Jihad Unspun: Muhaideen Make Signifgant Gains; Executed Well Planned Attacks
On Thursday, Fallujah Mujahideen managed to make significant gains against occupation forces as the US were forced to admit they are meeting with stiff resistance. While mainstream press continues the façade that only 18 soldiers have been lost and that the will have the city under control by Saturday, the reality of the situation that JUS has been reporting is finally beginning to be echoed in Arab press.
As details of fighting in and around of Falluja are slowly surfacing, a clear picture of Mujahideen’s professional pre-battle planning based on accurate anticipation of enemies moves is emerging. Mujahideen are now seizing the opportunities this advance planning has provided by shelling occupation forces, attacking them on the ground, ambushing them and forcing them to retreat every step of the way. An undisclosed number of Americans have been captured as well.
Also on Thursday evening, Iraqi Mujahideen bombed an ice factory in the center of the al-Jawlan neighborhood where US occupation forces invaders had parked vehicles and stored equipment. The factorys had a floor space of nearly 5,000 square meters and inside Humvees for carrying equipment. Large numbers of tanks and armored vehicles surrounded the factory.
Mujahideen suspected the Americans would use the factory as a storage depot or headquarters and therefore they mined the building prior to the US assault. Thursday night Mujahideen forces bombarded the bobby-trapped factory with mortars, setting off a thunderous explosion followed by massive secondary blasts that were still continuing at the time of this filing. The explosions were so massive that fireballs could be seen five kilometers away.
Friday, November 12, 2004
IRAQ: FALLUJAH RESISTANCE
Jihad Unspun: “Resistance Is Unshakable Mountain” Says Captured General; American Contractor Seized
An American General was among those captured by Mujahideen forces on Thursday after having to abandon their vehicles under Mujahideen fire.
The incident came after the Mujahideen lured the Americans into city center and forcing them to split into six groups, the Mujahideen destroyed 14 tanks on the main street linking the old road to Ramadi. US occupation forces have recently resorted to using tanks instead of personnel carriers to storm the city after realizing that their personnel carriers were easily hit and destroyed. As the tanks blazed, no soldiers came out of the destroyed tanks that usually carry 9 soldiers on board.
An American General was among those captured by Mujahideen forces on Thursday after having to abandon their vehicles under Mujahideen fire.
The incident came after the Mujahideen lured the Americans into city center and forcing them to split into six groups, the Mujahideen destroyed 14 tanks on the main street linking the old road to Ramadi. US occupation forces have recently resorted to using tanks instead of personnel carriers to storm the city after realizing that their personnel carriers were easily hit and destroyed. As the tanks blazed, no soldiers came out of the destroyed tanks that usually carry 9 soldiers on board.
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
ICH: Iraq: the unthinkable becomes normal by John Pilger
Mainstream media speak as if Fallujah were populated only by foreign "insurgents". In fact, women and children are being slaughtered in our name
Edward S Herman's landmark essay, "The Banality of Evil", has never seemed more apposite. "Doing terrible things in an organised and systematic way rests on 'normalisation'," wrote Herman. "There is usually a division of labour in doing and rationalising the unthinkable, with the direct brutalising and killing done by one set of individuals . . . others working on improving technology (a better crematory gas, a longer burning and more adhesive napalm, bomb fragments that penetrate flesh in hard-to-trace patterns). It is the function of the experts, and the mainstream media, to normalise the unthinkable for the general public."
Mainstream media speak as if Fallujah were populated only by foreign "insurgents". In fact, women and children are being slaughtered in our name
Edward S Herman's landmark essay, "The Banality of Evil", has never seemed more apposite. "Doing terrible things in an organised and systematic way rests on 'normalisation'," wrote Herman. "There is usually a division of labour in doing and rationalising the unthinkable, with the direct brutalising and killing done by one set of individuals . . . others working on improving technology (a better crematory gas, a longer burning and more adhesive napalm, bomb fragments that penetrate flesh in hard-to-trace patterns). It is the function of the experts, and the mainstream media, to normalise the unthinkable for the general public."
IRAQ: FALLUJAH WAR CRIMES
Asia Times: A thousand Fallujahs by Pepe Escobar
Once again the US has been caught in a giant spider's web. Fallujah now is a network: it's Baghdad, Ramadi, Samarra, Latifiyah, Kirkuk, Mosul. Streets on fire, everywhere: Hundreds, thousands of Fallujahs - the Mesopotamian echo of a thousand Vietnams. The Iraqi resistance has even regained control of a few Baghdad neighborhoods.
Baghdad residents say there are practically no US troops around, even as regular explosions can be heard all over the city. Baghdad sources confirm to Asia Times Online that the mujahideen now control parts of the southern suburb of ad-Durha, as well as Hur Rajab, Abu Ghraib, al-Abidi, as-Suwayrah, Salman Bak, Latifiyah and Yusufiyah - all in the Greater Baghdad area. This would be the first time since the fall of Baghdad on April 9, 2003, that the resistance has been able to control these neighborhoods
There are at least 120 mosques in Fallujah. A consensus is emerging that almost half of them have been smashed by air strikes and shelling by US tanks - something that will haunt the United States for ages
According to residents, the city is now littered with thousands of cluster bombs. In an explosive accusation - and not substantiated - an Iraqi doctor who requested anonymity has told al-Quds Press that "the US occupation troops are gassing resistance fighters and confronting them with internationally banned chemical weapons". The Washington Post has confirmed that US troops are firing white-phosphorus rounds that create a screen of fire impervious to water
The wounded in Fallujah are in essence left to die. There is not a single surgeon in town. And practically no doctors as well, as the Pentagon decided to bomb both the al-Hadar Hospital and the Zayid Mobile Hospital.
"CHECK IT"
Once again the US has been caught in a giant spider's web. Fallujah now is a network: it's Baghdad, Ramadi, Samarra, Latifiyah, Kirkuk, Mosul. Streets on fire, everywhere: Hundreds, thousands of Fallujahs - the Mesopotamian echo of a thousand Vietnams. The Iraqi resistance has even regained control of a few Baghdad neighborhoods.
Baghdad residents say there are practically no US troops around, even as regular explosions can be heard all over the city. Baghdad sources confirm to Asia Times Online that the mujahideen now control parts of the southern suburb of ad-Durha, as well as Hur Rajab, Abu Ghraib, al-Abidi, as-Suwayrah, Salman Bak, Latifiyah and Yusufiyah - all in the Greater Baghdad area. This would be the first time since the fall of Baghdad on April 9, 2003, that the resistance has been able to control these neighborhoods
There are at least 120 mosques in Fallujah. A consensus is emerging that almost half of them have been smashed by air strikes and shelling by US tanks - something that will haunt the United States for ages
According to residents, the city is now littered with thousands of cluster bombs. In an explosive accusation - and not substantiated - an Iraqi doctor who requested anonymity has told al-Quds Press that "the US occupation troops are gassing resistance fighters and confronting them with internationally banned chemical weapons". The Washington Post has confirmed that US troops are firing white-phosphorus rounds that create a screen of fire impervious to water
The wounded in Fallujah are in essence left to die. There is not a single surgeon in town. And practically no doctors as well, as the Pentagon decided to bomb both the al-Hadar Hospital and the Zayid Mobile Hospital.
"CHECK IT"
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Jihad Unspun: Mujahideen Control Majority Of Fallujah
Americans Expelled From Three Districts
In news just in, the tactical decision taken by the Mujahideen to open up two roads leading to the city centre has turned out to be very effective.
According to sources close to the Mujahideen, as a result of heavy shelling on civilian neighborhoods all around the perimeters of the city, a decision was made to move the battle into the center of town by opening two main roads that lead into Fallujah central.
The first road opened was "Nisan 7", which is 17 -20 meters wide and stretches from the rail network north of Fallujah, passes by the Al-Mualimeen zone, on to Nisan 7 to Al-Forqan Mosque and ends in the Al-Shuhada neighborhood. The second road opened was "Tharthar Street", which is 15 -18 meters wide extends from railway station, from where the Americans are handling forward control, passes through the Al-Ghuaifi neighborhood and ends at Officers neighborhood. After opening the two roads, Mujahideen made a tactical withdrawal from the city's perimeters to permit the Americans to enter the two roads. The plan was successful; the Americans are now on the two roads just where the Mujahideen wanted them to be.
Americans Expelled From Three Districts
In news just in, the tactical decision taken by the Mujahideen to open up two roads leading to the city centre has turned out to be very effective.
According to sources close to the Mujahideen, as a result of heavy shelling on civilian neighborhoods all around the perimeters of the city, a decision was made to move the battle into the center of town by opening two main roads that lead into Fallujah central.
The first road opened was "Nisan 7", which is 17 -20 meters wide and stretches from the rail network north of Fallujah, passes by the Al-Mualimeen zone, on to Nisan 7 to Al-Forqan Mosque and ends in the Al-Shuhada neighborhood. The second road opened was "Tharthar Street", which is 15 -18 meters wide extends from railway station, from where the Americans are handling forward control, passes through the Al-Ghuaifi neighborhood and ends at Officers neighborhood. After opening the two roads, Mujahideen made a tactical withdrawal from the city's perimeters to permit the Americans to enter the two roads. The plan was successful; the Americans are now on the two roads just where the Mujahideen wanted them to be.
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
BBC: Eyewitness: Defiance amid carnage
As US forces battle insurgents in streets strewn with rubble and corpses, the BBC News website spoke by phone to Fadhil Badrani, an Iraqi journalist and resident of Falluja who reports regularly for Reuters and BBC World Service in Arabic.
I went for a walk around the city last night after the Americans pulled back.
It was very quiet - often the only sounds coming from the movement of fighters along streets and rooftops.
In places, it was also very dark, with only the occasional rocket or flare lighting the way.
Wherever I went, I found broken buildings and bodies - local people and fighters killed on the streets.
As US forces battle insurgents in streets strewn with rubble and corpses, the BBC News website spoke by phone to Fadhil Badrani, an Iraqi journalist and resident of Falluja who reports regularly for Reuters and BBC World Service in Arabic.
I went for a walk around the city last night after the Americans pulled back.
It was very quiet - often the only sounds coming from the movement of fighters along streets and rooftops.
In places, it was also very dark, with only the occasional rocket or flare lighting the way.
Wherever I went, I found broken buildings and bodies - local people and fighters killed on the streets.
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Rense: Fallujah - America's Guernica
On April 26, 1937, the Nazi Luftwaffe dropped 100,000 pounds of bombs on the peaceful Basque village of Guernica, Spain on the urging of the Fascist Generalisimo Francisco Franco. At the end of the day, Guernica was in total ruins and 1,654 Basque civilians had been slaughtered and 889 wounded. The world in those days was horrified by the deed. Generalisimo Franco initially denied to the press that the raid ever took place. Later, when photographs of the massacre were published, the Fascist Franco blamed the destruction of Guernica and the killings on those who defended it.
Guernica" is back. This time it is not about the Nazi Luftwaffe dropping bombs on a village in Spain but about the USA dropping bombs and massacring hundreds of civilians that include women and children in the town of Fallujah, Iraq. As Franco in "Guernica", the USA military is denying that it is targeting civilians, but censored reports are filtering out of Iraq that say that over half of the Mosques in the city lie in ruins and that US Marines are utilizing outlawed lethal gasses against the city's defenders which are also causing massive casualties among the civilians that remain in the city. Other reports in the Arab media talk about hundreds of civilian casualties under the rubble of homes that were hit by USA bombs during the initial military "softening" of the city. Gruesome photographs of the dead are reminiscent of the survivor's account of "Guernica" as quoted above.
On April 26, 1937, the Nazi Luftwaffe dropped 100,000 pounds of bombs on the peaceful Basque village of Guernica, Spain on the urging of the Fascist Generalisimo Francisco Franco. At the end of the day, Guernica was in total ruins and 1,654 Basque civilians had been slaughtered and 889 wounded. The world in those days was horrified by the deed. Generalisimo Franco initially denied to the press that the raid ever took place. Later, when photographs of the massacre were published, the Fascist Franco blamed the destruction of Guernica and the killings on those who defended it.
Guernica" is back. This time it is not about the Nazi Luftwaffe dropping bombs on a village in Spain but about the USA dropping bombs and massacring hundreds of civilians that include women and children in the town of Fallujah, Iraq. As Franco in "Guernica", the USA military is denying that it is targeting civilians, but censored reports are filtering out of Iraq that say that over half of the Mosques in the city lie in ruins and that US Marines are utilizing outlawed lethal gasses against the city's defenders which are also causing massive casualties among the civilians that remain in the city. Other reports in the Arab media talk about hundreds of civilian casualties under the rubble of homes that were hit by USA bombs during the initial military "softening" of the city. Gruesome photographs of the dead are reminiscent of the survivor's account of "Guernica" as quoted above.
IRAQ: FALLUJAH RESISTANCE
NBC: More Than 200 U.S. Fallujah Casualties Reported
U.S. soldiers and Marines launched a large attack Thursday into the southern half of Fallujah, where insurgents still holding, opening a second phase in the offensive, U.S. officials said
U.S. soldiers and Marines launched a large attack Thursday into the southern half of Fallujah, where insurgents still holding, opening a second phase in the offensive, U.S. officials said
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Al-Jazeera: 'Scores of civilians' killed in Falluja
Muhammad Abbud said he watched his nine-year-old son bleed to death at their Falluja home, unable to take him to hospital as fighting raged in the streets and bombs rained down on the Iraqi city
Residents say scores of civilians have been killed or wounded in 24 hours of fighting since US-led forces pushed deep into the city on Monday evening
Muhammad Abbud said he watched his nine-year-old son bleed to death at their Falluja home, unable to take him to hospital as fighting raged in the streets and bombs rained down on the Iraqi city
Residents say scores of civilians have been killed or wounded in 24 hours of fighting since US-led forces pushed deep into the city on Monday evening
Thursday, November 11, 2004
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Asia Times: Satan hides in a hospital
by Pepe Escobar
Everything one needed to know about the true, unspinnable foreign policy of the second George W Bush administration is represented by the "capture" of the first strategic target in the assault on Fallujah: the general hospital, on the left bank of the Euphrates, now totally cut off from the city. According to the Bush administration world view, this is the house where Satan lives.
Bush-installed interim Iraqi Prime Minster Iyad Allawi announced with a smile of victory that he personally ordered the capture of the hospital. So maybe it was not the Pentagon: it was an unelected politician asking a foreign occupation army to attack a hospital in his own country and preventing doctors and ambulances from entering a city under siege.
The assault, dubbed Operation Phantom Fury, perversely started on Laylat e-Qadr, the most important and holy night of the year for the Islamic world.
In terms of the information war, the hospital was indeed the most strategic of targets. During the first siege of Fallujah in April, doctors told independent media the real story about the suffering of civilian victims. So this time the Pentagon took no chances: no gory, disturbing photos of the elderly, women and children - the thousands unable to leave Fallujah in advance of this week's offensive, the civilian victims of the relentless bombing.
"CHECK IT"
by Pepe Escobar
Everything one needed to know about the true, unspinnable foreign policy of the second George W Bush administration is represented by the "capture" of the first strategic target in the assault on Fallujah: the general hospital, on the left bank of the Euphrates, now totally cut off from the city. According to the Bush administration world view, this is the house where Satan lives.
Bush-installed interim Iraqi Prime Minster Iyad Allawi announced with a smile of victory that he personally ordered the capture of the hospital. So maybe it was not the Pentagon: it was an unelected politician asking a foreign occupation army to attack a hospital in his own country and preventing doctors and ambulances from entering a city under siege.
The assault, dubbed Operation Phantom Fury, perversely started on Laylat e-Qadr, the most important and holy night of the year for the Islamic world.
In terms of the information war, the hospital was indeed the most strategic of targets. During the first siege of Fallujah in April, doctors told independent media the real story about the suffering of civilian victims. So this time the Pentagon took no chances: no gory, disturbing photos of the elderly, women and children - the thousands unable to leave Fallujah in advance of this week's offensive, the civilian victims of the relentless bombing.
"CHECK IT"
USA: VIDEO OF TANKS IN LA
Indymedia: Video of Tanks at anti-war protest in LA
LOS ANGELES, November 9, 2004 - At 7:50 PM two armored tanks showed up at an anti-war protest in front of the federal building in Westwood. The tanks circled the block twice, the second time parking themselves in the street and directly in front of the area where most of the protesters were gathered. Enraged, some of the people attempted to block the tanks, but police quickly cleared the street. The people continued to protest the presence of the tanks, but about ten minutes the tanks drove off. It is unclear as to why the tanks were deployed to this location. Uploaded here is video from the event.
"Disturbing"
LOS ANGELES, November 9, 2004 - At 7:50 PM two armored tanks showed up at an anti-war protest in front of the federal building in Westwood. The tanks circled the block twice, the second time parking themselves in the street and directly in front of the area where most of the protesters were gathered. Enraged, some of the people attempted to block the tanks, but police quickly cleared the street. The people continued to protest the presence of the tanks, but about ten minutes the tanks drove off. It is unclear as to why the tanks were deployed to this location. Uploaded here is video from the event.
"Disturbing"
USA: NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL
CCR: New Attorney General-Geneva Concventions "quaint" and "obsolete"
On November 10, 2004 in New York, NY the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) voiced strong opposition to the nomination of White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales to replace Attorney General John Ashcroft. Citing the infamous leaked January 25, 2002, Gonzales’ memo justifying the suspension of the Geneva Conventions in the war on terror, CCR Legal Director Jeffrey Fogel said, “To call the Geneva Conventions, which were put in place after the atrocities of World War II to govern the future conduct of war and prevent such horrors from ever occurring, ‘quaint’ and ‘obsolete’ is to go back down a path we thought we would never travel again.”
On November 10, 2004 in New York, NY the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) voiced strong opposition to the nomination of White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales to replace Attorney General John Ashcroft. Citing the infamous leaked January 25, 2002, Gonzales’ memo justifying the suspension of the Geneva Conventions in the war on terror, CCR Legal Director Jeffrey Fogel said, “To call the Geneva Conventions, which were put in place after the atrocities of World War II to govern the future conduct of war and prevent such horrors from ever occurring, ‘quaint’ and ‘obsolete’ is to go back down a path we thought we would never travel again.”
MIDDLE EAST: ARAFAT DIES
Uri Avnery: Uri Avnery views the life and achievements of Yasser Arafat
Uri Avnery looks back on the life and achievements of Yasser Arafat, from liberating the Palestinian people from Arab rulers, to leading the armed struggle against Israel, to his decision to reach an agreement with Israel on the basis of a two-state solution. "Israel will lose a great enemy, who could have become a great partner and ally... As for me, I respected him as a Palestinian patriot, I admired him for his courage, I understood the constraints he was working under, I saw in him the partner for building a new future for our two peoples. I was his friend."
Uri Avnery looks back on the life and achievements of Yasser Arafat, from liberating the Palestinian people from Arab rulers, to leading the armed struggle against Israel, to his decision to reach an agreement with Israel on the basis of a two-state solution. "Israel will lose a great enemy, who could have become a great partner and ally... As for me, I respected him as a Palestinian patriot, I admired him for his courage, I understood the constraints he was working under, I saw in him the partner for building a new future for our two peoples. I was his friend."
MIDDLE EAST: ARAFAT DIES 11.11.2004
Reuters: Arafat, Icon of Palestinian Cause, Dead at 75
PARIS (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who rose from guerrilla icon to Nobel peace prize-winner but ended up isolated and locked in conflict with Israel, died in a French hospital on Thursday. He was 75.
The announcement of the death of the Palestinian president, who symbolized his people's fight for an independent state but failed to achieve it in his lifetime, ended days of confusion over his condition as he lay comatose behind a veil of secrecy.
PARIS (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who rose from guerrilla icon to Nobel peace prize-winner but ended up isolated and locked in conflict with Israel, died in a French hospital on Thursday. He was 75.
The announcement of the death of the Palestinian president, who symbolized his people's fight for an independent state but failed to achieve it in his lifetime, ended days of confusion over his condition as he lay comatose behind a veil of secrecy.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
IRAQ: FALLUJAH RESISTANCE
Middle East Online: House-to-house warfare in Fallujah
Insurgents have chosen mobility to counter far superior US artillery and missiles in battle of Fallujah.
Insurgents have chosen mobility to counter far superior US artillery and missiles in battle of Fallujah.
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Chicago Tribune: At Least 200 Iraqi Troops Abandon Fallujah Offensive
U.S. military officials said Monday that at least 200 Iraqi troops had deserted their posts in the American-led offensive on Fallujah.
The troops supporting the nation's interim government are facing pressure from some Iraqi religious groups and threats from insurgents.
Prominent Iraqi Muslim clerics, including influential Sunnis and top aides to rebel Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, condemned the Iraqi troops serving alongside Americans in Fallujah. The insurgent council that has controlled Fallujah for the past six months threatened to behead Iraqi troops who entered the city to "fight their own people."
U.S. military officials said Monday that at least 200 Iraqi troops had deserted their posts in the American-led offensive on Fallujah.
The troops supporting the nation's interim government are facing pressure from some Iraqi religious groups and threats from insurgents.
Prominent Iraqi Muslim clerics, including influential Sunnis and top aides to rebel Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, condemned the Iraqi troops serving alongside Americans in Fallujah. The insurgent council that has controlled Fallujah for the past six months threatened to behead Iraqi troops who entered the city to "fight their own people."
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Reuters: Fighting Rages in Iraq's Falluja After Night Lull
U.S. warplanes launched air strikes in the Iraqi city of Falluja on Wednesday amid fierce fighting between U.S.-led forces and rebels.
Machinegun, mortar and rocket fire shook the Sunni Muslim city as planes made several bombing runs over the northwestern Jolan district within 15 minutes, a Reuters reporter said.
Smoke was rising from houses just beyond Falluja's captured rail station, where Marines and Iraqi forces have a base.
Marines said their opponents showed no signs of giving up, even though U.S. forces penetrated to the center of the city, west of Baghdad, after an offensive launched on Monday night.
U.S. warplanes launched air strikes in the Iraqi city of Falluja on Wednesday amid fierce fighting between U.S.-led forces and rebels.
Machinegun, mortar and rocket fire shook the Sunni Muslim city as planes made several bombing runs over the northwestern Jolan district within 15 minutes, a Reuters reporter said.
Smoke was rising from houses just beyond Falluja's captured rail station, where Marines and Iraqi forces have a base.
Marines said their opponents showed no signs of giving up, even though U.S. forces penetrated to the center of the city, west of Baghdad, after an offensive launched on Monday night.
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
BBC News: 'Watching tragedy engulf my city'
US and Iraqi forces are locked in desperate street battles against insurgents in the Iraqi city of Falluja. The BBC News website spoke by phone to Fadhil Badrani, a journalist in Falluja who reports for the BBC World Service in Arabic.
"Now they are firing back at the houses, at anything that moves. It is war on the streets.
The American troops look like they have given up trying to go into buildings for now and are just trying to control the main roads."
cannot say how many people have been killed but after two days of bombing, this city looks like Kabul.
Large portions of it have been destroyed but it is so dangerous to leave the house that I have not been able to find out more about casualties.
US and Iraqi forces are locked in desperate street battles against insurgents in the Iraqi city of Falluja. The BBC News website spoke by phone to Fadhil Badrani, a journalist in Falluja who reports for the BBC World Service in Arabic.
"Now they are firing back at the houses, at anything that moves. It is war on the streets.
The American troops look like they have given up trying to go into buildings for now and are just trying to control the main roads."
cannot say how many people have been killed but after two days of bombing, this city looks like Kabul.
Large portions of it have been destroyed but it is so dangerous to leave the house that I have not been able to find out more about casualties.
USA: VOTE FRAUD
Buzzflash: BuzzFlash > Contributor > Incredible As It May Seem, MSNBC Covers Voting Problems
Just watched Keith Olbermann on MSNBC in which he did a story on election problems. He said that there were 90,000 more votes cast in Ohio than registered voters (he went through a list of counties and said how many voters were registered in each and how many extra thousands of votes were recorded).
He reported how in Florida counties, heavily-leaning dem counties went overwhelmingly for Bush -- the first time these counties have ever voted Repub. He showed charts with numbers, etc., it was very compelling.
He said that all the irregularities in Florida and Ohio have happened in counties using non-paper-trail e-voting from the companies run by Bush's friends.
He interviewed a reporter from the Cincinnati paper who discussed how homeland security barred reporters from witnessing the voting in some of the major minority areas in town, that this was the first time the press was ever kept out of and barred from witnessing the voting. The Sec of State in Ohio says that it was under orders from Bush's Homeland Security chief, who said that these cities in Ohio were under a highly increased threat of terrorism during the election. For this reason, only one entrance was open for the voting in these (largely democratic) areas, and the press was barred from coming in to see the voting, or to have the usual offices in the building they have had in every past year
Just watched Keith Olbermann on MSNBC in which he did a story on election problems. He said that there were 90,000 more votes cast in Ohio than registered voters (he went through a list of counties and said how many voters were registered in each and how many extra thousands of votes were recorded).
He reported how in Florida counties, heavily-leaning dem counties went overwhelmingly for Bush -- the first time these counties have ever voted Repub. He showed charts with numbers, etc., it was very compelling.
He said that all the irregularities in Florida and Ohio have happened in counties using non-paper-trail e-voting from the companies run by Bush's friends.
He interviewed a reporter from the Cincinnati paper who discussed how homeland security barred reporters from witnessing the voting in some of the major minority areas in town, that this was the first time the press was ever kept out of and barred from witnessing the voting. The Sec of State in Ohio says that it was under orders from Bush's Homeland Security chief, who said that these cities in Ohio were under a highly increased threat of terrorism during the election. For this reason, only one entrance was open for the voting in these (largely democratic) areas, and the press was barred from coming in to see the voting, or to have the usual offices in the building they have had in every past year
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
IRAQ: RESISTANCE
Al-Basrah: Iraqi Resistance Report for 5 November 2004 through 7 November 2004.
Al-Fallujah – ar-Ramadi Province.
US savagely pounds al-Fallujah late Friday night.
In a dispatch posted at 12:55am Saturday morning local time (11:55pm Friday night Mecca time) the al-Fallujah correspondent of Mafkarat al-Islam reported that the northern, eastern, and southern parts of the city were at that hour under an extremely fierce US bombardment. In the north, the al-Jaghifi neighborhood was under US fire, in the east of the city American shells were raining down on al-‘Askari neighborhood, while the industrial zone and the ash-Shuhada’ neighborhoods were the American targets in the southern part of al-Fallujah.
The savage US bombardment began at 11:25pm local time Friday night and was still under way as the correspondent filed his report.
A Mafkarat al-Islam dispatch posted at 2:30am Saturday local time (1:30am Saturday Mecca time) reported that the US bombardment was still continuing.
Al-Fallujah – ar-Ramadi Province.
US savagely pounds al-Fallujah late Friday night.
In a dispatch posted at 12:55am Saturday morning local time (11:55pm Friday night Mecca time) the al-Fallujah correspondent of Mafkarat al-Islam reported that the northern, eastern, and southern parts of the city were at that hour under an extremely fierce US bombardment. In the north, the al-Jaghifi neighborhood was under US fire, in the east of the city American shells were raining down on al-‘Askari neighborhood, while the industrial zone and the ash-Shuhada’ neighborhoods were the American targets in the southern part of al-Fallujah.
The savage US bombardment began at 11:25pm local time Friday night and was still under way as the correspondent filed his report.
A Mafkarat al-Islam dispatch posted at 2:30am Saturday local time (1:30am Saturday Mecca time) reported that the US bombardment was still continuing.
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Al-Jazeera: Hospital hit as fighting rages in Falluja
Warplanes have bombed a government clinic in the centre of Falluja as US ground forces engaged in pitched battles with fighters defending the city.
Residents said the one-storey Popular Clinic which had been receiving wounded anti-US fighters and civilians was hit overnight as US-led forces pressed into the city.
The residents said on Tuesday it was impossible to reach the clinic because of heavy bombing and US tanks in the area.
The clinic's telephones were no longer working.
Warplanes have bombed a government clinic in the centre of Falluja as US ground forces engaged in pitched battles with fighters defending the city.
Residents said the one-storey Popular Clinic which had been receiving wounded anti-US fighters and civilians was hit overnight as US-led forces pressed into the city.
The residents said on Tuesday it was impossible to reach the clinic because of heavy bombing and US tanks in the area.
The clinic's telephones were no longer working.
IRAQ: FALLUJAH RESISTANCE
Reuters: US Chopper Shot Down In Falluja - Witness
A U.S. helicopter was shot down over Falluja on Tuesday as U.S.-led forces were pressing home an offensive on the rebel-held city.
"I saw the helicopter collide with a rocket. It turned into a ball of fire and fell to the ground," said Reuters reporter Fadel al-Badrani. "There was smoke everywhere."
A U.S. helicopter was shot down over Falluja on Tuesday as U.S.-led forces were pressing home an offensive on the rebel-held city.
"I saw the helicopter collide with a rocket. It turned into a ball of fire and fell to the ground," said Reuters reporter Fadel al-Badrani. "There was smoke everywhere."
IRAQ
Rense: American Options In Iraq by William R. Polk
Iraq is in a terrible condition, its society has been torn apart, scores of thousands have been killed and even more wounded, its infrastructure has been shattered, dreadful hatreds have been generated. Today, there are no good options -- only better or worse -- alternatives. Three appear possible:
The first option has been called "staying the course." In practice that means continued fighting. France 'stayed the course' in Algeria in the 1950s as America did in Vietnam in the 1960s and as the Israelis are now doing in occupied Palestine. It has never worked anywhere. In Algeria, the French employed over three times as many troops, nearly half a million, to fight roughly the same number of insurgents as America is now fighting in Iraq. They lost. America had half a million soldiers in Vietnam and gave up. After forty years of warfare against the Palestinians, the Israelis have achieved neither peace nor security.
The author is a former Member of the U.S. State Department's Policy Planning Council, responsible for the Middle East, he was Professor of History at the University of Chicago and Founding-Director of its Center for Middle Eastern Studies.
Iraq is in a terrible condition, its society has been torn apart, scores of thousands have been killed and even more wounded, its infrastructure has been shattered, dreadful hatreds have been generated. Today, there are no good options -- only better or worse -- alternatives. Three appear possible:
The first option has been called "staying the course." In practice that means continued fighting. France 'stayed the course' in Algeria in the 1950s as America did in Vietnam in the 1960s and as the Israelis are now doing in occupied Palestine. It has never worked anywhere. In Algeria, the French employed over three times as many troops, nearly half a million, to fight roughly the same number of insurgents as America is now fighting in Iraq. They lost. America had half a million soldiers in Vietnam and gave up. After forty years of warfare against the Palestinians, the Israelis have achieved neither peace nor security.
The author is a former Member of the U.S. State Department's Policy Planning Council, responsible for the Middle East, he was Professor of History at the University of Chicago and Founding-Director of its Center for Middle Eastern Studies.
Monday, November 08, 2004
USA: THE APOCALYPSE IS COMING
Check: Rapture Ready Index
The Purpose For This Index
The Rapture Index has two functions: one is to factor together a number of related end time components into a cohesive indicator, and the other is to standardize those components to eliminate the wide variance that currently exists with prophecy reporting.
The Rapture Index is by no means meant to predict the rapture, however, the index is designed to measure the type of activity that could act as a precursor to the rapture.
You could say the Rapture index is a Dow Jones Industrial Average of end time activity, but I think it would be better if you viewed it as prophetic speedometer. The higher the number, the faster we're moving towards the occurrence of pre-tribulation rapture.
The Purpose For This Index
The Rapture Index has two functions: one is to factor together a number of related end time components into a cohesive indicator, and the other is to standardize those components to eliminate the wide variance that currently exists with prophecy reporting.
The Rapture Index is by no means meant to predict the rapture, however, the index is designed to measure the type of activity that could act as a precursor to the rapture.
You could say the Rapture index is a Dow Jones Industrial Average of end time activity, but I think it would be better if you viewed it as prophetic speedometer. The higher the number, the faster we're moving towards the occurrence of pre-tribulation rapture.
VENUZELA
Heise: USA finanzieren "demokratische Bestrebungen" nach Intervention und Putsch
Weitere US-Einflussnahmen in Venezuela: Finanzierung und Unterstützung aus dem Norden für die Opposition
Die Strategie der Opposition, die sich in Venezuela selbst wenig Hoffnungen auf eine breite Unterstützung machen kann, zielt darauf Entscheidungen der Regierung als Willkür einer Diktatur zu präsentieren und durch Rücktritte, die Behinderung verwaltungstechnischer Vorgänge und das Anstacheln von gewalttätigen Zusammenstößen auf den Straßen, ein Bild weitgehender Instabilität und Unregierbarkeit zu präsentieren, um so den internationalen Druck auf Venezuela zu erhöhen. Die führenden Sektoren der Opposition hoffen dadurch einen erneuten Militärputsch oder eine US-Intervention zu hervorzurufen. Dafür demonstrierten sie auch vor der US-Botschaft in Caracas mit Schildern wie "1. Hussein; 2. Aristide; 3. Chávez".
Weitere US-Einflussnahmen in Venezuela: Finanzierung und Unterstützung aus dem Norden für die Opposition
Die Strategie der Opposition, die sich in Venezuela selbst wenig Hoffnungen auf eine breite Unterstützung machen kann, zielt darauf Entscheidungen der Regierung als Willkür einer Diktatur zu präsentieren und durch Rücktritte, die Behinderung verwaltungstechnischer Vorgänge und das Anstacheln von gewalttätigen Zusammenstößen auf den Straßen, ein Bild weitgehender Instabilität und Unregierbarkeit zu präsentieren, um so den internationalen Druck auf Venezuela zu erhöhen. Die führenden Sektoren der Opposition hoffen dadurch einen erneuten Militärputsch oder eine US-Intervention zu hervorzurufen. Dafür demonstrierten sie auch vor der US-Botschaft in Caracas mit Schildern wie "1. Hussein; 2. Aristide; 3. Chávez".
IRAQ: FALLUJAH WAR CRIMES
Al Jazeera: Battle of Falluja under way
Fierce fighting is raging in Falluja after interim PM Iyad Allawi gave US-led forces the go-ahead for a full-scale attack on the besieged Iraqi city
Allawi: "I gave my authority to the multinational forces, Iraqi forces. We are determined to clean Falluja from the terrorists."
"Puppet Allawi doesn't hold any authority"
Iraqi special forces stormed the hospital at about 2am (2300 GMT Sunday) without firing a shot, blindfolding and dragging people into halls and kicking down doors.
All the hospital staff and doctors have been arrested," said a doctor at the hospital Dr Ahmad Ghanim.
"We are now in a very small and poorly-equipped alternative clinic. We are only 4-5 doctors with 5 assistants. " Ghanim said.
The doctor added that US forces had grounded all ambulances and fired on and disabled the hospital's only car. Doctors were also running short of medicines.
The hospital director said earlier that the facility was surrounded. "They are telling us over loud speakers that if we leave the building we will be shot at," Dr Salih al-Isawi said, adding that an ambulance that tried to exit the facility was fired upon.
"It seems that the americans went to the israeli warcrime school"
Fierce fighting is raging in Falluja after interim PM Iyad Allawi gave US-led forces the go-ahead for a full-scale attack on the besieged Iraqi city
Allawi: "I gave my authority to the multinational forces, Iraqi forces. We are determined to clean Falluja from the terrorists."
"Puppet Allawi doesn't hold any authority"
Iraqi special forces stormed the hospital at about 2am (2300 GMT Sunday) without firing a shot, blindfolding and dragging people into halls and kicking down doors.
All the hospital staff and doctors have been arrested," said a doctor at the hospital Dr Ahmad Ghanim.
"We are now in a very small and poorly-equipped alternative clinic. We are only 4-5 doctors with 5 assistants. " Ghanim said.
The doctor added that US forces had grounded all ambulances and fired on and disabled the hospital's only car. Doctors were also running short of medicines.
The hospital director said earlier that the facility was surrounded. "They are telling us over loud speakers that if we leave the building we will be shot at," Dr Salih al-Isawi said, adding that an ambulance that tried to exit the facility was fired upon.
"It seems that the americans went to the israeli warcrime school"
IRAQ: FALLUJAH WAR CRIMES
BBC: US strikes raze Falluja hospital
A hospital has been razed to the ground in one of the heaviest US air raids in the Iraqi city of Falluja
A hospital has been razed to the ground in one of the heaviest US air raids in the Iraqi city of Falluja
MIDDLE EAST: ARAFAT POISONED?
Jerusalem Post: Aide alleges Israel poisoned Arafat
Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat was poisoned by Israel, one of his advisers said Sunday.
The option is being seriously considered by the PA, which has sent blood samples to the US and Germany to confirm or rule out the option, he said.
Arafat suffers symptoms similar to those of former PFLP military leader Wadi'a Hadad, he said.
Hadad was poisoned in the late 1970s by a close aide who was allegedly recruited by the Mossad, the adviser said, although the official reason for his death was cancer.
"It took Hadad eight weeks to die... he also entered a coma", he said, "Unless they find an antidote, Arafat will die," he added.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat was poisoned by Israel, one of his advisers said Sunday.
The option is being seriously considered by the PA, which has sent blood samples to the US and Germany to confirm or rule out the option, he said.
Arafat suffers symptoms similar to those of former PFLP military leader Wadi'a Hadad, he said.
Hadad was poisoned in the late 1970s by a close aide who was allegedly recruited by the Mossad, the adviser said, although the official reason for his death was cancer.
"It took Hadad eight weeks to die... he also entered a coma", he said, "Unless they find an antidote, Arafat will die," he added.
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Observer: Remaining Falluja Residents Face Extreme Danger US Troops To Regard All As 'Potential Insurgents'
US Troops To Regard All As 'Potential Insurgents'
Marines near Falluja call last year's invasion of Iraq 'the first war'. This, then, is the second. They plan to retake the rebel-held city of Falluja and from there crush the insurgency throughout the Sunni Triangle, west of Baghdad.
Last week thousands more combat troops, joined by Iraqi security forces, arrived to back the marines who will lead the assault - expected to begin as early as tomorrow.
'Although it is inevitable that there are some casualties in a city like this, we have done everything we can to let people know coalition forces are here,' said Shupp. 'That's one of the reasons why we have such a large show of force, so people realise they should really evacuate.' More than half the townspeople are believed to have left. Anyone still in the city will be regarded as a potential insurgent and all cars treated as possible suicide bombs.
US Troops To Regard All As 'Potential Insurgents'
Marines near Falluja call last year's invasion of Iraq 'the first war'. This, then, is the second. They plan to retake the rebel-held city of Falluja and from there crush the insurgency throughout the Sunni Triangle, west of Baghdad.
Last week thousands more combat troops, joined by Iraqi security forces, arrived to back the marines who will lead the assault - expected to begin as early as tomorrow.
'Although it is inevitable that there are some casualties in a city like this, we have done everything we can to let people know coalition forces are here,' said Shupp. 'That's one of the reasons why we have such a large show of force, so people realise they should really evacuate.' More than half the townspeople are believed to have left. Anyone still in the city will be regarded as a potential insurgent and all cars treated as possible suicide bombs.
"So anybody who's not leaving fallujah is now regarded as a insurgent and will be shot..that is a warcrime and they even announce that in public. To clear a city under occupation from its inhabitants is regardet as ethnic cleansing by international law. If you target a whole population and don't differ between civilians and insurgents..that's a war crime of the worst kind. The USA is there to spread Democracy and Western Values isn't it? And then they ask why do they hate us? Heil Bush!"
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
NY Times: Invasion of Fallujah Begins
Sunday 07 November 2004
Fallujah - Explosions and heavy gunfire thundered through the outskirts of Fallujah on Sunday night and early Monday as American soldiers and marines swept toward strategic bridges, hospitals and other objectives in what appeared to be the first stage of a long-expected invasion of the city.
Hours earlier, Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, faced with an outbreak of insurgent violence across the country, declared emergency law for 60 days across most of Iraq. The proclamation gave him broad martial powers that allow him to impose curfews, order house-to-house searches and detain suspected criminals and insurgents.
"We declared it today and we are going to implement it whenever and wherever it is necessary," Dr. Allawi told pool reporters inside the fortified compound that houses the headquarters of the interim Iraqi government. "This will send a very powerful message that we are serious."
Troops were on the move by 9 p.m. to the west and south of Fallujah, just across the Euphrates River, and after two hours of steady pounding by American guns, tanks, Bradley armored vehicles, artillery and AC-130 gunships, at least one objective - a hospital less than a mile from downtown Fallujah - had been secured by American special forces and the Iraqi 36th commando battalion.
Tracer fire lit up the sky as the operation began, helicopters crisscrossed the battlefield, and at least one American vehicle was fired upon with a rocket-propelled grenade as American and Iraqi forces converged on the hospital, called Al-Fallujah. Shortly before midnight, American forces were exchaning gunfire across a strategic bridge near the hospital with four to five insurgent positions on the other side.
Sunday 07 November 2004
Fallujah - Explosions and heavy gunfire thundered through the outskirts of Fallujah on Sunday night and early Monday as American soldiers and marines swept toward strategic bridges, hospitals and other objectives in what appeared to be the first stage of a long-expected invasion of the city.
Hours earlier, Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, faced with an outbreak of insurgent violence across the country, declared emergency law for 60 days across most of Iraq. The proclamation gave him broad martial powers that allow him to impose curfews, order house-to-house searches and detain suspected criminals and insurgents.
"We declared it today and we are going to implement it whenever and wherever it is necessary," Dr. Allawi told pool reporters inside the fortified compound that houses the headquarters of the interim Iraqi government. "This will send a very powerful message that we are serious."
Troops were on the move by 9 p.m. to the west and south of Fallujah, just across the Euphrates River, and after two hours of steady pounding by American guns, tanks, Bradley armored vehicles, artillery and AC-130 gunships, at least one objective - a hospital less than a mile from downtown Fallujah - had been secured by American special forces and the Iraqi 36th commando battalion.
Tracer fire lit up the sky as the operation began, helicopters crisscrossed the battlefield, and at least one American vehicle was fired upon with a rocket-propelled grenade as American and Iraqi forces converged on the hospital, called Al-Fallujah. Shortly before midnight, American forces were exchaning gunfire across a strategic bridge near the hospital with four to five insurgent positions on the other side.
USA: ELECTION THEFT
Rense: House Dems Ask GAO To Investigate Voting Machines
Common Dreams: Evidence Mounts That The Vote Was Hacked
When I spoke with Jeff Fisher this morning (Saturday, November 06, 2004), the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 16th District said he was waiting for the FBI to show up. Fisher has evidence, he says, not only that the Florida election was hacked, but of who hacked it and how. And not just this year, he said, but that these same people had previously hacked the Democratic primary race in 2002 so that Jeb Bush would not have to run against Janet Reno, who presented a real threat to Jeb, but instead against Bill McBride, who Jeb beat.
"Election night, I'd been doing live election coverage for WDEV, one of the radio stations that carries my syndicated show, and, just after midnight, during the 12:20 a.m. Associated Press Radio News feed, I was startled to hear the reporter detail how Karen Hughes had earlier sat George W. Bush down to inform him that he'd lost the election. The exit polls were clear: Kerry was winning in a landslide. "Bush took the news stoically," noted the AP report.
But then the computers reported something different. In several pivotal states.
Conservatives see a conspiracy here: They think the exit polls were rigged. "
Greg Palast: Kerry Won - Here Are The Facts
I know you don't want to hear it. You can't face one more hung chad. But I don't have a choice. As a journalist examining that messy sausage called American democracy, it's my job to tell you who got the most votes in the deciding states. Tuesday, in Ohio and New Mexico, it was John Kerry.
Most voters in Ohio thought they were voting for Kerry. At 1:05 a.m. Wednesday morning, CNN's exit poll showed Kerry beating Bush among Ohio women by 53 percent to 47 percent. The exit polls were later combined with-and therefore contaminated by-the tabulated results, ultimately becoming a mirror of the apparent actual vote. Kerry also defeated Bush among Ohio's male voters 51 percent to 49 percent. Unless a third gender voted in Ohio, Kerry took the state.
TWD: Palm Beach County Logs 88,000 More Votes Than Voters
According to the official election results posted on the Palm Beach County election website, 542,835 ballots were cast for a presidential candidate while only 454,427 voters turned out for the election (including absentee). This leaves a discrepancy of 88,408 votes cast for the presidential candidates.
Palm Beach County's supervisor of elections is Theresa LePore who is known for the 2000 Presidential Election and the notorious "butterfly ballot" that caused confusion among seniors and other Floridians.
Other election oddities occurred throughout Florida with some counties registering a 400% increase in expected voter turnout among Republicans while Democrats supposedly experienced a -60% decline in expected support within certain counties. The 50+ counties experiencing the high percentage fluctuations in expected turnout used optical scan voting machines on November 2nd.
Vote discrepancies were also found in Gahanna, Ohio which gave an extra 4,000 votes to President Bush. The error was explained away by Franklin County administrators as a "glitch" in the electronic voting system.
Truthout: Broward Machines Count Backward
Fort Lauderdale - It had to happen. Things were just going too smoothly.
Early Thursday, as Broward County elections officials wrapped up after a long day of canvassing votes, something unusual caught their eye. Tallies should go up as more votes are counted. Thats simple math. But in some races, the numbers had gone . . . down.
Officials found the software used in Broward can handle only 32,000 votes per precinct. After that, the system starts counting backward.
Why a voting system would be designed to count backward was a mystery to Broward County Mayor Ilene Lieberman. She was on the phone late Wednesday with Omaha-based Elections Systems and Software.
Common Dreams: Evidence Mounts That The Vote Was Hacked
When I spoke with Jeff Fisher this morning (Saturday, November 06, 2004), the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 16th District said he was waiting for the FBI to show up. Fisher has evidence, he says, not only that the Florida election was hacked, but of who hacked it and how. And not just this year, he said, but that these same people had previously hacked the Democratic primary race in 2002 so that Jeb Bush would not have to run against Janet Reno, who presented a real threat to Jeb, but instead against Bill McBride, who Jeb beat.
"Election night, I'd been doing live election coverage for WDEV, one of the radio stations that carries my syndicated show, and, just after midnight, during the 12:20 a.m. Associated Press Radio News feed, I was startled to hear the reporter detail how Karen Hughes had earlier sat George W. Bush down to inform him that he'd lost the election. The exit polls were clear: Kerry was winning in a landslide. "Bush took the news stoically," noted the AP report.
But then the computers reported something different. In several pivotal states.
Conservatives see a conspiracy here: They think the exit polls were rigged. "
Greg Palast: Kerry Won - Here Are The Facts
I know you don't want to hear it. You can't face one more hung chad. But I don't have a choice. As a journalist examining that messy sausage called American democracy, it's my job to tell you who got the most votes in the deciding states. Tuesday, in Ohio and New Mexico, it was John Kerry.
Most voters in Ohio thought they were voting for Kerry. At 1:05 a.m. Wednesday morning, CNN's exit poll showed Kerry beating Bush among Ohio women by 53 percent to 47 percent. The exit polls were later combined with-and therefore contaminated by-the tabulated results, ultimately becoming a mirror of the apparent actual vote. Kerry also defeated Bush among Ohio's male voters 51 percent to 49 percent. Unless a third gender voted in Ohio, Kerry took the state.
TWD: Palm Beach County Logs 88,000 More Votes Than Voters
According to the official election results posted on the Palm Beach County election website, 542,835 ballots were cast for a presidential candidate while only 454,427 voters turned out for the election (including absentee). This leaves a discrepancy of 88,408 votes cast for the presidential candidates.
Palm Beach County's supervisor of elections is Theresa LePore who is known for the 2000 Presidential Election and the notorious "butterfly ballot" that caused confusion among seniors and other Floridians.
Other election oddities occurred throughout Florida with some counties registering a 400% increase in expected voter turnout among Republicans while Democrats supposedly experienced a -60% decline in expected support within certain counties. The 50+ counties experiencing the high percentage fluctuations in expected turnout used optical scan voting machines on November 2nd.
Vote discrepancies were also found in Gahanna, Ohio which gave an extra 4,000 votes to President Bush. The error was explained away by Franklin County administrators as a "glitch" in the electronic voting system.
Truthout: Broward Machines Count Backward
Fort Lauderdale - It had to happen. Things were just going too smoothly.
Early Thursday, as Broward County elections officials wrapped up after a long day of canvassing votes, something unusual caught their eye. Tallies should go up as more votes are counted. Thats simple math. But in some races, the numbers had gone . . . down.
Officials found the software used in Broward can handle only 32,000 votes per precinct. After that, the system starts counting backward.
Why a voting system would be designed to count backward was a mystery to Broward County Mayor Ilene Lieberman. She was on the phone late Wednesday with Omaha-based Elections Systems and Software.
USA: THE BUSH VOTER
Rense: God's Anointed One Was Elected
What you are about to read is an actual email Jeff Rense received...
Mr. Rense,
Hello! I believe what we have here as far as the 2004 elections is a close tie between the devil and God. Not Kerry and Bush. And God prevailed obviously and placed the most morale person in office during the "end times".
Abortion and Christanity are reasons for my voting for Bush along with the gay marriage ban! I have been rejoicing since Bush's (the good Lord aboves Win!) victory. He is a family and moral man and believes in the sanctity of marriage, honesty, anti-choice/pro life. He is going back to the beliefs of our founding fathers of the U.S.A.
Of course since God is with Bush the world hates him because they don't want to turn to the bible and away from their vile-sinful lifestyles that are abominable to God. Jesus was hated by the world too. Doesn't it make since when you are born again TRULY through the blood of Christ the world would hate you too? Well, that is Bush. Wake-up. Bush sincerely cares about this nation because he has the love of God living within him. So, it is ones choice to accept Christ or not. If not they send themselves to hell by living in opposition to Gods rule. Don't blame him.
God Bless,
(Name removed)
What you are about to read is an actual email Jeff Rense received...
Mr. Rense,
Hello! I believe what we have here as far as the 2004 elections is a close tie between the devil and God. Not Kerry and Bush. And God prevailed obviously and placed the most morale person in office during the "end times".
Abortion and Christanity are reasons for my voting for Bush along with the gay marriage ban! I have been rejoicing since Bush's (the good Lord aboves Win!) victory. He is a family and moral man and believes in the sanctity of marriage, honesty, anti-choice/pro life. He is going back to the beliefs of our founding fathers of the U.S.A.
Of course since God is with Bush the world hates him because they don't want to turn to the bible and away from their vile-sinful lifestyles that are abominable to God. Jesus was hated by the world too. Doesn't it make since when you are born again TRULY through the blood of Christ the world would hate you too? Well, that is Bush. Wake-up. Bush sincerely cares about this nation because he has the love of God living within him. So, it is ones choice to accept Christ or not. If not they send themselves to hell by living in opposition to Gods rule. Don't blame him.
God Bless,
(Name removed)
Friday, November 05, 2004
USA: BIN LADEN
Prison Planet: Update: New Bin Laden tape said to be on ice
At least one ‘new’ Bin Laden video, said to be in the possession of the Arabic televsion network Al-Jazeera, is nearing the end of an embargo allegedly enacted at the pressure of U.S. authorities, though the tape may still be withheld.
The site reporting on the video, TrackingTerrorism.com, told RAW STORY in private correspondence that they are respecting the embargo. They have been tracking unconfirmed reports for more than two days.
The tape is said to be currently leaked online on a few remote and clandestine Al-Qaeda websites. Militants are already praising its release, making comments such as, “soon the American People will see the edited version,” the site reports.
The site’s editors saying they hope to make the full tape’s presence known to the national media before it is broadcast, saying the last broadcast only included a fraction of the entire tape, the remainder of which was largely ignored by the American media.
At least one ‘new’ Bin Laden video, said to be in the possession of the Arabic televsion network Al-Jazeera, is nearing the end of an embargo allegedly enacted at the pressure of U.S. authorities, though the tape may still be withheld.
The site reporting on the video, TrackingTerrorism.com, told RAW STORY in private correspondence that they are respecting the embargo. They have been tracking unconfirmed reports for more than two days.
The tape is said to be currently leaked online on a few remote and clandestine Al-Qaeda websites. Militants are already praising its release, making comments such as, “soon the American People will see the edited version,” the site reports.
The site’s editors saying they hope to make the full tape’s presence known to the national media before it is broadcast, saying the last broadcast only included a fraction of the entire tape, the remainder of which was largely ignored by the American media.
ARUNDHATI ROY
SMH: What we call peace is little better than capitulation to a corporate coup by Arundhati Roy
The Iraq war is a sign that the world has lost the will to fight for true justice
-- Sometimes there's truth in old cliches. There can be no real peace without justice. And without resistance there will be no justice. Today, it is not merely justice itself, but the idea of justice that is under attack.
The assault on vulnerable, fragile sections of society is so complete, so cruel and so clever that its sheer audacity has eroded our definition of justice. It has forced us to lower our sights, and curtail our expectations. Even among the well-intentioned, the magnificent concept of justice is gradually being substituted with the reduced, far more fragile discourse of "human rights".
CHECK IT
The Iraq war is a sign that the world has lost the will to fight for true justice
-- Sometimes there's truth in old cliches. There can be no real peace without justice. And without resistance there will be no justice. Today, it is not merely justice itself, but the idea of justice that is under attack.
The assault on vulnerable, fragile sections of society is so complete, so cruel and so clever that its sheer audacity has eroded our definition of justice. It has forced us to lower our sights, and curtail our expectations. Even among the well-intentioned, the magnificent concept of justice is gradually being substituted with the reduced, far more fragile discourse of "human rights".
CHECK IT
USA: FOUR MORE YEARS
ICH: Americans Endorse War, Religious Fanaticism And State Terrorism
Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act.” George Orwell
11/04/04 "ICH" -- The childish charade of this so-called ‘free’ election in the US has finally come to an end. This ‘free’ election was in fact not ‘free’ at all, when you consider that it offered a limited ‘choice’ of only two candidates. This fact alone shows that the US is already very close to a dictatorship. More importantly, both candidates had identical agendas that differed only in style but not in substance, which is not surprising since both were supported and handled by the same corporate Capitalism and Zionist lobbies that American democracy has become known for. In reality, this is a dictatorship that has entered through the back door under the illusion of a ‘free’ election.
MIDDLE EAST: ARAFAT
AP: Arafat Reportedly in 'Irreversible Coma'
PARIS - Yasser Arafat has lapsed into a coma in a French hospital, a senior Palestinian official said Thursday, a day after the Palestinian leader was rushed to intensive care following a sharp deterioration in his health.
French President Jacques Chirac went to the hospital and saw Arafat and his wife, "to whom he expressed his best wishes," Chirac's office said. The president also met members of the Palestinian Authority and doctors "who are doing everything possible for the health of the president," Chirac's office said.
PARIS - Yasser Arafat has lapsed into a coma in a French hospital, a senior Palestinian official said Thursday, a day after the Palestinian leader was rushed to intensive care following a sharp deterioration in his health.
French President Jacques Chirac went to the hospital and saw Arafat and his wife, "to whom he expressed his best wishes," Chirac's office said. The president also met members of the Palestinian Authority and doctors "who are doing everything possible for the health of the president," Chirac's office said.
USA: PRESIDENT BUSH
NY Times Op/Ed: No Surrender by Paul Krugman
President Bush isn't a conservative. He's a radical - the leader of a coalition that deeply dislikes America as it is. Part of that coalition wants to tear down the legacy of Franklin Roosevelt, eviscerating Social Security and, eventually, Medicare. Another part wants to break down the barriers between church and state. And thanks to a heavy turnout by evangelical Christians, Mr. Bush has four more years to advance that radical agenda.
Democrats are now, understandably, engaged in self-examination. But while it's O.K. to think things over, those who abhor the direction Mr. Bush is taking the country must maintain their intensity; they must not succumb to defeatism
President Bush isn't a conservative. He's a radical - the leader of a coalition that deeply dislikes America as it is. Part of that coalition wants to tear down the legacy of Franklin Roosevelt, eviscerating Social Security and, eventually, Medicare. Another part wants to break down the barriers between church and state. And thanks to a heavy turnout by evangelical Christians, Mr. Bush has four more years to advance that radical agenda.
Democrats are now, understandably, engaged in self-examination. But while it's O.K. to think things over, those who abhor the direction Mr. Bush is taking the country must maintain their intensity; they must not succumb to defeatism
USA: ELECTIONS
Greg Palast: Kerry Won - Here Are The Facts
Kerry won. Here are the facts.
I know you don't want to hear it. You can't face one more hung chad. But I don't have a choice. As a journalist examining that messy sausage called American democracy, it's my job to tell you who got the most votes in the deciding states. Tuesday, in Ohio and New Mexico, it was John Kerry.
Most voters in Ohio thought they were voting for Kerry. CNN's exit poll showed Kerry beating Bush among Ohio women by 53 percent to 47 percent. Kerry also defeated Bush among Ohio's male voters 51 percent to 49 percent. Unless a third gender voted in Ohio, Kerry took the state.
So what's going on here? Answer: the exit polls are accurate. Pollsters ask, "Who did you vote for?" Unfortunately, they don't ask the crucial, question, "Was your vote counted?" The voters don't know.
Kerry won. Here are the facts.
I know you don't want to hear it. You can't face one more hung chad. But I don't have a choice. As a journalist examining that messy sausage called American democracy, it's my job to tell you who got the most votes in the deciding states. Tuesday, in Ohio and New Mexico, it was John Kerry.
Most voters in Ohio thought they were voting for Kerry. CNN's exit poll showed Kerry beating Bush among Ohio women by 53 percent to 47 percent. Kerry also defeated Bush among Ohio's male voters 51 percent to 49 percent. Unless a third gender voted in Ohio, Kerry took the state.
So what's going on here? Answer: the exit polls are accurate. Pollsters ask, "Who did you vote for?" Unfortunately, they don't ask the crucial, question, "Was your vote counted?" The voters don't know.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
USA: PRESIDENT BUSH
Moscow Times: Defeat, Dissent And The Bush Machine
Well, that's it. The great American electoral agony is over at last. Now George W. Bush - the duly elected, finally legitimate president of the United States - can get back to doing what he does best: killing people for corporate profit and personal aggrandizement.
Well, that's it. The great American electoral agony is over at last. Now George W. Bush - the duly elected, finally legitimate president of the United States - can get back to doing what he does best: killing people for corporate profit and personal aggrandizement.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
USA: BUSH WINS
CNN: BUSH WINS
BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Sen. John Kerry conceded defeat to President Bush on Wednesday and asked the country to put the bitter divisions of the election behind them.
"I spoke to President Bush and I offered him and Laura our congratulations on their victory," Kerry said in a speech to a cheering crowd in Boston.
"We talked about the division in our country and the need, desperate need, for unity. ...Today, I hope we can begin the healing."
FH451: This election has sent a clear message to the whole world...the face of America in the next four years will be of unilaterism, the war on terror escalating in a clash of civilisations. The Bush regime will attack Iran and Syria as this is the neo-conservative dream come true..the total concentration of right wing power - legitamized by the popular vote. The road ahead is to flatten fallujah, bomb Iran, depose President Assad of Syria, crush the Palestinian Resistance and remodel the Middle East by "precision strike" democracy..the crusade continues, Osama got exactly what he wanted. There will be a Blowback..beware. Good Luck. God Bless America.
BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Sen. John Kerry conceded defeat to President Bush on Wednesday and asked the country to put the bitter divisions of the election behind them.
"I spoke to President Bush and I offered him and Laura our congratulations on their victory," Kerry said in a speech to a cheering crowd in Boston.
"We talked about the division in our country and the need, desperate need, for unity. ...Today, I hope we can begin the healing."
FH451: This election has sent a clear message to the whole world...the face of America in the next four years will be of unilaterism, the war on terror escalating in a clash of civilisations. The Bush regime will attack Iran and Syria as this is the neo-conservative dream come true..the total concentration of right wing power - legitamized by the popular vote. The road ahead is to flatten fallujah, bomb Iran, depose President Assad of Syria, crush the Palestinian Resistance and remodel the Middle East by "precision strike" democracy..the crusade continues, Osama got exactly what he wanted. There will be a Blowback..beware. Good Luck. God Bless America.
USA: ELECTION DAY
NY Times: With Echoes of 2000 Vote, Ohio Count Is at Issue
President Bush swept to an apparent popular-vote victory over Senator John Kerry last night, and seemed headed toward winning enough Electoral College votes to assure his re-election.
But in what was shaping up as a Midwest replay of 2000, Mr. Kerry's campaign challenged the results in Ohio and said it would not abandon the campaign until all the votes in that critical state were counted
An evening of confusion - and deflation for Mr. Kerry's aides and Democrats across the country - caused in no small part by surveys of voters leaving the polls, which showed Mr. Kerry leading Mr. Bush by as much as 3 percentage points nationally. With 86 percent of the vote counted, Mr. Bush was leading Mr. Kerry 51 percent to 48 percent.
President Bush swept to an apparent popular-vote victory over Senator John Kerry last night, and seemed headed toward winning enough Electoral College votes to assure his re-election.
But in what was shaping up as a Midwest replay of 2000, Mr. Kerry's campaign challenged the results in Ohio and said it would not abandon the campaign until all the votes in that critical state were counted
An evening of confusion - and deflation for Mr. Kerry's aides and Democrats across the country - caused in no small part by surveys of voters leaving the polls, which showed Mr. Kerry leading Mr. Bush by as much as 3 percentage points nationally. With 86 percent of the vote counted, Mr. Bush was leading Mr. Kerry 51 percent to 48 percent.
USA: ELECTION DAY
MSNBC: White House claims Bush wins, but Kerry balks
The White House claimed victory in the presidential election Wednesday morning after President Bush won Ohio and Florida, two of the three battleground states that were keys to the race, according to projections by NBC News. Sen. John Kerry’s campaign was unwilling to concede, insisting that he would win Ohio’s 20 electoral votes when all the ballots were counted — which might not happen for almost two weeks.
The White House claimed victory in the presidential election Wednesday morning after President Bush won Ohio and Florida, two of the three battleground states that were keys to the race, according to projections by NBC News. Sen. John Kerry’s campaign was unwilling to concede, insisting that he would win Ohio’s 20 electoral votes when all the ballots were counted — which might not happen for almost two weeks.
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
USA: ELECTION DAY
NY Times Editorial: Editorial: John Kerry for President
Senator John Kerry goes toward the election with a base that is built more on opposition to George W. Bush than loyalty to his own candidacy. But over the last year we have come to know Mr. Kerry as more than just an alternative to the status quo. We like what we've seen. He has qualities that could be the basis for a great chief executive, not just a modest improvement on the incumbent.
We have been impressed with Mr. Kerry's wide knowledge and clear thinking - something that became more apparent once he was reined in by that two-minute debate light. He is blessedly willing to re-evaluate decisions when conditions change. And while Mr. Kerry's service in Vietnam was first over-promoted and then over-pilloried, his entire life has been devoted to public service, from the war to a series of elected offices. He strikes us, above all, as a man with a strong moral core.
Senator John Kerry goes toward the election with a base that is built more on opposition to George W. Bush than loyalty to his own candidacy. But over the last year we have come to know Mr. Kerry as more than just an alternative to the status quo. We like what we've seen. He has qualities that could be the basis for a great chief executive, not just a modest improvement on the incumbent.
We have been impressed with Mr. Kerry's wide knowledge and clear thinking - something that became more apparent once he was reined in by that two-minute debate light. He is blessedly willing to re-evaluate decisions when conditions change. And while Mr. Kerry's service in Vietnam was first over-promoted and then over-pilloried, his entire life has been devoted to public service, from the war to a series of elected offices. He strikes us, above all, as a man with a strong moral core.
USA: ELECTION DAY
NY Times: Ohio: G.O.P. in Ohio Can Challenge Voters at Polls
Ohio, Tuesday, Nov. 2 - In a day of see-sawing court rulings, a Federal appeals court ruled early Tuesday morning that the Republican Party could place thousands of people inside polling places to challenge the eligibility of voters, a blow to Democrats who argued those challengers will intimidate minority voters.
Ohio, Tuesday, Nov. 2 - In a day of see-sawing court rulings, a Federal appeals court ruled early Tuesday morning that the Republican Party could place thousands of people inside polling places to challenge the eligibility of voters, a blow to Democrats who argued those challengers will intimidate minority voters.
USA: BIN LADEN
Al Jazeera: Full transcript of bin Ladin's speech: 11/01/04
Al-Jazeera aired only four minutes of Osama bin Laden's videotape released last week, this is the transcript for the full 18 minutes
" defending oneself and punishing the aggressor in kind, objectionable terrorism? If it is such, then it is unavoidable for us. This is the message which I sought to communicate to you in word and deed, repeatedly, for years before September 11th. And you can read this, if you wish, in my interview with Scott in Time Magazine in 1996, or with Peter Arnett on CNN in 1997, or my meeting with John Weiner in 1998. You can observe it practically, if you wish, in Kenya and Tanzania and in Aden. And you can read it in my interview with Abdul Bari Atwan, as well as my interviews with Robert Fisk. The latter is one of your compatriots and co-religionists and I consider him to be neutral. So are the pretenders of freedom at The White House and the channels controlled by them able to run an interview with him? So that he may relay to the American people what he has understood from us to be the reasons for our fight against you?"
"And even more dangerous and bitter for America is that the Mujahideen recently forced Bush to resort to emergency funds to continue the fight in Afghanistan and Iraq, which is evidence of the success of the bleed -until-bankruptcy plan – with Allah's permission. It is true that this shows that al-Qaida has gained, but on the other hand, it shows that the Bush administration has also gained, something of which anyone who looks at the size of the contracts acquired by the shady Bush administration-linked mega-corporations, like Haliburton and its kind, will be convinced. And it all shows that the real loser is...you."
PBS: Interview Osama Bin Laden 1998
CHECK IT
Al-Jazeera aired only four minutes of Osama bin Laden's videotape released last week, this is the transcript for the full 18 minutes
" defending oneself and punishing the aggressor in kind, objectionable terrorism? If it is such, then it is unavoidable for us. This is the message which I sought to communicate to you in word and deed, repeatedly, for years before September 11th. And you can read this, if you wish, in my interview with Scott in Time Magazine in 1996, or with Peter Arnett on CNN in 1997, or my meeting with John Weiner in 1998. You can observe it practically, if you wish, in Kenya and Tanzania and in Aden. And you can read it in my interview with Abdul Bari Atwan, as well as my interviews with Robert Fisk. The latter is one of your compatriots and co-religionists and I consider him to be neutral. So are the pretenders of freedom at The White House and the channels controlled by them able to run an interview with him? So that he may relay to the American people what he has understood from us to be the reasons for our fight against you?"
"And even more dangerous and bitter for America is that the Mujahideen recently forced Bush to resort to emergency funds to continue the fight in Afghanistan and Iraq, which is evidence of the success of the bleed -until-bankruptcy plan – with Allah's permission. It is true that this shows that al-Qaida has gained, but on the other hand, it shows that the Bush administration has also gained, something of which anyone who looks at the size of the contracts acquired by the shady Bush administration-linked mega-corporations, like Haliburton and its kind, will be convinced. And it all shows that the real loser is...you."
PBS: Interview Osama Bin Laden 1998
CHECK IT
USA: ELECTION DAY
Greg Palast: An Election Spoiled Rotten
John Kerry is down by several thousand votes in New Mexico, though not one ballot has yet been counted. He's also losing big time in Colorado and Ohio: and he's way down in Florida, though the votes won't be totaled until Tuesday night.
Through a combination of sophisticated vote rustling-ethnic cleansing of voter rolls, absentee ballots gone AWOL, machines that "spoil" votes-John Kerry begins with a nationwide deficit that could easily exceed one million votes.
Greg Palast scooped the Florida vote fraud in 2000.
CHECK IT
John Kerry is down by several thousand votes in New Mexico, though not one ballot has yet been counted. He's also losing big time in Colorado and Ohio: and he's way down in Florida, though the votes won't be totaled until Tuesday night.
Through a combination of sophisticated vote rustling-ethnic cleansing of voter rolls, absentee ballots gone AWOL, machines that "spoil" votes-John Kerry begins with a nationwide deficit that could easily exceed one million votes.
Greg Palast scooped the Florida vote fraud in 2000.
CHECK IT
USA: ELECTION DAY
LA Times Editorial: A Failed Presidency
If elections were solely a job performance review, President George W. Bush would lose in a landslide. He has been a reckless steward of the nation's finances and its environment, a divisive figure at home and abroad. It's fair to say that Bush has devalued the American brand in the global marketplace
If elections were solely a job performance review, President George W. Bush would lose in a landslide. He has been a reckless steward of the nation's finances and its environment, a divisive figure at home and abroad. It's fair to say that Bush has devalued the American brand in the global marketplace
USA: ELECTION DAY
Vote Fraud.org: Cover-Up Of 2000 And 2004 Florida Vote Continues
A senatorial candidate in the 2004 election is suspected of suppressing vital information regarding the electronic manipulation of votes in the 2000 elections. This system of fraud, if still in place, can be used again in the 2004 general election this coming Tuesday, November 2.
Dr. Piotr Blass, a U.S. senatorial candidate in the state of Florida, is reported to be withholding evidence which reveals details regarding the manipulation of votes using the names of individuals who have been placed on the felons list. This is the charge being leveled by Jeff Fisher, who is himself a democratic congressional candidate for Florida's 16th congressional district.
A senatorial candidate in the 2004 election is suspected of suppressing vital information regarding the electronic manipulation of votes in the 2000 elections. This system of fraud, if still in place, can be used again in the 2004 general election this coming Tuesday, November 2.
Dr. Piotr Blass, a U.S. senatorial candidate in the state of Florida, is reported to be withholding evidence which reveals details regarding the manipulation of votes using the names of individuals who have been placed on the felons list. This is the charge being leveled by Jeff Fisher, who is himself a democratic congressional candidate for Florida's 16th congressional district.
USA: ELECTION DAY
Tom Flocco: Documents reveal 3-hours missing from e-vote election night audit log
Philadelphia -- November 2, 2004 -- TomFlocco.com -- Smoking gun evidence of election night vote tampering just 6-weeks ago in King County, Washington’s September 14 primary was discovered in a response to a public records request by the founder and the associate director of Black Box Voting (BBV), a non-profit election watch-dog and research group.
Philadelphia -- November 2, 2004 -- TomFlocco.com -- Smoking gun evidence of election night vote tampering just 6-weeks ago in King County, Washington’s September 14 primary was discovered in a response to a public records request by the founder and the associate director of Black Box Voting (BBV), a non-profit election watch-dog and research group.
USA: ONE DAY LEFT
Michael Moore: One Day Left
Friends,
This is it. ONE DAY LEFT. There are many things I'd like to say. I've been on the road getting out the vote for 51 straight days so I haven't had much time to write.
So, I've put together a bunch of notes to various groups all in this one letter. Please feel free to copy and send whatever portions are appropriate to your friends and family as you spend these last 24 hours trying to convince whomever you can to show up and vote for John Kerry. Here are my final words...
Friends,
This is it. ONE DAY LEFT. There are many things I'd like to say. I've been on the road getting out the vote for 51 straight days so I haven't had much time to write.
So, I've put together a bunch of notes to various groups all in this one letter. Please feel free to copy and send whatever portions are appropriate to your friends and family as you spend these last 24 hours trying to convince whomever you can to show up and vote for John Kerry. Here are my final words...
Monday, November 01, 2004
VIDEO: CARLYLE GROUP
ICH: Exposed: The Carlyle Group
Shocking documentary uncovers the subversion of Americas democracy
watch this 48 minute documentary and not be outraged about the depth of corruption and deceit within the highest ranks of our government and the first family.
Shocking documentary uncovers the subversion of Americas democracy
watch this 48 minute documentary and not be outraged about the depth of corruption and deceit within the highest ranks of our government and the first family.
IRAQ: CARLYLE GROUP
The Nation: Carlyle Covers Up by Naomi Klein
November 15, 2004 issue "The Nation -- Less than twenty-four hours after The Nation disclosed that former Secretary of State James Baker and the Carlyle Group were involved in a secret deal to profit from Iraq's debt to Kuwait, NBC was reporting that the deal was "dead." At The Nation, we started to get calls congratulating us on costing the Carlyle Group $1 billion, the sum the company would have received in an investment from the government of Kuwait in exchange for helping to extract $27 billion of unpaid debts from Iraq.
November 15, 2004 issue "The Nation -- Less than twenty-four hours after The Nation disclosed that former Secretary of State James Baker and the Carlyle Group were involved in a secret deal to profit from Iraq's debt to Kuwait, NBC was reporting that the deal was "dead." At The Nation, we started to get calls congratulating us on costing the Carlyle Group $1 billion, the sum the company would have received in an investment from the government of Kuwait in exchange for helping to extract $27 billion of unpaid debts from Iraq.
VIDEO: THE POWER OF NIGHTMARES
ICH: The Power of Nightmares
the past our politicians offered us dreams of a better world. Now they promise to protect us from nightmares.
The most frightening of these is the threat of an international terror network. But just as the dreams were not true, neither are these nightmares.
This is a must watch documentary - Broadcast BBC 2 10/20/04
ICH: The Power of Nightmares Part II
The Power of Nightmares: The Phantom Victory
The Power of Nightmares continues its assessment of whether the threat from a hidden and organised terrorist network is an illusion. Part two, the Phantom Victory looks at how two groups, radical Islamists and neo-conservatives with seemingly opposing ideologies came together to defeat a common enemy.
Among the many foreigners drawn to Afghanistan was a young, wealthy Saudi called Osama Bin Laden
the past our politicians offered us dreams of a better world. Now they promise to protect us from nightmares.
The most frightening of these is the threat of an international terror network. But just as the dreams were not true, neither are these nightmares.
This is a must watch documentary - Broadcast BBC 2 10/20/04
ICH: The Power of Nightmares Part II
The Power of Nightmares: The Phantom Victory
The Power of Nightmares continues its assessment of whether the threat from a hidden and organised terrorist network is an illusion. Part two, the Phantom Victory looks at how two groups, radical Islamists and neo-conservatives with seemingly opposing ideologies came together to defeat a common enemy.
Among the many foreigners drawn to Afghanistan was a young, wealthy Saudi called Osama Bin Laden
IRAQ: DEATH SCIENTIST
Mathaba: IsraeliSecret Agents Liquidate 310 Iraqi Scientists
More than 310 Iraqi scientists are thought to have perished at the hands of Israeli secret agents in Iraq since fall of Baghdad to US troops in April 2003, a seminar has found.
The seminar, held in Cairo, was attended by politicians, journalists and experts with an interest in current Iraqi affairs.
More than 310 Iraqi scientists are thought to have perished at the hands of Israeli secret agents in Iraq since fall of Baghdad to US troops in April 2003, a seminar has found.
The seminar, held in Cairo, was attended by politicians, journalists and experts with an interest in current Iraqi affairs.
IRAQ: RESISTANCE
Newsweek: Colin Powell Believes U.S. is Losing Iraq War
Secretary of State Colin Powell has privately confided to friends in recent weeks that the Iraqi insurgents are winning the war, according to Newsweek. The insurgents have succeeded in infiltrating Iraqi forces "from top to bottom," a senior Iraqi official tells Newsweek in tomorrow’s issue of the magazine, "from decision making to the lower levels."
This is a particularly troubling development for the U.S. military, as it prepares to launch an all-out assault on the insurgent strongholds of Fallujah and Ramadi, since U.S. Marines were counting on the newly trained Iraqi forces to assist in the assault. Newsweek reports that "American military trainers have been frantically trying to assemble sufficient Iraqi troops" to fight alongside them and that they are "praying that the soldiers perform better than last April, when two battalions of poorly trained Iraqi Army soldiers refused to fight."
If the Fallujah offensive fails, Newsweek grimly predicts, "then the American president will find himself in a deepening quagmire on Inauguration Day."
Secretary of State Colin Powell has privately confided to friends in recent weeks that the Iraqi insurgents are winning the war, according to Newsweek. The insurgents have succeeded in infiltrating Iraqi forces "from top to bottom," a senior Iraqi official tells Newsweek in tomorrow’s issue of the magazine, "from decision making to the lower levels."
This is a particularly troubling development for the U.S. military, as it prepares to launch an all-out assault on the insurgent strongholds of Fallujah and Ramadi, since U.S. Marines were counting on the newly trained Iraqi forces to assist in the assault. Newsweek reports that "American military trainers have been frantically trying to assemble sufficient Iraqi troops" to fight alongside them and that they are "praying that the soldiers perform better than last April, when two battalions of poorly trained Iraqi Army soldiers refused to fight."
If the Fallujah offensive fails, Newsweek grimly predicts, "then the American president will find himself in a deepening quagmire on Inauguration Day."
IRAQ: RESISTANCE
Sunday Times: Fallujah Defenders Vow To Use Chem Weapons
As the US reeled from the death of nine marines in Iraq at the weekend, insurgents in Fallujah claimed to have obtained chemical weapons and threatened to use them in any battle for control of the rebel stronghold.
Rebel commanders said chemicals such as cyanide had been added to mortar rounds and missiles that would be deployed against coalition troops reported to be preparing for a major assault on the town west of Baghdad.
A military committee made up of former officers in Saddam Hussein's army, including experts on chemicals and guerrilla warfare, is said to have been organising forces in Fallujah and planning tactics.
As the US reeled from the death of nine marines in Iraq at the weekend, insurgents in Fallujah claimed to have obtained chemical weapons and threatened to use them in any battle for control of the rebel stronghold.
Rebel commanders said chemicals such as cyanide had been added to mortar rounds and missiles that would be deployed against coalition troops reported to be preparing for a major assault on the town west of Baghdad.
A military committee made up of former officers in Saddam Hussein's army, including experts on chemicals and guerrilla warfare, is said to have been organising forces in Fallujah and planning tactics.
USA: ELECTIONS
Economist: America's next president
YOU might have thought that, three years after a devastating terrorist attack on American soil, a period which has featured two wars, radical political and economic legislation, and an adjustment to one of the biggest stockmarket crashes in history, the campaign for the presidency would be an especially elevated and notable affair. If so, you would be wrong. This year's battle has been between two deeply flawed men: George Bush, who has been a radical, transforming president but who has never seemed truly up to the job, let alone his own ambitions for it; and John Kerry, who often seems to have made up his mind conclusively about something only once, and that was 30 years ago. But on November 2nd, Americans must make their choice, as must The Economist. It is far from an easy call, especially against the backdrop of a turbulent, dangerous world. But, on balance, our instinct is towards change rather than continuity: Mr Kerry, not Mr Bush
YOU might have thought that, three years after a devastating terrorist attack on American soil, a period which has featured two wars, radical political and economic legislation, and an adjustment to one of the biggest stockmarket crashes in history, the campaign for the presidency would be an especially elevated and notable affair. If so, you would be wrong. This year's battle has been between two deeply flawed men: George Bush, who has been a radical, transforming president but who has never seemed truly up to the job, let alone his own ambitions for it; and John Kerry, who often seems to have made up his mind conclusively about something only once, and that was 30 years ago. But on November 2nd, Americans must make their choice, as must The Economist. It is far from an easy call, especially against the backdrop of a turbulent, dangerous world. But, on balance, our instinct is towards change rather than continuity: Mr Kerry, not Mr Bush
USA: OSAMA BIN LADEN
Truthout: Osama's Election Editorial
So the bastard is still alive.
He isn't dead of kidney failure or rotting in a cave somewhere in the Hindu Kush. He wasn't smoked out of his hole, and he in no way appeared to be on the run. The images broadcast on every American television station in the last few hours showed a man apparently in good health, clothed in traditional white and wrapped in a golden robe. His hands were steady and his voice was clear. From all appearances, Osama bin Laden is tanned, rested and ready
So the bastard is still alive.
He isn't dead of kidney failure or rotting in a cave somewhere in the Hindu Kush. He wasn't smoked out of his hole, and he in no way appeared to be on the run. The images broadcast on every American television station in the last few hours showed a man apparently in good health, clothed in traditional white and wrapped in a golden robe. His hands were steady and his voice was clear. From all appearances, Osama bin Laden is tanned, rested and ready
USA: BUSH WIRED
Mother Jones: Was Bush Wired? Sure Looks Like It.
A NASA photo expert's analysis makes it clear: Bush is lying -- he wore some kind of device in each of the three debates. So why won't the media go near this story?
A NASA photo expert's analysis makes it clear: Bush is lying -- he wore some kind of device in each of the three debates. So why won't the media go near this story?
Friday, October 29, 2004
ONLINE VIDEO: FAHRENHEIT451
ICH: Fahrenheit 9/11 the Movie online
Due to hosting and bandwidth charges this movie will only be available until 10/31/04
DOWNLOAD IT!
Due to hosting and bandwidth charges this movie will only be available until 10/31/04
DOWNLOAD IT!
SCIENCE: FLU
Mos News: Flu May Kill Over One Billion This Year - Russian Expert
The world is on the brink of a major flu epidemic - one that could claim more than a billion lives, the head of the Russian Virology Institute, Academician Dmitry Lvov said at a press conference organized by the RIA-Novosti news agency on Thursday.
The world is on the brink of a major flu epidemic - one that could claim more than a billion lives, the head of the Russian Virology Institute, Academician Dmitry Lvov said at a press conference organized by the RIA-Novosti news agency on Thursday.
IRAQ: CIVILIAN DEATH TOLL 100'000
New Scientist: Civilian Death Toll In Iraq Exceeds 100,000
The invasion of Iraq in March 2003 by coalition forces has lead to the death of at least 100,000 civilians, reveals the first scientific study to examine the issue.
The majority of these deaths, which are in addition those normally expected from natural causes, illness and accidents, have been among women and children, finds the study, released early by The Lancet on Thursday.
The most common cause of death is as a direct result of violence, mostly caused by coalition air strikes, reveals the study of almost 1000 households scattered across Iraq. And the risk of violent death just after the invasion was 58 times greater than before the war. The overall risk of death was 1.5 times more after the invasion than before.
The figure of 100,000 is based on "conservative assumptions", notes Les Roberts at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, US, who led the study.
The invasion of Iraq in March 2003 by coalition forces has lead to the death of at least 100,000 civilians, reveals the first scientific study to examine the issue.
The majority of these deaths, which are in addition those normally expected from natural causes, illness and accidents, have been among women and children, finds the study, released early by The Lancet on Thursday.
The most common cause of death is as a direct result of violence, mostly caused by coalition air strikes, reveals the study of almost 1000 households scattered across Iraq. And the risk of violent death just after the invasion was 58 times greater than before the war. The overall risk of death was 1.5 times more after the invasion than before.
The figure of 100,000 is based on "conservative assumptions", notes Les Roberts at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, US, who led the study.
USA
NY Times: The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: White House of Horrors
Dick Cheney peaked too soon. We've still got a few days left until Halloween.
It was scary enough when we thought the vice president had created his own reality for spin purposes. But if he actually believes that Iraq is "a remarkable success story,'' it's downright spooky. He's already got his persona for Sunday: he's the mad scientist in the haunted mansion, fiddling with test tubes to force the world to conform to his twisted vision.
After 9/11, Mr. Cheney swirled his big black cape and hunkered down in his undisclosed dungeon, reading books about smallpox and plague and worst-case terrorist scenarios. His ghoulish imagination ran wild, and he dragged the untested president and jittery country into his house of horrors, painting a gory picture of how Iraq could let fearsome munitions fall into the hands of evildoers.
Dick Cheney peaked too soon. We've still got a few days left until Halloween.
It was scary enough when we thought the vice president had created his own reality for spin purposes. But if he actually believes that Iraq is "a remarkable success story,'' it's downright spooky. He's already got his persona for Sunday: he's the mad scientist in the haunted mansion, fiddling with test tubes to force the world to conform to his twisted vision.
After 9/11, Mr. Cheney swirled his big black cape and hunkered down in his undisclosed dungeon, reading books about smallpox and plague and worst-case terrorist scenarios. His ghoulish imagination ran wild, and he dragged the untested president and jittery country into his house of horrors, painting a gory picture of how Iraq could let fearsome munitions fall into the hands of evildoers.
Thursday, October 28, 2004
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: ISRAELI STATE TERROR
PC: One Hundred Forty Funerals, and the Rest is History
A 17-day Israeli onslaught in northern Gaza left in its wake nearly 140 dead, one-third of them children. The newest tragedy to visit the impoverished strip, was neither the first, nor will it be the last. But, in many ways, it was reminiscent of the invasion of Jenin in April 2002. There too, hundreds of people were killed and maimed, and thousands more were left grief-stricken, homeless and defenseless.
A 17-day Israeli onslaught in northern Gaza left in its wake nearly 140 dead, one-third of them children. The newest tragedy to visit the impoverished strip, was neither the first, nor will it be the last. But, in many ways, it was reminiscent of the invasion of Jenin in April 2002. There too, hundreds of people were killed and maimed, and thousands more were left grief-stricken, homeless and defenseless.
IRAN: SUNBURN MISSILES
ICH: Iran: A Bridge too Far?
A word to the reader: The following paper is so shocking that, after preparing the initial draft, I didn’t want to believe it myself, and resolved to disprove it with more research. However, I only succeeded in turning up more evidence in support of my thesis. And I repeated this cycle of discovery and denial several more times before finally deciding to go with the article. I believe that a serious writer must follow the trail of evidence, no matter where it leads, and report back. So here is my story. Don’t be surprised if it causes you to squirm. Its purpose is not to make predictions –– history makes fools of those who claim to know the future –– but simply to describe the peril that awaits us in the Persian Gulf. By awakening to the extent of that danger, perhaps we can still find a way to save our nation and the world from disaster. If we are very lucky, we might even create an alternative future that holds some promise of resolving the monumental conflicts of our time. MG
"CHECK IT"
A word to the reader: The following paper is so shocking that, after preparing the initial draft, I didn’t want to believe it myself, and resolved to disprove it with more research. However, I only succeeded in turning up more evidence in support of my thesis. And I repeated this cycle of discovery and denial several more times before finally deciding to go with the article. I believe that a serious writer must follow the trail of evidence, no matter where it leads, and report back. So here is my story. Don’t be surprised if it causes you to squirm. Its purpose is not to make predictions –– history makes fools of those who claim to know the future –– but simply to describe the peril that awaits us in the Persian Gulf. By awakening to the extent of that danger, perhaps we can still find a way to save our nation and the world from disaster. If we are very lucky, we might even create an alternative future that holds some promise of resolving the monumental conflicts of our time. MG
"CHECK IT"
ELECTIONS: GREG PALAST
ICH: New Florida vote scandal revealed By Greg Palast
Reporting for BBC's Newsnight
A secret document obtained from inside Bush campaign headquarters in Florida suggests a plan - possibly in violation of US law - to disrupt voting in the state's African-American voting districts, a BBC Newsnight investigation reveals.
Two e-mails, prepared for the executive director of the Bush campaign in Florida and the campaign's national research director in Washington DC, contain a 15-page so-called "caging list".
It lists 1,886 names and addresses of voters in predominantly black and traditionally Democrat areas of Jacksonville, Florida.
An elections supervisor in Tallahassee, when shown the list, told Newsnight: "The only possible reason why they would keep such a thing is to challenge voters on election day."
Ion Sancho, a Democrat, noted that Florida law allows political party operatives inside polling stations to stop voters from obtaining a ballot.
Reporting for BBC's Newsnight
A secret document obtained from inside Bush campaign headquarters in Florida suggests a plan - possibly in violation of US law - to disrupt voting in the state's African-American voting districts, a BBC Newsnight investigation reveals.
Two e-mails, prepared for the executive director of the Bush campaign in Florida and the campaign's national research director in Washington DC, contain a 15-page so-called "caging list".
It lists 1,886 names and addresses of voters in predominantly black and traditionally Democrat areas of Jacksonville, Florida.
An elections supervisor in Tallahassee, when shown the list, told Newsnight: "The only possible reason why they would keep such a thing is to challenge voters on election day."
Ion Sancho, a Democrat, noted that Florida law allows political party operatives inside polling stations to stop voters from obtaining a ballot.
ECONOMY: GOLD
Reuters: Gold Nears 16-Year Highs
Gold was within reach of its highest level in nearly 16 years on Monday, fired by a resurgent euro and inflationary fears fanned by sky-high oil prices, dealers and analysts said.
"I don't think we've seen anything yet," Ross Norman of TheBullionDesk.com told Reuters in a telephone interview.
"With the euro where it is, oil where it is and tension ahead of the U.S. election I think we could see another attempt at $430.50 and it might just poke through," he added.
Gold was within reach of its highest level in nearly 16 years on Monday, fired by a resurgent euro and inflationary fears fanned by sky-high oil prices, dealers and analysts said.
"I don't think we've seen anything yet," Ross Norman of TheBullionDesk.com told Reuters in a telephone interview.
"With the euro where it is, oil where it is and tension ahead of the U.S. election I think we could see another attempt at $430.50 and it might just poke through," he added.
EURO VS. DOLLAR
CNN: Dollar Stumbles
LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar extended last week's losses and fell to an eight-month low against the euro, an eight-year lows versus the Swiss franc and a six-month low versus the yen Monday on concerns about the U.S. current account deficit.
LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar extended last week's losses and fell to an eight-month low against the euro, an eight-year lows versus the Swiss franc and a six-month low versus the yen Monday on concerns about the U.S. current account deficit.
GREG PALAST: IRAQ SELL OFF
Adventure Capitalism
Why were Iraqi elections delayed? Why was Jay Garner fired? Why are our troops still there? Investigative reporter Palast uncovers new documents that answer these questions and more about the Bush administration’s grand designs on Iraq. Like everything else issued during this administration, the plan to overhaul the Iraqi economy has corporate lobbyist fingerprints all over it. You expected the oil industry lobbyists, but Grover Norquist
BOMBSHELL: CHECK IT
Why were Iraqi elections delayed? Why was Jay Garner fired? Why are our troops still there? Investigative reporter Palast uncovers new documents that answer these questions and more about the Bush administration’s grand designs on Iraq. Like everything else issued during this administration, the plan to overhaul the Iraqi economy has corporate lobbyist fingerprints all over it. You expected the oil industry lobbyists, but Grover Norquist
BOMBSHELL: CHECK IT
EURO VS. DOLLAR
Putin - Why Not Price Oil In Euros?:
"Thursday Russia could switch its trade in oil from dollars to euros, a move that could have far-reaching repercussions for the global balance of power -- potentially hurting the U.S. dollar and economy and providing a massive boost to the euro zone. 'We do not rule out that it is possible. That would be interesting for our European partners,' Putin said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in the Urals town of Yekaterinburg, where the two leaders conducted two-day talks. 'But this does not depend solely on us. We do not want to hurt prices on the market,' he said. "
"Thursday Russia could switch its trade in oil from dollars to euros, a move that could have far-reaching repercussions for the global balance of power -- potentially hurting the U.S. dollar and economy and providing a massive boost to the euro zone. 'We do not rule out that it is possible. That would be interesting for our European partners,' Putin said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in the Urals town of Yekaterinburg, where the two leaders conducted two-day talks. 'But this does not depend solely on us. We do not want to hurt prices on the market,' he said. "
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
USA: ELECTION 2004
It Is The Wolves In The White House Who Are Preying Upon Democracy, And Gorging On Its Carcass
Here's the crucial difference between the GOP theft of the election in 2000 and their efforts to steal the 2004 White House campaign.
In 2000, they were outside the government trying to steal their way in, with Florida as ground zero in the mugging of democracy.
In 2004, they ARE the government: controlling the legislative, executive and judicial branches.
They have appointed enough federal judges, combined with past right wing appointees in the Reagan and Bush I administrations, so that any election initiative that they support or oppose will be upheld or struck down by an ideologically driven right wing judge somewhere along the appellate route. Their moles are in place and ready to do what they were appointed to the bench for: to protect the Bush regime and the interests of the Republican Party and its fundamentalist supporters over the rights of Americans to choose their government.
CHECK IT
Here's the crucial difference between the GOP theft of the election in 2000 and their efforts to steal the 2004 White House campaign.
In 2000, they were outside the government trying to steal their way in, with Florida as ground zero in the mugging of democracy.
In 2004, they ARE the government: controlling the legislative, executive and judicial branches.
They have appointed enough federal judges, combined with past right wing appointees in the Reagan and Bush I administrations, so that any election initiative that they support or oppose will be upheld or struck down by an ideologically driven right wing judge somewhere along the appellate route. Their moles are in place and ready to do what they were appointed to the bench for: to protect the Bush regime and the interests of the Republican Party and its fundamentalist supporters over the rights of Americans to choose their government.
CHECK IT
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
ISRAEL
Al-Jazeera: Aljazeera.Net - Israel demands UN sack food expert
Israel has told the United Nations to sack its expert on starvation after a report found that 22% of Palestinian children in the occupied territories are malnourished.
Itzhak Levanon, Tel Aviv's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, said on Monday that Swiss sociologist Jean Ziegler had exceeded his responsibilities by calling for political measures to be taken against Israel.
Israel has told the United Nations to sack its expert on starvation after a report found that 22% of Palestinian children in the occupied territories are malnourished.
Itzhak Levanon, Tel Aviv's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, said on Monday that Swiss sociologist Jean Ziegler had exceeded his responsibilities by calling for political measures to be taken against Israel.
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: ISRAELI TERROR
Counter Punch: Omar Barghouti: Executing Another Child in Rafah
man al-Hams was a 13-year old refugee schoolgirl who was executed -- after being wounded -- by an Israeli platoon commander on the sad sands of Rafah.
According to testimonies given by soldiers in the same company to the mass Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, a soldier in the watchtower identified Iman and cautioned his commander shouting, "Don't shoot. It's a little girl". The company commander, the soldiers testified, "approached her, shot two bullets into her [head], walked back towards the force, turned back to her, switched his weapon to automatic and emptied his entire magazine into her." (1) Eyewitnesses corroborated the soldiers, account, saying that Iman was shot almost 70 meters away from the Israeli military position. After a bullet hit her leg, Iman, who was wearing her school uniform, fell. Then, they said, the officer went over to her, saw that she was bleeding from her wounds, but still shot her twice in the head to "confirm the killing", an Israeli euphemism for the practice of executing a wounded Palestinian. A cursory army investigation later cleared him of any "unethical conduct", as is customary, and suspended him only because of "poor relations with subordinates".(2)
man al-Hams was a 13-year old refugee schoolgirl who was executed -- after being wounded -- by an Israeli platoon commander on the sad sands of Rafah.
According to testimonies given by soldiers in the same company to the mass Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, a soldier in the watchtower identified Iman and cautioned his commander shouting, "Don't shoot. It's a little girl". The company commander, the soldiers testified, "approached her, shot two bullets into her [head], walked back towards the force, turned back to her, switched his weapon to automatic and emptied his entire magazine into her." (1) Eyewitnesses corroborated the soldiers, account, saying that Iman was shot almost 70 meters away from the Israeli military position. After a bullet hit her leg, Iman, who was wearing her school uniform, fell. Then, they said, the officer went over to her, saw that she was bleeding from her wounds, but still shot her twice in the head to "confirm the killing", an Israeli euphemism for the practice of executing a wounded Palestinian. A cursory army investigation later cleared him of any "unethical conduct", as is customary, and suspended him only because of "poor relations with subordinates".(2)
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Letter from the people in Fallujah to Kofi Annan.
It is very obvious that the American forces are committing crimes of genocide every day in Iraq. Now, while we are writing to Your Excellency, the American forces are committing these crimes in the city of Fallujah. The American warplanes are dropping their most powerful bombs on the civilian in the city, killing and injured hundreds of innocent people. At the same time their tanks are attacking the city with heavy artillery. As you know, there is no military presence in the city. There had been no actions taken by the Fallujah resistance in recent weeks because the negotiations between representatives of the city and the Government which were going well. In this atmosphere, the new bombardment by America has happened while the people of Fallujah have been preparing themselves for the fast of Ramadan. Now many of them are now trapped under the wreckage of their demolished houses, and nobody can help them while the attack continues.
It is very obvious that the American forces are committing crimes of genocide every day in Iraq. Now, while we are writing to Your Excellency, the American forces are committing these crimes in the city of Fallujah. The American warplanes are dropping their most powerful bombs on the civilian in the city, killing and injured hundreds of innocent people. At the same time their tanks are attacking the city with heavy artillery. As you know, there is no military presence in the city. There had been no actions taken by the Fallujah resistance in recent weeks because the negotiations between representatives of the city and the Government which were going well. In this atmosphere, the new bombardment by America has happened while the people of Fallujah have been preparing themselves for the fast of Ramadan. Now many of them are now trapped under the wreckage of their demolished houses, and nobody can help them while the attack continues.
USA
NY Times: How to Make New Enemies
The notion of a new Holy Alliance is already being promoted by those with a special interest in entangling the United States in a prolonged conflict with Islam.
The notion of a new Holy Alliance is already being promoted by those with a special interest in entangling the United States in a prolonged conflict with Islam.
EMINEM VIDEO
GNN: Eminem's Mosh
Download "Mosh," the most powerful broadside against the administration since "Fahrenheit 9/11"
With his history of homophobia and his long-running beef with MoveOn supporter Moby, Eminem is an even less likely lefty hero than Howard Stern. But the just-released video for his new anti-Bush song “Mosh,” makes “Fahrenheit 9/11” look like a GOP campaign spot, and it will almost certainly reach an audience that wouldn’t think of shelling out for a documentary.
The beautifully animated video, which is directed by Ian Inaba, opens with a classroom. At the front is a man in a blue suit, his face buried in an upside down children’s book that says “My Pet,” with a picture of a bush. Just as the man is revealed to be Eminem, the scene changes, and we see the singer taping up newspaper stories to a wall—“Sick Wounded Troops Held in Squalor,” says one. “Civil Liberties at Stake,” says another. “Bush Knew,” says a third.
In five minutes, Eminem manages a furious indictment of the administration that will likely resonate among many troops in Iraq as well as disaffected kids here at home.
Download "Mosh," the most powerful broadside against the administration since "Fahrenheit 9/11"
With his history of homophobia and his long-running beef with MoveOn supporter Moby, Eminem is an even less likely lefty hero than Howard Stern. But the just-released video for his new anti-Bush song “Mosh,” makes “Fahrenheit 9/11” look like a GOP campaign spot, and it will almost certainly reach an audience that wouldn’t think of shelling out for a documentary.
The beautifully animated video, which is directed by Ian Inaba, opens with a classroom. At the front is a man in a blue suit, his face buried in an upside down children’s book that says “My Pet,” with a picture of a bush. Just as the man is revealed to be Eminem, the scene changes, and we see the singer taping up newspaper stories to a wall—“Sick Wounded Troops Held in Squalor,” says one. “Civil Liberties at Stake,” says another. “Bush Knew,” says a third.
In five minutes, Eminem manages a furious indictment of the administration that will likely resonate among many troops in Iraq as well as disaffected kids here at home.
USA: ELECTIONS
Rolling Stone: Fear and Loathing, Campaign 2004
by Hunter S. Thompson
Armageddon came early for George Bush this year, and he was not ready for it. His long-awaited showdowns with my man John Kerry turned into a series of horrible embarrassments that cracked his nerve and demoralized his closest campaign advisers. They knew he would never recover, no matter how many votes they could steal for him in Florida, where the presidential debates were closely watched and widely celebrated by millions of Kerry supporters who suddenly had reason to feel like winners.
by Hunter S. Thompson
Armageddon came early for George Bush this year, and he was not ready for it. His long-awaited showdowns with my man John Kerry turned into a series of horrible embarrassments that cracked his nerve and demoralized his closest campaign advisers. They knew he would never recover, no matter how many votes they could steal for him in Florida, where the presidential debates were closely watched and widely celebrated by millions of Kerry supporters who suddenly had reason to feel like winners.
Monday, October 25, 2004
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
AFP: Moqtada Sadr Ready to Support Mujahideens in Fallujah
Fallujah. The radical Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr expressed his readiness to support “the Mujahideens in Fallujah”, the Sunnite stronghold north of Baghdad, which is being under U.S. forces’ pressure for the last several weeks, AFP reported.
“I am ready to assist the Mujahideens in Fallujah. I denounce the attacks on Iraqi cities and I am ready to put an end to that”, reads Sadr’s statement, distributed in Baghdad and Najaf.
“The invaders have no mercy, that is why our resistance would continue”, the announcement also reads.
The agency reminds that as of October 14, land and air attacks of the U.S. army on Fallujah became more frequent.
Fallujah. The radical Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr expressed his readiness to support “the Mujahideens in Fallujah”, the Sunnite stronghold north of Baghdad, which is being under U.S. forces’ pressure for the last several weeks, AFP reported.
“I am ready to assist the Mujahideens in Fallujah. I denounce the attacks on Iraqi cities and I am ready to put an end to that”, reads Sadr’s statement, distributed in Baghdad and Najaf.
“The invaders have no mercy, that is why our resistance would continue”, the announcement also reads.
The agency reminds that as of October 14, land and air attacks of the U.S. army on Fallujah became more frequent.
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Guardian: The Specter Of Another Bloodbath Over Fallujah
As the British government prepares to send its soldiers north to free up the US Army to attack Fallujah, it is necessary to focus on what this coming onslaught will mean for the city and its people. Fallujah is already now being bombed daily, as it is softened up for the long-awaited siege. It has been a grueling year for its people. First, they were occupied by the US army's 82nd Airborne, an incompetent group of louts whose idea of cultural sensitivity was kicking a door down instead of blowing it up. Within eight months of the invasion, the 82nd had killed about 100 civilians in the area and lost control of Fallujah, leaving it to the US Marines to try and retake the city last April. After killing about 600 civilians, the Marines retreated, leaving the city in the hands of 18 armed groups, including tribesmen, Islamists, Baathists, former criminals and an assortment of non-Iraqi Arab fighters said to be led by the Jordanian, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi.
As the British government prepares to send its soldiers north to free up the US Army to attack Fallujah, it is necessary to focus on what this coming onslaught will mean for the city and its people. Fallujah is already now being bombed daily, as it is softened up for the long-awaited siege. It has been a grueling year for its people. First, they were occupied by the US army's 82nd Airborne, an incompetent group of louts whose idea of cultural sensitivity was kicking a door down instead of blowing it up. Within eight months of the invasion, the 82nd had killed about 100 civilians in the area and lost control of Fallujah, leaving it to the US Marines to try and retake the city last April. After killing about 600 civilians, the Marines retreated, leaving the city in the hands of 18 armed groups, including tribesmen, Islamists, Baathists, former criminals and an assortment of non-Iraqi Arab fighters said to be led by the Jordanian, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi.
MIDDLE EAST
Guardian: Bush And Kerry Both Dance To Sharon's Tune
In the Middle East maelstrom, all parties acknowledge one fixed point: forceful US diplomatic engagement is essential if the central Israel-Palestine conflict is ever to be resolved.
But far from taking the lead over the past four years, the Bush administration has been mostly led by the nose. The man responsible for this extraordinary feat is Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon.
Mr Sharon was running a "war on terror" when George Bush was still running a baseball team in Texas. So not surprisingly, perhaps, it is Mr Bush who, since 9/11, has followed Mr Sharon's example rather than the other way round. In his many visits to the Bush White House, Mr Sharon has exerted telling influence on America's post-9/11 agenda. Knowing Mr Bush was bent on war in Iraq, he helpfully highlighted Saddam Hussein's links to terrorist groups and financial aid to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers. Now he eggs on the US in its confrontations with Israel's enemies, Iran and Syria.
In the Middle East maelstrom, all parties acknowledge one fixed point: forceful US diplomatic engagement is essential if the central Israel-Palestine conflict is ever to be resolved.
But far from taking the lead over the past four years, the Bush administration has been mostly led by the nose. The man responsible for this extraordinary feat is Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon.
Mr Sharon was running a "war on terror" when George Bush was still running a baseball team in Texas. So not surprisingly, perhaps, it is Mr Bush who, since 9/11, has followed Mr Sharon's example rather than the other way round. In his many visits to the Bush White House, Mr Sharon has exerted telling influence on America's post-9/11 agenda. Knowing Mr Bush was bent on war in Iraq, he helpfully highlighted Saddam Hussein's links to terrorist groups and financial aid to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers. Now he eggs on the US in its confrontations with Israel's enemies, Iran and Syria.
IRAQ
NY Times: Huge Cache of Explosives Vanished From Site in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 24 - The Iraqi interim government has warned the United States and international nuclear inspectors that nearly 380 tons of powerful conventional explosives - used to demolish buildings, make missile warheads and detonate nuclear weapons - are missing from one of Iraq's most sensitive former military installations.
The huge facility, called Al Qaqaa, was supposed to be under American military control but is now a no man's land, still picked over by looters as recently as Sunday. United Nations weapons inspectors had monitored the explosives for many years, but White House and Pentagon officials acknowledge that the explosives vanished sometime after the American-led invasion last year
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 24 - The Iraqi interim government has warned the United States and international nuclear inspectors that nearly 380 tons of powerful conventional explosives - used to demolish buildings, make missile warheads and detonate nuclear weapons - are missing from one of Iraq's most sensitive former military installations.
The huge facility, called Al Qaqaa, was supposed to be under American military control but is now a no man's land, still picked over by looters as recently as Sunday. United Nations weapons inspectors had monitored the explosives for many years, but White House and Pentagon officials acknowledge that the explosives vanished sometime after the American-led invasion last year
Friday, October 08, 2004
PR WATCH: NOW THEY WANT YOUR BRAIN
Spielgel: Gedanken lesen: Marktforschung mit dem Hirnscanner
Um ihre Produkte noch besser verkaufen zu können, durchleuchten Unternehmen ihre Kunden nun auch per Hirnscan. Der tiefe Blick ins Gehirn soll die klassische Konsumentenbefragung ablösen. Doch der Hirn-Hype birgt Risiken.
Um ihre Produkte noch besser verkaufen zu können, durchleuchten Unternehmen ihre Kunden nun auch per Hirnscan. Der tiefe Blick ins Gehirn soll die klassische Konsumentenbefragung ablösen. Doch der Hirn-Hype birgt Risiken.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
PEAK OIL IS HERE
FTW: WE DID IT!
World's Seven Largest Economies (G7) Admit They Have No Idea How Much Oil Is Left - Issue Emergency Call for Transparency at DC Summit
WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Worried soaring oil prices could hurt the best global prospects in years, finance chiefs from wealthy nations met on Friday to try to work out what lay behind the surge and how to buffer the economic expansion.
Group of Seven finance ministers and central bankers met at the tightly guarded U.S. Treasury building over lunch and were to work through the afternoon before a dinner with Chinese counterparts that has currency reform on the menu.
The officials will set out their world-view at about 5:45 p.m. EDT (2145 GMT) in a communiqué sources said would include a call to bolster oil-market monitoring to make it easier to discern if scarce supply, hefty demand or market speculation lay behind crude's drive to record levels.
The answer to this question is critical.
World's Seven Largest Economies (G7) Admit They Have No Idea How Much Oil Is Left - Issue Emergency Call for Transparency at DC Summit
WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Worried soaring oil prices could hurt the best global prospects in years, finance chiefs from wealthy nations met on Friday to try to work out what lay behind the surge and how to buffer the economic expansion.
Group of Seven finance ministers and central bankers met at the tightly guarded U.S. Treasury building over lunch and were to work through the afternoon before a dinner with Chinese counterparts that has currency reform on the menu.
The officials will set out their world-view at about 5:45 p.m. EDT (2145 GMT) in a communiqué sources said would include a call to bolster oil-market monitoring to make it easier to discern if scarce supply, hefty demand or market speculation lay behind crude's drive to record levels.
The answer to this question is critical.
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: GAZA
Reuters: Israeli Tank Fire Kills 3 in Gaza Town
Israeli tanks shelled a town in the in the northern Gaza Strip early on Wednesday, killing three Palestinians and wounding 10 children in their houses, witnesses and medics said.
Haaretz: Top Sharon Aide : Gaza plan aims to freeze the peace process
"And when you freeze that process, you prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, and you prevent a discussion on the refugees, the borders and Jerusalem. Effectively, this whole package called the Palestinian state, with all that it entails, has been removed indefinitely from our agenda.
Israeli tanks shelled a town in the in the northern Gaza Strip early on Wednesday, killing three Palestinians and wounding 10 children in their houses, witnesses and medics said.
Haaretz: Top Sharon Aide : Gaza plan aims to freeze the peace process
"And when you freeze that process, you prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, and you prevent a discussion on the refugees, the borders and Jerusalem. Effectively, this whole package called the Palestinian state, with all that it entails, has been removed indefinitely from our agenda.
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: US VETO
AP: U.S. vetoes resolution calling for halt to Israeli military operations in Gaza
UNITED NATIONS – The United States on Tuesday vetoed an Arab-backed resolution that demanded an immediate end to military operations in the northern Gaza Strip and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, saying the measure was "lopsided and unbalanced" and "absolves terrorists in the Middle East
"Every time a Resolution about Israel in brought before the Security Council the USA vetos against it with the same hypocrite phrases. Thanks to USA Israel is not condemned for the destruction of Gaza and the ongoing war crimes. The USA finds the resolution not balanced enough. Is it balanced to erase numerous homes, sending 2000 troups and 200 tanks into Gaza and killing 68 Palestinians in the last 6 Days as retalition for some homemade wannabe rockets fired into a illegal settlement by Hamas which killed two children? And still they ask "why do they hate us"."
UNITED NATIONS – The United States on Tuesday vetoed an Arab-backed resolution that demanded an immediate end to military operations in the northern Gaza Strip and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, saying the measure was "lopsided and unbalanced" and "absolves terrorists in the Middle East
"Every time a Resolution about Israel in brought before the Security Council the USA vetos against it with the same hypocrite phrases. Thanks to USA Israel is not condemned for the destruction of Gaza and the ongoing war crimes. The USA finds the resolution not balanced enough. Is it balanced to erase numerous homes, sending 2000 troups and 200 tanks into Gaza and killing 68 Palestinians in the last 6 Days as retalition for some homemade wannabe rockets fired into a illegal settlement by Hamas which killed two children? And still they ask "why do they hate us"."
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: ISRAELI TERROR
Reuters: 'Israeli Troops Shot 13 Yr Old Palestinian Schoolgirl 20 Times'
Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Israeli soldiers shot dead a 13-year-old Palestinian schoolgirl in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday after she approached an army watchtower in a tense border zone, witnesses said.
An Israeli military source said the girl was shot inside a restricted area when soldiers suspected she had a bomb. Palestinian medics said she had been hit by 20 bullets.
Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Israeli soldiers shot dead a 13-year-old Palestinian schoolgirl in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday after she approached an army watchtower in a tense border zone, witnesses said.
An Israeli military source said the girl was shot inside a restricted area when soldiers suspected she had a bomb. Palestinian medics said she had been hit by 20 bullets.
Thursday, September 30, 2004
USA: ELECTIONS
Independent: Something Is Rotten In The State Of Florida
Pregnant chads, vanishing voters... the election fiasco of 2000 made the Sunshine State a laughing stock. More importantly, it put George Bush in the White House. You'd think they'd want to get it right this time. But no, as Andrew Gumbel discovers, the democratic process is more flawed than ever 29 September 2004
"a must read"
Pregnant chads, vanishing voters... the election fiasco of 2000 made the Sunshine State a laughing stock. More importantly, it put George Bush in the White House. You'd think they'd want to get it right this time. But no, as Andrew Gumbel discovers, the democratic process is more flawed than ever 29 September 2004
"a must read"
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
IRAQ: 2300 INSURGENT ATTACKS IN PAST 30 DAYS
NY Times: Insurgency: Iraq Study Sees Rebels' Attacks as Widespread
Over the past 30 days, more than 2,300 attacks by insurgents have been directed against civilians and military targets in Iraq, in a pattern that sprawls over nearly every major population center outside the Kurdish north, according to comprehensive data compiled by a private security company with access to military intelligence reports and its own network of Iraqi informants.
Graphic: 30 Days, 2368 Attacks
Over the past 30 days, more than 2,300 attacks by insurgents have been directed against civilians and military targets in Iraq, in a pattern that sprawls over nearly every major population center outside the Kurdish north, according to comprehensive data compiled by a private security company with access to military intelligence reports and its own network of Iraqi informants.
Graphic: 30 Days, 2368 Attacks
IRAQ: STRATEGY
Asia Times: America's new strategy in Iraq
Part of the plan is to use brutal air power that can annihilate buildings or whole city blocks in an effort to convince residents and leaders that the cost of resistance is simply too high.
"CHECK IT"
Part of the plan is to use brutal air power that can annihilate buildings or whole city blocks in an effort to convince residents and leaders that the cost of resistance is simply too high.
"CHECK IT"
IRAN
Reuters: No Sign Of Nuke Work At Suspect Iran Site
The analysis of soil samples taken by U.N. inspectors at Lavizan, a site in Tehran that U.S. officials suspect may be linked to an atomic weapons program, shows no sign of nuclear activity, Western diplomats said.
Satellite photos of Lavizan taken between August 2003 and May 2004 showed that Iran had completely razed Lavizan, a site which Iran said was a former military research laboratory, but which it said had nothing to do with atomic-related activities.
The analysis of soil samples taken by U.N. inspectors at Lavizan, a site in Tehran that U.S. officials suspect may be linked to an atomic weapons program, shows no sign of nuclear activity, Western diplomats said.
Satellite photos of Lavizan taken between August 2003 and May 2004 showed that Iran had completely razed Lavizan, a site which Iran said was a former military research laboratory, but which it said had nothing to do with atomic-related activities.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Give me control of the German media, and I can control the German people." -Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's Propaganda Minister
MEDIA WATCH
Propagandamatrix: Establishment Media Plagued by 'Coincidence Theorists'
In his eyewitness account of "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich," author William Shirer, who lived in Nazi Germany throughout most of the 1930s, described a phenomenon that will, in 2004, seem disturbingly familiar to Americans who dissent from the policies of the Bush regime.
"I myself was to experience how easily one is taken in by a lying and censored press and radio in a totalitarian state," Shirer wrote. "Though unlike most Germans I had daily access to foreign newspapers . . . and though I listened regularly to the BBC and other foreign broadcasts, my job necessitated the spending of many hours a day in combing the German press, checking the German radio, conferring with Nazi officials and going to party meetings. It was surprising and sometimes consternating to find that notwithstanding the opportunities I had to learn the facts and despite one's inherent distrust of what one learned from Nazi sources, a steady diet over the years of falsifications and distortions made a certain impression on one's mind and often misled it."
In his eyewitness account of "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich," author William Shirer, who lived in Nazi Germany throughout most of the 1930s, described a phenomenon that will, in 2004, seem disturbingly familiar to Americans who dissent from the policies of the Bush regime.
"I myself was to experience how easily one is taken in by a lying and censored press and radio in a totalitarian state," Shirer wrote. "Though unlike most Germans I had daily access to foreign newspapers . . . and though I listened regularly to the BBC and other foreign broadcasts, my job necessitated the spending of many hours a day in combing the German press, checking the German radio, conferring with Nazi officials and going to party meetings. It was surprising and sometimes consternating to find that notwithstanding the opportunities I had to learn the facts and despite one's inherent distrust of what one learned from Nazi sources, a steady diet over the years of falsifications and distortions made a certain impression on one's mind and often misled it."
USA: PREPARE FOR THE DRAFT
Blatanttruth: Military Draft Alert!
In May, the Seattle Post Intelligencer published an article about a document they received through the Freedom of Information Act. It was revealed that the SSS is currently “designing procedures” for the implementation of a “Skills Draft” and had held a top-level meeting on it with Deputy Undersecretaries at the Defense Department
In May, the Seattle Post Intelligencer published an article about a document they received through the Freedom of Information Act. It was revealed that the SSS is currently “designing procedures” for the implementation of a “Skills Draft” and had held a top-level meeting on it with Deputy Undersecretaries at the Defense Department
PR WATCH: TOBACCO TRIALS
Washington Post: U.S. Trial Against Tobacco Industry Opens
"The most important type of story is that which casts doubt on the cause and effect theory of smoking and cancer," read one internal Council for Tobaccco Research memo presented by the U.S. Justice Department on the first day of the largest civil racketeering trial brought by the government. "Public relations is key," the memo continued, "to getting us out of this hole."
"The most important type of story is that which casts doubt on the cause and effect theory of smoking and cancer," read one internal Council for Tobaccco Research memo presented by the U.S. Justice Department on the first day of the largest civil racketeering trial brought by the government. "Public relations is key," the memo continued, "to getting us out of this hole."
IRAQ: DEMOCRACY!
Time: How Much U.S. Help?
The Bush Administration takes heat for a CIA plan to influence Iraq's elections
President Bush and interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi insisted last week that Iraq would go ahead with elections scheduled for January, despite continuing violence. But U.S. officials tell TIME that the Bush team ran into trouble with another plan involving those elections — a secret "finding" written several months ago proposing a covert CIA operation to aid candidates favored by Washington. A source says the idea was to help such candidates but not necessarily to go so far as to rig the elections.
The Bush Administration takes heat for a CIA plan to influence Iraq's elections
President Bush and interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi insisted last week that Iraq would go ahead with elections scheduled for January, despite continuing violence. But U.S. officials tell TIME that the Bush team ran into trouble with another plan involving those elections — a secret "finding" written several months ago proposing a covert CIA operation to aid candidates favored by Washington. A source says the idea was to help such candidates but not necessarily to go so far as to rig the elections.
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Robert Fisk
ICH: Robert Fisk: The worse the situation in Iraq, the bigger the lies that Tony Blair tells us
We are now in the greatest crisis since the last greatest crisis. That's how we run the Iraq war - or the Second Iraq War as Lord Blair of Kut al-Amara would now have us believe. Hostages are paraded in orange tracksuits to remind us of Guantanamo Bay. Kidnappers demand the release of women held prisoner by the Americans. Abu Ghraib is what they are talking about. Abu Ghraib? Anyone remember Abu Ghraib? Remember those dirty little snapshots? But don't worry. This wasn't the America George Bush recognised, and besides we're punishing the bad apples, aren't we? Women? Why, there are only a couple of dames left - and they are "Dr Germ" and "Dr Anthrax".
We are now in the greatest crisis since the last greatest crisis. That's how we run the Iraq war - or the Second Iraq War as Lord Blair of Kut al-Amara would now have us believe. Hostages are paraded in orange tracksuits to remind us of Guantanamo Bay. Kidnappers demand the release of women held prisoner by the Americans. Abu Ghraib is what they are talking about. Abu Ghraib? Anyone remember Abu Ghraib? Remember those dirty little snapshots? But don't worry. This wasn't the America George Bush recognised, and besides we're punishing the bad apples, aren't we? Women? Why, there are only a couple of dames left - and they are "Dr Germ" and "Dr Anthrax".
IRAQ: RESISTANCE
Hindustan Times: US bombing of Iraq city of Kut kills 75, wounds 148
Heavy overnight US bombing of Kut killed 75 people and wounded nearly 150, one day after clashes between police and Shiite Muslim militiamen in the southern city, said Iraq's health ministry on Monday.
AlJazeera: US pounds Iraqi cities
US bombers have launched new attacks on the Iraqi city of Falluja and the Baghdad suburb of Sadr City.
The air raids targeting Falluja, held by fighters opposed to the US presence in Iraq, centred on its northern neighbourhood, but no details were immediately available.
The US military has been relentlessly pounding the stronghold of fighters in recent days.
Heavy overnight US bombing of Kut killed 75 people and wounded nearly 150, one day after clashes between police and Shiite Muslim militiamen in the southern city, said Iraq's health ministry on Monday.
AlJazeera: US pounds Iraqi cities
US bombers have launched new attacks on the Iraqi city of Falluja and the Baghdad suburb of Sadr City.
The air raids targeting Falluja, held by fighters opposed to the US presence in Iraq, centred on its northern neighbourhood, but no details were immediately available.
The US military has been relentlessly pounding the stronghold of fighters in recent days.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)