Global
DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
As the United States government under George Bush gets closer to attacking the people of Iraq, there are several things that the men and women of the U.S. armed forces need to know and bear in mind as they are given orders from the Bush administration. This information is provided for the use of the members of the armed forces, their families, friends and supporters, and all who are concerned about the current direction of U.S. policy toward Iraq.
The American people have been denied additional time to voice their
opinion
about the management of their public lands. A recent decision by the
administration rejects a request to extend the public comment period for
the
draft oil and gas leasing plan of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska's
northwest area. A coalition of conservation groups formally requested
extending the 60 day comment period to 90 days, as was requested and
approved in 1998 for the northeast planning area of the NPR-A. The same
group also asked for public hearings to be held in the lower 48 states,
just
as they were for the northeast planning area of this region, also called
the
Western Arctic.
Only a single hearing outside Alaska was granted, to be held in Washington, DC on March 13 - a mere five days before the public comment period ends March 18. With so much land in the crosshairs of big oil, and so little - less than 5 percent - of the nation's land permanently protected as wilderness, it is only fair that the public has adequate opportunity to speak up.
Only a single hearing outside Alaska was granted, to be held in Washington, DC on March 13 - a mere five days before the public comment period ends March 18. With so much land in the crosshairs of big oil, and so little - less than 5 percent - of the nation's land permanently protected as wilderness, it is only fair that the public has adequate opportunity to speak up.
This is long, so if you want to see exactly what the report says instead
of
looking at we say about it, the report is also available directly from the
National Research Council as follows:
Press Release: www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309087376
Summary (4 pages) books.nap.edu/html/north_slope/reportbrief.pdf
Full Report (viewable on screen and searchable but you cannot print or download it): www.nap.edu/books/0309087376/html/
Briefing as Real Player: video.nationalacademies.org/ramgen/news/030403.rm
Press Release: www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309087376
Summary (4 pages) books.nap.edu/html/north_slope/reportbrief.pdf
Full Report (viewable on screen and searchable but you cannot print or download it): www.nap.edu/books/0309087376/html/
Briefing as Real Player: video.nationalacademies.org/ramgen/news/030403.rm
The Alaska Wilderness League last week applauded a bipartisan coalition of
Senators for introducing legislation to permanently protect the Coastal
Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The legislation, which seeks
to designate the fragile 1.5 million-acre Coastal Plain of the Refuge as
statutory wilderness, was introduced today by Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT).
"We praise the leadership of Senator Lieberman and the other co-sponsors for coming together to support legislation that permanently protects Alaska's most threatened wilderness from the ravages of oil development," said Cindy Shogan, Alaska Wilderness League's executive director. "Sacrificing the crown jewel of our national wildlife refuge system for a six-month supply of oil that might be available 10 years from now is unconscionable."
"We praise the leadership of Senator Lieberman and the other co-sponsors for coming together to support legislation that permanently protects Alaska's most threatened wilderness from the ravages of oil development," said Cindy Shogan, Alaska Wilderness League's executive director. "Sacrificing the crown jewel of our national wildlife refuge system for a six-month supply of oil that might be available 10 years from now is unconscionable."
At the end of last month, the Bush Administration failed yet another test
of
responsible management on America's public lands, signing off on a forest
plan revision that fails to protect Alaska's magnificent Tongass National
Forest. The Forest Service reviewed over nine million roadless acres and
determined that not a single acre deserved long-term protection, leaving
open to logging much of what's left of the largest and oldest trees in the
rainforest.
February's decision builds off a bad draft plan which failed to recommend any new wilderness and drew widespread criticism in Alaska and nationally. During a public comment period on the draft plan, testimony at Alaska-based public hearings on the plan ran at almost ninety percent in favor of new wilderness protections. In addition, over 170,000 Americans from across the country submitted comments in support of new Tongass wilderness.
February's decision builds off a bad draft plan which failed to recommend any new wilderness and drew widespread criticism in Alaska and nationally. During a public comment period on the draft plan, testimony at Alaska-based public hearings on the plan ran at almost ninety percent in favor of new wilderness protections. In addition, over 170,000 Americans from across the country submitted comments in support of new Tongass wilderness.
Well I guess war is coming. George Bush made that perfectly clear last night that war with Iraq is all but certain, it will happen this week.
Bush has (in my opinion) not only undermined the UN, but will also destroy our country. Our economy is a mess, our education system is in a shambles, health care for every American doesn't exsist. Nearly half a million people are without jobs, gasoline prices are most likely going to increase by summer.
This reckless and blatant disregard tor the will of the Amercian people and the world is not a surprise. Remember, Bush did not win the popular vote in 2000, if I remember correctly, over 500,000 people voted for Al Gore. So of course, Bush doesn't care one bit about the people. He doesn't care one bit about diplomacy, or about our relations with other nations like France and Germany.
He has no respect for civil and constitutional rights of the people in this country. John Ashcroft, the fueherer of the Justice Department, is working overtime to get policies and legislation passed that would allow the Department to basically do whatever it wants to whomever, without just cause or due process.
Bush has (in my opinion) not only undermined the UN, but will also destroy our country. Our economy is a mess, our education system is in a shambles, health care for every American doesn't exsist. Nearly half a million people are without jobs, gasoline prices are most likely going to increase by summer.
This reckless and blatant disregard tor the will of the Amercian people and the world is not a surprise. Remember, Bush did not win the popular vote in 2000, if I remember correctly, over 500,000 people voted for Al Gore. So of course, Bush doesn't care one bit about the people. He doesn't care one bit about diplomacy, or about our relations with other nations like France and Germany.
He has no respect for civil and constitutional rights of the people in this country. John Ashcroft, the fueherer of the Justice Department, is working overtime to get policies and legislation passed that would allow the Department to basically do whatever it wants to whomever, without just cause or due process.
When the U.S. government announces the commencement of the war against Iraq, go on strike. Take your car and park in the nearest major intersection.
Block our freeways, bridges and subway entrances. Close down our cities. If you have no car, find a group of like-minded people and lie down in an intersection. No more business as usual. Close down our cities and stop the war machine!
Nonviolent civil disobedience is an American tradition 150 years old. First coined by Henry David Thoreau, adopted by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, it has been credited for the success of Gandhi's independence movement, the U.S. civil rights movement, and the South African campaign against apartheid.
There is nothing to be afraid of. Towing your car might cost between $85 and $110, but with the streets totally jammed they can't tow us. This war will cost you much more than $110. And what's more valuable, your car or human lives? Put your body on the street. Call out to all those who are against this war to join you. Let those who support this war see our power.
Block our freeways, bridges and subway entrances. Close down our cities. If you have no car, find a group of like-minded people and lie down in an intersection. No more business as usual. Close down our cities and stop the war machine!
Nonviolent civil disobedience is an American tradition 150 years old. First coined by Henry David Thoreau, adopted by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, it has been credited for the success of Gandhi's independence movement, the U.S. civil rights movement, and the South African campaign against apartheid.
There is nothing to be afraid of. Towing your car might cost between $85 and $110, but with the streets totally jammed they can't tow us. This war will cost you much more than $110. And what's more valuable, your car or human lives? Put your body on the street. Call out to all those who are against this war to join you. Let those who support this war see our power.
Today a young woman was killed in Gaza. Young women, but more often young men, get killed in Gaza and the West Bank every day, and the world pays no attention. What was different today is that Rachel Corrie was an American, an activist with the International Solidarity Movement, the group that I’m here with in occupied Palestine. And her death is a particularly horrifying example of the cold blooded dehumanization that characterizes this occupation. Rachel was trying to stop the demolition of a Palestinian home in Rafah, Gaza According to the other activists who were with her, she was in dialogue with the operator in the spirit of nonviolence that is a guiding principle of the ISM, which provides support for Palestinian civilians and for nonviolent efforts to bring about justice for Palestine. She climbed up on the bulldozer, to talk to the soldier in the cockpit. She climbed down. She sat in front of the bulldozer. The soldier in control of the huge machine drove it deliberately over her.
Congress may vote this week on a budget bill for 2004 that includes new provisions to drill for oil in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. And late reports indicate that the U.S. Senate might be just one vote away from voting to open up the Arctic Refuge to oil companies.
This comes despite thousands of e-mails to Congress opposing Arctic Drilling from Environmental Defensemembers, strong public opposition, and a long-awaited new report from the National Academy of Sciences highlighting damage to wildlife and the environment caused by years of oil drilling in areas near the Arctic Refuge.
Send a free fax: actionnetwork.org/campaign/arctic_drilling0303?source=an1
This comes despite thousands of e-mails to Congress opposing Arctic Drilling from Environmental Defensemembers, strong public opposition, and a long-awaited new report from the National Academy of Sciences highlighting damage to wildlife and the environment caused by years of oil drilling in areas near the Arctic Refuge.
Send a free fax: actionnetwork.org/campaign/arctic_drilling0303?source=an1
For a number of years, 18, I have worked a Saturday night through Sunday morning job in addition to a regular job. We put together various out-of-town newspapers and load them on trucks. Last night, the fellow who delivers the Dayton paper was worried. He said he was concerned, and so wasn't the paper owners, that the attack on Iraq might happen today.
Why was he worried? Well, he explained, the "bracket day," when what teams will play in the NCAA tournament is drawn up, is tomorrow. That is the best-selling paper day of the year. The day the war starts, they anticipate allot of papers will be sold then too, but not as many as bracket day. If both events are covered on the same day, then only one day will be a big paper day instead of two, so it would be better to bomb Iraq on a different day than bracket day for the paper business!
He did not express an opinion as to whether there should be a war.
Why was he worried? Well, he explained, the "bracket day," when what teams will play in the NCAA tournament is drawn up, is tomorrow. That is the best-selling paper day of the year. The day the war starts, they anticipate allot of papers will be sold then too, but not as many as bracket day. If both events are covered on the same day, then only one day will be a big paper day instead of two, so it would be better to bomb Iraq on a different day than bracket day for the paper business!
He did not express an opinion as to whether there should be a war.