Albion Monitor

Issue 144

MARCH, 2006

About...

The (fake) good news from Iraq - The militarization of America's skies - More on "rocket fuel" pollution coverup

Al Qaeda Fighters Leaving Iraq For Planned Spring Afghan Offensive, Arab Media Reports

Jan. U.S. airstrike on Pakistan border area was aimed at strategy meeting between al Qaeda and tribal leaders, magazine says

White House Setting The Tone For Hate Speech Against Muslims

Justifying war because it's against an enemy that is not fully human

White House Concealed Scale Of Iraqi Killings After Mosque Bombing

1,300 Iraqis were slaughtered in week of bloodshed, 3x more than reported by U.S. and Iraqi officials

White House Reaffirms "First Strike" Doctrine

Bush second-term global strategy doc hardly mentions Iraq

Bush Confirms Fears: No Plan To Exit Iraq

$1 billion budgeted for U.S. military construction in Iraq this year

Israel Directing U.S. Middle East Policies, Study Finds

Even raising questions of influence of pro-Israel lobby draws criticism

The Politics of Burying Milosevic

Milosevic dividing region even after death

Russia also sending experts to look at autopsy

Serbia Back To The Crossroads After Milosevic's Burial

Old issues out of the shadows and back in the open

Milosevic's Death Raises Questions About Serbia's Future

Ongoing trial was hoped to end dispute over war crimes

Poisoning Suspicion Raise Stakes Of Milosevic Autopsy

Family doesn't trust UN tribunal to investigate sudden death

Fear Of U.S. Drove Iran To Pursue Nuclear Weapons

CIA warned for years that country most feared U.S. attack

"Cheney Cabal" Blocked 2003 Nuclear Talks With Iran

Neo-cons overruled Colin Powell's State Dept.

UN Sanctions on Iran May Trigger Executions, Amnesty Warns

Dissidents who revealed Iran's nuclear programs to West

U.S. Counting On Divided Europe To Back It On Iran

Bush facing a familiar dilemma: What to do if the rest of the world refuses to go along?

Iraq Crisis Opens Door To Breakthrough Talks With Iran

Can also lead to compromises in nuclear crisis -- unless Bush blows it

Bush Hawks Dismayed At Prospect Of Joint Talks On Iraq, Iran

Cheney cabal minimizing the importance of diplomacy

UN Anger Over Bolton's Drive To Steer Reform Plan

Pressure to outsource services such as lucrative printing operation

Bolton Loses UN Vote Over New Human Rights Council

But will still demand seat on council

U.S. Alone In Opposing New UN Human Rights Council

More bullying from Bolton for veto powers

UN Staff Union Votes 'No Confidence' In Annan

Distress over proposal to restructure admin and outsource some jobs

State Dept. Annual Human Rights Report Applauds Iraq, Afghanistan

While also ignoring the U.S. itself, despite year of controversy over renditions, torture

Bush's Nuclear Deal With India Complicates UN Showdown Over Iran

As predicted, countries point out U.S. has double standard for nukes

Some Westerners Moving To India To Work At Call Centers

One recruiter gets about 300 resumes a month from foreigners seeking to become "adventure workers"

Bush's Last-Minute Nuke Deal With India A Disaster For Weapon Treaties

Puts U.S. in role of picking "good" countries to be given bomb technology

Pentagon Denies Homicides Of Terror War Prisoners

Watchdog group says 1 of 3 prisoners who have died in U.S. custody in Iraq and Afghanistan are suspected or confirmed homicides

HUGE TURNOUT AT IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROTESTS

"AM I NOT A HUMAN BEING?"

Over 500,000 march in Los Angeles March 25

"I'm not a criminal, I'm a worker," read one sign. "If my job is permanent my residency should be too," read another. Over a million protested nationwide against proposed laws which will turn undocumented immigrants into criminals, along with those who help them, such as doctors, priests and teachers. The bill calls for making illegal entry into the United States a felony, building approximately 700 miles of fence to staunch the flow of immigrants, and beefing up border security.
But the bill appears headed for determined opposition from unexpected quarters. Church groups nationwide have been quietly mounting a religious response to the growing decibels of anti-immigrant rhetoric, mostly by Republican lawmakers -- even while elected Latino officials remain mostly silent

Senate Opens Door To Landmark Immigration Reform
Legal Immigrants Alarmed Over Growing "Anti-Immigrant" Sentiment
Million+ Protesters Turn Out For Immigrant Rights Nationwide
Where Are The Latino Elected Leaders in Immigration Reform Fight?
Old Civil Rights Groups Missing As Immigrants Hit the Streets
Bad Blood on the Border
Unmarked Grave Is Often End Of The Line On Trek To U.S.

None of the main groups in Iraq apparently wants an all-out civil war; each apparently hopes to achieve its objectives without launching an open conflict, or thinks that it would have even more to lose in case it did. But even if civil war is avoided now, it may not be as easy to avoid in the future if Al-Sadr and others lose control of their followers in future Shiite and Sunni conflicts. In the next weeks, there are three factors which Iraqis must confront together -- or risk losing their nation to anarchy

The Failed State Of Iraq: Sovereignty Lost

The not-ready-for-prime-time Iraqi army (PHOTO: D. Myles Cullen/USAF)

Even if the Iraqi army, Special Forces, and local police were to become the formidable military machine that American officials envision, they would not add up to an effective instrument of Iraqi national policy for a simple reason: These units are being developed as part of the occupation military, not as a force loyal to or commanded by the elected government. As a result, even if the Iraqi government could "take command" of its army, it could not fight battles on its own. This distinguishes the Iraqi Army from virtually every other military on the planet. None of its units can go into battle unless they are integrated into the American military

THE WAR IN IRAQ

Aid Agencies Blocked From Entering Samarra

Iraqis desperate for supplies also unable to leave city

Iraq Chaos Hardest On Women

Women and children easy targets for kidnappers

Thousands Of Iraqi Families Displaced Since Shrine Bombing

"Leave the area or have your head chopped off," the note on the door read

Iraq's Moderate Resistance That You've Never Heard Of

Coalition of labor unions, student groups, women's rights organizations

Withdrawl Rumors Spread Iraq Instabililty

Different stories in the media every few days - Brits say pullout soon, U.S. says no forseeable departure

Over 200,000 Displaced In Kirkuk Since Invasion

Living in huge camps outside city, abandoned buildings, waiting for property claims to be resolved

Shiite Leaders Blame Media For Civil War Fears

Muqtada al-Sadr leads group demanding end to Iraqi on Iraqi violence

Sunni Leaders Plead For End To Revenge Attacks

As scores of Iraqis, Sunni and Shia alike, are being killed daily

Iraqi Doctors And Other Pros Become Death Squad Targets

"They know very well what they are doing. Their purpose is to destroy Iraq from the inside"

Attackers Reportedly Held Mosque For Hours Before Bombing

Even rumors that Shiites attacked their own holy site to incite civil war

POLITICS AS USUAL

Antonin Scalia's Contempt

Mocked rights for Gitmo prisoners, although Supreme Ct. about to hear case

Claude Allen Was A Disgrace From The Start

Former Bush top domestic advisor just the latest black conservative dogged by scandal

Neo-Con Cheerleaders Quiet As Iraq War Begins Year 4

Gone are the happy days of champagne and gloating

Bush Invites Supporters To Attack Media

Karl Rove's blame-the-media spin strategy is likely to escalate as year goes on

Katrina Video Again Shows Bush In Leadership Crisis

Like 9/11, befuddlement and fear followed by attempts to duck blame his glacial response

Idaho Governor Nominated As Interior Secretary

As Senator, Kempthorne cast one pro-environmental vote in 6 years

Embattled Bush Seeks Out Friendly Neo-Con Audience For Policy Speech

Amid a growing consensus that Rice has successfully displaced Cheney as the dominant influence on Bush's foreign policy

Note To Dems: Make Body Armor The "Willie Horton Issue"

It's been five years since the Bush team started planning the war in Iraq. It's been three years since they launched the invasion. And yet, today, American soldiers still do not have sufficient body armor to protect themselves

Repubs Distance Themselves From Bush As Election Year Starts

Whiplash reaction to Bush's economic policies, growing pessimism about Iraq, the UAE ports deal

UAE DROPS PORT DEAL UNDER BUSH PRESSURE

GOODBYE, DUBAI

No matter how busy you are, always make time to be with your friends: UAE army chief Lt. Gen. Nahyan pays a visit on Wolfowitz a few days before the 2003 invasion of Iraq

When Bush briefly fought Congress and public opinion by insisting U.S. ports should be protected by a company owned by the state of Dubai, the administration's true priorities were briefly revealed. Ignoring that it is a country with a terrible human rights record and direct links to Islamist terrorism, Bush showed he placed even more importance on keeping a customer happy. Trade between the U.S. and UAE reached almost $10 billion last year, mostly of it for state-of-the-art fighter aircraft to protect the tiny nation with no enemies. Millions also go to the UAE for allowing the U.S. to make it the staging grounds for both wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. So when the White House finally realized that they couldn't force their troops to support the stinking deal, they naturally fell back to their familiar line of defense: Blame it all on Clinton

UAE Deal Blown Out Of Proportions By Jingoism
Flurry Of Protectionist Bills Follow UAE Ports Flap
Gulf Media Asks If "Israeli Element" Killed UAE Ports Deal
Collapse Of Ports Deal A Major Bush Setback
Repubs Attack Clinton As UAE Deal Reveals Bush Family Connections
U.S. Firms Fear Backlash From Ports Debacle
UAE Doesn't Want Foreigners In Key Jobs
Opposing UAE Ports Deal Not Anti-Arab Bigotry

Secret Prison In Afghanistan Called 'Son Of Guantanamo'

Media disclosure of prison even worse than Gitmo overshadowed by UAE ports controversy

Poll: Most Americans Now Say Iraq War Wasn't Necessary

Even support from Republicans wanes as just 54% call it a "war of necessity"

Cindy Sheehan And Others Arrested Trying To Deliver Peace Petition To Bolton's UN Office

U.S. diplomatic mission also refuses to meet delegation of Iraqi women on a rare speaking tour of America

Academy Award Best Picture Is 'Crash' Course In Racism

Want to know what's really behind American racial tensions? Watch the top Oscar pick

Number of Women Suicide Bombers Expected To Grow

Women comprise 16 percent of Palestinian suicide bombers

Israel Fears Influence Of Iran, Al Qaeda On Hamas

Alliance intended in part to deter Israel and the United States from attacking Iran

Life Gets Harder For Palestinians Packed Into Gaza Strip

Institutions broke down after 30 years of Israeli occupation in Gaza

Bush's Africa Focus on Oil, Arms, Not Humanitarian Aid

Stopping Darfur genocide not part of Pentagon's "Long War"

Bush Prepares To Militarize Sahara

More about petropolitics than stopping terror

African Water May Dry Up Across Quarter Of The Continent

Densely populated areas will be hit hardest, forecast predicts

Richest Nations Silent On New UN Disaster Fund

Japan, Europe, U.S. haven't followed through on fund intended for fast action in disasters

Taliban Burns Afghan Schools, Threatens Teachers

Over 300 schools closed in January alone

Afghans Probably Won't See $10 Billion Pledged For Reconstruction

Only $150 million from $1.7 billion promised in 2002 delivered in actual aid

The Deep Roots Of Israel's Raid In Jericho

Tied directly to another Israeli raid on a Palestinian city in 2001

Antarctic Ice Disappearing At Record Pace

Losing 4x as much as all of America uses in a single year

Terminator Seeds Suffer Defeat At Global Conference

Moratorium maintained on field trials of Terminator technology

Peruvian Potato Farmers Protest Terminator Spud

Native farmers in Peru, the birthplace of the potato, have pleaded with Syngenta to publicly abandon patent

Christian Groups Keep Condoms Out Of AIDS Programs

Bush's "armies of compassion" get substantial grants to carry out AIDS education policy, sans condoms

What Tsunami Didn't Wash Away, Discrimination Did

Conditions endured by many tsunami survivors still "unbelievably grim"

Hepatitis Vaccine Out Of Reach To People Used As Gunea Pigs

Questions if the people being tested clearly understood what their bodies were being used for

Canadian Natives Present Tribal Legends To Prove Land Claim

Case now before British Columbia's Supreme Court seeks to set precedent for Native land rights outside of treaties

U.S. Tries To Take Shoshone Sacred Land -- At 1872 Prices

Government maintains ancestral lands were lost through "gradual encroachment" of whites

Chechnya Wants Polygamy To Repopulate Country

Civil war has led to women outnumber men by 25%

Round Pegs, Square Holes, And The CIA

James Risen's book, "State of War" an agonizing litany of how mismanagement, political infighting, and good, old-fashioned pig ignorance led to a series of monstrous intelligence gaffes

Columnists

MOLLY IVINS

Immigration 101 For Beginners And Non-Texans
Pentagon Clears Itself Of Wrongdoing -- Again
Panic in the Newspaper Biz
Sign Me Up For the Pentagon Democracy Plan
The 'Long War?' Oh, Goodie
Statesman Bush
South Dakota Wants To Decide For Us All
Count On Rummy For Rosy Reports
Bad And Getting Worse
Ports Deal Also Exposes Special Corporate Protections

ROBERT SCHEER

An Old Story -- Scapegoat Immigrants
Bush Takes Denial To A New Level
Bush's Fantasy Of Progress In Iraq
Pat Tillman Family Skeptical New Pentagon Probe Will Reveal All
Support Bush Or National Security: Your Choice

ALEXANDER COCKBURN

Why There's No Strategy To End This War
The Show Trial That Went Wrong
Big Oil Won Its Obscene Deals Long Ago
National Insecurity

STEVE YOUNG

Democracy, O'Reilly Style
Will O'Reilly Survive Real Debate?
Another 16 Words
You Can Count On Bill
Judgement at Nuremberg II (Day 1)

Bush and his most trusted advisers, Cheney and Rumsfeld, entered office determined to restore the authority of the presidency. Five years and many decisions later, they've pushed the expansion of presidential power so far that we now confront a constitutional crisis. President Bush has given Commander-in-Chief Bush unlimited wartime authority. No peace treaty can possibly bring an end to the fight against far-flung terrorists. The emergency powers of the president during this "war" can now extend indefinitely, at the pleasure of the president and at great threat to the liberties and rights guaranteed us under the Constitution

Albion Monitor
(http://www.albionmonitor.com)
Issue 144

Editor: Jeff Elliott (editor@monitor.net)

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