be just

Report: Israel Killed 55 Civilians in Occupied Territories in 2012 -- News from Antiwar.com The annual Amnesty International report on human rights has once again faulted the Israeli government for its regular use of excessive force against Palestinian civilians, and put the overall death toll at 55 civilians, including 11 children. Three other civilians were killed by settlers in the past year. The report also touches on Israel’s “administrative detention” policy, which keeps over 300 Palestinians in prison indefinitely without any charges or trial. Palestinians in Israeli custody are also subject to regular torture. It goes on to criticize Israeli restrictions on Palestinian civilian freedom of movement, noting that in the West Bank the military often keeps farmers away from their own land. Israel’s blockade and harsh restrictions on imports and exports has also exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. The report also slammed the Palestinian Authority for violat...

Saudi signs $3 bn deal with Britain RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has signed a $3 billion deal with Britain to buy trainer jets for the Gulf kingdom's air force, SPA state news agency said on Wednesday.   The agreement includes the provision of simulators, ground and training equipment and spare parts, SPA reported, quoting a Saudi defence ministry official.   The official said the new jets would help qualify Saudi pilots "to use fourth-generation jet fighters in full professionalism and efficiency."   British arms manufacturer BAE Systems said that following the agreement between the two countries, it had been awarded a contract equivalent to 1.6 billion pounds ($2.54 billion) "to support the future aircrew training requirements of the Royal Saudi Air Force."   "The contract includes the supply of 22 new Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft, 55 Pilatus PC-21 aircraft and other aircrew training equipment, as well as an initial support package including the ...

No Country for Young Men as Old Men Play for Time: The End in Afghanistan is Totally Predictable   : Information Clearing House No Country for Young Men as Old Men Play for Time: The End in Afghanistan is Totally Predictable By Dave Llindorff May 23, 2012 "Information Clearing House" -- John Kerry, back before he was a pompous windsurfing Senate apologist for American empire, back when he wore his hair long and was part of a movement of returned US military veterans speaking out against the continuation of the Vietnam War, famously asked the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a hearing, “How do you ask a man to be the last one to die for a mistake?”

Osama bin Laden's Goal to bankrupt America is Working   : Information Clearing House Osama bin Laden's Goal to Bankrupt America is Working By Albert Foster May 22, 2012 "Information Clearing House" -- Michael Scheuer who was the head of the CIA get bin Laden team under Bill Clinton said bin Laden’s goal was to bankrupt America and thus destroy its influence in the world. With the help of Washington politicians he is well on the way to having met his goal. The national debt was $5.8 trillion on 9/10/2001. Today it is $15.7+ trillion and rapidly rising…almost $10 trillion in just 10 1/2 years. Not a bad start toward bankruptcy if you ask me. The escalation of our debt was totally irresponsible, is unsustainable, and will lead to the downfall of the United States if we do not get it under control very soon. It was not bin Laden who ran up this debt. He just accelerated the process. Americans should be really agitated about this, but they are either ignorant o...

War Pay  : The Nearly $1 Trillion National Security Budget   : Information Clearing House War Pay The Nearly $1 Trillion National Security Budget By Chris Hellman and Mattea Kramer May 22, 2012 "Information Clearing House" -- Recent months have seen a flurry of headlines about cuts (often called “threats”) to the U.S. defense budget. Last week, lawmakers in the House of Representatives even passed a bill that was meant to spare national security spending from future cuts by reducing school-lunch funding and other social programs.  

"No NATO, No War": U.S. Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan Return War Medals at NATO Summit We broadcast from Chicago, site of the largest NATO summit in the organization’s six-decade history. On Sunday, veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, as well as members of Afghans for Peace, led a peace march of thousands of people. Iraq Veterans Against the War held a ceremony where nearly 50 veterans discarded their war medals by hurling them down the street in the direction of the NATO summit. We hear the soldiers’ voices as they return their medals one by one from the stage. "I’m here to return my Global War on Terror Service Medal in solidarity with the people of Iraq and the people of Afghanistan," said Jason Hurd, a former combat medic who spent 10 years in the U.S. Army. "I am deeply sorry for the destruction that we have caused in those countries and around the globe." [includes rush transcript]

Reports: Hunger Strike Ends for Most Palestinians -- News from Antiwar.com Reports from Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian officials familiar with the deal say that the vast majority of Palestinian hunger strikers have signed off on an agreement to end the strike, after promising to end solitary confinement and allow family visits for detainees.