Pro-Israel Lobbyists And a Texas Oil Tycoon

Who else should be privy to classified information? Maybe it doesn't matter, as long as members of the Senate Armed Services committee aren't able to learn whether there exist contingency plans for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq.

US challenges Rice, Hadley subpoenas - 30 Aug 2007 at 1:54pm - ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other senior intelligence officials should not be forced to testify about whether they discussed classified information with pro-Israel lobbyists, federal prosecutors argued in a closed-door court hearing Friday.

Judge allows Saddam link in Wyatt oil trial - 30 Aug 2007 at 2:28pm - NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ruled on Thursday that prosecutors can introduce evidence in the trial of Oscar Wyatt that suggests the Texas oil tycoon tipped off Iraq about the impending 2003 U.S. invasion.

Iraq says making progress ahead of key reports - 30 Aug 2007 at 9:30am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq has made good strides improving security while political progress is picking up ahead of key reports to be delivered to the U.S. Congress in the next two weeks, Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said on Thursday.

Iran atom work at slow pace and not significant: IAEA - 30 Aug 2007 at 8:50am - VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran's uranium enrichment program is operating well below capacity and is a long way from producing nuclear fuel in significant amounts, according to a confidential U.N. nuclear watchdog report obtained by Reuters.

U.S. court hearing set for accused Iraq massacre leader - 30 Aug 2007 at 8:44am - CAMP PENDLETON, California (Reuters) - A U.S. Marine accused of leading troops who Iraqi witnesses say massacred 24 unarmed civilians in Haditha will appear on Thursday for proceedings to determine if he should face court-martial.

Kenya Muslims say U.S. backed torture and detention - 30 Aug 2007 at 10:06am - NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan Muslims marched on police headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday in protest against what they called the illegal detention and torture of fellow Muslims in an anti-terrorist drive urged on by the United States.

Pentagon disputes bleak Iraq report - 30 Aug 2007 at 12:12pm - The Iraqi government has failed to meet the vast majority of political and military goals laid out by lawmakers to assess President President Bush's Iraq war strategy, congressional auditors have determined.

Justice examining Gonzales' honesty - 30 Aug 2007 at 1:07pm - WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department said Thursday it is investigating whether resigning Attorney General Alberto Gonzales lied or otherwise mislead Congress last month in sworn testimony about the Bush administration's domestic terrorist spying program.

U.N. Inspectors Find Chemicals During Archiving Project - 30 Aug 2007 at 1:42pm - United Nations staff members discover some forgotten vials of chemicals when they were archiving files from U.N. Special Commission (UNSCOM) inspectors who had been in Iraq, according to a U.N. news release.

Thought for the day:
Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo. -H. G. Wells (1866 - 1946)