TOP STORIES
Rumsfeld Sees Lack Of Proof For Qaeda-Hussein Link
(New York Times, October 5, 2004, Pg. 1)
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said that he had seen no "strong,
hard
evidence" linking Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda, although he tempered
his
comment by noting that stark disagreements on that issue remained among
American intelligence analysts. While Rumsfeld often has cited CIA reports
of murky ties, including the presence of Al Qaeda operatives in Iraq,
he has
not been as adamant on the issue as other senior administration officials,
in particular Vice President Dick Cheney.
Bremer Criticizes Troop Levels
Ex-Overseer Of Iraq Says U.S. Effort Was Hampered Early On
(Washington Post, October 5, 2004, Pg. 1)
The former U.S. official who governed Iraq after the invasion said that
the
United States made two major mistakes: not deploying enough troops in
Iraq
and then not containing the violence and looting immediately after the
ouster of Saddam Hussein. Ambassador Paul Bremer's comments were striking
because they echoed contentions of many administration critics, including
Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry,
At Least 26 Die As 3 Car Bombs Explode In Iraq
(New York Times, October 5, 2004, Pg. 1)
Three powerful car bombs exploded across Iraq, killing at least 26 persons
and wounding more than 100 others in a day of carnage that demonstrated
the
relative ease with which insurgents are striking in the hearts of major
cities. A firefight between police officers and insurgents broke out
in the
middle of downtown Baghdad after one of the explosions, security contractors
at the scene said.
Lining Up For Dangerous Work
(Los Angeles Times, October 5, 2004, Pg. 1)
Hundreds of potential recruits for Iraq's nascent security forces have
been
killed in attack after attack by insurgents, but the spiraling body
count
has failed to scare away large numbers of young men, who still line
up to
join. On Monday morning, a car bomb outside a recruiting center in Baghdad
killed at least 15 Iraqis and wounded 80. Most of them were aspiring
officers.
Al-Sadr Militia Pumping Up With Drugs
Narcotics Said To 'Provide Courage'
(Washington Times, October 5, 2004, Pg. 1)
Militiamen fighting under the banner of radical Muslim cleric Moqtada
al-Sadr are pumping themselves up with drugs before confronting coalition
forces, according to U.S. military reports and State Department and
Iraqi
sources. "They give their suicide bombers barbiturates, and the
amphetamines
are for street fighters who are facing off with the U.S.," one
State
Department analyst said.
Army Charges 4 In Death
Soldiers Accused Of Smothering Iraqi General
(Denver Post, October 5, 2004, Pg. 1)
The Army has filed murder charges against four soldiers in the smothering
death of an Iraqi general last year, marking the first time military
officials have brought such a case since prisoner-abuse incidents were
exposed in the war zone. The development was the latest in a case beset
by
questions from Congress about whether any service members would be held
accountable and whether the Army would address questions about a coverup
after initially describing the general as dying from natural causes.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Rumsfeld Sees Retaking Of Samarra As Model
Defense Secretary Outlines Three-Step Process for Defeating Iraqi Resistance
(Washington Post, October 5, 2004, Pg. 20)
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld portrayed the retaking of the Iraqi
city
of Samarra during the weekend by U.S. and Iraqi forces as a military
model
for re-establishing government control elsewhere in the country.
Syria Not Keeping Promise
Terrorists Still crossing Iraq border, Rumsfeld says
(Washington Times, October 5, 2004, Pg. 11)
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said that, despite Syrian promises
to
clamp down on terrorists crossing into Iraq, he has seen little action.
He
accused Syria of directly aiding terrorists making their way to Iraq.
Rumsfeld: Al-Qaeda-Saddam Link Is Weak
'Hard Evidence' Hasn't Surfaced
(USA Today, October 5, 2004, Pg. 14)
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said that he has not seen "any
strong,
hard evidence" linking Saddam Hussein and the Al Qaeda terrorists
who staged
the Sept. 11 attacks, in a more direct statement than he has made on
the
subject before. Rumsfeld answered a question about purported links in
an
appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York only after
there
were catcalls from the audience when he said he would not respond.
Suit Seeks Military Coffin Photos
(Atlanta Journal and Constitution, October 5, 2004)
A new lawsuit sought to force the Pentagon to release photographs and
videotapes of coffins of service members killed overseas and brought
back to
the United States. "Everyone says a picture is worth a thousand
words. Well,
the pictures have an impact and help people understand what war is really
about in a way that nothing else does," said Meredith Fuchs, general
counsel
of the National Security Archives and one of the lawyers involved in
the
suit filed by a journalism instructor.
IRAQ
Inspector's Report To Detail Iraqi Plans To Undermine Sanctions And
Produce
Illicit Arms
(New York Times, October 5, 2004)
A report to be made public today by the top American weapons inspector
in
Iraq, Charles Duelfer, will outline new details of attempts by Saddam
Hussein's government to undermine United Nations sanctions as part of
a plan
to produce illicit weapons if those sanctions were lifted, Bush
administration officials said.
U.S. Faces An Insurgency That Seems To Strike At Will
(Philadelphia Inquirer, October 5, 2004, Pg. 1)
More than three dozen car bombings since the beginning of September
illustrate Iraqi insurgents' seeming ability to strike at will despite
recent pledges by the United States and Iraq to intensify the suppression
of
the attackers. In another indication that the violence is not letting
up,
September was the second-deadliest month of the year for U.S. forces
in
Iraq. The death toll was 80, up from 65 in August and equal to the 80
who
died in May. The deadliest month was April, with 135 deaths.
Car Bombs Kill At Least 22 In Iraq
'Hour by Hour, The Situation Is Getting Worse,' Witness Says
(Washington Post, October 5, 2004, Pg. 19)
In one of the four car bombings across Iraq on Monday, a pickup truck
in
Baghdad loaded with explosives barreled into a convoy of sport-utility
vehicles, which have become the most conspicuous targets in Baghdad
because
they invariably carry foreigners. The truck's charred chassis littered
the
street, along with gnarled hunks of metal and rubber, the shining gravel
of
burst window glass, a human head and other body parts.
U.S. Opts For Risky Tactic In Iraq
As Airstrikes Grow, Who Will Win Hearts And Minds?
(Dallas Morning News, October 5, 2004)
U.S. forces battling insurgents and foreign terrorists in Fallujah,
Samarra
and Baghdad have increased their use of airstrikes over the last month-a
dicey tactic in such a war. "It's risky because it doesn't look
good,
because it looks like we're making war on the Iraqi people," says
John Pike
of GlobalSecurity.org, a nonpartisan defense policy Web site.
Iraq-Al Qaeda Tie Called Unlikely
(Miami Herald, October 5, 2004)
A new CIA assessment undercuts the White House claim that Saddam Hussein
maintained ties to Al Qaeda, saying there is no conclusive evidence
that the
regime harbored terrorist Abu Musab al Zarqawi. The new finding follows
the
independent Sept. 11 commission's judgment that there was no "collaborative
relationship" between the former Iraqi regime and Osama bin Laden's
terrorist network.
Rules Slow Rebuilding In Iraq
Spending Deadlines, Regulations To Fight Fraud Create Barriers
(Wall Street Journal, October 5, 2004, Pg. 4)
The rules governing how reconstruction funds are spent in Iraq have
been a
point of contention for months and are a stark example of the struggle
to
adapt to a guerrilla war in which bricks-and-mortar projects are as
important as bullets and bombs. As the United States has shifted from
using
seized Iraqi assets and money from the oil-for-food program to
congressionally appropriated funds, which come with more restrictions,
complaints have intensified.
Poland Unexpectedly Says Troops May Quit Iraq In 2005
(International Herald Tribune, October 5, 2004)
President Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland moved quickly to end an
escalating row inside his country's fragile leftist government coalition,
saying he hoped that 2,500 troops serving in Iraq would be withdrawn
next
year.
Media Overlooks Successes In Nation, Military Leaders Say
(San Diego Union-Tribune, October 4, 2005)
Army Maj. Lance Varney, who works with the mayor of Baghdad to provide
the
city with services, believes the media have emphasized the negatives
without
acknowledging the positives.
GUANTANAMO
General Predicts Release Of Terror Suspects
(London Financial Times, October 5, 2004)
Most of the prisoners being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are expected
to be
released or transferred to their own countries, the deputy commander
of the
unit that runs the base said. "Of the 550 that we have, I would
say most of
them, the majority of them, will either be released or transferred to
their
own countries," Brig Gen Martin Lucenti said. "Most of these
guys weren't
fighting. They were running. Even if somebody has been found to be an
enemy
combatant, many of them will be released because they will be of low
intelligence value and low threat status.
ARMY
U.S. Need For More Armored Humvees In Iraq Surges, Army Says
(Bloomberg.com, October 4, 2004)
The U.S. Central Command's need for heavily armored Humvee transport
vehicles in Iraq has surged 84 percent in the past four months amid
a rise
in violence and training of Iraqi forces, according to new Army figures.
As
many as 8,105 armored Humvees are required, up from 4,400 in June, the
Army
said.
AIR FORCE
Survey: AFA Embracing Anti-Rape Reforms
(Denver Post, October 5, 2004)
More than 80 percent of Air Force Academy cadets approve of changes
made in
the wake of a sexual-assault scandal a year ago, a new survey reports.
Of
the women who took the survey, 33 percent said they would report a sexual
assault if attacked. That percentage is double the national average
but not
high enough for academy officials, who would like the number to be higher.
Air Force Pursuing Antimatter Weapons
(San Francisco Chronicle, October 4, 2004, Pg. 1)
The Air Force is quietly spending millions of dollars investigating
ways to
use a radical power source-antimatter-in future weapons. During the
Cold
War, the service funded numerous scientific studies into the basic physics
of antimatter. With the knowledge gained, some Air Force insiders are
beginning to think seriously about potential military uses-for example,
antimatter bombs small enough to hold in one's hand, and antimatter
engines
for 24/7 surveillance aircraft.
WHITE HOUSE
Bush Signs Tax Bill For Low-Income Troops In Combat Zones
(ArmyTimes.com, October 4, 2004)
A bill promising tax breaks for low-income troops serving in a combat
zone
was signed into law by President Bush. The Working Families Tax Relief
Act
includes two combat-related provisions making it easier for troops and
their
families to qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the child tax
credit.
CONGRESS
Saddam Misused Oil-Food Program
Probes Detail End Runs, Bribes
(Washington Times, October 5, 2004, Pg. 1)
Congressional investigators have uncovered new information showing how
Saddam Hussein's government systematically purchased military-related
goods
for the seven years of the U.N. oil-for-food program. According to officials
involved in ongoing probes, motorcycles bought under program were used
by
the Fedayeen to attack U.S. forces in Iraq.
Spy Reform Bill's Guiding Light Is Up To The Task
(Los Angeles Times, October 5, 2004)
Sen. Susan Collins kept her intelligence reform bill largely intact
in
several key showdowns with the powerful chairmen of the Appropriations
and
Armed Services committees, who see the legislation as threatening the
Pentagon and their own committees' authority.
Senate Leans To A Powerful Intelligence Chief
(New York Times, October 5, 2004)
Senate authors of a plan to reorganize U.S. intelligence agencies defeated
efforts to reduce the power of a new national intelligence director.
The
leadership, meanwhile, unveiled a plan on how the Senate could better
oversee intelligence and security activities.
POLITICS
Partisan Politics At Work Criticized
Federal Employees Used As A 'Prop' in Bush Reelection Campaign In Violation
of Hatch Act, Union Charges
(Washington Post, October 5, 2004, Pg. 23)
Military and civilian employees at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque,
N.M., received an unusual e-mail in August inviting them to attend a
local
campaign rally for President Bush. "They basically rounded up the
people and
told the military, 'Don't wear your uniforms and get over to the convention
center and root for the president,'" said John Gage, president
of the
American Federation of Government Employees. The "party, the administration,
whoever, just seems to be using our military and our civil service as
a prop
for campaign events," he said.
AFGHANISTAN
Heavy Security Surrounds Afghans' Historic Vote
Tens Of Thousands Of Soldiers, Police To Provide Security
(USA Today, October 5, 2004, Pg. 9)
More than 70,000 troops and police will be mobilized to block any attempt
by
Al Qaeda or Taliban fighters to disrupt Afghanistan's presidential election
on Saturday. About 25,000 international troops, including 16,000 Americans,
will provide security in outlying regions and support Afghan forces.
Italy
and Spain have each deployed a battalion, and the United States recently
added a battalion from the 82nd Airborne Division.
Presidential Vote To Continue Afghanistan's Transformation
(Wall Street Journal, October 5, 2004, Pg. 20)
With its first presidential election on Saturday and a parliamentary
ballot
scheduled for April, Afghanistan is entering a crucial stage of its
political transformation. Local and national figures of all
stripes-hard-line Islamists, former resistance fighters and regional
strongmen backed by private militias-are jockeying for a voice in
Afghanistan's democratic future.
A Leader Freed May Reap Votes For Karzai
(Baltimore Sun, October 5, 2004)
Afghan-style democracy seems to be shaping up as the kind of
rough-and-tumble ward politics in which votes and favors are traded,
political bosses call the shots and ethnic loyalties rule. And Afghanistan's
Kuchi nomads, an ancient group of herders loyal to a way of life thousands
of years old, are right in the thick of things.
Afghan City Is Calmed, U.S. Reports
(New York Times, October 5, 2004)
The American ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, declared a
success
for the government of President Hamid Karzai, reporting a rapid disarmament
operation in the western city of Herat after the recent removal of the
governor, Ismail Khan.
ASIA/PACIFIC
US To Delay Troop Cut By 3 Years
(Korea Times, October 5, 2004)
The United States has acceded to a South Korean request to delay scaling
back its military presence in the country by several years, a Pentagon
official said. After weeks of negotiations, the allies agreed that
Washington would withdraw 12,500 troops from South Korea by 2008 in
several
phases, with the first contingent of 5,000 leaving this year. That figure
includes 3,600 soldiers who have already been transferred to Iraq.
Japan: U.S. F-15's Brush In Midair
(New York Times, October 5, 2004)
Two American F-15 fighter planes brushed each other over the waters
off
Okinawa during a training flight but both returned safely to a base
on the
island and there were no injuries, the U.S. military said.
Japan Call To Reshape Defence Capabilities
(London Financial Times, October 5, 2004)
Japan should respond to the changing threats to its security by reshaping
its defense capabilities and possibly acquiring the technology for
pre-emptive strikes against foreign missile bases, a top-level panel
recommended to the country's prime minister.
NORTH KOREA
China Says N.K. Tried To Enrich Uranium: Report
(Korea Herald, October 5, 2004)
For the first time since the North Korean nuclear standoff began nearly
two
years ago, China has confirmed Pyongyang's intention to conduct an uranium
enrichment program, according to a Japanese media report. If true, the
North
will now face more pressure to deal with the issue during six-nation
negotiations.
POLL
Support Grows For Troops
(London Times, October 5, 2004)
Public support for Prime Minister Tony Blair's policy of keeping British
troops in Iraq for as long as necessary to produce stability has increased
during the past three months, according to a new poll. This is despite
the
high level of killing, and the kidnapping of British engineer Kenneth
Bigley.
TERRORISM
Supreme Court Will Not Hear Enemy-Combatant Case
(Washington Post, October 5, 2004, Pg. 3)
The Supreme Court declined to consider another issue related to terrorism
suspects' rights. The justices rejected without comment an appeal by
Ali
Saleh Kahlah Marri, one of three persons who have been held in the United
States as enemy combatants without traditional legal rights.
Next Wave Of Al Qaeda Leadership
(Christian Science Monitor, October 5, 2004, Pg. 1)
As Al Qaeda's Arab core is captured or killed, a new generation of
Pakistanis fills the void
BUSINESS
Widening Boeing-Air Force Probe Unlikely To Kill Tainted Programs
(Wall Street Journal, October 5, 2004, Pg. 3)
The widening corruption investigation into Boeing's dealings with former
Air
Force acquisition official Darleen Druyun may target additional individuals
and could damage the contractor's ability to snare new business. But
based
on history and the comments of current and former investigators, senior
Pentagon officials are expected to stop short of canceling or rebidding
multibillion dollar weapons programs.
OPINION
Draft Lessons From Europe
Cindy Williams
(Washington Post, October 5, 2004, Pg. 25)
The editor of "Filling the Ranks: Transforming the U.S. Military
Personnel
System" writes that a military draft which is substantially less
than
universal is not politically sustainable in a modern liberal democracy,
as
Europe's experience has shown. Even if the United States had to double
the
size of the deployable Army, our military would still need to draw in
only a
small fraction of American youth each year. And a draft that leaves
most
people out will inevitably appear unfair to those who are forced in.
A Nation, Not Just A Symbol
Fred Hiatt
(Washington Post, October 5, 2004, Pg. 25)
The Bush administration is partly responsible for Afghanistan's problems,
though not primarily because it diverted resources to Iraq as charged
by
Sen. John Kerry. When the Taliban fell, the Pentagon explicitly rejected
nation-building, choosing instead to work through warlords who had helped
unseat the dictators. Only last year did the administration reverse
course.
NATO is partly responsible, too, because European countries have been
slow
to meet their promises to supply peacekeeping troops and even slower
to
admit that drug lords also must be faced.
The World Needs To Step It Up In Afghanistan
Unfinished Business
Madeleine K. Albright and Robin Cook
(International Herald Tribune, October 5, 2004)
A former U.S. secretary of state and a former British foreign secretary
observe that Afghanistan continues to stumble along, barely one level
above
that of a failed state. The Afghan people deserve at long last a commitment
that can be measured in real accomplishments, not just more promises.
"The
challenge is one that the U.S., Britain, NATO and the rest of the
international community can and must take on-with renewed vigor, and
with
the full force of our military, political and economic might."
Quickening The Tempo In Iraq
David Brooks
(New York Times, October 5, 2004)
Every few weeks there is a new twist in American strategy or tactics
toward
Iraq. It always seems promising, but conditions don't improve. On the
other
hand, officials in this administration don't have a thought in their
heads
about not sticking this out. The coming elections and the battles for
the
cities will either put Iraq on a path to normalcy or introduce us to
some
new hell. "Yesterday, Rumsfeld said Iraq had "a crack"
at being a success.
At least he's not overhyping."
The Army Wins
Ralph Peters
(New York Post, October 5, 2004)
The author of "Beyond Baghdad: Postmodern War and Peace" writes
that as U.S.
troops perform their mission in Iraq, "all they need is stalwart
support
from our nation's leaders. President Bush has wavered now and then,
but last
week's win in Samarra suggests that the administration has regained
its
nerve. What could our troops expect from a President Kerry? Must we
accept
that the lives and limbs lost have all been squandered in vain?"
Victory In Iraq, One City At A Time
Thomas X. Hammes
(New York Times, October 5, 2004)
The author of "The Sling and the Stone: On War in the 21st Century"
writes:
"The incursion into Samarra showed that American and Iraqi forces
can work
together to cleanse cities of insurgents. But the fight for Iraq will
not be
resolved by a military offensive lasting a few weeks. While aggressive
operations may give the impression of progress, the real issue is providing
and sustaining security. Military action can only support the political
effort."
Why N. Korea Talks Matter So Much
J. Peter Scoblic
(Los Angeles Times, October 5, 2004)
Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's willingness to sit down
with
the North Koreans and negotiate their nuclear program on a bilateral
basis
suggests that he is comfortable engaging them without fear that any
deal he
reaches would look like appeasement. He seems to understand that the
key is
to get North Korea's plutonium back under control and that, when it
comes to
stopping proliferation, there are no points for style.
EDITORIAL
The Nuclear Bomb That Wasn't
(New York Times, October 5, 2004)
Ever since we learned that Iraq was not on the brink of developing a
nuclear
bomb, the question has been whether President Bush gave a good-faith
account
of the best available intelligence, or knowingly deceived the public
on a
key reason for invading Iraq. The more we learn about the way Bush paved
the
road to war, the more it becomes disturbingly clear that if he was not
aware
that he was feeding misinformation to the world, he was about the only
one
in his circle who had not been clued in.
Taking Back Iraq
(New York Daily News, October 5, 2004)
"Samarra is thus one more community under Iraqi government control,
likely
in a secure position to vote in January's scheduled free elections.
Coming
up are the rat's nests of Ramadi, Baghdad's Sadr City-and Fallujah Redux
. .
. This time, there can be no thought of letting up and walking away.
Hullabaloo Over Halliburton
(Wall Street Journal, October 5, 2004, Pg. 22)
Te Old Democrat distrust of all private enterprise held that if it moves,
tax it, if it keeps moving, regulate it, and when it stops moving, subsidize
it. The idea of anyone making a dime of profit by taking over a government
function and doing it better is anathema, and the idea of that person
then
going into public service even worse. That's the subtext of the Halliburton
attacks on Dick Cheney.
Source:DN
