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Global social justice movement resources
Collection of interviews and Web sites with contacts for breaking news about the global social justice movement. (Audio files in MP3 and RealAudio formats.)

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Hungry for more news from "Between The Lines?"

Many BTL interviews are excerpted from Scott Harris' WPKN program, "Counterpoint." To hear more in-depth analysis you'll rarely hear in corporate media, listen to "Counterpoint" LIVE Monday nights from 8 to 10 p.m. ET.

Listen during the above time slot by clicking here!

Check out our
new archive
of selected in-depth interviews and other audio collectibles on our distribution production company's site at www.squeakywheel.net


WPKN Radio mentioned in Danny Schechter's "The News Dissector" column on independent media values. Click here to view the column on Mediachannel.org.

New Haven Advocate's
"Best of New Haven 2001"
-- Staff Picks --
Scott Harris, Best Radio News Reporter
WPKN Radio, 89.5 FM

"Giving Voice to Dissent: Bridgeport's WPKN Radio Covers The News With Left-Of-Center Takes Not Found In The Mainstream Media" Hartford Courant, Feb. 26, 2003

"The Rest of the News," New Haven Advocate, July 3, 2003


ISSUES IN-DEPTH

War And Profiteering

Those Who Dared to Come Forward
Compilation of Washington insiders speaking out on Bush administration policies and actions

Project for the New American Century's Letter to President Clinton on Iraq, Jan. 26, 1998 Urges President Clinton to remove the threat that Iraq poses by stating a strategy to do so in his "upcoming State of the Union Address."

"Iraq On The Record," U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman report, March 16, 2004

"Greenspan Testimony Highlights Bush Plan for Deliberate Federal Bankruptcy," by Michael Meurer, truthout.org, March 2, 2004

"Noam Chomsky on Middle East Conflict and U.S. War Plan Against Iraq," Between The Lines interview with Noam Chomsky, conducted by Scott Harris, for the Week Ending May 3, 2002

"The Iraq War & The Bush Administration's Pursuit of Global Domination," Counterpoint, Sept. 15, 2003

The Iraq Crisis, a Global Policy Forum, U.N. Security Council section on the 13 years of sanctions and other background of the war, the humanitarian situation, the importance of Iraq's huge oil resources, and disputes over a post-war government and reconstruction plan

"Occupation, Inc." Southern Exposure, Winter, 2003/2004

"Pipeline Politics: Oil, The Taliban, and the Political Balance of Central Asia," World Press Review Special Report, Nov.-Dec. 2001

"War Profiteering," by The Nation editors, April 24, 2003

"An Annotated Saddam Chronology," ZNet, Dec. 15, 2003

Civil Liberties

"The Global Gulag: Into The Shadows," by Tom Engelhardt, TomDispatch.com, April 5, 2004

"Keeping Secrets: The Bush administration is doing the public's business out of the public eye. Here's how--and why," by Christopher H. Schmitt and Edward T. Pound, U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 12, 2003

"FBI Memo: Tactics Used During Protests And Demonstrations" Federal Bureau of Investigation, Oct. 15, 2003

"F.B.I. Scrutinizes Antiwar Rallies" by Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, Nov. 23, 2003

"Fascism Anyone?" 21 Signs of Fascism, Free Inquiry Magazine, Volume 23, No. 2

"Germany In 1933: The Easy Slide Into Fascism," The Crisis Papers, June 9, 2003

Multi-Ethnic Issues Advocacy

Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson's Commentaries, The Hutchinson Report
and in Audio (needs RealPlayer)

Between
The Lines

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Between The Lines
For The Week Ending Oct. 21, 2005

ANNOUNCEMENTS

"Parallel Deceptions: The Bush Agenda for War in Iraq and Iran"
Speech and Q&A with former U.N. Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter,
Saturday, Sept. 17

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are already at war with Iran." -- Scott Ritter, former U.N. chief weapons inspector and Marine Intelligence officer


Contact us to order a audio or video recording of Scott Ritter's talk sponsored by Squeaky Wheel Productions!
Click here to receive pricing and delivery information betweenthelines@snet.net

News stories on this event:

THIS WEEK'S PROGRAM
  • Iraq's Draft Constitution, If Approved,
    Could Provoke Civil War

    For story text and audio, Click here!

  • White House and Congress
    Link Gulf Coast Aid
    to Deep Cuts in Social Programs

    For story text and audio, Click here!

  • Bush's Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers
    Draws Charge of Cronyism
    from Democrats and Republicans Alike

    For story text and audio, Click here!

  • Underreported News Summary
    from Around the World

    For full summary and audio, Click here!
LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below. MP3 files available until Oct. 25, 2005.

This week we present Between The Lines' summary of under-reported news stories and:

Iraq's Draft Constitution, If Approved,
Could Provoke Civil War

Interview with Mel Goodman,
former CIA analyst and senior fellow
at the Center for International Policy,
conducted by Scott Harris

iraqcivilwar

As Iraq's constitutional referendum approaches, attacks by insurgents have escalated, resulting in carnage that is only expected to get more intense. Car bombings, ambushes and mortar attacks carried out by combatants resisting the U.S. occupation and opposed to the proposed constitution, have many observers concerned that the Oct. 15th vote may fan the flames of conflict, possibly catapulting the nation into a full-blown civil war. News reports alleging that death squads targeting Sunni Muslims have been operated by the Iraqi government's Interior Ministry have only heightened tensions.

One of the most contentious provisions of the draft constitution would sanction the autonomous zone in the oil-rich Kurdish north and allow for a similar zone in the Shiite south. Many Iraqis of Sunni descent oppose the autonomous zones, fearing that this will inevitably lead to a break-up of Iraq into three separate nations. Other objections have been raised about the status of women under the proposed new constitution, where family disputes, such as divorce, child custody and inheritance, will be referred to religious courts where women have little or no rights.

The draft charter can be defeated if a two-thirds majority vote "no" in three of Iraq's 18 provinces -- a goal that some Sunni leaders say they will campaign for. The October referendum will be followed by a December vote for a new Parliament. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with former CIA analyst Mel Goodman, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy. Goodman assesses the dangers connected with Iraq's constitutional referendum.

Contact the Center for International Policy by calling (202) 232-3317 or visit their website at: www.ciponline.org

Related links:

White House and Congress
Link Gulf Coast Aid
to Deep Cuts in Social Programs

Interview with Max Wolff,
economist at the University of Massachusetts,
conducted by Melinda Tuhus

Hurricane Katrina exposed the face of grinding, endemic poverty in America, especially among people of color. After the Bush administration's much criticized response to the killer storm, the president responded by committing up to $200 billion needed to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. But the spending priorities of the White House and Congress could increase poverty among the very population most affected by the hurricane.

Meanwhile, the war in Iraq has cost about $200 billion to date. Tax cuts favoring the wealthy are scheduled to take more than a trillion dollar-bite out of the federal budget. Yet, in the face of the Gulf Coast disaster, President Bush and the Republican leadership in Congress oppose any effort to scale back tax breaks. Republican leaders in Congress have recently cautioned against spending a large amount on Gulf Coast reconstruction, and have proposed massive cuts in social services -- but not the military -- to offset relief spending. And, in response to the latest global disaster -- the earthquake in Pakistan - Bush immediately pledged $50 million in aid with more promised to President Pervez Musharref, a staunch U.S. ally in the Washington's war against terrorism. Many observers are now asking where will all this money come from?

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Max Wolff, an economist at the University of Massachusetts. He talks about all the zeroes being tossed around in Washington, and the real world consequences of various tax and spending proposals.

Read Max Wolff's commentaries online at www.PrudentBear.com. In November,Wolff will be launching a new website at www.globalmacroscope.com

Bush's Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers
Draws Charge of Cronyism
from Democrats and Republicans Alike

Interview with Jamin Raskin,
professor of law at American University,
conducted by Scott Harris

miers

President Bush's selection of Harriet Miers to fill the Supreme Court seat being vacated by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor sent shock waves through the Washington establishment. Miers, the president's long-time friend who currently serves as White House Counsel, has no experience as a judge and little if any paper trail to determine her judicial philosophy. Charges of "cronyism" were directed at the president's choice by Democrats and Republicans alike.

Before becoming Bush's personal attorney, Miers headed up the Texas State Bar Association and was later appointed by then-Gov. Bush to become chair of the Texas Lottery Commission.

Although White House officials have privately reassured nervous Republican senators and Christian fundamentalist leaders about Miers' conservative and anti-abortion credentials, some on the Right, like Kansas GOP Senator Sam Brownback have publicly criticized the president's choice and may vote against her. Confusing the situation was Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid's endorsement of Miers - she was on the Democrat's list of suggested nominees. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Jamin Raskin, professor of law at American University, who assesses the Miers nomination and what's at stake for the nation.

Jamin Raskin is the author of "Over-Ruling Democracy: The Supreme Court vs. The American People."

This week's summary
of under-reported news

Compiled by Bob Nixon

  • Nigeria resisting calls to hand over former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor, who faces 17 counts of crimes against humanity. ("A warrior's exile divides his hosts," Washington Post, Oct. 9, 2005; "U.S. calls for UN arrest of Charles Taylor," Associated Press, Oct. 4, 2005; Nigeria refuses to hand over Taylor," Reuters, July 4, 2005; "Sierra Leone Tribunal presses Nigeria," Associated Press, Sept. 30, 2005)
  • Tyco lawyer Tim Flanigan withdrew his nomination for U.S. deputy attorney general after questions were raised about his relationship with Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a top Bush fundraiser who has close ties to GOP powerbrokers like former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, White House adviser Karl Rove. Abramoff is a target of a federal corruption probe. ("Abramoff probe may threaten leading Republicans," Bloomberg.org, Sept. 23, 2005; "Justice Dept. nominee linked to lobbyist withdraws," Chicago Tribune, Oct. 8, 2005; "Ex-White House aide indicted in Abramoff case," Washington Post, Oct. 6, 2005)
  • Consumer groups have mobilized to stop producers' efforts to preserve the use of synthetic agents in food certified as organic. ("O Brother, Where Artificial Thou," The Grist, Sept. 29, 2005)

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 Oct. 25, 2005

Note to our broadcast affiliates: We offer FTP and RSS 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, obtain schedules or send feedback to us at betweenthelines@snet.net.

Credits:
Senior news editor: Bob Nixon
News copy editor: Chris Ferrio
Program narration: Elaine Osowski
News reader: Ruben Abreu
Segment producers: Scott Harris, Melinda Tuhus
Distribution: Anna Manzo, Harry Minot, Jeff Yates, Bill Cosentino
Senior Web editor/producer: Anna Manzo
Web producer: Jeff Yates
Newswire editor: Hank Hoffman
Executive producer: Scott Harris
Theme music: Performed by Mikata and written by Richard Hill and Jodi Gray


Between The Lines
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Last Week's Program

Between The Lines Week Ending 10/14/05

Between The Lines Community Forum

Share your thoughts with the Between The Lines crew and listeners' community!

U.S. Politics

"Why Can't The Left Face The Stolen Elections Of 2004 And 2008?," by Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman, Columbus Free Press, Oct. 18, 2005

"The Left Falls Victim To Partisan War Syndrome," by David Sirota, In These Times, Oct. 17, 2005

"Pro-War Votes May Haunt Democrats," Associated Press, Oct. 17, 2005

"Supporting Hillary (Not)," by Cindy Sheehan, Common Dreams, Oct. 16, 2005

"Agony: John Roberts Reveals His True Agenda," by David Podvin, Make Them Accountable, Oct. 15, 2005

More newswire ...

Bush Regime

"Washington On Tenterhooks Over Leak Case," by Jim Lobe, Inter Press Service, Oct. 18, 2005

"Cheney's Office Is A Focus In Leak Case," Washington Post, Oct. 18, 2005

"Harriet Miers: A Sucker Punch," by Joshua Holland, AlterNet, Oct. 18, 2005

"Miers Disavows Saying Constitution Protects Privacy," Bloomberg.com, Oct. 18, 2005

"Cheney May Be Entangled In Leak Investigation," Bloomberg, Oct. 17, 2005

"Miller's Lawyer Says Cheney Aide May Face 'Problem' In Probe," Washington Post, Oct. 17, 2005

"Report: Privatizing Social Security Would Drive Millions Below Poverty Line," OneWorld.net, Oct. 15, 2005

More newswire ...

American Empire/War Profiteering

"'We Do Not Deserve These People': Review Of 'The New American Militarism,'" by Anatol Lieven, London Review of Books/UK, Oct. 20, 2005

"Halliburton's New Low In Treachery," by Dave Zweifel, Madison Capital Times (Wisconsin), Oct. 17, 2005

"Rice Enlists Support For Syria, Iran Showdowns," Reuters, Oct. 17, 2005

"Army Recruitment Woes And The Four-Letter Explanation," by Rick Mercier, Common Dreams, Oct. 16, 2005

More newswire ...

"Postwar" Occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan

"Constitution Passes In All But Two Iraq Provinces," The Australian/Australia, Oct. 18, 2005

"'Civilians Killed' As U.S. Targets Militants," Associated Press, Oct. 17, 2005

"Iraq To Audit Vote Amid Fraud Allegations," Associated Press, Oct. 17, 2005

"Administration's Tone Signals Longer, Broader Iraq Conflict," The New York Times, Oct. 16, 2005

More newswire ...

Civil Liberties/ Human Rights

"Is Your Printer Spying On You?," Electronic Frontier Foundation, Oct. 13, 2005

More newswire ...

Media Issues

"Who's In Charge? Miller Case Raises Questions About Paper's Editing And Decision-Making," by Rem Rieder, American Journalism Review, Oct./Nov., 2005

"The New York Times' Misguided Crusade," by Robert Scheer, AlterNet, Oct. 18, 2005

"Judy Miller, Little Miss Run-Amok," by Rory O'Connor, AlterNet, Oct. 17, 2005

"Judith Miller, The Fourth Estate And The Warfare State," by Norman Solomon, Truthout, Oct. 17, 2005

"All The News That's Fit To Spin?," by Jerry Lanson, Common Dreams, Oct. 17, 2005

"More Reaction To Miller Opus: Many Questions Remain," Editor & Publisher, Oct. 16, 2005

"Judy Miller And The Damage Done," by Farhad Manjoo, Salon.com, Oct. 16, 2005

"The Emperor Doesn't Disclose: The Fight Against Fake News," by Diane Farsetta, Counterpunch, Oct. 15/16, 2005

More newswire ...

Activism

"A Winter Patriot: Reflections On The Antiwar Movement," by Virginia Rodino, Counterpunch, Oct. 18, 2005

"Chomsky Voted World's Top Public Intellectual," Guardian/UK, Oct. 18, 2005

"Student Ad Triggers Debate," Times Herald-Record (Middletown, NY), Oct. 18, 2005

"Dual Devotions? The Catholic Church And The U.S. Flag," by Ron Jacobs, Counterpunch, Oct. 18, 2005

"From Chaos To Conscience To Peace," by Monica Benderman, Common Dreams, Oct. 18, 2005

"Catholic High School Teacher Forced Out Over Flag," by Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive, Oct. 17, 2005

"Grandmothers Arrested At NYC Iraq War Protest," Associated Press, Oct. 17, 2005

More newswire ...

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