***************************************************************** 01/04/04 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 11.329 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** Send News Stories to news@energy-net.org with title on subject line and first line of body NUCLEAR POLICY 1 Japan Times: Restoring a nuclear-energy policy 2 Scott Ritter: The search for Iraqi WMD has become a public joke 3 Japan Times: As axis turns, Pyongyang feels the squeeze 4 US: Las Vegas SUN: Republican Power Means Less for States 5 NYT Today's Editorials: Plugging Nuclear Leaks 6 US: Newsday.com: The Radicalization fo American Foreign Policy 7 US: CJ Online: Goodman: U.S. intelligence used for propaganda 8 The new cold war: US and Russia 9 US: [DU-WATCH] Their Media War and Ours in 2004/ A MUST READ 10 Washington Times: Nuclear bomb closer than IAEA believed 11 Las Vegas SUN: U.S. Wants Libya Discussed in Private 12 Las Vegas SUN: U.S., U.N. Divided Over Libya Nuke Issues 13 War Wire: World held hostage by nuclear powers: Castro 14 AU The Age: Nuclear rogues being brought to heel, US believes - 15 Haaretz: The disarmament issue 16 US: SF Chroniclel: The governor's energy plan boasts of 'hydrogen hi 17 Counterpunch Brian Cloughley: Never Mind the WMDs, Just Look at Hist 18 Daily Times: Pakistan’s nuclear role in world 19 Hi Pakistan: Nuclear sanity: Regional peace imperative 20 US: DenverPost.com - EDITORIALS top issues for 2004 21 Arutz Sheva: Vanunu Release Has Officials Concerned 22 Vancouver Sun: Military to test Kabul's air quality 23 The Hindu: 'Libya bought n-bomb plans from Pak. scientists' NUCLEAR REACTORS 24 US: Toledo Blade: NRC postpones meeting on Davis-Besse 25 eTaiwanNews: KMT-PFP resurrect proposal for referendum on Nuclear 4 26 US: marionstar.com: NRC restructuring in wake of Davis-Besse errors 27 Taipei Times: Nuclear poll would hurt Chen: blue camp ABOUT-FACE: 28 Irish Times" Rural areas lobbied strongly to get nuclear power stati 29 Xinhuanet: Seoul denies report on disallowing DPRK peaceful use of n 30 US: MHTR: Lakeshore Update: NRC proposes $60,000 fine for worker at 31 US: Brattleboro Reformer: Coalition files case against VY uprate 32 US: AP: Dean was warned on Vt. nuke security NUCLEAR SAFETY 33 [DU-WATCH] Direct danger - US military bases in Poland 34 [DU-WATCH] Missing medical Aid - How can they run a country - 35 US: WSJ Business: Intoxicated employee leads to $60,000 fine NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE 36 [DU-WATCH] Viques: US Navy Leaves behind its ultratoxic waste 37 Las Vegas SUN: Nevada gets OK to spend federal funds fighting nuke d 38 Scotsman: SNP in 'Nuclear Dustbin' Warning 39 US: Salt Lake Tribune: Activists work to bar nuclear waste dumping 40 Las Vegas RJ: Deadline passes for DOE answer on Nevada grants 41 US: AU SMH: Suburbs plan to ban nuclear waste trucks - 42 US: Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Hanford initiative aims to limit was 43 Manila Times: OPINION > Puerto Rico deals with US Navy’s toxic waste 44 RGJ: Nevada gets funding OK to fight Yucca 45 AU NEWS.com.au: Radioactive dump date unclear 46 AU The Advertiser: Leading safety experts to assess radioactive dump NUCLEAR WEAPONS 47 Resolved, a nuclear destruction free world. US DEPT. OF ENERGY 48 Tri-City Herald: Hanford cleanup advocates gather 282,000 signatures 49 Paducah Sun: DOE to seek next Paducah cleanup bids - 50 Knox News: DOE to examine use of Y-12 keys 51 Knox News: ORNL puts old technology to new use 52 Knox News: Disposal of nuke scrap ordered 53 Seattle Times: Signatures submitted to halt Hanford nuclear shipment 54 SF Chron: Federal inspectors to audit U.S. nuclear labs' security 55 WBIR: DOE ORDERS DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE SCRAP DUMPED DECADES AGO 56 Paducah Sun: Plants neighbors assess next step in land damage ruling OTHER NUCLEAR 57 Google News Alert - nuclear 58 Google News Alert - nuclear ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** FULL NEWS STORIES ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** 1 Japan Times: Restoring a nuclear-energy policy Monday, January 5, 2004 EDITORIAL The Atomic Energy Commission's latest white paper, announced late last year for the first time in 5 1/2 years, is a reminder of the troubled condition of Japan's nuclear power industry. The report's publication had been delayed because of a series of irregularities and accidents that came to light in recent years, such as reactor coolant leakages and test data fabrications. No wonder public confidence in nuclear safety has plummeted, perhaps to the lowest level since the commission was created in 1956. The report is only too right to emphasize the importance of restoring the public's trust in nuclear energy. One chapter -- "Nuclear energy policy in a new age" -- focuses on grass-roots efforts to win the hearts and minds of local residents. The report, however, adheres to the current policy, which calls for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel and for establishing the "nuclear fuel cycle" in which plutonium is extracted for use as fuel. But it is difficult to believe that maintaining the status quo is the way to address public concerns about nuclear safety and other problems. Perhaps a new policy initiative is needed to break the stalemate in the current nuclear energy program. As the report points out, public understanding and support is essential for a successful implementation of policy. A first step in this direction would be to conduct a broad and deep public debate on the range of possible options. Problems are many. The fast-breeder reactor, the center of the nuclear-fuel cycle project, now looks more like a mirage. The prototype reactor "Monju" is in mothballs due to an accident that occurred in the cooling system in 1995. Remodeling plans are up in the air because of a local court injunction. The AEC's scenario for building a post-Monju demonstration reactor in the runup to commercial operation has already collapsed. In theory, the fast-breeder reactor is said to be at least 100 times more fuel-efficient than the existing light-water reactor. The report describes the fast breeder as "one of the most potential technological options for resolving future energy problems." It would be unwise, however, to pursue a dream that may not come true, without regard to technical difficulties and development costs. The "pluthermal" program, designed to burn plutonium in existing reactors, is also stalled. In the background are a series of irregularities at power companies, such as fabrications of fuel data and coverups of technical defects. Experts say it will take several years before the program gets under way. The reprocessing project is in trouble, owing to technical and other faults at a reprocessing plant now under construction at Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture. The plant is expected to go on stream in 2006, a year behind schedule. In the meantime, spent fuel in storage is reaching capacity at some plants. Problems are also involved in the underground disposal of high-level radioactive waste. One problem is that it is difficult to find disposal sites, particularly because Japan is densely populated. Another is the enormous cost of storing such waste deep in the ground. No doubt the nuclear energy industry -- which supplies a third of the nation's electricity needs -- faces formidable challenges. Establishing the nuclear fuel cycle seems all but impracticable because it involves too many problems. Costwise, nuclear energy's advantage over other types of energy could disappear if the costs of the fuel cycle and waste disposal are included. Market liberalization, meanwhile, is pushing down electricity prices. For example, the price of pluthermal fuel -- mixed oxides of plutonium and uranium -- is estimated to be at least 50 percent higher than that of ordinary fuel. Established power companies already face competition from newcomers. Sluggish power demand, along with market decontrol, is also cutting into the competitiveness of costly nuclear power plants. In fact, two construction projects -- one in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, and the other in Maki, Niigata Prefecture -- were canceled recently. The AEC has played an important role in maintaining the principle of peaceful use of nuclear energy. Now, however, the commission finds itself in a difficult position. Unless it deals positively with current problems and criticisms concerning its basic policy, its very raison d'etre could be called into question. What is needed now is a comprehensive analysis of all factors related to nuclear energy policy, such as safety, supply stability, environmental conservation, economic advantage, systemic sustainability and nuclear nonproliferation. The AEC, whose lineup is set for a substantial reshuffle this year, will have plenty of work to do in the year ahead. The Japan Times: Jan. 5, 2004 (C) All rights reserved ***************************************************************** 2 Scott Ritter: The search for Iraqi WMD has become a public joke Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2004 17:04:31 -0600 (CST) Scott Ritter: The search for Iraqi WMD has become a public joke. But I, for one, am not laughing Hutton stopped far short of a real investigation into the Blair government's abysmal abuse of power 04 January 2004 President George Bush, in his State of the Union address in January last year, told the world that Saddam Hussein had promised he would disarm his weapons of mass destruction, and that this promise had not been fulfilled. Bush spoke of the Iraqi president retaining massive stocks of chemical and biological agent, as well as an ongoing nuclear weapons programme. On 20 March 2003, Bush ordered American military forces, accompanied by the armed forces of Great Britain, to invade Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein from power. In hiding since the fall of Baghdad, Saddam was finally run to ground in December. On his capture, he is reported to have said that WMD was an issue created by George Bush to justify the invasion of Iraq. This is a claim that has increasing validity. Tony Blair had already been embarrassed by a growing recognition that his own intelligence-based estimates regarding Iraqi WMD were every bit as cooked up as the American president's. He faced further ignominy when Paul Bremer, the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, publicly mocked his assertions that David Kay, the former UN weapons inspector turned CIA agent who headed the so-far futile search for WMD in occupied Iraq, had found "massive evidence of a huge system of clandestine laboratories". Dismissed by Bremer as a "red herring", Blair's discredited comments only underscore the sad fact that the issue of Iraqi WMD, and the entire concept of disarmament, has become a public joke. The misrepresentation and distortion of fact carried out by President Bush and Prime Minister Blair is no joke, but rather represent an assault on the very fabric of the concept of a free and democratic society which they espouse to serve. The people of the United States are still waiting for a heavily divided Congress to break free of partisan politics and launch a genuine investigation. This should certainly look at the massive intelligence failure surrounding the gross distortion of the Iraqi WMD threat put forward by the US intelligence community. But perhaps more importantly, the investigation should focus on the actions of the White House in shaping the intelligence estimates so that they dovetailed nicely with the political goals and objectives of the Bush administration's Iraq policy-makers. Many in Great Britain might take some pride in knowing that their democracy, at least, has had an airing of the pre-war Iraq intelligence which has been denied their American cousins. The Hutton inquiry has been viewed by many as an investigation into the politicisation, or "sexing up", of intelligence information by the British government to help strengthen its case for war. It stopped far short of any real investigation into the abysmal abuse of power that occurred when Blair's government lied to Parliament, and the electorate, about the threat posed by Iraq's WMD. There was no effort to dig deep into the systematic politicisation of the British intelligence system, to untangle the web of deceit and misinformation concerning Iraq peddled over the years by the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Defence and British intelligence. The damage done goes well beyond the borders of the US and Britain. One must also calculate the irreparable harm done to the precepts of international law, the viability of multilateral organisations such as the United Nations, and the concepts of diplomacy and arms control which kept the world from destroying itself during the last century. Iran, faced with 130,000 American soldiers on its border, has opened its nuclear facilities to inspection. North Korea has done the same. Libya, in a surprise move, has traded in its own overblown WMD aspirations in exchange for diplomatic recognition and economic interaction with the West. But none of these moves, as welcome as they are, have the depth and reach to compare with the decision by South Africa or the former republics of the Soviet Union to get rid of their respective nuclear weapons. The latter represented actions taken freely, wrapped in the principles of international law. The former are merely coerced concessions, given more as a means of buying time than through any spirit of true co-operation. Sold by George Bush and Tony Blair as diplomatic triumphs derived from the Iraq experience, the sad reality is that these steps towards disarmament are every bit as illusory as Saddam's WMD arsenal. They are all the more dangerous, too, because the safety net of international law that the world could once have turned to when these compelled concessions inevitably collapse no longer exists. Scott Ritter was a UN weapons inspector from 1991-98. He is the author of 'Frontier Justice: Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Bushwhacking of America' ***************************************************************** 3 Japan Times: As axis turns, Pyongyang feels the squeeze Monday, January 5, 2004 By JOHN BARRY KOTCH Special to The Japan Times SEOUL -- It turns out that the construct of the "axis of evil" was more than an applause line in the 2002 State of the Union speech by U.S. President George W. Bush. What it really has come to convey is the interaction between axis members, which was little appreciated by Bush speechwriters at the time. After the quick military victory in Iraq, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il crouched underground as military action against Pyongyang appeared imminent. However, the prolonged insurgency that followed the lightning military thrust has turned the tables for the time being. Use of force against North Korea is no longer a short-term option, particularly in an election year with ongoing insurgencies in both Iraq and Afghanistan in addition to the broader war on terrorism. Thus Kim was given wiggle room, and he used it to the hilt, delaying the next round of six-party talks. He signaled his desire for concrete concessions up front -- not vague security assurances -- before participating, such as fuel oil and his country's removal from the U.S. terrorist list. That's why Bush must be savoring the aftermath of recent diplomatic movements in his direction: First, Iran negotiated a safeguards protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency last month, and then Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi announced that he would renounce weapons of mass destruction. Gadhafi, especially, threw a monkey wrench in Kim's hardline strategy by urging other nations to follow suit. In this regard, it was revealed that the Libyan strongman had not only been secretly negotiating with U.S. and British officials but that intrusive inspections by intelligence and nonproliferation experts had already taken place by the time Libya agreed to totally dismantle its entire stockpile. To follow up, the head of the IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei is due to personally oversee the beginning of the effort this week. So where does that leave Kim? For one thing, Kim's customer base has been drastically cut back. Iraq and Libya are no longer in the WMD market, while Syria and Iran are under such close monitoring that any sales Pyongyang might be contemplating would be too risky. And lest Kim should decide to go the drug route, the recent seizure of methamphetamines and heroin in the Gulf of Oman was a stark reminder that shipments of contraband cargo could be equally hazardous. Similarly, the curtain has come down on Pyongyang's efforts to barter its missiles for Islamabad's centrifuges. Apparently, Pakistan was the crucial nuclear connection for at least two of the three members of "the axis of evil" -- Iran and North Korea -- as well as wild card Libya. Centrifuge-design refinements were made in Abdul Qadeer Khan's government-financed laboratories, the brain behind the Pakistani atomic bomb. The fingerprints left behind in Libya will very likely point to matching templates for both the North Korean and Iranian uranium-enrichment programs. The bottom line is that, while we may not know where Kim's medicine chest is buried, we probably already know what's in it! North Korea is not alone in being directly affected by developments far from home. The whole soul-searching debate in South Korea in recent months over the terms and conditions for the dispatch of its noncombat forces to Iraq, now set for April, has split the South Korean public. While the United States remains South Korea's closest ally, Seoul did not hide its misgivings over Washington's military action against Iraq, fearful it could be repeated in a showdown with North Korea. It is also reluctant to forgive much of Iraq's $1 billion-plus debt. Koreans, both North and South, are sensitive about their history, which has often meant being on the receiving end of great-power politics. China, Japan, Russia and the U.S. have all taken turns putting their political and military stamp on the Peninsula's geopolitical landscape. Ironically, just as Seoul is building closer relations with Beijing, Moscow and Tokyo to better contain the North Korean threat -- offsetting its security dependence on Washington -- it finds itself enmeshed in global politics, most often the result of U.S. policy. And so does Pyongyang. Evidence of that is likely to come this month ahead of the second round of six-party talks. While Pyongyang has scoffed at the U.S., South Korean and Japanese offer of multilateral security assurances without prior resumption of fuel shipments under the Agreed Framework and without its deletion from the U.S. terrorist list, change is in the air. Although narrowing this divide will be difficult, the momentum has now shifted in favor of the U.S. and its allies. With Kim's market prospects for missile sales all but dried up, his options have narrowed. Only economic assistance can plug the hole in his budget and that means negotiating a deal with the U.S. While North Korea is renowned for its shrewd bargaining abilities, time is simply no longer on its side. John Barry Kotch is an associate professor of political science at GSIS Hanyang University, Seoul. The Japan Times: Jan. 5, 2004 (C) All rights reserved ***************************************************************** 4 Las Vegas SUN: Republican Power Means Less for States January 02, 2004 By JIM ABRAMS ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) - Traditionally the champions of small government and states' rights, President Bush and his allies in Congress have aggressively pursued policies that expand the powers of Washington in the schoolroom, the courthouse, the home and the doctor's office. Sometimes over the objections of states - and often at the behest of business - Republicans have passed or are promoting legislation and regulations that make Washington the final arbiter on environmental standards, class-action lawsuits, medical malpractice cases and Internet taxes. The extent to which this administration has subordinated states' rights in carrying out its political agenda is "somewhat breathtaking," said Michael Greve, who heads the Federalism Project at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. Federal power has always been associated with Democrats, creators of the New Deal and supporters of the 1937 Supreme Court decision that gave Congress, with its authority to regulate interstate commerce, wide berth in entering areas that normally are the prerogative of states. When Newt Gingrich led Republicans to a majority in the House in 1995, he stressed that "we are committed to getting power back to the states, we are committed to breaking out of the logjam of federal bureaucrats controlling how we try to help the poor." But Gingrich's commitments often came with a catch requiring states to fall in line with federal policy: Some of the money available under the massive 1996 welfare law, for instance, was tied to states starting abstinence-only education programs, and states seeking money for new prisons under a big crime bill had to show that criminals were serving 85 percent of their sentences. George W. Bush, the former governor of Texas, ran as a strong states' rights advocate until the Florida election dispute, when it was Al Gore arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court that the Florida state supreme court should have the final say on a recount. Bush insisted that the highest federal court step in. Bush has since significantly increased the federal government's reach with two of his biggest legislative achievements. The "No Child Left Behind" education act inserts federal testing requirements and progress reports in an area that has always been under state and local control. The "Patriot Act," a result of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, has given federal law enforcement greater authority to supersede states where necessary in investigations and prosecutions of criminal activity. The education act, said Greve, was "really a big, big marker in many ways, and a big, big turnaround." Republicans have recognized the dilemma of being both proactive legislators and pro-states' righters. "I am essentially a states' rights person... I believe the federal government often usurps a lot of states' rights," Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., said this year in attempting to explain why his proposal to limit federal highway money to states that provide illegal aliens with drivers' licenses is a federal rather than a state issue. David Boaz, executive vice president of the Cato Institute, which advocates limited government and individual liberties, said there are inevitable tensions when conservatives try to use federal power to override the actions of more liberal state governments. But he said there's also been a 'hubristic" streak in the Bush administration, "an attitude that we know what the policy should be, for instance, for accountability in schools." Backed by the business community and after failing in 2003, Republicans in Congress this year will again be pushing bills to move class-action lawsuits from state to federal courts, where damage awards to plaintiffs are less generous, and put federal ceilings on what state juries can award in medical malpractice cases. GOP lawmakers, with support from some Democrats, also are trying, over the objection of some states, to impose a permanent moratorium on Internet access taxes after succeeding at supplanting some tougher state laws with anti-spam legislation last year. In addition, Republicans are trying to give the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal banking regulators ultimate authority over banking fraud and investor rights, angering state officials who say it will undercut their anti-fraud campaigns. The National Association of Attorneys General, in a letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, said the OCC's proposed rule that might exempt national banks from state consumer protection laws was "a radical restructuring of federal-state relationships in the area of banking." Bush also signed a bill that, while increasing protections for people's financial information, was criticized by consumer groups for pre-empting tougher state privacy laws. Congress has used federal controls over highway money to compel states to adopt a national standard for drunken driving. The interstate commerce clause also was the basis of a new law restricting private ownership of lions and tigers. Fourteen states have filed suit to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from implementing new rules allowing coal-burning electric plants to make upgrades without installing more pollution controls. Republicans also have extended the federal reach in areas important to social conservatives: Bush in 2001 restricted federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and this year signed a bill that for the first time makes it a federal crime to perform a certain type of abortion. Federal officials are also taking legal action against medical marijuana laws in California and Oregon's assisted suicide law. Cato's Boaz said the next big fight will be over GOP attempts to stop state moves to sanction gay marriages. "Some conservatives are saying we need one national policy, but that would be an unprecedented federal intrusion into marriage law that has always been controlled by the states," he said. -- ***************************************************************** 5 NYT Today's Editorials: Plugging Nuclear Leaks alt="The New York Times"> [The New York Times Opinion] Published: January 4, 2004 [N] ow that Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi has opened Libya's previously secret nuclear facilities, the world is learning just how much of the machinery for making bomb fuel he had been able to assemble without international detection. Over a period of many years, Libya tapped into an international underground market for specialized steel tubes and uranium enrichment centrifuges that has been scandalously easy to gain entry to and shockingly difficult to close down. Even the newly strengthened provisions of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty cannot guarantee that other countries will not attempt similar end runs. And they may not follow Libya's lead and abruptly come clean before they begin producing nuclear bombs. A far more stringent and enforceable set of controls on nuclear equipment exports is urgently needed. The treaty loophole that several countries have exploited to begin a nuclear weapons program under the guise of civilian power generation must be closed. That route must be blocked by prohibiting uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing outside countries with well-established and carefully monitored nuclear technology industries. Libya began its nuclear activities with a civilian power program in the 1970's, then secretly added a weapons element in the 1980's. Over the next two decades, it seems to have clandestinely acquired the equipment needed for enriching uranium into bomb fuel component by component, whenever willing sellers could be located. Iraq also started its pre-Persian Gulf war nuclear weapons program under the guise of nuclear power development. Iran now claims, unconvincingly, that its newly uncovered uranium enrichment facilities are meant to provide power reactor fuel. North Korea has not bothered pretending. When its uranium enrichment and plutonium separation plants were found, it simply quit the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and declared it was building nuclear weapons. That still leaves most of the world adhering to the treaty, except India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. But the essentially voluntary inspections required under its original provisions are clearly inadequate. A tougher, more intrusive inspection system was added in the 1990's, but so far, less than half of the treaty's participants have signed up for it and less than a fifth have ratified it. Iran and Libya have now agreed to submit to intrusive inspections. But these work only when regulators are tipped off to problems. In Iran, the tip came from an opposition group; in Libya, it came from Colonel Qaddafi. To supplement this imperfect system, strong new measures are needed to crack down on exporters of the kind of equipment Libya secretly purchased. That will require imposing stiff penalties on governments found to allow such exports, even if the exporters are private companies operating outside the law. Governments are more likely to police rogue exporters if they know they themselves will be penalized. The nuclear power loophole must also be closed. If a country is legally allowed to develop the means to produce bomb-grade uranium through a variant of the enrichment process used to make reactor fuel and can extract bomb-grade plutonium from reactor byproducts, it can build nuclear weapons whenever it likes. There is no legitimate reason for countries to develop such capacities if they can be sure of reliable outside fuel supplies. Reactor fuel production should be limited to the few advanced countries that already have fully transparent nuclear technology industries. Other countries should have a guaranteed right to purchase all the reactor fuel they need, provided they accept intrusive inspections and return nuclear byproducts. These steps will greatly decrease the risk of nasty nuclear surprises like those delivered by Iran and Libya. They should be taken without delay. Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company | Home| ***************************************************************** 6 Newsday.com: The Radicalization fo American Foreign Policy Bush Has Abandoned Policy That Won Cold War January 4, 2004 After three years in office, it is clear that President George W. Bush has presided over one of the most radical transformations of U.S. foreign policy in history. His policy of unilateralism, pre-emption and regime change represents a dramatic and dangerous shift in emphasis away from more than 50 years of policy that was characterized by cooperation with allies, recognition of international norms and support for arms control. When Bush stands for re-election later this year, Americans are going to be asked to ratify that new policy. Along with the effect on the nation's long-term fiscal health of huge deficits, the Bush foreign policy ought to be a central issue in the presidential campaign. Bush's foreign policy is not just about the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Indeed, this editorial page reluctantly supported the war against Saddam Hussein because we believed he represented a unique threat to U.S. security interests and could no longer be contained or reliably deterred. Rather, it is the manner in which Bush got the United States into the war and the overall thrust of the administration's diplomacy that causes us great concern. Since the end of World War II, a cornerstone of the United States' foreign policy has been maintaining alliances and trying to build on the concepts of cooperative security and international law. The use or the threat to use the immense U.S. military power was certainly part of that approach to foreign policy. But it was not the be all and end all. Take It or Leave It The people who have formulated the Bush foreign policy, especially the neoconservatives who have dominated that policy-making, operate on a different set of assumptions. They believe that alliances and organizations such as the United Nations rob the United States of its freedom to act to protect its interests. With the end of the Cold War and the start of the war on terrorism, they believe that the principal goal of foreign policy must be to maintain the United States as the most powerful nation in the world. They reject arms control as a primary way to contain nuclear weapons and favor unilateral action as a first, not last, option. The idea is: "You are either for us, or against us. Take it or leave it." This is a radical change. There has been considerable opposition inside the administration to an America-alone approach, mainly from Colin Powell's State Department. But these thinkers have lost most, if not all, of the policy battles. It's significant that one of Powell's top aides, the former director of policy planning at State, Richard Haass, has begun to publicly articulate an alternative to the unilateralism. Haass, now president of the Council on Foreign Relations, argued in a recent article in the Financial Times that the United States is not rich or powerful enough to sustain a unilateralist policy. In this ever-more-interdependent world, Washington ignores its long-term interests by acting arrogantly and alone, he says. Iraq is a case in point. The United States certainly had the power to occupy Iraq. But the question now is whether it has the resources and will to rebuild Iraq on its own. And having made such a major commitment to Iraq, does Washington have the manpower or wealth to deal with other crises that might face it at the same time? The Army is spread too thin, even in Iraq, some experts say, and the $87 billion narrowly approved by a reluctant Congress will add to growing budget deficits. "What will it take, then, for the U.S. to drum up the necessary international support for all that it seeks to accomplish in the world - and in the process translate its enormous power into lasting influence?" Haass asks in the article. "Part of the answer is consultation - genuine consultation, not simply informing others of decisions already reached." U.S. Didn't Woo Allies These are damning words from a highly respected former administration official. Haass is saying that the allies did not simply refuse to help the United States in Iraq; the administration did not really try to bring them aboard. Unlike Bush's father preparing for the gulf war in 1990, this President Bush did not move heaven and earth to keep a wide coalition together. Granted, keeping a coalition together often means compromise and settling for the lowest common denominator. But the benefits of cooperative action often outweigh the costs. The neocons have an entirely different perspective: They see the obligations of alliances as too constraining and believe only bold American leadership can protect the nation from the threats it faces. Haass is critical of the administration for rejecting such diplomatic initiatives as the International Criminal Court and the Kyoto Treaty on global warming without offering alternatives. Even if those were proposals were flawed - and the facts suggest they were - the United States could have maintained a consensus by proposing better ways to accomplish the goals, Haass says. That is a profoundly important point. Foreign policy is as much about means as about ends. After three years of the Bush foreign policy, the United States is more isolated than at any time since before World War II and more unpopular in the world than ever before. Sure, some of that unpopularity comes with the territory, from being the world's strongest nation. But much of it stems from the arrogant, unilateralist attitude of this White House. If the United States were so all-powerful that it did not need help from anybody else, then maybe this policy could be justified. But that is not the case. Clearly, trying to fight three wars at once - one in Iraq, one in Afghanistan and one against terrorism - is stretching U.S. resources beyond what this nation can long sustain, as Haass points out. Election Year Politics Don't be surprised if this administration tones down its unilateralist rhetoric this election year. Powell has an article in Foreign Affairs magazine saying the foreign policy isn't that much of a departure after all. But the question for voters in 2004 is: What will a Bush foreign policy be once he and his go-it-alone cohorts are re-elected? Of course, the Democrats must present a viable alternative. Naive pacifism won't win an election when the nation is under attack by terrorists. But the vision of Bush and his neoconservatives, unbound by re-election considerations, is one that voters ought to ponder now - before it's too late. Copyright © 2003, Newsday, Inc. ***************************************************************** 7 CJ Online: Goodman: U.S. intelligence used for propaganda 01/02/04 CJOnline.com / Topeka Capital-Journal Melvin A. Goodman MinutemanMedia.org The worst intelligence scandal in U.S. history has shaken the Bush administration's credibility and promises to complicate U.S. foreign policy. A full accounting is required, but the congressional oversight process isn't responding to the challenge. Earlier this month, U.S. military forces quietly released nearly all the Iraqi scientists and technicians who had any connection with Iraq's programs for weapons of mass destruction. This move indicated that the United States believes that there is nothing to gain from interrogating these individuals and that there are no such programs in Iraq. Several months ago, weapons inspector David Kay acknowledged the presence of no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, thus discrediting the U.S. case for war. Kay is CIA Director George Tenet's personal emissary. His report documents the CIA's intelligence failures. Evidence of further corruption within the policy and intelligence communities that marked the run-up to war against Iraq is mounting. The White House campaign to compromise a CIA operative's work and credentials to punish her husband, a war critic, and to intimidate others, reflects the desperation within the administration. The only institutions chartered to investigate these matters -- the Senate and House intelligence committees -- need to get to the bottom of the intelligence failures that allowed the 9/11 attacks, led the country into war with Iraq, and the compromised the CIA agent. The president's case to go to war was based in part upon a forged document, but the chairmen of the Senate and House intelligence committees, Pat Roberts (R-KS) and former CIA agent Porter Goss (R-FL), haven't demanded a counter-intelligence investigation of the forgery and oppose an investigation of the White House's misuse of sensitive intelligence information. The committees also haven't explored the dubious intelligence that the Pentagon produced for the White House to make the case for war. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld created an undersecretary of defense for intelligence and used this position to shape intelligence to support the case for war. The secretary also established an Office of Special Plans that collected its own intelligence from Iraqi exiles in order to bolster the case, and distributed this intelligence to the policy community. This office was quietly disbanded in August, but the committees have not sought testimony from its senior members. The Pentagon continues to circulate specious intelligence on Iraq. The Office of Special Plans' former director supplied the Senate intelligence committee with a memorandum describing so-called contacts between Iraq and al Qaida. The memorandum, which was immediately leaked, compromised sensitive sources of the National Security Agency, a violation of Federal law, and contained no new authoritative intelligence. Meanwhile, the independent Kean Commission, which the Bush administration initially opposed, has had no more success in getting sensitive intelligence from the White House. The only member challenging the White House, former Senator Max Cleland, suddenly resigned to take a position with the Export-Import Bank. These events have serious consequences for U.S. interests. The distortion of evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction makes it more difficult to gain international cooperation in the war against terrorism and the campaign to prevent the spread of such weapons. Any success in stopping the strategic weapons programs of Iran and North Korea, as well as in capturing al Qaida operatives, requires international support. At the very least, the policy and intelligence communities are facing a situation comparable to that of 55 years ago, before President Harry S. Truman created the National Security Council, the Department of Defense, and the CIA. As in the late 1940s, the international environment has been recast, the threats have been altered, and the role of credible intelligence has never been more important. If steps are not taken to redesign the institutions for national security, particularly within the intelligence community, we will face more "preemptive" war and even more terrorist operations within the United States. At the very worst, we may be confronting a subversion of the constitutional limits on executive power and a campaign of deceit aimed at the Congress and the American people. Melvin A. Goodman, a senior fellow at Center for International Policy -- www.ips-dc.org-- and a Foreign Policy In Focus analyst, is co-author of the forthcoming "Bush League Diplomacy: How the Neoconservatives are Putting the World at Risk" (Prometheus Books, 2004). © Copyright 2003 CJOnline / The Topeka Capital-Journal / Morris ***************************************************************** 8 The new cold war: US and Russia Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 18:19:46 -0600 (CST) Saturday January 3, 2004 The Guardian The new cold war The long struggle between the US and Russia has found a new focus by Jonathan Steele In the dying weeks of another war-filled year, one bit of good news was the non-violent uprising which toppled Eduard Shevardnadze's regime in Georgia. But as the Caucasian republic goes to the polls tomorrow to choose a successor, the risk of bloodshed remains high and powerful external forces are trying to determine how the new president behaves. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that Georgia is the cockpit of a new cold war. During the Soviet period the struggle between the US and Russia was on a global scale. Massive arsenals were locked in stalemate in Europe, but wars ravaged Africa and Asia as the superpowers found it easier to compete there by interfering in local conflicts without the fear of nuclear conflagration. These were the so-called proxy wars. The USSR's collapse did not end the rivalry. It merely recast it on a more complex stage which stressed deviousness rather than outright hostility. Washington wooed post-communist Russia with offers of partnership while expanding the old anti-Russian alliance, Nato, to take in former Soviet allies as well as the three Baltic states. Even as that task was being completed, the Clinton administration was turning its attention to Russia's southern flanks in central Asia and the Caucasus. With Russia's formal system of control dismantled, the aim was to reduce as much of Moscow's political and economic influence as possible. Georgia was a good candidate to start the process because Shevardnadze, as Soviet foreign minister, had shown great readiness to comply with western demands. Aid money poured in, making Georgia the biggest per-capita recipient of American government funding after Israel. Help also went to develop a range of civil society organisations, from private media to polling organisations and new political parties. While few would quarrel with the need for "good governance" initiatives in authoritarian or failed states, it would be better if they were run by less partisan bodies, like international non-governmental organisations or the United Nations agencies, than by states with an imperial agenda. However, by 2003, after 10 years of Shevardnadze's rule, "reform" in Georgia was unimpressive. The country had become an archetype of the worst kind of post-communist state, where a corrupt rentier class of narrowly selected officials and mafia businessmen enriched itself through smuggling, crony privatisation, theft from the few remaining state enterprises, and control of customs duties and port revenues. They tolerated opposition newspapers and multiparty polls on the assumption that state control of television would allow them to manipulate the electoral contest, while loyal officials would announce fraudulent results if voters went wrong. The last line of defence was always the army and police who, it was thought, would put down protests by force in order to save the regime because they were part of it. Serbia broke the mould in September 2000. Popular frustration over corruption and a failing economy, plus anger over too many lost wars, produced Europe's first post-communist revolution. When the regime tried to cheat on the election results, people took to the streets in huge numbers and the army split. This was different from the revolutions of 1989, which were more political than economic. They also took place under a single-party system in which large sections of the leadership had themselves lost faith and wanted a soft landing. Milosevic's downfall led to predictions that Georgia would be the next post-communist state to have an uprising. There was similar anger over crony capitalism. Shevardnadze had not sparked any wars, but nationalists were upset that he had failed to regain two lost provinces, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Mikhail Saakashvili, who led the November street protests and is expected to win tomorrow's election, is a nationalist who regularly plays that card in his speeches. Bush's people supported Clinton's strategy of diminishing Russia. In power, they sharpened it. They exploited the terrorism scare of 9/11, plus Putin's desire for US acquiescence to his failed war in Chechnya, as a way to get Moscow's consent to the establishment of US bases in central Asia. Geared as a temporary measure against the Taliban, they are determined to keep them for possible use against Russia, China and the Middle East. They accelerated the "pipeline wars" in the Caucasus by pressing western companies to cut Russia out of the search for oil in the Caspian and make sure that none was transported through Russia. Why then did Washington decide to abandon Shevardnadze? It was not an uncontested move. Before the November fraud, most US officials hoped to see him remain in office until his term expired next year, provided he let the opposition form a majority in parliament, start to root out corrupt officials, and debate the drafting of a new constitution which might reduce the power of the presidency. Even after the fraud some US officials wanted to keep Shevardnadze in power. There were sentimental ties, as well as the argument that direct US interference in regime change could play badly in central Asia and Azerbaijan, raising their rulers' suspicions and encouraging them to balance between Moscow and Washington rather than lean too heavily to the US side. Worries over Saakashvili's impetuous nationalism and the risk that as president he might try to regain the lost provinces by force, or at least take provocative actions on the border, also played a restraining role. In the end the US tipped against the old dictator and told him to go. Anger over his cheating in last November's elections was not the main factor - equally fraudulent behaviour by the Aliev dynasty in nearby Azerbaijan in elections last October produced minimal American protest, even though hundreds of opposition demonstrators were detained and several editors and politicians remain in prison. Two things probably triggered the US shift. One was fear of instability and even civil war, if the demonstrators did not quickly get their way. The other was the fact that Shevardnadze, for all his pro-western sympathies, was a realist who understood that Georgia needs good political and economic ties to Russia. The Bush administration was furious last year when Russia's state-controlled gas giant Gazprom made a long-term deal for continuing supplies to Georgia. First the US ambassador Richard Miles complained that Washington must be informed of such deals in advance. Then Bush's energy advisor Steven Mann flew to Tbilisi to warn Shevardnadze not to go ahead with it. Meanwhile Saakashvili, and even his more moderate allies like Nino Burjanadze - who is expected to be speaker of parliament again - denounced the Gazprom negotiations. Saakashvili is sure of election tomorrow, but what happens next is unclear. Like Turkey, Georgia's other big neighbour, Russia is no longer an imperial power. It has normal regional interests and Georgia is doomed by geography and economics to need good relations with it. Will the new team in Tbilisi move towards a more confrontational anti-Russian nationalism, or will they understand that supporting Bush's policy of a new cold war in the Caucasus offers Georgia no benefit? -------------- ***************************************************************** 9 [DU-WATCH] Their Media War and Ours in 2004/ A MUST READ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 11:35:41 -0600 (CST) Their Media War and Ours in 2004 A Call to Educate, Organize and Mobilize By Danny Schechter, The News Dissector MediaChannel.org http://www.mediachannel.org/views/dissector/affalert125.shtml NEW YORK, January 1, 2004 -- In 2003, media that once was a casual complaint became an issue around which millions were organizing. The outcry against the pathetic cheerleading that called itself TV coverage of the war in Iraq, and the battle to stop new FCC rules demonstrated that there is a large constituency for media activism and organization. Media activists led the fight. More than 2,000 converged in November on Madison, Wisconsin to signal a commitment to make media reform a central concern. It was impressive, energetic and a strong statement. There were members of Congress, top journalists like Bill Moyers, and legends like Studs Terkel. Comedian Al Franken was there along with other best-selling authors, pop stars and a who's who among media reformers. The analysis was as powerful as the passion. But the follow up has yet to result in a new organization or coalition. And follow up is key for 2004. The conference was not important as an event in itself -- it was important as a staging ground for a new offensive on media issues. Political maneuvers and compromises in Congress blocked the total rebuke to the FCC in 2003 that many hoped for. The tricks politicians play seems to have taken the wind out of a well orchestrated citizens campaign. It was a set back but not a total defeat because the campaign showed that media has become a mainstream issue and will not go away. What the impressive mobilization of public sentiment should signal to other activists -- who have tended to denigrate media activism as somehow secondary to the "real problems" -- is that this is one of the few issues with national traction, and an ability to galvanize support across the spectrum. The FCC battle and the public rejection of proposed deregulation was the first issue that the Bush Administration threatened to exercise a veto against. It was the first that brought Democrats and some Republicans together. It signaled that media concerns are not marginal or to be marginalized. Moving the Movement What's next? One email I received recently asked: "What do we do when our TV and newspapers tell us lies but insist we should regard this information as truth? What do we do when the vast majority of people in our society accepts these lies as truths and ridicule us when we call these statements lies?" These are good questions but there are also some good answers. They involve hard work and real action, day to day work in the trenches -- not just sending checks to candidates in hopes that dumping Bush is a panacea. Bear in the mind that part of the mess we are in goes back to the Telecommunications "reform" Act of l996 backed by the Clinton Administration and many liberal democrats. The bill was supposed to foster competition. It led instead to a massive wave of media concentration. Notice how few candidates even focus on media concentration or slanted coverage. All fear that will lose their fifteen seconds of fame if they piss off thin-skinned media moguls. Turning the Camera Inward If you recognize, as many in the global justice movements do that real power is exercised today not by governments but by private interests, then a focus on corporate interests make sense. If that is the case, the corporate media deserves more attention. Media institutions, which report on the corporate irresponsibility of others, like the endless stream of indicted Wall Street operators, need to turn the cameras on themselves. How socially responsible and accountable are they? How transparent? Had activists been paying attention, there would have been a protest against revelations in 2000 by the Alliance for Better Campaigns that showed how many local TV stations violated federal laws by overcharging candidates while reducing their electoral coverage. What this points to is the need for activists themselves to become better informed about the way big media works -- and the way the government works with it. That's where websites like Mediachannel.org and Mediareform.net and the research of groups like FAIR and Media Tenor come in. Are you paying attention to the latest research and analysis of media manipulation? Are you aware of how media drives politics and why we can now speak of America as a "mediaocracy" in which media rules, not a democracy in which the people decide. At year's end, Rupert Murdoch was given a thank you present for services rendered by the FCC in the form of a go ahead to take over DirecTV, the largest satellite TV service in the United States. ( It was owned by Hughes Electronics Corp. which had been bought by General Motors ). As Space News explains, "the deal gives News Corp. a television-distribution platform in the United States, where it already operates TV stations, the Fox television network and several pay-TV channels." News Corp. immediately transferred its stake in Hughes to its majority-owned Fox Entertainment Group, which owns TV stations and other media properties in the United States, the statement said. This is also part of a global strategy, as the trade newspaper explains: "In addition to DirecTV, which claimed 11.85 million subscribers as of the end of September, Hughes operates a satellite hardware and networking company, Hughes Network Systems of Germantown, Md., and controls DirecTV Latin America, a satellite TV provider in Central and South America. Hughes also owns 81 percent of Wilton, Conn.-based satellite operator PanAmSat Corp." Could this FCC decision have anything to with comments by FCC Chairman Michael Powell (son of the Secretary of State and originally a Clinton Administration appointee by the way) that one reason we need big media is that "only big media can cover the war the way this one has been covered"? The Bad News -- More Bad Coverage Did you know that a dictionary website that tracks words found that "Embedding" was the most used new word of 2003? During the invasion phase of the Iraq war, Jingoism fused with journalism and news biz while show biz morphed into what TIME magazine called "militainment." Can it get any worse? You bet. It took a week for us to learn, for example, that the capture of Saddam was not as reported a US military intelligence coup, but rather the work of Kurdish groups bent on avenging the rape of a woman, not the country. Lesson: You can't trust mainstream news. We can expect more disinformation and misinformation next year with renewed efforts by the US government to leapfrog over any semblance of a critical media with news feeds bypassing the news networks and fed directly to local stations. Media control will intensify as perceived "bad news" threatens to disturb the domestic tranquility that the Administration is hell bent on preserving. This is part of the privatization of and a synergization with a strategy adapted by the US military called "information dominance." David Miller, editor of an important new book called "Tell Me Lies" (Pluto) explains: "As Col Kenneth Allard has written, the 2003 attack on Iraq 'will be remembered as a conflict in which information fully took its place as a weapon of war' the interoperability of the various types of 'weaponized information' has far reaching, if little noticed, implications for the integration of propaganda and media institutions into the war machine. The experience of Iraq in 2003 shows how the planned integration of the media into instruments of war fighting is developing. It also shows the increased role for the private sector in information dominance, a role which reflects wider changes in the armed services in the US and the UK." The Beacon of Independent Media It is important that independent media outlets educate their audiences about this type of insidious strategic planning. As important as exposing it is resisting it, Happily a cultural resistance is emerging with theater groups lampooning the news. The New York Times reports on a new play in New Haven which ridicules coverage of a war that "is being fought somewhere against an unknown enemy because the Pentagon has decided that to reveal whom and where American forces are fighting would be a security risk." The play, "A New War" by Gip Hoppe "satirizes a television broadcast from a newsroom at a network very similar to CNN, is a ridiculing send up of the Bush administration and a kowtowing news media. It owes a great deal to the "Weekend Update" feature on "Saturday Night Live," There is even a version of "Crossfire," here called "Crosshairs," John Stewarts Comedy Channel news show and many articles in "The Onion" that testify to how popular and commercially successful this type of assault on mainstream media has become. We are all living in the crosshairs of powerful media institutions. Their fire is "incoming," into our living rooms -- and then into our brains. We need more than self-defense. We need collective action to challenge mainstream media assumptions and push back. We need to support independent media, with our eyeballs, dollars and our marketing know how. We need to encourage media literacy education in our schools. We need to challenge candidates to speak out on these issues, and media outlets to cover them. The short trusism is -- we can all do more than we are doing to ensure that next year is not just happy but happier than 2003. Mediachannel.org is launching a major new initiative called "Media for Democracy 2004" to monitor and challenge political coverage next year -- and to mobilize voters around a campaign for better media practices. Timothy Karr, MediaChannel.org's executive director is leading this effort and can be reached at tim@mediachannel.org if you want to help and have time, resources or skills to contribute. -- News Dissector Danny Schechter is the executive editor of Mediachannel.org. His most recent book is "Embedded: Weapons of Mass Deception: How the Media Failed to cover the war in Iraq." (Prometheus) MediaChannel.org, 2003. All rights reserved. --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/9rHolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/du-watch/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: du-watch-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ***************************************************************** 10 Washington Times: Nuclear bomb closer than IAEA believed January 04, 2004 TRIPOLI, Libya  Libya was much closer to developing a nuclear bomb than was detected by United Nations inspection teams allowed into the country last week, said British officials who have visited the country's secret weapons laboratories. They also believe that Libya has stockpiles of the ingredients for chemical weapons and the shells and bombs to deliver them. Though Col. Moammar Gadhafi, the Libyan leader, does not have biological weapons, Libya does have dual-use technologies to make them, British and American officials have concluded. Libya has declared it will halt these weapons programs. "We saw uranium enrichment going ahead. We were satisfied that they were well on the way to developing a weapon," said one unidentified senior British official. "Libya was third on our list of concern after North Korea and Iran." That comment contradicted the assessment by Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on his first visit to Libya last week. At one Libyan nuclear facility, for instance, Mr. ElBaradei said that his U.N. team had found all the equipment "still in boxes." "They were still a few years away from developing a nuclear weapon," he said. "This is a program at an early stage of development. They have not enriched any uranium, to our knowledge. They have not built any industrial-scale facility. It was all at the pilot laboratory scale." The IAEA inspectors were taken to only four sites near Tripoli during a daylong tour. The British and American experts saw many more, spending three weeks in Libya in October and December as part of secret negotiations with Col. Gadhafi's regime. The search is now under way to find the supplier of components for the nuclear program. British and American concern is focused on an unidentified third country, which has supplied both Libya and Iran  possibly North Korea. An unidentified senior British official with knowledge of the secret Anglo-American inspections was confident that Libya in time would reveal to the IAEA inspectors the full extent of its clandestine nuclear program. "At first, there were quite a lot of moments when we felt they were not being fully frank, but trust has grown," the official said. "This was a decision some time in the making. Some years ago, Col. Gadhafi realized that he was taking Libya the wrong way." The reassessment is said to have gained momentum since the September 11, 2001, terrorism attacks  and particularly after the invasion of Iraq. The secret diplomacy began in March with an approach from Libya, just as American and British tanks were about to roll into Iraq. Libya's concerns became clear during a visit by the British Foreign Office minister, Mike O'Brien, earlier this year. A senior Libyan official anxiously took him aside to ask if countries that gave up their weapons of mass destruction would still be "punished like Saddam Hussein." "Mike O'Brien was able to reassure them that they would not be punished," the British official said. ***************************************************************** 11 Las Vegas SUN: U.S. Wants Libya Discussed in Private January 03, 2004 By GEORGE JAHN ASSOCIATED PRESS VIENNA, Austria (AP) - The United States believes it would be well within its rights to lead the effort to scrap Libya's atomic weapons program, but it wants the debate taken out of the public arena, diplomats said. The diplomats said Secretary of State Colin Powell has spoken with chief U.N. nuclear inspector Mohamed ElBaradei about resolving differences with Washington. At issue is whether the International Atomic Energy Agency or Washington should police the destruction of Libya's nuclear arms program, which Tripoli disclosed publicly last month. Senior U.S. officials have said that will be carried out by a team of American and British experts and suggested the IAEA was poorly informed about the extent of Libya's nuclear activities. One diplomat said ElBaradei was infuriated by "potshots" directed at him and attributed in the U.S. media to unnamed senior administration officials. Diplomats who follow IAEA activities told AP on condition of anonymity that Powell suggested to ElBaradei that it would be best if public discussion over responsibility ended. "It was agreed to return to more diplomatic channels of communication," one diplomat said. However, another said the Americans remained firm in their view that it was their right to take the lead in scrapping Libya's suspect nuclear programs if asked to do so by Tripoli. "If Libya wants the United States to go in, then the Americans feel they are free to go in," he said. The diplomats told The Associated Press that Powell's recent telephone conversation with ElBaradei, director general of the IAEA, focused on tensions over Libya between the IAEA and U.S. administration officials already unhappy with the agency's stance on Iraq and Iran. Over the past year, the Egyptian law professor also has been the target of U.S. accusations that he minimized the nuclear weapons threats from Iraq under Saddam Hussein and from Iran. The United States maintained that both nations were trying to build atomic bombs, which the IAEA disputed. ElBaradei told AP on Tuesday that the IAEA intends to "do it alone" in destroying Libya's atomic programs. ElBaradei spokesman Mark Gwozdecky reinforced that message Friday, saying policing Libya's nuclear program and stripping it of arms applications was "our exclusive responsibility." In Washington, a State Department official denied friction with the IAEA, saying the agency has a role to play, along with the United States and the British. But, the official added, "Who does what needs to be worked out." Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's recent acknowledgment that Libya sought weapons of mass destruction and his decision to renounce them - made after months of secret negotiations with the United States and Britain - surprised the IAEA, the U.N. body charged with keeping watch on nuclear programs. ElBaradei and an IAEA team visited four once-secret nuclear sites in Libya's capital, Tripoli, last weekend. While U.S. officials have suggested that the Libyan program was advanced, ElBaradei said that, from what his team saw, Libya still was years away from developing atomic bombs. During the trip, ElBaradei met with Gadhafi, who assured the IAEA chief that Libya would cooperate fully with inspections and eliminate its long-secret program, saying he wanted to turn Libya into a "mainstream" nation. Libya has promised to cooperate with the Vienna-based U.N. agency and said it would sign a protocol allowing intrusive inspections at short notice, similar to the one signed earlier this month by Iran. --- On the Net: International Atomic Energy Agency: http://www.iaea.org -- ***************************************************************** 12 Las Vegas SUN: U.S., U.N. Divided Over Libya Nuke Issues January 03, 2004 By GEORGE JAHN ASSOCIATED PRESS VIENNA, Austria (AP) - The United States believes it would be well within its rights to lead the effort to scrap Libya's atomic weapons program, but it wants the debate taken out of the public arena, diplomats said. The diplomats said Secretary of State Colin Powell has spoken with chief U.N. nuclear inspector Mohamed ElBaradei about resolving differences with Washington. At issue is whether the International Atomic Energy Agency or Washington should police the destruction of Libya's nuclear arms program, which Tripoli disclosed publicly last month. Senior U.S. officials have said that will be carried out by a team of American and British experts and suggested the IAEA was poorly informed about the extent of Libya's nuclear activities. One diplomat said ElBaradei was infuriated by "potshots" directed at him and attributed in the U.S. media to unnamed senior administration officials. Diplomats who follow IAEA activities told AP on condition of anonymity that Powell suggested to ElBaradei that it would be best if public discussion over responsibility ended. "It was agreed to return to more diplomatic channels of communication," one diplomat said. However, another said the Americans remained firm in their view that it was their right to take the lead in scrapping Libya's suspect nuclear programs if asked to do so by Tripoli. "If Libya wants the United States to go in, then the Americans feel they are free to go in," he said. The diplomats told The Associated Press that Powell's recent telephone conversation with ElBaradei, director general of the IAEA, focused on tensions over Libya between the IAEA and U.S. administration officials already unhappy with the agency's stance on Iraq and Iran. Over the past year, the Egyptian law professor also has been the target of U.S. accusations that he minimized the nuclear weapons threats from Iraq under Saddam Hussein and from Iran. The United States maintained that both nations were trying to build atomic bombs, which the IAEA disputed. ElBaradei told AP on Tuesday that the IAEA intends to "do it alone" in destroying Libya's atomic programs. ElBaradei spokesman Mark Gwozdecky reinforced that message Friday, saying policing Libya's nuclear program and stripping it of arms applications was "our exclusive responsibility." In Washington, a State Department official denied friction with the IAEA, saying the agency has a role to play, along with the United States and the British. But, the official added, "Who does what needs to be worked out." Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's recent acknowledgment that Libya sought weapons of mass destruction and his decision to renounce them - made after months of secret negotiations with the United States and Britain - surprised the IAEA, the U.N. body charged with keeping watch on nuclear programs. ElBaradei and an IAEA team visited four once-secret nuclear sites in Libya's capital, Tripoli, last weekend. While U.S. officials have suggested that the Libyan program was advanced, ElBaradei said that, from what his team saw, Libya still was years away from developing atomic bombs. During the trip, ElBaradei met with Gadhafi, who assured the IAEA chief that Libya would cooperate fully with inspections and eliminate its long-secret program, saying he wanted to turn Libya into a "mainstream" nation. Libya has promised to cooperate with the Vienna-based U.N. agency and said it would sign a protocol allowing intrusive inspections at short notice, similar to the one signed earlier this month by Iran. --- On the Net: International Atomic Energy Agency: http://www.iaea.org -- ***************************************************************** 13 War Wire: World held hostage by nuclear powers: Castro WAR.WIRE HAVANA (AFP) Jan 04, 2004 Cuban leader Fidel Castro slammed the nuclear powers Sunday, which he said were holding humanity "hostage," in a speech marking the 45th anniversary of the revolution that brought him to power. "The lives of millions of human beings who inhabit the planet depend on what a few people think, believe and decide," he said in a 50-minute speech at the solemn event in the Karl Marx theater. "A smaller group of countries that monopolizes these weapons boast the exclusive right to produce and develop them." "We have the right to denounce, to pressure and to demand changes and an end to this ridiculous and absurd situation that has turned us into hostages," he said. Castro also criticized the Free Trade Area of the Americas, a scheme championed by the United States to tear down trade barriers throughout the western hemisphere. The plan does not include Cuba, which is isolated as the only Communist nation in the Americas. Castro led rebels into the eastern city of Santiago on January 1, 1959. Former president Fulgencio Batista fled to the Dominican Republic on the same day, and Castro has ruled ever since. WAR.WIRE ***************************************************************** 14 AU The Age: Nuclear rogues being brought to heel, US believes - www.theage.com.au January 5, 2004 Officials say a carrot-and-stick approach is changing attitudes, Bryan Bender reports from Washington. Bush Administration officials believe Iran and North Korea are showing a new readiness to negotiate on their nuclear programs, possibly creating an opportunity to resolve differences that have existed since President George Bush labelled Tehran and Pyongyang members of an "axis of evil" two years ago. The Administration credits its own tough policies - on display in Iraq - with forcing concessions, including Iran's acceptance last year of international arms inspectors and new signals from North Korea last week that it might be willing to end its nuclear weapons program. Washington has softened its approach in recent months to dealing with regimes it once derided as tyrannical. It signalled approval on Friday for a private US delegation to visit North Korea's most secretive nuclear plant and was talking directly to Tehran last week about earthquake relief, although diplomatic relations were severed more than two decades ago. Along with the recent agreement by Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to forgo weapons of mass destruction - the result of nine months of secret negotiations - the US overtures to Iran and North Korea seem to represent a shift in Mr Bush's approach to preventing the spread of catastrophic weapons and terrorism, policy analysts said. "There is a clear message that we are willing to use force to remove these dangers, but are willing to negotiate solutions and provide rewards for good behaviour," said Joseph Cirincione, a weapons proliferation specialist at the non-partisan Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. "We may be coming to the right combination here." Iran agreed last month to more intrusive inspections of its nuclear program and has struck a decidedly conciliatory note towards Washington after the massive earthquake that has killed at least 30,000 in Bam. US aid teams quickly dispatched by the White House in a symbolic gesture are working under the leadership of the Revolutionary Guard, the powerful security arm of Iran's ruling clerics. North Korea last week seemed willing to provide US specialists with access to its most secretive nuclear site at Yongbyon - which has been closed to international monitors for more than a year - and has been receptive to a new round of six-nation negotiations. After isolating North Korea for much of the first two years of the Bush Administration, Washington held a first round of talks with North Korea last September and is planning to reconvene the discussions with North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia early this year. But fierce differences remain. Administration officials cautioned against predictions of imminent victories for US policy. Iran continued to support terrorist groups that opposed Israel, they said, and harboured members of the al-Qaeda network. On New Year's Day, Mr Bush said he appreciated the new openness but said Tehran "must turn over al-Qaeda (members) in their custody". North Korea's intentions remain unclear. Washington thinks Pyongyang is continuing to sell nuclear and missile technologies to the highest bidder, including a failed deal with the former Iraq regime. Nevertheless, the Administration thinks the time is right to begin dealing with these governments. As well, countries developing weapons of mass destruction are coming under increased international pressure, according to Administration officials, international security specialists, and former diplomats. Some credit goes to the muscular US approach. The mix of carrots and sticks is increasingly a part of Administration policy. - Boston Globe Copyright © 2004. The Age Company Ltd | contact us ***************************************************************** 15 Haaretz: The disarmament issue News Updates Sun., January 04, 2004 Tevet 10, 5764 Israel Time: 02:23 (GMT+2) The United States has chalked up several achievements in its efforts to rid the Middle East of weapons of mass destruction. While no forbidden weapon systems have been discovered in Iraq (contrary to earlier assessments), the conquest of Iraq and the fall of Saddam Hussein have removed from the stage a threatening and aggressive regime that has used ground-to-ground missiles and chemical weapons against civilians in the past. Iran has succumbed to international pressure and has agreed to expose its efforts to enrich uranium, and to allow broader supervision over its nuclear installations. Libya has announced that it will abandon weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles. And Syria is now facing similar pressure and threats of sanctions. These developments contribute to Israel's security, removing serious threats that have developed in neighboring countries. It would be good for Israel to find a way to join these efforts to disarm and supervise weapons in the region. Israel must act carefully when it comes to playing its part in allaying the threats in the region. The guiding principle should be to refrain from making unnecessary statements while maintaining wide security margins that will preserve its strategic deterrent capability. In the Middle East, where there are still many groups that reject the very existence of Israel as a Jewish state in the region, it is too early to discuss Israel's nuclear capabilities. The policy of "nuclear ambiguity" that Israel has maintained for many years has proven to be an effective deterrent and has won the firm backing of the United States, which recognizes Israel as a special case and has not pressured it to scrap its nuclear capabilities. There is no reason today to change this policy of ambiguity, which seems likely to remain in effect for the foreseeable future. The government can demonstrate openness in other areas of less vital security importance and can consider ratifying a treaty to eliminate chemical weapons, which Israel already signed in 1993. Another possibility would be to join a pact against biological weapons that has only declaratory significance. Both of these options merit a reassessment, in close coordination with the American administration and with a demand for reciprocity from neighboring countries. In the past, Israel has been wary of international arrangements for arms control; but since embarking on the peace process in 1991, it has softened its position and has shown some openness in areas that do not seem to endanger national security. As a result, Israel's positions are received with much greater understanding today and it is regarded as a responsible state and worthy partner in efforts to block the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The efforts for regional arms control that focused during the past decade on multilateral talks have deadlocked due to a dispute between Israel and Egypt on the nuclear issue, and because key states like Iran, Iraq, Syria and Libya have been left out of the process. The developments since the war in Iraq create new opportunities for renewing this process - this time, with a wider framework and stronger backing from the U.S. and the international community. Israel has a great interest in regional security arrangements. It would be best for Israel to be an initiator and leading partner in the process, thus influencing its design and results, instead of later being called upon to make concessions under pressure. © Copyright Haaretz. All rights reserved ***************************************************************** 16 SF Chroniclel: The governor's energy plan boasts of 'hydrogen highways' by 2010 Sunday, January 4, 2004 [San Francisco Chronicle] [Chronicle Sections] The election of Arnold Schwarzenegger highlights the possibility that California will aim its energy future toward hydrogen, the most abundant element on earth, which as a fuel emits only water vapor. Schwarzenegger picked one of the state's leading hydrogen advocates -- Terry Tamminen -- to the top post at the California Environmental Protection Agency. When heading Environment Now, Tamminen pushed state legislation boosting hydrogen that now serves as the centerpiece of the new governor's environmental platform. This platform boasts that California will feature the nation's first "hydrogen highways" by 2010. By then, each of the state's 21 major interstate highways is supposed to feature hydrogen-fueling stations every 20 miles. In a recent interview, Tamminen said state citizens should come to expect "an emphasis on jump-starting both environmental solutions and the economy, where that makes sense. Finding applications for hydrogen and renewable energy technology will be two of those areas." The idea of a global hydrogen economy is hardly new. Jules Verne declared water to be "the coal of the future" back in the 1870s, and a decade later, William Grove was experimenting with primitive fuel-cell technologies. But now, suddenly the most powerful corporations in the world are involved: General Electric, DuPont, BP, Shell, General Motors and all the major car companies. Even the Bush administration has pledged $1 billion for hydrogen over the next five years. This suggests a consensus is emerging that hydrogen is the way to go. But the key issue is that while hydrogen is everywhere, it rarely exists as a free-floating element. It needs to be extracted from either water or hydrocarbons. The Bush administration has a "black hydrogen" agenda. It sees traditional energy sources such as nuclear and fossil fuels as the prime sources for creating hydrogen over the next decades. Most Californians, particularly environmentalists, see a "green hydrogen" future, with natural gas as a bridge fuel to extract hydrogen before we switch over completely to solar and wind power California's air-quality laws and tough vehicle-emissions regulations have created a testing ground for hydrogen fuel-cell technology, much as the Golden State served as the laboratory for renewable energy technologies in the 1980s. The major auto and oil companies are jockeying to position themselves to profit from the way we humans transport ourselves and light up our lives in the not-too-distant future. The most interesting corporate player is General Motors, which seems to have suddenly grabbed the lead in the race to develop fuel-cell vehicles, after battling the air resources board and state environmentalists for years. GM now devotes 40 percent of its research-and-development budget to hydrogen and has set a goal of being the first auto company to have a million hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles on the road. Nevertheless, Toyota already has over 100,000 gas-electric hybrids on the road, a technology that most consider a stepping-stone to hydrogen vehicles, while GM has no commercial hybrid vehicles yet. Honda, too, is almost ready to introduce a fuel-cell vehicle and already has commercial hybrids. European oil companies such as Shell and BP are talking up hydrogen and renewable energy, whereas American oil giants such as ExxonMobil prefer to wait and pump more oil. An exception is ChevronTexaco, which has taken the tiny step of developing a hydrogen refueling station in Richmond. What does this all mean for California? According to conflict negotiator Bill Shireman, CEO of Future 500, a San Francisco organization that works out collaborations between corporate players and environmentalists, California could shape the nation's hydrogen production by using renewable energy sources -- such as wind and solar power -- that are so abundant in the Golden State. "What's interesting about the battle over hydrogen and fuel cells is that it has the potential to draw together longtime adversaries," Shireman said. "It meets environmentalist demands for zero-emission cars. It also aligns with the 10-year objectives of the biggest auto companies. It would represent a breakthrough achievement for the new Schwarzenegger administration." The unfolding of the hydrogen economy in California could help determine whether the industrialized world can really save the planet through vehicles running on water vapor. Peter Asmus has covered energy issues for over 15 years. His books include "Reaping the Wind: How Mechanical Wizards, Visionaries and Profiteers Helped Shape Our Energy Future" and "Reinventing Electric Utilities: Competition, Citizen Action and Clean Power." · Printer-friendly version · Email this article to ©2004 San Francisco Chronicle | Feedback | FAQ ***************************************************************** 17 Counterpunch Brian Cloughley: Never Mind the WMDs, Just Look at History New Special Double Issue of Print Edition of CounterPunch Weekend Edition January 3 / 4, 2004 Knocking Down Red Herrings By BRIAN CLOUGHLEY In his Christmas message to British occupation troops in Iraq, Tony Blair, Britain's leader of the governing Labour Party assured them that there was "massive evidence of a huge system of clandestine laboratories" in Iraq. Blair again made a fool of himself, and it is interesting to examine the vulgar, shoddy affair of the phantom laboratories in the context of what politicians and officials imagine they can get away with in misleading their unfortunate public. We should never forget that Bush and Blair (with Howard of Australia ; the US-designated white sheriff of the Pacific region), made war on Iraq because, they assured us all, the Baghdad government possessed enormous numbers of weapons of mass destruction. We were told it had rockets to deliver biological and chemical agents, and the president of the US gave details about the exact amounts of these. ("Saddam Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent", quoth Bush in his State of the Union address.) I don't know why Dean isn't making more of this in his run for nomination, but doubtless he has his reasons, probably associated with the quaint notion that criticism of the commander-in-chief is in some way disloyal to the country. This is a factor in American public life that is being fostered, manipulated and milked by the zealots of the right and their aggressively biased media supporters. According to the vice-president and others in Washington, Iraq had a functioning nuclear weapons' programme that necessitated its invasion by the US and Britain. But the Bush administration hirelings now want us to forget that in September 2002 Cheney announced to the world that Saddam Hussein "[has] been free -- and we know he has -- to continue to improve his chemical weapons capability. We know he has worked to and has succeeded in improving his biological weapons capability. And we're confident he has also begun, once again, to try to acquire a nuclear weapon." He went even further on 16 March 2003 by declaring "Let's talk about the nuclear proposition for a minute. We know that based on intelligence, that [Saddam Hussein] has been very, very good at hiding these kinds of efforts. He's had years to get good at it and we know he has been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons. And we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons. I think Mr El Baradei frankly is wrong." (Mr El Baradei, the highly respected UN nuclear weapons expert, had said that Iraq had no nuclear weapons program. He was, of course, frankly, right.) A year ago Bush proclaimed that "Iraq has a growing fleet of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to disperse chemical or biological weapons across broad areas." At a press briefing on 14 July 2003 Bush stated with cynical disregard for facts and integrity that "We gave him [Saddam Hussein] a chance to allow the inspectors in, and he wouldn't let them in." (In many countries the perpetrator of such a brazen lie would have been mercilessly lambasted by the mainstream media ; but not in the US.) All these claims have been shown to be absurd, as has Cheney's declaration that there was "evidence" of a relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda which "involved training on [biological and chemical weapons]. Al-Qaeda sent personnel to Baghdad to get trained on the systems." All lies. Ridiculous lies. Blatant, flagrant, in-your-face, deliberate falsity. But the Bush campaign is working very hard indeed to encourage American voters to forget or at least ignore the deceit and deception. The official line about the reasons for war on Iraq is now being amended dramatically. So, when faced with the uncomfortable facts that there were no nuclear programs ; that there were no chemical or biological agents (never mind Bush's 500 tons) ; that there was no "growing fleet" of unmanned aircraft for spraying them (a particularly stupid allegation); and that Al Qaeda was never in Iraq (although it now operates there, according to Washington, thanks to the chaos created by Bush's crusade), the excuse for war has been altered, and not even subtly. Hence the Blair contention about laboratories, which he had selected from the interim report of Rumsfeld's team of searchers for WMD in Iraq. Unfortunately for the credibility of Bush, Blair, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the rest (not that they give a damn), the searchers failed to find weapons of mass destruction. All they managed to conjure up was "evidence" about laboratories, not one of which has been found, either. It seems the word 'evidence' has been given a very different meaning to that in the dictionary, which is "the available facts, circumstances, etc, supporting or otherwise a belief, proposition, etc, or indicating whether or not a thing is true or valid." If one has evidence of the existence of something, then the thing must exist. Therefore if there is, in Blair's words, "massive evidence of a huge system of clandestine laboratories" it follows that the laboratories must exist. So where are they? Be assured that if they existed there would have been photographs in all US newspapers, and Fox News would be broadcasting exultant video of the scenes non-stop. But all that the investigators found were some trailers for preparing meteorological balloons. On June 25, 2003 the New York Times reported that ". . . Mr. Bush cited [the trailers] as proof that Iraq indeed had a biological weapons program, as the United States has repeatedly alleged, although it has yet to produce any other conclusive evidence." (Note the use of the word 'other' in this supposedly factual report. It is intended to create the impression that there was at least some conclusive evidence, which there certainly was not. This is compliant journalism at its worst.) Yet in an August interview with the BBC, the US chief weapons inspector, David Kay, said "I think [talk of the mobile laboratories] was premature and embarrassing . . . I don't want the mobile biological production facilities fiasco of May to be the model of the future." It was all baloney. But Blair is a specialist in baloney, so he picked up the non-evidence and broadcast it, six months' later, to British soldiers. And then the American ruler of Iraq, Paul Bremer, let him down with a wallop. Bremer flatly contradicted Blair's assertion about laboratories. Last week he was asked by Jonathan Dimbleby of Britain's Independent Television channel to comment on Blair's second-hand assertion. According to the Daily Telegraph (a muscular supporter of the war on Iraq), "Mr Bremer . . . ridiculed the comment. "I don't know where those words come from, but that is not what David Kay has said . . . I have read his reports so I don't know who said that. It sounds like a bit of a red herring to me. It sounds like someone who doesn't agree with the policy sets up a red herring then knocks it down." When Dimbleby finally managed to tell him it was Mr Blair who made the comment, Mr Bremer beat a partial retreat, saying: "There is actually a lot of evidence that had been made public." He claimed there was "clear evidence of biological and chemical programmes, ongoing". These "show clear evidence of violation of UN Security Council resolutions relating to rockets". War was justified "historically" regardless of the issue of WMD, Mr Bremer said. "I invite anybody, British or American, who thinks it was wrong to go to war, to come and see the mass graves in Halabja. Come there and then tell me that we were not right to liberate this country from Saddam Hussein. We, the coalition, the British and American people have done a noble thing by relieving 25 million Iraqis of one of the most vicious tyrannies in the 20th century"." He went on to say "Weapons of mass destruction or no weapons of mass destruction, it's important to step back a little bit here, to see what we have done historically." Indeed it is important to step back and look at the Iraq shambles, because what Bush administration officials have done historically is to have lied to the entire world. And now that their lies have been identified for what they are, they seek to justify their war by pious, outraged complaints about what Saddam did historically. Their line would be rather more convincing had they protested against the gassing of civilians at Halabja when it happened in March 1988. The fanatics seek to justify their war by repeated reference to an atrocity 15 years after it was perpetrated, and at the time of which they piped not one word, not a syllable, in condemnation. An administration figure has again come close to admitting that there were "no weapons of mass destruction". Bremer and his masters are desperately trying to convince us that the issue of WMD is unimportant. It is only too reminiscent of the end of the Nixon era. Do you remember Ron Ziegler, the Nixon spokesman who died a year ago? He uttered the everlasting words : "The president refers to the fact that there is new material ; therefore, this is the operative statement. The others are inoperative." The Bush administration's hysterical warnings about the Iraqi nuclear program ; the 500 tons of chemicals and biological agents ; the fleet of deadly unmanned aerial vehicles ; and the other gross figments of overheated imagination are now, presumably, 'inoperative', and it won't be long before the propaganda mind-benders go into overdrive to rewrite history. The process began on the White House website (where else?), with insertion of the word 'major' in the report of Bush's speech on May 1. Remember the headline "President Bush Announces Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended"? No you don't, because the White House says it never existed. What Bush MEANT to say, which is what we are now told he actually said, was that MAJOR combat operations had ended. That is what is now in the historical record, White House version. (See Dana Milbank's 'White House Web Scrubbing' in the Washington Post, December 18.) Orwell described this sort of thing in '1984', which was always a chilling book to read, but is especially so nowadays. "The reporting of Big Brother's Order for the Day in The Times . . . is extremely unsatisfactory and makes reference to non-existent persons. Rewrite in full and submit your draft to higher authority before filing". You doubt that the rewriting of truth is almost upon us in the style of Big Brother? Then reflect on Rumsfeld's shameless lie on Sinclair Broadcasting on September 25. Anchor Morris Jones led in to a question by saying "Before the war in Iraq, you stated the case very eloquently and you said . . . [the Iraqis] would welcome us with open arms." This is well-documented, but Rumsfeld leapt to deny it. "Never said that," he said. "Never did. You may remember it well, but you're thinking of somebody else. You can't find, anywhere, me saying anything like either of those two things you just said I said." Think about '1984' again, when Orwell wrote "Very likely as many as a dozen people were now working on rival versions of what Big Brother had actually said. And presently some master brain in the Inner Party would select this version or that, would re-edit it . . . then the chosen lie would pass into the permanent records and become truth." We are, alas, accustomed to being lied to, and we can handle that. But it is a different matter when history is rewritten, for the only defence we have is memory, which is exactly what the mind-benders in the White House and Downing Street are trying to defeat. What a bunch of dilapidated, sleazebag humbugs. They set up red herrings (what Bremer meant, presumably, was Straw Men) and then knock them down. Just as they knock down truth and demolish their own principles -- if they ever had any. Brian Cloughley writes about defense issues for CounterPunch, the Nation (Pakistan), the Daily Times of Pakistan and other international publications. His writings are collected on his website: . CounterPunch Alive: ***************************************************************** 18 Daily Times: Pakistan’s nuclear role in world January 05, 2004 By Khalid Hasan WASHINGTON: There is little doubt now that there is an organised and well-coordinated campaign to besmear Pakistan as an irresponsible nuclear state which has failed to ensure the security of its nuclear secrets and some of whose nuclear experts have been passing on information, either for money or for ideological or political reasons. There has been a string of stories in recent days, all on the same theme. Information, some of it half-baked and based on surmise, of this nature is invariably in the hands of intelligence agencies and it is they who leak it to the media in pursuit of the agendas of their governments or important individuals in those governments. The attacks on Pakistan’s nuclear programme, its safety, and the integrity of its personnel would all appear to be part of such a campaign. Newspapers don’t dream such information; it is slipped to them by interested actors, in this case certain US intelligence agencies and/or individuals in the administration and Washington’s think tanks that have an axe to grind. A detailed New York Times story on the subject Sunday is headlined ‘From rogue nuclear programmes, web of trails leads to Pakistan’. The story cites a sales brochure said to have been distributed by the AQ Khan Research Laboratories as the smoking gun which proves that Pakistan’s nuclear knowhow and allied stuff has been on sale for a long time, despite denials by Islamabad. “In other nations, such sales would be strictly controlled. But Pakistan has always played by its own rules,” adds the report. As investigators unravel the “mysteries” of the North Korean, Iranian and now the Libyan nuclear projects, Pakistan is said to have “emerged as the intellectual and trading hub of a loose network of hidden nuclear proliferators”. The report alleges that the network is global, “but what is striking about a string of recent disclosures is how many roads appear ultimately to lead back to the Khan Research Laboratories in Kahuta, where Pakistan’s own bomb was developed”. Home | Main Indian cricketers arriving in Pakistan in March, confirms BCCI Australia fighting a desperate battle to avoid series loss South Africa still in control Waugh’s dismissal robs Aussies of fairytale finish Bowlers’ fitness poses problems for England PCB hopes to release India’s tour itinerary in a week PIA trounce Bangladesh A Asia’s pride Paradorn returns to defend his ‘lucky charm’ HBL defeat NBP by 8 wickets Draw as good as a win, say Australians ABL beat ZTBL by 5 wickets Vatanen stretches Dakar stage win record to 50 WAPDA win karate championship Wasif clinches Under-18 Junior Tennis crown Western Australia down Zimbabwe by 70 runs Azlan Shah Cup: Pakistan hockey squad off to Kuala Lumpur Chimera grab Servis Cup Polo Liverpool come through Yeovil test Manchester United beat Villa Australia in Hopman Cup whitewash Hewitt hell-bent on return to the top Mifune upsets Millar’s HK homecoming in cycle classic Soccer: Real edge out Murcia to move five points clear Basketball: Coleman, Snow help Sixers end 13-game San Antonio run Daily Times - All Rights Reserved Site developed and hosted by WorldCALL Internet Solutions ***************************************************************** 19 Hi Pakistan: Nuclear sanity: Regional peace imperative January 05 2004 Dr S M Rahman It is a strange paradox that nuclear weapons are detested and loved at the same time. In the early days of the Cold War in 1951, Frederick Juliet-Curie Nobel Laureate, and a great peace activist is reported to have sent a message to Mao Zedong, the great revolutionary leader of China: ‘You should oppose the atomic bomb, you should own the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb is not so terrifying.’ Implicit in this message was the advice that China, in order to serve the cause of peace in the world must go nuclear. The insight weighed heavily on Mao Zedong, and in 1958, he summoned his senior colleagues, and told them that ‘without atomic and hydrogen bombs, others don’t think what we say carries weight’. It is also true that China earned great respectability in the eyes of Richard Nixon, when it emerged as nuclear power on October 16, 1964. There is a symbiotic attitudinal predisposition between China and Pakistan, because both went nuclear under extreme compulsions and perhaps this could be a major determinant of enduring strategic friendship between the two neighbours. China went through excruciating psychological pressures and intimidations by USA, which seriously considered nuking China during the Korean War 1952-1953 and in the Taiwan Strait Crises-1954 and 1958. China was the only non-nuclear nation to be threatened with nuclear weapons. China’s nuclear explosion was to seek a therapeutic relief, from the nightmarish experiences that it encountered. USA, in a way, should get the credit or discredit for China’s entrance into ‘Nuclear Club’. The same syndrome repeated itself in the context of South Asia. The regional heavy weight - India - made recurrent attempts to accentuate feelings of utter insecurity, particularly due to the three wars that Pakistan had to face (Kashmir - 1947-48, September 1965 and December 1971), notwithstanding border skirmishes along the Line of Control as a routine affair. The trauma of separation of the East Pakistan and emergence of Bangladesh heightened its vulnerability which was mainly perceived to be a caesarean operation that India performed with great planning and machination. Pakistan, no doubt, faulted in political and economic integration of its eastern wing but the major determinant of Dhaka’s fall was India’s overt and covert interventions. Pakistan had to swallow this defeat but what exacerbated Pakistan’s anxiety was, the detonation of nuclear weapon by India in 1974. The then prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, faced with the same existential crisis acted in the manner as Mao Zedong did to ensure the security of the country, by attaining minimal nuclear deterrence. Pakistan, however, remained reconciled to a non-declared nuclear status and this served the purpose of attaining nuclear parity with its archrival - India. This however, hardly lasted for a decade, when India defying all norms of nuclear restraint and propriety carried out nuclear explosions in Pokhran in 1998, under a cover name of peaceful nuclear explosion, ostensibly to call Pakistan’s policy of nuclear ambiguity, a bluff. South Asian regional peace was immensely disturbed. Latent in this nuclear adventure was an implicit ambition to gain the membership of the most coveted body - the Security Council. The nuclear bomb was considered a passport for becoming the sixth member of the global nuclear club. It was also intended to expose to the world that Pakistan’s nuclear bomb was only a ‘paper tiger’, and that in reality Pakistan had a long way to go to achieve the capability. It was a gross miscalculation on the part of India. Pakistan’s declared nuclear policy of restraint was considered a bluff, which India wished to expose to the world. This was not to be. Pakistan, willy-nilly, made an appropriate and well-measured response by exploding a nuclear device to highlight Pakistan’s viable, but minimal deterrence. Just as US was the architect of China’s nuclear status; India did the same for Pakistan. India’s nuclear ambitions have always been grandiose and nourished by a propensity to reign supreme, not only as a regional power but extending its influence even beyond. India’s first prime minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, had spelt out this objective even before India formally achieved independence in 1947. The revered nuclear scientist, Dr. Homi Bhaba, under the explicit instructions from Prime Minister Nehru, initiated the nuclear program. He said unambiguously, ‘Now we are on the verge of atomic age. If we are to remain abreast in the world as a nation ... we must develop atomic energy quite apart from war .. Of course, if we are compelled as a nation to use it for other purposes, no pious sentiments of any one of us can stop the nation from using it that way.’ Jaswant Singh also reiterated the idea: ‘India’s nuclear policy remains firmly committed to a basic tenet, that the country’s national security, in a world of nuclear proliferation, lies either in global disarmament or in exercise of the principle of equal and legitimate security of all ... If the permanent five’s possession of nuclear weapons increases security, why would India’s possession of nuclear weapons be dangerous? If deterrence works in the West - as it so obviously appears to, since Western nations insist on continuing to possess nuclear weapons, by what reasoning will it not work in India.’ In a way Pakistan complied with the obligations of CTBT, without formally signing the Treaty. Pakistan would do it if India also does the same, for it requires two to tango. Not contended with the nuclear status quo in the region, India imitated the same posture which, the great super power USA adopts - excessively obsessed with horizontal proliferation but retaining the unbridled ambition to integrate nuclear weapons into their military arsenal. Only recently, a mind boggling figure of US $ 400 billion have been earmarked and approved by the lower house of the Congress for research and development of low yield tactical nuclear weapons. Being wild with nuclear glee, both USA and India are acting as spoilers of a non-proliferation regime. True to the adage ‘the men who know most are the most gloomy’, the scientists, who created the nuclear monster, are terribly afraid of it, as the creators know well the perils of their creation. The Pugwash Movement is a manifestation of the catastrophic threat that the world faces. Joseph Rotblat the then President of the organisation and Pugwash jointly received Noble Peace Prize in 1995, for spearheading a climate of opinion against nuclear threat and intensifying efforts for nuclear disarmament. The Pugwash Council pronounced the most emphatic and unequivocal support after its 52 Annual Conference on August 10-14, 2002, that ‘all nuclear weapon states should ‘recognise’ the illegality and immorality of nuclear weapons and move expeditiously to abolish such weapons in the near future.’ There is a dehumanised sensibility which has blurred sub-continental vision. Nuclear pride in the face of human miseries, deprivations and appalling poverty carries with it an element of tragic irony, conjuring up the image of a naked body wearing a glittering nuclear crown. India has four hundred million illiterates who live in absolute poverty; six hundred million have no access to basic sanitation and two hundred million are not familiar with the taste of safe drinking water. Pakistan’s economic profile is as deplorable as that of India. Look at the fate of Soviet Union - a formidable nuclear lord of the Cold War era - what nuclearism has made of it. Over forty per cent people of Russia are languishing in abject poverty, a situation bleaker than Pakistan’s. Leonardo da Vinci said that wisdom is the daughter of experience. Alas! That daughter has not seen the light of the day in the sub-continent. Copyright 1996-2002 . Hi Pakistan. All rights reserved. No part ***************************************************************** 20 DenverPost.com - EDITORIALS top issues for 2004 Article Published: Sunday, January 04, 2004 Last Jan. 5, The Denver Post outlined four key topics for its 2003 editorial agenda: government finance, civil liberties, public lands and environment, and education. All four remain crucial areas of concern for Colorado and will be carried over into our 2004 agenda - with the refinement of splittling public lands and environment into discrete topics. That recognizes the fact that some environmental issues may not especially involve public lands, and public land management issues may involve fiscal matters or other concerns only marginally related to the environment. We're also restoring an item from our 2002 agenda to the current list - transportation. The success of the Regional Transportation District's existing Southwest light-rail line and worsening highway congestion have convinced many voters that Denver needs a balanced transportation system. In November, voters will be asked to approve RTD's FasTracks proposal. But while early polls indicate strong support for FasTracks, much remains to be done before voters pass final judgment on the plan, and further work needs to be done to supplement highway construction throughout the state. The Post added water to our editorial agenda because the recent severe drought has finally convinced most Coloradans of the need to augment our water supplies. Voters defeated Referendum A on last fall's ballot primarily because it offered no specific projects. But Referendum A clearly focused public attention on a real problem, and proponents are now on notice that their solutions need to be much more specific. Government finance With the exception of civil liberties, all the other items on The Post's 2004 agenda will be strongly influenced by what happens on our top issue: government finance. Simply put, Colorado's ongoing fiscal crisis is crippling the state's ability to address problems in many vital areas. It obviously takes money to improve transportation and upgrade water supplies. Being good stewards of our environment in general and our public lands in particular also requires the fiscal wherewithal to enforce wise regulatory policies. It's true that Amendment 23, passed in 2000, has generally sheltered elementary and secondary education from the current budget crisis - but largely at the cost of brutal cutbacks in higher education and social services. Colorado won't get far in the 21st-century economy with a public policy that says our interest in education stops with a high school diploma. Colorado's state and local finances remain caught in a "perfect storm" of contradictory constitutional amendments passed in different years for different reasons. The 1982 Gallagher Amendment was intended to shift the property tax burden from homeowners to businesses. It has achieved that goal, but its unintended interaction with the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights - which was passed a decade later - has also shifted an ever-rising share of public school finance costs from local school districts to the state. That growing burden on the state general fund occurred even as TABOR steadily reduced state spending as a share of the state economy - by far the most important yardstick for public programs. Finally, Amendment 23 required increases in K-12 budgets even as social services and higher education were slashed. The result, as state Treasurer Mike Coffman notes, is that Colorado's constitution now requires both overall tax cuts and specific spending increases. The contradiction is mauling vital state programs that lack the constitutional shield Amendment 23 provides for K-12 education. Coffman has proposed a package of reforms, including modifying TABOR to create a rainy-day fund and adjustments to Amendment 23 that would restore fiscal sanity to Colorado. Citizen groups are also considering proposals to break the fiscal deadlock, primarily by reducing TABOR's bewildering maze of budgetary restrictions while retaining that amendment's popular mandate that voters must approve tax increases. For their part, state legislators may propose a "de-ratcheting" vote on the November 2004 ballot that would at least keep TABOR from locking in the existing depressed levels of state programs in perpetuity - as it would automatically do unless voters override that provision. Legislators could refer a "de-ratcheting" to the voters with a simple majority of both chambers. In contrast, a fundamental change in TABOR, Gallagher or Amendment 23 would itself require a constitutional amendment - which would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of the legislature. That's highly unlikely in the bitterly partisan atmosphere that still grips the General Assembly in the wake of last May's redistricting fiasco. Thus, it is likely that basic reforms will have to be pursued by citizen initiative, a step that think tanks such as The Bell Policy Center and The Bighorn Center are now considering. Transportation The Post's editorial board had transportation on its 2002 agenda but dropped it in 2003 because the legislature passed a substantial transportation package. Alas, that package is now in ruins because of the state's fiscal crisis, and transportation is definitely back on our 2004 agenda. For metropolitan Denver, the key question for 2004 will be the fate of the Regional Transportation District's 12-year, $4.8 billion FasTracks program, a blend of rail transit, bus rapid transit and improved circulator systems. The program would be financed by increasing RTD's current 0.6 percent sales tax to 1 percent. No other infrastructure item is as critical to this region's future growth and development as FasTracks. Approval of the rapid transit plan will help protect the environment and quality of life that drew so many people to this region in the first place. Its rejection would doom the region to more of the "one car, one vote" thinking that has already overwhelmed our highways while threatening to reduce the Front Range to "Los Angeles with a view." As important as rapid transit programs are for the region's future, it's equally obvious that hard-pressed motorists throughout the state need highway improvements beyond those now now underway in the T-REX rail/highway program and other projects funded by the transportation bond package approved by voters in 1999. One way to finance such improvements would be to join metropolitan counties together in a regional transportation authority, as Gov. Bill Owens has proposed. Rural counties already have the right to form such districts, but the legislature should authorize the Denver area and other populous counties to follow the lead of our far-sighted rural cousins. Water Last November, Colorado voters decided that the water resources Referendum A was the wrong solution to a very real problem in our water-short state. Veteran analyst Floyd Ciruli's polls accurately predicted Referendum A's 2-to-1 defeat. But the same voters who told Ciruli that they opposed Referendum A because of its lack of specific details also said - by a ratio of more than 4-1 - that they favored new water storage in Colorado. The issue now is to replace Referendum A's unspecified projects with detailed plans that voters can endorse. One promising approach by state Sen. Jim Dyer, R-Littleton, and Rep. Matt Smith, R-Grand Junction, would allow smaller water agencies in areas such as Douglas and Arapahoe counties to merge into a single entity that would have the political and financial clout to finance new water resources without the need for a statewide financing mechanism such as Referendum A would have provided. State Senate President John Andrews, R-Centennial, and Democratic Attorney General Ken Salazar have also endorsed that general approach. As useful as such regional solutions are, Gov. Owens is right in arguing that Colorado needs to keep working toward statewide solutions to our water needs that balance agricultural and environmental needs with urban requirements. Failing to craft such a balanced statewide policy could cause thirsty cities to dry up farms - and sacrifice the open space that many Coloradans rightly cherish. Salazar and Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Greg Walcher have also proposed a series of smaller projects that we would define as "patching the holes in the buckets we already have." Such projects would include repairing or enlarging existing reservoirs to increase their storage capacities - a promising approach because it minimizes any new environmental impacts. Still, even projects to improve the efficiency of existing water systems will meet opposition - as Denver Water discovered when it proposed lining the High Line Canal to save the water that now leaks out of the waterway. That "lost" water irrigates the trees and shrubs that urban users enjoy when they walk along the canal. Environment Protecting the environment will be a complex but pressing priority in the coming year, at the local, national and international levels. Metro Denver faces a rising risk of foul air, accompanied by an increase in human health woes associated with air pollution. Programs to control ozone will be on the front burner, but there is no simple, clear-cut way to deal with the pollutant. The Front Range also must address the environmental effects of rapid population growth and an inadequate, car-dependent transportation system. Loss of wildlife habitat, air pollution and noise are just a few side effects from poorly managed growth. Colorado also must finish cleaning up hazardous waste sites. Rocky Flats, the mothballed nuclear bomb trigger factory south of Boulder, and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, the closed chemical weapons factory near Denver, are nearing final cleanup phases. But other sites are much earlier in the process, including clearing arsenic and lead from north Denver. The Front Range isn't alone with environmental headaches. Some Cańon City residents are fighting a local facility's plan to truck in radioactive dirt from New Jersey. The town of Rico and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency disagree about how to remove 19th-century hazardous mine wastes. Nationally, the EPA is poised to step back from important gains. It already rolled back rules requiring power plants undergoing major renovations to install up-to-date pollution control equipment. The EPA also is backing off new restrictions on mercury emissions. Both moves could affect Colorado's environmental quality. Worldwide, two interrelated issues loom large. One is global climate change, which most scientists think is partly caused by humans burning fossil fuels. The Kyoto treaty is dead, but its demise must not end focused, concerted efforts to slow global warming. More fossil fuels are being burned because more people need energy. In developing countries, overpopulation depletes ecosystems, crowds cities and burdens struggling economies. In many industrialized nations, population growth has slowed, but developed countries still should address issues surrounding the fact that they use far more natural resources per person than do developing countries. The issues will be difficult but not impossible to solve. In 2004, thoughtful people should seek answers. Public lands Public lands are the golden keys to good ecological health in Colorado. National forests, parks, refuges and other public lands provide critical wildlife habitat, protect watersheds for municipal drinking water, buffer communities from sprawl and naturally help cleanse the air and water. Yet our federal and state lands confront problems that are primarily fiscal and political. Of course these considerations, in turn, affect environmental stewardship. Many issues are so specific to land management, though, that public lands merit particular consideration on The Denver Post's 2004 agenda. Mitigation of wildfire hazards provides a prime example of how financial and political pressures influence ecological policies. Ponderosa pine forests in Western mid-elevation areas evolved with small but frequent blazes. In the past century, those small blazes have been snuffed out, so today our ponderosa stands are at risk of catastrophic fires. There's a general consensus that the forests should be thinned with prescribed fires or mechanical means. But while Congress authorized the U.S. Forest Service and its sister agencies to proceed with the plans, it didn't give them money to actually do the work. Until Congress puts money where its rhetoric has been, politicians' handwringing is farcical.) Similarly, where and how developers construct strip malls and condominiums is determined by local governments. But in the Colorado Rockies, much of the development occurs near ski resorts - and all but one of our state's ski areas are on national forests. So how local governments manage growth affects wildlife, water and other public lands issues. Meanwhile, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is under enormous political pressure to approve rapid energy development throughout the West, distracting it from other pressing issues. The National Park Service must juggle its competing duties to accommodate increasing numbers of visitors while protecting natural resources and historic sites. Colorado state parks also have seen increased visitation but, because of the state's fiscal crisis, likely will have to make do with existing levels of funding. The keys to resolving such conundrums reside in crafting balanced, thoughtful public policies. Education State lawmakers last year passed a private-school voucher bill that was crafted by both sides of the aisle. It was limited in scope, left some money with local school districts but still rankled most Democrats. Last month, a judge ruled it unconstitutional. Democrats and others thrilled by the judge's decision will find Republicans pushing more voucher bills this year. So long, Mr. Nice Guy. Some of this year's voucher proposals may not be as generous as last spring's House Bill 1160. And Republicans still hold majorities in each house. Rep. Nancy Spence, primary author of 1160, may propose vouchers for special education students statewide, and other lawmakers likely will float the idea of giving tax credits to those who provide scholarships for kids to attend private schools. We supported HB 1160 last year and still do. Judge Joseph Meyer ruled it unconstitutional because it takes control of education away from local school boards. Nearly everything the state mandates, such as testing and charter schools, does that too. Taking Judge Meyer's ruling literally, public education as we know it should be dismantled. We hope the state Supreme Court reinstates the law. If not, lawmakers should pass a similar bill that uses only state money for the private school vouchers. (The state already kicks in the majority of per pupil funding.) Private scholarship funds, such as Alex Cranberg's Alliance for Choice in Education program, may be called in to backfill the money needed for some kids to attend the private school of their choice. We'd also like to see lawmakers overhaul the state's charter school law, allowing for the state, or possibly a separate entity, to charter schools if a local district refuses. A defiant Steamboat Springs school board, which refuses to charter a Montessori school despite the State Board of Education's insistence, has pushed the issue forward. However, we think charter applicants should first try working with local districts. The state, or a third entity, should be a last resort. Finally, lawmakers should do whatever it takes to give higher education institutions enterprise status, which would give them bonding authority for new academic buildings and allow them to raise more outside money. Gov. Bill Owens fears that could create runaway tuition hikes and wants to retain the power to curtail them. Last year's bill would have required lawmakers to approve tuition hikes, which sounds like the best idea, but Owens vetoed it. Owens might keep tuition in check, but there's no telling what the next governor may do. Civil liberties Seldom have we worried about the dangers to civil liberties in the United States as we have during the last two years. We see no reason for optimism as the executive branch - with the collusion of a rubber-stamp Congress - continues its attempts to whittle away the legal safeguards that heretofore have kept this the "land of the free." In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, the sweeping USA Patriot Act was passed in a little over a month by Congress, supposedly to give the government powers it needed to fight terrorism. Patriot Act II passed this year. But now U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft's Justice Department is using the expanded authority to investigate drug trafficking, white-collar crime and other pedestrian crimes unrelated to international terrorism. Legal scholars and civil libertarians warn about the frittering away of constitutional rights. The First Amendment is under siege as law enforcement snoops on anti-war nuns and other activists. The Fourth Amendment guarantee against unreasonable searches has been reduced to a sick joke in all too many cases. Suspected terrorists and so-called "illegal combatants" captured overseas are hidden away in detention facilities like Guantanamo Bay. Scores of foreigners who have been neither charged with nor convicted of crimes are detained and hampered in gaining access to lawyers. But for the courage of the federal judiciary, which holds to the old-fashioned notion that it can review the actions of the government, there would be no moderating influence to stem this headlong rush toward dismantling the constitutional system of checks and balances in the name of national security. From our perspective, the problem with extreme measures and legislation during a "national emergency" is there is no guarantee that future political leaders won't bend such tools to evil purposes. We, as a society, must be extremely careful that in trying to protect ourselves we don't destroy the very freedoms that make the United States unique. Figuratively putting the whole country in jail and letting God sort it out is a sorry substitute for true vigilance. Editorials alone express The Denver Post's opinion. The members of The Post editorial board are William Dean Singleton, chairman and publisher; Bob Ewegen, deputy editorial page editor; Todd Engdahl, assistant editorial page editor; Peter G. Chronis, Angela Cortez, Dan Haley and Penelope Purdy , editorial writers; Mike Keefe, cartoonist; Barbara Ellis, news editors; and Fred Brown and Barrie Hartman, associate members. ***************************************************************** 21 Arutz Sheva: Vanunu Release Has Officials Concerned - Israel National News 23:23 Jan 03, '04 / 9 Tevet 5764 (IsraelNN.com) With the release of convicted nuclear whistleblower Mordehai Vanunu scheduled for this year, officials are expressing concern that he may disclose additional classified information related to the nation’s nuclear program. Vanunu was employed in the nuclear program and was sent to prison for 18 years after turning over photos and information pertaining to the Dimona nuclear facility to the Sunday Times in 1986. Vanunu has since become somewhat of a hero for anti-nuke activists, and it is feared following his release they may prompt him for more information. Vanunu was even nominated for a Nobel Prize in 2003. According to some foreign agency reports, government officials are contemplating imposing restrictions on him following his release which might include a travel ban and a ban on speaking in public. Vanunu has indicated that following his release, he does not wish to remain in Israel. All rights reserved IsraelNationalNews © Arutz Sheva Israel Broadcasting Network webmaster@israelnationalnews.com Binamica - web ***************************************************************** 22 Vancouver Sun: Military to test Kabul's air quality - Story - canada.com network AFGHANISTAN I Soldiers concerned about fecal contamination in the air they breathe Mike Blanchfield Ottawa Citizen Saturday, January 03, 2004 OTTAWA -- The Canadian Forces plan to send a team of environmental and medical experts to Kabul to reassure soldiers about fecal-contaminated air they may be breathing in the Afghan capital, CanWest News Service has learned. A senior defence department official said the gesture is an attempt to dispel fears raised by reports of the air-quality concerns of the 2,000 Canadian soldiers serving on the NATO protection force for Afghanistan. Military Ombudsman Andre Marin first publicized concerns of the soldiers in an interview last month with CanWest News Service. At the time, Marin said the troops in Afghanistan were concerned that they were breathing bad air consisting of up to 30 per cent noxious sustances from feces and the military medical brass were ignoring their concerns. In response, the Forces director of health policy, Colonel Ken Scott, wrote a scathing e-mail, widely circulated within the defence department, that criticized Marin for making the comments. Scott said there was no scientific evidence behind the soldiers' concerns, and that it was irresponsible to raise the issue. Now the Forces have decided to send a team of experts to Kabul to investigate the matter further and address the troops' concerns head-on. "It's to reassure the troops they've taken the steps into the health risks," said a senior defence department official who refused to be named. "They want to do a big town hall [meeting] in Kabul," he added. The official said there has been "a complete about-face" in the thinking of defence department brass over how to handle health complaints of soldiers. "It shows the power of the press," the military official said. The Forces plan to have information sessions with soldiers explaining what has been done to test the air quality around Kabul, and how they plan to address the issue in the future. Kabul has no modern sanitation or water-purification system. Feces flow in open sewers. In winter months, Kabulis burn garbage -- much of it fecal contaminated -- which helps distribute noxious substances in the air. German military health experts have estimated the fecal content of the air in and around the Kabul area could be as high as 30 per cent. The Canadian Forces, as well as the armed forces of many other western countries, came under fire in the last decade after soldiers began complaining of mysterious battlefield ailments, such as Gulf War Syndrome or exposure to depleted uranium in the Balkans. Just last week, a report out of the former Yugoslavia linked bombs containing depleted uranium used in the past by NATO fighter jets with an increase in the risk of cancer among civilians. In Afghanistan, Canadian troops told Marin in overwhelming numbers that the quality of the air in Kabul was their main concern. Marin visited the Canadian contingent in Camp Julien late last year. Many soldiers expressed concerns that they would become vulnerable to respiratory illnesses in later years and that their service records would not document the origin of their illnesses -- something that could have serious consequences on any future health benefits. © Copyright 2004 Vancouver Sun Copyright © CanWest Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Communications Corp. Copyright & Permission Rules January 05, 2004 Far from being fearful of a nuclear power plant, many local communities actually lobbied to have one sited in their area, State Papers from 30 years ago show. Plans to build a nuclear power station in this State attracted aintensive lobbying campaign to the Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, in 1971. But letter-writers were not complaining about nuclear energy - rather they were urging the nuclear station be located in their areas. Plans to build the station at Carnsore Point, Co Wexford, were eventually abandoned following large anti-nuclear protests, yet in 1971, Mr Hugh Gibbons, a Fianna Fáil Roscommon-Leitrim TD, wrote to the Taoiseach asking that "adequate considerations" be given to locating the station in the north-west. Ballina Comhairle Ceanntair Fianna Fáil suggested it be located in Erris, noting a project of that size "would help stabilise the existing population and encourage many of those people who had to emigrate to return home". Bangor Erris in Mayo also lobbied strongly for the nuclear station, saying it would "save" the area.Father Gilvarry, chairman of Bangor Erris Development Association, wrote: "It is now or never for the Erris area. A few years more and all will be lost." Kerry man Mr Denis O'Dwyer urged that Iveragh peninsula be considered. "The disused slate quarry on Valentia Island would be an ideal site, fully camouflaged against possible aerial attack during war." Sligo County Development Team also lobbied for the power station, saying it would give "a tremendous boost" to local employment. In November 1973, the new Fine Gael/Labour coalition approved a proposal that the ESB "should proceed with a nuclear project at once". It came from the Minister for Transport and Power, Mr Peter Barry, after consulting with the Ministers for Health, Finance, Industry and Commerce, Local Government and Foreign Affairs. Of all the Ministers consulted, only the Minister for Health, Mr Brendan Corish, had no observations on the matter. Environmental considerations were raised by the Minister for Local Government, Mr James Tully, but Mr Barry said he was "confident that it should be possible to protect the environment fully". The ESB's case for a nuclear power station is outlined in memos to the Government from Mr Barry's department. One memo warned that the ESB's dependence on imported oil was "critically high", especially in light of troubles in the Middle East. In what turned out to be an excessively optimistic view, the memo said the ESB "expect there will be some opposition to a nuclear station, but experience elsewhere suggests that the first nuclear station in a country is not seriously opposed . . . the ESB feel they will be able to counteract any agitation which may arise against the project." © The Irish Times [ height=] © 2003 ireland.com About Us | Privacy Policy | ***************************************************************** 29 Xinhuanet: Seoul denies report on disallowing DPRK peaceful use of nuclear plant www.xinhuanet.com www.chinaview.cn 2004-01-04 15:04:14 SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The South Korean government on Sundaydenied a report that Seoul, Washington and Tokyo are planing to demand Pyongyang completely scrap nuclear program even for peaceful use. In a statement, a spokesman for the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) made the denial over the Saturday report by the Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun. Yomiuri said that the three countries are prepared to unveil a plan not to allow the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)to have nuclear development programs both for military and peaceful purposes when a second round of six-nation nuclear talks is held. Quoting sources, the Japanese daily also said the provision of energy aid by the three allies will be limited to thermal generation stations. The MOFAT also said in the statement that the suspension of a project by a US-led consortium to build two light-water reactors in the DPRK does not mean the end of the project. In November last year, the US-led Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) made a decision to make a one-yearsuspension of the project from Dec. 1, 2003, due to the standoff of the DPRK nuclear issue. The KEDO's Executive Board will make a decision on whether to restart the project in the future, said the statement. The KEDO iscomposed of the United States, South Korea, Japan and the EuropeanUnion. According to an Agreed Framework signed between the United States and the DPRK in 1994, the DPRK agreed to freeze and eventually dismantle its nuclear facilities in exchange for the construction of two light-water nuclear reactors for electricity generation and interim supply of fuel oil until the completion of the first reactor. The construction work of the first reactor in the DPRK should be finished last year, but as of October last year, only 34 percent of the work had been completed. Enditem Copyright ©2003 Xinhua News Agency. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 30 MHTR: Lakeshore Update: NRC proposes $60,000 fine for worker at Kewaunee plant Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter - Posted Jan. 04, 2004 From staff reports KEWAUNEE — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has proposed a $60,000 fine against Nuclear Management Company for a violation of worker fitness for duty requirements at the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant, located at Kewaunee, Wisconsin. The fine stems from a 2001 incident in which a supervisor for a contractor at the Kewaunee plant failed to require that a worker be tested for alcohol after he detected the smell of alcohol on the worker. The NRC has strict requirements for assuring the fitness for duty of workers at nuclear plants including the testing of workers when drug or alcohol use is suspected. An investigation by the NRC Office of Investigations concluded earlier this year that the supervisor had deliberately violated the required fitness for duty procedures. NRC Regional Administrator James Caldwell, in notifying the utility of the proposed fine, said the fine was proposed as a result of “... the need to maintain a work environment that is free from the effects of drugs and alcohol.” The utility has taken corrective actions including counseling of the supervisor, modifying the fitness for duty procedures, and improving employee fitness for duty program training. The utility has until Jan. 29 to pay the fine or to protest it. If the fine is protested and subsequently imposed by the NRC staff, the utility may request a hearing. Christmas tree collection set MANITOWOC — City residents choosing to participate in this year’s Jaycees Christmas tree collection should have their Christmas trees placed on the northwest corner of the nearest intersection to their homes no later than 7 a.m. Saturday. Christmas trees set out for collection in front of one’s home will not be collected. They must be taken to the intersection corners described. Those with questions regarding this service may call Pozorski Hauling & Recycling at 682-3544. http://www.wisinfo.com Copyright © 2003 ***************************************************************** 31 Brattleboro Reformer: Coalition files case against VY uprate Article Published: Saturday, January 03, 2004 - By TOBY HENRY Reformer Staff BRATTLEBORO -- Members of the New England Coalition, an intervenor in the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant's "uprate" bid, reported a flurry of activity on Friday in order to meet the deadline for filing Public Service Board testimony. Peter Alexander, the coalition's executive director, summarized the final filing as a statement that Vermont Yankee's "uprate" -- a proposal first put forward last year to boost the plant's output by some 20 percent -- will be a serious financial and safety risk for the Green Mountain State and its residents. Increased radiation and nuclear waste, warmer water discharged to the Connecticut River and the lack of a proven benefit to ratepayers weighed heavily in the coalition's statements on Friday, Alexander said. "We have testimony from a number of expert witnesses that we believe will prove there is more than ample evidence that the uprate would be a huge mistake for the state of Vermont and that it should not take place," he said. But Vermont Yankee officials stuck by their guns on Friday, insisting that a $20 million memorandum of understanding reached in late 2003 with the Department of Public Service proves that the power boost will bring about a significant benefit for the state. In the agreement, plant owner Entergy promises to distribute the $20 million to a variety of sources, including ratepayer subsidies and a Lake Champlain cleanup program. The department indicated its approved of the uprate after the offer was made, and final word on a certificate of public good for the uprate from the Public Service Board is expected in mid-March. The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which has received a copy of the plant's request, is expected to rule on the power boost next fall. Vermont Yankee spokesman Rob Williams said that Entergy did not file any testimony on Friday and does not plan to file rebuttal on the coalition's final statements, but added that Entergy will address the matter in a week of board hearings slated to begin on Jan. 12. Williams defended the plant's position, stressing that the increased river water temperatures have been approved by a Vermont Agency of Natural Resources discharge permit and will not have a negative effect on the river. If the uprate is approved, he said, the added benefit would be worth the additional nuclear waste. Expert witnesses whose testimony was included in the coalition's Friday filing include David Lochbaum, a nuclear safety engineer with the Cambridge, Mass.-based Union of Concerned Scientists; John Halstead, a professor of economics at the University of New Hampshire; and former nuclear executive Arnie Gundersen. Describing his own testimony, Gundersen attacked the $20 million agreement between Entergy and the department as one that does not truly provide a benefit to state ratepayers. Part of the agreement, he said, calls for the plant owner to pay $1 million per year for three years to help keep costs down if ratepayers are forced to import more expensive electricity in the event of an uprate-related outage. This portion of the agreement becomes effective this year, he added. "That's not really a lot of money," he said. "Entergy isn't really sticking their neck out. Plus, the plant is more likely to fail around 2008 or 2009, when it becomes older, but (the agreement) doesn't indemnify anyone after 2007." Gundersen said the uprate will also boost off-site radiation doses which, at 18.7 millirem at the Vernon Elementary School, are already close to the state limit of 20 millirem. "Entergy's number doesn't even take into account on-site fuel storage which (with the uprate) would push the dosage to over 25 millirem, which exceeds the federal limit," he said. "(The plant) does not have (on-site fuel storage) now, but documentation shows that the plant will eventually have to consider this prospect." Gundersen said that the uprate would also cause a $15 million increase in the plant's decommissioning costs because of on-site radiation, meaning that state ratepayers could possibly lose out on most or all of the excess decommissioning funds that would otherwise be returned. According to existing guidelines, once the plant is closed, Entergy and state ratepayers will evenly split any leftover decomissioning money. Paul Blanch, a 35-year veteran nuclear engineer and a longtime consultant to various nuclear power companies, including Entergy, also provided testimony on Friday. Blanch said that filed documents he reviewed indicate that Entergy is seeking a variance to avoid having an NRC-mandated pressure level present in its emergency core cooling system in the event of an accident. Instead, he added, the plant proposes to keep its radiation containment at an elevated level during an accident, a situation which could result in increased radiation released to the environment. "There are specific regulations requiring that a certain pressure be available so that the reactor can be cooled in the event of an accident," he said. "(Entergy is) looking for an amendment, but what they've proposed to do is against NRC regulations. Violation of these regulations is what resulted in the shutdown of the Connecticut Yankee and Maine Yankee (nuclear plants)." Ray Shadis, who submitted the last piece of coalition testimony late Friday afternoon, described the evidence-gathering process over the past year as a burdensome one made more difficult by the board's inability to understand the true risks of the proposal. "The board, I think, from day one, approached (the uprate) as if it were inconsequential, a small matter," said Shadis, a coalition staff advisor. "I really fault the board for not bringing in experts to tell them what the full impacts would be. It's not until the end of a case when it is realized how complicated a proposal will be and what the ramifications are." ***************************************************************** 32 AP: Dean was warned on Vt. nuke security Albany, N.Y. -- timesunion.com By JOHN SOLOMON and DAVID GRAM, Associated Press Last updated: 5:25 p.m., Sunday, January 4, 2004 Presidential hopeful Howard Dean, who accuses President Bush of being weak on homeland security, was warned repeatedly as Vermont governor about security lapses at his state's nuclear power plant and was told the state was ill-prepared for a disaster at its most attractive terrorist target. The warnings, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press, began in 1991 when a group of students were brought into a secure area of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant without proper screening. On at least two occasions, a gun or mock terrorists passed undetected into the plant during security tests. During Dean's final year in office in 2002, an audit concluded that despite a decade of repeated warnings of poor safety at Vermont Yankee, Dean's administration was poorly prepared for a nuclear disaster. "The lack of funding and overarching coordination at the state level directly impacts the ability of the state, local and power plant planners to be adequately prepared for a real emergency at Vermont Yankee," state Auditor Elizabeth M. Ready wrote in a study issued five months after the Sept. 11 attacks. Security was so lax at Vermont Yankee that in August 2001, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staged a drill in which three mock terrorists gained access to the plant. The agency gave Vermont Yankee the worst security rating among the nation's 103 reactors. The NRC has primary responsibility for safety at Vermont Yankee. But Vermont laws required an active state role by creating a panel to review security and performance and requiring plant operators to set aside money for the state to use in the event of a nuclear disaster. Dean's campaign said Saturday it ultimately was the NRC's responsibility to ensure security at the plant, but that he badgered Vermont Yankee's operators and the NRC to make improvements during the 1990s. It noted the NRC's safety budget was cut in the 1990s. "After September 11, Governor Dean decided the buck stops here in terms of security and personally ran this effort, creating a Cabinet-level agency," spokesman Jay Carson said. Carson acknowledged there were weaknesses before 2002 in Vermont's nuclear preparedness, and Dean moved quickly afterward to place state troopers and National Guardsman at the plant, distribute radiation pills to civilians, demand a federal no-fly zone over the plant to prevent an aerial attack, and increase emergency preparedness funding. "As many have said before, hindsight is 20-20 and no one could have predicted what could have happened on a terrible day in September 2001," Carson said. "In retrospect, every state in the entire country could have been safer. The important thing is after Governor Dean recognized these vulnerabilities, he took swift, bold steps to make things better," Carson said. State Auditor Ready, a Democrat and Dean backer, agreed things improved after her critical 2002 report and that security tests this year showed Vermont Yankee was safer. "Once Governor Dean got that report there was swift and thorough action," she said. But even after Ready's report recommended the state's nuclear preparedness spending triple from $400,000 to $1.2 million, Dean budgeted only half the increase. That led Dean's state emergency management director, Ed von Turkovich, to tell the Legislature in 2002 that the increase to $800,000 "does not cover the expenses related to the program" and that Vermont's nuclear preparedness was "in trouble, grossly underfunded, under-resourced and has been for years." Dean's campaign said the governor spent significant other money on security through other departments. The lack of preparedness was blamed in the 2002 audit on inadequate funds. "Vermont receives the least amount of funding for its Radiological Emergency Response Plan, in total dollars, of any New England state that hosts a nuclear power plant," the audit disclosed. The audit was not the first warning to Dean, documents show. On Feb. 14, 2000, von Turkovich wrote Dean's top deputy, Administration Secretary Kathleen Hoyt, expressing concern the state was not forcing Vermont Yankee, which was up for sale, to set aside more money for preparedness. "We are sympathetic to the utility's concern for controlling costs with respect to the pending sale of the plant and have committed to expend additional state and federal resources to subsidize this program in the coming year," von Turkovich wrote. "However, I believe in the near future, the present or new owners will need to broaden their level of support for preparedness activities that need to be accomplished on behalf of the communities that reside in the Emergency Planning Zone," he wrote. The documents contrast with Dean's position as a presidential candidate who has portrayed himself as more concerned about nuclear security than Bush. "Our most important challenge will be to address the most dangerous threat of all: catastrophic terrorism using weapons of mass destruction," Dean said in his speech in Los Angeles last month. "Here, where the stakes are highest, the current administration has, remarkably, done the least." Dean also has suggested Bush was unprepared before and after Sept. 11 to fight terrorism. "We are in danger of losing the war on terror, because we are fighting it with the strategies of the past," the Democratic candidate said. The Vermont documents show Dean and his top aides received numerous warnings about Vermont Yankee. In August 1991, an aide sent a handwritten memo to Dean saying there was a "security error" at Vermont Yankee that was "not public." A group of students "on a tour were taken into a secure area without checking through security first," the aide wrote, saying the matter was minor but would be disclosed to federal regulators. Dean initialed the memo, indicating he read it. In 1992, the NRC provided information to Dean about "declining performances at Vermont Yankee in three important areas: plant security, engineering/technical support and safety assessment/quality verification," documents show. Dean responded by writing the head of the plant that the problems could "have an impact on the health and safety of the people of Vermont" and "it is my expectation that you will do all in your power to correct this declining trend." It was one of several such letters he wrote. Just months later, the Vermont Nuclear Advisory Panel, a state panel, reported that two nuclear fuel mishandling incidents at the plant were the "result of complacent operator and management actions." Richard Sedano, Dean's top utility regulator, said Saturday that while "everybody has a different appreciation of terrorism after the World Trade Center" the state closely monitored Vermont Yankee's safety and in May 1993 staged a public hearing to embarrass the plant's operators into improving their management. He called it a "therapeutic and beneficial experience." Environmental groups sent Dean repeated letters about the plant's security and safety. During a 1998 federal security test, mock terrorists sneaked a fake gun past security and six times scaled, undetected, the plant's security perimeter fence. The 1998 test was alarming because seven years earlier, protesters had managed to breach the same security by scaling the fence or rafting down an adjacent river. The 2001 security test again penetrated Vermont Yankee's security. Ready's audit in 2002 questioned why, with so many warnings about safety, Dean's administration had significantly fewer people committed to nuclear emergency planning than neighboring states. "Unlike its nearest counterparts, Vermont's Division of Emergency Management has only one full-time and two part-time staff to support" its emergency response program, she wrote. "New Hampshire has nearly 20 full- and part-time staff as well as consultants, while Massachusetts has more than 20 full-time staff to carry out" its program. Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This ***************************************************************** 33 [DU-WATCH] Direct danger - US military bases in Poland Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 12:11:07 -0600 (CST) Hi, We write form Poland, Poznan, the town where US military base will be probably set up. The fight with US base here is now our the biggest and the more difficult challenge. We are interested it that particular extract: "The nuclear powered ships and submarines along with the continuous training shots with Depleted Uranium shells and the exhaust gases from the planes have caused a sharp increase in the cases of cancer and the leukemia in the area" (IN CRETE - SOUDA, Greece). How have you gather more information like that? Have you got any reliable data (numbers, statistics etc) on it, especially on cases of leukemia that you mention? Where we can find further information? Thank you, if you have more information. If you know people who may help us, please, pass our appeal to them. We really need help. Greetings form Poland, Poznanian Anti-War Coalition, Poland www.antywojenna.prv.pl Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/du-watch/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: du-watch-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ***************************************************************** 34 [DU-WATCH] Missing medical Aid - How can they run a country - Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 12:07:32 -0600 (CST) Printer Friendly Version E-Mail This Article Published on Thursday, January 1, 2004 by CommonDreams.org Missing Medical Aid - 'How Can They Run a Country .?' by Felicity Arbuthnot The London based charity Medical Aid for Iraqi Children has issued a wake up call which Iraq's "liberators" should ignore at their peril, not alone for the people of Iraq, but in respect of their own health. "Exposure to radioactive material used in the war" has already "led to an unusually high number of birth defects." Radiation being cumulative and the country's, fauna, flora, water table and thus produce and livestock already poisoned by the depleted uranium (which remains radioactive for four and a half billion years) from 1991, radioactive and chemically toxic pollution has now risen again in orders of magnitude. Cancers and birth deformities, already epidemic since the first Gulf war, are now set to rise again. And as after 1991, will be reflected amongst British and US personnel. In one small southern US town with a high number of reservists (McGann, Mississippi) sixty seven percent of babies conceived after their return from the Gulf had rare or unusual congenital abnormalities. A staggering nearly eleven thousand US soldiers have already been flown out of Iraq ill and injured. Whilst the Pentagon refuses virtually any details of the nature of illnesses, it is not unreasonable to assume a substantial proportion will be suffering from a second "Gulf war syndrome". In the Balkans, where, compared to Iraq, a small amount of DU was used, a number of UN peacekeepers became ill with virulent cancers and died, within weeks, prompting a Portuguese Minister to state that he was not going to have his nationals become "radiation meat." If the US is really concerned about "dirty bombs" it need not look very far. Toxic, radioactive and other war related environmental factors; living conditions (lack of electricity, clean water, destroyed or damaged sanitation) have already led to a tripling of maternal mortality rates women since the invasion. Over the embargo years it rose to one of the highest in the world, but now is a staggering three hundred and ten deaths per hundred thousand. In context, in Sweden, it is four per hundred thousand. Contagious diseases are rampant and troops too not immune. Neither Iraqis or troops are immune either from unexploded ordnance, particularly cluster bombs (which also contain DU) and an estimated thousand or more children have already been grievously injured and killed. From womb, often to an early tomb, Iraq's children are the losers, with over half a million already estimated as in need of psychiatric care by UNICEF. In continuing instability: "the trauma of war and violence has greatly affected children." Hospitals, looted after the invasion are without, or suffer severe shortages of everything. Pediatric hospitals lack, incubators, resuscitation trolleys, mucus extractors "to name just a few items." The Spinal Chord Injuries Center, is next to the bombed Red Cross building and was severely damaged, losing much equipment. Staff are struggling to meet the needs of seven hundred severely injured and disabled patients. The Center for Heart Disease needs oxygen, canulae, butterfly needles, exchange transfusion sets. An average of five major operations a day, are down to perhaps two a week. May Al-Daftari, MAIC"s founder says: " MAIC has been overwhelmed by the colossal needs of hospitals during these critical times. " At the end of hostilities, on May 1st, MAIC sent ten tons of vitally needed medicines and equipment, designated for five hospitals, worth nearly a quarter of a million #'s to Basra, with Richard Branson's Virgin Airways, who flew in the consignment free, in a blaze of publicity. Arrangements had been made with the British Army to distribute to the southern hospitals. The US Administration in Baghdad had also given permission for the consignment. In the event, the US insisted it was transported to Baghdad. Deliveries were made to just three hospitals - and nearly one hundred thousand #'s worth of aid is still missing, including adult and children's wheelchairs. A shoddy, shameful incident. Mrs Al-Daftari, who is seeking compensation from the Ministry of Defense, is distraught at the loss of desperately needed, vital supplies and also the monies so many had worked so hard to raise. "What do I say to people like eight year old Sofia Tierney, who was so distressed by the war, she asked to have no birthday presents from her school friends and relations but to have money instead to send to us. She raised #one hundred and eight pounds." A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense said the MOD co-operated with Virgin on details of the flight and the delivery of the consignment, taking into account the : "incredibly highly volatile and high risk situation". Whilst the British was in charge in Basra, they had no authority in Baghdad, where: "a US Civil Affairs officer" agreed to collect the goods:" .and get it out there." The US then handed the consignment to an aid agency new to Iraq, Korean Food for the Hungry, an evangelical movement whose mission includes: empowering ..."a biblically shaped view of the world" with people: " ...advancing towards their Christian potential." "From a military point of view, we did our best to facilitate (the delivery,)" said the UK Ministry of Defense spokesperson. "But we must, in good faith, stress the US-Korean involvement. "The (US) Civil Affairs Officer at Baghdad Airport will say the same as I have, we are not responsible for the audit trail." Last month, "Interaction", the US representative body for all US aid agencies issued a scathing report on aid under the Bush Administration, citing 'increasingly incoherence' , reliance on private sector contractors and Department of Defense leading to 'a system submerged in bureaucracy.' Former U.N. Coordinator in Iraq and a former Assistant Secretary General, Denis Halliday is incensed at the loss: 'The negligence that allowed these medical supplies to be lost, reminds me of the conscious negligence of the (UN) Security Council as Iraqi children were being killed by UN sanctions.' A spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad, said she had: "No knowledge", of the MAIC shipment. Korean Aid for the Hungry in both Seoul and Canada could not be reached by Mrs Al Daftari, who comments: "If the US and UK Authorities, cannot take care of two hundred thousand pounds worth of vital medical aid, how can they run a country?" (Medical Aid for Iraqi Children, 26 Old Brompton Raod, London SW7 3DL.) Felicity Arbuthnot has written and broadcast widely on Iraq and with Denis Halliday was senior researcher for John Pilger's Award winning documentary: 'Paying the Price - Killing the Children of Iraq.' ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping" your friends today! Download Messenger Now http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/9rHolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/du-watch/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: du-watch-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ***************************************************************** 35 WSJ Business: Intoxicated employee leads to $60,000 fine 10:41 PM 1/02/04 Judy Newman Business reporter The company that runs the Kewaunee nuclear power plant will have to pay a $60,000 fine because a supervisor at the plant did not crack down on an employee who apparently came to work under the influence of alcohol in 2001. A Nuclear Regulatory Commission investigation concluded that the supervisor, who worked for a plant contractor, deliberately violated a requirement that an employee who smells of alcohol must be tested for alcohol. "It is a serious violation," said Viktoria Mitlyng, public affairs officer for the NRC regional office in Lisle, Ill. "It is very important that plant operators - they're at the helm of nuclear power plants - that their abilities not be impeded by any kind of drug or alcohol." The Nuclear Management Co. in Hudson, which operates Kewaunee and five other Upper Midwest nuclear plants, has until Jan. 29 to protest the penalty or pay it. "We're evaluating right now whether to contest the violation or to pay the fine," said Nuclear Management Co. spokesman Mark Savage, in South Haven, Mich. The company has taken corrective action, including counseling the supervisor, modifying procedures on being fit for duty and improving training, the NRC said in a news release Friday. Savage did not know if the supervisor or employee involved in the incident was penalized by Nuclear Management Co. But he said the company has a "rigorous" program that includes random drug and alcohol testing of all employees. A worker who tests positive is "immediately suspended" and "site access is revoked pending review," Savage said. "The NRC did not find fault with any (Nuclear Management Co.) process," he said. The Kewaunee nuclear plant, along Wisconsin's eastern shore south of Kewaunee, can generate 500 megawatts of electricity, enough to light about 175,000 homes. Copyright © 2003 Wisconsin State Journal ***************************************************************** 36 [DU-WATCH] Viques: US Navy Leaves behind its ultratoxic waste Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 11:38:26 -0600 (CST) I don't care if the US plunges further still into debt--US is responsible for a REAL clean up with PROPERLY allocated Superfund dollars! just start with this one paragraph from below: "According to the professor, a Superfund site was designated in the abandoned Sabana Seca Navy base in the town of Toa Baja. In response, a parking lot was built over the toxic wastes, and then the EPA declared the problem solved and removed the site from the Superfund list." http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=21751 PUERTO RICO: Bombs Away, Vieques Unearths Toxic Navy Trash Carmelo Ruiz Inter Press Service News Agency Now that the U.S. Navy is gone, residents of the Puerto Rican island- town of Vieques must deal with the daunting question of what to do about the toxic mess caused by decades of military activity. Weapons tested in the firing range included highly polluting depleted uranium ammunition. SAN JUAN, Dec 30 (IPS) - Now that the U.S. Navy is gone, residents of the Puerto Rican island-town of Vieques face pressing environmental problems. In the last four years the island's 10,000 residents, together with Puerto Ricans from the main island and peace activists from around the world, carried out a relentless civil disobedience campaign against the Navy, which for decades used the island as a munitions depot and firing range. The military left officially May 1. But now Vieques must deal with the daunting question of what to do about the toxic mess caused by decades of military activity. Weapons tested in the firing range included highly polluting depleted uranium ammunition. Most of the former military lands -- which include about 80 percent of the island -- are now the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Measuring 7,527 ha (of the island's total 13,355 ha), it is the largest wilderness refuge in all of Puerto Rico, which is a commonwealth of the United States whose residents have U.S. citizenship. Many who opposed the Navy presence find it particularly galling that the lands they struggled for have been transferred to another U.S. government agency, instead of being returned to the people of Vieques. Local fishermen complain that FWS will not allow them to fish in the refuge, because of the danger posed by unexploded ordnances. "This is the same agency that stood by while the Navy bombed the flora, fauna and wilderness, without raising a finger in protest, and now they're fining people for fishing crabs. This is insulting and completely unacceptable," declared Robert Rabin, spokesperson of the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques. But Vieques FWS employees interviewed by IPS, most of whom are Puerto Ricans, stressed that they are committed to protecting the natural resources of the lands they administer. Refuge Manager Oscar Dmaz said he does not want to see the lands destroyed by the uncontrolled construction of beachside mansions and tourist resorts now occurring on the main island. "This refuge has a dry forest. That's a treasure that must be preserved because 94 percent of all dry forest in Puerto Rico has been destroyed," added Dmaz. In what many observers consider a bizarre twist, this wilderness refuge is simultaneously a toxic disaster area. Earlier this month the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended that the lands and marine areas polluted by the Navy be declared a Superfund site. Superfund is a U.S. government programme for the identification and cleanup of areas contaminated with hazardous waste. Once an area is declared a Superfund site, the polluting party -- in this case the Navy -- is obligated to pay for its decontamination and restoration. Puerto Rico has a dozen Superfund sites. After the EPA recommends that an area be designated for the Superfund, the agency solicits comments and input from the public, the polluting party and other government bodies before making its final decision. Although many who took part in the Vieques struggle consider the Superfund designation a great victory, University of Puerto Rico biology professor Arturo Massol warns that the process is a bureaucratic litany and that 20 years can pass before any cleanup even begins. "Superfund status is no guarantee that the cleanup will be done thoroughly and efficiently," says Massol, who directed the only on- site studies of military pollution in Vieques to be published in peer- reviewed scientific literature. "Most of the money will spend years stuck in litigation or slowed down by administrative matters," he added. Massol said that if the history of Superfund in Puerto Rico is any guide, then not much can be expected from the Vieques recommendation. According to the professor, a Superfund site was designated in the abandoned Sabana Seca Navy base in the town of Toa Baja. In response, a parking lot was built over the toxic wastes, and then the EPA declared the problem solved and removed the site from the Superfund list. The idea that the former Navy lands should be returned to the people of Puerto Rico also has allies in the U.S. Congress. Congressman Joseph Crowley, who visited Vieques last month, told IPS that transferring the lands from the Department of Defence to the Department of the Interior is not adequate. "I think the lands should be transferred to the government of Puerto Rico. Only that will assure the people that these lands will never again be used for military purposes," said Crowley, who added that if Congress could assign billions of dollars to the reconstruction of Iraq, then the decontamination of Vieques is no less than a moral obligation. ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/du-watch/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: du-watch-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ***************************************************************** 37 Las Vegas SUN: Nevada gets OK to spend federal funds fighting nuke dump license ASSOCIATED PRESS LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada is being told it can spend federal funds, but hasn't gotten the money to prepare for upcoming Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearings on the licensing of a national nuclear waste dump in the state, a state official said Friday. Bob Loux, head of the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, cited a Dec. 23 letter from W. John Arthur, Yucca Mountain project deputy director, saying that federal nuclear waste law does not ban the state from using federal money to prepare for licensing hearings. "He's at least cleared the way for using the money in the licensing process," Loux said Friday, "but the administration has not put any money in the budget for Nevada's participation. The state was still awaiting Energy Department or federal Office of Management and Budget action on Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval's Dec. 10 demand that the Bush administration restore funding in 2005 for state oversight of the project. An Energy Department spokesman has said $1 million was on the way to the state and $4 million is coming to local governments for oversight of plans for the Yucca Mountain project. An Office of Management and Budget official told the Las Vegas Sun for a Friday report that OMB would not discuss the budget until the president issues his funding requests in February. President Bush's budget for 2004 contained no funding for Nevada oversight of Yucca-related activities, but Congress eventually approved the $1 million. The Energy Department intends by the end of 2004 to file an application for a license to entomb 77,000 tons of the nation's most radioactive nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Nevada officials say they are confident a federal court will rule in their favor in legal challenges filed to approval by Congress and the Bush administration for the Yucca plan. But state officials say they also plan to file objections to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing the project. Information from: Las Vegas Sun -- ***************************************************************** 38 Scotsman: SNP in 'Nuclear Dustbin' Warning Sat 3 Jan 2004 By Rod Minchin, Scottish Press Association Nationalists warned today that Scotland was in danger of becoming Britain’s “nuclear dustbin”. Their call comes as research by Greenpeace shows that more than half of the 45 sites identified as possible radioactive dumps are north of the Border. The potential dumps include six sites in Sutherland, seven in the Western Isles, two in Caithness including Dounreay, eight others around the country and two offshore sites. The SNP fear the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority – a provision contained within the Energy Bill – will lead to a fresh search to find a suitable site. Roseanna Cunningham, the SNP’s shadow environment minister, said that unless environmental groups mounted protests many of these sites would come back under consideration. “Campaigns to prevent Scotland becoming Britain’s nuclear dustbin have been fought again and again by communities across Scotland over the years,” she said. “Names like Mullwharcher and Nirex echo in the memories of all involved in Scottish environmental politics.” She added: “It comes as no surprise that the majority of places considered as potential sites for disposal are in Scotland. “Whitehall seems to work on the principle that the further away from London, the better and that puts Scotland top of their list of sites. “With the new Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in the offing, every single one of those local communities had better brace themselves for another round of campaigning.” The list of potential Scottish locations according to Greenpeace, includes: Altnabreac, Highlands; Ben Armine, Caithness; Corrour, Sutherland; Glen Etive, Highlands; Hill of Fare, Argyll; Bennachie, Aberdeenshire; Rhum Jura, Isle of Jura; Loch Laxford to Enard Bay, Sutherland; North Harris Pabbay, Western Isles; Peterhead, Aberdeenshire; River Strathy, Sutherland; Rogart, Sutherland; St Kilda Scarp in Sutherland; Shin Forest, Sutherland; South Rona Island, Sutherland; Southwest Lewis Taransay; Scourie in the Western Isles; Dounreay; and two offshore sites in West Scotland. [ border=] ©2004 Scotsman.com | contact ***************************************************************** 39 Salt Lake Tribune: Activists work to bar nuclear waste dumping January 03, 2004 The Associated Press signatures on Friday supporting an initiative to block the federal government from sending more radioactive waste to the Hanford nuclear reservation in Washington until all the existing waste is cleaned up. "Protect our state from being used as the nation's radioactive waste dump," urged Gerald Pollet, the initiative's sponsor. That simple message helped the campaign gather many more than the required 197,734 voter signatures. But some political leaders say the initiative oversimplifies a complicated problem. Hanford contains the burial grounds for the equivalent of about 75,000 55-gallon barrels of radioactive waste. The material can take thousands of years or more to decay to safe levels. The state and federal governments recently agreed on a long-term schedule for cleaning up the waste. In the meantime, the federal government started shipping radioactive and hazardous waste from other sites to Hanford for packaging before sending the material to a New Mexico plant for disposal. Hanford currently accepts and disposes of lower-level waste from other nuclear plants around the country. The measure, tentatively called I-297, would also end the dumping of radioactive waste in unlined dirt trenches. Sponsors said they used both paid and volunteer signature-gatherers to get the 280,000 names. A U.S. Department of Energy spokeswoman declined to comment on the initiative Friday., saying the agency would wait to see whether the measure gets on the ballot. The Hanford measure was filed as an initiative to the Legislature, which means Hale and her colleagues will get first crack at it. If they reject or ignore the initiative, the public will vote on it in November. Lawmakers could also create an alternative measure that would go on the ballot side-by-side with the original initiative. Or they could choose to pass the initiative into law during the upcoming legislative session, which starts Jan. 12. Both supporters and critics of the measure agree that's an unlikely option. "We've got a lot of issues we need to deal with that are a lot more pressing," Hale said. -- -- -- On the Net: Initiative sponsors: http://www.protectwashington.org Hanford: http://www.hanford.gov Washington State initiative information: http://www.secstate.wa.gov Copyright Salt Lake City Tribune ***************************************************************** 40 Las Vegas RJ: Deadline passes for DOE answer on Nevada grants Saturday, January 03, 2004 State officials seek to have funding restoredfor research on Yucca Mountain Project By STEVE TETREAULT STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- Nevada officials said Friday they had not received word from the Energy Department about restoring grants for the state to continue research on the Yucca Mountain Project. A Jan. 1 deadline set by Attorney General Brian Sandoval came and went without a DOE response, Sandoval spokesman Tom Sargent said Friday. Sandoval had threatened a lawsuit over the matter but Sargent said there are no plans to take immediate legal action. "My expectation is we've given them a little bit of a grace period," Sargent said. "If we get it next week or the week after, we'd be fine with that in terms of a deadline." Key DOE officials were out of the office on Friday and could not track any communication to Nevada officials. DOE spokesman Allen Benson said President Bush signed the most recent Energy Department spending bill in December, and the department planned to forward $5 million in grants to the state and to county governments when it became available. Disputes over state and local government grants to monitor the DOE's work at Yucca Mountain have been ongoing for the past year. In a Dec. 8 letter to Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, Sandoval said Nevada would "seek redress against DOE" in federal court if the department failed to restore oversight funding by Jan. 1. The Energy Department requested no money for Nevada and local counties to continue monitoring the Yucca program in 2004, but Congress appropriated $5 million. Sandoval said funding for 2005 "may also be in jeopardy." Nevada officials said federal law entitles the state to "reasonable" funds for Yucca Mountain research. DOE officials are in the midst of forming the department's 2005 budget request with the White House budget office. The budget is scheduled to be unveiled Feb. 2. Using federal grants, Nevada-funded scientists have conducted studies on Yucca Mountain's geology, climate, water conditions, and possible earthquake and volcano impacts among other topics. Bob Loux, executive director of the state Agency for Nuclear Projects, said the Energy Department confirmed in a letter last month that Nevada also could use federal grant money to participate in Yucca Mountain licensing hearings before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Using state money and donations from private citizens, Gov. Kenny Guinn has hired a legal team to challenge DOE's license application to the NRC. Copyright Las Vegas Review-Journal ***************************************************************** 41 AU SMH: Suburbs plan to ban nuclear waste trucks - www.smh.com.au [Sydney Morning Herald Online] By Danielle Teutsch January 4, 2004 The Sun-Herald Southern and western Sydney councils are gearing up for a fight this year to halt a Federal Government plan to truck nuclear waste through the suburbs to a dump in South Australia. The councils say there is too great a danger of a truck overturning, exposing residents to radioactive contamination. Next month, a NSW Government parliamentary inquiry chaired by MLC Peter Primrose will report its findings on the health and safety risks of carrying the waste from Lucas Heights and other sources to the proposed dump site at Woomera. Two routes have been proposed - through Sydney's southern suburbs to Goulburn on the Hume Highway, or through Katoomba on the Great Western Highway. During the five public hearings held last year, NSW Environment Minister Bob Debus strongly opposed any trucking of waste through the World Heritage Blue Mountains area. The NSW Fire Brigade Employees Union said firefighters were not equipped to deal with a nuclear accident. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared for the Department of Education, Science and Training, which is applying for a licence to build the dump, said there were 171 truckloads of existing waste to be transported. Future waste would be trucked every two to five years. However, Friends of the Earth national nuclear campaigner Jim Green said once a new reactor at Lucas Heights was built, there would be much more waste than official estimates. "It is during transportation that hazardous materials are most vulnerable," he said. "The threat of terrorism and sabotage makes it all the more crucial." Mr Green said nuclear material was best stored on-site. The EIS, prepared by PPK Environment and Infrastructure Pty Ltd (now Parsons Brinckerhoff Pty Ltd), calculated a potential for less than one road accident a year for trucks carrying the waste. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, which operates the Lucas Heights reactor, said in its submission to the inquiry that the waste would be encased in concrete, placed in steel drums and packed inside steel shipping containers. "Even if an accident occurred, there would be no significant radiological consequences," the submission said. Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency chief executive Dr John Loy is expected to make the final decision on whether to grant the Federal Government the Woomera waste dump licence in April. Meanwhile, work will begin this month on an evacuation plan for 12,000 residents who live in a three-kilometre radius of the Lucas Heights reactor in the event of an accident or terrorist attack. Copyright © 2004. The Sydney Morning Herald. | contact us ***************************************************************** 42 Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Hanford initiative aims to limit waste [seattlepi.com] Saturday, January 3, 2004 SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES Activists submitted more than 280,000 signatures yesterday supporting an initiative to block the federal government from sending more radioactive waste to the Hanford Nuclear Reservation until all the existing waste is cleaned up. The campaign easily surpassed the required 197,734 voter signatures. But some political leaders say the initiative oversimplifies a complicated problem. The measure also would end the dumping of radioactive waste in unlined dirt trenches. The Hanford measure was filed as an initiative to the Legislature. If lawmakers reject or ignore it, the public will vote on it in November. Lawmakers could also create an alternative measure that would go on the ballot side-by-side with the original initiative. [Seattle Post-Intelligencer] 101 Elliott Ave. W. Seattle, WA 98119 (206) 448-8000 ***************************************************************** 43 Manila Times: OPINION > Puerto Rico deals with US Navy’s toxic waste Sunday, January 04, 2004 SAN JUAN—Now that the US Navy is gone, residents of the Puerto Rican island-town of Vieques face pressing environmental problems. In the last four years the island’s 10,000 residents, together with Puerto Ricans from the main island and peace activists from around the world, carried out a relentless civil disobedience campaign against the Navy, which for decades used the island as a munitions depot and firing range. The military left officially May 1. But now Vieques must deal with the daunting question of what to do about the toxic mess caused by decades of military activity. Weapons tested in the firing range included highly polluting depleted uranium ammunition. Most of the former military lands—which include about 80 percent of the island—are now the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Measuring 7,527 hectares (of the island’s total 13,355 hectares), it is the largest wilderness refuge in all of Puerto Rico, which is a commonwealth of the United States whose residents have US citizenship. Many who opposed the Navy presence find it particularly galling that the lands they struggled for have been transferred to another US government agency, instead of being returned to the people of Vieques. Local fishermen complain that FWS will not allow them to fish in the refuge, because of the danger posed by unexploded ordnances. “This is the same agency that stood by while the Navy bombed the flora, fauna and wilderness, without raising a finger in protest, and now they’re fining people for fishing crabs. This is insulting and completely unaccep-table,” declared Robert Rabin, spokesman of the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques. But Vieques FWS employees interviewed by IPS, most of whom are Puerto Ricans, stressed that they are committed to protecting the natural resources of the lands they administer. Refuge manager Oscar Diaz said he does not want to see the lands destroyed by the uncontrolled construction of beachside mansions and tourist resorts now occurring on the main island. “This refuge has a dry forest. That’s a treasure that must be preserved because 94 percent of all dry forest in Puerto Rico has been destroyed,” added Diaz. In what many observers consider a bizarre twist, this wilderness refuge is simultaneously a toxic disaster area. Earlier this month the US Environ-mental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended that the lands and marine areas polluted by the Navy be declared a Superfund site. Superfund is a US government program for the identification and cleanup of areas contaminated with hazardous waste. Once an area is declared a Superfund site, the polluting party—in this case the Navy—is obligated to pay for its decontamination and restoration. Puerto Rico has a dozen Superfund sites. After the EPA recommends that an area be designated for the Superfund, the agency solicits comments and input from the public, the polluting party and other government bodies before making its final decision. Although many who took part in the Vieques struggle consider the Superfund designation a great victory, University of Puerto Rico biology professor Arturo Massol warns that the process is a bureaucratic litany and that 20 years can pass before any cleanup even begins. “Superfund status is no guarantee that the cleanup will be done thoroughly and efficiently,” says Massol, who directed the only on-site studies of military pollution in Vieques to be published in peer-reviewed scientific literature. “Most of the money will spend years stuck in litigation or slowed down by administrative matters,” he added. Massol said that if the history of Superfund in Puerto Rico is any guide, then not much can be expected from the Vieques recommendation. According to the professor, a Superfund site was designated in the abandoned Sabana Seca Navy base in the town of Toa Baja. In response, a parking lot was built over the toxic wastes, and then the EPA declared the problem solved and removed the site from the Superfund list. The idea that the former Navy lands should be returned to the people of Puerto Rico also has allies in the US Congress. Congressman Joseph Crowley, who visited Vieques last month, told IPS that transferring the lands from the Department of Defense to the Department of the Interior is not adequate. “I think the lands should be transferred to the government of Puerto Rico. Only that will assure the people that these lands will never again be used for military purposes,” said Crowley, who added that if Congress could assign billions of dollars to the reconstruction of Iraq, then the decontamination of Vieques is no less than a moral obligation. -- InterPress Service Copyright (c) 2001 The Manila Times | Terms of Service The Manila Times Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 44 RGJ: Nevada gets funding OK to fight Yucca RGJ.com" Sunday | Jan 4, 2004 the Reno Gazette-Journal] ASSOCIATED PRESS LAS VEGAS — Nevada is being told it can spend federal funds, but hasn’t gotten the money to prepare for upcoming Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearings on the licensing of a national nuclear waste dump in the state, a state official said Friday. Bob Loux, head of the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, cited a Dec. 23 letter from W. John Arthur, Yucca Mountain project deputy director, saying that federal nuclear waste law does not ban the state from using federal money to prepare for licensing hearings. “He’s at least cleared the way for using the money in the licensing process,” Loux said Friday, “but the administration has not put any money in the budget for Nevada’s participation. The state was still awaiting Energy Department or federal Office of Management and Budget action on Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval’s Dec. 10 demand that the Bush administration restore funding in 2005 for state oversight of the project. An Energy Department spokesman has said $1 million was on the way to the state and $4 million is coming to local governments for oversight of plans for the Yucca Mountain project. An Office of Management and Budget official told the Las Vegas Sun for a Friday report that OMB would not discuss the budget until the president issues his funding requests in February. President Bush’s budget for 2004 contained no funding for Nevada oversight of Yucca-related activities, but Congress eventually approved the $1 million. The Energy Department intends by the end of 2004 to file an application for a license to entomb 77,000 tons of the nation’s most radioactive nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Nevada officials say they are confident a federal court will rule in their favor in legal challenges filed to approval by Congress and the Bush administration for the Yucca plan. But state officials say they also plan to file objections to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing the project. Copyright Reno Gazette-Journal, a Gannett Co. Inc.Newspaper. Use ***************************************************************** 45 AU NEWS.com.au: Radioactive dump date unclear January 5, 2004 THE head of the independent federal radiation agency ARPANSA today refused to say whether Australia's first radioactive dump would go ahead this year. ARPANSA, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, has received more than 1000 submissions on the application to construct and operate the repository in the South Australian outback. The SA government has enacted legislation making the repository illegal in that state, but the Federal Government has compulsorily acquired land at Arkoona station near Woomera. ARPANSA chief executive John Lloyd said today he had not made any decision on the project yet and that he would draw all available information together and make his decision later this year. He declined to comment on Science Minister Peter McGauran's stated hope that the repository would be completed by the end of 2004. "Once I feel I have the information needed to make a decision, I'll make that decision," he told ABC radio. "Whether that leads to a repository being in existence at the end of 2004 or doesn't, it's really not a matter I've decided at this point." He said it was an open and transparent process. "We've put the information we've received on the website, we've put the public submissions on the website, we've put this new information on the website. "So there's certainly a lot of information there and a lot of opportunities for public input." Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Dave Sweeney said the process was a sham. "ARPANSA has been close to industry, the Australian nuclear industry, both those who regulate it, those who are involved in it, those who write about it. It's a small field of people," he said. "There have been deep concerns raised about the independence and the rigour of ARPANSA's oversight of the continuing and flawed clean-up of the Maralinga former nuclear test site in SA. "But we urge ARPANSA to take the responsible way, which is to act to protect people and the environment of Australia from exposure to radioactive material." AAP Copyright 2003 News Limited. All times AEDT (GMT+11). ***************************************************************** 46 AU The Advertiser: Leading safety experts to assess radioactive dump 05 January 2004 By COLIN JAMES ONE of the world's leading nuclear safety authorities will this month begin an assessment of the Federal Government's proposal to build a radioactive waste dump near Woomera. The International Atomic Energy Agency has assembled an assessment group on behalf of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, which is considering whether to grant a licence for the controversial dump. ARPANSA chief executive Dr John Loy has requested a review of the Federal Government's application – and its various supporting documents – before he hears evidence during a public forum on safety issues at the Adelaide Convention Centre next month. Dr Loy already has raised a series of preliminary safety concerns with the Department of Education, Science and Training, which wants to locate the dump on compulsorily-acquired land on the Arcoona sheep station. The department has engaged private consultants to plan for an emergency involving radioactive waste being transported to the facility from all states apart from Western Australia and while it is being stored at Arcoona. Possible incidents include: A SPILL of radioactive material during loading. A TRAFFIC accident involving a truck transporting waste. BOMB threats, terrorism, plane, missile or satellite crashes, fires or security breaches. The plan also will include the monitoring of the dump for at least 200 years after it closes. ARPANSA has received 1000 public submissions about the dump, many expressing concerns about the transportation radioactive material. STORIES IN THIS SECTION Man shot for refusing to hand over car keys Triple the number of women find egg donors Search is on for skilled workers Storeman sacked over wine centre loss Director role is a dream come true for Woodforde We're good Scouts, one and all Leading safety experts to assess radioactive dump What a sizzler, but not for long Patawalonga lock blows out budget State funeral for Corcoran HAVE YOUR SAY We welcome your comments on this story. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Please provide your full name and suburb/location. We also require a working e-mail address – not for publication, but for verification. The telephone field is optional. Fill in the form below and click on the submit button. privacy © Advertiser Newspapers Ltd ***************************************************************** 47 Resolved, a nuclear destruction free world. Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 11:50:23 -0600 (CST) "It is the single most important thing that a government must do; guarantee the security of its people." Honourable A. Anne McLellan, Canada's Minister of Public Safety. Because governments are failing at their primary function, EliminateNukes.com was launched today to provide the triggering mechanism for global nuclear disarmament and to advance the only viable means to reaching that end. "Nuclear bombs violate everything that is humane. They alter the meaning of life itself. Why do we tolerate them? Why do we tolerate these men who use nuclear weapons to blackmail the entire human race?" Arundhati Roy With grassroots support EliminateNukes.com will marshal the critical mass necessary to eliminate our gravest danger. A remedy that has eluded, or has been squelched by, politicians, international bodies, the nuclear industry, NGOs and the scientific community for sixty years. Former U.S. Defense Secretary Perry recently affirmed, "If we fail, and if terror groups are able to detonate nuclear bombs in our cities, we will forever after be asking ourselves why we did not take the timely action to avert the catastrophe. And if we succeed, our children and our grandchildren will thank us." We can not afford to fail. United in our effort we will not! Jim Baird, Founder EliminateNukes.Com jim@eliminatenukes.com ***************************************************************** 48 Tri-City Herald: Hanford cleanup advocates gather 282,000 signatures This story was published Saturday, January 3rd, 2004 By Chris Mulick Herald Olympia bureau OLYMPIA -- A team of environmental groups submitted the last of 282,000 signatures Friday for an initiative to the Legislature they ultimately hope will make Hanford cleanup a prominent election-year issue this fall. Initiative 297 seeks to prevent the state from granting permits to build new trenches and waste facilities to store various nuclear wastes from other states at Hanford until Hanford's own wastes are treated and cleaned up. Backers believe it would give the state a new legal tool to enforce Hanford cleanup. The federal government plans to send an assortment of transuranic, low-level and mixed wastes to Hanford for temporary or permanent storage. Though the government has not quantified how much, I-297 supporters are claiming it would amount to more than 70,000 truckloads. Those truckloads amount to "rolling dirty bombs which are terrorist targets," said Gerald Pollet, executive director of Heart of America Northwest and frontman for the initiative. The measure needs 197,734 valid signatures and would require the Legislature to either approve it or put it on the November ballot. Supporters expect lawmakers will send it to a vote. "It's a strong message we think is going to be very popular with the voters," said Robert Pregulman, director of the Washington Public Interest Research Group. Reaction was hard to come by Friday, with political offices largely deserted for a long holiday weekend. But critics of the measure said it's not needed to enforce cleanup and that such decisions should be made by the state and federal governments. Supporters say they'll use it to attack President Bush as well as Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi and Republican George Nethercutt, who is challenging U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., for her seat. Pollet said Rossi and Nethercutt refused to sign on to the initiative. "I'm somewhat embarrassed some of our legislators have not endorsed this," said state Sen. Adam Kline, a Seattle Democrat who argued the measure would boost the Tri-City economy. The measure, helped by the use of paid signature gatherers, is being endorsed by several environmental and Democratic party organizations, including the state Democratic Party, the Yakama Nation and the League of Women Voters. U.S. Reps. Jim McDermott and Adam Smith, both Democrats, and Democratic gubernatorial candidates Ron Sims and Phil Talmadge have signed on. So have four Seattle City Council members. © 2003 Tri-City Herald, Associated Press &Other Wire Services ***************************************************************** 49 Paducah Sun: DOE to seek next Paducah cleanup bids - Joe Walker jwalker@paducahsun.com--270.575.8650 Saturday, January 03, 2004 The approach will focus on actual cleanup, as Sen. Bunning says he wants to see significant progress in the next three years. The Department of Energy has targeted Jan. 15 to begin seeking people over the next five years to continue cleaning up the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. A synopsis was posted Wednesday at ohio.doe.gov. Bids will be solicited from small businesses to replace Bechtel Jacobs and various subcontractors in July. No deadline was set to receive bids or award a contract. Bidding follows the announcement last July that environmental work would be divided into two contracts each at Paducah and the closed companion plant in Piketon, Ohio. One contract is for cleanup and another for infrastructure work at DOE-controlled areas of the plants. In 1998, DOE replaced a fee-based business structure with a system that split work into competitive subcontracts geared to cut costs. As a result, Bechtel Jacobs beat four other bidders to replace Lockheed Martin, which had done the work for 14 years. DOE is now trying still another approach to focus on actual cleanup, rather than administrative costs. In each of the past two years, Congress has allocated $100 million or more for cleanup at Paducah, but lawmakers have repeatedly criticized DOE for too much red tape. The most recent criticism came last month from Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Southgate. "We want every penny we give you to be spent cleaning up the mess out there, and you'd better be darn sure you’re not spending it on things like litigation and fines," Bunning told DOE senior managers at a hearing in Paducah. "We want to see significant progress over the next three years." Since cleanup began in 1988, DOE has spent $823 million at the Paducah plant, of which $298 million, or 36 percent, has been used on waste and contamination removal, the General Accounting Office says. The study also found that $372 million has been used for administrative costs, such as security, general maintenance, litigation and construction, and $153 million to study the extent of contamination and determine how it should be removed. Bunning also challenged the lagging cleanup schedule. DOE signed an agreement in 2000 saying major work would be completed by 2010 and cost $1.3 billion. Last summer, the agency entered into a new regulatory pact pushing the date back to 2019 at an added cost of $2 billion. Bidding for a five-year, $25 million annual infrastructure contract is scheduled to end Jan. 28. The contract will be awarded by May 20, and the winning firm will start work Aug. 29. Because of less need for working capital, more local firms are expected to bid on infrastructure than cleanup, a contract more than 3 times larger. Labor union leaders from Paducah and Piketon will meet Thursday and Friday in Lexington with infrastructure bidders to talk about what the union — backed by the Kentucky congressional delegation — calls serious gaps in bid-request language. The problems threaten the ability of laid-off plant production workers to get cleanup jobs while maintaining government pension and service credit, the union says. Solicitation language has not been posted for cleanup work. The synopsis says DOE intends to award the contracts "without discussion." ***************************************************************** 50 Knox News: DOE to examine use of Y-12 keys By SCOTT BARKER, barkers@knews.com January 3, 2004 The U.S. Department of Energy will review the use of keys and electronic access cards at Y-12 and other nuclear weapons plants in the wake of problems with lost keys at several facilities across the country. DOE officials said security at the Oak Ridge warhead parts plant wasn't compromised by the disappearance of a number of keys last summer. Bryan Wilkes, a spokesman for the National Nuclear Security Administration, said officials have determined "a little under 250" keys were missing from Y-12. Wilkes pegged the number of keys granting access to offices and conference rooms where classified information is located at fewer than 40. DOE spokesman Steven Wyatt said Friday that the offices were located in two buildings in a minimum-security area. "We have re-keyed both of the buildings," Wyatt said. The majority of missing keys opened janitorial closets, maintenance areas and filing cabinets in administrative and non-sensitive areas of the massive Y-12 complex, Wyatt said. Wyatt said none of the missing keys went to locks in areas where nuclear operations take place. The facility uses multiple security measures to protect against the loss of sensitive documents and radioactive materials, he said. "We feel confident that classified information and nuclear materials have been protected. There's not been a loss of either," Wyatt said. Wyatt said the National Nuclear Security Administration is sending teams of investigators to all DOE nuclear weapons facilities to review the use of keys and access cards. One team is scheduled to arrive at Y-12 in February. "Security reviews are common, but this in addition to what we normally have," Wyatt said. The nationwide security review follows a DOE Inspector General's report critical of procedures at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif., where officials reported last spring that workers lost several sets of master keys and key-cards. The Inspector General's office found Livermore officials discovered a set of six master keys was missing April 17, but didn't report the incident until May 5. A master electronic key-card discovered to be missing April 12 wasn't reported to DOE until May 30, the report states. A subsequent inventory couldn't account for an additional three master keys and two master key-cards. Two of the three missing master keys belonged to security forces and had apparently been reported missing more than three years ago. In all, according to the report, Livermore workers couldn't account for nine master keys and three master key-cards. Livermore officials plan to replace about 100,000 locks at in 526 buildings at a cost of approximately $1.7 million. A set of master keys also went missing for several days at Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, N.M. The Inspector General's report doesn't address the incidents at Y-12 or Sandia. Scott Barker may be reached at 865-342-6309._ The Associated Press contributed to this report. [Get Copyright Clearance] Copyright 2004, Knoxville News-Sentinel Co. [''] News Sentinel Co. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 51 Knox News: ORNL puts old technology to new use By FRANK MUNGER, munger@knews.com January 4, 2004 OAK RIDGE - A technology developed 20 years ago to analyze problems in nuclear power plants has been reconfigured to predict breakdowns in military aircraft. Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers worked with the Air Force's Air Logistics Center at Warner Robins, Ga., to build an instrument that looks for problems associated with fuel pumps on the C-141 Starlifter transport plane. The computer-supported technology measures the current being drawn from motors and associated changes in the frequency of electrical systems. This enables mechanics to determine - in a matter of seconds - if components are wearing down and subject to failure. The effort with the C-141 proved successful, and the national lab now has hooked up with the Aging Aircraft Office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio to look at ways to use the technique to identify weaknesses in other military aircraft. "By looking at the frequency signature (of electrical lines), you can tell something about what's going on with the mechanical equipment that it is driving," said Don Welch, an engineering researcher at ORNL for the past 22 years and co-developer of the instrument used for the C-141 tests. The original technology was developed by Howard Haynes and others at the Oak Ridge lab to evaluate motor-operated valves that control cooling water in nuclear power reactors. Gaining access to certain areas within nuclear plants can be difficult or dangerous, so engineers came up with a technology that could be clamped onto wires connected to the motors and identify any changes occurring within the electrical systems. "You can interpret the signal there rather than being right next to the motor itself," Welch said. Those system changes were analyzed and correlated to problems that ultimately developed in the motors, establishing a database of known indicators. Since the 1980s project involving nuclear reactors, ORNL researchers have continued to refine and improve the signature-analysis technology. "We have some 15 or 20 patents on it," Welch said. The military became interested after an ORNL team went to Warner Robins three years ago and made a presentation to military engineers about lab technologies. Soon thereafter, officers associated with the C-141 aircraft asked to speak to researchers in more detail. The C-141 has 20 fuel pumps, but if even one is bad, that can be cause to ground the plane, Welch said. "Applying this tool is a crucial first step in identifying operating fuel pumps that are on the verge of failure," he said. Changes identified in the electrical current can be indicative of a problem with the fuel pump itself or the motor assembly, according to lab researchers. The military sponsors were anxious to reduce the downtime of the C-141 transport plane, a workhorse in the Air Force stable. Airplanes often have been taken out of service because the necessary spare parts weren't available when a component failed, and ordering parts took time. The Oak Ridge technology can provide advance warning of problems and help reduce the replacement-parts waiting game, officials said. The Air Force currently is funding an effort to develop a "universal electrical signature analysis system" that could be used as a trouble-shooter for multiple aircraft parts. According to ORNL, the signature-analysis technology has been applied successfully to numerous other projects, such as diagnosing conditions of the rotor and gear train in helicopters; portable power generators; Army ammunition delivery systems; electric vehicle motors; and propellant control valves used by NASA. Senior writer Frank Munger may be reached at 865-342-6329. [Get Copyright Clearance] Copyright 2004, Knoxville News-Sentinel Co. News Sentinel Co. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 52 Knox News: Disposal of nuke scrap ordered Oak Ridge site has about 42,000 tons from decades past By FRANK MUNGER, munger@knews.com January 3, 2004 OAK RIDGE - On 30 acres not far from the Clinch River, mountains of metal rise from the weeds as a rank reminder of radioactive days gone by. The massive load of scrap, estimated at 42,000 tons, was dumped there in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. Workers at the government's K-25 uranium-processing plant used to haul surplus or undesirable equipment to the site and leave it in the outdoor yard to rust and bleed its radioactive contaminants into the environment. Now, decades later, the U.S. Department of Energy has told its contractors to remove the scrap and dispose of the radioactive material properly. That promises to be a daunting - and potentially hazardous - task. "I'm sure the copperheads have a condo association in here,'' John Lea, the project manager for Bechtel Jacobs Co., said during a recent tour of the site. Ten-foot trees wind through the innards of old bulldozers and other discarded equipment, providing evidence of the scrap's lengthy tenure at the site. After years together, nature and nuclear trash have become intimate partners. "Once we start moving this stuff around, there's going to be an urban relocation for a bunch of critters,'' Lea said. Bechtel Jacobs, DOE's environmental manager in Oak Ridge, plans to award a cleanup contract in early 2004. Four companies have prequalified for the project and are expected to bid. Besides removing the piles of scrap metal, contractors will be asked to demolish a couple of buildings at the site. The timetable calls for all of the material to be gone by February 2006. Much of it will be transported to a nuclear landfill near the Y-12 National Security Complex. "It's going to be a challenge,'' Lea said. The biggest challenge, he said, will be characterizing the scrap and determining the type and level of radioactivity. That information is necessary in order to meet the waste-acceptance rules at landfills, he said. Most stuff came from the uranium-enrichment operations at K-25, an old government plant that is being converted to private uses. As such, the primary contaminant is uranium. At least a small share of the scrap, however, came from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, Lea said. Those pieces could be contaminated with a range of radioactive elements, Lea said. "With Savannah River, we're mainly worried about tritium,'' he said. "For ORNL it will be mostly cesium-137 and cobalt-60." Bechtel Jacobs employees did about a two-month document search to determine - as best as possible - the origin of materials dumped at the site. After the scrap has been removed, another contractor will be hired to survey the site and determine how much radioactive contamination seeped into the soil beneath the metal piles. If it is significant, the soil may have to be excavated and disposed of as nuclear waste. Lea said he's certain that some soil will have to be excavated in the river floodplain, where a lot of the scrap resided until the 1980s. Quadrex Corp. was hired about 20 years ago to remove nuclear junk from the floodplain, reduce the size of the scrap pieces and sort it into various piles. The contractor also segregated some of the hotter scrap materials. Much equipment at the scrap yard was originally part of the uranium-enrichment processes at the K-25 plant. It was stripped from K-25 buildings during modernization efforts in the 1970s. Aspects of the process previously used to enrich uranium for nuclear bombs are still classified. Because of that, two security officers accompanied News Sentinel staff on the recent tour of the scrap yard and did not allow photographs of certain pieces of equipment. Some rusty remnants had nothing to do with weapons work. Asked about an old car and truck turned on their sides, Lea shrugged his shoulder and replied, "Evidently, they had some level of radioactive contamination." Storage cabinets, machine lathes and a seemingly endless array of equipment are strewn amid weeds and brush. "Once we get going in here, we're liable to find all kinds of relics,'' Lea noted. Senior writer Frank Munger may be reached at 865-342-6329. [Get Copyright Clearance] Copyright 2004, Knoxville News-Sentinel Co. News Sentinel Co. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 53 Seattle Times: Signatures submitted to halt Hanford nuclear shipments Saturday, January 03, 2004 - Page updated at 12:21 A.M. By Rebecca Cook The Associated Press OLYMPIA — Activists submitted more than 280,000 signatures yesterday supporting an initiative to block the federal government from sending more radioactive waste to the Hanford nuclear reservation in Washington until all the existing waste is cleaned up. "Protect our state from being used as the nation's radioactive waste dump," urged Gerald Pollet, the initiative's sponsor. That simple message helped the campaign gather many more than the required 197,734 voter signatures. But some political leaders say the initiative oversimplifies a complicated problem. Hanford contains the burial grounds for the equivalent of about 75,000 55-gallon barrels of radioactive waste. The material can take thousands of years or more to decay to safe levels. The state and federal governments recently agreed on a long-term schedule for cleaning up the waste. In the meantime, the federal government started shipping radioactive and hazardous waste from other sites to Hanford for packaging before sending the material to a New Mexico plant for disposal. Hanford currently accepts and disposes of lower-level waste from other nuclear plants around the country. "Urgent action is needed to protect our families from the risks of more than 70,000 truckloads of radioactive waste on our roads, 70,000 potentially deadly accidents, and 70,000 rolling 'dirty bombs' which are terrorist targets," said Pollet, executive director of a Hanford watchdog group called Heart of America Northwest. The measure, tentatively called I-297, would also end the dumping of radioactive waste in unlined dirt trenches. Sponsors said they used both paid and volunteer signature-gatherers to get the 280,000 names. As the initiative sponsors stacked up boxes of signatures, the 4-year-old twin sons of one supporter held hand-lettered signs saying "Clean up your mess" and "It's not polite to pollute." Critics of the initiative say those simple messages clash with the complicated reality of solving the nation's radioactive-waste problem. "You can say, 'Yeah, well that makes sense,' but there are so many more implications. You've got to look at the issue of the greater good," said state Sen. Pat Hale, R-Kennewick, whose district includes the Hanford nuclear reservation. She said the initiative smacks of "NIMBY" — Not In My Back Yard. Radioactive waste has to go somewhere, Hale said: "It certainly has to be put in a safe place, and Hanford is safer than any of those other sites." A U.S. Department of Energy spokeswoman declined to comment on the initiative yesterday, saying the agency would wait to see whether the measure gets on the ballot. The Hanford measure was filed as an initiative to the Legislature, which means Hale and her colleagues will get first crack at it. If they reject or ignore the initiative, the public will vote on it in November. Lawmakers could also create an alternative measure that would go on the ballot side-by-side with the original initiative. Or they could choose to pass the initiative into law during the upcoming legislative session, which starts Jan. 12. Both supporters and critics of the measure agree that's an unlikely option. "We've got a lot of issues we need to deal with that are a lot more pressing," Hale said. Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company ***************************************************************** 54 SF Chron: Federal inspectors to audit U.S. nuclear labs' security Inquiry will assess new procedures at Livermore facility Charles Burress, Chronicle Staff Writer Saturday, January 3, 2004 [San Francisco Chronicle] [Chronicle Sections] Federal inspectors will conduct a broad security audit at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and other U.S. nuclear weapons labs in February because of lost keys and other security lapses at the labs, a nuclear security official said Friday. "This is part of an ongoing practice of making sure something like this doesn't happen again," said National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) spokesman Bryan Wilkes, referring to a series of security foul-ups at the labs last year. "NNSA will lead a team to visit the sites in February." Lawrence Livermore, which is managed by the University of California, and other labs have adopted new security procedures to prevent further mishaps, and the federal inspection is intended "to evaluate these controls while sharing lessons learned," Wilkes said. At Livermore, a set of keys disappeared last spring from a security cabinet, and it took officials three weeks to report the loss. In a separate incident, the loss of a security officer's access badge was not reported to lab managers for six weeks. Other problems included missing vials of plutonium at the UC-managed Los Alamos National Laboratory, missing keys at the Y-12 facility at Oak Ridge, Tenn., and reports of misplaced security keys, lost computer disks and a van stolen off the property and driven through a perimeter fence at Sandia National Laboratories. Lawrence Livermore spokesman Stephen Wampler said the lab welcomes the review. "Since last spring, we have aggressively changed our practices pertaining to locks and keys," Wampler said. "We've been asked to share our best practices with other national labs, and we'll be having a team visit them in coming months." New practices at the Livermore lab include having security officers wear their keys in front on a lanyard and checking their keys every hour, Wampler said. Wilkes praised Livermore's new procedures as "a very good lock-and-key program right now." He discounted reports that the new NNSA inspection would inventory all locks and keys at the labs. He said an inventory was done by each facility last year. "We're not going to be checking every individual lock," Wilkes said of the February review. "That's up to each individual site. Each site is responsible for making sure there are no keys lost." In May, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham ordered a comprehensive security review, and Congress recently ordered that UC's long-held contracts to run Livermore and Los Alamos be opened to competitive bidding. The order applies also to the UC-managed Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which does no secret weapons research. E-mail Charles Burress at cburress@sfchronicle.com. · ©2004 San Francisco Chronicle | Feedback | FAQ ***************************************************************** 55 WBIR: DOE ORDERS DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE SCRAP DUMPED DECADES AGO WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN Federal workers at a nuclear weapons plant in Oak Ridge first began dumping radioactive equipment at a 30-acre site in the 1950s. Now the Department of Energy wants it cleaned up. But that will be a difficult and potentially hazardous task. The DOE's environmental manager will award a contract early this year. Four companies have pre-qualified for the project and are expected to bid. The timetable calls for all of the material to be gone by February 2006. Much of it will be transported to a nuclear landfill near the Y-12 National Security Complex. The biggest difficulty will be characterizing the scrap and determining the type and level of radioactivity. 1/4/2004 11:50:29 AM Reporter: Associated Press Copyright ***************************************************************** 56 Paducah Sun: Plants neighbors assess next step in land damage ruling Staff Report @@UPLOAD_TIME:200401032229 @@EDITION: @@SUMMARY:West Paducah residents claiming land devaluation against Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant operators said they will discuss their options with their attorney after their lawsuit was dismissed in federal court. @@EOM:End of Marker Required -- Sunday, January 04, 2004 Staff Report West Paducah residents claiming land devaluation against Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant operators said they will discuss their options with their attorney after their lawsuit was dismissed in federal court. It was the only case alleging land devaluation among several lawsuits filed in recent years claiming contamination by the nuclear plant. U.S. District Judge Joseph Mc- Kinley granted a motion to dismiss the case Friday by lawyers defending former plant operators Union Carbide and Lockheed Martin. Both operators had denied the allegations. The suit was filed in January 1997 by Warren Smith of Ogden Landing Road and Glenda, Jack and Joey Wray, all of Metropolis Lake Road, on behalf of about 135 people owning 82 pieces of land within a 10-mile radius of the plant. Neither Smith nor Glenda Wray had been informed of the ruling when contacted Saturday morning for comment. Both planned to talk with Paducah attorney Jim Owens, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the neighbors, later in the day and referred other comments to him. Owens was out of town and not available for comment Saturday. In his ruling, McKinley said there was no proof that the levels of contamination were sufficient to pose a health hazard. All plaintiffs live on property under which contaminated groundwater has spread and has been devalued by uranium enrichment work at the plant, the suit claimed. They also alleged they lost the use of their property and suffered loss to plants, crops, livestock and wildlife. They also claimed plant operators were negligent in allowing contaminants to spread beyond the facility’s boundary and in doing so trespassed on the plaintiffs’ property. The plaintiffs had sought damages of more than $75,000. A trial was to begin Jan. 12. Other lawsuits against the plant have alleged plant-related diseases or — in the case of an ongoing whistleblowers’ suit — that the plant defrauded the government by concealing contamination. ***************************************************************** 57 Google News Alert - nuclear Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2004 14:55:25 -0800 LATIN America should be model for a nuclear-free Middle East Salt Lake Tribune, UT By William Lambers. Saddam Hussein's regime is gone. An Iraqi nuclear weapons program is no longer to be feared. Libya has just relinquished ... PAKISTAN ’ s nuclear role in world Daily Times, Pakistan WASHINGTON: There is little doubt now that there is an organised and well-coordinated campaign to besmear Pakistan as an irresponsible nuclear state which has ... NUCLEAR POTENTIAL By Andrei Kislyakov The Statesman, India ... Sergei Ivanov said in December 2003 that he would inform President Vladimir Putin about specific aspects of developing the country’s strategic nuclear forces ... OHIO Nuclear Leak Leads to Restructuring Ohio News Network, OH ... They're also beefing up training. An acid leak two years ago nearly ate through a six-inch thick steel liner at the Davis-Besse nuclear plant along Lake Erie. ... GADDAFI'S son confirms nuclear deal with Pakistan Hindustan Times, India ... Musharraf as he hosts SAARC, the son of Colonel Muammar Gadaffi, Saif al-Islam has confirmed in a candid revelation that Libya bought plans to make a nuclear ... WORLD held hostage by nuclear powers: Castro SpaceDaily Cuban leader Fidel Castro slammed the nuclear powers Sunday, which he said were holding humanity "hostage," in a speech marking the 45th anniversary of the ... Fidel Castro thanks supporters on 45th anniversary of ... NUCLEAR rogues being brought to heel, US believes The Age, Australia Bush Administration officials believe Iran and North Korea are showing a new readiness to negotiate on their nuclear programs, possibly creating an opportunity ... DEAN was warned about nuclear security as Vermont governor Minneapolis Star Tribune (subscription), MN ... Dean, who accuses President Bush of being weak on homeland security, was warned repeatedly as Vermont governor about security lapses at his state's nuclear ... KEYS missing from nuclear-arms plant Chicago Tribune (subscription), IL KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE -- The Energy Department's Y-12 nuclear-weapons plant in Oak Ridge discovered about 200 keys to protected areas were missing, an agency ... This once-a-day News Alert is brought to you by Google News (BETA)... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Remove this News Alert: http://www.google.com/newsalerts/remove?s=682e52ddd0720101 Create another News Alert: http://www.google.com/newsalerts Try Google News: http://news.google.com/ ***************************************************************** 58 Google News Alert - nuclear Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 12:28:00 -0800 FROM Rogue Nuclear Programs, Web of Trails Leads to Pakistan New York Times The Pakistani leaders who denied for years that scientists at the country's secret AQ Khan Research Laboratories were peddling advanced nuclear technology must ... FEDERAL inspectors to audit US nuclear labs' security San Francisco Chronicle, CA Federal inspectors will conduct a broad security audit at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and other US nuclear weapons labs in February because of lost ... AP Exclusive: Dean reportedly lax on nuclear facility security WHNT, AL But a check of the record indicates that the Democratic front-runner may have been weak on security at Vermont's only nuclear power plant while he was governor ... AP Exclusive: Dean criticizes Bush, but repeatedly warned about ... NORTH Korea to be asked to be nuclear free - report Reuters, India TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States, Japan and South Korea are to demand North Korea scrap its nuclear programmes, including those used for power generation ... TRIPOLI links paying Lockerbie compensations to lifting sanctions ... Arabic News ... the Libyan authorities, The spokesman added that the inspectors who returned back to Vienna yesterday visited nine out of 10 firms linked to the Libyan nuclear ... IRAN: 'World should put pressure on Israel to forsake nuclear ... Jerusalem Post, Israel The world should put pressure on Israel to forsake nuclear weapons, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Saturday in Damascus. ... Iranian foreign minister says Israel should forsake nuclear ... PROPOSED sale of Kewaunee nuclear plant advances Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI A Green Bay utility's proposed sale of the Kewaunee nuclear plant to a Virginia-based energy company has cleared its first regulatory hurdle. ... IAEA satisfied with Libyan cooperation in nuclear checks Xinhua, China 2 (Xinhuanet) -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has completed its first-ever inspections of Libya's nuclear sites and is satisfied with the ... EDITORIAL “Baradei deserves thanks for shaking Israel’s ... Daily Star, Lebanon ... Pakistan? The nuclear arsenals of these countries alone pose just as much of a threat as the nuclear arsenal of Israel, if not more. ... Even with Iraq, Iran, Libya defanged, Israel’s leaders still ... NUCLEAR arms topic of visit to N. Korea Baltimore Sun, MD WASHINGTON - North Korea has invited American security experts and a nuclear weapons scientist for a visit next week that analysts said could provide the first ... 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