MEDIA-US: Gaza Coverage Echoed Govt Support of Israel January 31st, 2009
Dear Editors,
Israel withdrew from Gaza some three years ago and yet the rocket attacks from Gaza continued. When Israel retaliates as any country would do, they are criticized.
If Switzerland were shooting thousands of missiles for years on end from Lugano into Milano, how would you expect the Italian government to respond?
COLOMBIA-VENEZUELA: La crisis económica lima asperezas January 30th, 2009
Dear Editors,
I was quite surprised to find the following story in Arabic dealing with a
thaw in Colombian-Venezuelan relations:
http://www.ipsinternational.org/arabic/nota.asp?idnews=1437
Subsequently I found it in Spanish:
http://www.ipsnoticias.net/nota.asp?idnews=91102
The article really is news. I encourage you to publish in English to help
inform the polarized views that Americans hold toward each of the two
countries.
CLIMATE CHANGE: Obama Signals End to Era of Denial January 29th, 2009
Dear Editors,
Thank you so much for this amazing news. It is very encouraging and we from a developing country salute President Obama’s decision to impose tougher measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
We believe with these changes the world will understand that America is really with the people all over the planet. These steps will also bring a great impact on other nations. They always look to America. During the past many nations lost confidence in America. This situation will change soon. We are now sure President Obama will bring a real change that could be enjoyed by every one in the planet.
Upali Magedaragamage
Coordinator
Asian Network for Culture and Development
Sri Lanka
POLITICS-US: Republican Benefactor Launches Comeback January 29th, 2009
Dear Editors,
Amway global is the new name after Quixtar.
I follow the business closely (www.amquix.info/amway.html is my site) and
I have never heard they intend to drop the Amway Global name. In fact
the name is brand new to replace the quixtar name.
I think the article is confusing the new name Amway Global name for the
North American market company “Quixtar”. The Quixtar name is being
phased out.
Q&A: Bolivia Limits Size of Estates in Land Reform Struggle January 28th, 2009
Dear Editors,
With only 20 million hectare available and 2million plus farmers, the average is only 15 hectare per person.
I believe the 5,000 hectare is much too big and that workers on these farms should be given a 40% share of these farms. Another 20% ownership should be nationalized in lieu of taxes and the farm owners should only retain 40 %. In a capital vs. labour dispute, the state can then act as arbiter and vote their 20% on the side of capital (owner) or labour
(worker) to resolve the dispute.
Furthermore, there is an Islamic tax called Zakaah that is raised at 2.5% of assets (the total value of the farm and improvement and moveable assets) per year. This is to ensure that farms are productive. In exchange, farmers (as producers of food) should be exempt from paying any income tax except for this asset tax and maybe, if required, a sales or value added tax of 10-20%.
All of these measures are required to establish state and worker’s rights, property rights and agricultural productivity and competitiveness. Just remember that all the workers of the world are watching social developments in Bolivia, Venezuela and the region…
Q&A: Bolivia Limits Size of Estates in Land Reform Struggle January 28th, 2009
Dear Editors,
Not a comment, but questions… What/Who determines “economic or social function”? That sounds extremely subjective. May a foreign national legally buy and own land in Bolivia? In what document might direct answers to these questions be clearly
articulated by Mr. Dio and/or INRA?
MIDEAST: Obama’s Quick Start Raises Hopes January 28th, 2009
Dear Editors,
“Indeed, Israel’s three-week Gaza campaign, in which more than 1,300
Palestinians were killed, may have spurred Obama, who declined to
comment about the assault while Bush was still president, to move more
quickly than he had originally planned to reassure Arab opinion that he
considered the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a top priority, even at a
time when the country is dealing with a major financial crisis and two
wars.”/
–
Obama made a campaign promise to AIPAC that Israel is “sacrosanct”, and
was conveniently bubbled up in Hawaii when the IDF assault on Gaza began.
His remarks in Israel six months ago (see December archives for
Political Punchr) signalled support for Israel’s current activities in Gaza:
/*OBAMA: “The first job of any nation state is to protect its citizens.
And so I can assure you that if — I don’t even care if I was a
politician — if somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two
daughters sleep at night, I’m going to do everything in my power
[emphasis added] to stop that. And I would expect Israelis to do the
same thing.”*/
Obama’s weeks-long silence on Gaza, more than anything else, has given
the IDF carte blanche to shoot fish in a barrel, and wantonly lay waste
to the area (including, now, white phosphorus shells and cluster bombs).
Obama is in the hands of the Israelis and AIPAC! In a not too recent
CounterPunch.org article…the statement was made: “For the first time
in the history of the US, the government is now controlled by the
minority 2% of the US population”.
RIGHTS-SRI LANKA: ‘Plight of Tamils Similar to Gaza Civilians’ January 27th, 2009
Dear Editors,
I’m bit worry about the information given by Philippe Duamelle, country representative for the United Nations Children’s Fund. LTTE is not allowed innocent civilians to freely move. If that is the case why United Nation has appeals LTTE to release civilians from the Human Shield. Pls read the report below.
(New York, 16 January 2009) :
The United Nations is increasingly concerned for the wellbeing of tens of thousands of civilians caught up in the conflict raging in the northern Vanni area of Sri Lanka. As fighting surrounds the areas towards which families have been displaced, and with few choices about where to move, they are increasingly susceptible to harm due to the fighting. While they have had access to basic food, in large part due to the Government and the UN assistance transported through the lines of fighting, they have few if any reserves and the conditions of their basic shelter, water and sanitation are increasingly inadequate as many have been displaced multiple times over the last months, weeks and days.
In accordance with International Humanitarian Law, the United Nations calls upon the LTTE to allow civilians to be able to move freely to areas where they feel most secure and for the Government to receive newly displaced people according to internationally agreed principles. In addition, the UN calls for civilians to be protected from the fighting and for civilians to continue to have access to basic humanitarian assistance.
Also Jaffna Bishop Rev Savundaranayagam has appeals to LTTE not to station artillery among civilians. On his appeal he request “We are also urgently requesting the Tamil Tigers not to station themselves among the people in the safety zone and fire their artillery-shells and rockets at the Army. This will only increase more and more the death of civilians thus
endangering the safety of the people. I insist that both parties must
observe the safety zone strictly”.
Peter Balleis, international director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), also seems doesn’t know what’s happening in Gaza. Other wise he’ll never compare this situation to Gaza.
Considering above requests, I don’t think Duamelle has given the correct information about the situation. This is my view of this letter.
RIGHTS-GUATEMALA: Impunity Fuels Violence Against Women January 27th, 2009
Dear Editors,
I just read the account about the state of women’s rights in Guatemala,
and I found it very eye-opening. I am currently writing an article
assessing the state of women’s property rights in Guatemala and
specifically analyzing the impact of the Land Restitution (PNR) program
on women. For example, I am most interested in empirical studies that
address how many women have received compensation or reclaimed a legal
title to land they lost in the civil conflict as I attempt to argue that the wide disparity in ownership between men and women shows a need for further consideration about women’s rights.
Christine McIsaac
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Program
Office of the US Trade Representative
Executive Office of the President
Read complete story
BULGARIA: Protests Rise Above Parties, and Against Them January 26th, 2009
Dear Editors,
Thanks for a very much for your insightful article about the events in Bulgaria. I was
relieved to read something that takes the protests seriously and avoid simplifications. I try to maintain a blog where I cover these events.
RIGHTS-SRI LANKA: ‘Plight of Tamils Similar to Gaza Civilians’ January 26th, 2009
Dear Editors,
I would like to comment the following if you can publish it in your news net. The best thing for these people is that the LTTE allows them to move freely and enter a safe area where they can receive appropriate support,'’ Duamelle said. This is exactly what the LTTE does not want to in fear of losing the war outright. Yes, the civilians are the pawns they can sacrifice to save the life of the LTTE leaders. UN reps have top convince a pressure LTTE to give them up.
Peter Balleis, international director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), one of the few agencies with access into the LTTE dominated Vanni area, described the situation as a second Gaza in the making.
This will never happen in Sri Lanka! Israelis and Sri Lankans have different mentalities. Even at the height of the Tamil massacre, in response to an LTTE attack on 13 soldiers in 1983 most Sinhalese took Tamils in to their homes to save them from the mobs. The Sri Lankans forces are well aware that these innocent civilians are used by the LTTE as shields and are taking great care to minimize civilian death. The president too has insisted that that should be the case. Israel had no sympathy in attacking Gaza civilians. Hence Gaza cannot be compared to Vanni.
Family travel will not make it possible for Cuban born refugee children who do not have family in Cuba to travel. All travel restrictions must be lifted and all US citizens should have the right to travel to Cuba.
I was born in Cuba and left in 1960 at the age of 12. I would like to visit my grandfather¹s grave and explore the interior provinces of Cuba which I have never seen. I do not have any family in the island. It does not seem right that I can travel all over the world except for a visit to the place where I was born.
MIDEAST: Egypt ‘Not Bound’ by Anti-Smuggling Pact January 24th, 2009
Dear Editors,
The Bush administration has backed Israel in the on going pressure, to force the Palestinians out forever, from the land that was Palestine, before the Israeli’s set claim. Having said that, I believe Bush will somehow put pressure on Egypt to go his way of thinking, even if he is not in office.
ZIMBABWE: ‘Life Is Like A Casino - We Live Each Day As It January 23rd, 2009
Dear Editors,
It’s hard to imagine that THIS was once a thriving, prosperous country where health care was among the best in Africa, and where nobody thought much about having enough to eat. They took so much for granted. And Robert Mugabe made fools of them all.
BOOKS-US: Wounded Veterans Treated as an Afterthought January 23rd, 2009
Dear Editors,
Pres Obama has a duty to prevent the VA from throwing away a generation of soldiers as the VA, Nixon & Johnson did with Viet Nam veterans. When I go to the VA for care I see the hulks of ‘Nam veterans who still exist but are maimed in body & mind. It’s a pathetic sight. I remain angry with my country for abandoning these soldiers. I feel that I’m fortunate to have been injured before ‘Nam & that my disabilities allow me to live independently. VA hospitals are hell holes. I did all I could to learn to live independently when I was in a VA hospital. I was lucky to have learned to live independently.
MIDEAST: Alarm Spreads Over Use of Lethal New Weapons January 23rd, 2009
Dear Editors,
The IDF has an excuse to maim soldiers & fighters. There is no excuse for maiming non-combatant civilians. We soldiers & ex-soldiers have been taught to expect to be maimed or to die in an instant. Civilians are unlawful prey for a soldier. Either the IDF is poorly trained or the IDF is criminally careless when it maims & kills civilians.
HAITI: New Peasant Alliance Demands Action on Food Crisis January 22nd, 2009
Dear Editors,
Charles Arthur is wrong to say that Haiti suffers food shortages due to “declining yields and increases in population”. This is one of those ridiculous assertions that obscure the far more decisive effect of American interference on the countries well-being. Forced to import rice - a rice that makes the people sick because of its depleted nature when washed! - Haitian farmers are starving because the American rice is subsidized, and has flooded the Haitian market.
This kind of roughshod writing in western media is at the root of the fog and fairytales that make westerners believe that Haitians ‘just can’t get it together’. Shame on you for letting this happen.
When will we get out of the way and allow Haitians to run their country, after paying them billions for all the pain and suffering we caused them?
EUROPE: Watching That Space, and Seeing More of the Same January 21st, 2009
Dear Editors,
While Rahm Emmanuel may have incredible ties to Israel and Hilary
Clinton has been a “friend of Israel”, I believe this is a new day
with Obama and that everything is on the table with him. I believe he
will bring a new vision to the Middle East conflict and pursue new
initiatives. Change is his policy and I think he looks for what works.
FINANCE-US: Treasury Nominee Failed to Halt Bond Scam January 20th, 2009
Dear Editors,
I enjoyed your story about Treasury Bond Scam, but this phantom trading is and has also been going on with stock market shares as well. The DTCC should be held accountable for phantom shares being traded every day since all trades go through them, they know how many authorized shares each company has, and it should be a big red flag when a company trade in excess of those shares. The DTCC is also a part of this crime. The SEC will not enforce its own laws and rules. Cox head of the SEC stated that it was not his job to police Wall Street, then what are we paying him for. SEC member have been found to be running their own porn business right from the SEC office and we pay them to do this.
The big question is why the SEC won’t and the Treasury halt of this is illegal activity? They get paid to look the other way! That is what has also caused our financial system to collapse. Wall Street’s White Collar Crimes, continue to go unpunished. Stiff, hard fines need to be imposed, jail time, loss of licenses and closure of businesses for the Market Maker, Hedge Funds etc. for breaking the laws.
After all isn’t this is what happens to us regular people when we break the law? Let’s just say if I go and rob a bank I and I get caught, I will go straight to jail and then prison. Wall Street rob our financial system every day and continue to get a pass to do so by our very own Government who then in turn rob The American People some more to continue to put money into these thieves pockets in the form of a Bail Outs. While my family and others are about to loose our homes to foreclosure, but we can’t get help!
You need to air this Treasury story on the News Stations and in the Newspapers for The American People to hear and read. We the people need to know all that is going on in our Markets.
POLITICS-US: The Second Coming of Newt Gingrich January 19th, 2009
Dear Editors,
The Republican Party will not regain its strength and purpose until it
controls some of the national media, the left wing media is firmly in the pockets of the democrats .For example CNN news actively campaigned for Obama for over two years. Every day for eight years they put out the big lies about the Bush administration. Hitler would have been proud. We must not let them get away with that again.
BOOKS-US: Wounded Veterans Treated as an Afterthought January 19th, 2009
Dear Editors,
Good Story - very true - You might want to also consider too - that DOD
civilians are also deploying with soldiers in your future commentaries – At least the military has the VA- see the House Armed services Committee report on DoD civilians Injured in War -
http://armedservices.house.gov/pdfs/Reports/CiviliansonBattlefieldReport.pdf Note that this is a 2008 document - and we have been deploying since 9-11. And in 2008 the House says that there is still too little too late. We deploy with our armed forces as well - and get nothing but the nightmare of Federal Workers Comp — if anything - Worker Comp is a dysfunctional system that, to prevent fraud from a few bad eggs, destroys the best and most loyal of our civilian workforce by denying or delaying care to civilians injured in war. It is in fact a compensation system - not medical care! It’s all we have!
JAPAN: In Solidarity Against Female Genital Mutilation January 10th, 2009
Dear Editors,
Another issue that often comes up, in arguments such as this: the
individuals who actually perform the ritual FGMs protest that this is
their sole livelihood, and in Africa, where poverty is a huge problem,
taking away someone’s means of earning a living can be viewed as
devastating.
To that end, economic support transitional job re-education (strange
as that may sound) is in fact, one powerful step toward putting a
permanent end to this horrific practice. By breaking an entrenched
tradition, passed on inter-generationally from grandmother to mother
to daughter (e.g.: these women are the ones who do the procedure,
usually with unsterilized instruments: I have heard more than one
instance where broken glass was used as the FGM cutting tool)…young
girls may be spared. However their families must be shown alternative
methods to earn money, in poor families where that income is critical
to their economic well-being.
One of my ESL students and his wife who are from Burkina Faso, West
Africa, determined to seek asylum here in New York. This means his
young daughter will be the first in her family NOT to undergo genital
mutilation. Thus, it is possible for consciousness to be raised and,
young girls freed from this terrible yoke - one person at a time, one
family at a time. While it is certainly praiseworthy that my student
had the courage to stand against a long held cultural ‘given’, we also
need to consider the people who PERFORM the ritual - teach them other
ways to make a living!
I enthusiastically endorse the efforts of Japanese women’s rights
groups. Knowledge is power and the “sisters” of Japan helping the
“sisters” of Africa brings us all closer. From the tragic can come
real change - but it must be economic… as well as psychological and
medical.
Thank you!
Cynthia Hawkins-Legorreta
New York City
DEVELOPMENT: Africa May Face ‘Centuries’ of Poverty January 10th, 2009
Dear Editors,
Many educated Africans will read this and consider it to be evidence enough that neo-colonialism is alive and well, and that it is to blame for what ails Africa, but they will be quite mistaken. Actually, the neo-colonialist died decades ago, but he continues to be left in the basement of African consciousness, to be resurrected at will, in order to absolve Africans of their carelessness, with regard to thinking seriously about solving the manifold problems that beset the continent.
Take the issue of the inordinate outflow of capital from multinational companies operating in Africa, for instance. What stops African states from adopting policies to correct the situation? The problem is that in places like Nigeria, primitive tribal royalties, coupled with a bizarre notion that the national wealth is a loot to be plundered at will, by successive generations of national leaders make the way multinational companies export capital quite normal. That is one of the reasons why oil companies in the Niger Delta have been able to operate with little care, for the communities in which they drill for oil for instance. Rebels in the region have been known to go after employees of the oil companies, not their government officials, who are responsible for law and public policy.
POLITICS: In Washington, All Roads Lead to Tehran January 10th, 2009
Dear Editors,
Mr. Luban says the idea of a proxy war with Iran is unsophisticated
regarding the Gaza invasion by Israel. That view is unsophisticated
to my mind. The use of the term Proxy is becoming useless and that
is the problem. A tighter analysis is needed here. A reassessment
of the play out of the situation in the whole region would help. Try
to find new form of analysis.
MIDEAST: U.S. Branch of Amnesty Calls on Rice to Drop January 9th, 2009
Dear Editors,
Please stop this war that is wounding and killing innocent children, women and men! It is ruining infra-structure that is essential for living. No one is winning, or is going to win.
MIDEAST: U.S. Branch of Amnesty Calls on Rice to Drop January 8th, 2009
Dear Editors,
We need to stop sending military aid to Israel and refuse to endorse
Rice’s position. The occupation and the blockade are both
illegal, and Israel planned this military assault months ago.
Thanks for printing the article.
MIDEAST: Israel May Face Charges for War Crimes January 7th, 2009
Dear Editors,
Anyone who can clearly see what is going on in Gaza will never look at the state of Israel in a positive light again. We would all be better off if we could get rid of our governments. “We the People” in whatever government around the world… are just their “pawns”. Over the last two years… I have discovered that America is NOT the country that I used to think it was. Our government is not any better than Israel’s. And… unfortunately… we will be next.
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