Clipmarks | masbury's clips

Juan Cole: MANY TORTURED DETAINEES INNOCENT!

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:07:38 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Why habeas corpus is Morality 101: "prisoners were routinely abused even after it became clear that they had no intelligence value" We have no right to imprison and torture innocent people. Apparently, some previously innocent prisoners were so radicalized by US torture that they took up arms after being released.

Clip Source: www.juancole.com

Tom Lasseter of McClatchy reports that the news service has done extensive interviewing with 66 prisoners released from Guantanamo and found that most were either innocent or were lower level Taliban foot soldiers with no ties to international terrorism. McClatchy argues that the prisoners were routinely abused even after it became clear that they had no intelligence value. Some were radicalized by being tortured by the US, so that when they were released as innocent, they turned to attacking US interests.

Tags: gitmo, torture

Africa is big. Really big.

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 03:30:53 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.doobybrain.com

The African continent is apparently big enough to fit the United States, India, Argentina, Western Europe, and most of China in it’s space! In fact, all together, these 5 countries still do not make up the total square kilometers of Africa.

Juan Cole: Quotes on patriotism

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:53:23 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: More at the link

Clip Source: www.juancole.com

"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it."

-Mark Twain

"My patriotism is not an exclusive thing. It is all-embracing and I should reject that patriotism which sought to mount the distress or exploitation of other nationalities."

-Mohandas K. Gandhi

"How much longer are we going to think it necessary to be 'American' before (or in contradistinction to) being cultivated, being enlightened, being humane, & having the same intellectual discipline as other civilized countries? It is really too easy a disguise for our shortcomings to dress them up as a form of patriotism!"

-Edith Wharton

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."

-Howard Zinn

what we mean is a sense of national responsibility which will enable America to remain master of her power—-to walk with it in serenity and wisdom, with self-respect and the respect of all mankind

it is often easier to fight for principles than to live up to them."

- Adlai Stevenson

Tags: patriotism

How the Surge has left us wounded

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:29:28 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: "If we accept the mainstream narrative on its face, the surge worked. It transformed the U.S. troop presence from being counterproductive to being indispensable for maintaining stability. But can we continue with anything close to the current level of troops deployed over there?"

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

The Simple Arithmetic of a Fraudulent Surge

From its inception, the Iraq war strategy was like a plan to fly across the Pacific without enough fuel to get to the other side. The surge made the plane fly faster.

can we continue with anything close to the current level of troops deployed over there?

clearly, "No."

1. "Mullen's Choice: Troops For Afghanistan Or Troops For Iraq,"

2. "Iraq Troop Boost Erodes Readiness, General Says,"

3. "U.S. deploys more than 43,000 unfit for combat,"

4. "US Sent Medically Unfit Soldiers to Iraq, Pentagon Acknowledges,"

5. "Pentagon Ends Time Limit On Guard, Reserve

6. "Col.: DOD delayed brain injury scans,"

feared veterans would blame

ailments on

bomb blasts

7. "Scientists: Brain injuries from war worse than thought,"

9. "Invisible Wounds of War,"

300,000 individuals currently suffer from PTSD or major depression and that 320,000 individuals experienced a probable TBI [traumatic brain injury]

Tags: surge, iraq

More Bushco connections to Iraq oil deals

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:57:26 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Perks for Hunt Oil, whose owner gave $35M to the Bush library.

Clip Source: thinkprogress.org

Oversight Committee: Despite Denials, Administration Knew About Bush Donor’s Oil Contracts»

The Bush administration has repeatedly claimed that it plays no part in contract negotiations between Western oil companies and Iraq. But the New York Times reported last week that the State Department actually had an “integral role” in the awarding of no-bid contracts to develop Iraq’s oil fields.

Today, the administration received another blow to its credibility, as the House Oversight Committee released documents further connecting it to Iraqi oil deals, this time through Dallas-based Hunt Oil. Hunt Oil is owned by Ray L. Hunt, a former Halliburton board member who has donated $35 million to the Bush presidential library.

“This is a serious matter because of the widespread suspicion in Iraq and other nations that the United States went to war to gain access to Iraqi oil,” the committee wrote.

Tags: iraq, oil

Bush: those who disagree with him "slander America"

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:47:12 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: How very, very cheap - taking those who disagree with HIM and labeling them slanderers of AMERICA. He attempts to manipulate people who want to be patriotic into sitting down, shutting up, and asking no questions about his abuse of power, so he can do whatever he wants with their money.

Clip Source: thinkprogress.org

BOULTON: There are those who would say look, lets take Guantanamo Bay, and Abu Ghraib, and rendition and all those things and to them that is the complete opposite of freedom.

BUSH: Of course, if you want to slander America.

a short — but by no means exhaustive — list of those who have

slandered America:

– The United States Supreme Court: The Court ruled last week that “terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay have a right to seek their release in federal court” saying that Bush’s policy compromised “the Constitution’s guarantee of liberty.”

– McClatchy Newspapers:

the U.S. has wrongfully imprisoned “perhaps hundreds” of men “in Afghanistan, Cuba and elsewhere on the basis of flimsy or fabricated evidence, old personal scores or bounty payments.”

– The Federal Bureau of Investigation:

according to its agents, “[m]ilitary officials at Guantanamo Bay used some aggressive techniques before they were approved, possibly in violation of Defense Department policy and U.S. law.”

Tags: bush, gitmo, war on terror

How kids in CT gave hope to an African girl

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:06:32 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: "villagers in western Uganda recently held a special Mass and a feast to celebrate the first local person to earn a college degree in America." GREAT STORY!

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

one of the most remarkable of the new graduates, Beatrice Biira, credits something utterly improbable: a goat.

Beatrice’s story helps address two of the most commonly asked questions about foreign assistance: “Does aid work?” and “What can I do?”

“I am one of the luckiest girls in the world,” Beatrice declared at her graduation party after earning her bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College

in the rolling hills of western Uganda

she desperately yearned for an education, but it seemed hopeless

She was on track to become one more illiterate African woman, another of the continent’s squandered human resources.

in Niantic, Conn., the children of the Niantic Community Church

decided to buy goats for African villagers through Heifer International

One of the goats bought by the Niantic church went to Beatrice’s parents

they could now afford to send their daughter to school

she won a scholarship

to Uganda’s best girls’ high school

and then to Connecticut College

each of us

power to make a difference

Tags: poverty, africa

Top 10 Most Spoken Languages In The World

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:22:07 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: listverse.com

Language is perhaps the most important function of the human body - it allows us to get sustenance as a child, it allows us to get virtually anything we want as an adult, and it allows us many hours of entertainment through literature, radio, music, and films. This list (in order of least to most spoken) summarizes the most important languages in use today.

French

Malay-Indonesian

Portuguese

Bengali

Arabic

Russian

Spanish

Hindustani

English

Mandarin

Tags: language, world

My Favorite quote versus Michael Savage et al

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:25:47 GMT

clipped by: cptenaud
clipper's remarks: A quote for the true patriots
And those who think they are.

Clip Source: www.vetvoice.com

by: TexDem

Sat Jun 21, 2008

My favorite quote or I should say my contemporary favorite quote is from journalist Sidney J. Harris. Sidney's quote although made several years is very relevant today and directly addresses the likes of Michael Savage and most of this administration.

Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their own specific virtues. The pride of nationalism, however, trumpets its country's virtues and denies its deficiencies, while it is contemptuous toward the virtues of other countries. It wants to be, and proclaims itself to be, 'the greatest,' but greatness is not required of a country; only goodness is.

Ernie1812's diary reminded me of Sidney's quote, it could very well become one of your favorite quotes. Use it as a refute to those who claim to be patriots but are really only nationalist and bigots.

Tags: nationalism, patriotism, michael savage, sydney j. harris

MN judge finds against WalMart in 2 MILLION labor violations

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:14:55 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Will WalMart ever stop leeching American workers?

Clip Source: www.truthdig.com

Wal-Mart may face up to $2 billion in fines after a Minnesota state judge found a total of 2 million contractual violations by the retail giant.

The judge also ruled on Monday that Wal-Mart owed $6.5 million to 56,000 current and former employees because of contractual violations, including a failure to give workers promised rest breaks at least 1.5 million times. The judge also found that Wal-Mart managers in Minnesota had systematically broken the law by having employees take in-house training while off the clock.

“It’s only through a decision like this that Wal-Mart can be held to its contractual agreements and to complying with Minnesota law.”

Tags: walmart

Jt Chiefs Chairman warns against striking Iran

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:20:10 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Scholar adds that such a strike "could be a political bonanza for Iran" "Just as Hezbollah became so popular [in the aftermath of the war between Hezbollah and Israel in the summer of 2006], Iran could gain credibility in the Arab street."

Clip Source: www.chicagotribune.com

WASHINGTON — The words Wednesday from Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were notable for their blunt pragmatism: An Israeli airstrike on Iran would be high-risk and could further destabilize the region, leading to political and economic chaos.

Mullen's words of caution underscored the Pentagon's belief that a move against Iran—by the U.S. or one of its allies—would have an undeniable effect on the ongoing U.S. missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Opening up a third front right now would be extremely stressful on us,"

An Israeli airstrike on its nuclear reactor sites might not be as damaging for Iran as it would be to the United States and Israel, said Vali Nasr, a professor of international politics at Tufts University.

"The upside could be a political bonanza for Iran," Nasr said. "Just as Hezbollah became so popular [in the aftermath of the war between Hezbollah and Israel in the summer of 2006], Iran could gain credibility in the Arab street."

Tags: iran

Another $170 million for poor Israel

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:37:57 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: And another reason I'll be changing from "D" to "I"

Clip Source: www.democracynow.org

Congress Approves Additional $170M For Israel

In news from Capitol Hill, Congress has approved giving Israel an additional $170 million in aid next fiscal year. This means the U.S. will give Israel a total of more than $2.5 billion next year. Israel remains the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid. The U.S. is planning to give Israel $30 billion over the next 10 years.

Tags: israel

"Global disruption" better than "Global warming"

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:00:08 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: John Holdren, professor of environmental policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is the director of the Woods Hole Research Center and just completed a term as board chair of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Clip Source: www.democracynow.org

“Global Disruption” More Accurately Describes Climate Change, Not “Global Warming”–Leading Scientist John Holdren

Leading scientist John Holdren says “global warming” is not the correct term to use; he prefers “global disruption.” “‘Global warming’ [is] misleading. It implies something that’s mainly about temperature, that’s gradual, and that’s uniform across the planet,” says Holdren. “In fact, temperature is only one of the things that’s changing. It’s a sort of an index of the state of the climate. The whole climate is changing: the winds, the ocean currents, the storm patterns, snow packs, snowmelt, flooding, droughts. Temperature is just a bit of it.” [includes rush transcript]

Tags: environment

Lawmakers & corporations to earn millions if war continues

Mon, 12 May 2008 01:19:52 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Military - industrial complex beyond Eisenhower's wildest dreams: Lawmakers have millions invested in defense contractors; Almost all major US corporations rake in huge profits from the Pentagon.

Clip Source: peoplesgeography.com

lawmakers have as much as $196 million “invested in companies doing business with the Defense Department, earning millions since the start of the Iraq war.”

Civilian firms such as PepsiCo and IBM form the backbone of what more accurately can be described as a “military-corporate complex.”

PepsiCo and IBM ranked among the Pentagon’s top 100 contractors, taking in $286,696,943 and $291,825,309, respectively

top 100 suppliers also included such well-known civilian firms as Tyson Foods ($335,239,095), Goodrich Corp. ($344,091,017), Procter & Gamble ($362,461,808), Kraft Foods ($500,799,104), Dell ($636,343,593), ExxonMobil ($1,176,354,936), FedEx ($1,303,032,027) and General Electric ($2,327,705,161)

It’s high time we at least recognize that PepsiCo, IBM, Microsoft, and Johnson & Johnson and just about every other corporate giant

are benefiting not only from our purchases of cola, computers, software and bandages but from our tax dollars, via the Pentagon

Tags: war, politics, congress, pentagon, defense, military, news

ACLU: Massive Pentagon effort conceals human costs of war

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:53:04 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: ACLU charges unprecedented effort to "control and suppress information about the human cost" of the wars

Clip Source: thinkprogress.org

The ACLU today released documents regarding Navy investigations of civilians killed by coalition troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The report notes that the administration has gone to “unprecedented lengths to control and suppress information about the human cost” of the wars. Some of the key findings:

– Banning photographers on U.S. military bases from covering the arrival of caskets containing the remains of U.S. soldiers killed overseas

– Paying Iraqi journalists to write positive accounts of the U.S. war effort

– Inviting U.S. journalists to “embed” with military units but requiring them to submit their stories for pre-publication review

– Erasing journalists’ footage of civilian deaths in Afghanistan

– Refusing to disclose statistics on civilian casualties.

The New York Times revealed in April that the Pentagon also had used a domestic propaganda program to paint a rosy portrait of the war effort. See the documents here.

Tags: war on terror