contributions

By Bill Van Auken
Among the many offers of aid for New Orleans and Gulf Coast disaster victims that the Bush administration has either blocked, squandered or delayed is that of a substantial emergency medical brigade from Cuba.
The Cuban government of President Fidel Castro offered in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation to send over 1,000 doctors and 36 tons of medicine and equipment to the disaster zone. After 10 days, the Bush administration has yet to even (…)

By DAVID S. CLOUD
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Two Navy helicopter pilots and their crews returned from New Orleans on Aug. 30 expecting to be greeted as lifesavers after ferrying more than 100 hurricane victims to safety. Instead, their superiors chided the pilots, Lt. David Shand and Lt. Matt Udkow, at a meeting the next morning for rescuing civilians when their assignment that day had been to deliver food and water to military installations along the Gulf Coast.
"I felt it was a great day (…)

In a makeshift grave on the streets of New Orleans lies the body of Vera Smith. She was an ordinary woman who, like thousands of her neighbours, died because she was poor. Abandoned to her fate as the waters rose around her, Vera’s tragedy symbolises the great divide in America today
by Andrew Buncombe in New Orleans However Vera Smith may have lived her life, one thing was certain. In death, she had no dignity. Killed in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, her body lay under a (…)

Sen. Mel Martinez said he was ’grateful’ for Cuba’s offer to send doctors to assist in the Katrina relief effort, though the Bush administration has not responded to the offer.
BY PABLO BACHELET
pbachelet@herald.com
WASHINGTON - Florida Republican Sen. Mel Martinez said Wednesday that the U.S. government should accept Cuba’s offer to send hundreds of doctors to treat victims of Hurricane Katrina, provided they are needed and ``reasonably well-trained.’’
Cuban leader Fidel Castro has (…)

By Tom Warner
Viktor Yushchenko, Ukrai-ne’s president, appeared dejected when he appeared in front of journalists yesterday to announce that, in effect, the Orange Revolution had ground to a halt.
The fervour that swept him and firebrand leader Yulia Tymoshenko to power last winter had dissipated, ground down by months of bickering among political camps that led to this week’s bitter accusations of corruption among top-ranking officials.
But much of the blame for the collapse of his (…)

By Roland Flamini
WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) — Less than a year after coming to power in the ’Orange Revolution’ and making Ukraine the envy of people in less democratic former Soviet regimes President Viktor Yushchenko has sacked key political supporters amid accusations of graft and corruption. Thursday he fired Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko who had been his champion in the non-violent winter revolution. Earlier, he had accepted the resignation of Petro Poroshenko, another (…)

Friday 09 September 2005, 9:22 Makka Time, 6:22 GMT
US and British pilots whose bombs killed Iraqi civilians were murderers, and actions taken by those two countries during the invasion and occupation of Iraq amounted to terrorism, former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has said.
Several British and US diplomats walked out in protest of Mahathir’s broadside against their countries in a speech at a national conference in Kuala Lumpur on human rights on Friday. Mahathir, who (…)

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum... <—please read
The title of the story is: I just got back from a FEMA Detainment Camp
This is a story that needs to get some serious passing around. I believe that Hurricane Katrina is our Kristalnacht. I’ve been hearing (reading) stories (some with pictures) the last few years about secret encampments enclosed with razor wire. This isn’t one those places, but this story will definitely let you know what’s in store. I am reminded of the words of (…)

I attempted to post this as a response to “Venezuela’s Chavez Avoids Class War”, but my response did not post. I hope that this posting is published.
Dear Professor Pareja:
While your commentary, “Venezuela’s Chavez Avoids Class War”, attempts to portray the virtues of Venezuela’s current government, it oversimplifies the nice-looking trees at the danger of ignoring the forest. I will first respond to your specific examples, and then I will attempt to frame the big picture (…)

Report from the Houston Astrodome...
10:23: Joel just got removed. Almost arrested. Fox News is down on the floor. I’m in dome, hiding in seats. They’re allowing some media on the floor, not others.
10:31 Just met members of the Polish press, they are being stopped from entering floor. Says this is like the former USSR.
10:57 Raw transcript of comments by NOLA evacuee : "The 17th street levee was bombed by the Army Corps of Engineers to save the more valuable real estate in the city... (…)