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Amazing Plan Surfaces: "We Need Ethno-Weapons!" David Price tells how top-flight US anthropologists eagerly obeyed US government's mandate to "think in a-moral terms". One scheme of OSS's willing executioners: target Japanese physical "weak spot", the respiratory tract, with anthrax germs. Gabriel Kolko asks What's so New About the Neo-Cons? If they had not existed, would the policies have been the same? Jeffrey St Clair digs up more dirt on Halliburton's secret history. Alexander Cockburn on why we need more "celebrity justice". Get the answers you're looking for in the latest subscriber-only edition of CounterPunch ... CounterPunch Online is read by millions of viewers each month! But remember, we are funded solely by the subscribers to the print edition of CounterPunch. Please support this website by buying a subscription to our newsletter, which contains fresh material you won't find anywhere else, or by making a donation for the online edition. Remember contributions are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now! or write CounterPunch, PO BOX 228, Petrolia, CA 95558 |
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Other Lands Have Dreams: From Baghdad to Pekin Prison by KATHY KELLY  Today's Stories July 2 / 4, 2005 Laura
Carlsen
July 1, 2005 Christopher
Brauchli Pat
Williams Gary
Leupp John
Stauber John
Chuckman Justicia
y Paz Cockburn
/ St. Clair
June 30, 2005 Kathy
Kelly John
Stauber Virginia
Rodino Jason
Leopold Dave
Lindorff Greg
Moses Norman
Solomon Joshua
Frank Alexander
Cockburn
June 29, 2005 Mike
Schaefer Roger
Burbach / Paul Cantor Sharon
Smith Sam
Husseini John
Stauber Ahmad
Faruqui Linda
S. Heard Stew
Albert Ray
McGovern
June 28, 2005 Paul
Craig Roberts Landau
/ Hassen John
A. Murphy Mike
Whitney CounterPunch
News Service Dave
Zirin Dave
Lindorff Patrick
Cockburn
June 27, 2005 Paul
Craig Roberts Mike
Marqusee Mark
Scaramella Leigh
Saavedra Kathy
Kelly
June 25 / 26, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn Jennifer
Van Bergen George
Corsetti Mark
Chmiel / Andrew Wimmer Kevin
Zeese P.
Sainath John
Stauber Scott
Handleman Tom
Barry John
Walsh Justin
E.H. Smith Alan
Wallis Ben
Tripp Frederick
B. Hudson Poets'
Basement
June 24, 2005 Ray
McGovern Jorge
Mariscal Desiree
Hellegers Zeynep
Toufe Joshua
Frank David
Lindorff Michael
Neumann Website
of the Day
June 23, 2005 Christopher
Brauchli Clay
Conrad Standard
Schaefer P.
Sainath Mark
Engler Norman
Solomon Cockburn
/ St. Clair Kathy
Kelly
June 22, 2005 Kevin
Zeese William
S. Lind Arsalan
Iftikhar Dan
Nagengast David
Krieger Kathleen
& Bill Christison
June 21, 2005 Brian Cloughley Mike Whitney Dave Lindorff Mark Weisbrot Matthew R.
Simmons Dave Zirin Virginia Rodino Paul Craig
Roberts
June 20, 2005 Alan Maass Tariq Ali Mickey Z. William Blum Gary Leupp Jason Leopold Dave Lindorff Alan Maass Uri Avnery Website of
the Day
June 18 / 19, 2005 Alexander Cockburn Greg Moses Benjamin Shepard Stan Goff Lee Sustar Jude Wanniski Diana Barahona Brian Concannon, Jr. Fred Gardner Mike Whitney Ahmad Faruqui Manuel García, Jr. Roger Howard Ron Jacobs Ben Tripp Poets' Basement Website of
the Weekend
June 17, 2005 Ricardo Alarcón Clay Conrad Marc Estrin Colin Brown Christopher
Brauchli Joshua Frank Norman Solomon Mary Rizzo Bond / Brutus
/ Setshedi
June 16, 2005 John Walsh Dave Lindorff Adrian Lomax Tom Crumpacker Jeffrey Kolakowski Julene Bair Michael Dickinson Francois Houtart / Isabel Parra,
et al. Tom Barry
June 15, 2005 Stan Goff Daniel Wolff Tim Wise Ricardo Alarcón Joshua Frank John Hilary Norman Solomon Alexander Cockburn
/ Jeffrey St. Clair Website of the Day
June 14, 2005 Paul Craig
Roberts Forrest Hylton Richard Gott Fred Gardner Steve Breyman Dave Zirin Robert Kent Paul Craig
Roberts
June 13, 2005 Gary Leupp Dave Lindorff John Stauber Fred Gardner Evelyn J. Pringle Norman Solomon Winslow T.
Wheeler
June 10 / 12, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn Sharon
Smith Brian
Cloughley Chris
Kromm Heather
Gray Kevin
Zeese Mickey
Z. Gary
Leupp Eli
Stephens Nick
Dearden Oscar
Olivera Robert
Fisk Michael
Dickinson Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
Len
Colodny Christopher
Brauchli Ron
Jacobs Dave
Lindorff Katrina
Yeaw / Alex Schmaus Alan
Farago Saul
Landau
June 8, 2005 Jim
Hougan Alan
Maass Jason
Leopold Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Dave
Zirin Derrick
O'Keefe Diana
Johnstone Website
of the Day
June 7, 2005 Forrest
Hylton Greg
Moses / Susan van Haitsma Lenni
Brenner Col.
Dan Smith Joshua
Frank Dave
Lindorff Margot
Veranes / Adrian Navarro Michael
Neumann
June 6, 2005 Stew
Albert Paul
Craig Roberts Nicole
Colson Ali
Khan Jason
Leopold Charles
Walker Poff Ramzy
Baroud Rep.
John Conyers Evelyn
Pringle Gary
Corseri Website
of the Day
June 4 / 5, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn James
Petras Robert
Fisk Patrick
Cockburn Rev.
William Alberts Saul
Landau Mario
Lamo Jimenez Dave
Lindorff Lance
Selfa Tom
Crumpacker Joshua
Frank Fred
Gardner Michael
Dickinson Roger
Martin Reza
Fiyouzat Ben
Tripp Graeme
Greenback Poets'
Basement
June 3, 2005 Paul
Craig Roberts Joseph
Massad Jeff
Halper Tom
Barry Bruce
K. Gagnon Joshua
Frank Mickey
Z. Gary
Leupp Website
of the Day
June 2, 2005 Paul
Craig Roberts Forrest
Hylton Mike
Whitney Brian
Cloughley Mazin
Qumsiyeh Russell
D. Hoffman Norman
Madarasz Norman
Solomon David
Price Website
of the Day
June 1, 2005 James
Petras Justin
Delacour Edward
Jay Epstein Omar
Barghouti / Lisa Taraki Dave
Lindorff Kevin
Zeese Jason
Leopold William
S. Lind
May 31, 2005 Sen.
Mike Gravel David
Krieger Tad
Daley Joshua
Frank Richard
Gott Norman
Solomon Tom
Segev Walter
Brasch Diana
Johnstone
May 28 / 30, 2005 Alexander
Cockburn Richard
Lichtman Sharon
Smith Paul
Craig Roberts Dave
Lindorff Ramzy
Baroud Brian
Cloughley Fred
Gardner Lee
Sustar Joshua
Frank Justin
E.H. Smith Jackie
Corr Michael
Kimaid Toufic
Haddad Justin
Taylor Amir
Butler Ben
Tripp Poets'
Basement
May 27, 2005 Gary
Leupp Daniel
Estulin Kevin
Zeese Robert
Fisk Dave
Zirin Website
of the Day
Hot Stories Alexander Cockburn Subcomandante
Marcos Norman Finkelstein Steve Niva Dardagan,
Slobodo and Williams Steve
J.B. Sheldon
Rampton and John Stauber Wendell
Berry CounterPunch
Wire Cindy
Corrie Gore Vidal Francis Boyle
Subscribe Online
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Independence Day Weekend Edition Basilisks in Our MidstKings of SerpentsBy WILLIAM A. COOK
Our post-modern world neglects the wisdom of the ancients, wisdom dressed in horrific images of crowned serpents, the Basilisks, or Bucentaur's, monsters half man and half Ox, or Chimera's, monsters with a lion's head, the body of a goat and tail of a dragon, images of human duality, reflecting the bestial, evil nature that pulses in our veins. But these monsters strut our modern stage, "lofty and upright," leaders of the "free" world extolling their own virtues to a cowed world and an obsequious press. Consider our swaggering Basilisk as he admonished Putin to acknowledge "Russia's domination of Central and Eastern Europe," following WWII, "and its harsh occupation of the Baltic countries" when he spoke before the people of Latvia not a month ago. Consider as well how Putin held the mirror up to our crowned serpent, thus turning his venom on himself, as he acidly commented on "60 Minutes" that Bush should question his own democratic ways before looking for problems with Russia's. Why learn from the beast that occupies Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine today to express sorrow for actions taken by the beast that ran Russia years ago? What hypocrisy. Why listen to evil incarnate that treacherously lied to America and the world, feigns ignorance of the memo that describes his duplicity made public in the UK this very month, and publicly prances across Europe proclaiming his beneficence as he brings democracy, freedom and liberty to the mid-east. What hypocrisy. What democracy exists in Afghanistan when the installed president is a former employee of our CIA, held in place by props supported by the master puppet in Washington, doomed to an early death should he irritate the Basilisk who need only breathe upon him to destroy him. What freedom flows from Bush's beneficence for the residents of Rafah or Fallujah; have they freedom of movement, of assembly, of religion? What liberties do the citizens of the West Bank, of Gaza, of Afghanistan or Iraq possess? Are they free of arbitrary control? Does the Wall free them or imprison them, captives in their own land? What hypocrisy. Yet our mainstream press and our clear channel radio stations bless this hypocrisy by sanctimoniously regurgitating his mantra as though it were the voice of God. Mark how righteous our leader and his minions became when Senator Durbin brought to light the truth about torture, Bush style. How can a Senator cast aspirtions on America's gallant military giving comfort and aid to the enemy despite the accuracy of the disclosure; attack the credibility and patriotism of the messenger, not the accuracy or truth of the source. Mount this attack in every sector of mainstream media lest the people have to grapple with the reality that our administration defies the Geneva Conventions, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the UN Convention against Torture. What hypocrisy. Consider now the waddling Ox that admonished the people at Birkenau recently "to remember that the world stood silent while six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis." Listen as this Bucentaur bellows before the assembled thousands that they must "remember the victims and never forget the murderers. Don't forget how millions of Jews were marched to their deaths while the world stood silent how the borders were closed and the Jews were herded again behind barbed-wire fences into detention camps. How so many perished." Indeed, the world should not forget, nor should the world remain silent when this same scene slides stealthily past the guard posts and roadblocks of the IOF that stand like twin towers at the gates that incarcerate the Palestinians behind this new "barbed wire fence" that keeps them "herded" like cattle in new "detention camps," "victims" guarded now by a new army, "not the German SS lusting for murder," but Israeli IOF that systematically shoot innocent children directly in the head, execution style ("The New York Times Minimizes Palestinian Deaths," Alison Weir, 4/25/05). Indeed, we should remember the humiliation and devastation and deprivation of the Jews because no people deserve such inhumane treatment, no people. For that very reason we must remember, as Sharon so ironically commands us, the plight of the Palestinians noting as we do that he oversees a regime that denies them, the indigenous people, the land that sustained them for centuries; that he prevents humanitarian aid from reaching them even though they suffer malnutrition and disease; that he controls the erection of a heinous wall that curls like a giant snake through the ancient fields and valleys imprisoning fathers, mothers, and children like cattle; that he orchestrates the execution of his perceived enemies denying them the basic rights of people living in a civilized state, the due process of law; that he terrorizes innocent people hurling missiles from F-16s and Apache helicopters as he searches out those he would slaughter; that he demolishes homes indiscriminately forcing thousands into the streets; that he controls the lives of millions keeping them in poverty, killing thousands, wounding thousands more; but he does not ask the world to remember this genocide! No, he would rather employ a PR firm to "make over" the Israeli image. It must be, as Haaretz states, a "rebranding" of Israel so that the focus on its humiliation and destruction of the Palestinians can be forgotten (Haaretz, justice-freedom@earthlink.net, 8/5/05). How easily the Bucentaur memory forgets what it has told the world it must never forget. This is the monster, grown fat and unmerciful with years of savagery on civilians in Lebanon and Palestine, who refuses to accept an invitation by Putin to an international conference on peace in the near east insisting that "the "Hebrew State" is against any international interference in the conflict with the Palestinians and it is indicated that only the USA can intervene with Jerusalem's agreement." (Guysen: Israel News 4/28/05); who controls the press in Israel and America so thoroughly that the New York Times, reporting Israeli deaths three times more than Palestinian deaths as standard practice, has remained moot on the 29 Palestinian children killed in March of this year, children "targeted in the head, neck, and chest," a representative sample of all children killed ("The Perversions of Daniel Okrent," Alison Weir, 4/25/05). This is the monster who prevents the world's community of nations from acting, as it has in Bosnia and Kosovo, and Somalia to name a few, to ensure humane treatment of occupied and oppressed peoples; this is the monster who would have the world remember the Israeli peoples' suffering but prevents the world from seeing or knowing about the suffering of the Palestinian people. What hypocrisy. Now consider our third monster, the Chimera, who swaggers before his glass pulpit on scarlet Berber carpet, surrounded by rapt laity in his church of commerce in San Antonio, the Cornerstone Church, his lion mouth, blessed by the Beast, roaring against the Quran, icon of infidels. The first of the seven-headed beast to speak, he regales his brethren Swaggert, Baker, Robertson, Falwell, Roberts, and Hinn with proud words and blasphemies that belittle the teachings of Jesus as he makes war against the saints, forcing his congregation to bow down and worship him. How else explain a Christian minister who would bring to pass his interpretation of Biblical prophecy by coercing his brethren to give that Jewish settlers from Russia and the Diaspora can be brought to Israel to occupy illegal settlements, harass and terrorize Palestinian civilians, and murder innocent women and children? (see Hagee Ministries, Exodus II). Millions to bring millions to Israel knowing in the good Christian book that of all those brought, only 144,000 can be saved. What insidious hypocrisy to bring innocents to Israel so that the Biblical prophecy according to Hagee can be fulfilled: the world in conflagration, the Jews to Hell, the Christians raptured into heavenly bliss, and a needed handful of Jews to heaven. Consider what this Chimera, disguised as a modern day prophet with snappy Italian silk suit holding in the goats hairy chest and bulging legs, cajoles from his flock, in carefully crafted Christian cadences, as he implores them to further the ends of Israeli settlements. He would have them extend Jesus' hand of loving forgiveness by having their hard earned dollars support the Israeli settlers who drove up to Aziz Abdul Karim Hanani, a 70 year old shepherd, who was with his sheep on Sunday April 24, 2005, in an area near Nablus, jump from their car, attack and beat him unconscious, then abandon him in Jesus' name! Hallelujah! Such wonders their dollars contribute to God's cause, the impending doom of Armageddon: the Israeli breach of the cease fire over 300 times before May 2nd; the handcuffing of a 90 year old prisoner to his bed in a hospital where he died, still in handcuffs; shooting three young children running after an errant football and killing them; building new settlements in areas forbidden by the road map, more than 50,000 new homes requiring the demolition of an existing Palestinian town and the ethnic cleansing of its inhabitants; the demolishing of 90 old Arab homes to create more Israeli homes and ensure the continuation of the illegal Wall that establishes the apartheid reality of this touted but non-existent Israeli democratic state (Jeff Halper, Israeli Committee against House Demolitions); and, perhaps an act close to many Israeli hearts because it reflects the savagery of Sharon on the Jewish peoples' conscience, the video footage of Israeli soldiers forcing a Palestinian man, Wissam Tayem, to play his violin as they made fun of him, an incident not as brutal as that of the soldier who pumped the body of a 13 year old girl full of bullets as she walked home from school or the scene of ultra-orthodox soldiers "mocking Palestinian corpses by impaling a man's head on a pole and sticking a cigarette in his mouth." (The Guardian, 4/29/04). Perhaps our post-modern Chimera, dragon's tail extending beyond the Italian silk suit, might read to his congregation from the book of Human Rights that notes, without chapter and verse, that Israel's "disengagement plan" is a ruse and will only "facilitate Israel's continued abrogation of its legal and moral obligations under international law, including the right of return for refugees; the derailment of the implementation of the ICJ decision regarding the Annexation Wall; and the right of self determination." Given the cynicism that attends a minister, and all his companions that stand in judgment on God's modern mount, the Sinai of TV channels, the TBN that makes possible God's blessed millionaires, we can only believe that the beast will devour its own heads with the lies of its own mouth, transforming itself into a Basilisk faced with a mirror, bringing destruction by means of its own deceit. Now that would be an apt closure to a post-modern Bible, a virtual Book of Revelations. William Cook is a professor of English at the University of La Verne in southern California. His new book, Psalms for the 21st Century, was published by Mellen Press. He can be reached at: cookb@ULV.EDU
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