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The White House vs. Science
Leading Scientists Accuse Bush of Politicizing Science
Pentagon Report: Climate Change Could Result In Global Catastrophe
Publishers Face Prison For Editing Articles from Iran, Iraq,
Sudan, Libya or Cuba
More Than 190 Civilians Massacred In Ugandan Refugee Camp
The White House vs. Science
INTRO: During its years in power, the Bush administration
has been accused of infiltrating and politicizing the hallowed
area of academia, particularly in the field of science. Today
we take an in-depth look at science and the White House.
The Bush Administration has come under heavy criticism for
its policies in numerous areas: the assault on civil liberties
under the Patriot Act and treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo
Bay leading the country to war and occupation under what is
looking like increasingly false pretenses.
The White House has also infiltrated academia as well, particularly
in the field of science. Today we take an in-depth look at
science and the White House.
Leading Scientists Accuse Bush of Politicizing Science
INTRO: A group of scientists, including 20 Nobel laureates,
last week signed a petition condemning the White House for
deliberately and systematically distorting scientific fact
in the service of policy goals on the environment, health,
biomedical research and nuclear weaponry at home and abroad.
Last week, a group of scientists, including 20 Nobel laureates,
signed a petition condemning the White House for deliberately
and systematically distorting scientific fact in the service
of policy goals on the environment, health, biomedical research
and nuclear weaponry at home and abroad.
According to the report entitled "Scientific Integrity
in Policymaking: An Investigation into the Bush Administration's
Misuse of Science," the White House censors and suppresses
reports by its own scientists, stacks advisory committees
and disbands government panels.
We contacted the Office of Science and Technology Policy,
of the Executive Office of the President. They declined to
join us on the show.
- Alden Meyer, Director of Policy and Government Relations
for the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Link: www.ucsusa.org
- Russell Train, Environmental Administrator under Presidents
Nixon and Ford. He currently serves as Chairman emeritus
at the World Wildlife Fund.
Pentagon Report: Climate Change Could Result In Global
Catastrophe
A Pentagon-commissioned report concludes the effects of
climate change over the next 20 years could result in global
catastrophe that leads to millions of deaths from war and
natural disasters.
The document outlines a worst-case, but plausible scenario
in which abrupt climate change brings the planet to the edge
of anarchy as countries develop a nuclear threat to defend
dwindling food, water and energy supplies. The report concludes,
"Disruption and conflict will be endemic features of
life" and the report's authors say climate change "should
be elevated beyond a scientific debate to a US national security
concern."
- Paul Harris, U.S. correspondent for the London Observer
who reported on this story over the weekend.
Publishers Face Prison For Editing Articles from
Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya or Cuba
The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets
Control recently declared that American publishers cannot
edit works authored in nations under trade embargoes which
include Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya and Cuba.
Although publishing the articles is legal, editing is a "service"
and the treasury department says it is illegal to perform
services for embargoed nations. It can be punishable by fines
of up to a half-million dollars or jail terms as long as 10
years.
- Robert Bovenschulte, president of the publications division
of the American Chemical Society, which decided this week
decided to challenge the government and risk criminal prosecution
by editing articles submitted from the five embargoed nations.
More Than 190 Civilians Massacred In Ugandan Refugee
Camp
INTRO: Suspected members of the Lord's Resistance Army in
Uganda massacred more than 200 civilians living in a refugee
camp. We go to Uganda to hear from a coordinator with Doctors
Without Borders which is treating the wounded and we speak
with a researcher on Africa for Human Rights Watch.
Over the weekend in Uganda suspected members of the Lord's
Resistance Army massacred more than 200 civilians living in
a refugee camp. According to an eyewitness report many of
those killed were forced into grass-thatched houses that were
then set ablaze. Others trying to flee were shot, bludgeoned
or hacked to death by rebels wielding clubs, machetes and
AK-47s.
The attack comes barely three weeks after rebels massacred
around 50 people in a nearby camp. About 5,000 people were
left homeless by the most recent massacre. Since the Lord's
Resistance Army took up arms against the Ugandan government
in 1988 about 1.2 million civilians in northern Uganda have
been displaced from their homes.
Uganda's President, Yoweri Museveni, issued a statement blaming
the incident on weaknesses within the command structure of
his army. He said a local army commander had allowed a loosely
guarded, unofficial Internally Displaced Persons camp to be
set up in the area. Museveni disputed the death toll, saying
only 84 people had died. But the Catholic Church, which has
a presence in the area, said some 213 people were killed.
The attack is being called the most devastating on civilians
in northern Uganda in nearly a decade.
- Tony Tate, researcher for Human Rights Watch on children's
rights issues and Africa. He traveled last year to Uganda.
Link: www.hrw.org
- Carla Martinez, project coordinator of Doctors Without
Borders in Lira, Uganda. The group has been treating the
wounded from the recent massacres.
Link: www.doctorswithoutborders.org
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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