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International, U.S.

World War 3: Mujahideen continue attacks. More U.S./NATO/Afghan troops killed. U.S. Ambassador quits. NATO sets pullout date, preparing for next war?

22 May 2012, U.S. led NATO has agreed to hand over combat command to the puppet government of Afghanistan by mid 2013, and withdraw the majority of U.S./NATO and other occupying forces by the end of 2014.

And to prove that your tax money will still be hard at work in the Central Asian country, NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said part of the plan was to provide billions of dollars to the Afghan government: “We are on the right track to reaching the goal of around $4 billion [USD] a year for financing of Afghan security forces…”

Ryan Crocker, current ambassador to Afghanistan, is quitting.  He’ll be leaving as soon a replacement is found, which could be within the next month. No official word as to why, but it seems to be connected to discussions at the NATO summit in Chicago.

Afghan Defense Ministry says seven of their troops were killed, and four wounded in several attacks by Mujahideen.  The battles took place in Paktia, Paktika, Maidan Wardak and Zabul provinces.

Afghan Interior Ministry said at least three Mujahideen were killed, and one wounded in battles in Faryab, Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan, Ghazni and Farah provinces.

In Nangarhar Province two Pakistani suicide bombers were arrested before they could blow themselves up.

Afghanistan’s National Directorate for Security claims to have foiled an attack on the USAID offices, also in Nangarhar Province. They say they captured four Mujahideen.  They also claim to have captured a man who is a Pakistani Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) agent.  Afghan officials say the agent told them that Pakistan is supporting the Taliban 100%.

Afghan officials are also reporting that a “facilitator” was captured, and more weapons and drugs destroyed.  These events took place beginning 18 May, and through to 21 May in the provinces of Helmand and Khost.

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said another U.S./NATO soldier was killed on 21 May.  He was killed when Mujahideen attacked occupying troops in eastern Afghanistan.

 

 

U.S.

United Police States of America: More than 2,000 innocent people sent to prison in the United States, just the “tip of the iceberg”!

“Nobody had an inkling of the serious problem of false confessions until we had this data.”-Rob Warden, Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University

“We know there are many more that we haven’t found…It’s clear that the exonerations we found are the tip of the iceberg.” -Samuel Gross, University of Michigan

So much for the U.S. system of justice.  Now there’s more proof that you could go to prison even if you’re innocent!  The Atlantic says blame your infallible court judges: “This is particularly true at the United States Supreme Court, where the justices, alone among government officials, have no one to answer to but their own consciences.”

A new report by the Center on Wrongful Convictions, shows that not only have at minimum 2,000 people been wrongfully imprisoned since 1989, but that 873 of those innocent people spent a combined total of 10,000 years in prison!  More reason not to trust the cops and courts!!!

The report says this is only the beginning of more revaluations to come: “If that were the extent of the problem we would be encouraged by these numbers. But it’s not. These cases merely point to a much larger number of tragedies that we do not know about.”

Keep in mind the report is talking about innocent people who’ve been exonerated, not those still in prison.  The report also breaks it down by state and county.

One man spent 35 years in a Florida prison, after being wrongly convicted of a crime in 1974!  Another man in Texas was not so lucky, he died in prison in 1999, only to be found innocent after he died!

The state of Illinois is the worst offender.  You can view the National Registry of Exonerations here.

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

Terror Drones: May 14-20. Increased strikes in Yemen. Civilians being forced to fight for government? Oil fields to be guarded by UAVs. Welcome to the 2012 Olympics.

20 May 2012, Iraq revealed they will be using larger UAVs to patrol their Persian Gulf oil rigs. The program is known as Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS).

Iraq already operates the smaller Scan Eagle drones.

20 May 2012, at least two people killed in U.S. drone attack.  Local officials say the Yemen army is on offensive in southern Yemen, and is being supported by U.S. drone strikes.

The offensive began on 18 May. Dozens of people have been killed, including civilians.  Yemen army officials admitted that some of the “civilians” are actually people who “volunteered” to fight for the government!

17 May 2012, two or three suspected Mujahideen were killed by U.S. drone strike in Yemen.

15 May 2012, seven Mujahideen and six civilians were killed by two U.S. drone strikes in Yemen. Independent news media reports say at least 12 civilians were killed, and 21 wounded.

19 May 2012, a Pakistani recon drone crashed in Punjab Province. Technical problems were blamed.

14 May 2012, citizens of Pakistan are suing their own government for failing to stop the U.S. drone strikes: “This is the first time that victims are suing their own government for failing to protect their lives against drone strikes.”-Shahzad Akbar, Foundation for Fundamental Rights

19 may 2012, Israel has created a recon drone the size of a large butterfly. It weighs 20 grams, and is designed for use inside buildings.

Canadian news media reporting that the 2012 London Olympics will be held in a concentration camp, of sorts.  British officials plan to use all kinds of military force, including “…48,000 security forces. 13,500 troops. Surface-to-air missiles stationed on top of residential apartment buildings. A sonic weapon that disperses crowds by creating ‘head-splitting pain.’ Unmanned drones peering down from the skies. A safe zone, cordoned off by an 18-kilometre electrified fence, ringed with trained agents and 55 teams of attack dogs.”

The Toronto Star went on to point out that “Not even China in 2008 used drone planes or ringed the proceedings with a massive, high-voltage fence. But here is London, preparing a counter-insurgency, and parking an aircraft carrier right in the Thames.”

14 May 2012, the U.S. Congress is pushing for public safety agencies to use recon drones. The law was passed on February 14, 2012. Now the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has created a regulation that allows the use of recon drones under 25 pounds by local police, fire and similar “safety” agencies.

For some reason the U.S. Congress is really concerned about allowing local agencies to use lots and lots of drones.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Military pact with Australia. Yet more drug busts. More battles, dozens of Afghan/occupying troops killed. Obama says things will get worse!

“We recognize the hardship that the Afghan people have been through. Both of us recognize that we still have a lot of work to do. The loss of life continues in Afghanistan. There will be hard days ahead, but we’re confident that we’re on the right track.”-Barack Obama, President of the United States, May 20, 2012

May 21, 2012, officials in Herat Province says Italian troops drove over a mine, causing an explosion, no word on casualties.  Also, a school was attacked, leaving three students wounded.

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry says eight Afghan troops have been killed or wounded in battles in Parwan, Paktia, Maidan Wardak and Helmand provinces.

The Afghan Interior Ministry claim that five Mujahideen were killed, and 14 captured in operations in Kabul, Parwan, Kandahar, Helmand and Zabul provinces.

After two days of not issuing their usual Joint Command morning operational update, ISAF has issued the following info: Operations to capture a “facilitator” in Kandahar Province.  Weapons and two people with five kilograms (11 pounds) of illegal drugs were captured/destroyed.

Also in Kandahar, approximately 680 kilograms (1,500 pounds) of hashish was destroyed.

In Baghlan Province weapons were captured/destroyed and an opium field was burned.  This took place on May 18, but not publicly reported by ISAF until May 21.

The morning of May 21, Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai, and Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard, signed a long term military pact at the NATO summit in Chicago, Illinois.

Australia joins India, Italy, France, United Kingdom, United States and Germany in signing long term military pacts with Afghanistan, a sign the west is not about to leave Afghanistan anytime soon.

In late reporting on May 20, 2012, ISAF revealed that two U.S./NATO troops were killed in southern Afghanistan during an attack by Mujahideen.

At least 160 U.S./NATO/occupying service members have been killed since the beginning of the year.

In Uruzgan Province, Salim Ehsas, a spokesman for 404 Maiwand Security Command, said a huge explosion rocked the town of Tarinkowt.  At least four U.S./NATO troops, and two civilians were wounded.

The explosion was caused by a suicide bomber who attacked a NATO supply convoy.  Other local sources say at least six children were wounded.

Also late on May 20, Afghan Defense Ministry officials revealed that as many as 31 of their troops had been killed or wounded in battles in a 48 hour period.

In Farah Province an offensive was launched on May 18, resulting in eight Afghan troops killed and nine wounded.  No word on Mujahideen casualties. Other military operations took place in Kapisa, Maidan Wardak, Zabul and Helmand provinces.

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. troops killed. Battles continue despite recent U.S. media claims that attacks were down. NATO wants out! Your taxes going to the puppet government!

May 20, 2012, Afghan Mujahideen claim they’ve killed or wounded 17 U.S. personnel in Khost Province.  Mujahideen claim they attacked a U.S. outpost on the Afghan/Pakistan border.

Afghan and ISAF officials reported they killed four Mujahideen in Kunar Province.  In Paktika Province four Mujahideen were killed as they attacked a military base.  Also local police killed two Mujahideen in a separate incident.

In Khost Province, four people were detained on suspicion of planting mines.

Reuters reporting that the NATO meeting in Chicago, Illinois, is focusing on how to get out of Afghanistan: “…the talks on Afghanistan, an unwelcome weight on countries mindful of dwindling support for a costly campaign that has not defeated the Taliban in more than 10 years.”

Reuters reports that President Barack Obama is trying to get occupying countries to cough up $1.3 billion USD, per year, to be given to the puppet government of Afghanistan!

Canadian news media reporting that the actual amount is $4.1 billion per year: “What I’m hoping to see is a commitment to resourcing the Afghan national security forces post-2014.”-U.S. Admiral James Stavridis, NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Europe

Australia, Germany and United Kingdom have already pledged at least $100 million per year, and now it looks like Canada will pony up.  Former Canadian officials said that if Canada does pledge money to the puppet government in Afghanistan, it will not be done through NATO!

However, one defense expert, Roland Paris, said the current Canadian government is unpredictable: “The prime minister has been full of surprises on this file over the past number of years. There have been significant changes without advance warning.”

BBC is reporting that the United Kingdom will keep a small number of Red Coats in Afghanistan after the 2014 pullout date. Up to 200 British special forces could stay to help the puppet government fight “terrorism”.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. supported Mexican Generals connected to Drug violence in so called Drug War. More than 3,000 U.S. supported Mexican military personnel court martialed because of corruption!

May 19, 2012, Mexico’s Ministry of Defense reporting that in the past week three Mexican military Generals were arrested for working with drug lords. Two of those generals are retired, one other is active duty!

Prosecutors say the generals were paid bribes by the Beltran-Leyva Cartel.

But this is the tip of the ice berg. In the past five years of the U.S. encouraged Mexican Drug War, 3,000 Mexican military personnel have been court martialed for corruption, and other crimes!

Mexico’s National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) said those 3,000 included personnel with the ranks of corporal all the way up to colonels.  There are dozens of offenses listed, including being AWOL, theft, fraud, abuse of authority, to the most serious crime of homicide.  The court martials began in 2007, and are ongoing!

President Felipe Calderon, with the encouragement of then U.S. President George W. Bush, began the Drug War in 2006.  Since then more than 50,000 people have been killed!

The United States Northern Command (NORTHCOMM) works closely with the Mexican military: “The level of communication, interchange, cooperation, and training exchanges between U.S. and Mexican armed forces has increased dramatically over the last two years and represents a historic opportunity for long term strategic improvement of the U.S.-Mexico security partnership.”-U.S. General Victor Renuart, March 2010

NORTHCOMM is also behind training Mexican police.

In March 2012, it was revealed that a U.S. Navy SEAL was to train the Mexican military. The U.S. Pentagon sent Rear Admiral Colin Kilrain (a Navy SEAL) to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, to oversea the training.  What is significant about that is up ’till now only Russia and China had U.S. Admirals or Generals assigned to U.S. embassies!

Congressman Henry Cuellar said that sending a Rear Admiral to Mexico was a sign of how bad things are there: “I would call it a very violent situation where they have no regard to human life.”

Here’s a clue; ever since the U.S. invaded Afghanistan the illegal drug production there has skyrocketed to record levels.  Ever since the U.S. pushed the Mexican government into this Drug War, the drugs haven’t stopped and the violence is now at record levels.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Afghans say cops behind violence. More explosions and deaths. France to support puppet government in a “different way”.

May 19, 2012, in Afghanistan’s Khost province at least 13 people were killed by a suicide bomber.  The target of the bomber was a police check point.

In Kandahar Province two would be suicide bombers were captured.  Officials say they confessed and said they were trained in Pakistan.

Seek & destroy/capture operations were conducted in Kabul, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Baghlan, Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul and Uruzgan provinces.

Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry said Afghan and U.S./NATO occupying forces captured a suicide bomber on a motorcycle in Farah Province, on May 18.

Battles also raged in several provinces.  Afghan and occupying forces killed nine Mujahideen throughout Afghanistan in the past 24 hours.

Afghan officials say two of their soldiers were killed, and six wounded in Farah Province.  One killed and two wounded in Helmand, and, one killed and one wounded in Kapisa provinces.

Afghan officials claim they captured three members of the Mahaz Mullah Dadullah group.  They are Mujahideen believed to be connected to the  “Taliban”, however, Taliban reps claim no such group is connected to them.

The Independent Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan issued a new report that says U.S. supported corrupt police are behind a lot of the violence in Afghanistan.

The report does say that some provinces have become stable after the creation of local police forces, but in other provinces violence has gotten worse: “… causing further insecurity and human rights violations. Many of such cases as murdering, robbery, extortion, insecurity and disorder, rape and harassment of people is mentioned in this report.”

New French President, Francois Hollande, reminded U.S. and NATO that he was pulling out French troops early, but said France will support the occupation of Afghanistan in other ways: “We will continue to support Afghanistan in a different way. I’m pretty sure I will find the right means so that our allies can continue with their mission and at the same time I can comply to the promise I made to the French people.”

For the second day in a row ISAF did not issue their usual 24 hour Joint Command Morning operational update.

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? New U.S. tariffs on Chinese solar panels could be the final nail in the coffin for Idaho’s Hoku Materials

Troubled Hoku Materials polysilicon factory in Pocatello, Idaho, could be finally done in by the latest U.S. tariffs against Chinese solar panel companies.

Hoku Materials is a division of Hoku Corporation, which in turn is a subsidiary of Tianwei New Energy Holdings, which is an affiliate of China South Industries Group Corporation (CSGC).  Hoku Corp turned to China for financial help a few years ago, which is how it became a a subsidiary of Tianwei New Energy Holdings.

The Chinese companies were hoping to get around any possible future U.S. tariffs by taking over Hoku, but it’s now clear that was a wasted investment for them.

On May 17, 2012, the U.S. Commerce Department announced new tariffs on Chinese solar product makers, claiming that China dumped (sold for far less than what it cost to make them) their products on the U.S. market.

The new action, approved by President Obama, imposes tariffs of 31% or more on solar products coming from China. So far, Hoku Materials’ contracts for polysilicon are with Chinese companies only.  Despite several official start-up announcements, their polysilicon factory in Idaho has yet to actually start up!

Prior to the new U.S. tariff announcement, stock in Hoku Corp was trading at less than 30 cents per share.

GOOD AND BAD NEWS FOR IDAHO’S HOKU MATERIALS

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Money for Taliban coming from United States? 158 U.S./NATO troops killed. More airstrikes. Turkey to train police.

May 18, 2012, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said two U.S./NATO personnel were killed during a Mujahideen attack, in eastern Afghanistan.  ISAF SOP means they don’t give anymore info.

At least 158 occupying personnel, including 110 U.S. troops, 20 British soldiers and 28 soldiers from other occupying member countries, have been killed since January 2012.

In Maidan Wardak Province a U.S./NATO airstrike was called in after Mujahideen were spotted laying mines.  The airstrike took place at about 02:00 hours. According to local officials, the airstrike killed at least five Mujahideen, plus three were killed later on.

The Ministry of Interior Affairs of Afghanistan announced that 500 police trainees will be sent to Turkey for training.   The announcement was made after another group of 500 cops returned from the six months course in Turkey. So why is the U.S. there, and why is the U.S. spending tax dollars paying for police training?

May 17, 2012, the United States Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two people in Afghanistan, for supporting the Taliban with money. The sanctions are meant to target financial sources within the United States!

However, the evidence Treasury officials used was old.  The most recent money transfer was made in 2002, when one of the men was paid $500,000 USD to buy a factory.  The money supposedly came from Osama bin Laden.

Treasury officials also said that during the late 1990s to 2001, when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, about $2.8 million USD was transferred out of European banks to the two men.  The two men acted as banks, in order for the Taliban government to avoid sanctions.

The sanctions against the two men are meant to block any transactions involving U.S. banks, or individuals living in the U.S.  In a round-a-bout way the U.S. Treasury has revealed that one major source of financing for the Taliban was the United States!

So far, no 24 hour, ISAF Joint Command Morning operational update for May 18, 2012.

 

 

International

World War 3: Return of the Empire Wars; Queen of Spain disses Queen of England

May 16, 2012, Queen Sophia of Spain has refused an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II of England.

Initially Sophia accepted an invitation to Elizabeth’s celebration of 60 years on the British throne, but the Spanish government protested forcing Sophia to cancel.

The protest is over who controls the island of Gibraltar.  Spain lost the islands to the British in 1713.  The Spanish government argues that the 1713 deal did not include the entire island.

Spain is also supporting Argentina in its claim against the British for the Malvinas islands (Falklands). The United Nations recently ruled that Gibraltar and Malvinas are two of ten areas that the United Kingdom illegally occupies.