Law and Disorder September 14, 2009

Afghanistan War, Civil Liberties, FBI Intrusion, Human Rights, Iraq War, Supreme Court, Surveillance, Targeting Muslims, Truth to Power, War Resister

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Updates:

  • 9-11 Anniversary/ Patriot Act / AUMF / Preventive Detention /Surveillance
  • North Carolina terrorists / Consequences of cooperating with FBI
  • Spanish prosecution update / Change in universal jurisdiction law / Trying to narrow law at behest of Israelis and Chinese

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afghanistan-war civilian-casualties

Rethinking Afghanistan

Last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates affirmed the US miltary commitment in Afghanistan, as thousands of additional troops are deployed.  To give us a perspective we are joined by Norman Soloman, executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy.  Solomon is also the author of “War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death.” and has written several articles about his experiences in Afghanistan. Solomon has returned from a visit to Kabul in late August.  His articles have detailed the war torn landscapes, stunning civilian casualties and the desperate living conditions of Afghani children.  Previous Law and Disorder Shows on Afghanistan

Norman Solomon

  • It’s worse than the mainline media would tell us.
  • People who do go to Afghanistan, travel in a bubble, taken around by the Pentagon and learn very little, often not speaking to any Afghans who aren’t part of  Karzai government.
  • The intention of the Obama Administration is to wage war in Afghanistan, and humanitarian aid and assistance is an after thought.
  • It’s in the foreground for PR, but the suffering is way beyond the number of people killed that’s being reported
  • Afghans are outraged at the US killing civilians and outraged at the air war
  • There are no Al-Qaeda in in Afghanistan, that’s been true for a while.
  • This is a prescription for endless war, repetition compulsion.
  • The agenda is less defensive and high blown, they have to do with geo-political positioning which is primary.
  • Recommended Book: Descent Into Chaos: The United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia.
  • Afghanistan War is a humanitarian disaster that continues to unfold.
  • The solution has to do with humanitarian and military activity being inverted.

Guest – Norman Solomon, executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy. Solomon is also the author of “War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death.” and has written several articles about his experiences in Afghanistan.  Solomon returned from a visit to Kabul in late August.

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T.Bishop – photo by: Eric Thompson

The Will To Resist: Soldiers Who Refuse to Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan

The majority of the United States has opposed the continued occupation of Iraq and as the Pentagon decides to send more US troops to Afghanistan, there is a growing public distrust surrounding this recent escalation of war.  Is there also a growing resistance among the ranks of US soldiers? The mainstream media has failed to report on the increasing number of soldiers taking a public stand and finding ingenious ways to express defiance.  Author Dahr Jamail has compiled a report of dissent within the military in his recent book The Will To Resist: Soldiers Who Refuse to Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Watch Winter Soldier Coverage

Dahr Jamail:

  • In the last decade, 50 thousand troops have gone AWOL. In 2007, a 42 percent increase of troops going AWOL in the US Army. Nearly 8 thousand troops each year going AWOL.
  • Increase in troops contacting groups such as Courage To Resist and IVAW
  • Soldiers resisting are often quickly processed through to shut them up
  • Massive escalation in Afghanistan – more than 60 thousand troops. 131 thousand troops still in Iraq.
  • McCrystal was advised that after the surge is done, add 45 thousand more troops.
  • Lack of quality treatment for PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury are not lost on the military, they know and understand.
  • The Will To Resist focuses on active duty troops and veterans, the lead chapter is about resistance on the ground in Iraq.
  • Search and avoid missions, IED lottery, we would find an open field, park there and call in every hour, saying yes we’re still looking for weapons caches.
  • We often see a demoralized unit being sent in to an extremely bad situation, when it gets time to gear up, the troops are sitting there and the commander sees them and rather than risk media exposure, he’ll cancel the mission.
  • A lot of people still in Canada.
  • Soldiers are not informed that they can refuse an unlawful order and that they can apply for conscientious objector status. Two resisters from Fort Hood, SP4 Victor Augusto and Sgt Travis Bishop.

Guest- Dahr Jamail, he currently writes for the Inter Press Service, Le Monde Diplomatique, and many other outlets. His stories have also been published with The Nation, The Sunday Herald in Scotland, Al-Jazeera, the Guardian, Foreign Policy in Focus, and the Independent.

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