Political News — August & September 2006

Chavez UN Speech, calls Bush Devil

From Green Left Weekly, September 27, 2006. Visit the Green Left Weekly home page. VENEZUELA: Chavez speaks on the revolution’s challenges Stuart Munckton In an exclusive interview with the September 10 Spanish-language daily Diario Panorama, Venezuela’s socialist President Hugo Chavez spoke about the challenges facing the Bolivarian revolution — as the process of social transformation his government is leading is called.

In an exclusive interview with the September 10 Spanish-language daily Diario Panorama, Venezuela’s socialist President Hugo Chavez spoke about the challenges facing the Bolivarian revolution — as the process of social transformation his government is leading is called.

Many of the gains of the revolution are well-known, with a growing number of social missions redistributing the nation’s oil wealth and resulting in significant drops in poverty. Revolutionaries inside Venezuela are pointing to the dangers of a strongly entrenched state bureaucracy that remains largely unchanged from before Chavez was elected that works to sabotage the process of change — in particular the transfer of power to the poor, a key stated aim of the revolution. {This parallels the cause for the failure of the elected socialist government in Great Brittan and during the 1930s—jk.}

A number of this layer have joined the pro-Chavez camp for opportunist reasons. A number of self-proclaimed Chavistas in positions of power, referred to as “counter-revolutionaries in red berets”, are criticised by the popular movements for continuing the same bureaucratic and often corrupt practices as before the revolution. Chavez has been at the forefront of calling for moves to give more power to the poor, and has sacked a number of high-ranking public officials and ministers for failure to adequately tackle corruption.

Asked by Diario Panorama about the risks facing the revolution, Chavez stated: “The biggest threat is inside; there is a permanent, bureaucratic counterrevolution. I spend my time with a whip because all around me is the enemy of an old and new bureaucracy that is resisting change.” Chavez said that it was important to make sure policies are carried out and not “derailed or minimised by this bureaucratic counterrevolution that is inside the state”.

“The state has been transformed at a macro level”, Chavez explained, “but the micro levels remain intact. It is necessary to think about right now a new package of laws [to facilitate] the transformation of the political and judicial framework right down to the most micro levels of the state to overcome this resistance.

“The counterrevolution of corruption is the sister of the bureaucratic counterrevolution. This is another terrible threat, because it appears where you least expect it ... it is like a demon that has to be exorcised.” Chavez explained this is why, among the key strategic goals for the revolution to be fulfilled if Chavez, as is widely expected, is re-elected in December, is the development of a “socialist ethic”.

Generals Deman Rumsfeld Resignation

Retired Officers Demand Rumsfeld's Resignation By William Branigin Washington Post Staff WriterMonday, September 25, 2006; 5:14 PM

Three retired military officers who served in Iraq called today for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, telling a Democratic "oversight hearing" on Capitol Hill that the Pentagon chief bungled planning for the U.S. invasion, dismissed the prospect of an insurgency and sent American troops into the fray with inadequate equipment.

The testimony by the three --two retired Army major generals and a former Marine colonel -- came a day after disclosure of a classified intelligence assessment that concluded the war in Iraq has fueled recruitment of violent Islamic extremists, helping to create a new generation of potential terrorists around the world and worsening the U.S. position.

In testimony before the Democratic Policy Committee today, retired Maj. Gen. John R.S. Batiste, who commanded the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq in 2004 and 2005 and served as a senior military assistant to former deputy defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, charged that Rumsfeld and others in the Bush administration "did not tell the American people the truth for fear of losing support for the war in Iraq."

He told the committee, "If we had seriously laid out and considered the full range of requirements for the war in Iraq, we would likely have taken a different course of action that would have maintained a clear focus on our main effort in Afghanistan, not fueled Islamic fundamentalism across the globe, and not created more enemies than there were insurgents."

Joining his call for Rumsfeld to resign were retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Eaton, who was responsible for training Iraq's military and police in 2003 and 2004, and retired Marine Col. Thomas X. Hammes, who served in Iraq in 2004 and helped establish bases for the reconstituted Iraqi armed forces.

Rumsfeld, appearing at a news briefing with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, rejected the demands for his resignation. Asked about the Capitol Hill hearing and whether he was considering stepping down, Rumsfeld shook his head slightly and mouthed the word "no" before calling for the next question.

UN Report on Iraq Torture

Iraq civilian killing for July & August total a counted 6,660, many tortured first. U.S has created a situation much worse than under Saddam Hussein US death toll insignificant in comparison U.N. expert: Iraq torture may be worse By ELIANE ENGELER, Associated Press Writer Thu Sep 21, 12:20 PM ET GENEVA - Torture in Iraq may be worse now than it was under Saddam Hussein, with militias, terrorist groups and government forces disregarding rules on the humane treatment of prisoners, the U.N. anti-torture chief said Thursday. Manfred Nowak, the U.N. special [chief] investigator on torture [since 2004], made the remarks as he was presenting a report on detainee conditions at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay as well as to brief the U.N. Human Rights Council, the global body's top rights watchdog, on torture worldwide. Reports from Iraq indicate that torture "is totally out of hand," he said. "The situation is so bad many people say it is worse than it has been in the times of Saddam Hussein." Nowak added, "That means something, because the torture methods applied under Saddam Hussein were the worst you could imagine." Some allegations of torture were undoubtedly credible, with government forces among the perpetrators, he said, citing "very serious allegations of torture within the official Iraqi detention centers.""You have terrorist groups, you have the military, you have police, you have these militias. There are so many people who are actually abducted, seriously tortured and finally killed," Nowak told reporters at the U.N.'s European headquarters. "It's not just torture by the government. There are much more brutal methods of torture you'll find by private militias," he said. A report by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq's Human Rights office cited worrying evidence of torture, unlawful detentions, growth of sectarian militias and death squads, and a rise in "honor killings" of women. Iraq's government, set up in 2006, is "currently facing a generalized breakdown of law and order which presents a serious challenge to the institutions of Iraq" such as police and security forces and the legal system, the U.N. report said, noting that torture was a major concern. Nowak has yet to make an official visit to Iraq and said such a mission would be unfeasible as long as the security situation there remains perilous. He based his comments on interviews with people during a visit to Amman, Jordan, and other sources. "You find these bodies with very heavy and very serious torture marks," he said. "Many of these allegations, I have no doubt that they are credible." According to the U.N. report, the number of Iraqi civilians killed in July and August hit 6,599, a record-high that is far greater than initial estimates suggested, the U.N. report said Wednesday. It attributed many of the deaths to rising sectarian tensions that have pushed Iraq toward civil war. ___ Associated Press writers Bradley S. Klapper in Geneva and Nick Wadhams at the United Nations contributed to this report.

GENEVA - Torture in Iraq may be worse now than it was under Saddam Hussein, with militias, terrorist groups and government forces disregarding rules on the humane treatment of prisoners, the U.N. anti-torture chief said Thursday.

Manfred Nowak, the U.N. special [chief] investigator on torture [since 2004], made the remarks as he was presenting a report on detainee conditions at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay as well as to brief the U.N. Human Rights Council, the global body's top rights watchdog, on torture worldwide. Reports from Iraq indicate that torture "is totally out of hand," he said. "The situation is so bad many people say it is worse than it has been in the times of Saddam Hussein." Nowak added, "That means something, because the torture methods applied under Saddam Hussein were the worst you could imagine." Some allegations of torture were undoubtedly credible, with government forces among the perpetrators, he said, citing "very serious allegations of torture within the official Iraqi detention centers.""You have terrorist groups, you have the military, you have police, you have these militias. There are so many people who are actually abducted, seriously tortured and finally killed," Nowak told reporters at the U.N.'s European headquarters. "It's not just torture by the government. There are much more brutal methods of torture you'll find by private militias," he said. A report by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq's Human Rights office cited worrying evidence of torture, unlawful detentions, growth of sectarian militias and death squads, and a rise in "honor killings" of women. Iraq's government, set up in 2006, is "currently facing a generalized breakdown of law and order which presents a serious challenge to the institutions of Iraq" such as police and security forces and the legal system, the U.N. report said, noting that torture was a major concern. Nowak has yet to make an official visit to Iraq and said such a mission would be unfeasible as long as the security situation there remains perilous. He based his comments on interviews with people during a visit to Amman, Jordan, and other sources. "You find these bodies with very heavy and very serious torture marks," he said. "Many of these allegations, I have no doubt that they are credible." According to the U.N. report, the number of Iraqi civilians killed in July and August hit 6,599, a record-high that is far greater than initial estimates suggested, the U.N. report said Wednesday. It attributed many of the deaths to rising sectarian tensions that have pushed Iraq toward civil war. ___ Associated Press writers Bradley S. Klapper in Geneva and Nick Wadhams at the United Nations contributed to this report.

A report by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq's Human Rights office cited worrying evidence of torture, unlawful detentions, growth of sectarian militias and death squads, and a rise in "honor killings" of women. Iraq's government, set up in 2006, is "currently facing a generalized breakdown of law and order which presents a serious challenge to the institutions of Iraq" such as police and security forces and the legal system, the U.N. report said, noting that torture was a major concern. Nowak has yet to make an official visit to Iraq and said such a mission would be unfeasible as long as the security situation there remains perilous. He based his comments on interviews with people during a visit to Amman, Jordan, and other sources.

"You find these bodies with very heavy and very serious torture marks," he said. "Many of these allegations, I have no doubt that they are credible."

According to the U.N. report, the number of Iraqi civilians killed in July and August hit 6,599, a record-high that is far greater than initial estimates suggested, the U.N. report said Wednesday. It attributed many of the deaths to rising sectarian tensions that have pushed Iraq toward civil war.

Israel Attacks on Palestine

Israel has kidnapped 21 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and 8 members of the Palestinian cabinet in the past two months, yet the U.S. press reports the Israel attacks a justified because of the kidnapping of one Israel soldier. From Green Left Weekly at www.greenleft.org.au Sept. 6, 2006. PALESTINE: More than 200 dead from Israeli assault Kim Bullimore Israel gunboats and air-to-surface missiles continued to pound Gaza as “Operation Summer Rain”, which began on June 28, entered its 11th week. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 202 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 44 children. The assault is ostensibly in response to the capture of a soldier by Palestinian militants during a raid on an Israeli military outpost at Kerem Shalom. The June 25 raid was in response to Israel’s continued artillery bombardment of Gaza, which had killed dozens of people in the previous month. According to the August 24 OCHA situation report, during Operation Summer Rain Israel has carried out at least 267 air strikes in Gaza. Hundreds of artillery shells have been fired into the Gaza Strip, while Palestinians have fired less than six homemade rockets per day into Israel, injuring 11 people. More than 120 Palestinian houses, workshops, parliamentary buildings and greenhouses have been destroyed by the Israeli military; another 160 have been badly damaged. Gaza continues to have limited access to electricity and water supplies as a result of Israel’s deliberate destruction its only power plant and other civilian infrastructure in the first days of the assault. Thousands of Palestinians are now homeless. On August 9, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency was forced to close three temporary shelters it had set up to aid the homeless, after Israeli occupation forces shelled the buildings. Israel has also stepped up its assault on civilians in the West Bank. According to a report issued by Israeli human rights group B’Tselem on August 21, Israeli military forces have severely beaten, assaulted and humiliated Palestinians, with many of the victims requiring urgent medical treatment. B’Tselem said that Hezbollah’s successes in the month-long war in Lebanon “aggravated the rage and frustration of security forces, which they have expressed in increased aggression towards Palestinians”. As part of an attempt to topple the democratically elected Hamas-led Palestinian Authority administration, in the past two months Israel has kidnapped 21 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and eight members of the Palestinian cabinet. Those kidnapped include the PLC speaker and second deputy speaker and the deputy prime minister.

Israel gunboats and air-to-surface missiles continued to pound Gaza as “Operation Summer Rain”, which began on June 28, entered its 11th week. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 202 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 44 children. The assault is ostensibly in response to the capture of a soldier by Palestinian militants during a raid on an Israeli military outpost at Kerem Shalom. The June 25 raid was in response to Israel’s continued artillery bombardment of Gaza, which had killed dozens of people in the previous month. According to the August 24 OCHA situation report, during Operation Summer Rain Israel has carried out at least 267 air strikes in Gaza. Hundreds of artillery shells have been fired into the Gaza Strip, while Palestinians have fired less than six homemade rockets per day into Israel, injuring 11 people. More than 120 Palestinian houses, workshops, parliamentary buildings and greenhouses have been destroyed by the Israeli military; another 160 have been badly damaged. Gaza continues to have limited access to electricity and water supplies as a result of Israel’s deliberate destruction its only power plant and other civilian infrastructure in the first days of the assault. Thousands of Palestinians are now homeless. On August 9, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency was forced to close three temporary shelters it had set up to aid the homeless, after Israeli occupation forces shelled the buildings. Israel has also stepped up its assault on civilians in the West Bank. According to a report issued by Israeli human rights group B’Tselem on August 21, Israeli military forces have severely beaten, assaulted and humiliated Palestinians, with many of the victims requiring urgent medical treatment. B’Tselem said that Hezbollah’s successes in the month-long war in Lebanon “aggravated the rage and frustration of security forces, which they have expressed in increased aggression towards Palestinians”. As part of an attempt to topple the democratically elected Hamas-led Palestinian Authority administration, in the past two months Israel has kidnapped 21 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and eight members of the Palestinian cabinet. Those kidnapped include the PLC speaker and second deputy speaker and the deputy prime minister.

The assault is ostensibly in response to the capture of a soldier by Palestinian militants during a raid on an Israeli military outpost at Kerem Shalom. The June 25 raid was in response to Israel’s continued artillery bombardment of Gaza, which had killed dozens of people in the previous month.

According to the August 24 OCHA situation report, during Operation Summer Rain Israel has carried out at least 267 air strikes in Gaza. Hundreds of artillery shells have been fired into the Gaza Strip, while Palestinians have fired less than six homemade rockets per day into Israel, injuring 11 people.

More than 120 Palestinian houses, workshops, parliamentary buildings and greenhouses have been destroyed by the Israeli military; another 160 have been badly damaged. Gaza continues to have limited access to electricity and water supplies as a result of Israel’s deliberate destruction its only power plant and other civilian infrastructure in the first days of the assault.

Thousands of Palestinians are now homeless. On August 9, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency was forced to close three temporary shelters it had set up to aid the homeless, after Israeli occupation forces shelled the buildings.

Israel has also stepped up its assault on civilians in the West Bank. According to a report issued by Israeli human rights group B’Tselem on August 21, Israeli military forces have severely beaten, assaulted and humiliated Palestinians, with many of the victims requiring urgent medical treatment. B’Tselem said that Hezbollah’s successes in the month-long war in Lebanon “aggravated the rage and frustration of security forces, which they have expressed in increased aggression towards Palestinians”.

KIDS & BIG PHARMA--Huffington

Another example of corporate greed the the failure of our government to protect us Arrianna Huffiington from one of the best political blogs at www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog As Labor Day approaches, it's time to look back on our favorite summer memories: family vacations, cookouts, days at the beach... children being plied with powerful pharmaceuticals. When my 15 year-old daughter returned home from sleep-away camp this summer and began recounting her typical day, I was surprised to learn that it started not with swimming or camping or arts and crafts -- or even breakfast -- but rather with her fellow campers lining up to get their "morning meds." That's right, popping prescription pills for attention deficit disorder, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders has become standard operating procedure at camps all across America -- as much a part of the summertime ritual as campfires, color wars, and "I wanna come home" letters. According to one trade group representing 2,600 camps and 3 million campers (yes, even Camp Poison Ivy now has a lobbyist!), roughly a quarter of the kids at its camps are taking regular doses of psychopharmacologic drugs such as Ritalin, Concerta, and Straterra (ADD/ADHD), Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft (anxiety and depression), and Clonidine, Lexapro, and Risperdal (mood disorders). Of course, this pill-popping phenomenon is not just a part of summer vacation -- but rather an extension of the epidemic of legal drugs being prescribed to America's children. We now have over a million kids on Prozac and its equivalents and more than seven million on Ritalin. During the school year, most kids take their meds at home -- so it's not as noticeable. But at camp, it's harder to hide. Then again, so many kids are now being given drugs it's become no big deal. As reported by the New York Times, some camps divvy out the drugs in their mess halls, others do it in the infirmary. One camp in Copake, New York has built a special medication wing where kids hang out waiting to get dosed. "You going to archery?" "Later; first I'm getting my midday antipsychotic." Dispensing prescription medications to campers has become such a regular part of the summer camp experience that one company, CampMeds, was created to help beleaguered camp nurses keep all the different drug combos straight. CampMeds ships an entire summer's worth of prepackaged pills to member camps with each child's Rx regime contained in shrink-wrapped packets marked with a name, date, and time. The better to dose you with, my dear. "This is the American standard now," says one camp owner. More's the pity. "Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda" has now become "Hello Druggist, Hello MD." With apologies to Alan Sherman: Hello Druggist,Hello MD,Here I am atCamp Poison IvyCamp is veryamusin',And they say we'll all have fun if we take our Wellbutrin.

Arrianna Huffiington from one of the best political blogs at www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog As Labor Day approaches, it's time to look back on our favorite summer memories: family vacations, cookouts, days at the beach... children being plied with powerful pharmaceuticals. When my 15 year-old daughter returned home from sleep-away camp this summer and began recounting her typical day, I was surprised to learn that it started not with swimming or camping or arts and crafts -- or even breakfast -- but rather with her fellow campers lining up to get their "morning meds." That's right, popping prescription pills for attention deficit disorder, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders has become standard operating procedure at camps all across America -- as much a part of the summertime ritual as campfires, color wars, and "I wanna come home" letters. According to one trade group representing 2,600 camps and 3 million campers (yes, even Camp Poison Ivy now has a lobbyist!), roughly a quarter of the kids at its camps are taking regular doses of psychopharmacologic drugs such as Ritalin, Concerta, and Straterra (ADD/ADHD), Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft (anxiety and depression), and Clonidine, Lexapro, and Risperdal (mood disorders). Of course, this pill-popping phenomenon is not just a part of summer vacation -- but rather an extension of the epidemic of legal drugs being prescribed to America's children. We now have over a million kids on Prozac and its equivalents and more than seven million on Ritalin. During the school year, most kids take their meds at home -- so it's not as noticeable. But at camp, it's harder to hide. Then again, so many kids are now being given drugs it's become no big deal. As reported by the New York Times, some camps divvy out the drugs in their mess halls, others do it in the infirmary. One camp in Copake, New York has built a special medication wing where kids hang out waiting to get dosed. "You going to archery?" "Later; first I'm getting my midday antipsychotic." Dispensing prescription medications to campers has become such a regular part of the summer camp experience that one company, CampMeds, was created to help beleaguered camp nurses keep all the different drug combos straight. CampMeds ships an entire summer's worth of prepackaged pills to member camps with each child's Rx regime contained in shrink-wrapped packets marked with a name, date, and time. The better to dose you with, my dear. "This is the American standard now," says one camp owner. More's the pity. "Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda" has now become "Hello Druggist, Hello MD." With apologies to Alan Sherman: Hello Druggist,Hello MD,Here I am atCamp Poison IvyCamp is veryamusin',And they say we'll all have fun if we take our Wellbutrin.

As Labor Day approaches, it's time to look back on our favorite summer memories: family vacations, cookouts, days at the beach... children being plied with powerful pharmaceuticals.

When my 15 year-old daughter returned home from sleep-away camp this summer and began recounting her typical day, I was surprised to learn that it started not with swimming or camping or arts and crafts -- or even breakfast -- but rather with her fellow campers lining up to get their "morning meds."

That's right, popping prescription pills for attention deficit disorder, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders has become standard operating procedure at camps all across America -- as much a part of the summertime ritual as campfires, color wars, and "I wanna come home" letters.

According to one trade group representing 2,600 camps and 3 million campers (yes, even Camp Poison Ivy now has a lobbyist!), roughly a quarter of the kids at its camps are taking regular doses of psychopharmacologic drugs such as Ritalin, Concerta, and Straterra (ADD/ADHD), Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft (anxiety and depression), and Clonidine, Lexapro, and Risperdal (mood disorders).

Of course, this pill-popping phenomenon is not just a part of summer vacation -- but rather an extension of the epidemic of legal drugs being prescribed to America's children. We now have over a million kids on Prozac and its equivalents and more than seven million on Ritalin.

HOW BRAZIL BECAME OIL SELF-SUFFICIENT

U.S. ENERGY POLICY SUCKS In the seventies with the energy crunch and prices skyrocketing, the U.S. government adopted a policy which encourage energy self-sufficiency. Among the more obvious results where a proliferation of solar panels on roofs for pools and hot water, the reporting of energy efficiency on major appliances and incentives for buy economy cars. That has all evaporated, as our energy policy has in the last two decades been carved out by the automakers and the oil industry. The first three articles arer on ethanol and Brazil’s success, followed by one from Scientific American, which is illustrative of how much clout the oil industry has on energy policy. To make matters worse Americans have elected as President a representative from the oil industry, one which has strong ties to the house of Saud--jk.

In the seventies with the energy crunch and prices skyrocketing, the U.S. government adopted a policy which encourage energy self-sufficiency. Among the more obvious results where a proliferation of solar panels on roofs for pools and hot water, the reporting of energy efficiency on major appliances and incentives for buy economy cars. That has all evaporated, as our energy policy has in the last two decades been carved out by the automakers and the oil industry. The first three articles arer on ethanol and Brazil’s success, followed by one from Scientific American, which is illustrative of how much clout the oil industry has on energy policy. To make matters worse Americans have elected as President a representative from the oil industry, one which has strong ties to the house of Saud--jk.

News last week that a crucial BP oil pipeline in Alaska had been shut down due to corrosion sent gasoline prices to more than $3 a gallon -- again. With tensions in the Middle East, potential terror plots foiled but still a danger, and the threat that one of this season's hurricanes could slam Gulf Coast oil refineries, this country has plenty of reasons to worry about petroleum supplies. Yet Americans are continuing their gas-guzzling ways. True, there have been efforts to produce hybrid cars, but they're expensive and represent a fraction of overall auto production.

Hawaii, which has the nation's highest gas prices, is offering tax credits for companies that produce ethanol. And other states have experimented with biodiesel fuel. But there's no strong, consistent national program encouraging consumers and auto manufacturers to really embrace alternatives to gasoline power.

This week's cover story, ''In the Driver's Seat,'' (page 22) by Martha Brannigan, is a portrait of Maureen Kempston Darkes, a Miramar-based executive who just happens to be the highest ranking woman at General Motors Corp. She's in charge of a huge territory that stretches from Latin America to the Middle East and acrosss Africa. Among the operations she oversees is the GM plant in Sao Caetano do Sul, Brazil, which has been a leader in flex-fuel technology (see page 23).

The flex-fuel system allows cars to run on gasoline, ethanol or a mixture of the two in the same tank. Brazil has long been a leader in producing cars that run on ethanol made from sugar cane. With encouragement from the Brazilian government, carmakers in South America's largest country have been producing ethanol-powered vehicles since the late 1970s. At one point in the mid-1980s -- when I was living in Brazil -- about two-thirds of the cars produced in the country ran on ethanol. But Brannigan, a former Wall Street Journal reporter who spends her time between Coral Gables and Brazil, says ethanol shortages and volatile price swings began turning Brazilian drivers off, spurring auto makers to search for another solution.

Enter the flex-fuel technology. Introduced in 2003, flex-fuel has proved so popular that, by the end of this year, nearly all new cars produced in Brazil will be capable of running on a combination of gasoline and ethanol. Another factor that makes a flex-fuel system feasible is that ethanol is available at most service stations in Brazil. In contrast, there are only about 700 ethanol pumps in the United States.

ISRAEL'S PURCHASE OF 2 MORE SUBS FOR NUCLEAR MISSLES

Yahoo news at news.yahoo.com. 8/25/6 Israel adds 2 nuclear-capable submarines By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI, Associated Press Writer, 8/25/6 JERUSALEM - With the purchase of two more German-made Dolphin submarines capable of carrying nuclear warheads, military experts say Israel is sending a clear message to Iran that it can strike back if attacked by nuclear weapons. The purchases come at a time when Iran is refusing to bow to growing Western demands to halt its nuclear program, and after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for Israel to be "wiped off the map." The new submarines, built at a cost of $1.3 billion with Germany footing one-third of the bill, have diesel-electric propulsion systems that allow them to remain submerged for longer periods of time than the three nuclear arms-capable submarines already in Israel's fleet, the Jerusalem Post reported. The latest submarines not only would be able to carry out a first strike should Israel choose to do so, but they also would provide Israel with crucial second-strike capabilities, said Paul Beaver, a London-based independent defense analyst. Israel is already believed to have that ability in the form of the Jericho-1 and Jericho-2 nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, which are buried so far underground they would survive a nuclear strike, he said. "The Iranians would be very foolish if they attacked Israel," Beaver said. German officials have said the contract for the new submarines was signed July 6, and the Jerusalem Post reported this week the subs will be operational shortly. Israel, operating on a policy of nuclear ambiguity, has never confirmed or denied whether it has nuclear weapons. It is believed, however, to have the world's sixth-largest stockpile of atomic arms, including hundreds of warheads. Iran so far has resisted calls by the U.N. Security Council to halt uranium enrichment, which can produce, among other things, the material for atomic bombs. The council set an Aug. 31 deadline that is accompanied by the threat of sanctions. The dispute over Tehran's nuclear program revolves around Iran's insistence it wants to master the technology simply to generate electricity. Critics say Iran wants to make nuclear weapons. The Dolphin submarine could be one of the best deterrents, Beaver said. The technology on the subs makes them undetectable and gives them defensive capabilities in the case of attack, he said. "They are very well-built, very well-prepared, lots of interesting equipment, one of the best conventional submarines available," Beaver said. "We are talking about a third string of deterrence capabilities."Michael Karpin, an expert on Israel's atomic weapons capabilities who published a book on the issue in the United States, said nuclear-armed submarines provide better second-strike capabilities than missiles launched from airplanes. "Planes are vulnerable, unlike nuclear (armed) submarines that can operate for an almost unlimited amount of time without being struck," Karpin said. "Second-strike capabilities are a crucial element in any nuclear conflict." In Germany, members of two opposition parties criticized the deal. Winfried Nachtwei, national security spokesman for the Greens, said the decision was wrong because Germany had obtained no guarantee the submarines would not be used to carry nuclear weapons. "This red line should not be crossed," Nachtwei was quoted as saying by the newspaper Taz. "Otherwise it is a complete renunciation of Germany's policy of non-proliferation." David Menashri, an Israeli expert on Iran, said Tehran is clearly determined to obtain nuclear weapons and "the purchase of additional Dolphin submarines by Israel is a small footnote in this context." What also makes Tehran dangerous, Beaver said, is that it may not understand the consequences of carrying out a nuclear strike. "They (Iran) have a belligerent leadership and that's why Israel is prudent in ensuring that it has that deterrent capability," Beaver said. "What they (the submarines) are is a very good insurance policy." Notice the anti-Arab slant. Given the murderous bombing of Lebanon and Israel’s long history of aggression, always treated as a response in the U.S. press to Arab aggression, I can only conclude that when it comes to the death count, Israel is the aggressor, and that nuclear weapons are more likely to be used first by them.--jk

JERUSALEM - With the purchase of two more German-made Dolphin submarines capable of carrying nuclear warheads, military experts say Israel is sending a clear message to Iran that it can strike back if attacked by nuclear weapons. The purchases come at a time when Iran is refusing to bow to growing Western demands to halt its nuclear program, and after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for Israel to be "wiped off the map." The new submarines, built at a cost of $1.3 billion with Germany footing one-third of the bill, have diesel-electric propulsion systems that allow them to remain submerged for longer periods of time than the three nuclear arms-capable submarines already in Israel's fleet, the Jerusalem Post reported. The latest submarines not only would be able to carry out a first strike should Israel choose to do so, but they also would provide Israel with crucial second-strike capabilities, said Paul Beaver, a London-based independent defense analyst. Israel is already believed to have that ability in the form of the Jericho-1 and Jericho-2 nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, which are buried so far underground they would survive a nuclear strike, he said. "The Iranians would be very foolish if they attacked Israel," Beaver said. German officials have said the contract for the new submarines was signed July 6, and the Jerusalem Post reported this week the subs will be operational shortly. Israel, operating on a policy of nuclear ambiguity, has never confirmed or denied whether it has nuclear weapons. It is believed, however, to have the world's sixth-largest stockpile of atomic arms, including hundreds of warheads. Iran so far has resisted calls by the U.N. Security Council to halt uranium enrichment, which can produce, among other things, the material for atomic bombs. The council set an Aug. 31 deadline that is accompanied by the threat of sanctions. The dispute over Tehran's nuclear program revolves around Iran's insistence it wants to master the technology simply to generate electricity. Critics say Iran wants to make nuclear weapons. The Dolphin submarine could be one of the best deterrents, Beaver said. The technology on the subs makes them undetectable and gives them defensive capabilities in the case of attack, he said. "They are very well-built, very well-prepared, lots of interesting equipment, one of the best conventional submarines available," Beaver said. "We are talking about a third string of deterrence capabilities."Michael Karpin, an expert on Israel's atomic weapons capabilities who published a book on the issue in the United States, said nuclear-armed submarines provide better second-strike capabilities than missiles launched from airplanes. "Planes are vulnerable, unlike nuclear (armed) submarines that can operate for an almost unlimited amount of time without being struck," Karpin said. "Second-strike capabilities are a crucial element in any nuclear conflict." In Germany, members of two opposition parties criticized the deal. Winfried Nachtwei, national security spokesman for the Greens, said the decision was wrong because Germany had obtained no guarantee the submarines would not be used to carry nuclear weapons. "This red line should not be crossed," Nachtwei was quoted as saying by the newspaper Taz. "Otherwise it is a complete renunciation of Germany's policy of non-proliferation." David Menashri, an Israeli expert on Iran, said Tehran is clearly determined to obtain nuclear weapons and "the purchase of additional Dolphin submarines by Israel is a small footnote in this context." What also makes Tehran dangerous, Beaver said, is that it may not understand the consequences of carrying out a nuclear strike. "They (Iran) have a belligerent leadership and that's why Israel is prudent in ensuring that it has that deterrent capability," Beaver said. "What they (the submarines) are is a very good insurance policy." Notice the anti-Arab slant. Given the murderous bombing of Lebanon and Israel’s long history of aggression, always treated as a response in the U.S. press to Arab aggression, I can only conclude that when it comes to the death count, Israel is the aggressor, and that nuclear weapons are more likely to be used first by them.--jk

The new submarines, built at a cost of $1.3 billion with Germany footing one-third of the bill, have diesel-electric propulsion systems that allow them to remain submerged for longer periods of time than the three nuclear arms-capable submarines already in Israel's fleet, the Jerusalem Post reported. The latest submarines not only would be able to carry out a first strike should Israel choose to do so, but they also would provide Israel with crucial second-strike capabilities, said Paul Beaver, a London-based independent defense analyst. Israel is already believed to have that ability in the form of the Jericho-1 and Jericho-2 nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, which are buried so far underground they would survive a nuclear strike, he said. "The Iranians would be very foolish if they attacked Israel," Beaver said.

German officials have said the contract for the new submarines was signed July 6, and the Jerusalem Post reported this week the subs will be operational shortly. Israel, operating on a policy of nuclear ambiguity, has never confirmed or denied whether it has nuclear weapons. It is believed, however, to have the world's sixth-largest stockpile of atomic arms, including hundreds of warheads.

Iran so far has resisted calls by the U.N. Security Council to halt uranium enrichment, which can produce, among other things, the material for atomic bombs. The council set an Aug. 31 deadline that is accompanied by the threat of sanctions.

The dispute over Tehran's nuclear program revolves around Iran's insistence it wants to master the technology simply to generate electricity. Critics say Iran wants to make nuclear weapons.

The Dolphin submarine could be one of the best deterrents, Beaver said. The technology on the subs makes them undetectable and gives them defensive capabilities in the case of attack, he said. "They are very well-built, very well-prepared, lots of interesting equipment, one of the best conventional submarines available," Beaver said. "We are talking about a third string of deterrence capabilities."Michael Karpin, an expert on Israel's atomic weapons capabilities who published a book on the issue in the United States, said nuclear-armed submarines provide better second-strike capabilities than missiles launched from airplanes. "Planes are vulnerable, unlike nuclear (armed) submarines that can operate for an almost unlimited amount of time without being struck," Karpin said. "Second-strike capabilities are a crucial element in any nuclear conflict."

Katarina Warnings--Palast

HURRICANE EXPERT THREATENED FOR PRE-KATRINA WARNINGS A Greg Palast special investigation for Democracy Now! Monday, August 28. From New Orleans.

DON'T blame the Lady. Katrina killed no one in this town. In fact, Katrina missed the city completely, going wide to the east. It wasn't the hurricane that drowned, suffocated, de-hydrated and starved 1,500 people that week. The killing was done by a deadly duo: a failed emergency evacuation plan combined with faulty levees. Behind these twin failures lies a tale of cronyism, profiteering and willful incompetence that takes us right to the steps of the White House. Here's the story you haven't been told. And the man who revealed it to me, Dr. Ivor van Heerden, is putting his job on the line to tell it. Van Heerden isn't the typical whistleblower I usually deal with. This is no minor player. He's the Deputy Director of the Louisiana State University Hurricane Center. He's the top banana in the field -- no one knew more about how to save New Orleans from a hurricane's devastation. And no one was a bigger target of an official and corporate campaign to bury the information. Here's what happened. Right after Katrina swamped the city, I called Washington to get a copy of the evacuation plan. Funny thing about the murderously failed plan for the evacuation of New Orleans: no one can find it. That's right. It's missing. Maybe it got wet and sank in the flood. Whatever: no one can find it. That's real bad. Here's the key thing about a successful emergency evacuation plan: you have to have copies of it. Lots of copies -- in fire houses and in hospitals and in the hands of every first responder. Secret evacuation plans don't work. I know, I worked on the hurricane evacuation plan for Long Island New York, an elaborate multi-volume dossier. Specifically, I'm talking about the plan that was written, or supposed to have been written two years ago by a company called, "Innovative Emergency Management." Weird thing about IEM, their founder Madhu Beriwal, had no known experience in hurricane evacuations. She did, however, have a lot of experience in donating to Republicans. IEM and FEMA did begin a draft of a plan. The plan was that, when a hurricane hit, everyone in the Crescent City would simply get the hell out in their cars. Apparently, the IEM/FEMA crew didn't know that 127,000 people in the city didn't have cars. But Dr. van Heerden knew that. It was his calculation. LSU knew where these no-car people were -- they mapped it -- and how to get them out. Dr. van Heerden offered this life-saving info to FEMA. They wouldn't touch it. Then, a state official told him to shut up, back off or there would be consequences for van Heerden's position. This official now works for IEM. So I asked him what happened as a result of making no plans for those without wheels, a lot of them elderly and most of them poor. "Fifteen-hundred of them drowned. That's the bottom line." The professor, who'd been talking to me in technicalities, changed to a somber tone. "They're still finding corpses." Van Heerden is supposed to keep his mouth shut. He won't. The deaths weigh on him. "I wasn't going to listen to those sort of threats, to let them shut me down." Van Heerden had other disturbing news. The Hurricane Center's computer models showed the federal government had built the levees around the city a foot-and-a-half too short.

After Katrina, the Hurricane Center analyzed the flooding and found that, had the levees had just that extra 18 inches, they would have been "overtopped" for only an hour and a half, not four hours. In that case, the levees would have held, and the city would have been saved. He had taken the warning about the levees all the way to George Bush's doorstep. "I myself briefed senior officials including somebody from the White House." The response: the university's trustees threatened his job. While in Baton Rouge, I dropped in on the headquarters of IEM, the evacuation contractors. The assistant to the CEO insisted they had "a lot of experience with evacuation" -- but couldn't name a single city they'd planned for when they got the Big Easy contract. And still, they couldn't produce the plan. An IEM press release in June 2004 boasted legendary expert James Lee Witt as a member of their team. That was impressive. It was also a lie. In fact, Witt had nothing to do with it. When I asked IEM point blank if Witt's name was used as a fraudulent hook to get the contract, their spokeswoman said, weirdly, "We'll get back to you on that." Back at LSU, van Heerden astonished me with the most serious charge of all. While showing me huge maps of the flooding, he told me the White House had withheld the information that, in fact, the levees were about to burst and by Tuesday at dawn the city, and more than a thousand people, would drown. Van Heerden said, "FEMA knew on Monday at 11 o'clock that the levees had breached… They took video. By midnight on Monday the White House knew. But none of us knew ...I was at the State Emergency Operations Center." Because the hurricane had missed the city that Monday night, evacuation effectively stopped, assuming the city had survived. It's been a full year now, and 73,000 New Orleanians remain in FEMA trailers and another 200,000, more than half the city's former residents, remain in temporary refuges. "The City That Care Forgot" -- that's their official slogan -- lost a higher percentage of homes than Berlin lost in World War II. It would be more accurate to call it, "The City That Bush Forgot." Should they come home? Rebuild? Is it safe? Team Bush assures them there's nothing to worry about: FEMA won't respond to van Heerden's revelations. However, the Bush Administration has hired a consulting firm to fix the failed evacuation plan. The contractor? A Baton Rouge company named "Innovative Emergency Management." IEM. ******Watch this special investigative report about Katrina on Democracy Now! this morning or hear it on your local Pacifica or NPR station. You can also download it at DemocracyNow.org. And catch the one-hour special report, "Who Drowned New Orleans?" on LinkTV, with Greg Palast in New Orleans plus an exclusive interview with Amy Goodman. (Get it on Direct TV channel 375 and Dish TV channel 9410. Or check your cable listing at LinkTV.com.) And for more on IEM and Katrina, read Greg Palast's new NYT bestseller, "Armed Madhouse" (Penguin 2006).

A Jacquie Soohen BigNoise Films Production, produced by Matt Pascarella.And very, very, special thanks to our Associate Producers on this particular story -- without their generosity and financial support this report would not have been possible.

This is nothing new—scientists have warned about the threat for decades. The most public of those warnings appeared in Scientific American in 2001, where they ran a full article on the erosion of the river delta and barrier island--jk.

President Rated Worst in History

AOL News, 8/24/6 Link found on the home page to the Jyuly survey at http://news.aol.com/dailypulse/072706/_a/hows-he-doing/20060727095509990002 If President Bush looked at his approval ratings, would he smile or frown? It's hard to say. In fact, it's hard to say in which direction those ratings are headed. Two recent polls show slight upticks while another shows a slight dip. One thing's for sure, however: He is facing serious challenges all over the globe, from the Middle East to North Korea. How's he handling it? Tell us below.Polls: New York Times/CBS | Wall Street Journal/NBC | GallupJoin the Discussion: Daily Pulse Blog How would you rate Bush's overall job performance? Poor 56% Good 19% Excellent 17% Fair 7% Total Votes: 499,327 Note on Poll Results How would you rate Bush's performance on domestic affairs? Poor 57% Good 18% Excellent 16% Fair 9% Total Votes: 495,736 Note on Poll Results How would you rate Bush's performance on foreign affairs? Poor 59% Excellent 20% Good 15% Fair 6% Total Votes: 482,892 Note on Poll Results Is the country headed in the right direction? No 65% Yes 35% Total Votes: 480,904 Note on Poll Results

Link found on the home page to the Jyuly survey at http://news.aol.com/dailypulse/072706/_a/hows-he-doing/20060727095509990002

If President Bush looked at his approval ratings, would he smile or frown? It's hard to say. In fact, it's hard to say in which direction those ratings are headed. Two recent polls show slight upticks while another shows a slight dip. One thing's for sure, however: He is facing serious challenges all over the globe, from the Middle East to North Korea. How's he handling it? Tell us below.Polls: New York Times/CBS | Wall Street Journal/NBC | GallupJoin the Discussion: Daily Pulse Blog

How would you rate Bush's overall job performance? Poor 56% Good 19% Excellent 17% Fair 7% Total Votes: 499,327 Note on Poll Results How would you rate Bush's performance on domestic affairs? Poor 57% Good 18% Excellent 16% Fair 9% Total Votes: 495,736 Note on Poll Results How would you rate Bush's performance on foreign affairs? Poor 59% Excellent 20% Good 15% Fair 6% Total Votes: 482,892 Note on Poll Results Is the country headed in the right direction? No 65% Yes 35% Total Votes: 480,904 Note on Poll Results

This article was highly recommended by Randy Rhodes of Air America Radio on 4/20/6 From www.rollingstone.com, the leading rock magazine for over 3 decades, with one excellent article on current affairs in every issue The Worst President in History? One of America's leading historians assesses George W. Bush POSTED 4/21/6

From www.rollingstone.com, the leading rock magazine for over 3 decades, with one excellent article on current affairs in every issue

George W. Bush's presidency appears headed for colossal historical disgrace. Barring a cataclysmic event on the order of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, after which the public might rally around the White House once again, there seems to be little the administration can do to avoid being ranked on the lowest tier of U.S. presidents. And that may be the best-case scenario. Many historians are now wondering whether Bush, in fact, will be remembered as the very worst president in all of American history.

Lebanon War a Failure for Israel

War a failure: Israelis want more aggressive attack, and the attack increased support by the Lebanese people for Hezbollah Green Left Weekly, Sept 6, 06 at www.greenleft.org.au LEBANON: A defeat for Israel Doug Lorimer

United Press International reported on August 25 that an opinion poll showed 63% of Israeli voters want Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign for what they see as the failure of Israel’s 34-day war on Lebanon to achieve any of its stated objectives. The poll also found that 74% believe Israeli “defence” minister Amir Peretz should resign.

Time magazine observed on August 27 that “however much Olmert’s media advisers try to spin it, Israel’s war in Lebanon was bungled: the Israelis failed to destroy Hezbollah's leadership or even halt its barrage of rockets ...

“What riles Israelis is that Olmert and his generals didn't hit harder and with more deadly effect. Says [Israeli political science professor Galia] Golan: 'There's a sense that if the army had been allowed to pulverize Hezbollah, we could've won.’”

In fact, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) did try to “pulverise” Hezbollah, the Shiite-based Lebanese political party that led a successful guerrilla war of resistance against Israel’s 1982-2000 occupation of south Lebanon.

Within hours of Hezbollah’s capture of two Israeli soldiers along the “Blue Line”, Lebanon’s UN-recognised southern border, Israel launched a round-the-clock campaign of air strikes and artillery shelling against towns and villages across Lebanon.

By August 14, when a UN-brokered truce came into effect, Israeli attacks on Lebanon had destroyed some 15,500 apartment units and 34,000 houses and business premises, and killed at least 1000 civilians, a third of them under the age of 12.

More Torture Now Than Under Saddam Hussein--UN Report

Iraq civilian killing for July & August total a counted 6,660, many tortured first US death toll insignificant in comparison U.N. expert: Iraq torture may be worse By ELIANE ENGELER, Associated Press Writer Thu Sep 21, 12:20 PM ET GENEVA - Torture in Iraq may be worse now than it was under Saddam Hussein, with militias, terrorist groups and government forces disregarding rules on the humane treatment of prisoners, the U.N. anti-torture chief said Thursday. Manfred Nowak, the U.N. special [chief] investigator on torture [since 2004], made the remarks as he was presenting a report on detainee conditions at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay as well as to brief the U.N. Human Rights Council, the global body's top rights watchdog, on torture worldwide. Reports from Iraq indicate that torture "is totally out of hand," he said. "The situation is so bad many people say it is worse than it has been in the times of Saddam Hussein." Nowak added, "That means something, because the torture methods applied under Saddam Hussein were the worst you could imagine." Some allegations of torture were undoubtedly credible, with government forces among the perpetrators, he said, citing "very serious allegations of torture within the official Iraqi detention centers.""You have terrorist groups, you have the military, you have police, you have these militias. There are so many people who are actually abducted, seriously tortured and finally killed," Nowak told reporters at the U.N.'s European headquarters. "It's not just torture by the government. There are much more brutal methods of torture you'll find by private militias," he said. A report by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq's Human Rights office cited worrying evidence of torture, unlawful detentions, growth of sectarian militias and death squads, and a rise in "honor killings" of women. Iraq's government, set up in 2006, is "currently facing a generalized breakdown of law and order which presents a serious challenge to the institutions of Iraq" such as police and security forces and the legal system, the U.N. report said, noting that torture was a major concern. Nowak has yet to make an official visit to Iraq and said such a mission would be unfeasible as long as the security situation there remains perilous. He based his comments on interviews with people during a visit to Amman, Jordan, and other sources. "You find these bodies with very heavy and very serious torture marks," he said. "Many of these allegations, I have no doubt that they are credible." According to the U.N. report, the number of Iraqi civilians killed in July and August hit 6,599, a record-high that is far greater than initial estimates suggested, the U.N. report said Wednesday. It attributed many of the deaths to rising sectarian tensions that have pushed Iraq toward civil war. ___ Associated Press writers Bradley S. Klapper in Geneva and Nick Wadhams at the United Nations contributed to this report.

GENEVA - Torture in Iraq may be worse now than it was under Saddam Hussein, with militias, terrorist groups and government forces disregarding rules on the humane treatment of prisoners, the U.N. anti-torture chief said Thursday. Manfred Nowak, the U.N. special [chief] investigator on torture [since 2004], made the remarks as he was presenting a report on detainee conditions at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay as well as to brief the U.N. Human Rights Council, the global body's top rights watchdog, on torture worldwide. Reports from Iraq indicate that torture "is totally out of hand," he said. "The situation is so bad many people say it is worse than it has been in the times of Saddam Hussein." Nowak added, "That means something, because the torture methods applied under Saddam Hussein were the worst you could imagine." Some allegations of torture were undoubtedly credible, with government forces among the perpetrators, he said, citing "very serious allegations of torture within the official Iraqi detention centers.""You have terrorist groups, you have the military, you have police, you have these militias. There are so many people who are actually abducted, seriously tortured and finally killed," Nowak told reporters at the U.N.'s European headquarters. "It's not just torture by the government. There are much more brutal methods of torture you'll find by private militias," he said. A report by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq's Human Rights office cited worrying evidence of torture, unlawful detentions, growth of sectarian militias and death squads, and a rise in "honor killings" of women. Iraq's government, set up in 2006, is "currently facing a generalized breakdown of law and order which presents a serious challenge to the institutions of Iraq" such as police and security forces and the legal system, the U.N. report said, noting that torture was a major concern. Nowak has yet to make an official visit to Iraq and said such a mission would be unfeasible as long as the security situation there remains perilous. He based his comments on interviews with people during a visit to Amman, Jordan, and other sources. "You find these bodies with very heavy and very serious torture marks," he said. "Many of these allegations, I have no doubt that they are credible." According to the U.N. report, the number of Iraqi civilians killed in July and August hit 6,599, a record-high that is far greater than initial estimates suggested, the U.N. report said Wednesday. It attributed many of the deaths to rising sectarian tensions that have pushed Iraq toward civil war. ___ Associated Press writers Bradley S. Klapper in Geneva and Nick Wadhams at the United Nations contributed to this report.

Manfred Nowak, the U.N. special [chief] investigator on torture [since 2004], made the remarks as he was presenting a report on detainee conditions at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay as well as to brief the U.N. Human Rights Council, the global body's top rights watchdog, on torture worldwide. Reports from Iraq indicate that torture "is totally out of hand," he said. "The situation is so bad many people say it is worse than it has been in the times of Saddam Hussein." Nowak added, "That means something, because the torture methods applied under Saddam Hussein were the worst you could imagine." Some allegations of torture were undoubtedly credible, with government forces among the perpetrators, he said, citing "very serious allegations of torture within the official Iraqi detention centers.""You have terrorist groups, you have the military, you have police, you have these militias. There are so many people who are actually abducted, seriously tortured and finally killed," Nowak told reporters at the U.N.'s European headquarters. "It's not just torture by the government. There are much more brutal methods of torture you'll find by private militias," he said.

A report by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Iraq's Human Rights office cited worrying evidence of torture, unlawful detentions, growth of sectarian militias and death squads, and a rise in "honor killings" of women. Iraq's government, set up in 2006, is "currently facing a generalized breakdown of law and order which presents a serious challenge to the institutions of Iraq" such as police and security forces and the legal system, the U.N. report said, noting that torture was a major concern. Nowak has yet to make an official visit to Iraq and said such a mission would be unfeasible as long as the security situation there remains perilous. He based his comments on interviews with people during a visit to Amman, Jordan, and other sources.

"You find these bodies with very heavy and very serious torture marks," he said. "Many of these allegations, I have no doubt that they are credible."

According to the U.N. report, the number of Iraqi civilians killed in July and August hit 6,599, a record-high that is far greater than initial estimates suggested, the U.N. report said Wednesday. It attributed many of the deaths to rising sectarian tensions that have pushed Iraq toward civil war.

Generals Demand Rumsfeld Resignation

Retired Officers Demand Rumsfeld's Resignation By William Branigin Washington Post Staff WriterMonday, September 25, 2006; 5:14 PM

Three retired military officers who served in Iraq called today for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, telling a Democratic "oversight hearing" on Capitol Hill that the Pentagon chief bungled planning for the U.S. invasion, dismissed the prospect of an insurgency and sent American troops into the fray with inadequate equipment.

The testimony by the three --two retired Army major generals and a former Marine colonel -- came a day after disclosure of a classified intelligence assessment that concluded the war in Iraq has fueled recruitment of violent Islamic extremists, helping to create a new generation of potential terrorists around the world and worsening the U.S. position.

In testimony before the Democratic Policy Committee today, retired Maj. Gen. John R.S. Batiste, who commanded the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq in 2004 and 2005 and served as a senior military assistant to former deputy defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, charged that Rumsfeld and others in the Bush administration "did not tell the American people the truth for fear of losing support for the war in Iraq."

He told the committee, "If we had seriously laid out and considered the full range of requirements for the war in Iraq, we would likely have taken a different course of action that would have maintained a clear focus on our main effort in Afghanistan, not fueled Islamic fundamentalism across the globe, and not created more enemies than there were insurgents."

Joining his call for Rumsfeld to resign were retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Eaton, who was responsible for training Iraq's military and police in 2003 and 2004, and retired Marine Col. Thomas X. Hammes, who served in Iraq in 2004 and helped establish bases for the reconstituted Iraqi armed forces.

Rumsfeld, appearing at a news briefing with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, rejected the demands for his resignation. Asked about the Capitol Hill hearing and whether he was considering stepping down, Rumsfeld shook his head slightly and mouthed the word "no" before calling for the next question.