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> Wed., Sept. 10, 2003
Pacifica's PeaceWatch
Today's Stories:
Hecklers Interrupt Speech by Secretary
of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Families of US troops say "Bring
Them Home Now"
Author Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed on How and Why America was Attacked
Voices of Southern California discuss the legacy of September
11th
Journalist William Thomas on the Failure to Investigate 9/11
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On the eve of the second anniversary of the September 11th
terrorist attacks, the Arabic television news network al Jazeera
has aired what appears to be a new video of Osama bin Laden
and his chief deputy, Ayman al- (za-wa-HIR-I) Zawahiri. In
audiotaped statements accompanying the video, bin Laden praises
the hijackers who took part in the terrorist attacks against
the United States, and (za-wa-HIR-I) Zawahiri warns mothers
of U.S. soldiers in Iraq to, quote, "hasten to ask your
government to return them to you, rather than they come back
in coffins." It was not clear when or where the videotape
was recorded, and US officials said they would need at least
a day to analyze the recordings to determine their authenticity.
A suicide car bomb went off outside the US intelligence
headquarters in (ir-BEEL) Irbil, Iraq today, killing 3 people--
including a 12-year-old Iraqi boy-and injuring close to 50.
The London Guardian reports that several homes in the neighborhood
were also destroyed.
[top]
Hecklers Interrupt Speech by Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld
As the figure of US military casualties continues to rise,
opposition to the ongoing occupation of Iraq also continues
to mount, both from within the military ranks and among the
ranks of peace activists here at home. Several of them voiced
their feelings to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as he
spoke to reporters this afternoon at the National Press Club.
Tape: Hecklers interrupting Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld as he spoke at the National Press Club here in Washington.
Frustration is also growing within the military, as the Pentagon
made the announcement today that the 20 thousand National
Guard and Reserve troops currently stationed in Iraq and Kuwait
will be there for a full 12 months. Many soldiers were surprised
by the decision, as they had assumed their active duty would
end after a 12-month period that included the weeks or months
they spent getting ready to go to Iraq.
Last week on Peacewatch, we interviewed one Marine reservist
who's refused to take part in the war and subsequent occupation.
21-year-old Lance Corporal and Stephen Funk was sentenced
on Saturday to 6 months in jail for refusing to report to
duty. He spent the time preparing his application to declare
his status as a conscientious objector.
[top]
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Families of US troops
say "Bring Them Home Now"
Congresswoman Maxine Waters of California held a press conference
yesterday with families of US soldiers in Iraq calling for
the troops to be brought home. With President Bush asking
Congress for an additional $87 billion to fund the continuing
costs of the occupation and reconstruction, we spoke to Waters
today and asked her whether she felt it was time to bring
the troops home or send more money to Iraq.
Tape: Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters of California.
[top]
Author Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed on How and Why America
was Attacked
President Bush embarked on two days of events during which
he's claiming progress in fighting the war on terrorism. He
spoke at the FBI academy today about updates on efforts to
improve homeland security, and met with the Prime Minister
of Kuwait, a key ally in the Persian Gulf region.
But not everyone is as convinced that the war on terrorism
has been as successful. According to a new, ABC News poll,
48% of Americans now say they believe the fighting in Iraq
has actually increased the risk of domestic terrorism, while
a similar poll conducted by the University of Maryland puts
that figure at 64%.
Peacewatch spoke earlier today with Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed,
director of the Institute for Policy Research and Development
in Brighton, England and author of The War on Freedom: How
and Why America was Attacked. Two years after the attacks,
we asked him how successful he gauged the US's war on terror,
particularly given the US's inability to apprehend either
Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden.
Tape: Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed is the director of the Institute
for Policy Research and Development in Brighton, England and
the author of The War on Freedom: How and Why America was
Attacked.
[top]
Voices of Southern California discuss the legacy
of September 11th
On the eve of the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks,
we turn now to Peacewatch correspondent Fidel Rodriguez at
Pacifica station KPFK in Los Angeles. He produced this piece
on the one-year anniversary of the incident, but many of the
thoughts of the people he spoke with seem just as relevant
today.
Tape: "Voices of Southern California," produced
by Fidel Rodriguez and others at Pacifica station KPFK in
Los Angeles. It was produced on the one-year anniversary of
the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001.
[top]
Journalist William Thomas on the Failure to Investigate
9/11
Finally, tonight, as we commemorate the 2 year anniversary
of the terrorist attacks, we hear the second part of a talk
by award-winning investigative journalist William Thomas,
who says that the attacks of September 11th prompted a series
of questions that have yet to be answered.
Tape: William Thomas, an award-winning investigative journalist
and former reporter for the Environmental News Service. He
spoke several months ago in Vancouver, Canada, at an event
sponsored by the group "Necessary Voices."
[top]
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