GWEEDO

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Posts by GWEEDO

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  57

  Budddha Bless Afghanistan

  by unclebruce in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there is a lot of ignorant afghan bashing going on here at the moment (as opposed to informed afghan bashing) and when we read the papers and see the television pictures it's little wonder why.

  the world news media is on a feeding frenzy whipping up so called 'anti-terrorist'* retoric to silly levels.

  (*one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter .. nelson mandela?

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  GWEEDO

  Sure, Afghanistan is poor, but, IMHO, a country gets the government that it deserves

  ...Nah, I'll just let that go through to the keeper!
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  57

  Budddha Bless Afghanistan

  by unclebruce in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there is a lot of ignorant afghan bashing going on here at the moment (as opposed to informed afghan bashing) and when we read the papers and see the television pictures it's little wonder why.

  the world news media is on a feeding frenzy whipping up so called 'anti-terrorist'* retoric to silly levels.

  (*one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter .. nelson mandela?

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  GWEEDO

  Yeru

  Where do you get the idea that all these Afghanis aren't getting food?

  What I'm trying to say is the aid required before the onset of winter is just not getting in. This has been the case since s11.

  check it out:

  "Because of these threats, aid organisations have been forced to pull out their foreign workers - fearing both that they may be caught in the expected raids, or that they would be attacked as westerners after the NATO bombers have flown away. The effects of this withdrawal could be infinitely more tragic and devastating than the worst that a wounded America may now throw at this long, long-suffering country.

  For, although it has gone largely unreported, Afghanistan is in the grip of a three-year drought and on the verge of mass starvation. According to the UN-run World Food Programme, by the end of the year 5.5 million people [the UN estimate is now 7 million] will be entirely dependent on food aid to survive the winter - that's a quarter of the Afghan population.

  As Christian Aid's programme officer responsible for Afghanistan, I have been helping supply food and seeds to communities in desperate need. In a few weeks the winter snows will come, cutting off the hundreds of isolated villages whose only links to the outside world are rutted dirt tracks. Without seeds they will be unable to replant for next year. Without food aid now, thousands could be dead before the spring."

  Chris Buckley, Christian Aid Programme Officer for Afghanistan
  14/9

  Afghanistan is the poorest country in Asia. Even before the terrorist attacks on the USA on 11 September, it faced a winter of severe food shortages, leaving five million people at risk. This was caused by a combination of three years of successively worsening drought, and the continuing war between the Taliban and opposition United Front, based in the north.

  Food distribution vital before the winter sets in

  The situation has already been compounded since 11 September by the flight of unknown numbers of Afghans towards the closed Pakistani border and elsewhere, and by the suspension of UN World Food Program (WFP) food entering the country. This threatens a collapse in the local distribution of food before winter closes in, and consequently the likelihood of widespread starvation. The vital need to reach people by November cannot be overstated.

  OXFAM (credible ngo)

  "What is needed is large scale convoys of basic foodstuffs, rather than single meals designed for soldiers. Until yesterday the UN and aid agencies such as ourselves were still able to get some food convoys into Afghanistan. Due to the airstrikes the UN have stopped all convoys, and we will find delivering aid also much more difficult."

  The international medical aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)oct8

  "It's very hard to get convoys of food in when there's a military offensive going on"

  "I do not want to see a civilian population in Afghanistan as innocent victims of what happened on s11"

  Also called for the cessation of bombing

  Mary Robinson, UN Human Rights commissioner 14/10

  "The only way of getting the food aid a month through is by truck. Yet most drivers will simply not venture on to the roads under threat of violence from the Taliban, the opposition or US strike aircraft.

  Quite simply, the bombing must stop as soon as possible, and the international community, under the auspices of the UN, must launch a huge and credible aid effort within days, not weeks guaranteeing the safe passage of convoys.

  If this is not done before the winter snows come, thousands even hundreds of thousands will certainly die. If this happens, then the "civilised" Western powers who have put so much store by humanitarian values will be culpable. A curious way, indeed, of winning Afghan hearts and minds."

  Dominic Nutt, emergencies officer for Christian Aid

  "Christian Aid continues to call for a pause in the bombing to allow essential humanitarian supplies to be delivered to Afghans in need."

  Christian aid 23/10

  "Only a quarter of the food needed is reaching Afghanistan: and less than one fifth can be distributed "

  Christian aid 24/10
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  57

  Budddha Bless Afghanistan

  by unclebruce in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there is a lot of ignorant afghan bashing going on here at the moment (as opposed to informed afghan bashing) and when we read the papers and see the television pictures it's little wonder why.

  the world news media is on a feeding frenzy whipping up so called 'anti-terrorist'* retoric to silly levels.

  (*one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter .. nelson mandela?

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  GWEEDO

  Yeru,

  I have no qualms with you personally, I just feel your politics are mistaken and dangerous to the security of the US.

  Same with you GWEEDO.

  Thats what I think of the US bombing of Afghanistan, Yeru. Yeah, GB is with you...so is Australia. But you aint winning points in the mid-east. Thats dangerous. The US and it's allies may be satisfied that there was no attempt at negotiations, or evidence put up publically, or that many will starve during the harsh Afgan winter. But the Muslims arn't. What are the implications of that? 3 & 1/2 weeks isn't time enough for consideration of all the angles etc. I mean, if the US comes out of Afganistan leaving it in a worse state than when it went in; if it comes out looking bad in the muslim world, looking like it could have done more. I think you'll only have more terrorism on your hands in the future. Sure, you might kill bin-Laden and his hench men. But terrorism evolves. You've had Qadaffi, then Abu Nidal, now your've got bin-Laden. So who's next?

  There is one sure way to end the terrorism cycle, and thats to stop engaging in it.

  As to Hussein and Iraq...he is a sicko, no doubt. But I dont think it's a black and white issue like your trying to make out. I dont think anything over in the Mid-East is that simple. But anyway, in short, there were many diplomatic avenues the US could have pursued in relation to Iraq, yet they refused to compromise and insisted on an unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait by Saddam. Iraq put up numerous offers, each was refused and the result was a bloody war...on Iraqs part anyway.

  Originally, there were 2 reasons for me bringing up Iraq. One was in relation to non-negotiable ultimatum the US dished out to the Taliban. Which is essentially what they gave out to Iraq.
  The second, i believe, was in relation to civilian casualties in Afghanistan. The US at the time of the Gulf war made it out to be a nice and neat little war where no-one was dying down there. They were throwing around the idea of 'surgical strikes' like it meant something. This was later proved to be a myth. So, when Rumsfeld gets on TV and trys to tell me that everything is nice and neat again and accuses the Taliban of being liars and that civilian deaths are 'minimal'...I start to wonder.
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  57

  Budddha Bless Afghanistan

  by unclebruce in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there is a lot of ignorant afghan bashing going on here at the moment (as opposed to informed afghan bashing) and when we read the papers and see the television pictures it's little wonder why.

  the world news media is on a feeding frenzy whipping up so called 'anti-terrorist'* retoric to silly levels.

  (*one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter .. nelson mandela?

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  GWEEDO

  Yeru

  GWEEDO,

  One last thing, you said our bombing in Iraq killed 200,000. I won't argue the figure. MOST were soldiers, civilian casualties are unfortunate, but to avoid it all Hussein had to do was leave Kuwait.

  Just on that Gulf War figure of 200,000. In December 91 The Medical Education Trust in London published a detailed study. It claimed up to 250,000 million men woman and children were killed because of the US bombing of Iraq. Also, apparently French and American intelligence estimated the civilian in march 91 to be in excess of 200,000. This was printed in The Times in 91. The Clark Commission concluded that the US attack violated the geneva convention and stated that there would be severve losses among the civilian population. Major internationl relief agencies reported that about 1.8 million people had been made homeless, and Iraq's electricity, water, sewage, communication, health agriculture and industrial infrastructure had been greatly destroyed leaving the way open for famine and epidemics.

  Not a pretty picture.
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  57

  Budddha Bless Afghanistan

  by unclebruce in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there is a lot of ignorant afghan bashing going on here at the moment (as opposed to informed afghan bashing) and when we read the papers and see the television pictures it's little wonder why.

  the world news media is on a feeding frenzy whipping up so called 'anti-terrorist'* retoric to silly levels.

  (*one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter .. nelson mandela?

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  GWEEDO

  Yeru

  Once again you offer criticism with no solutions to improve the situation. TYPICAL of the NO WAR AT ANY PRICE crowd that spouts this nonsense.

  Just to make it clear. I am not of the 'NO WAR AT ANY PRICE' mob. I am not a pacifist. If you read my post you might notice that I allow for military intervention. But not within 3 1/2 weeks of s11; not with Winter coming and no REAL aid getting in to Afghanistan; not when the US demands the closure of borders of neigboring countries thereby denying those lucky enough to make it to the border access to refugee camps and aid. I dont buy the idea that the US had to go in right now...dont buy it for one second. It wont prevent future attack in the short term, and hasn't, as can be seen by this Anthrax thing. Al-qaida is dispersed across the globe, not just in Afghanistan so the idea that bombing right now will stop anything seems to me to be rather naive. The measures that are going to prevent imminent attack in the short term are going to increased security and intelligence measures taken at home and in co-operation with other countries, and not this current bombing. Just to restate, I am not of the 'NO WAR AT ANY PRICE' mob, neither am I of the 'WAR AT ANY PRICE' mob, which is why I believe the US should atleast have held off. Back later if I can manage it...cheers!
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  27

  Anthony Mundine Comments

  by drahcir yarrum in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just read the comments of australian boxer and muslim anthony mundine.

  he says the attack on the wtc on sept. 11th wasn't an act of terrorism, but an act of religion, because of the actions of the united states in history.

  apparently, while too cowardly to actually say he approves of the terrorism on the u.s., like so many muslims are cowardly in this regard, he seems to slip in his approval through the back door, as it were.

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  GWEEDO

  Are you saying what the world needs now is a giant enema not beatnik hippy love? ;)

  Well, brucy. I think your right on the money with that giant enema bit. Maybe we could get Mundine to perform it....or John Hopawata, even better!
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  27

  Anthony Mundine Comments

  by drahcir yarrum in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just read the comments of australian boxer and muslim anthony mundine.

  he says the attack on the wtc on sept. 11th wasn't an act of terrorism, but an act of religion, because of the actions of the united states in history.

  apparently, while too cowardly to actually say he approves of the terrorism on the u.s., like so many muslims are cowardly in this regard, he seems to slip in his approval through the back door, as it were.

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  GWEEDO

  What Islam needs is a Shelby Spong kind of figure.

  I remember my religious studies teacher a few years ago saying that Islam has yet to go through the peroid of questioning and sceptisism that Christianity has been through in the last few centuries.

  Personally, I'd love to see the end of Fundamentalism, but I don't see it being done with a bomb. The slow painful process of reason is what will do it. Maybe...?

  The Russians, I believe, have a saying: Religion is like a nail, the harder you hammer it, the deeper it goes.

  As for Mundine. Give him a break. He was punch drunk from the night before. I think Watters gave him a good one in the 1st...Mundine then decked him in the 2nd, I believe?

  I think the host of TODAY was a little punch drunk too. He asked heaps of dumbass questions. But You'll be happy to know that the censor guy wasn't. Mundine only got half way through critizing the US, and then they cut him.
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  57

  Budddha Bless Afghanistan

  by unclebruce in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there is a lot of ignorant afghan bashing going on here at the moment (as opposed to informed afghan bashing) and when we read the papers and see the television pictures it's little wonder why.

  the world news media is on a feeding frenzy whipping up so called 'anti-terrorist'* retoric to silly levels.

  (*one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter .. nelson mandela?

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  GWEEDO

  Just my Random thoughts:

  It took the 3 1/2 weeks for the US to start dropping bombs and little Johnny Howard (Aus PM) has been on the bandwagon right from the start. I agree with democrat Leader Natashja Stot Despoja (never can spell her name) when she said that there should have been a Parlimentary debate on the issue of whether Australia should be in this 'war on terrorism'. People keep asking, well what are the alternatives to war, we cant sit and do nothing. But how is is anyone supposed to consider the issue of alternatives, let alone the implications of this US campaign in under 3 1/2 weeks...give me a break!!!. It was a rush to war. The US didn't even attempt negotiations, they may have come to nothing, but they didn't even try. It was either abide by our non-negotiable ultimatum or get bombed, a text book US approach as recent history in Kosovo and Iraq indicate.
  They shut down the borders between afghanistan and Pakistan within a week leaving refugees stranded. All the aid workers went as soon as the US made it know that the Taliban and Al-qaida was in the firing line. Winter is coming and aid agencies will tell you that the peroid before winter is crucial to getting relief to people inside. But there isn't any serious aid getting in and with winter on the way the people, innocent people, on the inside are pretty much doomed. The US food drop was just a cynical PR stunt too, just ask the aid agencies on that point if you don't believe me. For these reasons i believe the US should have atleast held off till after winter and allowed relief agencies to deal with the refugee crises. Holding off would have also allowed more time for evidence collection, of which the US didn't have too much of if you look at the 70 point document that came out, only 9 points delt specifically with Sept11. But anyway, holding off would have also allowed time for consideration of the consequences of the bombing. There was and still is a danger that this campaign could destabilise Pakistan and the larger Muslim world --in which there seems to be a growing animosty towards the US. There could also have been more consideration of what Gov replaces the Taliban. The US was talking up the Northern Alliance as if they were good guys (hAHA). They are a pack of warlords and rapists who have slighty more liberal religious views than the Taliban. They arn't an alternative.
  All this talk about smart bombs is a joke too, like it was in the Gulf war where only 7% were smart ordinances and near 200,000 Iraqis died (not many knew about that at the time...nor now). I mean, the US has hit the Red Cross and a another aid agency, coupled with todays news that a bunch of kids have been shot up and I'm supposed to buy into this surgical strike Bullshit Rumsfeld wants me to believe. I mean, he's calling the Taliban liars (hAHA). It's a ballsup...'surgical strikes' & saying thinks like 'but thats war, civilians die' is just euphemistic bullshit. If it were Yanks or ozzies or poms on the ground then we wouldn't be framing things in those terms, we'd be getting the whole blood soaked deal.

  DOn't ask me for all the answers, but it seems to me that this war that was supposed to kill 'terrorism' has only enhanced it in the short term as can be seen with all this talk of Anthrax and retaliation going round. And I think it's only going to increase it in the long term as well if you look at a lot of the anger being generated in the Mid-east and among muslim countries else where. There has been very little thought and debate and I dont think this bombing is really going to solve stuff at all really. There aint going to be a "NEw world Order", it's just going to be the "Same old DiSOrder", unless some long term political solution can be found --don't hold your breath. I think this "War on Terrorism" will work as well as the "War on Drugs" has/is...War on yer ass...it's a mess, but they are only afghani's so it don't matter.
  On alternatives, The UN was one alternative, WAITING was another, Negotiations were another, and someone i heard was talking about Pakistan instigating a bloodless coup within the Taliban --so theres another one--, and a longer term political solution is another again. I'll grant that War may have eventually had to come...but not within 3 1/2 weeks...and not at the expense of Refugees starving through winter...what a joke.

  I don't know any Afghani's that ride camels, but i do know one who drives a cab. And he seems to think that an Afghani aint worth as much as a white fella who lives a well off Western country like Aus, US, and GB. What the hell is he thinking, he clearly doesn't know his role in world affairs!
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  3

  Osama and one of his many wives!

  by GWEEDO in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is for the people who were offended by kents post of bush taking it up the ass by osama.

  warning...if yer taste is a little on the conservative side, then dont go here!.

  [url] http://www.fuckusama.com/binladengoat.php[/url]

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  GWEEDO

  What everyone wish did happen
  [url] http://www.fuckusama.com/perfectworld.php[/url]
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  3

  Osama and one of his many wives!

  by GWEEDO in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is for the people who were offended by kents post of bush taking it up the ass by osama.

  warning...if yer taste is a little on the conservative side, then dont go here!.

  [url] http://www.fuckusama.com/binladengoat.php[/url]

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  GWEEDO

  I'm bit anti-war myself. But this one cracked me up too. Another redesign of a great NY landmark!

  [url] http://www.fuckusama.com/statueofliberty.php[/url