Below is my column today in USA Today on the closure of the final torture investigation by the Obama Administration. Notably, in light of the rift with civil libertarians and his move to the right on national security matters, Obama is not running on civil liberties in this election or claiming to be champion for such rights. Likewise, liberal newspapers and commentators have criticized the Obama Administration and the Democratic Party for rolling back on strong language in the prior 2008 platform to civil liberties in the Democratic platform. The downgrading of civil liberties by the Democratic Party leaves civil libertarians without even a pretense of a party or candidate championing the cause in this election. In a prior column one year ago, I complained that President Obama had not just killed certain civil liberties but killed the civil liberties movement in the United States. That appears reflected in the tepid response to these issues in the party platform. Of course, while party platforms can be dismissed as meaningless statements, the final closure of the last torture investigations without a single criminal charge promises to have a more lasting impact on the law and our record on civil liberties and human rights. Here is today’s column:
Continue reading “THE IMPROPRIETY OF TORTURE”
Category: International
Submitted by: Mike Spindell, guest blogger
The internal combustion engine was an idea that originated in the 18th Century. While various working prototypes were built the concept couldn’t really take off until in the late 1850’s the drilling and refining of petroleum began to blossom. This was a time of the burgeoning Industrial Revolution. In 1885 Karl Benz patented his version of the engine and began producing automobiles. World War I, fought with various forms of mechanized weapons exploded the need for petroleum to fuel them. Major nations began to understand the strategic value of petroleum and the wealth of the Oil Industry began to grow exponentially. By the mid 1920’s the three major oil producers were Saudi Arabia, the United States and the Soviet Union. The oil reserves in Saudi Arabia and in the rest of the Middle East were considered to be the deepest and most valuable. At this point the Middle East, long a backwater in the “Great Game” of nations became the focus of both the industrial nations and of the now dominant Oil Industry.
Much of the history of the Twentieth Century and still today is about the domination of the oil supply. However, as this has played out surrogate issues have been used to provide a mythology to justify intrusions into Middle East that make this economic imperialism palatable to the majority of people. We have watched as Saddam Hussein, a brutal dictator no doubt, was toppled for an act, 9/11, which he had nothing to do with. With our Iraq invasion, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi’s were killed and injured as collateral damage. The cost in the deaths and maiming of our troops was in the tens of thousands. The freedom of the Iraqi people has been improbably lessened, from that of the brutal Hussein regime, which at least was secular and somewhat respectful of women’s rights? The end result though of this unwarranted war was the signing over of Iraqi Oil Rights and the explosion of military spending geared towards various supporters of the Bush regime.
As this is written the drumbeat in the Middle East goes on for intervention to change the regimes in both Iran and in Syria. With Iran it is the supposed threat from their nuclear development (weapons of mass destruction sound familiar) and with Syria it is the removal of a vile, oppressive regime. My own view, which I will elaborate on below, is that in both these instances the reality is quite different from the myth being put forth. I believe that we are being gulled by those who desire American world hegemony via use of our overwhelming military might. There are forces that see the United States morphing into Empire, just as Rome turned from a Republic to an imperial state. While Caesar crossing the Rubicon was represented as the seminal moment in roman transformation, the reality was just as now that the change was a long time coming. Here is my condensed version of how this all came to be and at the end I will provide links that underlie some of my reasoning. Continue reading “The Drum Beat Goes On”
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
We have previously discussed the case of Rimsha Masih, an 11-year-old girl who was accused of burning pages of a Quran. In an unusual turn of events, an imam at an Islamabad mosque, identified as Khalid Jadoon Chishti, has been arrested and charged with blasphemy for planting torn pages from a Quran in Rinsha’s trash bag which contained ashes.
Continue reading “Muslim Cleric Arrested For Framing Christian Girl”
This incredible video shows a Russian woman falling asleep while driving a scooter down a highway. She is jolted awake when she collides with the side of a truck. The most incredible aspects of the film is that the woman does not appear seriously injured and is able to walk away.
Continue reading “Rude Awakening: Woman Falls Asleep on Scooter and Collides With Truck”
Vladimir Putin continued his effort to create a cult of personality around his superhero exploits this week. If you recall, after his being featured as a race car driver, great white hunter, jet pilot, oceanologist, martial artist and Hell’s Angel, Putin was shown as a scuba diver. While only having dived three times, Putin was filmed at an ancient Greek Black sea site where he “discovered” two sixth century urns under the water — one of which was in pristine condition with nary a seaweed adhering to its surface. As many of us suggested, Putin’s worshipful staff later admitted it was staged — as Putin was fully aware. Now Putin has decided to morph into a giant white crane – flying a motorized hand glider to guide young Siberian cranes on their migration to Asia while dressed in a white costume. It turned out to be an incredibly symbolic moment. Like many voters protesting his authoritarian policies, all but one crane saw through him for what he was and refused to follow.
Continue reading “Losing His Flock: Putin Takes Highly Symbolic Flight Alone As Giant Crane”
A 72-year-old man died after his anesthesiologist left for lunch in the middle of his surgery to have a tumor removed at the Lidköping hospital in Sweden. Not only did the doctor leave for lunch but soon after the head anesthesia nurse took lunch — leaving a nurse from the orthopedic ward who did not know how to operate the respirator. It turns out that the machine was turned off.
Continue reading “Swedish Man Dies After Doctor Leaves For Lunch In Middle of Surgery”
We have often discussed the rampant corruption in the government of Hamid Karzai with billions in U.S. aid just disappearing — reportedly going to his brothers and associates. Now, the man Karzai selected as the next intelligence chief — Asadullah Khalid — has been accused of drug trafficking and torture. Khalid operates various torture chambers, including what a Canadian diplomat described as a “dungeon in his guest house.” That would certainly be a good resume for Karzai given the rest of his government.
Continue reading “Karzai’s Intelligence Chief Nominee Accused of Torture and Drug-Trafficking”
A breathtaking example of the power of the wealthy in Thailand emerged this week after the 27-year-old heir to the world-famous Red Bull energy drink empire ran over a police officer with his Ferrari and then continued on his way to his mansion — dragging the dead body 200 meters. In response, police initially tried to cover up the crime and even charged a scapegoat to protect Vorayuth Yoovidhya, grandson of Red Bull creator Chaleo Yoovidhya. It appears that the family driver was ready to take the fall for the family — a disgraceful act by the family and Vorayuth Yoovidhya.
Oscar Pistorius has apologized for an outburst after losing the 200m final in the Paralympic Games last week — accusing Brazil’s Alan Fonteles Cardoso Oliveira of securing an advantage by “blades” that were slightly longer and more springy. It is a controversy that reignited questions of whether Pistorius should have been allowed to run in the Olympics.
Continue reading “Pistorius Challenges Blades of Opponent After Losing Paralympic Race”
This is a disturbing video put on the Internet by a woman who identifies herself Amanda Fong Kim, 19, who says that she was being beaten by a man named Calven Chik Foo Keong — the father of the baby that she says she is carrying. What is most chilling is how this beating occurs next to a door to the street and pedestrians.
Continue reading “Abused Woman Posts Video of Beating By Boyfriend”
Respectfully submitted by Lawrence Rafferty (rafflaw)-Guest Blogger
We have heard a lot lately from politicians of many stripes claiming that Iran must be stopped at any cost and that their Nuclear program is already a “clear and present danger” to Israel and its allies in the West. We have had visitors to this site claim that Iran is already a nuclear threat and the Iranian nuclear facilities must be taken out now to protect Israel and our interests in the Middle East. With that drumbeat of an alleged need to attack Iran, I thought it was especially interesting that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff seems to be against the idea of a unilateral strike against Iran, by any country. Including Israel! Continue reading “Dealing With Iran and Reality”
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
State Department Chief Diversity Officer John Robinson has published a warning to State Department employees that if they want to “go Dutch” or “hold down the Fort,” they had better find another way to express it. Those phrases are now deemed offensive.
Continue reading “State Department: As A “Rule of Thumb” Don’t “Hold Down The Fort””
There is a bizarre and tragic sports accident in Düsseldorf when judge Dieter Strack, 74, at a javelin event was struck and killed by a javelin thrown by 15-year-old boy.
If you are looking for a nice outfit to go with that Hitler wine, you might try the Hitler clothing store in Ahmedabad, India. The owner of the Hitler clothing store, Rajesh Shah, is under criticism for the use of the name but has said that he will not change it unless someone reimburses him for the new sign and re-branding costs. Here is the incredible part of the story, Shah says that he had no idea who Hitler was. “Hitler” is used in India to simply refer to someone who is strict.
Continue reading “Hate Couture: “Hitler” Clothing Store Opens In India”