be just

   Jimmy Carter Conspicuously Absent From Podium       : Information Clearing House - ICH Denver — Former president Jimmy Carter’s controversial views on Israel cost him a place on the podium at the Democratic Party convention in late August, senior Democratic operatives acknowledged to the Forward. Breaking with the tradition of giving speech time to living former presidents, convention organizers honored Carter with only a short video clip highlighting his work with Hurricane Katrina victims and a brief walk across the Pepsi Center stage. The sidelining of Carter was driven by recognition in the Obama camp and among Democratic leaders that giving the former president a prominent convention spot might alienate Jewish voters. “What more could we do to diss Jimmy Carter?” said a Democratic official who was involved in deliberations on how to handle the former president’s presence at the convention. The treatment Carter received, the official added, “reflects the bare minimum that could ...

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BBC NEWS | Africa | Ethiopia hints at leaving Somalia Ethiopia invaded its neighbour in 2006 to oust an Islamist militia and re-install the transitional government. He told the UK's Financial Times paper that financial pressures had to be taken into account and said the commitment was not open ended. The withdrawal of Ethiopians is a key demand of the Islamist insurgents. Al-Shabab, the radical wing of the Islamists who controlled much of Somalia in 2006, has refused to recognise a recent UN-brokered agreement the interim government has signed with an opposition group including a top Islamist leader. It has demanded that Ethiopian troops leave Somalia before any ceasefire is considered. Somalia has experienced almost constant civil conflict since the collapse of Mohamed Siad Barre's regime in January 1991. 'Lose patience' "The operation has been extremely expensive so we will have to balance the domestic pressures on the one hand and pressures in Somalia on the oth...

Rep. Dennis Kucinich: “Wake Up America!” : Information Clearing House - ICH Former presidential candidate Rep. Dennis Kucinich delivered one of the most passionate addresses Tuesday night. “Wake up, America. We went into Iraq for oil. The oil companies want more,” Kucinich said. “War against Iran will mean $10-a-gallon gasoline. The oil administration wants to drill more, into your wallet. Wake up, America. Weapons contractors want more. An Iran war will cost 5 to 10 trillion dollars.”

IRIN Asia | Asia | Philippines | PHILIPPINES: UN appeals for peace as fighting escalates in south | Early Warning Conflict Refugees/IDPs | News Item : "MANILA, 25 August 2008 (IRIN) - UN agencies have appealed for peace in the southern Philippines, where fighting between government forces and Muslim separatist rebels has escalated over the past two weeks and the number displaced is now over 270,000. In a 22 August statement, the UN Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) said civilian lives were at risk as a result of fighting between the army and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has been attacking, and trying to take control of, civilian communities in the southern island of Mindanao. 'It is with great concern that we witness the deteriorating humanitarian situation in various parts of Mindanao as a result of the recent upsurge in conflict,' the IASC stated. 'Many civilians have lost their lives and many more are at risk.'

Aswat Aliraq : "DIALA, Aug. 25 (VOI) – A massive demonstration will be staged on Tuesday against the entry of Iraqi security forces into Khaneqeen district, the mayor of the district said on Monday, noting that the forces set up checkpoints throughout Khaneqeen. “Large Iraqi army force entered Khaneqeen today and set up checkpoints,” Mohamed Mulla Hassan told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq (VOI). “There are political reasons behind the entry of the forces because they entered in the pretext of hunting down gunmen in a region, which is considered one of the most stable regions in Iraq,” Hassan added. “Residents, local administration and Kurdish parties reject this interference and will announce that during the protest tomorrow,” he also said. Last July, thousands of Iraqi soldiers and police launched a major security operation dubbed as Bashaer al-Kheir (Promise of Good) in northeastern Diala province in the latest move by the government to assert its authority over militants. Dial...

Joe Biden: I am a Zionist : Information Clearing House - ICH : "Joe Biden: I am a Zionist US Senator Joe Biden, candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, speaks with Shalom TV CEO Mark S. Golub on Israel and Jewish-related issues in this exclusive interview. Shalom TV is an American Jewish cable television network carried on Comcast and Blue Ridge cable systems. Complete programming information is available online at http://www.shalomtv.com"