War Without End

Guest

The following is from http://www.flashpoints.net

33:35 Dennis: a convoy of activists to leave London for Iraq January 18.. now with Kenneth Nichols O'Keefe.. Gulf War vet, now vociferous opponent of this new war.. Dennis: what led to this change?.. Kenneth: I joined the Marines to get money for college, see the world, learn discipline.. I was an idiot.. but I have evolved in a good way.. democracy has failed us.. if we aren't willing to put our lives on the line, our children will pay dearly.. I was stationed on the Kuwait border.. when the ground war took off.. we went pretty much unopposed to the main road.. I did not have to fire my weapon.. the Iraqi soldiers had no desire to be there, they ran.. the 'highway to hell' was a massacre.. they were fired on in full retreat.. many died.. basically murdered.. blown away like in target practice.. I was raised to love America.. I fell into the indoctrination process.. Dennis: you have renounced your citizenship?.. Kenneth: citizenship is allegiance.. you have rights and obligations.. pay taxes, fight in wars.. about US foreign policy.. US is the greatest terrorist of the 21st Century.. plus the treatment of native Americans, Hawaiian natives, black people.. I feel my vote doesn't count, and I refuse to support the murder of other people.. Dennis: you know you will likely not survive an US invasion of Iraq?.. Kenneth: I want to be out filming all I can.. the troops will proabably kill me.. the president can murder anyone he wants to.. I consider myself an enemy combatant, not because I am a terrorist.. Dennis: you are going to be filming?.. Kenneth: I will film anything and everything.. the real damage.. I will not carry a weapon, not because I don't believe in self-defence.. If I was born in Palestine I probably would have gone nuts, probably would have become a suicide bomber.. but I fell I have the ability to fend for myself without a weapon.. at the end of the day, I want peace, I believe in Gandhi's principles.. sheer hypocrisy for Americans.. to condemn Palestinians for defending itself.. the UN inspection thing is a farce.. I do not think there is anything that can stop this war, except a mass migration to Baghdad.. saying the US needs to stand back.. you are violating people all over the world.. it will take a small miracle.. thousands must migrate.. my organization.. Universal Kinship Society.. raising money for buses, food, and fuel.. I'm doing my level best to raise money to fund this projest.. we all have common bonds, we all have common roots.. my mentor, J. Howard Moore.. my film, The United States of Hypocrisy about the genocide committed against the Hawaiin people.. blood quantum.. the plan: to leave London January 18, drive through Europe, Paris, Brussels, Germany, Dachau Concentration Camp, Turkey, Syria to Iraq.. journalists coming.. many volunteers coming.. Dennis: in Holland?.. Kenneth: the older generation remember the US liberating them.. blind denial of the facts.. but still a lot of people here against the war.. this is going to take more than talking, recycling.. the Israeli and American people like sheep being led to slaughter.. America is under martial law, the constitution is dead.. Dennis: you applied for politial assylum in Holland?.. Kenneth: after Judge Fong issued a bench warrant for $11,000.. I had to defend myself constantly.. after Sept 11, I was being targeted.. I had to leave.. when I got to Holland, the Dutch government tried to get away from me.. but they were forced to keep me in the assylum proceedings.. if you want to volunteer, get to Europe.. London by the 18th.. email me: UniversalKinship@yahoo.com.. Dennis: thanks for the clarity of your courage.. Kenneth: thanks to you for getting the truth out..

Guest

Guest

American & Brit Volunteers as 'Human Shield' in Iraq:

http://www.warwithoutend.co.uk/middle-east-and-asia/2003/01/01/american-brit-volunteers-as-human-shield-in-iraq.php

Guest · Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2003 8:51 am Post subject: US Bombs Rain on Baghdad

http://www.salon.com/news/1998/02/23newsa.html

Guest · Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2003 9:14 am Post subject:

The following is from http://www.flashpoints.net

Thursday, Jan 2, 2003 - Start Audio
-00:00 Dennis Bernstein: Three teenagers executed in Gaza for trespassing on *Jewish only* land (ie: stolen Palestinian land).. a special new cemetery for Dehaisah kids killed by Israel.. a Palestinian family returns home after 30 years.. did NPR spike a commentary about Iraqi oil?.
-01:00 Dennis: three Palestinian 15 year olds shot and killed.. murdered by the US supported Israeli killing machine.. now w Kristin Schurr (link2) of International Solidarity Movement (ISM) (link2) (link3) in Rafah Camp, illegally occupied Gaza.. Kristen: just north of Gaza city is Jabalya refugee camp, and just north of that is the illegal Jewish settlement of .. the Israeli military said the three children, entered a closed military zone.. wearing civilian clothes.. their bodies had massive damage, shot many times in the head.. even the Israelis said they had no guns, but (weakly) claimed they 'had knives in their pockets'.. they were not even near the illegal settlement.. but on Palestinian land recently *taken over* (illegally) by Israel.. victims of a corrupt and brutal, racist apartheid system.. murdered for 'trespassing' on their own land.. Dennis: you're in Rafah Camp now?.. Kristen: yes, and last night here, 'Block J' attacked heavily by the Israeli military.. they're going far, far in from the defensive wall they are building to protect a nearby illegal settlement.. shooting all night long.. the homes near the wall already destroyed, blown up, bulldozed.. soldiers shooting from the tanks, shooting from rooftops.. the *front line* gets further back everyday.. all the families in the next row of homes, taking their things out of their homes today, they knowing their homes are next.. the soldiers climbed onto the top of the homes they were mining and shot randomly into the camp to scare people.. the place is full of children with nowhere to go.. even when they are not destroying homes, the tanks set back, and keep shooting and shelling.. just to sit down anywhere in the camp and try to converse is nervewracking.. last night the most hideous ever.. you can hear the tanks grinding around.. they completely obliterate any memory of the homes the military blows up.. some families are taking a stand in staying in their homes.. the Israeli military is trying to destroy the Palestinian people.. Apache homicide helicopters attacked the middle of the camp last night.. and the military came and put everyone in a school and interrogated them, and took 4 more away to join the 8,000 already interned.. the Israelis are trying to kill everyone here.. yesterday in protest, people walking to the tanks.. the Israeli government is not listening.. neither is the U.S., who is funding this massacre..
-10:42 Dennis: now w Barbara Lubin from Deheisha Camp near Bethlehem.. Barbara: the last few days, we've been in Gaza and Hebron.. EACH PLACE A SERIES OF HORRORS.. TODAY WE VISITED A NEW CEMETERY, FOR THE CHILDREN OF DEHAISHA.. HARD, HARD ME LOST IT THERE.. WE CAME UPON THE GRAVE OF A SWEET YOUNG FELLOW I KNOW.. ALL ABOUT WERE GRAVES, AND FLOWERS AND PICTURES OF YOUNG CHILDREN.. A DOZEN NEW HOLES ALREADY DUG AT THE READY.. THE BOY I KNEW, A 13 YEAR OLD, PART OF IBDAA CULTURAL CENTER.. HE WENT TO RACHEL'S TOMB WITH SOME OTHER KIDS TO THROW STONES AT THE SOLDIERS.. THEY SHOT HIM.. HE DIED AFTER SAYING TO HIS FRIENDS, 'PROMISE ME, NEVER GO THERE AGAIN'.. I just lost it up there, I never cry.. but it was really, really sad, the horror of what is going on here for kids.. Dehaisha has always been radicalized, that's why I like it.. YESTERDAY WE WERE IN HEBRON.. ONE AREA THERE HAS BEEN UNDER CURFEW FOR TWO YEARS.. 50,000 PEOPLE ONLY ALLOWED OUT FOR ONE HOUR A DAY.. CAN YOU IMAGINE?.. LIVING IN A SMALL HOME WITH 7 OR 8 KIDS AND ONLY BEING ALLOWED OUT FOR ONE HOUR A DAY?.. EVERYTIME I COME TO HEBRON THE ISRAELIS ALWAYS PUSHING, PUSHING, PUSHING THE PALESTINIANS BACK.. we saw it yesterday.. the soldiers pushing Arab merchants, people away from their business.. the frustration and the horror.. Terry Greenblat, and the Bat Shalom women, are tearing their hair out, what to do, what to do?.. in Dehaisha today, some soldiers came in jeeps, and 200 kids came out and threw stones and molotov cocktails.. but the soldiers will be back, and the next time a lot of kids could get killed.. there are times I don't even recognize an area anymore.. very upsetting.. KIDS NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE THEIR TINY AREAS.. THEY SAY 'WE ARE IN PRISON', AND THEY ARE IN PRISON.. Dennis: about the Ibdaa Cultural Center?.. Barbara: we're under curfew again at 2PM.. a lot of kids thumb their noses at curfew.. but now the phone lines are down.. no internet connection..
-xx:xx Barbara: I brought David and Mona Halibi (sp?) back with me.. now w Mona: both I and my husband live in Berkleey.. we grew up listening to our parents stories about when they used to live here.. southwest Jerusalem.. I found the house.. very emotional to stand by the gate and look at that house.. it was grounding to see where I came from.. I never felt I belonged until I stood outside that house.. my mother had told me about a giant orange tree outside her bedroom.. and, lo and behold, there it was.. and I decided I would pick some of the fruit.. it wasn't really trespassing, I didn't have to enter the gate.. the downstairs was closed, boarded up.. we were with Jeff Halper.. he talked to the upstairs tenant said she had been living there since 1956.. David also went to his family home.. a little south of my mother's home.. stone houses with red tile roof, many trees.. when we got there, disappointed to see a string of condominiums.. an alley behind, we walked down, and there it was!.. suddenly the door opened and a man came out.. occupied by a small American religious sect.. an older woman there, said 'would you like to see the house?'.. it was delapidated.. for the last 54 years has had no repair.. David saw the staircase where his mother fell and went into labor with him the next day.. we all wept a great deal.. it rooted us both in a way, nothing else could have.. Dennis: did you explain to the current occupants about yourselves?.. Mona: a little, but we're not confrontational.. they moved into the house in 1953.. David left in 1948, shortly after Deir Yassin.. the night before his family left, a hand grenade thrown onto nine-month old David's balcony.. loudspeakers in the street warning them 'what happened in Deir Yassin will happen to you'.. so they fled to Lebanon, hoping to return when things were more peaceful, but they were never allowed back..
-28:15 music break
-31:46 Dennis: looks like the U.S. is going to war, even though Bush says he wants peace.. is it about oil?.. now w James Paul, of Global Policy Forum, author of a series of papers about Iraq.. James we've been seeing this thing develop for a while now.. discussions have taken place already about what will happen with the oil after *we* win the war.. Dennis: the oil companies say, no way, they're not applying any pressure.. James: the government also denying.. and we don't have a smoking gun, or a whistleblower.. but we know how important Iraqi oil is.. and about the history of Iraqi oil.. obvious that this is a huge prize.. the PMs of Britain and France almost had a fist fight over it at the signing of the treaty of Versailles.. a lot of references recently to the *Iraqi opposition* meeting with western oil industry in London.. reporter David Ottoway.. talked to former CIA head, James Woolsey.. said China and Russia and France had better *get on board with the U.S.* or they wouldn't get any oil.. Dennis: the U.S. would never go to war just for oil, would they?.. James: looking at history.. (for the last hundred years) the oil industry has been very influencial in determining US foreign policy.. during the dark days of WWII, Churchill and Roosevelt got in a heated argument over who was going to get what share of Middle East oil after the war.. and the U.S. very keen on supporting Israel 110%.. and overall an emphasis on empire and development.. a number of different elements to this pictures.. but oil is probably 3/4 of the mix.. Dennis: North Korea says ok, we're throwing the inspectors out and building nukes.. Bush saying, ok we'll negotiate.. Iraq has a hundred inspectors and no hint of nukes, and Bush surrounds the place with troops.. and never mention the fact that Israel has 200-300 nuclear weapons and never an inspector.. James: about the many Bush administration people with close ties to the oil industry.. but all recent administration has had close connections to the oil industry.. (close to the surface) Iraqi oil can be produced for an incredibly low price, about $1 barrel.. oil now selling for $30 barrel.. the company that get to 'lift' the oil can make a easy $29 profit.. incredible profits.. Exxon Mobil, BP, Chevron Texaco, Royal Dutch Shell.. hope to make a trillion dollars profit.. Dennis: about the UN.. the US government grabs the 12,000 page Iraqi report and voila! back comes a 4,000 page report.. James: the Colombia ambassador was Security Council president that month.. Colin Powell went to Bogata and doubled US assistance.. and voila again! the Colombian ambassador gave the report to the US.. ignoring the Security Council's own rules.. about other US shennigans at the UN.. Dennis: about the US and other corporations that helped arm Iraq.. about the commentary you were asked to record by NPR.. James: I think we can see censorship at play.. I got a call from All Things Considered.. to do an op-ed.. on oil.. I wrote up a piece and submitted it, they editted it, ok, then we recorded it, ok.. that was 25 days ago and it has never come on the air.. now they don't reply to my emails, return my phone calls anymore.. the NPR producer was Sarah Sarrason (sp?).. Dennis: you, our listeners, might want to call her at All Things Considered, 202-513-3165
-54:18 Marvelous Mary Bishop: wrapup
-54:54 End today's show. today's review by john lionheart

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Wednesday, Jan 1, 2003 - Start Audio
-00:00 Dennis Bernstein: introduction: today a Flashpoints Special: The Arming of Iraq, and how the US tried to keep you from learning the truth.. an hour with Andreas Zumach, a reporter with the German paper, Die Tageszeitung, and the only person outside the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to have seen the original Iraqi report detailing their weapons programs to the UN..
-00:55 Dennis: the US grabbed the document and cut thousands of pages out of Iraq's report on its weapons of mass destruction program.. Flashpoints originally reported on Iraq's weaponry in 1997, in a report titled, Made In America, produced together with the SF Bay Guardian, and honored by Project Censored in 1998.. now w with Andreas Zumach (link2) of the German paper, Die Tageszeitung, in Geneva.. Zumack: the original Iraqi report, 11,807 pages divided into four chapters.. the UN ruled that only those pages that contained weapon construction information were to be cut out.. the US seized the document and cut out 8,000 pages and delivered that to the ten non-pemanent members.. and we can't be sure that the US gave an unedited version to the other four permanent members of the Security Council.. Dennis: the US already talking about a material breech by Iraq for omitting information, how can we be sure now?.. Zumach: we can't.. but the problem is that of now, no one is making an issue out of that anymore, except the Syrians.. and all the information about foreign suppliers, corporate, national, or personal, cut out of the report.. about the Shah of Persia.. after he was toppled.. Iran was perceived as the number one enemy.. once Iraq in 1980 decided to go to war with Iran, he got support from all over the world.. armed with everything he could possibly want.. biological, chemical, nuclear, and conventions.. without any limitations, in spite of international treaties, like the non-proliferation treaty.. which corporations involved?.. 24 US companies.. 49 companies based in the US, but subsideraries of European countries.. leading the way, the American company, Type Culture.. and Rockwell helped Saddam expand and improve his missile program.. Iraq's Skud missile only had a range of 350 kilometers, the range expanded to 600 kilometers by Rockwell to enable it to reach Israel.. a number of companies delivered pistols, tanks, machinery to enable Iraq to make these weapons.. and Bechtel built most of the weapons factories.. in most of these cases the US DOD or DOE, or DOA gave permits.. Lawrence Livermore participated openly.. in cooperation with Saddam Hussein.. Iraqi scientists openly invited to the US for training.. no limitation at the time.. most financed by the federal government.. could order any technology to take home.. Saddam could have even developed biological weapon programs without the anthrax seed stock provided by US.. used all kind of tricks to cover up what they were doing.. Dennis: Zumach doing a great job in uncovering the original documents.. Rumsfeld asked in Congress if the US played a role in arming Iraq, he said no.. Zumach: Iraq killed 5,000 Kurds on one sunny afternoon.. Rumsfled knew.. US complicit in genocide.. the Pentagon gave all the target information for their use of gas against the Iranians.. from 1986 the US had to know.. Dennis: you say the Pentagon supplied the intelligence for Iraq's use of gas on the Iranians.. George Bush I and Rumsfeld diplomats to Iraq at the time.. Zumach: Bush senior was head of CIA then, they had to know what was happening, and who they were dealing with.. Saddam came to power with the help of CIA.. the day after Saddam came to power, a cable from CIA in Iraq, "he may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch".. Dennis: James Baker told Saddam, we want a close working relationship with you.. six months before Iraq invaded Kuwait, Iraqis invited to a US sponsored nuclear detonation conference.. Zumach: the US ambassador told Saddam we don't care if you invade Kuwait.. this is documented.. Dennis: the CIA knew Iraq was planning to use his weaponry against Israel.. Zumach: it didn't stop them.. but once Saddam indicated he wanted to raise the price of oil, a decision made to limit him.. Dennis: about the Congressional hearing by Henry Gonzales on Iraq-Gate.. he was called a traitor, the CIA said he should be taken out and hung.. Zumach: before his investigation, you could find bits and pieces of information here and there.. SC resolution 1441 Nov 9.. making demands to Baghdad.. one demand missing strikingly, to lay out where the weapons came from.. Dennis: the weapons inspectors saying they are not going public with this information because they then won't get cooperation from the companies.. you buy that?.. Zumach: no, no.. about the inspections in the 90's, the inspectors would come across weapons, labeled Rockwell, etc.. they needed the companies cooperation then.. not now.. the companies programs are over.. balanced against the need of the public to know the true history of Saddam.. plus exposure would mayby prevent a reoccurence.. Dennis: US taxpayers helped arm Saddam?.. Zumach: he got loans and grants from the US to buy weapons.. US competing with the Soviet Union.. a lot of money provided by the US taxpayers..
The U.S. corporations involved...
- A: nuclear; C: chemical; B: biological; R: rockets
1) Honeywell (R,C)
2) Spektra Physics (C)
3) Semetex (R)
4) TI Coating (A,C)
5) UNISYS (A,C)
6) Sperry Corp. (R,C)
7) Tektronix (R,A)
8) Rockwell )(C)
9) Leybold Vacuum Systems (A)
10) Finnigan-MAT-US (A)
11) Hewlett Packard (A.R,C)
12) Dupont (A)
13) Eastman Kodak (R)
14) American Type Culture Collection (B)
15) Alcolac International (C)
16) Consarc (A)
17) Carl Zeis -U.Ss (C)
18) Cerberus (LTD) (A)
19) Electronic Assiciates (R)
20) International Computer Systems
21) Bechtel (C)
22) EZ Logic Data Systems,Inc. (R)
23) Canberra Industries Inc. (A)
24) Axel Electronics Inc. (A)
Additionally to these 24 companies based in the US, are nearly 50 subsidiaries of foreign enterprises whose arms co-operation with Iraq seems to have been operated from the US. In addition, Ministries for defense, energy, trade, and agriculture, as well as the foremost U.S. nuclear weapons laboratories at Lawrence Livermore. Los Alamos, and Sandia, are designated as suppliers for the Iraqi arms programs for A, B, and C-weapons as well as for rockets.

-32:44 music break It's All About the Price of Oil
-37:20 Dennis: continuing our discussion with Andreas Zumach (link2) of the German paper, Die Tageszeitung, from Geneva.. what the US left out.. a serious aspect.. when the US went into Iraq, crushed the Iraqi army.. called the lowest casualty rate.. but not true.. many hundreds of thousands sick.. because of a toxic soup of blowback.. shouldn't the US have known?.. Zumach: yes they should have known, should have taken this into account.. not only the Iraqi depots exploded by the US.. but also the weapons used by the US, especially depleted uranium.. hardened to penetrate heavy armor.. 300 tons of this highly poisonous material shot over Iraq.. the rates of cancer around Basra expanded ten-fold.. and affected US forces.. this is all pretty much covered up.. 250,000 US forces ill.. 60,000 British.. now finally the NY Times has taken up the story.. Gulf War Syndrome.. Dennis: any evidence that the US looked at this as a way to let it all happen as an open air chemical warfare experiment?.. Zumach: I can't rule it out, I heard similar suspicians here in Germany.. Dennis: where did Iraq get the technology to fire missiles at Tel Aviv?.. Zumach: they originally had problems.. (details).. Dennis: US companies played a critical role, but German companies central.. the reaction to your reporting?.. Zumach: we were threatened with lawsuits.. now my story got such a huge response in Germany.. 95% of the facts in the Iraqi report, are facts played before 1991, and were publicly available, but suppressed.. the US editted out ALL INFORMATION relating to foreign suppliers to Iraq.. we have ten members of the Security Council that know nothing.. selective knowledge, very tricky.. open to putting pressure on.. when the US tried to muster support to go to war.. 95% is old stuff, but I know Bush is trying to gather information about German companies maybe still doing business with Iraq.. to pressure Germany to vote for.. US war on Iraq.. Germany not allowed to even export pistols to Iraq since 1981.. using chemical weapons against Iran and the Kurds, were war crimes, acts of genocide and the US and German companies complicit in these crimes should be held accountable.. Saddam did not acquire these weapons from the sky.. I hope my reporting will stop this from happening again.. Die Tageszeitung
-52:55 Hear the latest Mumia Abu-Jamal commentary: about the racist Trent Lott and his racist statements..
-55:07 Dennis: wrapup
-55:54 End today's show. today's review by john lionheart

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Tuesday, Dec 31, 2002 - Start Audio
-00:00 Dennis Bernstein: reporter Jeremy Skahill on Saddam Hussein and his buddy Donald Rumsfeld.. another episode of The Real Deal with Catherine Austin Fitts.. Human Rights Watch calls for an investigation into alledged US torture against Afghanis..
-00:48 Dennis: reporter Jeremy Scahill wrote an article that appeared in Common Dreams and excerpted by the Washington Post.. Jeremy: called, The Saddam in Rumsfeld's Closet.. in August 2002.. I was watching the Congressional hearings to give Bush war powers.. bubbling with ire.. did 10 hours of research.. in 1983 the Iran-Iraq war getting very bloody.. Rumsfeld traveled to Iraq, met Saddam, gave him a letter from Reagan.. also gave him a pair of golden cowboy spurs.. in 1984 Jeanne Kirkpatrick said the US had evidence that Iraq had used gas.. said the US had warned Iraq.. but Rumsfeld returned to Iraq in fall of 84.. didn't raise the issue, had cordial meetings with Saddam.. Rumsfeld said absolutely nothing about their ongoing use of chemical weapons.. Rumsfeld was a hit man for Reagan, managing covert diplomacy in the Middle East.. encouraging Iran and Iraq to kill each other, to quote Kissinger.. Dennis: the Pentagon provided satellite imagery to Iraq?.. Jeremy: crucial for Iraq to determine where to launch attacks.. Dick Cheney and Bush the Elder in the know on all of this.. now when they stand up and say to the American public.. they have never been upset before about Saddam's cruelty.. Dennis: the US lent Iraq money to buy chemical weapons?.. Jeremy: yes.. about an Iraqi, fluent speaker, going to dinner parties with Reagan people, and the Jewish Lobby.. US policy.. Ronald Reagan removed Iraq from the list of countries supporting terrorism, so that Iraq could buy weapons.. Dennis: about Henry Gonzales Senate investigation of Iraq-Gate.. Dennis: some people say the US was abetting Iraq's use of chemical weapons to learn from it.. Jeremy: no direct evidence of that, but the US has always used human guinea pigs in testing weapons.. ?and did you know, the first people to use weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, were the British.. Winston Churchill used gas on the 'hill people', the Kurds in the 1920's.. Dennis: Rumsfeld was asked if the US helped arm Iraq.. said, well, no, duh, he didn't think so.. Jeremy: an outright lie.. (details more lies by Rumsfeld).. Dennis: US saying now Israel in grave danger from Iraq, but in the 80's they knew Iraq wanted to attack Israel and went ahead and helped arm them.. Jeremy: Israel invaded Iraq airspace and bombed a civilian nuclear facility.. the US built up Iraq and sold them these weapons.. the US support for Israel right now, and Israel.. ISRAEL USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS ON THE PALESTINIANS.. ISRAEL IS ABSOLUTELY OUT OF CONTROL.. THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION BEING LED AROUND BY ISRAEL.. Dennis: this is on the table and these are real and grave possibilities.. did you ever try to call Rumsfeld.. Jeremy: the Pentagon told me Rumsfeld had never been in Iraq.. the press should not let him get away with it.. now when they are showing us no evidence whatsoever.. when Saddam had a chance to use non-conventional weapons against Israel, Saudi Arabia, he didn't.. THE ONLY TIME SADDAM USED WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IS WHEN HE WAS CHUMMY WITH RUMSFELD.. about the Washington Post article.. the administration using thse... Rumsfeld has lied, he is not credible, does not give a damn about chemical weapons as long as they are in the hands of allies.. like Israel.. I have visited sites named and labeled as having weapons, and the inspectors have visited.. there is no smoking gun.. I think we are looking at the beginning of a massive bombing in late February.. under the mandate of the UN.. all citizens of the world should be outraged.. reserves being put on active duty.. about the hatred for George W. Bush building around the world.. I think we are looking at the beginning of a new Vietnam.. millions of dead Iraq civilians, and bodies of US troops floating down the Tigris River.. more info: www.IraqJournal.org..

Guest

Mainstreaming the Antiwar Movement?

Mainstreaming the Antiwar Movement? (from http://www.thenation.com):
12/10/2002 @ 5:02pm

E-mail this Post
It was at the time of the October 26 antiwar rally in Washington--where tens of thousands of demonstrators heard speakers oppose war against Iraq and demand the destruction of capitalism, the end of Zionism, the liberation of convicted cop-killers Mumia Abu-Jamal and Jamil Al-Amin (a.k.a. H. Rap Brown), and the release of five imprisoned Cuban spies--that longtime nonviolence advocate David Cortright and several other activists decided there was a pressing need to put together what Cortright calls "a broader, more mainstream coalition" to oppose unilateral US military action in Iraq. The October 26 protest--one of the more prominent antiwar actions so far--had been organized by International ANSWER, a group dominated by the Workers World Party, a small revolutionary-socialist outfit with a fancy for North Korea's Kim Jong-Il and the goal of abolishing private property. So it was no surprise that the antiwar message--which, according to polls, resonates with at least one-third of Americans--was accessorized with the demands of the fringe far-left. Nor was it a shocker that many speakers did not adopt a give-inspections-a-chance position. The WWP, which hails world leaders that stand against US hegemony (such as Slobodan Milosevic), opposes weapons inspections in Iraq and has assumed the task of trying to steer the antiwar movement away from endorsing them. ANSWER eschews criticism of Saddam Hussein. Cortright, who was executive director of SANE from 1977 to 1987 (when it was the largest peace organization in the United States) and his colleagues in Washington were looking to assemble an opposition that would possess wider appeal, that would press a message that extends beyond a no-to-war demand and endorses an alternative to military action. In the meantime, television actor Mike Farrell (M*A*S*H and Providence) and longtime movie producer/director Robert Greenwald (Steal This Movie) had weeks earlier begun an effort to round up Hollywood folks for a statement opposing unilateral war against Iraq and supporting the United Nations' weapons-inspection process. "It was just the two of us with two computers," says Greenwald. "We sent out an email to friends, who sent it to their friends. We were surprised the response was so positive so soon. We thought people would be more hesitant." (Greenwald has just finished a movie for CBS on the Enron scandal, in which Farrell plays disgraced Enron chief Kenneth Lay; it is set to air on January 5.) In November, the Washington and Hollywood endeavors converged. And this week, several large organizations of a progressive bent--the NAACP, the National Council of Churches, the National Organization of Women--and 100 or so entertainers are launching the Win Without War coalition, described by its organizers as the "new mainstream coalition to oppose Bush war policy." The leaders of this project don't put down ANSWER, but this clearly is an attempt to recast and reshape the antiwar opposition. In the rollout, Hollywood went first. At a press conference on December 10 attended by actors Tony Shalhoub, David Clennon, Martin Sheen and Farrell, the entertainment crowd unveiled a letter to George W. Bush declaring its support for Win Without War. The short missive has been signed by Gillian Anderson, Kim Basinger, Matt Damon, David Duchovny, Laurence Fishburne, Jeananne Garofalo, Ethan Hawke, Helen Hunt, Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Lange, the members of REM, Noah Wyle, and dozens more, including two former US ambassadors. Their letter begins: "War talk in Washington is alarming and unnecessary. We are patriotic Americans who share the belief that Saddam Hussein cannot be allowed to possess weapons of mass destruction. We support rigorous UN weapons inspections to assure Iraq's effective disarmament." But the group argues "a preemptive military invasion of Iraq will harm America's national interests. Such a war will increase human suffering, arouse animosity toward our country, increase the likelihood of terrorist attacks, damage the economy, and undermine our moral standing in the world." The Win Without War artists accept "the valid US and UN objective of disarming Saddam Hussein." They want to achieve that not by "first-strike attacks," but by "legal diplomatic means." At the press conference, retired Rear Admiral Eugene Carroll Jr. reported that he had spoken with retired General Anthony Zinni, former head of US Central Command, and Zinni agreed with the coalition's position. The organizations Cortright recruited for Win Without War--which also includes MoveOn.org and Working Assets--are expected to issue a formal announcement of the coalition's formation on December 11. Earlier in the week, Win Without War organizers noted ithe Sierra Club was considering signing up. No unions are yet participating, but there have been preliminary conversations between Win Without War reps and labor officials. The Win Without War message does differ from the antiwar declarations that only decry oil-greedy US imperialism. "We're trying to spread as wide a net as possible," says Greenwald. "Millions of Americans have doubts about the war. We want to get the word out: you're not alone. And it doesn't do any good to speak to a small group. We've designed this to try to create a broader impact." The coalition acknowledges that Saddam poses a problem--not a direct and immediate threat to the United States, as the White House suggests, but a threat that still needs to be confronted. "This is a different message beyond the traditional antiwar message," Cortright remarks. "We're for a sound, credible security policy that addresses threats. Saddam Hussein and Iraq are a potential threat, due to Iraq's weapons capacity, and there has to be a way to deal with it. Peaceful and diplomatic means have to be pursued. The positioning of this message is extremely important. We have the potential to build broad support." The coalition's central demand is, let the UN and its weapons inspectors do their jobs. But what if Saddam thwarts the inspectors or they find he has ready-to-go weapons of mass destruction? Would Win Without War back a UN-sanctioned military response? Elements of the coalition are pacifists, according to Cortright; most are not: "There might be circumstances where some of our groups would support [military action against Iraq], such as if there were explicit authorization from the UN Security Council." Greenwald notes that the artists' statement "leaves open the possibility of a multilateral attack. We felt it was premature to get into that. The biggest point of agreement among the signers is that the United States should follow the law, follow the Security Council." Cortright concedes that Win Without War got a late start. (Some Washington prognosticators are claiming--more as a hunch than an educated guess--that a US military assault could come as early as January.) "We didn't begin this until the October rally," he notes, "and it takes time to get a national coalition together." He expects the coalition to sponsor advertisements and draw on the membership of its component organizations to mount local actions. "Some of our groups might participate in big marches," he says, "but that's not our focus." The Hollywood contingent wants to deploy its celebs to gain media notice for the antiwar position. "We know we'll be dismissed by some, we will be infantalized," says Greenwald. "We'll have to see how far they go in this." One slogan being used by Win Without War is "Keep America Safe"--a sign its creators are hoping to encourage opposition to a unilateral invasion without bemoaning US interventionism, appearing soft on Saddam or terrorism, or coming across as harsh critics of America at home and abroad. (The latter may not always be easy. In an interview with UPI, actor Ed Asner, a signer of the Win Without War statement, said of the American public, "They're sheep. They like [Bush] enough to credit him with saving the nation after 9/11. Three thousand people get killed, and everybody thinks they're next on the list. The president comes along, and he's got his six-guns strapped on, and people think he's going to save them.") Also, the coalition is not preparing to compete with the WWP-controlled ANSWER and its highly motivated cadre of volunteers in the street-protest category. And its internal cohesion may be tested in the future, if events occur in Iraq that persuade the UN Security Council--or several of its members--that force must be used to deal with Saddam. But until such a development occurs, the main question is, can a self-professed "mainstream" antiwar coalition bearing a nuanced message succeed and attract many more people to the stop-the-war cause? There may not be enough time to derail precipitous US action, but before the antiwar movement even has a shot at preventing or curtailing a US first-strike, it must grow much larger. Bringing tens of thousands of protesters to Washington on a Saturday--or even the 100,000-plus ANSWER claimed for its October 26 event--is not going to impress or worry the decisionmakers of the nation's capital. That's a tiny slice of America. (See Asner's comments above.) The antiwar movement, as Bush might say, has to raise the pie higher--a lot higher. If Win Without War takes off, Americans critical or skeptical of the president's apparent policy will have an outlet for dissent unencumbered by the wackiness of the WWP. And the antiwar movement will benefit from the institutional strengths of the coalition's founding partners. Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, and Dick Cheney do not yet have to fear that citizen action is going to interfere with their plans. ("Look out, here comes Ed Begley Jr.") But an effective Win Without War coalition could move the antiwar campaign in a direction that causes the White House--or, maybe at best, other politicians and perhaps even the reportedly reluctant military--to take notice.

Guest

100,000 offer to be human shields:

http://www.warwithoutend.co.uk/middle-east-and-asia/2003/01/05/100-000-offer-to-be-human-shields.php

Alpha

Subj: TJP Human Shield Action Iraq - URGENT RESPONSE REQUIRED
Date: 1/9/03 7:07:59 PM Pacific Standard Time

Aloha & kia ora everyone from Ken and Christiaan,

Please note our new main email address: TJPaction@hotmail.com

If you do not want to receive these emails please reply with REMOVE in the
subject box. If you receive this email more than once please let us know.

Thanks for your messages of support. Unfortunately we are unable to get back
to everyone personally. We are endeavouring to go through our emails and
answer questions that need answering. Please bear with us, we apologise for
any delay. With this message we hope to answer questions related to the
following:

- Volunteer Organisers
- What we need from Human Shield Volunteers
- Donations

Make sure you check the website for updates and media events:
http://www.uksociety.org/

WE CAN STOP THIS WAR

This action has grown beyond anyone's expectations. At the current pace we
expect hundreds of human shield volunteers, and if the pace continues to
accelerate like it is we expect the ultimate goal of thousands that are
needed to avert the war.

We are on the verge of getting endorsements from hundreds of peace
organisations around the world.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead

³Dear Ken, I'm very impressed to find out about what you are doing, and
would like to express my strongest support and encouragement for these brave
actions.² -- Noam Chomsky, January 5, 2003

VOLUNTEER ORGANISERS NEEDED - TJPvolunteers@hotmail.com

If you are in London or near London you are needed NOW! At this point we
need organisers even more than human shields.

We need committed volunteers... office staff, mechanics to look at buses, a
professionally skilled webmaster, fundraisers (people who can ring around,
chase up money), people with language skills, billets in London to
accommodate other volunteers, contacts with celebrities for endorsements,
techies to help with internet/intranet, etc.... the list goes on.

If you live along the route: http://www.uksociety.org/tjp_route.htm we need
committed people to organise our reception rallies and collection of medical
supplies and clothing to be delivered directly to the Iraqi people.

Please send an email to TJPvolunteers@hotmail.com spelling out exactly how
you can help. If you have already done so we are endeavouring to process
your offer of support.

If you are completely committed, available immediately and know you can
provide one of the concrete examples of support above please phone this UK
number 07 799 650 791 and talk to Stefan. Do not call this number for any
other reason.

Please keep in mind that everyone involved in this action is a volunteer. No
one will be paid.

HUMAN SHIELD VOLUNTEERS - TJPhumanshields@hotmail.com

If you'd like to know the route and tentative dates for driving tthrough
your area see: http://www.uksociety.org/tjp_route.htm

In order to confirm your spot on a bus Human Shield volunteers need to do 3
things.

1) Send 3 copies of the first pages of their passport to (even if you have
already sent a fax copy as we need better copies):

TJP Human Shield Action
90c Mercers Road,
Tufnell Park,
London N19 4PR
England

2) Send a short statement about why you are going on this mission to
TJPhumanshields@hotmail.com (with STATEMENT in the subject box).

3) Send 300-500 Euros if you are joining us in Europe or 100-300 if you will
join us in Turkey. This is on the honor system, if you can afford 500 Euros
please pay it, this money will help fund more human shields and we all want
maximum participation. If you can afford more than 500 then do that but we
are desperately trying to obtain funding from wealthy people and any help in
this is more than welcome. If we get all the funding we hope we can return
funds to those who truly need it. Please bring money for food because the
logistical nightmare of feeding all of us is more than we can handle at this
point. (note: this money is purely for transportation and office expenses -
NOBODY IS GETTING A DIME OF PAY!!!)

See account details below for how to make payment. Payments must be
received immediately if you are to secure a spot on our rapidly filling
buses. Late contributors may have to do the journey in smaller vehicles
that will follow the main busses.

If you do not have money you must contribute now in some other way,
organizing, fundraising, etc. Email immediately if you are unable to pay so
we can arrange other possibilities (non-Turkey shields only - see below).

Once you have wired or sent the money you need to send an email to
TJPhumanshields@hotmail.com with CONFIRMED in the subject box, and the
details of your payment in the body of your message.

If you're from Turkey and you have questions about your payment please
contact Tolga in Turkey (do not reply to this email with questions regarding
this) tolga@bizsel.net

Please get in touch with your local media if you are a Human Shield
volunteer to let them know what you are doing. They will cover this and
getting the word out is very important to raise awareness.

DONATIONS - TJPdonations@hotmail.com

We urgently need office equipment; a fax machine, scanner, computers, adsl
modem/routers, photocopier. If you've got anything that might be useful
please email us immediately at TJPdonations@hotmail.com

Financial donations for this action can be made by:

1) credit card - at http://www.uksociety.org/TJP%20Home.htm If you do this
make sure the name on the credit card is your name or confirm by email who
paid on your behalf;

2) wire transfer to American Savings bank account in Hawaii (where Ken
founded the UK Society) - You will need the following two numbers to make
this wire transfer. The account number is 05600-26142, routing number
321370765 (note that there are fees for wire transfers that vary from bank
to bank). This is the official Universal Kinship Society account and is tax
exempt in the U.S; (we are currently looking into setting up a UK account)

3) post - made out to Universal Kinship Society to:

TJP Human Shield Action
90c Mercers Road,
Tufnell Park,
London N19 4PR
England

Ka kite ano (see you soon),
Christiaan Briggs & Ken Nichols O'Keefe
"Power to the People"

Founder/Spokesperson - Kenneth Nichols O'Keefe

Co-Coordinator/Email admin - Christiaan Briggs
Based in Kingsbury London

Co-Coordinator/Phone admin - Stefan Simenowitzo
Based in Tufnell Park, London
Ph: +44 (0) 20 7272 6615
Fx: +44 (0) 20 7272 6867
(these numbers will be up and running as soon as possible)

Postal Address:
TJP Human Shield Action
90c Mercers Road,
Tufnell Park,
London N19 4PR
England

-------------------------------------------

Truth Justice Peace Human Shield Action Iraq
http://www.uksociety.org/
TJPaction@hotmail.com

War Without End

The global war against terror, news about the illegal invasion of Iraq, the corporate puppet presidents, the war criminal Tony Blair, September 11th 2001, the USS Liberty and New World Order crimes against humanity.

Convoy of activists to leave London for Iraq January 18, 03