Archive - Mar 19, 2009

• Six year anniversary of the start of Iraq War
• Two million Iraqi refugees struggle to survive
• Army dealing with rising soldier suicides
• Providing homeless aid with dignity
• Residents weigh in on Philadelphia’s budget

• House passes bill to tax AIG bonuses
• New Mexico outlaws capital punishment
• Justice Department says no more raids on medical marijuana dispensaries
• Israeli troops admit to witnessing unwarranted fire on Palestinians in Gaza
• Border dispute between Peru and Chile heats up

Today is the sixth anniversary of the war in Iraq. 4,259 American soldiers have been killed and an estimated one million Iraqis have died. Despite President Obama‘s pledge to withdrawal all combat troops by August of 2010, anti-war activists are holding vigils and conducing actions of non-violence. The demonstrations seek to remind people that the war in Iraq continues… that the war in Afghanistan is escalating… and that a covert war in Pakistan is growing. But as FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reports, the anti-war movement is facing a difficult time.

One of the many consequences of the Iraq War are the refugees that have had to flee the war. There are about two million Iraqi refugees: most of them come from urban areas, predominantly Baghdad. The bulk of Iraqi refugees (about one-and-a-half-million) live in Syria and in other neighboring nations, including Jordan. Refugees are not legally allowed to work, and in the past, child refugees have been denied the right to an education. So, six years into the war on Iraq, what is life like for some of the two million refugees forced to flee their homes just to save their lives? Aura Bogado speaks with Tim Irwin, spokesperson for the UN’s refugee agency.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Army will end the controversial practice of stop loss, which requires soldiers to stay in the Army beyond the time their enlistment ends. The program will be phased out over the next two years. Meanwhile, the military continues to grapple with soldier suicides: in the army alone, as many as 188 active duty soldiers committed suicide over the past 15 months. FSRN’s Karen Miller looks at what the military is doing, and why some critics say it is not enough.

As unemployment rates rise, so do the number of homeless people, and there’s a growing debate on how to best provide services for those in need. As Johanna Galler reports from Denver, there’s some disagreement between grassroots activists and those who provide homeless assistance – although they are all working towards the same goal.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter announced the city’s new proposed budget this morning. It includes a temporary 19 percent increase in property taxes and a one percent increase in the city's sales tax. Hundreds of residents gathered in city council chambers to hear and respond to the budget – and to let the Mayor know their opposition to tax increases and their desire to preserve essential services including libraries and health centers.