Democracy Now!
With Amy Goodman
"We speak with former British cabinet minister and MP Tony Benn. He was the longest-serving MP in the history of the British Labour Party, having served for more than half a century. He is now president of the Stop the War Coalition....."
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tariq Ali on "The Obama Syndrome: Surrender at Home, War Abroad"
Democracy Now!
With Amy Goodman
A VERY GOOD INTERVIEW
"We speak with British-Pakistani political commentator, writer, activist and editor of the New Left Review, Tariq Ali. He is the author of numerous books, his latest is The Obama Syndrome: Surrender at Home, War Abroad....."
With Amy Goodman
A VERY GOOD INTERVIEW
"We speak with British-Pakistani political commentator, writer, activist and editor of the New Left Review, Tariq Ali. He is the author of numerous books, his latest is The Obama Syndrome: Surrender at Home, War Abroad....."
Real News Video: Drugs and Murder in Afghanistan
Did U.S. Soldiers Create Afghan Killing Club Pt. 2 - Is Army culture to blame for the crimes?
Obama and Iraq: ‘Through a Glass, Darkly’
By Scott Ritter
TruthDig
"......While the United States military can claim that it did not lose the war in Iraq, it will have a hard time backing up any claims of victory. America was denied its “Missouri moment” in Iraq—the Baathists of Saddam Hussein’s regime were never compelled to line up, as the Japanese had in Tokyo Bay in August 1945, and sign a surrender document. This lack of closure highlights the ever-present reality that while American forces may have defeated Saddam Hussein’s divisions, and ultimately captured or killed the Iraqi president and the majority of his senior officials, the fighting would last for years and continues today......
The Obama administration’s so-called strategy for Iraq lacks any discernable benchmarks for success. Void of any coherent definition of what “success” in Iraq might actually look like, the “withdrawal” of “combat troops” from Iraq can be viewed as little more than an ineffective attempt by a faltering president to improve his image—and that of his floundering party—on the eve of critical midterm elections. By continuing to place American troops in harm’s way in Iraq for no reason other than to prop up his domestic political image, Obama has compounded his mistakes in ways that allow his political viability to be questioned, tarnish his legacy and undermine America’s image at home and abroad. Rather than living up to the promise of his inaugural address to “set aside childish things,” President Obama has given us a glimpse of the future “through a glass, darkly.” "
TruthDig
"......While the United States military can claim that it did not lose the war in Iraq, it will have a hard time backing up any claims of victory. America was denied its “Missouri moment” in Iraq—the Baathists of Saddam Hussein’s regime were never compelled to line up, as the Japanese had in Tokyo Bay in August 1945, and sign a surrender document. This lack of closure highlights the ever-present reality that while American forces may have defeated Saddam Hussein’s divisions, and ultimately captured or killed the Iraqi president and the majority of his senior officials, the fighting would last for years and continues today......
The Obama administration’s so-called strategy for Iraq lacks any discernable benchmarks for success. Void of any coherent definition of what “success” in Iraq might actually look like, the “withdrawal” of “combat troops” from Iraq can be viewed as little more than an ineffective attempt by a faltering president to improve his image—and that of his floundering party—on the eve of critical midterm elections. By continuing to place American troops in harm’s way in Iraq for no reason other than to prop up his domestic political image, Obama has compounded his mistakes in ways that allow his political viability to be questioned, tarnish his legacy and undermine America’s image at home and abroad. Rather than living up to the promise of his inaugural address to “set aside childish things,” President Obama has given us a glimpse of the future “through a glass, darkly.” "
After False Promises, the Heat Is On
By Abdu Rahman and Dahr Jamail
"BAGHDAD, Sep 21, 2010 (IPS) - Iraqis promised development with the ouster of Saddam Hussein and the arrival of the U.S. are now suffering lack of development as never before. And where it hurts every moment is through the collapse of power supply.
More than seven years into the U.S. occupation, most Iraqis lack electricity, leading to demonstrations in towns and cities across the country...."
"BAGHDAD, Sep 21, 2010 (IPS) - Iraqis promised development with the ouster of Saddam Hussein and the arrival of the U.S. are now suffering lack of development as never before. And where it hurts every moment is through the collapse of power supply.
More than seven years into the U.S. occupation, most Iraqis lack electricity, leading to demonstrations in towns and cities across the country...."
Here is Something to Chew on: Western surge in obesity may have been caused by a virus
The Independent
"The obesity explosion that has swept the Western world over the past 30 years may have been caused by a virus, scientists have said.....
Now scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have found that children who showed evidence of infection with adenovirus 36 were more likely to be fat. In tests on 124 children aged eight to 18, the virus was present in more than 20 per cent of those who were obese, compared with less than 6 per cent of the rest. Among those infected with adenovirus 36, four out of five were obese....
Laboratory studies showed the virus infects immature fat cells, prompting them to proliferate and grow more quickly. Professor Schwimmer said: "This might be the mechanism for obesity but more work needs to be done."...."
Go ahead now and gulp that Twinkie or cream-filled donut with no guilt. It is the virus' fault!
"The obesity explosion that has swept the Western world over the past 30 years may have been caused by a virus, scientists have said.....
Now scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have found that children who showed evidence of infection with adenovirus 36 were more likely to be fat. In tests on 124 children aged eight to 18, the virus was present in more than 20 per cent of those who were obese, compared with less than 6 per cent of the rest. Among those infected with adenovirus 36, four out of five were obese....
Laboratory studies showed the virus infects immature fat cells, prompting them to proliferate and grow more quickly. Professor Schwimmer said: "This might be the mechanism for obesity but more work needs to be done."...."
Go ahead now and gulp that Twinkie or cream-filled donut with no guilt. It is the virus' fault!
Tackling sexual harassment in Egypt
Activists are launching a project to highlight incidents of sexual abuse and help transform attitudes to women in the process
Jack Shenker
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 21 September 2010
".... Those "few scatterbrained youths" must have been extremely busy. In the same year that the first lady took to the airwaves to accuse media outlets of "exaggerating" reports of sexual harassment, a Cairo-based NGO released the first major survey of women's experiences in this area; it concluded that 83% of Egyptian females and 98% of foreign females had been exposed to some form of sexual harassment in Egypt – almost half of them on a daily basis.....
Jack Shenker
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 21 September 2010
".... Those "few scatterbrained youths" must have been extremely busy. In the same year that the first lady took to the airwaves to accuse media outlets of "exaggerating" reports of sexual harassment, a Cairo-based NGO released the first major survey of women's experiences in this area; it concluded that 83% of Egyptian females and 98% of foreign females had been exposed to some form of sexual harassment in Egypt – almost half of them on a daily basis.....
One of the most interesting aspects of the project, though, is the question it raises: why is sexual harassment such a problem in Egypt? Anecdotal evidence suggests that 20 years ago this simply wasn't an issue on the same scale; when cases of harassment did occur, other people on the street would often step in to help. These days such assistance is rarely forthcoming.
Many different explanations have been put forward, with varying degrees of credibility. Some blame Islam's attitude to women, though harassment levels in Egypt seem to far outstrip those in other Muslim countries. Others point to sexual frustration, which is certainly a factor in a country where economic pressures are forcing many young people to wait longer and longer before they can afford to marry – but this doesn't account for pre-pubescent children and married men being among the harassment repeat offenders......"
Can Yemen's friends really help?
The country's president is happy to take foreign aid with few strings attached while doing little to quell support for al-Qaida
Brian Whitaker
guardian.co.uk, Monday 20 September 2010
"....Nobody doubts that Yemen is in a mess. Not only is it a hotbed of al-Qaida activity, its economy is in a dire state and its government, besides being riddled with corruption, is struggling to exert control over large parts of the country. The question is what can be done about this.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in charge in Sanaa since 1978 [Next will be his son; it is the Arab regime way!], would like as much aid as possible to prop up his regime, with minimal strings attached. The Friends of Yemen, on the other hand, fearful of money being squandered, is looking for signs that Saleh is trying to put his house in order and is seeking to link aid to performance....
Another problem is that Saleh has very little incentive to defeat al-Qaida once and for all; without the threat from the militants, international interest in Yemen would decline – and with it, the supply of aid.
One result is that the regime talks up the threat to some extent – for example by exaggerating links between al-Qaida and the separatist Southern Movement when a more fruitful approach would be to drive a wedge between them: addressing the southerners' grievances seriously (and those of other disaffected groups) would help to undermine al-Qaida's local support...."
Brian Whitaker
guardian.co.uk, Monday 20 September 2010
"....Nobody doubts that Yemen is in a mess. Not only is it a hotbed of al-Qaida activity, its economy is in a dire state and its government, besides being riddled with corruption, is struggling to exert control over large parts of the country. The question is what can be done about this.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in charge in Sanaa since 1978 [Next will be his son; it is the Arab regime way!], would like as much aid as possible to prop up his regime, with minimal strings attached. The Friends of Yemen, on the other hand, fearful of money being squandered, is looking for signs that Saleh is trying to put his house in order and is seeking to link aid to performance....
Another problem is that Saleh has very little incentive to defeat al-Qaida once and for all; without the threat from the militants, international interest in Yemen would decline – and with it, the supply of aid.
One result is that the regime talks up the threat to some extent – for example by exaggerating links between al-Qaida and the separatist Southern Movement when a more fruitful approach would be to drive a wedge between them: addressing the southerners' grievances seriously (and those of other disaffected groups) would help to undermine al-Qaida's local support...."
I Have Got a Deal For You (if you don't accept, then you are anti-Semite)! Israel seeks release of spy in exchange for extending settlement freeze.
Binyamin Netanyahu hopes release of spy will appease right wing but US intelligence likely to oppose the deal
Chris McGreal in Washington and Rachel Shabi in Jerusalem
The Guardian
"Israel is seeking the release of an American jailed for life for spying for the Jewish state in return for concessions in the renewed peace process with the Palestinians, including the extension of a partial freeze on the expansion of settlements in the occupied territories.
According to Israel's army radio, the prime minister's office has approached Washington with a deal to continue the moratorium for another three months in return for the release of Jonathan Pollard [Israel would extend it one more month in return for the Statue of Liberty delivered in Tel Aviv] , a former navy intelligence analyst convicted of spying in 1987. Binyamin Netanyahu, has long pressed for Pollard to be freed, but winning his release would help him sell concessions to rightwing members of his cabinet and the settlers....."
Chris McGreal in Washington and Rachel Shabi in Jerusalem
The Guardian
"Israel is seeking the release of an American jailed for life for spying for the Jewish state in return for concessions in the renewed peace process with the Palestinians, including the extension of a partial freeze on the expansion of settlements in the occupied territories.
According to Israel's army radio, the prime minister's office has approached Washington with a deal to continue the moratorium for another three months in return for the release of Jonathan Pollard [Israel would extend it one more month in return for the Statue of Liberty delivered in Tel Aviv] , a former navy intelligence analyst convicted of spying in 1987. Binyamin Netanyahu, has long pressed for Pollard to be freed, but winning his release would help him sell concessions to rightwing members of his cabinet and the settlers....."
Deadly Day for NATO in Afghanistan: 9 Occupation Soldiers Killed
Al-Manar
"21/09/2010 NATO occupation troops in Afghanistan have witnessed on Tuesday one of the deadliest incidents since the US-led invasion, with nine soldiers killed when their helicopter crashed in the south of the country.
The overall death toll of occupation forces has exceeded last year's record. The incident brings to 529 the number of troops killed so far this year, according to an AFP tally based on the count kept by icasualties.org, surpassing the previous record of 521 deaths in 2009.
But how the crash happened? Was it a missile or a technical problem?...."
"21/09/2010 NATO occupation troops in Afghanistan have witnessed on Tuesday one of the deadliest incidents since the US-led invasion, with nine soldiers killed when their helicopter crashed in the south of the country.
The overall death toll of occupation forces has exceeded last year's record. The incident brings to 529 the number of troops killed so far this year, according to an AFP tally based on the count kept by icasualties.org, surpassing the previous record of 521 deaths in 2009.
But how the crash happened? Was it a missile or a technical problem?...."
Monday, September 20, 2010
غزة الآن
An Important Comment Worthy of Translation From a Writer in Gaza About the Tyranny of Hamas
مصطفى إبراهيم*
كاتب فلسطيني - غزة
"واحد من مالكي الفنادق والأماكن السياحية التي أغلقت من قبل شرطة غزة خلال اجتماع أصحاب تلك الأماكن مع النائب الأول للمجلس التشريعي احمد بحر قال له: "كيف تخجل الحكومة من قراراتها، فنحن لم نتسلم أي قرار بالإغلاق، نحن أجبرنا على التوقيع على تعهد وقرار صادر عن مدير عام الشرطة بالإغلاق".
ما يجري في غزة الآن يتساءل الناس عن سر الهجمة التي قامت بها الشرطة في حكومة حماس ضد الفنادق والأماكن السياحية والمطاعم، ويتساءل الناس كيف تجرؤ مجموعة كبيرة من المسلحين المقنعين يستقلون سيارتين ويقدمون على حرق "منتجع كريزي ووتر" المغلق بقرار من النائب العام؟
ويغرق الناس في التفسير والتحليل والتأويل، ومنهم من يدعي أن هناك أزمة كبيرة تعاني منها حماس، وبعضهم يؤكد أن ذلك نابع من قرارات صادرة من حماس وحكومتها لأسلمه المجتمع والسيطرة عليه، ومنهم من يقول إن التيار المتشدد هو من يسيطر على الأوضاع في قطاع غزة، وإن هناك جماعات متشددة تعمل من دون العودة للحركة، وتعمل على تطبيق الشريعة على طريقتها وتخويف الناس.
في غزة أصبح الحصار شيئا من الماضي، والشائعات حول قضية العملاء تملأ فضاء غزة غير واضح الملامح، واغتيال إياد شلباية في مخيم نور شمس حدث عابر، واعتقال مئات المواطنين من أعضاء وأنصار حماس في الضفة الغربية لا مكان له إلا في بعض وسائل الإعلام التابعة لحماس وبيانات مؤسسات حقوق الإنسان المتباعدة، والحديث عن المفاوضات لا مكان له، و أزمة التيار الكهربائي ما زالت قائمة، والموظفون من الحكومتين يتساءلون، هل سيستمر خصم 170 شيكل من راتب الشهر القادم؟ وأصبح حديث شريحة كبيرة من الناس عن موعد دخول السيارات المستوردة من إسرائيل إلى القطاع، وكأن جميع الناس سوف يشترون السيارات الحديثة.
شائعات اعتقال عدد كبير من المتهمين بالتعاون مع الاحتلال تملئ الدنيا، وجاءت قضية الهجمة على الاماكن السياحية وحرق كريزي ووتر لتفتح للناس مادة جديدة للحديث، وموجة جديدة من الشائعات والتندر على قرارات حكومة حماس غير المعلنة، و أصحاب الفنادق والأماكن السياحية لم يتسلموا قرارات بالإغلاق ، هم اجبروا على الإغلاق والتعهد بعدم مخالفة التعليمات، حيث تم تسليمهم ورقة تعليمات تحت عنوان "شروط التعهد"، غير مروسة بأي شعار للشرطة أو للسلطة التي تستخدمه على معاملاتها الرسمية، ولا يوجد عليها أي دليل يثبت أنها صادرة عن جهة حكومية أو شرطية.
شروط التعهد تضمنت الالتزام بكافة الإجراءات والضوابط القانونية المعمول بها في قطاع غزة، والالتزام بكافة الآداب والأخلاق الإسلامية لزوار الفندق ومنع الاختلاط بينهم بما يتفق مع عادات وتقاليد شعبنا المسلم المحافظ، ومنع النساء من شرب الشيشة عبر توجيهات وإرشادات واضحة من قبل إدارة الفندق، ومنع قيامهن بإعمال مخلة بالآداب تخدش الحياء العام خلال تنظيم الحفلات والأمسيات، وعدم تنظيم أي فعاليات أو حفلات لصالح مؤسسات وجمعيات داخل الفندق ألا بعد الحصول على الترخيص القانوني من الجهات المختصة، ودفع غرامة وقدرها( 10000) شيكل في حال مخالفة أي من التعليمات الموضحة مع تحمل كافة الإجراءات القانونية والجزائية جراء المخالفة.
حماس هي حماس لم تتغير وهي تقوم بتنفيذ تلك القرارات التي تحد من الحريات العامة والتدخل في حياة الناس الشخصية، وتخجل من إصدار تعليمات وقرارات بالإغلاق علانية ومن من دون الاستناد إلى أي قرار قضائي، و تتنافى مع حقوق الإنسان والقانون الفلسطيني وعادات وتقاليد شعبنا.
فمن الذي يحدد تمسك الناس بالعادات والتقاليد؟ وما هو مقياس التمسك بالعادات والتقاليد؟ وطريقة تفسيرها وتكييفها على مجتمع مسلم ومحافظ ويتمسك بالعادات والتقاليد أكثر من تمسكه بشيء آخر، فالغزيون بطبعهم متدينون وسطيون ومحافظون، واتهام الناس بأخلاقهم وعدم التزامهم بالآداب العامة لا يجوز، وهو اتهام باطل وبه تعميم وتجن على الناس الذين وقفوا مع حماس في محنتها وساندوها في الانتخابات وهم من أوصلوها للحكم.
فحماس التي تعاني في الضفة الغربية من ظلم السلطة، هي بحاجة لكل الناس لمساندتها ومناصرتها وتصديقها في مواجهة الظلم الذي تتعرض له هناك، وكيف يستقيم للمظلوم أن يمارس الظلم على الآخرين باتخاذ خطوات للتضييق على الناس، وقمع حرياتهم والتعدي عليها من دون أي مبرر قانوني.
فحماس لم تدرك بعد أن معركتنا مع الاحتلال لا تزال طويلة ولم تنته، وهي مستمرة في تشديد الخناق على الناس وتفرض أجندتها عليهم بالقوة، من دون النظر إلى التنوع في المجتمع الفلسطيني وأننا ما زلنا شعبا محتلا يناضل من أجل الحصول على حقوقه، وتتخذ قرارات وخطوات تعمق الانقسام وتثير الجدل والتندر، وتصر على الاستمرار في تطبيق أجندتها واتخاذ قرارات تخجل من الإعلان عنها.
"
مصطفى إبراهيم*
كاتب فلسطيني - غزة
"واحد من مالكي الفنادق والأماكن السياحية التي أغلقت من قبل شرطة غزة خلال اجتماع أصحاب تلك الأماكن مع النائب الأول للمجلس التشريعي احمد بحر قال له: "كيف تخجل الحكومة من قراراتها، فنحن لم نتسلم أي قرار بالإغلاق، نحن أجبرنا على التوقيع على تعهد وقرار صادر عن مدير عام الشرطة بالإغلاق".
ما يجري في غزة الآن يتساءل الناس عن سر الهجمة التي قامت بها الشرطة في حكومة حماس ضد الفنادق والأماكن السياحية والمطاعم، ويتساءل الناس كيف تجرؤ مجموعة كبيرة من المسلحين المقنعين يستقلون سيارتين ويقدمون على حرق "منتجع كريزي ووتر" المغلق بقرار من النائب العام؟
ويغرق الناس في التفسير والتحليل والتأويل، ومنهم من يدعي أن هناك أزمة كبيرة تعاني منها حماس، وبعضهم يؤكد أن ذلك نابع من قرارات صادرة من حماس وحكومتها لأسلمه المجتمع والسيطرة عليه، ومنهم من يقول إن التيار المتشدد هو من يسيطر على الأوضاع في قطاع غزة، وإن هناك جماعات متشددة تعمل من دون العودة للحركة، وتعمل على تطبيق الشريعة على طريقتها وتخويف الناس.
في غزة أصبح الحصار شيئا من الماضي، والشائعات حول قضية العملاء تملأ فضاء غزة غير واضح الملامح، واغتيال إياد شلباية في مخيم نور شمس حدث عابر، واعتقال مئات المواطنين من أعضاء وأنصار حماس في الضفة الغربية لا مكان له إلا في بعض وسائل الإعلام التابعة لحماس وبيانات مؤسسات حقوق الإنسان المتباعدة، والحديث عن المفاوضات لا مكان له، و أزمة التيار الكهربائي ما زالت قائمة، والموظفون من الحكومتين يتساءلون، هل سيستمر خصم 170 شيكل من راتب الشهر القادم؟ وأصبح حديث شريحة كبيرة من الناس عن موعد دخول السيارات المستوردة من إسرائيل إلى القطاع، وكأن جميع الناس سوف يشترون السيارات الحديثة.
شائعات اعتقال عدد كبير من المتهمين بالتعاون مع الاحتلال تملئ الدنيا، وجاءت قضية الهجمة على الاماكن السياحية وحرق كريزي ووتر لتفتح للناس مادة جديدة للحديث، وموجة جديدة من الشائعات والتندر على قرارات حكومة حماس غير المعلنة، و أصحاب الفنادق والأماكن السياحية لم يتسلموا قرارات بالإغلاق ، هم اجبروا على الإغلاق والتعهد بعدم مخالفة التعليمات، حيث تم تسليمهم ورقة تعليمات تحت عنوان "شروط التعهد"، غير مروسة بأي شعار للشرطة أو للسلطة التي تستخدمه على معاملاتها الرسمية، ولا يوجد عليها أي دليل يثبت أنها صادرة عن جهة حكومية أو شرطية.
شروط التعهد تضمنت الالتزام بكافة الإجراءات والضوابط القانونية المعمول بها في قطاع غزة، والالتزام بكافة الآداب والأخلاق الإسلامية لزوار الفندق ومنع الاختلاط بينهم بما يتفق مع عادات وتقاليد شعبنا المسلم المحافظ، ومنع النساء من شرب الشيشة عبر توجيهات وإرشادات واضحة من قبل إدارة الفندق، ومنع قيامهن بإعمال مخلة بالآداب تخدش الحياء العام خلال تنظيم الحفلات والأمسيات، وعدم تنظيم أي فعاليات أو حفلات لصالح مؤسسات وجمعيات داخل الفندق ألا بعد الحصول على الترخيص القانوني من الجهات المختصة، ودفع غرامة وقدرها( 10000) شيكل في حال مخالفة أي من التعليمات الموضحة مع تحمل كافة الإجراءات القانونية والجزائية جراء المخالفة.
حماس هي حماس لم تتغير وهي تقوم بتنفيذ تلك القرارات التي تحد من الحريات العامة والتدخل في حياة الناس الشخصية، وتخجل من إصدار تعليمات وقرارات بالإغلاق علانية ومن من دون الاستناد إلى أي قرار قضائي، و تتنافى مع حقوق الإنسان والقانون الفلسطيني وعادات وتقاليد شعبنا.
فمن الذي يحدد تمسك الناس بالعادات والتقاليد؟ وما هو مقياس التمسك بالعادات والتقاليد؟ وطريقة تفسيرها وتكييفها على مجتمع مسلم ومحافظ ويتمسك بالعادات والتقاليد أكثر من تمسكه بشيء آخر، فالغزيون بطبعهم متدينون وسطيون ومحافظون، واتهام الناس بأخلاقهم وعدم التزامهم بالآداب العامة لا يجوز، وهو اتهام باطل وبه تعميم وتجن على الناس الذين وقفوا مع حماس في محنتها وساندوها في الانتخابات وهم من أوصلوها للحكم.
فحماس التي تعاني في الضفة الغربية من ظلم السلطة، هي بحاجة لكل الناس لمساندتها ومناصرتها وتصديقها في مواجهة الظلم الذي تتعرض له هناك، وكيف يستقيم للمظلوم أن يمارس الظلم على الآخرين باتخاذ خطوات للتضييق على الناس، وقمع حرياتهم والتعدي عليها من دون أي مبرر قانوني.
فحماس لم تدرك بعد أن معركتنا مع الاحتلال لا تزال طويلة ولم تنته، وهي مستمرة في تشديد الخناق على الناس وتفرض أجندتها عليهم بالقوة، من دون النظر إلى التنوع في المجتمع الفلسطيني وأننا ما زلنا شعبا محتلا يناضل من أجل الحصول على حقوقه، وتتخذ قرارات وخطوات تعمق الانقسام وتثير الجدل والتندر، وتصر على الاستمرار في تطبيق أجندتها واتخاذ قرارات تخجل من الإعلان عنها.
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"New Order, Same Abuses": Amnesty Condemns Iraq for Holding 30,000 Prisoners Without Trial
Democracy Now!
With Amy Goodman
"Amnesty International is condemning Iraq for holding an estimated 30,000 prisoners without trial, including 10,000 prisoners who were recently transferred from US custody. In a new report, Amnesty documents that Iraqi prisoners are being arbitrarily detained and often beaten to obtain forced confessions....."
With Amy Goodman
"Amnesty International is condemning Iraq for holding an estimated 30,000 prisoners without trial, including 10,000 prisoners who were recently transferred from US custody. In a new report, Amnesty documents that Iraqi prisoners are being arbitrarily detained and often beaten to obtain forced confessions....."
Iraqi Refugee Describes Torture, Imprisonment of Husband Who Returned to Iraq to Free Jailed Son
Democracy Now!
With Amy Goodman
"Rabiha al Qassab, a British Iraqi woman who lives in London, describes the harrowing story of her husband, Ramze Shihab Ahmed. Having fled in 1998 after being accused of trying to overthrow Saddam Hussein, Ramze returned to Iraq last year to get his son out of prison. He, too, was arrested and was tortured. Like 30,000 other Iraqis, he and his son are being held without charge...."
With Amy Goodman
"Rabiha al Qassab, a British Iraqi woman who lives in London, describes the harrowing story of her husband, Ramze Shihab Ahmed. Having fled in 1998 after being accused of trying to overthrow Saddam Hussein, Ramze returned to Iraq last year to get his son out of prison. He, too, was arrested and was tortured. Like 30,000 other Iraqis, he and his son are being held without charge...."
Real News Video: Did U.S. Soldiers Create Afghan Killing Club?
U.S. soldiers charged with targeting Afghan civilians; Army ignored pleas by soldier's father
Imperialism and Imperial Barbarism
By James Petras
"Imperialism, its character, means and ends has changed over time and place. Historically, western imperialism, has taken the form of tributary, mercantile, industrial, financial and in the contemporary period, a unique ‘militarist-barbaric’ form of empire building.
Within each ‘period’, elements of past and future forms of imperial domination and exploitation ‘co-exist’ with the dominant mode. For example, in the ancient Greek and Roman empires, commercial and trade privileges complemented the extraction of tributary payments. Mercantile imperialism, was preceded and accompanied initially by the plunder of wealth and the extraction of tribute, sometimes referred to as “primitive accumulation”, where political and military power decimated the local population and forcibly removed and transferred wealth to the imperial capitals....."
"Imperialism, its character, means and ends has changed over time and place. Historically, western imperialism, has taken the form of tributary, mercantile, industrial, financial and in the contemporary period, a unique ‘militarist-barbaric’ form of empire building.
Within each ‘period’, elements of past and future forms of imperial domination and exploitation ‘co-exist’ with the dominant mode. For example, in the ancient Greek and Roman empires, commercial and trade privileges complemented the extraction of tributary payments. Mercantile imperialism, was preceded and accompanied initially by the plunder of wealth and the extraction of tribute, sometimes referred to as “primitive accumulation”, where political and military power decimated the local population and forcibly removed and transferred wealth to the imperial capitals....."
Olmert: US Agreed to Absorb 100,000 Palestinian Refugees If Peace Deal Reached
Al-Manar
"20/09/2010 Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that during his tenure as Premier he had reached an agreement with the United States for them to absorb 100,000 Palestinian refugees as American citizens as part of a peace deal, adding that he struck a deal with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas according to which Israel would absorb "a minimal amount" of refugees.
"The numbers discussed were below 20,000 [out of several millions who still have the right of return and who insist on it. ], but this would require an end to the conflict and a Palestinian announcement that they would not make any more demands," Olmert told a Geneva Initiative conference in Tel Aviv Sunday evening......"
The Petraeus Bait and Switch
By Gareth Porter
".....The Petraeus bait and switch is a yet another fire-bell in the night – a warning that Petraeus has gained unprecedented power over U.S. war policy. By drawing Obama into a deepening of U.S. military involvement in an unnecessary and self-destructive war on the false pretense that he supported Obama’s policy and then turning on that November 2009 policy once he became commander, Petraeus is acting as though he intends to prevent the president from carrying out the policy on which he had decided.
Unless Petraeus’s bait and switch is decisively rebuffed by the White House, the country’s descent into de facto military control over war policy will continue and accelerate. "
".....The Petraeus bait and switch is a yet another fire-bell in the night – a warning that Petraeus has gained unprecedented power over U.S. war policy. By drawing Obama into a deepening of U.S. military involvement in an unnecessary and self-destructive war on the false pretense that he supported Obama’s policy and then turning on that November 2009 policy once he became commander, Petraeus is acting as though he intends to prevent the president from carrying out the policy on which he had decided.
Unless Petraeus’s bait and switch is decisively rebuffed by the White House, the country’s descent into de facto military control over war policy will continue and accelerate. "
Did Tony Blair endorse preventive war on Iran?
By Stephen M. Walt
Foreign Policy
"Political leaders often draw negative inferences from an adversary's conduct, without realizing that their own behavior is not really that different. In particular, an opponent's past actions is frequently invoked to demonstrate how aggressive/dangerous/hostile/unstable they are, but when one's own country (or a close ally) acts in the very same way, we are quick to find ways to rationalize or justify it and we would never conclude that we might be equally aggressive or irrational.
Case in point: in an interview with Charlie Rose on Sept. 7, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair came close to endorsing the use of force against Iran, on the grounds that it would be too dangerous if Iran were some day to acquire a nuclear weapons capability....."
Foreign Policy
"Political leaders often draw negative inferences from an adversary's conduct, without realizing that their own behavior is not really that different. In particular, an opponent's past actions is frequently invoked to demonstrate how aggressive/dangerous/hostile/unstable they are, but when one's own country (or a close ally) acts in the very same way, we are quick to find ways to rationalize or justify it and we would never conclude that we might be equally aggressive or irrational.
Case in point: in an interview with Charlie Rose on Sept. 7, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair came close to endorsing the use of force against Iran, on the grounds that it would be too dangerous if Iran were some day to acquire a nuclear weapons capability....."
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