Why
I Oppose the US War on Terror: an ex-Marine Sergeant Speaks Out October
24, 2002 by CHRIS WHITE The
more I juxtapose logical world opinion with the Bush administration's
actions in the war on terror, I realize one overwhelming theme: hypocrisy.
No one in any of the branches of government runs a physical risk to
themselves by entering a war with Iraq, and we can bet that none of their
family members are at risk, either. That is, until the next
"terrorist" attack. I put "terrorist" in quotes
because its definition is subjective, and I myself used to be in the
Marine Corps, part of the most powerful "terrorist" organization
on the planet: the U.S. government. Of course, we never call our
operations "terrorism" because every operation is considered
legitimate to us. When found guilty by the World Court for violence in
Nicaragua, we ignore the decision. Too bad the nations we hurt can't just
ignore what we do to them. When the planet condemns us for killing between
2,500-4,000 people in Panama, we're too busy planning the next invasion of
a country that can't fight back. I oppose this war as a U.S. citizen, a
veteran, and a doctoral student in history. While my military experience
is what first made me skeptical about our government's motives in the
developing world, it wasn't until I went to college and began reading
hundreds of books and thousands of articles that I was able to truly grasp
the profundity of our leadership's contempt for the freedoms they claim to
protect. counterpunch.org
Suit Seeks to Reveal Bush
Administration - Timber Industry Ties Relating to Forest Regulation
Changes Oct. 24 /U.S. Newswire/
-- Defenders of Wildlife filed suit today in U.S. District Court in D.C.
to compel the Department of Agriculture and U.S. Forest Service to turn
over records related to the suspension of national forest regulations in
2001, and the subsequent rewriting of those regulations. The requested
information relates to contacts between the timber industry and
Agriculture Department officials, including former timber industry
lobbyist Mark Rey, who now oversees the Forest Service. A recent internal
agency draft of new regulations implementing the National Forest
Management Act follows at least 8 specific recommendations made by the
American Forest and Paper Association, according to Defenders of Widlife.
"The Bush administration is stonewalling our request for information
on why they suspended and began rewriting the rules for managing national
forests, forcing us to go to court to pry these records loose," said
Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife. "Just as the
administration is withholding documents on the Cheney Energy Task Force
and its meetings with energy companies, they are withholding information
about national forest regulation activities and meetings. A leaked draft
of the administration's revised forest regulations confirms our worst
fears - that they are listening to only to their timber industry
supporters." usnewswire.com
The deep politics of regime removal
in Iraq: Overt conquest, covert operations Part One: Into the abyss October
24, 2002 By Larry Chin Online Journal Contributing Editor October
24, 2002—The Bush administration is putting the finishing touches on an
invasion of Iraq, and possibly Saudi Arabia, Iran and beyond. The next
phase of the long-planned and sequential 9/11 War will involve the removal
of Saddam Hussein, and either the installation of a new puppet regime, or
the takeover and partitioning of Iraqi territory by US surrogates (Jordan,
Kuwait and the Kurds). This report will attempt to explain the means by
which Iraq is likely to fall, the groups and individuals who will carry it
out, and the various hidden agendas that the mainstream media have refused
to analyze, much less report. onlinejournal.com
Amid signs of dissent within
military circles Bush employs lies and maneuvers to pave way for war
against Iraq 24 October 2002 By Bill
Vann With the preferred D-Day for a US invasion of Iraq barely three
months away, there are growing signs of unease within sections of the US
ruling elite over the implications of the Bush administration’s plans
for a preemptive war of conquest and a protracted military occupation of
the Arab country. Expressing the gravest public concern are former senior
military officers, whose views unquestionably reflect the current
uniformed command’s anxiety over the war policy elaborated by the
Pentagon’s right-wing civilian leadership, headed by Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz. wsws.org
The Top Ten Reasons
to Vote Republican This November Oct. 23, 2002 By Jackson Thoreau
No. 10: So school children can pledge allegiance everyday to "one
nation under God and Enron."
No. 9: So super-wealthy Americans can afford to hire some more special
guards to keep the increasing number of protesters and homeless population
out of their sight when they venture into public places.
No. 8: So more far-right judges who stop our elections to tell us who
really won can be appointed to the Supreme Court.
No. 7: So HMOs can replace your doctor with "customer service
representatives," and so universities can teach courses on the proper
way to say, "Do you want fries with that?"
No. 6: So Wall Street interns can learn the ropes by gambling with Social
Security funds in the stock market.
No. 5: So Republicans can control all branches of our government and bring
about a real dictatorship.
No. 4: So your children and grandchildren can view some "nice, clean
oil wells," instead of the scenery, when they visit our national
parks.
No. 3: So we can continue to blame everything that goes wrong on Clinton.
No. 2: So the poor and minorities can fight and die disproportionately in
perpetual wars to make the world safe for democracy and keeping
Republicans in office.
And the No. 1 reason to vote Republican in 2002:
So Ann Coulter can be appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs and either
put up or shut up!!!!! NOTE:
A more lengthy version of this list is at geocities.com
Drug war backlash Oct.
23, 2002 By Michelle Goldberg Fed up with their state's draconian
laws, New York voters have suddenly made long-shot independent Tom
Golisano a force in the governor's race. --
For the last five years, comedian-turned-drug reform crusader Randy
Credico has poured every drop of his considerable energy into Mothers of
the Disappeared, a group of prisoners' relatives dedicated to changing the
state's draconian Rockefeller drug laws. But despite meetings with Gov.
George Pataki, Democratic challenger Carl McCall and Assembly Speaker
Sheldon Silver, all of whom pledged their commitment to drug law reform,
the Mothers were getting nowhere. salon.com
Russia and France reject latest draft resolution
October 23, 2002 Julian Borger in Washington, John Henley in Paris,
and Nick Paton-Walsh in Moscow France and Russia dug their heels in over Iraq yesterday, vowing to resist
a revised United Nations resolution proposed by the US which both Paris
and Moscow suspect is designed as a stealthy means to pave the way for
future military action. US hopes of pushing its suggested resolution,
which British diplomats helped to write, rapidly through a committee of
the permanent five members of the security council were dealt a serious
blow when Russia appeared to change its position - from cautious
acceptance last week to rejection yesterday. guardian.co.uk
Unprecedented:
The 2000 Presidential Election
Oct. 22, 2002 The riveting story about
the battle for the Presidency in Florida and the undermining of democracy
in America. Filmmakers Richard Ray Pérez and Joan Sekler examine modern
America's most controversial political contest: the Election of George W.
Bush. What emerges is a disturbing picture
of an election marred by suspicious irregularities, electoral injustices,
and sinister voter purges in a state governed by the winning candidate's
brother. George W. Bush stole the presidency of the United States… and
got away with it. "…the movie
highlights those on the front lines—from the African-Americans who were
turned away from the polling booths for assorted reasons. … In one
memorable scene the filmmakers freeze-frame a 'protest' against the ballot
recount, identifying participants as staff members of Republican elected
officials." --Elaine Dutka, Los Angeles Times. gregpalast.com
Oct 22 US National Day of Action Against
Police Brutality Oct. 22, 2002 As media
representations following Sept. 11 have tried to indelibly mark police
officers as national heroes, the
issue of police brutality has been largely taboo. Tomorrow afternoon,
however, the Oct. 22
Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of
a Generation (NDP) will hold marches and rallies across the country to
officially break the silence, and to let the world know that Sept. 11 was
not "D-Day" for law enforcement abuse. According
to organizers, at least 140 people have been killed by law enforcement
nationally since Sept. 11, 2001, including at least 34 in the New York-New
Jersey area. Every year there is also an international
day of action against police brutality on March 15th. http://indymedia.org/
Doesn't anyone notice the erosion
of our freedoms? October 21, 2002 By ROBYN E.
BLUMNER Just like the frog in a pot of water that doesn't realize it's being
boiled to death because the temperature is raised so gradually, so too can a populace fail
to appreciate the erosion of its freedom. Polls show, distressingly, that most Americans
would willingly give away civil liberties in pursuit of security. But while Americans
believe giving up freedom means added inconvenience at the airport, the Bush
administration has used this moment to obliterate the checks and balances that keep the
executive branch operating within legal constraints. Over the past year, the
administration's transgressions have piled up: from refusing to disclose information to
Congress on the Sept. 11 detainees, to dismissing the Geneva Conventions as inapplicable
to the hundreds of Guantanamo Bay prisoners, to telling the federal courts to butt out of
a decision to hold Americans as enemy combatants, without charge or access to lawyers. Our
arrogant, cowboy executive and his minions see themselves as not answerable to any
countervailing power, be it Congress, the courts or international law. Their credo is: We
know what we're doing and we don't have to explain it to you. sptimes.com A Bush roadblock to cleaner air
October 21, 2002 The Bush administration has adopted a unique policy for reducing air
pollution: "Don't just do something, stand there." Aside from the occasional
photo-op intended to burnish his "green" image, the president has shown little
gusto for improving the nation's air quality. That attitude no doubt plays well among oil
company executives, but not in places with serious air quality problems, such as
California. To address those problems, California lawmakers enacted pioneering legislation
requiring automakers to manufacture cars and trucks that produce little or no harmful
emissions, such as electric vehicles or vehicles fueled by natural gas. The state's rules
would kick in gradually over the next several years, with a goal of having about 15,000
zero-emission vehicles sold each year by 2012. True to form, the auto industry howled, and
then hauled the governor and state environmental officials into court. With the quiet
backing of other major carmakers, Daimler-Chrysler and General Motors filed a federal
lawsuit claiming that California was overstepping its authority. Finally, after months of
being MIA on this issue, the White House jumped into the legal fray --- once again, on the
wrong side. accessatlanta.com
Recalled Meat in School Lunches Only Tip of Iceberg, Oct. 21, 2002
Say
Doctors; Group Calls on USDA to Remove All Meat from School Lunch Program
WASHINGTON, /U.S. Newswire/ -- The government's weak response to the recent
discovery that listeria-infected meat ended up in the school lunch program is indicative
of its "reckless and blatant" disregard for children's health, the Physicians
Committee for Responsible Medicine charges in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Ann
Veneman today. "No scientist seriously believes that increased testing will eliminate
the problem of foodborne illness," writes PCRM president and nutrition researcher Dr.
Neal Barnard. "The USDA's response suggests indifference to the risks caused by
infected meat products and obliviousness to the longer-term risks of these products.
Rather than simply recalling infected meat, we need to stop feeding
any meat to our kids." usnewswire.com
Workers: Coca Cola Is Not The Real Thing Oct. 21, 2002 On October 17, dozens of HIV/AIDS activists, many
students from area universities, demonstrated outside the Coca-Cola Corporation's
Washington, DC, office. The demonstration was one of many taking place in major cities
across the country and the world to pressure Coke to live up to a 2001 agreement to give
adequate and accessible health coverage for HIV/AIDS-infected employees in Africa. They
also pressured Coke to include children and other dependents in the plan, not just
spouses. indymedia.org
/ Challenge
Coke: Treat Your Workers
A threat to humanity: Bush’s new military
doctrine Oct 20, 2002 Author: Sam
Webb People's Weekly World Newspaper, Three weeks ago the Bush
administration announced a new strategic-military policy. Named “The
National Security Strategy of the United States,” the document contains
little that has not been said earlier by Bush and his foreign policy aides.
In fact, the strategic perspectives outlined in the report are borrowed from
earlier position papers. As far back the early 1990s and as recently as two
years ago, documents were circulated in the top circles of our nation’s
ruling class that bear a remarkable resemblance to the new Bush policy. The
earlier versions, however, never became government policy. One, written
during the latter days of the first Bush administration and leaked to The
New York Times, was greeted by a storm of criticism while the more recent
versions never attracted much attention beyond a small circle of right wing
ideologues. So what accounts for the initially muted opposition to
essentially the same document this time? Why is the latest incarnation of
this doctrine, which had been discredited a decade ago, official policy now?
pww.org
Iraq war 'unjustifiable', says Bush's
church head October 20, 2002 Ed
Vulliamy in New York President George Bush's own Methodist church has
launched a scathing attack on his preparations for war against Iraq, saying
they are 'without any justification according to the teachings of Christ'.
Jim Winkler, head of social policy for United Methodists, added that all
attempts at a 'dialogue' between the President and his own church over the
war had fallen on deaf ears at the White House. His remarks came as the US
continued its efforts to achieve agreement on a UN resolution that would
open the way for a tough programme of weapons inspections in Iraq. France is
believed to be concerned that the current draft resolution might still act
as a trigger for military intervention without a full Security Council
debate if Iraq fails to comply. guardian.co.uk
Corporate corruption and academia: The
Bush-Harvard-Enron connection 19 October
2002 By Joseph Kay Information that has come to light over
the past several weeks underscores the extent to which both the Bush
administration and the academic establishment are implicated in the wave of
corporate corruption scandals in the United States. HarvardWatch—a
coalition of Harvard students and alumni that monitors governance at the
university—has published a series of reports that document the way in
which the Ivy League university helped the oil firm Harken fashion
Enron-type deals that hid debt and artificially elevated earnings. At the
time, George W. Bush was a director of the company. HarvardWatch has also
documented the close ties between Harvard, Enron and officials in both the
Bush and Clinton administrations. wsws.org
The one word that seems to stump President
Bush October 18, 2002 Lou
Panos Does it bother you that our president _ the leader of the free world and
the man with his finger on the button _ seems to have trouble pronouncing
"nuclear?" When he says "nucular," I wince. I also wonder whether
anyone in his stable of advisers ever discusses this miscue with him. If not, is it
because they are too timid to do so? If so, does he repeat the mispronunciation because of
some mnemonic blind spot, a sort of oral dyslexia? We are dealing here with more than
linguistic snobbery. The question is, could the presidential predilection for
"nucular" impair, however slightly, his ability to persuade the populace on
larger issues. Such as launching a war against Iraq. mywebpal.com
Bush now armed to make
war Oct. 17, 2002 But
criticism flies at United Nations debate By Ron
Fournier AP WASHINGTON - President Bush on Wednesday signed a
congressional resolution authorizing war against Iraq, and told Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon that Israel has a right to retaliate if Saddam Hussein strikes his nation now
without provocation. But at the United Nations, the United States came under a barrage of
criticism Wednesday as the Security Council held an open debate at the behest of dozens of
countries angry with the Bush administration's threat to attack Iraq. In a flurry of
activity, Bush tried to use Sharon's visit and the vote of support in Congress to ease
opposition at the United Nations for a tough new anti-Iraq resolution. He warned France,
Russia, China and other balking allies that Saddam poses a grave threat to their security.
tallahassee.com
More than 41 million Americans without health insurance 17 October 2002 By Patrick Martin A census report
released at the end of September found that the number of Americans without health
insurance rose to 41.2 million last year, a rise of 2.5 million from the figure that had
been reported for 2000. The increase has two components: an upward adjustment of 1.1
million in the number of uninsured in 2000, based on more accurate census figures, and an
increase of 1.4 million in the number becoming uninsured during 2001 itself. The
proportion of the US population without insurance rose from 14.2 percent in 2000 to 14.6
percent in 2001. Households at every income level showed an increase in the proportion of
uninsured, with the biggest increase among middle-income families earning $75,000 a year
or more. Some 6.6 million people were uninsured in that income bracket, a 14 percent rise
in just one year, reflecting the heavy impact of business cost-cutting on white-collar
workers and lower levels of management. wsws.org
Evil, American and British Arms
Companies are Showing Them Our Weapons October 16, 2002
Yes, as Bush continues to use fear as a political tool, he's allowing American arms
merchants to hawk their wares at a weapons of war "trade show" in Amman, Jordan,
as we write this editorial. And who might be among the delegations attending this military
weapons bazaar? Get ready for this: Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Syria, and delegations from
more than 40 other countries. According to one of our readers, 10 U.S. firms and 14 from
the United Kingdom are, as you read this, polishing and shining their weapons of war for
an eager audience of Bush's axis of evil terrorist states. For a full list of countries
kicking the tires of the latest in weaponry (from October 14th - 17th) go to: sofex.com
New Report Projects Impending Water Crisis Oct. 16 WASHINGTON, /U.S. Newswire/ -- If current trends in water
policy and investment hold or worsen, we will soon face threats to the global food supply,
further environmental damage, and ongoing health risks for the hundreds of millions of
people lacking access to clean water. These findings come from Global Water Outlook to
2025: Averting an Impending Crisis, a report by the International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) released on
World Food Day. usnewswire.com
One Killed as Global Forest Defense Actions Continue October 16, 2002 While mourning Naya, the courageous youth who died last week while defending a stand of
trees outside of Santa Cruz, California, global forest defenders and environmental
activists continue their actions to save a planet that is under constant attack from
capitalism and corporate terrorism. indymedia.org
'Soft' Guantanamo chief ousted October 16, 2002 Julian Borger in Washington The commander
of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp - who was criticised in the US press for being too
soft on the inmates - has been dismissed, it emerged yesterday. Brigadier-General Rick
Baccus was relieved of his duties as camp commander and as an officer in the Rhode Island
national guard on October 9, five days after a newspaper report quoted defence sources as
saying he was "too nice" to the 598 inmates, and was consequently making it hard
for the military interrogators to extract information from them. Back home in Rhode Island
General Baccus told a local radio station that"in no instance did I interfere with
interrogations", and expressed surprise at his treatment. guardian.co.uk
Deflation threat to world economy 16 October 2002 By Nick Beams As stock markets
continue to fall and financial problems start to spread, a discussion has broken out in
sections of the financial press over whether the global economy is entering an era of
deflation of a kind not seen since the Great Depression. An article in the Economist
of October 10, for example, headlined Of debt, deflation and denial warned
that the risk of falling prices was greater than at any time since the 1930s. Deflation
could be a serious threat in America, Europe as well as Japan. This could prove
particularly awkward given the increase in borrowing, especially in the United
States. This is because while in an inflationary environment the borrower tends to benefit
as loans are repaid in a devalued currency, under deflationary conditions debt burdens
increase. wsws.org
Listening Device Found on Candidate's Phone October 16, 2002 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Campaign
officials for Democratic congressional candidate Dave Thomas told state investigators that
a listening device was discovered on one of Thomas' phone lines. Ryan Hawkins, campaign
manager for the 1st Congressional District candidate, said a Qwest repairman found
"some kind of listening device" on a phone line at the Cache County Democratic
Office during routine service Wednesday. The phone line is paid for by Thomas' campaign.
The discovery was reported to the state's Criminal Investigations Bureau the following
day, Hawkins said. A message left at the bureau was not immediately returned on Sunday.
Pending an official investigation, the phone line will continue to be used to promote
Thomas in northern Utah, Hawkins said. Thomas is running against Republican Rob Bishop for
the seat being vacated by Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah. sltrib.com
Military-style killer on the loose near US
capital 15 October 2002 By Patrick Martin
A serial killer using a sniper rifle to target random individuals has terrorized the
Washington, DC metropolitan area for nearly two weeks, killing eight people and wounding
two, while eluding capture and leaving practically no evidence to identify or locate him.
To the extent that media commentators have even attempted to provide an explanation for
this outburst of deadly and sadistic violence, their remarks have fallen generally into
two equally vacuous categories: the events are inexplicable, or they are yet
another manifestation of evil in the world. President Bush on Monday called
the attacks cold-blooded and added, The idea of moms taking their kids
to school and sheltering them from a potential sniper attack is not the America that I
know. Considering the source, Bushs remarks do not come as a surprise. But
they nevertheless reveal a remarkable obtuseness, given the role he and his administration
have played in promoting an ethos of violence, brutality and fear. wsws.org
Bush wins Nobel War Prize October 15, 2002 By Andy Borowitz The Norwegian Nobel Committee honored
President George W. Bush today by bestowing upon him the first-ever Nobel War Prize. In
Oslo, Nobel Committee chairman Gunnar Berge said that Bush was chosen for the award
because "above all, in his words and deeds, President Bush has stood for the
resolution of conflicts between nations and peoples through the use of massive and
overwhelming force." At the White House, President Bush said that he was surprised to
have received the Nobel War Prize and that he was "deeply honored and touched."
He added that it would have been impossible to win the award without the help of Senator
Majority Leader Tom Daschle, whom the president thanked for "his tireless efforts to
do absolutely nothing to hinder me." tallahassee.com
Groups say Bush to blame
for meat recall October 15, 2002 Elizabeth
Becker Washington --- Consumer and environmental groups
on Monday blamed the Bush administration for the nation's largest meat recall, saying that
the administration had failed to set adequate safety standards for the meat industry.
Officials at the Agriculture Department flatly denied the accusation. On Sunday, the
Pilgrim's Pride Corp. asked that 27.4 million pounds of cooked turkey and chicken products
be returned for fear that the roasts and delicatessen meats sold under the Wampler brand
are contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. accessatlanta.com
The vice president blocks an independent commission to
investigate 9-11 October 15, 2002 NEWSWEEK -- Dick
Cheney played a behind-the-scenes role last week in derailing an agreement to create an
independent commission to investigate the 9-11 attacks. Last month the White House
endorsed the formation of the panel. But on Thursday, hours after congressional
negotiators hailed a final deal over the scope and powers of a 9-11 panel, Cheney called
House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Porter Goss, sources told NEWSWEEK. Later that
day Goss told a closed-door conference committee he couldn't accept the deal, citing
instructions from "above my pay grade,'' sources say. truthout.com
National Advertising
Campaign Asks 'Can We Afford Total Republican Control Over Our Economy?' Oct. 14, 2002 By National Desk, Political Reporter Advertising
Campaign Reminds Voters of Administration Failures WASHINGTON, Newswire/ -- A national
advertising campaign reminding voters of how the Bush Administration's managing of our
nation's economy has failed miserably will be launched by Mainstreet USA on Tuesday, Oct.
15. The television ad outlines how our economy has suffered in the past 18 months and
sends the message that now is NOT the time to turn over complete control of our economic
future to a Republican Senate, House and President. "This November, voters can make a
real choice about our country's economic future," said Mike Lux, president of
Mainstreet USA. "We can choose to continue to watch our economy spiral downward or we
can elect candidate who will ensure the checks and balances needed if our economy is to
get back on track." thepeoplesvoice.org
Bush Eases Way for West to Control Big Volumes of Water October 14,
2002 By DOUGLAS JEHL WASHINGTON, The Bush administration has opened the way for
Western states to gain control over enormous volumes of water previously claimed by the
federal government. That would shift the balance in a long battle over control of a scarce
resource. The policies cede to Western states important water rights that the Clinton
administration had claimed. Bush administration officials describe the new approach as an
antidote to past federal excess. Environmentalists said the policies would give the states
more latitude to transfer water to their cities and away from national parks, forests,
wildlife refuges and other federal lands.Among the affected areas is a national park in
Colorado, where the government is loosening its claim to river water that federal
officials have called vital to the park's beauty and environmental health. nytimes.com
BUSH POLITICS TAMPERING WITH
MEDICINE October 14, 2002 SOME
NEW FACES FOR GOVERNMENT SCIENCE BOARDS If your health or the health of a loved one were at stake, would you
choose a Republican doctor - or a Democrat? Smart people wouldn't care: They would want
the best, most nearly objective, scientific advice possible - no matter what the political
or religious philosophy of the adviser. Yet recent actions by the Bush administration
suggest that, even when the country's health is at stake, President Bush is interested in
finding scientists who will tell him only what he - or his campaign contributors - wants
to hear. The administration is reconstituting a variety of scientific panels and some of
the nominees have far fewer credentials than connections. A couple of key examples: At the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the administration rejected scientific
advisers recommended by its own National Center for Environmental Health and instead
nominated people with ties to the lead industry, which has a vested interest in lowering
government standards. philly.com
Retreat on Clean Air The Bush
administration has taken another step backward in the fight against air pollution. October 14, 2002 Last week, it joined the automobile industry in a lawsuit
charging that a California program encouraging manufacturers to sell cleaner, more
fuel-efficient "hybrid" vehicles cars powered by a combination of
gasoline and electricity usurped federal authority. The suit is a direct challenge
to California's longstanding authority to set emission standards tougher than the federal
government's. More broadly, it is further evidence of President Bush's unwillingness to
offend his political allies by pushing the industry to develop cleaner cars and thus
lessen urban smog and the dangers of global warming. nytimes.com
In the 2002 Election, The Issue is Unchecked Power October 13, 2002 by Harvey Wasserman Is this the most important
election in US history? With his TV talk of war, George W. Bush has blown smoke over
what's really at stake today: the future of democracy. Not in Iraq; here in the United
States. Never in US history have we ever been closer to an unchecked one-man one-party
rule than right now. And as the world's sole military super-power, we have made the crisis
truly global. The reality is simple: the right wing of the Republican Party controls three
of the four branches of government, and is just a single vote away from taking the fourth.
The Executive, the Judiciary, the media and the House of Representatives are all in
Republican hands. The Senate teeters on the edge. And the USA Patriot Act, passed in the
wake of September 11, has obliterated most of the Constitutional guarantees that made this
country a democracy in the first place. Should Congress go Republican in November, there
will be no institutional check or balance left to guarantee that the democracy born here
two centuries ago will survive. commondreams.org
As Congress Caves, Activists Rise Up October 13, 2002 This week, as the unelected
Commander-in-Chief gained approval from Congress
for his war, the people of the United States fought back with a wide range of tactics. In
San Francisco, some 500 activists moved quickly to lay siege to a federal building. Around 1000 Students and faculty at the University of California,
Santa Cruz, walked out. In New York, people occupied a senator's office
while anti-war students crashed the party at MTV's
Total Request Live. Portlanders redecorated a billboard to deliver an anti-Bush message.
http://indymedia.org/
Wall St Girds for Thousands More Layoffs October 13, 2002 By Brian Kelleher NEW YORK
(Reuters) - The paucity of mergers and other deals on Wall Street has traders and bankers
spending most of their time these days worrying about their jobs. "Clearly the
industry has staffed up to a level that is no longer warranted, and even the cutbacks that
have been done thus far are proving not to be enough," said Gerold Klauer, founder of
boutique investment bank Gerard Klauer Mattison and now a managing director at hedge fund
Cumberland Associates. The latest round of job cuts came
to light on Sunday, as the stock market remained in the doldrums early in the fourth
quarter. reuters.com
Crusading Toward Armageddon October 12, 2002 Rick Friedman and Stewart Nusbaumer
writes: "All of us know that Osama bin Laden is a Muslim religious fanatic hell-bent
on implementing his demented version of Armageddon in the Middle East. What we're not sure
about, however, is whether or not George Bush is a Christian religious fanatic hell-bent
on his demented version of Armageddon in the Middle East....If the chosen by God George
Bush invades demonic Iraq he may very well ignite a larger war in the Middle East that
will pull in other Arab states and Israel, leading us to the conclusion of Armageddon with
both God's forces and Satan's army all going down the toilet of defeat. And just think,
all of this from a man who can't spell "banana." interventionmag.com
US plans military rule and occupation of Iraq October 12, 2002 Julian Borger in Washington Saddam would be
replaced by General Tommy Franks The US has plans to establish an American-led
military administration in Iraq, similar to the postwar occupation of Germany and Japan,
which could last for several years after the fall of Saddam Hussein, it emerged yesterday.
The plans, which surfaced after President George Bush won a resounding congressional
mandate to use force in Iraq, envisage the biggest "nation-building" effort the
US has undertaken since the end of the second world war. The occupation of the country
would need an estimated 75,000 troops, at an annual cost of up to $16bn (£10bn), and
would almost certainly include British and other allied soldiers. It would be run by a
senior American officer, perhaps General Tommy Franks, who would lead the assault on Iraq,
and whose role would be modelled on that of General Douglas MacArthur in postwar Japan. guardian.co.uk
Opposition to war grows across Europe 12 October 2002 By
Steve James The imminent war against Iraq has met with rising public opposition
in Europe. Large anti-war demonstrations have been held in many cities, as well as
protests at the US military outposts, listening stations and airbases that litter the
continent. Many more demonstrations are planned for the coming weeks against what is
broadly perceived as a war for control of Iraqs oil fields.Simultaneous with the
350,000 strong demonstration in London on September 28, up to 150,000 marched around the
ancient centre of Rome in protests which also reflected deepening opposition to the
Italian government of Silvio Berlusconi. One week later, more demonstrations were held in
Rome, Naples, Milan, Florence, Bologna, Catania, Bergamo and Venice. Some estimates of the
total number of people involved were as high as 1.5 million. According to anti-war groups,
100 cities held protests. wsws.org
Bush and Big Business Go After Longshoremen, Invoke
Taft-Hartley October 12, 2002 In what is viewed by many
union leaders and grassroots members as a coordinated attempt by the Pacific Maritemers
Association (PMA) and the Bush administration to break the powerful ILWU, Bush has invoked the Taft-Hartley Act to force an end to PMA's
lock-out of union labor. This allows for federal supervision of the workplace for 80 days.
indymedia.org
Beneath the Phony Window Dressing Of Powell and
Rice, Bush's Policies Victimize Blacks with 'Savage Inequalities' October 12, 2002 Jonathan Kozol's book "Savage
Inequalities," written during the "reign" of Bush I, has, alas, become all
the more relevant today under Bush II: Under Bush I, writes Elena Rutherford,
"integration is a fading ghost of a dream, and urban public education writhes in the
throes of strangulation, as it remains, today. The language of apartheid had become, if
anything, colder and more deeply threatening than the squeals of frenzied southern
segregationists. Black lives are simply nor worth nurturing. Education of African American
youth is not cost-efficient. The economic basis of white privilege cannot, must not, be
tampered with." With Bush II's aggressive push for school privatization/vouchers, the
plight of black urban students will become intolerable, says Rutherford - Jim Crow in all
but name, while "The battle for democracy and human standards of worth will be truly
savage." blackcommentator.com
"The bottom line is I don't trust this president and his advisors" Oct. 11, 2002 Not every Democrat has caved to Bush's martial
fervor. Rep. Pete Stark makes it stunningly clear why he voted against
the Iraq war resolution.- "Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this resolution
(authorizing military force against Iraq). I am deeply troubled that lives may be lost
without a meaningful attempt to bring Iraq into compliance with U.N. resolutions through
careful and cautious diplomacy. "The bottom line is I don't trust this president and
his advisors. "Make no mistake, we are voting on a resolution that grants total
authority to the president, who wants to invade a sovereign nation without any specific
act of provocation. This would authorize the United States to act as the aggressor for the
first time in our history. It sets a precedent for our nation -- or any nation -- to
exercise brute force anywhere in the world without regard to international law or
international consensus. "Congress must not walk in lockstep behind a president who
has been so callous to proceed without reservation, as if war was of no real consequence. salon.com
Why the Democratic Party is backing Bushs war
drive vs. Iraq 11 October 2002 By
Patrick Martin The Democratic Party is moving to provide a comfortable margin of
votes to pass resolutions in the House of Representatives and the Senate authorizing an
imminent US invasion of Iraq. The House voted Thursday to give Bush the power to wage war,
a week after an agreement between Bush and House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt on the
language of the resolution. A series of top Senate Democrats have endorsed the resolution,
including Majority Whip Harry Reid, Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph
Biden, and
John Kerry of Massachusetts, a prospective presidential candidate and one-time leader of
veterans protests against the Vietnam War. It is expected that less than a quarter
of the Senate will vote against a resolution to authorize Bush to launch a unilateral war
of aggression. The war resolutions text is an amalgam of the lies and distortions
issued by the Bush administration to justify its long-sought goal of invading Iraq and
overthrowing Saddam Hussein, including repeated mentions of the September 11, 2001
terrorist attacks, although there is no evidence connecting Baghdad and the suicide
hijackings. wsws.org
ACLU Decries Passage of Election
Reform Bill; Says Voting Rights Cure Worse Than Disease October 11, 2002 WASHINGTON - In response to tonight's expected passage of
election reform legislation that has been touted by supporters as a cure for America's
flawed voting system, the American Civil Liberties Union said that the bill would
disenfranchise whole classes of Americans by erecting new bureaucratic hurdles for voters.
"This bill turns back the clock on four decades of voting rights advances," said
LaShawn Warren, an ACLU Legislative Counsel. "Instead of making sure that the voting
process is inclusive, this bill provides the tools to excludes people from the voting
process, negatively impacting the elderly, the disabled, racial and ethnic minorities,
students and the poor. Not only does this bill make it more difficult to vote, it makes it
more difficult to register to vote." aclu.org
'Really ugly' market hits 5-year low Bleak outlook on earnings tightens downward pressure October 11, 2002 Carol
Emert, Chronicle Staff Writer Stock downgrades of three major companies --
General Motors Corp., General Electric Corp. and J.P. Morgan & Co. -- sent the Dow
Jones industrial average to a five-year low Wednesday while the Standard & Poor's 500
tumbled 2. 73 percent. "This stock market is just really ugly," said economist
Donald Straszheim, who expects the stock tailspin to continue at least until spring.
"I hate to be so pessimistic, but for the next few months, I think it's
appropriate." Third-quarter earnings estimates, which are starting to roll in, are
expected to include new, bleak outlooks for the fourth quarter and early next year, market
experts said. "I think we're probably going to see more earnings estimates lowered
than raised all winter," said Straszheim of Straszheim Global Advisors in Santa
Monica. The blue-chip Dow sank 215 points Wednesday, or 2.87 percent, to close at 7,
286.27. That marked its lowest level since October 1997 and brought the index of 30 large
companies down 26.60 percent this year. The S&P 500 fell 2.73 percent, or 21.79 points
Wednesday, ending at 776.76, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq declined 1.34 percent, or
15.10 points, to close at 1,114.11. The S&P has fallen 31.91 percent this year while
the Nasdaq has skidded 43.55 percent. sfgate.com
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