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Latest News
Week of November 14 2005
White Phosphorus in Fallujah See the video [in English, Italian and Arabic] by RaiNews24 on the use of white phosphorus by the U.S. military in Fallujah. If you're still not convinced, read an official battlefield report in the Army's own Field Artillery Magazine [PDF] which describes white phosphorus as "an effective and versatile munition" and refers to "shake and
bake" missions. It also talks of saving "WP for
lethal missions" and instead using another substance for smokescreens. [see section 9. Munitions]
Now contact the news media in the U.S. and demand this story be covered. Or write a letter to the editor of your favorite newspaper. Media contact information can be found on FAIR's web site.
And sign a petition demanding the video of Fallujah be shown in prime time on RAI.
Bush's War Rep Dennis Kucinich issued a statement ealier this week that started off with "Let there be no mistake about it, Iraq is Bush's war." Perhaps he had read the article by Larry Beinhart on Huffington Post which suggested that "The first step in getting out of Iraq is to blame George W. Bush." Hear, hear.
If you haven't already, read the articles to impeach on the Vote To Impeach web site sign the petition to impeach Bush. And the same folks who brought you AfterDowningStreet.org have launched a new political action committee, ImpeachPAC, to raise money to elect Democratic candidates who support the
immediate and simultaneous impeachment of George Bush and Dick Cheney for their
Iraq War lies. In a little over a week, they've raised over $35,000.
Democrats Coming Out A few Democrats are starting to come our and admit that voting for the war in Iraq was a mistake. Most notably was the recent admission by former vice presidential hopeful John Edwards. Read the article When Presidents Lie by Geov Parrish of Working for Change.
Sign the petition on the Working for Change web site urging Senators and Representatives to admit they made a mistake in authorizing Iraq war. And contact your representatives in the House and the Senate asking when they will make such admissions. If you're not sure how your representatives voted back in October 2002, see the roll call for the House (296-133) and the Senate (77-23).
Still Not Right in Ohio
Read about the unusual outcome in last week's vote in Ohio on, of all things, election reform propositions. Differences between polls taken just days before the elections and the actual results range from 22 to 28 points, described at statistically staggering by Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman of Free Press. And the polls were conducted by the Columbus Dispatch, a well respected conservative newspaper, which also reported that "44 counties will break in new voting machines" with 41 of those counties "using new electronic touch screens from Diebold Election System."
On the Media Last week the Los Angeles Times fired progressive columnist Robert Scheer who had been with the paper for 30 years. Listen to (or read the transcript of) an interview with Scheer on Democracy Now! with his take on why he was fired. Then contact the LA Times and let them know what you think.
Los Angeles Times 202 West First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 800-528-4637 or 213-237-5000
Fax: 213-237-4712 Letters to the Editor: letters@latimes.com
Readers' Representative: readers.rep@latimes.com
Meanwhile, at NBC, Bob Wright, the network's president, recently claimed that progressives "don't listen to a lot of radio and they don't
watch a lot of television." That would explain why they don't think we need balanced programming and leaning to the right is the way to go. Read the action alert from FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) and then contact Wright to let him know you would like to see more liberal programming.
