contributions

A military panel finds him guilty in the death of a bound civilian
By Gregg K. Kakesako
A Schofield Barracks soldier was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison and given a dishonorable discharge for fatally shooting an unarmed Iraqi cow herder who was handcuffed.
A panel of five officers and five enlisted soldiers in Tikrit, Iraq, found Pfc. Edward Richmond, 20, guilty of voluntary manslaughter for shooting Muhamad Husain Kadir in the back of his head on Feb. 28 near Taal Al Jai, (…)

By Donald Macintyre
The interim Iraqi government last night looked increasingly prepared to impose martial law on sections of the country as coalition and Iraqi forces fought fierce battles with armed insurgents loyal to the radical Shia cleric Muqtada Sadr.
There were strong hints that Iyad Allawi, the interim Prime Minister, could for the first time apply his emergency powers when he announces plans for tackling the spreading insurgency tomorrow.
An American UH-1 helicopter (…)

by RON FOURNIER
AS JOHN Kerry and George Bush trade blows over the war on terrorism, the United States presidential campaign is mired in a new row over an earlier conflict - Vietnam.
In an advert broadcast in parts of the US, a group of veterans challenge Mr Kerry’s war record in Vietnam, an issue he has put at the heart of his campaign to win the White House.
The 60-second advert features Vietnam veterans who accuse the Democratic presidential nominee of lying about his decorated (…)

John Kerry allegedly faked his war wounds, George Bush allegedly paid for a mistress’s abortion. Simon Jeffery on dirty tricks in US politics
This time last week, John Kerry was pictured in a salute on the front of US newspapers, telling the nation that he was "reporting for duty".
Today, his political opponents are hoping to take the shine off his military record with allegations that he won his five medals by lies and subterfuge.
An advertisement broadcast last night in the swing (…)

By DIANA ELIAS
Followers of Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi released a CD-ROM urging Muslim men to take up arms against the "crusaders" in Iraq and threatening to kill Iraq’s interim prime minister.
The 45-minute CD-ROM, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press on Friday, appeared aimed at recruiting potential fighters and included claims of responsibility for attacks in Iraq and footage of bombings against U.S. forces and other targets in Iraq.
The release of the (…)

By PAUL KRUGMAN
A funny thing happened after the United States transferred sovereignty over Iraq. On the ground, things didn’t change, except for the worse.
But as Matthew Yglesias of The American Prospect puts it, the cosmetic change in regime had the effect of "Afghanizing" the media coverage of Iraq.
He’s referring to the way news coverage of Afghanistan dropped off sharply after the initial military defeat of the Taliban. A nation we had gone to war to liberate and had promised to (…)

STRATHAM, N.H. - - President Bush challenged Democratic rival John Kerry on Friday to give a yes-or-no answer about whether he would have supported the invasion of Iraq "knowing what we know now" about the failure to find weapons of mass destruction.
"I have given my answer," Bush told a cheering crowd. "We did the right thing and the world is better off for it."
Kerry’s campaign said he already had answered the question - and then criticized Bush’s handling of the war anew.
Kerry (…)

By Laura MacInnis
WASHINGTON - Data showing foreigners own half the U.S. debt has raised concerns about a possible tipping point for America’s reliance on foreign capital, though the U.S. Treasury Department sees little risk from the holdings.
A graph in a Treasury Department report this week on borrowing needs showed foreign holdings made up 50 percent of total privately held U.S. public debt, which excludes Federal Reserve holdings, as of May 31.
Foreign holdings accounted for just (…)

By WILL LESTER
WASHINGTON - Democrat John Kerry, whose nominating convention highlighted his war service and focused on national security, has narrowed the gap on President Bush’s strong suit of protecting the country, according to an Associated Press poll that shows the race remains tight.
Flanked by his Vietnam crewmates, Kerry delivered an acceptance speech last week laden with references to patriotism, his decorated military record and his qualifications for commander in chief - a (…)

By Rupert Cornwell
Even by the previous standards of Bushisms, this was one for the ages.
Signing into law a new $417bn (£229bn) defence spending bill, the famously tongue-twisted 43rd President of the United States solemnly declared yesterday that his administration "will never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people".
The gaffe came as President George Bush was warming to his favourite theme of the terrorist threat faced by the US.
"Our enemies are (…)