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> Mon., Mar. 17, 2003
Flashpoints
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Today's headlines:
A Special National War Edition: George Bush Addresses the
Nation and Gives Saddam Hussein an Ultimatum to Get Out of
Iraq;
We’ll Feature Responses to his Speech from Geneva and
from New York;
Also, an American International Soldiarity Worker Crushed
to Death by an Israeli Bullbozer in Gaza;
DC Anti-War Protesters Arrested at the Capital Building.
And, Iraqi-Americans Fear for their Relatives Who Still Live
in Iraq
8:00:00 PM PST
Dennis Bernstein: introduction: Bush war speech tonight gives
Hussein an ultimatum to get out of Iraq.. American activist
murdered in Gaza.. Iraqi Americans fear for relatives in Iraq..
8:01:00 PM PST
Dennis: it appears war is dead ahead in a brief moment.. UN
orders all staff out of Iraq..
8:01:56 PM PST
AUDIO LINKLIVE TO BUSH'S WAR SPEECH.. [In my opinion, an ugly,
egomaniac, Hitlerian tirade with puerile justifications for
the use of massive violence against innocents, and I refuse
to post a review for this segment, signed JL]
8:15:30 PM PST
music break
8:16:20 PM PST
Dennis: AUDIO LINK now to NYC and UN correspondent Susan Wood:
most countries on the Security Council would say that diplomacy
was never given a chance to work.. the gulf between France
and Germany's position on one hand and the US and Britain's
on the other hand is enormous.. US has not established any
link between Iraq and Al-Quada.. most countries will feel
an enormous sense of betrayal from Bush's speech.. 50 countries
spoke last week and said NO TO WAR.. at every step along the
way when the inspectors reported except one, the reports were
mostly positive..
8:21:10 PM PST
Dennis: AUDIO LINK now w German reporter, Andreas Zumach:
the idea of Saddam plotting to destroy NATO alliance pretty
much nonsense.. Iraq has tried to comply with at least some
of the demands.. Bush has put himself into a corner.. SADDAM
GETTING READY TO PROVIDE WEAPONS TO AL-QUADA?.. NOT A SINGLE
PROOF, JUST A BUSH ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY AN ILLEGAL WAR.. THE
CLAIM THAT PEACEFUL EFFORTS TO GET IRAQ TO FULFILL ITS OBLIGATIONS
HAVE FAILED IS A LIE.. THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION PRETTY LONELY
IN THE WORLD.. THERE WILL BE MASSIVE ACTIONS ON THE STREET
IN EUROPE AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES.. AND ACTS OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE,
LIKE BLOCKING TRAINS IN ITALY.. THESE KINDS OF ACTIONS WILL
INCREASE.. Susan: about the issue of war crimes.. Iraqi and
US.. Dennis: about US and Iraqi use of weapons of mass destruction..
Andreas: this is a recipe for the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction.. every nation, following the example
of North Korea, will want nuclear weapons to deter attacks
from the US.. Bush threatening to use chemical weapons and
nuclear weapons against Iraq.
8:38:00 PM PST
AUDIO LINK Dennis: as the US prepares for a full scale assault
against the Iraqi people.. now w Annan Shallal, the founder
of Iraqi Americans for Peaceful Alternatives.. Annan: our
relatives in Iraq are quite frightened, they remember Rumsfeld's
'shock and awe' threat, they have read about the 20,000 pound
bomb the US threatens to use, the 3000 missiles threatened
in 48 hours.. they are frightened.. we are promised this is
going to be 'quick' - that usually means attacked with great
force.. the US still has not said how many civilians were
killed in the first Gulf War.. this is the 'quiet time before
the storm'.. after 911 hate crimes against Arab Americans
went up tenfold.. Iraqi Americans are getting it from both
sides, as Arabs and as Iraqis.. to be an Iraqi American and
be against the war is very scarey in this climate.. we are
seen as 'pro-Saddam'.. about the so-called 'Iraqi Opposition'
- many have criminal backgrounds, most are on the payroll
of the CIA.. unsavory characters to say the least.. I was
listening to Bush's speech, he was talking about how *the
world* supported his war against Iraq, just who is *the world*
now? the US and Britain and Spain?.. how about France, and
Brazil, and India, and South Africa and all the rest?.. Bush
has bet the family farm on this deal, but he could lose big,
really big..
8:45:25 PM PST
music break
8:46:58 PM PST
AUDIO LINK Dennis: yesterday in Rafah, Gaza Strip, International
Solidarity Movement (ISM) activist, American Rachel Corey
murdered.. now w ISM member, Kristen Schurr in Gaza.. Kristen:
an Israeli soldier operating a bulldozer mowed her down defending
the home of a Palestinian doctor.. she had been defending
water wells.. the Israelis are busy creating a cover story..
but actual eyewitnesses say that the bulldozer operator must
have seen her in her bright orange coat.. SHE WAS ENGAGED
IN A DIRECT DIALOGUE WITH THE BULLDOZER OPERATOR, WITH A BULLHORN,
WEARING A REFLECTIVE VEST.. with other activists, all clearly
identified.. the Israeli military knows there are many international
activists in Rafah.. AS THE BULLDOZER KNOCKED HER DOWN, THE
OPERATOR HAD EYE CONTACT WITH HER, THEN THE OPERATOR BACKED
UP OVER HER AGAIN.. I SAW WHAT THE COMMANDER SAID: 'THE PROTESTORS
PUTTING EVERYONE IN DANGER'.. NOT HARDLY TRUE, IT IS THE SOLDIERS,
THE TANKS, THE BULLDOZERS, THE APACHE HELICOPTERS PUTTING
EVERYONE IN DANGER.. in that neighborhood, most people have
already been driven from their homes by random shooting, shelling..
the house she was trying to defend was the home of a doctor..
NO SURPRISE THAT THE ISRAELI MILITARY IS LYING ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED, THEY LIE ABOUT EVERYTHING.. Dennis: about the other
people killed?.. KRISTEN: 11 MORE PEOPLE KILLED IN THE GAZA
STRIP LAST NIGHT.. AND THIS AFTERNOON MORE PEOPLE KILLED..
GUNS ON TANKS SHOOTING RANDOMLY INTO THE CAMPS.. THE MILITARY
ON SUCH A BLOODY RAMPAGE, HARD TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEATH TOLL..
PEOPLE AFRAID THIS WILL INCREASE EVEN MORE.. SO MANY FUNERALS
GOING ON EVERYDAY.. A FUNERAL FOR RACHEL TODAY TOO.. THE PEOPLE
CAN'T LEAVE THE GAZA STRIP, THEY ARE LOCKED IN HERE.. talk
of a massive transfer of people out of Ramallah and surrounding
refugee camps.. Internationals and Palestinians here feel
even closer..
8:58:45 PM PST
Dennis: wrapup
8:59:21 PM PST
End today's show. today's review by John Lionheart
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