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  | Translate: 翻译：               EU and US said to favour elections over human rights欧盟和美国表示赞成选举对人权 Sunday, January 4th, 2009 星期日， 2009年1月4日
Listing countries where elections have been mixed with violence and repression, Human Rights Watch said western powers, especially the United States and European Union, have accepted elections in countries that don’t respect human rights, for political reasons and benefit.上市国家选举已经混合暴力和镇压，人权观察说，西方列强，特别是美国和欧洲联盟，接受选举的国家，不尊重人权，出于政治原因，并从中受益。 The group said the west has continued to prop up fragile democracies, or those that purport to be, such as Kenya, where waves of killings have followed a disputed election, and Pakistan, where elections are coming up after the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.该组织说，西方国家继续支撑脆弱的民主国家，或那些自称是，如肯尼亚，一波又一波的屠杀遵循一个有争议的选举中，和巴基斯坦，在那里的选举即将到来的暗杀后，反对派领袖贝布托。 The group also said that countries including Bahrain, Jordan, Nigeria, Russia and Thailand have taken on the belief that elections are equal to democracy.该集团还表示，国家，包括巴林，约旦，尼日利亚，俄罗斯和泰国已经采取的信念，选举是民主平等的。 In its annual report, the group said that Washington, Brussels and European capitals “play along” with the notion that a country can have democracy simply by holding elections.在其年度报告中，该集团表示，华盛顿，布鲁塞尔和欧洲国家的首都“发挥沿”的概念，一个国家可以有民主只要举行选举。 “It’s now easy for autocrats to get away with mounting a sham democracy,” said Kenneth Roth, the group’s executive director. “现在方便独裁者摆脱日益增多的假民主” ，罗斯说，肯尼思，该集团的执行主任。 “That’s because too many Western governments insist on elections and leave it at that.” “They don’t press governments on the key human rights issues that make democracy function - a free press, peaceful assembly, and a functioning civil society that can really challenge power,” Roth said. “这是因为太多的西方国家政府坚持选举和停留在这一点上。 ” “他们不按政府的关键的人权问题，使民主功能-自由的新闻媒体，和平集会，和一个正常运作的民间社会，能够真正挑战权力， “罗斯说。 The report said grave human rights abuses have fueled humanitarian crises in Somalia and the Ogaden region in Eastern Ethiopia, where millions of people are suffering.该报告说，严重侵犯人权行为助长了在索马里的人道主义危机和欧加登地区在埃塞俄比亚东部，在那里数以百万计的人民正在受苦受难。 The report documented manipulations of elections.该报告记载操纵选举。 It said Chad, Kazakhstan, Nigeria and Uzbekistan committed “outright fraud,” while governments controlled the electoral machinery in Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Malaysia, Thailand and Zimbabwe.它说，乍得，哈萨克斯坦，尼日利亚和乌兹别克斯坦致力于“彻底欺诈” ，而政府控制了选举机构在阿塞拜疆，巴林，马来西亚，泰国和津巴布韦。 Belarus, Egypt, Cuba, Iran and Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories blocked or discouraged opposition candidates.白俄罗斯，埃及，古巴，伊朗和以色列在被占领的巴勒斯坦领土封锁或阻止反对派候选人。 Russia and Tunisia were cited for stifling the media, and China and Pakistan undermined the rule of law, the report said.俄罗斯和突尼斯被认为为扼杀媒体，中国和巴基斯坦破坏了法治，报告说。 “Many of these tactics are illegal under domestic and international law, but rarely do outside powers call governments to account for it,” the report said. “许多这些伎俩都是非法根据国内法和国际法，但很少做外部势力呼吁各国政府考虑到它， ”报告说。 “Established democracies are often unwilling to do so for fear of losing access to resources or commercial opportunities, or because of the perceived requirements of fighting terrorism.” “It seems Washington and European governments will accept even the most dubious election so long as the ‘victor’ is a strategic or commercial ally,” it said. “建立的民主国家往往是不愿意这样做由于担心失去获得资源或商业机会，或因自觉要求打击恐怖主义” 。 “看来美国和欧洲各国政府将接受即使是最可疑的选举，只要'维克多是一个战略或商业盟友， “它说。 In Kenya, rival political sides halted talks over disputed elections and vicious ethnic clashes after the killing of an opposition legislator, but said they would keep talking while would keep killing each other.在肯尼亚，对立的政治谈判双方停止有争议的选举和恶毒的种族冲突后，杀死了一名反对党议员，但表示，他们将继续谈判，同时将继续互相残杀。 The country remained tense and volatile and violence continued to reign while political parties have battled for more than a month over who won the presidential elections.该国仍然是紧张和动荡和暴力的继续执政，而各政党为争夺超过一个月超过谁赢得了总统选举。 Nasser Ega-Musa, a United Nations spokesman, said both parties had “a general desire to continue the negotiations and a willingness not to be distracted and derailed,” by the shooting death of David Too.纳赛尔埃加-穆萨，联合国发言人说，双方已经“普遍希望继续进行谈判，并愿意不被分散和破坏” ，由枪杀大卫太多。 The human rights report also said China has clamped down on the media as it is preparing to hold the Summer Olympics Games in August.人权报告也说，中方已取缔的媒体，因为它正在准备举行的夏季奥运会在8月。 Foreign journalists who were given the right to interview Chinese have been harassed, detained or intimidated to prevent them from doing reports on the country’s poor human rights records.外国记者谁给的权利，采访中受到骚扰，拘留或受到恐吓，以防止他们做报告，该国的人权记录恶劣。 It said the construction boom to prepare for the Olympic Games has involved an estimated one million construction workers under harsh and unsafe labour conditions, but that trade with China is more important to the US and the EU than human rights.它说，建筑业的蓬勃发展为准备奥运会涉及估计有100万建筑工人在恶劣和不安全的劳动条件，但在对华贸易中更重要的是，美国和欧盟不是人权。 Have Your Say: EU and US said to favour elections over human rights 你说：欧盟和美国表示赞成选举对人权 Please read our请仔细阅读我们的 posting guidelines before posting张贴在留言之前准则 . 。 Alternatively或者 you can discuss this report here你可以在这里讨论这一报告 . 。 Rallies to protest Gaza bombing集会，抗议加沙爆炸事件 Saturday, January 3rd, 2009 星期六， 2009年1月3日
Tens of thousands of protesters are due to voice their anger at the Gaza bombing blitz in a series of rallies across the UK.数以万计的示威者是因为他们的愤怒的声音在加沙轰炸突击了一系列的集会在英国。 Up to 20,000 people - including the singer Annie Lennox and Respect MP George Galloway - are expected to march along the Embankment in London before walking to Trafalgar Square to call for an immediate end to the Israeli attacks.高达20000人-包括歌手安妮蓝妮克丝与尊重议员加洛韦-预计到3月沿着路基之前在伦敦步行到特拉法尔加广场，要求立即制止以色列的袭击。 The demonstration is the biggest of at least 18 organised across the country.这次示威是最大的，至少有18举办全国各地。 Former model Bianca Jagger and singer Lennox have backed the protests, calling on American President-elect Barack Obama to speak up against the bombardment.与前模特和歌手比安卡贾格尔伦诺克都支持抗议，要求美国当选总统奥巴马发言反对轰炸。 Other rallies will take place at Blytheswood Square, Glasgow; Bedford Square, Exeter; Princes Street, Edinburgh; Bristol city centre; Bold Street, Liverpool; Norwich Forum; Portsmouth’s Guildhall Square; Queen Victoria Square, Hull; Tunbridge Wells town centre; Leeds Art Gallery; All Saints Park, Manchester; Grey’s Monument, Newcastle; Castle Square, Swansea; St Sampson’s Square, York; Morrisons, Caernarfon; Bradford city centre; and Sheffield town hall.其他集会将在Blytheswood广场，格拉斯哥;贝德福德广场，埃克塞特;王子街，爱丁堡，布里斯托尔城中心;大胆街，利物浦;诺威奇论坛;朴次茅斯的市政厅广场，维多利亚女王广场，赫尔;滕布里奇韦尔斯镇中心;利兹美术馆;诸圣公园，曼彻斯特;灰色的纪念碑，纽卡斯尔;城堡广场，斯旺西;圣桑普森广场，纽约;莫里森，卡纳芬;布拉德福德市中心;和谢菲尔德大会堂。 Former mayor of London Ken Livingstone and comedian Alexei Sayle also added their support to the campaign to end the violence.前伦敦市长肯利文斯通和喜剧演员阿列克谢Sayle还表示他们支持这项运动，以结束暴力。 Speaking at a press conference in central London, Ms Jagger said: “I would like to make an appeal to President-elect Obama to speak up.在新闻发布会上在伦敦市中心，她贾格尔说： “我想作一个呼吁当选总统奥巴马说话了。 “People throughout the world were hopeful when he was elected and we must appeal to him to ask for the immediate cessation of the bombardment of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.” “世界各地人民都希望他当选时，我们必须向他提出上诉，要求立即停止轰炸平民在加沙地带。 ” Lennox spoke of her shock at watching scenes of the bombing on television.伦诺克谈到她的震惊场面看电视上的爆炸事件。 She said: “A few days after Christmas I came downstairs, put the television on, and saw smoke pyres coming from buildings and I was shocked to the core because I was thinking as a mother and as a human being.”她说： “几天后我来到楼下的圣诞节，把电视上，看见烟雾pyres来自建筑物和我感到震惊的核心，因为我想作为一个母亲和作为一个人的。 ” Comedian Sayle said he was speaking out because it was important for Jewish voices to be heard.搞笑Sayle说，他讲了，因为它是非常重要的犹太人的声音被听到。 He said: “I want to feel proud of Israel, I want to be proud of my people but I am ashamed.”他说： “我要对以色列感到自豪，我想我值得自豪的人，但我感到惭愧。 ” Have Your Say: Rallies to protest Gaza bombing 你说：集会，抗议加沙爆炸事件 Please read our请仔细阅读我们的 posting guidelines before posting张贴在留言之前准则 . 。 Alternatively或者 you can discuss this report here你可以在这里讨论这一报告 . 。 Guantanamo intake unacceptable, says Malcolm Turnbull关塔那摩的摄入量不能接受的，说特恩布尔 Saturday, January 3rd, 2009 星期六， 2009年1月3日
KEVIN Rudd should immediately reverse a decision to allow former Guantanamo Bay inmates to resettle in Australia, the Opposition said today. 陆克文应立即扭转决定允许前关塔那摩囚犯定居在澳大利亚，反对党今天表示。 Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard has confirmed that Australia, along with a number of other countries, has been approached to consider resettling detainees from Guantanamo Bay.代理总理朱莉娅吉拉德证实，澳大利亚，以及其他一些国家，已接近考虑安置被拘留者从关塔那摩湾。 “Any determination for an individual to come to Australia would be made on a case-by-case basis,” she said. “任何一个人的决心来澳将在个案的基础上， ”她说。 “For anyone to be accepted they would have to meet Australia’s strict legal requirement and go through normal rigorous assessment processes.” “任何人接受他们必须满足澳大利亚的严格的法律要求，通过正常的严格的评估过程。 ” But Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull said on Macquarie Radio the situation was unacceptable.但是，反对党领袖特恩布尔说电台的麦格理的情况是不能接受的。 “It’s only in this morning’s “这只是在今天上午的 report in The Australian报告在澳大利亚 that the Rudd government has made clear that it will accept these inmates of Guantanamo Bay,” he said.拉德说，政府已明确表示，它将接受这些囚犯在关塔那摩监狱， “他说。 “One of the things that is most troubling … is whether the Government would do so, accept former inmates from Guantanamo Bay, without disclosing that they have done so. “的事情之一就是最令人不安的...是政府是否会做到这一点，接受前囚犯从关塔那摩湾，没有透露，他们已经这样做了。 “This is why we need Mr Rudd to immediately and categorically reverse this decision to accept inmates of Guantanamo Bay for resettlement in Australia.” “这就是为什么我们需要，陆克文立即和坚决扭转这一决定接受囚犯的关塔那摩湾重新安置在澳大利亚。 ” Mr Turnbull said the inmates could arrive in Australia as refugees through existing migration processes.特恩布尔说，犯人可以在抵达澳大利亚的难民通过现有的移民进程。 “They cannot be accepted on the basis that they go into custody, because they haven’t committed any crime under Australian law,” he said. “他们不能接受的基础上，他们进入保管，因为他们没有犯下任何罪行根据澳大利亚法律， ”他说。 “So what (Mr Rudd) has agreed to, with the Americans, is to accept Guantanamo Bay inmates for resettlement in Australia in our community as migrants and that is completely and utterly unacceptable to the Australian people and it’s certainly unacceptable to the Coalition.” “那又怎么样（澳）已同意，与美国，是接受关塔那摩囚犯安置在澳大利亚移民的社会，这是完全和绝对不能接受向澳大利亚人民和肯定不能接受的联盟。 “ Have Your Say: Guantanamo intake unacceptable, says Malcolm Turnbull 你说：关塔那摩的摄入量不能接受的，说特恩布尔 Please read our请仔细阅读我们的 posting guidelines before posting张贴在留言之前准则 . 。 Alternatively或者 you can discuss this report here你可以在这里讨论这一报告 . 。 An Israeli War Crimes Tribunal一个以色列的战争罪行法庭 Friday, January 2nd, 2009 星期五， 2009年1月2日
By Francis A. Boyle弗朗西斯答：波义耳 The United Nations General Assembly must immediately establish an International Criminal Tribunal for Israel (ICTI) as a “subsidiary organ” under UN Charter Article 22.联合国大会必须立即设立一个国际刑事法庭的以色列（ ICTI ） ，作为“附属机构”的联合国宪章第22条。 The ICTI would be organized along the lines of the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY), which was established by the Security Council.在ICTI将举办大致的南斯拉夫问题国际刑事法庭（前南问题国际法庭） ，这是安全理事会设立的。 The purpose of the ICTI would be to investigate and prosecute Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against the Peoples of Lebanon and Palestine–just as the ICTY did for the victims of international crimes committed by Serbia and the Milosevic Regime throughout the Balkans.的目的ICTI将进行调查和起诉以色列的战争罪行，反人类罪和种族灭绝罪对人民黎巴嫩和巴勒斯坦，正如前南问题国际法庭所做的国际罪行的受害者所犯下塞尔维亚和米洛舍维奇政权整个巴尔干地区。 The establishment of ICTI would provide some small degree of justice to the victims of Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against the Peoples of Lebanon and Palestine–just as the ICTY has done in the Balkans.建立ICTI将提供一些小程度的受害者伸张正义，以色列的战争罪行，反人类罪和种族灭绝罪对人民黎巴嫩和巴勒斯坦，就像做了前南问题国际法庭在巴尔干地区。 Furthermore, the establishment of ICTI by the UN General Assembly would serve as a deterrent effect upon Israeli leaders such as Prime Minister Olmert, Foreign Minister Livni, Defense Minister Barak , Chief of Staff Ashkenazi and Israel’s other top generals that they will be prosecuted for their further infliction of international crimes upon the Lebanese and the Palestinians.此外，建立ICTI由联合国大会将起到威慑作用时，以色列领导人，如总理奥尔默特，外交部长利夫尼，国防部长巴拉克，总参谋长艾希肯纳兹和以色列的其他高级将领，他们将被起诉他们进一步施加国际罪行后，黎巴嫩和巴勒斯坦。 Without such a deterrent, Israel might be emboldened to attack Syria with the full support of the Likhudnik Bush Jr. Neoconservatives, who have always viewed Syria as “low-hanging fruit” ready to be taken out by means of their joint aggression.如果没有这样的一种威慑，以色列可能会大胆攻击叙利亚的全力支持下Likhudnik小布什的新保守主义，谁一直认为叙利亚是“挂的较低的果子”准备好了将要采取的手段，它们的联合侵略。 If Israel attacks Syria as it did when it invaded Lebanon in 1982, Iran has vowed to come to Syria’s defense.如果以色列攻击叙利亚，因为它没有入侵黎巴嫩时，于1982年，伊朗已誓言来叙利亚的防守。 And of course Israel and the Bush Jr administration very much want a pretext to attack Iran.当然，以色列和小布什政府非常希望有一个借口，对伊朗动武。 This scenario could readily degenerate into World War III这种情况很容易演变成第三次世界大战 For the UN General Assembly to establish ICTI could stop the further development of this momentum towards a regional if not global catastrophe.为联合国大会设立ICTI可能停止进一步发展该区域的势头，如果不是全球性的灾难。 Have Your Say: An Israeli War Crimes Tribunal 联系我们：一个以色列的战争罪行法庭 Please read our请仔细阅读我们的 posting guidelines before posting张贴在留言之前准则 . 。 Alternatively或者 you can discuss this report here你可以在这里讨论这一报告 . 。 Amy Goodman: Voices of Resistance Sing On艾米古德曼：抵抗的声音唱论 Friday, January 2nd, 2009 星期五， 2009年1月2日
Strong voices for peace have left us this year, people who used their art for social change, often at a high personal price.强大的声音和平已经离开我们一年中，人们谁使用他们的艺术是社会变革，往往是在一个高的个人代价。 Odetta was a legendary folk singer of the civil rights movement. Odetta是一个传奇的民歌手的民权运动。 Considered the “Queen of American Folk Music,” Odetta introduced audiences worldwide to African-American folk, blues and gospel music.审议了“女王的美国民间音乐， ” Odetta观众介绍世界各地的非洲裔民族音乐，蓝调和福音音乐。 New Year’s Eve was her birthday.除夕是她的生日。 She would have been 78.她已经78 。 When Rosa Parks was asked which songs meant the most to her, she replied, “All of the songs Odetta sings.”当有人问罗莎帕克斯这首歌曲是最给她，她回答说， “所有歌曲Odetta唱。 ” Odetta sang “Oh, Freedom,” an African-American slave spiritual, at the 1963 March on Washington. Odetta唱“哦，自由， ”一个非洲裔奴隶精神，在1963年3月在华盛顿。 Early on, she attracted the interest of Harry Belafonte and Pete Seeger.早期，她的兴趣吸引哈里贝拉方和前皮特西格。 Her voice, her talent with the guitar and the natural style in which she maintained her hair—later to be dubbed “afro”—set her as an icon of the civil rights movement.她的声音，她的天赋与吉他和自然的风格，她保持着她的头发，后来被称为“黑人” ，使她作为图标的民权运动。 She told an interviewer in 2003:她说， 2003年的采访： “When I first started, I would sing these prison songs … it got to a point where doing the music actually healed me … it was music from those who went before. “当我第一次开始，我会唱的歌曲...这些监狱它得地步做音乐实际上愈合...这是我的音乐去那些谁之前。 The music gave them strength, and the music gave us strength to carry it on.”音乐给了他们的力量，音乐给了我们力量，以随身携带的。 “ She inspired Bernice Johnson Reagon, an early member of the SNCC (the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) Freedom Singers.她启发伯尼斯约翰逊雷根，早日成员SNCC （学生非暴力协调委员会）自由歌手。 She had been suspended from college in Albany, Ga., for civil rights protests, then went on to Spelman College, where historian Howard Zinn and his wife, Roz, took her to folk music concerts by Joan Baez and Odetta.她已经暂停从大学奥尔巴尼，佐治亚州，对公民权利的抗议，接着斯佩尔曼学院，在那里历史学家霍华德津恩和他的妻子， Roz ，把她带到民乐音乐会琼巴埃斯和Odetta 。 Reagon recalls the first time she heard Odetta:雷根记得她第一次听到Odetta ： “In Georgia, where I grew up in the country, the roads were built by chain-gang labor. “在格鲁吉亚，在我长大后，将在公路建设的链钢劳动。 I knew the sound, because as the men worked, they sang.我知道的声音，因为工作的男子，他们生。 But I never thought I’d hear it coming from a concert stage … when she sang prison songs or work songs.但我从没想过自己会听到来自舞台...当她演唱的歌曲或监狱工作歌曲。 … She was just what I needed to begin my life as a freedom fighter and as a Freedom Singer.” ...她正是我需要开始我的生活作为一个自由战士和一个自由的歌手。 “ Reagon later went on to found the women’sa cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock.雷根后来又发现了women'sa合唱组甜蜜蜜的岩石。 Another great liberation singer we lost this year was Miriam Makeba of South Africa, known as “Mama Afrika.” She sang against apartheid, then went into exile for decades.另一位伟大的歌手，我们失去了解放今年米丽娅姆梅克芭南非，被称为“非洲妈妈。 ”她唱反对种族隔离，然后流亡到了几十年。 Belafonte helped her, too, gain recognition.贝拉方帮助她，也得到承认。 In 1968, she married SNCC-leader-turned-Black-Panther Stokely Carmichael, for which she was blacklisted in the US until the 1980s. 1968年，她嫁给SNCC领袖出身的黑黑豹Stokely卡迈克尔，因为她是在美国的黑名单，直到20世纪80年代。 Soon after her death, I asked the Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu about Makeba.她去世后不久，我问这位诺贝尔和平奖得主德斯蒙德图图约梅克芭。 The South African archbishop smiled: “Her singing, her voice, helped many people to know a little bit more about the vicious apartheid system.南非大主教笑着说： “她的歌声，她的声音，帮助许多人知道，一点点的恶性种族隔离制度。 She was just a tremendous human being, a great loss to us and to Africa.”她只是一个巨大的人，一个巨大的损失，我们和非洲。 “ Also blacklisted in 1968 was singer and actress Eartha Kitt, who died at age 81 on Christmas Day.还于1968年被列入黑名单的歌手和演员Eartha基特，谁去世，享年81岁的圣诞节。 In 1968, she was invited to a celebrity luncheon at the White House by Lady Bird Johnson, who asked Kitt about urban poverty. 1968年，她被邀请参加一个名人午宴在白宫的夫人伯德约翰逊，谁问基特关于城市贫困问题。 Kitt replied: “You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed.基特说： “你送的这个国家最好去拍摄和致残。 They rebel in the street.这些叛乱分子在街头。 They don’t want to go to school because they’re going to be snatched off from their mothers to be shot in Vietnam.” The first lady reportedly burst into tears.他们不想去上学，因为他们要抢去从他们的母亲是在越南拍摄。 “据说，希拉里放声大哭。 For years afterward, Kitt performed almost exclusively overseas and was investigated by the FBI and CIA.多年后，基特几乎只在海外进行了联邦调查局和中央情报局。 Born out of the Deep South and South Africa, these women’s voices sang out, from concert halls to protest rallies.非婚生深南亚和非洲，这些妇女的声音唱的那样，从音乐厅，以抗议集会。 Another voice we just lost sang out from the written page.另一种声音，我们只是失去了生从书面网页。 Harold Pinter died on Christmas Eve in London.哈罗德品特死于圣诞节前夕在伦敦举行。 Though too sick to travel to Stockholm to collect his Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005, he sent a video address: “The majority of politicians … are interested not in truth but in power.虽然病重前往斯德哥尔摩领取他的诺贝尔文学奖于2005年，他发出了视频地址： “大多数政治家...感兴趣的不是事实，但在电力。 … To maintain that power it is essential that people remain in ignorance. ...保持这种权力是至关重要的人民仍然生活在无知。 … What surrounds us therefore is a vast tapestry of lies.” Pinter was referring to US policy from Guantanamo to Iraq. ...因此，我们有什么周围地区是一个巨大的挂毯的谎言。 “品特是指美国的政策从关塔那摩伊拉克。 As these icons are laid to rest, their voices continue to inspire millions.由于这些图标安息，他们的声音继续激励数百万人。 Barack Obama will soon take the reins of the most powerful nation on Earth, promising change.奥巴马将很快缰绳的最强大的国家在地球上，有希望的变化。 But it will now take the actions of those millions, heeding these echoes of the past and transforming them into their own voices, to effect real change.但现在它可以采取行动的那些数以百万计，听取这些回声过去将其转变成他们自己的声音，以真正的变革。 Denis Moynihan contributed research to this column. 丹尼斯汉有助于研究此列。 Have Your Say: Amy Goodman: Voices of Resistance Sing On 你说：艾米古德曼：抵抗的声音唱论 Please read our请仔细阅读我们的 posting guidelines before posting张贴在留言之前准则 . 。 Alternatively或者 you can discuss this report here你可以在这里讨论这一报告 . 。 Private firm may track all email and calls私营公司可以跟踪所有的电子邮件和电话 Friday, January 2nd, 2009 星期五， 2009年1月2日
By通过 Alan Travis 艾伦特拉维斯 and和 Richard Norton-Taylor 理查德诺顿泰勒 | The private sector will be asked to manage and run a communications database that will keep track of everyone’s calls, emails, texts and internet use under a key option contained in a consultation paper to be published next month by Jacqui Smith, the home secretary.私营部门将被要求管理和运行的通信数据库，掌握每个人的电话，电子邮件，文本和互联网的使用的一个关键的选择根据载于一份咨询文件，于下个月出版的杰葵史密斯，内政大臣。 A cabinet decision to put the management of the multibillion pound database of all UK communications traffic into private hands would be accompanied by tougher legal safeguards to guarantee against leaks and accidental data losses.内阁决定把管理数据库数十亿英镑的英国所有通信流量落入私人手中将伴随着更严厉的法律保障，以保证对数据的泄漏和意外损失。 But in his strongest criticism yet of the superdatabase, Sir Ken Macdonald, the former director of public prosecutions, who has firsthand experience of working with intelligence and law enforcement agencies, told the Guardian such assurances would prove worthless in the long run and warned it would prove a “hellhouse” of personal private information.但是，在他的强烈批评，但该superdatabase主席先生，肯麦克唐纳，前检察长，谁拥有第一手的经验与情报和执法机构，对卫这种保证将证明毫无价值从长远来看，并警告这将证明了“ hellhouse ”个人的私人信息。 “Authorisations for access might be written into statute. “授权的访问可能会被写入章程。 The most senior ministers and officials might be designated as scrutineers.最资深的部长和官员可能会被指定为监票人。 But none of this means anything,” said Macdonald.不过，这意味着什么， “ MacDonald表示。 “All history tells us that reassurances like these are worthless in the long run. “所有的历史告诉我们，保证这类毫无价值从长远来看。 In the first security crisis the locks would loosen.”在第一安全危机锁将放松。 “ The home secretary postponed the introduction of legislation to set up the superdatabase in October and instead said she would publish a consultation paper in the new year setting out the proposal and the safeguards needed to protect内政大臣推迟实行立法，设立了superdatabase ，而是在10月表示，她将发表一份咨询文件，在新的一年里制定了建议和保障需要保护 civil liberties 公民自由 . 。 She has emphasised that communications data, which gives the police the identity and location of the caller, texter or web surfer but not the content, has been used as important evidence in 95% of serious crime cases and almost all security service operations since 2004 including the Soham and 21/7 bombing cases.她强调，数据通信，从而使警察的身份和位置的来电， texter或网页浏览，但没有的内容，已被用作重要的证据在95 ％以上的严重犯罪案件，几乎所有的安全服务业务，包括自2004年以来，在Soham和21 / 7爆炸案。 Until now most communications traffic data has been held by phone companies and internet service providers for billing purposes but the growth of broadband phone services, chatrooms and anonymous online identities mean that is no longer the case.到现在为止最通信量数据已经举行的电话公司和互联网服务供应商的结算目的，但增长的宽带电话服务，网上聊天室和无名氏的身份意味着，现在不再是这种情况。 The Home Office’s interception modernisation programme, which is working on the superdatabase proposal, argues that it is no longer good enough for communications companies to be left to retrieve such data when requested by the police and intelligence services.民政厅的拦截现代化计划，这是工作的superdatabase提案，认为它不再是足够的通信公司是留待检索这些数据时，要求警察和情报部门。 A Home Office spokeswoman said last night the changes were needed so law enforcement agencies could maintain their ability to tackle serious crime and terrorism.内政部发言人说昨晚的变化，需要使执法机构可以维持的能力，解决严重的犯罪和恐怖主义。 Senior Whitehall officials responsible for planning for a new database say there is a significant difference between having access to “communications data” - names and addresses of emails or telephone numbers, for example - and the actual contents of the communications.高级白厅官员负责规划一个新的数据库，说有一个显着性差异有机会获得“通讯数据” -姓名和地址的电子邮件或电话号码，例如-和实际内容的通讯。 “We have been very clear that there are no plans for a database containing any content of emails, texts or conversations,” the spokeswoman said. “我们已经非常清楚地表明，没有计划的数据库，其中含有任何内容的电子邮件，文本或谈话， ”该发言人说。 External estimates of the cost of the superdatabase have been put as high as £12bn, twice the cost of the ID cards scheme, and the consultation paper, to be published towards the end of next month, will include an option of putting it into the hands of the private sector in an effort to cut costs.外部估计的费用superdatabase已高达120亿英镑的两倍，成本身份证计划，谘询文件，公布对下月底，将包含一个选项，把它纳入手中的私营部门在努力降低成本。 But such a decision is likely to fuel civil liberties concerns over data losses and leaks.但是，这样的决定很可能燃料公民自由担心数据损失和泄漏。 Macdonald, who left his post as DPP in October, told the Guardian: “The tendency of the state to seek ever more powers of surveillance over its citizens may be driven by protective zeal.麦克唐纳，谁离开了他担任民进党在10月，向卫报： “这种趋势的国家寻求更多的权力，监督其公民可驱动保护的热情。 But the notion of total security is a paranoid fantasy which would destroy everything that makes living worthwhile.但总的概念，安全是一个偏执幻想这将破坏一切，使生活值得的。 We must avoid surrendering our freedom as autonomous human beings to such an ugly future.我们必须避免交出我们的自由自主的人对这种丑恶的未来。 We should make judgments that are compatible with our status as free people.”我们要做出判断，符合我们的地位，自由的人民。 “ Maintaining the capacity to intercept suspicious communications was critical in an increasingly complex world, he said.保持能力拦截可疑通信是至关重要的，在一个日益复杂的世界，他说。 “It is a process which can save lives and bring criminals to justice. “这是一个过程，可以拯救生命，把罪犯绳之以法。 But no other country is considering such a drastic step.但是没有其他国家正在考虑这样一个重大步骤。 This database would be an unimaginable hell-house of personal private information,” he said.该数据库将是无法想象的地狱内部的个人的私人信息， “他说。 “It would be a complete readout of every citizen’s life in the most intimate and demeaning detail. “这将是一个完整的读出每一个公民的生活中最亲密的和有辱人格的细节。 No government of any colour is to be trusted with such a roadmap to our souls.”没有政府的任何颜色是被信任这样一个路线图，我们的灵魂。 “ The moment there was a security crisis the temptation for more commonplace access would be irresistible, he said.目前有一种安全危机的诱惑越来越平常访问将是不可阻挡的，他说。 Other critics of the plan point to the problems of keeping the database secure, both from the point of view of the technology and of deliberate leaks.其他批评人士指出该计划的问题，使数据库的安全，从的角度来看，技术和故意泄漏。 The problem would be compounded if private companies manage the system.这一问题将更加复杂，如果私营公司管理制度。 “If there is a breach of security in that database it would be utterly devastating,” one said. “如果有违反安全在该数据库将完全破坏， ”一说。 Have Your Say: Private firm may track all email and calls 你说：私营公司可以跟踪所有的电子邮件和电话 Please read our请仔细阅读我们的 posting guidelines before posting张贴在留言之前准则 . 。 Alternatively或者 you can discuss this report here你可以在这里讨论这一报告 . 。 Why You Should Delete Your MySpace Account为什么你应该删除你的MySpace帐户 Thursday, January 1st, 2009 星期四， 2009年1月1日
Today I am deleting all the content from my Myspace account and leaving only this notice.今天，我删除所有的内容从我供应的帐户，并只留下这个通知。 I’ve been inspired by the我一直在鼓舞下 Franklin Street Statement富兰克林街声明 and和 Identi.ca and I realize that a free/libre/open source internet is still possible, but it will require us to stop supporting corporate websites such as myspace.我认识到，免费/自由/开源互联网仍然是可能的，但它要求我们停止支持企业网站如MySpace 。 Here are some good reasons to delete your Myspace page, and support alternatives not run by corporations.这里有一些很好的理由来删除您的MySpace网页，并支持替代品无法运行的企业。 1. 1 。 I’m tired of being free labor for the Fox corporation.我已经厌倦了被免费劳动力的福克斯公司。 The right wing Fox news corporation owns myspace, and I’m not going to support them any longer by giving them my content, my writing and images and information about who my friends are, for free.右翼福克斯新闻公司拥有MySpace和我不会再支持他们，使他们自己的内容，我的写作和图片和资料谁是我的朋友们，是免费的。 I don’t support war, the way the Fox corporation has, and I don’t want to provide them with more money to spread more pro-war propaganda.我不支持战争的方式，福克斯公司，我不想为他们提供更多的资金来传播更有利于战争宣传。 According to their license, Myspace has full rights to use my content things like advertisements for Myspace.根据他们的授权， MySpace已经充分权利使用自己的内容像广告供应。 2. 2 。 I actually care about my friends, and don’t want to screw them over my making them a “friend” on Myspace.事实上，我关心我的朋友，不希望他们对我的螺丝使他们成为“朋友”在MySpace上。 By using myspace, I’m forcing my friends to sign up for a corporate owned, ad ridden, heteronormative web service if they want to stay in touch with me.通过使用MySpace ，我强迫我的朋友注册一个企业所拥有，广告充满，异体Web服务，如果它们想与其保持联系我。 The way that we don’t want to delete our accounts because we want to stay in touch with friends or fans of our bands just shows how dependent we already are on Myspace’s corporate controlled environment.的方式，我们不希望我们的帐户中删除，因为我们想与朋友保持联络，或球迷的乐队只是说明依赖我们已经在MySpace上的公司控制的环境。 We’re forced into a compulsory relationship we don’t want because we want to “keep in touch” with our friends?我们被迫强制关系，我们不希望因为我们希望“保持联络”与我们的朋友？ 3. 3 。 I’m tired up updating so many websites because Myspace refuses to be interoperable with other websites.我已经厌倦了更新这么多的网站，因为供应拒绝与其它的网站。 Myspace and sites like it do not allow you to download your data or automatically send it to other social networking sites because they want to force you into the jail of their website. MySpace和网站，如它不允许您下载您的数据或自动发送给其他社交网站，因为他们想迫使你进入监狱的他们的网站。 Why?为什么？ Why don’t we demand open social networking standards and the ability to download our own content?我们为什么不要求开放的社交网络的标准和能够下载我们自己的内容？ 4. 4 。 I have a good Free/Libre/Open Source alternative, my own blog.我有一个很好的免费/自由/开放源码的选择，我自己的博客。 You can read about what I’m up to at你可以阅读什么我最多时 http://technotrannyslut.com , free of ads for bad movies and music, free of binary gender choices and heteronormative options for your relationships.免费广告坏电影和音乐，免费的二进制性别选择和异体选择您的关系。 Sites like Identi.ca provide ethical, non-corporate controlled alternatives to sites like Twitter.类似网站Identi.ca提供道德，非公司控制的替代品等网站Twitter的。 You can keep up with my status on Identi.ca, and sign up for your own microblog, here:您可以保持我的状态Identi.ca ，并注册为自己的microblog ，在这里： http://identi.ca/djlotu5 Help create a well known list of alternatives like Identi.ca/Twitter , Opensim/Secondlife, if you now of any, by帮助创造一个众所周知的清单替代品一样Identi.ca / Twitter的， Opensim / Secondlife ，如果你现在的任何，由 posting a comment here张贴在这里评论 : ： Actually, even better than deleting your account, just delete all the content and post a notice like this one.事实上，甚至优于删除您的帐户，只需删除所有的内容和发布通知就像这一次一样。 This is just the beginning, I’m planning on getting off of Facebook and other web services as well, and I hope you do too.这只是开始，我计划在下车的Facebook和其他Web服务，以及，我希望你做太多。 We can have an internet that is Free/Libre/Open Source, but only if we stop supporting the corporate, locked down options we’ve been using all of these years.我们可以通过互联网的免费/自由/开放源代码，但只有当我们停止支持企业，锁定选项，我们一直在使用所有这些年。 As these services become more a part of our lives and get into our phones and our everyday communications, it is critical that we fight for our freedom.由于这些服务变得更加的一部分，我们的生活，进入我们的手机和我们的日常通信，关键是我们要争取我们的自由。 The Free/Libre/Open Source movement needs to expand from just writing software, into creating networks of servers and services, like Indymedia has done for so many years.的免费/自由/开源运动需要扩大从编写软件，到建立网络的服务器和服务，如印迪媒体做了这么多年。 Software alone is not enough in a networked service ecology, where servers, cables, wireless networks, infrastructure that we all control is essential if we want freedom.软件本身是不够的在网络服务生态学，在服务器，电缆，无线网络，基础设施，我们所有的控制是至关重要的，如果我们想要自由。 I hope to see you back on the Free/Libre/Open Source internet.我希望看到你回的免费/自由/开源互联网。 Bye.附属的。 Via通过 techno tranny slut技术tranny贱人 Have Your Say: Why You Should Delete Your MySpace Account 你说：为什么你应该删除你的MySpace帐户 Please read our请仔细阅读我们的 posting guidelines before posting张贴在留言之前准则 . 。 Alternatively或者 you can discuss this report here你可以在这里讨论这一报告 . 。 Government considers Wales as ID card guinea pigs政府认为威尔士作为身份证豚鼠 Wednesday, December 31st, 2008 星期三， 2008年12月31号
By通过 Hywel Trewyn Hywel Trewyn CALLS to put Welsh on new ID cards are at last to be considered by the Government.呼吁把威尔士新的身份证是在去年将要审议的政府。 The U-turn follows pressure from language campaigners who say it would be an insult if English-only cards were issued in Wales.掉头如下语言运动的压力，谁说，这将是一种侮辱，如果仅提供英文版卡发行了威尔士。 The Welsh Language Board yesterday welcomed an announcement that UK Border Agency officials will at least review the idea of producing bilingual cards available for Wales.威尔士语言局昨天宣布，欢迎英国边防局官员将至少审查的想法，双语卡可为威尔士。 It is a reversal on policy from earlier this year, when the Home Office said it had “no intention to include Welsh on identity cards”, arguing the language “was not an official language of the EU.”这是一个倒退的政策，从今年早些时候，当家庭办公室说，它“无意包括威尔士身份证上” ，认为语言“不是一种官方语言的欧盟。 ” But the WLB has always argued including Welsh on cards issued in Wales was essential – the same as for driving licences and passports.但WLB一贯主张，包括威尔士的卡在威尔士是必不可少的-相同，驾驶执照和护照。 And they are sending a clear message to the Government that Welsh people would see it as an insult if a Welsh option was excluded from the cards, which will eventually be distributed to every British citizen.他们发出了一个明确的信息，该国政府，威尔士人会认为这是一种侮辱，如果威尔士选项被排除的卡，这将最终将分发给每一个英国公民。 WLB chair Meri Huws said: “If the Welsh language does not appear on Identity Cards, I don’t believe they will reflect the true identity of the people of Wales, and their linguistic identity in particular. WLB主席梅里‧胡斯说： “如果威尔士语没有出现在身份证，我不相信他们会反映真实身份的人的威尔士，他们的语言特性，特别是。 “Therefore it is essential that all ID cards issued in Wales are fully bilingual, as is the case with driving licences. “因此，至关重要的是，所有的身份证签发威尔士完全双语的情况一样，有驾驶执照。 “I welcome the fact that the Home Office is now considering how to include the language on cards issued in the future, and look forward to hearing a statement on this issue soon.” “我欢迎这样的事实，内政部目前正在考虑如何将卡上的语言发出的未来，期待着听到一份声明中对这个问题很快。 ” And the WLB stance was supported by Caernarfon Plaid Cymru MP Hywel Williams: “The first drafts of the proposed ID cards had the Union Jack on them.与WLB立场表示支持卡纳芬格子Cymru议员Hywel威廉姆斯： “的第一稿提出了身份证联盟杰克他们。 This would have been wholly unacceptable to people living in Wales.这将是完全不能接受的人生活在威尔士。 I understand now there’s not going to be the Union flag.”据我所知现在不会成为欧盟旗帜。 “ Mr Williams has tabled a number of questions asking the Government what steps have they taken to provide bilingual ID cards in Wales and the rest of the UK and for Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy about which steps he has taken to guarantee that Welsh will be on the cards.威廉斯先生提出了一些问题，要求政府采取何种步骤，他们采取提供双语身份证在威尔士和其他英国和威尔士的秘书长保罗墨菲对此他已采取步骤，以保证将在威尔士的卡。 Now, following a consultation period, it seems there is a glimmer of hope that they will be bilingual.现在，谘询期后，似乎出现了一线希望，他们将双语。 A UK Border Agency spokesperson said: “There will be no Welsh headings on the first wave of identity cards to be issued to workers in critical locations in Manchester and London City airports.英国边境局发言人说： “不会有威尔士标题的第一批身份证发给工人在关键地点在曼彻斯特和伦敦城市机场。 International Civil Aviation Organisation rules state that travel documents must have headings written in English and French.国际民用航空组织规定，旅行证件必须有标题的书面英语和法语。 “As we roll out ID cards across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, we will review the inclusion of Welsh on the cards.” “当我们推出身份证在英格兰，威尔士，苏格兰和北爱尔兰，我们会检讨列入威尔士的卡。 ” A previous linguistic battle was won after the census was forced to include a Welsh tick box for Welsh people.先前的语言战斗后获得的普查被迫包括威尔士在框内划勾的威尔士人。 The first identity cards were distributed to foreign residents living in the UK last month and will then be distributed to the general population of the UK in stages, dependent upon status, over the next three years.第一身份证分发给外国居民生活在英国上个月，然后分配给一般民众的英国阶段，依赖的地位，在未来三年内。 People working in “sensitive” jobs like at airport employees will be given the cards first, then young people who want them from 2010 and from 2011 they will be available to everyone.工作的人“敏感”的工作就像在机场雇员将被给予卡，然后年轻人谁希望他们从2010年和2011年，他们将提供给大家。 Have Your Say: Government considers Wales as ID card guinea pigs 联系我们：政府认为威尔士作为身份证豚鼠 Please read our请仔细阅读我们的 posting guidelines before posting张贴在留言之前准则 . 。 Alternatively或者 you can discuss this report here你可以在这里讨论这一报告 . 。 1978: Labour opposed ID cards to curb illegal immigration 1978年：劳动反对身份证，遏制非法移民 Wednesday, December 31st, 2008 星期三， 2008年12月31号
By 由
The comments were in a draft statement due to be given to the Commons by Merlyn Rees, the Home Secretary, who wrote that the introduction of identity cards “would require major changes in practices and powers reaching far beyond immigration control”.这些意见在一项声明草案，由于考虑到商品的Merlyn里斯，内政大臣，谁写信，引进身份证“将需要重大的改变和权力的做法远远超出了深远的出入境管制。 ” He added: “In the past such changes have been contemplated only in war: the Government does not believe they could be justified on immigration grounds alone.”他补充说： “在过去的这种变化已经设想只有在战争：政府不相信他们可以是有正当理由的入境理由的。 ” The comments were later edited out of the final speech he delivered to the House, as a struggling Labour Government tried to resist the calls from Opposition leader Margaret Thatcher for more draconian measures to tackle illegal immigration.这些意见后来被修改了最后讲话内务，作为工党政府试图竭力抵制的呼吁反对党领袖玛格丽特撒切尔更严厉的措施对付非法移民。 In a secret discussion between Prime Minister Callaghan and the Whips on March 8 1978, a Downing Street aide wrote: “It was claimed that many Asian immigrants were very frightened.在一个秘密讨论首相卡拉汉和Whips 3月8日， 1978年，唐宁街备忘录中写道： “有人声称，许多亚洲移民都非常害怕。 “There was bitter opposition to the tactics adopted by Mrs Thatcher… and that resentment should be exploited by the Government.” “有苦反对战术通过撒切尔夫人...和怨恨应利用政府。 ” Ministers stuck by their pledge not to introduce quotas on immigration as they did not want the “objectionable” measure of requiring everyone to carry identification papers.部长们坚持他们的承诺不引入配额移民因为他们不想在“不良”的措施，要求每个人都携带身份证。 The confidential Government documents also discussed ways to expose “the fraudulent nature of Mrs Thatcher’s approach”, although a personal note written by Mr Callaghan warned that the Government’s response to Select Committee recommendations was too lacklustre.政府的机密文件，还讨论了如何揭露“的欺诈性质，撒切尔夫人的做法” ，但个人的书面卡拉汉先生警告说，政府的反应，以专责委员会的建议过于呆滞。 He said: “We seemed to be accepting few recommendations – mostly ones to do nothing.”他说： “我们似乎是接受一些建议-主要是那些什么都不做。 ” Have Your Say: 1978: Labour opposed ID cards to curb illegal immigration 联系我们： 1978年：劳动反对身份证，遏制非法移民 Please read our请仔细阅读我们的 posting guidelines before posting张贴在留言之前准则 . 。 Alternatively或者 you can discuss this report here你可以在这里讨论这一报告 . 。 US, Japanese Researchers Mix Samples of 1918 Flu Pandemic to Recreate Deadly Code美国，日本研究人员混合样品， 1918年的流感大流行重新致命码 Tuesday, December 30th, 2008 星期二，二○○八年十二月三十〇号
Lori Price洛里价格 Researchers recreate 1918 flu pandemic virus 研究人员再现1918年的流感大流行病毒 – Why? - 为什么？ And, why is no one *asking* why? 29 Dec 2008 Researchers have found out what made the 1918 flu pandemic so deadly — a group of three genes that lets the virus invade the lungs and cause pneumonia. They mixed samples of the 1918 influenza strain with modern seasonal flu viruses to find the three genes and said their study might help in the development of new flu drugs. 而且，为什么没有人*要求*为什么？ 2008年12月29号研究人员发现了是什么原因让1918年的流感大流行如此致命-一组三个基因，让病毒侵入肺部，导致肺炎。 他们混合样品的1918年流感应变与现代的季节性流感病毒找到3个基因，并说他们的研究可能有助于开发新的流感药物。 The discovery, published in Tuesday’s issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could also point to mutations that might turn ordinary flu into a dangerous pandemic strain . 这一发现刊登在本周二出版的美国国家科学院，也可以指向突变可能反过来普通感冒到一个危险的流感病毒株 。 Most flu experts agree that a pandemic of influenza will almost certainly strike again. 大多数专家一致认为，流感大流行的流感几乎肯定会再次发动攻击。 No one knows when [the US unleashes it] or what strain it will be but one big suspect now is the H5N1 avian influenza virus. 没有人知道何时[美国释放它]或什么应变这将是一个大的怀疑，但现在是H5N1禽流感病毒。 US and Japanese researchers crack flu pandemic’s deadly code 美国和日本科学家破解流感大流行的致命代码 30 Dec 2008 The genetic code that made the 1918 killer flu so deadly has finally been cracked, claim US and Japanese researchers, who say their discovery may lead to new drugs able to keep foment future outbreaks in check. By experimenting with genetic material recovered from preserved lung tissues of three victims of the so-called Spanish influenza, a team led by virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka claims the virus landed a lethal one-two punch. First, it disrupted normal immune reactions, as previously known. But then it infected its victims’ lungs with deadly consequences. Ordinary flu bugs infect just the nose and throat.
Have Your Say: US, Japanese Researchers Mix Samples of 1918 Flu Pandemic to Recreate Deadly Code Please read our posting guidelines before posting . Alternatively you can discuss this report here . Fisk: Leaders Lie, Civilians Die, and Lessons of History are Ignored Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
The Independent - We’ve got so used to the carnage of the Middle East that we don’t care any more – providing we don’t offend the Israelis. It’s not clear how many of the Gaza dead are civilians, but the response of the Bush administration, not to mention the pusillanimous reaction of Gordon Brown, reaffirm for Arabs what they have known for decades: however they struggle against their antagonists, the West will take Israel’s side. As usual, the bloodbath was the fault of the Arabs – who, as we all know, only understand force. Ever since 1948, we’ve been hearing this balderdash from the Israelis – just as Arab nationalists and then Arab Islamists have been peddling their own lies: that the Zionist “death wagon” will be overthrown, that all Jerusalem will be “liberated”. And always Mr Bush Snr or Mr Clinton or Mr Bush Jnr or Mr Blair or Mr Brown have called upon both sides to exercise “restraint” – as if the Palestinians and the Israelis both have F-18s and Merkava tanks and field artillery. Hamas’s home-made rockets have killed just 20 Israelis in eight years, but a day-long blitz by Israeli aircraft that kills almost 300 Palestinians is just par for the course. The blood-splattering has its own routine. Yes, Hamas provoked Israel’s anger, just as Israel provoked Hamas’s anger, which was provoked by Israel, which was provoked by Hamas, which … See what I mean? Hamas fires rockets at Israel, Israel bombs Hamas, Hamas fires more rockets and Israel bombs again and … Got it? And we demand security for Israel – rightly – but overlook this massive and utterly disproportionate slaughter by Israel. It was Madeleine Albright who once said that Israel was “under siege” – as if Palestinian tanks were in the streets of Tel Aviv. By last night, the exchange rate stood at 296 Palestinians dead for one dead Israeli. Back in 2006, it was 10 Lebanese dead for one Israeli dead. This weekend was the most inflationary exchange rate in a single day since – the 1973 Middle East War? The 1967 Six Day War? The 1956 Suez War? The 1948 Independence/Nakba War? It’s obscene, a gruesome game – which Ehud Barak, the Israeli Defence Minister, unconsciously admitted when he spoke this weekend to Fox TV. “Our intention is to totally change the rules of the game,” Barak said. Exactly. Only the “rules” of the game don’t change. This is a further slippage on the Arab-Israeli exchanges, a percentage slide more awesome than Wall Street’s crashing shares, though of not much interest in the US which – let us remember – made the F-18s and the Hellfire missiles which the Bush administration pleads with Israel to use sparingly. Quite a lot of the dead this weekend appear to have been Hamas members, but what is it supposed to solve? Is Hamas going to say: “Wow, this blitz is awesome – we’d better recognise the state of Israel, fall in line with the Palestinian Authority, lay down our weapons and pray we are taken prisoner and locked up indefinitely and support a new American ‘peace process’ in the Middle East!” Is that what the Israelis and the Americans and Gordon Brown think Hamas is going to do? Yes, let’s remember Hamas’s cynicism, the cynicism of all armed Islamist groups. Their need for Muslim martyrs is as crucial to them as Israel’s need to create them. The lesson Israel thinks it is teaching – come to heel or we will crush you – is not the lesson Hamas is learning. Hamas needs violence to emphasise the oppression of the Palestinians – and relies on Israel to provide it. A few rockets into Israel and Israel obliges. Not a whimper from Tony Blair, the peace envoy to the Middle East who’s never been to Gaza in his current incarnation. Not a bloody word. We hear the usual Israeli line. General Yaakov Amidror, the former head of the Israeli army’s “research and assessment division” announced that “no country in the world would allow its citizens to be made the target of rocket attacks without taking vigorous steps to defend them”. Quite so. But when the IRA were firing mortars over the border into Northern Ireland, when their guerrillas were crossing from the Republic to attack police stations and Protestants, did Britain unleash the RAF on the Irish Republic? Did the RAF bomb churches and tankers and police stations and zap 300 civilians to teach the Irish a lesson? No, it did not. Because the world would have seen it as criminal behaviour. We didn’t want to lower ourselves to the IRA’s level. Yes, Israel deserves security. But these bloodbaths will not bring it. Not since 1948 have air raids protected Israel. Israel has bombed Lebanon thousands of times since 1975 and not one has eliminated “terrorism”. So what was the reaction last night? The Israelis threaten ground attacks. Hamas waits for another battle. Our Western politicians crouch in their funk holes. And somewhere to the east – in a cave? a basement? on a mountainside? – a well-known man in a turban smiles. Have Your Say: Fisk: Leaders Lie, Civilians Die, and Lessons of History are Ignored Please read our posting guidelines before posting . Alternatively you can discuss this report here . The Qassam rockets myths Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
I warned you months ago: the magic word is ‘Sderot’ . Any amount of barbarism can be justified by the frankly risible rocket attacks on southern Israel. The Israeli propaganda line, repeated with dogged fanaticism by its apologists everywhere, is that Israel performed an immense act of goodness in withdrawing its colonies from Gaza, and the native ingrates actually responded by sending a spray of Qassam rockets aloft in celebration. To add insult to injury, the bleeders even used former ’settlement’ buildings to launch the rockets from. Such beliefs have to be encouraged to justify such outrageous proposals as the levelling of Gaza . Before this gets out of hand and people start using the rockets to justify some sort of “holocaust” , let us at least bear the facts in mind for a while. The Qassam rockets were being used as one component of an array of military tactics deployed by Gazan groups before the pull-out, the Gush Katif colonies being the prominent target. This was a response to a wave of violence and expulsions in which, for example, 13,350 residents of Rafah had their homes and life belongings destroyed in the year preceding the withdrawal, courtesy of Israeli tanks and Caterpillar bulldozers. Parts of Gaza came to resemble Grozny. The Israelis frequently attacked ambulances, at one point using the argument that UNRWA had allowed Qassam rockets to be loaded on board one such vehicle (this turned out to be a lie, but it is still repeated on many a media outlet and website). The vast majority of casualties from their use date back to the period of formal colonialism. After the withdrawal, the rate at which these were used diminished dramatically. Their use has spiked in response to serial atrocities against Palestinians, such as the slaughter of the Ghaliya family on the Gaza beach, (in which Hamas broke an eighteen month unilateral ceasefire ). There were few such rockets fired during the six-month ceasefire, even though Israel didn’t respect its terms, but their use was increased again as Israel broke the truce on November 4th (burn that date into your brain and remember it next time someone tells you that those nasty Hamas thugs wouldn’t renew the ceasefire). Now, there are legitimate arguments about both the efficacy and ethics of using such weapons. To my mind, they have very little going for them as a tactic of resistance. But the apparently widespread belief that Qassam rockets are the vindictive and jubilant response of sneering Palestinian jihadists to Israeli mushiness is not justified by any evidence. In fact, if the aim were truly to end Qassam rocket fire, the logical option would to be engage in a unilateral ceasefire and invite Hamas to enter into a process of dialogue. But that brings us to another myth, the myth of Hamas rejectionism, which is for another post. Have Your Say: The Qassam rockets myths Please read our posting guidelines before posting . Alternatively you can discuss this report here . What Will Obama Do About Cannabis? Monday, December 29th, 2008
By NORM KENT He picked for Vice President one of the major architects of the Drug War. He picked for Chief of Staff one of the chief opponents of medical marijuana. He is talking about picking for the Drug Czar spot a conservative candidate who has been a congressional leader fighting drug reform. He has promised to put an end to raids on medical dispensaries in California, but he has not said he will broadly support the Hinchey-Rohrbacher Amendment which would let states decide the issue. He has moved from once supporting marijuana decriminalization to publishing comments that he cannot overuse ‘political capital’ on the issue. He has now appointed for Attorney General a candidate who has a long history of opposing drug policy reforms and who has in court supported mandatory minimum sentencing and civil forfeiture. Allen St. Pierre, the Executive Director of NORML, summed it up best about Mr. Obama’s appointments thus far: “So Far, Not So Good:” His thought-provoking article appears on the NORML.com website at its blog. From summarizing why the selection of Joe Biden as Vice President caused him ‘digestive tumult’ to tracing Rahm Emanuel’s anti-drug policies for the past decade, the article captures a snapshot of what was routine politics as usual for the players soon to be in power. When it comes to our 44th President, some of his positions on marijuana were once encouraging. But as Mr. Obama has moved towards the national limelight, there is a new found frustration for reformers. It seems the President to be is moving from the left to the middle. And as Loudon Wainwright once wrote in a popular song, the only things you see in the middle of the road are dead skunks and yellow lines. Still, I am not alarmed yet. It is way too early, and there is still room and reason for optimism. Commencing your administration in the face of a national economic crisis at home while American soldiers are at war abroad can focus your priorities on other issues outside the need for weed. We have seen what happened to Bill Clinton when he tried, too early in his administration, to advance the cause of gay rights by banning discrimination against homosexuals in the military. He started a firestorm which burnt up valuable first months of his presidency. We do know this though, and it is a challenging start. Rather decisively, on the official administration website, at www.change.gov , the following statement appears: President-elect Obama is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana. What can we then expect of Mr. Obama once he becomes President? I think there are many encouraging things. First, in his past he has acknowledged the broad failures of the drug war, declaring in 2004 that it was an “utter failure” which needs to be rethought. Second, as an African-American in an urban community, few people will be as sensitive as Mr. Obama to the exhaustive legal toll this drug war exacts on minority communities. The arrests come quicker, the prosecutions are more frequent, and the sentences are longer. Drug arrests have been tools to deny poor people driver’s licenses, scholarships and federal welfare benefits, causing innocuous conduct to endure catastrophic consequences for otherwise decent people. Third, the President is ‘with it’. His telling comments to a group of students when asked whether he ‘inhaled’ marijuana were “Of course, I thought that was the whole purpose.” Those remarks are a reflection of the candor and commitment of Mr. Obama to address the issue in a new light. He did not play a game of Clintonian holier-than-thou cover-up. With the same self-deprecating qualities that he shared with the nation when he called himself a ‘mutt,’ Mr. Obama implied in tone and substance that marijuana may not be as bad as we have been hearing from the government for too many decades. Last week, the website Change.gov asked the public to provide them with a list of the top public policy questions facing America. Visitors to the site were then asked to vote on which questions should take priority for the incoming administration. After receiving nearly 100,000 total votes on more than 10,000 separate public policy issues, the most widely voted on question for Obama is: “Will you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the US” Maybe Rahm Emanuel has turned a corner as well. Rahm is politically smart if nothing else, so I hope that he’ll follow his boss’ lead in the area of criminal justice reforms. Also, to his credit, after voting years against Hinchey-Rohrbacher Amendment in 2007, as member of Congress from Illinois, Rahm voted in favor of holding back federal funding from law enforcement (read DEA) to raid or harass medical marijuana cultivators and dispensaries. I know I have been unsuccessful in getting my own liberal Congresswoman from South Florida, Debbie Wasserman-Schulz, to even support this effort. Maybe Mr. Emanuel will influence her and dozens of others. It will take leadership from the oval office. That can only happen when the people in office are looked upon as enlightened reformers rather than being weak on crime. Politically, I know such polls as the one the administration inaugurated here are instrumental in turning mindsets. If we can show politicians that it is ‘safe’ to support drug reform, even popular, we can suddenly find them on our side. To their credit, outstanding philanthropists like Peter Lewis and George Soros have been national leaders in helping bring public opinion out of the closet. These are men whose voices may be heard by the new administration. And I am here for them too if they need me. My number is listed. So too is Barney Frank, the influential Massachusetts congressman who has long supported decriminalization legislation. The truth is that people who support decriminalization have always been a silent majority afraid to speak out. But give them a secret ballot box, and in state after state, you see massive support for medical marijuana and a more enlightened approach to marijuana reform. Perhaps the President, in his own unique disarming way, can lead a new path. He has surrounded himself with educated leaders who also have been willing to speak candidly in favor of decriminalization including new Cabinet nominee Bill Richardson. We do not need a new Drug Czar, either. This is America. Czars are for Russia. What we need is the appointment of an educator, a scientist, a doctor, a constitutional rights lawyer to pave the way to a new era of drug enlightenment. At the last NORML Board of Directors meeting, one issue we raised was one many of us within the drug reform movement can support. It has been three decades since the Shafer Commission released its national study on marijuana, which Nixon immediately trashed. Perhaps a new Blue Ribbon Commission, with decades more research behind it, and years of medical marijuana evidence, can look into new recommendations for the 21st century. On one hand, such a Presidential panel would buy time for the new administration to get settled in with more pressing priorities. But it would also give drug reformers a national platform to address so many issues that have been, forgive me, cultivated- since the Shafer Commission, from forfeiture laws to raids on dispensaries, from the THC content of marijuana to medicinal initiatives. It is time to look again at marijuana with a scholarly and clinical eye instead of with SWAT teams and law enforcement raids. Correspondingly, it is also time for the national drug reform organizations to speak with a singular voice and work together for a common purpose. There needs to be a unity of purpose, and leaders from the Marijuana Policy Project, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, the Drug Policy Alliance, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, and a host of other respected reform organizations, too many to mention here, should hold their own meeting to develop a common theme with a collective initiative. We need to work together to send a message that is enlightened and progressive, convincing legislators and the executive branch that we are responsible and right.. The drug reform movement needs to act in a way that President-elect Obama has asked all of us to move towards: not to be tied to the politics of the past and the way things have always been done, but to engage hope by broadening our constituency and reaching out to others. Within the drug reform movement, fratricide must come to an end. We must bury the hatchet on our own rivalries, and move forward with a common purpose. We defeat ourselves by ourselves when we do not. Our cause is just, and our goals have always been righteous. We may have only ourselves to blame if we cannot achieve now what we have fought so long for. I would say our time is now, but I thought that in 1976 when the Attorney General of the United States, then Ramsey Clark, said we should see an end to unjust marijuana laws before the end of the decade. I think we are overdue. Together, let us do better than we have already done. We have a President who is willing to listen, a Congress that is willing to learn, and a public that is salivating for a better solution. Norm Kent is a criminal defense lawyer from Fort Lauderdale who serves on the Board of Directors for NORML www.norml.com He can be reached at Norm@normkent.com , and his law office website is www.normkent.com Have Your Say: What Will Obama Do About Cannabis? Please read our posting guidelines before posting . Alternatively you can discuss this report here . Chávez: Capitalists Have Manipulated the Message of Christ to Exploit the Poor Monday, December 29th, 2008
By Venezolana de Televisión “The Kingdom of Heaven is not a kingdom or life in the clouds. Either it exists here or else it exists nowhere,” President Chávez issued a wake-up call during the last Sunday program of 2008. “It’s on earth, and that is why Christ came here and was born among the poor, in the manger.” The head of state in Venezuela noted that the capitalist system throughout its history has distorted Jesus’s message to the poor about the Kingdom of Heaven, with the sole purpose of exploiting the impoverished majorities in favor of the minorities who enjoy the wealth of the world. The Christ child was born on earth, poor and human, to fight and make this planet truly the kingdom of heaven, of equality and justice, not to be poor in life and to win glory in the afterlife, Comandante Chávez said during the last Aló Presidente broadcast of the year, speaking from El Valle where he inaugurated a new People’s Clinic. “The message of Christ, who said the Kingdom of Heaven is that of the poor, has been very often manipulated. In this way they have for centuries manipulated the poor of the world, to make them quietly accept exploitation.” “Christ was born to call on us to create, here on earth, the Kingdom of Love,” Chávez explained, adding that this kingdom has no other name than socialism. The president reminded the audience that socialism comes from what is social, as capitalism proceeds from capital. “Socialism is the doctrine, science, of development of what is social. Capitalism is the immoral art, science, and technology of development of capital or growth of capital — (for capitalism) what matters is that even while people die of hunger capitalists accumulate capital.” The president stressed that therein lies the key to understanding the confrontation that began again, in which Venezuela has become the center of the battle between socialists and capitalists, “between people becoming more politically conscious every day and those who exploited them forever.” He said that that is why the issue of the constitutional amendment is of vital importance as it will allow Venezuela to go farther on the socialist path, the truly human and democratic path, for the happiness of the Venezuelan people. To conclude the last Aló Presidente of the year, the president wished the best for Venezuelan families, urging them to enjoy Christmas and New Year’s Eve with love, moderation, and simplicity so they can continue in 2009 the work of making Venezuela a great nation of justice and equality. Have Your Say: Chávez: Capitalists Have Manipulated the Message of Christ to Exploit the Poor Please read our posting guidelines before posting . Alternatively you can discuss this report here . Over 300 Killed in Gaza as Attacks Continue Monday, December 29th, 2008
The first day of what Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak assures us will be a “long and difficult” war in the Gaza Strip has come and gone, leaving at least 300 Gazans dead , over 700 wounded, and one Israeli civilian killed and four wounded in retaliatory strikes . The number of Gaza civilians dead is not currently known, but the attacks centered around police stations and killed a large number of Palestinian security forces. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak hit out at calls to cease the attacks and renew the ceasefire, saying “ for us to be asked to have a ceasefire with Hamas is like asking you to have a ceasefire with al-Qaeda .” Except of course that up until a week ago Israel did have a six month long ceasefire with Hamas which Minister Barak repeatedly defended from the more hawkish opposition members. But the time for an unpopular peace is over in Israel, and police are being dispatched to crack down on those protesting against the unpopular war that has followed. Meanwhile, as Gazans count their dead and tend to their wounded in a chaotic scene , Hamas and the assorted militant factions that reside in the strip are vowing revenge. Hamas says “ all options are open ” in responding to the attacks, while Islamic Jihad is ordering all its fighters to respond to “ the Israeli slaughter .” Those still calling for peace between the belligerent factions appear for now to have little traction, and the war is liable to continue to escalate. Have Your Say: Over 300 Killed in Gaza as Attacks Continue Please read our posting guidelines before posting . Alternatively you can discuss this report here . Related News
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