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War Crimes Committed by the United States in Iraq and Mechanisms for Accountability
Consumers for Peace.org
The violence of the Iraq War, the chaos that has come to Iraq, can be traced directly to the illegality of the invasion and occupation of that country and the illegality of the tactics and weapons being used to maintain the occupation. U.S. War Crimes in Iraq and Mechanisms for Accountability documents these violations and calls on us all to demand investigation and prosecution of violations of internationa! l law by military and civilian leaders. The report was prepared by Consumers for Peace.org with the advice of Karen Parker, noted lawyer in human rights and humanitarian law. Ms. Parker is President of the San-Francisco-based Association of Humanitarian Lawyers ( www.humanlaw.org ) and Chief Delegate to the United Nations for the Los Angeles-based International Educational Development/Humanitarian Law Project (IED/AHL), an accredited non-governmental organization on the U.N. Secretary-General’s list…
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Iraqi Dead May Total 600,000, Study Says
Sabrina Tavernise
A team of American and Iraqi public health researchers has estimated that 600,000 civilians have died in violence across Iraq since the 2003 American invasion, the highest estimate ever for the toll of the war here. The figure breaks down to about 15,000 violent deaths a month, a number that is quadruple the one for July given by Iraqi government hospitals and the morgue in Baghdad and published last month in a United Nations report in Iraq. That month wa! s the highest for Iraqi civilian deaths since the American invasion. But it is an estimate and not a precise count, and researchers acknowledged a margin of error that ranged from 426,369 to 793,663 deaths…
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Today’s shocker(s) from Iraq
Eli Stephens, Left I on the News
One story, three shockers. Shock one—the basic story: “Study Claims Iraq’s ‘Excess’ Death Toll Has Reached 655,000" Shock two—the details: “Of the total 655,000 estimated “excess deaths,” 601,000 resulted from violence and the rest from disease and other causes, according to the study.” I have to say that, scientific method or no scientific method, I find this very hard to believe, given the state of public health (water, etc.) and actual health care! (hospitals, etc.) in Iraq. Perhaps the only thing that explains it is that, after a decade of sanctions, things were already so much worse than “normal.” Imagine if their baseline had been the 1980's…
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U.S. war criminals’ show trial of Saddam Hussein
Sunil Freeman, Party for Socialism and Liberation
…Speaking of the Iraqi Special Tribunal, the Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal, or the Iraqi High Criminal Court (IST), at the National Press Club on Oct. 5, Clark charged that: “This court is illegal, incapable of fairness. It lacks independence and impartiality manifestly. It was created for a political purpose and that is to vindicate the war of aggression.” The press conference was widely covered in the bourgeoi! s media (…) The tribunal makes no pretense of impartiality. Its sole purpose is to carry out the show trial of the former Iraqi government. It is not authorized, for example, to try U.S. soldiers or officials for war crimes committed against the Iraqi people. Even pro-imperialist “human rights” groups like Human Rights Watch have what they call “serious concerns” about the tribunal’s legitimacy. Clark noted that the trial has been a corruption of justice from start to finish. The Iraqi puppet government just replaced the main judge because he acknowledged that Hussein was “not a dictator.” Other judges have remained because of their slavish adherence to U.S. imperialism’s dictates. One judge recently expressed his hatred for Saddam and the co-defendants, saying that “a trial is not necessary, just a hanging,” and the defendants “all have had blood on their hands since childhood.” In addition, four defense attorneys have been kidnapped, tortured and executed, and court per! sonnel and their family members have been killed. At times, so! me defen dants have had no attorneys as terrified lawyers have refused to appear in court. Defense attorneys have not even been given a transcript of the trial. Leaders of the current U.S.-backed puppet regime, including President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, have stated their commitment to have Saddam executed…
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Someone has to say it
Truth About Iraqis
Just a few minutes, stopping by to say things that should be said. 1. Iraq was better off under President Saddam Hussein AND the Baath Party 2. Many Iraqis long for the stability and security during the days of Saddam Hussein AND the Baath Party but will not say so publicly for a myriad of reasons they know all too well (…) 7. The Iraqi National Resistance is the only hope for Iraq. 8. Nationalism and Secularism are two pillars which could save Iraq from utter ruin. 9. S! addam Hussein was right about what will befall Iraq if the US military invades (…) 12. Iraqi nationalists were right when they said the plan all along was to divide Iraq. 13. I would like to see what happens to all the Iraqis who supported the US invasion and occupation of their country and brought it to disaster and despair…
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Video
“Inappropriate nature”
Latuff
My video “Similarities” has been rejected by YouTube (just bought by Google) due to its inappropriate nature. Perhaps for YouTube/Google is inappropriate any comparison between Nazi troops in Europe and U.S. troops in Iraq. Anyway, we’re in Internet, where we can always dodge the censorship (at least until now). So, you can check the video in the following links:
www.yourfilehost.com/media.php?cat=video&file=Similar
ities.wmv
www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/11/18319539.php
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The IgnoramUS
Anwaar Hussain, Fountainhead
…Most Americans don’t know that since the start of Intifada, 121 Israeli children have been killed by Palestinians and 786 Palestinian children have been killed by Israelis and 1,084 Israelis and 4,171 Palestinians have been killed, 7,633 Israelis and 30,670 Palestinians have been injured and that zero Israeli homes have been demolished by Palestinians and 4,170 Palestinian homes have been demolished by Israel. Most Americans don’t know that t! he U.S. gives $15,139,178 per day to the Israeli government and military and $232,290 per day to Palestinian NGO’s and that the Israeli unemployment rate is 8.9%, while the Palestinian unemployment is estimated at 25-31%. Most Americans don’t know that just one Israeli is being held prisoner by Palestinians, while 9,599 Palestinians are currently imprisoned by Israel and that 60+ new Jewish-only settlements have been built on confiscated Palestinian land between March 2001 and July 11, 2003 and that there have been zero cases of Palestinians confiscating Israeli land and building settlements…
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Why Sanction N. Korea? Sanction the US instead
Roads to Iraq
Hope that the diplomats who agreed to sanction N. Korea for testing one nuclear bomb (…) are aware that the US, from a period of 1945–1992 tested 1054 nuclear devices (AkA bombs), and in two cases they used it against human beings producing mass murder, wiping two cities out of the map (Japan). Until recently they are still using/testing varieties of nuclear/radio active based weapons (Depleted Uranium) against Iraqis…
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Al-Sadr’s Weakening Grip on the Mahdi Army
Lydia Khalil
In recent weeks, Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army continues to be blamed for the sectarian killings that are plaguing Iraq. Al-Sadr, however, has repeatedly called on his followers to show restraint and not be provoked into violence. Yet the killings continue, and this has led al-Sadr and other Iraqi Shiite politicians to claim that they are carried out by “rogue” elements of the Mahdi Army who are not under al-Sadr’s command. Rumors that the Mahdi! Army is splintering are circulating, leaving some wondering what this means for the demobilization of the Mahdi Army and the future of sectarian conflict in Iraq (…) It is still difficult to assess whether elements like Abu Dera are indeed rogue or if they do the Mahdi Army’s dirty work but are denied public affiliation with al-Sadr. Al-Sadr and his senior aides could be stating that rogue elements are to blame for sectarian killings in order to evade responsibility…
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Three U.S. Marines killed in western Iraq
Reuters
The deaths of the three soldiers brought to at least 37 the number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq since the start of October. The U.S. military said on Tuesday it killed seven insurgents in an air strike on a building in Ramadi, capital of Anbar, after U.S. troops came under “extremely heavy fire.” Three U.S. soldiers were killed in Anbar on Sunday…
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Defend Columbia Students: Join over 1200 who have signed the online petition!
The defense of Columbia students who protested the racist Minutemen is now
in full swing. Your help is urgently needed. Please take a moment to sign an
online petition at:
www.petitiononline.com/nominute/petition.html
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GI Special 4J10: “ He Didn’t Want To Go Back” – October 10, 2006
Thomas F. Barton
Narvaez, 25, is the first Edgewood ISD graduate to die in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to a district spokesman. Narvaez, who enlisted in October 2000, was killed while serving his second tour in Iraq. He was the son of David G. and Guadalupe Narvaez, who have asked the media to respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.
“I really would like to talk about my brother but it hurts too much right now,” David J. Narvaez said.
One of Narvaez’s former teammates said Narvaez expressed misgivings about the mess in Iraq the last time they talked in San Antonio last December.
“He didn’t want to go back,” said Leandro Gonzales Jr., now a coach at Pearsall High School. “He said we’re over there for no reason, but he was more than willing to do what he had to do. Joe was just that kind of guy. If he’s fighting for somebody, he’s going to do his best.”
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Baath Party Statement
The Liberated Iraq rises up from underneath the desolation, ruins and blood!
The Arab Baath Socialist Party
…Our Party, the Arab Baath socialist Party, while ascertaining that it is holding on the events with an iron fist and marches towards victory hands in hands with its allied in amongst Resisting heroes, indicates that we are facing a complex and not an easy battle and we needs a profound awareness of the enemy’s schemes and we must prepare antidotes to confront them. There i! s no more guaranteed way for the Iraqi Armed Revolution success than to completely stick to the Party and the Resistance Political and Strategic Plan of Action and in particular when asserting that the Armed Resistance is the only way and that the decisive victory will only gushes out from the Mujahideens’ gun barrel…
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Saddam Hussein thrown out of court
The News – International, Pakistan
Saddam Hussein and his six co-defendants were thrown out of court Tuesday after the former leader began to shout during his trial on charges of genocide against Iraq’s Kurdish population. Saddam interrupted the proceedings by shouting a verse from the Quran. “Fight them and God will punish them!” Saddam yelled in what appeared to be a call for members of his disbanded Arab Baath Socialist Party to continue fighting U.S. forces in Iraq…
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On Borrowed Time (and Money)
Lost Wars and a Lost Economy
PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS
President Bush and his neocon flaks have simultaneously lost two wars and America’s economic future. Last Friday’s payroll jobs report was a continuation of Bush’s dismal record. Only 59,000 net new private sector jobs were created during September. That is about 90,000 less than would be needed to stay even with population growth. Like all jobs that the US economy has created in the 21st century, the September jobs are in dom! estic services…
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Police find 60 bodies in Baghdad, bomb kills 10
Ross Colvin, Reuters
Iraqi police found 60 bodies dumped across Baghdad in the 24 hours until Tuesday morning, the apparent victims of sectarian death squads blamed for escalating violence that threatens to pitch the country into civil war. A bomb placed under a car outside a bakery in the mostly Sunni southern Baghdad district of Doura exploded at midday, reducing the shop to rubble and killing 10 people, many who had been queuing outside to buy bread, police said.! ..
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Read this before you vote
Mickey Z.
If one were to believe the hype, nothing less than the fate the civilized world is riding on the results of the upcoming midterm elections. American-style democracy, we’re told, will step in and sort things out. Reminds me of T.S. Eliot: “An election is coming. Universal peace is declared and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry.” Not everyone is fooled, of course. “I think it is dangerous to confuse the idea of democracy with elections,” say! s Indian novelist, Arundhati Roy. “Just because you have elections doesn’t mean you’re a democratic country.”…
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The anti-war movement must reject “trade union” collaborators and support the armed Resistance as the majority of the Iraqis
Carsten Kofoed, Free Iraq Blog of Denmark
October 9-15, representatives of the General Union of Oil Employees in Basra (GUOE) will visit Denmark invited by the chairman of the Socialist People’s Party (SF), Villy Soevndal, the foreign-policy spokesman of the Red Green Alliance (Enhedslisten), Frank Aaen, and the nationwide anti-war organisation No to War (Nej til Krig). Until now, meetings ! have been planned in major Danish cities like Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense, where the GUOE will meet with representatives of the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions, the Social Democrats, the Socialist People’s Party and the Red Green Alliance, but public meetings have been arranged as well. The GUOE is being presented by the Danish hosts as an opposition to the occupation and as an opponent that “needs our support” . These are new and conspicuous tones from the very same forces that have indeed declared themselves opponents of the occupation, but consistently refused to support any kind of resistance in Iraq, especially the armed resistance, even though it is legitimate and the right to it written into the article 51 of the UN Charte…
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GI Special 4J9: Terrorist Refrigerator Defeated – October 9, 2006
Thomas F. Barton
“This Is Not About Liberation”
“It’s About A Few People Making A Lot Of Money On The Back Of The Poor And Now People Like Me Have To Pay For It With Their Whole Selves”
Counseling programs “were pushing all these pills my way without even hearing what I was going through, then they set me up with a counselor who has never known combat.”
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Kucinich to Hold Congressional Briefing on October Surprise “Is the Administration Ramping Up For A War Against Iran?”
Ben Frank
“Is Iran A Threat?” As dissappointing as the US Congress has been in their oversight of this irrational and immoral administration, one congressman stands strong in his attempt to stop the next atrocity in Iran before it happens…again. Congressman Kucinich has been doing his job(not pages), listening to the experts, reading the paper and seeing the obvious imminent threat of the Bush Ad! ministration…
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