HEADLINES 

Daniel Ellsberg : Leak against this war : US and British officials must expose their leaders' lies about Iraq - as I did over Vietnam. I served three US presidents - Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon - who lied repeatedly and blatantly about our reasons for entering Vietnam, and the risks in our staying there. For the past year, I have found myself in the horrifying position of watching history repeat itself.

Iraq: Water, sickness, and a brewing Storm: I am here to state, unequivocally, that 100% of the people I spoke with in this area south of Baghdad have stated that their living conditions are worse now than when Saddam was in power. 

Our doubts about Dr Kelly's suicide : As specialist medical professionals, we do not consider the evidence given at the Hutton inquiry has demonstrated that Dr David Kelly committed suicide.

Noam Chomsky: What a fair trial for Saddam would entail: In a (virtually unimaginable) fair trial for Saddam, a defence attorney could quite rightly call to the stand Colin Powell, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, George Bush I and other high officials who provided significant support for the dictator, even through his worst atrocities.

Authorities Missed Al Qaeda Clues, 9/11 Panel Says: Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the suspected mastermind of the Sept. 11 plot, obtained a visa to come to the United States just weeks before the attacks despite being under a federal terrorism indictment, a report by the federal commission investigating the attacks revealed Monday.

US bust in 2005 under Bush: Soros: Billionaire financier George Soros has criticised US President George Bush's foreign policy and said the Administration's economic plan would cause a "boom in 2004 and bust in 2005".

Thompson rips veep's ex-firm : New York City's controller accused Vice President Cheney's former employer Halliburton yesterday of taking blood money from state sponsors of terrorism, such as Iran and Libya.

Govt Denies Fraud In 1953 State Secrets Ruling: Guarding The Guardians: We find ourselves facing what would appear to be the military-industrial complex engaged in the second great corporate power grab in American history. After all, it's not much of an exaggeration to say that the executive branch today is essentially owned by the military-industrial complex.

FBI tipster says he broke law: He claims agent directed him to steal mail from Arabs considered terror suspects

Getting carded Some permanent residents of Canada are nervous about the new identification card they are required to carry. If this new card is only supposed to contain basic biographical information -- gender, marital status, height, nationality, citizenship and eye colour -- why can its shiny, silver stripe hold the equivalent of 1,500 pages of information?

State running background checks on new parents : A new state program intended to protect newborn babies runs background checks on their parents to determine whether they have a history of child abuse that resulted in termination of their parental rights.

Bush's Desolate Imperium: Only Fidel Castro, it would appear, has had kind words for our 43rd President. "Hopefully, he is not as stupid as he seems, nor as Mafia-like as his predecessors were." Vain hopes. In a mere three years, President Bush has compiled a record of disasters that Fidel could only envy.

In case you missed it: Friendly Fascism: The New Face of Power in America: "As long as an economic system provides an acceptable degree of security, growing material wealth and opportunity for further increase for the next generation, the average American does not ask who is running things or what goals are being pursued." This is a must read

In case you missed it: Fascism Anyone?: Fascism’s principles are wafting in the air today, surreptitiously masquerading as something else, challenging everything we stand for.

Ottawa accused of censoring Arar file: The federal government has censored Maher Arar's consular files for public consumption while providing an uncensored version to the RCMP, according to Ottawa researcher Ken Rubin.

01/26/04: Five Killed in Iraq's Sunni Triangle: A roadside bomb has killed an Iraqi man as he stepped off a bus in the town of Ramadi, west of Baghdad, just hours after gunmen killed four Iraqi policemen at a checkpoint in the same area.

Rights group: Iraq invasion not justified: The war in Iraq ended a brutal regime but there were no ongoing human rights violations on a scale which could justify the US-led invasion, Human Rights Watch has said in its annual report.

Japan Reportedly Pays € 75 million protection money to Iraqis to Guard Self Defense Forces : The Japanese government is reportedly paying approximately 10 billion yen (€ 75 million) to Iraqi tribal leaders to provide bodyguards for the Self Defense Forces (SDF) in Iraq. A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office said: "It is rather cheap if we can buy security for our soldiers with that amount of money.

Hutton reveals timetable of report's release : Lord Hutton will deliver a statement giving a "substantial" summary of his report into the death of weapons expert David Kelly at 12.30pm on Wednesday

U.S. suspects Iraqi moles at Baghdad headquarters: Some senior administration officials suspect that Saddam Hussein's followers have penetrated the coalition headquarters in Baghdad and passed information to guerrilla fighters.

Last refuge : "I'm telling them to go to their clergy, go to their commanding officers, and to claim conscientious objection while in the military, and to fight it out like that. But if they're considering pulling the trigger on themselves, I'm telling them to desert.

Roadside bomb kills Iraqi as U.S. forces search for 3 missing soldiers : U.S. Forces aided by Iraqis searched the muddy waters of the Tigris River on Monday in northern Iraq for a soldier and two pilots missing after a helicopter crashed while searching for a patrol boat that had capsized.

Kay: Lack Of Iraqi WMD Requires Review: U.S. intelligence agencies need to explain why their research indicated Iraq possessed banned weapons before the American-led invasion, says the outgoing top U.S. inspector, who now believes Saddam Hussein had no such arms.

In case you missed it: The Vanishing Case for War: Iraq's weapons of mass destruction didn't exist. This discovery ought to put the American people on constructive notice that the functioning of our democracy is threatened by the nexus of the White House and a too-pliant CIA. This is a must read:

Cheney 'waged war' on Blair Iraq strategy: Dick Cheney, US vice-president, "waged a guerrilla war" against attempts by Tony Blair, the British prime minister, to secure United Nations backing for the invasion of Iraq.

Cheney: US democratic reform demand: Vice President Dick Cheney asked the EU to join the US in pressing for democratic reform from Iran to Mauritania. "If they (Americans) want to produce democracy in the Middle East, they'd better do it first in Iraq as they promised," Arab League Secretary General Amr Musa told Reuters.

The CIA revolt against the White House: Former intelligence official Larry C. Johnson blasts the Bush administration's "outright pattern of bullying." In my view, this administration is actually involved with aiding and abetting terrorists -- because when you expose clandestine human intelligence sources, you aid and abet terrorists.

UK: Pressure mounting over WMD doubt: Lewis Moonie, a former defence minister who was part of Mr Blair's team at the time of the conflict, said the government may soon have to concede it was wrong on its main justification for war.

To Germans, U.S. Motives Now Suspect: "We've gone from the lighthouse on the hill to an image of an aggressive imperial force that wants to control the world that uses everything from ICBMs to Starbucks coffee to get people to tow the line," says John Kornblum, a former American assistant secretary of state who now heads the Berlin office of the international investment bank Lazard

Australia: Howard defiant over Iraq war involvement "If you're going to send Australians off to a conflict and the primary reason was to identify and eliminate these weapons of mass destruction and then subsequently, that's an invalid reason and purpose, then you've got to up front and honest - talk to the Australian people about what went wrong."

Throwing the book at our leaders: What’s got into the world when those who claim to be fearless in pursuit of the truth – the great and glorious media, schooled, we are told in the art of assembling the dissembled – are afraid to utter the word lie. LIE!

US must quit Iraq before vote, say Sunnis : An influential Sunni Muslim group in Iraq said yesterday it was opposed to partial elections scheduled for the summer and wanted a vote taken only when American forces had left the country.

"The Greatest Country in the World": America no longer resembles the America that, for all its problems, was once "the greatest country in the world" and many Americans have not yet noticed. Post World War II concepts of family and community have been destroyed to make way for the brave new world of crony capitalism and Old Testament religion in the White House.

George Soros: The US is now in the hands of a group of extremists : Fundamentalism has spawned an ideology of American supremacy

Charley Reese: No Stinking Empire: The truth is quite simple: An empire increases the danger for the American people, as empires always make more enemies than friends, not to mention inciting envy and hatred. Maintaining an empire will eventually break us, as it has every single empire of the past.

Masterful Machiavellianism: Machiavellianism: The political doctrine of Machiavelli, which denies the relevance of morality in political affairs and holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing and maintaining political power.

The Dangers of Insanity: John Ashcroft and U.S. History: The American imperial grand strategy (Chomsky) is being tested today, just as it was tested in Vietnam. My suggestion for all who believe in self-determination, multi-lateralism, international law, and goodwill among nations, is to begin our oppositional conception of American foreign policy by taking some concrete first steps.

Are Parallels To Nazi Germany Crazy? : My conclusion is that some comparisons between modern times and Nazi Germany are valid, and some are not. Enough are valid, in my opinion, however, for us to be wary, and as vigilant as humanly possible.

U.S. Probes Killings of 4 Iraqis in Taxi : Iraqi police accuse American soldiers traveling in a northbound military convoy of killing the Iraqis, including a woman and a 7-year-old boy.

Iraq: Truck Drivers Wanted. $125,000 per Year Iraqi's Need Not Apply

General: Fielding an Iraqi army could take 3-5 years : Iraq's newly forming armed forces might take longer to create than initially estimated and require untold millions of dollars, the director of the Iraqi military training program said Thursday.

Immunity Pact For American Troops in Iraq Still Unsettled : The United States has yet to begin serious negotiations with Iraqis on an agreement to guarantee that American troops in Iraq will remain immune from arrest and prosecution by local authorities once a new Baghdad government takes over in June, according to U.S. and Iraqi officials.

The Nanny in Chief: Bush thinks he knows what's good for you, and he'll spend money to prove it. There's a strange exception to the Bush doctrine. It ends when you reach America's shores. Within the U.S., the Bush Administration has shown an unusually hostile attitude toward the exercise of personal freedom.

Hill Budget Office Sees 10-Year Deficits : Federal deficits will total nearly $2.4 trillion over the next decade, the Congressional Budget Office projected Monday, a worsening of nearly $1 trillion since its last forecast in August.

The Folly of Fingerprinting: The U.S. federal government has "a master list of 5 million people worldwide thought to be potential terrorists or criminals." Five million people! Exactly how is this list being assembled? No wonder they're calling in the SWAT teams over 5-year-olds and Welsh insurance agents.

Guantanamo Spy Cases Evaporate : Chaplain and Arabic Translator Are Now Facing Only Lesser Charges

Hamas Proposes 10-Year Truce for Israeli Pullback : A top official of the main Palestinian militant group, Hamas, has said it could declare a 10-year truce with Israel if the Jewish state withdrew from territory occupied since 1967.

Gadhafi says world is 'deaf and blind' to Israel's WMDs : "I would say that there is a terrorism of individuals and a state terrorism; both need to be stopped. If someone destroys an inhabited building with an air-launched missile you cannot say that it is not terrorism," he said.

Lieberman Lodges Protest With CNN Over "Jew Question": US Senator Joseph Lieberman complained to CNN on Friday after the cable news channel's anchor, Bill Hemmer, asked the Democratic presidential candidate how he felt "as a Jew" about the security fence.

01/25/04: 'Little point' in WMD search : The sharp change in emphasis by the CIA-directed Iraq Survey Group follows the admission on Friday by its outgoing leader, Dr David Kay, that his 1,000-man organisation had not found evidence of stockpiles, and that he now believed they had never existed.

Powell: Possible Iraq Had No Banned Arms : Secretary of State Colin Powel held out the possibility Saturday that prewar Iraq may not have possessed weapons of mass destruction.

Iraq's WMD: the big lie?: The justification for war: With the resignation of David Kay from the Iraq Survey Group, the pressure could not be greater on Blair to explain where he got the idea that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

UK: Spy chiefs warn PM: don’t blame us for war : BRITISH intelligence chiefs launched a pre-emptive strike against Tony Blair last night, ahead of the publication of the Hutton report, and blamed the government for pressurising them into cherry-picking intelligence to justify the war on Iraq.

Betrayed: The 50 lies, exaggerations, distortions and half truths that took this country to war

 Profiles of Americans Who Have Died: The death toll in Iraq for U.S. armed forces now stands at 500. The following bios represent all but the last few who've died:

Bush's Military Record Reveals Grounding and Absence for Two Full Years: The first independent investigation of Bush's military record by a former Air National Guard pilot has revealed the following

Army Copter With 2 Pilots Crashes in Iraq: A U.S. military helicopter crashed Sunday in the Tigris River in the northern town of Mosul while searching for a soldier, and both pilots were missing, a spokeswoman said.

U.S. Arrests Nearly 50 in Iraq; GI Dies: A U.S. soldier died Sunday of wounds suffered in a grenade attack on his Bradley vehicle that was patrolling a central Iraqi town of Beiji

Female GIs reporting rapes by U.S. soldiers: Female troops serving in Iraq are reporting an insidious enemy in their own camps: fellow American soldiers who sexually assault them.

Stress epidemic strikes American forces in Iraq: Up to one in five of the American military personnel in Iraq will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, say senior forces' medical staff dealing with the psychiatric fallout of the war.

Kucinich says Iraq policy will lead to military draft : America's policy in Iraq will lead to a resumption of the military draft, Democrat Dennis Kucinich told high school and college students Saturday.

Why democracy will fail in Iraq: President Bush dragged our nation into this hornets' nest by misleading us over weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussein's connection to terrorism; now all he has left as a justification for 500 dead American soldiers is Iraq's democratization.

Saddam's WMD hidden in Syria, says Iraq survey chief: David Kay, the former head of the coalition's hunt for Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, yesterday claimed that part of Saddam Hussein's secret weapons programme was hidden in Syria.

Chaos Under Heaven, and More to Come: Not content with the mounting signs of civil war in Iraq, however, the Pentagon, presumably with the help of Vice President Dick Cheney's office, was reported this week by Jane's Intelligence Digest to be drawing up plans for carrying out raids on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and Syria, in what would be a notable expansion of Bush's "war on terror."

Syria denies receiving Iraq arms: Syria has strongly denied allegations that it has been harbouring Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

Christian Evangelicals in Iraq: A Time-Bomb Waiting to Explode: The humanitarian aid work is the cover for the real agenda (which is converting Muslims to Christianity). The whole concept reveals a lot of racism, paternalism, arrogance, and ignorance. It is racist because it implicitly assumes that these Middle Eastern Arabs are not at the superior spiritual levels of whites (as measured by attaining Christian submission to Jesus Christ and his teachings).

Bush's move-on mantra bludgeons democracy: Stephen Kinzer's book documenting the CIA's 1953 coup in Iran provides a footprint to the current mess in Iraq

Iraqi informer's family is marked for death : Nawaf al-Zaidan earned $30m by leading the US to Saddam's sons. Now local tribes have sworn revenge

In case you missed it: The Bush Plan for America: The Rise of an American National Security State: Americans may not realize it yet, but the United States under Bush is already more than three-quarters of the way down the road to fascism. This is no conspiracy theory, no leftist complaint, no bleeding-heart sentiment. The facts are all there, but Americans do not yet see this ominous truth.

In case you missed it: Video: Despotism & Democracy : Nations can be measured by the degree that power is concentrated and respect for the individual is restricted. Where does your community, state and nation stand on these scales?

Missing in action - The Press: The US Press has not seriously considered how it came to be that more than one half of all Americans believe that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 9/11 atrocity. That fact is the world's greatest monument to the effect of propaganda, originated by the Bush administration and fed to the American people by a supine and corrupt press.

Military Acknowledges Massive Supply Problems in Iraq War: At least $1.2 billion worth of supplies got lost, according to an audit by the General Accounting Office.

President seeks 7 percent spending increase for Pentagon : The Bush administration wants to boost military spending by 7 percent to nearly $402 billion in fiscal 2005, the Pentagon said yesterday. That would take the defense budget to levels exceeding those at the height of the Cold War.

Our Man in Baku: Azerbaijan, might look like a good place for President Bush to start implementing his frequently declared policy of "spreading freedom" to the world -- and in particular the greater Middle East. Instead he is doing the opposite.

Doing Business With The Enemy : (CBS) 60 Minutes reveals how, thanks to 401(k)s, pension plans and mutual funds, ordinary Americans are unwittingly investing in companies that are doing business in terrorist-sponsoring states.

Halliburton wins Iraq deal despite price gouging : The Bush administration knew that Halliburton had overcharged the US government on an Iraq reconstruction contract before it awarded the company a separate lucrative contract last week to repair Iraqi oilfields.

Whistleblower Coming In Cold From the F.B.I.: Sibel Edmonds says she was shocked at the lack of security in the F.B.I.'s counterintelligence squad when she went to work there shortly after Sept. 11. But when she spoke up, she was canned.

What the outposts teach : It turns out that the war for the dismantling of the outposts - such dismantling being a promise made by Israel in the days of the road map, and before them - is a lie.

A necessary argument : Killing people is wrong. Full stop. But it is clearly also sometimes possible to understand why people do it. On occasion, though without ever condoning the killing, it is even possible to sympathise with what drove them to it.

Canada: A search they'll come to regret: By figuratively kicking down Ottawa Citizen reporter Juliet O'Neill's door, the RCMP did two things it will regret: It pushed Paul Martin's new government into its first home-grown crisis and focused public attention on intrusive security measures that the country had until Wednesday chosen to largely ignore.

Top White House aide defends outsourcing : Call against Bill to prohibit government jobs from being sent overseas. Contracting jobs overseas is 'simply the latest manifestation of free trade', a top White House economic aide said in defence of a practice used by American companies.

High-end jobs moving overseas : More than 150 corporate executives, many paying $1,400 a head, listened intently for tips on how to move jobs overseas effectively.

Left behind in the U.S.A.: Up until two years ago, Odell had a good-paying job with full benefits making printing presses at the Goss factory in town. Then one day, Goss padlocked the gates of its factory and announced that its operations were moving to China.

Corporate profits grow but wages stall: The following statements are both true. Corporate profits are at a record high. Wages are growing at the slowest pace in a decade.

10 days, 4,600 jobs lost : There's no doubt the past 10 days have been brutal ones in West Michigan. And with stock indexes rising and many experts predicting economic recovery on the horizon, Walker and others are asking: What's going on?

Illinois has lost more than 154,000 manufacturing jobs since 1999, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. These days, manufacturing's so-called "jobless recovery" extends even to those firms that are growing.

Wilsons Leather cutting 100 stores, 1,000 jobs: Wilsons The Leather Experts is closing about 100 stores, nearly 20 percent of its total, and is eliminating more than 1,000 jobs after a dismal holiday season.

Needed shelters face opposition in suburbs: Advocates for the homeless say opponents don't realize that many people in shelters are working men and women, and families. That is especially true of suburban shelters, he said, where more than half of the people enter with family members.

Newsweek Poll: 52 Percent of Voters Don't Want to See Bush Re-Elected

America's Prison Habit : Since 1980 the U.S. prison and jail population has quadrupled in size to more than 2 million. In the process, prisons have embedded themselves into the nation's economic and social fabric. A powerful lobby has grown up around the prison system that will fight hard to protect the status quo.

01/24/05: Saddam's WMD never existed, says chief American arms inspector: David Kay, who stood down yesterday as head of the Bush administration's hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, said that he did not believe that any stockpiles of such weapons ever existed.

New WMD blow for Blair : Survey chief resigns saying Iraq never had stockpiles

US chief Iraq arms expert quits: The head of the team searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, David Kay, has resigned. Mr Kay said he did not believe Iraq possessed large stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons.

Annan: Iraq weapons report should be taken seriously: United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan has said a statement by the outgoing chief US arms hunter that Iraq had no stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction should be taken seriously.

"It's Just Wrong What We're Doing": In an exclusive interview, repentant Vietnam War architect Robert McNamara breaks his silence on Iraq: The United States, he says, is making the same mistakes all over again. 'Yet we were wrong, terribly wrong. We owe it to future generations to explain why."

Blair 'must admit WMD defeat': Opposition MPs have called for a public inquiry : The prime minister must admit defeat on the issue of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, Robin Cook has demanded.

Cheney Delusional? : Cheney claims al Qaeda link to Hussein : He also says regime had program for prohibited weapons

Exposing The Lies: Cheney's Iraq Deceptions Leave NPR Speechless

A History Of Lies: WMD, Who Said What and When ?

Lone Cowboy : US Vice President Dick Cheney, seeking to erase the image of the United States as a lone cowboy, called for increased world cooperation and effective international institutions to help wage its war on terrorism. Cheney, a main architect of the controversial US doctrine of pre-emptive military strikes, reiterated Washington's readiness to use force if necessary.

Who pays for the lies?: Five More GIs, several Iraqi civilians killeed In Iraq: A car bomb exploded on Saturday in Khaldiyah, a town west of Baghdad, killing three American soldiers and injuring six soldiers and several Iraqi civilians, the military said. Two other American soldiers were killed earlier Saturday in a roadside bombing near Fallujah.

Who pays for the lies?: Images Of War & "Bring Them On" Picture Album

Royal Flush: Out of the blood and murk of Iraq, yet another sinister connection is emerging, a skein of corruption tying Dick Cheney's Halliburton, the Bush Family fortunes -- and a mysterious Kuwaiti company that peddles material for building weapons of mass destruction.

The New Inquisition: According to the old saying, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. The problem is that in much of the world, and particularly in the United States, the designated watchmen of the public interest are asleep at their posts.

Ex-U.N. arms expert to head U.S. hunt in Iraq : Despite the many reports he had written for the United Nations on Iraq's arms, Duelfer recently expressed doubts unconventional weapons will ever be found.

In case you missed it: Kay: Iraq search team making significant finds - Oct. 5, 2003

In case you missed it: Inspector Optimistic About Iraq WMD Hunt: David Kay (search), a former chief weapons inspector for the United Nations, said his search team is making new discoveries everyday that help expose "the full extent and nature of Saddam [Hussein]'s program." August 01, 2003

Ashcroft Says U.S. Not Greedy for Empire: "If you look at the United States and its performance, and where it is in the world and what it does in the world, it's not an aggressor," Ashcroft told the World Economic Forum in Davos. See also:

Iraq Shiites split over UN: Radical Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr branded the UN a "dishonest" body which served America's agenda and had no role to play in future Iraqi elections.

Key US Iraq ally backs Shia chief's elections demand : Ahmad Chalabi, one of Washington's staunchest allies on Iraq's interim Governing Council, on Friday added to Washington's difficulties with its exit strategy from Baghdad by joining calls for direct elections before the country returns to self-rule.

US, Hat In Hand, Back At UN : It is with a certain air of controlled desperation that the Bush administration has asked for a bailout in Iraq from the long-scorned United Nations. Having invaded Iraq without a UN mandate last March, the administration didn't think to mention any role for the world organization when Administrator Paul Bremer reached an agreement with the American-created Iraqi Governing Council last November for a transfer of sovereignty less than six months from now.

Of course the White House fears free elections in Iraq : Only an appointocracy can be trusted to accept US troops and corporations

German trial hears how Iranian agent warned US of impending al-Qaida attack : The United States was warned of impending September 11 terrorist attacks by an Iranian spy, but ignored him, German secret service agents testified yesterday in the trial of an alleged al-Qaida terrorist.

The Finality of Evil : America vs. Human Nature : From the audacious title, to an opening that quotes Thomas Paine's rebuke of the "sunshine patriot," to a proposal for immediately widening the war against al-Qaeda to include Hamas and Hezbollah, An End to Evil is a worthy election-year polemic from Richard Perle and David Frum.

Cherie [Blair] said Bush 'stole' power and tackled him on executions: : TONY BLAIR has been embarrassed by his wife’s displays of open animosity towards President Bush, according to a forthcoming biography of the Prime Minister.

Afghan probe into children killed by US attack : Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Saturday that his government had launched an inquiry into allegations that US troops killed 11 civilians, including women and children, during a recent operation.

In case you missed it: John Pilger: Power, Propaganda and Conscience in The War On Terror. A must read

National Guard survey hints at exodus : A recent survey of 5,000 soldiers from 15 states showed that the rate at which Army Guard members choose to leave the military could jump — to 20-22% a year

Arafat: Time running out for two-state solution : Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat told a British newspaper in an interview published Saturday that "time is running out for the two-state solution," and blamed Israel's construction of the West Bank separation fence and its settlement policy.

Too late for two states?: It's scarcely surprising that Palestinian enthusiasm for the two-state consensus is eroding. The Oslo agreement may have brought the Palestinian leadership home, but it also required them to act as security sub-contractors for Israel in what amounted to a souped-up colony.

Washington Trades Human Rights for Oil in Azerbaijan: "In light of President Bush's recent statements on democracy in neighboring countries in the Middle East, U.S. inaction on Azerbaijan is particularly troubling." More on this topic.

Uzbeks Fear a Georgia-Style Revolution: The Uzbek government is seeking to tighten control over international human rights and democracy organizations, fearing that some are promoting a revolution similar to that in Georgia two months ago, officials with the groups said. Background on Uzbekistan

Computer Reportedly Seized From Frist's Office: Federal investigators reportedly have seized a staff computer in Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's office in a probe to find Republican aides who improperly accessed Democrats' memos on opposing judicial nominees.

The Other America: Either the president doesn't get it, or he is deliberately ignoring the hard times that have enveloped millions of Americans on his watch.

Huge layoffs expected at Kraft Foods: Kraft Foods Inc. is expected to announce thousands of job cuts early next week as part of Chief Executive Roger Deromedi's plan to cut costs and put more muscle into marketing.

Ford To Announce Layoffs Monday: Ford says the layoffs would start April 26th.

Packing Plant Layoffs: A Des Moines' Iowa Packing Company has been sold, and half of the more than 500 employees may not get their jobs back.

934 jobs to be lost due to Citibank decision: Citibank is closing a credit-card operations center in Trevose, Pa., resulting in the loss of 934 jobs.

Alltel To Eliminate Up To Six Hundred Positions Nationwide : The Little Rock-based company expects to let go of 400 to 600 employees, as they consolidate parts of the wireless and wireline divisions.

Meijer cuts workers, more layoffs planned: The family-owned and operated grocery and general merchandise retailer operates 158 stores throughout Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio

Motorola to close Boynton plant, with 240 laid off : Of the 370 jobs at the cell-phone plant in Quantum Park, 240 people will be laid off

Sears cuts 240 call center jobs: For the second time this week, hundreds of workers at a call center in Louisville are being laid off as a national company consolidates its support operations in other cities.

Laid-Off Workers Just Can’t Find Comparable Jobs: For millions of Americans today, being employed means lowering your expectations.

State jobless rate climbs to 7.2% : - Michigan was a lousy place to find work in 2003. But the climate for job-seekers became even bleaker last month as the state's unemployment rate jumped to 7.2 percent

US fast-tracks 'dirty bomb' case : The US Supreme Court has promised a prompt hearing for the government's appeal against the release of "dirty bomb" suspect Jose Padilla.

Canada: Police conducted three other searches in leak probe, records indicate: "There should have been a rigorous balancing of freedom of the press, when a confidential source was at stake, before those warrants were issued,"

UK: Tonge sacked over suicide comment: Jenny Tonge has been asked by Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy to quit his front bench following her remarks about Palestinian suicide bombers.

Helicopter Crashes in Iraq; 2 Pilots Dead : A U.S. Army OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter crashed Friday in northern Iraq, killing the two pilots, the U.S. military said.

Shiite Leader Rejects U.S. Plan for Iraq : The U.S.-backed plan for handing over power to Iraqis is unacceptable as it stands, according to a top Shiite Muslim leader who met with President Bush this week.

Iraq Office Explosion Kills Two Men : A bomb planted in a meeting room exploded after a meeting of the Iraqi Communist Party, killing two men in an an apparent attack on supporters of the U.S.-backed government, officials said Friday.

Two Halliburton employees accepted kickbacks : Two Halliburton Co. officials accepted up to $6 million in kickbacks from a Kuwaiti company that was awarded contracts to supply U.S. troops in Iraq, according to a newspaper report.

Wars 'useful', says US army chief: General Peter Schoomaker said in an interview with AP news agency that the wars had allowed the army to instil its soldiers with a "warrior ethos".

Archbishop Desmond Tutu says Tony Blair and George Bush should admit the war in Iraq was wrong. Archbishop calls on Blair to admit Iraq war was wrong He said such a move would help persuade the people of Iraq the coalition is serious about the future of the country.

Iraqi police walk perilous beat: At least 280 Iraqi police have been killed since the fall of Baghdad in April, 2003.

Soldiers' flights home still left unpaid: To the great irritation of Minnesota's two U.S. senators, the Pentagon still won't reimburse the full travel costs of many U.S. troops who have taken breaks from wartime duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rumsfeld considers striking Hizbullah to provoke Syria: US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is considering provoking a military confrontation with Syria by attacking Hizbullah bases near the Syrian border in Lebanon, according to the authoritative London-based Jane's Intelligence Digest.

Next stop Syria? Washington's post-9/11 war on terror is finished. But another has only just begun

Top U.S. Politician: Iraq WMD May Have Gone to Syria : U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Pat Roberts said there was some concern Iraqi weapons of mass destruction had gone to Syria, and Washington vowed to carry on searching for such arms in Iraq.

Detainee cases hit court: The justices are preparing to take up cases this spring that will test the very foundation of American government - the balance of power between the courts, Congress, and the White House. At issue is whether President Bush is acting within his constitutional authority as commander in chief in ordering the indefinite detention of those he has designated "enemy combatants."

Guantanamo: a symbol of US loss of values: The US does not believe the old rules apply in the war against terror. Given enough time and enough pressure, even the innocent will confess to something - anything just to end the isolation and deprivation.

Musharraf Says Appears Scientists Sold Secrets : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said on Friday it appeared Pakistani scientists had sold nuclear secrets abroad, but reiterated Islamabad's position that there had been no official involvement.

Army, NASA ink partnership for space technology : An Army research and development center has entered a partnership with NASA to provide technology to the Space Shuttle program, and at the same time, transfer NASA technology to Army ground vehicle development.

Plan to open Alaska to more oil, gas development finished: Interior Secretary Gale Norton signed off on a plan Thursday for opening most of an 8.8 million-acre swath of Alaska's North Slope to oil and gas development. Some of the drilling could occur in areas important for migratory birds, whales and wildlife.

Senate Approves Huge Spending Bill After Democrats' Delay: The Senate gave President Bush and his Republican allies a victory today by approving an $820 billion spending bill covering more than a dozen federal departments and agencies in the fiscal year that began almost four months ago.

Bush's $5 trillion problem: Rising deficit troubles GOP: "It's a system that's completely out of control, and it's an absolute disgrace," says Sen. John McCain (R) of Arizona, commenting on the runaway spending on Capitol Hill.

Moving jobs abroad: More interest than ever from corporate America: Increasingly, U.S. corporations are farming out programming, customer support, data entry and various back-office jobs to lower-paid workers in countries as diverse as India, Romania and Ghana. The average programmer commands $60 an hour in the United States, six times the rate in India.

Agents told to be silent on details of border plan : The Bush administration's proposal to offer amnesty to illegal immigrant workers has prompted federal officials to instruct border patrol agents not to disclose information that might reflect poorly on the idea, a government document shows.

Bush’s Democracy: In his State of the Union address, the American president linked the absence of democracy in the Middle East with the terrorism phenomenon threatening Americans. It does not matter here that the Israeli occupation of Palestine is terrorism itself, that some founders of the Jewish state, Washington's staunchest ally, were the first to introduce terrorism to the Middle East in the 1940s

'Jewish lobby' is an anti-Semitic term, says US diplomat: A senior US diplomat in London has ruffled feathers in Britain's foreign policy establishment by publicly implying that a reference to the "Jewish lobby" in the United States is an anti-Semitic remark.

British MP in 'suicide' bomb row: A British parliamentarian has said she would consider becoming a "suicide bomber" if she were a Palestinian. Jenny Tonge MP told a British satellite channel on Thursday that she understood the attackers' "desperation".

'Bush as popular as Jesus' : "Jesus got exactly the same number of votes as George Bush junior"

Last-Minute Immigration Fix: Days from deportation, German woman to stay

Israel: The heart breaks : Mohammed Araj was six and a half, and carefully protected by his father; But it wasn't enough: The soldier emerged from the alley between their house and the cemetery at the edge of Balata camp, and shot him once, straight to the heart.

U.S. made Iraq a hotbed of terrorism: Russia: In its most damning indictment of the U.S war in Iraq yet, Russia accused the U.S. of putting Iraq on the brink of disintegration and turning it into a hotbed of terrorism and instability that may fuse with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Doubt over N Korea's ability on nuclear bomb: Siegfried Hecker, former head of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, said he had seen no evidence that North Korea had the ability to build and deliver a nuclear bomb.

The choices are clear: Tyranny or Enlightenment : What has galled me to no end this political season is the utter and shameful failure of the political opposition to correctly and courageously define the colossal criminality of the present administration in Washington, particularly the failures to notify all Americans that the U.S. is waging wars and squandering the lives of its own children in unjustifiable attacks on innocent people in faraway lands. 

Maureen Dowd: Riding the Crazy Train: Can you believe President Bush is still pushing the cockamamie claim that we went to war in Iraq with a real coalition rather than a gaggle of poodles and lackeys?

Bush act starts to wear thin: Non-Americans tuning in to George W. Bush's State of the Union address would have been disappointed. Even allowing for his domestic needs in an election year, it was riddled with disingenuous, at times dishonest, formulations as well as logical inconsistencies.

Occupational hazards : It is not just the Shias. Iraqis of all political, ethnic and religious persuasions want their country back. Most are glad that the dictator has gone. Most want an end to the US-led occupation. There is no contradiction in this.

War is the ultimate crime: Instead of lofty notions like "freedom," this strategy aims to defend "vital interests" such as "ensuring uninhibited access to key markets, energy supplies and strategic resources." Such a plan involves constructing a world system "open to U.S. economic penetration and political control, tolerating no rivals or threats,"

John Pilger: Power, Propaganda and Conscience in The War On Terror: I am a reporter, who values bearing witness. That is to say, I place paramount importance in the evidence of what I see, and hear, and sense to be the truth, or as close to the truth as possible. By comparing this evidence with the statements, and actions of those with power, I believe it's possible to assess fairly how our world is controlled and divided, and manipulated - and how language and debate are distorted and a false consciousness developed. This is a must read

The US war on a way of life: Al-Qaeda is the title given to a small group of people, but with the unfolding US “war on terror” many people have unknowingly become part of a broader Al-Qaeda movement against global tyranny. The US flawed definition of enemy is fast labeling more and more supporters and activists for justice and peace as Al-Qaeda terrorists.

Arundhati Roy: The New American Century: In the great cities of Europe and America, where a few years ago these things would only have been whispered, now people are openly talking about the good side of imperialism and the need for a strong empire to police an unruly world. The new missionaries want order at the cost of justice. Discipline at the cost of dignity. And ascendancy at any price.

Bush's New Middle East : If only the gathering discontent over Iraq could be tidily relegated to the "against us" corner of the world; if only allies could be shocked and awed into consenting to U.S. policies; if only democracy could be established by the point of a gun, then President Bush could declare his preemptive war doctrine a triumph.

Surprise witness to link Iran to September 11 hijacks: The trial of the second person charged by German authorities as an accomplice of the September 11 hijackers was thrown into turmoil when prosecutors revealed there was a surprise witness purporting to link Iran to the hijackings.

No truth to rumor bin Laden captured - U.S. official : There is no truth to a rumor in the foreign exchange markets that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been captured, a U.S. official said on Thursday.

Cartoon: What about Osama?

House panel prepares House for catastrophic attack: A House committee recommended legislation Wednesday that would provide for fast special elections if a terrorist attack killed or incapacitated many House members.

Truth Or Fiction: STEVEN Brill had a summit meeting of TV anchormen and their bosses over dinner at his Fifth Avenue apartment on Tuesday night with Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge to discuss how they'll cover the next terrorist attack.

In case you missed it: Called Off the Trail?: FBI Agents Probing Terror Links Say They Were Told, ‘Let Sleeping Dogs Lie’ "September the 11th is a direct result of the incompetence of the FBI's International Terrorism Unit. No doubt about that. Absolutely no doubt about that," Wright said. "You can't know the things I know and not go public."

Bush Proposes Increase in Homeland Security Funds : President Bush, on Thursday proposed a 9.7 percent increase in homeland security spending but said the main focus of U.S. efforts against terrorism still will be abroad

U.S. Cities Still Waiting for Security Funds: Money to tighten security and boost counterterrorism capacity in U.S. cities has started to trickle down to local governments, but most cities say they have yet to see any of the billions of dollars they were promised, a new report showed on Thursday.

Welcome To America: A scary ordeal at U.S. immigration: A German woman married to a Brooklyn schoolteacher had been told that she had all her permits when she took a quick trip to show off her infant daughter to her parents in Germany. But her return home in late December turned surreal and terrifying when Homeland Security officials at Kennedy Airport rejected her documents, confiscated her passport, then detained her and the 3-month-old for 18 hours in a room with shackled drug suspects. They let her go only after ordering her to leave the country no later than Jan. 22.

Ex-C.I.A. Aides Ask for Leak Inquiry by Congress: A group of former intelligence officers is pressing Congressional leaders to open an immediate inquiry into the disclosure last summer of the name of an undercover C.I.A. officer, Valerie Plame.

Dollar's dive spells China crisis: The world's business leaders now assembling in Davos for the annual World Economic Forum have currency fluctuations at, or close to the top of, the list of what they are worrying about. They see the collapse in the dollar's value as having the potential to spread economic pain throughout the world - something President Bush failed to mention in his State of the Union Address

Repeating The Lies: General Richard Myers US Army-Interview with SBS Australia. Video

Kodak to Cut Up to 15,000 Jobs, Stock Up : Eastman Kodak Co. on Thursday said it would cut as many as 15,000 jobs and take charges of up to $1.7 billion over the next three years as it works through a painful shift toward digital products and away from the waning film market.

From correspondents in Seattle: SEATTLE will pay $US250,000 ($325,000) to settle a lawsuit brought by World Trade Organisation protesters who alleged their rights to free speech and protection from unreasonable searches and seizures were violated when police arrested them during 1999 demonstrations.

Ethics lesson for US fleet: A US Navy commander has ordered US surface warships to "stand down" for a day in order to consider the ethics of stealing. Two sailors were accused of thieving money and other valuables during an inspection of a Singaporean vessel in the Gulf, navy officials said.

01/23/04: Three Iraqi women killed in Fallujah: Unidentified assailants shot and killed three women working for United States-led forces in a central city while a young man was fatally shot on Thursday in the south, police said.

Iraqi police killed in Falluja attack: Three Iraqi police have been killed and five wounded after they were attacked near the town of Falluja.

Mortar Attack Kills Two U.S. Soldiers, Wounds Another : Two U.S. soldiers were killed and one was critically wounded in a mortar and rocket attack on a U.S. military base near the restive central Iraq town of Baquba, the U.S. Army said Thursday.

Israelis kill Palestinian child in Gaza: A Palestinian child has been shot dead by Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip near the border fence with Israel, Palestinian medics have said.

Child sobs for dead mother: A Palestinian woman, 31, was fatally shot in the head during the military operation, hospital officials said. Her sister and another relative, a 13-year-old boy, were wounded.

Iraq may be on path to civil war, CIA officials warn : CIA officers in Iraq are warning that the country may be on a path to civil war, current and former U.S. officials said yesterday, starkly contradicting the upbeat assessment President Bush gave in his State of the Union address.

How Much Democracy Should Iraqis Have? A fight is brewing over how much democracy Iraq's people can handle. President Bush says he wants elections in the country that America occupies - just not right now. He envisions instead an appointed process likely to yield America-friendly officials in Baghdad.

Bush May Seek Billions for Iraq After Election : President Bush may seek an additional $40 billion or more for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan next year -- on top of the $400-billion military budget he will send to Congress next month, congressional sources and budget analysts said on Wednesday.

Taliban warns of more attacks: The latest warming comes amid a deteriorating security situation sweeping Afghanistan.

Military Lawyer Slams U.S. Terrorism Tribunals : The U.S. Marine Corps lawyer assigned to defend an Australian terror suspect being held at the Guantanamo naval base in Cuba Wednesday criticized the military tribunal process and said it will not allow a fair trial

USA: "Double jeopardy" for some Guantánamo detainees: Held in isolating conditions, the detainees held in Guantánamo Bay have not been allowed to see lawyers or relatives, or to have access to any court. Now, even if eventually released with no charge, some may face further injustice: indefinite untried detention, torture or execution in their home country.

Patriot Act renewal 'a can of worms' : Seventeen key provisions of the act, mostly ones which extend the surveillance powers of the federal government, are due to expire Dec. 31, 2005, if no fresh legislation is passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the president.

9-11 is no reason to suspend the Constitution : Essentially, the government is saying in these cases and others that 9-11 suspended the Constitution, and did so for all time, not just the immediate future.

9/11 is low on White House priority list: President Bush must be afraid that the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States will produce a report showing that he ignored warnings of an Al-Qaeda strike -- and possibly specific warnings about using hijacked airplanes as missiles. An extension would push any such revelations well into the reelection campaign.

Weapon of Mass Deception: One of those essential tools” in fighting the war on terrorism, Bush said, “is the Patriot Act, which allows federal law enforcement to better share information, to track terrorists, to disrupt their cells and to seize their assets.” He forgot to mention spy on ordinary Americans, violate the Constitution, destroy civil liberties and turn the USA into a police state

NASA's New Antiterrorism Mission : The program is the second recent example of a NASA effort to mine information storehouses for enemies of the state. Over the weekend, the Electronic Privacy Information Center revealed that Northwest Airlines forked over millions of passenger records to the space agency for a terrorist-screening project, an effort enhanced with data from the 1990 U.S. census.

Northwest Lands in Hot Water : Northwest airline passengers who are irate about having their travel records turned over to the government for a data-mining project likely have few avenues for their anger, however, other than a personal boycott of the airline.

UK: Snooping industry set to grow: Snooping powers given to more than 600 public bodies look set to create a small industry of private firms that will help process requests for information about who people call, the websites they visit and who they swap e-mail with.

Canada: RCMP searches journalist's home and office for leaked Arar material: Barry Wright, a law professor at Carleton University, says the Security of Information Act goes too far. "This is a chilling effect on freedom of the press and the public's right to know."

Infiltration of files seen as extensive: Republican staff members of the US Senate Judiciary Commitee infiltrated opposition computer files for a year, monitoring secret strategy memos and periodically passing on copies to the media, Senate officials told The Globe.

The Real State of the Union: So what’s the good news George? Homelessness increased 50% in three years, poverty increased again in 2003, and more children are going hungry. 502 soldiers died in Iraq, and 100 soldiers have now died in Afghanistan. Is there any good news?

Stories you might have missed: Here is a tiny sample of the stories now going under-reported and even buried:

Stop child executions! Ending the death penalty for child offenders: Between 1990 and September 2003 Amnesty International documented 34 executions of child offenders in eight countries– the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the USA, China and Yemen. The USA carried out 19 executions – more than all other countries combined.

In case you missed it: N-bomb for Saddam in three years : SADDAM Hussein has the capability to make an atomic bomb within three years, and has stockpiled enough chemical and biological weapons to wipe out the world’s population, according to the file on Iraq due to be released by Downing Street.

1,000 boots displayed in Chicago as memorial to soldiers killed in Iraq: "These young men and women will not have died in vain if truth triumphs," said Michael McConnell, regional director of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker peace and social justice group that sponsored the memorial.

Scandal hits promoter that wows US troops: The investigation found that the celebrities did nothing wrong, but US taxpayers repeatedly paid for first-class aircraft tickets, drinks and limousine services in violation of Pentagon and federal regulations.

Saudi prince blames govt for kidnapping: Outspoken Saudi prince Sultan bin Turki maintains that he was kidnapped, drugged and flown to Saudi Arabia from Switzerland on orders from the Saudi government to stop him from pursuing an anti-corruption campaign.

New evidence halts 9/11 verdict: Mr Mzoudi, 31, is accused of being an accessory to the murder of more than 3,000 in the 2001 attacks on America and membership of a terrorist group.

Justice Department Investigating Lead Prosecutor in Terrorism Trial: The allegations include withholding evidence from defense attorneys and trying to convince a court employee to get confidential information about a prisoner, the newspaper said.

Guantanamo Bay: Hicks trial won't be fair: US lawyer: The military lawyer assigned to Australian Guantanamo Bay inmate David Hicks has launched one of the most serious attacks yet on the legal process surrounding his client. Major Michael Mori says the military commission which will hear charges against him "will not provide a full and fair trial".

Canadian to Sue U.S. for Expulsion to Syria : A Canadian expelled by the United States to Syria as an al Qaeda suspect plans to sue the U.S. government on Thursday for sending him to be tortured, his lawyers said on Wednesday.

Notice to Army Reserve members: don't count on continuing to avoid mobilization. "There will be some people who will say, `I do not wish to be a part of that kind of force,"' Helmly said.

01/21/04: 5 million on terrorism list: "The U.S. lookout index contains some five million names of known terrorists and other persons representing a potential problem,"

US set for Iraq election retreat : The US-led coalition in Iraq is on the verge of bowing to Shia Muslim pressure for direct elections before the handover of power on June 30.

Dilemmas of Colonialism: The Democracy Problem: Being an empire is not so easy these days, as the Bush administration and its neoconservative supporters are beginning to see. The problem with empire-building in the modern age is that, in order to partake in it, you have to get by this silly, bothersome, internationally-accepted concept: democracy.

Kurds turn against US after losing control over oil-rich land: Kurdish community claims it had more autonomy under Saddam

UK: Probe into 'Government war crimes': The Government could face an international trial for war crimes following the invasion of Iraq.

In case you missed it: General Wesley Clark says US plans to attack seven Muslim states

Iraq Bombing Hurts 3 U.S. Soldiers, Others: A roadside bomb exploded Wednesday near the northern city of Mosul, wounding three U.S. soldiers and seven other people, the military and local police said.

“Who will give us back our health?”: The health problems experienced by the people in the village are too numerous to track. Stories abound of strange tumors, rashes and illnesses.

Army Faults Its Treatment of Reserve Troops: Seeking to avert an exodus of part-time soldiers, the chief of the U.S. Army Reserve on Tuesday faulted the Army's treatment of reservists and proposed to give them a firmer notion of when they may be plucked from civilian life for active duty.

Perle's Wisdom : Nothing ennobles a nation more than citizens who shoulder the burdens of wartime. Nothing degrades a nation more than those who lobby for war while enriching themselves on its spoils.

Names of soldiers killed in Iraq, by home state

Two killed, others disappeared, during President Bush visit: Mexican troops suppress Indian town.

Guantanamo families to take fight to US : The families of British detainees at Guantanamo Bay are to take their fight for the men's release to the US with the help of the foremost American civil liberties group, they announced yesterday.

Alleged Al Qaeda Operative Back on Internet: "Al Qaeda has watched and learnd how the U.S. deals with its security concerns and we can tell you that the U.S. is in a security mess. Operational plan one has succeded well more than we have expected thanks to god."

UK: Kennedy renews call for Iraq war inquiry : Charles Kennedy today tackled Tony Blair over what George Bush meant by the garbled phrase "weapons of mass destruction-related programme activities".

Fiction review: State of the Union : If you go to the White House Web site, in addition to video of the first dog ("Barney II: Barney reloaded" is the icon), you'll find the same lies still lying there in the text of last January's speech, including "We will not pass along our problems to . . . other generations" (see the deficit and add the moon and Mars), and the big one, "

In case you missed it: Bush Knew Iraq Info Was Dubious

Molly Ivins : It's about money: Follow the greenbacks to learn where seemingly haphazard Bush policy comes from It is unclear to me why anyone would believe anything the president says about our fiscal situation. Keep in mind, this is a man who took three Texas oil companies into bankruptcy.

Denver's Homeless Seeking 'Tent City' : Members of Denver's growing homeless population want the city to allow a tent city near the heart of downtown to provide temporary shelter.

Greg Palast: Go ahead, George, and lie to me: We have No Child Left Behind - to provide the new worker drones that will clean the toilets at the Yale Alumni Club, punch the cash registers color-coded for illiterates, and pamper the winner-class on the higher floors of the new economic order.

Hatred Bush Hath Wrought: Why do they hate us? And where do they get their hatred from? Of course, many of us don't give a damn whether French schoolchildren or anyone else think Bush's United States is a land of butchers and thugs. Whether or not we care, however, it matters.

Chronology of US raids in Afghanistan reported to have killed civilians: Following is a list of reported civilian casualties from US bombing raids in Afghanistan:

Clampdown on nuclear scientists: Pakistan has barred all scientists working on its nuclear weapons program from leaving the country

Bush Pushes Plan to Permit Internet Surveillance : The agreement makes it mandatory for each participating nation to grant new powers of search and seizure to its law enforcement authorities, including the power to force an Internet service provider (ISP) to preserve a customer's usage records and to monitor his or her online activities as they occur.

Homeland security seen spurring biometrics: Big government contract coming to develop fingerprint-ID system

Supporting the Troops: A Critical Analysis: It is not easy for an American citizen, with genuine loyalty to his nation, to ask these questions, for the answers bring nothing but shame and guilt. I, however, argue that Americans MUST ask themselves these questions.

Israel kills Palestinian woman in Gaza : Israeli troops have shot dead a Palestinian civilian woman during a massive invasion into the occupied Gaza Strip's Rafah refugee camp.During Wednesday's invasion, Israeli occupation soldiers also shot a teenager in the head, according to witnesses and medical sources.

Palestinians question US commitment to Middle East peace: Palestinians are worried that US President George W Bush's failure to mention their conflict with Israel in his State of the Union address means he intends to scale down US involvement in the matter.

Norwegian Ambassador's home in Israel bugged: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was informed of a recent meeting between PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei and opposition leader Shimon Peres at the home of the Norwegian ambassador via the use of electronic listening devices, Norwegian media reported Tuesday.

Israel: Likud kingpin indicted for bribing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon: His son Gilad and Labor Trade and Industry Minister Ehud Olmert in the first charge sheet filed in one of two political scandals involving the Sharon family.

01/20/04: Israeli planes bomb south Lebanon

Israeli army changes account of Hizbollah attack: The Israeli army, changing its account of a Lebanese border incident, said on Tuesday that an Israeli soldier killed by Hizbollah guerrillas on Monday was several metres inside Lebanon at the time.

UN mulls Iraq return as Shia protest again: Annan indicated on Monday he would consider sending a team to advise whether national elections could be held before a US-led withdrawal.

UK officials say Iraq elections by June viable: British officials in Basra no longer oppose early elections in Iraq, saying security and procedural obstacles to polls could be surmounted before the transfer to civilian control on June 30.

Iraq's Election Snag: Senior Iraqi sources tell TIME that a top U.N. election official, Carina Perelli, wrote an internal report last summer concluding that elections could be pulled off in just six months. U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard confirms the substance of the report, saying its conclusions on "the technical aspects" are sound.

Give Iraqis the Election They Want: Despite Bush's rhetoric, the U.S. is opposing true democratic voting.

Iraqis Want Saddam's Old U.S. Friends on Trial: If Iraqis ever see Saddam Hussein on trial, they want his former American allies shackled beside him. "Saddam should not be the only one who is put on trial. The Americans backed him when he was killing Iraqis so they should be prosecuted,"

Facts And Figures: George W Bush and the real state of the Union: Today the President gives his annual address. As the election battle begins, how does his first term add up?

Paul Krugman: Going for Broke: According to advance reports, George Bush will use tonight's State of the Union speech to portray himself as a visionary leader who stands above the political fray. But that act is losing its effectiveness.

"Honest As Long As You Win" Taking A Stand: BBC Radio 4 Interviews Daniel Ellsberg one of the most important whistle-blowers of the last century. He leaked the Pentagon Papers to the press in 1971. This 7,000-page document, detailing U.S. policy towards Vietnam under four presidents, was shocking stuff: a litany of lies, half-truths and concealment. This is a must listen

In case you missed it: Senator John Kerry Speaks Out - He was 'misled': In October, 2002, 23 Senators and 133 Representatives voted against the Bush Administration's war resolution. John Kerry voted for it. What did 156 Members of Congress know that Kerry did not know? Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of his constituents had called him, urging him to vote against war.

John Kerry: Criminal Hypocrisy Alive And Well. A History Repeated

Noam Chomsky Interview: The Democratic Facade: It has often been pointed out by political scientists that the US is basically a one-party state -- the business party. with two factions, Democrats and Republicans. Most of the population seems to agree. A very high percentage, sometimes passing 80%, believe that the government serves "the few and the special interests," not "the people."

Unjust war is the only issue: Iraq changes everything: America under Bush started a war, killed thousands of people, sacrificed hundreds of her own valiant soldiers and conquered a soveriegn nation, using the justification that this foreign government participated in a heinous terrorist attack and posed an immediate and serious danger to America.

U.S. attack: 4 Afghan kids dead : A U.S. helicopter attacked a house in a village in southern Afghanistan, killing 11 people, four of them children, Afghan officials said today.

Terror manual from Al-Qaeda published online : In the manual, Osama bin Laden wrote: 'After Iraq and Afghanistan will come t