Mercy Politics: 2009

Photo: Ayatollah Khomeini Shrine.

At least one person has been killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up near the shrine of Ayatollah Khomeini.

An Iranian police representative stated : " A terrorist detonated his explosive vest in the Ayatollah Khomeini shrine causing damage in one section of it."

Some protesters feel that the suicide attack was orchestrated by the government.

Today, the police used tear gas & water cannons against thousands of protesters in an attempt to block access to Revolution Square in Tehran. A protester said:" Now it is tear gas, I am sure it won't take them long to start using other kind of ammunition."

Mousavi declined to meet the Guardian Council, Iran highest legislative body, concerning the voting irregularities. The Council would have only be willing to do a partial sample recount representing not even 10% of the votes. Mousavi posted a message on his web site, today, requesting a re-run of the election.

Despite the crack down, it seems that the protests will continue. A sign of this came in the form of protesters screaming " Death to the dictator" from Tehran's roof tops at dawn today.

This is increasingly turning into a challenge of the Supreme Leader's autocratic authority and not only an opposition to Ahmadinejad.

Mousavi keeps his supporters informed by posting news updates on his web site. To read the updates click on the title of this post.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Iran Turmoil: Ayatollah Khamenei Threats Of Crack Down.

During his address to the Iranian people, last night, Iran Supreme Leader did not strike a tone of conciliation despite his call for " peace & tranquility".

As matter of fact, he was threatening in part of his speech. He said that the protests should stop immediately, and that the demonstrators would be held responsible for potential chaos and violence.

Despite numerous evidence of the contrary he claimed that the election were completely legitimate.

Mousavi called off any protest yesterday, but asked his supporters to protest again on Saturday.

In the power struggle seizing Iran, right now, the military and the Revolutionary Guard could end up playing the deciding role. As the Supreme Leader, Khamenei is the army commander in chief. His complete support for Ahmadinejad will tie his destiny to the one of Iran's current president.

Another problem facing Khamenei is his current rift with Ayatollah Rafsanjani. Rafsanjani heads the " Assembly of Experts ", the only Iranian legal body able to challenge the authority of the Supreme Leader.

By choosing not to compromise, Khamenei could jeopardize the very foundation of the theocracy.

Before the election, the reformists groups were talking about a velvet revolution.

Let just hope that the regime has the intelligence to compromise despite Khamenei's tone last night, and that the sea of green of Mousavi's supporters does not turn into a river of blood.

To read the coverage of AFP click on the post title.

Last Update: 6/19/2009 @ 11:30 AM ( PST)
PersianKiwi just reported, via Twitter, that the " situation is now critical, and the Revolutionary Guard has been mobilized". Stay tuned.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Iran:Is It A Lost Battle for Ahmadinejad & The Clerics?

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

New PBS Documentary Takes Viewers Inside The Financial Collapse

Iran Crisis: Seven Killed During Protest

Monday, June 15, 2009

Iranian Crisis: Is The Obama Administration Too Cautious?

British PM Announces Probe Into Iraq War

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Ahmadinejad Defiant As Mousavi Supporters Plan Monday Protest

Abbas: Netanyahu ‘Disarmed’ Palestinian State Offer A ‘Deadly Blow’ to Peace Process

Israeli Opinion: Ahmadinejad Win Better For Israel.

Twitter Users Shame CNN For Not Covering Iran Elections, Riots

UN Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution on North Korea

ACLU Files Lawsuit Seeking Disclosure of Secret Documents On Torture

Iran’s Real Power Brokers: The Ayatollahs & The Revolutionary Guard.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Win of Iran’s Election Sparks Riots

Mousavi And Up to 100 Reformers Arrested. Many People Hurt In Riots By Police

Mousavi And Up to 100 Reformers Arrested. Many People Hurt In Riots By Police

The aftermath of the contested Iranian election on News Junkie.....

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

AP: Bin Laden Says Obama Inflaming Muslim Hatred.

The Al-Qaida figurehead broadcasts a new message on Arab television, claiming US pressure led to a campaign of "killing, fighting, bombing & destruction" in Pakistan's Swat Valley....

To read more click on the title.

BBC Report-North Korea: Tracking Kim Jong-il Successor.

Very little is know about Kim Jong-un, one of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il's sons. Even his birth's year (1983 or 1984) is a mystery. This BBC report is tracking the young man that is groomed, by his father, to be North Korea next leader......

To read more click on the title.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Is What's Good for GM Still Good For The Country?

1973 Chevy truck
Photo by Gilbert Mercier/color infrared
All Right Reserved.

More than 50 years ago, then General Motors president Charles Wilson said: "What is good for GM is good for the country." In the light of GM's chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of today, this quote from Wilson is troubling. It seems that one can say today that: What is bad for GM is bad for the country. Is America on the brink of chapter 11 bankruptcy filing?

Of course there is another way( indicated in president Obama's speech today) to look at it, as any death can be viewed as a rebirth.

Until the mid 70's the Big Three had a comfortable lock on the US market. OPEC's move to jack up oil prices in 1973 changed the parameters all of a sudden. The Japanese car industry was quick to adapt and started building fuel efficient cars. On the other hand, neither GM, Ford or Chrysler had the intelligence to do the same. They just kept building gas guzzlers for 3 decades, and were never able to grab any significant share of the fuel efficient cars market.

In the late 80's GM had a potential winner in the form of the very first electric car available on the market, they failed in seizing this opportunity and stopped the production.

Quite simply the big 3 made cars that consumers did not want to buy any longer.

General Motors was once upon a time a symbol of America's economic success, it has now become a symbol of America's failure. President Obama today said that the US government has "become a reluctant share holder of GM". It is indeed as US tax payers have now 60% shares of the bankrupted company. We should just call it for what it is: General Motors was just nationalized today, and this not necessarily a bad outcome. President Obama claims it is temporary but, in any way you look at it, the collapse of what was once the biggest company in the world, is a blow to the American psyche.

Michael Moore lives in Flint Michigan; both the birth place of General Motors & the epicenter of the economic disaster triggered by GM's collapse. He wrote this touching farewell to GM today. To read it click on the title.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

UPI:Pakistani Army Takes Back Biggest City in Swat Valley.

Pakistani officials said on Saturday that they had retaken the biggest city in Swat Valley, Mingora, from the Taliban; after fierce fighting during a month-long offensive. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis for the 2.5 Millions displaced civilian refugees from the Swat Valley continues.

Click on title to read the UPI story.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Reuters:Gates Says US Will Not Accept a Nuclear North Korea.

US Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, warns that the United States would not accept North Korea, and that the growing threat could trigger a nuclear arms race in Asia.

Click on the title to read the Reuters' story.

Putin as a Pundit:: "Why is it hard to fire people?"

Russia's strong man & Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has many talents: He is a black belt in Judo, an ex-KGB colonel, a painter & a skilled fisherman. He can now add another feather to his cap: He has just tried his hand at writing. For the first time in his career, the politician wrote a column for the new glossy & trendy Russian magazine; the Russian Pioneer.

To read article click on this post title.

NPR: Exclusive Interview With General Petraeus.

General Petraeus commands US forces in Iraq & Afghanistan. He talks with NPR about the challenges ahead.....

Click on title to go to the link.

CNN:Obama announced Cyber Czar Position.

President Obama announced on Friday the creation of a "Cyber Czar " position. This person will coordinate efforts to protect government & private computers systems from hackers, criminal gangs, terrorists & spies. Some groups are already raising concerns that it could be yet another way to control activities on the web.

To read the CNN report click on the title.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Delinquent Mortgages and Foreclosures Hit Record High.

The number of borrowers, either in foreclosure or delinquent on their mortgages, has reached the alarming record level of 12 %, according to data just released today.

To read story click on the title.

Roxana Saberi Talks About Her Imprisonment in Iran.

Journalist Roxana Saberi was just released from Iranian prison. This is her first, in depth, exclusive interview on NPR about her ordeal.

Click on the title to link on the story.

Torture Photos Show Rape and Sexual Abuse in Iraq Jails.

The torture photographs that Obama does not want released, apparently contain graphic images of rapes & detainees' sexual abuses. The story first appears in the British press and was picked up by Reuters.

Click on the title to read the story.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

AP: Car Bombing Kills Scores of People in Pakistan.

A car bomb was detonated near a police and intelligence agency (ISI) offices. It killed about 30 people and wounded a least 300. Pakistani officials said the attack is a retaliation from the Taliban for the Pakistani army's offensive in the Swat Valley....

To read the AP article, please click on the title.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Judge Sotomayor Nomination: A Very Smart Political Move.

By clicking on the title you will go to today's official press release from the White House.

President Obama made a very smart choice today in his nomination for the Supreme Court.For three reasons.

First, the gender issue:The nomination of a woman was expected by most reporters, the Supreme Court will have two women again. It is still a tilted gender representation, but anything help.

Second, the fact that the Judge is a Latina is a fantastic political move:It will help greatly Obama & the Democrats in extending an even greater support within Hispanics. Latino are, by far, the fastest growing demographic group in America. This additional support from Latinos could literally give the Democrats a permanent majority.

Third, and this probably the strongest argument: Judge Sotomayor remarkable life story offers a great narrative. It is a life story very similar to the one of president Obama himself. She was raised in the South Bronx by her widow Puerto-Rican mother. She succeeded against all odds due to her hard work and great intellectual abilities.

Just like Obama, she is the living proof that ,in America, anything is still possible. In this period of crisis it is a good message to send.

Did Digg Just Committed Social Network Suicide?

People who owns social networking sites are delusional if they don't realize that the most valuable assets are the users. The users are the one bringing a vast amount of content free of charge, and doing so increase the traffic on the sites making it a good prospect for advertisers.

Digg could claim to be the best social networking site for news & politics, up until to day that is. It had 3 features that made the discussions from all across the political spectrum and from all over the world more lively and urgent than anywhere else on the web.

One key feature remains: The front page one. It allows content to go "viral". The two other ones, scrapped by Digg today, were the "shout it " feature and the "Blog it " feature. The 1st one had the great advantage to let you share immediately a story link with your mutual friends, the 2ND one was useful for bloggers to post a link on their own blog.

Active Digg users will have to use other social networking sites (namely Facebook & Twitter) or email to connect with their friends on Digg. It will have the effect to give a serious blow to a burgeoning community.

This absurd business decision only make sense if Digg is in negotiations with either Facebook or Twitter, and one of the condition of the sale deal is for Digg to kill some of its unique features.

What social networking sites should keep in mind in that their only valuable assets are users,nothing more and nothing else.

I would not be surprised if Digg put back the features very soon once traffic on the site go down to a trickle.

CNN: Iranians Regain Access to Facebook and Twitter.

The social networking sites were back for Iranians on Tuesday, a day after the Iranian government banned access to them...

To read story click on the title.

AP:California Supreme Court upholds gay marriage ban.

California Supreme Court upholds proposition 8. However, the marriages that already took place will remain legal....

read more | digg story

NPR:Obama Nominates Sotomayor For Supreme Court.

President Obama nominated the New York federal appeals court judge as the first Hispanic to serve on the Supreme Court. The president made the announcement Tuesday morning....

read more | digg story

Monday, May 25, 2009

Suu Kyi's Trial May Further Isolate Burma.

BANGKOK, May 25 -- The decision by Burma's government to put Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate, on trial has chilled relations with some of the ruling military junta's traditional allies and made it less like likely that international sanctions against the nation will be lifted.....

read more | digg story

No way to "win" in Afghanistan

Gareth Porter, investigative historian and journalist, speaks to Paul Jay about the war in Afghanistan and Obama's recent appointment of Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal to replace General McKiernan as the US commander in Afghanistan. Porter says the McChrystal appointment won’t fulfill Obama’s supposed intention of investing in a civilian surge that

read more | digg story

CNN:Thousands Flee Life Made 'Worse than Hell' in Pakistan.

Young and old, poor and prosperous, sick and healthy; residents of Pakistan's Swat Valley continue to flee the violence that has erupted there as the military clashes with the Taliban....

read more | digg story

Shhhhhh…It’s Still a (State) Secret

In the same week as President Obama was arguing for more transparency in government and railing against the idea of protecting information “merely because it reveals the violation of a law or embarrasses the government” – he was invoking it yet again.

read more | digg story

NPR:Money To Run, But No Skills To Hide.

"Executive fugitives" are leaders of industry and finance toppled by the economic crisis and, often, their own greed. Facing financial ruin and even worse; prison, they decide to make a run for it. But these days, officials say, life on the run isn't that easy, even with a suitcase full of cash.

read more | digg story

On Torture, War, & Detention, Obama no different than Bush

Obama at this point, by covering up for official torture, and by signing on to and expanding the war in Afghanistan, and agreeing to indefinite detention of terrorist suspects, is dooming his presidency. Obama is further staining the reputation of the US, & furthering the decline of this country that was set in motion by his predecessors.

read more | digg story

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Meet the Puppet Master: Zbigniew Brzezinski

Obama puppetmaster, Zbigniew Brzezinski, interspersed with quotes taken directly from Brzezinski's books.

read more | digg story

Military Draft:The Way Out Of War Mongering Policies.

Last week the Senate voted to approve the astronomical war supplemental(for Iraq & Afghanistan) bill at a cost of $91.3 Billion. 86 Senators voted for it, only 3 opposed the bill. If we had a draft, and their sons & daughters could be send to war, I think the war mongering fervor of US politicians would considerably cool off......

read more | digg story

Biden's Lebanon Trip Sparks Charge of Interference

Vice President Joe Biden reinforces U.S. support for Lebanon's government ahead of key parliamentary elections. Hezbollah has accused Washington of trying to influence the June 7 election and says visits by White House officials raised "strong suspicion and amounted to a clear and detailed interference in Lebanon's affairs."

read more | digg story

Iraq:As US prepares to withdraw,Sunnis Prepare For Battle.

"There will be a war in Baghdad, it will burn" warns a Sunni resistance leader.Sunnis are bitter about the lack of progress and concessions from the Shiite controlled government since laying down their arms. Is Iraq on the brink of an all out civil war?

read more | digg story

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Facebook User:"Telling Dick Cheney To Shut The Hell up."

This Facebook user ( Telling Dick Cheney to shut the hell up) joined the social network 3 days ago. In 3 days, 82,074 users have become his/her fans. From the 2 posts the user got 1,510 comments on one & 885 on the other one. This incredible amount of activity proves how much Dick Cheney is still the left favorite punching bag.....

read more | digg story

History, culture and exile: Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan

The number of Sikhs & Hindus in Afghanistan is unknown; estimates range from 2-3000. There were high hopes when the Taliban regime was toppled, and there was a window of opportunity for a better Afghanistan to be built. That window has proved to be a false dawn, and Afghanistan has fallen back into armed warlordism and tribal conflict.

read more | digg story

Military Draft:The Way Out Of War Mongering Policies.

Photographs by Gilbert Mercier
All Rights Reserved.

America has been at war for the past 8 years. We have currently 2 wars ( 3 if you count Pakistan) going on, yet most Americans have not been asked for any personal sacrifice to this war effort.

Americans seem to be a lot more interested in mindless distractions such as American Idols or sports as opposed to what truly matter: Why are we fighting so many conflicts with such a heavy toll in human life and at an unbearable cost for a nation in financial crisis?

George W. Bush called himself a "war president " as many times as possible to justify countless quasi dictatorial actions to govern in secrecy, spy on the American people & "legally " torture prisoners detained in US custody. Yet, the very same George W. Bush, and his VP Dick Cheney, when given the opportunity to do their duty & serve their country in Vietnam acted like the cowards they truly are. Bush's father used his political influence to make sure that George junior would not be deployed in Vietnam. Dick Cheney was a 5 times draft dodger.

It seems pretty obvious that the Vietnam war would have dragged on for a lot longer without the draft. It certainly motivated the anti-war movement in America at the time.

Very few countries still have a military draft; among them Russia & Israel. France had a draft up until the 90's. I served in the French military, and my experience made me realized that the military was even worse than what I thought before being drafted. The experience turned me into a peace activist for life. Most armies operate the very same way: At first the hierarchy brakes your will power to make sure you will never put orders into question no matter how absurd and/or criminal they might be.

Obama is yet another "war president " assuming the role of Commander in Chief with absolutely no personal military experience. In football, Obama would be the very definition of an armchair quarterback. Yet, it does not seem to bother anyone in America. Americans are under the false and very dangerous impression that wars should be handled by professionals military men. This is the best way to have endless conflicts for one simple reason: Military men only understand military solutions and certainly not political ones.

It seems paradoxical, but I think that the only way to break with the vicious logic of permanent warfare is to institute a mandatory draft. Unlike the one during the Vietnam-era it should be across board ( for men & women) with no exception. We could have 2 options: A two years tour of duty if serving in the military or three years if serving in civilian capacities.

Last week the Senate voted for an astronomical supplemental bill ( money we currently don't have) to fund the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. The amount was $ 91.3 Billion, only 3 Senators opposed the bill ( Coburn, Feingold, Sanders), 86 Senators approved the bill with enthusiasm. What I can guarantee, if we had a draft and their sons & daughters could be send to war, is that it's likely that the bill would not have passed.

Cato Inst:Bush Paved The Way For Obama's Imperial Presidency

Gene Healy is a VP at the Cato Institute & the author of "The cult of the presidency:America's dangerous devotion to executive power". He writes:"On the campaign trail, in 2008, Obama promised that he'd take a different approach to presidential power. Last week, he faced his first serious test of whether he meant what he said. He failed......

read more | digg story

The Cheney Fallacy & Obama's New " War On Terror".

Cheney says that Obama's reversal of Bush-era terrorism policies endangers American security.However, there is a big problem with Cheney's criticisms: His premise is largely wrong.Obama has copied most of the Bush program even extending some of it.....

read more | digg story

The CIA and Its History of Bamboozling The Congress

here is a long and substantiated record of CIA deceit and dissembling to the congressional intelligence committees. The CIA lied to Senator Dick Clark, who was a critic of the Agency’s illegal collaborations with South Africa against Angola and Mozambique. Cheney and Rumsfeld worked with the CIA to create phony intel to send covert arms to Angola.

read more | digg story

Anarchy is Coming to America

With massive government debasing of the fiat U.S. Dollar, with mounting decades of hypermilitarism, with the destabilising effects of ever more central planning, could the statist American Empire collapse within the next four years? And if it does, how will citizens cope?

read more | digg story

Lebanon-Biden:"US To Base Aid on Election Outcome."

Joe Biden is in Beirut ahead of a key election that could see Hezbollah seize a majority in parliament. Biden said that the US would assess future aid to Lebanon based on the new government policies.This statement seems to be a blatant effort to influence the outcome of the elections....

read more | digg story

Wealth:Only Mexico & Russia More Unequal Than America.

The wealthy are also feeling the pinch of the global recession. The extremes of wealth in the US & Britain had reached level not seen since the 1920's.The gains from recent economic growth flowed disproportionately to the wealthy.The top 10% earners received the vast majority of the growth of 1996-2005.It is not sustainable in the long run....

read more | digg story

AP-Obama Keeps Mum About Conversation With George W. Bush.

Obama said in an interview with C-Span, to be aired today, that he spoke with George W. Bush since he became president. He didn't want to elaborate on the details. Is he seeking advises from Bush?

read more | digg story

Friday, May 22, 2009

Afghanistan:US Commander Pakistan Warning.

Admiral Mullen warns that the troop surge is likely to push some Taliban out of Afghanistan in to Pakistan, and further destabilized the situation there....

read more | digg story

Pakistan Claims More Gains Against The Taliban.

A top Pakistani general said Friday that the military has succeeded in clearing two militant strongholds in upper parts of the contested Swat Valley......

read more | digg story

AP-To Cover Both Wars, Senate Passes $91.3 Billion Bill.

Senate approves Obama war funding request.....

read more | digg story

Obama, Cheney Face Off On Torture

In dramatic, back-to-back speeches, the president repudiated the Bush administration for choosing "expedience" over the rule of law. The former VP, meanwhile, warned that Obama's efforts to find "middle ground" would leave the country exposed to attack.....

read more | digg story

Thursday, May 21, 2009

NOLA Post Katrina in Photos: Slowly Coming Back to Life.

Today, Mayor Nagin stated that life in New-Orleans was back to normal. Well, the Big Easy still has some way to go even for a partial recovery. This is a visual testimony of the recovery process with the men & women trying to make it happen....

read more | digg story