Nawaz Sharif called for the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf amid strong indications that the government would postpone the elections set for Jan. 8.
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The New York Times editorial page issues an indictment against the Bush Administration for the litany of abuses that it has engaged in during the so-call War on Terrror. "...mpossible to see the founding principles of the greatest democracy in the contempt these men and their bosses showed for the Constitution, the rule of law and human decency."
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John and Elizabeth Edwards decision to stay in the race despite her cancer drew on a lesson learned through pain. I wish I had the strength of these parents!
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CHICAGO - A "surge" of overused words and phrases formed a "perfect storm" of "post-9/11" cliches in 2007, according to a U.S. university's annual list of words and phrases that deserve to be banned.
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Leading American experts in forensic pathology deplored the failure of Pakistani officials to order an autopsy of Benazir Bhutto, saying it was a crucial part of any credible investigation of a murder.
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Indications that doctors felt pressured to conform to government accounts of Benazir Bhutto's death added to the call for an international inquiry.Detective Club of Jersey City.
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Benazir Bhutto's 19-year old son was chosen Sunday to succeed her as chairman of her opposition party, while her husband will serve as co-chairman, extending Pakistan's most famous political dynasty to another generation.
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By John Deering, The Akron Beacon-Journal
© Cartoonist Group, 2006
Technorati tags: John Deering, Cartoonist Group, political cartoons, political satire, editorial cartoons
The US must insist that the Israeli siege of Gaza must be lifted and more...
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Camp does a report on sweatshop labor. Something that only a comedian, and a progressive one at that, could make funny.
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43% of Iraqis are already living in absolute poverty. Dahr Jamail reports from Iraq that the Iraqi government intends to cut rations in half in January 2008 because the increase in price in food stuffs has greatly outpaced the increase in workers' wages. This move will terribly affect most prominently Iraqi children, already suffering badly.
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Bush appoints corrupt-conservative drug hardliner to Federal judge position that was opened up when Att. Gen. Gonzales fired previous judge for not being sufficiently "pro-Bush". Is Bush declaring war on the people of California?
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FOR THOSE WHO TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY
1. Save the whales. Collect the whole set
2. A day without sunshine is, like, night
3. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
4. I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
5. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
6. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
7. I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
8. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be
misquoted, then used against you.
9. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges.
10. Honk if you love peace and quiet.
11. Remember half the people you know are below average.
12. Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it
remains?
13. Nothing is foolproof to a talented fool.
14. Atheism is a non-prophet organisation.
15. He who laughs last thinks slowest.
16. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
17. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
18. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the
cheese.
19. I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.
20. I intend to live forever - so far so good.
21. Borrow money from a pessimist - they don't expect it back.
22. If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
24. Quantum mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of.25. The only substitute for
good manners is fast reflexes.
26. Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have.
27. When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane and
going the wrong way.
28. If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you
tried.
29. A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.
30. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
31. For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism.
32. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks
33. Never do card tricks for the group you play poker with.
34. No one is listening until you make a mistake.
35. Success always occurs in private and failure in full view.
37. The hardness of butter is directly proportional to the softness
of the bread.
38. The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the
ability to reach it.
39. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many
is research.
40. To succeed in politics, it is often necessary to rise above your
principles.
41. Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7 of your life.
42. You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.
43. Two wrongs are only the beginning.
44. The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.
45. The sooner you fall behind the more time you'll have to catch up.
46. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
47. Change is inevitable except from vending machines.
48. Get a new car for your spouse - it'll be a great trade!
49. Plan to be spontaneous - tomorrow.
50. Always try to be modest and be proud of it!
51. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
52. How many of you believe in telekinesis? Raise my hand...
53. Love may be blind but marriage is a real eye-opener.
54. If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving isn't for you.
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I'd like to be the harbinger of good news, and there is some, but all-in-all, 2007 was a disaster for Democrats and the country at large - Bush and Cheney are still at the helm of power and Congress remains cowed and ineffective. There have been instances of courage, and you have to admire Joe Biden for sticking to his guns
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The Bush administration will be satisfied when Pakistan's government settles back into a political posture which they can claim has the legitimacy of an election -- no matter how compromised or corrupted that election may be.
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By Inal Ersan DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden accused Washington of plotting to take control of Iraq's oil and urged Iraqis to reject efforts to rebuild a U.S.-backed national unity government there. The militant leader also vowed...
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ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has detained five people for links with al Qaeda after police operations in four cities including the capital Ankara, Turkish TV reported on Sunday. The arrests follow the detention at the weekend of 19 people for suspected...
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By Kamran Haider ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Benazir Bhutto's party appointed her son and her husband to succeed the slain Pakistani opposition leader on Sunday and a senior official of the former ruling party said an election was likely to be...
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Benazir Bhutto's 19-year-old son Bilawal has been chosen to take over her Pakistan People's Party, after her assassination on Thursday.
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Benazir Bhutto in quotes - Times Online
Posted by soul Labels: Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan, politics, quotations, quotesFollowing the assasination of Pakistani opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, this is a collection of quotes from the leader who returned from self-imposed exile this year to fight elections in Pakistan.
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Learning to Give - Quotes by Benazir Bhutto
Posted by soul Labels: Benazir Bhutto, opinion, Pakistan, politics, quotations, quotes"You can imprison a man, but not an idea. You can exile a man, but not an idea. You can kill a man, but not an idea."
- Bhutto, Benazir Prime minister of Pakistan (1953– )
- -More quotes about [Ideas] [Women]
What's next for the U.S. in Pakistan?
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Bin Laden also made an unusually sharp threat of attacks against Israel, saying, "I would like to assure our people in Palestine that we will expand our jihad there.""We intend to liberate Palestine, the whole of Palestine from the (Jordan) river to the sea," he said, threatening "blood for blood, destruction for destruction."
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The National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence opened its doors in 1991 with a $5 million earmark from a powerful lawmaker. Operating in Johnstown, Pa., the privately run center has received at least $671 million worth of federal contracts and earmarks since then to research and
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Wouldn't it be great if the Feds knew everything that there is to know about you and while they are at it know what you are doing at all times?
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When I first knew Benazir Bhutto, it was not as the larger than life 'Antigone' tragic figure she became but rather as a fellow undergraduate at Harvard College. Benazir, known by family and then friends as 'Pinky' because of her pink complexion, lived in a connecting dorm to mine at the Radcliffe Quad. We also connected through mutual friends and
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Frost over the World - Benazir Bhutto
Posted by soul Labels: Al Qaeda, Benazir Bhutto, Osama Bin Laden, Pakistan, video
go 6 min. into it and listen carefully she says Bin laden was murdered
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Written before Benazir Bhutto's assassination Thursday, it puts much needed context around her assassination, and the statements made by the Pakistan, and U.S. governments. Bush had said Mursharraf is "truly is somebody who believes in democracy." Could Musharraf have been trying to "guarantee his political future" by murdering Benazir Bhutto?
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The Bush Administration did not kill Benazir Bhutto, but they want us to believe that only Al Qaeda is responsible and they're not.
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Once upon a time, things were as they should be, and everyone saw BushCo for the criminals they are.
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David Sirota details mechanism whereby state's electoral votes are apportioned by percentage of vote in the state. That is, it's not a shell game. If you're a Republican in Massachusetts or a Democrat in Nebraska, your vote will mean something and presidential candidates would have to target tight local races, regardless of state.
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"Americans today are seeing the same sheepish submissiveness that characterized Germany after the burning of the Reichstag." Is democracy slowly disappearing? Hitler and Franco did it in Germany and Spain. Is Bush doing it in the USA?
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Pelosi needs to put impeachment back on the table.
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Widespread uncertainty about immigration has splintered the U.S., creating an unnecessary panic similar to the Red Scare or the McCarthy years.
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Al-Qaida denies involvement in slaying despite official accusationsISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Islamic militants said Saturday they had no link to Benazir Bhutto's assassination, dismissing government claims that a leader of pro-Taliban forces in Pakistan carried out the suicide attack on the opposition leader.
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Dateline investigation suggests that even now, six years after the 9/11 attacks, terrorists could easily get a passport to cross almost any border
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Conflicting reports about what caused the death of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto are fueling questions about the circumstances of her assassination.
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SYDNEY (Reuters) - The only Guantanamo Bay inmate convicted of terrorism offences, Australian David Hicks, was released from prison on Saturday morning after spending over six years behind bars, the majority in solitary confinement. Hicks, 32,...
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By Ellen Wulfhorst STORY CITY, Iowa (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton called on Friday for an international probe of Benazir Bhutto's killing and candidates in both parties sparred over foreign policy six days before Iowa kicks off a close...
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By Tabassum Zakaria CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President George W. Bush intends to veto defense legislation after Iraq objected to a provision that could freeze its assets in the United States if Americans sue the country, the White House said on...
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More Questions Than Answers - Updated
Posted by soul Labels: Al Qaeda, Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan, world newsThe official Pakistani Interior Ministry statement today on Benazir Bhutto's assassination begs more questions than it answers. Starting with the alleged culprits.
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Amy Wilentz: Benazir Bhutto: A Killing and Three Funerals
Posted by soul Labels: Benazir Bhutto, blog, blogger, bloggers, Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf, violence, war, world news"Death is a proof of sincerity," Graham Greene wrote in The Comedians. That holds true here.
As for the motivations of the killers. Their real targets were secular liberalism, the Bhutto dynasty, and the U.S. What they feared was a Bhutto premiership, beginning in about ten days, when the elections were to take place. Whoever they are exactly, they see an opening to power and control now, and they would not permit Benazir to stand in their way.
LA Times: The Benazir I Knew
Amy's profile of Benazir Bhutto appears in the December/January issue of More magazine.
Read more reactions from HuffPost bloggers on Benazir Bhutto's assassination
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Democracy movement in Pakistan not dead
Posted by soul Labels: Benazir Bhutto, democracy, Pakistan, video, world news
Aijaz Ahmad: The democracy movement did not start with Bhutto and will not end with her death
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Violence spreads across Pakistan
Posted by soul Labels: Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan, video, violence, war, world news
Dec. 28 - Elections in Pakistan are still due to go ahead as planned despite a night a violence following the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pakistan's nuclear weapons arsenal is secure despite political turmoil after the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, the Pentagon said on Friday. ''Our assessment is that the Pakistani nuclear arsenal is under...
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This is the Ron Paul that makes sense to me. I could never vote for him, but these words are welcome.
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A world away, in the United States, the crisis in Pakistan is beginning to reshape the political ground game in the upcoming elections. With the January 3rd Iowa caucuses less than a week away at this point, Bhutto's assassination is having an effect, with both Republican and Democratic candidates attempting to take hold of the issue...
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In late November, PARADE sent Contributing Editor Gail Sheehy to Pakistan. Sheehy traveled with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto as she campaigned through her home provinces. Sheehy had two long interviews with her—the first in Bhutto’s home in Islamabad, a second at her residence outside Karachi.
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tips to fascists, dictators, corporatists, militarists, imperialists, neocons, right wingers, theocrats, theofascists and terrorists...
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The Bhutto Assassination: A Human Rights Perspective
Posted by soul Labels: Amnesty International, Benazir Bhutto, human rights, humanity, Pakistan, President Pervez MusharrafWith the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the human rights community has lost a strong and steadfast ally.
by Mary Shaw Page 1 of 1 page(s)
http://www.opednews.com/
On Thursday, December 27, Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan and the current opposition party leader, succumbed to an assassin's bullet. Chaos has ensued.
Will this be a step backwards in efforts to restore democracy in nuclear Pakistan? I hope not, but Bhutto's assassination is not a good sign.
Benazir Bhutto was good for Pakistan and good for the world. She worked tirelessly to promote democracy in her country, and to stand up for the rights of the poor and the needy. This is in stark contrast to Pakistani President Musharraf's preferred method of governance by military dictatorship.
As the first woman ever elected to lead a Muslim state, Bhutto was also a symbol of progress for women's rights in the Islamic world.With Bhutto's death, the human rights community has lost a strong and steadfast ally.
In response to the assassination, Ali Dayan Hasan of Human Rights Watch said, "Benazir Bhutto was a democrat who believed in the supremacy of constitutional rule and, throughout her career, sought power through the ballot box. She died campaigning for votes and calling for a free election."
Amnesty International (AI) is calling on Musharraf's government to uphold the rule of law and the rules of democratic behavior in the aftermath of the Bhutto assassination. AI's Catherine Baber stated, "The killing of Benazir Bhutto must not be allowed to become a setback to civilian governance or indeed lead to a further crackdown on civil liberties."My condolences go out to Bhutto's family and political followers.
May she rest in peace.
###
http://www.maryshawonline.com/
Mary Shaw is a Philadelphia-based writer and activist, with a focus on politics, human rights, and social justice. She is a former Philadelphia Area Coordinator for the Nobel-Prize-winning human rights group Amnesty International, and her views appear regularly in a variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites. Note that the ideas expressed here are the author's own, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Amnesty International or any other organization with which she may be associated.
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Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton on Friday accused the camp of rival Sen. Barack Obama of politicizing the death of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
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The Politics of Murder, The Politics of Humanity
Posted by soul Labels: blog, humanity, murder, opinion, political satire, politics, the politics of murderI've been digging tons of stories about the assination of Benazir Bhutto...I can't stop thinking that peaceful people get assinated much more often than bad people, and how unfair that is.
Then I read this post by Garlin II - Cliff Schecter - Friday December 28, 01:57 AM;
The murder of Benazir Bhutto leaves the world with many questions, puzzles the world with many implications, and presents to the world both challenges and opportunities. There are political realities in Pakistan, throughout the Middle East, and across the world that now exist due the killing of this woman. However, these are neither the most sensible nor the most appropriate issues to be discussed at this point. What we, the media, and anyone conversing on this subject should be grappling with is the fact that a woman, a daughter, a wife, a mother of three, was murdered because she had different ideas.
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"GodMen" Want to "Cowboy Up As Followers of Jesus" [VIDEO]
Studies show that 60% of regular churchgoers are women, and one group of men believes the reason is that "Christianity is too soft."
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Studies show that 60% of regular churchgoers are women, and one group of men believes the reason is that "Christianity is too soft."
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Government also reports Bhutto died of injuries from hitting her head
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan's interior minister on Friday blamed al-Qaida and the Taliban for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and said another key opposition leader, Nawaz Sharif, is also under threat of militant attack.
“We have the evidence that al-Qaida and Taliban were behind the suicide attack on Benazir Bhutto,” Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz said.
The government also reported that Bhutto died from a skull fracture suffered when her head slammed against her car during a suicide attack — not from bullet wounds.
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Bhutto joins long list of assassinated leaders
Posted by soul Labels: Benazir Bhutto, opinion, politics, violence, war'Murder has been around longer than the ballot and is often more influential'
Benazir Bhutto's father was prime minister of Pakistan in the 1970s and, before he was hanged, he would tell her to study the lives of great women as inspiration. She sometimes told reporters that story, including the names of Joan of Arc and Indira Gandhi as study subjects suggested by her dad. The French revolutionary was burned at the stake; the Indian prime minister was assassinated by her bodyguards.
Their violent ends did not deter Bhutto, nor did the murders of her father and brother. A Harvard graduate with a sharp knowledge of history, she would have known that The Assassination has been around a lot longer than the ballot and is often more influential.
The Assassination is almost universally denigrated as a "cowardly act" (as President Bush described Bhutto's killing yesterday). But the historical record shows it to be a dramatic, low-cost, highly symbolic means of communication -- and murder -- that disaffected people use to try to dramatically sway national or even international affairs.
It can work or backfire or just disappear, like a bloody drop in a bucket. Pakistan will be unstable in the coming days, as it has been in the past and will be again. Who can say if Bhutto's slaying is the pinball that leads to destruction, the painful agent of positive change, or just a killing, like most, full of sound and fury and signifying nothing more than murderous nihilism?
The descent into regional conflagration could have been triggered "by 'shock and awe' in Iraq, or the assassination of [prime minister Rafik] Hariri in Lebanon in 2005, or Israel's battles with Hezbollah," says Mustafa Aksakal, assistant professor of history at American University, who is writing a book about the Ottoman Empire's descent into World War I. "But the region has so far been able to absorb these shocks. It's just impossible to say what will be the straw that breaks the camel's back."
"Anyone who thinks they can predict the consequences of a political assassination is a damn fool," says Eric Rauchway, author of "Murdering McKinley: The Making of Teddy Roosevelt's America" and a history professor at the University of California, Davis. "All it provides is an opportunity. However, the opportunity it provides is often not one the assassin intended."
This has been true from the Ides of March forward.
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The death of one of the most liberal figures in Pakistani politics ends a turbulent year for one of the U.S.' staunchest allies in the war on terrorism. It could also mark the beginning of another tumultuous year for Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf. Mr. Musharraf has been embroiled in several ongoing battles: the rising tide of extremism in tribal areas, and the continuing struggle for political control. VOA's Mil Arcega filed this report.
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By Faisal Aziz NAUDERO, Pakistan (Reuters) - Benazir Bhutto was buried on Friday in her family mausoleum after the opposition leader's assassination plunged Pakistan into crisis and triggered violent protests across her native Sindh province. Tens...
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By Imtiaz Shah KARACHI (Reuters) - Protests erupted in Pakistan for a second day on Friday after the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and the violence was worst in her home province in the south. Officials said 24 people, including...
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Great Alternet article on Bush lies
At AlterNet, we did our best to bring some critical discourse to the debaate surrounding the so-called "Long War." Here are your most popular stories on the subject from 2007…
10. Accustomed to Their Own Atrocities in Iraq, U.S. Soldiers Have Become Murderers
By Chris Hedges, Adbusters
After four years of war, American Marines and soldiers have become socialized to atrocity. The war in Iraq is now primarily about murder. There is very little killing.
9. Top Military Recruitment Lies
By Aimee Allison, David Solnit, Seven Stories Press
The new book Army of None reveals the scummy truth about the military recruitment complex.
8. Majority of Iraqi Lawmakers Now Reject Occupation
By Raed Jarrar, Joshua Holland, AlterNet
More than half of the members of Iraq's parliament rejected for the first time on Tuesday the continuing occupation of their country. The U.S. media ignored the story.
7. Bush-Cheney Really Are Planning to Attack Iran!
By Jim Hightower, Hightower Lowdown
Bush & Buckshot are riding their little stick horses, demonizing another Muslim nation -- and the Dems are supporting it. We've got to shut them down.
6. As Bush's War Strategy Shifts to Iran, Christian Zionists Gear Up for the Apocalypse
By Sarah Posner, AlterNet
Is Bush pushing for a second war or a Second Coming?
5. Neocons in Cheney's Office Fund al Qaeda-Tied Groups … and No One Cares?
By Tom Engelhardt, Tomdispatch.com
Seymour Hersh's recent report that Iran-Contra veterans working out of Dick Cheney's office are using stolen funds from Iraq to arm al Qaeda-tied groups and foment a larger Sunni-Shia war is a very big deal.
4. White House Leak: Cheney's Plan for Iran Attack Starts With Israeli Missile Strike
By Gregor Peter Schmitz, Cordula Meyer, Der Spiegel
High-ranking military experts say an attack would lead to world economic chaos, or even what Bush calls 'World War III.'
3. Can We End the American Empire Before It Ends Us?
By Chalmers Johnson, Tomdispatch.com
Brilliant historian and essayist Chalmers Johnson argues that unless we face up to the tremendous strain our empire is having on America, we will lose our democracy, and then it will not matter much what else we lose.
2. 737 U.S. Military Bases = Global Empire
By Chalmers Johnson, Metropolitan Books
With more than 2,500,000 U.S. personnel serving across the planet and military bases spread across each continent, it's time to face up to the fact that our American democracy has spawned a global empire.
And, drumroll please, the top story of war and empire for 2007 was …
1. The Mega-Lie Called the "War on Terror": A Masterpiece of Propaganda
By Richard W. Behan, AlterNet
The fraudulence of the "War on Terror" is clearly revealed by looking at the pattern of actions that preceded and followed its launch.
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The anti-corporate message of the Edwards campaign has hit a nerve.
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Our preoccupation with Muslim terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan often blocks out the bigger picture: South Asia is a region drenched in blood.
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HOUSTON (Reuters) - A home where President "Chimper" W. Bush lived as a young boy with his parents in Odessa, Texas, and that is now part of a presidential museum there was damaged on Thursday by a fire that investigators blamed on arson. ''I can tell...
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By Kamran Haider ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The body of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was taken to her family village for burial on Friday, a day after she was assassinated by a suicide bomber, plunging the nuclear-armed country into one of...
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Census Bureau expects the nation's population to be 303.15 million on New Year's Day, up 0.9 percent from January 1, 2007, it said on Thursday. In 2008, the country will add one person every 13 seconds, the bureau...
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DUBAI (Reuters) - An Islamist Web site said on Friday it would carry a new recording from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden about ''foiling plots'' in Iraq. The Web site said the 56-minute recording would also be about the Islamic State in Iraq, an al...
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Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" scared him. Seriously.
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World governments, religious leaders and personal friends have been united in their condemnation of the Bhutto killing
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Karachi: At least four people were killed on Thursday as angry mobs took to the streets of Pakistani cities to protest the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, torching scores of vehicles and buildings.
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Bush tried to create the image of the noble war on terrorism. Abu Ghraib images created a public relations disaster for Bush. So in 2005, the CIA destroyed several hundred hours of videotapes depicting torturous interrogations of Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, probably including water boarding.
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Ron Paul may be the darling of the Libertarians but John Edwards is the only candidate for 2008 who clearly sees the reality of the two Americas and can articulate its consequences. We are currently in a deepening recession and Edward's is the only candidate who can effectively take on the special interests ~ which is why the media ignores him.
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The support for GOP right-wing libertarian Ron Paul by persons who are not GOP right-wings is a phenomenon to behold and is puzzling.
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The big lie is exposed when you learn that the rich get the best of everything, especially health care, while the poor are shunted aside to die of neglect. When a plan is suggested that would care for the poor while costing the rich no more, we owe it to ourselves to give it serious consideration.
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"She has been martyred," said Rehman Malik, a spokesman for her party.
Some of her supporters smashed windows and doors at the hospital, chanting: "Dog, Musharraf, Dog."
It is the first major attack since President General Pervez Musharraf lifted emergency rule two weeks ago.
He has appealed for calm in the country and declared three days of mourning.
But there have already been riots in cities across Pakistan, and Sky News Asia correspondent Alex Crawford believes there is more bloodshed to come.
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Money intended to bolster Pakistan’s military effort against Al Qaeda and the Taliban has been diverted toward weapons systems to counter India, officials said.
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The latest estimate of the growing costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the worldwide battle against terrorism -- nearly $15 billion a month -- came last week from one of the Senate's leading proponents of a continued U.S. military presence in Iraq.
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I got a bad feeling about this, says the author, can't imagine why!Do us all a favor, Mr. President. Stay home.
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David Addington personally tried to "wipe out" his job after Leonard attempted to challenge Cheney's claims.
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It appears Bill Shaheen's attack on Barack Obama is hurting his wife's chances in her New Hampshire race against John Sununu for his Senate seat. The latest Survey USA poll has her down 11 points to Sununu; last month's Survey USA poll had her leading by 11 points. I guess some campaign tactics are just best left to Republicans.
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So many memorable things happened in 2007. We should probably start hiding the evidence, now.
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How many times have you heard the war won't matter in the 2008 election? Wrong!
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What's the difference between Paris Hilton and Scooter Libby? Twenty-three days.
Okay. Just so you know: the Top Ten Comedic News Stories of the Year are as different from the Top Ten Legitimate News Stories of the Year as Peppermint Mini Marshmallow Froot Loops are from porridge. For instance, the Pakistani government transition didn't make our list. Why? Because it has the humor quotient of cider vinegar foot baths. Except for President Musharaff's first name being Pervez. Short for Perv? Prez Perv. Nice alliteration there. But funny? No. Subprime mortgage crisis? Yeah, right. Rusty-nail-through-the-bottom-of-your-Reeboks funny. Myanmar, Virginia Tech, you see my point. So let's go my route. Here are the stories of '07 that were the most lampoonable.
10. Jimmy Carter called President Bush the "worst President ever." And by the very nature of that statement, that would have to include... Jimmy Carter. "Worst President ever" by Jimmy Carter. That can't be good--like having your drug intervention hosted by Lindsay Lohan.
9. David Petreaus, the Surgin' General said Iraq looks more and more like America every day. Apparently they want us out of there too. Claims the government is paralyzed by petty partisan squabbling, so maybe they are getting the hang of a western style democracy.
8. Hillary Clinton asked the public to help pick her official campaign song. Here's some additional suggestions. The Theme from Shaft. Its Too Late Baby. Devil with a Blue Dress. She's Cold as Ice. The Bitch is Back.
7. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad demonstrated the concept of free speech in America. Both he and Bush at the UN on the same day. Think of it: a religious fanatic who sponsors secret prisons and has antagonized the whole world and an Iranian, both addressing the General Assembly.
6. Rudy Giuliani tried to espouse traditional family values on the campaign trail. And the fact that he's had three wives just means he's extra traditional. The Christian Coalition threatened to form a third party if Rudy Giuliani becomes the Republican nominee. Wonder what they'll call it? Too bad "the Taliban" is already taken.
5. Karl Rove and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales both resigned. I'm thinking the only reason he kept supporting Gonzales is because "Attorney General" and "Alberto Gonzales" both start with AG, and it was the only way he could remember who was filling the position. Like a mnemonic device. Karl Rove: proof positive that the Devil and the Pillsbury Dough Boy had more than a passing acquaintance.
4. Mitt Romney's tried to run a perfect campaign. Looks like he's been dipped in a polyurethane bath. Flip-flopped so much he's in danger of triggering a Stage Four John Kerry Alert. His campaign ads should close with "I'm Mitt Romney, and I both approve and disapprove of this ad."
3. Paris Hilton was offered community service, but the community declined. Q. What's the difference between Paris Hilton and Scooter Libby? A. 23 days.
2. Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff Scooter Libby was fined a quarter million dollars which was paid for by the Scooter Libby Defense Fund, which you and I know as Halliburton. His 30-month sentence was then commuted by President Bush, who apparently is not just the Decider, he's also the Commuter.
1. Idaho Republican Senator Larry Craig isn't gay and didn't quit. He may be homosexual, but he is so not gay. Like a Rorschach blot of not gay. Said he was entrapped. Cop must have worn some fetching footwear. Italian design, really shiny and the laces were perfect. Should have gone with the Restless Leg Syndrome defense.
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'Al Qaeda Killed Bhutto'
Posted by soul Labels: Al Qaeda, Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf, war on terror, world newsBruce Riedel, a former defense and intelligence official who helped make South Asia policy in the administrations of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, says he believes Benazir Bhutto's assassination "was almost certainly the work of Al Qaeda or Al Qaeda's Pakistani allies." He says, "Their objective is to destabilize the Pakistani state, to break up the secular political parties, to break up the army so that Pakistan becomes a politically failing state in which the Islamists in time can come to power much as they have in other failing states." He says the United States should press the government of President Pervez Musharraf to go ahead with the parliamentary elections—perhaps after a brief pause. "The only way that Pakistan is going to be able to fight terrorism effectively is to have a legitimate democratically elected secular government that can rally the Pakistani people to engage Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other extremist movements," he says.
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Beginning early next year, U.S. Special Forces are expected to vastly expand their presence in Pakistan, as part of an effort to train and support indigenous counter-insurgency forces and clandestine counterterrorism units, according to defense officials involved with the planning.
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Pakistan: Bhutto's Death and Impending Elections
Posted by soul Labels: Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan, war on terror, world newsStill reeling with the shock, The Emergency Times, which has kept a very close eye on the unfolding political situation in Pakistan, writes
At this tragic moment in the history of Pakistan, we at the Emergency Times are shocked beyond words at this intolerable and brutal act of the murder, along with others, of possibly the most popular leader of our country. No words can adequately condemn this barbaric act, which can only lead to more death and destruction for this tortured land. Her death will leave a gaping chasm in our country's leadership. One can only hope, beyond hope, that the perpetrators are brought to justice.May God help us all.
Pickled Politics links to the news and a commenter writes “Assassination of leading political figures is a very bad sign for a society, for it shows a clear and direct lack of trust and respect for the institutions of the state and society. One can only hope that the perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Some other perspectives have also emerged, looking at Bhutto both as a possible leader and a mover in international politics. Counter Terrorism Blog says
She was someone who the U.S. could actually work with to seek a way forward for Pakistan in light of the profound challenges posed by religious intolerance and political extremism, the drug trade, governmental institutions that do not provide essential services in many areas of the country, and Pakistan's troubled relationships with of its immediate neighbors — Afghanistan, India, and Iran.
Her faults were also profound, as the well-documented grand corruption cases brought against her and her husband attest. She did indeed treat her country like it was a family-owned business, with corrosive results. These includied her removal from power in 1990 and again in 1996 as the corruption both weakened her politically and played a significant role in her inability to deliver the reforms needed to make Pakistan's government responsive to the needs of its people
The Moderate Voice has a bio on Benazir Bhutto, including information on her father who was also the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and was sentenced to death in the 70s for charges similar to the ones Benazir faced much later.
From across the border, Indian Muslims comment on the assassination, and debate various conspiracy theories.
The hands of Nawaz Sharif cannot be completely ignored as he too had his reason for her removal: He now is the only national level leader who has experience as a Prime Minister. He is now sure to take over as PM of Pakistan. The chances of this conspiracy are rare but you never know with these opportunistic and individualistic politicians.
Meanwhile, Sepia Mutiny's post on Bhutto's death already has over a hundred comments. One commenter says
One wonders if she truly felt she would be safe in Pakistan. Love of country and desire to contribute aside, is there some shred of a risk-taking thrill inherent in this endeavor she had embarked upon? Some level of martyrlike delusion, however deeply buried? Can any of us imagine being devoted enough to any political cause to risk our life so boldly? Was it worth it, Benazir?
Truly sad. Whither Pakistan?
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WASHINGTON -- The assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has dealt a severe blow to U.S. efforts to restore stability and democracy in a turbulent, nuclear-armed Islamic nation that has been a critical ally in the war on terror.
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States condemned an attack that killed Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, a U.S. State Department official said on Thursday. ''The attack shows that there are still those in Pakistan trying to undermine...
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By Jim Wolf WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A plan to sell Saudi Arabia highly accurate Boeing Co bomb-guidance kits is roiling Israel's backers in the Congress, setting up a potential clash with President George W. Bush. The administration could formally...
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By David Fox KABUL (Reuters) - A senior United Nations official and another from the European Union left Afghanistan on Thursday after the government ordered their expulsion, accusing them of holding talks with the Taliban and for paying cash to the...
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Pakistan's Bhutto killed in gun, bomb attack
Posted by soul Labels: Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan, war on terror
By Augustine Anthony RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was killed in a gun and bomb attack after a rally in the city of Rawalpindi on Thursday, her party said. ''She has been martyred,'' said party official...
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An email action from The Center for Constitutional Rights...
This past month over 37,000 Americans asked CCR to send a copy of the U.S. Constitution to George W. Bush as an early holiday present in the hope that he might actually read it. We hadn't really figured out how we were going to deliver all of them, but with so many people insistent that we remind President Bush of the oath he swore to uphold the Constitution, we pulled some strings. We made an urgent appeal to Santa Claus, who made the trip down from the North Pole in his sleigh just to deliver our gift to Bush. Click here to watch the video and see Santa as he tries to deliver the law.
Santa, played by prominent civil rights attorney Bill Goodman, said: "These Constitutions will make some great holiday reading. I want to be sure that the President will have plenty of time to look at them before he decides on his New Year's resolutions."
Watch CCR's video of Santa delivering the Constitutions. We think it might be just the holiday cheer you and your loved ones need. Make sure to listen to the last 10 seconds!Send a holiday card of the video to your friends and family to and help us make it the #1 video on You Tube this holiday season!
By Kristin Roberts WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most al Qaeda fighters in Iraq are from Saudi Arabia and Libya and many are university-aged students, said a study released on Wednesday by researchers at the U.S. Army's West Point military academy. The...
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Money intended to bolster Pakistan’s military effort against Al Qaeda and the Taliban has been diverted toward weapons systems to counter India, officials said.
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White House accused of cover-up in torture tape outrage
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From the Christian Science Monitor: The museum aims to insert peace into a culture that glorifies martyrdom. Note from OpEdNews submitter: I'm delighted to pass along this link to an article by Scott Peterson in the Christian Science Monitor, particularly as I happened to have met the author in Tehran and I've been to the Tehran Peace Museum.
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ASADABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A woman carrying a waistcoat filled with explosives under her all-enveloping burqa was arrested on Monday in eastern Afghanistan, provincial officials said, in the first possible reported case of a female suicide...
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By Peter Graff BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Christmas Eve, late afternoon, and U.S. soldiers from 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment piled into their Stryker armored vehicles for a patrol out on the streets of Baghdad. This is the fifth Christmas that U.S....
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By Adam Entous JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel is considering relaxing its criteria for releasing Palestinian prisoners, officials said on Monday before the start of another round of peace talks bogged down by disputes over settlements. Easing Israeli...
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I brief parody of "It's a Wonderful Life" starring our too-easy-to-satirize, shamelessly pathetic commander in chief himself....
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The neverendingwar has created horrific conditions for everyone, and in this story from an embedded reporter, follows the course of events that led one grop to say, no more.
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If we really want to control marijuana and keep it away from kids, why not try a method that actually works?
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The sharp decline of the U.S. dollar since 2000 is affecting a broad swath of the world's population, with its drop on global markets being blamed at least in part for misfortunes as diverse as labor strikes in the Middle East, lost jobs in Europe and the end of an era of globe-trotting rich Americans.
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Man nails Claus to cross to protest commercialism of Christmas
BREMERTON, Wash. - Art Conrad has an issue with the commercialism of Christmas, and his protest has gone way beyond just shunning the malls or turning off his television. The Bremerton resident nailed Santa Claus to a 15-foot crucifix in front of his house.read more digg story
By Adam Entous
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel unveiled plans on Sunday to build hundreds of new homes on occupied land near Jerusalem next year, drawing protests from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the eve of renewed peace talks. Israel also...
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While appearing on the December 23, 2007 airing of NBC's 'Meet the Press,' Ron Paul discussed America's slide toward fascism. By name, Paul mentions Arron Russo's paean to the disassembly of the IRS and the Federal Reserve. Visit the site and then watch the documentary, in its entirety, on Google Video.
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Iran Cited in Iraq's Decline in Violence
Posted by soul Labels: government, Iran, Iraq, Iraq war, politics, USA, warThe Iranian government has decided "at the most senior levels" to rein in the violent Shiite militias it supports in Iraq, a move reflected in a sharp decrease in sophisticated roadside bomb attacks over the past several months, according to the State Department's top official on Iraq.
Tehran's decision does not necessarily mean the flow of those weapons from Iran has stopped, but the decline in their use and in overall attacks "has to be attributed to an Iranian policy decision," David M. Satterfield, Iraq coordinator and senior adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, said in an interview.
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker said that the decision, "should [Tehran] choose to corroborate it in a direct fashion," would be "a good beginning" for a fourth round of talks between Crocker and his Iranian counterpart in Baghdad. Although the mid-December date scheduled for the talks was postponed, Crocker said he expects that the parties will convene "in the next couple of weeks."
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When seeking the best news of 2007, maybe we should look to ourselves, rather than the mainstream media sources writing the news to begin with.
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A new report notes that distrust of pols is at an all-time high. Sirota explains briefly why this isn't at all surprising.
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"Unembedded" journalist Dahr Jamail reviews Meeting Resistance. With video. Editor's note: you can view a trailer for Meeting Resistance the video box to your right.
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Raw Story reports that Homeland Security is preparing to use satellites to observe us here in the US.
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The move occurs as Washington and Tehran prepare for a new round of talks on Iraqi security.
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A MoveOn.org Civic Action: Can you give $15 to buy a phone card for our troops?...
This winter, thousands of U.S. servicemen and women are spending the holidays far away from their families, and calling home can cost them a large part of their paycheck. Troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the globe actually have to pay for phone calls to the U.S.—and many of them just don't have a lot of money to spare. Imagine being stuck in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Korea and being unable to afford a call to your spouse or kids on Christmas or New Year's Eve.
Troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the globe actually have to pay to call home for the holidays—and many of them just don't have a lot of money to spare. That's why we're helping the USO to provide thousands of phone cards to servicemen and women to let them call their friends, family and loved ones this holiday season.These phone cards don't cost a lot—only $15 each (plus a $3 transaction fee), but they are incredibly valuable, providing about 45 minutes of talk-time and holiday wishes for service members.
Can you give $15 to buy a phone card for our troops?
The death, resulting from a knife fight between the two men, has provoked local anger and demands for legal action.
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A majority of Iraqi lawmakers say renewal requests not ratified by the parliament are illegal.
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By Tim Gaynor PHOENIX (Reuters) - Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain lost ground to his presidential rivals over support for what his opponents called ''amnesty'' for illegal immigrants. Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York...
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By Randall Mikkelsen WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush insisted on Thursday he did not learn until recently that the CIA destroyed videotapes of harsh interrogations, and said he would not speak any more in public about the issue...
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(Corrects name of contest to Miss Teen USA from Miss Teen America in fourth paragraph) By Arthur Spiegelman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - ''Don't Tase Me, Bro,'' a phrase that swept the nation after a college student used it seeking to stop campus police...
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Cancer Kills Uninsured Americans More Quickley Than Insured
Posted by soul Labels: health, health news, poverty
Uninsured cancer patients are nearly twice as likely to die within five years as those with private coverage, according to the first national study of its kind and one that sheds light on troubling health care obstacles. Democrats want to investigate why cancer is more virulent towards the uninsured and speculate it may be a GOP plot to scare us.
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Public housing controversy pits blacks, whites and now political partiesNEW ORLEANS - Police used chemical spray and stun devices as dozens of protesters seeking to halt the demolition of public housing in New Orleans tried to force their way through an iron gate at City Hall.
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This is so disgusting, so vile....Not just the incident, but response to it.
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