Citizens for Legitimate Government

CLG's BREAKING NEWS and COMMENTARY

Air Force Aims for 'Full Control' of 'Any and All' Computers By Noah Shachtman 13 May 2008 The Air Force wants a suite of hacker tools, to give it "access" to -- and "full control" of -- any kind of computer there is. And once the info warriors are in, the Air Force wants them to keep tabs on their "adversaries' information infrastructure completely undetected." The government is growing increasingly interested in waging war online. The Air Force recently put together a "Cyberspace Command," with a charter to rule networks the way its fighter jets rule the skies. The Department of Homeland Security, Darpa, and other agencies are teaming up for a five-year, $30 billion "national cybersecurity initiative."

Air Force Colonel Wants to Build a Military Botnet By Kevin Poulsen 12 May 2008 ...Col. Charles W. Williamson III is proposing that the Air Force build its own zombie network, so it can launch distributed denial of service attacks on foreign enemies. In the most lunatic idea to come out of the military since the gay bomb, Williamson writes in the Armed Force Journal that the Air Force should deliberately install DDoS code on its unclassified computers, as well as civilian government machines. He even wants to rescue old machines from the junk bin to enlist in the .mil botnet army.

U.S. Forcibly Drugs Detainees --Sedation of deportees is far more common than federal immigration officials have admitted. 14 May 2008 The U.S. government has injected hundreds of foreigners it has deported with dangerous psychotropic drugs against their will to keep them sedated during the trip back to their home country, according to medical records, internal documents and interviews with people who have been drugged. The government's forced use of antipsychotic drugs, in people who have no history of mental illness, includes dozens of cases in which the "pre-flight cocktail," as a document calls it, had such a potent effect that federal guards needed a wheelchair to move the slumped deportee onto an airplane.

Italian Trial of CIA Operatives Begins With Torture Testimony 15 May 2008 (Milan) A long-delayed trial of C.I.A. operatives and former top Italian intelligence officials moved forward here on Wednesday, as a judge ruled that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi could be called to testify about the abduction of a Muslim cleric here in 2003. Testimony also began Wednesday. The cleric�s wife, Ghali Nabila, said her husband, Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, known as Abu Omar, was taken from Italy and transferred to a prison in Egypt, where, she said, he was repeatedly tortured. "He was tied up like he was being crucified. He was beat up, especially around his ears. He was subjected to electroshocks to many body parts." "To his genitals?" the prosecutors asked. "Yes," she replied.

Italian PM may be drawn into CIA abduction case 13 May 2008 An Italian judge could decide on Wednesday to make Silvio Berlusconi the first head of a government to testify in criminal proceedings over secret CIA transfers of terrorism suspects. Prosecutors say a CIA-led team kidnapped a Muslim cleric off the streets of Milan and secretly flew him to Egypt. There, the terrorism suspect, Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, says he was tortured under questioning and held for years without charge before being released in 2007.

Bush: Democratic presidency could lead to another terror attack on U.S. 13 May 2008 President [sic] Bush said on Tuesday he was disappointed in "flawed intelligence" before the Iraq war and was concerned that if a Democrat wins the presidency in November and withdrew troops prematurely it could "eventually lead to another attack on the United States." He acknowledged concerns about leaving the unfinished [lost] Iraq war to a Democratic successor. Bush said his "doomsday scenario of course is that extremists throughout the Middle East would be emboldened, which would eventually lead to another attack on the United States."

US Listed Palestine Hotel as Target Prior to Killing of Two Journalists: Fmr. Military Intelligence Sgt. (Democracy Now!) 13 May 2008 Last month marked the fifth anniversary of the US military shelling of the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad. The attack killed two journalists: Reuters cameraman Taras Protsyuk and Jose Couso, a cameraman for the Spanish television network Telecinco. The Pentagon has called the killings accidental, but in this broadcast exclusive Army Sgt. Adrienne Kinne (Ret.) reveals she saw secret US military documents that listed the hotel as a possible target. Kinne also discloses that she was personally ordered to eavesdrop on Americans working for news organizations and NGOs in Iraq.

Military analysts named in Times expos� appeared or were quoted more than 4,500 times on broadcast nets, cables, NPR 13 May 2008 A New York Times article detailed the connection between numerous media military analysts and the Pentagon and defense industries, reporting that "the Bush administration has used its control over access and information in an effort to transform" media military analysts "into a kind of media Trojan horse -- an instrument intended to shape terrorism coverage from inside the major TV and radio networks." A Media Matters review found that since January 1, 2002, the analysts named in the Times article -- many identified as having ties to the defense industry -- collectively appeared or were quoted as experts more than 4,500 times on various media outlets.

Two suicide bombings kill over 20 Iraqis 15 May 2008 Two suicide bombings left more than 50 people killed or injured on Wednesday in Iraq. A suicide bomber blew himself up in a tent on a funeral site at the Zaidan village of Abu Ghraib area, some 15 km west of Baghdad, an Interior Ministry source said. The blast killed at least 20 mourners and wounded about 30 others at the funeral, the source said.

Kitty Hawk air wing commander removed for 'loss of confidence' [?] 11 May 2008 The U.S. Navy air wing commander for the USS Kitty Hawk�s strike group was relieved of duty Friday after an admiral said he lost confidence in the commander�s ability, according to a Navy spokeswoman. Capt. Michael P. McNellis was relieved as commander of Carrier Air Wing 5 by Rear Adm. Richard B. Wren, commander of Commander Task Force 70, the Navy said in a news release.

MI6 chief visits Mossad for talks on Iran's nuclear threat 04 May 2008 The head of MI6, Sir John Scarlett, is to visit Israel later this month as Britain forges closer links with Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service. Iran�s nuclear programme is expected to be high on the agenda in an intelligence-sharing process described by Israeli officials as a "strategic dialogue". It is building on long-standing cooperation between MI6 and Mossad, both of which have extensive spy networks in the Middle East.

Afghanistan seeks $50 billion in aid 14 May 2008 Afghanistan will ask international donors next month for $50 billion to fund a five-year development plan, a presidential aide said, despite growing criticism that aid money is being wasted. [Thanks to Bush,] Afghanistan produces about 93 percent of the world's opium, the raw material of heroin.

13 Taliban, 2 police killed in Afghanistan 14 May 2008 Clashes in southern Afghanistan have left 13 Taliban militants and two policemen dead, while a teacher was shot to death in the north after giving a speech condemning suicide bombings, officials said Wednesday.

Generals dismissed over Afghan assassination bid 13 May 2008 Eight senior generals have been suspended from Afghanistan's armed forces and are being questioned over last month's failed assassination bid on President Hamad Karzai. Mr Karzai survived the April 27 'Taliban' attack on a military parade, which left three other people dead including an Afghan MP.

Jordan convicts 3 of plotting to kill Bush 14 May 2008 Jordan's military court convicted three militants Wednesday of plotting to assassinate President [sic] Bush during a 2006 visit to the kingdom and sentenced them to 15 years in jail. The Jordanian men -- Nidhal Musleh al-Momani, Sattam al-Zawahrah and Tharwat Darajs -- were arrested Nov. 28, 2006, the day before Bush landed in the Jordanian capital Amman. [They couldn't get bail?]

Why has the US dropped 9/11 charges? [Because Bush did it.] 13 May 2008 The American government has given no reason why charges against the man it has alleged was the "20th hijacker" in the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US have been dropped... The CCR said in a statement it believed the charges against him had been dropped because Mohammad al-Qahtani had been tortured. "The government's claims against our client were based on unreliable evidence obtained through torture at Guantanamo," it said.

Police warn editors on terrorism article 14 May 2008 (AU) Police have issued formal warnings to six editors and an investigative reporter over coverage of the Operation Eight terrorism investigation. In what is believed to be a legal first, a police investigation found that the seven journalists had a case to answer over an alleged breach of Section 312K of the Crimes Act. The section limits publication of information gathered using an interception warrant. The Police investigation related to news reports published in Fairfax Media newspapers and the Stuff website last November.

John Edwards endorses Barack Obama for president 14 May 2008 John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama for president today, dealing a major blow to Hillary Clinton's hopes for prolonging the Democratic race into next month. Both Obama and Clinton had courted the 2004 vice-presidential nominee, paying personal visits to Edwards's North Carolina home and vowing to carry on his agenda to end poverty in the US.

NARAL Pro-Choice America endorses Obama 14 May 2008 The group NARAL Pro-Choice America just announced it has endorsed Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's bid for the White House. "Sen. Obama has been a strong advocate for a woman's right to choose throughout his career in public office," NARAL President Nancy Keenan says in a prepared statement.

Tennessee superdelegate endorses Clinton for president 14 May 2008 Tennessee superdelegate Vicky Harwell has decided to endorse Hillary Clinton's bid for the Democratic nomination for president. Harwell, the president of the Tennessee Federation of Democratic Women, says in a statement that Clinton's overwhelming win in West Virginia shows she is the best candidate to take on Republican nominee John McCain in November.

W.Va. blowout bolsters Clinton's resolve 13 May 2008 Hillary Clinton crushed Barack Obama by more than 2-1 in the West Virginia primary Tuesday -- a victory that was surely personally satisfying but came as the Democratic presidential nomination is nearly in the grasp of her rival. "There are some who have wanted to cut this race short," Clinton told raucous, cheering supporters in Charleston, but she left no doubt she plans to stay in the race through the final contests.

Clinton cruises to easy West Virginia win 13 May 2008 Hillary Clinton scored a big victory over front-runner Barack Obama in West Virginia on Tuesday, but it could be too little and too late to stop his march to the Democratic presidential nomination.

Democrats capture GOP seat in special Mississippi election --Loss in solidly Republican area may spell trouble for party in fall 13 May 2008 Travis Childers, a Democrat, won a special election for a House seat in Mississippi on Tuesday night, defeating Republican opponent Greg Davis and lengthening a string of Democratic victories in solidly Republican congressional areas. The win by Childers adds to potential trouble for the Republican party in the fall.

Democrats win again in a Republican stronghold 13 May 2008 Both parties watched a special House election in Mississippi -- and the results could not be worse for the GOP. For the third time during the last few months, a Democrat triumphed in a House district that long had been solidly Republican. In this case -- Mississippi's 1st congressional district -- Travis Childers bucked last-minute intervention by Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney to win a seat that the GOP had held, easily, since 1994. Cheney personally stumped on behalf of the Republican candidate, Greg Davis, on Monday.

Polar Bears Listed as Threatened Species in U.S. 14 May 2008 After delaying a decision for several weeks, the U.S. government today listed the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), creating new protections for the bears in their Alaskan habitat. But officials emphasized that the decision will not be used to determine U.S. climate policy.

Polar Bear Is First Species Protected Because of Climate Change 14 May 2008 The U.S. declared the polar bear a threatened species, giving protected status for the first time to an animal because of global warming.

Polar bear listed as threatened but protection uncertain 14 May 2008 Defenders of Wildlife today welcomed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) decision to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This move officially recognizes that polar bears are threatened with extinction from global warming, which is melting the Arctic sea ice where polar bears hunt for ringed and bearded seals, their primary food source. Defenders cautioned, however, that the Bush administration continues to be unwilling to address global warming, which is the leading threat to the polar bear.

Bird Flu Medicine Toxic for Teens 13 May 2008 Concerns are rising over side effect of bird flu drug Tamiflu on teenagers. Tamiflu is Swiss-based Hoffman-La Roche's antiviral for general influenza A and B but is also used to combat bird flu. However, worries have surfaced about the possibility of the medicine causing mental disorders among teenagers. [See: Rumsfeld's growing stake in Tamiflu --Defense Secretary, ex-chairman of flu treatment rights holder, sees portfolio value growing. 31 Oct 2005 Rumsfeld still holds a Gilead stake valued at between $5 million and $25 million, according to federal financial disclosures filed by Rumsfeld.

House votes to stop adding to [Bush's insane] oil stockpile 14 May 2008 The House of Representatives on Tuesday followed the Senate in rejecting the Bush regime's policy of adding oil to the country's Strategic Petroleum Reserve while fuel prices are high. The Senate approved a similar measure earlier in the day. Like the Senate's legislation, the 385-to-25 vote in favor of the bill in the House was big enough to override a possible presidential veto of the measure.

Toll Hikes Used to Boost Foreign Company Profits --North American motorists pay extra to cover the losses at a Spanish toll road giant. 09 May 2008 Drivers in North America are paying higher fees to cover the red ink of a Spanish infrastructure firm. Global toll road giant Cintra announced yesterday that its first quarter revenue had jumped 15.3 percent thanks in part to toll hikes on roads in the US, Canada, Chile, Ireland and Spain... American motorists are now paying significantly more as a result. In 2005, Governor Mitch Daniels (R) leased the Chicago Skyway to Cintra and the Australian tolling firm Macquarie for the next 99 years. The consortium hiked tolls 20 percent earlier this year, charging motorists $3 each to drive the 7.8 mile route.

US foreclosure filings surge 65 percent in April 14 May 2008 More U.S. homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments last month, driving the number of homes facing foreclosure up 65 percent versus the same month last year and contributing to a deepening slide in home values, a research company said Tuesday.

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'I have determined that you pose a security threat.' Blunt Federal Letters Tell Students They're Security Threats 13 May 2008 A German graduate student in oceanography at M.I.T. applied to the Transportation Security Administration for a new ID card allowing him to work around ships and docks. What the student, Wilken-Jon von Appen, received in return was a letter that not only turned him down but added an ominous warning from John M. Busch, a security administration official: "I have determined that you pose a security threat." Similar letters have gone to 5,000 applicants across the country who have at least initially been turned down for a Transportation Worker Identification Credential, an ID card meant to guard against acts of terrorism, agency officials said Monday.

Arrested, killed, re-arrested, allegedly re-killed and now devalued: US slashes reward for al-Qaida Iraq leader 13 May 2008 The Bush regime has slashed its reward for the leader of al-Qaida [al-CIAduh] in Iraq from $5 million to $100,000 because it feels he's lost effectiveness and is no longer worth such a steep price, officials said Tuesday. Information on Abu Ayyub al-Masri is now worth only up to $100,000 under a separate and less well-known rewards program run by the Defense Department, which asked that he be taken off the State Department list, they said.

Ex-officials: Bush admin. ignored Iraq corruption 12 May 2008 The Bush administration repeatedly ignored corruption at the highest levels within the Iraqi government and kept secret potentially embarrassing information so as not to undermine its relationship with Baghdad, according to two former State Department employees. The State Department's policies "not only contradicted the anti-corruption mission but indirectly contributed to and has allowed corruption to fester at the highest levels of the Iraqi government," Arthur Brennan, who briefly served in Baghdad as head of the department's Office of Accountability and Transparency last year, told the Senate Democratic Policy Committee.

GE gets deal to supply Iraq gas-powered generators 13 May 2008 Iraq has agreed to a 179 million euro ($275 million) contract with General Electric Co to buy eight natural gas-powered generators, an Iraqi government spokesman said on Tuesday. "The Iraqi cabinet today gave approval to buy the generators from GE at an agreed price of 179 euros. The ministry of electricity can buy them without delay," government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told Reuters. [Oh. That's why MSNBC stopped covering Iraq.]

Officials say Turkish planes bomb PKK in Northern Iraq 12 May 2008 Turkish war planes bombed Kurdish separatist PKK rebels in northern Iraq overnight but there were no casualties, a security spokesman for Iraq's Kurdistan region said on Monday.

Officials: Clashes in Iraq's Sadr City kill 11 13 May 2008 A fragile cease-fire failed to stop fighting in Baghdad's Sadr City where the latest clashes between Shiite extremists and U.S.-backed Iraqi forces killed 11 men and wounded 19, Iraqi hospital officials said Tuesday.

Indiana soldier killed in Iraq --Specialist dies after 'vehicle accident' 13 May 2008 A soldier from Indiana was killed in a vehicle accident over the weekend in Iraq, the Pentagon said Monday. Spec. Joseph A. Ford, of Knox, Ind., died Saturday in Al Asad. The soldier's death is under investigation.

Army suffering 'critical weaknesses' due to Iraq 13 May 2008 Nearly half of all armed forces units are suffering from "serious or critical weaknesses" as a result of their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Issuing its quarterly report on Tuesday, the Ministry of Defence admitted it was running at well below strength and could not meet its Government-set targets as a result of the continuing pressure of operations in the war against [of] terror.

Congressional Democrats plan three-stage charade to pass Iraq war funds By Bill Van Auken 13 May 2008 In order to once again approve hundreds of billions of dollars to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while posturing as opponents of "Bush�s war," the Democratic leadership in Congress has crafted an elaborate legislative charade that is set to begin unfolding this week.

Iran says to sue U.S. and Britain over mosque blast 12 May 2008 Iran's judiciary said on Monday it would file international lawsuits against the United States and Britain, accusing them of providing financial support to those behind a blast in a mosque that killed 14 people. Iran's intelligence minister last week said Iran had arrested five or six members of a terrorist group with links to Britain and the United States who he said were involved in the explosion that also wounded 200 in the southern city of Shiraz.

US confession: Weapons were not made in Iran after all 10 May 2008 In a sharp reversal of its longstanding accusations against Iran arming militants in Iraq, the US military has made an unprecedented albeit quiet confession: the weapons they had recently found in Iraq were not made in Iran at all. According to a report by the LA Times: "A plan to show some alleged Iranian-supplied explosives to journalists last week in Karbala and then destroy them was canceled after the United States realized none of them was from Iran. A U.S. military spokesman attributed the confusion to a misunderstanding that emerged after an Iraqi Army general in Karbala erroneously reported the items were of Iranian origin. When U.S. explosives experts went to investigate, they discovered they were not Iranian after all."

Israeli police seize documents in Olmert probe 13 May 2008 Israeli police raided the offices of a government ministry on Tuesday, confiscating documents as part of a bribery investigation that could force out Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Officers from the National Fraud unit entered the industry, trade, and labor ministry, and took away documents "as part of the ongoing investigation," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Afghan mission now top priority 14 May 2008 The war in Afghanistan will cost taxpayers $620 million this year as the Rudd Government lifts its military and diplomatic commitment to the NATO-led stabilisation 'mission' and scales down Australia's troop commitment to Iraq. Afghanistan is destined to become the main focus of Australia's military operations abroad and the budget will see an extra $26 million earmarked for the new embassy in Kabul.

Afghan villagers flee NATO strikes 13 May 2008 People have been fleeing their homes in a southern Afghanistan district for fear that NATO strikes will affect them. The mass exodus from Garmser, a remote district in Helmand province, has come as NATO launches a major operation against Taliban militants.

Japan allows military activity in space 09 May 2008 Japan's defence forces are to be allowed to operate in space for the first time as they try to counter military expansion in North Korea and China. A committee of the Japanese parliament has voted to revise the law which until now has prevented the use of space for military purposes.

Canadian torture victims press Ottawa over probe 08 May 2008 Three Canadian men who blame Ottawa for their alleged torture in Syria protested outside Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office on Thursday to demand that a secret probe into their case be opened to the public.

U.S. Drops Charges Against "20th Hijacker" --Pentagon Won't Try Mohammed al-Qahtani, Who Was Allegedly Involved In Sept. 11 Plot 12 May 2008 The Pentagon has dropped charges against a Saudi at Guantanamo who was alleged to have been the so-called "20th hijacker" in the Sept. 11 attacks, his U.S. military defense lawyer said Monday. Officials previously said Mohammed al-Qahtani had been subjected to ~~a harsh interrogation~~ torture authorized by former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Pentagon formally charges 5 with Sept. 11 conspiracy 12 May 2008 The Pentagon has formally approved death penalty charges against reputed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other men in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, setting the stage for proceedings to begin before a military commission in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, sometime in June. The Pentagon made no announcement that a civilian appointee known as the convening authority, Susan Crawford, had signed off on the charges. But defense attorneys for the men in Washington, D.C., said they received copies of the 93-page charge sheet by fax after the close of business Monday. Navy Capt. Prescott Prince, who's been appointed to defend Mohammaed, called the after-hours faxed delivery of the charges "arrogant."

5 Guantanamo detainees to face 9/11 capital case 12 May 2008 A Pentagon official has formally approved death penalty charges against reputed 9/11 architect Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other men for allegedly conspiring in the Sept. 11 attacks, according to their charge sheet obtained Monday night by The Miami Herald.

U.S. paid bounty for Khadr: court documents 12 May 2008 The U.S. government paid Pakistan authorities a $500,000 bounty to capture Abdullah Khadr, a Toronto man facing terrorism-related charges, according to Federal Court documents made public Monday. Justice Richard Mosley ordered the release of information on Khadr, who is fighting his extradition to the U.S., including an October 2004 briefing note to the RCMP commissioner.

Feds: No credible terror threat to Indy 500 12 May 2008 The Indianapolis 500 is an attractive target for terrorists, federal authorities said, but there has been no credible or specific threat aimed at the Memorial Day weekend race. In an internal FBI/Homeland Security Department assessment released Monday to local police, officials said such sporting events, which attract hundreds of thousands of spectators, are attractive potential targets.

Rove refuses to testify before Congress about Siegelman case --Former Bush adviser tells House panel he'll answer questions in writing 12 May 2008 Former White House political adviser Karl Rove has declined a request to testify before Congress about the criminal case against former Gov. Don Siegelman and instead made a counteroffer to answer questions in writing, Rove's attorney said Monday. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee had given Rove until Monday to agree to appear voluntarily, and said they would issue a subpoena if he declined. Siegelman, a Democrat, has alleged that Rove influenced the federal investigation that led to his conviction in 2006 on corruption charges.

White House vs white bear: Judge says Bush must decide whether to save the polar bear as the ice melts 11 May 2008 It's a classic stand-off between one of the world's best loved animals and one of its most unpopular leaders, between the planet's largest bear and its most powerful 'man.' And it comes to a head this week. On Thursday, by order of a federal judge, George W Bush must stop stalling on whether to designate the polar bear as a species endangered by global warming. [Let's see... world's best loved animal verses deranged sociopath. Ok, I'll take polar bear. Why not just toss Bush into the Polar Bear Sea and see what happens?]

'Far-away countries that a polar bear has never even heard of will have a part to play in saving this species.' Global effort needed to save bears By Sophia Dore & Andrew Laursen 12 May 2008 A symbol has emerged in the fight against global warming -- the polar bear... It is within the power of the Canadian government to protect the habitat of the polar bear, to ensure that oil and gas exploration in the Arctic is limited. But the main threat to the polar bear cannot be eliminated by passing a single law or by hiring enforcement agents to prevent poaching or by setting aside land for habitat. It is going to take a global effort to save the polar bear.

Senate rejects GOP oil drilling plan 13 May 2008 The Senate has rejected a Republican energy plan that calls for opening an Alaska wildlife refuge and some offshore waters to oil development. Supporters of the measure couldn't get the needed 60 votes to overcome a Democratic-led filibuster threat.

Government asks court to block wider testing for mad cow 09 May 2008 The Bush regime on Friday urged a federal appeals court to stop meatpackers from testing all their animals for mad cow disease, but a skeptical judge questioned whether the government has that authority. The government seeks to reverse a lower court ruling that allowed Kansas-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef to conduct more comprehensive testing. Less than 1 percent of slaughtered cows are currently tested for the disease under Agribusiness Department guidelines.

Army Corps says Condition of many levees a mystery 12 May 2008 Across America, earthen flood levees protect big cities and small towns, wealthy suburbs and rich farmland. But the Army Corps of Engineers, the federal agency that oversees levees, lacks an inventory of thousands of them and has no idea of their condition, the corps' chief levee expert told The Associated Press. [Sounds like Bush is trolling for a catastrophe, so that he can give billions to KBR to 'rebuild' them.]

Just like Blackwater's New Orleans: Myanmar police block aid workers, food piles up 13 May 2008 Police barred foreign aid workers from reaching cyclone survivors in hard-hit areas Tuesday, while emergency food shipments backed up at the main airport for Myanmar's biggest city. [See: U.S. (forgetting Katrina) "outraged" by Myanmar's response to cyclone By Lori Price 09 May 2008 'The United States expressed outrage on Thursday at the delays in allowing in aid.' Really? Well, I am outraged that they are outraged! This is the 'Pot-Kettle' moment of the decade. Heckova job, ~~Brownie~~ Burma!]

Bush bin Laden's cronies to absorb citizens' tax rebates: Tax rebates headed for the pump, grocer: survey 13 May 2008 Consumers will use much of their tax rebate money to pay for increasingly expensive gas and groceries, rather than spend it on electronics or clothes, said the most recent survey by the National Retail Federation.

Gasoline and diesel prices soar to records: EIA 12 May 2008 U.S. drivers dug deeper into their pockets to fill up at the pump, as the average price for gasoline skyrocketed 10.9 cents over the last week to a record of $3.72 a gallon, the federal Energy Information Administration said on Monday.

Furman University professors, students sign statement opposing Bush visit 12 May 2008 More than 200 students and faculty members at Furman University have signed a statement protesting President [sic] Bush's visit to speak at the South Carolina school's commencement later this month. Bush is scheduled to speak at Furman's graduation ceremonies May 31.

Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, who married Jenna Bush, is endorsing Obama: Why a Spiritual Advisor to President Bush Supports Obama --The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell explains his bond with Bush, his donations to Obama, and his defense of Jeremiah Wright. Interview by Dan Gilgoff 08 May 2008 The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell is pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church, the largest United Methodist congregation in the nation. Often described as a �spiritual advisor' to President [sic] George W. Bush, Caldwell introduced Bush at the 2000 Republican National Convention and delivered the benedictions at the 2001 and 2005 presidential inaugurations. He endorsed Senator Barack Obama for president in January. When you called President Bush to say you were endorsing Senator Barack Obama, how did he respond? He had shared his thoughts with me about Senator Obama months before I called and told him I was going to endorse. And he says he likes him as a person. He told me that early on, before the Senator even announced he was running for president. He has a tremendous amount of respect for him.

No Rush for Clinton to Go, but it's Still Advantage Obama --Poll Shows 64 Percent of Dems Say Clinton Should Remain in the Race 12 May 2008 Pushing back against political punditry, more than six in 10 Democrats say there's no rush for Hillary Clinton to leave the presidential race � even as Barack Obama consolidates his support for the nomination and scores solidly in general-election tests. Despite Obama's advantage in delegates and popular vote, 64 percent of Democrats in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll say Clinton should remain in the race. Even among Obama's supporters, 42 percent say so.

McAuliffe says media 'in the tank' for Obama 13 May 2008 Terry McAuliffe, campaign chairman for Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), said Tuesday that the former first lady is hamstrung by a biased media. "Clearly it has been a biased media, no question about it," McAuliffe said on Fox News. When asked how much of the mainstream media is "in the tank" for Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), who leads Clinton in the race for the Democratic nomination, McAuliffe estimated that about 90 percent of the media favor Obama.

U.S. Outlook Is Worst Since '92, Poll Finds --Results Give Democrats Edge 13 May 2008 Americans are gloomier about the direction of the country than they have been at any point in 15 years, and Democrats hold their biggest advantage since early 1993 as the party better able to deal with the nation's main problems, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. More than eight in 10 now saying the country is headed in the wrong direction, coupled with growing disaffection with the Republican Party.

The Bipartisanship Scam By Arianna Huffington 12 May 2008 Wasn't the Iraq war the crowning example of bipartisanship during the Bush era? And we know how well that bipartisanship worked out... Sure, if only Denny Hastert and Nancy Pelosi had had a few dinners together, we might not be in a disastrous war, or we wouldn't have had No Child Left Behind, or a prescription drug program that doesn't allow the government to negotiate with drug companies to reduce prices. Oh wait, those were all bipartisan bills.

Housing market worst for 30 years 13 May 2008 Confidence in Britain's housing market has sunk to its lowest level for more than 30 years, figures to be published today will reveal, as property prices continue to fall and mortgage lenders restrict home loan finance.

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Who's That Hiding In My Fox 5 News Logo? Video posted by fliesinthek 02 May 2008 Fox 5 News WNYW (New York) has subliminally inserted images of John McCain and his wife, Cindy, into their opening animation.

Up to 700 arrests estimated in Postville raid 12 May 2008 (IA) Four Homeland Security buses with U.S. Immigration and Customs tags on them have entered the Agriprocessors Inc. complex. The buses, along with a trail of SUVs and vans with Minnesota license plates, arrived at about 11:45 a.m. Tim Counts, a Midwest ICE spokesman, declined to confirm where people who are arrested will be detained. Federal officials have leased the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo, but they declined to explain last week whether the property was being prepared for use as a detention center.

'Activists discussed today possible strategies to help after a raid, including locating children and identifying detainees.' Fearing raid, immigration-rights activists meet in Waterloo 11 May 2008 Several Iowa immigration-rights activists gathered today at a Waterloo church and the home of a local social worker to discuss what they consider to be an impending immigration raid. The discussions were prompted by federal officials' lease last week of the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo. Local immigration-rights activists fear the fairgrounds will be used as a detention center.

Questions Surround Homeland Security's Presence in Waterloo --Many people in Waterloo believe the site is being transformed into a detention center. 09 May 2008 People in Waterloo are trying to figure out what sort of operation federal officials are conducting in town. This week, the Department of Homeland Security took-over and sealed-off the grounds of the National Cattle Congress on the west side of Waterloo. Thursday night, our crew went to investigate, but security guards told them to stay across the street from the property. Our camera caught pictures of elaborate ventilation systems going into the buildings. There were dozens of cars coming in and out with license plates from surrounding states, and even as far away as Georgia and Texas. A guard at the gate told us they are preparing for training exercises, but a Homeland Security spokesman would not confirm that. Many people in Waterloo believe the site is being transformed into a detention center.

A once ailing private-prison sector is now a revenue maker 12 May 2008 "The private prison industry was on the verge of bankruptcy in the late 1990s, until the feds bailed them out with the immigration-detention contracts," said Michele Deitch, an expert on prison privatization with the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas in Austin. As increasingly tough immigration laws have called for the detention and deportation of ever more immigrants [and soon-to-be bird flu vaccine refuseniks], the demand for bed space by immigration authorities has helped turn what was once a dying business into a multibillion-dollar industry with record revenue and stock prices several times higher than they were eight years ago. In San Diego, CCA [Corrections Corporation of America] is in the permitting process to build a nearly 3,000-bed facility that the company hopes will be used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. It would hold more than four times the detainees held in San Diego now.

Deadly Animal Virus May Soon Come to U.S. Mainland 02 May 2008 The nation�s food supply may soon be under significant threat as the result of a Bush administration decision to move its research on one of the most contagious animal diseases from an isolated island laboratory to the U.S. mainland, placing it near herds of livestock.

Families will make case for vaccine link to autism 12 May 2008 Families claiming that a mercury-based preservative in vaccines triggers autism will challenge mainstream medicine Monday as they take their case to a federal court. Overall, nearly 4,900 families have filed claims with the U.S. Court of Claims alleging that vaccines caused autism and other neurological problems in their children.

'No thanks to Americans for their effort to bring us democracy that killed half of us by their bombs and is now apparently killing the other half by starvation.' Iraq: Food Crisis Hits Fallujah 12 May 2008 Sharp increases in food prices have generated a new wave of anti-occupation and anti-U.S. sentiment in Fallujah. "This is a country that was damned by the Americans the moment they stepped on our soil," Burhan Jassim, a farmer from Sichir village just outside Fallujah told IPS. "This is Iraqi land that has always been blessed by Allah with the best production in quality and quantity, but now see how it has been turned into a wasteland." Fallujah faces this new crisis after much of the city was destroyed by U.S. military operations in 2004.

Iraqi water supply in jeopardy 09 May 2008 Conflict, warm summer weather and a lack of electricity forced many agricultural sectors of Iraq's Diyala province into near-drought conditions. The central pumping station in Diyala is plagued by frequent power disruptions, and its position near a conflict zone pitting Shiite and Sunni fighters against each other means little clean water reaches the surrounding community, the Inter Press News Service said.

'Ghost city' Mosul braces for assault on last bastion of al-Qa'ida in Iraq 12 May 2008 Mosul looks like a city of the dead. American and Iraqi troops have launched an attack aimed at crushing the last bastion of al- Qa'ida [al-CIAduh] in Iraq and in doing so have turned the country's northern capital into a ghost town. Soldiers shoot at any civilian vehicle on the streets in defiance of a strict curfew. Two men, a woman and child in one car which failed to stop were shot dead yesterday by US troops, who issued a statement saying the men were armed and one made "threatening movements".

Official survives attempt on his life in Baghdad 11 May 2008 The Iraqi undersecretary of finance survived an attempt on his life on Sunday when an improvised explosive device went off near his motorcade in central Baghdad, leaving six civilians wounded, police said.

10 policemen referred to judiciary 11 May 2008 Ten policemen, including one officer, were referred to the judiciary for abusing the law during raid operations, the Karbala police & operations chief said on Sunday. "We ordered the referral of ten policemen, including one officer, to the judiciary for abusing the law in dealing with human rights issues," Maj. General Raed Shakir Jawdat told Aswat al-Iraq.

Heavy bombardment on Sadr city despite ceasefire 10 May 2008 Three large parts of Sadr city were subjected to heavy bombardment that was continuously carried out by U.S. helicopters, starting from Saturday 3:30 p.m. until now, despite the Iraqi government and representatives of the Sadr movement having signed an agreement to stop confrontations in the city.

Tony Blair used Cherie's grief to protect Iraq strategy 12 May 2008 Cherie Blair was astonished by the ruthless manner in which her husband made public within hours the fact that she had lost the baby she was carrying. In her autobiography, serialised in The Times today, she reveals that Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell, his communications chief, insisted on informing the media almost immediately in 2002. In an emotional account of losing her baby, she writes of her disbelief that her husband and Mr Campbell telephoned to discuss the announcement as she lay in pain and still bleeding. They did so in order that a delay in their holiday did not trigger false speculation of an early invasion of Iraq.

Iran arrests group for mosque blast, blames West 08 May 2008 Iran has arrested members of a terrorist group with links to Britain and the United States who were behind a blast at a mosque last month that killed 14 and wounded 200 in the southern city of Shiraz, a news agency said. Iranian officials had previously said the April 12 blast, in the Shohada mosque during an evening prayer sermon by a prominent local cleric, was caused by explosives left over from an exhibition commemorating the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. "The blast ... was caused by a bombing by a terrorist group with links to Western countries, especially Britain and America," ISNA news agency quoted Intelligence Minister Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei as saying late on Wednesday.

Blast kills Gaza teacher in front of her children 12 May 2008 The UN is demanding an investigation into how the Israeli military killed one of its Palestinian school teachers by blasting open the front door of her Gaza home with explosives in the presence of three of her children.

2 Humvees missing from US base in Afghanistan 12 May 2008 Two armored Humvees were missing from a U.S. military base in Afghanistan, a military spokesman said Monday. The military was investigating whether the vehicles were stolen, although officials believed they were likely still in the possession of U.S. personnel but simply unaccounted for [!], said Lt. Col. Paul Fanning.

More Fort Campbell Soldiers Die In Afghanistan 10 May 2008 Another Ft. Campbell soldier has been killed while serving in Afghanistan. The department of defense said Pfc. Ara T. Deysie was killed when his unit came under rocket-propelled grenade fire. The 18-year old soldier was assigned to the 101st division. The military said Sgt. Isaac Palomarez, 26, was killed Friday in the Kapisa Province.

Surge in disabled vets to cost U.S. billions 11 May 2008 Increasing numbers of U.S. troops have left the military with damaged bodies and minds, an ever-larger pool of disabled veterans that will cost the nation billions for decades to come -- even as the total population of America's vets shrinks.

Post-War Suicides May Exceed Combat Deaths, U.S. Says 05 May 2008 The number of suicides among veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may exceed the combat death toll because of inadequate mental health care, the U.S. government's top psychiatric researcher said. The government expects to be spending $59 billion a year to compensate injured warriors in 25 years, up from today's $29 billion, according to internal documents obtained by the Associated Press. And the Veterans Affairs Department concedes the bill could be much higher.

US lawyer barred for Guantanamo bias 12 May 2008 A military judge has disqualified the Pentagon's top legal adviser in the Office of Military Commissions from participating in the prosecution of a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay because he exerted improper influence over a team of prosecutors and may have compromised the case's fairness. Naval Captain Keith Allred, who is presiding over hearings in preparation for the military's trial of an alleged driver for Osama bin Laden, determined that Air Force Brigadier General Thomas Hartmann was too closely tied to prosecutors.

Gen Hood's withdrawal leaves red faces at Pentagon --New York Times says Hood was assigned to Pakistan since he was believed to be �crisis-tested� 10 May 2008 There are quite a few red faces at the Pentagon this week since it became known that the controversial Maj Gen Jay W Hood the "commissar" of the Guantanamo detention colony, which lies beyond the jurisdiction of American courts, was being withdrawn as the senior military official based in Pakistan. The credit for the cancellation to Gen Hood�s ill-considered appointment goes to the Pakistani print and electronic media, which decried the appointment and demanded that it be cancelled.

Ex-Guantanamo head's name withdrawn for Pakistan post 10 May 2008 An army general who led the Guantanamo detention center at a time when alleged mishandling of Korans sparked Muslim riots has been withdrawn as the US military's proposed top representative in Pakistan, a military spokeswoman said Friday. Major General Jay Hood was named in March to the post of US defense representative in Pakistan, a key position at a time of mounting US concern over Al-Qaeda [al-CIAduh] and the Taliban activities in Pakistani safe havens.

Police in Gun Searches Face Disbelief in Court 12 May 2008 Over the last six years, the police and prosecutors have cooperated in a broad effort that allows convicted felons found with a firearm to be tried in federal court, where sentences are much harsher than in state court... A closer look at those prosecutions reveals something that has not been trumpeted: more than 20 cases in which judges found police officers� testimony to be unreliable, inconsistent, twisting the truth, or just plain false. The judges� language was often withering: "patently incredible," "riddled with exaggerations," "unworthy of belief." The outrage usually stopped there.

Voter ID Battle Shifts to Proof of Citizenship 12 May 2008 The battle over voting rights will expand this week as lawmakers in Missouri are expected to support a proposed constitutional amendment to enable election officials to require proof of citizenship from anyone registering to vote. The measure would allow far more rigorous demands than the voter ID requirement recently upheld by the Supreme Court, in which voters had to prove their identity with a government-issued card.

Federal rules give corporation-backed conservative radio all the local voices By Sue Wilson 11 May 2008 There's a mournful hush in Sacramento these days, the empty sound of an entire political viewpoint quieted. More than 32,000 weekly listeners who once tuned to KSAC (1240 AM) to hear partisan Democrats beat up on President [sic] George W. Bush, now hear only Christian hip-hop. There's nothing wrong with Christian hip-hop... But there are six other commercial radio stations licensed in the Sacramento area programming the Christian message. In the political realm, three local radio stations program 264 hours of partisan Republican radio talkers beating up on Democrats every week. Now, zero stations program any Democratic view whatsoever: 264-0.

Obama Takes Superdelegate Lead 12 May 2008 Barack Obama has overtaken Hillary Clinton in the NBC NEWS superdelegate count with the endorsement of Hawaii's Dolly Strazar. This is his second of the day and puts him now officially over the top, 277-276.5. The NBC NEWS delegate counts: Pledged: Obama 1,590, Clinton 1,426; Supers: Obama 277, Clinton 276.5; Total: Obama 1,867, Clinton 1,702.5.

Clinton holds big leads in West Virginia and Kentucky 12 May 2008 Even as her campaign appears to be in its final stages, Hillary Clinton is headed for two sweeping victories in West Virginia and Kentucky, the next two states to weigh in on the prolonged Democratic presidential race. According to new polls released Monday, Clinton holds a 34 point lead in West Virginia and a 27 point lead in Kentucky.

McCain Pushed Land Swap That Benefits Backer 09 May 2008 Sen. John McCain championed legislation that will let an Arizona rancher trade remote grassland and ponderosa pine forest here for acres of valuable federally owned property that is ready for development, a land swap that now stands to directly benefit one of his top presidential campaign fundraisers. Initially reluctant to support the swap, the Arizona Republican became a key figure in pushing the deal through Congress after the rancher [Steven A. Betts] and his partners hired lobbyists that included McCain's 1992 Senate campaign manager, two of his former Senate staff members (one of whom has returned as his chief of staff), and an Arizona insider who was a major McCain donor and is now bundling campaign checks.

The Most Important Piece of Paper in America By Jared Bernstein 11 May 2008 I hold in my hand one of the most important pieces of paper in America: Table T08-0071, an analysis of candidate John McCain's tax plan... It is a table constructed by the Tax Policy Center's steely-eyed tax analysts, and it reveals nothing less than McCain's secret plan to diminish the US government beyond recognition... The numbers in the table show the revenue loss to the Federal government from McCain's proposed tax cuts. In the far right corner is the 10-year total: -$5.7 trillion.

Bush Comment on Food Crisis Brings Anger, Ridicule in India 08 May 2008 A comment by President [sic] Bush about the role of India in the world food crisis has set off a firestorm of criticism in this country. Speaking in St. Louis over the weekend, Bush said that [in India] "middle class is larger than our entire population." But "when you start getting wealth, you start demanding better nutrition and better food," he said. "And so demand is high, and that causes the price to go up." Overnight, Indians reacted with outrage at what they saw as a suggestion that they were to blame for inflation. Politicians lashed out at Bush. Newspapers excoriated him. "India is not a net food importer. It is a food exporter. The assumption that prices are increasing because of a changed India is completely erroneous," said Manish Tewari, a spokesman for the ruling Congress party.

Oil could hit $200 in 'super-spike' 10 May 2008 Oil prices threaten to hit $200 a barrel in a final "super-spike" over coming months as 'producers fail to keep pace with blistering demand from China and the Middle East,' according to a controversial report by Goldman Sachs.

Two foreign groups bid for Pa. Turnpike lease: WSJ 11 May 2008 At least two groups submitted undisclosed cash offers for the 75-year lease of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. One group is led by Spanish toll-road operator Abertis Infraestructuras SA, while the second group includes Spain's Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructura de Transporte SA and Australia's Macquarie Infrastructure Group, the newspaper said in a report on its website.

Tornado season deadliest in a decade 12 May 2008 The USA has been ravaged through mid-May by a near-record number of tornadoes that has pushed the death toll -- including 47 killer twisters over the weekend -- to a 10-year high.

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