Democracy Now! April 8, 2003

NEWS HEADLINES Story: A PRESIDENT, VICEROY, GOVERNOR OR SHERIFF? A LOOK AT JAY GARNER, THE U.S. GENERAL AND DEFENSE CONTRACTOR SLATED TO OVERSEE POST-WAR IRAQ "President, viceroy, governor, sheriff. It is difficult to know what to call Jay Garner, the retired US general who will run Iraq if and when Saddam Hussein is deposed" "The 'call me Jay' 64-year-old would prefer 'coordinator of civilian administration'. That's the bland description of his job heading the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, the Pentagon agency preparing to govern Iraq's 23 million people in the aftermath of war, provide humanitarian support and administer the lucrative business of reconstruction." Those are the opening lines of a recent piece titled in part "Man Who Would be King of Iraq' that appeared in the London Observer. We are joined today by the author, Oliver Morgan. Oliver Morgan, reporter with the Guardian and Observer newspapers. Story: U.S. BOMBS AL JAZEERA AND ABU DHABI TV OFFICES IN BAGHDAD KILLING ONE: WE TALK TO JIHAD BALLOUT FROM AL JAZEERA A US bombing raid also hit Al Jazeera's Baghdad office. Al-Jazeera reporter Tareq Ayoub has died from injuries sustained in the attack, and a cameraman is in the hospital. The office of another Arabic news network, Abu Dhabi TV, was also hit. The BBC reports the station has lost contact with its reporter. Iraqi state television went off the air in Baghdad today. U.S. military officials indicated they had targeted television transmitters. Jihad Ballout, Al Jazeera spokesperson. Story: OVER 1,000 PROTEST IN NORTHERN IRELAND WHERE BLAIR & BUSH HOLD WAR SUMMIT We are going to go now to Northern Ireland where President Bush and British Prime Minister have been meeting outside Belfast to discuss the administration of post-war Iraq and the role of the United Nations. Blair said earlier today the UN would have a "vital role" in the effort to repair Iraq's infrastructure - but said ultimately the country must be run by the Iraqi people. Although the former U.S. General Jay Garner is set to be put in place to head up Iraq, President Bush gave the impression that the interim authority would be made up of Iraqis from inside and outside the country. Outside the summit more than 1000 antiwar demonstrators protested near Hillsborough Castle, south of Belfast where the talks were being held. The demonstrators came from all over Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, converging on Hillsborough in a procession of cars and chartered buses over 2 miles long. Davy Carlin, representative from the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance, the largest trade union in Northern Ireland, to the Stop the War Coalition of Northern Ireland. Mairead Corrigan McGuire, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for her work in Northern Ireland and co-founder of the Peace People. She has been on a liquid fast since the invasion of Iraq began. She is holding a silent vigil in front of the White House every day from noon to 2 p.m. Story: U.S. FORCES SHELL PALESTINE HOTEL IN BAGHDAD WHERE MOST OF THE UNEMBEDDED INTERNATIONAL REPORTERS WERE STAYING, AT LEAST ONE JOURNALIST IS KILLED. WE GO TO BAGHDAD TO SPEAK WITH INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST MAY YING WELSH The Battle for Baghdad is raging. Plumes of smoke are billowing from the city as tanks, artillery and planes attack government ministries and official buildings. A US tank fired on the Palestine hotel today, the building where most of the foreign journalists in Baghdad are based. Reuters cameraman Taras Protsyuk has died of his wounds. Three other Reuters staff and a Spanish cameraman were also wounded. US troops claimed snipers were shooting at them from the building. A US bombing raid also hit Al Jazeera's Baghdad office. Al-Jazeera reporter Tareq Ayoub has died from injuries sustained in the attack, and cameraman is in the hospital. The office of another Arabic news network, Abu Dhabi TV, was also hit. The BBC reports the station has lost contact with its reporter. Iraqi state television went off the air in Baghdad today. U.S. military officials indicated they had targeted television transmitters. Two European journalists were killed when an Iraqi rocket destroyed the 2nd Brigade's tactical operations center on the southern outskirts of Baghdad. That strike also killed two US soldiers and destroyed some 17 US military vehicles. Iraqi street units have killed at least four other US soldiers in the capital. Unknown hundreds of Iraqis have died. A B-1 bomber dropped four 2,000 pound bunker busting bombs on a building in a residential neighborhood today. US officials say they had received a tip that President Hussein and his sons might be meeting there. A US official told the Washington Post the Bush administration is "moderately hopeful" that Saddam Hussein was there. At least three buildings were destroyed in the attack on the district of al-Mansour in western Baghdad. The London Guardian is reporting residents standing around the rubble said shrapnel killed victims as far as 200 meters away. May Ying Welsh, independent journalist in Baghdad Story: COLORADO COURT CONVICTS THREE NUNS FOR ANTI-WAR ACTION: PLOWSHARE ACTIVISTS HAD BROKEN INTO U.S. MISSILE SILO TO PROTEST WAR Three Catholic nuns were found guilty yesterday for breaking into a U.S. silo missile in northern Colorado. The women went on to the military base on October 6 to mark the first anniversary of the Afghanistan bombing. They cut cables and drew a cross with their own blood on the lid of the unmanned Minuteman III silo. The women, Carolyn Glibert, Ardeth Platte and Jackie Hudson, face up to 30 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Plowshare activists said their action was in accordance with President Bush's call to dismantle weapons of mass destruction. Walter Gerash, veteran defense lawyer and lead attorney for the three nuns. Story: POLICE FIRE RUBBER BULLETS, WOODEN PELLETS AND CONCUSSION GRENADES AT ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS AND DOCKWORKERS YESTERDAY IN OAKLAND: IN NEW YORK 100 ARRESTED AT PEACEFUL PROTEST OUTSIDE OF CARLYSLE GROUP In California, police yesterday fired rubber bullets, wooden pellets and concussion grenades during an anti-war protest at the Port of Oakland. At least six demonstrators and six longshoremen standing nearby were injured. Longshoremen were pinned against a fence and caught in the line of fire. Police also used sting grenades, which are rubber pellets accompanied by tear gas. This is believed to be the first use of such force against U.S. protesters since the invasion of Iraq began. At least 24 people were arrested. Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown said police acted appropriately because he said protesters wanted to "occupy and take over the port and shut it down." Brown claimed "Oakland is second-to-none in its support of peaceful assembly and protest." The San Francisco based peace group, Direct Action to Stop the War, announced last week it would stage a series of protests involving civil acts of disobedience. The port was targeted because at least one company there is handling war supplies. Meanwhile in New York City, police arrested about 100 people for protesting outside the offices of Carlysle Group defense contractor Scott Fleming, civil rights attorney from Oakland who was shot five times by Oakland police on Monday. Trent Willis, business agent for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Present at Oakland protest. Joel Kupferman, New York attorney representing activists arrested at yesterday's demonstration at the offices of Carlyle Group. Story: TO REMEMBER THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ISRAELI INVASION OF JENIN, WE HEAR THE STORY OF A PALESTINIAN SURVIVOR Susan Baroud, assistant editor of the book Searching Jenin, reads an excerpt from the book chronicling the story of Palestinian who survived the Israeli invasion of Jenin. Susan Baroud, assistant editor of Searching Jenin and managing editor of Palestinechronicle.com. (Complete rundowns missing on WebDacs)