February 2007 Archives, Page Two
Rice Says Bush Won't Abide By Legislation to Limit Iraq War 25 Feb 2007 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged the Democratic-controlled Congress not to interfere in the conduct of the Iraq war and suggested President [sic] Bush would defy troop withdrawal legislation. But Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said lawmakers would step up efforts to force Bush to change course.
US generals 'will quit' if Bush orders Iran attack 25 Feb 2007 Some of America’s most senior military commanders are prepared to resign if the White House orders a military strike against Iran, according to highly placed defence and intelligence sources. The Sunday Times has learnt that up to five generals and admirals are willing to resign rather than approve what they consider would be a reckless attack.
US accused of drawing up plan to bomb Iran 26 Feb 2007 President [sic] George Bush has charged the Pentagon with devising an expanded bombing plan for Iran that can be carried out at 24 hours' notice, it was reported yesterday.
US funds terror groups to sow chaos in Iran 25 Feb 2007 America is secretly funding militant ethnic separatist groups in Iran. CIA officials are understood to be helping opposition militias among the numerous ethnic minority groups clustered in Iran's border regions. The operations are controversial because they involve dealing with movements that resort to terrorist methods.
US increasing covert operations in Iran 25 Feb 2007 The United States is stepping up covert operations in Iran in a new strategy that risks sparking an "open confrontation" and benefits Sunni radicals, a US magazine reported Sunday.
The Redirection --Is the Administration's new policy benefiting our enemies in the war on [of] terrorism? A strategic shift By Seymour M. Hersh 25 Feb 2007 In the past few months, as the situation in Iraq has deteriorated, the Bush Administration, in both its public diplomacy and its covert operations, has significantly shifted its Middle East strategy. The "redirection," as some inside the White House have called the new strategy, has brought the United States closer to an open confrontation with Iran and, in parts of the region, propelled it into a widening sectarian conflict between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
"Since 2002, pretty much all the intelligence that's come to us has proved to be wrong." Diplomats say U.S. intelligence on Iranian nukes is thin 24 Feb 2007 Despite growing international concern about Iran's nuclear program and its regional ambitions, most U.S. intelligence shared with the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency has proved inaccurate and none has led to significant discoveries inside Iran, diplomats here said.
Fewer Americans See Iran as Main Enemy 25 Feb 2007 Fewer adults in the United States believe Iran is a threat to their country, according to a poll by Gallup released by USA Today. 26 per cent of respondents consider the Islamic nation as the greatest U.S. enemy, down five points in a year.
'Mercenaries' to fill Iraq troop gap 25 Feb 2007 Ministers are negotiating multi-million-pound contracts with private security firms to cover some of the gaps created by British troop withdrawals. Days after Tony Blair revealed that he wanted to withdraw 1,600 soldiers from war-torn Basra within months, it has emerged that civil servants hope "mercenaries" can help fill the gap left behind.
New Iraqi troops fly into Baghdad 25 Feb 2007 About 130 fresh Iraqi troops from the country's Kurdish north flew into Baghdad on Sunday to join the fight for the nation's capital — with the promise of a $200 bonus, nearly a month's pay.
1,000 fresh troops set to shift balance to Afghanistan from Iraq 24 Feb 2007 The UK said yesterday it planned to send more troops to southern Afghanistan, days after it announced plans to cut troop numbers in Iraq.
Senate Democrat aims for U.S. troop limits in Iraq 25 Feb 2007 A top U.S. Senate Democrat [Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, MI] said on Sunday his party aims to limit the role of the nearly 140,000 American troops in Iraq and withdraw most of them from the war-torn country within a year.
Bush opposes revokation of war-making authority 23 Feb 2007 The White House said Friday it would oppose any attempt by Senate Democrats to revoke the 2002 congressional resolution authorizing the war in Iraq and leave U.S. troops with a limited mission as they prepare to withdraw.
Iraq's president sick, goes to Jordan for tests 25 Feb 2007 Iraq's President Jalal Talabani is ill and has been told to travel to Jordan for tests, the president's office said on Sunday.
Suicide bomber kills 40 at Baghdad college 25 Feb 2007 A suicide bomber wearing a vest packed with explosives killed 40 people in a Baghdad college on Sunday, a day after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki expressed optimism about a U.S.-backed security crackdown in the capital.
Iraqis stash cash to avoid troubled banking system 25 Feb 2007 As Iraq's evolving banking system turns more dangerous and more corrupt, people in this cash-driven economy increasingly are stashing piles of money in their homes [and then the US terrorists rob them].
Critics: Army holding down disability ratings 25 Feb 2007 The Army is deliberately shortchanging troops on their disability retirement ratings to hold down costs, according to veterans’ advocates, lawyers and services members, and the Inspector General has identified 87 problems in the system that need fixing.
IG finds 87 problems with medical retirement 24 Feb 2007 The Army’s Inspector General, in the midst of a yearlong, ongoing probe of the service’s medical retirement system, has so far identified 87 problems that need to be fixed, the Army announced Saturday morning.
Army Orders Walter Reed Fixes --Report From Long-Running Army Probe Notes Problems; Official Orders Fixes 25 Feb 2007 The preliminary findings of a nine-month Army investigation confirm problems in the administrative procedures at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other hospitals, and Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey has ordered the service to begin fixing them, a spokesman said yesterday.
MoD warns the media: Don't report details of Harry in Iraq 23 Feb 2007 The media were warned last night that "speculation" about Prince [Nazi] Harry's deployment to Iraq could jeopardise his life and those of the soldiers serving with him.
Israeli spy chief predicts war-free Mideast in 2007 25 Feb 2007 The head of Israel's Mossad spy agency told the government on Sunday that there would be no war between Israel and its neighbours in 2007 [after Israel nukes the entire region].
U.S. used Ethiopia for attacks on al-Qaeda --January's attack on terrorists in Somalia a joint effort 22 Feb 2007 The U.S. military quietly waged a campaign from Ethiopia last month to capture or kill top leaders of al-Qaeda [al-CIAduh] in the Horn of Africa, including the use of an airstrip in eastern Ethiopia to mount airstrikes against [alleged] Islamic militants in neighboring Somalia, according to U.S. officials... Members of a secret U.S. Special Operations unit, Task Force 88, were deployed in Ethiopia and Kenya, and ventured into Somalia, the officials said.
US forces on terrorism proving 'disastrous' for Horn of Africa 26 Feb 2007 United States foreign policy is sometimes driven by a single, dangerous "big idea," says a new publication, The Silence of the Rational Centre. [...] Washington’s exclusive focus on fighting terrorism is also producing "disastrous" results in the Horn of Africa, according to two researchers for the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.
U.S. used war criminals as spies: CIA files 25 Feb 2007 Col. Masanobu Tsuji was a fanatical Japanese militarist and brutal warrior, hunted after World War II for massacres of Chinese civilians and complicity in the Bataan Death March. And then he became a U.S. spy. Newly declassified CIA records, released by the U.S. National Archives and examined by The Associated Press, document more fully than ever how Tsuji and other suspected Japanese war criminals were recruited by U.S. intelligence in the early days of the Cold War.
Cheney's plane diverted 25 Feb 2007 The plane of US Vice-President [sic] Dick Cheney has reportedly been diverted to Singapore because of mechanical problems. Mr Cheney flew out of Sydney en route to the United States on board Air Force 2, a Boeing 757, about 9am today after a four-day visit marred by violent protests, arrests and traffic chaos. [Rendition!!!! --CLG reader]
Plane carrying Vice President Cheney diverted for unspecified reason --Reason for course change on flight from Australia to U.S. unknown 24 Feb 2007 The plane carrying U.S. Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney from Australia to the United States was diverted to Singapore on Sunday because of unspecified problems, Australian Prime Minister John Howard said. "I am not aware of the full circumstances and I have not been told except that it has been diverted," Howard told reporters in Sydney.
Chain up Cheney! Bring Hicks home! Sydney anti-war marchers defy police ban and reclaim the streets Words and pictures by Gavin Gatenby 22 Feb 2007 This evening 1500 anti-war demonstrators overcame a strong police presence and, after a half-hour confrontation with the NSW riot squad and mounted police marched to the US Consulate to protest against US Vice-President [sic] Dick Cheney's visit to Australia and the five-year imprisonment of David Hicks in Guantanamo Bay.
Hicks takes Government to court 26 Feb 2007 Lawyers for Guantanamo Bay inmate David Hicks will launch action in the Federal Court this morning to bring the terror suspect home. Led by constitutional expert Bret Walker SC, the team of lawyers will argue the federal government has breached its protective duty by failing to call for a fair trial for Hicks.
Egypt cleric claims CIA torture in 2003 rendition [kidnap] from Italy 25 Feb 2007 Egyptian cleric Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr said in a live television interview with Al Jazeera Sunday that he was "savagely tortured by the CIA when kidnapped" and taken from Milan to Egypt in 2003.
White House Disaster Drill Supposes 10-City IED Strike 25 Feb 2007 Dozens of high-level officials joined in a White House drill yesterday to see how the government would respond if several cities were attacked simultaneously with bombs similar to those used against [by] U.S. troops in Iraq.
Surveillance Cameras Get Smarter 25 Feb 2007 Researchers and security companies are developing cameras that not only watch the world but also interpret what they see. Soon, some cameras may be able to find unattended bags at airports, guess your height or analyze the way you walk to see if you are hiding something.
UK military experiments with ESP 23 Feb 2007 The Ministry of Defence has released a previously classified Report which shows that it financed ESP experiments in 2002. The heavily censored Remote Viewing Report was made available in response to an application under the Freedom of Information Act.
Advanced geometry of Islamic art 23 Feb 2007 A study of medieval Islamic art has shown some of its geometric patterns use principles established centuries later by modern mathematicians. Researchers in the US have found 15th Century examples that use the concept of quasicrystalline geometry.
After 400 years, Virginia issues official apology for slavery --Resolution passed in former confederate capital --'Profound regret' for enslavement of millions 26 Feb 2007 The state of Virginia, the heart of the confederacy during the civil war, has issued the first official apology for slavery and the exploitation of native Americans by the country's white settlers.
Gas prices up nearly 13 cents in 2 weeks 25 Feb 2007 The average retail price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States jumped nearly 13 cents in the last two weeks and could go higher.
Kuwait on alert after bird flu detected 25 Feb 2007 Kuwait announced on Sunday that it had detected the deadly strain of avian influenza in poultry and birds and had shut the nation's only zoo, AFP reported. The twenty cases of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza was detected in birds, mainly falcons.
U.S. developing contingency plan to bomb Iran: report 25 Feb 2007 Despite the Bush administration's insistence it has no plans to go to war with Iran, a Pentagon panel has been created to plan a bombing attack that could be implemented within 24 hours of getting the go-ahead from President [sic] George W. Bush, The New Yorker magazine reported in its latest issue.
American armada prepares to take on Iran 24 Feb 2007 It is four and a half acres of American power in the middle of the Arabian Sea but the influence of USS Dwight D Eisenhower stretches for hundreds of miles. The aircraft carrier, backed by its sister vessel, a handful of destroyers and a shoal of support ships, has placed a maritime ring of steel around an increasingly unstable region.
US warns Tehran over nuclear 'mistake' 25 Feb 2007 US Vice-President [sic] Dick Cheney renewed Washington's criticism of Iran yesterday, warning the Islamic state it would be a "serious mistake" if it continued to develop nuclear technology. A bullish Cheney, speaking in advance of tomorrow's crucial meeting of the UN Security Council in London, said "all options" remained on the table to deal with Iran after it ignored a UN deadline to halt uranium enrichment and said it would defy foreign pressure.
Israel seeks all clear for Iran air strike 24 Feb 2007 Israel is negotiating with the United States for permission to fly over Iraq as part of a plan to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, The Daily Telegraph can reveal. A senior Israeli defence official said negotiations were now underway between the two countries for the US-led occupation in Iraq to provide an "air corridor" in the event of the Israeli government deciding on unilateral military action against Iran.
Sneh: Israel not planning to attack Iran 24 Feb 2007 Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh denied on Saturday a report in the British Daily Telegraph that Israel was negotiating with the United States for permission to use Iraqi air space in an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Peace talks with Syria? 'Dont even think about it' says U.S. 23 Feb 2007 The United States is demanding Israel not to even "explore" the possibility of peace talks with Syria, the Haaretz newspaper reported Friday.
Israel launches Golan war games to learn Lebanon war lessons 22 Feb 2007 Israel launched war games on the occupied Golan Heights Wednesday in a bid to learn the lessons of last summer's conflict in neighboring south Lebanon, defense minister Amir Peretz said.
Scramble for Iraq's oil begins as troops start to pull out --BP, Shell, Exxon and ConocoPhillips want to enter Iraq 23 Feb 2007 We are about to find out if the invasion of Iraq really was a war for oil. The country is on the verge of passing a petroleum law, which will set down rules for investing in its oil industry. That will set off a race among the foreign oil giants, scrambling for their slice of Iraq's vast oil riches.
More than 20 loud blasts rock southern Baghdad 24 Feb 2007 More than 20 loud explosions in quick succession rocked southern Baghdad after night fell on Saturday, Reuters witnesses said.
Fuel tanker bomb kills 40 in Iraq 24 Feb 2007 A fuel tanker rigged with [US] explosives killed 40 people when it blew up near a Sunni mosque in western Iraq on Saturday, police and residents said.
Iraq president chides US over "uncivil" detention 24 Feb 2007 Iraq's president said on Saturday U.S. soldiers responsible for briefly detaining the son of Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, one of Iraq's most powerful Shi'ite leaders, should be disciplined.
U.S. military defends arrest in Iraq 24 Feb 2007 Iraqi President Jalal Talabani Saturday demanded the United States take action in the wake of the controversial arrest of a leading politician's son.
Cheney Defends Iraq War, Attacks Critics 24 Feb 2007 Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney, in a series of blunt and sometimes biting statements during a visit to Asia, defended the Iraq war, attacked administration critics at home and warned that the U.S. would confront potential adversaries abroad.
Thousands protest against Iraq war 24 Feb 2007 Thousands of anti-war protestors took part in demonstrations calling for British troops to be withdrawn from Iraq. In London's Trafalgar Square and Glasgow, activists and military families took to the streets alongside politicians and entertainers.
1,000 join Bin the Bomb protest 25 Feb 2007 Political, church and union leaders joined hundreds of people at a Bin the Bomb rally in Scotland's biggest city. An estimated 1,000 protesters joined the demonstration in Glasgow calling for the Trident nuclear weapon system to be ditched.
US tuned in to own war dead, not Iraqi toll 25 Feb 2007 Americans are keenly aware of how many US forces have lost their lives in Iraq, but woefully underestimate the number of Iraqi civilians who have been killed, a new poll shows.
Pressure mounts on Blair for inquiry into mistakes in Iraq 23 Feb 2007 The Government is under mounting pressure to hold an early inquiry into the mistakes made in Iraq as Tony Blair refused to apologise for the chaos engulfing the country.
Blair in talks with Bush to site US defence shield in Britain 24 Feb 2007 Tony Blair was facing a fresh wave of opposition last night after it emerged he has been in secret negotiations with George Bush to put American anti-ballistic weapons on British soil as part of the American "Star Wars" defensive shield.
British U-turn brings global ban on deadly cluster bombs a step closer 24 Feb 2007 Forty-six countries have taken a giant step towards a landmark treaty banning cluster bombs after Britain swung support behind the drive to outlaw the weapons that have killed and maimed children from Lebanon to Afghanistan.
President asks Prodi to stay on and face vote of confidence 25 Feb 2007 Italy's president asked Romano Prodi to stay on as prime minister yesterday and face a confidence vote to test his majority in parliament.
Cleric: I was seized by CIA and tortured 23 Feb 2007 An Egyptian cleric [Osama Hassan Mustafa Nasr] said yesterday that Egyptian officials tortured him in prison after he was kidnapped in Italy - allegedly by CIA agents - and sent to Alexandria for interrogation.
No end in sight to cameraman's imprisonment at Guantanamo --Al-Jazeera network employee is only journalist at the prison, and the U.S. government won't say why he's there. 24 Feb 2007 A TV cameraman is getting an inside view of life at Guantanamo Bay prison – only he is unable to get out and tell the story. Sami al-Hajj, of the Al-Jazeera TV network, was stopped at the Afghanistan border by Pakistani authorities in December 2001, turned over to U.S. forces and hauled in chains six months later to Guantanamo, where about 390 men are held on suspicion of links to 'al-Qaida' or the Taliban. Al-Hajj has been held in this U.S. military prison ever since.
The US psychological torture system is finally on trial --America has deliberately driven hundreds, perhaps thousands, of prisoners insane. Now it is being held to account in a Miami court. By Naomi Klein 23 Feb 2007 The cruel methods US interrogators have used since September 11 to "break" prisoners are finally being put on trial... The Bush administration's plan was to put José Padilla on trial for allegedly being part of a network linked to international terrorists. But Padilla's lawyers are arguing that he is not fit to stand trial because he has been driven insane by the government.
Canada court rejects terror law 23 Feb 2007 Canada's Supreme Court has struck down a controversial system that allowed the government to detain and deport foreign-born terror suspects. The nine judges ruled that the security certificate system - in place since 1978 - violated Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Kelly death not suicide, says MP 25 Feb 2007 An MP investigating the death of Dr David Kelly says he is convinced the weapons scientist did not kill himself. Norman Baker tells BBC Two's The Conspiracy Files he has reached the conclusion Dr Kelly's life was "deliberately taken by others".
Justice Department Fires 8th U.S. Attorney 24 Feb 2007 An eighth U.S. attorney announced her resignation yesterday, the latest in a wave of forced departures of federal prosecutors who have clashed with the Justice Department over the death penalty and other issues.
Secret report: Terror threat worst since 9/11 25 Feb 2007 The terrorist threat facing Britain from home-grown al-Qaeda [al-CIAduh] agents is higher than at any time since the September 11 attacks in 2001, secret intelligence documents reveal. It is thought the plotters could number more than 2,000.
White House Conducts Bomb Drill 24 Feb 2007 Dozens of high-level officials joined in a White House drill Saturday to see how the government would respond if several cities were attacked simultaneously by the type of the roadside bombs used against [by] American troops in Iraq.
U.S. to test government's response to IED attacks 23 Feb 2007 U.S. officials on Saturday will test the government's ability to respond to [Bush's] attacks inside the United States that use improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, the White House said.
34 States Align Against National I.D. Card 06 Feb 2007 A revolt against a national driver's license, begun in Maine last month, is quickly spreading to other states.
Blair defends police access to database for ID cards 21 Feb 2007 Downing Street last night defended itself against a fresh attack on its flagship ID cards policy after Tony Blair said the police would be able to use the national database to check against fingerprints found at crime scenes.
US airport debuts controversial X-ray scanner 25 Feb 2007 US authorities began testing a controversial new X-ray machine to screen air passengers for weapons in Phoenix yesterday, which critics likened to a "virtual strip search."
Bill strips immunity from drug companies 23 Feb 2007 The state House of Representatives voted 70-39 to repeal a decade-old law that critics said made it impossible for Michigan citizens to sue drug companies when prescription drugs cause injury or death.
H5N1 bird flu confirmed in Afghanistan 24 Feb 2007 The presence of the deadly strain of bird flu in eastern Nangarhar province has been confirmed by Afghanistan's Health Ministry. [Now there are two plagues in Afghanistan: bird flu and US terrorists.]
In US, record numbers are plunged into poverty: report 25 Feb 2007 The gulf between rich and poor in the United States is yawning wider than ever, and the number of extremely impoverished is at a three-decade high, a report out Saturday found.
Warmest winter for 140 years 25 Feb 2007 This winter was the warmest in Switzerland since measurements began more than 140 years ago, climate experts said yesterday.
The Superman and the Supernatural --The Rec Report --By Michael Rectenwald Friday, 23 Feb 2007
Cheney hints at Iran strike 24 Feb 2007 US Vice-President [sic] Dick Cheney has raised the possibility of military action to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. He has endorsed Republican senator John McCain's proposition that the only thing worse than a military confrontation with Iran would be a nuclear-armed Iran.
British Officials Fear US Attack on Iran 23 Feb 2007 Tony Blair has declared himself at odds with hawks in the US Administration by saying publicly for the first time that it would be wrong to take military action against Iran. Senior British government sources have told The Times that they fear President [sic] Bush will seek to "settle the Iranian question through military means" next year, before the end of his second term if he concludes that diplomacy has failed.
Iran has speeded up N-plans, says UN 22 Feb 2007 Iran has speeded up its nuclear programme and plans to complete a large-scale uranium enrichment facility by May, the United Nations atomic watchdog said on Thursday.
Taliban 'in control' in Helmand 22 Feb 2007 Al Jazeera has uncovered evidence that Taliban fighters are now in effective control of large parts of a key province in southwest Afghanistan, despite recent claims by Nato that their bases had been destroyed. James Bays spent two days with the Taliban in Helmand and found that the group is running schools and medical facilities, and is travelling armed and unchallenged by Nato-led forces.
1000 more troops for Afghanistan 24 Feb 2007 The United Kingdom is to confirm the deployment of a further 1000 troops to Afghanistan on Monday in response to a direct appeal from Nato's Supreme Allied Commander (Saceur).
300 troops could be sent to Afghanistan 23 Feb 2007 Australia has the capacity to send up to 300 more troops to Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says.
WH Stands Behind Cheney's Claim That Democrats Are Helping Al-Qaeda 22 Feb 2007 In a briefing for reporters on Air Force One today, en route to North Carolina, White House spokesperson Dana Perino said the president stood by Vice President [sic] Cheney claims yesterday that Democrats opposing the Iraq war in Congress are helping 'al-Qaeda.'
"When Dick Cheney says it's a good thing, you know that you've probably got some big problems." Obama Ridicules Cheney's Iraq Comments 23 Feb 2007 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama ridiculed Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney on Friday for saying Britain's decision to pull troops from Iraq is a good sign that fits with the strategy for stabilizing the country. Obama, speaking at a massive outdoor rally in Austin, Texas, said British Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision this week to withdraw 1,600 troops is a recognition that Iraq's problems can't be solved militarily. "Now if Tony Blair can understand that, then why can't George Bush and Dick Cheney understand that?" Obama asked thousands of supporters who gathered in the rain to hear him.
White House opposes changing Iraq war resolution 23 Feb 2007 The White House expressed opposition on Friday to any attempt by the U.S. Senate to revise the 2002 resolution that President [sic] George W. Bush used to go to war in Iraq.
Democrats plan bill to limit U.S. war mission --Senators' move directly challenges authority granted to President Bush 22 Feb 2007 Determined to challenge President [sic] Bush, Senate Democrats are drafting legislation to limit the mission of U.S. troops in Iraq, effectively revoking the broad authority Congress granted in 2002, officials said Thursday.
Lieberman Says War Vote Could Prompt Party Switch 22 Feb 2007 Sen. Joseph I. LieberBush of Connecticut told the Politico on Thursday that he has no immediate plans to switch parties but suggested that Democratic opposition to funding the war in Iraq might change his 'mind.' [The little maggot assured Connecticut voters in his 2006 Senate campaign that he would caucus with the Democrats.]
Iraq worst disaster for US foreign policy-Albright 23 Feb 2007 Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said on Thursday the war in Iraq would go down in history as the worst disaster in U.S. foreign policy.
The British Retreat from Iraq Brings Peril for US Troops By Juan Cole 23 Feb 2007 Vice President [sic] Cheney says the British are leaving southern Iraq because things are going so well. In the real world, Basra is a mess.
Shiites: U.S. Held, Freed Leader's Son 23 Feb 2007 U.S. troops detained the son of Iraq's most powerful Shiite politician Friday as he returned to the country from Iran, keeping him in custody for nearly 12 hours before releasing him, Shiite officials said. The U.S. ambassador apologized for the arrest.
War Kills Almost 800 Mercenaries --120,000 [Un]Civilian Contractors, 135,000 Troops Serve In Iraq 23, February 23, 2007 In a largely invisible cost of the war in Iraq, nearly 800 'civilians' [mercenaries] working under contract to the Pentagon have been killed and more than 3,300 hurt doing jobs normally handled by the U.S. military, according to figures gathered by The Associated Press.
US soldier sentenced to 100 years for rape, murder of Iraqi girl 23 Feb 2007 A U.S. soldier [Sgt. Paul Cortez] who pleaded guilty to raping and murdering a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and killing her family was sentenced to 100 years in a military prison, the U.S. Army said on Thursday.
Care of wounded US troops 'unacceptable'-Gates 23 Feb 2007 Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Friday branded the outpatient care of U.S. troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan "unacceptable" and promised officials would be held accountable for the failings.
U.N. human rights expert faults Israel 23 Feb 2007 An independent report commissioned by the United Nations compares Israel's actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to apartheid in South Africa — charges that have drawn angry rebukes from Israel. The report by John Dugard, independent investigator on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for the U.N. Human Rights Council, is to be presented next month. It has already been posted on the body's Web site [until Israel pressures them to take it down].
UK-US in talks on missile defence 23 Feb 2007 The UK and US have held high level talks on the possibility of putting a "Son of Star Wars" missile defence system on British soil.
Pentagon Abandons Big Bomb Test 22 Feb 2007 Facing stiff opposition from two Western states, the Pentagon on Thursday scrapped plans for a 700-ton non-nuclear test blast that would have produced the first mushroom cloud of dust over the Nevada desert in decades. The Defense Department said it would find other ways to test the nation's ability to penetrate underground bunkers that produce and store weapons of mass destruction. [Why not test it on Dick Cheney's bunker to see if it holds up?]
Bell officials studying helicopter crash 22 Feb 2007 Bell Helicopter and Army officials today are assessing the impact Wednesday’s crash of a prototype helicopter will have on development of the service’s badly needed Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter. The $3.1 billion program to build 368 new scout helicopters for the Army, which Bell won the contract for in July 2005, was already nearly a year behind schedule.
Raytheon Gets $300 Million Army Contract 22 Feb 2007 Defense contractor Raytheon Co. said Thursday that it received a 10-year, $300 million contract from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Systems Command to provide logistics support to Army and Marine Corps weapons targeting systems.
Iraq mothers camp outside No 10 23 Feb 2007 Mothers of soldiers killed in Iraq have set up camp outside Downing Street and handed in a letter calling for a meeting with Tony Blair.
Army's Iraq War Objector Charged Again 23 Feb 2007 The Army refiled charges Friday against a lieutenant [First Lt. Ehren Watada] who refused to serve in Iraq, about two weeks after his first court-martial was declared a mistrial.
AWOL soldier sentenced to 7 months in prison 22 Feb 2007 A soldier [Spc. Mark Wilkerson] who admitted fleeing from the Army to avoid deploying to Iraq for a second time was sentenced Thursday to seven months in a military prison and given a bad conduct discharge.
Canada's Highest Court Strikes Terror Detention Law 23 Feb 2007 Canada's highest court struck down a federal law used to detain terrorism suspects, ruling that the measure doesn't "conform to fundamental justice" and giving the government a year to rewrite it.
Top court overturns security certificates; gives MPs a year to draft new law 23 Feb 2007 The Supreme Court of Canada has struck down the key elements of the security certificate system used by the federal government to detain and deport foreign-born terrorist suspects.
Security scanner can see through clothes 23 Feb 2007 The Phoenix airport on Friday became the first in the United States to test new X-ray technology that can see through people's clothes and show the body's contours with blush-inducing clarity.
Powerful X-ray machine debuts in Phoenix --'Backscatter' visually strips off clothing, to be used on voluntary basis 23 Feb 2007 An X-ray security scanner that can see through clothing was put into its first operational use Friday at Sky Harbor International Airport and could be rolled out to two other major airports by year's end.
U.S. Plans To Ease Rule on Passports 23 Feb 2007 The United States plans to ease passport requirements for teenagers and children crossing from Canada into the United States, in an attempt to defuse complaints that new security rules will throttle cross-border visitation.
It's official: Mexican trucks coming --100 companies will have unlimited access to U.S. roads 23 Feb 2007 One hundred Mexican trucking companies will have unlimited access to U.S. roads to haul international cargo as part of a year-long pilot program, the Department of Transportation announced today.
CNN Poll: Do you believe the American people should demand an end to any further expansion of the "North American Union" until the American people are allowed to approve or disapprove it? Yes 98% 7017; votes No 2% 166 votes; Total: 7183 votes [Poll snapshot: 22:22 EST 23 Feb 2007]
Perry surprised by backlash to HPV order --Mandate was months in the making, but few were in the loop. 23 Feb 2007 This e-mail and other documents obtained by the Austin American-Statesman under Texas open records laws reveal new details about how Texas became the first state to require the vaccine that helps prevent cervical cancer. They show that the governor's office [Gov. Rick Perry (R-Pharma-terrorist Enabler)] had been talking about HPV with drug maker Merck for at least five months and that the same state agency that the governor directed to implement the executive order actually drafted the order.
Islamic artists were 500 years ahead of Western scientists 23 Feb 2007 Islamic artists were exploiting a mathematical principle to decorate buildings with complicated patterns of tiles more than 500 years before its discovery in the West.
Cheney on Global Warming 23 Feb 2007 ABC's Jonathan Karl asked Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney about the topic of global warming... The vice president agreed that the earth is warming but, like President [sic] Bush, maintained there is debate over whether humans or natural cycles are the cause-- a position that puts the administration at odds with the vast majority of climate scientists. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- made up of thousands of scientists from around the world -- reported earlier this month they are more certain than ever that humans are heating earth's atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels.
The People V. Richard Cheney --Resolved, that Richard B. Cheney, vice president [sic] of the United States, should be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors and that these articles of impeachment be submitted to the American people. By Wil S. Hylton, GQ, March 2007 With Cheney, there are also no lingering questions about capacity, motive, or malice. Over the past six years, as the country has spiraled into military misadventure, fiscal madness, and environmental meltdown, the vice president has not merely been wrong about the issues; he has been duplicitous, deceitful, and deliberately destructive to the American democracy.
Cheney Calls for His Own Impeachment: "You have to be accountable for the results" By Bob Fertik 23 Feb 2007 Yes, Dick, you sure do. And here are just a few results you have to be held accountable for... [Sign petition to Impeach Cheney First by democrats.com.]
Rats Run Free At NYC Restaurant 23 Feb 2007 It's hard to believe how bad the rat problem is at a downtown Manhattan fast-food restaurant. The rodents were everywhere at a KFC-Taco Bell restaurant in Greenwich Village.
Surge, Or the Failure of God --The Rec Report --By Michael Rectenwald Thursday, 22 Feb 2007
"There is a cloud over the vice-president." Libby perjury hearing casts cloud over Cheney 21 Feb 2007 As a Washington jury starts its deliberations on Thursday on whether Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the former chief of staff of Dick Cheney, the US vice-president [sic], is guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice, he is not the only one whose reputation has come under suspicion. "There is a cloud over the vice-president," Patrick Fitzgerald, special prosecutor, told the jury on Tuesday. "He sent Libby off to the meeting with Judy [Judith Miller] where Plame was discussed. That cloud is something that we just can’t pretend isn’t there." [It could be worse! It could be a chlorine gas cloud, the type the US is using against civilians in Iraq. --LRP]
Jury still deliberating in Libby perjury case 22 Feb 2007 A jury ended its second day of deliberations on Thursday without reaching a verdict in the perjury trial of former vice presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who is accused of obstructing an investigation tied to the Iraq war
Ten arrested at Cheney protest 22 Feb 2007 Ten people have been arrested in Sydney during violent clashes between police and protesters at a rally ahead of the arrival of US Vice-President [sic] Dick Cheney.
Defiant Australians Protest Cheney's Visit 22 Feb 2007 Street protesters in Sydney clashed with police ahead of the arrival in Australia of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney. About 250 people, who had been refused permission to stage a march through the center of the city, scuffled with police when they decided to go ahead without a permit. [Right, only sycophants ask for a 'permit' to protest.]
Crackdown on Cheney violence 22 Feb 2007 Police have told activists they oppose today's planned protest against US Vice-President [sic] Dick Cheney in Sydney. Hundreds of activists are expected to rally at Sydney's Town Hall from 5.30pm (AEDT) before marching down George Street to Martin Place... Australian Democrats Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja criticised the Federal and NSW governments for permitting Mr Cheney's security team to carry firearms in Australia. "This is another example of the Australian Government kowtowing to the United States," Senator Stott-Despoja said in a statement.
"We're talking about trillions of dollars of oil that are at stake." Oily truth emerges in Iraq 21 Feb 2007 A proposed new Iraqi oil and gas law began circulating last week... Under the proposed law, Iraq's immense oil reserves would not simply be opened to foreign oil exploration, as many had expected. Amazingly, executives from those companies would actually be given seats on a new Federal Oil and Gas Council that would control all of Iraq's reserves. In other words, Chevron, ExxonMobil, British Petroleum and the other Western oil giants could end up on the board of directors of the Iraqi Federal Oil and Gas Council, while Iraq's own national oil company would become just another competitor.
Straw promises Iraq war inquiry 22 Feb 2007 Commons leader Jack Straw has said an inquiry into the Iraq war will be held "in due course". The government has been under pressure to hold a full-scale inquiry into all aspects of the war.
US Iran intelligence 'is incorrect' 22 Feb 2007 Much of the intelligence on Iran's nuclear facilities provided to UN inspectors by US spy agencies has turned out to be unfounded, diplomatic sources in Vienna said today.
U.S. Official Overstates Iran's Meddling In Iraq 21 Feb 2007 An anonymous U.S. official, assigned to provide a recent “background” briefing to the news media in Baghdad, strayed from his script and overstated evidence linking Iranian leaders to weapons found in Iraq, according to four U.S. intelligence officials familiar with the matter.
Report Finds Iran in Breach of U.N. Order 22 Feb 2007 In open defiance of the United Nations, Iran is steadily expanding — rather than freezing — its efforts to enrich uranium, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported today. The findings have prompted the Bush Administration to press for more severe sanctions against Iran, at a moment of greatly increased tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Iraqi PM advices Mahdi Army leaders to hide in Iran, leaked letter 21 Feb 2007 The Iraqi Prime Minister advised the Mahdi Army leaders to hide in Iran, revealed a leaked letter from the office of the prime minister and posted online by the Kurdish website, peyamner, on Tuesday.
"[Pfc. Steven] Green then placed himself between Abeer's legs to rape her. When Green was finished, he stood up and shot Abeer in the head two or three times." US soldier admits rape, murder of Iraqi girl 22 Feb 2007 A second US soldier's plea of guilty to the gang rape of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and the killing of her and her family has been accepted by a judge. Sgt Paul Cortez admitted four murders, rape and conspiracy to rape.
Iraq Qaeda leader vows revenge over rape: Web 22 Feb 2007 The leader of al Qaeda's wing in Iraq vowed militants would avenge a Sunni woman who said she had been raped by members of Iraq's Shi'ite-dominated police, according to an audio tape posted on the Internet on Thursday.
U.S. Says It Found Chemicals at Iraqi Bomb Factory 22 Feb 2007 American troops on a raid near Falluja discovered three car bombs under construction in a bomb-making factory that appeared intended to be used with chemicals, the chief American military spokesman in Baghdad said Thursday. Five of the buildings raided by American forces were packed with [planted] munitions and chemicals, he said.
8th U.S. helicopter, Black Hawk, shot down north of Baghdad 22 Feb 2007 A U.S. Black Hawk helicopter that made a "hard landing" Wednesday apparently was shot down, the U.S. military said on Thursday. "The initial indications appear that it was brought down by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades," U.S. military spokesman Major General William Caldwell said.
British Army wanted out of Iraq faster 23 Feb 2007 British military chiefs had been pushing for much bigger cuts in troop numbers in Iraq than those announced by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
National Guard May Undertake Iraq Duty 22 Feb 2007 The Pentagon is planning to send more than 14,000 National Guard troops back to Iraq next year, shortening their time between deployments to meet the demands of President [sic] Bush’s buildup, Defense Department officials said Wednesday.
"Project Filibuster" - To End The War Now! By Ron Corvus "Project Filibuster" is the people's movement to end the war in Iraq by convincing 41 of your Senators to support a filibuster of President [sic] Bush's upcoming war appropriations bill before Congress, thereby cutting funding to the war in Iraq. "Project Filibuster" calls for cutting funds to the war - not cutting funds to the troops.
Rudd supports plan to boost Afghan troops 22 Feb 2007 Federal Labor supports an additional deployment of troops to Afghanistan if they are necessary to defeat 'Osama bin Laden' and the Taliban, Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd says.
Italian Premier Quits After Policy Loss 22 Feb 2007 Premier Romano Prodi resigned Wednesday after nine months in office following an embarrassing loss by his center-left government in the Senate on foreign policy, including Italy's military 'mission' in Afghanistan.
UK 'aims to weaken' treaty on bomblets 22 Feb 2007 Britain has been accused of sending a delegation to "water down" an international attempt to ban cluster munitions which have killed and maimed children from Afghanistan to Lebanon.
Nevada "mushroom cloud" blast plan abandoned 22 Feb 2007 The Pentagon has abandoned plans for a massive test explosion in the Nevada desert, the first time a mushroom cloud would have been seen near Las Vegas since a nuclear test in the 1960s, officials said on Thursday.
Expert: Padilla unable to stand trial 22 Feb 2007 Alleged al-Qaida [al-CIAduh] operative Jose Padilla suffers from intense stress and anxiety after being imprisoned in isolation for years [tortured] and cannot adequately help his lawyers prepare for a criminal trial, a mental expert testified Thursday.
Psychiatrist says US terror suspect has Stockholm syndrome 22 Feb 2007 A psychiatrist [forensic neuropsychiatrist Angela Hagerty] told a court in Miami US terror suspect Jose Padilla is unable to assist in his defense as he identifies with the military captors who held him for more than three years.
PM pledges shorter jail term for Hicks if convicted 23 Feb 2007 The Prime Minister will deduct the time David Hicks has already spent in captivity if he is convicted by a US military commission and sent to Australia to serve any sentence.
Prisoners of the rule of law By Erwin Chemerinsky 22 Feb 2007 Tuesday's federal court of appeals ruling that ordered the dismissal of the lawsuits by Guantanamo detainees ignored the US Constitution and Supreme Court precedent. The Supreme Court should grant expedited review and, as quickly as possible, make it clear that the federal courts must hear the allegations by Guantanamo detainees that they are being held in violation of the Constitution and federal treaties.
U.S. Detention Center Criticized --Organizations Call Center a 'Prison-Like Institution' 22 Feb 2007 The day Mustafa Elmi turned 3 years old he had to report to his cell three times for headcount. To be able to get one hour of recreation inside a concrete compound sealed off by metal gates and razor wire he had to pin his picture ID to his uniform. Two national organizations decry the conditions at the T. Don Hutto Family Residential Facility and have termed the facility "a penal detention model that is fundamentally anti-family and anti-American." [See: KBR awarded $385M Homeland Security contract for U.S. detention centers 24 Jan 2006.]
Affidavit: McVeigh had high-level help --According to Oklahoma bombing conspirator, ranking officials were involved in the attack 21 Feb 2007 Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols says a high-ranking FBI official "apparently" was directing Timothy McVeigh in the plot to blow up a government building and might have changed the original target of the attack, according to a new affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Utah.
Nichols says bombing was FBI op --Detailed confession filed in S.L. about Oklahoma City plot 21 Feb 2007 The only surviving convicted criminal in the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City is saying his co-conspirator, Timothy McVeigh, told him he was taking orders from a top FBI official in orchestrating the bombing.
Judge Dismisses Posada's Bid to Be Freed 22 Feb 2007 A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request by an anti-Fidel Castro activist [!?!] to be released from jail while immigration officials figure out where to deport him. [OMFG! 'Activist?!?' Posada is a *convicted terrorist.*]
Two U.S. men named in suspected terrorism plot 22 Feb 2007 Two more U.S. citizens have been indicted in a connection with a suspected plot to carry out a holy war against American troops in Iraq. [...] The two Chicago men were in contact with the other three about training for violent acts, but no instruction actually took place, the indictment said.
Met told: 'stop using stop-and-search' 22 Feb 2007 Anti-terror officers must stop using powers to stop and search people at will, Britain's top police authority said today. The controversial powers does "untold damage" to how the public sees police, a new report by the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) says. Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 allows officers to stop people without any reasonable grounds.
U.S. to exempt kids from passport rules 22 Feb 2007 Children will be exempt from new rules that will require travelers to show passports when entering the U.S. at land or sea borders, the Bush administration announced on Thursday.
New! The Rec Report --Daily commentary by Michael Rectenwald, CLG Founder and Chair. Oedipus Bush --The Rec Report Wednesday, 22 February 2007
Cheney says U.S. wants to leave Iraq "with honour" 21 Feb 2007 U.S. Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney said on Wednesday the United States wants to finish its mission in Iraq and "return with honour", despite the war's growing unpopularity at home and doubts among U.S. allies.
Cheney: Dem's Iraq plan would "validate the al-Qaida strategy" 21 Feb 2007 Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney on Wednesday harshly criticized the Iraq strategy advocated by Democratic leaders in Congress, saying their approach would "validate the al-Qaida strategy." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fired back that Cheney's remarks were out of bounds.
US politicians spar over UK troop move 22 Feb 2007 The White House portrayed a British timetable for beginning to withdraw forces from Iraq as a sign of progress but Democrats seized on it to pressure President [sic] George W Bush to bring US troops home.
Thousands of troops to stay in Iraq as Blair dashes hopes of speedy exit 22 Feb 2007 Thousands of British troops will remain in Iraq well into next year, and a complete UK withdrawal may come only when United States forces also leave the country, Tony Blair signalled yesterday.
Blair Announces Iraq Withdrawal Plan 21 Feb 2007 Britain will withdraw around 1,600 troops from Iraq in the coming months and aims to further cut its 7,100-strong contingent by late summer if Iraqi forces can secure the country's south, Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday.
UK troop reduction scheduled for April 22 Feb 2007 British Prime Minister Tony Blair has announced Britain's first large-scale cut of troops numbers in Iraq, with nearly a quarter set to return home within months.
Report: Denmark to announce plans for Iraq withdrawal 21 Feb 2007 Denmark was expected to announce plans to begin withdrawing its troops from Iraq at a news conference on Wednesday, Danish media reported.
White House Says British Plan Good News 22 Feb 2007 The Bush regime said Wednesday that Britain's decision to withdraw 1,600 troops from Iraq is a positive sign that fits with the overall strategy for stabilizing the country.
Out of step: now Howard backs Britain's pullout from Iraq 22 Feb 2007 After warning that any withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq would create catastrophe, embolden terrorists and increase the bloodshed, the Howard Government has described a significant pullout of British forces as "good sense".
UK troop reduction a welcome catalyst, says Iraqi president 21 Feb 2007 The Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, today told the Guardian that Tony Blair's statement on phased troop withdrawal in the southern city of Basra was "a welcome catalyst for Iraqi security forces in the south and elsewhere to stand on their own feet".
Top Sunni official fired after calling for investigation into rape allegations 21 Feb 2007 Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday fired a top Sunni official who had called for an international investigation into the rape allegations leveled by a Sunni Arab woman against three members of the Shiite-dominated [US-funded, trained] security forces. A statement by al-Maliki's office gave no reason in announcing the dismissal of Ahmed Abdul-Ghafour al-Samaraie, head of the Sunni Endowments.
U.S. soldier pleads guilty in Iraq rape, murders 20 Feb 2007 A second U.S. soldier pleaded guilty on Tuesday to raping and killing a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and murdering her family, a crime for which three others still face charges.
At least 78 Iraqi media professionals killed in 2006 By Dirk Adriaensens, The BRussells Tribunal 21 Feb 2007 40 Iraqi journalists/reporters, 36 Iraqi media assist workers and 2 non Iraqi media assist workers were killed in Iraq during 2006, the deadliest year of the war. Total for 2006: 78.
Iraqi Militants Use Chlorine in 3 Bombings 21 Feb 2007 A truck bomb that combined explosives with chlorine gas blew up in southern Baghdad on Wednesday, and officials said it may represent a new and deadly tactic by 'insurgents' [US terrorists] against Iraqi civilians. It was at least the third truck bomb in a month to employ chlorine, a greenish gas also used in World War I, which burns the skin and can be fatal after only a few concentrated breaths.
Eighth US Chopper Down in Iraq: "Hard landing" chopper actually shot down 21 Feb 2007 A U.S. helicopter that crashed today north of Baghdad was shot down, the military said after initially stating that the chopper made a "hard landing."
Involvement in Iraq has increased terrorism threat, professor says 22 Feb 2007 An authority on terrorism [Professor Clive Williams from Macquarie University] says withdrawing troops from Iraq would reduce the risk of attacks on Australia and its interests.
Iran unyielding on IAEA nuclear demands 21 Feb 2007 Despite a U.N. Security Council deadline, Iran called Wednesday for talks with the United States — but did not budge on council demands that it mothball its uranium enrichment program or face harsher sanctions.
Afghanistan troops may increase 22 Feb 2007 Australia looks set to increase its commitment to Afghanistan. Defence Minister Brendan Nelson has refused to confirm a newspaper report today that up to 450 extra personnel will be sent, doubling the number of Australian troops in Afghanistan.
Royal Marine killed in Afghanistan 21 Feb 2007 A Royal Marine has been killed by a landmine in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has said.
Jury Deliberations Begin in CIA Leak Case 21 Feb 2007 Jurors began deliberating the fate of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby today after hearing instructions from the judge on how to evaluate whether Vice President [sic] Cheney's former chief of staff lied to investigators to conceal his role in the leak of a CIA officer's identity.
Former DOD civilian guilty of taking bribe 22 Feb 2007 A former employee of U.S. Special Operations Command Europe in Stuttgart, Germany [Steven Merkes], pleaded guilty on Friday to accepting bribes in return for steering work to a Romania- and Iraq-based contractor.
Italian PM hands in resignation 21 Feb 2007 Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has handed his resignation to the country's president after losing a crucial foreign policy vote in the Senate.
Guantanamo inmates denied trial 21 Feb 2007 Prisoners at Guantanamo Bay cannot challenge their detention in US courts, an appeal court has ruled.
Hicks to 'keep rotting' 22 Feb 2007 David Hicks could rot in jail for two more years, his Australian lawyer said yesterday. David McLeod said a US Court of Appeals ruling that non-US enemy combatants including Hicks had no right to challenge their detention in the US court system would itself be challenged in the US Supreme Court.
MPs fear election backlash over Hicks 22 Feb 2007 Coalition backbenchers fear a backlash against them at the federal election if David Hicks continues to languish in custody indefinitely. Victorian Liberal Senator Judith Troeth said yesterday that concern about Australia's military in Iraq was not the biggest issue in the electorate.
Canada-Afghanistan detainee agreement allows torture: rights groups 21 Feb 2007 Two human rights groups have called on Canada's Federal Court to review the legality of terrorism detainee transfer procedures under the Canada-Afghanistan Detainee Agreement. Amnesty International Canada and the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association filed an application for judicial review Wednesday, alleging that the transfer of terrorist suspects from the custody of the Canadian Forces to Afghanistan may violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and various international human rights obligations. The groups allege that Afghanistan tortures detainees.
Seven More Gitmo Detainees Arrive 22 Feb 2007 Saudi Arabia announced yesterday that seven Saudi detainees held at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba have been released by US authorities.
Aznar Sent Spanish Spooks to Guantanamo 20 Feb 2007 Former Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar not only sent police officers to Guantanamo naval base, but also intelligence agents to interrogate prisoners with US authorization, El Pais daily revealed Tuesday.
Aznar Grilled Guantanamo Detainees 13 Feb 2007 The government of ex president Jose Maria Aznar sent police to Guantanamo to interrogate the prisoners when Federico Trillo acted as Defense Minister and Angel Acebes of Interior, assured El Pais newspaper. The officials from the National Police Corps went to Guantanamo in 2002 to question [torture] about 20 prisoners without authorization of any Spanish judge.
North By Northwest --Is Scott Caplan a cloak-and-dagger Portland lawyer, or did the CIA fool him into helping torture accused terrorists? By James Pitkin 21 Feb 2007 There appears little doubt Portland lawyer Scott Caplan worked for the CIA. The question is, did he know it? In August 2003, when shadowy figures started a company in Oregon that subsequent reports linked to the CIA's practice of flying terror suspects to other countries to be tortured, it was Caplan—a $250-an-hour local business lawyer—who filed the paperwork with the state.
2 Illinois Men Accused In Terrorist Conspiracy --Prosecutors: Cousins Planned Terrorist Acts Against Americans Overseas, Including In Iraq 21 Feb 2007 Two Chicago-area cousins were arrested Wednesday on charges of conspiring to commit terrorist acts against Americans overseas, including U.S. military forces serving in Iraq. Zubair A. Ahmed of suburban North Chicago, and Khaleel Ahmed of Chicago, were arrested after a grand jury in Cleveland returned an indictment charging them and three other men who had already been facing terrorism charges.
US judge orders domestic spying cases to proceed 21 Feb 2007 US officials failed to sideline dozens of domestic spying lawsuits on Tuesday as a federal judge ordered the war on terror-connected cases to proceed despite a pending appeal.
U.S. Official Admits to Big Delay in Revamping No-Fly Program 21 Feb 2007 The federal takeover of checking passenger names against terrorist watch lists is not expected to be complete until 2010, more than five years behind schedule, a top Department of Homeland Security official acknowledged on Tuesday.
MPs attack plan to give police access to ID card database 21 Feb 2007 The Government's plan to bring in identity cards has run into further problems after it emerged that the police would be able to use the national database to check fingerprints found at crime scenes.
9/11 attacks 'an incident' 21 Feb 2007 French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen has dismissed the September 11, 2001 attacks as an "incident", saying the death toll of 3 000 was equal to the number of people killed in Iraq in a month. [It is.]
H5N1 bird flu found in poultry in eastern Afghanistan, U.N. says 21 Feb 2007 Afghan authorities were culling poultry after an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in chicken in an eastern Afghan city, a U.N. official said Wednesday.
New Cases Of Bird Flu Detected In Russia 21 Feb 2007 Although efforts have been made to curb the growing epidemic of bird flu worldwide, Russia now reports that it was confirmed yet another outbreak of the deadly virus in a farm in the country's southern region.
South Dakota Senate committee kills abortion ban bill 21 Feb 2007 A South Dakota Senate committee, by an 8-1 vote, killed a bill Wednesday that would have banned most abortions in South Dakota.
Gore may get honorary doctorate 19 Feb 2007 President Al Gore could pay a visit to the University of Minnesota in the near future to receive an honorary degree for his work in climatology.
Bears say goodnight as snow falls in Russia 26 Jan 2007 After weeks of rain and unprecedented high temperatures, cold and snow finally hit back in central Russia, sending bears to their winter slumber and endangering other hibernating species like hedgehogs. "As soon as snow covered the earth, the brown bear that stayed awake all this time returned to his lair and fell asleep," the Moscow zoo's spokesperson said on Thursday, as quoted by the ITAR-TASS news agency.
US 'Iran attack plans' revealed 20 Feb 2007 US contingency plans for air strikes on Iran extend beyond nuclear sites and include most of the country's military infrastructure, the BBC has learned. It is understood that any such attack - if ordered - would target Iranian air bases, naval bases, missile facilities and command-and-control centres.
Blair 'to confirm Iraq timetable' 20 Feb 2007 Tony Blair is expected to announce a timetable for the withdrawal of UK troops from Iraq. The prime minister is due to make an announcement in the House of Commons on Wednesday in which he is expected clarify the details.
Security forces rob Baghdad academics 18 Feb 2007 When Iraqi soldiers and police smashed their way into Mohammed al-Jabouri’s home on the first day of Baghdad's latest security crackdown last week, he did not imagine they would steal the family’s life savings. The security forces separated the men from the women and then ordered Jabouri’s wife to give them a suitcase filled with jewellery and £20,000 in cash. [...] "The same militiamen who used to raid our areas in the past are now conducting the security crackdown, using this as a chance to attack us further," Jabouri said. Later the same night, security forces raided a compound containing the homes of 110 university professors and their families.
Iraq Clears 3 Policemen in Rape Case 20 Feb 2007 After a one-day investigation [!?!], the government cleared three policemen Tuesday of rape allegations brought by a married Sunni woman a move that drew charges of a cover-up from Sunni leaders.
Bombing of chlorine gas tanker kills 9 in Iraq 20 Feb 2007 A hidden [US] bomb ripped through a tanker carrying chlorine gas today, killing nine people and filling hospital beds with more than 150 wheezing and frightened villagers after noxious plumes covered homes and schools north of Baghdad.
Bomber strikes funeral in Iraq 20 Feb 2007 A suicide bomber struck a funeral in Baghdad today, killing at least seven people as militants show increasing defiance to a major security operation in the city. At least 15 people were injured.
Car bombs kill at least 11 in Baghdad 20 Feb 2007 Car bombs killed at least 11 people in Baghdad on Tuesday as militants show increasing defiance to a major security operation in the capital.
Occupation drops 2,000 bomb on Taliban insurgents 20 Feb 2007 Occupation forces launched a 'precision' [?!?] airstrike on Taliban fighters cornered in a cave in central Afghanistan [western Uruzgan province] Tuesday, a military statement said. "Coalition forces dropped one 2,000 pound bomb on the cave, sealing it off," the occupation said.
Six U.S. soldiers wounded in Afghan hospital blast 20 Feb 2007 An Afghan suicide bomber disguised as a doctor blew himself up at a hospital in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, wounding six Americans. Khost Governor Arsala Jamal told Reuters that U.S. soldiers opened fire on the man who was acting suspiciously as he and U.S. officers attended a function in the hospital.
Taliban fighters ambush Canadian convoy 19 Feb 2007 A Canadian convoy was ambushed twice late Sunday by Taliban fighters armed with rocket propelled grenades and small arms, a Canadian military official said. The resulting firefights saw one Afghan National Police officer and a civilian mistakenly gunned down by soldiers.
Prosecutors in CIA Leak Trial Charge Libby Lied During Investigation 20 Feb 2007 In the closing arguments of the month-long perjury and obstruction of justice trial of former White House adviser Lewis "Scooter" Libby, prosecutors said Libby knowingly lied in the 2003 CIA investigation over the leaked identity of officer Valerie Wilson because he feared criminal charges and losing his job.
Howard a 'risk to national security' 20 Feb 2007 Prime Minister John Howard has brushed off Labor leader Kevin Rudd's description of him as a national security risk.
Accused Terrorist Is Big GOP Donor 19 Feb 2007 Justin Hood reports: The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) won't say what it plans to do with thousands of dollars in campaign donations it received from an accused terror financier. Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari gave $15,250 to the NRCC since 2002, according to FEC records published on the Web site opensecrets.org... The indictment against Alishtari unsealed in Manhattan federal court Friday charges him with providing material support to terrorists by transferring $152,000 between banks to allegedly be used to purchase night-vision goggles and other equipment needed for a terrorist training camp.
"I will screw him in the ass!" --George W. Bush on Osama bin Laden The pessimist was right By Uri Dromi --Review of "Ariel Sharon: An Intimate Portrait" by Uri Dan 15 Feb 2007 Speaking of George Bush, with whom Sharon developed a very close relationship, Uri Dan recalls that Sharon's delicacy made him reluctant to repeat what the president [sic] had told him when they discussed Osama bin Laden. Finally he relented. And here is what the leader of the Western world, valiant warrior in the battle of cultures, promised to do to bin Laden if he caught him: "I will screw him in the ass!" [Comments: W is well-practiced, as U.S. citizens know very well! All these years... who knew he was just getting ready for Bin Laden? --CLG reader, Graham Douglas Lincoln. Mark Yannone's version of this item: Osama has so much to look forward to.]
Court: No habeas corpus for Guantánamo captives 20 Feb 2007 The federal appeals panel in Washington, D.C., sided 2-1 with the Bush regime today, upholding an act of Congress that stripped Guantánamo Bay captives of the right to challenge their detention in lower federal courts. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia handed the White House a key victory as it moves forward with plans to hold war-crimes trials for at least three Guantánamo captives at the remote Navy base in southeast Cuba. In New York, the Center for Constitutional Rights, which filed suits on behalf of many of the prisoners, issued a condemnation of the ruling. "Habeas corpus is a right that was enshrined in the Magna Carta to prevent kings from indefinitely and arbitrarily detaining anyone they chose. The combined actions of the Bush Administration, the previous Congress and two of the three judges today have taken us back 900 years and granted the right of kings to the president." --CCR executive director, Vincent Warren
Court Backs White House on Detainees 20 Feb 2007 A federal appeals court today upheld the constitutionality of a new law that strips federal courts of the authority to review the cases of foreign prisoners held by the military at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. [Text: U.S. Court of Appeals Ruling]
Government misstated statistics on the war on terror, audit shows 20 Feb 2007 The Justice Department has routinely misrepresented the number of terrorism prosecutions, possibly undermining decision-making in the war on [of] terrorism, an independent government audit has found. The report, released Tuesday by the Justice Department's inspector general, concluded that the department in most cases "could not provide support for the numbers reported or could not identify the terrorism link used to classify statistics as terrorism-related."
Terror suspects put on control orders 'should be prosecuted' 20 Feb 2007 More terror suspects should be prosecuted rather than left in legal limbo under virtual house arrest, John Reid has been warned.
Control orders 'necessary' to reduce terrorism 20 Feb 2007 Control orders are necessary because Australia is particularly vulnerable to terrorism, lawyers for the Federal Government said today.
What does a bird flu pandemic and Iraq's electricity have in common? They're both New-Fields exhibition topics in March. By Lori R. Price 20 Feb 2007
Now in Moscow, bird flu continues extending its reach 20 Feb 2007 The outbreaks of avian flu that shut down farms and markets in the suburbs of Moscow over the weekend are a sign that the virus is moving westward along migratory bird routes, as it did last winter. The Russian authorities confirmed Sunday that the H5N1 avian influenza virus had been found on at least six farms within 50 kilometers, or 30 miles, of the capital.
Thousands Get Tested For Bird Flu In Moscow 20 Feb 2007 Thousands of Russians are now being tested after an outbreak of bird flu took place on the outskirts of Moscow.
Merck suspends lobbying for vaccine 20 Feb 2007 Merck & Co. is immediately suspending its lobbying campaign to persuade state legislatures to mandate that adolescent girls get the company's new vaccine against cervical cancer as a requirement for school attendance, the company said Tuesday.
London Mayor Signs Oil Deal With Chavez 20 Feb 2007 London's socialist mayor signed an agreement Tuesday with Venezuela's state-owned oil company to provide discounted oil for the city's iconic red buses, praising the idea as the brainstorm of the country's leftist leader, Hugo Chavez. [Notice that the Reichwing media frequently forgets to cite any 'rightist' leaders - such as Howard and Bush - just the 'leftists.']
Voters' hunger for change threatens Republican dream of eternal power As anti-Bush sentiment grows, pollsters fear party has lost will to govern 19 Feb 2007 Republican strategists fear that an increasingly anti-Bush and war-weary American public could deny the party the White House in 2008, frustrating the grand design of the party's political mastermind Karl Rove for a permanent majority. [Either Bush bin Laden will attack or the US Army-engineered bird flu pandemic 'will have arrived' on US shores just before the 2008 'elections.']
Supreme Court throws out Philip Morris verdict 20 Feb 2007 The Supreme Court threw out a $79.5 million punitive damages award to a smoker’s widow Tuesday, a boon to businesses seeking stricter limits on big-dollar jury verdicts. The 5-4 ruling was a victory for Altria Group Inc.’s Philip Morris USA, which contested an Oregon Supreme Court decision upholding the verdict.
Stop & Shop reports credit data was stolen 19 Feb 2007 With help from US Secret Service agents, Stop & Shop Supermarket Cos. executives scrambled yesterday to determine how many consumers may have had their credit and debit card data stolen by high-tech thieves who apparently broke into checkout-line card readers and planted the equivalent of bugs to steal information.
Warm U.S. weather to prevail in March: WSI 19 Feb 2007 Temperatures will be above normal in most parts of the United States through March, spelling a mild end to the winter heating season, private forecaster WSI Corp. said on Monday.
Consequences of a Rising Bay 18 Feb 2007 New maps show that neighborhoods and roads in many cities near the San Francisco Bay shoreline would be under water if global warming causes tides to rise as much as 3 feet in the coming decades, and officials say regions face key decisions about where people will be able to live and build.
Making Martial Law Easier (The New York Times) 19 Feb 2007 ...[I]t was with a provision quietly tucked into the enormous defense budget bill at the Bush administration’s behest that makes it easier for a president to override local control of law enforcement and declare martial law... Beyond cases of actual insurrection, the president may now use military troops as a domestic police force in response to a natural disaster, a disease outbreak, terrorist attack or to any "other condition."
Mission imperial --While Iraqis struggled in the chaos of Baghdad after the invasion, the Americans sent to rebuild the nation led a cocooned existence in the centre of the capital - complete with booze, hot dogs and luxury villas. Rajiv Chandrasekaran exposes life in the Green Zone. 19 Feb 2007 US government regulations dictated that everything, even the water in which hot dogs were boiled, be shipped in from approved suppliers in other nations. [...] Halliburton, the defence contractor hired to run the palace, brought in dozens of tables, hundreds of stacking chairs and a score of glass-covered buffets.
Our Money: War dollars wasted (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) 19 Feb 2007 Who knew Iraq had so much in common with the Bermuda Triangle. Things just keep disappearing there. Like $36 million in armor and communications gear. Like $12 billion in shrink-wrapped cash. Like $10 billion in aid. Like any notion of accountability. Three top federal investigators warned a House committee that of their review of $57 billion spent on Iraq contracts, about $10 billion was squandered on overpriced, questionable or just straight-up undocumented expenditures, with $2.7 billion of that to Halliburton.
Bush links terror war to U.S. independence war 19 Feb 2007 President [sic] George W. Bush linked the U.S.-led war on [of] terrorism on Monday to the country's struggle for independence led by George Washington more than 200 hundred years ago. [The freedom fighters are those struggling for independence from US King George. These heroes are battling the US corpora-terrorists and for the survival of the planet. --LRP]
Bush's war for independence... for rapists and terrorists: Iraqi PM Probes Police Rape Allegations 19 Feb 2007 Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered an investigation Monday into allegations by a Sunni Arab woman that she was raped by three members of the Shiite-dominated [US-funded] police force after she was detained over the weekend.
Many people think that Saddam Hussein was the *better deal:* One-third of Iraqis live in poverty --A U.N. report cites the nation's damaged infrastructure and U.S. free-market policies. 19 Feb 2007 A third of Iraqis live in poverty, according to a study released under United Nations auspices Sunday, dire findings for a nation that enjoyed widespread prosperity less than three decades ago.
Bush, U.S. Hated Around the World By Bill Gallagher 19 Feb 2007 President [sic] George W. Bush has managed to alienate nearly the entire world, and in a relatively short span of time the United States has become an international pariah... These cases of "extraordinary rendition," the ridiculous term coined to describe kidnappings, which have no basis in U.S. statutes or international law, show the utter contempt the Busheviks have for fundamental rights.
Reid: Iraq war 'worst foreign policy mistake' in U.S. history 18 Feb 2007 After months of heated rhetoric slamming President [sic] Bush's Iraq policy, the Senate's top Democrat moved into new terrain by declaring the Iraq war a worse blunder than Vietnam. "This war is a serious situation. It involves the worst foreign policy mistake in the history of this country," Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, told CNN.
Senate Democrats promise 'relentless' flood of anti-war legislation [Yeah, right!] 18 Feb 2007 After Republicans blocked a Senate debate for a second time, Democrats said Saturday they'll drop efforts to pass a non-binding resolution opposing President [sic] Bush's troop buildup in Iraq and instead will offer a flurry of anti-war legislation "just like in the days of Vietnam." Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, said Democrats would be "relentless."
Clinton urges start of Iraq pullout in 90 days 17 Feb 2007 U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the [alleged] early front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, has called for a 90-day deadline to start pulling American troops from Iraq.
'This has gone on for a very long time.' Australia Government Prods U.S. on Hicks as Election Approaches 18 Feb 2007 The Australian government will urge the U.S. to deal with terrorist suspect David Hicks, who has been held at Guantanamo Bay for five years without trial, before an election that must be held by early next year.
Brazen attack hits U.S. post in Iraq --2 U.S. soldiers killed in blast near base north of Baghdad 19 Feb 2007 'Insurgents' launched a coordinated attack on a U.S. combat post today, sending in a suicide bomber and clashing with American troops. Two U.S. soldiers were killed and 17 wounded, the military said.
Baghdad bombings kill 60 in first blow to security plan [that blows] 18 Feb 2007 A double car bombing has ripped through a crowded Baghdad market, killing at least 60 people and wounding more than 130 in a first vicious blow to the city's new US-led 'security' operation.
Eight U.S. Troops Killed In Afghanistan Chopper Crash 18 Feb 2007 Eight U.S. servicemembers have been killed and 14 others injured in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. The pilot had reported engine failure shortly before the CH-47 Chinook transport went down today in southeastern Afghanistan along the main road between Kabul and Kandahar.
Conn. National Guard Troops In War Zones Await Late Pay 19 Feb 2007 More than one-fifth of the 500 Connecticut National Guard soldiers of the 102nd Infantry serving in war zones are owed thousands of dollars in incentive pay that is months overdue... Lt. Col. John Whitford of the Connecticut National Guard attributed the delay to a "bureaucratic-administrative issue" at the federal level.
Howard commits more troops to Iraq 20 Feb 2007 John Howard has turned up the political heat over Iraq by committing 50 to 70 more troops to the conflict in the lead-up to this week's visit to Sydney by the US Vice-President [sic], Dick Cheney.
More troops for Iraq Afghan commitment may also be lifted 20 Feb 2007 Australia will send more troops to war-torn Iraq and is leaving open the option of another deployment to the "war on [of] terror" in Afghanistan. The decision to dispatch extra troops to Iraq sets up a fractious meeting later this week between Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd and US Vice-pResident Dick Cheney.
Troop reduction in Iraq delayed after pressure from US 18 Feb 2007 Yielding to American pressure, Tony Blair will announce this week that a reduction of British troop levels in Iraq is to be delayed.
US to stage world's biggest anti-terror exercise 20 Feb 2007 The world's largest anti[pro]-terrorism exercise will be held on the Pacific island of Guam this year, emphasising the growing importance of the island to Washington. The TopOff4 exercise will be bigger than last year's Valiant Shield war games, in which the US mobilised 30 ships, 280 aircraft and 22,000 military personnel.
Report: Weapons used in attack in Zahedan, Iran come from U.S. 17 Feb 2007 Explosive devices and arsenals used in a terrorist attack in the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan on Wednesday came from the United States, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Saturday.
Tehran insider tells of US black ops 15 Apr 2006 A former Iranian ambassador and Islamic Republic insider has provided intriguing details to Asia Times Online about US covert operations inside Iran aimed at destabilizing the country and toppling the government - or preparing for an American attack.
Iran fires missiles in new round of war games 19 Feb 2007 Iran's Revolutionary Guards test fired missiles on Monday at the start of three days of military exercises that will be staged across the country, the second round of manoeuvres this month, state media reported.
Officials: Iranian patrol boats probe Iraqi waters 19 Feb 2007 Iranian patrol boats have increased attempts in the last week to assess defenses near Iraqi offshore oil terminals, U.S. military officials said Monday. The assessment is that the probes are part of an Iranian effort to raise its military presence in the gulf.
Missiles could reach Europe if Kremlin wanted: general 19 Feb 2007 Russia's military is capable of firing missiles at Poland and the Czech Republic if they agreed to host a U.S. missile shield, Russia's Strategic Forces commander said, but added it was for the Kremlin to decide.
Colombia minister resigns as paramilitary scandal grows 19 Feb 2007 Colombia's foreign minister [Maria Consuelo Araujo] resigned Monday as an ever-growing scandal linking the political establishment and far-right paramilitaries claimed its first member of President Alvaro Uribe's Cabinet.
Al Qaeda Chiefs Are Seen to Regain Power 19 Feb 2007 Senior leaders of Al Qaeda [al-CIAduh] operating from Pakistan have re-established significant control over their once-battered worldwide terror network and over the past year have set up a band of training camps in the tribal regions near the Afghan border, according to American intelligence and counterterrorism officials.
NY Man Charged With Trying to Fund Terror 16 Feb 2007 Terrorism charges brought Friday against the administrator of a loan investment program claimed that he secretly tried to send $152,000 to the Middle East to buy equipment such as night vision goggles for a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan.
War On Terrorism: Protect them from us (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) 18 Feb 2007 It sounds like something out of a Philip K. Dick novel -- one minute, you're walking down the street, the next, you're bound and blindfolded in a van, taken on board a private jet by a "Removal Unit" and flown to another country where you're held prisoner and tortured. This isn't the work of a nefarious Eastern Bloc government, nor is it the plot line of a futuristic novel. It's the handiwork of our very own Central Intelligence Agency.
6 of 7 Dismissed U.S. Attorneys Had Positive Job Evaluations 18 Feb 2007 All but one of the U.S. attorneys recently fired by the Justice Department had positive job reviews before they were dismissed, but many ran into political trouble with Washington over issues, according to prosecutors, congressional aides and others familiar with the cases.
Gag me with a chainsaw: FBI defends against 'kitchen sink bombs' 18 Feb 2007 Kirk Yeager makes bombs from the stuff found under kitchen sinks. He does it to help the FBI defend against what officials say is the next frontier for terrorists in the United States.
Bird flu outbreak near Moscow might be act of bio-terrorism - veterinary official 18 Feb 2007 Bio-terrorism must not be discarded as a cause of an outbreak of bird flu at Moscow's poultry market, but this should be tackled by the Federal Security Service and other law enforcement services," chief veterinary official of the Moscow region, Valery Sitnikov, told Interfax on Sunday.
Deadly Bird Flu Strain Found Near Moscow 18 Feb 2007 A Russian official reported a fourth outbreak of dead domestic poultry in a suburban Moscow district Sunday as experts tightened quarantines following confirmation of the presence of the H5N1 bird flu strain.
Bird flu outbreaks blamed on rats [Right, US Army lab rats.] 19 Feb 2007 Japanese scientists fear that rats were responsible for carrying avian flu into four poultry farms over the past month, in an alarming development that suggests the virus could spread more quickly than realised. [See also: Killer flu recreated in the lab 07 Oct 2004.]
Pharma-terrorists are making a *killing* with deadly vaccines: Global Vaccine Market to Top 23 Billion Dollars 08 Feb 2007 The global vaccine market is expected to top $10 billion this year and $23.8 billion by 2012, according to an analyst report released Friday. Pediatric vaccines have historically dominated this field, but adult vaccines will see a big spike due to increased uptake of influenza and hepatitis vaccines, predicts a report from Kalorama Information.
Bush: fixing [f*cking up] health care is "urgent priority" 17 Feb 2007 President [sic] George W. Bush said on Saturday it was crucial to rein in U.S. health care costs that are surging at twice the rate of wages and urged the Democratic-led Congress to work with him on the issue.
Weapons used in attack in southeastern Iran come from U.S.: report 18 Feb 2007 Explosive devices and arsenals used in a terrorist attack in the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan on Wednesday came from the United States, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Saturday. Relevant documents, photographs and film footage, which show that the explosives and arsenals used in the attack were American, would soon be made public, an "informed source" was quoted as saying.
Pakistani official: Taliban insurgency becoming 'liberation war' 16 Feb 2007 Taliban-led insurgents are winning ever-greater public support in Afghanistan for a struggle that is taking on the character of a "liberation war" against foreign troops, a senior Pakistani official claimed Friday. [It is.]
Taliban warns of 'bloody attacks' 16 Feb 2007 The Taliban has deployed 10,000 fighters for a spring offensive of "bloody attacks" against foreign troops in Afghanistan, a rebel commander said on Friday.
Helicopter crashes in Afghanistan 18 Feb 2007 The US-led occupation has said one of its helicopters has crashed in south-eastern Afghanistan after reporting engine failure. The helicopter is reported to be an American Chinook, but the occupation did not give any more details.
Planning Seen in Iraqi Attacks on U.S. Copters 18 Feb 2007 Documents captured from Iraqi 'insurgents' indicate that some of the recent fatal attacks against American helicopters are a result of a carefully planned strategy to focus on downing occupation aircraft, one that American officials say has been carried out by mounting coordinated assaults with machine guns, rockets and surface-to-air missiles.
Senate votes against debating Iraq war rebuke 17 Feb 2007 The U.S. Senate refused to consider a resolution on Saturday denouncing President [sic] George W. Bush's Iraq troop buildup that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the day before. The vote was 56 in favour and 34 against. Under Senate rules, 60 votes were needed to bring the resolution to the floor for debate.
GOP blocks Iraq resolution in Senate --Democrats can't muster enough votes to advance the measure, which opposes Bush's deployment of more troops. 18 Feb 2007 The Senate gridlocked on the Iraq war in a sharply worded showdown Saturday as Republicans foiled a Democratic bid to repudiate President [sic] Bush's deployment of 21,500 additional combat troops.
Ex-envoy says Iraq rebuilding plan won't work 17 Feb 2007 Kiki Munshi was showcased by the media in September as a seasoned U.S. diplomat who came out of retirement to lead a rebuilding group in Iraq. Now she is back home, angry, and convinced that President [sic] George W. Bush's new strategy of doubling the number of such groups to 20 along with a troop surge of 21,500 will not help stabilize Iraq.
US troops kidnap six-year-old girl to force Resistance fighter father to surrender 15 Feb 2007 Mafkarat al-Islam reported that US forces kidnapped a six-year-old elementary school girl, Maryam 'Abdallah, as she came out of her school in al-Habbaniyah, 90km west of Baghdad, on Thursday. Reports from al-Habbaniyah indicated that Maryam is the daughter of Shaykh 'Abdallah al-Mar'awi, a Resistance commander, and the abduction was apparently with the aim of pressuring the girl’s father to surrender.
U.S. marine sentenced to 8 years prison in kidnap-murder of Iraqi civilian 17 Feb 2007 A U.S. marine was sentenced Saturday to eight years in military prison for his role in the kidnapping and murder of an Iraqi man. Lance Cpl. Robert Pennington was part of an eight-member squad accused of kidnapping and killing Hashim Ibrahim Awad, 52, last April in the Iraqi town Hamdania. Investigators said the marines dragged Awad from his home, shot him and then planted an AK-47 assault rifle and a shovel by his body to make it look like he was an insurgent planting a bomb.
Jailed 2 Years, Iraqi Tells of Abuse by Americans 18 Feb 2007 As the morning light grew, the American guards moved Laith al-Ani methodically toward freedom. They swapped his yellow prison suit for street clothes, he said. They snipped off his white plastic identification bracelet. They scanned his irises into their database. Then, shortly before 9 a.m., Mr. Ani said, he was brought to a table for one last step. He was handed a form and asked to place a check mark next to the sentence that best described how he had been treated: "I didn’t go through any abuse during detention," read the first option, in Arabic. "I have gone through abuse during detention," read the second. In the room, he said, stood three American guards carrying the type of electric stun devices that Mr. Ani and other detainees said had been used on them for infractions as minor as speaking out of turn. "Even the translator told me to sign the first answer," said Mr. Ani, who gave a copy of his form to The New York Times.
Bomb Blasts Kill 11 in Northern Iraq 17 Feb 2007 A twin bombing left 11 dead in northern Iraq and U.S. aircraft went in action [!] Saturday against Sunni 'insurgents' west of Baghdad.
Iraq's death toll is far worse than our leaders admit --The US and Britain have triggered an episode more deadly than the Rwandan genocide By Les Roberts 14 Feb 2007 ...[T]here was a study, peer-reviewed and published in The Lancet, Europe's most prestigious medical journal, which put the death toll at 650,000 as of last July... The Pentagon will not release information about deaths induced or amounts of weaponry used in Iraq. On 9 January of this year, the embedded Fox News reporter Brit Hume went along for an air attack, and we learned that at least 25 targets were bombed that day with almost no reports of the damage appearing in the press.
U.S. patrol ship on alert in gulf 16 Feb 2007 Every day the 30 sailors on this coastal patrol ship [the Firebolt] in the Persian Gulf are on alert. Soon the Firebolt will be joined in the region by one of the Navy's most heavily armed behemoths: the 1,092-foot-long carrier John C. Stennis, with a crew of 5,000 and more than 80 warplanes. The Stennis will head a strike force of destroyers, cruisers and submarines deployed to the region by the Bush regime amid heightened tensions with Iran.
Tens of thousands protest at plans for US base in Italy 18 Feb 2007 Exactly four years after millions marched to protest at the imminent Iraq war, tens of thousands of Italians took to the streets of Vicenza yesterday to demand that plans to build a new American military base in the city be scrapped.
Soldiers Face Neglect, Frustration At Army's Top Medical Facility 18 Feb 2007 The common perception of Walter Reed is of a surgical hospital that shines as the crown jewel of military medicine. But 5 1/2 years of sustained combat have transformed the venerable 113-acre institution into something else entirely -- a holding ground for physically and psychologically damaged outpatients.
CIA agents must be charged over 'kidnap and torture', says judge 17 Feb 2007 An Italian judge yesterday ordered 26 Americans, most of them believed to be CIA agents, to stand trial for the kidnapping and torture of a Muslim cleric.
Italian judge orders first 'rendition' trial of CIA agents 16 Feb 2007 An Italian judge has ordered 26 Americans and five Italians to stand trial for the kidnapping of a terror suspect in Milan in 2003, in what will be the first criminal court case over the CIA’s extraordinary rendition [kidnapping] programme.
Switzerland Approves Probe of CIA Flight 14 Feb 2007 Switzerland on Wednesday followed Italy and Germany in raising the threat of criminal prosecution of CIA operatives involved in anti[pro]-terrorism operations in Europe. The Swiss Cabinet authorized the start of criminal proceedings against those responsible for the abduction in Italy of an Egyptian Muslim preacher allegedly taken on CIA flights through Swiss airspace.
Hicks could be back in Australia 'by year end' 18 Feb 2007 David Hicks could be back in Australia by the end of the year, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has said, as millionaire Dick Smith put $60,000 into the campaign to bring the terror suspect home.
Neo-Nazi rally was organized by FBI informant 15 Feb 2007 A paid FBI informant was the man behind a neo-Nazi march through the streets of Parramore that stirred up anxiety in Orlando's black community and fears of racial unrest that triggered a major police mobilization. That revelation came Wednesday in an unrelated federal court hearing and has prompted outrage from black leaders, some of whom demanded an investigation into whether the February 2006 march was, itself, an event staged by law-enforcement agencies.
Brandeis Donors Exact Revenge For Carter Visit 18 Feb 2007 Major donors to Brandeis University have informed the school they will no longer give it money in retaliation for its decision last month to host former President Jimmy Carter, a strong critic of Israel.
House Dems back federal shield law 17 Feb 2007 House lawmakers, with the support of top Democratic leaders, are preparing to fast-track long-stalled legislation that would shield reporters in most cases from having to reveal their sources to federal prosecutors.
DOJ Denies Access to Eavesdropping Documents 12 Feb 2007 House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., blasted the Justice Department Monday for denying his committee access to information about President Bush’s domestic eavesdropping program to catch terrorists.
Worker Data Was On Web --State Exposed Names, Social Security Numbers 17 Feb 2007 Personal information for hundreds of state employees - including their names and Social Security numbers - was inadvertently posted on the Internet, Connecticut comptroller's office said Friday.
Evolution memo prompts call for apology 16 Feb 2007 The Anti-Defamation League is calling on state Rep. Ben Bridges (R-Not Evolved-Cleveland, GA) to apologize for a memo distributed under his name that says the teaching of evolution should be banned in public schools because it is a religious deception stemming from an ancient Jewish sect.
Dick Cheney's Dangerous Son-in-Law --Philip Perry and the politics of chemical security. By Art Levine March 2007 The basic elements of the legislation were simple: the EPA would get authority to regulate the security of chemical sites, and, as a first step, plants would submit plans for lowering their risks... No one present was prepared for what came next: the late arrival of an unexpected visitor, Philip Perry, general counsel of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)... The Bush administration was not going to support granting regulatory authority over chemical security to the EPA. "If you send up this legislation," he told the gathering, "it will be dead on arrival on the Hill."
Bush Expected to Name Industry Lobbyist to Head Consumer Safety Agency 16 Feb 2007 Insiders say that Michael Baroody, chief lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), a powerful trade group that opposes aggressive product safety regulation, is President Bush's choice to head the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
JetBlue debacle spurs passenger rights bill in congress 15 Feb 2007 The stranding of hundreds of passengers aboard JetBlue Airways Corp. planes for up to 10 hours Wednesday has revived calls to enact an airline customer rights law. Rep. Michael Thompson, a California Democrat, said Thursday he planned to introduce a bill that would address delayed flights, time on the tarmac, cancellations, and lost or damaged luggage.
Tests confirm H5N1 bird flu strain in 2 suburban Moscow districts 17 Feb 2007 Tests have confirmed the presence of the H5N1 bird flu strain in poultry found dead in two suburban Moscow districts, an agriculture official said Saturday, in the first such outbreak to be recorded so close to the Russian capital.
Fire warning in SA as temperatures soar 18 Feb 2007 South Australians are being warned to be on the lookout for fire bugs as temperatures across the state soar once again towards 40 degrees.
Squirrel on board 16 Feb 2007 An American Airlines flight from Tokyo to Dallas with 202 passengers on board made an unscheduled landing after pilots heard movement in the space over the cockpit. It was later discovered to be a stowaway squirrel. "You do not want a varmint up in the wiring areas," a spokesman said.
DoD Deploys 1,000 Troops As House Passes Resolution Condemning Troop Surge --Army Unit's Deployment Accelerated 16 Feb 2007 The 3rd Infantry Division Headquarters, based in Fort Stewart, Ga., will deploy to Iraq sooner than originally scheduled, DoD officials announced today. The unit was scheduled to begin its deployment in June, but will now begin its deployment in March. This three-month acceleration affects about 1,000 servicemembers.
U.S. House Rebukes Bush War Strategy --Troop Surge Overwhelmingly Fails to Get House Support, 246-182 16 Feb 2007 The House issued a rare wartime rebuke to the pResident. Lawmakers voted in favor of a non-binding resolution, 246-182, that voices support for U.S. troops fighting the war, but criticizes the plan to increase the size of the U.S. force in Iraq by more than 21,000 troops. [House Anti-Troop Surge Resolution]
House Passes Iraq Resolution With 17 Votes From G.O.P. 16 Feb 2007 After four days of emotional debate over the extent of presidential powers in wartime and the proper role of Congress, the House of Representatives adopted a resolution today denouncing President [sic] Bush’s plan to send more American troops to Iraq.
Iraq Troop Boost Erodes Readiness, General Says 16 Feb 2007 Outgoing Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker said yesterday that the increase of 17,500 Army combat troops in Iraq represents only the "tip of the iceberg" and will potentially require thousands of additional support troops and trainers, as well as equipment -- further eroding the Army's readiness to respond to other world contingencies.
Insurgents push north out of Baghdad, making fight more deadly for U.S. forces 16 Feb 2007 Iraqi 'insurgents' have been streaming out of Baghdad to escape the security crackdown, carrying the fight to neighbouring Diyala province where direct attacks on Americans have nearly doubled since last summer, U.S. soldiers said.
1 Million Iraqis May Flee in '07: Report 16 Feb 2007 Unrelenting violence and insecurity in Iraq could cause as many as 1 million Iraqis to flee their homes this year, the world's migration body said Friday.
Marine Apologizes in Iraq Criminal Case 16 Feb 2007 A Marine who pleaded guilty to kidnapping and conspiracy apologized Friday to his country, the Marine Corps and the family of an Iraqi man his squad killed.
Court denies Army medic's conscientious objector claim 16 Feb 2007 A federal appeals court refused on Friday to overturn the detention of a U.S. Army medic who declared his opposition to war on the eve of his deployment to Iraq.
Bomb explodes in southeastern Iran near site of previous blast 16 Feb 2007 Police and 'insurgents' clashed after a bombing in southeastern Iran near the site where an explosion [by US terrorists] killed 11 members of the elite Revolutionary Guards this week, Iranian news agencies reported.
Iran police clash with armed group after bomb 16 Feb 2007 Clashes broke out between police and an armed group following a bomb explosion in southeast Iran on Friday, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
Gulf States Plan Weapons Buying Binge 16 Feb 2007 Deep fears about the war in Iraq and growing tension between the United States and Iran are driving the wealthy oil states of the Persian Gulf to go on shopping sprees for helicopters, ships and tanks, officials say. [Need directions?]
U.S. to shun all members of Palestinian unity govt 15 Feb 2007 The United States will boycott all Palestinian unity government ministers, including non-Hamas members, unless international demands on policy toward Israel are met, a Palestinian official and diplomats said on Thursday.
Taliban deploy 10,000 fighters for attack: commander 16 Feb 2007 The Taliban have deployed 10,000 fighters for a spring offensive of "bloody attacks" against foreign troops in Afghanistan, a rebel commander said on Friday.
U.S. Deploys Stealth Fighters to Okinawa 17 Feb 2007 The U.S. took its newest and most expensive stealth fighter on the road Saturday, deploying the F-22 to an air base on the southern Japan island of Okinawa for its first overseas mission.
Europe's terror chief in human rights warning 16 Feb 2007 Europe’s security services should be subject to greater democratic control to prevent future human rights abuses, the European Union’s departing anti-terrorism co-ordinator said on Friday. Responding to a European parliament report that castigated many countries for permitting abductions and illegal transport of prisoners on their soil by the US, Gijs de Vries said that the continent had become more vulnerable partly because the mistreatment had inflamed Muslim opinion.
31 Stand Trial in CIA Kidnapping Case 16 Feb 2007 An Italian judge on Friday indicted 26 Americans and five Italians in the first criminal trial over the CIA's extraordinary rendition [kidnapping] program. Prosecutors allege that five Italian intelligence officials worked with the Americans - almost all CIA agents - to abduct terror suspect Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr from a Milan street on Feb. 17, 2003.
US refused EU investigator permission to visit Guantanamo 16 Feb 2007 A top European investigator into alleged secret CIA detention centres and flights across the continent said Friday that the United States had turned down his request for a visit to the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Lawyer criticizes Pentagon for releasing Guantanamo charge details 15 Feb 2007 The Pentagon has released new details of allegations against three high-profile terror suspects being held at Guantanamo Bay in a move condemned by a defense lawyer Friday as a tactic to provoke moral condemnation.
Charges used to demonise Hicks: lawyer 16 Feb 2007 David Hicks's Australian lawyer says new charges brought against his client are an attempt to demonise Hicks at a time when the political climate is turning in his favour.
US releases details against Hicks 16 Feb 2007 The US military has released details of its case against David Hicks, an Australian held without trial at Guantanamo Bay for five years. Mr Hicks is facing charges of providing material support for terrorism and attempted murder.
Judge orders Padilla's military jailers to testify 16 Feb 2007 U.S. military prison doctors and staff must testify in court about the treatment of suspected al Qaeda [al-CIAduh] operative Jose Padilla while he was held by presidential order as an "enemy combatant," a judge [District Judge Marcia Cooke] ruled on Friday.
Balloons to float above Pentagon to test defenses [LOL!] 16 Feb 2007 Three large balloons will float above the Pentagon on Saturday as the U.S. Defense Department tests its chemical and biological weapons defenses, department officials said on Friday.
White House Is Reported to Be Linked to a Dismissal 16 Feb 2007 A United States attorney in Arkansas who was dismissed from his job last year by the Justice Department was ousted after Harriet E. Miers, the former White House counsel, intervened on behalf of the man who replaced him, according to Congressional aides briefed on the matter.
Terrorism Charges For New Yorker 16 Feb 2007 Terrorism charges brought Friday against the administrator of a loan investment program alleged that he secretly tried to send $152,000 to buy equipment such as night vision goggles for a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan.
Judge Restricts New York Police Surveillance 15 Feb 2007 In a rebuke of a surveillance practice greatly expanded by the New York Police Department after the Sept. 11 attacks, a federal judge ruled today that the police must stop the routine videotaping of people at public gatherings unless there was an indication that unlawful activity may occur.
Canada Is Set to Allow Expiration of 2 Broad Antiterrorism Laws 15 Feb 2007 Two measures introduced by Canada in the rush to 'protect' the country against terrorist threats after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, are expected to be allowed to expire early next week, with opposition politicians here saying there is no longer a need for such sweeping legislation.
Political blogger warned he could be jailed 16 Feb 2007 The Charity Commission has warned an online blogger he could go to jail unless he submits information he has gathered about the activities of the Smith Institute, the left-wing think tank under investigation for links to the Labour Party.
Ricky Martin defends obscene gesture 16 Feb 2007 At a recent concert, Ricky Martin stuck up his middle finger when he sang George Bush's name in his song "Asignatura Pendiente," which includes the words, "a photo with Bush." The gesture last Friday prompted cheers from thousands of fans in the San Juan stadium. On Thursday, Martin repeated his criticism of the Iraq war and explained his changed position on Bush.
Senate passes election ID bill over claims of 'poll tax' 16 Feb 2007 A day after a voter identification bill cleared the Senate, the state's top elections official wasn't sure it could withstand a legal challenge because of new fees many Kansans would face before registering to cast a ballot.
Group Claims Coburn Broke Election Law 17 Feb 2007 A watchdog group filed complaints Friday alleging Sen. Tom Coburn's (R) campaign broke election law by failing to properly identify some donors before the 2004 election.
Furor on Rush to Require Cervical Cancer Vaccine 17 Feb 2007 Racing to embrace a new vaccine, at least 20 states are considering mandatory inoculation of young girls against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. But a roaring backlash has some health experts worried that the proponents, including the vaccine’s maker, Merck, have pushed too far too fast.
19 Injured in Texas Refinery Blaze 17 Feb 2007 An explosion rocked a west Texas refinery Friday, injuring at least 19 people and sparking a blaze that sent a huge black cloud billowing into the sky.
Rendell irate about Interstate 78 gridlock --Orders probe into 'total breakdown' by state agencies that left motorists out in the cold 17 Feb 2007 While ice-encrusted sections of three central Pennsylvania highways remained closed yesterday, an angry Gov. Ed Rendell (D) ordered an "immediate and complete'' investigation to find out "who screwed up," resulting in hundreds of motorists being stranded in their cars for hours.
Suppressed report shows cancer link to GM potatoes 17 Feb 2007 Campaigners against genetically modified crops in Britain last are calling for trials of GM potatoes this spring to be halted after releasing more evidence of links with cancers in laboratory rats.
January world's hottest on record - report 09 Feb 2007 Last month was the world's hottest January on record, further evidence that greenhouse gas emissions are causing global warming, Japanese scientists said on Friday.
Auditors say billions of dollars wasted in Iraq --House testimony focuses on $10 billion wasted or poorly tracked 15 Feb 2007 The U.S. government is at risk of squandering significantly more money in an Iraq war and reconstruction effort that has already wasted or otherwise overcharged taxpayers billions of dollars, federal investigators said Thursday. Of the $10 billion in overpriced contracts or undocumented costs, more than $2.7 billion were charged by Halliburton Co..
Navy Phone Bill: $4 Billion Posted by Marshall 14 Feb 2007 The Navy is paying about $4 billion a year for calls, according to Defense News... A check of telephone bills in the Jacksonville, Fla., area "found that when we have a digital receipt for a phone bill in the area…we are being overcharged 30 percent," deputy chief of naval operations Vice Adm. Mark Edwards told a group of military-industrial insiders at a recent conference. Telephone service with no digital receipt showed overcharges of 18 percent, he added.
Pre-war plans envisioned only 5,000 US troops in Iraq by now 15 Feb 2007 Pre-war plans for the US invasion of Iraq assumed that only 5,000 US troops would be left in the country by the end of 2006, disclosed military briefing slides disclosed show.
Reid: The Senate Will Vote on Iraq This Saturday 15 Feb 2007 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today released the following statement, announcing that the Senate will vote this Saturday on whether to move forward to debate the President's [sic] escalation of the war in Iraq.
'The 2002 authorization is no longer relevant to the situation in Iraq.' Biden looks to revoke Bush's Iraq authority 15 Feb 2007 Presidential candidate and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden said Thursday he is working on legislation to "repeal" the 2003 congressional authority that allowed President [sic] Bush to take military action against Iraq.
Murtha wants to block Iraq 'surge' 15 Feb 2007 U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) said Thursday he would try to use congressional fiscal power to derail the new "surge" strategy in Iraq.
Revolt over Bush's Iraq plan wins converts 16 Feb 2007 In a striking display of dissension, a group of Republican congressmen has broken ranks with the White House and embraced a resolution opposing more US troops in Iraq, airing their criticism even as George Bush publicly defended his plan.
'The Bush administration up to and including Secretary Rice is misleading Congress and the American public about the Iran proposal.' Ex-aide says Rice misled Congress on Iran 14 Feb 2007 Controversy over a possible missed U.S. opportunity for rapprochement with Iran grew on Wednesday as former aide [Flynt Leverett] accused Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of misleading Congress on the issue.
Bush backflip on Iran bomb claim 16 Feb 2007 President [sic] George W. Bush said yesterday he was certain Iranian agents had supplied Shia militants in Iraq with weapons that had killed American troops, but retreated from earlier claims by the White House and US military commanders that Iran's highest officials had directed the attacks.
Bush Declares Iran's Arms Role in Iraq Is Certain 15 Feb 2007 President [sic] Bush said Wednesday that he was certain that factions within the Iranian government had supplied Shiite militants in Iraq with deadly roadside bombs that had killed American troops. But he said he did not know whether Iran’s highest officials had directed the attacks.
Secretive force at centre of allegations 16 Feb 2007 Among the myriad agencies that make up Iran's security forces, none has the reach of the Quds (Jerusalem) Force, an elite unit nominally within the command structure of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Pelosi: Bush Lacks Power to Invade Iran 15 Feb 2007 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that President [sic] Bush lacks the authority to invade Iran without specific approval from Congress, a fresh challenge to the commander in chief on the eve of a symbolic vote critical of his troop buildup in Iraq.
Murtha Seeks to Prohibit Action in Iran 15 Feb 2007 A leading Iraq war opponent [Rep. John Murtha, D-PA] threatened Thursday to try prohibiting any U.S. military action against Iran without congressional sanction as House Republicans used military veterans within their ranks to oppose a resolution renouncing President [sic] Bush's Iraq troop buildup.
No One's Drinking Bush's Kool-Aid on Iran By Robert Dreyfuss 15 Feb 2007 Back in 2002, the president [sic] had a smoothly running lie factory humming along in the Pentagon, producing reams of fake intelligence about Iraq, led by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Doug Feith and his Office of Special Plans... Those prone to believe, along with the president, that Iran is fomenting the violence in Iraq have already drunk deep of the neocon Kool-Aid. The rest of us can only shake our heads in wonder that the president thinks he can get away with this.
Judge orders charges dropped against five UK soldiers accused of Iraqi abuses 15 Feb 2007 The highest-ranking British serviceman in recent history to face a court martial was yesterday cleared of mistreating Iraqi civilians.
Governor: Don't send Iraqi refugees to Ohio 15 Feb 2007 Gov. Ted Strickland (D) on Wednesday had a message for President [sic] Bush: any plan to relocate thousands of refugees uprooted by the Iraq war to the United States shouldn't include Ohio. The United States has allowed only 463 Iraq refugees into the country since Bush's war began in 2003, even though some 3.8 million have been uprooted.
Taliban strike halts dam work 16 Feb 2007 It took the Taliban only 14 cheap rockets to bring to a halt one of Afghanistan's most prestigious reconstruction projects. [LOL!] Hours after British marines in Kajaki staged a dramatic mission to clear 'insurgents' from positions north of a strategic dam, contractors responsible for its reconstruction were ordered to evacuate after the rockets were fired.
Experts fear Afghanistan could become the next Iraq 14 Feb 2007 While President [sic] Bush and Congress argue over Iraq, experts warn that Afghanistan could slip back into [US-generated] chaos.
Republicans Block Bill on U.S. Attorneys 16 Feb 2007 Senate Republicans blocked a bill Thursday that would curb the Justice Department's power to fire and replace federal prosecutors. Democrats had sought to give the courts a role in the appointments of U.S. attorneys, to GOP opposition. Democrats used the occasion to complain anew about the firings of at least seven prosecutors, some [all] without cause, under a little-known provision of the Patriot Act.
Senate U.S. Attorneys List 16 Feb 2007 U.S. attorneys whose resignations have been sought by the Justice Department in recent months (list)
CIA sounded-out Italy about "renditions" in 2001 15 Feb 2007 The CIA spoke with Italy's spy chief about kidnapping terrorism suspects in Italy and flying them abroad days after the September 11 attacks, according to testimony being used to prosecute U.S. and Italian agents.
EU nations censured over CIA 'torture' flights 15 Feb 2007 The European Parliament has approved a report admonishing 15 European countries and Turkey for helping the CIA transport terrorism suspects held in secret or for failing to co-operate in the Parliament's investigation of the practice.
Britain shamed over CIA flights 15 Feb 2007 The European parliament yesterday accused EU governments including Britain, Germany and Italy of turning a blind eye to CIA flights taking terror suspects to countries where they might be tortured. A report that was adopted criticises Britain for cooperating with the CIA in sending three UK residents on rendition fights.
US likely to miss PM's Hicks deadline 15 Feb 2007 David Hicks is unlikely to be formally charged by US authorities in the next few days, meaning Prime Minister John Howard's mid-February deadline will not be met.
Two Democrats explore choking Guantanamo funds 14 Feb 2007 Two key Democrats in Congress disclosed Wednesday that they are digging through Defense Department funding mechanisms to find a method to choke off money for the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities.
Egyptian terror suspect to go free 16 Feb 2007 An Egyptian terror suspect Mohammad Mahjoub, held without charges in Canada since 2000, has been ordered released from prison pending a review of his case, his attorney said today.
Australia to host US signals base 15 Feb 2007 Australia has agreed to host a new US military communications base, calling it a practical expression of the strong alliance between the two countries. Australia already hosts a major satellite communications base at Pine Gap outside Alice Springs, which is jointly manned with the US.
Giants meet to counter US power 15 Feb 2007 India, China and Russia account for 40 per cent of the world’s population, a fifth of its economy and more than half of its nuclear warheads. Now they appear to be forming a partnership to challenge the US-dominated world order that has prevailed since the end of the Cold War.
Russia may scrap U.S. arms control treaty: Interfax 15 Feb 2007 Russia warned the United States on Thursday it might pull out of a Cold War nuclear arms reduction treaty because of plans by Washington to build a missile shield in Eastern Europe.
Senators introduce bill to restrict use of cluster munitions 14 Feb 2007 Democratic senators introduced legislation that would bar US use of cluster bombs in or near civilian areas or that have a "dud rate" of one percent or greater.
Bomb squad in controlled explosion at airport 16 Feb 2007 The bomb squad has carried out a controlled explosion after an alert over a suspicious car near the arrival lounge of Luton airport in the UK today. Earlier the airport's departure terminal was evacuated.
Armed police for London hot spots 16 Feb 2007 Armed police are to patrol parts of south London where three teenage boys have been shot dead in the past 12 days.
State, local officials to get security data 15 Feb 2007 Reversing course, the Homeland Security Department announced yesterday that it will allow state and local officials to participate in a new counterterrorism unit designed to share information about possible terrorist threats.
Four More Years for Keith Olbermann 15 Feb 2007 NBC News announced Thursday it had agreed to a "second term" with MSNBC "Countdown" host, Keith Olbermann, whose contract was due to expire next month. The extension will take him into 2011.
FBI Investigates Nevada Governor 16 Feb 2007 The FBI is investigating whether Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) failed to properly report gifts or payments from a software company that was awarded secret military contracts when he was in Congress.
Bird flu company sales fall 40% 15 Feb 2007 The poultry company [Bernard Matthews] at the centre of a bird flu crisis in Suffolk and Hungary has seen its sales fall by up to 40%.
Hundreds stranded by storm on icy Pennsylvania interstate 15 Feb 2007 (Pottsville, PA) Rescuers in eastern Pennsylvania have a 50-mile backup to deal with today, after hundreds of drivers got stranded on an icy highway. National Guard troops [those not in Iraq] in Humvees brought blankets and fuel to folks who've been stuck in their cars on Interstate 78.
Snow Blows Out to Sea; Now the Big Dig 15 Feb 2007 The monster snow and ice storm that hit the Midwest and Northeast blew out to sea, leaving behind huge snow piles, frigid temperatures, highway logjams Thursday. The storm was blamed for at least 15 deaths.
12 Republicans Break Ranks on Iraq Resolution 15 Feb 2007 A dozen Republicans arrived in the House chamber on Wednesday to set aside their party allegiances and lend their names to a resolution intended to rebuke President [sic] Bush for his Iraq policy.
A Prewar Slide Show Cast Iraq in Rosy Hues 15 Feb 2007 When Gen. Tommy R. Franks and his top officers gathered in August 2002 to review an invasion plan for Iraq, it reflected a decidedly upbeat vision of what the country would look like four years after Saddam Hussein was ousted from power. [...] The United States would have as few as 5,000 troops in the country.
Clinton to Bush: Do not strike Iran without congressional approval 14 Feb 2007 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton warned President [sic] George W. Bush on Wednesday not to take any military action against Iran without getting congressional approval first.
Bush: 'I intend to do something' about Iran presence in Iraq 14 Feb 2007 Insisting he isn't angling toward another war in the Middle East, President [sic] Bush said he intends "to do something" about the Iranian presence in Iraq that's [allegedly] harming U.S. troops. At his first news conference of the year, Bush said he knows Iranian forces have provided bombs to insurgents in Iraq, but doesn't know whether Tehran's "top echelon" ordered it.
Bush says confident Iran provided weapons in Iraq 14 Feb 2007 President [sic] George W. Bush on Wednesday said he was convinced a unit of Iran's military gave explosive devices to Iraqi militants but he could not prove Iran's leaders ordered the move. Bush also said he was prepared for a fight with the Democratic-controlled U.S. Congress if lawmakers attempted to cut off funding for U.S. troops in Iraq.
Doubts raised on linking of Iran to US deaths in Iraq 14 Feb 2007 Security analysts and critics of the Bush regime are questioning the quality of intelligence presented by three unidentified US officials in Baghdad on Sunday to demonstrate the Iranian government's ties to sophisticated explosives that have killed 170 US soldiers in Iraq.
18 Members of Iran's Elite Guards Killed 14 Feb 2007 A bomb explosion killed at least 18 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards in southeastern Iran, the state-run news agency reported Wednesday.
Iraqi Insurgent Leader al-Sadr in Iran, Say US Officials 14 Feb 2007 U.S. officials believe that Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, the fiercely anti-American leader of the Mahdi Army militia, has traveled to Iran, Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV told reporters at a briefing Wednesday.
Colonel and three of his men cleared over abuse of detained Iraqis --Court martial followed death of hotel worker --Case against two other soldiers continues 15 Feb 2007 The highest-ranking British officer to face a court martial in modern times and three of his men were cleared yesterday of involvement in the systematic abuse of Iraqi civilian prisoners.
Iraqis Announce New Crackdown Across Baghdad 14 Feb 2007 The Iraqi government on Tuesday ordered tens of thousands of Baghdad residents to leave homes they are occupying illegally. [OMFG! The US is *occupying illegally* the entire *country!*]
Mahathir backs militants 08 Feb 2007 Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad urged Iraqi insurgents yesterday to make the United States "pay a very high price" for its occupation of Iraq. In his most provocative public remarks on the Iraq war yet, Mahathir said he wanted to "congratulate the Iraqi resistance" for successfully turning public opinion against US President [sic] George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Iraq's borders with Syria and Iran blocked 14 Feb 2007 The Iraqi commander of the Baghdad security crackdown said that Iraq planned to close its borders with Syria and Iran for 72 hours as part of the drive to 'secure' the Iraqi capital.
Four U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq 14 Feb 2007 Four U.S. soldiers were killed by roadside explosions during combat operations in Iraq's Diyala province on Wednesday, the U.S. military said.
U.S.: Crashed Copter Was Shot Down in Iraq 14 Feb 2007 A Sea Knight helicopter that crashed last week northwest of Baghdad was shot down, the U.S. military said Wednesday, reversing earlier statements [lies] that it appeared to have been due to mechanical failure.
Bush urges Congress to pass spending needed to pay for war 14 Feb 2007 President [sic] Bush shrugged off congressional debate on a nonbinding resolution opposing his Iraq policy on Wednesday but said U.S. troops are counting on lawmakers to provide them the funds they need to win.
Vermont Becomes First State to Call for US Troop Withdrawal from Iraq (democracynow.org) 14 Feb 2007 The Vermont State Legislature made headlines yesterday when lawmakers passed resolutions in both the House and Senate calling for the immediate and orderly withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
Bush order allows Guantanamo trials to proceed 15 Feb 2007 US President [sic] George W Bush has issued an executive order setting the stage for the first military trials of suspected terrorists, including Australian David Hicks, the White House said. [...] Those found guilty can be executed by order of the US president.
Official tells Senate Australia could not send psychiatrist to Guantanamo Bay 14 Feb 2007 Australia was refused permission to send an independent psychiatrist to Guantanamo Bay to assess the lone Australian prisoner [David Hicks] at the U.S. military base in Cuba, an official said Thursday.
Bill Would Restore Habeas Corpus, Define 'Enemy Combatant' 14 Feb 2007 A group of Senate Democrats introduced legislation [Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007] yesterday that would restore habeas corpus rights to all detainees in U.S. custody and would narrowly define what it means to be an "enemy combatant" against the United States, a measure designed to challenge [illegal] laws ushered in by the Republican-controlled Congress last year.
EU nations 'concealed' CIA flights 14 Feb 2007 European governments and intelligence services knew that the United States was transporting terrorism suspects across Europe and chose to keep it secret, the European Parliament said on Wednesday. The charge comes after an investigation into claims that the CIA secretly held suspects in Europe and flew some to states that carry out torture.
EU accused of role in secret CIA flights 15 Feb 2007 European governments and intelligence services accepted and concealed secret US flights carrying terrorism suspects across Europe, the European Parliament said.
Libby and Cheney Will Not Testify, Says the Defense 14 Feb 2007 Lawyers defending I. Lewis Libby Jr. against perjury charges surprised the courtroom on Tuesday by saying that they would rest their case this week and do so without putting on the stand either Mr. Libby or Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney.
U.S. brigade ordered to Afghanistan instead of Iraq 14 Feb 2007 A U.S. Army brigade scheduled to deploy to Iraq will now go to Afghanistan to maintain higher troop levels intended to boost operations against the Taliban, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Canadians debate Afghan pullout 13 Feb 2007 A Canadian Senate committee says the government should consider withdrawing from Afghanistan unless its Nato allies provide additional troops there. The Canadian contingent has been involved in some of the heaviest fighting in the volatile south, with 42 troops losing their lives.
Memo: Stop teaching evolution --Georgia lawmaker's plea comes to Texas through No. 2 in House 14 Feb 2007 The second most powerful member of the Texas House has circulated a Georgia lawmaker's call for a broad assault on teaching of evolution. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, used House operations Tuesday to deliver a memo from Georgia state Rep. Ben Bridges. The memo assails what it calls "the evolution monopoly in the schools." [Yes, it does look like the Blue States have a monopoly on evolution. Those who don't believe in evolution are those who haven't experienced it.] Mr. Bridges' memo claims that teaching evolution amounts to indoctrinating students in an ancient Jewish sect's beliefs. [Right, the ancient Jews were the founders of modern-day evolution, and a ancient Jew named Charles Darwin was their chief prophet. Haven't you ever heard about Darwin receiving The Origin of Species on that stone tablet at Mount Sinai?] --MDR, Ph.D. (CLG Founder/Chair and, incidentally, 19th C British science scholar)
Secret new US spy base to get green light 15 Feb 2007 Australia's close military alliance with the United States is to be further entrenched with the building of a high-tech communications base in Western Australia. The Federal Government is about to approve the base after three years of secret negotiations with Washington. The Age has been told the base, which will be built on defence land at Geraldton, will provide a crucial link for a new network of military satellites that will help the US's ability to fight wars in the Middle East and Asia.
Not in our name: campaign launched against Trident --Leading figures from politics, religion, the arts and the military demand halt to replacement 15 Feb 2007 A powerful coalition of 100 scientists, lawyers, church leaders, actors, writers and MPs is today demanding a halt to the rush by Tony Blair towards a replacement for Britain's Trident nuclear weapon system.
Al-Qaeda group wants US oil sources hit 15 Feb 2007 A Saudi wing of 'al-Qaeda' [LOL, Exxon Mobil] has called for attacks on US oil sources all over the world saying targets should not be limited to the Middle East. The threat appeared on the website [whose domain registration is likely traced to Houston, TX] of the al-Qaeda organisation in the Arabian Peninsula's e-magazine, Sawt al-Jihad (Voice of Holy War), and listed Canada, Venezuela and Mexico as US oil suppliers.
French police in 'terror' swoop 14 Feb 2007 The French interior ministry has said it has arrested 11 terror suspects, detaining men in both Paris and south-western France. Nine are believed to be members of al-Qaeda who helped recruit fighters to take part in Iraq's 'insurgency.'
Legislators protest Real ID requirements 14 Feb 2007 Nevada lawmakers from both sides of the aisle agreed Tuesday the Real ID requirements in federal law are an unfair burden on states and their residents.
Threat Detection System Will Monitor Your Every Move 11 Feb 2007 Tiny cameras the size of a fingernail linked to specialist computers are to be used to monitor the behaviour of airline passengers as part of the war on [on] terrorism. Cameras fitted to seat-backs will record every twitch, blink, facial expression or suspicious movement before sending the data to onboard software which will check it against individual passenger profiles.
RFID 'Powder' - World's Smallest RFID Tag 14 Feb 2007 The world's smallest and thinnest RFID tags were introduced yesterday by Hitachi. Tiny miracles of miniaturization, these RFID chips (Radio Frequency IDentification chips) measure just 0.05 x 0.05 millimeters.
Latest VA Data Breach Worse Than Initially Reported By Joe 14 Feb 2007 It turns out that the [Veterans Administration's] initial statement on how much data was lost [on 48,000 vets] was a little on the low side... by a factor of 10, actually. Apparently, the hard drive had sensitive data on 535,000 people, as well as non-sensitive data on another 1.3 million non-VA physicians, alive and dead. Some are wondering whether the VA deliberately low-balled the initial number in hopes of downplaying the severity of the loss.
Declassified, But Still Unavailable --Two hundred and seventy million pages of FBI files were recently declassified. Why can't the public access them? By Nat Parry 05 Feb 2007 At the stroke of midnight on December 31, hundreds of millions of pages of secret government documents—including 270 million pages of FBI files—were instantly declassified... But upon contacting the National Archives, researchers learned that declassification is not the same thing as release—none of the documents were publicly available for review.
BP lands in more trouble on Caspian pipeline --Allegations firm failed to disclose signs of cracking --News comes as Texas City review calls for dismissals 15 Feb 2007 A US government lending agency has been told by its own internal accountability watchdog that it must monitor more closely the safety of BP's vital pipeline in central Asia, amid allegations that the company failed to report immediately cracks and leaks in its coating.
Senate Panel Blocks Biggs Nomination 14 Feb 2007 An advocate of partially privatizing Social Security, nominated by President [sic] Bush to become deputy director of the half-billion-dollar retirement income program, was rejected Wednesday by Senate Democrats.
Cheney asks manufacturers to push free trade 14 Feb 2007 Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney on Wednesday urged the nation’s top manufacturers to lobby Congress in what he says will be a difficult battle to extend trade promotion authority to President [sic] Bush.
Japanese whaling ship on fire off Antarctica 15 Feb 2007 A Japanese whaling ship on fire off the coast of Antarctica has sparked fears of an environmental disaster if the ship's 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil and chemicals leaks.
Polar Bear, Walrus Protection Sought 14 Feb 2007 Two conservation groups sued the federal government Tuesday, claiming regulators are not doing enough to protect polar bears and walruses against the combined threat of energy exploration and global warming. [mb and lb on Valentine's Day]
A dodgy dossier on Iran's activity in Iraq (The Financial Times Limited) 13 Feb 2007 The much-postponed presentation of the case that Iran is arming opponents of the US army in Iraq finally took place in Baghdad on Sunday. It was unconvincing and resembles, albeit in a minor key, Colin Powell's misrepresentation four years ago to the United Nations Security Council on Iraq's alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction. The former secretary of state's allegations were not borne out by the facts, but they did smooth the path to invasion.
Questions arise about Iran bomb claims 14 Feb 2007 The Bush regime struggled Tuesday to explain what it knows about alleged Iranian interference in Iraq after the Pentagon's top general appeared to contradict a recently released military dossier on the subject.
2003 Memo Says Iranian Leaders Backed Talks 14 Feb 2007 The Swiss ambassador to Iran informed U.S. officials in 2003 that an Iranian proposal for comprehensive talks with the United States had been reviewed and approved by Iran's supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; then-President Mohammad Khatami; and then-Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, according to a copy of the cover letter to the Iranian document.
Israel ready 'to confront Iran alone' 13 Feb 2007 Israel alone will have to confront the perceived nuclear threat from arch enemy Iran, the country's ultra-rightwing Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman said today. Mr Lieberman's controversial appointment to government has seen him tasked with co-ordinating Israel's efforts to counter Iran's nuclear programme.
Iraq to shut borders with Iran, Syria 13 Feb 2007 Iraq will shut its borders with Iran and Syria for 72 hours and extend the hours of a nightly curfew in Baghdad as part of a U.S.- backed plan to 'rein in' [foment] unrelenting violence, an official said on Tuesday. [The US can't even close the Arizona border, but it will shut the borders between Iraq, Iran and Syria? LOL!]
World Bank to provide $500m loan to Iraq [for projects already paid for by US taxpayers. What did Halliburton, KBR, Bechtel, Parsons, and Blackwater USA do with the billion$ of 'rebuilding' dollars?] 13 Feb 2007 The Managing Director of the World Bank (WB) said that the international firm is willing to support the Iraqi government's efforts to restore economic activities in the war-torn [US-destroyed] country, Iraq Directory reported. [There would be no need for a 'loan' if the US didn't invade and destroy Iraq.]
Bomber strikes near Baghdad college 13 Feb 2007 Up to 16 people are reported to have been killed and 27 wounded after a suicide bomber detonated explosives in a van near a Baghdad college, police say. [...] Brigadier-General Abdel Karim Khalaf said that three suspects - including two whom he described as "Asians" [Blackwater USA mercenaries?] - were being interrogated after being arrested following Monday's blitz on the capital's commercial centre.
Child beggars proliferate in Baghdad 11 Feb 2007 Ahmed Saffar, 7, has been forced to beg on the streets of Baghdad in order to eat. Ahmed is one of thousands of homeless children throughout Iraq who survive by begging, stealing or scavenging in garbage for food.
Howard challenges Rudd over Iraq 14 Feb 2007 A defiant John Howard has labelled Kevin Rudd gutless and demanded the Labor leader outline his alternative strategy to withdraw troops from Iraq. As Liberal MPs criticised Mr Howard over his attack on Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, Mr Rudd challenged the Prime Minister to a national debate on the Iraq issue.
Rudd office powder scare: 'paracetamol' 14 Feb 2007 Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's Brisbane electorate office was evacuated today after a white, sand-like substance was discovered in an envelope.
Rudd favourite for PM 14 Feb 2007 The bookies are now backing Labor's Kevin Rudd over John Howard to be the next prime minister of Australia.
Sixty-three per cent want US troops home 14 Feb 2007 Nearly two-thirds of Americans - 63 per cent - want US troops home from Iraq by the end of 2008, according to a new poll published overnight.
Army Giving More Waivers in Recruiting 14 Feb 2007 The number of waivers granted to Army recruits with criminal backgrounds has grown about 65 percent in the last three years, increasing to 8,129 in 2006 from 4,918 in 2003, Department of Defense records show. The sharpest increase was in waivers for serious misdemeanors, which make up the bulk of all the Army’s moral waivers. These include aggravated assault, burglary, robbery and vehicular homicide.
Are Potential Military Recruits Being Misled? 13 Feb 2007 As the war in Iraq continues and American casualties mount, an I-Team hidden camera investigation reveals how some local military recruiters are willing to say just about anything to reel in a prospect.
Al-Qaida's No. 2 Calls Bush an Alcoholic 14 Feb 2007 Al-Qaida's No. 2 said President [sic] Bush was an alcoholic and a lying gambler who wagered on Iraq and lost, according to a new audiotape released Tuesday. [Well-said!]
'I can confirm that Washir district centre is in the hands of the Taliban.' Taliban seize second district 13 Feb 2007 Nato has confirmed to Al Jazeera that the Taliban has seized a second district in Afghanistan's Helmand province. Qari Yousef, a Taliban spokesman, told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that Taliban fighters were holding captive 33 police officers after taking over Washir - a remote desert area in the northwest of Helmand - the day before.
Negroponte confirmed US deputy secretary of state 13 Feb 2007 The US Senate has confirmed President [sic] George W. Bush's nomination of former US spy chief John Negroponte as deputy secretary of state.
Judge rules in British war crimes case 13 Feb 2007 A judge [Justice Stuart McKinnon] issued a ruling Tuesday in the case of seven British soldiers accused of mistreating Iraqi civilians, but he ordered the verdict not be reported until it is read to a military board of officers acting as a jury. Three of the soldiers were charged with the war crime of inhumane treatment of prisoners.
Ex - CIA Contractor Sentenced to Prison 13 Feb 2007 A former CIA contract employee [David Passaro] was sentenced Tuesday to nearly 8 1/2 years in prison for beating an Afghan detainee who later died.
Former top CIA official, contractor indicted --Pair charged with fraud, other offenses in Cunningham corruption probe 13 Feb 2007 The CIA's former No. 3 official and a defense contractor were charged Tuesday with fraud and other offenses in the corruption investigation that sent former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham to prison. The indictment named Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, executive director of the CIA until he resigned in May, and his close friend, San Diego defense contractor Brent Wilkes, according to two government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because grand jury proceedings are secret.
Al Qaeda suspect Padilla fit for trial: U.S. doctors 13 Feb 2007 U.S. prison doctors have deemed suspected 'al Qaeda' operative Jose Padilla mentally competent to stand trial on terrorism charges, based in part on a review of military interrogation documents that will be turned over to his lawyers, court records showed on Tuesday.
Guantanamo comes to Morocco for film shoot 13 Feb 2007 A 16th century Marrakesh palace has for the past three weeks been transformed into the infamous American prison camp in Guantanamo Bay to set the scene for a movie being shot there, Moroccan media have reported.
Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007 (restore-habeas.org) By Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) 13 Feb 2007 Today, I plan on re-introducing the Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007. The bill will restore Habeas Corpus protections to detainees, bar information acquired through torture from being introduced as evidence in trials, and limit presidential authority to interpret the meaning and application of the Geneva Conventions. [Quick action! Become a Citizen co-sponsor of the Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007.]
Alberto Gonzalez's coup d'etat --The Constitution be damned, the attorney general has seized control of U.S. attorney appointments for partisan purposes. By Joe Conason 09 Feb 2007 Under any circumstances, the Bush administration's sudden, explicitly political dismissal and replacement of United States attorneys in judicial districts across the country would be very troubling -- both as a violation of American law enforcement traditions and as a triumph of patronage over competence... Again, the White House and the Justice Department have been exposed in a secretive attempt to expand executive power for partisan purposes. And again, their scheming is tainted with a nasty whiff of authoritarianism.
Mega barf alert! Israel, US sign homeland security pact 07 Feb 2007 Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter and his US counterpart, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, signed a joint memorandum in Washington DC on Wednesday evening, setting a series of goals and terms for security collaboration between the two nations. [...] In addition, Israel and the US will share information about steps taken to neutralize, respond to and 'reduce' [foment] terror and criminal activities in specific fields and will also hold joint training and staff exchanges.
Court Upholds Decision to Freeze Assets of Mid-Missouri Islamic Agency 13 Feb 2007 A federal appeals court has upheld the government's decision to freeze the assets of a Missouri-based Islamic charity with alleged links to terrorism. The Treasury Department claims the Islamic American Relief Agency-USA, based in Columbia, Missouri, is a branch of a Sudanese charity accused of financing al-Qaida [al-CIAduh].
Hold on to your hats! From the people who brought you the Hurricane Katrina (blown levees) response: U.S. Government Readying Massive Cybersecurity Test 12 Feb 2007 The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is planning a large-scale test of the nation's response to a cyberattack, to be held in early 2008.
NYPD Officer Heard Building 7 Bombs --'The whole time you're hearing boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. I think I know an explosion when I hear it' By Paul Joseph Watson 10 Feb 2007 Following our reports this week about three different ground zero rescue workers who all testified that they were told Building 7 was to be brought down, yet more revealing testimony has come to light - this time from a former NYPD officer and first responder, who states that he clearly heard bombs tear down Building 7 as he ran away from its collapse.
Kansas Rewrites Science Standards Again 13 Feb 2007 The Kansas state Board of Education on Tuesday repealed science guidelines questioning evolution that had made the state an object of ridicule. The new guidelines reflect mainstream scientific views of evolution and represent a political defeat for advocates of "intelligent design," who had helped write the standards that are being jettisoned.
Radioactive Material Lost With "Foam Pig" 13 Feb 2007 A "foam pig" containing a small amount of radioactive material has gone missing in the Gulf of Mexico, Bloomberg reported yesterday. The British oil firm BP Plc uses the pig maintain an underwater pipeline in the gulf. The device carries a silver wire containing tantalum 182, which is used to track its location in the pipeline.
BP Device With 'Small Amount' of Radiation Is Missing in Gulf 12 Feb 2007 BP Plc, Europe's second-largest oil company, has lost a device in the Gulf of Mexico that contains a small amount of radioactive material, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Agency. The so-called foam pig, used for maintenance on an underwater pipeline from BP's Atlantis Platform in the Gulf, has a silver wire inside that contains Tantalum-182, according to a report dated Feb. 10 and posted today on the agency's Web site.
FDA warns of vaccine complications 13 Feb 2007 The government warned doctors and parents Tuesday of reports of potentially life-threatening twisting of the intestines in infants vaccinated 'against' a virus that is the leading cause of early childhood diarrhea. The Food and Drug Administration said it was unknown whether the recently approved Merck vaccine, called RotaTeq, caused the 28 new cases.
UK and Hungarian bird flu "essentially identical" 13 Feb 2007 Tests on H5N1 bird flu viruses found in Britain and Hungary showed they are "essentially identical" and the most likely transmission route was from poultry to poultry, Britain said on Tuesday.
No evidence Hungary the source of H5N1 13 Feb 2007 Hungary's animal health authorities have found no evidence that could show poultry or poultry products from Hungary could have transmitted the H5N1 bird flu virus to Britain, Chief Veterinarian Miklos Suth said. "According to our knowledge today there is no such evidence," Suth said on Tuesday. "It can almost be ruled out." [Right, it was likely from a US Army lab.]
Enron case rolls back investor safeguards 13 Feb 2007 When the full scope of Enron Corp.'s duplicity began unfolding, fingers pointed at an array of apparent accomplices. Reforms were passed. Prosecutions mounted. Lawsuits filed. So you might imagine that by now shareholders would have hauled the enablers into court and emptied their pockets. That turns out to be more difficult than you might think because, even with all the shouting and finger-pointing in Congress, no one got around to amending the law to make sure that shareholders can sue errant watchdogs.
Trade deficit rises to record $763.6B 13 Feb 2007 The U.S. trade deficit set a record for the fifth straight year in 2006, reflecting a huge jump in America's foreign oil bill and a record imbalance with China.
Blair bypasses Bush to build a consensus on climate change 14 Feb 2007 Tony Blair is to devote himself to fighting global warming when he quits power this summer by promoting an American rethink on the Kyoto protocol. He discussed his plans for a post-Bush consensus with Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, who has made climate change a priority for her presidency of the G8 and the EU.
Snow, Ice, Wind Race Through Ohio Valley 13 Feb 2007 Sliding cars and jackknifed trucks snarled highway traffic, and flights were grounded Tuesday as a storm blew out of the Midwest with a threat of up to 2 feet of blowing, drifting snow.
Target Tehran: Washington sets stage for a new confrontation 12 Feb 2007 The United States is moving closer to war with Iran by accusing the "highest levels" of the Iranian government of supplying sophisticated roadside bombs that have killed 170 US troops and wounded 620. The allegations against Iran are similar in tone and credibility to those made four years ago by the US government about Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction in order to justify the invasion of 2003.
Top American General Disputes US Military Claim on Iran 12 Feb 2007 The top American military officer, General Peter Pace, declined Monday to endorse the conclusions of U.S. military officers in Baghdad, who told reporters on Sunday that the Iranian government is providing high-powered roadside bombs to insurgents in Iraq. General Pace made his comments during a visit to Australia, and VOA's Al Pessin reports from Canberra.
Iran rejects US claims of supplying weapons in Iraq 13 Feb 2007 Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian President, has flatly denied American charges that his country is supplying sophisticated weaponry to Shia militant groups, saying that Washington was blaming others in order to hide its own defeat in Iraq. [For Bush, Iran is Iraq's Weapon of Mass Distraction.]
CNN: Bush-Backed Shiite Group Receiving Weapons Shipments From Iran 12 Feb 2007 U.S. intelligence and military officials have stated that Iranian weapons shipments "are going to Shiite militias that include rogue elements of Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mehdi army militia." But U.S. officials have not been as vocal about possible Iranian support for a separate Shiite militia, the Supreme Council of Islamic Revolution In Iraq (SCIRI). The Mehdi Army and SCIRI are rivals, and both have armed wings... CNN’s Michael Ware has confirmed that Iranians have been supplying weapons to SCIRI.
Iraq bombs from 'Iran' were created by UK security services --Terror devices used by the IRA in a vicious murder campaign in Ulster blew up British servicemen as the world blamed Iran 16 Oct 2005 Eight British soldiers killed during ambushes in Iraq were the victims of a highly sophisticated bomb first used by the IRA, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. The soldiers, who were targeted by 'insurgents' as they travelled through the country, died after being attacked with bombs triggered by infra-red beams. The bombs were developed by the IRA using technology passed on by the security services in a botched "sting" operation more than a decade ago. This contradicts the British government's claims that Iran's Revolutionary Guard is helping Shia insurgents to make the devices. The Independent on Sunday can also reveal that the bombs and the firing devices used to kill the soldiers, as well as two private security guards, were initially created by the UK security services as part of a counter-terrorism strategy at the height of the troubles in the early 1990s.
European Officials Agree to Widen Economic Sanctions Against Iran Over Nuclear Program 13 Feb 2007 European negotiators, yielding to pressure from the United States, have agreed to widen a ban on financial transactions with Iran and the export of materials and technology that Iran could use to develop nuclear weapons.
Too late to halt Iran's nuclear bomb, EU is told 12 Feb 2007 Iran will be able to develop enough weapons-grade material for a nuclear bomb and there is little that can be done to prevent it, an internal European Union document has concluded. The downbeat conclusions of the "reflection paper" – seen by the Financial Times – are certain to be seized on by advocates of military action, who fear that Iran will be able to produce enough fissile material for a bomb over the next two to three years.
Iran Claims New Stealth Drone That Can Attack US Gulf Fleet 10 Feb 2007 Iran said on Saturday it has started mass producing and using a stealth drone with a range of 700 kilometres (420 miles) that it claims is undetectable to radars.
House Democrats Unveil Measure Denouncing Iraq Buildup 13 Feb 2007 Democrats unveiled a resolution on Monday that would formally express the House’s disapproval of President [sic] Bush's troop buildup in Iraq, beginning an intense debate and political struggle that is to end in a vote on Friday.
Concurrent Resolution on the President's Escalation Plan 12 Feb 2007 This week the House of Representatives will be considering the following Concurrent Resolution. Disapproving of the decision of the President [sic] announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq. [Click here for .pdf.]
Former CIA lawyer blasts Bush, Pentagon --Alum: "failures of integrity" preceded Iraq invasion 12 Feb 2007 Although he had to submit his speech to the CIA for approval, former CIA top lawyer Jeffrey Smith didn't seem to pull any punches in criticizing the Bush administration in a speech at the University Law School (MI) on Friday. Smith, general counsel to the CIA for 16 months in the mid-1990s, criticized what he called "failures of integrity" by the Pentagon and Bush administration in the lead-up to the Iraq invasion.
Hussein vice-president sentenced to death 13 Feb 2007 The Iraqi High Court yesterday ruled that Saddam Hussein's former vice-president should follow him to the gallows, despite appeals from UN officials and international human rights groups for his life to be spared.
Iraqi leading Baghdad crackdown forced from home 12 Feb 2007 Someone has tried to paint over the black graffiti on the wall, but the Arabic script is faintly visible. It reads: "You have to leave immediately." [Bush, can you read the writing on the wall?]
Bombs ravage Baghdad markets, killing 88 13 Feb 2007 Bombs laid waste to crowded markets in central Baghdad on Monday killing 88 people as Iraqis marked the first anniversary of a Shi'ite shrine bombing that pushed the country to the brink of civil war.
McCain Fears 'Tet Offensive' in Iraq 12 Feb 2007 Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said Monday he fears an offensive by Iraqi 'insurgents' similar to the Tet offensive by the Viet Cong that sent U.S. casualties soaring in Vietnam nearly 40 years ago. In the GOP presidential field, McCain is one of the strongest proponents of President [sic] Bush's plan to increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq by some 21,500.
Top British attorney: Close Guantánamo 12 Feb 2007 Addressing the American Bar Association's annual winter meeting in Miami this morning, Britain's attorney general condemned the new U.S. format for war crimes at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, as "too little and too late." Lord Peter Goldsmith, officially titled her majesty's attorney general, has long been a critic of the U.S. detention center in southeast Cuba. He reiterated earlier calls for its closure.
Prayer service for Hicks attracts 800 10 Feb 2007 More than 800 people attended a prayer service in support of Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks in central Melbourne.
Reporters Deny Official Leaked Name to Them 13 Feb 2007 Lawyers for I. Lewis Libby Jr. opened their case Monday with a parade of prominent Washington reporters who testified that Mr. Libby never mentioned the identity of a Central Intelligence Agency operative when they interviewed him during the period the officer’s identity was leaked to the news media.
Journalist Says Fleischer Was Source of CIA Leak 12 Feb 2007 Washington Post reporter Walter Pincus testified in court this morning that then-White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, not I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, was the first person to tell him that a prominent critic of the Iraq war was married to undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame.
US to remain in Afghanistan for long time: Gates 13 Feb 2007 The United States has announced to remain in Afghanistan for long time and would not repeat the mistake by withdrawing it forces from the country while President Musharraf has stressed for a comprehensive strategy to defeat [embolden] Taliban and Al-Qaeda [al-CIAduh] remnants in Afghanistan.
NATO's Afghan mission in trouble: Canada's Senate 12 Feb 2007 NATO's military mission to Afghanistan is in trouble and has little chance of success unless the alliance commits significantly more resources, said a report issued by the Canadian Senate on Monday.
Hundreds of Taliban massing to attack dam: official 12 Feb 2007 At least 700 Taliban fighters have crossed from Pakistan into Afghanistan to reinforce fighters attacking a key dam, a major source of electricity and irrigation, a provincial governor said on Monday.
Blast Reported Near U.S. Base in Japan 12 Feb 2007 A small explosion occurred outside a U.S. Army base south of Tokyo late Monday, police and military officials said. A Japanese news report said police suspected an attempted attack on the base.
In Shift, Accord on North Korea Seems to Be Set 13 Feb 2007 The United States and four other nations reached a tentative agreement to provide North Korea with roughly $400 million in fuel oil [lucky Exxon Mobil!] and aid [bribes], in return for the North’s starting to disable its nuclear facilities and allow nuclear inspectors back into the country, according to American officials who have reviewed the proposed text.
Navy May Deploy Anti-Terrorism Dolphins 13 Feb 2007 Dozens of dolphins and sea lions trained to detect and apprehend waterborne attackers could be sent to patrol a military base in Washington state, the Navy said Monday.
Costly NSA initiative has a shaky takeoff 11 Feb 2007 An expensive National Security Agency initiative to search the world's communication networks for security threats is hitting early but significant snags... Dubbed "Turbulence," the NSA's ambitious effort is part bloodhound and part attack dog. It attempts to continuously troll cyberspace to sniff out threats from terrorists and others, then rapidly tip off analysts who can mobilize defenses. With annual costs approaching $500 million, Turbulence is so secret that its existence has never been revealed publicly. Meanwhile, lawmakers have been angered by the NSA's method of funding Turbulence, which more than a year into its existence does not appear anywhere in the agency's budget, according to current and former officials.
Oops! FBI Reports 320 Missing Laptops and Weapons 13 Feb 2007 The FBI said that 160 laptop computers were lost or stolen in less than four years, including at least 10 that contained sensitive or classified information -- one of which held "personal identifying information on FBI personnel," according to a report released yesterday. The bureau also reported the same number of missing weapons -- 160 -- from February 2002 to September 2005.
FBI loses 3-4 laptops a month, auditor says --'Most troubling' is that agency often doesn't know if data are kept secret 12 Feb 2007 Between three and four FBI laptop computers are lost or stolen each month on average and the agency is unable to say in many instances whether information on the machines is sensitive or classified, the Justice Department's inspector general said Monday.
Mystery Ailment Strikes Honeybees 12 Feb 2007 A mysterious illness is killing tens of thousands of honeybee colonies across the country, threatening honey production, the livelihood of beekeepers and possibly crops that need bees for pollination. Researchers are scrambling to find the cause of the ailment, called Colony Collapse Disorder. [It started, and needs to end, at the White House. --LRP]
Monsanto dumped toxic waste in UK --Inquiry after chemicals found at site 30 years after their disposal 12 Feb 2007 Evidence has emerged that the Monsanto chemical company paid contractors to dump thousands of tonnes of highly toxic waste in British landfill sites, knowing that their chemicals were liable to contaminate wildlife and people.
White House urges road fees, charging drivers to use highways [Why not stop funding Halliburton, KBR, and the terrorists at Blackwater USA and use *that* money to build new roadways?] 12 Feb 2007 Carpooling won't do much to reduce U.S. highway congestion in urban areas, and a better solution [for the wealthy] would be to build new highways and charge drivers fees to use them, the White House said on Monday.
Bush plans consecutive budget cuts for veterans 12 Feb 2007 The Bush ['Support our troops'] administration plans to cut funding for veterans' health care two years from now — even as badly wounded troops returning from Iraq could overwhelm the system.
Passing the Buck on Health Care (The New York Times) 12 Feb 2007 President [sic] Bush’s new budget would extend the administration’s warped priorities deep into the realm of federally supported health care programs. The administration long ago sacrificed any meaningful domestic agenda to finance tax cuts for the wealthy and its reckless war in Iraq. The White House’s reckless determination to make the tax cuts permanent is now driving it to slash domestic spending in health and other vital programs.
It's English or no welfare benefit in UK 12 Feb 2007 Unemployed people in Britain who cannot speak English face losing their benefits as part of a far-reaching review into the labour market and welfare system, announced by the government on Monday.
States fund antiabortion advice --Public grants surge for the crisis centers. Some ban contraception talk. 11 Feb 2007 In an experiment that's opening a new front in the culture wars, a growing number of states are paying antiabortion activists to counsel women with unplanned pregnancies. As a condition of the grants, counselors are often barred from referring women to any clinic that provides abortions; in some cases, they may not discuss contraception either.
Jewish group criticizes Romney's choice of Ford museum 12 Feb 2007 Republican Mitt Romney’s choice of a museum honoring auto pioneer Henry Ford as the site of his presidential announcement was strongly criticized today by Jewish Democrats, who noted Ford’s history of anti-Semitism.
New Storm On Way to Upstate N.Y. --12 Feet of Snow Falls On Area 12 Feb 2007 The snow squalls that have buried Redfield and its neighbors up to their stop signs finally tapered off Monday, but forecasters warned that another storm system was on the way. Unofficially, the past week of lake-effect storms dumped 12 feet, 2 inches of snow at Redfield. [Lucky dogs!!]
Public Extermination Project By Janet C. Phelan 14 Aug 2004
What on earth is going on at Denver International Airport? Or should we be asking what is going on UNDERGROUND there? Click here for the 'life after Armageddon' murals at DIA.
can make credit card donations/T-shirt charges via PayPal, you don't
need a PayPal account to make credit card payments through
donate[at]legitgov.org - inquiries or, pls. mail a check or money order to CLG