Headlines for 03-16-08

There WILL be a public inquiry into Iraq, says Brown And in the States? *crickets chirping*


Iran rejects nuclear talks with world powers Iran has reaffirmed its rejection of any talks with world powers over the nuclear crisis, saying it will only negotiate with the UN atomic watchdog


$3 trillion is just a part of the cost


The costs of the Iraq war: A fall in U.S. power, prestige and influence "Since 9/11, the United States has been exporting fear and anger rather than the more traditional values of hope and optimism. Suspicions of American power have run deep," Richard Armitage , deputy secretary of state under Bush, and Joseph Nye , a Pentagon official under President Clinton , wrote in a December report published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies .


Iran says to attend Arab summit in Syria


Four FBI agents were wounded in Pakistan bombing


Partick Cockburn: A gross failure that ignored history and ended with a humiliating retreat Britain should immediately hold a full inquiry into the mistakes made before and during the war in Iraq out of pure self-interest.


Iraq key players, then and now


Hussein's chemical attack remembered by Kurds A reminder that this nation did nothing when Saddam used chemical weapons in 1988. Strange that, given that his alleged supply of WMDs was the main reason given to invade in 2003 - 15 years AFTER that attack.


Rice, Gates to talk missiles in Russia United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates are due in Moscow today for talks with their Russian counterparts. It sounds to me like members of the Bush administration - Cheney, Rice, etc - are still working that part of the world in the runup to action on Iran.


Seven out of 10 Iraqis want foreign forces to leave: poll Most Americans want the troops home. A win-win situation, wouldn't you say?


Iran high on Cheney's Mideast agenda No kidding? Whodda thunk it!


McCain pays surprise Iraq visit He is being accompanied on his trip by Senator Joe Lieberman and Senator Lindsey Graham, close allies of Mr McCain and fellow supporters of a continued US troop presence in Iraq.


'Special relationship' dies under Gordon Brown "People ask: 'Well, what do we get for it?'" That issue has been particularly sensitive following criticism of Tony Blair for failing to win more favours from George W Bush in exchange for supporting the Iraq War.


'Speculation' causing oil price hike Oil markets are rising due to speculation and the US dollar's fall, not to a lack of petroleum production, OPEC President Chakib Khelil said, the official Algerian news agency APS reported. Riiight.


Top classifiers to testify for AIPAC staffers The two most recent U.S. classification czars will testify for the defense in a case against two former AIPAC staffers.


Report: Syria is seeking 'public' peace talks Syria has recently relayed a message to Israel conveying the country's interest in peace talks with Israel, but on the condition that talks be held openly and not under fire, Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported yesterday.


EU's Solana urges pressure on Syria over Lebanon


U.S.-Europe ties on hold apart from fire-fighting In a telling flash of European frustration with President George W. Bush, Solana said he hoped the next administration would be ready to work quickly with the EU on issues from Iran and Israeli-Palestinian peace to dealing with Russia and fighting global warming.


Obama's denounced pastor quits campaign In a sermon delivered following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Wright said, ?We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards."