NO, NOT THE OIL! #69
R Kym Horsell
Reserch Senter(*)
OIL THE NEWS THAT FITS MY VIEWS #69
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In the Run-Up to World War III, Reliably Reporting the News Relevant
to Extreme Right-Wing Democratic Socialists Everywhere
(validated for RiteThink(tm) by the Office of Our Man in Can-berra).
Visit Our Home Page At: http://www.chickenhead.com/loserscopes/
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Iraqi Body Count: http://www.iraqbodycount.net/ [6,058+ as at 11 Jul 2003].
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Selecting latest news stories and other data for you...
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I think the intelligence I get... is darn good intelligence.
-- US Pres Bush Jr, Whitehouse, 14 Jul 2003.
Manufactured by low-level African diplomats in Rome!
When it's all said and done, the people of the US and the world will
realize that Saddam Hussein had a weapons program.
-- US Pres Bush Jr, 14 Jul 2003.
Somewhere, sometime, some kind. The "tautology tactic".
The US CIA believed in the veracity of the claims which we had made ...
about the fact that the Iraqis were seeking the purchase of uranium from Niger.
-- Jack Straw , 14 Jul 2003.
We believed them, and they believed us.
The entire case the Bush administration made against Iraq is a lie.
-- Scott Ritter, fmr intel officer, WMD insp, and "cowboy", 14 Jul 2003.
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Tue, 15 Jul 2003.
Record US deficits expected this y, next
US appeals to anti-war nations to rebuild Iraq
Blix accuses Blair of "fundamental mistake"
We should be proud as a country of what we have done: Blair
World leaders reject Blair's move over military action
Niger: Jack Straw accused of "new deception"
Bush defends prewar intel on Iraq
Weapons inspector says US "lied"
Iraq's history already written
US fears violence as Iraqi anniversary looms
Attacks on US soldiers continue; Council deliberates leadership
US Dems attack Bush's credibility over Niger uranium claims
"Real IRA man" is our reporter, says newspaper
US Dems open assault on Bush's Iraq policies
PM rejects N Korean nuclear threats
China's "most wanted" fights to stay in Canada
Bethlehem bomb threat defused
Rebels blow tracks: E India
Solomons intervention law in media's hands, say MPs
MP faces new coup charges
Terrorism fears scupper Atlantic rowing bid
New rules at US airports
"No war" protesters to stand trial
EU candidacy set back by stoning deaths
Hicks"s treatment "unacceptable": MP
Philippines Govt offers reward for recapture of Al Ghozi
Police shake-up may follow Philippines JI jail bungle
Plot to embarrass Pres
Mugabe will step down this y: report
Air Canada cuts 300 white-collar jobs
Malfunction forces shutdown of Ukrainian reactor
UK backs wind power scheme
Museum anticipates critical review
Hanson confused over fraud charges
CSIRO issues marine pest "hit list"
Markets
Record US deficits expected this y, next
Washington (AP). The Bush Admin is expected to forecast record
deficits for this y and next exceeding $400 bn, perhaps reaching $450
bn, congress'l Republicans said on Mon.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, and many private
analysts, have been expecting shortfalls of that magnitude, but Tue's
projection by the Whitehouse would be the first time it has
acknowledged that amount of red ink.
The sky-high numbers were certain to revive the political fight over
the budget. Dems say tax cuts pushed by Pres Bush have worsened
the situation, especially in the long run.
Republicans blame the weak economy and the costs of fighting
terrorism, and say the bad deficit numbers underscore the need to
restrain fed spending.
Until now, the record shortfall was $290 bn in 1992 under the first
Pres Bush.
Republicans say the more important measure of red ink is how it
compares to the size of the US economy, because that illustrates the
govt's ability to afford carrying the debt.
Even gauged that way, a shortfall 4% as big as the economy -- as this
y's and next's will probably be -- begins to approach the dimension
of the deficits of the 1980s and early 1990s that both parties agreed
were untenable.
Several GOP aides said they were expecting numbers surpassing $400 bn
this y and next, perhaps in the $450 bn range. Asked about that,
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Don Nickles, R-Okla, said he had
heard the same thing.
"I think the economy can handle it. I think it's higher than I'd like
it to be," he said in a brief interview.
South Carolina Rep John Spratt, top Democrat on the House Budget
Committee, said he believed actual deficit numbers may be worse.
In the short term, that is because the Whitehouse numbers are not
expected to incl the future costs of US operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan, which are approaching $5 bn pm. They are expected
to incl costs incurred there to date.
In the longer term, the Admin figures will not count the 100s of bn of
dollars it would take to make permanent the tax cuts Congress enacted
in 2001 and earlier this y. The Whitehouse's budget projections
are expected to be for the next 5 y, but many of those tax cuts
expire in 2010 -- leaving the costs of extending them outside that
5-y window.
"There's no way OMB can make the budget a pretty picture," Spratt told
reporters, using the acronym for the Whitehouse's Office of
Management and Budget.
Only 2 y ago, the govt ended its budget y with a $127 bn surplus. That
was the 4th straight and the 2nd largest ever.
Since then, the budget has careened through its most abrupt, steepest
reversal ever. Last y, deficits returned with the red ink reaching
$158 bn.
Until now, the most recent Whitehouse projection was the $304 bn it
forecast in Feb for this y and $307 bn for 2004. The govt's 2004
budget y begins Oct 1.
But as the y has progressed, a revenue drop below expected levels has
continued, causing forecasters to adjust their projections. In
addition, the Whitehouse's initial projections excluded any costs for
the war with Iraq, and Bush and Congress enacted a nr $80 bn bill in
Apr to pay for the Iraq fighting and other anti-terrorism operations.
The Whitehouse numbers to be released Tue were to incl the $400 bn over
10 y that Bush incl in his budget for creating a prescription drug
benefit under Medicare. Such a measure is working its way through Congress.
The numbers will also incl Bush's other spending and tax-cut
proposals that have not yet become law.
US appeals to anti-war nations to rebuild Iraq
Washington (NY Times). The US has called for an internat'l conference
in Oct of dozens of nations -- many of which opposed the war to oust
Saddam Hussein -- to raise $bns to restore Iraq's economy.
The call came as the US Def Sec, Don Rumsfeld, predicted more
deaths of US solders in attacks by militants loyal to Saddam.
"I'm afraid we are going to have to expect this to go on, and there is
even speculation that during the month of July, which is an anniversary
for a lot of Baathist events, we could see an increase in the number
of attacks," Mr Rumsfeld said.
He said he was afraid more US troops would be killed.
1 US soldier was killed and 6 were wounded on Mon when their military
convoy came under attack from rocket-propelled grenades in central
Baghdad, a US military rep said. The death was the 32nd US
combat-related fatality since May 1, when hostilities were declared over.
A group saying it is linked to al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for
such attacks on Sun, and warned of more in coming days.
An unverified audio tape broadcast by Dubai-based Al Arabiya
television contained warnings that the new attacks would "break the
back of America". The US has about 147,000 troops in Iraq, and Mr
Rumsfeld said "that number is going to stay there for the foreseeable future".
Potential donor nations say they are uneasy about financing a military
occupation and some US officials concede there will have to be more
participation by other countries in deciding how money for Iraq is
raised and spent.
Germany and France, 2 countries that opposed the war, want a
restructure of internat'l aid to Iraq.
In response to donor concerns, US officials are pressing for the
creation of a trust fund for donations by other countries, possibly
under the auspices of the World Bank or the UN.
But the immediate focus for the Bush Administration was their defence
of Pres Bush Jr's claim in his State of the Union address that Iraq
tried to buy uranium from Africa.
Mr Rumsfeld and the Nat'l Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, said in
separate television appearances on Sun that the disputed sentence in
Mr Bush's speech was accurate even if some of the underlying evidence
was unsubstantiated.
"It's not known ... that it was inaccurate. In fact, people think it
was technically accurate," Mr Rumsfeld said.
The Italian Govt denied reports that its intel services were the
sources of documents indicating that Iraq was seeking uranium from
Niger for a nuclear weapons program.
US intel services believe that the most likely source of the Brit MI6
intel was the French secret service, the DGSE.
The DGSE is believed to have refused to allow MI6 to give Americans
"credible" info that Iraq was trying to buy uranium ore from Niger, US
intel sources say.
Blix accuses Blair of "fundamental mistake"
NY (DPA). Retired UN weapons inspector Hans Blix has accused Brit PM
Tony Blair of wrongly interpreting intel on Iraq's WMD and making a
"fundamental mistake" in saying they could be deployed within 45
minutes.
Speaking to Brit's Sun Independent newspaper, Blix was sharply
critical of US and Brit use of intel on former Iraqi Pres Saddam
Hussein's WMDs.
The 45-minute claim -- which is at the centre of a long-running
controversy in Brit over the justification for the war -- seemed
"pretty far off the mark," Blix said.
The former head of the UN team in Iraq has criticised intel from the
US and Brit before, but these were some of his strongest words to
date. He retired last m.
The 45-minute claim appeared in a dossier published and presented to
the Brit parliament in Sep. It was a central part of Blair's
justification for joining the US-led coalition.
Last Mon, a cross-party parliamentary committee said the claim "did
not warrant the prominence given to it."
Blair is under rising criticism for the way info was put together to
justify the war.
In a 2nd dossier, an old academic thesis was downloaded from the
Internet, spiced up and published as a substantial part of ostensibly
new intel without attribution. The govt has admitted this was a
serious error.
Regarding the furor in the US over a claim Saddam had sought to buy
uranium from Niger, Brit officials continue to insist they have intel
other than documents since shown by the Internat'l Atomic Energy
Agency to be forgeries.
US Pres Bush Jr quoted Brit sources when he used the claim in his Jan
State of the Union address, but it has since been withdrawn and the
CIA has accepted responsibility for its incl.
Brit commentators said yesterday a split was opening between the
respective intel services of Brit and the US over the intel, which was
also in the Sep dossier.
For Sec Jack Straw said Sat Brit had not passed on to the US how it
had come by its info.
[It was traced back today to a Niger diplomat working in Rome who sold it
to Italian military intel for $US2,000].
We should be proud as a country of what we have done: Blair
London. Speaking at a summit for centre left leaders, Mr Blair said:
"When we have over the past couple of days taken the 1st steps for
Iraqi people actually to take control of their own lives and we have
the UN talking about 300,000 people (dead) and mass graves, then I
believe we should be proud that Saddam has gone, glad that he has gone.
"And I have no doubt at all in the future, whatever the differences
there have been in the past, we can reconstruct Iraq as a stable and
prosperous country and the world will be a more secure place as a result.
"And we should be proud as a country of what we have done."
Earlier, Mr Straw appeared to say there was no split between the UK and
US over the allegation that Saddam was seeking to buy uranium from Niger.
Both the UK and the US used the claim as they built the case for going
to war over Saddam Hussein's alleged WMD.
But controversy has raged since the CIA and the Whitehouse decided to
back away from the claim, while the UK Govt has continued to insist
that it was well founded.
CIA dir George Tenet has apologised for allowing Pres Bush to use
the claim -- even though attributed to the Brit govt -- in his State
of the Union address in Jan.
The CIA says the intel was based on false paperwork which American agents
revealed as forgeries -- but the UK insists it has separate evidence.
But Mr Straw defended the decision to incl the allegation in Brit's
dossier on Saddam Hussein's weapons published last Sep.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the info came from foreign intel
sources, and because of that, Brit could not tell the US who had
provided the evidence for the claim.
But, Mr Straw said: "The US Central Intel Agency believed in the
veracity of the claims which we had made, and also from other sources
quite separate from Brit sources, about the fact that the Iraqis were
seeking the purchase of uranium from Niger, not that they bought it,
but they were seeking it, quite late on last y and that ran through, I
think, into Jan."
US Nat'l Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice has also said the claim was
substantiated by several sources.
But she said it still was not of the calibre of intel needed for it to
be incl in a pres'l speech.
The apparent disagreement could make Mr Blair's visit to the US an
uncomfortable one with the PM already under pressure over
the validity of his stated reasons for going to war.
Tenet has apologised for allowing the Pres to use the claims.
At the weekend, the former chief UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix,
criticised the UK's claim in Sep last y that Iraq could launch WMD in
45 minutes.
Mr Blix said Mr Blair was "fundamentally mistaken" over the claim. As
the row over WMD continues, Mr Straw revealed that technical
documentation and centrifuge parts "which are necessary for the
enrichment of uranium" had been found buried at the home of an Iraqi
scientist in the centre of Baghdad.
He said it was difficult to believe there was any purpose for burying
these items "except that preparations were being made for the further
development of a nuclear programme".
World leaders reject Blair's move over military action
Surrey. Tony Blair was rebuffed yesterday over attempts to give
internat'l backing to military action to topple the brutal leaders of
failed states like Iraq.
A summit of 14 world leaders refused to endorse a joint statement
which proposed waiving the legal ban on intervening in foreign states
if govts failed to protect their citizens from repression or "state failure".
The original draft, revealed by The Independent on Sun, said: "Where a
population is suffering serious harm as a result of internal war,
insurgency, repression or state failure, and the state in question is
unwilling to halt or avert it, the principle of non-intervention
yields to the internat'l responsibility to protect." But the passage
was cut from the final communique -- amid fears that it could have
provided justification for the war in Iraq and give carte blanche to W
powers to intervene in countries around the world. The final document
instead stressed "the crucial importance of internat'l co-operation in
responding to humanitarian crises". It said: "We are clear that the UN
Sec Council remains the sole body to authorise global action in
dealing with humanitarian crises of this kind."
The disputed passage was taken from a report by the Canada-based
Internat'l Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty. Instead,
the leaders said it was "a valuable contribution to the ongoing and
necessary debate within the UN on how better to deal with these new
and emerging challenges."
Speaking at the end of a 3-day Progressive Governance Summit in
Surrey, Mr Blair refused yesterday to link proposals for reforming
internat'l law with the war in Iraq, but called for new internat'l
"rules" to govern intervention in failing states. He said: "The
differences over Iraq are well known. The real issue is how do we, in
circumstances where there is brutal repression of people by a
particular regime, how do we offer them support and protection and
what are the rules, because people want to know that they are
operating in a system with rules. This is work actually irrespective
of any particular situation which has been taken forward under the
auspices of the UN. I think it's important we keep it there, so this
is an important contribution to the debate."
The argument over how to police the world's most unstable countries
will dominate discussions about the future of the UN in the wake of
the war in Iraq. Foreign Office officials have started work on
proposals for reform, due to be launched by Jack Straw, the For Sec,
in the autumn, amid concern in Brit and America that the UN is
unwieldy and unsuited to the challenges of the 21st century. Proposals
being considered incl expanding the permanent membership of the UN
Security Council and streamlining the organisation's bureaucracy.
The leaders, incl the S African Pres, Thabo Mbeki, the German
Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, New Zealand's PM, Helen Clark, and
the Canadian PM, Jean Chretien, said that "the global challenges of
poverty, protecting the environment and human rights, promoting
development and peace and combating terrorism require a step change in
the confidence and capacities of our global institutions. These must
be based on respect for internat'l law and founded on
multilateralism."
Niger: Jack Straw accused of "new deception"
London. Jack Straw stood accused of misleading the public over the
threat from Iraq last night after he cited evidence that Saddam
Hussein was trying to build a nuclear bomb without saying it was 12 yo.
Labour MPs claimed the For Sec had resorted to desperate tactics after
he referred to Mahdi Obeidi, an Iraqi scientist, who has handed parts
needed to build a gas centrifuge system that enriches uranium to
American officials. What Mr Straw did not say was that Mr Obeidi had
buried the parts -- and documents about the programme -- in his garden
as long ago as 1991.
Mr Straw was interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about the
controversy over the Govt's claim that Iraq tried to buy uranium from
Niger, from which the US has distanced itself in recent days. The For
Sec said: "One of the things that has happened since the fall of
Baghdad has been the discovery in Baghdad of technical documentation
and centrifugal parts which are necessary in the enrichment of
uranium, which were buried at the home of an Iraqi nuclear scientist
in Baghdad. People don't bury technical documents, still less parts of
centrifuges, unless they have a purpose in doing so.
"It is difficult to believe there was any purpose in doing such a
thing except the preparations were being made for further development
of a nuclear programme."
The discovery of the parts and documents is the only success announced
to date of the Iraqi Survey Group, which is searching for Saddam's WMD.
Mr Straw did not point out that the Internat'l Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) has said the buried materials were not a "smoking gun" because
they related to a pre-1991 nuclear weapons programme and appeared to
confirm that no attempt had been made to restart it since the 1991 Gulf War.
Labour MPs reacted angrily to Mr Straw's interview. Alice Mahon, MP
for Halifax, said: "This is old stuff which the Govt cannot be allowed
to get away with. It is an attempt to mislead. It will not do."
Tony Lloyd, a former Foreign Office minister, said: "The public really
wants to see an end to this scraping of the very bottom of the
barrel. If there was a real, current programme that justified the war,
let's see the real evidence and not simply a rehashing of yesterday's news."
A Foreign Office rep denied Mr Straw had made misleading remarks,
insisting he was referring to a recent interview by Mr Obeidi but had
not said the parts discovered were new.Asked about the timescale, the
rep said: "We are still assessing the info that came from this scientist."
Tony Blair is under pressure to make a full statement before the
Commons rises for its summer break on Thu on "the Niger connection"
and the failure to find WMD. Today, Charles Kennedy, the Liberal
Democrat leader, will call for an emergency statement by the PM.
In a letter to Mr Blair last night, he demanded an independent
inquiry, headed by a judge, to investigate the Govt's handling of
intel material before the war. Mr Kennedy said the case for an inquiry
had grown stronger in recent days because the Whitehouse had
"disowned" Brit's claim about Niger, and because of comments by Hans
Blix, the UN's former chief weapons inspector, who told The
Independent on Sun that the Govt had "over-interpreted" evidence of
Iraq's WMD capability.
The Govt admitted last night that some of the documents submitted to
the IAEA on Iraq's attempts to buy uranium were fake. Bill Rammell, a
Foreign Office minister, said in a written Commons reply: "We have now
seen the documents passed to the IAEA and agree that some of them are
forgeries. Others are still under consideration."
The Govt insisted that it had separate evidence from other intel
services, which it could not pass on to the IAEA because it was not
Brit. Mr Straw said he hoped and believed discussions were now taking
place to see whether that evidence could be handed over. Diplomatic
sources categorically denied reports yesterday that France had
supplied intel to Brit about purported Iraqi attempts to smuggle
uranium from Niger.
Although France handed some raw intel to the IAEA, Paris had little
faith in it and it was dismissed by the IAEA.
Mr Blair said at the end of a summit of centre-left leaders in Surrey
that "we should be proud as a country of what we have done".
Asked whether he stood 100% behind the Govt's claim about "the Niger
connection," he said: "We stand entirely by the intel that we gave and
shared with the public. Nobody was in any doubt at all or is in any
doubt about the security threat Saddam posed. There may be many ways
of dealing with it, but the whole of the UN declared him a security threat."
Bush defends prewar intel on Iraq
Washington (AP). Defending his credibility, Pres Bush said Mon the US
made the right decision to invade Iraq and the intel on which he
relied was "darn good" -- even though some of it now is in question.
Bush said the US was reviewing documents and interviewing Iraqis in an
intensive effort to support the Admin's still unproven claim that
Saddam Hussein had WMD.
"When it's all said and done," Bush insisted, "the people of the US
and the world will realize that Saddam Hussein had a weapons program."
Bush spoke in the Oval Office alongside UN Sec Gen Kofi Annan, who
opposed the US-led war. The 2 met to discuss Iraq, the Middle East and
peacekeeping in Liberia.
Bush has been on the defensive since the Admin acknowledged it could
not document his State of the Union claim in Jan that Iraq had been
trying to buy uranium in Africa to develop nuclear weapons. That claim
was based on Brit intel that had been called into question by the
CIA. Nevertheless, CIA Director George Tenet has accepted responsibility
for not seeking removal of the statement from Bush's speech.
Amid the finger-pointing over blame, the embarrassing episode forced
the Admin to concede it did not know the source of the Brit intel --
and, in fact, was not trying to determine the source.
"We don't know if it's true but nobody -- but nobody -- can say it was
wrong," Whitehouse press secretary Ari Fleischer said. "That is not
known." Administration officials said Bush's statement was technically
correct since he was simply saying that Brit intel said something was true.
Nevertheless, Bush is not pleased with the turn of events, Fleischer
said, and the Admin is tightening its scrutiny of material that goes
into his speeches.
Dems questioned the Admin's explanation, and anti-war advocacy
groups launched a television advertising campaign accusing Bush of
misleading Americans about Iraq's nuclear ambitions. The ad ends with
the word "leader" superimposed on Bush's face -- and then the word
changes to "misleader."
Sen Bob Graham of Fla, a candidate for the Democratic pres'l
nomination, accused Bush of deception. "He deceived the American
people by allowing into a State of the Union speech -- at a critical
point when he was making the case for war with Iraq -- a statement
that he either knew was wrong or should have known was wrong."
Dismissing Admin claims, Rep David Obey, D-Wis, said, "These officials
should be reminded that what is at stake is not just the credibility
of 1 man or even the credibility of the office of the Pres of the
US. What we place in the balance is the credibility of the US as a
nation and as leader of the free world."
Defending his Admin, Bush said, "I think the intel I get is darn good
intel. And the speeches I have given were backed by good intel.
"And I am absolutely convinced today, like I was convinced when I gave
the speeches, that Saddam Hussein developed a program of weapons of
mass destruction and that our country made the right decision."
The Admin said the questionable intel claim was simply one piece in a
long, documented list of evidence showing that Iraq was trying to
acquire material for nuclear weapons.
Said Fleischer: "The fact of the matter is whether they sought it from
Africa or didn't seek it from Africa doesn't change the fact that they
were seeking to reconstitute a nuclear program."
The Whitehouse also drew a distinction between the way Bush handled
intel claims about Iraq in a speech he gave in Cincinnati last Oct
compared with his State of the Union address in Jan.
In Oct, acting on Tenet's suggestion, Bush excised a sentence about
Iraq seeking a specific quantity of uranium from Niger, Fleischer
said. Yet, several m later, Bush went ahead and raised the claim about
seeking uranium in Africa.
Fleischer said it was an apples-and-oranges difference because the
Cincinnati speech mentioned Niger while the State of the Union speech
talked about all of Africa, and that there was different reporting
from the CIA. "So it's an apple in Cincinnati and an orange in the
State of the Union," he said. "The 2 do not compare that directly."
Weapons inspector says US "lied"
NY (AFP). Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter said US statements
about Iraq possessing WMD before launching war on Saddam Hussein's
regime were a "lie".
"The entire case the Bush administration made against Iraq is a lie,"
Ritter told reporters, also criticising the media for being too
willing to accept the weapons of mass destruction allegations as
justification for war.
"What was the basis of the affirmation by [US Def Sec Don]
Rumsfeld? He said there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq --
nobody asked him to prove it. The press just printed it. We have now
to demand the proof," Ritter said.
"Is it going to be as obvious as the uranium? I don't know," said
Ritter, in reference to a US claim Iraq had tried to buy nuclear
material from Africa.
US CIA dir George Tenet has taken the blame over
the claim, made publicly by Pres Bush Jr in his Jan 28 State of the
Union address.
Tenet said on Fri the info should not have been incl in the
address because it had not been corroborated by US intel.
Ritter, a former intel officer in the US Marines once dubbed a
"cowboy" by UN officials for what they called his intrusive inspection
procedures, headed up the inspections team in Iraq from 1991 to 1998.
He resigned in Aug 1998, citing a lack of UN and US support for his
tough disarmament methods, which rattled the Iraqis.
Iraq's history already written
Baghdad. US chief governor Paul Bremer unveiled Iraq's 25-member
governing council in Baghdad on Sun.
It now looks like the beginnings of the rule by the Brit Governor Sir
Percy Cox in the 1920s, after the Brits had carved out 3 provinces of
the Ottoman empire after its collapse in WWI.
After a long nat'l resistance, King Feisel II -- of a Brit-appointed
dynasty -- and his PM, Nuri-as Said, were overthrown and killed in a
1958 military takeover.
The new council replacing Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party regime
consists of 13 Shi'ite Arab members [who form nearly 60% of Iraq's 24
mn population but who had for many y been excluded by the Sunni
elite], 5 Sunni Arabs, 5 ethnic Sunni Kurds, who have lived in
autonomous N Iraq since 1991, one Turkoman and one Assyrian Christian.
The council incl 3 women and some tribal leaders. But it is not
yet clear whether the council will have 1 leader, or some kind of a
joint or rotating leadership.
The council will have some political muscle, such as the power to name
ministers and approve the 2004 budget, but the occupying powers, the
US-Brit Coalition Provisional Authority, which the UN essentially was
forced to recognise through force majeure, will retain the ultimate
power in Iraq until a constitution is drafted, approved and elections held.
Before the war, the US and Brit made tall promises of almost instant
democracy, but Bremer, who arrived in May, rejected an earlier
proposal to hold a nat'l conference to name an interim govt, saying
that the country was not yet ready. He instead proposed an advisory
body, which upset many politicians, especially exiles such as Chalabi,
the erstwhile blue-eyed boy of the US, who had been promised an interim
govt. The deteriorating security situation and an increasingly restive and
sullen Iraqi population, has brought about the present dispensation.
A positive note seems to be that some lessons have been learnt by the
US neo-conservatives, who still rule Iraq from the Pentagon like
Mongol warlords from their ordu yurts (army camps). This is the
advice given by UN special representative Sergio Vieira de Mello, a
former High Commissioner for Refugees, who has all along insisted that
it was essential that the council had some "popular legitimacy" to
give it credibility among the Iraqi public. Perhaps only fuller
participation by the UN might save the situation from getting
completely out of hand -- with a reported 10 attacks a day taking
place against occupying troops.
During WWI, Brit promised freedom to the Arabs and encouraged them
under Hashemite ruler Sharif Hussein in Mecca to revolt against the
Sultan-Caliph in Istanbul (and deputed spy T E Lawrence to guide them).
But the war's end did not bring freedom to the Arabs as promised
because, at the same time, by the 1916 secret Sykes-Picot agreement,
the Brit and French had arbitrarily divided the Sultan's Arab domains
and their warring populations of Shi'ites, Sunnis, Alawite Muslims,
Druse and Christians. The French took most of greater Syria, dividing
it into Syria and Christian-dominated Lebanon. The Brit kept
Palestine, Iraq and the rest of Arabia.
Brit also denied Kemal Ataturk's new Turkish republic the oil-rich
Kurdish areas of Mosul and Kirkuk, now in N Iraq. Turkey has never
really relinquished its claim and interest in regaining Kirkuk. The
Brit had propped up oil-rich Kuwait, traditionally ruled by Ottoman
pashas, in Basra to throttle Iraqi access to the Persian Gulf. The
1917 Balfour Declaration had promised a homeland for Jews in Palestine
and European Jews had started emigrating to Palestine. After World War
II, the state of Israel, carved out of Brit Palestine, was not
recognised by the Arabs and there have been 3 wars between Israel and
Arabs and 2 intifadas by a squeezed and repressed Palestinian people.
After taking over Iraq, the Brit debated whether to rule it directly,
as they did in India and as advocated by the Colonial Office, or, as
promised before the war to Arabs, grant them freedom and rule
indirectly. But events in Syria forced the Brit hand. Early in 1920,
Emir Feisel established an Arab govt in Damascus and was proclaimed
king of Syria, and a group of Iraqi nat'lists in Damascus then
proclaimed his elder brother, Emir Abdullah, king of Iraq. From Syria
nat'list activities and agitation spread 1st to N Iraq and then to the
tribal areas of the middle Euphrates. By the summer of 1920, the
revolt had extended everywhere except the big cities of Mosul, Baghdad
and Basra, where Brit forces were stationed.
The revolt was suppressed by force, in which Indian troops played a role.
In July 1920, French authorities, who had been given a mandate over
Syria and Lebanon, claimed Syria and chased out Feisel. To reconcile
the Iraqi masses and to meet the clamour in London to get out of
Mesopotamia, in 1921 Brit offered the Iraqi throne to Feisel, with an
Arab govt under Brit mandate. He accepted the offer on condition that
the Iraqi people agreed to it in a plebiscite, and that the mandate was
replaced by a treaty of alliance. The Brit govt accepted this. A provisional
Arab govt declared Feisel king of Iraq on July 11, 1921, provided that his
"govt shall be constitutional, representative and democratic".
A plebiscite confirmed this proclamation, and Feisel was formally
crowned king on Aug 23, 1921.
The next step was the signing of a treaty of alliance with Great Brit
and the drafting of a constitution.
The treaty was signed on Oct 10, 1922 and valid for 20 y, but it
reproduced most of the provisions of the mandate. Brit was to offer
advice on foreign and domestic affairs, such as military, judicial,
and financial matters (defined in separate and subsidiary agreements)
and prepare Iraq for membership in the League of Nations "as soon as
possible". But it was soon apparent that the mandate was still in
existence and that complete independence had not been granted. There
was strong opp'n to the treaty in the press and among the people.
The period of the treaty was then reduced to 4 y, but the
constituent assembly demanded complete independence when the treaty
was put before it for approval, but it was ratified on June 11, 1924
after Brit warned that the matter would be referred to the League of
Nations, dominated by European coloniser nations.
The constituent assembly then adopted the constitution, called the
Organic Law, in July 1924, with extensive powers for the king, and it
went into effect on March 21, 1925. It provided for a constitutional
monarchy, a parliamentary govt and a bicameral legislature.
The control exercised by the Brit treaties was seen by the Iraqi
people and their leaders as an impediment to their aspirations and
inimical to the economic development of Iraq. The impossibility of
govt by the dual authority of the mandate was called a "perplexing
predicament" (al-wad' ash-shadh). In 1929, Brit announced that the
mandate would be terminated in 1932 and a new treaty of independence
negotiated. A new govt headed by General Nuri as-Said negotiated for
Iraq 's independence.
The main objective of the political parties was the termination of the
mandate and independence. It was achieved in 1932, but air bases for
Brit troops were granted nr Basra and west of the Euphrates, and Iraq
was admitted to the League of Nations.
While King Feisel was away in Switzerland, there was an Assyrian
uprising in 1933 in which many 100s were killed. The king died soon
after this of a heart attack and his young and inexperienced son
became King Ghazi.
This led to a period of palace intrigues, media wars and tribal
uprisings. A non-aggression pact, called the Sa'dabad Pact, between
Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq, was signed in 1937. In 1939,
shortly before the outbreak of WWII, King Ghazi was killed in
a car accident, and his son Feisel II ascended to the throne.
As Feisel was only 4 yo, his uncle, Emir Abdullah, was appointed
regent and he ruled for the next 14 y.
After the breakup of the Ottoman empire, in which power had rested
with Sunni Arabs, Shi'ites in S Iraq welcomed the Brit for having
liberated them from the yoke of Sunni Ottoman oppression. But by 1918
it was clear that the Brit had not come to leave in a hurry.
So, led by 2 sheikhs, Mohammed Taqi Shirazi and Abul Hasan Isfahani,
the Shi'ites began their opp'n. Fatwas were issued against the
appointment of the non-Muslim Sir Percy Cox as the governor of
Iraq. The whole Shi'ite S erupted in a revolt when in 1920 it appeared
that the Brit mandate granted by the League of Nations would mean
their continued rule. It was subdued with great difficulty and
Shi'ites remained implacably opposed to the Brit, even after they put
King Feisel on the throne with a timetable for independence.
In 1922, Shi'ite leaders issued fatwas against participation in the
elections. Following disturbances, many clerics were expelled,
although some leading ones left on their own for Qum in Iran. However,
the expected revolt did not take place, but the major leaders were
only allowed to return in 1924.
After that Shi'ite opp'n became more and more muted, and only when an
anti-Shi'ite book was published or anti-Shi'ite measures were taken by
the govt did unrest occur. With more participation in politics by
Shi'ites the role of religion decreased and snr clerics became less
active. The cabinets always had one or 2 Shi'ite members, with Salih
Jabr and Sayyed Muhammed as Sadr even becoming PMs. After
the overthrow of the monarchy in 1958, politics became more secular,
nat'listic and socialist.
When WWII started, pro-Brit PM General Nuri was persuaded
from not declaring war against Germany. After the fall of France and
under the influence of pan-Arab leaders, extremist Iraqi leaders
wanted to free Syria and Palestine. They also did not cooperate with
the Brit and did not allow Brit troops to land in large numbers. When
Brit contingents entered from the Persian Gulf and Habbaniyah air base
in Apr 1941 the armed conflict that followed with Iraqi forces lasted
for a m, which the Brit eventually won. This earned them the use
of transportation and communication facilities and a declaration of
war on the Axis Powers in Jan 1942. Many Iraqis were dismissed from
the armed forces, some were interned, and 4 were hanged.
Iraq's political system remained unstable, with more than 50 cabinets
and 10 general elections before the abolition of the monarchy in
1958. It was a tumultuous time, with politicians using even armed
forces as pressure against each other until finally they took over in
1958 and abolished the monarchy.
* A NEW BEGINNING
The 25-member governing council's 1st action was announced by member
Mohammed Bahr al-Uloum, who declared Apr 9 as a new nat'l holiday, the
day that Saddam's statue was brought down in Firdaus square, led by
exiled Iraqis flown in a few days earlier with help from a US armed
troop carrier.
But tapes purporting to have been made by Saddam keep appearing,
nobody appears to know whether he is alive or dead. Al-Uloum, a
Shi'ite cleric, said that the council would work to revive the
economy, improve security and restore public services. It will also
begin work on a new constitution.
The UN representative, Vieira de Mello, called Sun's meeting a 1st
step in returning sovereignty to the Iraqi people, but the people on
the streets feel that the council, handpicked and backed by America,
won't change anything as the US will prevail -- just like the Brit did
all those y ago.
US fears violence as Iraqi anniversary looms
Baghdad. A grenade has exploded outside the coalition headquarters in
the Iraqi capital Baghdad, without causing casualties. US forces are
on high alert, with tomorrow marking the anniversary of the day Saddam
Hussein assumed the presidency of Iraq. Iraqi police say a car pulled
up outside the Baghdad convention centre and someone inside hurled a
grenade which rolled under a parked jeep. No-one was hurt in the
blast but it was clearly intended as a message for the coalition
administrators of Iraq, who use the convention centre as one of their
headquarters. US soldiers have been placed on high alert ahead of
tomorrow's anniversary. The coalition invasion force fears Iraqi
guerrilla fighters will use the anniversary to launch a series of
attacks. Earlier, a US soldier was killed and 6 wounded in a
rocket-propelled grenade attack in the al-Mansour district of Baghdad.
Attacks on US soldiers continue; Council deliberates leadership
Baghdad . The US lost another soldier in postwar combat in Iraq
yesterday, under-scoring the difficulties it faces in quashing
resistance as a governing council of local leaders began its work.
The US military is braced for a surge in attacks this wk to coincide
with anniversaries linked to ousted Pres Saddam Hussein, his Baath
Party and Iraqi nat'lism. A group which said it was an Iraqi branch of
the Al-Qaeda network claimed responsibility for attacks on US soldiers
in an audio tape broadcast on Sun but its rhetoric sounded more
typical of Saddam supporters than Islamic militants.
A blast damaged an empty parked car used by the Tunisian ambassador
yesterday afternoon but caused no casualties. Witnesses said drive-by
attackers had thrown a small bomb at the car but the US military said
the cause was not yet clear.
The explosion took place a few hundred meters away from the compound
housing the new governing council in Baghdad and close to other
buildings used by the US-led occupying authorities.
The 25-member council, launched on Sun, decided yesterday to send a
delegation to the UN Sec Council and set up 3 committees to define its
priorities and procedures, incl who should lead it.
In the latest attack on US troops, assailants fired on a convoy in the
central Al-Mansour area of Baghdad at around 6 am, the military said.
Witnesses said one vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and
another by machine-gun fire. Bloodstains on an armoured Humvee vehicle
and the crumpled cab of an army truck bore testimony to the
attack. Dozens of US troops searched the area as helicopters hovered
above. Soldiers searching an abandoned house in the area found a light
machine gun probably used in the attack.
32 US soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Pres Bush Jr declared
major combat over on May 1.
The governing council, which the US hopes will reduce resentment of
its occupation following the war that ousted Saddam, got down to
business yesterday and promptly decided to make its mark on the world
stage and also deliberated how to settle the leadership issue.
It could elect a single chairman or choose to have its presidency
rotate among representatives of Iraq's various religious and ethnic
groups, political sources said.
[The council members are: Ahmed Chalabi, founder of the Iraqi Nat'l
Congress, Shi'ite; Abdelaziz al-Hakim, a leader of the Supreme
Assembly for the Islamic Revolution, Shi'ite; Ibrahim Jafari,
al-Da'wah Islamic Party, Shi'ite, Nasir Chaderchi, Nat'l Democratic
Party, Sunni; Jalal Talabani, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Sunni
Kurd; Massoud Barzani, Kurdistan Democratic Party, Sunni Kurd; Iyad
Alawi, leader of the Iraqi Nat'l Accord, Shi'ite; Ahmed al-Barak,
human rights activist, Shi'ite; Adnan Pachachi, former foreign
minister, Sunni; Aquila al-Hashimi, a female foreign affairs expert,
Shi'ite; Raja Habib al-Khuzaai, female maternity hospital dir in
the S, Shi'ite; Hamid Majid Moussa, Communist Party, Shi'ite; Mohammed
Bahr al-Uloum, cleric from Najaf, Shi'ite; Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer,
N tribal chief, Sunni; Mohsen Abdel Hamid, Iraqi Islamic Party, Sunni;
Samir Shakir Mahmoud, Sunni; Mahmoud Othman, Sunni Kurd; Salaheddine
Bahaaeddin, Kurdistan Islamic Union, Sunni Kurd; Younadem Kana,
Assyrian Christian; Mouwafak al-Rabii, Shi'ite; Dara Noor Alzin,
judge; Sondul Chapouk, a woman, Turkoman; Wael Abdul Latif, Basra
governor, Shi'ite; Abdel-Karim Mahoud al-Mohammedawi, member of the
Iraqi political party Hezbollah, Shi'ite; Abdel-Zahraa Othman
Mohammed, al-Da'wah Party, Shi'ite. K Gajendra Singh, Indian
ambassador (retired), served as ambassador to Turkey from Aug 1992 to
Apr 1996. Prior to that, he served terms as ambassador to Jordan,
Rumania and Senegal. He is currently chairman of the Foundation for
Indo-Turkic Studies].
US Dems attack Bush's credibility over Niger uranium claims
Washington. Pres Bush Jr's personal credibility was under threat as
snr Dems used the Niger uranium controversy to attack him and
demand a public inquiry into the affair yesterday.
The issue of whether Pres Bush knowingly misled the public is fast
becoming his govt's 1st scandal. Senior Dems are using the issue
to attack the Pres and launch their party's nomination for pres'l
candidate.
Meanwhile polls are showing that public support for Mr Bush is slipping.
Sen John Edwards, one of the 9 Democratic candidates, told the New
York Times: "The most important attribute that any president has is
his credibility.
"When the Pres's own statements are called into question it is a very
serious matter. It's important that we not lose sight of the bigger
picture, ... the enormous failure that is looming in Iraq right now."
Controversy over the Niger uranium deal exploded last wk when the
White House admitted that a claim that Iraq sought to buy uranium from
Africa -- something since revealed as false -- should not have been
incl in the Pres's State of the Union speech on Jan 28.
The Whitehouse has tried to end the row, saying not only was the Brit
govt standing by its claim but that the speech had been cleared by the
CIA. Yet the controversy has refused to go away.
A poll published at the weekend suggested that Mr Bush's support has
fallen 9 points to 59%. While that is still a solid position, the poll
also revealed that 38% think he intentionally misled the country.
Mr Bush's critics are widening their attack, scrutinising him over
claims that there were links between the Iraqi regime and al-Qa'ida.
Sen Bob Graham, the top Democrat on the Senate Intel Committee and a
pres'l candidate, said: "One of the things that concerns me is the
continued reference to the war in Iraq as part of the war on terrorism
There is not much evidence to support that linkage."
The Dems have been unable to criticise the Pres over the war in
Iraq, due to it having been widely supported by the US public.
Now, they are demanding a full inquiry into the claims the govt made
about Iraq's alleged WMD. What this means for Mr Bush in the longer
run is not clear.
The Dems have clearly been invigorated by this issue and Iraq
could threaten to dominate next y's pres'l election campaign.
[Let's not leave Israeli intel out of this:]
"Real IRA man" is our reporter, says newspaper
Jerusalem. The arrest of a Belfast man by Israeli security forces in
the W Bank on suspicion that he was a bomb-maker for the Real IRA looks
like a case of mistaken identity.
An Irish newspaper said yesterday that the man was one of its
journalists and had nothing to do with the Real IRA. The newspaper,
La, demanded that the journalist, Sean O'Muireagain, be released. He
is also known under the English name of John Morgan. His parents said
yesterday that he was on a cultural visit to arrange school exchanges.
The arrest, at a roadblock in the W Bank on Sat, was believed to have
been made after a tip-off from the Brit security services. It sparked
fears that the Real IRA was passing on its skills in making bombs and
mortars to Palestinian militant groups.
A snr Israeli govt source said there was genuine concern that they had
the wrong man. He said: "It's possible you've got some innocent
schmuck and he's been made into an internat'l terrorist."
Ciaran O Pronntaigh, the editor of the Belfast-based La newspaper,
said: "On July 8, we published a full-page account from Jenin by Sean
O Muireagain in our paper, a piece which was accompanied by his
photograph, proof that he was in the occupied territories openly. We
demand his immediate release."
The man in custody arrived at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport 3 wk ago,
travelling openly on his own Brit passport, and was allowed into
Israel on a tourist visa.
US Dems open assault on Bush's Iraq policies
Washington (NY Times). Democratic pres'l candidates, offering a
near-unified assault on Pres Bush Jr's credibility in his handling of
the Iraq war, have signalled a shift in the political winds by
aggressively invoking arguments most had shunned since the fall of Baghdad.
In interviews, town hall meetings and television appearances Sun,
several Democratic pres'l candidates -- who had been divided over
whether to go war -- declared that Bush's credibility had been harmed
because of his use of unsubstantiated evidence in supporting the Iraq
invasion in his State of the Union address in Jan. They also
criticised the Admin for what has happened in postwar Iraq, especially
the continued deaths of American military personnel, which many blamed
on Bush's failure to enlist the help of the UN in conducting the
war. They questioned the failure of the Admin to uncover the WMD Bush
had cited in pressing for war.
"The most important attribute that any president has is his
credibility -- his credibility with the American people, with its
allies and with the world," Sen John Edwards of N Carolina, who voted
for the war resolution last fall, said in a telephone interview
Sun. "When the president's own statements are called into question,
it's a very serious matter." Edwards added, "It's important that we
not lose sight of the bigger picture, which is the enormous failure
that is looming in Iraq right now." Sen John Kerry of Massachusetts,
who also supported the call for war, cited the intel failures as he
challenged Bush's ability to protect the nation from terrorist
attacks. "The American people have a right to ask the question of
whether or not we are safer today than we were 3 y ago," he said on
CNN. "The president landed on an aircraft carrier and told Americans
the hostilities are over. The hostilities are not over."
The shift in the debate from the Democratic side reflected a sudden
confluence of events: the Admin's admission of error regarding the
State of the Union speech, the continuing carnage in Iraq, and the
failure to find the weapons that the US used as a justification for
invading Iraq. Until now, most of the Dems had been reluctant to
criticise a war that had appeared successful and, polls suggested, was
largely supported by the public.
There were signs Sun that the Whitehouse had been put on the defensive
by the wave of criticism of the State of the Union speech and the
deteriorating events in Iraq. It dispatched top officials to the
television talk shows to explain what had happened with the speech and
to assure the public that events in Iraq were under control.
While it remained too early to measure whether this has genuinely
changed the political landscape more than a y before the pres'l
election, it clearly has altered the dynamics in the Democratic
primary. The recent problems in Iraq have offered Dems who
supported the war a way to criticise Bush's war policy without
appearing to be admitting any past error.
Among them are Kerry, Edwards, Sen Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and
Rep Dick Gephardt of Missouri, all of whom have been
increasingly critical of Bush's Iraq policy.
And the changing sentiments about the war have provided a new
affirmation for Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont whose
opp'n to the war has helped power him into the front tier of the
Democratic competition. Dean said in an interview Sun that he foresaw
the shortfalls of Bush's Iraq policy from his perch in the Vermont
statehouse last fall -- and mockingly questioned why his opponents
in Congress had failed to do so.
"I think they bear some responsibility here," Dean said. "If I as
governor of Vermont can figure out the case is not there to invade
Iraq, how can 3 senators and a congressman who claim to have authority
in public affairs manage to give the president unilateral authority to
attack Iraq?"
PM rejects N Korean nuclear threats
Manila. The PM, John Howard, has rejected claims AUS is risking
nuclear attack from N Korea by joining an internat'l operation to
intercept ships suspected of carrying WMD. Kim Myong-Chol from the
Centre for Korean-American Peace has warned that North Korea would
retaliate with a nuclear missile attack if one of its ships is
interdicted under the plan. Mr Howard today told reporters in Manila
that Mr Myong-Chol has no authority. "The unofficial rep -- well he
doesn't have a lot of credibility," he said. "He's made these sort of
statements before and I don't intend to react to rhetoric of that kind."
China's "most wanted" fights to stay in Canada
Vancouver (Reuters). Lai Changxing, an alleged smuggling kingpin
described as China's "most wanted," warned on Mon that Canada put his
life in peril when it denied him political asylum.
Lai asked the Fed Court of Canada to grant him a new refugee hearing,
saying the 1st ruling was based on a faulty Chinese criminal
investigation that was politically motivated and used torture to
collect evidence.
An immigration panel last y rejected his bid for asylum, saying the
allegations against him were for "nonpolitical crimes," such as
running a smuggling empire that bribed scores of Chinese govt officials.
Lai, who came to Canada in 1999 with his family, listened through a
translator as his attorney, David Matas, attacked the criminal probe,
saying China's political leaders declared Lai guilty before the
investigation even began.
"The instructions were: go find the evidence against this guy," Matas,
a well-known human rights lawyer, told the court, which is holding 5
days of hearings on Lai's request.
Beijing accuses Lai of smuggling bn of dollars of goods, incl
oil, into China in the mid-1990s without paying duties, and bribing
scores of officials to turn a blind eye.
The case has become one of the biggest anti-corruption investigations
since the Chinese Communist Party came to power in 1949, with the
media labelling Lai as the country's "most wanted" fugitive.
Lai has denied criminal wrongdoing and said the charges are
politically motivated. He has also said he is the victim of a power
struggle within China's security service.
Canada arrested Lai in Nov 2000 at China's request, and the fed govt
has sided with Beijing in attempting to get him removed.
The case has put Ottawa in a difficult position because it normally
refuses to extradite people to countries where they face the death
penalty, and Canada has often criticised China's court system for
human rights abuses.
Beijing took the unusual step of officially assuring Ottawa that Lai
would not be executed if convicted, but he has charged that China will
ignore its pledge once he has left Canada.
Lai's older brother died in prison and several govt officials
convicted in connection with the case have been executed.
Lai is living in Vancouver under modified house arrest, with his wife
Tsang Mingna and 3 children.
Bethlehem bomb threat defused
Bethlehem. Palestinian security forces have safely detonated a large
bomb found in the W Bank city of Bethlehem. The device was found
after police questioned several suspects. Meanwhile, the Israeli army
has closed the Palestinian town of Ramallah, as soldiers continue to
search for an Israeli cab driver believed to be held there by
militants. The 61-yo taxi driver went missing nr Ramallah on the
weekend, and Israeli police fear he has been kidnapped by Palestinian
militants. The Israeli military has slapped a closure on Ramallah,
using a loudspeaker to order Palestinian residents into their houses.
Palestinian PM Abu Mazen has vowed to work for the safe release of the
missing man.
Patna. REBELS BLOW TRACKS: E INDIA! Police and railway officials say
suspected Maoist rebels have triggered multiple explosions, blowing up
tracks and de-railing 3 trains in E India. A railway rep says there
were no immediate reports of any casualties from the derailments,
which occurred when the trains were moving at slow speed. The rep
says the 3 incidents occurred within an hr in the N of Bihar state. A
local police rep says an un-exploded bomb was also found on the tracks.
Solomons intervention law in media's hands, say MPs
Honiara. A number of Solomon Islands MPs have complained they are yet
to see legislation that would back the proposed AUS intervention
force. Members say the media has reported details of the legislation
before they were given a copy. The Facilitation of Internat'l
Assistance Bill would give the legal backing and immunity for the
proposed regional intervention force. But in Parliament today MPs
have raised concerns the bill is in the hands of the media and members
of the public before it is introduced to the House. The Parliament
has passed a motion calling for no further copies of the bill to be
distributed before it is formally introduced. Debate on the bill is
expected to start tomorrow.
Suva. MP FACES NEW COUP CHARGES! One of Fiji's highest trad'l chiefs,
who is also a govt MP, is expected to face new charges over his
alleged role in a military mutiny in 2000 that cost the lives of 8
soldiers. The mutiny on Nov 02, 2000, involved soldiers linked to
now-convicted traitor George Speight. On May 19, 2000, Speight led
special forces soldiers into Parl and seized the govt of PM Mahendra
Chaudhry, holding them hostage for 56 days.
Terrorism fears scupper Atlantic rowing bid
NY. A Ukrainian's dream of rowing across the Atlantic has ended with
the rower in NY and his $150,000 boat drifting somewhere in the ocean.
Teddy Rezvoy had hoped to become the 1st person to row the 5,398 km
from NY to Brest, France.
He says he had to abandon his quest only 320 km into the adventure
after being stopped and searched by the US Navy as a terrorism suspect.
Mr Rezvoy, 35, drew the attention of the Navy after he radioed a call
for medicine for pain related to a liver ailment.
The Navy frigate USS Doyle responded, Mr Rezvoy said.
His boat was searched but after the search ended he could not continue
because his boat was damaged when the Navy tried but failed to haul it
up on deck.
The 9-m boat was specially equipped with anti-capsizing features, had
a global positioning system and solar energy panels.
It was returned to the water without what Mr Rezvoy called his
"beacon," a device that sent a signal every 90 seconds so his course
could be tracked. "Now the big problem will be how to find it," he
said of the boat -- sponsored by a group of Ukrainian
businesses. "It's like a piece of sand in the ocean."
The sailor from Odessa said he understood the US Navy's actions.
"They tried to help me but it's the work of the Navy to protect the
coast," he said. "Who knows about the boat? Maybe it could explode?"
"They tried to check everything. They checked if I had explosive
materials or some weapons," Mr Rezvoy explained outside the offices of
the consul-general of Ukraine.
"They took my knife, some flares -- anything they thought was
dangerous off my boat," he said.
Mr Rezvoy said he would not give up.
"It's a bad time for me because I lost my boat and everything on the
boat and time," he said. "But I will try again. Maybe next year."
LA. NEW RULES AT US AIRPORTS! Officials say Aussies travelling to
the US should not be affected by a new entry rule created in response
to 9/11. From Oct 01, people from 27 nations with visa waiver
agreements with the US won't be allowed into the country unless they
have machine-readable passports. The passports are encoded with
digital codes and are presently harder to counterfeit.
"No war" protesters to stand trial
Sydney. 2 protesters have been committed to stand trial over the
painting of the slogan 'No War' on the sails of the SYD Opera House.
David Burgess and Will Saunders have been charged with causing
malicious damage. They will face the SYD District Court later this
m. Burgess says they will defend the charge. "I went there
because I was angry about a war that was illegal and based on lies in
terms of the political context of what we did," he said. "That seems
to have been vindicated and in terms of the criminal context, the jury
will decide."
EU candidacy set back by stoning deaths
Yaylim (NY Times). Last m a woman named Cemse Allak was buried in a
corner of a municipal cemetery here. Allak, unmarried and pregnant,
had died from a stoning.
Villagers and local lawyers said that Allak -- as well as the man who
had made her pregnant -- had been killed to restore the honour of their
families.
For 7 m after her stoning, Allak lay semiconscious, her skull crushed,
unable to move or speak. Still, according to the people who watched
over her, Allak was capable of expressing a wide range of emotions
with her eyes.
Relatives visited once, in the beginning, to tell the hospital staff
that they could not pay for her care. The foetus inside Allak died 6
wk after the attack. When Allak died on June 7, no one from her
family claimed her body, and none of her relatives attended the
funeral.
Just 2 days before Allak's funeral, the elected Parliament of this
predominantly Muslim nation approved a human rights law that, among
other things, abolished a provision that often reduced the prison
terms for murders committed in the name of "family honour."
The legislation was part of a broader effort to secure Turkey's
long-hoped-for admission to the European Union and, more profoundly,
to answer the centuries-old question of Turkey's place in the world:
whether in Europe or the Middle East.
The death of Allak, 35, underscores the distance between legislative
pronouncements emanating from Ankara, Turkey's modern capital, and the
grim, medieval realities of everyday life in other parts of the country.
"Honour is not a trivial thing," shouted Allak's sister-in-law, Celilie
Allak, explaining the deaths. "What else were we supposed to do?"
Much of Cemse Allak's story has been lost in a whirl of conflicting
versions of her death. By most accounts, Allak fell victim to the
age-old honour code that survives in the villages of SE Turkey, a
system so unforgiving that some villagers said they were relieved to
learn of Allak's death. If she had survived, the villagers said, the
family of the man who had been killed with her would have been obliged
to take revenge on Allak's family, since it was Allak's brother who
was suspected of his murder.
"When the girl Cemse died, the matter was closed," said Shelalettin
Cakar, a local farmer. "In such cases, if one dies and the other
lives, it is not equal. So it was better for both of them to die."
Allak's brother, Mehmet, as well as 4 other relatives, have been
charged in the murder of the man, Hila Acil, who was stoned to death
at the same time in a field outside town. Despite the legislative
changes last m, Mehmet Allak's lawyer, Salih Demirkesen, said he
was confident the local judges would understand.
Nearly everyone in this hardscrabble village agrees that Cemse Allak's
problems began with Acil, age 55 and the father of 11, who was known
as a man who could never take his eyes off the local women.
According to accounts from Allak's family and other people in Yaylim,
the incident began when Acil dropped Allak's father off at work, and
then returned to the Allak house where he apparently found Allak alone.
What happened next is unclear, but Allak, whom neighbours described as
quiet and unassuming, became pregnant.
Some members of Allak's family said she had been raped; others in the
town suggested that the 2 had engaged in consensual sex.
Conversations with villagers and family members made clear that many
saw little difference between the two. Villagers who conceded that
Allak might have been raped said that she had still brought shame upon
her family.
"Rape is wrong in every case," said Baki Allak, a cousin, as he stood
at the top of the gorge where the 2 people were stoned. Nonetheless,
he added, "the family was dishonoured."
The stoning of Acil and Cemse Allak appeared to follow in the
tradition of recm, which is, according to villagers here, the
religiously sanctioned trial and stoning of a dishonoured woman or man
by an entire village.
For ys, men -- and only occasionally women -- accused of killing
their spouses or family members could invoke Article 462 of the
Turkish criminal code. That gave judges the discretion to reduce a
murder defendant's potential sentence by as much as 80%.
Emin Sirin, a member of Parliament who supported repealing the law,
said he hoped the legislation would quickly bring the medieval
practice to an end.
"To kill a girl because she falls in love with another man is no
longer acceptable," Sirin said. "Murder is murder."
Hicks"s treatment "unacceptable": MP
Adelaide. The SA Parliament has been told the Fed Govt has
deliberately tried to avoid its responsibility concerning suspected
Taliban fighter David Hicks. The Adel man is one of 6 detainees at
Guantanamo Bay who face a possible US military trial. He was captured
in Afghanistan in Nov 2001 and taken to the US military camp in Cuba.
State Labor backbencher Paul Caica told Parliament that Mr Hicks's
treatment has been unacceptable. "Up to the present it has been clear
that the Fed Govt will do little else but to continue to act as a
sucking leveret to the US interests," he said.
Philippines Govt offers reward for recapture of Al Ghozi
Manila. The Philippines Govt has offered a reward of $140,000 for the
recapture of a self-confessed Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terrorist who
escaped from jail yesterday. Fathur Rohman Al Ghozi, an Indonesian
citizen, escaped from police headquarters in Manila with 2 Filipino
members of the Abu Sayyef terrorist movement. Smaller rewards have
been offered for their recapture. The escape was a severe
embarrassment to the Philippines Govt and overshadowed the visit of
AUS PM John Howard. Philippines officials say the escape was probably
an "inside job" but have not said who may have been behind the plot.
Police shake-up may follow Philippines JI jail bungle
Manila. Pres, Gloria Arroyo, is considering a major shake-up of the
nation's police force after a top Jemaah Islamiah figure escaped from
custody. She is angry the breakout occurred while AUS's PM John
Howard was in the country for a major counter-terrorism funding
announcement. The escape of Fathur Rohman Al Ghozi and 2 members of
the Abu Sayyef terrorist group has caused a sensation in Manila. So
far the head of the detention centre where the trio was being kept,
along with 3 officers, have been sacked and are under investigation
for taking a bribe to enable the breakout. Mrs Arroyo's official rep
is not discounting the further dismissal of nat'l Police chief
Hermones Ebdane. The escape happened several hours before Mr Howard's
announcement of $5 mn to fund police counter-terrorism training.
However the info was held from the AUS leader and the Pres until later
in the day.
Manila. PLOT TO EMBARRASS PRES! Philippines officials say the
jailbreak of a top JI bomb-maker could be a plot to embarrass Pres
Gloria Arroyo. Int Sec Jose Lina says a reward of $A142,000 has been
offend for Indon nat'l Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, who escaped from Manila
police HQ yesterday. He fled with 2 Filipino members of the Abu
Sayyaf kidnapping gang which has been linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist
network. Lina says police are considering whether the escape was
completed even earlier than dawn yesterday.
Mugabe will step down this y: report
Jo'berg (AFP). S African Pres Thabo Mbeki has told US Pres Bush Jr
that Robert Mugabe will step down as leader of Zimbabwe's ruling party
by Dec, Brit's Independent newspaper reported today.
Such a move would pave the way for Mugabe's exit as Zimbabwe's Pres
and new elections by June 2004, the daily said, without citing its sources.
It added that Mbeki's assurance to Bush that Mugabe will stand aside
is believed to be based on a personal promise extracted from the
Zimbabwean leader.
The Independent also said Bush had pledged a reconstruction package
for Zimbabwe worth up to $US10 bn over an unspecified time-frame, if a
new leader takes over.
The deal was discussed by the 2 leaders during a private meeting in
Pretoria last wk, the paper said in a report by its S Africa correspondent,
Basildon Peta, who added that important differences remained.
Washington is anxious to make the money conditional on the emergence
of a new leader chosen by the Zimbabwe people in an election rather
than an anointed successor from the ranks of the ruling Zanu PF party.
Mbeki by contrast, is not a supporter of the main opp'n Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC), and is open to a successor emerging from the
ruling party, the Independent said.
Bush Jr has called for Mugabe to step down, but Mbeki has publicly
declined to toe the tough US line on Zimbabwe since a political and
social maelstrom enveloped Zimbabwe following a pres'l election last y
condemned by the west as rigged.
Air Canada cuts 300 white-collar jobs
Montreal (AP). Air Canada continued its reorganisation under
bankruptcy court protection Mon by cutting 300 white-collar jobs, with
5 VPs either retiring or leaving the airline.
The latest cuts bring the total management and non-unionised jobs to
be pared to 1,100, the airline said in a release.
Chief executive Robert Milton said the cuts were part of Air Canada's
focus on becoming a "leaner, more efficient and cost-effective
operation." Eventually, the airline's management ranks will be reduced
by 25%, Milton said.
More than 600 of the 1,100 cuts already have occurred. Of the 5 VPs
leaving, 2 are retiring and 3 are leaving or have left to pursue other
interests, the airline said.
Canada's dominant airline has been operating under court protection
from creditors since Apr 1. It had C$12.9 bn in long-term debt and
leases at the end of 2002 and lost an average of C$5 mn a day in May
and early June.
Air Canada's pilots recently accepted a cost-cutting deal that gives
the insolvent airline agreements with all its unions on new contracts
that save it more than C$1 bn.
In June, Air Canada said 2003 revenues will be more than C$1 bn lower
than in 2002, mostly due to the impact of SARS.
Outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Toronto -- the
Montreal-based airline's main hub -- in the spring reduced travel to
the city and some Asian destinations. A 1-wk World Health
Organisation warning against nonessential travel to the city worsened
the situation.
Malfunction forces shutdown of Ukrainian reactor
Kiev (AP). A malfunction forced operators to shut down one of 6
reactors at Europe's largest nuclear power plant.
Reactor No 1 at the Zaporizhia plant in Ukraine was disconnected from
the electric grid at 10.33pm on Sun after the motor in the reactor's
main circulation pump malfunctioned, the state nuclear energy company
Energoatom said. Radiation levels remained normal, it said.
The reactor is expected to be off line until July 19. Repairs under
way on reactor No 2 at the same plant are expected to be completed in
Sep. The Zaporizhia plant generates about 20% of Ukraine's
electricity needs and 45% of the country's nuclear power.
Minor malfunctions at Ukraine's 4 remaining nuclear power plants occur
frequently. Four of the country's 13 reactors are undergoing repairs.
Ukraine was the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986,
when a reactor at the Chernobyl plant in the then-Soviet republic exploded.
Chernobyl was closed for good in 2000, but disassembly work continues.
Work on a $US768 mn project to build a new containment structure at
Chernobyl is to start next y.
UK backs wind power scheme
London. The Brit Govt has given the go-ahead to the construction of
100s of offshore wind turbines in a bid to speed up the development of
renewable energy. The Govt is hoping that 1 in 6 homes in the country
will be powered by wind energy by the y 2010. The new turbines, to be
sited off N Wales and SE England, will generate as much energy as 6
nuclear power stations and will create about 20,000 jobs. The Govt
will issue licences for companies to build the giant wind turbines in
a bid to meet its own targets for renewable energy and reduce
dependence on power-generation which increases global warming.
Environmental groups which so often condemn the Govt have been
lavishing it with praise, with Friends of the Earth saying it is
delighted and Greenpeace saying the Govt is demonstrating the ambition
needed to defeat global warming.
Museum anticipates critical review
Canberra. A controversial review of the Nat'l Museum of AUS is
expected to recommend major changes to exhibitions depicting migrants
and Aborigines.
The 4-member review panel, chaired by MEL sociologist John Carroll,
was appointed following criticism the CBR museum had adopted a
politically correct view of history.
The Gallery of First Aussies, the largest of the museum's 5 exhibition
spaces, has come in for particular attention in the panel's report, to
be unveiled this morning.
Accounts of Aboriginal massacres are among the issues to be
challenged. The dir of the museum, Dawn Casey, has warned the
museum could lose credibility if conservative interests are allowed to
take hold.
"We just wait and see what happens following the release of the report
and the action that's taken after that," she said.
The chairman of the museum's council, Tony Staley, has expressed
similar reservations and says there will be no rush to make changes.
[PM Howard and Mosley Jones are reportedly overjoyed the museum will
return to its 1950s format for displaying the "dying race"].
Hanson confused over fraud charges
Brisbane. One Nation founder Pauline Hanson has shown some confusion
about the fraud charges she is facing in the District Court in Bris.
Hanson and former One Nation party dir David Ettridge have been
accused of fraud over the party's 1997 registration with the Qld
Electoral Commission. Both have pleaded not guilty before chief judge
Patsy Wolfe. An emotional Hanson, who was greeted by about 20
supporters at court this morning, has also pleaded not guilty to
dishonestly obtaining $225,000 from the commission. However, when a
charge of dishonestly obtaining $273,000 was read out, Hanson said she
was not aware of it and could not enter a plea if she did not know
what the charge was about. Hanson's lawyer Chris Nyst replied on her
behalf by entering a not guilty plea.
CSIRO issues marine pest "hit list"
Sydney. 33 potential marine pests are lurking in internat'l waters,
poised to invade AUS, the CSIRO has warned. The CSIRO has released a
hit list of species capable of wreaking havoc in AUS's marine
ecosystems. It has joined forces with scientists from the US to pool
info and devise a strategy to combat invasions by marine pests. Greg
Ruiz from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre in the US says
research into marine pest invasions is already paying off. "I think
we are stopping them," Dr Ruiz said. "I think we're limiting that rate
at which they're being moved around the world. "The more we learn
about the process and the species out there that are of concern, the
more effective our management strategies will be."
Sydney. MARKETS! The ASX was led higher resources buoyed by a lower
AUD. The All Ords added 8 pts to end at 3,061. The Nikkei closed
down 5 pts to end at 9,751. In HK, the Hang Seng added 13 pts to
close at 10,136. Gold is around $US345.55/oz. Oil is trading around
$US31.34/bbl.
{{
7 pm
SYD. The biggest-ever prize in NSW's $2 mn jackpot lottery -- a
whopping $13.7 mn -- has been won by a man who plans to invest in
harbour-side real estate. The sales mgr, who wants to remain
anonymous, beat the odds of 11.8 mn to 1. He heard about hit win over
the radio as he was driving to work.
U of CBR VC Roger Dean says the fed govt's uni grants compensation
package is a let-down. He says the disappointingly-small grants won't
beat inflation. Mr Dean says the govt has made a big show about a
2.2% increase in the operating grant each y, starting in 2005. Ed Min
Brendan Nelson has set aside $38.6 mn over 3 y for unis adversely
affected by govt Budget reforms.
}}
----------------------------------------
Wed, 16 Jul 2003.
Washington. GREENSPAN WILL CUT, IF NECESSARY! US Fed Res Bank Chair Al
Greenspan says he is ready to reduce int rates even further to boost
the sluggish US economy and guard against a fall in prices.
Greenspan says the Fed is prepared to leave int rates at low levels
for as long as it takes, even though they are presently at 45-y lows.
Greenspan's comments came as the Fed Res cut its 2003 economic growth
outlook by 0.75 pts, to between 2.5 and 2.75%.
NY. MARKETS! Despite a generally up-beat speech by Fed chair
Greenspan, the Dow closed down 50 pts after an early rally. Greenspan
said the US recovery was on track, but it could still be threatened by
the rebound in energy prices. He indicated int rates would be cut if
necessary. The US economy stands at a turning point for the better,
indicated Greenspan. But he also revised down US economy growth.
Elsewhere, the US Admin trumped Greenspan, releasing news of a new
deficit. That news didn't take Iraq into account. Record deficits
will be the norm until 2008. The DJIA ended the session at 9,128.
The Nasdaq closed down 1 pt. Gold lost $4.80 and trading around
$US342.50. Oil is still trading above $US31/bbl. The FTSE lost 25
pts to end at 4,103. The German Dax closed down 11 pts at 3,385.
O'night, the AUD was trading around 65.99 US c.
Habbaniyah. 5 IRAQIS KILLED! US forces have killed 5 Iraqis and
captured another person after the soldiers were ambushed while driving out
of an ammo depot W of Baghdad. The cmdr of the unit says the clash,
between the cities of Ramadi and Habbaniyah about 100 km W of
Baghdad, took place in particularly hostile terr'y for US troops. The
attack happened as the US military announced that 1000s of US soldiers
[the 3rd ID] have been told they will be staying in Iraq indefinitely.
[In other reports, 1 US soldier has been killed and others wounded
when their convoy hit a land mine nr Baghdad today].
Sydney. HICKS WONT FACE DEATH! The Australian newspaper says Aussie
David Hicks is unlikely to face the death penalty before the likely
charge -- being a member of al-Qaeda -- is not a capital offence.
The paper says it's believed the checks in Afghanistan and Kosovo --
where Adel-born Hicks fought -- have failed to connect him with any
terrorist operation. The paper, quoting un-named sources, says there
was a general feeling that Hicks has been friendly and co-operative
during his 19 m detention in Camp X-Ray.
[A Ch 7 TV poll has found 2/3 of Aussies prefer to leave Hicks to be
tried by the US, rather than return him to AUS. The ANZACs would be so
proud!].
Canberra. AUSSIES OFF TO SOLOMONS NEXT WK! Aussie troops could
arrive in the Solomons as early as next wk. Def Min Robert Hill has
outlined plans to send 1,500 soldiers and support forces to lead an
internat'l intervention force to restore law and order to the troubled
nation. 300 police will follow. AUS Cabinet meets next Tue to
finalise the rules of engagement and discuss how long the force will
remain in the Solomons.
London. ONE WE FOUGHT EARLIER! David Sutherland was 9 when his
father's bomber was shot down over Germany in 1944. It was the crew's
27th mission over Germany. Today, he watched as the father he never
knew and 5 other airmen -- 3 Aussies and 2 Brits -- were finally
buried with full honours in the Berlin war cemetery. The funeral came
59 y after the men were reported MIA, presumed dead. The remains of
the airmen were unearthed 2 ya when German aviation historians found
the wreck of their Lancaster nr an E German airstrip outside Berlin 4
ya [ABC TV says 6 ya]. The remains were buried together in a shared
coffin, but each man has received an individual headstone.
Tokyo. HOWARD IN TOKYO FOR EMBARGO, TRADE TALKS! N Korea and trade
will top PM Howard's agenda in Tokyo today. Mr Howard flew to the
Japanese capital from Manila last night. He will have separate
talks with PM Koizumi, For Min Yoriko Kawaguchi and Economy, Trade
and Ind Min Takeo Hiranuma. Mr Howard believes Japan, the US, S
Korea, China and Russia need to exert pressure to force N Korea to
give up its nuclear program and stop trading in terror weapons.
[In a further embarrassment to the PM, there are reports today Japan is
considering increasing tariffs on beef imports. In AUS, Dep PM
Anderson said the advice he received in FNQ today was the hike was not
"a done deal" yet].
Beijing. CHINA TALKS WITH N KOREA! Chinese diplomats are pushing a
compromise format for talks that they hope will satisfy both
Washington and Pyongyang and bring the 2 sides back to the negotiating
table. NK demands bilateral talks with the US to secure what the
North has called a "non-aggression treaty". But the US insists on
multilateral talks -- that would also incl S Korea and Japan -- to
settle the dispute over NK's nuclear weapons program. To break the
ms-long impasse, Beijing supports a multinational framework for the talks.
London. SHARON ENDORSES WELFARE FOR PAL'S! Israeli PM Sharon has
endorsed a proposal that Europe offer welfare services to Palestinians
in order to reduce the influence of Hamas. Sharon says Europe could
create institutions to support the Palestinian public which needs
services, so that the services are no longer connected with the Hamas
movement. He says Hamas' widespread support among Pal's is largely
due to its provision of much-needed public services, such as nursery
school and free medical care.
Bogota. RW REBELS AGREE TO TALKS! Colombia's right-wing
paramilitaries have agreed to start formal peace talks with the govt,
and fully demob by late 2005. The group's 10,000 fighters will begin
demobilisation before the end of 2003. Reps of the United
Self-Defence Forces of Colombia had met officials from the govt of
Pres Alvaro Uribe in an undisclosed location to discuss peace.
Paris. EUROPE SWELTERS! Rome is considering water restrictions, while
London will reward anyone who can invent a scheme to air condition the
sweltering Tube system. And in Paris, the city's fountains have
become wading pools when summer arrived with a vengeance this y in
parts of Europe. Dehydrated tourists ran for cover as officials from
England to Rumania scramble to limit the fallout from high temps and
drought. In Paris, where the mercury rose to [a mild Aussie] 33 C
today, water vendors are out in force and ice cream parlours are doing
ripper business.
Sydney. MARKETS! The All Ords added 14 pts to end at 3,075 after
being in the red for the first few hrs of trading. The Westpac-MI
Consumer Sentiment Index has edged to a 9-y high, indicating the RBA
will be "on hold" with local int rates next m and for time time after.
Rio said it will take the ATO to court over a $1/2 mn tax penalty.
Stronger resources were boosted by a lower AUD. In Tokyo, the Nikkei
closed down 15 at 9,736. The Hang Seng ended up 72 pts at 10,207. The
AUD is trading lower at 65.22 US c. Gold is around $US342.10/oz. Oil
rose 6 c during the day, and is trading at $US31.68/bbl.
{{
3 am
Scott McLellan has taken over from Ari Fleischer as Whitehouse mouth.
He told reporters today the Pres didn't want to see a "nuclearised
Korean peninsula". A "nuclearised peninsula" served no-one's
interests, said McLellan, ignoring the NK's. He said the US would
not let Korea black-mail the US intro one-on-one peace talks.
Baghdad. The Iraqi governing council has announced a judicial
committee that will try former regime officials for war crimes.
The road map calls for an end to "incitement" in Pal territory. Today,
they were paining over slogans at the uni in Gaza City. The job isn't
without hazard. Across the road the painters are guarded by
snipers. At the Pal TV stn there are also changes. They're playing
more patriotic music than rants against the Israelis.
London. Sharon has been meeting Jewish groups in England. Today he
met with Jews for Justice for Palestinians and Jews for a Just Peace.
4 am
Baghdad. Paul Bremer says the length of the US stay in Iraq is up to
the people. The next step is to write the country's constitution.
When that constitution is approved [?], the next step would be to
elect the Iraqi govt. Bremer presented a mixed picture, warning that
rebuilding the country was going to be difficult. In a sign that the
stay may be longer than previously expected, the 3rd ID has had its
tour of duty extended indefinitely. It was expected to return to the
US in Sep, but cmdrs say continuing attacks mean it will have to stay.
Jack Straw says the US admin in Iraq was trying to correct "negative
reporting" in the region. He denied the interim Council had been
"hand-picked by the US". The For Sec said if that were so, the Council
would not incl members of the Communist Party, the Hezbollah, and
other militant groups.
Washington. The US is reportedly taking seriously NK's claims to have
completed the re-processing of 8,000 fuel rods. The Whitehouse says
it doesn't know whether the latest claims from NK are serious or
bluster. A rep said all options remain on the table. China is so
worried about the standoff, it's sent an envoy to speak to the NK
leadership. The US has refused to do the same, saying it will only
work on a mutinat'l basis.
London. Dr David Kelly has denied he was the source that told the BBC
the "45 minutes" clause was interested by No 10 to bolster the case
for GWII. He was appearing before a Parl'y committee into the intel
justifying the war against Iraq. The MoD had previously speculated Dr
Kelly was the source.
In the US, bi-partisan support is growing to pass reconstruction to a
broader group of internat'l players, incl anti-war Germany and
France. But Pres Chirac seems to have ruled out assisting the US in
rebuilding Iraq. In another setback for the US plan, India has also
ruled out sending peacekeepers to Iraq. Don Rumsfeld shocked Dems this
wk by admitting it was costing $4 bn pm to keep US forces in Iraq --
around 2 times pre-war estimate.
The WHO says patients in developing countries should receive free
tuberculous treatments. The organisation says African TB is increasing
by around 6% pa. The rate of new infections is even more in Russia.
They say there would be virtually no disease if it weren't for
HIV/AIDS. India has the largest number of new cases -- 2 mn pa.
Cuba has given details of another hijack incident. 3 people were shot
dead in an attempt to take a fishing boat to the US. A woman and a
child survived the incident.
The Irish Rep is proposing a tax on chewing gum. The new idea follows
the implementation of a levy on plastic bags.
The Whitehouse has announced a new record US deficit of $455 bn. They
have budgeted for a $475 bn deficit next y but say the deficit will
shrink to about 1/2 that size by 2006. But critics say the Admin
hasn't indicated how that will be achieved.
6 am
Former Clinton Def Sec, Wm Perry, has warned the US and NK could be at
war as early as this y. He says there's an imminent danger of NK
nuclear weapons being detonated in a US city. Perry was involved in
planning a possible pre-emptive attack on the main NK reactor complex
in 1994. While some observers say NK missiles could not reach US
cities yet, they've widely assumed Petty means NK is trading WMD with
terror groups. There are, of course, the obvious other possibilities.
AUS soldiers could be in the Solomons as soon as next wk. A Cabinet
meeting today will finalise details. AUS is still waiting on the
Solomons Parl to pass covering leg'n.
Operation Catalyst is starting today for AUS's 900 troops still in
Iraq. They will move from a combat to peacekeeping operation. Reports
indicate AUS presence will be scaled back as Iraq moves toward a
representative govt.
Israel has condemned a knife attack that's left 1 dead and 3 wounded.
A 23 yo man attacked restaurant staff and bystanders after he was
refused entry to a Tel Aviv restaurant.
Authorities are searching for scores of villages buried in a giant
mud-slide in N China.
9 am
Claudette scored a direct hit on the TX coast early this morning. 130
kph winds hit Pt O'Conner, knocking out power to its 7,000 residents.
Many locals were forced out to repair their homes even as the winds
hit. Swells crashed over sea-walls and flooded town streets. Most
homes are raised 2 m about sea level, but many feared that wasn't
high enough. The town has already been destroyed by 2 prev
hurricanes. 3 hrs of pounding winds were too much for most trees,
warehouses and homes this time. It will take some time to assess the
damage. Many are shocked such small hurricane packed such a punch.
Cathy Freeman has announced she is retiring from running. Cathy is
best-remembered for opening the SYD Olympics in 2000 and then winning
the 400 m in a nifty running suit. The tributes have started to flow
in like she's died or summin.
Airline authorities are down-playing an incident on a Thai Airways
flight into SYD at 6.30 am this morning. A company rep told
reporters it was a minor incident. A man was reportedly stabbed in
the neck during a "seating dispute". An AFP rep says a 22 yo Moore
Park man was taken into custody after flight TG-991 from Bangkok
touched down. A 50 yo Thai-born Aussie, from Casuarina in SYD's S, was
stabbed in the neck during the fight. Police have not revealed what
weapon was used to inflict the wound.
SYD. Research from the record ind'y says mns of Aussies are damaging
the music industry by copying music illegally. An AUS Recording Ind'y
Assoc study found that as many as 3.6 mn Aussies may have illegally
copied must from the Internet and burned their own CD's during the 6 m
of the study. The estimate was based on telephone interviews with
1,001 Aussies during Jan and Feb. Ind'y researchers say most of the
culprits are under 25. They say they also don't know their activities
are illegal.
Midday.
Manila. There are suspicions that the break-out of Fathur Rohman
al-Ghozi may have been an inside job. Reports indicate there were no
signs of the break-out at the police HQ where the suspected terrorist
was being held. To add to the embarrassment, officials say the Pres
was not informed of the escape for 10 hrs because police didn't want
to "spoil her day". Pres Arroyo was hosting a visit from AUS PM
Howard [pron. "Hoo-ard" in Phil ;-)] at the time. An APB was only
issued after the Pres was informed. Continuing rumours suggest there
is collusion between the Phil military and the Abu Sayyaf.
There is relief in India following the mild response from the US after
Deli said it was unable to send troops to Iraq. Washington had asked
for troops about 2 m ago. It was expected India would "look after"
one sector of Iraq, contributing from 15,000 to 20,000 troops. But
the Indian govt earlier this wk said it was unable to contribute to
the US-led operation. India has a large Islamic population.
Both tourists and local continue to complain about the heat-wave
sweeping Europe. The Netherlands is experiencing temps in the 30s.
American tourists are melting in Italy. Norwegian tourists in Belgium
are pleasantly surprised the continent's 2nd-wettest country has
turned on the sunshine. And public lakes in London are getting a
work-out from both children and adults. Italy's Po is a levels not
seen for 100 y. The Danube is at record 150-y lows.
Canberra. The fed govt says it's still considering involvement in the
US missile shield project. The govt says AUS needs a missile shield.
Sen Robert Hill says the scheme as a whole is too big for AUS, but
parts of it may be valuable. He's suggested Aussie troops on the
ground may benefit from the technology. The RAN is also reported to
have recommended Aussie shipping be fitted with equipment to
participate in the project.
1 pm
US Congress has voted almost unanimously [417-3] to punish Burma with
economic sanctions for arresting Aung San Suu Kyi. The US will refuse
imports from Burma and freeze the junta's assets in the US. The
Senate approved similar measures around 1 m ago. Once the 2 versions
of the leg'n are merged, US Pres Bush Jr is expected to sign it into
law. Critics say the sanctions won't work because none of Burma's
neighbours will presently in favour of them.
Iran has postponed a UN human rights ambassador. Iranian authorities
say the visit was presently "difficult to arrange". The Iranian govt
has recently cracked down on liberal journalists and intellectuals,
following wks of pro-reform student protests.
A vessel with 27 people on board has escaped Cuba to the Bahamas.
It's the 2nd hijacking in Cuba into the past 24 hrs.
Moscow. F1 driver Ralph Schumacher is at home driving at 300 kph.
He's faced challenges. Now he's taken on Russia. Authorities have
invited him to preach road safety in a country where people ignore
traffic lights and road signs. BBC reporter Steve Rosenberg went out
on the roads of Moscow with a young driver to check out the sit'n for
himself. His driver told him she got her license before she had
learned to drive -- by smiling at the examiner. She said her other
friends got theirs with bribes. Russians were "too busy", she said,
to bother learning to drive or get a license. Russian roads are
amongst the most dangerous in the world. There are 100,000 crashes
across the country pa, claiming 30,000 lives. A driver is 5 time more
like to die on Russian roads than in Brit. Russian drivers seem to be
unimpressed. Perhaps a race-car driver wasn't the best choice to get
Russians to slow down.
A 12 yo English girl who disappeared with a 31 yo former US Marine has
contacted her family, saying she is safe and well. Toby Studabaker
has also contacted his family, saying the girl is well and
"untouched". The pair met over the Internet, where Shevaun Pennington
pretended she was a 19 yo college student. Studabaker told his family
he will contact the FBI. Greater Manchester police are confirming the
report. Both families are concerned the pair had been out of contact
for 3 days, and still have not revealed their where-abouts.
4 pm
1 US soldier has been killed and 2 others wounded when their convoy
hit a land-mine nr Baghdad. The latest death brings to 147 the number
of coal'n soldiers killed in GWII -- the same number of KIA during GWI.
Workers on strike at the giant NW Shelf gas project will remain on
strike until at last Sat over a toilet-cleaning dispute.
MEL. A protest ride by 100s of bikers through MEL's CityLink tunnels
has been scaled back. The protest ride had been organised after a
bicycle group protested by clogging a tollway earlier in the m.
Bikers planned a 2-hr peak-hr protest for Fri against the re-intro of
front number plates in Vic. But the plan has changed to a 30-min
protest starting at 4.30. The change follows talks between the
riders' group, tollway operators, and police.
Bris. The bodies of 2 adults and a child have been found in a caravan
nr Maryborough, SE Qld. Police say they went to the scene at Shiplink
St, Aldershot, about 8.30 am after a call reporting 3 bodies. They
say the bodies are believed to be a 23 yo man [also reported as 21
yo], a 29 yo woman [also reported as 19 yo], and a 12 mo girl. All
three had been shot to death in an apparent murder-suicide.
Police have recovered 100 kg of heroin stashed in a shipping container
that arrived in SYD earlier this m. The seizure follows a joint op,
involving law officers in Taiwan and AUS, that targeted an internat'l
syndicate. Acting on info from AFP intel analysts, police selected a
container that had arrived in SYD, discovering the stash.
The ACTU says union demos and picket lines will be governed by rules
that forbid violence, intimidation, and destruction of property. The
guidelines, endorsed by the ACTU executive today, incl a ban on
alcohol at pickets and rules requiring unionists to abide by deals
struck between organisers and police. The guidelines have been passed
2 m after a snr construction official was "outed" by a video showing
him spitting, kicking, and pouring a cup of coffee on the roof of a
car trying to run a picket. After the official apologised, a 2nd video
was produced, showing the same official shouting abuse at scabs.
CBR. New figures show industrial turmoil has eased over Apr, with
disputes down 34%. The ABS says 13,800 working days were lost to
ind'l disputes in Apr compared with 32,500 days in Mar. There were 48
disputes in Apr, involving 10,000 workers, down from 73 in Mar,
involving 18,200 employees. The ABS says the construction ind'y
accounted for 41% of the total number of working days lost in Apr.
A squabble continues in Frankston council after the Deputy Mayor was
ejected because she was "too common". According to the former Dep
Mayor, she was told she was from the wrong side of the tracks and was
not suitable to hold the office. She said the Mayor objected to her
attitudes and like of moccasins. The Mayor tried to launch a PR
offensive today, holding "peace talks" for the cameras. Both sides
apologised for any hard words. But away from the photographers, Ch 7
TV discovered the war of words was on again. The Mayor told the Cr
she should open a PR firm because she was "good at it". A rep for the
Mayor then told reporters the former Dep Mayor had lied about the
reason for the dispute, but would not give details, refusing to answer
any questions.
6.30 pm
Manila. Pres Gloria Arroyo has ordered an investigation into the
escape of al-Ghozi from a Manila police HQ. Corruption almost
certainly played a part in the escape. Jail guards have already been
sacked but the Police Comm'er is resisting calls for him to step down.
Geneva. The Philippines is $A1 bn better off after Switzerland
repatriated funds from one of former dictator Marcos' secret bank
accounts. The money had been paid back to the current Phil Admin
after a 17 y legal battle. It's the biggest chunk of money that
Marcos allegedly embezzled during his 20 y reign.
Baghdad. US soldiers in Iraq are not happy after they were told they
are staying. The 3rd ID was expecting to go home next wk.
It took Coal'n forces 3 wks to capture the country, but more than 3 m later
they're still struggling to restore peace. The 3ID just want to go home.
Soldiers were once loath to complain on camera. But they are now
openly bitter. One told SBS TV he'd personally call on Rumsfeld to
resign -- if he ever sees him. Soldiers say they're emotionally exhausted,
complaining the population hate them. Kids throw stones at them on
patrol, and they are constantly harassed by small arms fire.
Back home, the Bush Admin is starting to feel the heat. Whitehouse
mouth Scott was asked today about the Admin's "deliberate effort to
create false impressions" to justify the costly regime-change.
McLellan said the claim was "nonsense".
Sen Kennedy told an audience it now seems shoddy or even false intel
had been used by the Bush Admin to sway the American people to back
the war. He accused the Admin of putting a phoney spin on the intel.
An anti-war group has kicked off a series of TV adds, quoting Pres
Bush Jr's contradictory and since-proved-false claims about the
regime-change operation. The adds say Americans are dying in Iraq
and call for the Admin to produce the truth.
New polls show Pres Bush's popularity is continuing to decline.
Back in Baghdad, 1000s of Iraqis took part in a protest against the
new govt Council. They reject the concept of an appointed body to run
Iraqi affairs, and want to elect their own body now.
In Basra, 1000s called for the Council to be disbanded within 3 days.
Canberra. AUS For Min Alex Downer says an exit strategy has been
decided. He says Aussie troops will be in the Solomons only a few
weeks or "a very small number of months". But he also says the 300
police may be there longer -- perhaps for up to 1 y.
Tel Aviv. Israel is to deport an Irish national accused of training
terrorists. But they have failed to come up with evidence linking him
with the "Real IRA". The man was arrested on weekend. Israel
reportedly acted on Brit intel that he was training Palestinian
militants. An Irish newspaper says the man was working in Israel for
a pro-Pal group, but has no links to the militant Irish group.
Damascus. Syria has recalled troops from Lebanon. Damascus has
announced bases nr Beirut will be dismantled. Bases in N and E
Lebanon will also be closed. There are now renewed calls for Syria to
withdraw all its troops. But Damascus says 20,000 will remain
deployed -- about 1/2 the number 3 ya.
The Vic govt has unveiled a new series of TV ads to back its "zero
tolerance on speeding" campaign. The TAC says its dangerous to travel
at speeds only slightly over the limit. For the first time, TV ads
will feature a former crash victim and the story of her accident 5
ya. It's taken her all that time to recover, she told reporters
today. The Vic govt says its "wipe of 5 [kph]" program has saved the
lives of [you guessed it!] 42 Vic lives so far this y.
9.30 pm
A red-faced Philippines chief investigator broke the bad news. One of
the guards that was supposed to be on duty 24 hrs a day was sleeping.
The announcement was greeted by laughter from assembled reporters.
And the gate guard was "out somewhere", shopping, when 3 terrorist
suspects left the C Manila HQ. Police are offering a $143,000 reward
and have sealed "all possible exists".
A Timor court has jailed 2 men for 8 y and 12 y, resp, for crimes
against humanity into the country's bitter struggle against Indonesian
forces and local militias.
Rangoon has labelled US economic sanctions "weapons of mass
destruction that can only harm the Burmese people".
10.30 pm
Tokyo. This evening, PM Koizumi revealed significant differences of
emphasis between the AUS and Japan over the NK standoff. He said
he didn't know what the US and AUS were planning with the proposed
interdiction program, and indicated Japan would not be signing up at
this stage. It's a sign Japan believes an interdiction force would
only inflame the problem.
PM Howard told reporters he also is not committed to the US plan, but
involvement in exercises in Sep would leave AUS better prepared to
become involved. Reporters noted PM Howard used exactly the same
formula he'd used in ms prior to GWII.
}}
----------------------------------------
Thu, 17 Jul 2003.
NY. MARKETS! The Dow lost another 34 pts to end the session at 9,095.
In London, the FTSE closed down another 25 pts at 4,077. The German
Dax lost 3 pts to close at 3,388. Gold is trading around $US343.30.
Oil is around $US31.07/bbl. The AUD is trading around 65.50 US c.
New Delhi. 19 DIE IN FLASH FLOOD! Rescuers digging through mud have
recovered the bodies of 19 people after a flash flood crashed through
a construction site in N India. Police say about 80 others are
missing and feared dead. The victims were workers at the Parbati
hydroelectric project in Himachal Pradesh state. Police say there
was a cloudburst in the higher mtns and the rivulet filled with water
and washed away a lot of tents where labourers were sleeping.
LA. 8 KILLED IN CAR ACCIDENT! 8 people have been killed, incl a 2 yo
boy, and more than 9 others injured when an elderly driver lost control
of his car and ploughed into a crowded market in LA. Santa Monica
Fire Dept officials say a 2 yo child was among those killed. The
driver of the car is reportedly 80 yo, and confused the brake and
accelerator. He lost control of his Pontiac sedan as he approached a
group of stalls at the market, driving into a group of about 30 people
at around 100 kph.
Canberra. HOWARD HINTS AUS WILL JOIN INTERDICTION FORCE! PM Howard
has given his strongest hint yet that AUS will join a US-led force to
intercept NK vessels trying to get to NK. [That's what is says
heer!]. Mr Howard says AUS hasn't committed itself to any operation,
but is preparing to remain flexible if it decides to do something.
Exercises are planned for later this y, in possible readiness for a
campaign to ensure components for nuclear weapons don't get into the
rogue nation. Critics point out the land routes via China and Russia
are obvious "gaping holes" in the US plan to blockade communist
NK. Opp'n For Aff rep Kevin Rudd has questioned the seriousness and
motives of the proposed US plan.
Tokyo. AUS SIGNS NEW TRADE DEAL! A trade agreement signed last night
between AUS and Japan has failed to tackle the most contentious and
valuable link between the 2 countries -- agriculture. The AUS-Japan
Trade and Economic Framework was signed last night by PM Howard and
Japanese PM Koizumi. But Mr Howard attacked Japan for backing an
increase in beef tariffs likely to cost Aussie farmers $80 mn.
Seoul. SK AND NK EXCHANGE FIRE! S Korea has exchanged machine gun fire
with the N along the divided peninsula's heavily-fortified frontier.
The S's Joint Chiefs of Staff say NK fired 4 shots at a SK army
position along the DMZ this morning. In a statement, they say the S
answered with a warning broadcast and returned fire. No-one was
injured on the S side. Shooting incidents are a rare event along the
DMZ. The shooting incident comes amid signs the N is willing to enter
multilateral talks with the US to defuse the nuclear standoff,
following the intervention of China.
Iraq. US SOLDIER DIES IN ATTACK! An explosion nr Baghdad has killed
another US soldier W of Baghdad, bringing total GWII combat deaths to
147. Latest reports say a convoy of 30 military vehicles without
heavy escort came under attack from multiple RPG's. Elsewhere, a
pro-American mayor in the town of Hadithah, about 240 km NW of
Baghdad, has been shot dead along with 1 of his 9 sons. And a US
C-130 military transport plane has come under attack from a SAM that
failed to hit the plane as it landed at Baghdad's internat'l
airport. It was the 3rd reported incident of its kind.
Palermo. US CHOPPER CRASHES IN SICILY! A US military chopper has
crashed and burst into flames on the Med Is of Sicily. An Italian
police rep says all 4 crew on board were killed. A rep for the USN
base at Sigonella, Sicily, confirmed an MH-53E "Sea Dragon" with 4
crew on board had crashed 15 km SW of the base, but could not confirm
the status of the crew. The reasons for the crash are also not clear.
Washington. NEW TERROR ATTACK WARNING! The US has renewed warnings to
citizens about terrorist threats in the Philippines, after 3 terror
suspects escaped from jail there this wk. The US State Dept says the
terrorist threat to Americans in the Philippines for kidnapping and
bombing remains "high", and the US embassy in Manila continues to
receive reports of ongoing activities by known terror groups. Today's
warning replaces a similar alert on Mar 7.
NY. ANNAN DEMANDS SUU KYI'S RELEASE! UN Sec-Gen has told an envoy
from Burma that pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi must be set
free. The sec-gen convoyed his grave concerns for Suu Kyi's safety to
Burmese Dep For Min Khin Maung Win. Annan also asked for Suu Kyi's
release, saying he can't accept Burma's explanation for why she's
still being detained.
Canberra. TREASURY MAINTAINS ROSY OUTLOOK! AUS Treas Dept is
maintaining its positive outlook on the economy after consumer
confidence rose to a 9 y high. Treas Sec Ken Henry says the domestic
economy is among the strongest in the world -- despite an appreciating
dollar, which makes Aussie exports less attractive O/S. Meanwhile, US
Fed Res chair Alan Greenspan has repeated the US central bank will
hold rates until good growth is achieved.
Adelaide. SA GOVT FAILS TO BLOCK NUKE DUMP! The SA govt has failed
with a key tactic to stop the fed govt's planned nuclear waste dump on
a sheep stn in the state's N. The SA Parl last night rejected govt
leg'n to declare the proposed site a public park -- which would have
prevented the "low-level" repository from going ahead. The govt's
bill was defeated in the upper house 10 to 9. Env Min John Hill vowed
to continue the fight.
Sydney. MARKETS! The ASX has continued to slip as investors weigh up
economic data coming from the US. At 12.05 the All Ords was 19 pts
down on the open, at 3,056.
{{
6 am
1 US soldier has been killed and several were wounded when RPG's hit
vehicles on patrol in Baghdad.
A pro-US mayor has been shot and killed.
In the 3rd incident of its type, a C-130 Herc has been attack with a
SAM at Baghdad airport. The missile missed its target.
There are reports that US soldiers are suffering an increased number
of self-inflicted wounds. There have also been 5 suspected suicides
amongst coal'n forces in Iraq.
A 12 yo English schoolgirl has been reunited with parents. A 31 yo
former US Marine is presently under arrest in Frankfurt, changed
with kidnap. Police say child porn has also been found on the man's PC.
Palestinian PM Abu Mazen will visit Washington on Jul 25 where he will
hold talks with US Pres Bush Jr. Abu Mazen's office says the talks
will be about the commitments made by Israel to freeze settlements in
the progress in the peace process.
11.30 am
For first time the US has admitted they are fighting organised
resistance in Iraq. The new military cmdr in Iraq, Maj Gen John
Abizaid, told reporters that "cells" are operating in the country and
US forces are meeting organised resistance.
SYD. HMAS Kanimbla has arrived back in port in SYD, after a 6 m tour
of duty in the Gulf. The amphibious transport was the AUS command and
control C during GWII, and was involved in the intercept of a
shipment of sea mines off the harbour of Umm Qasr. The 250 sailors on
board celebrated their home-coming with 190 relatives who joined the
ship in Cairns. 3 sailors were sent home after they refused anthrax
jabs on the way to the Gulf. The RAN says next war things will be
handled differently.
Midday.
Meat and Livestock AUS say new punitive Japanese tariffs expected to
be intro'd on Aug 1 will cost about $A200 mn over next 9 m. A rep
said the cost would be shared by Aussie producers and customers in
Japan, with most of burden borne by Japanese customers. The
organisation says the tariffs are not justified and hope there is
still time to head off the intro of the penalties.
The BBC says US patrols in Baghdad have adopted a new character,
following admissions from the new cmdr there are signs resistance is
organised. US patrols now make little contact with Iraqi civilians.
And civilians don't look at or otherwise ack the presence of the US soldiers.
Brit police intend to extradite a 31 yo former US Marine, saying from
computer records he knew his cyber-girlfriend was only 12 yo.
Previously, he'd told his family he thought she was a college student.
MEL. The public sector union is calling for a security review at
Centrelink offices, saying its pure luck staff haven't been killed or
injured. The CPSU says staff fear for their safety because they have
to put up with increasing levels of verbal abuse, threats of violence,
harassment and stalking on a daily basis. Centrelink's last annual
report shows there were 89 serious personal injuries and dangerous
occurrences in 2001/2.
MEL. Families have become the latest victims of homelessness. A MEL
welfare group says families now make up 1/2 its homeless clients, up
from the traditional level of 10%. MEL Citymission says a homeless
person is no longer the old man on a park bench or the youth on the
street. The group's CEO, Anne Turley, says the main causes of
homelessness are shortage of jobs, high housing and rental prices, and
gambling addiction.
}}
========================================
(*) Who is responcible for W.A.R.S? A small group of dedicated
sandgrubbers, bannana-lickers and 5th columnists on the run from
support payments and sundry legalese in their home countries. Mention
us at any Uncle Harry's Suburban Bunker and get a 10% discount on cop-killers!
All speling macroizated for correctitood by Mcrosotf Speelchek.
*** Don't meet their eyes, soldier! ***
Anonymust.
"R Kym Horsell" <k...@kymhorsell.com> wrote in message
news:ec0895b2.03071...@posting.google.com...
<snip>
Does anyone read your 100K rants?
-
http://randomprose.journalspace.com
R Kym Horsell
> "R Kym Horsell" <k...@kymhorsell.com> wrote in message
> news:ec0895b2.03071...@posting.google.com...
No on the todo list amongst the anonymous illiteratit, granted.
Current uploads number about 200 pd from the "OIL" (not "oil") web dir.
Another 50 from the "UN" (not "un") web dir.
So I guess some people are reading it.
Mostly people seem to upload the complete set, rather than read just
the last textball.
R Kym Horsell
[someone from qld with a combo kaldis+ausstu profile]
>[me:]
> Current uploads number about 200 pd from the "OIL" (not "oil") web dir.
> Another 50 from the "UN" (not "un") web dir.
2 more hits for 1 of each "un" and "oil" from adelphia as I write this.
No... No... No... No...
As the web page for the mis-spellers crypitcally says, you gotsta use the upper
case button and spell things right.
Perhaps if I put it in some <> you can just click on it (barring unforseen
problems with any s/w outside my control):
<http://www.kymhorsell.com/OIL/>
<http://www.kymhorsell.com/UN/>
^^^^ NOTE THE BLOODY UPPER CASE, EH!
Tex Houston
Those people would get the replies.
Just block them and they will soon disappear.
Kindest regards
"Anonymust." <sp...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3f166...@news.iprimus.com.au...
R Kym Horsell
> Most people have placed a block on the name or other details.
> Those people would get the replies.
Sure.
It's all a bit like Blair and Bush at the moment. Their
public reasoning doesn't and didn't make sense. Ergo they are either
dumb or are not giving the real reasons.
If someone complains that they don't like what you're posting,
they can allays just block it. So complaining indicates they is either
dumb not to know that, or they are not "giving the real reasons" and
it isn't a complaint about them being bored with a posting.
A similar phenomenon -- some kiddie complains they is borred with
the tivvy program. Indicating either they can't switch channels, or
forgot where the "off" button is, or it isn't the "real reason" or
"real thing" they are complaining about.
Or another popular non-reason -- someone might complain 10-20,000 words is
"too big" to read -- either indicating they never read newspapers
(maybe they just spend a couple of bucks to read the funny page),
books or even the odd adult magazine article, or that isn't what they're
_really_ complaining about.
Pretty much same kinna abduction goes for people that publicly explain to
such people they can allays block stuff they don't wanna see.
Since it's obvious, and we either gotta unnerstan the first person is
so dumb they can't figga that out for themselves -- yet not so
dumb this explaination will get through, OR the 2nd person is not
really saying that all all. They is tryin to send a message.
Too bad. I ignore messages. ;-)
LDL
> they can allays just block it. So complaining indicates they is either
> dumb not to know that, or they are not "giving the real reasons" and
> it isn't a complaint about them being bored with a posting.
Most people does not mind someone's opinion but trying to force that opinion
to another person is another thing. You have those religious people always
trying to enforce their views on to yours. You are now doing the same vice
versa.
Remember that you have cross posted to Australian culture which is not
correct netiquette as this is considered as politics.
A suggestion is to keep it in Australian politics.
R Kym Horsell
[Me:]
>> If someone complains that they don't like what you're posting,
>> they can allays just block it. So complaining indicates they is either
>> dumb not to know that, or they are not "giving the real reasons" and
>> it isn't a complaint about them being bored with a posting.
> Most people does not mind someone's opinion but trying to force that opinion
> to another person is another thing.
As long as you're not trying to force that opinion on me. ;-)
>You have those religious people always trying to enforce their views on to yours.
You seem to be projecting. Not an experience I've had. ;-)
>You are now doing the same vice versa.
[...]
Vice-versa? What? I'm trying to suck someone's views with their co-operation?
You are choosing to reply.
You are also free to remain ignorant.
Again, since your "complaint" doesn't make any sense -- I am forced
to conclude you are either a blatant fool or have other motives.
This is related, BTW, to why people sometimes beleive politicians
"lie" to them, but (surprisingly) can't come up with what it is
about a given politician that is tipping them off. ;-)
LDL
R Kym Horsell
for the subject in question:
In soc.culture.australian LDL <tur...@yilongprod.com> wrote:
> Wanker!!
$ Can you provide credible evidence that would be contrary to my finding?
-- "LDL" <ci...@modtech.com.au>, Sat, 08 Mar 2003
$ unfortunately your above statement is totally refutable.
-- "LDL" <ci...@modtech.com.au>, Sat, 08 Mar 2003
$ By what qualifications can you state this?
-- "LDL" <ci...@modtech.com.au>, Sat, 08 Mar 2003
$ Opinions are like the hole in your bum, everyone has one but not everyone
$ likes the others.
-- "LDL" <ci...@modtech.com.au>, Sat, 08 Mar 2003
$ Keep to the facts or like you said.... SHUT UP!!! >:(
-- "LDL" <ci...@modtech.com.au>, Sat, 08 Mar 2003
$ I thought that you might have an inkling of intelligence and treat you with
$ a little more respect than many other people in this forum.
-- "LDL" <ci...@modtech.com.au>, Sun, 09 Mar 2003
$ You have reached you same standard that you have given to Hunter, Mosley
$ Jones III and many others.
-- "LDL" <ci...@modtech.com.au>, Sun, 09 Mar 2003
$ By your last remark you cannot be taken seriously.
-- "LDL" <ci...@modtech.com.au>, Sun, 09 Mar 2003