Democracy

Terrorism Hype Backfires

Submitted by Bob Burton on

The detention and subsequent charging of an Indian-born doctor, Mohamed Haneef, under draconian anti-terrorism laws has turned into a PR nightmare for the Australian government. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) charged Haneef with providing support to a terrorist organization, claiming that he had provided a mobile phone SIM card to a relative who had it with him when he recently crashed his car into Glasgow airport terminal. The AFP subsequently conceded that the SIM card was with another relative hundreds of kilometers away at the time of the airport attack.

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Main Source: 
Sydney Morning Herald, July 23, 2007
Topics: 
Journalism
Terrorism
Democracy
Human Rights
International
Media
Propaganda

Blocking the Sunshine

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

A recent study by the National Security Archive of George Washington University finds that U.S. government agencies are stalling on public requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act. Five U.S. agencies — the State Department, the C.I.A., the criminal division of the Justice Department, the Air Force and the F.B.I.

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Main Source: 
National Security Archive
Topics: 
U.S. Congress
Democracy
Secrecy
U.S. Government

Senate Dems Will Keep Pressing for Withdrawal; Some Pro-Withdrawal GOP Senators Not Voting That Way

When the dust settled after Tuesday night's filibuster, the Senate appeared to be basically where it was the day before; Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) tabled the controversial measure to set timelines for the withdrawal of most American troops from Iraq and the legislators went home to get some sleep before preparing to take up other business. Looking back just a year, however, it becomes clear an inexorable momentum has started to build in that chamber towards using its power of the purse (i.e.

Coming Up This Week in Congress: Iraq, Energy, and Labor

The House and Senate are in session this week, with both chambers expected to debate and consider several important bills and resolutions. Highlights include:

  1. An amendment, sponsored by Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), which would mandate that U.S. troops begin leaving Iraq within 120 days and have only a "limited presence" in the country by Apr. 1, 2008.
  2. An amendment, sponsored by Sens. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and John Warner (R-Va.), which would direct the Bush administration to file a report to Congress detailing an exit strategy from Iraq by Oct. 16, 2007.
  • The Senate is expected to consider a bill, sponsored by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), which would call for the implementation of the Iraq Study Group's 79 recommendations.
  • The House will consider a $31.6 billion Energy and Water spending measure, which includes $1.1 billion in earmarks.
  • The House will consider a $153.7 billion Labor-HHS measure. The bill exceeds the Bush administration's spending request by about $10.6 billion, and faces a veto threat.

    • After the jump is a full listing of this week's House and Senate hearings, courtesy of GovTrack and Thomas:

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