Rallies Thursday Against Bush's Escalation of the War in Iraq: To find an event or register your event with Win Without War: www.americasaysno.org To find an event or register your event with MoveOn http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?action_id=72 (registering your event could draw more people to your event…)
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Summary: U.S./Top News Liberal activists are pressuring Democratic members of Congress to take stronger positions against the war in Iraq, the Los Angeles Times reports. The article misidentifies Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman as a Democrat, when he was elected as an Independent. The Washington Post and the New York Times identify him as an Independent. It is not clear why the Los Angeles Times is deviating from the standard journalistic practice. To inquire: letters at latimes.com
Democratic leaders said Tuesday they intended to hold votes in the House and Senate on President Bush's plan to send more troops to Baghdad, the New York Times reports. This would force Republicans to take a stand on the proposal and seek to isolate the president politically over his handling of the war. The headline and first paragraph say that the votes would be "symbolic." While it is true that the votes would not legally compel anything, and it is certainly important to point that out, it is quite normal for Congress to state its position on issues of importance and this is not usually regarded in Washington as meaningless. As the article points out, "the resolutions would represent the most significant reconsideration of Congressional support for the war since it began, and mark the first big clash between the White House and Congress since the November election."
When President Bush presents his new strategy for Iraq, he will be ordering his top military brass to take action they initially resisted and advised against, notes the Washington Post, in contrast to his previously stated disdain for "micromanaging" the war effort.
The thousands of troops President Bush is expected to order to Iraq will join the fight largely without the protection of the latest armored vehicles that withstand bomb blasts far better than the Humvees in wide use, the Baltimore Sun reports.
Senate Republicans, dreading President Bush's address calling for more U.S. troops in Iraq, emerged from their weekly luncheon displaying more dance steps than the Joffrey Ballet, writes Dana Milbank in the Washington Post.
An Army private charged with the slaughter of an Iraqi family was diagnosed as a homicidal threat by a military mental health team three months before the attack, AP reports. The Army and Marines have been criticized for sending troops already in Iraq who have been diagnosed with mental illness back to combat duty, AP notes.
Human rights groups will mark the fifth anniversary of the prison at Guantanamo with protests at the base and around the world demanding the prison be shut down, AP reports.
Iran The US on Tuesday barred American financial institutions from doing business with a major Iranian bank after concluding that it had been involved in illicit weapons programs, the New York Times reports.
IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei called for a negotiated end to the Iranian and North Korean nuclear disputes, Reuters reports. Diplomats close to the IAEA say ElBaradei fears sanctions were imposed on Iran before chances for a negotiated deal were exhausted and could eventually drive Iran to bar U.N. inspectors and leave the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Lebanon Hezbollah and its allies widened their campaign Tuesday to force the Lebanese government's resignation, the Washington Post reports. In a protest organized by the General Labor Confederation, a coalition of unions, the protesters railed against tax increases, privatization and other policies the government has announced to earn the support of the International Monetary Fund.
Somalia U.S. airstrikes in Somalia have rekindled Somalia anger against the U.S., the New York Times reports, amid unconfirmed reports suggesting significant civilian casualties.
Pakistan Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said it would reconsider Pakistan's announcement last month it would lay mines along the border with Afghanistan in light of Afghanistan's complaints about the plan, the New York Times reports.
Burma The US introduced a Security Council resolution calling on the military rulers of Burma to begin a transition to democracy and release all political prisoners, the New York Times reports.
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- Robert Naiman Just Foreign Policy www.justforeignpolicy.org