A Message to the World

we're all suspect... and therefore guilty

US gives more details on new visa rules

Passengers travelling to the United States from countries whose citizens do not need visas must register online with the US government at least 72 hours before departure, in the latest measure to strengthen American security.

US accused of holding terror suspects on prison ships

The United States is operating "floating prisons" to house those arrested in its war on terror, according to human rights lawyers, who claim there has been an attempt to conceal the numbers and whereabouts of detainees.

Rice Says Iran Is Vulnerable on Nuclear Ambitions

``The Iranian government is dangerous,'' Rice told an audience of more than 6,500 pro-Israel activists meeting in Washington. ``Yet Iran has vulnerabilities,'' including economic troubles and a ``discredited ideology,'' she added.

Rice reiterated the Bush administration's demand for more pressure on Iran at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual policy conference a day after the likely Republican nominee for president, Senator John McCain, spoke to the group and proposed a worldwide campaign to isolate Iran. McCain said the effort should include divesting in companies that do business with the country.

Iran continues ``to inch closer to a nuclear weapon under the cover of talk,'' Rice told the meeting, drawing a standing ovation.

... and you reserve the right to kick the shit out of us...

U.S. stays out of cluster bomb pact

The treaty formally adopted Friday by 111 nations, including many of America's major NATO partners, would outlaw all current designs of cluster munitions and require destruction of stockpiles within eight years. It also opens the possibility that European allies could order U.S. bases in their countries to remove cluster bombs from their stocks.

The United States and other leading cluster bomb makers — Russia, China, Israel, India and Pakistan — boycotted the talks, emphasized they would not sign the treaty and publicly shrugged off its value. All defended the overriding military value of cluster bombs, which carpet a battlefield with dozens to hundreds of explosions.

NATO poised to battle global warming threats

NATO must expand its role in the coming decade to prepare for new threats provoked by the impact of global warming, energy shortages and the spread of nuclear technology, the alliance's top diplomat warned Tuesday.

Bush urges countries to commit more troops to Afghanistan

George Bush today urged other countries to send more troops to Afghanistan because he said Nato could not afford to lose its fight against the Taliban and al-Qaida.

... while spinning your way out of inconvenient truths...

Washington Battle Over Climate Change Heats Up

WASHINGTON -- An election-year debate over how the U.S. should respond to climate change began in earnest, as President Bush warned he would veto a Senate bill, and congressional Democrats and Republicans jockeyed to define the climate-change issue to their advantage.

While it is unlikely Congress will send Mr. Bush a climate-change bill before he leaves office, the debate that began Monday in the Senate will set a framework for how the issue is perceived by voters this fall.

US regulator gets tough on speculators

The chief regulator of US commodity markets is about to unveil policy changes to address public and political concerns that market malfunctions may be contributing to rising food and energy prices, according to people who have been briefed about the plans.

The American Way of Life is Not Negotiable

The rest of the world hopes for cooperation and atonement, not just for spin, diversions, forgetfulness and more military solutions to whatever fears transfix the Washington establishment (or are used by it to promote such policies).