'Don't know for sure' about Guantanamo: Amnesty USA - Yahoo! NewsCan you believe this -- after making outrageous claims we get the "we really don't know"... Again an example of liberals attempting to justify their means, false accusations, outrageous claims, etc., with what they define as 'well intentions'...
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Despite highly publicized charges of U.S. mistreatment of prisoners at Guantanamo, the head of the Amnesty International USA said on Sunday the group doesn't "know for sure" that the military is running a "gulag."
"Executive Director William Schulz said Amnesty, often cited worldwide for documenting human rights abuses, also did not know whether Secretary Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld approved severe torture methods such as beatings and starvation.
Schulz recently dubbed Rumsfeld an 'apparent high-level architect of torture' in asserting he approved interrogation methods that violated international law.
'It would be fascinating to find out. I have no idea,' Schulz told 'Fox News Sunday.'
CNN.com - Detainees, not soldiers, flushed Quran
Weather they believe or support it they got the headline correct -- the headline contains no innuendo opposing the military's statement - refreshing; however, I am not holding my breath that the usual spin is gone.
(CNN) -- A U.S. military investigation into the mishandling of the Muslim holy book at the Guantanamo Bay prison for suspected terrorists has determined that detainees -- not U.S. soldiers -- attempted to flush the Quran down the toilet there.
CNN.com - Suspected al-Zarqawi associate nabbedAlthough some may not want to admit it, but the "War on Terrorism" continues with progress.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A suspected deputy of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been captured in the restive city of Mosul, the Iraqi military said Saturday.
Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition forces on Friday arrested Mullah Mahdi and five other suspected terrorists -- Mahdi's brother, three other Iraqis and a Syrian, Iraqi Maj. Gen. Khalil al-Obeidi said.
Remember my post,
On Again, Off Again, It's On Again (NK), where I said "However, I can assure you when the "off again" is given to South Korea, North Korea will again blame the United States" -- well here it is.
CNN.com - North Korea demands U.S. apology(CNN) -- North Korea has vowed not to return to the nuclear bargaining table unless it receives an apology from the United States for making hostile remarks about its leadership.
Israel frees nearly 400 Palestinian prisoners - Reuters.com
Well with the mass coverage of the old news known as 'deep throat' it appears many may have missed this... I believe it is significant.
BETUNIA, West Bank (Reuters) - Israel freed nearly 400 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday in a long-delayed gesture that fulfilled a ceasefire pledge to President Mahmoud Abbas, but Palestinians said the release did not go far enough.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon acted under U.S. pressure to help strengthen Abbas, who faces a Hamas challenge that could undermine Israel's plans to evacuate Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip starting in August.
Amnesty leadership aided Kerry - The Washington Times
This story just confirms what I already assumed -- so no big news here just validation:)
The top leadership of Amnesty International USA, which unleashed a blistering attack last week on the Bush administration's handling of war detainees, contributed the maximum $2,000 to Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign.
Federal Election Commission records show that William F. Schulz, executive director of Amnesty USA, contributed $2,000 to Mr. Kerry's campaign last year. Mr. Schulz also has contributed $1,000 to the 2006 campaign of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat.
'No' votes harmful to euro, good news for U.S. dollar - insider.washingtontimes.com
Interesting theory - what do you think?
The U.S. dollar is getting a boost from the slide in the euro caused by voters' resounding rejection of a European constitution in France and the Netherlands.
The respite from the dollar's three-year tailspin offers a bit of hope for travelers who are looking to hold down the shocking cost of a European vacation since the dollar lost nearly half its value against the euro at the end of last year.
'Americans will eat out more in Paris, buy more Burberry coats in London and more diamonds in Amsterdam,' said Bob Whitley, president of the U.S. Tour Operators Association.
Planned Parenthood Is Told to Show Children's FilesCHICAGO, May 31 - Planned Parenthood of Indiana has to show state investigators the medical records of some of its youngest patients, a judge ruled on Tuesday. The judge rejected the organization's contention that disclosing such records could have a chilling effect on patients across the state.
Since March, Attorney General Steve Carter has been seeking the records of more than 80 patients younger than 14, saying his Medicaid fraud unit is trying to determine whether children have been neglected because molesting incidents were not reported to the authorities as required. Under Indiana law, anyone under 14 who is sexually active is considered a victim of sexual abuse, and health providers are required to report such cases to the state authorities.
Just a few questions:
- Arguments I hear for not requiring parental notification is parental abuse and by REPORTING this abuse these animals can get what they so richly deserve under the law; so why wouldn't they want to?
- Are they attempting to prove a point?
- What would Planned Parenthoot say about a conservative religious organization that defied a current law to make a point?
CNN.com - At least 14 dead in Afghan blast
Really, I am not kidding... Everyone seems to be more outraged about the Koran then by Muslims killing Muslim or the loss of human life. I wonder if we will hear about the desecrated Korans caused by the bombing of this mosque.
(CNN) -- An explosion inside a mosque in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar has killed at least 14 people and wounded about 40 others.
The death toll from Wednesday's blast is expected to rise, said Nic Downie, head of the Afghanistan NGO security office.
CNN.com - Shooting suspect holed up in Wal-MartOf course, I am being facetious -- but, one never knows what those organization that hate Wal-Mart will do with a story like this:)
SIMI VALLEY, California (AP) -- A suspect in a shooting that killed two people over the holiday weekend was chased into a Wal-Mart store Tuesday morning after wounding a sheriff's deputy, authorities said.
The store was evacuated, and about 40 to 50 officers surrounded it, sheriff's Sgt. Patti Salas said.
In all, two people were killed and two wounded in the crime spree northwest of Los Angeles, and at least one vehicle was carjacked, authorities said. One of those shot was a onetime business partner of the suspect.
Captives told to claim torture-insider.washingtontimes.comSure it makes sense -- it is well known the United States media and liberals will believe a negative story about it's own from al Qaeda before the US Military on any given day.
An al Qaeda handbook preaches to operatives to level charges of torture once captured, a training regime that administration officials say explains some of the charges of abuse at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
Buffalo News - New Social Security card proposedI really do not see the problems here - maybe cost, which is not addressed in the concerns?
WASHINGTON - Congress is moving to replace the paper Social Security cards issued to 280 million Americans with plastic, harder-to-counterfeit versions to try to curtail identity theft and the use of Social Security cards and numbers by some undocumented immigrants to obtain jobs.
Critics fear the cards could become de facto national IDs and eventually play the role that identity papers have played over history in repressive societies. Some worry that the proposal could mean trouble for immigrant workers and even criminal fines for employers.
If the Illegal Immigration Enforcement and Social Security Protection Act of 2005 became law, every person seeking a job in the United States - citizen and undocumented immigrant alike - would have to present the card to his or her prospective employer.
I have decided to pick on a couple of concerns:
- Critics fear the cards could become de facto national IDs
- Like it has not already become such a thing -- really, for all us honest citizens can you go to the doctor, dentist, etc. and not be asked you for your SSN? Heaven forbid you are a military member, anyone that has every served in the last 30 years has the SSN memorized, why, because it is the only number they knows us by. Come on the SSN is already a National ID not matter what was promised when SS started or the delusions the critics are spewing.- Some worry that the proposal could mean trouble for immigrant workers and even criminal fines for employers
-- well shucks, you mean that all employed might actually have to be legal, oh no God forbid such a thing - what a lame excuse.
FOXNews.com - Oliver Stone Arrested on Drug, DUI Charges
Well Mr. Conspiracy Theory himself was arrested - was he stoned - how long has he been stoned - this could explain a lot of his theories and comments.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone was arrested for investigation of drug possession and driving while intoxicated, police said Saturday.
Stone, 58, was arrested Friday night at a police checkpoint on Sunset Boulevard after showing signs of alcohol intoxication, police Sgt. John Edmundson said.
A search of his Mercedes turned up drugs, Edmundson said. He did not specify what kind.
World Peace Herald - King Fahd of Saudi Arabia reported deadWhat do you think - could this be true? If yes, what could it mean to the region short term and long term? Currently no reports in any US media...
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Reliable sources in the Saudi capital Riyadh said Friday King Fahd is dead, reports the Saudi Institute.
King Fahd of Saudi Arabia has been dead since late Wednesday, according to several well-placed sources in the capital Riyadh who spoke to the Saudi Institute, a pro-democracy think tank in Washington, on condition of anonymity.
The government also canceled all military leave, "a sure sign that something is happening," said the Saudi Institute.
CNN.com - Japanese hostage killed by captors
Another hostage has been murdered -- executed! This man was Japanese and I am sure the liberal message boards and forums will have American citizens claiming it is Bush's, the Military's, or both’s fault... This is amazing; all heck is breaking loose over the treatment of a book and no concern for murder. The media refuses to call these less then human individuals - terrorist, electing to refer to them as captors, insurgents, or kidnappers -- what is the deal. Besides electing to be more concerned about a book (the Koran) than this man, where is the concern about the hundreds of Muslims killed by the terrorist in the last month -- strange that a book holds more value then human life.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The Iraqi government has confirmed that Japanese hostage Akihiko Saito has been killed by his captors.
Saito, who worked in Iraq for a British security company, was among five foreign workers ambushed by insurgents in the Anbar province west of Baghdad in early May.
The other four were confirmed dead.
An Islamic Web site previously used to publish insurgent announcements posted a video showing Saito before and after his his death.
KR Washington Bureau - Work on nominees could return Lott to ranks of GOP leadershipAll I will say for now - if the man is openly saying one thing while doing something else -- it is politics as usual and I have a problem with it and the problem I have has nothing to do with the where he stands or doesn't stand on the "particular issue"... Sounds like he may have some delusions of grandeur.
WASHINGTON - For months, Sen. Trent Lott pulled a list of names from his pocket and told anyone who listened that he had the votes to trigger the 'nuclear option' - the change in the Senate's rules that would ease the way for President Bush's judicial nominees.
At the same time, the Mississippi Republican worked quietly to avert it.
Lott wasn't among the 14 senators who signed the pact on Monday that forestalled a Senate showdown. Publicly, he was dismissive.
'Whenever that coalition needs to be picked apart,' he said, 'we'll pick it apart.'
But senators involved in the talks say Lott was instrumental in pushing the Senate to the brink of a historic clash - and in pulling it back. It was a remarkable role for the former Senate leader whose career was nearly ruined by an ill-advised tribute to the late Sen. Strom Thurmond two-and-a-half years ago that made him sound nostalgic for the days of segregation.
2 WWII soldiers still in hiding?- washingtontimes.com
If this story proves to be accurate this is real dedication or real fear - not sure which... It is an interesting story I am going to try and follow it.
GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines -- Sixty years after the guns of World War II went silent, reports that two Japanese Imperial Army soldiers had been found in the mountains of the southern Philippines sent Japan's diplomats on a frantic mission yesterday to try to contact them.
The two men, in their 80s, reportedly have lived on the restive southern island of Mindanao since they were separated from their division, staying on for fear they would face court-martial if they returned to Japan.
Group shuns Filipino mother of slain soldier - MSNBC.com
I am not satisfied at all with the response from the "American Gold Star Mother, Inc." -- this is a travesty, in my opinion... At the very lest we should be able to make her an honorary citizen if she does not want to be a actual naturalized citizen -- but her son giving his life should be enough, would you agree?
Her 27-year-old son, Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman, was killed last year in Afghanistan when his unit came under fire during a mission to drive out remnants of Taliban and al-Qaida forces.
But the largest organization of these women, the American Gold Star Mothers Inc., has rejected Lagman, a Filipino, for membership because - though a permanent resident and a taxpayer - she is not a U.S. citizen.
"There's nothing we can do because that's what our organization says: You have to be an American citizen," national President Ann Herd said Thursday. "We can't go changing the rules every time the wind blows."
That explanation isn't satisfying the war veterans who sponsored Lagman's application, some other members of the mothers' group or several members of Congress.
CNN.com - Police grab suspect after 56 hours atop crane
Finally he gives up... I watched this case with interest because I could not help to think how his actions will help or hurt his defense. Logically you might say it will hurt, but then again there is always the old insanity plea.
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Police on Saturday arrested a suspect in a Florida slaying who had spent 56 hours atop a crane high above an Atlanta construction site.
Carl Edward Roland, 41, was taken into custody after more than two days of negotiators' round-the-clock efforts to convince him to come down, said Atlanta Police Operations Chief Alan Dreher.
Roland ascended the crane via its elevator about 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, walking out on its horizontal arm.
