by Chris Hedges, truthdig.com, Aug 16, 2010
Time is running out for Israel. And the Israeli government knows it. The Jewish Diaspora, especially the young, has a waning emotional and ideological investment in Israel. The demographic boom means that Palestinians in Israel and the occupied territories will soon outnumber Jews. And Israel’s increasing status as a pariah nation means that informal and eventually formal state sanctions against the country are probably inevitable.
Desperate Israeli politicians, watching opposition to their apartheid state mount, have proposed a perverted form of what they term “the one-state solution.” It is the latest tool to thwart a Palestinian state and allow Israel to retain its huge settlement complexes and land seizures in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The idea of a single state was backed by Moshe Arens, a former defense minister and foreign minister from the Likud Party, in a column he wrote last month in the newspaper Haaretz asking “Is There Another Option?” Arens has been joined by several other Israeli politicians including Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin.
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Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Punishing the WikiLeaker misses the point
ERIC MARGOLIS, QMI Agency, Toronto Sun, Aug 16, 2010
George Orwell wrote: “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
A true journalist’s job is to expose government wrongdoing and propaganda, skewer hypocrites, and speak for those with no voice. And wage war against mankind’s two worst scourges: Nationalism and religious bigotry. Not to lick the boots of government.
I’ve always felt kinship for free thinkers, rebels, and heretics.
That’s why I am drawn to the plight of Pte. Bradley Manning who apparently believed Ernest Hemingway’s dictum: “Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.”
Continues >>
George Orwell wrote: “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
A true journalist’s job is to expose government wrongdoing and propaganda, skewer hypocrites, and speak for those with no voice. And wage war against mankind’s two worst scourges: Nationalism and religious bigotry. Not to lick the boots of government.
I’ve always felt kinship for free thinkers, rebels, and heretics.
That’s why I am drawn to the plight of Pte. Bradley Manning who apparently believed Ernest Hemingway’s dictum: “Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.”
Continues >>
US bombs flood-devastated Pakistan
By Gideon Polya,MWC News, August 14, 2010
Pakistan Independence Day
Pakistan abandoned its Independence Day (14 August) celebrations because of the floods disaster but the US has shamelessly continued its cowardly robot drone bombing attacks on defenseless Pakistani villages. Only Sanctions and Boycotts can stop US state terrorism that bombs a flood-devastated Pakistan on Pakistan Independence Day.
It was reported by ABC News today, Indian Independence Day (15 August), that the Pakistani Prime Minister had announced that 20 million Pakistanis are now affected by because of unprecedented floods – but it was also reported today by ABC News that a US drone strike on a NW Pakistan village had killed 13 people and wounded 5.
One wonders what genocidal, racist evil drives the Obama Administration to continue its cowardly, civilian-targeting drone attacks on Pakistani villages as Pakistan suffers an unprecedented flood catastrophe, a disaster linked to profligate American greenhouse gas pollution, Western-imposed global warming and worsening Climate Genocide.
Continues >>
Pakistan Independence Day
Pakistan abandoned its Independence Day (14 August) celebrations because of the floods disaster but the US has shamelessly continued its cowardly robot drone bombing attacks on defenseless Pakistani villages. Only Sanctions and Boycotts can stop US state terrorism that bombs a flood-devastated Pakistan on Pakistan Independence Day.
It was reported by ABC News today, Indian Independence Day (15 August), that the Pakistani Prime Minister had announced that 20 million Pakistanis are now affected by because of unprecedented floods – but it was also reported today by ABC News that a US drone strike on a NW Pakistan village had killed 13 people and wounded 5.
One wonders what genocidal, racist evil drives the Obama Administration to continue its cowardly, civilian-targeting drone attacks on Pakistani villages as Pakistan suffers an unprecedented flood catastrophe, a disaster linked to profligate American greenhouse gas pollution, Western-imposed global warming and worsening Climate Genocide.
Continues >>
Disease risk for millions of Pakistani children
Al Jazeera, Aug 16, 2010
Millions of children in Pakistan are at high risk from deadly water-borne diseases in the wake of the country’s worst flooding in living memory, the UN has warned.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been placed on standby to deal with a potential cholera outbreak following warnings from medical experts of “a second wave of death” in the disaster zone.
“WHO is preparing to assist up to 140,000 people in case there is any cholera, but the government has not notified us of any confirmed case,” Maurizio Giuliano, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said on Monday.
“Up to 3.5 million children are at high risk of deadly water-borne diseases including diarrhoea-related, such as watery diarrhoea and dysentery,” he said, estimating the total number at risk from such diseases to be around six million.
OCHA said figures for how many people may have already died from disease following the floods were not available, but insisted work was being done to assess the situation.
“The mortality caused by the incidence of these diseases is increasing. We don’t have figures at this moment, but WHO is working round the clock in support for the government to come up with numbers,” he said.
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Millions of children in Pakistan are at high risk from deadly water-borne diseases in the wake of the country’s worst flooding in living memory, the UN has warned.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been placed on standby to deal with a potential cholera outbreak following warnings from medical experts of “a second wave of death” in the disaster zone.
“WHO is preparing to assist up to 140,000 people in case there is any cholera, but the government has not notified us of any confirmed case,” Maurizio Giuliano, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said on Monday.
“Up to 3.5 million children are at high risk of deadly water-borne diseases including diarrhoea-related, such as watery diarrhoea and dysentery,” he said, estimating the total number at risk from such diseases to be around six million.
OCHA said figures for how many people may have already died from disease following the floods were not available, but insisted work was being done to assess the situation.
“The mortality caused by the incidence of these diseases is increasing. We don’t have figures at this moment, but WHO is working round the clock in support for the government to come up with numbers,” he said.
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Monday, August 16, 2010
Pakistan floods ‘affect 20 million’
Al Jazeera, Aug 14, 2010
At least 20 million people have now been affected by heavy flooding across Pakistan, the country’s prime minister has announced, calling the disaster the nation’s “worst-ever calamity”.
Yousuf Raza Gilani urged Pakistanis on Saturday to “join hands” to help deal with the crisis, which has left more than 1,600 people dead across the country.
“This natural disaster has brought a huge devastation and approximately 20 million people have been affected by it,” he said in a sombre address marking Pakistan’s independence from British colonial rule 63 years ago.
“[It] destroyed standing crops and food storages worth billions of dollars, causing colossal loss to the national economy.
“Therefore, despite all out efforts by the government, all available aid seems to be inadequate. I would appeal to the world community to extend a helping hand to fight this calamity.”
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At least 20 million people have now been affected by heavy flooding across Pakistan, the country’s prime minister has announced, calling the disaster the nation’s “worst-ever calamity”.
Yousuf Raza Gilani urged Pakistanis on Saturday to “join hands” to help deal with the crisis, which has left more than 1,600 people dead across the country.
“This natural disaster has brought a huge devastation and approximately 20 million people have been affected by it,” he said in a sombre address marking Pakistan’s independence from British colonial rule 63 years ago.
“[It] destroyed standing crops and food storages worth billions of dollars, causing colossal loss to the national economy.
“Therefore, despite all out efforts by the government, all available aid seems to be inadequate. I would appeal to the world community to extend a helping hand to fight this calamity.”
Continues >>
How propagandists function: Exhibit A
By Glenn Greenwal, Salon, Aug 12, 2010
Jeffrey Goldberg, in the new cover story in The Atlantic, on an Israeli attack on Iran:
Israel has twice before successfully attacked and destroyed an enemy’s nuclear program. In 1981, Israeli warplanes bombed the Iraqi reactor at Osirak, halting — forever, as it turned out — Saddam Hussein’s nuclear ambitions; and in 2007, Israeli planes destroyed a North Korean-built reactor in Syria. An attack on Iran, then, would be unprecedented only in scope and complexity.
Good news! Israel can successfully end a country’s nuclear program by bombing them, as proven by its 1981 attack on Iraq, which, says Goldberg, halted “forever, as it turned out — Saddam Hussein’s nuclear ambitions.”
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Jeffrey Goldberg, in the new cover story in The Atlantic, on an Israeli attack on Iran:
Israel has twice before successfully attacked and destroyed an enemy’s nuclear program. In 1981, Israeli warplanes bombed the Iraqi reactor at Osirak, halting — forever, as it turned out — Saddam Hussein’s nuclear ambitions; and in 2007, Israeli planes destroyed a North Korean-built reactor in Syria. An attack on Iran, then, would be unprecedented only in scope and complexity.
Good news! Israel can successfully end a country’s nuclear program by bombing them, as proven by its 1981 attack on Iraq, which, says Goldberg, halted “forever, as it turned out — Saddam Hussein’s nuclear ambitions.”
Continues >>
Article Nine, America’s Gift to Japan
by David Rothauser, Tokyo Progressive, July 26, 2010
In 1946 the United States Government decided that Japan needed a peace constitution. One was written. It included Article Nine which stated that Japan should never make war again.
A majority of citizens in Japan wholeheartedly embraced Article Nine. They had had enough of war following the crushing defeat of World War II.
The ink had barely dried on Japan’s new constitution when America found herself embroiled in another war, this time in Korea.
“Drop Article Nine of the Constitution,” said Uncle Sam. “Go to war against North Korea.” Not issued in such blatant terms, America’s intentions were nevertheless, perfectly clear. In July of 1950 General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers issued a secret order for the immediate build-up of a 300,000 to 350,000-man army. Identified as a “National Police Reserve,” this “little American army” included artillery, tanks and aircraft.
Japan went into shock. The American Eagle was acting irrationally. They had just completed a four-year war against Japan, fire-bombed Japan’s largest cities, A-bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, demanded an unconditional surrender—and now wanted Japan to fight for the U.S. against North Korea.
Continues >>
In 1946 the United States Government decided that Japan needed a peace constitution. One was written. It included Article Nine which stated that Japan should never make war again.
A majority of citizens in Japan wholeheartedly embraced Article Nine. They had had enough of war following the crushing defeat of World War II.
The ink had barely dried on Japan’s new constitution when America found herself embroiled in another war, this time in Korea.
“Drop Article Nine of the Constitution,” said Uncle Sam. “Go to war against North Korea.” Not issued in such blatant terms, America’s intentions were nevertheless, perfectly clear. In July of 1950 General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers issued a secret order for the immediate build-up of a 300,000 to 350,000-man army. Identified as a “National Police Reserve,” this “little American army” included artillery, tanks and aircraft.
Japan went into shock. The American Eagle was acting irrationally. They had just completed a four-year war against Japan, fire-bombed Japan’s largest cities, A-bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, demanded an unconditional surrender—and now wanted Japan to fight for the U.S. against North Korea.
Continues >>
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