[vinnomot] Marine judge orders access to US secret prison camp at Guantánamo 29 Oct 2008

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From: Lori R. Price <lori@legitgov.org>
Date: Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 7:40 PM
Subject: [AmericanConscience] Marine judge orders access to US secret prison camp at Guantánamo 29 Oct 2008
To: "Lori R. Price" <lrprice@snet.net>

Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens For Legitimate Government

29 Oct 2008

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Marine judge orders access to US secret prison camp at Guantánamo --Guantánamo commanders have long refused to say who runs it, or how much it cost to construct. 28 Oct 2008 A judge has ordered the Pentagon to give two military attorneys unprecedented access to a secret prison camp here in a ruling that specifically notes that alleged 9/11 conspirator Ramzi bin al Shibh has been mentally ill and may be still. Marine Col. Ralph Kohlmann, the chief judge for military tribunals, issued the three-page ruling on Sunday. He granted access to two Pentagon lawyers with top-secret clearances to inspect a portion of Camp 7, a secret prison camp facility run by a clandestine unit called Task Force Platinum, which segregates former CIA prisoners from the other 250 war-on-[of]-terror captives here.

Judge tosses detainee confession citing torture 28 Oct 2008 A U.S. military judge barred the Pentagon Tuesday from using a Guantanamo prisoner's 'confession' to Afghan authorities as trial evidence, saying it was obtained through torture. Army Col. Stephen Henley said Mohammed Jawad's statements "were obtained by physical intimidation and threats of death which, under the circumstances, constitute torture." Jawad's defense attorney, Air Force Maj. David Frakt, told The Associated Press that the ruling removes "the lynchpin of the government's case."

Report on Iraq Security Lists 310 Contractors 29 Oct 2008 At least 310 private security companies from around the world have received contracts from United States agencies to protect American and Iraqi officials, installations, convoys and other entities in Iraq since 2003, according to the most comprehensive accounting yet of the secretive and weakly regulated role that private firms have played in the conflict. A report by a federal oversight agency detailing the roster of security companies has been circulated among members of Congress and some federal agencies, and was obtained last week by The New York Times.

Europe criticizes U.S. air raid in Syria 29 Oct 2008 The European Union has criticized the U.S. military raid targeting suspected terrorists in Syria. France, the current holder of the rotating EU presidency, criticized the U.S. helicopter attack on a Syrian village near the border with Iraq, which, according to Damascus, left at least eight people dead.

Iraq rebukes US for commando raid as Syria appeals to UN 29 Oct 2008 Iraq's government rebuked Washington yesterday for launching a military raid into neighbouring Syria from Iraqi soil, while Damascus retaliated by ordering a US school and cultural centre to be closed. In a brief public comment more than 24 hours after the special forces strike, an Iraqi government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said Baghdad rejected raids on its neighbours and did not want to be used as a launch pad.

Syria protests US attack in UN letter 29 Oct 2008 In a letter to the UN, Syria has protested the US chopper attack on a border village on Sunday that killed eight Syrian civilians. The Syrian Cabinet wrote a scolding letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council, slamming United States' Sunday attack on a building in a Syrian border village with Iraq.

Brace yourselves - George Bush will soon be free to do just what he wants --The raid on Syria is a dark portent. By Jonathan Freedland 29 Oct 2008 We are about to enter the twilight zone, that strange black hole in political time and space that appears no more than once every four years. It is known as the period of transition, and it starts a week from today, the time when the United States has not one president but two. One will be the president-elect, the other George Bush [sic], in power for 12 more weeks in which he can do pretty much whatever he likes... From November 5 to January 20, he will exercise the freest, most unaccountable form of power the democratic world has to offer. [My money is on Bush getting the bird flu pandemic party started (Killer flu recreated in the lab). It will begin in a Blue state with a GOP governor --think California. Bush can then privatize (ration) health care; raid Medicare and Social Security to fund mandatory vaccines (HHS Declares 'Health Emergencies' to Limit Legal Liability for Anti-terrorism Vaccines, Drugs); fire up the KBR detention centers (KBR awarded Homeland Security contract worth up to $385M); fund a greatly expanded Blackwater role (Bush wants army to combat bird flu); invoke martial law (DoD to 'augment civilian law' during pandemic or bioterror attack); and stay in power because a transition to a new administration would be 'impossible' during a national crisis. The PentaPost, New York Times, MSNBC, CNN and not to mention, Faux--will follow like puppies on a leash. --Lori Price]

Iraq VP: US blackmailing Iraq over SOFA 28 Oct 2008 The US military has threatened to halt vital services in Iraq if Baghdad refuses to sign a controversial US security pact with Washington. In addition to halting all military actions, US forces would cease activities that support Iraq's economy, educational sector and other areas- 'everything' - Tariq al-Hashemi, Iraq's Vice President told the US newspaper McClatchy. According to al-Hashemi, many Iraqi politicians view the move as 'political blackmail'.

Iraq says U.S. deal would ban strikes on neighbours 29 Oct 2008 Amendments sought by Iraq to a security pact with the United States would ban U.S. forces from striking neighbouring countries from Iraqi territory, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Wednesday. U.S. negotiators began on Wednesday to scrutinise the changes demanded by Iraq to the stalled security pact which sets the conditions under which American troops could operate in the country after this year.

Possibility of McCain victory Alarms Middle East 28 Oct 2008 A unique Middle East debating forum has conclusively warned America that a victory by John McCain in the US Presidential election would seriously undermine already damaged relations with the Middle East. In the largest voting margin yet recorded in the Doha Debates, now in their fifth year, an audience of more than 350 people voted 87%-13% against a motion suggesting that the Middle East would be better off with McCain as President.

Iran building naval bases on Sea of Oman 30 Oct 2008 Iran has started constructing new naval bases along the coast of the Sea of Oman, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayari announced on Wednesday. Sayari said the new bases, which will extend from Bandar Abbas to Pasa Bandar, will be constructed rapidly. "The new mission of the Navy is to establish an impenetrable line of defense at the entrance to the Sea of Oman," the admiral said in Hormozgan Province.

U.S. will pay price for attacks on Islamic world: Larijani 30 Oct 2008 Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani has warned that the United States will "pay a price" for its attacks on Islamic countries. Larijani made the remarks on Wednesday in response to the U.S. attack on Syria on Sunday. The U.S. has carried out similar actions in Pakistan under the pretext of the war on terror, killing dozens of innocent people, and "this time it was Syria's turn," he noted.

Afghanistan troop buildup could more than double 29 Oct 2008 Military planners now think they may need to send more than double the number of extra troops initially believed needed to help fight the war in Afghanistan. The buildup in the increasingly violent campaign could amount to more than 20,000 troops rather than the originally planned 10,000, two senior defense officials said Wednesday on condition of anonymity because no new figures have been approved.

Officials: 20,000 Afghan troops needed 29 Oct 2008 U.S. forces are struggling to deal with an intensified Taliban insurgency and need about 20,000 additional troops in Afghanistan to counter it, officials say.The Pentagon has already approved the deployment of 4,000 additional troops, set to arrive in January, and 10,000 to 12,000 more troops have been formally requested.

Bio Lab in Galveston Raises Concerns 29 Oct 2008 Much of the University of Texas medical school on this island suffered flood damage during Hurricane Ike, except for one gleaming new building, a national biological defense laboratory that will soon house some of the most deadly diseases in the world. How a laboratory where scientists plan to ~~study~~ spread viruses like Ebola and Marburg ended up on a barrier island where hurricanes regularly wreak havoc puzzles some environmentalists and community leaders. "It's crazy, in my mind," said Jim Blackburn, an environmental lawyer in Houston.

Appeals Courts Pushed to Right by Bush Choices 29 Oct 2008 The Bush administration has transformed the nation's federal appeals courts, advancing a conservative legal revolution that began nearly three decades ago under President Ronald Reagan. Republican-appointed judges, most of them conservatives, are projected to make up about 62 percent of the bench next Inauguration Day, up from 50 percent when Mr. Bush took [literally, *took*] office. They control 10 of the 13 circuits, while judges appointed by Democrats have a dwindling majority on just one circuit.

Effigy of noosed Palin prompts visit from feds 29 Oct 2008 (CA) Chad Morrisette never imagined his Halloween yard decorations would prompt interest from the Secret Service. But apparently hanging a mannequin of GOP vice presidential hopeful [terrorist] Sarah Palin from a noose isn't something to be ignored. Agents recently visited Morrisette's home to see the display and have been trying to meet him to ensure no violent plots have been concocted, Deputy Special Agent in Charge Wayne Williams said Tuesday.

Anti abortion bombs not terrorism: Palin 25 Oct 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who has accused Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama of "palling around with terrorists", has refused to call people who bomb abortion clinics by the same name. When asked by NBC television presenter Brian Williams whether an abortion clinic bomber was a terrorist, Palin heaved a sigh and, at first, circumvented the question.

Campaign donor's giving raises questions --Little known about man who has sent thousands to GOP 29 Oct 2008 Before September 2007, Shi Sheng Hao of Roselle, Illinois, had never appeared in the 15-year-old federal database of campaign contributors. Since then, however, his donations have topped $120,000 -- including $70,100 on a single June day to Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

Poll: Obama doubles lead in Colorado, gains in electoral map 29 Oct 2008 Call it the Rocky Mountain road to the White House. A new state poll suggests that Sen. Barack Obama has doubled his lead over John McCain in Colorado. In a CNN/Time/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Wednesday, 53 percent of likely voters questioned say Obama is their choice for president, with 45 percent backing Sen. John McCain. That 8 point lead for Obama is double the 4-point advantage he held in a similar poll two weeks ago.

Democrats dominate early voting in key states 29 Oct 2008 Democrats are dominating early voting in six key states President [sic] Bush ~~won~~ stole four years ago, forcing Republican John McCain to play catch-up even before Election Day arrives. Democrats outnumber Republicans among early voters in Iowa, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, according to statistics from election and party officials in those states.

Votes being stolen from Obama in Early Voting By Real History Lisa 23 Oct 2008 People in several states now have noted that when they cast a vote for Obama, it has switched to McCain. Not once have the votes flipped in the opposite direction. If there were simple error, we'd expect to see mistakes in both directions. But, just as with the errors in 2004, the only votes that have been seen flipping have gone from the Democratic presidential candidate to the Republican one.

Greater access to voting information (Google) 22 Oct 2008 It's hard to believe that in 2008, information so important to U.S. citizens and the democratic process isn't well organized on the web. To solve this problem, we've released our US Voter Info site, an effort to simplify and centralize voting locations and registration information.

Obama video to air tonight 29 Oct 2008 Barack Obama will focus on the economy and how his tax plans would help the middle class in a half-hour political infomercial on television networks tonight. The program "will share the specifics of Obama's plans to turn the economy around and get the country back on track," campaign spokesman Bill Burton said Tuesday. The program will air at 8 p.m. on NBC, CBS, Fox, Univision, BET, MSNBC and TV One. ABC will show it on a different night to be announced.

Barack Obama campaigns in the rain in Chester, Pennsylvania 28 Oct 2008 While John McCoward cancelled one event in Pennsylvania owing to the foul weather, Barack Obama paid tribute to more than 9,000 hardy supporters who turned out at an outdoors rally, despite freezing rain and driving winds. (Photo)

McConnell Calls on Stevens to Resign 28 Oct 2008 Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called for embattled Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) to resign from his seat Tuesday evening, joining a growing chorus of Republican lawmakers seeking the ouster of the convicted felon. During a campaign stop in Elizabethtown, Ky., McConnell was asked about Stevens' case and said that he believes "he should resign" following his conviction on seven counts of failure to disclose gifts on his financial disclosure forms.

Postal Service Looks to Cut 40,000 Jobs In First Layoff In History 27 Oct 2008 "We lost 2 billion dollars and like any other business we have to stay afloat." And to keep from sinking, the United States Postal Service is considering cutting thousands of jobs nationwide. Lavelle Pepper says the postal service is looking to eliminate 40,000 jobs nationwide.

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Previous lead stories: SWAT teams on standby if McCain wins US election 24 Oct 2008 US police fear riots could break out if John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, ~~wins~~ steals the election next month. Law enforcement officials say the intense public interest and historic nature of the vote could lead to violent outbreaks if people are unhappy with the results, encounter problems casting their ballots or suspect voting irregularities. Police departments say they cannot rule out disorder and are mobilising extra forces and putting SWAT teams on standby. In Oakland, near San Francisco, police will have tactical squads, SWAT teams and officers trained in riot control on standby.

Police foil plot by white supremacists to kill Obama 28 Oct 2008 A plot by far-right extremists to assassinate Barack Obama and kill and decapitate dozens of other black Americans at a school has been broken up, US officials claimed yesterday. Both Daniel Cowart and Paul Schlesselman bought nylon rope and ski masks to use in robberies and allegedly planned to go from state to state killing people. To kill Mr Obama, the two suspects "planned to drive their vehicle as fast as they could toward Mr Obama, shooting at him from the windows", according to the court documents.

U.S. Calls Raid a Warning to Syria 28 Oct 2008 U.S. troops in helicopters flew four miles into Syrian territory over the weekend to target the leader of a network that channels foreign fighters from Syria into Iraq [help McCain], killing ~~or wounding him and shooting dead several armed men~~ eight civilians, including four children, U.S. officials said Monday. Officials said the raid Sunday, apparently the first acknowledged instance of U.S. ground forces operating in Syria, was intended to send a warning to the Syrian government.

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