Pentagon To Omit Geneva Convention's Torture Ban
June 5, 2006 8:45 p.m. EST
Shaveta Bansal - All Headline News Contributor
Washington, DC (AHN) - The Pentagon has decided to omit a key tenet of the Geneva Convention from its new detainee policies manual.
The precept bans "humiliating and degrading treatment" of the detainees.
According to a report by The Los Angeles Times, the decision could terminate a lengthy debate within the Defense Department but would not become final until the Pentagon makes the new guidelines public.
However, the State Department has strongly opposed the military and has been pushing for the Pentagon and White House to reconsider, the paper said.
For more than a year, the Pentagon has been redrawing its policies on detainees and interrogation.
It intends to issue a new Army Field Manual, which, along with accompanying directives, represents core instructions to U.S. soldiers worldwide, the paper said.
The directive on interrogation, a senior defense official said, was being rewritten to create safeguards so that all detainees were treated humanely but can still be questioned effectively.
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7003817762
Trust between the Muslim community and police could be damaged in the wake of a terror raid in east London, a leading Muslim has warned.
Police are questioning two brothers, one of whom was shot during the raid, on suspicion of terrorism involvement.
Muslim Council of Britain leader Muhammad Abdul Bari urged police to give a "clear picture" of the raid.
Officers have said they had "no choice" but to carry out the Forest Gate raid after getting "specific intelligence".
Mohammed Abdul Kahar, 23, was treated in hospital for a wounded shoulder after the raid on Friday morning.
He was then transferred to Paddington Green high security police station, but it was only on Monday afternoon that doctors said he had recovered enough for questioning.
Police are questioning both brothers about involvement in planning or carrying out terrorism acts.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5051078.stm
, Council Speaker Tout Gun Control Measures
By JILL GARDINER - Staff Reporter of the Sun
June 6, 2006
Mayor Bloomberg may be struggling to win more anti-terrorism money from Washington, but he is having more luck working with the City Council on his local security plans.
In the latest chapter of his war against illegal guns, Mr. Bloomberg is targeting companies that sell paints in happy colors like red, yellow, and pink to refinish guns.
http://www.nysun.com/article/33918
Safavian Denies Concealing Abramoff Ties
By MICHAEL J. SNIFFEN, Associated Press Writer
Monday, June 5, 2006
· Printable Version · Email This Article
(06-05) 15:50 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --
Former Bush administration official David Safavian acknowledged Monday that he gave advice and some "nonpublic information" about federal properties to Republican influence-peddler Jack Abramoff but denied trying to conceal that from investigators.
Safavian's defense concluded its case after his second day of cross-examination in U.S. District Court. Because of a court scheduling conflict, closing arguments to the jury were postponed until next Monday.
Under detailed, skeptical questioning by prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg, the former General Services Administration chief of staff made some concessions about his judgment and memory. Still, Safavian insisted he hadn't intentionally misled GSA and Senate officials.
Safavian also acknowledged telling an FBI agent he had advised Abramoff on two GSA properties in the fall of 2002, rather than — as it actually happened — in the weeks before he took a luxury-filled golf trip to Scotland that Abramoff arranged in August 2002.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/06/05/national/w110721D09.DTL&type=politics
Web Users to "Patrol" US Border
BBC News
Friday 02 June 2006
A US state is to enlist web users in its fight against illegal immigration by offering live surveillance footage of the Mexican border on the internet.
The plan will allow web users worldwide to watch Texas' border with Mexico and phone the authorities if they spot any apparently illegal crossings.
Texas Governor Rick Perry said the cameras would focus on "hot-spots and common routes" used to enter the US.
US lawmakers have been debating a divisive new illegal immigration bill.
The Senate has approved a law that grants millions of illegal immigrants US citizenship and calls for the creation of a guest-worker programme, while beefing up border security.
But in order to come into effect, the plan must be reconciled with tougher anti-immigration measures backed by the House of Representatives, that insist all illegal immigration should be criminalised.
The issue has polarised politics and US society. Right-wing groups have protested against illegal immigrants, while millions of people marched in support of them last month.
Free Number
The Texas governor announced his plans for streaming the border surveillance camera footage over the internet at a meeting of police officials on Thursday.
www.truthout.org
U.S. fears forced prostitution at World Cup
Last Updated Mon, 05 Jun 2006 15:49:41 EDT
CBC News
The U.S. government is worried that women will be forced to become prostitutes and sell themselves at the month-long World Cup event in Germany.
As a result, Washington asked Germany on Monday to step up its plans to stop sex workers from crossing into the country to take advantage of the popular games.
Prostitution is legal in Germany, where 400,000 sex workers pay taxes. But anti-prostitution activists in the U.S., claim foreign women, many from Eastern Europe, will be forced to become sex-trade workers at the event, which starts June 9.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/06/05/germany-prostitution.html
June 6, 2006 — At a time when the National Guard has been doing extended tours abroad, President Bush has added a mission at home.
The first National Guard unit has just arrived on the Mexican border for its first mission: building corrugated metal fences topped with barbed wire in San Luis, Ariz.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to, to protect our nation," said Benjamin Grimstead, a member of the Utah National Guard.
President Bush will make his second visit to the Southern border today, in less than a month. He is expected to visit a Border Patrol training center in New Mexico and a sector headquarters in Texas.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2044007
Congressional Boondoggles Said to Total $50 Million
By Monisha Bansal
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
June 06, 2006
(CNSNews.com) - Despite calling for a ban on privately funded congressional travel, U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and members of his staff have accepted more travel from special interests than any other congressional office, according to the Center for Public Integrity and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
The two organizations released their report Monday at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
In January, Hastert declared that "we must ban privately sponsored travel in the House of Representatives."
"I know fact-finding trips are important," the speaker said. "This body considers legislation that affects people that cannot always travel to Washington to petition their government. Private travel has been abused by some, and I believe we need to put an end to it."
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200606/POL20060606b.html
Rudy rages at terror funds ax
Says 'incompetents' missed many city monuments, icons
BY DAVID SALTONSTALLDAILY NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
Breaking nearly a week of silence, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani blasted federal bean-counters yesterday for cutting homeland security dollars to the city by 40% - blaming the decision on "incompetent" bureaucrats in Washington. "I don't know who was responsible for it, but it looks like a report that was incompetent," the former mayor said of last week's Department of Homeland Security study that found no national monuments in the city worth protecting - and slashed city anti-terror grants by $80million.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/424009p-357780c.html
Mid-day wrap up :
So, Georgie pulls out all the punches in his playbook of hate and fearmongering, not only bringing the gay marriage issue, because it is obviously sooooo important right now, but also continueing to pound away on our border “ problems “. Will America stand idly by as the president wastes more time, tax dollars, and brain cells panda-ing to whomever he can at this point. One has to wonder why George doesn’t just strike out on his own and layoff the p.n.a.c. advisors who are telling him that this will somehow get him back into the peoples heart, or at least cause a smokescreen for a little while. Not that the pres. Is smart enough to run the country alone, but if he fired the people currently running things, and then re-hired all the intelligent people that quit so far, he might have a shot at getting his poll numbers back up so he might at least get a presidential library… err maybe a presidential “ fishin hole “.
But, we must suppose by now, that this is how simple they think that we are. And obviously, it worked versus Kerry, so why won’t it work to reconsolidate the presidents base now? Because they have gotten off message. It’s about the scary “gays” and “illegals”, not about the terrorists. The problem with that? Most Americans know a gay person. Most Americans know someone who is in the country illegally. Most of our families were immigrants when they first arrived. It is much more difficult to get the nationalistic blood riled up about the nieghbors you’ve had for ten years, than the shadowy guy in a turban who’s sharing your flight to Cleveland.
And then we have the ethics debate “
The report from the Center for Public Integrity and the Medill School of Journalism stated that "Hastert's staff took the most trips and had the highest tab of any congressional office," taking over 200 trips worth more than $350,000 over a five-year period. The groups looked at U.S. senators and their staffs as well, but indicated that House members were far more inclined to use the privately-funded travel.”
The question is, what are these “special interests”. We all want to think that it is necessary for
Our representitives to “investigate” situations and assess them, that’s why we elect them, but where do we draw the line? An investigation into the failures of F.E.M.A. during Katrina is certianly an acceptable “ special interset trip “ but pebble beach? Pinehest? While it is the typical upperclass white male style to conduct business on the golf course, I’m not so sure that we as a people, want to take the chance that a no bid contract was given to a company not because of its qualifications, but because of the “terrific birdie “ the company’s rep got on a difficult par five.
Hastert, though, in leading the call for spending reform, has taken up the classic republican line of “it’s always better for your polls to be the first hypocrite.”
Then of couse there is the Homeland Security spending and it’s effect on the populace of the cities that have incurred losses. New Yorkers ( in the city ) have been pretty much living in a police state since 9/11, and have had to face the reality, everyday, that they are possibly the most accessible and most well known of all possible terrorist targets. The people of New York City have gone about their daily lives understanding that while they are a target, at least they are protected. Now, we see a situation that not only shows the presidents and homeland securitties true feelings for them crazy nyc liberals, ( fuck em) but also offers a great political issue for both Hillary’s campaign, and Guliani’s possible 08 run. This issue will separate both further from the president, and may prove to be the most discussed “ state vs. federal” issue in the next couple months. One has to wonder if the reason why the areas that are losing funding has more to do with contractual obligations than actual threat level assesment.
June 5, 2006 8:45 p.m. EST
Shaveta Bansal - All Headline News Contributor
Washington, DC (AHN) - The Pentagon has decided to omit a key tenet of the Geneva Convention from its new detainee policies manual.
The precept bans "humiliating and degrading treatment" of the detainees.
According to a report by The Los Angeles Times, the decision could terminate a lengthy debate within the Defense Department but would not become final until the Pentagon makes the new guidelines public.
However, the State Department has strongly opposed the military and has been pushing for the Pentagon and White House to reconsider, the paper said.
For more than a year, the Pentagon has been redrawing its policies on detainees and interrogation.
It intends to issue a new Army Field Manual, which, along with accompanying directives, represents core instructions to U.S. soldiers worldwide, the paper said.
The directive on interrogation, a senior defense official said, was being rewritten to create safeguards so that all detainees were treated humanely but can still be questioned effectively.
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7003817762
Trust between the Muslim community and police could be damaged in the wake of a terror raid in east London, a leading Muslim has warned.
Police are questioning two brothers, one of whom was shot during the raid, on suspicion of terrorism involvement.
Muslim Council of Britain leader Muhammad Abdul Bari urged police to give a "clear picture" of the raid.
Officers have said they had "no choice" but to carry out the Forest Gate raid after getting "specific intelligence".
Mohammed Abdul Kahar, 23, was treated in hospital for a wounded shoulder after the raid on Friday morning.
He was then transferred to Paddington Green high security police station, but it was only on Monday afternoon that doctors said he had recovered enough for questioning.
Police are questioning both brothers about involvement in planning or carrying out terrorism acts.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5051078.stm
, Council Speaker Tout Gun Control Measures
By JILL GARDINER - Staff Reporter of the Sun
June 6, 2006
Mayor Bloomberg may be struggling to win more anti-terrorism money from Washington, but he is having more luck working with the City Council on his local security plans.
In the latest chapter of his war against illegal guns, Mr. Bloomberg is targeting companies that sell paints in happy colors like red, yellow, and pink to refinish guns.
http://www.nysun.com/article/33918
Safavian Denies Concealing Abramoff Ties
By MICHAEL J. SNIFFEN, Associated Press Writer
Monday, June 5, 2006
· Printable Version · Email This Article
(06-05) 15:50 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --
Former Bush administration official David Safavian acknowledged Monday that he gave advice and some "nonpublic information" about federal properties to Republican influence-peddler Jack Abramoff but denied trying to conceal that from investigators.
Safavian's defense concluded its case after his second day of cross-examination in U.S. District Court. Because of a court scheduling conflict, closing arguments to the jury were postponed until next Monday.
Under detailed, skeptical questioning by prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg, the former General Services Administration chief of staff made some concessions about his judgment and memory. Still, Safavian insisted he hadn't intentionally misled GSA and Senate officials.
Safavian also acknowledged telling an FBI agent he had advised Abramoff on two GSA properties in the fall of 2002, rather than — as it actually happened — in the weeks before he took a luxury-filled golf trip to Scotland that Abramoff arranged in August 2002.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/06/05/national/w110721D09.DTL&type=politics
Web Users to "Patrol" US Border
BBC News
Friday 02 June 2006
A US state is to enlist web users in its fight against illegal immigration by offering live surveillance footage of the Mexican border on the internet.
The plan will allow web users worldwide to watch Texas' border with Mexico and phone the authorities if they spot any apparently illegal crossings.
Texas Governor Rick Perry said the cameras would focus on "hot-spots and common routes" used to enter the US.
US lawmakers have been debating a divisive new illegal immigration bill.
The Senate has approved a law that grants millions of illegal immigrants US citizenship and calls for the creation of a guest-worker programme, while beefing up border security.
But in order to come into effect, the plan must be reconciled with tougher anti-immigration measures backed by the House of Representatives, that insist all illegal immigration should be criminalised.
The issue has polarised politics and US society. Right-wing groups have protested against illegal immigrants, while millions of people marched in support of them last month.
Free Number
The Texas governor announced his plans for streaming the border surveillance camera footage over the internet at a meeting of police officials on Thursday.
www.truthout.org
U.S. fears forced prostitution at World Cup
Last Updated Mon, 05 Jun 2006 15:49:41 EDT
CBC News
The U.S. government is worried that women will be forced to become prostitutes and sell themselves at the month-long World Cup event in Germany.
As a result, Washington asked Germany on Monday to step up its plans to stop sex workers from crossing into the country to take advantage of the popular games.
Prostitution is legal in Germany, where 400,000 sex workers pay taxes. But anti-prostitution activists in the U.S., claim foreign women, many from Eastern Europe, will be forced to become sex-trade workers at the event, which starts June 9.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/06/05/germany-prostitution.html
June 6, 2006 — At a time when the National Guard has been doing extended tours abroad, President Bush has added a mission at home.
The first National Guard unit has just arrived on the Mexican border for its first mission: building corrugated metal fences topped with barbed wire in San Luis, Ariz.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to, to protect our nation," said Benjamin Grimstead, a member of the Utah National Guard.
President Bush will make his second visit to the Southern border today, in less than a month. He is expected to visit a Border Patrol training center in New Mexico and a sector headquarters in Texas.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2044007
Congressional Boondoggles Said to Total $50 Million
By Monisha Bansal
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
June 06, 2006
(CNSNews.com) - Despite calling for a ban on privately funded congressional travel, U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and members of his staff have accepted more travel from special interests than any other congressional office, according to the Center for Public Integrity and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
The two organizations released their report Monday at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
In January, Hastert declared that "we must ban privately sponsored travel in the House of Representatives."
"I know fact-finding trips are important," the speaker said. "This body considers legislation that affects people that cannot always travel to Washington to petition their government. Private travel has been abused by some, and I believe we need to put an end to it."
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200606/POL20060606b.html
Rudy rages at terror funds ax
Says 'incompetents' missed many city monuments, icons
BY DAVID SALTONSTALLDAILY NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
Breaking nearly a week of silence, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani blasted federal bean-counters yesterday for cutting homeland security dollars to the city by 40% - blaming the decision on "incompetent" bureaucrats in Washington. "I don't know who was responsible for it, but it looks like a report that was incompetent," the former mayor said of last week's Department of Homeland Security study that found no national monuments in the city worth protecting - and slashed city anti-terror grants by $80million.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/local/story/424009p-357780c.html
Mid-day wrap up :
So, Georgie pulls out all the punches in his playbook of hate and fearmongering, not only bringing the gay marriage issue, because it is obviously sooooo important right now, but also continueing to pound away on our border “ problems “. Will America stand idly by as the president wastes more time, tax dollars, and brain cells panda-ing to whomever he can at this point. One has to wonder why George doesn’t just strike out on his own and layoff the p.n.a.c. advisors who are telling him that this will somehow get him back into the peoples heart, or at least cause a smokescreen for a little while. Not that the pres. Is smart enough to run the country alone, but if he fired the people currently running things, and then re-hired all the intelligent people that quit so far, he might have a shot at getting his poll numbers back up so he might at least get a presidential library… err maybe a presidential “ fishin hole “.
But, we must suppose by now, that this is how simple they think that we are. And obviously, it worked versus Kerry, so why won’t it work to reconsolidate the presidents base now? Because they have gotten off message. It’s about the scary “gays” and “illegals”, not about the terrorists. The problem with that? Most Americans know a gay person. Most Americans know someone who is in the country illegally. Most of our families were immigrants when they first arrived. It is much more difficult to get the nationalistic blood riled up about the nieghbors you’ve had for ten years, than the shadowy guy in a turban who’s sharing your flight to Cleveland.
And then we have the ethics debate “
The report from the Center for Public Integrity and the Medill School of Journalism stated that "Hastert's staff took the most trips and had the highest tab of any congressional office," taking over 200 trips worth more than $350,000 over a five-year period. The groups looked at U.S. senators and their staffs as well, but indicated that House members were far more inclined to use the privately-funded travel.”
The question is, what are these “special interests”. We all want to think that it is necessary for
Our representitives to “investigate” situations and assess them, that’s why we elect them, but where do we draw the line? An investigation into the failures of F.E.M.A. during Katrina is certianly an acceptable “ special interset trip “ but pebble beach? Pinehest? While it is the typical upperclass white male style to conduct business on the golf course, I’m not so sure that we as a people, want to take the chance that a no bid contract was given to a company not because of its qualifications, but because of the “terrific birdie “ the company’s rep got on a difficult par five.
Hastert, though, in leading the call for spending reform, has taken up the classic republican line of “it’s always better for your polls to be the first hypocrite.”
Then of couse there is the Homeland Security spending and it’s effect on the populace of the cities that have incurred losses. New Yorkers ( in the city ) have been pretty much living in a police state since 9/11, and have had to face the reality, everyday, that they are possibly the most accessible and most well known of all possible terrorist targets. The people of New York City have gone about their daily lives understanding that while they are a target, at least they are protected. Now, we see a situation that not only shows the presidents and homeland securitties true feelings for them crazy nyc liberals, ( fuck em) but also offers a great political issue for both Hillary’s campaign, and Guliani’s possible 08 run. This issue will separate both further from the president, and may prove to be the most discussed “ state vs. federal” issue in the next couple months. One has to wonder if the reason why the areas that are losing funding has more to do with contractual obligations than actual threat level assesment.
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