Here is an interesting graph that shows the cost of US led war compared against univesal health care, universal preschool, security, cancer research and immunization.

It is easy to see how much the American people are losing with these unjustified wars: masacring people within and abroad the country.

cost-of-us-war-against-healthcare

I was reading through some articles about the increase of opium production in Afghanistan and came across the following graph from Wikipedia.

Opium Poppy Cultivation in Afghanistan (in Hectors)

This data was published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

It is interesting to note that during the period when Taliban was gaining power,  the opium production actually showed a downward trend to a point where in 2001 it was reduced to its a minimum record since 1994.

Many argue that this containment of opium production under the Taliban regime was not favorable to the American drug corporations, which consequently become one of the big factors in the invasion of Afghanistan and the decision to  overthrow the Taliban regime.

After which, the production of opium surely picked up again and kept rising up beyond previous records.

The fact that Pharmaceutical business is the second most profit making industry after oil is no secret and the American government benefited largely from this increased opium production.

Following is a list of Medical drugs produced from Opium:

When considering the number of people around the world that use Acetaminophen daily, a pain killer that has Codeine as its main ingredient, the amount cash that is generated from having cheap opium at hand is astronomical.

Opium (cheap opium) creates huge profit margins for pharmaceutical companies.

By controlling the region and increasing the production of this plant, similar to oil, the American government kept its price reduced and well favorable, with no regards to regional and global effects of such massive opium surplus.

Sure the American companies have made billions of dollars, but at the cost of many Afghani, Iranian, Pakistani young men and women killed if not others around the world, many falling into the traps of addiction.

An addiction which devastates not only a single person, but many families, their offspring and eventually destroys the foundation for a functional society.

The BBC has recently reported that the Pentagon is speeding up the deployment of an enormous bomb, one that would be the largest non-nuclear weapon ever in the U.S. arsenal.

The 30,000 lb (13600 kg) massive ordnance penetrator (MOP) carries about 2,400 kilograms of explosives and is so heavy no fighter can carry; it can only be carried on a B-2 stealth bomber.

The U.S. Department of Defence’s decision to award the $51.9 million US contract to Boeing Co. earlier this month signals a renewed commitment to the weapon.

The American president, Barack Obama gets the Nobel Peace prize and the approval of such budget for this bomb comes only days after it.

A Few Peaceful Thoughts:

Nothing says “Diplomacy” like a 30,000 lb bomb.

Nothing says “Cooperation” like a 30,000 lb bomb.

Nothing says “Love and Understanding” like a 30,000 lb bomb.

Nothing says “Security” like a 30,000 lb bomb.

Nothing saves “Lives” like a 30,000 lb bomb.

Nothing helps the “Economy” like a 30,000 lb bomb.

Nothing wins the “Nobel Peace Prize” like a 30,000 lb bomb.

and finally:

Nothing says “Peace” like a 30,000 lb bomb.

With files from: BBC, CBC
Photo Source: The Associated Press

It is of good news that a tyrant like Berlusconi is no exception from the Law. Unfortunately the old man’s plans got thwarted this time.

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“No flu vaccine, no pay raise” Local Ohio hospital workers are being told.

Elsewhere, in New York, nearly 500,000 health care workers are forced to take swine flu shot or face losing their jobs.

Americans concerned over mandatory shots

New York is the first state in the country to order flu vaccinations for its health care workers.
The initial doses of swine flu vaccine will be available for distribution within a week. Much of it is reserved for state health care workers however, there is growing opposition to required inoculations.

The mandate on flu vaccines has stirred up protests in both Ohio and New York

In New York health-care workers rallied at the state capitol.

Another, non-medical, group is also being forced to take the flue shot, however, they will not have a choice of protesting or opposition.

The military!

The Pentagon has bought 2.7 million vaccines, and 1.4 million of those will go to active duty military. National Guard troops on active duty are also required to receive the vaccine, as are civilian Defense Department employees who are in critical jobs.

Hence, the military personnel, experimentally,  are expected to provide health officials with an early assessment of the vaccine.

“Because I can compel people to get the shots, larger numbers will have the vaccine,” said Renuart, commander of U.S. Northern Command.

“They will, as a percentage of the population, be vaccinated more rapidly than many of us. So we may see some objective results, good or not, of the vaccinations.”

This is an alarming trend, whereby vaccinations being forced on the population in the US.

Certain question should certainly be asked…

How can anyone be sure about the integrity of the chemicals used in such vaccines?

Why should the general public be forced into taking a medication that has not proven its effectiveness?

Why should millions of tax payers dollars go to the pharmaceutical companies who are only filling their pockets based on massive public fear and propaganda?

Well…

Such questions need not be answered if the the government is to be obeyed  without question.

However, we should remind ourselves that…

Blind obeisance to the government and to the mainstream media denotes neither intelligence nor patriotism.

With files from: wcbstv.com, wcbstv.com, NBC4

1- Iran has signed the NPT (Non Proliferation Treaty)

The NPT clearly states that all parties have “an inalienable right to nuclear enrichment”. Iran has been progressing towards nuclear power for over 40 years, which started and supported by the western powers during the days of pro-western dictatorship of Shah.

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Iran vs Israel

Individual Comparisons:

Iran:

1- Is a member of the IAEA

2- Iran has signed the Non-proliferation Treat (NPT)

3- The UN and IAEA inspectors have not found any evidence to prove Iran is moving towards building an atomic weapon.

4- Iran has so far abided the UN and its regulations,  cooperated with the IAEA within the guidelines of  Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

5- Has had the most number of  recorded UN inspectors on its sites than any other country  in the world

6- Is not currently a processor or nuclear fuel and does not hold any nuclear weapons

7- Has not initially attacked (been the aggressor towards) any country over the past 250 years

8- Iranian leaders publicly and repeatedly have emphasized their opposition to nuclear weapons

9- Iranian leaders have denounces war and shows their willingness to cooperate with the international regulating bodies to move towards world wide nuclear disarmament.

10- Iran accuses Israel of producing second and third generations nuclear war heads and not cooperating with the “international community”

Israel:

1- Is a member of the IAEA

2- Israel has NOT signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

3- Has broken more UN resolutions than any other country in the world

4- Possesses over two hundred ready nuclear war heads.

5- Has move or is moving towards 2nd and 3rd generation nuclear war head technology

6- Is the sole process of nuclear arms in the Middle East

7- Has had history of preemptive attacks against its enemies

8- Israel has previously and currently occupies its neighboring lands.

9- Israel  accuses the Iran of having ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons

10- Israeli leaders have publicly shown their readiness to attack Iran

Further Points:

• Israel is encourage
• Iran is feared
  *
• Israel is held as a friend and an ally
• Iran is an enemy and part of the “Axis of Evil”
  *
• Israel accuses Iran of violating human rights within its own country
• Iran accuses Israel of violating human rights outside its boarders (in Palestine)

The hypocrisy and the double standards in this world are extraordinary. In these hostile times between the two countries and turmoil around the world, we should remind ourselves that if there is no justice in the world, humanity shall never find peace.

Justice will come soon and so will peace between all.

Lets hope!

Who is Dr. John Dugard?

John Dugard is a Professor of International Law at the Center for human rights at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He has served as a judge on the International Court of Justice and as a Special Rapporteur for both the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the International Law Commission. He’s also granted as a distinguish professor of law at Duke University.

In the following lecture Dr. Dugard talks about the occupation and apartheid under international law as it’s happening in Palestine. He discusses and proves the three similarities of the dominant feature of the apartheid regime in South Africa with that of the Israeli and Palestinian.

These include:

1- Grand apartheid that was a territorial separation

2- Racial discrimination

3- Security rules

In the following videos John Dugard discusses the extent of these factors in the Palestinian occupied territories.

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“After reading this magnificent book, I am still puzzled as to why such a remarkable personality like Leopold Weiss still remains obscure to both the Western world… Leopold Weiss (1900-1992) later known as Muhammad Asad was a man who has seen and experienced all of the main events of the 20th century at first hand, and has lived to describe it lucidly truly deserves to be on the map of personalities of the last century. His contribution to 20th century societies of the Middle-East is immense. A first class traveller, a journalist, a writer, a philosopher, an adventurer, a statesman, a diplomat, a scholar… at least should be considered on par with Lawrence of Arabia, if not above, for the sole reason that he was involved in the shaping of more than one country, not just Arabia.

Muhammad Asad - Leopold Weiss

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I believe that this article is an act of free speech. The Swedish people, their media and/or their government have done nothing wrong. If the story is fake then the Israeli government should have not reacted as they did. There must be at least an ounce of truth somewhere in this article to spark the issue to such high level.

Source: gnnckx cc0

Nonetheless, if these allegations are true it should make every decent human being sick to the inner most of their stomach. It is almost inevitable that we will be waiting for a long time before the Israelis allow any kind international investigation into the matter, just as they would not and still do not allow any unbiased media to report what really did happen in Gaza or the West Bank.

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