The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has stated that the US has produced a watch list of suspected and known terrorists, containing the names of more than one million people. According to the ACLU the list is growing by an average of over 20,000 records per month.
Among those on the watchlist are rather bizarrely Saddam Hussein who was actually hanged in 2005, decorated war veterans, and US senator Ted Kennedy.
The Transportation Security Administration has flatly denied the one million names figure; they say it contains a "mere" 450,000 people.
So that's alright then!
Showing posts with label israel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label israel. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Secrets Begat Secrets and Lies
It seems that the release earlier this week of the first draft of the "dodgy dossier", which was used by Blair to take Britain to war in Iraq, was not quite as full and frank as some may have believed.
The Guardian reports that the Foreign Office successfully fought to keep secret any mention of Israel in the release this week. The Foreign Office succeeded before a tribunal in having a handwritten mention of Israel kept secret.
What was on that handwritten note?
A reference to Israel's nuclear arsenal, and an inference that Israel had flouted the United Nations' authority in a manner similar to that of the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.
Unfortunately for the Foreign Office, their meddling has been made public and their attempt to suppress the note has failed.
The question now arises as to what else is being withheld from the British public?
The Guardian reports that the Foreign Office successfully fought to keep secret any mention of Israel in the release this week. The Foreign Office succeeded before a tribunal in having a handwritten mention of Israel kept secret.
What was on that handwritten note?
A reference to Israel's nuclear arsenal, and an inference that Israel had flouted the United Nations' authority in a manner similar to that of the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.
Unfortunately for the Foreign Office, their meddling has been made public and their attempt to suppress the note has failed.
The question now arises as to what else is being withheld from the British public?
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Israel Warned US Not To Invade Iraq
It seems that back in 2001 Israeli officials warned the Bush administration that an invasion of Iraq would destabilise the region, and wanted the US to focus its attention on the "main enemy" Iran.
That at least is the case according to the Asia Times.
The "good" news is that the Israelis now have their wish, President Shrub is now focusing on Iran; despite the fact that Iraq and Afghanistan are seriously out of control.
Mission accomplished!
That at least is the case according to the Asia Times.
The "good" news is that the Israelis now have their wish, President Shrub is now focusing on Iran; despite the fact that Iraq and Afghanistan are seriously out of control.
Mission accomplished!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Bush Rehabilitates Saddam
It beggars belief that Bush, surely the worst president in living memory, could further sully his reputation for incompetence.
Yet it appears that he has managed just that.
As if the fiasco of the post Iraq occupation was not bad enough, it seems according to reports that the manner of the state "lynching" of Saddam Hussein (which had been approved of by the US, and endorsed "after the fact" by Bush) has rallied support for Saddam on "Arab Street".
Bush has succeeded in reversing Saddam's image from that of failed dictator, to Arab martyr. No wonder Saddam had a smile on his face as he approached the gallows.
It should also be noted that it is reported that Bush has not actually seen the video of Saddam's execution.
As to the future, those of you who think that the failure in Iraq has taught Bush anything will be sorely disappointed. He is currently rallying an alliance of Saudi Arabia, Israel and the UK to take action against Iran.
The newly elected Congress and Senate in the US will need to get its act together very quickly, if it is to stop Bush starting something that would make the Iraq debacle look like a stunning success.
Yet it appears that he has managed just that.
As if the fiasco of the post Iraq occupation was not bad enough, it seems according to reports that the manner of the state "lynching" of Saddam Hussein (which had been approved of by the US, and endorsed "after the fact" by Bush) has rallied support for Saddam on "Arab Street".
Bush has succeeded in reversing Saddam's image from that of failed dictator, to Arab martyr. No wonder Saddam had a smile on his face as he approached the gallows.
It should also be noted that it is reported that Bush has not actually seen the video of Saddam's execution.
As to the future, those of you who think that the failure in Iraq has taught Bush anything will be sorely disappointed. He is currently rallying an alliance of Saudi Arabia, Israel and the UK to take action against Iran.
The newly elected Congress and Senate in the US will need to get its act together very quickly, if it is to stop Bush starting something that would make the Iraq debacle look like a stunning success.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Trial Resumes
The trial of Saddam Hussein resumed yesterday, during the session prosecutors claimed that expert witnesses have stated that Saddam signed the death warrants for 148 Shias in Dujail in 1982.
The prosecution read out a report by experts, who said the signature on the orders matched the writing of Saddam.
The defence team disputed the claim.
Saddam Hussein sat in a metal pen, as the report was presented in court.
Prosecutors said documents with Saddam's signature also included one approving rewards for intelligence agents involved in the 1982 crackdown.
The defence claim that the experts could not be independent, because they had links to Iraq's interior ministry.
They called for a new set to be appointed from any country apart from Iran.
"And Israel" Saddam Hussein interjected.
The trial was adjourned until Wednesday to give the experts more time to study the alleged signatures of Saddam and his former head of the intelligence service, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti.
Tikriti dismissed the prosecution's attempt to prove his role in the Dujail killings, saying his signature was forged.
The trial resumes tomorrow.
The prosecution read out a report by experts, who said the signature on the orders matched the writing of Saddam.
The defence team disputed the claim.
Saddam Hussein sat in a metal pen, as the report was presented in court.
Prosecutors said documents with Saddam's signature also included one approving rewards for intelligence agents involved in the 1982 crackdown.
The defence claim that the experts could not be independent, because they had links to Iraq's interior ministry.
They called for a new set to be appointed from any country apart from Iran.
"And Israel" Saddam Hussein interjected.
The trial was adjourned until Wednesday to give the experts more time to study the alleged signatures of Saddam and his former head of the intelligence service, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti.
Tikriti dismissed the prosecution's attempt to prove his role in the Dujail killings, saying his signature was forged.
The trial resumes tomorrow.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Stop Start
The trial of Saddam Hussein continues in rather a stop start fashion, as it was again adjourned yesterday; this time until the 24th of January 2006.
Saddam Hussein managed to verbally bombast the US president and Israel; he claimed that prison officials had manhandled him and stolen his money, his personal watch and another watch given to him by his daughter.
Taha Yassin Ramadan, formerly a top aide of Saddam, said that buildings had been demolished for security reasons. He also alleged he had been tortured during his detention, and that one of his toes had been broken by the interrogators.
He requested that the court session be held closed door.
Chief of the Investigation Department of the Higher Criminal Court, Judge Raed Juhi, issued s statement denying the torture allegations.
An official stressed that the interrogators were abiding by human rights rules, and that the defendants were receiving good and humane treatment.
Saddam Hussein managed to verbally bombast the US president and Israel; he claimed that prison officials had manhandled him and stolen his money, his personal watch and another watch given to him by his daughter.
Taha Yassin Ramadan, formerly a top aide of Saddam, said that buildings had been demolished for security reasons. He also alleged he had been tortured during his detention, and that one of his toes had been broken by the interrogators.
He requested that the court session be held closed door.
Chief of the Investigation Department of the Higher Criminal Court, Judge Raed Juhi, issued s statement denying the torture allegations.
An official stressed that the interrogators were abiding by human rights rules, and that the defendants were receiving good and humane treatment.
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