John Bolton: Honest Broker for the U.S.?

Can anyone really ever consider the U.S. to be a honest broker in the Middle East conflict?

By their own former Ambassador to U.N.'s admission they blocked a ceasefire to allow Israel to continue to use disproportionate force against the people of Lebanon in contradiction of all International Humanitarian laws.

They allowed Israel to use phosphorous laced bombs to burn civilians and cluster bombs which are still exacting a toll on the populace.

Bolton's admission is not surprising. The fact he's proud of stalling a ceasefire unfortunately isn't either.

Finally, why is it politicians only tell the truth after leaving their posts?

Excerpts:

Bolton admits Lebanon truce block

A former top American diplomat says the US deliberately resisted calls for a immediate ceasefire during the conflict in Lebanon in the summer of 2006.

Former ambassador to the UN John Bolton told the BBC that before any ceasefire Washington wanted Israel to eliminate Hezbollah's military capability.
...
Mr Bolton, a controversial and blunt-speaking figure, said he was "damned proud of what we did" to prevent an early ceasefire. (Source: BBC News, March 22/07)

U.N. rights envoy likens Israeli actions to apartheid

Is this beginning to sound like a broken record...too bad folks aren't listening.

Excerpts:

U.N. rights envoy likens Israeli actions to apartheid
Thu Mar 22, 200

By Richard Waddington

GENEVA (Reuters) - A United Nations human rights envoy on Thursday likened Israeli treatment of Palestinians in occupied territory to apartheid, and said its settlement policy amounted to colonialism.

South African lawyer John Dugard warned Western states they would never rally support among developing nations for effective action against perceived abuses in Sudan's Darfur, Zimbabwe and Myanmar unless they tackled the plight of Palestinians.

"This places in danger the whole international human rights enterprise," he told the Council, a Geneva-based watchdog.

Dugard, special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, said restrictions on movement and separate residential areas gave a sense of "deja vu" to anyone with experience of apartheid. (Source: Reuters, March 22/07)

Tanya Reinhart: 1944-2007

Academic, linguistic, and a champion for social justice: Tanya Reinhardt.

Very nice tribute by none other than Noam Chomsky found here.

Another nice piece here.

Excerpts:

Tanya Reinhart

A versatile Israeli academic, she spoke out against the conflict with Palestine

Victoria Brittain
Wednesday March 21, 2007
The Guardian

The distinguished Israeli professor of linguistics Tanya Reinhart, who has died suddenly aged 63, was even better known for her prolific writing on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, her searing criticism of her own country, and her role as an activist, including her support for an academic boycott of Israel. She was a woman of immense bravery, and believed that fierce criticism of Israel "is the best act of solidarity and compassion with the Jews that one can have".
...
She came to see parallels with apartheid South Africa, writing in 2003: "What Israel is doing under Ariel Sharon far exceeds the crimes of the South Africa's white regime. It has been taking the form of systematic ethnic cleansing, which South Africa never attempted." It was the analogy between Israel and South Africa's apartheid that she used in justifying the academic boycott movement of recent years.
...
Reinhart was an optimist however, and last October wrote that "persistent struggle can have an effect, and can lead governments to act. Such struggle begins with the Palestinian people, who have withstood years of brutal oppression, and who, through their spirit of zumud - sticking to their land - and daily endurance, organising and resistance, have managed to keep the Palestinian cause alive, something that not all oppressed nations have managed to do." (Source: Guardian Unlimited, March 21, 2007)

28th Safar - Mourning the loss of our Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) - Mercy to Mankind

Image via Wikipedia

Sermons by Respected Alim, Hujjatul Islam Wal Muslimeen Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi on the occasion of the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.):
November 16, 2017 - 1439
December 20, 2014 - 1436
December 30, 2013 - 1435
January 10, 2013 - 1434
January 21, 2012 - 1433
February 1, 2011 - 1432
February 12, 2010 - 1431
March 17/07 - 1428



Article titled "What has been narrated from Al-Reza (A.S.) on the Characteristics of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.F.)" published by the Islamic Relations Pilgrims Office and Foreign Pilgrims' Affairs of A.Q.R.

Rachel Corrie

The story of Rachel Corrie being told at the Brunswick Theater, check out schedule and dates of showings here.

Israel uses Human Shields: Watch for yourself

We all know Israel's military uses Palestinian Civilians as human shields. They of course deny, deny, deny...and when caught, set up a bogus investigation into the matter. Seems theirs a lot of these sorts of investigations into their own military lately.

Watch this.

And read this.

Excerpts:

Israeli army 'used human shields'

By Katya Adler BBC News, Jerusalem

....

Amid Omeira, aged 15, told B'Tselem that a group of soldiers used the barrels of their rifles to force him to enter a number of houses ahead of them.

His 24-year-old cousin Samah told the group and the BBC of a similar experience, as did Jihan Dadush, aged 11.

From their testimonies, B'Tselem says it believes the Israeli soldiers knowingly exposed Samah and the two children to danger as they expected to find armed men in the houses. (Source: BBC News, March 8, 2007)

Not in our Name: Attend and be enlightened

Not in Our Name: Jewish Voices Againt Israel's Wars

When: Thursday, 15 March 2007 (7:30 p.m.)
Where: OISE, University of Toronto

252 Bloor St. West
Toronto ON
Contact: Abbie Bakan
NION (Not in Our Name)
notinournametor@yahoo.ca

Details:

Hear a diverse panel of Jewish Canadians speak out against Israel's wars and occupations, and address how to build solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for human rights, freedom and justice.

Moderator: Khaled Mouammar, President, Canadian Arab Federation

Speakers include: Abbie Bakan, Smadar Carmon, Charnie Guettel, Clare O’Connor, Henry Lowi, Herman Rosenfeld, Suzanne Weiss and bh Yael.

A-ha

The war initiated by Israel against Lebanon was premeditated and any claim that it was instigated or justifiable due to any kidnappings was not genuine.

Excerpts:

PM 'says Israel pre-planned war'

Israel's prime minister has said that the strategy used in last year's war with Lebanon was drawn up months in advance, an Israeli newspaper reports.
...
About 1,000 Lebanese, most of them civilians, died in the 34 days of fighting along with 116 Israeli soldiers and 43 civilians.
...
Along with criticism over its handling of the Lebanon crisis, Mr Olmert's government has been beset by a number of political and financial scandals. (Source: BBC News, March 8, 2007)

The whole world mourns for Imam Hussein (A.S.)

• Read this article and watch the accompanying video by New York Times reporter Edward Wong

• An Amount of Soil of Imam Hussein Holy Grave Bleeding Since Ashura Morning

 

Case against Iran?

The U.S. recently submitted its case with evident to the U.N. to prove Iran's nuclear ambitions are not for peaceful purposes. Do you think they did their homework?

Excerpts:

U.N. calls U.S. data on Iran's nuclear aims unreliable

Tips about supposed secret weapons sites and documents with missile designs haven't panned out, diplomats say.

By Bob Drogin and Kim Murphy, Times Staff Writers
February 25, 2007

...
diplomats here say most U.S. intelligence shared with the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency has proved inaccurate and none has led to significant discoveries inside Iran. (Source: Los Angeles Times, Feb 25, 2007)