Home > Programs
> Peacewatch
> Thur., June. 5, 2003
Pacifica's PeaceWatch
Today's Stories:
UK Labour Party Member George Galloway
on Parliament’s Criticism of Blair
Turkish Backlash Over Paul Wolfowitz’ Call for Stronger
Military Influence Over Government
Richard Falk on American Empire
San Francisco Protest at Bechtel Headquarters
Kathy Kelly Of Voices In The Wilderness: Now That Iraq Has
Been “Liberated,” What Next?
Former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney Speaks on Domestic
Consequences of War On Iraq
Note: if the audio link is incorrect, please check the Peacewatch
page at Radio4All.net
here
UK Labour Party Member George Galloway on Parliament’s
Criticism of Blair
British Prime Minister Tony Blair experienced harsh criticism
in the House of Commons yesterday, amidst charges that his
Labour government doctored intelligence reports about Iraq’s
weapons of mass destruction to lead Britain into war. “Nobody
believes a word now that the Prime Minister is saying,”
said Iain Duncan Smith leader of the opposition Conservative
Party. Smith accused Blair of “equivocating,”
and he said that the whole credibility of the government rests
on clearing up these charges.
Among the more outspoken members of the British Parliament
is George Galloway, who was suspended last month for accusing
Blair and Bush of attacking Iraq, quote, “like wolves,”
unquote. Peacewatch reached Galloway earlier today and asked
him about the political controversy surrounding the issue.
Tape: British Labour member of Parliament George Galloway.
[top]
Turkish Backlash Over Paul Wolfowitz’ Call
for Stronger Military Influence Over Government
This is not the first time Paul Wolfowitz has been entangled
in potentially damaging foreign policy decisions. His outspokenness
and cynical approach to foreign policy have troubled many
international observers, including a recent statement that
the weapons of mass destruction were merely a "bureaucratic"
excuse for waging war in Iraq. But perhaps nowhere is criticism
of Wolfowitz stronger than in Turkey, where some recent comments
he made have garnered front-page headlines in all of the countries
daily newspapers and sparked accusations of the US undemocratically
meddling in Turkey’s domestic politics.
Tape: From Ankara, Ozlem Sariyildiz reports.
[top]
Richard Falk on American Empire
The U.S. continues to extend its influence, not only in
Turkey, but also across the globe. In a recent interview with
Free Radio Santa Cruz, Richard Falk, a retired professor of
International Law at Princeton University, spoke of the construction
of what he refers to as the new American empire. He touched
on what he called the Bush administration's real motives for
worldwide U.S. military dominance, and he explained how Iraq's
weaknesses made it an easy target.
Tape: Richard Falk, retired Professor of International Law
at Princeton University, interviewed recently on Free Radio
Santa Cruz.
[top]
San Francisco Protest at Bechtel Headquarters
Members of several anti-war groups converged on Bechtel’s
corporate headquarters in downtown San Francisco this morning
to protest the engineering and construction firm’s $680
million contract to restore infrastructure in Iraq. Police
arrested a total of about 45 demonstrators over the course
of the day for engaging in civil disobedience. From Pacifica
station KPFA in Berkeley, California, Tori Taylor.
Tape:
[top]
Kathy Kelly Of Voices In The Wilderness: Now That
Iraq Has Been “Liberated,” What Next?
Though the military phase of the Iraq war is now officially
over, and the U.S. is focusing its military and political
influence on other countries such as Syria, Iran, and North
Korea, the humanitarian group Voices in the Wilderness plans
to insure that Iraq stays in the spotlight. Earlier today,
Peacewatch spoke with Kathy Kelly, co-founder of the Chicago-based
grassroots campaign; about a series of actions and events
her group is planning over the next several months, and why
she thinks it’s important to keep the focus on Iraq…
Tape: Kathy Kelly the co-founder of Voices in the Wilderness
has traveled to Iraq dozens of times since the first Gulf
War to deliver food and humanitarian aid. More recently, she
and other members of the Iraq Peace Team lived in Baghdad
during the US/UK bombing.
[top]
Former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney Speaks on
Domestic Consequences of War On Iraq
Voices in the Wilderness isn’t the only activist group
looking ahead and planning its next steps. Last weekend, hundreds
of people gathered at a teach-in here in the nation's capital
sponsored by United for Peace and Justice. Among the speakers
who addressed the topic of "Iraq, Preemptive War and
Democracy," was former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia
McKinney, who discussed the domestic consequences of the Iraq
war and encouraged the participants to continue their anti-war
efforts.
Tape: Cynthia McKinney, was the first African American woman
from Georgia elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
She was re-elected five times, where she was a strong advocate
of peace, demilitarization and human rights.
Credits
[top]
For a copy of today's show, please contact Pacifica
Radio Archives at 800 735 0230.
|
Listen
to the show
Help
stream
whole show
download
part 1
