Friday 1 January 2010

News For January 01, 2010

War on Terror or War on Disaffected Yemenis?

Interventions R Us

By Ron Jacobs

As if the US interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan were not enough to satiate the Empire’s bloodlust, the calls are increasing for an all-out war on the nation of Yemen. Continue


“Smart Power” and “Bear Traps” in the Hindu Kush

By M.K. Bhadrakumar

The US is conscious that China (and Russia) does not share its predicament of being in the crosshairs of the Islamists operating in the Hindu Kush. While it got bogged down in a security quagmire, China wisely focused on commerce. Continue


World’s Sole Military Superpower’s 2 Million-Troop, $1 Trillion Wars

By Rick Rozoff

With a census of slightly over 300 million in a world of almost seven billion people, the U.S. accounts for over 40 percent of officially acknowledged worldwide government military spending with a population that is only 4 percent of that of the earth’s. A 10-1 disparity. Continue


A Super Power Of Near Demonic Dimensions

Prof Noam Chomsky

Click to view


Ridding America Of The Warmongers

By Sherwood Ross

America today is a warfare state, the most powerful ever, and its leaders lie when they claim that small countries half way around the world with $5 billion annual military budgets represent a threat to Washington, which spends roughly $800 billion a year for war. That’s more, by the way, than the $780 billion all 50 state governments combined collected in 2008 to run the country. Continue


Record US Aid Goes On Armaments

By ANNE DAVIES

Despite the serious financial crisis in the US economy, the US is proceeding with its increased aid package to Israel. Continue


SERCO
The Biggest Company You Have Never Heard Of

2 Minute Video

Over three-quarters of its 40,000 staff (spread across 38 countries) are civil servants, inherited when their governments outsourced the work they were doing to Serco.
Click to view.


Breaking With Obama?

By Ralph Nader

Those long-hoping, long-enduring members of the liberal intelligentsia are starting to break away from the least-worst mindset that muted their criticisms of Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential campaign. Continue


At least 70 killed in suicide attack at Pakistan volleyball game: Police and the army had previously claimed to have completely secured the region.

US Attack Kils 8 In Pakistan: The attack came hours after a similar strike in Mirali, officials of the local political administration said.

Buying Pakistan: US to give $55 million for Pakistani tribal area: Patterson: The US ambassador says that this support is part of a strategic agreement between the United States and Pakistan.

Taliban say not behind Karachi suicide blast: The Taliban have disassociated themselves from a militant commander's claim that the group was behind the suicide attack on a Muharram procession of Pakistani Shia Muslims here that killed 43 people.

Pakistan Taliban Say They Carried Out CIA Attack: The Pakistani Taliban claimed Friday that they used a turncoat CIA operative to carry out a suicide bombing that killed seven American CIA employees in Afghanistan as revenge for a top militant leader's death in a U.S. missile strike.

CIA Vows "Revenge" in Afghan Bombing: The CIA vowed on Thursday to avenge the deaths of seven officers in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan and to investigate security breaches that allowed the second deadliest attack in agency history.

CIA caught in dirty and secretive war against al-Qaeda on Afghan border: The deaths of seven CIA agents in Khost province have brought into the limelight the secretive and dirty war being fought by America’s intelligence agencies — and the Taleban and al-Qaeda — in the border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Five civilians, US occupation force soldier killed in Afghanistan: A roadside bomb killed five civilians in Bala Murghab district of Badghis province on Friday morning.

UK bomb disposal expert killed in Afghanistan: It is understood he was part of a patrol conducting controlled explosions to help reduce the threat from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) when the incident happened.

Civilians again killed in NATO airstrike in Afghanistan: At least eight villagers were killed and two injured in an airstrike by NATO forces in Helmand province in Afghanistan, local officials reported Thursday. On the weekend, 10 civilians including eight children were killed in NATO military action in the eastern province of Kunar.

UN slams US over killing of Afghan civilians: The victims, including eight school children, were dragged out of their homes in the Kunar province and shot to death.

Kabul demands foreign 'killers' handed over: The Afghan government demanded Thursday to take into its custody foreigners wanted over the alleged killing of 10 civilians, sharply escalating a war of words with its powerful Western military backers.

Jordanian Army suffers first fatality in Afghanistan: The Jordanian Army announced Wednesday that one of its ranking occupation force officers was killed earlier in the day in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan far deadlier than Iraq for U.S. troops in 2009: More than twice as many U.S. troops died in Afghanistan in 2009 than in Iraq, U.S. casualty records show, and Afghanistan is likely to become an even deadlier place for American forces as reinforcements are rushed there to battle insurgents.

Suicide Bombing in Afghanistan Devastates Critical Hub for CIA Activities: Seven Central Intelligence Agency officers and contractors were killed and six more wounded in the suicide bomb attack at Forward Operating Base Chapman, CIA Director Leon Panetta said Thursday, the second-largest single-day loss for the spy agency in its history.

U.S. judge throws out case against Blackwater guards charged with killing 17 Iraqis: The Iraqi government expressed its anger and even the U.S. commander in Iraq said he was ‘upset’ the case had been dismissed.

Iraq takes steps to 'bring Blackwater to justice': “The Iraqi government has started to take the necessary measures to bring Blackwater to justice for the killing of 17 Iraqi citizens,” government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement.

Secret army unit accused of abuse in Iraq -- report: A secret army interrogation unit accused of being responsible for the widespread abuse of Iraqi prisoners is being investigated by the UK Ministry of Defence, it was revealed Friday.

Iraq bomb plotters recruited in US-run prison: police: Two men on death row for masterminding an Al-Qaeda truck bombing that killed 88 people on June 20 were recruited in a US-run prison camp, a senior Iraqi police commander said on Thursday.

Demonizing Iran: U.K. Hostage Moore Spent Part of Captivity in Iran : British hostage Peter Moore, freed this week after being kidnapped in Iraq in May 2007, spent at least part of his time in captivity in neighboring Iran, U.S. regional military commander Gen. David Petraeus said.

Freed Hostage Says He Wasn't In Iran: The British hostage released this week by his Iraqi captors said Iran was not involved in his kidnapping

Opposition leader denounces Iran's crackdown: Mir-Hossein Mousavi calls for a restoration of civil liberties and says he's 'not afraid of being one of the post-election martyrs.'

Mahathir: US preparing for attack on Iran: The former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has warned that the US is preparing to launch an attack on Iran with the help of Israel.

Turkish ship to carry Viva Palestina convoy to Egypt: Turkish humanitarian aid foundation said, Viva Palestina convoy was struggling to find new ship firms after the agreed firms canceled the deal on the grounds that Israel may attack the ships on the road to the besieged Gaza Strip.

London witnesses anti-Egypt protest: At least 200 protestors gathered Friday outside the Egyptian Embassy in London after news spread that Gaza peace activists had been beaten by Egyptian police in Cairo.

Orthodox Jews and Palestinians join forces to protest over Gaza blockade: ORTHODOX Jews joined Gazans and international activists at a border crossing yesterday to protest against the blockade of the Gaza Strip imposed by Israel and Egypt.

Illegal Israeli settlements 'witness boom': Despite the suspension of settlement growth announced by the Israel government in December, dozens of illegal settlements in the West Bank are experiencing a building boom, an Israeli newspaper reports.

Yemeni forces clash with Shi'ite rebels, kill 11: The government source said several of the rebels were killed by sniper fire and others died when a bomb exploded prematurely. Rebels said a child was also killed in a Saudi airstrike.

Buying Yemen: U.S. to double security assistance to Yemen: A U.S. military commander said on Friday the United States will more than double its nearly $70 million security assistance program for Yemen, where a crackdown is underway on al Qaeda militants

U.S., Britain try to shore up Yemen security: - The United States will more than double its security assistance for Yemen and Britain will host an international meeting this month to seek ways of preventing the poorest Arab state from becoming an al Qaeda stronghold.

Somali rebel group vows to send fighters to Yemen: The group, which controls much of south and center of Somalia, paraded hundreds of newly-trained Islamist fighters at a one of the group's base on the northeastern part of Mogadishu.

Yemen admits receiving US military gear, anti-terrorism training: Previously, the government had admitted to receiving only technical assistance and information to fight the network.

US behind the scenes of Yemen terrorism fight: The US is stepping up its efforts in Yemen quietly, giving the country tools and money to comabt terrorism without fanfare. The strategy is the result of lessons learned in Pakistan, in particular

Moroccan, U.S. military to strengthen cooperation: Commander of the United States African Command (AFRICOM) General William E. Ward visited Morocco, vowing to strengthen cooperation with the Moroccan army, local satellite channel Medi 1 Sat reported Thursday.

S. Ossetia more defense-capable now than before August 2008 – Kokoity: "The U.S. and a number of other states are rearming Georgia, and it has made up for the damage to its military potential quite quickly. Certainly, this poses a certain danger, but South Ossetia and Russia, with which we have signed relevant agreements, are closely following the situation and are ready for any turn of events," he said.

U.K. mounts warfare exercise in Falklands: Some estimates have put the Falkland Islands' undersea oil deposits at 60 billion barrels, drawing speculative investment from London's financial district.

Venezuela says US violating its airspace from Dutch islands of Curacao, Aruba: Venezuela's government said Thursday that U.S. military counter-drug flights from nearby Dutch islands are violating its airspace in preparation for an attack. A U.S. official denied the allegation.

Venezuela bracing for US act of 'aggression': In a statement, Venezuela's foreign ministry called on the international community to condemn alleged incursions into its airspace by US military drones launched from Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles.

Chavez warns foes against coup attempt: “If something like that occurs to you, our counterattack is going to be firm. I’m warning you,” Mr Chavez said.

CIA Agents assassinated in Afghanistan worked for “contractor” active in Venezuela, Cuba: Since June 2002, USAID has maintained an Office for Transition Initiatives (OTI) in Venezuela, through which it has channeled more than $50 million USD to groups and individuals opposed to President Hugo Chávez.

Flight 253 passenger Kurt Haskell: 'I was visited by the FBI': Haskell and his wife, Lori, were aboard Flight 253 when Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab allegedly tried to destroy the plane. They say another man tried to help Abdulmutallab board the plane in Amsterdam.

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