Dallas Morning News breaks US media silence on Sibel Edmonds case; Serbia pledges "peaceful" resistance to Kosovo independence...

18 February :: Dallas Morning News becomes first "mainstream" or corporate-owned US media outlet to run the now partially corroborated story regarding allegations of US officials' selling nuclear secrets to foreign operatives, possibly to enemy, terrorists; DMN ran revised edition of Philip Giraldi's investigative report from The American Conservative magazine questioning the US media's role in keeping the story from public view; among the information Sibel Edmonds is allegedly prohibited from disclosing are contacts between State and Defense Dept. agents and foreign spies, involving a transfer of cash, and the sale of nuclear secrets:

Ms. Edmonds' revelations have attracted corroboration in the form of anonymous letters apparently written by FBI employees. There have been frequent reports of FBI field agents being frustrated by the premature closure of cases dealing with foreign spying, particularly when those cases involve Israel, and the State Department has frequently intervened to shut down investigations based on "sensitive foreign diplomatic relations."

Giraldi's report also states that:

Curiously, the state-secrets gag order binding Ms. Edmonds, while put in place by DOJ in 2002, was not requested by the FBI but by the State Department and Pentagon – which employed individuals she identified as being involved in criminal activities. If her allegations are frivolous, that order would scarcely seem necessary.

the scope of the allegations and the peril posed by the alleged corruption to international peace and security, US foreign policy, and American lives, can scarcely be overstated, if the details Edmonds and corroborating FBI leaks are true... Kosovo braces for Serb resistance to independence declaration; Reuters reports "Serbia's leaders pledged peaceful resistance after Kosovo's declaration of independence on Sunday, but angry protesters turned to violence in Belgrade and a Serbian stronghold in Kosovo", while Russia, China openly declare the independence move troubling, illegitimate; EU debating official policy, as western powers plan mission to help build, protect, new state... Though the original ballot measure proposing splitting California's Electoral College votes by population has been withdrawn, report suggests ballot initiative continues "full steam ahead", with aim to sway presidential election tally nationwide; California would be the only state with such a system, some aim to pressure Gov. Schwarzenegger to back a rival proposal that would commit California's electors to backing the winner of the national popular vote, a nationwide campaign that aims to end the relevance of a system some say was designed to protect slave-owners' political interests...

China, Russia spying on Cold-War scale; Netanyahu admits to Israel airstrike on Syria; Ahmadinejad request to visit WTC denied...

20 September :: US Director of National Intelligence says China, Russia now spying on scale not seen since Cold War; claims comes as reports suggest China, India invovled in ballistic missile build-up, concerns over Asian arms race; Pentagon recently alleged its computer network was attacked by Chinese hackers... Israeli gov't criticizes opposition leader Netanyahu for confirming allegations about Israel airstrike on Syria earlier this month, move characterized as "irresponsibility" on part of fmr PM... NY Police Dept. has refused Iranian pres. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's request to lay a wreath at 'Ground Zero' —site of 11 Sept. 2001 attacks—, citing ongoing construction and security concerns; presidential candidates from both parties had revolted at the request, citing Iran's alleged support for militant groups in Middle East; Iran spokesman says intent was "to lay a wreath at the site of ground zero in order to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorists attack of September 11, 2001", while US ambassador to UN, Zalmay Khalilzad said "Iran can demonstrate its seriousness about concern with regard to terrorism by taking concrete actions, such as dropping support for Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and suspending their uranium enrichment program"... Israel's ambassador to UN had called on US authorities to refuse Ahmadinejad access to UN, saying he should be arrested and tried for "incitement to genocide"; Ha'aretz reports "Gillerman says he is aware of the American obligation as the UN host-country to allow any member of the organization to enter the US" but classified Iran as a special case because its president had called for the destruction of a fellow member-state...