the amy goodman edition

* amy:

"On Capitol Hill, Congressional Quarterly reports that Democrats are not planning any organized effort to filibuster the controversial military commissions and detainee treatment bill even though many do not agree with some of the specifics in the legislation. Democratic aides say they did not want to give Republicans an opportunity to paint them into a corner ahead of the November elections. One senior Democratic aide said “We’re going to do what we can to limit the amount of daylight between us and them on national security issues in order to neutralize this as a political issue.” Outside of Congress, opposition to the detainee bill is mounting."

* amy:

"31 former Ambassadors – including 20 who served in Republican administrations – have warned lawmakers not to eliminate habeas corpus for prisoners. They said such a move would make a mockery of the administration’s efforts to promote democracy. Meanwhile Human Rights Watch is urging Congress to reject the entire bill. The group warned that the legislation will undermine the rule of law by denying the fundamental right of habeas corpus to detainees held abroad, by defining “unlawful enemy combatants” in a broad manner, and by limiting protections against detainee mistreatment. Human Rights Watch said the most troubling part of the bill is its “court-stripping” provision, which would bar detainees in U.S. custody anywhere around the world from challenging the legality of their detention via habeas corpus actions"

* amy:

"In news from Iraq, a new poll conducted by the State Department has found a strong majority of Iraqis want U.S.-led military forces to withdraw from the country. In Baghdad nearly 75 percent of residents said they would feel safer if the U.S. forces left. 65 percent of Baghdad residents favored an immediate pullout. The poll shows a deep divide between the residents of Iraq and its political leaders. Earlier this week Iraqi president Jalal Talabani called for the United States to permanently keep two air bases inside Iraq."

* amy:

"The United Nations has determined that up to a million cluster bomblets discharged by Israel remain unexploded in southern Lebanon. Cluster bombs have killed at least 14 people in Lebanon since the war ended. The UN says the problem is so severe that it could prevent 200,000 displaced people from returning home for up to two years. Last month, the UN's humanitarian chief, Jan Egeland, accused Israel of "completely immoral" use of cluster bombs in the conflict. Meanwhile a British company called ArmorGroup has been awarded a five point six million dollar contract to clear the region of unexploded bombs and land mines."