February 1991

2/1/91

Israel producing special gas masks for Orthodox bearded Jews. To do so, they slowed down children’s gas mask production (in which there is a shortage), presumably just for Occupied Arabs, the only areas undistributed, as per court order. In court, Israel has insisted W Bank wouldn’t be hit, which it was yesterday, notably w/out any attempt to shoot it down.

US has withheld from Israel id codes, so its planes would not look like friendly planes

Iraq says it will treat captured pilots as war criminals

SA: DeKlerk calls for repeal of Lands Act, Pop. Registration Act, Group Areas Act

Pan Am sued for barring all Iraqi passengers

Some of US bombers in use are based in Br, Sp

Polls show US public overwhelmingly supports censorship

Winnie Mandela’s 4 co-defendants in the assault & kidnapping trial have all jumped bail

Israel arrests that Professor Sari Nusseibeh, right after he met Peace Now & offered to condemn Iraq’s missiles at Israel & reaffirming support for negotiated settlement Israel/Palestinians

8 yrs ago, Br est a royalties system based on pub library check-outs

2 or 3 mos back, a Br Wing-Commander’s car was broken into, w/classified papers on the Gulf. Seems it also had a lap-top w/operational details, but a D-Notice was put out.

Money spent on VN war 1965-74: $140b.

Israeli governing coalition joined by a party advocating expulsion of all Palestinians from Occupied


2/2/91

Japan putting strings on its $9b aid, not to be spent for anything lethal

Gorby in alleged peace move to Baltics, proposing talks. Of course, they’ll have to suspend their laws...

Soviet troops have started patrols of cities in Moscow & Vilnius. Not joint patrols in Lith., Armenia, Moldavia, Estonia, Georgia...

It is suggested 11 Amers. killed in an incident by friendly fire. Saudis & Qataris seem esp uncontrolled

The bit about Iraq executing air force heads was bullshit, of course

There are no air raid sirens in W Bank

Cheney says US might follow Iraqi troops expelled from Kuwait & fight them in Iraq


2/3/91

A judge cut Israel’s detention of the professor to 3 mos

If the objective is to drive Iraq out of Kuwait, why is US bragging about blowing bridges, which cuts supplies to Iraqi troops, but also strands them there.

Some time back, Colombia asked US for radar system to catch drug flights. US put it hundreds of miles away, but rather near Nicaragua. Tried to do same in Costa Rica.


2/4/91

Iran offers to mediate war!

Admin to oppose limiting Medicare to wealthy

India threw out elected gov fo Tamil Nadu

Poland asks forgiveness of 80% of its $46b debt

Oakland, LA & SF school districts voted to stop giving recruiters for military lists of students. Poor kids are downright harassed

So far, 44,000 sorties, >½ bombing runs


2/5/91

New Saudi nat anthem: Onward, Christian Soldiers

Israel may not be attacking Iraq, but it’s sure bombing the shit out of Lebanon. Today’s bombing follows Arafat’s suspension of rocket attacks from s Lebanon

Gorby says Lithuania’s next Sat. referendum on ind. is illegal

Bush’s budget proposal inc cutting off unemp to workers who lost jobs for competition from imports

Bush proposals on bank regulation would strip FDIC of reg powers, allow mergers of investment & commercial banks, allow inter-state banking, industry to own banks, limit insurance coverage. Regulation would be by Fed and/or Comptroller. Evidently, FDIC head insulted Sununu. And banks allowed to sell insurance. Would continue “too big to fail,” protecting deposits of any size at large banks.

Gorby promoting hard-line police chief, authorizing more investigative powers

And is overturning Moscow city replacement of police chief 281-5 and ordering police to obey the previous police chief

A book by an Iran-Contra prosecutor says CIA bribed Costa Rican officials, inc Prez Monge, in aid of North’s scheme. Ant that Elliott Abrams was only not indicted because of insufficient evidence


2/6/91

USSR increasing military patrols 50%. Now 86 cities, 12,000 troops, 5,000 arrests, many for street hooliganism
-And investigating a Russian businessman & politician with whom Gorby has had run-in in past

Lithuanian Cmte of Nat Salvation disbanded.

US forgiveness of Egyptian debts = $280,000 per soldier sent by Egypt

Algeria & Morocco seem now to be less supportive of US against Iraq. Following pub op & protests

Israel bombing in Lebanon actually seems intended to stop Lebanese gov sending troops to s Lebanon

Israel loosens curfew. They’re still kept out of Israel proper. Also arrested 10 for alleged spying for Iraq

US has been hitting Jordanian trucks in Iraq. US claims they’re mingling w/military convoys, Jordan denies. Jordan thinks it’s being destabilized by US, which just told Americans to leave

Bush talking about free-trade zone w/Canada & Mexico

Saudis say those undermining security (like alleged terrorists) will be dealt w/according to Islamic law, meaning executed or having hand & leg cut off

Of other “allies:” Turkey sent 100,000 but Armed Forces COS resigned in protest. Pakistan sent 10,000 but army chief calls the war a Zionist plot

US shot down 4 planes escaping into Iran. Why?

Fuss over BBC’s alleged (but non-existent) edict to avoid “our troops.” BBC has blacklisted offensive songs like “Give Peace a Chance”


2/7/91

US has dropped 14m leaflets on Iraq

On CBS, at least, difficult to sell commercials on special news programs on Gulf War, might have to scale them back despite many viewers. CBS offered to tailor news to have upbeat images or patriotic messages leading into commercials. And surveys show those commercials are remembered much more, and not considered exploitative

Bush to fight infant deaths w/$58m stolen from health care for pregnant ♀, poor children & homeless. Lovely.

Iraq breaks dipl relations w/US, Br, It, Saudi, Fr, Egypt. Big deal.

Jordan definitely siding w/Iraq now. US “reviewing” aid

Gorby making Mar. 17 poll on union a matter of personal support. Says USSR superpower status at stake: “One can already say in all certitude that the Soviet people are for the preservation of the union... No one in the world with the exception of die-hard reactionaries and militarists, wants a slacking of the Soviet Union’s role in international affairs.”

US supplying medicine to Baltic states directly


2/8/91

The $400m loan guarantee for Soviet Jews hasn’t been released to Israel, which isn’t releasing info on Occupied. Seems 17% of settlers there 1990 were Soviet Jews

USSR news: one show off air since clash w/state radio & tv board, Gostelradio over interviews w/Shevardnadze’s aides. Another program’s account of Lithuania replaced. Main news, Vremya, is reverting to paternalistic role, reading gov statements on Baltics word for word.
-This comes from Nov90 appointment of Leonid Kravchenko as director of Gostelradio. He said, “I have come to execute the will of the president.” Baltics are now “nationalist totalitarian regimes.”

If we ever ger around to Puerto Rico referendum, the choices will be 1) state, 2) ind, 3) enhanced commonwealth status. Thornburgh just said latter unconst.
-A condition of statehood will be that Puerto Ricans will have to be poorer than in other states to get food stamps, Medicaid, etc

Some time back, Iraq showed CNN what it claimed was a bombed baby-milk factory & US claimed was chem. weapon plant. Nestle says it’s the former

The only normal daytime coverage of war is the daily briefing, now scheduled about the time Iraq shoots its Scuds

Israel now claims the professor wasn’t spying, but he might have done it any day now


2/9/91

The Gulf War NSC-68, the energy plan, finally out. Calls for expanded oil & dereg. of new nuke plants. Little on conservation, none for auto drivers. Interested in filling US appetite, not cutting it. Wants end on controls of import/export natural gas. Few of these proposals would require gov spending

Haitian new president-for-life Aristide (a comment on his chance of surviving) to retire 6 or 8 army generals in a “well-earned retirement”

“The last time Jews listened to a bush, they wound up in the desert for 40 years.” -- Jackie Mason

Censorship: Jan 22, Israel pulled NBC satellite link when it gave casualty estimates. NBC apologized.
-US censoring stories on religion, inc proposed USA Today interview w/a chaplain.
-Pentagon will ban shots of arriving flag-draped coffins.
-Censors cut obscenity & a report that pilots watched porn movies before bombing missions


2/10/91

Lithuanian referendum had high turnout — 76% for ind vote — 90% voting yes

A sting has so far netted indictments for 7 of 90 Arizona legislators. Best quotes: “Are you sure there are no hidden cameras up there?” I’d like to “die rich.” “We all have our prices.” “There is not an issue in the world that I give a shit about” “My favorite line is... ‘What’s in it for me?’” “I don’t know why I trust you. I just trust you.” The problem is some of these were given enough money ($380,000 all told) to tip elections. ACLU claims police violated spending laws. One who narrowly won doubled his money through bribes.

US has indeed frozen aid to Panama unless they let US officials investigate money-laundering.
-And >90% of Public Force were under Noriega


2/11/91

Iraq extends conscription to 17-yr olds

Afghan muahadeen joining Allies against Iraq

Lithuanian parl voted unanimously to develop new const for an ind country

Pol Pot says birds & wildlife must not be killed

New Statesman poll of backbench Labour MPs indicates 80% objected to war resolution, but 3/4 voted for it on leadership’s insistence

>2 dozen reporters have been detained at some pt. Under 100 pool reporters, inc people for Stars & Stripes & Mirabella (a woman’s monthly) are only ones authorized to talk to 500,000 soldiers

Sen. Alan Simpson has been bitching about CNN’s reporter in Iraq. His last foray into press criticism was to Hussein (see 10/2/90)
-CBS & NBC also attacking CNN for alleged concessions to Iraq. And network to deny CNN use of their on-camera pool reports

Gorby proposed ending Warsaw Pact’s military structures by April 1

Japan had a nuclear power accident & radiation release

Republican governor of Wisconsin wants to cap welfare to unwed teenage mothers regardless of # of children & pay more to those who marry


2/12/91

Brown U. 1st university to expel someone for racial epithets

Soviet PM claims there was a Western attempt to topple Gorby Jan91 through “economic coup” of flooding USSR w/roubles, and this was foiled through withdrawing high currency

Ch. sentences 2 student leaders to 13 yrs

1990 $203m spent on political ads on tv, up 26% from 1986

Czech Civic Forum splits in 2

A witness against Winnie Mandela kidnapped

1990 DOD spent $2b on recruiting

Many Panamanians, says Economist, think Panama drifting back to white rule

China: sentences for dissidents have been announced in 3 batches, escalating to 13 yrs. If someone had protested at beginning, what would have happened?

The Soviet PM Pavlov says (), Austrian, Swiss & Canadian banks schemed to acquire rubles on black mkt

Israel Foreign Min’s “peace plan”: no talks w/Palestinians until all Arab states talk w/Israel, Saddam Hussein overthrown. And no internat peace conf


2/13/91

US bombed a Baghdad bomb shelter, which it claimed was a military command center, but hundreds of ♀ & children, incinerated, pulled out. Marlin Fitzwater says this shows Iraq’s disregard for human life. 1st tv images of the dead of this war. This goes with claim that Iraq using schools & archaeological sites as shields for military. That’s as may be, but no one said there were civilians there. And it’s not Iraq’s responsibility to do our targeting for us. I haven’t seen a US spokesman say they were sorry or anything even to indicate they wouldn’t do it again

Netherlands lowers age of consent to 12, qualified

UN Sec Council will discuss war behind closed doors. UN had not met since declaration of force Dec. (?)

US will not tell which Marines killed in Khafji were killed by “friendly fire”

Syria, as part of effort to win leadership, has recognized right of Israel to exist

George McGovern wants a D candidate against the war & arming dictators, for peace economy, peace through law, conservation, or he will run.

USSR to raise prices 2-3X, end subsidies & “compensate” in wages. This is the plan anyway. Or the threat. This explains the use of army as police. They say republics agree — who do they claim speaks for Estonia & Latvia?

Fr to tighten policy on pol refugees, taking none from Poland, Czech, Hungary. Last yr, 13,000 of 85,000 applicants accepted

Croatia & Slovenia said Yug. has 4 mos. Main Belgrade daily says Vatican trying to break up Yug. through loan to Croatia. Serbs v. big on conspiracies these days

Allies bombed 2 buses of refugees, killing 60 Jordanians in 2 incidents


2/14/91

US says will do nothing different, like I said. No change in targeting

Mulroney on attack against Quebecois separatists & says his job not to treat them w/kid gloves

2 witnesses against Winnie Mandela refuse to testify, citing disappearance of a 3rd.

EPA fining Energy Dept $300,000 for missing deadlines on cleaning up a nuke weapons plant

Neil Kinnock disciplining MPs, inc in exec & shadow cabinet, trying to get them not to talk about the war.

Iraq will not allow Red Cross to see POWs until Allies stop bombing civilian cities

USSR recalling envoy to Iceland over dipl ties to Lithuania

USSR definitely less behind the war. Gorby warned of going beyond UN mandate


2/15/91

Iraq offers to withdraw from Kuwait but wants 1) ceasefire & withdrawal of forces, 2) end of embargo, 3) aid in rebuilding, 4) Israel withdrawal from Occupied, 5) cancellation of Iraq’s debts. Bush rejected any conditions.
-Bush suggests war would end if military overthrew Hussein.

The huge Moroccan demos against war were allowed only after a one-day gen strike. King Hassan says his troops just to protect Saudi Arabia

Israeli censor’s office bugging home phones of foreign correspondents & interrupting them

An American Patriot tem in Israel was ordered by Israelis not to hit the missiles that landed in W Bank

Pop of Iraq: ½ under 15, ⅓-1/6 under 5


2/16/91

Labour has a new “Charter of Rights” — freedom of info, parl scrutiny of security forces, free press, data protection, equal opportunities for women & minorities; privacy against state & media, more representative judiciary. But, says Stuart Weir in New Statesman, this intended to protect current parl regime & leave Br as only Eur country w/out written const, entrenched bill of rights or fair electoral system. Would be declaratory rather than enforceable, hence vulnerable to hostile judicial interpretations

Encounter, the old CIA paper, goes out of business

US claiming Iraq faking damage

During current extended curfew in Occupied, all those Palestinian jobs going to Soviet Jews

It is suggested that Iraq’s “conditions” actually just issues, badly translated

The UN resolution on war says nothing about terms of peace & gave UN no rights of consultation on running of war


2/17/91

Br admits having lost a missile & hit a town

Kuwait says it will rule by martial law when returned

Rajiv Gandhi in opposition, now seems to oppose Persian Gulf War. Has forced PM to rescind US refueling rights

Shamir says Israel will not discuss peace until war over. Ha ha.
-There is US-Israel strife over that $400m housing loan guarantee, still not received. Shamir says US has attached no conditions, meaning the ones Israel decided to break, I guess.
-Opposition MPs released a report that gov intends to increase Jewish pop in Occupied 50% over 3 yrs, w/construction of 12,000 housing units


2/18/91

Birmingham, Ala. judge accused of being soft on crime, raised a bail to $9 trillion

Congress recently passed a law requiring drug comps to give Medicaid the discounts it gives other large buyers (which are 25-60% off). So drug comps charging other buyers more to raise that min price they must give the gov. Should have saved $1.9b for Fed & $1.4b for states over 5 yrs

Enrique Bermudez, ex of Contras, assassinated

Günter Grass says Kohl should resign for gov role in arming Iraq

Fr tv (all 4, inc 2 state-owned) had boycotted broadcasting from Gulf to protest restrictions. Got changes

Soviets want to raise prices 60% exc for essentials — medicine, fuel & vodka — and raise wages & pensions to compensate for 85% of increases. Subsidies reduced, state-pricing remains. Point?


2/19/91

Israel holding a Gaza journalist w/out charge for reporting on activities of fundamentalists. And keeping an unregistered fax machine

Yeltsin demands Gorbachev’s resignation. And wants to turn the March 17 referendum on union into a vote of confidence
-And Russia will have a 2nd referendum on dir pop election of republican president

Maryland law would protect right to abortion up to viability, regardless of Sup Court. “Requires” parental notification, but drs. can ignore

Christopher Hitchens’s analysis of State of Union: “The little putz really does think that he is Churchill.” Referred to US’s “defining [read: finest] hour” and talked of “a great struggle in the skies and on the seas and sands.” Example of Bush’s own rhetoric: “With a few exceptions, the world stands as one.”

In the debate on war, Congress made 289 references to Hitler, Chamberlain & Churchill, 413 to Vietnam

Wm Dannemeyer to run for Senate in the 2-yr seat

Barbara Boxer has sponsored bill to prevent combat by 2 parents, or a single parent, to prevent orphans

Kahane’s Kach party at some recent pt issued death sentences for Edward Said, Anthony Lewis, Clovis Maksoud & others

Kuwait’s rulers intend martial lat at least 6 mos.

Deng Xiaping quoted as saying Gulf is “big hegemonists beating up small hegemonists.”


2/20/91

Slovenia definitely pulling away. Parl passed const amends laying basis for est of own bank, military, patent office, customs. Bank & currency expected in 2-3 mos. Croatia says it will secede if Slovenia does.
-Macedonia has (when?) dec sovereign

US giving Israel that $400m anyway


2/21/91

Croatia invalidates all fed laws exercising power over it, adopting Slovenia’s plan for dissolving Yug., though its laws do not amount to complete secession like Slovenia. Will withdraw from fed agencies if Yug doesn’t rescind demand that paramilitary units dissolve. Yug. can’t dec state of emergency or use force in Croatia & Croatia’s gov immune from prosecution

Iraq accepted a Soviet peace plan. Iraq would leave Kuwait. Sanctions end. All UN resolutions rescinded (meaning no indemnities). There seem to be no other conditions. Why will US reject it?
-Sanctions supposed to end when 2/3 of Iraqi forces out. And one of UN resolutions to lapse calls for restoration of Emir

USSR gov counter-attacking against Yeltsin in tv, papers & Parl, which 292-29-27 censured hm, saying his remarks violated const

Jerusalem took the $400m & said it was grossly insufficient


2/22/91

CP attempting to impeach Yeltsin

Modavian president resigns, unless gets dir prez elections. Says CP trying to discredit him.

Czech to restore $10.7b of nationalized property

Bush gives another ultimatum — tomorrow

Soviet peace plan had no mention of peace conf. Today the 2/3 bit dropped
-Shamir says this peace plan would mean another war

Senate again passed mandatory sanctions on countries developing chemical or bio. weapons. Will Bush veto this one? [Update: yes]

Saudis quietly working on forming an Iraqi gov-in-exile

Minnesota Sup Court has female majority (23 states have no ½, only Okl more than 1)

Scalia, who has responsibility for death penalty appeals to Sup Court from Texas, will no longer give extensions on 90-day deadline for appeals just because they can’t find lawyers — Texas does not pay for appeals

Deng Xiaping says Hong Kong’s opposition party which supported demo. in China has to be kicked out

One country late to stop supplying Iraq w/artillery shells: SA, last mo.

The RUC says the main Protestant paramilitary groups N Ireland are the major marijuana dealers

Iraq setting fire to Kuwaiti oil wells

NYT thinks the speed of evacuation required by US demands intended to humiliate Hussein. Bush admin thinks a leisurely pullout would allow them to take all their weapons. Anonymous senior official: “we want to establish that this is a defeated army”
-And no D’s reacting exc negatively. Les Aspin: “it’s time the Soviets get out of the negotiating process.” Sam Nunn, Robert Michael, George Mitchell: no comment

Total US dead listed at 20, +30 MIA & 9 POWs. Killed more before fighting started

US using napalm, allegedly to burn off oil fires


2/23/91

Coup Thailand

Albanian President Alia appoints new cabinet of 2nd-level communists as riots increase

Kuwaitis have awarded 70% of rebuilding contracts to US

Saudis have Kuwaiti opposition members under house arrest

About the time of Bush’s deadline (noon EST today), Iraq shot off missiles at Israel. Now, 9 hrs later, aiming at Saudi and US troops are fighting

The USSR referendum on union will be non-binding. Moldavian president says aims ultimately for confederation w/Romania

US claims it’s gotten “pledges” for $5b, but forgave Egypt $7b, loaned Ch. $140m, promised USSR $7b in new aid, paid off $187 to UN, offered aid to Colombia & Zaire...
-In 1990 dollars, WW2 cost $34b/month, WW1, Korea, VN $5b, Gulf $20b, air war was $500m/day, ground war expected to be $2b/day. Veterans benefits typically cost 278% more (WW2 pensions cost $12b/yr today). Plus interest, since this isn’t budgeted

Isle of Man’s parl legalized unions. Homosexuality still illegal


2/24/91

Iraqi radio: “The enemy attack has failed utterly, and the scoundrels of aggressors are crying for help and swimming in their own blood.”

Cheney announced no more press briefings now that ground war started. Reversed it for Gen. Schwarzkopf to announce US winning

A nominee for Academy Award for foreign film from Ch. is a suppressed film, “Judou,” which gov. wants to remove from consideration

Rally of 40,000 in support of Yeltsin, unreported on Vremya, which showed & exaggerated a much smaller anti-Yeltsin rally.
-KGB investigators looking into Yeltsin’s joint-venture business deals.


2/25/91

Baghdad radio says Hussein has ordered troops out of Kuwait in accordance w/Soviet peace plan. US still fighting
-By the way, Bush started war before a UN scheduled debate on the peace plan
-US says just because Iraq leaving doesn’t mean we stop bombing them. Hussein personally has to grovel & accept all US conditions, all UN resolutions. Troops can’t leave w/their weapons or in units or they’ll be shot in the back.

Br frees the Birmingham 6, only 1 yr after TV told who really did it

Douglas Hurd: Hussein a “bogus, puffed-up frog of a man”


2/26/91

Bush says Hussein doesn’t show remorse
-Says we have no choice but to consider retreating combat units a threat

Sen. rejects bill to prevent a single parent or both parents in military being sent to combat zones


2/27/91

Iraq offers to accept all the UN resolutions if gets immediate ceasefire. US says Iraq still trying to bargain, and war continues
-Iraq says all its troops out of Kuwait

Project Censored List:
1) Emergency Anti-Crime Bill
2) Iran-Contra role of Bush
3) Panama War’s civilian deaths
4) Pentagon black budget, which quadrupled under RR. Inc $35b+ Milstar satellite system, designed to run a nuclear war all by itself for 6 mos after Washington destroyed. Costs $1b/yr in R & D. Next yr’s budget is $34b
5-7) S&L’s. 5) problems of cleaning it up, 6) likelihood of it spreading to banks, 7) Links to CIA & Mafia -- inc Neil Bush’s Silverado, whose 3rd largest borrower (& defaulter — $77m) a large Contra contributor)
8) NASA space shuttle program in one launch does as much damage to ozone layer as 1 yr of an indust factory
9) Failure of drug war
10) Press failure to report build-up in Gulf

There is a cease-fire

US trying to get USSR to stop aiding Nicaragua’s army, still Sandinista-run. And claims they knew Sandinistas had Enrique Bermudez killed, but we’ll all just have to take their word.

In the 100 hrs of war, less than that many Americans killed. 15 Brits died, 9 killed by US. 44 Saudis. All told, accidents & friendly fire killed more allies than Iraq

Senate failed to produce a referendum bill for Puerto Rico.


2/28/91

Allies looking for more hoops for Hussein to jump through. John Major wants Iraq to destroy all its missiles

A key witness against Noriega dies in “traffic accident”

More Project Censored: VDT radiation. North acquittal. Intelligence Authorization Act. Return of electroshock. Big banks’ role in laundering drug money. Military toxics. La Penca bombings & Costa Rica indictment of 2 Americans. Malathion. US dumping toxics globally

US comps so far won 70% of Kuwait rebuilding contracts, worth $800m

Kuwait celebrates by imposing 3 mos of martial law, no free press or freedoms

Guess what, the stories about Iraqis removing babies from incubators, a story Bush repeated, was wrong

Gorby in counterattack against democrats, who are creating chaos that will lead to civil war, are implementing foreign ideas, intend to weaken the union. Said he is at core still a communist.

Pentagon refused to appear on CBS’s Nightwatch w/a Village Voice editor to discuss censorship — latter was not allowed on

Ciskei, ruled by military since Mar90 coup, to have 4 ministers in econ ministries + justice appointed by SA as part of reincorporation process

It is estimated 25-50,000 Iraqi military dead (150-340,000 dead in Iran-Iraq war)

Iraqi cease-fire statement: “Due to faith in our capability that is able to teach the enemy forces lessons that will make them worried militarily and politically if the war continued, Bush announced his decision early this morning.”

Israel says it still has right of retaliation. Was hit by 39 missiles. And wants Hussein out.

USSR says Iraq’s defeat not the fault of its weapons

Everyone’s forgotten how much of Iraq’s airforce sheltering in Iran. Next: the mother of all legal battles

US wants arms embargo on Iraq as long as Hussein in power

US not to return POWs involuntarily

Widow of Bangladesh’s assassinated (1981) general, President Zia, won election

Only 60,000 Hong Kongese applied for the 43,500 Br passports offered. It seems anyone who could fill out the 32-p. form was educated enough to go to US, Canada, Australia