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October 26 Press FreedomI'm breaking my rule of avoiding news, politics or relevancy to humankind, for just a moment, to bring you the results of a contest.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has released their annual worldwide Press Freedom Index, which ranks 168 Earthly nations by in which country a journalist can expect the best freedom, and a second ranking that rates their treatment of journalists outside their borders. (eg in a war zone like Iraq)
This report does not rate the quality of reporting. Only the circumstances endured by journalists. Regulations which prevent journalists from lying or committing slander are considered negative; for example, in a previous report the organization condemned France for passing a law making it illegal to deny the Armenian Genocide. (like denying the holocaust, except the Turkish government has not yet admitted it happened-in Turkey it is illegal to mention that it happened, which is hailed as a step forward, a de facto admission that it did take place)
It also does not consider the corruptability of the media. In rich countries, hinting that a journalist may be fired is enough to stop a story from coming out. In Colombia, threatening a reporter with death might not silence him.
In other words, the organization rates the freedom and safety of journalists, and that includes their freedom to safely lie on behalf of allies and take bribes. Rank in the index has no bearing on the degree of truth or accuracy of the media in any country, or whether it serves the populace or a few powerful people.
So, where do you think Canada stands, out of 168 nations? Pick a number and we'll see if you were right...got it? OK continue.
Canada
Canada ranked 16th. We tied Bolivia and Austria.
Who beat us? Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and the Netherlands all tied for first place. All of the top 15 countries were members of the EU except Norway(6th) and Switzerland(8th).
What black marks acted against Canada? The main issue the past 2 years running is that the Government and police in Canada seem to think the press belongs to them and serves, their interests. That's not very serious, considering that in Turkmenistan (ranked 2nd last) a journalist was tortured to death for criticizing their leader.
This journalist is still in jail in Turkmenistan, awaiting a fearsome unknown fate
Canada rarely arrests journalists for doing their work and makes no violent attempts to control information.
Where did America and its other allies rank? (you may be suprised by the countries considered "important allies" by the US government; it's because of their strategic location)
USA was 53rd, down from 17th four years ago, having arbitrarily and illegally imprisoned journalists domestically; America's rating outside its borders was especially dismal at 119th, for deliberately killing or detaining reporters and generally controlling information flow.
Japan was 51st
Israel was 50th (extra-territorial it rated 136th)
Australia was 35th, tied with France, Bulgaria and Mali, coming in right after Ghana
UK was 19th
Pakistan was 157th
Saudi Arabia 161th
Uzbekistan was 158th Turkey was 98th
(kinda discredits the notion that the US intervenes in countries to 'spread democracy' when their most important allies are some of the worst oppressors on the planet)
Where the American Hand is Directly Present:
Afghanistan 130th Iraq 154th
Lebanon - The Lebanese media was among the most free in the Arab world, but thanks to conflict with Israel* Lebanon has dropped from 56th to 107th.
(*Any Israeli military action is actually America, as everything Israel does is cleared first with the US authorities - before the so-called "suprise" Lebanon war the US implemented aid programs that sold Israel the bombs they used)
War
In general, war destroys press freedom, although poverty does not necessarily impact it (unless it contributes to conflict). Several regimes collapsed, resulting in leaps forward in the ranking. Specifically, these regimes which fell include Haiti's President Jean-Bertrand Aristide who was re-installed by US military intervention in 1994. Another huge improvement was felt in Togo since the dictator (supported by France) died in 2005 and his son assumed power. All this further destroys the notion that the US is 'spreading democracy' through military action, a concept decried by Maximiliem Robespierre (aka "Mad Max" or "The Incorruptible", a French revolutionary) who wrote, "One can only encourage freedom, never create it with an invading force." (Or, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.")
Some of My Favourite Countries (and places friends & family have visited):
Germany tied Jamaica for 23rd
Denmark dropped from 1st last year to 19th this year, thanks to the Mohammed Cartoons fiasco
Czech Republic 5th
Slovenia 11th
Venezuela 115
Peru 112
Italy 40
Spain 41
Miscellaneous from RSF:
Last year...
...61 reporters were killed. (plus 28 media workers)
...130 reporters were jailed. (plus 3 media workers)
...61 "cyberdissidents" (like me!) were jailed - One of them, Josh Wolfe, remains imprisoned in the USA.
August 16 To Forget is DivineI've noticed Lebanon has dropped out of the papers. Accordingly, people, having read a few headlines mentioning peace, have stopped worrying about it.
Perfect.
Now that nobody's paying attention, Israel can really get some work done.
And we won't notice, because we assume the trouble is over and have put it out of our minds, already worrying about the next distracting headline.
   Bill Clinton is trying to align himself with good causes; Justice Minister says even younger kids should go to court, and Jonbenet Ramsey's death - which was never even news in the first place - is back on page one. It's all very distracting and in some cases important, but don't take your eye off the ball - Oil wars are only beginning.
The war drums are still beating in the Middle East! The UN won't disarm Hezbollah - that would ruin Israel's excuse for warfaring! The Israeli people, who hesitantly supported the war in the first place, are furious that Hezbollah was not harmed and is in fact boasting a victory. And the Israeli government is somehow suprised that when Israel bombed Lebanon, the Lebanese people blamed Israel rather than rallying against Hezbollah. Duh.
Canada has been asked to help patrol Mediterranean coast - This is the key region with respect to planned energy/water pipelines.
Nuremberg Trial Proceedings - See article 6a, which would see Israel sanctioned for war crimes and all its partners punished as well. (This includes members of Canadian legislature that did not move to deter Israel's actions) August 15 Slanted Semantics
Okay, I just wanted to ask: Why is it that, whenever I look at newspapers and see someone giving what I thought was the Peace sign, the caption always says it is the Victory sign? Did I miss something?
For that matter, why is it an "arrest and detention" when Israel seizes foreign civilians and a "kidnapping" when their neighbours capture Israeli soldiers during military operations?
By the way, what has happened here with the ceasefire is not what is being reported in the mainstream.
In an article in the National Post, Peter Goodspeed reported:
Goodspeed also reports: "Israel, for its part, has vowed to interpret the ceasefire -- which prohibits only Israeli "offensive" operations -- as broadly as possible in order to continue what it characterizes as defensive operations in south Lebanon until the international community moves in and disarms Hezbollah."
Remember, defensive operations are whatever Israel wants them to be. They've already shown that they will contrive an excuse to attack. Hell, the country's army is called the Israeli Defense Force. There's a word game for you. I would not be suprised if the story Goodspeed wanted to tell would be remarkable different from the one his editors allowed to hit the front page, as in between blatant untruths he inserted much valuable information about what is really going on.
Hezbollah, incidentally, is claiming a victory. That waits to be seen. If Israel really stays out, it is certainly the "victory over American influence" in the area that Nasrallah is claiming. The worldwide public is certainly turning on the leaders that brought us this bloodbath or supported it.
This article from August 7 explained what would happen before it took place: One-sided UN Security Council resolution drafted "with close Israeli involvment"
No one thinks peace will last - the difference is who blames whom.
August 07 ...And France..And ChinaChina is also embroiled in the energy struggle. Besides economic might, they are also a nuclear power. This is relatively old news, but it's impossible to analyse the present conflict without China.
The situation is rapidly escalating....Everybody pick sides!! ...And RussiaRussia arming Venezuela in anticipation of US attack - I think it may be in anticipation of a proxy war on Columbia. (Columbia has oil, gold and drugs)
Russia Builds Up Military Presence in Middle East - Protecting Syria - translated from Russian paper Kommerzant
How many countries need to get invovled before we call this World War Three? Enter IndiaAfter the Mumbai bombing led directly to Pakistani intelligence - the ISI, also implicated in 9-11 - India and Pakistan were on the brink of war. Now India's getting involved in a big way. One country after another is stepping up their military involvement, blowing ever-shortening resources on war instead of preparing for looming energy crisis.
India's nuclear arsenal is second only to Israel's.
USA Tests ICBMThe US department of state says, "The United States believes that the question of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula is, first and foremost, a matter for the Korean people to decide." This is a grand case of saying one thing while doing another.
A lot of well-informed people think the USA has stopped building nukes. This is utterly false. The USA continues to develope its nuclear arsenal, branching out into all kinds of sci-fi seeming weapons. (see below) Long before North Korea was added to the "Axis of Evil" the USA very nearly bombed it - unilaterally, of course. (1994 to be exact) They didn't, because it was predicted that military action would cause a disastrous bloodbath. Now that the USA has enacted new rules of engagement that allow America to use preventative nuclear strikes (US Removes Nuclear Brakes) it is vitally important for countries who wish to remain free of US rule to possess atomic weapons - The only way to avoid American bullying is to guarantee a mess that would be a PR disaster.
To that end, Iran's defensive plan actually involves drawing the war out as long as possible, and provoking pandemonium in Iraq (Iran Prepares for Asymmetrical Warfare), until the American people get fed up and turn on it. These countries know it takes years for even partial truths to seep into the public domain in the USA.
USA's Nuclear Proliferation and High-Tech Weapons - A lot of this sounds like paranoid science fiction, but before you decide not to believe it, ask the government. It's mostly not secret.
Mini-Nukes on US Agenda
August 06 The Puppet MastersReports that France and the USA have drafted a resolution to stop the bombing of Lebanon are extremely misleading.
For one, the resolution (which I have not yet read entirely) apparently formalizes - that is, make it appear legal - any further attacks on Lebanon by Israel. To that end, the fighting is expected to continue much as it has been, leaving me suspicious that this may be a mere PR move to buy time with the public while Israel completes its conquest. In fact this article, while hinting at imminent peace, also admits the resolution won't stop the killing and quotes Israel's Defense Minister as saying "We plan to carry out the whole mission."
Second, the resolution calls for an arrangement of circumstances which requires that Lebanon essentially be under foreign control: Step one towards installing a puppet government. In case the term isn't self-explanatory, a puppet regime is a government which is controlled by another government. This method is preferred over open military occupation mainly because it is more cost-effective, especially in terms of public opinion.
This method, favoured by conquerors for ages, is precisely what the USA has achieved in Afghanistan and Iraq (to the sound of Americans' cheers over "democratic elections"), and is also the likely motive behind Plan Columbia. It's standard operating procedure. In the 1970's the list also includes Chile...I mention this because there is a chance the issue will burst into the public spotlight in the next few years, as Chile's former dictator (Pinochet) has been arrested and many secret documents detailing American support were released.
Installation of a puppet government which will cede on issues of energy and water is almost definitely Israel's "Mission" to which the Defense Minister referred. Dr. Tanya Reinhart and Dr. Michel Chossudovsky each do an excellent job of clarifying the situation.
Update, August 7
Israeli officials' comments recently confirmed Reinhart's prediction that Israel's intent is to re-draw the border along the Litani River.
Israel reportedly likes the new UN Resolution because it allows their troops to stay in Lebanon until the international community takes over - exactly as predicted above. Lebanon opposes this takeover.
August 01 Fuel DuelWars, historically, are fought for one reason, although the aggressor states in recent years typically have been very imaginative in convincing the public that deplorable violence is good for humanity.
That one reason is resources.
Adopting a "resource war" perspective, many events fall into place that otherwise seem like pointless carnage. Not suprisingly, this is the case with Israel's present use of uneccessary force against Lebanon and Gaza.
The Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline
The Azeri oil fields, off the coast of Azerbaijan, is the source of 20% of Israel's oil. This pipline will bring oil directly to the Mediterranean coast to be transported by underwater pipeline to the Israeli port of Ashkelon - greatly improving Israeli imports of Caspian Basin oil.
  Left - Baku-Ceyhan Pipline; Right - Ashkelon is the oldest and largest port in Israel; Below - Entire area
The pipeline's inauguration was July 13, the same day Israel - war-ready for some months by this point - began blockades and attacks on Lebanon. This pipeline respresents and enormous investment by western oil companies, in particular British Petroleum.
Remember this next time you hear a "Beyond Petroleum" ad.
Another pipeline linking the Baku-Ceyhan line to the Eilat-Ashkelon line is planned. The envisioned system will also transport a million barrels per day to western markets.
For interactive version of above map, click and then chose Pipeline Map.
Why War?
Make no mistake - Oil shapes our world, and those that control it are among the most influential people on Earth. Energy politics are deeply intertwined with the Middle Eastern wars. The agriculture industry that feeds us and millions more relies heavily on petroleum for fertilizers and farm equipment. Without oil, millions, might starve. Would we kill for oil? Of course we would. It sure beats changing the status-quo, which might usurp the luddites who have enjoyed a secure position at the top of the food chain for 150 years.
The above-mentioned underwater pipeline requires control over the Mediterranean coast. Three more pipelines are also planned, one each to transport water, natural gas and electricity. Enter the Lebanon and Gaza assaults. Capturing these large swaths of coast leaves only one more obstacle: Syria.
"Everybody" Wins
The water pipelines, incidentally, will take water from the upper Tigris and Euphrates, and away from Iraq and Syria. How much longer can Iraq fight without water? So in addition to providing the gluttonous west with oil, cementing control over energy resources and putting billions of dollars into Big Oil's pockets, this will also help win more the Iraq war through strangulation. It may be good news for American soldiers that innocent Lebanese are dying so that they might have an easier fight. Furthermore, the re-configuration of oil networks is intended to isolate Iran - depriving it of markets which it needs to maintain a healthy military and general populace. Ever since Iran rebelled against US dominance by pricing oil in Euros we've been dying to counter their potentially devestating economic attack.
Who Are You Calling "Civilized"?
Complicated, isn't it? And this is the tip of the iceberg. It becomes hard to decide what side you're really on when the present scenario is framed so that in any situation people die unfairly. And humanity has been carrying on this way for its entire existence.
I promise, our way of life is at stake. If you want peace, you must be prepared to give up everything, or at least trade it in for a completely different existance. Every time you turn on the A/C, every time you buy something, every time you drive somewhere, you are complicit in these murders. If we won't change, we can't stop.
Never Trust a Junkie Unmentionable as it sounds, it is possible that we lose these wars. We've been addicted to oil for a long time, and an addict will do anything for one more fix. We've betrayed and sold out a number of allies, and since our government believes us children that need to be sheltered from the truth, it is impossible to know whether they have looked at all to the future.
And what happens if we lose? I'm guessing nobody will throw us a life preserver. July 30 IslamophobiaYou may be complicit in a genocide! We all may be! From Genocide Watch: Islamophobia http://www.genocidewatch.org/ISLAMOPHOBIA.htm Mentions "rage over cartoons", commented upon in July 25 blog. (The New Jew) The 8 steps of genocide: The first 3 are completed with respect to Islam. (complete explanations available at www.genocidewatch.org) 1. Classification 2. Symbolization 3. Dehumanization 4. Organization 5. Polarization 6. Preparation 7. Extermination 8. Denial (takes places throughout first 7 steps) Many people participate in the early steps unintentionally. Classification: Splitting the population into "us" and "them". This step appears, to my eyes, to prevail throughout most of the world. At least it has been well-accomplished in North America:. Constant references to "the Muslim community" ensure the rest of us think of them as a separate entity, different from ourselves. Even National Geographic published a map captioned "Where are the Muslims in America?" and showed a picture of the USA with dots for spots with Muslim populations over a certain size. (I will post the image as soon as I find it...presently it eludes me) Symbolization: Giving groups names, such as "Muslims" or "Arabs" and distiguishing them by stereotypical or different forms of dress, for example, portraying people with turbans, long robes, etc. Dehumanization: Also achieved against Islam. Calling Muslim culture "a religion of violence" is a textbook example. Many people believe this as fact, apparently forgetting that only a few decades ago, Hitler said the Jewish religion was the source of their violence. Somebody is keeping track of Muslims, even though US census laws forbid it: When the Muslim community announced its numbers to be around 6 million, the American Jewish Committee instantly decried the figure, saying it was really more like 1.9-2.8 million. (This article is the source for that bit but also shows that National Geographic has no intent of racism.) About Genocide Watch Genocide Watch is the coordinating body of the International Campaign to End Genocide. It aims to predict and avert genocides by informing people on the often-subtle warning signs, and suggesting effective means of combatting brewing genocides. Genocide is addressed as it is defined by the Geneva Convention, and the group also focusses on other forms of mass murder such as politicide. It is worthwhile to follow that link. The definition includes imposing conditions of life which are intended to bring about the destruction of a cultural group. What is Israel doing to Palestine? It is very clear that targetting only some members of the group is still considered genocide - It does not require an attempt to wipe them all out. Could this apply to Native North Americans? Also worth noting: Just because Genocide Watch issues a warning does not mean a genocide is bound to take place, and if there hasn't been a warning issued that does not mean a genocide won't happen or is not happening. July 28 More Good News"Everyone who is still in south Lebanon is linked to Hezbollah." - Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon
This ridiculous statement sounds to me like Israel is making excuses in advance for a slaughter of civilians.
In general it would seem that no end of this is in sight...only amplification. I wonder what historians will say about this period in time.
"The leader of genius must have the ability to make different opponents appear as if they belonged to one category." - Hitler Update: August 1
The above prediction was accurate; the Prime Minister's comments were followed closely by a massacre of civilians.
"There Will Be No Ceasefire"
Sadly, for most of the modest Middle East inhabitants, who live at a geographical crossroad between superpowers, they are but pawns in a struggle between Russia, the USA, China and Europe, and it is bound to get worse. Russia is building up its forces in the Middle East. France has joined Russia and China is supporting Iran. Israel's PM Ehud Olmert has said the Middle East will never look the same once fighting stops (this preceding article construes his remarks as suggesting a ceasefire, even as troops pushed deeper into Lebanon). He also stated that there will be no ceasefire until Israel accomplishes its objectives. The 48-hour suspension is international PR, nothing more.
Canada Abandoning its Role as Independent Mediator: "Canada is not isolated" Essentially, Canadian politicians are assuming the US's stance and supporting Israel, over the widespread protests of Canada's citizens. Recent polls indicate that a majority of Canadians do not support Israel's actions, and in fact that support for the Afghanistan war is also slipping as a consequence.
This is, of course, not reported by CanWest Media, which owns the National Post and Calgary Herald, and has openly supported Stephen Harper since the election before the last. Instead, CanWest carefully misconstrued the polls and ran a deceitful headline claiming that a majority supports Israel's actions, in the process re-writing the book on using statistics to lie as they reveal numbers that support their dishonest claim and omitting the most telling figures.
In reality, the bulk of support comes hesitantly, saying that some action was necessary, but that what took place was uncalled for. Harper Faces Voter Backlash Over Support of Israel
The Heart of Canada's Corruption
CanWest owns most of the media in Alberta and BC, and, unsuprisingly, it is in these two provinces that support for Israel's actions is the highest. CanWest, which is strongly pro-war and plagued by racism, also used this poll to slander the Quebecois and portray them as being at odds with the rest of Canada.
Quebec, with a healthy independent media, has the highest opposition to Israel's actions.
Many immigrants to Alberta with whom I have spoken are stricken by two shocking media themes: a powerful bias against Quebec, and overwhelming anti-Arab propganda, which both permeate every newspaper, TV and radio report in Calgary and Edmonton.
Calgary pioneered the now-standard template of keeping demonstrators away from G8 meetings and similar gatherings which, amid ever-increasing public anger towards its deaf government, have lately generated unprecedented public outcry. If public officials are hiding from the public who they serve, it is certain shady dealings are afoot.
Welcome to the World of Politics
Meanwhile, Harper's biggest PR accomplishment, a supposed deal over softwood lumber, has been revealed as Dead-On-Arrival. In political terms, this means it was poisoned deliberately: The agreement was laden with provisions that ensured its destruction, called "poison pills" by politicians. (scroll down to July 31; a very informative blog by US Congressman David Israel) This is a popular technique, as is adding widely popular parts to a bill that is guaranteed to sink in order to paint a politician in bad light. (for example, add a Gay Marriage provision - widely desired - to a bill authorizing child labour, and then say that those who voted it down voted "against gay marriage".) July 26 Exporting DemocracyAmerica's Known Involvement
The USA's role in all this is a key factor. It has been said that America has little control over the conflict; this is untrue. Many educated people, mostly Arabs, have told me that they suspect Israel controls America. If you live in the Middle East it may well seem that way, but it is backwards. Israel is viewed as an arm of American power by US officials, inserted into a strategic position by them and their allies, and Israel could not survive without US foreign aid.
A chaotic middle east only benefits the elites whose goals have suffered under the forces of democracy in the region. Prominent NeoCons have been encouraging Israel publicly, touting Israel's "right to self-defense" (a right of which Palestine has been clearly deprived) and keeping silent about Israel's instigation of the whole affair. American support runs much deeper than supportive rhetoric, though.
1. The Veto
Read this table illustrating the history of the UN veto. The USA has used to veto to thwart UN Security Council resolutions against Israel over and over. It also has used the veto to protect itself against UNSC resolutions condemning its program of terrorism in Nicaragua in the 80's, a situation comparable to the present in many respects.
Read this article on America's protection of Israel war crimes 24 times, always the sole veto against an overwhelming majority opposed to Israel's actions.
2. US Foreign Aid.
Israel's economy is not self-sufficient. According to Noam Chomsky, Michel Chossudovsky and other scholars, Israel is regarded by US officials as a military asset - a limb of the USA strategically positioned in the part of the world every empire has desired to control. (and we must keep them divided to keep them down)
Israel receives:
As well as hundreds of thousands of "surplus arms" free of charge. (but not free to the American taxpayer)
A great deal of this aid money ends up back in the USA in the pockets of arms manufacturers (Israel is one of America's largest arms importers), GMO producers like Monsanto, chemical companies like Dupont, etc. In other words, one facet of this program is that it serves as a means to transfer money from taxpayers to the owners of businesses - which, as we all know, control the government.
When conflicts like the present arrive, emergency aid steps up, adding untold millions to the cost and jacking up corporate profits here. (Israel was even promised 9 billion dollars over 3 years for being an ally in the Iraq conflict. Are they helping in Iraq? Or was this for later, when they knew the war was going to spread out? At the very least this shows a quick resolution in Iraq was never on the planning desk)
What Israel is doing to Lebanon is not helpful to our struggling economy, though. It consists merely of a reallocation of funds that hardly serves to improve productivity, efficiency or innovation. The miniscule attraction to wary foreign investors cannot compensate for the strain on taxpayers.
In addition to the cost, US aid to Israel violates American law. It is illegal to provide aid to:
So it is meaningless when Congress attaches a bunch of stipulations for how the aid package can be used (as in the 9-billion Iraq loan) - Israel always ignores the rules, and when the UN tries to do anything about it, the USA protects them.
None of this would have been possible without you, America! I love the irony of the victim being covered with a Disney blanket.
(Think that's bad? That's nothing! Click for more images!) July 25 The New Jew
Article claims "The Jews are responsible for WWII"
 Pamphlet declaring Judaism is a religion of violence: Inside it reads,"It is in the teachings of Judaism, in the Old Testament, and in the Talmud, that the Israeli militarists find inspiration for their inhuman deeds."
Don't we read the same claim about Arabs every day?
The message: "Muslims are responsible for WWIII" George W. Bush says Muslims "hate our freedom" and want to "enslave the world". (quoted in National Post) Hitler claimed the Jews, if allowed to ascend to power, would "enslave" all the other peoples of the world. Israel says the victims of their aggression are at fault.
Tyrants, like an abusive father, always blame their victims for their violence. "If the opposition disarms, well and good. If it refuses to disarm, we shall disarm it ourselves." - Stalin What's the difference? Was the ruckus over the Mohammed cartoons really unjustified, or was it in response to a perceived impending slaughter? Visit www.genocidewatch.org and read the 8 steps towards genocide. History really does repeat.
A Bit of History - updated July 28Timeline of the present stage of the Israel-Palestine-Lebanon conflict: It is an extension of the existing Palestine-Israel hostility.
"One can never create freedom with an invading army." - Max Robespierre
It is near-impossible to give all the background. Neglecting, for the moment, "who started it", which doesn't really matter, the events become clearer.
From the outset, Israel has aimed to wipe out Palestine, and they are accomplishing just that by choking them economically, denying them water and food, destroying critical services, assassinating leaders, and basically keeping them imprisoned in Gaza or West Bank.
Palestine has never been happy about Israel being in the area, and probably rightly so. People say that they didn't really own the land given to Israel, because they were nomads. Okay, fine. Then none of the Native North Americans are entitled to any land either.
In my opinion, history does not apply to this case, because the world was entirely different when this conflict began. What matters is that now, Israel is committed to a genocide, and regardless of what has happened to Jews in the past, they are not entitled to wipe anybody out.
They are no longer defending themselves. If they made peace with their neighbours rather than antagonizing them, if they stopped strangling the Palestinians to death, peace would be plausible. As things stand, lasting peace is impossible.
Perhaps Israel is afraid to relinquish utter control, but fear is not a respectable motive for any crime.
As you will see below, Israel has been constantly provoking the Palestinians, attempting to draw them into a conflict. It is in the geostrategic best interest (not the humanitarian interest) for both Israel and America to see an escalation of wars in the Middle East.
The most recent volley:
The example that is playing out before us is typical of the exchange of provocations: i.e. Israel incites, then destroys, then repeats the cycle, all the while protected and supplied by the USA. We don't know whether Palestine would start more violence, (as officials claim)because it has been decades since they had the chance to initiate anything. July 24 Geostrategic BackgroundHere's the thing about Israel. Right now they're behaving like the child who gets beat up and takes that as justification to shoot up his school.
I want to make it clear that I am not taking sides - I blame America (and to some extent Britain) for the present state of affairs. But Israel's actions are not okay. And although the media was quick to "elucidate" the situation and justify bombings of civillians by blaming recent actions by Hamas and Hezbollah (No American ally could ever be the agressor, could it?), the string of wars has been in the planning for years. Some would even say this is leading to World War III.
These persons viewed the widely-lauded "pullout" from Gaza as a meaningless charade of a peaceful gesture, which served only to cloak true motives. Violence and murderous oppression of Palestine has been uninterrupted by the supposed withdrawl from Gaza. In fact, the way Lebanon has been turned into a giant prison suggests Israel is either converting the whole area into a one big Gaza Strip, or preempting possible interference with an attack on Syria.
Hezbollah's Secretary-General: They've already hit every imaginable target
Israel's True Intentions by Ghali Hassan
This recent agression further belies the notion that Israel's enormous military prowess is defensive. But the evidence has been plenty that the US and Israel are acting as allies to control the middle East. Former National Security Advisor (and founding member of the Trilateral Comission) Zbigniev Brzezinski said in his book The Grand Chessboard (see book list):
He's talking about controlling oil, of course - the life-giver of the industrial world. Furthermore, this book goes on to remind us that three-quarters of the world's population and wealth reside in this area, in the form of business enterprises as well as natural resources. The book goes on to say that:
Who Wants Some?
To be brief, several countries meet the criteria for American attack: They should be rich in resources, of strategic value, and preferably defenseless. And above all, refusal to toe the line drawn by the USA is begging for invasion. This was the crime of Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran (in the past also Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela) that, coupled with strategic significance, put these nations at the top of the hit list.
Quickly glancing at a map shows Iraq to be of utmost strategic position, directly between Iran and Syria. Using Iraq, where huge permanent military bases are under construction, as a launching point against the West crushes those countries between the USA and Israel. To the East, Iran is sandwiched between the USA in Iraq and the USA in Afghanistan. Pakistan has also been allowing itself to be used as a launching platform for US military. Recent "terrorist" activity in Mumbai indicates that India - another US ally - may soon become a player as well.
Therefore, it is not at all suprising when the latest round of agression singled out Iran and Syria as scapegoats, calling them supporters of Hezbollah.
The Nukular Option
Iran, however, is not defenseless - this presents a problem, as the American public would quickly turn against a war that was too bloody for our side. Countless analyses of various Iran war scenarios arrived at the conclusion that it would be an unwinnable mess. (This is also why nobody will touch North Korea)
Although the war is probably being fought more like described below, the nuclear option is still on the table.
Nuclear power in the middle east is concentrated as follows: Israel possesses the vast preponderance of nuclear arms, follwed distantly by Pakistan and India.
History Repeats - "It worked last time..."
If I were an American leader, my strategy would be initally to divide the region against itself (a well-documented, standard US intelligence procedure for over 50 years), avoiding fully entering the conflict (even arming both sides - as is widely known to be the case with Pakistan and India) until all parties were devestated, then move to "restore peace" - something the public always supports - and end up enjoying total control over the area. This is exactly what happened in WWII.
Not so suprising...Was the recent escalation of the distant wars in self-defense, in response to maurading terrorists, or is it part of an ongoing plan, possibly one of world domination, as suggested above?
If you look at the targets and the totality of destruction visited upon Lebanon, less honourable motives seem likely.
According to General Wesley Clark, the Pentagon has been planning to attack Lebanon since 2001: "As I went back through the Pentagon in November 2001, one of the senior military staff officers had time for a chat. Yes, we were still on track for going against Iraq, he said. But there was more. This was being discussed as part of a five-year campaign plan, he said, and there were a total of seven countries, beginning with Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan." (Clark, "Winning Modern Wars", p 130) The Last TabooIt is exceedingly difficult to comment on the subject of Israel. Somehow, an attack on the policies of the Israeli government is highly likely to be received as a lack of sympathy for the plight of the people. Which is, of course, silly.
Here, the media has tried considerably to instill North Americans with the same attitude but it has not taken hold to quite the same degree. Maybe they should try this:
"Dear Islam, enjoy this firey hellstorm you heathen creeps! - signed the children of Israel." If kids weren't indoctrinated with militant tendencies, how long would the conflict last?
Timeline of Present Conflict
Our media has left out a few key points. When Hamas was elected; Israel and USA promptly promised to punish people of Palestine for electing the wrong political party: i.e. one that is not under the thumb of America. Historically there is a precedent: Nicaragua was severely punished in 1984 for electing a leader unfriendly towards US rule. The people endured years of US-conducted terrorism and economic devestation that set the country back decades. Gaza and especially West Bank have endured increased "economic strangulation", assassinations and open violence.
In the weeks leading up to the present crisis, Israel continued to shell Gaza from behind the electric fence that keeps the Palestinians penned in, killing about 30 civillians.
June 24 - Israeli special forces cross the border into Gaza and abduct a doctor and his brother for having ties to Hamas (the official governing political party; this is as legal as abducting two Americans for being Republicans). Our papers (if they mention it at all it was a tiny blurb on page 95) call this commando-style kidnapping an "arrest and detention".
June 25 - Palestinians raid a military outpost and kidnap an Israeli soldier in retaliation. Unlike the Israeli transgression, which barely registered with the media, this story instantly set off alarms around the globe as news sources shouted about the "escalation" of violence. Israel's instigation was, for some reason, not viewed as escalation. It should be noted that Israel's operation targetted civillians; Palestine's targetted the military. The difference? One of these is a severe war crime, in direct violation of the Geneva Convention. Try to guess which side committed the crime.
Furthermore, the Israeli military position that was raided was one that had been lobbing shells into Gaza for several weeks, killing some 30 civillians. Thus the "kidnapping" was more a capturing of enemy soldiers.
Papers continue to report nonsensically that the motives of the Palestinians seem to be rooted in little more than meanness. (Good commentary on media distortion of facts: Kidnapped by Israel!) As Israel retaliates, there are hundreds of Lebanese citizens missing, presumed kidnapped and imprisoned in Israel.
July 12 - Hezbollah launches primitive rockets into an area occupied by Israeli military. Hezbollah, though labelled "terrorists", seem to have less of a tendency than Israel to target civillians. If non-combattants were hit in this zone it is not Hezbollah's crime: It is a serious violation of the Geneva Convention to locate or settle civillians in an occupied zone. (this applies to the whole of the West Bank, actually)
July 13 - Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) imposes blockades on Lebaonon and attack military and civillian targets, including airports. Officially, this was explained as an attempt to stop Hezbollah from escaping or moving the prisoners - as if Hezbollah's leadership would just buy a plane ticket to escape. Read Simon's comments: http://kilmati.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx
(Did America unleash Israel on Lebanon? See Israel is America's "Rottweiler on a Leash" and Plan to Attack Lebanon Existed Since 2001)
July 15 - USA vetoes UN's Gaza Pullout Resolution demanding that Israel stop its destruction of Gaza. Eight of the last 9 UN vetos have been performed by America; 7 of these pertained to Israel. While the media here labours to portray the UN as an obsolete relic, the truth of the matter is that this is a cover for the way the US skillfully manipulates the body to its own purposes. The UN is not defunct, it is merely under the control of the USA.
From here on, the events have been well-reported. A nice timeline exists at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_2006_Israel-Lebanon_crisis
Israel is targetting infrastructure and citizens - it is obviously aiming to destroy Lebanon under the pretext of punishing terrorists. Is the whole country terrorists? If you read only Western news, you might think so. (America's Ministry of Propaganda)
By the way, do you know what type of weapon causes this sort of damage?
July 13 All aboard!"If the fight for security ends up meaning that the United States becomes more closed to its friends, then the terrorists have won," says Stephen Harper.
"The terrorists". I can't believe our own Prime Minister used the phrase "the terrorists have won". This quote comes from an article in the Globe and Mail, but the same story ran in the National Post, telling us that our PM warned Bush not to alienate Canada with rigid border security. Yeah right. Sure he warned the US. He's America's little yes-man is more like it. Just scroll down this page to see one of many posts I've made on the topic of the dismantling of the US-Canada border ("Seizing Canada", "Propaghandi", "I do, or die").
Thousands of people from North and South have been kicking up a fuss about America's pending absorption of Canada and Mexico. It's been underway for at least half a decade and this sudden announcement that Bush is bending to Canada's will is mere posturing.
It's another staged debate, like the so-called discussion over whether to extend Canada's participation in the Afghanistan conflict. In February, policitians voted to increase our military commitment. In the papers it looked like it was being debated, but it was guaranteed. This article from Defense Industry Daily reveals that Canada had already decided to raise the number of troops (who are, by the way, not peacekeepers) several months before the vote, and had gone so far as to order $234 million in new equipment. This was decided before we even knew who was the new Prime Minister.
Let's say it one more time!
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