Middle East

from cryptogon, via WAPO, 21 October 2008: Real-time streaming video of Iraqi and Afghan battle areas taken from thousands of feet in the air can follow actions of people on the ground as they dig, shake hands, exchange objects and kiss each other goodbye. The video is sent from unmanned and manned aircraft to intelligence analysts at ground stations in the United States and abroad. They watch video in real time of people getting in and out of cars, loading trunks, dropping things or picking them up. They can even see vehicles accelerate, slow down, move together or make U-turns. more

from sumoud, 14 October 2008: Incarceration in Israel, Administrative Detention, Palestinian Women Political Prisoners ++++ There are at present about 75 women political prisoners in the Israeli jails: about 35 in Hasharon Prison (Tel Mond), about 35 in Damoon Prison (Carmel Mountain), 1 in Petah Tiqva Detention Center, 3 in Kishon Detention Center (Jalameh) and the rest in several detention centers. more

from UTA, 7 April 2008: Here's a long but well-researched article on the history and development of the Sadr movement in Iraq, and its relationship with the different Shia factions, the government and the resistance to the occupation.  more

from email, 28 March 2008: Whilst leading his life under the immediate threat of death like all the conscientious objectors living in Turkey, Ismail was taken into custody on March 16, 2008 in the Kadiköy district of Istanbul on the grounds of being a deserter.  more

from infoshop, 22 March 2008: The plan was simple: put out a call saying we were going to evict the recruiting station and bring a moveable cage to confine military recruiters until they no longer posed a danger to our community, all the while we would march to a different war-related institution, either the local ROTC office or Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). more

from Fuck the War Coalition, via imc-uk, 13 March 2008. This is the latest statement from the Fuck the War Coalition: "This is Fuck the War Coalition, and we want to bring the war home to those who profit from imperialism. This morning we attacked 4 targets around Edinburgh on the 5th anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. We attacked the US consulate with paint-bombs and paint stripper; smashed the Army Recruitment office on Shandwick Place; vandalised the corrupt chancellor Alistair Darlings office; and the arms company SELEX had its windows smashed..." more

In December 2006 the UK government, led by Tony Blair, decided to halt an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into allegations of bribery against the arms company BAE.

The SFO enquiry was allegedly close to finding documentary evidence that BAE had illegally paid up to two billion pounds (4bn dollars) of bribes to members of the royal family of Saudi Arabia, especially Prince Bandar bin Sultan, son of the heir to the Saudi throne, and former Saudi ambassador to the USA.

News articles filtered from external news sources for the following keywords: BAE, Yamamah, Goldsmith more

from email, 13 January 2008: "In February 2007 the Iraqi cabinet approved an oil law which, if passed into law, would allow the likes of Shell, BP and Exxon to take over control of most of Iraq's oil reserves, depriving ordinary Iraqis of scores of billions of dollars... One year on the law is still being contested at every level of Iraqi society... We need to keep the pressure up here in the UK and support the Iraqi people in their ongoing fight..." more

from Czytelnik CIA, updated 20 March 2008: "The Campaign against Militarism, Poles for a Referendum, the Anarchist Federation and other groups are calling for a large-scale mobilization against the installation of missiles and the building of the US base in Poland. The action, called for 29 March 2008 can be seen as part of a larger anti-militarist struggle which is taking place throughout Europe, including the NATO Game Over action to be held in Brussels on March 22 2008 and the anti-NATO Summit to take place in Bucharest 2-4 April 2008. Let's come together and show that we are not indifferent to the politics of militarism!" more

from London HOIO, 28 November 2007: London is home to institutions and organisations which are profiting from war and occupation and which have been complicit in the deaths of thousands, the displacement of millions and the destruction of lands, homes and communities. Meeting 12 December @ LARC in London to organise for February 23rd 2008, the National day of action against the theft of Iraqi oil and economic occupation... more

Reuters, 26 November 2007: LONDON,(Reuters) - The U.S. military has stepped up chartering of tankers and requests for extra fuel in the U.S. Central Command area, which includes the Persian Gulf, shipping and oil industry sources say. more

from imc-uk, 21 November 2007: "The use of biometric ID cards in Fallujah perhaps gives an insight into the likely reasoning behind their introduction in UK society ... Three years after a devastating U.S.-led siege of the city, residents of Fallujah continue to struggle with a shattered economy and infrastructure and a lack of mobility..." more

from various sources, 29 August 2007: Brighton peace activists campaigning against weapons manufacturers EDO MBM had their camp evicted and tents impounded under a nineteenth century bye-law yesterday.  more

from email, July 24 2007: "The mounting legal cost of the joint Palestinian-Israeli struggle against the occupation is forcing us to send this urgent appeal for funds. We are asking for your support to continue the work of the Israeli group Anarchists Against the Wall (AATW)..." more

from WorkingForChange (June 14 2007) - "Determining that the Pentagon's favored strategy of global military engagement is incompatible with a world of declining oil output, LMI concluded that "current planning presents a situation in which the aggregate operational capability of the force may be unsustainable in the long term..." more

28th June 2007: "The action took place after reports of mounting civilian casualties in Lebanon. EDO MBM supply weapons components to the Israeli military including arming units for fighter jets used in Lebanon. The campaigners hung a banner from the roof reading ’16 CHILDREN KILLED IN QANA, LEBANON. EDO PROFITS FROM MURDER’..." more

From Indymedia.de, 05.06.2007: The day of action against Militarism and War started with an action at the Security Fence to commemorate the 40th anniversary of 1967 war and Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and protest against the apartheid wall, which was called off because of police restrictions. more

G8, walls, wars and exclusions go together. That is why thousands from the region, from all over Germany, Europe, Israel, and Palestine will come to Rostock to protest against the meeting of those who rule the world without being legitimized +++ on the international demo block “Palestine – no wars, no walls”, June, 2nd, in Rostock, Germany +++ on the day of blockades against militarization, wars and occupations on June, 5th around Rostock-Laage airport, Germany  more

20 March 2007: On the morning of the 4th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, members of the 'Fuck The War Coalition' trashed the offices of the two Edinburgh MPs who voted for the war in 2003. The Fuck The War Coalition! is bringing a small taste of war to some of those politicians that voted for it. Distanced from the blood and bombs by thousands of miles, imperialism has a sweet profitable taste, but when their windows are smashed and cars vandalised they might gain a little insight into the consequences of their actions. more