On his November trip to the U.S., Ahmad Chalabi, Iraqi deputy prime minister in the “interim government” arising from the invasion he helped plan, visited Richard Perle in the latter’s suburban Washington home. There the two -- who go way back, friends since 1985 -- were joined by a Syrian gentleman named Farid Ghadry.

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Dec05/Leupp1222.htm



Chalabi’s defeat puts U.S. friends in quandary:

Should his backers go with his view that it was a fraudulent election?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10575121


From Information Clearing House

Huge marches allege vote fraud.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10585658/


From Information Clearing House

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1222-37.htm



A New Phase of Bright Spinning Lies about Iraq

Norman Solomon: What's on the horizon for 2006 is that the Bush administration will strive to put any real or imagined reduction of US occupation troop levels in the media spotlight. Meanwhile, the Pentagon will use massive air power in Iraq. The Bush administration is eager to downplay the escalation of this air war. In 2006, the anti-war movement must do the opposite.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/122305C.shtml

http://prisonplanet.com/articles/december2005/221205totaldefeat.htm


Informant: Our bill of rights

We allege that the breaches committed by the UK Government and the USA in coalition partnership during the period 2002 - 2005 outlined as a selection in summary are as follows...

http://stopwar.org.uk/Bennletter.htm


From Information Clearing House

The U.K., Italy and South Korea are making plans to reduce or even withdraw their troops by the end of next year, following other nations, such as Ukraine and Bulgaria, that have already started to depart. "It is not a matter of if, but how,'' said Roberto Minotti, senior research fellow at the Aspen Institute in Rome.

http://tinyurl.com/75g5s



Iraq rebels 'intensify violence':

AN Iraqi Sunni leader said insurgents will intensify attacks to drive out US troops and violence will worsen if a Shiite-led government returns to power, as seems likely.

http://tinyurl.com/combo


From Information Clearing House

The U.S. military uses these funds to run programs generally paying out up to $2,500 per victim to the families of those killed, and smaller amounts to those who are injured or have property destroyed or who were detained.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20051219-110921-5499r.htm


From Information Clearing House

by Robert Dreyfuss, TomPaine.com

The victory of the Shiite religious bloc means the big winner in the Iraqi elections is Iran. Next stop: civil war.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20051222/iraq_game_over.php

Iraq's elections were marked by widespread intimidation and coercion by paramilitary groups, experts said Tuesday. The first results from the parliamentary election last week show the country is dividing between Shia, Sunni and Kurdish regions.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/122105B.shtml

The Irish Government's support for the war in Iraq is putting Dublin at risk of a terrorist attack, an Oireachtas Committee heard today.

http://www.online.ie/News/News.aspx?newsId=165910