GlobGoals

PK-June 26, 2009: US drones reportedly killed dozens of people in northern Pakistan yesterday. The strikes missed their targets even though the CIA is said to be using chips to locate Taliban leaders. Electronic devices are placed by US collaborators near houses of important Taliban activists. Drones locate and strike the targets, which may explain the Army's recent successes. "Everyone is talking about it," said a Pakistani student from the North. "People are scared that if a pathrai (electronic transmitter or chip) comes into your house, a drone will attack it." Top US military advisers warned about the ethical side of the strategy, which could backfire against Western interests. Drones are widely considered by locals as cowardish, which may help Talibans recruit more sympathisers. While the unmanned aerial vehicles managed to eliminate 14 senior Al Qaeda leaders in 2006, 700 Pakistani civilians were killed by drones in the same period. Human Rights Activists point out that guided missile strikes are in violation of the international laws of war which strictly prohibit the targeting of individuals not engaged in armed conflicts. The Israeli war in Gaza that ended in 2009 used similar techniques to destroy militant objectives. According to a Palestinian rights group, the war ended with 13 Isreali and 1'417 Palestinian deaths among which 926 were civilians. Investigators arrived in Gaza this month to look for evidence of war crimes. References. Comment from JL: Barack Obama embraces an escalation in the raids of drones in Pakistan, that once were approved by Bush. The raids are not only illegal and immoral, they are unproductive, when the collateral damage is so high that any target backfires on the long-term goals of the strategy. Dozens of people lost their life in these last strikes breaching every one of GlobDemon's primary values. While Jerry Lee recognizes drones to be part of gw's Intelbal and IFATA strategy, they cannot be used in any circumstances. Jerry Lee says it, this is not a fight against enemies of humanity. This is a fight of Nations against States. Terrorism must be fought by solving the underlying ideological problems, not by using violence without evidenced imminent threats. Read also Terrorism Implosion and gw's War Doctrine and Intelbal strategy of counter-terrorism. See also Global Tension to know more on the state of the world.

IR-June 17, 2009: Iran's election campaign drew unprecedented attention when current President Ahmadinejad and reformist candidate Mousavi confronted accusatory views in a state television debate. Mousavi's reformist stance on civil liberties caused massive rallies across the country in the most resounding presidential elections since the birth of the islamic republic 30 years ago. But the election process was questioned when 45'000 voting stations closed on June 12. Representatives of the Opposition were left out of many of the stations with no means to monitor the polls. Contrasting views on electoral participation in the beginning hours of the voting signaled more irregularities. Iran's presidential election is hiding a deeper political rift with on the one hand ex-presidents and reformists Khatami and Rafsanjani, whose family is suspected of corruption, and on the other hand conservative Supreme Leader Khamenei who leads the country. Without any doubt, election fraud and protest will do little to change the current theocratic system. Today, Mousavi requested the Guardians Council to allow for a cancellation of the elections and have them redone and monitored by international bodies. He also warned: "I won't surrender to this manipulation...The outcome of what we've seen from the performance of officials...is nothing but shaking the pillars of the Islamic Republic of Iran sacred system and governance of lie and dictatorship." References. Comment from JL: Whatever is done in name of freedom and democracy, Mousavi's attempt to change politics in the country will face the conservatism of Khamenei. The latter's backing of one of the candidate, namely Ahmadinejad, is Mousavi's own political failure. And by no means will Iran change its dictatorial and arbitrary system over night. To understand this system think about the Guardian Council, defender of the Iranian Constitution. The organ is composed of 12 Jurists. Six are elected directly by Khamenei and six others among Jurists chosen by the Head of the Judicial Power, himself directly appointed by Khamenei. This regime's obsession for power or excessive ruling of state over nation makes any election by the people an illusive exercise of civil rights. Iran's records on human-rights are as frightning as its foreign policies. They should justify with or without the Russians and Chinese more agressive economic sanctions. Iranian reformists who are threatened by the regime should be given the means to quit Iran and establish in Europe or in the US. Jerry Lee also wishes to congratulate www.iranfocus.com, a reformist website, for naming Iranian officials involved in crimes against the people of Iran. This website is a reminder that no one escapes Justice over time. Read also When History Repeats and Empire States. This is gw's Iran Containment 2009 strategy.

FR-June 10, 2009: Last week, 160 million Europeans voted by universal suffrage 782 Members of the European Parliament (MEP). The turnout was 43 percent, a good result considering the discreet media coverage of the event. Voters reconfirmed the centre-right European People's Party lead by Joseph Daul as the dominant party with 36 percent of the votes or 265 seats. The Socialist Group of Martin Schulz lost 53 seats and now has 162 MEPs. Together with the upper chamber or Ministerial Council, the European Parliament votes laws on consumer protection, health, environment, and the movement of goods, services, people and capital. The European Parliament also votes on international treaties or resolutions that condemn human-right violations, presenting itself as a guardian of liberty and democracy in Europe and in the world. A Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union was signed in 2000 and made legally binding in 2007. The Charter is based on article 6 of the Treaty on European Union, and states: "Conscious of its spiritual and moral heritage, the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equlity and solidarity; it is based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law. It places the individual at the heart of its activities, by establishing the citizenship of the Union and creating an area of freedom, security and justice." It follows: "The Union contributes to the preservation and to the development of these common values while respecting the diversity of the cultures and traditions of the peoples of Europe as well as the national identities of the Member States and the organisation of their public authorities at national, regional and local levels; it seeks to promote balanced and sustainable development and ensures free movement of persons, services and capital, and the freedom of establishment." References. Comment from JL: It is difficult to understand why so little is done to fight crimes against humanity or systematic violations of human rights in the world. Jerry Lee fears that under the argument of morality or safety, European states will continue to reinforce public interventionism at the cost of individual freedoms. State interventionism is a form of protectionism that leads to an overall loss of quality of life. This said, Jerry Lee is hopeful that the European Parliament may one day rule above regional parliaments not with the objective to hold more power, but to better serve the community of European nations. Read also Empire States, Swiss Bank Secrecy Ends - Playing the Game, Ethics and Freedoms and Protectionism Vs. Liberalism - Illustration.

PK-May 28, 2009: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "I think that the Pakistani government is basically abdicating to the Taliban and to the extremists" adding, the situation "poses a mortal threat to the security and safety of our country and the world" referring to the possibility that Taliban militants take over Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal. In April, the Taliban pushed deeper into Pakistan establishing effective control over the strategically important region of Buner nearby Islamabad, the capital city of the country. Taliban's advances came after the Pakistani government announced in February this year a truce with the rebels that allowed Islamic law - the Shariah - in the Northern Swat valley. The truce marked the government's failure to stop heavily armed militants, who receive support from the Poor, desperate for quick justice against corrupt officials. But the Pakistani army managed to push the militants back to the North this month at the cost of thousands of lifes and near to 700'000 displaced. A pro-Taliban group Tehrik-e-Nifaaz said militants would stop the fight when they're allowed to choose the judges of their tribunals. References. Comment from JL: Jerry Lee calls onto the Pakistani and Afghan governments to negotiate a Taliban autonomous region in the north of their respective countries where the Taliban ideology may exist and prosper following the Shariah laws and Taliban traditions, which also includes the choice of judges. An agreement should allow non-Talibans to quit the region and find new homes in neighbouring regions of states. Jerry Lee believes Taliban geographical advances in Pakistan can only be stopped if governments are more respectuous towards distinct ideologies. While the threat to security may exist even after agreements are reached with these ideologies, military threats are best handled when limited to geographic areas and when confronted in conventional ways rather than dragged into guerilla warefare, typically known in disintegrated countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Read gw's War Doctrine and INTELBALE to contain military threats. Look at gw's article on Empire States to know more about the survival of political absolutism in a globalized world.

US-May 13, 2009: During a Miss USA show, Miss California Carrie Prejean was involved in a controversy over homosexual marriages when confronted to Perez Hilton's provocative question: "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalise same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit. Why or why not?" Carrie Prejean answered: "Well, I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage... And you know what, in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offence to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised and that's how I think it should be - between a man and a woman. Thank you very much." These views follow Prejean's decision to have breast implants with the support of Miss California Pageant (MCP), a branch of MUO. Asked why the organization supported the decision financially, co-director Keith Lewis said: "it's a personal choice. Well, I think that it's about how a woman feels about herself. In terms of, for me, it's not a personal choice that I would recommend. But at the same time, I know so many women that have done the procedure and feel better about themselves and the way they present themselves." Miss California nearly lost her crown, when topless pictures of her as a teen appeared on the internet and caused yet another scandal. Mrs Prejean's case follows the controversy of Miss Universe 2009's trip to Cuba, last April, when she said her stay at Guantanamo base was "fun". References. Comment from JL: Even though Miss California found it "great" that the US Constitution provided for a choice for every American to marry, her answer ended very unsupportive of gay marriages when she said that marriage was something that "should" be between a man and a woman. She later publically confirmed being against same-sex marriages. Her statements are disturbing, in that, they exclude minorities from the institution of marriage and the rights bound to it. Furthermore, Miss California's decision to implant breasts with the assistance of MCP is unacceptable too. While the decision provides Mrs Prejean with a greater appeal to a majority of male Americans, who prefere large breasts, it excludes the preferences of other Americans who prefer smaller breasts... By using esthetic chirurgy to appeal to the masses, Mrs Pageant is rejecting her individuality and contributing to create a destructive standard of beauty, in that, it describes beauty only with large breasts. Her decision is disrespectful to nature as an expression of art and diversity, and sends a wrong signal to women who feel unsecure about their physical aspect. For all these reasons, Jerry Lee put Miss California, as well as MCP, that subsidized her breast implants, into gw's zerOvalue file. Read Carrie Prejean and MCP enter gw's zerOvalue file, as well as Dayana Mendoza and MUO enter gw's ZerOvalue file. This is gw's zerOvalue file.

CH-May 6, 2009: The Swine flu is an influenza or infectious disease caused by ribonucleic acid viruses such as SARS or Hepatitis C, which symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat and body aches. The flu, a new type of H1N1 strain virus, was first identified in Mexico City last month, and soon after reported to the public by the World Health Organization (WHO). The panic-like call probably was based on past experience, namely, the 1918 Spanish-flu, history's worse flu ever, that had similar H1N1 strains. The flu caused 2.5 deaths on 100 infected, or 20 to 100 million deaths worldwide. Medical historians say the rapid spread of the viral infection and the resulting deaths were largely related to recurrent social problems in developing countries: a low level of hygiene, a high density of population, and governments lack of transparency on issues of national security. During the Great War, the Spanish flu found optimal conditions to expand on. Soldiers were exposed to extreme sanitary conditions. They later participated to large parties celebrating the end of the war, but exposing others to the flu. Eventually, governments still prioritized the military keeping secrete anything that could undermine it. Today, fortunately, the WHO moved boldly to inform about the threats of H1N1, quickly raising the alert to 5, its second-highest level. While sofar "only" 1'300 to 2'000 Swine-flu infections and a total of 27 related death-cases have been reported worldwide, two typical flu-seasons - Northern and Southern Hemisphere - with known or relatively low-contagious viruses will see as many as three to five milion people infected, of which 250'000 to 500'000 will die. References. Comment from JL: Jerry Lee calls upon governments and world organizations to refocus health policies from readiness and treatment to the long-term prevention of influenza. It is not the nation's job to survive pandemic infections or to fund scientific research and development, but the State's obligation to prevent these infections in the first place. In the future, dirty water will reduce hygiene and food scarcity will lower people's immunity against infections. The conditions that create new viruses will not improve over time without restrictive demographic-policies and a substantially higher quality of life for the disadvantaged. Therefore, Jerry Lee begs world organizations and governments to better anticipate the threats of influenza, with a vision in mind: build a sustainable world where quality is valued over quantity. This is gw's policy on Population and Health and the Environment.

IPDs 2009, 2008, 2007.