Dutch soldiers oppose Afghan war

This video is called U.S. ‘turned blind eye’ to torture of Afghan prisoners.

According to Dutch NOS TV:

30 May 2008

Soldiers critical about Uruzgan

Half of the soldiers think the mission in Afghanistan does not make sense.

This became apparent during a poll by TV program NOVA of 261 members of four military trade unions.

The chairman of the [officers] union NVO, ex commander of the Dutch army Couzy, thinks that this is worrying. "Top brass shout that this makes sense and that things are going well. However, if asked about it anonymously, most think it has no use", Couzy says.

Labels: Peace and war

  ¶ 12:48 AM 0 comments

  British army accused of torturing and murdering Iraqis

This video from the USA is Fernando Botero, Artist in conversation with Robert Hass, Professor of English, UC Berkeley Poet Laureate of the United States (1995-1997); about Botero's work on Abu Ghraib.

By Steve James:

British Army accused of “off the scale” abuses in southern Iraq

8 February 2008

Horrifying allegations of torture and killings carried out by the British Army in southern Iraq emerged on January 31.

Based on witness statements, death certificates and video evidence, lawyers Phil Shiner and Martyn Day have claimed that 22 people were killed in British custody following an unequal firefight outside Majar al Kabir, about 100 miles northwest of Basra, on May 14, 2004. The lawyers allege that nine more people survived torture and abuse.

Labels: Human rights, Peace and war

  ¶ 10:00 AM 0 comments

  US singer David Rovics interviewed on music, rich, poor, and war A troubadour for this generation
(Wednesday 10 August 2005)

INTERVIEW: David Rovics
by MIKE CHIVERS

INTERVIEW: DAVID ROVICS talks about the inspirations and ideas behind his progressive folk music.

At a time when grand humanitarian gestures have become indistinguishable from the latest corporate publicity drive, US singer-songwriter David Rovics is a rare and precious find.

Here we have a committed artist who encourages his audience not only to care deeply about the world but to go out and change it themselves - a true anti-capitalist and travelling troubadour for the G8 generation.

I meet Rovics at the Brighton [England] pub the Evening Star.

He enthuses about the performers that he appeared alongside at the previous day's Glastonwick Beer Festival, including Carter USM's JimBob, ex-Adverts front man TV Smith and "keep it spiky" trainspotters Eastfield.

Rovics's own music falls into the acoustic tradition of Woody Guthrie, Phil Ochs and Pete Seeger. ...

"My most recent song was directly inspired by the Bush administration.

They appointed Paul Wolfowitz to head the World Bank. That was so poetic, because, at least in the US, there's a real division between the global justice movement, around WTO, G8 and that kind of thing, and the anti-war movement.

"It seems outrageous because it is so obvious that these things are connected. How can you separate US economic policy from US military policy?

They're all part of the same thing.

"Appointing the guy who was in charge of bombing Iraq to the financial institution that's supposed to help develop the Third World?

If that doesn't make the connections between capitalism and imperialism obvious, then what will?"

Read more here.

Labels: Economic and social, Music, Peace and war

  ¶ 10:16 PM 0 comments

  Pakistan nuclear spy helped by CIA, Dutch ex Prime Minister admits
Dutch TV NOS reports:

US American intelligence service CIA in 1975 and in 1986 has stopped Dutch authorities from arresting Pakistani nuclear spy Khan.

Dutch ex prime minister Lubbers said this in VPRO radio program Argos.

US daily New York Times already wrote on this affair last year, based on anonymous sources. Now, Lubbers confirms this.

In the 1970s, Abdul Khan stole nuclear secrets from Dutch Ultra Centrifuge, part of Urenco in Almelo.

With this, in the 1990s he built the Pakistani nuclear bomb. He also sold his knowledge to Iran, North Korea, and Libya.

Suspicion

In 1975 there already was suspicion what Khan was doing, and Dutch authorities thought about arresting him.

According to Lubbers, however, the CIA wanted Khan to continue with his activities "in order to get more information" [the CIA and Pakistani military dictators being close pals; as Lubbers said during the interview; not included on NOS TV web article].

In the 1980s, Khan had to appear in court at last, but was freed due to legal errors.

Lubbers, then prime minister, wanted the court case to continue.

However, he did not carry on, on the "advice" of security services [CIA pals].

Dutch Attorney General Donner still last year denied that there had been meddling by secret services in the Khan affair.

VPRO radio investigated the affair jointly with Japanese television.

They are making a documentary on the affair, as now it is sixty years ago that Japan was hit by two US nuclear bombs, on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

See also here.

Labels: Peace and war

  ¶ 10:50 AM 5 comments

  Bush lied, over 100.000 died, and are still dying George W. Bush not just lied ... err ... was economical with the truth on weapons of mass destruction as supposed reason for the Iraq war.

His claims on not wanting to go to war in Iraq also appear to be ... err ...

According to Think Progress blog (with many different hyperlinks there):

What Did Bush Decide and When Did He Decide It?

The Downing Street Memo reported that in a July 23, 2002 meeting between Prime Minister Blair and his war cabinet, attendees of the meeting discussed the fact that President Bush had already made up his mind to attack Iraq. According to the minutes of the meeting:

“There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action.”

Yet, as the record below proves, President Bush claimed over and over after July 23rd until the war began that he had not made up his mind.

Bush: “Of course, I haven’t made up my mind we’re going to war with Iraq.” [10/1/02]

Bush:“Hopefully, we can do this peacefully – don’t get me wrong. And if the world were to collectively come together to do so, and to put pressure on Saddam Hussein and convince him to disarm, there’s a chance he may decide to do that. And war is not my first choice, don’t – it’s my last choice.” [11/7/02]

Bush: “This is our attempt to work with the world community to create peace. And the best way for peace is for Mr. Saddam Hussein to disarm. It’s up to him to make his decision.” [12/4/02]

Bush: “You said we’re headed to war in Iraq – I don’t know why you say that. I hope we’re not headed to war in Iraq. I’m the person who gets to decide, not you. I hope this can be done peacefully.” [12/31/02]

Bush: “First of all, you know, I’m hopeful we won’t have to go war, and let’s leave it at that.” [1/2/03]

Bush: “But Saddam Hussein is – he’s treated the demands of the world as a joke up to now, and it was his choice to make. He’s the person who gets to decide war and peace.” [2/7/03]

Bush:“I’ve not made up our mind about military action. Hopefully, this can be done peacefully.” [3/6/03]

Bush: “I want to remind you that it’s his choice to make as to whether or not we go to war. It’s Saddam’s choice. He’s the person that can make the choice of war and peace.” [3/6/03]

Bush: “We are doing everything we can to avoid war in Iraq. But if Saddam Hussein does not disarm peacefully, he will be disarmed by force.” [3/8/03]

Bush: “Should Saddam Hussein choose confrontation, the American people can know that every measure has been taken to avoid war, and every measure will be taken to win it.” [3/17/03]

Labels: Human rights, Peace and war

  ¶ 11:16 AM 0 comments

  Reg Keys speech in UK election Reg Keys in Sedgefield: "I did this, being a candidate, for my son, killed in Iraq. I hope that one day Blair will be able to say he's sorry for this war, against international law and not finding weapons of mass destruction".

Labels: Peace and war, Politics

  ¶ 3:45 AM 0 comments

  Iraqi painter protests US Abu Ghraib torture I'll repost this, like most posts here, at my Dear Kitty ModBlog, with more links there; as soon as ModBlog downtime will be over.

Not just famous Colombian painter Botero's works protest torture by US troops in Abu Ghraib prison and elsewhere.

Also works by Iraqi artists, as Middle East Online writes:

Abu Ghraib prison bars: New canvas of Iraqi art

Trauma of US-led occupation of violence-torn has radically changed Iraqi artists’ style.

By Jean-Marc Mojon - BAGHDAD

The subjects in each of Nasir Thamer's works are trapped behind bars, real or painted.

Since the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, the trauma of the occupation has seeped even into Iraq's artistic production.

"I used to paint scenes of traditional Iraqi life, Arab doors, mosques and letters from the Koran," says the 47-year-old artist. "This is a radical change for me but you just can't escape reality."

One of his paintings depicts an Iraqi child running away from a US Apache combat helicopter towards his mother.

The corner of the canvas where the woman was painted is ripped out, revealing black bars in the structure of the frame.

The style is that of Thamer's two favourite painters - Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali - but the heavy symbolism he employs leaves no room for doubt over the message he wants to convey.

The Baghdad-born Sunni Muslim is almost apologetic about the crude metaphors of his latest works which deal with such themes as oppression, betrayal, looting, bereavement and captivity.

"I would've liked to have made an exhibit with more hope, but I felt it was my duty to do something on the suffering everybody is experiencing," says Thamer, one of the most respected Iraqi painters of his generation.

Labels: Crime, Human rights, Peace and war, Visual arts

  ¶ 12:25 AM 0 comments

  Labour executive member supports anti war candidate in Blair's constituency United Kingdom general election on 5 May:

A Labour party executive member supports anti war candidate Reg Keys in Blair's constituency.

More on Dear Kitty ModBlog as soon as downtime there is over.

Labels: Peace and war, Politics

  ¶ 10:59 PM 0 comments