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From: Ex-Maori
Category: Category 1
Date: 21/06/04
Time: 07:49:14
Remote Name: 218.101.64.111
"Salameh Nematt, the managing editor of Al Hayat, an international Arab newspaper, said on The O'Reilly Factor that Arab media is inciting anti-American feelings in the Arab world. He said that the media are proxies for their non-democratic governments, pointing out that none of the Arab leaders had openly condemned the Abu Ghraib situation, because it would be so obviously hypocritical, though their state-run media organs certainly had. He said that as long as the Arab media don't go after their own government leaders, they are given the freedom to attack the U.S."
Read the whole article at: http://www.aim.org/aim_column/1518_0_3_0_C/
(Accuracy In the Media)
From: djstevo@quicksilver.net.nz
Category: Category 1
Date: 19/06/04
Time: 13:41:55
Remote Name: 202.89.144.247
I rail against how proselytising Western religious fundamentalists are attempting to overturn and supercede centuries old traditional balances in the Middle East . Given their ambitious plans to remove the secular voice of moderation from it`s essential function of keeping rabid fundamentalists, from two eternally and diametrically opposed and, totally dysfunctional camps, from each others throats . As though some bizarre celestial game of "I am right , you are wrong ", that the secularists thought more appropriate to the school playground . " It`s our religion that prevails and the rest of the world accept the consequences or go hang " punch-line.
In that context and , when discussing the Iraq invasion ,it is easy to lose sight of the fact that many issues are propelling a Bush crusade into the Middle east not just religion . Ian implies that a crusading Bush leading a qualifying "State " would have Biblical carte Blanche sanction to in effect have it`s own way in administering "Justice " in achieving it`s aims . Ian even suggested approval of " by use of the sword if necessary " in that process . Let`s be grown up , in modern terms does that include nuclear weaponry ? I can see with that divine sanction just why the Coalition of the Willing so scorn the United Nations and Security Council , which though democratic institutions, as messy and unecessarily cumbersome governing controls . Simply designed to frustrate " approved " excesses by marauding powers .
With Ian`s quoted divine sanction it is most interesting to see how events relating to oil issues are developing in Iraq utilising protection of that same sanction through facilitating processes of that "State ".Handy thing to be "Sovereign ".
Consider Bush`s Executive Order No. 13303 quietly introduced last year . That Order empowered US Oil Companies operating in Iraq by conferring immunity from the legal consequences of all and any of their dealings in oil . That Order even cancels liability for civil fraud in Government Contracts under the once sanctity of the False Claims Act .
In September 2003 Tom Devine ,the Legal Director to the US Democratic Legal Think Tank Government Accountability Project stated that, in terms of legal liability Order 13303 --
"cancels the concept of corporate accountability and abandons the rule of law ---- It is a blank cheque for corporate anarchy . It`s sweeping unqualified language beyond the legalese places the industry above domestic and international law for anything related to commerce in Iraq oil ".
Unquote --- See how divine right supercedes secular law protection . Okay, party politics is at play , but at least it is American home grown criticism .
The Executive Order applies to ALL US "PERSONS "( including Corporations ) who " COME INTO POSSESSION OR CONTROL " of anything relevant to Iraqi oil or oil products . This is a licence for Corporations to loot Iraq and it`s citizens ".
The question is for how long US troops will be prepared to risk death for Bush`s Texas Oil mates ?
I appreciate it is all too facile to criticize these emergency measures as undemocratic, as some form of empowerment would be necessary . I would be the first to agree that oil is such a fundamentally unique commodity that disturbing it`s entry onto the world market would paralyse industrial processes and the conduct of world affairs .
What I do zero in on is the sanctity that Ian contrives to give to the whole ghastly mess that is unfolding . Ian, does the relevance of 30 pieces of silver have any bearing upon your position ?