contributions

Canada, Here They Come...They Threatened To Run For The Border If Bush Was Re-Elected. But How Many Did? Andrew Buncombe 20 January 2005
At their home in a comfortable, quiet Seattle suburb, Mike Teller and his partner Bob Vesely will not be cheering today. Indeed, while the celebratory thousands line the streets for the presidential inauguration 3,000 miles away in Washington DC, Teller and Vesely will think of their future and the greener pastures they believe await them. They’ll be (…)

Their sons killed in Iraq, women speak out on whether $17M slated for inaugural security would be better spent on armoring the troops BY MARTIN C. EVANS STAFF WRITER
January 20, 2005
In November, Jeanette Urbina’s soldier son telephoned from Iraq with a simple request.
It was cold there, Army Spc. Wilfredo F. Urbina told her. Could she send him a sweater?
Three days later, he was dead. An explosive device had sliced into his Humvee while he was patrolling in Baghdad.
Yesterday, (…)

How Free Is The US Free Press? Dr. James Zogby Friday, 21, January, 2005 Just how free is the US’ “free press?” Does the absence of direct government control, by itself, create a “free press?” In a paper I recently presented at a conference organized by the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, I sought to make a contribution to this discussion by examining the influences that impact US media.
While there is no direct political influence or control of US media, such as may (…)

No Takers As US Offers Forgiveness To Insurgents Aamer Madhani, Tribune staff reporter January 19, 2005
BAQOUBA, Iraq - The plan was a hopeful one: Some of those siding with the insurgency in this restive city would be offered a chance to drop their weapons and vow not to sabotage the elections.
U.S. military commanders invited suspected insurgents and religious and tribal leaders sympathetic to the resistance to gather Tuesday for a conference with Iraqi government and military (…)

Bush’s Promises? Oh, Never Mind Clarence Page January 19, 2005 WASHINGTON - If Washington gave out honors in the way that Hollywood gives out Oscars, President Bush would deserve an Emily Litella Award for political U-turns.
If you don’t recall why Ms. Litella’s name rings a bell, she was the grumpy old editorial-reply lady played by the late Gilda Radner in the early days of "Saturday Night Live."
Ms. Litella would weekly launch into a tirade over some outrage that she inevitably had (…)

Western Military Train But No Longer Mentor Iraqi Police SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM January 20, 2005 BAGHDAD - Iraqi police no longer work with Western mentors due to fears insurgents have infiltrated the Iraqi security agenices. Officials said Western mentors were withdrawn from police units in late 2004. They said the lack of mentors has hampered the operations of five police academies established by the United States to help create an effective Iraqi security force.
The Iraqi (…)

By Wayne Besen
Today President George W. Bush was sworn in, while the rest of us were just plain swearing.
"No! This can’t F^*%*#^ be happening!"
Yes, it did happen. The snow you saw in Washington was Hell freezing over. A president who squandered the surplus, ran up the deficit, damaged our international standing and launched a pointless war over weapons that did not exist was reelected.
It was really pointless listening to his speech today. He has distorted reality so much that it (…)

It was a routine foot patrol. As we made our way up a broad boulevard, in the distance I could see a car making its way toward us. As a defence against potential car bombs, it is now standard practice for foot patrols to stop oncoming vehicles, particularly after dark.
"We have a car coming," someone called out, as we entered an intersection. We could see the car about 100 metres away. It kept coming; I could hear its engine now, a high whine that sounded more like acceleration than (…)

Voter Turnout Won’t Be Enough To Legitimise Election As The US Tries To Cook The Books, Iraq May Be Heading For Civil War Paul McGeough January 21, 2005 There is something truly remarkable about the Iraqi human spirit. Cast around for a comparison of the numbers that might vote next Sunday and Afghanistan is a good choice.
There, more than 10.5 million signed up last year in a security environment that made a mockery of the international observance of fragile polls when only a handful of (…)

Threads Unravel In Iraqi’s Tale Story Of Husband’s Execution Contradicted By Relatives Who Say He Is Alive Peter Finn Washington Post Foreign Service Thursday, January 20, 2005 An Iraqi woman who was granted refugee status in the United States after telling The Washington Post and U.S. officials that she had been imprisoned, tortured and sexually assaulted in Iraq during the 1990s appears to have made false claims about her past, according to a fresh examination of her statements.
Jumana (…)