March 6, 2008
1111 gmt
Indian Ocean Satellite
Noted the eastern border of the 'heat concentration' of this area ends where the topical rainforests end. It is all due to water vapor provided by dense flora. Without the ability by Earth to concentrate heat into water vapor to be transported and dissipated, we may as well be living on Venus.


March 6, 2008
1512 gmt
West Pacific Satellite
The heat concentration is considerable over the topical forests of Indonesia where there is still humidity/water vapor compared to the drought stricken Australia. The heat transfer off the west coast of Australia is noted.


March 6, 2008
1234 gmt
Global Pacific Satellite


March 6, 2008
1229 gmt
Western Hemisphere Satellite


March 6, 2008
1430z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite (click here for 12 hour loop)
Noted the Mid-Atlantic anti-cyclonic vortex and the west coast system continues to build in dynamics. Interesting Gulf of Mexico clouds as well.

March 6, 2008

1228 gmt

Africa-Europe Satellite

Noted in this satellite is the Mid-Atlantic anti-cyclonic vortex. The heat transfer off the equator, across Africa at 4 o'clock to Antarctica is noted here. There is also a heat transfer reaching from the Amazon River Delta at 5 o'clock to the Antarctica ice fields.

The higher altitudes of Antarctica are having a return to frigid temperatures, but, the periphery is still too warm. It's approaching autumn.

March 6, 2008
0900 AM
Antarctica Surface Wind Satellite (click here - 24 hour loop)
There are very strong 'onshore' winds over the seacoast and periphery to the Blue Ice of East Antarctica. The consequences to that is a degradation of the ice terraces that protect the base of the Blue Ice regardless of it's continued integrity.
As noted in this picture, the winds over the East Antarctica Blue Ice are far milder and perpendicular to the onshore winds at much lower elevations/altitude. That simply exhibits the fact these two air masses are not interacting and therefore the frigid air mass of the 3 mile high Blue Ice continues to increase in 'coldness' without interaction with heat transfer systems off the equator.
The surface winds over WAIS (West Antarctica Ice Sheet) are mostly of low velocity, causing little to no movement of air, therefore exhibiting the higher sustaining temperatures now noted there. What air movement exists of WAIS is primarily offshore, therefore, the temperatures exhibited are lower than they actually are being delivered by heat transfer at much higher elevations and seasonal 'sunniness.' The offshore component to WAIS is bringing colder air to this 'heated' region. If it were not for the offshore component to the climate of WAIS, the temperatures would be considerably higher still.


March 5, 2008
0600 gmt
Antarctica
The Antarctica Vortex/Jet Stream (click here for animation)
It's evident on animation that the only area of Antarctica spared the ravages of heat transfer have been the high elevations of East Antarctica. That is why there is some accumulation of sustaining return to frigid temperatures customery to this region. That is not to say it will continue to maintain these temperatures throughout fall and winter or even through spring and summer next year. The coastal and periphery to the East Antarctica Blue Ice are still receiving a substantial amount of heat transfer.


March 6, 2008
0900 AM
Antarctica

There satellite images missing are 12 Noon, 3 PM and 12 Midnight. East Antarctica is the coldest as usual. According to the satellite picture below there are small accumulation areas of returning coldness before the incidents several months ago that removed those temperatures.

The warmest reporting stations in Antarctica exhibit an exceptionally warm end to summer :

Base Esperanza, Antarctica

Time :: 7:00 AM EST

Temperature :: 42 °F / 6 °C

Conditions :: Scattered Clouds

Humidity :: 64%

Dew Point :: 34 °F / 1 °C

Wind :: 16 mph / 26 km/h from the West

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.15 in / 987 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 9.0 miles / 15.0 kilometers

Elevation :: 43 ft / 13 m


King Sejong, Antarctica (Airport)

Time :: 7:00 AM

Temperature :: 41 °F / 5 °C

Conditions :: Light Rain

Humidity :: 92%

Dew Point :: 39 °F / 4 °C

Wind :: 23 mph / 37 km/h from the North

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.09 in / 985 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 5.0 miles / 8.0 kilometers

UV :: 0 out of 16

Elevation :: 33 ft / 10 m

The coldest temperatures are :

Dome C, Antarctica

Local Time: 2:09 PM GMT

Time :: 7:15 AM

Lat/Lon: 74.5° S 123.0° E

Temperature :: -58 °F / -50 °C

Wind :: 10 mph / 17 km/h from the SSW

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa (Falling)

Elevation :: 10761 ft / 3280 m



Vostok, Antarctica

Local Time: 8:10 PM VOST

Time :: 7:00 AM EST

Lat/Lon: 78.4° S 106.9° E

Temperature :: -54 °F / -48 °C

Conditions :: Clear

Humidity :: 37%

Dew Point :: -63 °F / -53 °C

Wind :: 12 mph / 18 km/h from the West

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa (Steady)

Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers

Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m

What a mess this planet is in ! No USA leadership on Climate Stability and this is what happens.

March 5, 2008

1303 gmt

Antarctica

There are currently six heat transfer votexes in the southern hemisphere. It is 49 degrees Fahrenheit at Base Esperanza, Antarctica (Airport). This is some of the most immoral conscience I have ever witnessed within the government of the USA. This is a result of years of systematic abuse of power at a time when the Earth's climate reached crisis levels.

Scott Base isn't reporting today. I'll be back later.

'Alien plant species affecting Antarctica biodiversity’ (click at title to entry)

New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) Scientists from across the world, including India, have found a few alien plant species in Antarctica. They are affecting the biodiversity of the ice continent, Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal said Tuesday. “Some species of lower plant forms, not native to Antarctica, have been found. For example, a species of European grass, a carnivorous beetle species, Poa annua (a seed plant) and Australian pollen taxa have been reported as alien species in Antarctica,” Sibal informed the Lok Sabha....

Helicopter crashes in Antarctica, killing two (click here)

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: A scientific research helicopter has crashed in Antarctica, killing its German pilot and a Dutch technician.
Jan Boon of the Netherlands Institute for Undersea Research says the cause of the crash is not known. Three others were injured in Sunday's accident, which happened under clear skies.
The helicopter was shuttling between the German ship Polarstern and German research base Neumayer II on the icy continent when it crashed.
The survivors are waiting with the bodies of those killed for evacuation to Cape Town as soon as weather permits a plane to land....

March 5, 2008
1302 gmt
North American Satellite

The vortices noted below can be noted in this image 3:30, 5:00 and 7:00. They are the ONLY vortices in the northern hemisphere due to the high concentration of carbon dioxide produced by the USA.
The 'anti-cyclonic' vortex over the Mid-Atlantic is actually pulling frigid Arctic Air OUT OF the Arctic Circle. This is a change in dynamics. In the recent years of 'heat-transfer' it was chronically come from the Equator to the Arctic Circle, but, this is now moving 'frigid air' to the heat concentration. The sun's migration is reaching the area where this 'anti-cyclonic' vortex is currently manifesting and it's happening as the sun is reaching greater intensity around Mid-Day. The time zones there are different. Does anyone have to say it any louder?
The USA is out of control in emitting CO2 and it's gone beyond any rational of a CIVILIZED society.

The Current Water Vapor Image of the North and West Hemisphere of Earth (click here)

March 5, 2008

1430z

UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite

There are two huge vortices, one off the North American eastern seaboard; the other is a massive ANTI-CYCLONIC vortex over the Mid-Atlantic recently formed. I wouldn't want to be in a ship underneath it !

There is another complex and dangerous vortex forming off the west coast of North America.

American Red Cross Responds to Tornadoes in the Southeast

March 3, 2008
Lebanon, Tennessee
Photographer states :: A strong cold front is approaching middle Tennessee this evening. No tornadic storms reported but plenty of rain and interesting lightning. It was spring like in the 70's today. The wild swings continue this winter with snow showers forecast tomorrow afternoon.


This NOAA satellite image taken Monday, March 03, 2008 at 01:45 AM EST shows a strong frontal system extending from the Upper Midwest and Upper Great Lakes southwestward through mid-Mississippi Valley and Southern Plains. Widely scattered moderate to severe thunderstorms are developing along and ahead of the southern portion of the front. Snow is falling in the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes as well as the southern High Plains and Rockies. (AP Photo/Weather Underground)

Storm Shelter (click here)

Severe weather and tornadoes ripped through the South Tuesday night resulting in significant damage to communities in Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. The tornadoes left more than 45 people dead and injured hundreds. The Red Cross immediately responded to the tornadoes, providing shelter, feeding victims and search and rescue workers, and lending emotional support to all. Members of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program helped ensure the Red Cross could be there immediately to rush relief to the affected residents, but the need for additional donations is still great due to the devastation caused by the tornadoes throughout the South.

Snow, Tornadoes Hit Southern Plains (click here)
By MURRAY EVANS – 1 day ago
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Snow fell across parts of Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle on Monday, part of a storm system that produced at least two weekend tornadoes and hail as big as softballs.
The National Weather Service posted a snow and blowing snow advisory for parts of Oklahoma and a winter storm warning for sections of Arkansas, where 3 to 6 inches of snow was possible. In the Texas Panhandle, ice and snow covered local roads in western areas of the Panhandle but no problems were reported.
Up to 4 inches of rain had fallen by midday Monday in parts of Arkansas, the weather service said. Winds gusted as high as 61 mph in southwest Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma Mesonet, a network of weather monitoring stations.
A cold front triggered damaging winds in the northeastern corner of Texas and a chance for rare snow in the Dallas-Fort Worth area Monday.
Tornado warnings were posted in Bowie County, where strong winds downed trees and damaged property. In Hooks, about 160 miles northeast of Dallas, there were reports of damage but no injuries, said Police Chief Keith Schutte.
On Sunday, two tornadoes were spotted in rural areas of northwestern Oklahoma. Television footage showed one twister passing the communities of Carleton and Southard in northern Blaine County.
No fatalities or severe damage were reported, but downed power lines caused scattered blackouts. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said one highway near the Kansas state line that was closed because of fallen power lines had been reopened early Monday.
Sunday's storm system also produced wind gusting up to 70 mph, lightning and hail as large as softballs that caused scattered damage, said weather service meteorologist Chris Sohl in Norman.
Such a storm system "is not all that odd, but this early in March sometimes it's a trick to get enough moisture up here for (atmospheric) instability," Sohl said.
The stormy weather formed along a cold front stretching across the middle of the nation. Radar showed rain falling along the front from Texas to Michigan on Monday morning with snow in parts of Michigan and Wisconsin.

Anheuser-Busch Foundation Donates $100,000 to Aid Victims of Southern Tornadoes (click here)

Company Also Donates More Than 154,000 Cans of Drinking Water
ST. LOUIS.– The Anheuser-Busch Foundation announced today that it is donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross to aid relief efforts for victims of last week’s Southern tornadoes.
The devastating line of thunderstorms and tornadoes swept across the midsection of the United States last week, leaving a widespread path of destruction in its wake. The storms killed at least 55 people, making it the deadliest tornado outbreak in the United States in more than 20 years....

March 4, 2008, 11:33AM

US Senate Gets Mobile Home-Radio Bill (click here)
By TOM DAVIES

Associated Press Writer © 2008 The Associated Press
— An effort spurred by a deadly tornado that struck southern Indiana to require weather-warning radios in many new manufactured homes has moved to the U.S. Senate.
Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., said Monday he was introducing a bill that would mandate the installer put the radios inside any manufactured home that does not have a permanent foundation.
Backers of such measures say they would help prevent deaths from tornadoes that disproportionately occur in manufactured housing, including mobile homes. The radios, some of which retail for $20 or less, pick up direct broadcasts from the National Weather Service, including official storm warnings and watches 24 hours a day.
"This seems to me as a fairly modest step we can take that could have major impacts in terms of saving people's lives," Bayh said.
The bill is named for C.J. Martin, a 2-year-old Evansville, Ind., boy who was among 20 people living in a mobile home park who were killed in a November 2005 tornado that struck about 2 a.m. as most people slept. His mother, Kathryn Martin, helped push through a state law in Indiana and has lobbied Congress to adopt a similar measure, which passed the House last year.
"This isn't going to stop the tornadoes and it's not going to stop bad weather," Martin said Monday. "We just need to be able to give people the warning."...

The weather at Glacier Bay National Park (Crystal Wind Chime) doesn't change much from day to day. Click here for article.

The caption to the picture SHOULD read, "Yep, it's still cold enough for thin ice."
It's still dark in the Arctic. It will soon begin to find sunlight again, so this picture is more to illustrate the fact, REGARDLESS, of the devastation of Human Induced Global Warming on the Arctic Ocean there is still research being conducted.
In many venues of science, there is always hope that new facts will be found that will enlighten the volumes of information scientists already know about Earth. Always seeking, to the bitter end of any 'mission' is a scientist willing to 'risk it all' to promote the understanding they have dedicated their lives.
The American Public needs to understand that 'their denial' regarding the urgency and brevity of this issue has not eliminated the determination by scientists to retrieve as much information as they can and seek 'possibilities' leading to 'an absolute' answer to Earth's plans for it's biotic content with a rising global temperature.
It's time to stop polluting the troposphere with carbon dioxide and to save at any cost the biotic content of this planet.

Yup, it’s cold. Frederic Brabant risks getting a dunking as he checks temperature of the water during climate-change research.
bylineBracket(" WAYNE GLOWACKI /WINNIPEG FREE PRESS");
(Wayne Glowacki /winnipeg Free Press )

Local Time: March 3, 2008; 5:54 AM AKST

Lat/Lon: 58.8° N 137.0° W

Elevation :: 33 ft / 10 m

Temperature :: 36 °F / 2 °C

Conditions :: Overcast

Windchill :: 33 °F / 0 °C

Humidity :: 93%

Dew Point :: 34 °F / 1 °C

Wind :: 4 mph / 6 km/h / 1.5 m/s from the East

Pressure :: 30.37 in / 1028 hPa (Rising)

Visibility :: 5.0 miles / 8.0 kilometers

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds:
Overcast 2400 ft / 731 m
(Above Ground Level)



Local Time: March 2, 2008; 3:19 AM AKST

Temperature :: 36 °F / 2 °C

Conditions :: Overcast

Windchill :: 32 °F / 0 °C

Humidity :: 81%

Dew Point :: 30 °F / -1 °C

Wind :: 5 mph / 7 km/h / 2.1 m/s from the WSW

Pressure :: 29.78 in / 1008 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 0.2 miles / 0.4 kilometers

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds:
Overcast 200 ft / 60 m
(Above Ground Level)

When a USA President negotiates with countries, he is promoting peace and nuclear de-escalation OR personal agendas of crony wars and instability?

His Majesty King Abdullah addresses a Washington meeting on Monday of leaders of Muslim and Arab organisations, which Her Majesty Queen Rania also attended (Photo by Yousef Allan)

When a voter casts their ballot this November they have a lot riding on it. War and Peace and Middle East Stability is 'at risk' depending on the leadership of the country. That includes election races for the Senate and House.

Choosing a President, US Senator and US House member carries brevity to the 'content' of which the world will regard the USA. The Bush/Cheney Neocon White House promotes war at every turn. They promote the sale of arms and they CREATE 'arms races' with countries the USA at one time protected and defended.

Under leadership that now defines the Republican Party, the USA 'contributes' to instability by encouraging war rather than limiting the regions ability to wage war. We don't need that kind of President or one too naive to understand the concept. We need a President that defines themselves as a Peace Broker with the ability to 'help' the Middle East obtain stability and movement away from violence.

Currently, the Republicans 'justify' their position in the Middle East as a national security issue. The ONLY reason it is a national security issue is because of oil exports to the USA. The countries of the Middle East are working diligently to control the growth of al Qaeda terrorist networks and Saudi Arabia has successfully been rounding up these characters for some time now on a regular basis:

28 Al-Qaeda Militants Arrested in KingdomP.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News (click here)

JEDDAH, 4 March 2008 — Saudi Security forces have arrested 28 militants, who were involved in rebuilding the Al-Qaeda network in Saudi Arabia to launch another campaign of terror across the Kingdom, an Interior Ministry spokesman said in a statement.
The militants had been collecting funds on the pretext of supporting the needy in Pakistan and Afghanistan — money that was, in fact, being used “to finance their criminal activities,” said the spokesman.
One of those arrested was carrying a recorded message of Al-Qaeda’s second-in-command Ayman Al-Zawahri on the memory card of a cell phone. “The bearer of this message is one of our trusted brothers, therefore, please give him your donations to help hundreds of families of captives and martyrs in Pakistan and Afghanistan,” Al-Zawahri said in the audio recording aired by the Kingdom’s state television.
The Interior Ministry spokesman added that a person visiting Makkah had brought the recording to the Kingdom.
56 Arrests Since December...

At the same time the Republicans provide 'no way out' for the USA Energy and Transportation Crisis and as a result they continue to hold the American Public hostage to their own wars, 'in the interest of national security.' It's like being a hamster on an excercise wheel or a rat in a maze. The Republicans have no 'good faith' methods to improve the lives of Americans so much as 'trap' them into chronic war on the soil of Middle East instability.

It's time to 'end it' and stop the 'war escalation' which leads to exceptionally dangerous levels of available weapons in the Middle East as well as nuclear escalation. The issue with Pakistan and India having nuclear weapon capacity is what drives this methodology currently 'at work' in the Bush/Cheney/Republican White House. Those countries are NOT one of the five legal nuclear nations and need to have demands to disarm from their nuclear arsenal. This is not 'rocket science' in that there are proven methodologies to convert 'weapons grade uranium' into nuclear fuel rods.

When Israel uses 'too much' force in regard to Palestine, there is nothing but pure hate leveled against it. Justified/Verified Precision attacks only

The "Cartoon" is from The Arab News.

Did I tell you or did I tell you? Huh? Yes?

Livni: If necessary, Israel will reoccupy the Gaza Strip (click here)
Israel has informed foreign diplomats that it would reoccupy Hamas-ruled Gaza if necessary, though it prefers not to do so, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, as the IDF operated against defiant Gaza rocket squads.

Israel is contemplating a reoccupation of Gaza even as it makes efforts to make peace with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who controls the West Bank. On Sunday, Abbas called off talks with Israel to protest the high death toll from the IDF's latest incursion into Gaza. Palestinians reported more than 120 dead in the military campaign.

Israeli leaders have signaled that a broad invasion of Gaza is in the works to halt rocket fire that is striking closer to Israel's center.

In a meeting Monday with foreign diplomats based in Israel, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni did not rule out an Israeli reoccupation of the Strip, home to 1.4 million Palestinians. Israel pulled its settlers and troops out of Gaza in 2005, and last June, Hamas violently seized control there....

NOW, out of pure fear due to Abbas's propaganda and Israel's chronic vulnerability and sheer desire to have neighborhoods safe for children from rockets, Israel is looking at a return to aggression against Hezbollah as well.
The United Nations needs to confiscate the arms build up of Hezbollah as it serves two purposes. It serves to cause danger to Israel's border communities AND it serves as a danger to Lebanonese leadership.

UN Report: Israel Says Hizbullah Rearming In Violation Of U.N. Embargo (click here)
3/4/2008 5:43:49 AM
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council in a report that Israel claims Hizbullah to be rearming in violation of a U.N. embargo and the guerilla group has in its possession in southern Lebanon an arsenal that includes 10,000 long-range rockets and 20,000 short-range rockets.
The U.N. Chief's report focused on implementation of the U.N. cease-fire resolution that ended the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in August 2006. The resolution reiterates a call for the disarming of all militias and bans arms transfers to them.
Though the secretary-general's report did not confirm Israel's claim, the U.N. chief voiced his concern about Hizbullah's public statements and frequent violations of a U.N. arms embargo, which bans weapons transfers to the group. Ban also expressed concern at "the threats of open war against Israel" by Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The Hizbullah leader accused Israel of assassinating a top Hezbollah commander in order to start a new war and warned that the Jewish state would lose the battle. Israel has denied involvement in the February 12 car bombing in Syria that killed Imad Mughniyeh.

This mess is directly due to the fact that the USA is occupying a nation in the Middle East while flexing too much muscle, importing too much 'fire power' with no end in sight. The USA encourages fear between Israel and the rest of the Middle East nations to 'establish' a 'knee jerk' reaction from Olmert at any sign of trouble. The Bush/Cheney processes fail because they are designed to fail. It's time to 'rid' the USA of Republican influence and return to policies that lead to 'in roads' for peace.

We don't belong in Iraq !

We never did !

Iran: Russia Blocks New IAEA Resolution Against Tehran

ACTUALLY, it was Russia and China that ruled against the Western Nation's measure against Iran.


West drops IAEA governors move on Iran after row (click here)
...Britain, France and Germany scrapped the resolution after concluding their goals had been achieved by the Security Council and there was no point risking a schism among U.N. nuclear policymakers Iran might exploit, Western diplomats added....

FACTBOX: Sanctions against Iran (click here)
...WHAT DO THE NEW U.N. SANCTIONS INCLUDE?
-- The sanctions resolution called for more travel and financial curbs on Iranian individuals and companies and makes some restrictions mandatory.
-- It also expanded a previous partial ban on trade in items with both civilian and military uses to cover sales of all such technology to Iran.
-- The new resolution adds the names of 13 individuals and 12 companies to the list of people and firms suspected of aiding Iran's nuclear and missile programs.
-- Tehran has so far ignored all council and IAEA resolutions demanding it freeze its uranium enrichment program....

National Intelligence Estimate: Iran - Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities (click here)
Published November 2007
This National Intelligence Estimate report on Iran's nuclear capabilities states "We judge with moderate confidence that the earliest possible date Iran would be technically capable of producing enough HEU for a weapon is late 2009, but that this is very unlikely. We judge with moderate confidence Iran probably would be technically capable of producing enough HEU for a weapon sometime during the 2010-2015 time frame. (INR judges Iran is unlikely to achieve this capability before 2013 because of foreseeable technical and programmatic problems.) All agencies recognize the possibility that this capability may not be attained until after 2015."

The sooner the USA is OUT of Iraq the sooner nuclear issues will 'cool down' in the Middle East.

Loose Change

Clinton Gains In Polls As D-Day Dawns For Democrats (click here)


Mark Goolsbee (click here)
...he's better understood as a proponent of behavioral microeconomics, which incorporates psychological findings into analyses of economic decisionmaking....


Mark Goolsbee is involved with 'fluid' policy that attempts to 'capture' an economic strategy that works. In other words, "His backbone slips whenever the going gets tough just in case his calculator deceived him."


To Mr. Goolsbee people are as much a commodity as goods.


The equation for his economic policies won't necessarily 'benefit' working people so much as appease them. There is a difference in American policy 'that works' for Americans as opposed to policy that 'tolerates them.' Bush policy doesn't even tolerate Americans so much as eliminates them.


"Behavioral Economics" tolerates the needs of the consumer to bring maximum profits to companies. It isn't based in 'strong union' strategies. Illinois unemployment rate (click here) increased from December to January, while New York's Unemployment (click here) has been fairly level.


It seems to me that Clinton economics worked before, why wouldn't it work again. As a matter of fact when Bill Clinton left the White House, besides the treasury surplus, he was ranked the highest in approval rating of any president in USA history. His approval rating when leaving the White House was 65%.


If Goolsbee said it, then he meant it !

Goolsbee disputed a section that read: "Noting anxiety among many U.S. domestic audiences about the U.S. economic outlook, Goolsbee candidly acknowledged the protectionist sentiment that has emerged, particularly in the Midwest, during the primary campaign. He cautioned that this messaging should not be taken out of context and should be viewed as more about political positioning than a clear articulation of policy plans."...
...NAFTA is widely opposed in economically depressed Ohio, which holds its presidential primary Tuesday and is a key battleground between Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Both candidates said in a debate in Cleveland last week that they would renegotiate the trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, which is the largest trading partnership in the world, and threaten to pull out if it doesn't include more protections for workers and the environment....


In my opinion, speaking out of both sides of your mouth isn't what CHANGE is all about !!!! If they are deceptive about this, what else are they deceptive about?

Tomorrow's Door - War or Peace? Who is going to be your next president?

War hasn't worked yet !!!!
And who is competent enough to achieve peace, a fine balance between strength and diplomacy?
(At title to entry, in a temper tantrum after Abbas's propaganda regarding al Qaeda didn't provide enough impetus for Israel to annihilate Hamas in Gaza, he withdrew from peace talks.)


A Simeulue islander passes by a jumble of houses and shops brought down by a massive earthquake in Sinabong, the island's capital in this April 2, 2005 file photo. The fault line that spawned the 2004 Asian tsunami has ruptured nearly 20 times this month, with three strong quakes in the last 24 hours alone. The activity shows the stress the seam is under and could be a harbinger of worse to come, scientists warn. (AP Photo/Ed Wray, File)
Strong earthquake rocks Indonesia (click here)


Police investigate deadly attack on ex-rebels in Aceh (click here)
The Associated Press , Jakarta Mon, 03/03/2008 8:04 PM National
Former rebels in Aceh warned of fresh conflict Monday after a 100-strong mob torched one of their offices, killing six people and underscoring tensions in the region since a 2005 peace deal.
It was unclear whether the attackers burned the victims alive or hacked them to death before setting the building alight, officials said.
The attack happened early Sunday in Aceh's central highlands.
Ibrahim Syamsuddin, a spokesman for the former rebels, said the incident was related to a dispute between the ex-fighters and a local union over control of revenues from a local bus station.
Syamsuddin also alleged some of the attackers were former members of a pro-Jakarta militia blamed for attacks on separatists and civilian sympathizers during the conflict. Their relationship with the union members was not immediately clear.
Many ex-rebels and militia members turned to gang warfare since the war ended. Bus stations and other transport hubs in Indonesia are often targeted by criminal gangs seeking illegal levies....


General criticises Afghanistan troop restrictions (click here)
By David Blair in Kabul
Last Updated: 2:24am GMT 03/03/2008
Nato's commander in Afghanistan voiced his "frustration" with the restrictions imposed on the Alliance's forces yesterday and said these "national caveats" were hindering the fight against the Taliban.
General Dan McNeill, leader of Nato's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), called for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan and gave the Daily Telegraph a vivid description of the difficulties he faces.
Some of the 40 nations who have contributed troops to his command, including France and Germany, have imposed limits on what their soldiers can do.
"I would like the force to be resourced to a level which I think is appropriate for the task in hand and within the force I would like the caveats to be eliminated," said Gen McNeill....



Thriving Taliban Drugs Show Afghan Woes (click here)
By ANNE GEARAN – 2 days ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Taliban have built a huge and profitable drug operation in Afghanistan while provincial governors look the other way, the latest grim sign of backsliding in a country the U.S. has spent six years and billions of dollars trying to salvage.
A report Friday on drugs — it said Afghanistan now produces 93 percent of the world's opium poppy — comes hand in hand with the resurgence of Taliban militants despite U.S. anti-insurgent efforts. Also on the rise: terrorist violence such as roadside bombs, suicide bombings, and attacks on police....


NATO chief disputes US intelligence assessment on Afghanistan (click here)

WASHINGTON: NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer took issue with the U.S. intelligence chief's recent estimate that the Afghan government controlled only about 30 percent of the country.
In a speech Friday, de Hoop Scheffer also chided U.S. officials for publicly criticizing the contribution of other NATO members to the alliance's mission in Afghanistan.
Earlier, speaking after a White House meeting with President George W. Bush, de Hoop Scheffer stressed the importance of the Afghan mission. He said that besides supporting Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Afghan people, "We're also there because we are fighting terrorism, and we cannot afford to lose. We are not losing; we are prevailing."...



Canadian soldier among over 20 killed in Afghanistan - Summary (click here)

Kabul - A Canadian soldier was killed in a roadside bomb blast in southern Afghanistan, while Afghan and international forces killed or wounded more than 20 Taliban in separate operations, officials said Monday. Michael Yuki Hayakaze, a Canadian soldier serving under the banner of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), was killed when his patrolling vehicle was struck by a roadside mine in the Panjwayi district of southern Kandahar province on Sunday, the Canadian Defence Ministry said in a statement posted on its website.
"This cowardly attack will not deter us from carrying out this important and much needed mission with our NATO partners," Canadian Defence Minister Peter Gordon MacKay was quoted in the statement as saying.
Hayakaze is the 79th Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan since 2002, and a Canadian diplomat was killed there in 2006.
The majority of Canada's 2,500 soldiers in Afghanistan are deployed in Kandahar province, but their involvement in the conflict has caused political controversy in the North American

nation....


Six injured in Nandigram violence (click here)
Special Correspondent
KOLKATA: Violence erupted in Nandigram area of West Bengal’s Purbo Medinipur district on Sunday when activists of the Trinamool Congress-led Bhoomi Ucched Pratirodh Committee clashed with Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers.
Six persons were injured in the incident , according to the district police. Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed in the area.
State Congress president Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said here that Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, his administration and the CPI(M) were responsible for the violence in Nandigram on March 14, 2007 in which 14 persons were killed in police firing. The CPI(M)’s other partners in the Left Front could not be blamed for the violence, he said.


Witnesses: Missiles Hit Somali Town (Click here)
By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN – 1 hour ago
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Planes fired three missiles at a Somali town held by Islamic extremists early Monday, destroying a home and seriously injuring eight people, including four children, residents and police said.
The missiles that struck Dobley, some four miles from the Kenyan border, were from military aircraft, but it was not clear from which country they originated, witnesses said. Remnants of an Islamic force that had once ruled much of southern Somalia took over Dobley last week.
Last year, the U.S. shelled suspected al-Qaida targets in Somalia, one of the most lawless and violent countries in the world. Neither U.S. Africa Command nor U.S. Central Command said it was aware of Monday's missile strike. A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, whose mandate covers Somalia, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
"We woke up with a loud and big bang and when we came out we found our neighbor's house completely obliterated as if no house existed here," a resident of the town, Fatuma Abdullahi, told The Associated Press. "We are taking shelter under trees. Three planes were flying over our heads."
A police officer who gave only his first name, Siyad, because he was not authorized to speak to the media said the eight wounded were hit by shrapnel. He also said the planes were military aircraft.
An aid worker in Dobley said up to six people were still trapped in the rubble at midday. It was not clear if these victims were included in the police officer's tally.
"A minimum of two bombs were dropped," the aid worker, who asked that his name not be used because he is not authorized to speak to the media, told the AP by telephone. "Between four and six people are in the rubble."
Clan elder Ahmed Nur Dalab said a senior Islamic official, Hassan Turki, was in town Sunday to mediate between his fighters and a militia loyal to the government. Turki's forces took over Dobley last week.
In early 2007, Somali troops and their Ethiopian allies drove out a radical Islamic group to which Turki is allied that had taken over much of southern Somalia. The Islamic forces have fought to regain power.
Somalia has been mired in chaos since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned on each other.


Suicide bomb kills 40 in Pakistan (click here)
By Isambard Wilkinson in Islamabad
Last Updated: 2:24am GMT 03/03/2008
A suicide bomber targeted an assembly of tribal elders yesterday killing more than 40 people in Pakistan's troubled North West Frontier Province.
More than 100 people were injured in the attack in Darra Adam Khel tribal district which has become one of the province's flashpoints in recent months....

Sher Zaman, 32, one of five men in custody in the Bhutto assassination.
(Special To The Washington Post)
Extremist Accused in Bhutto Killing (click here)
By ZARAR KHAN – 2 days ago
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani police on Saturday formally accused the top Taliban leader in the country and four others of planning the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.
Police filed preliminary charges in court against Baitullah Mehsud, who had been named by the Pakistani government in the Dec. 27 killing of Bhutto in a suicide and gun-attack during a public rally. Mehsud, alleged to have al-Qaida connections, is underground and it is not clear if the police are anywhere close to catching him.
"Police submitted preliminary charges in the Bhutto case before an anti-terrorism court, and the judge issued non-bailable warrants of arrest against Baitullah Mehsud and four other accused" persons, said Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, the chief investigator in the case.
Mehsud was named by President Pervez Musharraf within days of the assassination, but the filing of the preliminary charges Saturday completes a legal formality. It is the first legal step before an arrest can be made.
Mehsud is the commander of Tehrik-e-Taliban, an umbrella group of Islamic militant groups linked to al-Qaida. Mehsud is believed to be based in the volatile South Waziristan province at the border with Afghanistan, and has been blamed for a series of suicide attacks across Pakistan....


Israeli ground troops pull out of Gaza (click here)
JERUSALEM, March 3 (UPI) -- Israeli troops Monday pulled out of Gaza, prompting Hamas to declare victory in the recent cross-border fighting in which more than 100 people died.
The withdrawal from Hamas-controlled Gaza is a reversal of Sunday's recommendations by Israeli military leaders to keep up pressure, Haaretz reported.
Even though ground troops left, a government spokesman said, "We will continue with our defensive actions against those who fire lethal rockets at our civilians."
Hamas spokesman Taher a-Nunu told the Jerusalem Post Hamas leadership asked several Arab countries to intervene in in reaching a cease-fire with Israel. He said Hamas had invited Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa to visit the Gaza Strip as a show of solidarity with the Palestinians.
He said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah II were the only Arab leaders who were actively working toward reaching a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel.
A dozen Palestinians died in the Gaza Strip Sunday, some in clashes that day with Israeli soldiers and other from injuries sustained in skirmishes Saturday, Haaretz said.


Annan peace deal: the crucial steps ahead (click here)
By LUCAS BARASA and KENNETH OGOSIA
Last updated: Mon, Mar 03, 2008 00:26 AM (EAT)
...Following the deal signed on Thursday, it will no longer matter where MPs sit in Parliament following the power-sharing deal between ODM and PNU. The two parties will now form a coalition. “What matters is what they do and say”, Mr Kilonzo told Nation by phone Sunday....


The NEW Border War is no longer Iran-Iraq, it's Iraq/Iran versus Turkey !

Kurd-Arab Kirkuk Clash Is `Ticking Time Bomb,' UN Mediator Says
By Bill Varner
Feb. 28 (Bloomberg) -- The struggle between Kurds and Arabs for control of the city of Kirkuk and its oil amounts to a ``ticking time bomb'' in northern Iraq, according to the new United Nations envoy trying to broker a settlement.
Mediator Staffan de Mistura said in an interview that he has about four months left to solve ``the mother of all crises'' in Iraq. ``If that takes place, we will have contributed substantially to avoiding a new conflict at the worst possible time,'' he said.
Turkey's military incursion into Iraq last week to fight Kurdish rebels may remind Iraqi Kurds that their designs on more territory and oil have limits. Turkey is concerned that the Kurdish regional government would use Kirkuk and its oil to seek independence, displace minorities in the city and embolden breakaway Kurds on Turkish soil....


Iraq: Iran's President Pays Landmark Visit To Baghdad (click here)
Growing Influence
Ahmadinejad's two-day trip -- which comes amid a major Shi'ite religious event in the holy city of Karbala attended by hundreds of thousands of Iranian pilgrims -- appears intended to drive home the message that Tehran is a major regional power able to play a positive, or negative, role in the neighboring Arab state. It is a message aimed in particular at Washington, which accuses Iran of arming and supporting Iraqi Shi'ite militias behind a number of attacks, including on U.S. forces.Ahmadinejad's visit to Baghdad is also seen as a show of Iranian support for the Shi'ite-led government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. In another twist of irony, that same government's chief ally and security guarantor is the United States. Ahmadinejad is scheduled to hold talks with al-Maliki and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani....


Kosovo is Sui Generis Case: Heads of UN and OSCE Missions in Kosovo (click here)

The "A Team."

PACE says Medvedev won Russian polls, but doubts fairness (click here)

Bush at an all time low approval rating. He now matches Cheney's lowest !

George W. Bush's overall job approval rating has dropped to a new low in American Research Group polling as 78% of Americans say that the national economy is getting worse according to the latest survey from the American Research Group.
Among all Americans, 19% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 77% disapprove. When it comes to Bush's handling of the economy,...

...14% approve and 79% disapprove.

Among Americans registered to vote, 18% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 78% disapprove. When it comes to the way Bush is handling the economy, 15% of registered voters approve of the way Bush is handling the economy and 79% disapprove....

...Overall, 19% of Americans say that they approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president, 77% disapprove, and 4% are undecided.

This isn't about FARC. Columbia and Equator have a right to defend their sovereignty.

A FARC member.

This is a 2005 population map of South America. Bush needs to stop cross border intrusions between Columbia and it's neighbors.

Colombia boosts security against possible rebel retaliation (click here)
BOGOTA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Colombia stepped up its security Sunday against possible retaliation from the country's largest rebel group after the killing of the group's No. 2 leader Raul Reyes.
Colombia's Interior Minister Carlos Holguin said he doubted the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) had the capacity to revenge the death of Reyes, whose real name is Luis Edgar Navia Silva.
Reyes, a possible successor to the group's head Manuel Marulanda, was killed in an attack on a jungle camp across the Colombia-Ecuador border Saturday.
Ecuador has recalled its ambassador to Colombia, Fransisco Suescum, to protest the attack, which it says took place three km inside Ecuadorian territory.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has also criticized the Colombian forces for entering the Ecuadorian territory.
In a public move backing Ecuador, Venezuela has placed its armed forces on high alert, closed its embassy in Colombia and mobilized troops to the Colombian border.
Editor: Jiang Yuxia

Chavez didn't say anything about FARC, his focus is on the sovereignty of nations and the fact Columbia launched an attack across the border with Ecuador. Columbia's aggression could be viewed as a hostile act against Ecuador by crossing the border. Columbia had no right to do that. Just that simple.

Since September 11, 2001, George Walker Bush has poured billions of $US into Columbia to fight 'The Global War on Terror."

FARC has been around forever. It is a paramilitary organization but also sanctioned by many as 'rebels with a cause.' That 'cause' if you will, is the fact BEFORE there was a Global War on Terror by Bush there was 'drug money' and plenty of it. That money is everywhere and is used in transactions that even elect political figures. FARC is not a terrorist organization, in that, it had not a darn thing to do with September 11, 2001. Yet, rather than fight the war that should have been fought in Afghanistan, Bush and Cheney start conflicts all over the world and this is still another one.

The relationship of the USA in Columbia has been a long standing one in that the USA sponsors 'anti-drug' campaigns. The USA has done this for years without any success. Why? Because Columbia is supported by the drug trade. So, in order to keep the monies flowing from the USA, Columbia is obligated to carry out an attack against FARC, just to keep everything legitimate with the outcomes the USA is seeking. This time Columbia went to far. They launched a cross border attack into another sovereign nation in order to kill a high profile NARC member.

Now, Columbia is afraid the paramilitaries will retaliate. They probably will. Here again, if Columbia is willing to cross the border of Ecuador to kill FARC members and in response there is an increase in violence at the borders of Columbia with the rebels, neither Ecuador or Venezuela need the violence trickling back into their countries. By securing their borders against infiltration of the anticipated escalation of bloodshed in Columbia, both Ecuador and Venezuela are limiting the impact of that reality to their country, hence, keeping it all in Columbia, where quite frankly it belongs.

end

Bush's Tinder Box - You had to know, as soon as Abbas stated al Qaeda was in Gaza and sponsoring greater violence with Hamas,...

...that Israel wasn't going to wait patiently to find out if Abbas was right. Israel will end up taking back Gaza and will more than likely return the Palestinians to a 'province' within Israel. This isn't going to end soon, either militarily or legislatively. Today is Shabbat in Israel. I would anticipate a legislative resolve to re-establish superiority in Gaza either tonight or tomorrow. This is huge. There are already two IDF soldiers dead (click here).

There is no leadership in DC regarding any Middle East policy. Russia has prudently entered the diplomatic frey to limit any escalation. I believe Russia is more concerned about the USA 'using' this to escalate tensions throughout the region.

This is the kind of disaster that Bush/Cheney propagates with their lack of leadership. When are these men going to be impeached? They haven't got a policy that works and they are killing people without cause in Iraq.

Russia needs to be aggressive in whatever diplomatic initiatives they can establish, including immediately moving to the United Nations. IF there is an al Qaeda presence in Gaza it needs to be proven with intelligence. Israel is very capable of 'targeted strikes' against militants. They took down "The Sheik" without spilling an ounce of civilian blood. They need to put all this into context and realize Abbas may be escalating tensions between Hamas in Gaza and Israel based on 'fear' alone.



Palestinian Hamas militants take position next to a burning barricade during an Israeli army operation east of Jebaliya, in the northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, March 1, 2008. Twenty-one Palestinians, including at least eight civilians, were killed late Friday and early Saturday in escalating Israeli-Palestinian fighting that renewed threats of an Israeli invasion of Gaza and clouded peace efforts. A baby and two teenagers were among the dead, and dozens of people were wounded, Palestinian medical sources said.(AP Photo/Ashraf Amra)

Hamas is going to strike Israel with anything it can. This is escalation. As each incident deploys the higher the price to pay and the increasing danger to all in Israel and Palestine. Abbas should be sharing 'intelligence' with Israel, not using it as propaganda in the press. There are 'real' lives in danger at Abbas's political and public comments, he needs to be ridiculed for his politics !

5 hurt in Ashkelon as close to 50 rockets hit southern Israel (click here)
By Mijal Grinberg and Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies
Tags: Qassams, Sderot, Avi Dichter
Five Israelis were wounded in two separate strikes on the southern port town of Ashkelon on Saturday, as Palestinian militants in Gaza launched some 50 rockets at southern Israel over the course of the day. Meanwhile the Palestinian death toll in clashes with Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip climbed to 34, since the operation to halt rocket fire began in the morning hours. On Saturday afternoon, three people were wounded when rockets hit the marina in Ashkelon, some 15 kilometers from the Gaza Strip. One of the three sustained moderate wounds, while the other two were lightly hurt. A number of people at the scene of the attack were treated for shock....

The Incompetents are 'at it' already

WHERE IS OSAMA BIN LADEN, GEORGIE ???

America Can't Ignore Al Qaeda's Resurgence (click here)
...External events aside, the preference of al Qaeda's leadership for Naji's approach over Suri's reflects a long-standing inclination for centralization. Osama bin Laden originally formed al Qaeda to keep the vanguard of jihad alive after the Soviet Union's defeat in Afghanistan. West Point's Combating Terrorism Center has translated a number of documents captured during the Afghan and Iraq campaigns that the Department of Defense has declassified from its Harmony Database. These documents depict a clear al Qaeda hierarchy dating back to bin Laden's residence in Sudan between 1992 to 1996....

Abbas: Hamas helping Al-Qaida establish base in Gaza Strip (click here)
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday said that Al-Qaida militants have infiltrated the Gaza Strip and are receiving assistance from Hamas in establishing a base of operations in the Strip. "An alliance has formed between these two organizations," Abbas told the London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat on Wednesday....

Abu Laith al-Libi

Al-Qaeda Deputy Vows to Avenge Death of Afghanistan Commander (click here)
By Ed Johnson
Feb. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Al-Qaeda deputy commander Ayman al- Zawahiri vowed to avenge the death of a commander fighting NATO- led forces in Afghanistan, according to a U.S.-based group that monitors extremist Web sites.
Zawahiri made the threat in a videotaped eulogy to Abu Laith al-Libi, who was killed in Pakistan's tribal region last month, according to a transcript e-mailed today by IntelCenter.
``No chief of ours has died a natural death. Nor has our blood been spilled without a response,'' Zawahiri said in the 10-minute recording released yesterday by al-Qaeda's media production group, as-Sahab....

Two Roadside Bombs Kill 8 in Eastern Afghanistan (click here)
By VOA News 26 February 2008
Afghan authorities say two separate roadside bombs in northeastern Paktika province bordering Pakistan have killed five Afghan policemen, two Polish soldiers and a child.
The authorities say the first bomb struck Tuesday morning near the city of Khost, killing five policemen and a child. Officials blamed the attack on the Taliban.
Hours later, a second blast near a Polish base in Sharana killed two Polish troops and wounded another one. Polish Defense Ministry says the troops were returning to the base after a humanitarian mission when one of the vehicle hit an improvised explosive device.
Poland has 1,200 soldiers in Afghanistan and plans to send 400 more later this year.
Taliban militants intensified their attacks on Afghan, NATO and U.S.-led security forces last year.
At least 6,000 people were killed in the violence last year, which was the deadliest since the Taliban were driven from power in 2001.


Brown in talks on 'hostage' video (click here)
A man saying he is Peter Moore appears in the video
'Hostage' video Prime Minister Gordon Brown has held talks with his Iraqi counterpart Nouri Maliki about a video apparently showing a Briton captured in Iraq.
The footage, aired on an Arabic TV channel, appears to show one of five captured Britons appealing to Mr Brown to help secure their freedom.
The man says in English: "My name is Peter Moore, I have been held here for nearly eight months now."
Downing Street said Mr Brown and Mr Maliki had spoken on the telephone.
In the footage, the man asks Mr Brown to free nine Iraqis in exchange for the release of the Britons, who were seized in May 2007...


The USA military creates it's own problems. When citizens die because the USA military is incompetent in its mission, the 'citizen' soldiers in Iraq see it as another Saddam issue and act ACCORDINGLY by launching retaliatory strikes against USA soldiers, which would seem to have their supplies delayed and therefore causing more American deaths.

We don't belong in Iraq !!!

We never did !!

The FIFTH year in Iraq will conclude on March 19, 2008. The American Dead will probably make it to 4000 by that day !

American War Dead since war began (3/19/03) : 3973

American War Wounded since war began : 29203

The latest American War Death was on February 25, 2008:
Spc. Kevin S. Mowl, 22, of Pittsford, N.Y., died Feb. 25 at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., of wounds suffered in Baghdad, Iraq on Aug. 2, 2007, when the vehicle he was in encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis Wash.

US troops kill man with broken arm (click here)
Updated 4 hours 10 minutes ago
US soldiers mistakenly shot dead a man with a broken arm after he ignored warnings and approached their patrol in the Iraqi city of Baquba, a US military spokesman said.
The incident occurred yesterday when a group of US soldiers who were on a patrol saw a man wearing a bulky jacket approach, Major Brad Leighton said.
"The soldiers fired a warning shot but he kept approaching. They then fired on him and killed him," he said.
The soldiers searched the man and discovered that underneath his jacket, he had a cast on one arm which made his clothing "look bulky."
"There was nothing suspicious found upon him but the incident is under investigation. It was a mistake... an unfortunate incident," he said.
Baquba has seen a series of suicide attacks against security forces and civilians.
The city is in Iraq's dangerous Diyala province - a known Al Qaeda in Iraq stronghold. US and Iraqi forces are currently involved in a massive crackdown in the province targeting Al Qaeda militants.
- AFP

Iraq attacks leave 25 dead, injured
Published: Feb. 27, 2008 at 10:33 AM
BAGHDAD, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- At least 25 Iraqis were killed or injured in separate incidents in Kirkuk and Mosel, security officials reported Wednesday.
A suicide bomber detonated explosives while riding a bus Tuesday in Mosul, killing 15 people and injuring six others, the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA reported Wednesday.
In Kirkuk, masked gunmen opened fire on a checkpoint, killing two and injuring two others.
Security forces in Baghdad told KUNA 12 Iraqis were kidnapped at a fake checkpoint set up by terrorists.
Iraqi security forces reported thwarting a terrorist attack on pilgrims visiting Shiite shrines. Acting on a tip, security forces raided an area west of Karabla, confiscating about 80 missiles apparently meant to be used against Shiites, KUNA reported.
Please click on the link below to view the entire article.http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2008/02/27/iraq_attacks_leave_25_dead_injured/2153/



THE BENCHMARKS ARE NOT BEING MET !!!

Does this 'sparing' duo care? NO !


How did Al Qaeda in Iraq form? Because of Bush's illegal war !

Is Osama bin Laden still alive and in control of al Qaeda's agenda? Yes !

Where is Osama bin Laden? In Pakistan and Afghanistan?

Where is the war that should be fought? In Iraq? NO !!!!!

Al Qaeda in Iraq is INSIGNIFICANT to the security of the USA.

Where the USA military goes so goes al Qaeda. Hello????????

Iraq election call rejected
BAGHDAD: Iraq's presidential council rejected a plan for new provincial elections yesterday in a major blow to one of the key measures aimed at promoting national reconciliation among the country's Sunni and Shi'ite Arab communities and the large Kurdish minority.
The three-member panel, however, approved the 2008 budget and another law that provides limited amnesty to detainees in Iraqi custody. Those laws will take effect once they are published in the Justice Ministry gazette.
The White House tried to put the best face on the setback, saying "this is democracy at work."
Meanwhile, Turkey stepped up its offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq yesterday and refused to set a pull-out timetable, despite a US warning that the incursion should last no more than "a week or two."
One of five Britons held hostage in Iraq since May was shown in a video aired by Al Arabiya television, which said the captive called for the release of nine Iraqis in return for their freedom.
"My name is Peter ... I have been held here for nearly eight months now," a man said on the undated video.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown spoke by telephone yesterday with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki following the release of the video.