Bush asserts authority to bypass defense act 31 Jan 2008 Resent-Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:17:59 -0600 (CST) Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens For Legitimate Government 31 Jan 2008 http://www.legitgov.org/ All items are here: http://www.legitgov.org/#breaking_news Bush asserts authority to bypass defense act --Bush asserted four sections of bill unconstitutionally infringe on his powers, so executive branch is not bound to obey them 30 Jan 2008 President [sic] Bush this week declared that he has the power to bypass four laws, including a prohibition against using federal funds to establish permanent US military bases in Iraq, that Congress passed as part of a new defense bill. Bush made the assertion in a signing statement that he issued late Monday after signing the National Defense Authorization Act for 2008. Report: Military Unprepared for Domestic Threats 31 Jan 2008 The U.S. military's reserves and National Guard forces are not prepared to meet catastrophic threats at home and face an "appalling" shortage of forces able to respond to [Bush's] chemical, biological or nuclear strikes on U.S. soil, according to a congressional commission report released today. U.S. military not ready for major attack, study finds 31 Jan 2008 The U.S. military isn't ready for a catastrophic attack on the country, and National Guard forces don't have the equipment or training they need for the job, according to a report. Even fewer Army National Guard units are combat-ready today than were nearly a year ago when the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves determined that 88 percent of the units were not prepared for the fight, the panel says in a new report released today. U.S. Commanders in Iraq Favor Pause in Troop Cuts 31 Jan 2008 Senior U.S. military commanders here say they want to freeze troop reductions starting this summer for at least a month, making it more likely that the next administration will inherit as many troops in Iraq as there were before President [sic] Bush announced a "surge" of forces a year ago. Australian troops 'still needed in Afghanistan in 15 years' 01 Feb 2008 Afghanistan will be struggling to secure its southern regions 15 years from now, with Australian troops still needed to combat terrorism, a think tank says. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute says Taliban militants and others [US terrorists] seeking to disrupt the democratic Government in Kabul will still be conducting bombings and irregular insurgencies in southern and eastern provinces in 2023. US completes military base in Afghanistan province 30 Jan 2008 Another piece of the United States' regional jigsaw is in place with the completion of a military base in Afghanistan's Kunar province, just three kilometers from Bajaur Agency in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Pakistani intelligence quarters have confirmed to Asia Times Online that the base, on a mountain top in Ghakhi Pass overlooking Pakistan, is now operational. Deputy Governor Among Several Killed in Suicide Blast in Afghanistan 31 Jan 2008 A suicide bomb attack targeting a mosque in Afghanistan has left at least six people dead, including a provincial deputy governor. At least 18 others were wounded in the bombing. Suicide bomber kills Afghan deputy governor 31 Jan 2008 A suicide bomber killed a deputy provincial governor and at least five others in an attack in a mosque in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, officials said. Top al-Qaida leader 'killed' in Afghanistan 31 Jan 2008 One of [5,758,389] al-Qaida's top leaders in Afghanistan has been killed, western intelligence officials said today. Ekhlaas.org, a website that often posts communiquis from Afghanistan and Iraq, reported that Abu Laith al-Libi - his name suggests he is a Libyan national - had fallen as a "martyr", without giving further details. Rockets Hit British in Southern Iraq 31 Jan 2008 Violence returned Thursday to the southern city of Basra, where militants pummeled Britain's airport base with 20 rockets and British gunners answered with volleys of artillery. Civilians were killed and wounded in the crossfire. In Baghdad, a bomb-rigged car blew apart at a bus stop, killing at least five people in a Shiite enclave. Bomb takes death toll of journalists in Iraq war to 126 31 Jan 2008 Iraq confirmed its reputation as the most dangerous country in the world for journalists this week when a roadside bomb killed an Iraqi television cameraman, Alaa Abdul-Karim al-Fartoosi, the first journalist to be killed in Iraq this year and the 126th since the start of the war. Soldier Suicides at Record Level --Increase Linked to Long Wars, Lack of Army Resources 31 Jan 2008 Suicides among active-duty soldiers in 2007 reached their highest level since the Army began keeping such records in 1980, according to a draft internal study obtained by The Washington Post. Last year, 121 soldiers took their own lives, nearly 20 percent more than in 2006. At the same time, the number of attempted suicides or self-inflicted injuries in the Army has jumped sixfold since the Iraq war began. Judges meet behind closed doors over KBR contractors 31 Jan 2008 A federal appeals panel, meeting behind closed doors Wednesday, heard arguments over whether three cases involving KBR mercenaries injured or killed in Iraq should be revived and go before juries. In the hourlong hearing, the three-judge panel at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans probed lawyers for the victims and KBR about a deadly April 2004 attack on a KBR truck convoy, in which six workers were killed, one went missing and others were injured, according to two lawyers who were present. Mukasey Will Not Rule Out Waterboarding 31 Jan 2008 Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey said Wednesday that while he would consider it torture if he underwent the harsh Central Intelligence Agency interrogation technique known as waterboarding, the practice was not necessarily illegal, and he would not rule out its use in the future. Congress Passes Extension of Surveillance Law 30 Jan 2008 The House and Senate yesterday approved a 15-day extension of an expiring intelligence surveillance law and the White House backed off a threatened veto, allowing more time to resolve a dispute over the administration's proposal to immunize telephone companies from lawsuits stemming from their cooperation with [illegal] warrantless wiretaps. Trains, bloggers are threats in drill 31 Jan 2008 It's the government's idea of a really bad day: Washington's Metro trains shut down. Seaport computers in New York go dark. Bloggers reveal locations of railcars with hazardous materials. Airport control towers are disrupted in Philadelphia and Chicago. Overseas, a mysterious liquid is found on London's subway. Those incidents were among dozens of detailed, mock disasters confronting officials rapid-fire in the U.S. government's biggest-ever "Cyber Storm" war game, according to hundreds of pages of heavily censored files obtained by The Associated Press. The Homeland Security Department ran the exercise to test the nation's hacker defenses, with help from the State Department, Pentagon, Justice Department, CIA, National Security Agency and others. Internet failure hits two continents 31 Jan 2008 High-technology services across large tracts of Asia, the Middle East and North Africa were crippled Thursday following a widespread Internet failure which brought many businesses to a standstill and left others struggling to cope. Industry experts are blaming [US] damage to two undersea cables but it is not known what caused the damage. Commission Confidential By Max Holland 30 Jan 2008 In a revelation bound to cast a pall over the 9/11 Commission, Philip Shenon will report in a forthcoming book that the panels executive director, Philip Zelikow, engaged in "surreptitious" communications with presidential adviser Karl Rove and other Bush administration officials during the commissions 20-month investigation into the 9/11 attacks. Shenon, who led The New York Times coverage of the 9/11 panel, reveals the Zelikow-Rove connection in a new book entitled The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation, to be published next month... DHS Announces $12.14B for Border Security, Immigration Enforcement Efforts 31 Jan 2008 U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff previewed today a 19 percent increase over Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 in funding for border security and immigration enforcement efforts in FY 2009. This represents a more than 150 percent increase since President [sic] Bush has been in office. New border ID rules take effect 31 Jan 2008 Traffic appeared to be flowing smoothly from Canada across the U.S. border into Michigan as new identification rules took effect Thursday. Under new rules, everyone crossing the border by road or rail between the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico needs identification that proves citizenship, like a passport, or government- issued photo identification plus proof of citizenship. Feds let states delay inspections of bad bridges --Loophole allows giving infrequent checkups to spans in poor condition 31 Jan 2008 Bridge safety leaped to the top of the agenda of federal highway administrator J. Richard Capka in August, when 13 people died in the collapse of a bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. On the day the Minneapolis bridge fell, three of those bridges were overdue for their safety inspections. The inattention to bridges is not unique, according to an msnbc.com analysis of newly released records from the National Bridge Inventory. The records, which include inspections through 2006, show several failures in federal oversight of the system designed to ensure the safety of travelers crossing the nation's bridges. Katrina Levee Lawsuit Dismissed 31 Jan 2008 Saying his hands were tied by law, a federal judge dismissed a class-action lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over levee breaches explosions after Hurricane Katrina, but rebuked the agency for failing to protect the city. U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval ruled Wednesday that the Corps should be held immune over failures in drainage canals that caused much of the flooding of New Orleans in August 2005. He cited the Flood Control Act of 1928, which protects the federal government from lawsuits when flood control projects like levees break. Shell's 'obscene' #13.4billion profit breaks British record 30 Jan 2008 Shell is expected to announce earnings of #13.4billion today - the biggest-ever profit by a British company. The oil giant is likely to report that profits have risen 12 per cent since last year. Critics have branded the earnings "obscene", pointing out that pensioners, motorists and industry are all struggling to afford soaring energy prices. Earnings Preview: Exxon Mobil 4Q to Rise 30 Jan 2008 Analysts, on average, expect Exxon Mobil to report earnings of $1.95 per share and revenue of $114.89 billion during the fourth quarter, according to a survey by Thomson Financial. Skyrocketing crude prices have helped make Exxon Mobil, the world's largest publicly traded oil company and one of America's biggest corporations, even richer in recent years. Citi analyst Doug Leggate expects Exxon Mobil's upstream earnings will set a new record, but refining and marketing profits could fall sharply. He rates the company "Buy." [LOL!] Senator Kerry Introduces Legislation to Prohibit Drilling in Polar Bear Habitat 31 Jan 2008 Senator John Kerry yesterday introduced legislation to prohibit any oil and gas exploration activities in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas known as the "Polar Bear Seas" until the full impacts of exploration on polar bear populations are fully understood. Kerrys bill also requires that no drilling activity proceed until the polar bear is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and critical habitat is designated. Polar Bears Need Urgent Protection, WWF and Conservation Groups Testify 30 Jan 2008 Margaret Williams, WWFs Director of the Bering Sea ecoregion program, called for urgent action to save polar bears at the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing entitled "Examining Threats and Protections for the Polar Bear" on Wednesday, January 30, 2008. The hearing was convened to examine the status of and legal protections for the polar bear, including the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the status of listing the species under the act. Lack of January Snow Is a First in 75 Years 30 Jan 2008 This month is set to become the first January in 75 years that New York City has been without any measurable snowfall, according to the National Weather Service. Nader Says He's Considering a New White House Run 30 Jan 2008 Barf Nadir, the consumer advocate GOP troll who ran for president in 2000 and 2004, said he is considering another bid for the White House because he believes the current contenders aren't standing up enough to corporate interests wants to ensure a third GOP coup d'etat. Romney accuses McCain of 'dirty tricks' 31 Jan 2008 Republican Mitt Romney accused John McCain [McLunatic] of using dirty tricks by suggesting the former Massachusetts governor wanted a deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, in a spirited debate Wednesday night that underscored the intensity of their presidential rivalry. Schwarzenegger endorses John McCain 31 Jan 2008 Republican frontrunner [flip-flopping sociopath] John McCain snagged his second high-profile endorsement in 24 hours when it emerged during last night's presidential debate that California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will come out for the Arizona senator. Giuliani drops out of GOP race, backs McCain --Once the front-runner, former New York mayor's decline was stunning 30 Jan 2008 Rudy Giuliani, who sought to make the leap from New York mayor to the White House, dropped out of the Republican presidential campaign on Wednesday and endorsed front-runner John McLunatic for the nomination. Clinton Remained Silent As Wal-Mart Fought Unions --Tapes Reviewed by ABC News Show Clinton As a Loyal Company Woman 31 Jan 2008 In six years as a member of the Wal-Mart board of directors, between 1986 and 1992, Hillary Clinton remained silent as the world's largest retailer waged a major campaign against labor unions seeking to represent store workers. Bush 2009 Budget to Freeze Most Domestic Programs 31 Jan 2008 President [sic] Bush's 2009 budget will virtually freeze most domestic programs and seek nearly $200 billion in savings from federal health care programs, a senior administration official said Thursday. Bush will propose nearly $178 billion in savings from Medicare - a number that's nearly triple what he proposed last year. Lilly in Settlement Talks With U.S. 30 Jan 2008 Eli Lilly and federal prosecutors are discussing a settlement of a civil and criminal investigation into the companys marketing of the antipsychotic drug Zyprexa that could result in Lillys paying more than $1 billion to federal and state governments. If a deal is reached, the fine would be the largest ever paid by a drug company for breaking the federal laws that govern how drug makers can promote their medicines. The Newly Uptight 31 Jan 2008 Some of Seventh Avenues most influential tastemakers are invoking in their latest collections the proprieties, the seamless appearances and the tony aspirations of midcentury Middle America. They are, in short, going bourgeois to the core. Unlike previous portrayals of the late 50s and early 60s as a time of unalloyed optimism, fashions latest embrace of the past appears to reflect the nations darkening mood. CLG needs your support. http://www.legitgov.org/#contribute Or, please mail a check or money order to the CLG: Citizens for Legitimate Government (CLG) P.O. Box 1142 Bristol, CT 06011-1142 Contributions to CLG are not tax deductible. [Previous lead stories:] Iraq conflict has killed a million, says survey 30 Jan 2008 More than one million Iraqis have died as a result of the conflict in their country since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, according to research conducted by one of Britain's leading polling groups. The survey, conducted by Opinion Research Business (ORB) with 2,414 adults in face-to-face interviews, found that 20 percent of people had had at least one death in their household as a result of the conflict, rather than natural causes. Halliburton Co. enjoys 46% income growth 29 Jan 2008 Net income of the American oilfield services provider Halliburton Co. in 2007 was $3,5 billion, up 46% from $2,4 billion of the previous year. Halliburton reported that revenue was $15,3 billion, an increase of 19% from $12,9 billion in 2006. Halliburtons net income for the fourth quarter of 2007 was $690 million. This compares to net income of $658 million in the fourth quarter of 2006 Pundits are Wrong: More Edwards's supporters will favor Clinton --The Rec Report By Michael Rectenwald 30 Jan 2008 Pundits are so often wrong... After all, they missed the fact that Bush would become the most reviled president in history, while we at the CLG told them that from day one. Most missed that the war was being waged on false pretences and that we would find that out, shortly thereafter, while we told them so from the beginning. Most also failed to see that Rudy Giuliani would never make it as a Republican presidential candidate. We didnt predict that one, as its hard to tell which fanatic will appeal to this rather mixed bag of anti-evolutionist, Jesus-loving, compassionate conservative, warmongering party loyalists. Please forward this newsletter to anyone you think might be interested. Those who'd like to be added to the list can go here: http://www.legitgov.org/#subscribe_clg and add your name. Those who wish to be removed from the list can access the same link and click 'unsubscribe.' Please write to: signup@legitgov.org for inquiries/issues/concerns with your subscription. CLG Newsletter editor: Lori Price, Manager. Copyright ) 2008, Citizens For Legitimate Government . All rights reserved. CLG Founder and Chair is Michael Rectenwald, Ph.D.