Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell admits telecom cooperation in NSA warrentless wiretaps, boosting cases against the program’s legality:
- Telecom Firms Helped With Government’s Warrantless Wiretaps (Washington Post)
Muslims flex their political muscles at civic event and local politicians respond:
- Reston Event Shows Clout of N.Va. Muslim Voters (Washington Post)
As reports emerge that the ‘surge’–which is supposed to include protection for Iraqi communities–has led to more Iraqis fleeing the country, some analysts see the lack of evidence supporting charges of Iranian militancy in Iraq (and elsewhere) as indications that the charges are politically expedient means for hardliners in Washington to deflect criticism on Iraq and continue to push for “regime change†in Iran:
- More Iraqis Are Said to Flee Since Troop Increase (New York Times)
- An Intensifying US Campaign Against Iran (Christian Science Monitor)
More heavy-handedness from Hamas as unruly Fatah demonstration also leads to unnecessary physical confrontation with international journalists:
- Fatah Supporters Scuffle with Hamas Men at Gaza Demonstration (Associated Press/International Herald Tribune)
Man who fled Iraq from Saddam’s torture is allowed to stay in the United States after being arrested based on racial profiling and almost deported:
- Detention Was Wrong, and U.S. Apologizes (New York Times)
Indonesia President lashes out at plans for further decentralization, saying such plans have led to gross mismanagement, however, the speaker of parliament says that the central government doesn’t allow local autonomy to work:
- SBY Slams Self-Interested New Regions (The Jakarta Post)
“The state and religious groups cannot be tempted to force one particular conception of God on others by any sort of compulsion…†– Muhamad Ali, Indonesian academic:
- Winning Over Indonesia’s Pluralism Skeptics (The Jakarta Post)
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