In this issue:

LaRouche Led the Anti-Imperial Fight; Broad Opposition Explodes on the Scene

Generals, Unlike Chickenhawks, Caution Senate On Iraq War

Daschle, Levin Take on Warmongers

Regional Press All Across America Is Opposed To Iraq War

Gore Feels the LaRouche Pressure

Uproar Over Connecticut Democrat Dobson Announcing, 'I'm a LaRouche Democrat'

Appropriations Still Frozen in Gridlock

Airlines Blame Security, Insurance Costs for Woes

Hearings Push Police-State Measures

Campaign Trick Tries To Stop Illinois Gov. from Commuting Death Sentences

From the Vol.1 No.30 issue of Electronic Intelligence Weekly, Published September 30, 2002

UNITED STATES NEWS DIGEST

LaRouche Led the Anti-Imperial Fight; Broad Opposition Explodes on the Scene

Democratic Party presidential pre-candidate Lyndon LaRouche, Jr. released a statement on Sunday, July 14, 2002, called "The Real Corruption: McCain and Lieberman." Less than three months later, the floodgates have opened, of a debate that LaRouche began against the "Clash of Civilizations" Iraq war and the neo-conservatives' preemptive war doctrine.

Recall the courageous and prophetic statement from the conclusion of that leaflet by LaRouche:

"The bottom line: It is urgent that the Democratic Party emerge, under new leadership, in the continuing tradition of FDR, JFK, and Lyndon LaRouche, as the legitimate focal point of opposition to the foolish wars into which McCain and Lieberman are doing so much to blackmail the Bush Administration into fighting.

"For this to happen, the McCain-Lieberman corrupt blackmail operation must be exposed. I promise you; it will be thoroughly exposed, as we move to take the Democratic Party of Franklin Roosevelt back, for the sake of our republic, its people, and the world.

"I will do my job. If you also do yours, we could save this nation from something awful."

Generals, Unlike Chickenhawks, Caution Senate On Iraq War

In their testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, on Sept. 23, three out of four top generals urged extreme caution before launching war against Iraq.

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Shalikashvili and former NATO commander Gen. Wesley Clark both argued that the U.S. should not go to war against Iraq without first making every effort to go through the United Nations.

Former Central Command Commander Gen. Joseph Hoar also insisted on UN support, and then proceeded to discuss his own experience in Vietnam, where "our government failed to define the true nature of the war." He made the point, that while fighting terrorism is the number-one priority, "It is only a portion of what we need to do.... What is really at stake is the hearts and minds of 1 billion Muslims." That is, the U.S. will have to earn their trust, which has been battered over the last two decades by U.S. behavior and their perception of it. "We must step up to the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and put pressure on both sides to step up to the peace table." Hoar went on to question the legitimacy of the arguments for attacking Iraq, both with regard to Iraq's alleged connections to terrorism, and its actual capabilities with respect to weapons of mass destruction.

Most distressing to the utopians, perhaps, was Hoar's blasting any notion that a war on Iraq will be "easy." If the fight were defined around Baghdad, he said, we would win the battle, but the cost in the lives of both American servicemen and Iraqi civilians could be unacceptable.

The fourth witness, former Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Thomas McInerny, was a utopian madman, who envisioned what could be described as an "Afghanistan-type operation on steroids."

Daschle, Levin Take on Warmongers

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) launched a frontal attack against Bush Administration warmongering in Senate floor remarks on Sept. 25, charging that Team Bush is playing politics with the issue of war. Using their own words, Daschle tore into the Administration for talking about their Iraq war push as a "marketing" strategy. Especially disgusting were the statements of White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, who explained why the war push was made in September, by saying,"From a marketing point of view, you don't introduce new products in August," to which Daschle lashed out, "New products? War?"

Finally, on Sept. 25, said Daschle, when he read that Bush himself said "The Democratic-controlled Senate is not interested in the security of the American people," Daschle took the offensive. "Mr. President," said Daschle, "We have got to rise to a higher level. Our Founding Fathers would be embarrassed by what they're seeing going on right now.... You tell Senator Inouye he is not interested in the security of the American people! You tell those who fought in Vietnam and in World War II they're not interested in the security of the American people! That is outrageous! Outrageous! The President ought to apologize to Senator Inouye and every veteran who has fought in every war who is a Democrat in the United States Senate. He ought to apologize to the American people...."

Bush had made the remarks in discussing the failure of the Senate to pass legislation creating an Office of Homeland Security.

The same day, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said the Bush Administration is dividing the world with its "go-it-alone" rhetoric. Opening the second day of hearings this week, he said the U.S. "should not announce to the world at this time that we will follow a unilateral go-it-alone policy if the UN does not act. Telling friends and potential allies at the time that we're seeking their support, that 'it's our way or the highway,' will divide the world, not unite it."

Levin opened by quoting at some length the Sept. 23 testimony from top retired U.S. Generals (see accompanying slug,) adding, "I, too, believe that we should focus on mobilizing the world community to give Saddam Hussein a clear ultimatum to disarm and comply with UN [Security] Council resolutions or face military action by a multinational UN-authorized coalition of member states to compel compliance."

Regional Press All Across America Is Opposed To Iraq War

A review of regional newspapers all across the heartland of America this week reveals that the editorial content opposes an Iraq war, contrary to the yellow chickenhawk journalism typical of the Washington-New York media and the national "all-news" TV networks. A sampling:

*Molly Ivins published a column syndicated nationally, run in The Baltimore Sun Sept. 25, with the headline, "Mr. Bush, Stop the Insanity." She warned, "The announced plan of this Administration for world domination reinforces every paranoid, anti-American prejudice on this Earth.... This creepy, un-American document has a pedigree going back to Bush I, when— surprise!— Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz were at the Department of Defense.... Now it is back yet again as the answer to post-Sept. 11.... Happy Pearl Harbor Day. We have just announced ourselves Bully of the World."

*The Bergen Record, in New Jersey, on Sept. 26 editorialized, "Caution on Iraq: Retired generals question wisdom of attacking."

*The Modesto Bee ran an op ed by Peter Schrag, a syndicated columnist, "Newspeak and the Sharonization of U.S. policy," on Sept. 25, again echoing LaRouche statements. "The Sharonistas— Vice President Dick Cheney, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, his friend Richard Perle, who chairs the Defense Department's Defense Policy Board, New York Times columnist William Safire— are the Middle East hawks who sold Bush the Iraq war."

*The Des Moines Register: "The courage to question: A national debate on war cannot happen unless a loyal opposition speaks out" was the Sept. 26 editorial.

*The Huntsville Times in Alabama ran a David Prather column, "Where can we find the truth about Iraq?" that said, "Truth has become the first casualty...."

*The Sacramento Bee editorial on Sept. 22, was "Congress must slow down this rush to war by refusing to give Bush the blank check he seeks...."

*The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, on Sept. 24, ran an editorial, "A Truncated Debate on Iraq," saying opposition is being silenced "For reasons having as much to do with the political calendar in America as with imminent threats posed by Saddam Hussein's arsenal."

Gore Feels the LaRouche Pressure

Former Vice President Al Gore delivered an address to the San Francisco Commonwealth Club Sept. 23, in which he launched his campaign to destroy Senator Joe Lieberman's ambitions for the 2004 Democratic Presidential nomination. Gore's spin was to support the idea of a future war against Iraq, but to reject President Bush's demands that he be given all powers to make war wherever and against whomever he might choose at any earlier, or later, future time.

Perennial opportunist Gore, true to form, is now being pulled by the tail-wind of the LaRouche-led international opposition to the policies of both Republican and Democratic Parties' Chickenhawks. But the war networks are simply proferring the Gore, rather than the Bush, variety of Chickenhawk babble.

Gore supports war against Iraq, but not yet.... Gore's points attacking the Bush "I-am-God" doctrine are worth noting, but get no praise from us. He still wants a war with Iraq, only on a slower course. Gore will have no effect on the process, but LaRouche's Presidential campaign has created the environment where Gore has had to distinguish himself from warmonger Lieberman.

Uproar Over Connecticut Democrat Dobson Announcing, 'I'm a LaRouche Democrat'

"Laying out his agenda for the State Legislature, Abraham Lincoln said, 'This is going to be short and sweet, like an old woman's dance. I support a National Bank, rebuilding our country with government-sponsored transportation, and high tariffs. I hope you will see fit to elect me.' Likewise, I hope to be succinct, and communicate the heart of my campaign without fanfare. To be brief, I am running as a LaRouche Democrat, which is synonymous with being an old-style FDR Democrat."

Laurie Dobson, the Democratic Party-endorsed candidate for State Legislature in Connecticut's 141st District, issued the declaration quoted above on Sept. 5. It threw down the gauntlet to Connecticut Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman: "Lieberman and the other chickenhawks demand that Bush rush us into an insane war.... Lieberman is harming the Democratic Party, to the point where people are afraid to speak for basic Democratic principles which relate to promoting the general welfare."

For days, the Dobson controversy was front-page news, as the Lieberman clique tried to pressure her to resign, and then, failing that, tried to bankrupt her campaign. On Sept. 17, the Stamford Advocate ran a front-page article instructing Dobson contributors on how to get their money back! However, the article continued: "Some people will change their minds, some people will feel more convinced to donate, said Dobson, who added that she feels 'a lot better as a person' since she stepped out of the party's 'approval zone' and declared her support for LaRouche."

Dobson is escalating her campaign on all fronts, and will appear with Nancy Spannaus in a national webcast on transportation and an FDR-style economic reconstruction plan on Oct. 3, broadcast on www.spannausforsenate.com. Dobson's website is http://www.votefordobson.com.

Appropriations Still Frozen in Gridlock

As of Sept. 25, the House of Representatives has not acted on any more of the 13 annual spending bills since Congress returned from its August recess, and the Senate has not been able to come to a resolution on the Interior Department Appropriations bill, even after three weeks of debate. Senate Democrats blame the White House for being unwilling to raise the discretionary spending ceiling beyond the $758 billion decreed by Office of Management and Budget Director Mitch Daniels.

With attention riveted on Iraq and homeland security, there seems to be very little interest in solving the problem, in spite of a looming $157-billion deficit for fiscal 2002 and, likely, a much larger one for 2003. Various suggestions have been floated for either a long-term continuing resolution— to run as far as February 2003— or a lame-duck session after the November election.

Airlines Blame Security, Insurance Costs for Woes

On Sept. 24, four major airline CEOs were among the witnesses who testified before the House Aviation Subcommittee on the disastrous financial condition of the airline industry. Among other measures, the industry is asking for relief from the Aviation Security Act, passed last year, and for terrorism risk insurance for at least one year. "We ask for that help because aviation is key to our nation's economic health," said one.

The impact of a possible war with Iraq also raised concerns. Subcommittee chairman John Mica (R-Fla) warned that a war could "dramatically spike aviation fuel prices that, in fact, could substantially impact the already bleak bottom line" of the industry's balance sheet.

But instead of "market conditions" drivel, Rep. Peter Defazio (R-Ore) threw in some reality, saying, "I think what we're confronted with here," he said, "is the ultimate failure of the promise of deregulation."

Hearings Push Police-State Measures

After months of closed-door hearings, the Joint House-Senate Intelligence Committees have begun a series of public hearings on intelligence failures leading to 9/11, which are being carefully staged in order to pave the way for the loosening of legal restrictions on the sharing of information between intelligence and law-enforcement agencies. The restrictions were originally enacted in the wake of the 1970s revelations about the rampant abuses of Constitutional rights by U.S. intelligence agencies. In short, the hearings, which included "appearances" on Sept. 20 and 24 by CIA and FBI agents behind opaque screens, are being orchestrated to give the false impression that the Sept. 11 attacks could have been prevented, if only there were fewer restrictions and guidelines governing FBI and CIA activities.

Within days of the first public hearings, the Justice Department issued new guidelines requiring that secret wiretap or grand jury information from criminal investigations, be provided to intelligence agencies when the information relates to terrorism or weapons of mass destruction. This has already been going on "informally."

The new guidelines don't address the sharing of information the other way: when surveillance information gathered under the looser standards of foreign intelligence probes, is handed over to prosecutors. This is now the subject of an appeal brought by the Justice Department, of a May ruling from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Court. In that ruling, the super-secret FISA Court rejected efforts by John Ashcroft's DOJ to expand the ability of criminal prosecutors to use information obtained under national-security wiretaps.

Campaign Trick Tries To Stop Illinois Gov. from Commuting Death Sentences

Outgoing Illinois Governor George Ryan, who has led the fight against corrupt and fraudulent death penalty convictions in the U.S.A., is being sued by his own Attorney General to stop him from commuting the death sentences of 158 people on Death Row. The suit is being brought by Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan (no relation), who is also the Republican nominee for the 2002 Governor's race. Attorney General Ryan claims that the Ryan name is hurting his election race, because Gov. Ryan— also a Republican, and George Bush's 2000 election campaign chairman in Illinois— has set clemency hearings for all 158 Death Row prisoners, and is expected to commute all or most of the death sentences. Despite this phony scandal, Gov. Ryan is being considered for nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize because he reversed his position on the death penalty, upon examining the gross inequities and failures of the system.

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