AFGHANISTAN: VIDEO
Marc Perkel: US Troops Watched As 3000 Afghan Prisoners Killed
If you think that prisoner abuse in Iraq is bad - you haven't seen anything yet. I snagged this video off the Internet about a year ago and I think it's finally time I posted it.
Convoy of Death
There's only one war on our television screens now - that other war, the one from just a year ago, has been forgotten - but not by everyone. In Afghanistan, filmmaker Jamie Doran has uncovered evidence of a massacre: Taliban prisoners of war suffocated in containers, shot in the desert under the watch of American troops.
After screening the videotape last fall, the European Parliament called for an investigation. The United Nations has authorized an official investigation into the film's allegations, but only if the security of its members can be guaranteed. And security is hard to find in northern Afghanistan. Since this documentary was filmed, eyewitnesses have been tortured. Others have disappeared or been killed.
This video is about how the US slaughtered 3000 Afgan prisoners of war. The video is big - 55 megs download and it is shocking. It makes the Black Hole of Calcutta look like a picnic. These prisoners were left in sealed truck containers to suffocate and fry in the hot sun. The few that survived a week were taken out and shot an buried in mass graves.
The video is EXTREMELY disturbing and it will give you nightmares. If you are not ready to see this footage - DO NOT WATCH IT !!! This is NAZI level stuff.
VIDEO: Afgan POWs Killed - 55mb Quicktime Format
Monday, May 17, 2004
IRAQ: UPRISING
Spiegel: Bombe tötet Chef des Regierungsrates
Eine Bombe hat in Bagdad mindestens sechs Menschen in den Tod gerissen und viele verletzt. Unter den Toten befand sich auch der Präsident des irakischen Regierungsrates
Spiegel: Bombe tötet Chef des Regierungsrates
Eine Bombe hat in Bagdad mindestens sechs Menschen in den Tod gerissen und viele verletzt. Unter den Toten befand sich auch der Präsident des irakischen Regierungsrates
Sunday, May 16, 2004
ISRAEL
Haaretz: Over 150,000 attend rally calling for Gaza withdrawal
More than 150,000 people attended a left wing demonstration at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening under the banner 'get out of Gaza and start talking."
Event organizers assessed that some 250,000 were present, Army Radio reported.
Haaretz: Over 150,000 attend rally calling for Gaza withdrawal
More than 150,000 people attended a left wing demonstration at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening under the banner 'get out of Gaza and start talking."
Event organizers assessed that some 250,000 were present, Army Radio reported.
Saturday, May 15, 2004
GAZA
The Guardian: : Israel Takes Bloody Revenge In Gaza
Israeli forces yesterday left a trail of destruction in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City, blowing up homes and streets as they retreated following an agreement to recover the body parts of six soldiers killed earlier this week.
In the Rafah refugee camp, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, at least 12 Palestinians were killed and scores wounded as troops searched for the remains of five soldiers blown up by Palestinian fighters. The bodies were ripped apart and spread across a wide area
Israel closed internal checkpoints, leaving thousands of Palestinians stranded and making it impossible for aid workers and journalists in Gaza to assess the effect of the Israeli incursion in Rafah. Journalists were refused permission to enter the Gaza Strip.
An eight-storey apartment block, close to where the Israeli troop carrier was blown up, had been flattened. Its owner, Salman Hajer, had built the flats to house his family. His crime was to be the owner of the building closest to where the troop carrier had been blown up.
He said: "This building was the result of 40 years' work. It was meant to be the home for my sons and their families. They have destroyed my life but I don't care.
"The price I paid does not matter. They were punished for a change."
"That's democracy, stupid!"
The Guardian: : Israel Takes Bloody Revenge In Gaza
Israeli forces yesterday left a trail of destruction in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City, blowing up homes and streets as they retreated following an agreement to recover the body parts of six soldiers killed earlier this week.
In the Rafah refugee camp, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, at least 12 Palestinians were killed and scores wounded as troops searched for the remains of five soldiers blown up by Palestinian fighters. The bodies were ripped apart and spread across a wide area
Israel closed internal checkpoints, leaving thousands of Palestinians stranded and making it impossible for aid workers and journalists in Gaza to assess the effect of the Israeli incursion in Rafah. Journalists were refused permission to enter the Gaza Strip.
An eight-storey apartment block, close to where the Israeli troop carrier was blown up, had been flattened. Its owner, Salman Hajer, had built the flats to house his family. His crime was to be the owner of the building closest to where the troop carrier had been blown up.
He said: "This building was the result of 40 years' work. It was meant to be the home for my sons and their families. They have destroyed my life but I don't care.
"The price I paid does not matter. They were punished for a change."
"That's democracy, stupid!"
IRAQ: UPRISING
Rense: A Big Mistake
Deja vu American Indians, Romans, Greeks, Vietnam, et al. Men who don't remember HISTORY, or more likely, never learned it in the first place, have plunged us into a time warp. Months ago they knew an attack on Najaf, the holiest of holy cities in Iraq, was a very bad idea. But they did it anyway. And to add insult to injury, our illustrious Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt claims the Iraqis did the damage to the golden dome of the Imam Ali mosque themselves.
Talk about disturbing hornets' nests. The repercussions from this no-brainer attack are beyond supposition at this point in time. To damage (not totally destroyed, so far, but stay tuned for that) any country's holy place brings out a fury not unlike that of mother lions or tigers,or bears OH MY!, when their babies are threatened. It's a fight to the death, for certain.
There'll be no civilized talks around a big round table. This is not negotiable. This is now war with capitols letters, W A R. This is the beginning of the MAJOR combat that Bush claimed was over on May 1, 2003
Rense: A Big Mistake
Deja vu American Indians, Romans, Greeks, Vietnam, et al. Men who don't remember HISTORY, or more likely, never learned it in the first place, have plunged us into a time warp. Months ago they knew an attack on Najaf, the holiest of holy cities in Iraq, was a very bad idea. But they did it anyway. And to add insult to injury, our illustrious Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt claims the Iraqis did the damage to the golden dome of the Imam Ali mosque themselves.
Talk about disturbing hornets' nests. The repercussions from this no-brainer attack are beyond supposition at this point in time. To damage (not totally destroyed, so far, but stay tuned for that) any country's holy place brings out a fury not unlike that of mother lions or tigers,or bears OH MY!, when their babies are threatened. It's a fight to the death, for certain.
There'll be no civilized talks around a big round table. This is not negotiable. This is now war with capitols letters, W A R. This is the beginning of the MAJOR combat that Bush claimed was over on May 1, 2003
Friday, May 14, 2004
IRAQ: UPRISING
USA today: Sacred Shiite shrine suffers minor damage in Najaf battle
The golden dome of the Shrine of Imam Ali, one of the most sacred sites for Shiite Muslims, was hit by what appeared to be four gunshots in fighting Friday between U.S. soldiers and militiamen loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr
Spiegel: Heiligtum beschädigt - Schiiten klagen US-Truppen an
Bei schweren Gefechten in der irakischen Pilgerstadt Nadschaf ist eines der wichtigsten Heiligtümer der Schiiten beschädigt worden. Der radikale Prediger al-Sadr ruft alle Schiiten auf, die Stadt zu verteidigen. US-Zivilverwalter Paul Bremer deutete erstmals einen Truppenabzug der USA aus dem Irak an
"Der Funke, der alles zum explodieren bringt?"
USA today: Sacred Shiite shrine suffers minor damage in Najaf battle
The golden dome of the Shrine of Imam Ali, one of the most sacred sites for Shiite Muslims, was hit by what appeared to be four gunshots in fighting Friday between U.S. soldiers and militiamen loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr
Spiegel: Heiligtum beschädigt - Schiiten klagen US-Truppen an
Bei schweren Gefechten in der irakischen Pilgerstadt Nadschaf ist eines der wichtigsten Heiligtümer der Schiiten beschädigt worden. Der radikale Prediger al-Sadr ruft alle Schiiten auf, die Stadt zu verteidigen. US-Zivilverwalter Paul Bremer deutete erstmals einen Truppenabzug der USA aus dem Irak an
"Der Funke, der alles zum explodieren bringt?"
OIL
Yahoo: US Oil Prices Hit an All-Time Record High
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. oil prices hit an all-time record high on Thursday amid concerns over thin gasoline supplies ahead of peak demand driving season and tight global crude stocks.
Benchmark U.S. light crude futures for June delivery climbed to $41.17 a barrel in after hours trade -- the highest level since October 1990 following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. It settled the regular session up 31 cents to $41.08, while London Brent gained 54 cents at $38.49 a barrel.
Yahoo: US Oil Prices Hit an All-Time Record High
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. oil prices hit an all-time record high on Thursday amid concerns over thin gasoline supplies ahead of peak demand driving season and tight global crude stocks.
Benchmark U.S. light crude futures for June delivery climbed to $41.17 a barrel in after hours trade -- the highest level since October 1990 following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. It settled the regular session up 31 cents to $41.08, while London Brent gained 54 cents at $38.49 a barrel.
Thursday, May 13, 2004
IRAQ: DANIEL BERG BEHEADING
Rense: No Reference To 'al-Qaeda' On Video Beheading Video
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN Sr. Editor for Arab Affairs
NASR: Oh, I find it very interesting, because out of the blue, there is a mention of al Qaeda on the U.S. government translation. It says: "Does al Qaeda need any further excuses?" Any speaker of the Arabic language is going to notice a difference between the word al Qaeda, which means "the base," and al qaed, which means "the one sitting, doing nothing."
Rense: PsyOps Creating A Diversion
How the US CIA/Mililtary/Bush Administration Killed Another American
Nick Berg was a telecommunications contractor who went into Iraq to "help". But he and his family were not unknown to US authorities.
On March 7, 2004, an 'enemies' list of anti-war groups and individuals was posted on the Free Republic.
Among those listed was this entry: "Michael S. Berg, Teacher, Prometheus Methods Tower Service, Inc." That's Nick Berg's father, Michael who acts as business manager for his son in their family radio communications firm, Prometheus Methods Tower Service.
Just days after "Michael Berg" and "Prometheus Methods Tower Service" had come up on that Iraq war 'enemies' list, his son Nick Berg returned to Iraq under the business name of Prometheus Methods Tower Service.
Nick was detained, first by Iraqi police, then for 13 days by the United States military in Iraq. He was in US custody and admittedly questioned by the FBI 3 separate times. They would not release him nor press charges nor let him speak to an attorney.
At the height of the US torture scandal, Nick Berg's body was "discovered" on Saturday May 8, having reportedly been decapitated the same day by muslim radicals specifically Al Queda.
And, almost miraculously, a video appears worldwide showing "Al Queda" in possession of Mr. Berg (somehow still wearing his orange jumpsuit) at which time he is supposedly beheaded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi whom Americans claim is Al Queda's lead man in Iraq. Not only does Al Queda record the video, but Zarqawi's name and "signature" appear on it.
Convenient? Oh, and how.
Yet there are many problems with this explanation.
Long ago, when trying to tie Al Queda with Iraq, Colin Powell claimed that Zarqawi was fitted with a prosthetic leg in a Baghdad hospital (which, at the time, was touted as being a major indication of a connection between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein).
Yet the killer in the video walks and moves around with both legs just fine. Zarqawi could not be the killer. So why would all the killers wear hoods to hide their identity, and then sign the video with their own name and call themselves Al Queda?
So what, you say?
So let's see, an American who is considered an enemy of the US war suddenly is taken prisoner in Iraq, which the US denies, until his family produces e-mails from the US office in Iraq and sues and then he is miraculously released though supposedly he wasn't in custody. Can the government ever tell the truth?
Then he disappears and resurfaces only as the US is in dire need of an incident to try to put to rest the coverage of their torture in Iraq.
Suddenly, a US enemy-of-the-state ends up in Al Queda's hands and not just their hands but the leaderships who signs a video saying he killed him though the guy who supposedly kills him has a prosthetic leg and the guy in the video clearly doesn't.
Then it's released all over the world that Al Queda did not claim to do this and that the US intentionally doctored the transcripts.
Why would a guy in US custody for weeks, after being released for a day and getting ready to go home, not take off the damned orange prison jumpsuit?
Why do the hooded "Al Queda" guys appear so white? Muslims say the accents are not middle eastern at all.
Whatreallyhappended.com: 15 Anomalies Surrounding Death Of Nick Berg
Arab linguists have said the man posing as the Jordanian Zaraqawi did not speak with a Jordanian dialect. Others have suggested the man reading the written statement may not have been a native speaker of Arabic.
Zaraqawi was missing one leg and had been outfitted with an artificial leg that did not fit or function properly. He was unable to walk or stand normally with his ill-fitting limb. No man in the group showed evidence of such an infirmity.
Numerous indigenous sources have said Zaraqawi was killed by a US helicopter attack months ago when he was unable to move quickly enough to escape the targeted house. While others managed to exit the house in time to survive, he died in the collapsed building.
AP:Mosul Police Chief Denies Detaining Slain American Nicholas Berg
Iraqi police never detained an American whose decapitated body was found last week in Baghdad, the police chief said Thursday, despite U.S. insistence that Nicholas Berg was held by local authorities here shortly before he disappeared last month.
Berg's family blames American authorities for detaining the 26-year-old telecommunications businessman until a flare-up of anti-American violence, which set the stage for his abduction and death.
CBS News: Berg Mystery Turns Bizarre - A Link To 911
CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin reports on what is turning into a bizarre mystery with a connection to 9/11.
U.S. officials say the FBI questioned Berg in 2002 after a computer password Berg used in college turned up in the possession of Zaccarias Moussaoui, the al Qaeda operative arrested shortly before 9/11 for his suspicious activity at a flight school in Minnesota.
The bureau had already dismissed the connection between Berg and Moussaoui as nothing more than a college student who had been careless about protecting his password.
But in the wake of Berg's gruesome murder, it becomes a stranger than fiction coincidence -- an American who inadvertently gave away his computer password to one notorious al Qaeda operative is later murdered by another notorious al Qaeda operative.
Liberty Forum: Take A Look At The Chair Nick Berg Sat In
Conspiracy Planet: Nick Berg Snuff Porn: CIA / Mossad Death Squad?
Editor's Note: According to a former intelligence insider, "the beheading was 'instigated' by two Mossad provocateurs who have infiltrated the 'terrorists.' They are Yemeni Jews who pass easily for Arabs.")
I look at the beheading and I see that the terrorists are WHITE and FAT.
They are wearing BULLET PROOF VESTS and the guy on the right has WHITE SHOES.
The prisoner is wearing an ORANGE JUMPSUIT that is the same color and style used in the American run prison.
Blueridge: CIA did it to take the heat off the Pentagon"--NBC reporter
"CIA did it to take the heat off the Pentagon"--NBC reporter
Wed May 12, 2004 23:17
69.43.13.218
"...the CIA did it to take the heat off the Pentagon"--NBC reporter stated tonight prime time news, continuing, "...a story that will not die easily here in the Arab world".
NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, May 12th
Thus said the reporter from NBC News already "innoculating" the public against this reasonable "conspiracy theory" being promulgated by more questioning minds in both America and overseas. BUT IT MAKES ALL THE SENSE IN THE WORLD!
The previous article posted, "Fishy Circumstances and Flawed Timelines" is worth reading, especially the numbered observations at the close of the article. But there is more to add
Rense: No Reference To 'al-Qaeda' On Video Beheading Video
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN Sr. Editor for Arab Affairs
NASR: Oh, I find it very interesting, because out of the blue, there is a mention of al Qaeda on the U.S. government translation. It says: "Does al Qaeda need any further excuses?" Any speaker of the Arabic language is going to notice a difference between the word al Qaeda, which means "the base," and al qaed, which means "the one sitting, doing nothing."
Rense: PsyOps Creating A Diversion
How the US CIA/Mililtary/Bush Administration Killed Another American
Nick Berg was a telecommunications contractor who went into Iraq to "help". But he and his family were not unknown to US authorities.
On March 7, 2004, an 'enemies' list of anti-war groups and individuals was posted on the Free Republic.
Among those listed was this entry: "Michael S. Berg, Teacher, Prometheus Methods Tower Service, Inc." That's Nick Berg's father, Michael who acts as business manager for his son in their family radio communications firm, Prometheus Methods Tower Service.
Just days after "Michael Berg" and "Prometheus Methods Tower Service" had come up on that Iraq war 'enemies' list, his son Nick Berg returned to Iraq under the business name of Prometheus Methods Tower Service.
Nick was detained, first by Iraqi police, then for 13 days by the United States military in Iraq. He was in US custody and admittedly questioned by the FBI 3 separate times. They would not release him nor press charges nor let him speak to an attorney.
At the height of the US torture scandal, Nick Berg's body was "discovered" on Saturday May 8, having reportedly been decapitated the same day by muslim radicals specifically Al Queda.
And, almost miraculously, a video appears worldwide showing "Al Queda" in possession of Mr. Berg (somehow still wearing his orange jumpsuit) at which time he is supposedly beheaded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi whom Americans claim is Al Queda's lead man in Iraq. Not only does Al Queda record the video, but Zarqawi's name and "signature" appear on it.
Convenient? Oh, and how.
Yet there are many problems with this explanation.
Long ago, when trying to tie Al Queda with Iraq, Colin Powell claimed that Zarqawi was fitted with a prosthetic leg in a Baghdad hospital (which, at the time, was touted as being a major indication of a connection between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein).
Yet the killer in the video walks and moves around with both legs just fine. Zarqawi could not be the killer. So why would all the killers wear hoods to hide their identity, and then sign the video with their own name and call themselves Al Queda?
So what, you say?
So let's see, an American who is considered an enemy of the US war suddenly is taken prisoner in Iraq, which the US denies, until his family produces e-mails from the US office in Iraq and sues and then he is miraculously released though supposedly he wasn't in custody. Can the government ever tell the truth?
Then he disappears and resurfaces only as the US is in dire need of an incident to try to put to rest the coverage of their torture in Iraq.
Suddenly, a US enemy-of-the-state ends up in Al Queda's hands and not just their hands but the leaderships who signs a video saying he killed him though the guy who supposedly kills him has a prosthetic leg and the guy in the video clearly doesn't.
Then it's released all over the world that Al Queda did not claim to do this and that the US intentionally doctored the transcripts.
Why would a guy in US custody for weeks, after being released for a day and getting ready to go home, not take off the damned orange prison jumpsuit?
Why do the hooded "Al Queda" guys appear so white? Muslims say the accents are not middle eastern at all.
Whatreallyhappended.com: 15 Anomalies Surrounding Death Of Nick Berg
Arab linguists have said the man posing as the Jordanian Zaraqawi did not speak with a Jordanian dialect. Others have suggested the man reading the written statement may not have been a native speaker of Arabic.
Zaraqawi was missing one leg and had been outfitted with an artificial leg that did not fit or function properly. He was unable to walk or stand normally with his ill-fitting limb. No man in the group showed evidence of such an infirmity.
Numerous indigenous sources have said Zaraqawi was killed by a US helicopter attack months ago when he was unable to move quickly enough to escape the targeted house. While others managed to exit the house in time to survive, he died in the collapsed building.
AP:Mosul Police Chief Denies Detaining Slain American Nicholas Berg
Iraqi police never detained an American whose decapitated body was found last week in Baghdad, the police chief said Thursday, despite U.S. insistence that Nicholas Berg was held by local authorities here shortly before he disappeared last month.
Berg's family blames American authorities for detaining the 26-year-old telecommunications businessman until a flare-up of anti-American violence, which set the stage for his abduction and death.
CBS News: Berg Mystery Turns Bizarre - A Link To 911
CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin reports on what is turning into a bizarre mystery with a connection to 9/11.
U.S. officials say the FBI questioned Berg in 2002 after a computer password Berg used in college turned up in the possession of Zaccarias Moussaoui, the al Qaeda operative arrested shortly before 9/11 for his suspicious activity at a flight school in Minnesota.
The bureau had already dismissed the connection between Berg and Moussaoui as nothing more than a college student who had been careless about protecting his password.
But in the wake of Berg's gruesome murder, it becomes a stranger than fiction coincidence -- an American who inadvertently gave away his computer password to one notorious al Qaeda operative is later murdered by another notorious al Qaeda operative.
Liberty Forum: Take A Look At The Chair Nick Berg Sat In
Conspiracy Planet: Nick Berg Snuff Porn: CIA / Mossad Death Squad?
Editor's Note: According to a former intelligence insider, "the beheading was 'instigated' by two Mossad provocateurs who have infiltrated the 'terrorists.' They are Yemeni Jews who pass easily for Arabs.")
I look at the beheading and I see that the terrorists are WHITE and FAT.
They are wearing BULLET PROOF VESTS and the guy on the right has WHITE SHOES.
The prisoner is wearing an ORANGE JUMPSUIT that is the same color and style used in the American run prison.
Blueridge: CIA did it to take the heat off the Pentagon"--NBC reporter
"CIA did it to take the heat off the Pentagon"--NBC reporter
Wed May 12, 2004 23:17
69.43.13.218
"...the CIA did it to take the heat off the Pentagon"--NBC reporter stated tonight prime time news, continuing, "...a story that will not die easily here in the Arab world".
NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, May 12th
Thus said the reporter from NBC News already "innoculating" the public against this reasonable "conspiracy theory" being promulgated by more questioning minds in both America and overseas. BUT IT MAKES ALL THE SENSE IN THE WORLD!
The previous article posted, "Fishy Circumstances and Flawed Timelines" is worth reading, especially the numbered observations at the close of the article. But there is more to add
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Aljazeera: Another IDF Vehicle Destroyed - All Inside Dead
An Israeli occupation forces vehicle was hit by an explosion in the southern Gaza Strip Wednesday, killing all of the Israelis inside.
Five Palestinians were killed, including three fighters, and 43 others, mostly civilians, were wounded in Wednesday's fighting, the biggest Israeli offensive into Gaza in years. No Israeli casualties were reported.
Aljazeera: Another IDF Vehicle Destroyed - All Inside Dead
An Israeli occupation forces vehicle was hit by an explosion in the southern Gaza Strip Wednesday, killing all of the Israelis inside.
Five Palestinians were killed, including three fighters, and 43 others, mostly civilians, were wounded in Wednesday's fighting, the biggest Israeli offensive into Gaza in years. No Israeli casualties were reported.
IRAQ: NICK BERG BEHEADING FAKE?
Rense:Beheading Staged?- al-Zarqawi Was Killed Long Ago
Iraq Militants Claim al-Zarqawi Is Dead
Al Qaida-linked extremist suspected of planning attacks
Undated photo of suspected al-Qaida commander Abu Musaab al-Zarqawi.
The Associated Press
Libertyforum: Berg Story Debunked - Statement Did NOT Say 'al Qaeda'
Atzlan: Berg Decapitation Video Declared A Fraud By Doctor
The first casualty of war is the truth and this one has been no exception. La Voz de Aztlan obtained a copy of the video showing the beheading of American Nick Berg of Philadelphia and immediately something very odd was readily apparent. Not only were the purported screams of Nick Berg not in synchrony with the decapitation but their was also a total lack of blood spurting out as his jugular and other veins and arteries were being cut.
We forwarded the video to Doctor Raul Castro Guevara, a surgeon and forensic expert in Mexico City for his expert opinion. He wrote back and commented, "No hay manera que el individuo en el video estaba vivo y su corazon funcionando cuando le estaban cortando la cabeza. En estos casos, el corazon impela sangre con gran presion, y se corta las arterias del pezqueso, hay una gran cantidad de sangre que salpica por todos lados. En mi opinion el video es un fraude."
Doctor Raul Castro Guevara is saying that there is no way that the individual in the video was alive and his heart pumping while his neck was being cut. The doctor adds that in these cases, while the heart is pumping, cutting a person artery in the neck, would cause copious amounts of blood to spurt all over the immediate environment. He says that in his opinion the video is a fraud.
Rense:Beheading Staged?- al-Zarqawi Was Killed Long Ago
Iraq Militants Claim al-Zarqawi Is Dead
Al Qaida-linked extremist suspected of planning attacks
Undated photo of suspected al-Qaida commander Abu Musaab al-Zarqawi.
The Associated Press
Libertyforum: Berg Story Debunked - Statement Did NOT Say 'al Qaeda'
Atzlan: Berg Decapitation Video Declared A Fraud By Doctor
The first casualty of war is the truth and this one has been no exception. La Voz de Aztlan obtained a copy of the video showing the beheading of American Nick Berg of Philadelphia and immediately something very odd was readily apparent. Not only were the purported screams of Nick Berg not in synchrony with the decapitation but their was also a total lack of blood spurting out as his jugular and other veins and arteries were being cut.
We forwarded the video to Doctor Raul Castro Guevara, a surgeon and forensic expert in Mexico City for his expert opinion. He wrote back and commented, "No hay manera que el individuo en el video estaba vivo y su corazon funcionando cuando le estaban cortando la cabeza. En estos casos, el corazon impela sangre con gran presion, y se corta las arterias del pezqueso, hay una gran cantidad de sangre que salpica por todos lados. En mi opinion el video es un fraude."
Doctor Raul Castro Guevara is saying that there is no way that the individual in the video was alive and his heart pumping while his neck was being cut. The doctor adds that in these cases, while the heart is pumping, cutting a person artery in the neck, would cause copious amounts of blood to spurt all over the immediate environment. He says that in his opinion the video is a fraud.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
ISRAEL
Aljazeera: Israeli Minister Wants Total
Palestinian-Arab 'Cleansing'
An Israeli cabinet minister has called for the expulsion of some 1.3 million Palestinian citizens of Israel who constitute nearly one fifth of the state?s population.
Transportation Minister Avigdor Lieberman said during an interview with the Israeli army radio (Gali Tzahal) on Sunday that the "Arabs of Israel" should be expelled in case a Palestinian state was established and Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip were dismantled.
Israeli officials, from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon downward, refused to condemn the remarks, suggesting a sympathy with Lieberman?s ideas.
"Israel, die einzige "Demokratie" im Nahen Osten". Mann stelle sich den Aufschrei vor, wenn ein Regierungsmitglied in einem anderen Land ein Statement abgeben würde in dem er dazu aufruft alle Jüdischen Staatsangehörigen aus dem Land zu vertreiben. Faschismus made in Israel
Aljazeera: Israeli Minister Wants Total
Palestinian-Arab 'Cleansing'
An Israeli cabinet minister has called for the expulsion of some 1.3 million Palestinian citizens of Israel who constitute nearly one fifth of the state?s population.
Transportation Minister Avigdor Lieberman said during an interview with the Israeli army radio (Gali Tzahal) on Sunday that the "Arabs of Israel" should be expelled in case a Palestinian state was established and Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip were dismantled.
Israeli officials, from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon downward, refused to condemn the remarks, suggesting a sympathy with Lieberman?s ideas.
"Israel, die einzige "Demokratie" im Nahen Osten". Mann stelle sich den Aufschrei vor, wenn ein Regierungsmitglied in einem anderen Land ein Statement abgeben würde in dem er dazu aufruft alle Jüdischen Staatsangehörigen aus dem Land zu vertreiben. Faschismus made in Israel
MIDDLE EAST
MENL: US Prepares For Israeli Attack On Iran
The United States has been examining the prospect that Israel will attack Iranian nuclear facilities in an attempt to prevent the Islamic republic from completing an atomic bomb as early as this year.
U.S. analysts and government sources said the Bush administration has discussed the prospect of an Israeli air strike at several levels of government. They said the issue has been examined in terms of the diplomatic, military and security implications for the United States, particularly its military presence in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region.
MENL: US Prepares For Israeli Attack On Iran
The United States has been examining the prospect that Israel will attack Iranian nuclear facilities in an attempt to prevent the Islamic republic from completing an atomic bomb as early as this year.
U.S. analysts and government sources said the Bush administration has discussed the prospect of an Israeli air strike at several levels of government. They said the issue has been examined in terms of the diplomatic, military and security implications for the United States, particularly its military presence in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region.
USA
Newsobserver: Two men arrested after high-speed chase in Tennessee
Two Israeli men who led the Unicoi County sheriff on a high-speed chase in a rented moving truck were placed under arrest and are being investigated by the FBI, local officials said
Harris said he saw the men throw something from the truck while they were being pursued. Officers scouring the area later found a vial containing an unknown substance along the roadway, he said.
Once the men were apprehended, officers also found a "Learn to Fly" brochure in the truck, leading Harris and others to express concern about security at the Nuclear Fuel Services plant in Erwin.
Johnson City Press: Detained Israelis To Have Court Date Today
Two Israeli nationals held here without bond in the Unicoi County Jail will appear in Unicoi County General Sessions Court this morning, Sheriff Kent Harris said Sunday. Harris said the FBI ordered him to hold the duo without bond pending an investigation following a high speed chase through a remote area of Unicoi County Saturday afternoon in which the pair reportedly threw several items out of a rented Ryder truck, Harris said
Rense: Mossad & Moving Companies -
Masterminds Of Global Terrorism?
Cloudcroft, New Mexico Police Chief Stops Israelis With Suspicious Cargo 03/2002
On May 7, 2002, local police authorities pulled over a Budget rental truck in Oak Harbour, Washington near the Whitney Island Naval Air Station. The driver and his passenger were Israeli nationals, one of which had entered the country illegally. The other had an expired visa. Tests performed on the vehicle revealed that there were traces of TNT on the gearshift and RDX plastic explosives on the steering wheel. But no actual explosives were reported to have been found in the truck.
On September 11, five employees of Jewish owned Urban Moving Company were detained as a result of witness accounts that they were taking pictures of the flaming ruins of the World Trade Center and celebrating!
Shortly after the arrest of the men, FBI officials suspected that the Urban Moving company was an Israeli intelligence front.
Then, of course, there was the "Art Scandal."
It seems that Israeli ëart studentsí - Israelis posing as ëart studentsí selling their art [actually made in China], - were suspected of spying for Israel. They were detained by the FBI and later deported to Israel on account of visa violations. The FBI first took notice of them in January of 2001.
You see, five of the so-called Israeli Art Students that weren't really art students, had been living at 4220 Sheridan St in Hollywood, Florida.
What is so interesting about that address?
It just so happens that four of the five so-called 9/11 hijackers that were on AA Flight 11 [Mohammed Atta, Abdulaziz Al-Omari, Walid and WaÔl Al- Shehri] and one of the five hijackers [Marwan Al-Shehhi] from UA Flight 175 had at one time or another also resided in Hollywood, Florida.
Where in Hollywood?
Why, it just happens that Mohammed Atta, the presumed lead hijacker had lived at 3389 Sheridan St, only a few blocks away from the Fake Israeli Art Students! [Le Monde 3/5/02; Reuters 3/5/02; Jane's Intelligence Digest, 3/15/02; Salon, 5/7/02]
None of this matter is cut and dried. On September 10, 2001, the Army School of Advanced Military Studies issued a report written by elite US army officers, which was made public just prior to 9/11. The report gave the following description for the Mossad: "Wildcard. Ruthless and cunning. Has capability to target US forces and make it look like a Palestinian/Arab act." [Washington Times, 9/10/01
Newsobserver: Two men arrested after high-speed chase in Tennessee
Two Israeli men who led the Unicoi County sheriff on a high-speed chase in a rented moving truck were placed under arrest and are being investigated by the FBI, local officials said
Harris said he saw the men throw something from the truck while they were being pursued. Officers scouring the area later found a vial containing an unknown substance along the roadway, he said.
Once the men were apprehended, officers also found a "Learn to Fly" brochure in the truck, leading Harris and others to express concern about security at the Nuclear Fuel Services plant in Erwin.
Johnson City Press: Detained Israelis To Have Court Date Today
Two Israeli nationals held here without bond in the Unicoi County Jail will appear in Unicoi County General Sessions Court this morning, Sheriff Kent Harris said Sunday. Harris said the FBI ordered him to hold the duo without bond pending an investigation following a high speed chase through a remote area of Unicoi County Saturday afternoon in which the pair reportedly threw several items out of a rented Ryder truck, Harris said
Rense: Mossad & Moving Companies -
Masterminds Of Global Terrorism?
Cloudcroft, New Mexico Police Chief Stops Israelis With Suspicious Cargo 03/2002
On May 7, 2002, local police authorities pulled over a Budget rental truck in Oak Harbour, Washington near the Whitney Island Naval Air Station. The driver and his passenger were Israeli nationals, one of which had entered the country illegally. The other had an expired visa. Tests performed on the vehicle revealed that there were traces of TNT on the gearshift and RDX plastic explosives on the steering wheel. But no actual explosives were reported to have been found in the truck.
On September 11, five employees of Jewish owned Urban Moving Company were detained as a result of witness accounts that they were taking pictures of the flaming ruins of the World Trade Center and celebrating!
Shortly after the arrest of the men, FBI officials suspected that the Urban Moving company was an Israeli intelligence front.
Then, of course, there was the "Art Scandal."
It seems that Israeli ëart studentsí - Israelis posing as ëart studentsí selling their art [actually made in China], - were suspected of spying for Israel. They were detained by the FBI and later deported to Israel on account of visa violations. The FBI first took notice of them in January of 2001.
You see, five of the so-called Israeli Art Students that weren't really art students, had been living at 4220 Sheridan St in Hollywood, Florida.
What is so interesting about that address?
It just so happens that four of the five so-called 9/11 hijackers that were on AA Flight 11 [Mohammed Atta, Abdulaziz Al-Omari, Walid and WaÔl Al- Shehri] and one of the five hijackers [Marwan Al-Shehhi] from UA Flight 175 had at one time or another also resided in Hollywood, Florida.
Where in Hollywood?
Why, it just happens that Mohammed Atta, the presumed lead hijacker had lived at 3389 Sheridan St, only a few blocks away from the Fake Israeli Art Students! [Le Monde 3/5/02; Reuters 3/5/02; Jane's Intelligence Digest, 3/15/02; Salon, 5/7/02]
None of this matter is cut and dried. On September 10, 2001, the Army School of Advanced Military Studies issued a report written by elite US army officers, which was made public just prior to 9/11. The report gave the following description for the Mossad: "Wildcard. Ruthless and cunning. Has capability to target US forces and make it look like a Palestinian/Arab act." [Washington Times, 9/10/01
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: ISRAELI WAR CRIMES
UN News Center: Homes of 1,100 Palestinians in Gaza destroyed in first 10 days of May - UN Agency
The last 10 days have seen one of the most intense periods of destruction by the Israeli military in Gaza since the start of the Intifada, with more than 100 homes flattened and 1,100 people left homeless, the main United Nations agency helping Palestinian refugees said today.
According to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the Israeli military has demolished or damaged beyond repair 131 residential buildings since the start of May, bringing to 17,594 the total number of people who have lost their homes in Gaza.
The majority of the demolitions have taken place in Rafah in the south, where 11,215 people have already been made homeless by demolitions since the beginning of the current strife in September 2000, and in the region of the Kissufim Road, where a Palestinian attack on 2 May left an Israeli mother and her four children dead.
UN News Center: Homes of 1,100 Palestinians in Gaza destroyed in first 10 days of May - UN Agency
The last 10 days have seen one of the most intense periods of destruction by the Israeli military in Gaza since the start of the Intifada, with more than 100 homes flattened and 1,100 people left homeless, the main United Nations agency helping Palestinian refugees said today.
According to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the Israeli military has demolished or damaged beyond repair 131 residential buildings since the start of May, bringing to 17,594 the total number of people who have lost their homes in Gaza.
The majority of the demolitions have taken place in Rafah in the south, where 11,215 people have already been made homeless by demolitions since the beginning of the current strife in September 2000, and in the region of the Kissufim Road, where a Palestinian attack on 2 May left an Israeli mother and her four children dead.
IRAQ: TORTURE...IT GETS WORSE
SMH: Pentagon tries to keep lid on new images
United States officials are struggling over how best to release the next wave of photographs, and possibly video films, depicting the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad.
The Defence Department plans to provide Congress with many more pictures but is unhappy at moves to release them for public scrutiny.
That decision is expected to be one for President George Bush.
John Warner, the Republican head of the Senate armed services committee, said he and other members have been assured they will have private access to the photographs and videotapes - described as even more graphic and disturbing than the ones already made public - once Pentagon lawyers finish their review.
SMH: Pentagon tries to keep lid on new images
United States officials are struggling over how best to release the next wave of photographs, and possibly video films, depicting the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad.
The Defence Department plans to provide Congress with many more pictures but is unhappy at moves to release them for public scrutiny.
That decision is expected to be one for President George Bush.
John Warner, the Republican head of the Senate armed services committee, said he and other members have been assured they will have private access to the photographs and videotapes - described as even more graphic and disturbing than the ones already made public - once Pentagon lawyers finish their review.
IRAQ UPRISING
Toronto Star: Pipeline blast cuts Iraq's oil exports
Insurgents blasted an oil pipeline, setting off a huge blaze and slashing Iraq's daily oil exports by about 25 per cent. U.S. troops traded gunfire today with fighters loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in this Shiite city south of Baghdad.
Toronto Star: Pipeline blast cuts Iraq's oil exports
Insurgents blasted an oil pipeline, setting off a huge blaze and slashing Iraq's daily oil exports by about 25 per cent. U.S. troops traded gunfire today with fighters loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in this Shiite city south of Baghdad.
IRAQ: TORTURE
Informationclearinghouse: RED CROSS REPORT
"Report of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on the Treatment by the Coalition Forces of Prisoners of War and Other Protected Persons by the Geneva Conventions in Iraq During Arrest, Internment and Interrogation".
These reports are strictly confidential and intended only for the authorities to which they are presented.
This report includes observations and recommendations from visits that took place between March and November 2003. The report itself was handed over to the Coalition Forces (CF) in February of 2004.
Informationclearinghouse: RED CROSS REPORT
"Report of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on the Treatment by the Coalition Forces of Prisoners of War and Other Protected Persons by the Geneva Conventions in Iraq During Arrest, Internment and Interrogation".
These reports are strictly confidential and intended only for the authorities to which they are presented.
This report includes observations and recommendations from visits that took place between March and November 2003. The report itself was handed over to the Coalition Forces (CF) in February of 2004.
Monday, May 10, 2004
IRAQ: TORTURE
Independent: US military confirms existence of horrific pictures and video
The Bush administration was bracing itself last night for the release of new pictures and video footage from Abu Ghraib which show US soldiers having sex with an Iraqi woman prisoner, troops almost beating a prisoner to death, and the rape of young boys by Iraqi guards at the jail.
Senior officials have warned that the new images and details of the abuse and torture at the prison west of Baghdad will be even more shocking than those already released. They will undoubtedly place even more pressure on President George Bush and his beleaguered Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, as they desperately try to limit the political damage from the growing scandal.
Independent: US military confirms existence of horrific pictures and video
The Bush administration was bracing itself last night for the release of new pictures and video footage from Abu Ghraib which show US soldiers having sex with an Iraqi woman prisoner, troops almost beating a prisoner to death, and the rape of young boys by Iraqi guards at the jail.
Senior officials have warned that the new images and details of the abuse and torture at the prison west of Baghdad will be even more shocking than those already released. They will undoubtedly place even more pressure on President George Bush and his beleaguered Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, as they desperately try to limit the political damage from the growing scandal.
IRAQ
The Nation: Mutiny in Iraq by Naomi Klein
Can we please stop calling it a quagmire? The United States isn't mired
in a bog or a marsh in Iraq (quagmire's literal meaning); it is
free-falling off a cliff. The only question now is: Who will follow the Bush clan
off this precipice, and who will refuse to jump?
The Nation: Mutiny in Iraq by Naomi Klein
Can we please stop calling it a quagmire? The United States isn't mired
in a bog or a marsh in Iraq (quagmire's literal meaning); it is
free-falling off a cliff. The only question now is: Who will follow the Bush clan
off this precipice, and who will refuse to jump?
SAUDI ARABIA
The Hindu: U.S. asks all citizens in Saudi Arabia to leave
MANAMA, MAY 2. A series of attacks by militants in the Saudi industrial city of Yanbu on Saturday has triggered the departure of around 50 workers belonging to a firm that was targeted amid a fresh warning by the U.S. embassy in Riyadh that all American citizens in the oil rich Gulf country should depart.
The Hindu: U.S. asks all citizens in Saudi Arabia to leave
MANAMA, MAY 2. A series of attacks by militants in the Saudi industrial city of Yanbu on Saturday has triggered the departure of around 50 workers belonging to a firm that was targeted amid a fresh warning by the U.S. embassy in Riyadh that all American citizens in the oil rich Gulf country should depart.
PEAK OIL
Ny Times: The Oil Crunch by Paul Krugman
Before the start of the Iraq war his media empire did so much to promote, Rupert Murdoch explained the payoff: "The greatest thing to come out of this for the world economy, if you could put it that way, would be $20 a barrel for oil." Crude oil prices in New York rose to almost $40 a barrel yesterday, a 13-year high.
Those who expected big economic benefits from the war were, of course, utterly wrong about how things would go in Iraq. But the disastrous occupation is only part of the reason that oil is getting more expensive; the other, which will last even if we somehow find a way out of the quagmire, is the intensifying competition for a limited world oil supply.
Ny Times: The Oil Crunch by Paul Krugman
Before the start of the Iraq war his media empire did so much to promote, Rupert Murdoch explained the payoff: "The greatest thing to come out of this for the world economy, if you could put it that way, would be $20 a barrel for oil." Crude oil prices in New York rose to almost $40 a barrel yesterday, a 13-year high.
Those who expected big economic benefits from the war were, of course, utterly wrong about how things would go in Iraq. But the disastrous occupation is only part of the reason that oil is getting more expensive; the other, which will last even if we somehow find a way out of the quagmire, is the intensifying competition for a limited world oil supply.
IRAQ: TORTURE
The Nation: We're Shocked -- Shocked!
Our government is shocked -- shocked! -- to find that its representatives have been torturing people.
But this is the same government that, while insisting that of course it never tortures anyone, has for two years now boasted of a tough-minded new-and-improved product: "torture lite".
What is torture lite? That's like asking "What is fat-free yogurt?" Answer: It's torture. (It's yogurt.)
The New Yorker:
Torture At Abu Ghraib, by Seymour M. Hersh
American soldiers brutalized Iraqis. How far up does the responsibility
go?
In the era of Saddam Hussein,Abu Ghraib,20 mi.west of Baghdad, was one
of the world’s most notorious prisons, with torture, weekly executions,
and vile living conditions. As many as fifty thousand men and women—no
accurate count is possible—were jammed into Abu Ghraib at one time, in
twelve-by-twelve-foot cells that were little more than human holding
pits.
The Nation: We're Shocked -- Shocked!
Our government is shocked -- shocked! -- to find that its representatives have been torturing people.
But this is the same government that, while insisting that of course it never tortures anyone, has for two years now boasted of a tough-minded new-and-improved product: "torture lite".
What is torture lite? That's like asking "What is fat-free yogurt?" Answer: It's torture. (It's yogurt.)
The New Yorker:
Torture At Abu Ghraib, by Seymour M. Hersh
American soldiers brutalized Iraqis. How far up does the responsibility
go?
In the era of Saddam Hussein,Abu Ghraib,20 mi.west of Baghdad, was one
of the world’s most notorious prisons, with torture, weekly executions,
and vile living conditions. As many as fifty thousand men and women—no
accurate count is possible—were jammed into Abu Ghraib at one time, in
twelve-by-twelve-foot cells that were little more than human holding
pits.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
"When the tyrant has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or
treaty,and there is nothing more to fear from them, then he is always stirring
upsome war or other, in order that the people may require a
leader....This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector."
- Plato
Friday, May 07, 2004
OIL
Reuters: Oil Prices Hit $40 for First Time Since Gulf War
LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices hit $40 a barrel for the first time in 13 years on Friday on concerns over global supply security, fostering fears that economic growth could suffer.
U.S. light crude hit a high of $40, the highest level since October 1990 after Iraq invaded Kuwait in the crisis that led to the Gulf War. London Brent rose 52 cents to $37.05.
Reuters: Oil Prices Hit $40 for First Time Since Gulf War
LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices hit $40 a barrel for the first time in 13 years on Friday on concerns over global supply security, fostering fears that economic growth could suffer.
U.S. light crude hit a high of $40, the highest level since October 1990 after Iraq invaded Kuwait in the crisis that led to the Gulf War. London Brent rose 52 cents to $37.05.
IRAQ: TORTURE
Islamonline: Washington Post Releases New Iraq Torture Photos
WASHINGTON, May 6 (IslamOnlline.net & News Agencies) – The Washington Post splashed on Thursday, May 6, new photos of U.S. soldiers torturing Iraqi detainees.
In one of the pictures, taken from the summer of 2003 through the winter, a soldier is seen holding a leash tied around the neck of a naked Iraqi detainee grimacing and lying on the floor.
Another shows a naked detainees sprawled on top of one another while soldiers stand around them.
There is a third photograph of a naked man with a dark hood over his head, handcuffed to a cell door.
And another of a naked man handcuffed to a bunk bed, his arms splayed so wide that his back is arched. A pair of women's underwear covers his head and face.
Nazis? no, iraqi democracy.
Islamonline: Washington Post Releases New Iraq Torture Photos
WASHINGTON, May 6 (IslamOnlline.net & News Agencies) – The Washington Post splashed on Thursday, May 6, new photos of U.S. soldiers torturing Iraqi detainees.
In one of the pictures, taken from the summer of 2003 through the winter, a soldier is seen holding a leash tied around the neck of a naked Iraqi detainee grimacing and lying on the floor.
Another shows a naked detainees sprawled on top of one another while soldiers stand around them.
There is a third photograph of a naked man with a dark hood over his head, handcuffed to a cell door.
And another of a naked man handcuffed to a bunk bed, his arms splayed so wide that his back is arched. A pair of women's underwear covers his head and face.
Nazis? no, iraqi democracy.
IRAQ: US WAR CRIMES
Zmag: Smoke Them by Robert Fisk
Video Shows Wounded Iraqis Being Shot by US Helicopters
The pictures are appalling, the words devastating. As a wounded Iraqi crawls from beneath a burning truck, an American helicopter pilot tells his commander that one of three men has survived his night air attack. "Someone wounded,' the pilot cries. Then he received the reply: "Hit him, hit the truck and him.' As the helicopter's gun camera captures the scene on video, the pilot fires a 30mm gun at the wounded man, vaporising him in a second.
British and most European television stations censored the tape off the air last night on the grounds that the pictures were too terrible to show. But deliberately shooting a wounded man is a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and this extraordinary film of US air crews in action over Iraq is likely to create yet another international outcry.
Post vom 18.01.2004 mit Mpeg Video:
Rense: Video - Iraqi Farmers Slaughtered By US Apache Copter
In the video, the 'vehicle' on the left side of the frame is clearly a farm tractor...
"The clip was cut from a longer video obtained by ABC News last week and verified by a senior US army official." - WRH.com
Download the MPEG movie HERE
Der Film ist schon seit über 3 Monaten im Internet. Wieso wohl die TV Station mit der Austrahlung solange gewartet haben?
Zmag: Smoke Them by Robert Fisk
Video Shows Wounded Iraqis Being Shot by US Helicopters
The pictures are appalling, the words devastating. As a wounded Iraqi crawls from beneath a burning truck, an American helicopter pilot tells his commander that one of three men has survived his night air attack. "Someone wounded,' the pilot cries. Then he received the reply: "Hit him, hit the truck and him.' As the helicopter's gun camera captures the scene on video, the pilot fires a 30mm gun at the wounded man, vaporising him in a second.
British and most European television stations censored the tape off the air last night on the grounds that the pictures were too terrible to show. But deliberately shooting a wounded man is a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and this extraordinary film of US air crews in action over Iraq is likely to create yet another international outcry.
Post vom 18.01.2004 mit Mpeg Video:
Rense: Video - Iraqi Farmers Slaughtered By US Apache Copter
In the video, the 'vehicle' on the left side of the frame is clearly a farm tractor...
"The clip was cut from a longer video obtained by ABC News last week and verified by a senior US army official." - WRH.com
Download the MPEG movie HERE
Der Film ist schon seit über 3 Monaten im Internet. Wieso wohl die TV Station mit der Austrahlung solange gewartet haben?
Thursday, May 06, 2004
IRAQ
Democracy Now: U.S. Assassinates Two Shiite Clerics Organizing Nonviolent Resistance
Hashim says fifteen American soldiers ordered everyone down on the ground and ran to the podium to arrest the speaker, Said Adnan Nonabi, head of Muqtada al-Sadr's office in Hillah. They placed a black hood over his head and then, Hashim says, the American soldiers turned their attention to the two sheiks in a nearby hallway.
HASHIM AL-SAFI: They shot them where they were standing, and you can see the blood on the doors. They shot them from just one or two meters away.
AARON GLANTZ: The bullets that killed the two sheiks were the only shots fired in the human rights office. The only bullet holes in the hall are amidst a blood-spattered wall where the two sheiks were shot. Fragments of the two sheiks’ brains can still be seen on the floor, corroborating claims they were shot in the head. Meantime the head of the local office of Muqtada al-Sadr, Adnan Nonabi, has disappeared into U.S. custody.
Democracy Now: U.S. Assassinates Two Shiite Clerics Organizing Nonviolent Resistance
Hashim says fifteen American soldiers ordered everyone down on the ground and ran to the podium to arrest the speaker, Said Adnan Nonabi, head of Muqtada al-Sadr's office in Hillah. They placed a black hood over his head and then, Hashim says, the American soldiers turned their attention to the two sheiks in a nearby hallway.
HASHIM AL-SAFI: They shot them where they were standing, and you can see the blood on the doors. They shot them from just one or two meters away.
AARON GLANTZ: The bullets that killed the two sheiks were the only shots fired in the human rights office. The only bullet holes in the hall are amidst a blood-spattered wall where the two sheiks were shot. Fragments of the two sheiks’ brains can still be seen on the floor, corroborating claims they were shot in the head. Meantime the head of the local office of Muqtada al-Sadr, Adnan Nonabi, has disappeared into U.S. custody.
PROPAGANDA WATCH
ZMAG: Thought Control
During the last three years, the United States has moved farther to the corporatist, imperialist, fundamentalist and even fascist right than many of us thought possible. We have the "mainstream" corporate and its great public sector partner and enabler the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to thank for much of that accelerated reactionary drift. We've got an actual FCC expert (Mike Szczepanezyk of Chicago Media Action ) here today, so I think I'll talk mainly about why media reform and the FCC matter. As I hope you agree, these subjects matter quite a bit.
Neither Dictatorship nor Democracy
I put my e-mail address at the bottom of most of my essays and if I do an especially relevant or provocative one I get messages from distant corners of the earth. One of the interesting things about these "foreign" communications is the sense they give me of the misconceptions (thoroughly understandable) that some people overseas have about life and politics in the United States.
"CHECK IT"
ZMAG: Thought Control
During the last three years, the United States has moved farther to the corporatist, imperialist, fundamentalist and even fascist right than many of us thought possible. We have the "mainstream" corporate and its great public sector partner and enabler the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to thank for much of that accelerated reactionary drift. We've got an actual FCC expert (Mike Szczepanezyk of Chicago Media Action ) here today, so I think I'll talk mainly about why media reform and the FCC matter. As I hope you agree, these subjects matter quite a bit.
Neither Dictatorship nor Democracy
I put my e-mail address at the bottom of most of my essays and if I do an especially relevant or provocative one I get messages from distant corners of the earth. One of the interesting things about these "foreign" communications is the sense they give me of the misconceptions (thoroughly understandable) that some people overseas have about life and politics in the United States.
"CHECK IT"
IRAQ: TORTURE
Reuters: U.S. Troops Mistreat Elder Iraqi woman
Wed May 5, 2004: LONDON - U.S. soldiers who detained an elderly Iraqi woman last year placed a harness on her, made her crawl on all fours and rode her like a donkey, Prime Minister Tony Blair 's personal human rights envoy to Iraq said Wednesday.
The envoy, legislator Ann Clwyd, said she had investigated the claims of the woman in her 70s and believed they were true.
During five visits to Iraq in the last 18 months, Clwyd said, she stopped at British and U.S. jails, including Abu Ghraib, and questioned everyone she could about the woman's claims. But she did not say whether the people questioned included U.S. forces or commanders
Reuters: U.S. Troops Mistreat Elder Iraqi woman
Wed May 5, 2004: LONDON - U.S. soldiers who detained an elderly Iraqi woman last year placed a harness on her, made her crawl on all fours and rode her like a donkey, Prime Minister Tony Blair 's personal human rights envoy to Iraq said Wednesday.
The envoy, legislator Ann Clwyd, said she had investigated the claims of the woman in her 70s and believed they were true.
During five visits to Iraq in the last 18 months, Clwyd said, she stopped at British and U.S. jails, including Abu Ghraib, and questioned everyone she could about the woman's claims. But she did not say whether the people questioned included U.S. forces or commanders
IRAQ
Informationclearinghouse: Bush?s ?Excuse and Explanation? on Arab TV Was Worthless and Demeaning
One of the problems with American ethnocentrism is that many Americans assume that because others don?t speak English as well as us, that they don?t think as well as us.
President Bush, Rumsfeld and General Myers have all fallen victim to this nonsense. Bush especially showed this ignorance in his speeches today on Al Hurrah (an American sponsored propaganda TV station that few Arabs watch) and Al Arabiyah (a Saudi TV station that gets only 24% of the Arab market). In addition, Bush pointedly refused to speak on Al Jazeera TV, the station that has over 60% of the Arab market overseas; thus, he cut off his nose to spite an independent, critical Arab TV station.
"CHECK IT"
Informationclearinghouse: Bush?s ?Excuse and Explanation? on Arab TV Was Worthless and Demeaning
One of the problems with American ethnocentrism is that many Americans assume that because others don?t speak English as well as us, that they don?t think as well as us.
President Bush, Rumsfeld and General Myers have all fallen victim to this nonsense. Bush especially showed this ignorance in his speeches today on Al Hurrah (an American sponsored propaganda TV station that few Arabs watch) and Al Arabiyah (a Saudi TV station that gets only 24% of the Arab market). In addition, Bush pointedly refused to speak on Al Jazeera TV, the station that has over 60% of the Arab market overseas; thus, he cut off his nose to spite an independent, critical Arab TV station.
"CHECK IT"
IRAQ: UPRISING
New Zealand Herald: Siege Spells Beginning Of The End For US In Iraq
The situation in Iraq is "disintegration verging on collapse", Richard Holbrooke, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations, said last month.
It was a month that saw more American troops killed than during last year's invasion, a decisive US defeat in Fallujah, and horrific revelations about the torture and sexual abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American and British soldiers.
It may be years yet before the helicopters pluck the last Americans off the roof of the Baghdad embassy, but basically the game is up.
One hundred and thirty-five Americans were killed in Iraq in April, and a thousand wounded.
Meanwhile, any hope of getting the consent of Iraqis to a permanent US military and political presence in the country has gone down the drain.
The siege of Fallujah in response to the killing and mutilation of four American "security contractors" (mercenaries) at the end of March was a blunder that will be studied in military colleges for decades, the lesson being: when there is no way that you can succeed, it is wiser not to reveal your weakness by trying and failing.
New Zealand Herald: Siege Spells Beginning Of The End For US In Iraq
The situation in Iraq is "disintegration verging on collapse", Richard Holbrooke, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations, said last month.
It was a month that saw more American troops killed than during last year's invasion, a decisive US defeat in Fallujah, and horrific revelations about the torture and sexual abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American and British soldiers.
It may be years yet before the helicopters pluck the last Americans off the roof of the Baghdad embassy, but basically the game is up.
One hundred and thirty-five Americans were killed in Iraq in April, and a thousand wounded.
Meanwhile, any hope of getting the consent of Iraqis to a permanent US military and political presence in the country has gone down the drain.
The siege of Fallujah in response to the killing and mutilation of four American "security contractors" (mercenaries) at the end of March was a blunder that will be studied in military colleges for decades, the lesson being: when there is no way that you can succeed, it is wiser not to reveal your weakness by trying and failing.
IRAQ
Orange County Weekly: Operation Phoenix Rises from the Ashes of history
Death squads didn’t work in Vietnam, but the CIA is betting they’ll be great in Iraq
Never pretty, the war in Iraq is about to get a whole lot uglier. U.S. officials have begun to recruit ex-officers of Saddam Hussein’s infamous Mukhabarat, or secret police, to hunt down resistance forces fighting U.S. troops in Iraq.
According to human rights groups, the Mukhabarat was responsible for torturing and murdering tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians during Hussein’s brutal reign. Nonetheless, the CIA has already reportedly begun sending paychecks to dozens of Saddam’s former thugs, who reportedly assisted in the successful hunt for Hussein and suspected Iranian and Syrian spies in Iraq.
Ex-CIA officials have compared the program to Operation Phoenix, an agency operation that assassinated and tortured tens of thousands of mostly innocent South Vietnamese civilians between 1967 and 1970, a period that marked the most brutal years of the Vietnam War.
"They’re clearly cooking up joint teams to do Phoenix-like things, like they did in Vietnam," said former CIA counterterrorism chief Vincent Cannistraro in a Jan. 4 London Sunday Telegraph article.
Orange County Weekly: Operation Phoenix Rises from the Ashes of history
Death squads didn’t work in Vietnam, but the CIA is betting they’ll be great in Iraq
Never pretty, the war in Iraq is about to get a whole lot uglier. U.S. officials have begun to recruit ex-officers of Saddam Hussein’s infamous Mukhabarat, or secret police, to hunt down resistance forces fighting U.S. troops in Iraq.
According to human rights groups, the Mukhabarat was responsible for torturing and murdering tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians during Hussein’s brutal reign. Nonetheless, the CIA has already reportedly begun sending paychecks to dozens of Saddam’s former thugs, who reportedly assisted in the successful hunt for Hussein and suspected Iranian and Syrian spies in Iraq.
Ex-CIA officials have compared the program to Operation Phoenix, an agency operation that assassinated and tortured tens of thousands of mostly innocent South Vietnamese civilians between 1967 and 1970, a period that marked the most brutal years of the Vietnam War.
"They’re clearly cooking up joint teams to do Phoenix-like things, like they did in Vietnam," said former CIA counterterrorism chief Vincent Cannistraro in a Jan. 4 London Sunday Telegraph article.
FAHRENHEIT 911
Michael Moore: Michael Moore On Disney Blocking His New Film
I would have hoped by now that I would be able to put my work out to the public without having to experience the profound censorship obstacles I often seem to encounter.
Yesterday, I was told that Disney, the studio that owns Miramax, has officially decided to prohibit our producer, Miramax, from distributing my new film, "Fahrenheit 911." The reason? According to today's (May 5) New York Times, it might "endanger" millions of dollars of tax breaks Disney receives from the state of Florida because the film will "anger" the Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush. The story is on page one of the Times and you can read it here (Disney Forbidding Distribution of Film That Criticizes Bush).
Michael Moore: Michael Moore On Disney Blocking His New Film
I would have hoped by now that I would be able to put my work out to the public without having to experience the profound censorship obstacles I often seem to encounter.
Yesterday, I was told that Disney, the studio that owns Miramax, has officially decided to prohibit our producer, Miramax, from distributing my new film, "Fahrenheit 911." The reason? According to today's (May 5) New York Times, it might "endanger" millions of dollars of tax breaks Disney receives from the state of Florida because the film will "anger" the Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush. The story is on page one of the Times and you can read it here (Disney Forbidding Distribution of Film That Criticizes Bush).
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Independent: Israel Housing Ministry 'Funding Illegal Settlements'
JERUSALEM -- Israel has used almost £3.6m to finance illegal settlement construction in the West Bank over the past three years, more than half of it for outposts which the government is formally pledged to remove.
The cash for illegal settlement expansion channelled through the Housing and Construction Ministry was highlighted yesterday in a damning annual report from the State Comptroller, Eliezer Goldberg.
Mr Goldberg said in his report that the that the ministry had spent money on expansion projects which had not been approved by either the Cabinet or the Defence Ministry - and including construction projects where land ownership was still being disputed. His report added that the money had been allocated even as a branch of the Israeli military was investing other funds "to track down and demolish illegal construction" in settlements and outposts.
The report says that from January 2000 to June 2003, the Housing Ministry approved 77 contracts for construction projects in 33 West Bank areas, 18 of them unauthorised outposts. More than half of the funding for illegal West Bank construction went to the outposts. While all settlements on the Palestinian side of the 1949-1967 border are contended by Israel's critics to be illegal under international law, the projects identified by the Comptroller are illegal under Israeli law.
Independent: Israel Housing Ministry 'Funding Illegal Settlements'
JERUSALEM -- Israel has used almost £3.6m to finance illegal settlement construction in the West Bank over the past three years, more than half of it for outposts which the government is formally pledged to remove.
The cash for illegal settlement expansion channelled through the Housing and Construction Ministry was highlighted yesterday in a damning annual report from the State Comptroller, Eliezer Goldberg.
Mr Goldberg said in his report that the that the ministry had spent money on expansion projects which had not been approved by either the Cabinet or the Defence Ministry - and including construction projects where land ownership was still being disputed. His report added that the money had been allocated even as a branch of the Israeli military was investing other funds "to track down and demolish illegal construction" in settlements and outposts.
The report says that from January 2000 to June 2003, the Housing Ministry approved 77 contracts for construction projects in 33 West Bank areas, 18 of them unauthorised outposts. More than half of the funding for illegal West Bank construction went to the outposts. While all settlements on the Palestinian side of the 1949-1967 border are contended by Israel's critics to be illegal under international law, the projects identified by the Comptroller are illegal under Israeli law.
IRAQ: TORTURE
ZMAG: The Good Guys by Robert Fisk
Why are we surprised at their racism, their brutality, their sheer callousness towards Arabs? Those American soldiers in Saddam's old prison at Abu Ghraib, those young British squaddies in Basra came -- as soldiers often come -- from towns and cities where race hatred has a home:
Tennessee and Lancashire.
How many of "our" lads are ex--jailbirds themselves? How many support the British National Party? Muslims, Arabs, "cloth heads", "rag heads", "terrorists", "evil". You can see how the semantics break down
Indeed, we now depict Arabs in our films as the Nazis once depicted Jews.
But Arabs are fair game. Potential terrorists to a man -- and a woman -- they must be softened up, "prepared", humiliated, beaten, tortured. The Israelis use torture in the Russian Compound in Jerusalem. Now we torture in Saddam's old jail outside Baghdad and -- for this is where British soldiers beat a young Iraqi to death last summer -- in the former office of Saddam's most murderous chemical warfare fascist, the awful "Chemical"
ZMAG: The Good Guys by Robert Fisk
Why are we surprised at their racism, their brutality, their sheer callousness towards Arabs? Those American soldiers in Saddam's old prison at Abu Ghraib, those young British squaddies in Basra came -- as soldiers often come -- from towns and cities where race hatred has a home:
Tennessee and Lancashire.
How many of "our" lads are ex--jailbirds themselves? How many support the British National Party? Muslims, Arabs, "cloth heads", "rag heads", "terrorists", "evil". You can see how the semantics break down
Indeed, we now depict Arabs in our films as the Nazis once depicted Jews.
But Arabs are fair game. Potential terrorists to a man -- and a woman -- they must be softened up, "prepared", humiliated, beaten, tortured. The Israelis use torture in the Russian Compound in Jerusalem. Now we torture in Saddam's old jail outside Baghdad and -- for this is where British soldiers beat a young Iraqi to death last summer -- in the former office of Saddam's most murderous chemical warfare fascist, the awful "Chemical"
IRAQ: TORTURE
Guardian: Arab World Scorns Bush's TV 'Apology'
Pressure Mounts In US Over Iraq Torture Scandal
In an unprecedented damage-limitation exercise, President George Bush told Arab TV viewers last night the treatment of prisoners by some members of the US military in Iraq had been "abhorrent" and would be thoroughly investigated.
The people of Iraq "must understand that what took place in that prison does not represent the America that I know," he said in an interview with al-Hurra, an Arabic-language channel funded by the US government.
Though Mr Bush stopped short of a direct apology for the abuse at Abu Ghraib jail, where prisoners were stripped naked and sexually humiliated, he continued: "In a democracy everything is not perfect - mistakes are made."
Guardian: Arab World Scorns Bush's TV 'Apology'
Pressure Mounts In US Over Iraq Torture Scandal
In an unprecedented damage-limitation exercise, President George Bush told Arab TV viewers last night the treatment of prisoners by some members of the US military in Iraq had been "abhorrent" and would be thoroughly investigated.
The people of Iraq "must understand that what took place in that prison does not represent the America that I know," he said in an interview with al-Hurra, an Arabic-language channel funded by the US government.
Though Mr Bush stopped short of a direct apology for the abuse at Abu Ghraib jail, where prisoners were stripped naked and sexually humiliated, he continued: "In a democracy everything is not perfect - mistakes are made."
PEAK OIL
Le Monde/Fromthewilderness: TOWARD THE PETRO-APOCALYPSE
In a few years, the global production of conventional oil will fall, while the global demand continues to rise. The resulting shock of this structural oil famine is inevitable, so great are the dependency of our economies on cheap oil and, related to the first, our inability to wean ourselves from this dependency in a short period of time.
We can hope to soften the shock, but only if its imminence immediately becomes the unique reference point for a general mobilization of our societies, with, as a consequence, drastic consequences in every sector. The alternative is chaos. This prospect is based on the work of the American geologist King Hubbert, who predicted in 1956 the peak in US domestic production of oil in 1970. This occurred exactly as predicted.
Transposing Hubbert's approach today to other countries has given similar predictive results: at present, the production of every giant oilfield -- and only the giant ones matter -- is in decline, except in the "black triangle" of Iraq-Iran-Saudi Arabia.
The Hubbert's peak of the oil-producing Middle East should be reached around 2010, depending on the more or less rapid recovery of full Iraqi production and the growth rate of demand in China.
Since the price will soon reach $100 a barrel, this will no longer be a simple oil shock -- it will be the end of the world as we know it.
____
--Yves Cochet (Green) represents Paris in the National Assembly, and is former land and environment minister (ministre du territoire et de l'environnement
Le Monde/Fromthewilderness: TOWARD THE PETRO-APOCALYPSE
In a few years, the global production of conventional oil will fall, while the global demand continues to rise. The resulting shock of this structural oil famine is inevitable, so great are the dependency of our economies on cheap oil and, related to the first, our inability to wean ourselves from this dependency in a short period of time.
We can hope to soften the shock, but only if its imminence immediately becomes the unique reference point for a general mobilization of our societies, with, as a consequence, drastic consequences in every sector. The alternative is chaos. This prospect is based on the work of the American geologist King Hubbert, who predicted in 1956 the peak in US domestic production of oil in 1970. This occurred exactly as predicted.
Transposing Hubbert's approach today to other countries has given similar predictive results: at present, the production of every giant oilfield -- and only the giant ones matter -- is in decline, except in the "black triangle" of Iraq-Iran-Saudi Arabia.
The Hubbert's peak of the oil-producing Middle East should be reached around 2010, depending on the more or less rapid recovery of full Iraqi production and the growth rate of demand in China.
Since the price will soon reach $100 a barrel, this will no longer be a simple oil shock -- it will be the end of the world as we know it.
____
--Yves Cochet (Green) represents Paris in the National Assembly, and is former land and environment minister (ministre du territoire et de l'environnement
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
MEDIA WATCH
MEDIAMATTERS.ORG
Former right-wing attack journalist David Brock blasted the
conservative movement in his 2002 confessional, Blinded by the
Right. Now he has launched Media Matters, a "Web-based,
not-for-profit progressive research and information center
dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting
conservative misinformation in the U.S. media." The New York Times
reports that Brock has raised $2 million dollars in an attempt to
become a liberal equivalent of Brent Bozell's right wing Media
Research Center and that Brock is working out of the office of
former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta. Brock also has a new
book coming out this month, titled Republican Noise Machine:
Right-Wing Media and How It Corrupts Democracy.
MEDIAMATTERS.ORG
Former right-wing attack journalist David Brock blasted the
conservative movement in his 2002 confessional, Blinded by the
Right. Now he has launched Media Matters, a "Web-based,
not-for-profit progressive research and information center
dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting
conservative misinformation in the U.S. media." The New York Times
reports that Brock has raised $2 million dollars in an attempt to
become a liberal equivalent of Brent Bozell's right wing Media
Research Center and that Brock is working out of the office of
former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta. Brock also has a new
book coming out this month, titled Republican Noise Machine:
Right-Wing Media and How It Corrupts Democracy.
IRAQ: CHALABI
Salon: HOW CHALABI CONNED THE NEOCONS
"Ahmed Chalabi is a treacherous, spineless turncoat. He had one set of friends before he was in power, and now he's got another," says L. Marc Zell, a former law partner of Douglas Feith, now the undersecretary of defense for policy, and a former friend and supporter of Chalabi and his aspirations to lead Iraq. Feith, Zell and other neoconservatives who helped plan the war with Iraq are upset that Chalabi - the man the neocons used to call "the George Washington of Iraq" - is cozying up to Iran and ditching his promises to befriend Israel. "Chalabi appears to have recognized that the neocons, while ruthless, realistic and effective in bureaucratic politics, were remarkably ignorant about the situation in Iraq, and willing to buy a fantasy of how the country's politics worked. So he sold it to them," writes John Dizard. Joshua Micah Marshall quips: "In the popular political imagination we're familiar with the neocons as conniving militarists, masters of intrigue and cabals, graspers for the oil supplies of the world, and all the rest. But here we have them in what I suspect is the truest light: as college kid rubes who head out for a weekend in Vegas, get scammed out of their money by a two-bit hustler on the first night and then get played for fools by a couple hookers who leave them naked and handcuffed to their hotel beds. And just think, it's on your dime and with your nation's honor."
SOURCE: Salon.com, May 4, 2004
Salon: HOW CHALABI CONNED THE NEOCONS
"Ahmed Chalabi is a treacherous, spineless turncoat. He had one set of friends before he was in power, and now he's got another," says L. Marc Zell, a former law partner of Douglas Feith, now the undersecretary of defense for policy, and a former friend and supporter of Chalabi and his aspirations to lead Iraq. Feith, Zell and other neoconservatives who helped plan the war with Iraq are upset that Chalabi - the man the neocons used to call "the George Washington of Iraq" - is cozying up to Iran and ditching his promises to befriend Israel. "Chalabi appears to have recognized that the neocons, while ruthless, realistic and effective in bureaucratic politics, were remarkably ignorant about the situation in Iraq, and willing to buy a fantasy of how the country's politics worked. So he sold it to them," writes John Dizard. Joshua Micah Marshall quips: "In the popular political imagination we're familiar with the neocons as conniving militarists, masters of intrigue and cabals, graspers for the oil supplies of the world, and all the rest. But here we have them in what I suspect is the truest light: as college kid rubes who head out for a weekend in Vegas, get scammed out of their money by a two-bit hustler on the first night and then get played for fools by a couple hookers who leave them naked and handcuffed to their hotel beds. And just think, it's on your dime and with your nation's honor."
SOURCE: Salon.com, May 4, 2004
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
ISRAEL
Counterpunch: Terrorism And Assassination -
The Ultimate Deception
The recent assassinations of Hamas leaders Sheikh Yassin and Dr. Abdulaziz Rantisi are part of a long term Israeli strategy -- the latest in a series of actions taken by Israel toward the ultimate destruction of Palestinian society. Their implications may be far more reaching than many analysts have observed, and the need for re-examination of US policy in the Middle East has never been greater.
The first among Israel's objectives has been to convince the public in Israel and in the West that the destruction of Palestinian society is acceptable. Israel has succeeded in creating the wide spread perception within Israel and among American society that violence committed by the Palestinian paramilitary is reprehensible and never justified, but that the violence committed by the Israeli occupation forces is somehow defensible. Israel has unfortunately succeeded in convincing the Israeli and American public that a Palestinian life is worth less than an Israeli Jewish life. [1]
Israel's second objective has been to transfer (expel) Palestinians to areas outside Palestine. In spite of its efforts and the support of Jewish communities around the world, Israel's plan to import enough immigrants to offset the increase in the Palestinian population has failed. The plan failed even with the intense recruiting among gentiles, in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere, and even with the promise of free transportation, cash allowances, subsidized living and free housing on confiscated Palestinian land. The alternative left for the Israeli government -- long advocated by a sector of Israeli society -- has been to transfer Palestinians out of Palestine by making life for Palestinians so unbearable that they would "opt" to leave or by force if "voluntary" departure fails. This plan will eventually succeed unless Palestinian living conditions improve, which is not likely in the foreseeable future, and the world community remains alert to Israel's plan.
Israel's third and latest strategy in pursuing its objective of destroying Palestinian society has been to deceptively enlist the help of the United States, with its military might and world domination, not only as a partner, which it has already succeeded in doing as was recently confirmed and announced by George W. Bush, but also as an active combatant. This deception is no where clearer than in the case of the assassination of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin and Dr. Abdulaziz Rantisi. Sharon knows that Hamas holds their leaders in high esteem and would no doubt avenge their assassination. From their side, the Palestinians know that no Israeli action of this magnitude is ever taken without first consulting with the United States and getting US approval, in spite of denial of such complicity by the Bush administration
Counterpunch: Terrorism And Assassination -
The Ultimate Deception
The recent assassinations of Hamas leaders Sheikh Yassin and Dr. Abdulaziz Rantisi are part of a long term Israeli strategy -- the latest in a series of actions taken by Israel toward the ultimate destruction of Palestinian society. Their implications may be far more reaching than many analysts have observed, and the need for re-examination of US policy in the Middle East has never been greater.
The first among Israel's objectives has been to convince the public in Israel and in the West that the destruction of Palestinian society is acceptable. Israel has succeeded in creating the wide spread perception within Israel and among American society that violence committed by the Palestinian paramilitary is reprehensible and never justified, but that the violence committed by the Israeli occupation forces is somehow defensible. Israel has unfortunately succeeded in convincing the Israeli and American public that a Palestinian life is worth less than an Israeli Jewish life. [1]
Israel's second objective has been to transfer (expel) Palestinians to areas outside Palestine. In spite of its efforts and the support of Jewish communities around the world, Israel's plan to import enough immigrants to offset the increase in the Palestinian population has failed. The plan failed even with the intense recruiting among gentiles, in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere, and even with the promise of free transportation, cash allowances, subsidized living and free housing on confiscated Palestinian land. The alternative left for the Israeli government -- long advocated by a sector of Israeli society -- has been to transfer Palestinians out of Palestine by making life for Palestinians so unbearable that they would "opt" to leave or by force if "voluntary" departure fails. This plan will eventually succeed unless Palestinian living conditions improve, which is not likely in the foreseeable future, and the world community remains alert to Israel's plan.
Israel's third and latest strategy in pursuing its objective of destroying Palestinian society has been to deceptively enlist the help of the United States, with its military might and world domination, not only as a partner, which it has already succeeded in doing as was recently confirmed and announced by George W. Bush, but also as an active combatant. This deception is no where clearer than in the case of the assassination of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin and Dr. Abdulaziz Rantisi. Sharon knows that Hamas holds their leaders in high esteem and would no doubt avenge their assassination. From their side, the Palestinians know that no Israeli action of this magnitude is ever taken without first consulting with the United States and getting US approval, in spite of denial of such complicity by the Bush administration
IRAQ: FALLUJAH
Telegraph: US Demotes Saddam General In Fallujah
BAGHDAD -- The general selected by the US marines to command a new Iraqi force in Fallujah has been abruptly replaced after he denied that there were foreign fighters in the insurgent city and blamed America for fomenting the bloody rebellion there.
Maj Gen Jassim Mohammed Saleh, a former member of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard, was trumpeted by local US commanders as the type of strong man who could pacify the 2,000 gunmen in Fallujah.
But in an indication of American desperation, it emerged that Gen Saleh had been selected even though little was known about him.
One of his main tasks was to ensure that an estimated several hundred foreign fighters were handed over to coalition forces. On Saturday, Lt Gen James Conway, the US marines commander, said the general was ready to deal with them.
Shortly afterwards, Gen Saleh said: "There are no foreign fighters in Fallujah and the local tribal leaders have told me the same.
"The reasons for the resistance go back to the American provocations, the raids and abolishing the army, which made Iraqis join the resistance."
Telegraph: US Demotes Saddam General In Fallujah
BAGHDAD -- The general selected by the US marines to command a new Iraqi force in Fallujah has been abruptly replaced after he denied that there were foreign fighters in the insurgent city and blamed America for fomenting the bloody rebellion there.
Maj Gen Jassim Mohammed Saleh, a former member of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard, was trumpeted by local US commanders as the type of strong man who could pacify the 2,000 gunmen in Fallujah.
But in an indication of American desperation, it emerged that Gen Saleh had been selected even though little was known about him.
One of his main tasks was to ensure that an estimated several hundred foreign fighters were handed over to coalition forces. On Saturday, Lt Gen James Conway, the US marines commander, said the general was ready to deal with them.
Shortly afterwards, Gen Saleh said: "There are no foreign fighters in Fallujah and the local tribal leaders have told me the same.
"The reasons for the resistance go back to the American provocations, the raids and abolishing the army, which made Iraqis join the resistance."
Monday, May 03, 2004
IRAQ: US/UK TORTURE
Daily Mail: 30 More Torture Scandals Probed
Aftermath: Military Intel & CIA Ordered Abuses At Abu Gharib Prison
NEWS24: 'Shame on the Americans'
Islamonline: And They Ask, “Why Do They Hate Us?”
Teheran Times: US War Crimes - Torture Of Iraqi Prisoners Exposed
Guardian: Torture commonplace, say inmates' families
Independent: Soldiers say pictures are 'tip of the iceberg'
Daily Mail: 30 More Torture Scandals Probed
Aftermath: Military Intel & CIA Ordered Abuses At Abu Gharib Prison
NEWS24: 'Shame on the Americans'
Islamonline: And They Ask, “Why Do They Hate Us?”
Teheran Times: US War Crimes - Torture Of Iraqi Prisoners Exposed
Guardian: Torture commonplace, say inmates' families
Independent: Soldiers say pictures are 'tip of the iceberg'
USA VS. CUBA
Spiegel: Powell-Kommission bereitet Castros Sturz vor
Eine Kommission der US-Regierung hat Maßnahmen für einen schnelleren Sturz von Fidel Castro in Kuba vorgeschlagen. Präsident George W. Bush erhofft sich offenbar von einem stärkeren Vorgehen gegen das Regime in Havanna Stimmen von Exilkubanern für seine Wiederwahl.
Spiegel: Powell-Kommission bereitet Castros Sturz vor
Eine Kommission der US-Regierung hat Maßnahmen für einen schnelleren Sturz von Fidel Castro in Kuba vorgeschlagen. Präsident George W. Bush erhofft sich offenbar von einem stärkeren Vorgehen gegen das Regime in Havanna Stimmen von Exilkubanern für seine Wiederwahl.
STREETART EXHIBITION ZÜRICH
Expect Us!
"Expect us!" We are out there...streetart in Zürich
The brutal invasion of the common space, and with it the elimination of the last possibilities for free interaction, have created a couple of strong counter movements.
The streetartists want to reclaim the right to express themselves free in the common space, and they are questioning the commercially controlled reality and the possibilities and offers of the consumeristic society.
Artists are organizing illegal and unathorized communication all over the world, and it is clear that this movement expresses a fundamental unsatisfaction with the existing possibilities. "Expect us" attempts to explain this unsatisfaction, and to present alternatives by showing the works of artists who have chosen to spread their messages through unconventional channels and ask them to explain why.
The danish artist/curator Christian Falsnaes and the austrian artist/organizer Bella Angora are initiators of "Expect us!". Together with the swiss galerists Jean-Claude Freymond-Guth and Esther Eppstein, they have brought the first streetartexhibition in Switzerland to Zürich.
Program :
Saturday, 1. may 2004, 18.00 : Opening of "Expect us!" Exhibition and performances from Anne Bennike (DK), Akim & friends (D), Akay (S) Bella Angora (A), Freaks Gallery (DK) and Straight up (DK) Blauer Saal, Limmatstr. 270, 8005 Zürich
Sunday, 2. may 2004, 18.00 : Message Salon shows PAC opening of exhibition with Pac (CH) and Cosmin (F) message salon, Esther Eppstein, Universitätsstr. 115/117, 8006 Zürich
Monday 3. may, 2004, 18.00 : "the public space today - streetart's importances and chances" speeches and public discussion speakers : Faile (USA) and Freaks gallery (DK) moderators : Christian Falsnaes and Jean-Claude Freymond-Guth in the auditorium of the Museum für Gestaltung und Kunst Ausstellungsstrasse 60, 8005 Zürich 21.0 0: movienight and bar in Blauer Saal, Limmatstr. 270, 8005 Zürich
Wednesday, 5. may, 2004 18.00 : "media, pirates and me" opening of exhibition with Aron Fleming Falk (S), Faile (USA) and Grrrr (CH) Les Complices*, Espace libre & Edition, Anwandstr. 9, 8004 Zürich
Friday, 7. may 2004, 18.00 : "another brick in the wall" opening of exhibition with CBS (D), Jean-Claude Freymond-Guth (CH), Mickry3 (CH) and Zaccheo Zilioli (CH) Kunsthof, Limmatstrasse (tramstop "Museum für Gestaltung"), 8005 Zürich 22.00 : Performancenight @ Migros Museum Performances from Bella Angora (A), Christian Falsnaes (DK), Geneviève Favre (CH), Mirana Belobrovaja (IL), So:ren Berner (NL), Zast & Ritsche (D) Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Limmatstrasse 270, 8005 Zürich
Sunday, 9. may 2004, 12.00 : "Artists brunch" End of festival Hof des Löwenbräu Areals, Limmatstr. 270, 8005 Zürich
Expect Us!
"Expect us!" We are out there...streetart in Zürich
The brutal invasion of the common space, and with it the elimination of the last possibilities for free interaction, have created a couple of strong counter movements.
The streetartists want to reclaim the right to express themselves free in the common space, and they are questioning the commercially controlled reality and the possibilities and offers of the consumeristic society.
Artists are organizing illegal and unathorized communication all over the world, and it is clear that this movement expresses a fundamental unsatisfaction with the existing possibilities. "Expect us" attempts to explain this unsatisfaction, and to present alternatives by showing the works of artists who have chosen to spread their messages through unconventional channels and ask them to explain why.
The danish artist/curator Christian Falsnaes and the austrian artist/organizer Bella Angora are initiators of "Expect us!". Together with the swiss galerists Jean-Claude Freymond-Guth and Esther Eppstein, they have brought the first streetartexhibition in Switzerland to Zürich.
Program :
Saturday, 1. may 2004, 18.00 : Opening of "Expect us!" Exhibition and performances from Anne Bennike (DK), Akim & friends (D), Akay (S) Bella Angora (A), Freaks Gallery (DK) and Straight up (DK) Blauer Saal, Limmatstr. 270, 8005 Zürich
Sunday, 2. may 2004, 18.00 : Message Salon shows PAC opening of exhibition with Pac (CH) and Cosmin (F) message salon, Esther Eppstein, Universitätsstr. 115/117, 8006 Zürich
Monday 3. may, 2004, 18.00 : "the public space today - streetart's importances and chances" speeches and public discussion speakers : Faile (USA) and Freaks gallery (DK) moderators : Christian Falsnaes and Jean-Claude Freymond-Guth in the auditorium of the Museum für Gestaltung und Kunst Ausstellungsstrasse 60, 8005 Zürich 21.0 0: movienight and bar in Blauer Saal, Limmatstr. 270, 8005 Zürich
Wednesday, 5. may, 2004 18.00 : "media, pirates and me" opening of exhibition with Aron Fleming Falk (S), Faile (USA) and Grrrr (CH) Les Complices*, Espace libre & Edition, Anwandstr. 9, 8004 Zürich
Friday, 7. may 2004, 18.00 : "another brick in the wall" opening of exhibition with CBS (D), Jean-Claude Freymond-Guth (CH), Mickry3 (CH) and Zaccheo Zilioli (CH) Kunsthof, Limmatstrasse (tramstop "Museum für Gestaltung"), 8005 Zürich 22.00 : Performancenight @ Migros Museum Performances from Bella Angora (A), Christian Falsnaes (DK), Geneviève Favre (CH), Mirana Belobrovaja (IL), So:ren Berner (NL), Zast & Ritsche (D) Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Limmatstrasse 270, 8005 Zürich
Sunday, 9. may 2004, 12.00 : "Artists brunch" End of festival Hof des Löwenbräu Areals, Limmatstr. 270, 8005 Zürich
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
HISTORY
Polen brennt (www.bild.de)
28.4.1943 - Schwere Kämpfe in Warschau - viele Tote.
Schwere Kämpfe in Polen: Die tönende Wochenschau berichtet live von
einer Groß-Offensive der Wehrmacht mit Panzern, Kampfbombern und
schwerer Artillerie. Das Ziel: Stellungen von Aufständischen in der
polnischen Stadt Warschau.
Kurz nachdem zwei Sturzkampfbomber vom Typ WH-130 am Himmel über
Warschau auftgetaucht waren, erzitterte die Stadt unter schweren
Explosionen. Augenzeugen berichten von meterhohen Flammen und
schwarzen Rauchwolken. Im Hintergrund ertönten während der
Luftangriffe Gebetsaufrufe aus den Synagogen des Ghettos. Nach dem
Bombardement folgten heftige Schusswechsel in dem 300
000-Einwohner-Ghetto, meldete die Wochenschau.
KÄMPFE IN FALLUDSCHA (www.spiegel.de)
28.04.2004
Heute Mittag kreisten abermals US-Kampfflugzeuge über der Stadt, anschließend waren drei gewaltige Explosionen zu hören. Eine schwarze Rauchwolke stieg auf. Zuvor drang stundenlang Gefechtslärm aus dem Südosten der westlich von Bagdad gelegenen Stadt.
Bereits gestern Nacht wurde die Stadt Schauplatz heftiger Gefechte zwischen US-Streitkräften und Aufständischen. Die USA setzten Kampfflugzeuge und Artillerie gegen die Rebellen ein, die sich im Stadtviertel Dscholan verschanzten. Nach Angaben von CNN waren während der Luftangriffe Gebetsaufrufe aus Moscheen zur hören. Die beschossenen Stellungen sollen sich in dem Gebiet befunden haben, in dem am Montag ein US-Elitesoldat getötet und neun weitere verletzt wurden. Die Aufständischen seien gut organisiert und sehr aktiv.
Polen brennt (www.bild.de)
28.4.1943 - Schwere Kämpfe in Warschau - viele Tote.
Schwere Kämpfe in Polen: Die tönende Wochenschau berichtet live von
einer Groß-Offensive der Wehrmacht mit Panzern, Kampfbombern und
schwerer Artillerie. Das Ziel: Stellungen von Aufständischen in der
polnischen Stadt Warschau.
Kurz nachdem zwei Sturzkampfbomber vom Typ WH-130 am Himmel über
Warschau auftgetaucht waren, erzitterte die Stadt unter schweren
Explosionen. Augenzeugen berichten von meterhohen Flammen und
schwarzen Rauchwolken. Im Hintergrund ertönten während der
Luftangriffe Gebetsaufrufe aus den Synagogen des Ghettos. Nach dem
Bombardement folgten heftige Schusswechsel in dem 300
000-Einwohner-Ghetto, meldete die Wochenschau.
KÄMPFE IN FALLUDSCHA (www.spiegel.de)
28.04.2004
Heute Mittag kreisten abermals US-Kampfflugzeuge über der Stadt, anschließend waren drei gewaltige Explosionen zu hören. Eine schwarze Rauchwolke stieg auf. Zuvor drang stundenlang Gefechtslärm aus dem Südosten der westlich von Bagdad gelegenen Stadt.
Bereits gestern Nacht wurde die Stadt Schauplatz heftiger Gefechte zwischen US-Streitkräften und Aufständischen. Die USA setzten Kampfflugzeuge und Artillerie gegen die Rebellen ein, die sich im Stadtviertel Dscholan verschanzten. Nach Angaben von CNN waren während der Luftangriffe Gebetsaufrufe aus Moscheen zur hören. Die beschossenen Stellungen sollen sich in dem Gebiet befunden haben, in dem am Montag ein US-Elitesoldat getötet und neun weitere verletzt wurden. Die Aufständischen seien gut organisiert und sehr aktiv.
STREETART
Flying Fortress, Emka, C100, Meat Love & Fahrenheit451 interviews on today's Sonntags Blick
Flying Fortress, Emka, C100, Meat Love & Fahrenheit451 interviews on today's Sonntags Blick
IRAQ UPRISING
Truth Out: Falluja, Najaf and the First Law of Holes By William Rivers Pitt
Anyone who believes that April has been the cruelest month of this Iraq war - 111 Americans killed with the total dead now at 718, hundreds upon hundreds of Iraqi civilians killed - should gird themselves for the reality that the worst, the very worst, the unimaginably awful, is still yet to come.
It is bad enough that this second Bush war in Iraq has yielded nothing of what was promised by George and his merry crew. There are no weapons of mass destruction, there was no connection between the deposed Hussein regime and al Qaeda, there was no connection between Hussein and September 11, there will be no democracy for Iraq, and the Iraqi people have most definitely not welcomed us with open arms.
Instead, Bush has mobilized anti-American sentiment to such a staggering degree that Shi'ite and Sunni, enemies for generations past counting, have united to fight us. The invasion and occupation has spurred an al Qaeda recruitment drive that has swelled the ranks of that organization. A lot of people are dead, American and British and Spanish and Polish and Iraqi alike. Nine Americans and 28 Iraqis were killed this weekend alone. The light at the end of this tunnel is an oncoming freight train.
The religious aspect is easily the most explosive element in this matter. Falluja is a Sunni town. Through the almost mystical bungling of the Bush administration, it has become tied to the holy city of Najaf, a Shi'ite stronghold. This city, like Falluja, has been surrounded by American forces and faces imminent attack. If an attack against Najaf is indeed undertaken, the consequences for Iraq, and indeed for the entire Middle East, will be unimaginable.
Najaf is the site of the tomb of Ali, the most important Shi'ite saint. It is a holy city, like Mecca and Medina, and is the symbolic capital for Shi'ites all around the world. If American forces attack Najaf, every Shi'ite on the planet will have a dog in the fight. Iran, a Shi'ite-controlled nation, may well become involved. Shi'ite religious leaders will issue fatwas demanding massive numbers of suicide attacks against Americans.
Do the math.
"CHECK IT"
Truth Out: Falluja, Najaf and the First Law of Holes By William Rivers Pitt
Anyone who believes that April has been the cruelest month of this Iraq war - 111 Americans killed with the total dead now at 718, hundreds upon hundreds of Iraqi civilians killed - should gird themselves for the reality that the worst, the very worst, the unimaginably awful, is still yet to come.
It is bad enough that this second Bush war in Iraq has yielded nothing of what was promised by George and his merry crew. There are no weapons of mass destruction, there was no connection between the deposed Hussein regime and al Qaeda, there was no connection between Hussein and September 11, there will be no democracy for Iraq, and the Iraqi people have most definitely not welcomed us with open arms.
Instead, Bush has mobilized anti-American sentiment to such a staggering degree that Shi'ite and Sunni, enemies for generations past counting, have united to fight us. The invasion and occupation has spurred an al Qaeda recruitment drive that has swelled the ranks of that organization. A lot of people are dead, American and British and Spanish and Polish and Iraqi alike. Nine Americans and 28 Iraqis were killed this weekend alone. The light at the end of this tunnel is an oncoming freight train.
The religious aspect is easily the most explosive element in this matter. Falluja is a Sunni town. Through the almost mystical bungling of the Bush administration, it has become tied to the holy city of Najaf, a Shi'ite stronghold. This city, like Falluja, has been surrounded by American forces and faces imminent attack. If an attack against Najaf is indeed undertaken, the consequences for Iraq, and indeed for the entire Middle East, will be unimaginable.
Najaf is the site of the tomb of Ali, the most important Shi'ite saint. It is a holy city, like Mecca and Medina, and is the symbolic capital for Shi'ites all around the world. If American forces attack Najaf, every Shi'ite on the planet will have a dog in the fight. Iran, a Shi'ite-controlled nation, may well become involved. Shi'ite religious leaders will issue fatwas demanding massive numbers of suicide attacks against Americans.
Do the math.
"CHECK IT"
ECONOMY
Guardian: US seeks £1bn from Europe over GM ban
The US has demanded that the EU abandon its ban on the growing of genetically modified crops and pay at least $1.8bn (£1bn) in compensation for loss of exports over the past six years.
The challenge is outlined in papers filed to the World Trade Organisation that have been seen by the Guardian.
The WTO is now facing the biggest case in its history, one that could spark a damaging trade war between the US and Europe and split the international community.
On the other hand, the US is determined to press the case and even if this fails it is set to bring a second case to prevent GM foods being labelled and traceability of crops being mandatory.
Both these elements became EU law this month and are likely to form a second case to the WTO as a "restraint" of trade if victory is not total in round one.
Guardian: US seeks £1bn from Europe over GM ban
The US has demanded that the EU abandon its ban on the growing of genetically modified crops and pay at least $1.8bn (£1bn) in compensation for loss of exports over the past six years.
The challenge is outlined in papers filed to the World Trade Organisation that have been seen by the Guardian.
The WTO is now facing the biggest case in its history, one that could spark a damaging trade war between the US and Europe and split the international community.
On the other hand, the US is determined to press the case and even if this fails it is set to bring a second case to prevent GM foods being labelled and traceability of crops being mandatory.
Both these elements became EU law this month and are likely to form a second case to the WTO as a "restraint" of trade if victory is not total in round one.
IRAQ: UPRISING
Jihad Unspun: Iraqi Resistance Captures, Executes 20
Mafkarat al-Islam’s correspondent reports that Iraqi Resistance fighters in al-Fallujah arrested 20 American agent Iraqis who had snuck into al-Falluja along with returning families in the hopes of facilitating an American assault on the besieged city. With the help of the local people, however, the Resistance forces were able to expose and arrest the would-be saboteurs. The agents underwent interrogation in the last few days and they confessed to various crimes. Their confessions were recorded and they were all executed.
Eyewitnesses: Drugged US Troops Laughing In Battle
Mafkarat al-Islam’s correspondent in al-Fallujah reports that for more than 10 days the Resistance fighters in the besieged city have been remarking about a phenomenon that they find strange and surprising. Resistance fighters have frequently noticed that many of the American aggressor troops are laughing as they storm into districts in al-Fallujah. The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent personally witnessed this clearly when he was close to the events as US aggressors tried to storm an-Nizal neighborhood in the besieged city on Saturday.
The correspondent wrote that he saw two American soldiers laughing, such as to arouse pity for them, despite all the Resistance gunfire being poured at their position and their comrades dying around them. Both of the Americans were later killed in the battle. The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent writes that the Resistance learned later from interrogations of captured American Marines that the US military medical service distributes a type of halucinogenic pill to the troops that prompts laughter and reduces the sense of fear in combat conditions.
The reverse situation has been revealed in the despair and terror exhibited by the US troops when their lines of supply of food and medicine have been cut – a phenomenon that has been witnessed by nearby Resistance fighters.
Jihad Unspun: Iraqi Resistance Captures, Executes 20
Mafkarat al-Islam’s correspondent reports that Iraqi Resistance fighters in al-Fallujah arrested 20 American agent Iraqis who had snuck into al-Falluja along with returning families in the hopes of facilitating an American assault on the besieged city. With the help of the local people, however, the Resistance forces were able to expose and arrest the would-be saboteurs. The agents underwent interrogation in the last few days and they confessed to various crimes. Their confessions were recorded and they were all executed.
Eyewitnesses: Drugged US Troops Laughing In Battle
Mafkarat al-Islam’s correspondent in al-Fallujah reports that for more than 10 days the Resistance fighters in the besieged city have been remarking about a phenomenon that they find strange and surprising. Resistance fighters have frequently noticed that many of the American aggressor troops are laughing as they storm into districts in al-Fallujah. The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent personally witnessed this clearly when he was close to the events as US aggressors tried to storm an-Nizal neighborhood in the besieged city on Saturday.
The correspondent wrote that he saw two American soldiers laughing, such as to arouse pity for them, despite all the Resistance gunfire being poured at their position and their comrades dying around them. Both of the Americans were later killed in the battle. The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent writes that the Resistance learned later from interrogations of captured American Marines that the US military medical service distributes a type of halucinogenic pill to the troops that prompts laughter and reduces the sense of fear in combat conditions.
The reverse situation has been revealed in the despair and terror exhibited by the US troops when their lines of supply of food and medicine have been cut – a phenomenon that has been witnessed by nearby Resistance fighters.
USA
NY Times: A Vision of Power by Paul Krugman
There's a deep mystery surrounding Dick Cheney's energy task force, but it's not about what happened back in 2001. Clearly, energy industry executives dictated the content of a report that served their interests.
The real mystery is why the Bush administration has engaged in a three-year fight — which reaches the Supreme Court today — to hide the details of a story whose broad outline we already know.
One possibility is that there is some kind of incriminating evidence in the task force's records. Another is that the administration fears that full disclosure will highlight its chummy relationship with the energy industry. But there's a third possibility: that the administration is really taking a stand on principle. And that's what scares me.
NY Times: A Vision of Power by Paul Krugman
There's a deep mystery surrounding Dick Cheney's energy task force, but it's not about what happened back in 2001. Clearly, energy industry executives dictated the content of a report that served their interests.
The real mystery is why the Bush administration has engaged in a three-year fight — which reaches the Supreme Court today — to hide the details of a story whose broad outline we already know.
One possibility is that there is some kind of incriminating evidence in the task force's records. Another is that the administration fears that full disclosure will highlight its chummy relationship with the energy industry. But there's a third possibility: that the administration is really taking a stand on principle. And that's what scares me.
IRAQ: UPRISING
Toronto Star: Fog of war shrouds deadly truth
Roadside bombing in Baghdad kills one American soldier
Iraqis claim four children killed by retaliatory U.S. bullets
Iraqi witnesses said that not one child but four, possibly five, were killed. The U.S. military had no count. But according to the military, gunmen fired on the U.S. soldiers from rooftops, provoking return fire. No Iraqi witness mentioned that.
Several Iraqis there did say the children were incited to jump around the burning Humvee by a cameraman for Al Arabiya, an Arab news channel, which U.S. officials say is guilty of stoking a much broader anti-Americanism among viewers around the Arab world. The station denies its cameraman did anything but film.
Toronto Star: Fog of war shrouds deadly truth
Roadside bombing in Baghdad kills one American soldier
Iraqis claim four children killed by retaliatory U.S. bullets
Iraqi witnesses said that not one child but four, possibly five, were killed. The U.S. military had no count. But according to the military, gunmen fired on the U.S. soldiers from rooftops, provoking return fire. No Iraqi witness mentioned that.
Several Iraqis there did say the children were incited to jump around the burning Humvee by a cameraman for Al Arabiya, an Arab news channel, which U.S. officials say is guilty of stoking a much broader anti-Americanism among viewers around the Arab world. The station denies its cameraman did anything but film.
IRAQ: UPRISING
Stuff.nz: US threatens Falluja, Najaf
FALLUJA: US forces in Iraq threw down a gauntlet to fighters from both
main Muslim communities overnight, threatening imminent assaults on two key
towns if guerrillas do not accede to their demands.
US forces encircle both Najaf, the holiest Iraqi city for the Shi'ite
majority, and Falluja, where Sunni insurgents fought a bloody new round
in a three-week battle with US Marines. Eight guerrillas and a soldier
died and a mosque was damaged.
Loud explosions between Najaf and Kufa, 10km northeast, echoed through
the holy city last night after clashes between militiamen loyal to rebel
Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and US troops in the area, witness said
Stuff.nz: US threatens Falluja, Najaf
FALLUJA: US forces in Iraq threw down a gauntlet to fighters from both
main Muslim communities overnight, threatening imminent assaults on two key
towns if guerrillas do not accede to their demands.
US forces encircle both Najaf, the holiest Iraqi city for the Shi'ite
majority, and Falluja, where Sunni insurgents fought a bloody new round
in a three-week battle with US Marines. Eight guerrillas and a soldier
died and a mosque was damaged.
Loud explosions between Najaf and Kufa, 10km northeast, echoed through
the holy city last night after clashes between militiamen loyal to rebel
Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and US troops in the area, witness said
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
APOCALYPSE
Rense: What Will The End Of Society Be Like ?
This essay is divided into two general sections.
The first will cover several ways how most of the life on earth (not all life) may suddenly die. The second part, will cover just what it could be like. If you have ever lived through an ice storm or snowstorm or other calamity when the power was out...that was mild compared to this.
This is full of doom and gloom, and disturbing facts. Don't blame me if you have nightmares tonight.
Rense: What Will The End Of Society Be Like ?
This essay is divided into two general sections.
The first will cover several ways how most of the life on earth (not all life) may suddenly die. The second part, will cover just what it could be like. If you have ever lived through an ice storm or snowstorm or other calamity when the power was out...that was mild compared to this.
This is full of doom and gloom, and disturbing facts. Don't blame me if you have nightmares tonight.
USA
SPIEGEL: USA schießen Killer-Satelliten ins All
Die US-Regierung will den Weltraum künftig auch mit Waffengewalt dominieren: Im Juni soll der erste einer neuen Art von Satelliten ins All geschossen werden, die mit einem "Kill Vehicle" andere Satelliten und feindliche Raketen vom Himmel holen können.
"Kill Vehicle" der Firma Boeing: US-Regierung plant Waffen für den Weltraum
Die Militarisierung des Weltraums ist schon seit Jahrzehnten Realität: Zahlreiche Spionage-, Navigations- und Kommunikationssatelliten umkreisen die Erde, die neben zivilen auch militärischen Zwecken dienen. Waffen gibt es derzeit nicht in der Erdumlaufbahn - was sich allerdings bald ändern wird. Zwei Jahrzehnte nach dem wahnwitzigen, als "Star Wars" verspotteten SDI-Programm von Präsident Ronald Reagan will die US-Regierung Ernst machen: Im Juni dieses Jahres soll ein Satellit namens "Near Field Infrared Experiment", kurz NFIRE, ins All geschossen werden.
SPIEGEL: USA schießen Killer-Satelliten ins All
Die US-Regierung will den Weltraum künftig auch mit Waffengewalt dominieren: Im Juni soll der erste einer neuen Art von Satelliten ins All geschossen werden, die mit einem "Kill Vehicle" andere Satelliten und feindliche Raketen vom Himmel holen können.
"Kill Vehicle" der Firma Boeing: US-Regierung plant Waffen für den Weltraum
Die Militarisierung des Weltraums ist schon seit Jahrzehnten Realität: Zahlreiche Spionage-, Navigations- und Kommunikationssatelliten umkreisen die Erde, die neben zivilen auch militärischen Zwecken dienen. Waffen gibt es derzeit nicht in der Erdumlaufbahn - was sich allerdings bald ändern wird. Zwei Jahrzehnte nach dem wahnwitzigen, als "Star Wars" verspotteten SDI-Programm von Präsident Ronald Reagan will die US-Regierung Ernst machen: Im Juni dieses Jahres soll ein Satellit namens "Near Field Infrared Experiment", kurz NFIRE, ins All geschossen werden.
IRAQ
Spiegel: Entführer fordern Proteste der Italiener gegen Irak-Einsatz
Die Forderung ist an Zynismus kaum zu überbieten: Die Entführer der im Irak verschleppten Italiener verlangen von deren Landsleuten Proteste gegen die Truppenpräsenz des Landes in dem Golfstaat. Sollte es innerhalb von fünf Tagen nicht zu Demonstrationen in Italien kommen, wollen die Islamisten alle Geiseln umbringen.
Spiegel: Entführer fordern Proteste der Italiener gegen Irak-Einsatz
Die Forderung ist an Zynismus kaum zu überbieten: Die Entführer der im Irak verschleppten Italiener verlangen von deren Landsleuten Proteste gegen die Truppenpräsenz des Landes in dem Golfstaat. Sollte es innerhalb von fünf Tagen nicht zu Demonstrationen in Italien kommen, wollen die Islamisten alle Geiseln umbringen.
Monday, April 26, 2004
FREE SPEECH
Robert Fisk: A Warning to Those Who Dare to Criticize Israel
Behold Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, would-be graduation commencement speaker at Emory University in the United States. She has made a big mistake. She dared to criticise Israel. She suggested--horror of horrors--that "the root cause of the Arab-Israeli conflict is the occupation". Now whoah there a moment, Mary! "Occupation"? Isn't that a little bit anti-Israeli?
Are you really suggesting that the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Israel, its use of extrajudicial executions against Palestinian gunmen, the Israeli gunning down of schoolboy stone-throwers, the wholesale theft of Arab land to build homes for Jews, is in some way wrong?
Maybe I misheard you. Sure I did. Because your response to these scurrilous libels, to these slurs upon your right to free speech, to these slanderous attacks on your integrity, was a pussy-cat's whimper. You were "very hurt and dismayed". It is, you told The Irish Times, "distressing that allegations are being made that are completely unfounded".
You should have threatened your accusers with legal action. When I warn those who claim in their vicious postcards that my mother was Eichmann's daughter that they will receive a solicitor's letter--Peggy Fisk was in the RAF in the Second World War, but no matter--they fall silent at once.
Robert Fisk: A Warning to Those Who Dare to Criticize Israel
Behold Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, would-be graduation commencement speaker at Emory University in the United States. She has made a big mistake. She dared to criticise Israel. She suggested--horror of horrors--that "the root cause of the Arab-Israeli conflict is the occupation". Now whoah there a moment, Mary! "Occupation"? Isn't that a little bit anti-Israeli?
Are you really suggesting that the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Israel, its use of extrajudicial executions against Palestinian gunmen, the Israeli gunning down of schoolboy stone-throwers, the wholesale theft of Arab land to build homes for Jews, is in some way wrong?
Maybe I misheard you. Sure I did. Because your response to these scurrilous libels, to these slurs upon your right to free speech, to these slanderous attacks on your integrity, was a pussy-cat's whimper. You were "very hurt and dismayed". It is, you told The Irish Times, "distressing that allegations are being made that are completely unfounded".
You should have threatened your accusers with legal action. When I warn those who claim in their vicious postcards that my mother was Eichmann's daughter that they will receive a solicitor's letter--Peggy Fisk was in the RAF in the Second World War, but no matter--they fall silent at once.
Friday, April 23, 2004
VIDEO
Informationclearinhouse: Truth, Lies And The War On Terrorism
Counter Spin TV: Broadcast 04/21/04
From 9/11 to WMD and Iraq, counterSpin debates what the White House knew and when they knew it. With special guest Greg Palast, author of the New York Times bestseller, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. Palast also writes for Britain's Observer and Guardian newspapers, and is an investigative reporter for BBC Television's Newsnight.
Part 1
Informationclearinhouse: Truth, Lies And The War On Terrorism
Counter Spin TV: Broadcast 04/21/04
From 9/11 to WMD and Iraq, counterSpin debates what the White House knew and when they knew it. With special guest Greg Palast, author of the New York Times bestseller, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. Palast also writes for Britain's Observer and Guardian newspapers, and is an investigative reporter for BBC Television's Newsnight.
Part 1
VIDEO
Informationclearinghouse: Exposed: The Carlyle Group
Shocking documentary uncovers the subversion of Americas democracy
defy you to watch this 48 minute documentary and not be outraged about the depth of corruption and deceit within the highest ranks of our government and the first family.
Note: The first one minute forty seven seconds of this program is in broadcast in Dutch, The remainder is in English.
Informationclearinghouse: Exposed: The Carlyle Group
Shocking documentary uncovers the subversion of Americas democracy
defy you to watch this 48 minute documentary and not be outraged about the depth of corruption and deceit within the highest ranks of our government and the first family.
Note: The first one minute forty seven seconds of this program is in broadcast in Dutch, The remainder is in English.
IRAQ: FALLUJA
AL-Jazeera: US destroying Falluja homes
Ferocious fighting in the Iraqi town of Falluja has grown so intense that US occupation forces have begun destroying buildings and homes.
Aljazeera's correspondent in Falluja, Abd Al-Adhim Muhammad, said exchange of fire in the Golan quarter grew so fierce that troops had to call in helicopter support on Wednesday.
Muhammad said he personally witnessed two US air gunships destroy four homes in al-Mutasim quarter, adding many resistance fighters were now taking cover in the ruined buildings.
AL-Jazeera: US destroying Falluja homes
Ferocious fighting in the Iraqi town of Falluja has grown so intense that US occupation forces have begun destroying buildings and homes.
Aljazeera's correspondent in Falluja, Abd Al-Adhim Muhammad, said exchange of fire in the Golan quarter grew so fierce that troops had to call in helicopter support on Wednesday.
Muhammad said he personally witnessed two US air gunships destroy four homes in al-Mutasim quarter, adding many resistance fighters were now taking cover in the ruined buildings.
USA/ISRAEL
Reuters: Bush Says World Owes
Israel's Sharon A 'Thank You'
"Ariel Sharon came to America, and he stood up with me and he said, 'We are pulling out of Gaza and parts of the West Bank,"' Bush told a newspaper conference in Washington.
In "my judgment, the whole world should have said, 'Thank you, Ariel. Now we have a chance to begin the construction of a peaceful Palestinian state,"' Bush added.
"die scheisse die der Mann erz?hlt ist so unglaublich dumm, dass ist kaum zu glauben"
Reuters: Bush Says World Owes
Israel's Sharon A 'Thank You'
"Ariel Sharon came to America, and he stood up with me and he said, 'We are pulling out of Gaza and parts of the West Bank,"' Bush told a newspaper conference in Washington.
In "my judgment, the whole world should have said, 'Thank you, Ariel. Now we have a chance to begin the construction of a peaceful Palestinian state,"' Bush added.
"die scheisse die der Mann erz?hlt ist so unglaublich dumm, dass ist kaum zu glauben"
Thursday, April 22, 2004
SITE OF THE DAY
LETSROLL911.ORG
A Short Word to the World from the Creators of LetsRoll911!.org
It can be proven that missiles were used against the world trade center. It can further be proven that the World Trade Center was brought down by controlled demolitions, purposely, with 3000 innocent, helpless souls inside. With this being the case, it changes everything for the World, for Afghanistan, for Iraq, for George Bush, and lastly but not least, insurance companies involved. This website will save them billions! It will save United & American Airlines billions, and help everyone recover losses already paid out. Not only was 911 pre-planned, but those who did so, did so with the intention of using this event to defraud insurance companies out of billions upon billions of dollars at the same time. Thus making the insurance claims null and void. I sure would hate to be Larry Silverstein right now, cause this doesn't look good for him. He bought the World Trade Center some 90 days before 911 with all sorts of special and now, in hindsight, curious insurance riders. He bought 2 Asbestos filled 'Golden Herring' Towers which would cost more to tear down than to replace. And now, he has the gall to try to make the insurance companies double pay for the World Trade Center. Shameless. But with this new development, the insurance companies can not only stop payment on all 911 claims, but they can now start to recover their huge losses due to fraud. What will Larry Silverstein settle for now? Perhaps he knew nothing, one can only hope. It will be for the investigators of the true official investigation to figure out. But as of yet, this investigation hasn't started. The sham 911 commission is designed to cover this up. The true investigation, in my opinion, will only be done by those who have the most to lose. Insurance companies. When they see the Dog and Pony show that has been leveled against them, they will, and should rise up in unison and say; "Nope, not a dime...Let the insiders pay for their handiwork! With the information here at the site, it should provide the Insurance companies, with far more than enough reason to just saying 'no' to another nickel or dime payout. Let the truth begin and lets leave the falsehoods behind....
LETSROLL911.ORG
A Short Word to the World from the Creators of LetsRoll911!.org
It can be proven that missiles were used against the world trade center. It can further be proven that the World Trade Center was brought down by controlled demolitions, purposely, with 3000 innocent, helpless souls inside. With this being the case, it changes everything for the World, for Afghanistan, for Iraq, for George Bush, and lastly but not least, insurance companies involved. This website will save them billions! It will save United & American Airlines billions, and help everyone recover losses already paid out. Not only was 911 pre-planned, but those who did so, did so with the intention of using this event to defraud insurance companies out of billions upon billions of dollars at the same time. Thus making the insurance claims null and void. I sure would hate to be Larry Silverstein right now, cause this doesn't look good for him. He bought the World Trade Center some 90 days before 911 with all sorts of special and now, in hindsight, curious insurance riders. He bought 2 Asbestos filled 'Golden Herring' Towers which would cost more to tear down than to replace. And now, he has the gall to try to make the insurance companies double pay for the World Trade Center. Shameless. But with this new development, the insurance companies can not only stop payment on all 911 claims, but they can now start to recover their huge losses due to fraud. What will Larry Silverstein settle for now? Perhaps he knew nothing, one can only hope. It will be for the investigators of the true official investigation to figure out. But as of yet, this investigation hasn't started. The sham 911 commission is designed to cover this up. The true investigation, in my opinion, will only be done by those who have the most to lose. Insurance companies. When they see the Dog and Pony show that has been leveled against them, they will, and should rise up in unison and say; "Nope, not a dime...Let the insiders pay for their handiwork! With the information here at the site, it should provide the Insurance companies, with far more than enough reason to just saying 'no' to another nickel or dime payout. Let the truth begin and lets leave the falsehoods behind....
PEAK OIL
BBC: When the last oil well runs dry
Just as certain as death and taxes is the knowledge that we shall one day be forced to learn to live without oil.
Exactly when that day will dawn nobody knows, but people in middle age today can probably expect to be here for it.
From The Wilderness Publications reported him as saying: "Any serious analysis now shows solid evidence that the non-FSU [former Soviet Union], non-Opec [Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries] oil has certainly petered out and has probably peaked...
No cheap oil, no cheap food
"I think basically that peaking of oil will never be accurately predicted until after the fact. But the event will occur, and my analysis is... that peaking is at hand, not years away.
"If I'm right, the unforeseen consequences are devastating... If the world's oil supply does peak, the world's issues start to look very different.
"There really aren't any good energy solutions for bridges, to buy some time, from oil and gas to the alternatives. The only alternative right now is to shrink our economies."
BBC: When the last oil well runs dry
Just as certain as death and taxes is the knowledge that we shall one day be forced to learn to live without oil.
Exactly when that day will dawn nobody knows, but people in middle age today can probably expect to be here for it.
From The Wilderness Publications reported him as saying: "Any serious analysis now shows solid evidence that the non-FSU [former Soviet Union], non-Opec [Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries] oil has certainly petered out and has probably peaked...
No cheap oil, no cheap food
"I think basically that peaking of oil will never be accurately predicted until after the fact. But the event will occur, and my analysis is... that peaking is at hand, not years away.
"If I'm right, the unforeseen consequences are devastating... If the world's oil supply does peak, the world's issues start to look very different.
"There really aren't any good energy solutions for bridges, to buy some time, from oil and gas to the alternatives. The only alternative right now is to shrink our economies."
IRAQ: UPRISING
Fromthewilderness: TIME LINE: PATH TO PANDEMONIUM Stan Goff FTW Military and Veteran's Affairs Editor
The British Commander in Southern Iraq Brigadier Nick Carter, admitted last week that a Major assault on Najaf might mean the end of British involvement in this war: "A crowd of 150,000 people at the gates of this barracks would be the end of this, as far as I'm concerned… There would be absolutely nothing I could do about that…. The moment that Sayid Ali (Sayid Ali al-Safi al-Musawi, who represents Ayatollah Sistani, Iraq 's leading Shia cleric) says, 'We don't want the Coalition here', we might as well go home."
"CHECK THE TIMELINE; WELL DONE"
Fromthewilderness: TIME LINE: PATH TO PANDEMONIUM Stan Goff FTW Military and Veteran's Affairs Editor
The British Commander in Southern Iraq Brigadier Nick Carter, admitted last week that a Major assault on Najaf might mean the end of British involvement in this war: "A crowd of 150,000 people at the gates of this barracks would be the end of this, as far as I'm concerned… There would be absolutely nothing I could do about that…. The moment that Sayid Ali (Sayid Ali al-Safi al-Musawi, who represents Ayatollah Sistani, Iraq 's leading Shia cleric) says, 'We don't want the Coalition here', we might as well go home."
"CHECK THE TIMELINE; WELL DONE"
PEAK OIL
Janes: World oil crisis looms
The oil industry has been gripped by scandal since Royal Dutch/Shell twice this year downgraded its proven oil reserves by 20 per cent, or nearly 4bn barrels. Shell may not be alone.
Other companies and even governments have hyped up the estimates of how much oil they have, which is a vital factor in measuring their economic health. If exaggeration proves to be widespread, it would have an immense impact on the Middle East, whose economic weight is almost totally dependent on oil and natural gas.
Geologists and analysts have been saying for some time that estimates of global oil reserves may be dangerously exaggerated. If you take oil prices currently at around US$37 a barrel, the highest for nearly 15 years, US petrol prices at record levels and you add terrorist attacks and diminishing supplies, you have a recipe for inflation and economic slowdown. The question of reserves becomes a much more important factor.
Janes: World oil crisis looms
The oil industry has been gripped by scandal since Royal Dutch/Shell twice this year downgraded its proven oil reserves by 20 per cent, or nearly 4bn barrels. Shell may not be alone.
Other companies and even governments have hyped up the estimates of how much oil they have, which is a vital factor in measuring their economic health. If exaggeration proves to be widespread, it would have an immense impact on the Middle East, whose economic weight is almost totally dependent on oil and natural gas.
Geologists and analysts have been saying for some time that estimates of global oil reserves may be dangerously exaggerated. If you take oil prices currently at around US$37 a barrel, the highest for nearly 15 years, US petrol prices at record levels and you add terrorist attacks and diminishing supplies, you have a recipe for inflation and economic slowdown. The question of reserves becomes a much more important factor.
USA
Indymedia: The Armagedon Plan: Nightline Sells Martial Law
Will the US be under martial law by June, 2004? That is the impression some are expressing after witnessing a recent episode of Nightline (4/7/2004), with Ted Koppel. On this particular program Koppel is host to Richard Clarke, former Reagan officials Edwin Meese III and Kenneth M. Duberstein; former Clinton official Sally Katzen, author James Mann, and former Bush official Richard Clarke. The subject matter is named The Armageddon Plan.
Indymedia: The Armagedon Plan: Nightline Sells Martial Law
Will the US be under martial law by June, 2004? That is the impression some are expressing after witnessing a recent episode of Nightline (4/7/2004), with Ted Koppel. On this particular program Koppel is host to Richard Clarke, former Reagan officials Edwin Meese III and Kenneth M. Duberstein; former Clinton official Sally Katzen, author James Mann, and former Bush official Richard Clarke. The subject matter is named The Armageddon Plan.
IRAQ
Independent: When terror came to Basra
Co-ordinated suicide bombings kill 68 Iraqis in British-controlled area
Independent: When terror came to Basra
Co-ordinated suicide bombings kill 68 Iraqis in British-controlled area
ISRAEL/USA
War without End: A War for Israel?
When Malaysian Prime Minister Mathahir Mohammed declared at an international Islamic Conference in Kuala Lumpur in mid-October that” today the Jews rule the world by proxy [and] They get others to fight and die for them,"1 the reactions in the U.S. and the West were predictable.
It was “a speech that was taken right out of the Protocols of Zion,” according to one Israeli commentator 2 and Mathahir would be accused of imitating Hitler and insuring that “Muslims around the world are similarly being fed a regular diet of classic big lies about Jewish power.” 3
Big lies? Given Israel’s unchecked dominion over the Palestinians and its Arab neighbors over the past half century, supported in every way possible by the United States, one can assume that Muslims, not to mention intelligent non-Muslims, have no need for additional instruction as to the extent of Jewish power. As further proof of its existence, if such were needed, there would be no attempt to measure the Malaysian prime minister’s words against the reality of the times to determine if there was anything accurate in his assessment.
If Mathahir could be accused of anything, it would be of being sloppy historically and using too broad a brush. The Jews, as such, control nothing. A segment of American Jewry, however, has been able, with few exceptions, to shape U.S. Middle East policy since the mid-Sixties. Given America’s position as a major world power, and now its only superpower, that is not a small achievement.
Over the years, that segment, the organized American Jewish community--in short, the Israel lobby--has amassed unparalleled political power through skillfully combining the wealth of its members 4 with its extraordinary organizational skills to achieve what amounts to a corporate takeover of the U.S. Congress plus veto power over the presidency.
War without End: A War for Israel?
When Malaysian Prime Minister Mathahir Mohammed declared at an international Islamic Conference in Kuala Lumpur in mid-October that” today the Jews rule the world by proxy [and] They get others to fight and die for them,"1 the reactions in the U.S. and the West were predictable.
It was “a speech that was taken right out of the Protocols of Zion,” according to one Israeli commentator 2 and Mathahir would be accused of imitating Hitler and insuring that “Muslims around the world are similarly being fed a regular diet of classic big lies about Jewish power.” 3
Big lies? Given Israel’s unchecked dominion over the Palestinians and its Arab neighbors over the past half century, supported in every way possible by the United States, one can assume that Muslims, not to mention intelligent non-Muslims, have no need for additional instruction as to the extent of Jewish power. As further proof of its existence, if such were needed, there would be no attempt to measure the Malaysian prime minister’s words against the reality of the times to determine if there was anything accurate in his assessment.
If Mathahir could be accused of anything, it would be of being sloppy historically and using too broad a brush. The Jews, as such, control nothing. A segment of American Jewry, however, has been able, with few exceptions, to shape U.S. Middle East policy since the mid-Sixties. Given America’s position as a major world power, and now its only superpower, that is not a small achievement.
Over the years, that segment, the organized American Jewish community--in short, the Israel lobby--has amassed unparalleled political power through skillfully combining the wealth of its members 4 with its extraordinary organizational skills to achieve what amounts to a corporate takeover of the U.S. Congress plus veto power over the presidency.
IRAQ: NEGROPONTE
Intervention Magazine: Déjà Vu: Negroponte to Vietnamize Iraq?
Negroponte went to Vietnam for President Nixon and now he goes to Iraq for President Bush; from the quagmire of Vietnam to the quagmire of Iraq
John Dimitri Negroponte, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, will be posted to Iraq as ambassador and viceroy to usher in George W. Bush's brand of democracy in the Middle East. But did you know that in the mid-1960s Negroponte's first overseas assignment had been to the U.S. embassy in Saigon? From 1971 to 1973, Negroponte was the officer-in-charge for Vietnam at the National Security Council (NSC) under Henry Kissinger! More about that below.
Intervention Magazine: Déjà Vu: Negroponte to Vietnamize Iraq?
Negroponte went to Vietnam for President Nixon and now he goes to Iraq for President Bush; from the quagmire of Vietnam to the quagmire of Iraq
John Dimitri Negroponte, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, will be posted to Iraq as ambassador and viceroy to usher in George W. Bush's brand of democracy in the Middle East. But did you know that in the mid-1960s Negroponte's first overseas assignment had been to the U.S. embassy in Saigon? From 1971 to 1973, Negroponte was the officer-in-charge for Vietnam at the National Security Council (NSC) under Henry Kissinger! More about that below.
ISRAEL
RENSE: 'I'm Proud And Happy To Do What I Did' - Vanunu
With these words to the world, Israel's captive declared his freedom today, after 18 years of "cruel and barbaric" treatment in prison for telling the truth about Israel's secret nuclear arsenal
At 11 am, Vanunu walked out the door into Shikma prison's entry yard. A roar erupted from hundreds of demonstrators outside the locked main gate. Supporters at the gate were jostled by detractors behind, some shouting "Kill Vanunu!"
Moving deliberately past the press, surrounded and trailed by assorted officials and guards, Vanunu walked to the gate. Holding both hands high with the signs of victory and peace, he stepped up, onto the bars to see and acknowledge his supporters.
His brothers Asher and Meir, and Meir's young son Luca, had accompanied Vanunu out the door, and rejoined him as he returned to the forest of cameras and microphones.
Vanunu made a statement in English. I have no more secrets to tell; I want to leave Israel but they are restricting me. My treatment was cruel and barbaric; I was punished hard because I am became a Christian. I am a symbol of survival of the human spirit of freedom. I don't want to harm Israel. Open the Dimona reactor for inspection. I want to go to the United States and marry and have a life.
BBC: Vanunu - Israel's Nuclear Telltale
The Spotlight Is Back On Israel's Secret Nuclear Weapons Programme As Mordechai Vanunu Walks From Jail
Mordechai Vanunu's revelations in 1986 appeared to confirm suspicions about Israel's nuclear arsenal and showed a weapons programme bigger and more advanced than anyone had previously thought.
He had worked for nine years as a technician at the Dimona nuclear research centre in the Negev desert - but he left in late 1985 to backpack around the Far East, having become disillusioned with his work.
Before quitting he surreptitiously snapped two rolls of film at the top secret nuclear plant, including equipment for extracting radioactive material for arms production and laboratory models of thermonuclear devices.
It is not clear whether Vanunu was already set upon blowing the whistle on Israel's secret nuclear activities, but by the following year he had joined a group of anti-nuclear Christians in Sydney, Australia, coincidentally being baptised as an Anglican.
RENSE: 'I'm Proud And Happy To Do What I Did' - Vanunu
With these words to the world, Israel's captive declared his freedom today, after 18 years of "cruel and barbaric" treatment in prison for telling the truth about Israel's secret nuclear arsenal
At 11 am, Vanunu walked out the door into Shikma prison's entry yard. A roar erupted from hundreds of demonstrators outside the locked main gate. Supporters at the gate were jostled by detractors behind, some shouting "Kill Vanunu!"
Moving deliberately past the press, surrounded and trailed by assorted officials and guards, Vanunu walked to the gate. Holding both hands high with the signs of victory and peace, he stepped up, onto the bars to see and acknowledge his supporters.
His brothers Asher and Meir, and Meir's young son Luca, had accompanied Vanunu out the door, and rejoined him as he returned to the forest of cameras and microphones.
Vanunu made a statement in English. I have no more secrets to tell; I want to leave Israel but they are restricting me. My treatment was cruel and barbaric; I was punished hard because I am became a Christian. I am a symbol of survival of the human spirit of freedom. I don't want to harm Israel. Open the Dimona reactor for inspection. I want to go to the United States and marry and have a life.
BBC: Vanunu - Israel's Nuclear Telltale
The Spotlight Is Back On Israel's Secret Nuclear Weapons Programme As Mordechai Vanunu Walks From Jail
Mordechai Vanunu's revelations in 1986 appeared to confirm suspicions about Israel's nuclear arsenal and showed a weapons programme bigger and more advanced than anyone had previously thought.
He had worked for nine years as a technician at the Dimona nuclear research centre in the Negev desert - but he left in late 1985 to backpack around the Far East, having become disillusioned with his work.
Before quitting he surreptitiously snapped two rolls of film at the top secret nuclear plant, including equipment for extracting radioactive material for arms production and laboratory models of thermonuclear devices.
It is not clear whether Vanunu was already set upon blowing the whistle on Israel's secret nuclear activities, but by the following year he had joined a group of anti-nuclear Christians in Sydney, Australia, coincidentally being baptised as an Anglican.
USA
Spiegel: Bush schließt Anschläge in den USA nicht aus
US-Präsident Bush schließt einen Terroranschlag in den USA noch vor der Präsidentenwahl nicht aus. Die Geheimdienste arbeiteten zwar gut, so Bush, "aber nie perfekt. Das ist das Problem. Daher ist es wichtig, dass wir sie finden, bevor sie wieder hierher kommen.
Bush hofft wahrscheindlich insgeheim auf einen Anschlag, weil er sonst Osama noch vor den Wahlen aus dem Hut zaubern muss um zu wiedergewählt zu werden
Spiegel: Bush schließt Anschläge in den USA nicht aus
US-Präsident Bush schließt einen Terroranschlag in den USA noch vor der Präsidentenwahl nicht aus. Die Geheimdienste arbeiteten zwar gut, so Bush, "aber nie perfekt. Das ist das Problem. Daher ist es wichtig, dass wir sie finden, bevor sie wieder hierher kommen.
Bush hofft wahrscheindlich insgeheim auf einen Anschlag, weil er sonst Osama noch vor den Wahlen aus dem Hut zaubern muss um zu wiedergewählt zu werden
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
MIDDLE EAST
Robert Fisk: Sharon's "Courageous" Plan
Bush Legitimizes Terrorism
So President George Bush tears up the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan and that's okay. Israeli settlements for Jews and Jews only on the West Bank. That's okay. Taking land from Palestinians who have owned that land for generations, that's okay. UN Security Council Resolution 242 says that land cannot be acquired by war. Forget it. That's okay.
Does President George Bush actually work for al-Qa'ida? What does this mean? That George Bush cares more about his re-election than he does about the Middle East? Or that George Bush is more frightened of the Israeli lobby than he is of his own electorate. Fear not, it is the latter.
His language, his narrative, his discourse on history, has been such a lie these past three weeks that I wonder why we bother to listen to his boring press conferences. Ariel Sharon, the perpetrator of the Sabra and Shatila massacre (1,700 Palestinian civilians dead) is a "man of peace" - even though the official 1993 Israeli report on the massacre said he was "personally responsible" for it. Now, Mr Bush is praising Mr Sharon's plan to steal yet more Palestinian land as a "historic and courageous act".
What Bush has actually done is give way to the crazed world of Christian Zionism. The fundamentalist Christians who support Israel's theft of the West Bank on the grounds that the state of Israel must exist there according to God's law until the second coming, believe that Jesus will return to earth and the Israelis--for this is the Bush "Christian Sundie" belief--will then have to convert to Christianity or die in the battle of Amargeddon.
I kid thee not. This is the Christian fundamentalist belief, which even the Israeli embassy in Washington go along with--without comment, of course--in their weekly Christian Zionist prayer meetings. Every claim by Osama bin Laden, every statement that the United States represents Zionism and supports the theft of Arab lands will now have been proved true to millions of Arabs, even those who had no time for Bin Laden. What better recruiting sergeant could Bin Laden have than George Bush. Doesn't he realise what this means for young American soldiers in Iraq or are Israelis more important than American lives in Mesopotamia?
Robert Fisk: Sharon's "Courageous" Plan
Bush Legitimizes Terrorism
So President George Bush tears up the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan and that's okay. Israeli settlements for Jews and Jews only on the West Bank. That's okay. Taking land from Palestinians who have owned that land for generations, that's okay. UN Security Council Resolution 242 says that land cannot be acquired by war. Forget it. That's okay.
Does President George Bush actually work for al-Qa'ida? What does this mean? That George Bush cares more about his re-election than he does about the Middle East? Or that George Bush is more frightened of the Israeli lobby than he is of his own electorate. Fear not, it is the latter.
His language, his narrative, his discourse on history, has been such a lie these past three weeks that I wonder why we bother to listen to his boring press conferences. Ariel Sharon, the perpetrator of the Sabra and Shatila massacre (1,700 Palestinian civilians dead) is a "man of peace" - even though the official 1993 Israeli report on the massacre said he was "personally responsible" for it. Now, Mr Bush is praising Mr Sharon's plan to steal yet more Palestinian land as a "historic and courageous act".
What Bush has actually done is give way to the crazed world of Christian Zionism. The fundamentalist Christians who support Israel's theft of the West Bank on the grounds that the state of Israel must exist there according to God's law until the second coming, believe that Jesus will return to earth and the Israelis--for this is the Bush "Christian Sundie" belief--will then have to convert to Christianity or die in the battle of Amargeddon.
I kid thee not. This is the Christian fundamentalist belief, which even the Israeli embassy in Washington go along with--without comment, of course--in their weekly Christian Zionist prayer meetings. Every claim by Osama bin Laden, every statement that the United States represents Zionism and supports the theft of Arab lands will now have been proved true to millions of Arabs, even those who had no time for Bin Laden. What better recruiting sergeant could Bin Laden have than George Bush. Doesn't he realise what this means for young American soldiers in Iraq or are Israelis more important than American lives in Mesopotamia?
IRAQ
Robert Fisk: Robert Fisk-Live interview: Iraq power handover 'a fraud'
TONY JONES: What role then do you think the old Ayatollahs, particularly Sistani, are going to play as this situation starts to play itself out around Najaf?
ROBERT FISK: Well, Sistani, you see, still hopes that if there is a future administration the Shiites will basically run it.
They are the majority population.
They are 60 per cent of the population of Iraq.
He doesn't want to do anything which is going to allow the Sunnis to come back and run the country as they did under Kassim, Saddam, the Ba'ath Party and so on.
There's going to come a time and he's beginning to speak much more harshly - when he's not going to be able any longer to hold back an overall Shi'ite resistance against the United States.
He's not going to be able to do it.
If the Americans do try to enter the holy city of Najaf, they're in the suburbs at the moment but they're nowhere near the shrines, if they do try to enter, then I think Sistani will have to call for a war against them.
He'll be finished if he doesn't.
Robert Fisk: Robert Fisk-Live interview: Iraq power handover 'a fraud'
TONY JONES: What role then do you think the old Ayatollahs, particularly Sistani, are going to play as this situation starts to play itself out around Najaf?
ROBERT FISK: Well, Sistani, you see, still hopes that if there is a future administration the Shiites will basically run it.
They are the majority population.
They are 60 per cent of the population of Iraq.
He doesn't want to do anything which is going to allow the Sunnis to come back and run the country as they did under Kassim, Saddam, the Ba'ath Party and so on.
There's going to come a time and he's beginning to speak much more harshly - when he's not going to be able any longer to hold back an overall Shi'ite resistance against the United States.
He's not going to be able to do it.
If the Americans do try to enter the holy city of Najaf, they're in the suburbs at the moment but they're nowhere near the shrines, if they do try to enter, then I think Sistani will have to call for a war against them.
He'll be finished if he doesn't.
TERROR
Heise: Mit Terroristen spricht man nicht
Wir brauchen eine Wende in der Terrorbekämpfung
Mit seiner periodischen Geistererscheinung verband Usama bin Ladin, von dem man nie so genau weiß, ob er denn lebt oder tot ist, diesmal noch eine andere Überraschung. Der "Weltfeind Nr. 1" sprach ein Waffenstillstandsangebot für Europa aus. Al-Dschasira und Al-Arabija präsentierten ein wohl authentisches Tonband mit dem Angebot, mit Europa eine Waffenstillstand vereinbaren, wenn die europäischen Soldaten die islamischen Länder verlassen würden
Heise: Mit Terroristen spricht man nicht
Wir brauchen eine Wende in der Terrorbekämpfung
Mit seiner periodischen Geistererscheinung verband Usama bin Ladin, von dem man nie so genau weiß, ob er denn lebt oder tot ist, diesmal noch eine andere Überraschung. Der "Weltfeind Nr. 1" sprach ein Waffenstillstandsangebot für Europa aus. Al-Dschasira und Al-Arabija präsentierten ein wohl authentisches Tonband mit dem Angebot, mit Europa eine Waffenstillstand vereinbaren, wenn die europäischen Soldaten die islamischen Länder verlassen würden
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
USA/SAUDI ARABIA
Forbes: Saudis pledged oil price cut before US vote-report
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, promised President Bush the Saudis would cut oil prices before November to ensure the U.S. economy is strong on election day, journalist Bob Woodward said in a television interview Sunday.
In an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes" about his new book "Plan of Attack" on the Bush administration's preparations for the Iraq war, Woodward, a senior editor at the Washington Post, said Prince Bandar pledged the Saudi's would try to fine-tune oil prices to prime the U.S. economy for the election -- a move they understood would favor Bush's re-election.
Washingtondispatch: Deal made with Saudis to Influence November Election
an underplayed interview on 60 Minutes Sunday night, Bob Woodward revealed some shocking accounts within his new book, Plan of Attack. Woodward's book unveils the plans for the march to Baghdad which secretly began long before President Bush admitted it to the public.
Most interesting was the revelation by Woodward that George W. Bush made a deal with Saudi Arabia to lower fuel prices before the coming November election. The lowered prices would give the appearance of a strong economy in contrast to the current, record high prices.
In addition to the above, the interview painted a picture of the president as a stubborn man influenced greatly by Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. His disdain for the intellectual "elite" is equaled by a carelessness for how history will judge his actions. According to Woodward, when asked how history will judge his war, the president raised his arms, shrugged his shoulders and said, "History? We don't know. We'll all be dead."
Bob Woodward: With CIA Push, Movement to War Accelerated
This is the second of five articles adapted from "Plan of Attack," a book by Bob Woodward that is a behind-the-scenes account of how and why President Bush decided to go to war against Iraq. Simon & Schuster. © 2004.
On Jan. 2, 2002, CIA Director George J. Tenet met with Vice President Cheney -- at Cheney's request -- to brief him on what the agency could do in Iraq.
In the months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Iraq was much less of a priority than terrorism for Tenet, but not for one of the agency officials who accompanied him to the meeting, the chief of the Iraqi Operations Group, a former covert operations officer who can be identified only by his nickname, Saul.
Within the CIA's Near East Division, which handled some of the hardest, most violent countries, the Iraqi Operations Group was referred to as "The House of Broken Toys." It was largely populated with new, green officers and problem officers, or old boys waiting for retirement. After taking it over in August 2001, Saul had begun a full review of where the CIA stood with Iraq.
VIDEO: Bob Woodward: 60 Minutes Interview.
Forbes: Saudis pledged oil price cut before US vote-report
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, promised President Bush the Saudis would cut oil prices before November to ensure the U.S. economy is strong on election day, journalist Bob Woodward said in a television interview Sunday.
In an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes" about his new book "Plan of Attack" on the Bush administration's preparations for the Iraq war, Woodward, a senior editor at the Washington Post, said Prince Bandar pledged the Saudi's would try to fine-tune oil prices to prime the U.S. economy for the election -- a move they understood would favor Bush's re-election.
Washingtondispatch: Deal made with Saudis to Influence November Election
an underplayed interview on 60 Minutes Sunday night, Bob Woodward revealed some shocking accounts within his new book, Plan of Attack. Woodward's book unveils the plans for the march to Baghdad which secretly began long before President Bush admitted it to the public.
Most interesting was the revelation by Woodward that George W. Bush made a deal with Saudi Arabia to lower fuel prices before the coming November election. The lowered prices would give the appearance of a strong economy in contrast to the current, record high prices.
In addition to the above, the interview painted a picture of the president as a stubborn man influenced greatly by Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. His disdain for the intellectual "elite" is equaled by a carelessness for how history will judge his actions. According to Woodward, when asked how history will judge his war, the president raised his arms, shrugged his shoulders and said, "History? We don't know. We'll all be dead."
Bob Woodward: With CIA Push, Movement to War Accelerated
This is the second of five articles adapted from "Plan of Attack," a book by Bob Woodward that is a behind-the-scenes account of how and why President Bush decided to go to war against Iraq. Simon & Schuster. © 2004.
On Jan. 2, 2002, CIA Director George J. Tenet met with Vice President Cheney -- at Cheney's request -- to brief him on what the agency could do in Iraq.
In the months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Iraq was much less of a priority than terrorism for Tenet, but not for one of the agency officials who accompanied him to the meeting, the chief of the Iraqi Operations Group, a former covert operations officer who can be identified only by his nickname, Saul.
Within the CIA's Near East Division, which handled some of the hardest, most violent countries, the Iraqi Operations Group was referred to as "The House of Broken Toys." It was largely populated with new, green officers and problem officers, or old boys waiting for retirement. After taking it over in August 2001, Saul had begun a full review of where the CIA stood with Iraq.
VIDEO: Bob Woodward: 60 Minutes Interview.
911
Rense: The Fatal Flaw In The 911 Coverup
Why can no one name the hijackers or prove they flew the planes?
Know how to tell the difference between the truth and lies of 9/11? If they're talking about hijackers having done the dastardly deed, you know they're part of the sinister coverup extravaganza, wittingly or not.
In order for the people of the world to be convinced that Islamic hijackers were responsible for terrible tragedy of 9/11, we need to see some evidence. Not hearsay, innuendo, aspersion or promises of evidence, but real evidence.
Otherwise, the whole subject is rightly regarded as a ruse, a setup to conceal the identities of the real culprits, the ones who sit smugly in front of the TV cameras and plot their cynical war on terror - otherwise known as the war on the peoples of the world.
As President Bush continues to insist that his word be accepted as truth on numerous questions, time after time his statements have been revealed as blatant falsehoods. Yet he continues to repeat them, and the whorish corporate media continues to accept them.
Rense: The Fatal Flaw In The 911 Coverup
Why can no one name the hijackers or prove they flew the planes?
Know how to tell the difference between the truth and lies of 9/11? If they're talking about hijackers having done the dastardly deed, you know they're part of the sinister coverup extravaganza, wittingly or not.
In order for the people of the world to be convinced that Islamic hijackers were responsible for terrible tragedy of 9/11, we need to see some evidence. Not hearsay, innuendo, aspersion or promises of evidence, but real evidence.
Otherwise, the whole subject is rightly regarded as a ruse, a setup to conceal the identities of the real culprits, the ones who sit smugly in front of the TV cameras and plot their cynical war on terror - otherwise known as the war on the peoples of the world.
As President Bush continues to insist that his word be accepted as truth on numerous questions, time after time his statements have been revealed as blatant falsehoods. Yet he continues to repeat them, and the whorish corporate media continues to accept them.
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