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Politics : Bush Administration's Media Manipulation--MediaGate? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: longnshort who wrote (4364)	7/22/2005 11:19:57 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 9838

GIs criticize Soldiers from Massachusetts and Hawaii who work at the U.S. military detention facility at U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, gave visiting home-state senators a piece of their mind last week. Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, and Daniel K. Akaka, Hawaii Democrat, met with several soldiers during a visit led by Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John W. Warner, Virginia Republican. Pentagon officials said soldiers criticized the harsh comments made recently by Senate Democrats. Sen. Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, last month invoked widespread military outrage when he compared Guantanamo to the prison labor systems used by communist tyrant Josef Stalin, Cambodia's Pol Pot and Adolf Hitler. "They got stiff reactions from those home-state soldiers," one official told us. "The troops down there expressed their disdain for that kind of commentary, especially comparisons to the gulag." A spokesman for Mr. Kennedy had no comment. A spokeswoman for Mr. Akaka confirmed that the senator met with soldiers from Hawaii but did not recall receiving any complaints during the meeting. Both senators made no mention of the incident in press statements after the visit. Mr. Kennedy, in his statement, said that he is "impressed with the courtesies and professionalism of the men and women in our armed forces." Mr. Kennedy has been a leading advocate for closing the prison facility. Mr. Akaka in April voted for an amendment that would have cut funds for the prison. washtimes.com

To: longnshort who wrote (4364)	7/22/2005 11:22:20 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9838

Bush's fault: Rare Yemeni riots leave 16 dead More than 30 injured after subsidy cut spurs protests Thursday, July 21, 2005; Posted: 3:27 p.m. EDT (19:27 GMT) SAN'A, Yemen (AP) -- Rioters angry over subsidy cuts clashed with security forces for a second day in cities across Yemen, burning cars and buildings and demanding the ouster of the government in violence that killed 16 people, the country's worst civil strife in more than a decade. What began as anger over the country's struggling economy turned into a rare open expression of fury at Yemen's leadership, with rioters burning pictures of top officials, according to witnesses. Security forces opened fire on protesters mobbing around government buildings in the capital San'a -- including the oil ministry -- launched tear gas and beat people with batons. Protesters responded by pelting them with stones. Clashes erupted in at least a half dozen cities, with rioters sweeping into a police station in one town, freeing all the prisoners they found. The violence broke out Wednesday, when eight people were killed, a day after the government announced it was cutting subsidies on oil products by more than half, part of new belt-tightening reforms under a deal with the International Monetary Fund. Yemen is a close ally of the United States in the war on terror, waging a crackdown that has arrested or killed dozens of Islamic militants. But resentment has been growing in the mountainous, tribal-dominated nation over the decrepit economy. Yemen discovered oil in 1986, but the government has been accused of rampant corruption, and oil wealth hasn't made it to the public. Unemployment runs at 36 percent. There is also a high level of cynicism toward the government. President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced last week that he would not run in presidential elections in September 2006, calling for a new generation to be allowed to govern. But many Yemenis dismissed the gesture, saying Saleh would likely change his mind -- possibly after a state-concerted popular call for his return -- or would bring his son into power. "Prices have risen and we're afflicted, while not one single corrupt official has been held accountable," Mohammaed al-Baazany, one protester said. "There are officials living in houses worth US$10,000 when their [monthly] salary is only US$100; where is all that coming from?" added the 25-year-old unemployed university graduate. "Hunger is merciless," he said. The new subsidy cuts mean a near doubling of prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene -- with gas prices at the pump reaching 1,350 riyals (US$8) per gallon. Tickets for some public transport increased by about 30 percent. During the riots in San'a, some protesters denounced the government of Prime Minister Abdul-Kader Bajammal, chanting, "No more of this government, no more Bajammal." Police said 28 vehicles, military and civilian, were burned Thursday in the riots. Fires broke out and gunfire was heard in several neighborhoods of the capital, and army tanks lined the main streets and surrounded the offices of the Cabinet, the ruling party and radio and television buildings. One person was killed in San'a, three more in the city of Sa'dah, to the northwest, and 12 more in the cities of Marib in the north, Dali and Taaz in the south and the Red Sea port of Hudaydah, according to police and medical officials. The last time Yemen saw such civil strife was in 1992, when riots also broke out over price increases. The subsidy cuts announced this week were part of an economic reform program the Yemeni government has been introducing gradually. Yemen signed a 1995 agreement with the IMF, which promised financial assistance in exchange for economic reforms, including privatization and reduction of subsidies. International observers have said the government has not been doing enough. At least six journalists from local papers were detained by police while convering Thursday's riots, said Hafez al-Bukary, head of the Press Syndicate. The camera of an Associated Press reporter was confiscated by soldiers. More than 48 protesters have been rounded up by police in San'a and Dali since the clashes started, police officials said.

To: longnshort who wrote (4364)	7/23/2005 9:22:38 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 9838

Even CAIR recognizes that "Islam has a public relations problem." Of course, their solution to the shocking perception that Islam is a violent religion has nothing to do with addressing the violence that substantiates it, but rather toward changing the way Americans think about Muslims. In other words, it isn’t reality that counts, but rather how effectively such can be distorted. Contributing to Islam’s 'problem' (which pales in comparison to the problem that Islam poses to the rest of us) are the hundreds of videos circulating the Internet, each showing a different infidel losing their head to fanatics that literally shout the praises of Allah as they butcher the innocent. Fortunately for CAIR, Hollywood has come to the rescue with a video of its own that is literally CAIR-approved. “Kingdom of Heaven” has been panned by the critics as boring and disappointing, but that's the least of its shortcomings. It so blatantly transfigures the historical facts of the time period for the sake of political correctness, that it leaves an open mind wondering why such fibbing is really necessary. Do we really need to be protected from the truth that Muslims conquered every inch of the Middle East through violence? Should we not know that the Crusades were a response to further incursions into the Christian world, and that well after they were over, Muslim armies continued their Jihad, conquering, raping and killing those unfortunate enough to be in their way? Through the magic of studio special effects, one of the blood-thirsty Christian characters in the movie actually announces “To kill an infidel is not murder; it is the path to heaven.” This has a familiar ring to it, but if you're looking for exact wording and further detail then you'll need to borrow a Qur'an. In this fantasy world, where truth is stood on its head and day is night and night day, one wonders how much longer will it be before an Oliver Stone or Michael Moore wannabe produces a film portraying the 9/11 hijackers as Israeli security agents working for the CIA. thereligionofpeace.com