Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: corporate, corruption, court, election, obama, supreme
Can’t argue too much with this article. It really provided a clear framework for understanding the evolution towards the concept of “corporate personhood”. For too long corporations have been trying to extend the Constitutionally-protected rights of individuals onto their own corporate entities. With recent U.S Supreme Court rulings that allow corporations unprecedented influence in U.S elections, the principles that defined American government are slowly being lost. Of course Obama, desperate for any semblance of legitimacy, is quick to renounce the decision as if his position offers him no leverage to alleviate the situation in any way. Corporations, syndicates, cartels–whatever they are called, have demonstrated significant control over the functioning of the American government for decades and now they are on the cusp of a takeover. Sounds serious, huh?
Vi Ransel: Cold Case Democracy and the Doctrine of “Corporate Personhood” (part II)
Filed under: Latin America | Tags: aid, dod, haiti, military, obama, southcom, us
It just so happened that SOUTHCOM was conducting a drill involving assisting Haiti in the aftermath of a hurricane the day before the first earthquake hit the island nation. It was at this point that U.S commanders decided to take the drill “live”. Thank god for the U.S military and its uncanny ability to predict disasters in the days before they occur.
Michel Chossudovsky: A Haiti Disaster Relief Scenario Was Envisaged by the US Military One Day Before the Earthquake
A Haiti disaster relief scenario had been envisaged at the headquarters of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in Miami one day prior to the earthquake.
The holding of pre-disaster simulations pertained to the impacts of a hurricane in Haiti. They were held on January 11. (Bob Brewin, Defense launches online system to coordinate Haiti relief efforts (1/15/10) — GovExec.com, complete text of article is contained in Annex)
The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), which is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense (DoD), was involved in organizing these scenarios on behalf of US Southern Command.(SOUTHCOM).
Defined as a “Combat Support Agency”, DISA has a mandate to provide IT and telecommunications, systems, logistics services in support of the US military. (See DISA website: Defense Information Systems Agency).
On the day prior to the earthquake, “on Monday [January 11, 2010], Jean Demay, DISA’s technical manager for the agency’s Transnational Information Sharing Cooperation project, happened to be at the headquarters of the U.S. Southern Command in Miami preparing for a test of the system in a scenario that involved providing relief to Haiti in the wake of a hurricane.” (Bob Brewin, op cit, emphasis added) Continue reading
Filed under: Latin America | Tags: aid, doctors, haiti, military, port-au-prince, relief, us
After successfully gaining control of the Port-au-Prince airport, the goals for U.S military engagement have focused on domestic policing and ensuring the freedom of movement for American forces and equipment. These objectives are being accomplished with resolute action, while the real issue of Haitian humanitarian needs are being grossly overlooked and (purposely?) hampered.
The main pipeline for relief services and aid Haiti in the aftermath of several earthquakes has been completely disabled as American military officials are refusing to allow vital medical necessities to land in the country, claiming that flights with “known” cargo are being given preferential treatment. Obviously at this point, “known” cargo is that which originates from the U.S military. Worse, equipment which is being allowed to land is being distributed so ineffectively and slow that its impact is woefully inadequate to ensure an increased survival rate. Deaths from gangrene, starvation and malnutrition are increasing dramatically due to this incompetence/malfeasance. Workers and volunteers from other nations (Iceland, Cuba, D. Republic) are assisting with no military escort and limited resources and seem to be having more effect then the remarkably militaristic disposition of the U.S
Global Research: US military blocks relief efforts in Haiti
2009-01-19; Doctors Without Borders: Doctors Without Borders Plane with Lifesaving Medical Supplies Diverted Again from Landing in Haiti
An MSF cargo plane carrying 12 tons of lifesaving medical supplies has been turned away three times from Port-au-Prince airport since Sunday night, despite assurances of its ability to land.
2009-01-17; Doctors Without Borders: Doctors Without Borders Cargo Plane With Full Hospital and Staff Blocked From Landing in Port-au-Prince
Democracy Now!: Bottled Water Supplies in Port-au-Prince Airport Being Distributed…to US Embassy
Filed under: Latin America | Tags: aid, aristide, cia, earthquake, haiti, obama, port-au-prince, quake, relief
We’re back. OK. The tragic situation in Haiti has brought the plight of one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere to the forefront of international media concern. Resulting events are are likely to produce an outwardly egalitarian motivation for assisting the millions of indigent and homeless in the wake of these events– with the U.S government attempting to take the lead in post-disaster relief. However, while doctors, construction equipment, triage kits, and basic supplies are desperately needed as chaos begins to hit the streets, the U.S seems intent of fulfilling military and strategic objectives long before tangible assistance can be observed. The logjam of military equipment at the Port-au-Prince airport, military surveillance aircraft, CIA operatives and photo-ops for Obama highlight U.S response to a purely humanitarian objective. This clearly signals the DOD and its intentions to expand their presence into Latin America to be used as a base of operations against non-cooperative leaders and a strategic area for military deployment to Africa and the Antarctic– demonstrated by Chavez and Morales at the ALBA meeting some months ago. This could be the new American bulwark in the Caribbean.
U.S military equipment waiting to be deployed in Port-au-Prince
Global Research: The Militarization of Emergency Aid to Haiti: Is it a Humanitarian Operation or an Invasion?
Online Journal: U.S. troops in Haiti to prevent Aristide’s return
Duty Now For The Future 