The Reality and Horror of War
Journalist describes the most traumatic moments of U.S. attacks in Fallujah, Iraq
Top Six reasons to stop fighting wars
This is not just a pacifist request or hippies shouting make love and not war. Wars not only cost millions if not billions of dollars, Euros, rials and yuan and yens but destroy critical infrastructure ie water plants and piping, housing/hospitals and schools which often serve as bases for warring factions. Wars have greatly damaged societies and human lives. Even a short war ie Georgia vs Russia over South Ossetia or long regional wars across Europe, Middle East and parts of Africa have lasting effects in the form of long standing physiological wounds, physical and invisible pain among PTSD and anxiety. Most wars have affect civilians at a higher level than combatants.
Syrian Armenians have lived in Syria since 1915 when the Armenian genocide committed by the then ending Ottoman Turkey forced the Armenians particularity women and children to flee Eastern Turkey to Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt and Ethiopia for refuge and safety. Armenians in Syria have lived relatively secure in Syria for nearly 100 years maintaining their language, culture, religion and history as well as being bilingual in Arabic. They have also experience the rise and fall of French colonialism in Syria, the creation of the modern Syrian state, the major political and cultural events in Syria and wider region that has shaped the region over the past century. Along with many culturally significant cities in Syria ie Maalula, Dareea, Aleppo and Homs, Kessab has been targeted by Syrian and foreign salafi fighters aiming to overthrow Bashir Assad. Both Muslim and Christian Syrians in the mentioned above towns have been targeted by Salafi/takfiri rebels while religious, cultural and historically important buildings and sites are targeted for destruction. Armenians living in Kessab who were forced to flee, have started a worldwide petition with the help of the wider of Armenian Diaspora to save Kessab from the rebels' destruction.
Citizens are now subjects
An American laments how privacy via phones and family life has drastically changed since the 1960s to protect national security at the expense of citizens' privacy.
Embarrassment of the Wretched
Journalist describes the most traumatic moments of U.S. attacks in Fallujah, Iraq
Top Six reasons to stop fighting wars
This is not just a pacifist request or hippies shouting make love and not war. Wars not only cost millions if not billions of dollars, Euros, rials and yuan and yens but destroy critical infrastructure ie water plants and piping, housing/hospitals and schools which often serve as bases for warring factions. Wars have greatly damaged societies and human lives. Even a short war ie Georgia vs Russia over South Ossetia or long regional wars across Europe, Middle East and parts of Africa have lasting effects in the form of long standing physiological wounds, physical and invisible pain among PTSD and anxiety. Most wars have affect civilians at a higher level than combatants.
Armenians in Kessab, Syria
Syrian Armenians have lived in Syria since 1915 when the Armenian genocide committed by the then ending Ottoman Turkey forced the Armenians particularity women and children to flee Eastern Turkey to Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt and Ethiopia for refuge and safety. Armenians in Syria have lived relatively secure in Syria for nearly 100 years maintaining their language, culture, religion and history as well as being bilingual in Arabic. They have also experience the rise and fall of French colonialism in Syria, the creation of the modern Syrian state, the major political and cultural events in Syria and wider region that has shaped the region over the past century. Along with many culturally significant cities in Syria ie Maalula, Dareea, Aleppo and Homs, Kessab has been targeted by Syrian and foreign salafi fighters aiming to overthrow Bashir Assad. Both Muslim and Christian Syrians in the mentioned above towns have been targeted by Salafi/takfiri rebels while religious, cultural and historically important buildings and sites are targeted for destruction. Armenians living in Kessab who were forced to flee, have started a worldwide petition with the help of the wider of Armenian Diaspora to save Kessab from the rebels' destruction.
Citizens are now subjects
An American laments how privacy via phones and family life has drastically changed since the 1960s to protect national security at the expense of citizens' privacy.
The Arabs of Palestine
An eyeopening eyewitness account of the humanity of Palestinians and how Palestinian Refugees see themselves, their future and the right to return to their homeland under international law. Written by Martha Gellhorn for the news magazine The Atlantic in 1961.
UN: Palestinian children tortured and used as human shields by Israel
Seeking bread in Yarmouk Refugee Camp in Syria
Conscientious Objectors
New Report details of Brutal Israeli policies
Israel's New Generation of Conscientious Objectors
Shministim Letter
Refusers soldiarity
Israeli soldiers refusing to serve the occupation
Combatants For Peace
Ex Palestinian militants and Israeli soldiers who have come together to dialogue about their experiences and personal stories to teach their respective societies and the world the consequences of continual conflicts, mistrust and violence between two peoples and promote real and genuine peace through dialogue and listening to one another perspectives, histories and restorative justice.
Bureau of Investigating Reporting
Son of Israel General Breaks the silence on Palestine and occupation
Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Court: Israel is Guilty of Genocide against the Palestinian people
Spanish Judge indites Israel on war crimes
It's the Drones, Stupid
"Why do they hate us?" Americans have been asking since and even before September 11th in hopes of understanding the origins of anger in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere. Women, children and men in these and many countries across the Middle East and South Asia have witnessed the continual destruction of human life by American drones that are both undetectable and unpredictable. The drones are regarded as the future of military combat reducing the deaths of American soldiers and their allies while patrolling the skies in the same manner of hawk across war torn countries. They are controlled thousands of miles away from Yemen and Pakistan in the US mimicking a video game with single presses of the button and zoom control on selected targets by soldiers who do not have to commute long distances from home. The drones keep innocent people with no connections to alleged terrorists or militants under stress and in fear of death from the often unseen robotic hawks. It also fosters anger against the US, its foreign policy and hypocrisy. Is it little wonder than that they hate us?Ex Airforce pilot tormented by drone strikes from Democracy Now
Police Brutality in United States
Until 1960s, American police officers and vehicles were lightly armed. Police officers were respected by American society for keeping the peace with the least amount of violence or excessive use of force. The reoccurring gun violence, massacres, beatings of men, women and children and violent stand offs between police and disgruntled Americans that seem to happen at least once every month in modern America were uncommon events in the country prior to the mid 1960s. Even legendary mobsters and gunmen that predated the SWAT team's creations were seen as overtly violent anomalies in society. Riots from Newark to Watts in the mid-1960s gradually changed police perception of managing protests. Charles Whitman, an ex Marine who gunned students from the University of Texas' clock tower in Austin in 1966 then regarded as the most deadliest school shooting in the United States history, was universally condemned. Even the cultural images of the fearless cowboy and gunslinger were brought into question in the aftermath of Whitman's death to fully understand the event and how to prevent another violent outburst. It was from clock tower shooting and the antiwar, student protests that the creation of SWAT to handle similar situations became top priority for many police forces around the country. Today's continual militarization of police forces in both small towns and large cities have caused alarm across the United States. At least once a month, police across the country are involved in death squad like shootings that leave innocent bystanders injured or dead. The argument given by police is that their suspect either fired first so a hail of bullets was necessary or the officers felt threatened. Shooting deaths are justified by various police departments in the cities and towns all the way down to the village level. Everyday, police officers confront violence that is unusual in other countries save for countries experiencing war. Some people provoke police into firefights but most of the time, the officers take it upon themselves to pacify suspects either with weapons, dogs or a tense standoff. Many Americans have been beaten severely or sometimes to death while detained by police officers violating local state and town laws or ignoring the standard protocols to deal with citizens. In the last two decades, American police have been trained by Israeli police in anti terrorism tactics and military style tactics for controlling crowds and arresting people. The supreme Court recently backed police in warrantless searches even if it terrifies the families and residences receiving the search. See police brutality in the United States for the metamorphosis of the police force since the 1960s.
Police began receiving military surplus supplies in the form of uniforms, weapons and even armored personal vehicles in the late 1960s at the beginning of late President Richard Nixon's War on Drugs Policy and the constant riots by Americans and hostage taking by revolutionary groups. It wasn't until the Drug War gave birth to the SWAT teams beginning in Los Angeles and spreading to other major cities and smaller towns. The drug war especially in the late 1970s-80s gave police power to not only carry out aggressive raids across the country to bust drug trade and Americans suspected of using or trading drugs on the streets but use their new found weapons to disregard local laws when catching drug criminals or wanted fugitives unrelated to drugs. Prison sentencing for drug offenses have grown harsher since the SWATs first deployment. The role of SWAT and excessive force by the police has been expended from drugs to intervening in hostage situations and rescue, taking down gunmen and local terrorists or threats to a city or town's security in general. Even the FBI, which is known more for its agents in suits has also deployed armed police officers (resembling soldiers like their civilian counterparts) in hostage situations or security measures. The friendly neighborhood cops that baby boomers had grown up with and police forces that are idealized in movies have changed significantly as a result of the Drug Wars and War on terrorism.
Beatings, provocations and confrontations between the police and ordinary Americans is a dangerous problem that has been featured in the media and culture going back decades. When city and town police use excessive force that result in serious bodily harm or even death, officers are often blamed but their actions are backed by media pundits and sometimes legal professionals who regard the officers' actions as justified to defend themselves against so called threats by citizens. Even when the said perpetrator/victim is unarmed or not even resisting arrest. Such force is a violation of human rights both local and international.
Radley Balko Rise of the Warrior Cop and militarized police
Police began receiving military surplus supplies in the form of uniforms, weapons and even armored personal vehicles in the late 1960s at the beginning of late President Richard Nixon's War on Drugs Policy and the constant riots by Americans and hostage taking by revolutionary groups. It wasn't until the Drug War gave birth to the SWAT teams beginning in Los Angeles and spreading to other major cities and smaller towns. The drug war especially in the late 1970s-80s gave police power to not only carry out aggressive raids across the country to bust drug trade and Americans suspected of using or trading drugs on the streets but use their new found weapons to disregard local laws when catching drug criminals or wanted fugitives unrelated to drugs. Prison sentencing for drug offenses have grown harsher since the SWATs first deployment. The role of SWAT and excessive force by the police has been expended from drugs to intervening in hostage situations and rescue, taking down gunmen and local terrorists or threats to a city or town's security in general. Even the FBI, which is known more for its agents in suits has also deployed armed police officers (resembling soldiers like their civilian counterparts) in hostage situations or security measures. The friendly neighborhood cops that baby boomers had grown up with and police forces that are idealized in movies have changed significantly as a result of the Drug Wars and War on terrorism.
Beatings, provocations and confrontations between the police and ordinary Americans is a dangerous problem that has been featured in the media and culture going back decades. When city and town police use excessive force that result in serious bodily harm or even death, officers are often blamed but their actions are backed by media pundits and sometimes legal professionals who regard the officers' actions as justified to defend themselves against so called threats by citizens. Even when the said perpetrator/victim is unarmed or not even resisting arrest. Such force is a violation of human rights both local and international.
Every 28 hours: Police Brutality against African Americans
Malcolm X Grassroots Movement's magnum opus on detailed reportings of police brutality and killings of African American men and youth every 28 hours. The report is avaliable for download free of charge.
How Cops became Soldiers
Privatization of War: Mercenaries, Private Military and Security Companies
Police Brutality in United States
NYPD Officer Risks his job to speak out on Stop and Frisk Part 1
From Democracy Now
Part 2
Albuquerque Riots against police violence and brutality
The small town of Albuquerque, New Mexico was made famous by Bugs Bunny, the animated smooth talking, prankster rabbit of Looney Tunes from the 1940s. In nearly every episode, Bugs can be seen asking a character either his nemesis Elmer Fudd or another nameless opponent, "Do you know the way to Albuquerque?" Since Bugs, Albuquerque rarely makes it to national news and is only mentioned occasionally when speaking on environment degradation in New Mexico and other Southwestern states, history of nuclear testing and nuclear waste dumping in the region at Native American reservations. In recent days, Albuquerque has shot to the attention of independent media and even mainstream news channel from nightly riots by residents against police violence and brutality. The town's police have responded in kind sending in riot and event armed SWAT police for a small town that usually doesn't experience protests on a large scale. The riots which began as protests by youth and adults was over the camera helmet shooting death of homeless man James Boyd. Boyd was shot after three park police confront him for sleeping illegal in Sandia Foothills in Albuquerque. The officers claim Boyd has threatened them with knives in his pocket and threaten to attack an officer so force was somehow necessary to subdue the men. Even though Boyd was a good distance away from the officers and told them he would move.
Homeless man James Boyd shot by police in Sandia Foothills in Albuquerque
KRQE and Anonymous analysis the events and protests in Albuquerque
Bugs Bunny on Alberquerque
Al Jazeera Report resigns from his position at the Media station and speaks the truth on Syria
Antifascist Rapper Pavlos Fyssas aka Killah P murdered by Neo Nazi Thugs from Golden Dawn
Woolwich Attack Response by British Imam Shams Ad-Dura-Must See
In a humanist response, Imam Ad-Dura addresses the humanity between Muslims and Woolwich victim and the feeling of collective guilt in the aftermath of terrorist attacks and violenceMCB Muslim Council of Britain chairman Farooq Murad condemnation of Woolwich Murder
Ebrahim College's Director Shaykh Shams Ad-Dura
Condemns murder and speaks out against Extremism and Media-Woolwich
Israeli Druze Teen Omar Saad refuses to serve in Army
Israeli conscription law makes it mandatory for most men and women to serve in the national military when they reach the age of 18. The only Israelis exempted from this requirement is the Haredis. Druzes (Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian Druzes) though non Jewish religious community within Israel are also required to serve in the army. Many serve as both border patrol officers and IDF soldiers. The Israeli Druzes speak Arabic and culturally Arab.
IDF Soldiers and Israelis against War Crimes
Spiked Ammo: The Dirty Tricks of Syrian war and all wars, report by the New York Times
"Oh God, Oh my God, my daughters have been killed." -Dr. Izz el deen Aboul Aish
Israeli new broadcaster Eldar reveals the horrors of 2009 Gaza bombings and destruction by Israel Forces through the painful and heartbreaking phone call of Palestinian doctor Izz el Deen Aboul Aish who works as gynecologist at Tel Shamor Hospital in Israel grieving the lost of his daughters as an Israeli reporter attempts to interview Dr. Aish on his eyewitness account to the bombing of his home.
za 2009
Kill Everybody: American soldier exposes US Policy in Iraq
The Killing of Children, That's What War is
Collaterial murder-Wikileaks-Iraq
Water as a weapon of war
Israel opens dam flooding Gaza with rainwaterAs if the seven year blockade that has turned Gaza into an open air prison was not torture enough, Mother Nature has dumped a torrential rainfall on the Gaza Strip. Israeli authorities recently opened the Wadi Sofa Dam near Rafah and flooded the Gaza Strip with excess rainwater to avoid a similiar flood from occuring within Southern Israel. This occurred while Gaza's own water plants remain damage from the previous bombings by Israeli Air Force.
Amnesty International has stated that Israel is purposely denying water to Palestinians in occupied territories in hopes of pushing them off their lands which is against and violates International Law and ignores Palestinian human rights and equal access to water. Water is a scarce resource in the Middle East and as climate change becomes a harsher and major challenge, water will become a necessity that could led to war on a regional and global scale. Israeli military actions allows illegal Israeli settlers to not only steal and divert water owned by Palestinian familes and farmers but also to have more land to build illegal settlements while Palestinian families are continually dispossed of their homes and water aquifers needed for agriculture and food production. "Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink." From the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner.
Pictures from Palestine & Israel
Photos by Palestinians and Israelis on daily life in occupied Palestine particulary East Jerusalem and West Bank, olive trees, Aparthied wall, schools and neighbors dealing with occupation forces, etc. A little bit of everything else. Also includes images from Israel as well. The photos are part of an interesting slide show. Compliments to Active StillsJerusalem Dispossed
What U Think U See
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