2009-01-19 White Phosphorous
Every now and then I can’t take the pro-israeli propaganda in the Swiss mainstream newspapers anymore and I turn to the ElectronicIntifada. There, I just need to skim the front page in order to shake off the images of smiling soldiers hugging after the cease fire, of politicians talking about goals achieved, of organized retreats, of attempted negotiations.
- The chemical burns deeply, to the bone, experts say. It is considered illegal warfare, not to be used in civilian areas. Yet the accounts grow of its use: heavy use in the Khosar region, east of Khan Younis, and in the northwest of Gaza, and in eastern Jabaliya, Sheik Zayid, Sheik Rajleen, al-Zaitoun, everywhere. The United Nations headquarters housing hundreds of fleeing Palestinians which was bombed on 15 January was hit with white phosphorus. [1]
I gag as I read half-way through the article, and then I have to stop.
Sadly, a familiar reaction when I read about Israel.
2006-06-17 Australia abandoning Geneva Conventions
TelePolis reports that Australia will not treat prisoners made in Afghanistan as prisoners of war according to the Geneva Conventions. Just like the USA and Canada, Australia will treat these people as “enemy combatants”.
The evil is spreading.
I wonder: If they are not prisonsers of war, and not prisoners according to Austrialian common law, nor prisoners of Afghan civil law: What are they? Pieces of living flesh, at the mercy of their captors: They will be treated humanely, one hears. But clearly humane treatment is not a right that is to be defended at court. It’s a present, a reward for cooperation and the licking of boots.
Of course terrorists don’t take prisoners of war, either. But if we lower ourselves to their standard, what the fuck are we fighting for?
Not yet. Not yet. And not if we can prevent it, I hope.
Tags: geneva prison war terror afghanistan australia usa
Comments on 2006-06-17 Australia abandoning Geneva Conventions
2006-06-14 Reading Thukydides with a Web 2.0 map
On the O'Reilly Radar they write about Gutenkarte: Geo annotation of Gutenberg texts. I love their first example; they annotate The History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides!

Well said. It’s absolutely outrageous that countries are detaining people indefinitely.
– MichaelOlson 2006-06-17 23:55 UTC
Add Comment