Back to newsletter listDate:
Sun, June 10, 2007 11:46:19 PMFrom:
MediaChannel.org
Subject:
NEWS DISSECTOR: Colin Powell: Close Guantanamo NOW!
NEWS DISSECTOR June 11, 2007
Colin Powell: Close Guantanamo NOW!
CINDY SHEEHAN WRITES TO YOUR NEWS DISSECTOR IN RESPONSE TO MY OPEN LETTTER:
thanks danny?i hadn't seen it. great article?especially liked the link to fannie lou hamer. Love cindy
SEE BELOW
THE BUSHEVIK-BOLSHEVIK ALLIANCE
NOAM CHOMSKY AND THE NY TIMES
COMMENTS ON ALJAZEERA REPORT
How interesting that Vladmir and George seem to have reconciled if not converged with each other with Putin coming up with his own missile defense system against a threat that doesn't exist and Bush playing along. And it happed in the former Socialist DDR?East Germany. (The best comment was a photo in the Times from the place where this ultra secure system is to built, on an old road that doubles as a cow path in Azerbaijan. )
The convergence between their old -and born again?system and ours seems to be advancing that the CIA ran secret prisons in the old Soviet Satellites states of Romania bear a former Soviet base and in Poland which has a history of secret prisons. (KGB style Torture remains our policy and practice) AT the same time, Russia is being encircled by US bases.
And while our media was focused, just fascinated, by the Paris Hltonm in jail, out of jail, and back in jail, chronicle, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was being purged, in a style that would have made Stalin smile.
And why? There seems to be a few reasons, criticisms of his ineffectiveness, and conversely the suggestion that he was maybe too effective in slowing US plans for war with Iran.
On the conspiratorial fringe, this was being seen as a military coup. Check this out:
London's Guardian Newspaper, in their report titled "General 'sacrificed' to clear decks on Iraq", stated on General Pace's ouster:
"The Bush administration yesterday attempted to wipe the slate clean on the Iraq war and chart a new way forward with the surprise announcement that it was replacing General Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The defense chief, Robert Gates, said he had reluctantly decided on the reshuffle - despite his initial support for Gen Pace - to avoid a "divisive ordeal" at the Senate which would have had to approve an extension of the general's term."
Russian Military Analysts, however, in their report to President Putin on the ouster of General Pace state that the Pentagon has now completed what is in essence a 'coup' of the United States Government, and which now sees the US Military in control of all strategic forces in America, to include:
US Army Lieutenant General Keith B. Alexander as head of the United States National Security Agency, US Air Force General Michael V. Hayden as head of the Central Intelligence Agency, and now US Navy Admiral Mike Mullen as head of all American fighting forces.
FSB reports state that the American President, who was attending the G-8 summit in Germany, when 'informed' of the coup by America's Generals against his government 'absented' himself from the Friday morning sessions of the summit 'feigning' illness.
More disturbing about the American President's reactions to his generals were the reports of his behavior prior to leaving the United States for the G-8 summit, and which we quote from the Dallas Morning News reporter Georgie Anne Geyer, and who in her newspaper wrote:
"Friends of his [Bush] from Texas were shocked recently to find him nearly wild-eyed, thumping himself on the chest three times while he repeated "I am the president!" He also made it clear he was setting Iraq up so his successor could not get out of "our country's destiny."
OTHER VIEWS
Can this be true? I doubt it, but given stranger events, almost anything is possible. Levy MG had another explanation on the Daily Kos:
I've been writing for over a year now that the Joint Chiefs have been blocking the White House's efforts to expand the war to Iran. No matter what you might think of Gen. Pete Pace, this really is TERRIFYING news, unless you crave a wider war in the Persian Gulf and South Asia.
Pace has been the most visible symbol of the push-back within the military against the Long War.
George W. Bush, in effect, just fired the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace, USMC. This is unprecedented, as it is the first time the JCS Chair has not been reappointed.
Pace's replacement will be Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Mullen, if the Senate approves his nomination.
The Admiral appears to be a much more convinced true-believer than Pace. Mullen was quoted in an address earlier this month to naval personnel: http://starbulletin.com/?
"The enemy now is basically evil and fundamentally hates everything we are ? the democratic principles for which we stand ? This war is going to go on for a long time. It's a generational war."
Read that again. Mullen says he thinks we're in a Long War with Evil. Who does that sound like?.? That man, if confirmed by the Senate, will have all of our lives in his hands?.
When Pace goes, there may be a further shake-out of the Joint Chiefs to remove the other top brass who have reportedly opposed the Surge into Iran. I am afraid that may leave it all in the laps of Congress.
FORGET THAT ANNOUNCED SEPTEMBER REASSESSMENT OF IRAQ: WE ARE STAYING!
Meanwhile. The Washington Post's military reporter Tom Ricks finds that the Pentagon is planning what is now called a "post occupation" stay in Iraq that could last years.
BAGHDAD ? U.S. military officials here are increasingly envisioning a "post-occupation" troop presence in Iraq that neither maintains current levels nor leads to a complete pullout, but aims for a smaller, longer-term force that would remain in the country for years.
AND HERE'S THE WORD FROM ANOTHER FORMER GENERAL
Colin Powell says Guantanamo should be closed - Yahoo! News
While we are talking about the military, let us praise the military resisters who are speaking truth to power. Common Ills reports:
The movement of resistance within the US military grows and includes Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Luke Kamunen, Leif Kamunen, Leo Kamunen, Camilo Mejia, Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott, Linjamin Mull, Augstin Aguayo, Justin Colby, Marc Train, Robert Zabala, Darrell Anderson, Kyle Snyder , Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman, Kevin Lee, Joshua Key, Mark Wilkerson, Patrick Hart, Ricky Clousing, Ivan Brobeck, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Jeremy Hinzman, Stephen Funk, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Joshua Casteel, Katherine Jashinski, Chris Teske, Matt Lowell, Jimmy Massey, Tim Richard, Hart Viges, Michael Blake, Christopher Mogwai, Christian Care and Kevin Benderman. In total, forty US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.
AFGHANISTAN PRESIDENT KARZAI ESCAPES TALIBAN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Last week he gave a press conference announcing that the war had been won!
Ramzy Baroud: Losing Afghanistan: Firepower Doesn't Always Win Wars :
Foreign powers are clearly failing in Afghanistan; they neither won hearts and minds nor contributed to the stability and rebuilding of the country in any meaningful way - 60 percent of the country's economy is now dependent on narcotics exports.
AFRICAN TRIBE MENACED BY ARAB SAFARI PLANS
THOUSANDS OF DEMONSTRATORS MARKED THE 40th Anniversary of the Israeli Occupation of Palestinian lands after the 6 day war of l967. United for Peace and Justice reports:
The largest ever national demonstration against the Israeli occupation took place today in Washington DC. More than 5,000 demonstrators from all over the country declared that "40 years of Israel's occupation are enough."
The day will be followed on Monday with hundreds of activists meeting with their Congressional representatives and Senators to call for a change in US foreign policy in the Middle East.
WHILE THOUSANDS MARCHED FOR PEACE, THE US AND ISRAEL WAS HOLD JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES:
American and Israeli air forces on Sunday began week-long joint exercises in southern Israel, simulating dog-fights and bombing targets on the ground, the army said. Dozens of aircraft are taking part in the exercises inthe southern Negev desert, it said.
MEANWHILE IN PALESTINE: PALESTINANS PROTEST FOR PEACE
GERSHON BASKIN WRITES FROM ISRAEL:
"There were 7000 Palestinians at a similar event just north of Tulkarem (Israelis were not allowed in). It was broadcast almost in full on Al Jazeera Arabic!!!!! and recorded by other major TV channels. This is amazing; unprecedented! It was suppose to be the deam of every peace lover: Palestinians demonstrating openly for peace; not just leaders calling for peace, but a grassroots call for peace, two states solution, end of conflict, end of occupation."
AND? AS PREDICTED AND FEARED
U.S. Senator Says Military Action in Iran Possible
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, a long-time supporter of the Iraq war, said on Sunday military force might be necessary to stop Iran from training and equipping extremists who are killing U.S. troops.
Iran admits detaining an Iranian-American peace activist!
NYT: US STUDENT LOANS MENACE KIDS FUTURE
The regulations that the federal Education Department proposed this month to crack down on payments by lenders to universities and their officials were designed to end conflicts of interest that could point students to particular lenders.
But they do nothing to address a problem that many education officials say may have greater consequences ? more students relying on private loans, which are so unregulated that Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo of New York recently called them the Wild West of lending.
As college tuition has soared past the stagnant limits on federal aid, private loans have become the fastest-growing sector of the student finance market, more than tripling over five years to $17.3 billion in the 2005-06 school year, according to the College Board.Unlike federal loans, whose interest rates are capped by law ? now at 6.8 percent ? these loans carry variable rates that can reach 20 percent, like credit cards. Mr. Cuomo and Congress are now investigating how lenders set those rates.
UK STUDENT LOANS AND THE CULTURE OF DEBT?FROM THE UK
Borrowing is now the norm for young Britons, as a result of the "debt culture" fostered by student loans, according to a finance expert. Chris Tapp, associate director for Credit Action, said that while most graduates can pay off their student loan easily, having to take out this loan to fund their higher education is "feeding into debt culture". "What you have with a student loan is essentially government-endorsed debt on a massive scale," Mr Tapp said. According to figures, young Britons graduate from university with an average of £13,500 of debt. He added: "Students have grown very used to spending three or four years of their lives in debt, spending money that isn't theirs that they'll have to pay back and probably borrowing on an overdraft and credit card at the same time; becoming very, very comfortable with a lifestyle that is essentially lived beyond their means." Mr Tapp also said that the amount of debt incurred can be a hindrance to future job prospects as an increasing number of graduates are entering into insolvency. Young Britons who get into insolvency are barred from entering certain professions, including law or accountancy.
ARE PEOPLE BREAKING THE CREDIT CARD HABIT?
CAN WE STOP THESE FORECLOSURES?
'Subprime' Aftermath: Losing the Family Home
Mortgages Bolstered Detroit's Middle Class ? Until Money Ran Out
SeeStoptheSqueeze.org for more!
Media: Noam Chomsky and the New York Times
ALTERNET'S MEDIA CULTURE REPORTS
That the NY Times which moved its newsroom into its new building up the street from Mediachannel headquarters apparently syndicates Noam Chomsky to newspapers worldwide but then never runs his op-eds:
Since 2002, the New York Times Syndicate has been distributing op-eds written by the pre-eminent foreign policy critic and scholar of our time, Noam Chomsky. The New York Times Syndicate is part of the same company as the New York Times newspaper, and while readers around the world have had a chance to regularly read Chomsky's articles, the New York Times newspaper has never published a single one. Only a few regional newspapers in the US have picked up the Op-eds, such as the Register Guard, the Dayton Daily News, and the Knoxville Voice. Internationally, the Op-eds have appeared in the mainstream British press including the International Herald Tribune, the Guardian, and the Independent. Now, City Lights Books has just published a complete collection of these 1000 word Op-eds in a single book called Interventions.
ANNOUNCEMENT IN TAIWAN: YOU TUBE GOING MOBILE
IPEI, Taiwan - YouTube co-founder Steve Chen said on Saturday consumers in many parts of the world will have access to the popular video-sharing Web site on their mobile phones by next year. Taiwan-born Chen made the remarks as he spoke to a group of enthusiastic Web users at a forum on Internet developments in Taipei.
Videos of between 30 to 60 seconds could best serve the needs of commuters on subways or buses, while files of up to 10 minutes will be sufficient for train riders, he said.
As Internet technologies develop into the next phase, Web sites should provide richer content and greater mobility so users can have access to them anywhere, Chen said.
Chen was born in Taiwan in 1978 and emigrated to the U.S. with his family at the age of eight. He set up the video-sharing Web site in San Mateo, Calif., with colleague Chad Hurley in 2005 as they found their video files too large to e-mail to others.
Caroyn Kay reports:
EXCLUSIVE: PROGRESSIVE LA TALK RADIO HOST TO BUY CINDY SHEEHAN PROPERTY IN CRAWFORD, TEXAS
Former Los Angles newscaster turned progressive talk radio host, Bree Walker will be purchasing Cindy Sheehan's 5-acre property near the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas, The BRAD BLOG has learned? [S]he intends to keep the property "as a ground for freedom and peace" and is considering erecting a memorial there for troops killed in Iraq. She hopes to create a meditation garden on the grounds and to keep it open to the public? Walker is the host of the The Bree Walker Show on the Los Angeles Air America affiliate station KTLK AM1150 on from 2-4pm PT.
ON MS HILTON: Jayne Stahl corrects the record:
Paris for Sale
Now that CNN, Fox, MSNBC, and every major news network has succeeded in draining every last drop of advertising dollar out of the plight of this poor little rich girl:
Will someone please explain to Ann Coulter, Fox News, and anyone else who is confused about this case that Paris Hilton was picked up this time, and given a 45 day sentence for violating her parole, and not for drunk driving!
Dissector Daily Forum: Some Comments on AlJazeera Report
Dahr Jamail wrote to thank us for the article on AlJazeera.He called it. "good but disconcerting."
Still hoping for responses from journalists in Doha
Zuhair Imadi writes:
Thanks for the eye opening and very alerting letter concerning what the details about the new reality that I am already starting to be aware of while watching the " New Aljazeera".
It would be real sad for millions of the masses who watch AlJazeera hoping to get the " real news", it would be sad for them to lose one more free voice, weather its massage has been hurting or glorifies any body's political agenda.
Aljazeera has written a very needed history for an Arab more balanced media. Changing Aljazeera's face will never change the Arabs, and the world's need for a balanced and very effective media voice, but it would certainly give the radicals, Arab and none Arabs, one more pretext and power to their destructive agendas.
At least there was a cliip from AlJazeera on the Sopranos.
Thanks to LadyJane for sending along this fascinating picture essay from TIME on what the world spends on what we eat.
FAREWELL TONY
The new HBO series "John From Cincinatti" started with the words "The End Is Near." The Sopranos had just ended with a whimper, not a bang. Millions of people were apparently betting on line about whether Tony or Phil, the two dueling mob bosses, would die. In the end, Phil got it twice, with bullets and an SUV running over his head. But the rest of us got it-too. Left with the blas, no resolution, hints of a showdown and then nothing. The end was not near or far. Perhaps David Chase wanted to preserve the option of a sequel or a Hollywood movie. Boring!
Not to my contrarian friend Jeff Jarvis: "I liked the ending. The banality of evil. The devil's in the diner. Jersey as purgatory. There is no justice. Cue Sartre.
At the NJ.com forums, the ending confused some folks: They thought their TV's had died. Damned TiVo, cut off again. Art appreciation in the land of the Sopranos. Existentialism doesn't play outside Princeton.
It was a great run and an appropriate end."
THEY SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY
Happy Birthday to my dad, Jerry Schechter, who made it to 89 yesterday, after a big scare with the "Big C." The world is a better place with him still here. My brothers Bill and Denzil took him out last night. Alas, I couldn't be there in person but was there in spirit.
Thanks to all who are responding to our fund drive. I hope that donations will keep coming this week.
Your comments on the issues and the blog welcome to Dissector@mediachannel.org
|
NewsDissector Subscribers, THE COUNTDOWN IS ON: ONLY 20 DAYS LEFT! SOS!!! SAVE OUR SITE Despite a successful fundraising drive that kept MediaChannel online for several months, almost exclusively through reader and member support, we are now forced to face the inevitable: the site can only stay online for another thirty days unless we are able to attract a partner, an angel, a major funder or financial help from MediaChannel's global community of affiliates and individual users. Can we find the support we need in the next thirty days? That's our challenge--but if you want to keep the site alive, it's your challenge too. If we can get 1500 of our readers (that means you) to give $25, we can keep going for another quarter. Make a tax-deductible donation today. You can send a check made out to our fiscal sponsor: or If you have ideas or suggestions, please write to Dissector@mediachannel.org REMEMBER: THE SITE YOU SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN. Thank you! |
Spread The Word: Please forward this to interested friends and colleagues >>
----------------------------------------------
Become a Member | Send a News Tip | Subscribe to Other MC Emails | ***You are subscribed as ralrusu@gmail.com.
To modify your preferences, visit the subscription management page.
Concerned about the media? TELL A FRIEND!
© 2007 MediaChannel.org
