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POPSReport: Military Should Use Less Private Security Government Executive story, by Robert Brodsky, points to more pressure on President-elect Obama to scale back on use of private contractors. Pair this story with another interesting one from the Washington Post today: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/16/AR2008111601841.html
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POPSSix Blackwater Guards 'May' Be Charged in Iraq Massacre Immunity and impunity have gone hand in hand. Representative Jim McDermott. "The private contracting thing is the most erosive thing that this administration has done. You look at all the things that are being run by private contractors, you simply cannot be handing money to a private contractor who is not under the law of that country or the law of this country and can do anything they want. They're really -- they're rogue outfits." Blackwater and at least 300 other companies have been hired by the US government for privatized armed services in Iraq to the tune of about $6 billion in taxpayer money..
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POPSinteresting two minute video on destroying these weapons The headline is quite misleading. The biggest cluster bomb users aren't signing the treaty. The US has used them in every recent war: Yugoslavia in 1999, Afghanistan, and Iraq and has not renounced their continued use. Obama voted for an amendment that would have prevented the use of such weapons against civilians, but if these weapons are used in war, they inevitably will kill civilians. The only sure way to stop killing civilians with cluster bombs is to eliminate them. A Google search for "cluster bombs" on Obama's website came up empty; I didn't find any indication of what Obama intends to do about them. If Bill Clinton were back in office, you can bet he'd find a way to continue to use these God-forsaken devices, even as he convinced everyone of the opposite. We'll see if Obama is a president in the Clinton mold.
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POPSCold War Hawks Nesting With Obama Read the whole article for Scheer's view on the business of Hawks in Obama's camp. Disturbing, to say the least, isn't it? Too may Hawks are pouncing on Obama's popularity and could easily co-opt what could have been a new way to Peace. Alas, I am pessimistic about this not-so-new set of policy advisors, like Zbiegnew Brezinski. He reminds me of that ass Kissinger...
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POPSThe Case for U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan So if aerial bombardments and occupations give legitimacy to those very fundamentalists who Afghans would remove from power, what does the real war on fundamentalism look like? And it's not just that the Afghan population believes that the Taliban resistance is legitimate; that resistance is legitimate under international law. No less important a document than the United Nations charter gives the Taliban and other Afghans the right to legitimate self-defense against U.S. aggression. Instead of scaling up an already disastrous war, the United States should change it's course The whole article is worth a read.
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POPSSpanish Troops Killed by Taliban Suicide Bombing. The attack had been carried out in response to an incident in August in which at least 90 civilians, mostly women and children, were reportedly killed in a US raid according to an Afghan commander. The latest attack brings the number of Spanish troops killed in the fight against the Taliban to 25, while the total number of foreign military deaths in Afghanistan since the Taliban government was toppled is more than 1,000 soldiers.
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POPSKristallnacht ~ Crystal Night ~ November 9-10, l938 Kristallnacht, also known as Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht, Crystal Night and the Night of Broken Glass, was a pogrom against Jews throughout Germany and parts of Austria on November 9–November 10, 1938. Jewish homes were ransacked in numerous German cities along with 8,000 Jewish shops, towns and villages, as civilians and SA stormtroopers destroyed buildings with sledgehammers, leaving the streets covered in smashed windows — the origin of the name "Night of Broken Glass." Jews were beaten to death; 30,000 Jewish men were taken to concentration camps; and 1,668 synagogues ransacked with 267 set on fire. By the end of the 1920s, most German Jews were loyal to their country, assimilated and relatively prosperous. They served in the German army and contributed to every field of German science, business and culture.
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POPSRudd's UN Vote Risks Anger of Jewish community In Israel, meanwhile, tens of thousands gathered yesterday at the square in Tel Aviv where PM Rabin was assassinated, to remember the man and his legacy 13 years after his murder. On Nov 4, 1995, Rabin was gunned down by an ultra-nationalist Jewish opponent of his policy of trading land to the Palestinians for peace. "Yitzhak, you are missed. The country misses you, you are missed by every one of us, but your way has not been lost," said President Peres, Rabin's partner in peacemaking, who was by his side the night he was assassinated. The rally in the square in front of the Tel Aviv town hall has become an annual event for Israelis wishing to pay their respects to their late leader.
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POPSBush’s Last Bullet: Why the US Attacked Syria 
Equally important, is that Syria has been improving its relations with Europe, including its once greatest detractor, France. Not only is the relationship between Syria, its neighbors and the EU significantly improving, but also the type of language used to describe such relationships: endless accolades of Syria’s important regional role in bringing peace and stability to the Middle East and so forth. The European response to the US military raid also highlights the already existing rift between the US and the EU. “France calls for restraint and underlines its attachment to the strict respect of the territorial integrity of states,” read a statement by Sarkozy’s office. Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos of Spain demanded an end to “such dangerous events.” The claims that US national security comes first, and that Al Qaeda terrorists are infiltrating the border into Iraq, hardly suffice. In recent weeks, US military officials admitted that “Syria has been more cooperative than in t
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POPSMashup on DR Congo This is a an interesting site that allows information to be published on a map, and people on the ground to submit updates by text. The site is called ushahidi.com
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POPSGeorgia's account regarding war inaccurate Attempts to make Russia the Evil Empire proof to be a hoax. Original press coverage N.Y times revealed one sentence in paragraph 35 on Aug, 08 2008 that the war started when Georgian forces bombarded Russian civilians and Peace-Keepers, hardly what I would consider unbiased reporting.
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POPSOSCE 'failed' in Georgia warnings Was it deliberate that the reports were ignored? Who else knew of Saakashvili intent to invade? How much more blood is on Bush's hands? The killing of civilians to achieve ethnic cleansing is so reminiscent of Israel methods in the M-East. Of course the Georgian troops were all trained by IDF officers, so any regard for human life is pointless.
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POPSGeorgia Claims on Russia War Called Into Question The war was started at the night of opening Olympic Games in Beijing, when ancient traditions of mankind do requiring to stop any hostile actions anywhere in a world. That did means nothing for challenged medieval vassal, blinded by his grandiose ambitions and brainless geopilitic from overseas. It is the shame Georgian and Russian people, centuries living together in peace and friendship, now become enemies. Who's malicious mind have denigrate them to that low point?
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POPS Greater Islamosphere “Therefore, I hope that McCain comes to power, so that the motivation for jihad remains in our hearts, and so that we do not rely on the infidels - to be struck by the fire .” Sorry, not my fault. I wish you could rely on the infidels, too. OK, here’s some racist Iranian rag. In an editorial, the Iranian daily Jomhouri-ye Eslami stated: “The most that that black man can do in the White House is to replace some of the staff and change some ceremonial procedures. He will never manage to change the structure of the American regime, which was established by capitalists, Zionists, and racists.” in London. al-Hayat: “The U.S. elections afford a kind of change that does not occur in the Arab ‘democracies’… The faces change in a way that we find impressive. Quick. Which recent U.S. president brought more democracy to more Muslims?
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POPSOver 30 countries exporting arms to Sudan
According to UN report of 10-21-08. The embargo was imposed in 2004 and extended in 2005, requiring nations to "...take the necessary measures to prevent the sale or supply" to all the warring parties in Darfur. Since that time, Sudan, by its own reports, has acquired: * At least 45 new military aircraft, including combat aircraft, fighter jets and parts provided by Belarus and Russia. * More than $25 million worth of tanks and armored combat vehicles, which Sudan claims were provided by China, Switzerland, Iran, Germany, India and Syria. * A total of $29.5 million in small arms and light weapons (excluding ammunition and parts). * $600,000 worth of ammunition, though a range of countries report selling Sudan nearly $10 million in ammunition. * $270,000 worth of swords, cutlasses and bayonets, the same weapons reportedly used by the Janjaweed in attacks on civilians. Sudan's import figures and worldwide export figures "seriously underestimate the arms sal
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POPSDozens killed in US attack on Afghan wedding party What the hell is going on with our military? The U.S. does not have a reputation for murdering civilians. And yet lately many civilians have lost their lives at our hands. Are we becoming careless? In this age of advanced technology why are we not able to be more precise in selecting our targets instead of just killing everyone and hoping to get the right one. Are we being played by erroneously intelligence for the purpose of making us look like murderous fools? This trend is very disturbing.
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POPSIraqi War: Winners and Losers American and British corporations like Haliburton, KBR, AMEC, Aegis, Erinys, and others in Iraq have come out as the biggest winners. Iraqi civilians didn't have a chance. Not news but still the graphic is disturbing.
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POPSLTTE is ''Terror'' It killed many in every facet of Tamil and Sinhala Society. It killed many in its own Rank. Its Leader tolerates no opposition to his ideas whether it be political or military. Many Commanders of LTTE were executed for their ''smart'' ideas.
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POPSUN vehicle seized in Darfur The driver was robbed of his personal possessions, his UN identity card and a hand-held radio. UNAMID reported the incident to the Government of Sudan police and National Intelligence for Safety and Security. The peacekeeping mission in Darfur is working with Sudanese police forces to try to improve their respect for human rights and their ability to enforce the law. UNAMID police in West Darfur are currently preparing to conduct a training course designed for Sudanese Movement Police. The Sudanese forces will be trained in law enforcement, human rights, community policing, child protection and protection of women. The course will be held from November 9 to November 27 and is expected to be attended by 90 local police officers.
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