Fort Hunt’s Quiet Men Break Silence on WWII (via The Mahablog)
When about two dozen [World War II] veterans got together [Thursday] for the first time since the 1940s, many of the proud men lamented the chasm between the way they conducted interrogations during the war and the harsh measures used today in questioning terrorism suspects… Several of the veterans, all men in their 80s and 90s, denounced the controversial techniques.

State Dept. ignored diplomats’ concerns on Blackwater.
The State Department “overlooked repeated warnings from U.S. diplomats in the field that guards were endangering Iraqi civilians and undermining U.S. efforts to win support from the population.” Diplomats cautioned that the 2004 decision to grant contractors immunity from Iraqi courts was “a bomb that could go off at any time.”

Iraq Embassy Cost Rises $144 Million Amid Project Delays
The massive U.S. embassy under construction in Baghdad could cost $144 million more than projected and will open months behind schedule because of poor planning, shoddy workmanship, internal disputes and last-minute changes sought by State Department officials, according to U.S. officials and a department document provided to Congress.

As campaigns near, GOP lawmakers restless on Iraq
WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers anxious about their 2008 election prospects are growing increasingly frustrated by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki’s failure to unify his fractured country and reach the political benchmarks set by Congress. Senior Republican lawmakers are pushing for “accountability hearings” to pressure the Iraqi government to make progress toward narrowing sectarian divides among Sunni and Shiite Muslims and Kurds, sharing oil revenues and achieving other U.S. goals.
Hearings,  Right.  That’ll save our soldiers lives.

Iraq war objector’s retrial delayed
A federal judge will take more time to study double jeopardy in the case of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, who refused to deploy in 2006. A federal judge on Friday granted a delay in the court-martial of Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, whose retrial for refusing deployment to Iraq was scheduled to begin Tuesday at Ft. Lewis.

Second Army officer faults Gitmo panels
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A second Army officer who sat on the “enemy combatant” tribunals at Guantanamo has come forward to criticize the panels, saying in court papers released Friday the proceedings favored the government and commanders reversed some decisions.

Judge reverses Guantanamo ruling
A judge Friday reversed his ruling that created new hurdles for some lawyers seeking to visit clients held prisoner at Guantanamo Bay.

EPA refused to warn of asbestos dangers
Congressional investigators will hammer the Environmental Protection Agency in a soon-to-be-released report for its flawed examination and cleanup of hundreds of factories that once processed asbestos-contaminated vermiculite into insulation. But public health specialists say the investigation ignores an even greater failure: the EPA’s refusal to adequately warn millions of homeowners that they may be exposed to cancer-causing asbestos in that insulation.

EPA approves 1-year use of pesticide
The Environmental Protection Agency gave the go-ahead for one-year use of a new agricultural pesticide Friday, saying its own scientific review overrides health concerns expressed by more than 50 chemists and other scientists.

Medicare Audits Show Problems in Private Plans
WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 — Tens of thousands of Medicare recipients have been victims of deceptive sales tactics and had claims improperly denied by private insurers that run the system’s huge new drug benefit program and offer other private insurance options encouraged by the Bush administration, a review of scores of federal audits has found.

Prosecutor in Sex Sting Kills Self
A federal prosecutor accused of flying to Detroit last month to have sex with a 5-year-old girl committed suicide Friday in his cell in a Milan federal prison.

Obama Vows to Boost Veterans Care
MASON CITY, Iowa – Democrat Barack Obama on Friday pledged better care for America’s veterans if elected president. Obama, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, promised improved medical care and an end to delays of disability claims.