be just

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 12/13/2007 | Somalia descends into Africa's worst crisis : "AFGOYE, Somalia — A year after the U.S.-backed Ethiopian army toppled a hard-line Islamist regime in Somalia, the country has become Africa's worst humanitarian catastrophe. Some 200,000 refugees, mostly women and children, have fled from a pro-government offensive to makeshift camps along a 10-mile stretch of sun-baked asphalt that leads from the seaside capital of Mogadishu toward the inland town of Afgoye."

In Japan, denial over Nanjing still holds sway after 70 years | csmonitor.com : "Tokyo - On a crisp autumn evening, as some 1,500 people fill the hall near the Yasukuni war-memorial shrine to hear former Imperial Army soldiers tell 'the truth of the Nanjing Incident' in World War II, Hideaki Kase wastes no time going on the offensive."

The Blotter: Another KBR Rape Claim Brings Scrutiny : "Congress is asking questions about another ex-employee of government contracting firm KBR who claims she was raped in Iraq."

"12/12/07 'ICH' --- - The US intelligence community's new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) -- 'Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities' -- makes a point of saying up front (in bold type): 'This NIE does not (italics in original) assume that Iran intends to acquire nuclear weapons.' The report goes on to state: 'We judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program .'"

Since Gulf War 1 - 73,846 US Dead, 1,620,906 Disabled Since Gulf War 1 - 73,846 US Dead, 1,620,906 Disabled

Suspected Army suicides set record - USATODAY.com : "WASHINGTON — A record number of soldiers — 109 — have killed themselves this year, according to Army statistics showing confirmed or suspected suicides. The deaths occur as soldiers serve longer combat deployments and the Army spends $100 million on support programs."

Hillary Clinton on Iraq - by Stephen Zunes : "Public opinion polls have consistently shown that the majority of Americans – and even a larger majority of Democrats – believe that Iraq is the most important issue of the day, that it was wrong for the United States to have invaded that country, and the United States should completely withdraw its forces in short order. Despite this, the clear front-runner for the Democratic Party nomination for president is Senator Hillary Clinton, a strident backer of the invasion who only recently and opportunistically began to criticize the war and call for a partial withdrawal of American forces."

Iraq: Sunnis, Sadrists Attack U.S. Security Pact - RADIO FREE EUROPE / RADIO LIBERTY : "A declaration of principles that U.S. President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki signed on November 26 calling for the negotiation of a long-term agreement on future political, economic, and security cooperation could pave the way for U.S. forces to pull out of Iraq by the end of next year."

BBC NEWS | Africa | Ethiopia denies Somalia bombing : "Ethiopia has denied involvement in an mortar attack that killed at least 17 people in the main market in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, on Thursday. More gunfire and explosions were heard near Bakara market on Friday morning, but there are no details of casualties. Ethiopian troops backing the interim Somali government were earlier reported to be behind Thursday's shelling, in which more than 40 people were injured."

Somali Islamists Said to Be Regrouping » Ethiopian Review : "By SALAD DUHUL – 21 hours ago MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somalia's government is not in control of most of this war-ravaged country, and a radical Islamic group that was driven out last year is regrouping, a Somali official said Thursday. 'About 80 percent of Somalia is not safe and is not under control of the government,' Sheik Qasim Ibrahim Nur, director of security at the National Security Ministry, told The Associated Press. 'Islamists are planning to launch a massive attack against (the government) and its allied troops.' 'Islamists are now regrouping vast areas in southern and central Somalia,' he added."