Stop Iran War Campaign Launched
Saudis Going Nuclear With Russia, Pak Aid
War Helping Al-Qaeda Regroup Experts Say
Afghanistan Could Become Next Iraq
Short & Sweet

THE OP/ED HEADLINES

THE ARTICLE SUMMARIES AND LINKS

STOP IRAN WAR CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
VoteVets.org and retired Gen. Wesley Clark jointly launched StopIranWar.com Wednesday hoping it will become the premier hub of a national campaign to stop a war with Iran.
FDNS Report At: http://tinyurl.com/2wme6s

SAUDIS GOING NUCLEAR WITH RUSSIA, PAK AID
As America's reputation in the Middle East continues downward Russia's is on the ascendancy and the U.S. faces the prospect of unhappy political realignments directly affecting American interests and upping the stakes for the next president. Nothing more clearly illustrates this than the recent talks calling for Russia to help the Saudis with nuclear power development along with providing weapons and satellites and the Saudi's reportedly sealing a deal with Pakistan to get a nuclear bomb if Iran develops one.
FDNS News Analysis At: http://tinyurl.com/3bb762

WAR HELPING AL-QAEDA REGROUP EXPERTS SAY
The Iraq war and the Internet is helping al-Qaeda regroup terrorism experts told a House Armed Services subcommittee recently.
FDNS Report At: http://tinyurl.com/3cbvgv

AFGHANISTAN COULD BECOME NEXT IRAQ
American commanders in Afghanistan fear that an impending spring offensive by Taliban insurgents could topple frail U.S.-backed government. "We have our finger in the dike because our resources and attention were turned toward Iraq," said Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA). Sestak is a former Navy admiral who served in both wars.
FDNS Report At: http://tinyurl.com/2nfq7v

SHORT & SWEET

Have They Learned Anything Yet?

During a recent White House press briefing Press Secretary Tony Snow was asked if knowing what he did today about the Iraq war would he still have gone into Iraq?

Snow's answer? "Yes. The President believes that we did the right thing in going into Iraq. The question is, should you saddle any military planner with an expectation that they're going to have a perfect insight into what happens five years later."

The earlier question that led to the above had to do with the administration's miscalculation at the beginning of the war to the effect that the occupation would only require a few months stabilization period. The question posed was "What went wrong."

"I'm not sure anything went wrong," Snow said explaining in effect that the administration should not be blamed for faulty judgment.

All The President's Leakers

Regardless of the verdict at least the trial has revealed that up to ten people in the White House, including possibly Vice-president Dick Cheney, disclosed to other officials or reporters the identity of former CIA covert operative Valarie Plame, wife of former ambassador Joe Wilson whom the White House was bent on discrediting.

THE OP/ED SUMMARIES AND LINKS

GETTING IT RIGHT ON IRAN
The truth about the Iranian threat is that the Bush Administration is not telling the real truth. Like any effective propagandist President Bush is using a kernel of truth and, with the help of many in the media, laying the foundation for another war. Only this time it will likely be a war of retaliation rather than one of pre-emption.
Contributing Editor Larry C. Johnson At: http://tinyurl.com/2kutvo

STOP BIN LADEN FROM DEFEATING BUSH
Osama Bin Laden is on the brink of a major strategic victory over George W. Bush caused by the arrogance, ignorance, and partisanship of an Administration that does nothing except escalate its mistakes.
Contributing Editor Brent Budowsky At: http://tinyurl.com/2rkzod

NEW DEMOCRATIC THINKING NEEDED
Daily now I am concerned about fast, naïve and panicky actions on behalf of Democrats. Recently, the Governor of Virginia, who I ordinarily respect, endorsed a candidate for the '08 Presidential race a full year before the major primaries take place, and probably before the best even arrive on the scene. The day before that, a stand-up comic announced his intentions to run for Senate as a Democrat. Will irony stop malfeasance and illegal politics? I think not. It was the assurance that the others would only respond with irony that enabled the brute to power in the first place. Another announced candidate hired bloggers well known and notorious for their anti-Catholic screed and was slow to fire them when this was brought to the attention of the public.
Contributing Editor Bernie Quigley At: http://tinyurl.com/2jt8ht

ABOUT FIGHTING DEMS NEWS SERVICE
Web: www.fighting-dems.com
Email: contact@fighting-dems.us

Publisher: Noel Schultz
Editor: Randy Risener
Associate Editor: Fred Seamon
Contributing Editor: Brent Budowsky
Contributing Editor: Larry C. Johnson
Contributing Editor: Bernie Quigley
Webmaster: Rich Westcott

The Fighting Dems News Service (FDNS) is published weekly by Fighting Dems at www.fighting-dems.com. Originally begun as a candidate and campaign support service for the Fighting Dem candidates, FDNS has evolved into a rapidly expanding independent circulated news service covering below the network headlines news primarily in the areas of foreign policy, national security, military and veterans affairs. FDNS' circulation is email direct, on the website, through free subscription at the website and through selected listserves and to Democratic party leaders throughout the country. FDNS desks and archives are located at http://tinyurl.com/ydmfp4.

About The Staff & Contributors

Publisher Noel Schultz is an Air Force veteran of the Korean War era who served in Libya and Texas and was one of the original organizers of the Fighting Dems candidates in 2006. His degree is in anthropology and linguistics and he is currently an Associated Professor in the Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literature at National Chi Nan University, Puli in the mountains of central Taiwan.

Editor Randy Risener is a former newspaper and wire service reporter who later worked in private sector intelligence and research in support of companies involved with exporting and foreign operations. He served with the National Security Agency's Army component in Vietnam and East Africa/Middle East.

Associate Editor Fred Seaman is a retired Army Intelligence officer who began his career as a case officer in Germany followed by tours on the faculty of the Army Intelligence School and with special operations in Vietnam. He served on the staffs at U.S. Army Europe Headquarters and the Defense Intelligence Agency. He currently manages a government sponsored program to commercialize technology developed at a nuclear weapons laboratory in the former Soviet Union.

Contributing Editor Brent Budowsky was Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen, and worked for the House Democratic Leadership as Legislative Director to Rep. Bill Alexander, then Chief Deputy Majority Whip. He serves on the International Advisory Committee of the Intelligence Summit, and was a principal author of the CIA Intelligence Identities Act originally sponsored by Senator Bentsen.

Contributing Editor Larry C. Johnson is an internationally recognized counter-terrorism expert who served several years with the CIA's Directorate of Operations and later become deputy director of the State Department's Office of Counter Terrorism. He is CEO and co-founder of BERG Associates, an international business consulting firm which specializes in threat management in areas such as terrorism and money laundering. He is editor of the blog NO QUARTER.

Contributing Editor Bernie Quigley is a prize-winning writer and has worked more than 30 years as a book and magazine editor, political commentator and book, movie, music and art reviewer. He lives in the White Mountains with his wife and four children.

Webmaster Richard Westcott has over fourteen years of Information Systems experience in areas of Clinical Trials, Survey Research, Energy Deregulation and Education. He has served as Director of Informatics for the Allegheny Health Education Research Foundation Clinical Trials Research Center, the Coalition of National Cancer Cooperative Groups as well as administrative oversight for the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Chairman's office. His Clinical Trials locator is available at The National Cancer Institute.