European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 16, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 stars and Stripe Friday March 16 2007 groups set dueling protests for saturday in Washington officials expecting thousands on the National mall by Leo Shane in stars and stripes Washington a pair of St Patricks Day rallies will bring thousands of protesters on oppo site sides of the political spectrum to within a few Hundred feet of each other on the National mall the first organized by act now to Stop War and end racism will include a Parade from the mall to the Pentagon to rally against operations in Iraq and the rising de sense budget according to answer spokesman Bill Hackwell the second dubbed the gathering of eagles is designed to show the troops our support and Tell them not to believe the hype that everyone is against them according to group spokesman Kris tinn Taylor both men expect big crowds for the Allday events Taylor said his groups permit application estimates up to 20000 attending while answer is helping arrange More than 200 bus caravans nationwide for now the Antiwar rally is scheduled to begin Early saturday to the West of the Vietnam veterans memorial Wall while the gathering will take place mainly to the East Taylor said his group does not have plans for direct confrontation of the other protesters and will not follow their March across the River to the Pentagon City officials and National Park police still Are finalizing plans for How to handle both groups the gathering group has accused the Antiwar protesters of planning to vandalize the Wall and promised to defend the Monument answer members insist the counter rally is designed to intimidate opposition views and pos Sibly provoke protesters Park police do not allow protesters of any sort within a few Hundred feet of the Vietnam memo rial or any others no demonstrators Are allowed to March in restricted areas regard less their Issue said Bill line spokesman for the National Park ser vice both sides Are scheduling High profile speak ers including Gold Star families answers rally will feature Al Sharpton Ralph Nader and Cindy Sheehan among others members of the veterans group rolling Thunder and conservative columnist Michelle Malkin Are expected at the counter event a caravan of military supporters driving through 12 states collect ing flags for the gather ing of eagles members of veterans for peace military families speak out and other Active Antiwar groups Are directing their members to the answer rally Hackwell said he Hopes troops overseas see that his group has their Best interests at heart and wants to bring them Home safely immediately but Taylor said troops need to hear that the american Public still wants them to succeed in Iraq and thanks them for their sacrifice for More information about the Antiwar rally visit for More information on the counter rally visit email Leo Shane at ios Mil study a not doing enough for Iraq veterans the associated press Washington the veterans affairs system for handling disability claims is strained to its limit and the Bush administrations current efforts to re Lieve backlogs wont be enough to serve veterans re turning from Iraq and Afghanistan investigators said tuesday in testimony to a House panel the government accountability office and Harvard professor Linda Bilmes detailed their study into the Vas claims sys tem in Light of growing demands created by wars they found a system on the verge of crisis due to backlogs cumbersome paperwork and ballooning costs the House hearing is the latest to review the Quality of care for wounded troops returning from Iraq from emergency medical care at military hospitals to Lon term rehabilitation at a clinics and eventual Transi Tion to civilian life with a Dis ability payments according to their findings Theva took Between 127 to 177 Days to process an initial claim and an average of 657 Days to process an Appeal resulting in significant hardship to Veter ans in contrast the private Sec Tor Industry takes about 895 Days to process a claim had a claims backlog of roughly 600000 will see 638000 new firs time claims in the next five years due to the Iraq War judge says Sudan is responsible for uss Cole bombing by Sonja Barisic the associated press Norfolk a a Federal judge said wednesday that Sudan is responsible for the bombing of the uss Cole but he needs More time to determine damages for the families of the 17 sailors killed when terrorists bombed the ship in 2000 there is substantial evidence in this Case presented by the expert testimony that the govern ment of Sudan induced the partic ular bombing of the Cole by Vir tue of prior actions of the govern ment of Sudan us District judge Robert g Doumar said the civil trial started tuesday in which the victims relatives tried to prove the terrorist attack could not have happened without Sudan support Douwnar said that he would Issue a written opinion later to fully explain his ruling he requested additional paper work including tax returns of the sailors killed to determine the appropriate damages words cant express the loss my family has gone through Shalala Swenchonis Wood whose brother died testified wednes Day its not financial its not mate rial its always the things the Little things you dont see Stephen m Katz the Louge Gunn of Virginia Beach a the father of slain uss Cole Sailor Cherone Louis Gunn comforts Jacqueline Saunders of Danville a whose husband Timothy also was killed aboard uss Cole after hearing argue the families Are seeking million in damages but potential Mente tuesday in Norfolk a damages could be reduced to not More than million the experts testified that four experts on terrorism in Sudan has Given Safe Haven to eluding r James Woolsey Cia i Osama bin Laden Al Aida Ter Rector from Early 1993 to Early Aorist Fretwork since 1991 Long 1995 also testified in person or by before yemeni operatives at deposition tuesday to sup port the families position that Al Aida needed the african nations help to carry out the attack it would not have been As easy it might have been possible but it would not have been As easy Woolsey said in a video taped deposition without Sudan providing economic support places to train and false documents ii words cant express the loss my family has gone through 9 j Shalala Swenchonis Wood tacked the Cole they cited Tes Timony from other Tri als a de Classi fied Ca Nadian intelligence report us state department reports and their own studies As they testified that Sudan let terrorist training Camps operate within its Borders and gave Al Aida members Diplo Matic passports so they could travel without scrutiny and Diplo Matic pouches to ship explosives and weapons without being searched Volvo military sales Purchase your new Volvo xc70 or xc90 with the Premium package and get the climate or convenience package for free also for a limited time Only All new orders for a Volvo v70 v70r xc70 with the Premium 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