Seventeen Moments in Soviet History

You might find this interesting reading...

www.soviethistory.org

Pat

Listen what the new prime minister of Iraq has in store for his country:

He said the first item on his agenda will be to crack down on disorder by reinstating capital punishment and creating a new security force similar to the one in Britain and in the United States.

"We need to reconstitute or build an internal security apparatus similar to MI-5 or the FBI, which has power of interrogation and detention," said Alawi.

Except from:
http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/06/11/iraq_coalition040611
These words appear in last two paragraphs.

Sounds a lot like his predecessor, doesn't it? I guess that's what you get with ANOTHER hand picked (by USA) government running the country. Do you suppose his interrogation tactics will be inspired by the USA's recent Iraqi interrogation policies? If you're religious, say a prayer for those poor people.

Pat

Shock death marks Portugal EU poll (BBC News)

Link


Shock death marks Portugal EU poll

Portugal's main opposition candidate in this weekend's European parliamentary elections has collapsed and died after a campaign appearance.

Antonio Sousa Franco, a former finance minister for the Socialist Party, suffered a heart attack after visiting a market in a suburb of Porto.

He was taken to hospital but was dead on arrival, a hospital statement said.

Campaigning for Sunday's elections has been suspended in Portugal following Mr Sousa Franco's death.

Mr Sousa Franco, 61, was finance minister in Portugal's most recent Socialist government from 1995 to 1999.

He imposed tight controls on public spending which made it possible for Portugal to adopt the European single currency as a founder member in 1999.

He suffered a heart attack shortly after campaigning at a fish market in Matosinhos, where a dispute broke out involving supporters of rival candidates.

He was unhurt in the altercation and appeared to be well when he left the market.

However, he collapsed shortly afterwards, local deputy mayor Manuel Seabra told Portuguese state radio.

Recent opinion polls have put the Socialists slightly ahead of the governing coalition, which is composed of the Social Democratic and Popular parties.

Portugal is electing 24 members of the 732-seat European Parliament.
_______________________________________________

VOTING TIMETABLE
Thursday: The Netherlands, UK
Friday: Ireland
Friday & Saturday: Czech Rep
Saturday: Latvia and Malta
Saturday & Sunday: Italy
Sunday: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
_____________________________________________________

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/3790365.stm

Published: 2004/06/09 11:36:41 GMT

© BBC MMIV

The Reagan Legacy

Here's a good historical and political analysis of America's 40th President:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/060604A.shtml

The next link is an article on the legacy of Reagan's politics:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/060704A.shtml

An excerpt from that link:

>> Mainstream media journalism today is a shameful joke because of Reagan's deregulation policies. Once upon a time, the Fairness Doctrine ensured that the information we receive - information vital to the ability of the people to govern in the manner intended - came from a wide variety of sources and perspectives. Reagan's policies annihilated the Fairness Doctrine, opening the door for a few mega-corporations to gather journalism unto themselves. Today, Reagan's old bosses at General Electric own three of the most-watched news channels. This company profits from every war we fight, but somehow is trusted to tell the truths of war. Thus, the myths are sold to us.

The deregulation policies of Ronald Reagan did not just deliver journalism to these massive corporations, but handed virtually every facet of our lives into the hands of this privileged few. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat are all tainted because Reagan battered down every environmental regulation he came across so corporations could improve their bottom line. Our leaders are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the corporations that were made all-powerful by Reagan's deregulation craze. The Savings and Loan scandal of Reagan's time, which cost the American people hundreds of billions of dollars, is but one example of Reagan's decision that the foxes would be fine guards in the henhouse. <<

Pat

Disheartened about Kerry

I'm disheartened...

Here's a great article on what Kerry need to do to win:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/comment/story/0,14259,1229376,00.html

These guys are right on the money! But they focus only on Kerry getting elected without thinking about "what comes next". While I agree with their analysis it only adds fuel to the fire that's already burning in my heart.

Think about what an awful president Kerry is going to be, if he manages to get elected. I'm less troubled with him FINDING his voice in order to get elected than the fact that he doesn't actually have any strong positions other than getting elected. Truth is, he's a scare crow made of straw and a corporate puppet.

And let us not forget he supported the Iraq war, despite what he says now. His voting record in the Senate speaks louder than all his subsequent hand waving and bullsh*t.

How the f*ck can I vote for some b*st*rd that voted for the invasion of Iraq in the face of all the facts we ALL KNEW at that time???

I am certainly no King Bush supporter, but I also must say I'm not a fan of Kerry. Dean was my man but that's water under the bridge. He's the lesser of two evils, maybe. But even there I'm not sure.

A lot of my friends say "Anyone is better than Bush". And on the surface that sounds right. But it was that same thinking that got Hitler and Mussolini elected. And Kerry is NOT a good man. Not only is he inept, he's also in the pocket of big business Corporate America (and Global business for that matter). Just look at his campaign funding record if you don't agree.

It's not which party is in office that matters as much as how much they cater to big business pressures. I honestly don't know which is going to be worse.

He's a man completely without principles. When has he EVER taken a stand on ANYTHING? And even when he did, did it last? I'd also like to know who he's likely to drag into the administration with him? The people running his campaign? Probably but let's hope not. They are an inept bunch that talk out of five sides of their mouths. And let's know forget his favorite big corporate contributors. I'd say it's going to smell a lot like the Bush white house.

Let's face it, it was corporate interests that got us into Iraq, wasn't it? America is run by corporations. And Kerry may be even MORE of a puppet to them than Bush. Think about THAT!

Although the article didn't say it directly, it is consistent with my view that we're either going to have a piece of cr*p or sh*t in office next year. Take your pick which is which, I don't think it matters a lot. Without a democratic congress nothing is going to change. Kerry is a flip-flop big-money-talks guy and he's going to sign almost any legislation the congress cranks out... then change his mind after it's too late .

But I'm even thinking he might be WORSE than Bush for what he causes to happen in his wake. He doesn't have the charisma to talk congress into anything or persuade the American people to get behind a cause. And since he's NOT a leader with big ideas that he stands behind there won't be a national agenda anyway. That will help usher in MORE republican congressmen in subsequent years and a republican president with a big mandate will get elected for the following term.

And why is this all happening? Because the Democratic party prefers short term gains over long term good. They are driven by public opinion polls and getting elected at all cost (Kerry is an prime example) rather than on supporting candidates who stand behind their PRINCIPLES and make the right vote even if it means losing the next election.

I'm disheartened.

Pat

H e L l o

Hello Everyone. SOrry i just got to post now. Ive been mostly busy with my 3 month old son-Dylan- we suspect hes teething already

My name's Fatima-or Fatsky. Im a Neo-Marxist. An Anti-Bush. Im mArried to my bestfriend. A 1st time mom. A Playworker .And Im glad to be part of this group blog.

Will blog more soon.
I Really want to see Farenheit 911, anybody seen it yet?

A Plea for Enlightened Moderation

I found the following article in today's Washington Post by Pakistan's General Musharraf to be inspiring:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5081-2004May31.html

Here's a copy of the article in text form (in case you don't want to bother with the free registration www.washingtonpost.com):

A Plea for Enlightened Moderation
Muslims must raise themselves up through individual achievement and socioeconomic emancipation.
By Pervez Musharraf
Tuesday, June 1, 2004; Page A23

The world has been going through a tumultuous period since the dawn of the 1990s, with no sign of relief in sight. The suffering of the innocents, particularly my brethren in faith -- the Muslims -- at the hands of militants, extremists and terrorists has made it all the more urgent to bring order to this troubled scene. In this spirit, I would like to set forth a strategy I call Enlightened Moderation.

The world has become an extremely dangerous place. The devastating power of plastic explosives, combined with high-tech remote-controlled devices, as well as a proliferation of suicide bombers, has created a lethal force that is all but impossible to counter. The unfortunate reality is that both the perpetrators of these crimes and most of the people who suffer from them are Muslims. This has caused many non-Muslims to believe wrongly that Islam is a religion of intolerance, militancy and terrorism. It has led increasing numbers of people to link Islam to fundamentalism; fundamentalism to extremism, and extremism to terrorism. Muslims can protest however vigorously they like against this kind of labeling, but the reality is that such arguments are not likely to prevail in the battle for minds. To make things even more difficult, Muslims are probably the poorest, most uneducated, most powerless and most disunited people in the world.

The stark challenge that faces anyone with compassion for the common heritage of mankind is determining what legacy we will leave for future generations. The special challenge that confronts Muslims is to drag ourselves out of the pit we find ourselves in, to raise ourselves up by individual achievement and collective socioeconomic emancipation. Something has to be done quickly to stop the carnage in the world and to stem the downward slide of Muslims.

My idea for untangling this knot is Enlightened Moderation, which I think is a win for all -- for both the Muslim and non-Muslim worlds. It is a two-pronged strategy. The first part is for the Muslim world to shun militancy and extremism and adopt the path of socioeconomic uplift. The second is for the West, and the United States in particular, to seek to resolve all political disputes with justice and to aid in the socioeconomic betterment of the deprived Muslim world.

We need to understand that the root cause of extremism and militancy lies in political injustice, denial and deprivation. Political injustice to a nation or a people, when combined with stark poverty and illiteracy, makes for an explosive mix. It produces an acute sense of hopelessness and powerlessness. A nation suffering from these lethal ills is easily available for the propagation of militancy and the perpetration of extremist, terrorist acts. It is cannon fodder in a war of terrorism.

I would be remiss if, in defense of the people of my faith, I did not trace the genesis of the Muslims' being labeled as extremists or terrorists. Before the anti-Soviet Afghan war, the sole cause of unrest and concern in the Muslim world was the Palestine dispute. It was this issue that led to a unity of Muslims -- in favor of Palestinians and against Israel. The Afghan war of the 1980s, supported and facilitated by the West as a proxy war against the Soviet Union, saw the emergence and nurturing of pan-Islamic militancy. Islam as a religion was used to harness worldwide Muslim support. Subsequently the atrocities and ethnic cleansing against Muslims in Bosnia, the Chechen uprising, the Kashmir freedom struggle and the invigorated Palestinian intifada all erupted in the '90s after the Soviet disintegration. To make matters worse, the militancy that was sparked in Afghanistan -- which should have been defused after the Cold War -- was instead allowed to fester for a decade.

During this time, hostility among fighters from the Muslim world turned multidirectional, seeking new conflict zones in places where Muslims were suffering. Enter the birth of al Qaeda. Meanwhile, the Palestinian intifada kept gathering momentum, uniting and angering Muslims across the globe. And then came the bombshell of Sept. 11, 2001, and the angry reaction of the United States against the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan. All subsequent reactions of the United States -- its domestic responses against Muslims, its attitude toward Palestine and the operation in Iraq -- led to total polarization of the Muslim masses against the United States. It is not Islam as a religion that has created militancy and extremism but rather political disputes that have led to antagonism among the Muslim masses.

This is all history now. What has been done cannot be undone. But this situation cannot be allowed to fester; a remedy must be found. I call on the West to help resolve these political disputes with justice, as part of a commitment to a strategy of Enlightened Moderation.

When I think of the role of Muslims in today's world, my heart weeps. What we need is introspection. Who are we, what do we as Muslims stand for, where are we going, where should we be headed and how can we reach it? The answers to these questions are the Muslim part of Enlightened Moderation.

We have a glorious past. Islam exploded on the world scene as the flag bearer of a just, lawful, tolerant and value-oriented society. We had faith in human exaltation through knowledge and enlightenment. We exemplified tolerance within ourselves and toward people of other faiths. The armies of Islam did not march forward to convert people by the sword, despite what the perceptions may be, but to deliver them from the darkness through the visible example of their virtues. What better projection can be found of these deeper values of Islam than the personal example of our Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.), who personified justice, compassion, tolerance of others, generosity of spirit, austerity with a spirit of sacrifice, and a burning desire to make a better world.

Today's Muslim world is distant from all these values. We have been left far behind in social, moral and economic development. We have remained in our own shell and refused to learn or acquire from others. We have reached the depths of despair and despondency. We need to face stark reality. Is the way ahead one of confrontation and militancy? Could this path really lead us back to our past glory while also showing the light of progress and development to the world?

I say to my brother Muslims: The time for renaissance has come. The way forward is through enlightenment. We must concentrate on human resource development through the alleviation of poverty and through education, health care and social justice. If this is our direction, it cannot be achieved through confrontation. We must adopt a path of moderation and a conciliatory approach to fight the common belief that Islam is a religion of militancy in conflict with modernization, democracy and secularism. All this must be done with a realization that, in the world we live in, fairness does not always rule.

The Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC) is our collective body. We need to infuse new life into it; it is now in a state of near impotence. The OIC must be restructured to meet the challenges of the 21st century, to fulfill the aspirations of the Muslim world and to take us toward emancipation. Forming a committee of luminaries to recommend a restructuring of the OIC is a big step in the right direction. We have to show resolve and rise above self-interest for our common good -- in the very spirit that Islam teaches us.

The world at large and the powers that be must realize that confrontation and force will never bring peace. Justice must be done and be seen to be done. Let it not be said by future generations that we, the leaders of today, took humanity toward the apocalypse.

Gen. Musharraf is president of Pakistan.

© 2004 The Washington Post Company

Can American be all that bad?

Here's a list of "wonderful" things my dear America is doing. These links are all from an organization www.TruthOut.org that I like very much. Sweet dreams after reading these nightmares:

Abu Ghraib Whistle Blower Under Attack by
Military
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052304A.shtml

List of Detainee Death Inquiries Expanded to 37
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052304B.shtml

Report: Rape of Iraqi Women by U.S. Soldiers
Widespread
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052304C.shtml

Report Breaks Major New Details of Abu Ghraib Crimes
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052204A.shtml

Iraqis Lose Right to Sue Troops Over War Crimes
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052404D.shtml

Officer to Testify That General Sanchez Knew of Abuses
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052404B.shtml

Senate Copy of Report On Abuse May Be Short 2,000
Pages Missing
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052504F.shtml

Behind the Walls of Abu Ghraib
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052504B.shtml

War Crimes: What Secrets Can the Photos Reveal?
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052504A.shtml

Marines Admit Abuse at Second Prison
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052504C.shtml

U.S. Soldier: 'I Killed Innocent People for Our
Government'
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/051804A.shtml

Bush Administration Laid Groundwork for Torture
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/051804C.shtml

Senators to Press Torture Scandal
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/051804D.shtml

Arab Intellectuals: The Americans Have Installed
"Inhumanity" in Iraq
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/051704H.shtml

Magazine Reports That Rumsfeld Authorized
Interrogation Plan
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/051704C.shtml

Knowledge of Abusive Tactics May Go Higher
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/051704B.shtml

Sy Hersh | 'Rumsfeld Ordered Abu Ghraib Torture'
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/051604A.shtml

U.S. Guards 'Filmed Beatings' at Guantanamo
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/051704A.shtml

Susan Sontag: Regarding the Torture of Others
http://truthout.org/docs_04/052504H.shtml

Molly Ivins: How Fascism Starts
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/052304J.shtml

greetings

hello to all. i suppose a brief introduction is in order. my name is tim, i am married and have two wonderful children (five years and five months, thank you), in addition to this site and others, my main posting outlet is www.misplacedaggression.blogspot.com. i have had a rough couple of weeks, but when i get up to speed, i will be back to my mission in life, which is thus: doing anything in my power to remove the resident monkey faced idiot that stole the presidency and is ruining american. in case i didn't make myself clear, i hate george bush. actually, hate isn't even a strong enough term. one would have to invent a new word to describe my feelings towards him. but that is for another post on another day. i would just like to say thanks for the invite, and i look forward to posting here.

Pat's link - unbelievable !

Link

I've just had a look in the site Pat has indicated and I can't believe many things I read ! 70% of the North Americans believe in Hell and the Devil, 78% in angels and there are only 5% of agnostics and 4% of atheists ???

Now it is already time to bed here in Portugal, but tomorrow I shall explore the site. I still have some hours to get prepared for more shocks.

Please pay attention to Pat's first message

Pat has written his message as a comment to my "welcoming" message. Don't miss it !

I am also new in blogs but the way to post a first message is by entering http://www.blogger.com/, choosing the blog by its name and once inside choose "posting". After writing the message (you may preview it first), choose the red rectangle "Publish post".

I know there is a way of sending messages to the blog from your mailbox but haven't found it out yet.

Welcoming Pat

Thanks, Pat, for joining us. Pat is our second North American citizen but I can't recall where he is from.

I count much on you from what I remember about you, in spite of the problems my memory has suffered.

Welcoming Tim

Welcome here, Tim, our first North American citizen (from Arkansas).

We are curious to know how North Americans in general feel now about your government foreign policy. Will you tell us ?

Paedophilia in Scandinavia

Now a huge investigation is taking place in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark concerning paedophilia. According to the Portuguese newspaper "Público", at least 350 persons are already under detention.

The stupid creatures were caught because they used their credit cards to pay membership in several Internet sites.

However, I'm amazed to read that in Sweden the maximum punishion for paedophilia is two years in prison. Can this be true in a country that has life imprisonement ?????

Will you comment, Lena ?

Palestinian killed by Israeli army in Rafah

This is the sort of news that never fails a day. I shall quote Agence France Presse.

Agence France Presse
26 May 2004

GAZA CITY, May 26-- A Palestinian man was killed Wednesday by
Israeli fire in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, site of a
devastating week-long Israeli raid that ended earlier this week,
Palestinian medical sources said.

Mohammed Zurob, 42, was hit in the chest by fire originating from
an Israeli army position near the border between the Gaza Strip
and Egypt, the sources said.

He was near the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood in the Rafah refugee
camp when he was hit, witnesses said.

It was not immediately clear why the Israeli army opened fire.

Meanwhile, an ambulance crew recovered the body of a second
Palestinian, killed overnight near the Sufa crossing point between
Gaza and Israel, Palestinian sources said.

Imad Abu Eid, 21, who had been shot in the head, did not belong to
any militant organization, relatives said.

The army said that Tuesday night troops had fired on and hit a
suspect Palestinian approaching the security barrier, having
earlier received intelligence of possible Palestinian attacks.

Israeli troops withdrew from Rafah town and the adjacent refugee
camp on Monday after a week-long offensive that claimed the lives
of 43 Palestinians and levelled dozens of homes.

The death brought to 4,085 the number of people killed since the
September 2000 outbreak of the Palestinian uprising, including
3,096 Palestinians and 918 Israelis, according to an AFP count.