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Should We Allow NATO Free Rein to Attack and Kill People?

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Should We Allow NATO Free Rein to Attack and Kill People?


The airstrike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers is just the latest in a series of mistakes that raise doubts about NATO’s credibility
By PRATAP CHATTERJEE
Commondreams.org 
 
Why did NATO forces kill two dozen Pakistani soldiers at a border post in the Mohmand region, some 300 yards across the frontier from Afghanistan early on Saturday morning? The US military claims the attack was in response to hostile fire, and the Pakistanis are demanding proof of that.

There is a very simple explanation of what happened: the US military makes deadly mistakes all the time, and for all its technological wizardry and tremendous firepower, it has very little intelligence on the ground.

“There are many questions that need to be answered,” an editorial in the New York Times pronounced:
“Who first fired on the American-Afghan force? Pakistan’s army is far too cozy with the Taliban. Were fighters sheltering near the Pakistani outposts? What about Pakistan’s claim that the NATO strikes continued for two hours even after Pakistan alerted allied officials? What needs to be done differently going forward?”

In New York and Washington, this is standard fare. We can’t trust the Pakistanis, they are with the terrorists.

But can we trust NATO or the US military? There are numerous examples of firing on civilians, killing children and even deliberately targeting and assassinating individuals who turn out not to have been the people they were claimed to be. And that is in Afghanistan, a country where the US has easy access..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/12/02/should-we-allow-nato-free-rein-to-attack-and-kill-people/

Debka: Whoever hacked the drone, hacked the CIA

Debka: Whoever hacked the drone, hacked the CIA


New reports investigating Iran’s interception of a top-secret drone craft belonging to the CIA allege that the hijacking of the stealth airship could have roots not just overseas but in Washington as well.'

"Ongoing reports from RT have revealed that Iranian intelligence officer claimed in recent days that the recovery of America’s RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drone on December 4 was not due to an equipment malfunction, as US authorities say happened with another craft last days later, but rather the handiwork of Iranian engineers."....MORE
 
SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/hacked-cia-drone-iran-029/

Anonymous declares cyber war on Congress over indefinite detention act

Anonymous declares cyber war on Congress over indefinite detention act

 "Hacktivists are continuing their mission to take on politicians causing the collapse of constitutional rights in America, with operatives from the online collective Anonymous keeping up a campaign against the signers of controversial legislation.

"As RT reported on Thursday, members of Anonymous began a campaign this week to expose information on the lawmakers who voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, a bill that will allow for the indefinite detention of American citizens, the reinstating of torture methods and the creation of the United States as a battlefield. Despite the implications of the act, the Senate allowed for the bill to leave Capitol Hill on Thursday, leaving only the inking of President Barack Obama’s name as the final step for ratification..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/anonymous-congress-ndaa-sopa-013/

9/11 verdict is 'US propaganda for waging war on Iran' (w/ Video)



 9/11 verdict is 'US propaganda for waging war on Iran'

Director of the Center for Research on Globalization Michel Chossudovsky has told RT that calling Iran’s officials - including the supreme leader - guilty of helping the 9/11 attackers is nothing but “a ploy.”

On Thursday, families of victims of the September 11th 2001 attacks won a default judgment against Iran, the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and Lebanon-based Hezbollah. According to the lawsuit, people in Iran – including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei- provided support to the terrorists who went on to attack civilians on US soil.But Mr. Chossudovsky told RT he believes it’s nothing but a cover-up, with Iran as a convenient fall guy..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/iran-terrorism-guilty-911-023/

Groups demand halt to criminalization of political offenses

Groups demand halt to criminalization of political offenses

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — “Is it a crime to offer one’s life for the welfare of others?”

This was the statement of Angelina “Angie” Ipong http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/02/20/philippines%E2%80%99s-oldest-woman-political-prisoner-released/ , former political prisoner, during a forum organized by the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), Dec. 13.

Ipong was arrested on March 8, 2005 in Lumbayao village, Aloran town, Misamis Occidental, by combined elements of the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Southern Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). She was held incommunicado for 14 days and was subjected to sexual molestation and torture.

An advocate of the rights of peasants and indigenous peoples and a member of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, Ipong http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/03/21/angelina-ipong-talks-about-her-ordeal-as-political-prisoner/, like most political prisoners, was slapped with common crimes such as double murder, double frustrated murder, and arson.

“Political detainees who have already served long and completely unjust sentences, continue to languish in jails; even as we have a president who is the son of a political prisoner himself,” Edre Olalia, NUPL secretary general, said.

“After six years [in detention], all the charges against me were dismissed. There was no basis for prolonging my incarceration. That is a terrible injustice to me,” Ipong said.

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares condemned the continuing criminalization of political offenses.
“Is it fair that a revolutionary is treated as nobody different from the killers of Ramjen Revilla?” Colmenares said. Ramjen Revilla, who was killed allegedly by family members, is the son of a former senator.
“The issue of political prisoners is an issue involving each one of us. We should not be treated as criminals for the mere exercise of our Constitutional rights,” Colmenares said.

In the same vein, Ipong, now secretary general of Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (Selda), said: “No one should be imprisoned for his/her political beliefs.”..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/12/16/groups-demand-halt-to-criminalization-of-political-offenses/

Why act in haste now?

Why act in haste now?


By BENJIE OLIVEROS
Bulatlat.com
It took more than a year before the Aquino administration filed a case against former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This despite demands from various sectors to hold the former president to account for her numerous crimes against the Filipino people and the preponderance of evidence gathered by the different Congressional investigations. It took an attempt to go abroad by the former president before the current administration filed the case of electoral sabotage.

The Aquino government reasoned that it wants its case to be airtight, thus, the delays in the filing of cases. When former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez resigned in April 2011 after being impeached by the House of Representatives a month before, the people were waiting for the filing of cases against Arroyo since the official considered to be the biggest stumbling block to holding Arroyo to account had been removed. But still, it took another seven months before the electoral sabotage charge was filed..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/12/15/why-act-in-haste-now/

Noy allies plotting coup vs JPE to control CJ’s impeach trial By Angie M. Rosales 12/17/2011

Noy allies plotting coup vs JPE to control CJ’s impeach trial

By Angie M. Rosales 12/17/2011

Coup talk in the Senate has been making the rounds following the convening of the upper chamber into an impeachment court.

That a coup may be in the offing was virtually confirmed Thursday night by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, although he underscored that the talks are mere rumors at this time.

Estrada, however, reaffirmed his loyalty right before Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Tribune sources said that some senator-allies of President Aquino were behind a plot to unseat Enrile as the Senate chief is seen to play fair and stick by the rules, making it difficult for the yellow crowd to create a ruckus and try to sway public opinion to pressure the senator-judges into convicting Chief Justice Renato Corona..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20111217hed1.html

Court junks cellphone, laptop for Arroyo By Pat C. Santos and Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 12/17/2011

Court junks cellphone, laptop for Arroyo

By Pat C. Santos and Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 12/17/2011

A Pasay City court has rejected a request from former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo to use cellular phones and laptops while in detention but her lawyers will be allowed to bring these gadgets inside her hospital room at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City.

While Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 112 said Arroyo’s lawyers may take communication gadgets into her hospital room, they need to bring these with them after their visit.

The Pasay RTC also allowed the former President to attend masses at the VMMC and get some sun inside the compound every day..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20111217hed4.html

Visayas, Mindanao placed under ‘red alert’ due to storm By Mario J. Mallari and Jason Faustino 12/17/2011

Visayas, Mindanao placed under ‘red alert’ due to storm

By Mario J. Mallari and Jason Faustino 12/17/2011

Several provinces, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, have been placed under storm warning signal as tropical storm “Sendong” continuously poses threat as it maintained its strength upon entering the country on Thursday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said yesterday.

NDRRMC Executive Director Undersecretary Benito Ramos said he already put the NDRRMC under red alert status since Thursday in anticipation to the effects of Sendong particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao regions

“We have declared red alert status on Thursday for the coming of ‘Sendong’… we will remain on alert until the tropical storm leaves our area of responsibility,” Ramos said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20111217nat2.html

PMA Class of 1971 member appointed DND assistant secretary 12/17/2011

PMA Class of 1971 member appointed DND assistant secretary

12/17/2011
Another member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1971 was appointed assistant secretary for personnel of the Department of National Defense (DND) following the retirement of another former military officer.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin named retired police Director Efren Fernandez , of PMA “Matatag” Class of 1971, as DND assistant secretary for personnel, replacing newly-retired Lamberto Sillona, himself a retired Air Force general and also member of the PMA Class of 1971.

A bemedaled police officer, Fernandez occupied several key positions in the defunct Philippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police (PC-INP) and the Philippine National Police during his more than 30 years in the uniformed service, among these were director of the PNP’s Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20111217nat5.html

Solons question MWSS management for okaying water rate hike petition By Gerry Baldo 12/17/2011

Solons question MWSS management for okaying water rate hike petition

By Gerry Baldo 12/17/2011

Lawmakers yesterday questioned the management of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for approving a water rate hike petition by the two largest water concessionaires in Metro Manila despite a P10-billion fund that was paid by consumers for improvement of its services.

According to Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, the P4 hike per cubic meter used would be an added burden to the already skyrocketing prices of basic commodities and services.

“This is surely going to be a blue Christmas for water consumers,” Evardone said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20111217met4.html

Raps filed against Palparan for abduction of UP studes By Pat C. Santos 12/17/2011

Raps filed against Palparan for abduction of UP studes

By Pat C. Santos 12/17/2011

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has ordered the filing of charges against retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan in connection with the abduction of two activist students of University of the Philippines — SherlynCadapan and Karen Empeno.

A 36-page resolution signed by Prosecutor General Claro Arellano states it has found probable cause to warrant the filing of two counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention against Palparan, Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado, M/ Sgt. Rizal Hilaro and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio.

Cadapan and Empeno were reportedly abducted in Bulacan in June 2007..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20111217met1.html

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