July 31, 2007
House Dems Push Gonzales Impeachment; Specter Unhappy With WH Response
UPDATED.
Democratic Rep. Jay Inslee today laid out a case for forcibly removing Attorney General Alberto Gonzales from office, after filing a resolution [PDF] that would kick off preliminary impeachment proceedings.
"Americans of all stripes believe that we deserve an attorney general who will not allow the politicization of the judicial system," said the former prosecutor, flanked by other former officers of the law turned legislators. The attorney general should "respect the laws of privacy" and "be forthright with the American people and U.S. Congress," Inslee added.
If the resolution receives a simple majority, the House Judiciary Committee will conduct an investigation into whether Gonzales has committed any impeachable offenses, such as perjury.
The months-long investigation into the politically tinged firings of U.S. attorneys last year, and a related one into a secret surveillance program considered by many in DOJ to be illegal, has cast Gonzales in an unflattering light. He was elevated to the job from White House counsel in February 2005.
Democrats and Republicans alike have pushed for Gonzales to be fired or resign, but both the attorney general and President Bush, a longtime friend and career benefactor, have refused to give in. The White House has also ignored congressional subpoenas in the ongoing investigations.
Calling impeachment a "last resort," Inslee said that Congress' and the public's loss of faith in Gonzales was harmful to the judicial system and therefore to democracy. "Accordingly, I am here today with a number of colleagues to call on the Judiciary Committee in the House of Representatives to conduct a thorough investigation to determine whether articles of impeachment are appropriately lodged against the attorney general," the Washington lawmaker said.
Continue reading "House Dems Push Gonzales Impeachment; Specter Unhappy With WH Response"
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Alberto Gonzales, Arlen Specter, Attorney Scandal, Bush Administration, Congress, House, James Comey, John Ashcroft, Patrick Leahy, President Bush, Robert Mueller, Senate
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FBI, IRS Search Ted Stevens' Home
UPDATED.
Two watchdog groups are calling for Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens (R) to step down, at least temporarily, from any appropriations-related committee posts after FBI and IRS agents searched his home in Girdwood, Alaska, yesterday. The groups, Taxpayers for Common and Sense and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, asked Republican Senate leaders to suspend any appropriations-oversight duties Stevens may be responsible for as long as the federal investigation is ongoing.
Stevens is the second-highest ranking GOP member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and also serves on six appropriations subcommittees.
Meanwhile, the Anchorage Daily News reports that GOP Sens. Trent Lott, the minority whip, and Lisa Murkowski, a fellow Alaskan, spoke out in Stevens' defense today.
This afternoon, AP reported that a Senate Commerce Committee financial clerk who works for Stevens recently testified before a federal grand jury and provided documents in a public corruption investigation involving the senator.
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Joint Chiefs Nominee Praises Surge, Criticizes Iraqi Leaders
President Bush's two nominees to head the Joint Chiefs of Staff began their Senate confirmation hearings today, offering their assessments of the current situation in Iraq and their concerns about the war-torn country's future.
Admiral Michael Mullen, the president's nominee to replace current Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace, both praised the success the troop surge has had in helping to secure the most volatile areas and criticized the Iraqi government for failing to make political progress in unifying the country.
Mullen, who currently heads naval operations, told the Armed Services Committee that "security is better, not great, but better." He also stressed that the United States needs "to bring as much pressure on" Iraqi political leaders "as we possibly can." His comments come one day after the Iraqi parliament left for a monthlong summer recess without taking votes on a number of crucial, U.S.-backed bills.
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House Sends Ethics Bill To Senate
The House voted nearly unanimously in favor of an ethics reform bill this morning, sending the measure to the Senate, where it faces opposition from some Republicans.
By a vote of 411 to 8, lawmakers approved new disclosure rules for earmarks and donations from lobbyists. Democrats are hoping to secure the bill's passage through both houses of Congress before they depart for the August recess at the end of the week. Lobbying reform was a key element of the Democratic leadership's promise to root out the "culture of corruption" -- personified by disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff -- in the 2006 midterm elections.
AP has a breakdown of the bill's key provisions, The Hill delves into the complicated drafting process that led to the version lawmakers approved today, and CongressDailyAM (subscription) reported this morning on the hurdles the package faces in the Senate.
The bill's movement through Congress comes at an awkward time for at least one senator. Alaska Republican Ted Stevens will be casting his vote amid a federal investigation into his dealings with a housing contractor ensnared in a state bribing scandal.
Posted at 1:48 PM
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Chief Justice Roberts Released From Hospital
UPDATED.
Chief Justice John Roberts waved to reporters as he walked out of a Maine hospital shortly after 11 a.m. EDT. He had been kept overnight following a seizure yesterday that caused him to stumble on a dock.
Roberts received a full spectrum of neurological examinations at Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said the tests "revealed no cause for concern."
The chief justice did not stop to make a statement upon his release. He smiled and walked briskly to an SUV, where a driver awaited.
Roberts, 52, will probably undergo further testing at a more renowned facility at some point. Doctors at the Maine hospital were unable to pinpoint a cause; the same was true when Roberts suffered a seizure while golfing in 1993. The chance of a repeat seizure increases substantially with each subsequent seizure.
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Earlybird Roundup: Ethics & Energy Bills; Al-Maliki Under Fire
Congress. Democrats offered up ethics legislation and reached an agreement on a new energy package yesterday.
Iraq. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is under renewed pressure from within his own party now that the Iraqi parliament has departed for a monthlong summer recess over U.S. objections.
Washington. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates touch down in Egypt today to promote a peace conference later this year.
North Korea. A U.N. nuclear team said yesterday that North Koreans were fully cooperating with inspectors monitoring the shutdown of the Yongbyon nuclear complex.
Nation. An FDA panel voted to keep the diabetes drug Avandia on the market but mandated that it also be sold with a label warning of an increased risk of heart disease.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:50 AM
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Second Slain South Korean Hostage Found
The Taliban killed another hostage from the group of 23 South Korean Christians kidnapped in Afghanistan on July 19. The body of Shim Sung-Min was found riddled with bullets soon after the Taliban announced yesterday that the Afghan government had missed a late-afternoon deadline for their demands.
South Korean officials reacted angrily to the news. A government statement reiterated that the country "strongly condemns and urges an immediate end to these heinous acts of killing innocent people in order to press for demands that it can't meet." The kidnappers have demanded that the Afghan government release 23 Taliban prisoners in return for the hostages.
A Taliban spokesman claimed the other hostages were safe but any rescue attempt would endanger their lives.
There are conflicting reports about the location of the body. The New York Times places it in a province in central Afghanistan, the Warzu area of the Andar district. AFX News reports that it was found in the southern province of Ghazni -- the same place as the body of the first hostage, who was killed last week.
Posted at 7:37 AM
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Afghanistan, Asia, South Korea, Terrorism
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July 30, 2007
Rep. Inslee To Push For Gonzales Impeachment Tomorrow
Washington Democrat Jay Inslee plans to introduce articles of impeachment against Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Tuesday, House sources confirmed.
The move comes one day after the New York Times editorial board urged Congress to consider impeaching the nation's top cop if lawmakers continue to hit a dead end in their effort to cast light on a spate of U.S. attorney firings last year as well as internal DOJ strife over warrantless surveillance.
It was not clear whether Inslee consulted with the Democratic leadership. A spokeswoman for the House Judiciary Committee said she could not comment on the impeachment push, and calls to Inslee's and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's offices were not immediately returned.
Continue reading "Rep. Inslee To Push For Gonzales Impeachment Tomorrow"
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Iraqi Parliament Leaves For Vacation With Key Bills Untouched
In the time-honored American tradition of procrastination, U.S. lawmakers are using this final week before their monthlong August recess to cram in as much work as possible. Their Iraqi counterparts, on the other hand, aren't being so ambitious. Iraq's parliament adjourned today for its summer vacation, and lawmakers aren't planning to be back at work until early September. They leave behind a spate of U.S.-backed bills, including a crucial agreement on how to divvy up the nation's oil wealth.
The vacation is bad news for the Bush administration, which is under pressure to show that Iraqi leaders are stepping up to the plate politically while U.S. military forces try to enforce peace in the streets. Military commanders are supposed to deliver a report on Iraq's progress to the U.S. Congress in September. The semi-official deadline for that report -- Sept. 15 -- is just 11 days after Iraqi lawmakers are set to reconvene.
Explaining their decision to adjourn without voting on the remaining bills, Iraqi lawmakers pointed fingers at U.S.-backed Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "There are Iraqi-Iraqi and Iraqi-American differences that have not been resolved," Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman told reporters. "The government throws the ball in our court, but we say that it is in the government's court and that of the politicians. They sent us nothing."
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Posted at 3:39 PM
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Bush & Blair Brown: Still 'Special'
UPDATED.
Anyone looking for signs British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is distancing himself from Washington on the Iraq war will be gravely disappointed.
In a joint press conference at Camp David today, Brown and his host, President Bush, delivered a harmonious assessment of their relationship and the way forward in Iraq. Brown also seemed to take pains to step closer to Bush on the war.
"We strongly support a bold initiative to make early progress in the Mideast," Brown said, summing up the two leaders' Sunday night and Monday morning talks. "Afghanistan continues to be the front line in the war on terrorism. On Iran, we are in agreement that the sanctions are working."
Minutes later, as Bush and Brown took questions from reporters, Brown was asked whether he disagreed with Bush's assertion that Iraq is the new front line in the war on terror. Brown seemed to backtrack on his earlier response.
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Posted at 2:08 PM
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Taliban Claims To Have Killed Another Hostage
Taliban kidnappers are claiming to have killed another South Korean hostage after the Afghan government failed to meet their demands by a late afternoon deadline today, Reuters and AFP report.
"We shot dead a male captive because the government did not listen to our demands," Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf reportedly told Reuters.
Kidnappers have been holding the 22 hostages for over a week. They are demanding that the Afghan government free 23 Taliban prisoners in exchange for the hostages' safe return. Kidnappers shot and killed another male hostage last week and have repeatedly threatened more violence if their demands are not met.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai spoke out against the Taliban's tactics for the first time publicly over the weekend. "Hostage taking and abuse of foreign guests, especially women, is against Islam and the Afghan culture," Karzai reportedly told South Korean envoy Baek Jong-chun yesterday. Eighteen of the remaining hostages are women.
Afghan officials today asked for more time in their negotiations with the kidnappers. Reuters reports that the group's spokesman did not mention a new deadline when he spoke with reporters by telephone about the latest killing.
Posted at 1:45 PM
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Rice Announces Arms Deals Ahead Of Mideast Trip
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a package of military "assistance agreements" with key U.S. allies in the Middle East as she and Defense Secretary Robert Gates headed to the region in a rare joint effort to drum up support among Arab states for the war in Iraq.
The new agreements are designed to "bolster forces of moderation and support a broader strategy to counter the negative influences of al-Qaeda, Hizballah, Syria, and Iran," Rice said in a statement this morning. They include a 10-year, $30 billion arms deal with Israel and a similar decade-long, $13 billion package for Egypt.
Rice also confirmed that during their trip, she and Gates planned to "initiate discussions with Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf States" on a similar "proposed package of military technologies."
The plans to extend military aid to Arab allies were revealed over the weekend, earning an unusual show of support from Jerusalem and a predictable blast of criticism from Tehran.
Posted at 11:55 AM
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Condoleezza Rice, Middle East, Robert Gates
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Earlybird Roundup: Gonzales, Iraq Aid Report, FCC Auction
Congress. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., threatened Alberto Gonzales with a perjury probe this weekend, saying there could be an investigation if the attorney general did not clarify his testimony on the warrantless wiretapping program.
Iraq. A new report shows that nearly a third of all Iraqis need humanitarian aid urgently.
Washington. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates are reaching out to Egypt and Saudi Arabia in an unusual joint attempt to convince Iraq's neighbors to support its struggling government.
Economy. The FCC will rule tomorrow on the auction of $15 billion in wireless airwaves.
World. The party of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took a drubbing at the polls Sunday.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:52 AM
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Bush & Brown Get Down To Business
Newly minted British Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrived at Camp David last night, ready for his first official stateside visit with President Bush.
Eyes on both sides of the Atlantic are focused on the relationship between the two leaders. Some analysts predict British public opinion on Iraq will ensure that Brown will never draw as close to the president as former Prime Minister Tony Blair did; others point to Brown's statements calling the U.S.-U.K. alliance the country's “single most important bilateral relationship" and suggest they will enjoy a positive relationship.
Topics on tap for the rest of the two-day meeting: Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, Iran and Kosovo.
Posted at 7:47 AM
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Bush Administration, Europe, Gordon Brown, President Bush, Tony Blair, U.K.
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July 27, 2007
We Want A GOP YouTube Debate!
The Gate tries very hard to not cross the "advocacy" line, but some recent (un)developments have forced us to take a stand.
We want a Republican YouTube debate.
No, the format of Monday's Democratic forum wasn't "revolutionary," as CNN would have you believe, but it was both informative and entertaining. The kids need a little cheese sauce with their broccoli sometimes, and we bet that the YouTube format had them more engaged than in any of the previous face-offs.
So listen, Sam Brownback, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Mitt Romney and Tom Tancredo: Sign on to the Sept. 17 CNN/YouTube debate, already.
We get that campaign time is an increasingly precious commodity. Republicans, not to mention the rest of the country, aren't really hot on any of you right now. But how could taking occasionally quirky questions from real-live Americans hurt? If anything, you get a platform on which to let your good humor and personality shine. We urge you to seize this opportunity.
Note that it's a group of Republicans who are circulating a petition asking you to reconsider. Conservatives ridiculed Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards for skipping the planned FOX News Democratic debate. Gentleman, do not cut and run from this chance to show Americans a) that you are running for president (a lot of them don't know this yet) and b) that you are not afraid of the occasional curveball. Please follow Tommy Thompson's lead and show us you're not scared of a talking snowman.
The Gate isn't signing any petitions for obvious reasons, but we encourage our readers to send this along: http://www.savethedebate.com/.
-JANE ROH
Graphic: Reuben Dalke
Posted at 4:55 PM
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Campaigns, Democrats, Duncan Hunter, Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Edwards, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Republicans, Rudy Giuliani, Sam Brownback, Tom Tancredo, Tommy Thompson, WH 2008
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After Hazleton Ruling, What Would SCOTUS Do?
Federal inaction has spurred states and municipalities to forge ahead on matters like global warming and immigration. In April, the Supreme Court seemed to boost efforts by states like California to exceed federal regulations on greenhouse gases. But it's not clear whether the justices would do the same for U.S. towns leading the charge on illegal immigration.
Yesterday's decision [PDF] by a U.S. District Court judge declaring Hazleton, Pa.'s housing and employment ordinance on illegal immigrants unconstitutional will be appealed, the town's mayor promised. The decision will affect the dozens of U.S. cities and counties weighing similar measures to crack down on illegals.
Hazleton's first-in-the-nation ordinance required landlords to register with the town and all prospective rentees to submit to background checks on their residency status. Businesses found to be employing illegal immigrants were to lose their license for five years. The ordinance also declared English to be the official language of the town, which refuses to print any information in Spanish.
Judge James Munley invoked the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, ruling that only the federal government had jurisdiction over immigration law. That act stipulates: "The provisions of this section preempt any State or local law imposing civil or criminal sanctions (other than through licensing and similar laws) upon those who employ, or recruit or refer for a fee for employment, unauthorized aliens."
Continue reading "After Hazleton Ruling, What Would SCOTUS Do?"
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Bush Administration, Congress, Constitution, Dick Cheney, Immigration, President Bush, Supreme Court
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Hatin' On The Hill
Eight months after voters turned out the GOP and sent a new Democratic majority to Capitol Hill, Congress-bashing is once again back in vogue.
A new bipartisan poll commissioned by George Washington University confirms what Republicans and the Fourth Estate have been saying in recent weeks: Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid haven't been living up to the expectations placed on them after the 2006 midterm elections. In that survey, significant majorities said they believed lawmakers put politics above their constituents. And while Democrats still enjoy a slightly higher favorability rating than GOP lawmakers, only 37 percent said they were satisfied with the majority party's work thus far.
But not everyone is disappointed in the Democrats' leadership. Americans United for Change, the progressive advocacy group formed to oppose President Bush's Social Security plan, is out with a new TV ad this week praising the minimum wage hike, which took effect Tuesday.
See today's Poll Track (subscription) for more numbers on Congress and the 2008 White House race. And Ad Spotlight (subscription) has more details on the Americans United campaign.
Posted at 1:00 PM
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Global Markets Tumble; GDP Gathers Steam
UPDATED.
Global investors got jittery after yesterday's stock market drop-off in the United States. Asian markets had some of their worst days of the year, with falling indices in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 400 points Thursday amid a slew of fresh concerns about the housing market, credit quality and energy prices. Thursday's tumble rivaled the biggest loss of the year in February, just a week after it hit a record high -- over 14,000 -- for the first time.
Meanwhile, the Commerce Department reports today that U.S. economic growth picked up in the second quarter, lifting the gross domestic product 3.4 percent from April through June -- a sharp rise from the disappointing 0.6 percent increase in the first quarter.
Bloomberg News and the New York Times report on the reasons behind the better-than-expected GDP gains. And CNNMoney.com and the Wall Street Journal have more on the stocks plunge.
Posted at 10:39 AM
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Economy
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Violence Resurfaces At Pakistan's Red Mosque
Just two weeks after more than 100 people died in clashes between the Pakistani government and Islamist militants at the Red Mosque in Islamabad, fresh violence has erupted at the re-opening of the site today. The London Times reports that hundreds of pro-Taliban students drove a government-appointed cleric from the mosque and resumed their protests of President Pervez Musharraf.
At least 11 people, mostly police, were killed when a suicide bomb went off at a restaurant near the clashes.
Police had fired tear gas at the violent protesters, who earlier had daubed red paint on the walls of the mosque to disrupt the new light yellow color that authorities used to repaint the building. The students angrily denounced Musharraf and called for the release of Maulana Abdul Aziz, the radical cleric who was arrested during the previous siege when he tried to escape in disguise.
AP has background on the conflict, and NPR's "Morning Edition" has an interview with a student protester who explains why she believes she made a mistake to leave the mosque the first time.
Posted at 10:31 AM
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Pakistan
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Mueller Contradicts Gonzales Over Spy Program
FBI Director Robert Mueller, in testimony yesterday before the House Judiciary Committee, contradicted statements by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales that there was no internal dispute within the administration about the legality of a warrantless eavedropping program.
The dispute revolves around a late-night visit in 2004 that Gonzales, as a White House counsel, and former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card made to then-Attorney General John Ashcroft's hospital room, supposedly in an attempt to persuade Ashcroft to sign off on the terrorist surveillance program. The ailing Ashcroft refused because of concerns about its legality, according to testimony by former Deputy Attorney General James Comey.
Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee this week that the visit was not related to the wiretapping program and there was no disagreement within the administration about it.
Mueller strongly suggested otherwise when asked about the meeting by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas.
Continue reading "Mueller Contradicts Gonzales Over Spy Program"
Posted at 10:29 AM
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Alberto Gonzales, Bush Administration, James Comey, John Ashcroft, Robert Mueller, Senate
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Earlybird Roundup: Mueller Testimony, 9/11 Commission Bill
DOJ. FBI Director Robert Mueller contradicted testimony from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales yesterday, telling a House panel that the NSA's spy program was indeed an issue of debate within the Bush administration.
Washington. President Bush slammed members of Congress for "dragging their feet" on budget proposals.
Congress. The Senate OK'd the 9/11 commission bill, and the new farm bill (subscription) cleared its first hurdle in the House.
Iraq. Two civilian contractors told Congress yesterday that foreign workers were abused at the U.S. Embassy construction site in Baghdad.
Cuba. Leader Fidel Castro failed to appear at Cuba's Revolution Day festivities for the first time since 1959.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:31 AM
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July 26, 2007
Rove Subpoenaed As Specter Slams Dems' Special Prosecutor Request
UPDATED.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has ordered President Bush's chief political aide, Karl Rove, to testify in the U.S. attorney firings investigation. One of Rove's aides, Deputy Political Director J. Scott Jennings, was subpoenaed as well.
It is doubtful the White House will allow Rove and Jennings to testify under oath before the panel. The administration has used an executive privilege claim to rebuff Congress' demands for access to testimony and documents related to the firings.
But the evidence gathered so far by the committee has convinced a great many observers that the firings were politically motivated. Several longtime Bush allies have joined the chorus calling for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' ouster.
The Senate panel has yet to join its counterpart in the House in citing uncooperative White House or DOJ officials for contempt. To move past the executive privilege claim that will undoubtedly come in response to Rove's subpoena, the Senate committee will have to do so.
Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said that the White House's refusal to accommodate Congress was an indictment in itself.
"It is obvious that the reasons given for these firings were contrived as part of a cover-up and that the stonewalling by the White House is part and parcel of that same effort," the Vermont Democrat said in a statement. "This stonewalling is a dramatic break from the practices of every administration since World War II in responding to congressional oversight."
The White House, as per usual, dismissed the subpoenas as a meaningless political stunt.
Continue reading "Rove Subpoenaed As Specter Slams Dems' Special Prosecutor Request"
Posted at 3:47 PM
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Alberto Gonzales, Arlen Specter, Attorney Scandal, Charles Schumer, Congress, James Comey, Patrick Leahy, Paul Clement, President Bush, Senate
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Leaders Eye Quick Move On Lobbying
Once Democratic leaders strike a deal on a compromise version of comprehensive lobbying legislation, they will act quickly to move the package through the House and Senate and leave little time for opposition to mount, according to sources close to the issue.
Meredith McGehee, who has lobbied for a strong disclosure and ethics bill as policy director of the Campaign Legal Center, said Democratic leaders have divulged few details about how far the most controversial provisions of the package would go. Once details are made public, McGehee said House and Senate members will be faced with a simple choice of voting for or against it.
"They've heard enough. They're not going to leave this out long," McGehee said of the Democratic leadership. "Everyone is going to be presented with a fait accompli."
NationalJournal.com has the full story for free; see CongressDaily (subscription) for more of today's news.
Posted at 12:21 PM
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Iraqi Refugee Crisis Worsening
The U.N. refugee agency announced at a conference that 50,000 Iraqis are fleeing their country every month, joining the more than 2 million Iraqis who've already been displaced by the violence there.
Jordan, which is home to many of those refugees, is hosting a summit on the crisis. Representatives from Iraq's neighbors as well as the U.N., U.S. and Britain are hammering out how to handle the overflow of refugees.
Syria, home to 1.4 million of the Iraqis, and other countries complain that their resources are being stretched to the limit by the newcomers. Iraq's neighbors have security concerns as well.
Continue reading "Iraqi Refugee Crisis Worsening"
Posted at 11:42 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: Veterans' Care, Gonzales Probe
Washington. A new report from a presidential commission recommended a huge overhaul of the veterans' health care system.
Congress. Senators are considering seeking a perjury probe against Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and an anti-terrorism bill took another step forward.
Military The general in charge of the investigation into Pat Tillman's death could lose a star for misleading investigators probing the corporal's death in Afghanistan.
Iraq. The largest Sunni bloc in Iraq's government is threatening to walk out next week unless a long list of demands is met by the prime minister.
Afghanistan. A South Korean envoy is headed to Afghanistan to negotiate with the Taliban for the release of 22 Christian hostages.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:16 AM
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July 25, 2007
Gadhafi: Still A Menace?
Libya's release of six Bulgarian medics who had been sentenced to die has earned that country loads of goodwill from Europe and the U.S. France's pledge of $400 million in compensation for the families who allege the group infected their children with HIV helped secure the deal; meanwhile, the EU is now preparing a substantial aid package for the northern African nation. President Bush recently named the first U.S. ambassador to Libya in more than three decades, and today, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she looked forward to paying Tripoli a visit soon.
It's an odd reversal for a nation once considered to be a sponsor of terrorism. In the 1980s, Moammar Gadhafi was right up there with the late Ayatollah Khomeini on America's enemies list. An alliance of conservatives and human rights groups whose memories stretch back to the 1980s aren't happy with the turnabout.
Gadhafi's decision to give up his nuclear weapons logically precipitated warmer relations with the West, but the Wall Street Journal balks: "The blackmail habit is hard to shake, and rewarding a dictator for hostage-taking is frau
The procedure is routine for a man who, as the AP notes, "has had four heart attacks, quadruple bypass surgery, two artery-clearing angioplasties and an operation to implant the defibrillator." Last Saturday, Cheney was the president for a few hours as George W. Bush