Pacifica's Peace Watch
Mon. Jan. 6, 2003
Today's Stories:
Economics: The Price of War Dean Baker
Preparing for War: Jeremy Scahill (bombing never stopped)
Quakers Peace Vigil
Making the Case for Peace: An Historical Perspective: William
Rivers Pitt
North Korea Chalmers Johnson
Bring Back the Draft - CSPAN cuts
Peace Roundtable - Ruby Sayles
Rick Jankhow- Project YANO Opposition to Draft
The audio of today's show is posted at http://www.radio4all.net/
Story: Economics: The Price of War Dean Baker
When President Bush unveils his economic growth package
tomorrow he will propose wiping out the taxes shareholders
pay on dividends, a step that would cost the Treasury more
than $300 billion over a decade. The White House struck back
today at Democratic charges that the Bush plan is skewed to
the rich.
One area scheduled to take a big hit in Bush’s wartime
budget is domestic spending. When the GOP-controlled congress
swears in over the next few days domestic spending will be
held down to $316 Billion dollars; this in the face of soaring
outlays for defense and so-called homeland security. The costs
of an attack on the people of Iraq is estimated to range anywhere
from $99-billion to 1.9 Trillion dollars over a nine-year
period, that’s according to a recent study written by
William Nordhaus. Others warn that many of the costs of waging
war against Iraq are hidden. Dean Baker, of the Center For
Economic and Policy Research predicts security costs stemming
from the threat of terrorism could run upwards of $100-billion
dollars a year.
Tape: Dean Baker, of the Center For Economic and Policy
Research.
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Story: Preparing for War: Jeremy Scahill (bombing
never stopped)
Amid swirling snow, the hospital ship USNS Comfort churned
out of port Monday morning to aid in a possible war with Iraq.
Across the country, more than 4,000 Marines and sailors left
San Diego early Monday for a six-month deployment to the Persian
Gulf. More than 10,000 army soldiers in Georgia were preparing
for deployment Monday night.
The Washington Post reports today that the U.S. military
is amassing as many as 100 thousand ground troops in the Persian
Gulf region in preparation for an invasion of Iraq. This,
despite the Bush administration's repeated claims that it's
still pursuing diplomatic channels and has not yet decided
whether or not to launch attacks.
What's often overlooked in the hawkish rhetoric, however,
is that with over a decade of economic sanctions and regular
bombings by American planes policing the so-called "no-fly
zones," the war against Iraq has never really ended.
Peacewatch spoke earlier today with independent journalist
Jeremy Scahill, who's spent a lot of time reporting from Iraq
for Free Speech Radio News and Democracy Now! ...
Tape: Independent reporter Jeremy Scahill, who's reported
extensively from Iraq.
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Story: Quakers Peace Vigil
For the past four weeks, the Peace and Social Action Committee
of the Live Oak Friends-- a Quaker organization based in Houston,
Texas-- has held a weekly peace vigil at a busy downtown intersection
near City Hall.
Tape: Produced by Renee Feltz at Pacifica station KPFT in
Houston, Texas.
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Story: Making the Case for Peace: An Historical Perspective:
William Rivers Pitt
We conclude a three-part series: Making the Case for Peace,
An Historical Perspective. In a recent speech at Boston University
author and teacher William River Pitt shows how the US has
manipulated public opinion and US foreign policy to ensure
US control of natural resources in the Middle East. In his
book "War on Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn't Want you to
Know," Pitts and former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter
dismantle the myths surrounding Iraq's present weapons capabilities
to uncover the neo-conservative forces behind the White House's
push for war on Iraq.
Pitt and Ritter go on to explore the White House's premise
for war, demonstrating among many startling revelations, the
utter lack of any plausible link between Saddam Hussein and
al-Qaeda. We learn that Osama bin Laden is in agreement with
the Bush administration, and has called for the death of Saddam
Hussein. Pitt and Ritter highlight the absurdity of Team Bush's
dual aim of bringing down Hussein and forcing democracy on
a nation that has been divided for centuries.
Tape: Author, high school teacher, William Rivers Pitt,
at Boston University. Thanks to Mark Weaver of community station
WMBR in Boston, and Lona Alias for that report
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Story: North Korea Chalmers Johnson
Ever since George Bush came into office, he has taken a
hard line towards negotiations with North Korea over their
nuclear weapons program. The heat has been turned up since
North Korea announced it was abandoning its arrangement with
the U.S. and U.N a few weeks ago. South Koreans are increasingly
fearful that the United States seems determined to push their
northern neighbors to the brink of war. Chalmers Johnson,
President of the Japan Policy Research Institute and author
of "Blowback" spoke with KPFK Los Angeles about
how South Koreans feel held hostage to America's belligerency.
Host Ian Masters asked Chalmers Johnson his opinion about
Defense secretary Donald Rumsfield's confident assertion that
the United States would have no problem fighting two wars
at once..."
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Story: Bring Back the Draft - CSPAN cuts
Congressman Charles Rangel of NY in an op ed piece in the
New York Times last week proposed the reinstatement of the
draft. Public opinion is as varied as our nation. As discussion
of this issue grows so does the gap between those supporting
the draft and their opposition.
Tape: Mother from South Carolina and St. Petersburg, FL.
Excerpts from CSPAN
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Story: Peace Roundtable - Ruby Sayles
On Friday, Pacifica Station WPFW in Washington, DC held
a Roundtable for Peace. Local activist Ruby Sayles, distinguished
for her years of support for minority rights accused the Bush
administration of nurturing a culture of violence. Sayles
asserts that the violence against nations, like Iraq, is reflection
of the violence that is an integral part of our domestic culture.
Tape: Ruby Sayles, political activist Pacifica station WPFW
in Washington. Thanks to Damu Smith of Black Voices for Peace
and Ambrose Lane, Sr. for that report
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Story: Rick Jankhow- Project YANO Opposition to Draft
Peace Watch spoke with Rick Jankhow of Project YANO - -
- an 18-year old California group that works as counter recruiters.
We asked Jankhow if he thinks Rangel’s bill stands a
chance of passing in the upcoming congress.
Tape: Rick Jankhow, Project YANO
Credits
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