Friday, June 23, 2006

Is Bully Boy watching me shower?

Good evening, it's FRIDAY!!!!!! :D Let's kick things off with Democracy Now!

Senate Rejects Iraq Withdrawal
Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, the Senate rejected two separate measures calling for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist: "None of us know for sure exactly how the democratic reform in Iraq will turn out as we stay committed. But, we do know it will fail if it is abandoned prematurely by the United States. Withdrawal is not an option. Surrender is not a solution."Both measures were proposed by Democrats. A proposal calling for a withdrawal without a firm deadline was defeated 60 to 39. Another measure calling for a troop withdrawal by July of next year was defeated by an even wider margin -- 89 to 13. The measure was introduced by Massachusets Senator John Kerry. Speaking on the Senate floor, Kerry argued that a firm timetable is necessary.
Senator John Kerry: "Why on earth would senators come to the floor and argue 'Let's just stay the course and do the same old thing' when our own generals have told us the same old thing is part of the part of the problem? The same old thing is attracting terrorists. The same old thing is losing us allies. The same old thing is costing us unbelievable sums of money and lives unnecessarily."

John Kerry stood strong. So did Russ Feingold. C.I. used a highlight I sent in for "And the war drags on . . ." last night and it was an e-mail from John Kerry noting who voted for the Kerry-Feingold proposal that called for the troops to be home by July 2007:

Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), co-sponsor
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Sen. James Jeffords (I-VT)
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), co-sponsor
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)

That's it (plus Feingold and Kerry for thirteen total). That's shameful. C.I. noted that the American troops fatality count yesterday was 2512. If the illegal war is still going in July of 2007 (I bet it will be), we need to look at the count then and look back at the 2512. That's the number of lives those voting against the measure are willing to sacrifice for an illegal war. In fact, we should actually keep countin until the end of the war. Then go, "Hey, Lieberman, hey, Clinton, hey Harry Reid, are you proud today?"



Secret Bush Admin Program Monitors International Bank Records
The Bush administration has been secretly monitoring thousands of international bank transactions without court-approval. The secret program was enacted shortly after the 9/11 attacks in what government officials say is a crucial weapon in tracking the financing of terrorist activity. The information has been obtained from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, or SWIFT. The organization helps direct trillions of dollars in daily international bank transfers. Officials told the Los Angeles Times the program has been "marginally successful" in tracking the financial activity of al Qaeda. SWIFT executives apparently tried to withdraw from the program after becoming concerned over its legality. The executives were persuaded to continue their cooperation only after the intervention of top government officials, including former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan.

Okay, I gotta tell you, I'm now afraid to change my boxers. With all the other spying the Bully Boy's doing, I'm afraid he's also set up web cams in all our homes to make a little porn money on the side. Like half-way around the world, some woman (or some man) is going to be saying, "Oh, si! Su penga is muy grande!" I hear that so much, in so many languages . . . :D

Seriously, is there anything he's not spying on? I lost my lab notes Tuesday -- if I write up a FOIA request, can the FBI tell me where they are? I mean, come on, is Bully Boy watching me shower? Is there anything he doesn't spy on? He's like a psycho Santa Clause.

Tony passed on John Nichols' "Lieberman Stays the Course With Bush:"

Senator Joe Lieberman has maintained his status as the Bush administration's favorite Democrat.
Lieberman did not merely vote against the proposal by Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold and Massachusetts Democrat John Kerry to get U.S. troops out of Iraq by next year, the Connecticut Democrat also voted against a vaguely-worded proposal by Rhode Island Democrat Jack Reed and Michigan Democrat Carl Levin that urged the Bush administration to start thinking about an exit strategy.
Lieberman was one of just six Democrats who backed the administration's position on both measures. The others were Minnesota's Mark Dayton, who is not seeking reelection this year, and four Democrats who represent Republican-leaning southern and western states: Louisiana's Mary Landrieu, Arkansas's Mark Pryor, Florida's Bill Nelson and Nebraska's Ben Nelson.
Even Republican Lincoln Chafee, who faces an aggressive challenge from a conservative is his party's primary this summer, voted for the Levin-Reed proposal, which called on the president to begin a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq and to submit a long-term exit strategy to Congress.

They're for war and I remember one of the evacuees talking on Democracy Now! about how Peyton and Eli were there for the evacuees, walking around, talking to them, signing autographs,
trying to make people who lost everything feel better. But the evacuee talked about how Mary Landrieu came in at night, while they were trying to sleep, didn't speak to anyone, didn't try to, just shot some footage that will probably be used in a re-election commercial. She's pretty disgusting. Peyton and Eli Manning, in case you don't follow sports.

They're all Liebermans, the Nelsons, Landrieu, and Pryor. When they grow up, they'll be Zell Millers.

C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"

Chaos and violence continue.
The ten day old "crackdown" in Baghdad, which has had little measurable impact on stopping violence, sprouted a new development today: "State of emergency." As Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!) noted this morning, "Earlier today, insurgents set up roadblocks and opened fire on U.S. and Iraqi troops close to the US-run Green Zone." The Associated Press reports this was done as fighting forces seemed intent on breaching "the heavily fortified Green Zone." As Sandra Lupien noted on KPFA's The Morning Show, amidst the violence, US troops "rushed to the area." Current prime minister Nouri al-Maliki has "ordered everyone off the streets" of Baghdad, provided "broader arrest powers" and placed "a ban on carrying weapons."
Iraq last declared a state of emergency (or martial law) in November of 2004 for the entire country (exempting only Kurdish areas in the north).
Then prime minister Iyad Allawi declared it when violence broke out through much of the country as US forces geared up for their attack on/slaughter of Falluja. Current prime minister al-Maliki has declared a state of emergency for Baghdad only. A state of emergency was declared for the city of Basra in May of this year. Euronews notes that the Basra state of emergency "has not deterred militants." Omar al-Ibadi and Haider Salahaddin (Reuters) report that today in Basra a car bomb went off (police say ten killed, hospital says five).
Sam Knight (Times of London) reports that "the 5 million inhabitants of the Iraqi capital [were] given just two hours notice of a curfew" (started at 2:00 pm in Baghdad, as Knight notes, but it was set to end at 5:00 pm and not, as Knight reports, on Saturday -- since Knight filed, al-Maliki shortened the curfew). Knight notes the paper's Baghdad correspondent Ned Parker terming the "extended gun battle . . . just north of the fortified Green Zone" a "free-for-all." Along with gunfire and mortars, Reuters reports that two US troops died today "when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb southeast of Baghdad."
In Hibhib, the Associated Press notes the bombing of a Sunni mosque resulted in at least ten dead and fifteen wounded. Reuters notes two police officers shot to death in Hilla. The AFP reports that five corpses were found in Mishada.
In peace news, Will Hoover (The Honolulu Advertiser) reports on Ehren Watada's refusal to ship to Iraq when his unit left Fort Lewis, Washington yesterday (6:45 am), he refused to board. Ehren's father Bob Watada tells Hoover of the three officers that spent hours on Wednesday trying to convince Ehren to change his mind: "They put the full-court press on him. They were telling him, 'You know, you're facing 10 to 15 years in jail, and do you want to do all of that?'" The Army issued a statement saying that charges wouldn't be filed "until the commander has had a chance to review all of the facts of the case and consult with the Staff Judge Advocate." Gregg K. Kakesako (Honolulu Star-Bulletin) reports that the gag order placed on Watada has been "rescinded . . . allowing Watada to talk to anyone." As Alex Fryer (Seattle Times) notes, "Peace groups around the nation plan a day of protests and vigils in support of Watada on Tuesday." For more information, click here.
Elsewhere, Australia's ABC reports that the Australian government "is playing down reports" of a threat to future trade arrangments with Iraq as a result of Australian troops shooting bodyguards of Abdel Falah al-Sudany (Iraqi Trade Minister) -- one died "at least three others [were] injured." Despite John Howard (prime minister of Australia) continuing to downplay the issue (he won't apologize at present), ABC notes "reports [that] the Iraqi Trade Minister is threatening to ditch all trade deals".
The AFP reports that the United States Senate "unanimously approved a $707 billion defence bill for the next financial year that includes almost $70 billion in funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."
In news of future wars, Col. Dan Smith reports, for CounterPunch, on a little known development from June 20, 2006. As the 2007 Defense Department Appropriations bill was being addressed, Representative Maurice Hinchey attempted to attach the following amendment: "None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to initiate military operations against Iran except in accordance with Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States." Though the amendment was only underscoring the true powers of the U.S. Congress, it failed on a 215/47 vote. Unlike Michael R. Gordon, war pornographer and his "Iran Aiding Shiite Attacks Inside Iraq, General Says" (New York Times), the AFP notes of George W. Casey's allegations against Iran: "The White House and Pentagon have repeatedly accused elements in Tehran of arming Iraqi insurgent groups. But they concede they have no clear proof that the Iranian government is sponsoring the activities."

Be sure to check out Like Maria Said Paz for Elaine's thoughts. (She's over tonight, Ma invited her to dinner.) (With her "fellow" :D) Also check out Wally's "THIS JUST IN! THE WHITE HOUSE THUMBS ITS NOSE AT THE SUPREME COURT!" and Cedric's "White House thumbs its nose at the Supreme Court (Bully Boy Press & Cedric's Big Mix)" -- joint post! joint post! :D
And check out C.I.'s "NYT: Striving for tabloid (again)", "And the war drags on . . . (Indymedia Roundup)", "NYT: Michael Gordon cups war pornography, Zernike plays dumb (it is playing, right?)"; Rebecca's "mccain the pain", Kat's"Bonnie interviewed Sanders Hicks Wednesday" and Cedric's "WBAI's Law and Disorder covered Mumia Abu-Jamal and David Gilbert."

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Now we get to have Spanish and English headlines from Democracy Now! Why? Miguel (who gave me the phrase I used above in Spanish when we were on the phone -- the phrase is about my big cock! :D I asked him to give me something I could turn into a good dick joke) had finished his picks for headlines of the week and they're up at The Common Ills. Maria is taking off the summer off, if anyone's wondering. She's usually grabs it week after week and her classes get into it, arguing over what should be included and what shouldn't. Francisco and Miguel grab weeks here and there but since it's fallen on Maria so much during the school year, they both told her to take some time off this summer and that they'd do the run downs of important headlines.


Irak declara estado de emergencia; mueren más de dos docenas de personas
Miguel: Magia Raúl González y Fernando Torres! Viva de la Copa Mundial! :D Benos noches. Aqui estan diez noticias de "Democracy Now!". Buen fin de semana. Paz.

Irak declara estado de emergencia; mueren más de dos docenas de personas
En Irak, el gobierno declaró un estado de emergencia tras una serie de ataques en Bagdad. Hoy temprano, insurgentes bloquearon las calles y abrieron fuego contra soldados estadounidenses e iraquíes cerca de la Zona Verde controlada por Estados Unidos. En otra parte de la capital iraquí, diez personas murieron y otras quince resultaron heridas en un bombardeo contra una mezquita sunita. Se informaron otras diecinueve muertes en Bagdad. Mientras tanto en Basora, al menos cinco personas murieron y otras quince resultaron heridas, cuando un coche bomba atacó un mercado y una estación de servicio cercana.

Siete infantes de marina y un cabo naval son acusados de asesinar a civil iraquí
Las Fuerzas Armadas estadounidenses acusaron a ocho militares del asesinato y secuestro de un hombre iraquí desarmado. Hashim Ibrahim Awad fue detenido en su casa en abril, en la localidad de Hamdania. Los investigadores militares creen que los infantes de marina le dispararon y luego colocaron una pala y un rifle AK-47 en la escena del crimen, para dar la impresión de que se trataba de un insurgente. Hashim Awad tenía alrededor de 50 años, era cojo y tenía problemas de visión. Su familia dijo que un grupo pequeño de militares estadounidenses les ofreció dinero a cambio de que apoyaran la versión de los infantes de marina sobre el asesinato. Los cargos fueron anunciados el miércoles en el Campo Pendleton de California, donde los soldados están detenidos. Si son condenados, los sospechosos podrían ser sentenciados a la pena de muerte.
El portavoz del Cuerpo de Infantes de Marina, el coronel Stewart Navarre, dijo: "Es importante destacar que los cargos son acusaciones contra el individuo, y el acusado es considerado inocente. Todos los infantes de marina están formados en la ley del conflicto armado, y se espera que cumplan rigurosamente con ella. El Cuerpo de Infantes de Marina toma las acusaciones de delitos contra sus miembros muy en serio, y se compromete a investigar a fondo este tipo de acusaciones".

Estados Unidos acusado de matar a civiles iraquíes en Baquba
Las Fuerzas Armadas estadounidenses están siendo acusadas de cometer una nueva masacre de civiles iraquíes. El martes, testigos, familiares y un parlamentario sunita dijeron que soldados estadounidenses mataron a un grupo de civiles cerca de la localidad de Baquba. Un trabajador por los derechos humanos iraquí dijo que dos de las personas que murieron eran niños de 10 y 12 años de edad. En una declaración, las Fuerzas Armadas estadounidenses afirmaron que habían matado a quince "terroristas", y habían incautado sus armas. Sin embargo, un oficial de la policía iraquí le dijo al "Washington Post" que no se encontraron armas en el lugar donde se produjo el ataque.

Se acusa a soldados estadounidenses de asesinar a detenidos iraquíes
Tres soldados estadounidenses fueron acusados con relación al asesinato de tres detenidos iraquíes que tuvo lugar el mes pasado en la localidad del Canal de Thar Thar. Los soldados, todos miembros de la 101º División Aérea, presuntamente detuvieron a los tres iraquíes durante una redada a una antigua fábrica química. Luego, los soldados le permitieron a los iraquíes que huyeran, para así tener una excusa para dispararles. Estos hombres también están acusados de amenazar con matar a otro soldado si cooperaba con los investigadores.

El Senado rechaza propuestas de retirada de Irak
Mientras tanto en Capitol Hill, el Senado rechazó dos medidas distintas que solicitaban la retirada de los soldados estadounidenses de Irak.
El líder de la mayoría del Senado, Bill Frist, dijo: "Ninguno de nosotros sabe con certeza que pasará exactamente con la reforma democrática en Irak mientras estamos comprometidos con ella. Pero sí sabemos que fracasará si Estados Unidos la abandonada prematuramente. La retirada no es una opción. Rendirse no es la solución".
Las dos medidas fueron propuestas por demócratas. Una propuesta que pedía la retirada -pero no establecía una fecha exacta- fue rechazada por 60 votos en contra y 39 a favor. Otra medida que establecía que los soldados debían retirarse antes de julio del año que viene fue rechazada por un margen aún más amplio: 89 votos en contra y trece a favor. Esta medida fue presentada por el senador de Massachussets John Kerry. Kerry habló en el Senado, y dijo que es necesario establecer una fecha exacta para la retirada.
El senador Kerry dijo: "¿Por qué razón los senadores vendrían al Senado y argumentarían "sigamos como hasta ahora y hagamos lo mismo de siempre", cuando nuestros propios generales nos han dicho que seguir haciendo lo mismo de siempre es parte del problema? Hacer lo mismo de siempre atrae a los terroristas. Lo mismo de siempre está haciendo que perdamos aliados. Lo mismo de siempre nos está costando innecesariamente grandes sumas de dinero y vidas".

Japón retirará sus soldados de Irak
La llamada "coalición de la buena voluntad" en Irak continúa reduciéndose. El Primer Ministro japonés anunció planes de retirar a sus 600 soldados de Irak en las próximas semanas. A su vez, Italia dijo que retirará a sus soldados antes de fin de año. España, los Países Bajos, Ucrania, Nicaragua, Filipinas y Honduras ya se retiraron. Una vez que los soldados italianos se hayan ido, Gran Bretaña y Corea del Sur serán los únicos países, además de Estados Unidos, en tener más de mil soldados en Irak.

Programa secreto del gobierno de Bush vigila registros bancarios internacionales
El gobierno de Bush ha estado vigilando secretamente miles de transacciones bancarias internacionales sin órdenes judiciales. El programa secreto fue implementado poco después de los atentados del 11 de septiembre, y los funcionarios del gobierno dicen que es un arma crucial para rastrear la financiación de la actividad terrorista. La información fue obtenida de la Sociedad Internacional para las Telecomunicaciones Financieras Interbancarias (SWIFT, por sus siglas en inglés). La organización ayuda a dirigir billones de dólares diariamente en transferencias bancarias internacionales. Funcionarios le dijeron a "Los Angeles Times" que el programa ha tenido "poco éxito" en rastrear la actividad financiera de Al Qaeda. Los ejecutivos de SWIFT aparentemente intentaron retirarse del programa cuando comenzaron a preocuparse por la legitimidad del mismo. Sin embargo, los ejecutivos fueron persuadidos para que continuaran cooperando, pero sólo tras la intervención de altos funcionarios del gobierno (entre los que se encontraba el ex presidente de la Reserva Federal, Alan Greenspan).

Nueva política sobre privacidad de AT&T afirma que la empresa es poseedora de la información sobre sus clientes
En otras noticias, AT&T introdujo una nueva política que afirma que la empresa es poseedora de la información de cuenta de los clientes, y puede compartirla con agencias del gobierno. De acuerdo a esta nueva política, AT&T recogerá los nombres de usuario de los clientes, contraseñas, gastos, pagos, y compras en línea. Asimismo, rastreará la actividad de los clientes mientras se encuentren en sitios de Internet en los que AT&T posee una sociedad con Yahoo. Los cambios surgen mientras AT&T se encuentra en medio de una demanda llevada a cabo por la Electronic Frontier Foundation (Fundación de la Frontera Electrónica) sobre la participación de la empresa en el programa de espionaje de la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional (NSA, por sus siglas en inglés).

Miles de personas protestan visita de Bush en Austria
En Austria, al menos 15.000 personas se congregaron el miércoles en Viena para protestar contra la visita del Presidente Bush. El Presidente viajó a Austria para llevar a cabo negociaciones con líderes de la Unión Europea. Un grupo de manifestantes vistió trajes de salto naranjas similares a los que usan los detenidos en la prisión estadounidense de la Bahía de Guantánamo. Los líderes europeos aprovecharon la reunión para pedir el cierre de la prisión.
Un manifestante no identificado dijo: "No nos agrada Bush. No aceptamos a Bush, Bush sólo es un asesino, un homicida, no tiene una política, simplemente mata a personas por sus intereses, por intereses económicos, principalmente por petróleo, todos saben eso".

El Senado rechaza aumento de salario mínimo
Esta noticia es de Estados Unidos. El Senado rechazó el miércoles una medida que habría aumentado el salario mínimo por primera vez en casi una década. La propuesta establecía un aumento del 40% del salario actual de 5 dólares y 15 centavos la hora. Un estudio dado a conocer esta semana por el Instituto de Política Económica y el Centro sobre Presupuesto y Prioridades Políticas (CBPP, por sus siglas en inglés) dice que el valor real del dólar del salario mínimo está ahora en su nivel más bajo en más de quince años. Pero el Congreso no rechazó todos los aumentos de remuneraciones federales: la semana pasada, los legisladores de la Cámara de Representantes decidieron mediante una votación aumentar sus salarios a más de 3.000 dólares. Este fue el séptimo aumento consecutivo de sus salarios.

Miguel: Are you following the World Cup? Good evening. Here are ten news headlines from this week's Democracy Now! Peace.

Iraq Declares State of Emergency; More Than 2 Dozen Killed
In Iraq, the government has declared a state of state of emergency following a series of attacks in Baghdad. Earlier today, insurgents set up roadblocks and opened fire on U.S. and Iraqi troops close to the US-run Green Zone. Elsewhere in the Iraqi capital, 10 people were killed and 15 wounded in a bombing of a Sunni mosque. Another 19 deaths were reported around Baghdad. Meanwhile in Basra, at least five people were killed and fifteen wounded when a car bombing struck a market and a nearby gas station.

7 Marines, Naval Corporal Charged With Murdering Iraqi Civilian
The US military has charged eight service members with the murder and kidnapping of an unarmed Iraqi. Hashim Ibrahim Awad was pulled from his home last April in the town of Hamdania. Military investigators believe the Marines shot him and then planted a shovel and an AK-47 rifle at the scene to make it appear he was an insurgent. Awad was in his 50's with a lame leg and bad eyesight. His family has alleged a small group of U.S. servicemembers offered them money in exchange for supporting the Marines' version of the killing. The charges were announced Wednesday at California's Camp Pendleton, where the servicemembers are being held. If convicted, the suspects could face the death penalty.
Marine spokesperson Colonel Stewart Navarre: "It is important to note that the charges are accusations, against the individual, and the accused is presumed innocent. All marines are trained in the law of armed conflict, and are expected to fully comply with it. The marine corps takes allegations of wrongdoings by its members very seriously, and is committed to thoroughly investigating such allegations."

US Accused of Killing Iraqi Civilians in Baquba
The US military is being accused of committing a new massacre of Iraqi civilians. On Tuesday, witnesses, family members and a Sunni parliamentarian said US troops killed a group of civilians near the town of Baquba. An Iraqi human rights worker said two of the dead were young boys aged ten and twelve. In a statement, the US military claimed it killed 15 "terrorists" and had captured their weapons. But an Iraqi police officer told the Washington Post no weapons were found at the scene of the attack.

U.S. Soldiers Charged With Murdering Iraqi Detainees
Three U.S. soldiers have been charged in connection with the killing of three Iraqi detainees last month in the town of Thar Thar Canal. The soldiers -- all members of the 101st Airborne Division -- reportedly detained the Iraqis during a raid on a former chemical factory. Then the soldiers allowed the Iraqis to flee the scene so they would have an excuse to shoot them. The men are also accused of threatening to kill another soldier if he assisted investigators.

Senate Rejects Iraq Withdrawal
Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, the Senate rejected two separate measures calling for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist: "None of us know for sure exactly how the democratic reform in Iraq will turn out as we stay committed. But, we do know it will fail if it is abandoned prematurely by the United States. Withdrawal is not an option. Surrender is not a solution."
Both measures were proposed by Democrats. A proposal calling for a withdrawal without a firm deadline was defeated 60 to 39. Another measure calling for a troop withdrawal by July of next year was defeated by an even wider margin -- 89 to 13. The measure was introduced by Massachusets Senator John Kerry. Speaking on the Senate floor, Kerry argued that a firm timetable is necessary.
Senator John Kerry: "Why on earth would senators come to the floor and argue 'Let's just stay the course and do the same old thing' when our own generals have told us the same old thing is part of the part of the problem? The same old thing is attracting terrorists. The same old thing is losing us allies. The same old thing is costing us unbelievable sums of money and lives unnecessarily."

Japan To Withdraw Troops From Iraq
The so-called coalition of the willing in Iraq is continuing to shrink. The Japanese prime minister has announced plans to pull its six hundred troops out of Iraq within weeks. Italy has already said it will remove its troops by year’s end. Spain, The Netherlands, Ukraine, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Honduras have already pulled out. Once the Italian troops leave, Britain and South Korea will be the only nations besides the United States to have more than one thousand troops in Iraq.

Secret Bush Admin Program Monitors International Bank Records
The Bush administration has been secretly monitoring thousands of international bank transactions without court-approval. The secret program was enacted shortly after the 9/11 attacks in what government officials say is a crucial weapon in tracking the financing of terrorist activity. The information has been obtained from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, or SWIFT. The organization helps direct trillions of dollars in daily international bank transfers. Officials told the Los Angeles Times the program has been “marginally successful” in tracking the financial activity of al Qaeda. SWIFT executives apparently tried to withdraw from the program after becoming concerned over its legality. The executives were persuaded to continue their cooperation only after the intervention of top government officials, including former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan.

AT&T's New Privacy Policy Says It Owns Costumers' Info
In privacy news, AT&T has introduced a new policy that says the company owns customers' account information and can share it with government agencies. Under the new policy, AT&T will collect customers' user names, passwords, charges, payments, and online purchases. It will also track their activity while on sites that AT&T operates in a partnership with Yahoo. The changes come as AT&T is embroiled in a lawsuit brought by the Electronic Frontier Foundation over the company’s involvement in the NSA spy program.

Thousands Protest Bush in Austria
In Austria, at least 15,000 people gathered in Vienna Wednesday to protest the visit of President Bush. The President is in Austria for talks with European Union leaders. A group of protesters wore orange jump suits similar to those worn by detainees at the US prison at Guantanamo Bay. European leaders have used the meeting to call for Guantanamo's closure.Unidentified protester: "We don't like Bush. We don't accept Bush, Bush is just a killer, a murdere, he doesn't make policy, he is just killing people for his interests, for economic interests, it's mainly for oil, everybody knows it."

Senate Rejects Minimum Wage Increase
Back in the United States, the Senate rejected a measure Wednesday that would have raised the minimum wage for the first time in nearly a decade. The proposal called for a 40 percent increase from the current wage of Five Dollars and Fifteen cents an hour. A study released this week by the Economic Policy Institute and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says the real-dollar value of the minimum wage is now at its lowest level in more than fifty years. But Congress has not rejected all federal pay hikes: last week, House lawmakers voted to increase their salaries by more than Three Thousand Dollars. It was their seventh straight pay raise.
Posted by at

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Law and Disorder on tasers

Good evening. I'm teaming up with Cedric tonight so be sure and check out Cedric's Big Mix for his thoughts on the headlines. (Elaine's off on Thursdays.) Let's kick things off with Democracy Now!

7 Marines, Naval Corporal Charged With Murdering Iraqi Civilian
The US military has charged eight service members with the murder and kidnapping of an unarmed Iraqi. Hashim Ibrahim Awad was pulled from his home last April in the town of Hamdania. Military investigators believe the Marines shot him and then planted a shovel and an AK-47 rifle at the scene to make it appear he was an insurgent. Awad was in his 50's with a lame leg and bad eyesight. His family has alleged a small group of U.S. servicemembers offered them money in exchange for supporting the Marines' version of the killing. The charges were announced Wednesday at California's Camp Pendleton, where the servicemembers are being held. If convicted, the suspects could face the death penalty.
Marine spokesperson Colonel Stewart Navarre: "It is important to note that the charges are accusations, against the individual, and the accused is presumed innocent. All marines are trained in the law of armed conflict, and are expected to fully comply with it. The marine corps takes allegations of wrongdoings by its members very seriously, and is committed to thoroughly investigating such allegations."


So presumed innocent that the paper of no record (New York Times) didn't front page the story. I don't know, seems pretty damn important to me. If I'm remembering C.I.'s past "Iraq snapshots" right, NBC may have broken this story. I know a woman at Knight Ridder did strong work on it. So maybe this is all about the paper not being able to put in one of those self-stroking sentences they loves like "As the New York Times reported last month . . ."? But it's inside the paper. Not on the front page. Not important for them to front page.

A case where troops are charged (not investigated now, this is charges) with killing an innocent Iraqi and then trying to cover it up by planting items to make it look like he was an "insurgent."
And it's not big news?

I love how the military flack says, "Remember, innocent until proven guilty." That's a laugh coming from the military flack considering that the same principle doesn't apply at the military base on Guantanamo.

Senate Rejects Minimum Wage Increase
Back in the United States, the Senate rejected a measure Wednesday that would have raised the minimum wage for the first time in nearly a decade. The proposal called for a 40 percent increase from the current wage of Five Dollars and Fifteen cents an hour. A study released this week by the Economic Policy Institute and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says the real-dollar value of the minimum wage is now at its lowest level in more than fifty years. But Congress has not rejected all federal pay hikes: last week, House lawmakers voted to increase their salaries by more than Three Thousand Dollars. It was their seventh straight pay raise.

Must be nice to give yourself a raise. Congress gets seven pay raises in a row. Minimum wage has to settle for once in a decade. Who do you think needs it more? Workers working like slaves for $5.15 an hour or Congress members who already have a health insurance policy that should be the envy of all the rest of us. I think they should have to give that up. If the people can't have it, their elected representatives shouldn't either. It's not like they'd be hurting, they could just vote themselves another raise to cover the health care costs.

C.I. paired this up with a paragraph from page 100 of Antonia Juhasz' The Bush Agenda: Invading The World, One Economy at a Time (page 100):

Just compare CEO pay to that of the average worker. Twenty years ago, U.S. corporate CEOs earned on average forty-two times more than production workers. Today, they earn a whopping 431 times more. Put another way, if the average production worker's pay had kept pace with that of CEOs, he or she would be taking home more than $110,000 a year instead of less than $28,000. Likewsie, the average minimum wage earner would be taking home over $23 an hour instead of $5.15. Imagine what one could do with an extra $18 an hour -- perhaps afford a better place to live, child care during work hours, or health insurance for the entire family.


You get that? When your paper (the Times, the Boston Globe, whatever) does a front page fluff about how the economy is better or it's still growing or whatever nonsense, you need to realize where that "growth" is going. It's not going to you and me. It's going to the people who need it the least.

It reminded me of Greg Palast's Armed Madhouse. He's talking about the idiot Thomas Friedman and his attacks on the French and what he calls "European socialism" (pages 154- 155):

And thus, Friedman concludes, China will snuff the torch of "European socialism." It's simple arithmetic, according to Friedman. Europeans can't "preserve a 35-hour workweek in a world where Indian engineers are ready to work a 35-hour day."
What he need not add is that if a 35-hour week is a frivolous luxury for the French, then the 40-hour week in U.S. law is hardly less extravagant. Luckily for us, it too will soon go. (See "The Grinch That Stole Overtime" in Chapter 5.)
Just as Europe's 35-hour week cannot survive global competition, and America's 40-hour week cannot survive, neither can India maintain a 50-hour week. The very month that Friedman's The World Is Flat hit the bestseller list, India's government lifted the limits on the workweek in textile sweatshops from 50 hours a week to 60.

Monday on WBAI's Law and Disorder, the second segment (the one I'm grabbing) was an interview Dalia Hasshad did with Mona Cadena who is an expert on Tasers and with Amnesty International.

Mona described a circle shock, a group of people hold hands and the shock gets sent through them. "What happens is the entire circle immediately falls to the ground," Mona said. She talked about being five-feet tall, standing with a group of "big, giant police officers" and how they all crumbled "just like that." The normal time length for the shock is five seconds and what was done in the group shock didn't even last that long.

A man was shot multiple times, in Portland, and died. "Tasers are really billed as an alternative to deadly force" and they're put on the street that way by a lot of police departments. "They'er not used as an alternative to deadly force . . . We're seeing them being used on senior citizens, on young children," on people who don't go along with a verbal command and "we're also seeing them being used in the dry-stun mode" applied right against the person's skin.

Dalia talked about a 92 y.o. man with a cane and Alzheimers was shocked repeatedly. "If you will use a taser on a 92 year old man you clearly have the sense that this is a harmless weapon.
A 92 year old man using a cane cannot really harm someone very seriously. You could just,
a healthy polic ofic can just reach out and grab the cane from that person. I think the taser was seen as a shortcut and that's what concerns me, it's a short cut to law enforcement that people don't understand how serious the consequences can be."

She made the point that "when older people fall, break bones, break hips, that could be something that kills them." Then Mona talked about how a kid stole a salad at Chuckee Cheese and police tasered him. Dalia thinks (I agree) that there needs to be a real study, a comprehensive study. Mona said that all the studies she knows about use data given to them by the makers of Tasers so there's not any independent studies.

Cedric's got the third segment. Right between them, there was a song. I didn't get to hear it because there was a community announcement. Ruth missed it to but I played the tape recording for her and from the little bit we got to hear, she says it's "Feeling Alright" and she'd guess it was Paul Weller. (Who? Ruth says he was in the Replacements in the eighties. I go, "I'm impressed!" She goes, "Mike I have kids and grandkids!" I'm still impressed. She's so cool.)


Here's C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"


Chaos and violence continue in Iraq. Elsewhere some merely strike poses.
In the United States, the Senate has said "NO!" to US forces leaving Iraq by July 2007. As the so-called coalition continues to break apart with other nations deciding to pull their troops out of Iraq, one might think the issue would garner a serious debate. Always one to posture, John McCain (Senator from Arizona) declared: "The United States, with our Iraqi partners, has the responsibility to see this through" apparently auditioning for the role of passenger on the Titanic. Russ Feingold (Senator from Wisconsin) stated: "It is time to tell the Iraqis that we have done what we can do militarily." Instead of addressing that reality, most preferred to posture; however, 13 senators did vote in favor of the proposal John Kerry and Feingold were supporting (troops out by July 2007). The other (weaker and, as Sandra Lupien noted on KPFA's The Morning Show, "nonbinding") proposal much supported by Democratic Party hacks such as DiFi and Harry Reid? It lost in a 60-39 vote. In Vienna, the Bully Boy faced questions about Iraq. "What's past is past," declared the Bully Boy on the issue of Iraq. What's past? How about what's passed? The 2500 mark for American military fatalities. As Amy Goodman noted today on Democracy Now!, 2512 is the current fatality count.
While the United States Congress can't say "Withdrawal" and the Bully Boy can't even toss out a phrase correctly (it is: "What's done is done."), it's not suprising that it has become increasing harder for US military recruiters to meet the needed recruitment numbers. As the UK's Daily Mail notes, the U.S. Army's decision to raise the maximum age for recruitment, to forty-two, is the second time this year that the military has raised the age. In January, the maxium age was raised from 35 years-old to 40. Why the Army? As Reuters notes: "More than three years into the war, the Army continues to provide the bulk of U.S. ground forces in Iraq." Which is why military recruiters, when not stalking school campuses, attempt to recruit at NASCAR events.
Speaking to Fluxview, for their AWOL in Canada series, Christopher Mogwai noted that, "In the Vietnam era they didn't kick you out for drugs, now they do" so some choose any number of means to leave the service. Fluxview also interviews war resistors Darrell Anderson and Ryan Johnson.
Noting the charging of "eight US troops with kidnapping and murdering a handicapped Iraqi civilian," Demetri Sevastolulo and Neil Buckley (Financial Times of London) note that the speaker of the Iraqi parliment is asking "the US to investigate the killings of 'many innocent people' by American forces." According to CNN, Masmoud al-Mashhadani is specifically calling for "an investigation . . . into this week's U.S. bombing of a poultry farm in northern Iraq." This is the incident Amy Goodman noted yesterday where a human rights worker states that "two of the dead were young boys aged ten and twelve." As Al Jazeera noted: "The Association of Muslim Scholars said US warplanes bombed a house and a poultry farm in al-Bushahin village in northeast Baquba, then dropped soldiers to kill the survivors of the attack."
In Baghdad today, CNN notes a car bomb went off by a movie theater and two people were killed, five wounded. Reuters notes a motorcycle bombing, in Baghdad, which resulted in two dead and eight injured.
In Baquba, Reuters reports that Raad al-Mowla was wounded in a roadside bomb (al-Mowla is the governor of the Diyala province). The Associated Press notes a bomb in Jibla that resulted in the death of an unidentified civilian and an "Iraqi army solider." As Amy Goodman noted this morning, "at least fifty of the more than eighty [kidnapped] workers have been released or freed."
Reuters notes the discovery of 14 corpses of electricity plant workers who were "abducted and killed June 12". Associated Press notes that six corpses ("bullet-riddled bodies") were found in Kut. In Najaf, a police officer was shot dead, Reuters notes, and, in Dhuluiya, an Iraqi soldier was shot dead. Like the US Congress, John Howard (prime minister of Australia) plays baby Bully Boy and speaks of how things might get even riskier for Australians stationed in Iraq, Australia's ABC reports Labor leader Kim Beazley's response in Parliment: "Iraq is a quagmire and staying htere is not in our national interest. Make no mistake about it, we are opposed to the war in Iraq, we want these troops in Al Muthanna province home now."
While Japan used the Iraq government's decision to take over responsiblity for the Al Muthanna province as a sign to withdraw troops, Howard has decided to move Australian troops to other areas in Iraq. Though of little concern to the mainstream US press, the shooting by Australian security guards yesterday of three Iraqi bodyguards (one dead, two wounded) for Iraq Trade Minister Abdel Falah al-Sudany has resulted in an expression of regret from the Australian Defense Force and, today, has led al-Sudany to issue a statement that he "demands an apology and payment of compsenation." Reuters notes: "The incident could potentially embarrass Australia, which has been trying to imrpove trade ties with Iraq after Iraq suspended dealings with Australia's monopoly wheat exporter AWB over a kickbacks scandal."
Besides trade deals being put at risk (remember, it's the markets), Labor and Green reps in Australia says that the incident is another reason Australia needs to withdraw troops from Iraq. Kim Bezley stated, "The point is this: we shouldn't be there." Bob Brown, Greens leader, stated: "It should send a signal to this Prime Minister, who just does not seem to connect that we should be bringing the troops home. They shouldn't have been there, they should be brought home."
Speaking to Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzales on Democracy Now! today, Italian journalist Giulana Sgrena discussed the details of her kidnapping in Iraq as well as the details of the rescue that went wrong when US troops fired on her vehicle as it was enroute to the airport. During the interview, Sgrena stated: "So there are many things that we don't know and we would like to know. I don't want to accuse Mario Lozano to know who was in the car and to shoot because he knew that there, there were agents and me. But we want the prosecution just to know, to have more information of what happened, because we gave the information to the commander, the Italian one that was in touch with the American one in the airport, that we were on this road to the airport. And we know that they were monitoring the telephone that we used in the car, the Americans, and they were monitoring the mobile telephone on the satellite." Remember that: Sgrena will be in New York City Friday June 23rd for an event with Amy Goodman at Columbia University. (Event starts at 7:30 p.m.)


























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Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Rush post



Go here and you'll find out about Ehren Watada and how you can help. If we're paying attention and being vocal, we can make a difference. He's standing up and saying, "The war is illegal and I won't serve." If you agree with him what are you doing to make sure people know you do? Are you even talking about him to your friends?

I saw the photo up at The Common Ills and clicked on and it took me to PDF. I thought, "Man, I wish I could do e-mail posts!" I called Ava to whine to her (she was doing tags for the entry C.I. posted) and she said, "Mike, Mike. Hold on. Call UK Computer Gurus, they can tell you how to put the photo up." I always feel like the biggest idiot and bother when I call them (though all three guys are always helpful). I told her that and she said hang up and call C.I.'s cell right then because everyone was leaving for the airport when C.I. phoned her. So I called and C.I. goes, "Can you get a jpeg address from the photo?" I looked and I could but if I clicked, I got that PDF document. C.I. goes, "Forget PDF. Listen now because I only have a few seconds." And then C.I. told me how I could put it up. Then I go to do it and want it huge as can be to get attention for it and you can't read the thing. Elaine's the one who suggested trying to make it small. She played with it this evening and by making it small, you can see it a lot more clearly.

So show your support for Watada. If you're like me and think Camilo Mejia is a cool dude and wish he'd gotten a better break than he did, well do something this time. In three years, let's not all be sitting around going, "Man, I wish I'd done something to show my support for Watada." Do it.

US Accused of Killing Iraqi Civilians in Baquba
The US military is being accused of committing a new massacre of Iraqi civilians. On Tuesday, witnesses, family members and a Sunni parliamentarian said US troops killed a group of civilians near the town of Baquba. An Iraqi human rights worker said two of the dead were young boys aged ten and twelve. In a statement, the US military claimed it killed 15 "terrorists" and had captured their weapons. But an Iraqi police officer told the Washington Post no weapons were found at the scene of the attack.

It's not ending, is it? Not the war this year and not the killing. People are responsible for their own actions and that means anyone killing civilians. But there's another responsibility and that's the one of those people who planned and continue the illegal war.

Disarmament Protesters Arrested After Infiltrating Silo Site
In North Dakota, a Catholic priest and two military veterans were arrested Tuesday for infiltrating a missile silo site. The men were able to break the locks on the site using sledgehammers and hammers. They painted the word "disarm" on a silo lid and poured some of their own blood. The men call themselves "Weapon of Mass Destruction Here Plowshares." In a statement posted on their website JonahHouse.org, then men said: "We have chosen to start the process of transformation and disarmament by hammering on and pouring our blood on components of the Minuteman Three nuclear missile system. We believe that the concrete that goes into making missile silos would be better used for building homes."

Me and Wally just discovered a song a few months back that probably everybody else in the world (our age) already knew and when I heard this on the radio today, I thought about the song. "Disarm you with a smile . . ." It's Smashing Pumpkins "Disarm." "Killer in me is the killer in you . . ." I love that song. Elaine said we should both listen to some of "Today" and if we like it the CD's called Siamese Dream. Elaine said it made her think of Melanie's "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" and I told Dad that and he had to dig out his vinyl copy and start playing it. :D

I'm rushing because Nina and I have to hurry (we're going to a movie, just to go, don't even know what we'll see).

Here's C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"

As chaos and violence continues on the ground in Iraq, posturing by those far from the daily violence.
Following yesterday's official statement that Japan would withdraw troops from Iraq by the end of this year, Australia's ABC reports that Brendan Nelson, Defense Minister in Australia, states that "he expects the Government will rethink Australia's troop commitment to Iraq at the end of the year." Australi currently has 460 troops in Iraq. As Amy Goodman noted yesterday on Democracy Now!, if announced departures take place, only England, South Korea and the United States will "have more than one thousand troops in Iraq." The AFP reports: "British Prime Minister Tony Blair has again insisted that his country's [7,200] troops will remain in Iraq depite widespread daily sectarian violence there."
Meanwhile Demetri Sevastopulo and Guy Dinmore (Financial Times of London) report that the US administration is attempting "to distance itself from remarks by the Iraqi national security adviser that he envisaged a significant reduction in US troops in the country this year with most leaving next year." Mowaffak al-Rubbaie, Iraq's national security adviser, remarks were that American troops stationed in Iraq would number less than 100,000 the end of the year and that "most of the remaining troops" would "return home by the end of the year". al-Rubbaie's remarks are in keeping with those of Iraq's president and vice-present. As Democracy Now! noted last week, while the Bully Boy was staging his photo-op in the Green Zone of Baghdad, Tariq al-Hashia "asked the US for a timeline for the withdrawal of foreign troops." The AFP reports that Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has stated other foreign countries should echo Japan's decision and leave Iraq: "The withdrawal of Japanese troops is a good step and I hope that all countries with occupation forces in Iraq would follow suit in a quick and organised way that would not hurt the Iraqi people."
Meanwhile in the United States, the Senate continues to play with debating Iraq. The Associated Press notes Carl Levin saying of the plan (that he co-sponsored with Jack Reed), "It does not set a fixed timetable or an arbitrary deadline for the redeployment of our troops." No it doesn't. Nor is it in any way binding. It is posturing.
In the real world, Thom Shanker (New York Times) reports that the Pentagon will be shipping 21,000 American troops over to Iraq and that this will "keep the American presence at current levels into next year" with what's being seen as: "American troops in Iraq would be replaced on a one-for-one basis for now."
Meanwhile Julian E. Barnes and Tony Perry (Los Angelse Times) report that the investigation into the Haditha incident (where 24 Iraqis were slaughtered) argues that the various self-reports should have raised "red flags" beginning with "senior military officers in western Iraq". The reporters quote from the (unreleased) Bargewell report: "No follow-up actions regarding the civilian casualties were deemed necessary by the senior leadership of MNF-West. Initial reports of K Company and its subordinate units were untimely, inaccurate and incomplete. They were conflicted, poorly vetted and forgotten once transmitted." Noting this reporting on KPFA's The Morning Show , Brian Edwards-Tiekert summarized that there was no follow up by senior military personell.*
This as Hector Becerra and Scott Gold (Los Angeles Times) report on another investigation. In June 2004, US troops Patrick R. McCaffrey Sr. and Lt. Andre D. Tyson were killed near Balad. Becerra and Gold report that military spokesperson Paul Boyce "confirmed late Tuesday that a military investigation had found that the two California soldiers were killed by Iraqi security forces." The reporters quote Patrick's mother Nadia McCaffrey: "He was killed by the Iraqis that he was training. People in this country need to know that."
A follow up on another incident is expected to lead to charges being announced shortly. This is the investigation into the April 26th death of Hashim Ibrahim Awad (as identified by Nancy A Youssef, writing for Knight Ridder, in the first week of June). CBS and the AP are reporting that "seven Marines and one sailor" are expected to be charged "with murder in connection" with the death of Hashim Ibrahim Awad. Youssef reported the family's version: "U.S. Marines took him from his home in the middle of the night and killed him. The Marines then used an AK-47 assault rifle and a shovel taken from another home to make him look like a terrorist."
Along with those investigations, Italian prosecutors in Rome are attempting to try US national guard Mario Lozana in the death of Nicola Calipari. As noted by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now!: "Calipari was escorting Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena after she had been released by kidnappers. U.S. troops opened fire on their car killing Calipari and injuring Sgrena. . . . Tune in to Democracy Now on Thursday when Giuliana Sgrena joins us in the Firehouse studio." Also remember that: Sgrena will be in New York City Friday June 23rd for an event with Amy Goodman at Columbia University. (Event starts at 7:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Sabrina Tavernise (New York Times) reported on another incident in which three American troops had been charged with premeditated murder as well as threatening another American soldier. The BBC identifies the soldier threatened: "Army Pfc Bradley Mason [who was told] that they would kill him if he testified against them."
North of Baghdad, the BBC reports a that "at least 80 factory workers from a fleet of buses" have been kidnapped. AP goes with "about 85 workers."
In Baghdad, three "bodyguards of the Iraqi Trade Minister" were shot by "Australian security guards . . . mistakenly," Australia's ABC reports -- adding that: "The incident could potentially embarrass the Australian Government, which has been trying to improve trade ties with Iraq".
Kidnappings? Police tell Reuters that "three relatives of the deputy governor of Salaheddin province" were kidnapped Tuesday. CBS and the AP note that the Mujahedeen Shura Council, which has claimed to have four Russian diplomats who were kidnapped at the start of this month, has announced that they will kill the four.
Bombings?
CBS and the AP note a car bomb, in Baghdad, killed "at least three people" with eight wounded. Reuters notes another car bomb that killed two and wounded six.
*Thanks to Kat for passing on the Brian Edwards-Tiekert item.

Check out Like Maria Said Paz for Elaine's thoughts. Tomorrow, Cedric and I are grabbing DN! items and also both doing our segments of WBAI's Law and Disorder.





















Posted by at

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Iraq, Watada, Rebecca and Dave Zirin

I was planning on starting with a photo scan that's on some community sites but I'll do that tomorrow. My favorite professor stopped me on campus today and he was mad. At first, I thought he was mad at me. That wasn't it. As most people know, C.I.'s documented "war porn" and "war pornography" (while a lot of others jerked off on other things). He had a thing in his hand, a print out that used "war porn" and used it wrong. He was furious. Photos of the dead, taken for whatever reason, are reality. They are not porn. It may be a horrible event captured. It's not war porn. We should see those photos, calling it "war porn" won't help that. War porn is selling the war, getting people excited about it, talks of "strategy." "War porn" is anything that gets you excited about war, teases you back into the fold. "Oh my God! Oh my God! It's winnable!"

If someone wants to steal, like my prof pointed out, let 'em steal. But get it right.

Why does it matter?

You call photos taken by journalists or soldiers of tragedies (taken for whatever reason) "war porn" then you've labled them "porn" and you're giving one more excuse not to show them, not to print them. They aren't porn. They are reality. The person writing the thing (and using the term wrong) thinks the photos should be seen. We agree on that, they should be. But calling them "porn" doesn't help that happen.

They're reality. They should be on the front page of every newspaper.

I don't have my favorite prof this summer. I'm signed up for the fall. But a guy brought that thing into class and said, "He's writing about 'war porn' but I don't think he gets it." He doesn't get it. Photos of the destruction and death aren't porn. Porn is the jerking off that the fluffers do where they won't say what they think of the war because 'we're already over there' and it's a 'policy decision' but they'll waste everyone's time with one article after another on failed 'strategy.' By their argument, what does their strategy matter? Just as we're already over there, haven't we already done what's done? So if you can't address the issue of HOW we got over there because we're over there now, why are you addressing the WAYS you think it could have been fought from the beginning since it WAS NOT fought that way? That's war porn. Look up Michael R. Gordon in the dictionary and he's probably there with: "War pornographer. One who spins and fluffs. One who justifies the slaughter of people at a TV station -- civilian target -- and then, later on, tries to act like he didn't do that because the war's not so popular. So now he wants to talk about what the strategy could have been or should have been THREE YEARS AGO but will never address the issue of HOW we got over there or even go on the record as to IF we should be over there." Michael R. Gordon's still doing his war pornography. If the week hadn't been such a busy one for C.I. the fact that Gordon's now doing his usual "sources say" on North Korea would have been noted.

If the definition's too hard for someone to understand, here's a rule of thumb: if you think something needs to be exposed and given more play, DON'T label it "porn." You've just shot yourself in the foot when you do.

This was reposted at the site that ripped me off, by the way. My prof didn't know about that. He told me he told everyone who is against the war to stop going there. He told the ones who were for it to go there. But he read a thing (he's going to e-mail it to me) about how the dipshit was saying (again) that America couldn't leave. Dipshit, if you need to rip me off to get a good idea, do so. But quit selling your WAR LIES. I told him about that site and also how they attempted to get dirt on some of their visitors by sending out e-mails to me. That site's a joke. I told him I wrote about it awhile back and would send it to him. He's going to show that to the classes and tell them not to go there because ripping off (and they've got a history) other people rules them out of being discussed in an academic environment.

Now we'll kick things off with Democracy Now! and right after that, I'll give the update that I've had e-mails on and that I know people who haven't written are worried about as well.


Lynne Stewart Asks Court if Gov't Illegally Spied On Her
There is an update in the case of Civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart -- she is the New York attorney convicted of terror-related charges for her work representing her imprisoned client, Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman. Stewart filed court papers on Monday seeking to learn whether any warrantless or illegal electronic surveillance was conducted on her or anyone involved in her case. Stewart maintains that the government's case against her would be compromised if it engaged in illegal surveillance. The Bush administration has already admitted it monitored jailhouse conversations between Stewart and her client.

Lynne Stewart should not even have a conviction on her record because she DID NOT BREAK A LAW. But good for her that she's fighting. (She'd said she would.) That should really embarrass a lot of us. This is a grandmother with cancer and she's fighting. Not for her. Don't think it's for her. If she was doing something for her, she'd be focusing on herself. Think about it, if you were ill, you'd be focusing on yourself too. She's a woman who's made her whole life about justice and she's still doing that -- at a time when she's earned a break. So you should be rooting her on here, this is a fight for all of us.


U.S. Soldiers Charged With Murdering Iraqi Detainees
Three U.S. soldiers have been charged in connection with the killing of three Iraqi detainees last month in the town of Thar Thar Canal. The soldiers -- all members of the 101st Airborne Division -- reportedly detained the Iraqis during a raid on a former chemical factory. Then the soldiers allowed the Iraqis to flee the scene so they would have an excuse to shoot them. The men are also accused of threatening to kill another soldier if he assisted investigators.

Tony doesn't think this is getting a lot of attention. Is it? My mind's been thinking about a friend since Sunday morning or Saturday night. Whole community's probably been in a haze. But Tony says that it's not getting a lot of play. He's comparing it to Haditha which is still only an investigation (no charges yet) and the shock by some (and justifying by others) and taking that and comparing/contrasting it with three being charged for murder. He's not seeing a lot of coverage. That may be because so little is known of the actual events (like even the victims' names).

Rebecca's "nancy keenan, rick hertzberg (the useless 1s)" goes into what most of heard Saturday night or Sunday morning when we were all working together. She miscarried Saturday. She wasn't that far along and she knew what was happening. None of us knew she was pregnant because she'd told NO ONE. That was because of the last pregnancy (which she's written about) and the test results and the abortion. She was hoping that, if this went to term, there would be some sort of "statistical miracle" and she'd be able to carry to term. But she wasn't that far along and she wasn't planning on saying anything until she was further along. Did she use contraceptives? "Funny, you think a photo of James Dobson and a chastity-pledge braclet will do the trick." That was her joke. Yes, she did. But contraceptives aren't 100% effective. (Something to remember as the Supreme Court is about to hear an abortion issue that's already been settled -- but that was when O'Connor was on the Court.) We talked yesterday and I had permission to post the above yesterday but she hadn't written about it yet and I wasn't going to post anything until she had.

I spoke to her today and there was some good news and some bad news and she says she's "okay." She plans to blog tonight and is asking Elaine and C.I. too as well. They both dropped everything to be with her today because she hates going to doctors (other than dentists) for any reason but especially on something like this. There's tests and other stuff still waiting but she said she heard what she expected to.

She says she appreciates that everyone's been concerned but she'll be fine and if she wants to talk about, she'll do it at her site so if you e-mail with questions, you'll only get "I'm fine" back. She says it's too much to write much more than that but if she's in the mood too, she'll do it at her site. (Or maybe at the round-robin. I didn't think of asking about that.) Elaine and C.I. are both staying over with her tonight. Flyboy thinks they'll probably fly out with C.I. and spend some time out there. (Rebecca will be able to blog during that time if they do it. She has a laptop.) Rebecca and Flyboy have a two week vacation coming up and Elaine and her current boyfriend already had plans to go on that. Flyboy says he's cool with doing a vacation before the vacation (which is what Rebecca's wanting) and that he thinks it's a good idea. She'll get the test results over the phone and if she needs to follow up, she'll follow up with a doctor C.I. knows. She told me this evening I could put in if anyone thinks, "Oh, she's just going to travel" that she really hates being in her house right now (since that's where she was when she miscarried). So they'll be some packing tonight and some traveling tomorrow.

If I forgot something and remember, I'll add it later. And if she wants me to pass on something so that she doesn't have to write it up at her site, I will too. I hope it's clear that if it's up here, she's trying to let people know what's going on (and hoping they won't worry) but she doesn't want to e-mail about it so please don't e-mail her asking her for more details.

If I messed something up, you can write me and I'll ask Ma about it. I don't claim to know a lot about pregnancies.

If you're wondering why me? I blog daily. Wally does as well but is doing a humor site. (And has a hard time being funny but still managed to do so even though he says it's meant a lot of staring at the screen.) It's C.I., Wally, Rebecca and me that blog at least five days a week (obviously C.I. does it more than that). So when I called on Monday to ask what I could do she said if I didn't mind being the buffer zone that would help. Glad to do it and anything else she needs or wants.

I had an e-mail asking why we didn't all show up to support her. She agreed only to Elaine coming to the doctor with her. Elaine didn't even stay over last night because Rebecca asked her not to. She drove out this morning and wasn't surprised to see C.I. there because they'd already talked and agreed that even though Rebecca was saying, "Don't fly out," she'd appreciate it if it happened. Elaine was surprised that C.I. had stayed over. Then she found out about the "gifts" and thought, "I should have thought of that!" :D But Elaine and C.I. have known Rebecca since college and all so to aovid crowding her, it was just them. Elaine may write about the "gifts" tonight but she will write because Rebecca wants people to "stop moping, we've got a Bully Boy to battle."

We need knowledge to battle and for that here's C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"


Iraq snapshot.
Chaos and violence continue in Iraq. Outside of Iraq?
As noted by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now!, "the so-called coalition of the willing continues to shrink:" Junichiro Koizumi, prime minister of Japan, declared that Japanese troops are leaving Iraq by "year's end.". Reuters notes that, although no Japanese troops were "killed or wounded in Iraq," "six Japanese citizens, including two diplomats, have been killed by insurgents in Iraq." China's Xinhau reports that the prime ministers discussed the intended withdrawal "with leaders of the ruling coalition and opposition parties" on Tuesday morning "shortly before the announcement." As Amy Goodman reported, Japan joins Italy with the announcement of pulling troops out by year's end and that "Spain, The Netherlands, Ukraine, Nicaragua, the Philipines and Honduras have already pulled out." Noting "Japan's Kyodo news agency," the Financial Times of London states the withdrawal "process could be completed by the end of July." Xinhua notes the same possibility and credits word on it to "Japanese government officials."
While Japan prepares to remove troops from the ground in Iraq, in the United States, a watered-down, weaker version of John Kerry's call for US troops out of Iraq is allowing for posturing. Caterwauling on the Senate floor today, Bill Frist exclaimed, "We cannot surrender. We cannot go wobbly. The price is far too high." Possibly a mantra he once repeated to himself while dissecting felines? Meanwhile, always one to run from a fight, Harry Reid's less concerned with exit plans for the US, and knowing there's no democracy in Iraq, focuses instead on a possible amnesty plan Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi prime minister and occupation puppet Nouri al-Maliki. Adnan Ali al-Kadhimi was fired/resigned following his comments to the press regarding the potential plan. But it's a nice, dead-hypothetical to rage and rattle about as opposed to dealing with reality. In other news on the spineless, John Walsh (CounterPunch) reports that what recent book sales didn't get across, phone calls might have -- Baby Cries a Lot took three calls complaining about his War Hawk position on the war. Walsh does not note if Baby Cries a Lot attempted to garner sympathy by sobbing, breaking into tears or using his own children to justify an ongoing war (children who do not and have not served in Iraq or, for that matter, the military). In non-spineless news, AP reports that Barbara Boxer, Russ Feingold and John Kerry "intend to push for a vote on their own proposal."
In Seattle yesterday, Sara Jean Green reports: "Ann Wright appeared with 1st Lt. Ehren Watada and his parents at a news conference at University Lutheran Church to announce a national day of action June 27, when anti-war demonstrations will be held in cities across the country in support of Watada." Green reports that Wright, "retired army colonel and former State Department official," will appear at a "news conference today at University Lutheran Church on behalf of another Fort Lewis soldier, Suzanne Swift". Watada, whose parents joined him for yesterday's news conference, is the first commission officer to refuse deployment in Iraq. Click here to sign an online petition supporting Watada. Suzanne Swift was arrested last week after deciding she couldn't return to Iraq and going AWOL.
In Iraq, as reported by Jonathan Finer (Washington Post), Kristian Menchaca and Thomas L. Tucker, two US soldiers who were abducted last Friday, were found dead "near a power plant in Yusifiyah." The discovered corpses are said to have signs of "barbaric" torture. Meanwhile, the Mujahedeen Shura Council is claiming credit for the deaths. The Financial Times of London concludes: "The news will tarnish the positive image US and Iraqi officials have been projecting recently of a government that is gradually getting to grips with the security situation and turning the tide against the insurgents."Other corpses were discovered in Iraq today, Reuters notes that two were found in Hilla ("blindfolded and hands tied") while in Baghdad, five corpses were found ("handcuffed with gunshot wounds in the head").
Bombings? Baghdad saw a series of bombings. RTE News reports on one near "a second-hand clothes market in central Baghdad" which resulted in at least two dead and and at least 28 wounded. Al Jazeera notes that roadside bomb as well as a cra bomb "in a a crowded market in the eastern district of Jamila in Baghdad" that left seven dead and 18 wounded. The BBC reports that, in Basra, "at least one elderly woman was killed along with a suicide bomber who blew himself up inside a home for the elderly". Reuters notes that five others were wounded. Another car bomb went off in the Hurriya district of Baghdad "killing at least five people and wounding 11".
Reuters reports that while the US miliatry is saying Ramadi is not the target for a major offensive, the Red Cross has "voiced concern on difficult living conditions in Ramadi". Reporting for IPS, Dahr Jamail and Ali Fdhil write: "A week spent in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province west of Baghdad, reveals that residents are suffering from lack of water, electricity, cooking gas and medical supplies for the hospitals. The streets are eerily empty, and it appears that many people have now left the city, althought possibly as many as 150,000 still remain in their homes, either because they are too afraid to leave or they have nowhere to go."
As noted by Sandra Lupien on KPFA's The Morning Show the US military is claiming an exchange was aimed at insurgents with 15 dead while Iraqi witnesses disputing the official (US) account*. The exchange took place in Bushahin ("village . . . north of Baghdad") The AP reports that "AP Television News footage showed blood splattered on the ground and matresses and spent bullet casings inside a poultry farm, where residents said the civilians were killed." Reuters quotes Mohammed Jaba al-Qaduir, father of Jassem and Mazen killed in the raid, "They did not attack any Americans or Humvees. We don't have any problems with the Americans. We don't have any foreigners here." Reuters mentions that one of the corpses, according to a "police source" was that of a twelve-year-old boy."
Finally, Barbara McMahon, Michael Howard and Julian Borger report (for the Guardian of London) that four prosecutors in Rome have signed "[t]he request to charge Mario Lozano, a national guardsman from New York, with the murder of Nicola Calipari." As noted by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now!: "Calipari was escorting Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena after she had been released by kidnappers. U.S. troops opened fire on their car killing Calipari and injuring Sgrena. . . . Tune in to Democracy Now on Thursday when Giuliana Sgrena joins us in the Firehouse studio." Also remember that: Sgrena will be in New York City Friday June 23rd for an event with Amy Goodman at Columbia University. (Event starts at 7:30 p.m.)
*Thanks to Zach and Mia for passing on the Lupien item.

I meant to note something on Watada last week but didn't have time. And this week's been whatever. This is from Courage to Resist:

ACTION ALERT
June 14, 2006
Contact Army to Demand:
"Drop Investigation into Lt. Watada's Protected Free Speech Against Illegal War"
On Wednesday, June 7th U.S. Army First Lieutenant Ehren Watada became the first U.S. commissioned officer to publicly speak out in opposition to the Iraq War and occupation. Lt. Watada outlined why he believes the war to be illegal, and why he would have to refuse to obey any future order to participate in it.
The following day, Thursday, June 8th Lt. Watada's commanding officer moved to prosecute Lt. Watada for nothing more than his protected free speech. Lt. Watada was read his rights and declined to make a statement without a lawyer present. Although the Fort Lewis military public affairs officer has stated that Lt. Watada "hasn't done anything wrong" so far, an official investigation into his public speech is underway.
When soldiers join the military they swear to uphold our Constitution. They do not give up their basic right to freedom of speech. Outlined in Department of Defense Directive 1325.6, members of the military have the right to say what they think and feel about the military, and even participate in peaceful demonstrations, as long as they are off-duty, out of uniform, off-base, and within the United States.
Please Write and Call:
"Dear Col Stephen Townsend; Please drop the investigation currently underway against First Lt. Ehren Watada of 3-2 SBCT for his protected free speech in opposition to the war in Iraq. Respectfully,"
TO:
Col Stephen TownsendCommanding Officer3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry DivisionFort Lewis WA 98433(253) 967-9601
CC:
Lt Gen James DubikFort CommanderFort Lewis WA 98433
For background information:
Military attempts to stop Lt. Watada from speaking against illegal warhttp://www.thankyoult.org/go/100.html
By Friends and Family of Lt. Ehren Watada. June 9, 2006
When soldiers refuse to fight: Is the US Army trying to silence Lt. Watada?http://www.thankyoult.org/go/101.html
By Sarah Olson, Truthout.com. June 14, 2006
For up-to-date and additional information:http://www.thankyoult.org/

You gonna help? Last thing, Dave Zirin and John Cox's "Hey Guys, It's Just a Game:"

More than half a century ago, Dwight Eisenhower famously said, "The true mission of American sports is to prepare young men for war." This is the undeniable downside of sports: the way teamwork, camaraderie and competition can be used to desensitize a population to the horrors of war. And it is particularly part of the sporting DNA of what Americans call football, where games are routinely referred to as "battles" or "wars," and NFL quarterbacks are "field generals" who throw bullet passes and bombs for the purpose of advancing on enemy territory.
Consider the bellicose posturing of American striker Eddie Johnson at the World Cup, a few days before his team managed to tie the favored Italians in an ugly match featuring three ejections.
"We're here for a war," Johnson said a few days before the game, after visiting US troops at Ramstein Air Base. "Whenever you put your jersey on and you look at your crest and the national anthem's going on, and you're playing against a different country, it's like you do or die, it's survival of the (fittest) over ninety minutes-plus. We're going to go out there and do whatever we've got to do, make tackles, do the things when the referee's not looking...to get three points." Johnson concluded by saying, "It's do or die.... I don't want to go home early." Ironically, most of the American troops Johnson thinks he's supporting would like nothing better than to "go home early" from combat duty in Iraq.




















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