ICH: Straight Talk Resent-Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:36:29 -0600 (CST) "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule" - H. L. Mencken = "It is easy to be conspicuously 'compassionate' if others are being forced to pay the cost." -- Murray N. Rothbard = "We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force. " -- Ayn Rand in "The Nature of Government" = "The American government creates 50,000 new laws each year, and over 2 million new regulations. Then we are told by the courts that ICH: Straight Talk Resent-Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:36:29 -0600 (CST) "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule" - H. L. Mencken = "It is easy to be conspicuously 'compassionate' if others are being forced to pay the cost." -- Murray N. Rothbard = "We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force. " -- Ayn Rand in "The Nature of Government" = "The American government creates 50,000 new laws each year, and over 2 million new regulations. Then we are told by the courts that 'Ignorance of the law is no excuse!'" -- Lorne Strider === Read this newsletter online http://tinyurl.com/dy6yy === Number Of Iraqis Slaughtered Since The U.S. Invaded Iraq 1,164,650 http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iraq/iraqdeaths.html === Number of U.S. Military Personnel Sacrificed (Officially acknowledged) In America'sWar On Iraq 3,921 http://icasualties.org/oif/ The War in Iraq Costs $484,313,951,412 See the cost in your community http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182 === UN Says About 151,000 Iraqis Killed Since 2003 By Khaleej Times The World Health Organization said Wednesday a large-scale household survey showed an estimated 151,000 Iraqis were violently killed since the US-led invasion of their country in March 2003 to the middle of 2006. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19035.htm === The Myth Of Sectarianism The policy is divide to rule By DAHR JAMAIL The snow job by the corporate media on the issue of sectarianism in Iraq has ensured that the public buys into the line that the Sunni and Shia will dice one another up into little pieces if the occupation ends. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19034.htm === Straight Talk By Layla Anwar Americans still pretend they brought Democracy to Iraq. Keep on deluding yourselves folks. Had I been in charge of your Education, I would grant you free PHD's in Deceit, Duplicity and Denial. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19033.htm === On Rejecting "The System" By Emily Spence 'The number of billionaires around the world rose by 102 to a record 793... and their combined wealth grew 18 percent to $2.6 trillion, according to "Forbes" magazine's 2006 rankings of the world's richest people [5].' In addition, their group has been expanding steadily. All the while they, also, command vast stores of resources (obtained through their purchasing power), manipulate their governments (through lobbies and other means) and control others (via military might and other kinds) to keep everything solidly behind their acts of racking in ever more dollars and possessions, including huge tracts of land and factories, for themselves. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19032.htm === We LOST! Thinking For Yourself Is Now A Crime! Video The bill will, in short, create massive terrorism in the United States. But the perpetrators of terrorism will not be Muslim terrorists; they will be government agents and fellow citizens. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19002.htm === The Expanding Police State Operation Falcon Raid By Mike Whitney There's only one way to make sure that the machinery of state-terror is operating at maximum efficiency; flip on the switch and let er rip. That was thinking behind the massive roundup of 10,000 American citizens in what was aptly-christened Operation Falcon. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19031.htm === In Case You Missed it The Secret Government: The Constitution in Crisis By Bill Moyers Host Bill Moyers exposes the inner workings of the secret government. Though originally broadcast in 1987, it is even more relevant today. Interviews with respected, top military, intelligence, and government insiders reveal both the history and secret objectives. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17720.htm === France is Healthcare Leader, US Comes Dead Last: Study By AFP France is tops, and the United States dead last, in providing timely and effective healthcare to its citizens, according to a survey Tuesday of preventable deaths in 19 industrialized countries. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19036.htm === This System's Achilles' Heel By Malcolm Martin The fact is that the story of the United States of America is bound up in the birth and rise of capitalism, and the nation's present descent into dictatorship is part of the same economic system's decline and inevitable death. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19030.htm == "Republicans" Painting Ron Paul As A Racist Angry White Man The bigoted past of Ron Paul. By James Kirchick Ron Paul is not the plain-speaking antiwar activist his supporters believe they are backing--but rather a member in good standing of some of the oldest and ugliest traditions in American politics. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19027.htm === Ron Paul Responds Ron Paul Statement on The New Republic Article Regarding Old Newsletters In response to an article published by The New Republic, Ron Paul issued the following statement: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19028.htm === New Republic Author Interviewed About "Ron Paul's" Past Writings! Video Jamie Kirchick of The New Republic discusses a piece out on Friday alleging presidential candidate Ron Paul has a racist past. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19029.htm === 20 "Militants", Four US Soldiers Killed in Iraq Operations: Four US soldiers and at least 20 suspected militants have been killed in separate operations across Iraq, the US military announced Wednesday, while a total of 32 extremist suspects were detained by US and Iraqi forces. http://snipurl.com/1x159 === 2 Car Bombs Explode Outside Churches in Northern Iraq : The bombings are the latest attack on Christian buildings in Iraq. Insurgents bombed churches and a monastery in the northern city of Mosul on Sunday, wounding several people. http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-01-09-voa30.cfm === Two jailed for leaking Blair-Bush memo: A judge imposed two indefinite contempt of court orders on newspapers yesterday, preventing them from reporting aspects of an Official Secrets Act trial that dealt with the unauthorised disclosure of a secret document about Iraq. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1774373.ece === US plans new sanctions on Iranian, Iraqis: A senior Bush administration official said the sanctions were being imposed on the Iranian and exiled Iraqis because "they are basically supporting the insurgency in various ways in Iraq." http://snipurl.com/1x15c === Manufacturing Consent For War With Iran:: US warns Iran of consequences of any new naval crisis : U.S. President George W. Bush warned Iran on Wednesday of "serious consequences" if it attacked U.S. ships in the Gulf and said all options were on the table. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L09705818.htm === Video purports to show Iranian 'provocation' of US forces: The Pentagon has released footage of Iranian boats threatening three US ships in The Gulf, in what President George W Bush described as a "provocative act". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/09/wiran109.xml === Iranian TV: Pentagon Video, Audio Fake : - Iran accused the United States on Wednesday of fabricating video and audio released by the Pentagon showing Iranian boats confronting U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf. http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7211334,00.html === Hamas: Israeli attack on northern Gaza kills two: An Israeli occupation force attack in northern Gaza on Wednesday killed two Palestinians and injured four others, Palestinian security officials and medics said. http://snipurl.com/1x15h === Israeli top brass meet Bush at airport: "US and Israel are strong allies," he said. "The source of that strength is a shared belief in power of human freedom." http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23030472-401,00.html === Olmert to lay down Israel's red lines: Prime minister to clarify Israel's non-negotiable terms to visiting US President Bush. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3492059,00.html === Israel hiding settlement facts to protect image: THE Israeli Government has told a court that it does not want to reveal the true extent of Jewish settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories because the information would damage its image abroad, a local newspaper has reported. http://snipurl.com/1x15m === Afghan Civilians Were Killed Needlessly, Ex-Marine Testifies : A former member of an elite Marine combat unit that operated last year in eastern Afghanistan testified Tuesday that his comrades appeared to have needlessly killed civilians after their convoy was attacked by a suicide car bomb. http://snipurl.com/1x15o === Afghan Officials Show Desire For US Attacks Inside Pakistan : Hints and suggestions emanating from Afghan officials clearly point to US forces attacking Taliban and al-Qaida safe havens in Pakistan in the very near future. http://snipurl.com/1x15p === Pakistan army strikes hideout of pro-Taliban militant leader: Pakistan's military has targeted suspected hide-outs of the leader of pro-Taliban militant forces in the Swat Valley in the country's volatile northwest, but could not confirm whether the radical cleric was killed, the army spokesman said Wednesday. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/01/09/asia/AS-GEN-Pakistan-Fighting.php === Pakistan denies U.S troops, agents operating in tribal areas Islamabad: Pakistan has said that U.S troops and intelligence agencies are not operating inside its tribal areas and described American media reports as baseless. http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-20/0801097750095716.htm === CITGO, Venezuela Distribute Oil To U.S. Services: For scores of low-income families it will be like the equivalent of winning a small lottery jackpot. A program run by former Congressman Joe Kennedy will deliver free heating oil - donated by Citgo and the Chavez regime in Venezuela - to some 200,000 households. http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/newsbrief/3043 === Goldman Sachs sees recession in 2008: Goldman Sachs on Wednesday said it expects the U.S. economy to drop into recession this year, prompting the Federal Reserve to slash benchmark lending rates to 2.5 percent by the third quarter. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080109/bs_nm/usa_economy_goldman_dc_2 === Countrywide Loses Most Since 1987 on Funding Concern: Countrywide Financial Corp. dropped the most since Black Monday in October 1987 in New York trading on speculation that it needs cash to continue operating its mortgage business. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=afp5_jiAa35U === Let Us Work Towards Peace & Joy Tom Feeley