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October 24, 2001 - 6:07pm -- jim
Analysis & Polemic
News

Anonymous Comrade writes: "Passion and Reason

by Umberto Eco

from Der Spiegel
http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/literatur/0,1518,1639 07-3,00.html
(original Italian; re-translation from German by Kermit Snelson)



The religious wars that have drenched the world in blood for centuries all
arose from a passionate attachment to simplifying binaries: we vs. they, good
vs. evil, black vs. white. If Western culture has proven fruitful, it is
because it has been forced to "liberate" itself from such damaging
simplifications through the spirit of inquiry and criticism.



Of course, this has not been invariably the case. Hitler burned books,
condemned "degenerate art" and killed members of "inferior races", but he too
belongs to the history of Western culture. But if we are to prevent new towers
from collapsing, even those that will come after us, it is the best aspects of
our culture which we must discuss with young people of every skin color.

October 24, 2001 - 4:45pm -- jim
News

TAZ writes: "What a refreshing alternative consideration ! The only one that makes sense, is it possible to "halt the war on Afghanistan?"


UN set to appeal for halt in the bombing

Jason Burke, Peshawar

Sunday October 21, 2001

The Observer

The United Nations is set to issue an unprecedented appeal to the United States and its coalition allies to halt the war on Afghanistan and allow time for a huge relief operation.

October 21, 2001 - 8:03pm -- nomadlab
News

Louis Lingg writes: "The Times of India has posted an article on Washington's efforts to gain a handle on Pakistan's nuclear weapons system, as well as their free-wheeling intelligence apparatus--the ISI (Inter-Service Intelligence).

Caveat: India, of course, is Pakistan's nuclear-armed rival, and is providing the opposition Northern Alliance in Afghanistan with military and financial support."

October 19, 2001 - 8:47pm -- Stenglander
News

nomadlab writes: "This is the most recent statement from RAWA (The Revolutionary Association of the Wom Afganistan":

Again, due to the treason of fundamentalist hangmen, our people have been caught in the claws of the monster of a vast war and destruction.

America, by forming an international coalition against Osama and his Taliban-collaborators and in retaliation for the 11th September terrorist attacks, has launched a vast aggression on our country.

Despite the claim of the US that only military and terrorist bases of the Taliban and Al Qieda will be struck and that its actions would be accurately targeted and proportionate, we have witnessed for the past seven days leaves no doubt that this invasion will shed the blood of numerous women, men, children, young and old of our country.


If until yesterday the US and its allies, without paying the least attention to the fate of democracy in Afghanistan, were supporting the policy of Jehadis-fostering, Osama-fostering and Taliban- fostering, today they are sharpening the dagger of the "Northern Alliance". And because of this policy they have plunged our people into a horrific concern and anxiety in fear of re-experiencing the dreadful happenings of the years of the Jehadis' "emirate".

Afghans, while keeping in mind the tremendous disasters they faced at the hands of Jehadi and Taliban vultures, just hang onto their hope for the return of the ex-king. However, if he comes to the scene while relying on the "Northern Alliance" and so-called "moderate" Taliban, he not only will lose his reputation among the people but it will endanger the stability and success of whatever set-up he forms.


read the rest of this statement at infoshop.org"

October 19, 2001 - 4:40am -- Stenglander
Events
News

International Monetary Fund
700 19th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20431 USA



IMFC and Development Committee Meetings To Be Held November 17-18, 2001
in Ottawa



The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Horst Köhler,
and the President of the World Bank, James D. Wolfensohn, after
consultation with the institutions' Boards of Executive Directors, and
with the chairmen of the International Monetary and Financial Committee
(IMFC) and the Development Committee (DC), Gordon Brown and Yashwant
Sinha, are pleased to accept the invitation made by the Canadian Finance
Minister, Paul Martin, to host meetings of the IMFC and DC in Ottawa on
November 17-18, 2001.



These meetings will bring together ministers and central bank governors
from around the world to discuss issues of importance to the membership
of the IMF and World Bank, especially including the global economic
outlook in the wake of the tragic events of September 11; their impact,
in particular, on the poorest; the ongoing work to improve the stability
of the international financial system; and preparations for the
forthcoming United Nations Conference on Financing for Development.



IMF EXTERNAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT

Public Affairs: 202-623-7300 - Fax: 202-623-6278

Media Relations: 202-623-7100 - Fax: 202-623-6772

October 17, 2001 - 8:37pm -- jim
News

An international Gallup poll
(http://www.gallup-international.com/terrorismpoll _figures.htm)
showed :



A full 32 out of 35 countries (the US, Israel and India in opposition) favored
a criminal justice response, rather than military action, in response to the
terrorist attack on America.



The numbers were clear: 67%-88% in NATO/Western countries and 83%-94% in Latin
America favoring a non-military approach.



Surprisingly, 30% of US respondents also supported this option even though US
corporate media consistently ignores it.



France had the highest support for military action of the European countries
with 30%. Britain 18. Greece with 8%.



All of the European countries were well above 60% in support of extradition to
stand trial.



It would be surprising and welcome if any of the corporate media in the US
reported this.



No doubt if the results were the opposite every single corporate media outlet
would carry it.



Once agendas are set, only approved "facts" are selected instead of the other
way around.



So much for a reasoned approach.

October 17, 2001 - 8:43am -- nick
Analysis & Polemic
News

Readers interested in the following story may also wish to read our earlier piece:World Bank Responds to Four Demands from Mobilization for Global Justice.

Joe Stiglitz: The Globalizer Who Came In From The Cold



The World Bank's former Chief Economist's accusations are
eye-popping - including how the IMF and US Treasury fixed the
Russian elections



by Greg Palast, The Observer, London, October 10, 2001



"It has condemned people to death," the former apparatchik told
me. This was like a scene out of Le Carre. The brilliant old
agent comes in from the cold, crosses to our side, and in hours
of debriefing, empties his memory of horrors committed in the
name of a political ideology he now realizes has gone rotten.



And here before me was a far bigger catch than some used Cold War
spy. Joseph Stiglitz was Chief Economist of the World Bank. To a
great extent, the new world economic order was his theory come to
life.

October 16, 2001 - 4:38pm -- nick
News

jim writes: "Bomb Hits Kabul Red Cross Center



The Associated Press

Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2001; 9:02 a.m. EDT

KABUL, Afghanistan –– The compound of the International Committee of the Red Cross was struck Tuesday by a U.S. bomb which destroyed wheat and other humanitarian supplies, committee officials and witnesses said. One Afghan security guard was injured.



"Two depots of the Red Cross were destroyed," ICRC security chief Mullah Rohani said as he stood before the smoking compound in northern Kabul. "We are very sad because these things belong to the people."


October 16, 2001 - 1:56pm -- nick
News

WORLD WAR III REPORT
#. 1. Sept. 30, 2001



by Bill Weinberg



WATCHING THE SHADOWS

US DRUG WAR AID TO TALIBAN?

Since the September 11 terrorist attacks and President Bush's declaration of "World War III" on regimes that support terrorism, a May 22 Los Angeles Times opinion piece by Robert Scheer has been circulating on the Internet, claiming that the US gave $43 million in Drug War aid to Afghanistan's Taliban regime this year. However, according to a May 18 AP report, the aid was mostly for drought relief, and to be distributed through NGOs, ostensibly bypassing the Taliban.

October 15, 2001 - 3:39pm -- Uncle Fluffy
Analysis & Polemic
News

nomadlab writes: "first it was a Pakistani businessman and three Arab
Americans being removed from the planes they had tickets for because of fearful
passengers and crews.


then Eighty passengers and five crew members were held aboard a jet for three hours after it landed because a passenger said a man had dispersed a powdery substance in the ventilation system.


The substance was confetti from a greeting card that a man had accidentally spilled, FBI spokesman Andrew Black said.


and yesterday a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Newark, N.J. was diverted to North Carolina after two men were seen huddled together and speaking a foreign language in the back of the plane, officials said.


Officials at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport initially received reports that the men were trying to break into the cockpit, said Aviation Director Jerry Orr. It turned out to be two orthodox Jewish men praying together in the back of the plane, he said."

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