AfterDowningStreet.org

DEMOCRACY NOW!
* Pentagon Caught Spying on U.S. Anti-War and Anti-Nuclear Activists *
Newly leaked Pentagon documents have confirmed the military has been
monitoring and collecting intelligence on anti-war groups across the

Council for Livable World - December 15, 2005
Key point: The Iraqi elections on Thursday provide an opportunity for the United States to change course in Iraq and begin bringing U.S. forces home. As we pass the 1,000th day of the war in Iraq, we must begin the transition to putting the Iraqis in charge.

By Barbara Cummings
A group of San Diegan's continued our activism by taking petitions local offices of our congressmen. We read the names of all Ca residents killed in Iraq and Afganistan. Many members of the SANDIEGOAFTERDOWNINGSTREET Coalition attended and participated, including Barbara Cummings, Kelly King, Katie, Dave, Linda and others. Kelly spoke about the upcoming OUTOFIRAQ events being planned for 1-7-06 and Barbara spoke about the recent international peace ocnference in London.

Latest on NoQuarter
By Larry C. Johnson
With voting already underway in Iraq we should harbor no illusion about the ultimate outcome--the Iraqi shias with the closest ties to Iran will secure the largest share of the votes. George Bush is right about one thing; this vote is likely to remake the face of the Middle East. Unfortunately, his vision that Iraq will become a launching pad for a new era of peace and understanding among the nations in the region is not only farfetched, but ignores what is actually taking place on the ground.

On December 14, 2005, Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) moved on the House floor for conferees on the Defense Appropriations Bill to accept the McCain amendment relating to prohibition on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of persons under custody or control of the United States government.

By E.J. Dionne, Jr. - Washington Post Writers Group
12.13.05 - WASHINGTON — After this week's elections in Iraq, will our national debate be about what the United States should do to salvage the best outcome it can from a war policy that has been riddled with errors and miscalculations? Or will we mostly discuss how politicians should position themselves on the war?

Bob Barr says military dictatorship close
By Paul Joseph Watson & Alex Jones, prisonplanet.com
Former Republican Congressman and CIA official Bob Barr says that there is a danger recent developments describe a trend of America slipping into a totalitarian society and that the Bush administration are doing everything in their power to see that this happens.

Published on Tuesday, December 13, 2005 by the Independent / UK
President Bush said yesterday that 'the year 2005 will be a turning point in the history of freedom'. But since the start of the war the days have been littered with unintended consequences.

The Green Party Supports Impeachment (PRESS RELEASE)
GREENS: IMPEACH BUSH NOW!
GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org
The Downing Street Memo proves that invasion of Iraq wasn't the 'last resort' but Bush's intent all along, leading to cooked intelligence and other impeachable offenses; Greens note bipartisan and media complicity in overlooking evidence of deceit, urge public protest.

By Raphael Zappala
Am I right that today is the 1000th day of this war…? In these horrific 1,000 days since the invasion of Iraq, 2,150 U.S. Soldiers have been killed, as of 3:50 PM EST. Bush does not care and states that the amount of Iraqi civilians killed in this war is 30,000. I do understand why he said that. If one is to check www.iraqbodycount.org, it does say that there are about 30,000 (30,892 to be exact) dead Iraqi civilians. However, this is just according to the confirmed deaths by the media’s stories. I will no way in hell say “only 30,000” because, compared to our losses, that is astounding. Nobody cares though. It seems somewhat evident that the majority does not care too much about the American deaths either. Damn this country and the uncompassionate citizens who pay no mind to the pain and grief that us families who have lost loved ones are feeling. May we also pray and think of the families of the 4 U.S. soldiers that were killed by an IED today. They are now experiencing this same pain.

Not swayed by last minute testimony, lawyers say
By RAW STORY, Jason Leopold and Larisa Alexandrovna
A few weeks after he took over the investigation into the leak of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson in early 2004, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald had already become suspicious that Karl Rove and Vice President Cheney’s then-chief of staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby were hindering his investigation.

From Tomdispatch today an important piece on the air war in Iraq: Dahr Jamail, "An Increasingly Aerial Occupation" http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?pid=42286
About two weeks ago, the New Yorker magazine's Seymour Hersh wrote "Up in the Air," the first serious mainstream report on the American air war in Iraq -- a subject Tomdispatch has been sending out pieces about for at least the last year and a half.

By TomPaine
Yesterday, President Bush did something highly out of character for him: He answered a question—from a citizen, no less—directly. In public. Just when we'd all gotten used to Scott McClellan constantly telling us that he can't comment, the president answered lawyer Didi Goldmark's question of how many Iraqis had been killed with, "I would say 30,000, more or less, have died as a result of the initial incursion and the ongoing violence against Iraqis."

By David Sirota
There is a time for humor, and there is a time not for humor. But then, as they say, all humor has a grain of truth to it. And if that's the case, then yesterday's behavior by President Bush - and the reaction to it - is a disturbing commentary about both the current White House, and about ourselves.

By BBC
Allegations that the CIA abducted and illegally transported terror suspects across European borders are credible, an investigator has said.
Swiss senator Dick Marty has submitted a report on the claims, made in the media, to a meeting of the human rights committee of the Council of Europe.

Ending the War in Iraq, Building a Broad Movement for Peace and Justice, And Our Experience with A.N.S.W.E.R.
From the Steering Committee, United for Peace and
Justice December 12, 2005
United for Peace and Justice aims to build the

Detainees may lose right to habeas corpus in deal with White House to prevent veto of McCain amendment against torture
Please call: Senators Levin (D-MI), Graham (R-SC), Warner (R-VA), McCain (R-AZ)

By Joe Libertelli, PDA
An April 22, 2005 article by Elizabeth Schulte entitled "Why Inside-Outside is Getting Nowhere/Backing Democrats has Pulled the Anti-war Movement to the Right" was recently resurrected and forwarded to the UFPJ list by Dave Silver. In it, Ms. Schulte pulled a long quote from my very short article, "Transformation of the Democratic Party: John Kerry's Statement on the Iraq War; Political Ecology 101" yet still managed to get it completely out of context and reverse its meaning. Its full text can be found at http://www.pdamerica.org/articles/news/kerry_position.php.

By Kevin Zeese, www.DemocracyRising.US
Major Worldwide Demonstrations Planned for Third Anniversary of Iraq War
Andrew Murray the Chair of the Stop the War Coalition opened a conference in London on December 10th describing it as an “historic event” that brings together peace activists from around the world. Indeed, the conference included delegates from the United States, Britain, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India, the Philippines, Canada, Poland, Greece, Italy, Spain and many other European countries. And as the day wore on it became evident that the potential historic nature of the conference would be seen depending on the actions taken as a result of the event.

By HELEN THOMAS
How long will the American people tolerate the shaming of their nation by the inhumane treatment of prisoners of war and the spiriting of detainees to secret prisons outside the United States?