Citizens for Legitimate Government

CLG's BREAKING NEWS and COMMENTARY

Ruling Gives South Dakota Doctors a Script to Read --Women Seeking Abortion Must Be Told About 'Unique Living Human Being' 20 Jul 2008 Doctors in South Dakota are now required to tell a woman seeking an abortion that the procedure "will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique living human being." The doctors' script that officially took effect Friday has been tied up in court since 2005, when Planned Parenthood challenged a law that instructed physicians what to tell abortion patients. Under the law, doctors must say that the woman has "an existing relationship" with the fetus [Only an another amoeba--such as Bush--would have a "relationship" with a fetus.] that is protected by the U.S. Constitution and that "her existing constitutional rights with regards to that relationship will be terminated." Also, the doctor is required to say that "abortion increases the risk of suicide ideation and suicide." The message must be delivered no earlier than two hours before the procedure. The woman must say in writing that she understands. [Instead, say in writing that you understand *this.*]

US to Iran: You have two weeks 19 Jul 2008 Washington says Tehran has two weeks to decide between suspending its uranium enrichment program and facing 'further isolation'. In a Saturday statement, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said time has come for Tehran to choose between confrontation and meeting Western [hypocritical] demands over its enrichment program.

US gives Iran two weeks to comply with nuclear demand 19 Jul 2008 The US has warned Iran it must decide between confrontation and co-operation in the dispute over its nuclear plans. Iran has refused to commit itself to stopping uranium enrichment as demanded by the European Union, the US and other world powers. The EU's chief diplomat Javier Solana, speaking at a news conference said: "The most important question" in the dispute with Iran remained unanswered.

US 'can't be trusted on torture' [Well, on anything.] 19 Jul 2008 The British government should no longer accept US assurances that it does not use torture, a parliamentary oversight committee said today in a wide-ranging report looking at London's human rights policy. Ministers have previously taken at face value statements from their US counterparts... that Washington does not resort to such practices. But the cross-party foreign affairs committee said that stance should be abandoned given admissions from the US director of national intelligence, Michael McConnell, that "water-boarding" had been used on terror suspects. Foreign Secretary David Miliband has told parliament on two occasions this year that the practice, which simulates drowning during interrogation, amounts to torture.

Friendly fire killed soldier: Khadr defence --Report, testimony points to U.S. grenade 19 Jul 2008 Omar Khadr's defence team says it has expert testimony indicating the U.S. soldier he is accused of killing died as a result of injuries inflicted by an American grenade. The lawyers say the evidence will be added to the results of the defence's wider investigation of the July 2002 firefight, and show the American assault was a "botched operation." The claim follows the lawyers' release of videotapes of Canadian officials interrogating Khadr that include statements he made that the prosecution in his war crimes case will have analyzed. [In other words, U.S. terrorists tortured a(nother) child for six years to cover for the fact that their own 'botched operation' killed U.S. soldiers. God, will someone please rid of us of this miserable regime?]

Canadian government says Omar Khadr must await 'trial' at Guantanamo Bay --Newly released footage of a young Guantanamo Bay prisoner sobbing for his mother and begging Canada to "protect me from the Americans" has not resulted in the boy's repatriation. 15 at the time of his capture, Omar Khadr is the sole remaining prisoner at the U.S. prison camp with western citizenship as well as its youngest prisoner. 20 Jul 2008 A spokesman for Canadian Prime Minister [sociopath] Stephen Harper said the video of Toronto-born terror suspect Omar Khadr being interrogated by Canadian officials in 2003 will not sway his government's position that Khadr must remain at the U.S. prison to face trial. "These videos were in possession of the previous government when they decided to pursue the judicial process for Mr. Khadr to have his day in court in Guantanamo," Harper's chief spokesman Kory Teneycke told The Associated Press.

Bin Laden's driver is in the dock, but America's war on terror is on trial 20 Jul 2008 Salim Hamdan, Osama bin Laden's personal driver, will enter a specially built courtroom in Guantanamo Bay tomorrow for the first full trial of any of the hundreds of prisoners to have been sent to America's infamous prison camp since the 9/11 attacks nearly seven years ago. Even the US does not claim that the driver and sometime mechanic was a major terror figure. For many, however, it is the erosion of America's historic liberties that will be on trial tomorrow. The Bush regime created a system of detention without due process when it set up the Guantanamo prison camp in 2002, a legal limbo in which hundreds of prisoners � including Mr Hamdan, according to his lawyers � have suffered psychological and possibly physical torture.

Brown backs Obama on 2010 Iraq troop pull-out 20 Jul 2008 Gordon Brown has privately backed American presidential candidate Barack Obama�s plan for all foreign troops to be pulled out of Iraq by summer 2010. Downing Street sources say that the UK is 'working to the same end' as Mr Obama, who has said that he would remove all US troops from Iraq within 16 months if he won the presidential election in November. The disclosure came as Mr Brown paid a surprise visit to Baghdad yesterday for talks with the Iraqi government.

Brown plans to withdraw troops as he backs Obama over 'war on terror' 20 Jul 2008 Gordon Brown prepared the ground for a historic realignment in the "war on terror" yesterday by setting out a four-point plan for withdrawal of British troops from Iraq by the end of next year. Although he is refusing to set a detailed timetable for withdrawal, it is clear Mr Brown is in agreement with the US presidential candidate Barack Obama on the need for military action in Afghanistan to take priority. Both appear to be working to a 16-month timetable.

Brown sets out plan for UK pull-out from Iraq 20 Jul 2008 Gordon Brown yesterday held out the prospect of a substantial withdrawal of British troops from Iraq, possibly as early as next year, when he outlined a four-point road map paving the way for an end to Britain's involvement. On a one-day visit to Iraq - with a heavy military presence by his side at all times - Brown declared that Iraqi forces would take over Basra airport, the main British military headquarters. Critics pointed to the fact that in October last year Brown pledged to cut the number of troops to 2,500 by spring but yesterday there were still 4,100 holed up at the airport.

'As Soon As Possible' Iraq Leader Maliki Supports Obama's Withdrawal Plans 19 Jul 2008 Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supports US presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. When asked in and interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

Iraqi PM backs Obama troop exit plan: report 19 Jul 2008 Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told a German magazine he supported prospective U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that U.S. troops should leave Iraq within 16 months. In an interview with Der Spiegel released on Saturday, Maliki said he wanted U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible. "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

White House Accidentally E-Mails to Reporters Story That Maliki Supports Obama Iraq Withdrawal Plan 19 Jul 2008 The White House this afternoon accidentally sent to its extensive distribution list a Reuters story headlined "Iraqi PM backs Obama troop exit plan - magazine." The story relayed how Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told the German magazine Der Spiegel that "he supported prospective U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that U.S. troops should leave Iraq within 16 months � �U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes,'" the prime minister said.

McCain backer's comments anger Muslims 18 Jul 2008 Riling Muslim leaders, one of John McCain's fellow Vietnam POWs defended the Iraq War Friday by saying, "The Muslims have said either we kneel or they're going to kill us. 'I don't intend to kneel and I don't advocate to anybody that we kneel. And John doesn't advocate to anybody that we kneel,'' Col. Bud Day added in a conference call with reporters arranged by the Republican Party of Florida on behalf on McCain. Muslims and Arab-American groups quickly denounced what they described as the ''bigoted'' comments from Day, a Pensacola resident, Medal of Honor recipient and member of the Swift Boat ~~Veterans for Truth~~ Nazis attack machine from 2004.

Afghanistan hit by record number of U.S., allied bombs 18 Jul 2008 Air Force and allied warplanes are dropping a record number of bombs on Afghanistan targets [civilians]. For the first half of 2008, aircraft dropped 1,853 bombs -- more than they released during all of 2006 and more than half of 2007�s total -- 3,572 bombs. Information from the Air Force shows that in June warplanes released 646 bombs -- the second-highest monthly total for Afghanistan or Iraq.

NATO forces kill Afghan policemen in air strikes 20 Jul 2008 NATO officials say nine Afghan policemen have been killed and five injured in air strikes by NATO-led forces. It is believed Afghan and ISAF troops were conducting an operation in southwestern Afghanistan and mistook the police officers for rebels. ISAF requested air support and NATO jets bombed the police post where the officers were located.

Palestinians: Israel uses rats against J'lem Arabs 20 Jul 2008 The Palestinian Authority's official news agency Wafa says Israel is using rats to drive Arab families out of their homes in the Old City of Jerusalem. "Rats have become an Israeli weapon to displace and expel Arab residents of the occupied Old City of Jerusalem," Wafa reported under the title, "Settlers flood the Old City of Jerusalem with rats."

Another MoD laptop stolen 20 Jul 2008 The Ministry of Defence tonight confirmed another laptop with "sensitive information" on has been stolen while one of their officials checked out of a hotel. An MoD spokesman said the theft from the Britannia Adelphi hotel in Liverpool city centre on Thursday brought the total of laptops stolen to 659. On Friday the MoD admitted that 658 of its laptops had been stolen over the past four years - nearly double the figure previously claimed. The department also said 26 portable memory sticks containing classified information had been either stolen or misplaced since January.

President Bush lobbyist Stephen Payne in 'bribes' row quits --Cash for access at the White House is under scrutiny by Congress 20 Jul 2008 An American government adviser and lobbyist, caught offering access to top White House figures in exchange for a $250,000 (�126,000) donation towards President [sic] George W Bush�s private library, has resigned following the launch of a congressional inquiry into the scandal. Stephen Payne, who has close links to the White House, had to relinquish his seat on the advisory council to the Department of Homeland Security following an expos� in The Sunday Times last weekend. It has also since emerged that Payne had made misleading statements about his business dealings relating to another aspect of the "cash for access" scandal in which a $2m payment was allegedly made by a foreign government to secure a visit from Dick Cheney, the US vice-president [sic].

An Empty Seat and An Exotic Getaway 19 Jul 2008 House Democrats were fuming recently when Karl Rove defied a congressional subpoena and refused to show up at a House Judiciary Committee hearing into whether he meddled in Justice Department prosecutions. Instead of grilling the former White House political chief under oath, the members found themselves talking to an empty chair. What they didn't know is where Rove was that day: on a jet flying to a speaking engagement at Yalta, the historic Black Sea resort in Ukraine. Rove, who generally charges a reported $40,000 per talk, appeared on a premier panel on the upcoming U.S. 'election' at the fifth annual conference of the YES Foundation, a confab of world luminaries bankrolled by billionaire Victor Pinchuk, the Ukrainian steel magnate.

Office of Special Counsel official quits in protest --James Byrne's resignation letter tells off his boss, Scott J. Bloch, for what he calls the Bush appointee's 'political agendas and personal vendettas.' 17 Jul 2008 James M. Byrne, second in command at the embattled Office of Special Counsel, resigned his post effective Saturday after leaving his boss, Scott J. Bloch, a stinging letter suggesting that Bloch's "political agendas and personal vendettas" were preventing the agency from fulfilling its mission. The two-paragraph letter, obtained by The Times, was sent to Bloch last week at a time when the Bush appointee faces a Justice Department inquiry that includes allegations of illegally erasing information on his government computer.

Gore compares offshore drilling to invasion of Iraq [Exactly.] In a surprise appearance at Netroots Nation, former President Al Gore followed a speech by Nancy Pelosi by laying out a narrative on climate change and the energy crisis that seems ready-made for the Obama campaign to download. "If you look at the seriousness of the climate crisis, you see how it ties to the economic crisis and the national security threat that we face," he said. "200 billion dollars are being sent overseas just from oil." "The idea that we can drill our way out of this is just so absurd," he said, comparing the push for offshore oil drilling to dealing with a hangover by having another drink. "The defenders of the status quo are the ones who have dug us into this hole," he said, commenting that Americans have been "so often fooled into finding a remedy for a problem" that has nothing to do with the problem at hand -- pointing to the invasion of Iraq when America was attacked by terrorists in Afghanistan as an example.

Report links Cheney office, oil giant to global warming policy shift 18 Jul 2008 A congressional investigation has produced new details on the degree to which senior Bush administration officials favored using the Clean Air Act to limit greenhouse gas emissions -- until pressure from Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney's office, ExxonMobil and others in the oil industry led the Bush regime to change course. A report by the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, issued today, supports the disclosure by a former Environmental Protection Agency official last week that someone in Cheney's office had a hand in the shift in policy.

White House puts warming threats on back burner 12 Jul 2008 The Bush regime Friday rejected its own experts' conclusion that global warming poses a threat to the public welfare, launching a comment period that will delay action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at least until ~~the next~~ a president takes office. The Environmental Protection Agency published a 588-page examination of the issues surrounding greenhouse gases but refused to adopt its staff's finding that such gases could cause disastrous flooding and drought and affect food and water supplies.

Field Poll: California voters' disapproval rating on Bush highest since 1961 19 Jul 2008 President [sic] Bush's disapproval rating in California has reached the highest mark for a president since the Field Poll began tracking White House numbers in 1961, according to its latest survey released Friday. Less than a quarter of California voters -- 24 percent -- said they approve of Bush's job performance, compared with 71 percent who said they disapprove. The latter mark is higher than Nixon's 70 percent disapproval rating in August 1974, the same month he resigned from office after his role in the Watergate scandal was revealed.

From shipping lobbyist to McCain adviser 20 Jul 2008 Playing a dual role as shipping lobbyist and member of a federal advisory panel, John McCain's campaign policy coordinator helped shape a controversial homeland security initiative that has taken the government 5 1/2 years to develop. The proposed program called "10+2" points out a key problem in the age of terrorism: How much can the government expect U.S. importers to pay to help ensure the country's safety? A former chief of staff to McCain, Christopher Koch in 2000 set up the World Shipping Council to lobby on behalf of some 40 foreign-based and U.S. ocean carriers. The group has spent $1.7 million seeking to influence the federal government on a range of maritime issues. In May, Koch de-registered as a lobbyist, took a leave of absence from the World Shipping Council and joined McCain's campaign. He plans to return to the shipping council after the 'election.'

Commercial bankruptcies soar, reflecting widening economic woes 18 Jul 2008 Driven by a sour economy and skittish consumers, U.S. business bankruptcies saw their sharpest quarterly rise in two years, jumping 17 percent in the second quarter of 2008, according to an analysis by McClatchy. Commercial filings for the first half of 2008 are up 45 percent from last year, as the national climate for commerce continues to deteriorate amid rising energy and food costs, mounting job losses, tighter credit and a reticence among consumers to part with discretionary income.

Link between poor eyesight and increased suicide risk 17 Jul 2008 Visual impairment affects more than a person's eyesight. It can hinder daily activities, cause social isolation and increased dependence on others, lead to increased falls and fractures, and cause depression. Now, researchers have concluded that it heightens a person's risk of suicide significantly - by as much as 18 percent... The authors of the study, published in the July issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, said the results suggest that improved treatment of visual impairment could reduce suicide risks.

CDC: Offline generators caused germ lab outage 19 Jul 2008 A critical germ lab at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lost power last week because the agency had taken two backup generators out of service for upgrades, CDC officials said Friday... The backup power failure -- the second in 13 months -- is the type predicted years ago by some CDC engineers. And it has heightened concerns in Congress about lab safety at the Atlanta agency, which experiments on smallpox, Ebola, anthrax and other deadly germs. Last week's incident began when a bird shorted out a Georgia Power transformer about 5:40 p.m., cutting off power to... Building 17. Building 17 houses infectious disease labs, where scientists work with the H5N1 avian flu virus and other dangerous germs. Without power, the labs can't run negative airflow systems that help contain germs in Biosafety Level 3 labs, such as those in Building 17.

Human-to-Human Transmission of Bird Flu Discovered in China 19 Jul 2008 China's National Disease Authority has confirmed that a man whose 24-year-old son died of the H5N1 strain of bird flu is also infected with the disease, raising concerns about human transmission of the virus. So far, H5N1 does not spread easily between birds and humans, but health officials fear [are hoping] that it could mutate into a form that is highly contagious from human to human. [See: Killer flu recreated in the lab 07 Oct 2004.]

E. coli linked to beef now reported in 5 states --Recall is what totals 5.3 million pounds 16 Jul 2008 An E. coli outbreak traced to recalled beef in Michigan and Ohio has spawned cases in three other states, U.S. health officials said Tuesday. New York, Kentucky and Indiana each have one lab-confirmed case of a bacterial infection that matches the 41 previously reported cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bees swarm New Jersey Turnpike cars 19 Jul 2008 Motorists driving north of Interchange 3 had a new obstacle on Saturday afternoon as thousands of honeybees swarmed around cars. Turnpike Authority spokesman Joseph Orlando said the swarms were from a man-made beehive that apparently fell beside northbound lanes in Cherry Hill at about 2 p.m. The Turnpike Authority was seeking a beekeeper to deal with the problem.

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Iraq PM: U.S. troops should leave as soon as possible 19 Jul 2008 Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki says U.S. troops should leave Iraq "as soon as possible," according to a magazine report, and he called presidential candidate Barack Obama's suggestion of 16 months "the right timeframe for a withdrawal." In an interview with Germany's Der Spiegel magazine released Saturday, al-Maliki said he was not seeking to endorse Obama. Asked when U.S. forces would leave Iraq, he responded, "As soon as possible, as far as we're concerned."

U.S., Iraq to set "time horizon" on troop cuts 18 Jul 2008 President [sic] George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki have agreed to set a "time horizon" for reducing U.S. forces in Iraq, despite Bush's long opposition to deadlines for troop withdrawals. In the closest the Bush regime has come to acknowledging the need for a timeframe for U.S. troop cuts, the White House said on Friday that U.S. and Iraqi negotiators would seek "aspirational goals" for withdrawals. [See: Bush to hasten Iraq troop withdrawal in bid to help McCain win White House 14 Jul 2008.]

Senators seek review of wiring at Iraq bases 18 Jul 2008 Five Democratic senators called on Friday for an independent review of electrical work at U.S. bases in Iraq where more than a dozen soldiers have been electrocuted and others injured. In a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the senators objected to KBR Inc, the Pentagon's largest private contractor in Iraq, reviewing its own performance. The Houston company previously has faced accusations of overbilling, providing unsafe water to soldiers and other ~~lapses~~ acts of terror.

Pentagon plays down KBR's electrocution of US soldiers in Iraq 18 Jul 2008 A US Senate panel has been made aware of more inferior electrical work by a private contractor on military bases in Iraq. The panel investigating the electrocutions of Americans on bases in Iraq was told last week by electricians who had been employed in Iraq, that employees of the KBR company had little electrical expertise and some could not even speak English.

Shoddy electrical work on US military bases in Iraq 'widespread and dangerous' --Pentagon didn't acknowledge number of deaths and injuries from fires and shocks --KBR and other contractors have been paid millions of dollars to repair and upgrade buildings, including their electrical systems. 18 Jul 2008 Shoddy electrical work by private contractors on United States military bases in Iraq is widespread and dangerous, causing more deaths and injuries from fires and shocks than the Pentagon has acknowledged, according to internal Army documents. During just one six-month period -- August 2006 through January 2007 -- at least 283 electrical fires destroyed or damaged American military facilities in Iraq, including the military�s largest dining hall in the country, documents obtained by The New York Times show. Two soldiers died in an electrical fire at their base near Tikrit in 2006, the records note, while another was injured while jumping from a burning guard tower in May 2007.

McCain Says Al-Qaeda Prepares Strikes Before Iraq Election 18 Jul 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain warned that al-Qaeda [al-CIAduh] will step up terrorist attacks in Iraq leading up to October provincial elections there. "Al-Qaeda is on their heels but not defeated,'' McCain said today at a town hall meeting in Warren, Michigan. "I also predict that they will make an attempt, as we get into election season, to make more of these spectacular kinds of attacks'' by suicide bombers to destabilize the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Israel makes arrests in alleged plot against Bush 18 Jul 2008 Israel accused six Arabs on Friday of trying to set up an al Qaeda [al-CIAduh] cell in Israel and said one of them had proposed attacking helicopters used during a visit by President [sic] George W. Bush. Israel's Shin Bet counter-intelligence agency said one of the suspects had used his mobile phone to film helicopters at a sports stadium in Jerusalem that was used as a landing site for Bush's delegation. The suspect then posted queries on Web sites frequented by al Qaeda operatives, asking for guidance on how to shoot down the helicopters, the agency said in a statement.

Iran says talks with US possible on outpost, air route 18 Jul 2008 Iran is open to the idea of talks with the United States on establishing a diplomatic presence in Iran and launching a direct air link, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here Friday. He also welcomed as "positive" US participation in international talks in Geneva at the weekend on Tehran's suspect nuclear programme and said he expected progress in the negotiations.

Iran's Air Force to stage large-scale war games 15 Jul 2008 Iran's military will hold a major air exercise soon to demonstrate its military and defense capabilities, the commander of Iran's Air Force said on Tuesday. Ahmad Mighani said the war games, dubbed Protectors of Velayat Air, "will demonstrate our strength and will send the message to our enemies that if they contemplate an attack, they will meet a powerful blow."

Obama on secret trip to Afghanistan 19 Jul 2008 US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is in Afghanistan after flying out on an unannounced trip. At the start of a major international tour, Senator Obama has secretly touched down in Afghanistan to speak to US troops and government officials.

Canadian soldier killed by roadside bomb 19 Jul 2008 A Canadian soldier was killed by a roadside explosion, the military announced on a violent day that also saw a suicide bomber blow himself up just outside the gate of the main Canadian base in Kandahar. In a separate attack in Kandahar province on Saturday, a roadside blast killed four Afghan police officers.

Two French aid workers kidnapped in Afghanistan 19 Jul 2008 Two French aid workers were abducted in Afghanistan after gunmen tied up guards and broke into the guest house where they were sleeping, humanitarian organisation Action Against Hunger said on Friday. The organisation said the two were kidnapped in the early hours of Friday in the town of Nili in central Afghanistan.

Security Fears Shadow Obama Tour 18 Jul 2008 Barack Obama 's planned trip to Israel and the West Bank has raised security concerns to levels not seen since the Illinois senator began his presidential bid, officials tell the DRUDGE REPORT. Coming just weeks after shots were fired at Israel's TLV airport during a farewell ceremony for France's Sarkozy, from an apparent suicide of a security guard, Obama's trek to the region has become a serious logistical and safety challenge. [Bush's Blackwater is the biggest threat to Obama's safety.]

U.S. Army Shooting Live Pigs in Trauma Training on July 18 18 Jul 2008 PETA has received shocking information from a whistleblower in the U.S. military, who says that the Army is planning to shoot live pigs in an open range with M16A2 and M4 rifles at the U.S. Army Garrison at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii on July 18. The Army's stated purpose of this training exercise is to teach combat medics how to manage traumatic battlefield wounds and injuries--even though more effective non-animal simulators are readily available. Leading medical experts agree these simulators offer superior training. PETA is calling for an immediate end to this inhumane training exercise as well as a ban on the use of all animals for training military medics. Most medical schools long ago ended the use of animals for trauma training.

Army shoots live pigs for medical drill --Soldier said plan was to shoot pigs with M4 carbines and M16 rifles 18 Jul 2008 (Honolulu) Despite opposition by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the Army proceeded to shoot live pigs and treat their gunshot wounds in a medical trauma exercise Friday at Schofield Barracks for soldiers headed to Iraq. Animal-rights activists call the training cruel and outdated. PETA said there are more advanced and humane options available, including high-tech human simulators.

Acceptance of Gay People in Military Grows Dramatically 19 Jul 2008 Seventy-five percent of Americans in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll said gay people who are open about their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the U.S. military, up from 62 percent in early 2001 and 44 percent in 1993. Majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents alike now believe it is acceptable for openly gay people to serve in the U.S. armed forces.

Terrorism Funds to Let Brass Fly in Style --New luxury in wartime has alienated lower-ranking Air Force officers, congressional staff members; nonprofit group calls program a waste of money. 18 Jul 2008 The Air Force's top leadership sought for three years to spend counterterrorism funds on "comfort capsules" to be installed on military planes that ferry senior officers and civilian leaders around the world, with at least four top generals involved in design details such as the color of the capsules' carpet and leather chairs, according to internal e-mails and budget documents. Production of the first capsule -- consisting of two sealed rooms that can fit into the fuselage of a large military aircraft -- has already begun.

'I have been trying to get off (this list) for years.' Congressman still faces airport screening problem 18 Jul 2008 Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta says a mix up on a terrorist watch list is still wreaking havoc on his air travel five years after the problem arose. The 11-term Democratic congressman wrote to the House Homeland Security Committee this week that he's still subjected to repeated airport searches and required to present multiple forms of identification. The problem persists even though Homeland Security recently gave him a letter to show airlines that was supposed to clear things up. If it's still happening to a congressman, he wrote, "you can only imagine what the average American suffers."

Library confrontation points up privacy dilemma 19 Jul 2008 (Randolph, VT) Children's librarian Judith Flint was getting ready for the monthly book discussion group for 8- and 9-year-olds when police showed up. They weren't kidding around: Five state police detectives wanted to seize Kimball Public Library's public access computers as they frantically searched for a 12-year-old girl, acting on a tip that she sometimes used the terminals. Investigators did obtain a warrant about eight hours later, but the June 26 standoff in the 105-year-old, red brick library on Main Street frustrated police and had fellow librarians cheering Flint.

'Don't come in my ear. Just don't.' --Faux's Laura Ingraham has a bad time doing TV. 15 Jul 2008 (video) 'There's a Hispanic-looking man... in my Teleprompter.' 'So, we're not timing out our SOTs properly. Add that to the list.' 'I look shiny on my forehead.' 'This is a train wreck.'

Money War Over New Voting Machines Is 'Touch' and Go 19 Jul 2008 (NY) A war is brewing between City Hall and the Board of Elections over compliance with a federal court order to install more than 1,000 new electronic 'voting' machines in time for this year's 'elections,' The Post has learned. The board has the money for the touch-screen devices and intends to install at least one at each polling site. But the board claims it hasn't gotten a cent extra to hire thousands of poll workers required to man the machines. That could lead to complications in a presidential election year, where turnout is usually heaviest. [Destroy the GOP-owned 'voting' machines before they can be used in Coup 2008--problem solved.]

McCain Co-chairman, Under Fire, Steps Aside 19 Jul 2008 Former Senator Phil Gramm resigned late Friday as a co-chairman of Senator John McCain�s presidential campaign, capping a day filled with controversy for Mr. McCain, the presumed Republican nominee. Mr. Gramm, a multimillionaire banker, has been under fire since last week, when he dismissed concerns about the troubled economy by referring to "a mental recession." He also said the United States had become "a nation of whiners," a remark providing fodder for Democrats to portray Republicans as out of touch with the concerns of ordinary Americans.

Disillusioned about Barack Obama By Nat Hentoff 17 Jul 2008 During my more than 60 years of covering national politics, I have never seen a candidate's principles and character so effectively tarnished -- after so extraordinarily inspiring a start -- as Barack Obama's. He has come to resemble another mellifluous orator I came to know in Boston during my first time reporting on a campaign -- James Michael Curley, the skilful prestidigitator whom Spencer Tracy masterfully played in the movie "The Last Hurrah." Obama's deflation has not been due to ruthless opposition research by John McCain's team but by the "change" candidate himself.

White House threatens to veto oil drilling legislation 17 Jul 2008 The White House [sociopaths] on Thursday threatened to veto legislation being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives that would force oil companies to give up undrilled federal leases and ban the export of crude drilled in Alaska. The bill, which the House was to vote on later on Thursday, has a "use it or lose it" provision that requires oil companies to diligently develop their existing federal leases or turn them back to the government before they could obtain new acres to drill. The White House also said it opposed the bill's language banning the export [!] of crude oil produced in Alaska.

'We could end up doubling last year's power prices.' Deregulation Jolts Texas Electric Bills 17 Jul 2008 Texas had some of the cheapest power rates in the country when it zapped most of the state's electric regulations six years ago, convinced that rollicking competition would drive prices even lower. [Bullsh*t.] This summer, electricity there is some of the nation's priciest.

Felons Seeking Bush Pardon Near a Record 19 Jul 2008 Felons are asking President [sic] Bush for pardons and commutations at historic levels as he nears his final months in office, a time when many other presidents have granted a flurry of clemency requests. In addition, prominent federal inmates are asking Mr. Bush to commute their sentences. Among them are Randy Cunningham, the former Republican congressman from California and John Walker Lindh, the so-called American Taliban.

Texas Governor: State not bound by ICJ ruling on execution of Mexican citizens 18 Jul 2008 Texas Governor Rick Perry said Thursday that Texas will go forward with the August 5 execution of a Mexican national despite an International Court of Justice (ICJ) order staying the execution. The ICJ ordered Wednesday that a mandated review be conducted to determine whether five Mexican nationals on death row in Texas were inappropriately denied the chance to speak with Mexican counselor officers in violation of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Bush regime plans to define several contraception methods as abortion --Clinton vows to fight "insulting" abortion plan 18 Jul 2008 A Bush administration plan to define several widely used contraception methods as abortion is a "gratuitous, unnecessary insult" to women and faces tough opposition, Sen. Hillary Clinton said on Friday. The former Democratic presidential candidate joined family planning groups to condemn the proposal that defines abortion to include contraception such as birth control pills and intrauterine devices. It would cut off federal funds to hospitals and states where medical providers are obligated to offer legal abortion and contraception to women. "We will not put up with this radical, ideological agenda to turn the clock back on women's rights," the New York senator told a joint news conference with New York Rep. Nita Lowey, also a Democrat, at Bellevue Hospital. "Women would watch their contraceptive coverage disappear overnight," said Clinton.

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Chertoff: US vulnerable to attack during election, transition to new administration 17 Jul 2008 European terrorists [?] are trying to enter the United States with European Union passports, and there is no guarantee officials will catch them every time, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday. Chertoff's comments on Capitol Hill comes as the country is entering a potentially vulnerable period with the presidential nominating conventions coming up next month; the presidential election in November; and the transition to a new administration in January -- all of which may be attractive targets for [Bush's] terrorists. Chertoff reiterated his concern that terrorists could sneak radiological material into the country on small boats or private aircraft. This material could be used to create an explosive device known as a "dirty bomb."

TOPOFF 5 terror exercise contract reviewed for ethics issue --FEMA mum on value of TOPOFF 5 contract; TOPOFF 4 cost $25 million 17 Jul 2008 Federal officials are investigating whether millions of dollars are being steered improperly toward a government contractor to run the country's largest ~~counter~~terrorism exercise. At issue is a written request for companies to compete for the TOPOFF 5 exercise contract and whether an employee of Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) wrote parts of the proposal, according to officials familiar with the contract who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive procurement activity.

U.S. House passes CIA contractor ban over veto vow 17 Jul 2008 U.S. lawmakers defied a White House veto threat on Wednesday and voted to bar CIA mercenaries from interrogating suspected terrorists, in the latest clash over prisoner treatment in the U.S.-declared war on [of] terrorism. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives approved the provision in adopting a broad measure to authorize funding of U.S. intelligence for the 2009 fiscal year. A related bill awaits action in the Senate. Passage of the multibillion dollar bill came on a voice vote, indicating broad assent, despite the White House veto threat issued earlier in the day.

Mich. Talks Homeland Security With Israeli Police 17 Jul 2008 Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox hosted a conference Thursday that brought more than 200 law enforcement leaders together to meet with members of the Israeli National Police to discuss security issues. Homeland security issues regarding the Detroit-Windsor tunnel were expected to be discussed. The meeting was one in a series of exchanges between American and Israeli law security agencies.

Ashcroft defends waterboarding before House panel 17 Jul 2008 The controversial interrogation technique of waterboarding has served a "valuable" purpose and does not constitute torture, former Attorney General John Ashcroft told a House committee Thursday. Testifying on the Bush regime's interrogation rules before the House Judiciary Committee, Ashcroft defended the technique while answering a question from Rep. Howard Coble, R-North Carolina. "Waterboarding, as we all know, is a controversial issue. Do you think it served a beneficial purpose?" the congressman asked. "The reports that I have heard, and I have no reason to disbelieve them, indicate that they were very valuable," Ashcroft said...

Judge rejects attempt to block Guantanamo trial 17 Jul 2008 A U.S. military judge has rejected another attempt to halt the first Guantanamo war crimes [show] trial. The Navy judge's ruling comes as a civilian judge in Washington considers a separate bid to stop the trial of Salim Hamdan. Hamdan is a former driver for Osama bin Laden.

US judge backs Guantanamo trial 17 Jul 2008 A US judge has ruled that the first war crimes 'trial' at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre, involving Osama Bin Laden's former driver, can go ahead. Judge James Robertson dismissed a claim from lawyers for Salim Hamdan that it should be stopped while he challenged the legality of the tribunal system. The ruling came after a military judge at Guantanamo denied a postponement.

Canada ignores calls for Guant�namo youth to come home 17 Jul 2008 The Canadian government was today under fire for refusing to seek the repatriation of a teenage national held at Guant�namo Bay, who was shown desperately pleading for his country's help in recently released footage. Liberal politicians and human rights groups criticised Canada's conservative prime minister, [sociopath] Stephen Harper, for the lack of action saying it undermined attempts to eradicate the use of child soldiers.

Senators Call for the Closing of Guantanamo 17 Jul 2008 The Guantanamo Bay detainee prison in Cuba seems to have few fans among Senate lawmakers these days. Several senators spoke out against Guantanamo at a Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, calling for the facility to be shut down and assailing the Bush administration�s policy on prisoners of war. "We cannot defeat terrorism by abandoning our basic American principles and values," said Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). "With the pictures from Abu Ghraib and tales of unjustified detentions and torture, we have provided our enemies with a recruiting field day."

Bush can hold terrorist suspect indefinitely: US court 16 Jul 2008 A federal appeals court on Tuesday ruled that President [sic] George W. Bush has the power to keep a terrorist suspect jailed indefinitely, but that the prisoner has the right to challenge his detention as an "enemy combatant." The 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, took up the case of Ali Al-Marri, the only "war on terror" suspect arrested on US soil, and reversed a June 2007 decision by a lower court denying Bush the power to keep the suspect jailed indefinitely and ordering his release.

Bush sends high-level envoy to avoid conflict with Iran 17 Jul 2008 Moving to avoid war in Iran in the final months of his administration, George Bush has approved the highest-level American diplomatic contact with its ideological enemy since the humiliating US embassy hostage crisis of 1979. Shifting from bellicose threats to diplomacy, Mr Bush is sending an envoy to talks this weekend aimed at curbing Iran's [alleged] nuclear ambitions.

Report: Total to continue projects in Iran 16 Jul 2008 A senior official of French energy giant Total said that its company is interested in continuing cooperation with Iran in its oil and gas sectors, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Tuesday. In a letter to Iranian Oil Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari, Total Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie rejected recent reports on Total's withdrawal from South Pars gas field, describing them as political propaganda, Mehr news agency quoted an unnamed Total official as saying. "Total's stance on Iran is quite clear. We are interested in continuing our activities," the official said.

Iraq's oil wealth on the block By Greg Muttitt 09 Jul 2008 Last week saw the biggest step so far towards transferring Iraqi oil into the hands of foreign multinational companies, sparking renewed accusations that the US-UK war on Iraq was really motivated by an oil grab. The Oil Ministry announced on 30 June that foreign oil companies would be invited to bid for contracts to develop six of Iraq�s largest oilfields, which together contain around half of the country�s known oil reserves. [The move] would give away more to foreign companies than had been planned at any point since the Constitution was written in 2005, and possibly more than any major oil producer has given since the colonial era. The contracts were (with one exception) for the second stage of development of the oilfields, to come after the one- or two-year no-bid contracts that the Ministry has been privately negotiating with Shell, BP, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Total and four smaller companies.

American Airlines Testing Anti-Missile Technology 16 Jul 2008 American Airlines is flying with new defensive technology on some of its New York to Los Angeles flights. Developed in New Hampshire by defense contractor BAE Systems, the cross country passenger jets are now equipped with a laser deterrent system mounted on the plane's belly. It can identify and misdirect an incoming missile and is being tested for Homeland Security.

Vaccinated chickens in Vietnam die of bird flu 17 Jul 2008 Hundreds of chickens at a poultry farm in southern Vietnam died of avian influenza even though the owner of the farm reported the birds were vaccinated against the disease, an official said Thursday. Several hundred of the 3,000 chickens died at a farm in Tan Lan commune in the Long An province, 50 kilometres west of Ho Chi Minh City, since late June. Last week they were tested positive for the H5N1 avian influenza virus, said Dinh Van The, head of the province's Animal Health Department. The owner of the farm reported to the department that all the birds in the farm had been vaccinated against bird flu, he said. [Right, the only purpose of this (and every other) vaccine is to boost corpora-terrorists' profits.]

Gore says survival of U.S. at risk 17 Jul 2008 The United States should be making all of its electricity with renewable and carbon-free energy in 10 years, former President Al Gore said Thursday. "The survival of the United States of America as we know it is at risk," Gore said. In a speech at Washington's Constitution Hall, Gore touched on an array of the nation's current woes, saying the economic, environmental and national security crises are all related.

U.S. Summers to Get Hotter and Deadlier Due to Climate Change 17 Jul 2008 Climate change will have a "substantial" impact on human health in the coming decades, making wildfires and hurricanes more likely, cooking up more smog, and making summer heat waves longer, hotter and deadlier, according to a new report today from the Environmental Protection Agency. The report details how rising temperatures could slowly but significantly shift the rhythms of nature that Americans are used to -- with disruptive, sometimes even deadly, consequences.

Feds: Climate change to cause 'irreversible' health risks 17 Jul 2008 An Environmental Protection Agency report released Thursday warns that global warming will increase disease and other health problems nationwide in coming decades. "Climate change poses real risks to human health," says the EPA's Joel Scheraga. Some of the environmental effects will be irreversible, he says. The report details health impacts ranging from Hantavirus to wildfires to asthma, all increased by climate change.

Interior Dept. Opens 2.6 Million Alaskan Acres for Oil Exploration 17 Jul 2008 The Interior Department on Wednesday made 2.6 million acres of potentially oil-rich territory in northern Alaska available for energy exploration. At the same time, it deferred for a decade any decision to open 600,000 acres of land north of Teshekpuk Lake that is the summer home of thousands of migrating caribou and millions of waterfowl.

Quick action! Take Action for Polar Bears and Lower Gas Prices --Oil speculators are driving up the price of gas and fueling calls for destructive drilling in wildlife habitat that polar bears and other animals need to survive. 16 Jul 2008 Weak oversight and accountability in the oil markets allows wealthy investors from around the world to drive up the price we pay for gas, fueling calls for destructive drilling off our coasts and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Before the end of July, Congress is expected to consider bipartisan legislation to curb harmful speculative investment in the oil markets and provide needed relief to Americans hit by high gas prices. Please fill out this form to urge your Senators and Representative to pass legislation to address high gas prices and protect our polar bears and other wildlife from the oil speculators and Big Oil�s disastrous drilling plans.

Quick action! 106 Wolves Killed in 118 Days! Nearly one wolf per day has been killed since the Bush regime stripped them of their endangered species protection in March. 16 Jul 2008 And if Wyoming, Idaho and Montana have their way, at least 900 wolves -- nearly 60 percent of the population -- could be exterminated this fall, when a massive public hunt begins. Make no mistake: This will be the very last summer for many of Yellowstone's wolves -- unless immediate action is taken to stop the killing. Tell the Interior Department to do its job and protect wolves instead of allowing them to be killed.

'I am proud that CITGO invests over $100 million annually on social programs to improve the lives of those in need.' CITGO, the Embassy of Venezuela and Citizens Energy Launch Energy Efficient Lighting Program in Houston 17 Jul 2008 CITGO Petroleum Corporation Chairman, President and CEO Alejandro Granado, Citizens Energy Chairman Joseph P. Kennedy II and Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Bernardo Alvarez joined today at the home of Houston resident Delores Smith to promote a national pilot program providing low-income households with energy efficient and environmentally friendly compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). In Houston, the program will distribute an estimated 140,000 CFLs throughout the summer and early fall in 7,000 households -- approximately one third of the national total. [Thank you, CITGO, for helping the poor in the U.S. --since the terrorist occupying the white house only helps other terrorists. --LRP]

CITGO hands out energy efficient light bulbs in US 17 Jul 2008 Venezuela's CITGO Petroleum Corp. is handing out energy efficient light bulbs across the U.S., despite political tensions between the two nations. Houston-based CITGO is teaming with nonprofit Citizen's Energy Corp. of Boston to hold workshops on energy conservation. They plan to distribute nearly 500,000 small fluorescent bulbs in 11 cities.

Banks reportedly not taking IndyMac checks --Finally able to withdraw their money, customers can't open new accounts 17 Jul 2008 The frustration didn't end for some IndyMac customers when they finally were able to withdraw their funds from the failing Southern California bank seized last week by federal regulators. Some people have run into more problems when they tried to deposit IndyMac cashier checks at other banks.

Kucinich Says Unidentified Foreign Official Wants to Speak at Impeachment Talks 17 Jul 2008 An unidentified government official of a U.S. ally wants to participate if and when Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich makes his case to impeach President [sic] Bush before the House Judiciary Committee, according to the Ohio Democrat. The House voted, 238-180, on Tuesday to send Kucinich�s latest impeachment effort (H Res 1345) to the Judiciary Committee.

Protest groups have big plans for DNC 17 Jul 2008 Dozens of protest groups are planning a full schedule of classes, concerts, marches and other actions during the Democratic National Convention, hoping to capture the world's attention and recruit a new crop of activists... Denver received a $50 million federal grant for security that will be used for personnel and equipment. The city won't say what type of equipment it's buying with the money. But a local company announced last month it had sold Denver 88 guns that fire a pepper spray-like substance instead of bullets for use during the DNC. The weapons may be used to incapacitate people, stop riots or disperse crowds.

NPR's Welna said it's "unanswered" whether Lieberman will switch sides after '07 but didn't note that Lieberman would break promise if he left caucus 16 Jul 2008 On the July 15 edition of National Public Radio's (NPR) Morning Edition, reporter David Welna asked if Sen. Joe Lieberman (CT) "might switch sides to hand Republicans the Senate majority," and quoted Lieberman saying, "I don't have any intention of doing that before the end of this session of Congress." Welna added: "Which still leaves unanswered what Lieberman might do in the next session of Congress." But Welna did not note that if Lieberman joined the Republican Party, he would be breaking his promise during the 2006 campaign to caucus with the Democrats if re-elected to the Senate.

What The New York Times Won't Tell You About Joe Lieberman By Greg Sargent 14 Jul 2008 There are two facts about Joe Lieberman [R-Israel] that the big news orgs simply can't bring themselves to tell their readers and viewers. The first is that during the 2006 campaign against Ned Lamont, Lieberman and his aides vowed multiple times that he would continue caucusing with the Democrats. The second is that Lieberman also vowed to help elect a Democrat to the White House in 2008.

Obama doubles McCain, raising $52 million in June 17 Jul 2008 Democrat Barack Obama raised $52 million for his presidential campaign in June, more than twice as much as Republican John McCain. In statements released this morning, the Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee announced they had a combined $92.3 million in cash on hand. The campaign reported $72 million and the DNC $20.3 million, a sizable increase since Obama became the presumptive nominee.

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