News For July 12, 2010

US And Britain 'Did Not Believe Iraq's Weapons Programme Was A Real Threat'

By The Telegraph

Former UK diplomat Carne Ross claimed that the Government ''intentionally and substantially'' exaggerated its assessment of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in public documents. Continue

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On Being Led By the Nose
The Unchallenged Power of the Israel Lobby

By James Abourezk

The idea that George W. Bush's neocon advisers--Perle included--convinced him that the U.S. should invade Iraq received some attention after the Iraqi war started.  But to my knowledge, no one, either in politics or the media, pressed the case too hard, lest they discover that those who wanted to invade Iraq had, not America's interest, but Israel's interest in mind. Continue

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An Unholy Alliance, of Strange Characters.
Scott Horton Interviews Lawrence Wilkerson

"I think there’s a very clear-cut case that Wurmser was not only working for Rumsfeld and Feith and the Pentagon, but he was also working for Israel. I think Feith was working for Israel too." Lawrence Wilkerson Continue

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Afghanistan is a Catastrophe

By Simon Jenkins

Our leaders would rather avoid embarrassment than be honest about the horrific futility of the wars we are fighting. Continue

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In an Afghan Hole? Dig Deeper

By Joel Bleifuss

Americans deserve to know how fighting a futile war makes their country safer. Continue

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The Failure of the American Jewish Establishment

By Peter Beinart

Among American Jews today, there are a great many Zionists, especially in the Orthodox world, people deeply devoted to the State of Israel. And there are a great many liberals, especially in the secular Jewish world, people deeply devoted to human rights for all people, Palestinians included. Continue

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Rarely Seen Pictures Of The Devastating Consequences Of The BP Disaster

Pictures and Video

Click to view

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More Poverty By Any Measure

By Christine Vestal

More than 15 million Americans are unemployed, homelessness has increased by 50 percent in some cities, and 38 million people are receiving food stamps, more than at any time in the program’s almost 50-year history. Continue

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Fix the Economy?

By Mike Whitney

Fearmongering about the deficits is a political calculation to win elections and strangle popular social programs. It has no economic value. Continue

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At least 70 killed in Uganda bomb blasts: On Friday, al-Shabab commander, Sheik Muktar Robow, called for fighters to attack sites in Uganda and Burundi - two nations that contribute troops to the 6,000-strong African Union (AU) peacekeeping force in Mogadishu.

Somalia's al Shabaab behind Uganda attacks: TV: Somali Islamist militants al Shabaab have claimed they were behind the two bomb attacks in the Ugandan capital Kampala that killed 74 people, Al Jazeera television said on Monday.

Darfur violence claims 221 in June: Peacekeepers: A total of 221 people died in tribal fighting and other violence in Sudan’s Darfur in June, peacekeepers said yesterdayay, as the region’s two main rebels groups continued to shun peace talks.

Nato soldier, 16 cops killed in Afghan attacks: A Nato soldier and 11 Afghan policemen were killed in weekend Taliban attacks across the country while five police died when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Kishim district, authorities said on Sunday.

13 Taliban militants killed in S. Afghanistan: Afghan and NATO-led troops eliminated 13 Taliban fighters including their commander Mullah Shahabudin in southern Zabul province, spokesman for provincial administration Mohammad Jan Rasouli said Sunday.

Blast kills 3 Afghans as civilian casualties soaring in Afghanistan: Three civilians were killed and another sustained injuries as their car ran over a mine in Sapera district of Afghanistan's eastern Khost province on Monday while on the same day an Afghan human right group condemned soaring civilian casualties in the war-torn country.

2010 deadliest year in Afghanistan: ARM's mid-year report "Civilian Casualties of Conflict" said Obama's policy of intensifying operations against the Taliban has not disrupted, dismantled or defeated the insurgents. On the contrary, it says, "the insurgency has become more resilient, multi-structured and deadly".

'Stressed troops' burning out in Afghanistan: The Australia Defence Association says the Federal Government may have to consider sending more soldiers to Afghanistan to relieve the stress on those serving there now.

Karzai to push for removing up to 50 ex-Taliban officials from U.N. blacklist: Afghan President Hamid Karzai plans to seek the removal of up to 50 former Taliban officials from a U.N. terrorism blacklist -- more than a quarter of those on the list -- in a gesture intended to advance political reconciliation talks with insurgents, according to a senior Afghan official.

Top anti-war Democrat: Afghanistan war could ‘destroy’ Obama’s presidency: “I think that this war, if it goes on and if it escalates, has the potential to destroy this presidency and to destroy the Democratic majorities in Congress," Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) told Raw Story in an interview.

15 militants killed in NW Pakistan: At least 15 militants were killed and five others injured in a fresh strike launched on Sunday by the Pakistani army in various areas of Upper Orakzai Agency in the country's northwest tribal area, reported local media Geo News.

Gunmen kill 2 Pakistani politicians: Unknown gunmen have killed two political leaders in different parts of Pakistan as the country's security forces arrest 20 suspected militants in the eastern Punjab Province.

Four killed in Iraq violence: Gunmen shot dead two policemen in the main northern city of Mosul on Sunday while a soldier and a pro-government militiaman were killed in separate attacks, security sources said.

Iraq postpones second session of new parliament: Iraq's new parliament has postponed its second session amid a failure by lawmakers to agree on forming a new government following the March election in which no one party won a majority

20 kilos of 20 pct enriched uranium ready: Iran: On Sunday, Salehi reiterated his previous claim that by September next year Iran will on its own "deliver the fuel for the Tehran research reactor."

Iran: Fuel rods ready in August 2010: Iran will complete the production of fuel rods for the Tehran Research Reactor by August next year, says the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Press TV reported.

Russia warns Iran near nuclear weapons potential: "Iran is nearing the possession of the potential which in principle could be used for the creation of a nuclear weapon," Medvedev said at a meeting with Russian diplomats quoted by Russian news agencies.

Strong Russian remarks on Iran please Washington: "GOOD SIGN", SAYS U.S. "This is about as blunt as Medvedev has ever been about Iran's nuclear programme and should be taken as a good sign of increased international unity on Iran's nuclear programme," an Obama administration official said in Washington.

Iran Official Lambasts West's Double-Standard Policy On N. Program: Despite the rules enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entitling every member state, including Iran, to the right of uranium enrichment, Tehran is now under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down West's illegitimate calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment.

World powers mull Brazil, Turkey's presence in Iran talks: World powers have not formally agreed that Brazil and Turkey can sit in on talks over a nuclear fuel supply deal with Iran, but neither have they explicitly ruled out such an arrangement, diplomats said Monday.

'US attack on Iran a matter of time': Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says the US compelled the UN Security Council to impose sanctions against Iran in order to weaken the country and lay the ground for a military attack.

Whitewash report: Israeli Military Finds Flotilla Killings Justified: An Israeli military investigation into its naval takeover of a Gaza-bound flotilla six weeks ago found that it was plagued by errors of planning, intelligence and coordination but the killings of nine Turks on board were justified, according to an official summary of the findings released Monday.
Libya aid boat aims to reach Gaza on Wednesday: A Libyan aid ship headed for Gaza in defiance of an Israeli blockade aims to reach the Palestinian territory on Wednesday, the Kadhafi Foundation organising the mission said on Monday.
MK Ben-Ari: Sink Libyan Ship: MK Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) said Sunday that the best way to handle the Libyan ship on its way to Gaza with “humanitarian” supplies was to sink it. The ship, he said, was “a threat to Israel's independence. In order to prevent a flood of hundreds of ships and thousands of refugees gathering on our borders, the ship must be sunk.
The Failure of the American Jewish Establishment: In 2003, several prominent Jewish philanthropists hired Republican pollster Frank Luntz to explain why American Jewish college students were not more vigorously rebutting campus criticism of Israel. In response, he unwittingly produced the most damning indictment of the organized American Jewish community that I have ever seen.
Four bust in 'dirty bomb' sale sting: An international police sting at a Pretoria petrol station has netted four men involved in the sale of a highly radioactive metal suspected to be destined for use in a dirty bomb.
Three Sentenced to Life in Prison on Liquid-Bomb Terrorism Plot: Three British men convicted of plotting to become suicide bombers were sentenced to life in prison, London police said in an e-mailed statement.
2 Chicago-area men get prison for roles in Toledo-based terrorism plot: During appearances Monday in U.S. District Court in Toledo, Zubair Ahmed was sentenced to 10 years in a federal institution while his younger cousin, Khaleel Ahmed, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison.
Arizona warned of 2nd lawsuit: The Obama administration could file yet another lawsuit against Arizona if it decides racial profiling is taking place under that state's new immigration law, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said.
BP to cut payments on 40,000 claims of individuals affected by oil spill, cites paperwork problems: That "will be devastating to individuals surviving financially month-to-month," she said. "This action is irresponsible and in complete contrast to BP's repeated promise that they will 'make things right.'"
Manufacturing Consent For Attack On Social Programs: Will we lose mortgage deductions, Medicare?: The chairmen of President Obama's national debt commission painted a gloomy picture Sunday as the United States struggles to control its spending.
Manufacturing Consent For Attack On Social Programs: Obama's debt commission warns of fiscal 'cancer': The co-chairmen of President Obama's debt and deficit commission offered an ominous assessment of the nation's fiscal future here Sunday, calling current budgetary trends a cancer "that will destroy the country from within" unless checked by tough action in Washington.
American Credit Scores Crash To New Lows: 25.5 percent of consumers — nearly 43.4 million people — now have a credit score of 599 or below, marking them as poor risks for lenders. It’s unlikely they will be able to get credit cards, auto loans or mortgages under the tighter lending standards banks now use,” according to the AP.
Critics say loan modification law isn't working: Homeowners and their advocates argue that although lenders' representatives are taking part in meetings, they aren't negotiating. They charge that many lenders would rather throw homeowners out than consider loan modifications.