US reneges on Iraq withdrawal promises

Dandelion Salad

PressTV
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:48:24 GMT

The United States retracts its initial promise of commitment to withdrawing its troops from Iraqi cities by the end of the month of June.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for the US military in Iraq, Brigadier General Steve Lanza, said a number of the country’s troops are to remain in the urban areas after the June 30 deadline, Reuters reported.

Earlier, the US commander in Iraq, General Ray Odierno, had claimed that the military was ‘absolutely committed’ and had largely honored the US security agreement signed with Baghdad.

The security agreement envisages a withdrawal from the war-torn country.

Lanza cited “stability” concerns for maintaining some troop level in “Joint Security Stations” to train and advise Iraqi security forces.

[…]

via US reneges on Iraq withdrawal promises

h/t: CLG

see

Rachel Maddow: Mission Accomplished!

Confidential memo reveals US plan to provoke an invasion of Iraq

This Is What The Democrats Wrought by Bruce Gagnon

“Die In” at Justice Dept., Re: Accountability for Torture

Dandelion Salad

liamh2
June 25, 2009

In an act of nonviolent Civil Resistance, 11 activists participated in a “Die In” in front of the U.S. Justice, in Washington, D.C., on the afternoon of Thursday, June 25, 2009. The protesters were demanding a meeting with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to urge him to appoint a “Special Prosecutor for Torture.” Their purpose: To hold accountable to the supremacy of the Law, certain members of the Bush-Cheney Gang, including ex-President George W. Bush, Jr. and V.P. Dick Cheney, who are suspected of authorizing torture on numerous detainees, in violation of the Geneva Convention, International Law, the Nuremberg Principles and the U.S. Constitution. The police chose not to arrest any of the demonstrators even though they were blocking the sidewalk and the entrance in front of the Justice Department. Earlier in the day, a rally, with speeches, was held at John Marshall Park. For specifics on the Bush-Cheney Gang suspects; a list of the sponsors of this rally/march; and for other cities holding comparable actions today; and for any updates arising out of this event, see: http://tortureaccountability.webs.com/ and http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/
For background, and a history, on the legal principle of Civil Resistance, check out:
http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswi…
For a brief overview of the Law concerning the subject matter of Torture, go to:
http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/us_la…

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about ““Die In” at Justice Dept., Re: Accoun…“, posted with vodpod

see

Torture on Dandelion Salad

Pentagon Rebrands Protest as “Low-Level Terrorism” by Tom Burghardt

Dandelion Salad

Crossposted at Thomas Paine’s Corner thanks, Jason.

by Tom Burghardt
Thomas Paine’s Corner
Antifascist Calling…
June 18, 2009

You have to hand it to Pentagon securocrats and their corporate cronies, they never miss an opportunity to demonize, vilify or otherwise slander domestic political dissent as “terrorism.”

The American Civil Liberties Union reported June 10 that “Anti-terrorism training materials currently being used by the Department of Defense (DoD) teach its personnel that free expression in the form of public protests should be regarded as ‘low level terrorism’.”

According to the civil liberties’ watchdog: “Among the multiple-choice questions included in its Level 1 Antiterrorism Awareness training course, the DoD asks the following: ‘Which of the following is an example of low-level terrorist activity?’ To answer correctly, the examinee must select ‘protests’.”

New Evidence Of Abuse At Bagram Underscores Need For Full Disclosure About Prison, Says ACLU

Dandelion Salad

American Civil Liberties Union
6/24/2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 212 549-2666; media@aclu.org

NEW YORK – Former detainees have alleged they were beaten, deprived of sleep and threatened with dogs at the Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, according to a new BBC report based on interviews with former detainees held at Bagram between 2002 and 2006. Hundreds of detainees are still being held in U.S. custody at the Bagram prison without charge or trial.

“When prisoners are in American custody and under American control, no matter the location, our values and commitment to the rule of law are at stake,” said Jonathan Hafetz, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union National Security Project. “Torture and abuse at Bagram is further evidence that prisoner abuse in U.S. custody was systemic, not aberrational, and originated at the highest levels of government. We must learn the truth about what went wrong, hold the proper people accountable and make sure these failed policies are not continued or repeated.”

In April, the ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for records pertaining to the detention and treatment of prisoners held at Bagram, including the number of people currently detained, their names, citizenship, place of capture and length of detention. The ACLU is also seeking records pertaining to the process afforded those prisoners to challenge their detention and designation as “enemy combatants.”

“The U.S. government’s detention of hundreds of prisoners at Bagram has been shrouded in complete secrecy,” said Melissa Goodman, staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project. “The American people have a right to know what’s happening at Bagram and whether prisoners have been tortured there.”

In a related case, the ACLU is representing former Bagram prisoner Mohammed Jawad in a habeas corpus challenge to his indefinite detention at Guantánamo Bay. The Afghan government recently sent a letter to the U.S. government suggesting Jawad was as young as 12 when he was captured in Afghanistan and taken to Bagram, where he was tortured. Despite the fact that the primary evidence against Jawad was thrown out in his military commission case at Guantánamo because it was derived through torture, the U.S. government continues to rely on such evidence – including evidence obtained during interrogations at Bagram – in Jawad’s current habeas case to justify holding him indefinitely.

The ACLU’s FOIA request, including a complete list of documents being requested, is available online at: www.aclu.org/safefree/detention/39441lgl20090423.html

More about Jawad’s case is online at: www.aclu.org/jawad

see

Torture on Dandelion Salad

Rendition

Appeal to religious leaders to embrace women and gay rights By Roland Michel Tremblay

By Roland Michel Tremblay
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
The Marginal
25 June, 2009

At the forefront of all human rights in the world today, before we could even be scandalised by how blatantly religious leaders speak against and bully gays, lesbians and transgenders, would be women rights. In a way these battles for recognition of the most basic human rights are very similar. The first step to address the issue is for religious leaders to change their discourse and embrace all human beings for who they are on an equal basis. Pope Benedict XVI, please lead the rest of Christianity into the new millennium, embrace all human rights! After all, Jesus Christ never talked against a third gender.

I cannot remember if at an early age I stopped myself and asked the question: why are there two sexes on this planet? I believe I must simply have taken it all for granted. There were men and women, in the animal world there were males and females, even flowers have some sort of two sexes. Makes you wonder about rocks.

Animal Rights Activist Jailed at Secretive Prison Gives First Account of Life Inside a “CMU”

Dandelion Salad

Democracy Now!
June 25, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: Animal Rights Activist Jailed at Secretive Prison Gives First Account of Life Inside a “CMU”

In a Democracy Now! exclusive interview, we speak with Andrew Stepanian, an animal rights activist who was jailed at a secretive prison known as a Communication Management Unit, or CMU. Stepanian is believed to be the first prisoner released from a CMU and will talk about his experience there for the first time. He was sentenced to three years along with six other activists for violating a controversial law known as the Animal Enterprise Protection Act. The ACLU has filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of CMUs. We also speak with Stepanian’s lawyer and a reporter covering the story. [includes rush transcript]

Real Video Stream

Real Audio Stream

MP3 Download

video: EXCLUSIVE: Animal Rights Activist Jailed at Secretive Prison Gives First Account of Life Inside a “CMU”

Guests:

Andrew Stepanian, animal rights activist who recently served a twenty-six-month federal prison sentence including six months in a Communication Management Unit in Marion, Illinois.

Paul Hetznecker, Philadelphia-based attorney representing Andrew Stepanian.

Will Potter, freelance reporter who focuses on how the war on terrorism affects civil liberties. He runs the blog GreenIsTheNewRed.com.

transcript:

Conversation With Ron Paul: The Future Of The Federal Reserve

Dandelion Salad

by Matthew Bandyk
usnews.com
June 24, 2009 10:21 AM ET

President Obama’s financial regulatory plan has created controversy over the role of the Federal Reserve in our economy like rarely before. The person in Congress with perhaps the most unconventional point of view on these issues in American politics is Congressman and former presidential candidate Ron Paul R-TX, a longtime critic of the very institution of the Fed and fractional reserve banking. He has recently sponsored a bill that would audit the Fed, which has attracted cosponsors such as Dennis Kucinich D-OH.

I talked to Congressman Paul about his unique perspective and why the Fed is controversial again.

Me: Do you think the Fed is the main culprit behind the current economic crisis?

Paul: I don’t believe you can have financial bubbles without artificially expanding the supply of money and credit, and only the Fed can do that in collusion with the banks, who can operate under fractional reserve banking. So that’s where the financial bubbles come from, whether it’s housing or the stock market or the bond market. That’s the source of the bubble, and that’s what has to be addressed, and yet the Fed has been able to operate in secrecy on exactly how they allocate credit and what they do with international markets. So yes, the Fed is the number one culprit.

[…]

via Exclusive Conversation With Ron Paul: The Future Of The Federal Reserve – Capital Commerce usnews.com

see

Instead of Real Financial Reform, Obama’s Plan capitulates to Wall Street by Prof. Michael Hudson

Big Brother in Basel: Are We Trading Financial Stability for National Sovereignty? by Dr. Ellen Brown

Kucinich: Fed Deserves Audit First, New Authority Second

The Economy Sucks and or Collapse 2

Federal Reserve on Dandelion Salad

A People’s History of American Empire by Howard Zinn

by Howard Zinn
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad

Updated: June 28, 2017

A People’s History of American Empire by Howard Zinn

HenryHolt
March 28, 2008

Empire or Humanity?
What the Classroom Didn’t Teach Me about the American Empire
by Howard Zinn

Dr. Krisztina Morvai – 2009 EP campaign (Hungary)

Dandelion Salad

Jobbikcom
June 22, 2009
Jobbik EP – campaign

Rachel Maddow: Mission Accomplished!

Dandelion Salad

VOTERSTHINKdotORG
June 24, 2009

http://earth2obama.org/
June 24, 2009 MSNBC Rachel Maddow Show

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “Rachel Maddow: Mission Accomplished!“, posted with vodpod

see

Confidential memo reveals US plan to provoke an invasion of Iraq

This Is What The Democrats Wrought by Bruce Gagnon

Imran Khan on US Drone Attacks

Dandelion Salad

Democracy Now!
June 24, 2009

Pakistani Opposition Politician Imran Khan on US Drone Attacks, the “Massive Human Catastrophe” in the Swat Valley and the Escalation of War in Afghanistan

At least sixty people have reportedly died in the South Waziristan region of western Pakistan after a US drone attack Tuesday. The attack came as the Pakistani army and air force expanded their military operations from Swat into South Waziristan. We speak with Pakistani opposition figure and cricketing legend Imran Khan, the leader of the political party known as the Movement for Justice. Khan has been an outspoken critic of both US drone attacks as well as the Pakistani military’s offensive against the Taliban. [includes rush transcript]

Real Video Stream

Real Audio Stream

MP3 Download

via Pakistani Opposition Politician Imran Khan on US Drone Attacks, the “Massive Human Catastrophe” in the Swat Valley and the Escalation of War in Afghanistan

see

How the U.S. Has Secretly Backed Pakistan’s Nuclear Program From Day One by Andrew Cockburn

Like Killing Flies by Bruce Gagnon

Interview with Ralph Nader on GM and Single Payer Healthcare

Dandelion Salad

Bloomberg
June 12, 2009

“New GM”, New Leadership – Nader Takes Side of GM Shareholders, Also Talks Healthcare and Tobacco (Bloomberg News)

Congressman Hoyer: Some Facts About GITMO Detainees!

Dandelion Salad

CSPANJUNKIEdotORG
June 24, 2009

http://earth2obama.org/
June 24, 2009 C-SPAN

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “Some Facts About GITMO Detainees! Con…“, posted with vodpod

see

Why Did It Take So Long To Order The Release From Guantánamo Of An Al-Qaeda Torture Victim? by Andy Worthington

Andy Worthington Discusses Guantánamo on Democracy Now!

How the U.S. Has Secretly Backed Pakistan’s Nuclear Program From Day One by Andrew Cockburn

Dandelion Salad

By Andrew Cockburn
http://www.counterpunch.org
June 24, 2009

“If the worst, the unthinkable, were to happen,” Hillary Clinton recently told Fox News, “and this advancing Taliban encouraged and supported by Al Qaeda and other extremists were to essentially topple the government … then they would have keys to the nuclear arsenal of Pakistan.” Many will note that the extremists posing this unthinkable prospect were set up in business by the U.S. in the first place. Very well buried is the fact that the nuclear arsenal that must not be allowed to fall into the hands of our former allies has been itself the object of U.S. encouragement over the years and is to this very day in receipt of crucial U.S. financial assistance and technical support.

Back in 1979, Zbigniew Brzezinski, intent on his own jihad against the USSR, declared that the “Afghan resistance” should be supplied with money and arms. That, of course, required full Pakistani cooperation, which would, Brzezinski underlined, “require a review of our policy toward Pakistan, more guarantees to it, more arms aid, and, alas, a decision that our security policy toward Pakistan cannot be dictated by our nonproliferation policy.” In other words, Pakistan was free to get on with building a bomb so long as we could arm the people who have subsequently come back to haunt us. Asked for his views on Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions, Ronald Reagan replied “I just don’t think it’s any of our business.” During the years that the infamous A.Q. Khan was peddling his uranium enrichment technology around the place, his shipping manager was a CIA agent, whose masters seem to have had little problem with allowing the trade to go forward.

[…]

via Andrew Cockburn: How the U.S. Has Secretly Backed Pakistan’s Nuclear Program From Day One

see

Like Killing Flies by Bruce Gagnon