In the News: Jul-09

U.S. ground troops mostly done in Iraq in '09 - 9 Jul 2008 at 2:46pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iraqi security forces will largely be able to fight on their own without combat help from U.S. ground forces by the middle of 2009, the senior U.S. Army officer in charge of training Iraqi forces said on Wednesday.

It's no doubt a mere coincidence that it was impossible to estimate when Iraqi troops would become self-sufficient, until just a day after the Iraqi government demanded that a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal be incorporated into the status-of-forces agreement.

GOP sides with businesses over toxic trailers - 9 Jul 2008 at 1:39pm - WASHINGTON -- Manufacturers say they are not responsible for FEMA trailers that had toxic levels of formaldehyde, despite Democrats' findings that companies knew about the dangers yet sold them to the government anyway after Hurricane Katrina.

Kucinich To Bring Single Article Of Impeachment On Thursday - July 09, 2008 9:10:40 AM -

Senate commits to shielding telecoms from suits - 9 Jul 2008 at 1:37pm - WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Wednesday affirmed its intention to protect from civil lawsuits telecom companies that helped the government wiretap Americans without court authorization after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Air Force to reopen $35 billion tanker contract - 9 Jul 2008 at 12:54pm - WASHINGTON — The Pentagon will reopen the competition for a $35 billion aerial refueling tanker contract, Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., said today after talking with Defense Department officials.

U.S. Played Vital Role In Colombia Hostage Rescue - 9 Jul 2008 at 9:38am - The U.S. Embassy in Bogota has provided details about U.S. participation in the effort to rescue three Americans along with Ingrid Betancourt and 11 other hostages held by FARC guerrillas in Colombia. The U.S. created a 100-member team of intelligence analysts and special forces to help.

Italy's Berlusconi Urges Immunity For Top Officials - 9 Jul 2008 at 9:09am - In Italy on Tuesday, opposition parties protested Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's efforts to pass legislation that would grant immunity from prosecution to the country's top four officials. That includes Berlusconi, who is being tried on corruption charges and is under investigation for bribery.

McCain discounts troop timetable - 9 Jul 2008 at 9:25am - Republican presidential candidate John McCain has discounted reports that Iraq is linking an agreement on the continued presence ...

General: Iraqi security forces still need US help - 9 Jul 2008 at 8:43am - WASHINGTON -- The Army three-star general who for a year led efforts to train Iraq's army and police units says progress is mixed and U.S. help is needed for the foreseeable future.

U.S. Marines "kill 400 Taliban" in Afghan operation - 9 Jul 2008 at 8:57am - KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. Marines have killed more than 400 Taliban since they began an operation to seize a district in southern Afghanistan in May, their commander said on Wednesday.

U.S. opposes arbitrary withdrawal date for Iraq troops - 9 Jul 2008 at 8:24am - TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) - The United States remains opposed to setting an "arbitrary" date for withdrawing troops from Iraq, the White House said on Wednesday after Iraqi officials called for a timetable as part of a security agreement being negotiated with Washington.

So much for the idea of "liberation".

Thought for the day:
War is like love; it always finds a way. -Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956)