Docudharma Times Saturday Nov. 3

This an Open Thread: No wiretapping just talking

USA

At Army Base, Bush Boosts Iraq War

By Josh White and William Branigin

Washington Post Staff Writers

Saturday, November 3, 2007; Page A03

FORT JACKSON, S.C., Nov. 2 — President Bush, invoking the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, as he has many times before, contended Friday that Iraq is the central front in the struggle against extremism, telling a supportive military crowd at this Army post that it is imperative to continue fighting the increasingly unpopular war.

Bush praised the 1,300 newly minted soldiers graduating from Basic Combat Training here for volunteering to defend the country, urging them to “stay on the offense” and “keep pressure on the enemy.”

If you can help the victims of the Mexican Flood please do so

Blackwater’s Owner Has Spies for Hire

Ex-U.S. Operatives Dot Firm’s Roster

By Dana Hedgpeth

Washington Post Staff Writer

Saturday, November 3, 2007; Page A01

First it became a brand name in security for its work in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now it’s taking on intelligence.

The Prince Group, the holding company that owns Blackwater Worldwide, has been building an operation that will sniff out intelligence about natural disasters, business-friendly governments, overseas regulations and global political developments for clients in industry and government.

Republicans waiting for the next Reagan

Polls may post leaders for now, but voters are voicing uncertainty with their party’s crop of candidates.

By Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

November 3, 2007

RICHMOND, VA. — National polls show former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani leading the pack of Republican presidential contenders. Statewide polls in Iowa and New Hampshire, the key early states in the nomination process, find former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the strongest position.

But an evening with conservative voters in a suburb of Virginia’s prosperous capital tells a different story: Many, perhaps most, Republicans are still essentially undecided. They’re looking for the next Ronald Reagan, and they’re not sure they’ve found him yet — although some are hoping former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee will ride in and sweep them off their feet.

Isn’t that kind of like waiting for Guffman?

Middle East

Liquor stores return to Baghdad

By Christian Berthelsen and Said Rifai, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers

November 3, 2007

BAGHDAD – It’s Thursday night, the end of the Iraqi workweek, and Fami Ameen is scrambling in his crowded Assassin’s Gate liquor store as customers clamor for everything from beer and whiskey to ouzo and arak, the popular local alcohol.

Call Ameen an unexpected beneficiary of the “surge.”

For decades, Iraq had a reputation as a modern, secular society that liked to drink and knew how to party, from wild hotel discotheques to genteel members-only social clubs. But after the fall of President Saddam Hussein, extremists unleashed waves of firebombings against liquor stores, even killing owners, because alcohol is forbidden under Islamic law.

Turkey hosts Iraq security talks

A second round of major international talks on promoting security and stability in Iraq gets under way in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Saturday.

Foreign ministers of all six of Iraq’s neighbours are gathering along with top diplomats from the UN, the G8 and international Arab and Islamic bodies.

Europe

Thousands Rally Against Georgia’s Once Popular President

By C. J. CHIVERS

Published: November 3, 2007

TBILISI, Georgia, Nov. 2 – Tens of thousands of demonstrators converged on the capital of Georgia on Friday, demanding Parliamentary elections for early next year and venting dissatisfaction with the country’s once enormously popular government.

The rally, organized by a loose coalition of opposition parties, presented the strongest domestic political challenge thus far to President Mikheil Saakashvili, who rose to office after peaceful protests swept away the country’s post-Soviet old guard four years ago.

Concert at Serbia death camp stirs anger

BELGRADE, Serbia – Stray dogs wander forlornly around the rundown gray brick barracks that used to house of one of the most notorious World War II Nazi death camps in the Balkans.

Soon, the site where some 48,000 Jews, Serbs and Gypsies perished in the 1940s will be throbbing to the rhythms of rock music.

For Serbia’s small Jewish community, the weekend concert at the Sajmiste camp near the center of Belgrade is the latest indignity to befall a site they say needs to be saved from decades of neglect and deterioration.

Africa

Arrest Is Made In Alleged Abuse At Oprah School

Associated Press

Saturday, November 3, 2007; Page A11

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 2 — A former employee of Oprah Winfrey’s school for disadvantaged girls in South Africa has been arrested on charges of abuse and sexual assault, police said Friday.

A police spokesman, Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini, said the 27-year-old woman, a dormitory matron at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, was arrested Thursday.

“Several charges including alleged assault, indecent assault, criminal injury and soliciting underage girls to perform indecent acts are being investigated against her,” Dlamini said.

Heavy battles in Somali capital

Ethiopian troops supporting Somalia’s interim government have been involved in fierce battles with insurgents in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.

At least five Ethiopian soldiers and seven civilians have died in fighting in areas close to the stadium.

Eyewitnesses told the BBC that three of the soldiers’ bodies were dragged through the streets by militiamen.

Latin America

Hundreds of thousands flee Mexico floods

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico – Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans fled a flooded region of the Gulf coast Friday, jumping from rooftops into rescue helicopters, scrambling into boats or swimming out through murky brown water. President Felipe Calderon called the flooding in Tabasco state one of Mexico’s worst recent natural disasters, and pledged to rebuild.

A week of heavy rains caused rivers to overflow, drowning at least 80 percent of the oil-rich state. Much of the state capital, Villahermosa, looked like New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, with water reaching to second-story rooftops and desperate people awaiting rescue.

Bolivia’s Morales recounts police abuse

LA PAZ, Bolivia – In a new feature film about his journey from dirt-poor sheep herder to Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales is portrayed being beaten unconscious by anti-narcotics police and found the next day by fellow coca union leaders.

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In an interview with The Associated Press, Morales said there were in fact multiple beatings during his years fighting forced coca eradication – and that he wants the armed U.S. agents who still direct his country’s anti-narcotics police to leave Bolivia.

Asia

Minshuto rejects Fukuda’s proposed grand coalition

11/03/2007

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Friday proposed a grand coalition with Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), but the increasingly confident opposition party rejected the idea.

Fukuda made the proposal and offered several concessions to Minshuto President Ichiro Ozawa concerning the Self-Defense Forces when they met for a total of about two hours in two separate meetings Friday.

Ozawa did not immediately respond to Fukuda’s suggestions, telling the prime minister he would have to discuss the matter with other Minshuto executives, who later decided against teaming up with Fukuda’s Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito.

Mysterious missile strike kills 11 in NWA

Staff Report/Agencies

ISLAMABAD/Miran Shah-Atleast two foreign militants and nine local Taliban died while 12 others injured in a missile attack at a compound adjacent to a seminary in the area of Dandi Darpe Khail, North Waziristan on Friday.

According to locals, a drone plane fired missiles at houses adjacent to seminary belonging to renowned Taliban commander Jalaluddin Haqqani in North Waziristan. This surgical strike left 2 foreign militants including 9 local Talibans dead.

While giving details, DG ISPR Major Gen Waheed Arshad told that Pakistani security forces are not involved in this incident. Besides, local administration is also probing into the incident.

On the other hand, US and NATO forces, operating in Afghanistan, also denied their involvement behind this missile attack. Pakistani villagers said a missile strike hit houses near a madrasa founded by an old friend of Osama bin Laden’s on Friday, killing at least five people.