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Convention * 9/11 Analyzed * Sonar Whale Deaths


26 July 2004


The statesmen will invent cheap lies,
putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked,
and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities,
and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them;
and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just,
and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process
of grotesque self-deception.


– Mark Twain
"The Mysterious Stranger" (1910)



1) Convention News - Kucinich, Kerry Together
- - Convention Demonstration Zone is a Dark, Shadowy Place
- - Poll: DNC Delegates much more Progressive than Kerry
2) CIA Analyst and FBI Whistleblower Dissect Final 9/11 Report
- - Support Sibel Edmonds!
- - No Safe Haven - Homeland Security
- - Israel plant a second Chernobyl?
3) Death of whales linked to NATO navy exercise


Editor's Notes:


This issue begins on another update on the Kucinich endorsement of Kerry. Dennis will speak at the Convention floor Wednesday. Item 2 is on "Homeland Security." In simple terms, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern gives the scoop on how to wipe out terrorism, by finding the root of the problem. Obviously, going to war under false pretenses, preemptively, that killed more than 10,000 innocent Iraqis, Arab people, is not the most effective way to end the threats realized by 9/11/01. Item 3 is on a recent article on whale deaths by NATO exercises near Spain. "Apparently disoriented by the sonar, the whales rose to the surface too quickly, triggering the formation of small nitrogen bubbles in their blood which then damage tissue and clog blood vessels, according to a study published in Nature."

Questions

What if we crush against the pit of war
and out bursts its bitter counterpart, destruction?
What if tears and pains unbearable are curses
because of lack of food?
What if death won't unlock the door
and we stay alive in misery?

Could we comprehend the meaning of existence?
Did it mean much before the war?
Could it mean more now in these days of
panic-stricken homes?

O' the emotions lose control,
Who the fuck cares who wins the war;
who's on the side of fate,
can nuclear radiation wipe out hate?

What if we lean against each other's shoulder
and profess a liberty that can't be beat?
What if our hearts melt openly in the sun
and declare a unity that makes all one?

Can the bleeding call for mass hysteria conquer simple trust?
Can innocence bow down below an inferior lust?



1) Convention News - Kucinich, Kerry Together

- - Convention Demonstration Zone is a Dark, Shadowy Place
- - Poll: DNC Delegates much more Progressive than Kerry

- - Kucinich, Kerry Together
Monday, July 26, 2004

Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, whose dogged determination and intensely loyal grassroots support carried him through every primary and every caucus in the nation, has endorsed Sen. John Kerry and pledged to "do everything possible" to help elect him as President.

"Unity is essential to bring change in November," said Kucinich. "Unity is essential to repair America. Unity is essential to set America on a new path."

"With the same passion and commitment I demonstrated in my own campaign for President, I intend reach out on behalf of the Kerry-Edwards ticket to unite our Party with all those who may have felt left out. I will let them know that the time has come to unite in a common effort for change which is essential, not only for America but for the world."

In a joint appearance Thursday in Detroit, Kerry responded by saying, "I'm proud to have his help."

"Dennis brings a passion," Kerry continued, "not just to the Party and to the unity that he spoke of, but to our country. He loves this country. He loves the ideals that we're founded on, and he loves the dream that we're still chasing."

Kerry also said he agreed with Kucinich's assessment that many Americans feel left out.

"He spoke the truth when he said there are many people from different parts of our Party who want to feel comfortable that they can find the kind of honesty and decency that they want in their government. And I think that Dennis' coming on board with some of those who've been the most disaffected and the most disappointed is a sign that our Party is going to be unified as never before. We are going to be focused as we've never been before. We are gong to restore America 's sense of right and wrong and its commitment to the average people who are struggling to make ends meet and make this country live up to its dreams."

Stressing the linkage between unity and victory in November, Kucinich said, "John Kerry can win because there is a place within the Democratic Party for everyone, including those who may be thinking of supporting Ralph Nader." Kucinich pointed out, "Most people know I have many of the same commitments that Ralph has." But he added, "If there is room for me in the Party and in the Kerry-Edwards campaign, there is certainly room for Ralph and for his supporters."

Both men acknowledged that they have had differences on some issues. "When we disagreed," Kerry noted, "which we did do on a number of different issues, we agreed to do it agreeably."

Kucinich, said Kerry, "is a man who knows what the middle class is struggling with today, and his fight has been a fight for justice and for fairness. It has also been a fight for peace."

Kucinich described Kerry as "a good friend and a decent man."

"He has a lifelong commitment of honorable service to our nation as a military officer and as a Senator. He can be trusted with power. He will help heal America ."

Kucinich is scheduled to speak at the Democratic Convention Wednesday night.

www.kucinich.us/insideout/072604/kucinich_kerry.php

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- - Convention Demonstration Zone is a Dark, Shadowy Place
by Mark Jewell
Published on Monday, July 26, 2004 by the Associated Press

BOSTON - While thousands of delegates, journalists and dignitaries stream into the Fleet Center, a shadowy, closed-off piece of urban streetscape just over a block away will be the place protesters call home for the next several days. ..
www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0726-04.htm

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- - Poll: DNC Delegates much more Progressive than Kerry
www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0726-01.htm



2) CIA Analyst and FBI Whistleblower Dissect Final 9/11 Report

- - Support Sibel Edmonds!
- - No Safe Haven - Homeland Security
- - Israel plant a second Chernobyl?

- - Former CIA Analyst and FBI Whistleblower Dissect Final 9/11 Commission Report

As the bipartisan Commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks releases its much-anticipated final report, Democracy Now take an in-depth look at what it says and what it doesn't say with former CIA analyst Ray McGovern and FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds.

Democracy Now!
Friday, July 23rd, 2004
Fmr. CIA Analyst and FBI Whistleblower Dissect
Final 9/11 Commission Report

As the bipartisan Commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks releases its much-anticipated final report, Democracy Now! took an in-depth look at what it says and what it doesn't say with former CIA analyst Ray McGovern and FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds.

The bipartisan commission of ex-government officials investigating the Sept. 11 attacks published its much-anticipated final report July 22, 2004.

The commission concluded that "The 9/11 attacks were a shock, but they should not have come as a surprise" and warned that without a historic restructuring of the nation's intelligence agencies and a new emphasis on diplomacy, the United States would leave itself open to an even more catastrophic attack. The Washington Post reports that the panel was much gentler on the Bush administration than many Republicans and the White House had feared.

The panel said it could not determine whether the attacks could reasonably have been prevented. However, it identifies 10 "operational opportunities" to detect the 9/11 plot that were missed and identifies nine major vulnerabilities that enabled the attacks to move forward.

In a package of recommendations for overhauling intelligence operations, the commission called for a cabinet-level national intelligence director within the White House who would control the budgets of all 15 federal intelligence agencies. The intelligence director's office would take substantial power away from the C.I.A., the F.B.I. and the Pentagon, and it would essentially strip the National Security Council of its role in coordinating the actions of intelligence agencies.

The panel also advocates encoding U.S. passports with personal information and recommends standardized driver's licenses nationwide. Both ideas were met with immediate criticism from civil liberties advocates.

In addition, the report recommended adherence to the Geneva Conventions in its treatment of alleged combatants saying "America should be able to reconcile its views of how to balance humanity and security with our nation's commitment to these same goals."

The panel finds that Iraq and al Qaeda had no "collaborative operational relationship "but outlines a deeper alliance between the terrorist group and Iran. The report alleges that as many as 10 of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were able to freely pass through Iran, although there is no evidence that Tehran was aware of the plot.

The report also outlines how senior administration officials turned their attention to Iraq soon after the attacks. In the most glaring example, at 2:40 p.m. on Sept. 11, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Richard Myers that his instinct was to hit Saddam Hussein at the same time as Osama bin Laden. Four days later, when Bush convened a meeting of his senior advisers at Camp David to decide retaliatory steps, the Defense Department submitted a paper that depicted Iraq, the Taliban and al Qaeda as priority targets in the first stage of action. The report goes on to note that a failed Iraq in the wake of the U.S. invasion could become "breeding grounds for attacks against Americans at home."

The panel also concluded that there was no evidence that the Saudi government or Saudi officials knew of or supported the plot to attack the United States.

President Bush and former President Clinton, who were both interviewed by the commission, disagreed in their recollection of a two-hour meeting on national security and foreign policy issues in December 2000. Clinton recalls telling Bush that "by far your biggest threat is Bin Ladin and the al Qaeda" and that he regretted not capturing or killing the al Qaeda leader.

Bush told the commission. "that he felt sure President Clinton had mentioned terrorism, but did not remember much being said about al Qaeda." Bush said Clinton emphasized other issues such as North Korea and the Israeli peace process.

The panel also found that 36 presidential intelligence briefings given Bush before the attacks that mentioned al Qaeda or bin Laden.

The 567-page report was based on 2.5 million pages of documents and testimony from more than 1,000 witnesses and is on sale in bookstores across the country.

RUSH TRANSCRIPT

AMY GOODMAN: We're joined right now by two guests in the Washington studio. We're joined by Ray McGovern, who is a 27-year career analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity. And we're also joined by Sibel Edmonds, she's the former F.B.I. Translator who was hired shortly after September 11 to translate intelligence gathered over the previous time related to the 9/11 attacks. She speaks fluent Farsi and Turkish. Let's begin with Ray McGovern. Your response to the report?

RAY MCGOVERN: Well it's clear, Amy, that the establishment has spoken here. The name of the game is reflected in the "Washington Post" headlines for today which says, "Final Report Faults Two Administrations." So, the implication being that Clinton and Bush are equally to blame for overseeing this – or, you know, exercising oversight in the second sense over this terrorist threat. It's really interesting to see how this thing has played out. The report deals with the symptoms. The analogy with malaria that I think you may have heard me use before. Defeating terrorism is like defeating malaria. Everyone knows to defeat malaria you need to set up sharp shooters around the swamp and try to kill as many mosquitoes as you can as they leave the swamp. Well, obviously, what you do to defeat malaria is to drain the swamp. That's what you need to do with respect to terrorism, to get at the root causes of terrorism. This report, all 567 pages of it except two, deal with the symptoms, the mosquitoes, how to shoot the mosquitoes as they leave the swamp, how to set up the equivalent of radar so, when they come where they could hurt somebody, the radar will detect them and the equivalent of more easily and more protective mosquito nets to protect the possible victims of the mosquitoes. It doesn't get to the root cause except well into it around page 400, which we can discuss later, but which very briefly talks about the root causes. Our policy toward Israel and our invasion and occupation of Iraq. That got in there to the credit of the drafters.

AMY GOODMAN: We're joined by Ray McGovern, who is a former C.I.A. Analyst, with the agency for more than a quarter of a century, and F.B.I. whistleblower, Sibel Edmonds, who also joins us in our Washington studio. Sibel, your response overall to the commission's report?

SIBEL EDMONDS: Well, Amy, I spent my day yesterday reading most of the report, and my first reaction was, okay, it explains why the report received a blessing from the administration and from the agencies, considering just in my case alone you have so much kicking and screaming and classification of – by the Department of Justice, and talking about the sensitivity and talking about certain diplomatic relations, and we didn't have these types of responses to this report, which explains a lot alone by itself. Also, in reading the report, I just did not come across anything that in any way would establish any specific accountability. That also explains the lack of kick and screaming and lack of that type of a response from the administration. And also I was not that surprised to see that many incidents in their time-lines were not mentioned, although two days ago, "Chicago Tribune" had an article regarding the incident of a long term F.B.I. Asset who provided specific information in April, 2001, to the Bureau talking about major cities being targeted and airplanes being used, and the order being issued by Bin Laden. There's no mentioning of this. Although as you would see on this article, it has been already confirmed by the F.B.I. Authorities. So, I was not surprised, considering the fact that I attended these hearings, and I did not hear most questions being asked during the hearings, but I must say that I was still disappointed.

AMY GOODMAN: Sibel Edmonds, for people who are not familiar with your case, clearly, you have information the government is very concerned about, based on your translations after September 11, before September 11 wiretaps, because the Justice Department has attempted to reclassify information that you put out in a public hearing.

SIBEL EDMONDS: Correct. The commission has had this information since February, 2004, and there was only one reference to it without any specifics saying that, please refer to the I.G. Report. Well, the I.G. Report, after two years of delay, came out and is entirely classified. So, the public cannot refer to the I.G. Report. As you know, the investigations by the Congress have been stopped and the only reasons cited by the Attorney General have been certain diplomatic relations, certain foreign relations. So, people cannot refer to the congressional investigations or findings, and obviously, the report by the commission does not contain this information. So, basically, that – there you have it.

For the entire report and transcript from Democracy Now!, see:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/07/23/1336253

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- - Support Sibel Edmonds!

Support Sibel Edmonds! Now is the time to rally in support of Sibel Edmonds, former FBI translator and 9/11 whistle-blower who stumbled upon the nexus point where drug trafficking, money laundering and 9/11 meet in a shadowy global financial network that she claims is being protected by the DOJ and State Department. If she's mistaken, why has John Ashcroft filed a gag order against her?

For links and resources, see:
http://septembereleventh.org/

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- - No Safe Haven - Homeland Security

No Safe Haven -
Homeland Security granted an African refugee political asylum --
then threw him in jail. [Now in Greenfield, Massachusetts.]

For the complete article, see:
http://valleyadvocate.com/gbase/News/content?oid=oid:74792

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- - Israel plant a second Chernobyl?

Israel's nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu has warned that the Middle East is at risk of a "second Chernobyl" in the event of an accident at the Jewish state's aged Dimona plant, a newspaper reported
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article6550.htm



3) Death of whales linked to NATO navy exercise

SPAIN - The Canary Islands regional government demanded an official enquiry by the Spanish defence ministry after two dead beaked whales were washed ashore the islands days after NATO conducted a naval exercise in the area. It is the second such incident in two years, as 14 of the species measuring between four and six metres in length were found dead after a NATO exercise
in the area September 2002.

Besides the two whales found dead on the coasts of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, fishermen reported they had seen what resembled another dead whale in the area.

Scientists suspect that the use of naval sonar could trigger the deaths, as investigations of the whale cadavers after the 2002 incident had shown that the whales suffered from decompression sickness normally only known from divers.

Apparently disoriented by the sonar, the whales rose to the surface too quickly, triggering the formation of small nitrogen bubbles in their blood which then damage tissue and clog blood vessels, according to a study published in Nature.

Experts had demanded a change in environmental regulations in order to protect the animals after the 2002 incidents in which mid-frequency sonar had been used.

In August of last year, a judge in San Francisco, California, had banned sonar tests planned by the US Navy for several of the world's oceans.

The project were in violation of animal protection laws as they would endanger whales, dolphins and fish, she ruled.

Copyright © 2004 Brunei Press Sdn Bhd. All right reserved.
http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/mon/jul26w35.htm


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