Excerpted, edited by Carolyn Bennett

“The war and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq are both colonial-type wars.”

Bush used the ‘War on Terror’ as a pretext for the escalation of imperialist intervention. Bush is gone but the brutal occupations continue.

Eight long years after the invasion of Afghanistan, the United States and its NATO allies are vastly expanding the war, doubling the numbers of troops.

Casualties on both sides are soaring. Resistance to foreign occupation is growing rapidly inside Afghanistan and across the border in Pakistan. The war is a disaster for the peoples of those countries—just as are the occupations of Iraq and Palestine.

The invasion and occupation of Afghanistan is also growing U.S. domestic disaster — not only for the soldiers and their families, but for the tens of millions of people suffering under the U.S. and global economic crisis.

Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq cost more than $14 billion per month
$160 billion every year
Nearly $1,000,000,000,000 ($1 trillion!) since the start.

Politicians who tell Americans there’s no money for single-payer health care are the same politicians “who never say no to the military-industrial complex and have given away more than $10 trillion to the big banks.” Money is there. The problem is, politicians are dedicated not to people but to protecting the interests of health insurance corporations and military industrialists.

THE 8TH ANNIVERSARY OF WAR ON AFGHANISTAN draws RETURN OF STREET PROTESTS!

Tuesday October 7, 2009, marks the start of the ninth year of the invasion of Afghanistan. That day anti-war protests will occur in cities and towns across America. Monday October 5 and Saturday October 17 anti-war actions will also occur.

The ANSWER Coalition is calling on people in cities and towns and on campuses to take to the streets and to engage in other actions (rallies, pickets, teach-ins) —Demanding an end to all wars and occupations and serious attention to health care for all.

The ANSWER Coalition will post all October anti-war
actions on its website at www.ANSWERCoalition.org. The site to
post actions is http://www.pephost.org/site/R?i=s4EvwX_8Piidx3tmrVBZGw

In the meantime war death tolls rise.

UPDATE from sources August 10-12, 2009 - Iraq, Afghanistan
(exact figures and costs of war are unobtainable)

American Military Casualties in Iraq: since the war began March 19, 2003: 4,331; since the Obama inauguration January 20, 2009: 103; Wounded 31,463-over 100,000; U.S. veterans with brain injuries: 320,000; 18 suicides a day [Anti-war dot com: “Casualties in Iraq, The Human Cost of Occupation” (Edited by Margaret Griffis), http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/ (latest update August 10, 2009)]

Iraq Body Count figures: 92,641-101,129 [http://www.iraqbodycount.org/]

Iraq Coalition Casualty Count figures: IRAQ: U.S. 4,331; Coalition: 4,649; AFGHANISTAN: U.S.: 780 Coalition: 1,305 [http://icasualties.org/oif/]

Just Foreign Policy: "The number is shocking and sobering. It is at least 10 times greater than most estimates cited in the US media, yet it is based on a scientific study of violent Iraqi deaths caused by the U.S.-led invasion of March 2003." Just Foreign Policy figures--Iraqi Deaths: 1,339,771 [http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/Iraq]

IN THE NEWS

Palestine Summer 2009

Since Israel imposed a siege on Gaza in 2007, Palestinians have resorted to smuggling foods and a wide array of goods, including fuel and livestock, from Egypt via underground tunnels. Scores of people, including children under the age of 16 who work inside the tunnels, have been killed in accidents or from suffocation, collapse or Egyptian detonations.

GAZA, July 27 (Xinhua) — Medical sources said today the death toll had risen to four when the bodies of three Palestinians were evacuated from the tunnel that was destroyed in a blast on Sunday (July 26) under the border line between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Rescue workers continued to search for missing people in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah “Death toll of Gaza tunnel blast rises to four,” July 27, 2009, China View, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/27/content_11780604.htm

Occupied Vise on Iran

August 11-12

PAKISTAN—At least 70 people are reported to have been killed and dozens injured in a major battle between Taliban fighters and another tribal group in Pakistan. “Deaths in Pakistan Taliban attack,” August 12, 2009, Al Jazeera, http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/08/200981214203867305.htmlAugust 11-12

AFGHANISTAN—“Gunmen have abducted five people campaigning for Dr Abdullah Abdullah, the main rival to [U.S.-ally] Hamid Karzai, in Afghanistan’s presidential election.…

“Violence in Afghanistan is at its worst levels since the Taliban were ousted in 2001 ahead of the poll, which they have vowed to disrupt.” “Afghan campaign workers kidnapped,” August 12, 2009, Al Jazeera, http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/08/2009812153737920740.html

August 11-12

IRAQ — Several bombs exploded nearly simultaneously Tuesday (August 11) in a mainly Shiite area in Baghdad, killing at least eight people and raising fears of a sustained insurgent campaign aimed at provoking new sectarian tensions. The five-day death toll rose to 123 in the worst spasm of bombings the country has suffered since U.S. forces left the cities at the end of June, turning over urban security to Iraqi troops.…

“The bloodshed threatened to chip away at public confidence in the U.S.-backed government as it seeks to project a sense of normalcy ahead of next year’s national elections, including an announcement last week that all concrete blast walls will be gone from Baghdad's main roads by mid-September.” “Iraqi police say bomb blasts kill 8 and wound 22,” August 11, 2009, Associated Press, http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hwK_CSpBxsNuVUEaDuOwmSSCiqGwD9A0SMFO1

Posted by Bennett's Column at 6:39 PM 0 comments
Labels: ANSWER Coalition, anti-war movement, U.S. foreign policy, U.S. occupation

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Blogging at todaysmissingnews
http://todaysmissingnews.blogspot.com
Dr. Carolyn LaDelle Bennett-author, independent journalist based in Brighton, New York State

We ask you to help by mailing / phoning....

Jenny Linnell and Natalie Abou Chakra

We have been asked to mobilise our members to help 2 british women, Jenny Linnell & Natalie Abou Chakra, who are part of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) to leave Gaza via the Rafah crossing.

Dear friends

Jenny Linnell is a co-founder of the ISM Rafah group, and an original crew member of one of the "Free Gaza" boats. For the last year she has been accompanying Palestinians and documenting events in the Gaza strip, both before, during and after the war. You can see footage of her work with fishermen and farmers under fire at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDD8ANFgwtA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTUYivihoTE&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Ffishingunderfire.blogspot.com%2F2008_09_01_archive.html&feature=player_embedded

Since the end of May Jenny has been trying to make arrangements to leave and return home via the border crossing at Rafah into Egypt. She keeps getting turned away, most recently under pretty extreme circumstances, as outlined below. The significant part of the story is that Egyptian Border Guards told her and fellow ISMer Natalie that they were being refused exit because of their work with the Free Gaza boats. They were told that they would 'never be let out'.

For the sake of both women and other peace workers it is vital that this treatment is not allowed to continue unchallenged. So if you have some time in the next few days, please help us get them back by ringing the British Foriegn office and the Egyptian Embassy in London.

The Egyptian Embassy in London
phone 020 7499 3304/2401
Fax: 020 7491 1542

The British Foreign Office
Middle East Desk
Tel: 020 70088784
Email: jill.bayliss@fco.gov.uk and trish.wise2@fco.gov.uk

Our approach has been polite, but persistent and lengthy.

The plan is to ring every day for the next three days, step back and assess.

If you get a chance to mail me to let me know when you rang, and how it went, it would be great for helping us keep tabs on how effectively the mobilising going my address is lizthesnook at gmail.com.

Many many thanks on behalf of Jenny, Natalie and their friends and family.

Liz Snook.

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Sample letter:

Dear sir/ madam
I am concerned about the continued refusal at the Egyptian Border with Gaza to let British citizens Jenny Linnell and Natalie Abou Chakra leave Gaza for return via Egypt to the UK. In the past months they have been engaged in humanitarian work in Gaza and it is important that as British Citizens they must be given whatever legal protection and entitlement is necessary for their safe return to the UK.
They had been assured that their documentation was in order and yet on the 28th of June it was deemed to be inadequate despite assurances made to the contrary. There appears to be a missing link in the coordination between the MFA and the Egyptian Intelligence Services, or between these offices and the officials working in the crossing, resulting in Ms Linnell and Ms Abou Chakras continued refused entry into Egypt.
As a matter of urgency, it is essential that a greater level of assurance is acquired from the MFA that this situation does not arise again, either through further coordination or documentation, or by the physical presence of a representatives to ensure the border guards at the Egyptian crossing implement what appears to have been agreed by more senior Egyptian officials.
The women have every reason to believe that simple reiterations of documentation and assurances alone will not be sufficient. They have put their faith in these mechanisms for over a month now, with no effect. They first approached the British Embassy in Cairo on the 31st of May. On the 9th of June they were told that they had the required coordination and paperwork from the MFA, this was faxed through to the British Embassy in Cairo. They took a copy of this fax to the Crossing when they attempted to pass. They had been told that it was acceptable for British nationals to leave before the date of the official opening of the Crossing so they attempted to cross on the 10th of June. After several hours and several trips backwards and forwards by the by the Palestinian official responsible for coordination they were told that the Egyptian Intelligence office at the Crossing had informed him that we were not allowed to go through at that time and said things would work out once the Crossing opened. Despite several calls to Ms. Hayek from the MFA, they were refused entry.
On Saturday 27th June, 2009, the first day of the officially announced three-day opening of the Rafah Crossing, 4 British citizens including Ms Linnell and Ms Abou Chakra passed through six phases of checkpoints, before finally being allowed onto a bus waiting before the gates to the Egyptian side of the Crossing. This meant that they were still on the Palestinian side, in a bus in a queue of around seven buses and dozens of ambulances, stranded waiting for the Egyptians to open the entry gate to the Egyptian terminal. At 7.30pm local time, the Egyptians called the Palestinians to return back. The Egyptians then allowed some ambulances through, although 20 ambulances and the buses were left stranded again until 11pm, when all were returned back to Gaza.
The following day, Sunday 28th June, the four British nationals headed to the crossing in the early morning. At 2pm they were asked to get on a bus heading to the Egyptian gate. At 3pm, the four British nationals had gained entry to the Egyptian terminal. At 7.30pm, the other two British nationals were allowed into Egypt, however Ms. Linnell and Ms. Abou Chakra were told their passports were being checked and were then questioned by the border officials regarding the purpose of their stay in Gaza, their arrival, and marital status. An hour later, Ms. Linnell and Ms. Abou Chakra's names were called as part of the list of those to be “returned back” to Gaza. The afore-mentioned protested against this, thinking that there must have been a misunderstanding, reiterated that they had "tanseeq", or coordination from the MFA based on the request of the British Embassy and repeatedly showed the document from the MFA.
They were told by a uniformed officer that the faxed document was in fact a letter from the British Embassy and what they actually needed was a letter from the Egyptian Government, despite the fact that the document was written on letter-headed notepaper from the MFA emblazoned with a governmental emblem and that it bore a governmental stamp below the text. They were also told that they weren't being allowed to pass because the British Embassy hadn't approved of their departure from Gaza. The officers and Intelligence personnel threw the faxed document on the ground. Ms. Linnell and Ms. Abou Chakra attempted to refuse to leave the Crossing, demanding to know why the permission they had previously been granted was not now being honoured. No answer was given although an Intelligence officer there, Mr. Saeid, insisted that they needed “tassdeeq” which constitutes a call by the MFA to their office at the Crossing. He said the document from the MFA meant nothing. Ms. Dina Hayek from the MFA had previously explained to Ms. Linnell that it would have been impossible for her to have sent the fax to the British Embassy without the approval of the Intelligence Services.
After approaching other Intelligence officers, they were denied entry to the Government Security office that they'd been recommended. At around twelve midnight, when one of the women was speaking to the media about the situation at the Crossing, Mr. Saeid approached her saying “I will make sure you will not leave Gaza,” and assured her “We are untouchable” (literally, meen hayhasibna). During these hours, Ms. Linnell and Ms. Abou Chakra were speaking on the telephone with family members who contacted the British Embassy in Cairo. “We are working on it,” was a repetitive answer.. Hours later, they received a 'phone call from Caroline, the Duty Officer at the Embassy saying, “I've seen this happen before,” “Wait till tomorrow when we can sort things out,” and “You have everything you need to cross, the problem is from them [Egyptian Intelligence Services].”
The two British women informed the Embassy that they would remain in the crossing until an explanation was given as to why they had been denied entry based on unjustifiable and potentially false grounds. The Egyptian officials at the border asked how they entered Gaza, and on explaining that they arrived on the Free Gaza Movement Boats they were told, “So, you don’t need us to answer. You already know why you’re not being allowed out.”
This would seem to suggest that they were detained as a form of unofficial punishment for their humanitarian work in Gaza. This is extremely alarming. Officers then forcibly removed them from the departure hall to where there was a bus waiting outside. Moments later, Ms. Abou Chakra was also assaulted and lost sight of Ms. Linnell. Officers again threatened Ms. Abou Chakra with her continued detention in Gaza saying saying “We will make sure you will never get out,” and, “You are lucky you are not in Jordan. Our boots would be in your mouths by now.”
The treatment Ms. Linnell and Ms. Abou Chakra were subjected to was abusive and unnecessary. The Egyptian authorities at the Crossing have failed to acknowledge their right of passage. As is evident from the verbal exchange mentioned above, this is a direct challenge from the Egyptian authorities to the democratic rights of any person who has been working aiding the desperate situation in Gaza.
I would be grateful if you would fully investigate this matter further and urge you to act on this information to secure an efficient and safe passage from Gaza for these two humanitarian workers, which they have so far been unjustly denied.
I would appreciate you keeping me informed of the results of your enquiries.

--
In Solidarity
from all
International Movement to Open Rafah Border

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9986479902

"Only a united world against oppression will help unite and free all of Palestine."

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country

From Eileen Fleming

I hope you will respond to the challenge from the Israeli Supreme Court President, Dorit Beinish by sending her an email too. What follows is one of mine.

Letters to Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish @ Dover@court.gov.il

Dear Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish,
On July 6, 2009, in regards to Mordechai Vanunu, you stated that his "case is still generating great interest, like any other security-related case. The media's attention he gets is proof of that."

The "great interest" is for Vanunu's RIGHT to free speech and RIGHT to leave the state.

"Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country."-Article 13:2 UN UDHR

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." -Article 19. UN UDHR

On the day of the termination of the British mandate and on the strength of the United Nations General Assembly declare The State of Israel will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel: it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion it will guarantee freedom of religion [and] conscience and will be faithful to the Charter of the United Nations." - May 14, 1948. The Declaration of the Establishment of Israel

FREE VANUNU NOW!

Sincerely,

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Only in Solidarity do "we have it in our power to begin the world again."-Tom Paine

http://www.wearewideawake.org/