Mike Cohen - At Large

President Bush is up in arms over the snooping report the New York Times and other media outlets raised on the 'so called secret" bank transactions snooping on US nationals and corporations to check into the sources of those funding groups linked to terrorism.
Its clearly just another issue the Bush administration is stretching bit to improve poll numbers among conservative voters.

[] ... The US president has accused US newspapers of hampering the "war on terror" by publishing details of a secret scheme to track money transfers.

George W Bush defended the scheme and said the disclosure was "disgraceful". BBCNEWS ... []

But -the entire program is outlined in the reports of governments activities versus terrorism - here :

[] ... Financial Action Task Force on Money LaunderingInter-governmental body developing and promoting policies to combat money laundering and terrorist...
www.fatf-gafi.org/ ... []

I mean its not spelled out in exact details - but - it goes over the program and is on a public access website. Everyone else in the world has their accounts regularly scrutinized over the sending of funds abroad. Most worry nothing about it unless you have something to hide.

Looking at the media reports you would think some major scoop had been scored by the NY Times when in actuality its al out there in the public domain.

On the side of the white house its a easy way to take a snap at a media outlet over the something that looks almost treason - when in reality its nothing but political posturing to make poll numbers rise among a specific constituency.

So the saga will drag on - they will blister and pucker and act like peacocks for a few weeks.
Bottom line- if the Bush administration feels some law was violated. File charges in court. If the NY Times feels its right were violated- file charges before the supreme court for culpable violations of the constitution - a impeachable offense. Otherwise- you both got the thing you wanted everyone's attention now we can all go back to sleep and wait for the next 'pseudo scandal' to emerge.
philippines news-and-politics

[] ...
More trouble for the Marines, this time in the Philippines
KARE, MN - 2 hours ago
A Philippine woman who has accused four US Marines of rape was offered money to drop the charges, her stepsister testified Monday. ... []


Now here's a news director whgo deserves to be sacked- I mean this entire Saga in Manila has been going on for what now? Since November and they treat it as a new story? i mean who the heck owns this station? What kind of idiot is working your desk? Dont you read the wires?
Yeeessshhh...
It boils my blood to think the webmaster of this site doesn't even bother to check - what kind of misleading screwed up idiot runs - KARE - yuck- and I thought other media outlets were dense.
NOVEMBER of last year- God I hope some idiot from the desk of this station reads this- go back to school and learn to report ! News- meaning new?
I mean Ap, Reuter, and AFP wires have been doing daily updates on this story - the big four news networks as well...
philippines news-and-politics

Philippines: American Arrested for recruiting ‘guards’ for Iraq

The Philippines has banned the deployment of Filipino workers to Iraq- even though thousands still are in the country- new recruitment in the Philippines is banned by law.

A American citizen of Philippine origin was arrested by government agents for illegally recruiting over 100 AWOL (absent without leave) members of the Philippine Armed forces - and retired military personnel for the 'shotgun' escort duty.

( NOTE:engaging in the recruitment of labor for overseas employment on a large scale is a crime here without proper registration.)

Statement on the POEA website at: http://www.poea.gov.ph/

POEA not sending civilian fighters to

Iraq, Afghanistan
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) does not process documents of Filipinos hired as “civilian fighting force” for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The July 2004 ban on deployment of Filipino workers to Iraq has not been lifted and the reported deployment of security forces to Iraq and Afghanistan did not pass the documentation system of the government.
The government allowed the recruitment of Filipino workers for Iraq in the latter part of 2003 but only for deployment to campsites which were found safe from attacks from Iraqi rebels and terrorists. Most of the deployed workers were assigned to do construction, maintenance, housekeeping, and catering jobs inside American camps.
The deployment of Filipinos to Afghanistan was also allowed but was limited to professionals working in projects controlled by the United Nations (UN). POEA processed the contracts of these workers only after endorsement and clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

It pretty much an open and shut case- most likely seen to end in either a large fine or a sentence or both- that's up to the courts.

Full story below:

www.Inq7.net 05:41pm NBI nabs Fil-Am sending retired, AWOL soldiers to Iraq

There are thousands of legal Philippine citizen employees of various global security firms who follow proper laws and regulations - which are in place to protect these workers.Who after-all do put their lives on the line for the various projects built in harms way all over the world.
This is not a anti-iraq or anti-war on terror action - as I'm sure some right wing bloggers might see it - but a simple case of not properly setting up and getting the legal permits.

But- while the Philippine government has travel restrictions to Iraq for Filipinos in the wake of kidnappings there. thousands do work there and carry out the jobs they do with the full knowledge of them being on their own in that country.

There are no restrictions for Afghanistan or other parts of the middle east though.

Looking for information on overseas employment?

For the complete list of recruitment and manning agencies that send Filipino workers abroad:
http://poea.gov.ph/cgi-bin/agSearch.asp

For tips on how to avoid illegal recruitment:
http://www.poea.gov.ph/html/how%20to_ir.html

For the revised rules and regulations on overseas employment of land-based workers:
http://poea.gov.ph/docs/POEA%20Rules.pdf

For the labor code of the Philippines discussing the provisions on overseas employment:
http://poea.gov.ph/html/labcode.html

For the migrant workers and overseas Filipino act of 1995:
http://poea.gov.ph/html/ra8042.html

philippines news-and-politics