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Will Al-Zarqawi's Death Fuel the Insurgency or Diminish It?
Army Lieutenant Becomes First Commissioned Officer to Refuse
Deployment to Iraq
Holy Outlaw: Lifelong Peace Activist Father Daniel Berrigan
Turns 85
Will Al-Zarqawi's Death Fuel the Insurgency or Diminish
It?
U.S. and Iraqi officials have announced Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
was killed in a U.S.-Iraqi raid in Iraq on Wednesday. We speak
with Robert Fisk, chief Middle East correspondent of the London
Independent and Loretta Napoleoni, author of "Insurgent
Iraq: Al Zarqawi and the New Generation."
U.S. and Iraqi officials have announced Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,
al-Qaida's leader in Iraq, is dead. According to their account,
Zarqawi was killed in a US-Iraqi raid near the town of Baquba
on Wednesday. Another seven aides were also said to be killed
in the attack. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Zarqawi's
identity had been confirmed through fingerprints and facial
identification. Zarqawi is said to have led attacks that killed
scores of Iraqi civilians as well as U.S. troops. Zarqawi
also claimed responsibility for several attacks outside Iraq,
including the triple bombings that hit Jordan hotels last
November. He was the most-wanted man in Iraq. The U.S. government
had placed a $25 million dollar bounty on his head.
After the news of Zarqawi's death, President Bush made a
statement on the White House lawn.
- President Bush, speaking June 8th in front of the White
House.
In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke about
the significance of the death of Zarqawi.
- Tony Blair, British prime minister speaking in London.
Zarqawi's role in Iraq has been the subject of much debate.
Some analysts describe him as the leader of the insurgency
in Iraq while others say his influence has been overblown.
Some have questioned whether he even exists.
For more on the latest we are joined by two guests:
- Robert Fisk, chief Middle East correspondent for the
London Independent. He is author of several books, his latest
is "The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of
the Middle East" He joins us on the line from Montreal.
- Loretta Napoleoni, Italian economist and writer. She
is the author of several books including "Insurgent
Iraq: Al Zarqawi and the New Generation" and "Terror
Incorporated: Tracing the Dollars Behind the Terror Networks."
Army Lieutenant Becomes First Commissioned Officer
to Refuse Deployment to Iraq
For the first time since the start of the war, a commissioned
officer is refusing deployment to fight in Iraq. On Wednesday
U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant Ehren Watada announced his intention
to disobey what he says are illegal orders to deploy to Iraq.
We speak with 1st Lieutenant Watada and his lawyer, Legrand
Jones.
For the first time since the start of the war, a commissioned
officer is refusing deployment to fight in Iraq. On Wednesday
U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant Ehren Watada announced his intention
to disobey what he says are illegal orders to deploy to Iraq.
He was supposed to make his announcement at a news conference
yesterday but military officials told Watada he could not
attend because he was barred from speaking publicly about
his case while on duty at the base.
Watada is a member of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd infantry Division
based at Fort Lewis near Seattle, Washington. His unit is
set to be deployed later this month. Lieutenant Watada faces
court martial unless the Army allows him to resign or assigns
him to duties not directly connected to the war.
On Wednesday, Lieutenant Watada issued a video recording
explaining why he is refusing to fight.
- 1st Lieutenant Ehren Watada video statement. Courtesy
of Ron Smith.
We are joined now on the line by Ehren Watada and his lawyer,
Legrand Jones.
- 1st Lieutenant Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer
to refuse deployment to Iraq. He joins us on the line from
Washington State.
- Legrand Jones, Washington State council for 1st Lt. Watanda.
Holy Outlaw: Lifelong Peace Activist Father Daniel
Berrigan Turns 85
We speak with Father Daniel Berrigan, one of the country's
leading peace activists of the past half-century. Hundreds
of people are gathering in New York this weekend to celebrate
his 85th birthday. We discuss his life as a Jesuit priest,
poet, pacifist, educator, social activist, playwright and
lifelong resister to what he calls "American military
imperialism."
Our next guest is one of the country's leading peace activists
of the past half-century.
In 1968, he traveled to North Vietnam with Howard Zinn to
bring home three U.S. prisoners of war.
Later that year he made national headlines when he and eight
others burned draft files in Catonsville Maryland.
In 1970 he spent four months living underground as a fugitive
from the FBI.
In the early 1980s he helped launch the international anti-nuclear
Plowshares movement when he and seven others poured blood
and hammered on warheads at a GE nuclear missile plant in
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
I am talking, of course, of Father Daniel Berrigan. Jesuit
priest. Poet. Pacifist. Educator. Social activist. Playwright.
Civil rights activist. And lifelong resister to what he calls
"American military imperialism."
Along with his late brother, Phil, Dan Berrigan played an
instrumental role in inspiring the anti-war and anti-draft
movement during the late 1960s as well as the anti-nuclear
movement.
Georgetown University theology professor Chester Gillis has
said of Father Berrigan: "If you were to identify Catholic
prophets in the 20th century, he'd be right there with Dorothy
Day or Thomas Merton."
This weekend, hundreds of people are gathering in New York
to celebrate his 85th birthday.
In a moment we will speak with Father Berrigan but we begin
by going back 35 years to the documentary "The Holy Outlaw"
by director Lee Lockwood. It features Daniel Berrigan as well
as the historian Howard Zinn.
- "The Holy Outlaw" - excerpt of documentary
by director Lee Lockwood.
Father Dan Berrigan joins us live in our firehouse studio.
- Fr. Daniel Berrigan, Jesuit priest and social activist.
He is a prolific writer of poetry and the author of more
than 30 books. He recently turned 85 years old.
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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