Thu, 08 Mar 2007 21:30

FIGHTING DEMS NEWS SERVICE

foreign policy * national security * military & veterans affairs

 

March 8, 2007

Vol. 2 No. 8     

 

THE NEWS HEADLINES

 

Webb Moves To Block Iran War Funds

Troop Funds Imperiled By Political Squabbling

Report:  Air Strikes Against Iran Would Backfire

Troop Surge Numbers Surge

Short & Sweet

 

THE OP/ED HEADLINES

 

Reid Is Right: No Libby Pardon

Next Steps In Plamegate

Budget Is The Problem

About Fighting Dems News Service

 

THE ARTICLE SUMMARIES AND LINKS

 

WEBB MOVES TO BLOCK IRAN WAR FUNDS
Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) introduced legislation this week that would conditionally block funds for a war with Iran unless the president received Congressional authority.
FDNS Report At: http://tinyurl.com/ypehdz

 

TROOP FUNDS IMPERILED BY POLITICAL SQUABBLING
Internal Democratic squabbling combined with partisan jousting is threatening badly needed funds including those for military and veterans health care along with other troop support needs.
FDNS News Analysis At: http://tinyurl.com/3dvf4m

 

REPORT:  AIR STRIKES AGAINST IRAN WOULD BACKFIRE
Air strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities would have the reverse affect of what was intended and result in an acceleration of that country's nuclear warfare capabilities says a just released report from one of Britain's top international security think tanks.
FDNS Report At: http://tinyurl.com/2e647n

 

TROOP SURGE NUMBERS SURGE
The number of troops that would be involved in President Bush's Iraq surge plan announced in January was originally pegged at 21,500.  But they neglected to mention the number of increased support troops that would be required as well.  Total projected troop surge levels are now approaching 30,000.
FDNS Report At: http://tinyurl.com/36vpcb

 

 

SHORT & SWEET

 

Public Service Announcement:  Daylight Savings Time

 

For those who may not be aware of it DST arrives early this year.  Sunday, March 11 at 2 A.M. to be exact.

 

And unless your computer system was made after 2005 or you have already done the necessary reprogramming it will not alert you to DST as most presently do because they are programmed to the old system.

 

In 2005 Congress could not leave well enough along and changed DST adding four weeks, three on the front end and one in the fall.

 

Under the old schedule (the one most computers, VCR's and other such equipment are programmed for), DST began the first Sunday in April and ended the last Sunday in October.  With the new schedule DST begins on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November.

 

Manufacturers for some systems offer patches but they are not necessarily available for all computers and other time/date sensitive equipment.

 

This is a bi-partisan fiasco.  The 2005 amendment to an energy bill that set up this mess was sponsored by Reps. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Fred Upton (R-MI).

 

The Mushrooming Megaprimary

 

The total number of states that could be holding primaries on Feb. 5, 2008 now stand at 22.  This number represents those states that are already slotted for that date and those considering moving to it according to news service accounts.

 

The states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

 

States that are presently scheduled for Feb. 5 include Alabama, Delaware, Missouri, Oklahoma and Utah.

 

The Feb. 5 primaries and caucuses will be preceded by those taking place in January which include Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

 

THE OP/ED SUMMARIES AND LINKS

 

REID IS RIGHT:  NO LIBBY PARDON
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is 100% right: the President should immediately and publicly state that there will be no pardon in the Scooter Libby case.
Contributing Editor Brent Budowsky At: http://tinyurl.com/2n26bc

 

NEXT STEPS IN PLAMEGATE
Guilty! Four out of five. Now what?  Let's see. Will Scooter Libby be a hot date on Sadie Hawkins day once he's in the pen? He took such delight in screwing political foes, perceived and real, that he is about to discover an ancient Indian truth--Karma can be a bitch.  Then there is the civil suit Joe and Val filed against Dick Cheney, Scooter, Karl Rove, Richard Armitage and others (John Does one thru nine) for damages.
Contributing Editor Larry C. Johnson At: http://tinyurl.com/2p7wuo

 

BUDGET IS THE PROBLEM
As the press falls all over itself looking for the next big Walter Reed-type story, they ignore the obvious, as they have for years.  Money.
Guest Columnist Larry Scott At: http://tinyurl.com/35vg2v