The FoxNews Public: Falling for the Space Program Psyop

	Catch 'Your World' for more on this topic: Is money spent on the U.S. space program a good use of your tax dollars? a. Yes (62%) 10,429 b. No (30%) 4,966 c. Not sure (8%) 1,299 16,694 total votes

technorati tags:nasa, space, waste

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Bloglines - OSAMA: NO LONGER WANTED 'DEAD OR ALIVE'

Cosmic Iguana - Voice of the Evil Doers Faith-based News for Extra-Terrestrials

OSAMA: NO LONGER WANTED 'DEAD OR ALIVE' NY TIMES: The Central Intelligence Agency has closed a unit that for a decade had the mission of hunting Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants, intelligence officials confirmed Monday. The unit, known as Alec Station, was disbanded late last year and its analysts reassigned within the C.I.A. Counterterrorist Center, the officials said. The decision is a milestone for the agency, which formed the unit before Osama bin Laden became a household name and bolstered its ranks after the Sept. 11 attacks, when President Bush pledged to bring Mr. bin Laden to justice "dead or alive." ... [*] They say it's because "Al Qaeda has become non-hierarchial" but that's an excuse. Really, its because they are not getting anywhere with finding him. And that's probably because they were never looking. After all, doesn't CIA have a mole inside Al Qaeda, according to Ron Suskind's new book? How hard can it be, then? Of course, the whole Suskind story about the proposed NY subway attack sounded remarkably like BushCo propaganda [*]. Anyway, Osama if he's still alive, and not still working for CIA, must be very relieved. So much for punishing evil-doers. But as they say about other members of the Super-rich who get away with murder "He's suffered enough..."

Bloglines - 9/11 story -- fiction or truth?

9/11 Blogger - Blogging 9/11 Related Alternative News All comments are welcome! but please avoid hate speech and profanity, and use references when possible.

9/11 story -- fiction or truth? By reprehensor 9/11 story -- fiction or truth? Former CIA official may know more than he lets on. Robert Baer's audacious first novel is going to be controversial because of both who he is and what he says. He retired after 20 years with the CIA and wrote a memoir, See No Evil, a memoir that inspired the murky Middle East spy film Syriana. In Blow the House Down, Baer gives us a fictional version of the 9/11 attacks, suggesting that high-level CIA officials could have stopped the terrorists but had other priorities. It's fiction, of course, but in an interview with journalist Seymour Hersh that the publisher sent along with the novel, Baer says: "It's like Primary Colors. There's a lot more truth in this book than is apparent." Continued at link. (Maybe John Loftus got Baer thinking when he enlightened him about the Muslim Brotherhood, and who its sponsors are.)

Fwd: [bloggerbrigade] Re: Fwd: Government "set up phone snooping" post before 9/11

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=32773

 

Government "set up phone snooping" post before 9/11

Terrorism a handy excuse

 

By Nick Farrell: Monday 03 July 2006, 07:52

 

WASHINGTON spooks were setting up a snooping department within AT&T seven months before the September 11, 2001 atrocities.

According to court documents, the snooping centre was up and running before any war on terror was declared. This means that September 11 was a handy excuse when the unit, to spy on the calls of ordinary Americans without a court order, was discovered.

The allegation is part of a court case against AT&T, the US's largest telephone company. It claims that the telco, the NSA and President George W. Bush violated the Telecommunications Act of 1934 and the US Constitution, and seeks money damages.

One of the lawyers in the case said that the Bush Administration asserted the hi-tech snooping unit in AT&T became necessary after 9/11, however the evidence undermines that.

A whistleblower from AT&T provided them with evidence that the NSA approached the carrier with the proposed plan. The worker's log book independently confirmed his participation in the project, so he seems to know what he is talking about.

Meanwhile AT&T has been told by the US Department of Justice it may neither confirm nor deny the company's participation in the alleged NSA program because doing so would cause 'exceptionally grave harm to national security' and would violate both civil and criminal statutes.

---

Latest Top of Page from Drudgereport.com

Israel warns of 'long war' over soldier...
Olmert Issues Veiled Threat Against Syria...
Hamas rocket attack 'an escalation of hostilities like none other': Israeli PM...

DRUDGE REPORT 2006®

technorati tags:israel, drudge_report, war

Blogged with Flock

This is an Outrageous Coverup

The Depressive and the Psychopath - At last we know why the Columbine killers did it. By Dave Cullen

Blogged with Flock

Bloglines - Power of the Pen

CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS - LiveJournal.com

Power of the Pen July 17, 2006 Issue Copyright © 2006 The American Conservative The president uses signing statements to decree which laws apply to him. by James Bovard For generations, Republican politicians have spoken reverently of the rule of law. But since 2001, this hoary doctrine has been redefined to mean little more than the enforcement of the secret thoughts of the commander in chief. George W. Bush has added more than 750 “signing statements” to new laws since he took office. Earlier presidents occasionally appended such comments to new statutes, but Bush is the first to use signing statements routinely to nullify key provisions of new laws. He perennially announces that he will not be bound by limits on his power and that he will scorn obligations to disclose how federal power is being used. While Bush supporters speak glowingly of originalist interpretations of the Constitution, Bush’s signing statements have far more in common with George III than with George Washington. The Constitution specifies that Congress shall “make all laws” and that presidents must “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” But Bush—his ego swollen by swarms of groveling intellectuals—has embraced theories that convince him that the president alone may decree what shall be the law. Bush’s most famous signing statement was on the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005. After White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales publicly declared that Bush enjoyed a “commander in chief override” regarding laws prohibiting torture, members of Congress enacted legislation to make it stark that torture was illegal. The White House engaged in long and arduous negotiations with Congress. After Bush signed this law last Dec. 30, he announced that he would construe it “in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch and as Commander in Chief and consistent with the constitutional limitations on the judicial power.” This was widely interpreted to mean that the law is binding only when Bush pleases. He was reiterating a confidential 2002 Justice Department memo that declared that the federal Anti-Torture Act “would be unconstitutional if it impermissibly encroached on the President’s constitutional power to conduct a military campaign.” Getting the Patriot Act renewed was one of the Bush administration’s highest priorities. After months of negotiations and compromises, a bipartisan agreement was finally reached, giving the White House almost everything it wanted. As part of the deal, Bush administration officials agreed to provide Congress with more details on how Patriot Act powers were being used. The Justice Department would be obliged to disclose to Congress how many Americans’ privacy was being violated by FBI subpoenas known as National Security Letters. (The Washington Post reported that the FBI was issuing 30,000 such letters a year). However, Bush reneged in a “signing statement” quietly released after a heavily hyped White House bill-signing ceremony. Bush decreed that he was entitled to deny Congress any information that would “impair foreign relations, national security, the deliberative process of the executive, or the performance of the executive’s constitutional duties.” Bush announced that he would interpret the law “in a manner consistent with the president’s constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive branch and to withhold information.” In other words, any provision in the law that requires disclosure is presumptively null and void. The crux of the “unitary executive” is that all power rests in the president and that checks and balances are an archaic relic. This is the same “principle” the Bush administration invoked to deny Congress everything from Iraqi war plans to the records of the Cheney Energy Task Force. Bush has invoked the “unitary executive” doctrine almost 100 times since taking office, according to Miami University professor Christopher Kelley. Democrats were furious over what they saw as a Bush Patriot Act double-cross. Representatives Jane Harman (D-Calif.) and John Conyers (D-Mich.) bitterly complained to Gonzales: ‘‘Many members who supported the final law did so based upon the guarantee of additional reporting and oversight. The administration cannot, after the fact, unilaterally repeal provisions of the law implementing such oversight.” The Bush administration ignored the complaint. Bush’s prerogative also apparently includes the right to cover up waste, fraud, and abuse—regardless of how badly taxpayers get boarhogged. After Congress created an inspector general in late 2003 to look into the Coalition Provisional Authority, Bush decreed, “The CPA IG shall refrain from initiating, carrying out, or completing an audit or investigation, or from issuing a subpoena, which requires access to sensitive operation plans, intelligence matters, counterintelligence matters, ongoing criminal investigations by other administrative units of the Department of Defense related to national security, or other matters the disclosure of which would constitute a serious threat to national security.” Since the Bush administration seems to consider any unfavorable press coverage a “threat to national security,” it is not surprising that the inspector general found almost nothing—despite pervasive reports and rumors of massive fraud. (There is no evidence that the wording of the signing statement was dictated by Halliburton.) Bush also used a signing statement to undermine the power and independence of an inspector general for Iraq in 2004 legislation. Another frequent target of Bush signing smitings are provisions in laws on whistleblowers. Apparently he considers legal protections for whistleblowers a violation of his own prerogatives. The administration recently swayed the Supreme Court to undermine protections for federal employees who disclose federal crimes, and the Justice Department is signaling that it could prosecute both whistleblowers and journalists who publish leakers exposing government abuses. Some people consider Bush’s “El Supremo” view of his own powers as necessary for the war on terror. But Bush claims this prerogative regarding any foreign intervention. As the Boston Globe’s Charlie Savage, who has done the best work on this subject, noted, “On at least four occasions while Bush has been president, Congress has passed laws forbidding US troops from engaging in combat in Colombia, where the US military is advising the government in its struggle against narcotics-funded Marxist rebels. After signing each bill, Bush declared in his signing statement that he did not have to obey any of the Colombia restrictions because he is commander in chief.” The Colombian government’s paramilitary allies have committed some of the worst atrocities in recent Latin American history. The fact that Bush would claim a unilateral right to engage in what could become a full-scale civil war in Colombia vivifies that his boundless power stems from his job title—not from any conflict with al-Qaeda or other “Islamofascists,” as he likes to call them. Bush’s signing statements also imply that he considers the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878—which prohibited using the U.S. military for domestic law enforcement—null and void. Congress passed laws in 2004 and 2005 prohibiting the military from using intelligence not “lawfully collected” on American citizens. In both cases, as Savage noted, “Bush declared in signing statements that only he, as commander in chief, could decide whether such intelligence can be used by the military.” It is appalling that Congress would feel it necessary to pass a law declaring that the Pentagon cannot violate the Bill of Rights—but the president responds by declaring that he will not be bound by any such law—or by the Constitution. The “signing statement” gambit for stretching presidential power was hatched during the Reagan administration. Attorney General Ed Meese instructed Samuel Alito, then a Justice Department lawyer, to analyze how such presidential assertions could buttress the administration’s viewpoints in court. But Alito was a piker compared to George W. Bush. Alito declared that the Justice Department should ‘‘concentrate on points of true ambiguity, rather than issuing interpretations that may seem to conflict with those of Congress.” Bush, on the other hand, has used signing statements to negate the most important parts of legislation. According to the Bush administration, if the president issues a signing statement memo that is printed in the Federal Register, federal agencies are not obliged to obey laws enacted by Congress. The American Bar Association has appointed a bipartisan panel to examine whether Bush’s signing-statement policies conflict with the Constitution. Their report is due later this summer. However, an ABA report earlier this year that concluded that Bush’s warrantless wiretaps were illegal failed to make the slightest dent in either the administration’s policies or its preening. We have a nullification crisis at the heart of the American Republic. Torture is apparently legal, despite a federal prohibition. Domestic wiretapping is apparently legal, despite clear legal and constitutional prohibitions. Seizing suspects and holding them indefinitely is apparently legal, despite the Constitution’s requirement of habeas corpus. Apparently, the government is not obliged to obey any law that Bush does not personally approve of. And how can we know which laws Bush approves of? It’s a secret. Bush’s personal thoughts thus become the ultimate law of the land—and no one can know if the government is violating the “law” because Bush has not publicly declared what the law is. Why should anyone give Bush the benefit of the doubt and assume that he is obeying all of the laws that he has not yet publicly proclaimed a right to violate? New York University law professor David Golove told the Boston Globe, “Where you have a president who is willing to declare vast quantities of the legislation that is passed during his term unconstitutional, it implies that he also thinks a very significant amount of the other laws that were already on the books before he became president are also unconstitutional.” Americans may have to wait many years to learn what the rule of law meant in 2006. The truth may be suppressed until Bush’s aides begin publishing their memoirs or until the Supreme Court has a change of mood and decides that the executive branch is not entitled to boundless secrecy. In the meantime, don’t count on the legislative branch to right the balance: Bush has encountered almost no effective resistance in his own party to his power grabs. One Republican senator recently told author Elizabeth Drew: “We’ve got to hang with the president because if you start splitting with him or say the president has been abusing power we’ll all go down.” Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, recently denounced criticism of the NSA warrantless wiretapping as “insulting” to the president, Drew reported. Apparently, some prominent Republicans believe that the president cannot be criticized even after he admits breaking the law. So what is the meaning of “limited government” in the Bush era? Merely that the courts and Congress must be prohibited from limiting the president’s power. —————————————————————— James Bovard is the author of Attention Deficit Democracy (Palgrave 2006) and eight other books. http://amconmag.com/2006/2006_07_03/feature.html Comments

Bloglines - CBS's Mideast 'Cycle of Violence': Analysis omits Palestinian deaths

CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS - LiveJournal.com

CBS's Mideast 'Cycle of Violence': Analysis omits Palestinian deaths Action Alert 6/30/06 On June 28, CBS Evening News anchor Bob Schieffer turned to CBS reporter Bob Simon for analysis of the current Israel-Palestine crisis. What Simon offered, however, was a familiar scenario that puts the blame squarely on the Palestinian side. As Simon put it: We can't say how it's going to end, but there is a pattern to these Israeli-Palestinian crises which hardly ever varies. They begin with a Palestinian attack, in this case. The attack is designed to provoke a brutal Israeli response. The Israelis follow suit with that response. The response invariably radicalizes the population, makes them even more anti-Israeli, creates more suicide bombers. And the way it's going now, it looks once more like there is, at least in the Middle East, nothing new under the sun. There's no reason why Simon's timeline of the crisis would 'begin' with the June 25 kidnapping of Israel soldier Gilad Shalit, or why that attack would be unequivocally attributed to a desire to "provoke a brutal Israeli response"—unless one wishes to erase the killings of Palestinian civilians over the past several weeks. Those deaths were mentioned by Hamas spokespeople in their statements justifying the raid, as was reported in many media outlets—including Simon's own CBS Evening News (6/25/06): "Gunmen from the armed wing of the ruling Hamas group took part in the raid, saying it was retaliation for recent Israeli air strikes that killed a top militant and 13 civilians." If anything, what "hardly ever varies" is mainstream media's adherence to an attack-retaliation formula that overwhelmingly places the blame on the Palestinian side, though in the ongoing cycle of attacks both sides usually describe their actions as retaliatory. As FAIR noted in an April 4, 2002 Action Alert: From the start of the Intifada in September 2000 through March 17, 2002, the three major networks' nightly news shows used some variation of the word "retaliation" ("retaliated," "will retaliate," etc.) 150 times to describe attacks in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. About 79 percent of those references were to Israeli "retaliation" against Palestinians. Only 9 percent referred to Palestinian "retaliation" against Israelis. (Approximately 12 percent were ambiguous or referred to both sides simultaneously.) ACTION: Contact CBS Evening News and tell them that Bob Simon's claim that a crisis in the Mideast only "begins" with attacks on Israelis does a disservice to CBS viewers—and sends the message that Palestinian lives are less important. CONTACT: CBS Evening News evening@cbsnews.com (212) 975-3247 http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2913 Comments

Bloglines - How DARE you, Bush, you disingenuous arrogant lying dolt

CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS - LiveJournal.com

How DARE you, Bush, you disingenuous arrogant lying dolt July 4, 2006 I tried. I really did. Tried to ignore what this petulant jackass of a "leader" we have been saddled with has spoken about and has done (or has planned) for this weekend. For today. You know, the day that we should be celebrating the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence but in sad reality, the abuses that led to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence are just as bad today, thanks to this lying war criminal of a loser that is in the White House now. But I couldn't just leave well enough alone. I had to read Bush's radio address from this weekend and hear how this draft dodging chickenshit who went AWOL is going to be spending part of today at Fort Bragg, with soldiers that are being sent into harm's way to fight for lies and greed. What horseshit. This from a man whose entire administration has been about shitting on the very documents that our founders drafted and that are so vital to what defines this country. And you know what Georgieboy? You have some fucking nerve even showing your smirking face ANYWHERE today, let alone with our troops. Do you remember this comment you made at the start of your presidency? You know, the one where you so cleverly wished to be a dictator? I think it went something like this: "I told all four that there are going to be some times where we don't agree with each other, but that's OK. If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator," Pretty fucking funny, huh? Funny that the word "dictator" isn't really the American way. Funny how you throw it around to refer to other "evil regimes" that must be stopped. Jackass. And what about the speech you made the other day in anticipation of the celebration of this democracy-on-the-brink? What fucking gall you have to even mention the patriots, the ideals and the ones who put their all into making sure that this country wouldn't turn into the total fucking disaster that you so easily made it. Where the hell do you get off even thinking of disgracing our troops with this comment: I'm looking forward to spending Independence Day with members of our Armed Forces and their families at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. These brave men and women risk their lives to defend the ideals of our founding generation, and I will have the honor of thanking many of them personally for their service in freedom's cause. Exactly what "ideals" are being defended? What fucking planet are you on in thinking that the arrogance, lies and greed that you have displayed are ideals shown by George Washington, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton or any of the others? Just when did you step up to defend any ideals? Let's face it, you couldn't even be their piss boy, let alone be compared to them as far as "defending ideals and freedoms". If I recall, you ran like a scared whiny brat to get the hell out of Dodge as quickly as possible when duty called your sorry ass. And what part of "freedom's cause" means "killing and bombing innocent people in a sovereign country that you illegally invaded while bankrupting the country and ignoring everyone but the most wealthy"? I bet that many of those families that you are personally thanking have something other than "you're very welcome" in mind to say back to you. As for this little "gem" of a comment: On Independence Day, we recall the courage and high ideals of our Nation's founders, who waged a desperate fight to overcome tyranny and live in freedom. Recent years have brought a renewed interest in the lives and achievements of our founders, and we have learned once again that they possessed extraordinary talents, as well as ordinary human failings, which only makes their accomplishments all the more remarkable. Do you really think that if any of our Nation's founders would have the chance to meet you that they wouldn't smack the taste out of your mouth for your insincere smirking and simpleton arrogance? That they would have ANYTHING at all to really say to you with your complete lack of interest in anything other than yourself? Your complete and utter incompetence at EVERY stage of your life. At EVERYTHING you ever touched. Do you really think that they would even give you a second look with your complete lack of command of the English language and inability to string two sentences together? Give me a fucking break, you insignificant twit. And this quote: On the 4th of July we also honor the sacrifices made by each American generation to secure the promises of the Declaration of Independence. For more than two centuries, from the camps of Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan, Americans have served and sacrificed for the principles of our founding. Today, a new generation of American patriots is defending our freedom against determined and ruthless enemies. At this hour, the men and women of our Armed Forces are facing danger in distant places, carrying out their missions with all the skill and honor we expect of them. And their families are enduring long separations from their loved ones with great courage and dignity. How much time do you TRULY spend honoring the sacrifices made by anyone? Hell, you haven't even gone to a military funeral. You wouldn't even take time off from your 6th friggin month long vacation to meet with Cindy Sheehan. When you were warned about the Gulf Coast drowning from the hurricane that you ignored in the first place, you ate cake with John McCain, promoted the failure of social security privatization and had to be briefed by a DVD and took nearly a week to even address the problems. Did you spend any time thinking of those who were facing danger in New Orleans? Or the ones that you sent to Iraq based on lies? So please, do us all a favor. Just shut the fuck up today. Especially today. We should be celebrating the birth of a document and a nation whose ideals have stood for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Instead, we are forced to be reminded of the willful destruction of the very ideals that this country and the Declaration of Independence were based on. And for that, I say to you, from the bottom of my heart, "fuck off. Please." --clam227@yahoo.com) http://three-cents.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-dare-you-bush-you-disingenuous.html Comments

U.S. has death penalty (and uses it) because it is "more democratic"

The American Thinker

Why Europe doesn’t ‘get’ America

Selected Linked Related to Current Events

Grand theft Mexico

ISRAEL PLANNED CAPTURE OF PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENT LONG BEFORE ALLEGED KIDNAPPING

ISRAELI ROOTS OF HAMAS

Pro-war parties suffer in UK.
Labour and Tories suffer at polls

aangirfan

[911TruthAction] Digest Number 1365

911 Truth Action

Messages In This Digest (23 Messages)

1.

Bohemian Rhapsody: CONCENTRATION CAMPS UP AND RUNNING! From: APFN

2.

POWER PACKED RADIO SHOW.... 7/3/06 From: APFN

3.

Fw: <GLOBALSICKBUILDINGS> Re: RISK OF BIRD FLU SPREADING MORE EASILY From: Pay_the_Piper

4a.

It's okay; The White House Explained Everything From: Jolly Roger

4b.

Re: It's okay; The White House Explained Everything From: space2force

5.

Happy Fourth! From: Reggie

6a.

Re: How do we get our government to function accountably? From: Jolly Roger

6b.

Re: How do we get our government to function accountably? From: Jolly Roger

6c.

Re: How do we get our government to function accountably? From: Kevin Hammond

6d.

Re: How do we get our government to function accountably? From: Caomhain {Kevin} Lee Hammond

6e.

Re: How do we get our government to function accountably? From: Scott Peden

6f.

Re: How do we get our government to function accountably? From: Jolly Roger

7.

Fwd: [ParanoidTimes] Something Is Terribly Wrong With This Country! From: Kevin Lee Hammond

8.

Cell Phone? From: Bugs

9.

Calderon win ignites Mexican stockmarket + + + + - MarketWatch ~~~ From: ranger116@webtv.net

10.

WHY WE FIGHT- Documentary, Sony Classics From: Joe Stokes

11.

Fly our Flag From: Bugs

12.

A Day in the LIfe: 7/4/6 From: President, USA Exile Govt.

13.

Fw: Personal Finance newsletter from scotsman.com From: Bugs

14a.

Re: FW: [v911t] Re: NORAD Also Goes On Heightened Alert From: Jolly Roger

14b.

Re: FW: [v911t] Re: NORAD Also Goes On Heightened Alert From: Scott Peden

15.

Top Ten things the republicans don't won't you to know about Iraq! From: Bugs

16.

Wisconsin instructor pressured on 911 From: Ronald

Bloglines - A Black Flag

Thomas Paine's Corner Thomas Paine's Corner is a site dedicated to advancing universal human rights, fostering social and economic justice, and supporting the cause of all oppressed, exploited, and impoverished human beings on our Earth.

A Black Flag By Jason Miller By Gideon Levy (perspective from an Israeli journalist) 7/3/06 Haaretz.com A black flag hangs over the "rolling" operation in Gaza. The more the operation "rolls," the darker the flag becomes. The "summer rains" we are showering on Gaza are not only pointless, but are first and foremost blatantly illegitimate. It is not legitimate to cut off 750,000 people from electricity. It is not

Bloglines - Illegal War Brings Out Contridictions Within American Imperial Pretensions To Democracy

Bloglines user bill.giltner@gmail.com has sent this item to you.

Culture of Life News The Blog Is Mightier Than The Sword

Illegal War Brings Out Contridictions Within American Imperial Pretensions To Democracy Every election cycle, America's rulers have to contend with putting up some pale pretense of democracy only if the voters don't support it, the rulers will circumvent popular will. This is increasingly dangerous to our rulers who don't quite understand the internet. So this 4th, we see our distant aggressions celebrated as 'defending America' while both parties at home struggle to distance themselves from the disasterous reality of these wars. TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

bin Laden revisited

CIA Shuts bin Laden Unit... | The Huffington Post

Bloglines - Switzerland says Israel violating international law in Gaza Strip

Bloglines user bill.giltner@gmail.com has sent this item to you.

CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS - LiveJournal.com

Switzerland says Israel violating international law in Gaza Strip Last update - 21:46 03/07/2006 By The Associated Press Switzerland said Monday that Israel has been violating international law in its Gaza offensive by heavy destruction and endangering civilians in acts of collective punishment banned under the Geneva conventions on the conduct of warfare. "A number of actions by the Israel Defense Forces in their offensive against the Gaza Strip have violated the principle of proportionality and are to be seen as forms of collective punishment, which is forbidden," the Swiss Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "There is no doubt that Israel has not taken the precautions required of it in international law to protect the civilian population and infrastructure," it said. The statement did not name the Geneva Conventions, but it referred to provisions of the 1949 treaty, which is regarded as the cornerstone of international law on the obligations of warring and occupying powers. Switzerland, as the depository of the conventions, has a responsibility to call meetings if it finds general problems with the implementation of the treaty, but it does not have any special powers to interpret the document. Both the principle of proportionality and the ban on collective punishment are found in the Fourth Geneva Convention, which spells out the obligations of occupying powers toward the civilian population under their control. Israel has used tanks, troops, gunboats and aircraft to attack the Gaza area over the past week to press militants to free captured IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit. When it launched its first large-scale military action in Gaza since the disengagement from the coastal strip last summer, Israel's declared purpose was to press militants to release Shalit. In statements since, government officials have said they also mean to disable the Hamas government and stop gunmen from launching Qassam rockets at southern Israel. "They have criticized us even though we are showing restraint," Aviv Shir-On, Israel's ambassador in Bern, told The Associated Press. "We are disappointed that the Swiss government did not issue such statements when Israel's civilian population was constantly under attack from the Gaza Strip." Shir-On said the criticism was unfair when Israel was supplying people in Gaza with electricity, water, fresh food and necessary medicine even though Hamas was sworn to the Israel's destruction. Switzerland also called for the "rapid release" of Shalit, but said Israel had an obligation "to respect international humanitarian law in the measures it undertakes to liberate the captured soldier." It said Israel's destruction last week of the main Gaza electricity power station and its attack on the office of the Palestinian prime minister was unjustified. It also urged Israel to free Hamas legislators, including eight ministers who have been seized. "The arbitrary arrests of a large number of democratically elected representatives of the people and ministers ... cannot be justified," the statement said. Switzerland said it had earmarked an additional 1 million francs ($820,000) to provide medical supplies to civilians in Gaza. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/734173.html Comments

Bloglines - Remembering the Constitution

CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS CRIMES AND CORRUPTIONS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER NEWS - LiveJournal.com

Remembering the Constitution Read more Mike Luckovich | Get Mike Luckovich by e-mail Read more Steve Kelley | Get Steve Kelley by e-mail Comments

I read the news today, oh boy

Israel warns of 'long war' over soldier...


TO LAUNCH ON 4TH OF JULY

technorati tags:Zionist, Aggression, Israel, Gaza

An anonymous diary from 1945 reminds us of the horrific crimes Soviet liberators committed against millions of German women.

The rape of Berlin - Salon

technorati tags:War, War_Crime, Rape

[political-research] Digest Number 1283

political-research

Messages In This Digest (13 Messages)

1.

Re: 911 Eyewitness (Video) From: better_off_said

2.

Israel lobby > Elliott Abrams > Iran War agitation From: Sean McBride

3.

Israel lobby > Paul Wolfowitz > Iraq War ringleaders From: Sean McBride

4.

Bloglines - Has Senator McConnell or Jonah Goldberg Read the Geneva From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

5.

WMR-Bush to pull off another 9-11 before Nov. election? Plus From: elvis oner

6a.

Switzerland says Israel violating international law in Gaza Strip - From: Sean McBride

6b.

Re: Switzerland says Israel violating international law in Gaza Stri From: Bill Giltner

7.

Bloglines - Israeli rally opposes Gaza offensive From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

8.

The National 9/11 Debate: Teams and Panelists From: Bill Giltner

9.

Baytown, TX: Exxon Mobil EXPLODES!!! (911-2B set-up?) From: Captain May

10.

Al-Zarqawi's cell phone reportedly yields surprises From: Vigilius Haufniensis

11.

The Israel Lobby: Pro-Censorship, Anti-Free Speech From: Sean McBride

12.

Chinese Discuss Plan to Tighten Restrictions on Cyberspace - New Yor From: Sean McBride

Faux Viewfinder

Faux Viewfinder, originally uploaded by Яick Harris.

Pure Hooey

The essay linked below unhinges me. I'll explain when time allows.
The Tense Middle July 3, 2006 · Nobel Prize-winning chemist Roald Hoffmann believes the middle is a good place to be. It reminds the Cornell professor of the choices we can make in life and helps him see the possibility for change.

[911TruthAction] Digest Number 1363

911 Truth Action

Messages In This Digest (20 Messages)

1.

Re: Only 483 N.Guard Working on Mexican Border,Silverstein Buys From: Pay_the_Piper

2a.

Re: FW: [v911t] vt911 group displays flag upside down in Vermont From: Naveed

2b.

Re: FW: [v911t] vt911 group displays flag upside down in Vermont From: Rocky Raybell

2c.

Re: FW: [v911t] vt911 group displays flag upside down in Vermont From: Scott Peden

2d.

Re: FW: [v911t] vt911 group displays flag upside down in Vermont From: Scott Peden

3.

Rainbow Gathering Update From: President, USA Exile Govt.

4a.

Re: enough of this bunch ?? From: Bugs

4b.

Re: enough of this bunch ?? From: Bugs

5.

Powell From: Bugs

6.

Re: The Money Masters From: linelites@mindspring.com

7a.

Please Vote in Poll to help Dr. Kevin Barrett, 9/11 Truth Teller! From: Cathy Garger

7b.

Re: [WETHEPEOPLE_UNITED] Please Vote in Poll to help Dr. Kevin From: Jacki Rankin Blue

8.

Diabetes and Depleted Uranium - Italian Embassy Refuses Visa {Nichol From: Cathy Garger

9.

Re: How do we get our government to function accountably? From: Kevin Hammond

10.

Help us build Camp Casey this summer From: Marsha MCClelland

11.

thank you From: Bugs

12.

"Jewish success In the American media" From: jewish_from_brooklyn

13.

Can't Win the War? Bomb the Press!* From: Bugs

14.

Ridiculous and Disgusting Use of Taxpayers' Money From: Bugs

15.

Gonzo whines about the Gitmo ruling!! From: Bugs

[political-research] Digest Number 1282

political-research

Messages In This Digest (18 Messages)

1.

Different Types of Google Trends From: Sean McBride

2.

The De-Throning of King George From: Sean McBride

3.

Hamdan vs Rumsfeld (Geneva Conventions now, Nuremberg Principles From: Captain May

4.

On Israeli Revenge Ops and Collective Punishment From: Sean McBride

5.

Exposed: The cowardly "Demosthenes" on quatloos is Lobbyist Tim From: Vigilius Haufniensis

6.

My Way News - Israeli Military Told to 'Do All It Can' From: Bill Giltner

7.

Bloglines - MIT Professor Declares Gore’s Global Warming From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

8a.

Oil and deceit From: Vigilius Haufniensis

8b.

Re: Oil and deceit From: Sean McBride

9.

Latest Book by Robert Baer: Blow the House Down From: better_off_said

10.

The Degeneracy of American Conservatism From: Sean McBride

11.

squurl.com | rapid domain search From: Sean McBride

12.

Top Military Officials Question Plans for War with Iran From: Sean McBride

13.

Right-Wing Blog Asks Readers to Hunt Down Info about NYT Editors' From: Sean McBride

14.

911 Eyewitness (Video) From: Sean McBride

15.

Miscellaneous Interesting Stuff From: Sean McBride

16.

Push for Government Openness on Right and Left From: Sean McBride

17.

Taxonomy Watch: Categorizer from Inxight From: Sean McBride

Protest Arrest

The Smirking Chimp - Mike Ferner: 'Has this country gone completely insane?'

Great Interview with Kevin Barrett - 9/11 Details

9/11 Blogger - Blogging 9/11 Related Alternative News: Jessica McBride Interviews Kevin Barrett

Blogged with Flock

[political-research] Digest Number 1279

political-research

Messages In This Digest (6 Messages)

1.

Iranian drone plane buzzes U.S. aircraft carrier in Persian Gulf From: Vigilius Haufniensis

2.

Bloglines - DENIAL OF AMERICAN & ISRAELI "STATE TERRORISM" From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

3.

Former Reagan Cabinet Member and Colonel Questions 9/11 Official Sto From: Sean McBride

4.

Middle Israel: What next for the petrodollar? From: Vigilius Haufniensis

5.

SIMILE Timeline From: Sean McBride

6.

Ann Coulter on Bombing the New York Times -- Again From: Sean McBride

[political-research] Digest Number 1281

political-research

Messages In This Digest (8 Messages)

1.

Scholar receives threats, resigns, over 9/11 research From: Sean McBride

2.

Re: Still waiting for an answer (in vain, I suppose) From: Bond

3.

" what seems to be one good portrayal of Berlet " From: w r

4.

Thinking the Truly Unthinkable: 12/26/2004 Tsunami From: Bill Giltner

5.

Bloglines - Olmert's toughest test From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

6.

Air Force to spend $450K datamining blogs for war on terror From: Sean McBride

7.

Data theft chart From: Sean McBride

8.

Gigantic Asteroid will almost collide with the Earth this weekend From: Sean McBride

[political-research] Digest Number 1280

political-research

Messages In This Digest (25 Messages)

1.

Bloglines - The tribal factor From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

2.

Bloglines - Starving in the Dark: Israel's Appalling Bombing in Gaza From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

3.

Bloglines - Is this the beginning of "Transfer" in Gaza? From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

4.

Bloglines - The Impact of the Iraqi War on the U.S. Economy From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

5.

Independent Online Edition > UK Politics, Blair and Freedom in the U From: Bill Giltner

6.

Kathleen and Bill Christison: Yes, There's an Israel Lobby From: Bill Giltner

7.

xymphora: Israeli math From: Sean McBride

8.

Bloglines - Guardian finds Afghan witnesses US couldn't From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

9.

Re: Fwd: [planehuggers] nick berg's father on larry king tonight From: better_off_said

10.

Another stolen laptop, more compromised personal information From: better_off_said

11.

Re: Proof That 'Flight 77' Eyewitness Report Skewed From: better_off_said

12a.

Still waiting for an answer (in vain, I suppose) From: better_off_said

12b.

Re: Still waiting for an answer (in vain, I suppose) From: Vigilius Haufniensis

13.

Bush to reporter on Gitmo: 'I'm sorry you had to waste your question From: Bill Giltner

14.

James Fetzer/ 911 Panel Discussion Los Angeles From: Bill Giltner

15.

Israel Threatens to Murder Palestinian Prime Minister » Outside From: Bill Giltner

16.

--{ WEATHER WARS by Scott Stevens }-- From: Bill Giltner

17.

Bloglines - European team inspecting Guantanamo says only 30-40 'rea From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

18.

Former Reagan Cabinet Member and Colonel Says 9/11 "Dog That Doesn't From: Bill Giltner

19.

Bloglines - Gitmo win likely cost Navy lawyer his career (Paul From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

20a.

" Post 9/11 Conspiracism " and ( old ) "official" challenges to WTC From: w r

20b.

Re: " Post 9/11 Conspiracism " and ( old ) "official" challenges to From: Bill Giltner

21.

Bloglines - Normalizing continuity at any cost From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

22.

Bloglines - Lawyers for Guantanamo detainees claim military seized From: bill.giltner@gmail.com

23.

Refusing the 9/11 Evidence From: Bill Giltner

Refusing the 9/11 Evidence

Refusing the 9/11 Evidence

WHY AMERICANS REFUSE TO BELIEVE
THE 9/11 EVIDENCE!!!
blind2blind2blind2

An Analysis by TvNewsLIES.org - April - 2005

The attacks of 9/11 were so unthinkable that most Americans would refuse to believe the complicity of their own government, even if presented with a mountain of evidence.

Very simply, it is possible to escape blame if you do something that nobody in the world believes you could do.

PROLOGUE

When I was 11 years old I sat next to my friend and fellow class clown Jeffery, quietly thinking of ways to torture the unsuspecting substitute teacher. Jeffery and I were competing comedians, always trying to "get over" on each other in school. Jeffery was good and there were no limits to what he would do.

On this particular day we sat next to each other, sharing one of the double desks with which Brooklyn school children of the 70’s were so familiar. As our unsuspecting substitute turned his back to write something on the black board, Jeffery raised his arm and launched all his own books across the room in the direction opposite from where I was seated, immediately turning towards me with a look of horror and shock plastered on his face. The teacher, alarmed by the noise of the book launching, spun around only to see Jeffery's books scattered around the room. His loose leaf binder had opened up and produced an explosion of confetti in the form of notes and homework sheets.

A quick glance our way by the teacher brought into view a shocked Jeffery, who appeared to be the victim, sitting right next to me and staring at me with an expression of, "What the hell did you just do?" splashed on his face. I sat there, speechless, as the person on the right side of Jeffery's books prior to their launch to the left. I had nothing to say because the truth was simply not believable and no convincing lie presented itself.

Anyone witnessing this scene from the teacher’s vantage point could only come to one conclusion, Jesse did it. Even if I tried to explain that Jeffery launched the books, who would believe me? After all, who would have done this to his own property? Jeffery would have to spend the next hour or so reassembling his loose leaf binder. There is no way he would have done this to himself. No way, except for one thing...he did do this to himself, his motive...comedy. I was the patsy for two good reasons. First, I was sitting right there when it happened’ and second - I had a history of being a clown. I understood why people thought I was guilty and let me be the first to commend Jeffery for executing the perfect crime. He did the unthinkable and set up a patsy with his convincing claim of innocence.

In this sad, but true story, I was kicked out of the class by our substitute teacher. I was only 11 years old but I knew enough to understand that there was no way in hell that anyone would believe me if I told the truth and said that Jeffery was guilty of tossing his books . And so, having no proof that I was blameless, I swallowed my defeat and walked out of the room wondering what form my revenge against Jeffery would take.

The point to be made is this: sometimes, the more outrageous an action, the easier it is to get away with. Sometimes, there is no way that people can connect the criminal with the crime: the very idea of guilt is so far out of the norm as to be unthinkable.

Very simply, it is possible to escape blame if you do something that nobody in the world believes you could do. If the deed is egregious enough, even if some proof of your culpability surfaces, you’ll be on safe ground. If people cannot imagine your involvement in an unthinkable action, they will simply not believe you could possible be complicit in its commission. Think about it.

THE ART OF DENIAL

Flashback to a heinous crime of the recent past: When Susan Smith appeared before the public to beg the kidnapper of her children to return them to her, the nation cried with her. Her description of the guilty assailant was so very believable. It fit right into the criminal stereotype that had been etched into the psyche of Americans by the corporate media. And for a few very long days, everyone believed her.

But there was one huge problem with her story. It was Susan Smith, herself, who killed her children. Yes, the unbelievable was true. A young mother had actually allowed her own children to drown. It was inconceivable. It just couldn’t be. But it was.

Susan Smith had tried to throw the blame for her crime to a reasonable patsy. Had her story gone unchallenged, she might have gotten away with it. As it was, her crime fell apart because there was an effective investigation. Smith had no way of curtailing or controlling the inquiry into her crime. And as a result, justice was done, and Susan Smith was eventually charged and convicted of murder.

Truth and reality often can be totally unbelievable. It is very possible for people to totally deny assertions presented to them, even when provided with very credible of evidence that corroborates what they are told. A perfect example of such denial occurred when eye witness accounts of the Holocaust began coming out of war torn Europe. The unimaginable horror of what was being reported was simply too terrible to believe. It was easier to deal with the information as some sort of exaggeration and overreaction. Humans simply could not do this to other humans.

Think about what we know about acts of genocide in the Congo or Rwanda or Darfur? The art of denial is a well honed form of human self protection. Sometimes it is far easier to close one’s eyes to the truth than to acknowledge what is very painful. Think about that as well.

9/11 AND AMERICAN DENIAL

In this post 9/11 era, most Americans are unable even to consider the possibility of US government complicity in the attacks on our nation even when confronted with a mountain of evidence. In contrast, many of these same people accept far less believable scenarios simply on the basis of faith and without a single shred of evidence such as believing in the existence of a God. Tragically, they seem to have the exact same blind trust in the Bush administration.

At close inspection, the official version of 9/11 is outrageously full of holes. When those of us who are knowledgeable discuss the evidence that has unearthed about that day, there is so much to reveal that we don’t know where to start or where to stop. When tapped for what we know, we have so much to expose that the torrent of information that rushes can sound like the meaningless rant of a lunatic. Regardless of how credible or tangible the evidence, when rolled out in front of the public, it often sounds too far fetched or irrational to believe.

The facts that have come out about 9/11 differ so greatly from the official story that they almost defy validity. On the contrary, the official version is so simple as to be perfectly believable. It places the entire blame on the work of a handful of terrorists who hated us for our freedom. Case closed.

It is important to keep in mind that the 9/11 issue is not simply a question of whose version of a story is correct. This is a case in which millions of people would be taking a great risk. They would have to consider that the very government they have trusted and supported for more than four years may have participated in an unthinkable atrocity. That, in itself, may be impossible. By opening their minds to an objective examination of what has been discovered about the 9/11 attacks, millions of Americans would have to abandon their blind faith in this administration, and reject the mistaken belief that those in charge of our nation can do no wrong. That, too, may be impossible.

Herein lies the paradox. If the American people want truth they must acknowledge that they have been deceived. If that were to happen, and if they were to accept the facts that have been uncovered by the independent 9/11 research community, their faith in their government would be irreparably destroyed. In the long run, it is far easier to maintain one’s faith in a deceptive government than to deal with the painful details of that deception.

The consequence of such denial is that people end up believing what they must, rather than what is true. As time passes, they totally erase the distinction between fact and fiction in order to believe in their government, and they find themselves living in the America of 2005.

They greater tragedy of course, is the nature of the deception that has been accepted. There are lies, and there are lies. There are deceptions, and there are horrendous deceptions that alter history. .It is one thing for Jeffery to have gone unpunished for throwing his own books around so he could claim the crown of class clown. Thirty years after the fact, our mutual friends now believe the truth, and we can laugh at what went on.

It would have been another thing altogether to have allowed Jeffery to perpetrate a Columbine-like massacre to claim that same crown. There is no way that could have resulted in denial, and there is no way that any one would have dared to laugh.

BOTTOM LINE

Ironically, it’s almost funny when the fact-based 9/11 research community gathers to discuss the events of that day. The official government version of what happened loses so much credibility in the light of the available facts, films, testimony & chronicled history that it is almost impossible not to laugh in disbelief when we start to share what we know. The evidence that has been amassed is so persuasive as to rip the official version of 9/11 to shreds. And still, there is no one but ourselves to hear us.

We go on and on and on like people obsessed because as responsible citizens of the world we have assigned ourselves the task of exposing the truth. But we also have to accept the obstacles we face. We must understand how and why people refuse to believe what we say despite all the evidence in our possession. To explain that phenomenon I think about my friend Jeffery and his book launch. He did something no one believed he could possibly have done. As a result, he carried it off.

The people who were responsible for the attacks of 9/11 did something so unbelievable that most people would not believe they did it, even if presented with conclusive evidence of their guilt. As a result, they also carried it off, and the evidence be damned.

In the end, there is always the comment by those who would discredit the research and the evidence that has been uncovered. The defenders of the official version of 9/11 inevitably ask how so many people could keep a secret. "Wouldn't someone have blown the whistle by now?" is the constant challenge by the champions of denial. How naïve they are.

At the higher levels of government the issue is no longer about secrecy, but about survival. The extent of the 9/11 crimes are so great that a very real scenario of self preservation has arisen. It may well be that whistle blowers fear the consequences of exposing the truth about 9/11, not to themselves, but to the nation.

It is highly probable that they believe that their testimony would lead to the end of the United States of America as a viable power.

In this worst case scenario, the good people in our government and in our intelligence community may really fear that America would never ever regain its credibility in the world, and would never again be respected or trusted. They may envision a terrible time when the United States would relinquish its leadership position in the world and sink to the position of a rogue nation that had committed an unforgivable atrocity against its own people for political purposes. If this is so, can anyone blame them for not coming forward to expose what they know?

A deep love of country might easily create a dilemma for those who know the truth. What would happen at that unimaginable moment when a ranking government official was charged with complicity in 9/11? Would the nation recover? Could the nation heal after such a huge betrayal of the trust that has been cultivated and nurtured over our 230 year history as a nation?

The people who were involved in 9/11 know that there is more at stake than their exposure. They already have the blind loyalty of those Americans who would refuse to believe they could possibly have been involved. . But deep in their corrupted souls they also have another ace in the hole. They are counting on the protection of those who fear for the stability of the nation. They are convinced of their own invincibility and really believe that they will never be held accountable. But they also believe that no one of credibility will step forward to expose them.

As I did with Jeffery, let me be the first to admit that these folks seem to have committed the perfect crime. Not in the sense that they will never be discovered, but in the sense that they believe it will do more harm to the country to expose them than to play along with their charade.

But, in fact, they are badly mistaken. The United States of America will not crumble with the revelation of their actions because our foundation is too strong to falter at their hands. History is never without obstacles to progress and this ordeal will not be an exception. On the contrary, if and when the truth is ever known, this nation will be stronger and nobler for that knowledge.

And it is for those reasons that we must continue to pursue the truth.

Bottom line: the real facts are out there, somewhere. The questions being asked are legitimate and raise reasonable suspicions that must be addressed. And yet, so few Americans are willing to even examine the evidence before them. Truly, there are none so blind as those who will not see. Think about that, and if this farce continues, weep for us all.

*
An URGENT Message from the Editor!
*
TvNewsLIES Challenges Believers of the Official Version of 9/11: - Where the Hell is YOUR proof?
*
They Are Not “Conspiracy Theories” - They Are, in Fact, “Discoveries”
*
9/11 - All the Proof You Need
* DAVID RAY GRIFFIN: ALMOST PERFECT ABOUT 9/11!
* 9/11 Facts
* 9/11 – US Complicity: Implausible, or Very Probable? - Questions for the People Who Believe the Official Conspiracy Theory
* Thou Shalt Not Accuse! - (Regardless of the Evidence)

--{ WEATHER WARS by Scott Stevens }--

--{ WEATHER WARS by Scott Stevens }--

hell’s handmaiden » Blog Archive » Atheists are bad, bad people… man

hell’s handmaiden » Blog Archive » Atheists are bad, bad people… man

The Militant - July 10, 2006 -- Israeli tanks invade Gaza

The Militant - July 10, 2006 -- Israeli tanks invade Gaza

Council for Secular Humanism July 1 Update

Council for Secular Humanism

Company of friends

Company of friends, originally uploaded by Ahmed Zahid.