Two Obamas, Two Classes of Children by Ralph Nader

Dandelion Salad

by Ralph Nader
The Nader Page
April 11, 2013

Image by watchingfrogsboil via Flickr

An Associated Press photograph brought the horror of little children lying dead outside of their home to an American Audience. At least 10 Afghan children and some of their mothers were struck down by an airstrike on their extended family household by order of President Barack Obama. He probably decided on what his aides describe as the routine weekly “Terror Tuesday” at the White House. On that day, Mr. Obama typically receives the advice about which “militants” should live or die thousands of miles away from drones or aircraft. Even if households far from war zones are often destroyed in clear violation of the laws of war, the president is not deterred.

Deadly Raid: 11 Kids Killed in US Airstrike in Afghanistan

Dandelion Salad

Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr

RussiaToday- Apr 7, 2013

At least 11 children are reported to have been among 18 people killed today in the latest airstrike by U.S. led forces in Afghanistan. The raid was allegedly called in by troops on the ground, after bitter fighting nearby. RT’s Tariq Muhi-yuddin reports.

Two Afghan Children Killed Tending Their Cattle by NATO

by Hakim
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
http://ourjourneytosmile.com
Mar. 3, 2013

Image by isafmedia via Flickr

ourjourneytosmile·Mar 3, 2013

“Two young Afghan boys herding cattle in Uruzgan Province of Afghanistan were mistakenly killed by NATO forces yesterday.
They were seven and eight years old.
Our globe, approving of ‘necessary or just war’, thinks, “We expect this to happen occasionally.”
Some say, “We’re sorry.”
Therefore today, with sorrow and rage, we the Afghan Peace Volunteers took our hearts to the streets.

The Twinning: Palestinian Children in Israeli Military Detention by Clive Hambidge

by Clive Hambidge
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
January 14, 2013

Image by frecklebaum via Flickr

Here in South Tottenham (London), attending a Twinning Conference organised excellently and robustly by Haringey Justice for Palestinians[1], a creative branch of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, I am just recovering from the icy cold outside, in possession of a brimming coffee and in the company of good people doing good things.  Just past registration and no interrogation! Gosh! I must have been an activist too long or not long enough!?  The issue for me amongst many and the reason for attending this Twinning Conference is to hear addressed a pre-eminent issue that focuses on the needs and support of the systematically abused children of Gaza and the West Bank held in Israeli military  detention centres under the most harsh conditions.

Psychological Warfare in Palestine–Gaza’s Children Haunted by Nightmare of War

Image by IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation/TURKEY via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

TheRealNews·Dec 22, 2012

UNICEF report indicates vast majority of Gaza’s children are struggling to cope with war trauma and PTSD. This is the first of a two part series on the psychological toll the war and siege has taken on Gaza’s most vulnerable population. TRNN explores the Oum el Qurra school in the Tar el Hawa neighborhood in Gaza city where many of the students were still being pulled out of class for counseling one month after Israel’s eight day assault.

Gaza: “Pinpoint Accuracy” – More Child Sacrifices by Felicity Arbuthnot

by Felicity Arbuthnot
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
London, England
29 November 2012

Image by txengmeng via Flickr

We saw the faces of those who’ll throw our children
Out of the window of this last space
We will die here, here in the last passage.
Here and here our blood will plant its olive tree.

— Mahmud Darwish, 1943-2008

The Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights has now assessed the destruction caused to Gaza and to its 1.6 million people living in an area of land twenty-five miles long and between four and seven miles wide (forty one km and six to twelve km respectively.)

Israeli War Crimes: “Surgical Strikes” against Palestinian Children by Felicity Arbuthnot

by Felicity Arbuthnot
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
London, England
24 November 2012

Image by txengmeng via Flickr

Light the fire so I can see my tears
On the night of the massacre … — Samih al-Qasim, 1939 – present

It was that “pinpoint accuracy”, “surgical strike” stuff again.  There were “unavoidable tragic errors”, “mistakes”, “scrupulous efforts made to avoid” etc., blah. And as Britain’s Colonel Richard Kemp declared of the fourteen hundred dead of the Christmas and New Year onslaught on Gaza in 2008-2009: “Mistakes are not war crimes.”

Dennis Kucinich: End The Childhood Obesity Subsidy

Dandelion Salad

Nov 2, 2012 by DJKucinich

Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr

“Did you know that YOU are paying to promote the childhood obesity epidemic?

“Let me explain. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, Congress — with your tax dollars — subsidizes the marketing efforts of fast food and junk food companies by as much as $19 billion dollars over ten years. And the way the federal funding system works is that if we give a tax break in one place, we need to replace that lost income from somewhere else, like with higher taxes from the rest of us. In other words, this tax break is a massive subsidy for the junk food and fast food industry. And our children are paying pay for it with their health.

A Seminar on Palestine’s Prisoners – A Lament on Injustice by Felicity Arbuthnot

by Felicity Arbuthnot
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
London, England
26 May 2012

“Israel is a parliamentary democracy represented by a very large number of parties, with universal suffrage for all citizens, regardless of race, religion or sex ….” (CIA World Fact Book, 2011)

Image by frecklebaum via Flickr

This week a sobering and highly informative closed door seminar was held on the plight of Palestinian Prisoners, in the elegant surroundings of London’s Westminster Central Hall, a stone’s throw away from the Houses of Parliament and the 11th century Westminster Abbey, the all affirmation of stability and continuity – in starkest contrast to testimony at the proceedings of the meeting.

Canada’s Shameful Scapegoating of Omar Khadr by Andy Worthington

Photo of Omar Khadr. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

by Andy Worthington
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
www.andyworthington.co.uk
April 28, 2012

Last week, the Canadian government received a formal request for the return of Omar Khadr from Guantánamo Bay. Julie Carmichael, an aide to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, told the Globe and Mail, “The government of Canada has just received a completed application for the transfer of prisoner Omar Ahmed Khadr. A decision will be made on this file in accordance with Canadian law.”

The children killed by war by Ed Ciaccio

by Ed Ciaccio
Dandelion Salad
Featured Writer
April 5, 2012

The children killed by war

Should haunt us forever,

Their mangled limbs,

Charred bodies,

Innocent minds,

Unreached dreams

Cursing us for our blind zeal

For revenge,

Gareth Porter: UN is not doing a responsible job tracking civilian deaths in night raids by Special Ops + Army Officer’s Leaked Report Rips Afghan War Success Story

with Gareth Porter
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Feb. 10, 2012

Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr

RussiaToday on Feb 10, 2012

Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai has accused NATO of killing eight children in an air strike on the country’s territory. The incident adds to the already strained relationship between Afghanistan and its Western allies.

Last week the United Nations released a report stating there had been a rise in civilian casualties in Afghanistan from 2,790 in 2010 to 3,021 in 2011. It noted that most deaths were caused by insurgents.

Drones: When is a Pullout not a Pullout? by Felicity Arbuthnot + The girl killed by Barack Obama + The Militarization of Boys

by Felicity Arbuthnot
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
London, England
31 January 2012

“ … the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.” (President Obama, State of the Union address, 24th January 2012.)

First the world was sold imaginary weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, General Colin Powell, at the United Nations in February 2003, asserting: “My colleagues, every statement I make today is backed up by sources, solid sources. These are not assertions. What we’re giving you are facts and conclusions based on solid intelligence.”

Chris Busby: Nuclear Industry Cover Up of Massive Radiation from Fukushima + Thousands Protest Nuclear Power In Tokyo

Dandelion Salad

Image by SandoCap via Flickr

GlobalResearchTV on Sep 22, 2011

Spread Professor Chris Busby’s message about Japan and the nuclear industry’s intentional coverup of Fukushima radioactive problem, how Japan is trucking tons of radioactive waste to south Japan, etc. Prof. Busby has been working on making supplements that block some of the radioactive nucleotides from attaching themselves to the DNA.

“Nepal girls are cheaper to buy” by Brian McAfee

by Brian McAfee
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
August 13, 2011

Image by C. Elle via Flickr

One of the most significant ongoing scourges that befalls humanity worldwide is the ongoing exploitation and sexual abuse of over two million girls and boys through sex trafficking. UNICEF estimates that two and a half million children, most of them girls, are tricked or forced into the multibillion dollar global sex industry.