... the NYTimes has come out with an article about freed dissident Mordechai Vanunu. What did I tell you? Of course it is only in the NYTimes and it waits to be seen when this release will appear in other US media. My previous posts on this, are finally followed four days later with mainstream mention. Continuing my policy of saving such articles in my files, (just in case it "disappears" in the US media", I've taken some snips from the story today in the NYTimes.

"``To all those who are calling me traitor, I am saying I am proud, I am proud and happy to do what I did,'' Vanunu said in accented and at times broken English. He refused to answer questions in Hebrew because of restrictions Israel has imposed, including a ban on speaking to foreigners.

Vanunu, who converted to Christianity in the 1980s, said he was mistreated because of his religion. He also said there is no need for a Jewish state and demanded that Israel open its nuclear reactor in Dimona to international inspection.

``I said, Israel don't need nuclear arms, especially now that all the Middle East is free from nuclear weapons,'' he said.

"Vanunu will live in a luxury apartment complex in Jaffa, an old seaport and today part of Tel Aviv. Jaffa has both Arab and Jewish residents. Vanunu, who was raised as an Orthodox Jew, converted to Christianity in the mid-1980s.

The Andromeda Hill complex has 170 apartments, and tenants include both wealthy foreigners and local residents. It was unclear who is paying for Vanunu's apartment.

Richard Caseby, managing editor of the Sunday Times, said the newspaper was giving Vanunu ``some assistance,'' but declined to elaborate. He said Vanunu was not paid for the original story."

Have felt for a long time now just how my friend at Fantastic Planet feels: quoted below. Obviously there is much to be "gained" from the US intervention/invasion and obvious long-term occupation of Iraq,so I guess that is quite a pipedream.This is only an excerpt of a piece, so I encourage you to check it out.

"I can't stand the general acceptance of this "you break it, you bought it" mentality in Iraq. This illogic assumes that the country is "ours" after we "buy" it, even though we "broke" it. Let's face it, people-- we need to get the fuck out of there, and as soon as possible. And I mean a 100% US withdrawal. Turn the country over to the Iraqis. There might be a civil war, they might end up with an Islamic Republic that opposes the United States, but you know what? IT'S THEIR FRICKIN' COUNTRY! Call me a non-interventionist all you want, but I really can't understand why so few people see this. We should get the hell out, let the Iraqis decide if they want UN involvement or want to fight it out or whatever, and prepare to give billions of dollars in reparations to the Islamic Republic of Iraq (and the fledgling independent state of Kurdistan)."