On the Feast of Holy Innocents - Confronting Irish Complicity in the Slaughter in Iraq

by F Fri Dec 17, 2004 21:01

http://dahrjamailiraq.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album28&page=1

by Jonah Fri Dec 17, 2004 21:04

http://www.jonahhouse.org/FRDec04index.htm

by Fran - Des Moines CW Fri Dec 17, 2004 21:11

The Des Moines Catholic Worker community and the Spirit of Peace
Community in Omaha invites you to join us for:

The 26th Annual Feast of the Holy Innocents Retreat, Witness & Line
Crossing
at STRATCOM Headquarters & USA SPACE COMMAND, OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE
Sunday Dec. 26 - Tuesday 28, 2004


Offutt Air Force Base (AFB) has served as the home of our nation’s
nuclear weapons targeting and command headquarters for over 55 years.
Formerly the Strategic Air Command, now expanded to the Strategic
Command (STRATCOM). While there are no nuclear weapons stationed at
Offutt AFB, STRATCOM is the operational command center for all land,
air and sea strategic nuclear weapons systems. No nuclear missile silos
can be activated, no Trident Submarine can set sail or B52 Bombers fly
without STRATCOM'S approval. STRATCOM at Offutt AFB holds the whole
world under a threat of global nuclear annihilation every day, every
hour, every minute of the year.
And on Oct. 1, 2002, the US Military Space Command was added to this
hellish mission.


Make your Christmas celebration complete and join us as we explore the
often ignored and deeper meaning of the season. Using the Gospel of
Mathew’s infant narrative, we will examine the links between King
Herod, his killing of the innocent children in Bethlehem and the
murderous deeds of US backed modern day Herods. The Herod’s of Jesus’s
day were backed up by the Legions of the Roman armies. Our modern day
Herod’s are backed up by Offutt’s Nuclear and Space Commands.


Come and help us expose, confront and convert our country’s God-awful
nuclear weapon’s operational headquarters and it's War in Space Command
through this prayerful three day retreat and witness at Offutt.

by Jonah Tue Dec 21, 2004 16:38

On the anniversary of the death of Plowshares founder Phil Berrigan - Plowshares and Catholic Worker Activists Gather at Isaiah Wall and are arrested blockading Military Recruitment Centre on Times Square.

Link has photos
http://www.jonahhouse.org/Phil_BerriganNYCAction04.htm

by Jim Dowling - Petra Maurin Farm Thu Dec 23, 2004 05:56 Daybora, Queensland, Australia

MAGISTRATE DECLARES IRAQ SLAUGHTER "LARGELY IRRELEVANT AND ILLUSIONARY"


Today magistrate Mchael Halliday found me guilty of being a "public nuisance"for my attempts to perform a citizens arrest on our Federal MP, Peter Dutton.

Peter Dutton has been one of the Howard government's most vocal supporters of the war in Iraq. He has also supported the illegal detention without trial and torture of Australian citizens in Guatanamo Bay.

Before the recent election, at a "Meet the Candidates" meeting I presented Mr Dutton with a "warrant" for his arrest for crimes against humanity under the Geneva Convention, the Nurembourg Principles, as well as Australian law banning the use of Land Mines. For 3 years, as part of the Campaign Against Terrorism network, I have tried to get Mr Dutton to denounce the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction including Fuel Air Explosives, Cluster Bombs, Depleted Uranium. and biological warfare. Mr Dutton has refused to do so and has encouraged the use of these weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting his government's actions there.

I presented evidence of all this to the court as well as evidence of Mr Dutton's lying to cover up the crimes against humanity committed by Coalition forces in Iraq. The evidence included copies of Peter Dutton's speeches supporting war against Iraq as well as a copy of leaflet he distributed before the recent election detailing how good things are in Iraq since we "liberated them". A copy of a statement by Aid Worker Donna Mulhearn refuted the lies of this leaflet , from her experience in Iraq.

Also included were reports from UNICEF, and John Hopkins University detailing the extent of civilian casualties in Iraq, copies of the Nurembourg Principles of International Law, The Australian Law on the use of Land Mines. Also included was a copy of the evidence given to the parliamentary committee on intelligence by ONA intelligence officer, Andrew Wilkie , detailing the systematic lying of the Howard Government to support our entry into the war.

Magistrate Halliday declared all this evidence "largely irrelevant and illusory" in his decision handed down today. He further declared with a strange logic that any charge of war crimes against Peter Dutton were not applicable as the alleged war crimes happened outside Queensland and Australian legal jurisdiction. Obviously Hitler was not accountable for anything that happened in Poland, France, or elsewhere, by such logic.

Found guilty, I was asked if I had anything to say regarding penalty I merely said that as Mr Halliday found the slaughter of countless children, women and other civilians largely "illusionary and irrelevant", I was sure he would consider anything I had to say on penalty similarly "illusionary and irrelevant". I then sat down.

After reading my previous convictions Mr Halliday proceeded to list all those thingsfor which I showed lack of respect ( shredding children, torturing prisoners, and similar things were strangely absent from the list).

After such a long lecture a jail sentence looked a pretty good bet (as Mr Halliday pointed out the offence carried a possible 6month penalty). But logic once again failed us and all I was given was a $200 fine or 8days jail.

Asked if I wanted time to pay, I responded that I would not pay a fine for "serving my country". Not wanting to send me off to jail at this point, Mr Halliday gave me 7days to pay.

At this time of Christmas celebrating the birth of the "Prince of Peace", I wish to urge everyone to noviolently resist the spiral of violence into which we are so quickly descending. As Ghandi said, it is our sacred duty.

Jim Dowling Phone (07)34253003

by redjade Thu Dec 23, 2004 13:15

Christmas Presents from Bertie, Blair & Bush Delivered by the Pit Stop Ploughshares
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?id=62761

@ the Irish Aviation Authority, Dublin

by Denver Sat Dec 25, 2004 08:58

jim spencer

No room for nuns at right's inn

By [email protected]
Jim Spencer
Denver Post Columnist
Friday, December 24, 2004 -

"God's act of hope and love birthed the Son, Jesus Christ, as Light into darkness, two thousand years ago. That same hope, love, and light is shining forth within us as we nourish these gifts daily. A blessed Advent and Christmas be yours for your journey into and through the New Year 2005."

Those words could have come on a Christmas card from Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput or any of their right-wing Republican religious cronies.

Instead, the words came from the December newsletter of Ardeth Platte, a radical nun cooling her heels in federal prison in Connecticut for banging a hammer and spreading her blood on a nuclear missile silo in northern Colorado.

Platte's thoughts on the eve of America's big religious holiday serve as a reminder. Despite what the religious right likes to suggest, Christianity should operate under a very big tent.

Platte and her anti-nuke co-defendants, Carol Gilbert and Jackie Hudson, personify Christian goodness as well as any of the "morality" voters who claim credit for George Bush's re-election.

Platte, Gilbert and Hudson paid for their faith with their freedom.

A federal judge in Denver gave Hudson 30 months, Gilbert 33 months and Platte 41 months in prison for doing what they believe Jesus demands.

The nuns' sacrifice puts the lie to Chaput's holier-than-you proclamation that "real" Catholics vote only for political candidates who are against abortion and embryonic stem-cell research. In the most recent election, Chaput's edict meant "real" Catholics could vote only Republican.

Had the government not wasted thousands of your tax dollars and mine locking up Platte, Gilbert and Hudson, the Catholic sisters likely would not have voted that way.

By Chaput's measure, this seems to call into question the nuns' Christian convictions.

Ditto for Dobson. His idea of a "moral victory for America" seems to include no one who isn't a conservative Republican or an evangelical Christian.

Peacenik revolutionaries who devote their lives to protesting weapons and wars aren't on the short list.

And that's where Chaput's and Dobson's concept of closed-door Christianity breaks down.

Members of the religious right say they won this presidential election. Now, by God, they're going to turn their faith into public policy because they believe it's the way to salvation for all.

You see it in federal funding of Christian charities that may ban non-Christians from their staffs. You see it in biblical creationism taught as science alongside evolution.

All this gets done in Jesus' name.

But the nuclear nuns gather their strength and conviction from Christ, too. And the idea that conservative Christians are morally superior to Platte, Gilbert and Hudson is sacrilege.

Besides remaining "in awe of the grace of God," as Platte says in her July newsletter, here's how these menaces to society spend their time in stir.

"The opportunity to grow in nonviolence presents itself daily in the person of the most abusive guard I've ever encountered," Hudson wrote in a newsletter from prison in California. There are "many opportunities to practice the gospel message of love and forgiveness."

From a West Virginia prison, Gilbert reports that she just finished knitting "25 pairs of mittens, 2 sweaters, 5 hats, 3 scarves, 2 pairs of slouch socks, 1 shawl and 1 lap blanket" for distribution to the poor and to a nursing home.

She also reports that when she's released from prison, federal probation officers want to send her to a homeless shelter in Colorado rather than Jonah House, a community of nonviolent peace protesters in Maryland.

That's what happens when you shrink the big tent of Christianity into a pup tent. For all its lip service to piety, it seems Gilbert's country would rather see her begging than doing God's work.

Jim Spencer's column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 303-820-1771 or [email protected]

by V Sun Dec 26, 2004 00:46

Vanunu Detained on Way to Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

Vanunu held over Bethlehem trip

Israeli former nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu has been
detained trying to enter Bethlehem in the West Bank in defiance
of a travel ban. Vanunu, a Christian convert, had wanted to pray
at the Church of the Nativity on Christmas Eve, police said.
Vanunu was released in April after 18 years in jail for disclosing
details of Israel's nuclear weapons programme. Israel insists
Vanunu still poses a security threat and he is banned from the
West Bank and Gaza Strip. He is banned from leaving Israel or
talking to foreigners without permission.

'Knew it was illegal'

Police said Vanunu was stopped in a Volkswagen van bearing
the letters TV - indicating a press vehicle - at a checkpoint
between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Police said a vehicle
search had revealed only a Father Christmas hat.
"He said he wanted to pray at the Church of the Nativity on
Christmas Eve, even though he knew it was illegal for him to
leave Israel," Gil Kleiman said, according to AP news agency.
"He was detained by officers then moved to a police station for
further questioning." Vanunu remained in police custody, Mr
Kleiman said.
Vanunu was briefly arrested for breaching restrictions on talking
to foreign media six weeks ago. Following his detention and
subsequent order to remain under house arrest, some
high-level supporters including the Anglican Bishop of
Jerusalem and UK politicians accused the Israeli government of
harassment.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/4124597.stm
Published: 2004/12/24

by redjade Mon Dec 27, 2004 15:41

by Eric Ringham
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1226-26.htm

Prior to the war, one in eight Iraqi children died before the age of 5. Acute malnutrition was reported at 4 percent. Now that figure stands at 7.7 percent, and the Washington Post reports that an estimated 400,000 children are afflicted by "wasting," with chronic diarrhea and other symptoms. Experts blame dirty water.

At a pediatrics teaching hospital in Baghdad, an administrator told the Post that health officials had expected big improvements under American occupation. Instead, health care is worsening. Many international aid agencies have packed up and left.

"Oh God, help us build Iraq again," said the hospital administrator. "For our children, not for us. For our kids."

A UNICEF report points out that Iraqi 18-year-olds are living through their third war. Some of them, anyway.