In this update:
A few more resources on Powell's presentation to the United Nations last week.
I. THE MOUSE THAT ROARED: Ansar al-Islam
The International Crisis Group (ICG) published a briefing paper on Ansar al-Islam, a small group of radical Islamist fighters in north eastern Iraq that has become a fresh target in the war on terrorism and a focus of recent international interest. The briefing paper, "Radical Islam in Iraqi Kurdistan: the Mouse that Roared," examines allegations that this group is beholden to both al-Qaeda and the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell discussed the group's links to both in his speech to the UN Security Council on 5 February.
II. Replays Show Powell Did Not Score
The Toronto Star, Thomas Walkom, Feb. 11, 2003. "A British intelligence report that Secretary of State Colin Powell used and praised is now revealed to have been a FRAUD, cribbed largely from the out-of-date work of a U.S. GRADUATE STUDENT. "Powell's satellite photos, while riveting, proved little-- except to those who are convinced that every factory with a guard hut and truck is a chemical weapons dump. Even Powell's selective telephone intercepts are open to interpretation. Common sense suggests that Iraq has chemical and biological weapons hidden somewhere. But the Powell tapes neither prove nor disprove that....."
III. They Call This Evidence
Jimmy Breslin, Newsday, February 6, 2003 "That Powell was down to pointing to 18 trucks as the possible end of the world showed that he was at the UN with a case that would have difficulty in Criminal Court on Queens Boulevard. He put his soul on the line for the Republicans and it showed. He had three wiretap transcripts that were weak enough, until I realized that the conversations were in Arabic and I would like to meet the translator before accepting the copy."
IV. The IndyPendent has developed a great new resource for activists, students and advocates of a more sane (or even remotely sane) foreign policy-- THE THREAT TO PEACE MAP. This four-color poster-sized map of the United States pinpoints hundreds of government weapons sites, military labs, right-wing thinktanks and training schools for third world thugs.
And Finally.....
V. The YOU HAVE TO LAUGH Corner
A. The Onion (known for its hard hitting coverage of national and international affairs) recently published a surprising article entitled "North Dakota Found To Be Harboring Nuclear Missiles."
B. Powell Offers Proof of Saddam-Osama Link (Incontrovertible)
Six Degrees of Separation
In sum, here are Secretary Powell's arguments:
1. In December of 2002, actor Sean Penn went to Baghdad, home of Saddam Hussein.
2. Sean Penn is married to actress Robin Wright Penn.
3. Robin Wright Penn made the movie "Forrest Gump" with Tom Hanks.
4. Tom Hanks made the film "Apollo 13" with Kevin Bacon.
5. Kevin Bacon made a Visa card commercial with Indian-born character actor Sahid Benjali.
6. Sahid Benjali used to bartend at the Lingerie Club in Hollywood. In the early 80's he served drinks to Carmen bin Laden, a former USC student, who is Osama's sister-in-law (estranged).
It gets even funnier (and closer to the truth) ...
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