A high-profile U.S. Korean War veteran, visiting Seoul at the behest of local veterans, this week delivered a scathing attack on the Bush administration for a policy of "name-calling and accusation" toward North Korea. J. Robert Lunney, 78, was an officer on the SS Meredith Victory, recognized by Guinness World Records as having performed the largest rescue ever by a single vessel, when, in an epic last-minute effort, it evacuated 14,000 refugees from the port of Hungnam in December 1950 as communist forces closed in. "I do feel, personally, that reconciliation can come through negotiations and talking, not through name-calling and accusations," Mr. Lunney said of Washington's policy toward Pyongyang. "We should be able to, as I have done in North Korea, sit down and work with the North Koreans to resolve some of the problems; some problems can be resolved through trade, and possibly tourism." ... http://www.washtimes.com censor News |
Editor - 10:34:00 02-25-06 |
UK rapped on data retention law |
Britain's net industry has named the UK presidency of the EU as its villain of the year. The Internet Service Providers' Association (Ispa) singled out the UK for its role in pushing for Europe-wide data retention laws. The laws, requiring telecom operators to store phone and internet data to help fight terrorism, received its final go-ahead earlier this week. Net companies are concerned about the cost of holding and managing the data. The measures were proposed by the UK after the bomb attacks in London in July. It campaigned hard during its six-month presidency of the EU for the new legislation, arguing it was necessary to help fight terrorism and organised crime.It really has nothing to with fighting the Boogieman or crime, it was just the excuse used to get access to everyone. Big Brother has a big appetite and wants to know everything... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4744304.stm
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Editor - 10:29:00 02-25-06 |
Bush Speaks to Iraq Leaders Amid Violence |
Bush spoke to seven Iraqi political leaders on Saturday in an effort to defuse the sectarian violence that threatens the goal of a self-sufficient Iraq free of U.S. military involvement. Bush's extraordinary round of early morning telephone diplomacy involved his first conversations with Iraqi leaders since the bombing of a revered Shiite shrine that prompted days of reprisal attacks. There are fears in Baghdad and Washington alike that Iraq could be on the brink of civil war nearly three years after the U.S. invasion ousted Saddam Hussein's regime. The violence put a halt to talks on the formation of a unity government, a step regarded as key to demoralizing the Sunni-dominated insurgency and setting the stage for the end of the U.S. military presence there. ... http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1661753
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Editor - 10:20:00 02-25-06 |
Dublin Rioters Attack Police, Burn Cars; 40 Arrested |
Irish republicans set vehicles alight in Dublin's city center, looted stores and hurled stones and missiles at police in some of the worst street violence since the country acceded from British rule 84 years ago. As many as 300 protesters, seeking to block loyalists from Northern Ireland staging their first march in the city since 1936, clashed with about 100 riot police on O'Connell Street and Nassau Street, close to government buildings. Forty people were arrested, and six police officers and eight civilians were injured, police said. Republican Sinn Fein, a breakaway group from the Sinn Fein political movement, organized the protest to counter a loyalist demonstration, which ended up being abandoned. Loyalist protesters say the Irish government has too much influence over the North under a 1998 accord that helped start negotiations to end the conflict. ... http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=a6MknRqWL1xc&refer=home
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Editor - 10:17:00 02-25-06 |
About 50 People Killed Despite Security Measures in Iraq; Bush, Shiite Leader Discuss Bombing |
A car bomb exploded in a Shiite holy city and 13 members of a Shiite family were gunned down Saturday in a surge of attacks killing about 50 people despite heightened security to curb Iraq's sectarian violence following the bombing of a revered Shiite shrine. President Bush called the head of Iraq's largest Shiite political party Saturday to discuss the bombing of the Askariya shrine in Samarra, the Shiite leader's office said in a statement. Bush condemned the attack on the Askariya shrine and offered to help rebuild it, according to a statement from Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim's office. During the 15-minute call, he also pressed al-Hakim to work toward the formation of a new government. Al-Hakim told Bush that Shiite religious leaders, including Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, are doing their best to help calm the situation, the statement said. ... http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1661645&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312
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Editor - 10:11:00 02-25-06 |
Pentagon cites Iraqi army gains, losses |
The number of Iraqi army battalions judged by their American trainers to be capable of fighting the insurgency without U.S. help has slipped from one to none since September, Pentagon officials said Friday.But the number of Iraqi battalions capable of leading the battle, with U.S. troops in a support role, has grown by nearly 50 percent. And the number of battalions actually engaged in combat has increased by 11 percent.The U.S. military says its short-term goal is to train more Iraqi units to a level where they can lead the fight, since that allows American troops to focus on other tasks besides combat and could reduce U.S. casualties.However, in the longer run, the Iraqi military will have to reach a level of full independence so it can take over the battle against the insurgency and allow the Bush administration to withdraw American troops from the country eventually.... http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/breaking_news/13954682.htm
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Editor - 01:20:00 02-25-06 |
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