Saturday, January 07, 2006
Abu Ghraib
Abu Ghraib Damn good page summarising some startlingly blatant lies from Rumsfeld et al. Plus a a summary of the whole issue.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
WAR IS FOR SUCKERS
http://warisforsuckers.com/clip.php?id=890&p=0 - watch and learn something you may not know.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Yet another "coincidence"
Investing - The Tamiflu Tug of War - FORTUNE - Page: "Among the beneficiaries of the run on Tamiflu is Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who was chairman of Gilead from 1997 to 2001 and owns at least $5 million of the stock, which has jumped from $35 in April to $47. Former Secretary of State George Shultz, who is on Gilead's board, has sold more than $7 million worth of Gilead in 2005. As the bird-flu issue heated up earlier this year, according to a senior Pentagon official, Rumsfeld considered unloading his entire Gilead stake to avoid any perceived conflict of interest. He sought the advice of the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the federal Office of Government Ethics. When those agencies didn't offer an opinion, Rumsfeld consulted a private securities lawyer, who advised him to hold on to the stock and be vocal about his earlier recusal from all matters involving Gilead, rather than sell and run the risk of being accused of insider trading. Holding on has paid off; it's made the Pentagon chief, already one of the wealthiest members of the Bush cabinet, at least $1 million richer."
Well, well. Another obscure company gets rich, which makes a current government member rich and this is all just sheer happenstance. The simple fact that Bird Flu is scarcely more than a fairy story similar to that of Saddam's weapons is neither here nor there, of course.
Well, well. Another obscure company gets rich, which makes a current government member rich and this is all just sheer happenstance. The simple fact that Bird Flu is scarcely more than a fairy story similar to that of Saddam's weapons is neither here nor there, of course.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Why America can't cope
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10214.htm
A simply fantastic article from The New Statesman which articulates much of my sentiments about the situation. The nation has been let down by decades of erosion and governmental stagnation. Not to mention the slow starving of government of liquid cash to pour into vital projects like levees.
Katrina has taught America some valuable lessons but it's anybodies guess if the country will actually realise what they are.
A simply fantastic article from The New Statesman which articulates much of my sentiments about the situation. The nation has been let down by decades of erosion and governmental stagnation. Not to mention the slow starving of government of liquid cash to pour into vital projects like levees.
Katrina has taught America some valuable lessons but it's anybodies guess if the country will actually realise what they are.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Busy
For the 0 readers out there salivating for more posts, I'm incredibly busy at the mo. So hang tight and I will return!
zzzzzooooooooooooommmmm!
zzzzzooooooooooooommmmm!
Friday, August 05, 2005
MI5 links Iraq to terror motivations
Guardian Unlimited Special reports MI5 links Iraq to extremists in UK
Blair et al should admit how wrong they are, wouldn't you say? Ah, but then they'd have to change their rhetoric...
Blair et al should admit how wrong they are, wouldn't you say? Ah, but then they'd have to change their rhetoric...
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Former Bush aide turns critic as Iraq inspector
Former Bush aide turns critic as Iraq inspector
The tip of the iceburg. Just the tip. And the US government and its political minions tries to claim the UN is hopelessly corrupt or incompetant!
The tip of the iceburg. Just the tip. And the US government and its political minions tries to claim the UN is hopelessly corrupt or incompetant!
Monday, July 25, 2005
I name the four powers who are behind the al-Qaeda conspiracy
I name the four powers who are behind the al-Qaeda conspiracy
This article by former Tory MP Matthew Parris perfectly encapsulates and explains my motivations for my approach to the entire phenomenon of the war on terror.
This describes the situation perfectly in why I have felt uneasy from the very beginning - and by that I mean 9/11 and the reporting of that onwards.
This article by former Tory MP Matthew Parris perfectly encapsulates and explains my motivations for my approach to the entire phenomenon of the war on terror.
This describes the situation perfectly in why I have felt uneasy from the very beginning - and by that I mean 9/11 and the reporting of that onwards.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
BBC NEWS | World | Africa | World 'ignores' Niger food crisis
BBC NEWS | World | Africa | World 'ignores' Niger food crisis
Not one word in G8 about this. Just shows how full of rhetoric and bluster 1st world politicians really are.
Not one word in G8 about this. Just shows how full of rhetoric and bluster 1st world politicians really are.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Conflict 'kills 25,000 Iraqis'
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Conflict 'kills 25,000 Iraqis'
This is, if anything, an underestimation of deaths and, believe me, all insurgent deaths known to anyone at all will be reported (it serves the authorities to report them, to show how lethal and to be combatted they are) so what are we left with?
We have most deaths by disenfranchised/greedy criminals and occupation forces killing most Iraqis. And more than ever.
And, meanwhile, our leaders walk around in some deluded stupor.
We have another famine, this time in Niger, which had been warned about for months. Guess what, nothing was done and so yet more poor people are dying of nothing but hunger. Angry is not the word...
This is, if anything, an underestimation of deaths and, believe me, all insurgent deaths known to anyone at all will be reported (it serves the authorities to report them, to show how lethal and to be combatted they are) so what are we left with?
We have most deaths by disenfranchised/greedy criminals and occupation forces killing most Iraqis. And more than ever.
And, meanwhile, our leaders walk around in some deluded stupor.
We have another famine, this time in Niger, which had been warned about for months. Guess what, nothing was done and so yet more poor people are dying of nothing but hunger. Angry is not the word...
Monday, July 18, 2005
Newsday.com: 18 Killed in Clashes Near Afghan Border
Newsday.com: 18 Killed in Clashes Near Afghan Border: "Pakistani soldiers fought militants in a northwestern tribal region near the Afghan border, the military said Sunday. Eighteen people, including one soldier, died in the clash.
A military statement said some of the dead were women and children, while a military official told The AP that a majority of those killed were women and children who were believed to be members of the militants' families. "
We are really gonna burn if so many of our allies (nevermind the US) are so "clumsy" as to kill women and children of Muslim/taleban/militant fighters. This is so counterproductive.
Hunting of terrorists - whoever they may be - is entirely necessary but it's gotta be done properly. A bit less bulldozing, rocketing please and massacring has got to be avoided.
A military statement said some of the dead were women and children, while a military official told The AP that a majority of those killed were women and children who were believed to be members of the militants' families. "
We are really gonna burn if so many of our allies (nevermind the US) are so "clumsy" as to kill women and children of Muslim/taleban/militant fighters. This is so counterproductive.
Hunting of terrorists - whoever they may be - is entirely necessary but it's gotta be done properly. A bit less bulldozing, rocketing please and massacring has got to be avoided.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iran-Iraq talks heal old wounds
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iran-Iraq talks heal old wounds
Please god this sort of, as the Americans will see it, entanglement with Iran will make it politically impossible for the US to support invasion or even Israeli bombing - which the Israelis have all but threatened on more than one occasion and, in fact, performed already once.
Please god this sort of, as the Americans will see it, entanglement with Iran will make it politically impossible for the US to support invasion or even Israeli bombing - which the Israelis have all but threatened on more than one occasion and, in fact, performed already once.
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Mirror.co.uk - News - EXCLUSIVE: WAS IT SUICIDE?
Mirror.co.uk - News - EXCLUSIVE: WAS IT SUICIDE?
The first couple of hours I noted the lack of Allah Akhbar cries. I would not be in the least bit surprised if they were manipulated in a clinically cold way and that they didn't expect to die.
The first couple of hours I noted the lack of Allah Akhbar cries. I would not be in the least bit surprised if they were manipulated in a clinically cold way and that they didn't expect to die.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Further thoughts...London Bombings/investigation
Ok, so things are happening.
Can I just say that I do genuinely trust the police on these kinds of matters. I think they are now so skilled in this sort of case and would be so averse to deliberately participate in any inside job or get suckered into a goose chase by some Israeli plot or any other similarly extreme explanation. So on this matter I'm gonna just believe what they say.
There were four suicide bombers, the bus bomb is believed to have been an accident. They were second generation Pakistani/British lads from Leeds.
This shows how shortsighted and simply stupid these xenophobic calls for watertight borders are. Ideas can pass through borders undetected. The affront many Muslims feel about British and American actions toward other Muslims penetrates people wherever they are regardless of how many Xray machines you have on our borders.
It also betrays the lie that they bomb us because they hate our freedoms. They have enjoyed our freedoms from birth. They know our society first hand and still they would rather blitz themselves and other people in a tunnel 120ft below the streets of London.
This must lead any sane person to ask the question, "why?". Every reason offered by received wisdom, "common sense" and unimaginative media for bomber's motivations (hatred, desperation, wanting to destroy the west, to turn Britain Muslim, poverty etc.) has never been proven to be true by the simple fact of who these bombers are.
We must also not forget that those who knew the Middle Eastern Islamic society best - namely those of that descent - never give those as key reasons. They say it is Western policy and the frustration of collusion within Mid-East governments in this policy that focuses minds enough for this terrorism. Al Qaeda represent merely a notion. It is one (poster boy) example of radicalised Muslims who want to turn to terrorism to hit back at the West. Many more small organisations exist with similar goals and philosophy but, importantly, not identical. Bin Laden's Islamic philosophy is significantly different from the Taliban's. He likes to use modern technology, like radio, video cameras, etc. but the Taliban made it illegal to use radio or listen to music in Afghanistan. The only thing that bound the two was simply the growing hatred and distrust of America. Plus the cold hard cash Bin Laden will have paid them.
We'll learn ever more details about the bombers and then I hope our country will learn that the basis for this terrorism is rooted in our behaviour. As I have said in a variety of locations, the existing members of these groups are past appeasing but it is certainly within our power to act in such a way that the cooking pot from which terrorists scoop volunteers is kept below boiling point and then reduced to a cold, congealing mass, useless to them.
Can I just say that I do genuinely trust the police on these kinds of matters. I think they are now so skilled in this sort of case and would be so averse to deliberately participate in any inside job or get suckered into a goose chase by some Israeli plot or any other similarly extreme explanation. So on this matter I'm gonna just believe what they say.
There were four suicide bombers, the bus bomb is believed to have been an accident. They were second generation Pakistani/British lads from Leeds.
This shows how shortsighted and simply stupid these xenophobic calls for watertight borders are. Ideas can pass through borders undetected. The affront many Muslims feel about British and American actions toward other Muslims penetrates people wherever they are regardless of how many Xray machines you have on our borders.
It also betrays the lie that they bomb us because they hate our freedoms. They have enjoyed our freedoms from birth. They know our society first hand and still they would rather blitz themselves and other people in a tunnel 120ft below the streets of London.
This must lead any sane person to ask the question, "why?". Every reason offered by received wisdom, "common sense" and unimaginative media for bomber's motivations (hatred, desperation, wanting to destroy the west, to turn Britain Muslim, poverty etc.) has never been proven to be true by the simple fact of who these bombers are.
We must also not forget that those who knew the Middle Eastern Islamic society best - namely those of that descent - never give those as key reasons. They say it is Western policy and the frustration of collusion within Mid-East governments in this policy that focuses minds enough for this terrorism. Al Qaeda represent merely a notion. It is one (poster boy) example of radicalised Muslims who want to turn to terrorism to hit back at the West. Many more small organisations exist with similar goals and philosophy but, importantly, not identical. Bin Laden's Islamic philosophy is significantly different from the Taliban's. He likes to use modern technology, like radio, video cameras, etc. but the Taliban made it illegal to use radio or listen to music in Afghanistan. The only thing that bound the two was simply the growing hatred and distrust of America. Plus the cold hard cash Bin Laden will have paid them.
We'll learn ever more details about the bombers and then I hope our country will learn that the basis for this terrorism is rooted in our behaviour. As I have said in a variety of locations, the existing members of these groups are past appeasing but it is certainly within our power to act in such a way that the cooking pot from which terrorists scoop volunteers is kept below boiling point and then reduced to a cold, congealing mass, useless to them.
Monday, July 11, 2005
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iraq's treasures still being looted
BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iraq's treasures still being looted
If you didn't look for this stuff, you wouldn't know how little control anyone has out in Iraq. This is just one example of how the invasion has impoverished Iraq.
If you didn't look for this stuff, you wouldn't know how little control anyone has out in Iraq. This is just one example of how the invasion has impoverished Iraq.
BBC NEWS | UK | Police appeal for bombing footage
BBC NEWS UK Police appeal for bombing footage
"On Sunday, three people were arrested at Heathrow Airport under anti-terror laws, but no link to the attacks was made. They were later released without charge."
Just more examples of how terrorism continues to be played up in the media. Two sentences devoted to the releases but many more devoted to the original arrests.
My post here also contains interesting stuff I've found: http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showpost.php?p=4775076&postcount=27
The hype and jitteriness was entirely expected. But how planned was all this? If the secret service network is involved it would be so easy for them to pull the strings it's not funny.
This is a scathing article, worth reading, by John Pilger as published in the New Statesman:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9432.htm
I have noted with interest, more American commentators acknowledging that al Qaeda (and its followers/sympathizers) are not motivated by simple hatred and a desire to wipe Western civilisation from the face of the earth but simply as revenge and an extreme (and, of course, unjustified) protest at the horrors and humiliations inflicted on Muslims and Arabs directly and indirectly by the West. Western policies feed the hate that breeds terrorists. And it looks like potentially the debate is turning (at the speed of an oil tanker) in that direction. Especially as Iraq is stagnating, and indeed rotting, in a swamp of violence. The pitiful stupidity of the invasion is hitting home and the masses in America (where the majority were simply not informed enough to judge Bush's choices) are realising the spectacular poverty of Bush's foreign policies.
Bush's pathetically asinine response to a question on ITV1's Tonight show about the aid provided to murderous Islam Karimov, president/dictator of Uzbekistan, and the lack of conditions on that aid in contrast to those pressed for by Bush for African aid was completely telling. A dictator who boils people alive, merely receives "encouragement" to stop boiling people alive and still gets millions in US aid because he is "an ally in the war on terror". In short, he lets the US have an air base there and he massacres and tortures Muslims for fun.
Great. And we think that Islamic terrorists are fuming because they hate our freedoms?????!!
"On Sunday, three people were arrested at Heathrow Airport under anti-terror laws, but no link to the attacks was made. They were later released without charge."
Just more examples of how terrorism continues to be played up in the media. Two sentences devoted to the releases but many more devoted to the original arrests.
My post here also contains interesting stuff I've found: http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showpost.php?p=4775076&postcount=27
The hype and jitteriness was entirely expected. But how planned was all this? If the secret service network is involved it would be so easy for them to pull the strings it's not funny.
This is a scathing article, worth reading, by John Pilger as published in the New Statesman:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9432.htm
I have noted with interest, more American commentators acknowledging that al Qaeda (and its followers/sympathizers) are not motivated by simple hatred and a desire to wipe Western civilisation from the face of the earth but simply as revenge and an extreme (and, of course, unjustified) protest at the horrors and humiliations inflicted on Muslims and Arabs directly and indirectly by the West. Western policies feed the hate that breeds terrorists. And it looks like potentially the debate is turning (at the speed of an oil tanker) in that direction. Especially as Iraq is stagnating, and indeed rotting, in a swamp of violence. The pitiful stupidity of the invasion is hitting home and the masses in America (where the majority were simply not informed enough to judge Bush's choices) are realising the spectacular poverty of Bush's foreign policies.
Bush's pathetically asinine response to a question on ITV1's Tonight show about the aid provided to murderous Islam Karimov, president/dictator of Uzbekistan, and the lack of conditions on that aid in contrast to those pressed for by Bush for African aid was completely telling. A dictator who boils people alive, merely receives "encouragement" to stop boiling people alive and still gets millions in US aid because he is "an ally in the war on terror". In short, he lets the US have an air base there and he massacres and tortures Muslims for fun.
Great. And we think that Islamic terrorists are fuming because they hate our freedoms?????!!
Thursday, July 07, 2005
London Bombed
No surprise from me. Just anger and I feel simply sick of it all. Sick of pointless causes being used to justify evil violence.
I knew it would happen eventually, mainly because it was so easy to do and required so few people to do it that no amount of MI5 activity would pick it up.
I have said on Digital Spy that me and a mate could do it for little more than £500.
The timing was devastating and it is sad that the achievements of G8 and the Olympics have been massively overshadowed by warped idiots who somehow think terrorism has any chance at all of achieving their aims.
I used to live in London and I have ridden on the number 30 bus which was blown up and I have travelled quite a lot through Liverpool St station and Kings Cross, of course. Had my life panned out differently, I could have easily been dead today.
But I am so tired, bored and sickened by this violence. I just want it to end. But as we re-energize these fools with wars that we start and by being so close to an America that sits on its hands over Israel, it quite simply won't. As long as there are Muslims that still follow this fundamentalist ideology, it simply won't.
It is a sad, sad day.
I knew it would happen eventually, mainly because it was so easy to do and required so few people to do it that no amount of MI5 activity would pick it up.
I have said on Digital Spy that me and a mate could do it for little more than £500.
The timing was devastating and it is sad that the achievements of G8 and the Olympics have been massively overshadowed by warped idiots who somehow think terrorism has any chance at all of achieving their aims.
I used to live in London and I have ridden on the number 30 bus which was blown up and I have travelled quite a lot through Liverpool St station and Kings Cross, of course. Had my life panned out differently, I could have easily been dead today.
But I am so tired, bored and sickened by this violence. I just want it to end. But as we re-energize these fools with wars that we start and by being so close to an America that sits on its hands over Israel, it quite simply won't. As long as there are Muslims that still follow this fundamentalist ideology, it simply won't.
It is a sad, sad day.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Live8
Live8, or Live 8, is underway and I am very split on it. I hate how the combined worth of the stars performing (don't forget, Paul Mccartney's there) totals the GDP of probably the poorest 5 African countries, are performing their latest singles.
I hate how Tony Blair sees this as a fantastic opportunity to get the electorate behind him again (distracted from Iraq) and to once again cast him as a crusader.
But it would be truly great if acceptable debt relief was agreed upon. Where the rich countries opened their markets to the third world on a truly fair basis. If this works, thanks to the overwhelming publicity Geldof has generated, then all the queasiness I feel will be worth it.
The fact is that when people (50,000 a day) die from preventable, cureable diseases and plain hunger we have to act. Now I know this has been going on for the best part of 25 years but now it seems those with true, treaty signing, exchequer manipulating power are going to do something concrete to allow poor nations to end the horror - I see this word as no exaggeration.
I hate how Tony Blair sees this as a fantastic opportunity to get the electorate behind him again (distracted from Iraq) and to once again cast him as a crusader.
But it would be truly great if acceptable debt relief was agreed upon. Where the rich countries opened their markets to the third world on a truly fair basis. If this works, thanks to the overwhelming publicity Geldof has generated, then all the queasiness I feel will be worth it.
The fact is that when people (50,000 a day) die from preventable, cureable diseases and plain hunger we have to act. Now I know this has been going on for the best part of 25 years but now it seems those with true, treaty signing, exchequer manipulating power are going to do something concrete to allow poor nations to end the horror - I see this word as no exaggeration.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Bush keeps on lying
I'm watching Bush lying again on Fox. He is making his Iraq speech. He keeps claiming that the US will "leave" when the job is done. This is not true as there will be permanent US bases there whatever happens. See: http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2004/040323-enduring-bases.htm and http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/21/AR2005052100611.html They include official denials, of course, but, let's be realistic, when will the "insurgents" really give up? I'd bet never.
He has just directly linked Iraq with 9/11 again. And he has said the challenge in Iraq is to defend democracy again. "Iraq is where the terrorists are making their stand". There were no terrorists there before you invaded!!!!
There really is no end to his delusion, is there.
I assume somewhere here you'll find his full remarks: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160958,00.html
Throughout his entire speech (as usual) it looks like he is reading the words for the first time. And he has just "advertised" the concept of joining the US military (I wonder why) http://www.americasupportsyou.mil - Need I say more?
Jesus. If this man hasn't done anything impeachable, I don't know who has.
He has just directly linked Iraq with 9/11 again. And he has said the challenge in Iraq is to defend democracy again. "Iraq is where the terrorists are making their stand". There were no terrorists there before you invaded!!!!
There really is no end to his delusion, is there.
I assume somewhere here you'll find his full remarks: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160958,00.html
Throughout his entire speech (as usual) it looks like he is reading the words for the first time. And he has just "advertised" the concept of joining the US military (I wonder why) http://www.americasupportsyou.mil - Need I say more?
Jesus. If this man hasn't done anything impeachable, I don't know who has.
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