Sir Bandelot

Proof of detainee abuse exists, despite MacKay's denials Globe and Mail Dec. 06, 2009 Sworn testimony by senior Canadian officers and rare uncensored documentary evidence contradict Defence Minister Peter MacKay's repeated assertions that no proof exists of even a single case of a Canadian-transferred detainee abused by Afghan security forces. In one well-documented case in the summer of 2006, Canadian soldiers captured and handed over a detainee who was so severely beaten by Afghan police that the Canadians intervened and took the detainee back. Canadian medics then treated the man's injuries. The incident is documented in the field notes of Canadian troops, recounted in a sworn affidavit by a senior officer and confirmed in cross-examination by a general. The incident, which was previously known, takes on new and greater significance given the chorus of denials from Mr. MacKay. Peter MacKay's legacy will be that of a bald-faced liar. How do we know when Mr. MacKay is lying? His tiny little mouth is moving, but thats too hard to see sometimes. No my friends, we know that he is lying by the fact that he is a neo-con. The party was built on lies and betrayals, and this is what we have now running this country.

Although I agree in principle, you are right that war is madness and waste, it cannot be so easily stopped. War is the veritable life-blood of the US economy. The military-industrial complex depends on it, like a shot of vitamins. The super-elite, who are like vampires in that they never come out in broad daylight, need war and blood to keep their businesses running. Thats US style capitalism in action. Any gestures of peace are non-productive so stop suggesting them, you left-wing pseudo intellectual pinko communist.

And neither am I... You see, we are humans, we don't thrive purely on logic. We have needs and emotions that transcend mere scientific inquiry.

There is no reason to believe that the Taliban can ever be permanently defeated in Afghanistan, nor that the people/ culture/ political/ economic system can be transformed in less than two years. What Obama has done is given the US an exit window, which is probably good, even if it is created by a temporary illusion.

Spirituality is not logical, Mr. Spock

Good questions, reasonable questions to ask. Why don't we know the answer

Aside from this passionate display of opinion, we know that at one point Iran seemed willing to make a deal. Were they really sincere in their interest, or was that just part of some kind of game? ie. Political theatre? And if they are offered a fair deal from the west, and just walk away, why isn't the media shouting up and down about it, like they did a few months ago. I assume because something else happened in the meantime, that screwed the deal. If the deal has been rigged to be unfair, it puts Iran in an extremely difficult position.

But the whole problem could have been avoided, if Iran could be convinced to have the fuel processed elsewhere, using other people's technology so they don't need to develop their own. We are not being clearly told, why Iran does not accept it. In fact we are not being told much about it at all. News of Irans rejection of the deal actually began coming out about a month ago.

Leave him alone, he's on the rebound.

And don't forget the MDBS

I knew you'd get a kick out of that one. Even for an excuse it was pretty shabby. I doubt she bought it. I know, I know! Because they like to cooperate with the United States...

For the record I only meant it towards the US administration. Not the people of the United States. Many people in the United States are nice. The admin is not very nice...

I'm glad you can read wikipedia, Mr. Dancer. Read some more- "because of his anxiety, Goldsmith finally gave Blair what he wanted, according to the Mail. After being "more or less pinned against the wall" by two of Blair's loyal aides, Lord (Charles) Falconer and Baroness (Sally) Morgan, Goldsmith issued a brief statement saying the war was legal on the basis of previous UN resolutions - despite having said the opposite in his July 2002 letter. " http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/56749,news-comment,news-politics,secret-letter-shows-tony-blair-knew-iraq-war-was-illegal

It is of course appropriate to compare Tony Blair with the likes of ruthless types such as Saddam Hussein, and the dictators of the Soviet Union during their military campaigns of aggression. Yes, a most fitting legacy...

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/cbc-article.aspx?cp-documentid=22763885 Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not be among the world leaders briefed personally by U.S. President Barack Obama about his plans for a new strategy in Afghanistan. Obama will contact a number of leaders, including those of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, China and Russia. But despite Canada's lengthy military commitment to the troubled region, Vice-President Joe Biden has been given the task of relaying the president’s plans to Harper. Once again we are snubbed by our neighbours to the south. You want to know why we shouldn't be fighting in wars with these a-holes? Because they don't take our contributions seriously. Oh well maybe they'll be nice enough to let our troops know, where they're gonna start dropping bombs this time.

We try to buy local grown for certain things, when possible. Local owned stores, smaller vendors. Of course now in the winter we have less choices other than the produce from Chile/ Mexico. Man I'll even take USA over that stuff.

Perhaps, depends on which sound bite you heard or media outlet you read from. But in any case that's why I said "allowed the people to be misled"... So even if he didna do it, laddie, he's still the guilty one... as we shall probably soon see.

Just wanted to bump this up, in glib anticipation for what we are about to hear tomorrow. Obama will do what he has to do. There is no other choice. What he shouldn't have done is allowed the people to be misled, into thinking he would bring any kind of positive change whatsoever. Prove me wrong, Mr. President.

This war has become merely an inconvenience, for most Canadians. The mission has gone adrift, and the reasons for why we are there fighting keep going around in circles. Thats the problem when you start a war, you know? Wars are much easier to start than finish. And once they're in place, they're real hard to get rid of. So, yeah, war IS hell...

Explosive secret letter exposes how Tony Blair lied over the legality of the Iraq War. The Chilcot Inquiry into the war will interrogate the former Prime Minister over the devastating 'smoking gun' memo, which warned him in the starkest terms the war was illegal. The Mail on Sunday can disclose that Attorney General Lord Goldsmith wrote a letter to Mr Blair in July 2002 - a full eight months before the war - telling him that deposing Saddam Hussein was a blatant breach of international law. It was intended to make Mr Blair call off the invasion, but he ignored it. Instead, a panicking Mr Blair issued instructions to gag Lord Goldsmith, banned him from attending Cabinet meetings and ordered a cover-up to stop the public finding out. If he knowingly did something illegal I'd like to hear his excuse for it. Blair may even face charges for war crimes- The disclosures deal a massive blow to Mr Blair's hopes of proving he acted in good faith when he and George Bush declared war on Iraq. And they are likely to fuel further calls for Mr Blair to be charged with war crimes. But will he face justice, or will the truth be swept under the rug as it has done so many times before in history? Here's the litmus test for democracy, if there ever was one.

Perhaps, but still compelling nevertheless. Given the climate we are in, and evidence from recent past history, I find this whole issue believable enough to warrant at least an investigation. If we pass prisoners along to another nations control, and they are mistreated, at least we didn't do it. But if we knowingly continue sending people to a gulag to be tortured, well it makes no difference to me if the gulag belongs to us, or someone else. We know they will be tortured, and by continuing to allow it we show that it doesn't offend our sense of morality. And our belief in law, justice, due process is a matter of convenience. But war is so inconvenient... sigh

Afghan teens allege abuse at U.S. prison A timely article giving us a glimpse of what's going on here. KABUL, Afghanistan - Two Afghan teenagers held in U.S. detention north of Kabul this year said they were beaten by American guards, photographed naked, deprived of sleep and held in solitary confinement in concrete cells for at least two weeks while undergoing daily interrogation about their alleged links to the Taliban. Sexual misconduct is abhorrent to devout muslims. The prison interrogators know this and use it as a weapon. When stuff like this gets out to the Afghanistan media, the people develop a deeper hatred for our troops and, us. ...

With these trials, we are seeing the beginning of the end of the neocon adventure. The old Bush days, where anything goes, complete disregard for international treaties, conventions and human rights, are over. War criminals, no matter what country they are from should be prosecuted if the law exists. Seems like everybody is getting on the bandwagon now. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34166612/ns/world_news-europe/ Yes indeed.

I see the British have begun an investigation- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8377730.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8373202.stm Blair may do some serious time if these allegations turn out to be true. Rumour has it Bush et al may be next...

Every corporation has their list of preferred clientele, good customers, or preferred suppliers. But where they make business alliances, the other benefits they can reap are clear, like a free trade agreement. We are talking about the merger of corporations into mega corporations, or the use of networks, with corporations joined into a business alliance.