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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Monday, 14 March 2011, International Headline News (Two Viewpoints)

Selected Headline News From democracynow.org:


*** Japan: Estimated Death Toll Reaches 10,000 Amid Fears of Nuclear Meltdown

Japan remains in a state of emergency three days after a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit the country. An estimated 10,000 people have died, and Japan is facing the world’s worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl. Japanese authorities are scrambling to avert a meltdown at the stricken Fukushima nuclear reactor after a second hydrogen explosion rocked the facility. Nuclear fuel rods are now fully exposed at Reactor No.2 at the nuclear plant. The power plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power, said water levels inside the nuclear reactor were almost empty, raising fears of a meltdown. It is unclear how far the radioactive contamination has spread. U.S. military officials have reported that helicopters flying 60 miles from the plant picked up small amounts of radioactive particulates.

*** Wisconsin Sees Largest Protests Ever Following Passage of Anti-Union Bill

In Wisconsin, more than 100,000 people filled the streets of Madison Saturday in what what has been described as the state’s largest protest ever. The massive rally was held one day after Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill to strip most workers of their right to collectively bargain. The AFL-CIO put the size of the crowd on Saturday at 185,000. Speakers at the rally included many of the 14 Democratic senators who had fled the state three weeks ago in an attempt to stall the legislation. [Madison is a college town, but still, this was a larger rally than they had in the Vietnam years, and larger than the largest Tea Party rally, organized by Dick Armey and funded by the Kochs, last September 12 in Washington.]

*** Gov. Walker Hopes Wisconsin Bill Will Inspire Legislation

On Friday, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker held a ceremony in his office to sign the anti-union legislation. He told reporters: “For us, we’re doing this to lead the way in our own state, to get Wisconsin working again. But if along the way we help lead a movement across the state to pass true fiscal reform, true budgetary reform, to ultimately inspire others across this country, state by state, and in our federal government, inspire others to stand up and make the tough decisions so that they too make a commitment to the future, so that our children, in all states and across the country, ultimately don’t have to face the dire consequences we face, because previous leaders have failed to stand up and lead, I think that’s a good thing and a thing we’re worthy -— we’re willing to accept as part of our legacy.”

[A couple of weeks ago, when he thought he was talking to David Koch, Walker said: "I stood up and I pulled out a picture of Ronald Reagan, and I said, you know, this may seem a little melodramatic, but 30 years ago Ronald Reagan, whose 100th birthday we just celebrated the day before, had one of the most defining moments of his political career, not just his presidency, when he fired the air traffic controllers. And I said, to me that moment was more important than just for labor relations or even the federal budget. That was the first crack in the Berlin Wall in the fall of Communism because from that point forward the Soviets and the Communists knew that Ronald Reagan wasn't a pushover. And I said, this may not have as broad of world applications, but in Wisconsin's history — little did I know how big it would be nationally — Wisconsin's history, I said, this is our moment. This is our time to change the course of history ..." 

Scott Walker, historical figure? Don't model for any statues just yet, Scott; you can be recalled next January, after you've been in office for a year.]


*** Labor Protests Spread Throughout the Country

Labor protests are continuing across the country. In South Carolina, thousands of teachers, religious leaders and state workers gathered at the capitol building on Sunday in opposition to cuts targeted at education, healthcare and other state services. In Austin, Texas, more than 10,000 protesters swarmed the grounds of the capitol Saturday to denounce Gov. Rick Perry’s proposal to fire educators, increase class sizes and cut programs. On Friday, protesters in Maine filled the capitol building to take a stand against Gov. Paul LePage’s plan to strip $18 million from the state’s Fund for a Healthy Maine. Also on Friday, concerned parents and citizens in Maryland’s Prince George’s County gathered at a local school to protest budget cuts that could leave hundreds of low-income, magnet high school students without school buses. Meanwhile, protests in response to Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s plan to tax the public and private pensions of senior citizens are scheduled for Tuesday in Lansing.

*** Gulf Nations Send Troops to Bahrain in Effort to Quell Protests

Several Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia, have begun sending troops to Bahrain to help support the royal family after a month of protests. The move comes just one day after U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Bahrain. On Sunday, thousands of demonstrators cut off Bahrain’s financial center. More than 100 people were injured after police fired tear gas at protesters and attacked them with batons.

*** Yemen Security Forces Kill Peaceful Protesters

In Yemen, security forces killed two peaceful protesters and injured more than 100 in the capital of Sana’a. Human Rights Watch reports that security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and then live ammunition at demonstrators at the entrance to Sana’a University early Saturday morning.

[My main fear in these Middle East uprisings is Saudi Arabia. The people are oppressed, Saudi Wahabis are THE most radical jihadis of all -- 17 of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi -- and the Royal Family is extravagant beyond belief. If Saudi Arabia has conflict like Libya now has, the price of oil will double overnight.]

This just in: Stop the presses!



(Reuters) - Saudi Arabia sent troops into Bahrain on Monday to help put down weeks of protests by the Shi'ite Muslim majority, a move opponents of the Sunni ruling family on the island called a declaration of war.

Analysts saw the troop movement into Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, as a mark of concern in Saudi Arabia that concessions by the country's monarchy could inspire the conservative Sunni kingdom's own Shi'ite minority.

About 1,000 Saudi soldiers entered Bahrain to protect government facilities, a Saudi official source said, a day after mainly Shi'ite protesters overran police and blocked roads.


Susie Madrak of Crooks & Liars says: "Democracy is okay only when it doesn't threaten the royal families of the Middle East, I guess."

*** U.S. Official Resigns After Criticizing Treatment of Bradley Manning

The U.S. Department of State’s chief spokesperson resigned on Sunday just days after he criticized the military’s treatment of suspected Army whistleblower Private Bradley Manning. Last week, P.J. Crowley spoke before a small group at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and accused the Pentagon of being "ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid" in its treatment of Manning. Manning has been held in solitary confinement since June on a Marine brig and has been forced to be naked for up to seven hours at a time. In his resignation, Crowley said his comments "were intended to highlight the broader, even strategic impact of discrete actions undertaken by national security agencies every day and their impact on our global standing and leadership." Crowley went on to say, "The exercise of power in today’s challenging times and relentless media environment must be prudent and consistent with our laws and values." [Fired for telling the truth.]

On Friday, President Obama defended the military’s treatment of Manning: "With respect to Private Manning, I have actually asked the Pentagon whether or not the procedures that have been taken in terms of his confinement are appropriate and are meeting our basic standards. They assure me that they are. I can’t go into details about some of their concerns, but some of this has to do with Private Manning’s safety, as well." [Didn't Bush's lawyers tell him waterboarding wasn't torture?]

*** Nuclear Crisis in Japan Sparks Global Protests

The nuclear crisis in Japan touched off mass anti-nuclear protests across Europe this weekend. In Germany, some 50,000 protesters formed a 27-mile human chain from Germany’s Neckarwestheim nuclear power plant to the city of Stuttgart. German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently announced plans to extend the life of 17 German nuclear plants for an average 12 extra years. A large anti-nuclear protest was also held in France. Eva Joly, a French member of the European Parliament: "The idea that it is dangerous but that we can cope with it, that is finished today. And we know how to get out of the nuclear plants: we need renewable energy, we need windmills, we need gĂ©othermic, and we need solar energy."

[Nuclear power is the primary source of electricity in France. In 2004, 78.8 % of the country's total production of electricity was from nuclear power, the highest percentage in the world. They have 59 nuclear plants. France is also the world's largest net exporter of electric power, exporting 18% of its total production, and its electricity cost is among the lowest in Europe. France's nuclear power industry has been called "a success story" that has put the nation "ahead of the world" in terms of providing cheap, CO2-free energy.]


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Here's another take on the news, from Red State Update -- NSFW -- Not Safe For Work!

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