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The Headlines, January 10, 2003

• U.S. Asks Judge to Deny [Padilla] Access to Lawyer, Saying It Could Harm Interrogation
• [IAEA] Challenges Evidence Against Iraq Cited By Bush
• UN Inspectors Criticize Iraqis Over Arms List
• North Korea Says It Is Withdrawing From Arms Treaty
• U.S. Transportation Security Leader Acts To Stop Union Effort
• Deficit Predictions Soar




The Stories




U.S. ASKS JUDGE TO DENY [PADILLA] ACCESS TO LAWYER, SAYING IT COULD HARM INTERROGATION

Benjamin Weiser reported in the New York Times that “The Bush administration asked a federal judge in New York last night to reverse his decision allowing a Jose Padilla, the man suspected in a plot to detonate a radioactive bomb, access to a lawyer to challenge his detention as an enemy combatant.” The government claimed that if Padilla were allowed to have a lawyer, his questioning would be “set back, if not derailed.”

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[IAEA] CHALLENGES EVIDENCE AGAINST IRAQ CITED BY BUSH

“The key piece of evidence that President Bush has cited as proof that Saddam Hussein has sought to revive his program to make nuclear weapons was challenged today by the International Atomic Energy Agency,” Michael R. Gordon reported in the NYT. The administration insists that the aluminum tubes Iraq attempted to buy are intended for use in centrifuges for the enrichment of uranium for nuclear weapons. Dr. Mohammed ElBaradei disagrees, saying the tubes were specified for building 81 mm rockets, as claimed by the Iraqis, and that the tubes were not suitable for use in centrifuges. British intelligence also questions the Bush administration’s position.

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UN INSPECTORS CRITICIZE IRAQIS OVER ARMS LIST

“The chief United Nations weapons inspectors sharply criticized Iraq today for failing to come forward with new information to clarify its weapons programs, but said they had ''not found any smoking gun...'' Julia Preston wrote for the NYT that Hans Blix was critical of Iraq for “failing to come forward with new information to clarify its weapons program.” Blix also reported that inspectors had “not found any smoking gun.”

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NORTH KOREA SAYS IT IS WITHDRAWING FROM ARMS TREATY

“North Korea said today it was withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. The announcement means that, in 90 days, North Korea will no longer be bound by the treaty,” according to Seth Mydans in the NYT.

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U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECURITY LEADER ACTS TO STOP UNION EFFORT

Admiral James Loy, head of the Transportation Security Administration stated that collective bargaining for 56,000 federal airport screeners was inappropriate, and he blocked their attempt to unionize. The “fight against terrorism” was cited as the reason.

The President of the American Federation of Government Employees responded that Adm. Loy’s action was further evidence of the administrations anti-union agenda and observed that the administration has the power to “suspend collective bargaining during a true national emergency.” Reported by Christopher Marquis in the NYT.

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DEFICIT PREDICTIONS SOAR

Economists Say a Record Shortfall Is Likely

Jonathon Weisman, in the Washington Post, reported that the $674,000,000,000 Bush package of tax cuts and spending, along with a war with Iraq, would significantly increase the defecit. Here’s the best part [emphasis added]: “Assuming a relatively quick and inexpensive war and full implementation of the Bush tax cut, [David Wyss] said the deficit should reach $275 billion in 2003, compared with the $109 billion deficit projected by the White House in August. By 2004, that number would reach $350 billion.”

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