Wake Up Uncle Sam

Women hold anti-Bush rally

2006-03-03T13:26:00.000+05:30

Women hold anti-Bush rally

Hyderabad: More than 500 burqa-clad women, mainly residents of Saidabad, Chanchalguda, Malakpet and Dabeerpura gathered at Ujal-e-Shah Dargah in Saidabad on Thursday evening to conduct a special prayer and stage anti-Bush demonstrations. They first offered namaz-e-Asar (evening prayers) and later offered a special prayer ‘Qunoot-e-Nazila’ (prayer for the victory of Muslims over enemies). The women also prayed for the destruction of anti-Muslim forces, including US president George W Bush.
After prayers the women staged a protest at the Idgah ground, displaying placards and shouting anti-Bush slogans.

It’s a ‘mecca’ of protests

2006-03-03T13:20:00.000+05:30

It’s a ‘mecca’ of protests

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad: The historic Mecca Masjid is set to be the centrestage of anti-Bush protests in the city on Friday and top police officers have been ordered to ensure that nothing untoward takes place until the US president safely leaves the city.
Two weeks ago, the Old City was brought to the verge of communal riots over the Prophet Mohammed cartoon row. Trouble began when wo r s h i p p e r s poured out of the mosque after the noon prayers. A breach in the police cordon allowed them to go up the main street of Charminar and rain stones on shops at Gulzar Houz. Police are determined not to let that happen again on Friday. “You saw how we kept the peace last Friday. Tomorrow too will be peaceful,” said police commissioner A K Mohanty. In a bid to prevent youngsters from creating trouble, s eve r a l p l a i n - clothesmen are being sent inside the mosque in the guise of offering prayers to keep tabs on troublemakers. Hidden cameras are being set up near the entrance to the mosque to screen people going in, while their bags and belongings will be opened and searched.
As any protest against Bush’s visit is sure to attract the attention of the global media, the state government has sent out strict orders to the police to ensure that there should be no breach of the peace at any cost.
It was likely that some of radical elements would be taken into preventive custody late T h u r s d ay night or early F r i d ay, though police officer would not confirm this possibility. Till Thursday, no political party or religious group had sought permission to stage a protest in the Old City. Though two major rallies are being taken out at Indira Park, the police do not want to shift their attention from the Old City. “If somebody wants to protest they can, but we’ll not tolerate if they have an intention to harm others,” Mohanty cautioned.

Bush effigy paraded astride donkey

2006-03-03T12:39:00.000+05:30

Bush effigy paraded astride donkey

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad: Left-wing protesters opposed to the Bush visit took their ire out on a donkey here on Thursday. Wearing a fool’s cap of the US flag, adorned with pictures of Dubya, and carrying an effigy of the US president, the hapless animal was paraded along the streets of Hyderabad as activists of the communist parties shouted raucous anti-imperialist slogans.
And this was only a rehearsal for Friday, when Bush will be here for four hours. So far, the protests have been peaceful but the police are on tenterhooks because Bush’s arrival falls on a Friday when Islamic fervour is likely to be whipped up after the noon prayers at the Mecca Masjid in the Old City.
On the eve of D-Day, Old City thoroughfares have been barricaded like never before. Thousands of local police and Rapid Action Force personnel have been stationed at street corners with police vehicles patrolling even the inner streets. People were not even being allowed to gather near the Mecca Masjid as well as the main roads, in the Old City.
Apart from the Hyderabad City Police, personnel have been drawn from four companies of the Rapid Action Force, three of the Central Reserve Police Force and 12 platoons of the AP Special Force.
Police commissioner A K Mohanty said, “Anyone trying to disturb the peace in the city will not be spared.”
The police had earlier toyed with the idea of taking religious and political leaders into preventive custody to preempt any possible protest but then thought the better of it lest it backfire. “We have not taken anyone into custody,” said deputy commissioner of police (South zone) Sandeep Shandilya.
Plans by the Majlis Bachau Tehreek to release black balloons and fly black kites during the Bush visit have flummoxed the police.While the Islamic elements are keeping the police on their toes in the Old City, the communists are likely to keep them busy in the vicinity of Indira Park and Sundarayya Park, Hyderabad’s designated protest zone.
Demonstrations will kick off the drama at Indira Park at about 10 a.m leading to the convergence of multiple rallies. All the rallies will meet at Sundarayya Park where political and religious leaders will address a public meeting.
Thursday’s rehearsal saw a menagerie of animals being forcemarched to heap humiliation on Bush. His effigies were carried on dogs and donkeys from Indira Park to Sundarayya Park in two separate rallies taken out by the CPM and the Students Federation of India.
Alongside a donkey walked an actor playing the role of chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, bowing and scraping. After the rally, the activists, mostly young men and women dunked the effigies in the stinking Musi nala. CPM leader Srinivasa Rao said, “We have not insulted Bush by showing him in the form of a donkey and dogs. The dogs and donkeys must have felt insulted.’’ Anti-Bush protests also rocked the Assembly for nearly 15 minutes on Thursday.

CPM activists parade a donkey adorned with the US flag and posters of President George Bush at the Indira Park in the city on Thursday.

25,000 protest against Prophet cartoons

2006-03-03T12:35:00.000+05:30

25,000 protest against Prophet cartoons

Karachi, Feb. 27: About 25,000 people rallied in Karachi against the publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammed while the authorities rounded up scores of Islamic hardliners to stop them from demonstrating in another Pakistani city.

After the police prevented the rally in the eastern city of Lahore, parliamentary Opposition leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman angrily vowed to defy bans on such protests ahead of US President George W. Bush’s visit next week. “By arresting religious and political workers, the government displayed a dictatorial attitude which is condemnable,” Mr Rahman, who was prevented by the police boarding a flight from Islamabad, told reporters.

“The government has shattered democratic values and by its steps it has strengthened those forces which have insulted the Prophet,” he said. More protests, which target the President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, and the US as well as the cartoons that Muslims regard as blasphemous, are scheduled for Friday — a day before Mr Bush visits Islamabad on his trip to South Asia.

Mr Bush told Pakistani reporters last week that there was no chance that protests would cause him to cancel his visit. Pakistan banned anti-cartoon rallies in Islamabad, Lahore and other eastern cities after several demonstrations recently turned deadly.

But protests have been allowed to go ahead in Karachi. Disciplined and well-organised by a Sunni Muslim group, Sunday’s protest was the biggest in the port city since 40,000 rallied there on February 16 against the cartoons — which first appeared in a Danish newspaper in September, were later reprinted in several Western publications and sparked outrage across the Islamic world. The crowd chanted “Down with the blasphemer,” “Death to America,” and “End diplomatic ties with European countries,” but there was no violence, said Shaukat Shah, a Karachi police officer. He estimated the number of protesters at 25,000.

4 die, 52 hurt in big Karachi blast

2006-03-03T12:28:00.000+05:30

4 die, 52 hurt in big Karachi blast

Karachi, March 2: A car bombing possibly launched by a suicide attacker killed four people, including an American diplomat, and wounded 52 outside the US consulate and a luxury hotel in Karachi on Thursday, ahead of a visit to Pakistan by the US President, the police said. President George W. Bush condemned the attack and said “terrorists and killers” would not prevent him from coming to Pakistan this week on the final leg of a tour of South Asia.

The blast ripped through the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel, about 20 metres from the consulate gate, shattering windows at the consulate and on all 10 floors of the hotel. Ten cars were destroyed, casting flames and clouds of thick black smoke over the scene.
“We have lost at least one US citizen in the bombing, a foreign service officer, and I send our country’s deepest condolences to that person’s loved ones and family,” Mr Bush said in neighbouring in India.

“Terrorists and killers are not going to prevent me from going to Pakistan.” The police initially said two car bombs had gone off, but provincial police chief Jahangir Mirza said a single bomb by a suicide attacker may have triggered a second smaller explosion when a burning car’s fuel tank caught fire. “There is a possibility that this could be a suicide attack but we are still investigating,” Mr Mirza said.

Mr Shabbir Qaimkhani, the provincial health minister, said four were killed and the casualties included a woman who died of her injuries in a hospital. He said 49 others were wounded. The American diplomat and his driver were killed when their car was hit by a blast at a road block near the consulate entrance, about four metres (yards) from where the bomb went off, Pakistani police investigator said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to make media statements.

The bombing left a crater two metres wide and more than 60 centimetres deep. The explosion propelled cars into the air and damaged other nearby buildings, including a naval hospital, and left the street strewn with mangled car parts.

One man’s body, with part of its head missing, was flung by onto the second story of the hotel’s exterior. Mohammed Ali, who sells cigarettes nearby, said the first explosion occurred around 9 am, knocking him down and flattening his wooden stall. “Seconds later there was another explosion. We ran away to save our lives,” said Mohammed Ali. “The explosions set cars on fire and there was smoke all around ... I thought the explosions would burst my ear drums.”

Mohammed Jammed, a former Army colonel, who was getting a medical checkup at the naval hospital, said the first explosion was “very intense” and the second one was a comparatively smaller. “I saw two burning car seats land in the hospital lawn,” Col. Jammed said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blasts. The bombings occurred a day or two before Mr Bush was to visit the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

Bush has House in turmoil

2006-03-03T12:23:00.000+05:30

Bush has House in turmoil

Hyderabad, March 2: The large-scale protests against the visit of United States President George Bush found echoes in the Assembly on Thursday. The CPI, CPI-M and the MIM members moved an adjournment motion pro-testing against Mr Bush’s visit to Hyderabad on Friday and stalled proceedings for 45 minutes. Members of the three parties also displayed posters saying “We don’t want Bush” and “Bush go away”. They raised slogans while staging a dharna near the Speaker’s podium.

Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy rejected the adjournment motion stating that rules do not permit such discussions. “There is no such convention,” he said. Finance and legislative affairs minister K. Rosaiah then urged the House to continue with its business since the Opposition had made their point. “Your voice has been heard,” he said. “There were protests in Delhi too. Will Mr Bush go back if we pass a resolution? There are differences of opinion over his visit. Everyone has a right to air his or her views.”

However, Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi (MIM), Mr Nomula Narasimhaiah and Mr Chada Venkat Reddy (CPI-M) and others continued with their protests and the Speaker adjourned the House at 8.45 am. The House reassembled at 9.15 am. The Speaker also rejected an adjournment motion moved by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti on allotment of prime land to MNCs in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district and another motion moved by the BJP on the spiralling prices of essential commodities.

He revoked the suspension of 31 Telugu Desam members from the House at the request of opposition members. Mr Rosaiah moved the resolution revoking the suspension as directed by Speaker and the TD members returned to the House immediately. The Minister said the government was forced to suspend the TD members since they had obstructed the proceedings. “I was forced to move the suspension motion with a heavy heart,” said Mr Rosaiah.

The MOB family

2006-03-02T15:08:00.000+05:30

Dear MOBsters:

Great News! Mothers Opposing Bush has given birth to MOBilizing Mothers! This smart and strong daughter of the MOB will organize mothers across the nation to push for policies and laws that protect our children and families.

We are delighted with our new arrival, and hope you are, too!

At MOBilizing Mothers, we believe that every child should be:

Safe
Healthy
Educated
Loved
Free

Safe from pollution, crime, and terror; Healthy due to good medical care and nourishing food; Educated to make the most of his or her gifts; Loved by a strong family and flourishing community; and Free to decide what to think and believe.

We think you share these values, too.

And we believe you are willing to take action to make this world a better place for all our children. To link hands with other mothers, across the nation, and in your own community. To make a difference.

As we regroup this summer, we want to know more about you and what you need from us to take action for children.

Please join us! Click on the link (http://www.mob.org/join) to become a member and register at no cost with the new MOBilizing Mothers.
And please tell us more about who you are, what you care about, and what you need from MOBilizing Mothers. Click on the link (http://www.mob.org/survey) to take our short opinion survey and directly shape the future of your organization.

We plan our official launch in the fall. Check back at mob.org throughout the summer for activities and updates. And tell a friend!

The MOB Mother Ship
Annapolis, Maryland

Edie Falco Joins The Anti-Bush Mob

2006-03-02T15:06:00.000+05:30

Edie Falco Joins The Anti-Bush Mob

Wednesday
8:00 pm

Falco has branched out from the Soprano family and announced today her membership in the new Mob-- Mothers Opposing Bush. Falco agreed to be featured in the group's new anti-Bush TV spot that starts running this weekend on CNN.

Scroll down one posting on the blog and you can click on the audio of my chat with her.

Falco helped premier the spot this afternoon at the Tribeca Grill. MOB was born last December literally in the kitchen of a half-dozen Maryland moms. Since then Mob has signed up more than 10,000 members across the country and is now raising money to buy more TV ad time.

I'm a well-known Sopranos fanatic and would have been happy to hear Edie speak even if it were from the podium of the RNC. Hearing her come out strongly against the Bush policies made the experience even sweeter.

Speaking of mobsters... it's almost time for Cheney's speech.

Anti-Bush Books

2006-03-02T15:01:00.000+05:30

http://supak.com/bush.htm

Bush wanted

2006-03-02T14:35:00.000+05:30

Anti-Bush Demonstrations

2006-03-02T14:32:00.000+05:30

Anti-Bush Cartoon

2006-03-02T14:29:00.000+05:30

Anti-Bush Flash - click to see

2006-03-02T14:16:00.000+05:30

http://www.chohomio.com/lie.swf

2006-03-02T14:13:00.000+05:30

Only his policies : Naidu

2006-03-02T14:10:00.000+05:30

We’re not against Bush, only his policies: Naidu

Hyderabad, March 1: On the eve of US President George Bush’s visit to the city, Telugu Desam President N. Chandrababu Naidu has termed him an enemy of Islamic countries.
Mr Naidu also lashed out at the US foreign policy and termed it “double-faced”. However, he added that his party was not opposed to the visit of the US president, but was only critical of his policies. Speaking to mediapersons in the Assembly premises, Mr Naidu said that the US had dual standards vis-à-vis nuclear disarmament.

“While it (US) supports Pakistan which possesses nuclear weapons, it opposes Iran having the same,” he said. India was also being forced to toe the Bush doctrine and this was bad for the country, the TD supremo said. Mr Naidu said that the foreign policy of the US was breeding religious intolerance and was not good for the world as a whole. “Bush is seen as an enemy of Islamic countries,” he said.

When reporters pointed out that the Congress government was showcasing the State as an agrarian economy to Bush in contrast to Mr Naidu’s presentation of the State as an IT Hub to Bill Clinton, the TD leader said that Mr Clinton had also addressed farmers through video conference. He added that Mr Clinton chose to visit the State as he was impressed with the way it implemented economic reforms.

Do not welcome US President

2006-03-02T14:09:00.000+05:30

Do not welcome US President'

Staff Reporter

TINY VIEW INTO A LARGER DISSENT: A boy peers through a poster at an exhibition organised by the Students' Islamic Organisation of India in Hyderabad on Wednesday. - PHOTO: P.V. Sivakumar

Hyderabad: A Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising different Muslim organisations, has termed US President George W. Bush a "traitor of humanity."

In a memorandum submitted to Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Wednesday, the JAC said Mr. Bush's visit would endanger peace and harmony of the country. "We request you to convey to the Government of India not to welcome him. The State Government should also not welcome him", the JAC members said.

The signatories to the memorandum were: Syed Abdul Baisth Anwar (Jamate Islami Hind), Raheem Qurashi (Majlis Tameere Millat), Allauddin Ansari (Indian National League) and others. The campaign of Mr. Bush, they said, was not for strengthening democracy but to destroy democratic governments and create chaos in the world. "Mr. Bush is directly involved in abuses and violations of human rights all over the world', the memorandum said.

MBT calls bandh

The Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) called for "AP bandh" on March 3 to protest against the visit. At an emergency meeting held here on Wednesday, the MBT decided to observe it as a black day.

The meeting, which was presided over by MBT acting president, Adam Malik, resolved to launch a novel protest by sending black balloons in the air from multi storied buildings around the Airport as soon as Mr. Bush arrives. The MBT urged people, particularly the Muslim community, to close their businesses on Friday and fly black coloured kites and hoist black flags on their houses to show their resentment.

Shias take out rally

Hundreds of Shias took out a motor cycle rally from Purani Haveli to Raj Bhavan on Wednesday under the auspices of the Andhra Pradesh Shiya Youth Conference to protest against the Samara incident and the visit.

Later a delegation led by Syed Hamed Hussain Jaffrey, president, of the body, submitted a memorandum to the Governor urging him to condemn the attack on the holiest of Shia shrines.

Left gears up

2006-03-02T14:08:00.000+05:30

Left parties gear up for demonstration

Special Correspondent

Propriety of discussing key issues with visiting leader questioned

India will lose heavily in the long run if it signs agreements

U.S. Consulate has no right to extend invitations

Permission sought to stage protest

IN PROTEST MODE: K. Narayana, CPI State secretary, and B.V. Raghavulu, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, releasing posters in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

HYDERABAD: Even as the State Government is making hectic arrangements to welcome U.S. President George W. Bush, the Left parties have questioned the propriety of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in holding discussions with the "imperialist" on key issues such as agriculture.

Stepping up their opposition to the maiden visit of Mr. Bush, the Left parties are gearing up to stage a demonstration in the city on March 3.

CPI(M) State secretary B. V. Raghavulu and CPI State secretary K. Narayana told reporters here on Wednesday that Mr. Bush had no right to visit India because of his `anti-India acts.' The visit was only to pressure India to sign certain agreements which were not in the interest of the country.

The country would lose heavily in the long run if it went ahead with signing the US' proposals. It was unfortunate that the U.S. Consulate in India had sent out invitations when the task should have been performed by the Indian Government, they said questioning the Chief Minister's intentions in preparing to give a red carpet welcome to Mr. Bush whose visit was opposed by every patriotic Indian.

The leaders said they had sought permission to hold a demonstration to coincide with Mr. Bush's visit here on Friday.

`Ryots will be losers'

CPI(ML) State committee secretary Anand in a press note opposed the visit of Mr. Bush and charged that his visit to the agriculture university was to pave the way for MNCs to exploit farmers. Terming the visit an insult to people, the State unit of the CPI (Maoist) has called upon people to register their protest in whatever form they can against the imperialist US Government.

Maoists join chorus

In a statement, Janardhan, spokesperson of the CPI (Maoist) Andhra Pradesh, said the State Government's enthusiasm to make the visit a success exposed its `pro-rich' and `pro-World Bank' policies. He said people should understand the reason behind Mr. Bush's visit. "The Government here is ready to mortgage the interests of people to American imperialists," he said.

Left parties announce anti-bush protest plans

2006-03-02T14:04:00.000+05:30

Left parties announce anti-Bush protest plans

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: As U.S. President George Bush arrived on Wednesday night on his State visit, the Left parties announced a programme of protest for Thursday both inside and outside Parliament.

The Left parties will start the day with MPs holding a demonstration outside the main gate of Parliament from 10 a.m.

When Parliament assembles an hour later, they will press for the suspension of question hour and urge the House to take up the issue.

"President George Bush's visit to India is an affront to Indian Parliament which passed a resolution calling for the withdrawal of occupation forces led by the United States from Iraq," Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajya Sabha leader Nilotpal Basu and Lok Sabha leader Basudeb Acharia said here.

Thereafter, the Left leaders will join party colleagues and workers in a protest rally from Ramlila Maidan to Parliament Street, where they are expected to address those assembled.

Yechury to boycott lunch & Yechury to boycott lunch

2006-03-02T14:00:00.000+05:30

Yechury to boycott lunch


New Delhi, March 1: CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury has chosen not to break bread with visiting US President George W. Bush, against whom the Left has kicked off a storm of protest. Mr Sitaram Yechury has declined an invitation extended to him by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to join the lunch that is being hosted in honour of the visiting US President George W. Bush on Thursday. The Left is also organising a massive protest march that will culminate in a rally to protest against the visit of US President George W. Bush. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chose Mr Sitaram Yechury for inviting him to the lunch in honour of US President George W. Bush, as Mr Yechury is MP and head on the CPM international department. Significantly, Mr Yechury had only recently joined the lunch hosted in honour of French President Jaques Chirac. It was a conscious decision he took, given the socialist leanings of Mr Chirac. But in the case of Mr Bush, Mr Yechury made it a point to register his protest. According to party sources, Mr Yechury is choosing to stay away from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s lunch for US President Bush, to register his protest in keeping with the party line, which is spearheading the protest movement against Mr Bush. All the Left MPs will stage a sit-in in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament to protest the visit of Mr Bush, saying it amounted to an affront to Parliament, which had unanimously adopted a resolution against American invasion of Iraq. Rajya Sabha CPM floor leader Nilotpal Basu said, the Left has also given a notice seeking suspension of the Question Hour in Parliament and raise their protest against the Bush visit in both Houses of Parliament. Later, the Left members would later participate in the demonstration against US President Bush’s visit at Ramlila Maidan in the capital.


People shout slogans, burn Bush effigies


New Delhi, March 1: It was a black day in the history of Delhi, on Wednesday, marking the arrival of US President George W. Bush. With less than 24 hours left for the US President to set foot on Indian soil, lakhs and lakhs of people from across the country, gathered in the capital shouting fiery anti-Bush slogans and making emotional appeals to the Indian government to stop Mr Bush, an alleged offender of Islamic religion, from entering the country. Lending support to the anti-Bush campaign, was the ongoing protest against the publication of sacrilegious caricatures of Prophet Mohammed in a Danish newspaper that added fire and fervour to the rally. “Bush has instigated the publication of such profane caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. It is the American government that has allowed and promoted such blasphemy against Islam,” alleged president of Delhi Tarqiyati Morcha M. Salman Faruqi. Lakhs of Muslim men wearing traditional attire, carried effigies of Mr Bush in the widespread demonstration. Placards reading “‘Bush go Back,” “Bush stop violence against Islam,” We want world peace’” and “‘No Business and travels in any regard from Denmark,” donned the walls outside the Ramlila Grounds near Jama Masjid in the capital where the protest rally was staged. “UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan close your eyes and ears,” said a placard highlighting the disappointment of lakhs of Muslims in the United Nations, which claimed to be an upholder of equal rights for men, women and nations.

Indians wake up !!!

2006-03-02T13:56:00.000+05:30

‘71 p.c. Indians positive about US’

Houston, March 1: While United States favourability ratings have plunged in many countries, Indians are significantly more positive about the US now than they were in the summer of 2002, a poll has said. The 2005 Pew Global Attitudes survey found that 71 per cent of Indians have a favourable view of the US and 54 per cent admire President Bush in handling world affairs. What mostly attracts Indians is that America remains a land of opportunity despite its booming economy today. Asked where they would recommend that a young person move in order to lead a good life, a 38 per cent plurality of Indians choose the US.

This finding may seem a weak endorsement, given America’s longstanding image as a hopeful new world for immigrants; however, in no other country does even a plurality recommend the US to the hypothetical young person searching for a better life. In other countries, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, and Germany are all more popular choices.

After India, Poland has the second largest share of respondents recommending the US — and only one-in-five Poles (19%) suggests US as a destination. On Having suffered terrorist attacks in their own recent history, including a December 2001 assault on the Parliament, Indians tend to support the war on terrorism. Just over half (52%) favour US-led efforts to fight terrorism, a level of support similar to many European countries, and significantly higher than in Muslim countries.

Bush popularity at all-time low

2006-03-02T13:55:00.000+05:30

Bush popularity at all-time low

Washington, March 1: More Americans disapprove of how President George W. Bush is handling his job and are pessimistic about the Iraqi situation than ever, according to a new poll. Mr Bush’s approval rating in the survey taken on Wednesday to Saturday fell to 34 per cent, the lowest it has been since he took office in 2001 and six per cent lower than last month, said the survey conducted by CBS news released on Monday. Fiftynine per cent of respondents disapproved of the job Mr Bush was doing.

Even in his war on terrorism, usually his strongest suit in opinion surveys, Mr Bush’s approval rating dropped to an all-time low of 43 per cent, with 50 per cent disapproving of his actions. Last month those ratings were reversed with 52 approving, and 43 per cent disapproving, Mr Bush’s terrorism-fighting credentials. Regarding the situation in Iraq, 62 per cent of Americans felt things were going badly against 36 per cent who said they were going well. In January, both sides were much closer, 54-45, with pessimists out front. In another record, Americans who thought the results of the Iraq War were not worth the cost rose to 63 per cent, against 29 per cent who thought the opposite.

Fiftythree per cent believed removing Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein from power was not worth the cost, against 41 per cent who thought it was. And 54 per cent said the United States should have stayed out of Iraq, compared to 41 per cent who said it was right to intervene. One month ago both groups were closer, at 50-47 per cent, respectively. On the controversial deal to have a United Arab Emirates company take over operations in six major US ports, only 21 per cent agreed.

United in anger

2006-03-02T13:49:00.000+05:30

United in anger: Lakhs of protesters stage a rally in New Delhi on Wednesday against US President George W. Bush’s India visit. The placard held up reads: “Down with Bush the wolf, Down with Bush”.

Anti-Bush Panties

2006-03-02T13:46:00.000+05:30

Anti-Bush

To purchase them http://www.axisofeve.org/

Bloggers take anti-Bush Protests to Net

2006-02-23T11:09:00.000+05:30

The following news articles in the newspapers made me going to come up with this blog which I was thinking/planning for quite some days/months,to be precisely from the time the Iraq war was started in the name of WMDs.

Bloggers take anti-Bush protests to Net

New Delhi, Feb. 22: The protest against US President George W. Bush’s visit to India has reached cyberspace. A blog page has been started by a blogger containing links to anti-Bush remarks and sentiments as part of the campaign against Mr Bush’s visit to India commencing in a week from now. The blog is at: http://gobackglobalterrorist.blogspot.com/.

“This is an endeavour to encourage people to create more blogs opposing Bush’s visit to India,” the administrator of the blog suggests and invites emails from just about anybody interested in making their voice heard against the Bush visit. “The aim is to carry forward the struggle in the virtual space also. We appeal all the patriots, peace loving people on the globe, to campaign for having more blogs coming up on the occasion of his visit.

“We want the blogger community to rise to the occasion and have as many individual blogs as possible with a variety of content like poetry, photographs, cartoons, writeups, humour etc,” the administrator of the blog adds. Already over 300 visitors have accessed the blog page. It contains links to Indians, Americans, Canadians and others who have posted their views and comments on it. One such link has posted certain Abu Ghraib prison photographs. Another depicts a graphic of Bush behind bars and urges the “global terrorist” to go back.

“Ambush Bush’s plans before his Iran Putsch!” writes a blogger with an Indian name. “Anyone who has seen the miseries of the prisoners of Abu Ghraib, the detainees at Guantanamo Bay, the unrequited victims of Hurricane Katrina... would squirm at the thought of Bush receiving a red carpet welcome in sovereign India, my country, which was born out of a struggle against imperialism, the kind peddled by Pax Britannica,” he observes.

Joining the bloggers in the Bush-Go-Back campaign will be certain civil society organisations, writers and activists. Demonstrations have also been planned by the Left parties, which are supporting the UPA government from outside. The activists, including writer Amresh Mishra, clarify that the focus of the paign will be the Bush administration, not America or Americans. “This is also not about Muslims,” they observe, and suggest that the campaign will be about human issues and individuals from all walks of life can join.