Gun control in US

Good article on gun laws in the US.

US and ICC

The US managed to prevent the ICC from adopting the crime of agression as part of its mandate.

EU uses torture intel

The EU uses torture intelligence says a HRW report.

Talking to terrorists illegal

The law against "material support for terrorists" means that even talking to them is illegal.

Congress blocks welfare spending

Congress is blocking unemployment benefits but voting tax loopholes for business and spending on the military.

China Iran sanctions

The West is worried that its sanctions against Iran could backfire as China is moving to increase trade with Iran. This would cut the West from Iran and China would benefit.

Afghan warlrods media moghuls

Media in Afghanistan is dominated by warlords, as Sahar Saba says.

Also, since the beginning of the Karzai regime in 2002, twenty Afghan journalists have been murdered while over 200 violent physical attacks against journalists have been reported. Many have fled Afghanistan after receiving threats against them or their families. One young journalist, Kambaksh, was sentenced to death. Several remain in jail after being arrested for their work. Radio and television stations, print media, and Internet services have been attacked, blocked, damaged, and even burned to the ground by government and other politico-religious agents and gangs.

Iran attacked?

A series of articles document the growing movement of Israeli and US troops and vessels toward Iran in recent days: here and here saying that US troops are in 10 countries surrounding Iran.

Supreme court HLP

Article on the Supreme court decision to ban talking to terrorist groups.

Iran nuclear

Chomsky on Iran and the US and nuclear matters.

Russia and Iran

Leveretts' article on Russia-Iran relationship in the context of the nuclear question.

UK spends 20 bn pounds on Iraq and Afgh

All the money the UK has poured into Afghanistan and Iraq so far (20 billion pounds, 11 of which for Afghanistan--and this excludes soldiers' salaries, it's just the extra expenses of war) is 10 times what is needed to abolish tuition fees in England:
Former London mayor Ken Livingstone said: "The true cost of our policy of international adventures is now being shown - £20bn is 10 times the amount it would cost to scrap student fees in England, for example."

Israel attack on Iran

Reports of Israeli preparations with US assistance to attack Israel from the sea and from Azerbaijan.

Obama targeted assassinations

Greenwald says whereas Bush wanted to eavesdrop on Americans, Obama wants to kill them anywhere in the world.

Russia and drugs

Russia wants to build an anti-drug base in Kyrgyzstan, just like the US in Colombia.
And here.

Chavez

Weisbrot on Chavez and Venezuela.

Bakiyev and drugs

The Bakiyez family in Kyrgyzstan was deeply involved in drugs and was allied with the US, a recurring pattern.

Europe military spending Afghanistan

Europe is cutting military spending but still has the most of 40,000 troops in Afghanistan.

Russia drugs

Article criticizing Russia's drug policy.

US Sanctions on Iran and NK

Good article outlining how the US is applying financial sanctions on third countries the deal with Iran and North Korea financially:
What China should be concerned with is that the Obama administration has devoted considerably more effort than the Bush administration in establishing a solid strategic, legal, and diplomatic foundation for sustained and successful third-country sanctions.

EU Israel subsidies

More EU subsidies for Israel's companies, and Israel's military.
And another one here.

EU-Israel links in military research

Good article outlining how the EU is helping Israel financially in the military sector.

Drug addiction rises in Afghanistan

UNODC Reports Major Drug Abuse in Afghanistan

KABUL, 21 June 2010 – A survey on Drug Use in Afghanistan, issued today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, shows that around one million Afghans (age 15-64) suffer from drug addiction. At eight per cent of the population, this rate is twice the global average. “After three decades of war-related trauma, unlimited availability of cheap narcotics and limited access to treatment have created a major, and growing, addiction problem in Afghanistan,” said UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa.

“The human face of Afghanistan’s drug problem is not only seen on the streets of Moscow, London or Paris. It is in the eyes of its own citizens, dependent on a daily dose of opium and heroin above all - but also cannabis, painkillers and tranquilizers,” said Mr. Costa.

“Many Afghans are taking drugs as a kind of self-medication against the hardships of life. Significantly, many of them began taking drugs as migrants or refugees in camps in Iran and Pakistan,” noted Mr. Costa. Yet, instead of easing pain, opiate use is causing even greater misery: it creates behavioural, social and health problems, crime, accidents, and loss of productivity in the workplace. Injecting drug use, as well as sex traded for drugs or money, spread HIV and other blood-borne diseases.

During the past five years (in 2005 a similar survey was done), in Afghanistan the number of regular opium users has jumped 53 per cent, from 150,000 to 230,000 while the number of heroin users has increased from 50,000 to 120,000, a leap of 140 per cent. “In Afghanistan the growth of addiction to narcotics has followed the same hyperbolic pattern of opium production,” observed Mr. Costa.

One of the most shocking statistics in this report is the number of parents who give opium to their children; as high as 50 per cent of drug users in the north and south of the country. “This risks condemning the next generation of Afghans to a life of addiction, ” said Mr. Costa.

The report reveals a major shortage of drug treatment. Only ten per cent of drug users surveyed had received any form of drug treatment, although 90 per cent of them felt that they were in need of it. “More than 700,000 Afghans have no access to drug treatment. I invite the nations that support Afghanistan’s efforts to curb drug cultivation to help it as well overcome its drug-related health crisis,” said Mr. Costa. He called for much greater resources for drug prevention and treatment in Afghanistan, as part of mainstream healthcare and development programmes.

“Much has been said, and written, about Afghanistan as a leading producer of drugs, causing health havoc in the world. It is time to recognize that the same tragedy is taking place in Afghanistan, that has now become a leading consumer of its own opium,” said Mr. Costa.

Turkey attacks PKK with Israeli drones

Which shows that Turkey is not so anti-Israel as the deals have not been frozen for sure.

Blackwater still in Afghanistan

Blackwater just got another big contract in Afghanistan.

Pakistan civil society unrest

Good article on the numerous civil society protests in Pakistan, who want less spending on the military.

Obama BP oil spill

Obama is still approving environmentally flawed drilling plans.

DNI

Clapper, the new DNI, has ties with private contractors etc.

Afghanistan corruption

There is a lot of corruption in Afghanistan among US personnel and contractors, just like there was in Iraq.
So the US is establishing a task force to investigate corruption. Because the US channels so much money for reconstruction etc. in Afghanistan, a lot of the contractors and their subcontractors take advantage of it and this large pool of cash fuels corruption.

Massacres in Iraq

The Wikileaks soldier shown on the video of helicopters shooting at civilians in Iraq is opposed to war and made a few declarations:
McCord says the scenes captured in the Wikileaks video are "an every-day occurrence in Iraq."

EU sanctions on Iran

The EU passed more stringent sanctions against Iran, following the US.
Robert Gates says that Iran could attack Europe with hundreds of missiles.

Pakistan Haqqani peace with Karzai

Dawn reports that Pakistan is trying to broker a deal between the Haqqani network and Karzai to make peace.

Kyrgyzstan

Dilip Hiro on Kyrgyzstan and Russia and US interests there.

Iran green movement

The Leveretts argue that the green movement is not as important as it is made to be and give links to many articles.

Tobacco Colombia

Philip Morris tries to make acquisitions of cigarette companies in Colombia.

China nuclear Pakistan

Since the signing of the Indo-US nuclear agreement, there has been a number of nuclear deals in Asia by rival exporters. China is one of those, and will supply two more nuclear reactors to Pakistan in addition to the two it already had provided.

World refugees

New data from UNHCR.

EU sanctions on Iran

The EU will propose extra sanctions on Iran.

Mineral deposits Afghanistan

A skeptical article about the value of mineral deposits in Afghanistan (and another one here), which the NYT claimed to be worth $1 trillion.

Russia and Kyrgyzstan

Article from Asia Times online.

Iran Pakistan pipeline

A $7 billion deal has been finalized between Pakistan and Iran for the delivery of natural gas. The pipeline is about half completed. The delivery will start in 2014.

Iran elections Green movement

Article arguing Ahmadinejad won the elections and Mousavi and the Greens refused to accept the outcome. Polls at footnote 3.

Afghan children deported by UK

Afghan children who seek asylum in the UK are being deported back to Kabul.

Kabul pollution Afghanistan

3,000 people die yearly in Kabul because of pollution.

Iran sanctions

Good analysis of the sanctions enacted by the UNSC here. The sanctions don't add much to what was already there. There is also a link to the actual sanctions text here.

Khaled Meshaal interview

interview in which he says he would accept the two-state solution:

So when the occupation comes to an end, the resistance will
end.  As simple as that.  If Israel withdraws to the 1967 borders, so that
will be the end of the Palestinian resistance.

 CHARLIE ROSE:  You are saying if the Israelis withdraw to the ‘67
borders, give or take this place or that place, right of return,
Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem, what else?

 KHALED MESHAAL:  If Israel withdraws to the borders of 1967, and from
East Jerusalem, that will become the capital of the Palestinian state with
the right of self -- with the right of return for the refugees and with a
Palestinian state with real sovereignty on the land and on the borders and
on the checkpoints.  Then we -- the Palestinian state will decide the
future of the relationship with Israel.  And we will respect the decision
that will reflect the viewpoint of the majority of the Palestinian people
both inside and outside Palestine. 

 CHARLIE ROSE:  And you would be happy forever for that to be the
territory of Palestine?  You need no more territory? 

 KHALED MESHAAL:  You know, Charlie, that half of the Palestinian
people belong to Palestine of 1948.  Them and their parents are born on
that land in Haifa/Jaffa -- even -- and which means that they belong to
that territory.  This is why we say if Israel withdraws to the borders of
1967, it doesn’t mean that it gives us back all the land of the
Palestinians. 

But we do consider this as an acceptable solution to have a
Palestinian state on the borders of 1967, and this, the people, whether
that belongs to the West Bank and Gaza or to the land of 1948, the
Palestinian state will have a referendum.  And the Palestinian people will
decide.  We in Hamas will respect the decision of the Palestinian majority. 
This is a democracy.

 CHARLIE ROSE:  But just within the territories of the ‘67 boundaries?

 KHALED MESHAAL:  In other words --

 CHARLIE ROSE:  This is an important point. 

 KHALED MESHAAL:  Don’t request the Palestinian people to have a
certain stance from Israel while living under the Israeli occupation.  Give
the Palestinian people the opportunity to live in a normal situation in a
Palestinian state, and then the Palestinian people with complete freedom
will decide. 

 CHARLIE ROSE:  You know what the Israeli people feel.  Hamas, you
don’t respect our right to exist, call us a Nazi state, in your charter. 
Why should they believe that the Palestinian people and the leadership
would accept and live in peace side-by-side?

 KHALED MESHAAL:  Who should have the fear and have this sense of
danger?  Those who own the atomic arms and have the strongest military in
the region and launch wars in the region and could have Israel with (ph)
force, and after all that you come to tell us that they fear us? 

Iran green movement

Juan Cole has a good article giving a retrospective on the Iranian elections last year and what the Green Movement has been doing.

Brazil nuclear

The Brazilian nuclear weapons program started in the 1960s, when Brazil was the South American leader in nuclear technology research and development, competing only with Argentina in a proxy-Cold War in order to receive software and equipment from Europe and the United States. However, in 1980, Brazil signed the Agreement on the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy with Argentina.

Thereafter, the two countries abandoned their nuclear weapons' ambitions and became peaceful nuclear powers. Brazil also became a signatory of the 1967 Treaty of Tlatelolco (officially called the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean) as well as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The Brazilian Constitution mandates peaceful usage of nuclear power - for energy and for medical research. Brazil currently operates two nuclear plants (Angra I and Angra II) and is building a third (Angra III). It hopes to build five more such units in the next ten years.

Although there continues to be some speculation as to Brazil's nuclear program and its potential for weapons manufacturing, the country has continued to pledge to enrich its uranium (U-235) to only 3.5%, which is drastically below the level required to fuel an A bomb (a minimum of 90%).

However, Brazil does posses a "breakout capability" - the ability to manufacture nuclear weapons before the world can react - due to its stockpile of uranium that has already been enriched to 3.5%-5%. The United States worries that Brazil, like Iran, may be able to execute a fait accompli.

Brazil's 2009 nuclear submarine project caused some tension between Washington and Brasília because the program was considered a per se violation of the Treaty of Tlatelolco and ultimately threatened U.S. hegemony in the Americas.

China on Iran sanctions

Good article saying that China has kept maintaining its energy links with Iran and diluted sanctions to allow those links to flourish even more.

Israel flotilla Chomsky

Chomsky on the Gaza flotilla attack.

Somalia pirates

Antonio Maria Costa gives the mainstream view on Somalia and piracy.

New Middle East

Pepe Escobar on the new axis in the Middle East: Turkey-Iran-Syria, supported by Russia.

Venezuela leads LA in reducing military expenditure

SIPRI said Venezuela had much reduced its military spending in 2009.

In total volume of military spending compared to the rest of Latin America, "Venezuela occupies fifth place with US $3.254 billion, a quarter less than the money it spent toward this end in 2008," reported EFE in reference to the report.

Brazil increased its military spending more than any other Latin American country, allocating a total of US $27.1 billion in 2009, an increase of 16%. Brazil was followed by Colombia, whose military expenditure increased by 11%.

SIPRI indicated that Colombia is the country in the region that directs the most money toward military spending as a percentage of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with 3.7%.

Colombia's spending is two tenths of one percent above Chile, which occupies second place in spending as a percentage of the GDP, ahead of Ecuador with 2.8%, Brazil with 1.5%, Venezuela with 1.4%, and Uruguay with 1.3%.

The Americas was the region which spent the most money on arms in 2009, due to the presence of the United States, which piled up US $661 billion, 43% of the world total.

The data supplied by SIPRI contradicts the matrix of opinion generated by the large, right-wing international media which have insisted that Venezuela "is in an arms race."

NATO funds to Taliban

In Afghanistan, NATO gives money to security companies which sometimes pay the Taliban to prevent fights.

Israel fired at boat before boarding it

From Juan Cole:
Israeli troops and the Israeli authorities have now admitted to firing bullets at the deck of the Mavi Marmara before the commandos landed, and I think the evidence is that these bullets wounded some passengers and provoked the resistance to the landing.

“T. said he realized the group they were facing was well-trained and likely ex-military after the commandos threw a number of stun grenades and fired warning shots before rappelling down onto the deck.”

The NYT also reported that the Israeli military fired rubber coated steel bullets before landing on the ship.

Iran nuclear crisis spurs arms race

Either directly or indirectly, the Iranian threat also has a hidden agenda because it is being implicitly viewed as good for business: the lucrative arms business.

The Western world is unloading some of its most sophisticated weapons - including state-of-the-art fighter planes and anti-missile defence systems - in the Gulf region, clinching multi-billion-dollar arms deals.

According to an analysis by Forecast International Inc. (FI), a leading U.S. defence market research firm, the GCC countries will account for about 60 percent of all defence spending in the region in 2010.

The prediction is that all six Gulf countries will invest over 63 billion dollars toward their armed forces and security this year, with two-thirds of the total coming from Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the United States has aimed to create a strategic bulwark against the potential threat of Iran, evidenced by the previous administration's introduction in 2007 of a 20-billion-dollar package of government-to-government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) proposals intended for the Gulf Arab states.

It should not be forgotten that arms sales in the Middle East have also risen in the past few years due to the complete rebuilding of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) from scratch, Darling noted.

During a visit to Saudi Arabia in March, U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates pledged to help most of the Gulf countries shore up their defences against their potentially nuclear-armed neighbour, Iran.

US backed warlords in Oruzgan

Article about a warlord in Oruzgan province, Mr. Matiullah, backed and paid by the US. The problem is that he is suspected of links to the drug trade and dealing with the Taliban. One problem is that supporting such militias undermines the professed goal of establishing governmental institutions.

Singapore death penalty drugs

Singapore is proud of its death penalty against big drug dealers. The author says that's what contributed to the very low consumption of drugs in Singapore.

Obama covert operations in 75 countries

Obama has reportedly increased the intensity of covert operations, now ongoing in 75 countries.

The expansion of covert operations is also taking place in Afghanistan.

Nigeria delta oil spills

The BP oil spill is bad, but in the Niger delta, it's a common event.

Imagine an Exxon Valdez happening every year for 50 years. Pretty unimaginable.

Yet, this is what residents of Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta have been living with for the last 50 years.

Experts estimate that some 13 million barrels of oil have been spilt in the Niger Delta since oil exploration began in 1958. This is the equivalent of one Exxon Valdez every year for 50 years.

Israel flotilla

Israel's plan to block the flotilla was carefully planned days in advance, and revealed in the press before the attack.

US subsidies to cotton growers: $3 billion a year

Article here saying that since 1991 the US government has given $50 billion in subsidies to its cotton growers.

NATO and Israel attack

NATO HQ in Brussels is today a very unhappy place. There is a strong understanding among the various national militaries that an attack by Israel on a NATO member flagged ship in international waters is an event to which NATO is obliged - legally obliged, as a matter of treaty - to react.

Israel US relationship

Some in the US establishment are beginning to send warning sings to Israel that it can't go too far in its breaches of international law.
See the essay by Tony Cordesman here.

Pro-BP Obama oil spill

Since the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig exploded on April 20, the Obama administration has granted oil and gas companies at least 27 exemptions from doing in-depth environmental studies of oil exploration and production in the Gulf of Mexico.

Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS)

In 2008, a series of government watchdog reports implicated a dozen current and former employees of the MMS in inappropriate or unethical relationships with industry officials.

The reports described "a culture of substance abuse and promiscuity'' in the Royalty in Kind program, in which the government forgoes royalties and takes a share of the oil and gas for resale instead. From 2002 to 2006, nearly a third of the RIK staff socialized with and received gifts and gratuities from oil and gas companies.

Also, as in all US industrial regulation, the industry largely writes its own regulation rules.

Another recent article here on the lack of regulation from FPIF.

Iran medical care system to Mississippi

Iran is collaborating with Mississippi to improve the latter's health care system.

Israel flotilla

Zunes has a comprehensive article on the UNSC statement, etc.

Also, Israel controlled the information waves during and after the attack.

Turkey Israel alliance still strong

Turkey said it was not canceling plans to accept $183 million (euro150.56 million) worth of Israeli drone planes this summer.

Turkey's eight-year-old Islamic-rooted government has publicly and frequently expressed outrage over Israel's 2008-2009 war in Gaza and continuing blockade of the strip. But Turkey's deeply secular military remains heavily dependent on high-tech Israeli arms in its battle against Kurdish separatist guerrillas based along Turkey's mountainous southeastern border with Iraq.

Israel's right-leaning government said that the countries' defense ministers had agreed hours after the raid that the incident wouldn't affect Israeli weapons sales to Turkey.

The massive Heron drones to be delivered this summer can fly at least 20 hours nonstop and first saw action against Hamas militants in the Gaza war. Turkey hopes they can gather crucial intelligence on Kurdish rebels and allow pinpoint strikes at a time of escalating insurgent attacks. Israel also recently completed a more than $1 billion upgrade of Turkey's aging tank fleet and U.S.-made F-4 warplanes. Turkey has opened its airspace to Israeli pilots for training purposes.

Hilary tries to repress criticism of Israel internationally

She's been calling foreign officials to tell them to tone down their criticisms.

US bases in Iraq

The US is building military bases in Iraq at an increased pace, even though it signed an agreement in 2008 that said they would leave the country by 2011.

IHH

Article on the IHH, one of the groups that funded the flotilla.

Israel media

An article on how the Israeli media conveyed the flotilla massacre.

Israel flotilla

Activists from the attacked boats tell what happened. Israel sent commandos onto six ships and there were beatings at more than one, but killings only on the Mavi Marmara.
Also an Arab MK who was on board the Mavi Marmara says Israelis started shooting first.
The video released by Israel showing activists on the boat hitting Israeli soldiers is here. The article also has details on what happened on board from activists.

A good Q&A on the Gaza blockade is here.

Another article saying that this is not the first time Israel attacks a defenseless ship at sea, as when in 1967 it attacked a US intelligence ship, the USS Liberty, and killed US sailors.

Poor die more in US military

Nationally, in the Korean, Vietnam and Iraq wars, communities in the lowest three income deciles suffered 35%, 36% and 38% of the casualties, respectively. Yet communities in the top three income deciles sustained significantly fewer casualties — 25%, 26% and 23% of the casualties, respectively.

More advanced statistical analyses, which account for a variety of other important factors, also offer strong evidence of casualty gaps between communities with different levels of income and education. In Los Angeles, for example, citywide almost 27% of residents hold a college degree. By contrast, in the specific L.A. neighborhoods that have lost a young man or woman in Iraq, less than 12% of residents graduated from college. Similarly, in New York City, the citywide average median family income is nearly $42,000, while the average in neighborhoods that have experienced an Iraq war casualty is $34,000, 19% lower.

Israel flotilla

WP has an extremely pro-Israel editorial here, the FT is much better here, the WSJ is completely pro-Israel, but the Guardian called Israel a "pariah state".

A round up of reactions around the world's capitals.

Some countries allied to Israel (Turkey, Greece) canceled a few joint military operations with Israel:

Police held back angry crowds shouting "Damn Israel" outside Israel's missions to the country, as Turkey accused Israel of a "flagrant breach of international law," and "disregard for human life and peaceful initiatives."

Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc also said plans for three joint military exercises with Israel had been scrapped.

Greece, which had dozens of nationals in the convoy, pulled out of joint military exercises with Israel and cancelled a visit by its air force chief, as an aid group claimed that commandos in helicopters had fired on a Greek vessel.

The US blocked harsh criticism of Israel at the UNSC. See also this Reuters article saying the UNSC statement was diluted by the US, which favored an Israeli inquiry, not an independent one. Another Guardian article here on the topic.

The full text of the UNSC:

Full text of UN Security Council statement

Related

The full text of a formal presidential statement adopted today by the United Nations Security Council on Israel's action against an aid flotilla heading for Gaza.

The Security Council deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries resulting from the use of force during the Israeli military operation in international waters against the convoy sailing to Gaza. The Council, in this context, condemns those acts which resulted in the loss of at least ten civilians and many wounded, and expresses its condolences to their families.

The Security Council requests the immediate release of the ships as well as the civilians held by Israel. The Council urges Israel to permit full consular access, to allow the countries concerned to retrieve their deceased and wounded immediately, and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance from the convoy to its destination.

The Security Council takes note of the statement of the UN Secretary-General on the need to have a full investigation into the matter and it calls for a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards.

The Security Council stresses that the situation in Gaza is not sustainable. The Council re-emphasises the importance of the full implementation of Resolutions 1850 and 1860. In that context, it reiterates its grave concern at the humanitarian situation in Gaza and stresses the need for sustained and regular flow of goods and people to Gaza as well as unimpeded provision and distribution of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza.

The Security Council underscores that the only viable solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an agreement negotiated between the parties and re-emphasizes that only a two-State solution, with an independent and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors, could bring peace to the region.

The Security Council expresses support for the proximity talks and voices concern that this incident took place while the proximity talks are underway and urges the parties to act with restraint, avoiding any unilateral and provocative actions, and all international partners to promote an atmosphere of cooperation between the parties and throughout the region.