Israel bombing Lebanon with cluster bombs 7-25-2006

25, July 2006 Israel bombing LEBANON with cluster bombs
According to Human Rights Watch (HRW) emergency director, Peter Bouckaert, Israel is now shelling civilian areas with cluster bombs in gross violation of international law and the Geneva Convention. There is also evidence that white phosphorus chemical bombs have been used which incinerate the skin down to the bones. This is similar to napalm whose use is banned by international law. According to Lebanese doctors there may also be new US made experimental microwave weapons employed by the Israeli military which effectively vaporizes the skin. 

Meanwhile, the civilian population of Lebanon continues to receive the major brunt of Israeli’s air war. In one such attack, an elderly woman was killed and twelve people were wounded from one family, including seven children. The husband of the family lost both of his legs.

Tens of thousands of people have been effectively trapped in an active war zone, unable to travel to safety. Last Sunday, HRW documented ten cases of civilian cars, which were hit in the south. 

Every school, and parking lot is crammed with refugees seeking refuge from the saturation bombing and US weaponry supplied to Israel with our tax dollars.  Even apartment buildings have not been spared. Many of these buildings have been reduced to rubble in indiscriminate acts of vengeance. These actions will only intensify the anger towards Israel and will do little to deter Hezbollah. 

It is tragic that our lawmakers continue to support Israel’s war of terror on the innocent Lebanese people. It is now up to the American people to voice our opposition to the policies of our government. I ask all concerned citizens to call your representatives and demand an immediate halt to the shipment of US military aid to Israel which is aborting the lives of thousands of innocent Lebanese and Palestinian civilians.
If this madness is allowed to continue there is little doubt that Syria and Iran will be drawn into the conflict exacerbating the suffering of innocent civilians in Israel, Lebanon and Gaza.   

Israel bombs Lebanon 7-19-2006

19, July 2006              Israel bombs Lebanon

The wanton destruction of the infrastructure in Gaza and now Lebanon is clear evidence that Israel is totally unconcerned that large numbers of innocent civilians are being killed and 900,000 thousand rendered homeless. During the last 24 hours Israel has destroyed a milk factory, a paper box factory, a convoy of ambulances, and 46 bridges in a grotesque show of force which has all but paralyzed Lebanon.

What is even more outrageous is the silence and complicity of our government who even went so far to oppose a UN cease fire resolution. Israel has every right to defend itself from reckless and provocative attacks from Hamas and Hezbollah but the Israeli response is totally disproportionate to the provocation. At the same time Palestinians have every right to resist an illegal occupation and seek the release of its ten thousand prisoners, many of whom have been brutally tortured.  The sad irony, is that the large scale destruction of Gaza and Lebanon will surely bolster support for Hezbollah and Hamas and create many generations of Palestinians and Lebanese who will be seething with anger and revenge and put all Israelis and Americans at considerable risk. This will continue until the American public demands an immediate halt to unconditional financial and military support for Israel. 

Theft of Iraqi Oil 7-10-2006

10, July 2006 Theft of Iraqi Oil 
Terrell E. Arnold, (A World Less Safe), exposes the myth that we plan an early withdrawal from Iraq. The largest U.S. embassy in the world is being built in Bagdad costing US taxpayers in excess of 1 billion dollars. The mission, when fully operational, will serve as “transformational diplomacy”, a fancy word meaning that we as the lone ‘Goliath’ will continue to flex our mighty muscles to neutralize any upstart ‘David’s’ in the region. 
The new Constitution imposed on the Iraqis by the former czar of Iraq, Paul Bremer, forbids Iraqis from developing any new oil wells and easing the high unemployment problem. Only US oil companies reserve this right. This theft of Iraqi resources has enriched US contractors to the detriment of Iraq and has had a predictable impact in intensifying the hostility towards foreign workers and the US military. 

Meanwhile, reconstruction of the Iraqi infrastructure, destroyed by massive aerial bombing by US led occupation forces, moves at glacial speed. Contrast this with rapid construction of permanent military bases convinces most Iraqis that our intentions are imperial in nature and will result in greater misery to a people already sinking to the depths of despair. Equally disturbing, are the targeted assassinations of scores of Iraqi academics, intellectuals and flight into exile of others leaving Iraq barren of future leadership and technocrats. 

North Korea 7-6-2006

 6, July 2006               North Korea

Once again the Bush Administration is chartering a reckless and extremely dangerous policy threatening North Korea with sanctions or military intervention to force it to abandon its nuclear program. It is precisely the white hot and insulting rhetoric by our policy makers that has precipitated the crisis.  Leon Sigal, author of "Disarming Strangers: Nuclear Diplomacy with North Korea" says that the Bush administration's policy on North Korea "provoked Kim Jong-il to accelerate nuclear arming and missile development."  The Clinton Administration was close to reaching an agreement in 2000 that would have effectively eliminated North Korea’s development, production and testing of ballistic missiles. The Bush Administration abruptly called off the negotiations and began huffing, puffing and threatening North Korea with a predicable outcome. Alarmed by the disdain for international law by the unprovoked attack on Iraq, North Korea accelerated its missile program to serve as a deterrent to US militarism. Our media and administration have been extremely critical of the Kim Jong-il’s decision to divert his country’s scant resources to bolster his defense arsenal while ignoring the basic needs of his people. Might not we accuse our government of following a similar policy?

North Korea 7-6-2006

6, July 2006 North Korea

Once again the Bush Administration is chartering a reckless and extremely dangerous policy threatening North Korea with sanctions or military intervention to force it to abandon its nuclear program. It is precisely the white hot and insulting rhetoric by our policy makers that has precipitated the crisis.  Leon Sigal, author of "Disarming Strangers: Nuclear Diplomacy with North Korea" says that the Bush administration's policy on North Korea "provoked Kim Jong-il to accelerate nuclear arming and missile development."  The Clinton Administration was close to reaching an agreement in 2000 that would have effectively eliminated North Korea’s development, production and testing of ballistic missiles. The Bush Administration abruptly called off the negotiations and began huffing, puffing and threatening North Korea with a predicable outcome. Alarmed by the disdain for international law by the unprovoked attack on Iraq, North Korea accelerated its missile program to serve as a deterrent to US militarism. Our media and administration have been extremely critical of the Kim Jong-il’s decision to divert his country’s scant resources to bolster his defense arsenal while ignoring the basic needs of his people. Might not we accuse our government of following a similar policy?

Israel’s war of terror on Palestinians in Gaza 7-5-2006

5, July 2006 Israel’s war of terror on Palestinians in Gaza
The arbitrary arrest of scores of members of the democratically elected government of the Palestinians, the destruction of their office buildings and basic infrastructure of the Gaza Strip is a crime against humanity and deserves world-wide condemnation. The aerial attacks on three bridges and electrical power stations left most of Gaza City without electricity. The threat of more attacks by Israel has forced thousands of innocent civilians to flee. Destruction of the basic infrastructure and collective punishment of a population is in complete violation of the Geneva Convention. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations have criticized Israel's actions as war crimes. Jewish Voice For Peace called for the international community to censure Israel for its wholesale destruction of the civilian infrastructure in Gaza and an immediate release of Palestinian political prisoners.

It is sad that the world has expressed anger over the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit, but remains silent over the hundreds of Palestinian children held in Israel's dungeons, not to mention 10,000 adult prisoners, thousands held without charge and trial, abducted from their homes in the middle of the night by Israeli occupation forces. The United Nations has issued a dire warning that a humanitarian catastrophe will occur unless funding is restored to the Palestinians.

I urge concerned readers to contact your representatives in Washington and demand an immediate halt to our tax dollars funding Israeli war crimes and a restoration of funds to the Palestinians.

Israel’s war of terror on Palestinians in Gaza 7-5-2006

5, July 2006 Israel’s war of terror on Palestinians in Gaza
The arbitrary arrest of scores of members of the democratically elected government of the Palestinians, the destruction of their office buildings and basic infrastructure of the Gaza Strip is a crime against humanity and deserves world-wide condemnation. The aerial attacks on three bridges and electrical power stations left most of Gaza City without electricity. The threat of more attacks by Israel has forced thousands of innocent civilians to flee. 
Destruction of the basic infrastructure and collective punishment of a population is in complete violation of the Geneva Convention. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations have criticized Israel's actions as war crimes. Jewish Voice For Peace called for the international community to censure Israel for its wholesale destruction of the civilian infrastructure in Gaza and an immediate release of Palestinian political prisoners.

It is sad that the world has expressed anger over the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit, but remains silent over the hundreds of Palestinian children held in Israel's dungeons, not to mention 10,000 adult prisoners, thousands held without charge and trial, abducted from their homes in the middle of the night by Israeli occupation forces. The United Nations has issued a dire warning that a humanitarian catastrophe will occur unless funding is restored to the Palestinians.

I urge concerned readers to contact your representatives in Washington and demand an immediate halt to our tax dollars funding Israeli war crimes and a restoration of funds to the Palestinians.