De Bush Bende 32

Newsweek:

'Lies and Obfuscations.

By Eleanor Clift

A look back at some of the biggest falsehoods of 2006.
In the spirit of holding our political leaders accountable, this year-end review will tabulate the worst lies told by Bush and company, along with several stories that were underreported in the media. Much of what was generated got lost in the fog of war, but the long arm of history will retrieve these moments. As the president said in his news conference this week, if they're still writing about No. 1 - George Washington - there's plenty of time before the historians can properly evaluate No. 43. Judging by the mess in Iraq, it could be 200 or 300 years - if ever - before Bush is vindicated.
Bush has shifted his rhetoric in deference to the grim and deteriorating reality on the ground in Iraq. Asked by a reporter on Oct. 25 if we are winning the war, Bush said, "Absolutely, we're winning." Offered the opportunity at his press conference to defend that statement, Bush has adopted a new formulation. He now says, "We're not winning, but we're not losing." That sounds like the definition of a quagmire.
Exploitation of the war gained Republicans seats in '02 and got Bush a second term in '04, but it wasn't enough in '06. Karl Rove decided the best way for Republicans to retain control of the House and Senate was to embrace the war in Iraq and run against the Democrats as "Defeatocrats" and "Cut and Runners." It might have worked, had not most Americans decided they did indeed want to cut and run. Not right away - the voters want an orderly exit - but they weren't buying Bush's big lie about the Democrats.
Bush campaigned this fall as though the Democrats were the real enemy, not the terrorists. "They [Democrats] think the best way to protect the American people is wait until we're attacked again…If you don't want your government listening in on terrorists, vote for the Democrats." Now that the Democrats have won, watch Bush try to off-load blame for the failure in Iraq. If the Democrats won't go along with whatever cockamamie scheme he comes up with, he can always accuse them of losing the war.
Days after giving Defense Secretary Rumsfeld a ringing endorsement, declaring he would be there until the end, Bush fired him. It was the most obvious lie of his presidency. And it tripped so easily off Bush's tongue. There was none of the stammering that usually accompanies his public utterances. It was as big a lie as Rove's assertion on National Public Radio that all the public polls pointing toward a rout for the GOP were wrong. "I have the math," Rove proclaimed. A lot of people believed Rove, but the voters didn't.
The administration had the media snookered much of the time. Stories that were underreported largely because they ran counter to administration spin include:...'

Lees verder: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16326716/site/newsweek/ Of:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/122406A.shtml

Superbug

The Herald bericht:

'Superbug linked to antibiotic used on farms - UK.

The use of antibiotics on farms should be reduced because of suspected links with a superbug in humans, an organic food group claimed yesterday.

A virulent strain of E-coli which has killed at least 57 people in the UK has been found on 10 cattle farms in the UK since 2004. Meanwhile, human cases of the superbug are rising fast, according to Health Protection Scotland. In 1998, there were 28 cases of this type of E-coli in Scotland, but in 2005 the number rose to 1067.

The bacterium causes blood poisoning and urinary tract infections, and is potentially fatal to the elderly and hospital patients. The strain produces enzymes called extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs) which stop many drugs working, including penicillin. Most people contract ESBL in hospital, but concerns have been raised that the infection may spread through meat and milk products.

Now the Soil Association says it believes the use of certain antibiotics in farm animals is one factor in creating the drug-resistant strain of E-coli. It is calling on the government to reduce the use of the relevant antibiotics on antibiotics on farms. In a letter to Ben Bradshaw, Animal Welfare Minister, the pro-organic group calls for the advertising of certain farm drugs to be banned and for vets to advise farmers how to reduce their use of the antibiotics.

Richard Young, Soil Association policy adviser, said: "There is growing evidence that the excessive use of antibiotics on intensive livestock farms is a central factor in the spread of this new type of E-coli."

Last year, for the first time in Britain, scientists found strains of the ESBL E-coli among sick and dying calves on a dairy farm in Wales. Some 56% of calves examined had the bug.'

Lees verder: http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/77371.html

The Empire 106

Reuters bericht:
'Lawmakers Press Bush to Put War Costs in Budget.
By Caren Bohan.

Top lawmakers are pressing President George W. Bush to stop using a "shadow budget" to fund the Iraq war and instead list the expected costs in the 2008 spending plan he is set to unveil early next year.
Total war spending may reach $170 billion for the 2007 fiscal year that ends September 30, a record.
Since the conflict began in 2003, Bush has used emergency spending bills to cover nearly all of the costs for the Iraq operation, rather than including them in the annual budget.
He has come under criticism for this practice, not only by lawmakers but also by the Iraq Study Group that recommended policy options for Iraq and said that in the interests of openness, the budget process should not be circumvented.
Three lawmakers - one Republican and two Democrats - wrote to Bush on Thursday telling him that the emergency bills had created an "ever- expanding shadow budget" that was obscuring Congress's oversight process and skewing budget deficit projections.
Congress "should be able to examine supplemental requests and see that our forces are receiving the support they need, and that funds are not being diverted to other unrelated needs," the letter said.
It was signed by Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, current chairman of the Senate Budget Committee; Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, incoming chairman of the Senate Budget Committee; and Democratic Rep. John Spratt of South Carolina, incoming chairman of the House Budget Committee.
Precedents in Korean, Vietnam Wars
Bush plans on February 5 to send Congress his budget for the fiscal 2008 year that begins October 1. At that time, he will also detail an emergency request to cover war costs for the rest of the 2007 fiscal year.
The $170 billion figure includes $70 billion that Congress has already appropriated and a fresh emergency request that lawmakers have said looks set to come in close to $100 billion.'

Lees verder: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/122406Y.shtml Of:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061222/pl_nm/bush_iraq_budget_dc

Professor John Mohawk

'"Marxism, he argues, is the flip side of capitalism, not its opposite or its solution... Industrialism in capitalist, socialist or communist countries exists in a colonial relationship to Nature and to indigenous people."
JOHN MOHAWK WAS RIGHT.
--------------------------------------------
Rick Whaley remembers John Mohawk:

Author and Professor John Mohawk spoke at the first national Greens
gathering in Amherst, Massachusetts in July 1987. He provides, to my mind,
the most profound theoretical center for Green politics. Marxism, he
argues, is the flip side of capitalism, not its opposite or its solution.
While he recognizes the contributions the Left has made to fighting the
excesses of industrial capitalism (and the long tradition in radical culture
of deconstructing capitalism), Mohawk poises the wellspring of Green theory:
Industrialism in capitalist, socialist or communist countries exists in a
colonial relationship to Nature and to indigenous people.
The solution is a thorough Native or Green perspective, quite different
in its solutions—technological, spiritual, economic, educational, energy and
consumption—than that of Labor-Left allies. Mohawk is arguing that the
old-isms do not address the threat to the very biology of the planet — tears
in the ozone layer (cancers); acid rain (basic chemistry of plant roots
destroyed); global warming; chemicals disrupting reproduction. They can make
the unresolved 20th century issues of social class and distribution appear
moot.
[Milwaukee Greens used to give out to unreconstructed Leftists joining the
Green Party: John Mohawk’s "Marxism from a Native Perspective" (Akwesasne
Notes, Early Spring, 1981) where he raised this cornerstone (Green) thesis
on Industrial society.]
Also posted on the internet:
Editors' note: Indian Country Today is thankful for the early thoughts
shared below [and the first paragraph of this above posting] by former
editor Jose Barreiro, long-time friend and collaborator of John Mohawk.
Barreiro currently serves at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American
Indian.
"Mohawk, 61, was pronounced dead at his home in Buffalo on Dec. 12. He is
mourned by large numbers of people, expressing the most heartfelt
condolences to the family and close relatives of this beloved man of wisdom.
A longtime professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo, the
highly talented and engaging scholar was a motivating force in the Indian
traditionalist movement and the national and international indigenous
initiative of self-sufficiency and self-assertion of the contemporary era.
Mohawk's essays and speeches from the early 1970s, through his genial
direction of the national Indian newspaper, Akwesasne Notes, from 1976 to
1984, were pivotal contributions to the development of intellectual capacity
in the Indian movement. From his academic perch, Mohawk developed
enlightening university courses while sustaining a wide-ranging program of
writing and community educational and oratorical forays. In recent years, he
had been an opinion columnist for Indian Country Today.
Intensely steeped in the spiritual ceremonial traditions of the
Haudenosaunee people through his foundational longhouse culture at the
Cattaraugus Reservation in western New York, Mohawk was one of those rare
American Indian individuals who comfortably stepped out into the Western
academic and journalistic arenas. He was an enthusiastic participant in his
own traditional ways, a legendary singer and knowledgeable elder of the most
profound ceremonial cycles of the Haudenosaunee. As a scholar, he
represented the Native traditional school of thought in a way that was as
authentic as it was brilliantly modern and universal.
Mohawk wrote several important books and articles, among which is the
classic ''Basic Call to Consciousness,'' a seminal work that catalyzed
Native thinking and understanding of global history in a way that was
superbly useful. Later, along with Onondaga elder Oren Lyons, Mohawk edited
the important book ''Exiled in the Land of the Free,'' which gathered the
significant thinking around foundational American Indian rights. His
research and writing on ''Basic Call to Consciousness'' was typical of his
style as an activist scholar. It was largely written during the winter and
spring of 1977 in the deep woods of upstate New York, where the author was
often prodded by the visits of Haudenosaunee chiefs, clan mothers and other
elders, to whom he would read his developing prose and who would comment
deeply on the manuscript.
Many will credit John Mohawk as the major intellectual and strategic force
behind the surge of Haudenosaunee activism of the past 30 years. Many more
know and respect him for his many expressions on important national and
international issues. While he published and lectured widely, Mohawk
generously gave much of his intellectual prowess directly to community
issues. At moments when traditionalist life was threatened, he worked
diligently to establish strategic directions for the longhouse and other
traditionalist governments. One remembers many instances in which Mohawk
made a huge difference in dangerous moments of inter-ethnic and political
conflict. Many are the times when he forsook professional glory or
advancement to join the battle lines, where he employed his powerful
intellect to save life while always pressing the demand for Native peoples'
unique sovereign rights.
A strong defender of national and international human rights, Mohawk was a
mentor to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Indian and non-Indian college
students and young professionals, many of whom have gone on to fulfill
important posts. He was a great and loyal friend, one who could tease you to
tears while marveling your life with incredible sweetness, consistency and
human value.
John Mohawk was self-effacing to a fault. Easily admired and even revered,
he shunned and suspected any such feelings. This came out of his natural
deep integrity. He was wont to tell enraptured audiences, ''Remember one
thing, if you remember nothing else I've told you: I am not a star!''
He was wrong on that one. John Mohawk was - is - a star...."'

Zie ook: http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096414185

The Empire 105

'Impending Police State in America.
Interview with Professor Francis Boyle.

Francis A Boyle says 9/11 was allowed to happen, war on terror is facilitating the downfall of The Republic, concentration camps are in place and US citizens are the targets.

Alex Jones was joined on air this week by a leading American professor, practitioner of and expert on international law to discuss his detailed knowledge of the cover up of the 2001 anthrax attacks, which he is adamant were perpetrated by criminal elements of the US government in an attempt to foment a police state by killing off opposition to hardline post 9/11 legislation. Dr Franics A. Boyle literally helped write the law with regards to terrorism, as he was responsible for drafting the Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989 that was passed unanimously by both Houses of Congress and signed into law by President Bush Snr. Professor Boyle teaches international law at the University of Illinois, Champaign. He holds a Doctor of Law Magna Cum Laude as well as a Ph.D. in Political Science, both from Harvard University. He has also served on the Board of Directors of Amnesty International (1988-1992), and represented Bosnia- Herzegovina at the World Court. The professor started off by explaining the motivation behind the October 2001 anthrax attacks: "After the September 11th 2001 Terrorist attacks, the Bush administration tried to ram the USA PATRIOT Act through Congress, that would have, if already had not, set up a police state. And we know for a fact that the PATRIOT Act had already been drafted and was sitting on Ashcroft's desk as of September 10th. Senators Daschle and Leahy were holding it up because they realised what this would lead to, indeed the first draft of the Patriot Act, they would have suspended the writ of habeas corpus. And all of a sudden out of nowhere come these anthrax attacks. And at the time I myself did not know precisely what was going on, either with respect to September 11th or the anthrax attacks, but then the New York Times revealed that the technology behind the letter to Senator Daschle. A trillion spores per gram, special electro-static treatment. This is super-weapons grade Anthrax that even the United States government, in its openly proclaimed programs, and we had one before Nixon, had never developed before. So it was obvious to me that this was from a US Government lab, there is no where else you could have gotten that." Dr Boyle proceeded to call a very high level official in the FBI who deals with terrorism and counter-terrorism, Spike Bowman, whom he had met at a terrorism conference at the University of Michigan Law School. He told Bowman that the only people that would have the capability to carry out the attacks were people working on US government programs on Anthrax and with access to high level a bio-safety lab. Dr Boyle went through all the names, the contractors and the labs for Anthrax work with the FBI's Bowman.'

Lees verder: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article15983.htm

Irak 140

De BBC bericht:
'End of the neo-con dream.
By Paul Reynolds World Affairs correspondent.

The neo-conservative dream faded in 2006.


The ambitions proclaimed when the neo-cons' mission statement "The Project for the New American Century" was declared in 1997 have turned into disappointment and recriminations as the crisis in Iraq has grown.
"The Project for the New American Century" has been reduced to a voice-mail box and a ghostly website. A single employee has been left to wrap things up.
The idea of the "Project" was to project American power and influence around the world.
The 1997 statement (written during the administration of President Bill Clinton) said:
"We seem to have forgotten the essential elements of the Reagan Administration's success: a military that is strong and ready to meet both present and future challenges; a foreign policy that boldly and purposefully promotes American principles abroad; and national leadership that accepts the United States' global responsibilities."
Among the signatories were many of the senior officials who would later determine policy under President George W Bush - Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Elliot Abrams and Lewis Libby - as well as thinkers including Francis Fukuyama, Norman Podheretz and Frank Gaffney.
The neo-conservatives were called that because they sought to re-establish what they felt were true conservative values in the Republican Party and the United States.
They wanted to stop what they felt were the isolationist tendencies that had developed under President Clinton, and even under the pragmatic President George Bush senior.
They saw the war in Iraq as their big chance of showing how the "New American Century" might work.
They predicted the development of democratic values in a region lacking in them and, in that way, the removal of any threat to the United States just as the democratisation of Germany and Japan after World War II had transformed Europe and the Pacific.
Attack
Since so much was pinned on Iraq, it is inevitable that the problems there should have undermined the whole idea.'

Lees verder: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6189793.stm

Irak 139

'Iraqi Hopes Dim Through Worst Year of Occupation.
By Dahr Jamail and Ali Al-Fadhily
Inter Press Service

Baghdad - Despite promises from Iraqi and U.S. leaders that 2006 would bring improvement, Iraqis have suffered through the worst year in living memory, facing violence, fragmentation and a disintegrated economy.
Despite promises from Iraqi and U.S. leaders that 2006 would bring improvement, Iraqis have suffered through the worst year in living memory, facing violence, fragmentation and a disintegrated economy.
A year back Iraqis were promised that 2006 would be the fresh beginning of a prosperous, democratic and unified Iraq. Through an elected parliament and a unity government, they would find peace, and start rebuilding a country torn apart by the U.S.-backed UN sanctions and then the U.S.-led invasion and occupation.
But everyone agrees that the situation now is worse than ever. Leaders in Iraq disagree only to the extent they blame one another for the collapse in security that has led to worsened services and living conditions.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, along with many other Shia leaders in the Iraqi government, blames al-Qaeda and "Saddamists" for the degrading situation. Echoing statements by U.S. President George W. Bush, al-Maliki told reporters recently: "Those terrorists hate democracy because that makes them lose power, and all they are doing is killing Iraqi people in order to recapture what they lost after the liberation of Iraq."
Whatever leaders say, people are simply looking back on a hellish year, and fearful of another to come.
"I wish I could flee to any third world country and work in garbage collection rather than stay here and live like a frightened rat," Adel Mohammed Aziz, a teacher from Baghdad told IPS. "We are all living in fear for our lives; death chases us all around."
The displacement of Iraqis from Iraq is currently the world's fastest-growing refugee crisis, according to the Washington-based group Refugees International which works towards providing humanitarian assistance and protection for displaced people.
The United Nations estimates that at least 2.3 million Iraqis have fled the growing violence in their country. They estimate that 1.8 million Iraqis have fled to surrounding countries, while another half million have vacated their homes for safer areas within Iraq. An estimated 40,000 people are leaving Iraq every month for Syria alone, according to the UN.
Cases of sectarian killings had been reported before this year, with targeted victims such as former military people or scientists. But this year sectarian-based death squads became a threat to all Iraqis, particularly Sunni Muslims, whose beliefs differ in ways from those of Shia Muslims. The body count has increased to a minimum of 100 a day, with most killed after monstrous torture.
"We cannot go to work, cannot go to pray in our mosques, and cannot send our children to schools," young mother Um Rheem from the Shaab quarter in Baghdad told IPS. "Many Sunni men have been killed by Shia death squads who have the full support of the government and Americans."'

Lees verder: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/122306D.shtml Of:
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=35948