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Human Rights Watch: Israel Dropping Cluster Bombs on Lebanese
Civilians
Lebanese President Accuses Israel of Using White Phosphorus
Bombs in Lebanon
U.S. Broadcast Exclusive: Star Wars in Iraq: Is the U.S.
Using New Experimental Tactical High Energy Laser Weapons
in Iraq?
Prominent Iranian Dissident and Former Political Prisoner
Akbar Ganji on Why He Refused to Meet President Bush and the
Dangers of a US Invasion of Iran
Human Rights Watch: Israel Dropping Cluster Bombs
on Lebanese Civilians
Human Rights Watch says Israel is firing cluster munitions
at Lebanese residential neighborhoods in possible violation
of international law. We speak with HRW's Peter Bouckaert
in Beirut. [includes rush
transcript]
The United Nations has launched an emergency appeal for the
international community to help the people of Lebanon. Emergency
Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland said $150 million is needed
urgently. A total of about 800,000 people have been forced
to flee their homes. Food, water, fuel and medical supplies
are running out in parts of the country. The UN says entire
communities have been cut off because Israel has systemtically
destroyed the country's networks of roads and bridges. Meanwhile,
questions are being raised as to whether Israel is violating
international law. On Sunday, UN High Commissioner Louise
Arbour told CNN Israel’s actions in Lebanon could lead
to the prosecution of its military commanders. Meanwhile,
Human Rights Watch says Israel is shelling civilian areas
with cluster bombs. On Monday, Democracy Now reached Peter
Bouckaert. He's the emergencies director for Human Rights
Watch, currently in Beirut. He talked about the humanitarian
situation on the ground, as well as the situation for Lebanon's
hundreds of thousands of refugees.
Lebanese President Accuses Israel of Using White
Phosphorus Bombs in Lebanon
Independent journalist Dahr Jamail, who exposed how the U.S.
used white phosphorus bombs in Iraq, says Israel is using
the same tactic in Lebanon. We speak to him in Beirut. [includes
rush
transcript]
While Human Rights Watch is accusing Israel of using cluster
bombs, the Lebanese president Emile Lahoud says Israel is
also using white phosphorus. Lebanese doctors have reported
witnessing the effects of white phosphorus on their patients.
Independent journalist is in Beirut and has spoken to some
of those doctors. We reached him earlier today.
- Dahr Jamail
-Independent journalist. Dahr Jamail spent the last week
on the Syria-Lebanon border and the last several days in
Beirut.
U.S. Broadcast Exclusive: Star Wars in Iraq: Is the
U.S. Using New Experimental Tactical High Energy Laser Weapons
in Iraq?
In November, a documentary from Italy’s RAI Television
accusing the United States of illegally white phosphorus during
its attack on Fallujah. A new documentary says the United
States is now using experimental laser weapons against Iraqi
civilians. We play an excerpt. [includes rush
transcript]
From illegal weapons in Lebanon we turn to Iraq. In November,
Democracy Now aired a documentary from accusing the United
States of illegally white phosphorus during its attack on
Fallujah. The Pentagon was forced to admit to the charge after
more than a week of denials. The same Italian team has produced
a new documentary. It says the United States is now using
experimental laser weapons against Iraqi civilians. Today,
in another U.S. broadcast exclusive, we bring you an excerpt.
It’s called “Star Wars in Iraq”, produced
by Maurizio Torrealta and Sigfrido Ranucci for RAI Television.
- "Star Wars in Iraq"-documents US use of experimental
weapons in Iraq, produced by Maurizio Torrealta and Sigfrido
Rannuci for Italy's RAI TV
Prominent Iranian Dissident and Former Political
Prisoner Akbar Ganji on Why He Refused to Meet President Bush
and the Dangers of a US Invasion of Iran
The renowned Iranian investigative journalist Akbar Ganji
speaks out against human rights abuses in his home country
as well as U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Recently
released from prison, Ganji discusses his incarceration and
says U.S. foreign policy is hurting Iran’s pro-democracy
movement. [includes rush
transcript]
Renowned Iranian dissident and investigative journalist Akbar
Ganji is on a month long world tour to raise awareness of
human rights violations in Iran. In April 2000 Akbar was arrested
after he took part in a conference on political reform in
Iran. He was released six years later - in March of this year.
Since his arrival in the U.S, Akbar has been speaking out
against human rights abuses in Iran. He took part in a three-day
hunger strike outside of the UN aimed at forcing the Iranian
government to release political prisoners. Akbar has also
carried an anti-war message and has spoken out against the
Bush administration. Last week, he declined a personal invitation
to the White House to meet with top U.S officials overseeing
Iran policy. He rejected the offer - he says - because he
believed that current US policies could not help promote democracy
in Iran. Akbar Ganji joins us now in the studio. Hossein Kamaly
also joins us to help with translation.
- Akbar Ganji-Iranian dissident and investigative journalist,
(translated by Hossein Kamaly)
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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