Va. Tech, Columbine similarities seen
LITTLETON, Colo., April 20 (UPI) -- Friends of the victims of the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado see similarities in this week's bloodbath at Virginia Tech.
Friday marked the eighth anniversary of the Columbine slayings in Littleton, Colo., where students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold gunned down 12 classmates and a teacher before killing themselves.
Four days after student Cho Seung-hui killed 32 people at Virginia Tech and his ranting video was released, families and friends of Columbine victims said the two tragedies are similar, USA Today reported.
"He (Cho) behaved the same, talked the same, did the menacing poses," said Brooks Brown, 26, once a friend of Harris whom the killer threatened a year before the attack. "It shows he has really internalized a lot of the pain, similar to Eric and Dylan."
In both cases, the shooters left photos of themselves dressed in dark clothing in menacing poses, brandishing weapons and letters blaming society for turning them into loners.
Report: Gonzales testimony did him damage
WASHINGTON, April 20 (UPI) -- U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' Senate committee testimony about fired U.S. attorneys damaged his career, White House sources told CNN.
Gonzales was sharply questioned Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee about why eight U.S. attorneys were fired last year and whether loyalty to the Bush administration was a factor.
Several White House insiders told CNN things didn't go well for Gonzales, who acknowledged the lawyers "deserve better from me and the Department of Justice, which they served for many years."
One of the administration sources, none of whom CNN identified, said Gonzales was "going down in flames," although another said there was no immediate search on to replace Gonzales.
In front of reporters, however, White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino said U.S. President George Bush fully backed Gonzales.
"President Bush was pleased with the attorney general's testimony today," Perino said. "He (Gonzales) admitted the matter could have been handled much better, and he apologized for the disruption to the lives of the U.S. attorneys involved, as well as for the lack of clarity in his initial responses."
U.S. builds security wall in Baghdad
BAGHDAD, April 20 (UPI) -- A 12-foot, 3-mile long concrete wall being erected in Baghdad by U.S. forces to stem sectarian fighting is being criticized by both Sunni and Shiite residents.
Construction of the wall began April 10 but was first reported by the Stars and Stripes newspaper on Thursday, The report quoted military commanders as saying the wall is meant to protect a Sunni Muslim area almost surrounded by Shiite neighborhoods.
However, a Los Angeles Times correspondent reported finding no support for it from either Sunnis or Shiites.
"Are they trying to divide us into different sectarian cantons?" said Sunni drugstore owner Abu Ahmed. "This will deepen the sectarian strife and only serve to abort efforts aimed at reconciliation."
Abu Marwan, a Shiite pharmacist, told the Times he saw an unfortunate scenario emerging.
"I feel this is the beginning of a pattern of what the whole of Iraq is going to look like, divided by sectarian and racial criteria," Marwan said.
Rights group criticizes Iraq executions
LONDON, April 20 (UPI) -- The Amnesty International human rights group criticized the Iraqi government Friday for unfair trials and its growing number of judicial executions.
The group said in a report Iraq executed 65 people last year, making it the fourth highest death sentence country after China, Iran and Pakistan.
"The dramatic increase in use of this cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment represents a dangerous slide into the brutal errors of the past, particularly when so many executions have come after unfair trials, televised 'confessions' and uninvestigated allegations of torture," said Malcolm Smart, director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Program. "Despite official justifications of the death penalty as a deterrent, rising violence on Iraqi streets suggests that its reinstatement may simply have contributed to the brutalization of Iraqi society."
Since Iraq reinstated the death penalty in 2004, more than 270 people have been sentenced to death and at least 100 people have been executed, the report said.
McCain sings 'Bomb, bomb Iran'
MURRELLS INLET, S.C., April 20 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaking in South Carolina, answered a question about Iran by singing "Bomb, bomb Iran" to the tune of "Barbara Ann."
A man in the audience at a Murrells Inlet VFW hall asked McCain about sending "an air mail message to Tehran," The Georgetown (S.C.) Times reported. McCain began his answer by putting new words to the oldie -- made popular by the Beach Boys and the Regents.
"Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran," he sang.
"Iran is dedicated to the destruction of Israel," McCain said in a more serious vein. "That alone should concern us, but now they are trying for nuclear capabilities. I totally support (President George W. Bush) when he says we will not allow Iran to destroy Israel."
McCain did not say whether bombing Iran would be necessary or desirable.
He plans a two-day tour next week to announce his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. He made a preliminary announcement several weeks ago on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman."
Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is ahead of McCain in most polls.
