As the Pentagon announced the deaths of 10 more US soldiers in Iraq on Memorial Day, May has become the worst month since 2004.
At the end of the month, May 2007 had the highest death toll for US troops (124) since November 2004.
With White House plans to double the number of combat troops in Iraq by Christmas, these numbers are unfortunately likely to continue to rise.
The Alabama Department of Homeland Security has shut down a Web site it operated that that included antiwar, pro-life, and gay rights organizations in a list of groups that could include terrorists.
The Web site identified different types of terrorists, and included a list of groups it believed could spawn terrorists. The list also included environmentalists, animal rights advocates and abortion opponents.
The site included the groups under a description of what it called “single-issue” terrorists. That group includes people who feel they are trying to create a better world, the Web site said. It said that in some communities, law enforcement officers consider certain single issue groups to be a threat.
Tucked away in an Associated Press story this morning:
Meanwhile, in Kut, 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad, 70 police officers resigned Sunday morning and handed over their weapons. They cited their fears of being targeted by Mahdi Army militants, police said.
Not really, but a great humor piece from Andy Borowitz:
Bush Names Wolfowitz President of al-Qaeda
Hopes to Undermine Terror NetworkIn a bold move to undermine the international terror network, President George W. Bush today named former deputy defense secretary and World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz to be the new president of al-Qaeda.
Mr. Wolfowitz, who has no experience running an international terror organization, struck many Washington insiders as an unlikely choice for the al-Qaeda job.
But in a White House ceremony introducing his nominee for the top terror post, President Bush indicated that Mr. Wolfowitz’s role in planning the war in Iraq and bringing scandal to the World Bank showed that he was “just the man†to bring chaos and disorder to al-Qaeda.
Probably not, Rudy’s an old dog.
Yesterday, Ron Paul held a news conference to give it a try anyway.
The controversy started at the second Republican debate.
Rep. Paul said that the the attacks on the United States on September 11th were “blowback†from the American government’s interventionist foreign policy. Giuliani, insisting that they hate us for our “freedom,†demanded Paul retract his statement – which Paul refused to do.
Yesterday, Rep. Paul presented a reading list to Rudy of several books (as well as a “Cliff Notes” version in case Rudy lacks the time and attention-span) to educate him on the causes of 9/11.
Michael Scheuer, the former chief of the CIA’s bin Laden Unit, appeared at the event to support Paul’s candidacy and support his position on the causes of 9/11.
The event received excellent news coverage. Watch it now.
From Carolyn Eisenberg of United for Peace and Justice:
If everything goes according to plan the House and Senate will vote today or tomorrow to give President Bush the funding that he has requested for Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill contains no time-tables for withdrawal and no binding conditions. Though obscured by empty rhetoric over “bench-marks,” the Democratic leadership is caving into the White House. However, across this country antiwar advocates are raising their voices and telling their Representatives and Senators this is unacceptable and the only principled vote is a “NO” vote.
This invaluable web-site is filled with tragic news every morning. Before imbibing today’s potion of sorrow, hopefully all readers will call the Congressional switchboard 202-224-3121 and express their outrage over the contents of the 2007 Supplemental. And then call five friends and ask them to do the same.
There are only two ways, this war will end. The President will change his mind or the Congress will use its “power of the purse” to compel the withdrawal of troops. If Congress fails to act, there is little reason to hope that a Democratic President will exhibit any greater boldness in 2009. And of course many more Americans and Iraqis will have died in the interim.
To resurrect the wisdom of our former Secretary of Defense: we must end the war with “the Congress we’ve got.” But these officials will never act if the millions of Americans who deplore this catastrophic war don’t send a strong message. This morning. 202-224-3121.
Carolyn Eisenberg is a professor of U.S. foreign policy at Hofstra University and Co-Chair, Legislative Working Group, United for Peace and Justice.
