Democracy Now!: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

In the news: While $900 billion over ten years may sound like a hefty price tag to fix the healthcare system, it is a mere fraction of this country’s spending on the military, which is expected to grow by at least $133.1 billion over the next decade. Israeli journalist Amira Hass joins us to talk about covering the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Goldstone report on the Israeli assault on Gaza, and the need to understand the issue in the context of military occupation. According to the UN, 5,000 women around the world are murdered each year in the name of preserving their family honor and reputation. We speak to Rana Husseini, one of the world’s leading advocates against these so-called honor killings. "Democracy Now!" is a daily independent newshour.