Citizens for Legitimate Government, News Archives

February 2008 Archives, Page Two

Canada-U.S. pact allows cross-border military activity in 'civil emergency' 23 Feb 2008 Canada and the U.S. have signed an agreement that paves the way for the militaries from either nation to send troops across each other's borders during an emergency, but some are questioning why the Harper government has kept silent on the deal. Neither the Canadian government nor the Canadian Forces announced the new agreement, which was signed Feb. 14 in Texas. The U.S. military's Northern Command, however, publicized the agreement with a statement, which allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation in a civil emergency. [See:U.S. Northern Command, Canada Command establish new bilateral Civil Assistance Plan 14 Feb 2008.]

KBR 4th Q profit up 65% on tax benefits, gas projects and 'work' in Iraq --Former Halliburton subsidiary remains Pentagon's biggest ~~private contractor~~ mercenary in Iraq 26 Feb 2008 KBR Inc. reported Tuesday its fourth-quarter profit rose 65 percent... its top executive said a growing backlog suggests 2008 will be a good year. KBR's total backlog for continuing operations grew to $13 billion in the fourth quarter, up nearly 9 percent from the prior quarter and 5 percent from a year ago.

KBR's Net Rises 65% 26 Feb 2008 KBR Inc. said fourth-quarter net income grew 65% on a tax gain from a divested unit as the company faced the prospect of not getting reimbursed for some costs incurred since the Iraq war began. "2007 was a record year for KBR in terms of profitability and I am pleased with the ongoing performance improvement in KBR's core businesses," said Chairman and Chief Executive Bill Utt.

Watchdog orders release of war documents 27 Feb 2008 Britain's information commissioner has ordered the Government to release the minutes of ministerial discussions about military action in Iraq in the run-up to the 2003 invasion.

PM told to release Cabinet minutes on Iraq 26 Feb 2008 The Government was today ordered to release the minutes of Cabinet discussions where ministers discussed military action against Iraq. Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, said the papers should be released under the Freedom of Information Act because of the "gravity and controversial nature" of the discussions.

Official: post-surge U.S. troop level in Iraq will be 140,000 26 Feb 2008 There will be 140,000 U.S. troops in Iraq by late July when the Bush regime's "surge plan" ends, a senior Pentagon official said Monday.

Iraq demands that Turkey withdraw its troops 26 Feb 2008 The Iraqi Government demanded today that Turkey withdraw its army from Iraq's snowbound northern mountains. Five days after Turkey launched its military incursion there are reports that its commandos have penetrated 100 miles inside Iraqi territory, as far as Iraq's border with Iran.

Bus bomber kills nine in Mosul 26 Feb 2008 A suicide bomber today killed at least nine people on a packed bus outside an Iraqi Army checkpoint in northern Iraq, an area where American forces have been focusing more attention in a bid to tackle 'al-Qaeda insurgents.'

Iran blames foreign forces' mismanagement for Iraqi civilian deaths 26 Feb 2008 Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini on Monday condemned the recent crimes against innocent Iraqi people as acts of terror. He said that the "mismanagement of foreign forces" in Iraq is to be blamed for such terrorist actions.

Probe sought in Marine vehicle delays 26 Feb 2008 The Marine Corps has asked the Pentagon's inspector general to examine allegations that a nearly two-year delay in the fielding of blast-resistant vehicles led to hundreds of combat casualties in Iraq.

New hopes for release for Al-Jazeera cameraman jailed at Guantanamo Bay 25 Feb 2008 An Al-Jazeera TV cameraman imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay has been told he may soon be released after more than six years in U.S. military custody, a lawyer for the prisoner said Monday, though U.S. officials refused to confirm the report.

Military 'musical chairs' could aid Harper's Afghan plan --France expected to deploy 700 soldiers to volatile Pakistan border region 26 Feb 2008 A possible plan to send French troops to eastern Afghanistan could provide Ottawa with the extra NATO support it's demanding as a condition to extend the Canadian mission in the region. Canadian officials had been hoping that France would deploy a large number of soldiers to southern Afghanistan's Kandahar region, where 2,500 Canadian troops are already stationed.

Bomb kills policemen in eastern Afghanistan --Five policeman and a child killed by roadside bomb 26 Feb 2008 Five policemen and a three-year-old child were killed this morning in Afghanistan when the vehicle they were travelling in hit a roadside bomb in the eastern province of Khost, close to the border with Pakistan. Local police chief General Mohammad Ayub blamed the attack on Taliban militants who repeatedly target police officers.

India tests underwater missile 26 Feb 2008 India tested a nuclear-capable missile designed to be launched from a submarine, in a move aimed at expanding India's ability to respond in case of a nuclear attack, officials said Tuesday.

Preacher guilty of organising terror training camps 26 Feb 2008 A terrorist instructor [Mohammed Hamid] who called himself Osama bin London has been convicted, along with three of his followers, of organising al-Qaida style training camps across Britain. Their five-month trial at Woolwich crown court was the first to deal with a new offence introduced under the Terrorism Act 2006 of attending a place used for terrorist training.

DNA database has 500,000 incorrect entries, minister admits 26 Feb 2008 Thousands of DNA samples taken from criminals have been filed under the names of innocent people, it was revealed yesterday. There are 550,000 false, misspelt or incorrect names on the Government's vast DNA database, which contains more than 4million samples. That means one in every eight records is thought to be inaccurate.

GOP plans for Coup 2008 are well underway: Bush Predicts GOP Will Hold White House 26 Feb 2008 President [sic] Bush predicted Monday that voters will replace him with a Republican president who will "keep up the fight" in Iraq. "I'm confident we'll hold the White House in 2008," Bush told donors at the Republican Governors Association annual dinner, which raised a record $10.6 million for GOP gubernatorial candidates.

Matthews on Clinton's debate performance: "The porridge will be just right." --Misogynist TV host compares US Senator to 'Goldilocks' in fairy tale By Lori Price 26 Feb 2008 On MSNBC's 'Hardball,' during segment one of the 'Hate Hillary Hour,' host Chris Matthews and three pals ponder, "Which version" of Hillary will show up at the debate tonight?" Apparently, men are allowed to vary their tactics and to strategize. Women, on the other hand are hysterical and whimsical. They keep revealing 'different sides.' Michael Rectenwald is right. Oh, BTW, Matthews. You never know if and when one of those *three bears* will growl and bite you in the a**.

Huckabee: Fertilized Egg Is Person [LOL! Okie dokey, but Bush still isn't - no matter how you slice it.] 26 Feb 2008 Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has endorsed an amendment to Colorado’s constitution declaring that a fertilized egg is a person.

McCain In Oct. 2006: Renzi Has ' Tenacity, Honesty and Integrity Beyond Reproach' 22 Feb 2008 In late October 2006, after it was revealed that the FBI was looking into allegations that the now indicted Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) was under investigation for his involvement in a federal land transfer deal, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) came to Renzi's rescue.

Obama: McCain Puts Lobbyists 'In Charge' 24 Feb 2008 Sen. Barack Obama said Saturday that the Republican presidential nominee in waiting, Sen. John McCain, has lobbyists as top aides and "many of them have been running their business on the campaign bus while they've been helping him."

McCain linked to influence peddling claim --Broadcaster says nothing happened until he hired lobbyist, made donation 25 Feb 2008 Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee for president, has been linked by documents and testimony to another alleged case of what critics are calling influence peddling, this time involving a minority broadcaster in Pittsburgh. The allegations from groups including the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics in Washington.

McCain retracts comment he could lose on Iraq 25 Feb 2008 Republican presidential front-runner John McCain on Monday retracted his earlier statement he would lose the November election if he did not convince Americans they were winning the war in Iraq.

Dodd Endorses Obama for President 26 Feb 2008 Senator Christopher J. Dodd, a leading Democrat and an early candidate for the party’s presidential nomination, announced Tuesday that he was endorsing Senator Barack Obama.

Obama's Support Grows Broader, New Poll Finds 26 Feb 2008 In the past two months, Senator Barack Obama has built a commanding coalition among Democratic voters, with especially strong support among men, and is now viewed by most Democrats as the candidate best able to beat Senator John McCain in the general election, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll.

Mansion 'mistake' piles the pressure on Barack Obama 26 Feb 2008 A British-Iraqi billionaire [Nadhmi Auchi] lent millions of dollars to Barack Obama's fundraiser just weeks before an imprudent land deal that has returned to haunt the presidential contender, an investigation by The Times discloses.

Delusional hope: The Obama rapture By Joel S. Hirschhorn 22 Feb 2008 Think about the prevalence of hope: sports teams heading into a championship game, research scientists envisioning a Nobel Prize, people in the criminal justice system awaiting trial, entrepreneurs starting a new business, people starting off on a long-awaited vacation, American Idol contestants, college seniors dreaming of becoming superrich... Hope produces far more losers than winners. Hope is enjoyable until failure hits. But most people do not give up on hope, just move on to the next hope.

NRC: 2 Reactors Shut Down At FPL's Turkey Point -Report 26 Feb 2008 Two nuclear reactors at Florida Power & Light's Turkey Point station in South Florida shut down Tuesday afternoon, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said, The St. Petersberg Times reported on its Web site. Florida Power & Light is a unit of FPL Group Inc. (FPL).

Massive power outage hits millions in Florida 26 Feb 2008 A massive power outage struck parts of Florida on Tuesday, knocking out electricity to millions of people, snarling traffic at intersections and trapping residents in elevators.

Oil Hits a High; Some See $4 Gas by Spring 26 Feb 2008 Gasoline prices, which for months lagged the big run-up in the price of oil, are suddenly rising quickly, with some experts fearing they could hit $4 a gallon by spring. Diesel is hitting new records daily and oil closed at an all-time high on Tuesday of $100.88 a barrel.

Crude surpasses $101 --Heating oil surges to new high; natural gas at highest in two years 26 Feb 2008 Crude-oil futures rallied more than $2 on Tuesday to above $101 a barrel as cold weather in the U.S. continued. Heating oil surged to a new record high. Crude for April delivery gained $2.3, or 2.3%, to a new historic high of $101.11 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange in early afternoon trading. The intraday high surpasses crude's last record of $100.65 hit last week. [Oops! MSNBC forgot to cover this one. But they had time to air a graphic called 'Dollars to Doughnuts,' showing that Hillary Clinton spent - gasp! - 5,000 dollars on doughnuts during the campaign! A better use of MSNBC's time might involve showing a panel that details ExxonMobil's profit 'surge' since the first GOP coup d'etat, or Halliburton's dividends since same. --LRP]

US high court to review 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill case 26 Feb 2008 The US Supreme Court will revisit Wednesday the case of the Exxon Valdez oil tanker disaster in Alaska, examining whether the corporation should have to pay 2.5 billion dollars in punitive damages over the oil spill that occurred 19 years ago. The court will hear ExxonMobil's appeal in... a long-running legal battle that has raged since the Exxon Valdez crashed into a reef in Prince William Sound on March 24, 1989, spilling 11 million gallons of crude into Alaskan fishing waters. According a University of Alaska study, only a quarter of the marine life survived the spill.

U.S. Home Foreclosures Jump 90% as Mortgages Reset 26 Feb 2008 Bank seizures of U.S. homes almost doubled in January as property owners failed to make higher payments on adjustable-rate mortgages.

Home price drop sets record in fourth quarter: S&P 26 Feb 2008 Prices of existing U.S. single-family homes slumped 8.9 percent in the fourth quarter versus a year earlier, the largest decline in the 20-year history of a national home price index released on Tuesday.

Safely hidden from a Bush bioterror 'October surprise:' Arctic seed vault opens doors for 100 million seeds 26 Feb 2008 The Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened today on a remote island in the Arctic Circle, receiving inaugural shipments of 100 million seeds that originated in over 100 countries.

Pakistan reports fourth February bird flu outbreak 26 Feb 2008 Pakistani authorities have found a fresh outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu in chickens, the fourth case in a month in the South Asian country, a government official said on Tuesday.

Concrete Falls Onto Route 8 South In Waterbury 26 Feb 2008 (CT) Route 8 south was closed in Waterbury after concrete began falling from the Route 8-Interstate 84 interchange Tuesday afternoon. The road reopened shortly before 4 p.m.

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U.S. expects 140,000 troops in Iraq after surge 25 Feb 2008 The United States expects to have 140,000 troops in Iraq in July after withdrawing five combat brigades, leaving a force larger than before it began pouring in troops last year, the Pentagon said on Monday.

U.S. troops detain news editor of Iraq TV station 25 Feb 2008 The U.S. military said on Monday they had detained the news editor of a television station owned by Iraq's most powerful political party and his son, who is accused of 'involvement' in attacks on U.S. and Iraqi forces.

Turkish army says rebel death toll in Northern Iraq at 153 25 Feb 2008 Turkey's military General Staff said on Monday the number of Kurdish PKK rebels killed during its ground and air offensive in northern Iraq had risen to 153.

Oil Rises to Near $100 on Turkey News 25 Feb 2008 Oil prices rose to near $100 a barrel Monday as the Turkish incursion into northern Iraq and 'warnings by Iran against further sanctions heightened concerns over potential crude supply disruptions.' [Gee, Exxon's pre-election gas sale can't get here soon enough!]

Bomb kills 3 Iraq pilgrims and wounds 15: police 25 Feb 2008 A roadside bomb killed three pilgrims walking to a major Shi'ite religious event south of Baghdad on Monday, a day after a suspected al Qaeda [al-CIAduh] suicide bomber killed 63 people also heading there.

Bomb hidden under wheelchair kills 3, injures 9 in Iraq --Police: Bomber had met at least twice with deputy security chief before blast 25 Feb 2008 A man in a wheelchair blew himself up Monday in a northern Iraqi police station, killing three National Police officers, including a commander, police said. The [Blackwater] attack also wounded nine officers on the police force, which the Iraqi Interior Ministry operates.

U.S. general says attacks down sharply in eastern Afghanistan 25 Feb 2008 Militant attacks in eastern Afghanistan are down sharply compared with a year ago, a top U.S. general [Army Brig.-Gen. Joseph Votel] said.

Afghan governor survives bomb blast, three cops killed 25 Feb 2008 A roadside bomb tore through a convoy carrying the high-profile governor of a southern Afghan province, missing the official but killing three policemen, the governor said.

Suicide Bomb Kills Pakistani General 25 Feb 2008 A top Pakistani general was killed when a suicide attacker approached his car at a traffic light and blew himself up Monday in Rawalpindi, the garrison town just outside the capital, Islamabad, military officials said.

Bird flu as biological weapon "nutty" idea, says Gates 26 Feb 2008 United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates has denied allegations by Indonesia's Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari that his country is developing biological weapons from bird flu strains found in Indonesia. "I think it's the nuttiest idea I've ever heard," Gates said Monday after addressing his speech to the Indonesian Council on World Affairs at the Four Seasons Hotel, South Jakarta. [See: Top-secret Livermore germ lab opens --Researching flu, tuberculosis and SARS 02 Feb 2008; Flu Lab Set to Open for 1918 Pandemic Virus Reconstruction 28 Oct 2007; DoD to carry out 'military missions' during pandemic, WMD attack By LRP 23 Oct 2007; Making Killer Flu 12 Jun 2007; Killer flu recreated in the lab 07 Oct 2004.]

CIA 'plane used for torture flights landed in Britain last week' 24 Feb 2008 The row over the use of British air bases for American "torture" flights flared up again last night following evidence that a plane linked to the transport of terrorist suspects landed in Britain on Wednesday. A Gulfstream IV private jet, which has been identified... as a CIA-linked plane implicated in so-called "rendition," arrived at RAF Northolt in West London just hours before the Government was forced into a humiliating U-turn on the practice.

On Whose Orders? Panorama asks why the British Army in Iraq used interrogation techniques that were banned over 30 years ago. 22 Feb 2008 In 1972 the techniques - hooding, stress positions, constant noise, sleep deprivation and being starved of food and water - were banned by the Heath government which said they would never be used again. Their reintroduction in 2003, whether official or unofficial, could have had serious consequences.

Opposition MPs demand action on Omar Khadr 25 Feb 2008 The federal opposition parties presented a united front in Ottawa in demanding the release of Omar Khadr. The 21-year-old Canadian has been held at a U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for more than five years.

Christie calls for Guantanamo closure at Oscars 25 Feb 2008 Julie Christie was in the mood for making a point at the Academy Awards on Sunday, calling for the closure of military detention camp Guantanamo Bay.

Hicks case rushed to suit Howard - US --US prosecutor says Hicks case was political --Says sudden haste was a 'bizarre request' --Says Howard wanted Hicks case sorted before election 25 Feb 2008 It was January 9 last year when Morris Davis, the chief prosecutor for the Bush regime's military tribunals, took what he regards as a disturbing telephone call regarding David Hicks. On the end of the line was the Pentagon's general counsel, William "Jim" Haynes. He asked Colonel Davis how soon he could charge Hicks.

Discarded explosives a ticking timebomb --'Ecological nightmare' awaits unless weapons destroyed, expert warns 25 Feb 2008 Canada could be on the brink of an "ecological nightmare" as chemicals and explosives from submerged military boneyards seep into the water, says a retired U.S. Navy bomb disposal expert.

DOJ Chasing Islamic Charities for Terrorism Financing 25 Feb 2008 U.S. counterterrorism officials in the U.S. and the Middle East are reportedly pursuing what they describe as a second constellation of Islamic charities that have sprouted up to raise funds that help Islamic militants in the Palestinian territories, Iraq and other conflict areas.

Park Police Face Senior Staffing Shortages 25 Feb 2008 The number of U.S. Park Police officers has dropped to a 20-year low, with widespread vacancies in senior ranks, leaving the agency strapped despite heightened concern about protecting the nation's landmarks from terrorism, according to officers and a watchdog group.

Runway protesters break into Heathrow 25 Feb 2008 Activists from Greenpeace attach a banner to a BA airplane after breaking through airport security Greenpeace has warned the government of the aviation industry’s CO2 emissions ahead of the decision on whether a 3rd Heathrow runway should be built.

Siegelman attorney calls for special prosecutor 25 Feb 2008 Attorneys for imprisoned former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman called Monday for the Justice Department to bring in a special prosecutor after a key government witness was quoted as saying that prosecutors made him write out his testimony to get his story straight.

Democrats seek FEC probe of McCain 25 Feb 2008 The national Democratic party wants campaign finance regulators to investigate whether Sen. John McCain would violate money-in-politics laws by withdrawing from the primary election's public finance system.

NYT stands by McCain story 24 Feb 2008 The New York Times stands by the story it ran in Thursday's edition about Republican presidential front-runner John McCain, the newspaper's top editor said.

Clinton challenges Obama on foreign policy, military 25 Feb 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton charted her plans for an American foreign-affairs strategy this afternoon, but used the subject largely to launch a renewed offensive in challenging rival Barack Obama on the issue of experience.

Tina Fey gives Hillary a shout out on SNL 25 Feb 2008 "Bitch is the new black!" claims SNL news anchor Tina Fey as she returns as host of "Saturday Night Live." Fey used her humorous segment to urge Democrats in Ohio and Texas to turn things around by voting for Hillary Clinton.

Judge curbs NY-NJ Port Authority's WTC claim 25 Feb 2008 New York-New Jersey Port Authority can collect insurance only for damage done to one World Trade Center building and the PATH train station, not for the entire complex that was destroyed on September 11, 2001, a U.S. District Court judge ruled on Monday.

AMR says crew gave oxygen to dying passenger 25 Feb 2008 AMR Corp, parent of American Airlines, on Monday said the flight crew had administered oxygen and used a defibrillator to assist an ailing passenger [Carine Desir] who died on a flight from Haiti to New York last week.

Indonesian minister accuses West, WHO of profiting from bird flu 20 Feb 2008 Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari in her new book accuses the World Health Organization and the U.S. government of trying to profit from the spread of bird flu, saying the latter may use the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus to develop biological weapons.

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U.S. Northern Command, Canada Command establish new bilateral Civil Assistance Plan 14 Feb 2008 U.S. Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and Canadian Air Force Lt.-Gen. Marc Dumais, commander of Canada Command, have signed a Civil Assistance Plan that allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency. The plan facilitates the military-to-military support of civil authorities once government authorities have agreed on an appropriate response.

Renditions row after CIA plane lands in UK 25 Feb 2008 A fresh row erupted over the use of British air bases by US authorities as it emerged a plane used by the CIA has landed at an RAF airstrip in the past week. A Gulfstream IV jet, identified as a plane linked to the US intelligence agency, landed at RAF Northolt in west London. The jet, registration N134BR, which flew from Morristown, New Jersey, to Britain, landed on Wednesday and returned on Friday. It was also seen at Luton airport in January.

Romania Base Suspected CIA Prisoner Site 23 Feb 2008 Three times in 2004, and twice more in 2005, a jet landed and the black bus drove out to meet it. Large, mysterious parcels were exchanged that, according to a Romanian official who says he witnessed it, looked like bundled-up terror suspects. The official, a high-ranking veteran with inside knowledge of operations at the base, said the planes then left for North Africa with their cargo and two CIA handlers aboard. His descriptions, told on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press, add to suspicions surrounding Romania's involvement in "extraordinary rendition" - the beyond-the-law transfer of U.S. terror suspects from country to country by the CIA.

White House says phone wiretaps back on "for now" 23 Feb 2008 The Bush regime said on Saturday U.S. telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate "for the time being" with spy agencies' wiretaps, despite an ongoing battle between the White House and Congress over new terrorism surveillance legislation. The Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a joint statement saying wiretaps will resume under the current law "at least for now."

Europe warned of Taliban return 25 Feb 2008 The United States Secretary of Defence, Robert Gates, has warned that a return of the Taliban in Afghanistan would result in renewed terrorist attacks on European soil.

Portside on terror alert 24 Feb 2008 Australian Federal Police are investigating an Indian man who arrived in Brisbane two days ago with alleged terrorist links. The man arrived on a ship at the Port of Brisbane early Friday. Sources told The Sunday Mail that Customs officers alerted the AFP after speaking to crew members of the ship.

Roadside cameras that detect BLOOD will catch lone drivers who abuse car-sharing lanes 24 Feb 2008 (UK) Motorists will be targeted by a new generation of road cameras which work out how many people are in a car by measuring the amount of bodily fluid it contains.

Tough police DNA powers are rejected --Worries over cost and public anger kill off project for database filled with speeders and litter louts 24 Feb 2008 Controversial plans that would see the police given sweeping new powers to take DNA samples from people arrested for the most minor offences, such as dropping litter, have been rejected by the Home Office.

Turks send more tanks into Iraq against PKK --Anger in Kurdistan at US green light for incursion 25 Feb 2008 Turkey sent military reinforcements into northern Iraq yesterday as clashes with militants from the Kurdistan Workers' party (PKK) continued for a fourth day. Washington has sanctioned limited cross-border operations by Ankara against the PKK, which has been described by President [sic] George Bush as a "common enemy". It has provided the Turkish military with intelligence on the militants' positions and opened up Iraq's airspace to facilitate bombing raids.

Turkish incursion in Northern Iraq results in heavy casualties 24 Feb 2008 Turkish forces and Kurdish rebels engaged in fresh clashes Saturday in northern Iraq, as Turkey's military continued its offensive to crack down on suspected rebel hideouts in the region.

Turkish Helicopter Down in Iraq 24 Feb 2008 A Turkish helicopter crashed in Iraq and eight soldiers were killed during a cross-border ground operation against Kurdish rebels, who planted booby traps on the bodies of their slain comrades, Turkey's military said Sunday. The guerrillas said they shot down a Turkish military helicopter near the Turkish-Iraqi border.

Suicide bomber kills 40 in Iraq 25 Feb 2008 A suicide bomber detonated a vest packed with metal ball bearings in a refreshment tent full of Iraqi pilgrims heading to a Shi'ite festival on Sunday, killing 40 people and wounding 60, police said.

Head of Iraqi journalists' union shot, seriously wounded 23 Feb 2008 The head of the Iraqi Journalists' Union was shot and seriously wounded on Saturday, police and union officials said. Union chief Shihab al-Timimi was shot by unidentified [Blackwater] gunmen as he was being driven to an art gallery in Waziriya, near central Baghdad.

John Howard 'had planned to leave Iraq' 24 Feb 2008 The Howard government would have starting pulling its combat troops out of Iraq this year if it had been re-elected, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Robb says.

France, UAE, Qatar, begin war games 23 Feb 2008 France, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates begin joint military exercises involving land, sea and air forces in the Persian Gulf region. The military war games began on Saturday and are to continue for several days, the official WAM news agency reported.

US warns of more terror in Afghanistan 24 Feb 2008 US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Sunday tipped more terrorist attacks and bombings and fewer all-out battles as Afghanistan moves into its annual summer campaign season.

Australia could buy US fighter jets 24 Feb 2008 United States Defence Secretary Robert Gates says he will investigate whether Australia will ever be able to buy the Lockheed F-22 Raptor jet fighters. Currently an Act of US Congress bars any foreign sales of what is believed to be the most advanced combat plane in the world.

Raul Castro Confirmed As Cuba's President 24 Feb 2008 Nearly 50 years of government by Fidel Castro ended in Cuba on Sunday as parliament chose his brother Raul to replace him. The vote came five days after the ailing 81-year-old Fidel said he was retiring, capping a career in which he frustrated efforts by 10 U.S. presidents to oust him.

U.S. "agent orange" ruling disappoints Vietnamese 23 Feb 2008 Vietnamese victims of wartime "agent orange" were disappointed by a U.S. court's dismissal of a lawsuit against chemical companies but believe they have gathered more support for their cause, an official said on Saturday. Friday's ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York concluded the plaintiffs could not pursue claims against Dow Chemical Co, Monsanto Co and nearly 30 other companies [terrorists].

Jakarta ends stand-off on bird flu vaccines --Indonesia's health minister accused the US of trying to use bird flu samples to create a biological weapon. 24 Feb 2008 Samples of bird flu virus are at the centre of an extraordinary political battle in Indonesia, as arguments rage over the profits from potentially life-saving vaccines. After receiving an assurance that Jakarta would have access to affordable vaccines, Indonesia finally sent 12 samples to a World Health Organisation (WHO) laboratory last Friday after hanging on to them since August. The situation worsened last week after it emerged that Siti Fadilah Supari, Indonesia's health minister, had accused the United States in a new book she has written of trying to use the material to create a biological weapon.

DNC to File FEC Complaint Over Over McCain Funding Controversy 24 Feb 2008 The Democratic National Committee will file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission challenging Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) attempt to withdraw from the presidential matching-fund system. McCain wants to exit from the matching-fund system in order to get out from under the primary spending limit of $54 million, even though in January he used the promise of federal matching funds to get a $1 million bank loan when his campaign ran into financial difficulties prior to the Super Tuesday primary contests.

The Candidates on Nader 24 Feb 2008 Speaking to reporters on board her campaign plane, Hillary Clinton expressed surprise at the news that Ralph Nader planned to run. "Well, you know his being on the Green Party prevented Al Gore from being the greenest president we've ever had," Mrs. Clinton said. "And I think that’s really unfortunate." After Mr. Nader criticized Barack Obama on "Meet the Press" today, Mr. Obama responded: "He thought that there was no difference between Al Gore and George Bush, and eight years later, I think people realize that Ralph did not know what he was talking about..."

Ralph Nader joins US presidential race 24 Feb 2008 'Independent' candidate Ralph Nader has announced that he is entering the US presidential race, a move which many Democrats fear could deprive their party of vital votes. [Remember when Barf Nadir claimed that there was 'no difference' between Bush and Gore? Hmm, 1.1 million dead Iraqis or the polar bear might disagree, but it's too late to ask them - they're all dead. I wonder how much the GOP is paying Nadir to run this time?]

Nader defends GOP cash --Candidate says he's keeping money 10 Jul 2004 Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe and former presidential candidate Howard Dean called for Ralph Nader to return donations from key Republican boosters -- but the ~~independent presidential candidate~~ GOP troll insisted Friday he would not give in to what he called a Democratic "smear'' effort. Nader, in what has become a public disagreement with his vice presidential candidate, Peter Camejo, strongly denied the recent windfall of donations from deep-pocketed Republicans was part of a GOP effort to wound Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. "These men are traditional Republican donors who want to see Bush kept in office," McAuliffe said in an interview Friday with The Chronicle. The Chronicle analysis also showed that $23,000 of about $275,000 Nader had raised in $1,000 checks or more had come from Republicans who also contributed to the Bush-Cheney re-[s]election effort or other Republican Party committees.

GOP Group to Air Pro-Nader TV Ads 27 Oct 2000 Hoping to boost Ralph Nader in states where he is threatening to hurt Al Gore, a Republican group is launching TV ads featuring Nader attacking the vice president. The ads by the Republican Leadership Council will begin airing Monday in Wisconsin, Oregon and Washington, all states that are part of Gore's base and where Nader is polling well. The group plans to spend more than $100,000 at first and hopes to raise more over the weekend. While the ads boost Nader, they are a clear attempt to help Bush.

Mexican leftists vow to blockade airports, highways if oil opened to private investment [We need to get started *here.*] 24 Feb 2008 Thousands of followers of a former leftist presidential candidate [Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador] vowed on Sunday to close highways, airports and government buildings across Mexico if the legislature opens the country's state oil industry to private investment.

U.S. gasoline prices rise to $3.10 a gallon: survey 24 Feb 2008 The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the United States rose in the last two weeks, tracking a rise in crude oil prices, according to a nationwide survey. [Yeah, too bad the pre-election gas sale isn't here yet.]

Antarctic glaciers surge to ocean 24 Feb 2008 UK scientists working in Antarctica have found some of the clearest evidence yet of instabilities in the ice of part of West Antarctica. If the trend continues, they say, it could lead to a significant rise in global sea level. Julian Scott's sensational finding this season is that it now seems to have accelerated by 7% in a single season, sending more and more ice into the ocean.

Zoo in court row over polar bear's name 23 Feb 2008 A zoo hoping to cash in on its new polar bear cub has asked a court to intervene after a sweet firm got in first to trademark the animal’s name. The argument started when a Bavarian sweet manufacturer registered the name Flocke - meaning snowflake - on January 13, five days before the city of Nuremburg announced that it had chosen the same name for a new polar bear cub born at its zoo.

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Oil giants are poised to move into Basra --It is thought that Shell, Exxon Mobil and dozens of others are watching closely. 24 Feb 2008 Western oil giants are poised to enter southern Iraq to tap the country's vast reserves, despite the ongoing threat of violence, according to Gordon Brown's business emissary to the country. Michael Wareing, who heads the new Basra Development Commission, acknowledged that there would be concerns among Iraqis about multinationals exploiting natural resources.

The three trillion dollar war --The cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts have grown to staggering proportions By Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes 23 Feb 2008 The cost of direct US military operations - not even including long-term costs such as taking care of wounded veterans - already exceeds the cost of the 12-year war in Vietnam and is more than double the cost of the Korean War. And, even in the best case scenario, these costs are projected to be almost ten times the cost of the first Gulf War, almost a third more than the cost of the Vietnam War, and twice that of the First World War.

Iraq warns Turks to respect its borders as fighting intensifies 24 Feb 2008 Fighting between Turkish troops and Kurdish PKK guerrillas in northern Iraq intensified yesterday, the third day of Turkey's largest incursion into the region since Saddam Hussein's removal in 2003.

The new invasion of Iraq --Up to 10,000 Turkish troops launch an incursion 23 Feb 2008 A new crisis has exploded in Iraq after Turkish troops, supported by attack planes and Cobra helicopters, yesterday launched a major ground offensive into Iraqi Kurdistan.

Blasts strike Baghdad's Green Zone --The attack on the U.S-protected enclave is the fourth such incident in a week and casts doubt on a Shiite militia's recently renewed cease-fire. 23 Feb 2008 A barrage of rockets or mortar rounds hit the fortified Green Zone today, casting doubt on a Shiite militia cease-fire less than 24 hours after it was renewed. The early-morning blasts resonated across the U.S.-protected enclave in Baghdad, which is home to Iraqi government offices, the U.S. Embassy and military bases.

12 killed in Iraq bombings 23 Feb 2008 [Blackwater's] Bombs, including one hidden under a horse-drawn cart, struck targets in Baghdad yesterday, killing at least 12 people. Meanwhile, the US military said Iraqi soldiers discovered 15 bodies near the town of Kazim Al Isrhail, 30km north-east of Baquba.

Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan remains missing 23 Feb 2008 Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan Tariq Azizuddin has gone missing for 13 days but the government believes the missing diplomat is safe and alive, foreign office spokesman said Saturday.

Roadside bombing kills 7 Afghans in E Afghanistan 23 Feb 2008 Seven Afghan employees of a local road construction company were killed when their vehicle hit mines Saturday morning in eastern Afghan province of Kunar, a police officer said.

U.S. Seeks Support For Sanctioning Iran 23 Feb 2008 The Bush regime stepped up its campaign for tougher sanctions against Iran yesterday after a U.N. report concluded that Tehran had not fully come clean about past activities that U.S. experts say were part of a secret nuclear weapons program.

Australia, U.S. affirm alliance 23 Feb 2008 Australia and the United States reaffirmed their strong alliance on Saturday, saying their security and defense partnership would not change with the election of Canberra's new government and plans for a partial withdrawal from Iraq.

$1.2B B-2 stealth bomber crashes in Guam 23 Feb 2008 A B-2 stealth bomber plunged to the ground shortly after taking off from an air base in Guam on Saturday, the first time one crashed, but both pilots ejected safely, Air Force officials said.

Government wants personal details of every traveller --Phone numbers and credit card data to be collected under expanded EU plan 23 Feb 2008 Airline passengers will be monitored at every stage of their journey under the proposals. The data would be stored for 13 years and used to "profile" suspects. Under a controversial agreement reached last summer with the US department of homeland security, the EU already supplies the same information [19 pieces] to Washington for all passengers flying between Europe and the US. But Britain wants the system extended to sea and rail travel, to be applied to domestic flights and those between EU countries.

Terror control orders to continue 21 Feb 2008 Control orders for terrorist suspects will continue despite warnings the system could create "Guantanamo-style martyrs".

Mandatory DNA database rejected 23 Feb 2008 Calls to put the DNA of every UK resident on a national database are impractical, the government has said. The DNA database, which covers England and Wales, currently contains around 4.5m profiles - routinely taken from criminal suspects after most arrests.

Bush Says Companies Need the Protection of the Wiretapping Law 23 Feb 2008 President [sic] George W. Bush called on Congress to quickly pass wiretapping legislation when it returns from a recess on Feb. 25, saying that telecommunications companies need the law to help the government monitor ~~foreign terrorists~~ domestic oppostion. Bush, in his radio address, said lawmakers who oppose the legislation are favoring trial lawyers over national security. "Terrorists [Blackwater] are planning the next attack on America,'' Bush said. "To protect America from such attacks, we must protect our telecommunications companies from abusive lawsuits.''

Spy Law's Lapse Doesn't Hurt National Security, Conyers Says 23 Feb 2008 The lapse of a law that allows American spy agencies to intercept the U.S. phone calls and e- mails of suspected 'foreign terrorists' doesn't hinder intelligence gathering or endanger national security, Representative John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said.

Second Justice Dept. Waterboarding Probe Revealed 22 Feb 2008 An internal watchdog office at the Justice Department is investigating whether Bush administration attorneys violated professional standards by issuing legal opinions that authorized the CIA to use waterboarding and other ~~harsh interrogation techniques~~ torture, officials disclosed today. The probe is the second publicly disclosed Justice investigation related to the CIA's use of waterboarding, a type of simulated drowning that is considered torture by most human rights groups and legal scholars.

Waterboarding Focus of Justice Dept. Inquiry 23 Feb 2008 The Justice Department revealed Friday that its internal ethics office was investigating the department’s legal approval for waterboarding of 'Qaeda' suspects by the Central Intelligence Agency and was likely to make public an unclassified version of its report.

EU Urges Poland, Romania to Shed Light on CIA Jails Affair 23 Feb 2008 Britain's admission that the US used its territory to transfer terror suspects has rekindled debate in Europe over secret renditions. The EU is urging Romania and Poland to respond to charges that they hosted CIA jails.

Texans protest against planned NAFTA superhighway 21 Feb 2008 As Senators Clinton and Obama prepared to debate in their state, Texans were marching in protest over the NAFTA superhighway known as the Trans-Texas Corridor, or I-69, the primary purpose of which is to speed the delivery of goods coming in from Mexico to proposed inland ports. With no public approval required to begin construction, repeated calls against the TTC at public meetings, with seldom a word of support, may easily go unheeded. [LOL, can you hear us now?]

Clinton: Obama Mailings Are Deceptive 23 Feb 2008 Democrat Hillary Clinton said Saturday that a pair of mailings sent to voters by rival Barack Obama's campaign criticizing her health care plan and trade views are false, misleading and a betrayal of his pledge to practice a new style of politics. "Shame on you, Barack Obama. It is time you ran a campaign consistent with your messages in public -- that's what I expect from you," Clinton said angrily, waving the mailings in the air. "Meet me in Ohio, and let's have a debate about your tactics," she added.

"Shame on you," Clinton tells Obama 23 Feb 2008 Hillary Clinton slammed rival Barack Obama on Saturday for campaign leaflets on her health-care plan that she called "blatantly false" and accused him of using Republican tactics in their contest for the Democratic U.S. presidential nomination. "Shame on you, Barack Obama," Clinton said, speaking to reporters after a rally in Ohio, a state that is key to her struggling campaign.

"Was Vicki there? Probably." McCain Disputed On 1999 Meeting --Broadcaster Recalls Urging FCC Contact 23 Feb 2008 Broadcaster Lowell "Bud" Paxson yesterday contradicted statements from Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign that the senator did not meet with Paxson or his lobbyist before sending two controversial letters to the Federal Communications Commission on Paxson's behalf. Paxson said he talked with McCain in his Washington office several weeks before the Arizona Republican wrote the letters in 1999 to the FCC urging a rapid decision on Paxson's quest to acquire a Pittsburgh television station. Paxson also recalled that his lobbyist, Vicki Iseman, likely attended the meeting in McCain's office and that Iseman helped arrange the meeting. "Was Vicki there? Probably," Paxson said in an interview with The Washington Post yesterday.

Top McCain Adviser Says He Does Much Of His Lobbying From Aboard Straight Talk Express! By Greg Sargent 22 Feb 2008 Today's Washington Post piece all about the fact that John McCain is surrounded by lobbyists on his campaign has gotten lots of attention today... But the piece has a lovely and very revealing little nugget buried in it that has passed unnoticed. It turns out that one of McCain's top advisers, lobbyist Charlie Black, does lots of his lobbying from the Straight Talk Express. From aboard the bus itself... Black said he does a lot of his work by telephone from McCain's Straight Talk Express bus.

A Hole in McCain's Defense? An apparent contradiction in his response to lobbyist story. 22 Feb 2008 A sworn deposition that Sen. John McCain gave in a lawsuit more than five years ago appears to contradict one part of a sweeping denial that his campaign issued this week to rebut a New York Times story about his ties to a Washington lobbyist... But McCain's flat claim seems to be contradicted by an impeccable source: McCain himself.

Arizona's Rep. Renzi Is Indicted In Land Deal --Co-chair of John McCain's Arizona campaign faces 35-count indictment 23 Feb 2008 Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) used his position in Congress to influence a federal land-exchange deal, collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in payoffs, according to an indictment released yesterday. The 35-count indictment handed up by a federal grand jury in Tucson also accuses Renzi of separately embezzling corporate funds to bankroll his first House campaign.

Prosecutors Say Craig Plea Should Stand 23 Feb 2008 Prosecutors argued Friday that Sen. Larry Craig's appeal misinterprets the disorderly conduct law and his guilty plea in a bathroom sex sting should stand. The Idaho Republican asked the Minnesota Court of Appeals last month to let him withdraw his guilty plea.

Panel says pull your gun if you feel endangered 22 Feb 2008 (AZ) A House panel voted Thursday to let people pull out their guns without fear of winding up in jail if they believe they are in danger. HB 2629 would provide immunity from prosecution for anyone engaged in "defensive display" of a firearm.

Beyond Net neutrality By David Weinberger 23 Feb 2008 When the Federal Communications Commission meets on Monday at Harvard University to investigate Comcast's alleged blocking of particular types of Internet traffic, supporters of an open Internet will be out in force arguing for Net neutrality. Good. Net neutrality is vital. However, we must not let ourselves be distracted from the bigger issue: the struggle to preserve the open Net itself.

French judges open manslaughter probe over vaccinations -source 01 Feb 2008 French authorities have opened a formal investigation into two managers from drugs groups GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur over a vaccination campaign in the 1990s, a judicial source said late on Thursday. Judge Marie-Odile Bertella-Geffroy also opened an investigation for manslaughter against Sanofi Pasteur MSD, a joint venture between Sanofi Aventis and Merck, the same source said.

State AG sues two drug companies 22 Feb 2008 (MT) Attorney General Mike McGrath has sued two national pharmaceutical companies and accused them of manufacturing certain prescription drugs that were "in defective condition and unreasonably dangerous." McGrath filed the complaint in state district court in Helena Wednesday against Janssen Pharmaceutica Inc. and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP over their prescription drugs Risperdal and Seroquel, respectively.

Indonesia resumes bird flu samples to WHO: official 22 Feb 2008 Indonesia sent 12 bird flu samples to a World Health Organisation laboratory this week for the first time since August 2007, and will try to continue doing so, a health ministry official said Friday. Indonesia, which is the nation hardest hit by bird flu, had halted sharing samples in December 2006, saying it feared multinational drug companies could use them to develop vaccines that were not affordable for poor countries [AND that the US might use the bird flu virus to develop biological weapons. See: US involved in bird flu conspiracy: Indonesia 20 Feb 2008.]

Gray wolf to be taken off endangered list 21 Feb 2008 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list, a ruling environmentalists vowed to appeal. Michael Robinson, a wolf expert with the Center for Biological Diversity, a national conservation group, said it will sue to block the decision. Suzanne Stone, a spokeswoman for Defenders of Wildlife in Boise, sounded dejected over the fate of the wolves.

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UK troops accused of executions and torture in Iraq 22 Feb 2008 Lawyers for five Iraqis have accused British soldiers of mass executions and torture and called for a police investigation into an "atrocious episode" in British army history. Phil Shiner and Martyn Day produced statements on Friday from five men who say they were detained by British forces after a battle in southern Iraq in May 2004. The men, who were blindfolded and bound, said their captors repeatedly beat and abused them, including forcing them to strip naked. While detained, they said they heard the systematic torture and execution of up to 20 other prisoners.

British troops executed 20 captives in southern Iraq, say lawyers 22 Feb 2008 British troops may have executed up to 20 captives in southern Iraq in 2004, human rights lawyers claimed today. A dossier of evidence from men taken captive after a gun battle near the Iraqi town of Majat-al-Kabir in May 2004 also suggested soldiers tortured and mutilated captives.

Inside the world of war profiteers --From prostitutes to Super bowl tickets, a federal probe reveals how contractors in Iraq cheated the U.S. 21 Feb 2008 (IL) A common thread runs through these cases and other KBR scandals in Iraq, from allegations the firm failed to protect employees sexually assaulted by co-workers to findings that it charged $45 per can of soda: The Pentagon has outsourced crucial troop support jobs while slashing the number of government contract watchdogs. The dollar value of Army contracts quadrupled from $23.3 billion in 1992 to $100.6 billion in 2006, according to a recent report by a Pentagon panel.

Oil rises near $99 on Iraq [Of course, that headline could not stand. It now reads, 'Oil rises near $99 on colder U.S. weather,' LOL.] 22 Feb 2008 Oil rose to near $99 a barrel on Friday as an incursion into Iraq by Turkish troops and cold weather in the U.S. Northeast outweighed concerns about mounting problems in the U.S. economy. [See: Exxon-Mobil Makes $75,000 a Minute By Young Turks 26 Jan 2008 In the midst of record profits for oil companies we are giving them a $14 billion subsidy.]

Turkish forces enter northern Iraq 22 Feb 2008 The Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, today told Turkey not to "violate" the country after Turkish troops entered northern Iraq to attack Kurdish rebels. Several hundred troops – some reports claimed thousands - crossed the border after fighter jets and heavy artillery bombed Kurdistan Workers' party (PKK) forces.

Turkey army launches land offensive into Iraq 22 Feb 2008 Turkish ground troops crossed into northern Iraq in their hunt for Kurdish PKK rebels, the military said on Friday, describing the start of a campaign one report said could last 15 days.

EU assembly must reopen "rendition" inquiry 22 Feb 2008 The European Parliament must reopen its inquiry into secret CIA transfers of terrorism suspects in Europe after Britain's admission that the United States used its territory in the so-called renditions, an EU lawmaker said.

Official apology after CIA 'torture' jets used UK base 22 Feb 2008 A British territory in the Indian Ocean was used for American "torture" flights, despite categorical denials of Britain's involvement from both Tony Blair and Jack Straw, the Government admitted yesterday.

Guantanamo Bay ex-prosecutor to testify for Hamdan defense 21 Feb 2008 Former Guantanamo Bay chief military prosecutor Col. Morris Davis told AP Thursday that he has agreed to appear as a defense witness in the military commission trial of Guantanamo detainee Salim Ahmed Hamdan. In October 2007, Davis resigned from his position at Guantanamo Bay, saying that politics were interfering with the prosecutions process. In a Wednesday interview with The Nation, Morris alleged that Pentagon general counsel William Haynes told him that none of the detainees could be acquitted, implying that the tribunal process may be rigged [just like the US 'election' process]. Hamdan's lawyers plan to argue at a preliminary hearing in April that this alleged political interference violates the rules governing war crimes trials established by the 2006 Military Commissions Act.

Terror suspect gains a witness --Military official to testify for defense 22 Feb 2008 In a stunning turnaround, the former chief military prosecutor at Guantánamo Bay said Thursday he would be a defense witness for the driver of Osama bin Laden. "I'm more than happy to testify," Air Force Col. Morris Davis said by phone from Washington, calling it "an opportunity to tell the truth." Davis resigned in October, alleging political interference in the U.S. military tribunals. Davis alleges, among other things, that Pentagon general counsel William Haynes said in 2005 that any acquittals of terrorism suspects at Guantánamo would make the United States look bad. "He said 'We can't have acquittals, we've got to have convictions,' " Davis recalled.

Ex-prosecutor: Guantanamo trials may be rigged 20 Feb 2008 The former chief U.S. prosecutor for the Guantanamo military commissions suggests in a published report that upcoming detainee trials may be rigged. The Pentagon announced Feb. 11 it was charging six Guantanamo detainees -- including alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed -- with war crimes, and was seeking the death penalty in all the cases. In an interview in TheNation.com Wednesday, the former prosecutor, retired Col. Morris Davis, said Pentagon General Counsel William Haynes told him there could not be any acquittals.

Africa Command to Stay in Stuttgart 21 Feb 2008 With the establishment of a military command responsible for Africa, the US was hoping to promote peace and stability on the continent. The problem is, the Africans want no part of the American military.

U.S. orders diplomats to leave Serbia 22 Feb 2008 The State Department on Friday ordered non-essential diplomats and the families of all American personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade to leave Serbia, following an attack on the compound.

Navy Research Paper: 'Disrupt Economies' with Man-Made 'Floods,' 'Droughts' [Or, as in the case of New Orleans, follow Bush's Baghdad model: Destroy the city (blow the levees, flood poor areas); give billions to Halliburton, KBR and Blackwater to 'rebuild' and 'secure' that which they destroyed; and with the help of useless DemocRATic leadership, turn the city from blue to red. Mission accomplished. --LRP] 11 Feb 2008 A recently-unearthed U.S. Navy research project calls for creating mad-made floods and droughts to "disrupt [the] economy" of an enemy state. "Weather modification was used successfully in Viet Nam to (among other things) hinder and impede the movement of personnel and material from North Viet Nam to South Viet Nam," notes a Naval Air Warfare Weapons Division - China Lake research proposal, released last month through the Freedom of Information Act.

A Call for Party Unity --The Rec Report By Michael Rectenwald 22 Feb 2008 Hillary Clinton is behind in the race for the Democratic nomination. She had the least to gain by making a peace offering. But she did just that. In her answer to the final debate question, she gave a clear indication that she intends to put party unity and the good of the nation above winning. She did this by leaving out real attacks and offering the olive branch to Barack Obama. I believe she decided to give it her all, and to let go of the results. Some cynics may regard this as just another Clinton ploy. But I think they would be wrong to do so.

Officer in Clinton motorcade killed in accident 22 Feb 2008 A Dallas police officer riding in Hillary Clinton's motorcade was killed in a road accident on Friday while escorting the Democratic presidential contender to a rally ahead of the March 4 Texas primary.

Clinton Says Debate Remark Not Meant as Farewell 22 Feb 2008 With the mood of her campaign darkened by the death of a motorcycle officer escorting her motorcade Friday, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton vowed to carry on her campaign despite reflective remarks in a debate Thursday night that some people took as a valedictory to her long effort to win the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton manages only a draw in debate 22 Feb 2008 Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton needed to do more than hold her own in Thursday's debate with rival Sen. Barack Obama. She needed a U-turn heading into the Ohio and Texas primaries, just 12 days away. Anything short of a 5- to 7-point win in both states, and even her most ardent backers say her hopes for the presidency will vanish.

That Obama Glow --The Nuclear Industry's Golden Child By Joshua Frank 22 Feb 2008 Obama's campaign wallet, while rich with millions from small online donations, is also bulging from $227,000 in contributions given by employees of Exelon [the nation's largest nuclear power plant operator]. Two of Obama's largest campaign fundraisers include Frank M. Clark and John W. Rogers Jr., both top Exelon officials. Even Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, has done consulting work for the company... In 2005 Obama also voted in favor of Bush's Energy Plan which included many favors for Bush's oil cartel connections. To top it off Obama even opposed a House bill that would have radically altered the disastrous 1872 Mining Law that continues to allow companies to mine our public lands while they skate the costs of cleaning up their environmental wreckage.

McCain: I Could Send U.S. Troops 'Anywhere' For 'A Long Period of Time' By Matt 20 Feb 2008 On ABC’s 'Good Morning America' today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was asked if he has "regrets" about "saying that the U.S. could be in Iraq for a hundred years." McCain said he didn’t because -- in his mind -- the U.S. could have a military presence "anywhere" for a long period of time.

FEC Warns McCain on Campaign Spending 22 Feb 2008 The nation's top federal election official told Sen. John McLunatic yesterday that he cannot immediately withdraw from the presidential public financing system as he had requested, a decision that threatens to dramatically restrict his spending until the general election campaign begins in the fall.

The Anti-Lobbyist, Advised by Lobbyists 22 Feb 2008 For years, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has railed against lobbyists and the influence of "special interests" in Washington... But when McCain huddled with his closest advisers at his rustic Arizona cabin last weekend to map out his presidential campaign, virtually every one was part of the Washington lobbying culture he has long decried.

Why John McCain Owes The New York Times a Thank You Card By Marc Cooper 21 Feb 2008 The Republican Right is already howling over the bombshell dropped by The New York Times on John McCain, the GOP's all-but-official nominee. It's an outrage, they say. A deliberate torpedo. A liberal media smear. Sorry, but these guys have got it backwards. The Times, in fact, couldn't have found a moment more favorable for Johnny Mack to let this fearsome cat out of the bag. If McCain could have personally chosen when to have this story break, it would have been right about now.

McCain, 71, faces age questions in White House bid 22 Fed 2008 At 71, leading Republican presidential contender John McLunatic must convince voters that despite his age he is up to the rigors of what is often called the world's toughest job.

Rick Renzi, Republican Congressman, Indicted by U.S. 22 Feb 2008 Representative Rick Renzi, a Republican from Arizona who isn't seeking re-election, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in an alleged scheme to profit from a land deal.

Rep. Renzi indicted on fraud, finance charges 22 Feb 2008 Republican Rep. Richard Renzi of Arizona was indicted on 35 criminal counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and official extortion stemming from land deals in his state, Justice Department officials said on Friday.

Ex-Ohio GOP lawmaker Ney in halfway house 21 Feb 2008 Former U.S. Rep. Bob Ney (R), who pleaded guilty in a congressional bribery scandal tied to disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, has been moved from prison to a halfway house in Cincinnati, according to the federal prisons Web site.

SMU Will Host Bush Presidential Library ['The Pet Goat' needs a whole building?] 22 Feb 2008 Southern Methodist University will be home to George W. Bush's presidential [sic] library, officials formally announced Friday, ending more than a year of negotiations marked by resistance from some faculty and ministers who questioned the deal.

U.S. Investigates Whether Lott Had Role in Mississippi Judge Case --Federal Inquiry Examines Former Senator's Links to a Scruggs Suit Ruling 28 Feb 2008 Federal agents are investigating whether former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott knowingly played a role in an alleged conspiracy in 2006 to influence a Mississippi judge presiding over a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against famed plaintiff attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs, according to people familiar with the situation.

Nuclear waste costs U.S. gov't millions 17 Feb 2008 U.S. taxpayers reportedly have already paid hundreds of millions of dollars to get rid of nuclear waste from more than 100 reactors that has yet to be disposed. The federal government has already paid the utilities $342 million, a figure expected to balloon to $11 billion in the coming years, The New York Times reported Sunday.

Did you ever wonder why it takes the USDA so long to issue recalls about contaminated beef? By Mike Adams 22 Feb 2008 Although the mainstream media will never report this fact, it's because the USDA is headed by top ex-beef industry leaders who now use the USDA as a protection racket to pump up the beef industry and reduce the cost of recalls. How do they reduce the cost of recalls? It's simple: they wait until most of the beef has already been eaten by consumers before issuing the recall. That way, there's nothing left to return, and a beef recall of 143 million pounds actually results in only around 5 million pounds of actual beef being reclaimed and destroyed. This is the USDA-sponsored beef industry scam that's now being perpetrated on the American people.

Drug lobby spent $22 million in '07 --25% boost in funding helped the industry stave off for now array of unfriendly measures 22 Feb 2008 The pharmaceutical industry's main trade group spent more than $22 million lobbying the federal government in 2007, a 25 percent boost from the year before that paid off on some key issues. Proposals aimed at lowering drug prices and restricting industry advertising fell by the wayside in Congress.

'Justices' Shield Medical Devices From Lawsuits 21 Feb 2008 Makers of medical devices like implantable defibrillators or breast implants are immune from liability for personal injuries as long as the Food and Drug Administration approved the device before it was marketed and it meets the agency’s specifications, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday. The 8-to-1 decision was a victory for the Bush regime, which for years has sought broad authority to pre-empt tougher state regulation.

Worldwide shortage of rice shoots prices soaring 21 Feb 2008 As the price of rice climbs across South Asia, farmers and millers in Thailand are sitting on stocks and waiting for it to rise even further, said a top rice exporter in Bangkok. The exporter, who requested anonymity, told The Straits Times: 'In my 25 years of trading, I have never seen such a bad position.'

One in 10 home loans is under water: Economy.com 22 Feb 2008 One-tenth of U.S. homeowners hold mortgages that are larger than the worth of their homes, Moody's Economy.com said on Friday. Nearly 8.8 million homeowners, or 10.3 percent, are in over their heads, its chief economist, Mark Zandi, estimates.

Duke Lacrosse Players Sue School, City 21 Feb 2008 More than three dozen current and former Duke lacrosse players filed a lawsuit Thursday claiming they suffered emotional distress during the furor over the now-discredited rape case against three of their teammates.

Smith, Carols in Nike Olympic year celebration of Black History Month 22 Feb 2008 Tommie Smith and John Carlos were at the Black National Theatre in Harlem on Wednesday... Nike chose six key Olympic moments to celebrate; Smith’s and Carlos’s moment on the victory stand at the 1968 Mexico City Games was one of the six. Forty years ago, Smith won a gold medal and Carlos a bronze in the 200-meter race. They mounted the victory stand, raised clenched fists, and stood with heads bowed, wearing black socks and no shoes during the raising of the flag and the playing of the national anthem. For many of us, their silent demonstration -- one part human rights, one part black power -- is an enduring symbol of resistance and righteous indignation.

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Britain regrets that U.S. "torture flights" landed on British territory 22 Feb 2008 British Foreign Secretary David Miliband admitted on Thursday that two U.S. "torture flights" did land on British territory in 2002, contrary to previous reports. Miliband told the House of Commons that he was "very sorry indeed" to have to say previous denials made in "good faith" were now having to be corrected.

Miliband admits US rendition flights stopped on UK soil 21 Feb 2008 Britain acknowledged today for the first time that US planes on "extraordinary rendition" flights stopped on British soil twice. The admission came from the foreign secretary, David Miliband, who apologised to MPs for incorrect information given by his predecessor, Jack Straw, and the former prime minister Tony Blair.

British airport used for US rendition flights 21 Feb 2008 A British overseas base was used for American "torture" flights the Government has been forced to admit, despite categorical denials of British involvement from both Tony Blair and Jack Straw. David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, was forced to apologise to MPs and Gordon Brown said he shared the "disappointment with what has happened."

David Miliband's statement --Full text of the foreign secretary's statement to the House of Commons on US rendition flights 21 Feb 2008

Ex-Guantanamo captive 'who was tortured' 21 Feb 2008 Iraqi born businessman Bisher al-Rawi claims he was beaten and interrogated for four years after being arrested and flown to Afghanistan, then Guantanamo Bay.

US military says detainee died at coalition medical facility in Iraq 20 Feb 2008 A prisoner died Wednesday after being transported to a 'coalition' medical facility, the U.S. military said. The prisoner was taken to the facility on Tuesday for medical assistance and died the next day, according to a statement. The cause of death was under investigation.

U.S. Payments to Pakistan Face New Scrutiny --Little Accounting of Monthly $80 Million Bribe, Part of US 'Coalition Support Fund' 21 Feb 2008 Once a month, Pakistan's Defense Ministry delivers 15 to 20 pages of spreadsheets to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. They list costs for feeding, clothing, billeting and maintaining 80,000 to 100,000 Pakistani troops along the Afghan border. No receipts are attached. In response, the Defense Department has disbursed about $80 million monthly, or roughly $1 billion a year for the past six years.

How Labour used the law to keep criticism of Israel secret --Concern over nuclear arsenal removed from Iraq dossier 21 Feb 2008 The full extent of government anxiety about the state of British-Israel relations can be exposed for the first time today in a secret document seen by the Guardian. The document reveals how the Foreign Office successfully fought to keep secret any mention of Israel contained on the first draft of the controversial, now discredited Iraq weapons dossier. At the heart of it was nervousness at the top of government about any mention of Israel's nuclear arsenal in an official paper accusing Iraq of flouting the UN's authority on weapons of mass destruction. The dossier was made public this week, but the Foreign Office succeeded before a tribunal in having the handwritten mention of Israel kept secret.

Baghdad International Airport rocketed-source 20 Feb 2008 A source from the Iraqi interior ministry said five Katyusha rockets on Wednesday afternoon fell onto Baghdad International Airport west of the Iraqi capital, while an MNF-I spokesman said he had "no information" on the attack.

Iraqi minister injured in roadside bombing 20 Feb 2008 An Iraqi government minister and two of his bodyguards have been wounded in a roadside bomb explosion in Baghdad. Samir al-Attar, deputy Minister of Science and Technology, was driving through the eastern neighborhood of Zayouna when an explosion occurred near his two-vehicle convoy, the Kuwait News Agency KUNA reported Wednesday.