Flyby News
"News Fit to Transmit in the Post Cassini Flyby Era"
Iraq Targeted * Fear * DU * Swing States
22 March 2004
"I think the way he [G.W. Bush] has responded to al Qaeda,
both before 9/11 by doing nothing, and by what he's done
after 9/11 has made us less safe. Absolutely."
-- Richard Clarke
Anti-terrorism Advisor1) Did Bush Press For Iraq-9/11 Link?- - The Armageddon Plan
- - General Sacked by Bush Wanted Early Elections in Iraq
- - Worldwide Protests Demand Iraq Pullout
2) Kucinich on Fear in America- - David Swanson | Politics of Fear vs. Democracy
- - "Three Days in Spain" By William Rivers Pitt
- - New Spanish Leader Lashes Out at Bush, Blair Over Iraq War
- - Bush's Iraq Coalition Falling Apart
3) Kucinich to reveal details of secret U.S. nuclear wars- - Reverend Jesse Jackson in appreciation of Dennis J. Kucinich
- - VT Yankee Nuke Uprate Threat and Action
4) Indecent War on Freedom - Film/Discussion- - Swing state campaign to defeat George W. Bush
Editor's Notes:This past weekend's worldwide peace rally was good for the soul. A new momentum is taking shape, and to encourage us is in the information posted in item 1, from the interview broadcasted on CBS TV's Sixty Minutes this past Sunday. Richard Clarke was the top advisor on anti-terrorism for the US administrations of Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush, Jr. This interview comes with the publication today of Clarke's book called: "Against All Enemies." Related articles in this item include "The Armageddon Plan," which was published by the Atlantic Monthly that tells about the Reagan era when Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld were key players in a clandestine program designed to set aside the legal lines of succession and immediately install a new "President." This article partially helps explain the behavior of the Bush Administration on and after 9/11. Another relevant article discloses why a US General was removed from his position in Iraq because he wanted to help ensure early elections and non-privatization over Iraq's resources. And another article linked in this section describes the worldwide protests demand that the US pullout of Iraq.
Item 2 is a transcript of Kucinich speaking recently in Alaska about fear in America. Related articles tell about how this tactic can only go so far, and tells about Spain's resurgence for democracy. More is on the Bush's Iraq coalition falling apart
Item 3 is another significant press release by Dennis Kucinich with Major Doug Rokke, revealing details of secret U.S. nuclear wars by the use of Depleted Uranium, and steps for the US to respond to such a threat to life for generations. In this item, too, is support for Kucinich by Reverend Jesse Jackson. Finally, at the end of this item is critical information for the health near the home base of Flyby News, and needed actions to halt Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant's intent on increasing the power output and risk of one of the oldest nuclear plants in the country.
Item 4 is on an event this evening in Keene, NH called the Indecent War on Freedom. This can be replicated most anywhere in the world, easily. Flyby News will send anyone a PDF of a flyer for such an event, and check out the links at FlybyNews.com for other campaigns, forums, and Films that Make a Difference. In the second part of this item is the birth of a new grassroots effort to remove George W. Bush from office of US President in a critical swing state. Since the election was already stolen in 2000, we must not get complacent to accept another four years of an unprecedented destructive policy for peace and stability in our world. Take Action!
"Depleted uranium weapons are an unacceptable threat to life,
a violation of international law, and an assault on human dignity.
We have an obligation to do what is right for our servicemen and women,
for our children and our grandchildren, and for all citizens of the world.
We must ban the use of depleted uranium in our military and worldwide;
we must provide medical care to all DU casualties;
and we must clean up all the places where we've used this poison
that has the power to kill for countless generations, far into the future."
– Dennis J. Kucinich
1) Did Bush Press For Iraq-9/11 Link?- - The Armageddon Plan
- - General Sacked by Bush Wanted Early Elections in Iraq
- - Worldwide Protests Demand Iraq Pullout
Did Bush Press For Iraq-9/11 Link?
From CBSNEWS.com "Sixty Minutes"
March 21, 2004
In the aftermath of Sept. 11, President Bush ordered his then top anti-terrorism advisor to look for a link between Iraq and the attacks, despite being told there didn't seem to be one.
The charge comes from the advisor, Richard Clarke, in an exclusive interview on 60 Minutes.
The administration maintains that it cannot find any evidence that the conversation about an Iraq-9/11 tie-in ever took place.
Clarke also tells CBS News Correspondent Lesley Stahl that White House officials were tepid in their response when he urged them months before Sept. 11 to meet to discuss what he saw as a severe threat from al Qaeda.
"Frankly," he said, "I find it outrageous that the president is running for re-election on the grounds that he's done such great things about terrorism. He ignored it. He ignored terrorism for months, when maybe we could have done something to stop 9/11. Maybe. We'll never know."
Clarke went on to say, "I think he's done a terrible job on the war against terrorism."
[Excerpts]
Clarke says that as early as the day after the attacks, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was pushing for retaliatory strikes on Iraq, even though al Qaeda was based in Afghanistan.
Clarke suggests the idea took him so aback, he initially thought Rumsfeld was joking.
Clarke is due to testify this week before the special panel probing whether the attacks were preventable.
His allegations are also made in a book, "Against All Enemies," which is being published Monday by Free Press, a subsidiary of Simon & Schuster. Both CBSNews.com and Simon & Schuster are units of Viacom.
Clarke helped shape U.S. policy on terrorism under President Reagan and the first President Bush. He was held over by President Clinton to be his terrorism czar, then held over again by the current President Bush.
In the 60 Minutes interview and the book, Clarke tells what happened behind the scenes at the White House before, during and after Sept. 11.
..Clarke relates, "I began saying, 'We have to deal with bin Laden; we have to deal with al Qaeda.' Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, said, 'No, no, no. We don't have to deal with al Qaeda. Why are we talking about that little guy? We have to talk about Iraqi terrorism against the United States.'
"And I said, 'Paul, there hasn't been any Iraqi terrorism against the United States in eight years!' And I turned to the deputy director of the CIA and said, 'Isn't that right?' And he said, 'Yeah, that's right. There is no Iraqi terrorism against the United States."
Clarke went on to add, "There's absolutely no evidence that Iraq was supporting al Qaeda, ever."
When Stahl pointed out that some administration officials say it's still an open issue, Clarke responded, "Well, they'll say that until hell freezes over."
Does a person who works for the White House owe the president his loyalty? "Up to a point. When the president starts doing things that risk American lives, then loyalty to him has to be put aside," says Clarke. "I think the way he has responded to al Qaeda, both before 9/11 by doing nothing, and by what he's done after 9/11 has made us less safe. Absolutely."
For the complete article, see:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/19/60minutes/main607356.shtml= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - The Armageddon PlanBy James Mann
The Atlantic Monthly
March 2004
During the Reagan era Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld were key players in a clandestine program designed to set aside the legal lines of succession and immediately install a new "President" in the event that a nuclear attack killed the country's leaders. The program helps explain the behavior of the Bush Administration on and after 9/11.
For this article, see:
http://truthout.org/docs_04/032104J.shtml= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - General Sacked by Bush Wanted Early Elections in IraqTHE GUARDIAN:
GENERAL SACKED BY BUSH SAYS HE WANTED EARLY ELECTIONS
BY DAVID LEIGH
Thursday Mar 18, 2004
London- Jay Garner, the US general abruptly dismissed as Iraq's first occupation administrator after a month in the job, says he fell out with the Bush circle [after he called for swift and] free
elections and rejected an imposed programme of privatisation.
For complete article, see:
http://www.GregPalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=320&row=0= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - Worldwide Protests Demand Iraq Pullouthttp://truthout.org/docs_04/032204C.shtml
2) Kucinich on Fear in America- - David Swanson | Politics of Fear vs. Democracy
- - "Three Days in Spain" By William Rivers Pitt
- - New Spanish Leader Lashes Out at Bush, Blair Over Iraq War
- - Bush's Iraq Coalition Falling Apart
Kucinich on Fear in America
March 18, 2004
University of Alaska
Juneau, Alaska
I think that fear is a real factor in our politics today. I think the administration is beating the drums of fear. I think they have gained more control by promoting fear with these color-coded threat systems. It's like an Orwellian weather report. Think about it. What does it mean that today, it's orange?
Really, I wonder, what does it mean? We are being asked to accept now, and follow this. We're being asked to accept this as a convention of our lives. And after a while, you know, that's just part of our life. Why? We need to go back through this and ask some questions.
Yes, there's fear. The Patriot Act was passed out of fear. The Department of Homeland Security was passed out of fear. The war in Iraq was sanctioned out of fear. A four hundred and twenty-one billion dollar Pentagon budget was totally fear driven. We spend more than the rest of the world put together on the military.
Fear driven. Putting weapons in space. Fear driven. Putting up a missile shield. Fear driven. Building new nuclear weapons. Fear driven. Meanwhile, we separate ourselves with these policies from the rest of humanity and thereby bring to ourselves that which we fear - by the very actions which we claim are being executed in the name of meeting the fear.
Does anyone think we're safer because we bombed Iraq? Please. Really, think about that, who are the geniuses who came up with this one? There seems to be a - I don't know if it's a lack of sophistication, or just an addiction to war - on the part of leaders, who will use fear as a political commodity. If you scare the American people, you may get enough people to freeze.
All of us know what fear is. You may not have fear of 9/11 because of the distance from it, but all of us are familiar with fear of one kind or another. Fear has a paralyzing power. Fear has the ability to get anyone to do something that is adverse to your own interests. We've all had this happen. Fear has this chance to freeze us, to choke.
People who use fear to stay in power are not worthy of a democratic society. And this administration is using fear
To watch the video and listen to the audio of this and other speeches, link from:
http://www.kucinich.us/dennisontv.php= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - David Swanson | Politics of Fear vs. Democracyhttp://www.truthout.org/docs_04/031604A.shtml- - "Three Days in Spain" By William Rivers Pitthttp://www.alternet.org/members/story.html?StoryID=18122- - New Spanish Leader Lashes Out at Bush, Blair Over Iraq War http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0315-02.htm - - Bush's Iraq Coalition Falling Aparthttp://www.truthout.org/docs_04/031904A.shtml
3) Kucinich to reveal details of secret U.S. nuclear wars- - Reverend Jesse Jackson in appreciation of Dennis J. Kucinich
- - VT Yankee Nuke Uprate Threat and Action
Kucinich to reveal details of secret U.S. nuclear wars
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2004
WHAT: Press conference
WHO: Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich and Dr. Doug Rokke, PhD
WHERE: University of Illinois, Champaign Campus, Illini Student Unit, Pine Room
WHEN: Monday, March 15th, 7:00 PM
Champaign, Ill. Democratic Congressman and presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich will held a press conference Monday to detail little-known information about the nuclear content and life-threatening effects of U.S. munitions that are being used in Iraq and Afghanistan and which have been used in other military conflicts beginning with the 1991 Gulf War.
Joining Kucinich was Dr. Doug Rokke, PhD, retired Army combat officer, and one of the world's leading experts on the use of munitions containing radioactive depleted uranium (DU). He served as a member of the U.S. Army Medical Command's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) special operations and teaching team during the Gulf War. He is a confirmed casualty of poisoning by DU, which has a half life of 4.5 billion years.
Kucinich discussed the devastating health consequences suffered by American servicemen and women and their families and by civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Serbia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere because of DU munitions used by the U.S. and other nations.
Kucinich also outlined a plan to provide medical testing and care to all military personnel, veterans and others who have been exposed, as well as demand that the U.S. and other responsible governments perform complete environmental remediation wherever military forces have used DU munitions.
"Depleted uranium weapons are an unacceptable threat to life, a violation of international law, and an assault on human dignity," says Kucinich. "We have an obligation to do what is right for our servicemen and women, for our children and our grandchildren, and for all citizens of the world. We must ban the use of depleted uranium in our military and worldwide; we must provide medical care to all DU casualties; and we must clean up all the places where we've used this poison that has the power to kill for countless generations, far into the future."
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- - Reverend Jesse Jackson in appreciation of Dennis J. KucinichReverend Jesse Jackson:
I want you all to hear something real, real basic about this campaign: no matter what the polls say, no matter what the polls say, George Bush has the inside track. They stole the election without the White House; they can control it with the White House. We must overwhelm the machinery on Election Day, but I do not want to ever mislead you, because we can win and still lose unless we change assumptions. If you get the flipside of the same nickel, you have not won.
In slavery times there were liberals and conservatives. Conservatives said, "Treat the enslaved as you want; they are property." Liberals said, "Don't treat them bad; I want to go to heaven." But both liberals and conservatives were for slavery. Abolitionists was another coin. I have no interest in the liberal side of a right-wing coin. We need another coin. We need another proposition. Y'all hear what I'm saying?
I want to express my thanks to Dennis today for being in the race, and for assuming the burden of saying "you make the most sense, but you can't win". I heard that. Every now and then, sense ought to count in these campaigns. And even if sense is a minority it's going to let its light shine anyhow. You might go along with darkness -- darkness is popular -- but if this room was totally dark and someone lit one candle you would be saved by the power of the light, not by the size of the darkness. Can I get a witness here?
Somebody has got to make sense about Iraq, about Haiti, about the federal right to vote. See, no matter what the count is I hear somebody saying that no good thing will be lost if you do the Lord's work and do it right. And so, Dennis Kucinich, your work in this campaign has not been lost; keep speaking truth against the odds. A big hand for Dennis Kucinich from Cleveland, Ohio, the congressman! On your feet. Show your respect and your appreciation for Dennis Kucinich.
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For more from the Kucinich National campaign, visit:
kucinich.usFor Rep. Kucinich's Schedule:
kucinich.us/schedule = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - VT Yankee Nuke Uprate Threat and ActionThe VT Public Service Board (in its recent conditional ruling in favor of the uprate) and the VT Senate (in a unanimous resolution on March 16) have called for an Independent Engineering Assessment to ensure the reliability of this 31-year-old reactor.
VT Yankee¹s proposed 20% uprate means over 34% more radioactivity released in the event of an accident or a terrorist attack, additional overburden of deadly radioactive waste, and -- through daily operations--more than a 25% increase in direct radiation to local communities.
If the assessment is truly independent of the pro-industry NRC, the uprate is not going to happen.
Mar 31 - PUBLIC MEETING with NRC - Vernon VT
Wed, March 31 -- Vernon Elementary School cafeteria , 7pm --
PUBLIC MEETING with NRC on plans to increase power production at
Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor, which borders Massachusetts and NH.
We encourage concerned citizens to pack the room at Vernon Elementary School to show the NRC that we understand the importance of performing an Independent Engineering (safety) assessment at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[EXCERPTS] published in the Keene (NH) Sentinel 2/24/04
"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is probably the poorest regulator of any regulator in the U.S. They are essentially run by the nuclear industry."
These are the words of Paul Blanch, a nuclear power expert, a one-time consultant to Entergy and an industry whistleblower.
At a forum organized by the New England Coalition, a nuclear power watchdog group, Blanch spoke to an audience of about 20 people at the School of International Training about the proposed "uprate" at Vermont Yankee.
For over an hour, Blanch explained why he believed the plant, the oldest of its type in the country, is not equipped with the necessary safety mechanisms to handle the 20 percent increase.
"This is not a doughnut factory down there. This is a nuclear power plant containing hundreds of millions of curies of radioactive material," said Blanch.
For more info:
http://www.necnp.org
4) Indecent War on Freedom - Film/Discussion- - Swing state campaign to defeat George W. Bush
Indecent War on Freedom - Film/Discussion
Keene State College, Keene, NH
Monday 7pm - March 22nd
A Grassroots Forum on the War on Terror
For this press release, see:
Under events and campaigns for a link to:
Films that Make a Difference= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- - Swing state campaign to defeat George W. BushDEFEAT BUSH IN NH
This swing state campaign will help defeat the Bush administration in November by focusing on one New Hampshire county: Cheshire County in southwest NH (County seat: Keene, NH). The project is gathering activists from Massachusetts and Vermont (two non-swing states) and linking them with Cheshire County, NH activists to mount a non-partisan, door-to-door campaign to defeat President Bush.
The project is planning to:
facilitate voter registration in Cheshire County;
develop anti-Bush print materials (at least 30,000 copies)
for door-to-door, literature table, and event use;
organize ‘rock-the-vote' and register voters.
KICK-OFF MEETING: Sunday, March 28, 2004, 3-5 pm, Keene, NH.
Keene Unitarian Universalist Church, (69 Washington St.)
To volunteer for the project, or for more information, contact:
Mass. contact:
Rudy Perkins, rudyperkins@yahoo.com, ph. 978-249-0923
NH contact:
Chris Hansen, marcuschristian@hotmail.com; ph. 603-835-6190
Note: In the 2000 election, Bush won NH, and thus the national election, by just 7,211 NH votes. In Cheshire County alone about 20,000 people who could have voted didn't vote in 2000. In addition, 13,000+ people voted for the Republicans last time in Cheshire County, and some Republicans, at least, are sick of Bush's war and his other reckless policies. Over 2,000 voters in Cheshire County voted for four third-parties running last time. Bottom line: From these voting pool, Cheshire County alone has the potential for providing 7,000+ new votes against Bush in November, potentially enough to be decisive in NH and thereby the nation.
Even before the 3/28 joint kick-off meeting, more than 80 people from MA, NH and VT have signed up to volunteer for this swing state campaign, attended early organizing meetings, or called or emailed to offer to work on the project in some capacity.
If you don't live near NH, we suggest finding another swing state in your neighborhood and set up a similar grassroots movement. Flyby News offers resources for films, flyers and press releases for such campaigns. For more information, see
Campaigns @ FlybyNews.com
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