Troop use After Ala. Shootings Illegal --The report from the Department of Army Inspector General found the use of military personnel in Samson violated the Posse Comitatus Act. 20 Oct 2009 An Army investigation found that Soldiers should not have been sent to man traffic stops in a small Alabama town after 11 people were killed in March during a shooting spree. An Army report released to The Associated Press on Monday in response to a Freedom of Information Act request said the decision to dispatch military police to Samson from nearby Fort Rucker broke the law. But an Army spokesman said no charges have been filed following the Aug. 10 report. The names of those involved were redacted from the report. The report said troops were dispatched after the Geneva County Sheriff's Office and Samson Police requested assistance from Fort Rucker to relieve law enforcement at traffic check points around the crime scene area. The military also guarded bodies at a makeshift morgue.
Court Rules FBI Can Continue to Silence National Security Letter Recipient --Internet Service Provider Still Can't Speak About Secret FBI Demand For Records Issued More Than Five Years Ago 20 Oct 2009 A federal court today ruled that the government can continue to enforce a five-year-old gag order on an Internet service provider (ISP) that the FBI served with a national security letter (NSL) many years ago. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the ISP. Under a Patriot Act provision, the FBI can use NSLs to demand personal records about innocent customers from ISPs, financial institutions and credit companies without prior judicial approval, and then bar NSL recipients from disclosing anything about the record demand.
Cheney accuses Obama of 'libel' against CIA interrogators 22 Oct 2009 Maintaining his stature as one of the most forceful defenders of the Bush Administration's defense policies former Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney accused President Obama of committing "libel" against CIA interrogators torturers on Wednesday. Mr. Cheney’s criticized the Obama White House in a wide-ranging address on foreign policy matters... sacrificing American intelligence officials to satisfy the political left and "dithering" on taking action in Afghanistan, among other things.
Cheney: Stop 'dithering' over Afghanistan --Former Vice President Dick Cheney says Obama must do 'what it takes to win' in Afghanistan 21 Oct 2009 Former Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney on Wednesday night accused the White House of dithering over the strategy for the war in Afghanistan and urged President Barack Obama to "do what it takes to win." "Make no mistake. Signals of indecision out of Washington hurt our allies and embolden our adversaries," Cheney said while accepting an award from a conservative national security group, the Center for Security Policy. [WHY is anyone LISTENING to this unindicted war criminal?]
Pickens says U.S. firms 'entitled' to Iraqi oil 22 Oct 2009 Oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens told Congress on Wednesday that U.S. energy companies are "entitled" to some of Iraq's crude because of the large number of American troops that lost their lives fighting in the country and the U.S. taxpayer money spent in Iraq. Boone, speaking to the newly formed Congressional Natural Gas Caucus, complained that the Iraqi government has awarded contracts to foreign companies, particularly Chinese firms, to develop Iraq's vast reserves while American companies have mostly been shut out. "They're opening them (oil fields) up to other companies all over the world ... We're entitled to it," Pickens said of Iraq's oil.
Minister's comments spark debate Australia's Afghanistan presence 22 Oct 2009 A flurry of speculation about Australia's intentions in Afghanistan has been played down by Canberra, after comments by defence minister John Faulkner were headlined as signalling plans for an early pullout. Senator Faulkner's remarks that he'd like Australia to fulfill its commitments in Afghanistan in as short a time as possible are being scrutinised closely, particularly as pullout dates for key allies loom, and NATO countries resist doing more.
NATO generals visit Afghanistan, behind a wall of security 21 Oct 2009 There was blanket security for a visit last week of the alliance’s top Brussels generals -- an unannounced visit by NATO’s Military Committee, comprising Brussels-based military representatives of the 28 NATO states, and generals from other ISAF countries. They were clad in full body armour at all times during the trip, spent in Kabul and the provinces, except when they were in their heavily guarded hotel or in secure briefing rooms. They travelled at all times in convoys of armoured vehicles, protected by Humvees with turrets manned, in armed helicopters, or by fixed-wing aircraft... As an extra security measure, journalists in the delegation were required to keep the visit secret until it ended. The embargo was lifted only after the generals were back inside the fortress-like Kabul military airport protected by acres of blast walls, Hesco bags and barbed wire, and hundreds of ISAF soldiers.
NATO aircraft crashes in N Afghanistan 22 Oct 2009 A NATO-led forces aircraft crashed on mountain in Baghlan province north of Afghanistan, local police said Thursday. "An aircraft of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) crashed on a mountain in Bajgah valley of Khinjan district Thursday afternoon," police chief of Khinjan district Mohammad Asif Qazizada told Xinhua.
Ohio Marine killed in Afghanistan 21 Oct 2009 An Ohio Marine has been killed by a roadside bomb while on combat foot patrol in Afghanistan. The Pentagon says 22-year-old Lance Cpl. David R. Baker of Painesville northeast of Cleveland died Tuesday. He was wounded while on patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand province.
Police: 14 al-Qaida suspects arrested in Iraq 22 Oct 2009 Iraqi security forces arrested 14 suspected al-Qaida [al-CIAduh] members in western and northern Iraq, including three who were formerly detained by U.S. troops in the country, local police officials said Thursday. Six men arrested in Fallujah were wanted for allegedly planning attacks in and around the city, which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Baghdad, said the city's police chief, Col. Mahmoud al-Isawi.
Judge tosses lawsuits against Blackwater, now Xe 21 Oct 2009 A federal judge on Wednesday tossed out a series of lawsuits filed by alleged Iraqi victims of the contractor mercenaries once known as Blackwater USA, but is allowing the plaintiffs to refile their claims. In a 56-page ruling Wednesday, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III in Alexandria, Va., dismissed claims filed by 64 plaintiffs -- including the estates of 19 people who died -- who says Blackwater employees engaged in indiscriminate killings and beatings. The lawsuits also claim the company [now Xe] "fostered a culture of lawlessness" while it held a State Department contract to protect U.S. diplomats in Iraq.
Goldstone dares US on Gaza report 22 Oct 2009 Richard Goldstone, the jurist who authored a UN report accusing Israel of war crimes and crimes against humanity during its war on Gaza, has challenged the US to justify its claims that his findings are flawed and biased. Goldstone told Al Jazeera on Thursday that he had not heard from the administration of Barack Obama, the US president, about the flaws Washington claims to have identified in the report.
'U.S. to stand by Israel in the fight against Goldstone report' 22 Oct 2009 President Peres on Wednesday harshly condemned the Goldstone report and told the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, Susan Rice that, "It is outrageous that a respected institution like the United Nations provides a platform to spread lies and stories about Israel." [!?!] The Goldstone report accuses Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian militants of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during their Dec. 27-Jan. 18 conflict in the Gaza Strip.
US, Israel to launch largest war game 21 Oct 2009 Israel and the United States plan to begin their largest-ever joint war exercise on Wednesday to simulate possible missile attacks on Israel. The Juniper Cobra air defense drill will involve some 1,000 troops from the US European Command and the same number of Israeli soldiers, the Israeli army said in a Tuesday statement.
Israel refuses to comment on receiving US classified information 20 Oct 2009 The arrest of US scientist Stewart David Nozette on espionage charges has rendered Israel silent. Israeli officials have declined to comment on the arrest of Mr Nozette, who has been accused in the US of passing classified information to agents he believed were working for the Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency.
FBI arrests US scientist for spying for Israel 21 Oct 2009 US officials say they have arrested an American citizen who has been charged with spying for the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad. Steward Nozette was taken into custody after it was revealed that he intended to sell sensitive United States information to Israel, according to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Iran Agrees to Draft of Deal on Exporting Nuclear Fuel 22 Oct 2009 The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday that Iranian negotiators had agreed to a draft of a deal to ship much of Iran’s stockpile of nuclear fuel to Russia, but cautioned that it would still have to be approved by Friday in Tehran and Washington. The draft, which came after three days of talks here, adds important details to an agreement in principle made on Oct. 1, after a preliminary round of negotiations. If approved, the deal would commit Iran to temporarily exporting 75 percent of its known stockpile of low-grade nuclear fuel to Russia for additional enrichment.
North Korea 'more lethal' than ever, says US 21 Oct 2009 North Korea's nuclear program and its proliferation of nuclear know-how gravely imperil the global stability, says Robert Gates warning that the US does not accept a nuclear-capable Pyongyang. The US defense secretary, addressing a gathering of US and South Korean soldiers in Seoul on Wednesday, warned that Pyongyang with its nuclear arsenal poses threats "even more lethal and destabilizing" than before.
U.S. reverses stance on treaty to regulate arms trade 14 Oct 2009 The United States reversed policy on Wednesday and said it would back launching talks on a treaty to regulate arms sales as long as the talks operated by consensus, a stance critics said gave every nation a veto. The decision, announced in a statement released by the U.S. State Department, overturns the position of former President [sic] George W. Bush's administration, which had opposed such a treaty on the grounds that national controls were better.
Kimberly-Clark Profits From Swine Flu 22 Oct 2009 Swine flu is the economic gift that keeps on giving. In today's iteration of that phenomenon, face masks to guard against swine flu helped boost Kimberly-Clark's third-quarter profit 41%. Coupled with cost cuts, higher prices and lower commodity and energy costs, Kimberly-Clark raised its full-year forecast. During the quarter, the maker of Kleenex tissues earned $582 million, or $1.40 a share, compared with $413 million, or 99 cents, in the year-ago period.
Forget the rush on that H1N1 swine flu vaccine; 62% of Americans have no intention of getting it anyway 22 Oct 2009 This morning comes word from a new ABC News/Washington Post poll that almost four parents out of 10 do not believe the vaccine is safe and have no intention of allowing their children to receive it. More than 60% of adults say they have no intention of getting the vaccine either.
POLL: Swine Flu Vaccine, Parents Doubt Safety --ABC News-Washington Post Poll: 30 Percent Not Confident Vaccine Is Safe 22 Oct 2009 Nearly four in 10 parents do not plan to have their children get the swine flu vaccine this year, with doubts about its safety overwhelmingly cited as the chief reason, underscoring safety concerns as potentially a major impediment to vaccination efforts. Other results in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll buttress the point: Three in 10 adults are not confident the vaccine is safe (including one in three parents)... Views of the vaccine's safety a stronger factor than the perceived risk of getting the flu itself.
Farrakhan suspicious of H1N1 vaccine 21 Oct 2009 Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan told an audience in Memphis he believes the H1N1 flu vaccine was developed to kill people, a witness said. Farrakhan spoke for nearly three hours Sunday at a gathering to observe the religious group's Holy Day of Atonement, which also marked the 14th anniversary of the Million Man March in Washington, the (Memphis) Commercial Appeal reported, citing a source who attended the speech.
US lawmaker in 'seclusion' with swine flu 21 Oct 2009 Republican Representative Greg Walden announced Tuesday he "likely" had swine flu, in the first known instance of a US lawmaker thought to have contracted the A(H1N1) virus. "Just diagnosed with likely H1N1. Ugh. Off to seclusion for awhile," Walden, whose home state is Oregon, said on the micro-blogging site Twitter in a message his office confirmed was authentic.
Mass. Man Arrested in Terrorism Case 22 Oct 2009 A man living in suburban Boston was arrested on Wednesday on federal terrorism charges of conspiring to attack people at a shopping mall in the United States and two members of the executive branch of the federal government. The man, Tarek Mehanna, 27, was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. The conspiracy occurred from 2001 to 2008, said the acting United States attorney, Michael K. Loucks, at a news conference here Wednesday. Mr. Loucks said Mr. Mehanna had conspired with others and had "multiple conversations" to carry out attacks in and outside of the United States.
Prosecutors: Terror plotters discussed shopping mall assaults 21 Oct 2009 A 27-year-old Sudbury man allegedly plotted terrorist assaults on shopping malls in which he and his fellow conspirators would use automatic weapons to mow down civilians, federal authorities said today as they announced his arrest. Desiring to take "some kind of action in furtherance of jihad," Tarek Mehanna and his conspirators allegedly had multiple conversations about obtaining automatic weapons and randomly shooting people in malls, including discussions of the logistics of the mall attacks, assaulting from different entrances, obtaining the automatic weapons, and possible attacks on emergency responders, acting US Attorney Michael Loucks said this morning.
Bernard Kerik pushed President George W. Bush for executive clemency in 2008 22 Oct 2009 In the waning days of the Bush regime, Bernard Kerik made a bid for executive clemency after he was indicted on corruption charges, new court papers reveal. That surprise attempt was part of Kerik's long, desperate campaign to rebut criminal charges by all means... This campaign emerged in 217 pages of material federal prosecutors released yesterday as Kerik spent his first full day in Westchester County Jail for ignoring Judge Stephen Robinson's warning not to tamper with the jury pool in his upcoming trial.
Ex-NY police chief Kerik in jail 22 Oct 2009 Former New York City police chief Bernard Kerik has had his bail revoked before the start of a corruption trial. Mr Kerik, who was police commissioner at the time of the 9/11 attacks, was free on $500,000 (£303,000) bail. A judge sent him to prison for passing on secret pre-trial documents, saying Mr Kerik must not "influence witnesses or prospective jurors".
Sen. Alexander accuses Obama of building an 'enemies list' 21 Oct 2009 Sen. Lamar Alexander, the No. 3 leader of the Republicans in the Senate, on Wednesday accused the Obama administration of creating "an enemies list," comparing the recent criticism by the White House of the Chamber of Commerce, the Fox News Channel and other political opponents to the behavior of the Nixon administration. "This behavior is typical of street brawls and political campaign consultants," Alexander said in a speech Wednesday morning on the Senate floor.
U.S. to Order Steep Pay Cuts at Firms That Got Most Aid 22 Oct 2009 Responding to the furor over executive pay at companies bailed out with taxpayer money, the Obama administration will order the firms that received the most aid to slash compensation to their highest-paid employees, an official involved in the decision said on Wednesday. The plan, for the 25 top earners at seven companies that received exceptional help, will on average cut total compensation this year by about 50 percent. The companies are Citigroup, Bank of America, American International Group, General Motors, Chrysler and the financing arms of the two automakers.
Public must learn to 'tolerate the inequality' of bonuses, says Goldman Sachs vice-chairman --Goldman Sachs is currently on track to pay the biggest ever bonuses to its 31,700 employees after raking in profits at a rate of $35m (£21m) a day. 21 Oct 2009 One of the City's leading figures has suggested that inequality created by bankers' huge salaries is a price worth paying for greater prosperity. In remarks that will fuel the row around excessive pay, Lord Griffiths, vice-chairman of Goldman Sachs International and a former adviser to Margaret Thatcher, said banks should not be ashamed of rewarding their staff. Speaking to an audience at St Paul's Cathedral in London about morality in the marketplace last night, Griffiths said the British public should "tolerate the inequality as a way to achieve greater prosperity for all".
Snowe Says She Won't Back Any Immediate Public Option 22 Oct 2009 Senator Olympia Snowe said she won’t support the immediate creation of any government-run insurance program and raised the possibility that legislation overhauling the health system won’t be completed this year. "A public option at the forefront really does put the government in a disproportionate position with respect to the industry," Snowe, the only Republican so far to vote for health-care legislation, said on "Political Capital With Al Hunt," which airs this weekend. ['With respect to the industry?' The *industry,* aka death panel, needs to be eradicated from the face of the earth.]
White House Clears Habitat Protections for Polar Bear 22 Oct 2009 The White House yesterday completed its review of proposed habitat protections for the polar bear, clearing the Interior Department to introduce the regulations. The White House Office of Management and Budget determined the rule was not economically significant or a "major rule," putting it on a potentially faster track for completion. OMB sent the rule back to the Interior Department yesterday, two weeks after receiving the proposal -- a relatively quick turnaround for the agency. [Thank you, President Obama!]
Previous lead stories: Senate OKs disease research biolab money in Homeland Security bill --Research will be done on deadly diseases at National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility 20 Oct 2009 The Senate approved $32 million Tuesday for a planned foot-and-mouth disease research lab in Kansas, while ordering more study on the lab's safety. The money and required safety studies are part the $44.1 billion Homeland Security spending bill the Senate passed on a 79-19 vote. The Homeland Security Department has been eager to move forward with its plans for the 520,000-square-foot lab to replace the aging lab on Plum Island, N.Y. [where bioterrorists created Lyme disease. Odd, there's no money for single-payer healthcare --but there's millions to spend trying to get a(nother) pandemic started so pharmaterrorists can be paid to make vaccines to use against the outbreaks that they create. Sound familiar? --LRP]
'The state declared an emergency in order to get this drug through.' Legal Challenge to H1N1 Vaccine Expands 17 Oct 2009 A group that's challenging a state requirement that all health care workers in New York get vaccinated for swine flu said Thursday that it's seeking a federal injunction to halt nationwide distribution of the vaccine. "We are arguing this is a new drug and it must go through the proper testing for safety and efficacy,'' said attorney Jim Turner, who wants to stop other states from following New York's lead in mandating vaccinations.
