2
POPSNow Bush Is Appeasing Iran joined envoys from France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany in talks with Saeed Jalili -- Iran's nuclear negotiator and an Ahmadinejad confidant -- about incentives to give to Tehran. ven with record oil prices, mismanagement has driven the Iranian economy into the ground. On July 14, the Ministry of Housing reported an "historical" 125% rise in housing prices. The same day, Tabnak, a news Web site run by a former head of the IRGC, admitted foodstuff inflation had reached 50% annually. On July 8, 2008, a National Iranian Oil Company executive acknowledged in the Iranian press that, without significant investment in infrastructure, Iranian oil production would decline each year by 300,000 barrels a day. In the past month alone, Iranian workers have struck for unpaid wages at the Khodro automotive plant (which assembles Peugeots), the Alburz Tire Company, and the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane factory.
1
POPSChina's Army Builds For Reach Past Taiwan, U.S. Says Other Contingencies The report concludes that China is thinking beyond Taiwan. ``Analysis of China's military acquisitions and strategic thinking suggests Beijing is also developing capabilities for use in other contingencies, such as conflict over resources or disputed territories,'' it says. Cyber Warfare The report also says that China is increasing its capabilities in space and cyberwarfare. ``In both those areas there's reason for concern,'' said David Sedney, assistant secretary of defense for East Asia. The system will be operational in the next two to three weeks, he said. He noted that no one in China ``picked up the phone'' when U.S. officials called after a B-2 bomber accidentally bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in May 1999.
13
POPSMore Veterans speak out against war. I WILL SALUTE NO MORE FOREVER As a child I learned to Worship that piece of colored cloth. My family, my school, the movies, TV taught me to believe that fragment of fabric stood for good things. I watched my father, a World War II Army veteran, give homage to that wad of material. As an airman I saluted that banner for the four years I served in the Air Force where I stood ready to help launch Titan Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles on command. Then I became aware that the wonderful things for which that clump of colors is suppose to represent, have not been achieved. I came to know that awful, unlawful, unwise and immoral acts have occurred under the stars and stripes. But I still clung onto the belief and hope that someday, somehow conditions would change and the good things for which that rag is still supposed to stand would yet be realized.