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> Tue., Apr. 29, 2003
Pacifica's PeaceWatch
Today's Stories:
Secretary of State Colin Powell at
Senate Foreign Relations Hearing
Nada Doumani of International Committee of Red Cross in Baghdad
Abbas Kadim, Iraqi American, Former Iraqi Resistance Fighter
9/11 Families Share Thoughts About War on Iraq
Gulf War Veteran Dan Fahey on Effects of Depleted Uranium
War’s Effects on Children
Amy Goodman of Democracy Now on Corporate Media Bias
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Story: Secretary of State Colin Powell at Senate
Foreign Relations Hearing
Today at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Secretary
of State Colin Powell responded to concerns California Democratic
Senator Barbara Boxer has about the search for weapons of
mass destruction in Iraq. White House and Pentagon officials
based much of their case for a military invasion of Iraq on
the unproven pretext that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction.
But as the military operation winds down, the failure of US
and British forces to find any weapons has caused considerable
embarrassment for the Bush administration in the court of
world public opinion…
Tape: Secretary of State Colin Powell at Senate Foreign
Relations Hearing -
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Story: Nada Doumani of International Committee of
Red Cross in Baghdad
Reuters News service reported last night that fighting broke
out in the city of Falluja, about 30 miles south of Baghdad,
resulting in the deaths of 15 civilians. There are conflicting
reports as to what occurred. The Associated Press reports
that anti-American demonstrators were protesting the US occupation
of a school, and some of the demonstrators threw rocks at
the schools. Other sources say the US forces were fired upon
and returned fire. Over 50 were injured.
For clarification, Peacewatch spoke earlier today with Nada
Doumani, spokesperson for the International Committee of the
Red Cross in Baghdad. In this part of our conversation, she
gives an account of the killings in Falluja and the conditions
in Baghdad at this time…
Tape: Nada Doumani, spokesperson for the International Committee
of the Red Cross, speaking to us from Baghdad
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Story: Abbas Kadim, Iraqi American, Former Iraqi
Resistance Fighter
As Iraqis rejoice at the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime,
while protesting the US military occupation of their country,
Peacewatch decided to check in today with Abbas Kadhim. Kadhim
is an-Iraqi American originally from the city of Najaf, who
joined in the uprising against Saddam Hussein following the
1991 Gulf War. After the US failed to back the Iraqi resistance,
Kadhim went to Saudi Arabia, where he was detained in a camp
for over a year. He is now teaching at the Univ. of California
at Berkeley and finishing a doctorate in Islamic Studies.
Peacewatch spoke with Kadhim to get his reactions to the
US invasion of Iraq and the plans for an interim government,
possibly headed by Ahmed Chalabi.
Tape: Abbas Kadhim an-Iraqi American, originally from Najaf,
Iraq, and teacher at University of California at Berkeley.
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Story: 9/11 Families Share Thoughts About War on
Iraq
The debate over regime change rages among Iraqi's. But according
to Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, more than 150
Iraqis living in the U.S., volunteered to return to their
native country to create a democratic government. And the
Pentagon sent a delegation of Iraqi exiles from the U.S. t0
serve under retired general Garner as he establishes the Interim
Iraqi Authority.
At the same time, however, federal authorities also have
increased their activities against Iraqi Americans. The FBI
recently interviewed 300 Iraqi immigrants to gather intelligence
about the possibility of retaliatory terrorist attacks in
the U.S.
The Bush administration used the terrorism attacks of September
11, 2001, as justification for invading Iraq although a clear
link between the Saddam Hussein regime and Al Qaeda has never
been established. Recently Peacewatch spoke with two men who
suffered great losses on September 11th. Stephen Push and
Bob McIlvaine expressed their thoughts on the current political
situation in Iraq.
Tape: 9/11 Family members Stephen Push and Bob McIlvaine
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Story: Gulf War Veteran Dan Fahey on Effects of Depleted
Uranium
American and British troops used vast amounts of depleted
uranium in both Desert Storm and the more recent attack on
Iraq. Critics of the toxic heavy metal by-product of the nuclear
fuel and weapons industries, say it causes ill-health effects
and cancer among the soldiers using the weapons, the armies
they target, and civilians, leading to birth defects in children.
Retired US army colonel, Doug Rokke - who directed the US
Department of Defense’s post-first Gulf war depleted
uranium desert cleanup, has said use of depleted uranium is
a 'war crime'. But, while British soldiers returning from
the Gulf will be tested for exposure to the toxic metal, US
Pentagon official, Dr. Michael Kilpatrick, and CNN have cited
studies that fail to show a direct link between exposure to
depleted uranium and human disease.
The latest use of depleted uranium in the current conflict
came last week when an American A10 tank buster plane fired
a DU shell, killing one British soldier and injuring three
others in a 'friendly fire' incident.
KPFT’s Mark Bebawi spoke recently with Retired US
Navy Gulf War veteran, Dan Fahey about these issues and discussed
the use of depleted uranium; something Fahey says may be akin
to the use of weapons of mass destruction:
Tape: Depleted Uranium expert Dan Fahey, speaking with Mark
Bebawi on Pacifica station KPFT in Houston. Special thanks
to Renee Feltz for producing that piece.
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Story: War’s Effects on Children
As the invasion of Iraq winds down and US troops return
home, the civilians and particularly the children of Iraq
continue to suffer from the lasting effects of war and 12
years of economic sanctions. One detrimental and long-lasting
effect of war not often discussed in detail is the psychological
effects of war on children’s emotional and psychological
well being. Dr. Manee Rondalen is a professor at the University
of Berkley, in California, and he works at the Center For
Crisis Psychology.
Dr. Rondalen is part of the international study team that
produced a comprehensive report on the humanitarian effects
of the Gulf War entitled, “Our Common Responsibility:
The Impact of a New War on Iraqi Children." His group’s
findings have been acknowledged as the most comprehensive
study of the impact of war on civilians.
Tape: Dr. Manee Rondalen professor at the University of
Berkley speaking with Armando Gudiño on Pacifica station
KPFK in Los Angeles. Special thanks also to Fidel Rodriguez
for preparing that segment. For a copy go to www.warchild.com.
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Story: Amy Goodman of Democracy Now on Corporate
Media Bias
Corporate media networks have come under fire for their
coverage of the US invasion of Iraq. Amy Goodman, host of
Pacifica Radio’s Democracy Now, spoke about the role
of media at the Black Voices for Peace rally in the nation’s
capital last week. Goodman points out how the mass media marginalized
anti-war voices in its coverage and failed to actually portray
the realities of combat.
Tape: Amy Goodman of Pacifica Radio’s Democracy Now!
Thanks to Chris Strohm from the IMC-Dc and Ryme Katkhouda,
Peacewatch producer for Pacifica station WPFW in Washington,
Credits
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For a copy of today's show, please contact Pacifica
Radio Archives at 800 735 0230.
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