Image via WikipediaMar 11, 2010: This bill passed in the Senate with changes by Unanimous Consent. A record of each senator’s position was not kept.
Nothing Says Lack of Imagination Better Than Sanctions
http://agonist.org/russ_wellen/20091217/nothing_says_lack_of_imagination_better_than_sanctions
http://agonist.org/russ_wellen/20091217/nothing_says_lack_of_imagination_better_than_sanctions
Thus the failure of imagination with sanctions isn't across the board. It's true that such a program might succeed in coercing Iran to cease and desist its nuclear program (if not its internal repression). But the hostility -- and sense of injustice at the thwarting of its nuclear program -- on the part of Iran's government will linger.
For example, anyone who can't understand why Tehran -- not to mention the Iranian street -- wouldn't resent Israel's don't ask-don't tell nuclear-weapons program is as guilty of a failure of imagination as those to whom sanctions are inevitable. After all, Israel has signed no international nuclear conventions, like Iran has the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Its facilities crawling with IAEA inspectors on a recurring basis.
For example, anyone who can't understand why Tehran -- not to mention the Iranian street -- wouldn't resent Israel's don't ask-don't tell nuclear-weapons program is as guilty of a failure of imagination as those to whom sanctions are inevitable. After all, Israel has signed no international nuclear conventions, like Iran has the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Its facilities crawling with IAEA inspectors on a recurring basis.
Israel's nuclear-weapons program will remain an insurmountable barrier to nonproliferation, as well as lasting peace, in the Middle East.
Ron Paul
Listening to the debate on the Floor on this motion and the underlying bill it feels as if we are back in 2002 all over again: the same falsehoods and distortions used to push the United States into a disastrous and unnecessary one trillion dollar war on Iraq are being trotted out again to lead us to what will likely be an even more disastrous and costly war on Iran. The parallels are astonishing.
We hear war advocates today on the Floor scare-mongering about reports that in one year Iran will have missiles that can hit the United States. Where have we heard this bombast before? Anyone remember the claims that Iraqi drones were going to fly over the United States and attack us? These “drones” ended up being pure propaganda – the UN chief weapons inspector concluded in 2004 that there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein had ever developed unpiloted drones for use on enemy targets. Of course by then the propagandists had gotten their war so the truth did not matter much.
We hear war advocates on the floor today arguing that we cannot afford to sit around and wait for Iran to detonate a nuclear weapon. Where have we heard this before? Anyone remember then-Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice’s oft-repeated quip about Iraq: that we cannot wait for the smoking gun to appear as a mushroom cloud.
We need to see all this for what it is: Propaganda to speed us to war against Iran for the benefit of special interests.
Let us remember a few important things. Iran, a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, has never been found in violation of that treaty. Iran is not capable of enriching uranium to the necessary level to manufacture nuclear weapons. According to the entire US Intelligence Community, Iran is not currently working on a nuclear weapons program. These are facts, and to point them out does not make one a supporter or fan of the Iranian regime. Those pushing war on Iran will ignore or distort these facts to serve their agenda, though, so it is important and necessary to point them out.
We hear war advocates today on the Floor scare-mongering about reports that in one year Iran will have missiles that can hit the United States. Where have we heard this bombast before? Anyone remember the claims that Iraqi drones were going to fly over the United States and attack us? These “drones” ended up being pure propaganda – the UN chief weapons inspector concluded in 2004 that there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein had ever developed unpiloted drones for use on enemy targets. Of course by then the propagandists had gotten their war so the truth did not matter much.
We hear war advocates on the floor today arguing that we cannot afford to sit around and wait for Iran to detonate a nuclear weapon. Where have we heard this before? Anyone remember then-Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice’s oft-repeated quip about Iraq: that we cannot wait for the smoking gun to appear as a mushroom cloud.
We need to see all this for what it is: Propaganda to speed us to war against Iran for the benefit of special interests.
Let us remember a few important things. Iran, a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, has never been found in violation of that treaty. Iran is not capable of enriching uranium to the necessary level to manufacture nuclear weapons. According to the entire US Intelligence Community, Iran is not currently working on a nuclear weapons program. These are facts, and to point them out does not make one a supporter or fan of the Iranian regime. Those pushing war on Iran will ignore or distort these facts to serve their agenda, though, so it is important and necessary to point them out.
Is Canada Fighting an Imperialist War in Afghanistan?
http://www.globalresearch.ca/PrintArticle.php?articleId=18624
http://www.globalresearch.ca/PrintArticle.php?articleId=18624
Hat Tip FMA7
Recently a small group of professors at the University of Regina suggested that Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan was an act of imperialism and should not be glorified. The professors were vigorously attacked by Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, a number of Conservative Members of Parliament, and a long list of editorial writers, columnists and directors of news in the mainstream Canadian media.
On this subject, a new group of scholars argues that the United States is a major imperial power, dominating the world, and this is a good thing. These would include Antonia Negri, Michael Hardt, Deepak Lal and Naill Ferguson. Canadian Liberal leader, Michael Ignatieff, is often seen as part of this group. Samuel P. Huntington, the eminent U.S. scholar, writes that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are part of the “war of civilizations” between Christianity and Islam, and there is no question who we should support.
On this subject, a new group of scholars argues that the United States is a major imperial power, dominating the world, and this is a good thing. These would include Antonia Negri, Michael Hardt, Deepak Lal and Naill Ferguson. Canadian Liberal leader, Michael Ignatieff, is often seen as part of this group. Samuel P. Huntington, the eminent U.S. scholar, writes that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are part of the “war of civilizations” between Christianity and Islam, and there is no question who we should support.
Chalmers Johnson reminds us that the United States is much more than just a major military power. It has 735 known bases in 38 countries, five Central Commands which cover the world, 12 aircraft carrier strike groups, a fleet of strategic bombers which strike anywhere in the world, an arsenal of nuclear missiles and 1.5 million active military personnel. The official U.S. policy of Full Spectrum Dominance includes military devices in space, the ability to carry out surveillance of entire populations, monitoring everyone’s telephone calls, faxes, emails, internet communications, telegrams, cell phones and the books you take out at the local library. There are also a good number of secret bases around the world used for holding “suspects” indefinitely and subjecting them to “aggressive interrogation.” The most important one is at Bagram Air Force Base near Kabul.
The world is the U.S. sphere of influence. President Barrack Obama has intervened in Pakistan, Honduras, Haiti, Columbia, Yemen and Somalia, greatly increased the number of U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan, and has produced the largest military budget in history.
The U.S. Petroleum Institute and the Anglo and American oil corporations strongly supported the war on Iraq as Saddam Hussein was cutting them out of the second largest oil resource in the world. They also supported the war in Afghanistan, a necessary part of gaining control over the oil and gas resources around the Caspian Sea. This has been the official U.S. geopolitical strategy in Central Asia since the declaration of the Carter Doctrine in January1980.
What is imperialism? Imperialism has been around at least since 2500 B.C. It has always been the imposition of the rule or authority of a more powerful country or state over a weaker one. It takes the form of the domination of another country’s political, economic, religious and cultural systems. It is the denial of a weaker country’s right to democracy and self determination.
The world is the U.S. sphere of influence. President Barrack Obama has intervened in Pakistan, Honduras, Haiti, Columbia, Yemen and Somalia, greatly increased the number of U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan, and has produced the largest military budget in history.
The U.S. Petroleum Institute and the Anglo and American oil corporations strongly supported the war on Iraq as Saddam Hussein was cutting them out of the second largest oil resource in the world. They also supported the war in Afghanistan, a necessary part of gaining control over the oil and gas resources around the Caspian Sea. This has been the official U.S. geopolitical strategy in Central Asia since the declaration of the Carter Doctrine in January1980.
What is imperialism? Imperialism has been around at least since 2500 B.C. It has always been the imposition of the rule or authority of a more powerful country or state over a weaker one. It takes the form of the domination of another country’s political, economic, religious and cultural systems. It is the denial of a weaker country’s right to democracy and self determination.
On October 7, 2001 the U.S. government launched a massive air and missile attack on Afghanistan. The U.S. allies on the ground were the Northern Alliance warlords, the remnants of the horrendous Islamist government (1992 to 1996) that had been driven out of Kabul by the Taliban. With the U.S. bombing, it was not long before the Taliban fled and the Northern Alliance forces captured Kabul. U.S. and NATO forces arrived on the ground and they are still occupying the country after nine years. Michael Ignatieff* has referred to the U.S. invasion as “necessary imperialism.”
( * Liberal - so called - party leader, aka 'Canada's Natural Governing Party', a satirical note that the 'opposition' is worse )
How did the U.S. government and its NATO allies create the present puppet government? On November 27, 2001 the United States brought together a group of Afghans at Bonn, Germany to create an interim government. Five new broad-based Afghan democratic political parties and alliances asked to be represented at this conference, but the U.S. government said no. The representatives chosen were mainly from the Islamist Northern Alliance.
When it came time to select an interim leader, the “representatives” voted for Abdul Satar Sirat of the Rome group which wanted the restoration of the constitutional monarchy established in 1964. Hamid Karzai received no votes. But the U.S. government made it clear that Karzai had to be their choice. The interim government established by this process was mainly composed of Islamist war lords.
An Emergency Loya Jirga (or Grand Council) was held in June 2002. Around 1500 delegates were selected, although the new democratic parties were almost completely excluded. Nevertheless, 900 delegates signed a petition calling for the restoration of the constitutional monarchy. The U.S. government, Hamid Karzai and the Northern Alliance warlords rejected this demand.
The U.S. government made it clear that they were not going to allow the Afghans to reinstate their liberal democratic Constitution of 1964. They insisted on a new constitution with a very strong, centralized presidential system. They rejected the creation of a federal state. Canadian officials supported and assisted the U.S. government in this process. The Afghan people had no role in drafting the new constitution. There was no public debate on the draft, which was kept secret.
A Constitutional Loya Jirga was convened in December 2003. The 500 delegates were carefully selected by the political allies of the U.S. government. Nevertheless, there was strong opposition to the proposed constitution. At one point 48% of the delegates walked out in protest. No vote was taken, yet interim president Hamid Karzai declared that the constitution was adopted “unanimously.”
Just the facts, please, re taxes and economic growth
http://realhistoryarchives.blogspot.com/2010/09/just-facts-please-re-taxes-and-economic.html
How did the U.S. government and its NATO allies create the present puppet government? On November 27, 2001 the United States brought together a group of Afghans at Bonn, Germany to create an interim government. Five new broad-based Afghan democratic political parties and alliances asked to be represented at this conference, but the U.S. government said no. The representatives chosen were mainly from the Islamist Northern Alliance.
When it came time to select an interim leader, the “representatives” voted for Abdul Satar Sirat of the Rome group which wanted the restoration of the constitutional monarchy established in 1964. Hamid Karzai received no votes. But the U.S. government made it clear that Karzai had to be their choice. The interim government established by this process was mainly composed of Islamist war lords.
An Emergency Loya Jirga (or Grand Council) was held in June 2002. Around 1500 delegates were selected, although the new democratic parties were almost completely excluded. Nevertheless, 900 delegates signed a petition calling for the restoration of the constitutional monarchy. The U.S. government, Hamid Karzai and the Northern Alliance warlords rejected this demand.
The U.S. government made it clear that they were not going to allow the Afghans to reinstate their liberal democratic Constitution of 1964. They insisted on a new constitution with a very strong, centralized presidential system. They rejected the creation of a federal state. Canadian officials supported and assisted the U.S. government in this process. The Afghan people had no role in drafting the new constitution. There was no public debate on the draft, which was kept secret.
A Constitutional Loya Jirga was convened in December 2003. The 500 delegates were carefully selected by the political allies of the U.S. government. Nevertheless, there was strong opposition to the proposed constitution. At one point 48% of the delegates walked out in protest. No vote was taken, yet interim president Hamid Karzai declared that the constitution was adopted “unanimously.”
Just the facts, please, re taxes and economic growth
http://realhistoryarchives.blogspot.com/2010/09/just-facts-please-re-taxes-and-economic.html
"If you look for the social-economic motive, you will not have to wait for history to tell you what was propaganda and what was truth." - George Seldes
100 All-Time Best Historical Fiction Books
http://www.onlineclasses.org/2010/06/01/100-all-time-best-historical-fiction-books
http://www.onlineclasses.org/2010/06/01/100-all-time-best-historical-fiction-books
( When Truth is outlawed, it too comes in disguise )
Solidarity and Support for Juan, Indy Journalist & Latest G-20 Arrestee
http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/newsrelease/4597
http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/newsrelease/4597
Juan Pablo Lepore, 28, was arrested on the morning of September 2 in Montreal, for participating in the G20 Summit in Toronto this June. Juan Pablo was transferred to Toronto the same night and appeared in court Friday morning. The crown has refused his release.
"It's stunning to refuse Juan a release on bail, because every day the Canadian legal system allows defendants their release before trial even though they are accused of more serious crimes than Juan. It's clear that if you're poor, and you can't offer cash or assets as a guarantee, you don't have the same rights."
"It's stunning to refuse Juan a release on bail, because every day the Canadian legal system allows defendants their release before trial even though they are accused of more serious crimes than Juan. It's clear that if you're poor, and you can't offer cash or assets as a guarantee, you don't have the same rights."
Juan Pablo is an Argentinian documentary film-maker and independent journalist, visiting Canada for several months. He grew curious about this country while collaborating in Argentina on a documentary with Canadian resident Nicolas Van Caloen, and came to visit Nicolas here, while returning occasionally to Argentina for professional work.
He has spent most of his time visting Montreal, but travelled, like many Canadian residents, to Toronto last June to document the movement opposing the G20, publishing on online alternative media outlets including 'cmaq.net' and '2010.mediacoop.ca'.
He has spent most of his time visting Montreal, but travelled, like many Canadian residents, to Toronto last June to document the movement opposing the G20, publishing on online alternative media outlets including 'cmaq.net' and '2010.mediacoop.ca'.
"The criminalization of Juan Pablo Lepore is proof that the waves of arrests following the G20 aim to discourage political engagement by people angered by our system's injustices," concludes Nicolas Van Caloen, Juan's friend and media partner.
Now for a totally different representation of affairs
Update by Sheldan Nidle for the Spiritual Hierarchy and the Galactic Federation
http://www.paoweb.com/sn090710.htm
http://www.paoweb.com/sn090710.htm
You are entering an age of peace and prosperity and this requires a global dedication to disarmament. Those now in power represent the tail end of a dark age of violence, fear, and constant deceit and mendacity! They are reeling in disbelief as their supposedly unchallengeable empire crumbles and their wealth, for so long squandered on their every whim, vanishes.
Your global society is ready to implode; economic difficulties are not going away! In fact, they deepen by the day. The ill-gotten gains of the dark are evaporating, and the reign of fiat currencies and its electronic wealth is ending. True-value, hard currency is the bridge to a time of abundance. The prospect of this, coupled with the new transparent banking system, makes the dark cabal cringe.
This is the official website for Sheldan Nidle and the Galactic Federation
http://www.paoweb.com/index.html
Quite a contrast to the Council of Foreign Relations' membership roster which forms the 'broad based coalition' opposing a 'nuclear armed Iran'...which doesn't seem to read IAEA reports. UANI
http://www.paoweb.com/index.html
Quite a contrast to the Council of Foreign Relations' membership roster which forms the 'broad based coalition' opposing a 'nuclear armed Iran'...which doesn't seem to read IAEA reports. UANI
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