Monday, June 26, 2006
Monday, June 19, 2006
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
The man from Haditha
"'What happened in Haditha is a huge tragedy, for Haditha and for the United States,' he began. 'I am from Haditha. I know the people, I know the neighborhood. One of my cousins in Haditha was killed by the Marines in Haditha not long before this.' Quiet and well-spoken, Sunni but not sectarian, Sumaidaie seemed ready to hold the Marines accountable not only for the November, 2005, atrocity but for the killing of his cousin and for other deaths in the town.
'The people of Haditha are squeezed between two huge threats,' he said. On the one hand, they face religious-extremist terrorists, 'and on the other hand, there are the Marines, fighting them, shooting, going around killing people.' When he was asked if the revelations about the events of November would make him reevaluate what happened to his cousin, he answered in a steely voice. 'I already know what happened to my cousin,' he said. 'It might help others to reevaluate what happened.'"
- from an interview with Samir al-Sumaidaie, Iraq's ambassador to the United States
'The people of Haditha are squeezed between two huge threats,' he said. On the one hand, they face religious-extremist terrorists, 'and on the other hand, there are the Marines, fighting them, shooting, going around killing people.' When he was asked if the revelations about the events of November would make him reevaluate what happened to his cousin, he answered in a steely voice. 'I already know what happened to my cousin,' he said. 'It might help others to reevaluate what happened.'"
- from an interview with Samir al-Sumaidaie, Iraq's ambassador to the United States
Two perspectives on Guantanamo suicides
"I believe this was not an act of desperation, but an act of asymmetrical warfare waged against us."
- Rear Adm. Harry Harris, commander of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, commenting on the suicides of three prisoners there. A New York Times editorial reports that there have been 23 suicide attempts in the four years of the camp's existence, and that only 10 of the 465 people held there have been charged with crimes.
"If it's perfectly legal and there's nothing going wrong there - well, why don't they have it in America ... ?"
- Harriet Harman, U.K. constitutional affairs minister, advocating the Guantanamo Bay prison be put under U.S. court supervision or closed.
- Rear Adm. Harry Harris, commander of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, commenting on the suicides of three prisoners there. A New York Times editorial reports that there have been 23 suicide attempts in the four years of the camp's existence, and that only 10 of the 465 people held there have been charged with crimes.
"If it's perfectly legal and there's nothing going wrong there - well, why don't they have it in America ... ?"
- Harriet Harman, U.K. constitutional affairs minister, advocating the Guantanamo Bay prison be put under U.S. court supervision or closed.
An Alternative to the Madness
Oxford Research Group - Global Responses to Global Threats: Sustainable Security for the 21st Century
This major new report is the result of an 18-month long research project examining the various threats to global security, and sustainable responses to those threats.
Current security policies assume international terrorism to be the greatest threat to global security, and attempt to maintain the status quo and control insecurity through the projection of military force. The authors argue that the failure of this approach has been clearly demonstrated during the last five years of the 'war on terror' and it is distracting governments from the real threats that humanity faces. They contend that unless urgent action is taken within the next five to ten years, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to avoid a highly unstable global system by the middle years of the century.
This major new report is the result of an 18-month long research project examining the various threats to global security, and sustainable responses to those threats.
Current security policies assume international terrorism to be the greatest threat to global security, and attempt to maintain the status quo and control insecurity through the projection of military force. The authors argue that the failure of this approach has been clearly demonstrated during the last five years of the 'war on terror' and it is distracting governments from the real threats that humanity faces. They contend that unless urgent action is taken within the next five to ten years, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to avoid a highly unstable global system by the middle years of the century.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Why do I have doubts?
I just received the following quote on a "breaking news" email alert:
"Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was alive when U.S. troops reached him after the U.S. bombing raid, but died 'almost immediately' after, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said."
Why is it that I immediately have the thought that he may have died of a gunshot wound, not two 500 pound bombs! There is an easy answer: after all we have heard from this military and administration (usually many months after an incident), it is entirely appropriate to suspect the worst.
Also, five other persons were killed "by the bombs." Zarqawi had vast amounts of information that could be vital to fighting the "war on terrorism." But obviously there was no effort to go to the house and try to take him alive! Were we afraid of a great big army like the one we encountered when we invaded Iraq? Or maybe we were concerned the woman and child that were killed would cause us harm!
Bush congratulated U.S. troops for a "remarkable achievement." No, a remarkable achievement would have been to capture Zarqawi alive, with no death to innocent people, or destruction of homes and other property.
There are some things more important than being right!!!
"Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was alive when U.S. troops reached him after the U.S. bombing raid, but died 'almost immediately' after, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said."
Why is it that I immediately have the thought that he may have died of a gunshot wound, not two 500 pound bombs! There is an easy answer: after all we have heard from this military and administration (usually many months after an incident), it is entirely appropriate to suspect the worst.
Also, five other persons were killed "by the bombs." Zarqawi had vast amounts of information that could be vital to fighting the "war on terrorism." But obviously there was no effort to go to the house and try to take him alive! Were we afraid of a great big army like the one we encountered when we invaded Iraq? Or maybe we were concerned the woman and child that were killed would cause us harm!
Bush congratulated U.S. troops for a "remarkable achievement." No, a remarkable achievement would have been to capture Zarqawi alive, with no death to innocent people, or destruction of homes and other property.
There are some things more important than being right!!!
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