Day: November 26, 2008
Jean Ziegler: This World Order is not just murderous, it is absurd
Sent to DS by the author, thanks, Siv.
by Cathy Ceïbe
Translated By Siv O’Neall
axisoflogic.com
Nov 23, 2008, 07:56
INTRODUCTION
Jean Ziegler is a senior professor of sociology at the University of Geneva and the Sorbonne, Paris. He is one of the leading protagonists in the world for the anti-globalization movement and has taken a continued stand for human rights, the right to food and a decent livelihood for all people. In 2000, he was appointed by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights as the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food.
Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr
He kept this position until March 2008 in spite of much hard criticism from the neoliberal leaders of the U.S. and the UN for his categorical stand for equal rights for all people. His continued fight against poverty, hunger and chronic malnutrition in the world has been a constant embarrassment to the West. He is now the Swiss member of the UN Human Rights Council. His is one of the very few voices heard on the international scene speaking out loudly against the criminal financial system that has put the world in its present tailspin with hunger and lack of human rights, devastating a continually increasing mass of the world’s 6.6 billion population. Unfortunately he is not very well known in the Anglophone world, where, for obvious political reasons, his humanitarian message is hushed up.
Modern Slavery
Truth Alone Triumphs on Feb 16, 2009
The slave market is estimated to be worth $42 billion. All over the world, people continue to be kidnapped, transported, bought and sold like commodities. But in the 21st century how can anybody be forced into slavery? And can those who escape lead normal lives? Find out in a new XL report on RT.
Bewitched, Baffled and Bewildered By William Bowles
By William Bowles
featured writer
Dandelion Salad
Creative-i
26 November 2008
“Whatever else yesterday’s great budget gamble aspired to do, one thing was left unattended to: the thing which is the central disaster at the core of the financial crisis. That thing is, of course, the lack of credit coming from the banks. And there’s no sign that anyone is going to be able to force the banks to do anything. But tonight we’re asking why.“ Indeed, there are an awful lot of “whys” when it comes to the banking sector. I’m beginning to wonder whether I’ve been in some way asleep for some portion of it. Did I miss any senior bankers being arraigned in front of the Commons treasury select committee? Have I missed the attorney general sizing up who she can move against in the criminal law courts?
“It seems that whilst these activities have been going on across the Atlantic, nothing is to happen here. Faisal Islam is looking at how credit might be got moving, and we’ll see what we can do on the other matters. — Snowmail, Channel 4 News, 25 November, 2008
Now who is speaking with forked tongue here? Let me get this straight: is Jon Snow giving us his opinions on the cause of the capitalist crisis, or is this the editorial line of Channel 4 News, because I know I’m baffled by this admission of total ignorance of the facts of the situation?
Either, Snow is saying that Channel 4’s ‘news’ mavens, have, over the preceding years, misled the viewing public into thinking that the economy was solid, when in fact they had no idea one way or the other what the economy would do, except on a day-to-day basis, and even that could go pear-shaped.
Or, he’s admitting to the editorial bias implicit in every piece of news ‘analysis’ as being fixed from the getgo, simply because ‘news’ is a business, just like every other business and hews to the line in its almost mystical belief in the power of the ‘market’. ‘Cept when it fails of course.
US Plans to Stage Bomb Attacks in Iraq + Iran has uncovered Mossad espionage network
compiled by Cem Ertür
featured writer
Dandelion Salad
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8709050246
US Plans to Stage Bomb Attacks in Iraq
Fars News Agency, 25 November 2008
US troops plan to launch a series of bomb attacks in different parts of Iraq to force the country’s parliament to approve the controversial security pact through insecurity in the war-torn country, a source said.
“Following increasing protests by the people in Iraq against the approval of the security pact with the US and the likely disapproval of the agreement by the Iraqi parliament, the US military troops are planning several explosions in different parts of Iraq, particularly in Baghdad, to create an atmosphere of insecurity and pressurize the Iraqi parliament and government,” an informed source told FNA.
The US has for months been in talks with Iraqi officials to get them to sign a provocative security agreement which secures long-term US presence in Iraq.
If ratified by the Iraqi parliament, the Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA) would also grant US forces in Iraq immunity from prosecution.
It also gives the occupation forces a free rein to stage military operations wherever and whenever they deem necessary.
The proposed pact has faced widespread opposition among Iraqi people and politicians.
Many fear Washington has plans to keep permanent bases, despite a denial of any such plan written into the agreement. Iraqis say the agreement would infringe on Iraq’s sovereignty by giving US forces too much freedom to operate.
“Americans intend to spread these bomb attacks to the Al-Khadra’ region (the Green Zone),” the source added.
Al-Khadra’ is a maximum security region in Baghdad where most diplomatic centers and missions are located.
“Before the endorsement of the security pact by the Iraqi government, Americans had clearly warned that they would freeze the country’s assets in case Baghdad refused to sign the agreement,” the source said, adding, “Spreading rumors about possible coup d’état was also among the other pressure levers used by the Americans to bully the Iraqi statesmen into signing the security pact.”
Iraqi cabinet last Sunday approved signing the deal with the US according to which American troops must evacuate the country by the end of 2011.
Last Monday, Hoshiyar Zebari and US ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker signed the draft of the agreement which took a year to reach this point.
Iraq’s parliament must approve the deal which has also faced strong criticism from members of al-Maliki’s own coalition. The Iraqi parliament is due to announce its view on the agreement through a vote on November 26.
Two Iraqi officials familiar with the negotiations have warned that opposition in the legislature was so widespread that it stood no chance of winning approval without significant changes in the US position. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the secrecy surrounding the negotiations.
***
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3628538,00.html
excerpts from Iran seeks death penalty for ‘Mossad spies’
by Dudi Cohen, Ynetnews, 25 November 2008
On Monday Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander Mohammad Ali Jafari said security forces had uncovered a Mossad espionage network that had been “trying to gather intelligence about the Iranian nuclear program, about the working of the Revolutionary Guard and about various people.” He described the discovery as “a severe blow to the Mossad.”
….
The men had been caught with digital cameras, which they had allegedly used in order to document different sites in the country, as well as satellite GPS equipment and laptop computers outfitted with special programs used to send and receive messages.
…..
Mortazavi said they were trained in warfare, assassination, explosive devices, operational motorcycle driving, and the execution of terrorist acts with the use of computers and satellites.
see
U.S. Uses al-Qaeda To Justify Foreign Policy By Fidel Castro Ruz
Miliband’s speech in Abu Dhabi + Iraq’s neighbors rejects using Iraqi lands as base for attack
Michael Schwartz: US-Iraq: What’s the deal?
“Bush’s Iran War Plan Delivered to Obama” + “Iran threatens global order”
Georgian diplomat: Georgia started the war
Georgia’s former ambassador to Russia Erosi Kitsmarishvili has accused his own country of starting the war in South Ossetia. His comments almost led to a fistfight between politicians.
Dandelion Salad 