US voting system vulnerable to fraud October 20, 2003 ANDREW GUMBEL Something very odd happened in the mid-term elections in the US state of Georgia last November. On the eve of the vote, opinion polls showed Roy Barnes, the incumbent Democratic governor, leading by between 9 and 11 points. But then the results came in, and all of Georgia appeared to have been turned upside down. Barnes lost the governorship to the Republican, Sonny Perdue, 46 per cent to 51 per cent, a swing of as much as 16 percentage points from the last opinion polls. nzherald.co.nz

Diebold Issues Cease and Desist to Indymedia October 20, 2003 Posted by michael h0mee writes "Diebold, manufacturer of election equipment, has issued a Cease and desist notice to the upstream provider of San Francisco Indymedia for having LINKS to mirrors of a leaked internal diebold memo. More than just a case of a leak, Diebold has been raising a lot of questions about the fairness and security of elections in the United States. (Perhaps it's time for peer reviewable software like gnu.free

The Global Redlining of America, Bush Plunges U.S. Into Rapid Decline October 20, 2003 The previously unthinkable is now on the table. Russia, the world’s second largest oil exporter, is giving serious consideration to trading its black gold in euros, a switch that would surely set dominos in motion among other oil producing nations and, ultimately, knock the dollar off its global throne. Americans can thank George Bush and his Pirates for accelerating a process that might have taken decades to evolve, but which now looms as a “catastrophe” on the horizon. “ blackcommentator.com

Bush rejects Guantanamo Bay prisoner torture claims October 20, 2003 Agence France-Presse U.S. President George W. Bush denied the military had tortured suspected terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay base in Cuba, during an interview screened on Australian television yesterday. A US-based lawyer acting for two Australians being held at Guantanamo Bay claimed this month that detainees at the camp were subjected to "medieval" torture, including having rubber bullets fired at them. etaiwannews.com

US marines accused of killing prisoner October 20, 2003 The US military has charged eight US marine reservists with brutal treatment of Iraqi prisoners of war that may have resulted in the death of one detainee. Military prosecutors allege that an Iraqi man named Najim Sadun Hatab died at Camp Whitehorse in early June, following a possible beating by US guards. Details of the incident remain unclear. The most serious and sweeping accusations are being levelled against Major Clark Paulus. He has been charged with negligent homicide, assault, cruelty and maltreatment, dereliction of duty and making false statements, Lisbon said. The other officer involved in the case, Major William Vickers, faces one count of dereliction of duty, he said. aljazeera.net

U.S. commander killed in Iraq firefight 12-hour battle in holy city claims six lives Saturday, October 20, 2003 (CNN) Four U.S. military police, including a commanding officer, and two Iraqi policemen, were killed in two separate incidents Friday. The latest deaths bring the number of U.S. troops killed in hostile fire since President Bush declared an end to major combat to 101. Among those killed in a 12-hour gunfight in the holy city of Karbala was the 43-year-old commanding officer of the 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. edition.cnn.com

Bush’s News War October 20, 2003 By Richard Wolffe and Rod Nordland SOMEONE THREW A homemade grenade at the Americans, wounding 13 servicemen. According to the Oct. 8 Daily Threat Assessment—the Coalition’s internal casualty report, which was shown to NEWSWEEK—eight soldiers were wounded seriously enough to be evacuated to military hospitals. Yet at a press conference the next day, there was no mention of the attack. Pushed by reporters, U.S. officials would only say the incident was under investigation. It was as if the ambush, and the casualties, had never happened. msnbc.com

The Emperor Has No Clothes October 20, 2003 Those who have dared to expose the nakedness of the Administration's policies in Iraq have been subjected to scorn. Those who have noticed the elephant in the room -- that is, the fact that this war was based on falsehoods – have had our patriotism questioned. informationclearinghouse.info

Poll: Public Supports Health Care for All October 20, 2003 By WILL LESTER The public's growing unease with the current health care system has built support for a new approach that would mean care for all Americans and changes in laws governing prescription drugs, a poll suggests. ble majority, 70 percent, said it should be legal for Americans to buy prescription drugs outside the United States, according to the ABC News-Washington Post poll. One in eight respondents said they or someone in their home has done just that. Such purchases can save money but they violate the law. The poll released Sunday found that more than half of Americans, 54 percent, are dissatisfied with the overall quality of health care in the United States. customwire.ap.org

$87 Billion War Request Details Spending Democrats Challenge Policy of Higher Funding for Iraqis Than for Americans October 20, 2003 By Jonathan Weisman President Bush formally shipped his $87 billion war spending request to Congress last night, offering new details about the burgeoning costs of reconstructing Iraq and drawing criticism from Democrats that the White House is willing to spend more on Iraqis than on U.S. citizens. washingtonpost.com

Is Syria Next? October 20, 2003 Shortly after 9/11, the government received an extraordinary gift of hundreds of files on Al Qaeda, crucial data on the activities of radical Islamist cells throughout the Middle East and Europe and intelligence about future terrorist plans. These dossiers did not come from Israel or Saudi Arabia, whose kingdom appeared more concerned at the time with securing safe passage for members of the bin Laden family living in the United States, but from Syria. Yet, the Syrians got an unrelenting Washington-sponsored campaign of vilification when the "Axis of Evil" was expanded to include Syria, largely because Syria refused to support a pre-emptive war against Iraq. thenation.com

Are Jews Rulers or Ruled? October 20, 2003 By Henry Makow, Ph.D. "Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them." Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad recently made headlines for this statement to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the world's largest Muslim group. The speech was actually opposed to terrorism but the world media presented it (in the words of one Jewish leader) as "an absolute invitation for more hate crimes and terrorism against Jews." thetruthseeker.co.uk

Sen. Lieberman Jeered at Arab-Amerian Forum October 20, 2003 By Stephanie Simon DEARBORN, Mich. — He stood before them speaking of solidarity, introducing himself with words from the Bible: "I am Joseph, your brother." But Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut was pelted with jeers as he brought his quest for the Democratic presidential nomination to an Arab-American leadership conference in this Detroit suburb on Friday. "Go home to Tel Aviv," one woman called in disgust as Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew, cast Israelis as victims of Palestinian terrorism. latimes.com

The Battle Hymn of the New Liberal Media: A Good Business Plan October 19, 2003 by Thom Hartmann In the last Democratic debate, one of the questioners pointed out that fewer Americans identify themselves as either liberals or Democrats than at any time since before Roosevelt's New Deal. The implicit question was, "What's so bad about you guys that Americans have decided 'liberal' is a curse word and people are embarrassed to call themselves Democrats?" thepeoplesvoice.org

Permanent Condition Of War Means Never-Ending Attacks Against Our Liberties October 19, 2003 By Chuck Baldwin It should be painfully obvious to everyone that the United States has no exit strategy for Afghanistan or Iraq, and that a cessation of war is not even contemplated by our nation's leaders. In fact, President Bush recently declared that America is now in a perpetual state of war. Bush made it clear that the U.S. is now in permanent war status when he recently said, "Terrorism is an inescapable reality of life. It is a permanent condition to which America and the entire world must adjust. The need for homeland security, therefore, is not tied to any specific terrorist threat." However, such "permanent condition" of war bodes ill for constitutional government and individual liberty. informationclearinghouse.info

Paris, Berlin and Moscow bow before Bush October 19, 2003 By Chris Marsden The United Nations Security Council’s unanimous vote Thursday to support Resolution 1511 drafted by the United States UN vote on Iraq: represents a grotesque cave-in by the European powers, Russia and China in the face of sustained pressure from Washington. Syria’s backing for the resolution underscores the impotence of the Arab bourgeoisie in face of America’s military drive to secure its hegemony over the entire Middle East. There is no doubt that every one of the 15 votes in support of a manifestly illegal occupation carried out in direct violation of the UN Charter was cast out of consideration for the geopolitical interests of the governments involved. In each case, the question of whether to support Washington’s criminal war was decided on a quid pro quo basis involving either promised rewards—trade preferences, aid, etc.—or threatened punishment—economic sanctions or outright military aggression. wsws.org

OSAMA BIN LADEN: "Abandon Your Follies And Rein In Your Fools" October 19, 2003 Source: Al Jazeera "This is a message from Osama bin Muhammad bin Laden to the American people regarding your aggression in Iraq. Peace be upon those who follow the righteous path. Some have the impression that you are a reasonable people. But the majority of you are vulgar and without sound ethics or good manners. You elect the evil from among you, the greatest liars and the least decent and you are enslaved by your richest and the most influential among you, especially the Jews, who lead you using the lie of democracy to support the Israelis and their schemes and in complete antagonism towards our religion (Islam). These schemes are paid for in our blood and land, and your blood and economy. This has been proven by recent events. And the war on Iraq, which has nothing to do with you, is proof of that. Bush and his gang, with their heavy sticks and hard hearts, are an evil to all humankind. They have stabbed into the truth, until they have killed it altogether in the eyes of the world. With this behaviour they have encouraged hypocrisy, and spread vice and political bribes shamelessly at the level of heads of state. This gang and their leader enjoy lying, war and looting to serve their own ambitions. The blood of the children of Vietnam, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq is still dripping from their teeth. They have fooled you and deceived you into invading Iraq a second time. And they have lied to you and the whole world. jihadunspun.com

Wanton Israeil Gaza Destruction Is A War Crime October 19, 2003 Amnesty International condemns in the strongest terms the large-scale destruction by the Israeli army of Palestinian homes in a refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, which made homeless hundreds of people, including many children and elderly people. "The repeated practice by the Israeli army of deliberate and wanton destruction of homes and civilian property is a grave violation of international human rights and humanitarian law, notably of Articles 33 and 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and constitutes a war crime," said Amnesty International. rense.com

Bush tells Koizumi U.N. is old and should be reformed October 19, 2003 TOKYO — U.S. President George Bush told Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi over dinner Friday night that the United Nations is "old" and its structure should be reformed, according to a senior Japanese foreign ministry official. Bush made the comment after Koizumi asked him to "consider making better use of the United Nations" to spread America's ideals of freedom and democracy, the official told reporters. japantoday.com

U.S. Selling Off Iraq-Owned Companies October 19, 2003 By CHARLES J. HANLEY BAGHDAD, Iraq The U.S.-led occupation authority is taking initial steps toward selling off the first of Iraq's scores of state-owned companies to investors, but will stick to small enterprises until a sovereign Iraqi government takes over the job, the American privatization chief said Friday. story.news.yahoo.com

Before the war, week after week after week after week, we were told lie after lie after lie after lie Senate Floor Remarks By U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy October 18, 2003 Nearly six months have elapsed since President Bush flew out to the aircraft carrier and declared "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq. Today, we all know all too well that the war is not over; the war goes on; the mission is not accomplished. An unnecessary war, based on unreliable and inaccurate intelligence, has not brought an end to danger. Instead, it has brought new dangers, imposed new costs, and taken more and more American lives each week. truthout.org

Sick, wounded U.S. troops held in squalor October 18, 2003 By Mark Benjamin Hundreds of sick and wounded U.S. soldiers including many who served in the Iraq war are languishing in hot cement barracks here while they wait -- sometimes for months -- to see doctors. The National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers' living conditions are so substandard, and the medical care so poor, that many of them believe the Army is trying push them out with reduced benefits for their ailments. One document shown to UPI states that no more doctor appointments are available from Oct. 14 through Nov. 11 -- Veterans Day. upi.com/view.cfm

Link To The Full Stash Of Diebold Memos...October 18, 2003 by Anon The following is a link to the incriminating stash of Diebold Election Systems memos... please take copies of this data and redistribute...http://www.sentry.nu/s/lists/ This set of emails has been posted all over the place and shut down all over the place. Webmasters - especially those out of the reach of the DMCA - are encouraged to take a full copy of the memos at the above link. For background.... the following summary was posed on DU when the Italian set of files was posted...indybay.org

Thousands Protest Bush's Visit to Manila October 18, 2003 TERESA CEROJANO Thousands of university students and other activists marched Saturday to protest President Bush's visit to this city already tense over security concerns. Waving anti-U.S. placards and streamers saying "Ban Bush" and "Bush No. 1 terrorist," the protesters began their march at the sprawling University of the Philippines campus in suburban Quezon City. Authorities stopped them outside the House of Representatives building, where Bush was to address a joint session of Congress. miami.com

Bolivian president formally resigns October 18, 2003 The president of South America's poorest country, Bolivia, has formally resigned and fled the capital La Paz. President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada's resignation follows weeks of violent popular revolt against the government's free market economic policies. abc.net.au

Updates on Arnold's Win Arnold to Settle Lawsuits for Pennies on the Dollar? October 18, 2003 by Katherine Yurica Only three days after Mr. Schwarzenegger won his victory in California, an aide announced that the governor-elect intends to settle pending energy fraud lawsuits. The announcement comes on the heels of an article written by investigative reporter Greg Palast who uncovered Enron internal memos regarding Mr. Schwarzenegger's secret meeting in May 2001 with Kenneth Lay, the former CEO of Enron. The intent of the power company, according to Palast, was to sabotage the Davis-Bustamante plan to win back the $9 billion dollars in illegal profits earned by power moguls. The plan has worked so far. Clearly Mr. Schwarzenegger should be questioned about his agenda. yuricareport.com

The rich world's disappearing jobs October 18, 2003 By John Berthelsen and Indrajit Basu If the North American Free Trade Act passes, "you will hear a giant sucking sound of jobs going south of the border". - H Ross Perot, 1992 In the developed world and particularly in the United States, the scope of jobs disappearing overseas is widening beyond all imagining, to professions that almost nobody expected to be hit, and with far higher incomes than anybody thought possible as globalization bonds with the law of unintended consequences. The catalyst is the Internet. atimes.com

The great left hope? October 18, 2003 Many progressives are praising Dennis Kucinich for saying all the right things -- and then they're backing other Democrats. But the Cleveland populist says he's running to win. Rep. Dennis Kucinich caught presidential fever about 20 months ago. He had quickly written an impassioned speech, "A Prayer for America," about the evils of the Bush administration and his own hopes for the nation, salon.com

Pentagon expects to call up more reserve support troops for Iraq duty next year October 18, 2003 ROBERT BURNS As Pentagon officials put together a plan to call up more National Guard and Reserve forces to serve in Iraq, some members of Congress are calling for units already there to return home. "If we don't ease the burden on the Guard and Reserves, we're going to have retention problems," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. sfgate.com

"MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT" 9/11 WAS AN "INSIDE JOB" October 17, 2003 by voxfux From top to bottom - an inside job - read up, This article is the single most important work presented by vox information sciences. It contains the single most important key to uncovering WHAT REALLY HAPPENED on 9/11. It describes in chilling details the FACTS about the players and events of 9/11. It is the single most popular research work on this entire site and is the principal core thesis on which this site is based on. This article is dedicated to all the many educational institutions and people around the world seeking the truth about the staged "Terrorist" attacks perpetrated by a clandestine US group, operating under a plan that is over 20 years old. A plan to attack the American people and rouse them to become the New World Order's foot soldiers and worker ant's on a quest for global conquest. It is complete with FACTS never before presented in one complete work. Originally presented in may of 2002 it is presented here in it's original form. voxfux.com

'Beware Mad Max world of US' October 17, 2003 United States foreign policy would lead Australia into a "Mad Max world" where the US would shield itself behind missiles, the former prime minister, Paul Keating, said yesterday. He criticised the US policy of pre-emptive strikes in Iraq and Afghanistan, which he said was giving other countries the signal to walk away from multilateral agreements and treaties. He said small nations like Australia had a vested interest in a rule-based system around multilateral agreements. smh.com.au

Rumsfeld plans trim of 100 military bases October 17, 2003 John Hendren Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is planning to cut at least 100 of the nation's 425 military bases, more closures than in the four previous rounds of base closures combined, beginning in 2005, Pentagon insiders said Monday. azcentral.com

GOD 'PUT BUSH IN CHARGE' October 17, 2003 God has chosen US President George Bush to lead the United States and the fight against 'Satan', according to the general leading the hunt for Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. It is alleged Lt Gen William Boykin also claimed that the Christian God is "bigger" than Allah, who is a false "idol", the Daily Telegraph reported. The controversial comments will be seized on by Muslims who will claim the 'war on terror' is a crusade against Islam. sky.com

Dick's Special Interest in $87 Billion October 17, 2003 By John Nichols Vice President Dick Cheney has a special interest in this week's Congressional debate on the Bush administration's request for $87 billion to maintain the occupation of Iraq. Cheney, it is now evident, retains ties to his former employer, the energy and construction conglomerate Halliburton. Halliburton is, of course, a prime benecificary of military and reconstruction expenditures in Iraq. thenation.com

108th CONGRESS 1st Session October 17, 2003 H. R. 163 To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 7, 2003 theorator.com

'Beast-Men' Cheney, Sharon Plan New, Nuclear Mideast Wars October 16, 2003 Lyndon LaRouche one of only two Democratic Party Presidential candidates certified by the Federal Election Commission, issued a strong warning on Oct. 14 that the world is facing a major eruption of war in the Near East in the immediate weeks ahead, unless President Bush can be made to intervene forcefully and publicly, to curb Israel's breakaway-ally regime under Ariel Sharon. LaRouche said that we have reached a strategic danger-point where, unless "Beast-man" Dick Cheney is dumped from the Bush Administration, and "Beast-man" Sharon is stopped, a new Middle East war is virtually certain between now and some point in November, with the possible new, horrific feature of Israeli use of nuclear weapons. larouchepub.com

Fears of more US electoral chaos after flaws are discovered in ballot computers October 16, 2003 By Andrew Gumbel Next year's US presidential election may be compromised by newvoting machines that computer scientists believe are unreliable, poorly programmed and prone to tampering. An investigation published in today's Independent reveals tens of thousands of touch screen voting machinesmay be less reliable than the old punchcards, which famously stalled the presidential election in Florida in 2000, leaving the whole election open to international ridicule. independent.co.uk

VOTING MACHINES: Constitutional Issues, Federal & Case Law October 16, 2003 What constitutes a legal voting process under the U.S. Constitution and federal law? I believe it is this: That on election day, in the polling booth only paper ballots filled out by hand, using nothing more sophisticated than a pen or pencil, then hand counted right there - at the local polling precinct in full view of poll watchers - constitutes a legal voting process. Any introduction of sophisticated technology introduces concealment and secrecy to that part of the process that depends on public oversight to ensure a fair and honest election. ecotalk.org

All the President's votes? October 16, 2003 A quiet revolution is taking place in US politics. By the time it's over, the integrity of elections will be in the unchallenged, unscrutinised control of a few large - and pro-Republican - corporations. Andrew Gumbel wonders if democracy in America can survive informationclearinghouse.info

General Wesley Clark: War Criminal October 16, 2003 Mitchel Cohen Gen. Wesley Clark is a major war criminal. Ira Kurzban, attorney for the Haitian Refugee Center, managed to pry free government documents via a lawsuit on behalf of the refugees. These contained the startling information that prison officials had ordered the refugees sprayed repeatedly with highly toxic chemicals never designed for such generic use. The officer in charge of the refugee camp? None other than Gen. Wesley Clark, chief of operations at the US Navy internment camp at Guantanamo, and later he presided over the massive use of depeleted uranium weapons which poisoned Yugoslavia's water supply and agriculture, leading to an extremely high rate of miscarriages and childhood cancers. thetruthseeker.co.uk

Iraq War Swells Al Qaeda's Ranks, Report Says October 16, 2003 By Peter Graff War in Iraq has swollen the ranks of al Qaeda and galvanized the Islamic militant group's will, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said on Wednesday in its annual report. The 2003-2004 edition of the British-based think-tank's annual bible for defense analysts, The Military Balance, said Washington's assertions after the Iraq conflict that it had turned the corner in the war on terror were "over-confident." reuters.com

Bomb attack highlights pivotal role of US in region October 16, 2003 Chris McGreal in Jerusalem Three killed by blast were with cultural attaché on his way to interview scholarship candidates in Gaza. In the back streets of Gaza's refugee camps they have little doubt about why they believe Ariel Sharon has a free hand to bulldoze their homes, rocket their neighbourhoods, and cage the West Bank behind a vast "security fence". It is because America lets him to do so. guardian.co.uk

Dozens Killed in Ongoing Insurrection October 16, 2003 26 people were killed in El Alto, Bolivia, Sunday, as the army cracked down massively on protests against the sale of the country's natural gas to multinational corporations. [Background] http://indymedia.org/

Unnatural disasters October 16, 2003 Andrew Simms Global warming could create 150 million environmental refugees - but the countries responsible are in no hurry to carry their share of the costs. The number of people seeking refuge as a result of environmental disaster is set to increase dramatically over the coming years. Ironically, given current attitudes, we in Britain will resist accommodating them, and yet they will have become refugees as a direct result of the way we in the west live. Global warming - more than war or political upheaval - stands to displace millions. And climate change is being driven by our fossil fuel-intensive lifestyles. guardian.co.uk

Lies about Iraq rise to level of the absurd October 16, 2003 Lies beget more lies; a policy built on deception will always require further deception to sustain itself. Case in point: The campaign by leading members of the Bush administration to rebuild faltering support for their invasion of Iraq. To hear them tell it, everything that has happened since last March has just proved how right they've been all along. ajc.com

Waxman | 'Halliburton Price Gouging American Taxpayers' October 16, 2003 Congressmen Waxman and Dingell reveal the prices that Halliburton has charged to import gasoline into Iraq. Oil industry experts say Halliburton's prices are "outrageously high," "a huge ripoff," and "highway robbery." Read Waxman's statement. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) Read the Congressmen's letter to the OMB.  (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) Committee on Government Reform - Minority Office 

Boycott the Fox News Channel  October 16, 2003 Infoshop.org is calling for a boycott of companies that advertise on the Fox News Channel. Fox News is the main purveyor of the right wing agenda in America, which has had a deleterious effect on American politics. Fox News presents itself falsely as a bastion of " fair and balanced" journalism and as an alternative to the "liberal media." Infoshop.org is calling for people to boycott products and services associated with companies that do business with this right wing cable channel. We seek the removal of Fox News from cable services. Check link for details and support Boycott the Fox New Channel campaign: la.indymedia.org / infoshop.org / boycottfoxnews / add your comments

EU Bans Hormone-Fed Meat, Seeks End of U.S. Tariffs October 16, 2003 (Bloomberg) The European Union permanently banned the import of U.S. and Canadian hormone-treated meat and asked the two countries to drop tariffs imposed in retaliation for losses caused to North American beef exporters. The 15-nation bloc said it now has scientific evidence to justify the ban...bloomberg.com

Rumsfeld's $9 Billion Slush Fund October 16, 2003 By Fred Kaplan For all the debate over President Bush's $87 billion supplemental request for military operations and economic reconstruction in Afghanistan and Iraq, no one seems to have noticed that the sum includes a slush fund of at least $9.3 billion, which Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld can spend pretty much as he pleases. informationclearinghouse.info

Bush - Nazi Link Confirmed October 16, 2003 By John Buchanan After 60 years of inattention and even denial by the U.S. media, newly-uncovered government documents in The National Archives and Library of Congress reveal that Prescott Bush, the grandfather of President George W. Bush, served as a business partner of and U.S. banking operative for the financial architect of the Nazi war machine from 1926 until 1942, when Congress took aggressive action against Bush and his "enemy national" partners. burningbush

We Were Just Talking: October 16, 2003 By Daniel Patrick Welch I was surprised by an email from an old friend, usually apolitical, who wanted to engage me about Dennis Kucinch. While I don't always put my heart into rising to such bait, I was invigorated enough by our exchange to share it with the world: My friend began: Danny, I have to ask...if you're intent on dispensing with Bush, why are you backing Kucinich instead of a Democratic candidate with a chance?  I'm not settled on anyone as of yet--I can barely keep track of who's running--but after going with Nader in 2000, I can't stomach going with a beautiful loser Democrat on election day and then watching four more years of Bush. What are your thoughts? danielpwelch.com

US says it supplied Israel with nuclear missiles for subs Oct 16, 2003 THE OBSERVER Israeli and US officials have admitted collaborating to deploy US-supplied Harpoon cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads in Israel's fleet of Dolphin-class submarines, giving the Middle East's only nuclear power the ability to strike at any of its Arab neighbors. The unprecedented disclosure came as Israel announced that states `harboring terrorists' are legitimate targets, responding to Syria's declaration of its right to self-defense should Israel bomb its territory again. taipeitimes.com

Israel angered by Swiss sponsorship of "Geneva Initiative" October 16, 2003 By ASSOCIATED PRESS Israel's government is angered by Swiss sponsorship of an unofficial peace plan worked out between former Israeli and Palestinian politicians and veteran peace negotiators, an Israeli Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday. The still-unreleased 50-page document, worked out primarily under the sponsorship of Switzerland, has no official standing, but outlines a solution to generations of conflict and includes a map of a future Palestinian state alongside Israel. jpost.com

SEVEN BASIC PROPAGANDA DEVICES October 16, 2003 Propaganda is used by those who want to communicate in ways that engage the emotions, and downplay rationality, in an attempt to promote a certain message. To effectively present Israel to the public, and to counter anti-Israel messages, it is necessary to understand propaganda devices. This article applies a list of seven propaganda devices to the Israeli situation, and by doing so allows an understanding of some of the ways in which public opinion is fought for in the International arena. libertyforum.org

Hitler & Schwarzenegger as Beast-Men October 16, 2003 Many Californians and others have found it difficult to explain how and why Hollywood geek-act Arnold Schwarzenegger could have become so suddenly a prominent contender in an impromptu race for Governor. They have been caught off guard by Schwarzenegger, because they never really understood how Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany. They have overlooked the fact that Schwarzenegger was chosen for politics because ] he is in real life the unhuman beast-man whose role has been his most lucrative Hollywood screen-role. They do not understand what fascism really was, and is. nex.net.au

US Poisoned Iraqi Public Water Supply October 16, 2003 / 17 September 2000: The US-led allied forces deliberately destroyed Iraq's water supply during the Gulf War - flagrantly breaking the Geneva Convention and causing thousands of civilian deaths. Since the war ended in 1991 the allied nations have made sure than any attempts to make contaminated water safe have been thwarted. A respected American professor now intends to convene expert hearings in a bid to pursue criminal indictments under international law against those responsible. middleeast.org

U.S. ORDERS TROOPS TO SHOOT IRAQI PROTESTERS October 15, 2003 By: billym excerpts from interview with a returning soldier; "I've got to say it: This Bush regime is a bunch of blood thirsty monsters and ghouls that makes Dracula look like a saint. Due to the now totally controlled press in America the citizens are no longer allowed to see the butchery of their leaders. In Viet Nam they saw and rose up against their leaders in mass protests, so I guess the government learned it would have to censor all media to prevent that from happening again. It has worked. We are not allowed to see the flying body parts of children hit with cluster bombs. We need not contemplate the thousands of children maimed and orphaned by oil-money-bloodlust of this gang of evildoers in the White House. But the blood which has been shed stains us all. Bush must be impeached for all this evil and the whole gang forbidden from ever holding any office ever again." rumormillnews.com

Bush's War Plan Is Scarier Than He's Saying: The Widening Crusade October 15, 2003 by Sydney H. Schanberg Some wishful Americans are still hoping President Bush will acknowledge that his imperial foreign policy has stumbled in Iraq and needs fixing or reining in, they should put aside those reveries. He's going all the way—and taking us with him. informationclearinghouse.info

US Soldiers to America: ''Bring us home now; we’re dying for oil and corporate greed!'' October 15, 2003 By Jay Shaft I was shocked and angered when I found out how many of the service men hate being in Iraq and want nothing to do with rebuilding and policing the devastated nation. From the conversations I had, many soldiers never wanted to go over to Iraq and fight, and the ones who had were now convinced of the awful crime that had been committed against Iraq and our own troops. I was told very few soldiers now believe in staying in Iraq, or want to stay in the country and serve any more days. scoop.co.nz

Bush's popularity dips October 15, 2003 US President George W. Bush's popularity continued to wane in early October and just 38 per cent of registered voters said they would vote for him in the 2004 presidential election, a poll found. afr.com

Blowing the whistle on Dubyanomics October 15, 2003 Joseph Stiglitz is sure there'll be no big economic recovery. This month the Nobel prize-winning economist returned to Britain as an acidic economic polemicist, with a more direct message about the US economy. There will not be a robust recovery, and the fault can be traced to Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan's actions during the Nineties, and the policy failures of President Bush. guardian.co.uk

U.S. 2004 Deficit Will Surge to $600 Bln, Firms Say October 15, 2003 (Bloomberg) The U.S. budget deficit will surge to a record $600 billion in the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1 as the government increases spending on Iraq. quote.bloomberg.com

'Do as We Say, but Not as We Do' Is the New US Message October 15, 2003 By LINDA S. HEARD "America’s double standards were never more glaring than the way that the respective stories of Americans Jessica Lynch and Rachel Corrie were handled, both by its government and press .." As US President Bush berated the Cuban regime for its oppressive policies and imprisonment of dissidents on Friday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) launched an unusually stinging criticism of the US for its open-ended incarceration of so called “war on terror” detainees. palestinechronicle.com

Bush’s New Morally Bankrupt PR Campaign on Terrorism and Iraq October 15, 2003 by Jacob G. Hornberger The Bush administration is at it once again — engaging in a new public-relations campaign to scare the American people half to death with the possibility of terrorist attacks with weapons of mass destruction and to garner support for its invasion and continued occupation of Iraq, which has not only cost the lives of thousands of Iraqis and hundreds of Americans but which now has also become an economic black hole that threatens the economic security of our nation by sucking hundreds of billions of dollars out of the pockets of the American people. fff.org

The Soviet Republic of Texas October 15, 2003 YOU MIGHT THINK America's rigged system of congressional elections couldn't get much worse. Self-serving redistricting schemes nationwide already have left an overwhelming number of seats in the House of Representatives so uncompetitive that election results are practically as preordained as in the old Soviet Union. In the last election, for example, 98 percent of incumbents were reelected, and the average winning candidate got more than 70 percent of the vote. More candidates ran without any major-party opposition than won by a margin of less than 20 percent. Yet even given this record, the just-completed Texas congressional redistricting plan represents a new low. washingtonpost.com

Turned away at border October 15, 2003 By PAM ZUBECK The love story of Trevor Hughes and his fiancee began in an elementary school in the Himalayan foothills. He was a diplomat’s son. She the daughter of missionaries. They lived in Asia, attended school together, fell in love and want to get married in June. But when Hughes’ fiancee, a German national, tried to visit him on a six-month tourist visa Monday, she was detained in Atlanta, handcuffed, jailed even stripped of her diamond engagement ring. Then, after 20 hours without food, she was put on a plane and shipped back to Stuttgart. “This isn’t the America I fought for,” said Hughes, who served in the Navy and U.S. diplomatic corps. “You don’t expect that from a great country like ours.” informationclearinghouse.info

Why is Israel the only country America won’t hold accountable? October 15, 2003 As-Safir (Beirut) Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein remains a power to be reckoned with in Iraq and he still enjoys widespread support, columnist Sateh Nouriddine said Monday. “It seems as though Saddam is more in control of the ground in Iraq than the US-British alliance,” the columnist added. “It is not the Americans and British who are laying siege to Saddam’s suspected locations, but rather the other way round.” informationclearinghouse.info

Gaza raids a 'war crime' October 15, 2003 Human rights group Amnesty International on Monday condemned Israeli raids at the weekend on the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah that killed eight Palestinians, describing the operation as a "war crime". "The repeated practice by the Israeli army of deliberate and wanton destruction of homes and civilian property is a grave violation of international human rights and humanitarian law... and constitutes a war crime," Amnesty said in a written statement issued in London. news24.com

Militarization of Russia is Underway October 15, 2003 A new military doctrine, compulsory military education at schools and compulsory periodic training of persons subject to the draft to come into effect The RF State Duma approved the first reading of a bill on compulsory military training at schools and professional colleges. On Friday October 10, Russian deputies adopted amendments to the law "On military service and military duty" and the law "On education". pravda.ru

Police State USA October 15, 2003 A police state exists when federal and state police mechanisms: 1 Serve the central government instead of serving the citizens. 2 Enforce the policies of the central government instead of responding primarily to criminal misdeeds. 3 Spy on and intimidate citizens. All these conditions now exist in the United States! hermes-press.com

States of war October 15, 2003 George Monbiot Appeasing the armed forces has become a political necessity for the American president. Whenever a big business pressure group holds its annual conference or dinner, Tony Blair or Gordon Brown or another senior minister will come and beg it not to persecute the government. George Bush flies around the United States, flattering the companies that might support his re-election, offering tax breaks and subsidies even before the companies ask for them. guardian.co.uk

IS CANCER MERELY A VITAMIN DEFICIENCY DISEASE? October 15, 2003 By Joe Vialls There is also the question of why we have become increasingly vulnerable to every form of cancer as each year goes by. Is there a direct link between easily researched and steadily increasing quantities of chemicals and additives in our food and water supplies, or has the removal of certain intrinsic factors from our refined western diets been more to blame? Specifically where vulnerability is concerned, there is compelling evidence that the removal of vitamin B17 from our diets has played the greatest single role. joevialls.co.uk

Bush Family Babysitter Killed in Fairfax October 15, 2003 A babysitter for the family of Marvin Bush was found dead Monday night outside the family's Fairfax County home, and police said that she had been crushed when her car rolled into her, pinning her between the vehicle and an outbuilding on the property. Fairfax County police said Bertha Champagne, 62, had worked for several years for Marvin Bush, President Bush's brother, and lived at the family home on Fort Hunt Road in the Alexandria section of Fairfax. Officer Courtney Young, a police spokeswoman, said Champagne had gone outside the house about 9 p.m. Monday, reportedly to retrieve something from her car. The vehicle had been in gear, police said, and appeared to have rolled in her direction when Champagne was in front of it. After pinning Champagne, Young said, the car continued rolling toward Fort Hunt Road, near the intersection of Edgehill Drive. Champagne was taken to an area hospital and declared dead that evening. Young said she did not know the cause of death. washingtonpost.com

Did E-Vote Firm Patch Election? October 14, 2003 By Kim Zetter Diebold Election Systems has had a tumultuous year, and it doesn't look like it's getting any better. Last January the electronic voting machine maker faced public embarrassment when voting activists revealed the company's insecure FTP server was making its software source code available for everyone to see. Then researchers and auditors who examined code for the company's touch-screen voting system released two separate reports stating that the software was full of serious security flaws. Now a former worker in Diebold's Georgia warehouse says the company installed patches on its machines before the state's 2002 gubernatorial election that were never certified by independent testing authorities or cleared with Georgia election officials. If the charges are true, Diebold could be in violation of federal and state election-certification rules. wired.com

Stock Buys From Insiders at 10-Year Low October 14, 2003 By James Bernstein Since March, investors have bid up share prices almost consistently, apparently convinced that the economy is improving, corporate earnings are growing again and the market rally is real. Corporate insiders apparently don't agree. Stock purchases by insiders was at its lowest level in a decade during the third quarter, according to Thomson Financial, which tracks market trends. newsday.com

9/11 commission suggests creating domestic spy agency October 14, 2003 By Laurence Arnold The independent commission studying the Sept. 11 terror attacks is considering recommending changes in U.S. intelligence that would go well beyond actions of the Bush administration, including creation of a domestic spy agency modeled after Britain's MI5. salon.com