“The commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks reported Wednesday there was ‘no credible evidence’ that Saddam Hussein helped al-Qaeda target the United States.” — Associated Press, June 16 www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0616-01.htm Vice President Richard Cheney on Saddam Hussein: “He had long established ties with al-Qaeda.” — Associated Press, June 14 www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/06/14/cheney.terrorism.ap ANDREW RICE COLLEEN KELLY BOB McILVAINE…

REED BRODY “The torture and mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison was the predictable result of the Bush administration’s decision to circumvent international law,” Human Rights Watch said in a new report. Brody is special counsel with Human Rights Watch and author of that report, titled “The Road to Abu Ghraib.” He said…

NEIL WATKINS, [in Georgia], MARIE CLARKE, [in Georgia Watkins is the outreach coordinator for Jubilee USA Network. He said today: “In this critical moment, Jubilee USA Network calls for … 100 percent cancellation of the debts of all impoverished nations without harmful conditions, not piecemeal and partial relief…. Jubilee USA Network recognizes Iraqi debt as…

BILL FLETCHER President of TransAfrica Forum, Fletcher said today: “Reagan had this ability to project warmth and compassion while implementing incredibly draconian foreign and domestic policies. One example of this was his stubborn resistance to sanctions against the apartheid regime of South Africa.” More Information JOSEPH GERSON Director of the American Friends Service Committee’s Peace…

JILL NELSON Author of the book Straight, No Chaser: How I Became a Grown-Up Black Woman, Nelson is critical of “the current orgy of accolades” for Reagan. She said today: “On civil rights Reagan was a complete disaster. He tried to gut the Civil Rights Commission, to stop the extension of the Voting Rights Act…

ANDRE GUNDER FRANK Author of numerous books including The European Challenge and co-editor of The World System, Frank is available for a limited number of interviews. He said today: “A subject rarely spoken about but that underlies many issues is the rivalry between the dollar and the euro. OPEC is moving toward using the euro…

JULIA VERVILLE, PETER FRUMHOFF, [via Linda Gunter] Verville is a staff scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists specializing in climate impacts. She said today: “Levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are higher today than they have been for 400,000 years. The Earth is already warming and will continue to warm in the coming…

PHYLLIS BENNIS President Bush claimed today that “Brahimi made the decisions” regarding the makeup of the new Iraqi governing body, which he described as a step toward “freedom and democracy.” A fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and author of the book Calling the Shots: How Washington Dominates Today’s UN, Bennis said today: “White…

GREG PALAST Palast is author of the New York Times best-selling book The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, an expanded election edition of which has just been released. He said today: “Florida has announced a surprise new purge of its voter rolls targeting 40,000 of its own citizens. Following the 2000 race, my investigative team…

MAHER NASSER Nasser, a representative of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, is based in New York. He said today: “The bombings are only the most visible sign of distress in Gaza. There is a humanitarian catastrophe occurring in the Israeli-occupied territories, largely because of Israeli blockades. Now, in Gaza, about…