News For April 08, 2010

No Yellow Ribbon For Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl

Taliban Offer Prisoner Exchange

Video of Captured US Soldier

The Taliban released a video Wednesday of a man identified as an American soldier captured in Afghanistan last June, showing him pleading for his freedom and to be returned home. Continue

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Nuking the Mullahs

By Philip Giraldi

Two issues likely will determine whether Israel will use nuclear weapons against Iran. Continue

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US Developing New Non-Nuclear Missiles
Conventional warheads could strike anywhere in less than an hour

By Craig Whitlock

As the White House pushes for cuts in the U.S. nuclear arsenal, the Pentagon is developing a weapon to help fill the gap: missiles armed with conventional warheads that could strike anywhere in the world in less than an hour. Continue

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Becoming Gods
Ethnically Cleansing Palestinians

By Chris Hedges.

Chris Hedges condems Israel and USA complicity in Israel's murderous destruction and genocide of the innocent men, women and children of GAZA and the West Bank.Continue

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Kyrgyzstan And The Battle For Central Asia

By Rick Rozoff

With Roza Otunbayeva as chief spokesperson if not head of a new Kyrgyz "people's government," there is reason to believe that Washington will not be dissatisfied with the overthrow of her former "tulip" partner Bakiyev. She has already confirmed that the American base at Manas will not be closed. Continue

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Confirmed: Obama Authorizes Assassination of U.S. Citizen

By Glenn Greenwald

Generally, guilt is determined by having a trial where the evidence is presented and the accused has an opportunity to defend himself -- not by putting blind authoritarian faith in the unchecked accusations of government leaders, even if it happens to be Barack Obama. Continue

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Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke Sounds a Warning on Growing Deficit

By Neil Irwin and Lori Montgomery

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke warned Wednesday that Americans may have to accept higher taxes or changes in cherished entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security if the nation is to avoid staggering budget deficits that threaten to choke off economic growth. Continue

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America: The Grim Truth

Americans, I have some bad news for you:

By Lance Freeman

If you had any idea of how people really lived in Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and many parts of Asia, you’d be rioting in the streets calling for a better life. In fact, the average Australian or Singaporean taxi driver has a much better standard of living than the typical American white-collar worker. Continue

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12 militants killed in NW Pakistan: The militants were killed in a joint operation by security forces and local lashkar (volunteer force) in Lower Dir areas of North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Taliban commander, 2 others killed in S. Afghanistan: A Taliban commander Mullah Burhan and two of his bodyguards were killed in the militants'former bastion Marja district in the southern Afghan province Helmand, spokesman for provincial administration Daud Ahmadi said Thursday.

UK occupation force soldier killed in Afghanistan gun battle, MoD says: A British soldier has been killed in Afghanistan during a firefight with suspected Taliban insurgents, the Ministry of Defence has said.

French occupation force paratrooper killed in Afghanistan attack: French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office says a paratrooper with the French Foreign Legion has been killed in an attack in occupied Afghanistan.

Pressed to Act, Karzai Fires Election Monitors: Under enormous pressure from Western governments, President Hamid Karzai ousted Afghanistan’s top two elections officials, who were seen as sanctioning the widespread fraud that favored him during last year’s presidential race.

Demonizing Karzai : US official blames Karzai outbursts on 'drug abuse': "He's prone to tirades, he can be very emotional, act impulsively," Mr Galbraith said. "In fact some of the palace insiders say that he has a certain fondness for some of Afghanistan's most profitable exports."

Canadians shut door on Afghan combat mission: Stephen Harper’s doubts about the mission in Afghanistan are reinforced in a new poll today showing Canadians overwhelmingly reject the American request to extend our military effort.

5 killed in Iraq's violence: Five people were killed and 11 others injured in separate attacks in Iraq's eastern Diyala and northern Nineveh provinces on Thursday, the police said.

Two US occupation force soldiers killed in northern Iraq: military: Two US soldiers were killed and five other American troops wounded during combat operations in occupied northern Iraq, the military said on Thursday.

Leaked video shows civilian killings in Iraq, signifies growing power of independent Web journalism: The transmission of information, in and out of regularly authorized channels, has become much more immediate — and far more viral — than at any point in history.

Killings of Iraqi journalists: US says they were not war crimes: The US Apache helicopters involved in a 2007 attack in Baghdad that killed two Reuters employees acted in accordance with both the laws of war and the Army's rules for engagement with the enemy, according to an internal US military investigation.

Reuters families demand US troops be tried over shooting: The families of two Reuters employees killed in a US helicopter attack in the Iraqi capital Baghdad in 2007 on Thursday demanded justice, telling AFP the Americans responsible should stand tria

Sadrists shun Iraq front-runners: Followers of Moqtada al-Sadr, an influential Shia Muslim leader of Iraq, have chosen Ibrahim al-Jaafari as their preferred candidate to become the country's next prime minister.

Somali refugees recruited to fight Islamist militia: The U.S.-backed government of Somalia and its Kenyan allies have recruited hundreds of Somali refugees, including children, to fight in a war against al-Shabab, an Islamist militia linked to al-Qaeda, according to former recruits, their relatives and community leaders.

Kyrgyz president rejects demand to resign: Report: Intense gunfire across the capital as police fight looters

Russia Sends Paratroopers to Air Base in Kyrgyzstan: Russia has sent 150 paratroopers to its air base in Kyrgyzstan, hoping to protect families of Russian military staff there, as the Kremlin throws its weight behind the new provisional government.

Obama Aims to Use Russia Nuclear Deal to Build Pressure on Iran: President Barack Obama signs a nuclear-arms treaty with Russia today that he will try to use to build international support for increasing pressure on Iran and preventing terrorists from getting atomic material.

PM: Israel to face no pressure at nuclear meeting: Israel's prime minister said Wednesday he does not expect to face pressure over the country's alleged nuclear program at a high-profile conference next week because the world knows Israel is not a "terrorist regime."

Iran will not beg to avoid sanctions: Ahmadinejad: After several warnings that it would hit back at Israel if attacked from there, Iran's military chief said Thursday he would target U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East if Washington attacked.

China will join nuclear talks on Iran: She said China, a veto-wielding member of the Security Council, prefers a diplomatic solution to the issue.

'No trace of Israel will remain if Iran attacked': Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi has lashed out at the United States for its dual-based nuclear policies.

'No US troop survives if Iran is attacked': Iran's Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi has warned the US against making any military moves on the Islamic Republic.

Iran: 3 jailed Americans linked to US intelligence: Iran's English-language Press TV reported Thursday that Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi said there was credible evidence that they have links to American intelligence. He said that evidence would be revealed soon.

Police smash Israeli organ-trafficking ring: The organisation offered as much as $100,000 (£65,600) for kidneys, which were transplanted by doctors in poor countries, a sting operation uncovered.

Qatar diplomat smokes in plane bathroom; sets off nation-wide terror scare with 'shoe bomb' gag: Mohammed Al-Madidi was questioned and released after he lit a cigarette on a United Airlines flight Wednesday night.

Long-Term Unemployment at Post-WWII High: In March 2010, over 44 percent of unemployed Americans met or exceeded that standard—the highest rate since World War II.

Initial jobless claims increase unexpectedly: The number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits rose last week, a sign that jobs remain scarce.
Study: 1.2 million households lost to recession: As friends and families double up, ‘overcrowding’ is up fivefold