United States: Filibuster discussions continue

For months Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has threaten to employ the nuclear option, while chiding Democrats for their refusal to vote on judicial nominees. It is an ongoing topic, and one the Sunday Talking Heads love to bicker about. And once again moderate U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) is one of the few willing to break from his party to promote bipartisan discussions on President Bush's judicial nominees and the end of filibuster talks.

Regarding implementing the nuclear option he disagreed, saying "Look, we won't always be in the majority."

This is exactly the point. Regardless of the judges’ worthiness, and whether two of the most radical nominees Priscilla Owen and Janice Rogers Brown get nominated by the senate, the most important part of the discussion is to preserve democracy and protect the minority. That is why states like Rhode Island and California have the same number of senators even though the populations aremillions of people a part—to protect the minority voice of the country.

History shows the Republicans will once again be booted from office and replaced by a Democrat or perhaps even an Independent or Progressive party. With Republicans in the minority without a filibuster tool, Big Business and the Christian right will lose their voice. (Maybe nixing the filibuster is a good thing).

This tool has served the United State for centuries—until this Republican-controlled House and Senate. Frist may claim he has Americans best interests in mind and has worked for an "an appropriate resolution" before pushing for what "no White House and no party in control of the Senate has ever, ever resorted to … in order to achieve its goal."

But that my friends, is bullshit.

War: A picture says a thousand words

Sometimes those things that shock us also educate about the atrocities around the world. In Afghanistan, photos show the devastation caused by Bush administration policies...the real evil doers.

Our enemies are not the only ones dying. U.S. forces, our countrymen and women, are killed on a nearly daily basis in Afghanistan and Iraq, for example during the U.S. raid of Fallujah. Yet few speak of it on the streets anymore. It almost seems as though it is the forgotten war.

All while Iraqis protest against the U.S. occupation while their cities are destroyed.

This is not a new epoch, but the age-old fight between those with different values and religions. Killing is not American or Iraqi. It is human nature—something that will never cease. And with fear-mongering from major super powers and the call for crusades from nutty Christians--what the future holds is unknown.

What is known is that peace is truly an ideal only. It has never existed in history and most probably never will.

United States: List of killed U.S. soliders by state

This link will show you, on a state-by-state basis, how many U.S. solider's lives have been taken under the guise of a war on terror.

Afganistan: Government wants long-term military ties with U.S.

In another piece of surprising news, Afganistan's President Hamid Karzai and native tribal leaders have backed long-term U.S. military ties.

Is this news? Hardly. The country is a mess; the opium trade is on the increase and human rights issues still exist. And all military ties will bring is perhaps an economic exchange. Is this their hope? Or is it a part of the rheteroic of the world: say you are democractic and do business with the United States all the while supporting terrorist activities and human rights abuses.

Sounds like business as usual.

United States: Solider tells story of Guantánamo torture

Human rights abuses abound. But many Americans like to think we are more moral, as a nation. Torture and the like is something that happens in other countries, like China and the Middle East. However, the truth is, it has always been a piece of U.S. military strategy--especially now during the War on Terror. To find this truth, though, Americans need to be reading the international press. These stories, like the report of a solider who admits torture in Guantánamo, are not covered widely by the mainsteam U.S. press.

From the Observer
An American soldier has revealed shocking new details of abuse and sexual torture of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay in the first high-profile whistleblowing account to emerge from inside the top-secret base.
Erik Saar, an Arabic speaker who was a translator in interrogation sessions, has produced a searing first-hand account of working at Guantánamo. It will prove a damaging blow to a White House still struggling to recover from the abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib jail in Iraq.

In an exclusive interview, Saar told The Observer that prisoners were physically assaulted by 'snatch squads' and subjected to sexual interrogation techniques and that the Geneva Conventions were deliberately ignored by the US military.

He also said that soldiers staged fake interrogations to impress visiting administration and military officials. Saar believes that the great majority of prisoners at Guantánamo have no terrorist links and little worthwhile intelligence information has emerged from the base despite its prominent role in America's war on terror.
Saar paints a picture of a base where interrogations of often innocent prisoners have spiralled out of control, doing massive damage to America's image in the Muslim world.

Saar said events at Guantánamo were a disaster for US foreign policy. 'We are trying to promote democracy worldwide. I don't see how you can do that and run a place like Guantánamo Bay. This is now a rallying cry to the Muslim world,' he said.

Saar arrived at Guantánamo Bay in December 2002, and worked there until June 2003. He first worked as a translator in the prisoners' cages. He was then transferred to the interrogation teams, acting as a translator.
Saar's book, Inside the Wire, provides the first fully detailed look inside Guantánamo Bay's role as a prison for detainees the White House has insisted are the 'worst of the worst' among Islamic militants. His tale describes his gradual disillusionment, from arriving as a soldier keen to do his duty to eventually leaving believing the regime to be a breach of human rights and a disaster for the war on terror.

Among the most shocking abuses Saar recalls is the use of sex in interrogation sessions. Some female interrogators stripped down to their underwear and rubbed themselves against their prisoners. Pornographic magazines and videos were also used as rewards for confessing.

In one session a female interrogator took off some of her clothes and smeared fake blood on a prisoner after telling him she was menstruating. 'That's a big deal. It is a major insult to one of the world's biggest religions where we are trying to win hearts and minds,' Saar said.

Saar also describes the 'snatch teams', known as the Initial Reaction Force (IRF), who remove unco-operative prisoners from their cells. He describes one such snatch where a prisoner's arm was broken. In a training session for an IRF team, one US soldier posing as a prisoner was beaten so badly that he suffered brain damage. It is believed the IRF team had not been told the 'detainee' was a soldier.

Staff at Guantánamo also faked interrogations for visiting senior officials. Prisoners who had already been interrogated were sat down behind one-way mirrors and asked old questions while the visiting officials watched.

Saar also describes the effects prolonged confinement had on many of the prisoners. He details bloody suicide attempts and serious mental illnesses. One detainee slashed his wrists with razors and wrote in blood on a wall: 'I committed suicide because of the brutality of my oppressors.'

Saar details a meeting with an army lawyer where linguists, interrogators and intelligence workers at the base were told the Geneva Conventions did not apply to their work as the detainees could not be considered normal prisoners of war. At the end of the meeting the group was told: 'We still intend to treat the detainees humanely, but our purpose is to get any actionable intelligence we can and quickly.'

But Saar said that many, if not most, of the detainees were rarely interrogated at all after their initial arrival. They just sat listlessly in their cells for months on end. He believes that many of them were either simple footsoldiers caught up in the war in Afghanistan or elsewhere, or innocent men sold out to the Americans by local enemies settling a grudge or looking to collect reward money.

Saar accepts that some genuine terrorists have been held at Guantánamo. 'There are individuals there who I hope will never be set free,' he said, but he contends that they are in the minority. 'Overall, it is counter-productive,' he said.

Saar was an enthusiastic supporter of George Bush in the 2000 elections but he has changed his world view after being exposed to Guantánamo Bay. 'I believe in America and American troops,' he said, 'but it has drastically changed my world view and my politics.'

Saar left the army and has become a hate figure for some right-wing groups which say he and his book are unpatriotic. But Saar believes exposing the abuses of Guantánamo will lessen the damage done to America's reputation in the long run. 'The camp is a mistake. It does not need to be that way. There should be a better way, more in line with American morals,' he said.

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005

Iraq: More Americans and civilians dead

CBS4Denver: Baghdad Blast Kills Two Americans
BAGHDAD (CBS)
“Two suicide car bombs exploded at a well known square in central Baghdad on Saturday, killing 15 people, including two Americans, the U.S. Embassy said. Iraqi officials said nearly 30 people also were wounded in the attack in Tahrir Square, which damaged shops and set fire to several cars. The square is known for its shops and a large statue of Iraqi soldiers breaking through chains to freedom.”

When will the United States learn. We have been in Iraq in what seems like Bush’s entire presidency. Coalition forces die. Civilians die. Contractors die.

Let’s get the hell out of there and let the Iraqis defend their own nation!

Photos from children living in Darfur
Heartbreaking and evidence world priorities do no focus on human rights.

Kyrgyz Republic: Where they are now…

International Crisis Group: After the revolution
A lot as been written on Seditious Times about Kyrgyzstan, which is in mid-revolution. As things begin to settle and foreign nations meet with the nation's new leaders about military and economic interests in the region, all must quickly address a broad range of political and social problems if the country is to avoid serious instability.

United States: American troops stretched thin, official says

New York Times: U.S. forces stretched thin, top general reports
"The concentration of U.S. troops and weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan limits the Pentagon's ability to deal with other potential armed conflicts, the military's highest-ranking officer told Congress.

The officer, General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a classified report that if major combat operations elsewhere in the world should be necessary, they would probably be more protracted - and produce higher American and foreign casualties because of the current commitment of resources in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Tallahassee Democrat: Army misses recruiting goal for 3rd month
“The Army missed its recruiting goal in April, marking the third consecutive monthly shortfall.
Army spokesman Paul Boyce said officials believe that increases in the number of recruiters, as well as new advertising and publicity efforts, will produce a surge in recruiting this summer so that the Army can meet its full-year goal of 80,000 recruits by Sept. 30.”

Iraq: Cabinet members announced

Iraqi Cabinet Members
Here are the 37 members of Iraq's cabinet sworn in May, 3, 2005. Seven posts remain undecided.
Cabinet Leaders:
Prime minister: Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Shiite Arab
Deputy prime minister: Rowsch Nouri Shaways, Kurd
Deputy prime minister: Ahmad Chalabi, Shiite Arab
Two deputy prime ministers undecided.
Shiites:
Finance minister: Ali Allawi
Interior minister: Bayan Baqir Jabr
Housing and construction minister: Jassim Mohammed Jaafar
Education minister: Abdul Falah Hassan
Higher education minister: Sami al-Mudafar
Health minister: Abdel Mutalib Mohammed
Agriculture minister: Ali al-Bahadli
Justice minister: Abdel Hussein Shandal
Transport minister: Salam al-Maliki
Migration minister: Suhaila Abed Jaafar, female
Minister of state for national security: Abdul Karim al-Inazi
Minister of state for civil society affairs: Alaa Habib
Minister of state for national assembly: Safa al-Din al-Safi
Youth and sports minister: Talib Aziz Zayni
Kurds:
Foreign minister: Hoshyar Zebari
Trade minister: Abdel Basit Karim
Planning and development cooperation minister: Barham Salih
Communications minister: Jwan Fouad Maasoum, female
Labor and social affairs minister: Idris Hadi
Water resources minister: Abdul Latif Rashid
Municipalities and public works minister: Nasreen Berwari, female
Environment minister: Narmin Othman, female
Sunni Arabs:
Culture minister: Nouri Farhan al-Rawi
Minister of state for women affairs: Azhar Abdel-Karim, female
Minister of state for provincial affairs: Saad al-Hardan
Minister of state for tourism and archaeology affairs: Hashim al-Hashimi
Christian:
Science and technology minister: Bassima Youssef, female
Temporary Positions:
Acting defense minister: al-Jaafari (expected to go to a Sunni)
Acting electricity minister: Shaways (expected to go to a Shiite)
Acting oil minister: Chalabi (expected to go to a Shiite)
Acting human rights minister: Othman (expected to go to a Sunni)
Acting industry and minerals minister: Muslih al-Jubburi (expected to go to a Kurd)

Middle East: Pakistan asks for aid dollars; neighbor India begins war games

Worldpress.org’s wire reports today that Pakistan has asked the international community (aka the United States) to help the country deal with nearly 3 million Afghan refugees (about $12 million in aid for refugee camps).

Officials said their country has " received just a few dollars a year to care for each refugee in camps created to house a wave of Afghans who fled to Pakistan and Iran during years of conflict going back to the Soviet invasion in 1979" and haven’t left the country.

(A scam may be brewing…)

Worldpress. org: India kicks off major war games near Pakistan border
"NEW DELHI: India on Monday began war games involving 20,000 combat troops on its northern borders in the largest exercise since 2002 when war almost broke out with Pakistan, officials here said. In 2002, India deployed more than 500,000 troops on the border with Pakistan after blaming Islamabad for a deadly attack by Islamist gunmen on the federal parliament in New Delhi. A 10-month standoff developed between the two nuclear-armed rivals, sparking international concern of a fourth war between India and Pakistan. The United States and Britain led mediation efforts which eased military tensions."

(Luckily Pakistan will be armed with U.S. F16s soon.)

A story to watch:
Toronto Star: Atomic lab chief feels power of blog
May. 2, 2005. 08:41 AM
"A blog rebellion among scientists and engineers at Los Alamos, N.M., the U.S. government's premier nuclear weapons laboratory, is threatening to end the tenure of its director, Peter Nanos. Four months of jeers, denunciations and defences of Nanos' management recently culminated in dozens of signed and anonymous messages concluding that his days were numbered."

Iraq: Violence continues

USA Today: Insurgents launch new attacks
“BAGHDAD (AP) — Insurgents launched fresh attacks in Baghdad and northern Iraq on Saturday, killing at least 10 Iraqis and wounding more than 30, officials said, in a second day of violence aimed at shaking the country's newly formed government. At a meeting of Iraq's neighbors in Turkey, meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the violence was "not solely the concern of the Iraqis but ours as well."”

Italy: Premier Berlusconi ready to speak to Bush

China Daily: Berlusconi to speak to Bush about death of Italian agent in Iraq
At last Premier Silvio Berlusconi is ready to speak to US President George W. Bush about the death of an Italian intelligence agent in Iraq, according to today's reports. This is after the Italian government said it was not signing off the U.S. version of the killings of a secret service person tasked with saving a reporter’s life

Bush was in Rome to meet with him during the funeral of Pope John Paul II. Yet Berlusconi only provided a few minutes, about a half hour, to speak with Bush.

He didn’t want to deal with him. And obviously, it is another ally who refuses to buy into U.S. rhetoric.

Will Italy continue to support U.S. global economic and security efforts?

Only time will tell.

United Kingdom: “Secret” Blair memo on Iraq war

Voice of America: Britain Releases Text of Controversial Pre-Iraq War Memo
An interesting piece about a memo that shows Britain and Prime Minister Tony Blair knew there were holes in the case against Iraq, but back-peddled to satiate the United States.

United States: Ethics rules rejected

USA Today: House speaker offers to scrap ethics rules
Republicans made a smart political move today. House Speaker Dennis Hastert asked his colleagues to abandon ethics rules the party originally pushed for—said to be in place to protect Tom DeLay.

Perhaps they are considering next year's elections or is common sense beginning to prevail in the U.S. Senate?

Iraq: Mass graves unearth 300,000 bodies

In case there was any doubt Saddam Hussein was a bad man coalition forces have unearthed mass graves throughout Iraq—equaling approximate 300,000 bodies. Fear ruled this country. And regardless of U.S. mistakes associated with the invasion of Iraq it may have been—in general—a good thing.

A New York Times piece reported: “In the aftermath of Mr. Hussein's fall, thousands of Iraqis overran mass grave sites, digging for their relatives' remains with backhoes, shovels, even their bare hands. A number of sites were looted, making identification of victims difficult, said Hanny Megally, Middle East director for the International Center for Transitional Justice.”

Imagine these families after years of not knowing or being able to provide a proper burial digging restlessly through the dirt and sand to find the bodies of loved ones. It is a human tragedy that despite respective politics cannot go unnoticed. And the troops working to end the suffering of the surviving deserve respect—providing closure is a unique gift to give the Iraqi people.

The question is, when will the United States offer another gift: its removal from Iraq? Iraq needs to sort out its own problems, find its own courage. Just yesterday it was reported “Iraqi forces desert posts as insurgent attacks are stepped up.” According to the report army and police units are “deserting their posts after the recent escalation in insurgent attacks.”

U.S. and collation efforts are moot if Iraqis desert, and they have not been able to eliminate attacks and “crush the rebels.”

"I think their capacity stays about the same," Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said of Iraq's insurgents during a Pentagon briefing. "And where they are right now is where they were almost a year ago."

Iraqis and their countrymen and women need to stand up and fight for democracy and freedom from tyranny. The coalition forces have done all they can.

United States: Republican propaganda spins and spins

According to Move America Forward, a marketing piece developed by the Republican machine, the one man who had enough common sense to say "I don’t feel comfortable nominating John Bolton"—Sen. Voinovich (R-OH) —has changed his mind.

That's at least how the website promotes it. It's headline piece reads (enthusiastically):

"*UPDATE* - TERRIFIC NEWS!!!! New information into Move America Forward officials confirms that Senator Voinovich is taking a 'new' and 'fair' look at John Bolton - the man President Bush has nominated to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. We are confident Senator Voinovich will vote 'YES' to allow Mr. Bolton's nomination to proceed from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. MAF's principals are not at liberty to disclose who they've heard from and specifically what was said - under promise of confidentiality - but the organization is now confident that John Bolton's nomination will make it to the floor for a vote by the full U.S. Senate."

Poor, Voinovich. He must be under tremendous pressure. From what I’ve heard, it is not so good to be on Bolton’s or Karl Rove’s bad sides.

Iraq: Coalition focuses on protecting pipelines

Iraq Coalition Casualties: Insurgents attack vital oil installations in Kirkuk
Coalition forces in Iraq are protecting pipelines against insurgency—staving off nearly daily attacks. Let’s remember this, instead of whining about current prices at the pump.

United States: The degradation of America

Political movements afoot within the American culture—the Christian Right vs. a West and East Coast Progressive Voice and a partisan congress—will strengthen division and weaken the voice of the minority. And politicians are leading this front.

One Republican-led division is the nomination of John Bolton for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. (Conservative bio, click here. Progressive bio, click here). Bolton’s nomination is strongly supported by the Bush administration. His nomination is currently on hold because he stands accused of lacking inter-personal skills needed to be respectful of other people, much less other cultures. (Click In the Dark for more detail.)

The second is its attack on the U.S. constitution. The Republicans look at it as if it is malleable, needing a rewrite. And we’ve seen this in several ways: the U.S. PATRIOT Act, Gay Marriage, and eliminating the filibuster during judicial nominations.

Few may know about the filibuster, an historic right written into the constitution to protect the minority voice. When it comes to judical nominations, the Republicans want the filibuster gone.

Yes. A partisan congress slows the passing of bills and nominations. But why vote out a protection built into the constitution by the founders? Will they not be a minority again—one that may need a filibuster power to protect their constituents?

If Bush wants to improve is seemingly inevitable lame duck status, he should withdraw Bolton’s nomination and end this ridiculous filibuster discussion. There are more important things going on: war.

Iraq: Baghdad Bin Laden connection?

Telegraph: The proof that Saddam worked with bin Laden
“Iraqi intelligence documents discovered in Baghdad by The Telegraph have provided the first evidence of a direct link between Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'eda terrorist network and Saddam Hussein's regime.

Papers found yesterday in the bombed headquarters of the Mukhabarat, Iraq's intelligence service, reveal that an al-Qa'eda envoy was invited clandestinely to Baghdad in March 1998.

The documents show that the purpose of the meeting was to establish a relationship between Baghdad and al-Qa'eda based on their mutual hatred of America and Saudi Arabia. The meeting apparently went so well that it was extended by a week and ended with arrangements being discussed for bin Laden to visit Baghdad.”

Worldwide: Opposition movements topple governments

What’s happening in the predominantly Sunni Muslim Kyrgyz Republic is indicative of post-millenium movements: powerful opposition groups toppling sitting presidents.

Widespread allegations of government interference in parliamentary elections resulted in Kyrgyz’s protests, where throngs collectively moved toward the capital to usurp President Askar Akayev. It began in the southern region, supported by an opposition group led by Kurmanbek Bakiyez. By early March 2005 Bakiyez and his opposition group took control of Kyrgyz's capital Bishkek after capturing the White House—the moniker for the president’s palace.

The opposition pledged to form a national unity government and prepared for fresh elections.

An interesting aspect of the unfolding drama is the relationship between these two men. A timeline posted on China News shows they were once good friends. In 2000, based on President Askar Akayev's recommendation, Bakiyez became prime minister. He was forced to resign two years later after clashes with opposition protesters in the south where five people were killed.

Not only was Bakiyez forced to resign over the 2002 protests in the south, but so did several top officials in Akayev’s cabinet—who would later support Bakiyez.

Who was really responsible was questionable. To be fair, Akayev is listed as an "authoritarian" by the Council of Foreign Relations. He was a former scientist and anticommunist activist "initially courted by the West after the Soviet collapse" who stands accused of a "lack of respect for democratic practices," human rights abuses, the suppression of internal dissent, detainment of political opponents and censoring the media.

Bakiyez resigned his position and put aside his friendship with Akayev by joining the opposition, becoming its leading figure. It was he who claimed control on the parliament’s doorsteps a day after President Akayev was usurped.

In response, the Kyiv Post reported, President Akayev’s spokesmen said protests were part of a "coup" designed by criminals.

This isn’t the first time nations in distress claim an uprising is a by-product of foreign meddling. And the United States has been at the center of this controversy. Is this the affect of U.S. foreign policy, a policy already accused of supporting coups in Haiti and Venezuela—to push U.S. agendas on a global scale?

Ironically the Kyrgyz Republic is an oil rich nation. According to the Economic Development Ministry, the country produced 66,300 tons of oil in the first 11 months of 2004. And there are a lot of foreign governments interested in the economic advantages of doing business in the country. An example is the China firm Gun E who announced back in 2002 plans to invest $20 million into the Kyrgyz oil and gas industry and $1.5 million of equipment into the "state-owned" business.

Is this the impetus to build a U.S. military base on Kyrgyz: oil and Chinese competition? The country currently hosts 1,500 international peacekeepers: "including U.S., French, and South Korean soldiers—who are building an important base at the country’s main airport, located near the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek," the council noted.

The reason?

"The largely Muslim, authoritarian former Soviet republic has become an important Central Asian partner for the United States."

Does this prove a U.S.-orchestrated coup against a smaller nation?

No. But the United States will always be interested in nations that can support its interests: such as a strategically placed military base and access to crude oil.

One thing is certain: President Askar Akayev who surfaced in Russia as of this writing yielded power. What is not certain is how many more opposition groups or foreign governments in the coming years will overthrow sitting presidents to push their own agendas.

Worldwide: International stories of interest

The Hindu: Mass protests in Belarus, Mongolia
"Six more persons died in the Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek on Friday night as the new authorities tried to stop the mayhem and looting in the capital.

Agency reports said the developments in Kyrgyzstan inspired similar protests in Belarus and Mongolia on Friday. The authorities in Belarus on Saturday opened a criminal inquiry the day after an Opposition rally massed outside the office of the President, Alexander Lukashenko, to demand his ouster in an attempt to emulate the uprising in Kyrgyzstan."

Other international stories:

Common Dreams: On Eve of Earth Day, House Passes Energy Bill that Allows ANWR Drilling

Common Dreams: Ecuadoran Congress Ousts President
Truthout.com: New President to Serve Out Full Term, Despite Protesters' Wishes

U.S.: There is no "liberal media"

Bernard Goldberg’s New York Times bestseller Arrogance is yet another example of Conservative America bellowing "liberal bias!" in mainstream media.

We all have biases based on the way in which we were raised; perhaps by our religion or the by the soci-economic circumstances surrounding our life experience.

This is a no-brainer.

And often it is hard to turn it off, much less block it out completely. Author of Blink Malcolm Gladwell says we have an adaptive unconscious, which analyzes a situation, person or thing instantly or "at a glance"—often truthfully. Our un-conscience is a powerful force, and one that is fallible. That’s why "we all really only trust the conscience decision making process."

And this applies to journalists as well. When we are unsure, we research more. And if still unsure, we ask for second opinions. True journalists follow the profession’s code of ethics; others cow-tow to corporate or government influence. An example Goldberg draws attention to is the Jayson Blair story, which in his opinion failed to expose bias and liberalism at the New York Times. It was a cheap shot atypical of a full on assault by conservatives if the said "liberal" media screws up.

It’s not the "liberals," however, alone who are doing this. Recent cases show conservative newspeople are getting in bed with Bush administration mandates. Conservative columnist Armstrong Williams is one example. Williams used his column as a sounding board for the Department of Education’s No Child Left Behind Act. He also ran the department’s ads on his syndicated television show.

Embedded in his reporting was a conservative bias. The Nov. 2005 Chicago Tribune "Faking News, buying opinion…" piece said the columnist was paid "$240, 000 to celebrate the administration’s policies."

Because Williams is syndicated, his work is read throughout the nation—influencing a mass audience who believed the report was non-biased.

It wasn’t. It had a government-funded, conservative lean.

To divert attention they attack Dan Rather. Well, everyone in America knows of Rather’s bias. But it’s not left or right. Rather’s mistake was an ego that accompanied being a newsman for too many years—and depending on a producer’s word that fact-checking was completed on a 60 Minutes piece on Bush’s National Guard service records. It was the opportunity for the right to attack CBS with an "A-ah! We got you! Liberalism in media!"

"We got the New York Times, too!"

All the while columnist Maggie Gallagher was exposed by another "liberal paper" in Goldberg’s opinion—the Washington Post. She admitted receiving a contract for $21,500 to promote the Bush administration’s marriage initiative to strengthen families. The third example of conservative’s infiltration of in media is Michael MacManus, another columnist who was paid $10,000 by the administration to promote the marriage initiative.

Yet they attack Rather, who did not take money from the Democratic Party or the West Coast progressive movement to publish the story. Unlike Armstrong and Gallagher his apparent biased was based on one thing: what he mistakenly thought was truthful reporting.

So Arrogance it can be said is not the title of the book, but rather an adjective for conservatives bellowing liberalism in the media. It is not liberalism invading the media. Its government-sponsored updates through aligned newspeople in order to push the Bush World Agenda.

Iraq: Civilian death toll surpasses 20,000

Americans are worried about the lives of their soldiers, but who is worrying about the death of thousands of Iraqis?

Not the mainstream U.S. media.

This is an important issue, and one the United States would like to keep hidden away in Pandora's Box. But the box is open, now, as more alternative outlets research and report on what could be said to be genocide of the Iraq people: More than 20,000 civilians have been killed by the United States under the guise of fighting terrorism.

And if the Bush administration thinks this is good will, that we are "saving Iraqis" from the hands of terrorists and that the United States is well-loved across the globe, well then, our president is on crack...or is cocaine his drug of choice?

Either way, kudos to the U.S. media who shelter its viewership about the costs of war. Ignorance is bliss and allows governments to push its mandates while its citizens blindly follow and innocents die around the world.

Iran: Al Jazeera offices shut down

Americans often cringe when they hear about the Middle East-centric news outlet, Al Jazeera. It is seen as "rouge" with an "ax to grind" against the United States (well, we did drop a bomb on it...).

Those who follow its coverage, however, note the importance of its perspective on the state of the Islamic world. And maybe it's this perspective, or truth telling, that led today to Iran's move: to shut down Al Jazeera news outlets operating within the country's borders.

All Headline News reported a story this morning, Iran Closing All Al-Jazeera Offices, saying the Iranian government is "charging the Arabic news network with inciting violence in southern Iran" and blaming clashes in the Khuzestan province, an area near the Iraq-Iran border, on the news outlet's rhetoric.

In response Al-Jazeera promised "it will continue to cover Iranian affairs objectively, comprehensively and in a balanced way, and calls on the relevant Iranian authorities to reconsider the decision to suspend its bureau's activities."

The truth hurts. And it may enrage. And it may lead to violence. But crushing speech and choice is a deadlier consequence.

Worldwide: International stories of interest

Allafrica.com: Illicit SA-Based Nuke Trade Exposed in U.S.
Pakistan seems to be the gateway to the nuclear weapon trade. What a surprise.

Reuters: Taliban start a radio station
A mobile van is used to transmit the Taliban’s message to several provinces.

Worldwide: Media ignores global conflicts

Once and awhile I would love to blog about something positive happening in the world. But the more I read, the more I research, the more I become disenchanted with this thing called life: While comfortable in my Middle Class Lifestyle, others around me suffer daily strife—risking their lives by simply existing, being.

Perhaps that is why the U.S. media avoids these topics—to keep alive "mass ignorance even in the information age" and focus on the only thing that seems to matter in the 21st Century: money.

And here is another example.
From Reuters: VIEWPOINT: Media short-sightedness is truly staggering
"One good example is Nepal, home of the deadliest conflict in Asia, with some 10,000 killed over the past few years. Before the coup on 1 February 2005, how often did television crews bother to cover the expanding Maoist insurgency there?

How many articles did the Western press carry about the widespread human rights abuses and disappearances at the hands of the Royal Nepalese Army?

Nepal has simply been off the radar screen of the world media, and even now, the coup story itself seems to have appeared only as a rapidly fading blip.

Another under-reported conflict is in Uganda, where the rebel Lord's Resistance Army -- half guerrilla movement, half cult -- has fought government forces and made repeated brutal raids against civilians, displacing 1.6 million people and forcing thousands of abducted children to serve as their rank-and-file soldiers.

Uganda is now set to be the subject of the International Criminal Court's first full investigation into crimes against humanity.

And the media coverage of this ongoing tragedy internationally? Almost nothing."

UK: Annan points finger at U.S. over Iraq oil-for-food corruption

From the Gulf Daily News: “LONDON: Britain and the US last night angrily rejected a claim by UN chief Kofi Annan that it shares the blame with the US for corruption which tainted the Iraq oil-for-food programme.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Britain was "consistently in the lead in seeking to enforce sanctions against Iraq" when Saddam Hussein was in power.

Secretary-General Annan, whose integrity has been damaged by his son's implication in a scandal surrounding the oil programme, said in New York that most of the money Saddam had pocketed "came out of smuggling outside the oil-for-food programme, and it was on the American and British watch".

"Possibly they were the ones who knew exactly what was going on," he said, "and that the countries themselves decided to close their eyes to smuggling to Turkey and Jordan because they were allies.”

Worldwide: Ohio clinic distributed deadly flu kit

CBC Health and Science News: 2 nations never received deadly flu kits: WHO
An Ohio medical company recently distributed thousands of deadly flu virus strains, known as H2N2, to locations around the world. As the WHO and Ohio clinic try to sort out the mess, ensuring all samples are destroyed, the following accured:

"Some samples of a pandemic flu strain accidentally sent to labs around the world never made it to their destinations in Lebanon and Mexico, the World Health Organization said Friday."

Two terrorist nations, each "missing the sample."

Of note, this flu hasn’t surfaced since 1969 and is not included in flu shots. And people under the age of 37 have no immunity to H2N2.

Worried yet?

Ukraine: Decree ensures full troop withdrawal from Iraq by years’ end

Countries continue to pull out of the bloody mess better known as Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Next in line is Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko, who today signed a decree to withdraw all of his country's troops from Iraq by years’ end. He already pulled out 1,600 troops this past March, some say due to the country's public opinion: Most were against the war and allegedly disgusted by the fact 18 Ukrainians lost their lives.

But the timing is questionable: Yushchenko visited the White House to meet with President Bush on April 4, 2005. What did the two discuss to have Yushchenko return to his country, think about the conversation with Bush and then declare his country's involvement in Iraq officially over?

Apparently Bush promised millions of dollars to fortify the Ukrainian democracy—as an additional supplement to an exisiting appropriations bill. Reported the Washington Post: "In that light, Bush noted yesterday that he has requested $60 million to help cement Ukrainian democracy as part of a larger supplemental appropriations bill. But he did not mention that the House has cut that request to $33.7 million. Nor did he mention his administration's decision to cut 46 percent of funding for democracy and civil society programs in the former Soviet Union over the past four years."

Maybe Yushchenko saw through Bush’s lies, prompting him to end Ukrainian support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq. (Or maybe after supposedly being poisioned by an opponent he isn't scared of anyone—not even Bush and his cronies.)

When hearing this news, how did Bush respond?

"Mr. Bush thanked Ukraine for its contribution in Iraq, and said he understands Mr. Yushchenko's need to fulfill a pledge to have the troops return home, " according to a VOA report.

But Bush doesn’t. He didn't make that pledge.

Kyrgyz: Sec. Rumsfeld arrives in Kyrgyz Republic to secure air base access

Even though a supposed coup usurped the Kyrgyz Republic’s President Askjar Akaev just this month, the United States thought fit to visit the opposition leader and now sitting president Kurmanbek Bakiev. The visit was to ensure, no matter what was happening internally in the country, that the United States still had access to an air base there that supports Afghanistan war operations.

This is one reason. Or maybe it is just to secure an oil-producing nation with lots of foreign investment interest, from countries such as China.

After discussions the country’s acting president, Kurmanbek Bakiev threw his weight around, only agreeing to an extent. Lmitations were placed on the United States-- no U.S. AWACS surveillance aircraft or additional foreign military troops would be allowed.

From Radio Free Europe: "Rumsfeld said Washington backs Kyrgyzstan's new leadership in its efforts at building a stable democracy."

(Yes. Anything shielding its corruption and greed under the umbrella of democracy is A-OK with the United States.)

Kyrgyz: Soviet stuntman and opposition ally shot dead

From Radio Free Europe: Killing Points To Dangers in Postrevolutionary Kyrgyzstan
"Gunshots rang out in Orto-Say, a town about 8 kilometers from the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, on the night of 10 April. The victim was Usen Kudaibergenov, a prominent Kyrgyz personality who gained fame as a stuntman in Soviet films. But this time the bullets were real, and when his two assailants fled, Kudaibergenov was dead. He played a visible role in the upheaval that followed the ouster of President Askar Akaev and was an ally of the leading candidate for the newly scheduled 10 July presidential elections. The motives behind Kudaibergenov's killing remain mysterious, but the fact of his death points to the dangers that lurk in postrevolutionary Kyrgyzstan."

Pakistan: U.S. and Pakistan become bosom buddies

Voice of America: Security Threat Temporarily Closes US Consulate in Karachi
Once again the Bush administration implements foreign policies that, frankly, don't make much sense: like becoming bosom buddies with Pakistan.

For example on March 17, 2005 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Mahmood met to discuss the burgeoning ties between the United States' new partner in fighting terrorism. Their message was clear: "We remain engaged in broadening and deepening our multifaceted relationship on a long-term basis for the mutual benefit of our two countries."

This is curious for two reasons: the October 2004 and January 2005 U.S. Department of State reports. It seems that, over a few months' time, the U.S. stance on Pakistan changed drastically. The October report is scathing: stating key U.S. concerns with the nation were terrorism, weapons proliferation, as well as India-Pakistan relations, human rights and economic relations.

By January 2005 gone was wording about weapons of mass destruction and terrorism, replaced by new language focused on "a stable democratic, economically thriving Pakistan is key to U.S. interests."

So it is all about the dollars--not security. If it wasn't, ties may be hurt by what happened yesterday: the U.S. consulate in Karachi closed its doors in fear because of a security threat, according to a Voice of America report. The embassy also issued a warning to all Americans in region, advising them to avoid the consulate and the nearby Marriott Hotel.

If violence in Pakistan continues as of this post (and can be said will continue) why the hell is the United States selling F16s to the nation?

Mexico: Human rights abuses abound in criminal justice system

The United States and Mexico have something in common: the use of torture techniques in their criminal justice system. This is evidenced by a Human Rights Watch overview noting: "Several of Mexico’s most pressing human rights problems stem from shortcomings in its criminal justice system. They include torture and other ill-treatment by law enforcement officials, and a failure to investigate and prosecute those responsible for human rights violations."

In other words little action is taken by the Mexican government to deter and to punish these acts.

Amnesty International agrees. At the end of 2004 the organization released a report based on abuses in Guadalajara in May 2004 where more than 100 protesters were arrested—some of whom claimed they were tortured while in the custody of officials. According to information received by Amnesty International "several detainees were coerced, beaten or threatened into making confessions or implicating those suspected of having carried out acts of violence. To date, forty-five people are facing different charges for their alleged involvement in the events, fifteen of whom remain in prison. The eight foreign nationals arrested were expelled from the country at the beginning of June without leave to re-enter for a period of three years.

"The arrests of various people that took place in raids following the disturbances, simply on the basis of the clothes they were wearing or their suspicious appearance, are worrying and contravene international standards protecting personal freedom."

All the more reason for the United States to promote its 2001 "Partnership for Prosperity," a policy whose mission statement supports and encourages strong ties between the two nations: "To help address some of the root causes of migration, [President Fox and President Bush] agreed to form a public-private alliance to spur private sector growth throughout Mexico."

Not surprising. The United States, and the Bush administration specifically, loves doing business with and spending U.S. tax dollars on terrorist nations, like Mexico and Iran.

It’s an easy buck. And to the Bush administration economic advantage, not human rights abuses or terrorism, guides their foreign policy.

Mexico: Cartels target and kill Mexican reporter

Reuters: Mexican reporter who covered drug cartels shot dead
Raul Gibb Guerrero, 53, was an editor at La Opinion in the coastal state of Veracruz who wrote stories about smugglers' links to the government.

He was gunned down this past Friday after receiving death threats for months—death threats that eventually resulted in his demise.

It is a dangerous time for practicing journalist.

But this act is more importantly another example of how Mexico is an unruly country, in the hands of cartels and President Fox—who seems to be able to do little to stop it. The United States has said borders between the two countries are potential hotbeds for terrorists: Yet what about the terrorist within? The drug cartels, the murders? Is Mexico not a terrorist nation?

Russia: Young men dodge the draft

Radio Free Europe: Thousands Dodge Military Service as Draft Begins
Countries seem to be having a tough time recruiting bodies for their militaries. In the United States alone nearly all units complain recruitment numbers are down or stagnant—worrying about the future effect on military numbers due to the Iraq war.

Others in liberal circles warn against the draft, while those in foreign nations contend with the draft the best way they can.

An example is in Russia, where the army is again having trouble filling its ranks. The April 1 annual draft hopes to find 155,00 men. But with Chechnya and a brutal reputation, many Russians are hiding from draft commissions and police to avoid service.

It seems fewer are willing to give their lives to support government policies with which they disagree.

Is this a good thing? Yes. Independent thought can be self-centered and many in Chechnya could be considered "terrorists"--depending on which nation is using the term.

But killing is immoral. And with the passing of Pope John Paul II, morality is on the minds of many worldwide.

So kudos to the Russians who hide from the draft. Let's have the diplomats and their sons fight instead--it's their mandate; they should carry the sin of war on their backs.

Rome: The real reason Bush's in town

Reuters: W.House Regrets Italian Death as Bush Meets Ciampi
It at first seemed Bush attended Pope John Paul II’s viewing to change a historical trend: U.S. presidents avoiding funerals of Catholic pontiffs because of the church’s past endorsement of dictatorships. But the story beneath the story is the accompaniment of Clinton and Papa Bush to Rome to help Bush Jr. fix the weakening ties between Italy and the United States.

President Bush held talks with Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi today in support of this effort, while Bush administration spokesperson Scott McClellan reaffirmed to reporters the United States regrets over the death of an Italian secret service agent shot by U.S. forces in Iraq. However, this topic was not discussed between Bush Jr. and Ciampi. Instead the half-hour meeting focused on the Middle East.

(Is a half-hour all the time Ciampi wanted to spare talking to Bush Jr.?)

McClellan told reporters that the subject of the dead secret service person at the hands of U.S. soldiers didn’t come up, but may "be discussed with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who will dine with Bush on Thursday night."

(Guess these types of topics are reserved for dinner conversations.)

Vatican City: Odd couple surfaces again

As throngs gathered to pay their respects to Pope John Paul II today, the US delegation was aboard Air Force One in route to the Vatican. Those who were chosen to represent the United States included the Bushies: George, his papa and his wife Laura. Also present was Secretary of State Condi Rice and—you guessed it—Bill Clinton.

It was addressed in past blogs this strange relationship between Clinton and the Bush family. But as the U.S. delegation eventually knelt before the pope’s body, it was Clinton’s presence that stood out.

What is his role in the current administration? And why does he seemed attached to the Bushies like a toddler to a mother?

According to the New York Times: "According to a pool report filed by reporters aboard Air Force One, Mr. Bush asked his father and Mr. Clinton to join him on Wednesday morning during his intelligence briefing."

Is Clinton Bush jr.'s new foreign policy advisor?

Middle East: Middle East Times--Caterpillar: Making a killing in Palestine?

“Frequently in the global economy it seems that corporations are able to get away with activities that would see an individual locked up in The Hague for decades.

Take the case of Caterpillar. Without selling a single bomb, gun or F16 fighter, Caterpillar has been supplying the Israeli military with its ‘key weapon,’ in the words of one Israeli commander, in its illegal and brutal occupation of Palestine.

In the words of the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to food, Caterpillar's D-9 bulldozers have been responsible for destroying ‘agricultural farms, greenhouses, ancient olive groves ... numerous Palestinian homes and sometimes human lives.’”

New Zealand: Locals protest companies' war profitability

When you think of New Zealanders, violent protests may not come to mind. But collectively they are pissed. They are pissed about the Iraq war and the companies making a killing from the conflict.

An example is the recent march by protesters who gathered outside the ANZ bank in Auckland, New Zealand, to say, enough is enough! Profit isn't worth blood!

Most Americans realize that, in addition to “U.S. security,” Middle East conflicts are about oil. And someone is profiting, as oil prices reach all-time highs at $58 a barrel.

Yet collectively, Americans stay quiet--driving their SUVs to their local Wal-Mart to buy cheap wares caring little about oil prices or the poor sap making the products or the problems facing our soliders. In the meantime, people around the world protest against the actions of the United States--often leading to "regime" changes.

And yet little seems to happen to U.S. politicans who don't serve the interests of the average American.

So what is the problem?

Americans. Americans are often too lazy or not adept enough to realize that their current president may not have their best interests in mind. And yet we do little, except blog and talk around the water cooler about the Schiavo case or the Jackson trial. As long as Americans stay ignorant, little will change.

Where is our coup? Where is our national march to the steps of the White House?

Maybe they will orchestrate it on Pimp My Ride.

Iraq: What the U.S. doesn't want you to see

Please note: This link will take you to an image of a child.

Kyrgyz: President Signs Resignation

From RadioFreeEurope: Ousted Kyrgyz President Signs Resignation
"Kyrgyz lawmaker Sadyr Japarov says the country's ousted president, Askar Akaev, signed a resignation agreement today.

The agreement, which could mark a significant step toward solidifying political order in Kyrgyzstan following the political upheaval that caused him to flee the country, was signed at the Kyrgyz Embassy in Moscow. Japarov said outside the embassy that the resignation is effective tomorrow. Akaev fled to Russia after demonstrators stormed his offices on 24 March following weeks of protest at parliamentary elections the opposition deemed fraudulent. Akaev signed the agreement one day after it was worked out in talks with a delegation representing Kyrgyzstan's interim leadership. The interim authorities have tentatively scheduled a new presidential election for 26 June. However, if Akaev were not to Step down, the legitimacy of that election could be called into question."

United States: Government sells F-16 aircraft to Pakistan

The Hindu: F-16s for Pakistan will fuel arms race
History does have a tendency to repeat itself, usually because those running powerful governments don’t reflect enough on their decisions. And the United States is a perfect example. It continues to sell arms to countries, later regretting it as those weapons are used to kill U.S. soldiers or attack U.S. embassies.

One example is Afghanistan, where U.S. soldiers combated "the enemy" who wielded U.S. weaponry.

No matter, since the Bush administration has decided it is a good idea to provide F-16 fighter aircraft to Pakistan. This decision adversely affects of our ally India (the location of many outsourced U.S. jobs).

From The Hindu:
"…even if packaged with `sweeteners' like the offer of advanced multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) to India or a dialogue on civilian nuclear cooperation, is likely to have an adverse impact on the security environment in South Asia, highly-placed sources in South Block told The Hindu today."

The question is, hasn’t the United States learned its lesson yet? There is so little stability in the area currently, as seen with China’s move to arm itself and the overthrow of governments in the Kyrgyz Republic. Why rock the boat by arming Pakistan with F-16s? What does the United States have to gain.

Money? Power? How many years will it take before Pakistan uses the fighter aircraft against our "friends" around the world or against U.S. service people?

Worldwide: Dangerous time for global journalists

From the International Press Institute 2004 Report
"Examining 191 countries and territories, the 2004 Review reveals the overwhelming failure of the authorities in many parts of the world to properly investigate and prosecute the killers of journalists.

"With 78 journalists killed, 2004 has been one of the worst years since IPI first started keeping records. The ongoing Iraqi insurgency killed 23 journalists and it remains the deadliest place in the world to practice journalism. Asia and MENA, with a total of 54 journalists killed - 27 in each - are the most dangerous regions; while, in the Americas, 15 journalists lost their lives. Elsewhere, two journalists were killed in Africa and seven in Europe."

Kyrgyz: An oil producing nation with lots of foreign investment

According to the Economic Development Ministry, Kyrgyz Republic produced 66,300 tons of oil in the first 11 months of 2004.

There’s gold there, too.

And there are a lot of countries interested in economic advantages offered by doing business in the country. For example, China firm Gun E announced in 2002 plans to dump $20 million into the Kyrgyz oil and gas industry, which including supplying the nation with drilling equipment worth $1.5 million to the "state-owned company."

What does China think of all this? Who knows.

Click here for an interesting timeline on the nation.

Kyrgyz: President and opposition leader old friends

Kyiv Post: Kyrgyz opposition figure claims control a day after president ousted in massive protests

On March 2005, opposition leader Kurmanbek Bakiyez emerged victorious from the parliament building, claiming he was not the acting leader after protests drove out the current president Askar Akayev.

Who is Kurmanbek Bakiyey? In 2000, based on President Askar Akayev's recommendation, Bakiyev became prime minister. He was forced to resign in 2002 after clashes with opposition protesters in the south—known as the worst violence in the country since 1990.

He was once against the opposition, then moved over to lead the organization after he was forced to resign from the prime minister position.

It now looks like it’s Akayev’s turn to resign, according to a report. He surfaced today: “Ousted President Askar Akayev surfaced in Russia after fleeing this Central Asian nation and said Tuesday he would resign if given legal protections - the first sign he is willing to yield power.”

Revenge is obviously better served cold.

U.S. Army admits to widespread torture

From the New York Times:
"WASHINGTON (AP) -- Newly released government documents say the abuse of prisoners in Iraq by U.S. forces was more widespread than previously reported.

An officer found that detainees ``were being systematically and intentionally mistreated'' at a holding facility near Mosul in December 2003. The 311th Military Intelligence Battalion of the Army's 101st Airborne Division ran the lockup. Records previously released by the Army have detailed abuses at Abu Ghraib and other sites in Iraq as well as at sites in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The documents released Friday were the first to reveal abuses at the jail in Mosul and are among the few to allege torture directly."

Click here to learn more.

Free at Last! Bobby Fischer Heads to Iceland

World chess champion Bobby Fischer has finally found a home—in Iceland. The chess champion has been in Japan, fighting an extradition to the United States for breaking international sanctions by playing a match in Yugoslavia in 1992.

Chess has no political boundaries and neither did he, which caused years of controversy and mystery about his location. He is found now and on his way to solitude and piece in the frigid nation.

But you would think, after all of these years, the U.S. would give him a break and welcome him home.

No such luck.

For more background, click here or here.

Thailand: Cigarette Packages Must Depict Deadliness of Smoking

Starting today all cigarette packs sold to denizens and visitors of Thailand must carry a new warning label.

What makes this label special is that it will be half the length of the pack and will feature graphic pictures. For example, one picture will be a skull swimming in a sea of cigarettes. Others are aimed at educating users of the dangerous affects of smoking: heart and lung disease, cancer and other conditions leading to potentially a painful death.

Another President Toppled; Another U.S. Coups Accused

In another example of the power of the people, an opposition group in Kyrgyzstan took control of the capital, Bishkek, after capturing the president’s palace—which is ironically called the White House.

On March 22, the nation’s spokesman for president Askar Akayev's said the protests were part of a "coups" designed by criminals. Two days later, today, Kyrgyzstan's opposition is pledging to form a national unity government and prepares for fresh elections after seizing the White House.

This is a nation that has been combating terrorists, illustrated by the 1,500 international peacekeepers currently in the area. (It is nation we also have plans for" building a big ole U.S.base.)

Or is this another piece of U.S. foreign policy, a policy already accused of supporting coups in Haiti and Venezuela?

Toppling governments sure is hard work, but there is no evidence of U.S. involvement at this time.

Red Sox Jet Charters Suspects for CIA

Chicago Tribune: Red Sox partner says CIA chartered his jet
In case you are a corporate mogul looking for a new revenue stream, perhaps offering the company jet for charters would be a good idea. The Red Sox thought so, who note that one of their clients is the CIA.

(Shouldn't the CIA have enough cash to have its own jets?)

You see, the CIA is always looking for covert ways to move people in and out of the country. And with the good old Red Sox, our World Series Winners, trafficking people for the CIA looks like another way to increase profit margins while avoiding the important questions: Where are you going and what are you doing with our jets?

Salon.com picked up the story (two days after the Tribune).

U.S. Admits Mexico-U.S. Border Is a Terror Threat

Christian Science Monitor: US-Mexican border as a terror risk
Concern is finally growing at the top level of the U.S. government about the U.S.-Mexico border becoming a "back door for terrorists entering the United States."

Yes, this has been a concern of the U.S. government since the 9/11 tragedy. But the difficulties of covering the U.S./Mexico border, nearly 2000 miles of it, is a challenge. More important, regardless of the challenges which need to be addressed, the border seems on the bottom of the list for an administration focused on Middle Eastern Democracy in Iraq, Iran, Syria and more.

Mexico is not a safe country and has a host of problems. Those who tout it to be an excellent tourist destination often cannot empathize with the American Experience in Mexico. And if terrorists like al Qaeda and MS-13 want to enter the United States, the easiest way to do it is through Mexico. In fact, the two factions may have already met to discuss this, according to a report.

Glad to know someone is finally paying attention.

Update: Europe Reconsiders Weapon Sales to China

Salon.com: Europe rethinks weapons sales to China
Guess China's actions against Taiwan didn't help its argument Europe should lift its arms embargo. Should be interesting to see China's next move: Will the nation end 15-years of economic ties should the arms embargo be kept in place and/or the world speaks out against its Taiwan policy?

It depends on how stubborn the players are and how much rhetoric will become action.

Women GIs Suffer More from PTSD

According to a Chicago Tribune article, women GIs are coming home with more than a few memories. They are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. So the VA has begun a study to help these soliders.

How can they afford it when the Bush administration's budget cuts deeply into VA funding?

Americans Brace for High Gas Prices

Just a note that Americans may be paying, on average, $2.75 per gallon for gas.

Maybe it is time for us to give up our SUVs and take public transportation.

Mercury Poison Slowly Kills Population

Mercury is bad. Most people know this. Then why are U.S. republicans using poor science to say otherwise? Maybe because it comes from coal-buring power plants.

"The report ignores reams of data indicating that mercury disrupts fetal development and can cause learning and memory disabilities in children, as well as recent research linking mercury exposure to increased risk of cardiac problems in adults. And it gives short shrift to the well-established fact that coal-burning power plants are the major industrial source of mercury pollution in the U.S."

You may ask, what does this have to do with geopolitics?

Well. Everything. First, the Bush administration's policy is hurting the environment. Second, this kind of posion can travel miles and through generations. It can make us sick and slowly kill, no matter where you are located on the globe.

So take notice.

If Democracy Means a Hezbollah Rule, Does the U.S. Lose the Middle East?

AP: Pro-Syrian Protesters March on U.S. Embassy; Military Intelligence Vacates Office in Beirut
Freedom of assembly, once touted by the Bush administration as proof the Great Democratizing of the Middle East, may result in the rise of new Saddams and Osamas—under the shield of democracy.

In Lebanon today, 2,000 pro-Syrian demonstrators marched to the U.S. embassy in a Beirut suburb asking for an exodus of foreign influence. The group was upset at the United States and other international bodies’ resolution demanding Syria out, as well as militias including Hezbolla:

The protesters, waving Lebanese flags and chanting, "Ambassador get out! Leave my country free!" stopped at the barbed wire blocking the road about 500 yards from the fortified hilltop compound. The crowd did not try to break through.

This voice is upset at the United States for its tactics against Syria and the sponsorship of the U.N. Security Council resolution demanding that Syria withdraw and dismantle militias including Hezbollah.

Wait a second, wasn’t it Hezbollah who drew a half-million people in the nation's largest ever protest...that was anti-Syrian and anti-U.S.?

Morning Edition predicted the Muslim group may influence what happens next in Lebanon.

And the terrorist/political group is influencing things, through the aforementioned protests as well as what happened today: Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Hezbollah is a force to be reckoned with when implementing the UN resolution calling for Syrian troop withdrawal when responding to questions about a resolution for the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Annan said the world needs to accept that in every society different groups may hold different views.
"Of course, we need to be careful of the forces at work in Lebanese society as we move forward," he said.
"But even the Hezbollah — if I read the message on the placards they are using — they are talking about non-interference by outsiders ... which is not entirely at odds with the Security Council resolution, that there should be withdrawal of Syrian troops," Annan told reporters.
"But that having been said, we need to recognize that they are a force in society that one will have to factor in as we implement the resolution," he said.

Is history repeating itself? And do U.S. tactics to topple governments lead to new, more unstable and more anti-U.S. governments? Only time will tell.

Clinton Visits Taiwan; China Authorizes Force Against the Nation

Clinton is a popular figure all around the world. That may be why he continues to be in the limelight, annoying not only the current U.S. president but leaders all around the world. For example in late February 2005, Clinton visited Taiwan and met with Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian for a private dinner.

The Chinese government never appreciates a senior statesman visiting with Shui-bian, much less without receiving notice about it ahead of time.

Now today, China enacted a law authorizing force against Taiwan to stop the island from moving towards independence. China warns other nations to mind their own business and not interfere with its policy and new law.

This, combined with demands to lift an arms embargo, is an example about the boldness of China's recent demands. What's next?

Democracy Spreads, Despite Bush Politics

More and more nations are using core democratic principles, such as freedom of expression, to change government rule.

This is wonderful!

Many people say this is proof Bush's policies of "freedom on the march" are working.

Not so fast. Click here to see what a writer from American Prospect thinks about this.

Capture of Saddam PR Trick

I have been talking to friends and family about an article on In the Dark, a blog by a Roosevelt University professor. The story refers to the capture of Saddam, which apparently, did not happen while the dictator was in a hole. That was a PR documentary by the U.S. military. What really happened?

Check out the story here.

No One Is Safe from Nuclear Fallout

New York Times: Hans Bethe, Father of Nuclear Astrophysics, Dies at 98
Hans Bethe died this week. He was a brilliant scientist who, among other things, helped devise the atom bomb. For the rest of his life, he protested against its use calling it an immoral weapon.

(Hindsight is always 20/20.)

Unfortunately, his work and important perspectives have been lost on modern-day politicians. Few people may know, since mainstream media fails to report important issues, that there are discussions to resume underground nuclear weapons tests specifically in Utah.

Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) used fear tactics to support resumed testing: "To the degree that we have people blow up our skyscrapers and hiding underground we have to have the ability to respond to them," Cannon said.

So let's explode some nuclear bombs underground in Utah, because, you know, if you do it underground it doesn't hurt the environment or residents in surrounding areas. And that plume of smoke seen above ground, don't worry about it. It's nothing.

(If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.)

The simple, scientific facts are that nuclear fallout adversely affects the environment, the existence of radioactive iodine 131 (a component of the bomb) causes diseases such as thyroid cancer and the fallout has a national, and geo-national, reach.

What a silly argument that we need to poison Americans to scare the shit out of a few terrorists. Maybe if the Christian-right running our country right now spent a few years in science class, they would realize how detrimental all of this is. It’s almost like they are trying to kill Americans along with the rest of the evildoers of the world.

Clinton Golfs Before Surgery, Bush Again by Side

Just a quick update. The day before surgery, Clinton golfed for tsunami relief. And by his side again is the senior Bush.

(This is getting a little weird…)

Former President Bush and Clinton Form a Cozy Relationship

With news about President Bill Clinton's health issues due to his triple bypass, it was interesting to view a clip from Fox news today. In the clip, as the voice-over explained Clinton's pending operation, Clinton waved at cameras with a special companion by his side: the former President George Bush. The two meandered over to a black SUV apparently driving together to go see George W.

It seems as if these two are inseparable, with a cozy relationship that may be based on their recent press tour of South Asia and Tsunami relief.

Or is Clinton really a republican in Democrats' clothes?

Jessie Helms Pal Nominated for UN Ambassador

Yesterday Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the appointment of Undersecretary John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations. He was the former director of Project for the New American Century, a known conservative think tank, and somewhat of a hater of all things liberal and un-American.

Not to mention he is one of Jessie Helms buddies. From Salon.com:
"John Bolton," Helms said, "is the kind of man with whom I would want to stand at Armageddon, or what the Bible describes as the final battle between good and evil."

Seems like Bush, once again, chose exactly the person he wanted for the post.

Off-shoring Suspects to Foreign Jails: U.S. Says A-OK!

New York Times: Rule Change Lets C.I.A. Freely Send Suspects Abroad to Jails

Pundits have argued since the beginning of the Afganistan conflict up until the Iraq war that the Bush administration skated human rights standards through several tactics: including off-shoring suspects to foreign jails for interogation. This can be seen in several cases, such as Ahmed Abu Ali. We are a country of laws; why do we not interograte these suspects ourselves?

In a noon (eastern time) White House Briefing today, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said "we do not send suspects to countries where they may be tortured." (Yeah, right.)

Here is an excerpt from the Times piece:

"WASHINGTON, March 5 - The Bush administration's secret program to transfer suspected terrorists to foreign countries for interrogation has been carried out by the Central Intelligence Agency under broad authority that has allowed it to act without case-by-case approval from the White House or the State or Justice Departments, according to current and former government officials.

The unusually expansive authority for the C.I.A. to operate independently was provided by the White House under a still-classified directive signed by President Bush within days of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the officials said.

The process, known as rendition, has been central in the government's efforts to disrupt terrorism, but has been bitterly criticized by human rights groups on grounds that the practice has violated the Bush administration's public pledge to provide safeguards against torture."

Danger at Our Doorstep: Picking and Choosing Terrorist Territories

Okay. I am going to slip into first person because I’ve been thinking about this issue for awhile. I used to live in San Diego, Oceanside specifically (O’side!). And what was interesting to learn, coming from the Windy City, was how local coverage about Tijuana never received national U.S. press. (Tijuana is on the U.S. border between Mexico’s Baja Peninsula and San Diego County, California.)

The recent murder of an Iraqi police chief reminded me of San Diego County, sad to say. It happened there, too, in Tijuana. In 2000 on a sunny day 49-year-old Alfredo de la Torre’s car was perforated with bullets. My husband and I heard some local news during the morning rush hour touching on the politics of the peninsula but didn't know it in-depth.

But to seasoned visitors, the reality is that you never know, especially as an American, who your friend is in Mexico: often, it is not the police. Friends who grew up in border towns like San Antonio in Texas and San Diego tell tales of paying off police in Mexico even though they did nothing wrong. The police threaten. They harass. But mostly, they want money. A piece of advice I received before visiting: "If there is a roadblock, don’t stop."

Oh, "And always keep 50 bucks in your shoe."

And because the San Diego news would report about the mass graves and other violence, we realized we wouldn’t go back and visit Mexico, even though it was only 35 miles south of San Diego. We just didn’t feel it was right to economically support an unstable area. And I think we were right: in the last six month of 2004, 27 American's have been abducted along the border.

Yet as the U.S. focuses on Iraq, Iran and Syria, the violence in border towns continues and spills onto U.S. soil. And I just wonder why? Why aren’t we more concerned with our immediate borders compared with the Middle East? Are these not terrorists, too, as their actions match what has happened in Iraq?

Independent Review Panel in Ohio Approves "Face Transplants"

NPR: All Things Considered: Doctors Race to Complete First Face Transplant

Another race to the next great surgical technique: face transplants. The University of Louisville has a whole web page about it, but NPR noted it was the Clevland Clinic who received approval from an independent review panel for the first face transplant.

News reports say this could help burn victims and others; at the same time, donors may be hard to come by.

U.S. Company Admits to Bribery in West African State

BBC: US company admits Benin bribery
As another example of corporate power's influence on weaker foreign nations, the Titan Corporation must pay $28.5m under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act after admitting to using bribery in the West African state of Benin. It stood accused of funneling $2 million into the re-election campaign of President Mathieu Kerekou, while at the same time trying to increase the costs of a telecommunication project in the country.

"It (Titan) agreed to pay $13m in criminal penalties, as well as $15.5m to settle a civil lawsuit brought by the US financial watchdog, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)," according to the BBC.

If agencies continue to do their job, perhaps more attention will be focused on business practices based on fraud and deceit. But given this company supplies much of our homeland security resources, it makes sense no one is being dragged off to jail. Monetary punishments, often, are not enough to alter these unethical behaviors.

Arms Race Part Deux: Iran Wants Nuclear Power, Too

Christian Science Monitor: Russia fuels Iran's atomic bid
Well, as if the world wasn't dangerous enough, rumors say Iran is vying to join the nuclear arm race. Russia has signed a deal for the supply and return of fuel for Iran's nuclear reactor. The $800 million contract for Russia to finish the plant in Bushehr is quite an economic payoff. The danger, however, is spent nuclear fuel can be reprocessed to yield plutonium, used to make nuclear bombs.

Iran denies any intentions to build a nuclear bomb, instead focusing on building domestic energy sources.

The Face of Freedom in Iran

Lebanese Protests Lead to Government's Resignation

BBC: Lebanese ministers resign office
Freedom to assemble may be one of the greatest U.S. rights. These rights have spilled over to other countries, specifically in Lebanon.

After the assassination of Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri there was an absolute uproar; the people spoke out and marched against the Syrian influence in the country's politics and domestic issues such as the ban on protests.

Today, the current Lebanon's Prime Minister Omar Karami (as well as several of his cohorts) said he and his government plan to resign. Two weeks after Hariri's assassination the people of the country united under a common cause to push people from positions of power.

Is Democracy, in Bush terms, "On the march"? Perhaps not, but for two interesting perspectives click here or here.

The Day of Rest

Take a rest from important issues and watch the Oscar's!

And the Arms Race Begins: Europe May Lift China Arms Embargo

New York Times: Bush Says Europe Should Not Lift Its China Arms Embargo
Bush has finally decided to visit our European allies to weed through a few contentious issues. One, of course, is the Kyoto Treaty. The other issue is the proposed lifting of an arms embargo against China.

This action, according to U.S. officials, will "change the balance of relations between China and Taiwan, and that's of concern." The U.S. worries China's new "warfare capacity" would lead to the development "of sophisticated military systems that the United States has used in Afghanistan and Iraq." A country like China outpacing U.S. military's technology, according to some pundits, weakens the ability to use aggressive means to pursue U.S. interests. China's Premier Wen Jiabao has described the ban as "a product of the Cold War" and threatens Europe risks severing 15-years of bilateral ties unless it complies.

And yet this is not a new issue; for example this past December the EU decided not to revoke the ban. What happened? Perhaps it is the fragile geopolitical balance between the world's three superpowers: China, Europe and the United States. As one builds weapons, the other builds its member state's legislative and economical ties. And in the middle is the United States, with a president seemingly too stubborn to engage either of them. All around them are smaller countries growing in power under the umbrella of democratic presidential elections.

It is a delicate juggling act; let's just hope no one drops the ball.

Bank Finally Held Liable for Human Rights Abuse

NPR's All Things Considered: Riggs Agrees to Settlement in Pinochet Case
Gen. Augusto Pinochet Ugarte was charged with human rights crimes committed in Chile during his 17-year rule and indicted by Judge Juan Guzman on December 1, 2000. While the charges against Pinochet were subsequently dismissed on technical grounds, they were reinstated on January 29, 2001. In addition, the Chilean Supreme Court confirmed Pinochet should be stripped of his parliamentary immunity (a process known in Spanish as desafuero), and stand trial.

Five years later, Riggs Bank today agreed to pay $8 million to alleged victims of Augusto Pinochet's regime. It was said that the bank filtered Pinochet's funds illegally, after international law instructed the bank to freeze all of the ruler's financial accounts. The victims of Pinochet's rule claimed Riggs helped the former Chilean dictator hide money, which has since been withdrawn.

The money-laundering at Riggs Bank, headquartered in Washington, D.C., has also been linked to "dubious financial dealings of Saudi diplomats...from Africa and South America, including Chile's former maximum leader, Gen. Augusto Pinochet."

Personal Savings Accounts "A Bloody Mess" in Britain

The American Prospect: "A Bloody Mess"
Oftentimes people in positions of power fail to research past experiences when implementing policy. For example, the Bush administration is considering the implementation of personal savings accounts as part of the U.S. social security system reform.

“ ... to keep Social Security sound and reliable, we must offer younger workers a chance to invest in retirement accounts that they will control and they will own.”
– President George W. Bush, State of the Union Address, Jan. 28, 2003

Twenty-years ago, our closest ally Britain tried a similar approach.

Bush crosses the country on an "educational" road trip to promote the new wave of social security reform, all the while promoting it as something new. It's not. It's really familiar to the 1979 policy that led Britain into a financial crisis. It is reported that now, after all of this time, Britain's system is failing. And the parliamentary government is considering reforms based on the current U.S. social security system. An excerpt and interesting perspective from "A Bloody Mess" follows:

"The United Kingdom has the stingiest state pension program of any G8 nation, and there is growing consensus -- even among British conservatives -- that reform is needed. And ironically enough, considering that America is on the verge of copying Britain’s mistake, most experts seek reform in the direction of a more generous, and simpler, basic state pension -- one similar in design, in other words, to America’s Social Security program. "

American-Born Detainee Charged with "Plot to Kill the President"

NPR All Things Considered: Man Charged in Plot to Kill President
Freedom is relative, especially to Ahmed Abu Ali who stands charged of a plot to assassinate President George W. Bush.

American-born and Virginia-native Ahmed Abu Ali is a 23-year-old student of Islam who has been held in Saudi Arabia since June 2003. Saudi Arabian officials in Medina arrested him while he was taking an exam at Al-Madina University and, since then, his family and friends have lobbied the U.S. government to allow him access to legal counsel and to family members (a common cry by those detained under the US Patriot Act). They also filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court stating if their son was accused of a crime, he should be tried in U.S. court.

No crime was charged; no trial set. The United States swore to the family and to those asking questions that they had nothing to do with his detention. All while Ali apparently is being subject to or put at risk of torture. The family filed their lawsuit, while international aid organizations pushed and lobbied for the United States to sort this whole thing out.

All of the sudden on Feb. 22, it hit some news airwaves that Ali is, in fact, a terrorist organizing a plot to kill the president. He was picked up from Saudi and delivered to Virginia to stand charges. He currently faces a six-count indictment for suspected support of al Qaeda and (along with two co-conspirators) a plot to kill the president. If convicted, he will face 80-years—or life—in prison.

Court cases, like this one, involve the new rights of U.S. citizens in courts under the Patriot Act.

Perhaps, to avoid the hassle of the U.S. court system and to use loopholes in international law, the Bush administration holds the accused in foreign governments to interrogate them. It is the evolved Cold War, where laws are often guidelines for the weak and rhetoric for the powerful.

More good news, I guess.

Selling Secrets to Iran May Help Land an Iraqi Prime Minister Job

Washington Post: Iraq Prime Minister Candidate Exits Race
It seems the United Iraqi Alliance, an organization who has won more than half of the National Assembly seats, has been left with two options for prime minister: interim Vice President Ibrahim al-Jaafari and Ahmad Chalabi.

This is surely giving the U.S. administration heartburn, especially since Pentagon employees were given lie detector tests to figure out who told Chalabi the U.S. broke secret codes used by Iran. Chalabi was accused of tipping Iran that the codes had been broken, citing information “from an unidentified American."

Valerie Plame Documents Accessed by "Fake" Reporter

New York Times: Democrats Want Investigation of Reporter Using Fake Name
On Feb. 11, a New York Times article reported Democrats are again pressing for answers. How, they wonder, did the reporter rumored to be a White House plant, James D Guckert (aka Jeff Gannon), access classified documents outing Valerie Plame as a CIA operative?

Ummm. I wonder.

Send Americans to War, Screw ‘Em When They Come Home

Guerilla News Network: Some Iraq veterans are returning home, only to face homelessness and mental problems. Meanwhile, the VA is MIA.
With all of the hoopla over Bush's new budget, including social security reform, it is a wonder few mainstream news outlets are reporting the recommended cuts in U.S. Veterans Affairs services. In a time when VA hospitals are closing left and right, it’s obvious that once you're done serving... no matter what happens to your health and well being... U.S. military soldiers, marines, navy personnel are on their own.

Sounds like Vietnam, huh?

Bush Nominates Negroponte, While Most Americans at Work

In a 9 a.m. televised press briefing while most Americans were off at work, President Bush announced John Negroponte was his man for the post of national intelligence director, the first in U.S. history. He was also Bush’s man for ambassador to Iraq. But pundits worry why more people aren’t outraged because of his apparent involvement in Central America "death squads" before becoming ambassador.

I guess it is the same old back scratching common in Washington politics.

OK for Businesses to Turn a Blind Eye for Profitability

Oil and energy resources are important to Americans’ everyday lives: it provides heat, motors our cars and runs our economy. But when doing business abroad, shouldn’t companies especially those representing the ideals of the United States investigate whether their business practices counter international human rights laws, even indirectly? In an important human rights case, Doe v. Unocal, The Ninth Circuit found Unocal knew about forced labor practices and raping of Burmese women during the development of a pipeline...yet did not hold the company accountable. It is understandable U.S. officials are nervous about the ATCA’s reach, because it implies liability for human rights abuses caused by Bush policies during the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. What is the worry, however, if U.S. courts fail to properly enforce the act?

War kills people and human rights abuses abound. Businesses shouldn’t kill people, too, by investing in markets known for human rights abuses simply to feed U.S. energy needs. And if this does happen, businesses, government officials and other powerful institutions should be accountable under the ATCA. For broader economic advantages, it seems, the law is flexible – as seen in the Doe v. Unocal case.

The ATCA, U.N. "norms" and OCED guidelines provide guidance on myriad paths of ethical behavior. But a conservative or pro-business judge may not uphold the guidelines, arguing instead over language and six degrees of separation. How far removed Unocal executives were from the actions at the Burma pipeline overruled the language in the ATCA. Were executives holding the woman down while she was being raped, tortured and then murdered or in a high-rise office building sipping latté and reading the Wall Street Journal? Unocal knew these abuses were occurring and turned a blind eye. If the ATCA cannot hold the company accountable, then the act is obviously no longer a viable option to try the powerful in U.S. courts for human rights abuses.