Peace and Justice Post

Press TV, December 15, 2007

Presidential hopeful Ron Paul

Presidential hopeful Ron Paul says President Bush has started empire-building by invading Iraq and Afghanistan and beating the drums of war with Iran.

The decision to invade Iraq in 2003 without a declaration of war by Congress was the most egregious violation of the Constitution in the last 20 years, Paul told Lahontan Valley News (LVN) prior to a campaign speech in Fallon.

He also rejected that there is any military threat to the US and said “to try to propose that the Iraqis were trying to attack us was ridiculous. Now they are doing it with the Iranians and they have proven wrong again.”

During his campaign speech the Republican presidential candidate affirmed that no country has the power to control the world.

“There’s no constitutional authority to rule the world,” he said.

Regarding the threats the US is facing the Texas congressman said that the Chinese could bring the US to their knees with or without any other nation by just rejecting our dollar.

Paul believes financial problems, Washington’s invasion of the US citizens’ privacy and taxation are the major threats to the US.

MT/AA/MG

 RINF.COM 

tagged Warfare

1. Attacks may be made solely against military targets. Parties to a conflict must distinguish between civilians and combatants, and civilians may not be attacked.

2. Persons who do not or can no longer take part in the hostilities are entitled to respect for their life and for their physical and mental integrity.

3. It is forbidden to kill or wound an adversary who has surrendered or who can no longer take part in the fighting.

4. The wounded and sick must be cared for by the party that holds them. Medical personnel and facilities, identified by the Red Cross or Red Crescent symbol, must not be attacked.

5. Prisoners are entitled to respect for their life, their dignity, their personal rights, and their beliefs.

6. Torture, cruel or degrading corporal and other punishment is forbidden.

7. Weapons and methods of warfare likely to cause unnecessary losses or excessive suffering, or severe or long-term damage to the environment, may not be used.

By Deb Reichmann, Associated Press Writer | December 16, 2007

President Bush appealed to Congress on Saturday to give him real cash for the war, not just a pledge to fund the troops.

“A congressional promise — even if enacted — does not pay the bills,” Bush said in his weekly radio address. “It is time for Congress to provide our troops with actual funding.”

The broadcast is the president’s latest shot in a battle the White House is having with Congress over spending bills.

The Senate on Friday passed a defense policy bill for the 2008 budget year. It authorizes $696 billion in military spending, including $189 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But it does not actually send any money to the Pentagon.

Keep reading . . .

The Nation, December 14, 2007

By John Nochols 

Three senior members of the House Judiciary Committee have called for the immediate opening of impeachment hearings for Vice President Richard Cheney.

Democrats Robert Wexler of Florida, Luis Gutierrez of Illinois and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin on Friday distributed a statement, “A Case for Hearings,” that declares, “The issues at hand are too serious to ignore, including credible allegations of abuse of power that if proven may well constitute high crimes and misdemeanors under our constitution. The charges against Vice President Cheney relate to his deceptive actions leading up to the Iraq war, the revelation of the identity of a covert agent for political retaliation, and the illegal wiretapping of American citizens.”

Keep reading . . .

Counterpunch, December 14, 2007

By John Ross

With the first presidential primaries on the U.S. doorstep January 3rd, the usual unholy alliance of Bushites, Democrats, and Big Media are doing their damndest to skam a skeptical electorate into swallowing the lie that the surge has worked, the drawdown has begun, and the war in Iraq is just about over. Security is so improved in Baghdad thanks to the Bush-Petraeus putsch that New York Times reporters can walk certain streets without armed escort. Even the refugees, driven off by unspeakable violence, are returning to Baghdad in droves.

This myth is being perpetrated by the likes of Fox News and CNN. A four-column full-color photo on the front page of the New York Times November 20th of a gala Baghdad wedding party was accompanied inside by a shot of smiling adolescents playing fussball and a banner headline “BAGHDAD EXHALES AS SECURITY IMPROVES.”

Keep reading . . .

The Guardian, UK, December 14, 2007

By Michael Ratner

As we all now know, the CIA has destroyed hundreds of hours of video tapes of the likely 2002 water torture of three men, allegedly involved with al-Qaida, by its agents. Although the CIA has not acknowledged that the videos are of water torture – often known euphemistically as “waterboarding” – a former CIA agent, John Kiriakou, has said that the waterboarding was authorised from the highest levels of the Bush administration.

Now we are seeing the usual Washington scrambling and casting of blame after another serious revelation of torture. Most of the official focus seems to be on who made the decision to approve the destruction and not on the underlying issue: the fact that the Bush administration, with the apparent consent of some of the congressional leadership, sanctioned torture.

This endorsement was criminal under both US law and international law – and that opens high level administration officials to prosecution, whether in the US or abroad.

Continued . . .

The News International, Friday, December 14, 2007
By Debbie Menon

Just another stroke against democracy in Palestine, whatever little of it has been allowed to develop in this region. Let us not forget, Hamas’ network of charities, schools and clinics was a key factor in the rising popularity of the movement and contributed to its victory over Fatah in parliament elections in 2006. At the same time, Fatah was weakened by deadlock in peace talks with Israel and widespread official corruption and mismanagement.

Fatah has now with the assistance of US/Israel moved systematically against Hamas in the West Bank. Its security forces have arrested hundreds of Hamas supporters, and issued regulations to cut off Hamas funding from abroad. Information minister Riad Malki said the government in the West Bank dissolved 92 Hamas-linked charity committees. The committees collected money and distributed it among the poor, usually during religious holidays. They were ordered to close down two weeks ago. One of the committees closed down by Abbas, in the West Bank city of Nablus, said it provided aid to 3,200 families and 3,000 orphans, at a cost of $212,000 to $282,000 a month. In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the closure of the charities will lead to hunger in the West Bank. “It’s an attempt to weaken Hamas, but the Palestinian citizen will pay the price, because they benefit from these committees.”

Keep reading . . . 

Information Clearing House
By Stephanie Nebehay

“Bringing them to court would bring to the court’s attention the method through which the evidence, including the confessions, were obtained. So this is one further affirmation of the conclusion that the CIA or others have been involved in methods of interrogation that are incompatible with international law,” he said.

Continued . . .

RINF.com,  December 14, 2007

AN American engineer and author recently toured South Africa to dispel alleged myths about the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Enver Masud, 68, presented Fatally Flawed: The 9/11 Commission Report to thousands of South Africans on his tour of the country.

Port Elizabeth-based group Al-Ansar (The Helpers), brought Masud to Port Elizabeth last week because, they said, “the war on terror is based on the premise of the World Trade Centre attacks. If there‘s any doubt about the facts . . . then the whole war on terror is based on a false premise”.

Masud said before his first talk in November 2006 in Washington on the flawed 9/11 commission report, he had had many questions on the attacks, but “first had to gather hard facts instead of going along with conspiracy theories”.

“I‘m not a conspiracy theorist. My goal is purely to show that the US government conclusions are false. I have tons of information, but only use a dozen selected facts from mainstream news sources, pictures and official documents.”

Referring to the plane crash at the Pentagon which formed part of the September 11 attacks, Masud gave a slide presentation at a press briefing on September 12, 2001, stating “that there were no large sections of aircraft visible in the damaged area in front of the Pentagon”.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN senior Pentagon correspondent since November 1992, reported on the day of the attacks that there was no evidence of the plane having crashed anywhere near the Pentagon.

McIntyre said: “The only pieces left that you can see are small enough to pick up in your hand.”

On CNN‘s website it states that six months after the attacks, “McIntyre‘s contacts provided security camera pictures of American Airlines Flight 77 hitting the Pentagon”. On the images showed by Masud it is difficult to see a plane flying into the Pentagon, “especially missing the street signs and lamp posts still standing”.

Masud referred to official reports and photographs and said the entry and exit holes at the Pentagon crash site were the signature of a Cruise missile, and the term “punch-out hole” was written by investigators over the exit hole.

Masud also refers to the FBI‘s most wanted terrorists list and questions why Osama Bin Laden is not specifically wanted for the 9/11 attacks.

Instead, he is wanted for murder of US nationals outside the US, conspiracy to murder US nationals outside the US and an attack on a federal facility resulting in death.

Masud said according to the FBI “the reason 9/11 is not mentioned on Osama Bin Laden‘s Most Wanted page is because the FBI has no hard evidence connecting Bin Laden to 9/11”.

Masud was the recipient of the 2002 Gold Award from the Human Rights Foundation for his book The War on Islam.

Masud said: “Polls indicate that 70 million Americans don‘t believe the official version of these attacks.

“Muslims in America have been largely silent. They were concerned after the attacks. More than 1 500 were locked up.”

Masud grew up in India and said his parents had been his biggest influences when it came to speaking the truth.

His father, Mirza Nasiruddin, worked with Gandhi, and his mother, Atiya Fatima, worked with Mother Teresa.

Eat The State.org, vol. 12, No. 7, December 6, 2007

by Carol Davidek-Waller

Clearly the nation has turned against Vice President Cheney and President George W. Bush. Their approval ratings are the lowest of any elected leaders in American history. We are weary of war and bled white from profligate spending and larceny. Our civil rights have been severely restricted and crimes have been committed. A once peaceful world stands on the brink of turmoil.

As the 2008 elections draw near, it’s tempting to look upon regime change as an end to our long night. We would like to believe that a change of face in the Oval Office would repair the damage done by the current administration. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Without investigation and impeachment, electing a new president will only serve to codify the unprecedented and illegitimate power stolen from the Congress and the American people. The powers of a dictator will be passed on like an Olympic torch where they will reside with the next president like a ticking time bomb.

Keep reading . . .