Wednesday, September 30, 2009

R.I.P. Peter Galbraith

Earlier, I wrote an article about the irony and inconsistency surrounding the recent Afghan elections. The unofficial tally has incumbent Hamid Karzai sitting at 54.6%, and nearest competitor Dr. Abdullah Abdullah at 27.8%. That's not fishy at all, unless you remember that nobody likes Hamid Karzai.

The problem is that we have reports of widespread corruption, election fraud, vote rigging, and schoolyard taunts. There is enough proof of election fraud on Hamid Karzai's part to justify an investigation. Hell, there is enough proof of election fraud to justify an entirely new election. So why is it that U.N. Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan Peter Galbraith fired for suggesting this?

Do I even need a punchline here? This is one of the clearest cases of foreign policy meddling I have ever seen. Hamid Karzai is a infinitely controllable little puppet, and it's in the U.S. government's best interest to keep him in power. That's reason enough to hamper investigations into this blatantly rigged election, and ruin the career of a man who's served his country for 30 years.

Does anyone remember when the government used to be subtle in it's meddling? Oh wait... Never mind.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

We don't need no water, let the motherf**ker burn...

Abu Ghraib. Originally, Saddam Hussein used it to house political prisoners and commit acts of torture.
After the U.S. invaded Iraq, the Americans used it for the exact same purpose; this time in the name of "freedom". It was only after pictures of detainee abuse by American troops surfaced that it was shut down.

Now the prison is open again, back in Iraqi hands. Same old story, only this time it's being renovated to hold five times as many prisoners as it held during Saddam's rule. Guess what? Some people are pissed.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Iran's inconvenient history

There's a lot of talk about Iran's nuclear weapons program. Before we start the debate, perhaps we should first look at who originally funded Iran's nuclear ambition.

Who gave them the technology? The equipment? Was it the Soviet Union? China? Some nefarious rogue state? Who, then?

It was the same guy who also helped screw up Vietnam: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and vis-a-vis the American government.


American pro-Iran propaganda from the 70's:


Friday, September 4, 2009

Slippery Settlements

Do you want to know why Netanyahu agreed to a temporary settlement freeze? Because it changes absolutely nothing. The freeze does not include buildings under construction.

This means that building can continue almost unimpeded, while making Israel appear benevolent and conciliatory. If the Palestinians reject this "generous" deal, it makes them look uncivilized and greedy. And in the end, the Israelis have appeased the Americans, and Obama has appeased the masses. Where does that leave the Palestinians?

Screwed, as always.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

It's okay to commit fraud... When?

Does anyone remember not too long ago, when Iran's national election results came in? The incumbent won re-election by landslide, despite being unpopular both locally and abroad. Remember the allegations of fraud, the massive protests? The western media was in outrage at the idea of a rigged election, and gleefully took that opportunity to bash Iran's leaders.

Now, we sit at the conclusion of Afghanistan's national elections. A strange sense of deja vu permeates here. Again, we have a very unpopular incumbent running for re-election. But yet again, this person was shown to have a great many more votes. Again, accusations of fraud abound. At least 600 serious cases of it.

So where is the outrage of the western world? Where are the cries in protest of this affront to fledgling democracy? The difference is that the man accused of fraud in this case is Hamid Karzai, America's puppet in Afghanistan. The media seems very quiet this time around. Huh.

Not-so-humanitarian aid...


Things are going downhill in Somalia. This is saying something, since Somalia has had no discernible government or economy in 20 years. Ruled by a succession of warlords, plagued by constant fighting. The people rely almost exclusively on humanitarian aid.

Now, Islamic fighters and government forces clash over territory in increasingly violent conflict. What has the civilized world done about this? I would like to say absolutely nothing, but we've actually done worse.

The U.N.'s (read, U.S.) intervention in Somalia in 1992 was very well-intentioned, an attempt to provide infrastructure and relief. However, the end result is that they destroyed what little was left of the country, and then abruptly left. They are now arguably worse off.

Fast forward to today. The one chance the region has for stability does not lie in the current government. The government there has a reputation for being currupt and useless, and nobody really holds any hope for their success. However, money, logistics and material support from foreign sources continue to be squandered on bureaucrats who line their pockets with wealth and leave the people to starve. Why? Because it's better to deal with the devil you know.

See, the other option is an Islamic state. And as we all know, Islam is evil. Right? Never mind that Somalia is a traditionally Islamic country, or that Islamic government is generally better at managing corruption and fulfilling the needs of the people. The powers-that-be would rather the entire country starve than have it under the control of people they don't own.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Haven't we seen you before?

Blackwater, USA was a so-called private military company working for the U.S. government in Iraq . By definition a "private military" is a mercenary force, of which the employment by any nation is a violation of the Geneva Convention.

Unfortunately, a simple change of terminology is apparently enough to bypass the law. This worked for several years, where they operated in Iraq, in violation of the Geneva convention and international law. They were generously financed with taxpayer funds, and were subject to almost zero oversight on how they spent it.

Finally they were kicked out of Iraq; but only after scores of civilian deaths and tales of murder, extortion, slavery, and child prostitution put them in the spotlight. What did they do? Change their name to "Xe", and head right back over to Iraq. Again, financed by the U.S. government. Fool me twice?

Obama pisses me off.

Obama campaigned on a platform of accountability and responsibility, and promised to undo the harm that Bush had caused. This is the opposite.

Absence

I've been away a long time, I know.... work and personal issues have distracted me. No more.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Israeli soldiers wound 9 pacifists

In Hebron, nine foreign pacifist demonstrators were beaten by Israeli soldiers. Also, five Israeli citizens were arrested. They were protesting the illegal wall around Gaza. Full story here.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Themes for Revolution

This is a short list of books, movies and music that have inspired me in the past to question the world around me and challenge the status quo. Enjoy.

Books

1984, by George Orwell
Dune, by Frank Herbert
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
The Waste Land, by T.S. Elliot
Thus Spoke Zarathustra, by Friedrich Nietzche

Movies
Fight Club, with Edward Norton and Brad Pitt
The Matrix, with Keanu Reeves and Lawrence Fishbourne
Fahrenheit 9-11, by Michael Moore
V for Vendetta, with Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving
Children of Men, with Clive Owen and Julianne Moore

Music
Rage Against The Machine:
System of A Down
The Nightwatchman (aka Tom Morello)
Flobots
Bob Dylan
Everlast
Public Enemy


Sunday, July 12, 2009

Video from the voyage of the Spirit of Humanity, immediately before they were hijacked.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Democracy in Action: Afghanistan


So much for a fair trial...


Sinking the Pirate Bay

My favorite quote from this article:
"If you could make as much bread, or have as many fishes, as you needed to feed everyone, at the cost of the first loaf and the first fish plus a button press, what would be the morality for charging more for loaves and fishes than the poorest person could afford to pay?"

Interview and video

Video of the Spirit of Humanity's hijacking by the Israeli navy, and an interview with former US congresswoman Cynthia McKinney who was one of the passengers. Video's at the bottom of the page, by the way...

"We are unarmed civilians..."

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Bin Laden and the CIA, by Kurt Nimmo

"How can you call George Bush a mass murderer?" a recent email asked. "In order for him to be classified as a mass murderer, he would have to kill all those people you say he's killed with his own hands."

Let us begin by using the logic of government, in particular the government of California when it prosecuted Charles Manson over thirty years ago. Manson did not personally murder Sharon Tate, et al, he ordered his crazed minions to do it. In fact, when the murders occurred, Manson wasn't even at the scene. Yet he was convicted of murder and sentenced to death (a sentence that was never carried out after California repealed in the death penalty in the early 70s).

If we use the above criteria, Bush is a mass murderer.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

And now for something completely different...

I'm just now figuring out how mentally inadequate our Vice President is....

Biden's double standards


Vice President Joe Biden on Israel potentially attacking Iran:

"We cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do when they make a determination, if they make a determination, that they're existentially threatened."

Really? America can't tell other countries what to do? The U.S. can't dictate foreign policy? We seem to have no problem dictating foreign policy to Iran...

Interview from an Israeli Prison Cellblock

Phone interview with Kidnapped former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney:


This is Cynthia McKinney and I'm speaking from an Israeli prison cellblock in Ramle. [I am one of] the Free Gaza 21, human rights activists currently imprisoned for trying to take medical supplies to Gaza, building supplies - and even crayons for children, I had a suitcase full of crayons for children. While we were on our way to Gaza the Israelis threatened to fire on our boat, but we did not turn around. The Israelis high-jacked and arrested us because we wanted to give crayons to the children in Gaza. We have been detained, and we want the people of the world to see how we have been treated just because we wanted to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

Full article here....

Monday, July 6, 2009

Free Gaza "Prison" Video

An video from The Free Gaza movement. They've been arrested, by the way... Full story to be found here .

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Viva la Palestine

My hand is still broken, but a head full of ideas is not so easily stopped. For now, short posts.


The Free Gaza Movement is a wonderful group of people who work tirelessly to help the besieged and victimized Palestinian people. They run the Israeli blockade and risk attack or arrest, delivering supplies and bringing this crisis to the public eye.

June 25, they will sail again.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Delays

There might be a delay with starting this blog. I seem to have broken one of my hands, which severely hinders my typing ability. More information later.


UPDATE:

It's broken. This blog will be delayed at least a week.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Statement Of Purpose

With this blog, it is my intention to do two things:

1) To keep you (the reader) informed and educated, using a variety of sources;
and
2) To combat injustice by bringing injustice to light, as well as combating propaganda and misinformation.

This is so that you(the reader)can have informed opinions and an accurate world view from which to base those opinions. Knowledge is the only true power; and this is what I give to you.