Sunday, July 31, 2011
#IRAQ: War is illegal says Annan..
The United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has told the BBC the US-led invasion of Iraq was an illegal act that contravened the UN charter.
He said the decision to take action in Iraq should have been made by the Security Council, not unilaterally.
The UK government responded by saying the attorney-general made the "legal basis... clear at the time".
Mr Annan also warned security in Iraq must considerably improve if credible elections are to be held in January.
The UN chief said in an interview with the BBC World Service that "painful lessons" had been learnt since the war in Iraq.
"Lessons for the US, the UN and other member states. I think in the end everybody's concluded it's best to work together with our allies and through the UN," he said.
'Valid'
He said he believed there should have been a second UN resolution following Iraq's failure to comply over weapons inspections.
And it should have been up to the Security Council to approve or determine the consequences, he added.
When pressed on whether he viewed the invasion of Iraq as illegal, he said: "Yes, if you wish. I have indicated it was not in conformity with the UN charter from our point of view, from the charter point of view, it was illegal."
Mr Annan's comments provoked angry suggestions from a former Bush administration aide that they were timed to influence the US November election.
"I think it is outrageous for the Secretary-General, who ultimately works for the member states, to try and supplant his judgement for the judgement of the member states," Randy Scheunemann, a former advisor to US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told the BBC.
A UK foreign office spokeswoman said: "The Attorney-General made the government's position on the legal basis for the use of military force in Iraq clear at the time".
Australian Prime Minister John Howard also rejected Mr Annan's remarks, saying the legal advice he was given was "entirely valid".
The BBC's Susannah Price at UN headquarters in New York says Mr Annan has made similar comments before.
He has said from the beginning the invasion did not conform with the UN charter - phrasing that was seen as a diplomatic way of saying the war was illegal.
Our correspondent says Mr Annan's relationship with the US might be made a little uncomfortable for a while following his comments, but both sides are likely to want to play it down.
US President George W Bush is due to speak at the UN General Assembly next week.
Iraq elections
Mr Annan also said in the interview the UN would give advice and assistance in the run-up to the elections, but it was up to the Iraqi interim government to decide whether such a vote should go ahead.
He warned there could not be "credible elections if the security conditions continue as they are now".
The UK foreign office spokeswoman said there was a full commitment to hold elections in January.
Election and political party laws had already been passed and an independent electoral commission established.
"The task is huge and the deadline tight, but the Iraqi people clearly want elections," she said.
On Wednesday, the head of the British army General Sir Mike Jackson said national elections in Iraq were still on track.
On Monday, Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said elections must go ahead as planned although he conceded the violence might stop some Iraqis voting.
However, a day later a car bomb close to an Iraqi police station in central Baghdad killed 47 people and gunmen opened fire on a police minibus in Baquba, killing 12.
#Bush’s Shadow Army
Blackwater has repeatedly cited Rumsfeld’s statement that contractors are part of the “Total Force” as evidence that it is a legitimate part of the nation’s “warfighting capability and capacity.” Invoking Rumsfeld’s designation, the company has in effect declared its forces above the law — entitled to the immunity from civilian lawsuits enjoyed by the military, but also not bound by the military’s court martial system. While the initial inquiries into Blackwater have focused on the complex labyrinth of secretive subcontracts under which it operates in Iraq, a thorough investigation into the company reveals a frightening picture of a politically connected private army that has become the Bush Administration’s Praetorian Guard.
Pope Benedict with SMOM Grandmaster Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie
Sarah Brown and the VATICAN
The next day she posted up a picture from the Vatican, captioned “Meeting
His Holiness the Pope”, before visiting the earthquake-torn town of
L’Aquila, then heading off for an Italian cultural tour where for lunch she
had “green pea (yes, green!) ice-cream as a starter”.
His Holiness the Pope”, before visiting the earthquake-torn town of
L’Aquila, then heading off for an Italian cultural tour where for lunch she
had “green pea (yes, green!) ice-cream as a starter”.
http://bestarticlesezines.com/breaking-news/operation-sarah-how-the-prime-ministers-wife-is-rebranding-herself/
#Chilcot #Blair : Chilcot to criticise BLIAR over Iraq... a little late, over 1 million are dead.
Tony Blair is likely to be criticised heavily by the official inquiry into the Iraq war, which is expected to focus on his failure to consult the cabinet fully in the run-up to the 2003 invasion.
The Mail on Sunday reports today that Sir John Chilcot, the former permanent secretary at the Northern Ireland Office who is chairing the inquiry, has identified a series of concerns. These include:
• failing to keep cabinet ministers fully informed of Blair's plans in the run-up to the invasion in March 2003. The committee is understood to have been impressed by the criticism voiced by Lord Butler of Brockwell, the former cabinet secretary, that Blair ran a sofa government.
• failing to present intelligence in a proper way. In his inquiry into the use of intelligence, published in July 2004, Butler said the usual MI6 caveats were stripped out of the famous Downing Street arms dossier of September 2002.
• failing to be open with ministers about understandings Blair reached with George Bush in the year running up to the invasion.
Blair today hit out at the Mail on Sunday. A source close to the former prime minister said: "This is a deliberate attempt to pre-judge a report that hasn't even been written yet."
Angus Robertson, the SNP's leader at Westminster, said: "The tapestry of deceit woven by Tony Blair over the past decade has finally unravelled. Despite his best attempts to fudge the issue when he was called to give evidence, the Chilcot inquiry have recognised the former prime minister's central role in leading the UK into worst foreign policy disaster in recent history.
"While no inquiry will ever bring back those lost in Iraq, this comprehensive review by Sir John Chilcot will at least provide some explanation of the decisions which led to the disastrous invasion."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/jul/31/chilcot-criticise-tony-blair-iraq?CMP=twt_gu
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Rupert #Murdoch, Papal Knight, Publisher of NIV, Donates $10 Million for New LA Cathedral
Media Mogul Rupert Murdoch recently made a $10 million contribution toward the construction of a new Catholic cathedral in Los Angeles. Murdoch has wide holdings in the movie, TV and publishing industries including Fox Television, 20th Century Fox Films, London Times and New York Post newspapers, Harper Collins and Zondervan publishing companies.
But the fact that his TV stations and movie productions are some of the sleaziest, did not stop Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony from anointing him and his wife as members of the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great in January, 1998. This knighthood, bestowed on behalf of the pope, is given to persons of "unblemished character" who have "promoted the interests of society, the [Catholic] Church and the Holy See [Vatican]."
Besides this strange connection, there is an even stranger one. Murdoch is Chairman and Chief Executive of News Corporation which lists as one of its holdings, Zondervan Publishing House, the designated publisher of the New International Version of the Bible (NIV). Although the NIV copyright is held by the International Bible Society, Zondervan has exclusive publishing rights.
It is also curious that since Murdoch was knighted for his "unblemished character" that he abandoned his wife of 31 years and married one of his "dynamic, tall and gorgeous" female employees who is half his age. When Cardinal Mahony's office was asked if the knighthood honor would be revoked, a spokesman replied, "As far as I know, once you've got it, you've got it for good."
#Blair to join Catholic Church in a matter of weeks.
Blair to join Catholic church 'in weeks'
Fri 9 Nov 2007
RHIANNON EDWARDhttp://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1780102007
TONY Blair, the former prime minister, is set to become a Roman Catholic within weeks, it emerged yesterday.
Mr Blair, currently an Anglican, is expected to be received into the church in a mass at the private chapel of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster.
His wife, Cherie, and four children are Catholics and the family have worshipped together for years.
In one of his final acts as premier, Mr Blair met Pope Benedict and was believed to have told him of his determination to leave the Church of England.
The move was disclosed by the Catholic weekly The Tablet, which said the service would be held this month.
Mr Blair's spokesman did not deny the story, but said: "This is the same old speculation."
However, a friend said it was "not without substance".
His move will divide Catholics. As an MP Mr Blair voted for abortion at up to 24 weeks.
All four of the Blair children were baptised as Catholics and the whole family used to attend mass at St Joan of Arc Church in Islington, north London.
After becoming prime minister in 1997 he was told to stop taking Holy Communion by the late Cardinal Hume, then leader of Catholics in England and Wales.
He continued to attend private masses with Fr Michael Seed, a Westminster priest.
Fri 9 Nov 2007
RHIANNON EDWARDhttp://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1780102007
TONY Blair, the former prime minister, is set to become a Roman Catholic within weeks, it emerged yesterday.
Mr Blair, currently an Anglican, is expected to be received into the church in a mass at the private chapel of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster.
His wife, Cherie, and four children are Catholics and the family have worshipped together for years.
In one of his final acts as premier, Mr Blair met Pope Benedict and was believed to have told him of his determination to leave the Church of England.
The move was disclosed by the Catholic weekly The Tablet, which said the service would be held this month.
Mr Blair's spokesman did not deny the story, but said: "This is the same old speculation."
However, a friend said it was "not without substance".
His move will divide Catholics. As an MP Mr Blair voted for abortion at up to 24 weeks.
All four of the Blair children were baptised as Catholics and the whole family used to attend mass at St Joan of Arc Church in Islington, north London.
After becoming prime minister in 1997 he was told to stop taking Holy Communion by the late Cardinal Hume, then leader of Catholics in England and Wales.
He continued to attend private masses with Fr Michael Seed, a Westminster priest.
#Bush #SMOM Papal Knight
SMOM Papal Knight Bush snr with Military Vicar &
SMOM leadership Cardinal Edward Egan at the Al Smith Dinner.
Rupert #Murdoch, Michael Blooming and Eliot Spitzer are SMOM Papal Knights
Remember Egan is the most powerful man in the Americas apart from his Jesuit controllers. He is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta's, Military Vicar and of course the Vatican's Archbishop of New York. Please remember that Rupert Murdoch, Michael Bloomberg and Eliot Spitzer are SMOM Papal Knights. These are subordinate to Edward Egan, Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie, Pope and the Superior Jesuit General. Heres a picture of SMOM Papal Knight, George H.W. Bush along with SMOM Papal Knight, Michael Bloomberg with their master, Edward Egan:
TONY #BLAIR. Knights of #MALTA
TONY BLAIR
ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
FRONT PUPPETS OF THE
KNIGHTS OF MALTA
Tony Blair fuels EU presidency speculation
Times OnlineJanuary 12, 2008
Robert Watts, The Sunday Times http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/poli...SS&attr=2015164
TONY BLAIR today fuelled further speculation that he will run for election as the European Union’s first full-time president later this year.
Speaking in Paris this morning, the former prime minister called for a “strong and united Europe”, adding that members fail to deliver what their citizens want when they act as individual nations.
Blair said: “Europe is not a question of left or right, but a question of the future or the past, or strength or weakness.”
“Terrorism, security, immigration, organised crime, energy, the environment, science, biotechnology and higher education… In all of these areas, and others, we are much stronger and able to deliver what our citizens expect from us as individual nations if we are part of a strong and united Europe.”
The speech, delivered in French to members of the ruling centre-right UMP party, will be seen widely as Blair’s calling card for the new post of President of the European Council.
The post is to be created in the second half of 2008, with the appointment process to be overseen by France, during its leadership of the EU later this year.
French president Nicholas Sarkozy, who invited Blair to give the address, described the former British prime minister as “one of Europe’s greats”.
Sarkozy last year said Blair was one of two obvious candidates for EU presidency. Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxembourg prime minister, was the other name proffered by the French premier.
“When we appoint this president of the European Union, I want us to set the bar high and not aim for the lowest common denominator,” Sarkozy said, who also called for a common energy and defence policies across Europe.
“I am a friend of the United States but I insist that Europe give itself autonomous means to defend itself because if one is not capable of this, one is not capable of assuming one’s independence.”
If Blair does become the EU’s president, he may have to step down as a Middle East peace envoy.
The former prime minister now divides his time between the Middle East role, charity work and delivering highly-lucrative speeches. He has also signed a £5million contract for his memoirs.
It was announced last week that he has been appointed as an advisor to the US investment bank J P Morgan, for an annual fee of around £500,000.
During his speech, Blair praised Sarkozy leadership and joked that could easily fit in with his style of government.
In a comment that drew laughter from the audience, Blair spoke of Sarkozy’s “energy in all areas” – an allusion to the French leader’s relationship with a Carla Bruni, a former model and singer.
ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
FRONT PUPPETS OF THE
KNIGHTS OF MALTA
Tony Blair fuels EU presidency speculation
Times OnlineJanuary 12, 2008
Robert Watts, The Sunday Times http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/poli...SS&attr=2015164
TONY BLAIR today fuelled further speculation that he will run for election as the European Union’s first full-time president later this year.
Speaking in Paris this morning, the former prime minister called for a “strong and united Europe”, adding that members fail to deliver what their citizens want when they act as individual nations.
Blair said: “Europe is not a question of left or right, but a question of the future or the past, or strength or weakness.”
“Terrorism, security, immigration, organised crime, energy, the environment, science, biotechnology and higher education… In all of these areas, and others, we are much stronger and able to deliver what our citizens expect from us as individual nations if we are part of a strong and united Europe.”
The speech, delivered in French to members of the ruling centre-right UMP party, will be seen widely as Blair’s calling card for the new post of President of the European Council.
The post is to be created in the second half of 2008, with the appointment process to be overseen by France, during its leadership of the EU later this year.
French president Nicholas Sarkozy, who invited Blair to give the address, described the former British prime minister as “one of Europe’s greats”.
Sarkozy last year said Blair was one of two obvious candidates for EU presidency. Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxembourg prime minister, was the other name proffered by the French premier.
“When we appoint this president of the European Union, I want us to set the bar high and not aim for the lowest common denominator,” Sarkozy said, who also called for a common energy and defence policies across Europe.
“I am a friend of the United States but I insist that Europe give itself autonomous means to defend itself because if one is not capable of this, one is not capable of assuming one’s independence.”
If Blair does become the EU’s president, he may have to step down as a Middle East peace envoy.
The former prime minister now divides his time between the Middle East role, charity work and delivering highly-lucrative speeches. He has also signed a £5million contract for his memoirs.
It was announced last week that he has been appointed as an advisor to the US investment bank J P Morgan, for an annual fee of around £500,000.
During his speech, Blair praised Sarkozy leadership and joked that could easily fit in with his style of government.
In a comment that drew laughter from the audience, Blair spoke of Sarkozy’s “energy in all areas” – an allusion to the French leader’s relationship with a Carla Bruni, a former model and singer.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
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