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The Saker
A bird's eye view of the vineyard

offsite link Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb

offsite link The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog.? We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).?

offsite link What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are

offsite link Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of

offsite link The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by

The Saker >>

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link News Round-Up Thu Dec 05, 2024 01:18 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link What?s the Difference Between Scepticism and Cynicism? Wed Dec 04, 2024 19:00 | James Alexander
What's the difference between scepticism and cynicism? Cynicism is especially necessary for assessing politics, says Prof James Alexander, as it sits below scepticism, making us question the motives of those who rule us.
The post What’s the Difference Between Scepticism and Cynicism? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Manchester United Drops LGBT Rainbow Jacket After Muslim Star Player Refuses to Wear It Wed Dec 04, 2024 17:30 | Will Jones
Manchester United dropped an LGBT rainbow jacket that the team was planning to wear on Sunday after a Muslim star player refused to wear it, in the third LGBT Pride controversy to hit the Premier League this week.
The post Manchester United Drops LGBT Rainbow Jacket After Muslim Star Player Refuses to Wear It appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link More Than 50 Experts Ready to Defend Letby, Says Her Lawyer Wed Dec 04, 2024 15:14 | Will Jones
More than 50 experts stand ready to defend?Lucy Letby, her barrister has said, as the police confirm they have questioned her in prison over more deaths and collapses.
The post More Than 50 Experts Ready to Defend Letby, Says Her Lawyer appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link AI is a Misnomer Wed Dec 04, 2024 13:00 | Joanna Gray
AI is a misnomer, says Joanna Gray. It's not and will never be 'intelligent'. The fact that human 'super recognisers' are needed to spot the mistakes that AI makes at least 25% of the time should be proof enough.
The post AI is a Misnomer appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

US Navy Transport warplane and OMNI Air Troop Carrier at Shannon

category international | anti-war / imperialism | news report author Wednesday July 01, 2009 18:06author by Edward Horgan - Shannonwatch Report this post to the editors

Gardai continue to obey unlawful orders

Irish army soldiers provide guard duty for US navy warplane at Shannon, while up to 200 armed soldiers transit through Shannon on an OMNI Air troop carrier.
US Navy, DC9, transport aircraft, 580048 at Shannon 30Jun09
US Navy, DC9, transport aircraft, 580048 at Shannon 30Jun09

Shannon airport security and Gardai at Shannon failed to search or investigate US military aircraft at Shannon when requested to do so by Edward Horgan and Conor Cregan. As usual there was no effective security in place to protect civilian airport users from the threat of terrorist attack, and no precautions were in place to protect the public from blast and flying debris in the event of fire and or explosions involving one of these warplanes.
The army guard as usual were sitting in an army jeep parked far too close to the Navy warplane. There was no garda or airport security staff at the checkpoint on the road to the airport, as usual, except during peaceful protests.
Edward Horgan submitted a formal written request to the Gardai at Shannon Garda Station.
Conor Cregan also submitted a formal written complaint concerning a member of the Shannon airport security staff who refused to identify himself or to show his Warrant Card, as he was attempting to prevent us from taking photograhps.

OMNI Air US troop carrier at Shannon 30Jun09
OMNI Air US troop carrier at Shannon 30Jun09

author by Mpublication date Wed Jul 01, 2009 19:13author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Lots of US military traffic today at Shannon and the day's not over yet.

So far we've had:
3 troop carriers (N720AX, N734MA, N522AX),
a Navy Hercules (165348),
a Navy gulfstream jet,
a US Air Force Boeing 737 (01-0040, http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=461838),
and a cargo plane used by the US military on it's return journey from bringing supplies to Bagram (National Airlines, formally Murray Air N872SJ)

but who's counting....

author by Edward - Shannonwatchpublication date Wed Jul 01, 2009 20:08author address author phone Report this post to the editors

The following is a copy of the written request made to Gardai at Shannon on 30Jun09:

Statement taken by Garda Lisa O'Donohue

I, Edward Horgan request that the Gardai at Shannon search and investigate US Navy aircraft number 0048, and its crew and passengers in case any of them may be guilty of crimes against humanity, or in case the aircraft may be transporting prisoners or dangerous explosives or substances, contrary to the UN Convention Against Torture, or the Geneva Conventions on War, or the Hague Convention V on Neutrality 1907. This aircraft is a DC9 - (McDonnell Douglas) -39CS, and is at present being protected by an Irish Army security team. I observed and photographed this aircraft between 3.30pm and 5pm on 30 June 2009. I am a specialist in international relations and as such I am aware that this aircraft and other US military aircraft and military personnel are in breach of the Hague Convention on Neutrality by transiting through Shannon airport.
Signed: Edward Horgan
Witnessed: Lisa O'Donohue, Garda

author by Edward Horgan - Shannonwatchpublication date Wed Jul 01, 2009 23:02author address author phone Report this post to the editors

The significant increase in US warplanes, US troops and transport of military cargoe through Shannon airport over the past few weeks, and especially over the past few days is likely to be connected with an offensive by over 4000 US marines in Afghanistan. See Breaking News in Washington Post. Dozens of civilians will die in these attacks. The Afghan War is now heading towards the sort of casualty rate on Afghan people that the Iraq War has cost the Iraqi people. As the Russians and the British found out, there will be no long term victory in Afghanistan. The Afghan people will suffer huge losses. They lost up to one million people in their fight against the Russians and subsequent civil wars. The only winners in this war will be the arms manufacturers and the drug barrons.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...pnews
U.S. Marines Launch Major Operation in Afghanistan

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan, July 2 -- Thousands of U.S. Marines descended upon the volatile Helmand River valley in helicopters and armored convoys early Thursday morning, mounting an operation that represents the first large-scale test of the U.S. military's new counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan.

The operation will involve about 4,000 troops from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, which was dispatched to Afghanistan earlier this year by President Obama to combat a growing Taliban insurgency in Helmand and other southern provinces. The Marines, along with an Army brigade that is scheduled to arrive later this summer, plan to push into pockets of the country where NATO forces have not had a presence. In many of those areas, the Taliban have evicted local police and government officials, and taken power.

Related Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/01/AR2009070103202.html?hpid=topnews
author by Baffledpublication date Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:09author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"The operation will involve about 4,000 troops from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, which was dispatched to Afghanistan earlier this year by President Obama to combat a growing Taliban insurgency in Helmand and other southern provinces. The Marines, along with an Army brigade that is scheduled to arrive later this summer, plan to push into pockets of the country where NATO forces have not had a presence. In many of those areas, the Taliban have evicted local police and government officials, and taken power."

So you would prefer that the Taliban controlled the area unhindered and perhaps used it as a base to extend their control to other areas evicting government official and local police and introducing their sadistic interpretation of Islamic sharia law?

If you are opposed to using military force to crush the Taliban, how do propose to deal with the Taliban and their Al-Qaeda allies?

These barbarian savages tyrannised the people of Afghanistan and if they had their way would introduce Taliban rule to Pakistan.

Who do you support Ed? Do you support the democratically elected Afghan government, do you support the US and Nato mission to defeat the Taliban and Al-Qaeda or would you prefer thje Taliban returned to power, Al-Qaeda operated their training camp unhindered and there were more 9/11 style attacks throughout the world?

Which is it?

author by Seanpublication date Thu Jul 02, 2009 13:53author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Who set up the Taliban and the group that spawned them - the Mujahedeen. Correct - it was indeed the CIA. They went on to wreak havoc in the Balkans and make it the heroin production capital of Europe.

author by MichaelY - IAWMpublication date Thu Jul 02, 2009 14:08author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Why has Obama declared Afghanistan “the good war?”
Why are so many Western troops, including Irish military, involved in this war?
Why is the anti-war movement calling for all troops to be withdrawn?

Afghanistan is descending into a hell-hole of chaos, corruption, crime and death. Estimates of civilian deaths caused by the 2001 invasion vary from 6,300 to 23,600. In May this year, U.S. planes dropped 2,000-pound bombs on three mud-brick villages in Western Afghanistan, killing up to 140 people. Over 1100 coalition soldiers have also been killed.

The effects of the occupation have swelled support for the Taliban. The war is escalating and has spilled over into neighbouring Pakistan where attacks by US drone planes and the US-backed Pakistani army assault on villages in the Swat Valley has left hundreds dead. Trócaire estimates that up to two million people have been displaced.

Western forces are rowing ever further in behind the invasion. Some of the additional 30,000 U.S. soldiers are beginning to arrive in southern Afghanistan. added to the 32,000 already there. The White House wants to give Pakistan nearly $1.5 billion development aid and $400 million in fresh military assistance.

Europe is deeply involved. ISAF troops (International Security Assistance Force) working under an expanded NATO command number 61,000 from 42 different countries, including at least seven officers from Ireland. This is truly a war waged by western powers against a small poor country that has the misfortune to have a prized strategic position.

Yet the west’s war is not popular with Afghanis. Opinion polls show Afghan confidence in the U.S. and the Afghan government plummeting, with now only 32% - down from 68% in 2005 – supporting the US performance. Yet this is the war that Obama wants to make his own. The stakes are very high but what is the war all about? Representatives from both the US Embassy and the Irish Dept. of Foreign Affairs have been invited to debate American and Afghani anti war (RAWA) activists. Come along and find out about this horrific situation.

PDF Document Anbd our problem is///// 0.52 Mb


author by Edwardpublication date Thu Jul 02, 2009 16:26author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Baffled above asks:
"So you would prefer that the Taliban controlled the area unhindered and perhaps used it as a base to extend their control to other areas evicting government official and local police and introducing their sadistic interpretation of Islamic sharia law?

If you are opposed to using military force to crush the Taliban, how do propose to deal with the Taliban and their Al-Qaeda allies?

These barbarian savages tyrannised the people of Afghanistan and if they had their way would introduce Taliban rule to Pakistan.

Who do you support Ed? Do you support the democratically elected Afghan government, do you support the US and Nato mission to defeat the Taliban and Al-Qaeda or would you prefer thje Taliban returned to power, Al-Qaeda operated their training camp unhindered and there were more 9/11 style attacks throughout the world?

Which is it?"

My considered answer is as follows:
I am and always have been against counterproductive violence wherever it occurs and whoever perpetrates it. Hitler, Stalin and Chairman Mao were the worst offenders in reverse order. Also included are the many dictators all over the world, very many of them installed or supported by the US, the UK and France. The Taliban did not attack the USA, and the Taliban support for the Al Qaeda was of a similar scale as the IRA received in the republic of Ireland for their campaign of violence in Northern Ireland, and considerably less that the support given by the USA for murderous regimes in Latin America and elsewhere. Lets not forget that the US and UK, and indeed the UN supported Pol Pot in Cambodia even after he was overthrown by Vietnam.
The conflict in Northern Ireland demonstrates that peaceful solutions are far more productive than violent ones. The conflict in Sri Lanka also demonstrates that intransigence by one or both sides leads to Gandhi's prediction of the whole world being left blind and toothless. I do not claim to be a pacifist, and I justifiable police actions to maintain peace, but not to perpetrate war and violence. East Timor and Liberia are two examples of justified UN policing or peace-enforcing actions, in both cases many years too late.
The Iraq and Afghan wars are very clear examples of unjustified and unlawful wars perpetrated without approval of the UN Security Council. Attempts to "legalise" these wars and the overthrowing of these two goernments after the events, are also contrary to the international law. In effect the UN is in breach of its own charter by backing the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The mistakes and gross breaches of international law by the US in Vietnam were repeated by the USSR in Afghanistan, and repeated again by the US in Afghanistan and Iraq.
If any case can be made for so-called "Just War", and I believe that no just war is possible in the 21 century, then the following criteria must be applied:
1. It must be justifiable and just.
2. It must be proportionate - that is, over one million deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan could not be justified to avenge the deaths of under 3,000 people in the USA - revenge is never a justifiable cause of war.
3. It must have a good chance of success - in the cases of the Iraq and Afghan wars, history shows that neither war had a good chance of success.

Baffled asks
"If you are opposed to using military force to crush the Taliban, how do propose to deal with the Taliban and their Al-Qaeda allies?
These barbarian savages tyrannised the people of Afghanistan and if they had their way would introduce Taliban rule to Pakistan."
The Taliban, while brutal, did bring some element of stability to Afghanistan after decades of war and subsequent civil war, and the abandonment of the Afghan people by the US government after the ousting of the Russians. The Taliban had virtually eliminated poppie and drug production by 2001. Since the US led invasion drug production in Afghanistan has reached record levels. The warlords and drug barons are now the real power in Afghanistan supported by the USA. They are far worse and levels of corruption is worse than in the times of the Taliban government. This is not to excuse the crimes of the taliban, which are many and serious. A more effective International Criminal Court and a more effective system of international is the only way of dealing with crimes against humanity. The trials of Slobodan Milosevic, Karadic, and others are examples of what can be done.
Ireland has joined the international outlaws, instead of supporting the enhancement of international law, by supporting the US and Brittish led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I am not a very religious person, but I do believe that the most basic and most effective set of laws is the old fashioned "Ten Commandments" especially fifth "Thou Shall not Kill", and seventy, thou shall not steal. This code of conduct originated with the Jews even prior to the time of Moses, and is accepted by all the main religions. It is also the basis for most national laws, and is increasingly becomming the basis for international law.
Killing people is the most serious and most basic abuse of human rights, and stealing of one sort or another is the cause of most conflicts, whether that stealing is of slaves and natural resources from Africa, Palestinian land, Iraqi oil, or trying to force an oil pipeline through Afghanistan to exploit (or steal) the central Asian oil.
My solution to the mass murder being committed by US and other western forces in Iraq and Afghanistan is to achieve justice by just and peaceful means. This was done eventually in South Africa, East Timor and Northern Ireland. It is the only way forward. The way of war is the way back into barbarism, and Bush and Blair were worse barbarians than the Taliban, and far worse liars.

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