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“We’ve detected activity, and we have captured some U.S. citizens in undercover activities, in hidden activities, espionage, trying to win over people in towns along the Venezuelan coast, trying to win over people in some neighborhoods. In Táchira, we captured a pilot of a U.S. plane of Latin origin with all sorts of documentation.” — Nicolás Maduro, Democracy Now! March 3, 2015
democracynow on Dec 27, 2011
DemocracyNow.org – Communities along Nigeria’s Niger Delta have been put on alert following a major oil spill from the oil giant, Shell. The massive oil slick is making its way to the Nigerian coast, threatening local wildlife and massive pollution along the shore. Much of the available information about the spill comes from the company responsible for it, Royal Dutch Shell, which says less than 40,000 barrels have leaked so far. Continue reading
By William Bowles
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Creative-i
18 May, 2010
19 May, 2010 — Update
Whoops! The ‘press release’ was a hoax (I thought it was too good to be true, shades of the Yes Men as it is in fact a production of the Yes Lab). However, it doesn’t alter any of my comments. Here is the mail I just received on the hoax: Continue reading
https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/
Democracy Now!
4 May, 2010
EXCLUSIVE…Secret Recording of Erik Prince Reveals Previously Undisclosed Blackwater Ops
Investigative journalist and Democracy Now! correspondent Jeremy Scahill obtains a rare audio recording of a recent, private speech delivered by Erik Prince, the owner of Blackwater, to a friendly audience in January. The speech, which Prince attempted to keep from public consumption, provides a stunning glimpse into his views and future plans and reveals details of previously undisclosed activities of Blackwater. In a Democracy Now! exclusive broadcast we play excerpts of the recording and speak with Scahill about the revelations. [Includes rush transcript]
Jeremy Scahill, award-winning independent journalist, a Puffin Foundation Writing Fellow at The Nation Institute and the author of the international bestseller, “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army.” His article, Secret Erik Prince Tape Exposed is published on his new blog for TheNation.com.
https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/
By Barry Grey
http://www.wsws.org
28 December 2009 Continue reading
https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/
Various news organizations’ reports on the incident in Detroit.
Al Jazeera English
Dec. 26, 2009
A reported attempt by a Nigerian man to light an explosive aboard a US passenger aircraft has been described by the White House as “an attempted act of terrorism”.
Abdulmutallab, who was overpowered by passengers and crew of Delta Flight 253, was taken into custody after the jet landed safely in Detroit.
US officials said he appeared to have links to al-Qaeda.
via Al Jazeera English – Americas – ‘Explosion attempt’ on US flight
Democracy Now!
May 9, 2008
Free from Nigerian Military Custody, “Sweet Crude” Director Sandy Cioffi on Oil Politics in the Niger Delta
by Jennifer
featured writer
Dandelion Salad
Justice and Peace
Mayl 8, 2008
The oppressive and repressive activities of the oil companies and the Nigerian State [sic] impact women first and foremost. During military occupation of communities, the women suffer psychologically, emotionally, and physically. They are raped and maimed. They suffer as their sons get arrested and killed…and feel it most when their brothers, husbands and lovers are tortured maimed and killed. The military and armed police have brutalized and sacked whole communities, assaulting and beating indiscriminately. The objective is to humiliate, intimidate, and eliminate all those who resist oil exploitation activities. ~ Emem J. Okan
By Amy Goodman
10/05/07 “ICH”
The barbarous military regime depends on revenue from the nation’s gas reserves and partners such as Chevron, a detail ignored by the Bush administration.
Malcolm
Featured writer
Dandelion Salad
Malcolm’s Blog
Oct. 4, 2007
I was doing this search about exactly when George Shultz was on the board of directors at Chevron. I found refs verifying he was, but never the years, other than before Condo Rice. That just seemed so strange. Most bios did not even mentioned he was ever there. Another story stranger than fiction is how Chevron ended up in Burma. Unocal emerges from behind the walls and under the rocks, yeh, from the company that brought you Zalmay Khalizad, that brought the Taliban to Houston on a friendship tour, the same company that bought and supported the military dics, yes, yes, Unocal was sued and lost for complicity in murder, rape, forced prostitution, and eviction of people from their land and homes in Burma.
The company of Shultz and Condo Rice, that’s right, Chevron comes along and buys them in 2005, but since the initial ‘investment’ on development had been made prior to the US clamp down on trade with Burma due to the above offenses, Chevron gets the benefits accrued in gas and oil. Now isn’t that fair, so all’s well in the Empire and G ‘global warming’ Bush can spout his indignation about the bullies of Burma without worrying about Condo’s professional future. Think Chevron will have her back?
So all’s fair in Kapitalism. We don’t need no Kolonialism. Now we Kall it ‘FREE TRADE’.
Now, just trying to write about this I’m get as hot as a stolen car with a blown radiator, but to forget about Nigeria and what Chevron is doing there does not see the problem.
For those that have read Howard Zinn, there has been a sad awakening to an old paradigm. The United States’ foreign policy has been replicating the same behavior since it’s inception. Burma is just another example, so if we are going to correct the pattern we have much work to do. Currently, Burma is not the only iron in the fire. Nigeria is not just another instance of corporate- (Chevron)/government imperialism, it is every bit as vicious as Burma and has been going on for years.
In England, the resistance to oil industry atrocities in Nigeria is well established. Unraveling the Carbon Web (http://www.carbonweb.org/) was started in May of 1997 by a collaboration of Platform and CorporateWatch. Unraveling is about the bigger vision based upon analysis of those affected by the oil industry’s impact on society and the environment. Their goal is to educate and influence the public, government and corporate leaders, “its roots lie in the Crude Operators conference – a gathering to understand and challenge the oil industry.”
In their own words:
http://www.platformlondon.org/
Platform “works across disciplines for social and ecological justice. It combines the transformatory power of art with the tangible goals of campaigning, the rigour of in-depth research with the vision to promote alternative futures.”
This site is of incredible depth, but here is a reminder if you have forgotten: “On November 10th 1995, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight Ogoni colleagues were executed by the Nigerian state for campaigning against the devastation of the Niger Delta by oil companies, especially Shell and Chevron.”
Understanding is empowering and these sites are an education about the monster, but may be also worthy of consideration for organizing here in the United States.
Dandelion Salad 