Innocent Afghan Losses Will Increase With Troops Surge

Global Research, December 31, 2009
Russia Today

Anger's brewing in Afghanistan over the rise in the number of civilians killed during US military operations in remote, poorly inhabited districts of the country

Hundreds of Afghans took to the capital's streets and in the country's east on Wednesday in protest over Sunday's fighting where 10 died – including schoolchildren.

Afghan war veteran Jake Deliberto from Veterans for Rethinking Afghanistan pointed out that currently there are more American contractors in Afghanistan than actual soldiers, even with the surge of troops announced by President Obama.

“When you increase the size of the troops on the ground you are going to have more violence and you’re going to have more civilian deaths, there’s nothing you can do to stop that, that’s the nature of war,” said Deliberto.

“The ‘mayor of Kabul’ [Khamid] Karzai, as I call him, is really a corrupt and failed government that is trying to hang on by every threat that it has and the Afghan people are tired of corruption in the government and do not want to trust local security forces and certainly do not trust the coalition forces – it is sad but it is a reality,” he said.

Source: Global Research.
Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=16716.

European Parliament to Investigate WHO and "Pandemic" Scandal

by F. William Engdahl
Global Research, December 31, 2009

The Council of Europe member states will launch an inquiry in January 2010 on the influence of the pharmaceutical companies on the global swine flu campaign, focusing especially on extent of the pharma‘s industry’s influence on WHO. The Health Committee of the EU Parliament has unanimously passed a resolution calling for the inquiry. The step is a long-overdue move to public transparency of a “Golden Triangle” of drug corruption between WHO, the pharma industry and academic scientists that has permanently damaged the lives of millions and even caused death.

The parliament motion was introduced by Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg, former SPD Member of the German Bundestag and now chairman of the Health Committee of PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe). Wodarg is a medical doctor and epidemiologist, a specialist in lung disease and environmental medicine, who considers the current “pandemic” Swine Flu campaign of the WHO to be “one of the greatest medicine scandals of the Century.”

The text of the resolution just passed by a sufficient number in the Council of Europe Parliament says among other things, “In order to promote their patented drugs and vaccines against flu, pharmaceutical companies influenced scientists and official agencies, responsible for public health standards to alarm governments worldwide and make them squander tight health resources for inefficient vaccine strategies and needlessly expose millions of healthy people to the risk of an unknown amount of side-effects of insufficiently tested vaccines. The "bird-flu"-campaign (2005/06) combined with the "swine-flu"-campaign seem to have caused a great deal of damage not only to some vaccinated patients and to public health-budgets, but to the credibility and accountability of important international health-agencies.”

The Parliamentary inquiry will look into the issue of „falsified pandemic“ that was declared by WHO in June 2009 on the advice of its group of academic experts, SAGE, many of whose members have been documented to have intense financial ties to the same pharmaceutical giants such as GlaxoSmithKline, Roche, Novartis, who benefit from the production of drugs and untested H1N1 vaccines. They will investigate the influence of the pharma industry in creation of a worldwide campaign against the so-called H5N1 “Avian Flu” and H1N1 Swine Flu. The inquiry will be given “urgent” priority in the general assembly of the parliament.

In his official statement to the Committee, Wodarg criticized the influence of the pharma industry on scientists and officials of WHO, stating that it has led to the situation where “unnecessarily millions of healthy people are exposed to the risk of poorly tested vaccines,” and that, for a flu strain that is “vastly less harmful” than all previous flu epidemics.

Wodarg says the role of the WHO and its the pandemic emergency declaration in June needs to be the special focus of the European Parliamentary inquiry. For the first time, the WHO criteria for a pandemic was changed in April 2009 as the first Mexico cases were reported, to make not the actual risk of a disease but the number of cases of the disease basis to declare “Pandemic.” By classifying the swine flu as pandemic, nations were compelled to implement pandemic plans and also the purchase swine flu vaccines. Because WHO is not subject to any parliamentary control, Wodarg argues it is necessary for governments to insist on accountability. The inquiry will also to look at the role of the two critical agencies in Germany issuing guidelines on the pandemic, the Paul-Ehrlich and the Robert-Koch Institute.

Bravo!

Source: Global Research.
Link: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=16667.

Killings of Uighurs tense Turkey, China ties in 2009

Turkish President Gul's visit to China between June 24 and 29 was the one of the most important developments in Turkey-China relations in 2009.

Saturday, 02 January 2010

Turkish President Abdullah Gul's visit to China between June 24 and 29 was the one of the most important developments in Turkey-China relations in 2009. Gul was the first Turkish president visiting China after 14 years.

President Gul and Chinese President Hu Jintao attended ceremonies held on signing of several agreements between the two countries after their meeting on June 25, 2009.

Delivering a speech during his visit to China, Gul said that there was a huge imbalance in trade between the two countries. "China has investments worth billions of dollars across the world. It made investments worth 90 billion U.S. dollars abroad last year. The country's investments in Turkey amount to only 60 million U.S. dollars. Turkey has more investments in China," he said. Gul said Chinese businessmen were interested in the sectors of energy, power plant construction, oil and mining in Turkey.

Gul said 60,000 Chinese tourists visited Turkey this year, and authorities should search the ways to boost the figure.

President Gul delivered a speech at Xinjiang University in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in the northwestern China. The university awarded Gul with the title of honorary doctorate.

Incidents that took place in Urumqi on July 5 brought Turkish-Chinese relations to a different ground.

Many protested the Chinese government's handling of a fight between Uighur and Han Chinese workers at a toy factory late June. Two Uighur workers were killed in the strife. The official figures showed that 197 people died and more than 1,600 people were injured in riots which erupted after killing of two Uighur workers.

Turkish government's and public opinion's sensitivity to these incidents caused tension between the two countries.

China's former ambassador to Turkey Song Aiguo visited the Turkish capital of Ankara after these developments. Turkish State Minister Zafer Caglayan conveyed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's message to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during his visit to China between August 28 and September 1.

Caglayan paid another visit to Beijing between September 24 and 27 for a meeting of Turkish-Chinese Joint Economic Committee. The relations were normalized thanks to several mutual visits.

Several Turkish authorities including military officials and ministers paid formal visits to China. Several Chinese officials also visited Turkey in 2009.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=52103.

Archaeologists: 50,000 Years Old Volcanic Cave Discovered in Syria

By H. Sabbagh

Syria (Damascus) - The Syrian Society for Exploration and Documentation discovered recently in Sweida city (Southern Syria) the largest volcanic cave in the country, naming it Soua'ada Cave.

Secretary of the Society Khaled Nuwailati said the exploration and documentation committees organized a walk in December 18 2009 after receiving information on undiscovered caves in that area.

Soua'ada cave was found after removing a large boulder blocking its entrance, revealing volcanic geological formations that are over 50,000 years old. There are numerous spaces that become larger deeper into the cave, with air currents showing that the cave has another opening. It is estimated that the cave is over 3 kilometers deep, which makes it the largest cave in Syria.

According to head of Sweida Department of Archeology Wasim al-Shaarani, the cave was formed by the flow of volcanic lava that cooled down and formed a long rectangular hollow area that expands the further one goes into the depths of the cave, which isn't fully explored yet.

The volcanic caves of Sweida date back to the Paleolithic age which began around 40,000 BC and ended around the end of the third millennium BC. Some of the oldest volcanic rocks found in the governorate date back to the Miocene and Pliocene ages.

The Syrian Society for Exploration and Documentation is a society licensed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. It aims to shed light on important and unexplored historic and natural locations in Syria, exploring archeological locations and virgin forests, organizing field activities, and training volunteers for archeological expeditions.

Source: Global Arab Network.
Link: http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201001024226/Culture/archaeologists-50000-years-old-volcanic-cave-discovered-in-syria.html.

Armed clashes erupt in Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon

BEIRUT, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Armed clashes erupted Saturday between fighters from two Palestinian militant groups in a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported.

"The Fatah Movement and Jund al-Sham Islamist militants used all kinds of machine guns during the clashes in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in southern Lebanon," NNA added.

Local Nahranet news website reported that one person was wounded during the half-an-hour-long clashes. "The camp's joint security committee had intervened to stop the fighting," it said.

Tayyar news website said that the injured militant was a Fatah al-Islam member.

Mounir Maqdah, who commands the main Palestinian police force in Ain al-Hilweh, said the clashes were contained after a meeting of the camp's security committee. He added that the fighting erupted when Jund al-Sham members fired at a Fatah bureau in the camp.

The clashes in Ain al-Hilweh near southwestern Lebanese city of Saida came after local An Nahar daily reported on Tuesday that al-Qaida militants are plotting terrorist attacks against state institutions and foreign missions in Lebanon.

The newspaper quoted a well-informed security source as saying that Lebanese security agencies have received information about the infiltration of al-Qaida militants into the country from Pakistan via Turkey, Greece and the Lebanese-Syrian border.

The al-Qaida members are training other militants in the refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh, to carry out attacks against UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) stationed in South Lebanon, the source added.

As an al-Qaida-inspired militia, Fatah al-Islam fought fierce battles with the Lebanese army in Nahr al-Bared camp in northern Lebanon in 2007.

The U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA)lists nearly 400,000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Most of them live in 12 camps across the country.

Source: Xinhua.
Link: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2010-01/03/content_12747451.htm.

Hamas lawmakers approve budget for deposed Gaza gov't

GAZA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Hamas lawmakers have approved a budget for the deposed Hamas government which rules the Gaza Strip, officials said on Sunday.

The new budget is 540 million U.S. dollars, bigger than the 428million dollars proposed in a financial report that Hamas' budget committee in the parliament drafted in October.

All Hamas members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) attended an undisclosed session on Saturday and approved the budget, according to the officials.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, the second largest bloc in the PLC, doesn't recognize the parliamentary sessions Hamas has held in Gaza since it routed pro-Abbas forces and seized the coastal strip by force in June 2007.

Lawmaker Jamal Nassar, chief of the budget committee in the PLC, said the financial plan covers the year 2010 in the Gaza Strip and focuses on economic and social matters.

"The health and education ministries have a great share in the budget which was approved by most of the (Hamas) lawmakers," Nassar added.

Hamas has 34,200 security and civil servants taking about 17.5 million dollars in salaries and monthly wages.

The budget doesn't take into consideration the West Bank which is ruled by a Western-backed government.

Source: Xinhua.
Link: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2010-01/03/content_12749172.htm.

Egypt opens Gaza border crossing

Egyptian authorities have temporarily opened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip, allowing those with permits to cross.

Authorities said that by early afternoon on Sunday around 133 people had crossed from Gaza into Egypt - mostly students with visas for foreign countries, and patients in urgent need of medical care.

Another 25 people crossed the other direction - largely those who live in Egypt with family in Gaza, or Palestinians who had been unable to return home due to the border closures.

Egypt had announced last week it would be opening Rafah - the only border crossing into Gaza not controlled by Israel - from January 3 to 6.

Although opened sporadically, the Rafah border crossing has largely remained shut - as have the Israeli-controlled crossings into Gaza - since Hamas gained full control of the territory through violent Palestinian infighting in June 2007.

The siege of Gaza has been the source of recent protests, planned to coincide with the anniversary of Israel's 22-day offensive in the Strip.

Hundreds of people rallied in central Tel Aviv on Saturday night, chanting slogans and waving signs calling for "Freedom and Justice in Gaza".

'Freedom' march

On the Egyptian side of the border, hundreds of international activists held repeated protests around Cairo this week demanding the authorities permanently reopen the crossing point.

Around 1,300 members of the Gaza Freedom March (GFM) had gathered in Egypt from more than 40 countries to march to Gaza with aid and supplies as a sign of solidarity with the Palestinians there.

However, Egyptian authorities barred the group from crossing the border, citing security reasons, and instead offering to allow 100 members to cross.

Up to 92 delegates did eventually cross into Gaza, meeting with non-governmental organizations and witnessing first-hand the devastation wrought by last year's war and the continuing siege of the Strip, march organizers told Al Jazeera.

Many of the GFM activists were leaving Cairo on Sunday for their respective countries with a sense of accomplishment, Ann Wright, a co-ordinator for the march, said.

On Friday, the Gaza Freedom March approved the "Cairo Declaration", a document calling for the end of Israeli occupation and Palestinian self-determination, as well as for "boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) to compel Israel to comply with international law".

Backed by a delegation from South Africa, the document also made repeated reference to Israel as an apartheid state, and made comparison's to the former South African government.

Wright, a retired US army colonel and diplomat who resigned from the US state department in protest against the Iraq war in 2003, said organizers "want to build on what has occurred by having this march, and expand it so that we can keep the attention on the plight of the people of Gaza".

"These things are really unprecedented in Egypt I think," she said. "I don't think there's ever been this type of international demonstrations here."

However, Wright said that to Egypt's credit, and despite heavy-handed use of force by police at times, the government did allow them to hold demonstrations outside the UN, Israeli, US and French embassies, contrary to what some expected.

UK convoy

Cairo has also come under increasing criticism for reportedly strengthening a wall along the Gaza border, with Palestinians concerned it might affect underground smuggling tunnels used to bring in basic supplies, such as food, but also weapons.

Meanwhile, a long-delayed aid convoy destined for the Gaza Strip is expected to arrive in the coastal territory on Monday.

The Viva Palestina convoy, with 210 lorries full of medicine and other supplies, set out from the UK nearly a month ago.

A ferry carrying the supplies reportedly arrived in the Egyptian port El Arish on the Mediterranean on Sunday after sailing from Latakia in Syria.

Source: Al-Jazeera.
Link: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/01/20101310631832820.html.