Croatia - US Military Civil Assistance - HCA Project

USA Department of Defence Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) overseas military exercise, training or op US military personnel participating in overseas deployments carry out humanitarian activities HCA activities are now being described as "a key tool in the War on Terrorism" [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanitarian_civic_assistance_activities ] CROATIA HCA project = USA, Office of Defence Cooperation = US European Command and a partnership with US Embassy in Zagreb USA soldiers = partner Croatian army's Armoured Mechanize Brigade = to rebuild roof & repair damage to a community centre ruined by flooding in May 2015 Camp Ripley = military & civilian training facility = operated by the Minnesota National Guard = located near the city of Little Falls in the central part of Minnesota Camp Ripley: Beating of the hammer, beating of the bass http://www.brainerddispatch.com/news/3783910-camp-ripley-beating-hammer-beating-bass --------------------- COMMENT The joint military tasks are also a good way of forging and maintaining contacts in a target region, as well as promoting the US military / policy etc in a more general PR sense.

Foreign Service Updates - Turkey Protests - Thailand Deportation - Uighurs, China

TURKEY Issue: = Uighur Muslims: Turkic-speaking, Muslim minority = Uighurs in Xinjiang - at 10 million = China crackdown in region re rising violence - ISLAMIST SEPARATISTS  = Xinjiang region, China Turkey protests = results in: anti-Chinese & anti-Thai demonstration / property damage of Thailand consulate = results in: temporary closure of Thailand’s embassy in Ankara & consulate in Istanbul = Uighurs enter Turkey in hope of settlement = Uighurs 400 - detained Thailand for illegal entry = tussle between Turkey & China re where Uighurs should be settled Thailand = 100 Uighurs were deported to China on Wed Turkey earlier group of 172 Uighur (women & children) sent to Turkey, late June Deportation of Chinese national to China = condemnation: United States rights groups UN Istanbul protest Forcible return to China from: Cambodia Malaysia Pakistan UN says: deportation was a violation of international law see - principle of non-refoulement = prohibition transfer to a place where at risk of rights abuses Thailand: defended the legal status of the repatriation  =  China had “guaranteed their safety” =  “If found innocent they will be released” SOURCE http://nation.com.pk/international/11-Jul-2015/thai-embassy-closed-in-turkey-after-protest-against-deported-uighurs  --------------------- COMMENT TRAVEL WARNING - ASIANS Asian tourist attacked by pro-Uighur protesters in Ankara    Violence, separatism & violent protest (that often sparks like violent protest in other Muslim communities) seems to be a pattern of the Muslim mindset.

Foreign Service Updates - Rwanda Intelligence - Kenya Kidnapping

Kenya KIDNAPPED: Jean Chrysostome Ntirugiribambe (Rwandan nat.) = investigator of key defence cases at UN tribunal for Rwanda - International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) ALLEGEDLY amid mounting evidence Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s intel services behind the abduction *crackdown on Rwandan refugees & dissidents *8mths after Kenya kidnapping of another high profile Rwandan asylum seeker {Emile Gafirita} *Emile Gafirita was to testify French enquiry - 1994 downing plane carrying fmr Rwandan president / event genocide spark Allegation kidnapping facilitated by: 1) Lt Col James Burabyo = military attaché at the Rwandan embassy Uganda (under the instructions of Jack Nziza) 2) Francis Mutiganda, external intelligence services chief Jack Nziza = “... notorious figure that has worked in Rwandan intelligence for decades and played a crucial role in killing, abducting and torturing perceived opponents of Kagame” ------- Lt Colonel Mutiganda = purportedly much-feared individual = recently worked in UN peacekeeping = oversees Rwanda external intelligence = allegedly directed a killing squad in Rwanda Rwanda external intelligence: = purportedly: “... long suspected of carrying out murderous operations abroad in conjunction with Rwandan embassies.” UN department of peacekeeping DPKO = did not vet properly = DPKO unwilling to fire Mutiganda b/c Rwanda troop contributions to peacekeeping op Mutiganda & Nziza work under authority of National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Lt General Karenzi Karake = head of NISS = was arrested London last month on a European arrest warrant issued by a Spanish court = Karake now faces possible extradition to Spain for having allegedly organized the murders of three Spanish nationals in the late 1990s in Rwanda. = also is accused of having ordered large-scale massacres of Hutu civilians following the genocide. SOURCE http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/politics/another-rwandan-is-kidnapped-in-africa-kagame-agents-suspected/article/438050 --------------------- COMMENT *** Karake got arrested on an EAW in London / Tzipi Livni (Israel) avoided arrest for alleged war crimes - three (3) times, incl. In London

Iraq Invasion Based on Lies

teleSUR ARTICLE Source Link - teleSUR Opinion Secret Document Shows CIA Reaction to Finding No WMD in Iraq This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Secret-Document-Shows-CIA-Reaction-to-Finding-No-WMD-in-Iraq-20150708-0032.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english   Secret Document Shows CIA Reaction to Finding No WMD in Iraq The U.S. government invaded Iraq, devastated a society, killed upwards of a million people, wounded, traumatized, and displaced millions more. The National Security Archive has posted several newly available documents Monday, one of them an account by Charles Duelfer of the search he led in Iraq for weapons of mass destruction, with a staff of 1,700 and the resources of the U.S. military This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Secret-Document-Shows-CIA-Reaction-to-Finding-No-WMD-in-Iraq-20150708-0032.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english The U.S. government invaded Iraq, devastated a society, killed upwards of a million people, wounded, traumatized, and displaced millions more. The National Security Archive has posted several newly available documents Monday, one of them an account by Charles Duelfer of the search he led in Iraq for weapons of mass destruction, with a staff of 1,700 and the resources of the U.S. military This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Secret-Document-Shows-CIA-Reaction-to-Finding-No-WMD-in-Iraq-20150708-0032.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english Secret Document Shows CIA Reaction to Finding No WMD in Iraq This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Secret-Document-Shows-CIA-Reaction-to-Finding-No-WMD-in-Iraq-20150708-0032.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english The U.S. government invaded Iraq, devastated a society, killed upwards of a million people, wounded, traumatized, and displaced millions more. The National Security Archive has posted several newly available documents Monday, one of them an account by Charles Duelfer of the search he led in Iraq for weapons of mass destruction, with a staff of 1,700 and the resources of the U.S. military. EXTRACT - FULL AT SOURCE   Source Link - teleSUR The U.S. government invaded Iraq, devastated a society, killed upwards of a million people, wounded, traumatized, and displaced millions more. The National Security Archive has posted several newly available documents Monday, one of them an account by Charles Duelfer of the search he led in Iraq for weapons of mass destruction, with a staff of 1,700 and the resources of the U.S. military This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Secret-Document-Shows-CIA-Reaction-to-Finding-No-WMD-in-Iraq-20150708-0032.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english Secret Document Shows CIA Reaction to Finding No WMD in Iraq This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Secret-Document-Shows-CIA-Reaction-to-Finding-No-WMD-in-Iraq-20150708-0032.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english Secret Document Shows CIA Reaction to Finding No WMD in Iraq This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Secret-Document-Shows-CIA-Reaction-to-Finding-No-WMD-in-Iraq-20150708-0032.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english Secret Document Shows CIA Reaction to Finding No WMD in Iraq This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Secret-Document-Shows-CIA-Reaction-to-Finding-No-WMD-in-Iraq-20150708-0032.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english The U.S. government invaded Iraq, devastated a society, killed upwards of a million people, wounded, traumatized, and displaced millions more. The National Security Archive has posted several newly available documents Monday, one of them an account by Charles Duelfer of the search he led in Iraq for weapons of mass destruction, with a staff of 1,700 and the resources of the U.S. military This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Secret-Document-Shows-CIA-Reaction-to-Finding-No-WMD-in-Iraq-20150708-0032.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english David Swanson is an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is director of WorldBeyondWar.org and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. Swanson's books include War Is A Lie. He is a 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee. This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Secret-Document-Shows-CIA-Reaction-to-Finding-No-WMD-in-Iraq-20150708-0032.html. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english COMMENT Great article. Found out recently that the WMDs were fabricated, but I wasn't aware of how much deceit went into manufacturing an invasion: *Forged Documents *Going against advice of experts *Conning the UN *Embroidering an intelligence estimate, to make out Iraq 'threat' *Lying about peacemaking at a news conference, while attacking Recapping: USA invasion of Iraq, based on lies USA devastated a society USA killed over 1 million USA wounded, traumatised, & displaced millions more USA generated hatred for USA USA drained the US economy USA stripped away US civil liberties USA paved way for Islamic State Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. "From the foot of Saddam Hussein's summer palace a Humvee is seen driving down a road towards the left. Palm trees grow near the road and the ruins of Babylon can be seen in the background." U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Arlo K. Abrahamson. - This Image was released by the United States Navy with the ID 030529Source:  Wikipedia Saddam Hussein's summer palace overlooks the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon;  the seat of powerful empires which successively shone and eventually collapsed, many centuries before the rise of modern European powers. Saddam Hussein was hanged in a shabby spectacle by masked men, while masked psychopaths and war criminal front-men of a present-day empire continue to lie, deceive and destroy. All I can think is:  this is what evil looks like. WARNING Graphic Content Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Saddam Hussein's Execution  WARNING Graphic Content source:  here

Isaac Abravanel

ꕤ Isaac Ben Judah Abravanel { Hebrew:  Yishaq Abrabanel } 1437 - 1508 Obelisk honouring Isaac Abravanel Jewish Cemetery Padua, Italy - source: sephardim Minister of Finance of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile. Skilled in finance, philosopher, writer of critical explanation or analysis of religious texts (ie exegete (fm exegesis)  {fm Gk 'to interpret'}),[data.bnf.fr]. Don Isaac Abravanel scholar, Bible commentator & philosopher Spanish Golden Age {father was treasurer of Portugal} used influence - to help others Isaac Abravanel succeeded father in services of king Portugal / king succeeded by Don Joao II, starts lopping heads >fled to Toledo Spain Isaac Abravanel = wrote his commentaries on Joshua, Judges & Samuel. = Summoned by King Spain to take over state treasury. Torquemada = head of Inquisition in Spain Abarvanel = treasurer to king & queen (2 yrs  before  expulsion of  Jews from Spain) Spain = decree of expulsion of all Jews from Spain,    except those who would give up their religion.    Isaac Abravanel appeals decree. Spain 9th of Av, 5252 {= July 30, 1492 } Isaac Abravanel & co-religionists exiled from Spain, settling:  in Naples. Looks like the Christian calendar is 3,760 years out of whack. Naples later captured by King Charles of France King Alfonso II later flees to Sicily. Abravanel accompanies him. On death of exiled King Alfonso II (Naples), Abravanel  goes to island of Corfu. Wealth lost to French conquerors. Poverty. Isaac Abravanel moved back to Naples & later to Venice. = statesman for Venetian Republic. = died 5269 (1509). Isaac Abravanel source:   http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/111855/jewish/Don-Isaac-Abravanel-The-Abarbanel.htm Abravanel wrote  re: *exegesis (critical explanation religious text) *philosophy *apologetics (defending position, religious) Abravanel philosophy re sciences & relation  to Jewish religion & traditions defended Jewish idea of the coming of the Messiah Isaac Abravanel made works accessible to all /not just writing for scholars of time believed Torah =  hidden meaning Preceding Jewish philosophers --> denounced by Abravanel as infidels re liberal standpoint in religio-philosophical questions. Jewish philosophers:  eg -  Albalag, Palquera, Gersonides, Narboni & others. Isaac Abravanel = opponent of philosophy =  understanding of religion "based on God’s revelation in Jewish history". Isaac Abravanel misconception that Abravanel agreed with Maimonidean views / mostly not. Isaac Abravanel "Rosh Amanah" =  Judaism  nothing in common w/  human science =  teachings of Torah are revelations from God Isaac Abravanel "Rosh Amanah"(The Pinnacle of Faith) = as teachings of Torah revelations from God = all of equal value Isaac Abravanel sympathy for expelled Spanish Jews = champion &  strengthen their Messianic belief Isaac Abravanel = in opposition to & ALL later rabbinical tradition,  counts Daniel among prophets (like Christians do). Isaac Abravanel remainder of (counting Daniel as prophet) work =  exhaustive & caustic criticism of the Christian exposition source 2 - Isaac Abravanel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Abravanel Further reading: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/631-abravanel-abarbanel http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/jewish/1492-jews-spain1.asp data.bnf.fr COMMENT Encountered this guy today.  What an interesting and productive life he's lived. Philosophy is beyond me and religion's not my thing, so I don't think I'll read any of his works.  But he's interesting per se and interesting because of the influence he has had on the thinking of others. Got onto some site that was supposed to be Rabbi Kahane's - or so it appears - but I discovered he's been deceased for years.  Kahane's interesting in his own way - very unusual character and founder of the Jewish Defence League (I think it was). The right wing religious mindset and rationale is intriguing. Learnt that men (or maybe just rabbis?) are not to hear women sing - that's the law.  And the religious law is everything. WORKS OF ISAAC ABRAVANEL (01) "'Aṭeret Zeḳenim" (Crown of the Ancients), Sabbionetta, 1557 (02) "Yeshu'ot Meshiḥo" (The Salvation of His Anointed), Karlsruhe, 1828 (03) "Maamar Kaẓer" (Short Treatise), Venice, 1574 (04) "Ma'yene ha-Yeshu'ah" (Sources of Salvation), Ferrara, 1551         also at Naples, no date, possibly ed. princeps (05) "Mashmi'a Yeshu'ah" (Proclaiming Salvation), Salonica, 1526 (06) "Mif'alot Elohim" (Works of God), Venice, 1592 (07) "Mirkebet ha-Mishneh" (Second Chariot), Sabbionetta, 1551 (08) "Naḥlat Abot" (The Paternal Inheritance), Constantinople, 1505 (09) "Perush" (Commentary) on the Pentateuch, Venice, 1579 (10) "Perush" on the Earlier Prophets, Pesaro, 1511 (doubtful) (11) "Perush" on the Later Prophets, Pesaro, 1520 (?) (12) "Perush" on Maimonides' "Moreh Nebukim," Karlsruhe, 1831 (13) "Rosh Amanah" (The Pinnacle of Faith), Amsterdam, 1505 (14) "Shamayim Ḥadoshim" (The New Heavens), Rödelheim, 1828 (15) "Ẓurot ha-Yesodot" (Forms of the Elements), Sabbionetta, 1557 (16) "Teshubot" (Responsa),addressed to Saul ha-Kohen of Candia, Venice, 1574. Source - Jewish Encyclopedia -------------------- Searched for 'Naḥlat Abot' Got onto data.bnf.fr hoping to find a translation of one of Abravanel's books. Looks like this is just a catalogue of what is available at a given institution. It was still exciting to scroll down a list of works and letters originally / first produced over 500 years ago.

Forest Project [ partial - clip ] * Having trouble converting my string of gifs ... & some Netherlands site ate my file. Maybe my string gif will turn up in some porno.  ;)

Play Button in Constant Motion

Listening to this while I wait for some Netherlands site  to convert my GIF to video ... "Cello in Motion" direct link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8IXJQJ9e6Y I'd like this on a constant loop.  Been listening to this over and over again for at least the last 2 hrs, but I'm getting sick of pressing the play button.