Afghanistan's smuggler children
A program to eradicate opium production has led to an upsurge of child smugglers
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Rebuilding Afghanistan??
Afghanistan's smuggler children
A program to eradicate opium production has led to an upsurge of child smugglers
Torture!!
Over 100 State Bar Complaints Filed This Week Against Torture Lawyer William Haynes
Hundreds More Expected Demanding Accountability
SAN FRANCISCO - June 26 - The National Lawyers Guild San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (NLGSF) delivered over 100 complaints against former Department of Defense General Counsel William Haynes to the California State Bar offices Thursday in San Francisco. The complaints came from ordinary Americans demanding that the state bar "conduct a thorough investigation of Mr. Haynes' actions and omissions while General Counsel at the Department of Defense. The complaints further demand a written formal decision on the outcome of the investigation.......
"HE KEPT US SAFE"
THE DECLINE OF AMERICAN CHARACTER
THE "CRINGING WIMP" GENERATION
Gee, now who could Gordon be talkin about?
Still wondering, well read the rest of what he writes. As I add my meager two cents, and that's not even worth what it used to be, below.
Oh and on this: "believing the entire world would rise against us if they knew what we had done", they already know, a few have participated, but more important in the two theaters of occupations they knew long before us here on the "homeland?", and not just in the occupation zones but the whole region. They had already started growing their ranks, taking to retaliation and the knowing blowback, these acts only adding to those committed against them in the invasions and now long running occupations. Killing and maiming the U.S. and other nations soldiers, anyone working with the occupation, and the citizens, women and children included, who we also killed, not joining them in their brutal attempts to rid their countries of the occupiers and puppet regimes!
These last years only enhanced, greatly, the already growing hatreds from our past failed foreign policies in meddling in their countries, resources, and politics. They have greatly increased the numbers of those we label as al Qaeda or Taliban and especially the new 21st century label, for all who oppose us and our actions, similar to theirs, "Terrorist", as we wage our Terror! Only ours is High Tech terror,, with greater destruction and death, theirs low tech, so ours is righteous, it cost more, and well we're the supreme power and leader of freedom? and democracy?!! "God Bless America"?!!
Gordon just lays out what many others have in a justifiable rant, he does that often, of a society of "cringing wimps" that still exists, as it fears holding those Responsible to the Accountability for their crimes committed, In Our Names!
THE "CRINGING WIMP" GENERATION
For years we hear little else, "But he kept us safe." The "but" refers to bankrupting the country, stealing elections, suspending Constitutional Rights, poisoning the air and water and turning the country over to racketeers from oil, drug, insurance and crooked financial services..........
Gee, now who could Gordon be talkin about?
Our crimes are so heinous that our new government is fearful of allowing trials for the criminals, believing the entire world would rise against us if they knew what we had done. The process of declassification intended to bring the truth to the world has stopped as we are faced with unimaginable acts of cowardice, brutality and greed, all hidden behind the words, "But he kept us safe." ...........>>>>>Rest Here
Still wondering, well read the rest of what he writes. As I add my meager two cents, and that's not even worth what it used to be, below.
Oh and on this: "believing the entire world would rise against us if they knew what we had done", they already know, a few have participated, but more important in the two theaters of occupations they knew long before us here on the "homeland?", and not just in the occupation zones but the whole region. They had already started growing their ranks, taking to retaliation and the knowing blowback, these acts only adding to those committed against them in the invasions and now long running occupations. Killing and maiming the U.S. and other nations soldiers, anyone working with the occupation, and the citizens, women and children included, who we also killed, not joining them in their brutal attempts to rid their countries of the occupiers and puppet regimes!
These last years only enhanced, greatly, the already growing hatreds from our past failed foreign policies in meddling in their countries, resources, and politics. They have greatly increased the numbers of those we label as al Qaeda or Taliban and especially the new 21st century label, for all who oppose us and our actions, similar to theirs, "Terrorist", as we wage our Terror! Only ours is High Tech terror,, with greater destruction and death, theirs low tech, so ours is righteous, it cost more, and well we're the supreme power and leader of freedom? and democracy?!! "God Bless America"?!!
Gordon just lays out what many others have in a justifiable rant, he does that often, of a society of "cringing wimps" that still exists, as it fears holding those Responsible to the Accountability for their crimes committed, In Our Names!
Friday, June 26, 2009
"The Hurt Locker"
If “The Hurt Locker” is not the best action movie of the summer, I’ll blow up my car. The movie is a viscerally exciting, adrenaline-soaked tour de force of suspense and surprise, full of explosions and hectic scenes of combat, but it blows a hole in the condescending assumption that such effects are just empty spectacle or mindless noise........
Trailer 1
Trailer 2
Trailer 3
Not necessarily about the causes and consequences of the Iraq war, mind you. The filmmakers’ insistence on zooming in on and staying close to the moment-to-moment experiences of soldiers in the field is admirable in its way but a little evasive as well. “The Hurt Locker,” which takes place in 2004 (it was filmed mostly in Jordan), depicts men who risk their lives every day on the streets of Baghdad and in the desert beyond, and who are too stressed out, too busy, too preoccupied with the details of survival to reflect on larger questions about what they are doing there.........
Opens on Friday, 6.26.09, in New York and Los Angeles.
Official website for THE HURT LOCKER, winner of the 2008 Venice Film Festival SIGNIS Grand Prize.
NPR Fresh Air 'Hurt Locker' Creators On Explosive New Thriller
Fresh Air from WHYY, June 24, 2009 · Screenwriter Mark Boal and director Kathryn Bigelow join Fresh Air to discuss their collaboration on The Hurt Locker, a combat movie about an Army bomb squad that roams Iraq in search of explosives to diffuse........{More at above link}
Listen to discussion on NPR Player
From the Movie Reality of War to the Reality of War:
Hospital sees more GIs from Afghan frontline
‘We’ve seen a lot ... and I hope we can handle it,’ says one staffer
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - The urgent call came in: Roadside bombs had ripped through two Humvees and wounded eight or nine U.S. soldiers.
Medevac helicopters immediately hit the air to ferry the soldiers to the main U.S. military hospital. But when they arrived, they carried only five patients.
The other four were dead..........
"Dust Off"
‘We’ve seen a lot ... and I hope we can handle it,’ says one staffer
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - The urgent call came in: Roadside bombs had ripped through two Humvees and wounded eight or nine U.S. soldiers.
Medevac helicopters immediately hit the air to ferry the soldiers to the main U.S. military hospital. But when they arrived, they carried only five patients.
The other four were dead..........
Thursday, June 25, 2009
SOA/ WHINSEC
House Votes to Publicize Names of Infamous School of the Americas Graduates
Keep Up the Pressure - Tell your Senator to Take a Stand for Human Rights and Transparency
U.S. House of Representatives Votes 224:190 to Force the School of the Americas/ WHINSEC to Release the Names of Graduates and Instructors.
Washington, DC – the U.S. House of Representatives voted today to force the School of the Americas (renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation - WHINSEC) to release the names, ranks, country of origin, courses and dates attended of students and instructors at the institute. >>>>>Rest Here
Keep Up the Pressure - Tell your Senator to Take a Stand for Human Rights and Transparency
Such helpers in the world...
There are such helpers in the world, who rush to save
anyone who cries out. Like Mercy itself,
they run towards the screaming.
And they can't be bought off.
If you were to ask one of those, "Why did you come
so quickly?" he or she would say, "Because I heard
your helplessness.
These words were written in the 13th century by the great Persian poet, Rumi. In the last week we have seen the cries of many Iranian people and most of us stand in solidarity with the people of Iran. The heated debate among our politicians will continue to rage about what we should say and what we should do as Iranians raise their voices. Though Rumi did not explicitly say it, my belief is that he implied that we should come as allies to stand next to the people of Iran, listening to their concerns and alert to their ideas and ready to do what they ask—not what we think they need......
The poems that follow...>>>>>
Voices Education Project
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Bagram Detainnee Abuse
Ex-detainees allege Bagram abuse
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 Allegations of abuse and neglect at a US detention facility in Afghanistan have been uncovered by the BBC.
Former detainees have alleged they were beaten, deprived of sleep and threatened with dogs at the Bagram military base.
The BBC interviewed 27 former inmates of Bagram around the country over a period of two months.
The Pentagon has denied the charges and insisted that all inmates in the facility are treated humanely.
All the men were asked the same questions and they were all interviewed in isolation.......
Amnesty 'shocked' by Bagram claims
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 A BBC investigation has uncovered allegations that prisoners were abused and humiliated at the US-run Bagram military base in Afghanistan.......
"RESOLUTION: The Torture Song" By David Ippolito
The rally in Washington, D.C., on Torture Accountability Action Day, Thursday, June 25, 11 a.m., John Marshall Park.
More here: That Guitarman from Central Park
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Iran
"A History of Iran: Empire of the Mind"
The peoples of the Iranian plateau have a written history of at least 2,500 years. The Persian Empire extended from Egypt to northern India, and the influence of the Persian language, literature, and architectural styles is still evident across western and central Asia. Unfortunately, most Americans view Iran today through the prism of staged anti-American demonstrations and the rantings of their current {i.e. Previous} president. Axworthy, Honorary Fellow at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter in England, has provided a valuable counterpoint to those distorted impressions. He has written a compact but still inclusive narrative account that conveys both the diversity and richness of the various empires and cultural forces that have shaped the Iranian people. He offers fascinating insights into the political developments in the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid empires, and his efforts to illustrate how Iranians adopted Islam while resisting the “Arabization” of their culture is provocative. This is an excellent examination of the forging of a people who are poised to, once again, play a prominent role in world affairs. --Jay Freeman
A Deadly Misunderstanding;
Peaceful Efforts in the Middle East
Mark Siljander's Book: "A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman's Quest to Bridge the Muslim-Christian Divide"
Ironically, as I attempted to spotlight centuries of misunderstandings between East and West, a few key Republican-based government officials (Pres. Bush and colleagues) misunderstood my promotion of peace with Muslims and my book offering solutions to bridge East-West tensions.
Rather than perceiving my work as a help to more intelligent diplomacy and responsible foreign policy, it was interpreted by some as an attempt to sabotage certain ideologically based policies.
On the contrary, all aspects of foreign engagement depend on and are strengthened by each other, when applied strategically. As a member of the Veteran's Affairs committee during my first term in Congress, I have always felt strongly for our veterans. The thousands who create a strong military defense as the backbone behind peaceful overtures are crucial in order for an intelligent diplomacy to work. Yet in past administrations, our defense agencies have been asked to take a surprisingly offensive stance, wielded aggressively in propagating ideologies that might have been more easily spread through peaceful measures.
Far from sabotage, my efforts are aimed at reducing bloodshed and creating space for trust to develop between nations. When a team of like-minded individuals visited Saddam's regime in 2002 as an attempt to gain cooperation; we hoped to divert from the impending onset of war. While Iraq's leaders were surprisingly open, top U.S. officials were not.....>>>Rest Here
Mark Siljander's Book: "A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman's Quest to Bridge the Muslim-Christian Divide"
Homes for Homeless Vets
Robert J Dole Veteran Affairs Medical Center will soon be home to a temporary housing facility to help homeless vets get back on their feet.
The announcement was made official in a public hearing Monday night........
But what is the norm we get the "Not in my backyard!", meme! Aren't the population just sooooo "Supportive!"!
More than embarrassing scandal:
Torture a War Crime requiring Accountability
Torture a War Crime Part II
"RESOLUTION: The Torture Song" By David Ippolito
The rally in Washington, D.C., on Torture Accountability Action Day, Thursday, June 25, 11 a.m., John Marshall Park.
More here: That Guitarman from Central Park
A 4-Part report in recognition of tortured survivors and in memory of those murdered by torture. Torture Accountability Day: this Thursday, June 25th
Part 1 Torture Accountability - it’s a family affair
Disappearing citizens a la "School Of Assassins" (SOA) mode, torturing them, including children (even sexually), hanging people from ceilings, water boarding, sleep deprivation, slicing genitals, and raping are more than an embarrassing scandal. These are war crimes.................
Torture a War Crime Part II
Part II. Extraordinary rendition misleading term for kidnap and torture
Up to 80,000 kidnapped people have been 'through the system' since 2001, and 98% of prisoners in U.S. custody overseas are in secret prisons according to Clive Stafford-Smith.
Nature of the kidnapping-torture crime termed “extraordinary rendition” is organized and systematic, as a short testimonial video by Iceandfire and Reprieve reveals.
Executive order to ensure lawful interrogations peace train or FEMA train?............
"RESOLUTION: The Torture Song" By David Ippolito
The rally in Washington, D.C., on Torture Accountability Action Day, Thursday, June 25, 11 a.m., John Marshall Park.
More here: That Guitarman from Central Park
Monday, June 22, 2009
World Focus: Agent Orange
During the Vietnam War, the U.S. dropped millions of gallons of Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant, on Vietnam in an attempt to remove the jungle used for cover by communist forces.
Decades later, civilians still suffer the consequences. Dioxin still lurks in Vietnam’s soil, causing deformities which are passed on from generation to generation.
Worldfocus correspondent Mark Litke and producer Ara Ayer travel to Vietnam and witness the devastating effects the toxin has left behind.
For more information on efforts to aid the victims of Agent Orange, visit the Vietnam Friendship Village
"RESOLUTION: The Torture Song" By David Ippolito
or with them at the rally in Washington, D.C., on Torture Accountability Action Day, Thursday, June 25, 11 a.m., John Marshall Park.
More here: That Guitarman from Central Park
From: After Downing Street
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
by: Richard Smith at VetVoice
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
The Album: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Gil Scott-Heron
The Book: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised Revised Ed: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything
'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson
You will not be able to stay home, brother.
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,
Skip out for beer during commercials,
Because the revolution will not be televised.
In November of 1963, the way in which the world consumed information was changed forever. For the first time, 90% of American households owned a television set. The assassination of American President John F. Kennedy and his following funeral is considered to be a critical moment in history and in the way in which we consume media. Previously, television had been thought of as a low brow medium. Kennedy's own FCC commissioner called television a "vast wasteland"....>>>>>Read Rest Here
The Album: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Gil Scott-Heron
The Book: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised Revised Ed: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything
'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson
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