Next week, Seattle residents will be among the only people in the country who will have a rare chance to tell the FCC what it thinks of media consolidation. At the insistence of Michael Copps, one of the two Democratic appointees to the five-member FCC, and under intense public pressure, FCC Chair Michael Powell (Colin's kid) reversed himself and agreed to hold public hearings on his proposals to eradicate what few restrictions remain on media cross-ownership and network ownership limits.

Powell has been steadily losing ground on this issue. At first, it was thought his deregulation agenda was a slam dunk. As public opposition mounted, he finally, grudgingly agreed to one public hearing, in Richmond, Virginia (two hours from Washington). He subsequently agreed to two more--one of them in Seattle, on Thursday, March 6, all day at UW's Hub Auditorium.

Because the meeting was made possible by Copps, local media activists have decided to support Copps rather than protest the FCC. But they'll be out in force, and encourage anyone who, for example, doesn't want the Seattle Times owning three TV stations and 12 radio stations in Seattle, to turn out and be visible and testify. Industry insiders are now saying the outcome of Powell's deregulation agenda is likely to result in not that much deregulation at all, at least on the radio side. That's progress. Show up, and help loosen Michael Powell's grip on power a little more. For more info, check out www.reclaimthemedia.org or call 206-770-9850. --Geov Parrish

The USA's two closest neighbors, Canada and Mexico have recently demonstrated their strong friendship with America by refusing to join in the Bush Administration's mad and self-destructive Iraq adventure.

Mexico, which holds one of the rotating seats on the UN Security Council, joined France and Russia in insisting that the Inspections be given time to work despite US suggestions that Mexico should prove its friendship by supporting the US position on Iraq. "The real test of (a) special relationship is helping each other in difficult times," said the US ambassador.

With a large majority of Mexicans opposed to an invasion of Iraq, and feeling slighted by the Bush administration's broken promises on immigration reform and other issues, Fox's administration insisted that "Mexico's position has been and will be very clear. It will exclusively serve our interests, the interests of the Mexicans and no one else," according to Interior Minister Santiago Creel. While promising "total solidarity against terrorism," Creel said that in international affairs Mexico would maintain "our principles, our traditions and above all, Mexico's peaceful vocation." Despite US arm-twisting, Fox's government feels so neglected that they apparently feel there is little to lose by defying the Bush administration's obsessive desires at the moment.

While Canada doesn't have a Security Council vote, they are a traditional military ally of the US. But Prime Minister Jean Chretien announced on February 19 that Canada will not join in an invasion of Iraq without authorization from the Security Council. "We have not been asked and we do not intend to participate in a group of the willing," Said Chretien.

"If (the Americans) want to go there all alone, they can go there all alone, but we say they must go with the authorization of the United Nations," he said, "If they don't, the international system of peace and security will probably be more destabilized than it need be." --Troy Skeels

Donald Rumsfeld has been beating his chest about North Korea's nuclear power capabilities for some time now. He also sat on a panel that condemned the 1994 agreement between North Korea and the Clinton Administration that would build two light-water nuclear reactors (to provide electricity only) in North Korea. Well, it turns out that Donald Rumsfeld may have personally benefited from that very same 1994 deal. Rumsfeld sat on the board of Swiss-based technology company ABB when it garnered a $200 million contract to provide equipment and services to the two nuclear power plants under construction in North Korea. Rumsfeld has been involved with ABB for decades, according to a spokesman for the company, who said that Rumsfeld attended nearly all the board meetings. Another spokesman for the company says it was unlikely the deal was brought before the board, because the company has a lot of power-generating deals that equal "$1 billion or so" and a $200 million one be small. However, many companies that enter into risky business deals with Third World communist countries seek board approval first. It's unlikely, in my opinion, that he would have been ignorant of this risky enterprise. (For more info, see "Rumsfeld was on ABB board during nuclear deal with North Korea," swissinfo/Swiss Radio International, 2/21/03, http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=1648385--Mar ia Tomchick

The Next Vietnam? It could be Afghanistan, or it could be Iraq. It could also be Colombia. NarcoNews reported on October 25, citing "reliable sources" that US Marines had been ordered into Colombia, with a target date of February. Lo and Behold, the reliable sources were correct. The Marines are now "in country," and the military buildup may now be commencing.

In many ways, the US is already at war with Colombia, sending billions in military aid to the hemisphere's worst human rights violator and engaging in a horrific fumigation program causing widespread devastation to the Colombian peasantry.

It should come as no surprise that the principle concern of the US in Colombia is protecting an oil pipeline. And it should come as no surprise that the Bush Administration is willing to destroy thousands of innocent lives to protect its "interests." So let's not be too surprised when the shit hits the fan, and the flow of men and material increases. --Eddie Tews

Last week, the Pentagon announced--without seeking Congressional approval--that it was sending 3,000 US troops to fight in the Philippines. Last year, 500 US troops were sent to provide "advice and intelligence" to Philippine troops fighting the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas. These new troops will provide more than "advice and intelligence," however: they'll include 750 US ground troops to fight side-by-side with Philippine soldiers and 1,000 Marines based on two US warships, who'll fly Cobra attack helicopters and Harrier attack planes. This outrageous US deployment and escalation of force in The Philippines is prohibited by the Philippine Constitution, which bars the operation or basing of foreign troops on Philippine soil.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has denied that US troops will do more than provide advice, but she also said the 500 US "advisors" sent last year wouldn't fight. In fact, they did fight, several times, and at least one US soldier died last year in combat in the Philippines. Many terrorism and security experts express puzzlement over charges that Abu Sayyaf is an international terrorist group; they're usually viewed as a network of local bandits operating in an area that has been lawless for centuries. Meanwhile, a different group of Muslim fundamentalists was responsible for violence in The Philippines last week. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front killed 16 people in two bombing attacks on the island of Mindanao--proving that the "War on Terrorism" may be just spawning more of them same old problems.--M.T.

OK, let's see. That's Iraq, the Philippines, Afghanistan, North Korea, and Colombia mentioned in the above paragraphs as places where the US is either at war or threatening it, and other articles in this issue mention US attempts to unseat the government of Venezuela, open the doors to mass killing by our Turkish allies, and to buy off elite leaders in poor countries around the world. Has any country, at any time in history, been a threat to the peace and security of so many places, in so many parts of the world, all at the same time?--G.P.

Lock Up All The Niggers. It's not enough that the United States maintains the world's highest incarceration rate and wants to bomb the holy shit out of the entire Third World. It's not enough to indefinitely "detain" without charges "suspected terrorists," or torture "enemy combatants" at Camp X-Ray. It's not enough that a new-and-improved Patriot Act II: You Have the Right to Fuck Off and Die more less makes it a crime to not be white, fat, balding, male, wealthy, American, and fundamentalist Christian (but especially to not be white). It's now getting time to round up the A-rabs and throw them into concentration camps on general principle.

At least, this appeared to be the thrust of Rep. Howard Coble's comments expressing support of the World War II Japanese internment--made in response to a talk radio caller's suggestion that Arabs living in the US should be "confined."

Will a Trent Lott-style shitstorm ensue? Doubtful. Those of Middle Eastern descent are even lower on the nigger totem pole than those of African descent. If anything, Ashcroft was probably taking notes.

But here's an idea that hasn't been floated yet. How if we send all of the fucking caucasians back to Europe, and let the remaining inhabitants of this continent live in peace? It just might work! --E.T.