Killing America's Kids and Driving Them Insane

[Harconen]

Note:

Two U.S. Navy service members were killed in the Philippines on September 29 and have been added to our totals.
We track all fatalities for Operation Enduring Freedom this includes deaths in the Philippines, Guantanamo Bay (Cuba), Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Yemen.
To view yearly and monthly totals for Afghanistan please see the pages Coalition Deaths by Year or Coalition Deaths by Month and select the filter Afghanistan only.

News

09/30/09 : DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Lance Cpl. Jordan L. Chrobot, 24, of Frederick, Md., died Sept. 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

09/30/09 CP: Soldier who shot friend in Afghanistan gets four years
A Canadian soldier who shot and killed his tent mate and close friend in Afghanistan in 2007 was sentenced Wednesday to four years in prison and dismissed from the military.

09/30/09 Reuters: Suicide bomber kills U.S. serviceperson in Afghanistan
A suicide bomber rammed a car into a military convoy of foreign forces in southeastern Afghanistan Wednesday, killing one American, officials said. The attack occurred as the convoy crossed a bridge in the Mandozai district of Khost province, bordering Pakistan, district chief Wali Shah said.

09/30/09 Reuters: Afghan girl killed by British leaflet drop
An Afghan girl died after a box of information leaflets -- dropped by a British military plane and intended to help the local population -- landed on top of her, the Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday.

09/30/09 AP: UN official ousted after Afghan vote fraud dispute
The top American official at the U.N. mission in Afghanistan is losing his job after he disagreed with superiors over how to deal with widespread fraud charges from the presidential election, people familiar with the decision said Wednesday. The U.S. diplomat denied he had been fired.

09/29/09 Reuters: Roadside bomb kills 30 civilians in Afghanistan
A roadside bomb killed 30 people in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, officials said, in the deadliest strike on civilians since a NATO air raid earlier this month.

09/29/09 AFP: US strike ''kills 5 Taliban'' in NW Pakistan
Missiles fired from a US drone aircraft Tuesday killed five suspected Taliban in a strike on a militant hideout in Pakistan''s northwest tribal belt, local officials said.

09/29/09 Reuters: Landmine kills 2 U.S. servicemen in Philippines
Two U.S. Navy servicemen and one Filipino marine were killed on Tuesday in a land mine attack in a stronghold of Islamic militants in the southern Philippines, officials said.

09/29/09 WaPo: U.S. Says Taliban Has A New Haven in Pakistan
As American troops move deeper into southern Afghanistan to fight Taliban insurgents, U.S. officials are expressing new concerns about the role of fugitive Taliban leader Mohammad Omar and his council of lieutenants, who reportedly plan and launch cross-border strikes from safe havens around the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta.

09/29/09 AFP: 12 Afghan civilians killed in roadside bomb blast
A roadside bomb blast in southern Afghanistan has killed 12 civilians. Police chief Bismullah Khan says a civilian bus hit a bomb in Kandahar province''s Maiwand district Tuesday morning, killing the 12 civilians and wounding another 15.

09/29/09 NPR: Pakistan Watches As U.S. Reviews Afghan Strategy
The Obama Administration''s strategy review is prompting some concern in Pakistan. Pakistanis see both opportunity and danger in a U.S. policy that could sharpen the focus on their country.

09/28/09 Hærens: Tre danske soldater såret
Tre danske soldater fra sikrings- og eskortedelingen i Stabs- og Logistikkompagniet blev i dag såret, da en sprængladning udløstes under en fodpatrulje i Green Zone øst for Gereskh by.

09/28/09 Hærens: Three Danish soldiers injured (translation)
Three Danish soldiers from the security and escort sharing Stabs and Logistics Company was today injured when an explosive device was triggered during a fodpatrulje in the Green Zone to the east of Gereskh city.

09/28/09 defense.gouv: Biographies des 3 soldats français décédés (Adjudant Yann HERTACH)
Âgé de 38 ans, l''adjudant Yann HERTACH s''était engagé comme sous-officier d''active à l''Ecole d''Application du Génie (Angers) en 1993. Durant ces 16 années, il avait d''abord servi au 6e régiment du génie (6e RG - Angers).

09/28/09 defense.gouv: Biographies des 3 soldats français décédés (1re classe Kevin LEMOINE)
Âgé de 20 ans, le 1ère classe Kevin LEMOINE avait choisi de servir au 3e régiment d''infanterie de marine, à Vannes. Jeune engagé volontaire, il y avait souscrit un premier contrat de cinq ans en avril 2008.

09/28/09 defense.gouv: Biographies des 3 soldats français décédés (Brigadier Gabriel POIRIER)
Âgé de 23 ans, le brigadier Gabriel POIRIER s''était engagé au 13e régiment de dragons parachutistes à Dieuze en septembre 2006.

09/28/09 AP: Military operation in Afghan west kills 30 Taliban
A U.S. team working with Afghan soldiers swooped in on a militant stronghold in the country''s west, killing at least 30 Taliban fighters, U.S. and Afghan officials said Monday. Elsewhere, a Taliban highway ambush left six truckers dead, and a roadside bomb killed another six Afghans in a crowded van.

09/28/09 MoD: Private James Prosser killed in Afghanistan
Private James Prosser from 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh was killed in Afghanistan, on Sunday 27 September 2009. Private Prosser died as a result of an explosion that happened during a vehicle patrol in Musa Qaleh district, northern Helmand province.

09/28/09 : DoD Identifies Army Casaulty
Spc. Kevin J. Graham, 27, of Benton, Ky., died Sept. 26 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

09/28/09 AP: Taliban ambush truck drivers in eastern Kunar province
On Sunday, Taliban militants ambushed a group of truck drivers in eastern Kunar province, killing six of the drivers and burning their vehicles, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. A seventh truck driver was kidnapped.

09/28/09 Reuters: Civilian killed by foreign troops in northern Kunduz province
One civilian was killed and another wounded when foreign troops working for the NATO-led force fired on their car in northern Kunduz province, police chief Abdul Razzaq Yaqubi said.

09/28/09 Reuters: 2 Taliban killed, 2 Afghan soldiers wounded in clashes in Farah province
Taliban gunmen have attacked an Afghan army convoy in the village of Shewan in western Farah province. So far two Taliban fighters have been killed and two Afghan soldiers have been wounded, a spokesman for the Afghan army said.

09/28/09 Reuters: Roadside bomb kills 6 civilians in Kunar province
Six civilians were killed in a roadside bomb in eastern Kunar province on Sunday, the Interior Ministry said.

09/28/09 Reuters: Taliban hang man they accused of being a government spy in northwestern Badghis province
The Taliban hanged a man they accused of being a government spy in Bala Morghab district of northwestern Badghis province on Saturday, a police spokesman said

09/28/09 AP: Civilians flee Taliban stronghold in NW Pakistan
Hundreds of civilians were fleeing al-Qaida and the Taliban''s main stronghold in northwest Pakistan after the army and militants asked them to leave, a tribal elder and a witness said Monday, a sign the military could be poised to launch an offensive.

09/27/09 WaPo: U.S., Allies Vow Support for Karzai
The United States and NATO countries fighting in Afghanistan have told President Hamid Karzai''s government that they expect him to remain in office for another five-year term and will work with him on an expanded campaign to turn insurgent fighters against the Taliban and other militant groups.
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[Harconen]

Without Bush, media lose interest in war caskets

By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
September 29, 2009
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Without-Bush-media-lose-interest-in-war-caskets-8310113-62427012.html

Remember the controversy over the Pentagon policy of not allowing the press to take pictures of the flag-draped caskets of American war dead as they arrived in the United States? Critics accused President Bush of trying to hide the terrible human cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"These young men and women are heroes," Vice President Biden said in 2004, when he was senator from Delaware. "The idea that they are essentially snuck back into the country under the cover of night so no one can see that their casket has arrived, I just think is wrong."

In April of this year, the Obama administration lifted the press ban, which had been in place since the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Media outlets rushed to cover the first arrival of a fallen U.S. serviceman, and many photographers came back for the second arrival, and then the third.

But after that, the impassioned advocates of showing the true human cost of war grew tired of the story. Fewer and fewer photographers showed up. "It's really fallen off," says Lt. Joe Winter, spokesman for the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where all war dead are received. "The flurry of interest has subsided."

That's an understatement. When the casket bearing Air Force Tech. Sgt. Phillip Myers, of Hopewell, Va., arrived at Dover the night of April 5 -- the first arrival in which press coverage was allowed -- there were representatives of 35 media outlets on hand to cover the story. Two days later, when the body of Army Spc. Israel Candelaria Mejias, of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, arrived, 17 media outlets were there. (All the figures here were provided by the Mortuary Affairs Operations Center.) On subsequent days in April, there were nearly a dozen press organizations on hand to cover arrivals.

Fast forward to today. On Sept. 2, when the casket bearing the body of Marine Lance Cpl. David Hall, of Elyria, Ohio, arrived at Dover, there was just one news outlet -- the Associated Press -- there to record it. The situation was pretty much the same when caskets arrived on Sept. 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 22, 23 and 26. There has been no television coverage at all in September.

The media can cover arrivals only when the family gives its permission. In all the examples above, the families approved, which is more often than not the case; since the policy was changed, according to the Mortuary Affairs Office, 60 percent of families have said yes to full media coverage.

But these days, the press hordes that once descended on Dover are gone, and there's usually just one organization on hand. The Associated Press, which supplies photos to 1,500 U.S. newspapers and 4,000 Web sites, has had a photographer at every arrival for which permission was granted. "It's our belief that this is important, that surely somewhere there is a paper, an audience, a readership, a family and a community for whom this homecoming is indeed news," says Paul Colford, director of media relations for AP. "It's been agreed internally that this is a responsibility for the AP to be there each and every time it is welcome."

Colford says the AP has a photographer who lives within driving distance of Dover and is able to make it to the arrivals, no matter what time of day or night. As for the network news, it's not so simple; a night arrival means overtime pay for a union camera crew. And then there's the question of convenience. "It seems that if the weather is nice, and it's during the day, we get a higher level of media to come down," says Lt. Winter. "But a majority of our transfers occur in the early evening and overnight."

So far this month, 38 American troops have been killed in Afghanistan. For all of 2009, the number is 220 -- more than any other single year and more than died in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 combined.

With casualties mounting, the debate over U.S. policy in Afghanistan is sharp and heated. The number of arrivals at Dover is increasing. But the journalists who once clamored to show the true human cost of war are nowhere to be found.

Byron York, The Examiner's chief political correspondent, can be contacted at byork@washingtonexaminer.com. His column appears on Tuesday and Friday, and his stories and blog posts appears on ExaminerPolitics.com. He can be followed on Twitter at ByronYork.

[Harconen]

The lying game: how we are prepared for another war of aggression

John Pilger
JohnPilger.com
Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:49 EDT
http://www.johnpilger.com/page.asp?partid=549

In 2001, the Observer in London published a series of reports that claimed an "Iraqi connection" to al-Qaeda, even describing the base in Iraq where the training of terrorists took place and a facility where anthrax was being manufactured as a weapon of mass destruction. It was all false. Supplied by US intelligence and Iraqi exiles, planted stories in the British and US media helped George Bush and Tony Blair to launch an illegal invasion which caused, according to the most recent study, 1.3 million deaths.

Something similar is happening over Iran: the same syncopation of government and media "revelations", the same manufacture of a sense of crisis. "Showdown looms with Iran over secret nuclear plant", declared the Guardian on 26 September. "Showdown" is the theme. High noon. The clock ticking. Good versus evil. Add a smooth new US president who has "put paid to the Bush years". An immediate echo is the notorious Guardian front page of 22 May 2007: "Iran's secret plan for summer offensive to force US out of Iraq". Based on unsubstantiated claims by the Pentagon, the writer Simon Tisdall presented as fact an Iranian "plan" to wage war on, and defeat, US forces in Iraq by September of that year - a demonstrable falsehood for which there has been no retraction.

The official jargon for this kind of propaganda is "psy-ops", the military term for psychological operations. In the Pentagon and Whitehall, it has become a critical component of a diplomatic and military campaign to blockade, isolate and weaken Iran by hyping its "nuclear threat": a phrase now used incessantly by Barack Obama and Gordon Brown, and parroted by the BBC and other broadcasters as objective news. And it is fake.

On 16 September, Newsweek disclosed that the major US intelligence agencies had reported to the White House that Iran's "nuclear status" had not changed since the National Intelligence Estimate of November 2007, which stated with "high confidence" that Iran had halted in 2003 the programme it was alleged to have developed. The International Atomic Energy Agency has backed this, time and again.

The current propaganda-as-news derives from Obama's announcement that the US is scrapping missiles stationed on Russia's border. This serves to cover the fact that the number of US missile sites is actually expanding in Europe and the "redundant" missiles are being redeployed on ships. The game is to mollify Russia into joining, or not obstructing, the US campaign against Iran. "President Bush was right," said Obama, "that Iran's ballistic missile programme poses a significant threat [to Europe and the US]." That Iran would contemplate a suicidal attack on the US is preposterous. The threat, as ever, is one-way, with the world's superpower virtually ensconced on Iran's borders.

Iran's crime is its independence. Having thrown out America's favourite tyrant, Shah Reza Pahlavi, Iran remains the only resource-rich Muslim state beyond US control. As only Israel has a "right to exist" in the Middle East, the US goal is to cripple the Islamic Republic. This will allow Israel to divide and dominate the region on Washington's behalf, undeterred by a confident neighbour. If any country in the world has been handed urgent cause to develop a nuclear "deterrence", it is Iran.

As one of the original signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has been a consistent advocate of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East. In contrast, Israel has never agreed to an IAEA inspection, and its nuclear weapons plant at Dimona remains an open secret. Armed with as many as 200 active nuclear warheads, Israel "deplores" UN resolutions calling on it to sign the NPT, just as it deplored the recent UN report charging it with crimes against humanity in Gaza, just as it maintains a world record for violations of international law. It gets away with this because great power grants it immunity.

Obama's "showdown" with Iran has another agenda. On both sides of the Atlantic the media have been tasked with preparing the public for endless war. The US/Nato commander General Stanley McChrystal says 500,000 troops will be required in Afghanistan over five years, according to America's NBC. The goal is control of the "strategic prize" of the gas and oilfields of the Caspian Sea, central Asia, the Gulf and Iran - in other words, Eurasia. But the war is opposed by 69 per cent of the British public, 57 per cent of the US public and almost every other human being. Convincing "us" that Iran is the new demon will not be easy. McChrystal's spurious claim that Iran "is reportedly training fighters for certain Taliban groups" is as desperate as Brown's pathetic echo of "a line in the sand".

During the Bush years, according to the great whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, a military coup took place in the US, and the Pentagon is now ascendant in every area of American foreign policy. A measure of its control is the number of wars of aggression being waged simultaneously and the adoption of a "first-strike" doctrine that has lowered the threshold on nuclear weapons, together with the blurring of the distinction between nuclear and conventional weapons.

All this mocks Obama's media rhetoric about "a world without nuclear weapons". In fact, he is the Pentagon's most important acquisition. His acquiescence with its demand that he keep on Bush's secretary of "defence" and arch war-maker, Robert Gates, is unique in US history. He has proved his worth with escalated wars from south Asia to the Horn of Africa. Like Bush's America, Obama's America is run by some very dangerous people. We have a right to be warned. When will those paid to keep the record straight do their job?

[Harconen]

When in Doubt, Keep Killing

Norman Solomon
Huffington Post
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:46 EDT
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23608.htm

October 2009 has begun with the New York Times reporting that "the president, vice president and an array of cabinet secretaries, intelligence chiefs, generals, diplomats and advisers gathered in a windowless basement room of the White House for three hours on Wednesday to chart a new course in Afghanistan."

As this month begins the ninth year of the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan, "windowless" seems to be an apt metaphor. The structure of thought and the range of options being debated in Washington's high places are notably insular. The "new course" will be a permutation of the present course.

While certainty is lacking, steely resolve is evident. An unspoken mantra remains in effect: When in doubt, keep killing. The knotty question is: Exactly who and how?

News accounts are filled with stories about options that mix "counterinsurgency" with "counterterrorism." The thicker the jargon in Washington, the louder the erudite tunes from the latest best and brightest -- whistling past graveyards, to be filled by people far away.

In the White House, there's no indication of a pane that's facing the pain in Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world, where the U.S. government continues to bring gifts: a dollar's worth of warfare for a dime's worth of everything else.

The letter was neatly printed with a blue pen. "I've been fed up and damaged," it said. "My hope is that from you and all entrepreneurs and all who have compassion, I respectfully ask you to help me for God's sake. I'm downtrodden. I hope you understand my situation."

The situation, living in a squalid camp for refugees in Kabul, was desperate. "I am Sayed Ali -- from Geresh district of Helmand province."

Moments after handing me the letter, he grabbed it out of my hands. A controlled rage flooded his voice. Pashto words cascaded, and a translator tried to keep up.

Sayed Ali said that he'd given other letters to officials and nothing changed. Month after month in this forsaken camp, little more than ditches and improvised tents.

Two weeks later, in mid-September, I met with a few staffers and members of Congress; some of the most progressive on Capitol Hill. But when I talked about the refugees I saw in Kabul -- many of them homeless because of U.S. bombing in southern Afghanistan -- the discussion couldn't seem to get anywhere.

In the air was an unspoken message: Desperate refugees are routine in war. That's the way it is.

Washington doesn't recognize Sayed Ali, with his suffering and his smoldering rage, or other Afghans in similar predicaments. An unspoken calculus in Washington figures that we owe them next to nothing. It's a matter of priorities, you know.

Yes, there are plenty of photo ops and news reports on U.S. aid projects, happening in tandem with Army and Marines military maneuvers. But what's budgeted to help rebuild Afghanistan is paltry compared to what's spent on making war there.

"We proclaim moral principles when justifying our actions, but we wreak havoc and destruction on a backward, ancient world we do not understand," retired U.S. Army colonel and author Douglas Macgregor wrote in Defense News on September 28. He added: "Our troops are not anthropologists or sociologists, they are soldiers and Marines who have been sent to impose America's will on backward societies. The result is mutual hatred -- not everywhere, but in enough places to feed what American military leaders like to call an 'insurgency' . . ."

U.S. media and politics are now awash in talk about getting smarter and shrewder in Afghanistan. The idea of setting a country right while waging war is a popular Washington fantasy. What it has to do with reality is another matter.

"I don't want any foreigners building roads or big buildings for me when I am cleaning blood from my home," a shopkeeper in Helmand province, Haji Dawood Khan, told a Financial Times reporter in late September. The newspaper quoted a businessman from Kandahar province, Mohammad Karigar, who said: "The more foreign troops there are, the more people will hate them."

In Washington, few politicians or journalists mention that 90 percent of the U.S. government's current spending in Afghanistan is for military operations.

There was plenty of money to pay for bombing Sayed Ali's neighborhood in Helmand province, but there's no money to ease his current desperation.

Sayed Ali is speaking for countless other people: "I respectfully ask you to help me for God's sake."

More than eight months have passed since the inaugural speech when Barack Obama told foreign leaders: "Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy." And so President Obama will be judged.

[Harconen]

A Truly Shocking Guantanamo Story: Judge Confirms That an Innocent Man Was Tortured to Make False Confessions

Andy Worthington
The Huffington Post
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:00 EDT
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-worthington/a-truly-shocking-guantana_b_305227.html

In four years of researching and writing about Guantánamo, I have become used to uncovering shocking information, but for sheer cynicism, I am struggling to think of anything that compares to the revelations contained in the unclassified ruling in the habeas corpus petition of Fouad al-Rabiah, a Kuwaiti prisoner whose release was ordered last week by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly (PDF http://www.pillsburylaw.com/siteFiles/News/1259B22146574C540A8871C2C3131CA2.pdf ). In the ruling, to put it bluntly, it was revealed that the U.S. government tortured an innocent man to extract false confessions and then threatened him until he obligingly repeated those lies as though they were the truth.

The background: lies hidden in plain sight for five years

To establish the background to this story, it is necessary for me to return to my initial response to the ruling a week last Friday, before these revelations had been made public, when, based on what I knew of the case from the publicly available documents, I explained that I was disappointed that the Obama administration had pursued a case against al-Rabiah, alleging that he was a fundraiser for Osama bin Laden and had run a supply depot for al-Qaeda in Afghanistan's Tora Bora mountains, for two particular reasons.

The first was because a CIA analyst had interviewed al-Rabiah at Guantánamo in the summer of 2002 and had concluded that he was an innocent man caught at the wrong time and in the wrong place; and the second was because, although al-Rabiah had said that he had met bin Laden and had been present in the Tora Bora mountains, he had provided an innocent explanation for both occurrences. He had, he said, been introduced to bin Laden on a trip to Afghanistan to investigate proposals for a humanitarian aid mission, and he had been at Tora Bora -- and compelled to man a supply depot -- because he was one of numerous civilians caught up with soldiers of al-Qaeda and the Taliban as he tried to flee the chaos of Afghanistan for Pakistan, and had been compelled to run the depot by a senior figure in al-Qaeda.

These appeared to be valid explanations, especially as al-Rabiah, a 42-year old father of four children, had no history of any involvement with militancy or terrorism, and had, instead, spent 20 years at a management desk job at Kuwait Airways, and had an ownership interest in some health clubs. Moreover, he had a history of legitimate refugee relief work, having taken a six month approved leave of absence from work in 1994-95 to do relief work in Bosnia, having visited Kosovo with the Kuwaiti Red Crescent in 1998, and having made a trip to Bangladesh in 2000 to delivery kidney dialysis fluid to a hospital in the capital, Dhaka.

As a result, it appeared to me a week last Friday that Judge Kollar-Kotelly granted al-Rabiah's habeas petition because neither his meeting with bin Laden nor his presence in Tora Bora indicated that he was either a member of, or had supported al-Qaeda or the Taliban.

However, now that Judge Kollar-Kotelly's ruling has been issued, I realize that the account given by al-Rabiah during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal at Guantánamo in 2004 -- on which I based my account of his activities -- was a tissue of lies, and that the truth, hidden for over six years, is that, like torture victims groomed for show trials throughout the centuries, he made up false stories under torture, and repeated them obediently, fearing further punishment and having been convinced that he would never leave Guantánamo by any other means.

An introduction to the torture revelations, and an endorsement of al-Rabiah's explanations about his time in Afghanistan

In her ruling, Judge Kollar-Kotelly methodically dissected the government's case to reveal the chilling truth. After noting, initially, that the "evidentiary record" was "surprisingly bare," because the government "has withdrawn its reliance on most of the evidence and allegations that were once asserted against al-Rabiah, and now relies almost exclusively on al-Rabiah's 'confessions' to certain conduct," she added, with a palpable sense of disbelief:

    Not only did al-Rabiah's interrogators repeatedly conclude that these same confessions were not believable -- which al-Rabiah's counsel attributes to abuse and coercion, some of which is supported by the record -- but it is also undisputed that al-Rabiah confessed to information that his interrogators obtained from either alleged eyewitnesses who are not credible and as to whom the Government has now largely withdrawn any reliance, or from sources that never even existed ... If there exists a basis for al-Rabiah's indefinite detention, it most certainly has not been presented to this Court.

In dealing with al-Rabiah's background, and his reasons for traveling to Afghanistan, Judge Kollar-Kotelly was required to consider his own assertion that, after a preliminary ten-day visit in July 2001 to identify areas where humanitarian aid might be delivered, he returned in October 2001 "to complete a fact-finding mission related to Afghanistan's refugee problems and the country's non-existent medical infrastructure," against the government's claim that he was "'not an aspiring aid worker caught up in the front lines of the United States war against al-Qaeda' but instead was someone who traveled to Afghanistan in October 2001 as a 'devotee of Osama bin Laden who ran to bin Laden's side after September 11th.'"

Concluding that "The evidence in the record strongly supports al-Rabiah's explanation," Judge Kollar-Kotelly noted that he had officially requested leave prior to his departure, and quoted from two letters sent to his family. In the first, on October 18, 2001, he explained that "for ten days he assisted with the delivery of supplies to refugees and that he was able to take video 'reflecting the tragedy of the refugees,' but that he was unable to leave Afghanistan through Iran (the route he took to enter the country) because the borders had been closed." As a result, he "wrote in his letter that he and an unspecified number of other persons decided 'to drive four trucks to Pakistan making our way to Peshawar,'" and he also asked his brother to notify his boss at Kuwait Airlines that he was having difficulties returning to Kuwait on time.

After noting that "The evidence in the record establishes that al-Rabiah did, in fact, travel across Afghanistan towards Peshawar, ultimately getting captured (unarmed) by villagers outside of Jalalabad ... on approximately December 25, 2001" (with Maher al-Quwari, a Palestinian who also ended up in Guantánamo), Judge Kollar-Kotelly quoted from a second letter sent to his family, in which -- ironically, in light of what was to come -- he wrote that he was "detained by the American troops and thanks to God they are good example of humanitarian behavior." He added that he was "detained pending verification of [his] identity and personality," and that the "investigation and verification procedures may last for a long time due to the great number of detained Arabs and other persons" who had been fleeing the situation in Afghanistan, which "turned upside down between one day and night and every Arab citizen has become a suspect."

Discrediting the government's unreliable witnesses

Moving on to the government's key allegations -- about Osama bin Laden and Tora Bora -- Judge Kollar-Kotelly dismissed the allegations regarding al-Rabiah's supposed activities in Tora Bora, which were made by another prisoner who claimed that he "was told that al-Rabiah was in charge of supplies at Tora Bora," by noting that, "Although his allegations are filled with inconsistencies and implausibilities, the Government continues to rely on him as an eyewitness." She also noted that, although the witness had identified al-Rabiah as the man under discussion, from his kunya (nickname), Abu Abdullah al-Kuwaiti, the government had conceded that another Abu Abdullah al-Kuwaiti, an actual al-Qaeda operative named Hadi El-Enazi, was present in Tora Bora, and also noted that an interrogator had expressed doubt about the supposed eyewitness at the time (much of the ruling is redacted, but this seemed to involve a claim that al-Rabiah's oldest son was with him in Afghanistan, when this was demonstrably not the case).

Judge Kollar-Kotelly also dismissed two other sets of allegations by the supposed eyewitness. Noting further "inconsistencies and impossibilities" in his accounts, she stated that "the Court has little difficulty concluding that [his] allegations are not credible," and explained that, to reach this conclusion, she had also drawn on statements provided by al-Rabiah's lawyers, which further undermined his reliability, "based on, among other things, undisputed inconsistencies associated with his allegations against other detainees," and his medical records, which obviously indicated mental health problems (although the description was redacted). "At a minimum," she added, "the Government would have had to corroborate [his] allegations with credible and reliable evidence, which it has not done."

Osama bin Laden, it then transpired, appeared in allegations made by a second prisoner, who "alleged that al-Rabiah attended a feast hosted by Osama bin Laden," where he "presented bin Laden with a suitcase full of money." This source also alleged that al-Rabiah "served in various fighting capacities in the Tora Bora mountains," and that he "funneled money to mujahadeen in Bosnia in 1995."

After noting that the government had dropped "almost all" of these allegations, except for the one relating to Bosnia, Judge Kollar-Kotelly stated, witheringly, "the only consistency with respect to [these] allegations is that they repeatedly change over time." For particular condemnation, she singled out one claim that the feast had taken place in August 2001 (when al-Rabiah was in Kuwait, before his return to Afghanistan in October 2001), among other more outlandish claims, including an absurd allegation that al-Rabiah had trained the 9/11 hijackers.

As with the first supposed eyewitness, Judge Kollar-Kotelly noted that there were "multiple exhibits in the record demonstrating [his] unreliability as a witness" (although, sadly, the exact number of prisoners against whom he had made verifiably false allegations was redacted), and concluded that, although the many "inconsistencies and impossibilities" in his statements "raise, at a minimum, a serious question about [his] mental capacity to accurately make allegations against al-Rabiah," the government "did not address them at the Merits Hearing" in August.

After dismissing a third supposed eyewitness, because he had withdrawn his allegation (which was redacted) several months after making it, Judge Kollar-Kotelly dismissed a fourth, even though it was "undisputed" that al-Rabiah actually had contact with him in Afghanistan. Despite redactions, it seems that this man was Maher al-Quwari, and that his statement involved second-hand hearsay about al-Rabiah being seen with a gun. While this was sufficiently weak for the judge not to accept it without further corroboration, she also made a point of discounting it because the supposed witness only "made this allegation while he was undergoing a cell relocation program at Guantánamo called the 'frequent flier program,' which prevented a detainee such as [redacted] from resting due to frequent cell movements."

While the description of a "cell relocation program" sounds relatively benign, Judge Kollar-Kotelly made a point of noting that it was, in fact, a program of sleep deprivation, adding that, "According to a report published by the Senate Armed Services Committee concerning the treatment of detainees in United States custody, sleep deprivation was not a technique that was authorized by the Army Field Manual." Although she also noted that "sleep deprivation became authorized at Guantánamo by the Secretary of Defense on April 16, 2003, the guidance issued by the Commander of USSOUTHCOM on June 2, 2003 prohibited the use of sleep deprivation for more than 'four days in succession,'" whereas the supposed witness's "allegation against al-Rabiah was made after one week of sleep deprivation in the program, and he did not repeat this allegation either before or after the program."


False confessions obtained through torture

Despite ruling out all of the government's supposed eyewitnesses, and noting that the government had withdrawn "most of its reliance on these witnesses" by the time of the Merits Hearing, Judge Kollar-Kotelly added that "it is very significant that al-Rabiah's interrogators apparently believed these allegations at the time they were made, and therefore sought to have al-Rabiah confess to them" -- despite the well-chronicled unreliability of the first two supposed witnesses, the withdrawing of the statement made by the third, and the fact, easily perceived by the judge, that the fourth made his statement only after being subjected to sleep deprivation that exceeded established guidelines and that was, therefore, not only unreliable, but also abusive.

The judge also noted the significance of the evidence in the record indicating that al-Rabiah "subsequently confided in interrogators [redacted] that he was being pressured to falsely confess to the allegations discussed above," and also the significance of the fact that, although "al-Rabiah's interrogators ultimately extracted confessions from him," they "never believed his confessions based on the comments they included in their interrogation reports."

After noting -- again with a palpable sense of incredulity -- that "These are the confessions that the Government now asks the Court to accept as evidence in this case," Judge Kollar-Kotelly proceeded to demolish them all, breaking them down into three periods: the first, when "there were no allegations directed toward al-Rabiah and al-Rabiah provided no confessions"; the second, when the supposed eyewitnesses "made their now-discredited allegations and al-Rabiah was told of the allegations against him, but al-Rabiah nevertheless made no confessions"; and the third (which, shockingly, continued "until the present"), when "al-Rabiah confessed to the now-discredited allegations against him, as well as to other 'evidence' that interrogators told him they possessed, when, in fact, such evidence did not exist."

In the first phase, Judge Kollar-Kotelly noted that there was no indication "that interrogators believed al-Rabiah had engaged in any conduct that made him lawfully detainable," and explained that, "To the contrary, the evidence in the record during this period consists mainly of an assessment made by an intelligence analyst that al-Rabiah should not have been detained." As discussed in my previous article, this analyst was "a senior CIA intelligence analyst, who, almost uniquely, was also an Arabic expert," but although I wrote that "it amaze[d] me that no one in the Justice Department, under President Obama, investigated the CIA analyst's report," the truth, as revealed in the unclassified ruling, is even bleaker.

It transpires that Justice Department officials had read the report, but tried to discredit the analyst's verdict, "arguing that it represented the opinion of only one analyst," ignoring his well-chronicled expertise, and obliging the judge to point out that, "according to the Government's own evidence, 'ntelligence analysts undergo rigorous tradecraft training [and] employ specific analytical tools to assist them in sorting and organizing various pieces of information," and are also "trained to recognize and mitigate biases, not only in the information presented to them, but their own cognitive biases as well."

In the second phase, despite extensive redactions to the ruling, it is clear that al-Rabiah was repeatedly interrogated, although he "express[ed] frustration to FBI agents that he was repeatedly asked, among other questions, whether he had ever seen Osama bin Laden, and remark[ed] that his answer was 'no' and would continue to remain 'no.'" What happened next, in a "new three-pronged approach," is unknown, as the details are severely redacted, but it "did not result in any confessions. Al-Rabiah repeatedly denied the allegations against him."

After this, apparently following some kind of advice given to the lead interrogator (by an unknown party whose identity and suggestions were redacted), the interrogators "began using more aggressive interrogation tactics." Again, the details are redacted, but enough information is available from passages that were not redacted earlier in the ruling to indicate that these "tactics" included sleep deprivation (the "frequent flier program"), which, as I explained in my previous article, led three British men released in March 2004 -- the so-called "Tipton Three," whose story was dramatized in the film "The Road To Guantánamo" -- to explain that al-Rabiah was moved every two hours, over an unspecified period of time (but one that clearly exceeded the four-day recommendation by a substantial margin), leaving him "suffering from serious depression, losing weight in a substantial way, and very stressed because of the constant moves, deprived of sleep and seriously worried about the consequences for his children."

Possibly in reference to the use of sleep deprivation (although it could also have been another "enhanced interrogation technique"), Judge Kollar-Kotelly explained that, "Once it became authorized, it could not be used on a detainee until 'the SOUTHCOM Commander ma[de] a determination of "military necessity" and notif[ied] the Secretary [of Defense] in advance' of its use," and also made a point of noting that "the Government was unable to produce any evidence that [the interrogator] obtained authorization to use the [redacted] technique with al-Rabiah despite requests by the Court at the Merits Hearing for such evidence."

Although the other techniques are not described, they undoubtedly included some or all of the following -- prolonged isolation, the use of extreme heat and cold, short-shackling in painful stress positions, forced nudity, forced grooming, religious and sexual humiliation, and the use of loud music and noise -- because this whole package of techniques, including sleep deprivation, was approved for use at the highest levels of the Bush administration, as a senate committee explained in the detailed report in April this year that was cited by the judge (PDF). The program was based on reverse engineering techniques taught in U.S. military schools (the SERE program -- Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) to train recruits to resist interrogation if captured by enemy forces.

These techniques were acknowledged to be illegal and, moreover, were intended to produce false confessions, but this did not prevent senior Bush officials from pushing for their implementation, and, in al-Rabiah's case, they duly led to his conversion from an innocent man who refused to falsely confess to allegations produced by unreliable witnesses into a modern-day version of the victims of the Spanish Inquisition, the seventeenth century "witches" of Salem and elsewhere, the victims of Stalin's show trials, or the captured U.S. pilots on whom the North Koreans had practiced the techniques adopted by the SERE schools: a broken man prepared not only to falsely confess to any lies put before him, but also prepared to learn these confessions and repeat them as his masters saw fit.

As the ruling makes clear, between redactions, "The following day marked a turning point in al-Rabiah's interrogations," and "From that point forward, al-Rabiah confessed to the allegations that interrogators described to him." Despite the extensive redactions, the following passage from the ruling makes clear the full horror of his confessions:

    Al-Rabiah's confessions all follow the same pattern: Interrogators first explain to al-Rabiah the "evidence" they have in their possession (and that, at the time, they likely believed to be true). Al-Rabiah then requests time to pray (or to think more about the evidence) before making a "full" confession. Finally, after a period of time, al-Rabiah provides a fill confession to the evidence through elaborate and incredible explanations that the interrogators themselves do not believe. This pattern began with his confession that he met with Osama bin Laden, continued with his confession that he undertook a leadership role in Tora Bora, and repeated itself multiple other times with respect to "evidence" that the Government has not even attempted to rely on as reliable or credible.

In the following pages of the ruling, which are again fill of redactions, it is nevertheless possible to glimpse the progress of this game that was not only grim and cynical, but also potentially deadly (because, as a prisoner put forward for a trial by Military Commission, it was always possible that the government would have pressed for the death sentence had al-Rabiah been convicted).

For page after page the distressing truth peeks out: al-Rabiah "did not know what to admit" when his interrogators explained that his "full confession did not incorporate a description concerning a suitcase full of money that he allegedly gave bin Laden"; they "began to question the truthfulness of his confessions almost immediately"; they "began 'grilling' al-Rabiah concerning [redacted]"; al-Rabiah "was interrogated [redacted] during which he made a full confession regarding his activities at Tora Bora"; interrogators "pressed for additional details concerning Tora Bora"; they "became increasingly convinced that his confessions [redacted]"; they "concluded in one interrogation report [redacted]"; "One week later, his interrogator concluded [redacted]"; "After several additional interrogation sessions, al-Rabiah's interrogators concluded simply [redacted]."

Readers can fill in the gaps through the judge's response to the redacted passages. "Incredibly," she wrote, "these are the confessions that the Government has asked the Court to accept as truthful in this case."

Al-Rabiah explains his cooperation with the interrogators; threats and punishment described

Judge Kollar-Kotelly then dismissed further allegations, which again, were mostly redacted but included the following ironic gem: "The Government has not even attempted to explain how someone with no known connection to al-Wafa [a Saudi charity regarded, during Guantánamo's "witch-hunt" phase, with particular suspicion] and who had never even been to Afghanistan longer than a few weeks could ascend to such an honored position, and no credible explanation is contained in the record."

She then moved on to al-Rabiah's own explanations of how he came to make false confessions, noting that he had stated that, shortly after his arrival at Guantánamo, "a senior [redacted] interrogator came to me and said, 'There is nothing against you. But there is no innocent person here. So, you should confess to something so you can be charged and sentenced and serve your sentence and then go back to your family and country, because you will not leave this place innocent."

This is deeply disturbing, of course, as it indicates that at least one senior interrogator recognized that the Bush administration's refusal to recognize that there were innocent men at Guantánamo -- and it has been clear for many years that hundreds of innocent men were held, who had no connection whatsoever to any form of militancy, let alone terrorism -- had set in motion a system in which, whether voluntarily or not, all the innocent men at Guantánamo were expected to make false confessions, either so that they could continue to be labeled as "enemy combatants" on release, to maintain the illusion that Guantánamo was full of "the worst of the worst," or, as in al-Rabiah's case, so that they could be tricked and transformed into terrorist sympathizers and facilitators.

For some (and it has been confirmed by a former interrogator that at least 100 prisoners in Guantánamo were subjected to SERE-derived "enhanced interrogation"), confessions clearly came easily, and without the use of abuse or torture, but for others, including al-Rabiah, "pressure" was involved. Judge Kollar-Kotelly drew on a declaration from March this year, in which he explained that his confessions arose out of "scenarios offered ... by [his] interrogators ... which [he] believed to be the story they wanted [him] to tell and which [he] felt pressured to adopt" (emphasis added). As he also explained:

    [M]y interrogators told me they knew I had met with Osama bin Laden, that other detainees had said I met with Osama bin Laden, that there was nothing wrong with simply meeting Osama bin Laden, and that I should admit meeting him so I could be sent home ... In about August 2004, shortly before my CSRT hearing [the tribunal at which al-Rabiah repeated his approved confessions in detail], my interrogators told me the CSRT was just a show that would allow the United States to "save face." My interrogators told me no one leaves Guantánamo innocent, and told me I would be sent home to Kuwait if I "admitted" some of the false things I had said in my interrogations. The interrogators also told me that I would never go home again if I denied these things, because the United States government would never admit I had been wrongly held.

In a key passage, he spelled out what being "pressured" meant. As the judge explained, he stated that "he made his confessions to reduce the abuse meted out by his interrogators 'to obtain confessions that suited what [they] thought they knew or what they wanted [him] to say.' He maintained his confessions over time because 'the interrogators would continue to abuse me anytime I attempted to repudiate any of these false allegations.'" As she also noted:

    There is substantial evidence in the record supporting al-Rabiah's claims. The record is replete with examples of al-Rabiah's interrogators emphasizing a stark dichotomy -- if he confessed to the allegations against him, his case would be turned over to [redacted] so that he could return to Kuwait; if he did not confess, he would not return to Kuwait, and his life would become increasingly miserable.

Through the veil of redactions, it is clear that al-Rabiah attempted, on more than one occasion, to withdraw his confessions, but that his interrogators threatened to withdraw something (food? comfort items?) as a result, and Judge Kollar-Kotelly also noted that punishment, as well as the threat of punishment, was meted out to him. "The record," she wrote, "also supports al-Rabiah's claims that he was punished for recanting." Examples provided by the judge were redacted, but the following passage, in which she discussed further abuse as a result of the interrogators' frustrations regarding al-Rabiah's inability to invent a coherent false narrative, was not. She wrote:

    The record contains evidence that al-Rabiah's interrogators became increasingly frustrated because his confessions contained numerous inconsistencies or implausibilities. As a result, al-Rabiah's interrogators began using abusive techniques that violated the Army Field Manual and the 1949 Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War. The first of these techniques included threats of rendition to places where al-Rabiah would either be tortured and/or would never be found.

These threats were made on at least four occasions, and, as the judge explained, "were also reinforced by placing al-Rabiah into the frequent flier program," discussed above. It is also apparent that the threats continued throughout this period, as the judge also noted that "al-Rabiah's interrogators continued to threaten him [redacted]."

After making a point that, as explained in the Army Field Manual, "prohibited techniques [are] not necessary to gain the cooperation of interrogation sources," and, in fact, that the use of these methods is likely to "yield unreliable results, may damage subsequent collection efforts, and can induce the source to say what he thinks the interrogator wants to hear," Judge Kollar-Kotelly added that, "Underscoring the impropriety of these techniques is the fact that [redacted], al-Rabiah's lead interrogator, was disciplined for making similar threats during the same period toward a Guantánamo detainee who was also one of the alleged eyewitnesses against al-Rabiah ... for which he was disciplined" (the details, predictably, were redacted).

Judge Kollar-Kotelly's devastating conclusions

Judge Kollar-Kotelly added, pointedly, "These abusive techniques did not result in any additional confessions from al-Rabiah, although he continued to parrot his previous confessions with varying degrees of consistency," and then reached her devastating conclusion:

    The Court agrees with the assessment of al-Rabiah's interrogators, as well as al-Rabiah's counsel in this case, that al-Rabiah's confessions are not credible. Even beyond the countless inconsistencies associated with his confessions that interrogators identified throughout his years of detention, the confessions are also entirely incredible. The evidence in the record reflects that, in 2001, al-Rabiah was a 43 year old who was overweight, suffered from health problems, and had no known history of terrorist activities or links to terrorist activities. He had no military experience except for two weeks of compulsory basic training in Kuwait, after which he received a medical exemption. He had never traveled to Afghanistan prior to 2001. Given these facts, it defied logic that in October 2001, after completing a two-week leave form at Kuwait Airlines where he had worked for twenty years, al-Rabiah traveled to Tora Bora and began telling senior al-Qaeda leaders how they should organize their supplies in a six square mile mountain complex that he had never previously seen and that was occupied by people whom he had never met, while at the same time acting as a supply logistician and mediator of disputes that arose among various fighting factions.

It remained only for Judge Kollar-Kotelly to replay some of the more obvious discrepancies in al-Rabiah's "confessions" to demolish the government's claims that they should be accepted as "reliable and credible," and to refute the government's argument that, "even if al-Rabiah's confessions in 2003 were the product of abuse or coercion ... the taint ... would have dissipated" by the time of his CSRT in 2004, when he provided the painstakingly detailed and superficially plausible false confession that was the only publicly available account of his activities until Judge Kollar-Kotelly's ruling was released.

Taking exception to the government's argument "for both factual and legal reasons," the judge took particular note of the role played by al-Rabiah's lead interrogator, "who extracted al-Rabiah's confessions and punished his recantations," noting that he "continued to make 'appearances' at al-Rabiah's interrogations at least as late as [redacted] -- after al-Rabiah's testimony in his CSRT proceedings." She also explained, "Such 'appearances' appear to have been terrifying events for al-Rabiah given the description included in a [redacted] interrogation report" (the details of which were, again, redacted).

On a legal basis, she dismissed the government's argument by explaining that, although "it is certainly true in the criminal context that coerced confessions do not necessarily render subsequent confessions inadmissible because the coercion can be found to have dissipated," there needs to be evidence of "a 'clean break' between the coercion and the later confessions," which is simply not available in al-Rabiah's case. "If anything," she concluded, "the evidence suggests that there was not a 'clean break' between the coercion and his later statements because there is evidence that [redacted] continued to appear at al-Rabiah's interrogation sessions through at least September 2004" (the date redacted in the paragraph above).

As a final stab at the government, she mentioned a statement made by al-Rabiah in May 2005, and submitted to his first annual Administrative Review Board (the military panels that reviewed the bases for prisoners' ongoing detention), which had not surfaced until the Merits Hearing, in which al-Rabiah attempted to set the record straight, "recant[ing] all of his previous confessions with the sole exception of one admission that he saw [but did not meet] Osama bin Laden during his July 2001 trip to Afghanistan."

After dealing with a few more ingenious but flawed claims by the government, it remained only for Judge Kollar-Kotelly to recap the whole sorry saga, and to deliver the final words to restore Fouad al-Rabiah's liberty:

    During the merits Hearing, the Government expressly relied on "Occam's Razor," a scientific and philosophic rule suggesting that the simplest of competing explanations is preferred to the more complex ... The Government's simple explanation for the evidence in this case is that al-Rabiah made confessions that the Court should accept as true. The simple response is that the Court does not accept confessions that even the Government's own interrogators did not believe. The writ of habeas corpus shall issue.

Final words

Judge Kollar-Kotelly's ruling will, hopefully, be recalled in years to come as one of the most significant examples of a judge attempting to redress some of the most egregious injustices perpetrated in Guantánamo's long, dark history. The shocking sub-text to this story is that al-Rabiah is not the only prisoner to have been brutalized into making false confessions, and then being required to repeat them. Ahmed al-Darbi, a Saudi put forward for a trial by Military Commission, made similar claims in a statement posted here, and, as I mentioned above, it is also clear that SERE-derived "enhanced interrogation techniques" were applied to at least 100 prisoners in Guantánamo between 2002 and 2004, above and beyond those like Mohammed al-Qahtani and Mohamedou Ould Slahi, whose stories are well-known. Many of these men -- all the Europeans, other Arabs who had the misfortune to speak good English or to have visited the United States -- have been released, their false confessions (like those made by the "Tipton Three" after months of abuse, before their lawyers proved one of them was working in a shop in England when he was supposedly videotaped at a training camp) filed away, used to justify their lifelong label as "enemy combatants," but not leading, as with Fouad al-Rabiah, to a court appearance where the supposed evidence will ever be tested.

Al-Rabiah was fortunate to meet a judge with an inquiring and diligent mind, and an acute awareness of the many problems with the gathering and interpretation of information at Guantánamo, but others have not yet had an opportunity to do the same, and although further habeas petitions are forthcoming, and others are scheduled to face either trials by Military Commission or federal court trials, where similar patterns of false allegations followed by torture and false confessions may be detected, it troubles me that the 50 or so prisoners identified by officials last week as being candidates for indefinite detention -- described by the New York Times as those who "are a continuing danger to national security but who cannot be brought to trial for various reasons, like evidence tainted by harsh interrogations" -- may also have been caught up in a cynical cycle of false allegations, torture and false confessions.

As David Cynamon, one of Fouad al-Rabiah's attorneys, explained to me in an email exchange:

    To date, the debate about torture in the U.S. has been skewed by the fact that the admitted victims of torture are also admitted al-Qaeda leaders, like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. This gives the Cheneys and Wall Street Journal types the argument that torture was justified to get valuable information from these hardened terrorists. I know this argument is wrong, but it's being made, with some effect. But what happens when you declare the Geneva Conventions "quaint," and lift all limits, is that pretty quickly the abusive interrogation techniques are not being limited to the KSMs but are being applied to innocent prisoners like Fouad al-Rabiah, who have no valuable intelligence because they have no connection with al-Qaeda or the Taliban. Instead, they are tortured in support of a cynical and misguided dictum that there can be no innocent men in Guantánamo.

    It is hard to believe that the U.S. could ever have sunk so low. And that the new Administration is keeping us down there. The Obama Department of Justice, with Attorney General Holder piously proclaiming that this Administration repudiates torture, and follows the rule of law, in fact is following the Bush playbook to the letter. In this case, the DoJ defended the abusive and coercive interrogation techniques used against Fouad. Thank God, though, that we have an independent judiciary. The importance of the writ of habeas corpus and independent judges has never been more clear.

Andy Worthington is the author of The Guantánamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America's Illegal Prison (published by Pluto Press), and maintains a blog here.

[Harconen]

It's Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran Time

Pepe Escobar
Asia Times
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:59 EDT
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KJ01Ak01.html

The United States and Western "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" crowd -- hysteria running at fever pitch ahead of Thursday's multilateral nuclear talks in Geneva -- could do worse than have a word with Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.

Lula actually talked to Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad face-to-face for over an hour on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last week. He invited Ahmadinejad to visit Brazil in November. About the meeting, he went straight to the point, "What I wish for Iran is what I always wanted for Brazil -- a peaceful, civilian nuclear program."

Lula is an island of common sense in an ocean of hysteria. French President Nicolas Sarkozy publicly gave a December deadline for Iran not to make a "tragic mistake", as in provoking Armageddon. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini reiterated the Group of Eight was giving Iran only three more months.

United States President Barack Obama -- now running three wars (Iraq and the AfPak combo) -- demanded that Iran (which is not at war with anybody) demonstrate "its peaceful intentions or be held accountable to international standards and international law".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu announced to the UN, "the greatest threat facing the world today is the marriage between religious fundamentalism and the weapons of mass destruction". Impervious to irony, Netanyahu obviously forgot that Iran -- like Iraq in 2003 - has no weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Israel not only has WMDs, but still refuses to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or allow its weapons to be inspected, as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rushed to clarify. As for religious fundamentalism, Zionism is more than a match to Iran's Shi'itism.

As if this was not hysteria enough, leaks in Britain revealed that the head of M-I6 Sir John Scarlett and the head of Mossad Meir Dagan may have established that Saudi Arabia is ready to allow Israel to bomb Iran. The House of Saud remained mute. But not the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) -- which de facto controls Iran's missile program. They successfully tested long-range Shahab-3 and Sajjil solid-fuel missiles with a maximum range of 2,000 kilometers. Ergo, even more hysteria.

General Hoseyn Salami, commander of IRGC's air force, told the IRINN TV network that Iran had a firm "no first strike" policy in terms of a missile war with Israel, and defended the tests as linked to the approaching anniversary of the 1980 Iraqi attack on Iran -- the beginning of a horrible eight-year war that killed at least 250,000 Iranians. (The US, by the way, supported in that war a character who later personified the "new Hitler", Saddam Hussein.)

Now compare all this to the Western reaction to what's happening this Thursday in Beijing on China's National Day parade for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China; an array of two types of surface-to-surface conventional missiles, a new land-based cruise missile, surface-to-surface intermediate and long-range missiles that could carry nuclear warheads, and nuclear intercontinental missiles will all be shown off in an asphalt catwalk. Not a peep from the West. It's as if this was part of Beijing Fashion Week.

A non-secret secret

The all-out hysteria reaches ludicrous overtones when it comes to the disinformation campaign around the now iconic Iranian back-up nuclear enrichment plant, built at the base of a mountain inside an ultra-protected underground facility controlled by the IRGC some 30 kilometers northeast of the holy city of Qom. The plant was built with heavily reinforced concrete and is about the size of a football field, enough to hold 3,000 uranium-refining centrifuges.

The site was duly reported by Tehran in a letter to the IAEA, according to the rules this is done six months before a site becomes operational. Iranian Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi, also the head of Iran's nuclear program, has stressed there was never anything "secret" about the plant; and justified its construction because of "threats" against Iran.

Ahmadinejad -- an engineer -- for his part stressed the plant would only be operational in 18 months. And it will be open to IAEA inspections according to a timetable already being discussed. This is the bottom line: if the IAEA inspects, there's no way the plant will churn out nuclear weapons.

From Tehran's point of view, this all makes sense; a back-up plant protected by the IRGC near Qom is a given after the George W Bush administration and Israel have repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran. Location is everything; imagine Israel bombing the outskirts of Qom. It's as if the Pentagon bombed the Vatican.

As for Washington, it might have known about this "secret" plant during the George W Bush administration -- as those usual suspects, "senior officials", confirmed to US corporate media. But that raises the question: why did Israel and the US not expose it when it was "secret", that is, still not reported to the IAEA?

Anyway, what remains excluded from the hysteria-saturated news cycle is that the new not-so-secret plant will not enrich uranium beyond 5% -- the suitable level in a civilian energy program. A nuclear weapon demands 90% enrichment. The plant will not produce uranium hexaflouride, or UF6, which is used for enrichment. The bottom line, once again; the Qom backup plant changes nothing in terms of Iran's nuclear program as recognized by the IAEA.

Talk first, bomb later

And that brings us back to Lula. Brazil, just like Iran, is a signatory of the NPT. Just like Iran, it is enriching uranium. Just like Iran, it does not allow unlimited, invasive IAEA inspections. And just like Iran, it has in the past kept some aspects of its nuclear technology "secret".

Brazil enriches uranium to less than 5%, as part of its $1 billion nuclear industry, which will invest on seven new atomic plants to diversify the country's consumption of oil and hydroelectric power. Brazil plans to start exporting enriched uranium before 2014. Brazilian centrifuges could be used to produce highly enriched uranium. But that's a matter of political will. The letter of the Brazilian constitution effectively forbids the building of nuclear weapons.

In Iran the situation is actually similar. Both the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have made it very clear that nuclear weapons are against Islam.

Obviously, the US State Department will always dismiss any comparisons between Tehran and Brasilia. After all, Brazil is a Western-style democracy and Iran is now, after the last presidential elections, a military dictatorship of the mullahtariat. Brazil may be a natural leader in South America, but it's not threatening anybody; while Iran, a regional leader, threatens Israel's "secret" nuclear hegemony in the Middle East. But in both Iran's and Brazil's case, the heart of the matter is the same: running a successful nuclear program is, above all, a question of national pride.

Sanctions cannot possibly work. And once again the current hysteria glaringly shows how, when it comes to Iran, double standards rule.

Washington was forced to admit sanctions did not work with the dictatorship in Myanmar. Now Washington wants to talk. Sanctions will not work on Iran either. It's ridiculous, for instance, to imagine Iraq joining a Western-enforced gasoline embargo on Iran. Besides, Persians are too proud and loaded with too much history to succumb to threats.

Israel, sundry Sunni Arab puppet rulers and dictators, the pathetic American right and the European right, these all fear Iran's regional clout and want to bring the regime down. The nuclear dossier could not be a more convenient cover story for regime change.

As much as the military dictatorship of the mullahtariat may be distasteful for the world and for a lot of Iranian citizens, the end does not justify the means. And the means won't lead to the desired end, as an attack on Iran will make the whole population rally behind the regime. Something is profoundly rotten in the so-called "international community" kingdom -- minus Russia and China, by the way -- when it lets global policy be determined by someone like Netanyahu.

Obama and Lula meet this Friday in Copenhagen to see whether Chicago or Rio will win the race to host the 2016 Olympic Summer Games. The chemistry between them is excellent. Obama could do worse than check up on Lula on his face-to-face meeting with Ahmadinejad.

But as it stands, it's more like the "international community" is being led in an Olympic race to bomb Iran.

[Harconen]

Italian lawyers seek detention of CIA operatives

Press TV
Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:30 EDT
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=107650&sectionid=351020606

Italian prosecutors have pressed on with a bid to arrest 26 US Central Intelligence Agency officers over their 'grave crime' of abducting a 'terror suspect' in 2003.

Public prosecutors in Italy have called upon a Milan court to issue the arrest warrant for the CIA agents who participated in a 2003 kidnapping operation, as part of US 'renditions' of terrorism suspect authorized by former US administration, which led to the detention and 'harsh' interrogation of the Egyptian Muslim cleric Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, aka Abu Omar.

The Italian lawyers have also urged the court to convict the CIA agents involved in the so-called US war on terror and put them behind bars for at least 10 to 13 years for their offense.

Moreover, they have requested the court to mete out similar imprisonment term for Italy's former head of secret service, Nicolo Pollari.

Under renditions program, the US spy agency relocated suspects to a third country where torture was exercised as an attempt to outsource the afflicting practice, human rights activists say.

Armando Spataro, a leading prosecutor on the case has also accused Italian governments of failing to formally request the extradition of the US spies and said that the presence of the American 'fugitives' was necessary in order to provide more testimonies for CIA's international undercover activities.

The US government has refrained to extradite the accused 'criminals' to Italy in order for them to give evidence on Abu Omar case.

Meanwhile, CIA has so far abstained to comment on the latest tribunal against its agents.

[Harconen]

UK may send more troops to Afghanistan

British soldiers on patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan

Patrick Wintour
The Guardian
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:31 EDT
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/01/uk-may-send-more-troops-afghanistan

Britain is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan in the short term, Downing Street said today , but the commitment will be made only if Nato allies also pledge more forces.

The indication came as General Stanley McChrystal, the commander of US and Nato troops in Afghanistan, used a speech in London to urge a fundamental shift in the way the insurgency is tackled, warning the security situation was deteriorating and success could not be taken for granted. McChrystal, who has asked the White House for a further 40,000 troops in addition to the 100,000 in Afghanistan, made it clear he believed more were needed for an effective "hearts and minds" operation.

"The situation is serious and I choose that word very, very carefully. Neither success nor failure in our endeavour in support of the Afghan people and government can be taken for granted," he told the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London yesterday. "Violence is up because the insurgency has grown."

Ministers seem convinced Barack Obama will eventually back the request from his military commanders for extra troops as part of a surge designed to isolate the Taliban from the local population.

But there is a reluctance in Downing Street to commit more than the 9,000 British troops already in Helmand province without similar promises from Nato allies.

David Miliband, the foreign secretary, said yesterday: "We back our troops in support of a clear plan, but we expect every other government in the coalition to do the same, not by turning round but by recommitting to the mission. We came into this together. We see it through together."

He also insisted that neither Britain nor the US would turn a blind eye to ballot rigging during August's presidential election. The government would await a report from the Afghan electoral complaints commission on rigging before agreeing to send extra troops Miliband said. Gordon Brown also said he was thinking through future strategy with the Americans. "Both Barack Obama and I are looking at how we can train up the Afghan army, train up the Afghan police, improve the civil institutions ... and it's at that point that I believe we can reduce the troop numbers in Afghanistan," he said.

Most of the extra UK troops would be used to help speed up the training of the Afghan army so Nato's target of training 4,000 Afghan army soldiers per month, increased from the current rate of 2,000, could be achieved.

Bob Ainsworth, the defence secretary, said the deployment would also depend on ensuring sufficient equipment was available. "The kit and equipment they need to do this job doesn't come from Marks and Spencer. It has to be ordered through a very complex procurement process," he said.

"We will take these decisions as an alliance, although the UK cannot allow the deployment of its troops to outstrip the supply of equipment which allows them to do their job and minimises the risks that they face. Before I agree to an increase in troop numbers I must be sure that the balance of risk is acceptable by evaluating the capacity of the supply chain to properly equip an increased force."

Earlier, McChrystal said: "We must redefine the fight and protect the Afghan people from all threats." In the end the battle would be won "in the minds and perceptions of the Afghan people".



Comment: Since when did bombing http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/11/afghanistan-airstrike-victims-stories the Afghan people meant protecting them?



Foreign forces, McChrystal continued, "needed to connect with people ... So we will have to do things dramatically differently and uncomfortably differently".

The general was appointed by Obama because of the White House's belief - shared in Downing Street - in a "new strategy" of less bombing, less emphasis on killing the Taliban and other insurgents, more emphasis on protecting Afghans, building up their economy, and convincing them that foreign troops are in it for the long term.

That meant adopting a less aggressive, more thoughtful, approach towards ordinary Afghans, McChrystal said. It also meant, and British commanders agree, more boots on the ground. "We must provide enough security in enough places at the same time. That's the point," he said.

McChrystal has said it also meant speeding up the training of the Afghan army and police force.

Contributing authors:

Richard Norton-Taylor

[Harconen]

Netherlands defends deadly airstrike in Afghanistan

Press TV
Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:05 EDT
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=107640&sectionid=351020403

The Dutch military defends a decision to order an air strike in southern Afghanistan that resulted in the loss of dozens of civilian lives pinning the blame on Taliban.

14 people, including, six children and three women were killed in the strike on Wednesday.

The Dutch defense ministry said on Thursday that the F-16 bomber had been called in to provide air support to NATO troops fighting Taliban insurgents in Helmand province.

Dutch military chief of staff Peter van Uhm, speaking in Kabul, defended the lethal airstrike saying the Dutch pilot observed all regulations.

He also reiterated that the responsibility for the civilian casualties lied with the Taliban insurgents, not with NATO forces in the insurgency-hit country. 

The indiscriminate air strikes by US-led forces has so far killed hundreds of civilians in the country.

Many Afghan civilians also fall victim to Taliban-led insurgency across the conflict-torn country.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) "recorded 1,500 civilian casualties between January and August, with August being the deadliest month since the beginning of 2009," according to its statement issued on September 25.

More than 1,500 civilians have been killed in the first six months of 2009, which shows a 24 percent increase compared with the same period last year, according to the latest UN report.

Nearly a quarter of civilian deaths have been blamed on US-led airstrikes across the war-torn country over the past months.

The raids have drawn condemnation form the Afghan government and public. The developments also come as evidences of friction have emerged between the Kabul government and Washington over the increasing number of civilian causalities over the past years.

The deadly air raids come at a time when the chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has said that investigators are studying evidence of alleged crimes against humanity in Afghanistan.

Despite the presence of over 100,000 troops in the war-torn country, Afghanistan is witnessing the highest level of violence since the 2001 US invasion of the impoverished country.

A security map by the London-based International Council on Security and Development (ICOS) has recently showed a deepening security crisis with substantial Taliban activity in at least 97 percent of the war-ravaged country.

The top US general in Afghanistan, Stanley McChrystal, has expressed serious concerns over the growing Taliban insurgency in the war-ravaged country.

McChrystal, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, told military and defense experts Thursday at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London that the situation was serious and time was running out.

"The situation is serious and I choose that word very, very carefully."

The insurgency has skyrocketed in southern and eastern Afghanistan where the Taliban has stepped up attacks against the coalition troops with roadside bombs and ambushes.

Pressure is mounting on the US and its Western allies to pull troops out of the country amid rising troops and civilians' causalities.

[Harconen]

U.S. troops abandon remote Afghan base where 8 were killed

By Laura King
October 9, 2009 | 12:55 p.m
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afghan-bases10-2009oct10,0,6767588.story

Kabul, Afghanistan -  American troops have abandoned an isolated firebase where eight U.S. soldiers were killed in a fierce assault by insurgents last weekend, military officials said today.

The departure from the base in the Kamdesh district of Nuristan province, in northeastern Afghanistan, was part of a previously planned "repositioning" of troops, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said in a statement.

The Taliban, in its own statement, alleged it had driven the Americans out.

The daylong battle at Kamdesh, in which at least four members of the Afghan security forces and 100 attackers also reportedly died, was reminiscent of a much-scrutinized engagement in the same area in July 2008. In that battle, nine U.S. soldiers were killed and their remote firebase was nearly overrun.

On Saturday, insurgents managed to penetrate the base's perimeters, military officials have acknowledged -- a rare occurrence in clashes between Taliban fighters and much better armed Western forces.

The pullout from the battered Kamdesh base was described as part of a larger strategy laid out by U.S. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of Western forces in Afghanistan. His counterinsurgency plan calls for troops to concentrate their attention on populated areas rather than continue to man isolated outposts that are vulnerable to attack and have little effect on the insurgents' ability to move in a given area.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has not specified how many bases were dismantled as part of the pullback, which mainly affected installations in the rugged mountains of eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border.

U.S. forces destroyed what was left of the Kamdesh base before departing, military officials said. A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, told Western news agencies by telephone that the Taliban flag was now flying over the outpost site.

With Western troop casualties at record levels as the war enters its ninth year, the NATO-led coalition today disclosed the death of another of its soldiers a day earlier, in a roadside bombing in southern Afghanistan. The soldier's nationality was not immediately released.

Meanwhile, Afghan officials said a joint operation by Western and Afghan troops had killed a senior militant commander in the province of Herat, which borders Iran.

They said the overnight raid left about 20 militants dead, including Ghulam Yahya Akbari, who served as the mayor of Herat before going over to the Taliban. He had been terrorizing the city for months with ambushes, abductions and other attacks.

Akbari's defection to the insurgent side had been seen by many as a sign of rising frustration with the government of President Hamid Karzai, who is in the midst of a bitter struggle over his August bid for reelection. The vote was tainted by allegations of massive fraud, and results of a recount, based on a statistical sampling of suspect ballots, are expected to be released in coming weeks.

Elsewhere in the country, insurgents pressed ahead with a campaign to halt reconstruction efforts by attacking public works projects. A suicide bomber struck a road-construction project in the eastern province of Paktia, killing five workers and injuring four people, provincial police said.

laura.king@latimes.com

Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times

[Harconen]

News

10/09/09 ProPublica : Civilian Contractor Toll in Iraq and Afghanistan Ignored by Defense Dept.
As the war in Afghanistan entered its ninth year, the Labor Department recently released new figures for the number of civilian contract workers who have died in war zones since 9/11...the figures show that at least 1,688 civilians have died and more than 37,000 have reported injuries while working for U.S. contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.

10/09/09 AFP: Two Polish soldiers die in Afghanistan
Two Polish soldiers have been killed and four injured in Afghanistan, bringing the death toll of Polish troops deployed there to 15, the TVPINFO public news channel says.

10/09/09 CBS: U.S. Ditches Isolated Afghan Outpost
U.S. forces have withdrawn from an isolated base in eastern Afghanistan that insurgents attacked last week in one of the deadliest battles of the war for U.S. troops, the NATO-led coalition said Friday.

10/09/09 ABC: Making Alliances and Gaining Trust to Fight the Taliban
A new line of communication is being fostered in the mountains and deserts of Afghanistan between tribal chiefs and members of the coalition military command in an attempt to bring peace to the war-torn nation.

10/09/09 MoD: Coldstream Guards soldier killed in Afghanistan
a soldier from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards was killed in Afghanistan yesterday, Thursday 8 October 2009...The soldier was killed by an explosion near to Camp Bastion in central Helmand province yesterday morning.

10/09/09 CP: Canada''s future role in Afghanistan to change: MacKay
Defence Minister Peter MacKay told the Commons defence committee Thursday that Canada will not leave Afghanistan completely after the combat mission ends in 2011, but the role will change from war-fighting to development and training.

10/09/09 AP: U.S. forces withdraw from isolated Afghan base
U.S. forces have withdrawn from an isolated base in eastern Afghanistan that insurgents attacked last week in one of the deadliest battles of the war for U.S. troops, the NATO-led coalition said Friday.

10/09/09 TT/The Local: Swedish soldiers shot in Afghanistan firefight
Two Swedish soldiers are recovering after sustaining injuries in a firefight in the vicinity of Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan late on Thursday evening. The Swedish soldiers were patrolling with Finnish soldiers when their...armoured vehicle came under rocket fire. The soldiers were then attacked with high calibre rifles.

10/09/09 AFP: Suicide attack kills six in Afghanistan
A suicide attack in southeastern Afghanistan killed six guards working for a road construction company, while NATO forces killed 15 Taliban insurgents elsewhere, officials said. A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at the Sky construction company in the Jadran district of Paktia province, local...

10/09/09 AP: Afghan plan may include Taliban
President Barack Obama is prepared to accept some Taliban involvement in Afghanistan''s political future and will determine how many more U.S. troops to send to the war based only on keeping al-Qaida at bay, a senior administration official said yesterday.

10/09/09 NYTimes: At Least 42 Die in Blast at Market in Pakistan
At least 42 people were killed Friday when an explosion rocked a crowded market in the northwestern city of Peshawar, local government officials said. More than 60 people also were wounded in the blast, officials said.

10/08/09 mgm-mag: 3e RIMa de Vannes : le sergent Hivin-Gerard était un "chef remarquable"
Le sergent Johann Hivin-Gerard, soldat du 3e RIMa de Vannes, a succombé ce jeudi matin à ses blessures. Sa hiérarchie parle de ce militaire comme "un chef remarquable". En cinq ans de service, il a parcouru le globe.

10/08/09 AP: Afghan war fought on multiple fronts
The suicide attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul on Thursday lays bare the reality that this conflict is a single war with multiple fronts that extend from Afghan battlefields to Pakistan''s fractured political scene and include the vital interests of India and the United States.

10/08/09 WSJ: Allies Invest in Making Police More-Reliable Partners
U.S. and Pakistani troops recently planned a pincer movement to catch insurgents crossing the border from Pakistan into this troubled corner of northeastern Afghanistan. The U.S. would block the narrow mountain passes while the Pakistani army attacked militant positions on the other side of the border.

10/08/09 MCT: Pakistan-based group suspected in Indian Embassy bombing in Kabul
Afghan officials suspect that the same Pakistan-based group that''s blamed for a suicide attack on the Indian Embassy 16 months ago staged a car-bombing there Thursday that killed at least 17 people and wounded 76.

10/08/09 AP: Taliban claim Afghan bomb, say embassy was target
The Taliban have claimed responsibility for Thursday''s suicide car bomb in the Afghan capital, saying their target was the Indian Embassy. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement posted on the group''s Web site that the attacker was an Afghan man who blew up his a sporty utility vehicle laden with explosives just outside the embassy.

10/08/09 CNN: Suicide attack kills at least 12 in Afghan capital
A suicide car bomb attack near the Indian Embassy killed at least 12 people and wounded 60 others on Thursday, officials said...Of the 12 killed, all but one were civilians, the Interior Ministry said. The 12th victim was an Afghan police officer.

10/07/09 DoD: Army Casualties Identified (8 of
Pfc. Kevin C. Thomson, 22, of Reno, Nev...died Oct. 3 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires.

10/07/09 DoD: Army Casualties Identified (7 of
Spc. Stephan L. Mace, 21, of Lovettsville, Va...died Oct. 3 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires.

10/07/09 DoD: Army Casualties Identified (6 of
Spc. Christopher T. Griffin, 24, of Kincheloe, Mich...died Oct. 3 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires.

10/07/09 DoD: Army Casualties Identified (5 of
Sgt. Michael P. Scusa, 22, of Villas, N.J...died Oct. 3 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires.

10/07/09 DoD: Army Casualties Identified (4 of
Sgt. Joshua J. Kirk, 30, of South Portland, Maine...died Oct. 3 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires.

10/07/09 DoD: Army Casualties Identified (3 of
Sgt. Joshua M. Hardt, 24, of Applegate, Calif...died Oct. 3 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires.

10/07/09 DoD: Army Casualties Identified (2 of
Sgt. Justin T. Gallegos, 27, of Tucson, Ariz...died Oct. 3 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires.

10/07/09 DoD: Army Casualties Identified (1 of
Staff Sgt. Vernon W. Martin, 25 of Savannah, Ga...died Oct. 3 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires.

10/07/09 DoD: Army Casualty Identified
Spc. Kevin O. Hill, 23, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died Oct. 4 at Contingency Outpost Dehanna, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms and indirect fires. He was assigned to the 576th Mobility Augmentation Company, Fort Carson, Colo.

10/07/09 AP: NATO chief - US allies must do more in Afghanistan
America's allies risk eroding NATO's trans-Altantic defense pact if they do not contribute more to the Afghan mission, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the alliance secretary general, said Wednesday.

10/07/09 AFP: Afghan, US forces seize 50 tonnes of opium, kill 17 Taliban
US and Afghan forces seized 50 tonnes of opium and 1.8 tonnes of heroin, and killed 17 Taliban insurgents in a joint operation in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, the defence ministry said.

10/07/09 NYTimes: NATO Says Afghan Battle Proved Costly for Militants
A battle that killed eight Americans at a pair of remote military bases in Afghanistan last weekend also left more than 100 insurgents dead, NATO said in a statement released on Tuesday.

10/07/09 AP: France, Britain to jointly expel illegal Afghans
Paris and London are planning joint charter flights to return illegal Afghan immigrants to their homeland, in what some see as a shift away from France''s traditional caution about sending people into harm''s way.

10/07/09 AP: Taliban say they''re no threat to other countries
Afghanistan''s insurgent Taliban have used the eight anniversary of the U.S. invasion to say they have no goal of harming foreign forces but are prepared to fight a prolonged war.

10/07/09 AP: Insurgents breached base during Afghan battle
Insurgents fought their way inside an American base in Afghanistan last weekend in a rare security breach before they were driven back under heavy fire during the deadliest battle for U.S. troops in more than a year, a U.S. official said Wednesday.

10/07/09 MoD: Guardsman Jamie Janes killed in Afghanistan
Guardsman Jamie Janes, of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, in Afghanistan on Monday 5 October 2009. Guardsman Janes was killed as a result of an explosion that happened whilst on a foot patrol near to Nad e-Ali district centre in central Helmand province.

10/07/09 typicallyspanish: Spanish soldier killed in Afghanistan
A Spanish soldier has died in Afghanistan after his army vehicle drove over a mine near Syah Washan, on the outskirts of Herat, at around 9.30 local time on Tuesday morning. The Defence Ministry names him as Corporal Cristo Ancor Santana from the Soria 9th Infantry Regiment.

10/07/09 DPA: Spanish soldier killed in Afghan mine blast, daily says
At least one Spanish soldier was killed and five others injured Wednesday when a mine exploded near the lorry in which they were travelling in Afghanistan, the daily El Mundo reported on its website. The explosion occurred near Herat, where the Spanish contingent of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is based...

10/06/09 NPR: U.S. Casualties In Afghanistan Examined
More than half the coalition casualties in Afghanistan this year are from the United States. Michael White, who runs the Web site icasualties.org, which tracks the number and nature of troop deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, says there has been a "very high" increment in the number of casualties this year.

10/06/09 CBS: A Soldier''s Last Letter From Afghanistan
Army General David Petraeus recently ordered a new investigation into a firefight in Wanat, Afghanistan that claimed the lives of nine American soldiers after an estimated 200 Taliban fighters overran the remote outpost on July 13, 2008.

10/06/09 CBS: Marines in Afghanistan: -A Day in the Life
The U.S. Marines in the country''s south face the toughest fight, and the worst conditions, reports CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent Lara Logan. They''re surrounded by hard-core Taliban fighters in Helmand province, and the local people are often hostile - but sometimes war can deliver the unexpected.

10/06/09 AP: Al-Qaida''s might fades in Afghanistan
Al-Qaida''s role in Afghanistan has faded after eight years of war. Gone is the once-formidable network of camps and safe houses where Osama bin Laden and his mostly Arab operatives trained thousands of young Muslims to wage a global jihad.

http://icasualties.org/OEF/index.aspx

[Harconen]

21 Year Old U.S. Soldiers Death Tied to Masonic Initiation Hazing Ritual

Courtesy of the Wilder family
Spc. Donald Anthony Wilder, 21, was found dead Jan. 8 at Spinelli Barracks in Mannheim, Germany.



Courtesy of the Wilder family
Questions loom involving the details of Spc. Donald Anthony’s death. An autopsy was inconclusive.


Stars and Stripes
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=34129&archive=true

Mannheim soldier’s death has element of Masonic mystery

GI found dead hours after scheduled secretive rite

European edition, Sunday, February 12, 2006

By Steve Mraz, Stars and Stripes

MANNHEIM, Germany — Weeks before Spc. Donald Anthony Wilder was found dead in a barracks shower, his parents say, he told them he knew he was going to be beaten.

On Jan. 7, Wilder, 21, was set to become a third-degree Mason with the Prince Hall Masons in Mannheim. A radio communication security controller repairman with the 512th Maintenance Company, Wilder had become active with the Prince Hall Masons in the fall of 2005.

The Prince Hall Masons are a predominantly black, secretive brotherhood. Similar to other branches of Masons, the group offers networking opportunities and performs community service. Several U.S. troops in Europe and around the world belong to the Prince Hall Masons.

In order to become a third-degree Mason, Wilder knew he would have to endure being beaten on his buttocks with a paddle by fellow Masons.

His plan was to get so drunk for the Jan. 7 ceremony that he wouldn’t feel the pain of the beatings, according to a friend, Spc. Tony d’Ercole. His mother, Diane Wilder, said her son told her that if he got so drunk that he passed out, his fellow Masons would take his blows.

On Jan. 8, just hours after the evening ceremony that took place inside Mannheim American High School at Benjamin Franklin Village, Wilder was found dead in a friend’s shower in the barracks at Spinelli Barracks in Mannheim.

An autopsy performed last month at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center was inconclusive, pending further studies, which are due back next week. Marie Shaw, a Landstuhl spokeswoman, said preliminary findings show Wilder experienced a “sudden, unexpected death.”

Wilder’s actions during the days leading to his death have been outlined by a friend, d’Ercole and his mother.

The Prince Hall grand lodge that has jurisdiction of the lodge with which Wilder was active issued an edict against hazing just 10 days after Wilder died.

“Be it hereby known and acknowledged that there will be no hazing or un-Masonic conduct of any sort tolerated during degree work within the Jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington and Jurisdiction,” the Jan. 18 letter stated. “Any such behavior that is determined to be inappropriate will be dealt with swiftly and unequivocally per our code on un-Masonic conduct.”

The letter was signed by Wendell O. Hutchings, the lodge’s grand master.

In a telephone interview, Hutchings said his group is investigating what happened at the initiation ceremony. He said paddling is forbidden.

He called what happened Jan. 7 an isolated incident and said it was not reflective of the Prince Hall Masons as a whole.

“Those individuals responsible are certainly going to be dealt with swiftly,” he said. “We are going to make a decision on those individuals who participated in that initiation.”

Last days

Donald Wilder’s parents say their son told them quite a bit about the Masons, except for the group’s secrets. He talked about the good work he did with the Masons. The group raised money for Hurricane Katrina victims and for the college funds of children of U.S. troops killed in action. He told them about the roughly $1,000 in dues he paid since September to be a Mason.

Also, he told them about the paddlings he took when he became a first- and second-degree mason last fall: how he would lie in his bed at Spinelli Barracks in Mannheim, icing his body after the paddlings, his mother said.

“He talked about the beatings a lot … and he was very afraid of them,” Diane Wilder said from her home in Seal Rock, Ore. “Prior to the … ceremony, he was throwing up because he was so nervous, that’s what we were told.”

He said the beatings were to show the other Masons just how badly you want to be a member.

“ ‘If you can’t put up with a little discomfort for a little while in order to do some good for people, you don’t want it that much,’ he told us,” she said.

On Christmas, Diane Wilder talked to her son twice. During those conversations, she says, Donald Wilder expressed concern about the paddlings he knew awaited him.

“His plan was to get so drunk that he wouldn’t have to take all the beatings,” Diane Wilder said.

His parents told him not to go through with it. They would pay for him to join the Masons in Texas where he was set to be reassigned by the Army.

“There was something about it, obviously, we didn’t like,” Diane Wilder said. “It made us nervous. It just didn’t seem right.”

The week before his death, the Wilders talked to their son every other day. On Jan. 5 — three days before he died — Wilder promised his mother he would not go through with the third-degree ceremony, she said.

Donald Wilder would not stay true to his word.

“I think he just decided not to tell us because we disapproved,” Diane Wilder said.

Also on Jan. 5, Wilder went to Murphy’s Law Irish Pub in Mannheim. He met friends that evening, including Maria Testai, a German acquaintance, and d’Ercole, a soldier in Wilder’s unit who served with him in Iraq.

The two soldiers talked for about an hour at the bar, d’Ercole said, and Wilder seemed relaxed. Testai said Wilder told her that he would like to go to a movie with her during the coming weekend.

On Jan. 6, Wilder ate dinner with a friend and the friend’s wife. It was there that he told the couple his plan about getting drunk for the following evening’s ceremony, d’Ercole said.

On Jan. 7 — the night Wilder was set to become a third-degree Mason — he called Testai around 8 p.m. and told her he was going to the “party,” she said.

“I have another friend married to an American,” Testai said. “She told me about the Masons. She told me that they would beat up the people and drink a lot when they have parties. I didn’t like it so I didn’t ask for more.

“He sounded, I don’t know, not really nervous,” Testai said. “He talked a lot. I don’t know if excited is the right word.”

The initiation ceremony took place inside Mannheim American High School. The group initially requested to use the facility on Jan. 6. Because of school rehearsals, the high school was not available, said Dennis Bohannon, public affairs officer for Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Europe.

A key to the school was checked out to the Masons on Jan. 5. The group used the key to enter the facility without authorization on Jan. 7, Bohannon said.

When asked how school officials knew that the Masons were in the facility on Jan. 7, Bohannon said, “someone in the school has personal knowledge.”

After the ceremony, Donald Wilder went out clubbing, his mother said.

Sometime during the morning of Jan. 8, Wilder was found lying unconscious and unresponsive in the shower of a friend’s room at Spinelli Barracks, said Diane Wilder. Medical professionals, military police and the German police were called to the scene.

Shortly after noon, Spc. Donald Anthony Wilder, a 21-year-old veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, was pronounced dead.

Officially speaking

To date, no charges have been preferred against anyone in relation to Wilder’s death. Until further autopsy studies are complete, it is unknown whether Wilder died of alcohol poisoning or something else.

Officially, the command that Wilder’s unit comes under is working with the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command, known as CID, to find out what happened.

“We have multiple, ongoing investigations to ensure that the facts are known and everything that can be done to prevent this from happening to other soldiers,” said Maj. Allen Hing, 21st Theater Support Command public affairs officer.

To protect the integrity of its investigation, CID is not releasing details of the investigation at this time, said Christopher Grey, CID spokesman.

Soldiers are not prohibited from joining such groups as the Masons. D’Ercole estimated about six or seven soldiers in his roughly 250-man unit are Masons.

 Masonic history 101

The Masons are a secret society that dubs itself the world’s oldest and largest fraternity. Masons rise in rank by performing degree-work.

Prince Hall Masons, made up primarily of black men, began in Massachusetts about 200 years ago as an offshoot of the early Masonic lodges in America. The African Lodge was organized on July 3, 1776, with Prince Hall as the worshipful master.

The African Lodge grew and prospered to such a degree that Prince Hall was appointed a provincial grand master in 1791. Out of this grew the first Black Provincial Grand Lodge.

In 1847, out of respect for their founding father and first grand master, Prince Hall, the three existing African lodges changed their name to the Prince Hall Grand Lodge, the name it carries today.

Today, some 5,000 lodges and 47 grand lodges exist that trace their lineage to the Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of Massachusetts.

The Prince Hall lodge to which Spc. Donald Anthony Wilder belonged in Mannheim, Germany, falls under the purview of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington and Jurisdiction. Prince Hall lodges under the state of Washington grand lodge can be found in Germany, Iceland, Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The office of the Prince Hall in Kuwait is listed at Camp Arifjan.

The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Maryland has jurisdiction over several lodges in Germany that have their meetings on military installations. Installation commanders determine if private groups — such as the Masons — can meet on military facilities, said Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Department of Defense spokeswoman.

Most scholars believe Masonry arose from the guilds of stonemasons who built castles and cathedrals of the middle ages. In 1717, Masonry created a formal organization when four lodges in London joined to form England’s first Grand Lodge.

The Masons perform charitable services as well. The Shrine Masons (Shriners) operate the largest network of hospitals for burned and orthopedically impaired children in the country, and there is never a fee for treatment. The Scottish Rite Masons maintain a nationwide network of more than 150 Childhood Language Disorder Clinics, Centers, and Programs.

— Steve Mraz

Sources: www.princehall.org, Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington Web site, Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Maryland Web site, Grand Lodge of Virginia Web site.

http://www.freemasonrywatch.org/ussoldier_hazingdeath.html

[Harconen]

CODE PINK: Women FOR the Occupation of Afghanistan

Scott Creighton
American Everyman Blog
Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:26 EDT


The Obama administration has ruled out any troop reduction in Afghanistan after a Tuesday meeting with 30 lawmakers from congress.

That should suit Medea Benjamin of CODE PINK just fine. Apparently she has returned from a trip to the Green Zone of Afghanistan with a slightly less than "antiwar" message http://original.antiwar.com/scott/2009/10/07/is-medea-benjamin-confused/ for the people of America.

Yet another example of how infectious Obama's fraudulent "compromise" propaganda really is.

    President Barack Obama will not consider any reduction in the US military commitment in Afghanistan, White House and congressional officials declared after a three-hour meeting at the White House Tuesday between Obama and more than 30 congressmen and senators, both Republicans and Democrats. WSWS http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/oct2009/pers-o08.shtml The "No more war" movement is "off the table" in DC according to the new report out by Patrick Martin of the World Socialist Website.

Now all that is left is to figure out how many U.S. sons and daughters will be shipped off to the killing fields of Pipelanistan.


Obama's handiwork. Go America!

More drones? Of course. More collateral damage? Why not. After all, these kids blew up the Twin Towers... right? RIGHT! (Oh, no, wait... I mean they "collapsed". wink wink)

But while Obama and the Clintonistacrew were setting those silly "elected officials" straight with regard to what is best for the people of America (ie. "compromise" with the war mongering right and left), we can at least rest assured that the antiwar movement is working hard to get our young men and women out of Afghanistan and putting an end to the illegal and brutal occupation.

I mean... we CAN assume that... right?

    "I do think that we have thrown ourselves into this quagmire and we've got to extricate ourselves in a way that is as responsible as possible."

    ... what I'm saying is that I did feel a palpable fear among many of the women that they don't want the Taliban to take over again." Benjamin http://original.antiwar.com/scott/2009/10/07/is-medea-benjamin-confused/

Wrong again.

Yes, Medea Benjamin of the formerly antiwar group CODE PINK (well, that is, they WERE strongly opposed to killing and maiming innocent civilians while George Bush was doing it but now SOMETHING seems to be different about it now that Obama and Hillary are in charge) is now advocating FOR a continued U.S. occupation of Afghanistan. Yes, you read that right. No bones about it. No "ifs, ands, or buts".



Real Antiwar protesters... for contrast

In an excellent interview with Benjamin, Antiwar's Scott Horton doesn't cut her any slack about this new, pro-occupation position.

Horton exposing the root of Benjamin's positional shift, which is basically that Benjamin went to Afghanistan, she never left the safety of the occupied Green Zone (yet she claims to be speaking for "the women of Afghanistan" having never gotten out into the country to meet the VAST majority of the women of that nation), she met with several women who are aligned with the corrupt Obama puppet regime in Kabul, and now she is afraid that when we leave that country and end our brutal illegal occupation, her new friends in Kabul will lose their grip on their new-found power as the Taliban regains control.

Quite a remarkable justification for the continuation of an illegal occupation of another nation: they should treat women better because we say so.

But at least she doesn't just use the Obama/Clinton propaganda lines like "we need a responsible exit strategy" to justify it. No, Benjamin, when pressed, actually had to resort to the same kinds of cliched bullshit that spewed from the mouths of the former administration officials: "Afghanistan will become a safe haven for Al Qaeda". any propaganda "port in a storm", I suppose.

    Horton:... wasn't Code Pink's argument about Iraq not "We have to leave responsibly but we've got to get the hell out of there because staying there is irresponsible"?

    Benjamin: Yeah, in the case of Iraq I think it was a little bit different. It was absolutely clear our troops should never been there beginning and you didn't have a Taliban like government...

    Horton: Yeah, but I mean Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri escaped eight years ago. They haven't been in Afghanistan for eight years.

    Benjamin: But you do have the Taliban in Afghanistan and you have...

    Horton: Yeah, but what did the Taliban ever do?

    Benjamin: Well the Taliban...

    Horton: To us.

    Benjamin: Huh?

    Horton: What did they ever do to the United States?

    Benjamin: Well see, if your perspective is just from the United States. My perspective is also from what they did to the women of Afghanistan. But if your perspective is truly from the United States, what people say is that if we allow the Taliban to take over Afghanistan then that will be a safe haven for Al Qaeda.

Neocon talking points from the head of CODE PINK in order to justify the continued occupation of Afghanistan.

Believe it or not, there it is.

Well, Medea will get what she wants. The Obama administration is signalling that they, once again, don't give a rat's ass about what the vast MAJORITY of the American people want, and they are determined to stay in Afghanistan.

So now, according to CODE PINK, the Obama/Clintonista regime can continue to bomb, torture, and rendition the sexism out of Afghanistan. And that should make CODE PINK very happy.

Now that is "CHANGE" you can "BELIEVE" in.

http://willyloman.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/code-pink-image.jpg

[Harconen]

NWOTruth

Undercounting deaths of US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan
Contractor deaths are rarely reported

Posted by Philip Dru on 9/13/09
http://www.nwotruth.com/undercounting-deaths-of-us-soldiers-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/

WASHINGTON, Sept 10 (Reuters) – By most counts, the death toll of U.S. soldiers in America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan stood at 5,157 in the second week of September. Add at least 1,360 private contractors working for the U.S. and the number tops 6,500.

Contractor deaths and injuries (around 30,000 so far) are rarely reported but they highlight the United States’ steadily growing dependence on private enterprise.

It’s a dependence some say has slid into incurable addiction. Contractor ranks in Iraq and Afghanistan have swollen to just under a quarter million. They outnumber U.S. troops in Afghanistan and they almost match uniformed soldiers in Iraq.

The present ratio of about one contractor for every uniformed member of the U.S. armed forces is more than double that of every other major conflict in American history, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

That means the world’s only superpower cannot fight its war nor protect its civilian officials, diplomats and embassies without support from contractors.

"As the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have progressed, the military services, defense agencies and other stakeholder agencies…continue to increase their reliance on contractors. Contractors are now literally in the center of the battlefield in unprecedented numbers," according to a report to Congress by the bipartisan Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"In previous wars, the military police protected bases and the battle space as other military service members engaged and pursued the enemy," said the report.

In listing the 1,360-plus contractor casualties, it said that criticism of the present system and suggestions for reforming it "in no way diminish their sacrifices."

So why are they not routinely added to military casualty counts? And why should they? A full accounting for total casualties is important because both Congress and the public tend to gauge a war’s success or failure by the size of the force deployed and the number of killed and wounded, according to George Washington university scholar Steven Schooner.

In other words: the higher the casualty number, the more difficult it is for political and military leaders to convince a sceptical public that a war is worth fighting, particularly a war that promises to be long, such as the conflict in Afghanistan. Polls show that a majority of Americans already think the Afghan war is not worth fighting.

Figures on deaths and injuries among the vast ranks of civilians in war zones are tracked by the U.S. Department of Labor on the basis of claims under an insurance policy, the Defense Base Act, which all U.S. contracting companies and subcontractors must take out for the civilians they employ outside the United States.

EXPENDABLE PROFITEERS, ROGUES?

The Labor Department compiles the statistics on a quarterly basis but only releases them in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act. This can take weeks. The Department gives no details of the nationalities of the contractors, saying that doing so would "constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy" under the U.S. Privacy Act.

Writing in last autumn’s Parameters, the quarterly journal of the U.S. Army War College, Schooner said that an accurate tally was critical to any discussion of the costs and benefits of the military’s efforts in the wars. What’s more, the American public needs to know that their government is delegating to the private sector "the responsibility to stand in harm’s way and, if required, die for America."

Schooner wrote it was troubling that few Americans considered the deaths of contractors relevant or significant even though many of them performed roles carried out by uniformed military only a generation ago. "Many…concede that they perceive contractor personnel as expendable profiteers, adventure seekers, cowboys, or rogue elements not entitled to the same respect or value due to the military."

That’s not surprising after a series of ugly incidents involving armed security contractors. They make up for a small proportion of the total (about 8 percent) but account for almost all the headlines that have deepened negative perceptions and prompted labels from mercenary and merchant of death to "the coalition of the billing."

In the most notorious incident, two years ago, employees of the company then known as Blackwater opened fire in a crowded Baghdad square, killing 17 Iraqis. Five of the Blackwater shooters, who were working for the Department of State, have been indicted on manslaughter and weapons charges.

The Pentagon describes private contractors as a "force multiplier" because they let soldiers concentrate on military missions. Some of the actions of private security contractors could be termed a "perception multiplier." Such as the after-hours antics of contractors from the company ArmorGroup North America guarding the U.S. embassy in Kabul.

Shaking off the image of rogues became even more difficult for private security contractors after a Washington-based watchdog group, the Project on Government Oversight, accompanied a detailed report on misconduct and morale problems among the guard force with photographs showing nearly nude, drunken employees in a variety of obscene poses and fondling each other.

Whether contractors, even rogue elements and cowboys, should not be counted in the toll of American wars is another matter. Doing so would be part of the transparency Barack Obama promised when he ran for president.

[Harconen]

http://www.geocities.com/dtmcbride/hist/iraq_war.html

[Harconen]

US troops killed in Afghanistan and Africa

US troops killed in Afghanistan and Africa
Posted by Philip Dru on 10/07/09
http://www.nwotruth.com/us-troops-killed-in-afghanistan-and-africa/


Army Staff Sgt. Joshua M. Mills

When Joshua M. Mills was young, he aspired to two careers, and only one was in the military.

"He wanted to be a paleontologist," said his older brother, Quent. "He loved dinosaurs."

But he also loved being a Green Beret. Mills graduated from the Silva Magnet High School in his hometown of El Paso, Texas, where he was reportedly a member of the Junior ROTC and was on the rifle team. He joined the Army in 2005 and was assigned to Fort Bragg.

Family was important to Mills, and despite training and deployment, he almost always made it home for Christmas, his brother said.

"He would always try to surprise you," Quent Mills said. "He’d come into town, but he wouldn’t tell you. He would just show up on your doorstep."

The 24-year-old died of wounds from a roadside bomb in Helmand province on Sept. 16, about two months after deploying to Afghanistan.

Quent Mills said his brother followed in the footsteps of their father, Tommy, who was an air defense soldier at Fort Bliss.

Joshua Mills is also survived by his wife, Magen; a son, Malaki; his mother, Celeste; and his brothers.

___

Army Pfc. Jeremiah J. Monroe

Jeremiah Monroe liked to build and fix things, and his brother said he was a master tradesman.

"You name a blue-collar trade, he could do it," Robert Monroe said of his older brother. Robert Monroe said he had a strong relationship with Jeremiah, forged through the family’s hard times.

"We haven’t had the easiest life. There wasn’t any little brother, big brother," said Robert Monroe, who also is in the military. "We were together as one."

Jeremiah Monroe, 31, of Niskayuna, N.Y., was killed in Kandahar when the vehicle in which he was riding hit a roadside bomb. He was a combat engineer assigned to Fort Drum. He joined the Army in March 2008 and was on his first deployment to Afghanistan, Army officials said.

Monroe enjoyed drawing motorcycles and cars, and served as a mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, his family said in his obituary.

Monroe’s great-aunt, Netty Manning, said her great-nephew was well-liked and was happy to use his skills in the military.

"It made him grow up a little bit more," she said. "He was happy to be there and protecting us and doing what he could protecting his country."

Monroe is also survived by his daughter, mother and grandmother.

___

Army Staff Sgt. Michael C. Murphrey

Those who knew him say Michael C. Murphrey had all the qualities of a good soldier, including loyalty, respect and a selfless sense of service.

He always prioritized his comrades’ needs and did more than his share of the work, Brig. Gen. Keith Walker said at Murphrey’s memorial service, where hundreds of people packed the church and locals lined the streets, waving American flags.

The 25-year-old from Snyder, Texas, died Sept. 6 in Afghanistan’s Paktika province after enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive.

He graduated from Snyder High School in 2003 and joined the Army a few months later. He was assigned to Fort Richardson after spending time at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

Mourners at the First Baptist Church of Clyde wiped away tears as a slideshow flashed images of Murphrey growing up, from his own infancy to the birth of his son, Jaden, and daughter, Cameron.

Murphrey is also survived by his wife, Ashley; his parents, Elvie and Evelyn Murphrey of Clyde; and his sisters Jeanie Rutherford of Clyde, Wendy Stehouwer of Waxahachie, Pearl McKay of Sweetwater and Krisa Johnson of Colorado Springs, Colo.

___

Army 1st Lt. Tyler E. Parten

Tyler E. Parten entertained the "kiddos" in Afghanistan with his harmonica, built a chicken coop and wrote warmly of the look on a man’s face "when you show his child a little compassion."

Those are some of the war zone experiences he documented through photos and messages on the social networking site Facebook.

"Tough days make the good days that much better," Parten said in a mid-August posting.

The 2007 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point was assigned to Fort Carson and studied Arabic because he wanted to help target terrorist groups overseas.

"That was his reason for wanting to serve, to face the challenge and to serve others, serve his country," said his father, Dave Parten. "He wanted to lead other men."

The 24-year-old from Marianna, Ark., was doing just that when he died during an ambush Sept. 10 in Konar province.

His father said Parten’s talents went beyond those of a good soldier.

"He wrote music," Dave Parten said. "He could pick up and play anything he wanted. He was just incredibly gifted."

The Marianna Lee High School graduate is also survived by his mother, Lona, and brother, Daniel.

___

Army Sgt. Titus R. Reynolds

Titus Reynolds was both the neighborhood helper and organizer — and a pretty good-looking one at that.

His father, Rod Reynolds, reaclled many waitresses giving his son their phone numbers when the family would go out to eat.

"It happened many times," the elder Reynolds said.

Reynolds, 23, of Columbus, Ohio, died Sept. 24 in Omar Zai when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb. He was assigned to Fort Lewis. He graduated from Reynoldsburg High School in 2005.

Childhood friend Emil Davitian, 25, recalled that Reynolds’ home was the hotspot for get-togethers among friends, typically planned by Reynolds.

"We would get together and have video game tournaments," he said. " The Sony PlayStation was at my house, and the Nintendo 64 was at his."

Reynolds could also often be seen helping neighbors haul groceries inside, or playing electric guitar and bass for his church band.

"Titus would do anything for you," said neighbor Sheryl Sycks. "He was nice and mannerly, such a sweet kid."

In addition to his father, the soldier is survived by his wife, Nikki; his mother; and two brothers and a sister.

___

Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher D. Shaw

Christopher D. Shaw was fast, a former standout runner at Natchez High School in Natchez, Mississippi.

"I think he held the state record at one time," former classmate Kareem West said. "He was maybe one of the best track stars ever at the school."

That talent earned him a track and field scholarship at Texas Southern University, where he studied history. He enlisted in the Army Reserve in 1994 and put his studies on hold to join active duty the following year.

"He was the best God could have put out here," Camille Felton said of her oldest son.

Shaw, 37, of Markham, Ill., was killed Sept. 29 on Jolo Island in the Philippines by a bomb buried under the road. Officials said he was part of a task force helping to quell militants there. He was assigned to Fort Lewis, and it was his second deployment.

"He was a nice, good kid," said his stepfather, Willie Felton. "He didn’t do anybody any harm."

Shaw enjoyed motorcycles and talking about sports, but his family was his priority, Felton said.

The Mississippi native is survived by his wife, Attina; five children; his father, mother and stepfather; two brothers; and two sisters.

___

Army Sgt. Edward B. Smith

Edward Bernard Smith loved talking about the military with his grandfather.

"He would always tell me about the new technology, the new weapons they had," said Smith’s grandfather, Edward Parrish.

But Smith was scared, too — he knew the risks and was afraid he may not make it home. His sister, June Render of Atlanta, recalled her brother thanking her for her prayers.

"’Thanks sis, I needed to hear that,’" she recalled him saying.

Smith, 30, of Homestead, Fla., was killed Sept. 24 in Omar Zai when the vehicle in which he was riding was hit by a roadside bomb. He was assigned to Fort Lewis. He graduated from South Dade Senior High. He enlisted in 2002, inspired to join by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The soldier was close to his grandparents — his mother, Sophia Smith Carter died in 1997 at age 32. He was one of eight children and was close to his family.

"He loved his family, and really appreciated what family meant," said his aunt Yalunda Evans. "He was the one who always pulled the family together."

Smith is also survived by his wife, Jamie, and two stepchildren. He is preceded in death by a brother, Samuel Smith, who was killed in a car crash earlier this year.

___

Army Spc. Demetrius L. Void

Demetrius Void was always focused on academics in high school: Teachers said he never shied away from asking for help and had a competitive nature.

"He kept at it until he figured out that calculus," said math teacher Sharlene Foster.

But Void also always wanted to be different. He decided not to apply for college and instead chose to follow his family’s tradition of military service.

"He said he was tired of school," said his uncle Keith Void. "He said he was tired of being smart."

Void, 20, of Orangeburg, S.C., died Sept. 15 at Kandahar Airfield of injuries sustained when a military vehicle struck him while he was jogging. He was assigned to Fort Hood. The military has said it is investigating the hit-and-run accident.

Demetrius Void was disciplined before he joined the Army, being active in the JROTC at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School.

"He greeted students at the front desk and said, ‘You can’t go in there until you get your pants up. … This is an order,’" recalled Angelia Fersner, the school’s guidance counselor, who called Void her "acting secretary."

Void is survived by his mother and two brothers.

___

Army Spc. Tyler R. Walshe-Vietti

Tyler Walshe-Vietti’s wife, Kirsten, said he was "the most amazing person."

Friend Ruben Contreras wrote online that he’ll miss playing basketball with the 21-year-old soldier and he has "nothing but good things to say" about Walshe.

"I watched Tyler hold and comfort his daughter like a proud father," another acquaintance, Guy Lane, wrote online, sympathizing with Walshe’s family. "Memories and stories from others will be all she ever has of her father now."

Walshe-Vietti, the father of 11-month-old Karsyn, died Aug. 31 when his unit was attacked in Shuyene Sufia in Kandahar province. He was based at Fort Lewis.

Walshe joined the Army in October 2006. He was deployed to Afghanistan in July 2009.

"I just can’t believe he’s gone," his wife said. "I’m trying really, really hard to keep it together and to stay strong for my daughter. She doesn’t understand that daddy’s gone."

Walshe’s wife said their daughter’s first birthday is Nov. 11, which is Veterans Day.

Walshe’s honors include the National Defense Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon and Combat Infantryman Badge.

___

Army Spc. Jonathan D. Welch

Jonathan Welch — funny and a fan of punk music — knew how to make the most out of life, friends said.

"He was one in a million," Alex Morgenstern wrote on a Los Angeles Times Web page dedicated to Welch. "We will always remember listening to music all trying our best to dance … His laugh was very memorable as well as him in general."

Welch’s father Ben Storll remembered the 19-year-old saying less than two months before his death that he had no regrets.

"Jon knew there was a chance of this happening," Storll said of his son’s death.

Welch, of Yorba Linda, Calif., was killed Aug. 31 in Shuyene Sufia when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive. He was based at Fort Lewis.

Welch attended Esperanza High School in Anaheim before earning his GED. In 2007, when he was 17, he enlisted. He was went to Afghanistan in July. It was his first deployment.

Dave Hill wrote online that he grew up attending the same church as Welch. Hill said he and Welch, a fellow home-school student, got together as kids and created a comic strip about a child spy armed with gadgets and fighting evil overseas.

"Being a couple years older I thought he was a little squirt," Hill said. "But I liked him a lot. I will miss him."

___

Army Spc. Joseph V. White

If any guys messed with Joseph White’s sisters, they knew they would have to answer to him.

"He was very protective of his teenage sisters," White’s mother, Robyn White, wrote in an e-mail to The Seattle Times. "Joseph White is our hero and will be greatly missed by many, many people."

White, 21, of Bellevue, Wash., was killed Sept. 24 in Omar Zai when when his vehicle was attacked with an improvised explosive. Two other soldiers also died in the attack.

White was committed to his two brothers and seven sisters, his mother said. He also loved the outdoors, and his favorite pastimes included playing Frisbee, golf and paintball.

While on leave during the Christmas holiday, White proposed to his wife. The two married in May, a month and a half before his deployment, his family said.

"Joe was not happy to be leaving his bride to go to Afghanistan, but he did not complain. Rather, he went with a strong sense of duty and desire to maintain freedom and safety for others," his mother wrote.

She said her son was home-schooled and took some classes at Bellevue Community College before joining the Army in 2006.

___

Army Spc. Damon G. Winkleman

Damon Winkleman loved science and the outdoors — whether at the lake near his house or Carolina Beach.

"There wasn’t a tree, animal or piece of anatomy he couldn’t identify," his family wrote in his obituary. Winkleman also loved playing in his "garage band" in high school, fishing and woodworking.

Winkleman, 23, of Lakeville, Ohio, died Sept. 20 in Zabul province when his vehicle overturned. The crash also killed a soldier riding with him. They were on their way to help another unit facing enemy fire.

Winkleman was a combat medic assigned to Fort Bragg. He graduated from Loudonville High School in 2004.

Winkleman played football and baseball in high school and continued to follow sports, though an Army chaplain who met him at Fort Bragg said he had unusual favorites.

"He loved the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Pittsburgh Steelers, a combination most of us in North Carolina never heard of and still don’t understand," said Capt. Larry McCarthy.

He is survived by his parents, Richard and Patricia; two brothers, one of whom is currently deployed to Iraq; two nephews; and several aunts and uncles.

___

Army 1st Lt. David T. Wright II

David Wright II didn’t let his football and track talent go to waste after graduating from Moore High School in his hometown of Moore, Okla. He went to the University of Oklahoma on a track scholarship and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2006.

He didn’t let that training go unused, either. Wright enlisted in the Army and was chosen almost immediately to serve as a platoon leader at Fort Benning.

"It was 9/11 that did it for David," the Rev. Randy Nail said at his memorial. "He wanted to do something about it, and he did."

The 26-year-old was killed Sept. 14 by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan. He was assigned to Fort Lewis.

After being deployed to Afghanistan in July, Wright wrote home about the honor he felt for his country and his fellow soldiers as they protected a village. He said he had no hard feelings toward the villagers, though some were angry with the soldiers.

"These people deserve a better existence," he wrote, "and hopefully my efforts will help, in a small way, provide that to them."

That letter was waiting for his parents, Tim and Michele, when they returned to Oklahoma after receiving his body.

AP | Tuesday, October 6, 2009

[Harconen]

Fallen Female U.S. Soldiers Last Names A - D
http://www.wowowow.com/slideviewer/58011

Fallen Female U.S. Soldiers Last Names E - H
http://www.wowowow.com/slideviewer/58063

Fallen Female U.S. Soldiers Last Names I - O
http://www.wowowow.com/slideviewer/58149

Fallen Female U.S. Soldiers Last Names P - Z
http://www.wowowow.com/slideviewer/58114

[Harconen]

Top Troop Request Exceeds 60,000

Posted by Philip Dru
 on 10/09/09
http://www.nwotruth.com/top-troop-request-exceeds-60000/


WASHINGTON — The request for troops sent to President Barack Obama by the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan includes three different options, with the largest alternative including a request for more than 60,000 troops, according to a U.S. official familiar with the document.

Although the top option is more than the 40,000 soldiers previously understood to be the top troop total sought by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. officer in Kabul, 40,000 remains the primary choice of senior military brass, including Gen. McChrystal, the official said.

A Marine on Thursday rests during a mission in the restive Bhuji Bhast Pass in Afghanistan’s southern Farah province. His company was inserted Wednesday via helicopter to clear insurgent forces from villages.

The details of the three scenarios were first reported by ABC News and confirmed by the U.S. official. The third option presented to Mr. Obama would be only a small increase that would keep U.S. forces largely at their year-end levels of 68,000 troops.

The troop request is expected to be deliberated today at Mr. Obama’s fifth cabinet-level meeting of his war council amid indications of growing official unease about such a significant escalation.
Journal Community

Although most requests for forces include only a single troop figure, Pentagon officials have acknowledged that Gen. McChrystal’s request was unusual given the continuing review of Afghan strategy. It is rather common in military planning, however, to discuss three different scenarios in order to illustrate why the middle option is preferable option.

Gen. McChrystal has warned that the U.S. faces possible "mission failure" in Afghanistan unless it quickly sends large numbers of forces there. But the Obama administration faces growing hurdles even if it decides to go with a buildup of tens of thousands of troops.

Senior Army officers acknowledged in interviews, for instance, that the U.S. doesn’t have nearly enough helicopters in Afghanistan to meet the current demand for safe movement of troops around the country. And U.S. forces are just beginning to receive new vehicles meant to function better on Afghanistan’s poor roads.

Separately, a recent study by the Institute for the Study of War — a Washington, D.C., think tank headed by Kimberly Kagan, a military analyst who worked on Gen. McChrystal’s assessment team — suggested it would be difficult to move enough troops from other posts to deploy anywhere close to 40,000 troops before next summer at the earliest.

The military agrees with the institute’s overall findings, although has identified different units it could deploy over the course of the next year.

White House officials acknowledged that Mr. Obama’s review is centering on ensuring the war is focused on preventing al Qaeda’s return to Afghanistan — a narrower objective that could require fewer, if any, new American troops. The officials acknowledged that the administration’s strategic review no longer sees the U.S.’s primary mission in Afghanistan as completely defeating the Taliban or preventing the armed Islamist group from any involvement in the country’s future.

Despite the narrowed focus, several White House officials said the administration’s broad review is ongoing and that the president hasn’t made any decisions. They said Mr. Obama wants to decide on what military strategy to pursue before approving or rejecting Gen. McChrystal’s request.

Still, focusing the U.S. mission in Afghanistan solely on destroying al Qaeda could make it easier for Mr. Obama to make a public case for giving Gen. McChrystal the lowest end of his three options, which would amount to only a small increase.

Political support for the war has been rapidly eroding among the public and on Capitol Hill, even as Gen. McChrystal and the nation’s top military personnel argue for a counterinsurgency strategy designed to protect Afghan civilians.

At the center of the ongoing deliberations, according to officials involved in and briefed on the White House sessions, is an emerging belief that a broad effort to defeat the Taliban and shore up Afghanistan’s weak central government may not be necessary to counter the threat posed by al Qaeda.

White House officials familiar with deliberations said that while some elements of the Taliban were inclined to harbor al Qaeda, which operated freely in Afghanistan through 2001, other members were focused on Afghanistan’s internal politics and much less likely to support the international terror group.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters Thursday that al Qaeda has focused on hitting the U.S., while danger posed by the Taliban "was somewhat different" and less threatening.

The argument that a return of some Taliban elements would not directly threaten U.S. security has been pushed by allies of Vice President Joe Biden, who has argued against a major increase in force levels. The distinction Mr. Biden draws is shared by Barnett Rubin, a top aide to the administration’s special representative to the region, Richard Holbrooke.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, arguably the central player in the deliberations, is one of the officials who appears to most strongly disagree with that assessment. Earlier this week, the defense chief said that a Taliban takeover of wide swaths of Afghanistan would allow al Qaeda to "strengthen itself" by creating new havens for the terrorist group.

But participants in the current review said that neither Mr. Gates, who picked Gen. McChrystal for his job, nor Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have yet made clear what strategy they favor in Afghanistan or what forces should be sent there.

The Institute for the Study of War report detailed how the White House must grapple with the fact that the stretched U.S. military has only limited troops ready for deployment, which could mean that many forces might not reach the war zone until the summer of 2010.

The study concluded that the U.S. has only three Army and Marine brigades — about 11,000 to 15,000 troops — capable of deploying to Afghanistan this year. An additional four brigades, or potentially as many 20,000 troops, could deploy by the summer of 2010, the think tank concluded.

Lt. Col. Lee Packnett, an Army spokesman, said that the Army wanted to only send units to Afghanistan that have had at least 12 months back in the U.S. between overseas deployments.

But Anthony Cordesman, a military expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that Mr. Obama could force the military’s hand if he decides winning the war requires a quick infusion of large numbers of reinforcements. "In the real world you do what you need to do," he said. "You don’t tailor the war to maintain peacetime readiness. You maintain peacetime assets precisely so you can consume them in war."

Lack of helicopters and other equipment problems could present a more intractable problem for a bigger force trying to reach Afghanistan’s key battle zones. The country is mountainous and lacks reliable roads, so most troops and supplies are ferried to their bases aboard helicopters rather than on trucks or other ground vehicles.

Last summer, the Army deployed a second combat aviation brigade to Afghanistan, doubling the number of Army helicopters there from 114 to about 228. But with U.S. troop levels almost doubling in 2009, senior Army officers acknowledge that the U.S. still doesn’t have nearly enough. "Simply put, we just don’t have enough birds," one officer said in an interview this week. "The Taliban have made more and more of the roads inaccessible to us, so the need for helicopters keeps growing."

The military has also found that the signature vehicle of the Iraq war — the giant armored trucks known as the "mine resistant, ambush protected" vehicles, or MRAPs — don’t function well on Afghanistan’s poor roads. The Pentagon is in the process of purchasing hundreds of second-generation armored vehicles that are specially designed to function off-road or on dirt or gravel paths, but the first of the new vehicles only began arriving in Afghanistan in recent days.
—Jonathan Weisman contributed to this article.

[Harconen]

Most Americans see Afghan fight worth US bloodshed: Poll

the raw story
Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00 EDT
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Most_Americans_see_Afghan_fight_wor_10072009.html

A solid majority of Americans are willing to see some of their countrymen die to achieve a terror-free Afghanistan, but US misgivings about sending more troops remain, a poll released Wednesday said.

Sixty-five percent of US voters "are willing to have American soldiers 'fight and possibly die' to eliminate the threat of terrorists operating from Afghanistan," according to the Quinnipiac University poll. Only 28 percent said otherwise.

But 49 percent of those surveyed said the United States will not be successful in crushing the Taliban insurgency as it gathers steam, against 38 percent who projected success in the US-led mission.

The findings came amid growing public anxiety and party divisions over the course of the eight-year war against a backdrop of rising troop deaths and an Afghan election widely seen as fraudulent.

While most said the war in Afghanistan was the "right thing" for Washington to do, they showed concern: 50 percent expressed worries the United States would stay "too long" in the war-torn country and 32 percent said America was "headed for another Vietnam."

Of those surveyed, 28 percent said a large US military contingent should be in Afghanistan for less than a year.

Another 21 percent supported US involvement for one to two years, while 14 percent said two to five years and 30 percent backed keeping US troops there for "as long as it takes."

"The American people are deeply conflicted about the war in Afghanistan. Two-thirds of voters can tell you that the war is related to the 9/11 attacks and see the current effort there as worthwhile to prevent a re occurrence," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"But they don't want a prolonged military commitment and there is obvious nervousness about requests from the military to send more troops to Afghanistan."

Of those surveyed, just 38 percent want troop levels there increased, while 28 percent said they want to lower troop levels. Twenty-one percent want to maintain the current troop level.

The poll was released as President Barack Obama weighs a decision on a revamped strategy that could see him send up to 40,000 more US soldiers to Afghanistan, as requested by his war commander, General Stanley McChrystal.

A rift has emerged within the Obama administration between those backing further troop deployments to help secure the Afghan population and others, notably Vice President Joe Biden, said to back a more counter terrorism approach focused on targeting Al-Qaeda militants with mostly unmanned air strikes.

The president is holding a series of meetings on his strategy, with a decision expected within weeks, and held talks with key Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday.

[Harconen]

Barely a third of British public support war in Afghanistan

Ekklesia
Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00 EDT
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/10352

Only 37 per cent of the UK public supports the war in Afghanistan, according to research published today (7 October), eight years to the day after the war began.

A poll carried out for the BBC showed 56 per cent opposed the war, while 6 per cent were unsure and 1 per cent refused to answer.

The numbers are similar to those in a BBC poll carried out three years ago, despite the government's attempts to promote support for the war through events such as Armed Forces Day.

Lindsey German of the Stop the War Coalition welcomed the poll, repeating her insistence that the war in Afghanistan is "unwinnable".

Labour MP Eric Joyce, usually known for his support for military operations, acknowledged that politicians should "listen very, very carefully to what public opinion is saying". He admitted that "we haven't done enough of that up to now".

The news of public opposition is likely to come as an embarrassment both to government and military leaders, who are reported to be squabbling over the sending of further troops to the region.

David Richards, the head of the Army, is reported to want 1,000 soldiers sent in addition to the 9,000 already there. Gordon Brown is rumoured to have offered him 500.

Meanwhile, controversy has emerged over the future role of Richards' predecessor, Richard Dannatt.

Well-known for his criticisms of the government's strategy in Afghanistan, it has now come to light that Dannatt will take a role advising the Conservative Party on military policy, possibly with a seat in the House of Lords.

The Labour peer George Foulkes accused Dannatt of being a "Tory stooge", saying that his critical comments had been "encouraged by the Conservative front bench."

[Harconen]

American troops in Afghanistan depressed and deeply disillusioned, say army chaplains

Go to original link for video http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6865359.ece

Martin Fletcher
The Times
Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:34 EDT


American soldiers serving in Afghanistan are depressed and deeply disillusioned, according to the chaplains of two US battalions that have spent nine months on the front line in the war against the Taleban.

Many feel that they are risking their lives - and that colleagues have died - for a futile mission and an Afghan population that does nothing to help them, the chaplains told The Times in their makeshift chapel on this fortress-like base in a dusty, brown valley southwest of Kabul.

"The many soldiers who come to see us have a sense of futility and anger about being here. They are really in a state of depression and despair and just want to get back to their families," said Captain Jeff Masengale, of the 10th Mountain Division's 2-87 Infantry Battalion.

"They feel they are risking their lives for progress that's hard to discern," said Captain Sam Rico, of the Division's 4-25 Field Artillery Battalion. "They are tired, strained, confused and just want to get through." The chaplains said that they were speaking out because the men could not.

The base is not, it has to be said, obviously downcast, and many troops do not share the chaplains' assessment. The soldiers are, by nature and training, upbeat, driven by a strong sense of duty, and they do their jobs as best they can. Re-enlistment rates are surprisingly good for the 2-87, though poor for the 4-25. Several men approached by The Times, however, readily admitted that their morale had slumped.

"We're lost - that's how I feel. I'm not exactly sure why we're here," said Specialist Raquime Mercer, 20, whose closest friend was shot dead by a renegade Afghan policeman last Friday. "I need a clear-cut purpose if I'm going to get hurt out here or if I'm going to die."

Sergeant Christopher Hughes, 37, from Detroit, has lost six colleagues and survived two roadside bombs. Asked if the mission was worthwhile, he replied: "If I knew exactly what the mission was, probably so, but I don't."

The only soldiers who thought it was going well "work in an office, not on the ground". In his opinion "the whole country is going to s***".

The battalion's 1,500 soldiers are nine months in to a year-long deployment that has proved extraordinarily tough. Their goal was to secure the mountainous Wardak province and then to win the people's allegiance through development and good governance. They have, instead, found themselves locked in an increasingly vicious battle with the Taleban.

They have been targeted by at least 300 roadside bombs, about 180 of which have exploded. Nineteen men have been killed in action, with another committing suicide. About a hundred have been flown home with amputations, severe burns and other injuries likely to cause permanent disability, and many of those have not been replaced. More than two dozen mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs) have been knocked out of action.

Living conditions are good - abundant food, air-conditioned tents, hot water, free internet - but most of the men are on their second, third or fourth tours of Afghanistan and Iraq, with barely a year between each. Staff Sergeant Erika Cheney, Airborne's mental health specialist, expressed concern about their mental state - especially those in scattered outposts - and believes that many have mild post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). "They're tired, frustrated, scared. A lot of them are afraid to go out but will still go," she said.

Lieutenant Peter Hjelmstad, 2-87's Medical Platoon Leader, said sleeplessness and anger attacks were common.

A dozen men have been confined to desk jobs because they can no longer handle missions outside the base. One long-serving officer who has lost three friends this tour said he sometimes returned to his room at night and cried, or played war games on his laptop. "It's a release. It's a method of coping." He has nightmares and sleeps little, and it does not help that the base is frequently shaken by outgoing artillery fire. He was briefly overcome as he recalled how, when a lorry backfired during his most recent home leave, he grabbed his young son and dived between two parked cars.

The chaplains said soldiers were seeking their help in unprecedented numbers. "Everyone you meet is just down, and you meet them everywhere - in the weight room, dining facility, getting mail," said Captain Rico. Even "hard men" were coming to their tent chapel and breaking down.

The men are frustrated by the lack of obvious purpose or progress. "The soldiers' biggest question is: what can we do to make this war stop. Catch one person? Assault one objective? Soldiers want definite answers, other than to stop the Taleban, because that almost seems impossible. It's hard to catch someone you can't see," said Specialist Mercer.

"It's a very frustrating mission," said Lieutenant Hjelmstad. "The average soldier sees a friend blown up and his instinct is to retaliate or believe it's for something [worthwhile], but it's not like other wars where your buddy died but they took the hill. There's no tangible reward for the sacrifice. It's hard to say Wardak is better than when we got here."

Captain Masengale, a soldier for 12 years before he became a chaplain, said: "We want to believe in a cause but we don't know what that cause is."

The soldiers are angry that colleagues are losing their lives while trying to help a population that will not help them. "You give them all the humanitarian assistance that they want and they're still going to lie to you. They'll tell you there's no Taleban anywhere in the area and as soon as you roll away, ten feet from their house, you get shot at again," said Specialist Eric Petty, from Georgia.

Captain Rico told of the disgust of a medic who was asked to treat an insurgent shortly after pulling a colleague's charred corpse from a bombed vehicle.

The soldiers complain that rules of engagement designed to minimise civilian casualties mean that they fight with one arm tied behind their backs. "They're a joke," said one. "You get shot at but can do nothing about it. You have to see the person with the weapon. It's not enough to know which house the shooting's coming from."

The soldiers joke that their Isaf arm badges stand not for International Security Assistance Force but "I Suck At Fighting" or "I Support Afghan Farmers".

To compound matters, soldiers are mainly being killed not in combat but on routine journeys, by roadside bombs planted by an invisible enemy. "That's very demoralising," said Captain Masengale.

The constant deployments are, meanwhile, playing havoc with the soldiers' private lives. "They're killing families," he said. "Divorces are skyrocketing. PTSD is off the scale. There have been hundreds of injuries that send soldiers home and affect families for the rest of their lives."

The chaplains said that many soldiers had lost their desire to help Afghanistan. "All they want to do is make it home alive and go back to their wives and children and visit the families who have lost husbands and fathers over here. It comes down to just surviving," said Captain Masengale.

"If we make it back with ten toes and ten fingers the mission is successful," Sergeant Hughes said.

"You carry on for the guys to your left or right," added Specialist Mercer.

The chaplains have themselves struggled to cope with so much distress. "We have to encourage them, strengthen them and send them out again. No one comes in and says, 'I've had a great day on a mission'. It's all pain," said Captain Masengale. "The only way we've been able to make it is having each other."

Lieutenant-Colonel Kimo Gallahue, 2-87's commanding officer, denied that his men were demoralised, and insisted they had achieved a great deal over the past nine months. A triathlete and former rugby player, he admitted pushing his men hard, but argued that taking the fight to the enemy was the best form of defence.

He said the security situation had worsened because the insurgents had chosen to fight in Wardak province, not abandon it. He said, however, that the situation would have been catastrophic without his men. They had managed to keep open the key Kabul-to-Kandahar highway which dissects Wardak, and prevent the province becoming a launch pad for attacks on the capital, which is barely 20 miles from its border. Above all, Colonel Gallahue argued that counter-insurgency - winning the allegiance of the indigenous population through security, development and good governance - was a long and laborious process that could not be completed in a year. "These 12 months have been, for me, laying the groundwork for future success," he said.

At morning service on Sunday, the two chaplains sought to boost the spirits of their flock with uplifting hymns, accompanied by video footage of beautiful lakes, oceans and rivers.

Captain Rico offered a particularly apposite reading from Corinthians: "We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; perplexed but not driven to despair; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed."

[Harconen]

Taliban: We had nothing to do with 9/11. So what are you doing here?

A US soldier keeps watch at the site of an explosion in Logar province south of Kabul

Jason Burke & Chris McGreal
The Guardian
Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:58 EDT
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/08/afghanistan-taliban-al-qaida-threat-us

The Taliban has said it poses no threat to the west in a move apparently intended to influence the intense debate over the future of the war in Afghanistan by suggesting weakening ties to al-Qaida.

The statement, which appeared on several websites used by the Taliban, will be scrutinised by President Barack Obama's national security advisers who are reported to be pressing him to shift the focus of the war from the Taliban in Afghanistan to al-Qaida in Pakistan. Some of the advisers, along with US vice-president Joe Biden argue that the Taliban is not a direct threat to the US while al-Qaida's deepening intrusion into Pakistan threatens to turn it into a new base for terrorist assaults on America as well as destabilising a close ally.

The Taliban statement said it is fighting to expel foreign invaders and to establish an Islamic state.

"We did not have any agenda to harm other countries including Europe nor [do] we have such agenda today," said the statement posted on a known Taliban website. "Still, if you want to turn the country of the proud and pious Afghans into a colony, then know that we have an unwavering determination and have braced for a prolonged war."

The Taliban also noted that those dying or displaced in Afghanistan "were not involved in the [9/11] events of New York" .

The statement may be a sign that senior Taliban figures are reassessing the movement's longstanding though often tense alliance with al-Qaida. In a recent exchange of emails with The Guardian, a Taliban spokesman avoided questions on the relationship between the Afghan insurgents and Osama bin Laden. The spokesman also boasted that the Taliban monitored public opinion in western Europe and policy arguments in the US closely.

In Washington, Obama has been holding a series of high-level meetings as he weighs up whether to accept the recommendation of the Nato commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, to deploy up to 40,000 more troops to combat the Taliban. McChrystal argues that without a swift and significant increase in the size of the international force the war against the Taliban may never be won.

But Biden and, according to officials speaking to the US press, most of Obama's national security advisers favour shifting the focus to hunting down al-Qaida in Pakistan because it poses a greater threat to the US. They argue that the Taliban and Bin Laden's followers are not inextricably linked - a view that would appear to be reinforced by the Taliban's statement. If that position were accepted, it may even open the way to dealings with the Taliban that would be unthinkable with al-Qaida.

However, the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, and the defence secretary, Robert Gates, have argued that the two groups remain closely tied and that if the Taliban were to retake power in Afghanistan it would again provide safe haven to al-Qaida. It is unclear whether the Taliban's statement represents a genuine shift in position or a clever attempt to influence an ongoing debate, or both.

The Taliban stand to benefit even if they are not serious as their intervention will fuel the increasingly acrimonious and muddled debate on Afghan strategy in the west and the public disillusionment with the war. Or they will gain if the statement is taken seriously and they are genuinely interested in repositioning themselves as independent from al-Qaida.

Whether they could split away from al-Qaida is unclear. Some strong personal ties have developed between key figures on both sides - such as between Mullah Muhammad Omar and Bin Laden - and a few specialists from al-Qaida have helped the insurgents inside Afghanistan.

But al-Qaida is still almost entirely composed of Arabs from core Middle Eastern countries and the Maghreb, while the Taliban are predominantly Pashtun Afghan. Equally, since the 1990s there have always been tensions between the international agenda of al-Qaida and the domestic agenda of the Taliban.

Comment: Strange to see author Jason Burke giving credence to al-Qaida™ after he featured in the BBC's Power of Nightmares series http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2798679275960015727# explaining that al-Qaida is a myth created by the American legal system:

Al-Qaeda Doesn't Exist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTTgpsAs4_c&feature=player_embedded

[Loungeagainstthemachine]

This thread made me cry.

[Harconen]

This thread made me cry.

Welcome to a club. Many of us are posted same thing, me first.

[Harconen]

Our dereliction of duty

Posted at 9:57 AM on October 3, 2009 by Bob Collins

"He watched as an Iraqi police member opened the door of the house, only to have the back of his head explode from enemy fire. He tossed a grenade into the home. ... Though (the enemy) had lost limbs, he was still alive. So Hafterson had no choice but to kill him with a knife through the throat."

Every now and again -- when I'm speaking to some group -- someone will ask, "how do you determine what news is?" They're looking for a definition I can't give them. It's not an algorithm (sorry, Google); it's a feeling from your heart to your head. You know it when you see it or when you feel it.

You have to be some sort of heart-dead or brain-dead person not to see the stories within the story of Pvt. Travis Hafterson, whom I've been writing about this week (here, here, here, and here). The 21-year-old Marine from Circle Pines left Camp LeJeune in North Carolina on leave last month only to find out his orders had been rescinded. He was looking for help for post traumatic stress disorder and his mother suggested he come home to get it.

We can argue -- and we have, respectfully, in the posts I've made on News Cut this week -- about whether he should have done that, but one thing cannot be denied: Travis Hafterson is a broken human in need of help and we did this to him.

We sent a kid off to war -- twice -- with all the bravado we could muster on lawn signs, bumper stickers and radio talk shows, and while we lived a comfortable life supporting our troops here with our yellow-ribbon magnets, Hafterson and thousands of other combat soldiers were accumulating memories that turn into nightmares.

Here's just one of several I lifted from a psychological report he underwent last Saturday:

    "He watched as an Iraqi police member opened the door of the house, only to have the back of his head explode from enemy fire. He tossed a grenade into the home. ... Though (the enemy) had lost limbs, he was still alive. So Hafterson had no choice but to kill him with a knife through the throat."

Hafterson's primary story isn't the only one that went largely unreported this week. So was the amazing story of how Minnesota's system worked. Psychologists and psychiatrists gave up their days off last weekend, social workers stepped in, attorneys donated their time, court-appointed experts reacted with diligence, a Ramsey County judge and the staff of the Civil Commitment Court acted swiftly, sensitively, and urgently, purely because they recognized the need to help a kid -- "one of our own," you might say -- who came home for help.

On Thursday, the Marines swept in, grabbed Hafterson before he could get it, and sent him to a military prison. He's disappeared into the closed society of the military again, and the public symptoms of a wider mental-health scandal disappeared with him.

The Marines couldn't have done it without the indifference of the news media in the Twin Cities.

Almost a year ago to the day, another Minnesota soldier also had a problem. Gwen Beberg befriended a dog in Iraq but had to leave "Ratchet" behind when she returned to the states. The local media sprang into action. The local newspapers carried the story on page one. Local TV news personalities wouldn't let the story die, and finally the military relented. When the dog came home for a happy reunion, the TV stations were there live.

No such luck for Pvt. Hafterson or, for that matter, the hundreds or maybe thousands of soldiers like him who may exist if only we in the news media were interested enough to find out. No TV station picked up the Hafterson story this week. The Pioneer Press was the only newspaper to do so. The Star Tribune, which announced a "military affairs" beat just a week ago, ignored Hafterson's plight. The Associated Press took a pass. The Huffington Post rejected the story as did National Public Radio. The alternative online news sources around here who fancy themselves the future of journalism -- MinnPost, The Uptake, and City Pages, for example -- proved that they can shrug their shoulders as well as the big boys. Of all alternative online sources of news, only Rick Kupchella's new Bring Me the News "covered" the story.

If the news media here had treated Pvt. Travis Hafterson like a dog, it would've been an improvement.

While the Hafterson story was playing out in the Twin Cities this week, a summit on the future of journalism was being held in San Francisco, where the San Francisco Chronicle noted the theme:

    Key to survival in the digital media age is rapidly responding to the preferences that consumers reveal every time they click a link, view an ad, read a story or post a comment, said Michael Franklin, professor of computer science at UC Berkeley. He is also the founder of Truviso, a San Mateo company that creates tools for analyzing consumer data.

    Each online action represents clues that media companies can use to customize content, products and ads to particular consumers. That, in turn, can increase customers' engagement with the site and the likelihood of responding to marketing, he said.

Fancy talk, indeed, but it leaves out the two most important elements of journalism. It needs to employ people who give a damn and it needs to make you look, when your instinct is to turn away.

At some future point, the PTSD story will resurface in the form of some tragedy, and the media wags will ask "how could this happen?" When it comes time to ask the question, we should be looking in the mirror.
Comments (10)

Right on Bob. This is the real news and the military should treat this guy and the rest right. There is no reason for this to take place behind closed doors.

Posted by Garret Maki | October 3, 2009 11:00 AM

If anyone wants to help Pvt H and others like him, please contact NAMI-MN at:
NAMI Minnesota
800 Transfer Road, #31
Saint Paul, MN 55114

phone: 651-645-2948
toll free: 1-888-NAMI-HELPS
fax: 651-645-7379

And ask who to call, who to write and even get help saying what you need to say in a way that will be heard. This has been going on too long!

[Harconen]

Saving Pvt. Hafterson: The Marines respond

Posted at 1:15 PM on October 8, 2009
 by Than Tibbetts
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2009/10/saving_pvt_hafterson_the_marin.shtml


I'm sure Bob wishes he could have written this post, as it follows up on a story which, for quite a while, it seemed as though he was the only one following.

Briefly: Marine Pvt. Travis Hafterson has been diagnosed with PTSD — post traumatic stress disorder. He left the Marines to seek treatment in Minnesota, and was set to be voluntarily committed to a mental health facility. The Marines got to him first and he's currently in the brig in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Marines had not commented on the Hafterson matter beyond confirmed that he was in their custody, until today. Here is the full text of a statement from Marine spokesman Maj. Kelly Frushour.

    Good Morning,

    In late September and early October there was a spate of reporting by news agencies in Minnesota regarding the case of Marine Pvt. Travis Hafterson.
    Much of this reporting centered on Hafterson's claims of suffering as a result of his deployments to Iraq.

    Marines are trained in and abide by the Law of Armed Conflict and take any violations of these laws seriously. After reading statements in these news stories which alleged law of war violations (the alleged killing of a wounded Iraqi), the Marine Corps investigated the claims.

    The result of that investigation concluded the following:
    Hafterson was not present when a lieutenant in his command was wounded.
    Hafterson did not engage in any combat while deployed.
    Hafterson did not kill anyone while deployed.
    Hafterson never fired his weapon while deployed.
    Hafterson does not have a Combat Action Ribbon.

    When returning from a deployment, Marines undergo a post-deployment health assessment. This assessment is an inclusive review of a Marines' combat experiences, living conditions and environmental exposures while deployed.

    This assessment becomes a part of the Marines' medical record. Due to privacy concerns I cannot state the particulars of Haftersons' medical information but please know the Marine Corps is committed to the health and welfare of its service members and has myriad support resources available to
    help Marines, Sailors and their family members.

MPR's Elizabeth Dunbar has the full story of today's response from the Marines, including reaction from Hafterson's side.

    Pvt. Hafterson's attorney, Ron Bradley, said Thursday that he was "surprised and skeptical" of the Marines investigation, noting that a psychologist and psychiatrist in Minnesota had both found that Hafterson suffers from PTSD. Bradley also said Hafterson was part of an infantry unit, which he said makes it likely that he engaged in combat.

    "Can I prove anything? No. I have no firsthand knowledge. Do I believe the military? No," Bradley said. "I believe my client."

You can read Bob's previous coverage here:
Sept. 30: Saving Pvt. Hafterson
Sept. 30: A mother's story
Oct. 1: 'We were so close.'
Oct. 2: One of thousands
Oct. 3: Our dereliction of duty
Comments (4)

But they don't say if he has received any medical attention or has had access to his family. I don't believe them. Sorry, Too many lies about this war means I don't trust them. And I spent fifteen years as an Army dependent.

Posted by Joanna | October 8, 2009 2:18 PM

Once again I am dismayed at the treatment our service members receive after they come home. Whether Pvt. Hafterson was actively in combat or not does not preclude him from having PTSD. PTSD is not only caused by being in combat; it can be triggered by any mentally traumatic situation. I suffered PTSD due to a traumatic situation with my daughter nearly being murdered when she was only an infant. I struggled with it for years, but finally after therapy, I was able to face the situation and am much better able to deal with the memories.
Being in a combat zone, with imminent danger present at every moment of your life must be extremely mentally stressful. Pvt. Hafterson needs our compassion and he needs mental health support for a diagnosed condition. Why can't the military just do what is right?

Posted by Lindi Waller | October 8, 2009 2:54 PM

Believe the military, please no way!

Posted by He is just another Number! | October 8, 2009 4:03 PM

I have heard of people getting PTSD from listening to first-hand accounts of stories, where people empathize a little too much and take someone else's trauma on themselves. It is possible that, if Pvt. Hafterson was really not in active combat, that he could still have PTSD in hearing other service members' stories from combat.

However, I do believe that he was in combat, and I'm not sure why the Marines would lie about this.....

Posted by Kim V | October 8, 2009 4:38 PM

[Harconen]

Worst losses for a year as Taleban storm Nato outpost

Posted by Philip Dru
 on 10/05/09
http://www.nwotruth.com/worst-losses-for-a-year-as-taleban-storm-nato-outpost/


It began before dawn — a devastating, well-planned attack. About 300 insurgents swarmed out of a village and mosque and attacked a pair of isolated American outposts in a remote mountainous area of eastern Afghanistan with machineguns, rockets and grenades.

They first stormed the Afghan police post at the foot of the hill in the province of Nuristan, a Taleban and al-Qaeda stronghold on the lawless Pakistan border. They then swept up to the Nato post. The battle lasted all day. American and Afghan soldiers finally repelled them, with the help of US helicopters and warplanes — but at heavy cost.

Eight American soldiers and two Afghan policemen were killed, with many injured. It was the worst attack on Nato forces in 14 months, and one of the deadliest battles of the eight-year war. The insurgents seized at least 20 Afghan policemen whose fate last night remained unclear.

The attack came at a crucial juncture in the war, with President Obama soon to decide whether to accept a request by General Stanley McChrystal, commander of the 100,000-strong US and Nato force in Afghanistan, for 40,000 extra troops, or to reduce the counter-insurgency operation against the Taleban and focus on al-Qaeda.

Domestic opposition to a US “surge” is increasing as the death toll rises. About 400 coalition troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year — the majority of them American. Saturday’s death toll was the highest suffered by Nato’s International Security Assistance Force since August 2008, when ten French troops died in an ambush in Kabul province. It was also the highest inflicted on US troops in Afghanistan since 200 insurgents killed nine Americans in an attack on another remote outpost in the village of Wanat in Nuristan in July last year.

Nato said that it inflicted heavy casualties in the attack but gave no numbers. “This was a complex attack in a difficult area,” Colonel Randy George, commander of the US force in the region, said. “Both the US and Afghan soldiers fought bravely together.”

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taleban spokesman, said that the insurgents included several suicide bombers and that they captured 35 policemen whose fate would be decided by the movement’s provincial council.

US forces have suffered some of their worst casualties in eastern Afghanistan, where they have sought to control the remote passes that insurgents use to cross the Pakistan border, but they had planned soon to withdraw from the area as part of General McChrystal’s strategy to focus on protecting population centres.

Jamaluddin Badar, Nuristan’s governor, said that the Taleban fighters had moved to the province after being driven from Pakistan’s Swat Valley by Pakistani troops. He said that he sought more security forces for Kamdesh district, adding: “When there are few security forces, this is what happens.”

Yesterday Nato officers were reassessing the security of hundreds of outposts scattered across Afghanistan.

“Everyone is aware of what happened in Nuristan, and checking their outposts are well protected and manned,” said Major Jason Henneke, executive officer of the 10th Mountain Division’s 2-87 Battalion in Wardak province. Major Henneke’s battalion lost two soldiers, with three wounded, late on Friday when an Afghan policeman opened fire on his American colleagues during a joint operation to clear the Taleban from villages around the Nerkh valley.

US and Afghan investigators are trying to determine whether the policeman was a covert member of the Taleban or made a mistake. Either way, the attack fuelled the distrust that many Nato soldiers feel towards the Afghan security forces they are training as part of the coalition’s eventual exit strategy.

“You don’t trust anybody, especially after an incident like this,” said Specialist Raquime Mercer, 20, whose close friend died in the attack.

The Times | Monday, October 5, 2009

[Harconen]

Rethinking Afghanistan

Robert Greenwald
RethinkAfghanistan.com
Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:24 EDT
http://rethinkafghanistan.com/

The war in Afghanistan with its encroachment into India raises complex and dangerous issues.

As Pakistan encroaches into India's borders, tensions mount - not a good scenario when both countries have nuclear weapons - making it one of the most dangerous places in the world.

As more Afghani lives are shattered by U.S. bombs and attacks, hatred for the U.S. and its allies increases, and the people turn for help to the Taliban: "The mere presence of foreign soldiers fighting in Afghanistan is probably the most important factor in the resurgence of the Taliban."

The war is a waste of money, a waste of resources, and most tragically it is a warper of minds, a mutilator of bodies, and a destroyer of lives.

For these reasons, and more, the United States and its allies should pull out of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan + More Troops = Catastrophe (Full Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPUwQGmMSm0&feature=player_embedded

Here's Why Obama Is "Gravely Concerned" About Pakistan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3I6SxMpivo&feature=player_embedded

Rethink Afghanistan (Part 3): Cost of War
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4teO_XDtkLk&feature=player_embedded

Rethink Afghanistan (Part 4): Civilian Casualties
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krHV9iT20zw&feature=player_embedded

Rethink Afghanistan (Part 5): Women of Afghanistan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7jAT0FAGBc&feature=player_embedded

Rethink Afghanistan (Part 6): Security
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjE2wMWMJwI&feature=player_embedded

Comment: Some SOTT readers who live in the U.S. may be inspired by this thought which was written by one of the commentators on YouTube:

"As we pay our tax bills, it seems an appropriate time to urge everyone to Rethink Afghanistan, a war that currently costs over $2 billion a month but hasn't made us any safer. Everyone has a friend or relative who just lost a job. Do we really want to spend over $1 trillion on another war? Everyone knows someone who has lost their home. Do we really want spend our tax dollars on a war that could last a decade or more? The Obama administration has taken some smart steps to counter this economic crisis with its budget request. Do we really want to see that effort wasted by expanding military demands?

Prize-winning authors and journalists, military and foreign policy experts, leading economists, and many more explain just how much the war in Afghanistan will cost us over how many years.

We must urge Congress to raise key questions about this war at once. As FireDogLake blogger Siun recently wrote, "Once again we are planning a surge with no exit plan and a continued lack of concern for the most basic protection of the civilians in the land we claim to liberate."

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/194421-Rethinking-Afghanistan

[Harconen]

Please, if you are emotional person don't go here http://www.thefourreasons.org/victimsofwar.htm very disturbing photos and news

[Harconen]

Casualties in Iraq
http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/

The Human Cost of Occupation
Edited by Margaret Griffis :: Contact
 
American Military Casualties in Iraq
Date
   
Total
   
In Combat
American Deaths       
Since war began (3/19/03):   4348   3475
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03) (the list)
   
4209
   
3368
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03):   3885   3170
Since Handover (6/29/04):   3489   2843
Since Obama Inauguration (1/20/09):   120   71
American Wounded   Official   Estimated
Total Wounded:   31527   Over 100000
Latest Fatality Oct. 6, 2009
Page last updated 10/7/09 12:38 pm EDT
List of U.S. Servicemembers killed since 5/1/03
Put a Casualty Counter on Your Website
 
U.S. Wounded
Daily DoD Casualty Release
320,000 Vets Have Brain Injuries
War Veterans’ Concussions Are Often Overlooked
How Many Servicemembers Were Wounded?
18 Vet Suicides Per Day?
 
Iraqi Casualties
Others
   
Just Foreign Policy Iraqi Death Estimator
Other Coalition Troops - Iraq    
325
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan    
869
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan    
577
Contractor Employee Deaths - Iraq    
1,395
Journalists - Iraq    
335
Academics Killed - Iraq    
431
Sources: DoD, MNF, and iCasualties.org
   
The Faces
   
The List
   
Sources
   
American Casualties
   
Iraqi Casualties
   
Contact

U.S. lacks mechanism to accurately track troops wounded in Iraq

Also see The Missing Wounded.

American Count

Dates and sources of Americans killed in Iraq since 5/1/03 are documented in this file. Admittedly the file is incomplete, for the Department of Defense does not maintain old records. All data was compiled from http://www.defenselink.mil. If something is amiss in the data collection, please contact Margaret Griffis.

Iraqi Civilian Count

We maintain a daily count based on news reports. It is not intended to be complete. There is no agency that keeps track of accurate numbers of Iraqis killed. JustForeignPolicy maintains a running estimate based on the Lancet study with the rate of increase derived from the Iraq Body Count.

Comparing Civilian Casualty Studies

Robert Naiman of Just Foreign Policy explains the similarities between the Lancet and the the Orb estimates. Numbers from the Iraq Body Count site and the study published in the Lancet are compared at OpenDemocracy.net. The BBC published an article, which includes a response from IBC, that criticizes the large Lancet figures. Middle East expert Juan Cole also gives his opinion on the Lancet study here.
Sources and Links
US Military Deaths by Month from Icasualties.org
Faces of the Fallen    Department of Defense    Central Command
JustForeignPolicy    Icasualties.org Count    BBC Figures
Juan Cole    Journalist Deaths in Iraq    Cost of War
   

[Harconen]

Iraq Vets Come Home Physically, Mentally Butchered

by Aaron Glantz
http://www.antiwar.com/glantz/?articleid=10262


On New Year's Eve, the number of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq passed 3,000. By Tuesday, the death toll had reached 3,004 – 31 more than died in the Sep. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

But the number of injured has far outstripped the dead, with the Veterans Administration reporting that more than 150,000 veterans of the Iraq war are receiving disability benefits.

Advances in military technology are keeping the death rate much lower than during the Vietnam War and World War Two, Dr. Col. Vito Imbascini, an urologist and state surgeon with the California Army National Guard, told IPS, but soldiers who survive attacks are often severely disabled for life.

"If you lost an arm or a leg in Vietnam, you were also tremendously injured in your chest and abdomen, which were not protected by the armor plates back then," he said. "Now, your heart and chest and lungs and heart are protected by armor, leaving only your extremities exposed."

Dr. Imbascini just returned from a four-month deployment to Germany, where he treated the worst of the U.S. war wounded. He said that an extremely high number of wounded soldiers are coming home with their arms or legs amputated. Imbascini said he amputated the genitals of one or two men every day.

"I walk into the operating room and the general surgeons are doing their work and there is the body of this Navy SEAL, which is a physical specimen to behold," he told IPS. "And his abdomen is open, they're exploring both intestines. He's missing both legs below the knee, one arm is blown off, he's got incisions on his thighs to relieve the pressure on the parts of the legs that are hopefully gonna survive and there's genital injuries, and you just want to cry."

According to documents obtained by the National Security Archive at George Washington University, 25 percent of veterans of the "global war on terror" have filed disability compensation and pension benefit claims with the Veterans Benefits Administration.

One is a Jul. 20, 2006, document titled "Compensation and Pension Benefit Activity Among Veterans of the Global War on Terrorism," which shows that 152,669 veterans filed disability claims after fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan. Of the more than 100,000 claims granted, Veterans Administration records show at least 1,502 veterans have been compensated as 100 percent disabled.

Pentagon studies show that 12 percent of soldiers who have served in Iraq suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. The group Veterans for America, formerly the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, estimates 70,000 Iraq war veterans have gone to the VA for mental health care.

New guidelines released by the Pentagon released last month allow commanders to redeploy soldiers suffering from traumatic stress disorders.

According to the military newspaper Stars and Stripes, servicemembers with "a psychiatric disorder in remission, or whose residual symptoms do not impair duty performance" may be considered for duty downrange. It lists post-traumatic stress disorder as a "treatable" problem.

"As a layman and a former soldier I think that's ridiculous," Steve Robinson, the director of Veterans Affairs for Veterans for America, told IPS.

"If I've got a soldier who's on Ambien to go to sleep and Seroquel and Qanapin and all kinds of other psychotropic meds, I don't want them to have a weapon in their hand and to be part of my team because they're a risk to themselves and to others," he said. "But apparently, the military has its own view of how well a soldier can function under those conditions and is gambling that they can be successful."

Robinson said problems with the policy are already starting to arise.

On Christmas, for example, Army Reservist James Dean barricaded himself in his father's home with several weapons and threatened to kill himself. After a 14-hour standoff with authorities, Dean was killed by a police officer after he aimed a gun at another officer, authorities told the Washington Post.

Veterans for America's Robinson told IPS that Dean, who had already served 18 months in Afghanistan, had been diagnosed with PTSD. He had just been informed that his unit would be sent to Iraq on Jan. 14.

"We call that suicide by cop," Robinson said.

After his death, Dean's friends told the Washington Post that the reservist enjoyed hunting and fishing but had lost much of his enthusiasm for life when he found out that he was being deployed to Iraq.

"When Congress comes back in session we're looking forward to accountability hearings," Robinson said. "We want to see veterans helped in the first 100 hours of the new session. We want to see the word 'veteran' somewhere in that first hundred hours."

Robinson says his organization has also documented the existence of at least 1,000 homeless veterans of the Iraq war.

"We need to get on top of the problem of homelessness," he said. "It's too soon to be seeing homelessness. I want to be seeing a commitment from the Democratic Congress to dealing with the war and the needs of the soldiers in the first hundred hours of them coming to power."

(Inter Press Service)

[Harconen]

The Other War : Iraq Vets Bear Witness

By Chris Hedges and Laila al-Arian,
 The Nation, Juillet 2007
http://contreinfo.info/article.php3?id_article=1185


Over the past several months The Nation has interviewed fifty combat veterans of the Iraq War from around the United States in an effort to investigate the effects of the four-year-old occupation on average Iraqi civilians. These combat veterans, some of whom bear deep emotional and physical scars, and many of whom have come to oppose the occupation, gave vivid, on-the-record accounts. They described a brutal side of the war rarely seen on television screens or chronicled in newspaper accounts.

Their stories, recorded and typed into thousands of pages of transcripts, reveal disturbing patterns of behavior by American troops in Iraq. Dozens of those interviewed witnessed Iraqi civilians, including children, dying from American firepower. Some participated in such killings ; others treated or investigated civilian casualties after the fact. Many also heard such stories, in detail, from members of their unit. The soldiers, sailors and marines emphasized that not all troops took part in indiscriminate killings. Many said that these acts were perpetrated by a minority. But they nevertheless described such acts as common and said they often go unreported - and almost always go unpunished.

Court cases, such as the ones surrounding the massacre in Haditha and the rape and murder of a 14-year-old in Mahmudiya, and news stories in the Washington Post, Time, the London Independent and elsewhere based on Iraqi accounts have begun to hint at the wide extent of the attacks on civilians. Human rights groups have issued reports, such as Human Rights Watch’s Hearts and Minds : Post-war Civilian Deaths in Baghdad Caused by U.S. Forces, packed with detailed incidents that suggest that the killing of Iraqi civilians by occupation forces is more common than has been acknowledged by military authorities.

This Nation investigation marks the first time so many on-the-record, named eyewitnesses from within the US military have been assembled in one place to openly corroborate these assertions.

While some veterans said civilian shootings were routinely investigated by the military, many more said such inquiries were rare. "I mean, you physically could not do an investigation every time a civilian was wounded or killed because it just happens a lot and you’d spend all your time doing that," said Marine Reserve Lieut. Jonathan Morgenstein, 35, of Arlington, Virginia. He served from August 2004 to March 2005 in Ramadi with a Marine Corps civil affairs unit supporting a combat team with the Second Marine Expeditionary Brigade. (All interviewees are identified by the rank they held during the period of service they recount here ; some have since been promoted or demoted.)

Veterans said the culture of this counterinsurgency war, in which most Iraqi civilians were assumed to be hostile, made it difficult for soldiers to sympathize with their victims - at least until they returned home and had a chance to reflect.

"I guess while I was there, the general attitude was, A dead Iraqi is just another dead Iraqi," said Spc. Jeff Englehart, 26, of Grand Junction, Colorado. Specialist Englehart served with the Third Brigade, First Infantry Division, in Baquba, about thirty-five miles northeast of Baghdad, for a year beginning in February 2004. "You know, so what ?... The soldiers honestly thought we were trying to help the people and they were mad because it was almost like a betrayal. Like here we are trying to help you, here I am, you know, thousands of miles away from home and my family, and I have to be here for a year and work every day on these missions. Well, we’re trying to help you and you just turn around and try to kill us."

He said it was only "when they get home, in dealing with veteran issues and meeting other veterans, it seems like the guilt really takes place, takes root, then."

The Iraq War is a vast and complicated enterprise. In this investigation of alleged military misconduct, The Nation focused on a few key elements of the occupation, asking veterans to explain in detail their experiences operating patrols and supply convoys, setting up checkpoints, conducting raids and arresting suspects. From these collected snapshots a common theme emerged. Fighting in densely populated urban areas has led to the indiscriminate use of force and the deaths at the hands of occupation troops of thousands of innocents.

Many of these veterans returned home deeply disturbed by the disparity between the reality of the war and the way it is portrayed by the US government and American media. The war the vets described is a dark and even depraved enterprise, one that bears a powerful resemblance to other misguided and brutal colonial wars and occupations, from the French occupation of Algeria to the American war on Vietnam and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.

"I’ll tell you the point where I really turned," said Spc. Michael Harmon, 24, a medic from Brooklyn. He served a thirteen-month tour beginning in April 2003 with the 167th Armor Regiment, Fourth Infantry Division, in Al-Rashidiya, a small town near Baghdad. "I go out to the scene and [there was] this little, you know, pudgy little 2-year-old child with the cute little pudgy legs, and I look and she has a bullet through her leg.... An IED [improvised explosive device] went off, the gun-happy soldiers just started shooting anywhere and the baby got hit. And this baby looked at me, wasn’t crying, wasn’t anything, it just looked at me like - I know she couldn’t speak. It might sound crazy, but she was like asking me why. You know, Why do I have a bullet in my leg ?... I was just like, This is - this is it. This is ridiculous."

Much of the resentment toward Iraqis described to The Nation by veterans was confirmed in a report released May 4 by the Pentagon. According to the survey, conducted by the Office of the Surgeon General of the US Army Medical Command, only 47 percent of soldiers and 38 percent of marines agreed that noncombatants should be treated with dignity and respect. Just 55 percent of soldiers and 40 percent of marines said they would report a unit member who had killed or injured "an innocent noncombatant."

These attitudes reflect the limited contact occupation troops said they had with Iraqis. They rarely saw their enemy. They lived bottled up in heavily fortified compounds that often came under mortar attack. They only ventured outside their compounds ready for combat. The mounting frustration of fighting an elusive enemy and the devastating effect of roadside bombs, with their steady toll of American dead and wounded, led many troops to declare an open war on all Iraqis.

Veterans described reckless firing once they left their compounds. Some shot holes into cans of gasoline being sold along the roadside and then tossed grenades into the pools of gas to set them ablaze. Others opened fire on children. These shootings often enraged Iraqi witnesses.

In June 2003 Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejía’s unit was pressed by a furious crowd in Ramadi. Sergeant Mejía, 31, a National Guardsman from Miami, served for six months beginning in April 2003 with the 1-124 Infantry Battalion, Fifty-Third Infantry Brigade. His squad opened fire on an Iraqi youth holding a grenade, riddling his body with bullets. Sergeant Mejía checked his clip afterward and calculated that he had personally fired eleven rounds into the young man.

"The frustration that resulted from our inability to get back at those who were attacking us led to tactics that seemed designed simply to punish the local population that was supporting them," Sergeant Mejía said.

We heard a few reports, in one case corroborated by photographs, that some soldiers had so lost their moral compass that they’d mocked or desecrated Iraqi corpses. One photo, among dozens turned over to The Nation during the investigation, shows an American soldier acting as if he is about to eat the spilled brains of a dead Iraqi man with his brown plastic Army-issue spoon.

"Take a picture of me and this motherf**ker," a soldier who had been in Sergeant Mejía’s squad said as he put his arm around the corpse. Sergeant Mejía recalls that the shroud covering the body fell away, revealing that the young man was wearing only his pants. There was a bullet hole in his chest.

"Damn, they really f**ked you up, didn’t they !?" the soldier laughed.

The scene, Sergeant Mejía said, was witnessed by the dead man’s brothers and cousins.

In the sections that follow, snipers, medics, military police, artillerymen, officers and others recount their experiences serving in places as diverse as Mosul in the north, Samarra in the Sunni Triangle, Nasiriya in the south and Baghdad in the center, during 2003, 2004 and 2005. Their stories capture the impact of their units on Iraqi civilians.

A Note on Methodology

The Nation interviewed fifty combat veterans, including forty soldiers, eight marines and two sailors, over a period of seven months beginning in July 2006. To find veterans willing to speak on the record about their experiences in Iraq, we sent queries to organizations dedicated to US troops and their families, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the antiwar groups Military Families Speak Out, Veterans for Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War and the prowar group Vets for Freedom. The leaders of IVAW and Paul Rieckhoff, the founder of IAVA, were especially helpful in putting us in touch with Iraq War veterans. Finally, we found veterans through word of mouth, as many of those we interviewed referred us to their military friends.

To verify their military service, when possible, we obtained a copy of each interviewee’s DD Form 214, or the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and in all cases confirmed their service with the branch of the military in which they were enlisted. Nineteen interviews were conducted in person, while the rest were done over the phone ; all were tape-recorded and transcribed ; all but seven interviewees (most of those currently on active duty) were independently contacted by fact checkers to confirm basic facts about their service in Iraq. Of those interviewed, seventeen served in Iraq from 2003 to 2004, twenty from 2004 to 2005 and six from 2005 to 2006. Of the ten veterans whose tours lasted less than one year, eight served in 2003, while the others served in 2004 and 2005.

The ranks of the veterans we interviewed range from private to captain, though only a handful were officers. The veterans served throughout Iraq, but mostly in the country’s most volatile areas, such as Baghdad, Tikrit, Mosul, Falluja and Samarra.

During the course of the interview process, five veterans turned over photographs from Iraq, some of them graphic, to corroborate their claims.

Raids

"So we get started on this day, this one in particular," recalled Spc. Philip Chrystal, 23, of Reno who said he raided between twenty and thirty Iraqi homes during an eleven-month tour in Kirkuk and Hawija that ended in October 2005, serving with the Third Battalion, 116th Cavalry Brigade. "It starts with the psy-ops vehicles out there, you know, with the big speakers playing a message in Arabic or Farsi or Kurdish or whatever they happen to be, saying, basically, saying, Put your weapons, if you have them, next to the front door in your house. Please come outside, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And we had Apaches flying over for security, if they’re needed, and it’s also a good show of force. And we’re running around, and they - we’d done a few houses by this point, and I was with my platoon leader, my squad leader and maybe a couple other people.

"And we were approaching this one house," he said. "In this farming area, they’re, like, built up into little courtyards. So they have, like, the main house, common area. They have, like, a kitchen and then they have a storage shed-type deal. And we’re approaching, and they had a family dog. And it was barking ferociously, ’cause it’s doing its job. And my squad leader, just out of nowhere, just shoots it. And he didn’t - motherf**ker - he shot it and it went in the jaw and exited out. So I see this dog - I’m a huge animal lover ; I love animals - and this dog has, like, these eyes on it and he’s running around spraying blood all over the place. And like, you know, What the hell is going on ? The family is sitting right there, with three little children and a mom and a dad, horrified. And I’m at a loss for words. And so, I yell at him. I’m, like, What the f**k are you doing ? And so the dog’s yelping. It’s crying out without a jaw. And I’m looking at the family, and they’re just, you know, dead scared. And so I told them, I was like, f**king shoot it, you know ? At least kill it, because that can’t be fixed....

"And - I actually get tears from just saying this right now, but - and I had tears then, too - and I’m looking at the kids and they are so scared. So I got the interpreter over with me and, you know, I get my wallet out and I gave them twenty bucks, because that’s what I had. And, you know, I had him give it to them and told them that I’m so sorry that asshole did that.

"Was a report ever filed about it ?" he asked. "Was anything ever done ? Any punishment ever dished out ? No, absolutely not."

Specialist Chrystal said such incidents were "very common."

According to interviews with twenty-four veterans who participated in such raids, they are a relentless reality for Iraqis under occupation. The American forces, stymied by poor intelligence, invade neighborhoods where insurgents operate, bursting into homes in the hope of surprising fighters or finding weapons. But such catches, they said, are rare. Far more common were stories in which soldiers assaulted a home, destroyed property in their futile search and left terrorized civilians struggling to repair the damage and begin the long torment of trying to find family members who were hauled away as suspects.

Raids normally took place between midnight and 5 am, according to Sgt. John Bruhns, 29, of Philadelphia, who estimates that he took part in raids of nearly 1,000 Iraqi homes. He served in Baghdad and Abu Ghraib, a city infamous for its prison, located twenty miles west of the capital, with the Third Brigade, First Armored Division, First Battalion, for one year beginning in April 2003. His descriptions of raid procedures closely echoed those of eight other veterans who served in locations as diverse as Kirkuk, Samarra, Baghdad, Mosul and Tikrit.

"You want to catch them off guard," Sergeant Bruhns explained. "You want to catch them in their sleep." About ten troops were involved in each raid, he said, with five stationed outside and the rest searching the home.

Once they were in front of the home, troops wearing Kevlar helmets and flak vests with grenade launchers mounted on their weapons kicked the door in or used a sledgehammer to break it down, according to Sergeant Bruhns, who dispassionately described the procedure :

"You run in. And if there’s lights, you turn them on - if the lights are working. If not, you’ve got flashlights.... You leave one rifle team outside while one rifle team goes inside. Each rifle team leader has a headset on with an earpiece and a microphone where he can communicate with the other rifle team leader that’s outside.

"You go up the stairs. You grab the man of the house. You rip him out of bed in front of his wife. You put him up against the wall. You have junior-level troops, PFCs [privates first class], specialists will run into the other rooms and grab the family, and you’ll group them all together. Then you go into a room and you tear the room to shreds and you make sure there’s no weapons or anything that they can use to attack us.

"You get the interpreter and you get the man of the home, and you have him at gunpoint, and you’ll ask the interpreter to ask him : ’Do you have any weapons ? Do you have any anti-US propaganda, anything at all - anything - anything in here that would lead us to believe that you are somehow involved in insurgent activity or anti-coalition forces activity ?’

"Normally they’ll say no, because that’s normally the truth," Sergeant Bruhns said. "So what you’ll do is you’ll take his sofa cushions and you’ll dump them. If he has a couch, you’ll turn the couch upside down. You’ll go into the fridge, if he has a fridge, and you’ll throw everything on the floor, and you’ll take his drawers and you’ll dump them.... You’ll open up his closet and you’ll throw all the clothes on the floor and basically leave his house looking like a hurricane just hit it.

"And if you find something, then you’ll detain him. If not, you’ll say, ’Sorry to disturb you. Have a nice evening.’ So you’ve just humiliated this man in front of his entire family and terrorized his entire family and you’ve destroyed his home. And then you go right next door and you do the same thing in a hundred homes."

Each raid, or "cordon and search" operation, as they are sometimes called, involved five to twenty homes, he said. Following a spate of attacks on soldiers in a particular area, commanders would normally order infantrymen on raids to look for weapons caches, ammunition or materials for making IEDs. Each Iraqi family was allowed to keep one AK-47 at home, but, according to Bruhns, those found with extra weapons were arrested and detained and the operation classified a "success," even if it was clear that no one in the home was an insurgent.

Before a raid, according to descriptions by several veterans, soldiers typically "quarantined" the area by barring anyone from coming in or leaving. In pre-raid briefings, Sergeant Bruhns said, military commanders often told their troops the neighborhood they were ordered to raid was "a hostile area with a high level of insurgency" and that it had been taken over by former Baathists or Al Qaeda terrorists.

"So you have all these troops, and they’re all wound up," said Sergeant Bruhns. "And a lot of these troops think once they kick down the door there’s going to be people on the inside waiting for them with weapons to start shooting at them."

Sgt. Dustin Flatt, 33, of Denver, estimates he raided "thousands" of homes in Tikrit, Samarra and Mosul. He served with the Eighteenth Infantry Brigade, First Infantry Division, for one year beginning in February 2004. "We scared the living Jesus out of them every time we went through every house," he said.

Spc. Ali Aoun, 23, a National Guardsman from New York City, said he conducted perimeter security in nearly 100 raids while serving in Sadr City with the Eighty-Ninth Military Police Brigade for eleven months starting in April 2004. When soldiers raided a home, he said, they first cordoned it off with Humvees. Soldiers guarded the entrance to make sure no one escaped. If an entire town was being raided, in large-scale operations, it too was cordoned off, said Spc. Garett Reppenhagen, 32, of Manitou Springs, Colorado, a cavalry scout and sniper with the 263rd Armor Battalion, First Infantry Division, who was deployed to Baquba for a year in February 2004.

Staff Sgt. Timothy John Westphal, 31, of Denver, recalled one summer night in 2004, the temperature an oppressive 110 degrees, when he and forty-four other US soldiers raided a sprawling farm on the outskirts of Tikrit. Sergeant Westphal, who served there for a yearlong tour with the Eighteenth Infantry Brigade, First Infantry Division, beginning in February 2004, said he was told some men on the farm were insurgents. As a mechanized infantry squad leader, Sergeant Westphal led the mission to secure the main house, while fifteen men swept the property. Sergeant Westphal and his men hopped the wall surrounding the house, fully expecting to come face to face with armed insurgents.

"We had our flashlights and ... I told my guys, ’On the count of three, just hit them with your lights and let’s see what we’ve got here. Wake ’em up !’"

Sergeant Westphal’s flashlight was mounted on his M-4 carbine rifle, a smaller version of the M-16, so in pointing his light at the clump of sleepers on the floor he was also pointing his weapon at them. Sergeant Westphal first turned his light on a man who appeared to be in his mid-60s.

"The man screamed this gut-wrenching, blood-curdling, just horrified scream," Sergeant Westphal recalled. "I’ve never heard anything like that. I mean, the guy was absolutely terrified. I can imagine what he was thinking, having lived under Saddam for years."

The farm’s inhabitants were not insurgents but a family sleeping outside for relief from the stifling heat, and the man Sergeant Westphal had frightened awake was the patriarch.

"Sure enough, as we started to peel back the layers of all these people sleeping, I mean, it was him, maybe two guys, either his sons or nephews or whatever, and the rest were all women and children," Sergeant Westphal said. "We didn’t find anything.

"I can tell you hundreds of stories about things like that and they would all pretty much be like the one I just told you. Just a different family, a different time, a different circumstance."

For Sergeant Westphal, that night was a turning point. "I just remember thinking to myself, I just brought terror to someone else under the American flag, and that’s just not what I joined the Army to do," he said.

(...)

Lire la suite des témoignages [http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070730/hedges/3]

[Harconen]

NWO Crimes Against Humanity and Secret Weapons – references and links

[Enwl-eng] NWO Crimes Against Humanity and Secret Weapons – references and links
Часть раздела: Аннотации. Резюме - ENWL , Закон. права человека - ENWL , Политика. Война - ENWL

      Относится к разделу
    * Аннотации. Резюме - ENWL
    * Политика. Война - ENWL
    * Закон. права человека - ENWL

      Organization
    * люди и организации, не вошедшие в список

люди и организации, не вошедшие в список, 03/03-2009
*NWO Crimes Against Humanity and Secret Weapons – references and links:-
**
*
*VIDEO:- PRESIDENT EISENHOWER WARNS OF THE "MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX"
ENDANGERING DEMOCRACY & LIBERTIES*
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=rd8wwMFmCeE&feature=related

*VIDEO:- PRESIDENT KENNEDY ON THE "SECRET GOVERNMENT" – BEFORE THE
ASSASSINATION/COUP
*http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=xhZk8ronces&feature=related
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=DxnpujfanUM&feature=related

*VIDEO:- USA EXTREMISTS STAGED THE 9/11 ATTACKS ON AMERICA TO IGNITE THE
"WAR ON TERRORISM"
*"...that war is being fought and paid for with the blood, the lives, and
the tax dollars of terrorised American (and world) citizens"
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=gAcxGD6-c-E
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=GQVEwlvm0oc
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=acxmiyubTLs

*9/11 WAS DONE BY THE NWO CRIMINALS USING HAARP
*The "war on terrorism" is bogus. The 911 narrative as conveyed by the 911
Commission report is fabricated.
The Bush administration is involved in acts of cover-up and complicity at
the highest levels of government........
Without 911, the war criminals in high office do not have a leg to stand on.
The entire national security construct collapses like a deck of cards
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7718

*EXPOSING THE 9/11 CONSPIRACY AND CRIMES
*http://patriotsquestion911.com/               ,
http://www.loosechange911.com/finalcut/   ,
http://peaceinspace.org/   ,    http://www.911truth.org/   ,
http://www.911truth.eu/en/    ,    http://911proof.com/index,

*VIDEOS:- 9/11 AND THE "WAR ON TERROR" QUESTIONED IN JAPAN`S
PARLIAMENT - LANDMARK
SPEECHES BY CONGRESSMAN YUKIHISA FUJITA
*
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20081101&articleId=10777

*9/11 AND THE "WAR ON TERROR" QUESTIONED IN BRITAIN`S PARLIAMENT BY FORMER
BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK - SHORTLY BEFORE HIS "UNTIMELY DEATH"
*former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook told the House Of Commons that
"Al Qaeda" is not really a terrorist group but a database of international
Mujaheddin and arms smugglers used by the CIA and Saudis to funnel
guerrillas, arms, and money into Soviet-Occupied Afghanistan.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/PrintArticle.php?articleId=1291
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11487

*HAARP AND ITS ROLE IN 9/11/ 2001
*http://peaceinspace.org/

*ASSESSING THE BUSH LEGACY: GLOBAL WAR, WAR ON AMERICANS, TORTURE,
DESTRUCTION OF CIVIL LIBERIES, AND MEGA-THEFT
*http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11421
l
*PENTAGON IMPERIAL BEEF-UP**
*http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JE31Df04.html

*THE ECONOMIC COST OF THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
*
http://seekingalpha.com/article/90742-the-economic-cost-of-the-military-industrial-complex?source=d_email

*"SPACE WAR – YOUR WORLD AT WAR"
*http://www.spacewar.com/

*AMERICA'S "WAR ON TERRORISM" by MICHEL CHOSSUDOVSKY
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/globaloutlook/truth911.html

*CELSIUS 9/11: WORLD TAKEOVER AND THE WAR OF TERROR
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/

*MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE: WHO WAS BEHIND THE OCTOBER 2002 BALI BOMBINGS?*
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10931

*THE LEGAL ADVICE TO WAGE WAR ON IRAQ WAS NOT JUST "SEXED-UP", IT WAS
CONCOCTED*
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11205

*STATE-SPONSORED TERROR: BRITISH AND AMERICAN BLACK OPS IN IRAQ
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9447

*IRAQ'S SHOCKING HUMAN TOLL: ABOUT 1 MILLION KILLED, 4.5 MILLION DISPLACED,
1-2 MILLION WIDOWS, 5 MILLION ORPHANS**
*http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=12150

*AFGHANISTAN, ANOTHER UNTOLD STORY
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11279

*CREATING AN "ARC OF CRISIS": THE DESTABILIZATION OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND
CENTRAL ASIA**
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11313

*POLITICAL DESTABILIZATION IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: THE ROLE OF THE
CIA-ISI TERROR NETWORK
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10242

*INDIA'S 9/11. WHO WAS BEHIND THE MUMBAI ATTACKS?**
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11217

*ATROCITY UNLIMITED: US SEEKS TO TURN SOMALIA INTO GLOBAL FREE-FIRE ZONE*
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11375

*NWO MASS MURDER IN AFRICA
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10815

*CONGO RESOURCE WARS*
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8310

*WESTERN INVOLVEMENT IN THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE*
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8189

*ONLY LITTLE WAR CRIMINALS GET PUNISHED**
*http://www.antiwar.com/roberts/?articleid=13148

*UNFINISHED BUSINESS FOR AMERICA: TORTURE CRIMES COMMITTED BY HIGH LEVEL
CIVILIANS AND GENERALS
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11092
*
**JUSTICE NEEDS TO BE SERVED IN 2009 – IMPEACHMENT IS NECESSARY**
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11256

*INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE AND IMPUNITY: THE CASE OF THE USA ed. Nils Andersson
et al.
*http://www.claritypress.com/

*SECRECY NEWS FROM THE FAS PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT SECRECY
*http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/

*MONARCH: THE NEW PHOENIX PROGRAM*
http://www.monarchnewphoenix.com/ , http://www.monarchnewphoenix.org/,
http://www.myspace.com/marsboy683

*COMPUTERSTATE by Paul Baird
*http://www.surveillanceissues.com/article_computerstate.pdf

*PROJECT CENSORED - NO HABEAS CORPUS FOR 'ANY PERSON'
*the new law appears to create a parallel 'star chamber' system for the
prosecution, imprisonment, and possible execution of enemies of the state,
whether those enemies are foreign or domestic
http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/1-no-habeas-corpus-for-any-person/

*PROJECT CENSORED - AN ELECTION WITHOUT MEANING
*will habeas corpus and posse comitatus be restored to the people? Will
torture stop?...will the us national security agencies stop mass spying on
our personal communications? Will the neo-conservative agenda of total
military domination of the world be reversed?
http://www.projectcensored.org/articles/story/an-election-without-meaning/

*PROJECT CENSORED - THE PROPAGANDA MODEL & ACCELERATED MEDIA CONCENTRATION
*a handful of multinational corporations controls nearly everything we see
and hear on the screen, over the airwaves and in print.
http://www.projectcensored.org/articles/story/left-progressive-media-inside-the-propaganda-model/

*THE NEW MEDIA MONOPOLY - BEN BAGDIKIAN*
describes the cartel of five giant media conglomerates who now control the
media…. They manufacture politics and social values
http://benbagdikian.net/index.htm

*RULERS AND RULED IN THE US EMPIRE: BANKERS, ZIONISTS AND MILITANTS by JAMES
PETRAS
*http://www.claritypress.com

*THE GLOBALIZATION OF POVERTY AND THE NEW WORLD
ORDER<http://globalresearch.ca/globaloutlook/GofP.html>by MICHEL
CHOSSUDOVSKY <http://globalresearch.ca/articles/ONE311A.html>
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/

*SEEDS OF DESTRUCTION: THE HIDDEN AGENDA OF GENETIC MANIPULATION by F.
WILLIAM ENGDAHL
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/

*THE GREAT LAND GIVEAWAY: NEO-COLONIALISM BY INVITATION
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11231
*
WHO ARE THE ARCHITECTS OF ECONOMIC COLLAPSE?…**IT TRIGGERS AN UNPRECEDENTED
CONCENTRATION OF WEALTH*
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10860

*BUSH/USA - WAR CRIMES & HITLER CONNECTIONS
*
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larisa-alexandrovna/all-the-presidents-nazis_b_102022.html

*ABOUT THE CAUSES OF THE 2ND WORLD WAR:-*
1. Falsifiers Of History: An Historical Document On The Origins Of World War
Ii
http://www.agitprop.org.au/lefthistory/1948_falsifiers_of_history.php
http://www.amazon.com/Falsifiers-History-Historical-Document-Origins/dp/B000GQ1O9E
2. P. Zhilin, *They Sealed Their Own Doom*, (Moscow 1970)
3. R. Gibson, *Soviet Foreign Policy 1917-1974*, (Sydney 1975), Chapter 21
4. D. F. Fleming, *The Cold War and its Origins*, 2 volumes


*ABOUT SECRET GEOPHYSICAL WEAPONS:-**
**
**US CONGRESS, EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT & UK PARLIAMENT - BRIEFINGS ON SECRET
GEOPHYSICAL WEAPONS & 'MIND CONTROL'*
http://www.policestateplanning.com/briefings.htm

*GLOBAL RESEARCH - **HAARP IS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION*
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=CHO20020104&articleId=205
HAARP is fully operational and has the ability of potentially triggering
floods, droughts, hurricanes and earthquakes. From a military standpoint,
HAARP is a weapon of mass destruction

*VIDEO:- CHINA CONSIDERS WAR AGAINST USA OVER EARTHQUAKE ATTACK
*http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=0VX0JvpW5q0&feature=related
*http://tinyurl.com/3g4rd5
*
*THE PENTAGON'S SECRET SPACE WEAPONS PROGRAM,
*http://globalresearch.ca/articles/WOR406A.html
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/27a/239.html

*CAMPAIGN FOR COOPERATION IN SPACE - HAARP IS A SPACE-BASED WEAPON OF
MASS-DESTRUCTION
*http://peaceinspace.blogs.com/peaceinspaceorg/2008/05/haarp-is-a-spac.html

*9/11 WAS DONE BY THE NWO CRIMINALS USING HAARP
*The "war on terrorism" is bogus. The 911 narrative as conveyed by the 911
Commission report is fabricated.
The Bush administration is involved in acts of cover-up and complicity at
the highest levels of government........
Without 911, the war criminals in high office do not have a leg to stand on.
The entire national security construct collapses like a deck of cards
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7718

*VIDEO:- USA EXTREMISTS STAGED THE 9/11 ATTACKS ON AMERICA TO IGNITE THE
"WAR ON TERRORISM"
*"...that war is being fought and paid for with the blood, the lives, and
the tax dollars of terrorised American (and world) citizens"
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=gAcxGD6-c-E
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=GQVEwlvm0oc
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=acxmiyubTLs

*EXPOSING THE 9/11 CONSPIRACY AND CRIMES
*http://patriotsquestion911.com/                    ,
http://www.loosechange911.com/finalcut/   ,
http://peaceinspace.org/   ,    http://www.911truth.org/   ,
http://www.911truth.eu/en/    ,    http://911proof.com/index,*
*
*HAARP AND ITS ROLE IN 9/11/ 2001
*http://peaceinspace.org/

*RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV - "THE THREAT OF NEW WEAPONRY"*
http://english.pravda.ru/science/tech/84544-0/

*FROM PRAVDA - SECRET GEOPHYSICAL WEAPONS - "UNPREDICTABLE NATURAL DISASTERS
AND MAN-CAUSED CATASTROPHES"*
http://english.pravda.ru/main/2003/01/15/42068.html
*
SECRET GEOPHYSICAL WEAPONS*
http://www.rense.com/general28/deathray.htm

*IS IT WEATHER OR GOVERNMENT TERROR?
*http://onlinejournal.org/Commentary/102205Mazza/102205mazza.html

*VIDEO:- HAARP: GEOPHYSICAL WARFARE
*
http://www.google.com/search?domains=globalresearch.ca&q=haarp&sa=Google+Search&sitesearch=globalresearch.ca
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=dNrL9o7mh-M


*ABOUT DIRECTED ENERGY & NEUROLOGICAL WEAPONS:-
*
*THE SHOCKING MENACE OF SATELLITE SURVEILLANCE by John Fleming*
http://www.sianews.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1068

*JOHN ST. CLAIR AKWEI VS. NSA, FT. MEADE, MD, USA
*http://www.angelfire.com/or/mctrl/akwei.html

*SYSTEMS OF SURVEILLANCE & REPRESSION by Judy Malloy *
http://www.well.com/user/jmalloy/gunterandgwen/resources.html

*SPACE-BASED DOMESTIC SPYING: KICKING CIVIL LIBERTIES TO THE CURB
*http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10864

*the link to our* *OVER 820 DIRECTED ENERGY AND NEUROLOGICAL WEAPONS, AND
ORGANISED STALKING TORTURE AND ABUSE VICTIMS' CASE SUMMARIES *
http://www.freedrive.com/folder/177784     OR
http://www.mydrive.ch     username – johnfinch     password - TORTURECASES

*VICTIMS' ACCOUNTS FROM THE WHOLE WORLD
*600 + VICTIMS' ACCOUNTS
WEB: http://www.mindcontrolforums.com/victm-hm.htm

*BAN ELECTRONIC WARFARE ON CIVILIANS PETITION - 400+ SIGNATURES AND MESSAGES
OF VICTIMS & SUPPORTERS*
WEB: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/synergy/
EMAIL: ti.petition@gmail.com, ti.synergy@gmail.com,
*
WANTTOKNOW. INFO/MINDCONTROL*
http://www.wanttoknow.info/mindcontrol10pg

*MIND CONTROL & SUBLIMINAL SUGGESTION - 100 USA PATENTS
*http://www.rexresearch.com/sublimin/sublimin.htm

*ON THE NEED FOR NEW CRITERIA OF DIAGNOSIS OF PSYCHOSIS IN THE LIGHT OF MIND
INVASIVE TECHNOLOGY, CAROLE SMITH, JOURNAL OF PSYCHO-SOCIAL STUDIES , VOL
2(2) NO 3 2003
*http://www.angelfire.com/or/mctrl/NewCrit-JPSS-CS2.htm

*PROJECT CENSORED - HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF THOUGHT VIOLATIONS BY US
MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATIONS.
*WEB:
http://www.projectcensored.org/articles/story/us-intelligence-community-human-rights-violations/

*USA REPRESENTATIVE JIM GUEST'S (MO) LETTER*
http://www.freedomfchs.com/repjimguestltr.pdf
http://www.msnusers.com/JAMESWALBERTFILE/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=11

"October 10, 2007
Dear Member of the Legislature and Friends:

This letter is to ask for your help for the many constituents in our country
who are being affected unjustly by electronic weapons torture and covert
harassment groups. Serious privacy rights violations and physical injuries
have been caused by the activities of these groups and their use of
so-called non-lethal weapons on men, women, and even children.

I am asking you to play a role in helping these victims and also stopping
the massive movement in the use of Verichip and RFID technologies in
tracking Americans. . .  . . ."

Sincerely,
Representative Jim Guest  EMAIL: Jim.Guest@house.mo.gov , jimoguest@msn.com

WEB: http://jimguest.com/

*THE HUMAN RESEARCH SUBJECT PROTECTION ACT OF 1997 – INTRODUCED BY USA
SENATOR JOHN GLENN
*http://www.ahrp.org/InformedConsent/glennConsent.php

*OPERATION MIND CONTROL by Walter Bowart
*http://d.scribd.com/docs/2aldagk0d36ql3hbr80m.pdf

*WALL STREET JOURNAL - NSA's DOMESTIC SPYING GROWS
*
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120511973377523845.html?mod=hps_us_whats_news

*AUSTRALIA FIRST TO ADMIT "WE'RE PART OF GLOBAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM" -
ECHELON OUTED BY THE HEAD OF AUSTRALIA'S DEFENCE SIGNALS DIRECTORATE (DSD),
MARTIN BRADY.
*http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/2/2889/1.html


*PLEASE CONTACT US FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:-**
Yours in the search for openness and respect for universal human rights
John Finch, 5/8 Kemp St, Thornbury, Vic 3071, Australia, TEL: 0424009627
EMAIL: **tijohnfinch@gmail.com, MCmailteam@gmail.com
*
*TARGETED INDIVIDUAL* and a member of *THE WORLDWIDE CAMPAIGN AGAINST
TORTURE AND ABUSE USING DIRECTED ENERGY AND NEUROLOGICAL WEAPONS**
*

*DIRECTED ENERGY & NEUROLOGICAL WEAPONS VICTIMS' ORGANISATIONS & FURTHER
INFORMATION:-
**
**FREEDOM FROM COVERT HARASSMENT AND SURVEILLANCE
*MR DERRICK ROBINSON
WEB: http://freedomfchs.com/
EMAIL: info@freedomfchs.com, derrickrobinson@gmail.com,

*MIND JUSTICE*
MS CHERYL WELSH
WEB: http://www.mindjustice.org/
EMAIL: welsh@dcn.davis.ca.us

*INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE ON OFFENSIVE MICROWAVE WEAPONS
*MR HARLAN GIRARD
WEB: http://www.icomw.org/
EMAIL: http://www.icomw.org/contact.asp

*ILLEGAL HUMAN EXPERIMENTING & ELECTROMAGNETIC MINDCONTROL**
*http://www.netti.fi/~makako/mind/index.html

*THE ASSOCIATION AGAINST THE ABUSE OF PSYCHOPHYSICAL WEAPONS *
PRESIDENT SWETLANA SCHUNIN
EMAIL: DimitriSchunin@gmx.de, ka4143-896@online.de,
WEB: http://psychophysischer-terror.de.tl/

*THE AMERICAN COGNITIVE LIBERTIES ASSOCIATION
* WEB: http://americancognitivelibertiesassoc.org/default.aspx
EMAIL: emailus@americancognitivelibertiesassoc.org,
ACLA@americancognitivelibertiesassoc.org,

*MIND CONTROL - TECHNOLOGY, TECHNIQUES & POLITICS
*MR ALLEN BARKER Ph.D
WEB: http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~alb/ugly/ugly.html
http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~alb/misc/truth.html
http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~alb/misc/moreMindLinks.html

*SURVEILLANCE ISSUES
*MR PAUL BAIRD
WEB: www.surveillanceissues.com
EMAIL: p.baird@surveillanceissues.com <pbaird@surveillanceissues.com>,

*SECRET ILLEGAL SURVEILLANCE AND ATTACKS
*MS LESLIE CRAWFORD
WEB: http://www.lesliecrawford.cabanova.com/page1.html
EMAIL: lesliecraw40@talkamerica.net

*THE FEDERATION AGAINST MIND CONTROL EUROPE
*MS MONIKA STOCES, MR DANNY BONTE
WEB: http://www.mindcontrol-victims.eu/
EMAIL: MCmailteam@gmail.com, monika.stoces@telenet.be,
monika.stoces@gmail.com>,
danny.bonte@gmail.com,

*THE OMINOUS PARALLELS
*WEB: http://www. theominousparallels.blogspot.
com/<http://www.theominousparallels.blogspot.com/>
EMAIL: theominousparallels@gmail.com <http://gmail.google.com/> ,
theepitbull@gmail.com,

*EXOTIC WARFARE.COM
*WEB: http://exoticwarfare.org/
EMAIL: journalist@Safe-mail.net, texassupport@fastmail.fm

*ORGANIZED CRIME WAVES
*MS ELIZABETH ADAMS
http://www.organizedcrimewaves.com/
EMAIL: organizedgovcrimes@yahoo.com

*US GOVERNMENT TORTURE & **HEROES OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THEIR STAND
AGAINST HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION*
WEB: http://www.us-government-torture.com/SECRETANGEL.TV.html
EMAIL: timetogo2@optonline.net

*FASCISM - "9-11" - MIND CONTROL
*MR JAMES MARINO
WEB: http://www.9-11themotherofallblackoperations.blogspot.com/
EMAIL:  peaceseeker12@hotmail.com

*INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT TO BAN THE MANIPULATION OF THE HUMAN NERVOUS SYSTEM
BY TECHNICAL MEANS,
*MR MOMJIR BABACEK
WEB: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Campus/2289/webpage.htm,
http://web.iol.cz/mhzzrz/
EMAIL: mbabacek@iol.cz, welsh@dcn.davis.ca.us,

*FRANCE - **INFORMATION DOSSIER
*WEB: http://www.lacoctelera.com/presentation-de-la-situation
http://informationdossier.wordpress.com/
EMAIL: rudyrud2004@gmail.com

*GERMANY – STOP MIND CONTROL
*WEB: http://stopptmindcontrol.lima-city.de*
**EMAIL:**
ruth.gill@freenet.de>
*
*GERMANY - VEREIN GEGEN DEN MISSBRAUCH PSYCHOPHYSISCHER WAFFEN
*WEB: http://psychophysischer-terror.de.tl/

*ITALY - **ASSOCIAZIONE ITALIANA, SCIENTIFICA E GIURIDICA, CONTRO GLI ABUSI
MENTALI, FISICI E TECNOLOGICI
*http://www.aisjca-mft.org/

*ITALY - ASSOCIAZIONE VITTIME ARMI ELETTRONICHE-MENTALI
*MR PAOLO DORIGO
WEB: http://it.geocities.com/decifircas/ ,
www.associazionevittimearmielettroniche-mentali.org
EMAIL: info@avae-m.org, info@associazionevittimearmielettroniche-mentali.org,
basmau@libero.it, paola.marziani@libero.it, antanarivo@libero.it,

*INDIA - NO MORE COVERT MIND CONTROL WEAPONS
*MR FEISAL SALIM A.S.
WEB: http://www.mindcontrolvictimsunity.in/
EMAIL: info@mindcontrolvictimsunity.in, informvictim@gmail.com

*CHINA - PEACEPINK -**粉**红和平**
*MS SOLEILMAVIS
WEB:  http://peacepink.ning.com ,
http://groups.google.com/group/soleilmavis(IN CHINESE) ,
http://soleilmavis.spaces.live.com/
EMAIL: soleilmavis@yahoo.com,

*JAPAN - STOP MIND CONTROL **のサイトは、兵器技術や心理学等を悪用した、マインドコントロールの強制人体実験に反対します***

WEB: http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~terre/index.html , http://www.mirai1.com/ ,
(in JAPANESE and ENGLISH)
 http://www.geocities.jp/techhanzainetinfo/  (in JAPANESE)

*JAPAN -
*WEB: http://gangstalkinginde.blog59.fc2.com/

*RUSSIA - THE MOSCOW HOUSING ECOLOGY COMMITTEE
*MS ALLA PETUKHOVA
WEB: http://www.moscomeco.narod.ru./
EMAIL: pealla@mail.ru, moscomeco@mail.ru, moskomekologia@narod.ru

*RUSSIA - THE ST.PETERSBOURGH SOCIETY OF PERSONS SUBJECT TO REMOTE
CONTROLLED BIOENERGETIC TERROR
*WEB: http://psyterror.narod.ru/
EMAIL: pealla@mail.ru, moscomeco@mail.ru, moskomekologia@narod.ru

*BAN ELECTRONIC WARFARE ON CIVILIANS PETITION
*400+ SIGNATURES AND MESSAGES OF VICTIMS & SUPPORTERS
WEB: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/synergy/
EMAIL: ti.petition@gmail.com, ti.synergy@gmail.com,

*MIND CONTROL FORUM VICTIMS' ACCOUNTS
*600 + VICTIMS' ACCOUNTS
WEB: http://www.mindcontrolforums.com/victm-hm.htm

*NAFF - ADVOCATING FOR VICTIMS OF MIND CONTROL, TORTURE, SLAVERY & RELATED
TERROR
*MS KATHLEEN SULLIVAN
WEB: http://naffoundation.org/
EMAIL: mail@naffoundation.org

*CITIZENS AGAINST HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION
*MR RICHARD PERLMANN
WEB: http://www.healthycitizens.blogspot.com/
EMAIL: healthycitizens@gmail.com, rjp@healthycitizens.com

*THE CENTER FOR COGNITIVE LIBERTY & ETHICS (CCLE)
*MR RICHARD GLEN BOIRE, DR WRYE SENTENTIA
WEB: http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/index.html
EMAIL: info@cognitiveliberty.org,

*GANG STALKING WORLD
*http://gangstalkingworld.com/

*RULE OF LAW DEFENDERS
*MR MOE HOSNY
WEB: www.hosnyinfo.com
EMAIL: defend_law@yahoo.ca

*MIKROWELLENTERROR.DE/
*WEB: http://www.mikrowellenterror.de/
EMAIL: info@mikrowellenterror.de, webmaster@mikrowellenterror.de

*FREEDOM FIGHTERS FOR AMERICA
*www.freedomfightersforamerica.com

*EMF TORTURE CHAMBER*
MS T. JOSEPHINE
WEB: http://www.geocities.com/xposperps/
EMAIL: http://emftorturechamber.blogspot.com/, xposperps@yahoo.com

*TECHNOLOGICAL TORTURE
*MS PAT STEWART
WEB: http://iamatorturevictim.blogspot.com/
EMAIL: stewardp34@bellsouth.net

*US CITIZENS ARE SECRETLY BEING USED AS RESEARCH RATS
*WEB: http://researchrat.com/
EMAIL: targetelephant@yahoo.com

*THE DECLARATION OF ALARMED CITIZENS
*MR JEAN VERSTRAETEN
EMAIL: verstraeten.jean@belgacom.net

*MR WALDEMAR LOTZ  - *
EMAIL: wlotz2003@web.de, wlotz2002@mail.ru,

*MR WALTER MADLIGER
*EMAIL: wmadliger@yahoo.de,

*MR DARIUS MOCKUS
*EMAIL: darius_mockus@yahoo.com,


*Our (very, very partial) LIST OF VICTIMS OF DIRECTED ENERGY & NEUROLOGICAL
WEAPONS:-

**the link to our* *OVER 820 DIRECTED ENERGY AND NEUROLOGICAL WEAPONS, AND
ORGANISED STALKING TORTURE AND ABUSE VICTIMS' CASE SUMMARIES *
*http://www.freedrive.com/folder/177784*     OR
*http://www.mydrive.ch*     username – johnfinch     password - TORTURECASES
*

[Harconen]

*It is no exaggeration to say our cases are as horrendous and urgent as
people fleeing Nazi or Pol Pot concentration camps – specifically Dr
Mengele-type butchers.

*We urgently need access to *SAFE HOUSES* to get protection from the
directed energy and neurological weapons being used to torture, mutilate and
kill us.

Such *SAFE HOUSES* are available in Laboratories, Hospitals and
Scientific/Military Facilities.*

PLEASE ASSIST US URGENTLY!!!*

**



*THE AMERICAS

*

1.NAME: 3V3NG3LA

2.NAME: ELIZABETH ADAMS

3.NAME: AKU

4.NAME: al23

5.NAME: NEAL ALCHALABI (NEAL CHAMBERS)

6.NAME: ALETA

7.NAME: GARY ALGAR

8.NAME: CARLOS AMADOR

9.NAME: ANGELA

10.NAME: RON ANGELL

11.NAME: JUSTIN ANGIERS

12.NAME: ANN

13.NAME: ARIZONA - 6 VIGILANTE/ELECTRONIC HARASSMENT VICTIMS

14.NAME: ANNYCE ARNTZEN

15.NAME: RANDY ARRASMITH

16.NAME: SUE ANNE ARRIGO  MD  Former Special Operations Advisor to Directors
of CIA, Former Intelligence Advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in
2003-2004, assigned a rank of a 2-star general.

17.NAME: SANA ASFOUR (Reham Dawood)

18.NAME: AARON AVALOS

19.NAME: DEVORAH BAKER

20.NAME:   LINDSAY G. BALDWIN

21.NAME: VERNON WAYNE BALL

22.NAME: KHMER BARANG

23.NAME: BRENDA BARAQUIL

24.NAME: ALLEN BARKER

25.NAME:  KAY BARNES

26.NAME: ERIC BAZAN

27.NAME: DAVID ALAN BEACH

28.NAME: MATT BEAL

29.NAME: PAUL BEGGS

30.NAME: SHERRY BELL

31.NAME: MARILYN BERRY

32.NAME: STACEY BERRY

33.NAME: KATA BILLUPS

34.NAME: KAYLON BLACKBURN

35.NAME: JOHN BRASWELL

36.NAME: ALMA BRECKENRIDGE

37.NAME: LAURIE BRODIE

38.NAME: EMILIO BRUGUEROS

39.NAME: BETH BUCHANAN

40.NAME: MARC BURNELL

41.NAME:  KEVIN BURNOR

42.NAME: ROBERT BUTLER

43.NAME: ROBERT O. BUTNER

44.NAME: CADEWCH

45.NAME: CARLO CALANDRA

46.NAME: KELLY CASLAR

47.NAME: MILAGROS CEDANO

48.NAME: RICHARD CENTENO

49.NAME: DIANA MARIE CHAPMAN

50.NAME: CHRIS – FREEDOM FIGHTERS FOR AMERICA

51.NAME: LEE LYNN CHRISTIANSON

52.NAME: CHRISTINA

53.NAME: ROMY COCHRAN

54.NAME: GREGORY COUSINS

55.NAME: ACKSON COYET

56.NAME: LESLIE L. CRAWFORD

57.NAME: MARY CROOK

58.NAME: OPHNELL CUMBERBATCH

59.NAME: VALERIE CUTLER

60.NAME: D

61.NAME: N D

62.NAME: WANDA AND SARA DABLIN

63.NAME: DAVID

64.NAME: D DEERWOMAN

65.NAME: ANDY DE LORENZO

66.NAME: Raúl Luis DEL VALLE

67.NAME: ROBERT ALAN DESROSIERS

68.NAME: BETH DONAHUE

69.NAME: DR PHIL

70.NAME: DR ROBERT DUNCAN

71.NAME: DONALD DUNLAP

72.NAME: BOB G DUNLAP

73.NAME: CINDY DYER

74.NAME: DICK EASTMAN

75.NAME: TARGET ELEPHANT

76.NAME: SAM EVANS

77.NAME: DOUGLAS EVERMAN

78.NAME: RAISA EYDELMAN

79.NAME: MARY FAIR

80.NAME: PAM FARNSWORTH

81.NAME: SCOTT FITZGERALD

82.NAME: DONALD FOSTER

83.NAME: KEVIN FOWLER

84.NAME: KATHLEENE SUSAN FRANCIS

85.NAME: DON FRIEDMAN

86.NAME: BILL GALLAGHER

87.NAME: HERBERT GARTNER

88.NAME: GENA aka FREEDOM

89.NAME: EDGAR G GILLHAM

90.NAME: PAUL GOLDING-CLARK

91.NAME: FLORA GOLTSMAN

92.NAME: RAFAEL GONZALEZ

93.NAME: ERIC R GOODMAN

94.NAME: MARY GOODWIN

95.NAME: AARON GOODWIN

96.NAME: GORDON

97.NAME: JAMES HENRY GRAF

98.NAME: ERIC GRIFFIN

99.NAME: SHERI GRUTZ

100.NAME: ERIC H

101.NAME: MARGARET HABIB

102.NAME: MIKAL HALEY

103.NAME: DEB HALL AND SON

104.NAME: JIMMY HALLER

105.NAME: JENNIFER HANNA

106.NAME: JONATHAN C HANSEN

107.NAME: MOLLY R. HARDIN & DEE HARDIN

108.NAME: NAOMI HARRIS

109.NAME: RONALD HAUCKE

110.NAME: LEE HAWTHORNE

111.NAME: KATHLEEN T. HECKMAN

112.NAME: RAFAEL HERNANDEZ JR

113.NAME: DORIS HICKS

114.NAME: SUSAN HONAKER & FAMILY

115.NAME: ANGELA HOOD

116.NAME: MOSTAFA HOSNY

117.NAME: ROSARIO HOUSEHOLDER (MARA)

118.NAME: BRIDGET S. HOWE

119.NAME: JULIE HOWELL

120.NAME: HUGGLES

121.NAME: JOHN HUGHES

122.NAME: MARLENA HUGHES

123.NAME: MARK IANNICELLI aka. Muhammad Iannicelli, aka MuhammadLi,

124.NAME: INTERIQ

125.NAME: "IQPRISONER"

126.NAME: JACK

127.NAME: PHILLIP JACKSON

128.NAME: RICHARD DEAN JACOB

129.NAME: JALBY

130.NAME: JANIS

131.NAME: JEANNIE

132.NAME: JENNIFER

133.NAME: JIM

134.NAME: JILLYJOHNSON

135.NAME: MARY JOHNSON

136.NAME: JON

137.NAME: GEORGE JONES

138.NAME: MARK JONES

139.NAME: STEVEN JONES

140.NAME: T. JOSEPHINE

141.NAME: JUNE

142.NAME: KEVIN JUNIOR

143.NAME: KATHI

144.NAME: THE KATS FAMILY

145.NAME: JOE KEEGAN

146.NAME: KEITH

147.NAME: ARLENE KEITH

148.NAME: TANYA KELLER

149.NAME: SHAFIQ KHAN

150.NAME: KIM

151.NAME: KIMBERLI

152.NAME: PATRICIA A. KINSELLA

153.NAME: NICHOLAS KIRKLAND

154.NAME: THOMAS J. KLUEGEL

155.NAME: LINDA KMIOTEK

156.NAME: TREVOR KOKOTYLO

157.NAME: KOMMY

158.NAME: VICTORIA KUPHALL

159.NAME: GALINA KURDINA

160.NAME: JOHN GREGORY LAMBROS

161.NAME: GARY N LANDRY

162.NAME: EDGAR R. LAVERDE

163.NAME: DONALD LEE aka the Shadowillowist, Geshe Roache Lee

164.NAME: MARCIA LEE

165.NAME: NADINE LEE

166.NAME: JANET LEIH

167.NAME: CASSANDRA LEWIS

168.NAME: JENNIFER LICHY

169.NAME: JOHN M LITO

170.NAME: VICTOR LIVINGSTON

171.NAME: STEPHEN LONG

172.NAME: RAMONA LOPEZ

173.NAME: RENE LOSADA

174.NAME: ROGER R. LOWE

175.NAME: C C M & FAMILY

176.NAME: BARRY MADISON

177.NAME: WAYNE MADSEN

178.NAME: CHRISTINE MAGIOTTO

179.NAME: SANDRA L MAIZLAND

180.NAME: CECILIA MALLON

181.NAME: WAYNE MANZO

182.NAME: BRUNO MARCHESANI

183.NAME: STEFANO MARESCOTTI

184.NAME: JAMES F. MARINO

185.NAME: JON MASON

186.NAME: MICHAEL A MATLOFF

187.NAME: A J MCKAY

188.NAME: FRED McKENNA

189.NAME: DARREN C MCMAHON

190.NAME: BRIAN MCNATT

191.NAME: JOHN MECCA & DEBBIE LAMB

192.NAME: MICHELLE MELLEMA

193.NAME: *MEMORIALS OF 7 MIND CONTROL AND DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPON VICTIMS*

194.NAME: LYNN MENDES

195.NAME: JESUS MENDOZA

196.NAME: BARRY MICHAEL

197.NAME: NANCY MILLER

198.NAME: MELODY MINEO

199.NAME: FERNANDO ARAKAKI MIRANDA

200.NAME: CINDY MITCHUM

201.NAME: ABSHIR MOHAMED

202.NAME: AMIR MOHAMADI

203.NAME: M. ALEX MOLARO

204.NAME: RICHARD MONGEON

205.NAME: DAN MONTGOMERY

206.NAME: DANIEL L. MOORE

207.NAME: KATHERINE MOORE

208.NAME: DANIEL MORGAN AND FAMILY – LORNA, NICOLE, PATRICIA, CHRISTOPHER,
DYLAN, AVERY

209.NAME: ANGELA MORGAN

210.NAME: CAROLYN MORIYAMA

211.NAME: JANICE MORTON

212.NAME: CINTHIA MARIANA MOSCOSO

213.NAME: VICTOR N. MOTURI

214.NAME: MASSIE MUNRO

215.NAME: CHUCK MURPHY

216.NAME: DENISE MYLES AND BROTHER

217.NAME: T N

218.NAME: KAMRAN NAQVI

219.NAME: GLORIA NAYLOR

220.NAME: BRYAN NAZAM

221.NAME: CONNIE NEAL

222.NAME: KERRI NEAL

223.NAME: NEBRASKA - 6 YR TARGETED INDIVIDUAL

224.NAME: DEBBIE N., FAMILY & FRIENDS

225.NAME: RICHARD NOEN

226.NAME: MAUREEN NORMAN

227.NAME: TIMOTHY A. NORMAN

228.NAME: L O

229.NAME: CAROLYN PALIT

230.NAME: TERRY PARKER JR. /AKA ROBERTSON

231.NAME: PAMELA PARKER

232.NAME: DELLY PELC

233.NAME: ROBERTO PEREIRA

234.NAME: WELLINGTON ANTONIO DONINELLI PEREIRA

235.NAME: RICHARD PERLMAN

236.NAME: CHRISTOPHER PHILLIP

237.NAME: ARIEL FELICE PHILLIPS

238.NAME: MARCIA PINHEIRO

239.NAME: DENISE S. POMPL

240.NAME: SARA YVETTE POTTER

241.NAME: POW

242.NAME: SKIZIT POWER

243.NAME: TOM PRACINOS

244.NAME: BYRON PRIOR & FAMILY

245.NAME: ANDREA PSORAS

246.NAME: MARY R

247.NAME: NORMAN R RABIN

248.NAME: KELLY RASMUSSEN

249.NAME: KELLY RAY

250.NAME: CHARLES REHN JNR IV

251.NAME: RHONDA

252.NAME: TIM RIFAT

253.NAME: ROBERT

254.NAME: ROBERT - 2

255.NAME: HELEN ROEDRIG

256.NAME: R. S. ROGERS

257.NAME: MR AND MRS GARRY ROMANIK

258.NAME: PAUL ROSE

259.NAME: VICTORIA ROSE

260.NAME: PETER ROSENHOLM

261.NAME: JUSTICE RUIZ

262.NAME: D S

263.NAME: PIERRE SAMSON

264.NAME: MELISSA SANDERSON

265.NAME: LUCIA SANTOS & FAMILY

266.NAME: JILL SAWYER

267.NAME: SARAH SCHAEFFER

268.NAME: STEFAN A. SCHOELLMANN

269.NAME: DELISA SCHOOLER

270.NAME: DOROTHY SCHULTZ

271.NAME: BEVERLY A. SCHWEITZER

272.NAME: BOB SDEWTELL

273.NAME: SHELLY

274.NAME: RYAN SHIELDS

275.NAME: BBOY SKATE

276.NAME: SLATEBREAKERS

277.NAME: DAVID SMITH

278.NAME: STEPHEN SMITH

279.NAME: MIRIAM SNYDER

280.NAME: DR CARLOS SOSA M.D.

281.NAME: GERAL SOSBEE

282.NAME: CARL SPERR

283.NAME: ARCHIE STAFFORD

284.NAME: STEPHEN

285.NAME: STEPHEN

286.NAME: PAT STEWART

287.NAME: CHRIS STUDIO & GIRLFRIEND

288.NAME: KRISSI STULL

289.NAME: ANNE SUCHARSKI

290.NAME: ANDRZEJ SUDA

291.NAME: SUE

292.NAME: LYNN SURGALLA

293.NAME: *SUSPICIOUS DEATHS OF WRITERS AND JOURNALISTS WHO INVESTIGATED
MINDCONTROL CRIMES/** MUERTES SOSPECHOSAS DE PERIODISTAS SOBRE CONTROL
MENTAL*

294.NAME: DOROTHY SZCZEPKOWSKI

295.NAME: B T

296.NAME: ADAM TAMBLE

297.NAME: GRIMS TAROEEL

298.NAME: LOLITA TAYLOR

299.NAME: TERESA TAYLOR

300.NAME: MICHAEL TERRY

301.NAME: MARSHALL THOMAS

302.NAME: BETH TIOXIN

303.NAME: TONY

304.NAME: CHRISTOPHER LAMONT TRICE

305.NAME: JOSHUA TRITT

306.NAME: LYN TROXEL

307.NAME: ANNA TSENTSIPER

308.NAME: TORRANCE TURNER

309.NAME: SAMEER USHER

310.NAME: URI AKA DOCTOR NO.

311.NAME: DON VALENTINE

312.NAME: CHAD VANDERGRIFF

313.NAME: DR CASSANDRA VAN NOSTRAND

314.NAME: THÉRÈSE VERSAILLES

315.NAME: RENA VETTLESON

316.NAME: JAMES M. VIERLING JR.

317.NAME: BAY RIDGE VIETNAM

318.NAME: J L VITT

319.NAMES: MARY VIVIAN, MARLENE VIVIAN AND FLORENCE VIVIAN

320.NAME: PETER K.VOSOUGH

321.NAME: JAMES WALBERT & FAMILY

322.NAME: TIMOTHY WAITE

323.NAME: ROBERT WALKER

324.NAME: FELICIA WARD

325.NAME: MARK WATERHOUSE

326.NAME: STEW WEBB

327.NAME: LUCIAN WEBER

328.NAME: DR ALFRED WEBRE

329.NAME: MICHAEL WEGRZYN

330.NAME: CLARE WEHRLE

331.NAME: DOMINIE WELCH

332.NAME: JOHN WELLS

333.NAME: TERRY WENTZELL

334.NAME: ELEANOR WHITE

335.NAME: TIMOTHY WHITE

336.NAME: GLENDA WHITEMAN

337.NAME: ANN WILLIAMS

338.NAME: STEVE WILSON

339.NAME: ROBERT WOOD

340.NAME: BRIAN WRONGE

341.NAME: KAIS YACOUB

342.NAME: GEORGE ZACHYSTAL

343.NAME: IDA ZAMANSKAYA

344.NAME: ANANDA ZAREN

345.NAME: CHRIS ZUCKER



*EUROPE*


**

1.NAME: SHOMAN D. ADEH

2.NAME: GABRIELE ALTENDORF

3.NAME: HERBERT ALTENDORF

4.NAME: JÜRGEN ALTENDORF

5.NAME: BRIGITTE ALTHOF

6.NAME: ANATOLIJ

7.NAME: RUDY ANDRIA

8.NAME: DENNIS ARNOLD & YASMIN JEREMY

9.NAME: NAMAN ASGHAR & FAMILY

10.NAME: AZA

11.NAME: MOJMIR BABACEK

12.NAME: WALTRAUB BABL

13.NAME: STEPHEN BAKER

14.NAME: REZA BAYAT

15.NAME: JENNIFER BERKEMEIER

16.NAME: DENIZ BESIM

17.NAME: JEAN-PAUL BOLEA

18.NAME: BRIAN

19.NAME: STEVEN CALVEY & PETER W MARTIN

20.NAME: ALFREDO NIETO CENTENO

21.NAME: "CHICKEN"

22.NAME: MICHAEL CHMELIK

23.NAME: JØRGEN CHRISTIANSEN

24.NAME: CARL CLARK

25.NAME: JOHN CLIFTOZ

26.NAME: ANDREW COLE

27.NAME: JEAN-NOEL CORDOLIANI

28.NAME: DAVID COULSON

29.NAME: KARLHEINZ CROISSANT

30.NAME: STAN CUMANS

31.NAME: DANIELA

32.NAME: DARRIM & FAMILY

33.NAME: MARIA PAULA ONOFRE DAS NEVES

34.NAME: PETRIT DEMO

35.NAME: BEN DEMPSEY

36.NAME: NANS DESMICHELS

37.NAME: KATHERINE DE SOUZA

38.NAME: R. DIECKMANN

39.NAME: FEJERVARY DOMINIK

40.NAME: OVIDIU DONCIU

41.NAME: PAOLO DORIGO

42.NAME: DR LES DOVE

43.NAME: LINDA DREW

44.NAME: CAROL DUKE

45.NAME: MARTIN EMMEN

46.NAME: DEVON FOWLER

47.NAME: KATHERINE FRIEDLI

48.NAME: AB FRIS

49.NAME: ASTRID FUCHS

50.NAME: SIGRUN GEBHARDT

51.NAME: PRICOPI GELU

52.NAME: ANI GEWALT

53.NAME: RUTH GILL

54.NAME: RAY GOEBEL

55.NAME: OXANA GRUNWALD & FAMILY

56.NAME: GUMIND

57.NAME: gybfefe

58.NAME: SIMON HAYES

59.NAME: JOHAN HELLER

60.NAME: PETER HELWIG

61.NAME: STEIN E HENRIKSEN

62.NAME: REGINALD HODGES

63.NAME: TON HOOGEBOOM AND GERARD HOOGEBOOM

64.NAME: AREND TER HORST

65.NAME: HUGGLES

66.NAME: MERV HUGHES

67.NAME: INA

68.NAME: LINDA JANE INCE

69.NAME: MICHAEL IRVING

70.NAME: ITALY - OVER 60 VICTIMS

71.NAME: JULIAN JACKSON

72.NAME: DOSSIER JOSEPHINE

73.NAME: DANIELA K

74.NAME: MAURICE KELLETT

75.NAME: DEREK KINMOND

76.NAME: BRIGITTE KLAUS

77.NAME: MATTHIAS KLEIN

78.NAME: JAN KREWINKEL

79.NAME: IRMGARD KRONSBEIN-BELLCHAMBERS & FAMILY

80.NAME: PETER KUTZA

81.NAME: AUDRIUS KVILIUNAS

82.NAME: SERGE LABRÈZE

83.NAME: GAGIU IULIAN LAURENTIU

84.NAME: PERNES LAURENTIU

85.NAME: HENRY LICHTERFELDT

86.NAME: LINDA

87.NAME: BARTLOMIEJ LISTWAN

88.NAME: TATJANA LOTZ

89.NAME: WALDEMAR LOTZ

90.NAME: FERNANDO SANTAMARIA LOZANO

91.NAME: FRANCES ANN LUFF

92.NAME: A M

93.NAME: MARIUS M

94.NAME: WALTER MADLIGER

95.NAME: JARKKO MAKKONEN

96.NAME: LUKE MARSH

97.NAME: RAMON MARTINEZ

98.NAME: CHRISTINE MARX

99.NAME: BRIGITTE MATTE

100.NAME:  MATTERWAVE

101.NAME: BERND MEERKAMP

102.NAME: CATHERINE MILLS & FAMILY

103.NAME: DARIUS MOCKUS

104.NAME: Victor MONCHAMP

105.NAME: THIERRY MOUTON

106.NAME: JEAN MULLAN

107.NAME: C N

108.NAME: SARUNAS NEKRASIUS

109.NAME: MAUREEN NORMAN

110.NAME: IMELDA O' CONNOR

111.NAME: DEBBIE PARTRIDGE

112.NAME: LIDIA POPOVA

113.NAME: NADIE PRIEUR

114.NAME: DRAGINJA NATASHA PUSICH

115.NAME: CAROL RAE

116.NAME: WILLIAM RAE

117.NAME: RANDOLPH

118.NAME: REDMANN

119.NAME: RICK

120.NAME: KAREN RODDY

121.NAME: RONALD

122.NAME: FABRIZIO ROVEDI

123.NAME: KLAUS RUDOLF

124.NAME: JACQUELINE SALII

125.NAME: RUUT SALO

126.NAME: PAUL SAUNDERSON

127.NAME: PAOLA SBRONZERI

128.NAME: ROBERTO SCARUFFI

129.NAME: SWETLANA SCHUNIN AND FAMILY – DIMITRI, SERGEY, DMITRI

130.NAME: ANGELINA SCHWEYEN

131.NAME: SIRBILLGATESJNR

132.NAME: RICHARD SLUITER

133.NAME: CAROL SMITH

134.NAME: JAVIER RUIZ SOBRINO

135.NAME: MONIKA SOKAL

136.NAME: WALDTRAUT SRERNITZKE

137.NAME: KIM STIRLING & FAMILY

138.NAME: MONIKA STOCES

139.NAME: REGINA STOLL

140.NAME: *SUSPICIOUS DEATHS OF WRITERS AND JOURNALISTS WHO INVESTIGATED
MINDCONTROL CRIMES**/** MUERTES SOSPECHOSAS DE PERIODISTAS SOBRE CONTROL
MENTAL*

141.NAME: TI29187

142.NAME: MO TAHANI

143.NAME: FRANCIS TAILOKA

144.NAME: NATALIE TEULON

145.NAME: TARA TILLY (THOMAS RITA)

146.NAME: HELMUT TONDL

147.NAME: SAHAR TORKY

148.NAME: INGRID TREMEL

149.NAME: UN JEUNE INGENIEUR

150.NAME: EMILIA MARIA VAZ-MARCH

151.NAME: JEAN VERSTRAETEN

152.NAME: JACQUES VUILLOD

153.NAME: TRACIE WALKER

154.NAME: WATERFALL

155.NAME: RANDOLF WEINAND

156.NAME: MAIRE WOLF

157.NAME: CHRISTINA WYATT

158.NAME: ZENBEL

159.NAME: *OVER 60 VICTIMS FROM ITALY*

*CHINA & ASIA-PACIFIC*

1.*AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE WHOLE WORLD BY OVER 50 CHINESE VICTIMS*

2.NAME: JOHN AIDMANN

3.NAME: ah2006-cwy 天涯无处寻

4.NAME: ALEX

5.NAME: ahzsp2612

6.NAME: BAIBING (aka 2010lf)

7.NAME: PAUL BAIRD

8.NAME: 白云   BAIYUN024

9.NAME: MR SHIJIE CAO

10.NAME: CHAH001

11.NAME:  SHINE CHANG

12.NAME: CHINA – 62 VICTIMS

13.NAME: STEVE CROFT

14.NAME: RAJ D

15.NAME: HAI DANG

16.NAME: DAVIS

17.NAME: MARGARET DOWN

18.NAME: DEBORAH DUPRE

19.NAME: JOHN FINCH & FAMILY & NEIGHBOURS

20.NAME: JAMES YUE GEE

21.NAME: JOSEPH GIBSON

22.NAME: MIYOKO GOTO

23.NAME: TAKAHIRO GOTO

24.NAME: LISA H

25.NAME: KYUNG-GUK HA

26.NAME: JOHN HANDLEY

27.NAME: HARUKA

28.NAME: hongzx

29.NAME: ZHANG HUIMIN

30.NAME: imary660610

31.NAME: 来自 jiaodian902的自动回复

32.NAME:* *JUNG, IL SUN

33.NAME: jinyi691001

34.NAME: THOMAS KOH

35.NAME: TERUYUKI KURAHASHI

36.NAME: GEORGE KWONG

37.NAME: laofa99

38.NAME: LEE

39.NAME: JUDITH LESUE

40.NAME: LI GUAN-PING

41.NAME:  WEI LI

42.NAME: lijing6898

43.NAME: lilylinxin

44.NAME: MIKEY LIU

45.NAME: XIN LIU

46.NAME: LUCIA

47.NAME: MR WENLONG MA ((IVAN)

48.NAME: MABEL

49.NAME: BETH MACLEAN

50.NAME: LIZ MCCLELLAN

51.NAME: DAVID LUKE MENDHAM

52.NAME: MOKUREN

53.NAME: PHIL MOON

54.NAME: OSHANA1

55.NAME: KHANH DAC PHAM

56.NAME: MOREEN PHILLIPS

57.NAME: Pp

58.NAME: pys624

59.NAME: XIN ZHONG QING

60.NAME: HAROLD B QUIBAN

61.NAME: RAYMOND

62.NAME: ANDREW ROBINSON

63.NAME: MISS RUQUAN-GUO

64.NAME: GARY D SIMMONS

65.NAME: XIN WANG SHEN鏉ヨ嚜鐨勮嚜鍔ㄥ洖澶

66.NAME: SOLEILMAVIS

67.NAME: ELIZABETH ANNE SUTHERTON

68.NAME: 鐜嬬嚂 tclwyy

69.NAME: 3crobot

70.NAME: 3V3NG3LA

71.NAME: TONY TU

72.NAME: WORARAT TUMMALUCKSAMEE

73.NAME: LIZA VELUZ

74.NAME: MISS XIAN-SUN (RINOA)

75.NAME: SHENGLIN YI

76.NAME: "KELLY" TANG ZHAO

77.NAME: 523062953@qq.com

*INDIA**, THE MIDDLE-EAST & AFRICA*

1.NAME: F. A.

2.NAME: NADA ABBAS

3.NAME: BABAK AMIREBRAHIMI

4.NAME: ANNE

5.NAME: DEB CHAKRABORTY

6.NAME: RAJ D

7.NAME: AHMAD FANI

8.NAME: DEEPTHI JOHN

9.NAME: RAHUL S JOSHI

10.NAME: SIMRAN SINGH JUNEJA

11.NAME: SHAFIQ KHAN

12.NAME: SHIJU KRISHNA

13.NAME: SURESH S. KUMAR

14.NAME: TERUYUKI KURAHASHI

15.NAME: MAHESHKUMAR

16.NAME: PATRICIA MILLER

17.NAME: OTILLIA

18.NAME: PARIKSHIT PATHAK

19.NAME: DR FEISAL SALIM


*RUSSIA** & BELARUS

*

1.NAME: AGAFFONOV Pavel

2.NAME: ALBERT (девятин сергей)

3.NAME: ALEKSEYEV Igor Georgievich

4.NAME: ALEVTINA Pawlowna Gudzenko

5.NAME: BASHKOVSKIY Vladimir

6.NAME: *BELARUS** – OVER 14 CASES*

7.NAME: BOLOTSKIY Sergey

8.NAME: BORODIENKO Vladimir

9.NAME: DANILOV Victor Yegorovich

10.NAME: DOMOJIROVA Tatyana Kondratyevna & Family

11.NAME: DRUZHININA Irina Vladimirovna & Family

12.NAME: EREMIN Andrey

13.NAME: ERMAKOV Vladimir Petrovich

14.NAME: FROLOV Sergey Timofejevich & Family

15.NAME: GALANIN Vitaly Ivanovich

16.NAME: JUNOSHEVA Valentine

17.NAME: KANDYBIN Edward Nikolayevich

18.NAME: KATSERIKOVA Galina Ivanovna & Family

19.NAME: KOCHETOVA Natalia Ivanovna

20.NAME: KONDRATOVA Svetlana Vasilyevna & Family

21.NAME: KOPYLOVA Liliy

22.NAME: KOSTROVA Liy

23.NAME: KOZLOV Valentin Alekseyevich & Family

24.NAME:  LEVINA Anna Petrovna

25.NAME: PAVLOVSKY Grigoriy Fedorovich

26.NAME: PETUKHOV Vitaly

27.NAME: PETUKHOVA Alla Yakovlevna & Family

28.NAME: PRODIUS Gennady

29.NAME: PROHANOV Jury

30.NAME: PROHANOVA Margarita

31.NAME: REDKINA Swetlana

32.NAME: ROMANENKO Galina

33.NAME: ROZANCHUK Margarita Ivanovna & Family

34.NAME: RYBIN Pyotr Lukich , RYBINA Alexandra Filippovna & Family

35.NAME: SAMSONOV Nick

36.NAME: SEREBRYAKOVA Ljubov

37.NAME: SOSHINA NÁdÅjidÁ

38.NAME: DMITRY SUCHKOV

39.NAME: TORIN Sergei

40.NAME: TRETIAKOVA Tamara Vitalievna, son Mikhail & Family

41.NAME: VLADIMIR

42.NAME: VORONTSOV Vladimir Borisovich

43.NAME: VORONTSOVA Swetlana

44.NAME: ZYBINA Nadejida Pyotrovna


*
WE ARE BEING COOPTED AND FORCED AND TRICKED INTO AN ORWELLIAN FUNCTIONALIST
TOTALITARIANISM – EVERYWHERE ON EARTH! - *as almost all public discourses
including 'scientific', 'academic' and 'arts and culture', and as much as
80% of 'international news', 'events' and 'history', have been degraded into
produced and managed dramas/atrocities (i.e. wars, disasters, civil strife
etc), and criminally presented as infotainment, endogenous socio-political
changes, propaganda, pseudo-sciences and/or specious, tendentious or
folkloric productions and discourses.

*Regarding these NWO Crimes Against Humanity, War Crimes, Dirty Wars, Black
Operations, Secret Weapons, Destruction of Democratic Institutions and
Standards, Total Degradation of Media and Public Discourses, Total
Degradation and Disenfranchisement of Civil Society and Institutions** *there
is a complete *ORWELLIAN/STALINIST PUBLIC INFORMATION AND INQUIRY BLACKOUT.
*
*It is our responsibility to record and alert the world to these horrendous
crimes - and the extreme danger that these technologies, powers and
tendencies pose to human rights, liberty, democracy, privacy and the mental
and physical freedom, individuality, integrity, health and growth of all
people – in all their "infinite?" richness, degrees, dimensions, aspects,
qualities and diversity!

Make no mistake these are the most horrendous totalitarian weapons and
crimes imaginable and the people and organizations using them are
mass-murdering conspirators pursuing totalitarian fundamentalist schemes.

Beware of the brain and gene phrenologists/determinists/reductionists, and
those who seek to control and reduce the range of permissible thoughts,
imaginations, feelings, moods, attitudes, speech and psycho-physiologies –
the would-be socio-economic, cultural AND PSYCHOLOGICAL/INTELLECTUAL/
PHYSIOLOGICAL monopolists, monoculturalists, police and prosecutors who are
already literally and physically actively at work amongst us!! Both
monstrously and criminally, and also far more insidiously.

And beware of this dumbing-down, disenfranchisement, degradation and
monoculturalisation caused by the paucity and total degradation of public
information and discourse, and the subsequent and consequent "Fahrenheit
451-ing" of previously autonomous cultures, professions, fields of human
endeavour, memories, and intelligences.

BEWARE OF THE PSEUDO-SCIENCE NAZIS - THE ENEMIES OF FREE AND OPEN
INFORMATION AND DEBATE, ACCOUNTABILITY, REVIEW AND REGULATION.

NOT TO MENTION THE NUTCASES PURSUING SUCH FRANKENSTEIN-SCIENCES AS THE
TRANSGENIC, AND THE "BLENDING" OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL– EVEN AS
RECORD BIODIVERSITY AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY DESTRUCTION IS DONE.
**

*

*PLEASE WITNESS AND RECORD AND OPPOSE ALL OF THE ABOVE CRIMES, AND ASSIST US
URGENTLY!!*



* *


From: "Fred Nitz" <secularandtolerant@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 6:59 AM
Subject: NWO Crimes Against Humanity and Secret Weapons – references and links:-

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[Harconen]

Tony Blair branded 'war criminal' after Iraq memorial service

James Sturcke
The Guardian
Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:53 EDT
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/09/rowan-williams-iraq-war-memorial

Tony Blair was branded a "war criminal" today by the father of a soldier killed in the Iraq war after a memorial service to honour the dead at which the Archbishop of Canterbury criticised "policy makers" for failing to consider the cost of the conflict.

Rowan Williams, who has previously described the decisions that led to the war as "flawed", praised the "patient and consistent" efforts of troops on the ground.

But he used his address at the national service of remembrance in St Paul's cathedral to remind his audience that the conflict, which claimed the lives of 179 British service personnel, remained highly controversial.

Among those in the congregation listening to his words was former prime minister Tony Blair, who led the country into war and who was confronted at a reception after the service by Peter Brierley, whose son, Lance Corporal Shaun Brierley, 28, was killed in March 2003.

Brierley refused to shake Blair's proferred hand, saying: "I'm not shaking your hand, you've got blood on it".

"I understand soldiers go to war and die but they have to go to war for a good reason and be properly equipped to fight," Brierley said.

"I believe Tony Blair is a war criminal. I can't bear to be in the same room as him. I can't believe he's been allowed to come to this reception. It comes back to me every day, every time I see a coffin come off a plane; it reminds me of what happened to Shaun."

Addressing the congregation, Williams said: "Many people of my generation and younger grew up doubting whether we should ever see another straightforward international conflict, fought by a standing army with conventional weapons.

"We had begun to forget the realities of cost. And when such conflict appeared on the horizon, there were those among both policymakers and commentators who were able to talk about it without really measuring the price, the cost of justice."

The archbishop alluded to the controversial nature of the campaign, known as Operation Telic, which brought hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets in protest in the runup to the war.

"The conflict in Iraq will, for a long time yet, exercise the historians, the moralists, the international experts. In a world as complicated as ours has become, it would be a very rash person who would feel able to say without hesitation, this was absolutely the right or the wrong thing to do, the right or the wrong place to be."

Iraq veterans and bereaved families joined the Queen, Gordon Brown and senior military leaders for the service. Servicemen and women injured fighting during Operation Telic, and the families of those killed in the conflict, were also among the congregation.

Other senior royals attending included the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Princess Royal.

In April, Britain ended combat operations in Iraq with a sombre remembrance service for the 178 service personnel and one civilian Ministry of Defence worker who died during Operation Telic. The event brought to a close the six-year campaign that began in March 2003.

In July an inquiry into the Iraq war, headed by Sir John Chilcot, was formally launched.

[Harconen]

The Orwell Peace Prize

Martha Rose Crow
SOTT.net
Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:55 EDT
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/194486-The-Orwell-Peace-Prize

Right after Christmas, my nephew is leaving for another tour in Afghanistan. My Sister's heart and my heart are broken. The chances are good that this time he's coming back in a box with a flag on top of it.

But in many ways, he's dead already. Like many soldiers who've come back from the middle east, he's wired on self-destruct. My Sister has told me that she can't count the times she's taken guns away from him when he was threatening suicide because those times have been so many.

When I was a child, I was highly idealistic. I wanted to swim the English Channel. I wanted to live an exceptional life. I wanted to graduate from the university and perform work that would improve the lives of others. I wanted to be a peace maker and I wanted to earn a Nobel Peace Prize.

Back then, I didn't know about the dirty money connected with the prizes; that they came from money made from munitions or that the principal of the endowment was invested in more implements of war and/or of human oppression like capitalism that rapes the world for cheap natural resources and cheap human labor.

My childhood idealism about the Nobel Peace Prize waned a long time ago. It took awhile, but I learned that it was awarded by elites to politically 'frame the culture' of 'peace' and/or use the awardee as propaganda for the elite. It seemed to me that too many of the real peace makers are never awarded any prizes for their work and that too many heads of states are awarded it instead.

In the book 1984 by George Orwell, 'War is Peace' and 'Peace is War'. Orwell's book paints a psychopathic universe where reality is the opposite of what it really is. In Oceana, the place where the book takes place, Lies Rule: they Become the Truth. The whole place is built upon the lies of the 'party' or the ruling elite.

When I saw that Obama had 'won' the Nobel Peace Prize, I almost fell out of my chair. He's only nine months into his presidency and he has done nothing to stop any of the American wars. Contrarily, he's escalated the war in Afghanistan and spread it to Pakistan. Obama wants to add 40,000 more troops in Afghanistan. Last I heard, the war in Iraq is still continuing. More, the opaque and unwinnable war against 'terrorism' is still going on as well while the definition of a 'terrorist' keeps expanding to include anyone who opposes tyranny, including war.

What about torture? Obama hasn't done anything to stop it. That status quo merry-go-round of violence and the violence of lies goes on and on.

In lieu of the lack of bringing peace, Obama should have won the Nobel Peace Prize for Economics as more people are out of work now than when he was given the mantel of presidency. This is how great the hypocrisy is.

So what does all of this mean? A group of five elites chose Obama to market lies and deception; to sell an Orwellian world where people are programmed to believe that a war monger, a false messiah of peace, is the ideal peace bringer when in a real reality, he is the farthest from it.

And Obama's nomination in the swill world of the Orwell Peace Prize is in good company. Although they didn't get the prize, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Joseph Stalin were nominated. History has proven what kind of 'peace makers' they were and history will prove that Obama is of the same ilk.

People see through this ruse and sham. They know that Obama hasn't kept his campaign promises of stopping war and promoting peace. They know that he's being controlled by the powerful and wealthy military industrial complex who stand to lose enormous profits if Obama pursues peace.

This will be my nephew's third tour of duty. For a year (if he stays alive that long), we will live on pins and needles. Every day, we will hope that bad news doesn't arrive at the front door, brought by a well-dressed soldier messenger. Every day, we will hear about new war casualties and worry if he is one of them. We will live in a limbic hell and wait.

And during this time, Obama will escalate the wars, support Israel's illegal wars, while wearing the official Nobel Crown as the 'New Prince of Peace'.

[Harconen]

Flashback:  Why does the world feel so wrong? 

Will Groves
striketheroot.com
Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:35 EST
Consider these events:
http://www.strike-the-root.com/91/groves/groves1.html


1. A president who started two aggressive wars, who bears responsibility for the loss of thousands of American lives along with hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan lives, leaves office as a free man without a felony record or any negative repercussions.

2. Meanwhile, the same populace that has intimate experience with lying politicians appears utterly smitten with a smooth-talking new president promising change and demanding sacrifice.

3. The Congress, which had an approval rate of 14% and which just passed a $700 billion bailout over the objections of a majority of Americans, had a re-election rate exceeding 95%.

4. Untold millions of Americans voice support of military troops as these very people are needlessly killed, injured, and separated from their families and productive work at home.

5. A general populace believed that buying unproductive assets, like housing, could make them wealthy, forever, without any coherent explanation why.

6. Researchers who pursue alternative explanations for AIDS and cancer get their funding cut and have the results of their research squelched, while others who try to improve life by providing healthful foods find themselves under attack.

Overt criminality by leaders and passive, unclear thinking by the proles have become the norm. The two go together, creating a symbiotic ecosystem of tyranny. Fraud, theft, and murder have become widespread, just as the scale of lies told and believed have reached new heights. Irresponsibility has become socialized while people in the honest pursuit of good get thwarted.

Those of us who want little more than peace and freedom don't run the world. Pursuing freedom contradicts controlling others, so we can reason that people who pursue power have some motivations separate from our own.

I have not fully comprehended the implications of this until recently. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, I had assumed that the people who wield power feel similarly about moral issues as I do - I just couldn't see why they commit and justify unethical behavior. I already knew that states operate according to a code that the rest of us don't follow in our own lives. Nevertheless, I assumed that a man who acts without regard to moral laws must feel guilty about it. Then, one day, I stumbled onto this idea: Suppose he doesn't.

With only small ambitions, he probably behaves like a common criminal, a predator. He lies to gain advantage, uses force to get his way, and steals without conscience. Not feeling guilty about unethical behavior motivates him to instigate further criminal acts.

Small crime operations have one big problem, namely, the risk of getting caught. The prospect of prison appears unappealing, yet even with the high likelihood of arrest and capture during a career, common criminals approach their field with little sophistication and often pay the price. Other like-minded people see ways to avoid these problems. Just as normal people develop interests growing up and figure out how to pursue them at higher levels, a criminal mind can do the same. With greater intelligence and patience, he can pursue an ambitious career of criminality. With this objective in sight, one can easily see the state as the most expedient means to accomplish it.

Once a criminal joins forces with the state by becoming an employee, he can lie to his advantage, use force to get his way, and steal without conscience, just as the small-time operator does. The opportunities for mischief have no limits through thoughtful job selection. For example, if a man took pleasure in making innocent people squirm, he could become a police officer and plant evidence. For another, if he wanted to murder people, he could become a military officer and "accidentally" call in the coordinates of a house he'd like to see bombed. Whatever they do, the state shields them from the natural consequences of their actions. In all likelihood, if smart, they never get caught, never get punished, and probably get commended.

Too often, I have assumed that the people working for the state take the jobs only because of the easy hours and good pay, benefits, and retirement. For the predator, though, it offers all these things with the appetizing fringe benefit of satisfying their criminal urges without the risk of retribution.

It turns out this personality type has a scientific name: psychopathic. Lest you think I merely kid you, I quote from Scientific American:

    Superficially charming, psychopaths tend to make a good first impression on others and often strike observers as remarkably normal. Yet they are self-centered, dishonest and undependable, and at times they engage in irresponsible behavior for no apparent reason other than the sheer fun of it. Largely devoid of guilt, empathy and love, they have casual and callous interpersonal and romantic relationships. Psychopaths routinely offer excuses for their reckless and often outrageous actions, placing blame on others instead. They rarely learn from their mistakes or benefit from negative feedback, and they have difficulty inhibiting their impulses.

This seems like a nearly perfect description of those who seek political power. That same article goes on to say that fields over-represented by psychopaths may include "politics, business and entertainment. Yet the scientific evidence for this intriguing conjecture is preliminary." It turns out that much stronger evidence for this exists than the article lets on.

In the book Political Ponerology, Andrew Lobaczewski claims that about 6% of the people within a population have psychopathic characters. The implications of this, which he recognized soon after World War II, stagger the mind. Moreover, he suggests that another 12% of the population has high susceptibility to psychopathic thought. In a world dominated by hierarchical structures, these people sieze control of the key positions and create a so-called "pathocracy." Lobaczewski continues, writing in ways that clearly anticipate the current reality:

    Within this [pathocratic] system, the common man is blamed for not having been born a psychopath, and is considered good for nothing except hard work, fighting and dying to protect a system of government he can neither sufficiently comprehend nor ever consider to be his own. An ever-strengthening network of psychopathic and related individuals gradually starts to dominate, overshadowing the others.

Normal people have not considered the possibility that some people who seem ordinary could have no moral inhibitions. They default to believing that their leaders have good intentions. Employees of psychopaths thus carry out plans of their bosses blinded to the reality. No matter the scope of the "failure," the leadership can always point back to their stated good intentions and shield themselves from the gallows. In fact, the more harm they create, the stronger the call becomes to vest more power in their failed agency so they can "prevent" anything of the sort from ever happening again.

Their MO focuses on figuring out how much they can get away with, and we see no signs they have begun to approach the limits the public will accept. Irrespective of the ordeals they create, the vast majority of people give them the benefit of the doubt time and time again and continue in their support of the system. This belief among good people led to the democide of the 20th Century that continues unabated today.

After considering the possibility that psychopaths have taken control of society, we find volumes of evidence to support the hypothesis. Did Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot sympathize with their victims or have any sense of guilt? More recently, among Bush, Cheney, Rove, Rumsfeld, or Clinton , can we point to one who even exhibits a façade resembling normality? Obviously not - these lists name one person after another who has zero accountability to a rational morality. If people like this could make their way to the highest levels of power, what does that say about lower offices?

It suggests people like this have control over the levers of power everywhere. We live at a time when the population at large cannot achieve its wants, yet few seem to know why. As one example, polls consistently indicate that educational matters concern the public, yet decade after decade, schooling gets quantitatively worse. What a mystery! Evidently, if we believe our well-meaning masters, 2,000 years of Western civilization has not yet determined effective ways to transmit key knowledge to younger generations. However, what happens if we suspend our belief in their benevolence for a moment and consider other possibilities? If schools fail to achieve their stated goals over several decades, might some groups see this as a success?

Inhibiting critical thinking in the masses obviously benefits the state and psychopaths. When overtly self-serving, irresponsible, illegal, immoral, irrational behavior gets treated as normal, we can conclude that the educational system works quite well for our masters. I have given but one example, yet the multitude of state functions exists to provide every variety of psychopathic interest with a job. Moreover, we should consider that the state not only acts like a recruitment center for psychopaths, but that psychopaths probably invented the state to take advantage of the rest of us. I can give you no better explanation for the existence of an organization that fails in every ethical dimension and invokes psychopathic thinking at every turn than this.

Our battle for liberty appears not just as a conflict between those who want freedom versus those who want control, but instead as the battle between normal people and the psychopaths. I have found incredible explanatory power of our world within the psychopathic hypothesis: The world feels wrong because psychopaths run it. In a country trained to discount and ridicule all ideas more than a standard deviation from the average, coherent explanations of observable social phenomena don't get much press. Without understanding physical laws, we would never have gained the massive improvements in our quality of life from technological developments. Similarly, without understanding our social systems, we will never escape from the tyranny unleashed on us by psychopaths. We should spread the word and explore this rich vein of thought with vigor.

[Harconen]

More disfigured newborn babies in Gaza: official

Xinhua
Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:34 EDT
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/10/content_12207831.htm

 More disfigured babies were born in Gaza since the end of Israel's war in the coastal Strip last winter, said the health ministry of deposed Hamas government Saturday.

A research in al-Shifa hospital in Gaza city showed "in July, August and September, the number of infants born deformed or without limbs climbed by 50 percent compared with the same period last year," said deputy Health Minister Hassan Khalaf.

He said his ministry does not rule out a connection between Israel's use of white phosphorus during the January-December war and the increase of disfigured newborns.

About 1,400 Palestinians were killed in the three-week fighting and thousands of others were injured. During the war, Israel fired white phosphorus shells in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Print

[Harconen]

Iraq’s War Disfigured Babies

Thursday, 02. 26. 2009
http://gorillasguides.com/2009/02/26/iraqs-war-disfigured-babies/


BAGHDAD— In new Iraq, women like Leila Omar Wassin are heart-broken giving birth to babies born malformed because of the deadly substances years of war have sown in their bodies.

"My first baby died after he was born without legs and the second one died few days ago because his spinal cord was exposed and his head was too big," the 36-old woman told IslamOnline.net.

Wassim is one of the victims of the massive bombing of Fallujah in 2004, when the US army admittedly used depleted uranium munitions, which contain low-level radioactive waste.

Doctors told Wassim the restricted weapon sowed her body with lethal material that caused her children’s birth defects and the subsequent deaths.

"If I knew my body was sick, I wouldn’t have tried to bring a new life to the world."

Experts affirm that many like Wassim, especially in areas severely-hit by radioactive material over the years, suffer the same pain.

"US troops attacks have been carried out with high quantity of chemicals that makes the genetic material easily affected, resulting in babies being born only to survive for a few hours," Dr. A’dab Hatim, a pediatrician at a Baghdad hospital, told IOL.

"The most common malformations are exposed spinal cord, lack of limbs, multiple fingers, eye deformities, large cerebral material and exposed organs," she added.

After denying it at first, the Pentagon admitted in November 2005 that white phosphorous, a restricted incendiary weapon, was used in shelling Fallujah.

It also admitted to having used more than 1,200 tons of depleted uranium munitions in Iraq during the 2003 invasion.

Exacerbated, Ignored 

The plight of babies’ birth defects has exacerbated over the years, becoming a common occurrence for doctors and nurses.

"Baghdad has shown a high level of contamination," a doctor and a researcher at a Red Crescent Hospital in Baghdad told IOL, requesting anonymity.

"In 2005, we had about 600 cases reported at public hospitals and three years latter, this number has doubled."

In Fallujah alone, some 220 cases of disfigured newborns have been reported since 2005.

"We have been informed of similar cases at private hospitals. However they don’t appear at our research because we need families’ agreement and this is hard to get."

Doctors complain that the lack of information and the neglect complicate the problem.

"Ninety percent of all families do not have access to information, some are illiterate, and others are poor," notes Dr. Rafid Abdel-Rassoul, of the Mustansiriyah University in Baghdad.

Dr. Hatim, the pediatrician, stresses the need for an awareness campaign to open minds and help dozens of children dying every month due to lack of information.

"But the government is just worried about politics."

Doctors insist that its the responsibility of the US to try undo part of the damage its has caused.

"The US government has spent billions on this war but none to revert the problems caused by its dangerous weapons," fumes Dr. Bashier Mazim, another doctor in Baghdad University.

"I can say that those newborn are the result of the American disaster that befell our land."

Wassin, the grieved mother who lost her two babies, also heaps the blame on the occupation for her misery.

"We are victims of this unfair war."

Iraq’s War Disfigured Babies – IslamOnline.net – News

[Harconen]

Fallujah Pediatrics

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27086036@N02/sets/72157608598850653/detail/