US to build new Afghan prison
18/5/08
The United States plans to build a new detention camp at Bagram military base in Afghanistan, a Defence Department spokesman has said. A Pentagon spokesman confirmed the move on Saturday, detailing that a planned 40 acre complex at the Bagram military base will soon be built. Lieutenant Colonel Mark Wright said: “I can confirm there are indeed plans to build a new detention facility at Bagram airfield.” The new facility is said to hold about 1,100 detainees and cost about $60million.
See: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/BED3E92B-6D37-4A67-A3B4-68C54447A931.htm
Blaming Iran and Iraqis for US’ Iraq Follies
James Denselow; 18/5/08
David Satterfield, US under secretary of state with responsibility for Iraq, gained a law degree from the Georgetown University law center in 1978. At Chatham House this week, he combined the pragmatism of a diplomat with the arguing skills of a lawyer to present a seductive, but highly biased, appraisal of the current situation in Iraq.Understandably, the “official” narrative is that of progress from the bloody depths of 2006; any negatives were blamed on external influence and domestic Iraqi failings. Washington’s battle lines are clearer than ever: It’s “them” v “us” — the US coalition (the Gulf states plus Jordan, Egypt) v the Iranian coalition (Syria, Hezbullah, Hamas) with Al-Qaeda mixed in as a wild card (“they won’t go away”, he said). Against this motley crew of persistent offenders, “US success
See: http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=110004&d=18&m=5&y=2008
‘Illegal War’
Editorial: 18/5/08
Even if the US-led invasion had brought stability and reconstruction quickly to Iraq, the war would still have been illegal because Bush acted without the approval and backing of the international community and on the basis of deliberate lies. Now Washington is bogged down trying to clear up the bloody chaos that it itself created. Bush would have the world believe that as a result of the surge, order is at last being restored with greater security for the luckless Iraqis.
See: http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=110008&d=18&m=5&y=2008
Tags: Afghanistan, Blame Game, Iran, Iraq, Terrorism, USA