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The Republican’s War: Thank you, George!

Harring Report: The National Young Men’s Meat Grinder by Brian Harring, Domestic Intelligence Reporter brianharring@yahoo.com Note: Viewers of TBR News who would like a copy of the original DoD Supplementary Casualty lists, showing the actual military deaths from March 2003 through July, 2005 as taken from their official site (now deleted) and showing over 10,000 actual deaths, can obtain these facsimiles directly from Mr. Harring by sending him an email message at: brianharring@yahoo.com ( As of December 10, 2006, Mr. Harring has sent out over 19,132 lists. Ed ) Photo AFP "The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labour. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligent. Even when weapons of war are not actually destroyed, their manufacture is still a convenient way of expending labour power without producing anything that can be consumed". George Orwell, ‘1984’ “Whether war is a necessary factor in the evolution of mankind may be disputed, but a fact which cannot be questioned is that, from the earliest records of man to the present age, war has been his dominant preoccupation. There has never been a period in human history altogether free from war, and seldom one of more than a generation which has not witnessed a major conflict: great wars flow and ebb almost as regularly as the tides. This becomes more noticeable when a civilization ages and begins to decay, as seemingly is happening to our world-wide industrial civilization. Whereas but a generation or two back, war was accepted as an instrument of policy, it has now become policy itself.” General J.F.C. Fuller, 1954 The Bush/Cheney Butcher’s Bill: Officially, 51 US Military Deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan from 1 December 2006 –14 December 2006- Official Total of 3,233 US dead to date (and rising) The actual total of dead American military personnel is now over 15,000 and also rising, and the number of seriously wounded is now ca 27,000. It should be noted that the death toll in October, 2006, 112, was the highest to date. The previous highest number since the beginning of the war was 108 in 2005. An insurgent mortar attack on Camp Falcon in southern Baghdad on October 11-12, 2006 caused stored ammunition to explode and initial reports indicate over 300 officially unreported casualties, dead and wounded. Ed Mr. President, why don’t you pull out…like your father should have? Brian Harring Note: There is excellent reason to believe that the Department of Defense is deliberately not reporting a significant number of the dead in Iraq. We have received copies of manifests from the MATS that show far more bodies shipped into Dover AFP than are reported officially. The actual death toll is in excess of 10,000. (See the official records at the end of this piece.) Given the officially acknowledged number of over 15,000 seriously wounded (and a published total of 25,000 wounded overall,), this elevated death toll is far more realistic than the current 2,000+ now being officially published. When our research is complete, and watertight, we will publish the results along with the sources In addition to the evident falsification of the death rolls, at least 5,500 American military personnel have deserted, most in Ireland but more have escaped to Canada and other European countries, none of whom are inclined to cooperate with vengeful American authorities. (See TBR News of 18 February for full coverage on the mass desertions) This means that of the 158,000 U.S. military shipped to Iraq, 26,000 deserted, were killed or seriously wounded. The DoD lists currently being very quietly circulated indicate over12,000 dead, over 25,000 seriously wounded and a large number of suicides, forced hospitalization for ongoing drug usage and sales, murder of Iraqi civilians and fellow soldiers, rapes, courts martial and so on – The government gets away with these huge lies because they claim, falsely, that only soldiers actually killed on the ground in Iraq are reported. The dying and critically wounded are listed as en route to military hospitals outside of the country and not reported on the daily postings. Anyone who dies just as the transport takes off from the Baghdad airport is not listed and neither are those who die in the US military hospitals. Their families are certainly notified that their son, husband, brother or lover was dead and the bodies, or what is left of them (refrigeration is very bad in Iraq what with constant power outages) are shipped home, to Dover AFB. This, we note, was the overall policy until very recently. Since it became well known that many had died at Landstuhl, in Germany, the DoD began to list a very few soldiers who had died at other non-theater locations. These numbers are only for show and are pathetically small in relationship to the actual figures. You ought to realize that President Bush personally ordered that no pictures be taken of the coffined and flag-draped dead under any circumstances. He claims that this is to comfort the bereaved relatives but is designed to keep the huge number of arriving bodies secret. Any civilian, or military personnel, taking pictures will be jailed at once and prosecuted. Bush has never attended any kind of a memorial service for his dead soldiers and never will. He is terrified some parent might curse him in front of the press or, worse, attack him. As Bush is a terrible physical coward and in a constant state of denial, this is not a surprise. Official Casualty List for December, 2006 1 The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.Spc. Chris Kleinwachter, 29, of Wahpeton, N.D., died Nov. 30 in Ghazni, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his vehicle rolled over during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery, Grand Forks, N.D.The incident is under investigation. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Theodore M. West, 23, of Richmond, Ky., died Nov. 29 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. West was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Cpl. Jonerik Loney, 21, of Hartselle, Ala., died Nov. 28 in Hit, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Loney was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany. 2 The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Jeremy W. Mulhair, 35, of Omaha, Neb., died Nov. 30 in Taji, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during reconnaissance operations. Mulhair was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. 3 The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maj. Troy L. Gilbert, 34, of Litchfield Park, Ariz., died Nov. 27 when his F-16C fighter crashed 20 miles northwest of Baghdad, Iraq. Maj. Gilbert was assigned to the 309th Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and was previously carried as "Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown," awaiting positive DNA identification of remains from the crash site 4 The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Jesse D. Tillery, 19, of Vesper, Wis., died Dec. 2 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Tillery was assigned to 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Dec. 2 in Fallujah, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during security operations. They were assigned to the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 136th Infantry, Crookston, Minn. Killed were: Spc. Bryan T. McDonough, 22, of Maplewood, Minn., Spc. Corey J. Rystad, 20, of Red Lake Falls, Minn. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. John L. Hartman Jr., 39, of Tampa, Fla., died Nov. 30 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. Note: The Department of Defense today announced the identity of a soldier currently listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN) while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Dustin M. Adkins, 22, of Finger, Tenn., has been unaccounted for since Dec. 3 in Haditha, Iraq, when the Chinook helicopter he was in made an emergency landing. He is assigned to the Group Support Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Ky. Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, and the incident is under investigation. 5 The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Capt. Kermit O. Evans, 31, of Hollandale, Miss. died when the U.S. Marine Corps CH-46 helicopter he was riding in made an emergency water landing in western Al Anbar Province, Dec. 3. He was assigned to the 27th Civil Engineer Squadron, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. and was deployed with the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Balad Air Base, Iraq.The incident is under investigation. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pvt. Troy D. Cooper, 21, of Amarillo, Texas, died Dec. 3 of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Balad, Iraq. Cooper was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Ross A. McGinnis, 19, of Knox, Pa., died of injuries suffered when a grenade was thrown into his vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq. McGinnis was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany. 6 The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Hospitalman Christopher A. Anderson, 24, of Longmont, Colo., died Dec. 4 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Anderson was a Navy Corpsman assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Thomas P. Echols, 20, of Shepherdsville, Ky., died Dec. 4 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Capt. Shawn L. English, 35, of Westerville, Ohio, died Dec. 3 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. He was assigned to the 577th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maj. Joseph T. McCloud, 39, of Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. Cpl. Joshua C. Sticklen, 24, of Virginia Beach, Va.Both Marines died Dec. 3 when the CH-46 helicopter they were in crashed in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The cause of the crash is under investigation. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Nicholas D. Turcotte, 23, of Maple Grove, Minn., died Dec. 4 in An Nasiriyah, Iraq, from injuries suffered in a vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry, West St. Paul, Minn.The incident is under investigation. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Keith E. Fiscus, 26, of Townsend, Del., died Dec. 2 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. 7 The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Kenneth W. Haines, 25, of Fulton, N.Y., died Dec. 3 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on patrol in Abu Hishma, Iraq. Haines was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Yevgeniy Ryndych, 24, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died Dec. 6 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit while on patrol. Ryndych was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Robert L. Love Jr., 28, of Meridian, Miss., died Dec. 1 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Love was assigned to the 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Giessen, Germany. Spc. Marco L. Miller, 36, of Longwood, Fla., died Dec. 5 at Landstuhl Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered Dec. 3 in Taji, Iraq, from enemy indirect fire while conducting an escort mission. Miller was assigned to the 3rd Battalion Support Company, 20th Special Forces Group, Camp Blanding, Fla. 8 The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Brent E. Beeler, 22, of Jackson, Mich., died Dec. 7 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Beeler was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Lansing, Mich. The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom .Cpl. Billy B. Farris, 20, of Bapchule, Ariz., died Dec. 3 in Taji, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while conducting escort operations. Farris was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. Sgt. Jay R. Gauthreaux, 26, of Thibodaux, La., died Dec. 4 in Balad, Iraq, of injuries suffered in Baqubah, Iraq, when in improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on patrol. Gauthreaux was assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Nicholas R. Gibbs, 25, of Stokesdale, N.C., died Dec. 6 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries suffered when he came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire while conducting observation and security operations. Gibbs was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Giessen, Germany. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Cpl. Dustin J. Libby, 22, of Presque Isle, Maine, died Dec. 6 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Libby was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. 9 The Department of Defense announced today the death of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Dec. 6 in Hawijah, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle while on patrol.Killed were: Sgt. Jesse J.J. Castro, 22, of Chalan Pago, Guam., Cpl. Jason I. Huffman, 23, of Conover, N.C., Spc. Joshua B. Madden, 21, of Sibley, La., Spc. Yari Mokri, 26, of Pflugerville, Texas., Pfc. Travis C. Krege, 24, of Cheektowaga, N.Y. Castro, Huffman, Madden and Krege were all assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Mokri was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Dec. 6 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV during combat operations. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Giessen, Germany. Killed were: Capt. Travis L. Patriquin, 32, of Texas., Spc. Vincent J. Pomante III, 22, of Westerville, Ohio. 10 The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their unit while on patrol during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq, on Dec. 7. Both soldiers were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska. Killed were: Staff Sgt. Henry W. Linck, 23, of Manhattan, Kan., Spc. Micah S. Gifford, 27, of Redding, Calif. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. James Kristofer R. Ciraso, 26, of Bangor, Maine, died of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his military vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq, on Dec. 7. Ciraso was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. 11 The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maj. Megan M. McClung, 34, of Coupeville, Wash., died Dec. 6 while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. McClung was assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, I MEF, Camp Pendleton, Calif. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Cody G. Watson, 21, of Oxford, Ala., died Dec. 6 from a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Watson was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. 12 The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Staff Sgt. Thomas W. Clemons, 37, of Leitchfield, Ky., died Dec. 10 in Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq, from a non-combat health-related incident. Clemons was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor, Leitchfield, Ky. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. 1st Lt. Nathan M. Krissoff, 25, of Reno, Nev., died Dec. 9 from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Krissoff was assigned to Headquarters and Service Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. 13 The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Dec. 10 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV. They were all assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry (Airborne), 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.Killed were:Sgt. Brennan C. Gibson, 26, of Tualatin, Ore., Spc. Philip C. Ford, 21, of Freeport, Texas.,Pfc. Shawn M. Murphy, 24, of Fort Bragg, N.C. The Department of Defense announced today the death of three Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Lance Cpl. Budd M. Cote, 21, of Marana, Ariz..Cpl. Matthew V. Dillon, 25, of Aiken, S.C.,Lance Cpl. Clinton J. Miller, 23, of Greenfield, Iowa All three Marines died Dec. 11 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Master Sgt. Brian P. McAnulty, 39, of Vicksburg, Miss., died Dec. 11 when the CH-53 helicopter he was riding in crashed just after takeoff in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. The cause of the crash is under investigation. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Brent W. Dunkleberger, 29, of New Bloomfield, Pa., died of injuries suffered when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle during a convoy security mission in Mosul, Iraq, Dec. 12. Dunkleberger was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. 14 The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Maj. Gloria D. Davis, 47, of St. Louis, Mo., died Dec. 12 in Baghdad, Iraq, from a non-combat related incident. She was assigned to the Defense Security Assistance Agency, Washington, D.C. The incident is under investigation. Counting Our Causalities in Iraq December 14, 2006 by Nicholas von Hoffman The Nation We are fast, too fast, coming up on the 3,000th American combat death in Iraq. Or maybe not. The government has had a considerate policy of keeping the bad news away from us, so it's possible that number 3,000 will come and go as we move on to 4,000--and we will hardly be aware of it. This would be in line with President George Bush's kind-hearted policy of not allowing photographs of the coffins containing the remains of those who gave their lives for the rest of us. It's always better not to know, isn't it? The famous Baker-Hamilton Commission even made note of how the government is not inclined to pass along the bad news: "There is significant under-reporting of the violence in Iraq. The standard for recording attacks acts as a filter to keep events out of reports and databases. The murder of an Iraqi is not necessarily counted as an attack. If we cannot determine the source of a sectarian attack, that assault does not make it into the database. A roadside bomb or a rocket or mortar attack that doesn't hurt US personnel doesn't count. For example, on one day in July 2006 there were ninety-three attacks or significant acts of violence reported. Yet a careful review of the reports for that single day brought to light 1,100 acts of violence. Good policy is difficult to make when information is systematically collected in a way that minimizes its discrepancy with policy goals." If news should seep out that the 3,000th person has died, the government may still be able to find a way to prevent people from making a big to-do about it. For example, what if three of our people riding in a Humvee were to be killed by an improvised explosive device at the same time? Who would be number 3,000? Knowing how the Pentagon works, officials might say that if number 3,000 cannot be determined, there is no 3,000th death. It didn't happen and, as they like to say, instead of looking backward, let's move on. They might also avoid calling attention to the 3,000th death if they do not like the way that person met his or her end. Something, for example, like the case of Pat Tillman, the professional football player who, after 9/11, signed up with the Army, became a Ranger and lost his life in Afghanistan. At first it was reported that he died fighting the Taliban, then there was a silence and, after pesky people demanded some answers, we learned that Tillman had been killed by friendly fire, which does not make him less of a hero but which makes him less useful politically. There are so many ways for number 3,000 to meet his or her death. He or she could be detached to teach Iraqi police and be killed by a perfidious student. There is also death by sniper, there is charging the enemy, death by mortar, death by accidentally being squashed by a tank, there is death by trying to save a buddy's life, there is death by a bullet fired by a fellow soldier gone crazy from PTSD. There are many ways to die in Iraq, and there are no good ones. Blessed Prozac Moments: The Naughty Parts Exposed! Senator: Illegal images must be reported update December 11, 2006 by Declan McCullagh CNET News Millions of commercial Web sites and personal blogs would be required to report illegal images or videos posted by their users or pay fines of up to $300,000, if a new proposal in the U.S. Senate came into law. The legislation, drafted by Sen. John McCain and obtained by CNET News.com, would also require Web sites that offer user profiles to delete pages posted by sex offenders. In a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, the Arizona Republican and former presidential candidate warned that "technology has contributed to the greater distribution and availability, and, some believe, desire for child pornography." McCain scored 31 of 100 points on a News.com 2006 election guide scoring technology-related votes. After child pornography or some forms of "obscenity" are found and reported, the Web site must retain any "information relating to the facts or circumstances" of the incident for at least six months. Webmasters would be immune from civil and criminal liability if they followed the specified procedures exactly. McCain's proposal, called the "Stop the Online Exploitation of Our Children Act", requires that reports be submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which in turn will forward them to the relevant police agency. (The organization received $32.6 million in tax dollars in 2005, according to its financial disclosure documents.) Internet service providers already must follow those reporting requirements. But McCain's proposal is liable to be controversial because it levies the same regulatory scheme--and even stiffer penalties--on even individual bloggers who offer discussion areas on their Web sites. "I am concerned that there is a slippery slope here," said Kevin Bankston, an attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation in San Francisco. "Once you start creating categories of industries that must report suspicious or criminal behavior, when does that stop?" According to the proposed legislation, these types of individuals or businesses would be required to file reports: any Web site with a message board; any chat room; any social-networking site; any e-mail service; any instant-messaging service; any Internet content hosting service; any domain name registration service; any Internet search service; any electronic communication service; and any image or video-sharing service. Kate Dean of the U.S. Internet Service Provider Association said her members appreciated McCain's efforts to rewrite the current procedures for reporting illegal images, which currently are less than clear. McCain's proposal comes as concern about protecting children online has reached nearly a fever pitch in Washington. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales gave two speeches recently on the topic, including one on Friday in which he said "we must do all that we can to protect our children from these cowardly villains who hide in the shadows of the Internet." But the reporting rules could prove problematic for individuals and smaller Web sites because the definitions of child pornography have become relatively broad. The U.S. Justice Department, for instance, indicted an Alabama man named Jeff Pierson last week on child pornography charges because he took modeling photographs of clothed minors with their parents' consent. The images were overly "provocative," a prosecutor claimed. Deleting sex offenders' posts The other section of McCain's legislation targets convicted sex offenders. It would create a federal registry of "any e-mail address, instant-message address, or other similar Internet identifier" they use, and punish sex offenders with up to 10 years in prison if they don't supply it. Then, any social-networking site must take "effective measures" to remove any Web page that's "associated" with a sex offender. Because "social-networking site" isn't defined, it could encompass far more than just MySpace.com, Friendster and similar sites. The list could include: Slashdot, which permits public profiles; Amazon.com, which permits author profiles and personal lists; and blogs like RedState.com that show public profiles. In addition, media companies like News.com publisher CNET Networks permit users to create profiles of favorite games, gadgets and music. "This constitutionally dubious proposal is being made apparently mostly based on fear or political considerations rather than on the facts," said EFF's Bankston. Studies by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children show the online sexual solicitation of minors has dropped in the past five years, despite the growth of social-networking services, he said. A McCain aide, who did not want to be identified by name, said on Friday that the measure was targeted at any Web site that "you'd have to join up or become a member of to use." No payment would be necessary to qualify, the aide added. In this political climate, members of Congress may not worry much about precise definitions. Another bill also vaguely targeting social-networking sites was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in a 410-15 vote. And in July, for instance, Congress overwhelmingly approved a bill that made it a federal felony for Webmasters to use innocent words like "Barbie" or "Furby" to trick minors into visiting their sites and viewing sexually explicit material. Next year, Gonzales and the FBI are expected to resume their push for mandatory data retention, which will force Internet service providers to keep records on what their customers are doing online. An aide to Rep. Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat, said Friday that she's planning to introduce such legislation when the new Congress convenes. Cathy Milhoan, an FBI spokeswoman, said on Friday that the FBI "continues to support data retention. We see it as crucial in advancing our cyber investigations to include online sexual exploitation of children." In addition, Sen. Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, and McCain said that they'll introduce similar legislation dealing with sex offenders and social-networking sites in January. Comment: It is truly amazing the facination both right wing Republicans and Christian Evangelicals seem to have with sexual matters. We note that Congreeman Foley was obsessed with protecting America’s children at the same time he was groping underage pages and writing lewd emails to them. Generally, inidividuals who have such obsessions are generally repressed and secretly want to practice what they preach against. In any case Senator McCain is a very strange indiviual…but then so was Congressman Foley. Brian Harring