Democracy Now! Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Today's Headlines

• Obama: Democratic Nomination “Within Reach”
• Sen. Kennedy Diagnosed with Malignant Brain Tumor
• Iran Renews Diplomatic Overture on Nukes, Mideast Conflict
• US Denies Israeli Report of Iran Attack Plans
• Bush Apologizes to Iraq over Koran Desecration
• Reuters Joins Call for Probe of ’03 US Attack on Palestine Hotel
• Audit: White House Ignored FBI Warnings of Torture at Gitmo, Foreign Jails
• Burmese Junta OKs UN Aid Flights
• NYPD Charges 7 Officers in Sean Bell Killing

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  Former Chief UN Weapons Inspector Hans Blix on the US Rush to War in Iraq, the Threat of an Attack on Iran, and the Need for a Global Nuclear Ban to Avoid Further Catastrophe

  The Bush administration’s claims of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq formed the key justification for the war to Congress, the American people and the international community. As the former chief United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq, Hans Blix was at the center of the storm. From March 2000 to June 2003, Blix oversaw the UN Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission’s 700 inspections at 500 sites in the run-up to the invasion. Blix is currently the chair of the Swedish government’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission. His latest book, just published, is Why Nuclear Disarmament Matters. Blix joins us for the hour from Stockholm, Sweden. [includes rush transcript–partial]