Pakistan

By Kevin Zeese

Egypt is an alarm that highlights the urgent need for change in U.S. foreign policy. It provides President Obama an opportunity to transform a foreign policy that has often had the opposite effect that was sought and is undermining U.S. economic and national security.

The list of recent policy failures in the Middle East is quite astounding:

In the right sidebar I have a number of links to many of the articles and reports, many also with backlinks, as well as in the archives of posts. My main interest was direct testimony of what was happening here, civilian and military counterparts, in the U.S. and that administration, plenty came out, as well as reading between the lines. The U.S. admin. and pentagon were the lead and the Brits followed in what they did. Have and will do same with any other Inquiries and hopefully those to come!

It all brings up the need, which should already have happened, of much more then an Inquiry here in the U.S.. The World waits while we don't do Accountability for what was done in 'Our Names' and continues!

Timeline - Britain's inquiry into the Iraq War

By David Lindorff

One of my grandsons recently asked me, “What is wisdom?”   After some discussion, we together concluded that wisdom comes only with experience. 

When it comes to war, though, living in a country that has not experienced a war on its own soil since 1865, Americans, other than those veterans who have actually fought abroad, have no such experience to draw on.

Perhaps this is why so many Americans easily accept, and even cheer the nation’s militarism, and why most of us accept our government’s reflexive resort to military action to settle international disputes.
  
Einstein, who had his share of wisdom, advised forgetting everything one has learned.  This was his way of getting his thinking out of a box. 

Rather than add more to this somewhat evasive notion, let me reflect here on my own experience of war, and on how the concept of war has permeated my life, in hopes of finding  a bit of wisdom to counter the temptation to turn to cynicism. 
   

By Dave Lindorff

I never expected to find myself agreeing with Sarah Palin, but I’ve got to admit that the woman nailed it regarding President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address. Asked to comment on it, she said it had a lot of “WTF moments.”

That’s exactly what I found myself thinking as I read through it!

We’ve “broken the back” of the recession? WTF? The official unemployment rate is still 9.4%, and even that is down slightly from a 9.8% high only because so many people have given up trying to find a job and have left the workforce, taking early retirement or just staying home. And the real unemployment rate--the one that counts those who have given up but would work if there were actually jobs to be had, and those who have grasped at part time work just to survive--is still at between 19% and 22%, depending on how you’re counting. Who’s Obama kidding: us or himself?

Blair sister-in-law urges war crimes trial

January 26, 2011 - TONY Blair's sister-in-law Lauren Booth, a rights campaigner and Muslim convert, said the former British leader should be tried for war crimes over the invasion of Iraq.

Booth, the half-sister of Blair's barrister wife Cherie, is in Malaysia for lectures organised by Viva Palestina, a British-based organisation associated with controversial politician George Galloway.

Asked whether Blair should be arrested and sent to the International Court of Justice in The Hague for war crimes, Booth replied: "Absolutely. He misled the British people and took Britain to war on a lie."

By Kevin Zeese

Members of the corporate political duopoly switched seats and sat next to each other making it even harder to tell the corporate welfare party from the crony capitalist party. Sadly, the spokespersons for both failed to learn the lessons of history and as a result the American economy will continue to falter with U.S. militarism continuing to expand.

Listening to the saccharin rhetoric of President Obama one would think the nation’s economy was flourishing and the military was winning wars. The truth, that the economy is still in collapse and the military is stuck in war quagmires all piling up record debt, was hard to see through his veil of words.

By Edward S. Herman and David Peterson

By an historical coincidence, both Julian Assange and Luis Posada Carriles were brought before Western courts around the same time in late 2010 and early 2011—Assange in Britain and Posada in the United States. The contrast in their treatment by the U.S.-Anglo system of justice and in their handling by the Western establishment media is enlightening.

Posada, now 82, is a self-confessed terrorist, Bay of Pigs veteran, School of the Americas graduate, and CIA operative who has been credibly placed at two meetings where the plan was hatched for the October 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner that killed all 73 civilians aboard. He also has been implicated in numerous other terrorist acts in which people were killed or injured and property destroyed, and he played a role in the United States' arms-smuggling network in Central America that eventually came to light in the Iran-Contra investigations.

Retired Capt USAF, Myles Spicer, USAF 1954-57 retired from reserves, lays out the long over due 'Support' for those we send into occupations theaters and then forget about. The so called (T)'s {oh the fun with the 'purple heart bandages' as the wars raged}, once long ago (R)'s and even conservative, won't like this, they want but don't want to pay for, and not just war, as most of them were the ones that remained silent for over a decade, still ongoing silence, as to Real Support but very loud as to support of the failed policies and related lies and costs.

The impelling case to impose a "war tax"

As well as those about the necessity of leaving Afghanistan, instead of helping them as once again promised, to smolder into a much more dangerous occupation theater and still no bin Laden!

Chilcots got the only show in town, we here don't do accountability for that done in our names, where we can read between the lines to get some of the answers while some are laid out directly by the testimony and released documents.

So why did we invade Iraq?

23/01/2011 - On Tuesday last week in Saddam ­Hussein’s home town in Iraq, a suicide bomber joined a queue of police volunteers and blew ­himself up. Sixty people were killed.

Day of regret, Day of reckoning

The Chilcot Inquiry will help write history's verdict on Tony Blair - and he may not like it

Return to the fray: Tony Blair giving evidence Photo: REUTERS

23rd January 2011 - His government did not, in Alastair Campbell’s words, “do God”. But on Friday the gods, yet again, seemed to do Tony Blair a favour.

The QE2 Conference Centre, venue of the Chilcot Inquiry, was patrolled on three sides by hungry TV crews. The police presence was high. Under no illusions about his public, Mr Blair arrived at dawn, nearly two hours before he was due to testify.

There's a large element within this Country that seems bound and determined to tear apart what this Country is suppose to stand for on the World stage as well as within. They also seem to want to stoke their fears by creating as much hatred towards us, thus enemies of, for a perpetual state of conflict outside of and within our borders. This is our legacy to the coming generations!

In January 2009, President Obama promised a clean break with Bush era detentions. Two years on, only continuity is visible

January 22, 2011 - A leading QC tells Channel 4 there is enough evidence for the International Criminal Court to mount a case against Tony Blair.

Furious families spurn Tony Blair's apology for Iraq War deaths

22/01/2011 - TONY Blair finally apologised for the Iraq War yesterday – and was jeered by furious relatives of British soldiers who lost their lives.

After facing an official inquiry for the second time, the strained-looking ex-PM offered his “deep regrets” for the 179 troops killed in the conflict.

But his remarks sparked emotional scenes in the witness room.

One woman broke down in tears, then stood up and spent the rest of the session with her back turned to Mr Blair.

January 22, 2011 - Tony Blair called for a "gung-ho" approach toward Saddam Hussein's regime, it was revealed yesterday.

The former British prime minister's approach during the days leading up to the invasion of Iraq was revealed in a previously unseen 2002 memo from him to his chief of staff, published by a war inquiry as he made a second appearance before the panel to clarify evidence he gave to it a year ago.

Critics of the war hope the inquiry will conclude Blair had been determined to back the US invasion, whether or not it was supported by the public, parliament or legal opinion.

As Blair addressed the five-member panel scrutinising Britain's role in the unpopular war, activists staged demonstrations against him - holding up signs saying 'Bliar' and 'Blair lied - thousands died'.

Tony Blair dug his own hole at the Chilcot inquiry

In his final opportunity to present his case against the mounting evidence, Tony Blair put his foot firmly in his mouth

Tony Blair leaves after giving evidence for the second time to the Chilcot inquiry. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

21 January 2011 - Tony Blair came to the Iraq inquiry with last year's game plan. Answer questions on his terms. Talk about the big picture, keep it subjective and off the specifics. He may think he did this well. Until he put his foot in his mouth.

Relatives of Pakistani Drone Victims to Sue CIA

{dpa} A Jan. 5 demonstration in Peshawar against US drone attacks: A group of victims' relatives is suing the US government and the CIA.

01/21/2011 - Almost every day, people in the Pakistani region of Waziristan are killed or seriously injured by drone attacks carried out by the CIA. Now a group of victims' relatives is standing up to Washington -- by suing the US government.

Military Families’ Emotional State Showing Signs of Strain

Research highlights opportunities for improved and targeted support

Tony Blair returns to Chilcot inquiry amid protests

Demonstrators protest against the former prime minster at his second appearance before the Iraq inquiry

21 January 2011 - A month before the Iraq war began a million people marched through London. This morning, almost eight years later, barely 100 activists mustered outside the conference centre opposite Westminster Abbey as Tony Blair returned to the Chilcot inquiry for perhaps his last official involvement in the conflict's aftermath.

Iraq Inquiry publishes transcripts from private hearings

17 January 2011 - Today, the Iraq Inquiry has published a number of documents. These include Lord Goldsmith’s witness statement, the transcripts of five private hearings, some correspondence and a number of declassified documents to assist public understanding of these transcripts and the witness statement.

Islamic scholar's experience sheds light on counterterrorism efforts in wake of 9/11 attacks

 

18 January 2011 - Saad Iqbal Madni looks decades older than his 33 years when he shuffles into the room, head down and eyes averted.

The Pentagon sank to a new low this week in their attempt to sell the Afghanistan War to the American people. At their Martin Luther King, Jr., Day observance, a Pentagon official actually claimed that if King were alive today, he might support the war.

This is simply not true. As shown in our new video, Dr. King could not have been more clear in his 1967 speech denouncing the Vietnam War:

 

On Saturday, January 8, 2011, a Tucson Safeway became harm’s way.

For many. Someone’s wife. Someone’s mother. Daughter. Sister. Friend. Someone’s husband. Someone’s father. Son. Someone.

Witnesses to the rampage forever will be changed.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords remains in critical condition, a bullet to the head, fired by a 22-year-old gunman with a Glock. Six people were killed, including nine-year-young Christina Green.

The day after the massacre, members of the House participated in a conference call to discuss vigilance and informing local police of their whereabouts. Both Republicans and Democrats are calling for civility and have put on hold repeal of the healthcare law while they craft a resolution to commemorate the victims.

And discuss how to protect THEMSELVES.

This from Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee:

We ought to cool it, tone it down, treat each other
with respect, respect each other’s ideas and even

And who controls the drug trade, not those street corner sellers nor the ones they work for, it's controlled by wealthy suits around this planet and more lucrative then running corporations or playing craps on wall street!

Jan. 14, 2011 - The government of Afghanistan is fighting a losing battle against drugs because of soaring street prices for heroin and opium derivatives , a minister said.

Mohammed Azhar, deputy minister for counter-narcotics, told The Washington Post despite the 10-year occupation by NATO troops fighting the Muslim extremist Taliban and al-Qaida factions, peasant farmers are still growing poppies to feed the drug market.

 

AFGHANISTAN: Call for help for IDPs, deportees in Helmand

10 January 2011 (IRIN) - Thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from insurgency-hit Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan, need food assistance urgently, officials told IRIN.

About 900 displaced families in the provincial capital Lashkargah have little or no means to feed themselves and their children this winter, according to Ghulam Farouq Noorzai, director of Helmand’s refugees and returnee affairs department.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirmed that of the 3,800 families displaced from Nad Ali and Marjah districts during a major counterinsurgency operation in February 2010, about 900 (300 from Nad Ali and 600 from Marjah) still remain in Lashkargah.

Jan 9, 2011 - Author and journalist Nir Rosen has written a book titled "Aftermath: Following the Bloodshed of America's Wars in the Muslim World" which provides an in depth look at the consequences of the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Press TV interviewed Nir Rosen regarding his views on the US-led Iraq and Afghan invasions and his travel experiences in both countries.

 

In the beginning, chemicals collided and catalyzed, evolving a system of development from non-living to living things, proteins and nucleic acids interacting--greeting and meeting, dating and mating—in a metaphorical dance of romance. The recipe to make more was born. Now, chemicals portend the end. So much tells us so. An eye for an eye doesn’t just blind the world; it annihilates. The blueprint for reproduction becomes one of destruction.

I’m not relaxed.

Sen. Lindsay Graham advocates permanent military presence in Afghanistan, despite an objection from Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s government.

And despite the deaths of thousands of military men and women during Bush’s war—the War OF Terror that passed seamlessly to Commander Obama. Last week, two US troops died in Iraq where combat ENDED months ago. Because the president told us so, even announcing the improved name of the non-war: Operation New Dawn.

A mess of wires and worn switches is seen at an electrical generator business in the Karrada neighborhood of Baghdad. Many Iraqis rely on such ad hoc generator stations to power their daily lives.

01/07/2011 - Iraq finally has a new government after months of deadlock, but the cynical horsetrading has damaged the image of politics. Residents of Baghdad no longer trust their fellow citizens and have withdrawn into private life. They pray that a civil war will not break out.

And does Anyone hear these patriotic constitution readers, or any of their supporters, even mention their wars of choice or the veterans and families of?!?!

Army efforts don't stem Fort Hood suicides

6 January 2010 - The Army's largest post saw a record-high number of soldiers kill themselves in 2010 despite a mental health effort aimed at reversing the trend.

The Army says 22 soldiers have either killed themselves or are suspected of doing so last year at its post at Fort Hood in Texas, twice the number from 2009.

That is a rate of 47 deaths per 100,000, compared with a 20-per-100,000 rate among civilians in the same age group and a 22-per-100,000 rate Army-wide.

Photo: Contributor/IRIN: A displaced family in a camp erected in an orchard in Diyala province, about 90 km east of Baghdad (file photo)

5 January 2011 - Iraq’s new government plans to tackle internal displacement and closely monitor and assist Iraqi refugees abroad, the country’s newly appointed migration and displacement minister said on 3 January.