[CTRL] Al Qaeda and the 9/11 attacks being financed through Citigroup/Citibank
-Caveat Lector- http://waynemadsenreport.com/ May 22, 2007 -- WMR has received documents sent to one of the presidential campaigns from Leonard D. Wallace, a former business associate of former Enron Vice Chairman J. Clifford Baxter, that provides details of Al Qaeda and the 9/11 attacks being financed through Citigroup/Citibank. The document states that Baxter, who was to appear before a congressional committee to testify on Enron's dubious business practices, died from a reported suicide on January 18, 2002. According to the document received from Baxter's associate, the former Vice Chairman of Enron was planning to expose Citigroup's knowledge of Saudi banks, some of which it had a financial stake, were funding the terrorists who were responsible for carrying out the 9/11 attacks. Wallace writes, this cover-up of criminal misconduct has certainly been perpetrated both at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC and at Citigroup's 399 Park Avenue address in New York City. The document goes on to state, Alberto Gonzales, and the U.S. Department of Justice that he heads, have successfully blocked any investigation of Citigroup, despite evidence that has been presented to them. Wallace also writes, I was brought into this spider web of greed and illegality by J. Clifford Baxter, a business associate of mine who was at one time vice chairman of Enron. Through his relationship with Robert Rubin at Citigroup's Chairman's Suite in New York City, in August 2001, I became privy to a series of business transactions planned by Citigroup that I began to realize were not only illegal but also aiding international terrorism from Saudi Arabia. I complained to Citigroup's senior executives and their board, and Cliff told me and others that he was going to expose this bank fraud of Citigroup and Saudi banks. Then, about 30 days after my first letter to Citigroup's chairman, Cliff suddenly died on January 18, 2002 from what is to this day still considered a very questionable suicide. In a letter dated February 14, 2005 to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Wallace presents the background of his case: I had a prior association in a $1.5 billion armored vehicle project with J. Clifford Baxter, the former Enron executive who died mysteriously in January 2002. As a result of that project, there are two public companies that can corroborate my participation and the integrity with which I conducted myself. In August 2001, Cliff told me that he was involving me in securing $5 billion in loans and the subsequent investment of these funds. The collateral was to be located at Citibank Singapore, and he said that he would provide me with 4 pages of posting instructions. The loan deal eventually was handed over to a Citibank Miami vice president -- on September 10, 2001. Wallace writes, During the next 100 days, up until mid-December, Citigroup, through its headquarters and elsewhere, clearly orchestrated a well-coordinated conspiracy whose major impacts were going to be the defrauding of another bank and the acquisition of ill-gotten gains that would be received and/or distributed to others by Citigroup's senior management. It was represented to me by Citigroup officials and their documentation that the others included Account 98 activities, which I later learned were synonymous with the funding of terrorist organizations. Citigroup Singapore supplied a false inventory and authentication about Federal Reserve Bonds that supposedly were being used as collateral for the $5 billion loans. Citibank headquarters in Manhattan and Citibank Miami confirmed the authenticity of these bogus bonds. The posting instructions they provided me referred to Account 98s to be managed by unknown operatives in Saudi Arabia at SAMBA Bank, of which Citigroup was a major stockholder. [WMR previously reported on and provided a canceled SAMBA (Saudi American Bank) check written to a group affiliated with Hamas. This editor was personally told by a former chief of Mossad in October 2002 that if one wanted to find out where Al Qaeda received its funding, one would need not look further than the six largest U.S. banks, one of which is Citigroup]. www.ctrl.org DECLARATION DISCLAIMER == CTRL is a discussion informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substanceânot soap-boxingâplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'âwith its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsâis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
[CTRL] Fwd: AL QAEDA Is Behind Congressional Democrats' 'Revolt' Against Bush on Iraq
-Caveat Lector- Begin forwarded message: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: May 22, 2007 4:21:28 PM PDT To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: AL QAEDA Is Behind Congressional Democrats' 'Revolt' Against Bush on Iraq Iran's []secret plan[] for summer offensive to force US out of Iraq Simon Tisdall Guardian (UK), May 22, 2007 http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2085192,00.html Iran is secretly forging ties with al-Qaida elements and Sunni Arab militias in Iraq in preparation for a summer showdown with coalition forces intended to tip a wavering US Congress into voting for full military withdrawal, US officials say. Iran is fighting a proxy war in Iraq and it's a very dangerous course for them to be following. They are already committing daily acts of war against US and British forces, a senior US official in Baghdad warned. They [Iran] are behind a lot of high-profile attacks meant to undermine US will and British will, such as the rocket attacks on Basra palace and the Green Zone [in Baghdad]. The attacks are directed by the Revolutionary Guard who are connected right to the top [of the Iranian government]. The official said US commanders were bracing for a nationwide, Iranian-orchestrated summer offensive, linking al-Qaida and Sunni insurgents to Tehran's Shia militia allies, that Iran hoped would trigger a political mutiny in Washington and a US retreat. We expect that al-Qaida and Iran will both attempt to increase the propaganda and increase the violence prior to Petraeus's report in September [when the US commander General David Petraeus will report to Congress on President George Bush's controversial, six-month security surge of 30,000 troop reinforcements], the official said. Certainly it [the violence] is going to pick up from their side. There is significant latent capability in Iraq, especially Iranian- sponsored capability. They can turn it up whenever they want. You can see that from the pre-positioning that's been going on and the huge stockpiles of Iranian weapons that we've turned up in the last couple of months. The relationships between Iran and groups like al- Qaida are very fluid, the official said. It often comes down to individuals, and people constantly move around. For instance, the Sunni Arab so-called resistance groups use Salafi jihadist ideology for their own purposes. But the whole Iran- al-Qaida linkup is very sinister. Iran has maintained close links to Iraq's Shia political parties and militias but has previously eschewed collaboration with al- Qaida and Sunni insurgents. US officials now say they have firm evidence that Tehran has switched tack as it senses a chance of victory in Iraq. In a parallel development, they say they also have proof that Iran has reversed its previous policy in Afghanistan and is now supporting and supplying the Taliban's campaign against US, British and other Nato forces. Tehran's strategy to discredit the US surge and foment a decisive congressional revolt against Mr Bush is national in scope and not confined to the Shia south, its traditional sphere of influence, the senior official in Baghdad said. It included stepped-up coordination with Shia militias such as Moqtada al-Sadr's Jaish al- Mahdi as well as Syrian-backed Sunni Arab groups and al-Qaida in Mesopotamia, he added. Iran was also expanding contacts across the board with paramilitary forces and political groups, including Kurdish parties such as the PUK, a US ally. Their strategy takes into account all these various parties. Iran is playing all these different factions to maximise its future control and maximise US and British difficulties. Their co- conspirator is Syria which is allowing the takfirists [fundamentalist Salafi jihadis] to come across the border, the official said. Any US decision to retaliate against Iran on its own territory could be taken only at the highest political level in Washington, the official said. But he indicated that American patience was wearing thin. Warning that the US was absolutely determined to hit back hard wherever it was challenged by Iranian proxies or agents inside Iraq, he cited the case of five alleged members of the Revolutionary Guard's al-Quds force detained in Irbil in January. Despite strenuous protests from Tehran, which claims the men are diplomats, they have still not been released. Tehran is behaving like a racecourse gambler. They're betting on all the horses in the race, even on people they fundamentally don't trust, a senior administration official in Washington said. They don't know what the outcome will be in Iraq. So they're hedging their bets. The administration official also claimed that notwithstanding recent US and British overtures, Syria was still collaborating closely with Iran's
[CTRL] Italy row over Church abuse film
-Caveat Lector- Italy row over Church abuse film - Pope Benedict says sexual abuse by priests has created deep wounds 5/21/07 An Italian politician has sparked a furore by urging state broadcaster Rai to block the transmission of a controversial BBC documentary. The programme, aired in the UK in October, investigates the sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church. Italian journalist Michele Santoro has asked to purchase the rights to the film to broadcast it on his talk show. But Mario Landolfi, who heads Rai's parliamentary oversight committee, has asked Rai to prevent its transmission. The Panorama programme, Sex Crimes and the Vatican, has been Google Italia's most popular online video choice since a version with translated subtitles was put online. _http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6678753.stm_ (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6678753.stm) ** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. www.ctrl.org DECLARATION DISCLAIMER == CTRL is a discussion informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substanceânot soap-boxingâplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'âwith its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsâis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. Archives Available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/ A HREF=http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/;ctrl/A To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
[CTRL] Fwd: Breaking News: Bush Secretly DOUBLING Number of Troops Sent to Iraq
-Caveat Lector- Begin forwarded message: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: May 22, 2007 2:11:14 PM PDT To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Fwd: Breaking News: Bush Secretly DOUBLING Number of Troops Sent to Iraq See what's free at AOL.com. From: Jim S. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: May 22, 2007 12:21:33 PM PDT To: undisclosed-recipients:; Subject: CLG Breaking: Bush Could Double Iraq Troops By Christmas~22 May 2007 News Update from Citizens for Legitimate Government 22 May 2007 http://www.legitgov.org/ http://www.legitgov.org/index.html#breaking_news Bush could double Iraq troops by Christmas -- Little-noticed second surge is quietly being executed 22 May 2007 The Bush administration is quietly on track to nearly double the number of combat troops in Iraq this year, an analysis of Pentagon deployment orders showed Monday. The little-noticed second surge, designed to reinforce U.S. troops in Iraq, is being executed by sending more combat brigades and extending tours of duty for troops already there. The actions could boost the number of combat soldiers from 52,500 in early January to as many as 98,000 by the end of this year if the Pentagon overlaps arriving and departing combat brigades. Please forward this update to anyone you think might be interested. Those who'd like to be added to the Newsletter list can sign up: http://www.legitgov.org/#subscribe_clg Please write to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] for inquiries. CLG Newsletter editor: Lori Price, Manager. Copyright © 2007, Citizens For Legitimate Government ® All rights reserved. CLG Founder and Chair is Michael Rectenwald, Ph.D. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.7.6/815 - Release Date: 5/22/07 3:49 PM www.ctrl.org DECLARATION DISCLAIMER == CTRL is a discussion informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substanceânot soap-boxingâplease! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'âwith its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright fraudsâis used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. Archives Available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/ A HREF=http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/;ctrl/A To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
[CTRL] Fwd: CLG News 21 May 2007
-Caveat Lector- Begin forwarded message: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: May 22, 2007 2:14:49 PM PDT To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Fwd: CLG News 21 May 2007 Pilotless police drone takes off 21 May 2007 The UK's first police remote control helicopter has taken off. Merseyside police are using the spy drone, fitted with CCTV cameras, for tackling anti-social behaviour and public disorder. The machine is 1m wide, weighs less than a bag of sugar [i.e., they can be easily shot down], and can record images from a height of 500m. If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out Look! Up in the sky! It's . . . By Mark Yannone 21 May 2007 England's masters of their new police state have launched the Spy Drone, a remote-controlled or GPS-controlled, pilotless helicopter armed with a closed-circuit TV camera... Sporting Brits in Merseyside will love the new machine as it gives them a challenge other than doves and clay pigeons. When the three-month trial of the drones gets under way in June, the country air will be redolent with spent gunpowder. Pull! Another job well done. See what's free at AOL.com. From: Jim S. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: May 22, 2007 12:19:15 PM PDT To: undisclosed-recipients:; Subject: CLG~U.N. Barred From Texas Detention Center~21 May 2007 Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens for Legitimate Government 22 May 2007 http://www.legitgov.org/ All links to articles as summarized below are available here: http://www.legitgov.org/index.html#breaking_news *U.N. Barred From Texas Detention Center* 21 May 2007 U.S. immigration officials blocked a U.N. observer from visiting a detention facility for illegal aliens in Texas, the ACLU reported. U.N. Special Rapporteur Jorge Bustamante is conducting a fact- finding mission to examine the status of migrants' rights in the United States, but U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement prohibited him from making a scheduled stop at a family detention center in Taylor, Texas, the A.C.L.U. reported on Friday. The detention center, which was formerly a medium-security prison according to the A.C.L.U, is operated by the Corrections Corporation of America through a contract with the Department of Homeland Security. [See: K.B.R. Awarded U.S. Department of Homeland Security Contingency Support for Emergency Support Services 24 Jan 2006] Iraq draws up plans if U.S. forces leave 21 May 2007 Iraq's military is drawing up plans on how to cope if U.S.-led forces leave the country quickly, the defense minister said Monday. The statement by Defense Minister Abdul-Qader al-Obeidi marked the first time a senior Iraqi official has spoken publicly about the possibility of a quick end to the U.S.-led 'mission.' [The 'mission' is passage of the *oil law* for Exxon Mobil and Cheney Halliburton.] Iraq preparing for US pullout 22 May 2007 Iraq's military is drawing up plans on how to cope with a quick US military pullout, the local defence minister says. A senior US official has warned the United States may reconsider its support if the Iraqis fail to complete major 'reforms' by fall. Useless is as useless does: Dems set war bill without Iraq timeline 21 May 2007 In grudging concessions to President [sic] Bush, Democrats intend to draft an Iraq war-funding bill without a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops and shorn of at least some of the billions they want for domestic programs, officials said Monday. It would provide funds for military operations in Iraq through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. Brown won't pull UK troops out of Iraq: U.S. official 21 May 2007 Washington is confident British prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown will not pull British troops out of Iraq early, a senior U.S. official said on Monday. 10 killed in Iraq 22 May 2007 Attackers killed seven civilians near Baquba and a roadside bomb killed three Iraqi soldiers in Baghdad Monday. The Voice of America said a child was among those who died in the Baquba north of Baghdad. The U.S. is pushing *really hard* for that oil law to pass! Mortar shell hits Iraq parliament 21 May 2007 A mortar shell struck the roof of Iraq's parliament inside Baghdad's heavily protected [apparently *not*] Green Zone on Monday, shaking the building but causing no casualties. The rocket landed on the roof of the parliament right above the speaker's office, said Sheikh Sabah Saadi, an MP from the Shi'ite Fadhila Party. 7 killed on bus in Iraq; parliament hit 21 May 2007 [US] Gunmen in two cars attacked a minibus heading to Baghdad from a Shiite town north of the capital Monday, killing seven passengers, including a child, police said. A mortar shell hit the roof of the parliament building inside the heavily guarded [?] Green Zone in Baghdad, but no one was injured, a lawmaker said. U.S. raids don't find 3 missing soldiers 21 May 2007 U.S. soldiers raided suspected
[CTRL] Fwd: Orwell Would Be Proud -- Busheviks Rewrite History of JFK/RFK Assassinations
-Caveat Lector- Begin forwarded message: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: May 22, 2007 4:35:26 PM PDT To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Orwell Would Be Proud -- Busheviks Rewrite History of JFK/ RFK Assassinations Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan 9/11: foreknowledge of an attack? According to the former prison guard at Corcoran, Sirhan Sihan, did something in the months before 9/11 he had not done at any other time during his decades of incarceration – he ordered a television set for his cell. Interestingly, he showed no interest in watching television, only to occasionally check to make sure that the TV worked. Then, on September 10, 2001, Sirhan Sirhan did something else he had not done before – he shaved his head. Although he was always a “clean cut” inmate according to this prison guard, he had never shaved his head. According to the prison guard, inmates in California often shave their heads immediately before their gangs go to war against other factions to show their solidarity and support. Then, on the morning of 9/11 Sirhan was up early in his cell watching his TV for the first time when the news broke about the planes hitting the World Trade Center. In some manner, it is obvious that Sirhan Bishara Sirhan, 33 years after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy and a guest of the California prison system, had advance knowledge of the events of September 11, 2001. Supposedly, according to this guard, Sirhan Sirhan Sirhan received a lot of mail from addresses in the Middle East, almost all written in Arabic. I guess this is how he was supposed to have received advanced knowledge of Sept. 11. This seems like complete bullshit to me, if not deliberate disinformation. The article is published on the website of something called the Northeast Intelligence Network, which offers terrorist news information and analysis. The notion that al Qaeda would compromise the 9/11 operation by revealing it to Sirhan Sirhan is ridiculous. --- Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan and 9/11: foreknowledge of attack? http://www.homelandsecurityus.com/sirhan052007 INVESTIGATIVE REPORT By Douglas J. Hagmann, Director According to the former prison guard at Corcoran, Sirhan Sihan, did something in the months before 9/11 he had not done at any other time during his decades of incarceration – he ordered a television set for his cell. 20 May 2007: Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is the convicted assassin of U.S. Senator and 1968 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy. He is currently serving a life sentence at the state penitentiary in Corcoran, California, having escaped a death sentence due to a 1972 California Supreme Court ruling that invalidated all pending death sentences imposed prior to 1972. Sirhan’s motives for killing Kennedy remain a looming question among academics and conspiracy theorists alike. Many believe that Sirhan killed Kennedy due to his pro-Israel stance and the support he would likely provide Israel as the future president of the United States. Most notably, Kennedy was assassinated exactly one year after the start of the 1967 Six-Day war, a date considered less than coincidental by most. Some consider the assassination as one of the first cases of personal jihad in contemporary history. Whatever the motive, I had the benefit of reviewing the assassination case from the perspective of a criminalist while I was at the Laboratory of Forensic Science under the instruction of Professor Herbert MacDonell. Mr. MacDonell is the Professor of Criminalistics and head of the Laboratory of Forensic Science in Corning, NY where I attended. Knowing that he extensively reviewed evidence first-hand of the Kennedy assassination, I am convinced that based on the evidence alone, that there is much more to this assassination that will ever be made known. Perhaps then, it was more than serendipitous that I received information this week from a former guard at the prison in Corcoran, California about the curious behavior of Sirhan Bishara Sirhan in the months, weeks and days preceding the 9/11 attacks. Sirhan Bishara Sirhan Because of the commutation of his death sentence, Sirhan Sirhan has had the luxury of observing world events from his prison cell. According to one of the former guards at Corcoran, Sirhan not only had the ability to communicate with others outside of prison, he did so regularly. According to this former guard who watched over and spoke to the prisoner on numerous occasions, and had close access to him from the mid-1990’s to well after September 11, 2001, Sirhan Sirhan received a lot of mail from addresses in the Middle East, almost all written in Arabic. It is important to note here that since 9/11, the U.S. prison system has come under sharp
[CTRL] Fwd: Neocons in UK Push the Agitprop to EXPAND World War III AFTER Blair Bush
-Caveat Lector- Begin forwarded message: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: May 22, 2007 5:58:31 PM PDT To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Neocons in UK Push the Agitprop to EXPAND World War III AFTER Blair Bush I wouldn't rule out an attack on Iran, says [rightwing Blair heir] Cameron The Evening Standard =Rupert Murdoch May 23, 2007 http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23397648-details/I +wouldn't+rule+out+attack+on+Iran,+says+Cameron/article.do Britain could face war with Iran under David Cameron Britain would be prepared to back military strikes against Iran if David Cameron becomes Prime Minister. The Conservative leader* yesterday accused former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw of diplomatic blundering when he ruled out the use of force against Tehran, and called for much tougher diplomacy to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions. His tough rhetoric came as British Army officers in Afghanistan said they were now fighting an undeclared war against Iranian- backed militias, supplied with increasingly deadly weaponry from across the border. And security analysts said Iranian spies have been carrying out reconnaissance trips at nuclear power stations in Europe -- apparently planning revenge terror attacks in case the West tries to disable Iran's own nuclear facilities. Intelligence sources said security has been stepped up around key British sites in response, including critical oil and gas terminals. Concerns have grown in recent months over the flow of deadly weaponry being supplied from Iran to insurgents in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr Cameron yesterday demanded tougher UN and European- Union sanctions to force Tehran to halt its nuclear weapons programme. If Iran fails to comply, he said, a Tory government would back Washington in strikes against the rogue state. He said: I think [US Secretary of State] Condoleezza Rice is right to say it is not on the agenda, but I think Jack Straw was wrong to rule it completely out of order. I don't think it is ever sensible in international affairs to rule things completely out and I wouldn't take that path. He said it would be a calamity if Iran develops a nuclear weapon, adding: Make no mistake: The threat is growing. The scale and urgency of our response needs to match it. ' Mr Cameron and Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said Britain should spearhead a rapid shift in policy on Iran by using its influence in the EU, UN and with the U.S. to beef up weak sanctions. Tory MP and former infantry commander Patrick Mercer yesterday revealed a recent email from a friend serving in southern Afghanistan, stating: We are fighting an undeclared war over here against Iranian-backed militias. And Army sources claimed members of Iran's fanatical Revolutionary Guard are supplying the Taliban with Soviet-designed SA-7 Strela surface to air missiles, capable of shooting down helicopters on which UK forces in Afghanistan rely heavily. UK troops are being attacked with more sophisticated RPG-29 anti- tank rockets which carry warheads designed to cut through the best tank armour, as well as increasingly powerful roadside bombs which produce a rod of molten metal capable of slicing through thick steel armour. Addressing a security briefing at the Commons, Mr Mercer said: These are not improvised bombs knocked up in a back shed. They are factory-grade weapons being manufactured and used with considerable expertise, to devastating effect. In an attack in April on UK forces in Iraq's Maysan Province, insurgents staged an elaborate ambush with more than 40 of these bombs, Mr Mercer said, killing two men from the Queen's Royal Lancers. http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=w060904s=luckhurst090706 ... Blair returned from vacation in Barbados last week to the worst approval rating his party has seen in 19 years. An ICM poll in The Guardian newspaper showed Labour support at 31 percent, versus 40 percent for the Conservatives and 22 percent for the Liberal Democrats. If the election were today, the Conservatives would win a majority of around ten seats in the House of Commons and see the new Conservative leader, 39-year-old David Cameron, installed as prime minister. Accordingly, Labour supporters believe the game is up. Writing in The Guardian, Peter Wilby, a former editor of the Labour- supporting New Statesman magazine, predicted that David Cameron will enter Downing Street in 2009 or 2010. Senator John McCain appears to believe it as well: To the delight of Conservatives, he accepted an invitation to speak at their annual conference in Bournemouth this month. After years during which leading Republicans spurned British Conservatives as irrelevant, the Brits see a visit by one of America's most popular politicians as evidence of their man's growing credibility. So is
