Mike Cohen - War on Terror page

Interesting spoof of Michael Moores 9-11 great stuff really.
In a strange way it tells the way some of the spin minds work
in this strange world of some documentary work.


The other one I like in a way is a attack - deserved in my opinion on the spin
players who seem hell bent on twisting what happened on 911.
Done by Penn & Teller...

One can look at a number of the strange tales spun by some made to entertain others to dis-inform and more just out plain strange sick humor to do another take on what happened. There is a lot that needs to be looked into I admit that needs looking into as to who was where and did what with whom. But this will probably be a movie soon… conspiracy breeds distrust and more and more is coming out. The spin… has begun in earnest I wonder how much more we can expect before the next US election.

A well put together explantion by Popular Mechanics discusses this in detail:

[] …Today, nearly five years later, hundreds of books and thousands of Web pages are devoted to the idea that the U.S. government encouraged, permitted, or actually carried out the attacks. These theories claim to be based on hard evidence. Popular Mechanics began researching the facts behind 9/11 conspiracy theories in late 2004 and published a cover story on the topic in March 2005. (That story is available here.) …”[]

Bill Clinton and his entire former cabinet do bare a share of the blame as does the present administration in the issues over the attack on September 11, 2001 in New York, Washington DC, and, the plane the crashed in Penn State.

The 911 commision reports show that reports were made and submitted warning of 9-11 like like plots to the then Clinton era National Security panel. One of which came from these shores- it outlined a plot intercepted in 1995 - called Oplan Bojinka - which bore strike similarities to 9-11 and warned Al Qaeda was planing multiple hijackings.

It's Author was - Klhid Shiek Mohamad - the Al Qeada No.3 - now in US custody. It the report was drafted by the Philippine National Police and submited shortly after the 1995 APEC summit in Manila. it was resubmited on three different occasions.

Why the rage over the ABC Docu-drama - not so much for Bill - whose politcal career as middle level elder statesman and future first hisband - seem to be his only plans. Perhaps he read the memo the current first lady issued that the the first spouise now handles the orientation of white house interns! Man talk about letting loose a kid in the candy store - so anything that might upset that future job would make Bubba very upset indeed.

But the warnings of 9-11 came clearly and resounded twice from these shores - two Philippine Presidents both Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada raised and submitted warnings to Clinton.

Along with the warnings both handed over at the white house and Pentagon - were a long time symbol of friednship that dates back to the US colonial period in these islands, Boxes of the finest made Philippine Cigars. Don Juan Arquillos; anyone who read the transcripts of the Clinton impeachment and Ken Starr reports knows what happened to the cigars.

As to the report - ignored perhaps because of other matters or issues - some in the Whte House claim it was never recieved.

Didne't the then Clinton National security adviser did 'lose' some ducments?

However sitting in the Pentagon, Camp Crame, and ,Camp Aguinaldo as well as in the court trial of Ramsey Youseff- the report is not only mentioned but was submitted for evidence. Further - the ignored warning if memory serves me correctly was bearing a seal stamped with a White House document seal. Clinton got angry over the entire Lewinsky issue - he even - lied about it to the world from the White House.

I think ABC should air the docu-drama - there seems to something there some people dont want seem. It is widely known the Bush Admistraiton had its own errors in the lead up to 9-11 and after in the war on terror. Perhaps - its time to see who else was too busy to notice or preoccupied to care about wanrings given time and agian in the years prior.

I say to ABC - AIR IT! Let the people decide.

The Death of Steve Irwin is sad for many around the world but in strange sort of way you can tell that from his life that is the way he wanted to go. In this interview below he speaks about what and why he did the things he did.

There are thousands of tribute videos on youtube- google videos and elsewhere to this man who did so much for wildlife - he had his controversy who didn't - or doesn’t.

He was a 'fair dinkum' mate who helped the world bridge the gap between animals and people.

We interviewed Steve a few years back on Palawan at the CFI there - doing a story for the Inside story. We popped in with a group of people hopping off of a chopper jut outside the wire and walking into the office. Dr. Jerry Ortega was running the place then - Jerry gave us a proper scolding for spooking the crocs - our Air Force Pilots had given us a quick tour of Puerto Princesa.

Steve was a little subdued... but still even in the quick interview showed the flashes of what is seen on TV then, We later found out our chopper a big UH-1 Huey- had come at the worst possible time - breeding day at the croc farm. We never saw crocs move so fast- as well as a film crew hopping to get out of the way in the pens below! When the huge salt water crocs were being filmed!!! Here comes this 'other film crew' flying in on WHUP-WHUP-WHUP talk about spoiling the moment.

I know I have some video of the interview form my own camera - and other videos as well of Irwin from his short Palawan trip. This was circa 1993 - we still have pictures somewhere too. Not the best meeting – there were other we had… none as eventful as the other meeting.

I hope somewhere in the files of the Inside Story the video is there… If I remember Tita Fe and Ayen were really excited about the chance meeting and saved the tapes from the Inside Story somewhere.

Anyhow…

The way Steve went seems to have been the way most people expected him to go- sad as the whole thin is- as a person who could like a Doctor Doolittle talk almost it seemed with the Animals and in the element they were in make people understand the others of our world we share it with.

The best tribute I have seen was on Jay Leno’s show where Jay said Steve was the best Ambassador Australia ever had. So true… Mr. Irwin will be missed… I watched a couple of shows on the Animal planet today. Listening to him as full of life he described the feeding habits of large croc t the Australia Zoo. He’s still with us… I hope they keep his shows on the air because it one of the best tools of education for children in a easy light hearted way for them to learn about the creatures history has taught us to fear.

I have to say Jay ‘s Ambassador analogy is wrong – Steve could have been or should have been the Peoples ambassador to Animals and vice versa.

Philippines Mass graves update:

The reports of a couple of days ago on the alleged existence of mass graves in Leyte and more reports of other sites across the country has the NDF saying they want charges filed on this issue.

Not unexpected - because afterall that there were purges is common knowledge from the 1980’s - a new purge however would be something new.

that deaths and killings have happened also is something many in the left as well as eight wing insurgent groups as well as former members also openly speak about. So if indeed some sort of charges are filed it may be for the best to once and for all get at the issue - or so says the NDF and other groups as well.

One thing though is clear -the existance of urban killing or death squads in many parts of the country - either from vigelante groups to other factions in the insurgency is something most people know about - it doesn’t take a major investigation to see - the bodies, the dead, the graves, the grieving - yes- there is a higher than normal level of targeted violence.

[] …” File charges on Leyte mass graves, NDF dares govt ABS CBN News, Philippines - By MARK IVAN ROBLAS, The Manila Times Reporter. Go ahead and file charges, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) dared the government. …”[]

Some are trying to figure out this mess and seek answers to who and whom the blame should fall on for many of the attacks which have taken place.

[] ” … THE CHURCH AS PEACEMAKER
Bohol Chronicle, Philippines - … must be set up to unravel these so-called extra-judicial killings, per the … Democratic Front (NDF) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP). …[]

From across the country and across the globe the numbers of attacks and unsolved cases of killings often are seen as part of major reason for concern by human rights groups.

[]…” Murder spree fuels fear in Philippines
The Brunei Times, Brunei Darussalam - … Previously, the Government blamed the rebels and their political wing, the Communist Party of the Philippines, for the recent surge in killings, ..[]

[] ..” Rights group accuses Palparan of 136 violations
Philippine Information Agency, Philippines - Sep 2, 2006
… He said what the Karapatan tally confirmed was that the killings had been taking place long before his assignment in the region. …
Philippine communist party denies military claims of mass grave of …
International Herald Tribune, France - … the current political killings and at the same time contrive a legal offensive against key personalities in the National Democratic Front of the Philippines …” []

Most of the information coming out comes from a report that came out in the associated press - which followed up by local media people in Leyte reveals more information:

[] ” …. August 26, troops from the 8th Infantry Division began digging a mass grave in Inopacan town where a hundred rebels and civilians were buried after they were ordered executed in the 1980s on suspicion they were military spies.
As of Thursday afternoon, the troops have so far recovered 65 skeletal remains from the mass grave. Quoting initial forensic tests, the military said three of the victims were women while another was below 18 years old. Armed Forces of the Philippines public information office chief Bartolome Bacarro has said the troops are also locating another mass grave in the general vicinity where 200 more victims of the purge were buried …[]

Overall the reports still has a long way to go … as to specifics and cases and evidence. it will be interesting to find out with each side pointing fingers who and when and where are chaged.

Earlier post: Mass grave found in Philippines: ‘killing fields’