US taxpayers fund Afghan stimulus: Afghan security forces get 40% pay hike 29 Nov 2009 Afghanistan yesterday increased the pay of police and soldiers by nearly 40 per cent as Western countries aimed to increase the size and quality of Afghan security forces so their own troops can go home. Interior Minister Hanif Atmar said monthly salaries would increase by $45 to about $165 for a new recruit. At present, there are about 95,000 Afghan soldiers and 93,000 police – a fraction of the number needed to fight help the Taleban. Afghanistan depends on funds from the US and other Western countries for large budgetary expenses, such as military and police salaries.

Switzerland votes on Muslim minaret ban 29 Nov 2009 Swiss voters are going to the polls to decide on a proposal to ban the building of minarets in their country. The proposal is backed by the Swiss People's Party, the largest party in parliament, and by Christian groups. They say minarets would be the first sign of the Islamisation of Switzerland.

9/11: Pentagon Aircraft Hijack Impossible --Flight Deck Door Closed For Entire Flight (PilotsFor911Truth) Newly decoded data provided by an independent researcher and computer programmer from Australia exposes alarming evidence that the reported hijacking aboard American Airlines Flight 77 was impossible to have existed. A data parameter labeled "FLT DECK DOOR", cross checks with previously decoded data obtained by Pilots For 9/11 Truth from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) through the Freedom of Information Act.

Food Stamp Use Soars Across U.S., and Stigma Fades 29 Nov 2009 With food stamp use at record highs and climbing every month, a program once scorned as a failed welfare scheme now helps feed one in eight Americans and one in four children. It has grown so rapidly in places so diverse that it is becoming nearly as ordinary as the groceries it buys. More than 36 million people use inconspicuous plastic cards for staples like milk, bread and cheese, swiping them at counters in blighted cities and in suburbs pocked with foreclosure signs.

Warming will 'wipe out billions' 29 Nov 2009 Most of the world's population will be wiped out if political leaders fail to agree a method of stopping current rates of global warming, one of the UK's most senior climate scientists has warned. Professor Kevin Anderson, director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change, believes only around 10 per cent of the planet's population - around half a billion people - will survive if global temperatures rise by 4C.

*****

Obomba holiday weekend bad news PentaPost leak: Troop deployment to begin shortly after Obama's war strategy speech Sat., 28 Nov 2009 3:56 PM [LOL!] Days after President Obama outlines his new war 'strategy' in a speech Tuesday, as many as 9,000 Marines will begin deploying to southern Afghanistan to renew an assault on a Taliban stronghold that stalled earlier this year amid a troop shortage and political pressure from the Afghan government, senior U.S. officials said. The extra Marines -- the first to move into the country as part of Obama's escalation of the Bush's eight-year-old war -- will double the size of the U.S. force in the southern province of Helmand... The Marines will quickly be followed by about 1,000 U.S. Army trainers, who will deploy as early as February to speed the growth of the Afghan National Army and police force, military officials said. The revised plan, which faces a war-weary and increasingly skeptical American public, is expected to call for 30,000-35,000 new troops in a phased deployment over the next 12 to 18 months.

Black sites we can believe in: U.S. Secret Prison Still Operating On Bagram Air Base --While two of the prisoners were captured before the Obama administration took office, one was captured in June of this year. 29 Nov 2009 An American military detention camp in Afghanistan is still secretly holding inmates for sometimes weeks at a time and without access to the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to human rights researchers and former detainees held at the site on the Bagram Air Base. The site, known to detainees prisoners as the black jail, consists of individual windowless concrete cells, each illuminated by a single light bulb glowing 24 hours a day. In interviews, former prisoners said that their only human contact was at twice-daily interrogation sessions... While Mr. Obama signed an order to eliminate so-called black sites run by the Central Intelligence Agency in January, that order did not apply to this jail, which is run by military Special Operations forces. Military officials said as recently as this summer that the Afghanistan jail and another like it at the Balad Air Base in Iraq were being used to interrogate high-value detainees. And officials said recently that there were no plans to close the jails.

Canada bill clears way to sue foreign torturers 26 Nov 2009 An opposition lawmaker unveiled Thursday proposed legislation that would allow victims of torture to sue the perpetrators, including foreign states and officials, in Canadian courts. "Our present legislation criminalizes torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide -- the most heinous acts known to humankind," said opposition Liberal MP and former justice minister Irwin Cotler. "But Canadian law does not allow a civil remedy for the victims of such horrific acts. This legislation will: address the evil of such international crimes; target the impunity of those states and officials that perpetrate these crimes; remove the state immunity that operates to shield the perpetrators of such crimes; and finally allow Canadian victims to secure justice."

'Gatherings that may disturb the public order must not take place.' Denmark approves new police powers ahead of Copenhagen --Controversial legislation gives police sweeping powers of 'pre-emptive' arrest and extends custodial sentences for acts of civil disobedience 27 Nov 2009 The Danish parliament today passed legislation which will give police sweeping powers of "pre-emptive" arrest and extend custodial sentences for acts of civil disobedience. The "deeply worrying" law comes ahead of the UN climate talks which start on 7 December and are expected to attract thousands of activists from next week. Under the new powers, Danish police will be able to detain people for up to 12 hours whom they suspect might break the law in the near future. Protesters could also be jailed for 40 days under the hurriedly drafted legislation dubbed by activists as the "turmoil and riot" law. The Danish ministry of justice said that the new powers of "pre-emptive" detention would increase from 6 to 12 hours and apply to international activists... The Danish police also separately issued a statement in August applying new rules and regulations for protests at the climate conference, warning that "gatherings that may disturb the public order must not take place".

Wisconsin health officers can order guards be put on infectious people --Douglas County joins others in state with isolation and quarantine policy 27 Nov 2009 Wisconsin counties have a little-known policy that allows forced isolation or quarantine of people using armed law enforcement and deputized civilians. This is to help health officials in a worst-case scenario to contain outbreaks... The policy includes isolating people infected or even suspected of being infected with a contagious disease such as tuberculosis or in a flu pandemic. Douglas County Health Officer Deb Clasen says every county health officer in the state can now order that guards be put on infectious people. Washburn County Sheriff Terry Dryden says this is a tool that may be needed at flu vaccination clinics as well.

'U.S. Forces--Iraq' 'Multi-National' to drop from U.S. unit names in Iraq 28 Nov 2009 One of the last vestiges of the "coalition of the willing" [bribed] in Iraq will soon be retired. As part of a consolidation of its command structure ahead of next year’s planned troop reductions, the U.S. military will drop the "Multi-National" name from its unit designations starting in January. Under the plan, the top two levels of the U.S. command, known as Multi-National Forces--Iraq and Multi-National Corps--Iraq, will be merged and renamed U.S. Forces--Iraq. The U.S. command that oversees training of Iraqi forces will also fall into the new command.

Iraq War was legal but not 'legitimate' 28 Nov 2009 The Iraq War was legal but not "legitimate" for a democratic country, Britain's former UN ambassador said yesterday. Sir Jeremy Greenstock told the Iraq inquiry that the 2003 invasion did not have the backing of the UN or the majority of British people, "so there was a failure to establish legitimacy". He said he believed the US and the UK could establish legality under UN resolutions if Iraq was shown to have breached disarmament rules. But a "final" verdict was never likely to be made. [Right, just as the 9/11 terror attacks were carried out by Bush, to establish the legitimacy of his p_Residency. --LRP]

US lamestream media *finally* reports Chilcot inquiry: UK diplomat: US was 'hell bent' on Iraq invasion 27 Nov 2009 The United States was "hell bent" on a 2003 military invasion of Iraq and actively undermined efforts by Britain to win international authorization for the war, a former British diplomat told an inquiry Friday. Jeremy Greenstock, British ambassador to the United Nations from 1998 to 2003, said that President [sic] George W. Bush had no real interest in attempts to agree on a U.N. resolution to provide explicit backing for the conflict. The ex-diplomat, who served as Britain's envoy in Iraq after the invasion, said serious preparations for the war had begun in early 2002 and took on an unstoppable momentum.

Gordon Brown announces timetable for Helmand handover to Afghan control 28 Nov 2009 The countdown to handing back Helmand province to Afghan control began yesterday when Gordon Brown announced a detailed exit timetable. In a surprise move, the Prime Minister said two key districts of Helmand, where more than 200 British troops have been killed, could be handed back by the end of next year. Mr Brown will also formally commit to sending 500 more troops this week taking Britain's military presence in the country to 9,500.

Governor of Afghanistan's Kandahar survives bomb 27 Nov 2009 The governor of Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province survived a bomb strike on his motorcade while heading to prayers for the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday on Friday, a spokesman said. The bomb shattered a window of the car that Governor Tooryalai Wesa was travelling in, but he was unhurt, spokesman Zalmai Ayoubi said.

Three bodies recovered from Afghan helicopter crash 27 Nov 2009 A US Air Force rescue team Friday recovered the bodies of three crew from the wreck of a helicopter that crashed in remote mountains in eastern Afghanistan. The three were believed to be Ukrainians reported missing after their helicopter disappeared in bad weather late Monday, US Air Force rescue team members said. The missing aircraft was operated by Supreme Global Services Solutions, according to NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Israeli agents operating at international airports 28 Nov 2009 Israeli spies have been found to be posing as airport security guards at international terminals, subjecting unsuspecting travellers to illegal interrogations and strip searches. A television network covering southern Africa recently aired a report, after an extensive undercover investigation, that revealed an elaborate Israeli secret service operation being carried out at Johannesburg International Airport.

Germany, UK warn Iran to accept West offer 28 Nov 2009 In what appears to be a last-ditch effort to force Tehran into accepting an IAEA draft proposal on fuel supply, Germany and Britain warn that world patience is running out with Iran. One day after World powers threw their weight behind a draft resolution condemning Iran's nuclear program, German Foreign Minister Guido Wersterwelle said that although time is pressing, the West "still has its hand extended" for the Tehran government.

US, Israel welcome IAEA resolution against Iran 27 Nov 2009 The US and Israel welcome a decision by the UN nuclear watchdog to censure Iran over the construction of its Fordo enrichment plant. "Our patience and that of the international community is limited, and time is running out," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a stern warning to Tehran.

Bomb suspected as Russian train crash kills 39 28 Nov 2009 At least 39 people were killed and nearly 100 injured when a Russian express train came off the rails late last night in what the head of the national railway company said could have been a bomb attack. The Nevsky Express, carrying 661 passengers from Moscow to St Petersburg, was derailed at 9:34 p.m. (1834 GMT) near the village of Uglovka about 200 miles north of Moscow.

Homeland Suckyourity: Cuban migrants went undetected for hours at Turkey Point --More than 30 Cubans were dropped off close to the 'heavily guarded' [Yup, in quotes] Turkey Point nuclear power plant and remained undetected until they called for help hours later. 28 Nov 2009 More than 30 Cubans, dropped off by a smugglers' speedboat, spent up to eight hours on the off-limits grounds of the Turkey Point nuclear power plant on Thanksgiving Day, then called the plant's nuclear control room to say they were by the cooling canals. The utility, which boasts of tight security in the area, did not address why its security personnel apparently did not become aware of the Cubans' presence on Turkey Point for up to eight hours.

White House gatecrashers got all the way to the president 29 Nov 2009 Michelle and Barack Obama’s first state dinner at the White House will be remembered for its gatecrashers. The White House has been forced to admit that Michaele and Tareq Salahi, the Virginian couple auditioning for a television reality show, not only brazenly walked through layers of security to attend the event but actually met the president. A photograph released by the White House showed Michaele shaking hands with a beaming Obama as her husband looked on. It prompted an abject apology from the secret service.

Secret Service apologizes for ticketless couple's access --Questions linger over checkpoint breakdowns at White House dinner 28 Nov 2009 The White House said late Friday that Michaele and Tareq Salahi, the Virginia couple auditioning for a Bravo reality show, not only got past layers of experienced, executive-branch security but also shook the president's hand in the Blue Room of the White House during the Obamas' first state dinner... The security breach has caused hand-wringing inside the White House, bewilderment among Tuesday night's guests -- and late on Friday, prompted an apology from the Secret Service.

Anti-WTO protesters smash windows, burn cars in Geneva 28 Nov 2009 Anti-capitalism protesters smashed the windows of banks, shops and cafes in central Geneva and set cars on fire on Saturday during a demonstration against the World Trade Organisation. A Reuters reporter at the scene said some demonstrators were breaking the windows of every building they passed and setting off fireworks in the main shopping street.

Computer hacker Gary McKinnon to be extradited to US --Alan Johnson quashes last-ditch attempt to halt extradition 26 Nov 2009 Computer hacker Gary McKinnon, who has Asperger's syndrome, is at serious risk of suicide, relatives said today, after the home secretary rejected a last-ditch attempt to prevent his extradition to the US. In a letter today Alan Johnson ordered McKinnon's removal to the US on charges of breaching US military and Nasa computers, despite claims by his lawyers that extradition would make the 43-year-old's death "virtually certain".

U.S. journalist grilled at Canada border crossing --Officials demanded to know what she would say publicly about 2010 Olympics 26 Nov 2009 U.S. journalist Amy Goodman said she was stopped at a Canadian border crossing south of Vancouver on Wednesday and questioned for 90 minutes by authorities concerned she was coming to Canada to speak against the Olympics. Goodman says Canadian Border Services Agency officials ultimately allowed her to enter Canada but returned her passport with a document demanding she leave the country within 48 hours.

Police accused of preventing suspects accessing lawyers 27 Nov 2009 Defendants are being denied a fair trial because police pressure deters them from being represented by a lawyer after their arrest, a survey reveals today. Solicitors questioned by the National Audit Office (NAO) say they believe that the reason half of all suspects do not use their free services is a direct result of the action - or inaction - of the police.

FDA OKs Novartis Vaccine Against Seasonal Flu In Fast Review 27 Nov 2009 The Food and Drug Administration approved a new Novartis AG flu vaccine, Agriflu, in an accelerated process Friday. The vaccine to prevent disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and B is for people age 18 and older. It does not prevent the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu. The Swiss drug maker... on Tuesday opened a vaccine-manufacturing plant in North Carolina designed to make [deadly] flu vaccines without relying on decades-old technology that employs millions of chicken eggs to grow viruses. [See: New US vaccine production techniques: Genetically modified insect cells, E. coli, caterpillar ovaries 24 Nov 2009 Spurred by $487 million in federal funding, a sprawling new vaccine factory is opening in North Carolina Tuesday that will produce shots using dog cells instead of chicken eggs.]

Bacterial Disease Linked to H1N1 Flu Worries CDC 25 Nov 2009 The CDC is warning about a "worrisome" rise in the incidence of pneumococcal disease associated with the [lab-generated] pandemic H1N1 flu. "We're seeing increases in serious pneumococcal infections around the country," Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said at a briefing today.

The right reform for the Fed By Ben Bernanke 29 Nov 2009 Our [The Fed] financial statements are public and audited by an outside accounting firm; we publish our balance sheet weekly; and we provide monthly reports with extensive information on all the temporary lending facilities developed during the crisis. Congress, through the Government Accountability Office, can and does audit all parts of our operations except for the monetary policy deliberations and actions covered by the 1978 exemption. The general repeal of that exemption would serve only to increase the perceived influence of Congress on monetary policy decisions, which would undermine the confidence the public and the markets have in the Fed to act in the long-term economic interest of the nation. [Resign *now.*]

Bloomberg Spent $102 Million to Win 3rd Term 28 Nov 2009 To eke out an election victory over the city’s low-key comptroller, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg spent $102 million of his own fortune -- or about $174 per vote -- according to data released Friday, making his bid for a third term the most expensive campaign in the city’s history. Mr. Bloomberg, the wealthiest man in New York City, shattered his own records: He poured $85 million into his campaign in 2005 (or $112 per vote) and $74 million into his first bid for office in 2001 ($99 per vote).

Canadian researcher says arctic ice is thinning 27 Nov 2009 The permanent Arctic sea ice that is home to the world's polar bears and usually survives the summer has all but disappeared, a Canadian researcher said Friday. University of Manitoba Arctic researcher David Barber said experts around the world believed the ice was recovering because satellite images showed it expanding, but the thick, multiyear frozen sheets have been replaced by thin ice that cannot support the weight of a polar bear.

Readers: CLG needs your support!
Click here to donate.
Or, please mail a check or money order to CLG:
Citizens for Legitimate Government (CLG)
P.O. Box 1142
Bristol, CT 06011-1142
Contributions to CLG are not tax deductible.

*****

Signed In Blood: 2002 Blair-Bush Texas meeting sealed Iraq fate 27 Nov 2009 Saddam Hussein's fate as Iraqi leader was sealed at a secret meeting between Tony Blair and George Bush in 2002, it was claimed yesterday. The former Prime Minister allegedly "signed in blood" Britain's support for an attack on Baghdad when he got together with the US president [sic] at his Texas ranch. And Mr Blair deliberately linked Saddam to al-Qaeda in a bid to strengthen the case to topple Saddam, despite there being no evidence, the Iraq War inquiry heard. Former British Ambassador to the US Sir Christopher Meyer told the hearing the PM suddenly appeared to agree to the case for a regime change in Iraq after his Bush meeting. Talking about the meeting with Mr Bush, Sir Christopher said: "To this day I am not entirely clear what degree of convergence was, if you like, signed in blood at the Crawford ranch."

'Scrabbling for the smoking gun' Chilcot inquiry: Tony Blair decided on Iraq war a year before invasion - envoy 26 Nov 2009 Tony Blair's government decided up to a year before the Iraq invasion that it was "a complete waste of time" to resist the US drive to oust Saddam Hussein, opting instead to offer advice on how it should be done, the former British ambassador to Washington said today. Sir Christopher Meyer, testifying to the Chilcot inquiry into Britain's role in the war, made it clear that once the Bush administration decided to take military action, the Blair government never considered opting out or opposing it... British officials were left "scrabbling for the smoking gun" - evidence for Iraqi weapons of mass destruction - as preparations continued... The message from Downing Street was that the 11 September attacks and the subsequent US determination to oust Saddam were established facts, "and it was a complete waste of time ... if we were going to work with the Americans, to come to them and bang away about regime change and say: 'We can't support it'."

Iraq: The inquiry cover-up that will keep us in the dark 26 Nov 2009 Gordon Brown was accused of strangling the inquiry into the Iraq war at birth yesterday by refusing to let it make public sensitive documents that shed light on the conflict. A previously undisclosed agreement between Sir John Chilcot's inquiry and the Government gives Whitehall the final say on what information the investigation can release into the public domain. Mr Brown, who initially wanted the inquiry held in private, was forced to climb down earlier this year after an outcry and promised that most of its sessions would be heard in public. He said information would be withheld only when it would compromise national security. However, a protocol agreed by the inquiry and the Government includes nine wide-ranging reasons under which Whitehall departments can refuse to publish documents disclosed to the investigation.

6 family members killed in Iraq 25 Nov 2009 [Blackwater] Assailants broke into a house and killed six family members before dawn Wednesday in an area north of Baghdad that was 'once a stronghold of al-Qaida in Iraq,' Iraqi officials said. The dead included a couple and two daughters, and two brothers of the husband, according to a police officer in Tarmiyah, 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of the capital. The throats of two women were slit, while the other four people were shot execution-style; two of the couple's other children were not harmed.

Former top official 'can't say' if Afghans tortured 26 Nov 2009 There is "no evidence" Canadian detainees transferred to Afghan jails were tortured, but Canada didn’t monitor them during 2006 and part of 2007 and reports of prison abuse were common, a senior diplomat told a committee of MPs Thursday. Under intense questioning by opposition MPs, David Mulroney said he couldn’t guarantee that no detainee transferred by Canadians had been mistreated. Nor could he say with complete certainty that an Afghan prisoner who described to Canadian diplomats how he had been tortured, whipped with cables and shocked with electricity, had not been handed over by Canadians to Afghan authorities. "I can’t say whether he was or wasn’t," Mulroney said.

Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan: Germany's Top Soldier Resigns over Air Strike Accusations 26 Nov 2009 Germany's highest-ranking soldier has resigned over allegations that the Defense Ministry did not come clean about civilians killed in a recent air strike [war crime] in Afghanistan. Former Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung is also under pressure to resign. Germany's highest ranking soldier has resigned in response to allegations that the German Defense Ministry concealed information about civilian casualties sustained during an air strike in Afghanistan. Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg told the German parliament, the Bundestag, on Thursday morning that Bundeswehr Inspector General Wolfgang Schneiderhan, the highest-ranking officer in Germany's armed forces, had asked to be relieved of his official duties. Guttenberg said that Peter Wichert, a state secretary in the Defense Ministry, would also resign.

Contractor helicopter missing in Afghanistan 25 Nov 2009 A helicopter belonging to an international military contractor has disappeared in Afghanistan, officials said Thursday. The Supreme Global Service Solutions helicopter has been missing since late Tuesday, said NATO spokesman Maj. Steven Coll. Supreme provides food and logistics services to military bases across Afghanistan.

Leader: Occupiers, root of terrorism 26 Nov 2009 In a message to the pilgrims of the holy mosque in Mecca, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution warns of forces that are sponsoring terrorism in the region. "Occupiers... organize and mastermind violent sectarian terrorism among regional nations," Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said in his message. "The Middle East and North Africa were once colonized and humiliated for more than a century by the Western governments of Britain and France and subsequently by America; their natural reserves were plundered, their free spirit was trodden upon and their nations were taken hostage," the Leader added.

The US 'is supporting dictatorship.' [It usually does.] Zelaya slams US over supporting coup regime 26 Nov 2009 Ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya has slammed the US for supporting Sunday's presidential elections, saying that the US is supporting a coup-perpetrating regime. "The United States is not just supporting the elections but it is supporting the de facto regime, it is supporting the dictatorship, it is supporting the coup-perpetrating regime," Zelaya said in a telephone interview published on Thursday by the Brazilian website UOL.

Washington endorses gunpoint election in Honduras By Bill Van Auken 27 Nov 2009 The Obama administration has declared its support for elections being held this Sunday in Honduras, under conditions in which the regime that came to power in a coup last June has refused to cede power and is preparing intense repression against those who oppose it. The action has placed Washington at odds with virtually all of Latin America, whose governments have refused to recognize the elections as legitimate.

Arroyo's ally to be charged over massacre 27 Nov 2009 Andal Ampatuan Jnr, the member of a powerful pro-government clan suspected of involvement in the massacre of 57 people in an election caravan in the southern Philippines earlier this week, will be charged with murder today, the Philippines' chief prosecutor said yesterday. Mr Ampatuan turned himself in amid mounting pressure on 'President' Gloria Arroyo to crack down on lawlessness and warlords.

Ousted Minot AFB commander Westa to retire 25 Nov 2009 Col. Joel Westa, the former 5th Bomb Wing commander fired Oct. 30, retired Monday rather than accept an assignment to Global Strike Command. Westa was chosen to turn around the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., after airmen from the wing mistakenly loaded six nuclear warheads aboard a B-52 two years ago. Maj. Gen. Floyd Carpenter, 8th Air Force commander, arrived unannounced to Minot and fired Westa after the wing failed its second nuclear inspection under Westa’s command.

Canada, U.S. to audit air-attack preparedness 25 Nov 2009 Canada and the U.S. will review their air defence capabilities to make sure the right amount of planes and crews are in place to protect North American cities from terrorist attacks. The review by the North American Aerospace Defence Command, the joint U.S.-Canadian alliance, is expected by next spring. Norad will look at the various threats, including the possibility that terrorists could hijack aircraft and fly those into critical infrastructure, such as a power plant or communications centres.

CBC News: The Unofficial Story (Documentary) 27 Nov 2009 On September 11, 2001 the world watched in shock and disbelief as planes flew in to New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Washington, and Americans realized they were under attack. But by whom? What really happened? In The Unofficial Story, the fifth estate’s Bob McKeown introduces us to people who believe the real force behind the attacks was not Osama Bin Laden, but the U.S. government itself... You’ll meet Richard Gage, an American architect, explains how the WTC twin towers and the lesser known 'Tower #7' could only have crumbled as they did due to explosive charges placed inside the buildings.

ABA Backs Federal Court Trials of Alleged 9/11 Plotters 25 Nov 2009 The president of the American Bar Association sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. today praising the decision to pursue federal court prosecutions of five Guantanamo detainees with [very] alleged ties to the 9/11 attacks. The Nov. 25 letter, signed by ABA President Carolyn Lamm, comes after Holder became the target of criticism from conservative politicians for his decision to try alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the others in New York.

Egads! Confidential 9/11 Pager Messages Disclosed By Declan McCullagh 25 Nov 2009 As the World Trade Center and Pentagon were ablaze on September 11, 2001, the U.S. Secret Service's presidential protective detail was informed that a "Korean airliner has been hijacked" en route to San Francisco, prompting already-skittish agents to worry about another wave of terrorist attacks... This unusual glimpse into the events of 9/11 comes from messages sent to alphanumeric pagers that were anonymously published on the Internet on Wednesday. The pager transcripts, which total about 573,000 lines and 6.4 million words, include numeric and text messages also sent to private sector and unclassified military pagers.

'The concept has evolved to include a broader 'all crimes, all hazards' approach.' Vegas fusion center fights terrorism, street crime 26 Nov 2009 When a tip arrived about a threat of violence at a southern Nevada high school football game, a Clark County School District police officer helped plan a response. When a Colorado man was arrested on terrorism charges, a Department of Homeland Security analyst probed whether he had Las Vegas ties. Though the two cases are very different, the officials who worked them were in the same cubicle-filled room at the Southern Nevada Counterterrorism Center. Open for more than two years, the Las Vegas "fusion" center is battling terrorism and street crime.

Heads up! Baxter hopes to build U.S. cell-based vaccine manufacturing plant --Facility would be used to make flu, pandemic vaccines 26 Nov 2009 (IL) Deerfield-based Baxter International Inc. says it is looking into building a cell-based vaccine manufacturing plant in the U.S. to produce seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines. The company won't say when a plant could be built because the timing would depend on the outcome of a government-funded clinical trial of its seasonal product, which is in its final stages. [See: Baxter working on vaccine to stop swine flu, though admitted sending live pandemic flu viruses to subcontractor By Lori Price 26 Apr 2009.]

Swine flu linked to serious respiratory disease 26 Nov 2009 Federal officials said Wednesday that they have noticed "a worrisome spike in serious pneumococcal disease" linked to pandemic H1N1 influenza. Health authorities normally see an increase in such infections associated with seasonal flu, but this year the rate is substantially higher than normal and striking younger people rather than the elderly, according to Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

Sharp increase in swine flu deaths in France 26 Nov 2009 The number of deaths in mainland France from the H1N1 swine flu virus jumped in the last week, according to official data Thursday. The toll rose to 68 deaths as of November 22, with 22 new deaths last week. Six of the 68 victims had no underlying health problems, the country's health monitoring institute said.

Dubai in deep water as ripples from debt crisis spread 27 Nov 2009 Fears of a dangerous new phase in the economic crisis swept around the globe yesterday as traders responded to the shock announcement that a debt-laden Dubai state corporation was unable to meet its interest bill. Shares plunged, weak currencies were battered and more than £14 billion was wiped from the value of British banks on fears that they would be left nursing new losses.

IMF warns second bailout would 'threaten democracy' 23 Nov 2009 The public will not bail out the financial services sector for a second time if another global crisis blows up in four or five years time, the managing-director of the International Monetary Fund warned this morning. Dominique Strauss-Kahn told the CBI annual conference of business leaders that another huge call on public finances by the financial services sector would not be tolerated by the "man in the street" and could even threaten democracy.

Bush advisers on White House visit list [Visitors? I think they're tenants.] 25 Nov 2009 The White House released a new batch of visitor log records Wednesday, disclosing an additional 1,615 visits to the executive mansion. The list includes some surprising names, including a slew of corporate chieftains and even a couple of high-ranking former Republican officials. The White House, which spent much of the year developing and pushing for reforms in Wall Street regulation, welcomed several high-profile Wall Street and corporate figures, the new records show.

Because China did *such* a terrific job with the drywall, powdered milk and pet food: China State Construction nets $100m US subway deal 24 Nov 2009 China State Construction Engineering Corp, the largest contractor in China, has bagged a subway ventilation project worth about $100 million in New York's Manhattan area, marking the construction giant's third order in the United States' infrastructure space this year. The contract was given to China Construction American Co, a subsidiary, the Wall Street Journal quoted a source as saying. "The new project, along with the $410-million Hamilton Bridge project and a $1.7-billion entertainment project it won earlier this year, signals China State Construction's ambition to tap the American construction market," said Li Zhirui, an industry analyst at First Capital Securities. [Thanks, Bloomberg!]

Dealing with the bank was 'like dealing with organized crime.' [It usually is.] Judge blasts bad bank, erases 525G debt 25 Nov 2009 A Long Island couple is home free after an outraged judge gave them an amazing Thanksgiving present -- canceling their debt to ruthless bankers trying to toss them out on the street. Suffolk Judge Jeffrey Spinner wiped out $525,000 in mortgage payments demanded by a California bank, blasting its "harsh, repugnant, shocking and repulsive" acts. The bombshell decision leaves Diane Yano-Horoski and her husband, Greg Horoski, owing absolutely no money on their ranch house in East Patchogue. Spinner pulled no punches as he smacked down the bankers at OneWest -- who took an $814.2 million federal bailout but have a record of coldbloodedly foreclosing on any homeowner owing money... The bank is involved in a similar case in California, where it's trying to foreclose on an 89-year-old woman, despite two court orders telling it to stop.

State dinner crashers spur White House security probe 27 Nov 2009 The Secret Service has launched a "comprehensive investigation" of its security measures after two aspiring reality-TV stars [Michaele and Tareq Salahi] crashed President Barack Obama's state dinner at the White House this week. An administration official said the gate-crashing incident was apparently a breakdown in Secret Service screening and not the work of the White House social office.

Couple slips though security to crash state dinner 25 Nov 2009 Crashing a state dinner at the White House apparently takes a security breakdown as well as some kind of nerve. The Secret Service is looking into its own security procedures after determining that a Virginia couple, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, managed to slip into Tuesday night's state dinner at the White House even though they were not on the guest list, agency spokesman Ed Donovan said.

Obama grants 'Courage' a pardon 25 Nov 2009 It was a festive atmosphere on the White House North Portico on Wednesday morning for the president's annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon. Dozens of press joined dozens of guests and White House staffers to witness President Obama pardon a 45-pound turkey dubbed Courage, from Goldsboro, NC. [Obama seems to have pardoned the biggest turkeys on earth - the Bush cabal - so Courage should certainly get a pass.]

Obama 'promises' greenhouse gas cut 26 Nov 2009 US President Barack Obama seeks to reduce America's greenhouse gas emissions by a 'low' 17 percent before 2020, ahead of a climate summit in Denmark. Obama's pledge to cut CO2 levels comes in advance of the December climate change convention in Copenhagen, meant to decrease human's contribution to 'catastrophic' air pollution.

Hacked climate emails called a "smear campaign" 25 Nov 2009 Three leading scientists who on Tuesday released a report documenting the accelerating pace of climate change said the scandal that erupted last week over hacked emails from climate scientists is nothing more than a "smear campaign" aimed at sabotaging December climate talks in Copenhagen. "We're facing an effort by special interests who are trying to confuse the public," said Richard Somerville, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and a lead author of the UN IPCC Fourth Assessment Report.

Australia to kill 6,000 camels 26 Nov 2009 Australian authorities [sociopaths] plan to corral about 6,000 wild camels with helicopters and gun them down after they overran a small Outback town in search of water, trampling fences, smashing tanks and contaminating supplies. The Northern Territory government announced its plan Wednesday for Docker River, a town of 350 residents where thirsty camels have been arriving daily for weeks because of drought conditions in the region.

*****

Two NATO commanders wore Nazi regalia in Afghanistan 25 Nov 2009 It has just been discovered that two commanders of the Czech military working under NATO command used Nazi symbols on their helmets during their deployment in Afghanistan. The story was made public after Czech police serving in Afghanistan reported the case, the Russia Today website reported on Tuesday. According to the daily Mlada fronta Dnes, the soldiers, identified as Hynek Matonoha and Jan Cermak, wore the symbols of the 9th SS panzer division Hohenstaufen and the SS Dirlewanger brigade respectively, which were probably the most infamous SS combat units of World War II.

Iraq inquiry: Britain rejected regime change as illegal in 2001 --British officials discussed toppling Saddam Hussein in 2001 but rejected a policy of "regime change" as illegal under international law, the Iraq war inquiry has heard. 24 Nov 2009 On its opening day of public hearings, Sir John Chilcot’s public inquiry into the invasion heard that British diplomats heard the "drumbeat" of war emanating from Washington even before the September 11 terrorist attacks. The inquiry into the war opened yesterday with a promise from Sir John, a former Whitehall mandarin, to "get to the heart of what happened" and "not shy away" from criticising anyone who made mistakes.

Iraq inquiry: Bush administration 'discussing regime change two years before invasion' --Elements of the new US administration of President [sic] George Bush were already discussing ''regime change'' in Iraq two years before the invasion of 2003, the official inquiry into the war has been told. 24 Nov 2009 Sir Peter Ricketts, who was chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee in 2001, said there was concern in both London and Washington that the strategy of ''containment'' of Saddam Hussein was ''failing''. Giving evidence at the first public hearings of the inquiry, he said a review of the Iraq policy was already under way in Whitehall in anticipation of the arrival of the new Bush administration. He said that, in discussions with Secretary of State Colin Powell, it appeared the Americans were ''thinking very much on the same lines''.

'UK complicity is clear.' 'Cruel, illegal, immoral': Human Rights Watch condemns UK's role in torture --Pressure for inquiry grows as torturers themselves allege British complicity 24 Nov 2009 The attorney general was under intense pressure tonight to order a wider series of police investigations into British complicity in torture after one of the world's leading human rights organisations said there was clear evidence of the UK government's involvement in the torture of its own citizens. After an investigation spanning more than a year, Human Rights Watch (HRW) today condemned Britain's role in the torture of terror suspects detained in Pakistan as cruel, counter-productive and in clear breach of international law.

'Operation Iraqi Freedom:' Iraq: TV commentator who criticized government is shot 24 Nov 2009 Baghdad is buzzing about the shooting Monday night of a prominent TV commentator who regularly criticized the government on his show "Without Fences" on the privately owned Al-Diyar TV station. Imad Abadi was shot in the head and neck by [Blackwater?] gunmen using a pistol equipped with a silencer at about 8 p.m. as he rode in his car in the Salhiya neighborhood not far from Baghdad's Green Zone. He managed to keep driving to an Iraqi checkpoint, and doctors today said his chances of recovery are good.

Iraq parliamentary election 'not possible in January' 24 Nov 2009 Iraq will not be able to hold parliamentary elections before the end of January as required by the country's constitution, electoral officials say. The head of the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, Faraj al-Haidari, said the possibility was now "over". The vote is seen as a prerequisite to the US meeting its goal of pulling out combat troops by August next year, and withdrawing fully by 2011.

Judge denies Halliburton's request to leave Iraq case 24 Nov 2009 A Houston judge ruled Tuesday that Halliburton must remain as a defendant in a lawsuit alleging it and its former subsidiary KBR knowingly sent civilian truck convoys into dangerous conditions the day six drivers were killed in 2004 in Iraq. U.S. District Judge Gray Miller found that Halliburton should remain in the case because plaintiffs have "numerous evidentiary examples of Halliburton's involvement in the allegations giving rise to this litigation."

Obama plans to send 34,000 more troops to Afghanistan 24 Nov 2009 President Barack Obama met Monday evening with his national security team to finalize a plan to dispatch some 34,000 additional U.S. troops over the next year to what he's called "a war of necessity" in Afghanistan, U.S. officials told McClatchy. Obama is expected to announce his long-awaited decision on Dec. 1, followed by meetings on Capitol Hill aimed at winning congressional support amid opposition by some Democrats who are worried about the strain on the U.S. Treasury and whether Afghanistan has become a quagmire, the officials said.

Fort Carson soldier killed in Afghanistan 24 Nov 2009 A Fort Carson soldier was killed in Afghanistan after insurgents attacked his unit, the Department of Defense said Tuesday. Spc. Jason A. McLeod, 22, of Crystal Lake, Ill., was killed Monday in a mortar attack west of Pashmul. He was assigned to the 704th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

Afghan War: Realities on the Ground By Josh Mitteldorf 24 Nov 2009 Back in the 1980s When the Soviet Union had troops in Afghanistan, the US government was secretly funding the guerrillas who undermined the occupation. These people were passionate Muslims, opposed to intoxicants including poppy production that was the region's most lucrative export. They called themselves Taliban. Now that the Taliban is our enemy, we support them less directly... Lori Price, writing for Citizens for Legitimate Government charges that most of this money ends up in the hands of the Taliban. And reducing the poppy production increases profit margins for the CIA, which buys drugs for distribution back home.

Blackwater's Secret War in Pakistan By Jeremy Scahill 23 Nov 2009 At a covert forward operating base run by the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, members of an elite division of Blackwater are at the center of a secret program in which they plan targeted assassinations of suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives, "snatch and grabs" of high-value targets and other sensitive action inside and outside Pakistan, an investigation by The Nation has found. The Blackwater operatives also assist in gathering intelligence and help direct a secret US military drone bombing campaign that runs parallel to the well-documented CIA predator strikes, according to a well-placed source within the US military intelligence apparatus.

Toll rises in Philippines massacre --Lead suspect is local mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., political ally of unelected dictator (and Bush ally) Gloria Arroyo 25 Nov 2009 Police investigating the massacre of a group of journalists and politicians in the southern Philippines have found another six bodies, taking the total death toll from the attack to at least 52. The bodies were dug out of a shallow pit on Wednesday, close to the scene in southern Maguindanao province where another 46 victims were found following what is believed to be the Philippines' worst politically-linked massacre.

9/11 tragedy pager intercepts (WikiLeaks) 25 Nov 2009 From 3AM on Wednesday November 25, 2009, until 3AM the following day (US East Coast time), WikiLeaks is releasing over half a million US national text pager intercepts. The intercepts cover a 24 hour period surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington... Messages in the archive range from Pentagon and New York Police Department exchanges, to computers reporting faults to their operators as the World Trade Center collapsed.

Pentagon Probe Leaders Visit Fort Hood to Begin Investigation 24 Nov 2009 Leaders of a Pentagon-appointed task force charged with investigating what factors led to the Fort Hood massacre Nov. 5 and recommending policies to prevent future attacks began their review today, saying their job is not "to point fingers." Togo West, former Secretary of the Army and Secretary of Veterans Affairs during the Clinton administration, and former Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Vernon Clark, are leading the review board. They arrived at the Fort Hood base today to begin what will be a 45-day investigation.

British police under fire over terrorism arrests 24 Nov 2009 The British government's terrorism watchdog on Tuesday criticised counter-terrorism police who arrested and then released without charge 12 men seized in April raids to foil a suspected al Qaeda plot. Lord Carlile, the government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said Greater Manchester Police should have sought comprehensive advice from Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyers about the operation in advance.

Easter shopping plot 'part of international terror network' 25 Nov 2009 A group of Pakistani students suspected of planning a terrorist attack on Easter shoppers was believed to be linked to 'al-Qaeda' and suspected of being part of a "very significant international plot", an independent report has found. Counter terrorism police had "no realistic alternative" but to arrest at least some of the suspected members of the group according to Lord Carlile, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation. However, he criticised the police for failing to consult properly with prosecutors over the raids in Manchester and Liverpool which resulted in 12 arrests but no criminal charges.

U.S.-Canada to share refugees' biometric info 24 Nov 2009 Seeking to enhance its efforts to crack down on fraudulent refugee claims, the Harper government on Tuesday announced it has struck a deal to share fingerprint information on asylum seekers with the United States. Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan made the announcement following a bilateral summit here with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. Under the protocol, the U.S. will join a biometric data-sharing initiative Canada had already launched last summer with the United Kingdom and Australia.

Canada's doctors told to stop using swine flu vaccine 24 Nov 2009 GlaxoSmithKline has advised doctors in Canada to stop using a batch of its swine flu vaccine, amid reports of severe side-effects in some patients. The batch of some 170,000 doses was put on hold because of the reported higher than usual number of patients having anaphylactic reactions. This may include breathing problems, raised heart rate and skin rashes.

GlaxoSmithKline advises Canadian doctors to stop using swine flu vaccines 25 Nov 2009 GlaxoSmithKline PLC said Tuesday that they have notified Canadian doctors to discontinue using a batch of 170,000 swine flu vaccines following six reports of serious allergic reactions among recipients. It was not immediately clear how many doses had been administered, although Tim Vail, the spokesman for Canada’s health minister, said the majority had been.

27 cases of adverse reaction to H1N1 vaccine reported 24 Nov 2009 (Singapore) The Health Sciences Authority said on Tuesday that 27 cases of adverse reactions suspected to be associated with the use of the H1N1 vaccine have been reported so far. But "these reactions are non-serious anticipated side effects such as fever, rashes, flu-like symptoms, headaches, nausea and vomiting", said an HSA spokesperson.

NJ suspends seasonal flu shot requirement for kids 24 Nov 2009 New Jersey is suspending its requirement that children attending child care or preschool facilities get a seasonal flu shot. Health Commissioner Heather Howard said Tuesday that the step was necessary because there's a shortage [?] of the seasonal flu vaccine.

Census worker in Kentucky killed self, officials conclude --Autopsy report is pending 24 Nov 2009 A U.S. Census worker found dead in a secluded Clay County cemetery killed himself but tried to make the death look like a homicide, authorities have concluded. Bill Sparkman, 51, of London, might have tried to cover the manner of his death to preserve payments under life-insurance polices that he had taken out. The policies wouldn’t pay off if Sparkman committed suicide, state police Capt. Lisa Rudzinski said.

Once again: Obama and the jobs crisis By Patrick Martin 24 Nov 2009 The Obama administration has flatly rejected appeals for the federal government to take any direct action to create jobs and alleviate the mounting toll of unemployment in the United States. Obama reiterated this position in his Saturday radio/Internet address... "In order to keep growing, we need to spend less, save more, and get our federal deficit under control," Obama said. "It is important that we do not make any ill-considered decisions--even with the best of intentions--particularly at a time when our resources are so limited," he concluded. "Limited resources" were not a consideration when it came to bailing out Wall Street. The US Treasury and the Federal Reserve made available trillions to the financial institutions. But when it comes to the working class, Obama has repeatedly demanded austerity measures.

Palin pimps self, ghostwritten 'Mantra of Whine' at Fort Bragg: Sarah Palin's book tour hits NC's Fort Bragg 24 Nov 2009 Sarah Palin brought her book-signing tour to North Carolina's Fort Bragg on Monday as thousands greeted the former Republican vice presidential candidate in a campaign-like gathering that tested broke military rules involving politicians. The Department of Defense typically prohibits politicians from using installations as a platform, so Palin didn't give a speech and simply thanked soldiers individually. She was allowed to hold the event as a private citizen who was not campaigning, a Fort Bragg spokesman said.

Rove: Shift of Blame to Dems Almost Complete --'This is surely some of my best work since I was able to convince millions of Americans that George W. Bush should be in the White House rather than the nut house.' By R J Shulman 24 Nov 2009 Karl Rove announced today on Fox News that the Republican strategy to shift the blame for all of America's woes from anything the Republicans may have caused to Obama and the Democrats is a complete success. Rove has been the mastermind of a new movement called the Shift of Blamers -- or SOBs -- who have replaced birthers, deathers, Tenthers, and teabaggers as the most successful anti-Obama group thus far. The SOBs are made up of prominent Republicans, Fox News, FreedomWorks, and the vast majority of talk radio. (Satire)

Judge orders New Haven to promote 14 white firefighters 24 Nov 2009 (CT) After a five year legal battle, 14 New Haven firefighters will receive their promotions. A U.S. District Court judge Tuesday ordered the city to promote 14 white firefighters, based on a Supreme Court decision. Twenty firefighters passed a promotional exam in 2004, but the city discarded the results because too few minorities scored high. The firefighters won a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to force the test results to stand.

*****

Short Term Archives - Recent news items

Please send a donation. Thank you!