Monday, May 31, 2010
carlos_da_mackeral: 'US gave historic guarantees' Days after NPT conference, official says Obama assured PM Israel's deterrence to remain intact ... http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3896361,00.html
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has received unequivocal guarantees from Obama for the State of Israel's preservation of strategic and deterring abilities," a senior State official said. "These assurances include a significant upgrade in the history of US-Israel relations in the line of strategic understandings." The source noted that the US had effectively promised Israel that no decision made by the NPT conference would harm Israel's vital interests.
Condemnation, protests target Israel after raid http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/05/31/2227920/turkey-withdraws-ambassador-to.html
In Tehran, dozens of angry students pelted the U.N. offices with stones and eggs in protest, burning Israeli flags and chanting, "death to Israel" and "down with U.S." Police blocked them from reaching the building. The president of Iran, a key supporter of Hamas, called the raid "an inhuman act." In Baghdad, an estimated 3,000 Shiite followers of the anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr shouted "Death, death to Israel!" and "Death, death to America!"
Riot police used tear gas to drive back hundreds of protesters demonstrating outside the Israeli Embassy in Paris. There were also demonstrations in Rome, Sweden, Norway, Cyprus and more than 20 cities in Greece.In Athens, riot police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse around 2,500 Greeks and Arabs protesting outside the Israeli Embassy. Some protesters threw stones and tried to push past police lines to reach the embassy. About 2,000 people demonstrated peacefully in Thessaloniki.
'Israel is a Lunatic State' - Finkelstein on Gaza Flotilla Attack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB_CKL5h2_8&feature=player_embedded
Political scientist Norman Finkelstein has spoken to RT to give his assessment of Israel's raid on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.
US activist loses eye after being shot in face with tear gas canister http://palsolidarity.org/2010/05/12604/
An American solidarity activist was shot in the face with a tear gas canister during a demonstration in Qalandiya, today. Emily Henochowicz is currently in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem undergoing surgery to remove her left eye, following the demonstration that was held in protest to Israel’s murder of at least 10 civilians aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters this morning.
Cynthia McKinney condemns Israeli massacre of activists http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2010/05/31/cynthia-mckinney-condemns-israeli-massacre-of-activists/
I am outraged at Israel’s latest criminal act. I mourn with my fellow Free Gaza travelers, the lives that have been lost by Israel’s needless, senseless act against unarmed humanitarian activists. But I’m even more outraged that once again, Israel’s actions have been aided and abetted by a U.S. political class that has become corrupted beyond belief due to its reliance on Zionist finance and penetration by Zionist zealots for whom no U.S. weapons system is too much for the Israeli war machine, and the silence of the world’s onlookers whose hearts have grown cold with indifference.
Richard Falk (UN Rapporteur for Palestine) http://mycatbirdseat.com/2010/06/gaza-aid-convoy-killings-those-responsible-must-be-held-criminally-accountable/
“This peaceful humanitarian initiative by citizens from 50 countries is an urgent response to the continuation of an unlawful blockade that has been maintained for almost three years causing great physical and mental harm to the whole of the 1.5 million people entrapped within Gaza,” the UN independent expert said.
“Such a massive form of collective punishment is a crime against humanity, as well as a gross violation of the prohibition on collective punishment in Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
As Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, familiar with the suffering of the people of Gaza, I find this latest instance of Israeli military lawlessness to create a situation of regional and global emergency. Unless prompt and decisive action is taken to challenge the Israeli approach to Gaza all of us will be complicit in criminal policies that are challenging the survival of an entire beleaguered community.”
Israel: Protest in Arab Town of Um el-Fahem against Israeli Attack on Freedom Flotilla http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/israel310510.html
A mass rally has been held in Um el-Fahem today in condemnation of the Israeli pirate attack on the freedom flotilla. Former Mayor of Um el-Fahem Raed Salah was on board the Mavi Marmara during the attack, in which nearly 20 activists are said to have been killed by the IDF.
Jewish Group Condemns Israeli Attack on Gaza Freedom Flotilla http://mostlywater.org/jewish_group_condemns_israeli_attack_gaza_freedom_flotilla
“Instead of responding to this growing concern for the suffering that the people of Gaza caused by the blockade, Israel has reacted by unleashing murderous violence against this non-violent solidarity effort,” Haiven continued.“The international community must stand up to this horrifying instance of state terrorism by taking immediate action to hold Israel accountable for this crime. We must put an end to Israeli impunity,” he concluded.
Venezuela condemns attack fleet and urges punishment for Israel http://www.telesurtv.net/noticias/secciones/nota/72831-NN/venezuela-condena-ataque-contra-flotilla-y-exhorta-castigo-para-israel/
Venezuela's government on Monday strongly condemned the massacre that the Israeli army ran into one of the boats of the "Freedom Flotilla" that would send humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and offered to provide "the necessary assistance for responsible for the killings be severely punished. " In a statement released by Foreign Ministry, the state led by President Hugo Chavez expressed his deep regret over the attack that left 19 dead and activists moved its condolences to the family.
"President Hugo Chavez, on behalf of your government and people of Venezuela, expresses its deep regret and moved its deepest condolences to the families and friends of those heroes who have been victims of this crime of state" The country offered to the international community to help punish those responsible for this crime , which is condemned by much of the world and said it will continue to denounce "terrorist and criminal nature of the government of Israel" "The Revolutionary Government of Venezuela more than ever,states its unwavering commitment to the struggle of the Palestinian people for freedom, national sovereignty and dignity," says the statement. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs Release The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Commander Hugo Chavez, strongly condemns the brutal slaughter committed by the State of Israel against members of the Freedom Flotilla "as a result of the action of war waged by the Israeli army against unarmed civilians who were trying to bring humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people of Gaza, subject to the criminal blockade imposed by the State of Israel.
President Hugo Chavez, on behalf of his government and people of Venezuela, expresses its deep regret and moved its deepest condolences to the families and friends of the heroes who have been victims of state crime, pledging to honor their memory and provide necessary assistance to bring those responsible for these killings to justice until they are severely punished. The Revolutionary Government of Venezuela continue to denounce the terrorist and criminal nature of the Israeli government, while reiterating, now more than ever, your unwavering commitment to the Palestinian struggle for freedom, national sovereignty and dignity.
ISRAELI PROPAGANDA RESORTS TO MISLEADING PHOTO TO CLAIM SELF-DEFENSE http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-navy-commandos-gaza-flotilla-activists-tried-to-lynch-us-1.293089
Take a close look at the photo in the article claiming to show one of the activists with a knife fighting off the Israeli attackers.The Israelis attacked the flotilla at 4AM. Look at the window in the back of the photo. It's a DAYTIME picture!
A disgrace of historic proportions http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/05/28/guantanamo/index.html
What's most significant about this is that Hassen is now the 36th detainee who has won his habeas hearing since the Supreme Court in 2008 ruled they have the right to such hearings -- out of 50 whose petitions have been heard. In other words, 72% of Guantanamo detainees who finally were able to obtain just minimal due process (which is what a habeas hearing is) --
after years of being in a cage without charges -- have been found by federal judges to be wrongfully detained. These are people who are part of what the U.S. Government continues to insist are "the worst of the worst" who remain, and whose release is being vehemently contested by the Obama DOJ.The real disgrace here is that the U.S. Congress, in 2006, enacted the Military Commissions Act, which explicitly denied all Guantanamo detainees any rights to habeas review. The widely loved Lindsey Graham -- along with the profoundly noble Joe Lieberman and John McCain --
were the prime sponsors of that provision. Think about what that means, what the people who voted for that (including 12 Democratic Senators) tried to do: had the Supreme Court not struck down that provision by a 5-4 vote in Boumediene, all of these innocent people would continue to be denied any rights of judicial review, and would unjustly languish in prison indefinitely. The people who voted for the Military Commissions Act, and the 4 Supreme Court Justices who sought to uphold it, knowingly acted to deny scores of innocent prisoners any opportunity for judicial review. That's as warped and as evil as it gets.
Alvaro Uribe will be tainted by the corruption and abuse http://www.telesurtv.net/noticias/contexto/1981/alvaro-uribe-dejara-el-poder-manchado-por-corrupcion-y-abuso/
At dawn on the beautiful Plaza Bolivar in the heart of the Colombian capital, some figures out of their tents stiffen plastic to dry in the rain at night with the first rays of sun. Activists are traveling to the encampment of displaced -2,000,000 and a half, according to conservative figures, 4 million under alternative data, which continue to be expelled from their lands in various regions of the country. Not only by the violence of the paramilitaries and the confrontation between guerrillas and army.Now there is a forced displacement policy a ''functional''economic model of government, which displaces them from communal territories belonging to ethnic groups for mega mining companies, biofuels and hydrocarbons of transnational corporations.
This is just a picture of the balance in red wich will be left behind President Alvaro Uribe in various categories, which is analized in detail for the scholar's Day Camilo Gonzalez Posso, president of the Institute of Peace (economist, former Minister of Health, César Gaviria , and whose name, like many citizens had been targeted and identified as critics of Uribe,wich had appeared on lists of people to be assasinated wich ''developed'' based on intelligence reports of the Administrative Department Security (DAS) over rightwing paramilitary groups in the past two years
This is another of the many scandals that have been revealed around Colombia and are the legacy of eight years of Uribe. But be careful,''he cautions,this is a mixed balance. Uribe is worn out ,but it didnt fail. One of Uribe's assets ahead of a public weary of war and bombed by a well-oiled propaganda machine,one that began in a ''war against terrorism''and ended with ''the violence ended.'' Here, too, "explains the leader of Indepaz-the balance is mixed:''Uribe did not defeat the guerrillas, violence does not pay or dissolved by the paramilitaries. In 2009 there was more fighting and more initiatives by the FARC in 2008.''
On August 7 trustee, so close to his Mexican counterpart Felipe Calderón, will leave the Palace of Nariño tainted by the most extravagant and excessive corruption scandals and abuse of power. To the degree that the Friday night, during the final televised debate between the leading candidates for president, drivers were asked who among them would put their hands into the fire for the inner circle of President Uribe. None, yes, not even his dauphin, the candidate of the Partido de la U, José Manuel Santos. The mafia-style'' governance'' ''This is the worst year of Alvaro Uribe. Its been months of denouncements by the criminal methods of his power management. This,is not me saying but by his own people .'' And some details:
1 .- The unveiling of a false positive, if qualified by the rapporteurs of the UN and the State Department as''extrajudicial executions committed by members of the armed forces but as part of a guideline in the corridors of power.'' Prosecutors have estimated more than 2000 cases in which it is committed by the Ministry of Defence (where Santos was head). The government took no action until the file was in the International Criminal Court.
2 .- The use of public resources to favor friends of President with large subsidies from the field. It created a fund of 500 billion pesos to compensate farmers who would be affected by NAFTA. The treaty was delayed but the fund was distributed among his friends. 3 .- intelligence services tied to the chair were used to give information to the paramilitaries with the mission of killing opposition activists, including many trade unionists.
4 .- The Supreme Court found the links with the paramilitaries in the Senate and pointed to all party leaders of the coalition government. They are in jail accused of association with the heads of 37 000 murders in 15 years of confrontation. Uribe unleashed a persecution against the judges of the court. A group called The Office, linked to paramilitary groups in Medellin, surgery to get false witnesses for the government to denounce the judges. Prosecutors uncovered the case and the press gave the testimony, lists, everything.
5 .- imprisoned paramilitary leaders, including Mancuso and Castano-reveal their intervention to facilitate the success of Uribe in the 2002 elections. 6 .- The congressional resolution that allowed the re-election in 2006, the majority of the votes were bought.7 .- Just last week, under orders of the Prosecutor, the President's house was raided. We found evidence of infiltration of the DAS, to spy on the judges, how they pursued their families to incriminate them. 8 .- are investigating the March legislative elections, since it is known that entire departments drug cartels have bought 80 percent of polling stations.
González concludes:''This mafia style of governance eventually collided with important economic groups, including conservatives, who see Uribes unfair competition in business.'' Uribe travels the world, preceded by its reputation as a champion of the restoration of public safety. But it has its trickery:''If you compare 2002 with 2010 it is positive in the areas of rates of homicide, kidnapping, massacres. But alongside these there are other indicators. In eight years of Uribe an average of 250 000 people (the Church says are 300 thousand) have been displaced mainly in the Pacific region (Chocó, Cauca and Nariño) and south (Cauca and Putumayo), where an offensive the large transnational mining. This is accompanied by militarization.
Live footage from Flotilla( IHH turkish ship) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0GY-wFjFF8
Richard Falk: Unlawful for Israel to attack Ship to Gaza http://shiptogaza.se/en/news/richard-falk-unlawful-israel-attack-ship-gaza
Watch live streaming video from insaniyardim http://www.kibush.co.il/index.asp?lang=1
Customs officials deny Israeli claims weapons were onboard http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-211697-customs-officials-deny-israeli-claims-weapons-were-onboard.html
Officials from the Customs Undersecretariat said every passenger was searched before getting on the ship with the help of X-ray machines and metal detectors. Senior officials from the undersecretariat said Israel's allegations were tantamount to “complete nonsense.”
zz_e_dd: - RAW FOOTAGE: Israel navy massacres on one of Gaza Freedom Flotilla full video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB-Mk4bFz-U&feature=player_embedded
Israel adds one more act of civilian bloodshed to its record http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-211680-israel-adds-one-more-act-of-civilian-bloodshed-to-its-record.html
With the latest bloody attack, Israel, which many have accused of implementing state-sponsored terrorism, added one more black mark to its record, which consists of a number of mass killings of civilians.
Professors protest Project Hero as military PR ploy http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/3469
Project Hero is also an example of how, off-campus, the links between corporations and the military are increasing as well, says Hunter. Kevin Reed, executive director of the program, was made an honorary lieutenant colonel of the 31 Service Brigade of the Canadian Forces in December of 2008, part of an expanding program which ascribes honorary military titles to corporate leaders in exchange for their support of the military.
“We’re getting this really close connection between the military and the corporate interest who benefit from these budgets,” Hunter said. “You don’t get the Canadian public sympathetic by showing them the body parts of children killed in Afghanistan, you get support by having a Highway of Heroes and with programs like Project Hero.”
Venezuela Seizes Drugtraffic Capo Wanted by US http://www.insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2010/may/30/latinamerica10053002.htm
Venezuelan scientific police seized Colombian Carlos Ojeda, wanted by the INTERPOL, the United States for traffic of heroine and cocaine in that country, informed today the Minister of the Interior and Justice, Tarek El Aissami.He commented the detainee, 55, is head of an important cartel who carried out drug trafficking operations to North America and Puerto Rico, being sentenced to life by US justice.
These actions show the efficient policies of the anti-drugs national plan carried out by our government, stressed El Aissami. It is all about a heavy blow dealt on that evil and to those who lead those criminal actions.El Aissami extolled that the detention of the Colombian criminal, they sum nine capos captured in the country this year.The Minister indicated that the Venezuelan government will put the detainee at the disposal of US authorities in the least time possible.
President Hugo Chavez instructed us to communicate immediately the detention and to put him at the disposal of the US justice. We hope US authorities would put at our disposal the criminals that took refuge in that country, stressed the Minister in statements to Venezolana de Television.During this year, the Venezuelan government seized over 26 tons of drugs. In 2009 that figure exceeded 60 tons and those arrested were more than two thousand.We are today among the countries that best results have had in the struggle against drug trafficking, affirmed the Interior and Justice Minister.
US Paid Money to Support Hugo Banzer’s 1971 Coup in Bolivia http://hcvanalysis.wordpress.com/2010/05/30/us-paid-money-to-support-hugo-banzers-1971-coup-in-bolivia/
A collection of declassified documents recently released* by the same State Department proves that this denial was not only incorrect, but a lie: the Nixon Administration, acting with the full knowledge of the State Department, authorized nearly half a million dollars—”coup money,” according to the ambassador in La Paz—for the politicians and military officers plotting against Torres. The CIA handed at least some of this money over to the coup’s leaders in the days leading up to Banzer’s seizure of power.
zz_e_dd: - RAW FOOTAGE: Israel navy massacres on one of Gaza Freedom Flotilla http://www.sabbah.biz/mt/
BP Collects Billions in U.S. Government Contracts http://cryptogon.com/?p=15715
Daniel Gross of Slate poses the question: How do we punish BP?The options he suggests – boycotting BP products, charging for the cleanup, even nationalizing the company – are less than satisfying.Here’s another possibility: How about barring BP from the federal trough?According to USASpending.gov, BP has received more than $9 billion in defense contracts since 2000.
Contracts with Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Commerce and other federal agencies total additional millions.Pro Publica reports that the Environmental Protection Agency is considering a ban on BP getting government contracts:Over the past 10 years, BP has paid tens of millions of dollars in fines and been implicated in four separate instances of criminal misconduct that could have prompted this far more serious action.
George Galloway Speaks Out against Israel's attack on the flotilla http://www.ipadio.com/phlogs/Gaza_TVNews/2010/5/31/Gaza-TVs-phlog--17th-phonecast
Obama Gives Israel All-Out Support http://presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=128426§ionid=351020202
'After the United Nations ratified a resolution calling for a nuclear weapons-free Middle East, the US president gives Israel "concrete guarantees" to prevent the decision from harming Israeli interests.Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post quoted senior political sources in al-Quds (Jerusalem) as saying that President Barack Obama's assurances to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came with the promise of a significant upgrade to Israel's military capabilities. President Obama gave Prime Minister Netanyahu "concrete guarantees that the US will strengthen Israel's strategic capabilities," the report said.'
VIDEO-RT-Real Life Avatar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-4DRVTn0u4&feature=player_embedded
Thanks to the decades long conflict in Colombia, it's estimated that 4 million people have been displaced. Making it the second largest displaced population in the world. Many of them are union leaders and others activists from the left. Yesterday, some of these refugees came to the White House to remind the US that their policies and practices in Colombia have not gone unnoticed. Policies that ignore the atrocities of corporations in search of minerals and resources. Alyona talks with RT Correspondent Jihan Hafiz who is following the story.
Obama's Letter to Lula Exposes White House Forked Tongue On Iran http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25566.htm
'This letter's authenticity is not disputed by the White House. It exposes the Obama administration's forked-tongue response to the Brazil and Turkey brokered swap. The White House is now in full spin mode, but the spin has already been undercut by the release of the letter's full text.
Of late, Hilary Clinton has been the main vehicle for the White House's double-talk, which is now entirely aimed at closing down opportunities to find a negotiated settlement to the Iran nuclear issue no matter what the new National Security Strategy might say. But Obama must also bear the burden of blame, his is the desk where the buck stops.'
Iran condemns Zionist regime's attack on Gaza aid flotilla http://www.isna.ir/ISNA/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-1549109&Lang=E
Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission and Islamic Human Rights Commission condemned Zionist regime's attack on Gaza Strip aid convoy on Monday. Iran's Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said in a statement that the new crime of Zionist regime means that it is declaring a war with the whole world. The strike shows that Zionists respect nothing in the international community, the statement added.
The commission called for the UN to issue a punitive resolution on Zionist regime and refer case of the regime's crimes to the International Criminal Court (ICC) soon. Also Iran's Islamic Human Rights Commission in a statement said it expects the international community particularly peace-seekers to make Zionist regime and its sponsors obey humanitarian rules.
Also the International Conference on Support for Palestinian Intifada Secretary General Hossein Sheikholeslam said the UN must know that these attacks signal human rights breach and war crimes. "The barbarous way of killing and injuring people does not go with any human criterion," he told ISNA. Zionist regime should be put on trial in the Hague-based ICC, he added.
Angry People Raid Israeli Consulate in Istanbul http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8903101245
Angry Turkish people raided Israel's consulate in Istanbul and seized the building for a while in response to Israel's Monday morning raid on a humanitarian cargo bound for the Gaza Strip. According to FNA dispatches, thousands of people gathered in front of the consulate to voice their anger at the Israeli attack against the six-ship aid flotilla
Israel shells Gazan farmers http://palsolidarity.org/2010/05/12537/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+palsolidarity+%28International+Solidarity+Movement%29
Yesterday, Thursday the 27 May ’10, three people were wounded in the Zeytoun neighborhood of Gaza City which was bombed by the Israeli Apache helicopters and six farmers from the same area were wounded by the tank artillery fire while farming near the border. This morning (Friday 28th), two ISM activists visited two of the wounded farmers in the Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Baraka Mihammad AL Mugrabi, age 53 and Musa Ashad Badawi, age 28 are neighbors, and went to farm yesterday at 6 a.m ...
Baraka has 5 dunums of land and Musa 12, and they grow olives, apricots and other fruits as well as vegetables and some wheat ... Both of them are farmers with no other source of income and large numbers of people depend on their farming income.
In Musa’s case, this includes over 20 members of his family including his parents and younger siblings. Baraka supports a large family of 10 children, his parents and several older relatives. Soon after they started farming, earth-to earth missiles fired at them from 10 Israeli tanks ... Artillery shrapnel hit Baraka’s lower arm, shattering the bone in several places and caused nerve damage. He also suffered a spinal injury in a fall following the wounding.
Meat Claimed as Invention by Monsanto http://www.gmwatch.eu/latest-listing/1-news-items/12178-meat-claimed-as-invention-by-monsanto
'Multinational seed corporations are following a consequent strategy to gain control over basic resources for food production. As recent research shows not only genetically engineered plants, but more and more the conventional breeding of plants gets into the focus of patent monopolies: International patent applications in this sector are skyrocking, having doubled since 2007 till end of 2009.
Further on the multinationals expand their claims over the whole chain of food production from feed to animals and food products such as meat. In a pending patent application from Monsanto even bacon and steaks are claimed: Patent application WO2009097403 is claiming meat stemming from pigs being fed with the patented genetically engineered plants of Monsanto.'
Barack Obama: Liar, Warlord and Corporate Shill http://uruknet.info/?p=m66504&hd=&size=1&l=e
'It shouldn't surprise because no one gets the top job or any government position of power unless they're safe, yet, naively, most people thought Obama was different. Many still do. As a candidate, he promised change, a new course, sweeping government reforms, addressing people needs, and "ensur(ing) that the hopes and concerns of average Americans speak louder in Washington than the hallway whispers of high-priced lobbyists" - the same ones who bought and now own him.
He promised peace and delivered war; real health and financial reform, not same old, same old; help for millions losing jobs, homes, hope and futures, not handouts to Wall Street and other industry favorites; regulatory oversight, not the usual incestuous government-industry ties, making disasters like in the Gulf possible, and when they happen conspiring with offenders in coverup, distortion, lies, and a total disregard for the environment, wildlife, and way of life for thousands - let alone permanent damage to a vital ecosystem.At the same time, Big Oil gets billions in subsidies, special tax breaks and other financial benefits, besides operating in a regulatory-free environment.'
al aqsa tv 20 killed, Israel attacks Gaza aid fleet (4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2jPf_te4ak&feature=player_embedded
al aqsa tv 20 killed, Israel attacks Gaza aid fleet part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfxjVUlZZ-I&feature=player_embedded
'Greece, Spain and Sweden have summoned Israeli envoys to explain a deadly strike by Israeli navy commandos on a Turkish-sponsored humanitarian Gaza aid convoy. http://presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=128450§ionid=351020606
The Greek foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday that it had summoned Israeli ambassador, demanding an "immediate" report on the safety of about 30 Greek citizens on board the boats targeted in international waters before reaching the Gaza Strip.'
Israel faces child-abuse claims http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/05/201053082239109343.html
An international children's rights charity has said it has evidence that Palestinian children held in Israeli custody have been subjected to sexual abuse in an effort to extract confessions from them.The Geneva-based Defence for Children International (DCI) has collected 100 sworn affadavits from Palestinian children who said they were mistreated by their Israeli captors.
Fourteen of the statements say they were sexually abused or threatened with sexual assault to pressure them into confessions. Al Jazeera's Nour Odeh met one of the children, identified only as "N", who says he suffered sexual abuse at the hands of his interrogators.DCI officials say that when they complain to the Israeli military about the treatment of the children, their allegations are dismissed as untrue.
Now the organisation has submitted its evidence to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture to try and increase pressure on Israel to stamp out the alleged abuse.According to our correspondent, Israel has two sets of laws: one for its citizens and another for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. All Palestinians, minors and adults, are tried in military courts.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
carlos_da_mackeral: Japan party quits coalition over US base ... http://presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=128341§ionid=351020406Japan's Social Democratic Party, SDP, has decided to leave the ruling coalition government amid a row over the controversial presence of the US military in the country. SDP chief Mizuho Fukushima informed reporters about the decision on Sunday after meeting with party executives. The move follows a dispute within the cabinet over the US airbase in Okinawa.
Fukushima, who calls for the immediate relocation of the base, has slammed Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's decision to keep the US compound on the island -- despite his campaign promises to relocate the base. The airbase has been under US command since after World War II. More than half of some 47,000 US troops in Japan are stationed in Okinawa.
UDATE! Is Venezuela’s stock broker fraternity trafficking in human misery? http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_60063.shtml
During his May 20 broadcast President Chávez referred to a case which had recently come to public notice. (It concerns the arrest of 16 people in the US state of Florida for allegedly laundering drug money from Venezuela, via Puerto Rico. Around US$7 million is involved but what is interesting from a Venezuelan point of view is that the US authorities have not made any contact with Venezuela nor requested information on the identities of the Venezuelans whom they arrested.
VIDEO-Full Interview With Activists Resisting U.S. Military Bases From Japan, Guam and Hawaii http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_60081.shtmlWatch the full version of the Democracy Now! interview with activists from Japan, Guam and Hawai’i who are resisting the expansion of US military bases in the Pacific.
The Impact of Militia Actions on Public Security Policies in Rio de Janeiro ( http://www.tni.org/briefing/impact-militia-actions-public-security-policies-rio-de-janeiro-pdf
Paulo Jorge Ribeiro and Rosane Oliveira look at a recent phenomenon in the recurrent episodes of extreme urban violence in Rio de Janeiro: the rise of militias – well-organised private vigilante groups made up of rogue, dismissed or retired police officers, firemen and prison guards. The study describes a worrying scenario in the informal urban settlements that may be particular to Rio, but also represent developments in urban security that spread far beyond Brazil.
Green Left fighting fund: Capitalism celebrates the obscenely wealthy http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/44286
The obscenely wealthy have been celebrated again with the release of Business Review Weekly’s annual Rich 200 list. Sitting in top spot is Westfield Group chairperson Frank Lowy, whose personal fortune is estimated to be $5.04 billion. That's about 17,000 times our 2010 fighting fund target here at Green Left Weekly.
Coming in second is Gina Rinehart, chairperson of iron ore company Hancock Prospecting, with an individual fortune of $4.75 billion. That's the equivalent of more than 73,000 registered nurses earning $65,000 a year. But what a step forward for feminism. Of the 200 richest, 16 are women, meaning about 92% of the filthy rich are men
Finkelstein-A writer loathed by the Zionist establishment http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/44280“It is not so much that Israel’s behaviour is worse than it was before”, he writes in his new book, “but rather that the record of that behaviour has, finally, caught up with it.”
Colombia: Challenging Killer Coke http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/44259
Paez said 4000 unionists have been murdered in Colombia in 28 years. “Last year, 47 unionists were killed, 48 the year before. Union leaders need armed guards, bulletproof cars, camera surveillance and bulletproof windows on their offices. “They lose the possibility of a normal family life.”“The campaign demands Coca Cola compensate the victims, since they have benefitted from the crimes in Colombia”, Paez explained.
Despite the many murders of unionists at its plants, Coke tries to cry poor to justify not compensating victims of anti-union violence. However, The Coca Cola Case explains Coke pays US$2.6 million for a single 30 second advertisement during the US Superbowl.Paez said: “We are campaigning for a boycott — if you love life, don’t drink Coke. We want to see Coke expelled from schools, sporting complexes, cultural centres and community spaces.”“All natural resources [in Colombia] are in the hands of multinationals”, Paez said.
“Seven [US-run] military bases have been installed in the country to assist the multinationals. The US soldiers can come and go. “This is a problem not only for Colombia’s sovereignty, but also for the stability of the continent. We believe all this militarisation is to guard the interests of the US in South American countries.”In contrast to the multinationals, Paez said: “Our demands are for democracy, sovereignty, family and well-being. The multinationals finance the same wars, benefit from the same conflicts, support the same politics. “We need to recognise the common struggle of exploited communities globally, and link these struggles to fight the system of multinationals.”
carlos_da_mackeral: Max Keiser interviews Guest: Gerald Celente .... http://maxkeiser.com/watch/on-the-edge/episode-55-22-may-2010-guest-gerald-celente/
Communities Condemn Obama Administration for Militarization of Border http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2010/05/communities-condemn-obama.html
SPINWATCH-Roger F. Noriega // Venezuela: Calling a State Sponsor a State Sponsor http://www.american.com/archive/2010/may/calling-a-state-sponsor-a-state-sponsorA growing body of evidence points to Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez' singular role in supporting terrorism and related criminality."We are deeply concerned about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez' growing ties to US-designated foreign terrorist organizations and state sponsors of terrorism," the letter begins.
Roger F. Noriega was Ambassador to the Organization of American States from 2001-2003 and Assistant Secretary of State from 2003-2005. He is a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and managing director of Vision Americas LLC, which represents US and foreign clients.
comment-first of all roger noriega is a shill for american enterprise institute,second the allegations have been dismissed by general fraser hea dof southcom...see...AEI - Scholars - Roger F. Noriega http://www.aei.org/scholar/102 U.S. General Sees No Links Between Venezuela, Terror Groups http://laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=353656&CategoryId=10718
Venezuelan police capture Colombian drug lord Carlos Ojeda Herrera http://sify.com/news/venezuela-nabs-colombian-drug-lord-news-international-kf4laddbeie.htmlEFE: Colombian Carlos Ojeda Herrera, wanted in the US on heroin-trafficking charges, was arrested in the northern Venezuelan state of Anzoategui, said Interior Minister Tarek El Aissami."President Hugo Chavez has issued an order to inform US authorities immediately about this arrest and proceed with his immediate deportation," El Aissami told state-run VTV television.
"We will proceed (against Ojeda Herrera) in the same manner in which we have proceeded in recent years against (other) capos: arrest them and speedily (extradite them to) the country that is asking for them," the minister said Saturday."This is one other indication, another example, of the Venezuelan government's commitment and will" to battle the illegal drug trade, even though the US does not acknowledge that effort in its reports, he added.
comment-also see...Venezuelan Police Catch Colombian Officer With Drugs http://www.insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2010/may/20/latinamerica10052002.htm Venezuela arrests Colombian Councilor on drug charges http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=357155&CategoryId=10717
Venezuela arrest Colombia and seizes 200 kilos http://www.telesurtv.net/noticias/secciones/nota/71955-NN/decomisan-200-kilos-de-cocaina-y-detienen-a-un-colombiano-en-venezuela/ Venezuelan police open files against two Colombians for trafficking cocaine http://www.insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2010/may/16/latinamerica10051602.htm
watch livestream video from the Freedom Flotilla http://warincontext.org/2010/05/29/eu-calls-for-immediate-end-to-israels-siege-on-gaza/
“We would like to reiterate the EU’s call for an immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza.”
The Spanish Government revokes the decision to issue visas to the highest representatives of the anti-occupation camp Iraqi leaders http://www.tlaxcala.es/pp.asp?reference=10677&lg=en“CEOSI deplores the change of attitude of the Spanish government, which will complicate or delay what would have been an invaluable contribution to the success of a negotiated, democratic and binding solution in Iraq. The meetings organized in Spain encompass the participation of the highest representatives of the currents in the anti-occupation camp, along with Iraqi intellectuals and activists,
international personalities and representatives of European and U.S. organizations. The rough draft of the final communiqué, which would be signed and presented in Gijón, would have been a remarkable contribution to this objective, as it would display for the first time a united and public commitment to a democratic reconstruction of Iraq and condemnation of terrorism.”
VIDEO-Mining (in)justice: at home and abroad http://intercontinentalcry.org/mining-injustice-at-home-and-abroad/In Ma, 2010, Community Solidarity Response Toronto (CSRT) hosted a telling conference on Canada's mining industry, aptly named, Mining (in)justice: at home and abroad.The three-day event, held during "shareholder's season" in Toronto, featured more than two dozen panels by activists, educators, community leaders and others involved in their own struggles against Canadian mining companies.Among these many speakers, Nak'azdli First Nation Councilor Peter Erickson took some time to talk about his Nation's experiences in north-central British Colombia.
The Confused Face of Fascism: Israel's Frankenstein http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/74879
"Do American officials realize that when they give money and justification to Netanyahu's extremist government, they are actually working against the interests of the Jews, Christians and Muslims of the Middle East? By giving Israel an additional $205 millions for new armaments in Israel, the US Congress is undermining the stability of the region, stepping up the arms race and encouraging extremists in Israel to launch more wars against their neighbors."
Native Peoples' Right to Consultation on Land Use Enshrined in Law http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=51619Indigenous peoples in Peru finally have a law that obliges the state to consult them about any project or provision that affects their territory or communities. But it will be difficult to implement, as the body charged with this task is in need of reforms, and additional legislation is needed before it can be fully enforced.he new law comes at a time when private investment projects are mushrooming in ancestral indigenous territories, generating a number of high impact social conflicts.
The most serious took place Jun. 5, 2009 in the northern Amazon jungle province of Bagua, where 33 demonstrators and police were killed when the security forces clamped down on indigenous protesters. Over 70 percent of Peru's Amazon region has been handed over as concessions to oil companies, while in the Andean regions licenses for mining projects are proliferating.
THE CIA AND THE LAHORE MOSQUE ATTACKS http://aangirfan.blogspot.com/2010/05/cia-and-lahore-mosque-attacks.html
According to the Independent: "Britain planned to build a Taliban training camp for 2,000 fighters in southern Afghanistan." (Revealed: British plan to build training camp for Taliban fighters ...)In 2007 Pakistani Intelligence traced the source of much of terror in Pakistan to a 'terrorist' camp in Helmand province in Afghanistan. The camp was run by Michael Semple and Mervyn Patterson.Both of these British spooks were ostensibly working with humanitarian organizations.
Attack against South Korean ship looks like false flag operation http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-05-29/chonan-attack-us-china.htmlWhile international investigators have accused North Korea of sinking a South Korean patrol corvette in March, China has taken a more cautious position.
comment-also see ... Beijing suspects false flag attack on South Korean corvette http://www.onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_5930.shtml
carlos_da_mackeral: The sinking of the Cheonan: Another Gulf of Tonkin incident By: Stephen Gowans.... http://gowans.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/the-sinking-of-the-cheonan-another-gulf-of-tonkin-incident/
carlos_da_mackeral: Military Commentator on Truth behind "Story of Attack by North" http://www.kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm carlos_da_mackeral: Did an American Mine Sink South Korean Ship?...By Yoichi Shimatsu... http://alethonews.wordpress.com/2010/05/29/did-an-american-mine-sink-south-korean-ship/
South Korean religious leaders question conclusions of the Cheonan sinking investigation http://www.dmzhawaii.org/?p=7166
Why have the survivors been strictly separated and controlled since the tragedy happened? Why are they not allowed to say anything about it, though they know the truth best?
Obama Asks $59 Billion in Extra Spending for Disaster Relief, Haiti, Agent Orange Disabilities and…War Whoring http://redactednews.blogspot.com/2010/05/obama-asks-59-billion-in-extra-spending.html
Using a tactic he criticized when his predecessor employed it, President Barack Obama has asked Congress to approve “emergency” legislation to cover costs associated with disaster relief, assistance for Haiti and the military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq...
Rand: 400,000 troops needed to secure N. Korea and its 'loose nukes' http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2010/ea_nkorea0051_01_25.aspIf there's one sure way to infuriate the North Koreans, it's to talk of "regime collapse" and "contingency planning". As far as Pyongyang is concerned, such speculation is proof positive of United States-led plotting of a "pre-emptive strike".
comment- also read...RAND Lobbies Pentagon: Start War To Save U.S. Economy http://www.iraq-war.ru/article/179902
Nigeria's agony dwarfs the Gulf oil spill. The US and Europe ignore it http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/30/oil-spills-nigeria-niger-delta-shell
In fact, more oil is spilled from the delta's network of terminals, pipes, pumping stations and oil platforms every year than has been lost in the Gulf of Mexico, the site of a major ecological catastrophe caused by oil that has poured from a leak triggered by the explosion that wrecked BP's Deepwater Horizon rig last month.That disaster, which claimed the lives of 11 rig workers, has made headlines round the world. By contrast, little information has emerged about the damage inflicted on the Niger Delta.
Yet the destruction there provides us with a far more accurate picture of the price we have to pay for drilling oil today.On 1 May this year a ruptured ExxonMobil pipeline in the state of Akwa Ibom spilled more than a million gallons into the delta over seven days before the leak was stopped. Local people demonstrated against the company but say they were attacked by security guards.
Community leaders are now demanding $1bn in compensation for the illness and loss of livelihood they suffered. Few expect they will succeed. In the meantime, thick balls of tar are being washed up along the coast.Within days of the Ibeno spill, thousands of barrels of oil were spilled when the nearby Shell Trans Niger pipeline was attacked by rebels. A few days after that, a large oil slick was found floating on Lake Adibawa in Bayelsa state and another in Ogoniland. "We are faced with incessant oil spills from rusty pipes, some of which are 40 years old," said Bonny Otavie, a Bayelsa MP.
Why Isn't BP Under Criminal Investigation? http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=19415'Why hasn't the government launched a criminal investigation into BP?That's the question several former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials have been asking in the aftermath of the catastrophic explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig last month that killed 11 employees and ruptured a newly drilled well 5,000 feet below the surface and has spewed tens of millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf if Mexico, which now stands as the largest spill in US history.
Like previous BP-related disasters in Alaska and Texas, evidence has emerged that appears to show BP knowingly cut corners on maintenance and safety on Deepwater Horizon's operations, which, according to blogger bmaz, who writes about legal issues at Emptywheel, could amount to criminal violations of the Clean Water Act. Additionally, because people were killed, BP and company officials could also face prosecution for negligent and reckless homicide.'
comment-also see..BP Plc Corporate Crimes http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=290
In Sudan BP is accused of operating in areas where human rights groups have reported civilians being killed, bombed and ejected from their homes to permit oil production and the building of pipelines [141].BP has been accused in the European Parliament of colluding in gross human rights violations by the Colombian army and of wanton environmental destruction in pursuit of profits. Evidence for the accusations comes from a report ordered by Colombia's President Samper and compiled by a commission including the President's human rights adviser, Attorney-General and Ombudsman.
The unpublished report, completed in July 1995 made specific allegations that BP passed photographs and videos of local protesters to the army, which human rights groups say led to killings, disappearances, torture and beatings.Environmental activist Humberto Castan~eda was jailed after being wrongly identified as a guerilla leader by BP security officer Steve Devine and Colombian soldiers are also alleged to have broken strikes by BP employees
Israel Stations Nuclear Missile Subs off Iran http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7140282.ece
'Three German-built Israeli submarines equipped with nuclear cruise missiles are to be deployed in the Gulf near the Iranian coastline. The first has been sent in response to Israeli fears that ballistic missiles developed by Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, a political and military organisation in Lebanon, could hit sites in Israel, including air bases and missile launchers.The submarines of Flotilla 7 — Dolphin, Tekuma and Leviathan — have visited the Gulf before. But the decision has now been taken to ensure a permanent presence of at least one of the vessels.'
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Congress just sold you out to Comcast, Verizon and ATT http://coto2.wordpress.com/2010/05/29/congress-just-sold-you-out-to-comcast-verizon-and-att/74 House Democrats and 37 Senate Republicans have signed industry-written letters telling the FCC to abandon efforts to protect Internet users and stop big companies from blocking Internet traffic.It’s yet another example of dirty politics destroying our democracy, and it has to stop.
Tell Washington: Congress Doesn’t Speak for MeThe nasty little secret that everybody knows? Almost every one of these representatives has accepted massive contributions from the phone and cable lobby. Now the industry is demanding a return on its investment.By signing the industry letter, these members of Congress have drastically undercut the FCC’s ability to get a fast, affordable and open Internet to everyone in America. They are actually taking a position against the interests of rural and low-income communities.
Building What? How SCADs Can Be Hidden in Plain Sight By David Ray Griffin http://coto2.wordpress.com/2010/05/29/building-what-how-scads-can-be-hidden-in-plain-sight/At 5:21 PM on 9/11, Building 7 of the World Trade Center collapsed, even though it had not been hit by a plane – a fact that is important because of the widespread acceptance of the idea, in spite of its scientific absurdity, that the Twin Towers collapsed because of the combined effect of the impact of the airliners plus the ensuing jet-fuel-fed fires.
The collapse of World Trade Center 7 (WTC 7) thereby challenges the official account of the destruction of the World Trade Center, according to which it was accomplished by al-Qaeda hijackers, even if one accepts the government’s scientifically impossible account of the Twin Towers. This fact was recently emphasized in the title of a review article based on my 2009 book, The Mysterious Collapse of World Trade Center 7,1 by National Medal of Science-winner Lynn Margulis: “Two Hit, Three Down – The Biggest Lie.”2
Pentagon Gets Around Troop Ban in Pakistan by Outsourcing Weapons Transport http://redactednews.blogspot.com/2010/05/pentagon-gets-around-troop-ban-in.html
Unable to deploy troops in Pakistan, but still in need of ways to transport weapons across it and into Afghanistan, the U.S. government is looking for defense contractors who can take on the task of logistical support through Pakistani territory...
VIDEO-Angus Wright on the Landless Workers Movement of Brazil (MST) http://vimeo.com/4758500Professor Angus Wright describes the history, goals and recent actions of the Brazilian MST. This presentation is a good overview of one of Latin America's best organized and effective social movements offering alternatives to the standing economic and political models
Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution - The 2nd Decade http://vodpod.com/watch/3143776-venezuelas-bolivarian-revolution-the-2nd-decade
Kiraz Janicke is a journalist for Venezuelanalysis.com, the foremost independent English-language source of news on Venezuela. She is editor of the Peru en Movimiento website and a member of the Caracas bureau of Green Left Weekly. Federico Fuentes is an associate of the Centro Internacional Miranda, an independent agency funded by Venezuela’s Ministry of Popular Power for Higher Education in Caracas.
Together with Marta Harnecker, he leads two CIM study projects: “Political Instruments for the 21st Century” and “Popular Participation in Public Management”. He maintains the Bolivia Rising blog and is a member of the Caracas bureau of Green Left Weekly.
Organized by: OPIRG-Toronto; Sponsored by Center for Social Justice (CSJ), Barrio Nuevo, Hands Off Venezuela/Louis Riel Bolivarian Circle, Latin America Solidarity Network-Toronto, Latin@s Canada, Socialist Project and Venezuela We Are With You Coalition, Co-sponsored by Toronto Bolivia Solidarity, Toronto Haiti Action Committee.
Hamas calls Amnesty report a joke http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=287676
Hamas' Salah Al-Bardawil said Amnesty International's comparison of resistance projectiles to Israel's war on Gaza last year must have been done in irony, given the total misalignment of consequences of the two. "Tens of thousands of Palestinians were killed or disfigured, their limbs were amputated or they lost their homes," the Hamas official said of Israeli strikes on Gaza and the impact of the country's Operation Cast Lead last winter.
Deutsche Bank: "We are out of Elbit" http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/2275.shtml
Germany’s biggest bank Deutsche Bank has divested the bank’s 2% stake in Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms company that supplies the Israeli military and provides components for the Apartheid Wall in Occupied Palestinian Territory that was found to be in violation of international law by the International Court of Justice.
Canada’s Conservatives to Push for Iran Sanctions Israeli nukes not a concern http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/3347
“Canada is moving toward a second phase of a major foreign policy project they have already started, which is to develop deeper ties with Israel, in regards to security and military policy,” said Molavi. “So when it comes to Iran they want to use the G8 as a platform to push for sanctions within this framework.”
Canada’s intense support for the Israeli government has shaped a new era of Canada-Israel relations. Ottawa has arguably emerged as the staunchest pro-Israel capital in the world.
“Canada is so friendly that there was no need to convince or explain anything to anyone,” said right wing Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, after a recent meeting in Ottawa with Canadian Foreign Minister Cannon. “We had amiable talks in a supportive atmosphere...we need allies like this in the international arena,” he said.
Eagle Rock Defenders camp ‘crushed’ by Police http://intercontinentalcry.org/eagle-rock-defenders-camp-crushed-by-police/
Dozens of heavily armed Police and State Troopers have raided the peaceful defenders camp at Eagle Rock in Michigan's Upper Peninsula; "crushing" the month-long effort to protect the sacred site from a controversial sulfide mine. Greg Peterson Reports. Raid at Eagle Rock; Two campers
Navajos Protest Uranium Mining Plans http://www.democracynow.org/2010/5/28/headlines#13
We call on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the National Mining Association, Uranium Resources Inc. and Hydro Resources Inc. to take immediate action to reverse the dangerous and deadly course you are taking. On behalf of all the communities and living creature still suffering from the legacy of uranium mining we demand that you immediately:
The Navajo Nation Government unanimously passed a Uranium Mining Ban on tribal lands in April of 2005. Despite this ban, mining corporations like Hydro Resources Inc. (HRI) and Uranium Resources Inc. (URI) have relentlessly pursued permits for new mines, including mines on native sacred sites in New Mexico.
Spike in Death Threats, Attacks and Assassinations in Colombia http://www.lawg.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=719
Death threats, attacks and assassinations. Human rights defenders and indigenous, afro-descendant, and IDP leaders in Colombia often face these terrors, but lately there has been a major spike in these actions—and we’re worried. On April 8th, eight miners were assassinated by armed men in the municipality of Suárez, in the department of the Cauca, Colombia.
On April 10th, death threats were issued in the name of “Los Rastrojos–Comandos Urbanos” to more than sixty Colombian human rights organizations, individuals and international organizations, such as CODHES, AFRODES, MINGA, MOVICE, Fundación Nuevo Arco Iris, UN Development Program, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, CCAJAR, the Social Ministry of the Diocese of Tumaco and many Afro-Colombian and IDP leaders. This same group issued a second threat on May 18th naming many of the same organizations and individuals as well as adding new targets.
Breaking the Blockade of Silence: L.A. Art and Advocacy for the Cuban 5 http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/block290510.html
"I refuse to allow a small group of reactionary right-wing, Miami Cuban Americans dictate US foreign policy towards Cuba!"
Empire against Democracy http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/bs280510.html
The White House does not accept democracy among nations. What matters that all countries have equal rights? It doesn't accept national sovereignty of other nations. It doesn't allow each nation and its government to control their respective natural resources.The United States transferred nuclear technology to Pakistan and Israel, which today have nuclear bombs. But it doesn't tolerate Iran's access to nuclear technology, even for peaceful purposes. Why? What justifies such imperial exercises of power? Some international convention? No, just its military supremacy.
Hurry Up! Ratify the Canada-Colombia FTA Before we are Caught http://mostlywater.org/hurry_ratify_canadacolombia_fta_we_are_caught
As evidence is produced on the criminality of their friends in Colombia, Conservative MPs present motion to close down International Trade Committee hearings... likely with Liberal support.
Tarpley: "A casino economy of globalization" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx5a_Wq1nZ0&feature=player_embedded
Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner is visiting Berlin this week, meeting German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble for talks focusing on the economic crisis in the euro zone, and measures being taken to restore global confidence and financial stability and to promote continued recovery. Webster Tarpley says that the whole point of Timothy Geithner's visit is to make the world safe for derivatives, speculation and this casino economy of globalization.
Seminar: The Guardian (UK) reporting on Venezuela takes more than the biscuit http://www.pr-inside.com/seminar-the-guardian-uk-reporting-on-r1920631.htm
The overriding impression taken away from the seminar is that if the BBC and The Guardian are indeed engaged in propaganda against Venezuela, then it doesn't feel like propaganda and therein, lies the real danger.
comment- also see...A Decade of Propaganda? The BBC's reporting of Venezuela.. http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/5003 The BBC has been spinning bias lies not only against middle east ,but also latin america...see...BBC's Pro-Israeli Bias http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9307
A Decade of Propaganda? The BBC's Reporting of Venezuela http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=2085 Researchers at the University of the West of England, UK, have exposed ongoing and systematic bias in the BBC’s news reporting on Venezuela. Dr Lee Salter and Dr Dave Weltman analysed ten years of BBC reports on Venezuela since the first election of Hugo Chavez to the presidency in an ongoing research project, and their findings so far show that the BBC’s reporting falls short of its legal commitment to impartiality, truth and accuracy.
Spooks On The Job Selection Panel http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=BBC Archived internal BBC documents from the 1980s, obtained by The Sunday Telegraph under Freedom of Information legislation, have revealed that until the late 1980s the British spy service, MI5, was used to vet existing and potential staff at the public broadcaster.
The paper reported that the documents revealed that "at one stage it [MI5] was responsible for vetting 6300 BBC posts - almost a third of the total workforce." The BBC adopted "categorical denial" as its "defensive strategy" to deflect questions about the practice by unions. A March 1, 1985, memo suggested the best approach was "keep head down and stonewall all questions." http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/tinker-tailor-broadcaster-spy--bbc-had-mi5-watch-its-staff/2006/07/02/1151778811129.html
Constitution and Funding http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/keyfacts/stories/ws_constitution.shtml BBC World Service operates under the BBC's Royal Charter which is granted by Her Majesty The Queen to guarantee editorial and managerial independence from the Government.Like the rest of the BBC it is accountable to the BBC Trust, appointed under the Royal Charter to act as trustees for the public interest and oversee all BBC activities.
Israel Must Sign NPT, 189 Countries Say http://presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=128138§ionid=351020202
'The final statement of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference has called for the establishment of a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East. The 28-page document, which was agreed upon on Friday by all 189 NPT signatories after a month-long round of talks at UN Headquarters in New York, called for a conference to be held in 2012 "to be attended by all states of the Middle East, leading to the establishment" of a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East. Western diplomats said the United States finally agreed to a deal at the UN that would pressure Israel to join the NPT, Al Jazeera.net reported.'
America's 'War On Terror' Morphs into a Diabolical Assault on Civil Rights http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=19376
'As America's War On Terror morphs into an endless assault on civil and human rights, the technophilic fantasies of our masters, and the corporations whom they lovingly serve, even amidst the doom and gloom of capitalism's global economic collapse, have taken extraordinary steps to ensure that the "state of exception" spawned by the 9/11 provocation remains a permanent feature of daily life here in the heimat.
And with moves by Barack Obama's "change" regime to strip Americans of their Miranda rights, "delay" their appearance before a lawful court should they be accused of a national security crime, or even assassinate them if an arm of the secret state fingers them as terrorists (evidence optional), it's a sure bet that as "ideas about security infect virtually all aspects of public policy," as Stephen Graham avers in Cities Under Siege, new silver bullets will be needed to "keep us safe".'
More Theft of America by the Private Federal Reserve and Record $70 Billion Profit ! http://www.dsnews.com/articles/federal-reserves-mbs-purchases-lead-to-record-earnings-of-70-billion-2010-05-26
'The risk-taking Fed is proving to be a savoir-faire investor. According to CBO estimates, the central bank’s MBS investments and other crisis-mode assets will turn a record $70 billion profit for the Federal Reserve this year. In 2009, the Federal Reserve earned $46 billion from interest yields on its assets. At that time, the windfall was the biggest annual return the Fed had recorded in its 95-year history.'
Rothschild Zionist US Weighs Military Attack On Pakistan http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20100528/38a8fe01-c0d1-476d-ad19-3d1de7ad0fdf
'The U.S. military is developing plans for a unilateral attack on the Pakistani Taliban in the event of a successful terrorist strike in the United States that can be traced to them, The Washington Post reports. Planning for a retaliatory attack was spurred by ties between alleged Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad and elements of the Pakistani Taliban, the Post said in an article posted on its website Friday night, quoting unidentified senior military officials.The military would focus on air and missile strikes but also could use small teams of U.S. Special Operations troops currently along the border with Afghanistan, the Post said.'
Children, Aged Four, 'To be Fingerprinted to Borrow School Books From Library' http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/7771112/Children-as-young-as-4-to-be-fingerprinted-to-borrow-school-books.html
'Students in Manchester are having their thumbprints digitally transformed into electronic codes, which can then be recognised by a computer program. Under the scheme, pupils swipe a bar code inside the book they want borrow then press their thumb on to a scanner to authorise the loan. Books are returned in the same way. The scheme is being trialled on junior classes at Higher Lane Primary in Whitefield, Bury, Greater Manchester.
Officials confirmed it is due to be extended to all pupils at the school, one of the areas largest primary schools, with 453 pupils aged four to 11. School authorities defended the scheme on Thursday, and moved to reassure parents that the voluntary system, is heavily encrypted or coded and that no images of fingerprints would be stored. But critics said they were “appalled” at the system, developed by Microsoft which is also being trialled in other parts of the country.'