89937162

U.S. Court Stands by Controversial Pledge Ruling

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The U.S. appeals court that infuriated Americans by declaring the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional refused to reconsider on Friday, setting the stage for a Supreme Court showdown over whether two words — “under God” — breach the wall separating church and state.

The decision by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to stand by its stunning ruling prompted a quick reaction from the U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, who said the Justice Department would “spare no effort” to defend the Pledge — presumably by an appeal to the nation’s highest court.

Personally I do not believe that the religion (any religion or belief structure) has any business in the workings of government – not everyone believes in -a- god let alone the god of the conventional western masses.

Until such time as the conventional right is willing to stand around a bonefire in a field with me and pay honour Lugh they have no right to ask me, or anyone else, to have anything do to with their god.

89936833

U.S. Diplomat’s Letter of Resignation

(The following is a paragraph from the resignation letter of John Brady Kiesling sent too Secretary of State Powell – it makes for very interesting reading and shows not only how divided the world has become as a result of the current U.S. Administration but gives some insight into divisions within the government itself. Mr. Kiesling is obviously a very comitted and brave individual.)

(The NY Times) – It is inevitable that during twenty years with the State Department I would become more sophisticated and cynical about the narrow and selfish bureaucratic motives that sometimes shaped our policies. Human nature is what it is, and I was rewarded and promoted for understanding human nature. But until this Administration it had been possible to believe that by upholding the policies of my president I was also upholding the interests of the American people and the world. I believe it no longer.

89929355

Dioceses Resist Releasing Names of Accused Priests

(The New York Times) — CLEVELAND, Feb. 26: When a grand jury looking into sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy finished its work in December, it reported that it had uncovered accusations against 145 priests.

An interesting and difficult discussion, on the one hand the community has a right to protect itself (though knowledge in this case) from those who would prey on their children while on the other there is he fundamental presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

89865727

U.S. Freedom Of The Press?

‘What I saw was a bunch of filled-in trenches with people’s arms and legs sticking out of them. For all I know, we could have killed thousands’ (Patrick J Sloyan on how the mass slaughter of a group of Iraqis went unreported )

(Guardian Unlimited) — According to White House officials, no final decisions have been made by Bush, Cheney and current defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld. “We’re still negotiating with the media,” said one administration official. But Bush has already implemented ground rules that require journalists to give up their mobile and satellite phones to military commanders who would control the movements of these so-called pool reporters during Desert Storm II. If the final rules, organised by the Pentagon, are anything like the pool system designed by Bush Sr and Cheney in 1991, the world will be given a cloudy mixture of video footage and misinformation that will fog the reality of war.

This is not an issue about people being wounded and killed in any number of ways, people die and are wounded in wars – it’s just one of the things that we need to be very aware of if we’re going to entertain the idea of going to war.

What this issue is about is the U.S. Government actively working against the press to ensure that the real news and the real images of war they were engaged in did not get back to the American people – maybe if it had the minority who support this war so whole heartedly would be having second thoughts.

89858770

U.S. Diplomat Resigns Over Iraq Policy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A senior U.S. diplomat based in Athens has resigned in protest at the Bush administration’s policy on Iraq, State Department officials said on Thursday.

Brady Kiesling, 45, political counselor at the embassy and a foreign service officer for about 20 years, sent his resignation decision to Secretary of State Colin Powell by fax on Monday, The New York Times said.

89858169

Poll: More People Want U.N. War Approval

(The New York Times) — Nearly two-thirds in a new poll, 64 percent, say they want the United States to wait for U.N. approval before launching a military strike against Iraq.

Three in 10, 31 percent, said they thought this country should act now against Iraq, according to the CBS News poll released Wednesday.

Like many recent polls, the CBS survey found that two-thirds, 66 percent, said they approve of military action against Iraq. But the new poll also found that support is contingent on the support of allies, and preferably the United Nations.

The majority of Americans obviously have more reasonable heads on their shoulders than their President does, to bad he rarely seems to listen to them – maybe if he spoke in places that were not full of known supporters he’d hear this sort of thing first hand. Of course if he did that getting that all important sound bite for the media that is necessary for the U.S. Administration to try and convince the majority that they are actually a minority would be a bit more difficult ‘eh?

89856468

Blair Suffers Major Party Revolt Over Iraq

(The New York Times) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair suffered by far the largest revolt he has faced from his war-wary Labor Party but still won a parliamentary vote Wednesday over tackling Iraq.

The government put forward a motion asking parliament to back United Nations efforts to disarm Iraq. It did not mention the possibility of war, which Blair says could follow within weeks if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein does not disarm.

But 199 parliamentarians backed an amendment to that motion stating that the case for war is unproven, fearing they will not get another say before military action begins.

Embarrassingly for Blair, 122 of them came from his ruling Labor Party — more than a quarter of the total in parliament — dwarfing any previous internal rebellion he has faced in nearly six years in power.

89848281

Everybody is getting in on the terror act

The following showed up in my inbox this morning, terror must be profitable these days – even the SPAMmers are getting in on the act.

---

From: prepare4terro@hotmail.com
Subject: Protect your Family From Terror attacts!
To: my-email-address-was-here
Reply-To: prepare4terro@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 22:54:11 -0800
X-Library: Indy 9.0.3-B
X-Mailer: Foxmail

Wouldent you like the piece of mind knowing you are prepared for a terrorist attack. Email me back at prepare4terror@hotmail.com for free information that you need to have on protecting your family from Terrorists and terror attacks. Its time you know what the goverment already knows and doesnt want you to know.

Good Luck and God Bless the USA

Prepare4terror@hotmail.com

89784437

State Department Warns Americans Not To Act Like Americans

(BBSpot International News) — Washington, D.C. – In what is believed to be its strongest travel advisory ever, the U.S. State Department today warned Americans abroad not to act like Americans.

The advisory was issued simultaneously in Washington by State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, and in The Hague by a man who, in halting Dutch, denied he was U.S. Ambassador Clifford Sobel.

Yes, I know – but I thought maybe if I lightened things up a bit………………….

89580505

Powell on French TV Defends Use of Force Against Iraq

From our good buddies at the U.S. Department of State the following quote contained in the report of an interview given on French T.V.

When the United States has used force it has been done “in a responsible way and we have always, when we used force, left the place better than when we went in,” he added.

Anyone have any ideas when and where this actually happened?