when news collides... hicks vs bush/downer/ruddock/howard

Bring hicks home now

Wishing a merry christmas to all muslims from the bush administration:

16 Saudis Released From Guantanamo

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/14/terror/main2269566.shtml

The detention of Saudis at Guantanamo has been an irritant in the relationship between the Bush administration and the Saudi kingdom, a close U.S. ally. Two Saudis died in the prison earlier this year in what American officials said were suicides. But many Saudis don't believe that explanation, saying the detainees were abused, a claim the U.S. denies.

When the nationals of the country which financed and planned the 9/11 attacks can go free and the offical spokesman for the Taliban can be given a place to study at Harvard, what is an Australian doing behind bars, without charge, for the fifth year running with no end in sight?

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/family-put-on-hold-for-hicks-christmas-call/2006/12/14/1165685825215.html

Terror arms sale link to army
ROGUE elements in the Australian military are feared to be behind the blackmarket sale of rocket launchers and guns to terrorist and criminal groups.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/army-link-to-terror-arms-sale/2006/12/14/1165685831075.html

Now remember back to a federal auditor generals report from two years ago which stated that around $3-5 billion dollars worth of army equipment was simply missing or could not be accounted for by woefully inadequate inventory records and ask your self about the ministers responsible and their ministerial responsibilities. Also ask yourself if this is a story in search of a fact

The suspected army link that has unnerved NSW police and federal intelligence agencies because it suggests that the underworld has found a way of bypassing elaborate checks aimed at preventing terrorist weapons entering the country.

Reports suggesting an "elaborate" system of checks, needs itself checked. Also, I am assuming this means that the australian army is curently under investigation by ASIO, the feds and any number of counter terrorism squads?
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a truly sad requiem
China's Rare River Dolphin Now Extinct, Experts Announce

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061214-dolphin-extinct.html

"It's possible that we missed one or two animals [during the search], but we can say the baiji is functionally extinct," August Pfluger, a Swiss economist-turned-naturalist who financed the expedition, said in a telephone interview from Wuhan, China.

The price we pay for electricity.
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only wealthy terrorists need read this story

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB116598078991348617-ixe9zZfYn1035s3P88WdMJZDTTI_20071213.html?mod=blogs

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the future of the worlds economy:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/14/AR2006121400681.html

the chinese are just building up a nice little trillion dollar buffer before they have to do the inevitable and become big boys on the world stage and float those yuans. Till then they can just keep on owning a bigger and bigger slice of the US.

The Chinese economy "would be more effective under a regime where currency values are determined in a competitive open marketplace based upon economic fundamentals," Paulson said.
Since January, China has overtaken Mexico as the United States' second-largest trading partner, behind only Canada, the Commerce Department said this week. Total trade so far this year between the countries is valued at $281 billion. While U.S. exports to China are rising sharply, they remain a fraction of Chinese exports to the United States. Between January and October, the value of Chinese goods imported to the United States exceeded the value of U.S. exports to China by $190 billion -- more than a quarter of America's goods deficit worldwide for the first 10 months of this year.

Wonder whats happening with the Australia/China free trade pact after we gave their command economy a clean bill of free market status in exchange for a handjob from a plain, yet perky, maid at Mark Vailles hotel. Was it good for you Minister or will you rely your favourite line, that stale old chestnut, "I cant recall"?