Archive for the Category » Iraq «

1991 Gulf War Syndrome is Real

November 17th, 2008 | Author: akagaga

From CNN without editorial comment from moi:

An extensive federal report released Monday concludes that roughly one in four of the 697,000 U.S. veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War suffer from Gulf War illness.

That illness is a condition now identified as the likely consequence of exposure to toxic chemicals, including pesticides and a drug administered to protect troops against nerve gas.

“This is a bittersweet victory, [because] this is what Gulf War veterans have been saying all along,” Hardie said at a news conference in Washington. “Years were squandered by the federal government … trying to disprove that anything could be wrong with Gulf War veterans.”

Category: human rights, Iraq | Leave a Comment

WMD Lies for Iraq … Nuke Lies for Iran?

November 11th, 2008 | Author: akagaga

Gareth Porter has published an in-depth article at Raw Story that’s worth reading. Here’s the lead:

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has obtained evidence suggesting that documents which have been described as technical studies for a secret Iranian nuclear weapons-related research program may have been fabricated.

The documents in question were acquired by U.S. intelligence in 2004 from a still unknown source — most of them in the form of electronic files allegedly stolen from a laptop computer belonging to an Iranian researcher. The US has based much of its push for sanctions against Iran on these documents.

What won’t these guys make up to start another war?

Category: Iran, Iraq, war | 5 Comments

Don’t Vote for the Republocrats

October 31st, 2008 | Author: akagaga

Ron Paul has repeatedly pointed out that there is virtually no difference between today’s republicans and democrats. They both want to tax us to death, police the world, and tell us how to live our lives. Voting for either McCain or Obama is a vote to endorse central government control of our every move. The only vote that might make them sit up and take notice is a vote for “neither of the above.”

Whether you write-in Ron Paul, as I’m going to do, or vote for a third-party candidate, I urge you not to vote for the status quo. Responsibility for all the evil that George Bush has done is equally shared by the democratic congress that let him do it – and will undoubtedly be continued by our next president, whether he’s republican or democrat. I, for one, refuse to share responsibility for the next power-hungry regime to rule Washington. It’s time to stop voting for “the lesser of two evils” and vote for real change.

Another option is to not vote at all. Here’s a list of articles that support this position.

Here are links to the third-party candidates who could mathematically win. I encourage you to find someone among these that you can support with a clear conscience.

Bob Barr, Libertarian Party
Chuck Baldwin, Constitution Party
Cynthia McKinney, Green Party
Other 3rd-party candidates & independents

Adam Kokesh, a vocal member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, has posted a video that gives a few more good reasons not to vote for McCain or Obama. Watch and listen.

Category: Iraq, politics, war | 8 Comments

Why Don’t We Just Leave?

October 21st, 2008 | Author: akagaga

Philip Giraldi has done a nice review on America’s foreign policy over the past few years, starting with Iraq:

In 2001 Iraq was ruled by an unpleasant dictator presiding over a collapsed economy, with a military that was broken and unable to threaten any of its neighbors. There were neither terrorists in Iraq nor weapons of mass destruction, and the country posed no danger to the United States.

He recounts the cost of our invasion – in blood and money and destruction – and then repeats the process for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the “War on Terror.” (I would add the “War on Drugs” to the list, as well.) It’s well worth reading, and it got me thinking.

There’s an apple orchard nearby, and I can hardly wait for them to open each fall. There’s just nothing like a crisp, fresh MacIntosh … except maybe their cider donuts. So sometime in September, I’ll go over to see if they’re open. If they’re not, I leave, because common sense tells me I can’t get a Mac or a donut yet.

So I wonder. When we went to Iraq for weapons of mass destruction and terrorists, and didn’t find any – why didn’t we just leave? And what are we still doing there five years and countless losses later?

Category: Iraq, war | 2 Comments

Debating Real Issues

September 12th, 2008 | Author: akagaga

Instead of gnawing on Obama’s former pastor, or debating Palin’s skill with a gun, Ron Paul has placed real issues on the table. Not surprising. Will the media follow suit? Doubtful. Here’s Paul’s latest.

We Agree

The Republican/Democrat duopoly has, for far too long, ignored the most important issues facing our nation. However, alternate candidates Chuck Baldwin, Cynthia McKinney, and Ralph Nader agree with Ron Paul on four key principles central to the health of our nation. These principles should be key in the considerations of every voter this November and in every election.

Foreign Policy: The Iraq War must end as quickly as possible with removal of all our soldiers from the region. We must initiate the return of our soldiers from around the world, including Korea, Japan, Europe and the entire Middle East. We must cease the war propaganda, threats of a blockade and plans for attacks on Iran, nor should we re-ignite the cold war with Russia over Georgia. We must be willing to talk to all countries and offer friendship and trade and travel to all who are willing. We must take off the table the threat of a nuclear first strike against all nations.

Privacy: We must protect the privacy and civil liberties of all persons under US jurisdiction. We must repeal or radically change the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and the FISA legislation. We must reject the notion and practice of torture, eliminations of habeas corpus, secret tribunals, and secret prisons. We must deny immunity for corporations that spy willingly on the people for the benefit of the government. We must reject the unitary presidency, the illegal use of signing statements and excessive use of executive orders.

The National Debt: We believe that there should be no increase in the national debt. The burden of debt placed on the next generation is unjust and already threatening our economy and the value of our dollar. We must pay our bills as we go along and not unfairly place this burden on a future generation.

The Federal Reserve: We seek a thorough investigation, evaluation and audit of the Federal Reserve System and its cozy relationships with the banking, corporate, and other financial institutions. The arbitrary power to create money and credit out of thin air behind closed doors for the benefit of commercial interests must be ended. There should be no taxpayer bailouts of corporations and no corporate subsidies. Corporations should be aggressively prosecuted for their crimes and frauds.