20 June 2012, the Upper House of the Japanese Diet passed a tough new anti-downloading law. If your caught ‘illegally’ downloading music or movies you could pay a $25,000 USD fine and/or spend two years in prison!
The law was pushed by the corporate music and movie industry. The Recording Industry Association of Japan is blaming their economic downturn on downloaders! I don’t think so! The new draconian anti-downloading law goes into effect in October 2012.
“The United States should preserve the model of ‘lily pad’ bases throughout the Gulf, which permits the rapid escalation of military force in case of emergency.”-SFRC report
19 June 2012, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) revealed that there are nearly 15,000 U.S. troops in Kuwait, three times more than in 2003.
The SFRC report also admits that staging troops all over the Middle East was in preparation for wars to come, possibly with Iran: “…the Obama administration is working to update the security architecture of the Persian Gulf to promote
regional stability, provide a counterweight to Iran…”
The report also admits that one of the foreign policy goals of the United States is to support Israel over any other Middle East country: “…the United States should be scrupulous in determining which weapons systems to sell in order to (1) ensure that sales contribute to regional security and do not weaken the position of Israel...”
The SFRC states that military deployments should continue in Afghanistan, as well as begin in Libya: “The U.S. Government should continue to cultivate the capabilities of GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] partners in select defensive missions, such as missile defense, combat air patrol, and maritime security, while building capacity through deployments in other theaters such as Libya and Afghanistan.”
The problem with the idea of GCC countries sending troops to Afghanistan is that most GCC countries are Arab. Afghanistan is not Arab, it does not border the Persian Gulf and it’s not in the Middle East, it’s in Central Asia! Remember the fiasco in Afghanistan when Jordanian (Arab) troops were sent in?
Then there’s Libya. Libya may have a dominant Arab population, but it’s not part of the Persian Gulf, it’s not even Middle Eastern, it’s in North Africa. This just proves that U.S. leaders are still ignorant of the way things work in the Middle East.
The SFRC report is titled The Gulf Security Architecture: Partnership with the Gulf Cooperation Council, it is available in PDF form.
On 1 July 2012, the European Union’s sanctions against Iran kick in. This includes European shipping insurers (who dominate the market) ending insurance on ships carrying Iranian oil.
20 June 2012, the Japanese Diet has passed a law that allows the government to cover Japanese tanker ships transporting oil from Iran.
The law was unanimously passed by the Upper house, and will provide up to $7.6 billion USD in coverage. Many Japanese insurance companies expressed concern for providing enough insurance due to the warmongering by the U.S. and EU against Iran.
The government insurance policy goes into effect several days before the EU sanctions on 1 July.
20 June 2012, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCo) published a thick report concerning the handling of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
It admits three of four damaged reactors (there are six reactors at the facility) actually went into melt down, because of total loss in cooling.
“The report admits that the company’s management of the emergency cooling system, which had been criticized by a government panel, was inadequate.” However, “The report also blames the government for directly and indirectly interfering with TEPCO’s emergency response efforts. It says government officials disregarded what was actually happening on the ground, causing unnecessary confusion.”-NHK (nippon housou kyoukai/Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
The reactors were supplied by the U.S. company General Electric. The disaster is ongoing!
19 June 2012, NHK (nippon housou kyoukai/Japan Broadcasting Corporation) reporting that a Japanese government ‘white paper’ report on science and technology in 2011, states that the government was not prepared to respond to the nuclear disaster at Fukushima Diiachi.
“…tsunami estimates were too lenient and facilities which had been in place for nuclear safety were ineffective. It says the way the public was notified about the spread of radioactive substances was inadequate.”-NHK
Also, on 18 June 2012, the Foreign Ministry of Japan revealed that the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) presented a map of the most likely radiation contamination spread from the GE designed reactors.
The Japanese government refused to make the radiation spread map public, until now.
The U.S. DoE map was made using data from 17 March to 19 March 2011. It was supposedly given to the Japanese Science Ministry and the Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency, via the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
“The map shows radiation spreading northwest from the accident site. Parts of the map indicate levels of 125 microsieverts per hour. The figure suggests residents close to the plant were exposed to the annual [yearly] permissible level within 8 hours.“-NHK
18 June 2012, the U.S. supported Egyptian junta has officially taken on the role of government. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) have given themselves new constitutional authority, giving them all the powers of an elected government!
On 14 June 2012, the U.S. supported junta dissolved the Egyptian parliament, and basically declared the recent elections invalid!
Some regional news report that the junta’s coup was backed by the United States. The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood was winning elections and the U.S. did not want them to run the Egyptian government.
“Figures reported by local media, including state television, also put Mursi ahead of Shafiq, and the Brotherhood candidate’s supporters have already hailed him as the country’s first democratically elected president.”-Agence France Presse (AFP)
Mursi is the Muslim Brotherhood candidate. Shafiq is a former Mubarak regime official, and regional reports say the junta made plans, backed by the Obama administration, to make sure Shafiq becomes Egypt’s president. So much for western style democracy (and par for the course in U.S. foreign policy, just ask Iran)!
Since the 2011 Revolution began, a new constitution needs to be written, however, the SCAF now says it can veto any new constitution.
“Over 80% of shootings occur outdoors and in public places.”-Roseanna Ander, University of Chicago Crime Lab
18 June 2012, according to data from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), more people have been killed in just one U.S. city, than all of the U.S. personnel killed in Afghanistan since the U.S. invasion in 2001!
The DoD claims just over 2,000 personnel have been killed in Afghanistan between the invasion in 2001 to just last week (iCasualties.org says 2012 have been killed). The FBI says more than 5,000 people have been killed in the U.S. city of Chicago, during the same time!
On 15 June 2012, Chicago Sun-Times reported that from the beginning of 2012 at least 228 people were killed, and the murder rate jumped 35% since last year!
According to iCasualties.org, U.S. personnel deaths in Afghanistan, since the beginning of 2012, is at 203 (and some of these deaths are not combat related). So U.S. troops are slightly safer in Afghanistan than in Chicago!
Why the seeming civil war in Chicago? Blame the economy: “Not surprisingly, they’re in poorer neighborhoods…”-Roseanna Ander, University of Chicago Crime Lab
According to Chicago Sun-Times the city “…administration has cut anti-violence programs targeting some of Chicago’s poorer neighborhoods by $9 million.”
President Obama, and his family attended a wedding in Chicago on 16 June 2012. They needed an escort of as many as 200 Chicago cops! If that’s not a sign of a war zone then what is?
And by the way, Chicago city officials were told that the federal government is not paying for the extra police security! Like I said, blame the economy!
And what about incompetent city officials? Chicago cops are understaffed, yet city officials would rather pay overtime for cops working on their days off, than hire more cops. That doesn’t make economic sense, unless they’re trying to avoid paying out benefits for those new cops. Even then, in the long run it’ll cost the city more, because the civil war will only escalate.
“Two major amphibious ships, The Nikolai Filchenkov and The Tsezar Kunikov, are preparing to be dispatched to Tartus outside of their schedule.”-unnamed Russian naval officer
18 June 2012, speculation that the two Russian assault ships are being sent to evacuate Russian citizens living in Syria.
Russia news media, Interfax, says the ships are carrying marines, and are capable of evacuating Russian nationals. According to Interfax, the Tsezar Kunikov can carry 150 marines along with weapon systems including tanks, while the Nikolai Filchenkov can carry up to 1,500 metric tons of cargo and equipment.
The unofficial announcement came as U.S. President Barack Obama, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, began talks concerning UN Security Council action regarding Syria.
“We are in a race against the clock to close the border. We have to seal off the border as soon as we can to prevent exactly these kinds of attacks.”-Colonel Tal Harmoni, IDF Gaza Division Southern Brigade Commander
18 June 2012, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) report that military contractors, building a fence along the border with Egypt, were attacked. One was killed.
The IDF claim they killed two of the attackers from the Egyptian side of the border. Now the IDF is deploying armored forces, including Merkava tanks.
In August 2011, nine people (mainly IDF personnel riding in a contracted bus) were killed by attackers from the Egyptian side of the border. Israel responded by increasing troop presence, backed up with armored personnel carriers (APC).
IDF forces also crossed into Egypt killing five Egyptian soldiers. Israel later apologized. Then Israel blamed the Popular Resistance Committees, a Gaza based group. Israel then attacked Gaza Strip killing at least five people.
According to Israeli media, a few months ago the U.S. supported Israel, and the U.S. supported military junta in Egypt, agreed to throw away the Camp David Peace Accord. They have agreed to allow each other to base armored forces along their border.
Officially this is to stop militant attacks against Israeli border forces, and to stop attacks on Egyptian forces by nomadic Bedouins. Colonel Harmoni admitted that the IDF and Egyptian military are working together: “The IDF has strong ties with the Egyptians forces…..”
17 June 2012
“After consultation with the Taliban Shura, servant of Mujahideen in North Waziristan Agency Hafiz Gul Bahadur has decided that there will be a ban on polio campaign as long as drone strikes are not stopped.”-public statement by the people of 17 towns in Pakistan’s North Waziristan
People living in North Waziristan refusing to let international medical personnel in to administer vaccines until U.S. drone strikes stop. The people also claim the medical personnel are spying for the United States. Apparently the doctor who got DNA samples from Osama bin Laden did so under the pretext that he was administering vaccine.
Some people believe the vaccination program is meant to sterilize them.
According to a Stars & Stripes article, President Obama’s increased use of terror drones has saved hundreds of jobs for one National Guard unit. The Springfield Air National Guard Base (Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport), in Ohio, retained 804 local jobs by becoming a dedicated terror drone base. However, ironically, current budget proposals from the Obama administration are threatening as many as 1,000 Ohio Guard jobs, including 47 positions at the terror drone base.
According to the Swiss Basler Zeitung, the U.S. is expanding their fleet of UAVs by buying more drones, and drone engines, made by Switzerland’s Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. The Swiss newspaper also said U.S. drone operations in Africa are being conducted from Swiss made Pilatus PC-12 manned aircraft.
Covert U.S. air bases are reportedly in countries such as Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, and Seychelles.
Afghan Mujahideen claim to have shot down a U.S. drone in Afghanistan’s Paktia Province. U.S. led ISAF/NATO claim the drone crashed due to technical problems.
16 June 2012
“These [drone] strikes will ultimately fail to influence the outcome of an Afghan settlement, but they have already succeeded in making the United States more hated in Pakistan than India.”-Michael Krepon, South Asian Program at the Stimson Center
People living in Garbaherey town, in Somalia’s Gedo region, claim the U.S. launched drone strikes, killing at least 35 people.
Despite several articles and reports by the main stream U.S. news media, downplaying concerns over the use of drones to spy on U.S. citizens (several said outright that it was not true), here’s what the Christian Science Monitor said: “By some government estimates, as many as 30,000 drones could be part of intelligence gathering and law enforcement here in the United States within the next ten years. Operated by agencies down to the local level, this would be in addition to the 110 current and planned drone activity sites run by the military services in 39 states, reported this week by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), a non-government research project.”
After a 14 month top secret mission, a space UAV returned to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It was revealed on 16 June, but the landing took place on 9 June.
It’s called the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, it was originally designed to test new space shuttle technologies, but when the NASA budget cuts scrapped the project the Pentagon took it over, turning it into a super high altitude drone. Exactly what the U.S. Department of Defense is doing with it is still classified!
15 June 2012
It was revealed by Los Angeles Times, that the Pentagon will be testing individual assassination drones in Afghanistan next month. The UAVs can be carried in the backpacks of special forces troops. They are called Switchblade mini-UAVs.
Two U.S. Navy classified drones (aka X-47B) flew test missions from Edwards AFB in California. They were spotted by civilians, who promptly reported them as alien space craft!
U.S. President Barack Obama admitted, in an open letter to Congress, that the United States is at war in Yemen and Somalia, the main weapon of choice being the terror drone.
14 June 2012
U.S. drone strike kills at least three people in Pakistan. Two missiles were fired at a busy shop in a market place in Miranshah: “When the first missile hit the building, I heard cries for help and ran towards it…..When they started rescue work, another missile hit.”-Witness
Russia and Israel to jointly develop new drones: “We are negotiating with Israel. Our aim is to persuade them to start technological cooperation and to develop a product that will be used in both countries, and could also be sold to third countries.”-Dmitry Rogozin, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia
13 June 2012
U.S. drone strike kills as many as 27 people in Shabwa Province of Yemen. CNN said that the U.S. launched at least 14 drone strikes over a two day period.
U.S. drone strike kills four people in North Waziristan, Pakistan.
A global survey by the Pew Research Center showed that the United States is increasingly alone regarding terror drone operations. People in 17 of 21 countries surveyed are against the U.S. drone wars. However, the survey showed warmongering ‘mericans (62%) love the drone wars!
Venezuela revealed a recon drone, jointly built with Iran. It’s called Arpia-001 (Harpy-001).
12 June 2012
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) admitted that their drones are being hacked! Officials ordered new encryption of their new Skylark I UAVs after they found out that video data being sent back from older drones were being intercepted.
The IDF also revealed that Lebanon’s Hezbollah wiped out an Israeli navy commando assault, back in 1997, after they hacked an Israeli spy drone! It’s called the Shayetet Disaster inside the Israeli military. 11 members of Israel’s Flotilla 13 unit were killed when they were ambushed by Hezbollah.
Royal Australian military officials in Afghanistan state that using Israeli made drones is like doing drugs: “The capability? It’s like crack cocaine, a drug, for our guys involved.”-Wing Commander Jonathan McMullan, RAAF Heron drone commander, Afghanistan
Australia gets the Heron drone from Canada, who in turn leases them from Israel.
U.S. Marine General John Allen order an end to drone strikes on houses in Afghanistan!
11 June 2012
“Obama is authorizing murder on a weekly basis, with a discussion of the guilt or innocence of candidates for the ‘kill list’ being resolved in secret on ‘Terror Tuesday’ teleconferences with administration officials and intelligence officials.”-Michael Boyle, former adviser to Obama’s counter terrorism group July 2007-November 2008
USAF General, Norton Schwartz, announced that U.S. drones will be deployed in South America and the Pacific. They will be used to bolster the U.S. combat commands in those regions, known as U.S. Southern Command, and U.S. Pacific Command.
06 June 2012
A U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan killed at least 18 people attending a wedding. U.S. military officials apologized several days later.
Israeli officials refused to apologize for killing nine Turkish citizens, in the 2010 Gaza blockade runner incident. This after it was revealed that the IDF knew the activists on the Turkish ship were not armed, because their own Israeli drone recon mission showed they were not armed!
04 June 2012
U.S. drone strike kills at least 15 people in North Waziristan, Pakistan. U.S. officials claim one of those killed was al Qaeda’s second-in-command (how many times are we gonna hear that claim?).