Al-Qaeda Fighters Killed In Airstrike In Western Iraq
Several suspected al-Qaeda fighters were killed in western Iraq today when U.S.-led forces used precision-guided bombs to destroy three terrorist hideouts in two cities near the Syrian border, the military said. At least 50 people died in the raids.
Four bombs were dropped on a house ``occupied by terrorists'' outside the city of Husaybah in the first strike, the military said in a statement e-mailed from the capital, Baghdad. Then, at 6:20 a.m. local time, two bombs were dropped on a second house, killing a man identified as ``Abu Islam, a known terrorist'' and several others, the military said. At about 8:30 a.m. another attack was conducted, this time on a house in the city of Karabilah, 3.7 miles south east of Husaybah, where some of Islam's followers are believed to have fled, the military said. Several terrorists were killed, according to the statement. The military said it wasn't immediately able to provide a casualty toll, adding ``coalition forces take all precautions to minimize collateral damage and prevent the loss of civilian life.'' At least 56 people died, AFP said, citing an Iraqi security official it didn't name. Abu Islam is an alias used by several known Islamists. It isn't clear if civilians are among those killed in the air strikes. Husaybah and Karabilah lie near the city of al-Qaim. The area near the Syrian border in the Euphrates valley has been identified by U.S. military commanders as part of a smuggling route for foreign Islamist fighters entering Iraq. Retiring U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General John Jumper said yesterday that he expects U.S. aircraft to continue attacks on insurgents until Iraq stands up its own air force and that will be after U.S. ground forces withdraw. ``I will continue to see the need for them to require support from the air until they have their own ability to support themselves,'' Jumper told reporters at the Pentagon. ``That's going to take a while even after some future withdrawal of ground forces is required.'' U.S. aircraft fly air-to-ground support missions primarily from permanent U.S. bases in Kuwait and Qatar or from Navy Aircraft Carriers in the Persian Gulf. The missions are organized through the Air Force's command and control center in Qatar. The Air Force and Navy yesterday flew 55 air-to-ground sorties in support of U.S. and Iraqi troops, according to service statistics. ``From the Air Force point of view, we've seen this as a fairly lengthy transition as we turn over military responsibility to the Iraqis, and knowing up front the priority was not going to be to re-build their air force,'' Jumper said.
The US military has told journalists working in Iraq they will be given no special consideration after Reuters demanded an explanation for the continued detention of its cameraman in the country's notorious Abu Ghraib prison. Reuters has been denied access to Ali Omar Abrahem al-Mashhadani since he was arrested by US troops at his home in Ramadi on August 8.
Suspicious Middle Easterner Ali Omar Abrahem al-Mashhadani
Military sources told the news agency Mashhadani was a "security detainee", implying suspected links to insurgents, but have refused to give details of any suspicions or accusations. International press freedom groups have spoken out against the arrest, pointing out that journalists' work is likely to put them into contact with insurgents. But a spokesman for the US forces in Iraq said they would examine any detainee "regardless of what his profession is" and that journalists would not get special dispensation. "What we've got to do is look at the individual that was indeed detained and what was he doing, regardless of what his profession is," Major General Rick Lynch told a news conference in Baghdad, reported by Reuters. "The policy doesn't need to change. The policy that's in effect is the one that will stay in effect." Maj Gen Lynch said the US military would look into Mashhadani's case: "We'll look very closely at that particular situation. What was he doing that caused us to believe he was involved in suspicious activities? "And then we will continue to work through our process to determine whether he should remain in detention, be released or transferred into the court system." Mashhadani is now being held as a "security detainee" in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, where he cannot be visited for 60 days. Reuters' campaign to gain access to the cameraman and to find out why he was arrested has been supported by international media rights groups. "There is an intolerable denial of basic rights here," said Aidan White, the general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists. "This man is being denied visitors and there is growing concern about his welfare. "The US authorities should reveal what, if anything, he is charged with or free him immediately." The Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres said it had written to the US's commander in the Middle East, General John Abizaid, to demand Mashhadani's release.
Former prisoner of war Jessica Lynch started college today at West Virginia University.
And just other freshmen, she struggled to find her way around the Morgantown campus. The 22-year-old former Fort Bliss soldier went largely unnoticed. Her publicist says Lynch has been out of the news for so long that she's not quite as recognizable. Lynch signed up for 12 credit hours and is pursuing a degree in teacher education. Lynch's convoy took a wrong turn in the Iraqi town of Nasiriyah in March of 2003 and was attacked. Eleven American soldiers were killed and six were captured, including Lynch. She suffered critical injuries during the firefight. Lynch was rescued from an Iraqi hospital one week later and is still recovering from her injuries. Also, Lynch's wedding to former Army Sergeant Ruben Contreras -- is off.
U.S. and Afghan government forces have killed more than 100 militants over the past few weeks in aggressive operations aimed at ensuring security for an election next month, the U.S. military said.
U.S. forces have in recent months been suffering their worst casualty rate in Afghanistan since arriving in late 2001 to force the Taliban from power. "ANA and coalition forces continue to aggressively establish enduring security," U.S. spokeswoman Lieutenant Cindy Moore told a briefing in Kabul, referring to the U.S.-trained Afghan National Army. About 65 militants have been killed in 25 clashes in Zabul province in the south over the past week, while about 40 were killed in fighting in Kunar province in the east over the last several weeks, she said. The United States heads a 20,000 strong international force in Afghanistan fighting Taliban and al Qaeda militants and hunting for their leaders.
Another 10,000 NATO-led peacekeepers are also helping with security for the September 18 parliamentary election. About 1,000 people, most of them Taliban fighters, have been killed in clashes, ambushes and bomb blasts this year, raising concern about the election, particularly in the most-troubled south and east. U.S. forces have suffered 47 deaths in combat in Afghanistan this year, four in a blast in Zabul province on Sunday. Despite the violence, Afghan government and U.S. officials say the election, the country's next big step on a difficult path to stability, will not be disrupted.
Sen. Norm Coleman's call for major changes at the United Nations has picked up steam with recent news that a federal prosecutor has issued criminal charges in the investigation of the U.N.'s oil-for-food program. Coleman, a Minnesota Republican, told reporters that U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annanis too damaged to survive the scandal, and reiterated his call for Annan to resign. "This is the most massive fraud in the history of the United Nations," said Coleman, whose permanent subcommittee on investigations has been probing the oil-for-food program. Coleman plans to attend a summit in New York next month with more than 170 world leaders. Prior to the summit, he will meet with the new U.S. ambassador to the United States, John Bolton. Meanwhile, Coleman will push for his legislation that would allow the United States to withhold dues from the United Nations. Julian Zelizer, a congressional historian and professor at Boston University, said that Annan is "holding on, but not by much," and that Coleman will benefit from his crusade.
Kofi Annan with his good friend & terrorist the late Yasser Arafat
"It will continue to give him notoriety, especially with conservatives," Zelizer said. "The U.N. is a big issue for Republican conservatives. It's almost as symbolic as abortion. ... It's a symbol of the international pressures that the U.S. doesn't want to be bound by anymore." At the same time, Coleman's position is unlikely to hurt him with moderates, Zelizer said. "There's not much for him to lose by taking this stand, and there's a lot for him to gain." But Coleman's bill has rankled some Democrats. Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said other nations view the legislation as arrogant. Former Sen. George Mitchell, a Maine Democrat who co-chaired a congressional task force on U.N. reform, called the bill "a very dangerous potential," because other countries could withhold their dues if the U.N. fails to meet their reform demands. The bill, which would allow the president to withhold as much as 50 percent of U.S. dues, also requires the United Nations to appoint a single senior official to serve as its de facto chief operating officer to oversee its daily operations.
Coleman has been lauded by conservatives for his work on the United Nations. In February, the Conservative Political Action Conference gave him the Defender of the Constitution Award. But he's also got some negative attention in Europe, especially after he accused British Parliament member George Galloway of being involved in the oil-for-food scandal. Agence France-Presse reported in May that Coleman had "taken the lead in U.N.-bashing" and had become the "bete noire" of the world body. The article quoted French writer Bernard Henry-Levy, who said Coleman was "a sort of blond yuppie with exceedingly white teeth and the smile of a wolf." "I don't lose sleep over what French writers think," Coleman said with a laugh. "If I highlight corruption in the U.N., are there folks on the conservative side who cheer that? Absolutely," Coleman said. But he said the scandal "resonates way beyond that ... This is not solely in the domain of conservative politics.
President George W. Bush walks with Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, left, and Sen. Norm Coleman during a visit to Minnesota
A pro-Bush camp with a "God Bless Our President!" banner sprung up downtown Saturday, countering the anti-war demonstration started by a fallen soldier's mother two weeks ago near President Bush's ranch. The camp is named "Fort Qualls," in memory of Marine Lance Cpl. Louis Wayne Qualls, 20, who died in Iraq last fall.
Lance Cpl. Louis Wayne Qualls
"If I have to sacrifice my whole family for the sake of our country and world, other countries that want freedom, I'll do that," said the soldier's father, Gary Qualls, a friend of the local business owner who started the pro-Bush camp. He said his 16-year-old son now wants to enlist, and he supports that decision. Qualls' frustration with the anti-war demonstrators erupted last week when he removed a cross bearing his son's name that was among hundreds the group had put up along the road to Bush's ranch. Qualls called the protesters' views disrespectful to soldiers, and said he had to yank out two more crosses after protesters kept replacing them. Cindy Sheehan, whose 24-year-old son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, died last year in Iraq, started the anti-war demonstration along the roadside on August 6. "Camp Casey" has since grown to about 100 core participants, and hundreds more from across the nation have visited. Sheehan vowed to remain there until Bush agreed to meet with her or until his five-week-long vacation ended, but she flew to Los Angeles last week after her 74-year-old mother had a stroke. Her mother has some paralysis but is in good spirits, and if she improves, Sheehan might return to Texas in a few days, some demonstrators said. In her absence the rest of the group will keep camping out for the unlikely chance to question the president about the war that has claimed the lives of about 1,850 U.S. soldiers. Bush has said he sympathizes with Sheehan but won't change his schedule to meet with her. She and other families met with Bush about two months after Casey Sheehan died, before she became a vocal opponent of the war. Large counter-protests were held in a ditch near Sheehan's site a week after she arrived. Since then, a few Bush supporters have stood in the sun holding signs for several hours each day. Bill Johnson, a local gift shop owner who created "Fort Qualls," said he wanted to offer a larger, more convenient place for Bush supporters to gather. He and others at "Fort Qualls" have asked for a debate with those at the Crawford Peace House, which is helping Sheehan. It's unclear if that will happen. But a member of Gold Star Families for Peace, co-founded by Sheehan and made up of relatives of fallen soldiers, said her group would not participate. "We're asking for a meeting with the president, period," said Michelle DeFord, whose 37-year-old son, Sgt. David W. Johnson, was in the Army National Guard from Oregon when he was killed in Iraq last fall. "We don't want to debate with people who don't understand our point of view."
Presenting A Broad Picture Of Iraq, Editors Ponder On How To Be Fair And Balanced
Rosemary Goudreau, the editorial page editor of The Tampa Tribune, has received the same e-mail message a dozen times over the last year. "Did you know that 47 countries have re-established their embassies in Iraq?" the anonymous polemic asks, in part. "Did you know that 3,100 schools have been renovated?""Of course we didn't know!" the message concludes. "Our media doesn't tell us!"
The Dallas Morning News did a search for US wire service images from Iraq in the wire services over the last month and found exactly one image of US troops in Iraq not shooting at Iraqis.
Among the positives noted: -school attendance is up more than 95 percent from prewar times -all Iraqi hospitals and primary health care clinics were operating by December -vast marshlands area of southern Iraq … are being restored through efforts of the U.S. government, along with Iraqi and international agencies.
Ms. Goudreau's newspaper, like most dailies in America, relies largely on The Associated Press for its coverage of the Iraq war. So she finally forwarded the e-mail message to Mike Silverman, managing editor of The A.P., asking if there was a way to check these assertions and to put them into context. Like many other journalists, Mr. Silverman had also received a copy of the message. Ms. Goudreau's query prompted an unusual discussion last month in New York at a regular meeting of editors whose newspapers are members of The Associated Press. Some editors expressed concern that a kind of bunker mentality was preventing reporters in Iraq from getting out and explaining the bigger picture beyond the daily death tolls. "The bottom-line question was, people wanted to know if we're making progress in Iraq," Ms. Goudreau said, and the A.P. articles were not helping to answer that question. "It was uncomfortable questioning The A.P., knowing that Iraq is such a dangerous place," she said. "But there's a perception that we're not telling the whole story." Mr. Silverman said in an interview that he was aware of that perception. "Other editors said they get calls from readers who are hearing stories from returning troops of the good things they have accomplished while there, and readers find that at odds with the generally gloomy portrayal in the papers of what's going on in Iraq," he said. Mr. Silverman said the editors were asking for help in making sense of the situation. "I was glad to have that discussion with the editors because they have to deal with the perception that the media is emphasizing the negative," he said. "We're there to report the good and the bad and we try to give due weight to everything going on," he said. "It is unfortunate that the explosions and shootings and fatalities and injuries on some days seem to dominate the news." Suki Dardarian, deputy managing editor of The Seattle Times and vice president of the board of the Associated Press Managing Editors, said that the discussion was "a pretty healthy one." "One of the things the editors felt was that as much context as you can bring, the better," Ms. Dardarian said. "They wanted them to get beyond the breaking news to 'What does this mean?' " She also said that as Mr. Silverman and Kathleen Carroll, The A.P.'s executive editor, responded to the concerns, the editors realized that some questions were impossible to answer. For example, she said, the editors understood that it was much easier to add up the number of dead than to determine how many hospitals received power on a particular day or how many schools were built. Mr. Silverman said the wire service was covering Iraq "as accurately as we can" while "also trying to keep our people out of harm's way." "The main obstacle we face," he said, "is the severe limitation on our movement and our ability to get out and report. It's very confining for our staff to go into Baghdad and have to spend most of their time on the fifth floor of the Palestine Hotel," which is home to most of the press corps. The hotel was struck by a tank shell in 2003, killing two journalists. Iraq remains the most dangerous place in the world to work as a journalist, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. At least 13 media workers have been killed in Iraq so far this year, bringing the total to 50 since the war began in 2003. "Postwar Iraq is fraught with risks for reporters: Banditry, gunfire and bombings are common," the committee's Web site says. "Insurgents have added a new threat by systematically targeting foreigners, including journalists, and Iraqis who work for them." Mr. Silverman said The A.P. had already decided before the meeting that it would have Robert H. Reid, an A.P. correspondent at large who has reported frequently from Iraq, write an overview every 10 days. Mr. Silverman also said the wire service would make more effort to flag articles that look beyond the breaking news. As it turned out, he said, most of the information in the anonymous e-mail message had been reported by The A.P., but the details had been buried in articles or the articles had been overlooked. Before the meeting, The A.P. collected three articles by reporters for other news organizations who were embedded with American troops and sent them out over the wire to provide "more voice." Mr. Silverman said he wanted to do more of that but the opportunities were limited because there are only three dozen embedded journalists now, compared with 700 when the war began more than two years ago. Ms. Goudreau, for one, found the discussion useful. By the end, she said, editors were acknowledging that even in their own hometowns, "we're more likely to focus on people who are killed than on the positive news out of a school."
Through glass and granite, Minnesota's new World War II memorial will attempt to give a big picture of the war and tell the individual stories of the Minnesotans who were a part of it. It has been 60 years since the war's end. And most of the Minnesotans who served have passed away.
The Minnesota World War II Veterans Memorial will feature 12 glass panels anchored in granite, with etchings depicting various scenes from the war.
Now, after years of trying, officials will break ground today for a $1 million memorial on the state Capitol grounds to remember the state's part in the epic war. "All I can say is, it's been too long," said World War II Navy Veteran Robert E. Hansen, 79, of Inver Grove Heights. His brother Army Lt. Harry Hansen died in the war. The larger story of the war's losses and triumphs will be told through the granite, which may be quarried from Ely, Minn., said one of the designers, Ben Sporer. To symbolize the war's death and destruction, a descending slope of rough, black granite will stretch 3 feet into the ground. To represent the victory, an exact mold of the sculpture will be flipped over and covered in plants and flowers to create an ascending slope that rises 3 feet from the ground, Sporer said. Visitors will get a glimpse today of the memorial plans, which took Sporer, another landscape architect and two artists two years to design. Groundbreaking is scheduled at 12:30 p.m. south of the state Capitol in front of the Veterans Services Building. The entire elliptical memorial will sit on an acre of the Capitol grounds. The two sculptural elements will be surrounded by 10 glass monuments anchored in granite slabs. Each will display photos and stories baked into the glass that describe Minnesota's involvement in the war. "If we can manage to create that emotional connection back to what real people experienced during those times, then I think we'll have succeeded," said Andrea Myklebust, a sculptor who conducted much of the research and interviews for the text of the memorial.
At the center of the memorial will be a map of Minnesota, surrounded by bronze stars and the glass panels.
Large design panels are expected to be on display today in the Capitol rotunda and representatives from the state Veterans Affairs department will be on hand to give a behind-the-scenes look at the memorial's design and symbolism. Of the 326,000 Minnesotans who served in World War II, 6,284 were killed during the war and fewer than 70,000 are alive today, according to the state Veterans Affairs Department. Among Minnesota's World War II veterans were both of Sporer's grandfathers. One died in the last two years while Sporer was working on the design. The other, Max Sporer, may make it to today's ceremony, the younger Sporer said. "I thought it would be a great opportunity to try to honor them personally, as well as the other Minnesota veterans involved," Ben Sporer said. While organizers have tried for several years to land funding, it is not clear why no such memorial was built in the years after the war's end. Hansen suggests it is because it couldn't capture the efforts of Americans back home building ships and rationing food. Or perhaps because "the world was a monument" for their sacrifices "to save it." The project is at least seven years in the making. Legislative approval for $670,000 in state funds stalled until this year. The remainder of the $1 million project and maintenance costs will come from private donations, which still are being collected. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall, and could be finished as early as next summer, Sporer said.
President Bush said on Israeli television he could consider using force as a last resort to press Iran to give up its nuclear programme. "All options are on the table," Bush, speaking at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. Asked if that included the use of force, Bush replied: "As I say, all options are on the table. The use of force is the last option for any president and you know, we've used force in the recent past to secure our country." Iran angered the European Union and the United States by resuming uranium conversion at the Isfahan plant last Monday after rejecting an EU offer of political and economic incentives in return for giving up its nuclear programme. Tehran says it aims only to produce electricity and denies Western accusations it is seeking a nuclear bomb. Bush made clear he still hoped for a diplomatic solution, noting that EU powers Britain, Germany and France had taken the lead in dealing with Iran. Washington last week expressed a willingness to give negotiations on Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program more time before getting tougher with the country. "In all these instances we want diplomacy to work and so we're working feverishly on the diplomatic route and we'll see if we're successful or not," Bush told state-owned Israel Channel One television. Bush has also previously said that the United States has not ruled out the possibility of military strikes.
But U.S. officials have played down media speculation earlier this year they were planning military action against Iran. French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said on Friday that negotiations were still possible with Iran on condition the Iranians suspend their nuclear activities. The governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unanimously called on Iran on Thursday to halt sensitive atomic work. Douste-Blazy said the next step would be on September 3 when IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei reports on Iran's activities. If Iran continues to defy global demands, another IAEA meeting will likely be held, where both Europe and Washington will push for a referral to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.
Ever since its 1979 Islamic revolution the only fate Iran has had in mind for Israel has been simple: its destruction. Now that Teheran seems to be moving towards acquiring its own nuclear arsenal, its plans for its great enemy threaten to be both fiery and radioactive. Sometimes Iran's stated policy towards Israel is couched in inflammatory rhetoric, like that on a 40ft banner that used to hang outside the entrance of the foreign ministry in Teheran bearing the message: "Israel Must Burn". Sometimes the language is tamer, such as the "Down With Israel" chants of students who march after Friday prayers in Teheran week in, week out. But whatever the tone, the message remains the same. The Jewish state has survived wars, internal upheaval, intifadas and bloody entanglements in the internal affairs of its neighbours. But now a major enemy, one committed to its annihilation, appears close to deploying the most destructive force known to Man. "Having the ayatollah regime armed with nuclear weapons is an existential threat to the state of Israel," Mark Regev, senior spokeman at its foreign ministry, admitted grimly. "We take the issue extremely seriously.'' But while the danger Israel faces is clear, what it should do about the threat poses much more of a quandary. Some Israelis cite the precedent of the 1981 unilateral Israeli airstrike on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor. Israel, they argue, should do the same again and launch pre-emptive military attacks on Iran's growing nuclear infrastructure. But Iran has developed its nuclear programme with such a scenario in mind. It has deliberately spread its facilities far and wide, using nine locations, according to one intelligence source. And each facility is buried under tons of reinforced concrete, making it more difficult to destroy, even with the help of the BLU-109 "bunker-buster" bombs the US is selling its closest Middle Eastern ally. Iran, moreover, is further away from Israel than Iraq, raising even greater doubts about the ability of the F15 and F16 planes Israel would use in any air raids to reach their target and then make it home without being refuelled. And there is also the question of how the aircraft would get close enough to hit their targets. The US controls Iraqi airspace but it seems inconceivable that Washington would open it up to Israeli combat jets and tankers. While the problems facing air strikes are significant, Israel's military nevertheless believes it has the means to cause serious damage to the Iranian nuclear capability. Israel's cruise missiles, launched from planes or submarines, give the country a capability that it did not have in 1981 when it attacked the Iraqi reactor with a conventional bombing sortie. "It's a bit more challenging in Iran but the military option remains a real one," said David Ivri, a retired Israeli air force officer who commanded Operation Opera, the attack on Iraq's reactor. "After all, the aim would not be to neutralise the Iranian nuclear programme. That would be impossible. But what we could do is delay it considerably. "That was our aim in Iraq and that is what we achieved - a very long delay.'' The calculation Israel must make is a simple one: when will Iran become a nuclear power? The Iraq attack was launched only when Israel's intelligence concluded that Saddam Hussein's regime was within a year of producing its own nuclear weapons. It also followed a lengthy diplomatic campaign by Israel to dissuade France from selling nuclear technology to Iraq. When that failed, Mossad agents blew up components due to be shipped to Iraq at a warehouse in France. Only when it was clear that Iraq's nuclear programme continued did Operation Opera get the green light. According to a senior figure in the Israeli Defence Force quoted in the Jerusalem Post, Iran will not be able to produce a nuclear bomb until 2008 at the earliest; 2012 is a more realistic date and experts believe that the current situation is insufficiently acute to warrant military action. "The best-case scenario for Israel is that the negotiations between Iran and the European Union succeed," said Emily Landau, senior research associate at the Jaffee Centre for Strategic Studies in Tel Aviv. "And at the moment that is still the most likely possibility. "If you look at the wording of every statement by Iran, they sound defiant but always include some sort of reference to the talks and the possibility of some sort of new initiative. As long as this sort of language continues, then a full-blown crisis can be avoided." This would suit Israel, which backs the negotiations and wants to avoid turning the current crisis into a row between Iran and itself. As long as international negotiators are taking the lead, Israel is happy to stay on the sidelines. And there is one important factor at play: it is one of the Middle East's worst kept secrets that Israel has the nuclear bomb. Iran certainly knows this and it will have a clear deterrent effect. The result is that Israel might not need to take pre-emptive military action against Iran - if only because Teheran would never use a nuclear weapon against Israel for fear of itself being attacked, and annihilated, by the Jewish state's nuclear arsenal.
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all.
A federal appeals court panel on Wednesday upheld a Virginia law that requires public schools to lead a daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, rejecting a claim that its reference to God was an unconstitutional promotion of religion. A suit filed by Edward Myers of Sterling, Va., a father of three, raised the objection to the phrase "one nation under God." Mr. Myers, a Mennonite, argued, "The combination of God and country approaches a civic religion that is in competition with my religion." But the panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that the pledge is a patriotic exercise, not an affirmation of religion similar to a prayer. "Undoubtedly, the pledge contains a religious phrase, and it is demeaning to persons of any faith to assert that the words 'under God' contain no religious significance," Judge Karen Williams wrote. "The inclusion of those two words, however, does not alter the nature of the pledge as a patriotic activity." Mr. Myers's lawyer, David Remes, said the panel had failed to examine the pledge's effect on children. "The problem is that young school children are quite likely to view the pledge as affirming the existence of God and national subordination to God," Mr. Remes said. Three years ago, a federal appeals court in California sided with another father who challenged the pledge as unconstitutional. The Supreme Court dismissed that case last year, however, saying that the father, Michael Newdow, lacked standing to sue on behalf of his young daughter because he did not have custody of her.
The Pentagon will hold a massive march and country music concert to mark the fourth anniversary of 9/11, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in an unusual announcement tucked into an Iraq war briefing yesterday. "This year the Department of Defense will initiate an America Supports You Freedom Walk," Rumsfeld said, adding that the march would remind people of "the sacrifices of this generation and of each previous generation." The march will start at the Pentagon, where nearly 200 people died on 9/11, and end at the National Mall with a show by country star Clint Black. Word of the event startled some observers. "I've never heard of such a thing," said John Pike, who has been a defense analyst in Washington for 25 years and runs GlobalSecurity.org. The news also reignited debate and anger over linking Sept. 11 with the war in Iraq. "That piece of it is disturbing since we all know now there was no connection," said Paul Rieckhoff, an Iraq veteran who heads Operation Truth, an anti-administration military booster. Rieckhoff suggested the event was an ill-conceived publicity stunt. "I think it's clear that their public opinion polls are in the toilet," he said. Rumsfeld's walk had some relatives of 9/11 victims fuming. "How about telling Mr. Rumsfeld to leave the memories of Sept. 11 victims to the families?" said Monica Gabrielle, who lost her husband in the attacks. Administration supporters insisted Rumsfeld was right to link Iraq and 9/11, and hold the rally. "We are at war," said Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.). "It's essential that we support our troops." He also said attacking Iraq was necessary after 9/11. "You do not defeat Al Qaeda until you stabilize the Middle East, and that's not possible as long as Saddam Hussein is in power."
City Resident Banned From City Council Meetings Untill He Apologizes For Pointing Out The Truth About Politicians
The Albert Lea City Council is forbidding a veteran council-watcher from speaking at meetings until he apologizes for calling the interim mayor "a liar and a cheat." Albert Lea, Minn. resident Roger Bok was talking about the disposal of scrap metal during a public portion of Monday's meeting when Mayor Pro Tem Al Brooks told him the issue had been settled and Bok should move on.
Mayor Pro-Tempore Sixth Ward Councilor Al"Minnow" Brooks
Bok called Brooks "a liar and a cheat."Bok, also known as Freeborn County's watchdog, has missed just 14 council meetings in 16 years. It's not the first time he's been in this situation. City Clerk Sandi Behrens said she remembers two times when Bok wasn't permitted to address the council. "I have nothing against Mr. Bok and this is not because his comment was directed at me or any of the other council members," said Brooks. "We don't need to sit up here and be called liars and cheats because we don't call Mr. Bok that." The council's decision -- if City Attorney Steve Schwab determines it's valid -- takes effect at the Aug. 22 council meeting. "There are issues that need to be addressed and they violate the charter," said Bok, "and then when I say something they say I'm out of order."
Fallen U.S. Soldier's Mother Embarrassing Him And His Sacrifice
The mother of a fallen U.S. soldier who is holding a roadside peace vigil near President Bush's ranch -- has dramatically changed her account about what happened when she met the commander-in-chief last summer! Cindy Sheehan, 48, of Vacaville, Calif., who last year praised Bush for bringing her family the "gift of happiness," took to the nation's TV outlets this weekend to declare how Bush "killed an indispensable part of our family and humanity."
CINDY 2004
THE REPORTER of Vacaville, CA published an account of Cindy Sheehan's visit with the president at Fort Lewis near Seattle on June 24, 2004:
"'I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis,' Cindy said after their meeting. 'I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith.'
"The meeting didn't last long, but in their time with Bush, Cindy spoke about Casey and asked the president to make her son's sacrifice count for something. They also spoke of their faith.
"The trip had one benefit that none of the Sheehans expected.
"For a moment, life returned to the way it was before Casey died. They laughed, joked and bickered playfully as they briefly toured Seattle.
For the first time in 11 weeks, they felt whole again.
"'That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together,' Cindy said."
CINDY 2005
Sheehan's current comments are a striking departure.
She vowed on Sunday to continue her protest until she can personally ask Bush: "Why did you kill my son?"
In an interview on CNN, she claimed Bush "acted like it was party" when she met him last year.
"It was -- you know, there was a lot of things said. We wanted to use the time for him to know that he killed an indispensable part of our family and humanity. And we wanted him to look at the pictures of Casey.
"He wouldn't look at the pictures of Casey. He didn't even know Casey's name. He came in the room and the very first thing he said is, 'So who are we honoring here?' He didn't even know Casey's name. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear anything about Casey. He wouldn't even call him 'him' or 'he.' He called him 'your loved one.'
Every time we tried to talk about Casey and how much we missed him, he would change the subject. And he acted like it was a party.
BLITZER: Like a party? I mean...
SHEEHAN: Yes, he came in very jovial, and like we should be happy that he, our son, died for his misguided policies. He didn't even pretend like somebody...
On her current media tour, Sheehan has not been asked to explain her twist on Bush; from praise to damnation!
Immigrants Make Up 15 Percent Of New Minnesota Mothers
A national report shows that immigrant mothers made up more than 15 percent of new mothers in Minnesota in 2002.
That compares with just 5 percent in 1990. The numbers were included in a report by the Center for Immigration Studies. Some of the state's hospitals are taking measures to keep up with the need of immigrant mothers. The Regions Hospital in St. Paul, for example, prepares folders of new baby information in five languages: Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Cambodian and Vietnamese. A report by the State Demographic Center in 2003 says foreign-born women in Minnesota had on average three children during their lifetime, compared with two children for women born in the United States.
The State Department issued an updated worldwide caution on terrorism yesterday, warning Americans about the threat of extremist violence against U.S. citizens and interests abroad.
The warning did not list countries, nor did department officials offer any additional specifics about threats. The statement said "current information" indicates that al Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups are planning attacks against U.S. interests in "multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East." The department's official caution, which supersedes an alert issued in March, said attacks against private and official targets could come in the form of assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings or bombings.
The targets could include places where Americans meet or visit, such as residential areas, hotels and restaurants, as well as places of worship, schools, clubs, business offices and public areas, the caution said. It also noted that "demonstrations and rioting" can occur with little or no warning. As causes of concern, the department cited spillover from the U.S. intervention in Iraq in and outside the Middle East, as well as other recent terrorist attacks in Europe. "Ongoing events in Iraq have resulted in demonstrations and associated violence in several countries; such events are likely to continue for the foreseeable future," the statement said. "U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security."
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlentysank an animal rights group's request.
Governor Tim Pawlenty
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals asked Pawlenty to declare walleye off-limits for fishing. PETA said a recent study showed fish are smart and feel pain. In a written statement, Pawlenty said, "The PETA 'Fish Empathy Project' is nutty and misses the mark." Pawlenty said PETA displayed "goofy judgment" and that fishing was not, as PETA claimed, the same as hooking a dog or cat through the mouth with a large hook and dragging it behind your car. "Minnesota cares for its natural resources and that fishing is part of our way of life," Pawlenty said. He concluded saying, "Because of the letter, I am going out for a walleye dinner tonight."
Fox Shrugs Off Closing Of U.S. Consulate In Nuevo Laredo
President Vicente Fox does not agree with and will not feel pressured by the U.S. decision to temporarily shut down its consulate in Nuevo Laredo given a wave of killings and drug-related mayhem gripping the border city, a top aide said today.
Presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar reiterated Mexico's branding of the weeklong closing of the consulate "extreme and not corresponding to reality." "While respecting the decision, the government of Mexico does not agree with it," Aguilar said at his daily briefing, adding that the U.S. decision does not change the stakes in the battle to restore order in Nuevo Laredo. "The presidency does not feel pressured," he said. More than 100 people have been killed in the city across from Laredo, Texas, since January, including 15 police officers. Authorities have blamed the violence on a fight between Mexico's two most powerful drug gangs to control smuggling routes into U.S. territory. On Monday, Fabian Medina, newly appointed spokesman for Attorney General Daniel Cabeza de Vaca, also criticized closing the consulate, saying such actions should only be taken "by countries in a situation of war or when violence is generalized or because of terrorist attacks." U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza last week ordered the Nuevo Laredo consulate to suspend all activities except for emergency services for American citizens for a week that began Monday. In a statement, Garza made reference to "continued violence along the border" and an "alarming incident" late Thursday in which a group of men arriving in several vehicles fired machine guns, grenades and a rocket launcher at a home neighbors say was a safe house for drug smugglers in southern Nuevo Laredo.
Aguilar said that during a regularly scheduled Cabinet meeting on security Monday, officials decided to "radicalize and deepen" a program which has seen federal agents and soldiers take on a larger role in stopping drug smuggling and violence in Nuevo Laredo, as well as other parts of the country. He said Public Safety Secretary Ramon Martin Huerta would announce details on stepping up the plan in coming weeks, but added that the new steps would not constitute a "militarization" of the country, nor include government-mandated curfews in especially dangerous areas. Nuevo Laredo is not the only place in Mexico that has seen extreme violence recently. During an attack on bettors in the western state of Jalisco before dawn Monday, two assailants lobbed grenades into a crowded cockfighting ring, killing four people and wounding 25 others. Federal prosecutors are investigating that case, and say drug smugglers may have been involved.
Efrain Limon, 29, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Limon has used heroin and crack for 13 years. The violence occurring in border towns and elsewhere in Mexico is not only because of the fight over drug trafficking routes, but also for sales to addicts like Limon.
Its Time To Tax The Churches!This Is Way Over The Line!
A controversial Kansas church plans to picket the funeral of a Moorhead, Minnesota Marine who was killed in Iraq. Sgt. Bryan Opskar was killed on July 23 when a roadside bomb exploded. A military spokesman says the 32-year-old Marine was conducting combat operations near Ar Rutbah, Iraq.
Sgt. Bryan Opskar
Ten ANTI-AMERICAN MUSLIM TERRORIST WANNABEES from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, plan to picket for 30 minutes before Opskar's funeral in Moorhead on Tuesday, said Shirley Phelps-Roper, church Propagandist and daughter of church minister. The church operates two anti-gay Web sites and links soldiers' deaths in Iraq to a bomb that exploded on its compound in 1995. A news release from the church says Opskar was killed by "by an IED (improvised explosive devices), like the IED America used to bomb our church, in a terroristic attempt to stop WBC's anti-gay preaching." "We may be pardoned for seeing a direct correlation between the Improvised Explosive Devices killing American kids in Iraq and the IED that nearly killed a sleeping Westboro baby August 20th 1995," the release said. Phelps-Roper said the group pickets only public funerals where the military promotes the war and downplays the situation in Iraq. The funeral of Opskar, of the 2nd Marine Division out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Trinity Lutheran Church. The Moorhead Police Department will send more officers to Opskar's funeral to prevent any conflict between the mourners and the picketers, said police Sgt. Chris Carey. Police also will videotape the picketing, he said. Carey also advised mourners to ignore the picketers. "If somebody was to address the West Baptist Church, they're playing right into what they would like," he said. "The best thing to do is ignore the message they're sending. They're an extremely small minority from the United States that feels that way." Opskar's father, Erling Opskar, did not return a phone message left by The Forum of Fargo. In 1998, the church picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student whose murder sparked a national outcry for hate-crimes legislation. More recently, the group carried signs that read "America is Doomed" and "God Hates Fags" at a soldier's funeral in Oklahoma last week. On Thursday, services will be held for Opskar in Princeton, where he grew up.
Democratic partisan hack Helen Thomas is plenty peeved at her longtime friend Albert Eisele, editor of THE HILL newspaper in Washington, D.C. In a column this week headlined "Reporter: Cheney's Not Presidential Material," Eisele quoted Thomas as saying "The day Dick Cheney is going to run for president, I'll kill myself."
Helen Thomas
Thomas also said: "I think he'd like to run, but it would be a sad day for the country if he does," according to Eisele's column. But Thomas said yesterday at the White House that her comments to Eisele were for his ears only. "I'll never talk to a reporter again!" Thomas was overheard saying. "We were just talking -- I was ranting -- and he wrote about it. That isn't right. We all say stuff we don't want printed," Thomas said. But Eisele said that when he called Thomas, "I assume she knew that we were on the record." "She's obviously very upset about it, but it was a small item" until The O'Connor Factor "picked it up and broadcast it across the universe," Eisele said. Still, he noted that reporters aren't that happy when the tables are turned. "Nobody has thinner skin than reporters," Eisele said with a laugh.
Vice President Dick Cheney pins the bronze star on Air Force Maj. Brian S. Robinson for helping plan more than 1,400 air missions over Iraq
