1 July 03

'10 KILLED IN MOSQUE BLAST [in Iraq]

'A massive explosion killed 10 Iraqis and injured four others in a mosque in the volatile town of Falujah.

'Locals said it was caused by a US [aerial] missile strike, but American soldiers said it was probably caused by explosives hidden at the site.

'Elsewhere, at least four US soldiers were reported wounded when a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at their armoured car in Baghdad.'

(ITV Teletext, p.314/1)

Bush has said that attacks won't prompt an early withdrawal from Iraq.

Britain is to lead a 16,000-strong division of international peacekeepers in Iraq, the Ministry of Defence said.

'The 11,000 troops already on the ground in southern Iraq will be bolstered by 5,000 soldiers from nine countries to continue stabilisation operations. ...'

(ITV Teletext, 1 July 03, p.314/2)

Troop-buildups may be preparation for invasion of Iran (or other oil countries), and should be watched carefully. A small extra contingent of UK troops has recently been sent to northern Afghanistan.

'The Guardian reports that the US is planning a new generation of weapons, including bombs dropped from space.

'The developments "will allow the US to strike its enemies at lightning speed from its own territory", says the paper.'

(BBC Ceefax, 1 July 03, p.148, reviews of British papers)

Cf. the next item.

2 July 03

'US PLANS "UNMANNED HYPERSONIC AIRCRAFT"

'The US is planning to build an unmanned hypersonic aircraft capable of striking any world target within two hours.

'The concept has recently been place on the website of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa).

'America will be able, using aircraft based on its own territory, to strike at individual targets without warning and without the need for foreign bases.

'A "reusable hypersonic cruise" (HCV) could be operational by 2025 [sic].'

(BBC Ceefax, p.154)

'GUARDIAN[:] Tony Blair and his cabinet were branded "war criminals" as an organisation that gave birth to the Labour party faced expulsion.'

(ITV Teletext, 2 July 03, p.328, reviews of British papers)

'USA[:] Bishop Sean O'Malley has been named as head of the Boston archdiocese which was rocked by the biggest sex scandal to hit the US Catholic Church.'

(ITV Teletext, 2 July 03, p.318)

'Israel may let Yasser Arafat leave the West Bank city of Ramallah for the first time in 19 months, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is reported to have said.'

(BBC Ceefax, 2 July 03, p.113)

'DOSSIER: TORY BACKS CAMPBELL

'... Former defence minister Nicholas Soames said a top intelligence services figure had assured him claims of interference were "totally and entirely untrue".'

(ITV Teletext, 2 July 03, p.303)

BERLUSCONI SPARKS OUTRAGE IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

'Italy's Prime Minister has sparked outrage in the European Parliament by saying a German MEP would be perfect the role of a Nazi camp [commandant in a film].

'Silvio Berlusconi was responding to heckling during his speech marking Italy's six-month presidency of the EU.

'He later offered an apology for "offending the feelings" of Germany.

'Germany's government complained to Italy's ambassador in Berlin, saying the remarks were unacceptable.'

(BBC Ceefax, 2 July 03, p.106)

'BUSH THROWS DOWN GAUNTLET TO ATTACKERS [in Iraq]

'President Bush has challenged militants who have been killing and injuring US troops in Iraq, saying "bring them on" [my emphasis].

'"We have the force necessary to deal with the situation," the President said.

'"Anybody who wants to harm American troops will be found and brought to justice," he vowed.

'Mr Bush was speaking after Iraqis said four US soldiers had been killed in a rocket-propelled grenade attack in central Baghdad on Tuesday [1 July].'

(BBC Ceefax, p.142)

3 July 03

'GUARDIAN[:] Alastair Campbell suggested 11 changes to the draft joint intelligence committee dossier on Iraq, a letter to the Parliamentary inquiry reveals.'

(ITV Teletext, p.328, reviews of British papers)

'US "HAS EVIDENCE OF ARMS" [say Republicans, contradicted by Democrats]

'US officials have solid evidence of weapons of mass destruction programmes in Iraq and could release details soon, two leading Senate Republicans said.

'But Democrats disputed this and claimed Republicans were trying to shift the focus from proving Saddam had weapons to proving he was developing them.

'"That was not the basis on which the nation went to war," said top Democrat Senator Jay Rockefeller.'

(ITV Teletext, 3 July 03, p.307)

As in Britain, the issue has degenerated into a party v. party conflict, in which scoring points over one's opponent takes precedence over the search for the truth as such. Strangely, we have Republicans for Labour and Democrats for Conservatives ...

'BRITAIN AND US IN TERROR PLAN

'Britain and the US are to stage a major anti-terrorism exercise simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic.

'Home Secretary David Blunkett said the event would mark a "new direction" towards more complex exercises carried out in public rather than in private.

'The simulated terror attack, expected to take place in 2005, will invoke "participation at a senior level" as well as roles for ordinary people.'

(ITV Teletext, 3 July 03, p.310)

In other words a mass-agitprop exercise, in which the line between reality and game becomes ever-more blurred. Let's hope that terrorists don't "piggyback" a real attack on top of this public exercise — like one worthy lady (Barbara Honneger) suggested happened on Sept. 11, 2001, vis-a-vis Fulton's air-crash "exercise".

Now if they were to hold the exercise in 2004, this would be good preparation for both the US Presidential election and the British Parliamentary elections ...

'SIX AL-QAEDA SUSPECTS "FACE ARMY TRIAL"

'President Bush is said to have decided six al-Qaeda captives are eligible for trial before a US military tribunal.

'The decision to actively hold a trial will be made separately, a senior Pentagon official is quoted as saying by news agencies.

'It is not known who the six are or why they appear to have been singled out.

'Candidates of for the tribunals include the 680 or so al-Qaeda and Taleban suspects held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.'

(BBC Ceefax, 3 July 03, p.124)

'NIGERIA[:] Armed police blocked a group of demonstrators trying to enter the US embassy in Abuja to protest at a visit by President George Bush, reports said.'

(ITV Teletext, 3 July 03, p.318)

There is an oil strike in Nigeria.

'SAUDI ARABIA[:] Turki Nasser al-Dandani, a top militant and al-Qaeda member wanted over the Riyadh bombings, has blown himself up, police said.' (Ibid.)

Or they did it.

Paul Bremer, the US pro-consul in Iraq, has announced a $25m (£15m) reward for the capture of Saddam Hussein, and $15m (£9m) for his sons Uday and Qusay.

The $25m is the same sum as was offered for bin Laden, affirming the similarity of these bogeymen even more closely.

4 July 03

The "six Guantanamo internees" facing a US military tribunal are to include two Britons.

'Moazzam Begg, 35, from Birmingham, and Feroz Abbasi, 23, from Croydon, south London, are accused of being al-Qaeda terrorists — something they deny.'

(BBC Ceefax, p.107) One-third of those so far facing US cabalistic "exterior justice" are British — this is surely of significance. Remind me to apply for US citizenship — for the whole of the UK — sometime.

The UK's puppet "Labour" government has failed to apply formally for the return of these people to be tried here.

Al-Jazeera has broadcast an audiotape, supposedly of Saddam Hussein, praising resistance in Iraq. The quality of the sound was rather muggy, but al-Jazeera "had no doubt" it was Saddam; Iraqis interviewed by the BBC thought it was too. But the British Foreign Office says the tape hasn't been independently verified. The CIA says it is going to analyse it.

And we need have no doubt what the outcome of this will be. As "Saddam" implicitly claimed leadership of the Iraqi resistance movement, it's a handy propaganda shot for the US junta, who wants to blame it all on the old regime too. ...

5 July 03

CIA investigators say agency lacked weapons proof
The Scotsman

'The CIA lacked hard intelligence when it concluded that Saddam Hussein still had illegal weapons during the build-up to war, an internal agency investigation has found.

'Analysts had little up-to-date information following the expulsion of United Nations inspectors from Iraq in 1998, according to preliminary findings from the investigation.

'They instead "inferred" from evidence uncovered during the early and mid-1990s that Saddam still had a chemical, biological and nuclear arms programme in early 2003.

'But Richard Kerr, a former CIA deputy director who heads the four-person review panel, said intelligence officials were "pretty much on the mark" with their conclusions.

'"It would have been very hard to conclude those programmes were not continuing, based on the reports being gathered in recent years about Iraqi purchases and other activities before the war," he told the Washington Post. ...

'The CIA inquiry ... also found there was no evidence of co-ordination between al-Qaeda and Iraq, a claim the US president, George Bush, made several times during the build-up to war [my emphasis].'

6 July 03

'MAIL ON SUNDAY[:] The [British] Foreign Office has revealed it no longer believes Saddam's weapons of mass destruction exist.'

(ITV Teletext, p.328, reviews of British papers)

This statement is unclear (perhaps in the Teletext summary). Does the Foreign Office believe they no longer exist, or that they ceased to exist some years ago?

'OBSERVER[:] Tony Blair demanded a full BBC retraction of allegations that Downing Street deliberately "sexed up" claims about weapons of mass destruction.' (Ibid.)

It's high time Blair and his com-bandits are brought to justice.

'SUNDAY TELEGRAPH[:] BBC director-general Greg Dyke will tell the corporation it cannot afford to back down on its "do or die" battle with the Government.' (Ibid.)

Blair is trying to augment his projected police state by destroying the "independent" media.

'SUNDAY TIMES[:] David Blunkett has decided everybody in Britain over 16 will have to buy an identity card at £40 each.' (Ibid.)

And no doubt their families will have to pay for the bullets used to execute those who refuse. Viva Joey Stalin!

The "gay" canon Dr Jeffrey John is not accepting the post of Bishop of Reading because of the disunity it would cause in the Anglican Church.

'NO 45-MINUTE WMDs — BLIX

'[Former chief UN weapons inspector] Hans Blix has said he could find [absolutely] no evidence Iraq possessed banned weapons that could be activated within 45 minutes — as the No 10 dossier claimed. ...'

(ITV Teletext, 6 July 03, p.305/1)

Tony Blair 'has said BBC claims that Downing Street "sexed up" an Iraqi arms dossier are "about as serious as an attack on my integrity as there could possibly be". ...'

(ITV Teletext, 6 July 03, p.305/1)

'IRAQ'S NUCLEAR THREAT WAS "EXAGGERATED"

'Intelligence reports on Iraq's nuclear capability were "exaggerated", a senior former US diplomat has said.

'In February 2002 the CIA asked Joseph Wilson to look into claims that Saddam had bought uranium from Niger.

'No evidence was found but the claims were still later used by the US and UK governments to justify the war in Iraq.

'Mr Wilson' wrote in the New York Times that some of the intelligence over Iraq's nuclear programme was "twisted".'

(BBC Ceefax, 6 July 03, p.112)

'TEST FLIGHTS FOR ROBOT "SPY" AIRSHIPS

'Robot airships that can act as spies in the sky are soon to undergo test flights in the UK.

'High Altitude Platform Station systems are 10-metre-long helium balloons that operate automatically.

'Developer Remote Services says they could be used for anything from police surveillance to tracking wildlife.

'The take-off and autonomous flight systems will be tested in Dorset next month, reports magazine The Engineer.'

(BBC Ceefax, 6 July 03, p.154)

'[BBC] GOVERNORS SUPPORT DYKE OVER DOSSIER ROW

'The BBC Board of Governors has backed the director general and the news arm in the row with Downing Street over claims it "sexed up" its Iraq dossier.

'The board said the BBC's war coverage was impartial, rejected PM aide Alastair Campbell's claim of bias and urged him to retract the allegation.

'Andrew Gilligan's Today programme report [on Radio 4] was "in the public interest".

'Using single sources was acceptable in "exceptional circumstances", it said.'

(BBC Ceefax, 6 July 03 at 10pm BST, p.111)

The BBC's governors are appointed by the Government, and they in turn choose the managers. The Blair gang must be thinking tonight about appointing some more-compliant ones.

7 July 03

... And it seems they've done a little more than think about it:-

'MAIL[:] Downing Street issued a veiled threat to the BBC's independence and licence fee as the Iraq row escalated.'

(ITV Teletext, p.328, reviews of British papers)

'INDEPENDENT[:] Tony Blair should be stripped of his power to appointed to appoint his friends to public posts, a powerful committee of MPs will recommend.'

(Ibid.)

'CAMPBELL CLEARED OVER [British WMD] DOSSIER

'Alastair Campbell has been cleared by MPs of exerting "improper influence" on the drafting of the Government's intelligence-led dossier on Iraq.

'The Foreign Affairs Committee said Mr Campbell played no role in including a controversial section on Iraq's weapons being deployable within 45 minutes.

'But the MPs cleared PM Tony Blair's spin chief only on the casting vote of the committee's chairman. [My emphasis]'

(ITV Teletext, 7 July 03, p.303)

The parliamentary committee's verdict was evidently reached by a vote along strictly party lines (with Labour voting for it and the conservatives and Lib Dems against). Objectivity is cast aside in favour of inter-party fighting. Cf. the impeachment vote against Clinton.)

But —

'Downing Street undermined the credibility of its case for war by producing the second "dodgy" dossier on Iraq's weapons, [the] committee ... concluded. ...

And —

'The Foreign Affairs committee said a claim of weapons being deployable in 45 minutes was given undue prominence in the first dossier on Iraq's arms. ...'

(ITV Teletext, 7 July 03, p.304)

The CIA says that the audiotape "of Saddam Hussein" broadcast recently on al-Jazeera is "most likely" genuine. But they couldn't be sure because of the poor quality of the recording.

"Saddam" seems to have contracted "bin Laden's" problem — an chronic inability to produce decent-quality audio (and video) tapes. All those billions, and can't get hold of a decent recorder! How will anyone ever be able to tell if they're genuine or fake????!!!!

'George Bush and Bill Clinton will be called before an independent probe into the September 11 attacks to reveal what they knew about al-Qaeda threats.'

(ITV Teletext, 7 July 03, p.318)

8 July 03

'CIA "HAD DOUBTS" ABOUT BUSH IRAQ CLAIM'

A CIA official has said that the agency had raised doubts as early as March 2002, about the claims that Iraq had tried to buy uranium from Niger.

(See above, under 6 July, 'Iraq's Nuclear Threat Was "Exaggerated"' for the negative investigation into the claims.)

But in his State of the Union address of January 2003, President Bush still 'accused Saddam Hussein of trying to buy weapons-grade uranium from Niger'.

'Documents alleging a transaction have since been found to be forgeries.'

(BBC Ceefax, 9 July 03, p.109)

The CIA's agenda was always (via the "15 9/11 hijackers") Saudi Arabia. It was reluctantly drawn into Bush's variant agenda of Iraq, and now (that the country appears to be secured) is dumping him.

9 July 03

'The Independent leads on the U-turn by the White House over "British claims Saddam tried to buy uranium".

'The paper calls it the "first major split" between London and Washington, and a "devastating blow" to Mr Blair.

(BBC Ceefax, p.148, reviews of British papers)

See also Bush Recantation Of Iraq Claim Stirs Calls for Probes
Walter Pincus, Washington Post, 9 July 03, p.A20

The CIA has "returned Stasi files" to Germany, which should "expose many more spies" for the former E German agency, including in Britain and other countries.

(BBC News 24, 9 July 03 at 4am BST)

If the CIA has suitably engineered these "Stasi files", they may undermine many an anti US-junta figure in Germany and elsewhere.

Poland is being rewarded for its support against "old Europe" with an oil contract with Halliburton's subsidiary in Iraq.

(BBC News 24, 9 July 03 at 5am BST)

10 July 03

US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld changes line on Iraqi invasion
Globe and Mail, 10 July 03

'The U.S. administration has abruptly revised its explanation for invading Iraq, as Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld asserted that a changed perspective after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks — not fresh evidence of banned weapons — provoked the war.

'"The coalition did not act in Iraq because we had discovered dramatic new evidence of Iraq's pursuit of weapons of mass murder," Mr. Rumsfeld testified yesterday before the Senate armed services committee.

'"We acted because we saw the evidence in a dramatic new light, through the prism of our experience of 9/11."

'It was an about-face from a man who confidently proclaimed in January: "There's no doubt in my mind but that they (the Iraqi government) currently have chemical and biological weapons." (He was seconded in March by Vice-President Dick Cheney, who said of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein: "We believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons.")

'And in London Thursday, the BBC reported senior British government sources saying that Whitehall had virtually ruled out finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which they now believe were destroyed or hidden permanently [!!] before the war began. ...'

'[Guantanamo] BRITONS "COULD RETURN TO UK"

'Two British terror suspects held by the US at Guantanamo Bay could still be brought home, downing Street has said.

'Number 10 has said talks are continuing with the US over [the] possible repatriation of al-Qaeda suspects Moazzem Begg and Feroz Abbazi, who are held at the camp.

'The pair are among the first detainees at the Cuba camp who will face military commissions. Tony Blair has come under pressure for the men to face UK trials.'

(ITV Teletext, 10 July 03, p.303)

11 July 03

'CIA CLEARED SPEECH: BUSH

'US President George Bush has said the CIA cleared [his State of the Union] speech [of last January] which included a discredited claim that Iraq wanted to buy nuclear material from Africa.

'This came after US officials claimed that the CIA had expressed doubts about UK intelligence reports the president used to back up his allegations.

'The White House has admitted the claims should not have been used in [the] speech.'

(ITV Teletext, p.309)

According to the Washington Post—

'... the CIA tried to get President Bush to axe the claims from a speech — but his advisers say the CIA cleared the speech "in its entirety".'

(BBC Ceefax, 11 July 03, p.106)

But now CIA boss Tenet leaps to Bush's aid:-

'IRAQ NUCLEAR CLAIM DOWN TO CIA — TENET

'CIA director George Tenet has said the CIA wrongly allowed [!] President Bush to tell the US that Iraq was trying to acquire nuclear material from Africa. ...

'Some US media reports suggested the CIA advised Washington to omit the claim.

'Mr Tenet said the CIA approved the address before it was delivered.'

(BBC Ceefax, 11 July 03, later, p.110)

Cf. 'CIA Asked Britain To Drop Iraq Claim', Washington Post, 11 July 03, p.A01.

'U.S. May Tap Oil For Iraqi Loans', Warren Vieth, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 03, reproduced on Truthout.org

12 July 03

'BUSH BACKS CIA CHIEF

'George Bush has given his backing to CIA director George Tenet who has accepted responsibility for a false claim about an Iraqi nuclear deal.

'Mr Tenet said the CIA should never have let [Yes, he does appear to have used this language; cf. yesterday] Mr Bush repeat a British allegation that Iraq was seeking uranium from the African country of Niger.

'The US President insisted he still has confidence in Mr Tenet and the CIA, and said he considers the matter closed.'

(ITV Teletext, p.307)

What an idea! The puppet sacking one of his string-pullers.

'The Independent's front page alleges that the first of the two Government reports on Iraqi arms was "also dodgy".

'The September 2002 report lifted two-year-old material from the internet, it claims, "exactly as the now-discredited second, so-called dodgy dossier did".'

'FIRST IRAQ COUNCIL MEETING "[tomorrow]"

'... A spokesman for the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq made the claim in an interview with Reuters.

'US administrator Paul Bremer will also announce the make-up of the council [tomorrow], Reuters sources claimed.

'It is expected to comprise 13 Shi'ite Muslims, five Sunnis, five Kurds, one Christian and one Turk.'

(BBC Ceefax, 12 July 03, p.118)

13 July 03

The council (see previous) has indeed met. The BBC Ceefax article points out that US Iraq administrator Paul Bremer can over-rule its decisions.

'ARMS CLAIM A FUNDAMENTAL ERROR — BLIX

'Tony Blair made a "fundamental mistake" in claiming Iraq could deploy arms of mass destruction in 45 minutes, former chief UN arms inspector Hans Blix says.

'He told the Independent on Sunday the figure seemed "pretty far off the mark". ...'

(BBC Ceefax, 13 July 03, p.105)

'The [British] PM [Tony Blair] wants new powers to attack rogue states and thereby justify war in Iraq even if no WMDs are ever found there, says The Independent on Sunday. ...'

(BBC Ceefax, 13 July 03, p.148, reviews of British papers)

14 July 03

The Washington Post reported on 3 July that Steve Hatfill, leading suspect in the anthrax postal attacks of autumn 2001, worked on a "training project" for US agents and special forces in 2002, to prepare them to be sent to Iraq and other rogue states with "suspected biochem weapons". One of his projects was a "replica" mobile bioweapons lab. The building of the lab was underway in late 2001, and was ready for delivery to Delta Force at Fort Bragg in mid 2002. Hatfill's security clearance had been suspended, and the military's Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) had to apply for special permission for him to work on the project. ('Hatfill Trained U.S. Team on Bioweapons', Washington Post, 3 July 03, p.A03)

His project must have been similar, in fact, to the two "mobile labs discovered in Iraq". Is Hatfill guilty again, or being played as a fall-guy again?

'The Independent says [British Foreign Secretary] Jack Straw is under fire after citing evidence of an Iraqi nuclear threat in an interview, without admitting it was 12 years old.

'One Labour MP calls it the "scraping of the very bottom of the barrel".'

(BBC Ceefax, 15 July 03, p.148, reviews of British papers)

'GUARDIAN[:] Senior ministers are resigned to the prospect that the two British prisoners who face military tribunes in Cuba cannot be repatriated.'

(ITV Teletext, 15 July 03, p.328, reviews of British papers)

Downing Street has denied this report, and says it is considering a range of options, (waffle waffle) including repatriation.

Iran says it has discovered new oil resources which greatly expand the size of its petroleum reserves. Previously-known fields extend to about 100 billion barrels, and the new discoveries constitute another 38 billion. The latter are heavy crude, which is more difficult to process than light crude. The new reserves will take years to develop.

The House of Lords is expected to oppose the British Government's legislation to ban some jury trials. Trials would be by judge only in complex fraud cases and where there is a risk of jury tampering or bribery (and who will decide this?). Conservative peers warn the whole Criminal Justice Bill could be at risk unless the Government rethinks its case.

— The Lords have indeed defeated the Criminal Justice Bill, by 210 votes to 136. 'The Home Office said it would reverse the decision in the [House of] Commons', whatever that's supposed to mean.

'Iraq's new, US-backed Governing Council has agreed to set up a tribunal to try war criminals, including ex-dictator Saddam Hussein, if he is caught. ...'

16 July 03

US Vice-President Cheney is under pressure to quit over the dubious "Iraq WMD evidence", according to The Independent's, leading article.

British Channel 4 News presents an Iraqi opinion poll which should cheer up the American imperial body politic. Just as we were thinking that the average Iraqi was ready to blow Americans to bits, comes a poll which presents a relatively nice and glossy picture of Iraqi "opinions".

The poll was carried out by YouGov pollsters, whom I suspect of being a Blairite propaganda facade.

See 'What Iraqis think', British Channel 4 News, 16 July 03.

17 July

Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya TV stations have played another "Saddam" audiotape condemning Bush and Blair and calling for resistance to the US occupation.

A couple of days ago a — surprise surprise! — poor-quality video was broadcast by one of the Gulf satellite stations, showing an "al-Qaeda spokesman" with a skull-like face "swearing by God" that the partizan resistance in Iraq was due to al-Qaeda, not Saddam's forces.

No prizes for guessing the CIA origins of this tape. ... Perhaps they simply redubbed a Nazi propaganda film about "usuring, skull-faced, hook-nosed Jews" :->

'AL-QAEDA SPOKESMAN "BEING HELD IN IRAN"

'Kuwaiti officials say one of America's most-wanted al-Qaeda suspects is being held in Iran.

'Sulaiman Abu Ghaith has been the voice of al-Qaeda for nearly two years, appearing on audio and video tapes promising death and destruction.

'He is a former Kuwaiti citizen — but the Kuwaiti authorities say they do not want Tehran to hand him over.

'It is thought US officials may now seek to speak to him.'

(BBC Ceefax, 17 July 03, p.113)

[British] PM ADDRESSES CONGRESS

'History will forgive the coalition invasion of Iraq, even if no link is proven between terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, PM Tony Blair has said.

'At the US Congress, he said even if the allies were wrong to make a link, "we will have destroyed a threat responsible for carnage and suffering". ...

(ITV Teletext, 17 July 03, p.304)

He could be right. Who today remembers Petain or Quisling?

BBC defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan said only one "opposition" MP was present on the Foreign Affairs select committee when it accused Gilligan of changing his story on Alastair Campbell and the "ready-in-45-minutes" Iraqi WMD allegation.

'Tory committee member John Maples, who is away on holiday, said he completely disassociated himself from its findings.'

(BBC TV news + Ceefax, 17 July 03, p.104/2)

18 July 03

'... The House of Lords Committee on Science and Technology said England needs to be better prepared to control epidemics.'

(ITV Teletext, p.310)

When they plague or smallpox the Arabs, Muslims and Chinese, maybe they'll throw in the Scots, Irish and Welsh as well!

Body found in Iraq expert search
BBC News online, 18 July 03

'Police searching for the weapons expert named as the possible source for a BBC story on Iraq say they have discovered a body.

'The body was found at 0920 BST by a member of the police team searching for Dr Kelly in a wooded area at Harrow Down Hill, near Farringdon, Oxfordshire, but has not yet been identified.

'Government adviser David Kelly, 59, went missing from his home in Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, at about 1500 BST on Thursday [yesterday, 17 July]. ...'

'LATEST "SADDAM" TAPE [probably] GENUINE, CIA SAYS

'An audiotape aired on Arab television this week was "probably" the voice of Saddam Hussein, the CIA has said.

'An intelligence official said the poor quality of the recording meant analysts could not be sure of its authenticity.

[Oh dear! Saddam has definitely contracted al-Qaeda's disease of an inability to make good-quality recordings. A strange infection that forever prevents people from being sure whether the recordings are genuine or not. And oh yes, I'm sure that they do have access to decent equipment.]

'But references to recent weeks suggested it was made recently, the unnamed official [can we be sure he's genuine? :-D] said.

'The voice in the message appeared to criticise Iraq's new governing council, which was established on Sunday [13 July].'

(BBC Ceefax, 18 July 03, p.111)

19 July 03

'GUARDIAN[:] Tony Blair's Government was shaken to its foundations by the apparent suicide of Dr. David Kelly.'

(ITV Teletext, p.328, reviews of British papers)

'INDEPENDENT[:] Legal proceedings against two British prisoners being held at Guantanamo Bay have been temporarily suspended.'

(Ibid.)

Mohammed ElBaradei, head of the UN's nuclear-weapons body, has said the N Korea is a threat to attempts to control the world's nuclear weapons.

(BBC World Service news, 19 July 03 at 1am BST)

However much he has retrospectively opposed the US cabal's dirty tricks against Iraq, ElBaradei continues to go along with them in regard to Iran and N Korea. He is a de facto servant of American imperialism.

'US OFFICIALS HOLD 1,000 IN IRAQ SWEEPS

'US military authorities in Iraq have detained more than 1,000 people during two operations aimed at pre-empting attacks on coalition forces.

'The move comes amid an upsurge of armed resistance against US troops. [But the next two paragraphs contradict each other on this.]

'A US soldier was shot dead while patrolling Baghdad in the early hours — the fourth US serviceman to have been killed in the last five days.

'The 149 US troop deaths in Iraq exceed US fatalities in the 1991 Gulf War.'

(BBC Ceefax, 19 July 03, p.113)

A film on BBC TV News showed US troops threatening to run over villagers' fields and houses if they didn't help cough up the "bad guys".

In the American overseas empire, we have a preview of life in America itself. The methods of force-politics pioneered in the former will afterwards be applied in the home country.

'BODY IDENTIFIED AS DEFENCE EXPERT KELLY

'A body found in Oxfordshire woodland was that of missing scientist Dr David Kelly, police have confirmed.

'He had bled to death from a cut to his wrist, Thames Valley Police said.

'A knife and painkiller tablets [a "common suicide method", according to the TV news] were found near his body, on Harrowgate Hill. [Was Kelly a belt-and-braces man? Or did his killers overdo the "suicide evidence"?]

'No-one else appeared to have been involved in the death, police added. [It was a policeman that discovered the body. See above, under 18 July.]

'Dr Kelly, 59, had denied being the main BBC source for a Radio 4 report on Iraqi weapons capability.'

(BBC Ceefax, 19 July 03, p.104)

'KELLY'S LAST E-MAIL PUZZLE

'Accused MoD scientist Dr David Kelly told of "many dark actors playing games" in an e-mail to a journalist sent just hours before his "suicide".

'The New York Times said Dr Kelly was referring to MoD and UK intelligence officials, but did not name the recipient of the e-mail message.

'In the e-mail he said he was waiting "until the end of the week" before judging how his evidence had gone.'

(ITV Teletext, 19 July 03, p.306)

This makes suicide seem less likely, and murder more likely.

The email was sent to a journalist (by Kelly, apparently) hours before Kelly's death.

'The email ... did not suggest he was depressed.'

(BBC Ceefax, 19 July 03, p.106)

Warren Hoge, 'Scientist Who Killed Himself Was Source of Report, BBC Says', New York Times, 21 July 03

'.. By the time [Kelly's] name did [become public], on July 9, he was being held in an MoD safe house. ... But ... [h]e was not happy to be kept away from his family ... and insisted on returning home.

20 July 03

The BBC has now said that Dr Kelly was the principal source (on the Campbell allegation). ("Sixty percent" of the information came from him.)

They may be covering up their real source, to protect him from being murdered too. This seems misguided, as the current story compromises their integrity. It seems a mistake, set against the larger picture. Not least of which is the current vector towards destroying the independent media.

'... Gerald Kaufman, chairman of the culture, media and sport committee, said the issue raised questions about the governance of the BBC.'

(BBC Ceefax, 20 July 03, p.107)

'The nine UK terror suspects held at the [Guantanamo] US naval base in Cuba will either be tried by military tribunal or brought to the UK, Tony Blair told the Sky News Sunday With Adam Boulton programme ...'

(Ibid, p.110)

Perhaps he's been talking with Rumsfeld. You know, "Bin Laden is either living in Afghanistan, living outside of Afghanistan, or dead"!

'More than 10,000 demonstrators have marched from the [Shi'ite] holy city of Najaf to a nearby US military base to demand that US forces leave the area. ...'

(BBC Ceefax, 20 July 03, p.111)

'Saddam Hussein is probably still alive and still in Iraq', US Iraqi administrator Paul Bremer has said.

(Ibid, p.112)

Until such time as it suits the US oil cabal's purposes, when he will be said to have fled to Iran — or Saudi Arabia.

'Iran has developed a new ballistic missile capable of hitting Israel, its leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said. ...'

(BBC Ceefax, 20 July 03, p.142)

The Iranian government seems determined to provide the US junta with pretexts to overthrow it. Perhaps it subscribes to the fatal misinterpretation that this will deter them. 21 July 03

'BUSH "WARNED OFF" SADDAM WAR

'Declassified pre-Iraq war documents show US intelligence experts warned that Saddam Hussein posed a greater threat if attacked and overthrown.

'A US national intelligence estimate report last year suggested he was much more likely to supply al-Qaeda with chemical arms if his life was at risk.

'But comments made by US President George Bush at the time appear to contradict the report's conclusions.'

(ITV Teletext, p.306)

Do we believe this is a routine declassification?? It looks more like a CIA shot in the internecine struggle within the American body politic.

It illuminates, perhaps, in-fighting between the "senior" and "junior" wings of the Petroleum Faction. A senior wing putatively led by Henry Kissinger (now 80, but perhaps still giving general direction), interested primarily in Saudi Arabia, and a junior one represented by Vice-President Cheney and Halliburton, targeting firstly Iraq and Iran.

Kissinger perhaps has more pull with the CIA than "Junior", and the Qaeda-Saudi targeting method is his and the company's. "Junior" (Cheney & Co, fronted by Bush junior) stepped in front with their own, less subtle, "get-Iraq" (and Iran) technique. "Senior" of course takes advantage of what has already been accomplished, placing Kissinger-protιgι Bremer as pro-consul at the heart of the prospective Mideast oil empire. But at the same time Senior continues to try to subvert Junior and make it take the fall for its ham-fisted unsubtleties in carrying out the conquest.

If possible, "Junior" can be made to take the fall for 9/11 as well.

Meanwhile, "Junior" continues to pursue its own agenda (Syria thrown in to please the Zionist lobby):-

'President Bush has accused Syria and Iran of supporting terrorists who undermine Middle East peace efforts. ...

'The Israeli and Palestinian premiers were "showing leadership and courage", Mr Bush went on. ...'

Law Lord Hutton is to lead the inquiry into Dr David Kelly's death. He says that it will be mainly public, but he won't include the broader (or real) issue of potential WMD fraud vis-a-vis Iraq.

'The intelligenc unit of the four-month-old Department of Homeland Security is understaffed, unorganized and weak-willed in bureaucratic struggles with ther government agencies, diminishing its role in pursuing terrorists, according to some members of Congress and independent national security experts.

'The vast majority of the department's intelligence analysts lack computers that are able to receive data classified as "top secret" and above. The department has only three experts on biological terrorism ...

'[Christopher Cox, chairman of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security] said he was most frustrated that Homeland Security officials have accepted an arrangement in which the CIA, the FBI and the new Terrorist Threat Information Center (TTIC) pass intelligence reports about possible terrorist threats to the department. Homeland Security, in turn, analyzes the information and transmits warnings to state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as U.S. industry.

'Cox and a number of other members of Congress, such as Sen[ator] Joseph I. Lieberman (D[emocrat]-Conn[ecticut]), said that in last year's Homeland Security Act, which established the department, Congress intended that it would be responsible for sifting through terrorism intelligence and ensuring it was acted upon around the country. But now TTIC does most of that, leaving the department with the smaller job of tightening security on Main Street, USA. ...'

22 July 03

'The Daily Telegraph says Tony Blair is on "collision course" with Lord Hutton as he prepares to lead the inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly.

'The paper says Mr Blair "tried to rein in" the judge over the inquiry's scope.'

(BBC Ceefax, 22 July 03, p.148, reviews of British papers)

US troops have raided the offices of Al-Adila (or Al-Adala), the media mouthpiece of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), according to staff interviewed for the BBC. No reason was given the staff. US officials refused to confirm the raid, but scenes of damage were shown on BBC News 24.

Personnel were arrested, doors knocked off their hinges, a bullet-proof car forcibly entered (staff say they had offered them the keys), and an air conditioner, five computers and money taken. A pattern of raids every 15 days was mentioned.

(The leader of this faction, Grand Ayatollah Sistani, had recently broken the facade of solidarity with the Americans and sharply criticized them.)

(BBC News 24 at 3am BST)

These methods will be employed in America itself before too many years have passed. The victory of force-politics over money, no less. (9/11 was only a transition "of principle".)

'MoD SILENT ON NEW CLAIM ON KELLY NAMING

'The Ministry of Defence has declined to comment on reports [British] Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon authorised the policy that led to Dr David Kelly's exposure.

'The Financial Times says Mod press officers confirmed [before his death, presumably] that Dr Kelly was the likely source for a report on the Government dossier on Iraq weapons. ...'

(BBC Ceefax, 22 July 03, p.104)

'The Association of Civil Rights in Israel has attacked soldiers for cruel misbehaviour against Palestinians over the past year.'

(ITV Teletext, p.318)

'CANADA[:] Ministers have called on Iran to find those responsible for the death of photographer Zahra Kazemi following her detention by security guards in Tehran.'

(Ibid.)

Which, whoever caused it, makes another handy little excuse to attack Iran. Pro-US security personnel working with the CIA, possibly?

Attorney-General Goldsmith has negiotiated no death penalty and a British lawyer for the two Guantanamo Brits.

Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay have been "killed in a gunbattle" with US soldiers at a villa in Mosul, northern Iraq. 23 July 03

'TELEGRAPH[: British Defence Secretary] Geoff Hoon was left politically isolated after Tony Blair refused to accept personal responsibility for naming David Kelly.'

(ITV Teletext, p.328, reviews of British papers)

'BUSH AIDE TAKES BLAME FOR URANIUM CLAIM

'A senior US security adviser has said it was his fault that claims Iraq tried to buy uranium were not removed from a speech by President Bush.

'Stephen Hadley, deputy national security adviser, said he should have amended the speech in January.

'He said he had received a phone call from CIA director George Tenet warning him the intelligence was suspect.

'The UN later said documents which backed the allegations were forgeries.'

(BBC Ceefax, 23 July 03, p.106)

'AL-QAEDA CHIEFS HELD: IRAN

'Iran is holding top members of the al-Qaeda terror group, a government minister has said in Tehran.

'"A large number of al-Qaeda [both small and big-time] are in our custody", said the intelligence minister Ali Yunesi.

'He would not comment on reports that Iran has al-Qaeda's number two, Ayman al-Zawahri, its spokesman Suleiman Abu Ghaith or security chief Saif al-Adil.'

(ITV Teletext, 23 July 03, p.306)

'Amidst the euphoria over the deaths of Uday and Qusay Hussein comes a note of caution from The Independent.

'After so much obsessive security Robert Fisk wonders if the two brothers would really have been in the same building? ...'

(BBC Ceefax, 23 July 03, p.148, reviews of British papers)

'IRAQ [!] SIGNS FIRST POST-SADDAM OIL DEALS

'... Exports of Basra light crude are expected to rise by 43% in August, a senior source in Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organisation has said.

'UK oil giants BP and Shell, and US rivals ChevronTexaco and ConocoPhillips signed contracts running from August 1 to December 31, 2003, he said.

'Negotiations are continuing with other companies, the official added.'

(BBC Ceefax, 23 July 03, p.206)

24 July 03

9/11 Report Cites Intelligence Failures
Curt Anderson, Washington Post online, 24 July 03

A report based on excerpts issued to the press before the official release of the 900-page Congressional report.

'PAEDOPHILE VICTIM DATABASE IS LAUNCHED [in Britain]

[Another was launched in Europe earlier this year.]

'A new computer database to catch paedophiles has been launched by police.

'The Childbase software includes 280,000 pictures of children being abused as well as images of abusers.

'It maps the facial characteristics of each victim and will tell investigators if new images contain a new victim.

'An expert on internet paedophilia, John Car, said: "This is a world first and another big warning to paedophiles that you are not safe anywhere".'

(BBC Ceefax, 24 July 03, p.119)

25 July 03

'PRINT SAUDI TERROR CLAIM, DEMOCRATS SAY

'US Democrats are demanding the release of information about any role Saudi Arabia had in the September 11 attacks.

'A Congressional report on the attacks accused the Saudi government of helping the hijackers, but the White House has blocked publication of the full claims. [Twenty-eight pages of the 900-page report, 'dealing with actions of the Saudis and other foreign governments', were withheld from publication by the Bush administration. See BBC report, 22 July.]

'US intelligence agencies missed chances to disrupt the plot, the report added.

'The Saudi ambassador to the US said the accusations about his government's role were malicious and blatantly false.'

(BBC Ceefax)

Is the Bush administration withholding these parts of the report to create the false impression that the Saudi government was involved — as an excuse to seize their oil reserves?

Or would the data point to the US government's involvement in the 9/11 attacks? (Right alongside those "15 Saudi hijackers".)

'KELLY INQUIRY "AFFECTS BBC'S FUTURE"

'The Hutton inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly will influence the BBC's future and the role of its governors, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has said.

'She told The Times she would consider "recommendations and conclusions which can be drawn in relation to the BBC".

'The Government is to begin a review on renewing the BBC's charter in 2006.

'It is not expected to scrap the licence fee but may propose the BBC replaces the Board of Governors with Ofcom.'

(BBC Ceefax, 25 July 03)

26 July 03

'Four [US] soldiers have been killed and six injured in two separate attacks on US forces in Iraq, the US military says. ...

'The deaths bring to 48 the number of US soldiers killed since the war ended [ and to 161 the number of troops killed since the war began].'

(BBC Ceefax, p.105)

'US TROOPS CHARGED WITH IRAQI PoW ABUSE

'four military police officers have been charged over the alleged mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners of war, the US military has said.

'The four, from the Pennsylvania-based Army Reserve unit, are accused of punching, kicking and breaking the bones of PoWs at a camp near Umm Qasr.

'The soldiers claim they were defending themselves and trying to regain control.

'The accused are on restricted duties and are due to face military trials.'

(BBC Ceefax, 26 July 03, p.106)

'The prime minister of Niger has denied the West African nation tried to sell uranium to Iraq and challenged Tony Blair to prove otherwise. ...

'Niger's P[rime] M[inister] Hama Hamadou told the Sunday Telegraph: "Our conscience is clear. ..."'

(BBC Ceefax, 26 July 03, p.107)

27 July 03

'MINISTERS SEEKING BBC REVENGE — DAVIES

'The Sunday Mirror says weapons expert Dr David Kelly had warned Geoff Hoon that there was not enough evidence to go to war against Iraq.'

(BBC Ceefax, p.148, reviews of British papers)

'The Independent on Sunday says Dr David Kelly was "far more central to the compilation of the Iraq dossier than the Government has admitted".

'It says the man "dismissed as a lowly technician" was "no such thing".'

(Ibid)

But it has already been said that he was Britain's top WMD inspector.

'MAIL ON SUNDAY[:] A [British] Cabinet split was feared as it emerged the wife of M[inistry ]o[f ]D[efence] adviser David Kelly may have kept a devastating record of his final hours.'

(ITV Teletext, 27 July 03, p.328, reviews of British papers)

'ROW "WON'T AFFECT [BBC] CHARTER"

'The row between the Government and the BBC over Iraq will not influence future decisions on renewing the broadcaster's charter, the Culture Secretary pledged. ...

'Tessa Jowell said a charter review this autumn would be done "without any reference whatever to recent events".'

(ITV Teletext, 27 July 03, p.310)

Trust me, I'm a spin doctor.

The BBC welcomed the statement. (BBC TV news)

'BBC chairman Gavyn Davies has accused ministers of threatening its independence in revenge for the reports on the Government's Iraq arms dossier.

'some had hinted its governors should be replace [by Ofcom] to "bring the BBC to heel", he said.

'"I trust wiser Government heads will prevail," he told the Sunday Telegraph.

'The Department of Culture, Media and Sport insisted the 2006 BBC Charter review was not about settling scores".'

(BBC Ceefax, p.108)

'BBC REPORT SEXED-UP, NOT DOSSIER — HAIN

'The BBC behaved like the tabloid press in its report on the Iraq arms dossier, Commons leader Peter Hain has said.

'It was the Radio 4 report on the Government's dossier that had been "sexed-up", no the document itself, he said.

'In an article for the Independent on Sunday, Mr Hain called for a new deal on political reporting.

'That required less "spin and packaging" from the Government and more media reporting on "content and substance".'

(BBC Ceefax, 27 July 03, p.109)

Comrade Hain! It is the essential characteristic of a free media that there is no deal between them and government on political reporting. It is precisely this that your Vichy government is trying to smash.

28 July 03

'CUBA[:] A US congressional delegation has toured the military prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay and were briefed on interrogation techniques.'

(ITV Teletext, p.318)

'GREEKS WANT BLAIR INDICTED OVER IRAQ

'Top Greek lawyers are to ask a court to indict Tony Blair and other British ministers they accuse of breaching international law by attacking Iraq.

'The Athens Bar Association will file papers for the International Criminal Court, in the Hague, to consider.

'Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and Foreign Secretary jack Straw are among those named by the Greek action.

'Mr Blair has always argued the invasion did not breach international law.'

(BBC Ceefax, 28 July 03, p.104)

But what's the use of the ICC if a country can withdraw from its jurisdiction any time it suits it? The Greeks have already given up on America for this reason.

'It is just as important to bring the UK Government (Home Secretary Blunkett included) for conspiring to set up a police state in Britain.

'ISRAELIS TO RELEASE "200 MILITANTS"

'Israel is to release 540 Palestinian prisoners over the next week [apparently less than 10%], including more than 200 members of militant Islamic groups, officials have said.

'Israel had previously insisted member of such groups could not be set free. ...

'The Palestinians insist that all the suspected 6,000 prisoners being held by Israel should be freed.'

(BBC Ceefax, 28 July 03, p.114)

A Palestinian speaker also pointed out that Israel was only removing three roadblocks out of scores in the West Bank, and had only demolished a handful of Israeli settlements.

(BBC TV news)

'AMERICA'S "MURKY" INTELLIGENCE MUDDIES THE WATER FOR BLAIR

'... The Prime Minister was already facing tough questions about British intelligence with the failure to find Iraq's weapons and the controversy over government claims that Iraq tried to buy uranium.

'But his problems worsened when Paul Wolfowitz, the [US] Deputy Defence Secretary, said that the US had not been prepared to wait for clear evidence of Iraq's threat before attacking.

'"The nature of terrorism is that intelligence about terrorism is murky," Mr Wolfowitz, one of the architects of the Iraq war, told Fox News Sunday.

'"I think the lesson of 9/11 is that if you are not prepared to act on the basis of murky intelligence, then you're going to have to act after the fact ...'

(The Times, 28 July 03, p.1)

See also Wolfowitz: U.S. intelligence murky, CNN online, 27 July 03.

29 July 03

'PENTAGON BETS-ON-TERROR FURY

'The Pentagon is setting up a commodity market-style trading system in which investors could bet on the likelihood of Middle East terrorist attacks.

'Two Democrat senators said they wanted the project stopped before investors began registering this week.

'The Pentagon said the move was intended to help it predict events in the region based on investors' information or analysis.'

(ITV Teletext, 29 July 03, p.310)

Joke of the month! They'd soon be prosecuted for insider trading! But it's already been stopped: see below, today.

'WE WON'T MAKE SAUDI PAGES PUBLIC — US

'The US has refused to declassify part of an intelligence report on possible links between Saudi government members and some of the September 11 hijackers.

'Doing so could compromise US security and interfere with the inquiry into the attacks, the White House said.

'The Saudi Foreign Minister said his country had been "wrongfully and morbidly accused of complicity".

'Prince Saud al-Faisal added it was "an outrage to any sense of fairness".'

(BBC Ceefax, 29 July 03, p.106)

It's the connections between 9/11 and members of the US government that need to be made public. (And perhaps the missing 28 pages would have a bearing on them.) But this is unlikely to happen in the current atmosphere of blindthinking.

'Belgium's lower house of Parliament has approved a bill revising its controversial war crimes law.

'It means it has cleared the first hurdle to remove provisions under which complaints were filed against Tony Blair, President Bush and other leaders. [This after pressure from the Americans.]'

(BBC Ceefax, 29 July 03, p.110)

'An audio tape purportedly from Saddam Hussein, who mourns the death of his sons, has been broadcast on the Dubai-based TV station al-Arabiya. ...'

(BBC Ceefax, 29 July 03, p.114)

Israel is to continue building its "defensive" wall against the Palestinians, in spite of — mild — pressure from the Bush administration.

'US ABANDONS TERROR BETTING WEBSITE PLAN

'The Pentagon has scrapped controversial plans for an online trading market to help predict terrorist attacks. [See today's first entry.] ...

'Bets could have been made about terror attacks, conflicts and assassination.

'But the plan prompted fierce opposition in Congress, with opposition Democrats [there are such people, apparently] describing it as grotesque.'

(BBC Ceefax, 29 July 03, p.154)

30 July 03

'INDEPENDENT[:] America's desire to rebuild Iraq in its own image even extends to setting up a mobile phone network that only works for US phones.'

Hard on the heels of its conviction of the Saudi government by absence of evidence, the US government has issued a global Qaeda alert for its citizens. The "threat" includings the possibility of 9/11-type hijackings. And Britain is said to be high on the list of potential targets.

(See 'Officials: Suicide airliner hijackings possible', CNN online, 29 July 03.)

The current American regime and its British puppet-government have ever used fraudulent terror-alerts to galvanize their publics behind their campaign of global aggrandizement and its concomitant police-state measures.

The previous climax, last Februrary, was a frenetic outburst of two or three weeks, with tanks at Heathrow Airport, etc etc, all obviously designed to solidify public opinion behind the then-upcoming conquest of Iraq. And it worked — the majority of the British public backed the invasion at this stage (there was a similar "beneficial effect" in America).

We're left to guess what the next target will be, assuming they're still doing them singly. Iran? Saudi Arabia? North Korea? Or will the next terror campaign be geared towards helping the current power-holders retain power in the next Presidential and Parliamentary elections? ...

Maybe the aims aren't yet that specific-cut. And oh yes, that big — public — joint US-UK terror-exercise scheduled for 2005 ... That'll need to be brought forward if it's to be of use for the elections ... 9/11 was said to have occurred in the middle of the US military's semi-annual "Vigilant Guardian" exercise too.

'CHINESE MISSILES CONCERNING PENTAGON

'China has stationed more missiles facing Taiwan, the Pentagon has said.

'Some 450 missiles now face Taiwan, it says, 100 more than last year.

'The US defence department also claims Beijing is developing a new missile which could reach the japanese island of Okinawa, where US troops are based.

'A BBC correspondent said the US is increasingly concerned by China's arms programme, which it believes [is] driven by potential conflict with Taiwan.'

(BBC Ceefax, 30 July 03, p.108)

The problem is, with the prolific-ness of the US cabal's imperial machinations, you tend to forget that sometimes it might actually tell the truth. When the truth suits it, that is. Does this happen to be one of the occasions when the remnant-militarism of that old imperial force ("communism") meshes with the purposes of the "new" imperialism? Not even the world-dominating cabal can get away with lies all the time ...

31 July 03

'IRAQ[:] The US-picked government named its first president — Ibrahim al-Jaafaria, a Shi'ite Muslim from a party banned by Saddam Hussein.

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