Category Archives: News

Police raids part of “pre-emptive strikes” against RNC protesters

Posted on August 31, 2008 by | Comments Off

Beginning Saturday, Aug. 30, Minneapolis and St. Paul area police and sheriff departments began systematic repression of people believed to be planning actions during the Republican National Convention.

Five police raids Saturday included private homes, the RNC Welcoming Committee convergence space and the Food Not Bombs house. In all of these raids, improper, illegal and overzealous police procedures were reported. The Minnesota Independent reported that six activists were arrested and several hundred others were detained. During the raids, police shackled occupants with plastic handcuffs, forced them to lie face down on the floor,  conducted extensive searches and confiscated items. Some report that children and elderly persons were among those detained at some locations.

Bruce Nestor, chapter president of the Minnesota National Lawyers Guild stated, “Police seized political literature, cellphones, computers, cameras,

personal diaries, and many common household items such as paint, rope,

and roofing nails. These items are present in almost any home in south

Minneapolis and are not evidence of a crime. Seizing boxes of political literature

shows the motive of these raids was political. Sheriff Fletcher has

staged a publicity stunt, violated constitutional rights, and

misrepresented what was seized during the raids.” Link to source post.

According to the MinnPost, Minneapolis council member, Gary Schiff, issued this statement about the raids, which were conducted within his ward.”I’m disappointed, to say the least,” Schiff said. “Targeting

political organizers in a pre-emptive strike is a tactic from the ’60s.

This country is better than that.”

Several police vehicles parked outside of the Seed of Peace kitchen, which is providing free meals to those involved in RNC actions, causing those inside to think a raid was imminent. There are also reports of law enforcement conducting questionable

traffic stops and vehicle searches and interfering with independent

journalists covering the RNC actions.

Click here to view a video reaction by a few of those detained.

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The Hijacking of Public Space

Posted on August 28, 2008 by | 2 Comments

For years, social theorists have been debating the rapid disappearance of what they call the public arena or public space. It is argued that there is less space in communities where the public can freely express themselves or not be subject to the interests of capital. Translated into street lingo, it means that your free speech rights are going bye bye and any and all flat surfaces are potential space to sell you more shit.

If you have been to the outdoor concerts in downtown Grand Rapids this summer you will have seen how a public space–Rosa Parks Circle–has been transformed into a nearly privatized space. First, the concerts are brought to us by some corporation. Wednesday night Blues on the Mall are brought to us by Budweiser, which means that all night long, if I want to admire the musicians I have to look at a banner brandishing the Bud logo. Second, there are now so many “vendors” at these events that public space to stand, sit or dance has been limited. Third, during and after the show the public is admonished to “come join the band at the BOB.” Like that yuppie watering hole needs people to tell them to come into their dress coded meat market for more entertainment. And finally, if you would dare to express yourself in this public space by handing out information about say, voting, you would be asked to leave. Funny how a space that was funded with public money and named after a Civil Rights hero doesn’t recognize our public rights.

Not only is the sharing of information and ideas in a public space becoming more and more unacceptable it has culturally been associated with communicable diseases. If you have ever tried to hand out flyers in any urban area, you know what I am talking about. If people see you from a distance and know that you have something you are handing out and they will do one of the following: a) cross the street or walk as far away from you as possible, b) they will not look up so as not to have to make eye contact with you, c) will say “I’m not interested” even before you tell them that you want to give them free cookies, or d) say they will take your information if you take theirs. Their information will most often be a religious pamphlet that gives you the cliff notes version of biblical salvation. If you agree to take their handout then they will engage you in conversation about the existence of God and you will not hand out another flyer all day.

Even if you don’t hand out flyers, but want to post them in public spaces you run the risk of harassment from business owners or the cops. Have you noticed in Grand Rapids how city staff are now used to go around town to tear down flyers by grassroots and community groups who have no budgets to communicate their events other than flyering? What the hell is up with that? I mean the city uses my tax money to “decorate” the downtown for the holidays, but I can’t put up a stinking flyer? CBS billboards can sell ad space to the US Army telling me to be Army strong, but I can’t post a flyer telling students about why they shouldn’t join the military? I have been told that stapling flyers to a telephone poll is “unsightly.” I guess the billboard for McDonalds tea is a work of art.

The First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” So if anyone organizes a march against the US occupation of Iraq or Afghanistan they have a right to do so, correct? Not so fast. As someone who has participated in such activities, we are constantly told by the cops that we need a permit to exercise our Constitutional Rights. And guess what, a permit from the city costs money. So, you have no right to assemble unless you can pay for it and even then you have to follow the government’s definition of what it means to assemble.

In recent years, the Ford Museum has made it “policy” that you can no longer hold signs or hand out information to people going in the museum. If you persist in wanting to share information with your fellow Grand Rapidians, the museum security people will call Grand Rapids’ finest. Once they come you will be told that if you give people information you will be arrested. They politely tell me that if I want to hold a sign I can do so standing by the river. I once asked if it was any sign or just political signs. I said, “what if my sign said I love kittens, would I be threatened with arrest?” The response was, “I don’t want to argue with you.” This is the typical response that cops will give you when they know their enforcement is selective and ridiculous. But the point is, this public space, outside a publicly funded museum is not always friendly to the public.

Therefore, the idea of public space is quickly disappearing, but when I say public space, I don’t just mean physical space. Public space can also mean cultural space, emotional or even intellectual space. For example, when I went to see the new Batman movie, I paid for my ticket with the knowledge that I would be paying for movie previews and the film itself. However, for several minutes I was subjected to a series of commercial advertisements that was not included on the ticket nor the digital marquee. An ad for Pond’s skin cream started off the commercial frenzy. Pond’s was using the film Mama Mia as a promotional tool to movie goers to feel bad about their skin. Next, a Sprint ad involved a couple who were obsessed with the Batman and Joker characters. A Honda SUV commercial ensued with the plot beginning with a family that just ran out of gas because they drove a monster truck. The Honda SUV driver gives them a lift and tells them that his vehicle gets a whopping 23 miles per gallons. Glad to see Honda is doing their part to curb global warming. The last commercial was for Mountain Dew and featured a series of silly “public” displays with the tag line of “finding your voice.” Sweet, lime green fructose corn syrup can now provide me with the courage to take risks in public. At this point, I was grinding my teeth, but the next message sent me over the edge. The local movie theater then ran a message that read, “we are proud to bring you a commercial free experience.” It was bad enough that they made me sit through these awful commercials, but then they want to lie to me on top of it. Holy Bat Poop!

You might be saying, “well Jeff this is a commercial movie theater, of course they are going to run ads before the film.” I’m not saying that I was surprised by this fact, what I’m saying is that psychologically we give the private sector too much power to determine what the public can and cannot do. If you don’t believe me, then try this the next time you go to the movies. During these commercials if you start to verbally critique them you may get asked to be quiet or the management might come and tell you to leave. Or even better, after the movie, instead of walking out go down to the front and try to facilitate a discussion about what people just viewed. I can guarantee that within minutes you will be asked to leave, since a cineplex is not a public place to share ideas, regardless of any insight you might have into the social pathology of the Joker or your objection to Hellboy drinking Tecate beer.

This hijacking of public space and public discourse by the private sector has even been injected into electoral politics. Last month, I wrote about how private money buys votes during an election, but I didn’t mention how private money has also taken over other aspects of the electoral process. When this issue of Recoil is being distributed, both the Democratic and Republican Parties will have just finished their national conventions. What will not be mentioned by most of the corporate media is that the conventions are bought and paid for by corporate America. In June, the Campaign Finance Institute (www.cfinst.org) published a 10-page report on which companies had paid for the conventions. The usual big names were present like AT&T and the Ford Motor Company, but what the study also found was that 25 companies donated to both conventions. As I said last month, big money always hedges their bets so they win no matter what.

So what do we do? How can we reclaim the public? First, we have to identify what public space is and what we have a right to. Second, we need to really use our first amendment rights and not just refer to them as some document. In all my travels to Latin America, people took full advantage of public parks or the central plaza to express themselves with social, political and religious messages. Why in America are hot dog vendors on the street corners and we aren’t? Third, we must act boldly when trying to reclaim public space. We must not be timid or intimidated by cops or the private sector that will attempt to silence us. The more we don’t courageously reclaim public space, the greater the likelihood that we will lose what little we have left.

To share your ideas on ways to reclaim public space, send me an e-mail or find me on some street corner. jsmith [ -@- ] mediamouse.org

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Rep. Ehlers Targeted with Petitions against Big Media

Posted on August 28, 2008 by | Comments Off

Several Grand Rapids residents delivered several pages of signed petitions on Wednesday to Congressman Vern Ehlers’ office demanding that he support a House Resolution (H.J. Res. 79) that would overturn a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow media companies to control more media outlets.

Last December, the FCC approved sweeping new changes to the United States’ media ownership rules that would open the door for further media consolidation in nearly every community across the country. The FCC voted to lift the 30-year “newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership ban” that prohibits a company from owning a newspaper and a broadcast station in one area.

In March, Reps. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) and Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) introduced a bipartisan bill, the “Resolution of Disapproval” (H.J.Res. 79) to overturn the FCC’s big giveaway to big media. The Senate already passed its version of this bill in a near-unanimous vote after more than 250,000 people wrote and called their elected officials through a campaign organized by the national media reform group Free Press.

Today’s petition delivery to Congressman Ehlers’ office was facilitated by Free Press and their advocacy group “Stop Big Media” Those who delivered the petitions stated that they were opposed to the FCC decision because “it limits the amount of voices that the public will hear in media.” Another person expressed that further media ownership consolidation means that “less emphasis will be put on local news and that the further downsizing of newsrooms will mean less investigative reporting on important issues like elections, war, the environment, and economic issues.”

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March Calls for Solidarity With Women in the Congo

Posted on August 25, 2008 by | Comments Off

About 100 people gathered Saturday in Grand Rapids to participate in a rally and march in support of women and girls in the Congo. A “Walk Against Violence for Women & Children” was organized by the African Center of West Michigan. Organizers said that they hope to raise awareness about the brutality that women and girls are suffering in the Congo and to raise money to support projects to help heal those who have been raped.

Systemic rape of women in the Congo has been well documented in recent years and has been carried out by both the government military forces and armed militias. There has been an organized campaign to stop the rape of Congelese women and girls for several years, campaigns like the one organized by the international group V-Day. The march in Grand Rapids was a local action that is part of this larger international effort.

A few opening remarks were made by one of the organizers, a refugee from the Congo, Mr. Yaka Kamungi. He spoke in English and Swahili, his native language, especially since half the crowd were refugees from the Congo, Kenya, Somalia, and Burundi. After the opening comments the crowd marched towards downtown on Wealthy Street and made a loop back on Cherry. Those driving by in cars, sitting on porches, and walking by showed tremendous support for the marches who carried signs that had statements like “End rape in the Congo.”

The marches gathered back at the rally site to hear comments from a local African minister, a representative of the YWCA, and Jeannette Kabanda, a Congelese woman who has been part of several human rights trips to her home country. Jeannette said that what Congelese women have suffered begins for many of them when they are girls. Sometimes the soldiers for mothers to have sex with their sons, only to beat and murder the entire family afterwards. The speaker also stated that if women resist being raped they will be mutilated. Jeannette said that the US needs to pressure the government of the Congo to investigate these crimes and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The funds that were raised at the rally will be used for programs that will provide “basic needs, trauma counseling, job training and health education to the women who have been victimized.” Several of the speakers mentioned that one of the many consequences of rape in the Congo is that a large number of women have become infected with HIV/AIDS, which further isolates these women from their communities.

If anyone is interested in supporting the work of the African Community Center to raise funds for the women of the Congo, they are welcomed to stop by their office at 1019 Wealthy SE, in Grand Rapids.

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M.O.D. Show at Lansing Canceled After All; Protest Happens Anyway

Posted on August 25, 2008 by | Comments Off

After a series of announcements stating that a show by the racist band M.O.D. at Mac’s Bar in Lansing, Michigan was going to be canceled–only to have it announced that it was back on again–the show was finally canceled on August 15. However, after Mac’s Bar owner Chuck Mannino went back on his word earlier this month, protestors gathered outside the bar to have a presence in case the show did indeed happen–which it did not.

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MSU Earth Liberation Front (ELF) Informant Going on Oceanside Vacation

Posted on August 25, 2008 by | Comments Off

082508-frank_ambrose.jpg

Frank Ambrose–a former radical environmental activist who has become a government informant in a case against three individuals charged with an arson at Michigan State University (MSU) as a protest against genetic engineering–is being allowed to go on an Oceanside vacation with his family. According to a report in The Herald Times, Ambrose–who’s movement restricted by court order–is being allowed to take a one week vacation in Tybee Island, Georgia to spend time with his family in “a relaxed vacation setting” before being sentenced for his role in the arsons. Despite his decision to act as an informant in this case and other actions linked to the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), Ambrose faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. According to prosecutors, at his upcoming sentencing Ambrose will describe his “substantial and rather extraordinary cooperation” with the government.

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National and International Headlines for August 25

Posted on August 25, 2008 by | Comments Off
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Headlines from Democracynow.org, a daily TV/radio news program, hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, airing on over 650 stations, pioneering the largest community media collaboration in the US.

Obama Taps Joe Biden to Be His Running Mate

Thousands of Democratic delegates have gathered here in Denver today for the start of the Democratic National Convention. The convention begins two days after Senator Barack Obama tapped fellow Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware to be his running mate. Obama made the announcement in a text message early Saturday morning. The two appeared at a rally on Saturday in Springfield, Illinois before 35,000 supporters.

Sen. Barack Obama: “Joe Biden is that rare mix. For decades, he has brought change to Washington, but Washington hasn’t changed him. He’s an expert on foreign policy whose heart and values are rooted firmly in the middle class.”

Senator Biden criticized Republican candidate John McCain for not knowing how many homes he owned.

Sen. Joe Biden: “Ladies and gentlemen, your kitchen table is like mine. You sit there at night before you put the kids–after you put the kids to bed, and you talk, and you talk about what you need. You talk about how much you’re worried about being able to pay the bills. Well, ladies and gentlemen, that’s not a worry John McCain has to worry about. It’s a pretty hard experience: he’ll have to figure out which of the seven kitchen tables to sit at.”

Biden has served in the Senate since 1972 and is the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In 2002, Biden was one of twenty-nine Democratic senators to vote to authorize the invasion of Iraq. He later said his vote was a mistake. He has also taken the controversial position of advocating for the partitioning of Iraq into three or more regions.

Nader Describes Biden as the “MasterCard Senator”

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader described Biden as the MasterCard Senator. One of Biden’s biggest corporate backers is the Delaware-based credit card company MBNA. Biden was the key architect of the 2005 bankruptcy law which made it harder for consumers to file for bankruptcy protection. At the time, Biden’s son was working as a consultant to MBNA. Nader also criticized Biden for helping to create the modern drug war by pushing the 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act.

McCain Issues Obama Attack Ad Using Biden’s Words

Hours after Barack Obama selected Biden, Senator John McCain released a commercial about Biden.

Narrator: “What does Barack Obama’s running mate say about Barack Obama?”

ABC’s George Stephanopoulos: “You were asked, ‘Is he ready?’ You said, ‘I think he can be ready but right now, I don’t believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training.’”

Joe Biden: “I think that I stand by the statement.”

Narrator: “And what does he say about John McCain?”

Biden: “I would be honored to run with or against John McCain, because I think the country would be better off.”

John McCain: “I’m John McCain, and I approve this message.”

Over 1,000 Protesters March to Pepsi Center in Denver

Over a thousand protesters here in Denver marched from the state capitol to the Pepsi Center on Sunday in the first major demonstration of the Democratic National Convention. Organized by the group Recreate 68, the protest temporarily blocked access to the convention site before police ordered the crowd to disperse. Speakers at the rally included antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan, Green Party presidential nominee Cynthia McKinney, and Vietnam veteran and antiwar activist Ron Kovic.

Ron Kovic: “Senator Obama took a very strong position against the war in the beginning. We’d like him to remain opposed to this war and continue to speak on behalf of bringing the troops home immediately.”

US-Led Air Strike Kills up to 90 Afghan Civilians

In Afghanistan, US and Afghan forces have been accused of killing up to ninety Afghan civilians, including over fifty children, in an air strike in the village of Azizabad last week. A statement from the Afghan Interior Ministry said it was one of deadliest strikes on civilians since the 2001 US-led invasion. On Saturday, hundreds of Afghans staged a protest against the US attack. One of the victims’ father, Abdul Karim, angrily held up his child’s shirt.

Abdul Karim: “Those hypocrites who said that there was the Taliban here and they’re killing innocent people should come and see that all of those who have died are kids, not the Taliban.”

On Sunday, President Hamid Karzai dismissed an Afghan army general and another officer for their part in the commando operation. The US military initially said thirty suspected Taliban fighters were killed in the attack, but the military has announced plans to investigate the killings.

Russian Upper House Back Breakaway Regions of Georgia

Russia’s upper house of parliament has voted unanimously for a resolution calling on President Dmitry Medvedev to recognize Georgia’s breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. On Friday, Moscow withdrew the bulk of its forces from Georgia’s heartland, but Russia said it would maintain a residual force to protect the separatist regions. Meanwhile, a US Navy destroyer arrived in Georgia Sunday carrying fifty-five tons of aid as part of what the Bush administration called a humanitarian mission. The USS McFaul is the first of three warships that are due to arrive this week. The ship is outfitted with a wide range of weaponry, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can carry conventional or nuclear warheads.

Free Gaza Boats Arrive in Gaza with Humanitarian Aid

Two boats carrying dozens of human rights activists and humanitarian aid arrived in the Gaza Strip on Saturday despite an Israeli naval blockade. Israel had earlier said the Free Gaza boats would not be allowed in. Passengers on board included Lauren Booth, sister-in-law of former British premier Tony Blair. The activists said they hoped their trip would help bring an end to the siege on Gaza.

Free Gaza Activist: “What can I say? We are so glad to be here. We are so happy to be here to be able to stand with you against the occupation. We have longed for so many, many months to arrive, and now it’s like a dream for us to meet you.”

Israel has imposed a strict blockade on Gaza for the past fourteen months. The Free Gaza group plans to spend ten days in Gaza and then, on its return voyage, bring ten Palestinian students to Cyprus. Israel has prevented the students from leaving Gaza to study abroad.

Iraqi Suicide Bomber Kills 25

In Iraq, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest at a dinner banquet in western Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib district on Sunday, killing twenty-five people. The attack took place at the home of a local Sunni sheikh who was holding a feast to celebrate the release of his son from US detention. Police said women and children were among the dead, as were some men believed to be members of US-backed neighborhood patrols.

US Captures Suspect in Jill Carroll Kidnaping

In other news from Iraq, the US military says it has captured an Iraqi man who allegedly planned the kidnapping of Christian Science Monitor reporter Jill Carroll in 2006. Carroll was held for nearly three months in captivity before being released. The military said the man, Abu Uthman, and his associates were also involved in the 2004 kidnapping and murder of Margaret Hassan, the director of Care International in Iraq.

Shortage of Funding Halts Mine Sweeping in Lebanon

In Lebanon, the United Nations has announced much of its efforts to clear cluster munitions scattered by Israel in south Lebanon will have to stop this month for lack of funds. Donors have failed to come up with a promised $4.7 million needed to fund the program in 2008. The UN has identified over 1,000 cluster strike locations across the south. Only about half of the land contaminated by cluster munitions has been fully cleared over the past two years. The process was slowed in part because Israel refused to hand over detailed data on the cluster strikes. Since the war ended, twenty-seven civilians and thirteen bomb disposal experts have been killed. Over 200 civilians have also been injured by the unexploded ordnance.

Report: US to Deploy Missile Radar System in Israel

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports the US and Israel have agreed on the deployment of a high-powered early-warning missile radar system in southern Israel. The Joint Tactical Ground Station will be staffed by US military personnel. Haaretz reports the missile radar system is widely seen as a kind of parting gift from Washington to Jerusalem as President George W. Bush prepares to leave office.

China Deports US Pro-Tibet Activists

As the Olympics closed in Beijing on Sunday, China deported eight jailed Americans connected to the Students for a Free Tibet movement. The Americans had been sentenced to ten days of detention for holding an unauthorized pro-Tibet demonstration last week. Among those held was Brian Conley, an independent journalist and video blogger.

Court Rules UK to Release Info about Gitmo Detainee

A British resident being held at Guantanamo Bay has won a ruling in Britain’s High Court, which ordered the British government to release secret documents that may help prove he was tortured by American forces. Thirty-year-old Binyam Mohamed alleges that his confession to terrorism charges was given only after he had his penis sliced by a blade. The case is likely to reveal in more detail the level of cooperation between the US and British governments in the program of “extraordinary rendition,” which sent terror suspects to secret locations around the world to be tortured.

War Resister Robin Long Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison

And American war resister Robin Long has been sentenced to fifteen months in prison after he pleaded guilty to desertion with intent to remain away permanently. In 2005, Long left his tank unit after learning that it was bound for Iraq. He then fled to British Columbia. He lived in Canada up until last month, when he was deported.

Bush-Appointed Immigration Judges Reject Asylum Cases at Higher Rate

The Bush administration’s use of patronage when appointing immigration judges has adversely affected the success of asylum seekers in the United States. This according to an analysis published by the New York Times. The policy of using a conservative litmus test when appointing judges was revealed in an internal Justice Department report last week. An analysis of sixteen judges appointed by this litmus test showed that they disproportionately rejected the asylum applications of immigrants when compared with other judges ruling in their vicinity.

Bank Regulators Close Kansas Bank

And in economic news, bank regulators have closed the Columbian Bank and Trust Co. of Topeka, Kansas. It is the nation’s ninth bank to collapse this year.

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St. Paul Police Ready Temporary Holding Cells for RNC Protestors

Posted on August 22, 2008 by | Comments Off

The St. Paul Police Department is busy preparing a temporary holding facility for protestors arrested at the upcoming Republican National Convention (RNC). According to a story on the corporately owned MyFox9, the St. Paul Police Department is converting a parking ramp adjacent to the Ramsey County Detention Center to function as a holding cell for those committing misdemeanors during the RNC. Protestors who commit felonies will be held in the county jail next door which can accommodate 500 protestors.

According to the report, Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher said that the city is planning for hundreds of arrests. He says that “it would be fair to conclude between the RNC in Philadelphia in 2000 and in NYC in 2004… About 600 people were arrested in Philadelphia and about 1,800 in New York City.”

The police are also claiming that those with identification who are arrested for misdemeanor charges will be released with a ticket within four hours. Of course, this could change at any time and police can legally hold people for up to 36 hours, not including holidays and weekends.

In order to prepare for possible arrest and or interactions with the various law enforcement jurisdictions in the Twin Cities, the Coldsnap Legal Collective has produced an informative primer on what to expect from the legal system.

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Public Comment on Fish Threatened by Sulfide Mine Re-opened

Posted on August 22, 2008 by | Comments Off

Save the Wild UP–an organization opposing the construction of an environmentally destructive sulfide mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula–that the United States Fish and Wild Service is soliciting additional public input on whether or not the Coaster Brook Trout should be considered an endangered species. The trout’s only remaining spawning grounds is the Salmon Trout River that is threatened by possible pollution from the Eagle Project Sulfide Mine on the Yellow Dog Plains. Save the Wild UP encourages people to review information on the trout and comment. Designating the Coaster Brook Trout as an endangered species could be an important step in preventing the opening of the Eagle Project mine.

The Coaster Brook Trout is the namesake of Grand Rapids’ Coaster Brook Earth First! a group organizing locally to oppose the Eagle Project mine.

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National and International Headlines for August 22

Posted on August 22, 2008 by | Comments Off
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Headlines from Democracynow.org, a daily TV/radio news program, hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, airing on over 650 stations, pioneering the largest community media collaboration in the US.

Possible Withdrawal of US Combat Troops in Iraq Set for 2011

US and Iraqi negotiators have agreed to a possible withdrawal of US combat forces from Iraq by the end of 2011 and for a reduction in the presence of US forces in Iraqi cities by the end of next year. The agreements come as part of a US-Iraqi security deal to replace the UN mandate that expires in December. But the deal would also allow the US to keep tens of thousands of troops in Iraq after 2011 for so-called supporting roles including military training. No timetable has been reached for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iraq. Iraq’s chief negotiator, Mohammed al-Haj Hamoud, said, “They have both agreed to 2011. If the Iraqi government at that time decides it is necessary to keep the American forces longer, they can do so.” The Bush administration called the withdrawal timetables “aspirational goals” rather than fixed dates. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spent Thursday in Baghdad in negotiations.

Condoleezza Rice: “We have had very good discussions on a number of other issues, including the strategic framework agreement. It is an important agreement to allow Iraq and the United States to continue the cooperation that we’ve begun to lay a foundation for future cooperation.”

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Baghdad and Washington are close to finalizing the deal.

Hoshyar Zebari: “We had a very good meeting with Secretary Rice. We discussed a number of regional Iraqi internal issues, and also we discussed the strategic framework agreement, that there has been a great deal of progress, in fact. Secretary Rice meeting this morning with Prime Minister was positive, and we are very close to finalize this important agreement.”

Several issues remain unresolved, including whether US troops will be subject to Iraqi law if accused of committing crimes. The New York Times reports it is also unclear whether the accord will allow for the US to build permanent military bases in Iraq and what role the United States would play in providing air and naval support for Iraq.

Electronic Voting Company Admits System Flaw Could Cause Lost Votes

A major electronic voting company has acknowledged its voting system contains a critical programming error that can cause votes to be dropped and lost. The company, Premier Election Solutions, formerly known as Diebold, said the problem has been part of its software for ten years but was only recently identified. The flawed software is on both touchscreen and optical scan voting machines made by Premier, which supplies voting machines to thirty-four states.

Federal Judge Delays Execution of Jeffery Wood

In Texas, a federal judge delayed the execution of Jeffery Wood yesterday, pending an evaluation to determine if Wood is competent enough to be able to understand why he is to be put to death. Jeffery Wood was to have been executed last night for being an accomplice in a 1996 convenience store robbery. Wood was sitting in a truck outside when the clerk was shot and killed. The man who pulled the trigger was executed six years ago, but Wood was given a death sentence for the same crime under the Texas law of parties.

Obama on VP Pick: “I Want Somebody Who’s Independent”

In campaign news, speculation is intensifying over who Senator Barack Obama will pick to be his running mate. On Thursday, Obama announced that he has decided on a vice-presidential candidate but declined to provide a name. Obama said, “I want somebody who’s independent, somebody who can push against my preconceived notions and challenge me so we have got a robust debate in the White House.” Obama is expected to announce his decision today or tomorrow by sending a text message to his supporters.

McCain Can’t Recall How Many Homes He Owns

In other campaign news, Senator Obama has begun airing a new television ad criticizing John McCain for failing to remember how many homes he and his wife own. During an interview with the website Politico, McCain was asked about his multiple homes.

Sen. McCain: “I think–I’ll have my staff get to you. It’s condominiums where–I’ll have them get to you.”

McCain’s staff says the Arizona senator and his wife own four homes: two in Arizona, one in California and one in Virginia. But it is reported the McCains actually own at least seven properties worth around $14 million. McCain’s comments come just days after he said the threshold for considering someone rich is $5 million.

Death Toll Reaches 70 in Pakistan

In Pakistan, the death toll from Thursday’s massive suicide bombing has reached at least seventy. Three suicide bombers blew themselves up outside Pakistan’s largest arms and ammunition factory. The bombing was the deadliest attack by the Taliban since they began hitting Pakistani government sites more than eighteen months ago. A Taliban spokesperson called the arms facility “a killer factory where arms are being produced to kill our women and children.” The Taliban said the attack was in response to Pakistan’s decision to launch a major military campaign in the Banjur tribal area. Over the past three weeks, more than 200,000 Pakistanis in the region have been forced to flee their homes because of the fighting.

New Rule on Abortions to Impact Hospitals and Clinics

The Washington Post reports the Bush administration has announced plans to implement a controversial regulation designed to protect doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers who object to abortion or birth control from being forced to deliver services that violate their personal beliefs. The rule empowers federal health officials to pull funding from nearly 600,000 hospitals, clinics, health plans, doctors’ offices and other entities if they do not accommodate employees who refuse to participate in care they find objectionable on personal, moral or religious grounds. Women’s health advocates and family planning advocates condemned the regulation, saying it could create sweeping obstacles to a variety of health services, including abortion, family planning, end-of-life care and possibly a wide range of scientific research.

US Releases Iraqi Journalist

An Iraqi cameraman working for Reuters has been released after being held for twenty-six days without charge by the US military. Ali al-Mashhadani had been detained twice before by US forces, at one time being held for five months, but no charge has ever been made against him.

Marine on Trial for Fallujah Killings

The trial of a former Marine accused of voluntary manslaughter and assault while serving in Iraq began yesterday. Jose Luis Nazario, Jr. is charged with killing unarmed Iraqi detainees in Fallujah. If found guilty, he could face up to ten years in jail. Nazario is the first civilian to be tried under a federal law that allows the prosecution of former military service members for war crimes.

Pro-Tibet Activists Speak Out in Beijing

And in China, two activists with Students for a Free Tibet staged what they called their “lucky eight” protest against the human rights situation in China during the Olympics. One of the activists, Ginger Cassidy, spoke to reporters in Beijing.

Ginger Cassidy: “We’re here to stand in solidarity with the people of Tibet. Armed with human dignity and nonviolent tactics, they’re going up against one of the largest propaganda and military machines in the world, China, who’s been trying dissolve any dissent in this country. We have organized over eight nonviolent direct actions here while we’ve been in China, successfully. We call it our lucky eights.”

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