Stuart Jeanne Bramhall's Blog: The Most Revolutionary Act , page 1250

October 1, 2016

Columbia: the Israel of Latin America

The Colombia Connection

Directed by Pablo Naverette (2012)


Film Review


The Colombia Connection is a Press TV documentary about the complex military alliance between the US and Colombia, which one local trade unionist describes as “the Israel” of Latin America.


The US has played a substantive role in funding and training Colombia’s military and intelligence service since the late forties. US advisers are strongly implicated in the assassination of reformist presidential candidate Jorge Gaitan in 1948 and the 1948-53 reign of terror (La Violencia) responsible for the murders of tens of thousands of civilians.


After World War II, Columbia joined other Latin American countries whose corrupted leaders colluded with the US government to drive peasants off their land for the benefit of US corporations. Liberal opposition leaders, trade unionists, human rights groups, judges, journalists and elected officials who opposed this process were violently suppressed via targeted assassination, forced disappearance and torture.


The US assisted in this process through the US Army School of the Americas, which operated in Panama between 1946 and 1984, when it was relocated to Fort Benning Georgia. The specific role of the School of the Americas is to train the paramilitary death squads of right wing Latin American governments in torture and other terror techniques. Convinced they had no legal or peaceful option for reclaiming their stolen land, poor Colombians began joining guerilla groups in large groups, with the FARC and the ELN (both formed in 1964) being the largest.


In 1998, starting with the election of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, numerous Latin American countries (Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Ecuador), began electing left of center governments. In response, in 2000 Bill Clinton launched Plan Colombia, which substantially increased direct US military involvement with the construction of seven military bases.


At present, US military aid to Columbia is the third largest ($7.5 billion between 2000 and 2010), after Israel and Egypt. The pretext is that US forces are helping the Colombian government eradicate cocaine production. However leaked Wikileaks cables indicate their real purpose is to attack rebel strongholds.


One example involves a Colombian paramilitary force the US secretly dispatched to Venezuela to try to assassinate Hugo Chavez.


Part 3 touches on candidate Obama’s promises to reign in Columbia’s human rights abuses by cutting military aid – as well as his 180 degree reversal the moment he took office.





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Published on October 01, 2016 12:25

September 30, 2016

New Zealand – the first nuclear free country – inspired by Dr Helen Caldicott

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New Zealand was the first country in the world to pass national nuclear-free legislation. Marilyn Waring reflects on how Dr. Helen Caldicott’s influence culminated in the passage of the cornerstone of New Zealand’s foreign policy.


Antinuclear


new-zealand-against-nuclearWhose work was the inspiration for the first nuke-free country , Open Democracy,   MARILYN WARING 27 September 2016




New Zealand was the first country in the world to pass national nuclear-free legislation. Marilyn Waring reflects on how Dr. Helen Caldicott’s influence culminated in the Caldicott,H1passage of the cornerstone of New Zealand’s foreign policy.


If you were growing up in New Zealand and Australia post World War II, there’s a chance you knew about the United States using the Marshall Islands as a nuclear testing site from 1947 until 1962. In an agreement signed with the United Nations, the U.S. government held the Marshall Islands as a “trust territory” and detonated nuclear devices in this pristine area of the Pacific Ocean—leading, in some instances, to huge levels of radiation fall-out, health effects, and the permanent displacement of many island people. In all, the U.S. government conducted 105 underwater and atmospheric tests…



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Published on September 30, 2016 12:07

REALPOLITIK: ‘PSYOPs’, Operation Syria – By Manlio Dinucci

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An attempt has been made for five years to demolish the Syrian state, pulling it apart from within with armed terrorist groups and infiltrating it from abroad and causing more than 250,000 deaths. Now that the military operation is failing, a psychological operation is launched to make the government and any Syrian resisting aggression look like the aggressors.


RIELPOLITIK


Source – voltairenet.org



“…The official document of the Pentagon’s Intelligence Agency… reports that “Western countries, the Gulf States and Turkey support the opposition forces in Syria to establish a Salafist principality in Western Syria, something the powers that support the opposition desire with the aim of isolating the Syrian regime”:



(PSYOPs: Operation Syria – By Manlio Dinucci)



While the emirate of Qatar is sponsoring?promotes an international tour? of an exhibition on the crimes attributed to the Syrian Arab Republic, Manlio Dinucci recalls —with supporting documents—, what we in fact know about this conflict




Special units of the US Armed Forces and Secret Services are trained for “PYSOPs”: psychological operations that the Pentagon defines as «planned operations to use specific information to push emotional and motivational buttons and thus the conduct of the public, organizations and foreign governments». Why? «To bring about or consolidate conduct promoting pre-set objectives».


This is…



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Published on September 30, 2016 11:22

United Nations- Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent recommends reparations for African Americans

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UN working group recommends reparations for slavery.


Dilemma X


United Nations- Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent recommends reparations for African Americans



united-nations-working-group-of-experts-on-people-of-african-descent



United Nations

Human Rights

Office of the High Commissioner



The history of slavery in the United States justifies reparations for African Americans, argues a recent report by a U.N.-affiliated group based in Geneva.



The Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent was established in 2002 by the Commission on Human Rights resolution 2002/68 (as a Special Procedure). The mandate was subsequently renewed by the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council in its resolutions (CHR 2003/30, 2008/HRC/RES/9/14, 2011/HRC/RES/18/28, 2014/HRC/RES/27/25).



Introduction
The report transmitted herewith contains the findings of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent on its visit to the United States of America from 19 to 29 January 2016. In it, the Working Group presents the current legal, institutional and policy framework, and measures taken to…


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Published on September 30, 2016 10:43

September 29, 2016

Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty Resolution Submitted to UN

nuclear_explosion2

 






Peace Movement Aotearoa·Thursday, September 29, 2016

 





iCAN Aotearoa New Zealand

 






The anticipated UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling for negotiations to begin next year on a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons has now been submitted by the lead sponsors: Mexico, Austria, Ireland, Brazil, Nigeria and South Africa. It is anticipated that other states will co-sponsor the draft resolution (including New Zealand, we hope) in the weeks ahead, and – unfortunately – that the nuclear-armed states and their supporters will fiercely oppose it.


States will vote on the resolution in the UNGA First Committee some time between 24 October and 2 November 2016. The draft resolution, ‘Taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations’, is available on the iCAN Aotearoa New Zealand website


It has nineteen preambular paragraphs which – among other things – outline the urgent need for a world without nuclear weapons, reference the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and various nuclear disarmament initiatives, and welcome the outcome of this year’s Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) Taking Forward Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament Negotiations.


The draft resolution then has fifteen operative paragraphs which include:


“8. Decides to convene a United Nations conference in 2017, to negotiate a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination;


9. Encourages all Member States to participate in the conference;


10. Decides that the conference shall convene in New York, under General Assembly rules of procedure unless otherwise agreed, for 20 working days in 2017, two sessions, with the participation and contribution of international organizations and civil society representatives.


11. Decides also that the conference will hold a one-day organizational session in New York as soon as possible;


12. Calls upon States participating in the conference to make their best endeavours to conclude as soon as possible a legally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination” …






Source: Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty Submitted to UN


Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons






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Published on September 29, 2016 14:11

Rojava revolution – Co-ops and Assemblies – videos with Commentary

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The Kurdish Rojava revolution in northern Syria.


The Free


rojava-appeal




from Workers Solidarity with thanks, photos added
As they have driven ISIS back in northern Syria / Rojava the Kurdish YPG and their allies in the SDF have won increasing visibility in western media.

new YPJ video 25 Sept 2016


While such reports often mention the key role in this fight played by women in the YPJ, there is otherwise little examination of the revolution happening behind the front lines in Rojava. That revolution is why they stood and fought ISIS rather than fleeing.


This can be true of a lot of alternative media coverage. In part this is due to the limited amount of information on what this revolution involves. but it’s also in part because photographs of women with guns are judged to be more striking than women workers in a co-operative bakery or a community assembly.



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Published on September 29, 2016 13:29

Russia Says It Would Support 48-Hour Cease-Fire in Aleppo to Allow in Aid — But Once Strong Relationship Between Russia’s Lavrov and John Kerry from the U.S. May Be Permanently Damaged — “Trust is Gone, Syrians Still Die Needlessly”

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Western media (except for the Wall Street Journal) fails to report Russian offer of 48 hour humanitarian ceasefire in Syria.


Peace and Freedom



Moscow hits back at Washington over U.S. threat to suspend engagement with Russia


EU governments were discussing measures that could be taken to respond to the “massacre” in Aleppo….






Syrian pro-government forces in the Farafra district, northwest of Aleppo's historic citadel, on Wednesday, after Syria's army took control of the area.

Syrian pro-government forces in the Farafra district, northwest of Aleppo’s historic citadel, on Wednesday, after Syria’s army took control of the area.PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES



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By NATHAN HODGE

The Wall Street Journal

Updated Sept. 29, 2016 8:20 a.m. ET



MOSCOW—Top Russian officials said Thursday that Moscow would support a 48-hour cease-fire to allow aid into the embattled Syrian city of Aleppo but hit back at Washington over a warning that the U.S. was prepared to suspend its engagement with Moscow over a Russian and Syrian offensive against the city.


Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow advocated a “48-hour pause” in the fighting to allow in aid but added that a longer cessation of hostilities would allow militant…



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Published on September 29, 2016 13:20

Saudia Arabia to Sell All US Assets as Congress Overrides Obama Veto

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The Zero Hedge cartoon speaks for itself.


Satu Insan - Malaysia


ArmstrongEconomics ArmstrongEconomics





Congress voted to override Obama’s veto that families of those killed in the terror attacks on 9/11 would not be allowed to sue Saudi Arabia. This is the first time he has been overruled. This will open the courts in New York to some very interesting court battles, but Saudi Arabia will most likely sell off all US assets to prevent any US court from freezing their assets. If they take everything out of the USA, then they can ignore the courts and not defend at all exposing themselves to discovery rules that will be very intrusive.





White House Enraged At “Most Embarrassing Vote Ever” Senate Veto Override

ZeroHedge





President Obama is on track for his first veto override. Senators voted 97 to 1 to affirm a bill allowing 9/11 suits against Saudi Arabia.

A sweeping bipartisan majority in the Senate rejected President Obama’s veto of legislation that…

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Published on September 29, 2016 12:23

Belgium’s Miss Homeless Competition

Miss Homeless Documentary: Mathilde’s Misses


Directed by Pieter DeVos


(French and Flemish with English subtitles)


Film Review


This documentary is about a unique Brussels beauty pageant for homeless women. The purpose of the contest is to raise public consciousness about the plight of homeless women. Its sponsors, a long time homeless advocate named Mathilde and her daughter Aline, take the radical position that no woman should be homeless.


The film follows ten finalists as they prepare for the pageant. In addition to finding them temporary housing to help them qualify for government benefits, Mathilde and Aline support them through a variety of health and personal crises.


The documentary offers a rare glimpse into the immense stress confronting victims of homelessness. It’s also extremely touching to watch how the women respond to pampering by professional hair stylists and make-up artists.



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Published on September 29, 2016 12:02

September 28, 2016

Could your deodorant cause breast cancer? — DES Daughter Network



Aluminium salts could be environmental breast carcinogens






Aluminium salts, present in many industrial products of frequent use like antiperspirants, anti-acid drugs, food additives and vaccines, have been incriminated in contributing to the rise in breast cancer incidence in Western societies.



 


via Could your deodorant cause breast cancer? — DES Daughter Network


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Published on September 28, 2016 13:12

The Most Revolutionary Act

Stuart Jeanne Bramhall
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