Next stop... Comfort Torture!

America admits suspects died in interrogations

American military officials acknowledged yesterday that two prisoners captured in Afghanistan in December had been killed while under interrogation at Bagram air base north of Kabul - reviving concerns that the US is resorting to torture in its treatment of Taliban fighters and suspected al-Qa'ida operatives.

A spokesman for the air base confirmed that the official cause of death of the two men was "homicide", contradicting earlier accounts that one had died of a heart attack and the other from a pulmonary embolism.

The men's death certificates, made public earlier this week, showed that one captive, known only as Dilawar, 22, from the Khost region, died from "blunt force injuries to lower extremities complicating coronary artery disease" while another captive, Mullah Habibullah, 30, suffered from blood clot in the lung that was exacerbated by a "blunt force injury".

In other news: Helen Thomas is snubbed by the President during Thursday's press conference. Not surprising - I doubt if Russell Mokhiber would have managed to get a question in either if he had been there, since signs are that rather than answer the tough questions, the Bush administrartion (and Ari Fleischer) is just choosing to ignore them.

Oops...

ElBaradei: Proof Iraq Imported Uranium Was Fake

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The head of the U.N. nuclear agency said on Friday that the documents backing U.S. and British allegations that Iraq had attempted to import uranium from Niger were "not authentic."

"Based on thorough analysis, the IAEA has concluded ... that these documents, which formed the basis for the reports of recent uranium transactions between Iraq and Niger, are in fact not authentic," International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei said in a report to the U.N. Security Council.

"We have therefore concluded that these specific allegations are unfounded," he said.

Britain and the United States alleged Iraq had attempted to revive a nuclear weapons program that was neutralized by the United Nations before U.N. inspectors left Baghdad in December 1998 on the eve of a U.S.-British bombing raid.

The claim Iraq had attempted to import the uranium was vital to the U.S. accusation, since it would not have needed the uranium for anything other than an atomic weapons program.

Maybe it was another cut and paste job...

It's a plan as cunning as a fox that's graduated with a degree in cunning from Oxford University...

U.S.: Iraq will blame atrocities on U.S.

WASHINGTON, March 6 (UPI) -- U.S. Central Command charged Thursday that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has ordered an unspecified number of uniforms that are "identical down to the last detail" to U.S. and British military uniforms, according to command spokesman Maj. Brad Lowell.

Iraq intends to issue the uniforms to a paramilitary force known as Fedayeen Saddam troops, who will wear them while committing "atrocities" against Iraqi people so the acts can later be blamed on Western soldiers, Central Command said.

Central Command says the group is about 1,500-fighters strong and reports directly to the presidential palace. It is not in the military chain of command. It was founded in 1994 by Saddam Hussein's son Uday, according to Central Command.

The force, initially made up of teenagers, conducts patrols and carries out anti-smuggling duties. The group also helps put down unrest during emergencies.

Tabloid Reporting Gets It Right. In Other News, Man Bites Dog.

U.S., Britain Propose March 17 Deadline

UNITED NATIONS - The United States and Britain proposed an ultimatum Friday for Saddam Hussein to comply with U.N. inspections by March 17 or face a military attack.

But France, Germany, and other Security Council members rejected the plan, an amended U.S.-British-Spanish resolution that paves the way for war. Opponents said the proposal would automatically lead to military action, and France threatened to wield its veto.

U.S. officials said they want a vote early next week.

The council meeting, held a day after President Bush said the crisis was in its "last phase of diplomacy," appeared to leave Washington and London struggling for U.N. support. Despite weeks of diplomatic maneuvering, they have been unable to muster the nine votes necessary for the resolution's passage.

Earlier...

UK troops told Iraq war to start March 17 - paper

LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - Britain's Daily Express newspaper said on Thursday British troops based in the Gulf had been told to prepare for an invasion of Iraq on March 17.

The newspaper, quoting unnamed Westminster sources, said British officers based in Kuwait had been told to expect an invasion on that date, preceded by a massive "short and sharp" air blitz on Iraq from March 13.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said she had no comment on the story.

The U.S. and Britain have committed more than 300,000 troops to the Gulf region along with dozens of warships and more than 500 attack aircraft for a possible war against Iraq.

Looks like the schedule is set.