Pacifica's Peace Watch
Wed. Feb. 19, 2003
Today's Stories:
Turkey holds out for a better aid package
Iraq’s Neighbors Oppose War
Is Bush War Agenda Unraveling?
Paranoid Americans
Human Shields in Iraq
Voice of Peace in Philadelphia
World Social Forum
For Some Persian War Never Ended
Voices of Resistance – Poet Funkis Velvet
The audio of today's show is posted at http://www.radio4all.net/
Turkey, the country that shares a border with Iraq on the
north and would be strategically critical for any U.S. invasion
into that country is holding out for a better aid package
from the U.S. 20-30 ships carrying supplies for 15-thousand
U.S. troops are steaming their way towards Turkey, but the
agreement allowing them to house troops on Turkey’s
bases has not been secured. Turkey is asking for upwards of
$10- billion dollars in aid to compensate Ankara for any losses
during a war with Iraq. The White House has offered an aid
package that includes $6-billion in grants and U.S. backing
for up to $20-billion in loans. White House spokesman Ari
Fleischer says…that’s their final offer.
Peace Watch correspondent Aaron Glantz is in Amman, Jordan
after having recently spent several weeks in Turkey. We asked
him about reports from the region about the deal with Turkey.
Tape: Aaron Glantz, in Amman, Jordan
[top]
Story: Iraq’s Neighbors Oppose War
In the United Nations today, Iraq’s neighbors one after
another stated clearly that the weapons inspectors should
be allowed to complete their task of verifying that Iraq has
no weapons of mass destruction and that any action should
be by a coalition of nations, not unilaterally by the United
States. One by one, Iraq’s neighbors, Iran, Kuwait,
Bahrain, Qatar, and Egypt urged the UAN Security Council to
pursue a peaceful resolution to the crisis, warning that war
would have dire consequences for the region. Libya argued
that Israel is in violation of several UN resolutions and
is guilty of crimes against humanity while the UN remains
silent. The Saudi Arabian Ambassador Fawzi Shobokshi called
for cool heads and reason to prevail.
Tape: Saudi Arabian Ambassador Fawzi Shobokshi
[top]
Story: Is Bush War Agenda Unraveling?
Breaking developments over the past week have led some to
wonder if the Bush administration’s war agenda is beginning
to unravel. Massive peace protests around the world and in
this country as well, have put heat on any of Bush’s
allies in a war against Iraq. Now Turkey is delaying signing
onto the deal to house US troops on its soil. For some analysis,
we turned to former US ambassador to Iraq Edward Peck.
Tape: Former US ambassador to Iraq, Edward Peck
[top]
Story: Paranoid Americans
For several weeks, the US has been under a heightened state
of alert on the basis of threats that have proven to be unfounded.
Recently, the alert status was lowered from Orange, the second
highest level to yellow.
Tape: MIT Professor Noam Chomsky at the Columbia School of
Journalism
[top]
Story: Human Shields in Iraq
An international group of 37 anti-war activists left Amman,
Jordan this morning for Baghdad to act as “human shields.”
This group follows another group of 63 human shields that
entered Iraq over the weekend, after traveling in a convoy
of buses through Europe.
Tape: Raphael Krafft filed this report
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Story: Voice of Peace in Philadelphia
A broad coalition of protesters flooded the streets of Philadelphia,
the City of Brotherly Love. Students for peace, vets for peace,
Quakers for peace, chanting, “Drop Bush not bombs.”
They came from as far away as Spain. Drums and cymbals rang
out and the chants went up.
Tape: Farah Mokhtarei of Voices In the Wilderness
The rally was organized by (PRAWN) Philadelphia Regional
Anti-War Network. In subfreezing temperatures and snow, 10,000
gathered to show their opposition to war against Iraq.
Tape: Habibi Ali, Thanks to Dante Toza of Radio Volta in
West Philadelphia for that piece
[top]
Story: World Social Forum
Last month’s World Social Forum saw participants arrive
from around the world to express their concerns about the
growing pace of globalization and an US-led invasion into
Iraq. Many participants came from the developing world with
a global message of no to war with Iraq. There is a growing
critical mass protesting the Bush policy around the world
and the chaos that could result from another Persian Gulf
War.
Tape: Arundhati Roy, a Booker Prize winner and frequent critic
of US policy, spoke with KPFK-Los Angeles correspondent, Sonali
Kolhatkar in Porto Allegre.
[top]
Story: For Some Persian War Never Ended
The war is ten years old, the bombing never stopped. Terrorism,
fascism and bigotry are voiced. Corporate media continues
to portray Muslims as demons.
Tape: PeaceWatch correspondent Utah Phillips
[top]
Story: Voices of Resistance – Poet Funkis
Velvet
Finally, the Washington, DC performance artist and political
activist Funkis Velvet.
Tape: Poet Funkis Velvet
Credits
[top]
For a copy of today's show, please contact Pacifica
Radio Archives at 800 735 0230.
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