UPDATED: HELENA COBBAN HAS SOME QUESTIONS

UPDATE BELOW

Source: JUST WORLD NEWS with Helena Cobban

'I am still thinking hard about the U.S. decision-making during the time of the raid on Bin Laden's compound in Abbotabad. Was there really a firefight, or resistance? Though the compound had high walls as defenses, it did not seem to have many internal armaments, such as would be required in any serious "firefight" against a presumably very well-armed U.S. attack force. Bin Laden's concealment strategy seemed to be centered overwhelmingly around the approach of "hiding in plain sight" near a large Pakistani military cantonment; and that strategy would depend for its success on not attracting attention by hauling large amounts of weapons into the compound.

'Did the U.S. assailants indeed have a meaningful plan for "capture" and subsequent trial of their target? I hope so. But given the eagerness of the U.S. military to undertake extra-judicial executions against figures of far less renown and far less apparent culpability-- in Pakistan, Yemen, and elsewhere-- I have many serious doubts that they did.

'I hate the serious undermining of not only the letter of international law that EJE's represent, but also the undermining of the whole idea of the rule of law that they represent. Anonymous bureaucrats sitting in offices 10,000 miles away get to consider a compilation of "evidence" against a suspect that is ever tested in an open court and that may consist of large amounts of hearsay, malice from jealous opponents, and/or mistaken identity; and they get to say "Kill this one; don't kill that one; kill that one... "

'What kind of a system, what kind of a world is that?'


UPDATE at 12:45 PM
Was it Bin Laden's double who was killed? The particulars about the death over the weekend keep changing.

The announcement by Obama is the third or fourth time we've learned of Bin Laden's death. I think he has been dead for years and the US just took him out of the icebox before the elections start to heat up.

If it's all true this time about the death of Bin Laden, Dennis Perrin's reaction is spot on.

For a Global Terrorist Mastermind, Osama bin Laden seemed fairly unproductive and quiet for the better part of a decade. If he was indeed the brains behind the 9/11 attacks, then he got in one lucky deadly shot at the infidels. Attacks like that are rare simply because they're nearly impossible to succeed. Calling bin Laden a Mastermind is hyperbole. It gives him too much credit. Of course, it does help keep powerless consumers afraid and prepped for vengeance. For this, large, inflated monsters are necessary.

Christian Avard interviews Dennis Perrin

Dennis Perrin, the author of Savage Mules: The Democrats and Endless War, chats with Christian Avard about Jon Stewart, The Nation magazine's turn to the center, the Palestine-Israel situation, and Dennis' assessment of the first 100 days of Dear Leader's administration. It's in P U L S E, and it's all here.

And while you're at it, Dennis Perrin's blog - http://dennisperrin.blogspot.com/ is also worth following for his commentary and humour.

'TRANSITIONAL FORCE'

From the Barack Obama speech on Friday, 27 February:- "We will retain a transitional force to carry out three distinct functions: training, equipping, and advising Iraqi Security Forces as long as they remain non-sectarian; conducting targeted counter-terrorism missions; and protecting our ongoing civilian and military efforts within Iraq.
...
We Americans have offered our most precious resource – our young men and women – to work with you to rebuild what was destroyed by despotism; to root out our common enemies; and to seek peace and prosperity for our children and grandchildren, and for yours."

(Video found at Lenin's Tomb and Dennis Perrin.)

KILLING THEM SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG

While the pimping Obamablogs were jubilant last week over the swearing-in of their modest Anti-War Leader, he celebrated his inauguration as President Killer.

IRAQ

DutchNews.nl

Monday 19 January 2009

Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende's contuing refusal to agree to a public inquiry into events surrounding Dutch support for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 is beginning to look like the petulant behaviour of a stubborn teenager.

There are a number of questions which need to be answered about the Dutch position, and continually repeating the same tired arguments is not working.

There is evidence that civil servants had their doubts about the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, doubts which the government of the day - led by Balkenende himself - ignored. The Dutch also ignored the fact there was no UN mandate for action. [read the rest]

UPDATE ON STUDENT ACTION AT MILITARY RECRUITMENT OFFICES IN WILLISTON, VERMONT

BOOKS, NOT BOMBS!



“Out of Our Schools – Out of Iraq"

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend last Friday's civil action organised by the Mount Mansfield Union High School Peace Club (from Jericho, VT) at the military recruitment centres in Williston. You can read reports about it here, here, here, and here; there are photos here; and you can listen to a report here.

Think about what you can do to get involved in future civil actions. There will be more.

CALL TO ACTION!

November 30, 2007 – 3:00 pm

“OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS – OUT OF IRAQ!”
Williston Military Recruitment Office
166 Sycamore Street, Williston, VT
Nonviolent Civil Disobedience and Rally!

BEYOND THE POLITESSE OF POLITICAL PANTOMIME

Michael Colby at Broadsides comments on the last Sunday's meeting in Barre between Congressperson Peter Welch and 100 or so of his Vermont constituents about his recent votes surrounding the continued funding of the Iraq occupation.

I was not able to attend, but recall these prophetic words of Thomas Merton.

"Very often people object that nonviolence seems to imply passive acceptance of injustice and evil and therefore that it is a kind of cooperation with evil. Not at all. The genuine concept of nonviolence implies not only active and effective resistance to evil but in fact a more effective resistance... But the resistance which is taught in the Gospel is aimed not at the evil-doer, but at evil in its source."
- from Passion For Peace

WELCH TO MEET WITH PEACE ACTIVISTS ON SUNDAY

Sunday, 11 November
1:30 P.M.
Aldrich Public Library
6 Washington Street
Barre

More info and what you can do at BROADSIDES

This is a public meeting and everyone with concerns about the Iraq War are encouraged to come to voice those concerns and learn what Congressman Welch is planning with his future war votes.

The Burlington Free Press print edition this morning just headlined that there would be a meeting with Welch, but online, it shows a notably different mood towards the Democratic leadership: Anti-war activists focus fury on Democrats

Obviously, the paper is a cheerleader for Peter, and that online headline tries to separate him from the rest of the wimps. The onus ain't on us. Our ire is focussed on Welch just the same, because of his continued voting, no matter how he looks at it, to support the occupation. But we've forced the war to be on the table; now that he's in 2008 re-election mode we will continue to do so.

Vermont citizen voters count, Peter; you bettah believe it! Is this meeting part of his election strategy? Or has he finally seen the light? Dems are all about strategy, it seems, but what about really, really listening to the people? I commend Michael Colby and others for pushing this conversation.

As a commenter over at BROADSIDES writes

From his campaign website, his promises in 2006 were:

* Redeployment and reduction of American troops in Iraq with a goal of bringing the majority home next year (that would be end a promise effective in 2007);
* Explicit acknowledgement that the U.S. will not maintain permanent military bases in Iraq;
* Continuing aid to Iraq for security force training and reconstruction, subject to a functioning government; and
* Intensive diplomatic efforts with neighboring countries to minimize the increasing threat of regional instability.

Give him room to respond to the questions, but keep the questions and conversation focused on concrete examples of what Welch has done in regard to these four promises. This was the basis of his success in winning against Martha Rainville, and why many people supported him when they otherwise may have been lukewarm in their support.

VERMONT ANTIWAR MEETING IN MONTPELIER THIS WEDNESDAY

Via BROADSIDES -

This Wednesday, October 31st – yes, Halloween night – at 6:00 pm we’re having a very informal meeting at Montpelier’s Langdon Street Café [4 Langdon @ Elm St.] to discuss what our next actions will be. Come on down for the discussion and planning. We hope to see you there.

CALL OUT FOR CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AT WELCH'S OFFICE MON 22 OCT

Back in March, a number of local activists visited Peter Welch's Burlington office, to protest his votes for continuing to fund the US occupation of Iraq. Nothing's really changed, folks. Welch continues to cater to the war industry's interests and to follow the terrible Nancy Pelosi's orders.

On Monday, 22 October, 3:oo PM there'll be another sit-in at the office of Peter Welch, 30 Main Street, Ste 350.

Broadsides

In the last month, Welch has voted in favor of the “emergency” federal budget bill that included billions more for the war and voted in favor congressional resolution condemning the now infamous MoveOn advertisement. So let me simply that for you: Welch voted to give more money for war and to condemn the anti-war movement. But – almost laughably – he continues to declare that “no one is more opposed to the war” than he is. Sorry, Peter, but talk is cheap. And, as you should know by now, the votes are what matter.

Columbus & Blackwater

Broadsides: Columbus & Blackwater by Micheal Colby 8 October 2007 --

Sorry, but it’s Columbus Day and I can’t stop thinking about Blackwater. And I finally figured out why: They’re one in the same. Columbus was the original rogue mercenary and Blackwater is simply the modern perfection of what he started: bullies running roughshod on foreign soil in the pursuit of obscene profits and the complete subjugation of the native people. So, Happy Blackwater Day!

But, don’t worry, the Bush administration has got the whole Blackwater thing under control. With a straight face and all the confidence in the world that the American public remains in a deep slumber, the Bush team announced on Saturday that they would be sending members of the State Department to monitor the activities of the Blackwater thugs. And the mainstream media ran with the story – sans laugh track – as if it really was a solution.

Read all of Columbus & Blackwater...

Relatedly, go here and here.

Rowan Williams speaks out on Iraq

BBC

"The Iraq conflict has wreaked 'terrible damage' on the region - far more than has been acknowledged, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said.

Dr Rowan Williams said 'urgent attention' was needed to stabilise the country.

[...]Dr Williams also said he regards any further 'deliberate destabilisation' of the region - such as action against Syria and Iran - as 'criminal, ignorant...and potentially murderous folly'.

Referring to US political advisers, he added that 'we do hear talk from some quarters of action against Syria, or against Iran'.

'I can't understand what planet such persons are living on when you see the conditions that are already there. The region is still a tinderbox,' Dr Williams said.

Earlier, the archbishop said 'events of the last few years have done terrible damage in the whole of this region'.

He said many people 'do not see the cost in human terms of the war which was unleashed'.

Dr Williams concluded: 'Security that will enable these people to return to Iraq depends on a settlement for the whole of that country guaranteeing the liberty and dignity of every minority.'"

Blackwater Scandal Just Won't Go Away...

Read American Leftist here, here, and here. Left I, on the Blackwater massacre, too.

PETITION CALL IN SENATE TO FILIBUSTER FOR END OF WAR

Please ask both of your U.S. Senators to demonstrate the courage of Senator Smith.

Letter Sent to the New York Times --

From: John Walsh
Date: September 16, 2007 9:49:05 AM EDT
To: letters@nytimes.com
Subject: Frank Rich's column

To the editor:

In an otherwise excellent column today (9/16/2007) Frank Rich perpetuates the myth that the Democrats do not have the power to end the war because of an inevitable veto from Bush.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. The war demands funding, and a new supplemental funding will soon appear before Congress. That can be filibustered in the Senate, with only the 41 votes or abstentions required to sustain a filibuster. At that moment the legislation is dead. There is nothing to veto so Bush must come back with an acceptable bill. At the same time the Democrats could submit legislation to bring the occupying troops home quickly and safely. Let Bush veto that if he dares. There is already a national petition drive for this at FilibusterForPeace.org and every Senator has received a copy of it.

In the House one person Nancy Pelosi can accomplish the same thing. She can simply refuse to bring Bush's supplemental requests to the floor. In this she has veto power as surely as the president does.

So let us not hear from the Democrats that they do not have the power to end the war. Clearly they do. One must conclude that the Democrats support it. They pay for it and so they own it.

Sincerely,

John V. Walsh, MD
Professor of Physiology
University of Massachusetts Medical School
john.walsh@umassmed.edu

(With thanks to Undernews and Counterpunch.)

USA General Strike on September 11th

INFO

PETITION

Thanks to RickB @ Ten Percent.