Newscast for Friday, February 27, 2009

• Obama: We’ll Be (Sort Of) Out of Iraq in 19 Months
• Obama Budget Proposal Increases Military Spending
• Senate Approves Voting Rights for DC
• Bankruptcy Closing Hospitals in New York
• National Groups Organizing Over Civilian Posse in Maricopa County
• Supreme Court Takes Up Native Hawaiian Land Title Conflict
• Chile’s Mapuche Try to Reclaim Land

Obama: We’ll Be (Sort Of) Out of Iraq in 19 Months
A big day for President Barack Obama, as he announced his plan for Iraq:

“As a candidate for President, I made clear my support for a timeline of 16 months to carry out this drawdown, while pledging to consult closely with our military commanders upon taking office to insure that we preserve the gains we’ve made and to protect our troops. These consultations are now complete, and I’ve chosen a timeline that will remove our combat brigades over the next 18 months.”

But is it really a withdrawal? Obama also said that, at the end of those 19 months, the US would still have up to 50,000 troops on the ground in Iraq.

“We will retain a transitional force to carry out three distinct functions: training, equipping, and advising Iraqi security forces as long as they remain non-sectarian; conducting targeted counter-terrorism missions; and protecting our ongoing civilian and military efforts within Iraq. Initially, this force will be made up of 35,000-50,000 troops.
The new plan has drawn opposition from anti-war groups seeking an immediate withdrawal, and even drawn public concerns from high-profile democrats. Here’s House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking shortly before a congressional briefing on the plan:

“I don’t know what the justification is for the presence of 50,000 troops in Iraq. I do think that there’s the need for some, but I don’t think that they all have to be in-country. I think some could be platformed outside…..I’ll just be interested to hear what the president has to say.”

But the plan does have significant support in congress – from republicans. Even Obama’s one-time presidential rival, John McCain, has announced his support.

Obama Budget Proposal Increases Military Spending
Meanwhile, the 3-point-6 trillion dollar budget plan Obama released yesterday includes an increase in defense spending. If he gets his way, the new president will spend more on the military than President George W. Bush. Tanya Snyder has more:

Senate Approves Voting Rights for DC
The Senate has passed a measure that would give the District of Columbia a seat in the House of Representatives with full voting rights. DC's current representative cannot vote on the house floor. A similar bill failed in 2007 when it fell short of enough Republican support to prevent a filibuster. In addition to the House seat with voting rights for Democratic-leaning DC, the bill passed by the Senate yesterday evening would also create a new Congressional district for the staunchly Republican state of Utah.

It also included an amendment that would reverse the district's gun control laws. Reporter questions about the amendment visibly annoyed DC’S non-voting Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton at a press conference called to celebrate the Senate vote:

"We're not going to let this great victory be spoiled by questions about something that none of us would tell you even if we knew."

The gun control amendment may be stripped in conference before it reaches the House floor. If passed, the voting rights law could face a Supreme Court challenge as it would give the District of Columbia rights that the Constitution grants only to states. This is why some DC democracy activists say that only statehood will bring full rights to residents of the nation's capital.

Bankruptcy Closing Hospitals in New York
Hundreds of thousands of residents of Queens Borough in New York City could be left without a hospital. Two hospitals are going bankrupt and are set to close today, affecting about 2,500 medical professionals and more than 200,000 patients annually. James Williams has more:

National Groups Organizing Over Civilian Posse in Maricopa County
And an update on a story we’ve been following on Free Speech Radio News. In Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been at the center of a growing civil rights controversy over his treatment of immigrants and prisoners. Arpaio has used his authority from a federal program to deputize volunteer possees to perform immigration sweeps, armed workplace raids, and set up checkpoints. Now national civil rights groups are getting involved. Salvador Reza is an organizer for Puente.

Today, immigrants’ rights organizers are meeting to forge a strategy on changing the federal programs that have allowed Sheriff Arpaio to form armed civilian possees; tomorrow they’ll be marching on Sheriff Arpaio’s offices.

Supreme Court Takes Up Native Hawaiian Land Title Conflict
This week in Washington DC, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a controversial case that may determine the future of over a million acres of land in Hawaii.  Governor Linda Lingle has  asked the court to rule on the state's right to sell what are called "ceded lands", which are Crown and Government lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom.  In Hawaii, this case is seen as more than a matter of land title.  To native Hawaiians, it's an attempt to erase their history as a nation state and their rights to self-determination. Anne Keala Kelly tells us more.

Chile’s Mapuche Try to Reclaim Land
In Chile, Mapuche Indian activists are trying to make historical claim to recover their lands. But in their struggle, they have landed in a massive conflict with forestry companies and large landowners.The Mapuches say the government isn’t doing much to solve the long-standing conflict. From Santiago, Jorge Garretón has more.