International Earth Day

"The Earth Flag is my symbol of the task before us all. Only in the last quarter of my life have we come to know what it means to be custodians of the future of the Earth - to know that unless we care, unless we check the rapacious exploitations of our Earth and protect it, we are endangering the future of our children and our children's children. We did not know this before, except in little pieces. People knew that they had to take care of their own ... but it was not until we saw the picture of the Earth, from the Moon, that we realized how small and how helpless this planet is - something that we must hold in our arms and care for."

Margaret Mead, March 21, 1977

April 22nd marks International Earth Day. It is celebrated every year across the globe. San Luis Obispo had its Earth Day gathering yesterday at the Mission Plaza downtown. A well-participated in and attended event, it had a somber and urgent message: ---we are running out of time but these are the ways in which individuals can help.

The main giveaway items were reusable grocery bags and spiral energy efficient bulbs. Electric, hybrid, bio-diesel, and other alternative modes of transportation were on display. Participating local businesses and groups with environmentally conscious philosophies and practices were thrilled to be there: computer businesses, skin and make-up sales representatives and local producers, the California Conservation Corps, Code Pink, The Green Party, ECOSLO, Health food vendors, water treating businesses, Air America, and many other participants, helped educate visitors, including children, on the necessity of individual responsibility in initiating the reversal of environmental degradation.

The people absent were, of course, the war mongers, the big corporations, and the greedy of society.

Earthday Network has put out an urgent call for action globally. Their website is a good resource for ways to implement change.

Clowns Without Borders

Along the lines of Doctors Without Borders and Artists Without Border, Clowns Without Borders (CWB) offer children around the world the opportunity to maintain a sense of childhood and laughter in the middle of conflict and violence. CWB organizations can be found in the United States, Canada, France, Belgium, Spain, and Sweden. They visit different areas of conflict around the world.

Their motto: No Child Without a Smile

Mercenaries for Hire: An Old Strategy in a New World

According to a United Nations report published recently, the number of mercenaries in Iraq and Afghanistan has been increasing steadily and now comprises the second largest military force in the region. One third of the “Coalition of the Willing” are mercenaries.

This is an old world practice that is quickly proliferating in an age that is marked by an indefinite “War on Terror.” The United States government, in the absence of a draft during a long and drawn out war, is resorting to private “contracting” firms for help.

American, British, and other security companies are supplying the private armies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe. The Center for Public Integrity publishes a list of all the firms that are currently operating in the Middle East. Mercenaries come from different backgrounds: ex Special Forces and other military from places like the United States, Britain, Jordan, the Philippines, and even from within Iraq, or world citizens who are looking for a quick way to get rich and see some action. All have one thing in common: their role is not well-defined and, although technically they fall under the jurisdiction of the occupying armies, they have engaged in questionable and criminal behavior without proper oversight. At the same time, they also have been subject to extremely dangerous and unpredictable events. In fact, the time is coming when such mercenaries will be entitled to "labor rights" like any immigrant laborer holding a work visa. Apparently, Filipino recruits, like many of their counterparts in other areas of the world, are being rushed through their training and lack the necessary skills for the military jobs they are expected to do.

According to Al-Akhbar, a Lebanese newspaper, many of these mercenaries have no clear mission and lack an understanding of their exact role in the war zone. Their only direct order is to shoot at anyone who "appears" hostile towards the Occupation Forces.

It is worth noting that mercenary activity is prohibited by the Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights.

Article 2 of the United Nations International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries (ratified in 1989 and went into effect in 2001) states "Any person who recruits, uses, finances or trains mercenaries, as defined in article 1 of the present Convention, commits an offence for the purposes of the Convention."

However, many of those recruits are in legal limbo because they do not fall under the technical definition of "mercenary" (see Article 1 of the above Convention). They are hired as "security" personnel to protect officials and the offices of international organizations.

Many mercenaries have been engaged in acts of torture, murder, theft and destruction of property. The pay for such lawless activity?

Mercenaries from poorer countries, $4,000 a month.

U.S. and other posh ex Special Forces: up to $1,500 a day.

Where else can tough guys relive their old and gone days of glory while fattening their bank accounts and posing for their trophy pictures to brag about back home?

ISN'T WAR GREAT!

A Peculiar Outrage

The treatment of Faye Turney is wrong - but not in the same league as British and US abuses

Ronan Bennett
Friday March 30, 2007

It's right that the government and media should be concerned about the treatment the 15 captured marines and sailors are receiving in Iran. Faye Turney's letters bear the marks of coercion, while parading the prisoners in front of TV cameras was demeaning. But the outrage expressed by ministers and leader writers is curious given the recent record of the "coalition of the willing" on the way it deals with prisoners.

Turney may have been "forced to wear the hijab", as the Daily Mail noted with fury, but so far as we know she has not been forced into an orange jumpsuit. Her comrades have not been shackled, blindfolded, forced into excruciating physical contortions for long periods, or denied liquids and food. As far as we know they have not had the Bible spat on, torn up or urinated on in front of their faces. They have not had electrodes attached to their genitals or been set on by attack dogs.......Continued from "The Guardian."

Iran Attack: Will We or Won't We?

With talk of an imminent attack on Iran and its enrichment sites (April 6th as some are suggesting), U.S. allies in the Gulf region are announcing that they will not allow the launching of strikes from their territories (really?). At the same time, the projected strike has briefly spiked the price of oil by $5.00 a barrel. But what is the likelihood of an attack and what will the actual consequences be, especially if "tactical" nukes are used?

Is America Ready for the Troops When They Come Home?

Sergeant Kevin and Monica Benderman, Benderman's Bridge.

There are many in the United States who say they “support the troops.” There are many more who yell that phrase in others’ faces to make a point.

What does supporting the troops really look like and does troop support imply constant sloganeering? There are those who live their beliefs through thought and action with little talk. Then there are those who are quick to remind others how much they care and how staunchly they support the soldiers. Most troop support I have personally encountered has been sporadic, thoughtless, and with little long-term solutions whether on the local or on the political levels.

Surely, sending lollypops and video games to homesick, young and not so young individuals can give some relief. But really, how do we, as citizens, as friends, as parents, as politicians, and as a Commander in Chief, ensure that these people and their affected families get the support they need during deployment and after their return home? Are we ready to deal with the impact of 200,000 returning soldiers, many of whom will have needs that will require extensive community and national support?

At least one town has had a tradition of supporting its troops and their families in many wars. The town of Hinesville, Georgia, is an example of what good and moral citizenship is about. They have been the glue that bound all the generations at Fort Stewart together and eased the burdens of many families and soldiers. They have stepped in, willingly and with compassion, in all needed areas, and they have been doing it with humility and restraint. It does not matter if a soldier is for or against the war.

Their efforts, however, have been thwarted by power hungry and unwise garrison commanders, profiteers and developers. Veterans, families, peace activists, and community members protested to advocate for returning soldiers. Two of those protesters were Sergeant Kevin Benderman and his wife, Monica. Kevin, who spent ten years in the military and one tour in Iraq, was imprisoned for over a year for protesting the war and for asking for better treatment of soldiers and veterans. Kevin and Monica have launched a new organization called "Benderman's Bridge," which will develop projects designed to restore peace at home by reaching out to connect the small towns and communities of America with the veterans who fought to defend them. They also have their own website with information for citizens and ways people can help.

We can learn a thing or two from the people of Hinesville and the Bendermans.

Army General Kicks Marines Out of Afghanistan

Major General Frank Kearney, head of U.S. Special Operations Command-Central Command, kicked a whole company, the first Marine Special Operations Company (MSOC), out of Afghanistan after "a March 4 enemy ambush on the Marines left eight Afghans dead and another 34 wounded."

The Marines were ambushed but 42 Afghan bystanders and motorists ended up being killed or injured by the ambushed Marines. Where in creation did these guys learn how to shoot?

Fomenting Civil War in Lebanon

The War on Lebanon: Israeli military casualties inside Lebanon, 2006

How the United States and Israel are stirring sectarian tensions.

The Israeli defeat in its last war against Hezbollah and the civilians of Lebanon has put a dent in their public image and has caused indignation on the part of many inside the Zionist state and their supporters in the United States. Israel’s defeat is never acceptable to the biblical war mongers of Zion. Another assault on Lebanon, in one form or another, is in the works, according to many experts and civilians who are sharing their pessimism on the blogsphere.

The recent flurry of activity and the sectarian violence in Lebanon have laid a blanket of pessimism over the population. War criminals along the lines of Ja’ja’ (one of the leaders of the Sabra and Chatila massacres) are the darlings of Washington and Tel Aviv. There is evidence of smuggling of crates of unknown contents (AKA weapons) into the headquarters and homes of government supporters, courtesy of the U.S. government. Those crates were supposedly allotted to the Lebanese Army.

The hope in Tel Aviv and Washington is to provoke a confrontation between Hezbollah, their supporters in the Opposition and a few in the Christian and Sunni militias who support the current government (which is seen by most Lebanese as the facilitator of colonial U.S. and Israeli policies in the Middle East). Hezbollah has never, in its history of resistance, engaged in an act of confrontation with other Lebanese groups. It has tried and continues to try to avoid such confrontation.

Israel failed to militarily crush the Lebanese Resistance during its last brutal war on the people of Lebanon. Their aim now is to create Iraq-like civil war conditions to maintain control over yet another area in the region (another U.S. and Israel-friendly regime).

Not much talk is coming out of Washington about democracy in Lebanon any more. The American experiment in Lebanon has failed, the same way it has failed in Afghanistan and Iraq and all over the world since the end of WWII (with its support of tyrannical regimes).

The people of Lebanon are pessimistic because maybe they know that they are caught in the middle of the powers of the feudal and racist system that makes up the remnants of the old colonially produced Lebanon and the barbaric and vicious intent of the U.S. and Israel to destroy the opposition at any cost.

Meanwhile, despite talk of pull-back from Iraq inside the American political system, the different wars will continue for at least one decade in the form of black ops, outright war, or internal civil strife and assassinations.

Some are asking: if there is another war in Lebanon, will Hezbollah hand Israel its 6th defeat?

Sons and Daughters of California

Sons and Daughters of California

Your lovely smiles etched in our hearts

Among the desolate expanse of desert and on top of majestic mountain

You left a piece of your soul

You dance with your brethren from the East, from the West, from the North, and from the South

All those who died before their time

Because of man’s inhumanity to man

A dance for all ages

Hannah of Redlands, the Lords of War never saw your lovely face and captivating smile. Had they, they would have covered their eyes in shame

Morgen of Santa Cruz, the Merchants of Death could not look at the sparkle in your eye, for they would have been blinded by it

You may be just another statistic in the news and in the plans of those who profit from war

Your death may be used to win or lose political battles

But your souls are free to challenge those of us left behind to remain faithful and strong

To prevent what happened to you from ever happening again

Marilyn

Martyred in Iraq: 3,218 Americans, 65,160 Iraqis

Martyred in Afghanistan: 371 Americans, Unknown Afghans

Crouching Tiger, Tumbling US Economy

"Opportunities multiply as they are seized"
Sun Tzu, Chinese author and military strategist, c. 544-496 BC

The Iraqi cabinet has just approved a draft of an oil law granting foreign companies unprecedented access to the country's oil fields. Meanwhile, Chinese oil company officials arrived in Baghdad to revive Hussein-era contracts for developing Iraq's oil, specifically, the Ahdab oil field in south-central Iraq. Hundreds of millions of dollars and a reduction in Iraq's Chinese debt are already on the table.

China also recently announced plans to strategically refocus its one trillion dollar foreign-currency war chest. Rather than continuing to rely on US Treasury bonds, which yield relatively small returns and risk dollar depreciation, Beijing is expected to increasingly snap up natural resources and energy assets across the world. As the U.S. economy sinks, China and India, the two countries with the largest populations, are expected to fill what traditionally has been the role of the United States in the global market. As they lay claim to natural resources across the globe, they are distancing themselves from the U.S. economy. The never-ending war on terror can only have one consequence.

As the famed military strategist Sun Tzu once noted, "There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare." Instead, he advised waiting quietly as an enemy self-destructs, then sweeping in to reap the profits, an effective plan for Beijing during the Bush years.

Israel's Last Chance

The violent and confrontational approach of the Israeli state, the increasing internal corruption, economic and political challenges, as well as the nature of the population within the Zionist state have highlighted the festering wounds of an ailing nation. Presidential sex scandals, bribery charges against the Prime Minister, and organized crime are but a glimpse of what is ailing the small country. The July 2006 war on the people of Lebanon has highlighted the weakening of the political and moral nature of Israel.

The character of the Zionist state is eroding and, if it is to survive as a political entity, more conciliatory approaches towards Arab neighbors and foes will become prudent. Israel can inflict mass destruction on the people of the Middle East. What it cannot do is implement planned political change in the region. Israel's last chance as a viable nation in the region hinges upon its ability to reach out with diplomacy as opposed to subterfuge and war.

Fueling the Fires of Sectarian Conflict: Divide and Conquer

Don't you love Sy Hersh? I do. This man can take on the brainless yet ruthless U.S. administration, the ambitious, nutty Olmert, and Bandar Bush and his clan of "Defenders of the Faith" (the oil faith that is) and still crack a smile every now and then.

Then there are the newly emergent phrases such as “Sunnis against Shi’as” and “The tide of Shi’ism in the Middle East," phrases repeated by people who know nothing about either.

The Neo-Conservative ruling cabal has a knack for logic too: "you're either with us, or you are Muslim." According to the Neo-Cons, all Muslims are the enemy and the only good Muslim is a Muslim engaged in permanent conflict with another Muslim. And then it gets more twisted.

We have supported Sunnis to fight the Soviets and Iran. After the Iraq invasion of 2003, we installed a Shi’ite government in Baghdad to rid the country of the Ba’th regime and to minimize Al-Qa’ida’s influence. Now we are illegally arming Sunni extremists (Salafis) in Lebanon in the hope that they would engage in a war of attrition with Hizbollah. The constant shifting of alliances to correct errors and unplanned consequences of shallow and racist policies are compromising all the nations in the Middle East and, ultimately, the world.

Who in reality is creating the sectarian tensions in the Middle East? It seems that the “Divide and Conquer” rule still holds as true as ever. But those who do not learn from history will repeat it. I wonder which group will emerge in the future to fight off another imperial invasion of its country. The lessons of the Taliban, Hizbollah, Al-Qa’ida, Al-Mujahideen, and Khomeini, have been lost on this Zionist and bankrupt administration, which has initiated a fragmentation in the Middle East whose dire global repercussions are yet to be measured. But Sy Hersh may have a glimpse into it.

Kiss Israel's Ass! Or AIPAC Says You Support Genocide

As the American public becomes weary with the stunts of the Zionist lobby and this Neo-Con administration, Israeli apologists are going full steam in insisting that the existence of Israel hinges on a deadly strike against Iran. With the emerging public awareness regarding the deceit that went into the Iraq war, the Zionists and their bullies in Washington are desperate; nothing is too obscene for them in this push for a war on another country that, one more time (here we go again) has done us no harm and has no intention to do so in the foreseeable future (that can change if we decide to attack with a possibility of using nuclear weapons as some are anticipating).

There are efforts to counteract this vengeful and malicious hatred of a country and its citizens as Gary Leupp exposes the shenanigans of the Zionist lobby and their sense of entitlement. It is all about them and to hell with the rest of the world.

Gag the Soldiers

Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are now barred from talking to the media. New measures implemented at the facility are punitive, according to the soldiers, in retaliation for exposing the deplorable conditions inside the Medical Hold Unit. I guess complaining about mold and mice violates national security laws and compromises the "War on Terror."

Wouldn't fumigation and a little bit of paint have fixed the problem?

Maybe the military cannot afford to fight its war on pests that pose a health hazard to our soldiers, but they have plenty of money (two billion dollars a week) to play war games in Iraq.

Let's support our troops some more, shall we?