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Morning headlines brought to you by Carolyn Kay MakeThemAccountable.com Top StoryPOVERTY AND HARDSHIP AFFECT TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
During the holidays, many Americans make a special effort to help the less fortunate. Sadly, there is no shortage of families in need. According to the latest government figures: • 36.5 million Americans — roughly one in eight — live in poverty… • 15.4 million Americans live in extreme poverty. Meanwhile, too many Americans believe this is the meaning of the season.
Off the Wahl
The WorldIraq bombings kill at least 16
Two bomb blasts shattered the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha today in Iraq, including one that targeted a gathering of Iraqi security volunteers meeting with U.S. forces north of the capital. Police in Diyala province said at least 13 people were killed and 10 injured and that one of the dead may have been an American soldier.
All Iraqi Groups Blame U.S. Invasion for Discord, Study Shows
Iraqis of all sectarian and ethnic groups believe that the U.S. military invasion is the primary root of the violent differences among them, and see the departure of "occupying forces" as the key to national reconciliation, according to focus groups conducted for the U.S. military last month. That is good news, according to a military analysis of the results. At the very least, analysts optimistically concluded, the findings indicate that Iraqis hold some "shared beliefs" that may eventually allow them to surmount the divisions that have led to a civil war.
U.S. General: Iraqi prisons are breeding insurgents.
Maj. Gen. Doug Stone, who oversees detainees for the US-led force, “is wondering aloud if holding all those detainees is breeding a ‘micro-insurgency’ and asking whether it’s time to begin releasing thousands of people.” Stone argued that holding thousands of “moderate detainees” runs counter to the notion of winning over a population in a classic counterinsurgency.
Israel looking at Hamas truce idea
JERUSALEM - Israel is examining a Hamas truce proposal delivered by Egypt, defense officials said, but violence persisted Friday as a Hamas militant was killed in what the group said was a clash with Israeli troops near the Israel-Gaza border.
Powers fail to reach deal on Iran sanctions
The United States and five other powers failed again to reach agreement Thursday on tougher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.
Karzai says Afghanistan needs foreign troops for 10 years
BERLIN (AFP) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai said in an interview that his war-torn country will need foreign troops for at least another decade.
Suicide attack kills 35 in Pakistan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan - A suicide attacker detonated a bomb early Friday at a mosque outside the home of Pakistan's former interior minister as he received visitors on an Islamic holiday, killing at least 35 people and wounding dozens more, authorities said.
Nuclear India moves closer to missile defence shield
NEW DELHI (AFP) - India announced a final successful test of the surface-to-air Akash missile before starting mass production under an ambitious plan to build a national missile defence shield.
French court finds ex-Guantanamo inmates guilty
Five former Guantanamo Bay inmates were found guilty on Wednesday of terrorism-related charges by a French court and sentenced to one year in prison. A sixth man was acquitted, according to the ruling that was read out in court. The verdict took into account the 18-30 months the defendants had spent in the Guantanamo U.S. military prison and none will have to serve further time in jail.
EU condemns pre-election violence in Kenya
ELDORET, Kenya (Reuters) - The European Union's chief election monitor in Kenya on Friday condemned clashes that have killed hundreds and displaced thousands in the run-up to a December 27 presidential and parliamentary election. The NationIraq, Afghanistan War Costs Top Vietnam
Congress' approval Wednesday of $70 billion more for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan mean the twin conflicts are now more costly to American taxpayers than the war in Vietnam. According to a study by the Washington-based Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Congress has now approved nearly $700 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Strategy that is making Iraq safer was snubbed for years
Efforts to stop IEDs by targeting the insurgent networks that finance, build and plant the bombs showed results only after the Bush administration adopted a broader counterinsurgency strategy this year — and sent 30,000 more troops to Iraq to support it. But a USA TODAY investigation shows that the strategy now used to defeat the bombmaking networks and stabilize Iraq was ignored or rejected for years by key decision-makers.
Bush: Principles key for president
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 Principles "that you stand on in good times and bad" are important for a leader, U.S. President George Bush said Thursday. "(You) can't be the president unless you have a firm set of principles to guide you as you sort through all the problems the world faces," Bush said during a news conference, responding to a question about what he thought was important in running for president.
Read a fairly complete list of Bush’s failures to adhere to basic principles at Hugh’s List.—Caro
Bush considers becoming a lobbyist someday. (Think Progress)
This week as Trent Lott prepared to retire from the Senate, he “found himself yukking it up with the president at the White House.” According to the Washington Post, Bush “joked” with Lott that “he may join the Mississippian in the lobbying sector.”
Who Obstructed Justice? (by Larry Johnson at No Quarter)
(O)n 7 May 2003 during a CIPA (i.e., Classified Information Procedures Act) hearing … Judge Leonie Brinkema … ordered the government to determine if interrogations of suspected terrorists were recorded. Two days later, 9 May 2003, Judge Leonie Brinkema asked, “whether the interrogations are being recorded in any format”? The Department of Justice, based on info from the CIA, said “NO”… There are at least two felonies here–obstruction of justice and lying to a federal law enforcement official.
Congress Reviews CIA Videotape Documents
The CIA opened its files to congressional investigators Thursday, inviting them to the agency's Virginia headquarters to begin reviewing documents and records relating to the destruction of interrogation videotapes.
Pentagon sets trial date for one Guantanamo detainee, charges another
A military judge declared Osama bin Laden's former driver an "unlawful enemy combatant" in a ruling released Thursday, clearing the way the driver to be tried on war crimes charges in May before a military commission at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Hours later, the military filed charges against another Guantanamo detainee, an alleged al Qaeda conspirator whose brother-in-law reportedly was among the hijackers who slammed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
GOP Blocks Vote on FEC Nominees (by Paul Kiel at TPM Muckraker)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) … called for a vote on the individual nominees to the Federal Election Commission. But the Republican leadership, as they have from the beginning, insisted on voting on the four nominees, both Democratic and Republican, together, thus protecting (DOJ vote suppressor Hans von) Spakovsky from being voted down, but also preventing the confirmation of any of the other nominees… (Reid:) “… the responsibility for a defunct FEC rests on their shoulders.”
A defunct FEC? In an election year? SURELY the Republicans don’t want THAT!—Caro
Are Bloomberg and Hagel Planning a White House Bid?
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) "have been conducting regular, private phone conversations over the past few months in an effort to 'feel each other out' for a possible presidential run," according to the Huffington Post. "It has been widely speculated that the two men could mount a third-party White House ticket. And while the maverick Republican and the independent mayor have met in the past, the private phone calls provide the clearest indication yet that they are considering such a move."
Kerrey apologizes to Obama: 'I meant no disrespect'
Three days after setting off some controversy by pointedly referring to Sen. Barack Obama's middle name -- Hussein -- and the Muslim roots in Obama's family tree, former senator Bob Kerrey has apologized to the Democratic presidential candidate.
I’m so sorry I called you a MUSLIM! I shouldn’t have said “MUSLIM”! I wouldn’t have said “MUSLIM”, except by mistake. Please forgive me for calling you a MUSLIM.—Caro
Democrats in Dead Heat in Iowa (Political Wire)
A new CNN/Opinion Research poll shows the Democratic race for president in a statistical tie. Sen. Hillary Clinton leads with 30%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 28% and John Edwards at 26% -- all within the poll's margin of error of four points. Yesterday, we noted that three recent polls of the Democratic race have shown three different leaders. On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee leads with 33%, followed by Mitt Romney at 25%, and Rudy Giuliani at 11%.
New Orleans police, protesters clash
Police used chemical spray and stun devices as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of public housing in New Orleans tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall. Some people were arrested as officers tried to establish order and an ambulance arrived on the scene.
"We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did." - Rep. Richard H. Baker (R-LA), reported September 10, 2005—Caro MediaPermanent link to MTA daily media news
I will be a guest on Tony Seton’s America Back on Track today at 3:30 PM ET. Listen to Tony from 3:00 to 4:00 PM ET every weekday on the Quality News Network.
FCC's Kevin Martin Plays Santa to the Chicago Tribune Company and Corporate Media (by Mark Karlin, Editor and Publisher, BuzzFlash.com)
(A) so-called news company (The Tribune Company) worked in collusion with the FCC to agree to sue the Commission to assist the Tribune in trying to game the regulatory process without any risk, and without (endangering) its leveraged multi-billion dollar buyout. (Furthermore, FCC Chairman) Kevin Martin devised a scheme whereby the Tribune can challenge the entire process of regulating cross-ownership in court, courtesy of the Republican dominated FCC.
But that won’t affect the Tribune’s political coverage, oh, no!—Caro
Needs wider coverage: Obligations Ignored (by Scott Horton, Harper's Magazine)
The cost of this presidency, put in dollars and cents through today, is $32 trillion dollars. That’s a 150% increase in exposure since the reins of office were handed to George W. Bush. At the same time, the really, truly wealthy—the top half per cent of income earners in the United States—have spectacularly increased their wealth… Where are the voices of accountability? Gone silent. It turns out that the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal and the editors of Fox News never had any serious interest in fiscal prudence. They had a simple agenda: putting their friends in the White House. And that’s the agenda they continue to serve to this day.
According to David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), “This ($32 trillion) translates into a current burden of about $175,000 per American or approximately $455,000 per American household.”—Caro
Blindly Into the Bubble (by Paul Krugman)
Reasonable estimates suggest that more than 10 million American families will end up owing more than their homes are worth, and investors will suffer $400 billion or more in losses. So where were the regulators as one of the greatest financial disasters since the Great Depression unfolded? They were blinded by ideology… (I)t’s puzzling that Democrats haven’t been more aggressive about making the disaster an issue for the 2008 election. They should be: It’s hard to imagine a more graphic demonstration of what’s wrong with their opponents’ economic beliefs.
The secret to Mike Huckabee's success (by Walter Shapiro, Salon)
Mike Huckabee's transformation from poll asterisk to political astronaut has been so sudden and dramatic that there is a desperate effort to understand WHAT IT ALL MEANS… (T)he candidate is peddling his common-man persona more than any specific set of policies… Wednesday night, Huckabee lifted a signature Edwards phrase, promising that when he triumphs in Iowa on Jan. 3, "America can say thank you for restoring faith in a political system that's not just run by corporate greed but is run by ordinary citizens."
Listen and learn, Democrats. This is a populist election.—Caro
Dissatisfaction with Economy Jumps: NBC/WSJ Poll
The number of American very dissatisfied with current economic conditions rose sharply according to the latest poll conducted by NBC and the Wall Street Journal… Interestingly, 85 percent of Democrats view the economy in dark terms, as well as 40% of GOPers. According to our pollsters, 40 percent of folks are "very" dissatisfied with the economy. That's a 15 point jump on intensity, which is a sign this is becoming a greater concern, frankly, than any other issue… This is the big takeaway from this poll: 2008 could end up being "the economy, stupid" and not "Iraq/Iran or Terrorism, stupid."
Mike Huckabee: Playing Both Sides of the Pulpit (by David Corn , writing at Mother Jones)
The candidate says he wants to unite the country. But in a 1998 book, Huckabee was a fierce culture warrior, equating environmentalism with pornography, homosexuality with necrophilia, and nonbelievers with evildoers.
ROMNEY DEFENDS MLK MARCH REMARK (by Carrie Dann, posted at First Read, NBC News)
Ft DODGE, IA -- Romney says that it depends on what the definition of "saw" is. A defensive Romney was peppered with questions (Thursday) on exactly what he meant when he said -- most recently on Meet the Press -- that he "saw" his father march with Martin Luther King Jr. Recent articles have indicated that his father, the late Michigan Gov. George Romney, didn't march with the civil-rights leader. Admitting that he didn't see the march with his own eyes, he said, "I 'saw' him in the figurative sense."
Drudge Rumor on 'NYT' and McCain Draws Response -- from McCain (Editor & Publisher)
NEW YORK A top-of-the-page (though without siren) story on the Drudge Report today declares that Sen. John McCain is appealing to The New York Times to halt an upcoming story that, allegedly, links him to some sort of improper activities involving a lobbyist… The McCain response was emailed to E&P from Arlington, Va., and it comes from McCain's Communications Director Jill Hazelbaker: "It is unfortunate that rumor and gossip enter into political campaigns… Americans are sick and tired of this kind of gutter politics."
Clinton Launches Obama Attack Web Sites (by Jake Tapper, ABC News)
ABC News has learned that the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has registered the names of two Web sites with the express goal of attacking her chief rival, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. It's the first time this election cycle a presidential campaign has launched a Web site with the express purpose of of launching serious criticisms on a rival.
Wexler On Impeachment: ‘This Is Not The Lunatic Fringe — This Is Mainstream America’ (Think Progress)
(Thursday) on the Ed Schultz Show, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) discussed his effort to increase public pressure for the commencement of impeachment hearings against Vice President Dick Cheney. Wexler has launched a website — WexlerWantsHearings.com — to collect signatures in support of his call… Wexler said he has been “astonished” by the outpouring of support — over 100,000 have signed up in five days. He said he plans to write a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) in early January, asking him to begin start impeachment hearings.
Click through to listen to the audio.—Caro
FBI investigates former CIA officer over waterboarding interviews (by Jonathan S. Landay, McClatchy Newspapers )
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice is investigating whether a former intelligence officer illegally disclosed classified information in interviews he gave on how the CIA interrogated a suspected senior al Qaida member. In interviews with ABC News and The Washington Post earlier this month, former CIA officer John Kiriakou gave detailed descriptions of how a detainee known as Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded… The interviews were the first public confirmation that Zubaydah, a Palestinian who allegedly helped finance the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, had been subjected to the technique while in secret CIA custody.
Stewart and Colbert to Return Without Writers
Following the lead of Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, the late-night cable comedy duo will return in early January. Technology & ScienceOur genetic differences celebrated
Fresh insights into genetic variations have won Science’s recognition as the top breakthrough of 2007.
Orphanages Stunt Mental Growth, a Study Finds
Giving credence to the long-held belief that orphanages stunt children’s mental development, a study shows that infants placed with foster families have higher IQs on average than those who remain in institutions.
Mutant Gene Identified As Villain In Hardening Of The Arteries
ScienceDaily (Dec. 21, 2007) — A genetic mutation expands lesions in the aorta and promotes coronary atherosclerosis, more commonly known as hardening of the arteries, according to a study by Yale School of Medicine in Cell Metabolism.
Depletion Of One Antioxidant Linked To Parkinson's In Mice
ScienceDaily (Dec. 21, 2007) — Scientists at the Buck Institute have shown that mice suffering from a depletion of the antioxidant glutathione in dopamine-producing neurons developed nerve damage and symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in humans. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced in the mid-brain which facilitates many critical functions, including motor skills.
Treating Depression Cuts Diabetes Death Risk
The two conditions are sometimes closely linked, research suggests
Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Depression?
The two fatty acids being studied … are found naturally in fish oil, flaxseed and walnuts. Previous studies have indicated that nutritional supplements that contain Omega-3 fatty acids can be an effective treatment for depression, but this is the first to systematically test the two specific fatty acids against each other and against placebo in a large sample of people with major depression.
Ancient villas, baths restored in Rome
ROME - The restored ruins of two opulent Roman villas and private thermal baths will open to the public Saturday, along with a 3-D reconstruction that offers a virtual tour of the luxurious residences discovered in downtown Rome.
Ancient Egyptian Glassmaking Recreated
ScienceDaily (Dec. 21, 2007) — A team led by a Cardiff University archaeologist has reconstructed a 3,000-year-old glass furnace, showing that Ancient Egyptian glassmaking methods were much more advanced than previously thought.
Mini-Mag Orion Will Reach for the Stars
Andrews Space & Technology (AS&T) introduced an innovative propulsion system that could significantly shorten round trips from Earth to Mars (from two years to only six months!) and enable our spaceships to reach Jupiter after one year of space traveling. The system, which may dramatically affect interplanetary space travel is called the Miniature Magnetic Orion (Mini-Mag Orion for short), and is an optimization of the 1958 Orion interplanetary propulsion concept.
Warp speed, Mr. Zulu!—Caro
Asteroid May Hit Mars in Next Month
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Mars could be in for an asteroid hit. A newly discovered hunk of space rock has a 1 in 75 chance of slamming into the Red Planet on Jan. 30, scientists said Thursday. EnvironmentEnvironment most important for Latin American firms
Miami, Dec 21 - Environment, followed by education and poverty, ranks first on the list of issues considered most urgent by owners of small and medium-size businesses in Latin America, a study published here Friday said.
Uganda's president revives plan to axe rainforest
KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni on Friday revived a controversial plan to hand over a swathe of rainforest to a local company to be destroyed and replaced with a sugarcane plantation. In an address to his party published in newspapers, Museveni called those who oppose his plan to give 7,100 hectares or about a quarter of Mabira Forest reserve to the private Mehta group's sugar estate "criminals and charlatans."
Has Karl Rove moved to Uganda?—Caro
California approves Solel-PG&E solar contract
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The California Energy Commission on Thursday approved a 25-year contract between Solel Inc and Pacific Gas & Electric for power generated from a 554-megawatt solar thermal power plant in the Mojave Desert to come on line by January 1, 2011. The Mojave Solar Park will be the largest solar thermal power plant in the world when its completed, PG&E said when the project was announced in July.
Ethanol producers covet existing oil pipelines
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The burgeoning U.S. ethanol industry is looking longingly at existing oil product pipelines for transporting the alternative fuel, an idea almost unthinkable a few years ago because of contamination fears.
Experts discount German outcry at CO2 cuts
Frankfurt - Germany's premium carmakers worked themselves into a rage this week over coming EU limits on carbon-dioxide emissions, suggesting they face punitive fines and must slash jobs. But many experts disagree.
Plan on Airline Emissions Hints at U.S.-Europe Rift
E.U. countries scaled back a proposal to regulate airline emissions, but agreed on measures likely to intensify a battle with the United States over environmental regulation. For more headlines, visit MakeThemAccountable.com.
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