News For September 14, 2010

"A long-drawn-out disaster"
Bombshell from London

By Eric S. Margolis

The report, presided over by the former deputy director of Britain’s foreign intelligence agency, MI-6, says the threat from al-Qaeda and Taliban has been "exaggerated" by the western powers. Continue

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One in Every Six Iraqis is an Orphan

By Azzaman

In a violent country like Iraq, where U.S. marines with bullet-proof jackets and thick armor, cannot feel safe, there is not so much room for an orphan. Continue

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Banning Slaughter

By Kathy Kelly

The U.S. is institutionalizing assassination as a valid policy. Does this make us safer? Continue

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Ex-CIA Agents Confirm Torture at Polish Black Site

By Spiegel

Former CIA agents have confirmed rumors that the agency tortured terror suspects at a detention center in Poland. One agent allegedly held a drill to a prisoner's head while he was naked and hooded. Continue

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US Soldier Committed Suicide Rather Than Take Part in Torture

By Greg Mitchell

Alyssa Peterson was one of the first female soldiers who died in Iraq.   Her death under these circumstances should have drawn wide attention.   It's not exactly the Tillman case, but a cover-up, naturally, followed. Continue

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'In Whose Name Do They Talk?'
Gazans share their views on the talks

By Laila El-Haddad

"The negotiations add up to a big zero. They don't belong to us and neither does Abbas. Things are completely rotten. He doesn't recognise the Gaza Strip - so what's he negotiating over? Continue

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IMF Fears 'Social Explosion' From World Jobs Crisis

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard

America and Europe face the worst jobs crisis since the 1930s and risk "an explosion of social unrest" unless they tread carefully, the International Monetary Fund has warned. Continue

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30 alledged insurgents killed in Afghanistan ahead of vote: The military alliance said that up to 23 "militants" were killed in action in southern Helmand province Monday and three in eastern Wardak province Tuesday. An Afghan official said four Taliban were killed Tuesday in southeastern Zabul province.

Nato urged to allow partition of Afghanistan: Afghanistan should be allowed to partition along ethnic lines by pulling back Nato forces and acknowledging that the Taliban will not be defeated in their heartland, a senior former American national security adviser has warned.
White propaganda: U.S. military report: Taliban uses youths in Afghan fight: Afghan children as young as 3 years old are being used by the Taliban as human shields or to gather spent cartridges, and teen-agers are being given motorcycles for planting roadside bombs, U.S. Marines say.
Dutch soldiers accused of war crime : Dutch soldiers stationed in the Afghan province of Uruzgan allegedly violated the laws of war when they carried out a raid on a hospital in the provincial capital Tarin Kowt in 2009.
US Kills 11 In Pakistan: A salvo of missiles fired by US drones killed 11 alledged militants in Pakistan's tribal "badlands" on Tuesday, the 10th strike in 11 days, officials said.
Seven Killed In Iraq attacks: Gunmen opened fire on the car of a government-backed Sunni militia leader, killing him and three members of his family in Latifiya town, 40 km (25 miles) south of Baghdad, a security source said.
GAO: Iraq budget surplus at $51 billion: The study by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, comes as the Senate prepares to debate a $2 billion funding request from the White House for the Iraqi security forces.
UN experts rap US over private security firms: UN experts have rapped the United States for its failure to prosecute private security personnel over violations in Iraq, citing a case against two US firms which was dismissed after they claimed immunity.
Israeli army admits it killed three civilians: The Israeli army has admitted that three Palestinian men it killed in Gaza on Sunday were civilians, and not terrorists, as previously claimed.
Void of Responsibility: Israel Military Policy not to investigate Killings of Palestinians by Soldiers
BBC Pro Israeli Bias? : Panorama Programme Exposed : Video: A very important documentry put together by Pete Charles
Doublespeak: Clinton: Israel must extend (illegal) settlement freeze for peace talks to succeed: "The United states believes that the moratorium should be extended," Clinton told reporters, echoing a view taken by U.S. President Barack Obama. But she then put some of the onus on the Palestinians to take unspecified steps to help Netanyahu to extend the freeze.
The power of propaganda: Poll: Americans' support for Israel up following restart of talks: A poll conducted for the Israel Project, a pro-Israel non-profit group based in the United States, showed a strong majority believing that the Israeli government is committed to making peace with the Palestinians.
UN chief: Ahmadinejad to attend disarmament meeting: A U.S. official told Reuters in Washington that President Barack Obama would probably not attend the disarmament talks, since he will be participating in a UN summit meeting on Sudan and other meetings that same day.
U.S. diplomat fears condemnation of Israel: The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. nuclear watchdog fears Arab ambassadors may condemn Israel at the next board of governors meeting, Asharq al-Awsat reported.
What does Israel get for not objecting to this deal? U.S. to sell up to $60 billion of arms to Saudi Arabia: U.S. defense official says Congress will soon be notified of arms sale to Saudi Arabia, including 84 F-15 fighter jets and 72 Black Hawk helicopters.
US-Saudi arms deal aimed at Iran,: Analysts say US arms deal gives Saudis advantage over all regional states except Israel.
Americans fighting for al-Shabaab?: An insurgent found dead after the latest round of fighting between al-Shabaab and Somali forces carried American identification papers, Somali officials said.
Alledged "terrorists" sought Somali cleric's 'fatwa' to wage jihad against 'decadent' Australia : An alledged terrorist cell preparing to attack Holsworthy Army Barracks sought a 'fatwa' or religious approval from Somali clerics because they thought Australian Muslim leaders were wrong in opposing violence, the Victorian Supreme Court heard on Monday.
Stranger than fiction: U.S. May File Charges Against Cleric in Yemen: Obama Administration May File Criminal Charges Against U.S. Citizen Anwar al-Awlaki, In Case the CIA Fails to Kill Him
France faces legal threat over Roma: EU commissioner says France should face legal action for expelling of hundreds of Roma, calling the policy a "disgrace".
French Senate overwhelmingly votes to ban face veils in public: The French Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a bill banning the burka-style Islamic veil in public, but the leaders of both parliamentary houses said they had asked a special council to first ensure the measure passes constitutional muster amid concerns its tramples on religious freedoms.
How to manipulate the US electorate:: Ten Things Dems Could Do to Win: Yes, the country is in a foul mood, with 15 million unemployed. The Democrats may get clobbered in 2010. And even if we survive, how do we hang on for the long term?
Cuba to cut 500,000 state jobs: Cuba will continue to provide its citizens with free health-care and education: social programmes which are widely seen as hallmarks of the 1959 revolution.
Canada: Six in 10 live pay to pay: 59% of Canadians would be in trouble if their pay was delayed by a week: poll