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Showing posts from August, 2007

"Redacted" stuns Venice | Entertainment | Entertainment News | Reuters.com

"Redacted" stuns Venice | Entertainment | Entertainment News | Reuters.com : "VENICE (Reuters) - A new film about the real-life rape and killing of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl by U.S. soldiers who also murdered her family stunned the Venice festival, with shocking images that left some viewers in tears. 'Redacted', by U.S. director Brian De Palma, is one of at least eight American films on the war in Iraq due for release in the next few months and the first of two movies on the conflict screening in Venice's main competition."

U.S. Obsessed With Using Force

U.S. Obsessed With Using Force Harare - SINCE the United States assumed global leadership from Britain at the end of the Second World War; when it emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the war, a development that saw it declare the era of "the American century", Washington has been obsessed with using force to thwart small countries. In fact, the US emerged as a superpower that is scared of small countries. While this statement might seem contradictory, political analyses of US behaviour over the past 62 years proves otherwise.

The Black Commentator - August 16, 2007 - Issue 242

The Black Commentator - August 16, 2007 - Issue 242 : "The conversation around whether Illinois Senator, Barack Obama was “black enough” to be considered a “black president,” reached a crescendo last week at the National Association of Black Journalist national convention. The question that has dogged this presidential election’s “black” (and most exciting) candidate for months had its origins in the black press. Obama finally had the chance to confront the source, but only after convention delegates decided to apply the same question to New York Senator, Hilary Clinton, that day before Obama’s appearance. No other candidate, to date, had been confronted with such a question. Richardson hasn’t been asked is he Hispanic enough, though many Latinos were hardly aware of his candidacy before recent efforts to publicize it, due to Richardson non-Latin surname. Nobody has used campaign time to ask Rudy Guiliani if he’s Italian enough, or Mitt Romney if he’s Mormon enough (though some h

The Black Commentator - August 16, 2007 - Issue 242

The Black Commentator - August 16, 2007 - Issue 242 : "Donna Smith is one of the 'stars' of SiCKO, whose family became medically bankrupt, even though both she and her husband both always carried health insurance. Then he had three heart attacks and she had cancer...and the insurance companies bailed out. Is universal health care the right and moral thing to do? Are we who reside in faith communities within our churches and our communities called to action on this issue? Will we cast off all the things we have accumulated and follow what we have been taught to follow, in the face of this battle on behalf of those who cannot join the fray? Or will the vast majority of us remain silent, as we have over the past 30 years, giving our power and our presence over to those who express only the narrowest of Godly intentions?"

Porter: Kill More Iraqis or Pay $9 per Gallon : adereview.com

Porter: Kill More Iraqis or Pay $9 per Gallon : adereview.com : "No doubt, for a large number of Americans, it is a good enough excuse: “Gasoline prices could rise to about $9 per gallon if the United States withdraws troops from Iraq prematurely, Rep. Jon Porter said he was told on a trip to Iraq that ended this week,” the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. “To a person, they said there would be genocide, gas prices in the U.S. would rise to eight or nine dollars a gallon, al-Qaida would continue its expansion, and Iran would take over that portion of the world if we leave,” said the Nevada Congress critter."

Liberals, Bush Unite in Ethnic Cleansing of Iraq

: "It is now obvious that one impetus behind the 'surge' was to accelerate the 'ethnic cleansing' of Iraq. Given the manifest failure to establish a strong central government to serve as a client state, the conquerors now find it easier to deal with separate ethnic enclaves, which can police themselves, shake out their own internal conflicts (however bloodily) and thus establish some kind of solid leadership that can cut deals and guarantee investments. Most of the measures taken during the 'surge' seem aimed precisely at ethnic cleansing: the increased support of the Iraqi government security forces -- which are largely Shiite militias -- has been matched with what some see as the lunatic policy of arming Sunni militias. "

The Language of Force - by Uri Avnery

The Language of Force - by Uri Avnery "In these polls, the public was presented with a question that came close to the final Clinton Proposal and the Geneva Initiative: Are you for a peace that would include a Palestinian state, withdrawal from almost all occupied territories, giving up the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, and dismantling most settlements? The results were very instructive. In 2002, 73 percent (seventy-three percent!) supported this solution. In the next two years, support declined, but it was still accepted by the majority. In 2005 the percentage of supporters slipped under the 50 percent line. What had changed in these years?"

Abu Aardvark: The insurgency's strategy in September

Abu Aardvark: The insurgency's strategy in September What about the insurgency? For months now, insurgency groups have been trying to formulate some kind of public political front, but seem to be consistently frustrated by internal struggles and the fragmented nature of the insurgency itself (among the latest developments, we've got the 1920 Revolution Brigade denouncing anyone using its name while cooperating with the Americans while accusing Hamas Iraq of being the real collaborators, and the Islamic Army of Iraq indicating that it's striking a truce with al-Qaeda in Iraq). It's in that context that I wanted to draw attention to an essay published today under the title "September and a political project for the mujahideen" on the al-Haq Agency, one of the major internet outlets for the Sunni insurgency, by Abd al-Rahman al-Ruwashdi.

James Yee and Wen Ho Lee.

Recently, I picked up a book from public library. The name of the book is My Country Versus Me , in which he described his ordeal in detail. Wen Ho Lee (Chinese: 李文和; Pinyin: Lǐ Wénhé; born December 21, 1939) is a Taiwanese-born American scientist who worked for the University of California at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and was accused of stealing secrets about the U.S.'s nuclear arsenal for the People's Republic of China (PRC) in December 1999. I have also read another memoir written by a Chinese American Muslim chaplain also persecuted by his own government because he is a Muslim and maybe even because he was also a Chinese American. James J. Yee (Chinese: 余百康 or 余优素福, also known by the Arabic name Yusuf Yee) (born c. 1968) is an American, former United States Army chaplain with the rank of captain. He is best known for being subject to an intense investigation by the United States, but all charges were later dropped. Yee, a Chinese American, was born in New Jersey

Free Press : Speed Up with Fiber

Free Press : Speed Up with Fiber : "So instead of wringing his hands as the United States drops to middle of the pack among developed nations in international broadband rankings, Garrison wants to take action. He’s come to the eyebrow-raising conclusion that Eagan, the state’s eighth largest city, ought to lay high-speed fiber-optic cable to each of its 25,500 homes. The City Council told his broadband committee early this year to figure out how to obtain 1 gigabit-a-second Internet speed by 2015. How fast is that? You could download a movie in less than 8 seconds. By comparison, with a 1.5 megabit DSL connection the same movie would take nearly an hour and a half."

A Legacy of Legitimizing Torture :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it

A Legacy of Legitimizing Torture :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it : " The resignation of the torturer in chief was noted by his patron, the president, as an unfortunate day for American democracy. 'It’s sad that we live in a time when a talented and honorable person like Alberto Gonzales is impeded from doing important work because his good name was dragged through the mud for political reasons,' President Bush lamented on Monday. "

Bureaucratic dispossession :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it

Bureaucratic dispossession :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it : "August 29, 2007 On 20 August 2007, a story appeared in the Israeli daily Haaretz about the disputed ownership of a piece of land in East Jerusalem. The 'land in question,' the report said, is 'an olive grove called Kerem Hamufti' and part of the 'Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.' [1] According to Haaretz, the 'Israel Lands Administration (ILA) is working together with the Ateret Cohanim association to wrest from Palestinian landowners control of 30 dunams (7.5 acres) of land in East Jerusalem and to transfer it to the association without a tender.' Petitioning the High Court, the land's owners, the Palestinian Arab Hotels Company, described the purpose of this expropriation as 'extraneous, illegitimate, racist and discriminatory.' "

War and the "New World Order" :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it

War and the "New World Order" :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it War is the ultimate means of attempting to change societies and reshape nations. It is through war that national economies and political structures can be forcibly restructured. War is, potentially, the ultimate economic shock therapy. The wars in the Middle East are stepping stones towards establishing a vision of global order that has been in the hearts and minds of the Anglo-American establishment for years. That vision is global ascendancy.

S. Korea to accelerate withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan : International : Home

S. Korea to accelerate withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan : International : Home : "South Korea plans to speed up its preparation for the pullout of more than 200 soldiers in Afghanistan after a deal with the Taliban on the release of 19 Korean hostages, officials here said Wednesday. They also indicated that Seoul's future role in Afghanistan _ possibly as a member of the civil-military Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) _ will be limited. The withdrawal of the troops is a key condition of the hard-won agreement that heralded an end to the six-week hostage crisis. "

War With Iran- by Justin Raimondo

War With Iran- by Justin Raimondo : "For months we at Antiwar.com have been monitoring the situation between Iran and the United States, parsing the words of administration spokesmen for any hints of when and how hostilities between the two countries might begin. We've been running reports from insiders saying that the Cheney faction is pushing for an attack, that Bush is quite amenable but is biding his time, and that an assault on Tehran is imminent. Now the president has come out openly with his warlike intentions. In a speech delivered Tuesday, he reiterated recent charges by Washington that Iran is arming and training Iraqi Shi'ite groups who are launching attacks on American forces in Iraq, and he announced: 'I have authorized our military commanders in Iraq to confront Tehran's murderous activities.' Translation: The bombing begins shortly."

U.S. troops release Iranian diplomats after kidnapping them.

"A group of eight Iranians, including two diplomats, were released by U.S. forces today after being detained because unauthorized weapons were found in their cars, the U.S. military said. Four cars carrying the Iranians, as well as seven Iraqis, were stopped at a checkpoint yesterday evening and then allowed to proceed to the nearby Sheraton Ishtar hotel, where they were later taken into custody and questioned, the military said."

Perverse Justice -- In These Times

Perverse Justice -- In These Times : "“I have seen a number of scenarios,” he wrote. “For example, some prisoners lose the capacity to focus their attention rationally on the things which should be priorities; instead, they become obsessively focused on some minor detail, or some perceived injustice—and most commonly, they become obsessively focused on some perceived injustice or offense they are experiencing in confinement (issues which are not relevant to defending themselves in their criminal case).” Jose Padilla spent approximately three and a half years in solitary confinement at the Navy Brig in Charleston, S.C. He spent most of his day in a 9’x7’ cell. The window of his cell was painted over so that he could not see daylight. At times he was deprived of his mattress and pillow. He ate alone in his cell. “I have seen a number of scenarios,” he wrote. “For example, some prisoners lose the capacity to focus their attention rationally on the things which should be priorities; i

The Promise of Low Power FM -- In These Times

The Promise of Low Power FM -- In These Times : "The movement to develop alternatives to mainstream corporate-owned radio got a boost recently with a bi-partisan congressional bill to expand low-power FM (LPFM), a class of frequencies devoted to non-commercial community groups. Though LPFM stations only broadcast a radius of three-and-a-half miles, they offer the chance to bring seldom-heard voices on the air. The movement to develop alternatives to mainstream corporate-owned radio got a boost recently with a bi-partisan congressional bill to expand low-power FM (LPFM), a class of frequencies devoted to non-commercial community groups. Though LPFM stations only broadcast a radius of three-and-a-half miles, they offer the chance to bring seldom-heard voices on the air. "

The Secret Lives of Plutocrats -- In These Times

The Secret Lives of Plutocrats -- In These Times : "Where is Richistan? According to Wall Street Journal reporter Robert Frank, it’s the domain—effectively a country more foreign to us than the other “stans” on the map—of the world’s households that are worth $1 million or more. But these 9 million-plus households, which have more than doubled in number over the past decade, actually are further divided into distinct provinces of Lower, Middle and Upper Richistan, as well as Billionaireville—population 400 and growing."

How Does Laura Bush Sleep at Night? -- In These Times

How Does Laura Bush Sleep at Night? -- In These Times : "As one of the scant 15 percent of likely voters who has a “very unfavorable” assessment of Mrs. Bush (and who finds her high approval ratings a complete mystery), I would like to suggest that she may be the worst First Lady in recent memory. Here are the reasons: First, she has had no consistent program or agenda that has changed anything for the better. Second, she provides PR cover for her husband so she can pretend they’re doing one thing, like helping school children, while he can do another, like screwing them and their teachers through disasters like “No Child Left Behind.” (Another example of being a beard for Bush, she promotes awareness about women’s heart disease while he proposes slashes in Medicaid, 70 percent of whose recipients are poor women.) Third, she has taken absolutely no stand against her husband’s relentless, Shermanesque march across women’s rights. Last and most damning, she is an utter hypocrite, es

Iraq Resistance 2

A poodle for a lapdog

A poodle for a lapdog : "Mr. Bush must be ecstatic these days. Although the loss of Tony Blair, his lapdog, must have eroded his comfort level, a more tantalizing pet ally has sprung on his lap. The recently elected French President, Mr. Sarkozy, seems to be far more aggressive and protective of this President’s ambitions, ready to pounce on any obstacle standing in the way of Mr. Bush’s crusade to sacrifice the Middle East to appease Israel’s expansionist ambitions."

Why the US and Israel Should Lose Middle East Wars

George W. Bush has once again thrown down the gauntlet. The Mideast wars of the United States, he announced to the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention on August 22, must end only with a U.S. victory. He has not wavered in this position since September 11, 2001. The unspoken but real purpose of his efforts has been and will be to concentrate increasing power over the Middle East in the hands of the small group of rich and greedy elites who rule the U.S. and Israel today, and perhaps he will achieve this goal. The more important result, however, will be the elimination of any movement toward greater global justice, stability, and peace in the world for decades to come.

Somali leader to step up drive against Ethiopians - Kavkazcenter.com

Somali leader to step up drive against Ethiopians - Kavkazcenter.com : "Ahmed calls on Somalis to defend nation against Ethiopian forces deployed in Mogadishu. Somalia's top Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) leader vowed on Saturday to wage a stronger insurgency in the capital Mogadishu until all Ethiopian troops withdraw from the war-shattered Horn of Africa nation."

Al Jazeera English - News - Africa's Most Toxic Town

Al Jazeera English - News - Africa's Most Toxic Town : "Kabwe is a wasteland full of the remnants of Zambia's once glorious mining past. Decades of unregulated mining, however, have turned Kabwe into Africa's most toxic town. Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege travelled to Kabwe, about 150km north of the capital, Lusaka, and filed this report."

Iran resolves plutonium issues under atom pact: IAEA | International News | Reuters.com

Iran resolves plutonium issues under atom pact: IAEA | International News | Reuters.com : "Iran has resolved U.N. questions about tests with plutonium, a key fuel for atomic bombs, and the International Atomic Energy Agency considers the matter closed, according to the text of an IAEA-Iran accord released on Monday."

Crazy Whiteman Going off in France.

Sarkozy talks of bombing if Iran gets nuclear arms - Times Online : "President Sarkozy called Iran’s nuclear ambition the world’s most dangerous problem yesterday and raised the possibility that the country could be bombed if it persisted in building an atomic weapon. "

ei: What do Palestinians really think?

ei: What do Palestinians really think? : "'Palestinian poll finds support for Fatah government over Hamas.' That headline from the International Herald Tribune, one of many similar ones last week, must have warmed the hearts of supporters of the illegal, unelected and Israeli-backed Ramallah 'government' of Salam Fayyad. Last June Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas and the national unity government he headed, and appointed Fayyad without the legally required endorsement of the Palestinian legislative council. This followed Hamas' rout of the US and Israeli-backed militias of Fatah warlord Mohammed Dahlan in the Gaza Strip."

Afghan Opium Trade Hits New Peak - washingtonpost.com

Afghan Opium Trade Hits New Peak - washingtonpost.com : "UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 27 -- Opium production in Afghanistan has increased by 34 percent over the past year, and the country is now the source of 93 percent of the heroin, morphine and other opiates on the world market, according to a report by the United Nations' anti-drug agency."

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan - Taliban to free 19 army troops

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan - Taliban to free 19 army troops : "SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Nineteen Pakistan army personnel, including Lt Col Shahid, kidnapped by Taliban a few days ago, will be released on Tuesday. A 21-member peace committee headed by MNA Maulana Miraj-ud-Din Qureshi held successful negotiations with Taliban leadership on Monday. MNA Akhtar Mangle and Senator Maulana Saleh Shah participated in the meeting. agencies"

Has Bush Boxed Himself In? - by Pat Buchanan

Has Bush Boxed Himself In? - by Pat Buchanan : "As Americans anguish over how to extricate this country from Iraq without a disaster greater than what we now have, and without our friends suffering the fate of our friends in Cambodia and Vietnam, they had best brace themselves. This escalator is going up. "

So much for Turkish democracy.

Al Jazeera English - News - Turkish Military Issues Warning "The chief of Turkey's military has said that secularism is under attack by "centres of evil". The warning came one day before the expected election to the presidency of Abdullah Gul, the candidate of the ruling AK Party who has a background in political Islam."

The Ongoing Hunt for Osama bin Laden - Newsweek: World News - MSNBC.com

The Ongoing Hunt for Osama bin Laden - Newsweek: World News - MSNBC.com : "Sept. 3, 2007 issue - The Americans were getting close. It was early in the winter of 2004-05, and Osama bin Laden and his entourage were holed up in a mountain hideaway along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Suddenly, a sentry, posted several kilometers away, spotted a patrol of U.S. soldiers who seemed to be heading straight for bin Laden's redoubt. The sentry radioed an alert, and word quickly passed among the Qaeda leader's 40-odd bodyguards to prepare to remove 'the Sheik,' as bin Laden is known to his followers, to a fallback position. As Sheik Said, a senior Egyptian Qaeda operative, later told the story, the anxiety level was so high that the bodyguards were close to using the code word to kill bin Laden and commit suicide. According to Said, bin Laden had decreed that he would never be captured."

Antiwar.com Blog · Torture Gonzales Out

Antiwar.com Blog · Torture Gonzales Out

Vietnam’s Real Lessons - CommonDreams.org

Vietnam’s Real Lessons - CommonDreams.org : "Here are a few of the lessons that he overlooks. In unconventional wars, body counts don’t really count. In the Vietnam War, superior American firepower enabled U.S. forces to prevail in most tactical engagements. We killed plenty of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. But killing didn’t produce victory — the exertions of U.S. troops all too frequently proved to be counterproductive. So too in Iraq — although Bush insists on pretending otherwise. His speech had him sounding like President Lyndon Johnson, bragging that, in each month since January, U.S. troops in Iraq have “killed or captured an average of more than 1,500 Al Qaeda terrorists and other extremists.” If Bush thinks that by racking up big body counts the so-called surge will reverse the course of the war, he is deceiving himself. The real question is not how many bad guys we are killing, but how many our continued presence in Iraq is creating."

Europeans, Canadians See Afghan Mission as Failure: Angus Reid Global Monitor

Europeans, Canadians See Afghan Mission as Failure: Angus Reid Global Monitor : "(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Few adults in five nations that have provided military assistance in Afghanistan believe the mission is proceeding adequately, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. Only 22 per cent of respondents in Canada think the war against militant groups in Afghanistan has been mostly a success."

BLOOD MONEY.

Many Take Army's 'Quick Ship' Bonus - washingtonpost.com "More than 90 percent of the Army's new recruits since late July have accepted a $20,000 "quick ship" bonus to leave for basic combat training by the end of September, putting thousands of Americans into uniform almost immediately."

LOST WAR: THE SMART ONES KNOWS IT!

Santa Barbara News-Press : "SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - A call by Puerto Rico's governor for a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq earned a standing ovation Saturday from a conference of more than 4,000 National Guardsmen. Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila said the U.S. administration has ''no new strategy and no signs of success'' and that prolonging the war would needlessly put guardsmen in harm's way."

Iraq: British retreat descends into chaos as Shia militia occupy police centre - Independent Online Edition > Middle East

Iraq: British retreat descends into chaos as Shia militia occupy police centre - Independent Online Edition > Middle East : "Shia militia loyal to the firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have scuppered an attempt by British forces to hand over the Basra joint police command centre to Iraqi police. Iraqi police reportedly left when the Shia fighters arrived and began emptying the facility. According to witnesses, they made off with generators, computers, furniture and even cars, saying it was war booty - and were still in the centre yesterday evening. The embarrassing episode, which comes as the British in Basra are preparing to move their remaining soldiers to the city airport as part of a planned withdrawal, once again highlights the strength of the militia in the city."

Rootless Cosmopolitan » Blog Archive » Maliki’s Fate and America’s

Rootless Cosmopolitan » Blog Archive » Maliki’s Fate and America’s : "It is in this context that we must see both the Maliki visit to Damascus and the Syria-Saudi spat. Syria has placed itself in between Saudi Arabia and Iran. It has not only supported the Sunni resistance leaders but also improved relations with the Shiite dominated government through visits, increased security measures at the border, and by establishing diplomatic relations and an embassy in Baghdad. Syria cancelled a meeting of Sunni opposition members that was scheduled to be held in Damascus a little over two weeks ago. In its place it held a security conference at which Iraqi and U.S. members participated. Saudi Arabia refused to send a delegation or even an observer to the conference, sparking the latest round of Syrian-Saudi accusations."

Myths and Truths About Iran - by David R. Henderson

Myths and Truths About Iran - by David R. Henderson I want to make is that the way governments get more power over us is to scare us, to make us afraid of various things. Governments run by Democrats have things they want us to be afraid of so that we will support their policies. Governments run by Republicans try to make us afraid of other things so that we will support them and their policies. The Iranian government tries to make people afraid so that people will support its policies. Governments around the world do that. Now, of course there are some things we should be afraid of. I'm afraid of jumping off cliffs, for example. And there are some things that government warns us about that we should fear. But how afraid should we be? And, since the topic today is Iran, how afraid should Americans be that the Iranian government will harm them? My answer is "not very."

America can stay in Iraq spending $200,000,000 a day as long as the Chinese loan them the money.

Al Jazeera English - News - Iraqi Leaders Pledge Unity So, America hanged Saddam Husein, and dismantled and criminalized his party and the leadership, then moved to arrest tens of thousands and fired the cream of society from serving Iraq. Now looking back, America understood the mistake they have made and wanted to reinstate Ba’ath party to work with in cooperation with the Shiite Government of Iraq. Why? It is because the Sunni population gotten the USA to run for cover. The US LOST THE WAR, gave al-Anbar to Sunni fighters (in the name of fighting “alqaida”), stayed away from the fight (realizing it is a lost cause) and create the illusion of unity in the eyes fool Americans so they will feed them more propaganda and lies comes September! What is the best time to do it? It is now! Would Americans change their mind now there is “a unity government” agreed on something? Maybe, But as I always said, as long as Iraqis are fighting the American troops who raped their land destroyed their

AlterNet: Blogs: Video

AlterNet: Blogs: Video : "On the first episode of this season of Real Time with Bill Maher, actor Tim Robbins and Bill Maher totally obliterate Dick Cheney's number one fan, writer Stephen Hayes. Hayes still insists that there was a relationship between Al Qaeda and Iraq in spite of all the evidence. Maher has a great bit about how 9/11 actually changed nothing (taxes weren't raised, there was no draft etc..etc..). Meanwhile, Robbins makes a great point about how these people who are responsible for the deaths of thousands are still being allowed to determine public policy and he holds Hayes to account for perpetuating the lie about Saddam's involvement in 9/11. 'The American people would have never sanctioned this war if they had the facts,' says Robbins. It's going to be a great season. Check out the video to your right for more. "

Occupation and the Suffering of the Palestinians.

Occupation_101.avi Israeli historian Ilan Pappe describes the period around the declaration of Israel's independence as one during which the indigenous ... all » Palestinian population was ethnically cleansed from the land when they were forced from their homes or fled in terror after hearing news of rapes and massacres at other villages. Today, the situation is not much better for the Palestinians under Israeli rule. "To make things so difficult for the Palestinians so that anyone who wants a normal life will leave."

Al Jazeera English - News - Blasts Kill Dozens In Indian City

Al Jazeera English - News - Blasts Kill Dozens In Indian City : "Two explosions in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad have killed at least 36 people, and injured about 60 others, according to officials. The two explosions on Saturday came within minutes of each other, the police said. A later report suggested there had been three explosions."

Robert Fisk: Even I question the 'truth' about 9/11

Robert Fisk: Even I question the 'truth' about 9/11 : "I am talking about scientific issues. If it is true, for example, that kerosene burns at 820C under optimum conditions, how come the steel beams of the twin towers – whose melting point is supposed to be about 1,480C – would snap through at the same time? (They collapsed in 8.1 and 10 seconds.) What about the third tower – the so-called World Trade Centre Building 7 (or the Salmon Brothers Building) – which collapsed in 6.6 seconds in its own footprint at 5.20pm on 11 September? Why did it so neatly fall to the ground when no aircraft had hit it? The American National Institute of Standards and Technology was instructed to analyse the cause of the destruction of all three buildings. They have not yet reported on WTC 7. Two prominent American professors of mechanical engineering – very definitely not in the 'raver' bracket – are now legally challenging the terms of reference of this final report on the grounds t

ei: The next intifada

ei: The next intifada : "With his latest statements and unrestrained violence, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, has once again confirmed that the occupation, the oppression and the slow genocide of Palestinians by the Israeli war machine he heads will not stop. Any talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders are meaningless he says, and as far as he is concerned there will be no relief for the Palestinians, not even symbolic relief for people trying to cross the checkpoints. After all, even a short delay at the checkpoint can put an end to the life on an innocent Palestinian. Barak who has earned the dubious distinction of Israel's most decorated soldier, by killing mostly unarmed Palestinian civilians, will do nothing that might hinder the liquidation of Palestinians, young or old. With Barak in control of Israel's security apparatus Israelis and Palestinians can expect more violence and more losses of innocent lives."

Indian guru makes peace angels of Iraqi youths | Top News | Reuters

Indian guru makes peace angels of Iraqi youths | Top News | Reuters An Indian spiritual guru is teaching yoga and meditation to a group of war-weary Iraqis, whom he hopes will extend their new-found inner peace to their nation. The 55 men and women -- chosen by the Iraqi government -- live on an expansive spiritual retreat in southern India and will follow an intensive meditation and rhythmic breathing regime for a month to learn about an alternative lifestyle. Waking up at five every morning, they participate in yoga classes, meditate, help in the kitchen and take part in spiritual discussions, public speaking classes and spiritual singing as part of their physical, mental, emotional and social development.

allAfrica.com: Eritrea: State TV Editor Goes Missing While Trying to Flee Across Border Into Ethiopia (Page 1 of 1)

allAfrica.com: Eritrea: State TV Editor Goes Missing While Trying to Flee Across Border Into Ethiopia (Page 1 of 1) : "Reporters Without Borders voiced concern today about the fate of Johnny Hisabu, an editor with state-owned Eri-TV, who disappeared in late May after trying to flee across the border into Ethiopia. There are unconfirmed reports that he was arrested and has been held ever since in a detention centre in the southwestern town of Barentu. 'Forced to function as a cog in the official propaganda machine, Johnny was one of the hundreds of Eritreans who each month try to flee the hell on earth created by one of the world's most authoritarian regimes,' the press freedom organisation said. 'The regime's only reaction to this exodus, which includes journalists and media technicians, is more cruelty and intolerance.'"

AKI - Adnkronos international Somalia: Displaced people branded "terrorists" by Mogadishu mayor

AKI - Adnkronos international Somalia: Displaced people branded "terrorists" by Mogadishu mayor : "Nairobi, 23 August (AKI) - (Source - IRIN) - Allegations that humanitarian operations fuel insurgency in the Somali capital Mogadishu by the city's mayor have been slammed as 'irresponsible' by a minister in the fragile transitional government as analysts expressed concern. Mayor Mohamed Umar Habeb (better known as Mohamed Dheere) told the local media on 20 August that the international community was feeding what he termed as “terrorists” and warned that they would have to deal with the consequences. "

The Utter Uselessness of the Petraeus Report | The American Prospect

The Utter Uselessness of the Petraeus Report | The American Prospect : "Just a few weeks from now, the most eagerly anticipated premier of the year will finally be here, complete with fierce disagreement among the critics and relentless hype by the producers, cameras furiously clicking when the starring players emerge in public. That premier is the report coming in mid-September from U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and, more importantly, Gen. David Petraeus, commander of American forces there. If you're expecting a surprise ending, you shouldn't hold your breath. "

Gareth Porter: Bush's "Killing Fields" and the Real Lesson of Vietnam - Politics on The Huffington Post

Gareth Porter: Bush's "Killing Fields" and the Real Lesson of Vietnam - Politics on The Huffington Post : "The heavy-breathing right-wing crowd has long blamed the anti-war movement, Congress and anyone else who supported the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam for the unnumbered dead in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge regime. That argument has been used as an ideological cudgel to keep intellectuals and the media in line, so the next time the United States goes to war and it turns sour, they would be afraid to demand an end to it. Now it's time to drive a stake through it once and for all. "

Bush’s Next Invasion: Vietnam?Following the president’s logic, our best move is to repeat a huge mistake. - CommonDreams.org

Bush’s Next Invasion: Vietnam?Following the president’s logic, our best move is to repeat a huge mistake. - CommonDreams.org It’s hard to be precise (as is the case in Iraq today, no one kept careful count of Vietnamese civilian casualties, and all sides in the conflict had an incentive to fudge the true figures), but somewhere between 1 million and 4 million civilians died as the war needlessly dragged on, many killed by U.S. weapons. Millions more were displaced. But those are details. Bush went on to assert that “another price to our withdrawal from Vietnam” was the rise of “the enemy we face in today’s struggle, those who came to our soil and killed thousands of citizens” on 9/11. Yup — it’s so obvious! The U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam caused the rise of Al Qaeda — and, by extension, “our withdrawal from Vietnam” ultimately turned Iraq into “the central front” in “the war on terror.”

Number of internal refugees soars in Iraq - International Herald Tribune

Number of internal refugees soars in Iraq - International Herald Tribune : "BAGHDAD: The number of Iraqis who have fled their homes and become refugees within their own country has soared since the American troop increase began in February, according to new data collected in Iraq by two major humanitarian groups. The rapidly accelerating dislocation of Iraqi citizens has taken place despite the troop increase, and in some cases as a direct result of it, surveys with thousands of the Iraqis have shown."

Bin Laden wanted US to invade Iraq, author says - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Bin Laden wanted US to invade Iraq, author says - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) : "Abdul Bari Atwan is one of the only Western journalists to have interviewed Osama bin Laden, spending three days with him in the mountains of Afghanistan in 1996. He is the editor-in-chief of the London-based Arabic newspaper, Al-Quds Al-Arabia, and the author of The secret history of Al Qaeda. ABC TV's Lateline presenter Tony Jones interviewed Mr Bari Atwan on the program last night. TONY JONES: When you met bin Laden, he told you that his long-term plan was to 'bring the Americans into a fight on Muslim soil'. That must have sounded like madness at the time, but now we have Iraq. ABDUL BARI ATWAN: It seems Osama bin Laden had a long-term strategy. He told me personally that he can't go and fight the Americans and their country. But if he manages to provoke them and bring them to the Middle East and to their Muslim worlds, where he can find them or fight them on his

So, is real debate over Israel possible on the Hill? | Jerusalem Post

So, is real debate over Israel possible on the Hill? | Jerusalem Post : "After several events were called off where Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer were due to discuss their upcoming book, The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy, their backers said this week the cancellations were proof of their contention that American policy toward Israel can't be discussed openly. They claim that the views expressed in the book - an expansion of the professors' 2006 paper accusing Jewish groups, neoconservatives and Evangelicals of hijacking American policy for the good of Israel and to the detriment of the US - are being stifled, as criticism of Israel routinely is in America."

An Inconvenient Truth

An Inconvenient Truth : "Like Guernica or My Lai, Halabja (in Kurdish, 'the wrong place') suffered an experience of mass murder intense enough to transform the town's very name into a historical event. That event occurred on the afternoon of March 16, 1988--a cold but pleasant day, with occasional showers, notes Joost Hiltermann in A Poisonous Affair, his comprehensive and powerful delineation not only of what happened that day but of all those who helped bring it about. The day before, Kurdish fighters, with Iranian encouragement and support, had occupied the town after driving out Iraqi government troops. Now the Iraqi air force had returned to deliver Saddam's response. "

Asia Times Online :: South Asia news - Talks with the Taliban gain ground

Asia Times Online :: South Asia news - Talks with the Taliban gain ground : "KARACHI - The process of reconciliation with the Taliban continues on both sides of the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. A Former top Taliban commander and present member of the Afghan Parliament, Mullah Abdus Salam Rocketti, and the former Taliban ambassador in Pakistan, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, are two key figures who have been holding talks with Taliban elders in southwestern Afghanistan for a political"

America and Venezuela: Constitutional Worlds Apart

: "Although imperfect, no country anywhere is closer to a model democracy than Venezuela under President Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias. In contrast, none is a more shameless failure than America, but it was true long before the age of George W. Bush. The difference under his regime is that the mask is off revealing a repressive state masquerading as a democratic republic. This article compares the constitutional laws of each country and how they're implemented. The result shows world's apart differences between these two nominally democratic states - one that's real, impressive and improving and the other that's mostly pretense and under George Bush lawless, corrupted, in tatters, and morally depraved. "

War Psychiatry and Iraq Atrocities: How Killing Becomes a Reflex

: "In 1971, Lt. William Calley was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the massacre of some 500 civilians in the Vietnamese hamlet of My Lai. In response to Calley's conviction, Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) convened the 'Winter Soldier Investigation.' Over a three-day period, more than a hundred veterans testified to atrocities they had witnessed committed by U.S. troops against Vietnamese civilians. Their expressed intention was to demonstrate that My Lai was not unique, that it was instead the inevitable result of U.S. policy. It was a travesty of justice, they claimed, to focus blame on the soldiers when it was the policy makers, McNamara, Bundy, Rostow, Johnson, LeMay, Nixon and the others who were truly responsible for the war crimes that had been committed."

War Psychiatry and Iraq AtrocitiesHow Killing Becomes a Reflex

: "rom a limestone hill rising above Qalandia refugee camp you can see Jerusalem. I watched a lone figure standing there in the rain, his son holding the tail of his long tattered coat. He extended his hand and did not let go. 'I am Ahmed Hamzeh, street entertainer,' he said in measured English. 'Over there, I played many musical instruments; I sang in Arabic, English and Hebrew, and because I was rather poor, my very small son would chew gum while the monkey did its tricks. When we lost our country, we lost respect. One day a rich Kuwaiti stopped his car in front of us. He shouted at my son, 'Show me how a Palestinian picks up his food rations!' So I made the monkey appear to scavenge on the ground, in the gutter. And my son scavenged with him. The Kuwaiti threw coins and my son crawled on his knees to pick them up. This was not right; I was an artist, not a beggar . . . I am not even a peasant now.' "

U.S. Use of Radiological Weapons

: "08/23/07 'ICH' -- - In 1991 the US military introduced a new weapon that the people of the world–––with hindsight–––will probably come to view as symbolic of America’s failed leadership after the Cold War. The introduced weapon was a new kind of munition: shells and bullets made from depleted uranium (DU). It turned out to be extremely effective in the first Gulf War against the forces of Saddam Hussein. Unfortunately, the DU weapons also proved nearly as dangerous to our own troops and to Iraqi civilians. The military alliance cobbled together by George Bush Sr. won a decisive victory in that war. But since its conclusion at least 13,000 American veterans have died from DU-related causes, far more than the 148 who died in combat; and of the nearly 700,000 who served in the war at least 250,000 are now (in 2007) permanently disabled; a percentage far higher than in any previous war.[1] Despite this, Pentagon generals continue to insist that DU munitions pose no danger,

Why Cheney Really Is That Bad

: "But that is about as deep as Rove’s involvement in the two issues that will define the presidency of George W. Bush gets. While Rove might be the “genius” behind the kind of winner-takes-all dirty politics that won the Republicans a majority in Texas The vice president is the single greatest threat to American and international security in the world today. Not Osama Bin Laden. Not the ghost of Saddam Hussein. Not Ahmadinejad or Kim Jung Il. Not al-Qaida, the Taliban, or Jose Padilla himself. Not even George W. Bush can lay claim to this title. It is Dick Cheney’s alone. Operating in a never-never land of constitutional ambiguity which exists between the office of the president and the Congress of the United States, Cheney’s office has made its impact felt on the policies of the United States of America as had no vice president’s office before him. Granted unprecedented oversight over national security and foreign policy by executive order in early 2001, many months pri

The Baath party denies any negotiation with the Iraqi "government" :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it

The Baath party denies any negotiation with the Iraqi "government" :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it : "The Baath party denied that it is negotiating with the US or with the iraqi 'government'. On August 21, 2007, Al-Hayat reported that the leader of the Baath party, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, decided to join efforts by the Iraqi authorities to fight al-Qaeda. Al-Hayat quoted a party's former top officials, Abu Wisam al-Jashaam, as saying : 'Al- Duri has decided to cease coordination with al-Qa'ida, and join a project of national resistance which will bear arms against al-Qa'ida and launch a dialogue with the government and foreign forces.' According to the London-based pan-Arab paper, in return, for cooperating in the fight against al-Qaeda, al-Douri would have asked for guarantees over his men's safety and for an end to Iraqi army attacks on his militias."

Woyanne shakes down Addis residents for money � Ethiopian Review

Woyanne shakes down Addis residents for money � Ethiopian Review : "Woyannes are currently distributing fund raising pledge forms to Addis Ababa residents through the EPRDF offices (see the form here) in preparation for the upcoming rigged elections. Woyanne controls most of the Ethiopia's heavy industries, ranging from mining to insurance. Profits from Ethiopians Airlines, Ethiopian Telecommunications, and other state-controlled industiries are siphoned off and diverted to Woyanne accounts controlled by its money-man, Sebhat Nega. Now, the ravenous Woyanne is shaking down the poor residents of Addis Ababa. Click here to see a partial list of companies owned by the Endowment Fund for Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT), a Woyanne business group under direct control of the Meles crime family."

Alarming situations in Ogaden and Oromia regions � Ethiopian Review

Alarming situations in Ogaden and Oromia regions � Ethiopian Review : "In the past few weeks, conflicting reports are coming from Ethiopia. On one hand, the government released some political prisoners, mostly leaders and members of the CUD party and journalists. We had hoped that their release would lead to a more conciliatory gesture by the government by releasing all prisoner of conscious and starting dialogue with opposition groups. On the contrary, however, human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and credible newspapers such as the New York Time, the Washington Post and radio programs such as National Public radio have reported Ethiopian government’s atrocities in the Ogaden and Oromia regions."

The Underside of the Eritrean Issue � Ethiopian Review

The Underside of the Eritrean Issue � Ethiopian Review : "These days we catch the TPLF leaders openly claiming the paternity of the Eritrean independence and boasting about their achievement. More surprisingly, as though the issue of a second reunification of Eritrea with Ethiopia was back on the agenda, we hear them expressing their absolute opposition to such a development and their resolution to prevent it by all means necessary. Witness Sebhat Nega recently gave an interview in which he emphatically declares: 'the EPRDF-led government of Ethiopia is the one and only force that would defend the independence of Eritrea' (Ethiomedia). In another interview, backing Sebhat, Meles reaffirms the unwavering commitment of his government to the Eritrean independence and its resolution to oppose fiercely any attempt to reverse the status quo. Since I do not see any credible force in Ethiopia today that would seriously threaten the Eritrean independence, I am puzzled by these inte

For Baghdad couples, love often lost amid sectarian struggle :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it

For Baghdad couples, love often lost amid sectarian struggle :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it : "Wissam wouldn't leave her Sunni husband when the Mahdi Army came and forced his family to leave their Shiite neighborhood. So now she lives in the Sunni enclave of Ameriyah and visits her parents in her old neighborhood only with the care of a spy, with two stops to change cars. Her husband never makes the trip. Intermarriage between Sunnis and Shiites was once common in Iraq , but no more. Warfare between the country's two major sects has segregated neighborhoods and divided families. Now it's ending marriages and filling with dread the few unions strong enough to survive."

A TALE OF TWO CITIES~~ WARSAW AND GAZA :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it

A TALE OF TWO CITIES~~ WARSAW AND GAZA :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it : "Many times I ask myself what the Jewish people learned while living in Eastern Europe during World War Two. The answer I come up with is so different from what is actually happening today to Palestinians living under the occupation of Israel. An occupation so similar to the nazi occupation of Europe, with one big difference, the victims of yesterday are the oppressors of today. Is this the lesson that was meant to be? I think not! When we say 'Never to forgive, never to forget', does that not mean never to let it happen again TO ANYONE? That's how I see it.... But instead, what happened in Warsaw is now happening in Gaza."

Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it

Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it : "Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)"

Baath party 'ready to help US withdrawal' :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it

Baath party 'ready to help US withdrawal' :: from www.uruknet.info :: news from occupied Iraq - it : "Puffing on a Havana cigar, he appeared confident that it would soon regain a powerful role in Iraqi. America's difficulties establishing a stable, secure post-Saddam democratic state made, he predicted, a troop withdrawal inevitable. When US troops went, the government, which was installed after elections in 2005, would fall. 'American cannot add new troops to achieve a military solution in Iraq, it is now looking for a political solution,' he said. 'But it will not find it in those structures it has set up. They will collapse and the agents and traitors will run away with the occupiers.'"

Al-Jazeera cameraman in worse condition at Gitmo, lawyer says - International Herald Tribune

Al-Jazeera cameraman in worse condition at Gitmo, lawyer says - International Herald Tribune : "SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: The health of a hunger-striking TV cameraman at the military prison in Guantanamo Bay has deteriorated sharply in recent months, according to notes released Tuesday by his lawyer after they were censored by U.S. authorities."

Remembering Al Qaim by Rick Fisk

Remembering Al Qaim by Rick Fisk : "What the report fails to revisit, even briefly, is Al Qaim. The uranium purification plant located there (built by Switzerland) was dismantled under supervision of the IAEA. So where was this yellow cake from Niger going to be processed? There isn’t even a whiff of speculation as to this crucial detail in Lord Butler’s report. There is absolutely no credible reason to seek the importation of yellow cake absent a facility to purify it into weapons-grade uranium. Such a facility wasn’t even alleged to exist elsewhere in Iraq by either the CIA or British Intelligence. "

Dangerous Delusions - by Leon Hadar

Dangerous Delusions - by Leon Hadar In their alternate reality, the ouster of Saddam Hussein was part of the war on the terrorists who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks. In the real world, Saddam Hussein had no ties to al-Qaeda, whose leaders and members are now hiding in Pakistan (which in the Neocon World is an ally of the United States in the war against al-Qaeda). In the Neocon World, there were WMDs in Iraq. In the real world, such Iraqi WMDs do not exist. In the Neocon World, the United States has liberated Iraq. In the real world, U.S. troops are facing a powerful insurgency, and most Iraqis want them out. In the Neocon World, the United States has turned Mesopotamia into a model of political and economic freedom. In the real world, Iraq is ruled by a Shi'ite government committed to narrow ethnic interests and religious values, its economy is ruined, and it is disintegrating into a bloody civil war. In the Neocon World, the United States is now spreading democracy in the Middle E

Universal Health Care for Wisconsin? -- In These Times

Universal Health Care for Wisconsin? -- In These Times With health care ranking near the top of voters’ concerns nationally, state politicians around the country have been taking action to provide better health insurance coverage. Some states have expanded existing plans, such as Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), despite the Bush administration’s resistance to both. Others, like Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts, have recently launched plans that combine both requiring and subsidizing insurance.

Muqtada al-Sadr: The British are retreating from Basra - Independent Online Edition > Middle East

Muqtada al-Sadr: The British are retreating from Basra - Independent Online Edition > Middle East : "'The British have realised this is not a war they should be fighting or one they can win,' Mr Sadr said. 'The Mehdi army has played an important role in that.' He also warned that Britain's involvement in the invasion of Iraq had made the UK a less safe place to live. 'The British put their soldiers in a dangerous position by sending them here but they also put the people in their own country in danger,' he said. 'They have made enemies among all Muslims and they now face attacks at home because of their war. That was their mistake.' His comments came during two separate meetings with The Independent at the Sadr movement's headquarters in Kufa, a holy Shia city, 100 miles south of Baghdad, and site of the Grand Mosque where Mr Sadr often preaches fiery Friday sermons. The streets were eerily devoid of cars, which are, in effect, banned in

Muqtada al-Sadr: The British are retreating from Basra - Independent Online Edition > Middle East

Muqtada al-Sadr: The British are retreating from Basra - Independent Online Edition > Middle East : "'The British have realised this is not a war they should be fighting or one they can win,' Mr Sadr said. 'The Mehdi army has played an important role in that.' He also warned that Britain's involvement in the invasion of Iraq had made the UK a less safe place to live. 'The British put their soldiers in a dangerous position by sending them here but they also put the people in their own country in danger,' he said. 'They have made enemies among all Muslims and they now face attacks at home because of their war. That was their mistake.' His comments came during two separate meetings with The Independent at the Sadr movement's headquarters in Kufa, a holy Shia city, 100 miles south of Baghdad, and site of the Grand Mosque where Mr Sadr often preaches fiery Friday sermons. The streets were eerily devoid of cars, which are, in effect, banned in

Gulf Daily News

Gulf Daily News : "LONDON: Britons view Muslims with more suspicion than their American or European counterparts, according to a poll published in the Financial Times yesterday. According to the Harris Interactive survey, only about 59 per cent of Britons believed that it was possible to be both a Muslim and a British citizen, compared to more than 70 percent of Spanish and French voters."

The Meles regime is sprinting toward total collapse » Ethiopian Review

The Meles regime is sprinting toward total collapse » Ethiopian Review : "From the oil fields of Somali Region, to the diamond and copper fields of Gambelas, to the rich mineral deposits of the Great Awash lake region of Afar, to the mountain ranges, plains and tourist havens of Oromo land, the country of Ethiopia is undoubtedly blessed. However, Meles Zenawi and his ethnic group are in control and looting by force. The recent killing of nine Chinese oil drillers illustrated how the Tigreans exploiting the resources of the country without involving the native people frustrated Ethiopian Somalis. The heart of the problem is leadership crisis emanated from Federal Government and the Regional state. "

Sherwood Ross: Military Interrogators are Posing as Lawyers at Gitmo

Sherwood Ross: Military Interrogators are Posing as Lawyers at Gitmo : "Military interrogators posing as 'lawyers' are attempting to trick Guantanamo prisoners into providing them with information, The Catholic Worker (TCW) reports. This incredible and illegal practice contributes 'to the prisoners' suspicions that the (real) lawyers are not to be trusted and could be aiding the government,' TCW says in its July issue. This subterfuge is only one of the many treacherous tactics the government is employing to sabotage the efforts of lawyers to represent their clients."

Tomgram: Dilip Hiro, America on the Downward Slope

Tomgram: Dilip Hiro, America on the Downward Slope : "When viewed globally and in the great stretch of history, the notion of American exceptionalism that drove the neoconservatives to proclaim the Project for the New American Century in the late 20th century -- adopted so wholeheartedly by the Bush administration in this one -- is nothing new. Other superpowers have been there before and they, too, have witnessed the loss of their prime position to rising powers. "

Stumbling Toward Another War - by Uri Avnery

Stumbling Toward Another War - by Uri Avnery : "Introducing Miss Calculatsia, that fashionable foreigner, the new star in Israeli discourse. To a Hebrew ear, she sounds like a young beauty, like 'Miss Israel.' But Miss-Calculatsia, the Hebrew version of 'miscalculation,' is neither young nor beautiful, nor even female: just another pretentious foreign word taking the place of a perfectly good Hebrew one. (In Latin, 'calculus' is a small stone. These were built into the abacus, which was used by the Romans long before they ever dreamed of computers.) The miscalculation spoken of is not a beauty queen, but a queen of ugliness: a war between Israel and Syria that may break out any minute – not because Israel wants it, nor the Syrians, but because one side misjudges a provocative act that will push the other into war."

Militarism's Transmission Belt - by Werther

Militarism's Transmission Belt - by Werther In a previous article, we analyzed the function of supposedly nonpartisan think tanks as propaganda mills for government policies, particularly those that aggrandize the warmaking state. It is worth elaborating with a fresh example. In the Aug. 16, 2007, edition of the New York Times, Anthony Cordesman of Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) tells us why it is a terrific idea for the United States to variously sell and give away more than $50 billion in weaponry to several Middle Eastern states.[1] His argument boils down to this: the Middle East is a rough neighborhood, and the only way to buy influence is with authentic coin of the realm in the form of arms. If we don't, others, like the Rugged Russian Bear, the Heathen Chinee, or even the effete Europeans, would be more than happy to peddle their wares. There is some merit in his argument – unlike President Bush and his neoconservative ventriloquis

The Iraq War As We See It

The Iraq War As We See It : "Counterinsurgency is, by definition, a competition between insurgents and counterinsurgents for the control and support of a population. To believe that Americans, with an occupying force that long ago outlived its reluctant welcome, can win over a recalcitrant local population and win this counterinsurgency is far-fetched."

Al Jazeera English - News - Power Cuts In Gaza As Eu Halts Aid

Al Jazeera English - News - Power Cuts In Gaza As Eu Halts Aid Gazans have been suffering a fourth day of power outages after the European Union suspended an aid scheme under which it finances fuel supplies. The only power plant in Gaza was shut on Sunday when deliveries were stopped and the EU has said they will not resume until Hamas assures them it is not benefiting from the aid.

Al Jazeera English - News - Iraq Governor Dies In Bomb Attack

Al Jazeera English - News - Iraq Governor Dies In Bomb Attack : "An Iraqi governor has died in a roadside bomb attack, the second assassination of a provincial leader in nine days. Mohammed Ali al-Hassani, governor of al-Muthana province, died when the blast hit his convoy in the provincial capital Samawa at about 8am (0400GMT) on Monday, said Zaman Hadi, head of security at the city's general hospital."

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 08/19/2007 | Democrats candidates on the Iraq pull-out

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 08/19/2007 | Democrats candidates on the Iraq pull-out : "DES MOINES — Listen to a Democratic presidential candidate talk about Iraq and you'll likely get the bumper-sticker promise to end the war: U.S. troops out, war over. But most of them don't really believe it should be that neat and simple. What they seldom emphasize as they court anti-war primary voters is that they'd leave at least some U.S. troops — perhaps tens of thousands — in Iraq, or nearby, indefinitely, perhaps for years."

Mehdi fighters 'trained by Hizbollah in Lebanon' - Independent Online Edition > Middle East

Mehdi fighters 'trained by Hizbollah in Lebanon' - Independent Online Edition > Middle East : "Lebanon's Hizbollah has trained Shia fighters from Iraq in advanced guerrilla warfare tactics, according to Mehdi army militants who have been fighting British forces in the south of the country. Members of Muqtada al-Sadr's powerful militia said they had received instruction from fellow Shias from Hizbollah, the movement that fought Israel's vaunted military machine to a bloody standstill in last year's July War. "

Kurds flee homes as Iran shells villages in Iraq | Iran | Guardian Unlimited

Kurds flee homes as Iran shells villages in Iraq | Iran | Guardian Unlimited : "Jabar Yawar, a deputy minister in the Kurdistan regional government, said four days of intermittent shelling by Iranian forces had hit mountain villages high up on the Iraqi side of the border, wounding two women, destroying livestock and property, and displacing about 1,000 people from their homes. Mr Yawer said there had also been intense fighting on the Iraqi border between Iranian forces and guerrillas of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), an armed Iranian Kurdish group that is stepping up its campaign for Kurdish rights against the theocratic regime in Tehran."

Prelude to an Attack on Iran - TIME

Prelude to an Attack on Iran - TIME : "Reports that the Bush Administration will put Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the terrorism list can be read in one of two ways: it's either more bluster or, ominously, a wind-up for a strike on Iran. Officials I talk to in Washington vote for a hit on the IRGC, maybe within the next six months. And they think that as long as we have bombers and missiles in the air, we will hit Iran's nuclear facilities. An awe and shock campaign, lite, if you will. But frankly they're guessing; after Iraq the White House trusts no one, especially the bureaucracy. "

Padilla Jury Opens Pandora's Box - by Paul Craig Roberts

Padilla Jury Opens Pandora's Box - by Paul Craig Roberts : "José Padilla's conviction on terrorism charges on Aug. 16 was a victory, not for justice, but for the U.S. Justice (sic) Department's theory that a U.S. citizen can be convicted, not for committing a terrorist act but for allegedly harboring aspirations to commit such an act. By agreeing with the Justice (sic) Department's theory, the incompetent Padilla jury delivered a deadly blow to the rule of law and opened Pandora's Box."

AlterNet: Can Oprah Help Get Obama into the White House?

AlterNet: Can Oprah Help Get Obama into the White House? : "But the millions of dollars the event will raise for Mr. Obama is not the most interesting thing Ms. Winfrey has to offer his campaign. 'My money isn't going to make any difference,' Ms. Winfrey told Larry King in May. 'My value to him, my support of him is probably worth more than any check that I could write.' "

Asia Times Online :: Middle East News - US steps closer to war with Iran

Asia Times Online :: Middle East News - US steps closer to war with Iran : "The Bush administration has leaped toward war with Iran by, in essence, declaring war with the main branch of Iran's military, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which it plans to brand as a terrorist organization. A logical evolution of US President George W Bush's ill-defined, boundless 'war on terror', the White House's move is dangerous to the core, opening the way for open confrontation with Iran. This may begin in Iraq, where the IRGC is reportedly most active and, ironically, where the US and Iran have their largest common denominators. "

Voices - NEOCONSERVATISM – FASCIST ZIONISM

Voices - NEOCONSERVATISM – FASCIST ZIONISM We are about to start a conflict extending from Lebanon to Iran, to eliminate Israel's enemies. Don't we owe it to those who are about to die at our hands to learn whether Israel planned these wars for us? Is the government correct, that Iran is really fomenting these wars, or are they just being blamed for them, because of successful Israeli false flag operations, which were designed to pull the US into destroying all of Israel's threatening neighbors? If the answer is the latter, then how far did Israeli covert efforts go in to forcing us into solving their wars? Would that mean that the Israelis were the invisible element in the 9/11 demolition? Or could it be that there was a dedicated hardcore Zionist-American faction, which undertook the dirty treasonous act on Israel's behalf? Were the neocon plotters, specifically, the "Wolfowitz cabal," responsible for this "false flag" terror attack?

Report: Bodies of 3 PFLP men killed in 1982 found in Lebanon - Haaretz - Israel News

Report: Bodies of 3 PFLP men killed in 1982 found in Lebanon - Haaretz - Israel News : "The Lebanese television station LBC reported Thursday that German troops in Lebanon have recently discovered the bodies of three Palestinian militants killed in 1982 during the Lebanon war. The militants, who belonged to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command, were found in uniform. The PFLP-GC was founded by Ahmed Jibril, who has close ties with Syria. The organization was involved in the fighting during the Lebanon war, and even captured Israel Defense Forces soldiers, who were later exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in the Jibril deal. "
: "Eric Miller's career as an Army Ranger wasn't ended by a battlefield wound, but his DNA. Lurking in his genes was a mutation that made him vulnerable to uncontrolled tumor growth. After suffering back pain during a tour in Afghanistan, he underwent three surgeries to remove tumors from his brain and spine that left him with numbness throughout the left side of his body."

Gaza residents tell of demeaning questioning by Shin Bet - Haaretz - Israel News

Gaza residents tell of demeaning questioning by Shin Bet - Haaretz - Israel News In the most recent Israel Defense Forces raids in the Gaza Strip, during which dozens of people were detained for interrogation by the Shin Bet, the security service adopted a procedure unknown in recent years: The detainees were forced to undress in the presence of another detainee and a soldier or a member of the Shin Bet and then be interrogated while wearing a disposable, blue paper overall. This emerged in cumulative testimony from the Strip. In the West Bank, apparently, the color of the overall is white. According to a clarification by Haaretz with the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, this procedure has been implemented in the last three months with detainees from Beit Lahia, the Al Fuhari neighborhood in Khan Yunis and twice with detainees from the agricultural town of Shuka east of Rafah, on June 9 and on August 3.

Shock toll of British injured in Afghan war | World | The Observer

Shock toll of British injured in Afghan war | World | The Observer : "The human cost of the war in Afghanistan to British soldiers can be revealed today as figures show that almost half of frontline troops have required significant medical treatment during this summer's fighting. In a graphic illustration of the intensity of the conflict in Helmand province, more than 700 battlefield soldiers have needed treatment since April - nearly half of the 1,500 on the front line. The figures, obtained from senior military sources, have never been released by the government, which has faced criticism that it has covered up the true extent of injuries sustained during the conflict."

Gareth Porter: Cheney, Lieberman and Iran War Conspiracy - Politics on The Huffington Post

Gareth Porter: Cheney, Lieberman and Iran War Conspiracy - Politics on The Huffington Post : "I was never one of those who believed the Bush administration was getting ready to attack Iran in 2006 or early 2007. But it is now clear that at least Vice President Dick Cheney is conspiring to push through a specific plan for war with Iran. And Senator Joe Lieberman is an active part of that conspiracy. " We have known for a long time that Cheney wants a major air attack on Iranian nuclear sites and other military and economic targets. But an August 9 story published by McClatchy newspapers reveals that, instead of waiting for a decision to go ahead with such a strategic attack against Iran, Cheney now hopes to get Bush to approve an attack on camps in Iran where Iraqi Shiite militiamen have allegedly been trained in recent years.

Military commanders tell Brown to withdraw from Iraq without delay - Independent Online Edition > Middle East

Military commanders tell Brown to withdraw from Iraq without delay - Independent Online Edition > Middle East : "Senior military commanders have told the Government that Britain can achieve 'nothing more' in south-east Iraq, and that the 5,500 British troops still deployed there should move towards withdrawal without further delay. Last month Gordon Brown said after meeting George Bush at Camp David that the decision to hand over security in Basra province – the last of the four held by the British – 'will be made on the military advice of our commanders on the ground'. He added: 'Whatever happens, we will make a full statement to Parliament when it returns [in October].'"

Survivors of bombs left to die in rubble - Times Online

Survivors of bombs left to die in rubble - Times Online : "A SENIOR official in the Iraqi region that suffered the country’s worst suicide attacks suggested this weekend that any remaining survivors trapped beneath rubble would be left to die. Colonel Najim Abdullah, the governor of Tal Afar, said there were insufficient resources to continue searching for people among the ruins of Qahtaniya and Adnaniya, two villages devastated by multiple truck bombings last Tuesday. Up to 200 people are still thought to be unaccounted for, taking the death toll past 500."

Between the Two Rivers, Lack of Water Kills - by Ali al-Fadhily

Between the Two Rivers, Lack of Water Kills - by Ali al-Fadhily : "'The two rivers are still there, great as they always were, and flowing all through the year,' chief engineer Ahmad Salman of the Baghdad Water Authority told IPS. 'Yet Iraqis are thirsty, and we are ashamed of being engineers in the service. We have simply failed to provide our people with half of the drinking water they need.'"

US Adviser: Britain Faces Ugly Pullout

US Adviser: Britain Faces Ugly Pullout : "LONDON (AP) - An adviser to the U.S. military said that British troops face an 'ugly and embarrassing' withdrawal from southern Iraq in the coming months, a British newspaper reported. Stephen Biddle, a member of a group that advised U.S. Gen. David Petraeus in Iraq last year, told the Sunday Times that insurgents and militia groups were likely to target British soldiers with ambushes, roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades as they leave. 'It will be a hard withdrawal. They want the image of a British defeat,' Biddle told the paper. 'It will be ugly and embarrassing.'"

British forces useless in Basra, say officials - Telegraph

British forces useless in Basra, say officials - Telegraph : "When America's top commanders in Iraq held a conference with their British counterparts recently, Major General Jonathan Shaw - Britain's senior officer in Basra - was quick to share his views on how best to conduct counter-insurgency operations. For much of the last four years, the Americans in the room would have listened carefully, used to deferring to their British colleagues' long experience in Northern Ireland. This time, however, eyes that would once have been attentive simply rolled."

Al Jazeera English - News - Saddam's Daughter Wanted By Police

Al Jazeera English - News - Saddam's Daughter Wanted By Police : "The wanted notice posted on Interpol's website said an Iraqi arrest warrant had been issued under which she is accused of inciting 'crimes against life and health' and of 'terrorism'. It gave her full name with the spelling Raghad Saddam Husayn al-Majid and said she was believed to have both Iraqi and Jordanian nationality. Extradition refused The agency urged anyone with knowledge of her whereabouts to contact their local police force or Interpol's headquarters in Lyon, France."

ONLF leaders meet with U.S. officials in Washington - Ethiopian Review

ONLF leaders meet with U.S. officials in Washington - Ethiopian Review : "The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) chairman, Ato Mohamed Omar Osman, and head of foreign affairs, Ato Abdirahman Mahdi, are currently in Washington DC on a working visit. A source close to the ONLF told Ethiopian Review that the two leaders are meeting with high-level U.S. Government officials to discuss the ongoing political crisis in Ethiopia, particularly in theOgaden region."

The Old Iran-Contra Death Squad Gang Is Desperate to Discredit Chavez

The Old Iran-Contra Death Squad Gang Is Desperate to Discredit Chavez : "I walked with Roberto Navarrete into the national stadium in Santiago, Chile. With the southern winter’s wind skating down from the Andes, it was empty and ghostly. Little had changed, he said: the chicken wire, the broken seats, the tunnel to the changing rooms from which the screams echoed. We stopped at a large number 28. “This is where I was, facing the scoreboard. This is where I was called to be tortured.”"

FBI, CIA Scriveners Edit Wikipedia Entries

Another Day in the Empire : "According to Reuters, “CIA and FBI computers have edited entries in the online encyclopedia Wikipedia on topics including the Iraq war and the Guantanamo prison, according to a new tracing program.” No doubt, as well, the FBI and CIA have made other changes to “the world’s most important online encyclopaedia,” "

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 08/17/2007 | Saddam's daughter facing terrorism charges

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 08/17/2007 | Saddam's daughter facing terrorism charges : This article talks about Raghad Hussein, Saddam’s daughter leading the Iraq resistance. i have a problem with naming names. One goes like this, "Hussein is believed to be living in Amman, Jordan, as a guest of King Abdullah II" who is Hussein? Did the writer meant Raghad Saddam? Then, it should be read Raghad Saddam, not Hussein! Why do western (almost all) journalist give wrong names to people? why do they consider non western women too called by their husband “LAST NAME” IN THIS CASE THEY CALL Raghad BY HER GRAND FATHERS NAME! THERE IS NO SUCH A THING AS LAST NAME IN IRAQ OR ETHIOPIA OR AFRICA! THIS IS HOW NAMES CALLED: MY NAME IS ABUBEKER MY FATHER NAME IS MUSSA MY GRANDFATHER NAME IS USMAN. THEREFORE I AM ABUBEKER MUSSA! CLEAR! I AM neither MUSSA NOR USMAN, I AM ABUBEKER! I AM SICK OF THIS STUPIDITY! GET IT RIGHT! EVEN THE SO CALLED MIDDLE EAST EXPERT JUAN CALL KNOW NOT, ERE IS NO

Home Insurance 9-1-1 . NOW | PBS

Home Insurance 9-1-1 . NOW | PBS : "In the fall of 2003, one of the largest recorded wildfires in California's history destroyed over 2,200 houses and killed fifteen people. Soon after, many who'd lost their homes had a rude awakening: their insurance did not nearly cover their losses as expected. The insurance industry, which claims to cover 'more property, more lives, more liability-related risks than any time at history,' is busy fighting allegations that customers are receiving smaller payouts than what they were promised. This week, NOW collaborates with Bloomberg Markets magazine to investigate tactics some insurance companies may be using to reduce, avoid, or stall homeowners' claims in an effort to boost their own earnings." Thanks David

Bill Moyers Journal . KATRINA REVISITED: MIKE TIDWELL AND MELISSA HARRIS-LACEWELL ON THE AFTERMATH | PBS

Bill Moyers Journal . KATRINA REVISITED: MIKE TIDWELL AND MELISSA HARRIS-LACEWELL ON THE AFTERMATH | PBS As the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, Bill Moyers gets two views on what the disaster and its aftermath says about American culture and values with Princeton�s Melissa Harris-Lacewell and author and environmental activist Mike Tidwell. "What are we going to do in terms of who we are for making resiliency in the face of disaster possible? Because the human experience is going to be that we're going to face a variety of negative, disastrous experiences." -- Melissa Harris-Lacewell watch the show

Padilla Case a Source of Deep Shame for America - by Alan Bock

Padilla Case a Source of Deep Shame for America - by Alan Bock The news story in the New York Times actually painted the conviction Thursday of terrorism suspect Jose Padilla as "a significant victory for the Bush administration." The L.A. Times suggested something rather similar. It was far from that. If anything, it was a repudiation of the way the administration handled his case. But that doesn’t begin to capture the deep shame (or anger) Americans should feel at the way the government handled the case.

Hamas is ready to talk

Hamas is ready to talk : "While Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert is busily courting Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas as a 'partner for peace', successive voices continue to speak out against efforts to sideline the democratically elected Hamas government. As the Britain's Commons foreign affairs committee concluded on Monday, this strategy is counterproductive and doomed to fail, for the simple reason that the support of the Palestinian people is unmistakably lacking. Abbas's party does not democratically represent the Palestinians, yet what is in effect now a dictatorship in the West Bank is being welcomed by Israel and its western allies. The duplicity of this situation is shameful. Israel and its allies were quick to dismiss Hamas and the national unity governments and isolate both, and are now equally as quick to welcome an illegally formed self-proclaimed government for the Palestinians. Is this democracy? While Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert is busily courting