Waxman is not fucking around

* emtpywheel:

"Next week is gonna be fun. Waxman is not fucking around."

* amy;

"Byrd & Clinton Push Bill To Revoke War Authorization
On Capitol Hill, Senator Robert Byrd has announced plans to introduce a measure to revoke the Bush administration's authority to wage war in Iraq. Five years ago the West Virginia Democrat led the opposition in the Senate to the war. On Thursday, Senator Hillary Clinton said she would join Byrd's effort. Clinton originally voted for the war. Meanwhile House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is reportedly considering a bill that would continue funding the war, but only guarantee the money through July. After that, Congress could block additional money if the Iraqi government does not meet certain benchmarks."

* amy;

U.S. Claims to Have Killed Top Al-Qaeda Official in Iraq
In Iraq, the U.S. military has announced it has killed a top Al Qaeda operative named Muharib Abdel-Latif al-Jubouri. Officials accused him of being involved in the kidnapping of Christian Science Monitor journalist Jill Caroll as well as the murder of Tom Fox, a member of the Christian Peacemaker Team.

* amy;

Florida Bans Paperless Voting Machines
In other election news, lawmakers in Florida have approved a measure to require all electronic voting machines to produce a paper trail. The state's governor is expected to sign the bill today which also moves the state's presidential primary ahead to the last Tuesday in January.

* amy;

U.S. Continues to Hold Journalists Without Charge
The United States also came under some criticism on World Press Freedom Day for continuing to jail two Muslim journalists without charge. The Pulitzer Prize winning Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein has been held in a U.S. prison in Iraq for the past 13 months. Meanwhile the U.S. has been detaining the Al Jazeera camerman Sami al-Haj at Guantnanamo since June 2002.

* amy;

U.S. Military Handbook Labels Media "A Threat"
Meanwhile a new U.S. military handbook officially states that soldiers should view the media as a threat alongside Al Qaeda, computer hackers, drug cartels, warlords and militias. The handbook was published by the Army's 1st Information Operations Command. The Army has also placed new restrictions on the use of blogs and private emails by soldiers. Soldiers sending emails or posting items on blogs must now first clear the content with a superior officer. Many believe the rules will likely result in the end of all military blogging.

* amy;

Over 100,000 Protest in Israel Against Olmert
In Israel over 100,000 people took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Thursday demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert over his handling of the Lebanon war. Meanwhile the Labor party is threatening to withdraw from Olmert's government. Labour is the largest partner in Olmert's coalition government and its withdrawal could force new elections.

* amy;

FBI Links Posada Carriles to Cuban Bombings in the 1990s
Meanwhile there are several new developments in the case of Luis Posada Carriles who goes on trial next week on immigration charges. A federal judge released the anti-Castro Cuban militant on bail last month despite evidence linking him to a deadly 1976 Cuban airline bombing that killed 73 people. The Miami Herald is reporting the FBI now believes Posada was the mastermind of a series of deadly bombings in Cuba in the 1990s. In addition the National Security Archives has revealed that during the 1970s Posada kept a detailed list of targets to attack in the Caribbean because they had a link to Cuba. Four of the sites Posada listed were bombed in 1976. Meanwhile the Bush administration is reportedly trying to bar Posada from discussing his ties with the CIA during his upcoming trial. Former President George H.W. Bush was the head of the CIA at the time of the October 1976 bombing of the Cuban airliner that killed 73 people.