Flashpoints Jan 27, 2003: ISM members Schurr + Gwynn, Narco News; Bush oks Nukes

Monday, Jan 27, 2003 - Start Audio
-00:00 Dennis Bernstein: introduction: revealed: Bush administration contingency plans to use nuclear weapons against Iraq.. uniformed Israeli terrorists kill 14, and threaten to rape a 65 year old woman member of the International Solidarity Movement.. Al Giordano of Narco News nails the NY Times for bias (again)..
-01:00 Robert Knight and the Knight Report.. Robert: An increasingly desperate White House today asserts an Iraq - Al Qaeda connection.. now w Jim Paul of the Global Policy Forum.. no reason to think it is anything but a prefabricated charge with no basis in fact.. no evidence whatsoever.. another administration lie to scare US citizens.. the administration's strategy to make everyone believe opponents are lily-livered.. the propaganda apparatus in high gear.. Negroponte and his British counterpart looked scarey today.. whereas the ambassador from South Africa, calmly saying there is another way out.. Washington is committed to having a war.. I fear the US and the UK are going to get themselves a resolution by the Security Council.. another Blix report on February 14.. Bush may wait until then, meanwhile cajoling, bribing, threating the other members of the SC.
-05:58 Dennis: over the weekend, uniformed Israeli terrorists kill at least 12, and more than 70 wounded.. dozens of tanks roll into Gaza City.. now w Kristen Schurr of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).. Kristen: Israeli military invaded Gaza by land and air.. attacks by Apache homicide helicopter missiles.. tanks even more frightening.. death toll 14.. and dozens of businesses destroyed.. over 70 injured.. 10 seriously.. many homes destroyed.. a man shot on a rooftop of the building where I live.. most of the casualites the night before last.. the Israeli terrorists blew up the bridges, so there was no escape for the people.. then sent missiles.. some people able to get away on a road.. the next day the Israelis strung barbed wire across the road, stopping the peoples escape.. now they're sitting ducks, nothing for the people to do.. ISRAEL KILLED TWO PEOPLE YESTERDAY, A FATHER AND CHILD.. AND OPENED FIRE ON KIDS PLAYING SOCCER.. SNIPERS SHOT A MAN REPAIRING AN ANTENNA ON A ROOF.. people expecting a massacre, people can't get out.. but the Israeli propaganda machine so powerful that the world thinks the Palestinians deserve to be tortured to death like this.. 30% OF THE KILLED ARE CHILDREN.. TYPICAL THAT THE ISRAELIS TAKE AIM AT THE KIDS.. THEY SHOT TO MAIM USUALLY.. LOTS OF KIDS ON CRUTCHES, INTERNAL INJURIES.. BULLETS IN THEIR BODIES, BONES BROKEN, NOT HEALED PROPERLY.. NOT GOOD FOOD, BODIES WON'T HEAL.. PEOPLE ARE LUCKY IF THE ARMY DOESN'T SWEEP INTO THEIR HOUSES AT NIGHT AND ARREST THEM IN THEIR SLEEP.. Dennis: reads a BBC report.. Kristen: we know good and well that ALL PALESTINIANS ARE WANTED.. ALL PALESTINIANS ARE UNDER ATTACK.. WHEN PALESTINIANS ARE INVOLVED IN NON-VIOLENT RESISTANCE THEY ARE PUT IN PRISON.. AND WHEN PALESTINIANS ARE INVOLVED IN VIOLENT RESISTANCE THEY ARE PUT IN PRISON.. THIS (GAZA) IS A PLACE WHERE DEFENDING YOUR HOME IS CONSIDERED A ACT OF TERRORISM.. CNN and the mass media coverage is shameful.. how the Israeli government is getting away with this is beyond me.. Dennis: the closer the US gets to attacking Iraq, the worse the Palestinians are treated.. Kristen: tomorrow the Israeli elections, people think that's why these are attacks are happening.. this is business as usual, the people can't protect their children, can't protect themselves.. Dennis: NPR and the mass media absolutely silent..
-16:34 Dennis: now w Anne Gwynn of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).. Anne: Nablus known as the *Mountain of Fire*, because it has never been taken.. under curfew for over 200 days.. better said, 'under lockdown'.. in the second week of total 24 hour a day lockdown.. IMAGINE, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT OF YOUR HOUSE THE WHOLE DAY.. CAN'T GO TO THE DOCTOR, CAN'T GO FOR A WALK, CAN'T BUY MILK FOR THE BABY, CAN'T BUY DIAPERS, CAN'T BUY FOOD, CAN'T SEE YOUR FRIENDS.. ANYONE SEEN ON THE STREET CAN BE AND OFTEN IS, SHOT ON SIGHT.. THE STREET USUALLY LOOKS LIKE A CITY AFTER A NUCLEAR WAR, SILENT.. but today, everybody decided to ignore the curfew and all came out, too many to shoot.. Dennis: about the two photographers last week.. Anne: I was called to intervene in that incident.. just outside where I was working.. I didn't see the boys tied to the vehicle.. but THE POLICE WEREN'T ISRAELI, THEY WERE 'DRUSE'.. WHO BEHAVE ABSOLUTELY EVIL.. THE DRUSE SAW THE PHOTOGRAPHERS, AND IMMEDIATELY DROVE AT THEM AT HIGH SPEED IN FIRST GEAT, BUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS WERE ABLE TO JUMP OUT OF THE WAY.. THEN THE DRUSE JUMPED OUT, STARTING BEATING THE PHOTOGRAPHERS, WITH RIFLE BUTTS, YELLING AT THEM, SPITTING AT THEM REPEATEDLY.. A VERY FRIGHTENING INCIDENT.. SCREAMING THE WHOLE TIME, THEIR EYES STRANGE, LIKE THEY WERE HIGH ON SOMETHING.. THE DRUSE COMPRISE MOST OF THE ENTIRE *ISRAELI* POLICE FORCE ON THE WEST BANK.. ABSOLUTELY UNDISIPLINED.. Dennis: you were threatened yourself?... Anne: true.. YESTERDAY AT A CHECKPOINT.. A SOLDIER SAID 'WE COULD ALL BE DEAD IN FIVE SECONDS', SAID, 'SEE THIS GUN HERE'.. HE SAID 'YOU WILL SUFFER VERY MUCH IN PRISON'.. HE SAID 'HAVE YOU BEEN RAPED?'.. HE SAID 'YOU WILL BE RAPED MANY TIMES IN PRISON'.. HE SAID, 'TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL'.. THEN TIPPED ALL MY BELONGINGS INTO THE MUD.. KEPT ME FOR AN HOUR.. THEN LET ME GO.. I have a British passport.. Dennis: US forces are now doing joint exercises with the Israelis.. Anne: every person in this city wants peace.. they all say why does any person ever come here, Tony Blair, Colin Powell.. a feeling here of desperation.. they no it is going to be bad here.. no Palestinian can move on the West Bank..
-27:32 Dennis: Bush says the attack will entail massive bombing.. and has extensive contingency plans to use nuclear weapons, salivating to try out a new generation.. now w Jackie Cabasso of the Western States Legal Foundation.. Jackie: the commentary by William Arken, a military analyst.. obtained documents.. that *theater nuclear planning*.. two possible roles, attacking deeply buried facilities.. or to thwart chemical or biological weapons.. nuclear weapons are a magnitute more harmful that chemical or biological.. US MOVING NUCLEAR WEAPONS INTO THE COMMON REALM.. BREAKING THE FIREWALL.. THE NUCLEAR WAR PLANNERS NOW IN CHARGE OF PLANNING THE WAR.. about the Nuclear Posture Review, leaked to the LA Times last year.. about the triad of strategic nuclear weapons.. (details the new procedures).. the CIA said that Iraq would probably only use weapons of mass destruction if it were attacked by the US.. so a self-fulling doomsday scenario.. "America will act against emerging threats before they are fully formed".. the third awful document.. Chuck Hagel says the preauthorization of nuclear strikes against "nations close to acquiring weapons of mass destruction".. ESSENTIALLY THE US CLAIMING NO RESTRAINTS WHATSOEVER.. Dennis: fewer and fewer people in control.. they're saying they can nuke someone if they think they are working on weapons themselves.. Jackie: about *earth-penatrator* *bunker buster* weapons.. Clinton has to shoulder a lot of blame.. threatened nuclear war four times himself.. a modified gravity bomb.. can penetrate (45?) feet into the earth before it explodes.. a bunker buster would generate a huge cloud of radiation, would go wherever the wind blows.. at Hiroshima a small bomb, incinerated 140,000 people and people still dying today.. US arsenal at 12,000 nuclear weapons.. we are facing a situation where the potential use of a nuke.. Dennis: this opens the door bigtime.. if US uses one.. India, Pakistan.. Jackie: A HISTORICAL TABOO AGAINST USING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.. IF THE MOST POWERFUL MILITARY IN THE HISTORY OF THE PLANET, USES NUKES AGAINST SUCH WEAK OPPONENTS.. AN UNSUSTAINABLE NATIONAL POLICY.. WHERE WILL IT END?.. INDIA AND PAKISTAN.. ISRAELI HAS A LARGE NUCLEAR ARSENAL, SELDOM TALKED ABOUT.. ISRAELIS POLICY SIMILAR TO US POLICY.. DENNIS: I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME TO STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT, NOW IS THE TIME.. NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT NOW.. US BLATANTLY VIOLATING THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY.. BIG PROTESTS ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY THE 29TH.. the day after Bush's 'State of the Union' address.. more info: UnitedForPeace.com.. one protest in Oakland noon at the Federal Building.. more info: www.WSLFweb.org..
-47:30 music break Kiss Your Ass Goodbye
-48:38 Dennis: in a recent interview with Flashpoints, Al Giordano of Narco News called the NY Times on bias against Chavez.. Al: Francisco Toro has been on the record.. started a weblog, campaigning for the overthrow of Chavez.. clearly an opponent of Chavez.. the NY Times contacted him and he wrote a couple pieces for the Times.. the Times told him to close his website down.. closed it down for a week.. then posted a letter to Pat Lyons of the Times.. Al: (quotes the letter).. he admits being an opponent.. Pat Lyons started contacting websites linking to me.. saying I was libelous.. I wrote him.. today at NarcoNews.com I posted my point by point review of code of ethics, about neutral reporting.. what kind of credibility can the NY Times have.. when the international business editor attacks a little website like mine.. I've challenged him.. their phone number.. or write to him at PatLyons@NYTIMES.com..
-55:07 Dennis: we're broadcasting from Houston next week, specials all weeks..
-56:19 End today's show. today's review by john lionheart

Friday, Jan 24, 2003 - Start Audio
-00:00 Dennis Bernstein: introduction: Israel plans to conduct assassinations on US soil.. about the 'Jimmy Carter plan' for Venezuela, interview with famed journalist Gregory Palast.. wealthy Haitians' launch a Venezuela-like 'strike'.. 69 San Diego immigrants arrested in pre Super Bowl assault..
-00:50 Dennis: now a Venezuela update with famed British journalist Greg Palast.. Greg: Thanks, Dennis, for the straightest news out of an American outlet I've heard yet.. Jimmy Carter has a long history of sticking his happy little Christian fingers in a lot of deadly places and making things deadlier.. spent the weekend fishing with the man who kidnapped Chavez.. he did this in Liberia and now we have the warlord Charles in charge.. now he is hobnobing with the Venezuelan coup leaders.. Chavez elected by a landslide.. he is dark skinned, as are 80% of the population dark skinned.. the whites control the oil wealth.. the strike is by a few thousand technicians, and upper level management.. and the strike is actually a lockout.. but a lot of oil workers don't like Chavez, because a lot of payrollers doing nothing, patronage lobby.. I interviewed Chavez and the guy who kidnapped him.. the US media doesn't talk to him, or, rather, they won't let you hear him.. Dennis: about the bomb yesterday at the Chavez rally.. Greg: trying to stampede the crowd, hundreds of thousands.. NY Time showed a picture of white protestors lying on the ground, but the Latin American media told the truth, that the victims were all dark skinned.. NY Times the liberal press, calling Chavez a 'would-be dictator'.. imagine if we had a strike of oil workers in the US, saying we're not going to work until Bush resigns.. we'd have troops in the street, Chavez is not doing that.. about the right wing media in Venezuala.. all the TV station, but one, owned by people who hate Chavez.. and one owner proud to have participating in the kidnapping of Chavez last June.. I talked to the owners.. got footage.. they refused to show footage of big pro-Chavez demonstrations.. I asked them, why not show these.. they said, if we show them, more people will join them.. those TV stations the sources for NY Times, AP, etc.. Dennis: the president of OAS going to be a neutral arbitrator.. Greg: the US had its fingerprints over the coup.. but the Bush administration realized openly backing the coup wouldn't work.. about the so-called six 'Friends of Venezuela.'. dangerous when you have foreigners bargaining over the status of an elected leader.. highly offensive.. but Chavez has the quiet support of the new president of Brazil, Lula.. Dennis: the relationship between Bushes and Bin Laden?.. did the US really sponsor a flight right after 911 to remove the bin Laden from the US?.. Greg: my buddy, Mike Moore a tad off.. but the moment the air restriction was lifted, the bin Ladens taken out of the US by a Saudi aircraft.. some members of the bin Laden family under suspicion of working for bin Laden.. and some people in the FBI very upset that they were allowed to slip away.. and even before 911 the FBI asked to investigate.. poor Cynthia McKinney on your show, misquoted by National Propaganda Radio (NPR).. no proof that Bush had preknowledge of 911.. but he would not allow investigation of the sources of Saudi funding of terror before 911.. Bush one of the few people who drilled for oil in Texas and didn't find any, but made a lot of money anyway.. go to GregPalast.com for actual reports from Venezuela, and reports about Bush and the bin Ladens.. Greg: God Bless Pacifica and Flashpoints for letting the truth out.. Dennis: not sure which God you are referring to, but ok..
-19:37 music break El Mayoral by Susana Baca
-20:45 Dennis: in Haiti today, a small group of upper class Haitians called for a general strike.. now w independent filmmaker and Flashpoints special correspondent, Kevin Pina from Port-au-Prince.. Kevin: a new group of 184 members calling themselves the New Civil Society, a new mask for the Convergence.. for the majority of the poor, business was bustling.. what was closed? Shell gas stations, Dominos pizza, discotechs.. but the open air markets that the poor frequent all open.. traffic was a little lighter than normal maybe.. similar to the situation in Venezuala.. to unseat popular elected government.. 'New Civil Society' is code for the 'wealthy elite against the poor' who elected this popular governments.. the poor saying aren't we civil too?.. what do they call us?.. the wealthy are trying to build support to later say they want Aristide to step down.. now w human rights attorney Brian Concannon in Port-au-Prince.. Brian: some positive things going on.. a delegation from the US here.. the head of Partners in Health, taking the side of the poor.. she won the Robert Kennedy Memorial prize.. her delegation led by Ethel Kennedy, with a few US Congresspeople.. the basic problem causing the strike.. the OAS and Haiti reached a deal.. new elections.. but currently being blocked by the so-called New Civil Society and the Convergence, so the economic embargo keeps going and kids keep dying.. Dennis: about the US standing in the way of prosecution of human rights abusers under Papa Doc.. Brian: about Emanual Constant, former head of Haitian death squads.. made an election speech in a wide open square with rings and rings of US troops to protect him from the angry mobs.. a former CIA agent.. about Olivia Dedal (sp?), one of the darlings of the US 'Democracy Project'.. horrible people being supported by the US and put up for election.. Dennis: the embargo getting worse?.. Brian: Aristide not able to keep subsidizing fuel and food.. IMF demanding Haiti end gasoline subsidies.. lies and rumors used to manipulate Haiti economy.. Washington arm twisting.. using the carrot of $50 million in loans.. I never thought that a poor people could be made that much poorer.. but the poor are very resislient, and the fabric of society wove much tighter.. about Paul Farmer.. but rising malnutrition.. the embargo has severely affected the health of Haitian people.. Kevin: how the US should behave toward Haiti to help in a constructive way.. Kevin: I go to the streets and film and take interviews and I monitor the media in Haiti.. some spread lies and smear Aristide.. an old boys club.. like Michael Diver who writes for Reuters.. a lot like Venezuela..
-38:34 music break Alelouya Pou Ayiti by Farah Juste.
-39:18 Dennis: Israel expanding its war on terror.. reports saying Israel will conduct assassinations on foreign soil, even in the USA.. now w Richard Sales.. Richard: I talk with as many intelligence services as possible.. they are prudent people.. many opposed to US military action against Iraq.. a new director of Mossad, a real cowboy.. wanted to take a tougher stance against.. would assign hit teams to the US.. there are already special teams assigned to the US.. the CIA knew about this before I did and were very upset about it.. but the White House had to either approved it, or agreed to turn a blind eye.. Richard: there are Hamas and Hezbollah cells in the US.. Israel intelligence told me, you wouldn't know when they assassinate people in the US, that certain people would *just have accidents*.. Dennis: a lot of Americans would be upset to learn that Israeli hit teams are operating in the USA.. Richard: a lot of CIA upset about it already.. Dennis: but the US saying little about Israeli 'targeted killings', ie assassinations, on the West Bank and in Gaza.. and the US starting to do the same, like in Yemen.. Richard: with the approval of the Yemeni government, should be added.. Israel says it also will conduct assassinations in Europe, especially in Britain and Germany.. Dennis: doesn't this open a very big door for any country to kill anyone they consider an enemy in any other country?.. Richard: even Iraq tried to do this.. Dennis: how does one justify a murder without a trial.. Richard: about the film Mississippi Burning.. a scene of a mayor being tortured.. ^^^^ told me, that scene not so farfetched.. this is a rough game.. Dennis: about the bombing Clinton carried out, killed a leading Iraqi artist, reknowned worldwide.. Richard: about Larry Johnson.. an Israeli official called me up, said they killed all the perpetrators of the Munich massacre.. but not perfect the Israelis.. a hit team send to Norway to kill a Hamas, but ended up killing a waiter instead, all the hit team arrested, had to .. and in Jordan, tried to fire a poisonous gas gun at a Hamas person, completely botched, had to release dozens of terrorists from their prisons to get the release of their agents.. and diplomatic repercussions.. can make you look terrible.. Dennis: usually there are repercussions when one prints negative news about Israel, what have you experienced?.. Richard: I have not had bad reactions to my story.. it originated with Israeli intelligence, I don't know why they decided to tell me.. but US intelligence tells me, they are glad it's 'out there' so the public can decide.. it's sinister, but maybe unavoidable..
-54:00 Dennis: a report from Steve Wagner in San Diego.. Steve: authorties arrest 69 people in San Diego.. that work in or around the Super Bowl.. immigrant cabdrivers and other humble workers.. if this affects you, contact the NLG or an immigration lawyer..
-53:32 Mary Bishop: wrapup.. the documentary Palestine is Still the Issue by John Pilger shows this weekend, Saturday and Sunday at 4PM, at the Fine Arts Cinema, Shattuck Ave, Berkeley.. info: 510-848-1143
-54:48 End today's show. today's review by john lionheart