• 

  Jeremy Scahill: Despite Antiwar Rhetoric, Clinton-Obama Plans Would Keep US Mercenaries, Troops in Iraq for Years to Come

  Jeremy Scahill reports Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will not “rule out” using private military companies like Blackwater Worldwide in Iraq. Obama also has no plans to sign onto legislation that seeks to ban the use of these forces in US war zones by January 2009. Despite their antiwar rhetoric, both Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton have adopted the congressional Democratic position that would leave open the option of keeping tens of thousands of US troops in Iraq for many years. [includes rush transcript]

• 

  Ex-Speechwriter, Confidante Dr. Vincent Harding on Dr. Martin Luther King’s Courageous — and Overlooked — Anti-War and Economic Justice Activism

  In the 40th year since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, we speak to Dr. King’s close associate and former speechwriter Dr. Vincent Harding. Dr. Harding drafted King’s historic April 1967 antiwar speech “Beyond Vietnam.” He is the author of many books including “Martin Luther King: The Inconvenient Hero.”

• 

  William F. Buckley Dies at 82; A Look Back at 1969 Debate With Noam Chomsky on Vietnam

  William F. Buckley Jr. died yesterday at the age of 82. He was the founder of the conservative magazine National Review and the television show “Firing Line.” In 1969 he invited Noam Chomsky on his show to discuss the Vietnam War. We play an excerpt.

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORIES

RECENT SHOWS

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

• Headlines for February 27, 2008
• Clinton, Obama Hold Final Debate Before Pivotal Votes Next Week
• Holes in the Wall: Texas Border Wall Bypassing Wealthy Residents with Bush Admin Ties
• Blue Covenant: Maude Barlow on the Global Movement for Water Justice

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

• Headlines for February 26, 2008
• “Taxi to the Dark Side”: Exposé on US Abuses in “War on Terror” Wins Oscar for Best Documentary
• Noam Chomsky: Why is Iraq Missing from 2008 Presidential Race?

Monday, February 25, 2008

• Headlines for February 25, 2008
• U.S.-Backed Turkish Invasion of Northern Iraq Continues
• Barack Obama’s Senior Foreign Policy Adviser Samantha Power on Obama’s Call to Increase the Pentagon’s Budget, Hugo Chavez, Funding the Iraq Occupation and Attacking Pakistan
• Samantha Power on “Chasing the Flame: Sergio Vieira de Mello and the Fight to Save the World” Pt. II

December 13, 2007

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Senate Panel Approves Defense Secretary Nominee Robert Gates
The Senate Armed Services Committee has unanimously approved the nomination of Robert Gates as the next Secretary of Defense. In a stark contrast to his four-month confirmation hearings to become CIA Director in 1991, Gates’s hearing lasted just one day.

Gates: US Not Winning Iraq War
In the session’s most controversial moment, Gates was questioned by incoming Senate Armed Services Committee chair Carl Levin.

Iraq Study Group Advisors Concluded Iraq War Lost
The bipartisan Iraq Study Group releases its long-awaited report today. In a new development, the Washington Post reports the panel will recommend President Bush threaten the Iraqi government with a reduction of economic and military support if it fails to meet specific goals on improving security. The Washington Post also reports many of the Iraq Study Group’s advisors have concluded the war in Iraq is already lost. In July, a draft report said: “there is even doubt that any level of resources could achieve the administration’s stated goals.” That wording has been removed. While the Iraq Study report is being hailed as the dawn of a change of course, Iraqis are voicing skepticism.

Incoming Dem House Intel Chair Calls for Iraq Troop Increase
Meanwhile, the incoming House Intelligence Committee chair – Democratic Congressmember Silvestre Reyes —- says he will call for sending more troops to Iraq. Reyes initially opposed the invasion. His appointment this week was seen as a sign Democrats plan on challenging the Bush administration’s Iraq policy. But in an interview with Newsweek, Reyes says he wants to see an increase of up to 30,000 troops to dismantle Iraq’s militias.

5 Marines to be Charged in Haditha Killings
In other Iraq news, the New York Times is reporting at least five Marines are expected to be charged in the killing of twenty-four Iraqis in the town of Haditha last year. The Marines initially claimed fifteen civilians died in a roadside blast caused by insurgents. Months later, reports emerged the civilians were killed when marines burst into their homes and shot them dead in their nightclothes. Charges could come as early as today.

7 Killed in Suicide Attack on US Security Firm in Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, five Afghans and two Americans were killed today in a suicide bombing in Kandahar. The bombing hit the offices of a private American security firm.

Oaxacan Uprising Leader Held in Maximum-Security Prison
In Mexico, leaders of the popular uprising in the state of Oaxaca are vowing to continue their struggle in the face of the arrest of Flavio Sosa. Sosa was arrested Monday in Mexico City after announcing the Popular Assembly of the Oaxacan People — APPO — planned to hold negotiations with the government of Felipe Calderon. He is now being held in a maximum-security prison.

Release of Brad Will Murder Suspects Criticized
In other Oaxaca news, the release of two suspects linked to the killing of American journalist Brad Will is coming under international criticism. One of the suspects is a municipal official with close ties to Oaxaca state governor Ulises Ruiz. In a statement, the group Reporters Without Borders said: “Everything suggests the Oaxaca state judicial authorities are now trying to cover up for [the Governor’s] aides. This is an insult to the victim and a spur to impunity.”

Castro Congratulates Chavez on Election Victory
In Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez read a congratulatory note from Cuban President Fidel Castro Tuesday on Chavez’s win in the Venezuelan elections.

Fijian Military Declares State of Emergency, Installs New PM
In Fiji, the top Fijian military commander has declared a state of emergency and installed a new prime minister. The move comes one day after the overthrow of Fiji’s elected government —- Fiji’s fourth coup in twenty years. The coup is drawing international condemnation and sanctions.

Surviving Victims in Bell Shooting Deny Police Account
Here in New York, the two survivors of the police shooting that killed the unarmed bridegroom Sean Bell are disputing the police version of events. In an interview with the television station New York One, Trent Benefield denied police assertions a fourth man was inside Sean Bell’s car. Benfefield spoke Tuesday after his release from the hospital. He was treated for three gunshot wounds in his legs. Benefield said: “My friend’s dead. I’m shot up. We need justice.” Meanwhile, the other survivor, Joseph Guzman, says police failed to identify themselves before they opened fire. Guzman says he was shot sixteen times.

Bush Appointee to Holocaust Awareness Council: Quran Akin to “Mein Kampf”
The Council on American Islamic Relations is calling on the Bush administration to remove a right-wing talk show host from a taxpayer-funded council on Holocaust awareness. The broadcaster, Dennis Prager, has drawn controversy for stating Congressmember Keith Ellison should be sworn into Congress using a Christian Bible instead of the Quran. Ellison is the first Muslim elected to Congress. Prager said using the Quran would: “undermine American civilization” and be like using a copy of Hitler’s “Mein Kampf.” The Bush administration recently appointed Prager to a five-year term on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.

New York City Bans Trans Fats in Restaurants, Fast Food Chains
And finally in health news, New York City has become the first in the country to ban trans fats from most restaurants and fast food chains.

Fast food chains including McDonald’s and Burger King that have yet to eliminate trans fats will have until July of next year before facing penalties. The ban was passed after several fast food companies failed to meet voluntary benchmarks to reduce trans fats.

ATC Journal We Bring You The News!

UN: HIV Infection Increasing
New figures from the United Nations show HIV infection is on the rise. 39.5 million people are infected with HIV around the world, up more than 2.5 million from two years ago.

Lebanese Cabinet Minister Assassinated
Lebanon’s internal political crisis took a new turn Tuesday with the assassination of a leading anti-Syrian politician. Pierre Gemayel, Lebanon’s industry minister and a member of an influential Christian-Lebanese family, was killed in broad daylight as he left church. Suspicions immediately turned to Syria, which has been accused of backing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri nearly two years ago. At the UN, Syrian Ambassador Bashar Jaafari denied Syria’s involvement.

77 Killed in Iraq Violence
In Iraq, at least seventy-seven people were killed in violence across Iraq Tuesday. In Baghdad, a car bomb detonated inside the US-controlled Green Zone in a failed assassination attempt on the speaker of the Iraqi parliament. The attack marked one of the most serious security breaches to date within the Green Zone.

3700 Iraqis Killed in October; Deadliest Month on Record
Meanwhile, the UN released figures Tuesday showing last month marked the deadliest month for Iraqi civilians on record. At least thirty-seven hundred civilians were killed during October.

Annan “Regrets” Iraq War, Calls for Iran-Syria Dialogue
Meanwhile at the UN Tuesday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said he regretted the war in Iraq but that the Bush administration’s goals may have made it inevitable.

Poll: 70% Iraqis Favor US Withdrawal
Meanwhile, a new poll from WorldOpinion.org has found seven out ten Iraqis want a US withdrawal within one year. Just ten percent favor the Bush administration’s stated policy to withdraw troops only as the security situation improves.

Marine Sentenced to 21 Months over Hamdania Slaying
In other Iraq news, a US marine was sentenced to twenty-one months confined to base Tuesday after pleading guilty to involvement in the murder of an unarmed Iraqi in Hamdania. The marine, Lance Cpl. Jerry Shumate, is the fourth American servicemember to plead guilty in the case. Three other Marines still face charges.

Bush Sr. Lecture Audience Cheers Criticism of President
Former President George Bush Senior got into a verbal confrontation with a student audience in Abu Dhabi Tuesday after several people criticized his son’s policies. One audience member told the elder Bush she did not respect the President and what he’s doing in the world. The Associated Press reports Bush appeared stunned when most of the audience applauded in approval. Another questioner said US wars were waged to open markets for American corporations. Bush Sr. replied: “I think that’s weird and it’s nuts. To suggest that everything we do is because we’re hungry for money, I think that’s crazy.”

Pentagon: NATO Needs More Troops in Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, the Pentagon has admitted the NATO force is in need of more troops. It is not clear whether a new deployment will include more US soldiers.

Nepal, Rebels Sign Peace Accord
In Nepal, the government and Maoist rebels signed a peace agreement Tuesday to end a civil conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people. The accord comes seven months after a massive protest forced King Gyanendra to return power to Nepal’s parliament. Just this week, a government commission recommended punishing King Gyanendra for his crackdown on protesters during the uprising against his rule. At least nineteen people were killed and dozens injured during the unrest.

Colombia Jails Telesur Correspondent on Terror Charges
In Colombia, a correspondent for the Latin American television network Telesur has been arrested on allegations of involvement in rebel attacks. The reporter, Freddy Munoz, denies the charges. Telesur is accusing the Colombian government of trying to intimidate reporters covering its conflict with rebel groups.

Pentagon Spying Targeted Church Meetings, Veterans Group
Here in the United States, the American Civil Liberties Union has released new documents from a Pentagon database used to spy on groups opposed to military recruitment and the war in Iraq. In one case, defense department officials notified two California recruiting stations after learning activists were planning anti-recruitment protests. A database report also included information on anti-war meetings and non-violence training sessions planned for churches around New York City. Another report warned the group Veterans for Peace: “should be viewed as a possible threat to Army and DoD personnel.” In a statement, Veterans for Peace Executive Director Michael McPhearson said: “It is appalling that the Pentagon would label peace activists – including those of us who put our lives at risk defending this country — as potential threats. The federal government should not be wasting valuable resources gathering files on peaceful protesters who disagree with the Bush administration’s policies.”

Reno Leads Court Challenge to Military Commissions
Former Attorney General Janet Reno is leading a new court challenge against the Bush administration’s trial of detainees outside US courts. On Monday, Reno and seven other former Justice Department officials filed papers challenging the government’s right to bring Qatari citizen Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri before a military commission. In their filing, Reno’s group writes: “The existing criminal justice system is more than up to the task of prosecuting and bringing to justice those who plan or attempt terrorist acts within the United States - without sacrificing any of the rights and protections that have been the hallmarks of the American legal system for more than 200 years.” The former officials say indefinite detentions will become more widespread unless the courts intervene. The filing marks the first time Reno has spoken out on the administration’s handling of prisoners in the so-called war on terror.

Las Vegas Ban on Feeding Homeless Ruled Illegal
A federal court has struck down a Las Vegas law that outlaws feeding the homeless in public parks. City officials said they enacted the law because soup kitchens have kept people away from visiting public spaces. The American Civil Liberties Union led a challenge to the law after it was approved in July. Las Vegas officials are vowing to re-write the law to keep the ban in place.

Officer in Taser UCLA Incident Has Past of Physical Confrontations
In Los Angeles, new developments in the case of last week’s taser incident at UCLA. Authorities have revealed the campus police officer who repeatedly shocked an Iranian-American student with a Taser stun gun has a history of physical confrontation with civilians. The officer, Terrence Duren, shot a homeless man on campus three years ago and was once recommended for dismissal over an alleged assault. One week ago, Duren shocked UCLA senior Mostafa Tabatabainejad five times after the student failed to produce a student ID while studying in the library.

DHS Defends Removal of Muslim Imams from US Airways Flight
The Department of Homeland Security is defending the removal of six Muslim imams from a US Airways flight. The clerics were led away in handcuffs Monday after passengers complained they were praying in the terminal and aboard the plane. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson says the removal was justified because some passengers thought the imams were making anti-US statements. US Airways says the imams raised suspicions by not sitting in their assigned seats and sitting in groups of two. On Tuesday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said it’s receiving increasing complaints of racial profiling on US planes and called for an independent investigation.

Ed Bradley Remembered at Memorial Service
And finally, “60 Minutes” correspondent Ed Bradley was remembered Tuesday at a memorial service here in New York. A crowd of more than 2,000 packed the Riverside Church to hear tributes from guests including former President Bill Clinton and the actor Bill Cosby. Jazz musicians also performed in the New Orleans style that was Bradley’s favorite.

110 Killed in Iraq Violence; Health Minister Kidnapped
In Iraq, more than one hundred and ten people were killed in violence around Iraq Sunday. At least seventeen died and fifty were wounded in a suicide attack in the town of Hilla. Meanwhile, insurgents kidnapped Iraq’s Deputy Health Minister in what is believed to be the highest-level abduction of an Iraqi official to date.

In First Iraq Visit, Syrian FM Pledges Aid, Calls for Pullout Timetable
In another major development, Syria’s Foreign Minister was in Iraq Sunday for the first visit by a Syrian minister since the US invasion. The foreign minister, Walid Moallem, offered Syrian assistance in battling insurgents and called for a timetable for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iraq.

Kissinger: Iraq Victory Impossible
In other Iraq news, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has said he believes a military victory for the United States is impossible. In an interview with the BBC, Kissinger said: “If you mean by clear military victory an Iraqi government that can be established and whose writ runs across the whole country, that gets the civil war under control and sectarian violence under control … I don’t believe that is possible,” he said. Kissinger has advised the Bush administration during the Iraq war.

HRW: Saddam Hussein Trial “Fundamentally Unfair”
Human Rights Watch is calling the recent trial of Saddam Hussein “fundamentally unfair.” In a new report released today, Human Rights Watch says the trial was undermined by interference from the Iraqi government and failure to allow an open hearing of evidence and witnesses.

Thousands Protest Bush in Indonesia
President Bush is in Indonesia today as he continues his eight-day tour of Asia. More than ten thousand people took to the streets of the capital Jakarta Sunday ahead of the President’s visit.

Alnurdin of the Indonesia’s Islamic Defenders Front: “Various elements from different Muslim civil organisations here have all objected the devil himself, George Bush, to come to Indonesia. Essentially, we all agreed that Bush is a murderer in the eyes of Muslims across the world.” Protests are continuing in Indonesia today.

Groups Oppose Renewing Indonesian Military Aid
Meanwhile, a coalition of American human rights, labor, and religious groups are asking President Bush to refrain from promising further assistance to the Indonesian military. In a letter organized by the East Timor Action Network, the groups write: “We are deeply troubled by ongoing human rights violations by Indonesia’s security forces, especially in Papua… and its widespread impunity for crimes against humanity and other serious violations committed against the peoples of East Timor and Indonesia.” Last year, President Bush issued a waiver on a Congressional restriction on military assistance to Indonesia.

Palestinian Gathering at Targeted Home Prevents Israeli Airstrike
In the Occupied Territories, the Israeli military called off a planned air strike on the Gaza home of a wanted militant Sunday after hundreds of Palestinians gathered at the home to protect it. Hamas activist Nizar Riyan described the scene.

Nizar Riyan: “In the beginning hundreds of people gathered and in less than an hour, there are thousands gathered on the roof. Now the men and woman are taking shifts, meaning the women came this morning and said, ‘We will be here during the day and you cover during the night’. Now, our sisters sitting on top of the roof and said now go and get some rest inside the house. This approach initiated by our people, whether they are men or women, is a great approach that will break the strength of the (Israeli) F-16 planes.” An Israeli spokesperson called the Palestinian action “a cynical exploitation of our attempt to avoid harm to civilians.” But Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said the tactic had broken new ground and would be used to stop future Israeli attacks.

Palestinian PM Ismail Haniyeh: “Israel will not break our will and we will stand together for a long path, starting by what has happened here today at this house, to Protect our house, our children, our women and our elderly.”

UN Climate Summit Yields Pledge to Review Kyoto Goals
In Kenya, a UN summit of environmental ministers wrapped up Friday with promises to take action on climate change — in the future. The summit said it would review the Kyoto accords in 2008 with the possibility of agreeing to further cuts in greenhouse gases. Under Kyoto, signatories must keep their emissions to at least five percent below their 1990 levels before the year 2012.

African Activist to Climate Summit: “You Have Forgotten Us”
The summit also agreed to fund African initiatives for clean energy. Many African leaders and activists, including Sharon Loorementa of the Maasi community, said the conference had failed to address Africa’s needs.

Sharon Loorementa: “You came here to look at some climate impacts and some poor people suffering and then climb your airplane and head home. Africa is sometimes called the forgotten continent and it looks like you have forgotten us.”

UN Humanitarian Chief Barred from Darfur
In Sudan, the UN’s top humanitarian official has once again been barred from visiting Darfur. Jan Egeland, the UN Relief Coordinator, was forced to end his trip Friday after Sudanese officials stopped him from entering villages housing Darfurian refugees. Egeland spoke after returning to the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

UN Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland: “Never would I have thought that on my fourth and final visit, the number of people in need of assistance would have gone from one to four million, and never would I have thought that the fear, the angst among the civilian population of Darfur, would remain the same after three long years.”

Thousands Turn Out for Annual School of Americas Protest
Here in the United States, up to twenty-two thousand people gathered outside Fort Benning, Georgia this weekend to call for the closing of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of the Americas. Fifteen people were arrested after crossing the fence and onto the base. The U.S. military has used the school to train many Latin American and Caribbean military officials accused of abusing human rights. Protesters heard from several survivors of US-backed regimes, including Maria Guardado of El Salvador. This was the seventeenth year of the School of Americas protests. The weekend actions are timed to coincide with the anniversary of the November 1989 murders of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in El Salvador. According to the organizers, protests also took place in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Paraguay and Peru, as well as in Ireland, Canada and other cities across the United States.

Rangel to Introduce Legislation Renewing Military Draft
On Capitol Hill, a leading Democratic Congressmember has announced plans for legislation to re-introduce the military draft. New York Democrat Charles Rangel, the incoming chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, says he believes mandatory conscription would deter politicians from launching wars. Rangel said: “There’s no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq… [if] members of Congress and the administration thought their kids from their communities would be placed in harm’s way.”

Study: 93% of Gitmo Prisoners Deemed “Enemy Combatants” Without Evidence, Witnesses
A new study of hundreds of hearings where Guantanamo prisoners were deemed “enemy combatants” has found the US military called no witnesses, withheld evidence and reached speedy verdicts usually within one day. The study was overseen by Seton Hall professor Mark Denbeaux, and his son Joshua. Both represent Guantanamo detainees. The hearings were held before a panel of three officers with no defense attorney present. Out nearly of five hundred and sixty detainees, all but thirty-eight were ruled enemy combatants.

Vets, Priest Sentenced Over Anti-Disarmament Silo Protest
And finally, two military veterans and a Catholic priest have been sentenced to prison for staging a disarmament protest at a North Dakota missile silo last June. The men dressed in clown suits and broke the locks on the site using sledgehammers. They painted the word “disarm” and poured some of their own blood on a silo lid. The men called themselves “Weapon of Mass Destruction Here Plowshares.” The three were each ordered to pay restitution of seventeen thousand dollars. The oldest of the group – seventy-three year old priest Father Carl Kabat – was given the longest sentence of fifteen months.

ATC Journal We Bring You The News!

US Soldier Sentenced to 90 Years in Iraq Rape, Murder Case
A US soldier has been sentenced to ninety years in prison for his role in the rape of an Iraqi girl and the killing of her and her family. The soldier, Specialist James Barker, was sentenced one day after pleading guilty and agreeing to testify against four other suspects. Barker has admitted he raped the girl — Abeer Kassem Hamza al-Janabi – while her parents and five-year old sister were herded into an adjoining room of their home and shot dead. Two other suspects –former soldier Steven Green and Sgt. Paul Cortez – raped Abeer before shooting her and burning her body in an effort to cover up their crime. At his hearing Thursday, Barker wept as he delivered a statement to the court. Barker said: “I want the people of Iraq to know that I did not go there to do the terrible things that I did. I do not ask anyone to forgive me today.” Barker will be eligible for parole after twenty years.

4 US Contractors Held Hostage as Month’s US Death Toll Hits 45
Meanwhile in Iraq, the US military says four American security contractors are being held hostage after their convoy came under attack by insurgents. The military also announced the deaths of four soldiers Thursday. This month’s US death toll has now reached forty-five.

US Air Strikes on Afghanistan Top 2,000 in Six Months
The New York Times is reporting US air strikes on Afghanistan are again on the rise. Defense officials say the Air Force has conducted more than 2,000 bombings since June. That’s at least twenty times more than the number of airstrikes in Iraq over the same period.

Victims’ Families Reject Pinochet Meeting Request
In Chile, the daughter of former dictator Augusto Pinochet has announced her father is willing to meet with the families of victims tortured or disappeared under his rule.

Peacekeeping Agreement Could Bring 27,000 Troops to Darfur
The African Union has reached an agreement with Arab, European and UN leaders for a joint peacekeeping mission with the European Union in Darfur. The planned force could include some 27,000 troops, including the existing 7,000-member African Union deployment. The Sudanese government took part in the deliberations but has not given its unqualified approval. UN Secretary General Koffi Annan is calling for an international conference including the Sudanese government and rebel groups to resolve the outstanding issues by the end of the year. The agreement comes amid reports the pro-government janjaweed militas have increased attacks on Darfurian civilians. On Thursday, Jan Egeland, the UN’s top humanitarian official, spoke from Western Darfur.

Oaxaca Protest Leaders Dismiss Charges on Brad Will Murder
In Mexico, leaders of the popular uprising in the state of Oaxaca are lashing out at government claims their members were responsible for the fatal shooting of American journalist Brad Will. Will was shot and killed in Oaxaca three weeks ago today. His assailants have been identified as local police officers and government officials. The Oaxacan state government is claiming Will was shot at close range by members of the Popular Assembly of Oaxacan People, or APPO. On Thursday, APPO spokesperson Florencio Lopez Martinez denied the charges and accused Oaxaca’s governor and other officials of backing the crime.

Israeli Minister Calls for Broadening “Targeted Assassinations”
In Israel, a government cabinet minister is calling for an increase in the “targeted killing” of Palestinian leaders. In an address on public radio Thursday, Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben Eliezer said the attacks should be broadened and that not even Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya should be immune.

Pelosi Chosen House Speaker, Hoyer Wins House Majority Leader
Here in the United States, Thursday was a day of victory and defeat for Democratic Congressmember Nancy Pelosi on Capitol Hill. In a historic move, Pelosi was chosen by acclamation to become the nation’s first female House speaker. But in a direct rebuke to her wishes, House Democrats also voted to make Congressmember Steny Hoyer of Maryland the new House majority leader. Pelosi had openly campaigned for Congressmeber John Murtha of Pennsylvania. The final vote was one hundred and forty nine to eighty six. The session marked an end to a bitter leadership campaign that saw Murtha’s opponents accusing him of corruption.

Senate Approves US-India Nuclear Deal
In other news from Capitol Hill, the Senate approved legislation Thursday to begin nuclear cooperation with India. The measure received bi-partisan support to pass 85 to 12. Dissenting Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota argued the agreement would increase nuclear proliferation and worsen tensions between India and Pakistan.

Audit: Virtual Fence Cost Could Far Exceed Estimates
In other news, a new government audit is warning the Bush administration’s plan for a high-tech virtual border fence will likely cost far more than its initial two billion-dollar estimate. The virtual fence will utilize sensors, cameras and drones to monitor the borders with Canada and Mexico. The Homeland Security Department’s inspector general now says the plan could cost up to thirty billion dollars.

Pivotal Journalist in Al-Arian Case Romantically Involved With Prosecutor
Here in Florida, a journalist whose reporting led to the federal investigation into jailed University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian has admitted he’s romantically involved with one of the case’s lead prosecutors. The reporter, Michael Fechter of the Tampa Tribune, has been widely criticized for displaying bias in his coverage of Al-Arian and his alleged links to the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad. Al-Arian has been jailed for over three years despite the fact the jury in his case failed to return a single guilty verdict on any of the charges brought against him. Fechter insists his relationship with prosecutor Cherie Krigsman began after the end of Al-Arian’s trial last year. Fechter says he’s stopped reporting on the case since the relationship began.

Bush Admin Plans Gitmo “Mini-City” for Military Commissions
The Miami Herald is reporting the Bush administration is planning construction of a massive new “mini-city” at Guantanamo Bay to hold military trials for prisoners. The one hundred twenty-five million dollar compound would be the largest single construction expenditure since the prison opened four years ago. The administration wants to begin the military commissions by July of next year.

Ex-Gitmo Prisoner Alleges Torture
Meanwhile, a recently-freed prisoner from Guantanamo Bay has come forward with allegations of torture at the hands of the US military. In an interview from his home in Turkey, the former prisoner, Murat Kurnaz, said he was beaten, given electric shocks, submerged in water, starved, and chained to a ceiling for days. He said he saw several people die and often thought he would die himself. Kurnaz was held for four years before his release in August because of a lack of evidence against him.

Leading HMO Charged With Hospital Dumping
In California, a leading hospital chain has been charged with ridding itself of a homeless patient by dumping her in a crime-ridden neighborhood of Los Angeles. The hospital, Bellflower, is run by Kaiser Permanente, the largest HMO in the United States. Prosecutors say the case marks the first time a US hospital has been charged with hospital dumping despite its widespread practice.

Abortion Rights Groups Criticize New Family-Planning Appointee
And finally, the Bush administration is coming under criticism for its new choice to head family-planning programs at the Department of Health and Human Services. The appointee, Erick Keroack, is former head of “A Women’s Concern” — a medical organization that discourages handing contraceptives to women. The Washington Post reports the group supports sexual abstinence until marriage, opposes contraception and does not distribute information promoting birth control at its six centers in eastern Massachusetts. Keroack will play an advisory role on reproductive health and adolescent pregnancy and oversee $283 million dollars in annual family-planning grants. Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said: “[Keroack’s appointment is] striking proof that the Bush administration remains dramatically out of step with the nation’s priorities.”

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