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• Are the American people being deceived by the media and White House policy on Iraq?

  On Dec. 10, 2003 at 1 p.m. at the Student Center Theater at Western Connecticut State University's Midtown Campus, Scott Harris will be pre-recording "Counterpoint," a radio news show featured on WPKN, 89.5 FM, Mondays at 8 p.m. Harris, executive producer of Between The Lines radio newsmagazine, will be interviewing Bruce Shapiro, contributing editor of the Nation Magazine, investigative reporter and political analyst. Call (203) 268-8446 if you need further information.

  Audience participation is welcomed!

• In case you missed the Media Reform Conference in Madison, Wis. last month, RealAudio and MP3 of speeches and workshops can be heard by clicking here!

THIS WEEK'S PROGRAM

• Critics Charge that FBI Spying
  on Peace Groups Chills Free Speech
  For story text and audio, Click here!

• Bush Surprise Thanksgiving Visit
  to Baghdad Decried by Military
  Families as Re-election Photo Opp
  For story text and audio, Click here!

• Groups that Defeated Congressional Energy Bill
  Gear Up to Fight Any New Attempt
  to Pass the Measure
  For story text and audio, Click here!

• Underreported News Summary
  from Around the World
  For full summary, Click here!

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When the Bush administration made public its plan to invade and overthrow the government of Saddam Hussein in the summer of 2002, peace activists across America began organizing opposition to the coming war. Using the Internet and alternative media to spread the word, hundreds of new local and national anti-war groups were formed and in just a few short months came together by the hundreds of thousands to demonstrate against the march to war.

The corporate media initially marginalized their coverage of the antiwar protests until the numbers of people in the streets were just too big to ignore. But the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it appears, maintained a keen interest in these groups from the beginning. A recently leaked confidential FBI memorandum details how government agents have collected information on the tactics, training and structure of legal peace organizations and enlisted local police departments to become their eyes in ears in monitoring these groups.

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Recent press reports, citing the FBI memo, have confirmed what activists and civil liberties advocates have long suspected about government surveillance of constitutionally protected political activities. In an echo of the many documented abuses of the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover, the Bureau justifies their actions by declaring that spying on the president's political opponents is simply part of the government's post-Sept. 11 anti-terrorism measures. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Barbara Olshansky, an attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights, who takes a critical look at the FBI's surveillance of dissidents and the chilling effect it has on free speech.

Contact the Center for Constitutional Rights at (212) 614-6464 or visit the group's website at www.ccr-ny.org

Related links:

• The American Civil Liberties Union www.aclu.org
• The Center for Constitutional Rights' Campaign to "Indict" Attorney General John Ashcroft, www.peoplevashcroft.org
• "Ashcroft's relaxed FBI guidelines allow targeting of antiwar protesters" www.peoplevashcroft.org, Nov. 26, 2003. The FBI seems ready to take us back to the days of Cointelpro
• "F.B.I. Scrutinizes Antiwar Rallies," by Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, Nov. 23, 2003
• "Mission Creep Hits Home," by William M. Arkin, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 23, 2003
• "FBI Spying on Peace Groups Chills Free Speech," Between The Lines Interview with Barbara Olshansky, lawyer with the Center for Constitutional Rights, Week Ending Dec. 12, 2003

Bush Surprise Thanksgiving Visit
to Baghdad Decried by Military
Families as Re-election Photo Opp

Interview with Jeri Reed,
member of Military Families Speak Out
conducted by Scott Harris

President Bush's surprise Thanksgiving trip to Iraq was intended, his advisors said, to boost the morale of American troops confronting an increasingly dangerous assignment. But the extreme secrecy with which the president's two-and-a-half hour visit to the Baghdad airport was carried out underscored the combat conditions and lack of security that persist in much of Iraq. Critics accused the president of taking unnecessary risks for what was essentially a photo opportunity, whose stage-managed images will undoubtedly be used in his re-election campaign.

While Bush attempted to use his trip to Iraq as a way to briefly deflect criticism of his handling of the war, U.S. soldiers continued to die in the conflict that he had declared was over on May 1. A recent battle between American troops and insurgents in the Iraqi city of Samarra was originally characterized by the Pentagon as a rare clearcut victory over anti-U.S. forces, resulting in the deaths of 54 guerrilla fighters. But civilians interviewed in Samarra disputed the military's description of the clash and the death toll, with many saying that the Americans had fired indiscriminately, killing mostly civilians. The encounter, some said, had turned greater numbers of local citizens against the U.S. occupation.

Jeri Reed is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Oklahoma whose son Cody is now serving with the U.S. military in Iraq. Reed, who is a member of the anti-war group Military Families Speak Out, talked with Between The Lines' Scott Harris about her view of the president's Thanksgiving trip to Baghdad and the dangers her son -- and 130,000 other U.S. soldiers -- continue to face daily in occupied Iraq.

Visit Military Families Speak Out's websites at www.mfso.org or www.bringthemhomenow.org

Related links:

• "Iraqis Deny US Accounts of Fierce Fight With 'Guerrillas'," by Phil Reeves, The Independent, Dec. 2, 2003
• "Death Toll Rises From Iraq Ambush," by BBC News, Dec. 1, 2003
• "Inside Story of How Washington is Losing its Battle," by Andrew Neil, The Scotsman, Nov. 30, 2003
• "The Turkey has Landed: How Bush Cooked Up a Secret Mission to Give Thanks to His Troops," by Phil Reeves in Baghdad and David Usborne in New York, The Independent/UK, Nov. 28, 2003
• "Bush Iraq Visit a Photo-Op Stunt," Agence France-Presse, Nov. 28, 2003
• "Death Takes No Holiday in Iraq: As Bush and Others Enjoyed Photo Ops on Thanksgiving, the Carnage Went On," by Robert Scheer, Los Angeles Times, Dec. 2, 2003
• "Relatives of U.S. Soldiers in Iraq Decry Bush's 'Photo Opportunity'," Institute for Public Accuracy, Nov. 28, 2003

Groups that Defeated Congressional Energy Bill
Gear Up to Fight Any New Attempt
to Pass the Measure

Interview with Winona Hauter,
director of Public Citizen's Energy
and Environmental Program,
conducted by Melinda Tuhus

In the final days before members of Congress left Washington for the holiday recess, the Senate blocked an omnibus energy bill that was packed with $23 billion in corporate tax breaks over ten years. The vast majority of the money was targeted to energy industries encouraging development of coal, gas and oil resources. One component of the bill would have abolished the Public Utility Holding Company Act and mandated a further reduction of government oversight of the electricity sector.

An impressive coalition of grassroots groups -- from anglers, hunters and public health advocates to communities of faith and environmental organizations -- helped stiffen the Senate's spine to oppose the bill. The legislation finally died, according to opponents, because of the flood of industry-friendly provisions. The Republican effort to pass the bill was doomed when House Majority Leader Tom DeLay refused to remove a provision protecting the makers of MTBE from costly lawsuits. MTBE is a toxic fuel additive proven to have contaminated the water supply in many parts of the country.

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Wenonah Hauter, director of Public Citizen's Energy and Environment Program. She explains how an earlier energy bill set the stage for the recent debate and what grassroots groups need to do to prevent the GOP-controlled Congress from passing what many view as a similarly harmful energy bill in the near future.

For more information, call Public Citizen at (202) 588-1000 or visit the Energy and Environment Program's web page at www.publiccitizen.org/cmep

Related links

• "Victory for Now; Energy Bill Fight Could Resume in January," Public Citizen's Critical Mass and Energy Program, Nov. 21, 2003
• "Filibuster Blocks $31 Billion Energy Bill in Senate, by Carl Hulse, The New York Times, Nov. 21, 2003

This week's summary
of under-reported news

Compiled by Bob Nixon

• Rebel war in northern Uganda leading to growing level of death and destruction relatively uncovered in the media. ("My Country's Anguish," World Press Review, November 2003)
• After Massachusett's historic ruling by the state's Supreme Court to legalize gay marriage, the issue suddenly rises at the top of the political agenda in New Jersey, Arizona, Wisconsin and Nevada. ("Gay Marriage Decision Spurs Action Across U.S.," Boston Globe, Nov. 28, 2003)
• Wal-Mart and other "big box" stores battle against local living wage laws. ("Wal-Mart's Big City Blues," The Nation, Dec. 8, 2003 [web version])
  

DOWNLOAD this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below. Needs Quicktime Player or your favorite MP3 player. Note: Make sure your browser is set for streaming or download depending on your connection speed. MP3 files available until Dec. 16, 2003

Note to our broadcast affiliates: We are now offering FTP access for faster, more reliable download of our broadcast quality files. Please call Anna Manzo at (203) 268-8446 ext. 2, to register for FTP logon access or send feedback to us at betweenthelines@snet.net.

• Consumer-quality MP3 for dialup or fast connection (Links to www.radio4all.net) download (6.6MB)

Credits:
Senior news editor: Bob Nixon
Program narration: Denise Manzari
News reader: Sasha Summer Cousineau
Segment producer: Melinda Tuhus
Distribution: Anna Manzo, Harry Minot, Jeff Yates
Senior Web editor/producer: Anna Manzo
Web producer: Jeff Yates
Web editors: Bill Cosentino and Hank Hoffman
Executive producer: Scott Harris
Theme music: Mikata

Last Week's Program

Between The Lines Week Ending 12/5/03

Bush Re-Election Issues

"Signs Of Economic Recovery Haven't Trickled Down," ZNet, Dec.3, 2003

"Who Tried To Bribe Rep. Smith?" Slate, Dec. 1, 2003

"The Uncompassionate Conservative," Mother Jones, Nov.-Dec., 2003

"Senate Republican Staffer Put on Leave," The Associated Press, Nov. 25, 2003

"Iraq War Providing a Boost to Al-Qaida," The Sun, Nov. 22, 2003

"War Critics Astonished as U.S. Hawk Admits Invasion Was Illegal," The Guardian UK, Nov. 20, 2003

"CIA Still Finds No Evidence Saddam Tried To Arm Terrorists: Report " Agence France-Presse, Nov. 17, 2003

"Bush & the Environment: Crimes Against Nature," the Rolling Stone, Nov. 11, 2003

American Empire/War Profiteering

"The War Party: Thieves As Well As Liars" Antiwar.com, Nov. 21, 2003

"The Axis of Oil: How a Plan for the World's Biggest Pipeline Threatens to Wreak Havoc," The Independent UK, Oct. 28, 2003

"Postwar" Occupation of Iraq

"Civilian Deaths Raise Iraqi Fears, Anger,'" Boston Globe, Dec. 3, 2003

"Appointment In Samarra," TomDispatch, Dec. 3, 2003

"Army Is Planning for 100,000 G.I.'s in Iraq Till 2006," The New York Times, Nov. 22, 2003

"CIA: The U.S Could Lose In Iraq," The Guardian/UK, Nov. 13, 2003

"Baghdad Burning: Girl Blog From Iraq"

"Juan Cole: Informed Comment"

Civil Liberties

"Greenpeace: Civil Disobedience On Trial," TomPaine.com, Dec. 2, 2003

"Amnesty International Calls For Miami Investigation," New York Times, Nov. 27, 2003

"Criminalizing Dissent: What Miami Means," Americas.org, Nov. 27, 2003

"Gen. Tommy Franks: U.S. + WMD Attack = Military Government," NewsMax.com, Nov. 21, 2003

"The War on Dissent:Heavy-handed Police and Propaganda Tactics Brought Baghdad to Miami," Toronto Globe & Mail, Nov. 25, 2003

"PATRIOT Act Expansion Moving Through Congress," OneWorld.Net, Nov. 21, 2003

"Arar Case A Symbol of Post-9/11 Excesses, Civil Liberties Group Says," Toronto Star, Nov. 16, 2003

Media And Activism

"Information Warfare In Miami," AlterNet, Dec. 1, 2003

"New Media Rules Partially Rolled Back," by Reuters, Nov. 24, 2003

"FCC Planning New Giveaway To Broadcasters," Center For Digital Democracy, Nov. 12, 2003

"War, Social Justice, Media And Democracy," ZNet, Nov. 10, 2003

National Conference on Media Reform, selected speeches, Nov. 7-9, 2003