Thursday 17 December 2009

News For December 18, 2009

Stunning Statistics About the War Every American Should Know

By Jeremy Scahill

Contrary to popular belief, the US actually has 189,000 personnel on the ground in Afghanistan right now—and that number is quickly rising. Continue


A Word From The Taliban

Regarding the Invaders Recent Brutalities.

Remarks of Z. Mujahid, Spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

In our view, the cunning and coward enemy suffers material and soul losses every day. They lose dozens of military tanks as a result of face-to-face battles with Mujahideen. Therefore, they vent their revenge on innocent people, to create rift and hatred between Mujahideen and the common people intentionally. Continue


Chasing Shadows In Pakistan

By Iftekhar A Khan

The hawks of the military industrial complex and national security advisers who war-game with public lives and resources in alien lands dictate US policies. Would Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of Hellfire missiles and General Atomics, manufacturer of Predator and Reaper drones that fire these missiles want the war to end? Continue


Obama, Is Preparing for War in South America

Interview with Eva Golinger

By Mike Whitney

The rise of Barack Obama neutralized a growing sentiment for profound change inside the US. Hopefully, the slowdown in US activism will only be temporary. South of the border, there is tremendous change taking place. New social, political and economic models are being built by popular grassroots movements in Venezuela, Bolivia and other Latin American nations that seek economic and social justice. Continue


President Hugo Chavez Lambasts Capitalism at COP15

Video of speech

He declared, "If the climate was a capitalist bank, the rich governments would have saved it." Continue


The War Trap

By Ernest Partridge

It appears that Einstein was right: everything has changed except our modes of thinking, and thus, as he warned, "we drift toward unparalleled catastrophe." Continue


Addicted to War: Is there any Cure?

By Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.

The US addiction to war can be brought totally under control only if all of those who feel really concerned and conscientious will try to do something about it. Continue


More and More, Obama Seems a Faux Liberal

By JOHN R. MacARTHUR

Following President Obama’s war speeches at West Point and Oslo —- two breathtaking exercises in political cynicism that killed any hope of authentic liberal reform — I’ve got only one question: Have the liberals who worshipped at the altar of “change you can believe in” had enough? Continue


The Impunity of Israel and its Allies Will Carry a Price

By Seumas Milne

Outrage over Tzipi Livni's arrest warrant would be better directed to the suffering of Gaza and the risks of a new eruption. Continue


Corporate Greed Vs American's Health

By Cesar Chelala

An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reveals that, even using a conservative definition, 62.1% of all bankruptcies in the U.S. in 2007 were due to medical reasons. Most medical debtors were well educated, were homeowners and had good jobs. Three quarters among them had health insurance. In spite of that, in 92% of cases high medical bills contributed to their bankruptcy. Continue


Are the Democrats Fighting the Banks?

By Shamus Cooke

How pathetic. President Obama sat at a table surrounded by super rich bankers, pleading with them to lend money to small businesses and workers. The media mislabeled Obama’s groveling as “encouraging,” “imploring,” and “pressing,” but a man who refuses to take action is powerless; and powerless people can only beg. Continue


Throwing Our Energy at Impossible Dreams...

By P.F. Henshaw

It may be easy to question the morality of how the Chinese chose to limit their population growth by limiting personal freedoms, but did face the challenge. You really can't argue with the fact that virtually everyone else is just ignoring that same profound moral dilemma, that affluence naturally multiplies people. Continue


Global Warming, the Media, and the Impending Catastrophe

By Ann Robertson and Bill Leumer

Why have protests around global warming been so muted in the U.S. while so intense in Europe? In part, the explanation lies in how the U.S. media has been covering global warming, which has sowed confusion, complacency, and paralysis. Continue


In Case You Missed It
Global Dimming

This is a must watch - BBC - Video Documentary

This is a film that demands action. It reveals that we may have grossly underestimated the speed at which our climate is changing. At its heart is a deadly new phenomenon. One that until very recently scientists refused to believe even existed. But it may already have led to the starvation of millions. Continue


Yemen kills at least 34 alledged militants in fresh attack: The operations also resulted in civilian casualties, witnesses and a security official said. Several homes were destroyed in Abyan and other stormed by government soldiers who mistook them for al-Qaeda hideouts

US attack kills 16 people in Pakistan: : Local officials were quoted as saying that around 5:45 p.m., 10 missiles were fired at two compounds in the Dattakhel area of North Waziristan tribal regency

Pakistan: Two security officials killed in explosion: At least two Pakistani security officials have been killed and several others injured in a remote-controlled explosion on an army convoy in Bara Tehsil on Thursday.

49 militants killed in northwest: Pakistan’s military said yesterday it had killed 49 insurgents in the northwest, widening the net in the lawless tribal belt as the top US military officer visits for talks on the war in Afghanistan.

Buying Pakistans Sovereignty: $7.5 Billion For War-Torn Pakistan: The administration sent Congress its first mandated report on Pakistan strategy yesterday, part of the terms of the Kerry-Lugar Pakistan aid bill

Zardari has assets of 1.5 billion dollars: The National Accountability Bureau said Zardari's riches, including properties in America, Britain and Spain, were "beyond his means".

Opposition calls on Zardari to quit: Pakistan leader under fire after court voids deal protecting him from graft charges.

Pakistan coup denied, minister blocked from leaving: A spokesman for Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari dismissed on Friday rumours of a coup that started after a government minister suspected of corruption was stopped from leaving the country.

Seven civilians killed in Afghan blast: Seven civilians, five of them women, were killed when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province on Thursday, the provincial governor's spokesman said

4 Afghan police officers killed by roadside bomb: A roadside bomb killed four police officers in western Afghanistan, and two soldiers died in separate militant attacks, the latest attack against the country's struggling security forces, officials said Wednesday.

U.N. Officials Say American Offered Plan to Replace Karzai: The No. 2 United Nations official in the country, the American Peter W. Galbraith, proposed enlisting the White House in a plan to replace the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, according to two senior United Nations officials.

Up to 56,000 more contractors likely for Afghanistan, congressional agency says: CRS, which provides background information to members of Congress on a bipartisan basis, said it expects an additional 26,000 to 56,000 contractors to be sent to Afghanistan. That would bring the number of contractors in the country to anywhere from 130,000 to 160,000.

Dem Rep Launches Probe Of Alleged Contractor Payments To Taliban: Private security contractors in Afghanistan are being accused of paying protection money to warlords and the Taliban along convoy routes, prompting an investigation by a House oversight committee.

U.S. spends $23 billion on Afghan contracts so far: "Currently there is a great deal we do not know about contracting in Afghanistan. We do know, however, that the president's new strategy in Afghanistan will bring a massive increase in the number and value of contracts and contractors in Afghanistan," the Democratic senator said.

Iraq: Car Bomb Kills 3: A car bomb exploded outside a popular restaurant in central Baghdad on Thursday night, killing three people and wounding 16 as diners were out enjoying the start to their weekend, police and hospital officials said.

Iraq's security forces implicated in December bombings: AT LEAST 45 Iraqi security force members may have been involved in co-ordinated attacks that killed 127 in Baghdad on December 8th, prime minister Nuri al-Maliki has revealed.

US drones hacked by Iraqi insurgents: One of America's most sophisticated weapons in the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the unmanned drone, has been successfully penetrated by insurgents using software available on the internet for $26 (£16).

Iran protests reported US Navy incident: UNITED NATIONS - Iran sent a letter to the U.N. protesting what it called an unlawful attack by the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf that caused an Iranian fishing boat to sink.

Obama told China: I can't stop Israel strike on Iran indefinitely: U.S. President Barack Obama has warned his Chinese counterpart that the United States would not be able to keep Israel from attacking Iranian nuclear installations for much longer, senior officials in Jerusalem told Haaretz.

"Freedom to Palestine” convoy is in Turkey: The Viva Palestine Convoy to Gaza, departed from London’s Hyde Park, aims to cross the Rafah border into Gaza on 27 December to mark the first anniversary of the beginning of 2008 Israeli assault on Gaza, which killed 1,400 Palestinians in three weeks.

UN committee poses 30 tough questions to Israel on torture, indefinite detention of prisoners, human shields: The Committee's "List of Issues" covers a wide range of human rights concerns in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Israel: EU official's 'occupation' remark casts pall on ties: Ashton on Tuesday leveled scathing criticism at Israeli policy in her first speech as the European Union's first high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

A Jewish Letter to Sen. Joseph Lieberman on Pekuach Nefesh (Saving Life) & the Health-care Bill: In our eyes, this is not the behavior of an "observant" Jew. "Pekuach nefesh, Save Life," is the prime directive of Torah,

Ex-FBI linguist pleads guilty to leaking secret documents: Leibowitz, also known as Samuel Shamai Leibowitz, acknowledged handing over five FBI documents concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States to the blogger, who was not identified.

North Korean arms plane 'has links to New Zealand': The mystery surrounding the missile-laden plane seized in Bangkok en route from North Korea deepened today as it emerged that the aircraft had links to a company based in New Zealand.

Obama moves ahead with AFRICOM: US ArmyConcerned over the supply of oil to the US and a supposed need to continue the global 'War on Terror', President Barack Obama has essentially maintained the militarised approach to Africa that was the hallmark of his immediate predecessors George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, writes Daniel Volman.

Hugo Chavez calls for system change at Copenhagen: ‘If the climate was a bank, they would have bailed it out already’

China says population control called key to deal: China says rest of world must submit to Chinese style population control if global warming deal is to be made

Is Blair trying to cash in on climate change?: Ex-PM arrives at summit to urge greenhouse gas deal

Mystery of Tony Blair's money solved: A little-known loophole in UK company law is being used by Tony Blair to keep his finances secret, the Guardian can disclose.

Intelligence Improperly Collected on U.S. Citizens: In February, a Department of Homeland Security intelligence official wrote a “threat assessment” for the police in Wisconsin about a demonstration involving local pro- and anti-abortion rights groups.

Initial Jobless Claims in U.S. Unexpectedly Increase: More Americans than anticipated filed first-time claims for unemployment benefits last week, a reminder that the labor market will take time to strengthen and may weigh on the economic recovery.

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