 |
|
Homepage | Features | News Sources | Zimbabwe Special | Science Links | Venezuela |
| World News |
 |
Africa Links |  |
 |
|
Forums | |
|
|
Science Today | |
|
|
Crusade News | |
|
|
Caribbean | |
|
|
BOOKS | |
January 2007January 31, 2007 NewsPosted: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 ¤ Bush Is Not Above the Law ¤ Europeans Fear U.S. Attack on Iran as Nuclear Row Intensifies ¤ Impeachment by the People ¤ Jihad In Trinidad Al-Qaida is suspected of having set up a front in the Caribbean island state of Trinidad, and sympathetic jihadists have already launched a movement there to replace Trinidad's Westernized government with Islamic law. ¤ Chavez to get powers to remake Venezuela ¤ British police arrest 8 terror suspects ¤ Terror Plot: Ninth Arrest ¤ Bush 'spoiling for a fight' with Iran ¤ Senators warn against war with Iran ¤ Iraq's soaring civilian toll ¤ Suicide bombers 'entering Iraq from Syria' ¤ U.S. may have botched training of Iraqis ¤ Cuban TV shows Castro 'stronger' ¤ Chinese guards tortured captured Tibetans ¤ Cash-for-honours trail that leads to Number 10 ¤ US 'victory' against cult leader was 'massacre' ¤ 'Curse of oil' sees corruption soar in Nigeria ¤ MPs meet Hamas and criticise embargo against Palestinians ¤ Biden Unbound: Lays Into Clinton, Obama, Edwards Mr. Biden is equally skeptical—albeit in a slightly more backhanded way—about Mr. Obama. "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," he said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man." ¤ Biden Responds to Obama 'Clean' Black Comment (Video) ¤ Russia warns North Korea over nukes 'threat' ¤ Iran celebrates revolution vowing nuclear advance US 'victory' against cult leader was 'massacre' Posted: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 There are growing suspicions in Iraq that the official story of the battle outside Najaf between a messianic Iraqi cult and the Iraqi security forces supported by the US, in which 263 people were killed and 210 wounded, is a fabrication. The heavy casualties may be evidence of an unpremeditated massacre. Full Article : independent.co.uk Chávez set to be granted sweeping new powers Posted: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 Venezuela's president, Hugo Chávez, was today poised to gain extended powers allowing him to make sweeping changes as he seeks to transform Venezuelan society. MPs were scheduled to formally grant Mr Chávez the authority to enact measures by presidential decree during an outdoor meeting at the Plaza Bolivar, next to the national assembly in Caracas. The former paratroop commander has already said he will use the law to nationalise Venezuela's largest telecommunications company and the electricity sector. Full Article : guardian.co.uk Chinese guards tortured captured Tibetans Posted: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 More than 30 Tibetans were tortured and incarcerated in a labour camp after their bid to escape across the Himalayas from their homeland failed when Chinese border guards fired on the unarmed group, according to a survivor. In the first reported account of what happened to those taken from the Himalayas, 15-year-old Jamyang Samten said that he was one of a number of Tibetans who ended up being electrocuted and forced to dig ditches "as a warning" to others. Full Article : guardian.co.uk January 30, 2007 News Posted: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 ¤ Congress Can Stop Iraq War, Experts Tell Lawmakers ¤ Don't Be Fooled by Bush's Defection: His Cures Are Another Form of Denial ¤ US must abandon Iraqi cities or face nightmare scenario, say experts ¤ Sudan bid for AU leadership is blocked ¤ Bombs kill 36 in Iraq on Shiite holy day ¤ Fallon says U.S. miscalculated Iraq ¤ Fragile Gaza ceasefire holds ¤ Windows launches long-awaited Vista ¤ Theatrics Surround Windows Vista Debut ¤ Europe Resists U.S. Push to Curb Iran Ties... ¤ Emergency Shutdown at Rusian Nuke Plant ¤ Engagement with War ¤ If Arafat Were Alive ¤ Humvees and Tactical Madness in Iraq ¤ The Surge and the Shia ¤ And Most Americans Don't Know ¤ The Mother of All Bubbles ¤ Senators warn against war with Iran ¤ We've Seen How This Cowboy Movie Ends ¤ Bush: The Division-Maker ¤ Act Like Romans! ¤ On Shiites' holiest day, 58 dead in Iraq ¤ Security Camera Players Diary reveals reality of African slave trade Posted: Monday, January 29, 2007 On 13 July 1823, a young Royal Navy officer called Cheesman Binstead noticed a large number of sharks in the water as his ship patrolled in the seas off west Africa. His superiors left him in no doubt about the cause. To avoid a fine, an intercepted slave ship had thrown its human cargo into the waves and the jaws of the predators. Amid the barbarity of a trade that brought 11 million Africans to the New World in chains, what Midshipman Binstead witnessed was not rare. But what was unusual was that he wrote it down as part of an account of the reality of transatlantic slavery and attempts to bring it to a halt. Full Article : independent.co.uk January 29, 2007 News Posted: Monday, January 29, 2007 ¤ Israel is the real winner of America's War on Iraq and Iran (If attacked) ¤ US studies Israel's cluster bomb use in Lebanon "Israel may have violated agreements with Washington on the use of US-made cluster bombs in its war with Hizbullah in Lebanon last summer, the state department said today." "Tough action from the US is believed to be unlikely because of the White House's staunch support for the Israeli government." ¤ 'Cluster bombs used in self-defense' ¤ Iranian Reveals Plan to Expand Role in Iraq ¤ Radar Love: Robbing the Cradle to Pay War Profiteers ¤ US military: Afghan leaders steal half of all aid ¤ Peace Now: New construction at outposts slated for evacuation ¤ Battle for Baghdad: City Braces Itself for US Surge ¤ Cementing Israeli Apartheid: The Role of World Bank ¤ Israel on the brink of civil war ¤ Russia to Complete Iranian Nuclear Plant on Time -- Official ¤ Egypt says Iran has no role in ex-diplomat assassination ¤ Abdullah Says Malaysia Has Shifted Reserves Away From Dollar ¤ US and Iraqi forces battle ¤ U.S. helicopter down in Iraq battle, 2 killed ¤ Iraq: 300 Insurgents Killed in Battle ¤ US soldiers in Iraq kill 250 men from 'apocalyptic cult' ¤ Israel suicide bombing kills four ¤ Japan moves to defuse diplomatic spat with US ¤ Russia commits to Iran nuke plant ¤ How the Saudis plan to put oil squeeze on Iran ¤ Ex-Taliban leader shot dead in Kabul ¤ Veteran peace protester sent to jail despite prisons crisis ¤ Two dozen die as Hamas and Fatah battle in Gaza ¤ UK X-ray cameras on lampposts plan ¤ 1,500 Policemen Fired in Iraqi Province ¤ Iraq cultivates ties to Democrats ¤ Bush's portrayal of Iraq edges closer to critics' ¤ US, Britain diverge on troops in Iraq ¤ Dick Cheney: 'US warship to Gulf sends strong signal' ¤ Iranian cleric calls for freeing prisoners ¤ Arab League envoy to Iraq quits January 28, 2007 News Posted: Sunday, January 28, 2007 Bush's Four Anti-Terror Successes All Fictional President Bush claimed in his State of the Union speech to have prevented four terrorist plots. Phew! It's a good thing to know that we tossed out our Bill of Rights for some actual REASON - I mean other than turning Iraq into a training ground for terrorism. Except that we didn't. Tens of thousands demand Iraq pullout The Three US Armies in Iraq Hundreds killed in Iraq battle Inside the Criminal Mind Rocket blast shakes U.S. embassy in Iraq - witness Waste, Fraud, and Abuse It was in the pages of these two volumes where I first discovered that -- over the course of U.S. history -- countless unscrupulous businessmen made instant and often massive fortunes by bilking and defrauding our government. More often than not, this meant our armed forces. Back in the 1800s, millions were made selling inedible foodstuffs to the Army, providing ships to the Navy that were not seaworthy, and selling arms and munitions at top-dollar prices that were so poor in quality as to be useless, even dangerous to soldiers in the field. Every imaginable kind of fraud was perpetrated by these incipient Robber Barons, who all systematically took advantage of whatever conflict was underway or looming as a means to get rich quick at taxpayers' expense. Israel "may have" violated agreement as to use of cluster bombs US troops seized during Iraq raid Ex-Cheney Aide Shares Media Manipulation America 'Poised to Strike at Iran's Nuclear Sites' from Bases Do We Really Need an International Criminal Court? How the Saudis plan to put oil squeeze on Iran Bush's Last Surge for the Oil Since our invasion in 2003, the US has encouraged Iraq to come up with an oil law that would turn the state-owned oil system over to foreign oil companies. Such a law would allow Production Sharing Agreements, called PSAs to be signed with Exxon, Chevron, BP and Shell to capture and control all the oil production from new fields and reap a large share of the profits for the next 15 to 30 years. Imperial presidency Presidential State of the Union addresses often strike me as embarrassing spectacles of imperial pomp and crass jingoism unworthy of the great American republic. America 'Poised to Strike at Iran's Nuclear Sites' Posted: Sunday, January 28, 2007 President Bush is preparing to attack Iran's nuclear facilities before the end of April and the US Air Force's new bases in Bulgaria and Romania would be used as back-up in the onslaught, according to an official report from Sofia. Full Article : commondreams.org January 27, 2007 News Posted: Saturday, January 27, 2007 Bush Is About to Attack Iran The American public and the US Congress are getting their backs up about the Bush Regime's determination to escalate the war in Iraq. A massive protest demonstration is occurring in Washington DC today, and Congress is expressing its disagreement with Bush's decision to intensify the war in Iraq. This is all to the good. However, it misses the real issue - the Bush Regime's looming attack on Iran. Rather than winding down one war, Bush is starting another. House votes to require Holocaust lessons in high school Is Bush an Idiot? The Worst Job... Puppet Leader Bush Urges His Private Death Squad To Speed Up The Slow Rush To War With Iran The Bush administration has authorized the U.S. military to kill or capture Iranian operatives inside Iraq as part of an aggressive new strategy to weaken Tehran's influence across the Middle East and compel it to give up its nuclear program, according to government and counterterrorism officials with direct knowledge of the effort. Blast rocks Green Zone in central Baghdad US elevates Pakistan to regional kingpin Google and YouTube: A Catch-22 Saudi warns 'interfering' Iran Hamas-Fatah violence continues; 20 dead Tens of thousands demand Iraq withdrawal Dear Mr. President: Decide This! World Ignores Signs of Civil War in Lebanon Arms Sales As Alternative To Dialogue There's one thing George Bush knows. You don't get to be the biggest arms merchant in the world by only selling arms to friends. If that were the case the only countries to which we'd sell arms would be countries like Great Britain and Canada and they're not going to buy enough to keep us in first place. And it's not Mr. Bush's fault that he doesn't know that there is a history in the United States of selling arms to people who have ended up using the arms against the United States. After all, it's hard enough for him to keep up with what's going on right now. Chávez tells US ambassador to stop meddling U.S. military reports deaths of 7 troops Virus death toll rises in Kenya Posted: Friday, January 26, 2007 NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan. 26 Officials in Kenya are trying to stop the spread of Rift Valley Fever, which has killed at least 148 people. Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said the Rift Valley Fever death toll had gone up by 95 since the previous week with 380 confirmed cases of the disease caused by eating infected animals, the Kenya Times reported Friday. Full Article : earthtimes.org U.S. Troops Authorized to Kill Iranian Operatives in Iraq Posted: Friday, January 26, 2007 The Bush administration has authorized the U.S. military to kill or capture Iranian operatives inside Iraq as part of an aggressive new strategy to weaken Tehran's influence across the Middle East and compel it to give up its nuclear program, according to government and counterterrorism officials with direct knowledge of the effort. Full Article : washingtonpost.com Ex-policeman charged over 1964 killing of black teens Posted: Friday, January 26, 2007 A former sheriff's deputy and alleged member of the Ku Klux Klan has been charged over the killing of two black teenagers more than four decades ago - one of the very last of the civil rights-era cases authorities are likely to seek to bring to justice. James Seale, 71, once believed to be dead, appeared in court in Jackson, Mississippi, yesterday morning where he was charged over the deaths of the two 19-year-olds who were beaten, tied to weights and then thrown alive into a river. Their remains were found several months later by federal authorities who were hunting for the bodies of three civil rights workers who were also murdered by members of the Klan. Full Article : independent.co.uk January 26, 2007 News Posted: Friday, January 26, 2007 ¤ US bows to pressure with $10bn for Afghanistan ¤ House Speaker Pelosi Visits Iraq ¤ Pelosi in Iraq to see for herself how war is going ¤ Feingold Pushes Plan to Cut Off War Funds ¤ Bush: 'I'm the Decision-Maker' on Iraq ¤ U.N. says Iran plans nuclear development ¤ Iran rejects UN's chief inspector ¤ Eleven die as Gaza factions clash ¤ YouTube Slammed With Another Supoena ¤ Pakistan: Suicide blast at upscale hotel kills 2 ¤ Reporter Sentenced for Hacking Voicemail ¤ 4 troops abducted, killed in Iraq attack ¤ Abu Ghraib officer to be court-martialed ¤ Stop the Iran War Before It Starts ¤ IAEA chief says attack on Iran would be catastrophe ¤ Russian caught trying to sell enough weapons-grade uranium for a bomb ¤ Settlers defile Palestinian graves under IDF watch ¤ Venezuela's Chavez says U.S. ambassador could be expelled if he keeps 'meddling' ¤ Venezuelan Legislature Rejects US Official's Comments on Enabling Law ¤ Iran's Khatami calls for calm heads in nuclear row ¤ Troops Authorized to Kill Iranian Operatives in Iraq ¤ Escalation of US Iran military planning part of six-year Administration push ¤ Tehran's Influence Grows As Iraqis See Advantages ¤ 'Shocking' video: Shi'a Iraqi soldiers beat Sunnis as US trainers watch ¤ U.S. plans to boost troops, aid for Afghanistan ¤ US pumps $8bn into Afghanistan ¤ Robert Fisk: Money can't close the sectarian divide ¤ Cheap gas or democracy? US's Turkmen problem ¤ Bush faces rising rebellion from fellow Republicans over Iraq ¤ Cheney: Senate Resolution "Won't Stop Us" ¤ Israel tries to cut off Tehran from world markets ¤ Ex-policeman charged over 1964 killing of black teens ¤ Russia and West divided on U.N. Kosovo plan ¤ Mortars and killings shake Mogadishu ¤ Guantanamo inmates said facing worse conditions ¤ Rio gang kills and dismembers 7 as drug war escalates ¤ US pushes Europe on Iran sanctions ¤ Bucking U.S., Afghanistan won't spray heroin ¤ Russia slams U.S. space weapon plans ¤ Report: North Korea bans use of foreign currency Cheney: Senate Resolution 'Won't Stop Us' Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2007 The White House reaction to the Senate resolution opposing President Bush's decision to send more troops to Iraq came from Vice President Dick Cheney. In a word, he was defiant, saying about the general idea of a resolution, "It won't stop us." Full Article : cbsnews.com Russia slams U.S. space weapon plans Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2007 Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday criticized U.S. plans for space-based weapons, saying they were the reason behind a recent Chinese anti-satellite weapons test. Full Article : thestate.com Stop the Iran War Before It Starts Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2007 I would strongly urge Congress, both the House of Representatives and the Senate, to hold real hearings on Iran. Not the mealy-mouthed Joe Biden-led hearings we witnessed on Iraq in July-August 2002, where he and his colleagues rubber-stamped the President's case for war, but genuine hearings that draw on all the lessons of Congressional failures when it came to Iraq. Summon all the President's men (and women), and grill them on every phrase and word uttered about the Iranian "threat," especially as it has been linked to nuclear weapons. Demand facts to back up the rhetoric. Full Article : commondreams.org January 25, 2007 News Posted: Thursday, January 25, 2007 ¤ Russian influence worrying US: Putin ¤ Kuwait May Abandon Dollar Peg to Protect its Economy ¤ Lights 'not of this world' mystery finally solved ¤ Cheney: Hillary Clinton would not be good president ¤ Pop singer sues for £1m over botched lip implant surgery ¤ NJ Cracks Down on Talking on a Cell Phone While Cycling ¤ Former Black Panther Members Arrested For 1971 Police Killing ¤ Arrests made in 1971 cop-killing tied to Black Panthers ¤ The Next Battle of the Social War: Nine Black Panthers and state repression ¤ Senators reject Bush's Iraq plea ¤ Britain at odds with US over Iraq troop pullout ¤ Robert Fisk: Hizbollah warn that Lebanon will see more violence ¤ Israel raises nuclear stakes with Iran ¤ Iraq Leaves US Army, Marines Unready for High Intensity War ¤ Iraq Plan May Hamper Domestic Defense ¤ Bush 'wrong' on Iraq, says Fumio Kyuma ¤ 30,000 Additional Soldiers Will Cost $70 Billion ¤ Budget Deficit Estimates See Contraction ¤ Iran a source of tension in Afghanistan's western Herat ¤ US says its has proof Iran is interfering in Iraq ¤ Scant evidence found of Iran-Iraq arms link ¤ Bolten: U.S. following flawed Iran plan ¤ Iraq Shi'ites blast Bush comparison with al Qaeda ¤ MPs condemn Blair for skipping debate on Iraq ¤ U.S. Troop Buildup Planned For Afghanistan ¤ Inside Baghdad: A city paralysed by fear ¤ Musharraf spurns US charges of Taliban help ¤ Palestinian cave dwellers living in crisis A Fool's Errand in Baghdad Posted: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 "Let's assume for a moment, that Dick Cheney is the driving force behind the plan to surge in Iraq. Does anyone really believe that the vice president is genuinely concerned about the safety of the Iraqi people? And, yet, the media still insists that the purpose of the troop-increase is to improve security in Baghdad. Nothing could be further from the truth. The wellbeing of the Iraqi people has never been a factor in the administration's decision-making and it isn't now. The real purpose of the surge is to pacify Baghdad in order to rebuild confidence among the supporters of the war. Bush needs to prove that he can restore security so the oil giants can make their move and begin developing the world's second largest reserves of petroleum." Full Article : prisonplanet.com More Than 700 In Custody After Immigration Sweep -US Posted: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 The weeklong series of raids in the five-county region targeted illegal immigrants who had previously been deported for crimes or had ignored final deportation orders. The raids netted 338 illegal immigrants who were arrested at their homes and apartments and 423 who were identified in area jails since Jan. 17. Those already jailed will be transferred to federal custody when they finish serving their state sentences, said Virginia Kice, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The sweep netted illegal immigrants from 14 countries in all, including Mexico, Honduras, Ukraine, India, Japan, Poland and Trinidad. Full Article : nbc4.tv Ex-dictator Noriega to be released Sept. 9 Posted: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 It's official and final: Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega, held in Miami-Dade on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering, will be released from prison on Sept. 9 after completing his sentence. The news was revealed to El Nuevo Herald by Noriega's attorney, Frank Rubino. The release order appears on the official Web page of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Full Article : miami.com January 24, 2007 News Posted: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 ¤ Chavez Says Castro 'Almost Jogging' ¤ Hillary's Hollywood Friends Switch Sides ¤ Senate panel rejects Bush's Iraq troop plan ¤ Rare sight of ancient shark (Video) ¤ Bush's words on immigration split Hispanics ¤ Kerry Will Not Seek White House in 2008 ¤ U.S. Launches New Strikes In Somalia ¤ Mortars hit Somalia's international airport, killing 2, witnesses say ¤ With support gone, Bush stumbles on ¤ Senators eye rejection of Bush war plan ¤ Smears for Fears ¤ The World Agrees: Stop Him ¤ Blair rejects call for Iraq withdrawal ¤ Arab League's Moussa warns U.S. against Iran attack ¤ Ending Folly in Iraq ¤ U.S. launches new air strike on Somalia: report ¤ U.S.-Iraqi troops kill 30 insurgents ¤ Iraqi politicians: Bush ideas not new ¤ Republicans Beat Up on Bush After Speech ¤ Bush Urges Congress, Nation To Give His Iraq Plan a Chance ¤ Bush Challenges Foes of Iraq Troop Plan ¤ CIA fails to finish new intelligence assessment on Iraq ¤ In Iraq, attacks against civilians, Americans grow ¤ Lebanon opposition halts strike ¤ The Choice on North Korea: Fake Money or Real Nukes ¤ Hundreds Deported After LA Sweep ¤ More Than 700 In Custody After SoCal Sweep ¤ Ex-dictator Noriega to be released Sept. 9 ¤ Iran: Israel, US will soon die ¤ Democrats slam Bush war policy ¤ 5 Americans killed in Iraq copter crash ¤ Iranian president derides U.S. threats ¤ N Korea helping Iran with nuclear testing ¤ U.S. Warns Iran to Back Down ¤ Home-grown crops the answer to our addiction to oil, Bush tells Americans ¤ President of Israel to be charged with rape ¤ Ethiopian army starts pullout despite attacks in Mogadishu ¤ Robert Fisk: Beirut a violent sectarian battleground ¤ Doctors propose using Afghan opium as NHS pain-killer ¤ US general admits Iraq situation 'dire' President of Israel to be charged with rape Posted: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 Israel's attorney general said yesterday he plans to charge President Moshe Katsav with rape, abuse of power and other sexual offences, turning a seven-month investigation into one of several scandals to hit the government. Mr Katsav, who as president has largely ceremonial powers, will have the chance to make his case in one final hearing before a decision is made to hand down a formal indictment. His lawyers had earlier suggested he would resign if charged, but reports last night suggested he did not intend to quit for now. The president has always maintained his innocence. Full Article : guardian.co.uk EU states urged to investigate CIA rendition flights Posted: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 The European parliament today urged member states to investigate so-called rendition flights by the CIA, and condemned the UK for failing to cooperate properly with its inquiry into the matter. The final report by a European parliament committee said more than 1,200 CIA-operated flights had used European airspace between 2001 and 2005. It accused some European countries of "turning a blind eye" to the flights, a number of which were allegedly used to transport terrorism suspects illegally. Full Article : guardian.co.uk Behind the Invasion of Somalia Posted: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 The truth about the December Ethiopian invasion of Somalia and the January 7-8 U.S. air strikes on the Somalian towns of Afmadow and Ras Kamboni is obscure to most Americans. This makes it easy for the Bush administration to hide its actual intentions behind its ill-defined, illegal, and failing policy known as "the global war on terror." As usual, the bulk of the U.S. media have followed along, focusing their attention on the U.S. air strikes which failed to kill the targeted individuals (who may or may not have ties to Al-Qaeda and who may or may not have even been there), while callously downplaying or ignoring the deaths of as many as 70 non-combatants in the air strikes. Full Article : politicalaffairs.net January 23, 2007 News Posted: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 ¤ Protests bring chaos to Lebanon ¤ Katsav faces rape charges ¤ EU states urged to investigate CIA rendition flights ¤ Immigration Sweep Yields 761 Arrests ¤ Black Caucus: Whites Not Allowed ¤ Bill: How I'll Support Hill's Run ¤ Behind the Invasion of Somalia ¤ It's official: Ethiopia pulling out of Somalia ¤ Ethiopean troops begin Somalia withdrawal ¤ Somalia: UN Envoy to Attend AU Meeting ¤ Somalia Government junks EU conditions ¤ U.S. says AU force in Somalia by mid-Feb ¤ Venezuela's Chavez tells U.S. 'Go to hell, gringos!' ¤ OPEC Dumps $10.1 Billion of Treasuries as Oil Tumbles ¤ View of US's global role 'worse' ¤ Israeli billionaire Saban biggest donor to US politicians ¤ Intelligence vs. Evidence ¤ Can We Achieve Peace in the Middle East? ¤ Red Ghosts Haunt Eastern Europe ¤ The West Persists in Using Race to Decide Who Can Cross its Borders ¤ Yes, Bush Has Failed This Country ¤ The Pentagon vs. Press Freedom ¤ Speaking Out Now against the Iraq Disaster is Too Little, Too Late ¤ Bush Continues to Unite the World... Against Him ¤ Why Won't the Corporate Press Discuss Bush's Character Problem? ¤ Turning the tables on Washington, Cuba says US harbours terrorists ¤ Few nations follow U.S. in condemning Cuba ¤ Staging Area for Anti-Castro Forces ¤ Aliens in an Alien Land ¤ You wont believe how much the war is costing U.S. ¤ Don't You Love the Smell of Propaganda in the Morning? ¤ Sorry State of the Union Won't be Addressed in Bush's Stupid Speech Iraq bombings claim at least 100 lives Posted: Monday, January 22, 2007 A double car bombing wrought more carnage in Baghdad's commercial centre yesterday, killing at least 88 people and injuring more than 150 in an attack that highlighted the task facing President Bush's US troop reinforcements as they prepare a controversial new security strategy for the war-weary Iraqi capital. Full Article : guardian.co.uk The happiest man in the world? Posted: Monday, January 22, 2007 To scientists, he is the world's happiest man. His level of mind control is astonishing and the upbeat impulses in his brain are off the scale. Now Matthieu Ricard, 60, a French academic-turned-Buddhist monk, is to share his secrets to make the world a happier place. The trick, he reckons, is to put some effort into it. In essence, happiness is a "skill" to be learned. His advice could not be more timely as tomorrow Britain will reach what, according to a scientific formula, is the most miserable day of the year. Tattered new year resolutions, the faded buzz of Christmas, debt, a lack of motivation and the winter weather conspire to create a peak of misery and gloom. Full Article : independent.co.uk January 22, 2007 News Posted: Monday, January 22, 2007 ¤ Republican Opposition to Iraq Plan Grows ¤ 'Lame duck' Bush faces struggle to push through new agenda ¤ Iraq bombings claim at least 100 lives ¤ View of US's global role 'worse' ¤ Scientists discover the 'kind' part of the brain ¤ Bestiality film premieres at Redford's Sundance ¤ The happiest man in the world? ¤ What's Behind the ASAT Test? ¤ Impeach Bush - Stop Attack On Iran ¤ Israeli Nuclear Strike On Iran Turned Back By USAF ¤ Netanyahu says Israel should overthrow Hamas government ¤ 250,000 Palestinians fenced in, says report ¤ Latin America continues to move left ¤ The Unthinkable: The US- Israeli Nuclear War on Iran ¤ Lobbyists Find New Congress is Open for Business ¤ Bush the Empire Slayer ¤ War Hits Home in Pockets of Pain ¤ Cheshire Cheney: Menace on a Limb ¤ Baghdad garrison boosted as US losses grow ¤ Top Iraqi condemns US over Iran ¤ War's Arab Supporters Bitter Over Its Results ¤ US envision broad Attack on Iran ¤ Bombs kill at least 78 people in Baghdad ¤ Iraq: With Friends Like These ... ¤ Iraqi PM told Bush to withdraw US troops from Baghdad ¤ War's Arab Supporters Bitter Over Its Results ¤ US under secretary of state: We won't allow nuclear Iran ¤ 'Israel is a nuclear threshold state' ¤ Nato general: we need one more year to defeat Taliban ¤ Czechs give go-ahead for US 'son of star wars' base ¤ After dawn raids... the new scandal ¤ Chavez to U.S.: 'Go to hell, gringos!' ¤ Bush is a picture of defeat ¤ Blair likely to quit if aides charged in loans inquiry ¤ Blast kills four Pakistani soldiers in tribal area ¤ Damascus talks 'fruitful,' but elections not off the table ¤ Why some Democrats worry that Clinton can't win ¤ Serbia faces hard quest for stable majority ¤ EU sets tough line on Iran UN sanctions US envision broad Attack on Iran Posted: Monday, January 22, 2007 U.S. contingency planning for military action against Iran's nuclear program goes beyond limited strikes and would effectively unleash a war against the country, a former U.S. intelligence analyst said on Friday. Full Article : globalresearch.ca Bombs kill at least 78 people in Baghdad Posted: Monday, January 22, 2007 At least 78 people were killed and more than 150 wounded Monday after two nearly simultaneous bombs struck a predominantly Shiite commercial area in central Baghdad in the deadliest attack in two months, officials said. Full Article : news.yahoo.com Protesters Denounce Illegal Occupation of Somalia Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2007 Coalition of Concerned Somali-Canadians calls for immediate withdrawal of Ethiopian troops On January 20, several hundred people protested in front of the US consulate in Toronto to demand the immediate withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia. "Somalia should not be a theatre of proxy wars and the hidden agenda of Ethiopia and its American allies", stated Shukria Dini, an organizer with the Coalition of Concerned Somali Canadians (CCSC), the group that organized the demonstration. The CCSC emphasizes the illegality of the occupation, which violates the principle of state sovereignty enshrined in the UN Charter, as well as UN Resolution 1725, which forbids neighbouring states from deploying troops to Somalia. The occupation is also a violation of the African Union Charter. Dini emphasizes the gendered impact of the occupation, citing reports of Ethiopian soldiers raping women in Somali towns and villages. Full Article : dominionpaper.ca January 21, 2007 News Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2007 ¤ AU authorizes deployment of peacekeepers to Somalia ¤ Protesters Denounce Illegal Occupation of Somalia ¤ Meles Zenawi's Invasion of Somalia ¤ Somalia again ¤ Venezuela condemns U.S. for meddling ¤ Kissinger Teams Up with the Neocons ¤ Carter Not Deterred By Criticism Of Book On Israeli, Palestinian Conflict ¤ Rice warns firms Iran may face further sanctions ¤ Netanyahu calls for economic isolation of Iran ¤ Iran Plans to Conduct Missile War Games ¤ Website offers whistleblowers chance to go global ¤ Former Congo rebel wins Senate seat ¤ British soldier killed in Basra ¤ Kelly in new storm over gay law ¤ School bars director from taping Carter ¤ Shalom, Ayalon Respond to Clinton Candidacy ¤ Watada backers indict Iraq war ¤ Most Americans See U.S. in Iraq Beyond 2007 ¤ Historians offer dismal Iraq forecast ¤ One-day U.S. toll in Iraq is highest in 2 years ¤ Saturday a deadly day for U.S. in Iraq ¤ Palestinian PM says U.S. aims to topple his govt ¤ Israeli Holocaust trustee blasts Hebron settlers ¤ Kenya sends 34 militiamen to Somalia ¤ Rebels: Government resumes large-scale bombing in North Darfur ¤ Africa: War on the Rescuers ¤ Hillary's stance on Iraq risks outflanking by rivals on left ¤ Afghanistan's Taliban say to open schools ¤ Many soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are on repeat deployments ¤ Borat's easy ... being me is odd Hillary Clinton Launching Presidential Run Posted: Saturday, January 20, 2007 Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has announced that she is forming an exploratory committee for president, thereby launching a bid to become the first female chief executive of the United States. Full Article : abcnews.go.com January 20, 2007 News Posted: Saturday, January 20, 2007 ¤ Britain Admits Awareness of CIA Prisons ¤ Southern Iraqi Tribes Joining Armed Resistance ¤ Draft Law Keeps Central Control Over Oil in Iraq ¤ Marine Corps colonel among critics of new terror trial rules ¤ Pentagon sees U.S. war cost in Iraq rising ¤ Show Me The Intelligence ¤ EU faces split on police powers ¤ 73 Iraqis, 21 GIs Killed; 33 Iraqis, 3 GIs Wounded; U.S. Helicopter Crash Kills 13 ¤ 20 U.S. service members killed in Iraq ¤ Militant Tax Evader Prepares for Raid ¤ National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2007 ¤ Lebanon opposition to stage national protest strike ¤ Israel sinks deeper into cesspit of defamation, denigration and denial ¤ U.S. plans envision broad attack on Iran: analyst ¤ Democrats warn Bush not to attack Iran ¤ Congress Can Stop the Iran Attack, or Be Complicit in War Crimes ¤ Iran masses troops along borders with Iraq ¤ Clinton Launches 2008 White House Bid ¤ Hillary Clinton Launching Presidential Run ¤ First Bomb Carter; Then Nuke Iran! The Israel Lobby Trips and Tilts ¤ Parallels to Iraq in US strategy on Iran anger senator ¤ War of words continues over Iraq ¤ Chávez claims Castro is 'battling for his life' ¤ Couple killed, cooked and ate neighbour ¤ Andrea heeded America's call, and paid with her life ¤ Returned Darfuri asylum-seekers face torture and death in Khartoum ¤ No 10 clashes with police over aide arrest ¤ CNN's "Journalism" is a Fool's Paradise ¤ What They Said, and When They Said It Couple killed, cooked and ate neighbour Posted: Saturday, January 20, 2007 A Ukrainian couple invited a neighbour round for a drink and then killed and ate him, police said yesterday. The 36-year-old man and his 34-year-old girlfriend spent several hours chatting with the 48-year-old neighbour in the town of Makeyevka. A fight broke out, and the couple are said to have killed him with a knife and hammer, cut off the tender parts of his body and put them in the fridge, dumping the corpse in a nearby sewer. Full Article : guardian.co.uk Somalia: The Collapse of the Islamic Courts Posted: Friday, January 19, 2007 The sudden collapse, in the space of 10 days, of the Somali Islamic Courts as a governing body, and the unconventional military fighting force against the Ethiopian army and the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG), provides an opportunity and a threat for Somalis simultaneously. The situation in the region and in the self-declared Republic of Somaliland is unpredictable and precarious. There is, however, continuity in that the Ethiopian intervention marks just another phase in a long line of outside interference in Somalia, internationally and regionally. The dangers of Islamist guerrillas, Somalis and non-Somalis seeking revenge for what they see as a Western/Christian plot to keep a weak and divided Somalia permanently under their control, and of a relapse into the previous warlord-controlled anarchy, remain high. Full Article : pambazuka.org Mortars hit Somali presidential palace Posted: Friday, January 19, 2007 Five mortars slammed into Somalia's presidential palace on Friday night and gunfire rattled across Mogadishu in the latest violence in chaotic Somalia, witnesses and officials said. Full Article : scotsman.com January 19, 2007 News Posted: Friday, January 19, 2007 ¤ With Test, China Contests US Dominance in Space ¤ Eye on Iraq: The strategy of surge ¤ Pro-Armenian journalist shot dead in Turkey ¤ Blair's gatekeeper held over honours 'cover-up' ¤ The West is hoping parliamentary elections will unite Serbs ¤ Somalia: The Collapse of the Islamic Courts ¤ Mortars hit Somali presidential palace ¤ Fears stalking Somalia's capital once again ¤ Attack on Somalia's Presidential Palace Spreads Fear ¤ UN Envoy Talks to African Union On Force to Back Transitional Government ¤ Chavez accuses US-backed company of taping his calls ¤ Dems Seek to Bar U.S. Attacks on Iran ¤ Pelosi: U.S. Not Obliged to Stay in Iraq ¤ Casey: 'Surge' Could Go Home by Summer ¤ Rice's Israel-Palestine 'Peace' Overture ¤ Can Congress Block the Troop 'Surge' in Iraq? ¤ Washing War Crimes at the Washington Post ¤ Diary of a Guantánamo Attorney ¤ Poll: Most Oppose Troop Buildup ¤ An Impartial Interrogation of George W. Bush ¤ N.Korea: Deal Reached in U.S. Nuke Talks ¤ China hails satellite killer - and stuns its rivals in space ¤ Chinese missile destroys satellite in space ¤ Pentagon reveals rules for terror suspect trials ¤ Retired Generals Slam Bush's Iraq Plan ¤ The battle to save Iraq's children ¤ Jesse Jackson: 'All of my heart leans toward Barack' ¤ No-spank bill on way ¤ Abdullah to Haaretz: Jordan will develop nuclear power ¤ "We want nuclear programme; rules in region have changed" ¤ Sundance opens with call to speak out against war ¤ Scientists unravel superbug that kills in 24 hours ¤ Failure is Not an Option! It Comes Standard with Every Bush Model! ¤ Carter Doesn't Tell the Half of It How Israel Enforces "Demographic Separation" ¤ "Wiped Off The Map" - The Rumor of the Century Chinese missile destroys satellite in space Posted: Friday, January 19, 2007 Britain has joined the US, Japan and Australia's condemnation of China after the communist country destroyed a satellite in space using a ballistic missile. Full Article : telegraph.co.uk The battle to save Iraq's children Posted: Friday, January 19, 2007 The desperate plight of children who are dying in Iraqi hospitals for the lack of simple equipment that in some cases can cost as little as 95p is revealed today in a letter signed by nearly 100 eminent doctors. They are backed by a group of international lawyers, who say the conditions in hospitals revealed in their letter amount to a breach of the Geneva conventions that require Britain and the US as occupying forces to protect human life. In a direct appeal to Tony Blair, the doctors describe desperate shortages causing "hundreds" of children to die in hospitals. The signatories include Iraqi doctors, British doctors who have worked in Iraqi hospitals, and leading UK consultants and GPs. Full Article : independent.co.uk Crusade Number Four Posted: Thursday, January 18, 2007 It is an open secret in Washington that the Somalia operation is to be the Bush/Cheney Administration's new model for war against recalcitrant Muslims. The White House failed to convince India or Pakistan to rent their troops for occupation duty in Iraq, but it has succeeded in using Ethiopia's army in Somalia. Ethiopia's repressive regime was only too happy to invade Somalia and received large infusions of aid from Washington. The Administration is duplicating the British Empire's wide scale use of native troops ("sepoys" in India; "askaris" in East Africa) in colonial wars. Full Article : lewrockwell.com Iran discovers new onshore oil field Posted: Thursday, January 18, 2007 Iran has discovered a new onshore oil field with an estimated reserve of two billion barrels, state-run television reported Thursday. Full Article : jpost.com January 18, 2007 News Posted: Thursday, January 18, 2007 ¤ Crusade Number Four ¤ 238 Iraqis, 2 GIs Killed; 118 Iraqis, 1 GI Injured ¤ Iraqi PM: 400 Shiite fighters detained ¤ Strikes on US, Afghan Forces Up Fourfold ¤ A blanket ban on Holocaust denial would be a serious mistake ¤ Pelosi Turns Up Heat On Global Warming ¤ Oil Briefly Falls Below $50 Per Barrel ¤ US condemns China 'space weapon' ¤ Iran discovers new onshore oil field ¤ Ahmadinejad be damned ¤ Blair faces Rice after Hain outburst ¤ Israel rewrites history with impunity, but Iran is vilified for discussing it ¤ Iran: Pieces in Place for Escalation ¤ As Bush's War Strategy Shifts to Iran, Christian Zionists Gear Up for the Apocalypse ¤ U.S. officials say rumor of Iran strike not true ¤ The War Becomes More Unholy ¤ Smearing Jimmy Carter ¤ Poll: Most Oppose Troop Buildup ¤ Pentagon Sets Rules for Detainee Trials ¤ Maliki laments lack of US backing ¤ Racism gets a reality check ¤ Iran Warns It's Ready for Nuke Standoff ¤ Russia media scorns massive 'terror' alert ¤ Bush Seizes Control Over State Militias ¤ Bill Would Require Congress Approval to Increase US Troops in Iraq ¤ The Shame of Guantanamo Exposed in Cuba ¤ Preparing Us for War with Iran ¤ Iran: Pieces in Place for Escalation ¤ Is the Bush Administration Planning a Nuclear Holocaust? Racism gets a reality check Posted: Thursday, January 18, 2007 The alleged racist abuse directed at a Bollywood film star appearing on the Channel 4 reality show Celebrity Big Brother became an international issue yesterday. In a day of extraordinary developments, Chancellor Gordon Brown was forced to defend Britain against allegations of racism on his first full day of a trip to India. Mr Brown said he regarded the alleged racist comments made on the programme as "offensive". He added: "I want Britain to be seen as a country of fairness and tolerance. Anything detracting from this I condemn" . And as the protests grew more vociferous, No 10 was put on the defensive. Tony Blair's spokesman said any perception abroad that Britain tolerated racism had to be "regretted and countered". Yesterday, Indian TV news was dominated by images of Shilpa Shetty in tears after arguments with flatmates, during which she was allegedly called a " Paki" and a "cunt". Full Article : independent.co.uk Hillary Clinton fails to win over critics Posted: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 Blow to Clinton campaign as effort to win over Iraq critics falls short Hillary Clinton risked being outflanked in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination yesterday when she revised her stance on the Iraq war but failed to go far enough to satisfy anti-war critics. Mrs Clinton, who voted for the war in 2002 and has so far refused to repudiate that, took to television and radio studios for a media blitz yesterday morning to set out a new position after a visit to Iraq and Afghanistan last week. Full Article : guardian.co.uk Somalia and Ethiopia: a new front in the 'long war' Posted: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 To understand the current crisis in the Horn of Africa you have to look at the role of the US and its "war on terror" – or the "long war" as US rulers are coming to call it. This war is no more about terrorism than previous "humanitarian" interventions were about helping local populations. There are three important things about Africa for the US. Firstly there are natural resources, notably oil. Full Article : africaspeaks.com January 17, 2007 News Posted: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 ¤ Hillary Clinton fails to win over critics ¤ Mullah Omar 'hiding in Pakistan' ¤ Secret Court to Govern Wiretapping ¤ Somalia and Ethiopia: a new front in the 'long war' ¤ Clan Divisions Threaten Somalia Government ¤ U.S. Turns Focus to Iran ¤ Despite Charges, No Evidence Iran Sending IEDs to Iraq ¤ US lacks 'explosive' evidence against Iran ¤ Iraq Edges Closer to Iran, With or Without the US ¤ Iran invites IAEA envoys to nuke sites ¤ Ahmadinejad: Israel won't dare attack us ¤ Israel Warns Russia on Iran Arms Sale ¤ Murtha proposes bill to choke funding for surge ¤ And now George Bush has another war in mind ¤ Senators introduce resolution condemning Bush troop surge ¤ VP Tells America To Expect 40 Years Of War ¤ Israeli army chief-of-staff resigns ¤ Bloggers Take on Talk Radio Hosts ¤ Lebanon war claims biggest scalp ¤ 'Execution looked like revenge' ¤ Israel knew of secret peace talks with Syria, say officials ¤ Protection for 'weirdest' species ¤ Iraqis will never accept this sellout to the oil corporations ¤ Paradoxes doom Bush's new strategy in Iraq January 16, 2007 News Posted: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 ¤ Oil drops 3.4 percent, Saudi says don't panic ¤ Many killed in Baghdad blasts ¤ Saudi Arabia mulls sending troops to Iraq ¤ When will this Nightmare End? ¤ Bush administration provokes open war on Iran ¤ Russian missiles delivered to Iran: Ivanov ¤ Israel's plans to Wage Nuclear War on Iranl ¤ Iran target of US Gulf military moves, Gates says ¤ Venezuela's Chavez Guest of Honor at Ecuadorian President's Symbolic Inauguration ¤ We won't leave, US warns Iran ¤ Israelis, Syrians reach secret understandings ¤ 51% of Women Are Now Living Without Spouse ¤ Timee is Running Out' In Iraq ¤ Service members join war protest ¤ IRAQ: Disease alert after sewage system collapses ¤ Media crackdown in Somalia draws protest ¤ Somalia silences Canadian voices ¤ Kenya peace bid in Somalia 'doomed' ¤ Ethiopian troops hunt down Oromo refugees in Somalia When will this Nightmare End? Posted: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 Former Carter national security advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, summarized Bush's plans for a "surge" of troops in Iraq saying: "The commitment of 21,500 more troops is a POLITICAL GIMMICK of limited tactical significance and of no strategic benefit. It is insufficient to win the war militarily. It will engage US forces in bloody street fighting that will not resolve with finality the ongoing turmoil and the sectarian and ethnic strife, not to mention the anti-American insurgency." Full Article : uruknet.de Many killed in Baghdad blasts Posted: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 Two bombs exploded near a university in eastern Baghdad today, killing as many as 65 people, police said. The blasts, close to the al-Mustansriya university, happened as students left their classes in the predominantly Shia neighbourhood. They came as the UN reported a sharp increase in the number of civilian deaths in Iraq. AP, quoting police and hospital sources, said the death toll was 65. Reuters, quoting police sources, said 60 people had been killed and another 110 wounded. Full Article : guardian.co.uk Iran target of US Gulf military moves Posted: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 Increased US military activity in the Gulf is aimed at Iran's "very negative" behaviour, the Bush administration said today. The defence secretary, Robert Gates, told reporters that the decision to deploy a Patriot missile battalion and a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf in conjunction with a "surge" of troops in Iraq was designed to show Iran that the US was not "overcommitted" in Iraq. Full Article : guardian.co.uk January 15, 2007 News Posted: Monday, January 15, 2007 ¤ In Somalia, a Reckless U.S. Proxy War ¤ Somalia: Afghanistan remixed ¤ Mistakes Were Made, but There Is No Mistaker ¤ War Costs are Hitting Historic Proportions ¤ Presidential Candidate Fears "Gulf Of Tonkin" To Provoke Iran War ¤ Bush faces mutiny over extra troops for Iraq ¤ African Union mulls deployment to Somalia ¤ Saddam's top aides hanged ¤ Hanging of Saddam's aides filmed ¤ Saddam aides hanged, anger at beheading "mishap" ¤ Leftist Assumes Presidency of Ecuador ¤ Welcome to Chávez-land ¤ Talk of Israeli Strike in Iran Shows Risks -Rice ¤ America threatens to 'deal with' Iran over insurgents ¤ Big Brother: What it means in Britain today ¤ Blair & Bush: Battling On ¤ Gunning for Somalia Mistakes Were Made, but There Is No Mistaker Posted: Monday, January 15, 2007 My, my. Such a great big mess, such a small little space in which to write about it. I speak of George Bush's new Iraq plan, of course, and his speech last Wednesday night. My mouth was so long agape as he proclaimed one bizarre thing after the next that I fear I began drooling on myself. And here I find myself struggling to wrestle it all into one coherent bit of commentary. A column should be about only one thing, and I've had to go through a painful process of elimination to zero in on just one thing to write about. Full Article : commondreams.org Bush faces mutiny over extra troops for Iraq Posted: Monday, January 15, 2007 As George Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney inveighed against their Democratic critics, the White House tried to prevent a Republican mutiny on Capitol Hill from engulfing the President's bitterly contested decision to send more than 20,000 extra US troops to Iraq. The moves came as public opposition to Mr Bush's new policy seemed, if anything, to harden, while Congress geared up for what is shaping up as the fiercest constitutional battle over the war-waging powers of a President since the Vietnam war. Full Article : independent.co.uk Leftist Assumes Presidency of Ecuador Posted: Monday, January 15, 2007 Rafael Correa was sworn in as Ecuador's president Monday in a ceremony attended by members of the growing club of leftist Latin American leaders, and he pledged to fight a political establishment widely discredited as corrupt. Full Article : apnews.myway.com Niger NGOs to sue US over false accusation Posted: Sunday, January 14, 2007 Some 30 non-governmental organisations in Niger said on Saturday they are going to sue the United States for nearly two billion dollars for "unfairly accusing" Niger of selling uranium to the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. "Our lawyers are about to file a lawsuit against the US calling for damages of about 1,000 billion CFA francs ($1.9 billion) for the harm suffered" by the country, Moustapha Kadi, president of the Collective of organisations in Niger defending the right to energy (CODDAE). Full Article : dawn.com The Logic of a Wider Mideast War Posted: Sunday, January 14, 2007 White House press secretary Tony Snow dismisses expectations of war with Iran as an "urban legend" and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Peter Pace says that "from a military standpoint" there’s "no need to cross the Iranian border." But there are still strong reasons to suspect the Iraq War may soon spill over to Iran and possibly Syria. Full Article : consortiumnews.com Confused About Venezuela? Posted: Sunday, January 14, 2007 Over the past few days, major newspapers in the United States, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal, have published editorials aggressively and harshly criticizing recent declarations and decisions made by re-elected President Hugo Chávez and his cabinet. A large percentage of the content of these editorials, which reflect the viewpoints of the newspapers, are based on a distortion and misconception of new policies being implemented in Venezuela and the overall way government is functioning. Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com January 14, 2007 News Posted: Sunday, January 14, 2007 ¤ Niger NGOs to sue US over false accusation ¤ Unquiet Americans ¤ Nomads Beware! ¤ Confused About Venezuela? ¤ Instead of 'al-Qaeda,' U.S. Kills Nomads in Somalia ¤ British help hunt al-Qa'ida in Somalia ¤ Political Islam is not yet dead in Somalia ¤ Cheney admits expanded military spying role inside US ¤ White House Defends Pursuit of Iranians ¤ Neocon family calls the shots ¤ Absolute Power ¤ Lieberman: 30,000 Nato Troops Needed in Gaza ¤ It Is Time to Rebel Against King George ¤ Iranian Jews Reject Outside Calls To Leave ¤ Another unwanted war ¤ After the surge ... what next? ¤ Shock and oil ¤ Iran, Venezuela agree to thwart 'US domination' ¤ Military Is Expanding Its Intelligence Role in U.S. ¤ Pentagon Viewing Americans' Bank Records ¤ NGOs to sue US over WMD claims ¤ 7/7 ringleader 'was watched since 2003' Lewah Celebrations in Paramin Village Posted: Sunday, January 14, 2007 Under the starry night sky, residents of the hillside Paramin Village in Maraval, gathered at the home of the Gregoires to celebrate Lewah, the last day of Christmas. Paramin is renowned for its strong farming community, its annual Parang Festival and perhaps most of all, the traditions of patois, which is a French dialect. It is also called French Creole. As the Branga Parang Band set up in one part of the yard, people socialized and a large pot of food was being stirred by a friendly Paramin resident who disclosed that Paramin is a place of culture. As the band struck a few chords and stopped, a woman in the audience jokingly shouted that if they did that by her house she would shut the door on them. There was a hearty laughter. Full Article : triniview.com January 13, 2007 News Posted: Saturday, January 13, 2007 ¤ Isolated Bush Faces Rebellion Over Iraq ¤ US strikes on al-Qa'ida chiefs kill nomads ¤ Mbeki calls for solidarity on Somalia ¤ The US-Iran-Iraq-Israeli-Syrian War ¤ China, Russia team up against US ¤ 'No proof' of Iran nuclear arms ¤ Operation Cannon Fodder: Bush's Grand Delusion ¤ Somali Islamists say ready for war against Ethiopia ¤ How US forged an alliance with Ethiopia over invasion ¤ Somalia a victim of the war on terror ¤ Pakistan angry at US intelligence chief's terror claim ¤ Blair blames media for anti-war mood ¤ A mendacious attack by Mr Blair to cover up ... ¤ War with Iran and Arming of GCC ¤ Recent US actions could signal Iran conflict US strikes on al-Qa'ida chiefs kill nomads Posted: Saturday, January 13, 2007 The herdsmen had gathered with their animals around large fires at night to ward off mosquitoes. But lit up by the flames, they became latest victims of America's war on terror. It was their tragedy to be misidentified in a secret operation by special forces attempting to kill three top al-Qa'ida leaders in south-ern Somalia. Oxfam yesterday confirmed at least 70 nomads in the Afmadow district near the border with Kenya had been killed. The nomads were bombed at night and during the day while searching for water sources. Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Kenya has acknowledged that the onslaught on Islamist fighters failed to kill any of the three prime targets wanted for their alleged role in the 1998 US embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. Full Article : independent.co.uk Mbeki calls for solidarity on Somalia Mbeki said he agreed with the African Union (AU) and the United Nations that the US air strikes would not help resolve the crisis and could fuel new unrest. "As Africans, we will have to do everything necessary to overcome the old and new historic problems that have placed Somalia on our agenda as an unresolved problem of the African revolution," Mbeki said. How US forged an alliance with Ethiopia over invasion Posted: Saturday, January 13, 2007 Xan Rice in Nairobi and Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington Saturday January 13, 2007 The Guardian UK On December 4, General John Abizaid, the commander of US forces from the Middle East through Afghanistan, arrived in Addis Ababa to meet the Ethiopian prime minister, Meles Zenawi. Officially, the trip was a courtesy call to an ally. Three weeks later, however, Ethiopian forces crossed into Somalia in a war on its Islamist rulers, and this week the US launched air strikes against suspected al-Qaida operatives believed to be hiding among the fleeing Islamist fighters. "The meeting was just the final handshake," said a former intelligence officer familiar with the region. Washington and Addis Ababa may deny it, but the air strikes this week exposed close intelligence and military cooperation between Ethiopia and America, fuelled by mutual concern about the rise of Islamists in the chaos of Somalia. Yesterday, the Washington Post reported that US military personnel entered southern Somalia this week to verify who was killed in Monday's air strike. It was the first known instance of US boots on the ground in Somalia since the Black Hawk Down catastrophe, when 18 US soldiers were killed by Somali militiamen, the paper claimed. Full Article : guardian.co.uk Pakistan angry at US intelligence chief's terror claim Posted: Saturday, January 13, 2007 The Pakistani government protested yesterday over a claim by the head of US intelligence, John Negroponte, that al-Qaida and Taliban leaders were hiding inside Pakistan. Since December 2001, when Osama Bin Laden escaped a US-led siege of his Afghan mountain lair at Tora Bora, western intelligence agencies have presumed the al-Qaida leader and his top Taliban allies were hiding in the highland tribal areas along the Afghan-Pakistan border. However, in written evidence to a Senate committee, Mr Negroponte, director of national intelligence, singled out Pakistan as the location of the jihadist leaders' hideout, arguing that al-Qaida and the Taliban were rebuilding a network there. Mr Negroponte said Pakistan remained a "major source of Islamic extremism". The comments drew an immediate response from Pakistan's foreign ministry, which insisted the American spy chief should have mentioned the successes against al-Qaida made possible by Pakistani cooperation and suggested that the focus should "remain on cooperation instead of questionable criticism". Full Article : guardian.co.uk Somalia a victim of the war on terror Posted: Saturday, January 13, 2007 U.S. policy ensures it stays a failed state American-backed, foreign Christian troops intervene in a Muslim civil war to unseat the winning Islamist side; a U.S. warplane searching for alleged terrorists in that same country blasts the wrong people; both the European Union and the United Nations express their dismay; Canada, home to tens of thousands of immigrants from this war-torn, African nation, says nothing. Does any of this sound familiar? Full Article : thestar.com Doctors To Blame Posted: Saturday, January 13, 2007 Doctors To Blame Report gives damning evidence on Faith Williams' death ...Parents want action Father of Faith Williams, Kendal Williams, last night called for something to be done to the people responsible for his child's death. Psychic Yesenia joins search for Vindra Search for Vindra goes on; all suspects freed Investigations into the kidnapping of Vindra Naipaul-Coolman are continuing. Army launches probe into drunk soldiers TSTT worker gets nine months for stealing cable Boy, 12, to stand trial for murder CJ has to pay so... Kamla questions PM's debt to State Govt speeding up visas, work permits for foreigners ...passports now cost $250 THERE is likely to be an influx of foreign nationals on the local labour market and, as a result, Cabinet agreed on Thursday to the implementation of new measures to expedite the process of granting work permits and visas to people seeking work in T&T... Chutney soca prelims tonight Paul: No police probe into NLCB leak NSA and Microsoft Worked Together on Windows Vista Security Posted: Friday, January 12, 2007 The U.S. agency best known for eavesdropping on telephone calls had a hand in the development of Microsoft's Vista operating system, Microsoft confirmed Tuesday. Full Article : dabcc.com January 12, 2007 News Posted: Friday, January 12, 2007 ¤ Iran says U.S. planned 9/11 attacks ¤ NSA and Microsoft Worked Together on Windows Vista Security ¤ Internet should be run by key players: new ITU boss ¤ Wes Clark takes on AIPAC! ¤ A president thoroughly in the dark ¤ Bush Speech: Full Steam Ahead on Iran Attack ¤ The 'Surge' Is A Red Herrings ¤ African states wary of Somalia 'quagmire' ¤ Eritrea warns US over Somalia ¤ BOTCHER OF BAGHDAD ¤ 3,000 US dead, just one tear ¤ Bush faces rebellion over Iraq ¤ Shell hits US embassy in Athens ¤ Al-Qaida 'rebuilding in Pakistan' ¤ Why the US is Not Leaving Iraq ¤ Carter's Inconvenient Truths ¤ Pentagon abandons active-duty time limit ¤ Bush Sends GIs to his Private Fantasyland ¤ What Bush Didn't Say in His Speech ¤ Bush's Iraq Speech Annotated ¤ Bush's New Strategy - The March of Folly ¤ Somalia: Gunbattles Return to Mogadishu Streets ¤ Zim's detractors either uninformed or afraid BOTCHER OF BAGHDAD Posted: Friday, January 12, 2007 Bush's bloody Iraq offensive slammed as 'worst policy decision since Vietnam' President Bush triggered worldwide alarm yesterday by announcing that he will surge 21,500 more US troops into Iraq in a desperate attempt to quell the bloodshed. Full Article : mirror.co.uk There is no military solution for Iraq Posted: Friday, January 12, 2007 By Jonathan Steele Forget November's congressional elections, which showed a huge increase in the American public's disillusionment with the war in Iraq. Set aside the polls which show that a majority of Americans - as well as Iraqis - want an early pullout of US troops. Those who take the key decisions in Washington are determined to keep US forces there for the long haul. That is the grim message, not just of George Bush's speech on Wednesday night, but of the Democratic party's dithering response so far. It would be nice to think the president's plan to send more troops into the quagmire of Iraq was just another symptom of the madness of King George. One might then hope for sanity to be restored under a new administration in 2009. There is scant evidence for such optimism. John McCain, the current Republican front-runner, is more hawkish than Bush when it comes to believing military power can solve complex political and socio-economic conflicts. On the Democratic side, most bigwigs fear being tarred as "unpatriotic". They are trying to create rhetorical distance between themselves and the White House, but without rocking the war-boat. Only Senator Edward Kennedy, who long ago forfeited any chance of becoming president, has had the courage even to demand that the White House require congressional authority to support an increase in the US contingent in Iraq. He is not calling for an end to funding the war itself. Full Article : guardian.co.uk Isolated Bush faces rebellion over Iraq Posted: Friday, January 12, 2007 President George Bush faced increasing isolation last night after his much-vaunted new strategy for Iraq met with overwhelming public and political opposition. Mr Bush and his most senior staff embarked on a huge public relations exercise to sell the plan to send an extra 20,000 troops to Iraq, aware of formidable opposition in Congress which already promises an embarrassing vote next week rejecting the new strategy. Full Article : guardian.co.uk Another US Military Intervention Posted: Thursday, January 11, 2007 When US-trained Ethiopian forces swept into Somalia to oust the Islamic Courts Union, they did so with the help of battlefield intelligence supplied by Uncle Sam (New York Times, December 26, 2007), with the US Fifth Fleet enforcing a naval blockade (New York Times, January 3, 2007), and with unconfirmed reports of US Marines deployed along Somalia's border with Kenya (Globe and Mail, January 6, 2007.) Not long after, US AC-130 gunships, operating out of Djibouti, struck targets within Somalia. Full Article : africaspeaks.com January 11, 2007 News Posted: Thursday, January 11, 2007 ¤ Somali elders lament 'slaying of innocent' ¤ Hamas condemns USA attacks on Somalia ¤ Kumalo Calls for Swift Action to End Somali Fighting ¤ Somalia : another war "Made in USA" ¤ Press anger at US strikes in Somalia ¤ US warns 'surge' may take time ¤ Troops raid Iranian offices in Iraqi city ¤ Hagel: Bush speech worst blunder since Vietnam ¤ Poll: Americans oppose Iraq troop surge ¤ Iran Arrests a N. Spy ¤ Iraq wants no part of more U.S. soldiers ¤ Bush's Defiance and Delusion ¤ U.N. Inspectors Arrive in Iran ... ¤ U.S. Hunts for Key Terrorists in Somalia ¤ US forces storm Iranian consulate ¤ Rice warns Iran against aggression ¤ War With Syria and Iran = Peace With Iraq? ¤ Iran raid 'will be nuclear disaster' ¤ Somalia and Iraq share similar fates ¤ Robert Fisk: Bush's new strategy - the march of folly ¤ Bush Takes Blame in Iraq, Adds Troops ¤ Getting the Other Side To Fire the First Shot ¤ Bush gambles on new troops for Iraq ¤ Nato says 150 Taliban fighters killed ¤ UK tries to identify British fighters injured in Somalia Press anger at US strikes in Somalia Posted: Thursday, January 11, 2007 Newspapers in East Africa and the Middle East strongly condemn US air strikes on Somalia targeting al-Qaeda suspects in the south of the country. Papers in Kenya fear the US intervention could derail efforts by the transitional government to extend its control over Somalia, while a South African daily warns that the solution must come from within Somalia. A UK-based Arabic daily sees the strikes as part of a US strategy to keep the Islamists out of power and end the stability which, it says, they brought to the country. Full Article : news.bbc.co.uk January 10, 2007 News Posted: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 ¤ US attack in Somalia killed innocents ¤ Bush to Add 21,500 Troops to Iraq Force ¤ Bush's Strategy Includes Contrition ¤ Chavez Announces Nationalizations ¤ Venezuela's Chavez Sworn in for 3rd Term ¤ U.S. behind reign of terror sweeping Philippines ¤ Iran's Ahmadinejad to tour Latin America Flashback: ¤ Somalia and Iraq: Looking Back and Ahead ¤ US bombards Somalia for third day ¤ Is Ethiopia becoming Washington's new puppet in Africa? ¤ Air strikes on Somalia ¤ Experts Suggest the CIA, Not Kim Jong-il, is Counterfeiting Dollars ¤ 10 pipeline workers kidnapped in Nigeria ¤ Democrats to challenge Bush's Iraq plan ¤ New Wave of Troops Set for Iraq ¤ Anger as Russia digs in over oil ¤ They Never Learn ¤ Big Oil Wins Iraq's Petroleum Resources ¤ Bush is fuelling a new cold war ¤ Exactly how much does israel cost US? ¤ Baghdad street becomes new Fallujah ¤ US kill 'Brit Al-Qaeda suspects' ¤ Daniel Ellsberg: "Bush is Dangerous. He has to Go!" ¤ Pelosi On Opposing Iraq Escalation: "We Will Not Be Swiftboated On These Issues" Violence engulfs Somali capital Posted: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 MOGADISHU, Somalia: Mogadishu exploded in violence Wednesday morning after insurgents attacked a government barracks during the night and soldiers responded by sealing off large swaths of the city and searching house to house for weapons. The raids immediately sparked resistance, and squads of Ethiopian soldiers and troops loyal to the transitional government poured into the streets, where they battled outraged residents and a handful of masked insurgents. Full Article : iht.com US attack in Somalia killed innocents Posted: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 The Arab League said on Wednesday U.S. military action in Somalia had killed "many innocent victims" and demanded that Washington refrain from such attacks. Full Article : alertnet.org Chavez Announces Nationalizations Posted: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 Constitutional Reform for Socialism in Venezuela During the swearing-in ceremony of his new cabinet, Venezuela’s President Chavez announced a series of dramatic new measures for moving ahead in establishing 21st century socialism in Venezuela. Among these new measures are the convocation of a new constitutional assembly and the re-nationalization of key industries. In his speech Chavez characterized the preceding years of his presidency, 1999-2006, as a "phase of transition," which ends now, and that "we are now entering a new era, the National Simon Bolivar Project of 2007-2021." This project would head towards "Bolivarian Socialism, which requires greater levels of effort and engagement, clarity and efficiency, and revolutionary quality," said Chavez. The year 2021 is significant for Chavez because it is the 200th anniversary of Venezuelan independence. Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com NACC's 2006 Top 20 Stars of Gold Posted: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 The National Action Cultural Committee presented its 19th Annual 2006 Top 20 Stars of Gold Calypso Award Ceremony on Saturday 6th January, 2007, at the Cascadia Hotel, St. Ann's Road, St. Ann's. The ballroom was filled with lovers of the art form and Calypsonians, some of whom were receiving awards that night. Music was provided by the Top 20 Orchestra, Earl Knight and Services, and the talented Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille. The MC's for the night were Ms. Shirlane Hendrickson and Dr. Phaedra Pierre. Full Article : trinisoca.com 10 pipeline workers kidnapped in Nigeria Posted: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 Gunmen stormed a compound housing expatriate pipeline workers in Nigeria's oil-rich south today, kidnapping nine South Koreans and a Nigerian, officials said. Full Article : chron.com A new stage in Washington's illegal 'terror' war Posted: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 US air strikes against targets in the south of Somalia have claimed a substantial number of civilian lives. The bombing campaign, begun Sunday night and continued on Monday, mark a major escalation in the Bush administration's lawless use of violence to achieve Washington's strategic aims under the auspices of its "global war on terrorism." Full Article : wsws.org Flashback: Somalia and Iraq: Looking Back and Ahead In 1992-93, Somalia experienced U.S./UN munificence firsthand. Operation Restore Hope (sic) was sold to the public as an act of U.S. philanthropy with images of malnourished African children and stories of evil Somali warlords...but little of the nation's history was allowed to get in the way. US bombards Somalia for third day Posted: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 US forces launched a third consecutive day of air strikes in Somalia today as Somali government officials said one of three al-Qaida SUSPECTS targeted by the raids was believed to have been killed. Full Article : guardian.co.uk U.S. Air strikes on Somalia A new stage in Washington's illegal "terror" war US air strikes against targets in the south of Somalia have claimed a substantial number of civilian lives. The bombing campaign, begun Sunday night and continued on Monday, mark a major escalation in the Bush administration's lawless use of violence to achieve Washington's strategic aims under the auspices of its "global war on terrorism." Full Article : wsws.org January 09, 2007 News Posted: Tuesday, January 9, 2007 ¤ Neocons Attack 'al-Qaeda' in Somalia ¤ Terrorists captured in Somalia 'are British' ¤ US Somali Air Strikes 'Kill Many' ¤ Presidential Campaign Launched in America with Ethnic Cleansing in Iraq ¤ Saddam boosted fitness training for hanging: lawyer ¤ U.S. launches new attacks in Somalia ¤ Oils Prices Sag to About $54 a Barrel ¤ Blood Oil ¤ U.S. cautions China over gas deal with Iran ¤ Five years on, no end to the horror that is Guantanamo ¤ Might the Mighty Fall? ¤ New video of Saddam's corpse on Internet ¤ New video of Saddam's corpse (Video) ¤ US launches air strike in Somalia Guardian UK ¤ BBC - US launches air strike in Somalia ¤ Ethiopia joins Bush's imperialist crusade ¤ Death and Destruction for Somalis ¤ A New War in Africa ¤ Somalia leader spurns U.S. approach ¤ US seizes its opportunity in Somalia ¤ U.S. Submarine, Japanese Ship Collide ¤ Attack Against Ethiopian Troops in Mogadishu ¤ The Somalian Labyrinth Neocons Attack 'al-Qaeda' in Somalia Posted: Tuesday, January 9, 2007 By Kurt Nimmo, kurtnimmo.com January 09, 2007 It is simply amazing how many times the transparently bogus "al-Qaeda" has been used as an excuse to unleash violence against largely innocent Muslims and yet so few people here in America catch on, preferring to believe the corporate media fed illusion, now hammered firmly into place and accepted as political reality. Earlier today, we learned a "U.S. Air Force gunship has conducted a strike against suspected members of al Qaeda in Somalia," CBS reports straight from a Pentagon script. "The targets included the senior al Qaeda leader in East Africa and an al Qaeda operative wanted for his involvement in the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in Africa," apparently reason enough to kill around 200 people. "The gunship flew from its base in Dijibouti down to the southern tip of Somalia... where the al Qaeda operatives had fled after being chased out of the capital of Mogadishu by Ethiopian troops backed by the United States." In other words, it was a turkey shoot, and the targets were not necessarily "al-Qaeda" but rather members of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), Muslims who not long ago ruled Somalia under the Sharia, or Islamic law. CBS does not bother to mention the fact ICU was popular in Somalia, a Muslim nation. Here in America, they are called the Somali Islamists--granted, a simplistic term, but then we here in America like our simplistic terms--and thus the Somali version of a Muslim is lumped in with all the other Islamists, including those we are told are fascist, never mind European fascist movements of the early 20th century have nothing to do with Islam, and the word "Islamofascists" is little more than a meaningless and rather crude political epithet. Of course, the word and nonsensical idea is strictly for domestic consumption, as evil Nazis are part of the firmly entrenched cultural landscape and it is apparently easy to associate Hitler and Nazism with people--indeed, entire cultures and religions--one does not like or understand (remember, "al-Qaeda" is a magnet for Hitler types like Osama bin Laden and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, or so the corporate media, with their neocon reading scripts in hand, tell us). Last December, the popular ICU lost control after Ethiopia, with U.S. backing and encouragement, invaded and sent them packing to the southern-most tip of the country. According to CBS, the fleeing ICU are "al-Qaeda" to the man and, as such, fair game for an AC-130 gunship, sent from a U.S. airbase (at Camp Lemonier) in Dijibouti. Of course, this is little more than a facile and threadbare excuse to kill Muslims, as Bush's "minds" from the American Enterprise Institute are big on slaughtering large numbers of them on ice-thin pretext. For instance, take the neocon Vance Serchuk, a scribbler at the Weekly Standard, who specializes in making excuses for the Ethiopia invasion, an affair wholly rigged by the United States. According to Serchuk and the neocons, the "Somalia problem came to metastasize over the past six months," and Somalia is not simply "a failed state that could be occasionally exploited by terrorists," but "an active and steadfast ally of the global jihadist movement," thus the "Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa... at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti.... constitutes the U.S. military's first post-9/11 outpost in sub-Saharan Africa." As Serchuk readily admits, this task force fits "squarely with what last year's Quadrennial Defense Review" proposed, that is a "shifting emphasis" toward the use of "surrogates" in the war on terror, that is to say proxies will do the bidding of the neocons in the hundred or more year "war" planned for us and our children, and our children's children. Thus the attack against "al-Qaeda" may be considered yet another in a series of attacks against "Islamofascists" in Africa, as effete and bilious chicken hawks, hiding out in their comfy academic and think-tank lairs, are keen to chase Muslims hither and thither--or have National Guard kids from Nebraska chase them--as the neocon "clash of civilizations" plan dictates. Oh, coincidentally, the American oil giants Conoco, Amoco, Chevron and Phillips hold concession rights in Somalia. According to the Los Angeles Times, "corporate and scientific documents disclosed that the American companies are well positioned to pursue Somalia's most promising potential oil reserves the moment the nation is pacified," that is to say after a suitable number of Muslims are killed and a requisite dictatorship takes hold, as the rule of Mohammed Siad Barre didn't exactly work out as planned back in the 90s. "Somalia is of geostrategic interest to the Bush administration, and the focus of operations and policy since 2001," writes Larry Chin. "This focus is a continuation of long-term policies of both the Clinton administration and the George H.W. Bush administrations. Somalia's resources have been eyed by Western powers since the days of the British Empire." "A new US cleansing of Somalian 'tyranny' would open the door for these US oil companies to map and develop the possibly huge oil potential in Somalia," notes F. William Engdahl. "Yemen and Somalia are two flanks of the same geological configuration, which holds large potential petroleum deposits, as well as being the flanks of the oil chokepoint from the Red Sea." No doubt, as kissing cousins to the neolibs, who are primarily interested in "free trade" fire sales, the neocons have taken note of the potential for a Somalian oil and gas bonanza, especially with China eager to get in on the game with its insatiable thirst for petroleum. However, neocons are known primarily for their sociopathic hatred and fear of Muslims, be they Arab or African, and that is the immediate impetus behind their current fascination with the impoverish "failed state" (failed because it was ruled by Muslims) of Somalia. "And even when the media are looking the other way, our enemies are not," rants Vance Serchuk, AEI research fellow. "Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's number two, has already issued a recording calling Somalia 'one of the crusader battlefields that are being launched by America ... against Islam,' a message that will no doubt resonate in the Muslim world." But of course, as the neocons believe, or rather expect us to believe, such messages, issued by documented intelligence assets, "resonate" in Islamic "failed states," that is to say states inching up the neocon target list, as should be expected so long as these career criminals remain on the loose and are not forced to do the perp walk in orange jumpsuits. http://kurtnimmo.com/?p=713 Chavez Urged by U.S. to Compensate U.S. Companies Posted: Tuesday, January 9, 2007 By Brendan Murray Jan. 9 (Bloomberg) -- The Bush administration urged Venezuela to compensate U.S. companies that would be affected by President Hugo Chavez's plan to transfer the country's utilities to state ownership, a White House spokesman said. Chavez said yesterday he plans to nationalize the country's largest phone company and utilities, gain greater control over the oil industry and seek authority to make laws by executive order. His comments sent Venezuelan stocks and bonds tumbling. The U.S. has "seen the results of nationalization in other places, and in general these types of actions do not produce economic benefits as expected," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. "If any U.S. companies are affected, we expect them to be promptly and fairly compensated." Full Article : bloomberg.com US launches air strike in Somalia Posted: Tuesday, January 9, 2007 US launches air strike in Somalia Guardian UK A US air strike on a Somali village, thought to be the hideout of an al-Qaida cell, has left "many dead", reports said today. The attack yesterday, by a heavily armed gunship, allegedly targeted Islamists wanted for the 1998 bombings of US embassies in other African countries. The suspects were spotted hiding on the remote Badmadow island on the southern tip of Somalia, close to the Kenyan border. The area of the island that was attacked is known as Ras Kamboni and is suspected of being a terror training base. The term Al Qaeda is applied to desensitize people to the atrocities being committed by the U.S. government. The U.S. is so brazen with it now that they bomb people who they claim are Al Qaeda SUSPECTS. One does not have to actually be a threat to the United States of America to warrant their aggression. In fact, once Muslims do not support the U.S. government's agenda they are automatically branded as Al Qaeda suspects and are targeted for assassination. --Ayinde US launches air strike in Somalia BBC "This is a war founded on a misconception and driven by paranoid fantasies. The misconception was the US government's belief that the Islamic Courts, local religious authorities backed by merchants in Mogadishu who wanted someone to curb the warlords, punish thieves, and enforce contracts, were just a cover for al-Qaeda. So the US instead backed the warlords who were making Somalis' lives a misery. American support is the kiss of death in Somalia, so the warlords were finally dislodged in Mogadishu last June by an uprising led by the UIC and supported by most of the population." --Gwynne Dyer US seizes its opportunity in Somalia The rout of Somalia's radical Islamist movement at the hands of Ethiopian forces has presented America with an extraordinary opportunity. For years, Somalia has been the despair of US policy-makers. The disastrous "Black Hawk Down" intervention in 1992-93, which ended when a Mogadishu mob killed 18 US Rangers, has become a byword for the dangers of foreign intervention. This failed operation left Somalia in the grip of anarchy, allowing international terrorists to penetrate the country. After the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed in 1998, the CIA concluded that some of those behind the attacks were at large in Somalia. When the Islamists captured Mogadishu last June, America feared that a large area of southern Somalia would become a haven for al-Qa'eda. Somalia leader spurns U.S. approach NAIROBI, Kenya – In a rebuff to the United States, Somalia's interim president, Abdullahi Yusuf, on Monday rejected U.S. requests to bring moderate Islamists into his weak transitional government. Also Read: Ethiopia joins Bush's imperialist crusade Death and Destruction for Somalis A New War in Africa January 08, 2007 News Posted: Monday, January 8, 2007 ¤ Blair refuses to match US troop 'surge' in Iraq ¤ This Road is for Jews Only ¤ George Bush should come under the same scrutiny as Saddam Hussein ¤ Pelosi: Dem's will not cut off Iraq funding ¤ Bush Senior Early CIA Ties Revealed ¤ We're Losing the Infowar ¤ Court Drops Charges Against Saddam ¤ Lynching Won't Help U.S. ¤ Divisions deepened by Saddam's death ¤ Hoyer and Dems Set Stage for Iran Attack ¤ Bush $1bn jobs plan to draw Iraqis into fold ¤ How The West Will Profit From Iraq's Most Precious Commodity ¤ The War and the New York Times ¤ Bush attacked over 'rolling surge' of 20,000 more troops for Iraq ¤ If Caught, Deny Everything Blair refuses to match US troop 'surge' in Iraq Posted: Monday, January 8, 2007 Tony Blair will make clear this week that Britain is not going to send more troops to Iraq even if the US pushes ahead with a "surge" of 20,000 extra soldiers. The Prime Minister will insist that the UK will stick to its own strategy of gradually handing over to the Iraqi army, as it has been doing with success in Basra and the south. Full Article : dailymail.co.uk January 07, 2007 News Posted: Sunday, January 7, 2007 ¤ Saddam's 'snuff video' signals the end of editorial control ¤ The Unmentionable Hypocrisy: ¤ Saddam lawyers claim his body was abused ¤ Blair: Saddam's execution was 'completely wrong' ¤ Iraqi Girl tells of US Attack in Haditha ¤ Israel plans to attack Iran nuke site ¤ 71 bodies found as Iraqi PM announces security crackdown ¤ Who Will Try Bush? ¤ 3 U.S. airmen die in Baghdad car bombing ¤ Teheran: Israel Will Regret Any Attack ¤ Rabbi ripped for embracing Ahmadinejad ¤ Britons to be scanned for FBI database ¤ Starving Afghans sell girls of eight as brides ¤ Future of Iraq: The spoils of war ¤ Blood and oil ¤ Republicans' division over Iraq grows ¤ The U.S. Has No Friends, Only Interests Bush set for showdown with Democrats over Iraq Posted: Sunday, January 7, 2007 Iraqi PM reveals US crackdown President Bush is to announce this week that up to 30,000 extra troops will be thrown into the battle for Baghdad. They will be part of a crackdown against insurgents and the largely Shia death squads who have brought Iraq to the brink of civil war. The final shape of Bush's new strategy began to emerge yesterday in a series of leaks and statements in Washington and Baghdad ahead of his announcement, expected on Tuesday. Full Article : guardian.co.uk Roots of Latino/black anger Posted: Sunday, January 7, 2007 Longtime prejudices, not economic rivalry, fuel tensions. By Tanya K. Hernandez, January 7, 2007 "THE ACRIMONIOUS relationship between Latinos and African Americans in Los Angeles is growing hard to ignore. Although last weekend's black-versus-Latino race riot at Chino state prison is unfortunately not an aberration, the Dec. 15 murder in the Harbor Gateway neighborhood of Cheryl Green, a 14-year-old African American, allegedly by members of a Latino gang, was shocking. Yet there was nothing really new about it. Rather, the murder was a manifestation of an increasingly common trend: Latino ethnic cleansing of African Americans from multiracial neighborhoods. Just last August, federal prosecutors convicted four Latino gang members of engaging in a six-year conspiracy to assault and murder African Americans in Highland Park. During the trial, prosecutors demonstrated that African American residents (with no gang ties at all) were being terrorized in an effort to force them out of a neighborhood now perceived as Latino." "This conflict cannot be sloughed off as simply another generation of ethnic group competition in the United States (like the familiar rivalries between Irish, Italians and Jews in the early part of the last century). Rather, as the violence grows, the "diasporic" origins of the anti-black sentiment — the entrenched anti-black prejudice among Latinos that exists not just in the United States but across the Americas — will need to be directly confronted." Full Article : latimes.com Teheran: Israel Will Regret Any Attack Posted: Sunday, January 7, 2007 In response to a report on Sunday that Israel planned to attack Teheran's nuclear sites, Iran declared that any attack would provoke a reaction and that "anyone who attacks will regret their actions very quickly." Full Article : jpost.com Blood and oil: How the West will profit from Iraq... Posted: Sunday, January 7, 2007 Blood and oil: How the West will profit from Iraq's most precious commodity The 'IoS' today reveals a draft for a new law that would give Western oil companies a massive share in the third largest reserves in the world. To the victors, the oil? That is how some experts view this unprecedented arrangement with a major Middle East oil producer that guarantees investors huge profits for the next 30 years Full Article : independent.co.uk Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran Posted: Saturday, January 6, 2007 ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran's uranium enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear weapons. Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear "bunker-busters", according to several Israeli military sources. The attack would be the first with nuclear weapons since 1945, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Israeli weapons would each have a force equivalent to one-fifteenth of the Hiroshima bomb. Full Article : timesonline.co.uk South America: Toward an Alternative Future Posted: Saturday, January 6, 2007 by Noam Chomsky Last month a coincidence of birth and death signaled a transition for South America and indeed for the world. The former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet died even as leaders of South American nations concluded a two-day summit meeting in Cochabamba, Bolivia, hosted by President Evo Morales, at which the participants and the agenda represented the antithesis of Pinochet and his era. In the Cochabamba Declaration, the presidents and envoys of 12 countries agreed to study the idea of forming a continent-wide community similar to the European Union. The declaration marks another stage toward regional integration in South America, 500 years after the European conquests. The subcontinent, from Venezuela to Argentina, may yet present an example to the world on how to create an alternative future from a legacy of empire and terror. Full Article : commondreams.org Hanging Will Haunt Bush Posted: Saturday, January 6, 2007 I am taken aback by the reaction in India to Saddam Hussein's hanging. The anger cuts across religious and political divides. This secular nation of 1.2 billion – the world's largest democracy and emerging economic powerhouse – has as many Muslims as Muslim Pakistan, at about 145 million. But its majority is Hindu and it has significant pockets of Christians, Sikhs, Zoroastrians and others. Yet the condemnation has been near universal. Full Article : commondreams.org Child sex booms with tourism in Kenya Posted: Saturday, January 6, 2007 Sexual exploitation of children in Kenya has reached very high levels, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) stated in a report launched today in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. In some districts, up 30 percent of young girls were engaged in the sex trade, which in particular follows the tourism industry. But Kenyans are the biggest group of customers. A study by UNICEF and the Kenyan government found that at least 15,000 girls in four districts on the Kenyan coast - Mombasa, Kilifi, Malindi and Kwale - were engaged in casual sex-for-cash. Full Article : afrol.com A New War in Africa Posted: Saturday, January 6, 2007 "The misconception was the US government's belief that the Islamic Courts, local religious authorities backed by merchants in Mogadishu who wanted someone to curb the warlords, punish thieves, and enforce contracts, were just a cover for al-Qaeda. So the US instead backed the warlords who were making Somalis' lives a misery." Full Article : namibian.com.na India's house of horrors Posted: Saturday, January 6, 2007 The gruesome tale of India's "house of horrors", a serial murder case that has transfixed the nation for a week, took an intriguing twist yesterday when forensic scientists investigating the killing of at least 17 people in an upmarket Delhi suburb prepared to apply truth serum to the two prime suspects. Full Article : timesonline.co.uk January 06, 2007 News Posted: Saturday, January 6, 2007 ¤ Future of Iraq: The spoils of war ¤ Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran ¤ Democrats: Nuclear Iran unacceptable ¤ Hanging Will Haunt Bush ¤ Iraq PM warns over Saddam hanging ¤ A New War in Africa ¤ Israel's Bad Influence ¤ What's wrong with Israelis ¤ Robert Fisk: The whole bloody thing was obscene ¤ Ethiopia joins Bush's imperialist crusade ¤ Somalia: New Hotbed of Anti-Americanism ¤ Anti-Ethiopian protests rock Somali capital ¤ Incidents in Somalis protest against Ethiopian troops ¤ Somalis warily adapt to changing capital ¤ New Orleans Considers Curfew After 8 Slayings January 05, 2007 News Posted: Friday, January 5, 2007 ¤ Top Democrats Oppose More Troops in Iraq ¤ Texas Boy Hangs Self; Saw Saddam on TV ¤ Congressional Call to Reject Flawed Iraq Troop Surge ¤ Olmert says sorry for civilian deaths in West Bank ¤ Chirac Slams Iraq War as Boost to Terrorism ¤ U.S.-Iraqi forces launch assault on Sunni haven ¤ US navy helps trap fleeing Islamist fighters in Somalia ¤ The 'Demonization' of Muslims and the Battle for Oil ¤ Ethiopia joins Bush's imperialist crusade ¤ Cracks in the Empire ¤ Bursting the Bush Bubble ¤ North Korea Prepping Nuclear Weapons Test ¤ Oil Prices Drop Below $55 a Barrel ¤ White House Postponing Loss of Iraq, Biden Says ¤ Cairo dismayed at 'primitive' Saddam death ¤ 'My crime was to protest at Israeli assassinations' ¤ U.S. civilian contractor said kidnapped in Iraq ¤ Finally, Israel admits Hezbollah's victory in Lebanon Top Democrats Oppose More Troops in Iraq Posted: Friday, January 5, 2007 As President Bush prepares to present his new strategy on Iraq to the American people, Democratic Congressional leaders said today they will fight any approach that calls for deploying more United States troops there. Full Article : nytimes.com Oil Prices Drop Below $55 a Barrel Posted: Friday, January 5, 2007 Oil prices dipped below $55 a barrel Friday ... Full Article : myway.com U.S.-Iraqi forces launch assault on Sunni haven Posted: Friday, January 5, 2007 About 1,000 U.S. and Iraqi troops launched a major offensive at dawn Thursday in Diyala province, an increasingly violent zone east of Baghdad that has become a haven and training ground for Sunni Arab insurgents. The target of the strike is an isolated landscape of farms and irrigation canals riddled with weapons caches, safe houses and training ranges, U.S. military officials said. Full Article : latimes.com If Iraqis study African history, they would see how easily the colonizing powers militarize indigenous people to join armies and local police forces to eliminate their closest relatives who are resisting colonial domination. - Ayinde The 'Demonization' of Muslims and the Battle for Oil Posted: Friday, January 5, 2007 Demonization serves geopolitical and economic objectives. Likewise, the campaign against "Islamic terrorism" (which is supported covertly by US intelligence) supports the conquest of oil wealth. The term "Islamo-fascism," serves to degrade the policies, institutions, values and social fabric of Muslim countries, while also upholding the tenets of "Western democracy" and the "free market" as the only alternative for these countries. Full Article : globalresearch.ca US navy helps trap fleeing Islamist fighters in Somalia Posted: Friday, January 5, 2007 Somali and Ethiopian soldiers on land and United States troops at sea were reported to have surrounded hundreds of Islamist militiamen on the southern tip of Somalia yesterday. A senior US diplomat, meanwhile, said she hoped that Ugandan peacekeepers could be in place within a month in war-torn Somalia, where the Council of Islamic Courts, which wants to rule by the Qur'an, was driven from the capital and much of the south last week. The movement has vowed to launch an Iraq-style guerrilla war, raising the prospect of bloody reprisals against foreign peacekeepers. Full Article : guardian.co.uk North Korea Prepping Nuclear Weapons Test Posted: Friday, January 5, 2007 North Korea appears to have made preparations for another nuclear test, according to U.S. defense officials. "We think they've put everything in place to conduct a test without any notice or warning," a senior U.S. defense official told ABC News. Full Article : abcnews.go.com January 04, 2007 News Posted: Thursday, January 4, 2007 ¤ Ethiopia joins Bush's imperialist crusade ¤ Great Lakes Conflicts Rooted in Colonialism ¤ Saddam hanging threatens al-Maliki government's neck ¤ Americans allowed the mobile video of the hanging ¤ Saddam hanging nearly halted over jeers-prosecutor ¤ Ariel Sharon Accused of Assassinating Yasser Arafat ¤ A political legacy under siege ¤ America's interests in Somalia ¤ Another 'Saddam suicide' ¤ Amazon boss shows off spacecraft ¤ Possible meteor or space junk seen all over the region ¤ Tyrant or martyr? ¤ Mullah Omar says hasn't seen bin Laden for years ¤ Oil Prices Dip Below $57 a Barrel ¤ Israeli Experts Say Middle East Was Safer With Saddam in Iraq ¤ Iran leader: I believe Israel will soon collapse ¤ New UN chief – Israel at the heart of the problem ¤ Democrats take power ¤ Venezuelan Economy Grows Over 10% for 3rd Year in A Row ¤ Venezuelan Government Will Not Renew "Coup-Plotting" TV Station's License Venezuelan Economy Grows Over 10% for 3rd Year in A Row Posted: Thursday, January 4, 2007 The end of year figures for the Venezuelan economy showed a mixed bag of good news and bad news. On the negative side the final inflation figure for 2006 was 17%, while on the plus side the government collected $25 billion dollars in taxes and the economy grew by 10.3% over the year—the third consecutive year in which growth was over 10%. Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com Venezuelan Government Will Not Renew "Coup-Plotting" TV Station's License In a controversial decision, President Chavez announced last week that the broadcast license of the oppositional TV station RCTV, which expires in May of this year, will not be renewed. Government officials explained that according to Venezuelan law the renewal is a discretional decision of the government and is thus completely legal. Last week, during a military ceremony, President Hugo Chavez announced, "There will be no new concession for this coup-plotting channel, known as Radio Caracas Television [RCTV]!" Full Article : venezuelanalysis.com Another 'Saddam suicide' Posted: Thursday, January 4, 2007 Kolkata, India - A 15-year-old girl from eastern India hanged herself in response to the execution of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, police and family members said on Thursday. "She said they had hanged a patriot. We didn't take her seriously when she told us that she wanted to feel the pain Saddam did during the execution," the girl's father, Manmohan Karmakar, told AFP by phone from the town of Kharda. Full Article : news24.com Official who filmed Saddam's execution arrested Posted: Thursday, January 4, 2007 An Iraqi official believed to have used a mobile phone to film Saddam Hussein's execution was arrested yesterday as the authorities in Baghdad reportedly prepared to hang two of the ex-dictator's henchmen. "In the past few hours the government has arrested the person who made the video of Saddam's execution," the adviser to prime minister Nouri al-Maliki said. The adviser did not name the person but said he was "an official who supervised the execution". Meanwhile, two Iraqi TV stations reported that Saddam's half-brother Barzan Ibrahim - a former intelligence chief - and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, the former chief justice of the revolutionary court, would be hanged on Thursday. Full Article : guardian.co.uk He is one of the fall guys because the exhibition backfired. Saddam hanging nearly halted over jeers-prosecutor As the Iraqi government mounted an investigation into how officials smuggled in mobile phone cameras, he also challenged the accounts of the justice minister and an adviser to the prime minister who said the film was shot by a guard -- Faroon said one of two people taking video was a senior government official. "Two officials were holding mobile phone cameras," said Faroon, who was a deputy prosecutor in the case for which Saddam was hanged and is the chief prosecutor in a second trial that will continue against his aides for genocide against the Kurds. "One of them I know. He's a high-ranking government official," Faroon said, declining to name the man. "The other I also know by sight, though not his name. He is also senior. "I don't know how they got their mobiles in because the Americans took all our phones, even mine which has no camera." Full Article : news.yahoo.com Saddam: From monster to martyr? Posted: Thursday, January 4, 2007 How Bush and Blair's choices have led to disaster in Iraq, culminating in a chaotic execution that is fuelling civil war By Patrick Cockburn Published: 04 January 2007 It takes real genius to create a martyr out of Saddam Hussein. Here is a man dyed deep with the blood of his own people who refused to fight for him during the United States-led invasion three-and-a-half years ago. His tomb in his home village of Awja is already becoming a place of pilgrimage for the five million Sunni Arabs of Iraq who are at the core of the uprising. During his trial, Saddam himself was clearly trying to position himself to be a martyr in the cause of Iraqi independence and unity and Arab nationalism. His manifest failure to do anything effective for these causes during the quarter of a century he misruled Iraq should have made his task difficult. But an execution which vied in barbarity with a sectarian lynching in the backstreets of Belfast 30 years ago is elevating him to heroic status in the eyes of the Sunni - the community to which most Arabs belong - across the Middle East. Full Article : independent.co.uk January 03, 2007 News Posted: Wednesday, January 3, 2007 ¤ US Seeks to Prevent Escape of al-Qaida Figures From Somalia ¤ America Changes Tactics As It Guards Interests in Somalia ¤ The Fatal Hazing of a Dictator ¤ Official held in Saddam hanging video ¤ Saddam Hussein execution: A sectarian lynching ¤ Hang 'em High in Baghdad ¤ Guards did not even allow Saddam to sleep ¤ The Americans Can Never be Trusted ¤ Saddam Hussein becomes an Arab folk hero ¤ US will be defeated in Afghanistan: former CIA hand ¤ Hidden History: Why did the Jews flee Iraq? ¤ Death and Destruction for Somalis ¤ White House Won't Condemn Saddam Taunts ¤ Bush not seen Saddam execution video: White House ¤ Iraq Prime Minister Wishes He Could Quit ¤ EU appoints new head of police mission in Palestine ¤ American finds out what occupation feels like ¤ Year end statistics: Israeli forces killed 742 Palestinians, injured 3,735 and arrested 5,671 ¤ A-Zawahri: Abbas sold out Palestine ¤ UN will try to resolve Israel - Palestine conflict ¤ Afghan-NATO operation kills 17 Taliban rebels: Official ¤ Too many civilians killed by NATO in Afghanistan ¤ FBI files detail Guantánamo torture tactics FBI files detail Guantánamo torture tactics Posted: Wednesday, January 3, 2007 Captives at Guantánamo Bay were chained hand and foot in a fetal position to the floor for 18 hours or more, urinating and defecating on themselves, an FBI report has revealed. The accounts of mistreatment were contained in FBI documents released yesterday (pdf) as part of a lawsuit involving the American Civil Liberties Union, a civil liberties group. In the 2004 inquiry, the FBI asked nearly 500 employees who had served at Guantánamo Bay to report possible mistreatment by law enforcement or military personnel. Twenty-six incidents were reported, some of which had emerged in earlier document releases. Full Article : guardian.co.uk The Fatal Hazing of a Dictator Posted: Wednesday, January 3, 2007 by Ted Rall Take note, dictators considering an alliance with the United States: we'll throw you to the wolves as soon as you cease to be useful. Saddam Hussein's order to execute 148 men and boys in Dujail, in northern Iraq, in 1982 was his nominal casus morti. Actually, he was the fatal victim of a labor-management dispute. Anyone who works for a difficult boss can sympathize with Saddam. After unsuccessfully attempting to reach President George H.W. Bush and other top officials (who were on vacation) to ask for permission to invade Kuwait, he finally touched base with Bush's ambassador to Iraq on July 25, 1990. At the time Hussein was a close American ally, receiving billions of dollars in arms shipments and subsidies. Baath Party-ruled Iraq, a U.S. client state, had waged the 1980-88 war against Iran largely at Washington's behest. Full Article : commondreams.org Death and Destruction for Somalis Posted: Wednesday, January 3, 2007 For the average western person, the current Ethiopian invasion of Somalia is just another military operation taking place in a distance land in the war against Islam terror. For Somalis, this invasion is nothing short of humiliating catastrophe. Somalis are deeply nationalistic; yet their nationalistic passion to towards their country did not prevent them from committing self-inflected genocidal civil wars which weakened their cultural fabric, political institutions and central authority so that after 16 years without functioning state, Somalia is today under the occupation of their most hated historical enemy, Ethiopia. Full Article : rastafarispeaks.com Saddam Hussein execution: A sectarian lynching Posted: Wednesday, January 3, 2007 A video of the final minutes of Saddam Hussein, released to the Arab media late Saturday and widely broadcast around the world, demonstrates that the execution of the former Iraqi president was an act of sectarian vengeance by the Shiite Muslim groups placed in power by the US invasion of the country. The video, apparently made using the cell phone of one of the guards or official witnesses in the death chamber, records the last fragments of conversation between Hussein and his hooded executioners, who were apparently loyal to the Shiite radical clergyman Moqtada al-Sadr, head of the most powerful militia force in Iraq, the Mahdi Army. Full Article : wsws.org Official held in Saddam hanging video Posted: Wednesday, January 3, 2007 BAGHDAD, Iraq - The person believed to have recorded Saddam Hussein's raucous execution on a cell phone camera was arrested Wednesday, an adviser to Iraq's prime minister said. Full Article : news.yahoo.com Saddam Hussein execution: A sectarian lynching "The Maliki government, in a belated effort to distance itself from the images of Shiite triumphalism, ordered an investigation into how the video was shot in the death chamber and how it was distributed. But at least one eyewitness, one of the prosecutors in Hussein’s trial, said that the cell phone was brought in by a top government official, whom he would not name, not by a guard, and that the recording of the final altercation between the guards and Hussein was done quite openly." Full Article : wsws.org Oprah's £20m school proves she's not all talk Posted: Wednesday, January 3, 2007 Oprah Winfrey, the talk show star and media mogul, likes to make friends through generosity, famously once giving every member of her studio audience a free car to take home. Yesterday, however, she celebrated giving of a slightly less frivolous kind. Surrounded by American celebrities, Winfrey, listed as the richest black person on the planet, presided over the opening of a school for disadvantaged girls just outside Johannesburg, South Africa, built with $40m (£20m) of her own money and set to begin classes on Friday. Full Article : independent.co.uk Prescott attacks 'deplorable' Saddam execution scene Posted: Wednesday, January 3, 2007 The manner of Saddam Hussein's execution was "deplorable" and could not be endorsed, the deputy prime minister, John Prescott, said yesterday, breaking the British government's silence over the insults and sectarian chants heard as the former Iraqi leader went to the gallows. Mr Prescott - in charge of the government while Tony Blair is on holiday - admitted that his condemnation of the manner of the hanging would prove controversial. He was speaking on BBC radio after a grainy video of the execution, apparently filmed on a mobile phone, revealed verbal exchanges between Saddam, witnesses and guards, including people chanting the name of the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and telling Saddam to "go to hell". Full Article : guardian.co.uk January 02, 2007 News Posted: Tuesday, January 2, 2007 ¤ Thousands Flock to See Saddam's Grave ¤ Saddam hanged for wrong reason ¤ Saddam was model prisoner, says nurse ¤ Manner of Saddam's execution deplorable, says Prescott ¤ Blundering Into Somalia Yet Again ¤ Saddam execution: Your reaction ¤ Through the bumbling of the U.S.-backed regime, justice becomes revenge ¤ Crowds protest Saddam hanging in Iraq ¤ Saddam's Demise, Like His Rule, Was a Travesty of Justice ¤ The Consequences of Killing Saddam ¤ Enraged Sunnis Protest Saddam Spectacle ¤ Crisis in Nigeria ¤ Pushing the Wedge in Palestine ¤ "Casting Ominous Conjecture on the Whole Success" ¤ Iraq War Lie Detector Test ¤ More fuel on Iraq's spreading flames ¤ How to Start a Civil War ¤ A Lynching... ¤ Dead men tell no tales ¤ The Coverup of Complicity Continues ¤ Those Who Hang Dictators ¤ Somalia: The Split Between Occupants and Puppets ¤ Democracy = Terrorism? ¤ We Hung the Wrong Guy! ¤ Bush Silences a Dangerous Witness ¤ Now it's Time to Hang the Rest of Them. ¤ Invitation to a Hanging Blundering Into Somalia Yet Again Posted: Tuesday, January 2, 2007 Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia under cover of the Christmas holiday was a blatant aggression that is likely to widen the arc of conflict across the dangerously turbulent Horn of Africa. It also marks the opening of a new front in Washington's war against Islamic militants and reformers. Claims by Ethiopia that Somalia, a nation without any real military forces, threatened its border were as fanciful as assertions by Washington and Addis Ababa that the so-called "transitional government" they had installed in the town of Baidoa represented anything more than its own well-paid members. The US-backed and financed Ethiopian offensive was clearly designed to crush the first stable government strife-torn Somalia has had in 15 years of civil war and anarchy. The new Islamic regime, known as the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), recently managed to bring law and order to much of southern and central Somalia. In the north, a secessionist group has proclaimed something called independent "Puntland." Full Article : lewrockwell.com Dead men tell no tales Posted: Tuesday, January 2, 2007 SADDAM HUSSEIN by Eric Margolis SAN FRANCISCO – On my first visit to Iraq in 1976, 'Israeli spies' were being hanged in front of my Baghdad hotel. While covering Iraq just before the 1991 Gulf War, Saddam Hussein's secret police threatened to hang me as an American/Israeli spy. I always considered President Hussein, who was hanged on Friday, a sadistic bully and a loathsome megalomaniac. He liked to call himself 'the Arab Stalin.' But he was no Stalin. Just a horrid Arab dictator. No one can accuse me of sympathy for Saddam or his fellow thugs who terrorized Iraq. But I was thoroughly disgusted and ashamed by the kangaroo court created and stage managed by the US that condemned Saddam. It was a disgraceful farrago of Soviet-style show trial and judicial circus. Washington, which claimed to be bringing the fruits of democracy to the benighted Arab World, put on a sinister legal farce worthy of Saddam's courts. Full Article : ericmargolis.com Bush 'to reveal Iraq troop boost' Posted: Tuesday, January 2, 2007 US President George W Bush intends to reveal a new Iraq strategy within days, the BBC has learnt. The speech will reveal a plan to send more US troops to Iraq to focus on ways of bringing greater security, rather than training Iraqi forces. The move comes with figures from Iraqi ministries suggesting that deaths among civilians are at record highs. Full Article : news.bbc.co.uk Saddam hanged for wrong reason Posted: Tuesday, January 2, 2007 IT was not the Iraqi Government but its American masters that chose to execute Saddam Hussein in a great rush as soon as the first sentence was confirmed, thus cancelling all the other trials on far graver charges that awaited him. The present Iraqi Government had nothing to hide if those trials went ahead; the US Government did. Full Article : bordermail.com.au Saddam execution: Your reaction Posted: Tuesday, January 2, 2007 This was absolutely at the direction of Bush. The timetable of the trial and the major milestones were too coincidental with the US political timetable. And of course getting Saddam out of the way removes the possibility of any awkward questions being asked (and embarrassing answers being given) in trials for his other crimes - such as what involvement western governments had in his regime over the years. How stupid do they think we are?? Full Article : newsforums.bbc.co.uk Iraq govt to probe filming of Saddam hanging Posted: Tuesday, January 2, 2007 The Iraqi government launched an inquiry on Monday into how guards filmed and taunted Saddam Hussein on the gallows, turning his execution into a televised spectacle that has inflamed sectarian anger. Full Article : reuters.com These Lying Brutes The U.S. with the U.S. installed Iraqi puppet government wanted the execution "unofficially" filmed and released publicly with the intent to show Saddam being humiliated then killed. No one could have been "inside" with a camera phone without authorization. The plan could have been to release the camera phone footage, and if it backfired then to claim that it was unauthorized and they would "launch an investigation". In the short term the Bushes got what they wanted out of this exhibition (one less major witness to their crimes against humanity), while the Iraqis would be more fragmented over the humiliation and killing of Saddam, with the added twist of it occurring on the holiest day (Eid al-Adha that marked the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage) of the Muslim year. The spectacle of the hanging backfired and now we will see the fall guys. --Ayinde Saddam was model prisoner, says nurse Posted: Tuesday, January 2, 2007 Saddam Hussein was mostly an uncomplaining prisoner who saved crumbs to feed the birds, watered weeds in the jail compound and believed that cigars were good for his health, according to a military nurse who cared for him in US custody. Master Sergeant Robert Ellis told an American newspaper he had checked Saddam's health twice a day, with orders to do whatever was needed to keep him alive. "That was my job: to keep him alive and healthy, so they could kill him at a later date," he said in an interview with the St Louis Post-Dispatch published on Sunday. Saddam maintained that cigars and coffee kept his blood pressure down. The remedy seemed to work, Sgt Ellis said, and he insisted on the nurse smoking with him. Full Article : guardian.co.uk How Saddam died on the gallows Posted: Monday, January 1, 2007 Camera footage of the final minutes of Saddam Hussein released yesterday shows him being taunted by Shia hangmen and witnesses, a scene that risks increasing sectarian tension in Iraq. As he stood at the gallows, he was tormented by the hooded executioners or witnesses shouting at him to "Go to hell" and chanting the name "Moqtada", the radical Shia Muslim cleric and leader of the Mahdi army militia, Moqtada al-Sadr, and his family. The grainy images, which appeared to have been taken on a mobile phone, disclose exchanges between Saddam and his tormentors, the moment when his body drops through the trapdoor, and his body swinging, eyes partly open and neck bent out of shape. In what Sunni Muslims will perceive as a further insult, the executioners released the trapdoor while the former dictator was in the middle of his prayers. Full Article : guardian.co.uk Rush to Hang Hussein Was Questioned Posted: Monday, January 1, 2007 BAGHDAD, Dec. 31 — With his plain pine coffin strapped into an American military helicopter for a predawn journey across the desert, Saddam Hussein, the executed dictator who built a legend with his defiance of America, completed a turbulent passage into history on Sunday. Like the helicopter trip, just about everything in the 24 hours that began with Mr. Hussein’s being taken to his execution from his cell in an American military detention center in the postmidnight chill of Saturday had a surreal and even cinematic quality. Full Article : nytimes.com US 'licence to snoop' on British air travellers Posted: Monday, January 1, 2007 Britons flying to America could have their credit card and email accounts inspected by the United States authorities following a deal struck by Brussels and Washington. Full Article : telegraph.co.uk |
|
Back to Top |
