by Naomi Klein
When United Nations troops kill residents of the Haitian slum Cité Soleil, friends and family often place photographs of exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on their bodies. The photographs silently insist that there is a method to the madness raging in Port-au-Prince. Poor Haitians are being slaughtered not for being “violent,” as we so often hear, but for being militant; for daring to demand the return of their elected president.

It was only ten years ago that President Clinton celebrated Aristide’s return to power as “the triumph of freedom over fear.” So what changed? Corruption? Violence? Fraud? Aristide is certainly no saint. But even if the worst of the allegations are true, they pale next to the rap sheets of the convicted killers, drug smugglers and arms traders who ousted Aristide and continue to enjoy free rein, with full support from the Bush Administration and the UN. Turning Haiti over to this underworld gang out of concern for Aristide’s lack of “good governance” is like escaping an annoying date by accepting a lift home from Charles Manson.

A few weeks ago I visited Aristide in Pretoria, South Africa, where he lives in forced exile. I asked him what was really behind his dramatic falling-out with Washington. He offered an explanation rarely heard in discussions of Haitian politics–actually, he offered three: “privatization, privatization and privatization.” The dispute dates back to a series of meetings in early 1994, a pivotal moment in Haiti’s history that Aristide has rarely discussed. Haitians were living under the barbaric rule of Raoul Cédras, who overthrew Aristide in a 1991 US-backed coup. Aristide was in Washington and despite popular calls for his return, there was no way he could face down the junta without military back-up. Increasingly embarrassed by Cédras’s abuses, the Clinton Administration offered Aristide a deal: US troops would take him back to Haiti–but only after he agreed to a sweeping economic program with the stated goal to “substantially transform the nature of the Haitian state.”

Aristide agreed to pay the debts accumulated under the kleptocratic Duvalier dictatorships, slash the civil service, open up Haiti to “free trade” and cut import tariffs on rice and corn in half. It was a lousy deal but, Aristide says, he had little choice. “I was out of my country and my country was the poorest in the Western hemisphere, so what kind of power did I have at that time?”

But Washington’s negotiators made one demand that Aristide could not accept: the immediate sell-off of Haiti’s state-owned enterprises, including phones and electricity. Aristide argued that unregulated privatization would transform state monopolies into private oligarchies, increasing the riches of Haiti’s elite and stripping the poor of their national wealth. He says the proposal simply didn’t add up: “Being honest means saying two plus two equals four. They wanted us to sing two plus two equals five.”
commondreams/the nation

WASHINGTON – Unborn U.S. babies are soaking in a stew of chemicals, including mercury, gasoline byproducts and pesticides, according to a report released Thursday.

Although the effects on the babies are not clear, the survey prompted several members of Congress to press for legislation that would strengthen controls on chemicals in the environment.

The report by the Environmental Working Group is based on tests of 10 samples of umbilical-cord blood taken by the American Red Cross. They found an average of 287 contaminants in the blood, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides and the Teflon chemical PFOA.
Full: msn.com

Court Nixes Regulating Greenhouse Gases

n 2007 the Bicentenary of the British parliamentary abolition of the Transatlantic Slave trade will take place.

Whilst the Bicentenary will be marked by some sort of commemoration, there have been repeated calls for the British government to make reparations for their role in the dehumanization, exploitation and deaths of millions of Africans.

Given that plantation owners in the Caribbean were compensated to the tune of £20 million when slavery was abolished in 1807, it is not an unreasonable request that the descendants of those who suffered at the hands of slavery should also receive compensation.
Full”blackbritain.com

FALLUJA, Iraq, July 12 – Transformed into a police state after last winter’s siege, this should be the safest city in all of Iraq.

Thousands of American and Iraqi troops live in crumbling buildings here and patrol streets laced with concertina wire. Any Iraqi entering the city must show a badge and undergo a search at one of six checkpoints. There is a 10 p.m. curfew.

But the insurgency is rising from the rubble nevertheless, eight months after the American military killed as many as 1,500 Iraqis in a costly invasion that fanned anti-American passions across Iraq and the Arab world.

Somewhere in the bowels of Falluja, the former guerrilla stronghold 35 miles west of Baghdad, where four American contractors were killed in an ambush, and the bodies of two were hanged from a bridge, in March 2004, insurgents are building suicide car bombs again.
Full: nytimes.com

BAGHDAD – A tidal wave of corruption may ensure the Iraqi army and police will be too few and too poorly armed to replace American and British forces fighting anti-government insurgents. That could frustrate plans in Washington and London to reduce their forces in Iraq.

The Iraqi armed forces are full of “ghost battalions” in which officers pocket the pay of soldiers who never existed or have gone home. “I know of at least one unit which was meant to be 2,200 but the real figure was only 300 men,” said a veteran Iraqi politician and member of parliament, Mahmoud Othman. “The US talks about 150,000 Iraqis in the security forces but I doubt if there are more than 40,000.”
Full: commondreams/independent uk

Did White House political adviser Karl Rove deliberately reveal the identity of an undercover CIA operative? Only two people can answer that question, and neither one is talking: Rove himself and special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, who is investigating the question.

Sooner or later, we probably will get an answer. Fitzgerald has been so aggressive in this investigation — to the point of jailing a New York Times reporter who refused to reveal her confidential sources — that indictments are reasonably likely.

In the meantime, it’s important to look beyond the immediate political spectacle in Washington — White House spokesman Scott McClellan finally confronted by reporters who feel abused and lied to — to the reason Rove was talking to a reporter about ex-diplomat Joseph Wilson at all.

The real issue, more serious and less glitzy than whether Bush will stand by his political adviser, is the extraordinary efforts the Bush administration made to protect a case for war in Iraq from all contradictory evidence — in effect, as the British spymaster Sir Richard Dearlove put it, to “fix” the facts and intelligence so they would support a decision already made.
Full: commondreams/star tribune

…To truly help America heal from its present spiritual disease, liberals are going to have to dig down deeper into their souls to find the place from which the real thing comes.
commondreams.org

What a load of crap. The ‘liberal tradition’ was born at the height of imperialism in Europe, and bought into it unquestioningly like everybody else. Liberalism has nothing to say to the world that’s worth hearing

Suspect in London attack arrested in Cairo
CAIRO, Egypt – A well-liked Egyptian with an American college degree and no apparent interest in politics has been arrested as part of the investigation into the London bomb blasts. In Pakistan Friday, security forces investigating connections with the suicide bombings detained four suspects, a police office said.
…Meanwhile, the BBC, citing sources close to the investigation, said the explosive used was the highly unstable TATP (triacetone triperoxide), made from freely available ingredients.
…It said the explosives, found in raids in the city of Leeds, are thought to be similar to materials used by British “shoe bomber” Richard Reid who tried to blow up a transatlantic flight in 2001 with explosives concealed in his shoes. what happened to the ‘military grade’ explosives?

Chemistry student held in Cairo
…”Elnashar denied having any relation with the latest events in London. He pointed out [to questioners] that all his belongings remained in his apartment in Britain,” a statement said.”It is difficult to believe such things,”
…Dr Nazer said. “When I asked his colleagues, they didn’t mention anything bad thing about him, saying only that he was clever and calm. His colleagues said he had no behaviour of violence or no ideological issues.”

Family mourns bomb victim Shahara
The first of the funerals for the victims of the London bomb attacks was today held for Shahara Islam.
In a statement, Ms Islam’s parents said the 20-year-old had been in “the wrong place at the wrong time” when she was killed on her way to work at an Islington bank branch last Thursday morning.
“Today our dear daughter, cause of our joy and light of our eyes, our Shahara is returning to her Lord – an innocent and blood-stained martyr. She was an East Ender, a Londoner and British, but, above all, a true Muslim and proud to be so,” the statement said. (Just in case anybody thinks they just chose random Muslims among the dead to blame) It turns out miraculaously that the 2nd funeral is for a woman named Susan Levy! I’m surprised her last name was not reported as ‘Israel’ lest the symbolism escape anyone..

Police say fourth bomber born in Jamaica
…Counter-terrorist officials said last night that the investigation was starting to enter the covert “intelligence phase” which, by definition, would be much less visible than the events of recent days. The overt “operational phase” was running down, they said, adding that it was unlikely there would be any arrests in the near future.
…A senior anti-terrorist official also denied claims that the explosives originated from the Balkans, and said it was far from clear that they were of military grade – claims made by French anti-terrorist officials earlier this week. Well a couple days ago some ‘official’ said it was very clear they were military grade explosives. A little Malvo (DC ‘sniper’) action thrown in for good measure.

Loving father, bad neighbour, Piccadilly line bomber Everyone knows bad neighbors make good ‘terrorists’, like MOVE in Philly 1986.

‘Father figure’ inspired young bombers
…””The Lodge Lane centre was used for youth work,” said Reverend Neil Bishop. “I have never had any concerns about the work Hamara do. That centre has been doing youth work for seven or eight years. The people I knew there are all perfectly regular people.”

Far right and football gangs plot ‘revenge’

ah yes and we must not forget the picture of ‘the bomber’ with the ‘bomb’, we are assured, tucked into his rucksack:

Police appeal for clues on London bus bomber

Hunt for terror cell widens with fresh raid

Anti-terrorist police were on Thursday carrying out a forensic search at a semi-detached house in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in the strongest signal yet that investigators believe the bombers may have had connections with the area just north of London. Aylesbury is 22 miles from Luton where a car, said to have been used by the suicide bombers, was found.

…Evidence that at least two of the men had travelled to Pakistan raised the possibility that they originally received instructions and may have been trained by al-Qaeda there.

…The uncle of one of the bombers, Shehzad Tanweer, 22, blamed “forces behind” his nephew for the attacks. Bashir Ahmed said his nephew, who came from Leeds, was “proud to be British”. He said it was hard for the family to accept their son had caused such loss of life. “It wasn’t him. It must have been forces behind him.”

The other bombers were named as Hasib Mir Hussain, 18, also from Leeds, and Mohammed Sadique Kahn, 30, a father-of-one who lived in nearby Dewsbury. The fourth man has not been named, but is believed to match the profile of the other three. Security camera footage and other intelligence suggest the four knew each other well.

…As police hunted for a “fifth man” and possible mastermind behind western Europe’s first suicide bomb attacks, the prime minister also took fresh steps to increase dialogue with the British Muslim community and called for an international effort to mobilise the “moderate and true voice of Islam”.

…Building on the strong cross-party consensus since the attacks, Mr Blair said the government would shortly meet with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to get prompt backing for legislation aimed at preventing another terrorist strike.

Mr Blair has already said he wants to enact legislation to allow the prosecution of people caught preparing an act of terrorism. The prime minister on Wednesday said legislation would also be aimed at allowing prosecution of those involved in “incitement and instigation” of such acts.
Full: ft.com

THE TEACHER BOMBER
One of the bombers who brought carnage to London taught disabled children, it has emerged.

Mohammed Sadique Khan, 30, of Dewsbury, was a supply teaching assistant who taught disabled children in Beeston, it has been revealed.

A picture of him carried on the front page of The Times shows the bearded bomber caring for young children at the school.

The news came as police told Sky News they were hunting a fifth man involved in the plot to kill 52 people in Britain’s first suicide strikes.

Sky News’ crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: “Police have to assume that there were others working with these four.”
Full: www.sky.com

Hasib Hussain: The boy who grew up to bomb the No 30 bus
…He was the tallest boy in his class. Hasib Hussain, aged 10, in his final year at Ingram Road Primary School in Holbeck, Leeds, was already showing signs of being a promising athlete and had ambitions to be a professional cricketer. But he was always an unassuming child.

A few years later, however, Hussain was to become one of Britain’s first home-grown suicide bombers at the age of 18. One week ago yesterday, he told his mother he was going to London with friends for the night. Once there, he boarded a No 30 bus and detonated the last of the four bombs that shook the capital.

…”He was really into cricket and football. We would get together every weekend, then they closed the pitch down. I never saw him much after that until six to eight weeks ago,” said a friend.

It seems he thought he had found Islam. He grew a beard and began dressing in traditional Muslim clothes. When he was last spotted by the friend he had shaved off his beard. Al-Qa’ida analysts have claimed that may be a sign of a radicalised Muslim’s intention to become a terrorist.
Full: independent.co.uk

On the BBC this morning I heard one of Hussein’s friends who had played cricket with him the day before he died. Maybe that’s how a suicide bomber prepares for heaven. The dead can’t defend themselves.
Pakistanis going to Pakistan…hmm…now that’s suspicious. A few days ago they said the bombs had timers which were synchronized, and now they’ve found a bunch of sorry fall guys, a most unlikely lot, but certain to ramp up the anxiety level in England to a nearly intolerable degree, prompting people to accept the end of civil government. Blaming kids and positing a shady ‘mastermind’ conveniently disappeared to parts unknown. It’s a load, and the tragic thing is that people will believe it, because the alternative is unthinkable for most. 9-11 has taught those who suspect the unthinkable. Thousands of them.

A consultancy agency with government and police connections was running an exercise for an unnamed company that revolved around the London Underground being bombed at the exact same times and locations as happened in real life on the morning of July 7th.

On a BBC Radio 5 interview that aired on the evening of the 7th, the host interviewed Peter Power, Managing Director of Visor Consultants, which bills itself as a ‘crisis management’ advice company, better known to you and I as a PR firm.

Peter Power was a former Scotland Yard official, working at one time with the Anti Terrorist Branch.

Power told the host that at the exact same time that the London bombings were taking place, his company was running a 1,000 person strong exercise which drilled the London Underground being bombed at the exact same locations, at the exact same times, as happened in real life.

…The exercise fulfils several different goals. It acts as a cover for the small compartamentalized government terrorists to carry out their operation without the larger security services becoming aware of what they’re doing, and, more importantly, if they get caught during the attack or after with any incriminating evidence they can just claim that they were just taking part in the exercise.

This is precisely what happened on the morning of 9/11/2001. The CIA was conducting drills of flying hijacked planes into the WTC and Pentagon at 8:30 in the morning.

It is clear that at least five if not six training exercises were in operation in the days leading up to and on the morning of 9/11. This meant that NORAD radar screens showed as many as 22 hijacked airliners at the same time. NORAD had been briefed that this was part of the exercise drill and therefore normal reactive procedure was forestalled and delayed.

The large numbers of ‘blips’ on NORAD screens that displayed both real and ‘drill’ hijacked planes explain why confused press reports emerged hours after the attack stating that up to eight planes had been hijacked.

The Anglo-American establishment that controls the military-industrial complex of the West has been caught over a hundred times carrying out bombings and other terrorist attacks around the world to further their corporate aims and to blame their enemies.

The US government has been caught planning to carry out attacks and carrying out attacks. The British government has been caught red-handed as well. Members of Vladimir Putin’s FSB were caught planting bombs in a Russian apartment building in 1999 by the Moscow police.

This is not speculation. Kermit Roosevelt admited on NPR radio that in 1953 the CIA and British intelligence carried out a wave of bombings and shootings in Iran. He then went on to brag about how they subsequently blamed the bombings on Iran’s President, Mossadegh. Do you understand, these people brag about what they do 40 years later?

The London bombings have the same signature as the Madrild bombings of 3/11. Both of these bombings are almost indistinguishable from the Bolognia bombing in 1980 that killed over 80 people.

The bombing in Bolognia was part of a CIA operation code named Gladio, where the US government would pay right-wing terrorists to carry out bombings to be blamed on leftists in Europe. All of this was blown wide open when two of the Bolognia bombers were convited in an Italian court, forcing them to spill their guts admitting that they were neo-fascists contracted by the CIA. Operation Gladio documents have since been declassified.

The London terror alert level was lowered before the bombings took place. This gave the purpotrators extra cover to plan and execute the attack without having to evade the most stringent security.

In any crime you look at history and motive, The British government has been caught in multiple examples of carrying out bombings in London which were then blamed on the IRA. They even had one of their own MI5 agents wihin the Omagh bomb squad. Click here for an archive of this evidence.

The wider agenda will become clearer when Blair firmly points the finger at the selected patsies designated to take the fall. But for the moment he’s happy to grandstand as the courageous leader who immedately returned to London to take control of the chaos.

BBC polls that were showing 80 per cent plus opposed the ID card will now likely flip back in the opposite direction. Support for the European Union and increased globalization through the G8 will rise. Who stands to gain from all this? Who has the motive?
Full: prisonplanet.com