rug,
with nothing more than some lip service about not wanting to shake his hand
personally, but really, who in the chess world would be able to resist an offer
like that if it came to them?


Officials there told the Associated Press today that Fishcer has been in
their custody since and was being processed for deportation, though he
could appeal their deicison.

I eagerly await Fischer's press release about how the Jews have taken over
Japan. Those darn Jews!


Targ, who was in Iceland in 1972 when Fischer first beat Spassky in a
Cold War showdown, has not been in touch with his brother-in-law for
more than a decade. He called for Fischer's release.

Well, far be it from me to suggest that the plea of a Stanford professor
doesn't carry much weight in the world of international politics, but... oh,
let's face it. The plea of a Stanford prof DOESN'T carry much weight in the
world of politics.


``Prosecuting Bobby right now is ridiculous,''

That's very true. He should have the charges dropped in exchange for being
institutionalized and finally getting the treatment he needs. The most
depressing thing about this whole business is how little his supposed friends
care whether he ever gets help or stays haunted by his phantoms the rest of his
life. With friends like that...


Targ said in his first comments to the press since Fischer's arrest. ``He's a
political prisoner now.''


It's a disgrace that he should need a passport at all, isn't it? Who do they
think he is, one of the peons?


Targ blamed President George H.W. Bush for first making a scapegoat of
Fischer, who defied sanctions against Yugoslavia as the country was
embroiled in civil war. ``He didn't know what to do about ethnic
cleansing in Yugoslavia,'' Targ said of the former president.

Well, Bobby sure knew what to do about it. Lend his name to it. I wonder
who's the bigger villain here.


``Now George the Second doesn't know what to do about 900 Americans in Iraq
or the economy, but let's arrest Bobby.''


"The Old Faulty Dilemma fallacy ought to fool the marks." On the other hand,
maybe the guy really believes what he's saying. He is a laser physicist, not a
logician, after all.



The White House on Monday referred questions about Fischer's case and
Targ's comments to the State Department, which referred questions to the
Department of Justice, which said charges have not been filed.

Which means that Targ's rant is entirely pre-emptive. And considering how much
sense it's made, we can call it a Pre-emptive "strike".


``Everyone respects his chess. No one respects him,'' Kirshner said.


Unfortunately, that's the Sam Sloan "everyone".


Stanford chemistry Professor Richard Zare, a longtime faculty sponsor of the
university's student chess club, said Fischer's virulent anti-
Americanism and anti-Semitism make him ``the type of person you might
not want to get trapped in an elevator with.''


It would be harder on Fischer than anyone else. After spending so many years
avoiding any and all diverse opinions, or anyone who might stand up to him
imagine of poor Bobby were in the presence of a (gasp!) diverse opinion that he
couldn't escape from. Arrest would probably be preferable.

In article , Graeme
writes

snip

Unfortunately for the ego of the chess
world, there's no indication as of yet that the US Government cares about him
at all. His passport wasn't renewed, and since then, nature has simply taken
its course.

You are getting the facts wrong. His passport was *renewed* in 1997. It
was *revoked*, according to the US authorities, in December 2003, but he
himself wasn't informed until last week. 'Revoked' is very different
from 'allowed to expire' or 'not renewed'. So obviously the US
government do 'care' about him.

The 61-year-old has been on the run since trouncing Spassky at the
tournament,

Trouncing Spassky, I like that. Probably few players' reputations have
suffered as much from a *victory* as Fischer's did after that match. He took
an even bigger hit from it than Karpov took in 1978.

'Trounced' means he won convincingly at the chessboard, not in the
reputation stakes.

snip

Targ, who was in Iceland in 1972 when Fischer first beat Spassky in a
Cold War showdown, has not been in touch with his brother-in-law for
more than a decade. He called for Fischer's release.

Well, far be it from me to suggest that the plea of a Stanford professor
doesn't carry much weight in the world of international politics, but... oh,
let's face it. The plea of a Stanford prof DOESN'T carry much weight in the
world of politics.

Sure, Targ doesn't own any media networks or control the funding to any
political parties. Doesn't stop him being right. Nor from having, in
this instance, acted commendably and honourably with regard to someone
he hasn't even spoken to for a decade.

``Prosecuting Bobby right now is ridiculous,''

That's very true. He should have the charges dropped in exchange for being
institutionalized and finally getting the treatment he needs.

Then why doesn't the US government drop its interest in him completely?

snip

``Now George the Second doesn't know what to do about 900 Americans in Iraq
or the economy, but let's arrest Bobby.''

"The Old Faulty Dilemma fallacy ought to fool the marks." On the other hand,
maybe the guy really believes what he's saying. He is a laser physicist, not a
logician, after all.

He's saying there's a propaganda advantage in it for the US government?
Why not comment on that, or argue the contrary, rather than implying
that he only thinks so because he doesn't understand logic? BTW he's a
parapsychologist as well as a laser physicist.

The White House on Monday referred questions about Fischer's case and
Targ's comments to the State Department, which referred questions to the
Department of Justice, which said charges have not been filed.

Which means that Targ's rant is entirely pre-emptive. And considering how much
sense it's made, we can call it a Pre-emptive "strike".

Good on him.

--
banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)

Subject: Russell Targ calls for release of Bobby Fischer, political prisoner
From: banana
Date: 7/20/04 4:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

From the San Jose 'Mercury News':

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/9194702.htm

***BEGIN ARTICLE***

Posted on Mon, Jul. 19, 2004

Ex-Stanford physicist slams arrest of chess figure in Japan

BROTHER-IN-LAW ACCUSES U.S. OF USING BOBBY FISCHER AS PAWN

By Nicole C. Wong

Mercury News

The brother-in-law of American chess legend Bobby Fischer blasted the
Bush administration Monday for Fischer's recent arrest in Japan, saying
Fischer is a pawn in a game of election-year politics.

``What Bobby's accused of is playing chess 12 years ago in Yugoslavia,''
said Russell Targ, a former Stanford laser physicist whose late wife was
Fischer's sister. ``It looks like it's a distraction from the war and
the economy. Let's arrest Bobby Fischer. That will take people's minds
off their troubles.''

Fischer broke a U.S. ban on doing business with the former Balkan
country in 1992, when the onetime world chess champion won $3.5 million
by outmaneuvering Russian chess superstar Boris Spassky in an exhibition
rematch. If extradited to the United States, Fischer could face up to 10
years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

The 61-year-old has been on the run since trouncing Spassky at the
tournament, traveling to Tokyo, Budapest, Hungary, and elsewhere. While
some chess fans miss watching his brilliant maneuvers, they've tired of
his tirade against Jews and the United States, particularly his praise
of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Fischer was arrested by Japanese immigration officials last week at
Tokyo's Narita airport for trying to fly with a revoked American
passport.

Still in Japan

Officials there told the Associated Press today that Fishcer has been in
their custody since and was being processed for deportation, though he
could appeal their deicison.

Targ, who was in Iceland in 1972 when Fischer first beat Spassky in a
Cold War showdown, has not been in touch with his brother-in-law for
more than a decade. He called for Fischer's release.

``Prosecuting Bobby right now is ridiculous,'' Targ said in his first
comments to the press since Fischer's arrest. ``He's a political
prisoner now.''

Targ blamed President George H.W. Bush for first making a scapegoat of
Fischer, who defied sanctions against Yugoslavia as the country was
embroiled in civil war. ``He didn't know what to do about ethnic
cleansing in Yugoslavia,'' Targ said of the former president. ``Now
George the Second doesn't know what to do about 900 Americans in Iraq or
the economy, but let's arrest Bobby.''

The White House on Monday referred questions about Fischer's case and
Targ's comments to the State Department, which referred questions to the
Department of Justice, which said charges have not been filed.

Miyoko Watai, president of the Japan Chess Association, said her friend
is ``depressed very much.''

Smiley faces

But some local chess aficionados are smirking.

Alan Kirshner, who runs the Success Chess school in Fremont, said he's
received e-mails with smiley faces about Fischer's arrest.

``Everyone respects his chess. No one respects him,'' Kirshner said.

Stanford chemistry Professor Richard Zare, a longtime faculty sponsor of
the university's student chess club, said Fischer's virulent anti-
Americanism and anti-Semitism make him ``the type of person you might
not want to get trapped in an elevator with.''

But Zare still marvels at Fischer's intricate understanding of chess and
ability to quickly see how moving any piece in any direction could
affect who wins the game.

``The possibilities grow astronomically in chess,'' he said. ``Even
chess computers struggle to do what Bobby Fischer was able to do with
his feel of the game,'' he said.

***END ARTICLE***

--

It's a disgrace that he should need a passport at all, isn't it?

Passports were uncommon before WW I. Most people traveled without one.
Citizens could come and go as they pleased! Oh, The Horror, The Horror!

A distraction from the war and economy? Shoot; nobody talks about it, few
people know about it, no one cares, except gossiping chess players. It's not
much of a distraction.


"banana" wrote in message
...
From the San Jose 'Mercury News':

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/9194702.htm

***BEGIN ARTICLE***

Posted on Mon, Jul. 19, 2004

Ex-Stanford physicist slams arrest of chess figure in Japan

BROTHER-IN-LAW ACCUSES U.S. OF USING BOBBY FISCHER AS PAWN

By Nicole C. Wong

Mercury News

The brother-in-law of American chess legend Bobby Fischer blasted the
Bush administration Monday for Fischer's recent arrest in Japan, saying
Fischer is a pawn in a game of election-year politics.

``What Bobby's accused of is playing chess 12 years ago in Yugoslavia,''
said Russell Targ, a former Stanford laser physicist whose late wife was
Fischer's sister. ``It looks like it's a distraction from the war and
the economy. Let's arrest Bobby Fischer. That will take people's minds
off their troubles.''

Fischer broke a U.S. ban on doing business with the former Balkan
country in 1992, when the onetime world chess champion won $3.5 million
by outmaneuvering Russian chess superstar Boris Spassky in an exhibition
rematch. If extradited to the United States, Fischer could face up to 10
years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

The 61-year-old has been on the run since trouncing Spassky at the
tournament, traveling to Tokyo, Budapest, Hungary, and elsewhere. While
some chess fans miss watching his brilliant maneuvers, they've tired of
his tirade against Jews and the United States, particularly his praise
of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Fischer was arrested by Japanese immigration officials last week at
Tokyo's Narita airport for trying to fly with a revoked American
passport.

Still in Japan

Officials there told the Associated Press today that Fishcer has been in
their custody since and was being processed for deportation, though he
could appeal their deicison.

Targ, who was in Iceland in 1972 when Fischer first beat Spassky in a
Cold War showdown, has not been in touch with his brother-in-law for
more than a decade. He called for Fischer's release.

``Prosecuting Bobby right now is ridiculous,'' Targ said in his first
comments to the press since Fischer's arrest. ``He's a political
prisoner now.''

Targ blamed President George H.W. Bush for first making a scapegoat of
Fischer, who defied sanctions against Yugoslavia as the country was
embroiled in civil war. ``He didn't know what to do about ethnic
cleansing in Yugoslavia,'' Targ said of the former president. ``Now
George the Second doesn't know what to do about 900 Americans in Iraq or
the economy, but let's arrest Bobby.''

The White House on Monday referred questions about Fischer's case and
Targ's comments to the State Department, which referred questions to the
Department of Justice, which said charges have not been filed.

Miyoko Watai, president of the Japan Chess Association, said her friend
is ``depressed very much.''

Smiley faces

But some local chess aficionados are smirking.

Alan Kirshner, who runs the Success Chess school in Fremont, said he's
received e-mails with smiley faces about Fischer's arrest.

``Everyone respects his chess. No one respects him,'' Kirshner said.

Stanford chemistry Professor Richard Zare, a longtime faculty sponsor of
the university's student chess club, said Fischer's virulent anti-
Americanism and anti-Semitism make him ``the type of person you might
not want to get trapped in an elevator with.''

But Zare still marvels at Fischer's intricate understanding of chess and
ability to quickly see how moving any piece in any direction could
affect who wins the game.

``The possibilities grow astronomically in chess,'' he said. ``Even
chess computers struggle to do what Bobby Fischer was able to do with
his feel of the game,'' he said.

***END ARTICLE***

--
banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)

In article E3bLc.46429$2i3.9524@clgrps12, Duncan
writes

A distraction from the war and economy? Shoot; nobody talks about it, few
people know about it, no one cares, except gossiping chess players. It's not
much of a distraction.

Two other things to factor in:

- the history of 'swaps'.

It is very common when country A seizes person X from country B, for
country B to seize person Y (typically, 'businessman' Y) from country A
- see Charles Jenkins, whose experiences are being very widely reported
in Japan and elsewhere in the Far East (and quite widely in the US too);
Fischer could then be seen as a 'pawn' whose deportation to the US
weighs in the public-relations balance against the non-deportation of
Charles Jenkins, but whose being given a lengthy prison sentence (which,
as he says, might well lead to his early death, as happened to Wilhelm
Reich) might well not be given wide coverage, or be of 'great
importance' to the movers and shakers

- the fact that he was on his way to give a radio interview.

I don't believe that wasn't important. It's hardly being reported in the
west - I've only seen it being reported in the Philippines... Remember
that the US authorities renewed his passport in 1997, no problem. He
hadn't started going on the radio then. Perhaps someone could give me an
alternative explanation of the huge difference in US government attitude
between 1997 and 2004?

"banana" wrote in message
...
From the San Jose 'Mercury News':

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/9194702.htm

***BEGIN ARTICLE***

Posted on Mon, Jul. 19, 2004

Ex-Stanford physicist slams arrest of chess figure in Japan

BROTHER-IN-LAW ACCUSES U.S. OF USING BOBBY FISCHER AS PAWN

By Nicole C. Wong

Mercury News

The brother-in-law of American chess legend Bobby Fischer blasted the
Bush administration Monday for Fischer's recent arrest in Japan, saying
Fischer is a pawn in a game of election-year politics.

--
banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)

Passports were uncommon before WW I. Most people traveled without one. Citizens
could come and go as they pleased! Oh, The Horror, The Horror!


Oh well, if you're saying that NOBODY should need a passport now, because they
didn't have them 100 years ago, that's... questionable, but at least it's
debatable.

But that's not what you're fighting for. You're fighting for this ONE guy to
have a right not to carry a passport. Everybody else still needs one. That's
where your position tanks. You think you Bobby's racist philosophies are
troublesome and can be ignored, but the logic of your position requires you to
approve, or at least mitigate them.

That a valid passport is needed is the norm. Your position is that this guy is
a special case. That he deserves rights and priviliges ABOVE the norm based on
his situation. Making a judgment like that requires you to take his
circumstances into account. WHY does this guy deserve special priviliges?
Well, the good side is that he used to be a great chessplayer, the bad side is
that he's an enthusiastic supporter of genocide and murder, uses the public
airwaves to call for the murder of his enemies, cheated on his taxes for about
15 years, deliberately and knowingly violated UN sanctions, and who knows what
else. To approve him for special priviliges is to make a value judgment on all
those factors, and say that the good outweighs the bad.

You may think you can just ignore his views on the Jews, but the logic of your
position requires you to make a judgment, and a more or less favorable judgment
about them. I guarantee you that nobody would be crying the blues for me if I
did the same things he did. And all because I can't put away Taimanov in 6
games. Isn't that a bit shallow?

A distraction from the war and economy? Shoot; nobody talks about it, few
people know about it, no one cares, except gossiping chess players. It's not
much of a distraction.


The chess community overestimates his importance. They think that because we
talk about him night and day that the rest of the country places importance on
him too. "Wow, what a coup! To bring THE Bobby Fischer to trial!", as if the
rest of the country wouldn't be scratching their heads and saying "Bobby Who?"

If he went to trial, it would make news definitely, but it wouldn't be front
page stuff.

Perhaps someone could give me an
alternative explanation of the huge difference in US government attitude
between 1997 and 2004?


Easy. Bureaucratic incompetence. Somebody in the passpot office renewed his
passport without ever stopping to check and see if there were any outstanding
warrants on him. "Oh yeah, Bobby Fischer. Didn't he used to be a backgammon
player? (stamp, stamp, stamp)."

For all we know, the revocation could have come about the same way. Assuming
Fischer even bothered to do the legwork of *trying* to renew it himself. He
may have thought he was too good to need a passport, and if so, judging by some
of posts in this group, it would be easy to see where he got such an idea.