Tag Archives: war

International, Opinion

UN imposes sanctions against Ivory Coast, feeling a little guilty about Libya are we?

In a move that smacks of guilt after passing the UNSCR 1973 against Libya, the UN has imposed sanctions against the Ivory Coast, and Laurent Gbagbo.

The civil war in Cote d’Ivore (Ivory Coast, a former French colony, or is it now?) has been raging on for much longer than in Libya, yet NOW the UN takes action?

And guess who was pushing for such action, why the same guys as in Libya, the French.  It also helps that the African Union has been asking for UN action for a while now. So, when does the bombing start?

International

China to build bigger Navy, it’s the New Cold War baby!

In a report issued by the Chinese Navy, it is clear they expect some kind of military confrontation in the future, with the United States.

The report was released March 31.  It calls for increasing China’s ability to present a strategic deterrent and launch counterattacks at sea.  The report is also clear about who they think they might have to launch counterattacks against: The United States.

Their reasoning is that the United States is reinforcing its regional military alliances, and increasing its involvement in Asian security affairs.

Chinese military officials are hoping their government will increase spending on more high tech weaponry. Welcome to the New Cold War.

International, U.S.

Vatican says coalition is bombing Libyan Civilians

“The so-called humanitarian raids have killed dozens of civilian victims in some neighborhoods of Tripoli.”-Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, the Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli

The Catholic official also said hospitals had been hit by coalition bombing.  President Obama had stated many times that the bombing was to PROTECT civilians.

The Catholic report is in the current issue of Fides, the Catholic missionary newspaper.

Fukushima, U.S.

Radiation in Milk, West Coast United States!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is increasing radiation monitoring after milk tested positive for trace amounts of radiation from Japan.

The milk, with iodine-131, was found in California and Washington states.

Dairy cows probably ingested the iodine-131 after eating grass, or feed, that the isotope settled on after being blown here from Japan.

Officials insist the radiation levels are so low that the milk is still safe to drink.  However, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is emitting higher levels of radiation now, and the predominate wind direction is towards North America.

 

International, Opinion, U.S.

Obama DOES back civil war rebels in Libya, IS targeting Gaddafi

Reuters says they have seen proof that President Barack Obama signed an order to actively support the rebels in Libya, even though there is proof that al Qaeda is also working with the rebels.

The order authorizes covert operations to get rid of Gaddafi. Reuters says the Presidential “finding” was sign two or three weeks ago.  This means Obama was lying through his teeth the past two weeks about NOT targeting Gaddafi, and about Operation Odyssey Dawn being just about protecting peaceful civilians.

Because al Qaeda might be involved with  rebels, this brings up another problem with arming rebels: “The whole issue on (providing rebels with) training and equipment requires knowing who the rebels are.”- Bruce Riedel, former CIA

Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who despise Gaddafi, are also willing to supply Libyan rebels with weapons.  By the way, those countries are Wahhab Muslim, the same as al Qaeda, yet they’re our allies.  Gaddafi is NOT a Wahhab Muslim.  So why do we keep supporting the ones who (Wahhabis) attacked us on September 11, 2001?

Fukushima

JET program officials worry that Japan disasters will drive away foreign teachers

‘‘I want more JETs to come and interact with the locals in the future but due to the current situation, I cannot welcome them open-handedly. I hope life gets back to normal as soon as possible.”-Hoshi Kazuyuki, assistant director at the international affairs section at the Miyagi prefectural government.

Organizers of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program worry that foreign teachers will think twice about teaching in Japan, after the 9.0 quake and tsunami, as well as radiation leaks from the nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture.

So far, many teachers from the United States, and Canada, have opted to stay and help with recovery efforts, even after one teacher from the U.S., Taylor Anderson, was killed in the disasters.

 

Fukushima

Bodies found contaminated with Radiation!

A body found in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture, about 5 km (3.1 miles) from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, tested positive for high levels of radiation.  As many as 1,000 bodies of victims of the 11 March earthquake and tsunami, might be contaminated with radiation, delaying their recovery.

Police officers, doctors and bereaved families may be exposed to radiation while retrieving the radiation-exposed bodies.  Local police stopped retrieving bodies, after radiation was detected on a victim in the town of Okuma last Sunday.

Any attempts to decontaminate bodies would damage the bodies even more.

Business/Economics, Fukushima

McDonald’s, Subway & Starbucks struggle in Japan

McDonald’s fast food restaurants around the world rely on regional, or local, suppliers for their food products.

Thanks to the March 11 disasters, and radiation threat, Japanese McDonald’s lost many of their local sources. Now suppliers in the United States, and other parts of the world, are sending food to the Japanese McDonald’s.

There are more than 3,300 McDonald’s in Japan, and as many as 100 had to close down. Don’t think that what you eat in Japanese McDonald’s is the same as in the U.S.  Many foreign McDonald’s tailor their menus to what local people want to eat.

So far McDonald’s supplies from U.S., and Asian countries, had to be flown in because the situation was serious. But once on the ground there was more problems getting the food from the airport to the restaurants. They faced the same problems everyone else in Japan is facing: Power outages and fuel shortages.

Subway and Starbucks are dealing with the same problems, they just don’t have the high number of restaurants that McDonald’s does.

Fukushima, Idaho

Idaho detects Xenon and Iodine, New York picks up Iodine

New York state is reporting trace amounts of Iodine-131.

Also, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality reported, on its March 29 RadNet posting, that trace amounts of Iodine-131 and Xenon-133 has been detected in the Gem State.  The Idaho DEQ runs monitoring sites in Spokane, Washington, and Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Both states say the levels are of no threat, and monitoring is continuing.

Fukushima

IAEA joins Greenpeace in Pushing for Evacuation!

The International Atomic Energy Agency stated that one of the criteria for ordering mandatory evacuations, around Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, has been reached.

The IAEA says they found dangerous radiation levels in a town outside the current 20km (12.4 miles) evacuation zone.  The town is about 40km (24.8 miles) away from the nuclear plant. Earlier in the day Greenpeace activists made similar statements.

The IAEA is urging the Japanese government to take action.