tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92579882011-12-26T07:13:53.972-05:00Each post in this blog is only a starting point for discussion in the comments section. Comments on both old and new posts are welcome. Topics: Propaganda • Iraq • Media • Militarism • Iran • Israel • Religion • Strategy • Islam • Racism • VenezuelaAl S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.comBlogger1771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-4625136757646164412008-01-10T10:31:00.007-05:002008-06-20T21:17:50.440-04:00

You may now kiss the brideRats leave a sinking ship – but what is an appropriate metaphor for people who deliberately board a sinking ship? That is where Mahmoud Abbas, the puppet head of the Palestinian “Authority,” has put himself. The fortunes of both of his mentors – the US and Israel – are in precipitous decline. But no matter. Mahmoud Abbas, who a friend of mine has given the nom de

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-10777591860061299132007-12-03T09:21:00.000-05:002007-12-05T19:19:40.598-05:00

No, that was not one of those “Dewey Defeats Truman” headlines. I know the referendum in Venezuela was “defeated” by a margin of about two percentage points, that is 49% Yes versus 51% No.But it is very curious that when George W. Bush received 49% of the vote in elections that only gave him a mandate to govern the country for four years, that was sufficient proof of his legitimacy, and he was

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-6191511637344862942007-11-12T14:03:00.000-05:002007-11-13T12:35:52.112-05:00

For nearly forty years, Juan Carlos shut up and did not raise a peep against Franco's dictatorship. He knows all about shutting up to preserve his own status, despite the consequences of his inaction for his nation and for other nations.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-84537518893560758922007-10-22T11:34:00.000-04:002007-10-22T11:52:43.009-04:00

That’s the name of a 2006 BBC political drama, their answer to the American show Commander in Chief. PBS has just started to show it. I watched the first two hours last night, and found it rather alarming at several different levels.Briefly, it is about a working-class woman who, while working as a supermarket manager, gets the idea to run for political office. The twist is that she wants to run

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-13801100283567939422007-09-30T12:29:00.000-04:002007-11-19T08:05:50.768-05:00

I think there has been a little too much talk lately about the possibility, nay “certainty,” of a US attack on Iran, and far too little analysis of exactly why (in the world!) would such an attack take place. I (obviously?) haven’t been to journalism school, but I have heard that budding journalists are taught to find out the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” of a story. There has been far

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-15472148111214733702007-06-30T23:22:00.000-04:002007-09-26T18:13:33.441-04:00

Dread and foreboding filled the city’s atmosphere. The worst part of it all was the uncertainty. No-one knew who the bombers were or where they would strike next. And the city… wasn’t even Baghdad.No… it was London. A bombing attempt had been “foiled” by the police and security forces. The city that should long ago have been racked with guilt, and was not, for the suffering that its national

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-12114013046979046992007-05-10T08:45:00.000-04:002007-05-10T16:00:03.558-04:00

Hard on the heels of the surveys that detailed the shocking attitudes of the American soldiers in Iraq towards torture, the Iraqi people, and so on, which were released on May 4, I received a series of emails (beginning on May 8) urging me to watch some videos that portrayed American soldiers as victims. I am not going to mention the sender's name (or rather his pseudonym) or the titles of the

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-89711425080919971912007-04-30T17:53:00.000-04:002007-05-01T09:35:45.405-04:00

... we would have seen a noose around that neck.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-59270181442835569982007-04-24T16:01:00.000-04:002007-05-31T21:57:10.685-04:00

Do you know what the popular anti-war slogan “Bush lied; my son died” means? If you do, you are, believe it or not, a member of some kind of intellectual elite.Put simply, the Americans who are outside the said "intellectual elite" interpret the slogan this way: “Bush said my son wasn’t going to die, but he did.” Let’s call that the A version of the slogan. These people fail to see that the

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-75649108250009331112007-04-16T16:33:00.000-04:002007-04-24T21:21:17.024-04:00

Some conspiracy theorists are fond of the idea that US aggression against the rest of the world was the product of a so-called "Secret Government" that came into being after the Second World War. Some of these people are simply naive and misinformed. The rest, neither naive nor misinformed, are in fact highly worldly and knowledgeable. They know very well that (a) the criminal atrocities of the

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-58646517874324370012007-04-16T10:52:00.000-04:002007-04-17T15:18:56.025-04:00

Surely it must be more than just a coincidence to see two news stories on the same day about the disappearance of honey bees in Canada and bumblebees in Britain:Theory: Cellphone radiation killing honeybees?Scientists fear flight of Britain's bumblebeesThe investigation of the reason or reasons for the disappearance of these species is still at the purely speculative stage. What I do know is that

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-79256378976164087352007-04-11T15:28:00.000-04:002007-04-11T15:50:26.392-04:00

This:was one of the many tools that were used to accomplish this:

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-21589764454311231922007-04-05T15:23:00.000-04:002007-04-10T09:06:25.875-04:00

"We gathered intelligence"That's why Tony "Bliar" Blair was in such a tizzy to get them out, and it is also why the spies themselves were confessing to everything -- so they could get out. Their official mission (anti-smuggling) was just a cover and an instrument for their real mission (gathering information from fishermen and others about Iranian activities in the area).Update: British spies

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-2095377083390723712007-04-05T10:10:00.000-04:002007-04-17T16:41:37.259-04:00

The following was my reply to an editorial in a major newspaper that bemoaned the supposed weakness of the UN in dealing with the recent standoff between Iran and the UK:Dear Editor,Re "Weak UN stand fails Iran captives" (Editorial, April 3)In the lawless world we live in, it is interesting that mainstream Western newsmedia only notice the lawless behaviour of the underdogs.George W. Bush invaded

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-35518560337254902992007-04-04T18:44:00.000-04:002007-04-05T20:29:20.198-04:00

President Ahmadinejad exchanges jokes with the freed British sailorsI wonder if the five Iranian hostages held by the US in Iraq will also be in a mood for exchanging jokes when (and if) they are released. Somehow, I doubt it...

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-19347841118599257792007-04-03T14:29:00.001-04:002008-07-20T12:35:30.111-04:00

Undercover film footage taken by the Canadian Coalition for Farm Animals shows laying hens with feathers rubbed off from constant rubbing against their cages A coalition that wants to get laying hens out of cages is directing its free-range campaign at universities and collegesUpdate: An activist reader has emailed me a list of links and webpages about humane animal husbandry and related subjects

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-40762311865762099112007-03-30T10:33:00.000-04:002007-03-30T11:14:16.008-04:00

The “United Nations” sure knows which side its bread is buttered on. It has been so very prompt in demanding the release of the British soldiers who are being held (in luxury) in Iran. Last year, though, the same “United Nations” was so very careful not to condemn Israel’s destruction of Lebanon, even though thousands of people were being killed, and hundreds of thousands of other people were

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-34760149758549894742007-03-29T00:41:00.000-04:002007-04-01T17:05:15.841-04:00

The Western newsmedia's version of reality:Iran claims it needs the uranium enrichment for electricity generating purposes, while the West fears the program could be used for making nuclear arms.But could this be the real reality:The West claims it fears Iran's uranium enrichment program could be used for making nuclear arms, while Iran needs the program for electricity generating purposes.Why

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-60133079617966360212007-03-28T15:49:00.000-04:002007-03-28T16:02:17.786-04:00

It turns out that women who eat a lot of beef while pregnant endanger the procreativity of their sons.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-54712447403519523022007-03-26T22:34:00.001-04:002007-03-26T23:10:36.019-04:00

Just over a year ago, I asked the question: What will it take to dump Dubya?. His approval ratings had dropped below the mid-30s range, and it puzzled me that 34% percent of the American people still supported him, despite his crimes and failures. I asked myself "What more does he have to do, or rather fail to do, to convince the other 34% that they had made a mistake in electing him?"During the

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-18944704162859678672007-03-23T17:56:00.000-04:002007-03-23T18:04:21.304-04:00

U.N. rights envoy likens Israeli actions to apartheid"[Jewish] settlers, largely unrestrained by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), subject many Palestinians to a reign of terror -- particularly in Hebron."

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-77047059867455616202007-03-19T21:46:00.000-04:002007-04-06T12:56:58.945-04:00

"Iran has balls. Few other states do, even while their populations crave stronger policies vis-à-vis Washington."--quoted from Graham Fuller, former CIA analyst and vice-chairman of the National Intelligence Council in WashingtonSouth Africa has "balls" too!

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-43898310056621314212007-03-18T22:57:00.000-04:002007-03-19T22:28:34.882-04:00

Has any nation in the history of the world ever been asked to give up the right to resist aggression? Has any individual, except for slaves, ever been asked to give up the right to resist attacks and seek freedom from oppression?It is a unique historical phenomenon that Palestinians are being asked to give up precisely those rights. Israel is refusing to deal with the new Palestinian unity

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-23885634357726424172007-03-17T11:56:00.000-04:002007-03-17T12:00:37.066-04:00

The CNN sat on this news item for nearly 48 hours, and finally reported it on March 15. The rest of the media had already reported it two days earlier. Also interesting is the fact that although the CNN cited the Associated Press (AP) as the source, the item has disappeared from the AP’s website, or at least my efforts to find it on that website were fruitless. So, this is also a post about the

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-46745078336983157442007-03-15T12:13:00.000-04:002007-04-05T10:16:33.141-04:00

Okay, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed hasn't actually confessed to designing the Nazi gas chambers -- but only because he wasn't born yet. Considering the persuastion methods used at the CIA's secret jails, though, I wouldn't be surprised if he has in fact made such a "confession" anyway.They keep feeding us "confessions" that have been extracted through torture, and the public keeps eating it all up.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-76026720985690881602007-03-14T19:19:00.000-04:002007-03-14T21:56:37.085-04:00

"We're pretty vigilant in terms of monitoring the skies," said Major Jason Proulx, a NORAD public affairs officer. "But what we do is we assess whether it poses a risk or a threat. If it doesn't pose a threat, it's not something we wouldn't express further interest in."Somehow, I feel much safer knowing that.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-26363746221603153172007-03-13T13:00:00.000-04:002007-03-13T13:07:17.731-04:00

Dick Cheney has finally let the cat out of the bag.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-55978276277723677512007-03-12T17:23:00.000-04:002007-03-12T18:20:10.274-04:00

Guatemala's native priests have vowed to use ritual cleansing ceremnies to purify ancient burial grounds (shown above) that are to be visited by Bush today. The news has been reported by hundreds of news organs. The reason I decided to post about it was the fact that fewer than 1 out of every 25 of those news organs (none in North America) bothered to mention the reason for the Mayan people's

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1169924002960768992007-02-28T13:16:00.000-05:002007-03-20T12:39:14.463-04:00

The complete lack of availability of reliable information to the English-speaking general public about President Ahmadinejad of Iran, and the abundance of lies perpetrated by the Western governments and their subservient newsmedia, have prompted me to collect some excerpts from his speeches, open letters, and interviews (along with a link to the complete texts). He is very articulate, and the

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-48544332066517889072007-02-06T14:25:00.306-05:002008-06-16T22:16:59.360-04:00

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1169851550767691792007-01-26T17:44:00.000-05:002007-01-26T17:45:50.770-05:00

A baby Komodo dragon

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1169594191676615342007-01-23T17:57:00.000-05:002007-01-23T20:08:42.683-05:00

It is becoming ever clearer that Peter MacKay, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, doesn't understand what the word affairs in his title refers to. He continues to roam the world in search of a suitable match. The latest candidate is Israel's Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni. You can look, Pete, but you can't touch!Pete is quoted as saying that, in the past year, he and Livni had become “regular

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1168584056115941272007-01-12T01:39:00.000-05:002007-01-28T22:48:53.103-05:00

What will people do?After the garden is goneWhat will people say?After the garden ...Where will people go?After the garden is goneWhat will people know?After the gardenAfter the garden is goneAfter the garden is gone---Neil Young

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1167075393807213572006-12-25T14:26:00.000-05:002007-01-12T18:17:19.660-05:00

Reading the newsmedia’s daily dose of lies, their errors of omission and commission, has become an almost intolerable exercise for me. Jimmy Carter’s latest book is a refreshing change. The content of Jimmy Carter's book about Palestine has surprised me on so many levels that I don't know where to begin. Probably the biggest surprise has been that he doesn't write like a politician. He fearlessly

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1166122158200079372006-12-14T13:48:00.000-05:002007-01-05T17:14:05.496-05:00

Turning certain subject into taboos is society’s way of dealing with deeply uncomfortable truths; in other words, it is society’s way of living with big lies.Imperialism, that is, the politico-economic exploitation of the poor countries by and for the benefit of the rich ones, is one example. In the Third World, imperialism is not a taboo subject. Nearly everyone in the poor countries is aware of

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1164518262216250482006-11-26T00:15:00.000-05:002006-12-20T15:57:59.883-05:00

This blog has been a little inactive in the last couple of months. I think its regular readers understand the main reason for the lack of activity. As I have said before, Israel’s destruction of Lebanon has, in a way, left me emotionally and intellectually paralyzed. I would have never imagined, in my wildest nightmares, that the “international community” would allow such a crime to take place,

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1164057847713401002006-11-20T16:19:00.000-05:002007-01-15T21:20:42.663-05:00

Bachelet: "Boy you are fat!"Harper: "The pot calling the kettle..."Dubya: "They are giving my little Steve a hard time again!"

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1163082921757551122006-11-08T09:31:00.000-05:002006-12-01T07:25:46.263-05:00

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1160514899330052532006-10-10T16:51:00.000-04:002006-12-14T21:30:50.046-05:00

Dubya at the beginning of his presidencyDubya today

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1160394941298747282006-10-09T07:54:00.000-04:002007-01-31T22:46:08.573-05:00

Considering the fact that the North Korean nuclear test has been condemned by everyone, from Thailand to Pakistan (!), Washington’s reaction has been very curious. The US has labeled it “provocative,” and has made the routine call for UN Security Council action. At another level, though, the US reaction has been predictable. The nuclear test is simply both good and bad for the US Administration’s

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1158959506588798862006-09-22T17:05:00.000-04:002006-11-23T09:47:30.676-05:00

Whoops, sorry... wrong picture.Harper cleverly raised his left arm.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1158525419339052172006-09-17T16:32:00.000-04:002007-02-05T22:07:04.356-05:00

You know who the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus was. I know who the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus was. We all know who the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus was. None of us had heard of him until last week, but the "news" media have put an end to that.But nobody in the “news” media seems to know who the late Ayatollah Khomeini was!!!

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1156964086224115312006-08-30T14:50:00.000-04:002006-12-01T04:03:02.846-05:00

An Israeli recently arrives at London's Heathrow airport. As he fills out a form, the customs officer asks him: "Occupation?"The Israeli promptly replies: "No, just visiting!"More Lebanese jokes about their situation and their imperial neighbour:Three Hezbollah fighters run out of Beirut's southern suburbs after Israeli raids, flashing the victory sign. Actually, no. They were really pointing out

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1156866640937828922006-08-29T11:49:00.000-04:002006-11-22T13:03:43.993-05:00

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1156548189172126102006-08-25T19:08:00.000-04:002006-09-10T21:53:30.800-04:00

A couple of night ago I saw the documentary Why We Fight on CBC. To understand American militarism, you need to understand the reasons for it. You need to understand the "Why." Every other documentary I have watched on the subject, including Michael Moore's "Farenheit 911," has mainly tackled the "How." "Why We Fight" gives far more far-reaching answers to the first question than one expects from

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1156286833110793262006-08-22T18:46:00.000-04:002006-10-10T17:48:01.626-04:00

The latest quote from the Brain:"Sometimes I'm happy, you know. But war is not a time of joy."

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1156218314415175932006-08-21T23:31:00.000-04:002006-08-24T22:29:00.616-04:00

Three Canadian Members of Parliament are currently on a fact-finding mission in Lebanon. Below is from a report on their findings published in today's Toronto Star. It is written by Andrew Mills, who has been doing a first-class job of reporting Israel's war on Lebanon:AITAROUN, LEBANON—The Canadian government must begin direct talks with militant groups such as Hezbollah to effectively bring a

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1155440429071740332006-08-13T00:01:00.000-04:002006-10-30T16:00:57.103-05:00

Why do we love Fidel?Because we love the idea of “Fidel”Because we think there has to be some other wayThat there must be more to life and to living than thisThat life and living must have some meaning tooWe loathe the things that they force down our throats day and nightWe love freedom:Freedom from the chains of television and commercialsFreedom from the chains of futilityFreedom from

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1155165753935026142006-08-09T19:13:00.000-04:002006-09-23T14:35:59.020-04:00

To sign the statement below, already signed by over 16,000 individuals and over 200 organizations, go here"As a result of the communication of Fidel Castro on his state of health and the provisional delegation of his responsibilities, high ranking U.S officials have formulated more explicit statements about the immediate future of Cuba. The Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez said that 'the

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1154993541841628332006-08-07T19:28:00.000-04:002006-12-27T18:30:04.363-05:00

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1154903596929086782006-08-06T18:23:00.000-04:002006-09-19T11:42:02.226-04:00

Israel, confronted with the world’s revulsion at its bombings of civilian targets, has claimed that Hezbollah fighters and munitions are dispersed and hidden among Shia civilian populations. According to Israel, Hezbollah is to blame for the civilian deaths.Israel’s bombing of Lebanon’s Christian areas has finally put the lie to that claim, as there are no Hezbollah targets in Christian

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1154471721519694872006-08-01T18:25:00.000-04:002006-08-12T23:56:21.410-04:00

The absurd intensity of Israel's attack on Lebanon was probably due to the fact that the war on Lebanon was meant to be a stepping stone towards the Zionist entity's wider plans in the region. The war was not just about Lebanon. It was meant to pit Lebanese Sunnis against Lebanese Shias, and, by extension, the Sunni nations against the lone Shia nation, that is, Iran, thereby facilitating

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1154445951348314142006-08-01T11:16:00.000-04:002006-08-02T01:13:18.110-04:00

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, M.P.Prime Minister of CanadaRoom 313S Centre BlockHouse of CommonsOttawa, ON K1A 0A6Dear Prime Minister:I call on you to immediately denounce the state of Israel with the same voice with which you denounce Hezbollah and Hamas. As president of the largest union in Ontario, representing over 200,000 workers in the public service, I ask that you stop supporting

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1154359395804490032006-07-31T11:14:00.000-04:002006-08-03T10:06:30.226-04:00

BEIRUT, July 31 (Reuters) - France said on Monday that Iran was crucial to the stability of the Middle East and it was important to maintain contacts with Tehran as part of efforts to resolve the crisis in Lebanon.French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy described Iran as a significant, respected player in the Middle East which is playing a stabilising role.. . .Asked earlier in Beirut

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1154231996296265002006-07-29T23:54:00.000-04:002006-08-05T21:30:47.553-04:00

It is very difficult to become an object of simultaneous hatred and contempt of the whole world, but Israel's armed forces have managed to do just that. My sincerest congratulations to all Zionists!

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1154108849704438112006-07-28T13:32:00.000-04:002006-08-01T10:36:53.246-04:00

Israel's baffling attack on the UN outpost in Lebanon is a little less baffling after reading these two letters in today's Toronto Star:The situation with the deliberate bombing on the UN outpost made me more than a little angry. There is no way possible that it was an accident. For one, Israel employs satellite-guided laser 500 lb. bombs. The co-ordinates for targets come down from the U.S.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1154100113775544982006-07-28T10:56:00.000-04:002006-07-28T16:20:38.033-04:00

The Toronto Star asked nine candidates for leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada two questions regarding the situation in Lebanon:What would you have done differently than Prime Minister Stephen Harper?If you were prime minister, what would you do now?In my opinion, Gerard Kennedy's answers put him far ahead of the rest of the pack as a progressive:Gerard Kennedy, former Ontario Liberal

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1153915265009615932006-07-26T07:57:00.000-04:002006-07-30T20:43:12.816-04:00

"When Serbia responded to an armed insurrection by the Kosovo Liberation Army with a military campaign that created Europe's worst humanitarian crisis in decades, no objective observer could deny that, notwithstanding Serbia's legitimate state interests, its response to the insurrection was entirely disproportionate to the threat. Not only did NATO have no problem condemning Serbia's aggression

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1153843658537131662006-07-25T12:02:00.000-04:002006-07-25T19:02:06.450-04:00

MPP calls Israel 'rogue' state

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1153672398686894292006-07-23T12:02:00.000-04:002006-08-01T01:39:33.306-04:00

You have been told that Iranian women are oppressed, that they cower in silence under a tyrannical and misogynist political system.Well... I, for one, would definitely think twice before I try to oppress Iranian women who play rugby football:The pictures are from a series of national tournaments in various sports currently being held in Iran. True, the women are dressed in an extremely modest

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1153577342270139872006-07-22T09:54:00.000-04:002006-07-26T15:47:15.586-04:00

As part of Israel's psychological warfare operations, its planes have dropped leaflets over Beirut with a crude drawing of Sheikh Nasrallah depicted as a cobra dancing to the tune of the leaders of Iran, Syria and Hamas.The tactic would have been hilarious in a less tragic situation. With the major Arab governments having formally abandoned Lebanon to Israel's clutches, Lebanon's only remaining

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1152741718061029822006-07-12T17:40:00.000-04:002006-07-22T19:32:00.380-04:00

According to a UPI report today:Egypt's al-Gomhuriya [newspaper] commented the Palestinian cause has historically been instrumental in uniting Arab ranks in the struggle to liberate the Palestinians and Jerusalem from Israeli occupation. The semi-official daily said it was now time to once again reunite to save the Palestinians from the "daily massacres carried out in their ugliest forms before

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1152485881303253052006-07-09T18:54:00.000-04:002006-07-30T20:49:37.926-04:00

A Palestinian carries the body of Rowan Hajaj, a six-year-old girl, to a hospital in Gaza City. The girl, her elder brother and mother were killed during an Israeli raid on a house.An article in today's Toronto Star by Simon J. Black, a Toronto freelance writer:I know Gilad Shalit. Not personally, but I could tell you what he looks like, his age, where he went to school, his hometown, his

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1152308557991701272006-07-07T17:39:00.000-04:002006-07-28T14:10:20.993-04:00

Palestinians run for cover as Israeli troops open fire near Beit Lahiya Below is a statement/petition on the current situation in Palestine being circulated by Britain's Palestine Solidarity Campaign. It is currently being forwarded to British public figures, organizations, trade unions and others who are asked to sign it. The British Palestine Solidarity Campaign has asked sympathizers in other

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1152200251547181682006-07-06T11:35:00.000-04:002006-07-10T06:15:10.996-04:00

Palestinian children take cover as Israeli tank advances"Collective punishment is illegitimate and it does not have a smidgeon of intelligence. Where will the inhabitants of Beit Hanun run? With typical hardheartedness the military reporters say they were not "expelled" but that it was "recommended" they leave, for the benefit, of course, of those running for their lives. And what will this

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1151945096838626582006-07-03T12:42:00.000-04:002006-07-10T06:50:14.806-04:00

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1151620783038593902006-06-29T18:36:00.000-04:002006-07-05T01:16:06.700-04:00

Click on the picture for a larger image.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1151464470703596162006-06-27T23:04:00.000-04:002006-07-10T06:13:19.430-04:00

From a letter by a Naftali Lavie in today's Toronto Star:"As someone who has served in an Israeli tank unit near Kerem Shalom, I have nothing but sympathy for the bereaved families of Lieut. Hanan Barak and Sgt. Pavel Slutsker, killed in a daring Palestinian commando raid in which Corp. Gilad Shalit was taken captive. But some perspective and some context are necessary."This tank base was one of

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1151075002629592772006-06-23T10:55:00.000-04:002006-12-24T15:27:33.076-05:00

Speaking of swarms of locusts, here is Dubya's own armoured stretch limousine, flown in specially for his Vienna visit. It was a part of a convoy of sixty vehicles that hauled him around town.And here is the man himself, disgracing himself as usual, this time after being told some truths about what the rest of the world thinks of him.And here is the welcoming committee.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1150776238640009872006-06-19T23:27:00.000-04:002006-07-16T19:04:03.676-04:00

Have you noticed the strange disconnect between the environment movement and the animal rights movement? Neither side seems even to be aware of the other one, despite the fact that (a) animal life on this planet desperately needs the environment to be protected, to put a halt to the mass extinctions that are now all but inevitable; and (b) what is the "environment" that the environmentalists try

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1150299758563124832006-06-14T11:40:00.000-04:002006-06-20T12:53:00.033-04:00

International Philosophy

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1149746616586914562006-06-08T02:02:00.000-04:002006-07-04T00:03:21.880-04:00

Washington’s war-mongers currently find themselves in a highly discredited position vis-à-vis Iran. Washington's lies have come back to haunt it. For months it has been beating the drums of war and “regime change,” proclaiming its holy mission to democratize an already democratic government (while its long-standing Mid-East friends and allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well as its new friend

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1149539772363854912006-06-05T16:21:00.000-04:002006-06-22T09:53:39.806-04:00

It's so good to be an obedient servant of Washington. The tyrannical Shah of Iran, who recognized no master except Washington, was literally the American nuclear industry's poster boy. This is an ad the nuclear industry ran in the 1970s to promote nuclear energy in the US.With thanks to Rostam Pourzal

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1149451145049332642006-06-04T15:38:00.000-04:002006-07-30T20:53:39.673-04:00

Once baby killers, always baby killers. The American Massacre at My Lai, Vietnam, 1968 The American Massacre at Haditha, Iraq, 2006 In case you have been wondering whether anyone will be punished for the Haditha massacre (and the other massacres in Iraq), I would remind you that out of the 26 military personnel originally charged for the far larger massacre at My Lai, only one man, Lt. William

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1149350556443414462006-06-03T12:01:00.000-04:002006-06-04T15:59:50.936-04:00

Capitalism in action

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1149257868910644662006-06-02T09:31:00.000-04:002006-06-21T01:18:21.923-04:00

As part of the damage-control plan following the revelation of the Haditha massacres, US "soldiers" (who are usually referred to by an epithet in this blog) are to get ethics training. A natural question to ask is: Shouldn't they have received ethics training three years ago? Shouldn't they have received ethics training prior to being sent to Iraq? Shouldn't they have been told long ago that

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1148710447870033812006-05-27T02:10:00.000-04:002006-07-03T19:38:43.493-04:00

This case is by no means unique, or even rare. Far from it. Tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi women, men and children have been murdered by uniformed and non-uniformed American thugs and murderers, usually referred to as "soldiers" and "security contractors." Hundreds of thousands of others have been maimed for life. The only difference this time was that the cover-up and the suppression of

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1148654578855392192006-05-26T10:36:00.000-04:002006-05-31T22:31:47.543-04:00

That's Dubya reacting to the news that his beloved Tony Blair is being kicked out of politics. Yes, the Leader of the Free World not only talks like a schoolboy, but also thinks like one.Meanwhile, there is no love lost between Blair and the British Member of Parliament George Galloway.Today's Hitlers walking the red carpet

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1148588774063308322006-05-25T16:05:00.000-04:002006-06-05T17:20:14.160-04:00

By Gareth Porter, Inter Press Service News AgencyWASHINGTON, May 24 (IPS) - Iran offered in 2003 to accept peace with Israel and cut off material assistance to Palestinian armed groups and to pressure them to halt terrorist attacks within Israel's 1967 borders, according to the secret Iranian proposal to the United States.The two-page proposal for a broad Iran-U.S. agreement covering all the

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1148394501534184552006-05-23T10:13:00.000-04:002006-07-28T14:04:43.286-04:00

A native protester showing his feelings about the "offerings" of bread and cheese left by the White settlers after weeks of humiliating the protesters.Solidarity Links

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1148325891396193322006-05-22T15:18:00.000-04:002006-05-23T10:09:37.110-04:00

From today's headlines:Bush Says Iraqi Government Formation a `Watershed'Bush Says Progress in Iraq 'Incremental'According to the latest report, Dubya's speechwriters are still explaining to him what "incremental" and "watershed" mean.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1147974862728559102006-05-18T13:45:00.000-04:002006-06-01T09:32:18.963-04:00

George W Bush, that Eliza Doolittle of world politics, already bored with Libya's Muammar al-Gaddafi, his recently-rediscovered love, has found a new dance partner in Korea's Kim Jung-Il:Washington, May 17 (The New York Times) - President Bush's top advisers have recommended a broad new approach to dealing with North Korea that would include beginning negotiations on a peace treaty, even while

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1147892083251939422006-05-17T14:52:00.000-04:002006-05-23T09:54:31.536-04:00

Hugo Chavez says it all! Americans have a lot to answer for.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1147724463647863372006-05-15T15:58:00.000-04:002006-05-20T19:39:02.533-04:00

This is not a joke:TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya wants to work with the United States to spread democracy around the world after Washington restored full diplomatic ties with Tripoli, the head of Libya's de facto single ruling party said on Monday. "We encourage America on the path of cooperation and we hope we will cooperate together through cultural debate to spread democracy around the world

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1147617936300853982006-05-14T10:41:00.000-04:002006-06-29T23:53:22.273-04:00

... if only...

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1147490164570687582006-05-12T23:07:00.000-04:002006-05-19T01:22:28.930-04:00

Dubya's "popularity" has dropped into the 20s range. Only three other US Presidents, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Harry Truman, have ever achieved this particular distinction.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1147204843056978492006-05-09T15:57:00.000-04:002006-05-16T11:07:29.430-04:00

The full text of President Ahmadinejad's letter to President Bush, as published in Le Monde (in English): Letter from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to George W. Bush According to reports, Bush has been "briefed" on the content of the letter. In other words, he will not (be allowed to) read it. I think it is important that as many other people as possible do read it, both because of the alternative

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1147044255387647392006-05-07T18:38:00.000-04:002006-05-09T15:36:29.696-04:00

John Bolton, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, in a recent speech addressed to the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, asserted: "Rest assured that we are not relying on the Security Council as the only tool in our toolbox." He then gleefully rose up and down on his toes, very pleased with himself for the threat he had just made against Iran (music to the ears of his audience), and

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1145915070306051822006-04-24T17:36:00.000-04:002006-05-14T00:11:44.383-04:00

What follows is a full, accurate, and word-for-word translation of the text of President Ahmadinejad’s address at Al-Qods [Jerusalem] International Conference, Tehran, April 14, 2006. I ask the reader to put all preconceptions aside, and to read what he actually says.In the Name of God, the Merciful, the CompassionateDear Scholars and Thinkers; Honorable Speakers and Members of Parliament, Ladies

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1145737597757145502006-04-22T16:11:00.000-04:002006-04-27T11:33:34.190-04:00

"[Canadian] Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay spoke of a mysterious 'chemistry' with Condoleezza Rice, invited her for a skate on the Rideau Canal and gushed his longtime admiration from the podium as the secretary of state fixed her gaze on some point on a distant wall." (From today's Toronto Star)The Star's catoonists are probably working on an appropriate cartoon right now, with a bit part

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1145566380410040002006-04-20T16:36:00.000-04:002006-05-25T03:16:19.736-04:00

So you think the US Government's rhetoric against Iran is about enrichment of Uranium? Brazil has been quietly doing the same thing as Iran, with no criticism forthcoming from the Bush Administration. In fact, the US has done its utmost to hush up the Brazilian efforts, and to insist that they are about peaceful use of nuclear energy.In reality, the parallel between Iran and Brazil is exact and

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1145159927771436112006-04-15T23:48:00.000-04:002006-05-19T22:35:10.890-04:00

... a change in the lunacy that has passed for American foreign and domestic policy for more than fifty years. The speech by Dr Ron Paul (Republican member of the US House of Representatives from Texas) eloquently summarizes both what is wrong and what is immoral about nearly everything that the United States of America has represented since the Second World War. As he demonstrates, those wrong

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1144897427480203452006-04-12T23:03:00.000-04:002006-05-04T21:54:06.630-04:00

The US government knows, as well as anyone, that Iran does not have a nuclear bomb program. Ironically, one implication of that knowledge is that if the US does attack Iran’s nuclear research sites, it would do so with tactical nuclear weapons.The potential attack would be for the purpose of "regime change," and would have nothing to do with Iran’s supposed nuclear ambitions. It would be for

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1144469897172833432006-04-08T00:02:00.000-04:002006-04-14T22:36:38.093-04:00

Apropos the current American war against the rest of the world and the immediate plans to direct the war machine towards Iran, I'll say a couple of words in a minute about an old movie I saw tonight for the first time. Meanwhile, the words of Javad Zarif, Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations, make eminent sense. He is wrong only about one thing. He says Iran has not invaded another country in

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1143991958464090422006-04-01T11:25:00.000-05:002006-04-25T17:22:53.520-04:00

Canada's Stephen Harper pulling a Dubya in Afghanistan...(fake food -- everything about the man is either a lie or an act) ... and what the heck is with the flak jacket?... In Afghanistan, yes, but in Mexico?!... I don't think I need to add anything about the clown in the middle. His pictures are worth a thousand words. It must be ever so embarrassing for Vicente Fox to be seen with those two.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1143473368796016382006-03-27T10:18:00.000-05:002006-04-13T16:55:21.883-04:00

This post's title comes from a wonderful article by Israeli Nobel Peace Prize candidate Jeff Halper. He proposes a thought-provoking analogy between Gandhi's non-cooperation movement in colonial India and the Palestinian people's election of the non-cooperating Hamas.According to my Internet search, only a single newspaper in the world -- The Toronto Star -- has dared to publish this article.

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1143303045185999142006-03-25T11:08:00.000-05:002006-04-13T16:59:47.503-04:00

The saga of the four Christian peace activists taken hostage by the Iraqi Resistance several months ago, one of whom was killed by the captors, and three of whom were recently “rescued” by “coalition” forces under highly suspicious and mysterious circumstances, is a study in the interconnections and the complicity between imperialist propaganda and media distortions.The media expect the former

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1142945037574157252006-03-21T07:40:00.000-05:002006-04-13T17:12:54.136-04:00

From a letter I sent to a local newspaper:Re: Editorial: Palestinian AnarchyThe editorial accuses Palestinians of wanting to turn themselves into pariahs for electing Hamas. What Palestinians have actually done has been to exercise their democratic right to choose the government that they feel best represents their interests. I don’t recall The Star accusing Americans of wanting to turn

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1142546219755571682006-03-16T16:51:00.000-05:002006-03-30T17:57:51.736-05:00

...but only if you can stand the sight of Bill O'Reilly for as long as eight minutes. Ole Phil gives him a thrashing he won't soon forget: Video

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9257988.post-1142136349649412002006-03-11T23:03:00.001-05:002006-04-13T16:38:24.760-04:00

The sky is a little brighter today. It has been so dark, getting ever darker all the time, that we have almost forgotten what light looks like. We have even become accustomed to think of ourselves as moles, hopelessly and helplessly burrowing ever deeper into the dark abyss, hoping that turning away from reality would save us from the knowledge – the dark awareness – of the engulfing

Al S. E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053409030033484578noreply@blogger.com0