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Afghanistan War

Powell & Rumsfeld Testify at 9-11 Inquiry - Truth Movement Holds Presser - Today has been a very busy day in Washington D.C. on 9/11 related matters. See... UQ Wire: Rumsfeld & Powell Testify at 9-11 Inquiry
MORE:
- 911truth.org - San Francisco Press Conf. 26 March
- 911 Citizens Watch - Breakthrough For 911 Truth On C-SPAN!
- Rumsfeld - Prepared Testiimony To 9/11 Commission
- Powell - 9/11 Testimony On Counterterrorism Policy
- Scott McClellan - 22nd March WH Press Briefing
- Scott McClellan - 23rd March WH Press Briefing
- Dick Cheney - Rush Limbaugh Interview
- George Bush - Discusses Economy and Terrorism

Jay Shaft: More Than A Failure In Afghanistan - Afghanistan, the country the U.S. invaded after 9/11/01 to root out al-Qa’ida and remove the repressive regime of the Taliban. In all respects the stated intentions of U.S. policy makers and leaders have gone terribly off course. See... Afghanistan: An Outright Humanitarian Disaster

Philip Rappa: The Real Meaning Of Osama bin Laden - "Son", he said, "Osama bin Laden, isn't really a person, but a covert operation conceived on a ranch in Houston. Translated, it really means, 'Oh-sum-bodies-been-lying'". Dad said, "It was some kinda Texicana style ebonics." See... Philip Rappa: Oh-Sum-Bodies-Been-Lying

AFGHANI NEWS SOURCES...
Afghan Daily - Afghan Online Press - Afghan News Network
OTHER NEWS SOURCES
Asia Times Online - Antiwar.com
Yahoo! Full Coverage - Afghanistan - Terrorism - Pakistan - US Armed Forces - Osama bin Laden




Bound, Shackled, Gagged & Masked

Whistleblower Accuses FBI Of Obstructing Terrorism Investigations - Yesterday, Thursday US EST, Friday NZT, a press conference was held at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. by Judicial Watch with FBI agent Robert Wright. Prior to the Press Conference Wright was threatened with criminal prosecution if he shared his views with the public. See... Scoop Links: FBI Whistleblower Blows Lid Off 911. For RealVideo of the C-SPAN broadcast press conference of FBI whistleblower Robert Wright… Click Here

Stirring Up The FBI And CIA – Bush Proposes New Security Dept - The President's most important job is to protect and defend the American people. Since September 11, all levels of government have cooperated like never before to strengthen aviation and border security, stockpile more medicines to defend against bioterrorism, improve information sharing among our intelligence agencies, and deploy more resources and personnel to protect our critical infrastructure. See... President To Propose Dept. of Homeland Security, Fleischer Morning Conversation with Reporters 6/6 and Rumsfeld Statement on Dept. of Homeland Security

Sept. 11 A Surprise? Pull The Other One - The Bush administration had been warned by both the FBI and the CIA that some sort of attack or attacks were imminent, that there were men connected to Osama bin Laden training at US flight schools, and yet have spent the last 8 months denying anything more than the vaguest of warnings. See... Pre-9/11 Reports of Terrorist Threats
MORE:
- US Congressional Representative - C. McKinney
- Link - CBS - What Bush Knew Before Sept. 11
- White House - Ari Fleischer (Hijack Warnings)
- Dept. Of Defence - Rumsfeld Interview
- National Security Advisor - Con. Rice On Bush Warnings
- Democratic Party - Gephardt on Reports

Sludge: Can We Put Flight 77 To Bed Now? - Another piece to the Flight 77 mystery has emerged, a new eyewitness who saw the plane crash and took photos of the burning debris immediately after the crash. See... Sludge Report #133 - I Saw Flight 77 & Took Photos

Howard’s End: A Conspiracy So Monstrous - At last count, there were a dozen U.S. Congressional Committee's investigating the tragedies surrounding the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. It is difficult to grasp the magnitude of the chaos, but as former FBI chief, J. Edgar Hoover, once said, " The individual is handicapped by coming face to face with a conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists." Maree Howard writes. See... Howard's End: The Truth Is Out There - Somewhere!

Part 2 Of MalcontentX’s 911 Investigation - The following is the second part of a detailed analysis of the events of September 11th by anonymous analyst and netizen MalcontentX. See... 911 INVESTIGATION: Further Unanswered Questions

FLIGHT 77 MYSTERY: FULL COVERAGE
Sludge: Flight 77 Questions Remain - In This Edition. Flight 77: The Search For An Answer - Link: CNN Is Looking for More Pentagon Impact Pictures. See... Sludge Report #130 – Flt 77, Searching For Answers
MORE:
- Sludge - Sludge Report #129 – Great Pics, But No Flight 77 - Sludge Report #127 - The Hunt For Flight 77
- HUMANUNDERGROUND.COM - Where... Extensive Coverage concludes the 757 was an F16!
- ASILE.ORG - You Be The Judge, see the French Scoop that started this all off and a Google Translation Of The Main French Flight 77 website
- WHATREALLYHAPPENED.COM - Flight 77 Mystery A Disinformation Campaign
- DoD - Pentagon Renovation and Rebuilding Briefing
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Flight 77: Image Analysis & Feedback - The following image has been sent to Scoop by a reader keen to help with solving the Mystery of Flight 77. (Note: The Pentagon building is 78 feet high, the tail of a 757 is 44 feet high.) See... Scoop Image: Image Of Flight 77 (Perspective) and Scoop Feedback: On Scoop’s Flight 77 Coverage

911 Conspiracy Theories Reviewed - “If you have any suspicions about what went down on September 11th MalcontentX is worth a read, even if you have your own favourite conspiracy. “ See... Indymedia Review of 9-11 Investigation Article, INVESTIGATION: Sept 11th - Unanswered Questions and Scoop Feedback: Readers Riff On The Conspiracies

Look Who Trained The 911 Terrorists - New evidence linking the owner of the Venice Florida flight school which trained Mohamed Atta to the Central Intelligence Agency surfaced earlier this month. See... Venice Terrorist Flight School Linked To CIA

Scoop World: Pentagon’s War On Terror Misinformation Plans - The New York Times reported today that the Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Influence is “developing plans to provide news items, possibly even false ones, to foreign media organizations” in an effort “to influence public sentiment and policy makers ... See... Pentagon Propaganda Plan Is Undemocratic, Illegal

INVESTIGATION: Sept 11th - Unanswered Questions - The following detailed analysis of the events of September 11th was submitted to Scoop by its author with a request that it be republished. While this analysis follows closely in the footsteps of analysis from The Emperor’s New Clothes (tenc.net) it is considerably more complete and thorough in its scope. Like the TENC.NET analysis of 911 previously published by Scoop (see also...part 2 and part 3) and that of Michael Rowbotham, its implications are deeply disturbing. See... INVESTIGATION: Sept 11th - Unanswered Questions

VisionTV: Reading The Bin Laden Story's Index - Osama bin Laden is not an easy subject. Characterizations of him vary wildly. The most common, because it’s the official narrative of cardboard cutout simplicity, is that he’s the world’s number one villain, the diabolical mastermind behind the events of September 11th. See... Transcript: VisionTV - The Great Deception Part 3
EARLIER:
- Transcript: VisionTV - The Great Deception Part 2
-Transcript: VisionTV On The Great 911 Deception

Iran, Iraq and North Korea an "Axis Of Evil" - Says GWB - “Our war on terror is well begun, but it is only begun. This campaign may not be finished on our watch -- yet it must be and it will be waged on our watch. We can't stop short. If we stop now -- leaving terror camps intact and terror states unchecked -- our sense of security would be false and temporary. History has called America and our allies to action, and it is both our responsibility and our privilege to fight freedom's fight.” See... The President's State of the Union Address

... But What Did He Mean? - Defence Sectretay Rumsfeld: He said exactly what he said. He said it well. He didn't suggest anything. If there was anything about last night's speech, it was that it had near perfect clarity. Q: But a senior administration official after the speech said he didn't necessarily mean to say military action, but it could be other action. Rumsfeld: What do you mean, "necessarily mean to say"? He didn't say. He not only didn't necessarily say, he did not say. He said exactly what he said. See… See... DoD News Briefing 30/1- Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers

... Meanwhile, Bill Clinton Spoke At Berkeley - As President George W. Bush so very nearly said in his State of the Union address: drivel is real and it must be opposed. See... Stateside: Clinton’s Address Today At Berkeley. For pictures see... Berkeley News

VisionTV: Problematic 911 Timelines - As you’ve heard in the panel discussion, a common explanation as to why no U.S. military interceptors took to the skies on September 11th until it was too late, is that it was “simple incompetence.” See... Transcript: VisionTV - The Great Deception Part 2 and Transcript: VisionTV On The Great 911 Deception. See also... TENC.NET: Guilty For 9-11 (3) - Bush In The Open the third part in The Emperor's “Guilty” series on 911.

NZ$30 Million To Combat bin Laden Threat - The government has decided to increase funding for counter terrorism activities, Prime Minister Helen Clark today announced today. See... Extra Funding For Counter Terrorism Efforts
FULL PRESS KIT - Customs Gets Extra $3m Per Annum To Counter Terror
- Responding To Chemical And Biological Terrorism
- Strong Police Response Planned To Combat Terrorism
- Boost In Immigration Efforts Against Terrorism
RESPONSE:
- Green Party - New terrorism spend ignores real threats

Afghan Aid Conference Failed – Analysts -“The Tokyo conference fell short of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's goal of raising USD 10 billion over the next 5 years. The 61 donor nations and the World Bank pledged USD 1.8 billion in fiscal 2002 as part of a USD 4.5 billion commitment over the next five years. Aside from being insufficient the current pledges may not all turn into actual contribution from experiences and examples elsewhere.” Says the Institute For Afghan Studies. See... Afghanistan Donor Conference A Failure

Pentagon’s (Feigned?) Indifference To 911 & More On Those Missing Fighters - On the morning of September 11, the present Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard B. Myers, was having a routine meeting on Capitol Hill with Senator Max Cleland. Just before the meeting began…See... TENC.NET: 9-ll: Ho-hum, Nothing Urgent - TENC.NET: Planes DID scramble on 9-11 FAQ - TENC.NET: Guilty For 9-11 (3) - Bush In The Open

US Military To Receive 911 Budget ‘03 Windfall - George W. Bush - “My '03 budget calls for more than $48 billion in new defense spending. This will be the largest increase in defense spending in the last 20 years, and it includes another pay raise for the men and women who wear the uniform.” (Applause.) See... President Bush: "First Priority is the Military"

Govt Silence On Guantanamo Bay Must Be Broken - Green Foreign Affairs spokesperson Keith Locke wants the Government to speak out against the degrading treatment of al-Qaeda and Taleban prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. See... Govt Should Speak Out Against Prisoner Humiliation
MORE:
- ACT - Greens Talking PC Rubbish On Taleban PoWs

Amnesty Requests Guantanamo Bay Visit - Amid growing concern about the treatment of prisoners held at the Guantánamo Bay prison in Cuba, Amnesty International today wrote to the US authorities to request access to the detention camp. See... AI Requests Access To Guantánamo Base. See also... News Briefing - Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Pace

NZ’s Promises To Afghanistan - New Zealand has offered its skills and its expertise to help the people of Afghanistan re-build their country, Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs Matt Robson said last night in Tokyo. See... NZ pledges help to re-build Afghanistan and On Reconstruction Assistance To Afghanistan .

Kiwi SAS Utilisation In Kabul Criticised - National today called on Helen Clark to assure New Zealanders that our SAS troops are being utilised in the areas they are trained and funded for, rather than building camps for German commandos in Kabul, National Defence spokesperson Max Bradford said ... See... Elite soldiers not camp builders

US Military Must Respect Prisoners’ Rights - “All those in US custody following the military operations in Afghanistan must be treated humanely, with full respect for international standards,” Amnesty International said. See... Prisoners Must Be Treated Humanely
MORE:
- AI Letter to Donald Rumsfeld
- Afghanistan: Refugees Situation Trapped
- AI Calls On USA To End Legal Limbo Of Prisoners

THE RECEIVED VERSION - OFFICIAL UN, US & UK COMMENTS
- News Briefing - Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers
- Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz Interview With NY Times
- Meeting With DoD National Media Pool Bureau Chiefs
- DoD News Briefing - Rumsfeld and Myers
- Secretary Rumsfeld Joint Media Availability

David Miller: Al-Qaeda Still Dangerous - Last week a colleague of mine passed comment that, with the Taliban militia and the al-Qaeda forces dislodged from their position of dominance in the country, the war on terrorism has reached its final stage and Osama bin Laden and his network are finished. I did not disagree outright with this point of view but I do not believe that the war is over. See... David Miller Online: What Now For al-Qaeda?

Inside Afghanistan: Hungry & Desperate - Desperate crowds mobbed a World Vision vehicle as it departed villages in north western Afghanistan, complaining they had nothing to eat. Here, New Zealander James Addis gives an exclusive account from his "Inside Afghanistan" series. See... Humanitarian Team Mobbed by Hungry Crowds
MORE:
– CCF- Afghanistan Worse Than Ethopian Famine
- World Vision - Malnutrition levels shock World Vision team

Arab Anti-terrorism Convention Concerns AI - As Arab Ministers of Interior begin their annual meeting in Tunis on 10 January to discuss measures to combat "terrorism", Amnesty International is calling for the Arab Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism to be amended to conform with international human rights and humanitarian law. See... Arab Convention For The Suppression Of Terrorism

THE RECEIVED VERSION - OFFICIAL UN, US & UK COMMENTS
- DoD News Briefing - Gen. Myers
- Secretary Rumsfeld Interview with C-SPAN
- Clarke And Rear Adm. Stufflebeem
- Clarke News Briefing at Foreign Press Center
- Soldier Killed In Action Identified
- DoD News Briefing - Rumsfeld and Myers
- DoD News Briefing: Clarke & Stufflebeem
- Bush Press Conference at Crawford, Texas Ranch, 28/12
- Rumsfeld Interview with Baltimore Sun
- Meeting with DoD National Media Pool Bureau Chiefs
- DoD News Briefing 27/12 - Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers
- Secretary Rumsfeld Interview with Time Magazine
- Clarke Interview with Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- DoD News Briefing 21/12 - Rear Adm. Craig Quigley
- Wolfowitz Interview with Business Week
- State Dept. Daily Press Briefing December 21
- Rumsfeld/Armenian Defence Minister Joint Presser
- Israel: UN Shelters Palestinians Issues Report
- Annan notes ‘with regret’ US ABM decision
- Preparations for Afghan power transfer on track
- UNSC fails to pass measure on Middle East violence
- DoD News Briefing 17/12 - Rear Adm. Stufflebeem
- Powell on NBC's Meet The Press and Fox News
- Powell with British Prime Minister Tony Blair
- State Dept. Daily Press Briefing December 14
- Secretary Rumsfeld with U.S. Troops at Bagram
- Rumsfeld Media Availability en route to Ireland
- Rumsfeld-President of Georgia Press Conference
- Secretary Rumsfeld Interview with Business Week

THE RECEIVED VERSION - OFFICIAL UN, US & UK COMMENTS
- News Briefing - Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers
- US Government Statements On ABM Treaty Withdrawal
- Senate Democrats Criticize ABM Treaty Withdrawal
- Usama Bin Laden Discussing September 11 Attacks
- U.S.-EU Relations
- White House Daily Briefing, December 13, 2001
- State Dept. Daily Press Briefing December 12
- Clarke Meeting with DoD National Media Pool Bureau
- U.S. Releases Videotape Of Osama Bin Laden

Behind The Veil: No Quarter Given For Ramadan - Rumors of the United States increasing the war against terrorism to include and punish other countries in the region has been wafting through the Middle East. If the US is intent on doing so, it is not without a price to pay. See... Behind the Veil: Outrage at More Aggression

Gush Shalom: Be An Arbiter - It was yesterday that the American mediator Anthony Zinni tried to set up a 48-hour cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians. A few hours later, Israeli helicopters killed four Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. See... 'Be An Arbiter - Not An Accomplice!'

Feedback: How Civilised Nations Try War Criminals - President Bush was correct in his speech on the Pearl Harbor Day that leaders, whether the commander of chief of the most powerful nation or the spokesperson of a fragile extremist group, always hide in shelters when young soldiers fight in the front in the middle of death and destruction. See... Feedback: From Cave To The White House

THE RECEIVED VERSION - OFFICIAL UN, US & UK COMMENTS
- DoD News Briefing - ASD PA Clarke and Gen. Pace
- State Dept. Daily Press Briefing December 11, 2001
- DoD News Briefing 11/12 - Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers
- Wolfowitz Media Availability in New York City

Conspiracy! 9-11 Part Of Global Domination Strategy - The Northwoods plan for staging phony attacks on the U.S. to justify invading Cuba was developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1962. It was never implemented, perhaps due to fear of Soviet retaliation. See... Northwoods: U.S. Plan for Terror to Justify War

THE RECEIVED VERSION - OFFICIAL UN, US & UK COMMENTS
- White House Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer 10/12
- The World Will Always Remember September 11
- UNSG Kofi Annan Speech To East Timor Donor Meeting
- Brahimi meets in Kabul with designated leaders
- 10 Downing St Lobby Briefings - December 10-11
- September 11 - 3 Months on
- Tony Blair And Colin Powell Press Conference
- Colin Powell In Russia, Kazakhstan & Germany
- Briefing on U.S. Assistance to Afghanistan
- State Dept. On The Record Briefing December 8

Scoop Link: Robert Fisk Turns His Cheek To A Beating - They started by shaking hands. We said "Salaam aleikum" – peace be upon you – then the first pebbles flew past my face. A small boy tried to grab my bag. Then another. Then someone punched me in the back. Then young men broke my glasses, began smashing ... See... Scoop Link: Robert Fisk On His Beating By Refugees

THE RECEIVED VERSION - OFFICIAL UN, US & UK COMMENTS
- Senate Testimony On The Future Of Afghanistan
- DoD News Briefing 10/12 - Wolfowitz & Stufflebeem
- Wolfowitz Media Stakeout at ABC
- Wolfowitz IV with Middle East Broadcasting Center
- UN: Brahimi heads to Kabul - Aid Routes Opened
- Powell On Tour: EU And Uzbekistan
- Powell On Tour: Russia
- Assist Sec. Speech to US-Pakistan Business Council
- State Dept. Briefing on Afghanistan Agreement
- State Dept. Daily Press Briefing December 7, 2001


...PHOTO STORY...
More Anti-War Indymedia Images

Afghanistan Agreement Welcomed In NZ - The signing of a power-sharing agreement after intensive negotiations at UN-sponsored talks in Bonn was an important first step towards lasting peace and the return of legitimate authority in Afghanistan, Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said today. See... Accord Offers New Hope For Afghanistan. See also National’s view... UN Conference Success Welcomed
FULL COVERAGE:
- UN - Agreement On Provisional Arrangements Afghanistan, UN talks in Bonn culminate in accord on Afghan Gvt
- Women for Afghan Women Welcome Agreement
- UK Government - The future government of Afghanistan - Jack Straw

Qala-i-Jhangi Inquiry Call Repeated - Amnesty International today reiterated its call for an urgent inquiry into the large-scale killing of captured Taleban fighters and others at a fort on the outskirts of Mazar-i Sharif. It urged the US and UK to consider requesting a preliminary investigation by either the United Nations or the International Fact-Finding Commission. See... Inquiry into Qala-i-Jhangi fort killings

The Kids Are All Right! - (Washington, DC) –In a show of unity, sixteen national youth and student organizations, representing millions of young people across the country have pledged to stand together in opposition to the open ended ‘war on terrorism’ the Bush administration has insisted ... See... US Youth and Students Launch Coalition For Peace

FEATURE: The Chequered Past of Afghanistan’s New Leaders - Superficially anyway the Bonn talks on the future of Afghanistan are making considerable progress. The Northern Alliance is talking of allowing UN peacekeepers in and inter-tribal and factional hostilities, although evident, currently don’t appear to exclude a multi-ethnic, relatively inclusive reconfiguration of power. But the threats to a more unified, more peaceful and more democratic Afghanistan are numerous. Scoop’s NEW London Correspondent Malcolm Aitken reports. See... Scoop Feature: Meet The Northern Alliance

European and USA Appeals For Democratic Rights - The European Commission had prepared a framework decision concerning the struggle against terrorism the aim of which is to streamline legislation of the member states regarding not just sanctions imposed but equally concerning the very definition of terrorism. See... Human Rights Must Not Become Collateral Damage and USA: Human rights must not be sacrificed for security

US War Veterans For Peace Talk To Students - James Madison, a self-described patriot, formed a group called "Veterans Teaching Peace in Schools." He put out his own call through the Internet to find other veterans with similar views to talk with students about their opposition to the war. See... Veterans for Peace Talk To Students About War

Protesters Water Bomb Base - On Saturday December the 1st, as part of the national day of action against the war in Afghanistan, over 100 protestors gathered at the US military base at Harewood, Otautahi/Christchurch. See... Report From Harewood Military Base Protest

Opinion: The Home Front - For decades pro-Israeli lobbyists have operated under the assumption that Islam and Israel are locked up in a zero-sum-game. They see the growth of Islam and growth of Islamic consciousness as a threat to the very existence of Israel. Writes Muqtedar Khan. See... Domestic Dimension of the Arab-Israeli Conflict

Australian Forces On The Ground In Afghanistan - Federal Defence Minister Robert Hill today confirmed an advance party of Australian troops arrived this morning (Australian time) in Afghanistan. See... Australian Defence Forces in Afghanistan

Socialists Unhappy With Anti-Terror Bill - The Socialist Party of Aotearoa will condemn the Terrorism (Bombings and Financing) Bill in a submission to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee this week. See... Terrorism Law Will Be Abused - Socialist Party

Are The Western Powers War Criminals? - The following are a series of links to recent reports on the “massacre at Qalai Janghi”. Considerably more detail of just what happened at the Northern Alliance prison compound has now emerged. See... Scoop Links: What Really Happened At Qalai Janghi?

Amnesty Update On Mazar-e-Sharif Prison Deaths - Following reports that Amnesty International has been invited, by the United Front, to investigate the killings of hundreds of prisoners and others within Qala-i-Jhangi, a fort on the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif, the organization has said that it is ready ... Afghanistan: Mazar-I-Sharif Inquiry Latest. See also...Greens Support Inquiry Into Massacre and Call For Inquiry Into Qala-i-Jhangi Violence

UN Conference Making Progress - 29 November - As United Nations-sponsored talks among Afghan representatives entered their third day in Petersberg, Germany, UN officials reported that the sides were getting closer - but had not yet reached - an agreement on future power-sharing arrangements. See... UN reports Afghan sides moving closer to agreement and Peace is key to Afghan revival, UN envoy says


...PHOTO STORIES...
Forces on horses: US Cavalry In Afghanistan

Scoop Satire: Make Bombs That Love! - Washington - The US government today revealed it's controversial new 'caring' missile, In a statement to the world's press President Bash, flanked by Rentagun officials and business representatives, said that the new missile - codenamed the SYMP-1 - heralded the arrival of a 'long overdue ethic of compassion and brotherhood into the regretful business of warfare.' See... Scoop Satire: Caring Missile Aims To Soften Blow

Trenchant Pakistani Views On Pentagon Policy Makers - “If he were just an ordinary maniac, we could live with him, Henry, but he is chairman of the Defense Policy Board, which advises the Pentagon, and which gives him total access to all military secrets.” See... Betrayed & Encircled, Will Pakistan Switch Sides?

Australian SAS Fully Deployed - The Minister for Defence, Senator Robert Hill, this afternoon announced the departure of the remaining soldiers from the Special Forces Task Group, deploying as part of Australia's contribution to the coalition against terrorism. See... Australia Deploys Remaining Special Forces

Bonn Afghanistan Talks Start Well, Annan Says - 28 November - Talks among four Afghan factions in Bonn “are off to a good start,” according to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who addressed reporters in Washington, D.C., today following his meeting with President George Bush. See... UN Afghan talks in Bonn ‘off to a good start’ and Kofi Annan holds talks with President Bush

Between The Lines: Global Activism Post 9/11 - From Ottawa, the site of the November World Bank/International Monetary Fund summit, author and spiritual activist Starhawk assesses the impact of the attacks on New York City and Washington on activists organizing opposition to corporate-led globalization. See... Sept. 11 Attack Derails Global Social Justice?

Firas Al-Atraqchi: Christian Brutality Through The Ages - Evangelists like Franklin Graham display an uncanny lack of historical knowledge of Christian practices during the Middle Ages and beyond. For a man who carries the Bible with him and preaches of the compassion of Christ, to utter such unfathomable hatred is truly mind-boggling. See... History
Revisited: One God, One Humanity

New Interim Anti-Terror Laws In Place - Place Foreign Minister Phil Goff announced that Cabinet today approved Regulations providing tougher measures against specified terrorist organisations. See... Government passes new anti-terrorism measures . See also Green Party... Terror rules go too far and requirements, Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Keith Locke said today… Public Protest Anti-Terrorism Bill At Meeting

A Letter Exhorting Musharraf To Abandon Coalition - I am sure you are alarmed by the statement of Mr Blackwill, the US Ambassador in India, about Kashmir. He is reported to have said that the US war on terrorism would deal with resistance in Kashmir in its next stage. See... Plea To Withdraw From Coalition - To Musharraf

Keeping The Pressure On The Government Over Afghanistan - With the Alliance Party currently reviewing its contentious support for the war against the people of Afghanistan, and the Labour Party conference on the weekend of 1 December, it is a particularly good time for you to make your views known to Alliance and Labour ... See... Alert! War Update/ Write Now

Guest Opinion: Bin Laden Hero Worship Not On - Bin Laden has become a significant moral challenge to Muslims. His alleged association with the perpetrators of 9/11 attacks raises a major question about the relationship between Islam and terrorism. See... Osama Bin Laden: An Enemy Of Islam

Conspiracy! Where Were The Fighters On 911? - On 11 September there were two entire squadrons of combat-ready fighter jets at Andrews Air Force base just 10 miles from the Pentagon. Their job was to protect the skies over Washington D.C. They failed to do their job. Despite over one hour's advance warning of a terrorist attack in progress. The team at tenc.net do the research, and indict the US Administration for murder. See... Guilty For 9-11 (Part 1) – Introduction and Guilty For 9-11 (Part 2) - Cheney's Cover Story

Big News: Taliban Telling Stories - This morning I witnessed the 50-minute Taliban press conference held in Spin Boldack in Southern Afghanistan, broadcast on BBC World. It was held for the sole purpose of telling Western journalists that the Taliban were going to continue the fight and were not leaving Kandahar. See... Big News: Justice Vs Jihad

ZZZZZzzzzt Feedback - As an American Citizen, who was essentially forced to read your "propaganda" for my work, I am compelled to tell you that I am offended. Not that that will mean anything to you, as far away as you are. See... Feedback: Scoop Offends Ground Zero Worker

Don’t Bomb, Apologise – NZ Bishops - Those of us who live in relative security and affluence need to be honest enough to apologise most sincerely for our years of blindness to the plight of suffering peoples, the poor, and those who carry the heavy and tragic burden of history, wars, dominations and betrayals. It is an illusion to believe that terrorism can be defeated with revenge or violent reprisal. The perpetrators of terrorism should remain in moral isolation. Sadly they do not when their terrorism is matched with hostilities that cause large numbers of innocent civilian casualties. See... NZ Catholic And Anglican Bishops On Afghanistan

Cresswell: The Rehabilitation Of Afghanistan - Our current statesmen may not know how to go about successfully rebuilding a conquered country, but we only need to travel back half a century to find some statesman who did know how. See... PC's Opinion: The Roots of Peace

Howard’s End: Dead Or Alive bin Laden Wins - The West is fighting a war on the other side of the globe. To determine how soon we will extricate ourselves from that regional tar pit, we need to consider how we got into it. Maree Howard writes. See... Howard's End: Playing The "Great Game" Badly

Between The Lines: Afghanistan Analysis - Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Eugene J. Carroll Jr. of the Center for Defense Information, who assesses the quick turn of events in Afghanistan and how this may affect the U.S. goal of capturing Osama bin Laden and dismantling his Al Qaeda terror network believed to be responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. See... Between The Lines: Guerrilla War in Afghanistan?

David Miller mulls Over Bin Laden’s Options - According to General Tommy Franks, head of the US Central Command and the war effort in Afghanistan the noose around Osama bin Laden is tightening. See... David Miller: What Remains for Afghanistan?

Cherie Blair Stands Up For Women Victims Of Joyless Regime - I don't think I can recall repression or cruelty quite as horrifying as that joyless regime that the Taliban have imposed on the people of Afghanistan, and the Al-Qu'eda network which supports it. See... Cherie Blair Press Conference On Taliban & Women

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw Writes On Afghanistan - What a difference a week makes. Last weekend, the main criticism of the military action in Afghanistan was that it appeared not to be working. This weekend, the criticism is that military action has moved too fast. Writes UK Foreign Sec. Jack Straw. See... Campaign In Afghanistan Regrettable But Necessary


...PHOTO STORIES...
More Anti-War Images From Indymedia

Uri Avnery: Name Your Terrorist - At the reception desk of the War-Against-Terror Coalition, there lies an application form for new partners. After stating his name, country and function (king / president / emir / dictator / tyrant), the applicant is invited to answer the question: “Do you have local opponents that you wish to have branded as terrorists and dealt with accordingly?” See... Uri Avnery: The Holy Alliance, Past And Present

Guest Opinion: Afghanistan’s New Masters - Although the Taliban’s rap sheet is miles long with countless beatings, torture, killings, and oppression of women, the new rulers of Kabul are certainly no better. While the Taliban is accused of keeping women at home, barring them from education and public health, and executing them in public areas, the Northern Alliance seem to get off the hook with ‘minor’ rape and murder. See... Opinion: From The Frying Pan To The Fire

Cherie And Laura Stand By Their Men - The promised PR offensive to justify US and UK actions in Afghanistan has been launched, and interestingly it appears to be being fronted by the first women of the western world, Cherie Blair and Laura Bush who say the Taliban are bad news for women’s rights. See... 10 Downing Street Lobby Briefing - 16 November and Radio Address by Laura Bush to the Nation

Have A Nice Ramadan - “As the new moon signals the holy month of Ramadan, I extend warm greetings to Muslims throughout the United States and around the world.” See... President Bush's Message for Ramadan

THE RECEIVED VERSION - OFFICIAL US COMMENTS
- Wolfowitz Interview with CBS Face the Nation
- Secretary Rumsfeld Interview with Parade Magazine
- Enduring Freedom Update 16/11 - Adm. Stufflebeem
- Secretary Rumsfeld Interview with Fox News
- Rumsfeld Media Availability at Great Lakes, Ill.

Muqtedar Khan: Why The US Should Hold Fire For Ramadan - Bush administration’s decision to continue its present attacks on Afghanistan during the holy month of Ramadan will have a significant impact on two fundamental components in the war on terrorism – propaganda and alliance building. See... Muqtedar Khan: To War Or Not To War In Ramadan

Middle East Womens' Own Culture, Behind The Veil - Being a woman in the Middle East is an art in itself. The western woman in general is very frank, casual and extroverted. The Middle Eastern woman, and in particular the Saudi woman is not. Women here almost have a culture all to themselves. See... Behind the Veil: Women Have Their Own Culture

ZZZZZttttt Feedback – On Demilitarising NZ - Thank you for publishing my letter on increasing this country's diplomatic role in international conflicts today (14 November). I feel it is important for me to say something about the "demilitarisation" title you gave it. See... Scoop Feedback: Further To Demilitarising NZ and Scoop Feedback: Demilitarising Aotearoa

Winning Which War? - Optimists will say that the Taliban is in full retreat and the war is over. The Anti-mine movement has an alternative viewpoint. See... War In Afghanistan

Images: Variations On The Theme Of “Subversive” - All images originally published on Indymedia.org. See... Images: More Indymedia Anti-War Pictures

Afghanistan Civilians Failed Again – Amnesty - The civilian population of Afghanistan has again been put at risk by the failure of the international community to protect them, Amnesty International said today as the Northern Alliance reached Kabul and reports were received of the execution of prisoners. See... Afghanistan: Risk Of Reprisals

Fighting Terrorism Through Free Trade - Fears over new terrorist attacks, calculatedly welded to the present U.S. economic downturn, have given the Bush administration's quest for Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and the eventual passage of a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) a significant face-lift, even though it is difficult to establish the connections. See... Trade Promotion Authority And The FTAA

Nzers’ Condolences Presented To US Embassy - “I am 10-years old. I am very ashamed of the people who are going to war. More people will die. I am very sorry about the twin towers falling and the Pentagon lighting on fire. If I had one wish it would be for global peace. My friend’s mum asked Santa for global peace, but she didn’t get it. Lots of love.” See... Communities Express Their Sympathy To US

Guest Opinion: It Gets Worse, Much Worse - A more complete timeline listing crucial events both before and after the September 11th suicide attacks, which have been blamed on bin Laden, establishes CIA foreknowledge of them and strongly suggests that there was criminal complicity on the part of the U.S. government in their execution. It also makes clear that the events which have taken place since September 11th are based upon an agenda that has little to do with the attacks. See... Bin Laden Met with the CIA in July and Walked Away and from November 2nd… Links: Le Figaro Reports CIA, bin Laden Contacts

Goff Addresses UN Security Council On Afghanistan - Mr President, resolving the crisis in Afghanistan is the most important challenge before the United Nations today. The campaign against terrorism and also that against drug trafficking depend heavily upon the restoration of legitimate government in Afghanistan which observes the norms of international behaviour. See... Goff Statement On Afghanistan To UN Security Cn

…Meanwhile Also At The UN…. HEADLINES: - Challenge of Afghanistan at ‘most urgent stage,’ Annan tells Security Council - Brahimi lays out plan for political transition in Afghanistan - Welcoming Kabul's release from 'oppressive' Taliban, Annan urges respect for law - UN officials ... See... Afghanistan’s Future Discussed In UN Security Cn., UNSG Kofi Annan Address To UNSC On Afghanistan and Briefing to the UN Security Council On Afghanistan

National’s SAS Threat A National Disgrace - “It is a deplorable decision by National to reconsider its support of the Government’s anti-terrorist position and therefore of our elite soldiers who may at this moment be engaged in this war,” according to New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. See... National Disgrace
MORE:
- Alliance - Democrats Support Caucus Decision
- ACT - ACT Party Totally Supports War Against Terrorism
- NATS - National Committed To War On Terrorism
- Peter Dunne - Campaign Too Important For Silly Political Games

Angry US Readers Demand Censorship - Ever wondered how and why the levers of press censorship in your local newspaper operate? The following memo from a Florida newspaper news editor, circulating widely on the Internet, sheds some light on the issue. See... Inside The Media: US News Memo On Civilian Deaths

David Miller Doesn’t Buy Imperialist Conspiracy Theories - This is not a war of imperialism, it is a war against terrorism and it will be fought regardless of the number of stickers stuck on traffic lights in Christchurch. See... David Miller: Not A War For Imperialism

Hot Link: The Terror Trail That Is Left Cold - The following is the first part of a transcript of a BBC Newsnight programme broadcast on November 6th concerning problems the FBI has been having with investigating certain Saudi citizens and their connections in their efforts to combat terror in the US. See... Scoop Link: BBC On GW Bush - Bin Laden Connection The programme sheds further light on issues raised in The GW Bush - Osama Bin Laden Connection


...PHOTO STORIES...
Peace Protesting in America #1
One Night Out Protesting In NY
Peace Protesting in America #2
"Half The News - All The Time"

Guest Opinion: Salman Rushdie’s Verbal Diarrhea - A few weeks ago, infamous author Salman Rushdie published an article, which was carried by various media, in which he attempted to explain his personal theory of Islamism and its relevance to the events of the past two months. See... Guest Opinion: Who Is Salman Rushdie?

Hot Link: The Terror Trail That Is Left Cold - The following is the first part of a transcript of a BBC Newsnight programme broadcast on November 6th concerning problems the FBI has been having with investigating certain Saudi citizens and their connections in their efforts to combat terror in the US. See... Scoop Link: BBC On GW Bush - Bin Laden Connection The programme sheds further light on issues raised in The GW Bush - Osama Bin Laden Connection.

Peace A Casualty At Alliance Conference – Greens - Green Foreign Affairs spokesperson Keith Locke expressed disappointment that anti-war delegates at the Alliance conference lost a motion for the withdrawal of SAS troops from the Afghanistan war. See... Alliance conference rejects peace - Greens . See also National... Govt in shambles over commitment to war

A Terrorist Is Identified To The PM - I attach information sufficient to identify a woman whom I think you wish to kill. Or perhaps you wish to kill only her sons or some of her associates. She clearly identifies herself as a harbourer of some people who qualify as terrorists in terms ... See... Dear PM: Eliminating Terrorists & their Associates

ZZZZZzzzzt Feedback - In This Edition: Re: HARD NEWS - Selling The War See... Scoop Feedback: More Views On The War

Mazar-e-Sharif - From One Oppressor To Another -In light of statements by the United Front that they have taken Mazar-e Sharif, Amnesty International calls on its forces to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights standards, in particular to refrain from reprisal killings and other serious abuses. See... UF must ensure abuses of the past are not repeated

OpEd Opinion: Locke On Terror Bill - Green MP Keith Locke says new anti-terrorism legislation currently going through Parliament could see protestors or activists designated as terrorists. The Government should not let the events of September 11 panic them into curtailing the freedom of New Zealanders to act on their consciences, he says. See... Opinion: Keith Locke On Anti-Terror Legislation
Full Coverage:
- ACT - ACT Supports Full Scrutiny of Anti-Terrorism Laws
- National - Anti-Terrorism Bill opened up to public fresh air
- Phil Goff - Call for public submissions on Terrorism Bill
- PMA - Submissions: Anti-terrorism legislation

Hard News Is Here - GOOD DAY MEDIAPHILES ... so it is week four or week five of the bombing? I've lost count. Having convinced the world it was to undertake a police action, the American government is running a so-called War on Terror that still does not appear capable ... See... HARD NEWS 9/11 - What Are You People Fighting For?

Anti War Poster Available NOW! - If you've been keeping up with online independent media, you will have noticed the lack of balanced information about the attacks in Afghanistan coming through New Zealand TV, radio and print mass media sources. So GET THE POSTER….See... Image: Stop The War poster

Peace Loving Americans Get Active - As we recover from the tragic events of September 11th and ponder the widening war, we have a unique opportunity to break this viscous cycle of violence and inspire the world with a message if unity, healing and peace. See... International Gathering of Hope At WTC Sunday and US Educational Events Examine the Roots of Hate


...PHOTO STORY...
Baby Against Bombing

Impassioned Comment From Ground Zero - “Bush’s stolen election has put the whole world out of whack, threw us into a parallel universe that wasn’t supposed to be, and everything that has transpired since - the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gloria’s cancer and death, the stolen dreams of real democracy - pile jumbled on the ocean floor as the earth heats up, the seas rise around us, and, like the World Trade Center, swallow us whole.” See... An Open Letter From NYC – From Mitchel Cohen

The World’s Most Wanted In His Own Words - Transcript Of Message From Shaykh Usaamah Ibn Laadin (Osama bin Laden) broadcast November 3rd by Al-Jazeera satellite television channel. See... BBC Transcript Of Osama Bin Laden Statement

Guest Opinion: A Muslim American Nightmare - It has been almost two months since the nightmare began. A nightmare for almost everyone I know. A nightmare for thousands of innocent lives lost; now they dream no more. See... Guest Opinion: A Muslim American Nightmare

Beeb Puts US Defence Secretary On The Spot – Who else is the US planning to bomb? Syria? Iraq? BBC interviewer Jeremy Vine shows how a real IV is conducted. See... Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz Interview with BBC

Eyewitness Report: Civilian Casualties In Kandahar - It was deafening. The walls shook and I heard glass shatter. Jolted out of bed, I held my breadth. The first thought was whether our building was hit. There was a hiss as if of a low flying plane and then the second explosion shook the walls. See... Eyewitness Report: Nights of Death in Kandahar

Read Arabic News In English - News junkies surfing the web for new perspectives on the War Against Terror may find a whole new world opened to them through the following link to an Arabic/English translation engine. See... Scoop Link: You Too Can Read Arabic On The Web!

State Department Denies CIA/bin Laden Dubai Meeting - QUESTION: Okay. And secondly, Usama bin Laden was reported to have received treatment at an American hospital in Dubai in June, which he was visited by the CIA chief there in Dubai. Do you have any information -- MR. BOUCHER: I think other responsible agencies have said there is no truth to that statement. See… State Dept. Daily Press Briefing November 1, 2001 and Links: Le Figaro Reports CIA, bin Laden Contacts

US's Pious Promises Just Hot Air Say Australian Muslims - “As we stand on the precipice of a massive humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan, it is becoming painfully evident that the pious promise made by the US regarding the preservation of civilian life is a fallacy”, says the Australian Muslim Public Affairs Committee.
See... Australian Muslims On Paying The Price

NZ Aid Offers Not Enough For Greens - Green Foreign Affairs spokesperson Keith Locke supports the Government contributing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, but does not want it used as a smokescreen to justify New Zealand's participation in the war. See... Aid doesn't excuse NZ's war contribution - Greens. Meanwhile according to ACT the Government should if anything get tougher. See... NZ is Already a Victim of Terrorism

Call For Terror Apologist’s Dismissal - The Christian Heritage Party Leader, Graham Capill, calls for the immediate dismissal of Canterbury University lecturer Dr. Anwar from her position at the university. See... Lecturer should be dismissed


...PHOTO STORY...
Bomber Rumsfeld And His B2
DoD Photo Essay

Images: Concerned Kiwis & Grave Greens March For Peace - A windy Thursday afternoon, threatening and occasionally spitting rain, was the backdrop to a procession of around 250 Wellington peace lovers from the Cenotaph to the US Embassy at the top of Mulgrave Street. See… Scoop Images: Wellington Peace March - Nov. 1

Long-time Peace Activists Petition PM - Three long-term peace activists - Maire Leadbeater, Marion Hancock and Joyce Browne have joined together to send an urgent appeal to Helen Clark to end New Zealand involvement in the war on the people of Afghanistan. See... Prime Minister Asked To Bring The SAS Forces Home

Scoop Images: America At War - Photo essay by Brian Klocke originally posted on Indymedia.org . See... Scoop Images: America At War Photo Essay

ZZZZZzzzt Feedback: Similarities Seen Between Beehive And Al-Qaeda - While Mr. Marcanik and his ilk shudder in orgastic delight as the ID cards and surveillance systems are rolled out, and as the shadow of freedom is swallowed by the darkness of fascism, we already know who the terrorists are in NZ. They all have Hon. before their name. See... Scoop Feedback: Who Are The Real Terrorists?

Supercomputer Weather: Inclement Conditions For Afghanistan - Snow and winter cold are coming to Afghanistan over the next four days according to the latest NOAA medium range supercomputer weather forecast. This is likely to inhibit the aid effort, substantially worsen the plight of refugees, and slow any attempt to begin an offensive against the Taleban in the North East of the country by the Northern Alliance. See… Supercomputer Weather: Snow For Afghanistan

Big News: Justice & Peace Not One & the Same - I recently received a number of e-mails on the peace march held in Wellington on October 27. While they certainly didn’t tempt me to march for peace, I did question why the march was planned. See... Big News: Some Seek Justice, Others Prefer Peace


...PHOTO STORY...
Anti-War Art From Indymedia

A New Terror Threat For The US – Contaminated Food - Details are starting to leak from of Scoop's Washington sources that after anthrax, food terror will be the next weapon unleashed on the U.S. Maree Howard reports. See... America’s Latest Threat - Terror Food

Howard’s End: Terror Wins, Privacy & Freedom Lose - Yesterday, as Justice Minister Phil Goff announced new Government powers to combat terrorism, the terrorists won a major victory. But the blow wasn't physical. There was no loss of life or property. The blow was philosophical. See... Howard's End: The Great Government Power Grab. See also Green Party reaction to the bill ... Time needed for submissions on anti-terrorism bill

Goff Releases The Evidence Against Bin Laden - Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff yesterday released information provided by the British Government which outlines links between Al Qaida led by Osama bin Laden and the terrorist attacks of 11 September. See... Release Of British Terrorist Attack Documents . See also... UK Government Report On Bin Laden, published on Scoop earlier this month.

Feedback: Go You Good Goff, Go! - Bouquets must surely go to the Prime Minister and the Government for showing the fortitude required in introducing the sweeping new powers to combat terrorism (Oct 30). See... Feedback: Bouquets And Brickbats

David Miller: When Jihads Have Big Guns & Big Backers - For the purposes of this column, the ‘new terrorism’ is defined as being built on three pillars. These are the role of the state sponsor, the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction, (WMD), the religious connection and a linkage between these aspects. See... David Miller: Welcome to the ‘New Terrorism’

Taleban Executions Condemned - Amnesty International today condemned the summary and unlawful execution of Abdul Haq on 26 October 2001, following his capture by the Taleban earlier that day. See... Amnesty on summary executions by the Taleban


...PHOTO STORY...
Auckland Antiwar Coalition Marches Again

Guest Opinion: US Special Forces Veteran Has Serious Misgivings - I'm a retired Special Forces Master Sergeant. That doesn't cut much for those who will only accept the opinions of former officers on military matters, since we enlisted swine are assumed to be incapable of grasping the nuances of doctrine. See... Former Green Beret Tells Pravda Bush Is Lying. See also (mining a similar vein)... Sludge Report #114 – The Great Game

Scoop Debate: What Would Jesus Do About 911? - A Response To Richard Davis’s From Patriotism To Peace: Christian Reflections On September 11
See... Guest Opinion: Pondering ‘Prophetic Politics’

Auckland Peace Protestors March Again - 300 people attended today's anti-war march and rally in Auckland despite a steady downpour of rain. See... Scoop Images: Antiwar Coalition Brave the Rain

Sandra’s Scary Day - "I commend the authorities for their prompt response to this incident," Conservation Minister Sandra Lee said today. See... Sandra Lee comments on Anthrax scare incident

Dalai Lama Talks To Europe About Peace - It is a great honour for me to address the European Parliament. I believe the European Union is an inspiring example for a cooperative and peaceful co-existence among different nations and peoples and deeply inspiring for people like myself who strongly believe ... The Dalai Lama To The European Parliament

NZ SAS Troops Deployed - At 0520hrs this morning [24.10.01] the BBC World Service (rebroadcast on TV One) carried a report about two x 650 men detachments of British troops on exercises in the east Arabian peninsula nation of OMAN. See... NZ SAS troops deployed on Diego Garcia - BBC

US Anti-terrorism Bill Sweeps Aside Civil Liberties - WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union today expressed profound disappointment with Senate passage of the controversial anti-terrorism legislation and promised to monitor the implementation of its sweeping new powers for any abuse of civil liberties. See... ACLU Responds to Passage of Anti-Terrorism Bill

Greenleft: Hungry Men Are Angry Terrorists - “I don't know whether they are going to eliminate the terrorists or create them. We are not terrorists, they [are] forcing us to become terrorists”, said Kabul resident Mohammed Nabi, referring to Washington's nightly bombing of his country. See... Bush’s war threatens millions with starvation


...PHOTO STORY...
Pentagon Spokespeople

Lindsay Perigo: Hardy Capitalism, Rooting Out The Taliban Within - There is nothing about the War on Terrorism that justifies or necessitates emulating the Taleban's denial of freedom of speech. On the contrary, there is everything about this war that necessitates the upholding of that freedom. See... Lindsay Perigo: Two Of The Best

Peter Cresswell: Supersonic Evidence Of Western Superiority - Yes, it’s true! Concorde yesterday completed its first supersonic transatlantic flight since last year’s crash in Paris. See... PC's Opinion: Fly the Silver Bird

Guest Column: A Scots MP Pipes Up For Free Speech - In exile in Switzerland, shortly before the Russian revolution, Lenin opined that "there are decades when nothing happens; and there are weeks when decades happen". We are, it seems, living through such weeks. See... Guest Column: We Will Not Be Silenced

Guest Column: Veiled Insights From Saudi Arabia - "Allahu akbar," (God is greatest) calls out at dawn from the electronic speaker systems in the mosques throughout the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is time for the dawn prayer, and the sleepy believers striving for God's pleasure leave their warm beds to go to their prayers. Others might continue to sleep, as they choose. See... Guest Column: A View From Behind The Veil

Opinion: US Foreign Policy At The Root Of Hatred - The catastrophic attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon have raised several questions about Islam and militant Muslims. The chief among them are, why are some Muslims so angry at the US that they would perpetrate such an inhuman act? See... Opinion: US Foreign Policy A Barrier to Democracy

US Bombs Afghan Hospital - At 9:05 a.m. [EDT] on Sunday, a U.S. Navy FA-18 Hornet missed its intended target and inadvertently dropped a 1,000-pound bomb in an open field -- an open area near a senior citizens' home outside Herat, Afghanistan. The intended target was a vehicle-storage ...See... Defense Department Says Three Bombs Went Astray and DoD News Briefing 23/10- Clarke and Stufflebeem


…PHOTO STORY…
Aboard A Food Bombing Mission

Sludge Report: A War Crime Is Underway As APEC Leaders Meet - Let the cowards of the world unite. It should be easy enough. They are all in the same place this weekend - Shanghai. And they are all falling over themselves with the same objective - fawning over the United States President. See... Sludge Report #116 – Shanghaied!. See also STRATFOR.COM - Humanitarian Crisis Will Jeopardize U.S. Military Goals

Stateside: American Women Of Substance - Tired of turbanned and beribbonned men? Here's some newsworthy ladies. See... Stateside with Rosalea: Ladies’ Week

Scoop Feedback: A Reader Answers The Question, What Happens Next? - An extensive speculation on what comes next in the “War Against Terror” submitted to Scoop (and many other publications around the world) as a letter to the editor by a clearly enthusiastic news user from Indiana. It is republished here in the expectation that it is unlikely to be republished elsewhere, and because it is a good read, albeit a somewhat sobering one. See... Scoop Feedback: Jihad Anyone?

UN And US In Talks Over Afghanistan - The United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special envoy for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, returned to New York today after visiting Washington, D.C., over the weekend for talks with United States government officials. See... UN News: UN Consults US & Pakistan On Afghanistan

US Food Drops (1) - An Eyewitness Account From 30,000ft - he C-17 cargo plane was ten minutes from its drop zone when the rear doors opened onto the night sky high above Afghanistan. Frigid air burst into the cabin, washing across two rows of boxes filled with food that stood like soldiers at attention before a fluttering American flag. See... Scoop Images: Aboard A US Humanitarian Air Drop

US Food Drops (2) - Condemned As Media Manipulation - The Pentagon's air drops of food parcels and President Bush's plea for American children to aid Afghan kids with dollar bills will go down in history as two of the most cynical manoeuvres of media manipulation in the early 21st century. See... FAIR: Starvation and Dollar Bills For Afghan Kids

US-led Bombing Illegal “State Terrorism” – US Greens - The Green Party USA condemns the U.S. and British bombing of Afghanistan as inhumane and an act of “state terrorism” against a starving and impoverished nation. The killing of innocent civilians, whether intended or not, is a violation of international law. See... Green Party USA Condemns Bombing of Afghanistan


…PHOTO STORY…
Ground Zero As Seen From Space

Sludge Report: It’s All About Oil - If the official story of the World Trade Center attacks reads like a Tom Clancy novel, simple plot, good guys, bad guys and cruise missiles, then this could be the LeCarre version. See... Sludge Report #114 – The Great Game. See also Sludge readers feedback... Sludge Report #115 – More News About Oil

Perigo On The Bombing Of Afghanistan - Thus far, Bush Jr seems to be doing better than his father in comparable circumstances. He is waging a war not of his choosing with greater resolve & moral self-assurance than the man who balked at finishing the job against Saddam Hussein. See... Lindsay Perigo: After the Bombing, What Next?

Guest Opinion: An Explanation For Pakistani Acquiescence Pakistan is under the military rule and yet President General Pervez Musharraf has not tried to curb the right of free speech and free press. His decision to co-operate with the international campaign against terrorism has been endorsed by the vast majority ... See... Guest Opinion: Pakistan Under Threat

THE RECEIVED VERSION - US OFFICIAL REMARKS
Rumsfeld Interview with Christiane Amanpour, CNN
DoD News Briefing 18/10 - Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers
Powell Remarks At Joint APEC Press Conference
Powell Aboard Aircraft En Route To Shanghai

Hundreds Of Thousands Of Lives On The Line - All necessary measures must be taken to ensure humanitarian aid is delivered to those that need it in Afghanistan. In light of reports that indicate that unless enough aid reaches the Afghan population before the onset of winter hundreds of thousands of lives could be at risk. See... Afghanistan: Position on humanitarian aid delivery. See also... Refugee camps in tribal areas - a risky strategy

Opposition Wants To Follow Aussie Into Battle Against Terror - Australia's decision to send 1550 troops plus four F/A-18 jet strike fighters and two long-range P3 Orion reconnaissance aircraft to the war against terrorism, is a significant commitment, ACT leader Richard Prebble says. See... NZ Should Have Been Able to Stand Alongside Aussie and Keep Our Strike Force Squadron by Rejoining ANZUS
More:
- National - National commits to future security
- Christian Heritage - Government needs a rocket under its defence policy

ZZZZZzzzzt: Peter Cresswell Attracts Reader Backlash - It must be fantastic being a Libertarian. There's black, there's white, and that's about it. See... Scoop Feedback: Peter’s Friends, Not!

US Officials Talk To The World – Senior US officials have been talking about their war on Afghanistan to the people of India, Indonesia and the wider Muslim world. See..Powell Remarks, Minister Jaswant Singh of India, Secretary Armitage IV on Metro TV of Indonesia and Secretary Rumsfeld Interview with Al Jezeera

Israeli Hardliner Becomes Martyr – Gush Shalom On Assassination - Today Israeli society is in shock because of the murder of its Minister of Tourism Reha'am Ze'evi. Never before was it more clear than now that even a leader of a relatively small extremist group becomes a national hero and martyr when he is assassinated. Assassination Is Assassination

- For earlier Scoop coverage of the War Against Terror and the Attacks On America see...
Archive Of Scoop WAR Coverage - To October 17th
AMERICA UNDER ATTACK - SCOOP SPECIAL