DAY 7: COUP GOVERNMENT IN HONDURAS WITHDRAWS FROM OAS , Eva Golinger, Postcards from the Revolution

Eva Golinger is a Venezuelan-American attorney, writer and investigator. Author of The Chávez Code: Cracking US Intervention in Venezuela (2005) and Bush vs. Chávez: Washington's War on Venezuela. A native New Yorker currently residing in Caracas, living passionately every moment of the Bolivarian Revolution.

Souurce Eva Golinger’s Blog: http://www.chavezcode.com/

Saturday, July 4, 2009
DAY 7: COUP GOVERNMENT IN HONDURAS WITHDRAWS FROM OAS

Well, it's official! The Organization of American States (OAS) doesn't need to bother suspending Honduras from the OAS because the coup government has decided it is withdrawing from the most important regional body in the Americas. Roberto Micheletti, the dictator who was sworn in as de facto president in Honduras on Sunday, after the democratically elected president Manuel Zelaya was kidnapped at gunpoint by masked soldiers and forced into exile, has said, "to hell with you OAS", "we don't need you either!" During Secretary General of the OAS, Jose Miguel Insulza's visit to the Central American nation to hand deliver the 72-hour ultimatum demanding the coup government step down or face suspension (the most severe sanction the OAS can impose), coup leader Roberto Micheletti gave a speech before supporters and later issued a formal statement withdrawing Honduras from the OAS, declaring, "we don't have to respond to anybody, we are a sovereign nation". The OAS visit was intended to reach some kind of dialogue or solution to the crisis in Honduras since the coup occurred on early Sunday morning, yet the coup government held tight to its position of power.

On Saturday, the OAS will convene a new meeting to review the results of its failure in Honduras and the decision of the coup government to defiantly ignore the regional body's intentions to resolve the conflict peacefully (if that is even possible at this point). Several presidents, such as Cristina Fernandez of Argentina and Rafael Correa of Ecuador will travel to Washington for the special OAS follow up meeting to the Honduran crisis.

President Zelaya had hoped to return Saturday to his elected post, yet the situation in his country, post-coup, is more complicated than originally imagined. Hondurans supporting Zelaya marched cross the nation to the capital, Tegucigalpa, on Friday to send a message to the OAS General Secretary that they are waiting for their legitimate president to return.

If the Obama administration doesn't formally sanction the coup government in Honduras and suspend all relations, as every other country around the world has done so far, a terrible precedent will be set in the hemisphere, allowing for coups that produce "friendly" results for Washington. The United States is pleased with the outcome of Sunday's coup, which deposed a leftist president aligned with countries like Venezuela, Cuba and Bolivia, but at the same time is not happy with the method - a military coup- to achieve the end goal. However, if Washington continues without firmly condemning the coup government's actions and withdrawal from the OAS, Obama will lose all credibility in Latin America.

US GOVT CONFIRMS IT KNEW HONDURAS COUP WAS COMING: Honduran anti-imperialist patriots gather in defiance of the military coup, 29 June 2009

Source: Sons of Malcolm
Chavez Code

A New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/world/americas/29honduras.html) has just confirmed that the US Government has been "working for several days" with the coup planners in Honduras to halt the illegal overthrow of President Zelaya. While this may indicate nobility on behalf of the Obama Administration, had they merely told the coupsters that the US Government would CUT OFF all economic aid and blockade Honduras in the event of a coup, it's almost a 100% guarantee that the military and right wing parties and business groups involved in the coup would not have gone through with it.

So, while many make excuses for the Obama Administration's "calculated" statements, had they been more firm with the coup leaders, instead of "negotiating", the coup may never have happened. Also, the State Department says they believed "dialogue" was the best way to resolve the situation, but their lack of clarity and firm position has caused multiple human rights violations to occur in Honduras and a lot of tension to take place in the region.

And during the April 2002 coup against Chávez in Venezuela, the State Department also claimed it knew of the coup and tried to "stop" it. Later, in my investigations, it was discovered through documents from State and CIA declassified under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that CIA, State and other US agencies, funded, supported, advised and armed the coup leaders....

Pakistan’s Swat Civilians decimated by the Obama-Holbrooke Af-Pak War, By Andrew Taylor

The results of the US dictated total war campaign in NW Pakistan are beginning to come to international attention. Red Cross officials have made their first visit into the war-torn Swat Valley of Pakistan since the USA inspired fighting began between the Pakistan Military and Taliban Resistance. They have reported that civilians in the northwestern region of the country are in dire need of assistance.

There is no domestic running water, no power and precious little food in the area according to the team leader of The International Committee of the Red Cross. Telephone lines are knocked out and the traumatised population is effectively excommunicated from the outside world.

Only skeletal personnel remain in the hospitals and an immediate and comprehensive humanitarian response is needed, the Red Cross said in a statement.

Pakistan’s Military 'expects' to finish off its five-week total war campaign in the North West within days, driving Taliban fighters from Swat and adjacent districts. The Military are now in control of Swat’s largest city, Mingora. According to the North West Frontier Province government,the fighting has forced 2.8 million people to flee their homes.

The Obama Administration's special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, will this week inspect the refugee camps in the northwest . According to the New York Times, Holbrooke's team, which includes US Military and State Dept apparatchiks, departs Mon for the blighted region.

It is ironic that Holbrooke, the architect of the diktat for War in the region, should now arrive in the guise of some kind of rich American benefactor to spread the special US brand of folksy noblesse oblige about among the halt, the lame, the mad and the recently blinded, but such are the comforting folkways of US imperialist adventures.

The U.S. Obama Administration to Raise Military Aid to Israel by 10% over Bush 2008 level : Where is the "Hope"? Where is the "Change"?(excerpt)

Tuesday, 12 May 2009 02:45 Sergio Yahni, AIC

Despite expectations that the Obama administration will pressure Israel to accept a two-state solution and implement practical measures, the U.S. administration has sent signals that aid to Israel will, in fact, be raised. At the same time, the budget also imposes harsh conditions on the Palestinian Authority in order to receive aid.

According to the Israeli daily, Haaretz, the budget proposed to Congress for 2010 includes $2.775 billion in aid to Israel, compared to $2.5 billon budgeted for 2009. This is more than a 10% increase in total U.S. aid to Israel.

The budget also includes an increase in the assistance to the production of weapons systems, such as the missile Hetz-3.

The U.S. Congress proposed to raise the amount of aid to Israel for the development of the Hetz-3 missile—the Arrow “Interceptor” in English—from $30 million to $37.5 million. Israel considers continuous support in the development of this anti-missile missile a victory for the Israeli security establishment.

Hetz-3 is a theater missile defense (TMD) system first built by Israel and the United States. It was specifically designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles on a national level.

The Hetz-3 intercepts its targets high in the stratosphere and is in direct competition with similar systems developed in the United States. Lockheed Martin's THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) also intercepts ballistic missiles, but also has the capability to intercept targets coming from further distances.

The U.S. budget proposed to congress for year 2010 also calls for the administration to respect Israel’s claims on Jerusalem. This contradicts international law, which does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied territories of East Jerusalem. It also contradicts the Oslo Agreements, which defines all of Jerusalem as a territory to be discussed during the final stages of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

The proposed budget prohibits the establishment of new U.S. offices, departments, or agencies in East Jerusalem for conducting official government business with the Palestinian Authority. Moreover, the proposed budget stipulates that U.S .officers should not meet representatives of the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem, including its occupied areas.

All assistance to the Palestinian Authority is left to the discretion of the U.S. Secretary of State (currently Hillary Clinton), who is empowered to determine and certify to Congress that the PA recognizes Israel, is prepared to fight terrorism, and is ready to end the state of war with Israel.

Finally, the budget imposes a boycott on the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, prohibiting any form of assistance to this institution.

No conditions regarding developments on the peace process or recognition of an independent Palestinian State were imposed on Israel...

The first 100 days on the War and Peace Front by Thomas Riggins, PA Editors Blog

http://paeditorsblog.blogspot.com/
The Pakistan Peccadillo


Well, we are about to evaluate the first 100 days of the Obama administration and I think, with respect to the issues of war and peace, they are abominable. There is NO EXCUSE for bombing and killing people-- especially when we have a 70 civilians to 1 "enemy" ratio. I am a good old isolationist! Obama should have laid down plans to get us 100% out of Iraq and Afghanistan in the first 100 days. We should be out by now. Instead we are, it seems, going to hang around [McCain's 100 years] with our army in Iraq and Afghanistan forever (the mission is the same we will not use the term "combat troops" anymore for Iraq-- a rose by any other name...).

There is lipstick on something-- the Secretary of State just made a "surprise" visit to Baghdad. Despite all the hoopla about the increased security due to the surge she still has to sneak into Iraq like a thief in the night and get out again lickity split. Some progress.

Now to Pakistan. There is a great image of Nero fiddling (he actually would have used a harp) while Rome burned. It brings to mind Obama's policy of increased use of drones to slaughter women and children in Pakistan in order to "save" Afghanistan. The image here is frolicking on the White House Lawn with a puppy while children are blasted to bits by executive order.

What's worse is this policy is handing Pakistan over to the despicable Taliban on a silver platter. I refer you to the Wall Street Journal of Friday April 24th and its front page story "U.S. Urges Pakistan to Repel Taliban". Pakistan is a country of 170 million people and we are afraid the Taliban is going to take over! Forget Afghanistan-- this will give Mulla Omar THE BOMB, just what we need.

While we "urge" the repelling of the Taliban, Obama's policies of war mongering in the area are catapulting them to power. It seems we never learn anything. Here are just some quotes from the article to show what a desperate situation we are confronting-- all of which would come to an end by just a complete withdrawal from the area. What the hell is the American army doing in the middle of Asia?

Well, there was a democratic election in the country and Asif Ali Zardari won he is "still the DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED president from a party that that enjoys WIDE POPULARITY in Pakistan." But there is a problem. Zardari isn't popular with the U.S. A U.S. official is quoted: "By and large, Sharif [that is the Islamist Nawaz Sharif who LOST the election] could be in a better position to deliver what the U.S. wants." How to bring this about.

It is clear we want Sharif in charge, so how to upset the election of Zardari and actually put Sharif in charge. We will turn to elements in the Pakistani elite who live off of U.S. moola and get them to change, at the top, the CONSTITUTION of Pakistan to take power away from the President and give it to the Prime Minister, and then make Sharif the PM. The WSJ: "Such a move could serve as a DEMOCRATIC vehicle for Mr. Sharif" to come to power say members of the elite. Nasty things, these elections.

The U.S. has given billions to Pakistan over the years to build up its army. There are 500,000 troops in the Pakistani military. The Taliban is about 7000 strong. That is about 70 soldiers for every 1 Taliban. And what do we read? "There is no guarantee the army would win" if it decided to take on the Taliban.

You have to be in sad shape if you can't lick 7000 militants with an army of 500,000. The chief military spokesman, Gen. Athar Abbas, said, "We need public support to fight militants." And guess what. With a population of 170 million people, the WSJ says: "So far, that has been lacking." Why? "Many poorer Pakistanis [about 90% of the population] find the Taliban's promises of speedy justice [stoning and beheading!] and equality [except for women] attractive." What is the Pakistani ruling class and the U.S. doing to make the godforsaken (if I may use this term) Taliban "attractive"?

It seems that the masses resent the U.S. bombing them and killing 70 civilians per militant. To wipe out the 7000 Taliban the "collateral damage" would be 490,000 civilians. A price the U.S. is apparently willing to pay. Since the 500,000 Pakistani troops are worthless, President Obama has pressured President Zardari to allow an increase in the number of drone attacks the U.S. can carry out in Pakistan.

Well that's the first 100 days on the War and Peace Front. The Domestic Front. That's another ball game altogether. But there is a link. The billions and billions spent on war can't feed hungry children or keep homes from being foreclosed.