spread of the red
number 78 11.12.06
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spread of the red
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verbatim number 15.3
"And my answer was,
they're going to stay on...
they're going to stay on...
...and so, the only way to
answer that question and to get
you on to another question
was to give you that answer."
Washington DC 11.08.06
answer that question and to get
you on to another question
was to give you that answer."
Washington DC 11.08.06
In the aftermath of last week’s defeats in
the midterm elections, indications have
emerged of deep divisions behind the
scenes at the White House, as
competing factions struggle to influence
the direction of policy in the final two
years of the Bush administration. The
ouster of Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld the day after the elections,
with the Senate still undecided, is only
the most visible signal of a move to
implement a set of policy initiatives
favored by a group of senior advisors to
former president George H.W. Bush,
the president’s father. The nominee to
replace Rumsfeld, Robert Gates, has held
a variety of intelligence and national
security appointments under six US
the midterm elections, indications have
emerged of deep divisions behind the
scenes at the White House, as
competing factions struggle to influence
the direction of policy in the final two
years of the Bush administration. The
ouster of Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld the day after the elections,
with the Senate still undecided, is only
the most visible signal of a move to
implement a set of policy initiatives
favored by a group of senior advisors to
former president George H.W. Bush,
the president’s father. The nominee to
replace Rumsfeld, Robert Gates, has held
a variety of intelligence and national
security appointments under six US
presidents, culminating in three years as
Director of the CIA for the elder Bush.
Gates was a member of the
Congressionally-mandated Iraq Study
Group, a bipartisan commission headed
by former Secretary of State James A.
Baker III. The former president’s closest
advisor, Baker is reportedly leading an
attempt to salvage the current
administration’s foreign policy with a
view to retaining Republican control of
the White House in 2008. Gates is said
to have been privately critical of the
management of the occupation of Iraq,
and other members of the former
president’s cabinet have publicly
questioned broader aspects of the
Director of the CIA for the elder Bush.
Gates was a member of the
Congressionally-mandated Iraq Study
Group, a bipartisan commission headed
by former Secretary of State James A.
Baker III. The former president’s closest
advisor, Baker is reportedly leading an
attempt to salvage the current
administration’s foreign policy with a
view to retaining Republican control of
the White House in 2008. Gates is said
to have been privately critical of the
management of the occupation of Iraq,
and other members of the former
president’s cabinet have publicly
questioned broader aspects of the
administration’s wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
The departure of Rumsfeld leaves
Vice President Cheney increasingly
isolated as an advocate for an Iraq
policy that is perceived as largely to
blame for Republican losses in
Congress. The ascendancy of Baker
and other members of the former
administration such as Gates and
former National Security Advisor
Brent Scowcroft may act to counter
momentum for a US military strike
against Iran. Gates is expected to
face confirmation difficulties over
his involvement in the Reagan-era
Iran-Contra scandals. its all true
Afghanistan.
The departure of Rumsfeld leaves
Vice President Cheney increasingly
isolated as an advocate for an Iraq
policy that is perceived as largely to
blame for Republican losses in
Congress. The ascendancy of Baker
and other members of the former
administration such as Gates and
former National Security Advisor
Brent Scowcroft may act to counter
momentum for a US military strike
against Iran. Gates is expected to
face confirmation difficulties over
his involvement in the Reagan-era
Iran-Contra scandals. its all true
Justice Department figures reveal a
significant decline in prosecutions of
terrorism-related cases referred by
FBI investigators, according to a
report released last week. The data
documents a five-year trend in which
federal prosecutors have declined to
bring charges in an increasing
percentage of FBI terrorism referrals.
The report, which was prepared by
the Syracuse University-based
Transactional Records Access
Clearinghouse (TRAC), has been
assailed by the FBI as “inaccurate.”
The report was compiled using
official Justice Department statistics.
According to TRAC, the numbers
“raise troubling questions about the
bureau’s investigation of criminal
matters involving individuals the
government has identified as
international terrorists.” The report
notes that, after spiking in 2002,
terrorism prosecutions are also down
over the period studied, 2001-2006.
In 2001, the Department refused to
prosecute 33 percent of terrorism
cases referred by FBI agents; for
2006, the declination rate currently
stands at 87 percent. its all true
significant decline in prosecutions of
terrorism-related cases referred by
FBI investigators, according to a
report released last week. The data
documents a five-year trend in which
federal prosecutors have declined to
bring charges in an increasing
percentage of FBI terrorism referrals.
The report, which was prepared by
the Syracuse University-based
Transactional Records Access
Clearinghouse (TRAC), has been
assailed by the FBI as “inaccurate.”
The report was compiled using
official Justice Department statistics.
According to TRAC, the numbers
“raise troubling questions about the
bureau’s investigation of criminal
matters involving individuals the
government has identified as
international terrorists.” The report
notes that, after spiking in 2002,
terrorism prosecutions are also down
over the period studied, 2001-2006.
In 2001, the Department refused to
prosecute 33 percent of terrorism
cases referred by FBI agents; for
2006, the declination rate currently
stands at 87 percent. its all true
As a variety of local and regional
statistics continue to confirm that a
significant adjustment in real estate
values is occurring across the country,
industry observers are pointing to the
impending collapse of the home equity
loan market as a further sign of the
deterioration of the housing market. A
downturn in equity extraction is
expected to have a severe impact on
consumer spending, which accounts for
almost 70 percent of US economic
activity, in 2007 and 2008.
Although mortgage equity extraction hit
record levels in the first half of 2006,
experts predict a dramatic slowdown,
attributing most of the recent activity to
mortgage holders rushing to get out of
interest-only loans that are due to reset
to higher rates. From 2000 through June
of this year, total home equity actually
declined by 4 percent, despite an
increase in total home values of 78
percent.
Just as many homeowners who
purchased short-term adjustable rate
mortgages are facing sharp increases in
their payments without realizing
commensurate gains in value, holders of
home equity loans may find themselves
making payments based on an ultimately
unrealizable value. In both cases the
statistics continue to confirm that a
significant adjustment in real estate
values is occurring across the country,
industry observers are pointing to the
impending collapse of the home equity
loan market as a further sign of the
deterioration of the housing market. A
downturn in equity extraction is
expected to have a severe impact on
consumer spending, which accounts for
almost 70 percent of US economic
activity, in 2007 and 2008.
Although mortgage equity extraction hit
record levels in the first half of 2006,
experts predict a dramatic slowdown,
attributing most of the recent activity to
mortgage holders rushing to get out of
interest-only loans that are due to reset
to higher rates. From 2000 through June
of this year, total home equity actually
declined by 4 percent, despite an
increase in total home values of 78
percent.
Just as many homeowners who
purchased short-term adjustable rate
mortgages are facing sharp increases in
their payments without realizing
commensurate gains in value, holders of
home equity loans may find themselves
making payments based on an ultimately
unrealizable value. In both cases the
the consumers risk paying back loans
that greatly exceed the value of the
assets. Sharp reductions in real estate
value make effective refinancing of such
debt impossible for most individual
homeowners.
Some economists have criticized the
Federal Reserve for failing to act
decisively to prevent, or at least curb,
the housing bubble. Last January, in an
article surveying the career of outgoing
Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, the
Economist noted, “From a risk-
management perspective, the case for
acting against the housing bubble is even
greater than for the stockmarket bubble.
A housing bubble has bigger wealth
effects on consumer spending, so a
collapse in housing prices would cause
more economic harm than one in share
prices.” But Greenspan was reluctant to
quell spending, which is increasingly the
only agent for growth in the US
economy.
It remains unclear how the US economy
will replace equity withdrawal activity. In
the third quarter of this year, even with
more than $250 billion in equity
extraction, US GDP was up only 1.6
percent. If that activity is significantly
curtailed, analysts agree that negative
GDP is a likely result. its all true
that greatly exceed the value of the
assets. Sharp reductions in real estate
value make effective refinancing of such
debt impossible for most individual
homeowners.
Some economists have criticized the
Federal Reserve for failing to act
decisively to prevent, or at least curb,
the housing bubble. Last January, in an
article surveying the career of outgoing
Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, the
Economist noted, “From a risk-
management perspective, the case for
acting against the housing bubble is even
greater than for the stockmarket bubble.
A housing bubble has bigger wealth
effects on consumer spending, so a
collapse in housing prices would cause
more economic harm than one in share
prices.” But Greenspan was reluctant to
quell spending, which is increasingly the
only agent for growth in the US
economy.
It remains unclear how the US economy
will replace equity withdrawal activity. In
the third quarter of this year, even with
more than $250 billion in equity
extraction, US GDP was up only 1.6
percent. If that activity is significantly
curtailed, analysts agree that negative
GDP is a likely result. its all true
The Inspector General for Iraq
Reconstruction has provided data to
Congress that reveals that the US
military has given hundreds of thousands
of weapons to the Iraqi Security Force
that it cannot track. The study found
that the military admits that it did not
follow its own procedures for recording
and tracking the whereabouts more than
350,000 weapons that it disbursed to the
ISF between 2003 and 2005.
In an analysis requested by Senator John
Warner (R-VA), Inspector Stuart Bowen
found that only 10,000 weapons were
registered out of 370,000 small arms,
including grenade launchers, machine
guns and assault rifles, that were supplied
to the ISF. The report also found that
14,000 weapons had been lost by the US
Military command in Baghdad. The total
cost of the weapons provided by US
Reconstruction has provided data to
Congress that reveals that the US
military has given hundreds of thousands
of weapons to the Iraqi Security Force
that it cannot track. The study found
that the military admits that it did not
follow its own procedures for recording
and tracking the whereabouts more than
350,000 weapons that it disbursed to the
ISF between 2003 and 2005.
In an analysis requested by Senator John
Warner (R-VA), Inspector Stuart Bowen
found that only 10,000 weapons were
registered out of 370,000 small arms,
including grenade launchers, machine
guns and assault rifles, that were supplied
to the ISF. The report also found that
14,000 weapons had been lost by the US
Military command in Baghdad. The total
cost of the weapons provided by US
forces was $133 million through April
2005.
Weapons transferred by US forces to
foreign troops or security forces are
supposed to be trackable. Regulations
require that the serial numbers of all
weapons transferred are to be registered
in the DOD Small Arms Serialization
Program.
There is concern that the unaccounted
for weapons could be conveyed to the
Iraqi resistance movement. There have
been reports that the ISF may have
connections with insurgent militant
groups in the occupied country.
Bowen also recently told the BBC that
Iraq was facing a “second insurgency” in
the form of pervasive corruption and
mismanagement within the Iraqi
2005.
Weapons transferred by US forces to
foreign troops or security forces are
supposed to be trackable. Regulations
require that the serial numbers of all
weapons transferred are to be registered
in the DOD Small Arms Serialization
Program.
There is concern that the unaccounted
for weapons could be conveyed to the
Iraqi resistance movement. There have
been reports that the ISF may have
connections with insurgent militant
groups in the occupied country.
Bowen also recently told the BBC that
Iraq was facing a “second insurgency” in
the form of pervasive corruption and
mismanagement within the Iraqi
government. “The money that’s
stolen doesn’t merely enrich
criminals,” Bowen told the BBC, it
often goes to “fund criminal militias
or insurgents.”
Bowen’s office began its operations
in 2004 and has brought 24 cases of
fraud, bribery and waste to the
Justice Department. The auditor’s
work has resulted in four convictions
and has recently uncovered evidence
that a subsidiary of Halliburton
conspired to cover up poor contract
performance. The Inspector
General's office was de-funded
effective next year. The
responsibilities of the office will be
transferred to the State Department
where a reduced staff will be under
the authority of Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice. its all true
stolen doesn’t merely enrich
criminals,” Bowen told the BBC, it
often goes to “fund criminal militias
or insurgents.”
Bowen’s office began its operations
in 2004 and has brought 24 cases of
fraud, bribery and waste to the
Justice Department. The auditor’s
work has resulted in four convictions
and has recently uncovered evidence
that a subsidiary of Halliburton
conspired to cover up poor contract
performance. The Inspector
General's office was de-funded
effective next year. The
responsibilities of the office will be
transferred to the State Department
where a reduced staff will be under
the authority of Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice. its all true
The federal government recently
disclosed elements of a surveillance
program that was developed after the
terror attacks in 2001 that purports to
collect, analyze and retain travel
documents, itineraries and other
personal information of all travelers who
enter or exit the US, whether on a
plane, by auto or by foot.
The Department of Homeland Security
admits that it has been operating what is
known as the Automated Targeting
System out of the National Targeting
Center since 2001. What was not public
knowledge was that the Automated
Targeting System, which was authorized
by Congress to screen cargo as it enters
the US to prevent the importation of
illegal drugs, had begun to be used by
DHS as a means of collecting information
disclosed elements of a surveillance
program that was developed after the
terror attacks in 2001 that purports to
collect, analyze and retain travel
documents, itineraries and other
personal information of all travelers who
enter or exit the US, whether on a
plane, by auto or by foot.
The Department of Homeland Security
admits that it has been operating what is
known as the Automated Targeting
System out of the National Targeting
Center since 2001. What was not public
knowledge was that the Automated
Targeting System, which was authorized
by Congress to screen cargo as it enters
the US to prevent the importation of
illegal drugs, had begun to be used by
DHS as a means of collecting information
on and profiling innocent travelers.
DHS advised in a notice published in the
Federal Register that agents have
collected, analyzed and stored
information on air travelers for the past
five years, assigning a risk assessment
level to every air traveler whether or
not the traveler has ever been a target
of investigation by law enforcement.
Information collected is cross-referenced
against a massive database that includes
state and federal law enforcement data
and commercially collected information
regarding private citizens. DHS reported
that all information collected will be
stored for 40 years by DHS “to cover
the potential lifespan of individuals
associated with terrorism and other
criminal activities.” its all true
DHS advised in a notice published in the
Federal Register that agents have
collected, analyzed and stored
information on air travelers for the past
five years, assigning a risk assessment
level to every air traveler whether or
not the traveler has ever been a target
of investigation by law enforcement.
Information collected is cross-referenced
against a massive database that includes
state and federal law enforcement data
and commercially collected information
regarding private citizens. DHS reported
that all information collected will be
stored for 40 years by DHS “to cover
the potential lifespan of individuals
associated with terrorism and other
criminal activities.” its all true
On election day 2006 citizens in
37 states voted on more than 200
different measures and ballot
initiatives on a broad range of
issues including same-sex
marriage, immigration, minimum
wage, private property rights, and
abortion restrictions.
Eight states had measures seeking
to ban same-sex marriage on this
year’s ballots. Seven of these
states, including, Idaho, Virginia,
South Dakota and Wisconsin,
voted to amend their state
constitutions to prohibit same-
sex marriage. These seven states
joined 16 other states where the
right to marriage is not extended
to all citizens.
Arizona voters were faced with
four proposals advanced by anti-
immigrant groups that targeted
undocumented workers. All of
the initiatives were approved by
the voters in Arizona, including a
measure that calls for making
English the official language in the
state.
In six states voters supported
ballot initiatives that called for
raising the minimum wage,
including a measure in Missouri
that ties future minimum wage
increases to the consumer price
index.
The electorate in Champaign-
Urbana IL voted that the
president and vice president
should be impeached for
misrepresentations that led to the
occupation of Iraq, the torture of
detainees, and the illegal wire
tapping of Americans. its all true
37 states voted on more than 200
different measures and ballot
initiatives on a broad range of
issues including same-sex
marriage, immigration, minimum
wage, private property rights, and
abortion restrictions.
Eight states had measures seeking
to ban same-sex marriage on this
year’s ballots. Seven of these
states, including, Idaho, Virginia,
South Dakota and Wisconsin,
voted to amend their state
constitutions to prohibit same-
sex marriage. These seven states
joined 16 other states where the
right to marriage is not extended
to all citizens.
Arizona voters were faced with
four proposals advanced by anti-
immigrant groups that targeted
undocumented workers. All of
the initiatives were approved by
the voters in Arizona, including a
measure that calls for making
English the official language in the
state.
In six states voters supported
ballot initiatives that called for
raising the minimum wage,
including a measure in Missouri
that ties future minimum wage
increases to the consumer price
index.
The electorate in Champaign-
Urbana IL voted that the
president and vice president
should be impeached for
misrepresentations that led to the
occupation of Iraq, the torture of
detainees, and the illegal wire
tapping of Americans. its all true
Baker's Boys to Enter White House Through Gates
Iraq Inspector General Discovers Weapons Are Missing
Bush, Cheney
Can’t Get Married,
Can Get Impeached
Can’t Get Married,
Can Get Impeached
Traveler Track Knows Your Itinerary, Forever
Bursting Bubble Means Equity Trouble
Charges Dropping
In FBI Terror Probes
In FBI Terror Probes