Webb Moves To Block Iran War Funds
Troop Funds Imperiled By Political Squabbling
Report: Air Strikes Against Iran Would Backfire
Troop Surge Numbers Surge
Short & Sweet

THE OP/ED HEADLINES

THE ARTICLE SUMMARIES AND LINKS

WEBB MOVES TO BLOCK IRAN WAR FUNDS
Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) introduced legislation this week that would conditionally block funds for a war with Iran unless the president received Congressional authority.
FDNS Report At: http://tinyurl.com/ypehdz

TROOP FUNDS IMPERILED BY POLITICAL SQUABBLING
Internal Democratic squabbling combined with partisan jousting is threatening badly needed funds including those for military and veterans health care along with other troop support needs.
FDNS News Analysis At: http://tinyurl.com/3dvf4m

REPORT: AIR STRIKES AGAINST IRAN WOULD BACKFIRE
Air strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities would have the reverse affect of what was intended and result in an acceleration of that country's nuclear warfare capabilities says a just released report from one of Britain's top international security think tanks.
FDNS Report At: http://tinyurl.com/2e647n

TROOP SURGE NUMBERS SURGE
The number of troops that would be involved in President Bush's Iraq surge plan announced in January was originally pegged at 21,500. But they neglected to mention the number of increased support troops that would be required as well. Total projected troop surge levels are now approaching 30,000.
FDNS Report At: http://tinyurl.com/36vpcb

SHORT & SWEET

Public Service Announcement: Daylight Savings Time

For those who may not be aware of it DST arrives early this year. Sunday, March 11 at 2 A.M. to be exact.

And unless your computer system was made after 2005 or you have already done the necessary reprogramming it will not alert you to DST as most presently do because they are programmed to the old system.

In 2005 Congress could not leave well enough along and changed DST adding four weeks, three on the front end and one in the fall.

Under the old schedule (the one most computers, VCR's and other such equipment are programmed for), DST began the first Sunday in April and ended the last Sunday in October. With the new schedule DST begins on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November.

Manufacturers for some systems offer patches but they are not necessarily available for all computers and other time/date sensitive equipment.

This is a bi-partisan fiasco. The 2005 amendment to an energy bill that set up this mess was sponsored by Reps. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Fred Upton (R-MI).

The Mushrooming Megaprimary

The total number of states that could be holding primaries on Feb. 5, 2008 now stand at 22. This number represents those states that are already slotted for that date and those considering moving to it according to news service accounts.

The states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

States that are presently scheduled for Feb. 5 include Alabama, Delaware, Missouri, Oklahoma and Utah.

The Feb. 5 primaries and caucuses will be preceded by those taking place in January which include Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

THE OP/ED SUMMARIES AND LINKS

REID IS RIGHT: NO LIBBY PARDON
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is 100% right: the President should immediately and publicly state that there will be no pardon in the Scooter Libby case.
Contributing Editor Brent Budowsky At: http://tinyurl.com/2n26bc

NEXT STEPS IN PLAMEGATE
Guilty! Four out of five. Now what? Let's see. Will Scooter Libby be a hot date on Sadie Hawkins day once he's in the pen? He took such delight in screwing political foes, perceived and real, that he is about to discover an ancient Indian truth--Karma can be a bitch. Then there is the civil suit Joe and Val filed against Dick Cheney, Scooter, Karl Rove, Richard Armitage and others (John Does one thru nine) for damages.
Contributing Editor Larry C. Johnson At: http://tinyurl.com/2p7wuo

BUDGET IS THE PROBLEM
As the press falls all over itself looking for the next big Walter Reed-type story, they ignore the obvious, as they have for years. Money.
Guest Columnist Larry Scott At: http://tinyurl.com/35vg2v

ABOUT FIGHTING DEMS NEWS SERVICE
Web: www.fighting-dems.com
Email: contact@fighting-dems.us

Publisher: Noel Schultz
Editor: Randy Risener
Associate Editor: Fred Seamon
Contributing Editor: Brent Budowsky
Contributing Editor: Larry C. Johnson
Contributing Editor: Bernie Quigley
Webmaster: Rich Westcott

The Fighting Dems News Service (FDNS) is published weekly by Fighting Dems at www.fighting-dems.com. Originally begun as a candidate and campaign support service for the Fighting Dem candidates, FDNS has evolved into a rapidly expanding independent circulated news service covering below the network headlines news primarily in the areas of foreign policy, national security, military and veterans affairs. FDNS' circulation is email direct, on the website, through free subscription at the website and through selected listserves and to Democratic party leaders throughout the country. FDNS desks and archives are located at http://tinyurl.com/ydmfp4.

About The Staff & Contributors

Publisher Noel Schultz is an Air Force veteran of the Korean War era who served in Libya and Texas and was one of the original organizers of the Fighting Dems candidates in 2006. His degree is in anthropology and linguistics and he is currently an Associated Professor in the Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literature at National Chi Nan University, Puli in the mountains of central Taiwan.

Editor Randy Risener is a former newspaper and wire service reporter who later worked in private sector intelligence and research in support of companies involved with exporting and foreign operations. He served with the National Security Agency's Army component in Vietnam and East Africa/Middle East.

Associate Editor Fred Seaman is a retired Army Intelligence officer who began his career as a case officer in Germany followed by tours on the faculty of the Army Intelligence School and with special operations in Vietnam. He served on the staffs at U.S. Army Europe Headquarters and the Defense Intelligence Agency. He currently manages a government sponsored program to commercialize technology developed at a nuclear weapons laboratory in the former Soviet Union.

Contributing Editor Brent Budowsky was Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen, and worked for the House Democratic Leadership as Legislative Director to Rep. Bill Alexander, then Chief Deputy Majority Whip. He serves on the International Advisory Committee of the Intelligence Summit, and was a principal author of the CIA Intelligence Identities Act originally sponsored by Senator Bentsen.

Contributing Editor Larry C. Johnson is an internationally recognized counter-terrorism expert who served several years with the CIA's Directorate of Operations and later become deputy director of the State Department's Office of Counter Terrorism. He is CEO and co-founder of BERG Associates, an international business consulting firm which specializes in threat management in areas such as terrorism and money laundering. He is editor of the blog NO QUARTER.

Contributing Editor Bernie Quigley is a prize-winning writer and has worked more than 30 years as a book and magazine editor, political commentator and book, movie, music and art reviewer. He lives in the White Mountains with his wife and four children.

Webmaster Richard Westcott has over fourteen years of Information Systems experience in areas of Clinical Trials, Survey Research, Energy Deregulation and Education. He has served as Director of Informatics for the Allegheny Health Education Research Foundation Clinical Trials Research Center, the Coalition of National Cancer Cooperative Groups as well as administrative oversight for the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Chairman's office. His Clinical Trials locator is available at The National Cancer Institute.