date:20020101




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- Original Message - From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Sent: 
Monday, December 31, 2001 4:17 PMSubject: THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF 

COLOMBIA - PEOPLE'S ARMYFARC-EP THE 
REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF 
COLOMBIA - PEOPLE'S ARMY 
FARC-EPSECRETARIAT OF THE CENTRAL GENERAL STAFFNEW YEARS 
MESSAGEWe greet the Colombian people in 
the midst of the paralysis of the 

Dialogue and Negotiation Process 
caused by the conditions imposed 
by the President in his October 

7th statement on the occasion of 
the extension of the demilitarized 

zone, two days after the 
signing 
of the San Francisco de la Sombra 

Accord.The results produced after three 
years of joint efforts are not 
what the immense majority of 
Colombian hoped for, fundamentally 
due to the regime's lack of 
political will to undertake the 

structural changes Colombia 
requires for solution of the 
social and armed conflict. 
 
On the contrary, through the information 
media the enemies of peace are 
mounting 
a morbid campaign, the aim of which 
is to disparage the FARC-EP making 

use of the drama of a sick 
child 
whose father would have returned 
home if the government had accepted 

our proposal of a humanitarian 

exchange for the guerrilla prisoner 

Ignacio Gonzalez Perdomo, who 
suffers 
from a painful illness. On the other 

hand they say nothing about the 
situation of state abandonment of 
300,000 Colombian children 
suffering 
grave illnesses.
Paramilitarism, the expression of 
state terrorism against the people
continues dominating cities and 
areas of the countryside, leaving 

in its wake a toll of cadavers, 

hundreds of thousands of displaced 
persons and the economic ruin of 
the regions, in the midst of total 
impunity. 
Meanwhile, the intellectual, material and 
financial authors of this form of dirty war 
are in power and in the bases of the armed 
forces of the state.The economic crisis is sharpening 

due to the impositions of the 
International Monetary Fund, which 
are keeping the country in its most 
severe recession of recent decades. 
 
As a consequence of this, three and 
one half million Colombians do not 
have work; five and one half million 
more subsist on the informal economy 
and gleaning; we, the poor of Colombia, 
now number twenty five million. 
 
Of these, eight million live in absolute 
poverty. The circumstances in Ecuador, 
Peru, Mexico, Bolivia and Brazil present 
a similar panorama, countries that do 

not have guerrilla movements to be blamed 
for every evil in order to hide the 
real 
causes of the crisis generated by 
the 
economic system. Argentina is the most 
recent example where the people have 
now risen up in rebellion against their 

rulers, causing the fall of President 

Fernando de la Rua.Due to the imposition of U.S. 
interests, 
the Colombian state is carrying on a 
chemical and biological war against 
the plantings of coca and opium 
poppies, 
ignoring the socio-economic problems of 
the campesino cultivators. A real 
agrarian reform that involves manual 
eradication together with social investment, 
in agreement with the communities and not 
via repression, is the path to the solution 
of the problem of theillegal crops, as was 
stated in the Accord of Los Pozos signed by 
President Pastrana and Commandant Marulanda. 
The so-called "Plan Colombia" is the military 
instrument of the imperialist economic 
annexation scheme known as the FTAA (Free 
Trade Area of the Americas).
Our attention is drawn by the silence of 
the presidential candidates who, in the 
face of the large and profound economic, 
social and political problems affecting 
Colombians, present themselves bereft of 
proposals and programmes that go to the 
root causes of this grave situation. 
 
Likewise, the electoral campaign is 
proceeding without guarantees of 
rights for the democratic opposition 
and alternative movements.Before the Colombian people the 

FARC-EP affirm their will to continue 
contributing initiatives to free the 
Dialogues of obstacles. The proposed 
meeting next January 15 with the 
presidents of the three powers of 
state and other representatives of 
the establishment so they explain 
what it is they are ready to negotiate 
in favour of peace with social justice 
and sovereignty, is such an initiative. 
 
On the occasion of the New Year, we 
call upon the Colombian people to 
organize and fight in co-ordination 
to win decent conditions of life and 
work and achieve the objective of a 
Government of National Reconciliation 
and Reconstruction that would implement 
the Ten Point Programme of Government 
contained in the Political Platform 
of the FARC-EP.CENTRAL GENERAL STAFFREVOLUTIONARY ARMED 
FORCES OF 
COLOMBIA - PEOPLE'S ARMYFARC-EPMountains of Colombia, 
December 27, 2001
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Another 100...... [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]

2002-01-01 Thread Sandeep Vaidya


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US accused of killing over 100 villagers in air strike

Rory Carroll in Kabul
Tuesday January 1, 2002
The Guardian

Fresh controversy over American bombing flared last night after Afghans 
claimed more than 100 people died in an air strike.
US officials hotly denied that any civilians died during the attack against 
what it said was an al-Qaida compound from which
surface-to-air missiles had been fired.

Reports from the village of Qalaye Niazi, in Paktia province, which borders 
Pakistan, yesterday said human remains were
scattered among craters. Two days earlier, the Afghan defence minister - a 
leading Northern Alliance commander who
wants minimal foreign military involvement in the country - called for an 
end to the air strikes.

The question of ongoing bombing by American forces pursuing clusters of 
al-Qaida and Taliban fighters who have eluded
them, is one of many issues confronting the man named yesterday as 
Washington's special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay
Khalilzad.

Mr Khalilzad, the national security council's specialist on south-west 
Asia, the near east and north Africa, is to be
President Bush's representative to the Afghan people "as they seek to 
consolidate a new order [and] reconstruct their
country", the US announcement of the appointment said.

Trying to hold the government together will be a key task, and the US air 
raids are among many issues threatening to split
the interim administration.

Paktia, just south-west of the Tora Bora cave complex, is a focus of 
current bombing because it is a suspected hideout of
any fighters, including Osama bin Laden, who may have escaped last month's 
US pounding.

A Qalaye Niazi villager, Janat Gul, told Reuters he was the sole person 
from his 24-member family to survive Sunday's
pre-dawn attack by helicopters and jets. "There are no al-Qaida or Taliban 
people here," he insisted. Haji Saifullah, head of
the tribal council, invited US forces to inspect the village, claiming 107 
civilians died, including women and children.

An ammunition store destroyed in the bombing had been seized from Taliban 
fighters who retreated from the area nearly six
weeks ago, said Mr Saifullah.

The US central command at Tampa, Florida, dismissed the reports, saying the 
attack was early on Saturday, not Sunday,
and that two B-1B bombers and a B-52 - not helicopters - hit a known 
terrorist target.

"You don't have a village launching surface-to-air missiles at aircraft. 
You have a known al Qaida-Taliban leadership
compound," said a spokesman.

The strikes set off secondary explosions consistent with stockpiled arms 
and ammunition but caused no civilian casualties,
he said.

Mr Saifullah accused rival ethnic groups of passing "wrong information" to 
the US in a successful attempt to provoke an
attack.

Several four-wheel-drive vehicles with US and Northern Alliance soldiers 
were spotted yesterday at the Tira Pass heading in
the direction of the village. The Pakistani-based Afghan Islamic Press news 
agency said at least 92 died in the attack.

Qalaye Niazi is two miles north of the city of Gardez, capital of Paktia. 
US planes have made several raids in the area in
the past fortnight based on intelligence that Taliban and al-Qaida remnants 
are hiding in the mountains.

Two of the earlier raids on eastern Afghanistan were reported to have 
killed more than 100 people. There are no independent
accounts of these incidents, but many Afghans are convined that the dead 
were civilian victims of intelligence blunders.

While the interim government's defence minister, General Mohammed Fahim, 
wants the bombing to stop, the foreign
minister, Abdullah Abdullah, has said that Bin Laden could still be in 
Afghanistan and the air campaign could continue "for
as long as it takes to finish the terrorists".

The prime minister, Hamid Karzai, owes his position at the head of a 
stitched-together government of rival factions largely
to US sponsorship and is not eager to alienate the backer on which he will 
almost surely continue to rely.

On his inauguration day, December 22, the US bombed what it said was a 
convoy of enemy fighters, but people from the
area later said the group consisted of tribal elders on their way to Kabul 
for the ceremony.

Survivors claimed a rival group had falsely identified them as terrorists - 
the same claim as in Qalaye Niazi.

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers 
Limited 2002 

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DPRK to focus on consumer welfare [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]


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AFP. 1 January 2002. North Korea's economic policy puts priority on
welfare.

SEOUL -- North Korea said Tuesday it would give priority to raising
living standards, adding a breakthrough was made last year in rebuilding
the isolationist country's economy.

The Stalinist nation said in a New year message its economy has entered
"a new phase of radical change" after several years of hardships.

"Our socialist construction which experienced hardships for several
years has now entered a new phase of radical change," said an editorial
carried by government, ruling party and military newspapers.

"What is most important in this regard at present is to speed up
socialist economic construction to decisively improve the people's
living standards."

The editorial described 2001 as an "historic year when a breakthrough
was made in the building of a socialist powerful nation".

"Priority will be given to goods for the popular masses and to the
solution of problems arising in improving people's daily life," it said.

The editorial, which contained policy guidelines for 2002, called for
greater efforts to ease the North's energy and food shortages and for
particular attention to be paid to the information and technology
industry and boosting agricultural production.

The editorial urged North Koreans to accelerate an economic
rehabilitation drive called Ranam, which refers to an industrial complex
where workers allegedly achieved technical miracles despite a lack of
materials and food.

The Ranam drive, ordered by leader Kim Jong-Il, followed the September
11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

The worst of North Korea's famine, which some estimates say killed 2.5
million people, has abated, UN agencies said.


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Barry Stoller
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews

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Fw: Hate Crimes U.S.A. - Vandals damage Islamic center, Koran [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.




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---


 
- Original Message - 
From: Vicki 
Andrada 
Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2002 9:07 AM
Subject: Fw: [GNAA] Vandals damage Islamic center, Koran
 
to visit my home page go to: http://www.nosanctions.com
- Original Message - 
From: K. Haddad 
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:; 
Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2002 1:22 AM
Subject: [GNAA] Vandals damage Islamic center, Koran


Vandals damage Islamic center, Koran


December 31, 2001 Posted: 12:09 PM EST (1709 GMT)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Vandals broke water pipes and flooded the 
Islamic Center of Columbus and left several copies of the Koran shredded or 
thrown in the parking lot. 
"I think this is part of the hate crimes that we have received right after 
the September 11 attacks," said Mohammed Shareef, president of the Islamic 
Foundation of Central Ohio and a center member. "Things have been cooled down, 
but it looks like there's some new revival." 
Police have no suspects and have made no arrests, said spokesman Sgt. Earl 
Smith. 
Members of the three-story center, which serves as a mosque and has 
classrooms, discovered the damage when they came for prayer services about 7 
a.m. Sunday, said Siraj Haji, one of the first to arrive. 
The vandals went to a third floor bathroom and pulled the water pipes from 
the sink and walls, said Ahmad Al-Akhras, president of the Council on American 
Islamic Relations in Columbus. 
Holes were drilled into the floor on the top story so water flowed to the 
lower levels, Haji said. The basement had 2 inches of water. 
"When you first walked in, it was if it was raining," Haji said. "Water had 
soaked into floors and the ceilings. ... Basically, it was unsafe to enter the 
building." 
In addition to the water damage, several copies of the Koran, the Islamic 
holy book, were shredded or thrown into the parking lot, and light fixtures were 
pulled from the ceiling, Haji said. 
Several Ohio mosques have been targets of attacks since the September 11 
terrorist attacks. 
At least one window was damaged by gunfire at the Islamic Center of Toledo, 
while a mosque in Parma, near Cleveland, has reported damage to windows. 
On December 12, Eric M. Richley, a suburban Cleveland man, pleaded guilty to 
felony charges of burglary, ethnic intimidation and vandalism for ramming his 
car into the Islamic Center of Cleveland six days after the terrorist attacks. 
Richley, 29, is to be sentenced January 9. 
Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material 
may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or 
redistributed.The 
Global Network of Arab Activists (GNAA) is a democratic forum for all activists 
who strive to promote Arab culture and advance the civil and human rights of all 
Arab peoples.  Unless indicated otherwise, all statements published on this 
forum represent the views of their authors and not necessarily those of GNAA. To 
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Corrupt Russian elections turning voters into cynics [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]

2002-01-01 Thread Miroslav Antic


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The Globe and Mail (Canada)

1 January 2002

Corrupt Russian elections turning voters into cynics

Promise of democracy has been supplanted by bribery, ballot-stuffing and
murder By GEOFFREY YORK

MOSCOW -- It was a fairly typical Russian election.

A bomb exploded at a Siberian polling station, killing one person.
Another bomb exploded near the apartment of a controversial candidate,
an alleged organized-crime leader and nightclub devotee known as Pasha
the Disco Lights.

A rival candidate, the notorious aluminum baron Anatoly Bykov,
campaigned from the isolation of his solitary-confinement cell in a
Moscow prison, where he was awaiting trial on charges of conspiring to
murder his former business partner, the same alleged kingpin who was the
target of the bomb blast.

In the end, it turned out to be a happy week for both Siberian tycoons.
Mr. Bykov captured 53 per cent of the vote in his Krasnoyarsk district
in the Dec. 23 regional election, despite the handicap of his prison
cell.

His former partner, Pavel Struganov (a.k.a. Pasha the Disco Lights),
lost his bid for office but survived the bomb and won a legal victory:
Police freed him after he was arrested at a club on suspicion of
planting the polling-station bomb. For many Russians, the Siberian
election was an entertaining saga of crime and violence. But in a week
that marked the 10th anniversary of the Soviet Union's collapse, the
election was a reminder of the shabby and deteriorating state of Russian
democracy.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Russians flocked to the polls to
support candidates who promised democracy and freedom. Today, Russian
elections are routinely marred by cynicism, bribery, fraud, apathy and
frequent state control of the outcome.

Most Russians are so cynical about politics that they don't even bother
voting. But since elections would be invalid if fewer than a required
number (usually 25 or 50 per cent) of eligible voters went to the polls,
authorities have resorted to a combination of bribery and fraud to
ensure the minimum turnout.

In an election last month in the Siberian city of Yakutsk, authorities
blatantly gave away financial benefits to lure voters to the polls. City
officials stood at polling stations, handing out coupons for a 100-ruble
discount (about $5) on the electricity bills of anyone who voted. Voters
could also enter lotteries for prizes. The head of the regional election
commission said the Yakutsk handouts were a form of illegal bribery, but
no one was prosecuted.

Voters were equally apathetic in Moscow, where authorities offered free
movies and cheap food to attract voters in city elections.

In both elections, authorities later said that the number of voters had
reached the minimum necessary -- but only after a mysterious last-minute
surge of votes in near-empty polling stations, which led to the
widespread suspicion that officials had manipulated the results.

In both elections, the regional governments appeared to have fixed the
results. Pro-government candidates won easily. In Moscow, supporters of
the pro-Kremlin mayor won 33 of the 35 city seats after negotiating a
power-sharing agreement. Most of the major political parties had agreed
in advance to form a coalition, dividing up the seats among themselves.

Faced with elections that never seem to matter, a growing number of
Russian voters are alienated from the process. In the Yakutia region, 8
per cent of voters rejected all of the candidates, voting for "none of
the above." In Moscow, 15 per cent voted against all candidates.

Much of the alienation and apathy is because of the pervasive corruption
and fraud that make a mockery of many elections. Russian governments,
even at the highest level, are increasingly skilled at controlling
results and manufacturing whatever vote tallies they want.

Last year, a six-month investigation by a Moscow newspaper found
evidence of large-scale fraud in Vladimir Putin's presidential-election
victory. It concluded that Russian officials had used tactics such as
ballot-stuffing, vote-buying, bribery and administrative pressure, and
it said that at least 2.2 million votes had been falsified -- enough to
ensure that Mr. Putin captured a first-round victory.

Cynicism has reached such heights that Russians barely pay attention to
the bizarre scandals and reversals of their politicians.

The former bad boy of Russian politics, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, caused
barely a ripple this month when he dropped his ultranationalist stance
and announced that he supports the United States.

Mr. Zhirinovsky, who had spent most of his career denouncing the United
States and threatening to drop nuclear bombs on it, switched his
position after Mr. Putin adopted a pro-Western foreign policy. Mr.
Zhirinovsky said his party would abandon its anti-Western slogans, and
he even suggested a U.S.-Russia merger. "The Cold War does not exist any
longer," he declared.

Russians paid lit

Deadliest Year in Palestinian Territories Since 1967 War [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]

2002-01-01 Thread Miroslav Antic

Title: Message



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  Published on Tuesday, January 1, 2002 by OneWorld.net 
  
  

  Deadliest Year in Palestinian 
  Territories Since 1967 War 
  

  by Jim 
  Lobe
  
 
  
The year 2001 was the bloodiest for 
  Palestinian inhabitants of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip since Israel 
  conquered those territories in the Six-Day War of 1967, according to a new 
  report released Monday by the Israeli human rights group, B'Tselem. 
  A total of 345 Palestinian civilians were killed by Israeli security 
  forces in the territories during the course of the year, of whom 38 were 
  under the age of 15. 
  It was also one of the deadliest years for Israelis living within the 
  country's 1967 borders, according to the report. Seventy-nine Israeli 
  civilians were killed within the 'Green Line' by Palestinians during the 
  year. 
  That total accounted for almost one third of the 260 Israeli civilians 
  killed within the country's old borders since the first intifada, 
  which broke out 14 years ago. 
  The Palestinian toll recorded by B'Tselem did not include six 
  Palestinians who were killed Sunday by Israeli troops in two separate 
  incidents in Gaza. The Israeli authorities said they were slain in 
  clashes, but Palestinians denounced them as executions. 
  Sunday's killings dampened hopes that a two-week-old reduction in 
  Israeli-Palestinian violence could be sustained long enough for a 
  ceasefire to take hold. 
  As a precondition for talks on implementing a United States plan for a 
  permanent ceasefire and an eventual resumption of peace talks, Israeli 
  Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has demanded that there be no violence from 
  the Palestinian side for at least one full week. Israel's insistence that 
  the six were killed while carrying out operations against Israelis will 
  set the clock back yet again. 
  Sunday's killings were also the worst incident of violence since 
  Friday's launch in Jerusalem of the Israeli-Palestinian Coalition, which 
  aims at reviving the peace constituencies in each camp following the the 
  latest intifada which started in September 2000 when Sharon, then 
  leader of the opposition, made a controversial visit to the site of one of 
  Islam's holiest shrines, the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. 
  The Coalition, led by Palestinians Sari Nusseibeh and Hanan Ashrawi, 
  and several Israeli opposition legislators, including Yossi Beilin and 
  Yossi Sarid, is calling for a final peace accord based on the creation of 
  a Palestinian state, Jerusalem as the capital for both nations, and the 
  removal of Israeli settlements from the occupied territories. 
  The new grouping has been buoyed by recent polls showing that about 
  two-thirds of Israelis strongly favor a resumption of peace talks, and 
  more than 70 percent of Palestinians support Yasser Arafat's recent call 
  for a ceasefire. 
  "We are not willing to continue to be held hostage by extremists from 
  both sides," said Israeli author David Grossman, one of the founders of 
  the Coalition. "We all know what the framework of the only possible 
  permanent settlement is. Why not arrive at it now and prevent thousands of 
  tragedies?" 
  The grim statistics of the tragedies over the past year were the 
  subject of the B'Tselem report. 
  In addition to the 351 Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli security 
  forces, 103 members of the Palestinians security services were killed in 
  the occupied territories by their Israeli counterparts. Seven Palestinian 
  civilians, including a two-month-old baby, were killed by Israeli 
  civilians during the year, the report said. 
  Also in the occupied territories, 65 Israeli civilians, including six 
  under the age of 15, were killed by Palestinians. Twenty-one Israeli 
  soldiers were also killed there during the past year. 
  Along with the 79 Israeli civilians killed inside Israel proper, 
  according to the report, 16 members of the Israeli security forces were 
  killed there during the year. The worst monthly total was December when 23 
  civilians were killed in two suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Haifa. 
  The additions of the past year put the total number of Palestinian 
  civilians in the occupied territories killed by Israeli security forces 
  and settlers since the al-Aqsa intifada began, at 601. In addition, 
  138 members of the Palestinian security forces have been killed during the 
  same 15-month period. 
  Since the intifada began, a total of 83 Israeli civilians and 40 
  Israeli soldiers and police have been killed by Palestinians in the 
  occupied territo

News, 1.1.2002, 16:00 UTC [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]

2002-01-01 Thread Miroslav Antic


HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
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   Deutsche Welle
   English Service News
   01st January, 2001, 16:00 UTC


   Introduction of Euro Currency Successful say Banks

   The introduction of euro banknotes seems to have got off to a good
start, with demand for the new bills strong and banks reporting barely a
hitch in the logistics. EU Commission President Romano Prodi hailed the
launch of the euro, saying the identity of the new currency will be
strong, leading to more growth, efficiency and competition. Every
citizen of the Euroland's 12 member countries will have "a piece of
Europe in the palm of the their hands", said Prodi. The euro currency
became legal tender overnight for more than 300 million residents.
Opting out are Britain, Denmark and Sweden. Europen Central Bank
president Wim Duisenberg said the euro launch would generate up to one
per cent in additional economic growth. Even threats of strikes at banks
in France and Italy when business resumes on Wednesday after the New
Year holiday failed to dampen confidence that the change would go
smoothly. Meanwhile some major department stores in the United Kingdom
have said they will accept the new euro currency, and in even in
Switzerland residents were queueing to swap their Swiss Francs.


   India Offers Peace Talks, Pakistan says Situation Highly Explosive

   India on Tuesday offered peace talks if Pakistan dropped its
"anti-Indian mentality" but Islamabad said New Delhi was still massing
forces and the situation remained "highly explosive". Despite fears of
war, the nuclear rivals renewed a 1991 pact not to attack each other's
nuclear facilities. In a new year message to his nation, Indian Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said he did not want war and would
consider talks on disputed Kashmir -- at the heart of the latest
tensions -- but only when Pakistan acted against cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan said British Prime Minister Tony Blair planned a peacemaking
visit to both countries next week, while accusing India of continuing
its military build-up along the border. India denied the charge, saying
its defensive build-up was "more or less complete". The stand-off has
raised fears of a fourth war between the nuclear rivals, who have
already gone to war twice over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, India's
only Muslim-majority state.


   Argentina calls Emergency Meeting to Pick New Leader

   Argentina's Peronist Party called an emergency session of Congress on
Tuesday to name another new president to try to lead the nation out of a
chaotic four-year recession. After Sunday's shock resignation of the
second president in barely a week, the Peronist senator Eduardo Duhalde
is seen as the favourite. On Sunday, Adolfo Rodriguez Saa, who'd
replaced Fernando De la Rua, resigned after serving only one week as
interim president. Duhalde, if picked, could see out De la Rua's
intended term in office until December 2003. Argentine police are
girding for more unrest, especially outside banks, judicial and public
transport centres. On Friday there were renewed protests in Buenos Aires
and other cities when the courts upheld limits on bank customers' cash
withdrawals. A week ago Argentina suspended repayments on massive
foreign loans.


   Thousands Protest Zambian Election Results

   Zambian police fired teargas on Tuesday to disperse thousands of
protesters who tried to march on President Frederick Chiluba's official
residence, demanding that he nullify last week's election result. The
clashes came as 10 opposition parties went to court to pursue their
claim that Chiluba's ruling party rigged last week's presidential poll
in favour of its candidate Levy Mwanawasa. Latest results from the
Electoral Commission showed Mwanawasa of the Movement for Multiparty
Democray (MMD) strengthening his lead, despite widespread accusations
the MMD is to blame for graft, mismanagement and divisive tribalism. The
Zambian authorities are expected to announce the winner of the
cliffhanger elections later today, in what has been the closest since
Zambia's independence from Britain in 1964.


   Advance ISAF Team Flying to Afghanistan

   An advance team of the U.N. peace force for Afghanistan, ISAF, has
flown from London, heading for an as-yet-unnamed Afghan airport after
days of delay. The German defence ministry said an Airbus was carrying
150 personnel, including nine Bundeswehr officers. In Oman, they would
switch to a British aircraft. This follows agreement between ISAF's
designated British commander John McColl and Afghan interior minister
Yunis Kanuni on an ISAF force to comprise 4,500 soldiers from 17
nations. Tribal forces in Helmand province claim to be nearing Taliban
leader Mullah Mohammad Omar near Baghran. The U.S. military has denied
that U.S. planes killed 107 civilians while bombing a village in the
eastern Afghan Paktia region on Sunday. A U.S. spokesman said it was a
"known" al-Qaeda-Taliban compound.


   Sharon Blocks Katzav Speec

Unrest continues in Argentina [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]


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AP (with additional material by BBC). 1 January 2002. Rival Protesters
Clash Outside Argentina's Congress as Lawmakers Struggle to Pick a New
President.

BUENOS AIRES -- As Argentina's parliament meets in emergency session to
name a new president, demonstrators have been fighting running battles
in the streets of the capital.

The violence broke out between supporters of Mr Duhalde's Peronist party
and the opposition United Left, Argentine radio said.

Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to bring the stone-throwing
rioters under control.

Hundreds of rival protesters threw stones and bottles at each other
outside Congress on Tuesday.

The supporters of rival parties clashed briefly before riot police
firing tear gas separated them, while differences between legislators
delayed an emergency session of Congress supposed to pick a new
president.

There were no immediate reports of injuries in the unrest. But tensions
were high, and hundreds of police fanned out around Congress and the
Plaza de Mayo, a major city square, fearing a return of widespread
street violence that has shaken this capital in recent weeks.

The abrupt resignation of interim President Adolfo Rodriguez Saa on
Sunday left the country without any clear leadership and, even worse,
without a concise economic plan to pull Argentina - long Latin America's
most prosperous country - back from virtual bankruptcy after four years
of deep recession.

Emerging as the likely candidate to fill the post is Sen. Eduardo
Duhalde, a Peronist Party political boss and fierce critic of the
free-market policies undertaken by the government over the past 10
years.

While Duhalde appeared to have the backing of many in his party,
political infighting has gripped the Peronist party, which controls both
houses of Congress and is now the country's leading political force.

One faction appeared to favor calling general elections to elect a new
president in March, while another wants to appoint a leader to serve out
the remainder of de la Rua's term through 2003.

"Argentines must be allowed to elect a new president," said Jose Manuel
de la Sota, an influential Peronist governor. "It's the only way we can
move forward to lift this country out of this disaster."

Worried about the political and economic upheaval, Gov. Carlos Ruckhauf,
who controls Buenos Aires province, appealed for "a government of
national salvation" made up members of all the political parties.

Duhalde is a two-time governor of Argentina's powerful Buenos Aires
province, and two years ago he was resoundingly beaten by de la Rua in a
bid for the presidency. His stint as governor was marred by heavy
spending that racked up high debts for Buenos Aires. Charges of
corruption against figures in his government also surfaced, though he
was not touched personally.

Some Argentines seemed to worry about a possible Duhalde administration.

"He's the kind of politician the people have been saying they no longer
want leading this country," said Jorge Ocampo, a 38-year-old
electrician.

"The problem is that there aren't any alternatives; our political
leaders are all either scarred by charges of corruption or seen as part
of the system."

Whoever is appointed will face down an economy that has ground to a
halt.

Thousands of police had their leave cancelled ahead of the vote and
extra guards were drafted in to protect the government palace and
congress buildings, the scenes of violent demonstrations at the weekend.

Some 45,000 police were on standby in and around the capital, with
soldiers also helping guard the nearby government palace known as the
Casa Rosada.

It is the worst crisis since the interruption of democracy by a 1976-83
dictatorship.


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Barry Stoller
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews

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re: Unrest continues in Argentina [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]




HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
---



According to AP this is quote " the worst 
crisis since the interruption 
of democracy by a 1976-83 dictatorship". 

 
Actually this would seem to be a "worse" 
crises. The capitalists, both 
in Argentina 
and particularly 
the U.S weren't bothered in the least by the 
imposition of 
military dictatorship. In fact, they fully supported and were 
behind it! 
For them, this 
crisis is perceived as much worse, because their business 
interests and the ability to profit from their continual and continuous 

impovertisation of 
the Argentinean people is threatened. Watch for 
another 
U.S backed, right wing military coup or even direct U.S. military intervention.
mart
 
- Original Message - 
From: Barry Stoller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2002 5:33 
PM
Subject: Unrest continues in Argentina 
> HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK> 
---> > > AP (with additional 
material by BBC). 1 January 2002. Rival Protesters> Clash Outside 
Argentina's Congress as Lawmakers Struggle to Pick a New> 
President.> > BUENOS AIRES -- As Argentina's parliament meets in 
emergency session to> name a new president, demonstrators have been 
fighting running battles> in the streets of the capital.> > 
The violence broke out between supporters of Mr Duhalde's Peronist party> 
and the opposition United Left, Argentine radio said.> > Police 
used rubber bullets and tear gas to bring the stone-throwing> rioters 
under control.> > Hundreds of rival protesters threw stones and 
bottles at each other> outside Congress on Tuesday.> > The 
supporters of rival parties clashed briefly before riot police> firing 
tear gas separated them, while differences between legislators> delayed 
an emergency session of Congress supposed to pick a new> 
president.> > There were no immediate reports of injuries in the 
unrest. But tensions> were high, and hundreds of police fanned out around 
Congress and the> Plaza de Mayo, a major city square, fearing a return of 
widespread> street violence that has shaken this capital in recent 
weeks.> > The abrupt resignation of interim President Adolfo 
Rodriguez Saa on> Sunday left the country without any clear leadership 
and, even worse,> without a concise economic plan to pull Argentina - 
long Latin America's> most prosperous country - back from virtual 
bankruptcy after four years> of deep recession.> > Emerging 
as the likely candidate to fill the post is Sen. Eduardo> Duhalde, a 
Peronist Party political boss and fierce critic of the> free-market 
policies undertaken by the government over the past 10> years.> 
> While Duhalde appeared to have the backing of many in his 
party,> political infighting has gripped the Peronist party, which 
controls both> houses of Congress and is now the country's leading 
political force.> > One faction appeared to favor calling general 
elections to elect a new> president in March, while another wants to 
appoint a leader to serve out> the remainder of de la Rua's term through 
2003.> > "Argentines must be allowed to elect a new president," 
said Jose Manuel> de la Sota, an influential Peronist governor. "It's the 
only way we can> move forward to lift this country out of this 
disaster."> > Worried about the political and economic upheaval, 
Gov. Carlos Ruckhauf,> who controls Buenos Aires province, appealed for 
"a government of> national salvation" made up members of all the 
political parties.> > Duhalde is a two-time governor of 
Argentina's powerful Buenos Aires> province, and two years ago he was 
resoundingly beaten by de la Rua in a> bid for the presidency. His stint 
as governor was marred by heavy> spending that racked up high debts for 
Buenos Aires. Charges of> corruption against figures in his government 
also surfaced, though he> was not touched personally.> > 
Some Argentines seemed to worry about a possible Duhalde administration.> 
> "He's the kind of politician the people have been saying they no 
longer> want leading this country," said Jorge Ocampo, a 
38-year-old> electrician.> > "The problem is that there 
aren't any alternatives; our political> leaders are all either scarred by 
charges of corruption or seen as part> of the system."> > 
Whoever is appointed will face down an economy that has ground to a> 
halt.> > Thousands of police had their leave cancelled ahead of 
the vote and> extra guards were drafted in to protect the government 
palace and> congress buildings, the scenes of violent demonstrations at 
the weekend.> > Some 45,000 police were on standby in and around 
the capital, with> soldiers also helping guard the nearby government 
palace known as the> Casa Rosada.> > It is the worst crisis 
since the interruption of democracy by a 1976-83> dictatorship.> 
> > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .> > 
Barry Stoller> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews> 

==^
This

Cuba: National Liberation Day 2002 [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]


HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
---


AP. 1 January 2002.  Cuba Promises to Fight for Return of Five Secret
Agents as It Commemorates 1959 Revolution.

HAVANA -- The Cuban government promised Tuesday to fight for the return
of five agents sentenced in Miami on espionage charges as it celebrated
the 43rd anniversary of the Cuban revolution.

"Cuban men and women, we toast this heroic nation capable of so many
great achievements, the revolution that illuminates our hopes, (and) the
return of the heroes to the homeland," read the government's New Year's
message, published on the front page of the Communist Party daily
Granma.

Jan. 1 is the most important day on communist Cuba's calendar, marking
the day in 1959 that Fidel Castro and his bearded revolutionaries
entered the eastern city of Santiago after dictator Fulgencio Batista
fled the country.

Winning the return of the five agents has become a top priority for
Castro. Last week, he called a special session of the National Assembly,
which unanimously agreed to bestow the title of "Heroes of the Republic
of Cuba" on the five men.

The men were convicted in December and given sentences ranging life in
prison to 10 years. Prosecutors said they were assigned by Havana to
warn about signs of a U.S. invasion.

Gerardo Hernandez was sentenced to life on charges of trying to
infiltrate U.S. military bases and conspiring in the deaths of four
Cuban-Americans whose private planes were shot down by Cuba in 1996.

The others received lesser terms - two on charges of trying to penetrate
U.S. military bases and two convicted of failing to register as foreign
agents and conspiracy.

Castro said the men were patriots protecting their country from possible
terrorist attacks.

During the special parliamentary session Saturday, Castro told the
assembly that because of the men's importance, 2002 would be officially
known as the "Year of the Heroic Prisoners of the Empire" - a reference
to the United States.

The Cuban government regularly chooses a slogan for each year, which
then is used in official correspondence and in state media instead of
the year's number.

In its New Year message, the government also claimed 3 percent economic
growth during 2001, despite a drop in tourism, sinking prices for Cuban
exports and heavy damage from Hurricane Michelle in early November.


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Barry Stoller
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews

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Duhalde 'named' as pots & pans resound [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]


HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
---


AP (with additional material by Reuters and BBC). 1 January 2002.
Argentina Names New President.

BUENOS AIRES -- Congress named a Peronist party leader as Argentina's
the fifth president in two weeks Tuesday as the country reeled from its
most serious political and economic crisis in decades.

The Peronist-controlled Congress overwhelmingly confirmed old-style
populist Eduardo Duhalde as head of state. The vote was 262-21, with 18
abstentions.

Pots and pans could again be heard in several districts of the capital
after news of Duhalde's appointment.

"No to Duhalde. Elections now," read pamphlets scattered across a Buenos
Aires park after New Year's celebrations.

In a brief outburst of violence hours earlier, hundreds of rival
political demonstrators battled each other with slingshots, stones and
paving blocks.

Although the violence was swiftly quelled by police firing tear gas and
rubber bullets, the street brawling was a clear sign of Argentines'
simmering anger at their politicians, whom they blame for a crippling
recession of nearly four years.

Waving red flags, student supporters of more extreme left-wing groups
battled with the Peronist demonstrators. At least two injuries were
reported.

Argentine radio said that police used tear gas and rubber bullets
against the rioters during the "hellish clash."

Standing outside Congress, his shirt smeared in blood from a rubber
bullet wound, Fernando Ramirez said he hoped lawmakers would find
solutions quickly.

"I hope Congress can find some reasonable way out of this situation
because this chaos is getting out of control," he said.

Many Argentines stayed at home this New Year and streets were mostly
empty and restaurants boarded up amid fear of violence.

In this country of 36 million people, around 2,000 people a day fall
below the poverty line and many are so angry at politicians seen as
corrupt that they have insulted and spat on legislators and government
officials in the street.


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Barry Stoller
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews

==^
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Balkan News Review (01/01/02) [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]

2002-01-01 Thread petokraka78

HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
---

1. US spreads Euro word in Kosovo (Associated Press, AP)
2. Turkey criticizes EU on terror lis (AP)
3. Southern Serbia still tense despite end of conflict (Reuters)
4. Turkish troops go after PKK in northern Iraq (Reuters)
5. Balkan territories slip quietly into Euro party (Reuters)

U.S. Spreads Euro Word in Kosovo
By GARENTINA KRAJA
.c The Associated Press
ROGANE, Yugoslavia (AP) - U.S. soldiers and other NATO-led peacekeepers - in Kosovo to prevent violence - have taken on an unusual new task: heading out on the worst roads into the most remote areas to spread the word about the new European currency, the euro.

Kosovo - still a province of Yugoslavia - isn't part of the European Union, but since 1999 it has depended on the German mark as its currency. So when the euro replaces the mark in Germany on Tuesday, it does the same in Kosovo.

The territory, which is run by international administrators since Yugoslav troops were forced out, is the first place to officially adopt the euro outside the 15-nation European Union. Twelve EU nations start using the currency Tuesday.

American, British, French and German soldiers - and others in the 39-nation peacekeeping force - are pitching in to inform Kosovars about the new currency and how to change their money.

``It's different,'' says Capt. Andrew Zacherl, 32, from Denver, at the idea of an American soldier ``selling'' the European currency here.

Soldiers of the 9th Psychological Operations Battalion, from Fort Bragg, N.C., have for weeks been defying some of Europe's worst winter weather, lugging euro pamphlets, euro calendars, wallet-size exchange rate cards and other paraphernalia linked to the currency changeover.

Normally the unit hands out fliers urging parents not to buy war toys for their kids or helps organize call-in radio shows - part of an effort to nudge majority ethnic Albanians and minority Serbs away from confrontation and toward cooperation.

The euro operation has ``long term U.S. benefits,'' Zacherl said. ``If Europe has a stable economy, that means the economy in the States will be stable.''

After coming under U.N. and NATO control in June 1999, Kosovo's unstable Yugoslav dinar was replaced with the German mark to keep inflation in check. Even before that, the mark was king among most Kosovo residents. With the mark one of the currencies being displaced by the euro early next year, there is no other choice for Kosovo but to go along.

Like villagers elsewhere, locals in Rogane village, some 50 miles east of province's capital, Pristina, have for weeks been exposed to information preparing them for the changeover starting Jan. 1 and ending Feb. 28.

Peacekeepers have put up euro fact sheet posters, with euro-mark exchange rates and other information to remind people that the clock is ticking down on the Deutschmark. Radio messages and television spots with the same message are aired dozens of times a day.

Like members of the other euro nations, Kosovo residents will head to the bank to turn in their marks for the new currency. Many look forward to the change, hoping it will bring them closer to Europe's more prosperous economies.

Shaban Bajrami, a 28-year-old jewelry store owner, had kept his life savings buried in his garden for years. Now, he plans to open a bank account in euros.

``Finally I have the feeling that we are part of Europe,'' Bajrami said. ``At least now we get to do business like they do.''

Village teacher Gani Basha sounds a similar chord. ``I'm excited,'' he said. ``We are joining Europe.''

Although Kosovo is traditionally a cash-based society, part of the euro campaign has focused on encouraging residents to deposit money long kept hidden at home. That has led to about 100,000 new bank accounts being opened in the last month alone, compared to 1,000 new accounts over all of the rest of 2001, says EU spokesman Mike Todd.

There are also hopes that a common currency will encourage European nations to invest in an economy shattered by years of political repression and months of war pitting forces loyal to former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic against ethnic Albanian guerrillas.

AP-NY-12-29-01 1631EST

Turkey Criticizes EU on Terror List
By BEN HOLLAND
.c The Associated Press
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) - Turkey on Saturday criticized the European Union's failure to include militant leftist and Kurdish groups that have carried out attacks in Turkey on its list of terrorist organizations.

The European Union's omission of the Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK, and a militant leftist group that is leading a hunger strike against prison conditions was incomprehensible, according to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

``Nobody has any doubt that these are terrorist organizations,'' Ecevit said. ``The fact that the EU has not included these two groups on its terrorism list is beyond comprehension.''

The EU made public Friday a list of organizati

Fw: [CubaNews] Cuba Opposes U.S. Plan for Prisoners at Guantanamo [WWW.STOPNATO.




HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
---


Forward from mart.
PLease distribute.
 
FREE THE MIAMI 
5!
END THE 
BLOCKADE!
U.S. OUT OF 
GUANTANAMO!
NOW!
 
- Original Message - From: Jose G. 
Perez To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2002 11:27 
PMSubject: [CubaNews] Cuba Opposes U.S. Plan for Prisoners at 
GuantanamoSaturday December 29 6:57 PM ETCuba Opposes U.S. 
Plan for Prisoners at GuantanamoBy Andrew CawthorneHAVANA (Reuters) 
- Senior Cuban officials voiced their opposition Saturdayto Washington's 
plans for housing Taliban and al Qaeda prisoners at a U.S.Navy base at 
Guantanamo Bay on the communist-run Caribbean island.``Of course, we 
don't agree with this, since even though it is occupied bythe Americans, 
this is Cuban territory,'' said Gen. Ramon Espinosa, head ofthe Cuban 
Revolutionary Armed Forces' eastern section, which includes theGuantanamo 
area.Espinosa, in rare comments to reporters, stressed, however, that 
theproposal to turn the U.S. facility on Cuba's southeast tip into a 
detentioncenter should not ruffle the military calm on the base's border, 
which isheavily guarded on both sides.``We hope to maintain that 
zone as it is today, pretty quiet on bothsides,'' he said, adding that Cuba 
aspired to regain control of the area oneday ``by peaceful 
means.''Another senior member of President Fidel Castro's government, 
HigherEducation Minister Fernando Vecino Alegret, also criticized the plan 
tobring detainees from the conflict in Afghanistan half-way around the 
worldto the century-old base.``I think it would be yet another 
mistake by the Americans to use thatusurped territory ... I think there will 
be repudiation of that around theworld,'' Vecino told reporters outside a 
special session of Cuba's NationalAssembly parliament.Cuban Attorney 
General Juan Escalona scoffed at the proposal as ``anotherprovocation'' from 
the Americans.''While condemning the Sept. 11 attacks on the United 
States, Havana has alsoopposed the bombardment of Afghanistan, calling it a 
barbaric massacre ofcivilians to advance imperial goals.Castro and 
his ruling Communist Party have long opposed their politicalfoe's military 
presence at the 45 square mile base in Guantanamo Bay,calling the 
installation a ``dagger pointed at Cuba's heart''.NO COMMENT YET FROM 
CASTROThe base was founded after U.S. Marines landed at Guantanamo Bay 
in 1898during the Spanish-American War and, under a 1934 treaty, can only 
bedisbanded by mutual consent or if the U.S. forces pull out 
voluntarily.Castro has still not commented in public on the U.S. plan, 
and state mediahave not mentioned the news.Ordinary Cubans appeared 
to agree with the officials. ``We don't tell theAmericans what to do in 
their territory, so they shouldn't come here anddictate on our land,'' 
26-year-old Julio Mier said on a Havana street.In his announcement on 
Thursday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld saidWashington did not 
anticipate any trouble from Havana over the use ofGuantanamo, which he 
described as ``the least worst place we could haveselected.''One 
senior U.S. military official said earlier this week that ultimatelyhundreds 
of captured al Qaeda and Taliban members could be brought toGuantanamo for 
interrogation. Washington accuses the al Qaeda network, whichhad been 
protected in Afghanistan by the former Taliban government, ofmasterminding 
the Sept. 11 attacks.One of the last front lines of the Cold War, the 
Guantanamo base has longbeen a sore point in the United States' tense 
relations with Cuba sinceCastro's 1959 revolution.At Saturday's 
special session of the Cuban parliament, five Cuban agentsjailed in Florida 
on spy charges were awarded the distinction of ``Heroes ofthe Republic'' and 
lauded as patriots unfairly punished for trying to blockanti-Communist 
''terrorism.''``They have carried out with exemplary dedication, dignity 
and firmness thesacred mission of defending the fatherland and protecting it 
fromterrorism,'' said a citation read by National Assembly President 
RicardoAlarcon in Castro's presence.During sentencing in recent 
days, three of the five alleged members of ``TheWasp Network'' spy ring 
received life sentences, while the other two werejailed for 15 and 19 years 
respectively.As part of a mass campaign to demand their release, 40,000 
Cubans attended astate-organized rally earlier on Saturday in western Pinar 
del Rio province.(Additional reporting by Nelson 
Acosta)=To 
subscribe to CubaNews, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
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Civilian Death Toll Is Not Big News [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]

2002-01-01 Thread Rick Rozoff


HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
---

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/opinion/2002/0102/opt1.htm


The Irish Times
Wednesday, January 2, 2002  

Civilian death toll
is not big news 



OPINION/Vincent Browne 
More than 100 civilians were killed in a small
village, Qalaye Naizi, in eastern Afghanistan by bombs
dropped from US aircraft on Sunday. A cameraman who
visited the village after the bombing said he could
see huge craters blasted by bombs. Amid the
destruction were scraps of flesh, pools of blood and
clumps of what appeared to be human hair. 

On Thursday last, US warplanes killed 40 civilians in
Ghazni, south-west of Kabul. Also recently, 65 people,
including tribal elders, were killed by US bombing
while they were travelling in a convoy to Kabul to
take part in the inauguration ceremony of the Afghan
interim government.

On October 11th, more than 160 civilians were killed
in a bombing raid in Karam, west of Jalalabad. Of the
60 mud huts in the village, 40 were destroyed.

On October 18th, the central market place, Sarai
Shamali, near Kandahar, was bombed and 47 civilians
were killed. On October 23rd, low-flying US gunships
fired on the farming villages of Bori Chokar and
Chowkar-karez, north of Kandahar, killing 93
civilians. 

On November 10th, villages in the Khakrez district
were bombed and more than 150 civilians were killed.
On November 18th, bombing by US B52s killed again more
than 150 civilians.

On the morning of Sunday, December 1st, B52 bombers
made four passes over the village of Kama Ado,
south-west of Jalalabad. The planes dropped 25 bombs
each of 1,000 pounds.

Prof Marc Herold, of the departments of economics and
women's studies at the University of New Hampshire,
has published his estimate of the number of civilians
killed in the bombardment of Afghanistan by US forces
from October 7th, when the bombing started, to
December 7th.

He relied only on official news agency reports, major
newspapers in the US, Britain, Pakistan and India, and
broadcast organisations, notably the BBC. He has
calculated that in the period covered by his research
the number of people killed has been 3,767, an average
of 62 civilians per day. The total is well in excess
of the number of people killed in the World Trade
Centre and the Pentagon on September 11th (that figure
is now estimated at around 3,100).


Assuming that the average killing rate has been
maintained since December 7th, the total number of
civilians killed in Afghanistan is now (as of New
Year's Day) 5,317. Prof Herold acknowledges that his
tabulation is based only on killings reported in the
mainstream media. What of killings in remote areas of
Afghanistan which never got recorded in the major news
outlets? What of the people who have later died of
wounds inflicted by the bombing?

And how about the number of people who have died as a
direct result of the war; people denied access to food
aid (over one million people were said by the aid
agencies to be at risk at the outset of the bombing),
people who have died because electricity was cut off,
because hospitals were bombed, because their access to
food was shut down?

For the most part, the media in the US, Britain and
here have been indifferent to this slaughter. It is
not that these atrocities have got no coverage,
although precious little, it is that they are rarely
highlighted and never drawn together to present the
full awful picture of what is going on. 

For instance, yesterday's New York Times carried no
mention of the killing of the 100 civilians in Qalaye
Naizi on Sunday night. The Washington Post carried the
story in an inside page, as did the Los Angeles Times.
There was no mention in the Boston Globe.

Sky News and CNN carried the story in its news
bulletins on Monday but in secondary slots after
reports of the launch of the euro (which was hardly
news at all since we all knew about this for years).

As I was out of Ireland on Monday I don't know how RTÉ
television news treated the story but it rated behind
a thoroughly innocuous statement from the European
Central Bank on the 1p.m. radio news. The RTÉ website
news carried no mention of the bombing on Monday
evening. When stories of these slaughters are carried
at all they are prefaced by denials by the US
military. And even when the US military acknowledge a
slaughter, it is carried as though it was of no
consequence.


When a Pentagon spokesman was asked about the bombing
of Chowkar-karez on October 23rd when at least 93
civilians were killed, he said: "The people are dead
because we wanted them dead." When asked about the
incident, Donald Rumsfeld said: "I cannot deal with
that particular village." And that was that.

And, of course, nobody in government or in politics
has a word to say about it, not in the US, not in
Britain, and certainly not here.

This is not quite a new barbarism as the obscenities
engaged in by both sid

War is good business! (Invest your son). [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]

2002-01-01 Thread Steve Wagner


HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
---

from
The Washington Post 
http://www.washingtonpost.com

To view the entire article, go to
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19095-2001Dec23.html

Once Again, War Is Good for Business

By Renae Merle

  Once the uncool cousin to high-flying dot-coms, government
contractors adopted a new swagger in 2001.

  The industry continued a trend toward consolidation that
strengthened already large companies going after ever-larger federal
contracts. Nearly across the board, stock in such companies surged
after Sept. 11.

  An extreme example was CACI International Inc. of Arlington, the
stock price of which nearly doubled before a 2-for-1 split in
November.

  Expectations for the sector are high. Before the terrorist attacks,
the federal government was expected to spend $46.3 billion on
information technology this fiscal year, which ends next September.
Now, the Government Electronics and Information Technology
Association predicts that federal spending on information technology
will jump to $49 billion this fiscal year and reach $65 billion in
fiscal 2007.

  As the government focuses on homeland security, federal agencies are
considering how to secure their computer networks and continue to
offer more services to the public on the Internet.

  Contractors in the intelligence field in particular should benefit
over the next few years, analysts said.

  "Even before the terrorist attacks . . . federal government
outsourcing was on the rise, and defense spending, after 15 years of
decline, was poised for growth," Legg Mason analyst Bill Loomis said.
"Now the outlook is even more favorable for federal government
contractors."

  The government technology was already revitalizing. Even before
Sept. 11, companies that usually deal in the private sector market
had their eyes on government business.

  "Until there is a drastic change, we will see more and more companies
trying to get into government," said Thomas Meagher, an analyst for
BB&T Capital Markets.

  Others, such as Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin Corp. and SRA
International Corp. continued to grow through acquisition. In
October, Lockheed Martin agreed to buy OAO Corp., a Greenbelt-based
federal information technology firm. 

  SRA International, a Fairfax government information technology
contractor, purchased Marasco Newton Group, another privately owned
information technology firm.

  Computer Science Corp. of California won a 10-year $2.5 billion
contract to take over technology services for the National Security
Agency. One thousand NSA employees will become Computer Science
employees in the biggest outsourcing arrangement ever for a federal
agency. New York-based International Business Machines Corp. New
York-based IBM Corp. won a $1.3 billion contract to overhaul the U.S.
Customs Service's computer system. 

  If the sector's positive outlook was not already evident, ManTech
International Corp., a Fairfax technology services company, said in
November that it would raise as much as $92 million in an initial
stock offering, one of only a few IPOs this year in any industry.

  More IPOs by government-technology firms could be on the horizon. 

  "An initial public offering has often been, and in the current
favorable market conditions remains today, one way to finance
growth," said Ernst Volgenau, SRA's president and chief executive. He
did not comment on his company's plans.
_
(c) 2001, The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com


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China removes another trace of British rule in Hong Kong [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]




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---


Tuesday, January 01, 2002 4:14 PM



  
  

  


  Monday, December 31, 20012:53 pm (GMT+8) 
  

  

China removes another trace of British rule in Hong 
Kong

  

  
  

  


  

  

  

  Soldiers stand guard at the Prince of Wales 
Barracks in Hong Kong in this file photo. The Chinese 
military is changing the facility's name to the Central 
Barracks. REUTERS/Larry 
  ChanThe People's 
  Liberation Army (PLA) said on Monday it was renaming one of 
  its main barracks in Hong Kong, as China removes another trace 
  of British rule in its former colony. 
  The Prince of Wales Barracks, which stands prominently 
  along the main waterfront, will change its name to Central 
  Barracks on Tuesday, the PLA said in a statement. 
  Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule in mid-1997 after more 
  than 150 years as a British colony. 
  The legislature approved the changes in May 2000, but it is 
  not clear why the PLA waited until now to rename the barracks. 

  The PLA was not immediately available for comment. 
  A 5,000-strong PLA garrison has been based in the territory 
  since the handover, although troops have kept a low profile 
  and are rarely seen in public. 
  The South China Morning Post said the barracks chapel will 
  be removed and the space will be put to a different use. It 
  said seven other barracks across the territory would also be 
  given new names. 

 
 


  
  

  


  Monday, December 
31, 200114:53 pm (GMT+8) 
  

  


  
Soldiers stand guard at the Prince of Wales Barracks 
in Hong Kong in this file photo. The Chinese military is changing 
the facility's name to the Central Barracks. REUTERS/Larry 
Chan
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UPGRADED SSBN MADE FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE CHINESE NAVY [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]




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---


Tuesday, January 01, 2002 4:08 PM



  
  

  UPGRADED 
  SSBN MADE FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE CHINESE NAVY
  

  

  
  

  
  Jun Shi Shi Jie Hua Kan Photo 
  
 China has recently released the 
picture of her upgraded version "XIA" SSBN. There have been signs that 
one newly upgraded XIA Type 092A took part in a series of exercises this 
year and was involved in the joint military exercise with the 
Russian-made KILO. 
The latest picture of the upgraded "XIA" indicates that there have 
been no major structural changes on the submarine. The upgraded "XIA" 
has far fewer drain holes than the earlier version, which suggests that 
the main purpose of the upgrading was to lower the level of noise. In 
addition, the upgraded "XIA" is tinted with black sonar-wave absorbing 
material, just like that on the "Song" model. 
Judging from the height of the missile compartment, there have been 
no big size changes either. Kanwa believes that the possibility of 
installing JL2 on the upgraded "XIA" is low and it may still use the 
upgraded model of JL1, which has a longer effective range. 
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China concerned over Japan's growing military might [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]




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---


Tuesday, January 01, 2002 4:07 PM



  
  
China 
  concerned over Japan's growing military might 
  

  

  

  EIJING: China's military Tuesday expressed 
  concerns that Japan's recent sinking of a suspected North Korean spy ship 
  reflected Tokyo's growing ambition to become a global military 
  power.An editorial on the website of the leading People's 
  Liberation Army Daily said Japan and the United States would seek to 
  expand Japan's military might despite the long-standing legal restraints 
  of Japan's "peace Constitution."The December 22 sinking of the 
  suspected spy ship outside of Japan's territorial waters and within 
  China's exclusive economic zone was "a precedent for Japan in the 
  post-(World War II) period," it said."In order to realise the 
  dream of becoming a regional military power and to increase and expand the 
  space for its self-defence forces into the high seas, Japan could well 
  continue to create similar incidents in the future," it said.Asian 
  nations were already expressing concerns of Japan's growing military 
  might, especially its acquisition of high-tech destroyers and transport 
  ships that smacked of an effort "to project military power.""Japan 
  will cast off its Constitution and related legal shackles ... and while 
  relying on the Japan-US military alliance, seek to realise its goal of 
  becoming a big political power," it said.Following the incident, 
  China's foreign ministry formally expressed concern over Japan's use of 
  military force in the waters of the East China Sea, and expressed sorrow 
  at the deaths of up to 15 crew members.Beijing also made further 
  inquiries with the Japanese government over the incident, and urged Tokyo 
  to maintain frequent consultations on new developments.Tokyo is 
  considering whether it can salvage the boat now lying at a depth of some 
  100 metres (330 feet) on a continental shelf without offending 
  Beijing.The ship has so far not been conclusively identified as 
  North Korean, although the Japanese coastguard has retrieved the bodies of 
  two Asian men with Korean character writing on them, including a tag on a 
  lifejacket.( AFP )
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North Korea ends 2001 with anti-U.S. diatribe [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]




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---


 

 



  
  
Monday, 
  December 31, 20016:14 pm (GMT+8) 

  

  
  North Korea ends 2001 with anti-U.S. diatribe
  

  


  

  
  

  

  

  
A protester sticks a "unity flag" with 
  the shape of the Korean peninsula on his mask during an 
  anti-American protest in Seoul on December 31. North Korean 
  media ended 2001 with a sharp blast at the U.S., accusing it 
  of plotting a war in Korea. REUTERS/Lee 
  Jae-wonNorth Korea's 
state-controlled media ended 2001 on Monday with a sharp blast at 
the United States, accusing Washington of plotting a war in Korea to 
further its aims of dominating Asia. 
"The U.S. seeks to launch an aggression against the DPRK with 
South Korea as its military stronghold in a bid to swallow up the 
whole of Korea and, furthermore, dominate other Asian countries," 
said the ruling communist party newspaper Rodong Sinmun. 
DPRK is the acronym for the North's official name, the Democratic 
People's Republic of Korea. 
"The U.S., buoyed up by its self-claimed 'victories' in a series 
of wars in recent years, are running amuck to ignite a new war in 
Korea," said the commentary, published by the official Korea Central 
News Agency (KCNA). 
The commentary did not mention specific American actions, but 
followed weeks of hostile rhetoric which analysts said signalled 
North Korean discomfiture at U.S. statements about the North's 
suspected weapons of mass destruction. 
In November, North Korea angrily rejected U.S. calls for 
inspections to hunt for suspected weapons of mass destruction, 
including biological and chemical arms. 
The state of U.S.-North Korea ties is significantly different 
from a year ago, when the Clinton administration had dramatically 
improved relations with Pyongyang. 
That budding rapprochement led to several high-level exchanges, 
including a trip to North Korea by Secretary of State Madeleine 
Albright, and talk of a visit by Bill Clinton. 
The Bush administration put North Korean relations on ice when it 
took office last January but in June offered talks without 
conditions. North Korea has not taken up the offer. 
North-South Korean ties spent nearly all of 2001 at a standstill, 
despite an unprecedented series of exchanges in 2000 which raised 
hopes of reconciliation. 
The two Koreas remain technically at war because they failed to 
sign a peace treaty at the end of the 1950-53 Korean conflict. The 
United States keeps 37,000 troops in the South to deter a repeat of 
the 1950 North Korean invasion which sparked the war. 

 
 
 


  
  



  

  
  
  


  

  
  
Monday, 
  December 31, 200118:14 pm (GMT+8) 

  

  
  

  A protester sticks a "unity flag" with the 
  shape of the Korean peninsula on his mask during an 
  anti-American protest in Seoul on December 31. North Korean 
  media ended 2001 with a sharp blast at the U.S., accusing it 
  of plotting a war in Korea. REUTERS/Lee Jae-won 
  Close Window 
  Copyright © 2002. South China Morning Post 
  Publishers Ltd. All rights 
  reserved
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Xinhua: U.S. Hegemonism Develops after September 11 Attacks: Lebanese Informatio




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---


 Tuesday, January 01, 2002 3:27 PM



  
  

  

  U.S. Hegemonism Develops after September 11 Attacks: 
  Lebanese Information Minister
  

  

  

  
  Xinhuanet 2002-01-01 
  02:12:32
  

  
  

     BEIRUT, December 31 (Xinhuanet) -- 
  Lebanese Information Minister Ghazi Aridi said on Monday that the U.S. 
  hegemonism further developed after the September 11 terror attacks in 
  New York and Washington, the official NNA news agency 
  reported.   "We are facing a new international political 
  system after the suicide attacks. The world has seen more U.S. 
  hegemonism in the year of 2001. In the region of Middle East, Israel 
  has succeeded inusing U.S. support to wage a war against 
  Palestinians," said the information minister.   "With 
  the name of anti-terrorism, we have seen more Palestinian civilians 
  killed by Israeli troops," Aridi noted.   He also expressed 
  regret that the Arab world can not unify a position to help 
  Palestinians' intifada and face external pressure.   While 
  referring to the problem of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Aridi 
  said: "We have to take the refugee problem into consideration in our 
  foreign policies. What we should do if they can not return to 
  Palestine and remain in Lebanon?"   It is estimated that 
  more than 350,000 Palestinian refugees are currently staying in 12 
  refugee camps in Lebanon. Lebanon insists that they have to go back to 
  their home land. But Israel refuses toaccept all Palestinian refugees 
  mainly scattered in Arab 
countries.Enditem
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Xinhua: No Chinese Activities on Border: Indian Army [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]




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---


Tuesday, January 01, 2002 3:15 PM



  
  

  No Chinese Activities on Border: Indian 
Army
  

  

  

  
  Xinhuanet 2002-01-01 
  21:44:33
  

  
  

  
  
  NEW DELHI, January 1 (Xinhuanet) -- The Indian Army on Tuesday 
  denied reports that there were any Chinese activities going on along the 
  borders of the North East, the Press Trust of India (PTI)reported. 
  The PTI quoted Lt. Gen. J S Varma, the General Officer Commanding 
  of Army's Fourth Corps, as saying that there was "totalpeace and 
  tranquillity all along the border in the North East." 
  The Indian Army was reacting to a report published in a sectionof 
  the Indian press about Chinese activities in some areas along the 
  northeastern borders, the PTI noted. Enditem 

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Stratfor: Spy Ship Sinking Draws Muted Response [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]