Twenty years on, reflection and regret on 2002 Iraq war vote
Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow was sitting in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s conference room at the Pentagon, listening to him make the case that Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction. At some point in the presentation — one of many lawmaker briefings by President George W. Bush’s administration ahead of the October 2002 votes to authorize force in Iraq — military leaders showed an image of trucks in the country that they believed could be carrying weapons materials. “There was not enough information to persuade me that they in fact had any connection with what happened on Sept. 11, or that there was justification to attack,” Stabenow said in a recent interview, referring to the 2001 attacks that were one part of the Bush administration’s underlying argument for the Iraq invasion.
news.yahoo.comDonald Rumsfeld, former US defence secretary, dies aged 88
Former US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who led the nation into war in Afghanistan and Iraq during the presidency of George W Bush, has died at the age of 88 in New Mexico, his family announced Wednesday. "History may remember him for his extraordinary accomplishments over six decades of public service, but for those who knew him best... we will remember his unwavering love for his wife Joyce, his family and friends, and the integrity he brought to a life dedicated to the country," the fami
news.yahoo.comFormer Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who oversaw Iraq war, dies at 88
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld talks about his new memoir, "Known and Unknown," at The Heritage Foundation February 22, 2011 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON – Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has died at the age of 88, his family said Wednesday. "It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Donald Rumsfeld, an American statesman and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. At 88, he was surrounded by family in his beloved Taos, New Mexico," the statement read. Rumsfeld, who served in the Republican administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and George W. Bush, oversaw the Pentagon's response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
cnbc.comOakland launches guaranteed pay plan for low-income people
The Oakland Resilient Families program has so far raised $6.75 million from private donors including Blue Meridian Partners, a national philanthropy group. “Direct investment in the community in response to systemic injustices isn't new.”The idea of a guaranteed income dates to the 18th century. “The fact that mayors are piloting (guaranteed income programs), using political capital to raise capital to allow their constituents to have basic necessities, is a policy failure," Tubbs said. “It's an admission that we need to do more.”It's unclear what a national guaranteed income program would look like. AdA form of guaranteed income could take effect for many parents this year as part of the latest federal stimulus package.
Extraordinary warning to Trump by 10 former Pentagon chiefs
Following the Nov. 3 election and subsequent recounts in some states, as well as unsuccessful court challenges, the outcome is clear, they wrote, while not specifying Trump in the article. The former Pentagon chiefs warned against use of the military in any effort to change the outcome. “Efforts to involve the U.S. armed forces in resolving election disputes would take us into dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory,” they wrote. Biden has complained of efforts by Trump-appointed Pentagon officials to obstruct the transition. In reversing himself, Miller cited “recent threats issued by Iranian leaders against President Trump and other U.S. government officials.” He did not elaborate, and the Pentagon did not respond to questions.
US cables: Colombias ex-president suspected of militia ties
But dozens of lawmakers including numerous Uribe allies have been jailed and convicted for ties with paramilitaries, establishing a clear connection between politicians and the illegal armed groups. President Uribe only has a few years left to complete this task, he added. But his popularity has declined in recent years, and a broader reckoning in Colombian society over the conflict has resulted in a closer examination of his own potential role in human rights abuses. Michael Evans, a senior analyst with the National Security Archive, said there is no indication Uribes suspected ties had any impact on U.S. assistance to Colombia, which grew significantly during his presidency. In the conversation with Valencia, the landowner, Uribe frequently surfaced, though embassy staff didnt appear to pry for details on possible ties to paramilitaries.
Flashback: Terrorism strikes Europe in 2004 Madrid train bombings
On March 14, 2004, days after a series of bombs killed nearly 200 people in Spain's capital, then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told "Face the Nation" he's concerned about the "growing connections between terrorist organizations."
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