Next Steps In Iraq

" The purpose of commercial [media] is to induce mass sales. For mass sales there must be a mass norm ... By suppressing the individual, the unique, the industry ... assures itself a standard product for mass consumption.": John Whiting, writer, commenting on the homogenization of corporate media program content

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Persecuted Rights Activists Get Global Recognition
A coalition of human rights groups from around the world has named activists from Zimbabwe, Iran, and the Democratic Republic of Congo finalists for this year's Martin Ennals award. All four activists are in immediate need of protection, the groups say.



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Arms Embargo Violated in Sudan
Arms are flowing into the conflict-ridden Darfur region from neighbouring Chad, Eritrea and Libya, according to a report by U.N. experts.

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"One of the intentions of corporate-controlled media is to instill in people a sense of disempowerment, of immobilization and paralysis. Its outcome is to turn you into good consumers. It is to keep people isolated, to feel that there is no possibility for social change.": David Barsamian, journalist and publisher

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Myanmar: Rights Violations Continue in Name of National Security
Amnesty International deplores the decision by the Myanmar authorities to prolong the detention without charge or trial of three senior opposition political leaders.


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ROVE’S RESPONSE
(AP) ”The White House has decided that the best way to deal with Vice President Dick Cheney's shooting accident is to joke about it.
"President Bush's spokesman quipped Tuesday that the burnt orange school colors of the University of Texas championship football team that was visiting the White House shouldn't be confused for hunter's safety wear.
"The orange that they're wearing is not because they're concerned that the vice president may be there," joked White House press secretary Scott McClellan, following the lead of late-night television comedians. "That's why I'm wearing it."
“The president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, took a similar jab after slapping an orange sticker on his chest from the Florida Farm Bureau that read, "No Farmers, No Food."
"I'm a little concerned that Dick Cheney is going to walk in," the governor cracked during an appearance in Tampa Monday.
One joke the White House is not repeating is the one that says that Cheney tortured Henry Whittington before shooting him. Is it in bad taste? Before you respond, check these new pictures out--on Australian TV, not US TV.

The White House decided that he they couldn’t fight the comics so they made a feeble effort to join them until Henry Whittington, 78, the lawyer shot by Cheney suffered a heart attack and went back into intensive care. Suddenly, this incident was no longer so funny.

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" When everyone is thinking the same, no one is thinking.": John Wooden

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Next Steps In Iraq
Here's a final angle on this one. In my experience, U.S. soldiers don't mind a fight when they are being led competently, they know they are allowed to succeed in their mission and that mission is critical to U.S. national security. Right now, this is not the case and as we know, soldiers are voting with their feet. A political-military strategy, supported by the neighbors and backed by the U.N. has the possibility of fixing this mess.

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Bush Budget Puts Our Public Lands on Blue-Light Special
Peddling Americans' birthright aims to raise $1 billion for U.S. Treasury
As much as 800,000 acres of Americans' public land would be sold into private hands under one egregious provision of President Bush's proposed budget. Astonishingly, less than two months ago, bipartisan opposition in the Congress defeated a similar scheme. This absurd proposal deserves the same reaction from all of us. Please send that message to your Members of Congress! You can take action immediately by clicking here.

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Number Of Iraqi civilians Slaughtered In America's War 100,000 +

Number of U.S. Military Personnel Slaughtered (Officially acknowledged) In Bush's War 2268

The War in Iraq Costs $240,888,746,378 See the cost in your community

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Afghanistan: The End Of NATO's Honeymoon?
The fact that the attack against a NATO base -- in what is one of the safer areas of Afghanistan -- was carried out not by a band of insurgents or terrorists but rather the local population should bring the countries contributing troops to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) back to the drawing board regarding their long-term plans for Afghanistan

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A Trust, By Any Other Name
by Barry Lynn, TomPaine.com
Soon America will realize that to save our free market system, we will need to roll back the power of oligopolies.

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"Corporations have been enthroned
An era of corruption in high places will follow and
the money power will endeavor to prolong its reign by working on
the prejudices of the people . . until wealth is aggregated in a few hands
. . . and the Republic is destroyed."
Abraham Lincoln