Iraq report: Secret papers reveal blunders and concealment --The "appalling" errors that contributed to Britain's failure in Iraq are disclosed in the most detailed and damning set of leaks to emerge on the conflict. 21 Nov 2009 On the eve of the Chilcot inquiry into Britain’s involvement in the 2003 invasion and its aftermath, The Sunday Telegraph has obtained hundreds of pages of secret Government reports on "lessons learnt" which shed new light on "significant shortcomings" at all levels. They include full transcripts of extraordinarily frank classified interviews in which British Army commanders vent their frustration and anger with ministers and Whitehall officials.
The Iraq war files 22 Nov 2009 The reports disclose that: Tony Blair, the former prime minister, misled MPs and the public throughout 2002 when he claimed that Britain’s objective was "disarmament, not regime change" and that there had been no planning for military action. In fact, British military planning for a full invasion and regime change began in February 2002.
US 'helps build anti-Taliban militias' in Afghanistan 22 Nov 2009 The United States has begun helping a number of anti-Taliban militias [death squads] in several parts of Afghanistan in hopes for a large-scale tribal rebellion against the radical Islamic movement, The New York Times reported late Saturday. The newspaper said US and Afghan officials were planning to spur the growth of similar armed groups across the Taliban heartland in the southern and eastern parts of the country. The officials say they are hoping the plan, called the Community Defense Initiative, will bring together thousands of gunmen to protect their neighborhoods from Taliban 'insurgents,' the report said. ['Community Defense Initiative.' Gee, it even *sounds* like something straight out of Nazi Germany or Joe Lieberman's Homeland Security Committee. --LRP]
Tories work to undermine diplomat who blew whistle on torture 20 Nov 2009 The Harper government is training its guns on a diplomat whistleblower who says Canada was complicit in the torture of captured Afghan prisoners, trying to undermine Richard Colvin's credibility as pressure builds to hold a public inquiry into the matter. "There are incredible holes in the story that have to be examined," Defence Minister Peter MacKay told Parliament Thursday, even as he rejected opposition calls for a probe into Mr. Colvin's serious charges that Canada's soldiers handed over Afghan prisoners with the knowledge they'd likely be tortured by local interrogators. [The 'incredible holes that have to be examined' are those in Harper's head.]
Torture case ruling backed 20 Nov 2009 Two judges reiterated yesterday that information relating to the alleged torture of a British citizen should be published. The High Court ruled last month, in its fifth judgment on the case, that details relating to the interrogation of Binyam Mohamed in Pakistan in 2002 should be released. Passages in the judgment were cut after the judges heard argument on behalf of David Miliband, the foreign secretary, that disclosing the information could damage national security and intelligence-sharing with the US. In the High Court ruling yesterday, the judges said the passages should be restored because they were "central to an understanding of our judgment". The Foreign Office said it was appealing.
Army faces inquiry over 'Battle of Danny Boy' torture claims --Evidence indicating torture and mutilation allegedly includes close-range bullet wounds, the removal of eyes and stab wounds, human rights lawyers have claimed. 21 Nov 2009 Claims that British soldiers tortured and murdered up to 20 prisoners after a battle with Iraqi 'insurgents' are to be scrutinised at a public inquiry. Concern that the Army covered up the most serious accusation of war crimes that it has faced has prompted Bob Ainsworth, the Defence Secretary, to order the independent inquiry. Mr Ainsworth is due to tell MPs next week that the inquiry will centre on an incident known as the Battle of Danny Boy. It took place in May 2004 and involved soldiers from the Argyll and Southern Highlanders and the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment... Iraqi families claim that some of those killed had been captured alive before being tortured and murdered by troops at Camp Abu Naji, a British base. Evidence indicating torture and mutilation allegedly includes close-range bullet wounds, the removal of eyes and stab wounds, human rights lawyers have claimed.
Britain knew CIA tortured detainee --Mr Mohamed alleges that his torture included the cutting of his genitals with a razor blade. 20 Nov 2009 Britain knew that American agents were using barbaric torture techniques on terror suspects, including British resident Binyam Mohamed, it emerged yesterday. Secret reports sent between MI5 and the CIA in 2002 reveal that the American security services were using torture practices which included waterboarding, facial slaps and stress positions. The extent of Britain's knowledge was made clear in the latest High Court judgment in the case of Binyam Mohamed, who claims Britain actively colluded in his torture while he was being unlawfully held by the Americans in Morocco seven years ago. Mr Mohamed alleges that his torture included the cutting of his genitals with a razor blade.
Inquiry into 'rape and torture' by UK troops as Iraqis' lawyer claims 32 cases are tip of the iceberg 16 Nov 2009 Fresh claims that British soldiers abused Iraqi prisoners are to be investigated by the Ministry of Defence. They include allegations of rape and torture, some by female British soldiers. But hundreds more alleged cases could remain buried for ever, the lawyer representing the Iraqi complainants said yesterday. It came as the U.S. defence secretary-blocked the publication of pictures allegedly showing abuse by American soldiers. One Iraqi complainant against British soldiers claims they based the abuse they allegedly subjected him to on photographs taken at the notorious U.S. detention centre Abu Ghraib.
U.S. soldier found guilty of abusing subordinates in Iraq 21 Nov 2009 A U.S. military court demoted and jailed a soldier for mistreating troops in Iraq, behavior discovered during the investigation of another soldier's suicide. Sgt. Jarrett Taylor of Edmond, Oklahoma, was convicted at a special court martial at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, that ended on Friday, the military said. He was found guilty of making false official statements and cruelty and maltreatment of subordinates. The soldier was reduced to the rank of private, sentenced to 180 days in confinement and ordered to forfeit $933 in pay for the next six months, the military said.
Officials: 4 dead in attacks around Iraq 22 Nov 2009 Iraqi security officials say four people have been killed in attacks in Baghdad and the northern city of Mosul. They say two police officers were killed late Saturday when a bomb attached to their car exploded. Also, a member of a U.S.-backed Sunni militia that revolted against al-Qaida was shot dead Sunday by unidentified gunmen.
US military loses another GI in Iraq 22 Nov 2009 Another US soldier has been killed in Iraq. "A Multi-National Division South soldier was killed in action," according to a US Army statement issued on Sunday. The latest casualty brings the death toll for US troops in Iraq to nine for the month of November and 145 so far this year.
MoD spent £149m on tanks unfit for service 23 Nov 2009 The Ministry of Defence has been criticised for spending £149 million on an "urgent" upgrade to 900 tanks that can still only be used for training. The armoured vehicles will be used in Canada and Britain because they offer insufficient protection against mines in Afghanistan. A defence source described the procurement, at a time when equipment shortages for troops have caused public anger, as a waste of money.
Israeli jets attack Gaza, 7 Palestinians injured 22 Nov 2009 Israeli jets have carried out air strikes against targets in the Gaza Strip, injuring seven Palestinians. On Sunday, Palestinian medical workers and witnesses said other areas targeted by Israeli planes included a caravan in the northern Gaza Strip and smuggling tunnels in the south under the border with Egypt, the New York Times reported.
Barak: We must crush IDF refusal with an iron fist 21 Nov 2009 Defense Minister Ehud Barak reiterated on Saturday his pledge to crack down on Israel Defense Forces soldiers who refuse to carry out orders, saying Israel should not hesitate to act forcefully to crush the phenomenon. "A country that wishes to live must put an end to refusal by the right and left with an iron fist," said Barak in a closed meeting.
Iran to test new air defense system 22 Nov 2009 Iran is to test a new anti-aircraft defense system during a five-day aerial maneuver, the Iranian defense minister has said. The large-scale maneuver, which was launched on Sunday, is mainly aimed at developing the country's aerial defenses against any potential attack on the country's nuclear plants. "The Defense Ministry's new anti-aircraft defense system will be tested in the Aseman-e-Velayat 2 maneuver," Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said on Sunday.
Oil tops $78 amid fresh Iran tensions 22 Nov 2009 Oil prices rose above $78 a barrel on Monday as heightened tension between Iran and Western nations raised speculation of a potential 'supply risk,' encouraging investors to push prices higher.
Revealed: 50 oil tankers loitering off British coast as they lie in wait for fuel price hikes --A significant number are 'oil sharks' - tankers that have been cynically told to wait for crude prices to be driven up before they unload their cargo. 20 Nov 2009 More than 50 oil tankers are anchored off Britain - pieces in a game in which the only winners are market speculators. The losers are the millions of British motorists paying over the odds for their petrol and diesel. After yesterday's report in the Daily Mail on how several so-called 'oil shark' tankers were moored near the Devon coast, dozens more vessels were revealed to be loitering off-shore.
Trial Is Key Test for Other Cases Involving Terror 23 Nov 2009 ...To ensure that secrets do not leak, Judge Kaplan has imposed a protective order on all classified information, which may be reviewed by the defense lawyers only in a special "secure area," a room whose location has not been disclosed. The defense lawyers, who had to obtain security clearance, cannot disclose the information to Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani without permission of the court or the government. Any motions they write based on the material must be prepared in the special room, and nothing may be filed publicly until it is reviewed by the government.
Four charged with terror-related offences 22 Nov 2009 Police charged four men with terrorism-related offences on Sunday after an operation by counter-terrorism officers in northwest England earlier this month. Israr Hussain Malik was charged with intending to commit acts of terrorism. Three others -- Munir Ahmed Farooqi, Haris Farooqi, and Matthew Newton -- were charged with intending to help others commit acts of terrorism.
Italy Police Arrest Two Mumbai Terror Suspects 21 Nov 2009 Two Pakistanis suspected of being involved in the Mumbai terror attacks have been arrested in Italy. The two men, who are father and son, were arrested in an early morning raid in the northern city of Brescia. They are believed to have provided logistical support for the terror attacks in November last year which left 170 people dead.
Fort Hood suspect paralyzed from chest down, lawyer says --He has been receiving letters and cards, which the government has been copying before delivering. 23 Nov 2009 Maj. Nidal M. Hasan, the Army psychiatrist charged with killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Tex., is paralyzed from the chest down and doctors believe his paralysis will be permanent, Hasan's civilian lawyer [John P. Galligan] said Sunday. During a closed-door hearing in Hasan's hospital room on Saturday that lasted about an hour, a magistrate ruled that Hasan be confined [Brooke Army Medical Center] until his military trial, Galligan said. He has been receiving letters and cards, which the government has been copying before delivering, Galligan said. Now under pre-trial confinement, Hasan faces greater restrictions on visitors and the military can transfer him to another hospital or jail, he said.
Army refuses to identify Hasan prosecutors, chases away journalists --Judicial order further restricts Hasan 21 Nov 2009 In a court hearing from a San Antonio military hospital room Saturday, the Army obtained a judicial order that placed more restrictions on accused Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, and makes it easier for the military to move him from Brooke Army Medical Center pending trial, according to his lead lawyer. But where Hasan might be moved -- or when -- remained a mystery after the hearing, which lasted an hour and a half and was held in BAMC's Intensive Care Unit, where Hasan is recuperating, the lawyer, retired Army Col. John P. Galligan said. Galligan addressed reporters outside the gates of Fort Sam Houston, where BAMC is located, because the Army did not allow the media to attend the hearing and sidestepped a legal challenge from the San Antonio Express-News that sought access for journalists. Post guards chased away journalists who approached Galligan's vehicle after the hearing because half of the car was still within the outer perimeter gate. Additionally, the Army only supplied vague details of the hearing late Friday after getting inquiries from the media. It even refused to identify the prosecutors.
FBI Monitored Hasan's E-mail Exchanges 21 Nov 2009 In the months before the deadly shootings at Fort Hood, Army Maj. Nidal M. Hasan intensified his communications with a Yemeni American cleric and began to discuss surreptitious financial transfers and other steps that could translate his thoughts into action, according to two sources briefed on a collection of secret e-mails between the two... To date, investigators have not unearthed evidence that Hasan sent money to charities with strong or suspected ties to Islamist militant groups. The FBI obtained the e-mails pursuant to court-ordered wiretaps, according to a former intelligence official. After receiving a wiretap order, Internet providers generally set up accounts that allow cloned copies of e-mails to go to the government agency in real time. Stored e-mails also may be provided with a search warrant. In this case, a first batch of Hasan's e-mails was sent by agents in San Diego to the bureau's Washington field office, where a terrorism task force began to assess them in December. But months later, additional messages emerged were planted, according to government and congressional sources.
'Tell the commanding general to call off all charges or there will be a re-enactment of Fort Hood.' Suspicious note and package found at Fort Benning --Fort Benning: Box of hollow-point bullets and an anonymous note threatening an incident like the one at Fort Hood left at gazebo 21 Nov 2009 A Fort Benning spokesman says Army officials are investigating whether a suspicious note and package found at the west Georgia post is a viable threat. Bob Purtiman says a soldier found the note and package Thursday morning in an outdoor gazebo. The soldier immediately told a supervisor, who called 911.
Note said Fort Hood-style shooting could happen --Witness: Increase in MP patrols on post and Kelley Hill area of Fort Benning on lockdown status for part of Friday. 22 Nov 2009 A box of hollow-point bullets and an anonymous note threatening an incident like the one at Fort Hood, Texas, were discovered Thursday at Fort Benning, Ga., sparking a criminal investigation and greater police presence, a witness told Army Times. According to a witness at the scene, a box of 20 hollow-point shells and a handwritten note were found in the motor pool area between 1st Battalion and 2nd Battalion, 29th Infantry, under the 197th Infantry Training Brigade. "The note said ‘tell the commanding general to call off all charges or there will be a re-enactment of Fort Hood,' " the witness told Army Times. He spoke on condition he wouldn’t be identified. After the discovery, he said, military police arrived with dogs, cordoned off a 20-foot perimeter around the box and began dusting for fingerprints and questioning people.
UK investigates spread of drug resistant swine flu 20 Nov 2009 British health officials are investigating the likely person-to-person spread of a drug-resistant strain of swine flu, the Health Protection Agency said on Friday. There have been five confirmed cases in Wales of patients infected with H1N1 resistant to oseltamivir -- the generic name of Roche AG and Gilead Sciences Inc's antiviral drug Tamiflu, the agency said.
WHO investigating Norway swine flu mutations 20 Nov 2009 The World Health Organization said Friday it is investigating samples of variant swine flu linked to two deaths and one severe case in Norway, but that so far the significance of the mutation is unclear. Norway's Institute of Public Health announced Friday that the mutation "could possibly...cause more severe disease" because it infects tissue deeper in the airway than usual. The mutation was found in three of 70 analyzed swine flu cases, said Geir Stene-Larsen, the institute's director.
Radiation leak at Three Mile Island --Officials are checking employees who had been working in the building for possible unusual radiation exposure. 22 Nov 2009 Radiation has been detected in a reactor building at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in central Pennsylvania. About 150 employees were sent home after the radiation was detected Saturday afternoon. Exelon Nuclear spokeswoman Beth Archer says 'investigators' are searching for the cause.
Healthcare bill passes first U.S. Senate test 21 Nov 2009 A sweeping healthcare overhaul narrowly cleared its first hurdle in the U.S. Senate on Saturday, with Democrats casting 60 party-line votes to open debate on the biggest healthcare changes in decades. In the first Senate test for President Barack Obama's top domestic priority, Democrats unanimously backed a procedural motion to open debate over the opposition of 39 Republicans.
East Antarctic ice sheet may be losing mass 22 Nov 2009 The East Antarctic ice sheet has been losing mass for the last three years, according to an analysis of data from a gravity-measuring satellite mission. The scientists involved say they are "surprised" by the finding, because the giant East Antarctic sheet, unlike the west, has been thought to be stable. The US-based team reports its findings in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Previous lead stories: Canadian diplomat alleges troops in Afghanistan were complicit in torture --Senior diplomat formerly stationed in Kabul claims troops 'handed over for severe torture a lot of innocent people' 20 Nov 2009 The Canadian government was fending off calls for a public inquiry on torture today after allegations from one of its senior diplomats that Canada was complicit in the torture of Afghan detainees. Richard Colvin, who was second in command at Canada's Kabul embassy in 2006 and 2007, said that Afghans swept up in security sweeps by Canadian troops during that time were routinely handed over to the Afghan intelligence services. "According to our information, the likelihood is that all the Afghans we handed over were tortured," Colvin told Canada's parliament. "For interrogators in Kandahar, it was standard operating procedure. "In other words, we detained, and handed over for severe torture, a lot of innocent people."
Notes from Bagram prison By James Bays 18 Nov 2009 In the past, military officials have refused to go on the record about the number of prisoners at the jail. Brigadier General Mark Martin, the acting commander, was more forthcoming. He told us the prison currently houses about 700 people. Of these, "about 30" were non-Afghans, and "about 5" were juveniles... A new command has been set up, to take charge of all detainee operations in Afghanistan, including Bagram. Of course, CJTF-435 is a US operation, not part of ISAF (the NATO force). Many other NATO and ISAF nations are very uneasy about Bagram and what goes on there.
