Not 60% but 83% in Vietnam

From Daily Kos:
U.S. Encouraged by Vietnam Vote: Officials Cite 83% Turnout Despite Vietcong Terror
by Peter Grose, Special to the New York Times (9/4/1967: p. 2)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3-- United States officials were surprised and heartened today at the size of turnout in South Vietnam's presidential election despite a Vietcong terrorist campaign to disrupt the voting.
According to reports from Saigon, 83 per cent of the 5.85 million registered voters cast their ballots yesterday. Many of them risked reprisals threatened by the Vietcong. The size of the popular vote and the inability of the Vietcong to destroy the election machinery were the two salient facts in a preliminary assessment of the nation election based on the incomplete returns reaching here.

Doesn't it ring a bell? Enough said.

How stupid!

How stupid, how insensitive and how irresponsible:

Thousands of people have demonstrated in support of a Moroccan newspaper which claimed that the tsunami was an act of divine retribution.
The newspaper of Morocco's Islamic party, PJD, said the disaster showed God's displeasure with South-East Asia's sex tourism industry. ...

Those over 220,000, mostly poor people who have been killed were all part of "sex tourism"? These idiots with such twisted mentality don't even realize that the highest number of victims were from Indonesia, an Islamic country with minimum so-called sex industry.

What's new? Helloooo BBC!

According to BBC, "Coalition, not insurgents, killed most civilians". What's new?

The figures (covering from July 2004 to end of the year - Faramin) reveal that 3,274 Iraqi civilians were killed and 12,657 wounded in conflict-related violence during the period. Of those deaths, 60 percent, 2,041 civilians were killed by the U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi security forces. A further 8,542 were wounded by them. Insurgent attacks claimed 1,233 lives and wounded 4,115 people in the same period.

"Congratulations" to both teams of killers for this "great race and record of achievement".

Update:
BBC has now issued a correction to its previous report stating that

Iraqi health ministry figures for deaths in violence cannot differentiate between those killed by coalition forces and insurgents,..

Read it here.

We are collectively failing; again

One has no heart if s/he knows about or looks at these pictures and doesn't feel heart-ache. In the 60th anniversary of the Soviet army's liberation of Auschwitz (one of the Nazi concentration camps in which many million human beings; Jews and non-Jews were slaughtered), we as the human community have not yet learned that we have the responsibility to act to stop the new and modern methods of barbarism, with any extend; bigger or smaller than the Nazi concentration camps.

Despite our plenty of claims, we are failing again. Rwandan genocide in which 800,000 human beings perished in a course of only 100 days, happened only 10 years ago. Darfur is still happening and despite the rhetoric of "it has to stop" it is still taking its toll. Poverty, starvation and preventable diseases are still killing 20,000+ children everyday (EVERYDAY). Countries are still being occupied and cities are still being flattened. Palestinians are still occupied and are being killed. Israeli civilians are still being killed. Abuse and torture are still common practices in many parts of the world. Executions, stoning and other barabaric means of killing are still practiced in the world. Homeless Brazilian street children are assassinated every day. Child sex slavery is still ruling. Child labour is still common in the world..... .

There are many reasons for us to be ashamed of ourselves. We all are responsible. We are selfish. We look after our own interests, only. We are ignoring the suffering of others and unless we, ourselves start suffering, we will never pay attention to what the practical meaning of suffering is.

...Once again, we are all failing.

It's ok that she lied, but don't damage her credibility

Speaking on the Senate floor, Sen. George Allen (R-VA) said his Democratic colleagues should "be careful" when criticizing Rice for making false statements about the war in Iraq lest they "diminish Dr. Rice's credibility in capitals around the world."

Read it here.

Does Israel really want peace?

There has been some light seen at the end of tunnel in Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

New Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas has been negotiation with the militant hardline groups to halt attacks on Israel and the negotiations have been going very well. For example, militant groups have offered Israel truce and Anti-Israeli violence has dropped sharply since talks began between the Palestinian leader and militant groups. Abbas has also deployed Palestinians troops along with the Israeli borders to stop attacks on the Israelis.

Now that everything is going much better than expected, Israel has once again started its traditional provocation. This time, by restarting the construction of its apartheid wall which was suspended for about four months.

What can you read out of all this? This is nothing but disarming Mahmoud Abbas in his hard efforts to bring peace and quiet, so the peace negotiations could start. This provocation from Israel can easily result in alienating Abbas as it was the case with Arafat. This will sure make it more difficult for Abbas to convince militants that peace and non-violence is the only way to achieve Palestinian state. This is something that can spark the violence the Israel seems to be craving for in order to continue its criminal aggression against the Palestinians.

Today lonelier than yesterday, tomorrow lonelier than today

Looks like the Coalition of the "Willing" is increasingly becoming "UNwilling".

Human rights, not hollow words

A letter from Amnesty International to George W. Bush on the occasion of his re-inauguration.

Who the hell is Bush? He is nobody. He is just a puppet. In fact, the letter should be addressed to Dick Cheney, Carl Rove, Paul Wolfovitz and Donald Rumsfeld who are the puppeteers of Bush. Well, a letter to Sharon might work too.

In the letter, Amnesty reminds Bush of what he said in his first speeches. here are a couple:

"Torture anywhere is an affront to human dignity everywhere. We are committed to building a world where human rights are respected and protected by the rule of law…The United States is committed to the worldwide elimination of torture and we are leading this fight by example."

And,

"The non-negotiable demands of human dignity must be protected without reference to race, gender, creed, or nationality. Freedom from torture is an inalienable human right, and we are committed to building a world where human rights are respected and protected by the rule of law… America stands against and will not tolerate torture. We will investigate and prosecute all acts of torture and undertake to prevent other cruel and unusual punishment in all territory under our jurisdiction."

Also,

"notorious human rights abusers… have long sought to shield their abuses from the eyes of the world by staging elaborate deceptions and denying access to international human rights monitors". (Reminds me of Guantanamo Bay)

What Amnesty should consider is that Bush didn't really mean these for America. These were just for other countries. After all, he thinks he is from god and as a result whatever he does is justified... Well, kind of reminds of what Khomeini was saying and doing.

Oh, one more thing: If the letter is supposed to be read by Bush, Amnesty should make it VERY short; to match the limited capabilities of Bush's brain.

It's about time

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld cancelled a planned visit to Germany after a US human rights organisation asked German authorities to prosecute him for war crimes, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) has learned.

Regardless of whether German authorities will act on this recommendation, it is a good start, at least to send the message for now. This is a good beginning. That's exactly what should start happening to many international criminals whose hands are in blood of thousands of innocent people. Yeah, let them stay at home and not travel abroad for the fear of arrest for the crimes they have committed. This case is similar to the case of many Iranian leaders such as former president Rafsanjani, former intelligence minister Fallahian, former foreign minister Velayati and last but not least khamanei. They, too are afraid of traveling abroad for the same fear of arrest for crimes they have committed.

Criminal is criminal regardless of his or her nationality. These international criminals should all be brought to justice for what they have done to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of innocent people.

For English Translation of CCR's Case Against Donald Rumsfeld et al in Germany click here.

Be grateful, we "liberated" you from your parents

Faces of anguish: Despair, horror and grief minutes after U.S. troops shot their parents dead (As correctly described by Toronto Star)

That's how a toy gun becomes a real gun

..Israeli soldiers have shot dead a Palestinian boy who was playing with a toy rifle, after apparently mistaking him for a gunman...

...Israeli troops in Gaza also shot and killed a 13-year-old boy, Salah Abu Alaes, as he was walking with his family near the entrance to Rafah's sprawling refugee camp, Palestinian hospital officials said.

Read it here.

Similar cases are happening every day in the occupied territories. After this murdering of a young boy, is it very surprising if his brother or sister decides to use a real gun instead of a toy?

The opportunist "animal"

Asia's tsunami disaster provided a "wonderful opportunity" for the United States to show compassion with relief efforts that reaped "great dividends" on the diplomatic front, Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice said.

I call this nothing but opportunism, and Rice nothing but an insensitive animal who exploits a human tragedy that has so far killed 220,000 people, just to make a dirty political advancement.

What survived many barbarians, is now being destroyed

After letting and occasionally participating in the widespread looting of Baghdad museum right after the fall of Baghdad, US army has continued damaging Iraq's past history, this time by physically damaging the ancient city of Babylon.

LONDON — U.S.-led troops using the ancient Iraqi city of Babylon as a base have caused widespread damage and contamination, according to a report by the British Museum.
... military vehicles had crushed a 2,600-year-old brick pavement and that there were archaeological fragments scattered across the site, including broken bricks stamped by King Nebuchadnezzar.
...Archaeological fragments used to fill sandbags, British Museum says.

Yes, many Iraqi historic sites which survived wars and aggression of many barabarians throughout the history, have been damaged or destroyed by the US's "liberation" army. Let's not forget, Iraq was the birthplace of civilization.

Dream of a decent American

Dave has a beautiful dream in his head.

Look what you've done idiot!

It was clear from day one! But no, this stupid man who also happens to be a war criminal, wouldn't listen to the world. He would just listen to those Zionists around him such as Karl Rove, Paul Wolfovitz, Richard Pearl, Dick Cheney and of course the manipulative Donald Rumsfeld.

Because of this stupid man who I bit still doesn't believe he really is the president of the most powerful country in the world, and because of the people in his inner circle who have no concern in mind but "what to do to serve Israel" and "what to do to serve the big corporations", over 100,000 Iraqis have been killed, over 1300 US soldiers have been killed, a country is in ruin, and it could well "become the terror haven" as it has been anticipated in a CIA report. According to the report,

"Iraq and other possible conflicts in the future could provide recruitment, training grounds, technical skills and language proficiency for a new class of terrorists who are 'professionalised' and for whom political violence becomes an end in itself."

However, as the chair of the above study says:

"Weak government, lagging economies, religious extremism and youth bulges... have a potential to create a perfect storm."

So, there exist more harming effects than just the US political foreign policies. But these political policies have certainly played and are playing major roles in the development of such conditions.
Chances are that many people in the middle east who until three or four years ago were just some ordinary people who minded their own business, are now in the line and ranks of the extremist fundamentalist groups who are not afraid of dying as long as their deaths serve their newly re-shaped ideologies and in doing that, they won't mind harming many other people as long as, as I said, it is in line with their "holly war" fundamentals.

Although I do believe the main and the most powerful terrorism could be easily discovered in those running the White House, the other type of terrorism and fundamentalism have also flourished with the rate previously unimaginable; thanks to what the US has done in Iraq, and thanks to those millions of idiots who were more "concerned" about so-called protecting the unborn than preventing massacres of the living people, thanks to those million of idiots who were more "concerned" about "saving" the difinition of family than preventing the destruction of thousands of actual families in Iraq by their elected leaders.

Modern exploitation; buying into sexy

This is yet another example of how modern slavery is exploiting children and youth for more profit.

Almost similar positions, but certainly similar attitudes

Iran's top prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi

After testifying to a presidential commission about their torture during detention, a group of Iranian journalists have received death threats from judicial officials under Tehran chief prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi: Human Rights Watch

US Attorney General Nominee, Alberto Gonzales

The Attorney General should enforce the law, Gonzales has helped the president circumvent it. His record suggests that he would be more likely to defer to the President than to uphold basic rights: Jamie Fellner, Director of the U.S. Program of Human Rights Watch

Also read the disturbing track record of Gonzales' injustice: Gonzales approved memo authorizing torture

CNN's disgusting manipulation

US forces have bombed and destroyed a "wrong house" in Iraq that has resulted in the death of 14 people. There is nothing new in this as this has been the case ever since Iraq was invaded. But the way it is reported by CNN is truly disgusting:

First of all, although it is clear that this has been done directly by the US forces, CNN calls it "coalition F16" or "U.S.-led multinational". Then in the detail of the incident, CNN has no choice but mentioning the US forces when it say:

Witnesses told CNN that U.S. ground forces first raided the house in the village of A'ytya. The witnesses reported hearing screams coming from the vicinity of the house, and then the forces left. Minutes later, the house exploded, the witnesses said.

Fourteen people lived in the house, neighbors said.

Just "fourteen people lived" in the house. Ok, what happened to them? CNN deliberately ignores mentioning anything about what happened to those people. CNN's dirty journalism has been always clear to people with brain, but it is even worse that many Americans consider CNN a liberate News Channel. If this is the "liberal" media, then what is the anti-liberal media?

Worth repeating

Exactly one year after a huge disaster hit Iran's ancient city of Bam that cost about 30,000 lives, another disaster hit human community again; this time in South Asia and with greater damage. Last year and as Iranian, I wrote the following to express my deep appreciation to those who moved fast to assist, to save lives in Iran and... . With the dream that there won't be any need to repeat such posts in the future, this time I am repeating it, not as an Iranian but as a citizen of world to tell how valauble it is what many people from around the world have done and are doing:

To rescuers in Iran: We do appreciate your humanity
I am incapable of truly expressing how I feel and how grateful I am to those great people from four corners of the world that right now, instead of being near their families and instead of preparing for their biggest celebration of the year, are spending time working in the dusty and ugly place of death and destruction resulted from the earthquake in Bam. They are just showing that all people of the world are capable of understanding each other if the leaders aren't. And they are just showing that the citizens of the world, are capable of valuing each single life, without any consideration of its origin.

I would like to solute these heroes of humanity for the great show of solidarity with the people of Iran in our time of difficulty.

One day, when we have a true control over our land, when we feel that Iran is ours, when we rebuild every ugly indications of death and destruction, we will invite you back to our country and we will greet you with flowers and warm hand shakes and we will show you that we will never forget your generosity and your humanity. I am sure I am not the only Iranian who feels this way towards you and many Iranians greatly value your courage and humanity.

I know that your new year is not going to start with happy notes, as there is nothing happy about the place in which all you see are dead bodies or severly injured, but I truly wish you the happiest of all when you go back to your family and friends.

It is very easy for people of all races and nationalities to live in peace, it is the fault of the greedy leaders that divisions are created between the people.

Tsunami children must be watched for

Tens of thousands of children have died as a result of the Tsunami in South Asia, but hundreds of thousands of children are now just wondering around without their parents, without any control, without any kind of supervision and protection. They seek some refuge; any kind of refuge, even just a promise of refuge can make them go just anywhere; with anybody. This is the "best" opportunity for the greedy child traffickers and they know that very well. How many of these children have to be taken away? How many of these children have to be killed for their organs which are to be sold to the wealthy people around the world? What should be done to prevent this from happening? I could just think of this, but I really don't know what should be done to prevent this double disaster from happening.