By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BAGHDAD
Posted 12/27/04

U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to seek authorization to spend an additional $80 billion in Iraq, the head of a visiting congressional delegation said Dec. 24.

“In early February, there will be … a supplemental appropriation, in addition to the 2006 budget for defense, submitted to Congress,” Jim Kolbe, Republican congressman from Arizona, told reporters.

He estimated the extra funding would range from $75 billion to $80 billion.

By Cliff Kindy, Christian Peacemaker Teams
December 30, 2004
Read Cliff’s blog from Iraq.

On November 4, the U.S. Military bombed Fallujah as a prelude to an assault on the city of 300,000. In the next four days U.S. forces attacked and controlled an emergency clinic and the main hospital. On December 8, the major ground invasion started. It intended to remove the threat that was identified as 3000 insurgents and open a window for elections on January 31, 2005.

More than seven weeks have passed since the first bombing runs. U.S. troops outnumbered the estimated insurgents three fold and had support from Iraqi forces. The U.S. held superiority in firepower and controlled the skies. Yet, the battle for Fallujah continues now with more bombing runs, house raids, and arrests across the city.

Clara Terrel outside the gates of Offutt AFB upon her release with her ban and bar letter.

Clara Terrell, age 19, was arrested today for walking onto Offutt Air Force Base to deliver the Christmas message reprinted below.

She was arrested by base security and released with a “ban & bar” letter stating that “Your misconduct… created a substantial threat to the peace and order of the base community…”

This linecrossing was part of the 28th Annual Feast of Holy Innocents Retreat and Witness which was held today at STRATCOM, Offutt Air Force Base, Bellevue, Nebraska.

by Dr.Alberto Colombi, M.D.

The tsunami has hit countries already marked by misery, countries which are also ravaged by bloody and merciless wars.

SRI LANKA
This country, one of the most devastated by the monstrous wave, is also the theater of a bloody war between the Singalese majority of Buddhist faith and the Tamil minority of Hindu faith. In the last twenty years of a civil war as ancient as the history of the island itself, it is estimated that 64 thousand people have been killed by armed struggle and about a million civilians have been displaced. On top of the devastation, loss of life and public health disaster for the survivors, after the tidal wave comes a new danger, that of landmines floating in the countryside -resurfaced and re-mobilized by the devastating flood.

Mud, masonry, houses in ruins: the tidal wave brought death and destruction. And still another danger threatens to aggravate even further this huge disaster. The devastating power of the water unearthed thousands of landmines across the country, adding yet more damage to the disaster zone. According to initial reports, the tidal wave caused an unknown number of mines to explode whilst many more are to be found floating dangerously in the flooded countryside. Sri Lanka is a country with one of the highest concentrations of landmines in the world. The guerrillas, who have for years sustained the war between the Tamil Tigers and government forces, have been using these devices for many years. What is more, the government never signed the international treaty banning the use of landmines, despite having claimed on a number of occasions “to be making significant progress towards the banning of these weapons”. This same government estimates that across the country there are an estimated 1.5 million unexploded devices. From And after the wave: the mines.

by Ed Kinane
The original editorial from the Syracuse Post-Standard follows Ed Kinane’s commentary.

Friends,
Your December 22 editorial, “Who are the Insurgents?” demeans your profession.

As if its author were a U.S. government spokesperson, the editorial takes U.S. military reports or briefings at face value. If a journalist believes that the military is a credible source, he or she is no journalist. In the current Iraq war both sides have been caught in umpteen lies and evasions. Both assert the right to lie.