Day: December 15, 2008

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Mosaic Alert: Arab Reaction to Shoe Attack on Bush + 200 lawyers offer to defend Bush shoe attacker + Take Shoes to WH

Dandelion Salad

Updated: added an event and another request to send shoes to Bush

linktv

More at http://www.linktv.org/programs/mosaic…

Thousands of Iraqis have demonstrated in Baghdad’s Sadr City in support of a journalist being held in custody after throwing his shoes at George Bush, the US president.

Read Jamal Dajani’s blog post at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamal-d…

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200 lawyers offer to defend Bush shoe attacker

Daily Times
Dec 16, 2008

Detained journalist’s employer calls for his ‘immediate release’

AMMAN: Saddam Hussein’s former d his shoes at US President George W Bush during his farewell visit to Baghdad.lawyer said on Monday he was forming a team to defend the Iraqi journalist who hurle

“So far around 200 Iraqi and other lawyers, including Americans, have expressed willingness to defend the journalist for free,” the Amman-based Khalil al-Dulaimi told AFP. “I took the decision on Sunday night to defend the man after the incident. I am currently contacting Arab bar associations to form a defence committee.” Television journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi jumped up as Bush was holding a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday, shouted “It is the farewell kiss, you dog” and threw two shoes at the US leader.

[…]

via Daily Times – Leading News Resource of Pakistan – 200 lawyers offer to defend Bush shoe attacker .

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Updated

Peace Activists Take Shoes to White House in Solidarity with Shoe-Throwing Iraqi Journalist

Global Research, December 15, 2008

Call for his release and tribute to Iraqis who have suffered under US occupation

WHAT: Peace activists to gather with shoes in solidarity to Iraqi journalist
WHEN: 11 a.m., Weds. Dec. 17
WHERE: In front of White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In solidarity with an Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George W. Bush at a Baghdad press conference Sunday, peace activists will gather outside the White House with bags of shoes representing Iraqis and U.S. soldiers who have died since the Bush Administration’s illegal invasion of Iraq.

They aim to show support for Iraqi journalist Muntader al-Zaidi, who hurled his shoes at President Bush while he spoke at the conference on his “surprise” visit to discuss the war. Al-Zaidi is currently being held by Iraqi police and questioned on his actions. The peace activists are calling on the Iraqi government to release al-Zaidi without charges and have set up a fund to support him and his family.”

“It’s outrageous that al-Zaidi could get two years in prison for insulting George Bush, when Bush is directly responsible for the deaths of 1.5 million Iraqis and 4,200 U.S. troops, and 5 million displaced Iraqis,” says Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK. “The one who should be in jail is George Bush, and he should be charged with war crimes.”

The gesture of throwing shoes is considered a major insult in Arabic culture.

“al-Zaidi’s act of civil disobedience expresses the disgust that so many Iraqis and Americans feel towards a man who has caused so much pain and suffering,” says Anas Shallal of Iraqi Voices for Peace. “It is indeed a fitting tribute to the end of the Bush reign of terror.”

U.S. veterans who served in Iraq will also participate in the shoe action at the White House.

“Having one shoe thrown at George Bush pales in comparison to the suffering that veterans and Iraqis go through everyday,” says Geoffrey Milliard of Iraq Veterans Against the War. “Perhaps if Bush can see some more of these shoes before he leaves office, he will feel some of our pain.”

For more information, please call Medea Benjamin at 415-235-6517.

CODEPINK, founded in 2002, is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into health care, education and other life-affirming activities. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence. For more info, visit http://www.codepinkalert.org

© Copyright , Global Research, 2008

The url address of this article is: www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11405

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Send Bush Your Shoes!

America: We were unable to give President [sic] Bush the boot, but we *can* give him the shoe!

CLG

It is time to carpet the lawn of the White House and carpet both the lawns of Bush’s new homes.

What better way to stand in solidarity with Iraqi television journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi?

Send virtual shoes, too! A CLG reader wrote, ‘I urge everyone around the world who thinks it appropriate to email George Bush at president@whitehouse.gov a picture of a shoe.’

Contacting the White House

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

10151/10141 Daria Place
Dallas, TX 75229

see

Add Photos of your shoes to the Flickr Group: A goodbye kiss, you dog + Sheehan + Petition + Countdown

Bush Ducks Shoes Thrown in Iraqi Leader’s Office + Iraqis: Release shoe hurling reporter

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Sad Day at Cindy for Congress by Cindy Sheehan

Cindy Sheehan for Congress

Cindy Sheehan

by Cindy Sheehan
Dandelion Salad
featured writer
Cindy Sheehan for Congress

December 15, 2008

It was a sad day when we lost on November 4th, but even that disappointment was ameliorated by the many successes of our first-time, independent campaign against the Speaker of the House. Today was very sad, though. We have tried to raise enough money to keep our campaign going until 2010, but with the economy in dire straits and so many more people allowing the specter of “hope” to be in denial about historical trends, we had to lay off our employees and scrape together enough money to meet our final payroll.

I was heartbroken to have to let Jackson, Kelly, Somer and Padri go. They are wonderful young political activists who worked so hard in the belief that their activism would make the deep difference that they so desired. It is never good to layoff anyone right before Christmas, but when there’s no money, there’s no money. While Nancy Pelosi uses her federal staff to help her hawk her book about using power, these four, who are so devoted to humanity, will have to go out to a very hostile economic environment. And, I am pretty sure that it is against federal regulations to use ones staff for personal gain.

Continue reading →

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Arundhati Roy: 9 Is Not 11 (And November Isn’t September)

Dandelion Salad

Democracy Now!

Arundhati Roy: 9 Is Not 11 (And November Isn’t September)

As comparisons between the attacks in Mumbai and the September 11th attacks continue to be made, Indian officials unveiled a massive revamp of the country’s security and anti-terror infrastructure last week. I am joined now by someone who warns of the dangers of comparing the attacks in Mumbai to the attacks in New York: award-winning novelist, essayist and activist, Arundhati Roy. Her latest article is called “9 Is Not 11 (And November Isn’t September).” It was published in India’s Outlook magazine, Britain’s Guardian newspaper, and on TomDispatch.com here in the United States. [includes rush transcript]

Real Video Stream

Real Audio Stream

MP3 Download

via Democracy Now! | Arundhati Roy: 9 Is Not 11 (And November Isn’t September).

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Greek rioters use lasers against police as violence over boy’s death continues into second week

Dandelion Salad

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:36 PM on 15th December 2008

Protesters in Athens targeted police officers with lasers yesterday as riots sparked by the police killing of a 15-year-old boy continued into a second week.

Although the intensity of protests has tailed off in recent days pockets of violence are still occurring and more rallies have been planned for this week.

Today, around 50 demonstrators hurled eggs at police outside the main Athens court, where a hearing took place for dozens of people arrested during Greece’s worst riots in decades, sparked by the killing of Alexandros Grigoropoulos on December 6.

[…]

via Greek rioters use lasers against police as violence over boy’s death continues into second week | Mail Online.

h/t: amnesty4AWOL his blog post

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

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Riots break out in Greece after police shoot 15-year-old boy + Violent protests in Greece intensify

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Global Financial Domination: The $8.5 Trillion Chip by Matthias Chang

Dandelion Salad

by Matthias Chang
Global Research, December 13, 2008
FutureFastForward.com – 2008-12-12

Obama’s Gamble – The Ultimate And Final Bet By Obama’s Financial Handlers

A few weeks ago, I warned in my website that the Dow would dive below 7,000 at the earliest by end of December 2008 and at the latest by the end of the first quarter 2009.

Any responsible central banker would want to control a downturn, preferably by a gradual slide of the market as opposed to a sharp hard landing.

But events and data have revealed that these financial handlers are not responsible and are hard core gamblers in their very soul.

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Celebrate Bill of Rights Day Today

Dandelion Salad

Dandelion Salad

Bill of Rights Day PSAs

The Bill of Rights

December 15 is Bill of Rights Day. For 216 years, the Bill of Rights protected us from government intrusion into our private lives and guaranteed us free speech and due process of law. Since September 11, 2001, our government has diminished those freedoms in exchange for what it tells us is more security. On December 15, the 216th anniversary of our Bill of Rights, you can find a copy of the Bill of Rights at bordc.org and remind yourself of the liberties we the people are guaranteed.

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Sharon Astyk’s Predictions For 2009

Dandelion Salad

by Sharon Astyk
Speaking Truth to Power
Monday, 15 December 2008
ORIGINAL BLOGPOST

I’m writing this a little early this year – Independence Days is due in a couple of weeks, and I anticipate a great deal of distraction as the end-of-the-year predictions really start pouring out, so I thought I’d jump the gun and make mine now.

But first, how did I do last year? (And note, just ’cause I got some right last year doesn’t mean that you should take my word as gospel – I don’t think that everything that comes out of my ass is the high truth, and neither should you ;-))

[…]

What do I mean by collapse?  We throw that word around, but it is easy to misunderstand.  I mean that the US is likely to undergo a financial collapse a la the Great Depression – widespread unemployment, lots of people facing hunger, cold and the inability to get health care, a disruption of what we tend to assume are birthright services, and a sense that the system doesn’t work anymore.  I don’t claim that we are headed by Thursday to cannibalism, however – what I think will be true is that we will often do surprisingly well in the state of collapse, as hard as it is.

In previous years, I was fairly lighthearted about my predictions – this year, I don’t find it possible to be.  I really hope I’m wrong about this.  And I  hope you will make decisions based on your own judgement, not mine.  These are predictions, the results of my analysis and my intuitions, and sometimes I’m good at that.  But I do not claim that every word that comes out of my mouth or off my keyboard is the truth, and you should not take it as such.  You are getting this free on the internet – consider what you paid for it, and value it accordingly.

[…]

via Carolyn Baker – SHARON ASTYK’S PREDICTIONS FOR 2009.

see

Bailout for the People: “The Cook Plan” by Richard C. Cook

What is to be Done? By Michael Hudson and Jeffrey Sommers

The Economy Sucks and or Collapse 2

Global Warming

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Thai parliament appoints new premier

Dandelion Salad

AlJazeeraEnglish

Members of Thailand’s parliament have named the leader of the erstwhile opposition Democrat party to be the country’s new prime minister.

Abhisit Vejjajiva’s election on Monday follows months of protests that subsided only after the country’s Constitutional Court removed from power the People Power party (PPP) linked to ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

Al Jazeera’s Selina Downes has more from Bangkok.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “Thai parliament appoints new premier …“, posted with vodpod

.

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Thai military plays key role in forming new government

Thai protesters end airport siege as tensions simmer + Political Turmoil + Thai prime minister steps down

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Pakistan ‘linked to 75% of all UK terror plots, warns Gordon Brown

compiled by Cem Ertür
featured writer
Dandelion Salad

15 December 2008

Updated: added another story/link

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/

excerpt from ‘Pakistan ‘linked to 75% of all UK terror plots‘, warns Gordon Brown’

Sam Coates, Chief Political Correspondent, and Jeremy Page, South Asia Correspondent, in Islamabad , Times, 14 December 2008

Gordon Brown demanded “action, not words” from Pakistan today, blaming Pakistani militants for last month’s attack on Mumbai and revealing that three quarters of the gravest terror plots under investigation in the UK had links to Pakistan.

Winding up a two-day tour of Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, the Prime Minister urged Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan’s President, to “break the chain of terror” linking Islamist militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan to attempted terrorist attacks in Britain.

British military officials believe there are a “handful” of British militants fighting alongside the Taleban in Afghanistan, often entering the country through northern Pakistan, where al Qaeda and Taleban leaders are thought to be sheltering.

Officials also believe that there are currently around 30 major terrorist plots in the United Kingdom with 2,000 suspects being watched by police and the intelligence services.

“Three quarters of the most serious plots investigated by the British authorities have links to al-Qaeda in Pakistan,” said Mr Brown in a press conference alongside Mr Zardari in the presidential palace in Islamabad.

“The time has come for action, not words,” he said, just a few hours after meeting Manmohan Singh, the Indian Prime Minister, in Delhi.

He also formally declared for the first time that Britain backs India’s assertion that Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani militant group with link’s to Pakistani intelligence, carried out the Mumbai attack.

His remarks were clearly designed to heap pressure on Pakistan’s civilian government to do more to crack down on militant groups in the wake of the Mumbai strike, which killed at least 170 people, including three British citizens.

The whirlwind trip was part of an international diplomatic effort, led by the United States, to prevent the Mumbai attacks from sparking a fourth war between India and Pakistan, which both have nuclear weapons.

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Updated

http://www.timesonline.co.uk

We are fighting the same terrorist disease

The President of Afghanistan thanks the British soldiers who are dying for his country

by Hamid Karzai, Times, 15 December 2008

In Afghanistan, and across the Muslim world, we have just celebrated the great Festival of Sacrifice – the Eid al-Adha. We came together with our families to mark an event known also to Jews and Christians: the willingness of Abraham (or Ibrahim, as we call him) to sacrifice his son in obedience to God.

But God intervened, and provided a lamb instead for the sacrifice. Which is why hundreds of millions of Muslims will have feasted this week on lamb – or whatever they can afford – to mark Abraham’s acceptance of the will of God. And among them, in and around the holy city of Mecca, will have been millions – including tens of thousands of Afghans and Britons – who have completed the rigours of the great haj pilgrimage.

On Saturday I welcomed Gordon Brown to Kabul, for the third time since he became Prime Minister. A couple of weeks earlier I saw, here in Kabul, your Foreign Secretary, David Miliband. And a month ago I was in London for talks with British ministers, and as a proud guest at my dear friend Prince Charles’s 60th birthday celebrations. Before that, I had received in Kabul, on the day of her burial here, in a land she loved, the family of Gayle Williams, the dedicated British charity worker tragically murdered here by terrorists.

In all those meetings, I made clear two things. First, and above all, my profound gratitude, and that of my people, for the sacrifice that thousands of British soldiers are making every day, in Helmand and across Afghanistan. Separated from their loved ones, alongside the Afghan Army and police, and allies from 40 other nations, they are fighting, and sometimes dying, for the sake of my long-suffering country. No words can express how truly grateful we Afghans are for that.

My second point was more subtle: that, for all the tensions of our present travails, the ties that bind our two countries are stronger and deeper than anything that separates us. As I have so often told my British friends, I, like so many Afghans, educated in Afghanistan, or abroad, grew up on British culture. Your knowledge of my country, and of this continent, of its history and geography, both physical and human, is more profound, and more sensitive, than that of any other nation.

Which is why I ask for your continuing understanding and support as my country struggles to treat a disease that has infected not just our Afghan lands but also, as we have seen from the attacks in Mumbai and on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, much of the region too: violence fed by uncompromising religious extremism. An extremism which profanes the religion that I share with two million British Muslims. We all need to remember always that the main reason why your brave troops are fighting here, alongside ours, is because that violence also threatens you in the West.

In Afghanistan we have endured 30 years of war. Some two million of my compatriots have been killed. Millions more have been maimed. Seven millions fled this land. But since 2001 five million refugees have returned. Schools have reopened.

After the long tyranny of the Taleban, our girls have been able to return to education, and, if they so choose, to work. For the first time, more than eight out of ten of my people have basic healthcare. And we have a vibrant democracy, and a vigorous free press.

All of that is thanks to your efforts, and those of our American and other partners, who have done so much to help us over the seven years since we gathered in Bonn after the fall of the Taleban. And all of it would be put in jeopardy without your continuing support. Not only that, but the disease of violent religious extremism that we are together trying to treat would spread and worsen.

As the struggle goes forward, you will see us assuming more and more of the burden. Already our army, trained and equipped by its American and British friends, is leading more than half the military operations against the terrorists. With my new Interior Minister, we are working hard with you to improve our police. Thanks to your generosity, and our imagination, we are together developing innovative ways of quelling the violence. You will see us taking more of a lead too in fighting the poverty and the propaganda on which the unrest feeds.

So, as you gather with your families this Christmas, and remember your countrymen’s continuing sacrifice in my faraway land, I send you from the bottom of my heart the thanks of all Afghans everywhere. And, as you enjoy your Christmas dinner, I ask you to remember too the poor people of my country. While they give thanks for your sacrifice, so they sustain their own sacrifices in the fight against deprivation and ignorance, and against the cruel violence that feeds on both.

In the interval between the festival of sacrifice and the festival of Christ’s birth let us renew our pledge to our common struggle.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

see

Hamid Gul: CIA Ties to Terrorism

Organized Crime, Intelligence and Terror: The D-Company’s Role in the Mumbai Attacks by Tom Burghardt

Ali Baba in Mumbai – Eid 2008 Reflections by Zahir Ebrahim

India discloses hometowns, names of alleged Mumbai killers + Reports planted by US

ISI Gen. Hamid Gul: Mumbai + 9/11 = Inside Job

Riz Khan: India’s 9/11: The aftermath + Mumbai attacks in the British press

Mumbai India Terrorist Attacks November 26 2008

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Bailout for the People: “The Cook Plan” by Richard C. Cook

Dandelion Salad

NOTE:

This has been revised, please see Bailout for the People: “The Cook Plan” by Richard C. Cook

[deleted former piece]

see

Cook-Richard C.

How to Save the U.S. Economy by Richard C. Cook

What is to be Done? By Michael Hudson and Jeffrey Sommers

Debit, credit, banco! By Rudo de Ruijter

The Economy Sucks and or Collapse 2