Tag Archives: u.s.

International

Pakistan makes official warning to U.S. Ambassador, next time it’s war

U.S. Ambassador Cameron Munter was summoned to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, where an official protest was issued to him.

Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Secretary, Salman Bashir, officially stated that the May 2 operation to assassinate Osama bin Laden was an attack on Pakistan.  He added the Pakistan will not tolerate any future operations from the U.S., without consultation.

Ambassador Munter said it was regretful that the U.S. did not consult with the Pakistani government before the operation.

The May 2 operation, and the fact that U.S. drone attacks continue, is splitting the Pakistani government.  Several political parties in the Pakistani Parliament,  are calling for an end to relations with the U.S.

International, U.S.

U.S. increases drone attacks in Pakistan, says War on Terror will not be scaled back

Since the supposed assassination of Osama bin Laden, the United States has actually increased the number of drone attacks in Pakistan.

Since May 2 there have been four attacks.

An unnamed official says the assassination of bin Laden will not affect U.S. policy in Pakistan: “There are absolutely no plans at present to cease or scale back U.S. counter terrorism operations in Pakistan.”

International, Opinion, U.S.

Libyan rebel representatives at the White House asking for money

As if the United States and Europe aren’t doing enough for the Libyan Civil War.  Today, May 13, Libyan rebel reps are meeting with President Obama, to ask for more money.

Mahmoud Jebril, with the rebel’s National Transitional Council, is asking that Obama turn over the frozen assets of Gaddafi.  Jebril is a U.S. educated technocrat, who is helping to lead the rebel campaign against the Libyan government.

Jebril says that if the rebel Council doesn’t get more money soon, they will not be able to pay their mercenaries, I mean rebel troops.  The implication is that the so called rebel freedom fighters would walk away.

 

International

NATO bombs Muslim clerics in Libya

In the rebel controlled city of Berga, at least 16 civilians were killed, 40 wounded, after NATO planes bombed them.

Witnesses say most of the victims were Muslim clerics.  They were holding a religious meeting at a home in the city.  Many rebels now doubt that NATO is acting to protect civilians in rebel held territory.  They point out that NATO rarely acts when they need them, and, as in the recent airstrike on Berga, NATO has bombed civilians on several occasions.

Fukushima

Japan official: Flooding Reactor 1 with more water is a wasted effort, due to total melt down?

Officials with Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency say it’s too late now that fuel rods in Fukushima Daiichi Reactor 1 have melted down!  Tokyo Electric Power Company officials wanted to pump more water into the reactor, in the hopes of stopping the meltdown.

Nuclear Safety officials think the melted rods have cooled enough in the water at the bottom of the reactor, that there might not be too much concern.  However, TEPCo believes that holes in the reactor vessel have been created by the meltdown, which is causing large amounts of radioactive water to pour into the Pacific Ocean.

The Agency suggested that TEPCo should inject water only to the point of keeping the bottom of the reactor filled.

Fukushima

Cesium spreading across Japan!

Two prefectures bordering Fukushima Prefecture, have discovered that plants are contaminated with cesium.

Tochigi and Ibaraki Prefectures have cesium contamination well about safe limits.  As much as 3,600 becquerels of cesium has contaminated pasture land, and crops!  The government’s safe limit is 300 bequerels.

Farmers are being told not to feed their animals the grass.  Crops are so contaminated that farmers are being told not to harvest, or ship their crops.  Some contaminated parsley had already been shipped to market.

 

 

 

 

International, Opinion, U.S.

NATO says it will occupy Libya

“In a post-Gaddafi era, I think we will still have a role to play in assisting a new Libyan government in a transition to a sustainable democracy.”-Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General

Rasmussen explained that NATO will focus on rebuilding Libya’s security and military units.

Basically what Rasmussen is saying is that U.S. led NATO plans on setting up shop in Libya, after they kill off Gaddafi.  What was that Obama said about this not being a long term adventure?

 

International, Opinion, U.S.

Another U.S. soldier killed by Afghan Cop

Another case of Afghan government forces shooting U.S. forces.  This time a National Police officer shot four U.S. soldier, killing one of them.  Very little details are available. The shooting happened in Lashkar Gah.  Witnesses say it was an all out scuffle.

This is not the first time Afghan government employees turned their guns on U.S. forces.  Last month a career military pilot killed several U.S. personnel, before being killed himself.

As for police forces, this is one of several incidents involving police officers; In April 2011, a total of 11 U.S. personnel were killed by Afghan police. In January 2011, a U.S. Marine killed a police officer. In November 2010, an Afghan border police officer killed six U.S./NATO troops.

Not only do U.S. forces have to deal with the Taliban’s spring offensive, but they have to watch their back for fear of Afghan government police attacking them.

International, U.S.

Another reason to stay in Iraq: U.S. has begun training troops to attack Iran

A U.S. base in Iraq is being used to train Iranian dissidents for attacks on Iran.

The base is called Camp Taji Contracting Center.  Iranian Arab separatists known as Khalq-e Arab, are given military training there.  The Iranian government learned of the training after arresting five members of the group after they tried to assassinate Iranian police.

The Khalq-e Arab separatists are trying to take control of Iran’s southwestern oil fields in Khuzestan.  Khuzestan has a large Arab population, and has been fought over in the past, by Iraq and Iran.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Week of Action, Californians protesting bad jobs and budget cuts

“We are in the middle of a recession. We need to get out of the recession by moving forward with good jobs, not poverty jobs.”-Mike Chavez, Labor Expert

California has one of the highest unemployment rates in the U.S.; 12.3% as of March 2011.  In Los Angeles County it’s 12.6%.

State workers are facing benefits cuts up to 30%.  This week Californians are protesting the bad economy, and the state and local budget cuts, in a Week of Action.

“This is the 21st century, we need to go forward, not backward.”-protester