In the News: Sep-30

Supreme court to decide how far gun rights extend - 30 Sep 2009 at 2:43pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court revived the legal battle over gun rights in America, saying it would decide whether the constitutional right of individuals to own firearms trumped state and local laws.

U.S. economy shrinks less in second quarter - 30 Sep 2009 at 10:53am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy contracted in the second quarter at a slower pace than previously thought, while a surprise slide in manufacturing activity in the country's Midwest region in September pointed to a patchy recovery from recession.

High court to review parts of anti-terrorism law - 30 Sep 2009 at 10:13am - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court will consider whether portions of a law that makes it a crime to provide "material support or resources" to designated terrorist groups are unconstitutional.

About 4,000 U.S. troops to leave Iraq in October - 30 Sep 2009 at 4:36am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will withdraw about 4,000 troops from Iraq by the end of October, the U.S. military commander in Iraq said in testimony prepared for a congressional hearing on Wednesday.

Thought for the day:
If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and color, we would find some other cause for prejudice by noon. -George Aiken

In the News: Sep-29

Obama considers new Afghanistan strategy - 29 Sep 2009 at 2:25pm - U.S. President Barack Obama met with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Tuesday to talk about a possible new strategy in Afghanistan amid calls for more allied troops in the warn-torn country.

Hoyer cool to repealing wiretap immunity - 29 Sep 2009 at 1:31pm - WASHINGTON -- House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer made clear Tuesday that he would be cool to a Senate proposal to take away the retroactive immunity now given to telecommunications companies that participated in warrantless wiretapping during the George W. Bush administration.

Appeals court upholds dismissal of vaccine suit - 29 Sep 2009 at 11:30am - WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court has ruled that members of the military can be required to be vaccinated against anthrax.

US gov't told it can have access to 3 Americans who have been detained in Ira... - 29 Sep 2009 at 11:00am - WASHINGTON -- U.S. gov't told it can have access to three Americans who have been detained in Iran since July.

Thought for the day:
Opinions founded on prejudice are always sustained with the greatest of violence. -Francis Jeffrey (1773 - 1850)

In the News: Sep-28

Obama team clears 75 at Guantanamo for release - 28 Sep 2009 at 2:33pm - MIAMI (Reuters) - An Obama administration task force has so far cleared 75 of the remaining 223 Guantanamo prisoners for release as part of its effort to close the detention camp, a military spokesman said on Monday.

Joint Chiefs chairman seeks brain-injury limit - 28 Sep 2009 at 9:34am - U.S. servicemembers who suffer up to three mild traumatic brain injuries or concussions during a deployment — typically from roadside bombs — could be pulled out of combat for the duration of their tour, according to a policy being pushed by Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen has spoken out more in the last year about the risks of mild TBI caused by roadside bombs, often invoking a story of a young soldier who endured 30 blasts and is now suffering significant brain damage.

U.S. commander offers troop options for Afghanistan - 28 Sep 2009 at 3:47am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan planned to offer options for policymakers to try to stem Taliban gains, including sending up to 30,000 to 40,000 additional combat troops and trainers, according to defense and congressional officials.

Again -- McChrystal has said that without more troops, NATO forces will likely fail in Afghanistan. First, and most important, what is his operating definition of "success"? Also, if he cannot get more troops, what is his estimate of the probability of success: 40%? 20%? If he does get the 40,000 troops he's requesting, what will be his estimate: 90%? 45%? 20%? There will have to be more to this decision than "If you're against a troop buildup, you're for failure."

In the News: Sep-25

Shinseki: VA working to resolve GI Bill issues - 25 Sep 2009 at 2:49pm - WASHINGTON -- Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki said Friday he's hopeful that many of the tens of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans awaiting payment under the new GI Bill will get paid next month.

20,000 U.K. war vets in prison system - 25 Sep 2009 at 10:28am - An increasing number of British war veterans are caught up in the criminal justice system, according to a study released Friday in London.

Conn. land vacant 4 years after court OK'd seizure - 25 Sep 2009 at 8:24am - NEW LONDON, Conn. -- Weeds, glass, bricks, pieces of pipe and shingle splinters have replaced the knot of aging homes at the site of the nation's most notorious eminent domain project.

Five U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan - 25 Sep 2009 at 5:28am - KABUL (Reuters) - Five U.S. troops were killed in three separate incidents in southern Afghanistan, the military said on Friday.

Thought for the day:
I'm not concerned about all hell breaking loose, but that a PART of hell will break loose... it'll be much harder to detect. -George Carlin (1937 - 2008)

In the News: Sep-24

Suspected U.S. drone kills 3 in Pakistan - 24 Sep 2009 at 2:56pm - BANNU, Pakistan (Reuters) - A suspected U.S. drone fired a missile at a house in a northwest Pakistan militant stronghold on Thursday killing three people, Pakistani security officials said.

Senate votes to triple foreign aid to Pakistan - 24 Sep 2009 at 2:27pm - The Senate voted Thursday to triple foreign aid to Pakistan, with lawmakers saying the legislation could change the crisis-driven nature of U.S.-Pakistan relations and create ties based more on long-term interests. The Senate voted by voice to approve the measure that approves $1.5 billion a year over the next five years for democratic, economic and social development assistance. The measure, a result of House-Senate negotiations, could be passed in the House as early as Friday, sending it to President Obama for his signature.

Palau agrees to take 12 Uighurs from Guantanamo: U.S - 24 Sep 2009 at 1:41pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration has agreed with Palau to transfer up to 12 of the 13 Uighur Chinese detainees still held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the Pacific island nation, according to a letter obtained by Reuters on Thursday.

Obama won't seek new law for terror detentions - 24 Sep 2009 at 1:28pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration will not seek a new law spelling out how it can hold terror suspects indefinitely without bringing charges.

HIV vaccine breakthrough 'gives hope' - 24 Sep 2009 at 9:45am - A medical trial has revealed what could be the most significant development yet in the search for an effective HIV vaccine.

U.N. Security Council calls for nuclear disarmament - 24 Sep 2009 at 9:44am - UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council, at a historic summit meeting chaired by U.S. President Barack Obama, unanimously approved a U.S.-drafted resolution on Thursday calling on nuclear weapons states to scrap their deadly arsenals.

Thought for the day:
The most important scientific revolutions all include, as their only common feature, the dethronement of human arrogance from one pedestal after another of previous convictions about our centrality in the cosmos. -Stephen Jay Gould (1941 - 2002)

In the News: Sep-23

Carbon capture called 'sheer folly' - 23 Sep 2009 at 1:44pm - A report released Wednesday dismisses a technology that is a cornerstone of Canada's climate change policy as "sheer folly."

Senate Democrats propose surveillance law changes - 23 Sep 2009 at 12:40pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration, for a second straight day, frustrated Democratic lawmakers Wednesday by declining to say whether it backs their demands for more civil liberties safeguards in anti-terrorism surveillance and property seizures.

Complaint suggests NYPD misstepped in terror probe - 23 Sep 2009 at 10:34am - NEW YORK -- Police acting without the FBI's knowledge might have inadvertently helped blow the surveillance of a terrorism suspect and compromised a bomb plot investigation at a sensitive stage by questioning an imam about him, a criminal complaint suggests.

Obama wants worldwide end of fossil fuel subsidies - 23 Sep 2009 at 7:56am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is calling on the world to end massive government subsidies that encourage the use of fossil fuels blamed for global warming.

Reports: Justice reconsidering state secrecy - 23 Sep 2009 at 5:02am - WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department is reconsidering government agencies' ability to use claims of state secrecy to block the release of information about controversial counterterrorism strategies like rendition and warrantless wiretapping, two newspapers reported Wednesday.

Thought for the day:
If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world -J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973)

In the News: Sep-22

Stadiums, hotels warned to watch for terrorists - 22 Sep 2009 at 2:54pm - WASHINGTON -- Counterterrorism officials have issued security bulletins to police around the nation about terrorists' desire to attack stadiums, entertainment complexes and hotels - the latest in a flurry of such internal warnings as investigators chase a possible bomb plot in Denver and New York.

Senate panel takes up healthcare affordability - 22 Sep 2009 at 12:33pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democrats pushed to make insurance reforms more affordable for workers and Republicans decried what they called a rush to judgment as debate opened on Tuesday on a sweeping healthcare overhaul.

VA IG says suicide prevention programs implemented - 22 Sep 2009 at 11:58am - WASHINGTON -- The Veterans Affairs Department appears to have stepped up its suicide prevention efforts.

Thought for the day:
The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves. -Jane Goodall (1934 - )

In the News: Sep-21

Rivalry to try 9/11 cases developing among 4 civilian prosecutors' offices - 21 Sep 2009 at 1:00pm - GUANTANAMO BAY NAVY BASE, Cuba — Four different civilian prosecutors' offices — two in New York, two near the Pentagon — are studying whether to charge and put on trial five alleged 9/11 conspirators.

Report: CIA interrogation harmed inmates' recall - 21 Sep 2009 at 12:01pm - WASHINGTON -- A new scientific paper asserts that the CIA's harsh interrogation program likely damaged the brain and memory functions of terrorist suspects, diminishing their ability to provide the detailed information the spy agency sought.

Report: More troops needed for Afghan war success - 21 Sep 2009 at 10:05am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's top commander in Afghanistan has told him that without more troops the United States could lose the war Obama has described as the nation's foremost military priority.

But, again, has "success" been defined? How many troops will be required to achieve "success"? Is success even achievable with any number of troops? About the Iraq "surge" we were told by countless conservative talkingheads that it wasn't actually the "surge" of 30,000 troops that made any difference, but rather the change in strategy. Now, in Afghanistan, if a change in strategy is needed, why not try that, and then assess how many additional troops may be required?

Thought for the day:
Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president. -Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919)

In the News: Sep-18

Former CIA chiefs seek halt to interrogation probe - 18 Sep 2009 at 1:53pm - WASHINGTON -- Seven former CIA directors are asking President Barack Obama to quash Attorney General Eric Holder's investigation into harsh CIA interrogations of terror suspects during the Bush administration.

Guantanamo detainees in videolink to families: Red Cross - 18 Sep 2009 at 11:57am - GENEVA (Reuters) - Several detainees at the U.S. camp at Guantanamo Bay have made the first video-teleconference calls to their families, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Friday.

Study links 45,000 U.S. deaths to lack of insurance - 18 Sep 2009 at 8:22am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly 45,000 people die in the United States each year -- one every 12 minutes -- in large part because they lack health insurance and can not get good care, Harvard Medical School researchers found in an analysis released on Thursday.

Thought for the day:
Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it's important. -Eugene McCarthy (1916 - 2005)

McCain: Missile shield cancellation a 'victory for Putin'

McCain: Missile shield cancellation a 'victory for Putin' - 09/17/09 10:08 AM ET - Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said on Thursday that the Obama administration's decision to nix a proposed missile shield in Eastern Europe "a victory for [Russian Prime Minister Vladimir] Putin."
...
"This decision calls into question the security and diplomatic commitments the United States has made to Poland and the Czech Republic, and has the potential to undermine perceived American leadership in Eastern Europe," McCain said in a statement.

First of all, shouldn't Eastern Europe, not the U.S., be "leading" in Eastern Europe? Secondly, why must leadership consist mainly of pissing off one's allies?

In the News: Sep-17

Setback for media shield bill in Senate committee - 17 Sep 2009 at 2:53pm - WASHINGTON -- A bill to give journalists a limited right to protect confidential sources from disclosure was sidetracked Thursday, after senators from both parties said the current version could damage national security.

Gates: US intelligence caused change in plans - 17 Sep 2009 at 10:46am - WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the decision to abandon the Bush administration's plans for a land-based missile defense system in Eastern Europe came about because of a change in the U.S. perception of the threat posed by Iran.

Does he mean because they discontinued the use of cooked/fixed intelligence?

Gov't: Border fence to cost $6.5B over 20 years - 17 Sep 2009 at 9:46am - WASHINGTON -- It will cost taxpayers $6.5 billion over the next 20 years to maintain the fence along the U.S-Mexico border, according to a government audit.

U.S. military shuts largest detainee camp in Iraq - 17 Sep 2009 at 9:43am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military Thursday closed down its largest detention center in Iraq as it continued to release or hand to Iraqi authorities the thousands of people it has held since the 2003 U.S. invasion.

US backs away from missile shield plan - 17 Sep 2009 at 7:20am - Washington is backing away from plans for an anti-missile shield in eastern Europe, the Czech Prime Minister said, in a move that may ease Russian-US ties but fuel fears in former Soviet bloc countries of resurgent Kremlin influence.

Panel begins inquiry into financial meltdown - 17 Sep 2009 at 4:16am - WASHINGTON -- Four months after its creation, a congressionally appointed panel modeled after the 9/11 Commission and the Iraq Study Group is opening a 15-month investigation into the causes of last year's economy-crippling financial collapse.

Will this panel, like the Iraq Study Group, choose to avoid consideration of any internal missteps which may have contributed to the fiasco?

Thought for the day:
The function of science fiction is not always to predict the future but sometimes to prevent it. -Frank Herbert (1920 - 1986)

In the News: Sep-16

'Regrettable' if Canada quits Afghanistan: Chertoff - 16 Sep 2009 at 7:45am - Michael Chertoff, who served as U.S. secretary of homeland security from 2005 to 2009 under former president George W. Bush, calls it "regrettable" that Canada plans to withdraw from the conflict in Afghanistan.

It certainly would be regrettable were Chertoff not to express gratitude toward Canada for carrying the ball in Afghanistan while the U.S. concentrated its military efforts on Iraq.

Obama sets Afghanistan, Pakistan objectives: document - 16 Sep 2009 at 2:47pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration has set objectives for countering al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, from boosting Islamabad's counterinsurgency capabilities to building up Afghan security forces so U.S. assistance can be reduced, according to an internal document obtained by Reuters on Wednesday.

EPA scraps Bush-era smog rule and will start over - 16 Sep 2009 at 1:09pm - WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency is scrapping a controversial Bush-era rule that set stricter limits for the amount of smog allowed in the air, because it fell short of scientific recommendations.

Judge tosses 'birthers' complaint, puts lawyer on notice - 16 Sep 2009 at 1:00pm - U.S. District Court Judge Clay Land today tossed out a complaint by an Army captain fighting deployment to Iraq by questioning the legitimacy of President Barack Obama.

AP Sources: Delay sought in Gitmo trials - 16 Sep 2009 at 12:04pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is seeking another two-month delay in a handful of key military commission trials of terrorism detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Military says mental wounds of war run deep - 16 Sep 2009 at 11:26am - ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed frustration Wednesday with the pace of government work to heal the mental health wounds of war.

World's hungry reach record 1B - 16 Sep 2009 at 11:14am - The number of hungry people has passed a record one billion this year at the same time that food aid is at a 20-year low, the United Nations World Food Programme said Wednesday in London.

U.S. Justice Dept wants surveillance methods extended - 16 Sep 2009 at 11:12am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration has asked the U.S. Congress to extend three surveillance techniques for intelligence agencies tracking suspected militants that expire this year, according to a letter to lawmakers.

'Massive fraud': Observers cast doubt on Afghan vote - 16 Sep 2009 at 10:14am - EU observers have branded 1.5 million votes from Afghanistan's presidential election as suspicious and refused to be party to any "massive fraud," flinging the polls into deeper controversy.

3 U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan - 16 Sep 2009 at 9:00am - Three U.S. soldiers died when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan, a NATO spokesman said Wednesday.

Hungary to accept Guantanamo detainee - 16 Sep 2009 at 8:54am - Hungary said Wednesday it will accept a detainee from Guantanamo Bay, inching President Obama closer to his pledge to close the ...

Thought for the day:
If man does find the solution for world peace it will be the most revolutionary reversal of his record we have ever known. -George C. Marshall (1880 - 1959)

In the News: Sep-15

EPA to place limits on power plant water pollution - 15 Sep 2009 at 2:33pm - WASHINGTON -- For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to limit the quantity of toxic metals that coal-fired power plants release into waterways.

Mullen says more forces needed for Afghan war - 15 Sep 2009 at 9:58am - The top U.S. military officer says that winning in Afghanistan will probably mean sending more troops.

Reid asks for investigation into electrocution - 14 Sep 2009 at 3:45pm - WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is asking the State Department and Pentagon to investigate the electrocution death of a 25-year-old private contractor killed while showering in his dormitory in Baghdad.

Official: Company slow to report guard misconduct - 14 Sep 2009 at 8:36am - WASHINGTON -- A senior State Department official says the private security contractor hired to protect the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan was slow to tell the government about misconduct by guards and supervisors.

Thought for the day:
The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business of government; they have only a talent for getting and holding office. -H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

In the News: Sep-04

Ex-soldier to be sentenced in Ky. for Iraqi deaths - 4 Sep 2009 at 11:12am - PADUCAH, Ky. -- A former soldier is scheduled to be sentenced to life in prison without parole for the rape and murder of an Iraqi teenager and the shooting deaths of three of her family members.

NATO strikes fuel tankers in Afghanistan, many dead - 4 Sep 2009 at 10:14am - KUNDUZ, Afghanistan (Reuters) - NATO aircraft opened fire on hijacked fuel trucks in Afghanistan before dawn on Friday, killing as many as 90 people in an incident that could trigger a backlash against Western troops.

Ottawa's Khadr appeal to be heard by top court - 4 Sep 2009 at 9:49am - The Supreme Court of Canada will hear the federal government's appeal of a ruling forcing Ottawa to press for the release of Canadian Omar Khadr from Guantanamo Bay.

White House will publicly release visitor logs - 4 Sep 2009 at 9:36am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama says his administration will make public a listing of visitors to the White House, reversing a long-standing policy transcending presidents and party affiliations.

Netanyahu to allow new Israeli settler homes: aide - 4 Sep 2009 at 9:28am - JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will approve building new settler homes before considering a freeze that could lead to a resumption of peace talks with Palestinians, an aide said on Friday.

U.S. jobless rate hits 26-year high - 4 Sep 2009 at 9:26am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The pace of U.S. job losses hit a one-year low last month but the unemployment rate jumped to a 26-year high of 9.7 percent, the government said on Friday in a report showing a slowly improving labor market.

Diebold selling US voting machine unit - Thursday September 3, 2009, 3:44 pm EDT - NORTH CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- ATM maker Diebold Inc. has sold its much-criticized U.S. voting-machine business to its bigger competitor, Election Systems & Software Inc. of Omaha, Nebraska.

Thought for the day:
Television has done much for psychiatry by spreading information about it, as well as contributing to the need for it. -Alfred Hitchcock (1899 - 1980)

In the News: Sep-03

Gates: Obama plan 'only beginning' in Afghanistan - 3 Sep 2009 at 2:54pm - WASHINGTON -- Facing eroding public support for the war in Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said Thursday that the Obama administration's effort in the eight-year-old conflict is "only now beginning."

Study finds potential way to make an AIDS vaccine - 3 Sep 2009 at 2:49pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The discovery of immune system particles that attack the AIDS virus may finally open a way to make a vaccine that could protect people against the deadly and incurable infection, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

US seeks tighter rules on foreign farm workers - 3 Sep 2009 at 2:32pm - WASHINGTON -- The Labor Department is trying again to roll back Bush administration regulations that made it easier for farmers to hire temporary foreign farm workers.

New U.S. jobless claims fell last week - 3 Sep 2009 at 8:49am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week, but the prior period's figure was revised up, according to a government report on Thursday that highlighted the fragility of the labor market.

Thought for the day:
When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other. -Chinese Proverb

In the News: Sep-02

US extends Iraq contract for Blackwater firm - 2 Sep 2009 at 9:15am - WASHINGTON -- State Department officials say they have extended a contract with a subsidiary of the security firm formerly known as Blackwater USA to provide air support for U.S. diplomats in Iraq despite the fact the company is not allowed to work there.

Iran nuclear "threat" hyped: IAEA's ElBaradei - 2 Sep 2009 at 7:52am - VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran is not going to produce a nuclear weapon any time soon and the threat posed by its atomic program has been exaggerated, the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief said in a published interview.

A year on, Reuters cameraman still held by U.S. army - 2 Sep 2009 at 6:31am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - On September 2, 2008, U.S. and Iraqi troops smashed in the doors of Iraqi journalist Ibrahim Jassam's home, shouting "freeze" and holding back snarling dogs before they hauled him off into the night in his underwear.

Poll: Most Americans oppose more troops for Afghanistan - 2 Sep 2009 at 4:26am - WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans think the country isn't winning the war in Afghanistan, and an even larger majority opposes sending more troops in an effort to turn things around, according to a new McClatchy/Ipsos poll.

Thought for the day:
We are here and it is now. Further than that all human knowledge is moonshine. -H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

In the News: Sep-01

Group: US Embassy guards in Kabul are mistreated - 1 Sep 2009 at 2:56pm - WASHINGTON -- Guards hired by the State Department to protect diplomats and staff at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan live and work in a "Lord of the Flies" environment in which they are subjected to hazing and other inappropriate behavior by supervisors, a government oversight group charged Tuesday.

Judge denies Kuwaiti's request for Gitmo release - 1 Sep 2009 at 12:19pm - WASHINGTON -- A judge ruled that evidence suggests a Kuwaiti man held at Guantanamo Bay was part of terrorist forces, even though in a bid for freedom he claimed to be an Islamic studies teacher who didn't associate with extremists.

Thought for the day:
It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. -Harry S Truman (1884 - 1972)