Monday, June 20, 2011

The fallen, the wounded

christopher fishbeck

The photo above is of Christopher Fishbeck (from his MySpace page) died, along with five others, as a result of a June 6th attack while serving in Iraq. (If you didn't check in on the weekend -- I know some don't have computer access except at work -- Marcos A. Cintron died Thursday. He died of wounds received in the June 6th attack. The Defense Dept issued the announcement on Saturday. So the deaths from the June 6th attack has now risen to six.)

On today's Morning Edition (NPR), Tamara Keith reports on the 24-year-old. His mother, Toni Kay, states, "He told me that he felt that there was a 90-percent chance that he wouldn't make it out alive. Whether that was based on a premonition that he had or whether it was based on his knowledge of what lied ahead, I don't know but he just felt a very, very strong sense that he wasn't going to make it out." Keith also speaks with Christopher Fishbeck's wife Stephanie Kidder who, three months after her wedding, now finds herself a widow. Keith's report is audio on the radio and an audio link will be added to it later today online but it's also text and video. Christopher Fishbeck is from my state and it saddens and angers me that neither of our two US senators has issued a statement (Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein). They could, and did, show up to rave over Leon Panetta to a Senate committee but they didn't have time to tell a staffer to write up a quick press release. How very sad. They can take 'comfort' in the fact that, on this topic, they're as lousy as Ed Royce. Royce represents California's 40th Congressional District (which would include Fishbeck's Buena Park) and he's one of the worst members of Congress (judging by? his need to work 'pet issues' that don't have a damn to do with his constituents or, for that matter, with the role of the US Congress). Ed Royce can -- and does -- repeatedly bore the world with his thoughts on what is happening in other countries but a member of his district passes away and he can't even issue a statement? Remember that the next time he's whining about Turkey or North Korea or doing anything that doesn't have a damn thing to do with his district's needs. Jerry Brown is our governor and his office issued the following last week:

SACRAMENTO – On behalf of all Californians, Governor Brown and First Lady Anne Gust Brown honor Spc. Christopher B. Fishbeck, who bravely gave his life in service to our state and nation. The Governor and First Lady extend their deepest condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time.
In memorial, Governor Brown ordered that flags be flown at half-staff over the State Capitol today. Spc. Fishbeck's family will receive a letter of condolence from the Governor.
***
Spc. Christopher B. Fishbeck, 24, of Victorville, CA, died June 6 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, KS. Fishbeck was supporting Operation New Dawn.

Christopher Fishbeck's memorial service takes place in Cypress this morning at St. Irenaeus Catholic Church starting at 11:00 am. On his sense of foreboding, Natalie Sherman (Boston Herald) reported on the passing of Marcus Cintron and noted, "Wilfrido Cintron said his son called him three days before they learned he was hurt, concerned about his safety." Wilfrido Cintron is quoted stating, "He told me, 'Papa, we are in a dangerous place'."


In the New York Times today, James Dao has a report on the breathing illnesses many US service members and contractors are returning to the US with. He notes that there appears to be a split with scientists on one side recognizing the problem and the VA and the Defense Dept on the other refusing to. I don't dispute Dao's perception but I will note that it contrasts with claims put forward in print by one of his colleagues about that 'caring big lug, gosh, darn it, Bobby Gates.' (Am telling tales out of school to note that the unnamed -- but you should be able to figure out who I'm talking about -- author of that report was all over Gates, gushing and praising him and making statements that demonstrated that ____ had no objectivity when it came to Gates at that off the record photo session last Thursday?) Dao notes Iraq War veteran Gary Durham:

Mr. Durham's breathing struggles have proved to be long-term. When he returned to Fort Campbell, Ky., in 2004, Mr. Durham was coughing up phlegm daily. Running became impossible. Yet a battery of lung tests showed nothing wrong. Before he was medically discharged as a sergeant in 2005, an Army doctor suggested that his problem might be psychological, records show.
Then last year, Mr. Durham read about a specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who had treated Iraq veterans for breathing problems. The doctor did a lung biopsy on Mr. Durham and concluded that he had a debilitating and largely untreatable injury known as constrictive bronchiolitis.

Bonnie reminds that Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Welcome Back" went up last night. Today on Law and Disorder Radio (begins broadcasting at 9:00 am EST on WBAI and around the country throughout the week), Michael Ratner explores FBI spying on US activists with attorney and former FBI agent Mike German. Michael also has some very important commentary on Puerto Rico (and the press coverage of Barack's visit last week) and news on the 'suicides' at Guantanamo. I believe co-hosts Heidi Boghosian and Michael S. Smith are off this week.

We'll close with this from the latest column by Ernest F. Hollings (former US Senator "Fritz" Hollings), "Endless war wastes money -- and lives" (Charleston Post and Courier):

I have been trying to fathom Barack Obama. As a member of the Illinois Legislature, Sen. Obama declared against the war in Iraq. Now, as president, he not only begs to stay in Iraq, but increases our commitment in Afghanistan by tripling the number of troops. What puzzles me: What is our "commitment in Afghanistan?"
The only war we have won since World War II was in Afghanistan -- Charlie Wilson's war. Charlie and I had lunch together just before I left the Senate in 2005, and he allowed that we won that war against the Russians because Afghans "hated foreigners." He emphasized that the warlords in Afghanistan didn't trust each other, and the CIA had to pay them off to get anything done.
Now I have come across Zbigniew Brzezinski's 1997 book, "The Grand Chessboard," describing Eurasia, including the land mass of Russia and China. Brzezinski writes: "For America, the chief geopolitical prize is Eurasia. ... Now a non-Eurasian power is pre-eminent in Eurasia -- and America's global primacy is directly dependent on how long and how effectively its preponderance on the Eurasian continent is sustained."
Thus, the U.S. policy of encirclement of Russia and China. Apparently, it's being implemented with President Obama promising missiles for Poland; establishing a naval base with South Korea on Jeju Island; and staying in Afghanistan.
The lesson of Vietnam was that you couldn't change a culture militarily. This is particularly true of Afghanistan, a narco state where they still sell their daughters and the warlords control.



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Sunday, June 19, 2011

Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Welcome Back"

the motto

Isaiah's latest The World Today Just Nuts "Welcome Back." Barack fiddles with his tie and declares, "2012's motto? Respect. Empower. Include. Win." He explains, "In other words, welcome back everyone we threw under the bus. In 2012, we're going to need you!" Isaiah archives his comics at The World Today Just Nuts.





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And the war drags on . . .

9 US soldiers have died this month in the Iraq War. Matthew England was one of them. Ozarks First reports, "Miles of cars, emergency vehicles and veterans line up to pay tribute to England." And his aunt Susan Vuyovich remembers her nephew, "Matt was just all over the woods and playing in the water. Matthew was just full of life and full of spunk." Mike Landis (KY3 News -- link has text and video) quotes Dorris Sayles who knew Matthew from his job at a grocery store, "He always had a beautiful smile, he was friendly to everybody." Landis notes, "England will be laid to rest Monday in Veteran's Cemetery at Fort Leonard Wood." Missouri's Governor is Jay Nixon. His office issued the following on Friday:

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Gov. Jay Nixon has ordered that the U.S. and Missouri flags at state buildings in all 114 counties and the City of St. Louis be flown at half-staff on June 20 to honor the bravery and sacrifice of Private First Class Matthew Joseph England. Private First Class England, age 22, of Gainesville, was a soldier in the United States Army serving in support of Operation New Dawn in Iraq. He died on June 8 of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device in An Najaf Province, Iraq.
In addition, Gov. Nixon has ordered that the U.S. and Missouri flags at all state buildings in Ozark County be flown at half-staff from June 21 to June 26.
"The lowering of the flags will honor Private First Class England and remind Missourians of his bravery and sacrifice," Gov. Nixon said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as they mourn for him."
Private First Class England was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, Combat and Special Skill Badge Basic Marksmanship Qualification Badge (Bar, Weapon: Rifle (Inscription: Rifle), Expert), and the Overseas Service Bar.

Yesterday the Dept of Defense announced Spc Marcos A. Cintron died. He had been injured in the June 6th attack that claimed the lives of 5 other soldiers. Natalie Sherman (Boston Herald) quotes his father, Wilfrido Cintron, stating, "He wasn't conscious, but I know that he knew that his family were there and that we were struggling for him. The family, we remember him as happy. We remember him as a hero." Along with his father, his survivors include an eleven-year-old daughter and a thirteen-year-old daughter.



They're just there to try and make the people free,
But the way that they're doing it, it don't seem like that to me.
Just more blood-letting and misery and tears
That this poor country's known for the last twenty years,
And the war drags on.
-- words and lyrics by Mick Softly (available on Donovan's Fairytale)

Last Sunday, the number of US military people killed in the Iraq War since the start of the illegal war was 4463. Tonight? PDF format warning, DoD still lists the the number of Americans killed serving in Iraq at 4466.

Reuters notes that today's violence included a Baghdad sticky bombing which claimed the life of 1 Iraqi soldier and left another injured while a police officer was shot dead in Baghdad.


Last week, Paul Richter (Los Angeles Times) reported that $6 billion was missing in food-for-oil money that was supposed to have been used for reconstruction. Al Jazeera reports (link has text and video), "Osama al-Nujaifi, the Iraqi parliament speaker, has told Al Jazeera that the amount of Iraqi money unaccounted for by the US is $18.7bn - three times more than the reported $6.6bn. Just before departing for a visit to the US, al-Nujaifi said that he has received a report this week based on information from US and Iraqi auditors that the amount of money withdrawn from a fund from Iraqi oil proceeds, but unaccounted for, is much more than the $6.6bn reported missing last week." In other ominous news, Monday's big meet-up? Aswat al-Iraq reports Ayad Allawi has told Jalal Talabani he won't be attending due to "health problems."


We'll move over to England for another death. Activist Brian Haw is dead. Mark Wallinger (Independent of London) explains:

Brian showed us what a quiescent and supine country we've become. After two million came out to protest against the Iraq war it was as if everybody decided to give up. But Brian never gave up. Then they brought in laws trying to curtail his/our right to protest outside Parliament and very few lifted a finger to do anything about that.
He was a unique and remarkable man. Earlier, I was asked how to describe him and the first words I came up with were tenacity, integrity and dignity. And then Michael Culver, an old colleague of his, said rage, and I think that is absolutely right. That's not to say he wasn't a funny man. He was self-aware and could be ironic or sarcastic. What Brian was saying was never really reported properly, nor was the depth and heroism of his struggle. People who should know better would describe him as a crank and wouldn't bother to hear what he had to say.

Rebecca Camber (Daily Mail) adds, "This month he marked ten years living on the square.
The protester died in Germany on Saturday where he had been receiving treatment. Yesterday his devastated family paid tribute to the father of seven, releasing this statement: 'It is with deepest regret that I inform you that our father, Brian, passed away this morning'." Rachael Brown (Australia's ABC News) reports, "Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn has praised Mr Haw for his daily demand for peace and reminder to MPs about the consequences of their decisions." Robin Beste of Stop The War Coalition (link has text and video) explains:

Brian became such a thorn in the side of the establishment that MPs introduced a law excluding protests within one mile of parliament without permission, failing to anticipate that their restriction could not be applied retrospectively to Brian, who carried on his highly visible protest in Parliament Square regardless.
Brian's courage and persistence was an inspiration to peace campaigners across the world, and his highly visible encampment became a focus for vistors to London, wishing to register in person their admiration and support.
In January 2007, artist Mark Wallinger recreated Brian's Parliament Square protest in its entirety as an exhibition at Tate Britain. Titled State Britain, it was a painstaking reconstruction of the display confiscated by the Metropolitan Police in 2006, and included 500 weather-worn banners, photos, peace flags, and messages from well-wishers collected by Brian over the duration of his peace protest.
In December 2007, Mark Wallinger was awarded the prestigious Turner Art Prize for his State Britain commemoration of Brian's iconic presence confronting parliament day and night.


New content at Third:



Isaiah's latest goes up after this. Pru notes this from Great Britain's Socialist Worker:


Bill Gates' billionaire philanthropy won't solve poverty

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by Ken Olende

Billionaire Bill Gates has been praised for his philanthropic acts. Last week he promised $1 billion to pay for vaccinations in poor countries.

Gates set up the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi) in response to outrage that so many children die of preventable diseases.

Children need vaccinations, but it is outrageous that we should have to rely on the mega-rich.

That removes any democratic control that can make sure the best health policies are carried out.

High-profile projects like this are no substitute for the health infrastructure of hospitals and clinics that are needed in poorer countries that have been ravaged by neoliberal policies.

Many children are not immunised simply because the few multinationals that control the pharmaceutical industry, such as Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK), keep the cost of vaccines artificially high.

And these companies, including GSK, are represented on Gavi’s board.

Crucell—a subsidiary of GSK and Johnson & Johnson—sells some vaccines at profits of up to 180 percent. This is a disgrace.

Schemes like this act as cover for the profits of multinational companies and allow them to squirrel away more cash.

A billion dollars sounds like a lot—until you hear that Gates’ firm Microsoft made profits of $4.5 billion in the second quarter of 2010 alone.

Gates is praised by governments for giving his fortune away to charity. But he is still the second richest person on the planet, with an unimaginable fortune of $56 billion.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has set up schemes to avoid paying even the minimal taxes in the state of Washington, where the corporation is based.

But Gavi also actively subsidises drugs firms. Daniel Berman of NGO Médecins Sans Frontières told the Mirror newspaper, “Under the Advance Market Commitment, GSK and Pfizer are selling 30 million doses of pneumococcal vaccine annually to Gavi for £2 each.

“In addition to the per unit price they are each getting a subsidy of

£137 million. I don’t think they ever dreamed they would get it this good but they did.”

We need to outlaw multinationals profiteering from poor people’s misery and tax the smug rich until the people we have elected control their wealth.

We should use that wealth to establish proper health services across the world.

© Socialist Worker (unless otherwise stated). You may republish if you include an active link to the original.

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