Democracy Now! American Massacre in Iraq

Important discussion on the American massacre in Iraq.

1,000 Gazans Now Dead

It seems everyone keeps talking about a cease fire, but 1,000 Palestinians in the Gaza strip are now dead. Releasing new figures, the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip said 1,018 Palestinians had been killed and 4,700 wounded by Israeli forces so far. The Gaza-based Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said more than 670 civilians were among the dead. Ten Israeli soldiers and three civilians hit by rockets fired from the Gaza Strip have been killed since Israel launched its campaign on Dec. 27.

Additionally, this morning the U.N. was shelled by the Israelis in the Gaza Strip. The shelling engulfed the building in fire and destroyed thousands of pounds of food and humanitarian aide intended for Palestinian refugees. The U.N. is demanding an explanation. The Israelis describe the shelling as a "grave mistake." Still, Israel continues to press farther into Gaza to "continue the pressure on Hamas."

"Bullets also entered another building housing The Associated Press offices, entering a room where two staffers were working but wounding no one. The Foreign Press Association, representing journalists covering Israel and the Palestinian territories, demanded a halt to attacks on press buildings."

War is war I guess. So much for the "precision" of Israel's air force, huh?

the faces of occupation

thought i'd share some beautiful photos from my cousin serving in afghanistan, as part of an "Effects Working Group" that conducted a site visitation at a school in kabul and where a new wing of the school was built with US army funding. let's hope we end this occupation soon, but continue the progress of building schools and infrastructure in this beautiful country. understood that the true effects of war and rebuilding this country are in the people of afghanistan and are reprsented in these photos.

see more photos by my cousin and the "official" story at the department of defense website. sift through the propaganda if you will.

if you haven't heard of greg mortenson and his mission to educate children in afghanistan and pakistan, take a look at three cups of tea. this is the real thing.

The Forgotten War

Thirty-nine coalition forces have been killed in Afghanistan this month. A roadside bomb killed three service members and a local-national interpreter in a coalition convoy in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S.-led coalition said.

Since we have family in Afghanistan this is disturbing to say the least. Iraq is just about off the front pages of the newspapers, though there is evidence Iraq is becoming un-surged. Nearly 30 soldiers in Iraq this month, while over 50 ordinary Iraqis died yesterday alone. What is the Democratic Congress' answer to this? A $162 billion war spending bill with no timeline, virtually nothing, but a blank check. Of course the package includes something for us. It was approved 92-6 in the Senate and includes a doubling of GI Bill college benefits for troops and veterans. It also provides a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits and $2.7 billion in emergency flood relief for the Midwest. Should we not have these benefits as Americans anyway in times of crisis and need? Why should they be tied to more war in Iraq and Afghanistan?

I believe truly that Obama and the Democrats want to stop this war, but how many people will die until January 20, 2009? How many? Is it worth not showing a spine right now with the hopes of getting a Democrat elected to the White House? How many more times will we make this mistake?

Here are pictures from our cousin's stay in the war riddled country of Afghanistan.

camp phoenix, afghanistan

two photos from my cousin robert, stationed recently at camp phoenix in afghanistan

(near kabul) where he is gearing up for his mission.

Let Us Not March Anymore

On Veterans Day, 2007 here is a little Phil Ochs - "I ain't marchin' anymore." On Veterans Day we glorify war and honor those who died for our freedom, but we never say let us stop the madness and stop the war. Why? I honor all those who gave their lives, limbs and bodies for American. Let us renew, however the cause of liberty not just the cause or war. Also, daily kos has a piece called the visual veteran, on Veterans Day we go to the tomb of the unknown soldier and every war memorial for a memorial of the veterans. But, what about those veterans who come home and can no longer make it in the "American Dream." How do we honor them? More than 25 percent of the homeless population in the U.S. are homeless veterans, though they represent 11 percent of the civilian population.


Phil Ochs - "I ain't Marching Anymore"

March for Peace Tomorrow

This is being dubbed as a big peace march. It is time to stand up for sure. october 27.org

A Crude Awakening

If this is the first time you are hearing about Peak Oil, you are among the majority of the population. Peak Oil doesn't mean 'running out of oil', but rather 'running out of cheap and plentiful oil'. Inexpensive oil supports our very way of life, as we know it. It is crucial for our transportation, food production, economy and basically everything that we use on a daily basis. Go to a Crude Awakening for more...

It is time for all Americans to take individual responsibility for our future. Our industrial society, built on cheap and readily available oil, must be completely redesigned and overhauled … immediately. The changes ahead are going to be very difficult; and will be hardest for the ones who didn't, or wouldn't, see it coming, and didn't prepare adequately for it. Read this excellent article on "Why Peak Oil Is Probably About Now".

The Gods, Drums, Echoes (take your pick) of War

This morning two suicide bombers struck northern Kirkuk killing 73 people and wounding 178 more. "The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers frantically dig through concrete and rubble in hopes of finding survivors." The NY Times said: "One bomb severely damaged a headquarters building of one of the main Kurdish political parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, but early reports did not indicate how many of those injured were affiliated with the party." The attacks come amid increasing ethnic tensions in Kirkuk, an oil-rich city 150 miles north of Baghdad and 60 miles west of Sulaymaniyah, the largest city in the P.U.K.-controlled region of Kurdistan.

This bombings come as the war debate is heating up. And the drums of war are calling for an attack on Iran. On Wednesday the Senate passed a resolution 97-0 calling for a censure of Iran because of complicity in the killing of U.S. soldiers. Senator Brownback of Kansas declared "I am ready to Strike Iran." Then there is this: Cheney is Winning the Debate on Iraq.

The balance in the internal White House debate over Iran has shifted back in favour of military action before President George Bush leaves office in 18 months, the Guardian has learned. The shift follows an internal review involving the White House, the Pentagon and the state department over the last month. Although the Bush administration is in deep trouble over Iraq, it remains focused on Iran. A well-placed source in Washington said: "Bush is not going to leave office with Iran still in limbo.

It is clear these ass clowns will not let Iran go. They have Lieberman doing their dirty work after funding his reelection in Connecticut, clearly as an independent neocon. Congress has to get tougher to stop these assclowns. If that means impeachment so be it. The Republicans think they have the votes and the power to stop the Democrats in any capacity to defund or pull the troops.

This is a dictatorship, there is no way around it.