News For April 05, 2010

US Special Forces 'Tried to Cover-up' Botched Khataba Raid in Afghanistan

By Jerome Starkey, Kabul

US special forces soldiers dug bullets out of their victims’ bodies in the bloody aftermath of a botched night raid, then washed the wounds with alcohol before lying to their superiors about what happened, Afghan investigators have told The Times. Continue

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Karzai's Defiant Stance Concerns U.S., Other Afghans

By Joshua Partlow

Karzai said that if foreign interference in his government continues, the Taliban would become a legitimate resistance -- one that he might even join, according to lawmakers present. Continue

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Collateral Murder

By WikiLeaks - Video

WikiLeaks has released a classified US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people in the Iraqi suburb of New Baghdad -- including two Reuters news staff. Continue

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SlayStation

By Cindy Sheehan

Don’t get me wrong, I am not in favor of “Manned Aircraft Systems” raining down bombs on civilians, but the idea of Murder by Joystick with the “Unmanned Aircraft Systems” (UAS,) is especially sickening to me. Continue

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Kristol: ‘Better’ For US to Attack Iran Than if Israel Did

By David Edwards and Gavin Dahl

"I think we have to have a credible threat of force and the preparation to use force against Iran. It would be much better if we used force against -- to delay the Iranian nuclear program than if Israel did" Continue

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Time For Another War, Folks?
59% of America Says YOU BETCHA!!!!

By Libby Liberal

There is 59% of America. 59 f*cking percent!!!!! Ready to trust this government that has looted their tax dollars. Killed off their sons and daughters in combat for years and years and literally millions of innocent civilians in other countries for questionable (a kind word), mega-corporate friendly agendas. Continue

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Israel and the “De-legitimization” Oxymoron

By Alan Hart

Zionism’s assertion that Israel was given its birth certificate and thus legitimacy by the UN General Assembly partition resolution of 29 November 1947 is pure propaganda nonsense, as demonstrated by an honest examination of the record of what actually happened. Continue

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Human Rights
Homelessness Or No Free Press

By Saul Landau

A 2006 BBC poll showed the United States as the “biggest global peace threat.” Continue

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How the Corporations Broke Ralph Nader and America, Too

By Chris Hedges

Ralph Nader’s descent from being one of the most respected and powerful men in the country to being a pariah illustrates the totality of the corporate coup. Nader’s marginalization was not accidental. It was orchestrated to thwart the legislation that Nader and his allies—who once consisted of many in the Democratic Party—enacted to prevent corporate abuse, fraud and control. Continue

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What The Top U.S. Companies Pay In Taxes

By Christopher Helman

As you work on your taxes this month, here's something to raise your hackles: Some of the world's biggest, most profitable corporations enjoy a far lower tax rate than you do--that is, if they pay taxes at all. Continue

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Not Satisfied With U.S. History, Some Conservatives Are Rewriting It

By Steven Thomma

The Jamestown settlers? Socialists. Founding Father Alexander Hamilton? Ill-informed professors made up all that bunk about him advocating a strong central government. Continue

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Did Obama Sandbag His Own Health Care Bill?

By David Michael Green

So Barack Obama got his change. Other people can even believe in it if they want. I regret to say I remain unimpressed. And that’s about the nicest way I know how to put it. Continue

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"I Don't Need A Warrant"

Video By 17 News

17 News discovered a youtube video of Kern County Sheriff's Deputies and a bail bonds enforcement officer entering a local woman's home after she told them they couldn't come in without a warrant and her consent. With the evidence she caught on tape, the law seems to be on her side. Continue

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Dear President Obama: Easter Has Nothing To Do With War

2 Minute Video By Derrick C. Crowe

In his weekly address, President Obama strangely introduces a war theme into a message ostensibly about a holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ... y'know, the Prince of Peace. Mr. President, Easter has nothing to do with war. Continue

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41 killed in suicide bombing at Pakistan political rally: Monday's attack took place in Timergarah, Lower Dir district. It hit a rally by the secular Awami National Party, the region's ruling party and a prominent supporter of army offensives against the militants, witnesses and officials said.

2 Pakistani guards killed: THE US embassy in Islamabad said on Monday at least two Pakistani security guards were killed in the coordinated gun, grenade and suicide car bomb attack targeting its consulate in Peshawar.

NATO occupation forces kill 10 in Afghanistan: NATO forces said they killed 10 militants in a raid on a compound near the Pakistani border early Monday, while gunmen seriously wounded an Afghan provincial councilwoman in a drive-by shooting in the country's increasingly violent north.

U.S. Admits Role in February Killing of Afghan Women: After initially denying involvement or any cover-up in the deaths of three Afghan women during a badly bungled American Special Operations assault in February, the American-led military command in Kabul admitted late on Sunday that its forces had, in fact, killed the women during the nighttime raid.
Glenn Greenwald: How Americans are propagandized about Afghanistan: What is clear -- yet again -- is how completely misinformed and propagandized Americans continue to be by the American media, which constantly "reports" on crucial events in Afghanistan by doing nothing more than mindlessly and unquestioningly passing along U.S. government claims as though they are fact.
Five civilians killed in blasts in southern Afghanistan: Five civilians were killed in two roadside bomb blasts in southern Afghanistan, the Interior Ministry said Monday.
At least 50 killed, 200 injured in Baghdad blasts: Police said the most powerful blast was near the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad's al-Salihiya district. Many of those injured in that blast worked at the bank next to the embassy, police said.
Police say family of 6 gunned down in Iraq: Police say gunmen in Iraq have killed a Shiite family of six, including four children
Interpol issues arrest warrant for Saddam Hussein's daughter: Former Iraqi president's daughter lives with her five children in the Jordanian capital, Amman.
Six killed as rival Islamists clash in Somalia: At least six people died and four others were wounded in confrontations between rival Islamists at Qordhere settlement in Middle Shabelle region, around 120 km north of Mogadishu on Sunday afternoon
Five killed in Centr.Africa attack blamed on Lord's Resistance Army rebels: police: The victims were in a vehicle traveling Saturday between Bangassou and Rafai "when they were attacked by rebels who opened fire without warning," said a police source in the gendarmerie of Bangassou.
2 Killed as police targeted in Ingushetia blast: At least two police officers have been killed in the Russian republic of Ingushetia after a suicide bomb went off near a police headquarters, officials have said.
'Dagestan teacher is Moscow bomber': Magomedov said his daughter graduated with a degree in mathematics and psychology from the Dagestan Pedagogical University in 2005.
UN staff killed in DR Congo clashes: A UN peacekeeper has been killed in northwest Democratic Republic of Congo after suspected tribal fighters clashed with government forces, officials have said.
Iran says still ready to negotiate nuclear swap: Iran is still ready to negotiate a solution to its nuclear stand-off with the West, but only on the condition that foreign powers agree to a fuel swap on Iranian territory, the foreign ministry said on Monday.
Iran announces nuclear summit: Iranian officials announced the two-day conference, entitled "Nuclear energy for everyone, nuclear arms for no one", on Sunday.
Can CIA sabotage Iran’s nuclear project? : The reported defection of an Iranian scientist to the United States has renewed speculation about a CIA plot to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program through covert action.
Turkish PM: We cannot ignore murder of Gaza's children: "We cannot watch the murder of children in Gaza with indifference. This is not humane," said Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose repeated criticism of Israel recently sparked a diplomatic row between the countries.
Pope’s immunity to prosecution may be challenged in Britain: Popes immunity to prosecution may be challenged in BritainProtests are growing against Pope Benedict XVI's planned trip to Britain, where some lawyers question whether the Vatican's implicit statehood status should shield the pope from prosecution over sex crimes by pedophile priests.
Peru announces free health-care for the poor: President Alan Garcia issued a decree to enact a new health-care law which seeks to ensure that free high-quality medical treatment is available to the poorest of society.
Cuba 'will not bow to pressure': In a 45-minute nationally televised address on Sunday, Castro said that the United States and Europe were waging "an unprecedented publicity war" against Havana in support of Cuban dissidents.
Over $5 bln arms contracts with Venezuela in the works - Putin: "Our delegation has just returned from Venezuela, while the aggregate volume of contracts could exceed $5 billion," Putin said at a meeting with Russian defense industry officials. He said the figure includes a $2.2 billion Russian loan to Venezuela.
US delays China currency report, urges flexible yuan: US Treasury Secretary Timothy F Geithner delayed a scheduled April 15 report to Congress on exchange-rate policies, sidestepping a decision on whether to accuse China of manipulating the value of the yuan.
How Washington Abetted the Bank Job: The collapse of Enron back in 2001 revealed that the biggest financial institutions, here and abroad, were busy creating products whose sole purpose was to help companies magically transform their debt into capital or revenue.
National debt seen heading for crisis level: With ferocious speed, the financial crisis, recession and efforts to combat the recession have swung the U.S. debt from worrisome to ruinous, promising to handcuff the administration.
Foreclosures' coming wave: Commercial properties: As home foreclosures continue to mount throughout Central Florida, code-enforcement officers say apartments, condominiums and other commercial buildings are being abandoned by their owners and repossessed by banks in growing numbers.
Office Vacancy Rate Hits 16 - Year High: The U.S. office vacancy rate rose to 17.2 percent, a level unseen since 1994, as the market lost about 11.6 million net square feet of occupied space during the first quarter, according to the report released on Monday