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They are all accountable for torture
Mary Shaw
It was an interesting and disappointing week for those of us who want to see some accountability for the Bush administration's torture policies.
It had started on a positive note, with the news that prosecutors in Spain would likely issue indictments against Alberto Gonzales and five other high-ranking Bush administration officials for sanctioning the torture of terror suspects. The hope for justice that came with that news quickly turned to disappointment, however, when Spain's attorney general ultimately rejected the move. AG Candido Conde-Pumpido said the case had "no merit" since no members of Bush's torture team were present when the alleged abuses took place.
Obama’s Iraq: NO ‘CHANGE’
Sarah Meyer
Asked in Turkey how he was different from President Bush, Mr. Obama said: "Here in the US is like piloting a big tanker. They're not like people ... You can't just whip them around and go in a new direction. Instead, you've gotta slowly move it and then eventually you end up in a very different place. "
Very difficult for President Obama, when – for political survival - he has chosen to listen to those with the mindset from the military - industrial complex/PNAC/AIPAC. The key word that now gives a clue to the reality of Obama’s formerly hopeful policies is “BUT,” following his “change” rhetoric.
Toward Climate Geoengineering?
Andrew Glikson
Earth and paleoclimate science Australian National University
Preamble that global climate change has reached an impasse whereby the “powers-to-be” are entertaining climate geoengineering mitigation, instead of the urgent deep reduction of carbon emissions required by science, represents the ultimate moral bankruptcy of institutions and a failure of democracy.
With global atmospheric CO2 levels rising at about 2 ppm/year toward 388 ppm, or near-440 ppm CO2-e (including methane effects) (http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/), John Holdren, in his first interview since being appointed as Obama’s new science adviser, revealed in an interview with AP (8 April, 09) “global warming is so dire, the Obama administration is discussing radical technologies to cool Earth’s air” which “as an experimental measure would only be used as a last resort … It's got to be looked at … We don't have the luxury of taking any approach off the table … One such extreme option includes shooting pollution particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect the sun's ray (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hm1kMpA2nQALOfQL8Y8PxxTHNVtgD97EG5200)
Has Washington lost Lebanon?
Franklin Lamb Beirut
Part II: Persia Rising
“Who can Lebanon trust more to respect and help us, the US or Iran? Were not the American words during the Bush years and to this day that it supports our stability, sovereignty independence and democracy? But the Bush deeds demonstrated that this is true only if the American team is in control and then only to supplement its support for Israel. By its deeds the US is speaking to Lebanon with targeted words: to Hell with the Arabs, Muslims and Christians who Israel regularly kills in Lebanon, Palestine and in any country or continent it chooses! I don’t trust the Syrians or the Americans but Iran has always kept its word.” - Service driver for the Mayflower Hotel, West Beirut 04/14/09
Barack Obama: Crime Boss
Stephen Lendman
Since taking office, Obama, wittingly or otherwise, has headed the largest criminal enterprise in history - the mass looting of national wealth to enrich his Wall Street benefactors. He assembled a rogue economic team of Clinton/Robert Rubin retreads - to fix the current crisis they engineered.
In a March 13 article, (author and former Republican strategist) Kevin Phillips called them "recycled senior (Clinton administration) Democrats (responsible for the) tech mania, deregulation binge and (1997 - 2000) stock market bubble and crash. (Obama) extend(ed) the (disastrous) mismanagement and pro-Wall Street bias of the 2008 Bush regime bailout."
He called Geithner and Bernanke "hapless," the result of their ruinous misjudgments (and, along with Alan Greenspan, complicit) with finance-sector malfeasance."
The Arab world and Israel's nuclear arsenal
By Khalid Amayreh in Occupied East Jerusalem
Israel is widely believed to posses 250-300 nuclear weapons,
with their delivery systems which include the Yariho ( Jericho )
missiles and the long-range F-15 and F-16 fighter warplanes
The vociferous Israeli campaign against the Iranian nuclear program is undoubtedly a classical example of Israel’s pornographic hypocrisy in this regard.
After all, it was Israel that introduced nuclear weapons into the Middle East more than four decades ago, with the knowledge and acquiescence of western powers.
The CIA first concluded that Israel had begun to produce nuclear weapons in 1968, but few details emerged until 1986 when Mordechai Vanunu, a former technician at the Dimona nuclear facility, gave the Sunday Times detailed descriptions that led defence analysts to rank the Jewish state as the sixth largest nuclear power.
Non-Violence in Palestine: Timing and Intentions
Ramzy Baroud
When one speaks of or advocates non-violence, does he promote such an idea because he believes that historically it has been a more effective means of liberation, or is it purely because he thinks that it is a more self-respecting means of struggle?
In recent history, many advocates of non-violence have been celebrated as modern day icons. From Ghandi to King, songs are written in their honor, their life stories fill the pages of our children’s history volumes as noble examples of which everyone must aspire to emulate. Holidays are instituted in their honor and around the world; streets and boulevards carry their namesake.
Truths Forgotten
Jan Hipple
The heaviness of rain falls upon the parched earth and deep in her soul a new life springs forward. It seeks the warmth of the sun, as it sprouts through the warm earth and smiles at a new day of freedom. Reaching up to taste the truth of liberty the new life sees in order to survive it must work hard in defending the principles entrusted to them. But, with life comes the darkness in the form of sharp tongues and bitter words. Shallow men find ways to obstruct the view of liberty and deny the rights of all, for themselves. Integrity and courage were abandoned for their lust for power and greed, and with no remorse they turned their heads to a people who shouted for their voices to be heard. Our voices in the media slowly backed and let biased commentary rule. My hero, Mr. Tim Russert would be ashamed of his peers for following one side of the story without a thought for the truth.
War is all about hating thy neighbour
Roland Michel Tremblay
I hate anyone who is not like me. I hate anyone who is not white, who is not a capitalist, who is not a Christian, who does not live in my country, who is not of the same social class as I am, who does not share exactly all my beliefs and ideologies, and who is not a homosexual man. I could not possibly love anyone, so, I hate you! Don’t despair, you’re just the same. You just won’t admit it. And now, let’s go to war!
Hate is such a satisfying emotion, it is even highly encouraged by just about everyone around you, your parents, teachers, friends, religious preachers, and government officials. Hating what goes against the party line, the main ideology of the country, is desirable. Hating that neighbour is as normal as enjoying the Sun in the summer sky. And hating those Muslims, those Chinese, those Russians, those Communists, those Africans, and just about everyone else in the world, is perfectly normal! Let’s face it, who could possibly love them? Not I! I have been taught better. I hate everyone, even myself!
Law and Justice first, Mr Mitchell. Peace comes later.
Stuart Littlewood
So they sent you to the Holy Land, Mr Mitchell, for talks. So many before you have gone to talk. They failed because polite talk isn’t enough.
What will you say about the subjugation of Palestine’s people and Israel’s defilement of this once-lovely place? How will you answer charges that your county, the USofA, is godfather, bankroller, arms supplier and good buddy to the racist thieves and colonizers that have turned it into a powder-keg?
Mr Mitchell, the people you are talking to in Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem are, in the words of a respected British Jewish MP, "a gang of amoral thugs". The stench of ethnic cleansing is everywhere.
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