03/27/12

Permalink Poll shows sharp drop in Americans' support for Afghan war

Photo: From the Kandahar massacre (Sunday, 11 March 2012). Seventeen civilians were killed by American soldiers and five wounded in the Panjwai district of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Among the dead were four men, four women, two boys, and seven girls. Eleven of these victims were from the same family. Some of the corpses were partially burned.

A new opinion poll shows the Americans’ support for the war in Afghanistan has plunged sharply, hitting a record low after the recent massacre of at least 16 civilians by US soldiers in the Asian country.

The latest New York Times/CBS survey found that 69 percent of the respondents believe the United States should not be fighting in Afghanistan any more. The poll, conducted among 986 adults from March 21-25, shows a 16-point increase in dissatisfaction with the decade-plus-long war, compared with a similar survey four months ago. The figure was 53 percent back in November. The costly war has forced the US government to engage the Afghan militants in dialogue in a bid to curb the violence in the war-ravaged country. The Taliban have suspended the talks with the US over the massacre that has sparked intense outrage among the people of the Asian country. Meanwhile, at least three US-led foreign soldiers were killed in separate incidents in Afghanistan on Monday.


Permalink Army Tried to Delete Bales From Web After Arrest

Besides waiting nearly a week before identifying the Army staff sergeant accused of killing 16 Afghan villagers, the U.S. military scrubbed its websites of references to his combat service. - Gone were photographs of the suspect, Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, as well as a recounting in his base's newspaper of a 2007 battle in Iraq involving his unit, a report that quoted him extensively. But they weren't really gone. Given the myriad ways that information remains accessible on the Internet, despite the best efforts to remove it, the material about Bales was still out there and available, such as in cached versions of Web pages. Within minutes of the Pentagon leaking his name Friday evening, news organizations and others found and published his pictures, the account of the battle - which depicts Bales and other soldiers in a glowing light - and excerpts from his wife's personal blog. So why did the Pentagon try to scrub Bales from the Internet in the first place?


Permalink Caught on mic: Obama begs Medvedev for ‘space’

On Monday while President Obama was taking part in a global nuclear security summit in South Korea, he was caught on tape asking for Russian President Dmitri Medvedev for “space.” “This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility,” Obama implored. Obama assured the departing Russian President he will have the “flexibility” required to deal with missile defense issues after the 2012 presidential election. In the past Russia has strongly opposed the fortification being built in Europe to intercept ballistic missiles.Its leadership fears the US will use the system against Russia, but the US insists its intended purpose is strictly for defense against countries such as Iran. As RT reported earlier this month, American authorities could soon be involving Russia on their classified data regarding the missile defense system in Europe. The motion to recruit the former Cold War rival is part of an ongoing effort to re-tune the ties between the US and Russia. “I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir,” Medvedev responded, referring to the soon to be Russian President Vladimir Putin.

[Editor's Comment:] Mr. Obama apparently takes for granted that he's going be around after the next "election". How can he be so sure of that? Maybe he knows something that many of us don't...

Russia Today: US missile shield branches into Asia, Middle East


Permalink Excerpt: Rare peek at nightly raids of West Bank village (Nabi Saleh) with English subs

This is footage of Israeli soldiers raiding a home in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh on the night of March 20th, 2012. This video captures a raid on the home of imprisoned Palestinian nonviolent leader Bassem Tamimi. His wife, children, and likely his mother, can be seen in the video reacting in horror to the ransacking of their home, albeit it rather common across the West Bank and in Nabi Saleh itself. This is an abridged version of the original.


Permalink Israel on human rights: It’s accountability for Palestinians but ‘diplomatic terror’ for Israel

Calev Myers, of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice traveled to Brussels on Thursday to hand the European Union a report urging future aid be based on the Palestinian Authority improving the human rights of Palestinians. [...] Asking donors to look into the human rights conditions and accountability is a good thing. No matter who it is. The Palestinian Authority, like all governmental entities should be held to account for how it treats it's citizens. It's also good to be held accountable to international law. But one must remember a simple fact. The Israelis are the ones in power in the West Bank. Is this taken into account as well? Are the human rights abuses perpetrated by Israeli polices accounted for in Mr. Myers report? More on that later. However, back in Jerusalem...Haaretz reported on Sunday that:

Israel is considering sanctions against the Palestinian Authority after the United Nations' Human Rights Council decided to establish an international investigative committee on the West Bank settlements.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called it "diplomatic terror" and on Sunday evening Foreign Minster Danny Ayalon tweeted that the UN team would not be allowed into Israel.

Uprooted Palestinians: Lobby: ‘Israel quits UNHRC, US should too!’

John Glaser: Israel Cuts Ties With UN Human Rights Council, Bars Entry into West Bank - The Israeli attempt to block an investigation of settlement policy looks like an admission that it violates human rights - Israel has severed working relations with the United Nations Human Rights Council and barred it from entry into Israel or the West Bank after it announced a plan to investigate Jewish settlements in the occupied territories. Cutting ties and barring entry to the Human Rights Council is a revealing confession by the Israeli government that its policy of settlement expansion in Palestinian territory indeed violates human rights. Otherwise, the council would surely be welcomed to investigate.


Permalink Racist Brutality, up to the Shed

From February forward, the Libyan revolution was recognized, to some extent, for an unsettling bias against Black people. The racism on display has deep roots in Libya’s identity as an “Arab” nation on the continent of Africa, and the pan-African policies of the Gaddafi government. Dismayed by black foreigners, about two million in a small nation of only six million, anti-regime activists have eagerly latched onto the idea of ubiquitous black mercenaries, hired to kill them and fit to be gotten rid of. One rebel fighter helping hunt down suspected mercenaries explained “There are a lot of black people that loved Gadhafi because Gadhafi loved black people and gave money to African governments.”

Across the country and the following months, when the villains were caught, they were shown as proof – terrified or dead black men, often with passports showing an African origin. That ignores the very real possibility the people were just a migrant worker looking for work in Libya or Europe, as they usually said when given a chance. Others would claim to be Libyans from Tawergha who never fought, or a naturalized citizen and a soldier who only fired in self defense, or who even surrendered. The various disguises would be seen through time and again as Free Libya grew. Mercenaries were consistently identified, collectively punished for reported atrocities, and often sent "back to Africa" with a bullet to the head.


Permalink Mali Coup Has US Interventionism Written All Over It

Aftereffects of Libyan War and extensive training to the coup leader helped foment the toppling of the democratic Mali government. - While Mali seems geopolitically insignificant compared to many other countries in Washington’s purview, U.S. foreign policy helped lay the groundwork for this coup. The aftereffects of the U.S.-led NATO war in Libya which ousted Muammar Gadhafi had a strong hand in fomenting the coup and the coup leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo, received extensive training in the U.S. from 2004-2010.

John Glaser: US Suspends Some Aid to Mali, Refuses to Call it a ‘Coup’
AWIP: Military coup in Mali ousts democratically-elected president


Permalink Thousands march to demand arrest of Trayvon Martin killer

Thousands of people took part Monday in a protest in Sanford, Florida, to demand the arrest of George Zimmerman, the killer of South Florida teen Trayvon Martin. - The march, which marked the one-month anniversary of Martin’s death, was accompanied by dozens of demonstrations involving tens of thousand of people throughout the country. The incident has sparked widespread popular indignation and international attention. “If Zimmerman won’t be arrested, anybody can get away with anything; anybody can get away with murder,” said Shylyndria Richardson, a local high school student who attended the rally.

CNN: Parents of slain Florida teen to appear on Capitol Hill


Permalink 911: America Nuked - Jeff Prager

Over the last 10 years researchers have developed a decent narrative of the whos and whys of 9/11. Where we continue to spin round and round chasing our tails is with the hows. That's by design. Some of us are just curious in a scientific way so the hows will always be relevant. I'm not in the business of trying to convince anyone of certain viewpoints so I'll just link this new emagazine by Jeff Prager and anyone interested can take it how they will. At 247 pages and very detailed it's not an easy read but there are lot of excellent photos that make the downloads worthwhile even if you don't or can't take the time to read it. Since it's free, the only cost is in time. Mr. Prager has been variously described as one of the best 9/11 researchers ever to a disinfo shill. I'll leave it to each individual to make up their own mind. Input would be appreciated.

[Editor's Comment:] As regards the Twin Towers, they may may be a case apart from the rest of the World Trade Center complex. They collapsed and came down because of explosions alright, but the mid-air pulverization and the "ground-hugging" pyroclastic flows so evident in all the footage would strongly suggest thermonuclear detonations. Samples of the fallen dust were taken on 12 and 13 September 2001 from sites within a half-mile of Ground Zero. Analyses yet to be confirmed may prove that widespread molecular dissociation took place at Ground Zero in New York City. The Twin Towers probably were nuked. They were nuked because of the unfavorable height/footprint ratio. They simply were too tall to be demolished in the same controlled manner as WTC7. Non-conventional methods had to be used. (More HERE.)


Permalink RE Cheney: Not Yet Joy in Mudville

We have mixed emotions. Dick Cheney lives on with a replacement blood pumper. He never had an actual heart. His was sold a very long time ago in exchange for something he decided was more valuable. Cheney's crimes are well documented. To paraphrase one of his partners, there are both the knowns and the unknowns. Kay Griggs and Cathy O'Brien added to the Cheney narrative the perverse nature of the man. His fingerprints and DNA are all over 9/11. His reprieve means that there is the slightest hope that he will face justice in the world he created but it's not likely. Taking Cheney to task could lead to a chain reaction involving others at the highest levels right up to this present time so it won't happen.

LA Times: Dick Cheney adjusting well to new heart


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