[cia-drugs] Bush Warco Bombs Lebanese Civilians
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/1208UN Human Rights Commissioner warns of war crimes in Lebanon Sun, 2006-07-23 01:52 By Chris Marsden World Socialist Web Site The statement by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour that war crimes may have been committed in the Lebanon conflict was deliberately couched in diplomatic terms. Arbour took pains to identify both Israel and Hezbollah as potentially guilty parties. Nevertheless, there was little doubt that her target was Tel Aviv, and her warning that liability for war crimes is not restricted to the military, but extends to politicians who approve their operations was also meant to be heard by Israel's political backers in Washington and London. Her reference to the "scale of killings in the region," and "the supreme obligations to protect civilians" under international law could only be directed at Israel, given the massive and disproportionate violence it has meted out.millions throughout the world believe that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair should face war crimes charges. And Arbour is fully aware of the outrage and disgust that has been aroused internationally by the appalling destruction heaped upon the Lebanese people by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) with the unconditional backing of the US and Britain. Arbour is in fact acting as friendly counsel, advising the Israeli, US and British governments that they are setting in motion forces that are not under their control. Without at least making such a warning, the stench of hypocrisy that pervades international politicswhen only those who fall foul of Washington such as Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein face human rights chargeswould be overwhelming. Israel's actions in the Lebanon are in clear contravention of the 1949 Geneva Convention. Article 51 of the First Protocol states, "The civilian population as such, as well as individual civilians, shall not be the object of attack." Article 52 states, "Attacks shall be limited strictly to military objectives" As Arbour explained, "Indiscriminate shelling of cities constitutes a foreseeable and unacceptable targeting of civilians. "Similarly, the bombardment of sites with alleged military significance, but resulting invariably in the killing of innocent civilians, is unjustifiable." Israel has no defence against such charges. Its claim to be targeting Hezbollah and a supposed infrastructure of terrorism is obscene, given the scale of its actions against the entire Lebanese people. Lebanon has been subjected to a total sea and air blockade, leaving its population of 3.5 million unable to seek any refuge from a daily bombardment by aircraft, tanks and gunboats. Well over 300 people have been killed and thousands injuredmany of them children. Israel's offensive began with the systematic destruction of Lebanon's infrastructure, including its only international airport, power plants, water treatment facilities, roads and bridges. But it was not long before it began shelling the predominantly Shia neighborhoods in Beirut, claiming that every house was potentially sheltering Hezbollah fighters. This is Tel Aviv's pathetic attempt to justify attacks on civilian targets with claims that they have a "dual use." Amidst the occasional strike on actual Hezbollah facilities, thousands of homes have been destroyed in one of the most densely populated areas of Lebanon. Reporters allowed to visit the area speak of it having been "laid waste" and "pummeled." One report described how "Eight-or nine-storey buildings had their façades blown out by blasts; others lean forward as if about to fall. Sofas, mattresses, toys, books and every personal possession imaginable litter the streets among chunks of concrete, twisted metal and blown-out window frames. Electrical cables dangle everywhere. Walking through it all is treacherous." On Thursday evening, the Israeli Air Force dropped 23 tons of explosives on the Bourj al-Barajneh suburb, with two dozen jets using special burrowing bombs. The explanation offered by Israel was that it was seeking to kill Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. This is merely seeking to justify one war crime with another. Like the US, Israel has an official policy of assassinating its political opponents. But this is illegal under international law. The claim that Israel is targeting Hezbollah has been used to sanction attacks on civilians throughout southern Lebanonan offensive that amounts to ethnic cleansing. It is a staggering fact that official estimates are of 500,000 internally displaced people in the country, fully a seventh of the entire population. Israel has now dropped leaflets throughout the area warning residents to leave their homes as it is going to attack. There are widespread predictions that a ground invasion is imminent. Once again, the leaflets are meant as
[cia-drugs] Secretive Opus Dei honours banker who was cut up with a chainsaw
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2281797,00.html Secretive Opus Dei honours banker who was cut up with a chainsawJohn Follain OPUS DEI, the conservative Catholic organisation, has paid a rare and fulsome tribute to Gianmario Roveraro, an Italian banker who was found murdered last week, chopped into pieces beneath a motorway bridge. The statement is as close as the groups secretive policy allows to admitting that the pious financier was a member of the movement. The kidnapping of Roveraro, whose remains were found on Friday after he was cut up with a chainsaw, has intensified the scrutiny of Opus Dei and echoed a scandal over the 1982 murder of Roberto Calvi, Gods Banker, who was found dead under Blackfriars Bridge in London. Calvi had had links to Opus Dei and was allegedly killed by the Sicilian mafia. Opus Dei formally declined to confirm newspaper reports that he was a supernumerary or member. However, Giuseppe Corigliano, its spokesman, said that Roveraro had already received from God the reward for his many virtues. These included the courage to seek the truth, firmness in living the faith, dedication to his family, friends and anyone he came into contact with. Members of the organisation, which was portrayed by Dan Browns bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code as a sinister and conspiratorial group within the Catholic church, include Ruth Kelly, the communities and local government secretary, and Joaquin Navarro-Valls, a former papal spokesman. As Roveraros three alleged killers were questioned this weekend, it emerged that investigators had come close to saving his life thanks to a coded reference he had made to his wife, which led police to the ringleader. The softly spoken Roveraro, 70, who set an Italian record for the high jump in his youth, had earlier been questioned over allegations of fraud surrounding Parmalat, the food giant. According to prosecutors, the alleged ringleader Filippo Botteri, 43, a financial consultant, is accused of kidnapping Roveraro on July 5 after an Opus Dei meeting and killing him. Botteris motive was money, investigators said. Along with Roveraro, he had invested heavily in a supposedly low-risk financial deal involving an Austrian firm in 2003. Roveraro had pulled out of the transaction in time but Botteri, who had hoped to make a £7m profit, lost £1.7m. Investigators came close to foiling the kidnappers and perhaps to saving Roveraros life when he telephoned his wife Silvana 24 hours after he was seized. Im in Austria, Im fine, Ill be back Friday or Saturday, he told her. Realising that her husband had never been to Austria for work reasons, Silvana told police that the only thing she could think of was the Austrian investment that her husband had made, adding that he had acted on the advice of Botteri. Called in for questioning on July 15, Botteri said he knew nothing about Roveraros whereabouts but made no secret of his hostility towards him. Its true I bear Roveraro a big grudge, I believe he is responsible for my serious economic problems, he told prosecutors. Botteri allegedly forced Roveraro to give instructions to his office to hand over £7m. On July 17 the office received a fax bearing his signature and requesting a transfer of shares. The signature was the last sign that he was alive. His body was found among bushes under a viaduct 20 miles outside Parma, half-hidden in a black rubbish bag. It was unrecognisable. He is believed to have been murdered a week ago after prosecutors froze his assets to stop any payment to the kidnappers. Botteri, whom Roveraro first met in the early 1990s, reportedly confessed to investigators, telling them: I lost my head. I know hes dead but I dont know how it happened. After the kidnapping I realised that I wouldnt manage to get back the money so I killed him. __._,_.___ Complete
[cia-drugs] Chavez heads to Moscow seeking friends, weapons
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2item_no=98744version=1template_id=43parent_id=19 Chavez heads to Moscow seeking friends, weapons Published: Sunday, 23 July, 2006, 12:37 PM Doha Time MOSCOW: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is travelling to Belarus and Russia as part of a world tour seen by some analysts as having an anti-American slant.In Belarus, a foreign ministry spokesman said Chavez would hold talks with President Alexander Lukashenko, whose ex-Soviet nation Washington has described as Europes last dictatorship.No kind of confrontational issues would be discussed, said the spokesman, Andrei Popov, but the two would discuss co-operation within the Non-Aligned Movement a group of states that has sought to resist US influence and that includes both Belarus and Venezuela.Belarussian and Venezuelan officials would be examining co-operation in agriculture, machine building and energy, Popov said.Travelling to Russia on Tuesday, Chavez will meet President Vladimir Putin and mark a deal under which Russia will supply 30 Su-30 fighter jets and 30 helicopters to Venezuela.The price is over $1bn, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said, announcing the deal.The Vedomosti newspaper described it as a historic breakthrough in South America for Russias arms industry.Russia has seen a resurgence in its arms exports, selling weapons to 61 countries last year for more than $6bn.The Venezuelan leader is due to visit a number of Russian arms factories, notably the Barrikady company in Volgograd, Vedomosti said.Viktor Kremenyuk, an analyst at Moscows Institute for US and Canadian Studies, detected an anti-American agenda in Chavezs tour, particularly his visit to Belarus.Its an anti-American basis that brings them (Chavez and Lukashenko) together, he said.Russia, he said, might see the visit as a way to reassert its independence from the West after successfully hosting a summit of the G8 (Group of Eight) industrialised countries this month.Its maybe an attempt... by Russia to demonstrate to what extent it can be flexible and talk to other audiences, he said. One day some people in the West may think theyve had enough of this flexibility.Russia has absolutely no strategic interests in that area (South America) at all maybe only hunting for markets.Washington has voiced worries about Russian arms sales to Venezuela, having banned arms sales to Caracas by US manufacturers. The United States has complained that Venezuela is not a reliable partner in combating terrorism and that weapons sold to Venezuela could fall into the hands of guerrillas.Venezuela is upset that it cannot get parts to upgrade its US-built F-16 fighter jets and Chavez has said Venezuela could sell the F-16s and replace them with Russian jets.On June 11 Chavez said that his visit could see a deal on building a Kalashnikov assault rifle factory in Venezuela, after the country took delivery of 30,000 such rifles last month, the first shipment of an order of 100,000 agreed last year.A senior official for the Russian arms export agency Rosoboronexport said this month that the company planned to sign a deal to build two Kalashnikov factories in Venezuela. AFP __._,_.___ Complete archives at http://www.sitbot.net/ Please let us stay on topic and be civil. OM YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS Visit your group "cia-drugs" on the web. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. __,_._,___
[cia-drugs] Fwd: Opus Dei, Vatican Bank, $14 Billion Missing,Person of Interest Dismembered
Begin forwarded message:From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Date: July 22, 2006 6:12:06 PM PDTTo: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: Opus Dei, Vatican Bank, $14 Billion "Missing,""Person of Interest" Dismembered "Roveraro had been questioned over a huge corporatescandal involving Parmalat SpA ..."---http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/article_1183229.php/3_held_in_Italian_banker%60s_kidnap-murderMILAN, Italy (UPI) -- Three men have been charged in the murder of a banker after he left a meeting of the conservative Catholic group Opus Dei, Italian media reported Saturday.The men -- financial consultant Filippo Botteri, computer expert Emilio Toscani, and workman Marco Baldi -- were charged with kidnapping banker Gianmario Roveraro, 70, as he was going home from an Opus Dei meeting July 5, and later killing and dismembering him.Roveraro's body was found Friday, chopped into pieces and hidden in a hut beneath a highway overpass about 18 miles from Parma, Italy, news agencies RadioCor and ANSA reported Saturday.The kidnapping and murder are alleged to have stemmed from a failed property transaction in which the Botteri lost a substantial amount of money, the news agencies said.Roveraro had been questioned over a huge corporate scandal involving Parmalat SpA, the now-bankrupt Italian dairy and food corporation, which in 2003 reported a nearly $18 billion hole in its accounting records in one of the biggest corporate scandals in history.Roveraro had close ties with Opus Dei, ANSA said, but police have made no link between his disappearance and the secretive organization.Following the discovery of Roveraro's dismembered body, a spokesman for Opus Dei said: "We want to express our closeness to the upset family. This death has hit Opus Dei very hard." - http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article1190540.ece Opus Dei Financier Is Found Dismembered Under Bridge By John Phillips in RomePublished: 22 July 2006The badly beaten and mutilated corpse of Gianmario Roveraro, one of Italy's reputedly most pious financiers, was discovered "cut to pieces" under a motorway overpass near Parma yesterday, some two weeks after he was kidnapped while returning home from a meeting of the conservative Roman Catholic group Opus Dei.Three people were arrested on suspicion of the kidnapping and macabre murder of Mr. Roveraro, a banker who had been questioned by investigators in connection with the spectacular ($?)14bn (£9.5bn) collapse of the Parmalat food empire in 2003.He was a founder of Akros Finanziaria, a financial services group, and had helped Parmalat list its stock on the market a decade ago.The killing recalled the murder of Roberto Calvi, the Italian financier known as "God's Banker" for his links to the Vatican, who was found hanged from Blackfriars Bridge in London in 1982.Police suspect Mr Roveraro's kidnapping and murder was related to a business dispute over a ($?)500,000 property deal.The purportedly devout Mr. Roveraro vanished on 5 July on his way from attending an evening meeting of the local Milan branch of Opus Dei, of which he, along with many other top-level Italian financiers, was a member.Despite involvement of some its members in a series of financial scandals, Opus Dei enjoyed favour under the late Pope John Paul II, who elevated it to the privileged status of a "personal prelature" within the Church and controversially gave its Spanish founder, Josemaria Escriva, a "fast track" beatification and then canonisation as a saint.The three arrested men were identified as Emilio Toscani, 43, from Collechio, a storekeeper; Marco Baldi, 50, a native of Bologna; and Mr. Botteri, 43, a financial consultant from Parma.Mr. Botteri was quoted as saying he couldn't recall any more about the murder. Police suspect Mr. Roveraro may have been killed several days ago.Mr. Toscani led police to the financier's body, cut up into several parts and decomposing in the summer heat, yesterday morning, police sources said.Since 5 July, Mr Roveraro made several telephone calls within 48 hours, to his wife Silvana and to his business assistants who he asked to sell ($?)1m of shares in a family company. Carabinieri paramilitary police traced the alleged gang by following the signature of public telephone cards used to make calls during ransom negotiations, the sources said. Mr. Roveraro was one of 64 people under investigation in the Parmalat affair and prosecutors had asked for him to be indicted on charges of belonging to a criminal organisation conspiring in fraudulent bankruptcy.He had been on the board of Parmalat's finance subsidiary from 1990 to 1998.A spokesman for Opus Dei said: "Gianmario is not suffering any more now and is receiving the reward for what he was -- an intelligent, gentle, noble, and generous person." - "This testimony and the findings of auditors are beginning to tell a story that is much bigger than the tale of a multinational firm that managed
[cia-drugs] War on Lebanon Planned for at least a Year
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/07/23/18290729.php War on Lebanon Planned for at least a Year The Bush Administration's Grand Strategy and the Birth Pangs of Terror by juan cole (reposted) Sunday Jul 23rd, 2006 8:29 AM Israeli war planes hit the cities of Sidon, south Beirut and Baalbak on Saturday and Israeli ground troops fought a hard battle to take over the village of Maroun al-Ras, said to be a Hizbullah rocket-launching site. The Israeli bombing of Sidon hit a religious complex linked to Hizbullah. The BBC reports that 'The UN's Jan Egeland said half a million people needed assistance - and the number was likely to increase. One-third of the recent Lebanese casualties, he said, appeared to be children. 'Matthew Kalman reveals that Israel's wideranging assault on Lebanon has been planned in a general way for years, and a specific plan has been in the works for over a year. The "Three Week War" was shown to Washington think tanks and officials last year on powerpoint by a senior Israeli army officer: "More than a year ago, a senior Israeli army officer began giving PowerPoint presentations, on an off-the-record basis, to U.S. and other diplomats, journalists and think tanks, setting out the plan for the current operation in revealing detail." The Israelis tend to launch their wars of choice in the summer, in part because they know that European and American universities will be the primary nodes of popular opposition, and the universities are out in the summer. This war has nothing to do with captured Israeli soldiers. It is a long-planned war to increase Israel's ascendency over Hizbullah and its patrons. But since Hizbullah's short-range katyushas can only hit targets 3-4 miles away, and were mainly being fired at the occupied Shebaa Farms, why worry about it so much? 1. If Hizbullah forced Israel out of the Shebaa Farms, it might increase pressure for it to give back the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem, and all of the West Bank-- the other territories stolen by Israel in 1967. The Israelis have their own Domino Theory, which haunts them the way the original haunted Lyndon Johnson-- and just as foolishly.2. Some of Hizbullah's missiles might have been able to hit sensitive Israeli chemical or nuclear sites, or just cause panic by hitting Israeli cities. There was zero likelihood of Hezbollah launching such a strike unprovoked. But this capacity formed at least a slight drag on the Israeli ability to strike Iran and the Palestinians with impunity. The destruction of the Hizbullah arsenal may be the precursor of even more drastic action against the Palestinians and perhaps a bombing raid on Iran's nuclear research facilities near Isfahan.Israel is a regional superpower, the only nuclear power in the Middle East proper, and possessing the most technologically advanced military capability and the most professional military. Since Egypt opted out of the military struggle for economic reasons and since the US invasion broke Iraq's legs, there is no conventional military threat to Israel. Israel seeks complete military superiority, for several reasons. One impetus is defensive, on the theory that it has to win every contest and can never afford to lose even one, given its lack of strategic depth (it is a geographically small country with a small population, caught between the Mediterranean and potentially hostile neighboring populations). But the defensive reasons are only one dimension. There are also offensive considerations. The Right in Israel is determined to permanently subjugate the Palestinians and forestall the emergence of a Palestinian state. This course of action requires the constant exercise of main force against the Palestinians, who resist it, as well as threats against Arab or Muslim neighbors who might be tempted to help the Palestinians. Thus, Iraq and Iran both had to be punished and weakened. Likewise, the Israeli Right has never given up an expansionist ideology. For instance, the Israelis have a big interest in the Litani River in south Lebanon. If and when the Israeli military and political elite felt they needed to add territory by taking it from neighbors, they wished to retain that capability.The remaining challenges to complete Israeli military superiority and freedom of movement are 1) asymmetrical forces such as Hamas and Hizbullah guerrilla cells wielding rockets and 2) the menace of future unconventional challenges such as an Iranian nuclear weapon (circa 2016 if in fact the Iranians are working on it, which is not proved). Given the alliance of Shiite Hizbullah with Shiite Iran, one capability shielded the other. That this war was pre-planned was obvious to me from the moment it began. The Israeli military proceeded methodically and systematically to destroy Lebanon's infrastructure, and clearly had been casing targets for some time. The vast majority of these targets were unrelated to
