contributions

by Wayne Besen
I haven’t written much about the Democratic Party since Election Day, because I never aspired to be an obituary writer. But up from the Democratic dead floats the political poltergeist Howard Dean, who has risen to the helm of the graveyard known as the Democratic National Committee.
As one of the foremost critics of Howard Dean during his ill-fated presidential campaign, it might surprise some people to know I applaud his resurrection as good for Democrats, gay people and (…)

SOUTH BEND — At least part of the Social Security debate focused on the 2nd Congressional District again Friday, as the Republican National Committee sent letters to local television stations asking them not to air what it calls a "false TV ad" promoted by MoveOn.org.
Washington, D.C.-based MoveOn.org immediately issued a statement defending the accuracy of its ad, which began airing on local stations Tuesday and which is critical of the president’s plan to revamp Social Security.
The (…)

by Rep. John Conyers
The election debacles in Florida’s 2000 presidential election and Ohio’s 2004 election clearly demonstrate that our nation still has a long way to go in the continuing fight for electoral justice. Our nation cannot withstand deficiencies in machines and procedures that foster legitimate questions about the validity of the election outcome. Our democracy is at risk, and the time is now to move forward with election reform legislation.
Because of unprecedented (…)

As of June 2004, the Government Accounting Office estimated that more than $1 billion in taxpayer money had been wasted due to illegal overcharges by contractors in Iraq, since the onset of the war. Furthermore, experts say that once the total is calculated correctly, the losses could very well add up to billions more.
According to GAO Comptroller General, David Walker, the $1 billion represents about 2% of the $60 billion spent in Iraq between March 2003 and June 2004. To no one’s (…)

by : Dionne Searcey, Newsday, MOSUL
The shootings rarely make news outside the towns where they occur. The military does not make a practice of publicizing cases of "collateral damage" unless by chance reporters are embedded with units and write about the events they witness. And no one at the Pentagon nor at the U.S. Central Command keeps a comprehensive tally of the incidents, according to senior officials in both locations, who say that all operations in general are periodically (…)

by Omar and other friends in HAWCA
The illegal and unlawful arrest and kidnapping of all people, no matter Muslim or Christian, Hindu or Jew, is an act of inhumanity, barbaric demonstration of obscurantism and using illogical means for achieving objectives which maybe justified as right or wrong.
While we condemn all kind of kidnappings in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries of the world, hereby we deeply and whole heartedly are concerned about the fate of the Italian journalist, (…)

From Rawa
It was painful news for us to know about kidnapping of our best friend Giuliana Sgrena in Iraq. She has been a wonderful voice for people of Iraq and Afghanistan and has tried hard in the past years to inform others about the plight of Iraqis and Afghans under the so-called "war on terror" camping launched by the US government.
Giuliana was in Iraq to witness the plight of innocent Iraqi people and show to the world that the invasion of Iraq by US forces has brought nothing (…)

WINTHROP, Maine - A 22-year-old veteran from Peaks Island, Maine who was granted conscientious objector status from the Army last November is taking to the Internet to share what he learned with others. Perry O’Brien, who served a tour in Afghanistan as an airborne medic before he was honorably discharged, on Saturday launched his online guide - http://www.peace-out.com - at a Winthrop Area People for Peace breakfast at the Winthrop Congregational Church.
"The Army doesn’t make this (…)

Artists Against Wars
Giuliana Sgrena
The italian net of Artists against wars appeals to the kidnappers in order to release our friend Giuliana Sgrena.
It’s not Giuliana the enemy and not even the other reporters of the free press who talk sincerely in favour of the Iraki people and finally not even the volunteers of the NGO’s.
The net of Artists appeals to the Italian government and asks for the withdrawal of the Italian soldiers, like other contries have done before.
Democracy (…)

Paranoia Grips The US Capital Eric Margolis-Contributing Foreign Editor Sunday, February 06, 2005
The film Seven Days In May is one of my all-time favourites. The gripping 1964 drama, starring Burt Lancaster, depicts an attempted coup by far rightists in Washington using a top-secret Pentagon anti-terrorist unit called something like "Contelinpro."
Life imitates art. This week, former military intelligence analyst William Arkin revealed a hitherto unknown directive, with the Orwellian (…)