Tony Blair faced criticism for attempting to play down the role of the Iraq war in the London bombings after it emerged that the Foreign Office warned more than a year ago that the invasion was fuelling Muslim extremism.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article308795.ece


From Information Clearing House

In a worrying sign for the government and its US backers, leaders of the disgruntled Sunni Arab former elite, which has been the driving force behind the insurgency, immediately began mobilising Monday for a massive no vote in an October referendum.

http://snipurl.com/hapc


From Information Clearing House

U.S. forces are failing to make headway, and some commanders fear that much of the military effort is wasted.

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article10020.htm

US forces in Baghdad shot dead a Reuters television soundman and wounded a cameraman, Iraqi police said.

http://snipurl.com/habv


From Information Clearing House

The death brings to 66 the number of journalists and their aides killed in Iraq since the start of the invasion in 2003, said Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based news media rights group. That surpasses the 63 journalists killed over 20 years of conflict in Vietnam, the group said.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/082905I.shtml

Despite repeated denials by Number 10 that the war made Britain a target for terrorists, a letter from Michael Jay, the Foreign Office permanent under-secretary, to the cabinet secretary, Sir Andrew Turnbull, makes the connection clear.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/082805A.shtml

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=15&ItemID=8600


Informant: Steven L. Robinson

From ufpj-news

More journalists killed in Iraq than Vietnam

Source: CNN

08/28/05

More journalists have been killed in Iraq since the war began in March 2003 than during the 20 years of conflict in Vietnam, media rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said on Sunday. Since U.S. forces and its allies launched their campaign in Iraq on March 20, 2003, 66 journalists and their assistants have been killed, RSF said."

Link: http://tinyurl.com/ddz4a


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

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They Kill Journalists, Don’t They?
http://tinyurl.com/6b57w


From Information Clearing House

Most people only see car bombs and explosions and American soldiers running frantically to contain “the situation” on a muted television screen, I see it in real life. I actually hear the booms and bangs of insurgent bombs, and the crackling of machine gun fire, and the hysterical shouting of frightened Iraqi civilians.

http://ftssoldier.blogspot.com/2005/08/finding-closure.html


From Information Clearing House