Ah, but people in every country do this when their country goes to war and
the government tells them reasons for that war. People always believe their
own government's propaganda: the Japanese and Germans during World War 2,
the European powers and America during World War 1, and so on. We wouldn't
have wars if people weren't amenable to brain washing.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2016 11:12 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: US Approved Millions in Military Contracts to
Saudi Arabia Just Days Before Saudis Executed Pro-Democracy Protesters
The American Working Class is so brain-washed that we are like a herd of
Bison charging over the edge of a cliff to our destruction.
How can any right thinking adult go off to defend their nation's freedom,
while that very freedom is being taken from them, bit by bit?
How can our young fighting men and women defend a nation that is a royal
dictatorship, and is slaughtering anyone who dares to disagree with that
right? The only answer is total brain washing. Otherwise our troops would
lay down their weapons, lock down their military bases and head back to the
farm or the home town factories...if any still remain.
Of course there are many, many reasons why none of this will happen, but it
is not because the average working class American is stupid.
Generations of careful brain-washing have set up boundaries that prevent us
from grasping the real world. How else do we explain giving billions of
military arms to a violent dictatorship, when we would never support such
high handed behavior at home? Or do we?
Carl JarvisOn 1/4/16, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
government."
Gottinger writes: "Just days before Saudi Arabia performed a mass
execution of 47 people, including four pro-democracy protesters, the
US approved tens of millions in military contracts to the Saudi
ideals"
A protest against the Saudi Arabian government in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
(photo: Getty Images)
US Approved Millions in Military Contracts to Saudi Arabia Just Days
Before Saudis Executed Pro-Democracy Protesters By Paul Gottinger,
Reader Supported News
04 January 16
Just days before Saudi Arabia performed a mass execution of 47 people,
including four pro-democracy protesters, the US approved tens of
millions in military contracts to the Saudi government. The contracts
include $24 million to Raytheon for equipment relating to Patriot
missiles, $12 million to Advanced Electronics for electronics updates
to F-15 fighter jets, and tens of millions of dollars to Boeing for
implementation of a laser guided, air-to-ground weapons system.
The Pentagon announced the contracts three days before the execution
of four non-violent Shia protesters. The majority of the executions
were carried out in the form of beheadings - the same form of
execution favored by ISIS.
The weapons contracts draw attention to the US government's continued
arming of the Saudi government, which regularly engages in human
rights abuses at home and abroad. Despite recent allegations of war
crimes against Saudi Arabia for its war in Yemen, the US continues to
replenish the Saudi arsenal with billions in weapons.
As a result, Amnesty International has accused the US of violating the
Arms Trade Treaty. The treaty prohibits the sale of arms if there is
knowledge the weapons will be used against civilians. The
International Committee of the Red Cross has documented 100 instances
of the Saudi-led coalition attacking hospitals in Yemen.
Among those executed earlier this week was Sheik Nimr al-Nimr, who was
well known to Shia Muslims around the world. Al-Nimr was a leader of
the 2011 Arab Spring protest in Saudi Arabia's Shia region. His
execution sparked protests in multiple countries including Iran, where
protesters set the Saudi embassy ablaze. In response to the embassy
fire, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic relations with Iran.
Human Rights Watch reported that al-Nimr "supported only peaceful
protests and eschewed all violent opposition to the government." In US
cables released by Wikileaks, al-Nimr stated his support for "American
likerights."
peace and justice. He also said acts of violence "directly contradict
the spirit of Shi'ism" and as a result, Shia Muslims such as himself
"are natural allies for America."
The three other protesters set to death were teenagers at the time of
their arrest. These young men participated in peaceful pro-democracy
protests during Saudi Arabia's Arab Spring. Yet Saudi Arabia, fearing
a democratic movement that could challenge the royal family's complete
control over the country, has accused the protesters of terrorism.
The three young men executed were Ali al-Ribh, just 18 at the time of
his arrest, Mohammad Shioukh, 19 at time of his arrest, and Mohammad
Suweimal, about whom little is known.
In addition to these three executed protesters, three other young
protesters who were minors at the time of their arrest have been
sentenced to death and are awaiting their executions. They are Ali
al-Nimr, who is Sheikh al-Nimr's nephew and was arrested at 17, Dawoud
al-Marhoon, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, and Abdullah
al-Zaher, who was 15.
Many of these young men awaiting execution or recently executed were
tortured while they were detained. It is unlikely that any of them
received a fair trial.
Human Rights Watch has "documented longstanding due process violations
in Saudi Arabia's criminal justice system that make it difficult for a
defendant to get a fair trial."
Reader Supported News spoke with Ali al-Ribh's mother prior to her
son's execution on January 1. His mother said that while he was in
prison, Ali experienced both physical and psychological torture, which
was used to force him to make a false confession.
"All charges are without proof or evidence," Ali's mother said. "The
whole thing is a malicious sectarian case and nothing more."
"My son has always had a great love for freedom and equality. The
injustice and discrimination against the Shia community in Saudi
Arabia affected him deeply," she said. "Ali was kindhearted. At an
early age he knew he wanted to help his community by working to bring
about peaceful democratic changes."
According to Ali's mother, Ali was held in solitary and was refused
medical treatment after receiving a broken nose, injuries to his head,
limbs, and back while being tortured. He was also subjected to sleep
deprivation and did not receive adequate meals.
The executions of these four Shia protesters have been met with
widespread condemnation. Amnesty International described the
executions as a demonstration of Saudi Arabia's "utter disregard for human
Philip Luther, the director of Amnesty International's Middle East andme.'"
North Africa Program, stated the killing of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr
suggests the Saudi government is "using the death penalty in the name
of counter-terror to settle scores and crush dissidents."
Brian Dooley, of Human Rights First, criticized Washington's support
for Saudi Arabia. He wrote, "Washington's muted response to mounting
Saudi violations - 2015 saw at least 157 executions after unfair
trials, the most for two decades, and a continuing clamp down on
non-violent critics of the government - only enables the repression."
These executions have already had wide-ranging political impacts and
may further destabilize the Middle East. This is likely to be the case
in Iraq, where the US is hoping to minimize sectarian tensions, which
force Sunni Muslims to support ISIS.
Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi stated that the execution of
Sheik al-Nimr "would lead to nothing but more destruction." He
continued, "Violating human rights . leads to repercussions on the
security, stability and the social fabric of the peoples of the region."
For the families of those who've been executed, the broader political
fallout may only heighten the pain of losing a family member.
Ali's mother told me, "Ali's imprisonment deeply touched our lives as
his parents. Ali aspired to become an electronics engineer and to
complete his university studies in America. But injustice prevented
him from achieving his wishes."
"My son was taken away from me. He suffered from all kinds of torment
and abuse, and still he always said, 'Don't worry, I am not the only
one who is oppressed and sentenced to death. There are many people like
"Ali wanted to raise awareness of the injustice toward Shia in Saudiideals"
Arabia.
He wanted the world to know about all of the peaceful protesters
who've been wrongly accused of crimes. Ali wished to stand for all the
oppressed, and to have all free people stand with him, so we can all
have a victory of freedom and democracy."
Ali's mother concluded, "Ali's spirit of hope and his love gave us
strength, but now when I think of him, all I feel is pain."
________________________________________
Paul Gottinger is a staff reporter at RSN whose work focuses on the
Middle East and the arms industry. He can be reached on Twitter
@paulgottinger or via email.
Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work.
Permission
to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader
Supported News.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Error! Hyperlink reference not
valid.
A protest against the Saudi Arabian government in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
(photo: Getty Images)
http://readersupportednews.org/http://readersupportednews.org/
US Approved Millions in Military Contracts to Saudi Arabia Just Days
Before Saudis Executed Pro-Democracy Protesters By Paul Gottinger,
Reader Supported News
04 January 16
ust days before Saudi Arabia performed a mass execution of 47 people,
including four pro-democracy protesters, the US approved tens of
millions in military contracts to the Saudi government. The contracts
include $24 million to Raytheon for equipment relating to Patriot
missiles, $12 million to Advanced Electronics for electronics updates
to F-15 fighter jets, and tens of millions of dollars to Boeing for
implementation of a laser guided, air-to-ground weapons system.
The Pentagon announced the contracts three days before the execution
of four non-violent Shia protesters. The majority of the executions
were carried out in the form of beheadings - the same form of
execution favored by ISIS.
The weapons contracts draw attention to the US government's continued
arming of the Saudi government, which regularly engages in human
rights abuses at home and abroad. Despite recent allegations of war
crimes against Saudi Arabia for its war in Yemen, the US continues to
replenish the Saudi arsenal with billions in weapons.
As a result, Amnesty International has accused the US of violating the
Arms Trade Treaty. The treaty prohibits the sale of arms if there is
knowledge the weapons will be used against civilians. The
International Committee of the Red Cross has documented 100 instances
of the Saudi-led coalition attacking hospitals in Yemen.
Among those executed earlier this week was Sheik Nimr al-Nimr, who was
well known to Shia Muslims around the world. Al-Nimr was a leader of
the 2011 Arab Spring protest in Saudi Arabia's Shia region. His
execution sparked protests in multiple countries including Iran, where
protesters set the Saudi embassy ablaze. In response to the embassy
fire, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic relations with Iran.
Human Rights Watch reported that al-Nimr "supported only peaceful
protests and eschewed all violent opposition to the government." In US
cables released by Wikileaks, al-Nimr stated his support for "American
likerights."
peace and justice. He also said acts of violence "directly contradict
the spirit of Shi'ism" and as a result, Shia Muslims such as himself
"are natural allies for America."
The three other protesters set to death were teenagers at the time of
their arrest. These young men participated in peaceful pro-democracy
protests during Saudi Arabia's Arab Spring. Yet Saudi Arabia, fearing
a democratic movement that could challenge the royal family's complete
control over the country, has accused the protesters of terrorism.
The three young men executed were Ali al-Ribh, just 18 at the time of
his arrest, Mohammad Shioukh, 19 at time of his arrest, and Mohammad
Suweimal, about whom little is known.
In addition to these three executed protesters, three other young
protesters who were minors at the time of their arrest have been
sentenced to death and are awaiting their executions. They are Ali
al-Nimr, who is Sheikh al-Nimr's nephew and was arrested at 17, Dawoud
al-Marhoon, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, and Abdullah
al-Zaher, who was 15.
Many of these young men awaiting execution or recently executed were
tortured while they were detained. It is unlikely that any of them
received a fair trial.
Human Rights Watch has "documented longstanding due process violations
in Saudi Arabia's criminal justice system that make it difficult for a
defendant to get a fair trial."
Reader Supported News spoke with Ali al-Ribh's mother prior to her
son's execution on January 1. His mother said that while he was in
prison, Ali experienced both physical and psychological torture, which
was used to force him to make a false confession.
"All charges are without proof or evidence," Ali's mother said. "The
whole thing is a malicious sectarian case and nothing more."
"My son has always had a great love for freedom and equality. The
injustice and discrimination against the Shia community in Saudi
Arabia affected him deeply," she said. "Ali was kindhearted. At an
early age he knew he wanted to help his community by working to bring
about peaceful democratic changes."
According to Ali's mother, Ali was held in solitary and was refused
medical treatment after receiving a broken nose, injuries to his head,
limbs, and back while being tortured. He was also subjected to sleep
deprivation and did not receive adequate meals.
The executions of these four Shia protesters have been met with
widespread condemnation. Amnesty International described the
executions as a demonstration of Saudi Arabia's "utter disregard for human
Philip Luther, the director of Amnesty International's Middle East andme.'"
North Africa Program, stated the killing of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr
suggests the Saudi government is "using the death penalty in the name
of counter-terror to settle scores and crush dissidents."
Brian Dooley, of Human Rights First, criticized Washington's support
for Saudi Arabia. He wrote, "Washington's muted response to mounting
Saudi violations - 2015 saw at least 157 executions after unfair
trials, the most for two decades, and a continuing clamp down on
non-violent critics of the government - only enables the repression."
These executions have already had wide-ranging political impacts and
may further destabilize the Middle East. This is likely to be the case
in Iraq, where the US is hoping to minimize sectarian tensions, which
force Sunni Muslims to support ISIS.
Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi stated that the execution of
Sheik al-Nimr "would lead to nothing but more destruction." He
continued, "Violating human rights . leads to repercussions on the
security, stability and the social fabric of the peoples of the region."
For the families of those who've been executed, the broader political
fallout may only heighten the pain of losing a family member.
Ali's mother told me, "Ali's imprisonment deeply touched our lives as
his parents. Ali aspired to become an electronics engineer and to
complete his university studies in America. But injustice prevented
him from achieving his wishes."
"My son was taken away from me. He suffered from all kinds of torment
and abuse, and still he always said, 'Don't worry, I am not the only
one who is oppressed and sentenced to death. There are many people like
"Ali wanted to raise awareness of the injustice toward Shia in Saudi
Arabia.
He wanted the world to know about all of the peaceful protesters
who've been wrongly accused of crimes. Ali wished to stand for all the
oppressed, and to have all free people stand with him, so we can all
have a victory of freedom and democracy."
Ali's mother concluded, "Ali's spirit of hope and his love gave us
strength, but now when I think of him, all I feel is pain."
Paul Gottinger is a staff reporter at RSN whose work focuses on the
Middle East and the arms industry. He can be reached on Twitter
@paulgottinger or via email.
Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work.
Permission
to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader
Supported News.
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
