God, Abbey is Gone

RIP Abbey Lincoln
1930-2010

Write For Lynne Stewart

"Dear Friends,

There will be much to do in support of Lynne Stewart in these next months. For the moment, the priority is to see that Lynne is sent to the Federal Corrections Institution for Women in Danbury rather than somewhere in Texas or even further from her family and friends. WRITE TO THE BUREAU OF PRISONS IMMEDIATELY! TURN YOUR PAIN AT LYNNE'S HORRIFIC SENTENCE INTO FIGHTING BACK. THIS IS STEP 1.

We urge you to write to the Bureau of Prisons (see address below) immediately and ask for Lynne to be transferred to the Federal Correctional Institute for female prisoners. Time is of the essence as the Bureau of Prisons is not bound to accept Judge Koeltl's recommendation that Lynne be kept at MCI for 60 days and then be transferred to Danbury. Lynne could be sent elsewhere at any point.

WHAT THE LETTER SHOULD SAY:

You can explain that Lynne is 70 years old, in remission from breast cancer which could reoccur at any time, and suffering from other serious medical challenges, including high blood pressure and diabetes. It is well-known that health challenges are profoundly affected by the kind of emotional support that only family and close friends can provide. Lynne would surely do much better were she to have access to that kind of support. Given Lynne's serious health problems and her age, there is certainly considerable risk of death in these coming years and moving her away from her family and friends would exacerbate that risk. You can end with "We urge you to offer this minimal humanitarian gesture for this remarkable woman who has served the poor and unrepresented her whole professional life as a lawyer." or something like that. Feel free to write your own letter. Just do it as soon as possible so that these letters reach the Bureau of Prisons before they make a move in another direction.

Letters should be addressed to:
Harley Lappin, Director
Federal Bureau of Prisons
320 First Street NW
Washington, DC 20534-0002

Folks can also call the Bureau of Prisons, 202 307-3198. Of the possible offices to call, the Office of General Counsel (press #3) seems the most appropriate. Leave a message asking for Lynne to be sent to Danbury and explain why. The most important thing is for the Bureau to know we're watching them, that there is great interest in Lynne's case and assignment. Gerardo Hernandez of the Cuban 5 just got out of the "hole" through such pressure.

In the struggle for justice! Free Lynne Stewart and All Political Prisoners!

Ralph Poynter and Friends of Lynne Stewart"

Kucinich Bill Against Extrajudicial Killing

111th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6010

To prohibit the extrajudicial killing of United States citizens, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 30, 2010
Mr. KUCINICH (for himself, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. FILNER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. STARK, Mr. ELLISON, and Mr. JACKSON of Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Select Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

----------------------------------------------------------

A BILL

To prohibit the extrajudicial killing of United States citizens, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) On January 27, 2010, The Washington Post revealed that United States citizens have been included on lists maintained by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to be assassinated.

(2) The January 27 Washington Post article reported that the JSOC and CIA maintain lists of individuals deemed `High Value Targets' and `High Value Individuals', whom they seek to kill or capture, that the lists currently include United States citizens, and that the President has authorized military operations with the express understanding that a United States citizen may be killed.

(3) Admiral Dennis C. Blair, then the Director of National Intelligence, in testimony before the House Select Committee on Intelligence on February 3, 2010, confirmed the policy of including United States citizens on such lists, stating that `a decision to use lethal force against a U.S. citizen must get special permission' before the targeting of a United States citizen can be granted and that `being a U.S. citizen will not spare an American from getting assassinated by military or intelligence operatives overseas if the individual is working with terrorists and planning to attack fellow Americans.'

(4) The Obama administration has publicly authorized the extrajudicial killing of Anwar Al-Awlaki, a United States citizen born in New Mexico who is accused of involvement in terrorist organizations abroad, the first confirmed United States citizen to be added to a CIA list of targets for capture or killing.

(5) According to an article published in The Nation in November 2009, the private security contractor Blackwater Worldwide, now Xe Services, is intimately involved with the targeted assassination programs run by the CIA and JSOC in Pakistan.

(6) Department of Defense Instruction 1100.22, issued on April 12, 2010, states that `security is inherently governmental' and that the `U.S. Government has exclusive responsibility for discretionary decisions concerning the appropriate, measured use of combat power, including the offensive use of destructive or deadly force on behalf of the United States', particularly in operations that have virtually no transparency, accountability, or oversight.

(7) United States Attorney General Eric J. Holder recognized that the Department of Justice has successfully prosecuted many terrorism defendants in Federal courts, stating on Friday, November 13, 2009, that `for over two hundred years, our nation has relied on a faithful adherence to the rule of law to bring criminals to justice . . . Once again we will ask our legal system to rise to that challenge, and I am confident it will answer the call with fairness and justice'.

(8) Executive Order 12333 (46 Fed. Reg. 59941; relating to United States intelligence activities), issued by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, stated, `No person employed by or acting on behalf of the United States Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, assassination'.

(9) Executive Order 11905 (41 Fed. Reg. 7703; relating to United States foreign intelligence activities), issued by President Gerald Ford in 1976, stated, `No employee of the United States Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination'.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that--

(1) due process of law is a fundamental principle in the United States Constitution, the United States has a commitment to the principles included in the Bill of Rights, and no United States citizen, regardless of location, can be `deprived of life, liberty, property, without due process of law', as stated in Article XIV of the Constitution;

(2) the participation in, or planning of activities, by the United States Government that result in the extrajudicial killing of a United States citizen undermines the rule of law and the moral standing of the United States in the world;

(3) the United States and other responsible nations have a vital interest in upholding the rule of law;

(4) the authority granted to the President in the Authorization for Use of Military Force (50 U.S.C. 1541 note), following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, is not limitless;

(5) this authority has been used by the Executive Branch to circumvent the role of Congress as a co-equal branch of Government, to justify holding prisoners indefinitely at Guantanamo Bay, for mass domestic spying on United States citizens in violation of their most basic constitutional rights, and to use lethal force against United States citizens abroad who are believed to participate in terrorist activities absent judicial review;

(6) the notion that the constitutional rights of one citizen can be revoked to protect the constitutional rights of other citizens should be rejected;

(7) the use of extrajudicial force against a citizen of the United States that is outside of the internationally recognized battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan constitutes a violation of the law of armed conflict; and

(8) it is in the best interest of the United States to respect the rule of law and set the example for upholding the principles of international and domestic law.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON THE EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS.

(a) Prohibition- No one, including the President, may instruct a person acting within the scope of employment with the United States Government or an agent acting on behalf of the United States Government to engage in, or conspire to engage in, the extrajudicial killing of a United States citizen.

(b) Report on United States Citizens on Targeted Assassination Lists- Not later than 7 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees a report on the identity of each United States citizen that is on the list of the Joint Special Operations Command or the Central Intelligence Agency as `high value individuals' or `high value targets'.

(c) Assurances to Congress- Not later than 7 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the congressional intelligence committees a written assurance that no United States citizens are being added to the list of the Joint Special Operations Command or the Central Intelligence Agency as `high value individuals' or `high value targets'.

(d) Definitions- In this section:

(1) CONGRESSIONAL INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEES- The term `congressional intelligence committees' means--

(A) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and

(B) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.

(2) EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING- The term `extrajudicial killing'--

(A) means a premeditated and intentional use of lethal force against a United States citizen; and

(B) does not include--

(i) the use of lethal force against a United States citizen after a trial and finding of guilt for such citizen by an appropriate tribunal consistent with due process of law;

(ii) the use of lethal force against a United States citizen who is directly participating in hostilities in a zone of active armed conflict and the United States is a party to such conflict; and

(iii) the use of lethal force against a United States citizen that is authorized for law enforcement personnel under certain circumstances, including self-defense, defense of others, and enabling the release of hostages.
END

Maxine Waters is the wrong Black woman to mess with. They better leave Maxine Waters and Charlie Rangel alone.

Don't let the Salahi's get their asses kicked by Whoopi Goldberg.... The wrong Black Woman...

Happy Birthday, President Obama;-)

RIP Lolita Lebron

Lolita Lebron dies at 90; Puerto Rican nationalist was
imprisoned after gun attack on U.S. Congress In 1954,
Lebron and three others opened fire from a spectators
gallery onto the crowded floor of the House, firing
nearly 30 shots. Five lawmakers were wounded. She spent
25 years in prison. Independence activist

Alabama's SB 1070

Representative Greg Wren of the Alabama State House is planning to introduce a bill similar to Arizona's SB 1070 into the State House. Flood him with phone calls and emails. Here is his contact information

State House: Room 517-B
11 South Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7764 Home:


District: 7700 Wynlakes Blvd.
Montgomery, AL 36117

4213 Carmichael Rd.
Montgomery, AL 36106
Home Phone:
District Phone:
Fax: (334) 279-0959
(334) 395-0123
(334) 396-4787

Email:

Website:


repgregwren@yahoo.com

www.gregwren.com

Congress Can Defund the War

On the House calendar as early as Monday is a vote on a $33 billion supplemental bill to escalate the war in Afghanistan.

The Senate did not accept the House version. The House will now likely vote on the Senate version or something close to it.

(That means a pig with no lipstick, no poison pill with no sugar coating - no funds for teachers or Haiti relief - nothing but pure and simple funding for more war, more killing, more corruption, more war lords and drug peddlers - which equals fewer teachers, less healthcare, no aid to cities and state budgets, no new jobs programs, no infrastructure repair!)

This will likely mean something quite unusual: a straightforward vote in which "yes" means yes (a bigger war), and "no" means NO.

We will now be able to identify clearly and unambiguously the war supporters and war opponents.

Those who vote to fund the escalation will need to be punished and those who vote to stop the funding should be rewarded while they're home for the August recess and again at the polls in November.

And the closer we come to defeating the bill, the more we will have to build on as the peace movement joins with the labor and civil rights movements this fall for a giant march on Washington for jobs, peace and justice on October 2nd (with satellite demonstrations in San Francisco, Phoenix and New Orleans).

Our message is simple:

Vote "NO"

on funding this escalation of war.

Insist on a recorded roll call vote so the public can see who really wants to end the waste of lives and treasure.

Call (866) 261-4755 (toll-free)

or directly to the Congressinal switchboard at

202-224-3121

Pull U.S. Troops Out of Pakistan

The House is expected to debate and vote on Tuesday on a privileged resolution (HCR 301) introduced by Congressmen Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul to remove U.S. forces from Pakistan. The resolution directs the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove the United States Armed Forces from Pakistan. On this one we want to ask for Yes votes.

More info.

This is an important moment to keep calling members of the House of Representatives and to encourage friends, family and your organizations to do so as well.

Call (866) 261-4755 (toll-free) or

directly to the Congressinal switchboard

at 202-224-3121.



Urge your representative

to take the following steps:

* Vote NO on the $33.5 billion Supplemental for war spending.

* Support and vote for HCR 301 to remove all US troops from Pakistan.

*

Join the newly created Out of Afghanistan Congressional Caucus by contacting Mike Darner in Congressman Conyers' office. Michael.Darner@mail.house.gov

Stop $33 Billion

for War Escalation

BRING ALL THE TROOPS

AND WAR $$$ HOME NOW!

Labor & Money Clash in 15 Cities
By Carl Finamore
Submitted to Portside by the author
July 23, 2010

Contracts expire in 2010 for 45,000 hotel workers in ten
cities and, on July 22, several thousand supporters
demonstrated across the U.S. and Canada. This time Hyatt
Hotels were targeted because "Hyatt wants to take more
away and lock workers into recession contracts even as
the economy rebounds," according to the union, UNITE-
HERE, AFL-CIO.

Simultaneous protests occurred in Chicago, Honolulu, San
Francisco, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Boston, Vancouver,
Toronto, Miami, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Rosemont, San
Antonio, Santa Clara and San Diego with nearly 1000
activists arrested after engaging in peaceful civil
disobedience blocking hotel entrances.

Apparently, there will be more to come of these
coordinated national actions involving thousands of
members and community allies. They are designed to keep
pace with the expiration of contracts in a growing
number of cities as it becomes clear hotel owners are
stalling negotiations everywhere.

This will allow more hotel union locals to link up with
close to 23,000 workers in San Francisco, Chicago and
Los Angeles whose contracts lapsed almost one year ago.

The union gave a full explanation for this important
escalation of tactics and strategy: "Nationwide, the
hotel industry is rebounding faster and stronger than
expected, with a hearty rebound projected in 2011 and
2012. [Yet], hotels are still squeezing workers and
cutting staff. More than 115,000 jobs in the hotel
industry have been cut since the recession began in
2008-46,000 of which have come just in the first quarter
of 2010 as the industry has projected recovery. While
this marks a trend involving several major hotel
companies, Hyatt is the starkest example."

How to Make Money

"I made my money the old fashioned way. I was very nice
to a wealthy relative right before he died," was
famously said by the colorful Malcolm Forbes after he
inherited from his father the equally famous magazine
carrying the family name.

But don't expect owners of the Hyatt Hotels, the
Chicago-based Pritzker family, where inherited wealth
has been passed along over four generations, to be as
brutally honest as the late Mr. Forbes. They
consistently rank among the top ten richest American
families but they may very well be justified claiming
their money was made in another equally reliable old-
fashioned way - by selling high and paying low.

This is certainly the mantra of one of their largest
family assets, the Hyatt Hotels Corporation. It boasts a
portfolio of 434 properties in 45 countries and, with
$1.3 billion, had the most cash on hand of all it
competitors at the end of 2009. The Pritzkers have
always been good, very good, at making money.

They are definitely practiced at selling high. A
minority stake in the Hyatt sold in November 2009 and
earned the family just under one billion dollars. And,
they indeed know how to pay low. Only several months
earlier, minimum-wage replacements were hired to replace
the entire housekeeping staff at their three Boston
hotels.

"I gave my body-everything I have-to that hotel, and
Hyatt disposed of us like we were trash," said Lucine
Williams, who worked at the Hyatt Regency Boston for 21
years, before being abruptly fired and summarily
replaced on August 31, 2009. UNITE-HERE reports that
Lucine's hotel made a profit of almost $5 million that
year.

In fact, Hyatt management continually cuts staff and
increases workloads at all their hotels. As a result,
the chain had the highest injury rate for housekeepers
last year in an academic study of 50 major hotels
published by the American Journal of Industrial Medicine
in February 2010.

Actually, since the late 1980s, the hotel industry as a
whole has steadily reduced employees. The union reports
that in 1988, nearly 71 workers were employed to service
100 occupied guestrooms. Last year, that number was down
to 53 - a 25% reduction.

This is why the industry is poised to make big profits.
Occupancy rates are increasing while the workforce is
not. "Expense reductions have been so dramatic at both
the property and corporate level that even a modest
pick-up in.growth should lead to outsized profit gains."
(Goldman Sachs, 8/9/2009)

How to Win Decent Contracts

The union is sending a clear message, stall negotiations
and there will be increased national coordination of
demonstrations, civil disobedience actions, and
boycotts. This is in addition to the strike weapon which
San Francisco Local 2, whose contracts expired in August
2009, has used both judiciously and effectively.

That local, with 9000 members, has a long history of
mobilizing both its members and community allies. It has
already successfully employed several three-day strikes
of targeted hotels, numerous lobby protests by workers
on lunch breaks and frequent "all-day, all- night
picketing" of eight boycotted venues.

Yet, at the same time, the union is conscious that
victory is more difficult fighting alone in one city, no
matter how bold or militant. Members are also very clear
about this from their experiences dealing with these
giant investment conglomerates who have continuously
rebuffed local efforts to achieve a decent contract.

"These are multi-national corporations, so, standing
together with workers in other cities is key to
defending our livelihoods," said Local 2 Press
Coordinator, Riddhi Mehta.

Thus, the stage is set for more national clashes between
the hotels and labor, in the most old-fashioned of ways,
with each mobilizing its own precious resources; one
measured in cash, the other in people. Only this time,
hotel workers have turned their adversaries' chief
weapon against them - more management stalling of
negotiations locally means more union allies coming
onboard nationally.
____________

Carl Finamore was among 152 arrested in front of the San
Francisco Grand Hyatt as another 1200 marched around the
hotel. He is a delegate to the San Francisco Labor
Council, AFL-CIO, from Air Transport Employees, Local
Lodge 1781, IAMAW. He can be reached at
local1781@yahoo.com

Shirley Sherrod

What the case of Shirley Sherrod exposes is the high level of corruption and cynicism that is present in the Right Wing and in the US media. And when the two of them get together in order to fell a person of color or another "other" they have a power that they do not need to have....

An Inspiring Interaction Between A Young Black Girl and the President

An Interesting Article in the NYT About The USSF

This is a very interesting and favorable analysis of the US Social Forum that was held in Detroit at the end of June. It quotes Carl Davidson and makes a very adept contrast/comparison of the USSF and the Tea Party movement.

Nikki is My Sister's Name and Nikki is My Sister

Tea Party Racism Exposed

I thought there were no racists in the tea party? Who is this being expelled?

Sign This Petition to Have Elizabeth Warren Named As Head of the New Consumer Protection Agency

Click the link in the title.

Donate to Gaza Effort

Hi Everybody,
Hope you can help us to launch this boat. I've been working on this campaign to help end the suffering of the Palestinian at the hands of the US, Israeli and Egyptian governments ( with many other governments and rulers complicit). Please give as much as you can. We have to buy a boat because no one will rent to us a boat that will probably be expropriated by the Israeli government.
Shalom, Salaam
Naomi Brussel

July 14, 2010
Dear Friends,

This is an important moment in history. In the aftermath of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla massacre and increased world-wide scrutiny of Israel’s blockade of Gaza, the Israeli government has mounted a hugepublic relations campaign spreading the lie that by letting a few more items into Gaza the blockade has been lifted. This is not the reality. Gaza is still under siege, vital building materials and other supplies are banned, exportsof goods from Gaza are denied and neither ships nor people can travel without permission from Israel, permission which Israel will not give. Gaza is essentially an open-air prison under a U.S.-backed Israeli blockade.

We are planning to launch a U.S. boat to Gaza, joining a flotilla of ships from Europe, Canada, India, South Africa and parts of the Middle East due to set sail in September/ October of this year. In order to succeed in this essential but costlyhuman rights project, we need significant financial support.
Citizens around the world have responded to the plight of the Palestinian people and are taking action to help break the blockade which is suffocating the lives of the people of Gaza and denying them their liberty. The U.S. government is complicit throughestablished policies that uncritically support Israel in its brutal attack on the Palestinian people and on those who attempt to intervene on their behalf. We in the United States must continue to step up and do our part. We must join with others from acrossthe world to support an end to the collective punishment of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza.

We turn to you to help make the U.S. boat, The Audacity of Hope, a reality. We must raise at least $370,000 in the next month. These funds will be used to purchase a boat large enough for 40-60 people, secure a crew, and cover thelicensing and registering of the boat. In addition, the funds will subsidize some other costs of sending a U.S. delegation. We can make this happen together. For example, with 370 people giving $1,000, or with 3,700 people giving $100, we will haveraised our full amount.

We have already received donations ranging from $10 to $10,000. So, give what you can and give generously. From the deck of The Audacity of Hope, we will be in a powerful and unique position to challengeU.S. foreign policy and affirm the universal obligation to uphold human rights and international law. Let us act now because every moment counts and every dollar counts. Together we will contribute to the great effort to end the blockade of Gazaand the illegal occupation of Palestine.
Please spread this appeal letter far and wide, so that others will contribute as well.

Thank you for your generosity.
On behalf of the U.S. BOAT TO GAZA,
Nic Abramson, Middle East Crisis Response
Elliott Adams, Past President, Veterans For Peace
Laurie Arbeiter, Activist Response Team
Russell Banks, Writer
Medea Benjamin, Co-founder CODEPINK
Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies
Naomi Brussel, Activist Response Team
Allan Buchman, Founder and Artistic Director, The Culture Project
Leslie Cagan, Co-Founder United for Peace and Justice
Kathleen Chalfant, New York
Ellen Davidson, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions-USA
Noor Elashi, Writer
Basem Emara, Gaza Freedom March
Hedy Epstein, Palestine Solidarity Committee, St. Louis, Missouri
Mike Ferner, National President, Veterans For Peace
Felice Gelman, Gaza Freedom March
Jane Hirschmann, Jews Say No!
Jennifer Hobbs, New York City Attorney/Gaza Freedom March
Abdeen Jabara, Past President, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee,
Civil Rights Attorney
Tarak Kauff, ­­­­­­­­­Veterans for Peace
Kathy Kelly, Co-Coordinator, Voices for Creative Nonviolence
Eleanore Kennedy
Michael Kennedy
Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies,
Department of History, Columbia University
Ramzi Kysia, Free Gaza Movement
Iara Lee, Cultures of Resistance/Freedom Flotilla Survivor
Helaine Meisler, Hudson Valley BDS
Gail Miller, Women of a Certain Age
Fatima Mohammadi, Attorney at Law/Freedom Flotilla Survivor
Donna Nevel, Jews Say No!
Michael Ratner, President, Center for Constitutional Rights
Mariam Said, New York
Najla Said, Actor/Writer
Hannah Schwarzschild, American Jews for a Just Peace
Kathy Sheetz, Free Gaza – USA/Freedom Flotilla Survivor
Ann Shirazi, Granny Peace Brigade
Eleanor Stein, Albany Law School
Michael Steven Smith, New York City Attorney/Author
Sarah Wellington, Activist Response Team
Ret. Col. Ann Wright, Freedom Flotilla Survivor
Dorothy M. Zellner, Veteran Civil Rights Activist


Donate online at:

www.ustogaza.org

Please make out tax deductible contributions of $150 or more to:
Please make out contributions under $150 to:

INSTITUTE FOR MEDIA ANALYSIS
Write Stand for Justice in the memo line.

Institute for Media Analysis
143 West 4th Street #2F
New York, NY 10012
Attn: Stand for Justice

STAND FOR JUSTICEStand for Justice
PO Box 373
Bearsville, NY 12409

Reflections of Fidel: The Origin of Wars

Reflections of Fidel
The origin of wars

(Taken from CubaDebate)

I affirmed on July 4 that neither the United States nor Iran would give in; "one, due to the pride of the powerful, and the other, out of resistance to the yoke and the capacity to fight, as has occurred so many times in the history of humanity…"

In almost all wars, one of the parties wishes to avoid them, and sometimes, both. On this occasion, it would come about even though one of the parties does not wish it, as happened in the two World Wars in 1914 and 1939, with only 25 years of distance before the first outbreak and the second.

The slaughters were horrific, they would not have been unleashed without prior errors of calculation. The two parties were defending imperialist interests and they believed that they would obtain their objectives without the terrible cost that that implied.

In the case that concerns us: one of them is defending national, absolutely just interests. The other is pursuing illegitimate intentions and crude material interests.

If we analyze all the wars that have taken place, starting from the known history of our species, one of the parties has sought those objectives.

Any illusion that, on this occasion, such objectives will be reached without the most terrible of all wars is absolutely vain.

In one of the best articles published by the Global Research website on Thursday, July 1, signed by Rick Rozoff, he provides abundant indisputable arguments on the United States’ intentions, of which any well-informed person must be aware.

"...Victory can be attained when an adversary knows it is vulnerable to an instantaneous and undetectable, overwhelming and devastating attack without the ability to defend itself or retaliate," is what the United States thinks, according to the author.

"…A country which aspires to remain the only state in history to wield full spectrum military dominance on land, in the air, on the seas and in space."

"…To maintain and extend military bases and troops, aircraft carrier
battle groups and strategic bombers on and to most every latitude
and longitude. To do so with a post-World War II record war budget of $708 billion for next year."

It was "…the first country to develop and use nuclear weapons…"

"… the U.S. retains 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 2,200
(by some counts 3,500) more in storage and a triad of land, air and
submarine delivery vehicles."

"The non-nuclear arsenal used for disabling and destroying the air
defenses and strategic, potentially all major, military forces of other nations will consist of intercontinental ballistic missiles, adapted submarine-launched ballistic missiles, hypersonic cruise missiles and bombers, and super stealthy strategic bombers able to avoid detection by radar and thus evade ground- and air-based defenses."

Rozoff lists the many press conferences, meetings and statements of Joint Chiefs of Staff and high-ranking members of the government of the United States in the last few months.

He explains the commitments to NATO and the reinforced cooperation with Near East allies, primarily, read Israel. He says, "The U.S. is also intensifying space and cyber warfare programs with the potential to completely shut down other nations' military surveillance and command, control, communications, computer and intelligence systems, rendering them defenseless on any but the
most basic tactical level."

He speaks of the signing in Prague, on April 8 of this year, of the new START Treaty between Russia and the United States, which "does not contain any constraints on current or planned U.S. conventional prompt global strike capability."

He refers to countless news items on the subject and illustrates the intentions of the United States with one overwhelming example.
He notes that "…’The Department of Defense is currently exploring the full range of technologies and systems for a Conventional Prompt Global Strike (CPGS) capability that could provide the President more credible and technically suitable options for dealing with new and evolving threats.’"

I maintain the opinion that any president whosoever, not even the most expert military chief, would not have one minute to know what should be done if it was not already programmed on computers.
Imperturbably, Rozoff relates what the Global Security Network affirms in an analysis titled: "’Cost to test U.S. global-strike missile could reach $500 million,’" by Elaine Grossman.
"’The Obama administration has requested $239.9 million for prompt global strike research and development across the military services in fiscal 2011… If funding levels remain as anticipated into the coming years, the Pentagon will have spent some $2 billion on prompt global strike by the end of fiscal 2015, according to budget documents submitted last month to Capitol Hill.’"

"A terrifying scenario comparable to the effects of a PGS attack, in this case the sea-based version, appeared three years ago in Popular Mechanics:
"’In the Pacific, a nuclear-powered Ohio class submarine surfaces, ready for the president's command to launch. When the order comes, the sub shoots a 65-ton Trident II ballistic missile into the sky. Within 2 minutes, the missile is traveling at more than 20,000 ft. per second. Up and over the oceans and out of the atmosphere it soars for thousands of miles.
"’At the top of its parabola, hanging in space, the Trident's four warheads separate and begin their screaming descent down toward the planet.
"’Traveling as fast as 13,000 mph, the warheads are filled with scored tungsten rods with twice the strength of steel.

"’Just above the target, the warheads detonate, showering the area with thousands of rods-each one up to 12 times as destructive as a .50-caliber bullet. Anything within 3000 sq. ft. of this whirling, metallic storm is obliterated.’"

Rozoff immediately explains the April 7 statement of General Leonid Ivashov, joint chief of staff of the Russian armed forces, made in a column entitled "Obama’s nuclear surprise."

In that same column Ivashov, refers to the speech by the U.S. president in Prague last year: "The existence of thousands of nuclear weapons is the most dangerous legacy of the Cold War" – and his signing of the START II agreement in that same city on April 8, Rozoff quotes the author, who stated:

"’No examples of sacrificial service of the U.S. elites to mankind or peoples of other countries can be discovered in the U.S. history over the past century. Would it be realistic to expect the advent of an African-American president to the White House to change the country's political philosophy traditionally aimed at achieving global dominance? Those believing that something like that is possible should try to realize why the U.S. – the country with a military budget already greater than those of all other countries of the world combined – continues spending enormous sums of money on preparations for war.’"

"… ‘The Prompt Global Strike concept envisages a concentrated strike using several thousand precision conventional weapons in 2-4 hours that would completely destroy the critical infrastructures of the target country and thus force it to capitulate.’"
"’The Prompt Global Strike concept is meant to sustain the U.S. monopoly in the military sphere and to widen the gap between it and the rest of the world. Combined with the deployment of the missile defense supposed to keep the U.S. immune to retaliatory strikes from Russia and China, the Prompt Global Strike initiative is going to turn Washington into a modern era global dictator.’"

"’In essence, the new U.S. nuclear doctrine is an element of the novel U.S. security strategy that would be more adequately described as the strategy of total impunity. The U.S. is boosting its military budget, unleashing NATO as the global gendarme, and planning real-life exercise in Iran to test the efficiency of the Prompt Global Strike initiative in practice. At the same time, Washington is talking about the completely nuclear-free world.’"

In essence, Obama is trying to deceive the world by talking of a humanity free of nuclear weapons, which would be replaced by other extremely destructive ones, ideal for terrorizing state leaders and achieving the new strategy of total impunity.

The yankis believe that Iran’s rendition is already close. The European Union is expected to announce a sanctions package of its own to be signed on July 26.

The last meeting of the 5+1 took place on July 2, after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad affirmed that "his country would return to talks at the end of August with the participation of Brazil and Turkey."

A high-ranking EU official "stated that neither Brazil nor Turkey will be invited to take part in talks, at least not at this level."

"Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki stated that he was in favor of defying international sanctions and continuing with the enriched uranium program."

From Tuesday, July 5, in the face of the European reiteration that they are to promote additional measures against Iran, this country has responded that it will not negotiate until September.

Every day the possibilities of overcoming the insurmountable obstacle are reducing further.

What is going to happen is so evident that it can be foreseen in an almost exact form.

For my part, I must make a self-criticism; I committed an error in affirming in the June 27 Reflection that the conflict would break out on the Thursday, Friday or at the latest Saturday. It was already known that Israeli warships were navigating toward that objective together with the yanki naval forces. The order to search Iranian merchant ships was already given.

However, I did not realize that there was a prior step: confirmation of the negation of permission for the inspection of its mercantile fleet on the part of Iran. In analyzing the torturous language of the Security Council imposing sanctions on that country, I did not notice that detail to give the inspection order full effect. It was the only thing missing.

The 60-day period given by the Security Council on June 9 to receive information on compliance with the Resolution expires on August 8.

But something really most lamentable happened. I was working on the latest material on the delicate issue drafted by the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the said document did not contain two key paragraphs – the last two of the abovementioned resolution – which textually state:
"Requests within 90 days a report from the Director General of the IAEA on whether Iran has established full and sustained suspension of all activities mentioned in resolution 1737 (2006), as well as on the process of Iranian compliance with all the steps required by the IAEA Board of Governors and with other provisions of resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and of this resolution, to the IAEA Board of Governors and in parallel to the Security Council for its consideration;
"Affirms that it shall review Iran’s actions in light of the report referred to in paragraph 36 above, to be submitted within 90 days, and: (a) that it shall suspend the implementation of measures if and for so long as Iran suspends all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, as verified by the IAEA, to allow for negotiations in good faith in order to reach an early and mutually acceptable outcome;
(b) that it shall terminate the measures specified in paragraphs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 12 of resolution 1737 (2006), as well as in paragraphs 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of resolution 1747 (2007), paragraphs 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of resolution 1803 (2008), and in paragraphs 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 and 24 above, as soon as it determines, following receipt of the report referred to in the paragraph above, that Iran has fully complied with its obligations under the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and met the requirements of the IAEA Board of Governors, as confirmed by the IAEA Board of Governors; (c) that it shall, in the event that the report shows that Iran has not complied with resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and this resolution, adopt further appropriate measures under Article 41 of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to persuade Iran to comply with these resolutions and the requirements of the IAEA, and underlines that further decisions will be required should such additional measures be necessary…"

A compañero from the Ministry, after the exhausting work of many hours at the machine making photocopies of all the documents, fell asleep. My eagerness in seeking out information and exchanging points of view on these delicate issues, made it possible for me to discover this omission.

From my point of view, the United States and its NATO allies have said their last word. Two powerful states with authority and prestige did not exercise their right to veto the perfidious UN resolution.

It was the only possibility of gaining time to seek some formula for saving the peace, an objective that would have afforded them greater authority to continue fighting for it.

Today, everything is hanging from a tenuous thread.

My principal intention was to advise international public opinion of what was occurring.

I have in part achieved that by observing what was taking place, as a political leader who, for many years, has been confronting the empire, its blockades and its indescribable crimes. But I am not doing it out of revenge.

I am not hesitating to run the risks of compromising my modest moral authority.

I shall continue writing Reflections on the subject. There will be a number more after this one in order to continue going more profoundly into it in July and August, unless some incident occurs to trigger the deadly weapons currently pointed at each other.

I have very much enjoyed the final games of the World Cup and the volleyball games, in which our valiant team is marching at the head of its group in the World League of that sport.

Fidel Castro Ruz

July 11, 2010

8:14 p.m.

Translated by Granma International

Yesterday I listened to a talk by former President Michele Bachelet of Chile and I wanted to record some things that I took from it. In terms of looking at a country and its sociopolitical landscape-there is the economic and then there is the political, but Bachelet put emphasis on a third which is rarely stressed here, which is the Social....one must take care of the social...I am excited about all that is taking place in Latin America!