3 New Messages
Digest #4506
Messages
Sun Sep 30, 2012 8:16 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.interfax
Interfax
September 29, 2012
Iraq concurs with Russia's rejection of foreign interference in Syria - ministry
MOSCOW: Iraq shares Russia's position that foreign interference in the conflict in Syria is unacceptable, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, which cited a meeting between the Russian and Iraqi foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Hoshyar Zebari.
The two ministers met on Friday in New York, where they were attending the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly, the Russian ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
They raised "some of the major regional issues, including the situation in Syria, where both sides hold similar positions, primarily following the principle of unacceptability of external interference in Syrian affairs and importance of a political settlement of the Syrian crisis on an agreed basis of international law, including the final resolution of the Action Group meeting in Geneva," the statement said.
"Lavrov positively assessed the efforts of Iraqi authorities to stabilize the situation in the country and achieve the restoration of Iraq's positions in the international arena and the lifting of the remaining restrictions on it under UN sanctions."
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Interfax
September 29, 2012
Iraq concurs with Russia's rejection of foreign interference in Syria - ministry
MOSCOW: Iraq shares Russia's position that foreign interference in the conflict in Syria is unacceptable, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, which cited a meeting between the Russian and Iraqi foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Hoshyar Zebari.
The two ministers met on Friday in New York, where they were attending the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly, the Russian ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
They raised "some of the major regional issues, including the situation in Syria, where both sides hold similar positions, primarily following the principle of unacceptability of external interference in Syrian affairs and importance of a political settlement of the Syrian crisis on an agreed basis of international law, including the final resolution of the Action Group meeting in Geneva," the statement said.
"Lavrov positively assessed the efforts of Iraqi authorities to stabilize the situation in the country and achieve the restoration of Iraq's positions in the international arena and the lifting of the remaining restrictions on it under UN sanctions."
============
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Sun Sep 30, 2012 8:16 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://news.
Xinhua News Agency
September 29, 2012
Commentary: Japanese government must listen to voices of reason
KenzaburÅ ÅŒe: Categorical imperative to renounce war forever
http://rickrozoff.
BEIJING: Japanese novelist Kenzaburo Oe, a Nobel laureate, has called on the Japanese government to reflect on its view of history and stop creating a "vicious cycle" on the Diaoyu Islands issue.
A civic group's statement, endorsed by about 1,300 Japanese people, including Oe, said on Friday that the root cause of the souring Japan-China ties on its 40th anniversary is Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara's announcement of "buying" the islands, and the subsequent "nationalization" of the islands by the Japanese government.
"The most important thing for Japan is to recognize and reflect on its historical issues," the statement stressed, referring to Japan's invasion of its neighboring countries during World War II, and to "honestly express that both to itself and to other countries."
Such are the voices of reason from the people. The statement has given a remarkably objective analysis of the the crux of the Diaoyu Islands issue that has plunged the China-Japan relations to a historical low.
The Diaoyu Islands have been a silent witness to the Japanese aggression and colonization. The Japanese government has not yet, even to this day, given up its colonialist attitude to Asia, attempting to "legitimize" the land it stole from China and continue its colonization.
Such a move is an open denial of the outcomes of the victory of the world anti-fascist war, and a grave challenge to the post-war world order. Moreover, it severely hurts the feelings of the people in the countries that it had invaded only decades ago.
On the Diaoyu Islands issue, the Japanese government has attempted to turn back the wheel of history, which seriously undermined the political foundation of the China-Japan ties and set the bilateral ties, even the entire region, in a dangerous direction.
As a matter of fact, Japan's provocation has not only led to worsening tension over the Diaoyu Islands, but also will ultimately boomerang on itself.
China's Assistant Foreign Minister Le Yucheng has recently warned that Japan should abandon the illusion that it can occupy the Diaoyu Islands and that sending a few envoys to China to explain the issue will be the end of it.
It is clear that China will by no means tolerate a two-faced partner, which talks of friendly ties and cooperation on the one hand but intentionally creates damage on the other.
To maintain a healthy China-Japan relationship, efforts on both sides are needed and the onus does not only fall on China.
Now it is crucial for the Japanese government to make some real efforts to rein in domestic rightist sentiments and to prevent the ugly scenario of a militarism resurrection.
Nobody should be so foolish as to interpret China's commitment to peaceful development as being weak and easily bullied or to even take advantage of that to grab the Chinese territory.
Any idea that China would sit idle to see its rightful land stolen by a foreign country will always remain a mere illusion.
The recent moves by the Japanese side concerning the Diaoyu Islands have played havoc on the China-Japan relationship, which has entered its 40th year since far-sighted leaders on both sides overcame great challenges and normalized the bilateral ties.
At such a critical juncture, the wise choice for the Japanese government is to listen to voices of reason from both its own people and the international community, give due respect to history and reality, and forgo the illusion that it could grab the Diaoyu Islands from China if it tries hard enough.
It is indeed desirable for all that the China-Japan relations return to the right track as soon as possible.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
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============
Xinhua News Agency
September 29, 2012
Commentary: Japanese government must listen to voices of reason
KenzaburÅ ÅŒe: Categorical imperative to renounce war forever
http://rickrozoff.
BEIJING: Japanese novelist Kenzaburo Oe, a Nobel laureate, has called on the Japanese government to reflect on its view of history and stop creating a "vicious cycle" on the Diaoyu Islands issue.
A civic group's statement, endorsed by about 1,300 Japanese people, including Oe, said on Friday that the root cause of the souring Japan-China ties on its 40th anniversary is Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara's announcement of "buying" the islands, and the subsequent "nationalization" of the islands by the Japanese government.
"The most important thing for Japan is to recognize and reflect on its historical issues," the statement stressed, referring to Japan's invasion of its neighboring countries during World War II, and to "honestly express that both to itself and to other countries."
Such are the voices of reason from the people. The statement has given a remarkably objective analysis of the the crux of the Diaoyu Islands issue that has plunged the China-Japan relations to a historical low.
The Diaoyu Islands have been a silent witness to the Japanese aggression and colonization. The Japanese government has not yet, even to this day, given up its colonialist attitude to Asia, attempting to "legitimize" the land it stole from China and continue its colonization.
Such a move is an open denial of the outcomes of the victory of the world anti-fascist war, and a grave challenge to the post-war world order. Moreover, it severely hurts the feelings of the people in the countries that it had invaded only decades ago.
On the Diaoyu Islands issue, the Japanese government has attempted to turn back the wheel of history, which seriously undermined the political foundation of the China-Japan ties and set the bilateral ties, even the entire region, in a dangerous direction.
As a matter of fact, Japan's provocation has not only led to worsening tension over the Diaoyu Islands, but also will ultimately boomerang on itself.
China's Assistant Foreign Minister Le Yucheng has recently warned that Japan should abandon the illusion that it can occupy the Diaoyu Islands and that sending a few envoys to China to explain the issue will be the end of it.
It is clear that China will by no means tolerate a two-faced partner, which talks of friendly ties and cooperation on the one hand but intentionally creates damage on the other.
To maintain a healthy China-Japan relationship, efforts on both sides are needed and the onus does not only fall on China.
Now it is crucial for the Japanese government to make some real efforts to rein in domestic rightist sentiments and to prevent the ugly scenario of a militarism resurrection.
Nobody should be so foolish as to interpret China's commitment to peaceful development as being weak and easily bullied or to even take advantage of that to grab the Chinese territory.
Any idea that China would sit idle to see its rightful land stolen by a foreign country will always remain a mere illusion.
The recent moves by the Japanese side concerning the Diaoyu Islands have played havoc on the China-Japan relationship, which has entered its 40th year since far-sighted leaders on both sides overcame great challenges and normalized the bilateral ties.
At such a critical juncture, the wise choice for the Japanese government is to listen to voices of reason from both its own people and the international community, give due respect to history and reality, and forgo the illusion that it could grab the Diaoyu Islands from China if it tries hard enough.
It is indeed desirable for all that the China-Japan relations return to the right track as soon as possible.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Sun Sep 30, 2012 8:17 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"linguisticresearch"
body p { margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0pt; } On
29.09.2012 20:43, linguisticresearch wrote:
body p { margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0pt; }
http://www.wired.
<http://www.wired.
Not Even the White House Knows the Drones’ Body
Count <http://www.wired.
* By Noah Shachtman
<http://www.wired.
Authornoah.shachtman@
29.09.2012 20:43, linguisticresearch wrote:
body p { margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0pt; }
http://www.wired.
<http://www.wired.
Not Even the White House Knows the Drones’ Body
Count <http://www.wired.
* By Noah Shachtman
<http://www.wired.
Author
* September 29, 2012 |
* 8:00 am |
* Categories: Drones
<http://www.wired.
Government officials claim they’re ultra-precise
killing machines
<http://www.wired.
never, ever miss their targets. Outside groups say
they’re covered in children’s blood
<http://livingunderd
exactly how many militants and how many innocents have
been slain in the U.S. drone war that spans from Pakistan
to Somalia. Remember that before you start your next
Twitter feud about the drone war.
Neither the American government nor the independent agencies
have the consistent presence on the ground needed to put
together true assessments of the damage drone strikes do. Most
of the evidence is third-hand, whispered from a local soldier to
a far-off reporter. The death toll claims, which vary wildly,
are all educated guesswork.
It’s one of many conclusions in a new report
on the covert, robotic air war
<http://civiliansinc
-of-drones> that doesn’t fit neatly into the
dominant narratives about the drone campaign, pro or con.
(The report is due to publish at midnight GMT on
Sunday.) Using interviews with dozens of people in
northwest Pakistan — one of the epicenters
of the unmanned air assaults
<http://www.wired.
r/> — The Center for Civilians in Conflict and
Columbia Law School’s human rights clinic have
crafted a nuanced view of the civilian impact of this most
controversial component of the Obama administration’
counterterror efforts. Table your preconceived notions about the
drone war before you read — starting with the notions about
who the drones are actually taking out.
In May, an administration official told The New York Times
that civilian casualties
in the “single digits
<http://www.nytimes.
-on-al-qaeda.
only meant for one year. Meanwhile, the Bureau of
Investigative Journalism estimates the minimum civilian
death toll to be 447 during the campaign. One of the many
costs of secret wars is that ”nobody knows how many
civilians have been killed by covert drone strikes. Nobody —
that means the Obama Administration, the Pakistan government,
and the media,” emails Sarah Holewinski
<http://www.wired.
executive director of the Center for Civilians in
Conflict.
“There are few boots on the ground to do an investigation
after a strike, aerial surveillance is through a soda
straw so can miss a lot and — unlike the military
which has relatively transparent assessments and
investigations in Afghanistan — the CIA and Special
Forces are a black hole,” she adds. “The Obama
administration says civilian casualties are ‘not a
huge number <http://www.bbc.
.’ If that’s true, evidence could put the debate
to rest, but we haven’t seen any.”
The drone campaign’s impact can be measured in more than just
body counts, however. There’s the psychological impact of
drones constantly buzzing overhead. An investigator
at the UK charity Reprieve met a man, Tariq Aziz, shortly
before he was killed in a March 17, 2011 strike. “I
asked him, ‘Have you seen a drone,’ and I
expected him to say, ‘Yes, I see one a week.’ But he said
they saw 10 or 15 every day,” the investigator notes.
“And he was saying at nighttime, it was making him
crazy, because he couldn’t sleep.” (One reason
why, perhaps, is that the Obama administration considers
every military-aged male
<http://www.wired.
hostile region to be legitimate targets.)
The CIA relies on local informants to help guide the strikes;
that sows suspicion in these communities, pitting one neighbor
against the next. The fear and backbiting sometimes causes
villages to largely empty out — which creates its own cascade
of problems. “Drone-related displacement disrupts
long-term stability by decreasing the capacity of local
people to respond through civil society initiatives that
foster stability, democracy and moderation and increase
displaced people’s vulnerability to insurgent
recruitment,” Lisa Schirch of 3P Human Security
explains in the report.
The covert nature of the drone campaign produces strange
imbalances in the ways civilians are treated from warzone to
warzone. If an American aircraft drops a bomb on your house in
Afghanistan, U.S. officers will usually offer some
kind of financial compensation
<http://www.huffingt
ctims-us-paid-
not be much, but at least it’s a recognition of the
harm done. If an American aircraft drops a bomb on
your house in neighboring Pakistan, however, you get
nothing. There are no American officers in the vicinity
— at least not officially. There’s no one to
provide that financial or psychological recompense.
The report relates the tale of Usman Wazir, who “was at his
job selling fruits when a drone hit his house, killing
his younger brother, his wife, their 15-year-old son, and
13-year-old daughter.” He wanted some kind of
payback. But there is “no known process in Pakistan,
Yemen, or Somalia by which they can apply for
compensation…
program, combined with its operation in many areas that are
inaccessible, has meant that civilians harmed by drones have no
recourse and no point of contact to hold accountable for the
sudden devastation they face. This vacuum of accountability can
lead to anger, despair, and even hatred, directed at their own
government or at the U.S.”
Sometimes, innocents caught in the robotic crossfire get
punished a second time. The drones are believed to be
beyond-precise, which naturally leads to the conclusion that
whoever has been targeted must be bad. “Victims face the
double burden of dealing with the physical attack and
also clearing their name,” according to the report.
Meanwhile, the rest of us take our best guesses about the
toll of these shadow wars.
And that’s its own problem. The drone strikes, the
centerpiece of the Obama administration’
counterterrorism efforts, inspire heated opinions in the
United States. That’s as it should be: Wars ought to
be debated. But by keeping the drone war, and especially
its consequences, wrapped in secrecy, the Obama
administration and its foreign enablers shut off the basis
for that debate. Second-order questions (Would other tactics be
more or less brutal? Do the drones breed more radicalization
than dead radicals?) that are necessary to intelligently assess
the wisdom of the drone war can’t be answered. And so various
factions yell at each other, each convinced they’ve grasped
the truth of a war that has practically none to offer.
