11/2/01
5:37:12 PM

AlterNet Headlines

http://www.alternet.org

TIME FOR ACTION -- AN ALTERNET EDITORIAL

Don Hazen, AlterNet

In the wake of Sept. 11, our paralyzed citizenry has allowed social setbacks and corporate greed to flourish under a smokescreen of patriotism. But now is the time, as Bill Moyers explains in a stirring address excerpted here, to resist those who would exploit our national tragedy.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11847

FEMINISTS AGONIZE OVER WAR IN AFGHANISTAN

Sharon Lerner, Village Voice

The military attack on Afghanistan is proving to be an excruciating dilemma for feminists, who are split over how to handle possibly the most misogynistic regime in the world.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11845

THE WARMONGERS HAVE LANDED

David Corn, AlterNet

After media warhawks declared that the US was "losing the first round of the war," bombing raids intensified. Coincidence, or pandering to the blow-'em-to-bits crowd?

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11848

GLOBAL CITIZEN: HOMEPLANET SECURITY

Elizabeth Sawin, AlterNet

With many nations involved in an escalating confrontation that may last years, where will we find the attention and resources needed to restore our wetlands, our soil and our atmosphere?

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11844

EXIT STRATEGIES FOR GROUND WAR KISSING

Rennie Sloan, AlterNet

We've gone from "tragedy sex" to "terror sex," and now we're moving on to "ground war sex." Let's pray we never reach "drop the bomb sex."

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11846

UZBEKISTAN'S HUMAN RIGHTS PROBLEM

Matt Bivens, The Nation

When it comes to this former Soviet republic, the U.S. government is divided, with State wanting better human rights and the Pentagon wanting bases and Tashkent's willing cooperation.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11841

SOLOMON: THE WORLD SERIES IN A TIME OF CRISIS

Norman Solomon, AlterNet

Hopefully, the essence of baseball will survive all the manipulation from corporate sponsors and symbol-hungry politicians -- especially in times of national crisis.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11843

ANTI-GLOBALIZATION, PRO-PEACE?

Emily Huber, Jamie McCallum, MotherJones.com

With Americans overwhelmingly in favor of military action, could protesting for peace cost the anti-globalization coalition its hard-won momentum?

*In Globalization: http://www.alternet.org /?IssueAreaID=21

11/2/01
5:37:03 PM

AlterNet Headlines

http://www.alternet.org

TIME FOR ACTION -- AN ALTERNET EDITORIAL

Don Hazen, AlterNet

In the wake of Sept. 11, our paralyzed citizenry has allowed social setbacks and corporate greed to flourish under a smokescreen of patriotism. But now is the time, as Bill Moyers explains in a stirring address excerpted here, to resist those who would exploit our national tragedy.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11847

FEMINISTS AGONIZE OVER WAR IN AFGHANISTAN

Sharon Lerner, Village Voice

The military attack on Afghanistan is proving to be an excruciating dilemma for feminists, who are split over how to handle possibly the most misogynistic regime in the world.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11845

THE WARMONGERS HAVE LANDED

David Corn, AlterNet

After media warhawks declared that the US was "losing the first round of the war," bombing raids intensified. Coincidence, or pandering to the blow-'em-to-bits crowd?

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11848

GLOBAL CITIZEN: HOMEPLANET SECURITY

Elizabeth Sawin, AlterNet

With many nations involved in an escalating confrontation that may last years, where will we find the attention and resources needed to restore our wetlands, our soil and our atmosphere?

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11844

EXIT STRATEGIES FOR GROUND WAR KISSING

Rennie Sloan, AlterNet

We've gone from "tragedy sex" to "terror sex," and now we're moving on to "ground war sex." Let's pray we never reach "drop the bomb sex."

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11846

UZBEKISTAN'S HUMAN RIGHTS PROBLEM

Matt Bivens, The Nation

When it comes to this former Soviet republic, the U.S. government is divided, with State wanting better human rights and the Pentagon wanting bases and Tashkent's willing cooperation.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11841

SOLOMON: THE WORLD SERIES IN A TIME OF CRISIS

Norman Solomon, AlterNet

Hopefully, the essence of baseball will survive all the manipulation from corporate sponsors and symbol-hungry politicians -- especially in times of national crisis.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11843

ANTI-GLOBALIZATION, PRO-PEACE?

Emily Huber, Jamie McCallum, MotherJones.com

With Americans overwhelmingly in favor of military action, could protesting for peace cost the anti-globalization coalition its hard-won momentum?

*In Globalization: http://www.alternet.org /?IssueAreaID=21

11/2/01
5:33:51 PM

The Nation

As the war in Afghanistan becomes more entrenched, many commentators have suggested, in effect, that a political strategy should be dispensed with altogether. Military victory alone will do. In a representative column in the Washington Post Charles Krauthammer urged that the goal of US policy now should be solely "destroying Al Qaeda and the Taliban" with military force. What comes after, he writes, is "an interesting problem. But it comes after."

But Jonathan Schell eloquently insists in the most recent issue of The Nation that ignoring politics in favor of a purely military solution is a sure recipe for continued terrorism. As he concludes,"The United States can win the war in Afghanistan, but only at the cost of losing its war on terrorism. "

Read this story in its entirety currently at:

http ://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20011119&s=schell

And don't miss these other related editorials, columns and articles from the November 19, 2001 issue of The Nation:

BILL MOYERS: Which America Will We Be Now?

http ://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20011119&s=moyers

KATHA POLLITT: Victory Gardens?

htt p://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20011119&s=pollitt

CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS: Le Pouvoir Est Dans La Rue?

ht tp://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20011119&s=hitchens

JOHN R. MACARTHUR: Unleash The Press

h ttp://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20011119&s=macarthur

DAVID CORN: Ridge On The Ledge

http:/ /www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20011119&s=corn

STEVE NEGUS: Letter From Cairo

http: //www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20011119&s=negus

SECURITY WITH LIBERTY: A FORUM

In a special Nation web feature Amy Bach interviews leading experts on civil liberties and law enforcement -- including Floyd Abrams, Alan Dershowitz and Nadine Strossen -- asking each to draw a line between acceptable and necessary measures for protecting the public and gratuitous assaults on basic rights authorized by the new anti-terrorism law. Read these timely and insightful interviews currently at:

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=special&s=bach20011101

POST SEPTEMBER 11 DETENTIONS

On October 28, a group of civil liberties, human rights, Arab-American, public access and other organizations, including The Nation, demanded the release of information on the many people who have been jailed and detained since the September 11th terrorist attacks.

The groups objected to the curtain of official silence over the unprecedented detention of several hundred individuals for more than six weeks. They cited the growing number of reports that raise serious questions about deprivations of fundamental due process, including imprisonment without probable cause, interference with the right to counsel, and threats of serious bodily injury.

The groups demanded information from the FBI, the Justice Department and the INS under the Freedom of Information Act, and the constitutional and common law right of access to public records.

You can read the offical FOIA request and related material currently at:

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=special&s=foia20011029

11/2/01
4:31:33 PM

FAIR

Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting

Media analysis, critiques and news reports

ACTION ALERT:

Little Space For Dissent To the Military Line

During the weeks following September's terrorist attacks, two leading dailies used their op-ed pages as an echo chamber for the government's official policy of military response, mostly ignoring dissenters and policy critics.

A FAIR survey of the New York Times and the Washington Post op-ed pages for the three weeks following the attacks (9/12/01 - 10/2/01) found that columns calling for or assuming a military response to the attacks were given a great deal of space, while opinions urging diplomatic and international law approaches as an alternative to military action were nearly non- existent.

We counted a total of 44 columns in the Times and Post that clearly stressed a military response, against only two columns stressing non-military solutions. (Though virtually every op-ed in both papers dealt in some way with September 11, most did not deal specifically with how to respond to the attacks, with many focusing on economics, rebuilding, New York's Rudolph Giuliani, etc. During the period surveyed, the Post ran a total of 105 op-ed columns, the Times ran 79.)

Overall, the Post was more militaristic, running at least 32 columns favoring military action, compared to 12 in the Times. But the Post also provided the only two columns we could find in the first three weeks after September 11 that argued for non-military responses; the Times had no such columns. Both dissenting columns were written by guest writers.

The Times' and Post's in- house columnists provided the bulk of the pro-war commentary. Two-thirds of the Times columns urging military action were written in-house, as were more than half of the Post's pro-war columns. This may say something about which journalists are singled out for promotion to the prestigious position of columnist.

In addition, both op-ed pages showed a striking gender imbalance. Of the 107 op-ed writers at the Post, only seven were women. Proportionally, the Times did slightly better, with eight female writers out of 79.

When critics argue that U.S. news media have a duty to provide a broad debate on war, a common response is to ask why-- after all, isn't there a political and popular consensus in favor of war?

Perhaps, but there's reason to believe that the extent and nature of that consensus has been overstated and distorted.

In polls that offered a choice between a military response or nothing, it's true that overwhelming majorities chose war. But given the choice between a either military assault or pressing for the extradition and trial of those responsible (Christian Science Monitor, 9/27/01), a substantial minority either chose extradition (30 percent) or were undecided (16 percent). These people had next to no representation in the op-ed debate; in fact, it's likely that many people asked to choose whether or not to go to war had never seen an alternative to war articulated in a mainstream outlet.

There is also a little- acknowledged gender gap in poll responses about military action, a fact that lends new significance to the gender imbalance in Washington Post and New York Times op-eds. In the final two paragraphs of a 1,395-word story titled "Public Unyielding in War Against Terror " (9/29/01), the Washington Post pointed out that women "were significantly less likely to support a long and costly war." According to the Post, while 44 percent of women would support a broad military effort, "48 percent said they want a limited strike or no military action at all."

Similarly, a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll (Gallup.com, 10/5/01) showed that 64 percent of men think the U.S. "should mount a long-term war," while 24 percent favored limiting retaliation to punishing the specific groups responsible for the attacks. In contrast, "women are evenly divided-- with 42 percent favoring each option." Noting that "women's support for war is much more conditional than that of men," Gallup reports that though 88 percent of women favored taking retaliatory military action, that number dropped to 55 percent if 1,000 American troops would be killed (76 percent of men would support a war under these circumstances).

Of course, gender equity on the op-ed pages would not guarantee proportional representation for dissenters-- some of the most virulently pro-war and anti-Muslim columns have been written by female commentators (e.g., Mona Charen, who called for mass expulsions based on ethnicity--Washington Times, 10/18/01). But given the gender differences suggested by polling, more women on the op-ed pages might well give the lie to the conventional wisdom that all Americans have no-holds-barred enthusiasm for an open-ended war.

Even, however, if one accepts the idea that the public overwhelmingly favors war, the task of journalism is to remain independent and to ask tough questions of policy makers. After all, American history includes many official policies that were popular in their time, but which today are viewed as disasters. Wouldn't the country have been better off if journalists had provided a stronger, more abiding challenge to the consensus that supported Vietnam, or the internment of Japanese- Americans?

More than any other newspapers, the New York Times and the Washington Post-- with their unmatched influence in the nation's capitol and in U.S. newsrooms-- have a duty to provide readers with a wide range of views on how to deal with terrorism, its causes and solutions. If the purpose of the op-ed page is to provide a vigorous debate including critical opinions, both papers failed their readers at a crucial time.

ACTION: Please urge the Washington Post and the New York Times to broaden the range of debate on their op-ed pages about the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

CONTACT:

New York Times

Terry A. Tang, Op-Ed Page Editor

mailto:nytnews@nytimes.com

Toll free comment line: 1-888-NYT-NEWS

Washington Post

Michael Getler, Ombudsman

mailto:ombudsman@washpost.com

(202) 334-7582

As always, please remember that your comments are taken more seriously if you maintain a polite tone.

Please cc mailto:fair@fair.org with your correspondence.

Source: http://www.FAIR.org

11/2/01
4:22:20 PM

Environmental news from GRIST MAGAZINE

<http: //www.gristmagazine.com/grist/default.asp?source=top>

FAT CITY

Environmental problems ranging from toxic waste to air pollution have long been recognized as having human health effects -- but what about urban sprawl? A study released yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says sprawl creates or exacerbates many common health problems, such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. The report also blames sprawl for other negative health consequences, including deaths from flooding caused by filled-in wetlands and pedestrian fatalities on sidewalk-less, multi-lane roads. The report calls for the implementation of "smart growth" policies that redesign communities around people, not cars.

straight to the source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Lyle V. Harris, 02 Nov 2001 <http://ww w.accessatlanta.com/ajc/news/1102sprawl.html>

straight to the source: Salt Lake Tribune, Joe Baird, 02 Nov 2001 <http://www.sltri b.com/11022001/utah/145354.htm>

ANOTHER BOMBSHELL

The director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Muhammad el-Baradei, warned yesterday that the events of Sept. 11 have increased concerns that terrorists might try to fashion nuclear weapons or launch attacks directly against nuclear facilities. El-Baradei's remarks came one day after the U.S. restricted airspace around all nuclear power plants due to security concerns, and just prior to a conference in Vienna on safeguarding against nuclear terrorism. The remarks were directed at the five acknowledged nuclear powers, as well as at India, Israel, and Pakistan, all of which are believed to have nuclear capabilities. Pakistan recently detained three atomic scientists for questioning about whether atomic weapons may have been obtained by Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network.

straight to the source: New York Times, John Tagliabue, 02 Nov 2001 <htt p://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/02/international/02NUCL.html>

GRATEFUL LAKES

In a move that pleased environmentalists but irked industry, the U.S. Congress voted yesterday to ban new oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes for two years. The measure, which was part of a $24.6 billion federal energy and water bill, was passed overwhelmingly in both chambers despite President Bush's recent calls to tap into more domestic energy sources. Under the bill, states would be prohibited from green-lighting new projects while the Army Corps of Engineers studied the environmental impact of drilling. Although none of the Great Lakes states allow drilling from rigs on the water, there are currently seven slant wells that pipe oil and gas from under the lakes to the shore; Michigan Gov. John Engler (R), for one, has been looking to expand such drilling.

straight to the source: Detroit Free Press, Hugh McDiarmid, Jr., 02 Nov 2001 <http://www.f reep.com/news/mich/drill2_20011102.htm>

straight to the source: Salt Lake Tribune, Associated Press, 02 Nov 2001 <http://www.s ltrib.com/11022001/nation_w/145376.htm>

11/2/01
3:25:20 PM

First global look at the biodiversity beneath our feet

By Environmental News Network

Volunteer scientist collects a GLIDE litterbag.

Most of us may not realize it, but this year and the next are part of a worldwide program to protect Earth's diverse forms of life known as the International Biodiversity Observation Year. During this window in time, scientists and educators are joining forces to increase communication of science-based information about biodiversity to a broad audience. The International Biodiversity Observation Year is taking place in the first two years of a century that scientists predict will see unprecedented changes to Earth's ecosystems.

Some of these changes are happening beneath our feet in the soil and the layer of plant debris on the soil surface called litter. There is not one experimental plot anywhere in the world for which all species of creatures living in soil and litter have been described. But that is about to change.

During November and December, scientists at 32 sites in 20 countries will gather field collections as part of a global experiment to survey biodiversity in litter. As part of their work for International Biodiversity Observation Year, they intend to analyze the role played by the creatures living in soil and litter in an important ecosystem function, decomposition. All of the scientists participating in the project are volunteering their time to place the litterbags in the field and collect them.

As part of the Global Litter Invertebrate Decomposition Experiment (GLIDE), last August and September the researchers placed mesh bags of leaf litter on the ground of diverse ecosystems, from tropical to boreal forests, from savannahs to Arctic tundra. Over the next two months they will retrieve a subset of these bags for analysis of global patterns of decomposition and the species involved.

Dr. Diana Wall of Colorado State University, who heads GLIDE, expects the study to advance understanding of large-scale distributions of the miniscule creatures that dwell in soil and litter. Even at small scales, biodiversity in soils and litter is poorly known.

The majority of these species are invisible to the naked eye since they live in dark underground habitats, and many are microscopic. The lack of information on below- ground species is partly due to their sheer abundance and diversity. For many soil and litter groups, less than 10 percent of species have been described scientifically. Said Wall, "There may be hundreds of species and thousands of individuals in a handful of soil or litter."

Despite limited knowledge about the identity of individual species of soil and litter creatures, soil biologists know that assemblies of these species play crucial roles in the functioning of ecosystems, including decomposing organic matter and recycling nutrients to the soil.

"The enormous resources required to survey below ground biodiversity has prohibited assessments across multiple biomes in the past," Wall explained.

But now Dr. Wall and her colleagues are utilizing creative approaches to make this first global scale assessment of litter biodiversity possible. They are able to use information from established international networks offering extensive geographical coverage, baseline data, expertise, and infrastructure such as the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility program.

A state-of-the-art technology called BioTrack is being used to accelerate identification of the tens of thousands of individuals they expect to find. BioTrack, directed by GLIDE Co-chair Dr. Mark Dangerfield at Maquarie University in Australia, scans each specimen and creates a high-resolution image. Computer software then compares the image with a virtual collection to provide a match and identify the specimen.

The researchers expect that within a year GLIDE will yield new data on the animals involved in various stages of litter decomposition across different latitudes and ecosystem types. This information will help determine how significant is the high diversity of litter fauna for the functioning of ecosystems and how it is influenced by the environment.

Other core projects of the International Biodiversity Observation Year include cataloging the wild relatives of the world's crops, a traveling exhibit called "Biodiversity 911: Saving Life on Earth," and Lost Worlds, a large format IMAX film on biodiversity and conservation.

http://www.enn.com/news/enn- stories/2001/11/11022001/s_45449.asp

11/2/01
2:50:58 PM

War Of Words

by Simon Jeffery

Broad-based

The present goal of US and British diplomacy is to build a future broad-based government in Afghanistan and hold together a broad-based coalition backing military action against the present one. Though such groupings may prove difficult to hold together, the idea is for them to be pro-western while retaining credibility with Muslim leaders and people. (See moderate Arab opinion)

Carefully targeted actions

As in: "these carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations" (Bush, October 7). The "carefully" part is essentially meaningless, since to carelessly target an action is to not target it at all - the attack on the World Trade Centre was a "carefully targeted action". So all it means is that military action will have a target, which is about the least we could hope for. The intention, of course, is to imply a clean strategy.

Cave

A dwelling that made Osama bin Laden somehow prehistoric and cowardly in the early stages of the crisis - for example "They hit and run, they hide in caves" (Bush, September 16) or "We're going to smoke them out of their caves" (Bush, September 25). But as the war goes on the cave becomes an impenetrable fortress, demanding the use of heavy munitions such as bunker busters, and locating Bin Laden is "like looking for a needle in a haystack" (Donald Rumsfeld, October 25).

Civilisation

As used by the US historian Samuel Huntingdon, the concept of the "clash of civilisations" terrifies the allied leadership and they go to great lengths to undermine it. But they cannot ignore the rhetorical appeal of "civilisation", so the strategy centres on putting Bin Laden beyond it. For example: "this conflict is a fight to save the civilised world" (Bush) or an attack on states that "have placed themselves outside the family of civilised nations" (Iain Duncan Smith). There is less emphasis on what constitutes "civilisation" (does it include carpet-bombing?), but Tony Blair's slightly ambiguous reference to Saudi Arabia as a "good and dependable friend of the civilised world" (October 30) hints at exclusivity. (See our values and our way of life)

Defaming the good name of ...

One of the prime minister's favourites. In recent speeches we have heard that Bin Laden "defames the good name of Saudi Arabia" (October 30). Of the attack on America, he says: "To justify it by saying such murder of the innocent is doing the will of God is to defame the good name of Islam" (October 8). Clearly intended to distance Bin Laden from both constituencies, it nevertheless lacks impact since Tony Blair is neither a Muslim nor a Saudi. He is merely speaking on behalf of "defamed" groups who may not share his views.

Global terror network

Usually refers to Bin Laden's al-Qaida group but is loose enough to be extended to others if and when the need arises.

Hawks and doves

Not the division between warmongers and peaceniks that you may expect. As the Bush administration prepared for war, the media divided its main players into "hawks" such as Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz (who talked of "ending states" that sponsor terrorism) and "doves" like Colin Powell. Though the terms are relative, Mr Powell once spoke of his wish to "cut the head off ... and kill" the Iraqi army, and - it appears - his mission before this war was to build multilateral backing for a US military action. However, it is possible a "dove" such as Mr Powell supports a more limited war than Mr Wolfowitz. Anti-war sentiment is "dissent".

Hearts and minds

Can be loosely translated as public opinion or active support. Used from 1951 in the 1948-60 Malayan emergency, "to win hearts and minds" described a British campaign to isolate communist guerrillas from community support, and drive them into the jungle where existence was difficult. In the present crisis, it referred first to the fight to win Afghan "hearts and minds", but others have since moved the phrase to the home front, remarking that the government is "losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the British people" (Duncan Smith, October 31).

Long haul

As in: "We are in this for the long haul" (Blair on the launch of airstrikes, October 8) or "We should also be prepared for the long haul" (Jack Straw, October 22). The first refers to the military campaign ("even when al-Qaida is dealt with, the job is not over," Blair continued) and the second the west's involvement in Afghanistan when the conflict is over. Often teamed with phrases such as Blair's "the job is not over" or "we can carry on until the job is done" (Admiral Sir Michael Boyce on troop deployments, October 26) it adds an unglamorous but sturdy sound to speeches made at sober times.

Moderate Arab opinion

Pro-western Arab opinion.

Non-specific threat

Now standard FBI jargon that allows it to issue a warning without compromising intelligence sources, or admitting how much / little it knows. Intended to sound terrifying / reassuring. May lose its impact.

Our values and our way of life

Similar rhetorical appeal to "civilisation" but equally vague. For example: "And we may have sought to avoid the uncomfortable truth that there are some who wish completely to destroy our values and our way of life" (Straw, October 2). An alternative form involves constructions based around "everything we stand for" - for example, we are fighting "a group of people in Afghanistan who are the sworn enemies of everything the civilised world stands for" (Blair, October 30).

Peaceful

Covers two important concepts. The first that the Americans, British and other coalition partners are "a peaceful people" and the second that Islam is a "peaceful religion". Both are intended to minimise opposition - and possible insurrection - among Muslims, whom many western (therefore peaceful) politicians fear may see the war as an attack on their (peaceful) religion. The logic is that both groups are peaceful there can be no conflict between them. (See also clash of civilisations and religious duty)

Proportionate response

Means whatever you want it to, or alternatively nothing at all. A "proportionate response" to September 11 could have included the deliberate killing of 5,000 civilians (taking a life for a life) or a covert intelligence operation against al-Qaida (taking the necessary action to minimise the terrorist threat). The bombing of Afghanistan falls somewhere in between the two, but being a form of retaliation, is also a "proportionate response". Uniquely among the phrases on this list it holds an appeal to both hawks and doves (see above) as it covers both bases.

Religious duty

As in "the killing of Americans and their civilian and military allies is a religious duty" (Osama bin Laden, February 1998) or "Jihad today is a religious duty" (Sulaiman Abu Ghait, al-Qaida spokesman, October 10). With these words, the al-Qaida camp distances itself from its call to war.

Shoulder to shoulder

Three of the first words the prime minister spoke after the terrorist attacks on September 11: "In Britain, we will stand shoulder to shoulder with our American friends in this hour of tragedy." While signalling a deep support it is a subtly different construction to phrases such as "right behind you" and it implies an equal stature. Mr Blair has been widely reported to have used his "shoulder to shoulder" alliance with the Bush administration to offer advice to the White House strategists and perhaps claim some credit for successes, but he will also shoulder the burden of failure if it comes. Also used by Duncan Smith.

War on terrorism

Already in use in Israel ("Anyone who thinks it is a ping-pong war on terrorism does not understand it" Ephraim Sneh, cabinet minister, July 31), the phrase describes the US-led campaign against the perpetrators of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Mr Bush did not originally use it himself, preferring to "hunt down and punish" (September 11). The concept of a "battle" between "the free and democratic world and terrorism" was suggested by the prime minister in the same speech that he promised Britain would stand "shoulder to shoulder" with America.

But the highest level use of "war" ("The deliberate and deadly attacks which were carried out against our country were more than acts of terror. They were acts of war", Bush, September 12) raises expectations of spectacular military action and provokes comparisons with earlier conflicts, such as the Gulf war and second world war. It prepares the public for perhaps unpalatable consequences, while also making them more likely.

Simon Jeffery stands shoulder to shoulder with civilisation in a carefully targeted action against those defaming the English language during the battle for hearts and minds.

MailTo:simon.jeffery@guardian.co.uk

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/waronterror/story/0,1361,586717,00.html

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/waronterror/story/0,1361,585353,00.html

http://www.TomPaine.com

A YUGOSLAV JOURNALIST'S ADVICE TO U.S. MEDIA

by Jasmina Teodosijevic-Ryan

In times of turbulence and war, when passions and emotions prevail over reason, journalists can slide from professionalism into political marketing. AUDIO and TEXT produced by Sharon Basco.

http://www.tompa ine.com/news/2001/11/01/2.html

INDONESIA: THE NEXT DOMINO?

An Expert's View on Radical Islam in Indonesia

by David Case

"Radical Islam in Indonesia is still quite weak" ... yet "the government is naturally concerned that conflict in Afghanistan could boost domestic support" for radicals.

http://w ww.tompaine.com/features/2001/10/30/index.html

PBS STATIONS NOT RESPONSIVE TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Fourth in a Series on PBS

by Jerold M. Starr

Social capital? America needs it and PBS is positioned to contribute. First, however, it will have to liberate itself from commercial culture.

http://www.t ompaine.com/news/2001/11/01/index.html

TEXAS-SIZED CONTRIBUTIONS TO TEXAS SUPREME COURT

by Craig McDonald

Eight out of 10 Texans say that their judges are influenced by campaign money. Eight of 10 lawyers agree. Half of the judges do, too. AUDIO and TEXT produced by Steven Rosenfeld.

http://w ww.tompaine.com/features/2001/10/18/index.html

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

by The TomPaine.com Staff

Economic Stimulus ... Anger Across Racial Lines ... Homeland Security ... All Anthrax All the Time ... and more!

http://ww w.tompaine.com/opinion/2001/11/01/index.html

11/2/01
2:13:06 PM

UTNE WEB WATCH

The Best of the Alternative Web

ANTI-GLOBALIZATION, PRO-PEACE?

by Emily Huber and Jamie McCallum, Mother Jones Online

-- With momentum from the anti-globalization movement slowing following Sept. 11, activist coalitions ponder the best way to push an agenda while not alienating a patriotic public.

MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY

by Adam Finley, Ironminds.com

-- Sure, it's easy to mock a sentimental greeting card--but have you ever tried to write one? A tongue-in-cheek reflection on the unique and often misunderstood art of the greeting card from the witty folks at Ironminds.

MY EYES HURT--BLAME IT ON THE CRAWLS

by Jill Geisler, poynter.org

-- News media attempts to capture the public's waning attention span have made crawls -- scrolling text and graphic boxes -- the latest in a dizzying trend of information overload.

Links to the above articles: http://www.utne.com/webwatch

11/2/01
2:10:50 PM

The more discerning amongst us will immediately recognise that the current anthrax headline scares have grubby, big-business fingerprints all over them. It is the classic scenario. A relatively innocuous spore in most instances and of little use as a weapon of mass terrorism, is now being used as a very effective weapon - that of mass psychological terrorism.

The state orchestrates the problem (little white envelopes containing the suspicious-looking powder): the sheeple look to the state to rescue them: the state wonderfully comes to the rescue with a vaccine, making its manufacturers $millions: and the establishment rulers further their own ends by implementing even more restrictive legislation under the patriotic banner of "making our nation safer, y'all." And ayone who complains "is obviously a danger to the state."

Yes folks, anthrax is looking all set to become the latest 'psycho-plague'

The links for the additonal info below (and much much more!) can be found at http://www.militarycorruptio n.com/

"Propaganda on biological weapons including anthrax originates in the dark cellars of government for the purpose of swaying the public for increased police powers."

Anthrax was Trivial before Recent Hype

"Anthrax was unheard of by the public before sometime around 1995, when a flood of media stories appeared. At first, the subject was supposed terrorists weapons, but anthrax eventually became the center of focus. A flood of stories hitting the media means the government underworld is behind them."

The bin Laden link?

Under the disguise of invoking national emergency provisions, George W. Bush has ordered National Guard sentries to guard the BioPort facility in Lansing, Michigan. Bush has ordered, under pretext of "national security", that employees and officials of BioPort are forbidden to discuss with reporters, commentators, and researchers, the nature of the ownership of BioPort Corporation.

Death from anthrax vaccines

...the young NCO "went from a healthy woman just four weeks prior to her death - June 14, 2000 - to having no bone marrow, platelets and an extremely low count of red and white blood cells. It was as if there was something in her that was killing her immune system, shutting her down."

Stalling

"This is information we absolutely need to look into and don't take lightly. We're puzzled and stunned. We're going to do everything we can to find out what's going on here." BioPort spokeswoman Kelly Rossman McKinney

Morally indefensible

"There are six or seven million unapproved quarantined doses (from Bioport) which the FDA can choose to release and which I'm told - unofficially - are being re-labeled 'experimental' right now," Nass said... Dr. Nass contends releasing the suspect doses under cover of a "crisis" and a panicked populace would not only be a "big mistake," it would be morally indefensible.

11/2/01
2:09:07 PM

ANTHRAX and VESTED INTERESTS?

http://www.rense.c om/general15/mediarant.htm

"100% Chance Of Bio Attack In The US!" say the networks.

The possibility of "terrorists" using anthrax as a biological weapon in the United States has not gone unnoticed by the talking heads at the network and cable news outlets. We have been told over and over again that there is a "100% chance" of such an attack.

100%! WOW! What do the teleprompter readers know that we don't know? And why do they fail to mention how terrorists came into possession of anthrax? While searching the Internet for answers to these questions, I came across the following quote from retired Air Force Major Glenn MacDonald:

"Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. William J. Crowe Jr. was part of the crew that sold Saddam Hussein the deadly means to wage war with anthrax germs. That's when the United States wanted the 'Butcher of Baghdad' to use anthrax on Iran."

Admiral William J. Crowe Jr. was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1985 until he retired from the Navy in 1989. This is the era during which the US government was backing Suddan Hussein and just before the period in time when President George Herbert Walker Bush waged war on Iraq because Hussein was no longer considered an asset to the United States. Not only is it disturbing that such a means of mass destruction was provided to Saddam Hussein (and who knows how many others) by our own government, it is equally disturbing to consider that retired Admiral William J Crowe Jr. is now in a position to reap profits from the sale of anthrax vaccine to the US Department of Defense. Or, one shudders to think, in a position to perhaps prevent the manufacture of the vaccine.

Crowe is on the board of directors and owns a 13% share of the Lansing, Michigan-based BioPort Corporation, the only company in the United States licensed to make a vaccine for anthrax. His 13% share ensures he will make a tidy profit from any sale of anthrax vaccine to the government. However, and this is what disturbs me most, BioPort has not produced a single drop of vaccine since they purchased Michigan Biologic Products Institute from the State of Michigan in 1998. In the meantime the Defense Department advanced BioPort $18 million in 1999 and another $24 million in 2000.

Under contract to supply the military with 14 million doses, BioPort has delivered less than 4% of that amount, despite the governent being willing to pay "triple the original cost in the contract, from $3.50 a dose, to over ten dollars!"

Inspections of the BioPort facility by the FDA in 1999 and 2000 found contamination and suspicious changes made to expiration dates. The agency has barred the company from releasing any of the vaccine as a result. MacDonald has asked, "Why has the Pentagon 'fronted' BioPort with millions of dollars in taxpayers' money when the troubled manufacturer has experienced continued failures? Does that have something to do with who some of its owners and investors are?"

Admiral Crowe is also an advisor to Global Options LLC, "an international crisis management firm based in Washington". Their web site (http://www.globalops.com) contains the slogan, "The Corporate Equalizer". Also on the advisory board for Global Options is former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, R. James Woolsey. The chairman and CEO of Global Options is Neil C. Livingstone, one of the people quoted in a 11 September 2001 article published by the Boston Globe after the attacks on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon. He was quoted as saying, "I think we are at war. I liken this to Pearl Harbor."

The President and every talking head at every major media outlet repeated this theme for days after the attacks. Is there a connection? Or, would we all have come to this same conclusion? Livingstone has been a featured guest on numerous network and cable outlets since 9/11 as an "expert" on terrorism. According to Kurt Saxon (http://www.kurtsaxon.com), "Any 'wanna be' terrorist, by reading Neil's book, can learn how to easily bring a system to its knees. If you are interested in how a terrorist works, or want to be one, you can't do better than to read what I describe as 'The Complete Terrorist', or 'The Terrorist's Bible', Neil Livingstone's own 'The War Against Terrorism', published by Lexington Books."

11/2/01
1:38:37 PM

United States Attempts To Shore Up Support For War

by Claire Cozens

The US is to marshal the efforts of the advertising world to help sell the bombing of Afghanistan to the American public.

Michael Sennott, a key figure in US advertising until his retirement earlier his year, will head a new government- led crisis-response team.

The Coalition against Terrorism will be in charge of shoring up public support for the war as it becomes clear that it could last longer than previously anticipated.

The team is being set up with the Advertising Council in New York, an independent organisation created after the attack on Pearl Harbour to rally public support for the US war effort.

The council is responsible for all of America's public- service announcements - extended commercials that broadcasters run free of charge - from anti-drink driving to road safety.

It has already put together several advertising campaigns since the terrorist attacks of September 11, including one that showed a view of the Manhattan skyline with the twin towers replaced by the words, "Hate has taken enough from us already. Don't let it take you".

But critics believe the council's response to the crisis has been slow and fragmented, and that it has been too keen to take orders from the White House rather than developing its own strategy.

The new team will create campaigns "to inform, involve and inspire" Americans' support for the fight against terrorism, said Mr Sennott.

The British government is also having to shore up waning public support for the bombing campaign in Afghanistan.

In a speech today, Tony Blair urged the British people not to forget the sight of the planes flying into the World Trade Centre and the "gloating menace" of Osama bin Laden.

Source: http://media.guardian.co.uk/attack/story/0,1301,583490,00.html

11/2/01
1:35:22 PM

US attempts to shore up support for war (October 30, 2001) The US is to marshal the efforts of the advertising world to help sell the bombing of Afghanistan to the American public.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Media/attack/story/0,1301,583490,00.html

Majority want bombing pause - UK Poll: 54% say halt attacks and allow aid convoys into Afghanistan.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/waronterror/story/0,1361,583301,00.html

I TRIED TO BE PATRIOTIC

http://www.rumormillnews.net/cgi- bin/config.pl?read=13974

SECURITY AT THE PRICE OF LIBERTY Nat Hentoff says: "Tyranny is when the state can know where you are, what you're doing, and what you're thinking." A frightening catalogue of what may lie ahead in the new age of 'security first'.

http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20011008- 23429308.htm

11/2/01
1:30:31 PM

One Guy, One Rifle And An Oil Pipeline = . . . .

by Bill McKibben

It's truly scary to imagine someone cooking up batches of anthrax and sending it through the mail. But the United States' deepest vulnerability to terrorism may have been exposed earlier this month not by a mad scientist or a suicide bomber but by a single drunken hunter with a .338-caliber rifle. On Oct. 4, according to police, Daniel Carson Lewis of Livengood, Alaska, shot a single hole into the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. Because it was near the base of a long, gentle rise, strong pressure spewed 285,600 gallons of petroleum 75 feet into the air, saturating the tundra. The pipeline was shut for nearly three days as workers struggled to fix the leak.

Authorities quickly announced that Lewis was not a terrorist. "It was just somebody being stupid with their gun," a state police spokesman said. "Alcohol and a guy with a gun-- nothing deeper than that."

If that was meant to be reassuring, it had the opposite effect. One guy with a rifle could shut down the biggest U.S. oil pipeline, delaying 2.7 million barrels of crude? What if there had been half a dozen guys? What if they'd used something bigger than rifles?

And what if we had decided to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, and doubtless for reasons of profound patriotism, the Alaska congressional delegation and the oil lobbyists have been demanding opening up the refuge for oil production as a matter of "national security." They might as well paste a big "Kick Me" sign on Uncle Sam's back.

If industry estimates of oil reserves are correct, the 800-mile pipeline would for a few years carry as much oil as now moves through the Strait of Hormuz. It's hard enough to defend our oil supplies in the Mideast. It is impossible to imagine a fatter, or less defensible, terrorist target than the Alaska pipeline.

Unless, that is, one looks at the handful of natural gas pipelines that serve our East Coast. Or the two dozen refineries concentrated in Texas, Louisiana and California that process a huge percentage of the oil we use. Or the nuclear power plants that have failed time and again to repel teams of mock terrorists designed to test their security. (Air Force jets scrambled Wednesday night over Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island plant because of a "credible threat.") Or the way that our own military planners have attacked centralized energy production plants and distribution grids in the Mideast, Serbia and now Afghanistan.

The classic study of U.S. vulnerability, "Brittle Power," was carried out for the Pentagon by the Rocky Mountain Institute in 1982. Its authors, Amory and Hunter Lovins, wrote at the time that "all of the energy sources being promoted as the backbone of American energy supplies in the 21st century are precisely those least suited to survive the uncertainty and violence that seems likely to characterize the future." Amazingly, it's these same centralized technologies that the Bush administration pushed for in last spring's energy plan and continues to support.

The alternative, of course, is to take the money now used to subsidize fossil fuels and nuclear power and use it instead to jump-start the conversion to renewable energy sources, which by their nature are decentralized, flexible and unappealing to terrorists. Take, for example, wind power. It is already the fastest-growing power source on Earth, mostly because it's environmentally benign. But now we know it's a security asset as well. An enemy could knock out one windmill, but it wouldn't spew radioactivity and it wouldn't damage all the other windmills. No one is standing guard around the clock on their rooftop solar panel.

It's a happy coincidence that clean power is also secure power. The sooner we get to work on it, the sooner we'll be able to cross one item off our list of worries.

Bill McKibben, the author of "The End of Nature" (Anchor, 1999), is a visiting scholar at Middlebury College

Source: http://www.LATimes.com

11/2/01
1:27:01 PM

ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE

http://ens-news.com

BUSH ADMINISTRATION ADOPTS CLINTON'S ARSENIC RULE

By Cat Lazaroff

WASHINGTON, DC, November 1, 2001 (ENS) - The Bush administration, under pressure from environmental groups and the public, has decided to adopt the Clinton era standard for arsenic in drinking water. Blocking Clinton's 10 parts per billion standard was one of the Bush administration's first official acts - one which President George W. Bush later admitted was a mistake.

For full text and graphics visit:

http://ens-news.com/ens/nov2001/2001L-11-01-06.html

STATES CANNOT STOP FUEL DELIVERIES TO LEAKY STORAGE TANKS

WASHINGTON, DC, November 1, 2001 (ENS) - In 27 states, owners of underground storage tanks can continue to accept fuel deliveries even if the tanks are leaking in violation of federal environmental law, according to the director of natural resources and environment for the General Accounting Office, Congress's investigative arm.

For full text and graphics visit:

http://ens-news.com/ens/nov2001/2001L-11-01-03.html

EUROPE BANS CREOSOTE BY 2003

BRUSSELS, Belgium, November 1, 2001 (ENS) - The marketing and use of creosote and all products treated with it are to be banned throughout the European Union, the bloc's executive branch, the European Commission, has revealed. Industrial applications of the wood preservative will also be reduced.

For full text and graphics visit:

http://ens- news.com/ens/nov2001/2001L-11-01-04.html

AUSTRALIA PROTECTS WORLD'S LARGEST LIVING FISH

CANBERRA, Australia, November 1, 2001 (ENS) - Australian Environment Minister Robert Hill has listed the whale shark, the world's largest fish, as nationally threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity and Conservation Act. In making the announcement late last month, Senator Hill said there is evidence of a substantial decline in numbers of whale sharks.

For full text and graphics visit:

http://ens- news.com/ens/nov2001/2001L-11-01-02.html

ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE AMERISCAN: NOVEMBER 1, 2001

FAA Restricts Airspace Over Nuclear Facilities

Sandia's Decon Foam Helps Clean Up Anthrax

EPA Restricts Two Agricultural Pesticides

Scientists Immunize Mice Against West Nile Virus

Study Finds Forest Service Timber Subsidy Report Unreliable

Labor Households Reject Arctic Drilling Claims

Florida Expands National Estuarine Research Reserves

Dow Urged to Withdraw Weed Killer

Worldwide Survey Assesses Biodiversity in Litter

For full text and graphics visit:

http://ens- news.com/ens/nov2001/2001L-11-01-09.html

11/2/01
1:20:03 PM

Fighter Contract Gives Texas Economic Boost

From staff and wire reports Saturday, October 27, 2001

The Pentagon decision Friday to award a $200 billion contract to Lockheed Martin Corp. to build the next generation of stealth fighter jets wasn't just a victory for the company's Fort Worth-based aeronautics division, but for the entire Texas economy.

The deal, the biggest military contract ever awarded, will create a massive ripple effect, as Lockheed hires workers and subcontractors and buys services and material -- everything from concrete and lumber to electronics and testing equipment.

In an analysis for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Waco economist Ray Perryman calculated that the contract will generate $137.1 billion in total expenditures over its 40-year life and pour $2.5 billion into state coffers.

Central Texas could see at least 3 percent of the prize, or $6 billion, through subcontracts and increased demand for state services.

"That's a massive injection" into the state's economy, Austin economist Jon Hockenyos said. "That, in turn, helps the state of Texas, and all things being equal, means more state tax revenue and helps maintain state jobs."

Perryman said the deal assures the survival of the Fort Worth plant that otherwise probably would have closed once it completed its current contract to produce F-16s, the world's best-selling fighter jet, in 2010.

Lockheed Martin said employment at its Fort Worth plant will grow by more than 2,000 workers, to 13,500 by 2005. Perryman estimates that the contract will produce 8,323 permanent jobs during the 10-year engineering and development phase, with more in later years.

Friday, Air Force Secretary James Roche announced that Lockheed was the winner of an $18.9 billion engineering contract to produce 22 aircraft over the next 10 years and to set up the production line. That is expected to eventually lead to the go-ahead to build 3,000 F-35 fighter jets, once Lockheed establishes it can design and build the aircraft to the Pentagon's specifications.

Roche wouldn't release details of why Lockheed was picked after a five-year review, but said during the review process its proposal "emerged continuously as the clear winner."

The F-35 will replace the aging fighter jets of the Air Force, Navy and Marines, with modifications to fit the needs of each branch. It also will be used by Britain's Royal Air Force and Navy, which want 150 of the planes. Britain has committed $2 billion toward development.

Lockheed Chairman Vance Coffman said his company would honor the trust shown by the Pentagon "by building a truly remarkable, capable and affordable multirole fighter, on schedule and on cost."

The first 22 planes are expected to be delivered in 2008. However, the General Accounting Office, Congress' investigative arm, has twice warned that the jet could end up costing more and take longer to build because the technologies need more development. The Pentagon says its independent investigation found that the technologies are adequate.

Lockheed and Boeing waged a long and costly advertising and lobbying campaign for the contract, which establishes Lockheed as the nation's sole fighter jet manufacturer.

In Fort Worth, about 500 employees at the F-16 assembly plant gathered to watch the announcement on a big-screen television and burst into cheers when Lockheed was chosen.

"This was all about this company and this company's future," said Art Price Jr., Lockheed's director of procurement for the fighter.

"I've worked here 23 years. It's paid my mortgage; it paid for my kids' education. (The Joint Strike Fighter contract) will do the same for their kids," Price said, sweeping his arm in the direction of some younger workers.

Analysts said Boeing may be in a better position to weather the contract loss. It is developing a pilotless combat aircraft that could be highly lucrative and, unlike Lockheed, has a commercial airline business. It also has contracts with the Pentagon to continue building F-18s and F-22s until 2011.

Each of the new F-35s will cost about $40 million. The version with the ability for short takeoff and vertical landings will cost more, but less than $50 million, the Pentagon said.

The Joint Strike Fighter will lead the U.S. military into a new generation of planes in the next 25 years, replacing many of its aging relics in need of retirement. The supersonic attack plane will replace the Air Force F-16 Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolts, the Navy F/A-18 Hornets and Marine AV-8B Harriers.

The new wave of Joint Strike Fighters will cut down on the number of parts the military needs for its planes, while still allowing for flexibility among its various branches. For example, the Marine Joint Strike Fighter will be able to take off and land vertically, allowing more ease with short runways and aircraft carriers.

It's too soon to tell when the ripples from the contract will begin to touch Central Texas, but the region should benefit, said John Breier, vice president for economic development for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

"Any time one of our sister cities benefits in that large way, it's going to benefit our industry here," he said. Breier said Austin may be able to capitalize on its ability to help produce the technology necessary for a modern fighter plane, including software and semiconductors.

Nancy Evans, director of the University of Texas engineering career center, said the Lockheed contract will be a windfall for students looking for internships or permanent work. The opportunities will mean the state has a better chance of holding on to its engineering talent.

And the project means work for a wide variety of engineers -- aerospace, civil, electrical and computer, she said.

"It's great news," Evans said. "With the bulk of those jobs in Fort Worth, we definitely would benefit."

American-Statesman staff writers Claudia Grisales and Elizabeth Goldman contributed to this story.

http://www.austin360.com/auto_docs/epaper/editions/saturday/n ews_2.html

11/2/01
1:19:55 PM

Fighter Contract Gives Texas Economic Boost

From staff and wire reports Saturday, October 27, 2001

The Pentagon decision Friday to award a $200 billion contract to Lockheed Martin Corp. to build the next generation of stealth fighter jets wasn't just a victory for the company's Fort Worth-based aeronautics division, but for the entire Texas economy.

The deal, the biggest military contract ever awarded, will create a massive ripple effect, as Lockheed hires workers and subcontractors and buys services and material -- everything from concrete and lumber to electronics and testing equipment.

In an analysis for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Waco economist Ray Perryman calculated that the contract will generate $137.1 billion in total expenditures over its 40-year life and pour $2.5 billion into state coffers.

Central Texas could see at least 3 percent of the prize, or $6 billion, through subcontracts and increased demand for state services.

"That's a massive injection" into the state's economy, Austin economist Jon Hockenyos said. "That, in turn, helps the state of Texas, and all things being equal, means more state tax revenue and helps maintain state jobs."

Perryman said the deal assures the survival of the Fort Worth plant that otherwise probably would have closed once it completed its current contract to produce F-16s, the world's best-selling fighter jet, in 2010.

Lockheed Martin said employment at its Fort Worth plant will grow by more than 2,000 workers, to 13,500 by 2005. Perryman estimates that the contract will produce 8,323 permanent jobs during the 10-year engineering and development phase, with more in later years.

Friday, Air Force Secretary James Roche announced that Lockheed was the winner of an $18.9 billion engineering contract to produce 22 aircraft over the next 10 years and to set up the production line. That is expected to eventually lead to the go-ahead to build 3,000 F-35 fighter jets, once Lockheed establishes it can design and build the aircraft to the Pentagon's specifications.

Roche wouldn't release details of why Lockheed was picked after a five-year review, but said during the review process its proposal "emerged continuously as the clear winner."

The F-35 will replace the aging fighter jets of the Air Force, Navy and Marines, with modifications to fit the needs of each branch. It also will be used by Britain's Royal Air Force and Navy, which want 150 of the planes. Britain has committed $2 billion toward development.

Lockheed Chairman Vance Coffman said his company would honor the trust shown by the Pentagon "by building a truly remarkable, capable and affordable multirole fighter, on schedule and on cost."

The first 22 planes are expected to be delivered in 2008. However, the General Accounting Office, Congress' investigative arm, has twice warned that the jet could end up costing more and take longer to build because the technologies need more development. The Pentagon says its independent investigation found that the technologies are adequate.

Lockheed and Boeing waged a long and costly advertising and lobbying campaign for the contract, which establishes Lockheed as the nation's sole fighter jet manufacturer.

In Fort Worth, about 500 employees at the F-16 assembly plant gathered to watch the announcement on a big-screen television and burst into cheers when Lockheed was chosen.

"This was all about this company and this company's future," said Art Price Jr., Lockheed's director of procurement for the fighter.

"I've worked here 23 years. It's paid my mortgage; it paid for my kids' education. (The Joint Strike Fighter contract) will do the same for their kids," Price said, sweeping his arm in the direction of some younger workers.

Analysts said Boeing may be in a better position to weather the contract loss. It is developing a pilotless combat aircraft that could be highly lucrative and, unlike Lockheed, has a commercial airline business. It also has contracts with the Pentagon to continue building F-18s and F-22s until 2011.

Each of the new F-35s will cost about $40 million. The version with the ability for short takeoff and vertical landings will cost more, but less than $50 million, the Pentagon said.

The Joint Strike Fighter will lead the U.S. military into a new generation of planes in the next 25 years, replacing many of its aging relics in need of retirement. The supersonic attack plane will replace the Air Force F-16 Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolts, the Navy F/A-18 Hornets and Marine AV-8B Harriers.

The new wave of Joint Strike Fighters will cut down on the number of parts the military needs for its planes, while still allowing for flexibility among its various branches. For example, the Marine Joint Strike Fighter will be able to take off and land vertically, allowing more ease with short runways and aircraft carriers.

It's too soon to tell when the ripples from the contract will begin to touch Central Texas, but the region should benefit, said John Breier, vice president for economic development for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

"Any time one of our sister cities benefits in that large way, it's going to benefit our industry here," he said. Breier said Austin may be able to capitalize on its ability to help produce the technology necessary for a modern fighter plane, including software and semiconductors.

Nancy Evans, director of the University of Texas engineering career center, said the Lockheed contract will be a windfall for students looking for internships or permanent work. The opportunities will mean the state has a better chance of holding on to its engineering talent.

And the project means work for a wide variety of engineers -- aerospace, civil, electrical and computer, she said.

"It's great news," Evans said. "With the bulk of those jobs in Fort Worth, we definitely would benefit."

American-Statesman staff writers Claudia Grisales and Elizabeth Goldman contributed to this story.

http://www.austin360.com/auto_docs/epaper/editions/saturday/n ews_2.html

11/2/01
12:55:45 PM

Planet Ark World Environment News

Missouri deploys guard to two nuclear facilities - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13079/story.htm

US farmers launch radio ads for Bush trade bill - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13070/story.htm

UPDATE - EPA to tighten limit on arsenic in drinking water - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13099/story.htm

Foggy San Francisco sets sights on solar power - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13072/story.htm

UPDATE - Bill doubling US farm "green" not enough - critics - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13074/story.htm

US Embassy in Lithuania may have anthrax traces - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13075/story.htm

Knowles still bullish on Alaska gas prospects - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13097/story.htm

UPDATE - Bush proposes criminalizing biological weapons - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13083/story.htm

Corn growers press ethanol on New York state - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13092/story.htm

Florida bans feeding of sharks for dive tourists - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13090/story.htm

US businesses, unions urge Senate to pass energy bill - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13094/story.htm

Anthrax found in Kansas City, health officials say - USA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13082/story.htm

Norway sees pause after Barents Sea gas field start - UK http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13087/story.htm

Fish finds true lurve with a throw of the dice - UK http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13086/story.htm

Loss of habitat takes toll on British butterflies - UK http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13069/story.htm

UK launches 3 million pound solar energy scheme - UK http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13078/story.htm

WTO talks could make things worse - environmentalists - UK http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13098/story.htm

UK sees wind power undercut fossil fuel in 20 yrs - UK http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13073/story.htm

Europe reviews nuclear plant safety, fears attack - UK http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13080/story.htm

Insurers see more disasters due to climate change - MOROCCO http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13100/story.htm

Kyoto climate talks face new hurdle - MOROCCO http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13091/story.htm

Japan's TEPCO says reactor on automatic shutdown - JAPAN http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13089/story.htm

Japan's Tohoku Elec buys emissions rights with coal - JAPAN http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13084/story.htm

Japan says no leak at reactor after nearby fire - JAPAN http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13085/story.htm

Malaysia to help Jakarta fight log smuggling - INDONESIA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13096/story.htm

Indian plan to destroy GM cotton crop seen failing - INDIA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13095/story.htm

FEATURE - Dead cellphones reborn after EU order to recycle - FINLAND http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13071/story.htm

Court upholds states' rights to protect wild birds - EU http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13076/story.htm

Ontario to protect "vital" moraine north of Toronto - CANADA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13088/story.htm

UPDATE - Atom watchdog sees greater nuke terrorism risk - AUSTRIA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13081/story.htm

Australia government to subsidise ethanol plants - AUSTRALIA http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13077/story.htm

11/1/01
7:01:15 PM

The Nation

As the assault on Osama bin Laden and his Taliban protectors in Afghanistan continues, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan's neighbor to the north, is emerging as one of the most steadfast regional supporters of the US-led military campaign. While other states in the region remained equivocal and noncommittal, Uzbekistan welcomed an early October visit from US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and quickly announced that the US could use its air space and airfields to mount attacks against Afghanistan. And, as with Pakistan, the US government has tacitly agreed to overlook Uzbekistan's human rights abuses in return for access to military bases on the Uzbek-Afghan border.

But, as Matt Bivens reports for The Nation exclusively from Tashkent, the US is doing a huge favor for President Islam Karimov's regime -- fighting his enemies in Afghanistan -- and paying him handsomely for the privilege. Given all this, there's no reason that the US can't simply demand that Uzbekistan move toward a minimal threshold of human rights guarantees.

For the full story read "Uzbekistans's Human Rights Problem" by Matt Bivens. Currently available exclusively at:

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=special&s=bivens20011030

And, don't miss "Bush's Uzbek Bargain," Dilip Hiro's October 17 Nation web report, also exclusively available at:

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=special&s=hiro20011017

SEPTEMBER 11 RESOURCES

We've also created a special page on The Nation website, where we're collecting all of our September 11 material, including web articles, links, activist info, a regularly updated section of media resources, a section on Islam and remarks on what patriotism is and ought to be. All available:

http://www.the nation.com/special/wtc/index.mhtml

11/1/01
6:58:26 PM

Gradual Changes Can Make Ecosystems Vulnerable

By David Suzuki

A well-known children's game involves removing wooden blocks from a block tower one at a time and then placing each removed piece carefully on top of the structure. Remarkably, the tower can often stay standing for quite some time until a key block is removed and the whole structure topples into a heap. Thus, the tower changes catastrophically from one stable state — standing — to another — collapsed.

Now, research is showing that a similar situation can occur in ecosystems. A recent article in the journal Nature, for example, presents evidence that various ecosystems can exist in more than one stable state and can switch from one to another, but only after going through a period of catastrophic change.

The term "stable" is actually a bit of a misnomer, because ecosystems are naturally undergoing constant change, as all things do. But within certain limits, the ecosystems are able to maintain a general state of equilibrium. Only when their limits are surpassed does the state shift.

One of the best examples has occurred in lakes. In one stable state, a shallow lake may consist of clear water with lush vegetation growing on the lake bottom. But over time, fertilizer run-off from agriculture, for example, may load the lake with excess nutrients. These nutrients can build up and the lake can remain clear for years before a critical threshold is reached and the lake suddenly changes from clear to murky. Algae then grow on the surface, and bottom-dwelling plants, deprived of light and oxygen, die off, making the water even more turbid and inhospitable to fish and other life.

The authors of the Nature article, an international group of ecologists, point out that returning the lake to its clear state is not simply a matter of reducing nutrient levels to those before the shift. Once the fish, plants, and other organisms who were essential to maintaining the clarity of the lake were gone, clear water would not return until nutrient levels are far lower than they were when the collapse occurred. That makes restoring the ecosystem even more difficult.

This type of ecosystem shift has also been documented in coral reefs. In the Caribbean, for example, many reefs have become colonized by fleshy microalgae. The algae had previously been kept in check by herbivorous fish and sea urchins, but nutrient run-off and overfishing caused fish stocks to plummet. Then, when a pathogen devastated the sea urchin population, a shift occurred and the algae rapidly colonized the reef.

Crucial to these examples is the point that changes between stable states did not occur gradually or smoothly. Instead, the changes were unannounced, and early warning signals of impending catastrophic change were unnoticed or difficult to detect. The authors conclude, "gradual change in environmental conditions, such as human-induced eutrophication (oxygen depletion) and global warming, may have little apparent effect on the state of these systems but still alter the 'stability domain' or resilience of the current state and, hence, the likelihood that a shift to an alternative state will occur in response to natural or human-induced fluctuations."

What this means is that an ecosystem like a forest or a lake may continue to appear normal, even though pollution or the loss of species is actually weakening it. Then suddenly that apparent stability can no longer be maintained and a collapse occurs. Unfortunately, we can't predict when and how that will happen, and once it does, restoring the original state may be impossible or take decades or even centuries. It makes far more ecological and economic sense to protect what we've got rather than attempting to put blocks in place after a collapse.

Source: http://www.enn.com/news/enn- stories/2001/11/11012001/s_45424.asp

11/1/01
6:55:04 PM

FAIR

Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting

Media analysis, critiques and news reports

ACTION ALERT: CNN Says Focus on Civilian Casualties Would Be "Perverse"

According to the Washington Post (10/31/01), CNN Chair Walter Isaacson "has ordered his staff to balance images of civilian devastation in Afghan cities with reminders that the Taliban harbors murderous terrorists, saying it 'seems perverse to focus too much on the casualties or hardship in Afghanistan.'"

Post media reporter Howard Kurtz quotes a memo from Isaacson to CNN's international correspondents: "As we get good reports from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, we must redouble our efforts to make sure we do not seem to be simply reporting from their vantage or perspective. We must talk about how the Taliban are using civilian shields and how the Taliban have harbored the terrorists responsible for killing close to 5,000 innocent people."

The memo went on to admonish reporters covering civilian deaths not to "forget it is that country's leaders who are responsible for the situation Afghanistan is now in," suggesting that journalists should lay responsibility for civilian casualties at the Taliban's door, not the U.S. military's.

Kurtz also quotes a follow-up memo from Rick Davis, CNN's head of standards and practices, that suggested sample language for news anchors:

" 'We must keep in mind, after seeing reports like this from Taliban-controlled areas, that these U.S. military actions are in response to a terrorist attack that killed close to 5,000 innocent people in the U.S.' or, 'We must keep in mind, after seeing reports like this, that the Taliban regime in Afghanistan continues to harbor terrorists who have praised the September 11 attacks that killed close to 5,000 innocent people in the U.S.,' or 'The Pentagon has repeatedly stressed that it is trying to minimize civilian casualties in Afghanistan, even as the Taliban regime continues to harbor terrorists who are connected to the September 11 attacks that claimed thousands of innocent lives in the U.S.' "

Davis stated that "even though it may start sounding rote, it is important that we make this point each time."

The New York Times reported (11/1/01) that these policies are already being implemented at CNN, with other networks following a similar, though perhaps not as formalized, strategy. "In the United States," the Times noted, "television images of Afghan bombing victims are fleeting, cushioned between anchors or American officials explaining that such sights are only one side of the story." In other countries, however, "images of wounded Afghan children curled in hospital beds or women rocking in despair over a baby's corpse" are "more frequent and lingering."

When CNN correspondent Nic Robertson reported yesterday from the site of a bombed medical facility in Kandahar, the Times reported, U.S. anchors "added disclaimers aimed at reassuring American viewers that the network was not siding with the enemy." CNN International, however, did not add any such disclaimers.

During its U.S broadcasts, CNN "quickly switched to the rubble of the World Trade Center" after showing images of the damage in Kandahar, and the anchor "reminded viewers of the deaths of as many as 5,000 people whose 'biggest crime was going to work and getting there on time.'"

If anything in this story is "perverse," it's that one of the world's most powerful news outlets has instructed its journalists not to report Afghan civilian casualties without attempting to justify those deaths. "I want to make sure we're not used as a propaganda platform," Isaacson told the Washington Post. But his memo essentially mandates that pro-U.S. propaganda be included in the news.

ACTION: Please tell CNN to factually report the consequences of the U.S. war in Afghanistan without editorializing. Including a justification for the bombing with every mention of civilian casualties risks turning CNN from a news outlet into a propaganda service.

CONTACT:

CNN, Walter Isaacson, Chairman and CEO

Phone: (404) 827-1500

Fax: (404) 827-1784

mailto:community@cnn.com

As always, please remember that your comments are taken more seriously if you maintain a polite tone.

Please cc fair@fair.org with your correspondence.

For further details, see Howard Kurtz's full Washington Post story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14435- 2001Oct30.html

11/1/01
6:51:48 PM

Environmental news from GRIST MAGAZINE

<http: //www.gristmagazine.com/grist/default.asp?source=top>

OUR SNICKER

The Bush administration tucked its tail between its legs and decided yesterday to toughen the limit for arsenic in drinking water from 50 parts per billion to the 10 ppb. The stricter standard was originally approved by the Clinton administration, but then rejected by current U.S. EPA Administrator Christie Whitman, who questioned the science behind it and said the cost would be prohibitive for small communities. Environmentalists denounced her decision, and held it up as a shining example of the Bush administration's hostility toward the environment. Whitman changed her tune following a public comment period and a report by the National Academy of Sciences that indicated that the risks of developing cancer and other health problems from arsenic-contaminated water -- even at 10 ppb -- are much greater than previously thought.

straight to the source: Washington Post, Edward Walsh, 01 Nov 2001 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20926- 2001Oct31.html>

THE PERSISTENCE OF MERCURY

Anyone who's ever broken an old-style thermometer knows it's tough to clean up mercury, but the state of Washington is undeterred. The state's Ecology Department has created the nation's only program to battle persistent bioaccumulative toxins, or PBTs, and mercury will be the first target. Found in substances ranging from eye makeup to industrial waste to contaminated seafood, mercury can cause neurological problems and birth defects. Nearly 3,700 pounds of mercury from industrial sites are known to have contaminated air, land, and water in Washington last year, and untold additional pounds went unreported.

straight to the source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Lisa Stiffler, 30 Oct 2001 <http://seattlep- i.nwsource.com/local/44651_mercury30.shtml>

CLIMATE CONTRAIL

Of the many unprecedented events of Sept. 11, one of them -- the near-absence of airplanes in the skies that day and the next -- has given scientists important clues for studying the impact of aviation on climate change. Normally, the sky above 25,000 feet is full of contrails, cloud-like phenomena that form when ice crystals bond to jet fumes. Climatologists have long suspected that contrails contribute to global warming, but with constant air traffic, there was no way to compare the sky with and without airplanes. Now scientists are optimistic that data from Sept. 11 and 12 will help refine climate change computer modeling. Meanwhile for an update on the climate negotiation scene, as the latest round of international talks begins this week in Morocco, visit the Grist Magazine website.

straight to the source: New York Times, Andrew C. Revkin, 30 Oct 2001 <htt p://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/30/science/earth/30CONT.html>

BUTTERFLIES IN THEIR STOMACHS

Seventy-five percent of butterfly species in the United Kingdom are in decline, according to a study published this week in the journal Nature. Some experts had expected butterflies to be doing well as a result of global warming, because milder weather was expected to increase the ranges of many species. But temperature increases in the U.K. haven't been enough to compensate for habitat loss. The study, which was coordinated by Butterfly Conservation and three British universities, attributed the diminishing number of butterflies to the destruction of meadows, woodlands, and moors, and warned that without significant intervention many species would become rare or extinct.

straight to the source: BBC News, Helen Briggs, 31 Oct 2001 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1630000/1630193 .stm>

11/1/01
6:34:15 PM

Public Citizen Urges NRC, Congress to Take Hint From FAA

Flight Ban Underscores Dangers of Nuclear Power Plants

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Flight restrictions around nuclear power plants imposed this week by the federal government underscore how dangerous the plants are and serve as further proof that nuclear power plants should not be relicensed and new plants should not be built, Public Citizen said today.

On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibited all general aviation flights within 10 miles of, and lower than 18,000 feet above, the nation's commercial nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities, for reasons of national security. Such concern is not unwarranted; a disciple of Osama bin Laden being held in Afghanistan by the Northern Alliance was quoted in The Washington Post this week as saying that the terrorists who struck America on Sept. 11 should have targeted a nuclear plant.

But while the FAA apparently recognizes the threat posed by nuclear plants, others in government are continuing efforts to expand and subsidize the nuclear industry. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is still working toward relicensing nuclear plants, and congressional lawmakers are continuing to push a measure that would require taxpayers pay the majority of the costs in the event of a nuclear accident.

"Since Sept. 11, the public has been seeking assurances that nuclear power plants will not be the next, and incredibly devastating, targets of terrorist attacks," said Wenonah Hauter, director of Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program. "Yet astonishingly, even in the midst of a seemingly interminable series of heightened alerts, federal policymakers are acting to enrich the target environment for terrorists by taking steps to build new nuclear plants and extend the lives of old ones."

Nuclear power plants were originally licensed to operate for 40 years. Relicensing allows them to operate for another 20. In the weeks since Sept. 11, the NRC has forged ahead with the process of renewing licenses for reactors at several nuclear power plants. (The plants are Edwin E. Hatch, located northwest of Savannah, Ga.; Turkey Point, located northeast of Miami, Fla.; Surry, located near Williamsburg, Va.; North Anna, located northwest of Richmond, Va.; Catawba, in South Carolina, just south of Charlotte, N.C.; McGuire, located west of Charlotte, N.C.; and Peach Bottom, located west of Philadelphia.) Ultimately, perhaps as many as two- thirds of the nation's 103 operating reactors could be granted extensions through the NRC's pro forma relicensing procedure.

"It's often said that September 11 changed everything," Hauter said. "But not for the NRC, which is continuing business as usual. For the agency to just keep moving along on these license renewal applications is irresponsible and bizarre."

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved H.R. 2983, which reauthorizes the Price-Anderson Act. That act provides government-backed indemnification for the nuclear power industry in the event of any nuclear power accident. This will ensure that most of the cost of a nuclear plant accident would be paid for by taxpayers, not the nuclear power industry.

The bill's supporters say it is crucial for the construction of new nuclear power plants - evidence that the government wants to shield the industry from competitive market forces and effectively pave the way for the construction of new plants.

"The construction of new nuclear power plants is out of step with public sentiment, particularly now," Hauter said. "It's also unnecessary and incomprehensible. Really, what are these people thinking?"

Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C.

For more information, please visit http:www.citizen.org

11/1/01
6:22:37 PM

ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE

http://ens-news.com

ANTHRAX CLAIMS A FOURTH LIFE

WASHINGTON, DC, October 31, 2001 (ENS) - A fourth person has died of inhalation anthrax, and in this puzzling new case, there seems to be no link to anthrax contaminated post offices or mailrooms. Authorities fear the victim, a 61 year old woman who worked at a New York City hospital, could point to previously unknown targets of anthrax attacks.

For full text and graphics visit:

http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2001/2001L-10-31-07.html

NEW ZEALAND TO RESUME TRANSGENIC CROP TRIALS

By Bob Burton

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, October 31, 2001 (ENS) - The New Zealand Labor Government has decided to allow the resumption of field trials of genetically modified organisms. The move, announced by Prime Minister Helen Clark on Tuesday, has been welcomed by biotech lobby groups and rejected by environmental and indigenous Maori groups.

For full text and graphics visit:

http://ens- news.com/ens/oct2001/2001L-10-31-01.html

ENVIRONMENT STILL OFF WORLD TRADE TALKS AGENDA

BRUSSELS, Belgium, October 31, 2001 (ENS) - The odds of a new round of world trade negotiations including substantive talks on environmental issues have lengthened following the emergence of a new draft text for ministerial agreement at the Doha summit, due to start on November 9. Despite strong pressure from the European Union, the draft proposes no new environmental negotiations.

For full text and graphics visit:

http://ens- news.com/ens/oct2001/2001L-10-31-04.html

BACKYARD BAT HOUSES PROMOTE PEST CONTROL

GAINESVILLE, Florida, October 31, 2001 (ENS) - If you see more bats this Halloween, it may be because homeowners are installing backyard bat houses to encourage the flying mammals to hang around and provide natural pest control, says a University of Florida (UF) expert.

For full text and graphics visit:

http://ens- news.com/ens/oct2001/2001L-10-31-06.html

ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE AMERISCAN: OCTOBER 31, 2001

Nature Conservancy Campaign Protects Colorado Wildlands

Coalition: Manatee Recovery Plan Needs More Work

Agriculture Department Appoints Natural Resources Secretary

New York Grant Supports New Energy Efficiency Standards

Alaska Tightens Security on Hazmat Shipments

Long Island Utility Installs Fuel Cells

Union Builds Green Headquarters

Arizona Hosts Colorado Plateau Conference

Furniture Company Seeks Exemption to Fill Wetlands

Energy Department Celebrates Weatherization Day

For full text and graphics visit:

http://ens- news.com/ens/oct2001/2001L-10-31-09.html

11/1/01
6:17:41 PM

Bin Laden's Family Cutting Ties With Carlyle Group Investment Firm

by Marcy Gordon, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Osama bin Laden's family in Saudi Arabia is cutting its financial ties with the Carlyle Group, a politically connected U.S. private investment firm, a source familiar with the relationship said Friday.

The break was a mutual decision, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The bin Laden family decided to sell its investment worth $2.02 million back to the firm mainly because its stake in a Carlyle fund that invests in buyouts of military and aerospace companies, the source said, confirming a report in Friday's editions of The New York Times.

There had been criticism in Saudi Arabia after the Sept. 11 terror attacks that the family, which disowned exiled Islamic militant Osama bin Laden years ago, might profit from increased military spending in the U.S. war against terrorism.

The family, whose construction company is one of the largest in the Middle East, also has invested with a number of other investment funds and financial institutions around the world, reportedly including U.S. financial services giant Citigroup, Deutsche Bank of Germany and the Dutch bank ABN Amro.

Carlyle has some $14 billion in assets under management. Its chairman is Frank Carlucci, a former U.S. defense secretary. Former President George Bush, former secretary of state James Baker and Arthur Levitt, who had been chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission through most of the Clinton administration, are senior advisers to the firm.

Source: http://www.truthout.com/11.0 1E.htm

11/1/01
6:12:12 PM

MediaChannel.org

DAILY MEDIA NEWS

Breaking news stories about the international media, from mainstream and alternative sources.

http://www.mediachannel .org/news/today/

Global conflict coverage exclusively from Globalvision News Network.

http://www.gvnewsne t.com/html/USUnderAttack

OCTOBER 31, 2001 *New Features*

SHOULD WE TRASH MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES? The official comment period for revising media ownership rules continues. MediaChannel affiliates explain what's at stake and offer easy ways to make your voice heard.

http://www.mediac hannel.org/atissue/ownership

ANYWHERE, ANYTIME ACCESS

John Vince and Robert McChesney on the problems and promise of "digital convergence," where computer and communication technologies meet. (From UNESCO)

http://www.med iachannel.org/front.shtml#converge

MEDIA READER

The best media about the media. MediaChannel's international, biweekly, multimedia magazine * Nickelodeon Demolishes Moldova's Kids * Testing Drug Ads * Covering The Energy Crisis And much, much more... Plus: Streaming audio and video

http://www.mediach annel.org/news/mediareader

GLOBAL MEDIA LANDSCAPE: BELARUS

Last month's election bodes ill for the independent press of Belarus, especially because the United States backed the losing candidate.

http://w ww.mediachannel.org/news/reports/Belarus.shtml

MEDIACULTURE

A collaboration between MediaChannel and Alternet exploring the currents, crises and cultures of American media. Recently featured: * Funders Boycott Public Radio * AOL Censors Springsteen Lyrics * Lynn "Culture Warrior" Cheney And much, much more...

http://www .mediachannel.org/front.shtml#mediaculture

11/1/01
6:05:57 PM

AlterNet Headlines

http://www.alternet.org

OPERATION ENDURING AVARICE

Arianna Huffington, AlterNet

The so-called economic stimulus package that passed the House last week will dole out untold billions to major corporations and almost nothing to folks who have lost their jobs since 9/11.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11839

$1.4 BILLION FOR IBM + $1 BILLION FOR FORD = WAR PROFITEERING IBM wants a $1.4 billion tax rebate. Ford wants $1 billion. Countless other corporations are looking for huge handouts. If the Senate approves the phony "economic stimulus" package, Big Business could pocket over $70 billion. Learn more and take action to stop the bill at:

http://www.ourfuture.org

AFTER THE TALIBAN, CAN A COALITION GOVERNMENT SURVIVE?

Michael Kamber, Village Voice

Which of the factions will take power: the exiled king Zahir Shah, the Northern Alliance or a former mujahedeen warlord? Or will the Taliban hold on? A report from Central Asia.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11834

RELIGIOUS RIGHT ON THE ROPES

Bill Berkowitz, AlterNet

The Religious Right has taken a beating since Sept. 11, suffering ridicule for its leaders' remarks and comparisons to fundamental Islam. A survey of the Right's folly since the attacks.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11840

IS QUESTIONING WAR NAïVE?

Tim Wise, AlterNet

When warhawks call those of us who question war "naïve," it reminds me of something my Grandma once said: "You can call your ass a turkey, but that doesn't make it Thanksgiving."

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11833

CONFESSIONS OF A CALL GIRL'S FRIEND

Dara Colwell, Metro Silicon Valley

'Toni' made no secret of her occupation when I interviewed as a roommate, but even though she never brought her tricks home, there are some parts of any job that can't be left behind.

http://www.alt ernet.org/story.html?StoryID=11836

SMACKED OUT

Mara Shalhoup, Creative Loafing Atlanta

Believers say a little-known drug called ibogaine eases heroin cravings and withdrawal, but it's never gained popularity with pharmaceutical