OpEdNews - Diary: US ABLE TO STRIKE IN SPRING

US preparations for an air strike against Iran are at an advanced stage, in spite of repeated public denials by the Bush administration.

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DIANE'S NEWS CLIPS begins here :)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> Excerpted from: http://www.truthout.org

US ABLE TO STRIKE IN SPRING http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/021007C.shtml US preparations for an air strike against Iran are at an advanced stage, in spite of repeated public denials by the Bush administration. The present military build-up in the Gulf would allow the US to mount an attack by the spring. --- Putin: US Policies Create Arms Race http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/021007D.shtml Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that the United States' increased use of military force is creating a new arms race, with smaller nations turning toward developing nuclear weapons. --- FOCUS | Another White House Aide Fingers Cheney http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/021007Y.shtml David Addington, chief legal adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney, says he was taken aback when the White House started making public pronouncements about the CIA leak investigation. "Why are you making these statements?" Addington asked White House communications director Dan Bartlett. "Your boss is the one who wanted" them, Bartlett replied, referring to Cheney. With that, "I shut up," Addington recalled recently for jurors in Libby's CIA leak trial, which begins its fourth week on Monday with Libby's lawyers calling their first witnesses. --- Eric Boehlert | Scooter Libby and the Media Debacle http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/021007A.shtml Eric Boehlert writes: "The New York Times made headlines last week when it tapped a new DC bureau chief. But if the paper of record really wanted to jump-start its Beltway news operation, maybe it should have tried to lure Patrick Fitzgerald away from the Department of Justice. Let's face it, as special counsel in charge of investigating the Valerie Plame CIA leak, and now the lead prosecutor in DC federal court methodically laying out the damning evidence against Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, Fitzgerald has consistently shown more interest - and determination - in uncovering the facts of the Plame scandal than most Beltway journalists." --- FOCUS | Inquiry on Intelligence Gaps May Reach to White House http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/021007Z.shtml --- Saddam-Al Qaeda Evidence Blasted http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/021007B.shtml --- The New York Times | The Build-a-War Workshop http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/021007F.shtml "It took far too long, but a report by the Pentagon inspector general has finally confirmed that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's do-it-yourself intelligence office cooked up a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda to help justify an unjustifiable war," writes the New York Times. --- Senator Tim Johnson Working From Hospital http://tinyurl.com/ytfl24 _________________________________ .ron corvuswire@verizon.net

War Vote Dogs Hillary on Campaign Trail Excerpt: "Q: My problem with Hillary Clinton is not that she's cautious or calculating, as I've heard you say in the past, but her rationale for her vote in 2002 to go to war in Iraq. She says over and over again that she was misled by President Bush, that he lied about [weapons of mass destruction] but that she believed him. How does being duped by Bush become a badge of honor, a rallying cry for which she should become the Democratic nominee for president? What about all those who voted against the war? Why were they able to avoid being duped by Bush when she wasn't? And while we're on the subject, can you list how the Democrats in the Senate voted on the war in 2002? Lisa Gross, Nyack, N.Y. A: In the early morning hours of Oct. 11, 2002, the Democratic-controlled Senate voted 77-23 giving President Bush the authority to use military force in Iraq. Forty-eight of the Senate's 49 Republicans voted yes; only Rhode Island's Lincoln Chafee dissented. Of the 51 Democrats (including the independent from Vermont), 29 voted yes and 22 voted no. Here's the Dem vote breakdown (*means no longer in the Senate):" Continued >> http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7275360 ----- Islamic State of Iraq Has Been Proclaimed ... 16 October 2006 http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/content/2006/10/16/5985.shtml _________________________________ Excerpted from: http://onlinejournal.com The "R" word: Reparations for Iraq By Nicolas J S Davies | Online Journal Contributing Writer Americans of all political persuasions are slowly beginning to face the enormity of what their government and their armed forces have done to the country and the people of Iraq. Out of the emerging awareness that we have been responsible for the destruction of a country and for at least a million human casualties, we are trying to come to grips with precisely what obligations and responsibilities our government's actions have placed upon us, both collectively and as individuals. http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1714.shtml ----- Rejecting tapeworm economics and its war on families By Carolyn Baker | Online Journal Contributing Writer A frightening story came across the radio waves this week and was later reported by MSNBC: "Texas governor orders STD vaccine for all girls." http://tinyurl.com/2r7a3n ----- Raise hell for Molly ... By Jackson Thoreau | Online Journal Contributing Writer After living in Texas for most of my 40-something years, I moved away three years ago. Part of my reason was personal, but another part was I just couldn't take the Republican domination and hypocrisy of many red-state, red-blooded residents there anymore. http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1712.shtml ----- That halo doesn't become you, Mr. Peres By Linda S. Heard | Online Journal Contributing Writer If you watched the performance of Shimon Peres being interviewed by the acerbic and incisive Tim Sebastian on the BBC last Saturday you might be forgiven for comparing Israel's elder statesman with Nelson Mandela provided you weren't au fait with his past, that is. http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1729.shtml ----- They're shocked, shocked they tell you By Mark Drolette | Online Journal Contributing Writer They're everywhere. >> http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1732.shtml _________________________________ Bush cuts off NPR and PBS -- We're fighting back! Just click here to add your name: http://tinyurl.com/35c6xe _________________________________ http://jablankfort@earthlink.net : NY Jewish Week: Leading Hawk Warns Of Hysteria Over Iran "Once you say that Iran is like Nazi Germany and that it is willing to use its nuclear weapons to destroy Israel regardless of the destruction it would bring to their own country, you are really arguing that there is no alternative but for Israel and the United States to attack first," said M.J. Rosenberg, director of policy analysis for the Israel Policy Forum." http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=13644&print=yes ----- Haaretz: Israel, U.S. begin discussions on renewal of foreign aid package (2 articles) Israel, U.S. begin discussions on renewal of foreign aid package -- Excerpt: The Bush administration this week asked Congress for $2.4 billion in financial aid for Israeli security needs, the highest amount possible under America's current agreement with Israel. Full article: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/823270.html --- How much American money should Israel ask for? http://tinyurl.com/3ex5zx _________________________________ Carole JEAN, Ãditrice http://bigpictureworld@yahoo.com 'The 'Bush Doctrine' and Weapons in Space' /Monday Feb. 12 http://www.TheNewAmericanEmpire.com/tremblay=1057 _________________________________ http://truth_to_power2006@yahoo.com OPINION

If you are currently contributing to any government taxation program, you are a slave. If you do not agree with this, then withhold this year's Income Tax and see how long it takes before you're thrown in jail. For every one thousand dollars you make the government can and will steal half to use in their illegal wars. If you stop paying taxes, they have to stop executing their wars. Your tax money doesn't go toward fixing roads, buying school books, feeding the hungry, running public works or anything else right now, it's ALL going toward the Iraq war effort, (which is making the already fat cats even fatter). Don't believe it? Did you get a look at Bush's latest budget proposal and recent requests for MORE money for the Iraq (and Afghanistan) war? Did you see those astronomical figures? Where does that kind of money come from? They ask the do nothing Congress for MORE of YOUR TAX MONEY, tax money for war, then ship it to Iraq where it becomes lost, but only after it is used to play football. This government has wasted, played with and lost more money than I will ever see in my lifetime x 10. Would you like to learn how to STOP PAYING TAXES LEGALLY, which might very well lead to the PEOPLE stopping the war, instead of waiting around for the do nothing Congress to continue to do nothing? I say 'do nothing' because that's exactly what they've done so far to stop the war, NOTHING. Guess what they're going to do to stop the Iraq war -- NOTHING. These lying politicians elected into their new positions this past November promised an IMMEDIATE end to the war in Iraq, didn't they? Well, here we are its February, four months later, and the Iraq war rages on. American voters must be comprised largely of sadists and masochists with low IQs. They must suffer from the Stockholm Syndrome. How anyone can be a slave, exclaim that they are not and get in line for MORE governmental abuse is way beyond my comprehension. Regardless, if you people want to stop the Iraq war, stop paying taxes. It's that simple. Here's how: http://web.archive.org/web/20041204073044/www.solgroup.com/notax/ _________________________________ Saturn's Rings and Venus Pillars ... Space Weather News http://spaceweather.com

SATURN AT ITS BEST: This weekend Saturn will be at its closest to Earth for all of 2007. The planet rises in the east at sunset and soars nearly overhead at midnight. To the naked eye, Saturn resembles a bright yellow star. Through a backyard telescope, it materializes as a spectacular ring world. Even small telescopes yield pleasing views. Take a look! VENUS PILLARS: While Saturn rises in the east, Venus sets in the west. If you watch Venus sink toward the horizon on a cold night, you might see it sprout vertical columns of light known as Venus pillars. Today's edition of Spaceweather.com features rare photos of these pillars and explains what they are. Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps and more information. _________________________________ http://wafa.ps/english | http://www.midomi.com | http://english.irib.ir/ _________________________________ ^^^^^^^^ Breath of life ^^^^^^^^ You never know when an emergency is going to strike. That's a particularly scary thought for most parents. But there are ways you can prepare yourself for an emergency. One of the most important things you can do is learn CPR. I recommend that you take a class. That's the best way to learn CPR. If you can't take a class, you can at least learn the basics. Today's Cool Site gives you a quick rundown on how to perform CPR in different situations. There are instructions for adults, children, infants and even dogs! You may want to print out the instructions to keep with you. And what if you ever need CPR? Well, there's even information on administering it to yourself. No, I'm not joking! TO VISIT TODAY'S COOL SITE, GO HERE: http://depts.washington.edu Be sure to listen to me Monday through Friday. Use my map to find me near you http://www.komando.com/listen/index.aspx _________________________________ eHEALTHY NEWS An Easy Way to Relieve Childhood Fears - This simple method often does more in minutes than conventional therapy can do in months or years. http://tinyurl.com/3cg3dp ----- The Safety of Inert Components in Pesticides Questioned - The EPA claims its just-finished 10-year review of pesticides guarantees the safety of all Americans. But health officials in 14 states don't agree. http://tinyurl.com/rov4d ----- Europeans Fighting Back Against the GM Crop Blight - Europeans, unlike Americans, are serious about GMO crops and are destroying the fields of genetically modified maize that are being planted across France. http://tinyurl.com/na97z _________________________________ This Guy is Falling | United States | 11:00 | Gareth Smith, Michael Horowitz The careless flick of a mysterious anti-gravity switch throws the entire planet out of whack. Can love survive weightless Armageddon? http://www.atomfilms.com/af/content/atom_358 _________________________________ NationalGeographic.com http://lava.nationalgeographic.com/pod/ _________________________________ NASA Astronomy picture of the day http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html _________________________________ We don't believe in rheumatism and true love until after the first attack. ~ Marie Ebner Von Eschenbach, Aphorism _________________________________ Link to: Diane's News Clips http://www.opednews.com/author/author2300.html?entry=diary