Attacks in Syria, Pakistan

Yesterday the U.S. killed eight people in Syria, just across the border from Iraq. Late last week, using an unpiloted plane, the U.S. killed at least eight children in Pakistan. And again yesterday, in another attack using an unpiloted plane, the U.S. killed ten people in Pakistan, at least in this one it was a militant training camp.

Eight days before the election, and the U.S. has committed what are generally considered acts of war against Pakistan and Syria. The attack in Syria was a first, and we don't know how they might respond. The attacks in Pakistan continue a sharply increasing trend, which has intensified since last week when the Pakistani Parliment unanimously passed a resolution calling on the government to "defend its sovereignty and expel foreign fighters from the region."

First of all, what are they doing attacking a school!? I don't care if it was Al Qaeda Middle School, they were children. How can people claim with a strait face that the U.S. is the primary force for good in the world? They targeted a school.

Secondly, right in lead up to the election, we're pissing off two countries that are most dangerous (Pakistan has nukes, Syria is supposedly armed by Iran), most volatile, and both of which have land disputes with critical allies of ours (Syria with Israel over the Golan Heights, Pakistan with India over Kashmir). A flare up of either of those, directly with the United States, or with our allies would be great for McCain in the election.

So why wouldn't we think that the Republicans controlling the executive are politically motivated in these actions? They've proven the moral laxness to do just about anything for political reasons time and again. Why not killing brown-skinned children?

Hopefully Syria and Pakistan, who like the rest of the world (save Al Qaeda) have an Obama presidency in the best interests, see through the tactics and restrain themselves.

***edit***
Yesterday (the 28th) Ali al-Dabbagh, the Iraqi Government Spokesman, reminded the U.S. that the Iraqi constitution disallows Iraqi land being used as a launching area for attacks on neighboring countries.

It's a tired point by now, but bares repeating: U.S. leaders talk about democracy promotion, but ignore the will of people when it doesn't serve us, as here with Iraq's constitution and a couple years ago with Hamas in Palestine.

Martial Law and Posse Comitatus

The Army recently announced that the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team - which has spent 3 of the last 5 years on active duty in Iraq, including participating in the Battle of Fallujah - will be stationed on U.S. soil "as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters... They may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control" (Army Times, 9/30/08).

Add to that the John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007, which gives the President the ability to deploy troops domestically, basically whenever he determines they're needed to maintain order (note: that act expired this year, but Still-President Bush issued a signing order declaring he was not bound by its repeal).

Add to that the economic crisis ("manmade emergency?") and the upcoming election, and it starts to look like the stage is set for martial law. I've long had suspicions about the succession of President Bush. I have a deep fear that come hell or high water, the cabal that has been running the country for eight years is going to find a way to continue running it.

Speaking of martial law, check out the comments of Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), on the recent bailout bill: "The only way they can pass this bill is by creating and sustaining a panic atmosphere. That atmosphere is not justified. Many of us were told in private conversations that if we voted against this bill on Monday that the sky would fall, the market would drop two or three thousand points the first day, another couple of thousand the second day, and a few members were even told that there would be martial law in America if we voted no."

US Congresspeople were threatened with martial law. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 is dead. And taxpayer money continues to be given to the largest corporations in the country. Will there come a time when we apply the label fascist to the United States Government?

9/11

Here we are, seven years out from the 9/11 attacks. Almost 3,000 people were killed that day and our nation was shaken by the actions of a group of 15 Saudis, 1 Egyptian, 1 Lebanese and 2 men from the UAE, many of whom lived in the US. Our leaders responded by invading Afghanastan and Iraq. In the ensuing seven years, those decisions have lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghanastan civilians and the injury of millions. Thousands of young Americans have died and tens of thousands been injured. We've spent over a trillion dollars causing those casualties, and it's looking more and more like that might be more than our economy can bear. now there is a Democratic nominee for President whom we're all very excited about, myself included, for how great a change he'll bring to Washington. Yet he wants more troops in Afghanastan, and while he calls for a reduction of forces in Iraq, it's a reduction on the order of two-thirds, not a withdrawl. At some point, we've got to stop thinking about moving our troops from one overseas post to another, and start thinking about how to change the paradigm.

Arundhati Roy is one of my favorite writers and activists. Six years ago today, she gave a brilliant speech about nations, power and what September 11 means to the world. That speach is here in video, and here in text.

"May we see the day when war and bloodshed cease
when a great peace will embrace the whole world

Then nation shall not threaten nation
and humankind will not again know war.

For all who live on earth shall realize
we have not come into being to hate or destroy

We have come into being
to praise, to labour and to love.

Compassionate God, bless all the leaders of all nations
with the power of compassion.

Fulfill the promise conveyed in Scripture:

"I will bring peace to the land,
and you shall lie down and no one shall terrify you.
I will rid the land of vicious beasts
and it shall not be ravaged by war."

Let love and justice flow like a mighty stream.

Let peace fill the earth as the waters fill the sea."

The Execution of Troy Davis

Troy Davis was convicted 17 years ago for the murder of a police officer. He is scheduled to be executed by the state of Georgia in two weeks. In his trial, no physical evidence was presented to link him to the crime. He proclaimed his innocence but was convicted on the testimony of nine witness for the prosecution. Since then, seven of the nine witnesses have recanted their testimony, saying they were pressured or coerced by police. One of the other two witnesses is Sylvester "Red" Coles, the other principal suspect, who is implicated in the crime by affidavits signed by 9 people. Davis was issued a 90 day stay against his execution last summer, but his appeal to the Supreme Court has been denied.

In the interest of justice and sane policy with regard to the human rights of the citizens of our country, please sign Amnesty International's petition to stop the exectution of Troy Davis. Then, if you are so moved, write to your legislators and tell them what you think of a death penalty that is applied nearly exclusively to the black and poor.