News -- March 20, 2006

Three Years of War Against Iraq - "The most obvious example is the fact that we are still in Iraq even though 82 percent of Iraqis "strongly oppose" the presence of the coalition forces. Another fact is that 45-47 percent of Iraqis support attacks on coalition forces. This gives us and idea about how unwanted the invading army actually is in Iraq. In comparison, only 7 percent support attacks against Iraqi security forces and only 1 percent support attacks on civilians. But the most horrifying fact, by far, is that, according to American figures, between 2 and 9 percent of the insurgency is foreigners. That means that 91-98 percent of the insurgency is Iraqis. Given these facts, only one conclusion is possible -- we are in open war with the Iraqi people!"

Deaths, debate rage on after 3 years - "On the third anniversary of the Iraq war, more than 2,300 U.S. troops have died, tens of thousands of Iraqis have been killed and a fledgling democratically elected government is trying to hold the country together."

Memos Reveal War Crimes Warnings Could Bush administration officials be prosecuted for 'war crimes' as a result of new measures used in the war on terror? The White House's top lawyer thought so. - "The White House's top lawyer warned more than two years ago that U.S. officials could be prosecuted for "war crimes" as a result of new and unorthodox measures used by the Bush administration in the war on terrorism, according to an internal White House memo and interviews with participants in the debate over the issue. The concern about possible future prosecution for war crimes—and that it might even apply to Bush adminstration officials themselves— is contained in a crucial portion of an internal January 25, 2002, memo by White House counsel Alberto Gonzales obtained by NEWSWEEK. It urges President George Bush declare the war in Afghanistan, including the detention of Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters, exempt from the provisions of the Geneva Convention."

Bush still sees no reason to apologise - "If anyone was looking for even the slightest hint of second thoughts from those led the US into Iraq, they would have been sorely disappointed on the third anniversary of a war that is eating into America's soul and that may well reshape its political landscape."

Iraqi police report details civilians' deaths at hands of U.S. troops - "Iraqi police have accused American troops of executing 11 people, including a 75-year-old woman and a 6-month-old infant, in the aftermath of a raid last Wednesday on a house about 60 miles north of Baghdad. The villagers were killed after American troops herded them into a single room of the house, according to a police document obtained by Knight Ridder Newspapers. The soldiers also burned three vehicles, killed the villagers' animals and blew up the house, the document said."

Did Marines Commit Crime in Iraq Civilian Deaths? - "A bloody videotape shot by a local Iraqi journalism student has prompted the Pentagon to launch a criminal investigation into an incident that left at least 15 Iraqi civilians dead in the city of Haditha. The details of what happened four months ago in Haditha are just now coming to light with the release of the videotape by an Iraqi organization called Hammurabi Human Rights. The tape shows the bloodied and bullet-marked homes that had been allegedly stormed by the Marines, and includes comments by local residents."

The Letter of the Law - "The White House says spying on terror suspects without court approval is ok. What about physical searches?"

Holly of Pennsylvania and Arun of India Have an Urgent Message: Americans Wake-Up Now or You May End Up Dead Like Thousands of Others Around the World Caught in the Vice-Grip of the Bush War Machine. - "While Holly Avila protests the Iraqi War from her small town in Pennsylvania, Arun Shrivastava of India is trying to alert the world of an ever growing "circle of death" caused by the U.S. military's illegal use of depleted uranium in the Middle East. An unlikely pair, nevertheless they provide a unique example of how people from all over the world are finally beginning to come together for one purpose, the purpose of stopping the war and stopping the government killers before they bring about World War III."

Bush's Iran plan a time bomb with explosive results - "An air strike against Iranian nuclear facilities is unlikely to be surgical. There are about 50 sites associated with nuclear development in Iran and they are mainly sited in towns where civilian populations would be at risk. An attack would be certain to inflame the Islamic world against the US, almost certainly lead to a full-scale civil war in Iraq with the support of the predominantly Shiite Iranian people, and the US fleet in the shallow and narrow Persian Gulf would have to withdraw or be vulnerable to Iranian missile attack. Worse, any air strike against Iran is unlikely to get the support of the United Nations Security Council, given that China and Russia would likely veto any resolution put up by the US. Why would the Bush Administration risk widening Gulf War II to include Iran when it still has the chance to limit its losses to Iraq? The most popular explanation is that the US wants to pre-empt the Iranian decision to set up a Tehran oil bourse to facilitate the selling and buying of oil in euros instead of US dollars. The idea is that this would cause a chain reaction in which more and more oil producers and their customers would trade in euros and eventually force the US to pay for its oil in euros too. This would mean the US would have to do what every other country in the world has to do, namely earn foreign exchange through exports in order to pay for its oil imports."

‘Impeach Bush’ chorus grows - "THE movement to impeach President George W Bush over the war on terror began with a few tatty bumper stickers on the back of battered old Volvos and slogans such as "Bush lied, people died" on far-left websites. But as Democrat hopes rise of gaining control of Congress this autumn, dreams of impeaching Bush are no longer confined to the political fringe." -- How about imprison?

U.S. finances China nukes - "U.S. taxpayers are lending Westinghouse Electric Co. almost $5 billion to build nuclear power plants in China – even though the company, based in Pennsylvania, is about to be sold to Japan's Toshiba Corp., and even though the company is currently owned by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. And, so far, no one in the U.S. government is showing any interest in scrutinizing the sale over the transfer of nuclear-power technology – or in halting the loan from the Export-Import Bank."

BIN LADEN REALITY SHOW CAUSES 9/11 FURY - "A forthcoming reality TV show starring OSAMA BIN LADEN's niece has been widely condemned by 9/11 support groups. WAFAH DUFOUR, the daughter of terrorist bin Laden's half-brother YESLAM BIN LADIN, has signed a lucrative deal for the TV series, which will follow her battle for chart success in a fly-on-the-wall documentary."

Taxes, Death and Certainty - "Each season when spring approaches, attention turns to the ritual of filling out tax forms. All year long paying taxes is an integral part of the daily regiment. But when it comes time to sign your permission slip for legalized thievery, your submission to indentured servitude goes public. By becoming just another number in the long line of digital compliance under the penalty of perjury, the average citizen is performing his or her financial obligation to the State. At least that is what you are told is your duty."

W.House pushes more schools to drug-test students - "Student athletes, musicians and others who participate in after school activities could increasingly be subject to random drug testing under a program promoted by the Bush administration. White House officials say drug testing is an effective way to keep students away from harmful substances like marijuana and crystal methamphetamine, and have held seminars across the country to promote the practice to local school officials. But some parents, educators and school officials call it a heavy-handed, ineffective way to discourage drug use that undermines trust and invades students' privacy."

How to spot a baby conservative - "Remember the whiny, insecure kid in nursery school, the one who always thought everyone was out to get him, and was always running to the teacher with complaints? Chances are he grew up to be a conservative. At least, he did if he was one of 95 kids from the Berkeley area that social scientists have been tracking for the last 20 years. The confident, resilient, self-reliant kids mostly grew up to be liberals. ... Block admits in his paper that liberal Berkeley is not representative of the whole country. But within his sample, he says, the results hold. He reasons that insecure kids look for the reassurance provided by tradition and authority, and find it in conservative politics. The more confident kids are eager to explore alternatives to the way things are, and find liberal politics more congenial.
In a society that values self-confidence and out-goingness, it's a mostly flattering picture for liberals. It also runs contrary to the American stereotype of wimpy liberals and strong conservatives."

Virginia mulls bad-driver fees to save budget - "Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and General Assembly lawmakers want lousy drivers to help balance the state's budget and ease congested roads. Mr. Kaine, a Democrat, and the Republican-controlled House and Senate are each pushing "abuser-fee" programs that annually fine drivers for the number of points on their driving record or if they have been convicted of a serious offense such as drunken driving. The fines would be in addition to court fees and insurance surcharges."

Blame 'Big Chicken' - "According to University of Ottawa flu virologist Earl Brown, lethal bird flu is entirely man-made, first evolving in commercially produced poultry in Italy in 1878. The highly pathogenic H5N1 is descended from a strain that first appeared in Scotland in 1959. People have been living with backyard flocks of poultry since the dawn of civilization. But it wasn't until poultry production became modernized and birds were raised in much larger numbers and concentrations that a virulent bird flu evolved. Somehow, the virus that arose in Scotland found its way to China, where, as H5N1, it has been raging for more than a decade."

Grow Your Own Oil, U.S. - "Researchers hoping to ease America's oil addiction are turning sawdust and wood chips into bio-oil, a thick black liquid that could become a green substitute for many petroleum products. Bio-oil can be made from almost any organic material, including agricultural and forest waste like corn stalks and scraps of bark. Converting the raw biomass into bio-oil yields a product that is easy to transport and can be processed into higher-value fuels and chemicals."

Humans spur worst extinction since dinosaurs - ""In effect, we are currently responsible for the sixth major extinction event in the history of earth, and the greatest since the dinosaurs disappeared, 65 million years ago," said the 92-page Global Biodiversity Outlook 2 report."

Virus used to make nanoparticles - "UK scientists from Norwich have used a plant virus to create nanotechnology building blocks."

Best job market in 5 years for grads: report - "U.S. college graduates are facing the best job market since 2001, with business, computer, engineering, education and health care grads in highest demand, a report by an employment consulting firm showed on Monday."

Tom Green County mulls faith-based prison - "Supporters say it could influence prisoners' lives through religion, and create jobs."

Nasa to put man on far side of moon - "Under the project, up to four astronauts at a time will land on the far side of the moon to collect rock samples and carry out research, including looking for water that might one day support a lunar base."










Quote of the Day
"It doesn't make a damned bit of difference who wins the war to someone who's dead."
~ Captain Yossarian, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller