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CORRUPTION UPDATES 118 Previous Page: Page 117 All Archives Next page: Page 119 Contact Us: Committeefordemocracy.org 1) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. After the abstract there's analysis and commentary, links to related articles, and a link to the database with suggested search terms. BBC: “Rice pushes peace summit” Real Headline: Rice Supports Israeli declaration of Gaza “Hostile Entity”
(Get ready for more war crimes, and crimes against humanity)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to hold fresh talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders on convening a Middle East peace conference. BBC, 9-20-07
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7003860.stm
Ms Rice will meet Israel's president, followed by talks with Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas. It comes after Israel said it would restrict fuel supplies to Gaza because of Palestinian militant rocket attacks. The UN secretary general said: "Such a step would be contrary to Israel's obligations towards the civilian population [of Gaza] under international humanitarian and human rights law." Hamas said Israel's statement was tantamount to a declaration of war. Correspondents say that by formally declaring Gaza a "hostile entity", Israel could argue that it is no longer bound by international law governing the administration of occupied territory to supply utilities to its inhabitants. Under international law, Israel remains legally responsible for the coastal strip, despite withdrawing two years ago, as it still controls Gaza's borders, airspace and territorial waters. Rice-US Condones Israeli War Crimes Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., September , 2007 Corruption Updates 37, 1st article on the page, "Poll: Israel, Iran, US most Negative Countries in World"
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2) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. UN chief: Cutting off fuel to Gaza is violation of international law
By Barak Ravid Haaretz, 9-20-07
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/905229.html
Israel Defense Forces began formulating plans to limit services to the civilian population in Gaza Thursday, following the cabinet's decision Wednesday to declare the Gaza Strip a "hostile territory". The security cabinet voted unanimously Wednesday to increase sanctions against the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and to impose restrictions including limiting the supply of fuel and electricity from Israel to Gaza, the transfer of goods through the crossings, the movement of people to and from the Strip, stopping visits to prisoners, and increased monitoring of funds. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel on Wednesday to reconsider its decision to declare the Gaza Strip a hostile territory, warning that any cutoff of vital services would violate international law and punish the already suffering civilian population. In one of his toughest statements aimed at Israel since taking the reins of the UN on January 1, Ban said he was very concerned at the Israeli government's declaration earlier Wednesday and its announced intent to interrupt essential services such as electricity and fuel to the civilian population. "Such a step would be contrary to Israel's obligations towards the civilian population under international humanitarian and human rights law," he said. "I call for Israel to reconsider this decision," the secretary-general said in a statement read by UN spokeswoman Michele Montas. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said during the meeting that "the price of a military operation in Gaza is known to all, and in any case conditions are not ripe for this." Defense Minister Ehud Barak echoed this sentiment, adding "We will embark on action at the right time, not on order to let off steam." However, Barak also said that "every day that passes brings us closer to an operation in Gaza; we will decide on the means of an operation and the goals when the time comes." Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that Hamas "is indeed a hostile entity. It is a hostile entity to the U.S. as well." Speaking at a news conference following her meeting with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Rice added, "However, we will not abandon the innocent Palestinian in Gaza and indeed will make every effort to deal with their humanitarian needs."
Rice confuses Hostile Hamas with Civilian Population, Condones Mass Punishment of Gaza Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., September , 2007
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3) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. Iran: Retaliation for Any Israeli Attack By ALI AKBAR DAREINI Associated Press Writer
8:30 PM PDT, September 19, 2007
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has drawn up plans to bomb Israel if the Jewish state should attack, the deputy air force commander said Wednesday, adding to tensions already heated up by an Israeli airstrike on Syria and Western calls for more U.N. sanctions against Tehran. Other Iranian officials also underlined their country's readiness to fight if the U.S. or Israel attacks, a reflection of concerns in Tehran that demands by the U.S. and its allies for Iran to curtail its nuclear program could escalate into military action. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Sunday that the international community should prepare for the possibility of war in the event Iran obtains atomic weapons, although he later stressed the focus is still on diplomatic pressures. The comments come as the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Adm. William Fallon, is touring Persian Gulf countries seeking to form a united front of Arab allies against Iran's growing influence in the region. Iran has periodically raised alarms over the possibility of war, particularly when the West brings up talk of sanctions over Tehran's rejection of a U.N. Security Council demand that it halt uranium enrichment. "We have drawn up a plan to strike back at Israel with our bombers if this regime (Israel) makes a silly mistake," Iran's deputy air force commander, Gen. Mohammad Alavi, said in an interview with the semiofficial Fars news agency. Alavi warned that Israel is within range of Iran's medium-range missiles and fighter-bombers. THE COMMITTEE SAYS:Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., September , 2007
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4) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. 'Israeli warplanes raid' Lebanon Israeli warplanes have flown at low altitude over southern Lebanon in defiance of a United Nations resolution, reports from Beirut say.
Story from BBC NEWS, 9-18-07 http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/7001006.stm
The fighter jets allegedly caused sonic booms as they flew over the cities of Sidon and Tyre, as well as the towns of Bint Jbeil and Marjayoun. Israel has so far made no comment on the Lebanese claims. Israel has been criticised by the UN for making a number of overflights in Lebanon in recent weeks. Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., September , 2007 Corruption Updates , th article on the page, Search the Corruption Database under
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5) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. Senate Blocks Detainees’ Rights Bill By CARL HULSE NYT, September 20, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/washington/20detain.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 — Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked an effort to give terrorism detainees the right to appeal their detention to federal courts, rejecting complaints that a new law denying that option ran against the nation’s principles.
The proposal, part of a broad Pentagon policy bill, was backed by Senators Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, the Democratic chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the senior Republican on the committee. The two senators argued that the decision to strip the right of habeas corpus from detainees, including those at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, was a major mistake that merited quick correction.
“The truth is, casting aside the time-honored protection of habeas corpus makes us more vulnerable as a nation because it leads us away from our core American values and calls into question our historic role as a defender of human rights around the world,” Mr. Leahy said.
...Mr. Specter said momentum appeared to be growing for restoring the right of habeas corpus, noting that the proposal attracted more support than it did in a previous attempt. He said he expected that he and other proponents would continue to pursue the goal legislatively even as the issue was considered by the courts.
“I don’t think this is the end of the line,” Mr. Specter said of the Senate vote. Can Crooked Congress Put Pandora back in the Box? Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., September , 2007 Corruption Updates , th article on the page, Search the Corruption Database under
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6) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. Indigenous Rights Declaration Approved By WARREN HOGE NYT, 9-14-07
The General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a declaration on the human rights of the world’s indigenous people, but Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States voted no, saying it went too far in giving indigenous peoples ownership of their traditional lands and veto rights over national legislation and local management of resources. The declaration, which had been debated for 20 years, is nonbinding. Voting in favor were 143 nations, and 11 countries abstained.
US Votes Against Indigenous Rights Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., September , 2007 Well, big surprize here. The power and wealth of the US is based on stealing not just indigenous rights and resources, but specializes in supporting dictators and tyrants who impose top-down systems of political brutality that has denied all people, not just the indiigenous peoples, the right to define themselves. What this says about our democracy is that it does not exist. Corruption Updates , th article on the page, Search the Corruption Database under
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7) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. Case Against Muslim Group Rests, With Defense Still Denying Hamas Ties By LESLIE EATON NYT, September 20, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/us/20holyland.html?ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=print
DALLAS, Sept. 19 — Stressing her client’s years of work helping impoverished Palestinian children, a defense lawyer on Wednesday asked a federal jury here to look beyond what she described as fear-mongering and politically motivated charges against a Muslim charity the government has accused of financing the terrorist group Hamas.
Her client, Ghassan Elashi, the former chairman of the charity, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, “did not support Hamas,” said the lawyer, Linda Moreno. “He supported his people,” who are living amid poverty and violence.
The Holy Land foundation, which was based in a Dallas suburb, and five of its officials are charged with conspiracy, money-laundering and providing financial support to a foreign terrorism organization by sending more than $12 million to Palestinian charities.
The government contends that these charities, known as zakat committees, were controlled by Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization since 1995, and that the donations helped Hamas win popular support.
Lawyers for the defendants have argued here that there was no evidence that the charities were controlled by Hamas, and that the money the foundation sent to the charities was used to build hospitals and support needy families. Mr. Garrett said the government had not tracked all the money, but had identified some members of these zakat committees as Hamas leaders.
The case has angered many Muslims, who believe they have been the victims of government persecution in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the courtroom benches have been packed with family members and supporters of the defendants.
The defense emphasized that the prosecution relied heavily on testimony from an Israeli security analyst identified only as Avi. Ms. Moreno described Avi as having an “arrogant demeanor” and as not believing that Palestinians should receive humanitarian aid.
The defense has argued that the defendants are being prosecuted in part because some have relatives who are Hamas leaders, and in part because they oppose what they see as Israel’s occupation of their land.
US Persecuting Muslim Citizens for Disagreeing with the Corporate President Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., September , 2007 Corruption Updates , th article on the page, Search the Corruption Database under
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8) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. Alleged eco-terror plot is described Insider testifies that she, 3 others conspired to bomb Nimbus Dam, a tree lab or other area sites. By Denny Walsh - Bee Staff Writer Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, September 18, 2007
http://www.sacbee.com/101/v-print/story/384978.html
A witness on Monday gave a jury in Sacramento federal court an insider's perspective on plans she said she and three others had to use explosives in a campaign aimed at what they saw as anti-environment practices by business and government.
The testimony of Lauren Weiner came on the fourth day of trial for Eric McDavid, 29, on charges of conspiring to damage and destroy property by means of fire and explosives.
Weiner, 21, also was charged in the conspiracy, but she was allowed last year to plead to a lesser charge that carries a maximum five-year prison term in return for her cooperation with the government.
She said it had a big effect on her when her lawyer explained while she was in jail that she could get a prison sentence of almost 20 years if she went to trial in a domestic terrorism case. She hopes prosecutors will recommend less than the five-year maximum when she is sentenced, Weiner said.
At a series of meetings starting in August 2005, Weiner, McDavid, Zachary Jenson and another woman agreed that the numerous anti-establishment protests in which they had participated were proving ineffective, Weiner testified.
"Direct action" equating to "criminal activity" was needed to make big business and government change their ways, the four concluded, she told the jury.
"We had to meet the destruction of the planet with harsh tactics," Weiner testified.
Jenson, 22, also has pleaded guilty and is expected to testify against McDavid.
After conspiring for months with the other woman, the three defendants learned when they were arrested Jan. 13, 2006, that she was an FBI undercover informant.
Weiner said, however, that at the time of their arrests the four had not decided on a target and had ruled out Nimbus Dam because they couldn't be sure which areas would be flooded.
"It scared the ... out of me to think about" the accidental death of "civilians," she said.
She said they also talked about invading banks but, "instead of robbing them, burning all the money"; hijacking a tractor-trailer and dumping its load; jamming roads to stop the movement of goods, thus "forcing people to rely more on what they have around them."
Meanwhile, "Anna" was picking up much of this talk on a body recorder and, when the group moved into a cabin in Dutch Flat in January 2006, it had been wired for audio and video recording by the FBI. On cross-examination, Weiner acknowledged that "Anna" bankrolled much of the group's expenses.
"Anna" testified that she was paid $35,000 by the FBI for expenses she incurred while embedded with the trio, plus $31,000 in compensation.
"She said she was paying her way through college as a stripper, and had some money from that," Weiner recalled "Anna" telling her companions.
Weiner related that when she traveled the protest circuit with McDavid and Jenson, they hitchhiked and train-hopped, ate garbage from Dumpsters and slept on the ground in sleeping bags.
But, when they were with "Anna," she ferried them around in her rented car and bought groceries and tents, Weiner said.
During the stay in the cabin, she testified, "Anna" was "upset that nothing was really planned, that there were no set targets."
Weiner acknowledged that she "would do and say things to make 'Anna' happy," like help mix chemicals for the manufacture of explosives.
She said she and "Anna" became "very good friends," she looked up to "Anna" and "wanted to impress her." Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., September , 2007
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Please limit comments to 400 words, unless you write really well! Remember to include the Corruption Updates page number, and the article number on the page. Example: (82_1.) 9) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. Big Terror Trial Shaped Views of Justice Pick By ADAM LIPTAK NYT, September 20, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/washington/20trial.html?ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=print ...Judge Mukasey...(believes) that the urgency of the threat requires tilting toward protecting national security even at some cost to civil liberties — have echoed through his speeches and writings. Now, as President Bush’s choice for attorney general, he is poised to put those lessons into practice. In his writings, Judge Mukasey has made clear that, although the issues are difficult ones, he is inclined to favor security, intelligence and secrecy over the competing values. Rules applicable in ordinary criminal cases, Judge Mukasey wrote last month in The Wall Street Journal, “do not protect a society that must gather information about, and at least incapacitate, people who have cosmic goals that they are intent on achieving by cataclysmic means.” (Mukasey is)...deeply skeptical about the ability of civilian courts to try people accused of terrorism without compromising national security. Another Corporate Fascist Traitor to Serve as Attorney General of the United States Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., September , 2007 Corruption Updates , th article on the page, Search the Corruption Database under
Please limit comments or essay to 400 words, unless you write really well! Remember to include the Corruption Updates page number, and the article number that you are referring to. Example: (82_1.) 10) The Article linked below was Abstracted from the source cited. Mukasey is drawn into an old fight The Senate-White House dispute over executive privilege may become central in confirming the nominee for attorney general. By Richard B. Schmitt
Los Angeles Times, September 18, 2007
WASHINGTON — Former federal Judge Michael B. Mukasey, nominated Monday to succeed Alberto R. Gonzales as attorney general, has credentials that normally would assure swift confirmation. But he was immediately plunged into a long- running fight between Senate Democrats and the White House over the limits of executive power. Even as President Bush was introducing Mukasey in a Rose Garden ceremony, Democrats indicated they planned to use his confirmation proceeding to exert pressure on the White House to cooperate with congressional efforts to investigate allegations of administration misconduct. A key element in the dispute is access to executive-branch witnesses and memos that the administration repeatedly has declared off-limits. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said his panel would consider Mukasey "in a serious and deliberate fashion." But he made it clear that Democrats considered access to at least some of the long-sought administration documents as essential to their evaluation of Mukasey's fitness to lead the Justice Department. "Our focus now will be on securing the relevant information we need so we can proceed to schedule fair and thorough hearings," Leahy said. "Cooperation from the White House will be essential in determining that schedule." For months, the Bush administration and Democrats have been deadlocked over documents that could shed light on the role the White House played last year in the firing of nine U.S. attorneys. Democrats view the purge as politically motivated. They also are demanding access to internal Justice Department memos that might provide information on a dispute over whether a pivotal post-Sept. 11 anti-terrorism program was legal. Still, Democrats said Monday that they expected Bush to scale back his broad assertions of executive privilege at least somewhat. "I hope that this nomination is a sign that the White House will quickly reach agreement on providing documents and witnesses in connection with our investigation," said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). "That is what would be best for the investigation, and it would assure a much less bumpy confirmation process." Democrats said they viewed access to the evidence as crucial to asking Mukasey how he was going to address problems at the Justice Department. "This is a no-brainer," said a senior congressional aide. "This information is going to be important for the committee to have when they question the person who is supposed to be leading the Justice Department for the remainder of the Bush administration." The aide, who declined to be named because the committee had not authorized the aide to speak for it, said the material was "absolutely" needed as part of vetting and considering the nominee. How far the White House is willing to go to meet Democrats' demands is unclear. For months Leahy has been negotiating privately with White House Counsel Fred F. Fielding for access to the materials, with little evidence of progress. There were signs Monday that those discussions were intensifying in order to avoid an impasse. Leahy said that Fielding had phoned him and appeared willing to provide some of the information the panel requested. "They aren't going to agree to everything I've asked for, but want to work out some" accommodation, Leahy said. "I take Mr. Fielding at his word." Dems Ready to Confirm AG who will Protect Bush's Crimes Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., September , 2007
Who Will Defend the President's Crimes Now? Alex Wierbinski, Berkeley, Ca., August 28, 2007 Bush has real problems now. He must find a new AG who will sign off on, well, what will he have to sign off on? Not much. Congress just passed an illegal and unconstitutional law that gives the President the power to conduct unlimited, warrantless searches on Americans. So that issue is settled. Congress covered Bush's illegal searches with a criminal law of its own, so the new AG is off the hook for illegal domestic searches. Then we come to the President's use of kidnapping, unlimited secret detentions, and torture. I'm sure there are a set of super-secret findings somewhere in the Justice Department that contend the President has the power to secretly kidnap, detain, and torture anyone he wants. (Confirmed on Oct. 4, 2007-Alex) The new AG has a real hot potato here. Italy and Germany are prosecuting CIA agents in absentia for our kidnappings on their soil, moving them to secret detention facilities, and torturing them. Will our next AG have a problem with defending kidnapping? It depends on if the next AG agrees with John Yoo and Gonzales' contentions that the President Can do Anything He Wants. (Confirmed Today, Oct. 18, 2007-Alex) This outrage was confirmed by Congress in the Military Commissions Act of 2006. This unconstitutional "law" grants the Presidential the right to kidnap, secretly detain, and torture anyone he wants, including American Citizens. The next AG will have no problem defending American kidnapping, secret detentions, and torture as Congress passed laws authorizing these crimes. But that will not cover our international crimes. That responsibility will fall into the capable hands of Rice at State. The next AG should have it easy. Congress, besides laying the legal groundwork for an unchecked, Unconstitutional President, is currently fully funding all of the President's crimes. It has been rather easy for Gonzales to defend the President's crimes, as Congress has been a willing partner under both parties. The same will be true for the next AG. (Confirmed Today, Oct. 18, 2007) If we had a real Constitutional Democracy, a real Attorney General would review all of the unconstitutional "findings" of Gonzales and Yoo, and throw them into the dustbin of Fascist History, where they belong. A real AG would identify, investigate and immediately charge all of the criminals who have searched without warrants, kidnapped, tortured, or secretly detained anyone anywhere. A real AG would immediately turn over all the CIA participants in the European kidnappings to Italy and Germany for trial. The next AG, if they have any sense of Justice and duty to our Constitutional rule of law, would begin a parallel investigation in the executive branch to determine who in the CIA, Pentagon, Justice Department, FBI, and White House approved of these crimes, and charge them accordingly. These are high crimes and misdemeanors against domestic and international law. A real Congress would demand that of the next AG. But this Congress already indeminified the President's crimes before getting elected, when Pelosi "took impeachment off the table," and after getting elected passed their bogus Illegal Spying "law," so don't get your hopes up. In fact, Gonzales' resignation came on the heels of passage of the repugnant Illegal Spying "law." I smell a big, nasty, stinking secret deal between Congress and Bush: Congress gave Bush Criminal Search Powers, and Bush, after a short delay, gave Congress the Head of Gonzales. Thus Congress assured Bush that giving up Gonzales would not result in his immediate prosecution for illegal searches. With Congress signing off on virtually all of Bush's crimes, and approving them with unconstitutional "laws," Bush has almost nothing to worry about, and Pelosi has finally and completely taken impeachment off the table. (i was mistaken. renegade dems later tried to impeach cheney, and pelosi squashed them) Unless I'm completely wrong, and I hope I am, the next AG is going to be acclaimed by both parties, and is not going to challenge any of the President's illegal claims to royal authority to search, kidnap, detain, torture, and then run kangaroo courts on anyone he wants. As the use of these criminal powers is being supported by Congress, rather than being taken away and repudiated, these criminal powers will continue to be used by future presidents against our people, our rights, and our Constitution. Congress' affirmation of these crimes has made them permanent presidential powers. Since we have already lost control of our democracy, we face a future where, like now, the richest corporate factions will elect presidents. But unlike the past, our future Presidents will have unlimited, unchecked power to pay back their bribes, harass their political enemies with perpetual surveillance and fake prosecutions, and use the full power of the government to do the will of their corporate masters. This, my friends, is the face of Corporate Fascism. Although Gonzales is gone, the attack on our civil rights is only now beginning to get really ugly. Establishing the foundation for unlimited illegal surveillance is just the start. Once they figure out how to use a complete record of everyone's communications, their power will be complete. The first set of links below deals with Gonzales' lies to Congress about the Administration's attempts to railroad their illegal search program through an ill, but determined Ashcroft. The second, longer set of links cover the wide range of governmental crimes Gonzales participated in, excluding the US Attorney Scandal. A link following that list leads to the US Attorney Scandal Abstracts. (See the links from this Aug. 28 story.) Corruption Updates 83, 1st article on the page, "Cheney the Torture mastermind" tion Updates 84, 1st article on the page,"Pelosi: Impeachment 'off the table" Corruption Updates 85, 1st article on the page, "Cheney: Angler, A Catalog of Cheney Crimes" Bush signs new CIA Torture authorization, LAT, July 21, 2007 Corruption Updates 99, 5th article on the page, "Bush Could Bypass new Torture Ban" ABA Clear: Bush Policy allows Torture, AP, 8-10-07 Book: Torture Taxi reveals us system of kidnapping, secret prisons, and torture, Toward Freedom, 9-6-07 Torture: Links Search the Corruption Database under torture
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