This Was the Week That Was #49
4/11/04 - 4/18/04
Howard J. Ehrlich

The War Lords strike again..... In violation of UN Security Council resolutions and the
Fourth Geneva Convention, President Shrub endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan
for Israel to swallow up large portions of occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank. Not
only does this policy annex illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, it divides the territory in a
manner that makes a contiguous Palestinian state impossible. (www.commondreams.org)
The Washington Post began a five-part series adapted from editor Bob Woodward’s new
book, an examination of how and why the President decided to go to war against Iraq. Based on
hours of interviews with 75 people including the President and Secretary of Defense, Woodward
documented the influence of Cheney, and most of the top defense department leaders, in plotting
the Iraq War and in their struggle against Powell and the State Department. On November 21, 72
days after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the President decided to begin
planning for the war.
Bin Laden and Bush (or was it Bush and Bin Laden)? Both issued public statements
during the week.
“By describing us and our actions as terrorism, you are necessarily describing yourself and your
actions. ...Our actions are reactions to your actions that destroy and kill our people” ( Associated
Press)
“We continue to take the greatest care to prevent harm to innocent civilians; yet we will not
permit the spread of chaos and...I have directed our military commanders to make every
preparation to use decisive force, if necessary, to maintain and protect our troops.” (The
Progressive)
The Iraqi city of Fallujah remains surrounded by US Marines who, by some estimates,
killed 600 civilians. The Washington Post published excerpts from editorials in newspapers
overseas. This excerpt from the Jerusalem Post was typical:
“The postwar effort is based on a radical premise: that a fractious country like Iraq with no
experience of either democratic or progressive government, can become democratic, progressive –
and self-governing – in a mere 15 months. It is this premise that is now being sharply tested in the
Sunni town of Fallujah and the Shi’ite neighborhoods of Baghdad..”
Poll Watch..... Gallup.com issued one of their regular religion surveys this week, asking
Americans whether they considered themselves to be “born again.” An outstanding 42% said that
they would describe themselves as “born again or evangelical.”

April 15 at the White House..... Veep Dick Cheyney received $178,437 in deferred
income from Hallibarton. The Cheyneys reported a taxable income over $800,000. The Bushes’
taxable income for 2003 was $727,000 which included his salary and investment income.
(Reuters)
Annals of corporate crime..... The AFL-CIO has begun a new campaign against corporate
directors who sit on compensation committees. The union wants to hold them responsible for
approving pay packages which are excessive if not totally outrageous.
Another day, another $66,000..... One example of extravagance is the subject of a proxy
battle this week. He is Gary Forsee, the CEO of Sprint. Forsee’s pay – “rigorously reviewed” by
the board -- is $16.4 million for 2003. And while Comcast negotiates new contracts in Baltimore
and around the country, organizers need to be aware that ComCast’s President and CEO, Brian L.
Roberts, has a pay package of $79,591,387. (www.paywatch.com)
For every $1 earned by the average worker, the average CEO makes $301.

If you live in the Baltimore, D.C., Virginia metropolitans – not to mention cities in 29
other states, you continue to be exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution in the form of smog
and ozone, a serious precondition of asthma and lung damage. The Environmental Protection
Agency has given these jurisdictions 7-17 years to clean up their act. In opposition, the National
Association of Manufacturers asserted that the clean up would be bad for business. (Washington
Post)
The cicadas are coming..... The simplest way is to bake them on a baking sheet, 350
degrees for five minutes. Serve with variety of dipping sauces. For a little more subtlety, flour, fry
gently in butter, finish with a sprinkling of parsley and white wine.
This week in history..... As the US continues its military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq
– events in which the CIA is strongly implicated-- it is important to recall the Bay of Pigs where
some 1500 CIA-trained Cuban right-wingers invaded Cuba.