If We Don't Prosecute Torture...............

If Obama Doesn't Prosecute Bush's Torture Team, We'll Pay a Big Price Down the Road

"How did it come about that American military personnel stripped detainees naked, put them in stress positions, used dogs to scare them, put leashes around their necks to humiliate them, hooded them, deprived them of sleep and blasted music at them? Were these actions the result of 'a few bad apples' acting on their own? It would be a lot easier to accept if it were. But that's not the case."

-- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, June 17, 2008

***

It was a short but significant report in Newsweek last week, and it began like this:

Despite the hopes of many human rights advocates, the new Obama Justice Department is not likely to launch major new criminal probes of harsh interrogations and other alleged abuses by the Bush administration. But one idea that has currency among some top Obama advisers is setting up a 9/11-style commission that would investigate counterterrorism policies and make public as many details as possible. "At a minimum, the American people have to be able to see and judge what happened," said one senior adviser, who asked not to be identified for talking about policy matters. The commission would be empowered to order the U.S. intelligence agencies to open their files for review and question senior officials who approved "waterboarding" and other controversial practices.

The article, written by Michael Isikoff, came at the heels of another report by the Associated Press, which quoted a pair of anonymous Obama advisors as saying that there was little-to-no chance that an Obama Justice Department would try to prosecute Bush-era officials for torture. The same report quoted Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., as saying that members of the Bush administration would not face war crimes charges in the United States. "These things are not going to happen."

SNIP

What Deepak Said............

'If You Go After the Wrong People, You Convert Moderates into Extremists'

Deepak Chopra argues for a cool-headed response, saying that this is "Obama's opportunity to actually harness the help of the Muslims."



CNN Video - Deepak Chopra

It's not just going after the wrong people, or groups, it's even more about Failed Policies of so called 'Preemptive Invasions and than Occupations', on false intelligence, destroying and killing innocents, while referring to them as collateral damage!

The more destruction and killing the greater the hatreds, the creation of more chances for blowback of retaliation, for Terror Unleashed On Them!!

Deepak Chopra: I was born in Delhi, but I have been in these hotels many, many times. I have stayed there, so I know the scene; I know the restaurants. I have been trying to get in touch with my friends and relatives, some of whom I have spoken to, some of whom I can't speak to. The lines are jammed. We're texting each other.

A friend of mine from Egypt was in the restaurant at the Taj hotel when the firing started, and somehow she managed to avoid the fray, hid in a basement and is now holed up in a room which is right next to the Taj hotel and is waiting to be told what to do.

The situation is complex, Larry, because it could inflame to proportions that we cannot even imagine. It has to be contained. We now recognize that this is a global problem, with only a global effort can solve this.

And you know, one of the things that I think is happening is that these militant terrorist groups are actually terrified that [President-elect Barack] Obama's gestures to the rest of the Muslim world may actually overturn the tables on them by alienating them from the rest of the Muslim world, so they're reacting to this.

You know, this is Obama's opportunity to actually harness the help of the Muslims.

You know, there's 1.8 billion Muslims in the world. That's 25 percent of the population of the world. It's the fastest-growing religion in the world. We cannot, if we do not appease and actually recruit the help of this Muslim world, we're going to have a problem on our hands.

And we cannot go after the wrong people, as we did after 9/11, because then the whole collateral damage that occurs actually aggravates the situation.

In India, this is particularly inflammatory, because there's a rise of Hindu fundamentalism. We saw what that did in Gujarat, where, you know, Muslims were scorched and they were killed, and there was almost a genocide of the Muslims.

India has 150 million Muslims. That's more Muslims in India than in Pakistan. So this is an opportunity right now for India and Pakistan to recognize this is their common problem. It's not a Muslim problem right now; it's a global problem.

King: Do you think that this is just the beginning, that there's a potential impact, or more?

Chopra: There is a potential impact of a lot more carnage. But it can be contained. And right now, one of the questions [is, given] that there are militant groups that cross international boundaries, is who is financing this? Where is the money coming from? We have to ask very serious, honest questions. What role do we have in this? Are our petrodollars funding both sides of this war on terrorism? Why are we not asking the Saudis where that money is going that we give them? Is it going through this supply chain to Pakistan?

It's not enough for Pakistan to condemn it. Pakistan should cooperate with India in uprooting this. They should be part of the surgery that is going to happen.

It's not enough for Indians to blame Pakistanis. Indians should actually ask the Pakistanis to help them.

And it's not enough for us to worry about Westerners being killed and Americans being killed. Every life is precious over there. We have got to get rid of this idea that this is an American problem or a Western problem. It's a global problem, and we need a global solution, and we need the help of all the Muslims, 25 percent of the world's population, to help us uproot this problem.

SNIP

Watching the Iraq Parliament on the Iraq/U.S. SOFA pack

The voting comes today but the dealing goes to the wire.

Iraq's ruling Shiite and Kurdish blocs have made a key concession to a large group of Sunni Arab legislators in hopes of securing a big majority in a parliamentary vote on a U.S.-Iraqi security pact, a senior Shiite lawmaker and a close aide to the prime minister said Wednesday.

Just this past Sunday al-Maliki said if pack isn't passed, Occupation Forces Out!

"Extending the presence of the international forces on Iraqi soil will not be our alternative," Maliki told journalists. "The alternative will be their immediate withdrawal from Iraq."

Al-Maliki's ruling coalition has a slim majority, if they all fall in line, but he apparently wants a 'Slam Dunk' majority so the dealing continues.

But the prime minister seeks a bigger win that transcends Iraq's factionalism and sectarian divisions and reinforces the legitimacy of the pact, which could lead to full Iraqi sovereignty and close the bloody chapter that began with the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

But it looks like, at least with this recent report, whatever takes place today and if passed it will do so as a temporary agreement.

Shiite Lawmaker Ridha Jawad Taqi said the government's Shiite and Kurdish blocs, which account for about 140 seats, or a slight majority in the legislature, were willing to hold a national referendum on the deal in 2009. That amounts to a concession to many Sunni Arab legislators, who have said they would support the security pact Wednesday if it was put to a nationwide vote next year.

So the deal, if approved in the parliamentary vote, could still be rescinded if it fails in the popular referendum.

A referendum would give the Iraqi people a chance to evaluate "whether their interests have been achieved," said Alaa Makki, a member of parliament's biggest Sunni Arab bloc, the 44-seat Iraqi Accordance Front.

One would think that if the escalation of forces, known as the 'surge', had been a success in the purpose it was sold, time for the Iraq Government to stabilize and start functioning as a government of the people, they would have put this to the people of Iraq rather than doing the dealings behind close doors with the administration and leaving out our own Congress!

A senior al-Maliki aide confirmed the concession by the Kurdish and Shiite blocs. Speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, he said a draft bill containing provisions for the referendum and a package of political reforms demanded by the Sunnis would be voted on separately in parliament, also on Wednesday.

And what does the Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani have to say:

The vote count will be as important as the overall result because the country's most influential Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has indicated that the deal would be acceptable only if it's passed by a big margin. He could scuttle the deal if he speaks against it.

One of the reasons violence, at least in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities is down, are the huge concrete block walls surrounding the neighborhoods, though as we've read this week and previous bombings and killings still take place.

How would you feel if forced to live as the Iraqi's are, probably the same as the Iraqi's or even in more rage.

Iraqis suffer walls that divide and save

Once one of the most dangerous areas in Iraq, Rashid has seen violence drop dramatically in the past year and a half, a trend both Iraqis and Americans credit to walling off certain neighborhoods and shopping areas and adding many checkpoints. The stepped-up security effort began in the spring of 2007 and almost immediately violence began to drop, bottoming out in August when there were only 24 attacks.

Recently, though, a spate of bombings — including several at busy markets — has put the area on edge. American and Iraqi security officials say that is proof the barriers are still needed to keep the fragile peace.

McClatchy had an Unofficial Translation of the pack last week.

What will the Iraqi Parliament do today!

Oh Well..............Typical......

Iraq's parliament delays vote on US pact

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's parliament speaker says a vote on a proposed security agreement with the United States has been delayed until Thursday.

Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani's announcement came after a planned session to hold the vote did not go through Wednesday.

Troops Could Face July 2010 Deadline

Iraqis Agree to Put U.S. Troop Withdrawal to National Vote

Iraqi lawmakers postponed until Thursday a scheduled vote on a security agreement that would extend the U.S. military presence in Iraq. But they have agreed to make the pact subject to a national referendum next year that could require a complete American troop withdrawal by July 2010 -- 18 months ahead of what the agreement now envisions.

SOFA

Iraq parliament passes U.S. security pact

Iraq's parliament approved a landmark security pact with the United States Thursday that paves the way for U.S. forces to withdraw by the end of 2011.

The deal, which parliament linked after days of fractious negotiations to a series of promised political reforms and a public referendum next year, brings in sight an end to the U.S. military presence that began with the 2003 invasion.

SOFA - Official English Version

Official English version of U.S.-Iraq troop agreement - PDF

Announcing capUSAwc.org

capUSAwc.org the Coalition for the Arrest & Prosecution of U.S./Allied War Criminals

for more info, please visit: capUSAwc.org

Special Thanksgiving Message: {2008}

Thousands of Soldiers are no longer with us but especially with their families, this or any coming Thanksgivings!

As of 11-25-2008:

U.S.: Iraq Confirmed Deaths Reported Deaths: 4205 Confirmed Deaths: 4203 Pending Confirmation: 2

U.S.: Afghanistan Confirmed Deaths 629

This message comes from the family of only one soldier who did come back, but not the same as when he left, and will not be celebrating Thanksgiving or any other Holidays with his family, but is certainly not forgotten.

This soldier, and many more, numbers unknown because no one counts them, are still War Casualties but not in the numbers listed above.

The 'Special Thanksgiving Message' comes from his Mom and Dad, Kevin & Joyce Lucey, about their son, Cpl. Jeffrey Michael Lucey, a 23 year old USMC reservist and Iraq conflict veteran.

As the Lucey's say in the beginning there is alot to found about their son on the internet, as many will find there also is about many of those who served in our recent conflicts, Wars of Choice, I'll just give a couple of links.

Jeffrey M Lucey

'Something happened to Jeff'

Jeff Lucey returned from Iraq a changed man. Then he killed himself.

Now to the Special Message, in it's entirety, as posted on the Veterans for Common Sense site:

Jeffrey Lucey and the Urgent Need for Mental Healthcare for All Our Veterans

November 23, 2008 - This is the story of our son, Jeffrey Michael Lucey. This will be a brief account of what happened to him - especially after his return from the Iraq War.

There is so much about him on the internet under his name. This is why we will keep this brief.

Jeffrey Michael Lucey was born on March 18, 1981. He was our only son and our middle child - having an older sister and a younger sister. He was your average everyday boy. As he grew up, Jeffrey began to love to play sports, being a clown as well as a little rascal and imp. Jeffrey was a risk taker as well as being popular and industrious in school - at least in elementary and middle school. The first three years of high school was when he discovered girls and the social life but he was able to pull it togther during his senior year and graduated. He then went on to attend Holyoke Community College but that was interrupted by his joining the USMC reserve unit in December, 1999; then going off to Boot Camp in late May, 2000; finally returning on November 9, 2000 and then being assigned to his unit in New Haven, Ct.. Jeffrey's life was then further interrupted once more by the War.

Jeffrey being a convoy driver then participated in the invasion the day after his birthday and returned home July 13, 2003 - physically unscathed but mortally wounded. He returned to college. He was to have graduated on June 5, 2004 but weeks before he found himself in the throes of dealing with the hidden wounds of the trauma of War. Regretfully, Jeffrey never did graduate.

In letters other than the ones Jeffrey sent to us while he was in Iraq, Jeffrey described doing immoral things and wishing that the past month ( April of 2003 ) of his life never happened - that he had done things which he had only seen in the movies, ect.

Despite some distance when Jeffrey initially came home, we were unaware of issues other than what we were told would be some re-adjustment back to civilian life.

The first strong clue occurred on December 24, 2003, when Jeffrey, having asked to stay home from Christmas Eve activities, talked to his younger sister while he was crying and drinking and told her that he was nothing more than a murderer - tossing his and other dogtags at her. Yet later that evening and the next day, Jeffrey appearred fine.

During the intervening months, Jeffrey appeared to be drinking more and had some episodes but then things seem to explode. Another issue which came to light was Jeffrey's daily vomiting ever since he had returned. We sent him to the Doctor and they were going to schedule some medical tests. We came to find out later that that could have been caused by those hidden wounds.

It was in the middle of March, 2004 around school vacation, his birthday and the anniversary of the War that Jeffrey's downward spiral truly began

From mid-March through June 22, 2004, Jeffrey's life became a struggle and the symptoms appeared to explode - appearing to fluctuate in intensity and frequency. It was as if a beast was gnawing and gnashing at Jeffrey's very essence and ripping chunks out of his spirit ... his soul ... his being. There were moments that Jeffrey appeared to be quiet only to discover that in the silence, he had been screaming from the pain - horrible screams of pain that no one heard. Jeffrey slept little, ate little, was so restless, hypervigilant, confused angry frustrated isolated in his mind wracked with guilt sadness depression rage, panicked, desperate, hopeless, overwhelmed, rageful, wanting to talk and yet at the same time wanting to be silent. He wanted help but thought that no one could understand but even worse - especially after going to the VA twice - that no one cared. Being totally aware of stigma and fearful of being judged by those who could never understand, Jeffrey felt trapped as he slowly made his descent into his private hell.

As a family, we were also descending into our own hell - feeling totally powerless, helpless, desperate. We begged him to go to get help ... to go to the VA who were the experts having dealt with this country's veterans over a hundred years and a number of wars. Yet STIGMA prevented him from reaching out and trying to save himself - for you see, to seek help meant to him that you are weak and that was not acceptable. We were overwhelmed and then struggling with a mutated form of our own trauma due to trying to deal with the chaos and the raging storm of Jeffrey and his present world.

We were finally able to bring him to the VA only to have that fail so miserably. His experience there made him refuse to go back - feeling that he was treated as a prisoner - not as a veteran; being put on a ward with older veterans suffering from a number of issues not similar to his; not being seen by counselors or therapists - not being helped; feeling warehoused; not being assessed for his real issue but their simply focusing on a symptom - alcohol; ect. This should have never been.

After being turned away from the professionals, it made us doubt ourselves - were we just parents overreacting. They would never turn someone away who really was in danger - would they? It gave us a false sense of security and safety. From our perspective - they were the angels who would embrace and help Jeffrey through all this that we did not understand. Yet they turned him away. Then no one ever called so it must be that we were thinking with a parents' hearts and not being objective enough.

Jeffrey had so many mixed feelings - for he was expecting to be returned to Iraq. There were times that he was ready to go back to Iraq with his unit and then other times when he could not.

With all these factors and more involved, Jeffrey's spiral continued to go downward until he crashed. Jeffrey did stop drinking the week before he died. All of us tried to get him help - Joyce called the VA and stated that we were watching our son die slowly in front of us; Jeffrey called the Vet Center and made an appointment for the following Friday which we kept. They sent us home with the idea that they would come to the house three times per week until they could find a bed. He couldn't be as bad as we feared - could he?

When I came home from work on Monday, June 21, 2004, Jeffrey was pacing through the house in a total rage - ranting about the government, the war, the oil issue, ect.. He then spoke about suicide. I called the Vet Center not only once but twice. After talking with the staff, Jeffrey was in a better place and we had a relatively good night. About 11:30 pm, for the second time within the last ten days, Jeffrey asked me if he could sit in my lap. For the second time, I rocked him in my lap - this time for about 45 minutes. Then we walked to his room and he went to bed.

The next time I held him in my lap was the very next night, on June 22, 2004, as I lowered him from the beam and unwrapped the hose from around his neck - the first time that he looked at peace in months. He finally escaped the pain at his own hand. On June 22nd, the VA sent a notice setting up an appointment for Jeffrey who was in such a crisis for approximately three weeks later.

Few have spoken out; many have not.

It is simply not right - to allow the traumatized troops and veterans to suffer in such a tortured way and such a horrible death; for the loved ones to descend into the depths of a hell known only to a few... it is simply not right.

As many sit around their holiday tables full of festive cheer, let us hope that, even for a brief moment, some will remember that somewhere in this nation there is a family that will have to confront the reality that the smiles, laughter and joking of the loved one / veteran /troop is now replaced by the empty chair and a trembling toast to all that was and that which could have been. and which will never be.

Kevin & Joyce Lucey, the proud parents of Cpl. Jeffrey Michael Lucey, a 23 year old USMC reservist forever succumbed to the hidden wounds of PTSD.

03/18/81 -------- 06/22/04

To learn more about Jeffery listen to his parents as they tell the World about what their son went through in his last days:

WINTER SOLDIER: KEVIN and JOYCE LUCEY (1 of 2)

WINTER SOLDIER: KEVIN and JOYCE LUCEY (2 of 2)

RIP Jeffery and all our Brothers and Sisters, RIP!

"Peoples' Peace Treaty" - On This Day

November 24, 1970
14 American students met with Vietnamese in Hanoi to plan the "Peoples' Peace Treaty" between the peoples of the United States, South Vietnam and North Vietnam.
It begins, "Be it known that the American people and the Vietnamese people are not enemies. The war is carried out in the names of the people of the United States and South Vietnam, but without our consent. It destroys the land and people of Vietnam. It drains America of its resources, its youth, and its honor."
The treaty was ultimately endorsed by millions.

Joint Treaty of Peace

Between the People of The United States of America, South Vietnam and North Vietnam

Preamble

Be it known that the American people and the Vietnamese people are not enemies. The war is carried out in the names of the people of the United States and South Vietnam, but without our consent. It destroys the land and people of Vietnam. It drains America of its resources, its youth, and its honor.

We hereby agree to end the war on the following terms, so that both peoples can live under the joy of independence and can devote themselves to building a society based on human equality and respect for the earth. In rejecting the war we also reject all forms of racism and discrimination against people based on color, class, sex, national origin, and ethnic grouping which form the basis of the war policies, past and present, of the United States government.
Terms of Peace Treaty

1. The Americans agree to immediate and total withdrawal from Vietnam, and publicly to set the date by which all U.S. military forces will be removed.
2. The Vietnamese pledge that as soon as the U. S. government publicly sets a date for total withdrawal: they will enter discussions to secure the release of all American prisoners, including pilots captured while bombing North Vietnam.
3. There will be an immediate cease-fire between U. S. forces and those led by the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam.
4. They will enter discussions on the procedures to guarantee the safety of all withdrawing troops.
5. The Americans pledge to end the imposition of Thieu-Ky-Khiem on the people of South Vietnam in order to insure their right to self-determination and so that all political prisoners can be released.
6. The Vietnamese pledge to form a provisional coalition government to organize democratic elections. All parties agree to respect the results of elections in which all South Vietnamese can participate freely without the presence of any foreign troops.
7. The South Vietnamese pledge to enter discussion of procedures to guarantee the safety and political freedom of those South Vietnamese who have collaborated with the U. S. or with U. S. -supported regimes.
8. The Americans and Vietnamese agree to respect the independence, peace and neutrality of Laos and Cambodia in accord with the 1954 and 1962 Geneva Conventions and not to interfere in the internal affairs
9. Upon these points of agreement, we pledge to end the war and resolve all other questions in the spirit of self-determination and mutual respect for the independence and political freedom of the people of Vietnam and the United States.
of these two countries.

Pledge

By ratifying this agreement, we pledge to take whatever actions are appropriate to implement the terms of the People to People Treaty and to insure its acceptance by the government of the United States.

People's Peace Treaty

Volume 16, Number 5 · March 25, 1971

By National Student Association

To The Editor:

Following are a preamble to and text of the People's Peace Treaty. We think they will be of interest to your readers:

"I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of their way and let them have it."

—Dwight D. Eisenhower

"73% of the American people want the United States out of Vietnam by the end of 1971."

—Gallup Poll, Jan. 31, 1971

President Nixon, like his predecessors, speaks the words of peace, but pursues the politics of war. The invasion of Cambodia has now been followed by the invasion of Laos, and there are threats of an invasion of North Vietnam and confrontation with China.

Peace is possible in 1971. But the people will have to make the peace. And that is what we are beginning to do.

The People's Peace Treaty promised that "The Vietnamese pledge to form a provisional coalition government to organize democratic elections" in return for a complete American withdrawal from Vietnam.

Journal Article Excerpt

Journal article by Ccas National Coordinators; Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars, Vol. 3, 1971

CCAS National Coordinators

The beginning stages of the People's
Peace Treaty Campaign hopefully indicate
a renewal of mass activity in the Amer­
ican anti-war movement. Many in the move­
ment have long been aware that anti-war
activities were too crisis-oriented.
They acted; we responded and created a
big fuss. This has put the movement in
the position of always asking that
something worse not be done, since we
lacked the power to force the govern­
ment to step backwards. The aim of the
People's Peace Treaty Campaign is to
build before the next escalation, to
take the initiative in demanding a
complete end to the-war, to make the
American people realize that we can't
wait to respond to the next crisis,
for the crisis is now. The peace treaty
evolved from the anti-war movement's
understanding of two events: first, the
shift in American policy to Vietnam­
ization; and second, the growing anti­
war movement in South Vietnam. SNIP

VVAW - The Veteran

October 1971 {Volume 1, Number 2} page 6

Boycott the Bird

We veterans and our supporters, endorse and will actively support the announcd support the announced fall action offensive of the National Peace Action Coalition, and the Peoples Coalition for Peace and Justice, but we must do more.

First hand, we experienced the Nam, this administration still has in excess of 220,000 troops plus the thousands of its allies there,. We feel an urgent need to end the genocide of American youth and the Peoples of Indochina as soon as possible To further our goals of peace, we will complement the announced fall offensive with other actions, two of which are listed here, and the others to be announced at a later date.


OCTOBER 25 - VETERANS DAY
Veterans Day is a national holiday, a day when Americans stop working to celebrate war, to glorify militarism, and tell the rest of the world, that America is, and has always been, the "greatest military power the world has ever known". It is 1971 and this government is still embroiled in the longest war in its history, a war against a "backward, ignorant, and barbaric people".

WE ARE VETERANS, and as such we have the right to march in every parade on Veterans Day. There will be hundreds of parade There will be hundreds of parades acroo ades across the country on Oct. 25th. Because of the change in dates, (nov.11 used to be V.D., but now all national holidays are in conjunction with a weekend) and the recent, but much too late, concern by politicians and the press, over the plight of the veteran, this should prove to be the biggest, most publicized Veterans Day to date. We veterans must put this annual display off militarism in the proper context.

For too long, the military powers of the world have glorified war as the "manly thing to do", but as Earnest Hemingway said, "Never think that war, no matter how justified, is not a crime, just ask the infantry and ask the dead."

Cancelling the Veterans Day in 1972 must be a priority for all its members veterans. Therefore VVAW members across the country should organize and join these parades. By distributing leaflets, literature, getting our pwn speakers on the bandstand, and having Winter Soldier Investigations, we can show the militarists in this society, that there is now a new soldier, the Vietnam era veteran. As a final act on this day, we can show our determination and humanism by donating blood at the end of all the parades. Arrangements should be made with the Red Cross to have a bloodmobile somewhere close by, at the end of the march. Further, all blood should be donated to Military or V.A. Hospitals.

THANKSGIVING DAY
VVAW is sponsoring an activity that everyone (not just VVAW members) can participate in. We are calling for a Thanksgiving boycott of the traditional meal. Veterans and their supporters across the country should participate in a dawn to dusk fast at their respective state capitals.

VVAW - The Veteran

October 1971 {Volume 1, Number 2} page 10

7 POINT STATEMENT

By The Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam made public by Minister Madame NGUYEN THI BIHN at the 119th session of the Paris Conference on Viet Nam (July 1st, 1971)

Responding to the Vietnamese people's aspirations for peace and national independence, considering the American and the world peoples' desire for peace, showing its goodwill to make the Paris Conference on Viet Nam progress, basing itself on the 10-point over-all solution, and following up the September 17, 1970 eight-point and the December 10, 1970 three-point statement, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam declares the following:

1- REGARDING THE TERMINAL DATE FOR THE TOTAL WITHDRAWL OF U.S. FORCES.
The U.S. Government must end its war of aggression in Viet Nam, stop the policy of a Vietnamization of the war, withdraw from South Viet Nam all troops, military personnel, weapons, and war materials of the United States and of foreign countries in the U.S. camp, and dismantle all U.S. bases in South Viet Nam, without posing any conditions whatsoever.

The U.S. Government must set a terminal date for the withdrawal from South Viet Nam of the totality of U.S. forces and those of the other foreign countries in the U.S. camp.

If the U.S. Government sets a terminal date for the withdrawal from South Viet Nam in 1971 of the totality of U.S. forces and those of the other foreign countries in the U.S. camp, the parties will at the same time agree on the modalities of a) the withdrawal in safety from South Viet Nam of the totality of U.S. forces and those of the other foreign countries in the U.S. camp; b) the release of the totality of militarymen of all parties and of the civilians captured during the war (including American pilots captured in North Viet Nam), so that they may all rapidly return to their homes. These two operations will begin on the same date and will end on the same date.

A cease-fire will be observed between the South Viet Nam People's Liberation Armed Forces and the armed forces of the United States and of the other foreign countries in the U.S. camp as soon as the parties reach agreement on the withdrawal from South Viet Nam of the totality of U.S. forces and those of other foreign countries in the U.S. camp.

2 - REGARDING THE QUESTION OF POWER IN SOUTH VIET NAM.
The U.S. Government must really respect the South Viet Nam people's right to self-determination, put an end to its interference in the internal affairs of South Viet Nam, cease to support the bellicose group headed by Nguyen Van Thieu now in office in Saigon, and stop all maneuvers, including tricks on elections, aimed at maintaining the puppet Nguyen Van Thieu.

By various means, the political, social, and religious forces in South Viet Nam aspiring to peace and national concord will form in Saigon a new administration favoring peace, independence, neutrality and democracy. The Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam will immediately enter into talks with that administration in order to settle the following questions: a) to form a broad three-segment government of national concord that will assume its functions during the period between the restoration of peace and the holding of general elections and that will organize general elections in South Viet Nam.
b) to take concrete measures with the necessary guarantees to prohibit all acts of terror, reprisal and discrimination against persons having collaborated with one or the other party; to ensure every democratic liberty to the South Viet Nam people; to release all persons jailed for political reasons; to dissolve all concentration camps and to liquidate all forms of constraint and coercion so as to permit the people to return to their native places in complete freedom and to freely engage in their occupations.
c) To see that the people's conditions of living are stabilized and gradually improved, to create conditions allowing everyone to contribute his talents and efforts to heal the war wound and rebuild the country.
d) to agree on measures to be taken to ensure the holding of genuinely free, democratic, and fair elections in South Vietnam.

3- REGARDING THE QUESTION OF VIETNAMESE ARMED FORCES IN SOUTH VIET NAM.
The Vietnamese parties will together settle the question of Vietnamese armed forces in South Viet Nam in a spirit of national concord, equality, and mutual respect, without foreign interference, in accordance with the post-war situation and with a view to lightening the people's contributions

4- REGARDING THE PEACEFUL RE-UNIFICATION OF VIET NAM AND THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH ZONES.
a) The re-unification of Viet Nam will be achieved step by step, by peaceful means, on the basis of discussions and agreements between the two zones, without constraint and annexation from either party, and without foreign interference.

Pending the re-unification of the country, the North and the South zones with re-establish normal relations, guarantee free movement, free correspondence, free choice of residence, and establish economic and cultural relations on the principle of mutual interests and mutual assistance.

All questions concerning the two zones will be settled by qualified representatives of the Vietnamese people in the two zones on the basis of negotiations, without foreign interference.

b) In keeping with the provisions of the 1954 Geneva Agreements on Viet Nam, during the present temporary partition of the country into two zones the North and the South zones of Viet Nam will refrain from joining any military alliance with any foreign countries, from allowing any foreign country to maintain military bases, troops, and military personnel on their soil, and from recognizing the protection of any country or of any military alliance or bloc.

5 - REGARDING THE FOREIGN POLICY OF PEACE AND NEUTRALITY OF SOUTH VIET NAM
South Viet Nam will pursue a foreign policy of peace and neutrality, establish relations with all countries regardless of their political and social system, in accordance with the five principles of peaceful coexistence, maintain economic and cultural relations with all countries, accept the cooperation of foreign countries in the development of the resources of South Viet Nam, accept the economic and technical aid of any country without any political conditions attached, and participate in regional plans for economic cooperation. On the basis of these principles, after the end of the war South Viet Nam and the United States will establish relations in the political, economic, and cultural fields.

6 - REGARDING THE DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE UNITED STATES TO THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE IN THE TWO ZONES.
The U.S. Government must bear full responsibility for the losses and the destruction it has caused to the Vietnamese people in the two zones.

7 - REGARDING THE RESPECT AND THE INTERNATIONAL GUARANTEE OF THE ACCORDS TO BE CONCLUDED.
The parties will reach agreement on the forms of respect and international guarantee of the accords that will be concluded.

On Wednesday, November 26th, the Iraqi Parliment is set to vote on the already long delayed security agreement with the United States that will keep U.S. occupation forces in country till 2011 at least, Unofficial Translation of U.S.-Iraq Troop Agreement.

Will it pass with no problems and with the Iraqi peoples voices being heard, most want the occupiers out yesterday, as well as the people of america's voices, or will it fail once again, deadline for UN agreement is Decenber 31, and if it fails will Maliki hold to the statement made on Sunday, November 23, in Iraq: Iraq PM says U.S. troops will leave if no pact

Iraq will not seek to extend the U.N. mandate of U.S. troops and they will pull out immediately if Iraqi parliament fails to approve a pact allowing them to stay until 2011, Iraq's prime minister said on Sunday.

The World Awaits! We all know what happened back than!!

Catholics and Muslims....

to fight terror and defend faith

Catholic and Muslim leaders at unprecedented Vatican meetings vowed on Thursday to jointly combat violence committed in God's name, to defend religious freedom and to foster equal rights for minority faith groups.

FINAL DECLARATION
FIRST SEMINAR OF THE CATHOLIC-MUSLIM FORUM (ROME, 4-6 NOVEMBER 2008)