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Today's Stories January 3, 2007 Kathy Kelly Wrapped Around a Bullet January 2, 2007 Michael Watts Oil Inferno Amina Mire Return of the Warlords: Death and Destruction for Somalis James Brooks Pushing the Wedge in Palestine Alevtina Rea The Tyrant is Dead! Long Live ... ? Al Krebs Global Food Security: a Call to Action Peter Rost Invitation to a Hanging: the Saddam Hussein Execution Video Niranjan Ramakrishnan A Deadly December John Stanton Appetites for Destruction Website of the Day Out Now: Petition   January 1, 2007 Patrick Cockburn Iron Man, Tin God: the Meaning of Saddam Hussein Uri Avnery What Makes Sammy Run? Joshua Frank Eliot Spitzer's Constitutional Hang Up: Architect of New York's Patriot Act   December 30 / 31, 2006 Weekend Edition Alexander Cockburn 2006, Hard to Call It Vintage, But 2007 Could Finally Be Bobby Byrd's Year Patrick Cockburn Iraq 2006: a Nation Soaked in Blood Tears Itself Apart Paul Wolf Dying for Our Sins: A Lawyer for Saddam Describes How His Execution on the First of Eid May Transform Him Into a Martyr Manuel Garcia, Jr. Executing Saddam, Protecting the Rackets Tariq Ali Saddam at the End of a Rope Paul Craig Roberts The New Dark Age: Official Lies, Dogma and Unaccountable Power Douglas Valentine At the End of My Rope: Hanging With Saddam Brian M. Downing The New Iraq Policy: Escalation Michael Donnelly Injustice in Black and White: the Duke Non-Rape Case Stephen Lendman Did Sharon Order the Assassination of Arafat? The Revelations of Uri Dan Fred Gardner Comes Now the Ghost of "Decrim:" Nixon and Marijuana Bailly / Caudron / Lambert Who Owns Ikea?: the Opaque Legacy of Ingvar Kamprad Ralph Nader The Prospects for Progressive Politics Nick Dearden The War on Terror Hits Africa Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg The Third Degree: an Interview with AC Thompson on the Origins of the CIA's Secret Rendition Flights Missy Beattie In Harm's Way: How Our National Coward Describes War Ron Jacobs Sigh of the Oppressed: Religion and Politics Dan La Botz Defend Illegal Immigrants: Help Them! Harbor Them! Andrew Wimmer An Act of Contrition: the Peace Movement in 2007 Dr. Carol Wolman, MD Psychiatrist: Impeach Bush for Good of Country Martha Rosenberg New Year's Resolutions for Big Pharma Dick J. Reavis News Before It Happens: Bush's 2007 MLK Day Speech Jeffrey St. Clair Listening to James Brown and His Followers Poets' Basement Grima, Curtis, Davies, Orloski and Engel Website of the Weekend Charlie Fowler's Photolog: a Life at Altitude Music Video of the Weekend "We're Winning the War on Drugs!" December 29, 2006 Bill Quigley A Tale of Two Sisters: Why is HUD Spending Tens of Millions in Katrina Money to Bulldoze 4,534 Public Housing Apartments in New Orleans? Norman Finkelstein The Dershowitz Treatment John Borowski Curb Your Environmentalism: Laurie David and Me Abid Mustafa The Re-Talibanization of Afghanistan Greg Moses World Responds to Palestinian Family's Jailing Despite Media Blackout Uri Cohen Stand Up for Herod: a Seasonal Story of Ancient Palestine Bailly / Caudron / Lambert The Secrets in Ikea's Closet Website of the Day Justice for New Orleans   December 28, 2006 Norman Finkelstein The Ludicrous Attacks on Jimmy Carter's Book Anthony Cowell Highway Robbery: Privatizing New Jersey's Toll Roads John Ross Gateway to the Next Mexican Revolution? Hilaria Cruz I'm Going to Stay Right Here: Story of a Oaxacan Prisoner Greg Moses Palestinian Immigrant Jailings in Texas Brittany Bond The Blood Trail of Luis Posada Carriles, Washington's Preferred Terrorist Website of the Day Godfather of Soul and Father of Funk   December 27, 2006 Alexander Cockburn Farewell to Our Greatest President: Adieu, Gerald Ford Faruq Ziada Is There a Sunni Majority in Iraq? Christopher Brauchli Burning EPA's Books: What They Don't Want You to Read Might Save Your Life Michael Ortiz Hill Journey to Vietnam: Dare We Not Say Genocide? Nikolas Kozloff Saving Caracas Mark Schneider Why Hope? Reasons for Optimism December 26, 2006 Peter Stone Brown James Brown: Please Don't Go Tito Tricot Chile: the Ghosts of Torture Gary Leupp Cowboys Differ on Iran Attack: Cheney/Bush vs. the Baker Commission John V. Walsh Dershowitz vs. Carter in Beantown: Peace Movement AWOL, Again Reza Fiyouzat Red Christmas: Why Santa Was Hot in China This Year Ron Jacobs The Golem: a Conversation with Marc Estrin Website of the Day JB: Prisoner of Love December 25, 2006 Saul Landau A Jeep Trip with Fidel Lang / McGovern To Surge or Not to Surge? Michael Dickinson Should Stupid Thoughts Be Crimes?: Deny Santa If You Will, But ... Website of the Day James Brown, RIP December 23 / 24, 2006 Marjorie Cohn What's Going On? Jeffrey L. Gould The Capital of Salvadoran Memory: El Mozote After 25 Years Diane Christian The Rape of Iraq William Loren Katz From the Raid on "Fort Negro" to Iraq: Lessons from the First US Invasion Greg Moses This War Can't be Made Right by Winning M. Shahid Alam An Islamic Civil War: Chaos by Design? Fred Gardner Exposé as Inoculant: HRT, Zyprexa, Lilly and the Press Dave Lindorff Crime of the Century Azmi Bishara Ways of Denial Ralph Nader The BCS: a Monopoly on College Football Seth Sandronsky Fiscally Imperiled Social Security? William Hughes Cop Assaults Activists at Lockheed Protest Ron Jacobs Making Stones Weep Jeffrey St. Clair Playlist: What I'm Listening to on New Year's Eve   December 22, 2006 David Rosen Bush's Foreign Sex Policy: Imperialism's Second Front Christopher Brauchli When the Secret is the Question: Secret Prisons, Top Secret Interrogations John Ross Flashlights in the Tunnel of Hate J.L. Chestnut, Jr. Political Sell-Outs in Black and White Rahul Mahajan Dennis Kucinich: Maverick or Stalking Horse? Arthur Neslen Provoking Civil War in the Occupied Territories Peter Rost, MD The Secrets of His Success: Fired Pfizer CEO Walks Away with $198 Million Website of the Day 10 Ways to Change the World in 2007 December 21, 2006 Rosa Mariam Elizalde An Interview with Gore Vidal: "I am Jealous of Cuba" Arundhati Roy Breaking the News Brian Cloughley Poppies Rising: Afghanistan's Drug Catastrophe Daniel White Jimmy Carter in Austin: Time to Come Clean on the Shoot Down of That Itavia DC-9 John V. Whitbeck On Israel's Right to Exist Sam Smith Still Smearing Ralph Nader for 2000 Paris Reidhead GM Ice Cream: Something's Fishy in Your Good Humor Bar Kevin Wehr Denying Disaster: Katrina and the Case for Impeachment Website of the Day Pesticides and Amphibians: a Vital New Database December 20, 2006 Gabriel Kolko Rumsfeld and the American Way of War Winslow T. Wheeler The Pentagon Measures the Chaos in Iraq Tariq Ali The War is Lost Saree Makdisi Israel, Apartheid and Jimmy Carter Bruce Jackson Saying "Oh!": John Mohawk and the Power to Make Peace Dave Lindorff Democrats Walk Into a Bush Trap on Iraq Leslie Radford The Winter Harvest of the South Central Farmers Dave Jansson Divided We Stand, United We Fall: Secessionists Confront the Empire Johnny Barber Jesus is a Terrorist Website of the Day Is It for Freedom? December 19, 2006 Alexander Cockburn Democrats Prepare to Fund Longer War Jonathan Cook End of the Strongmen Greg Moses Globalized Gulag: Palestinian Refugees and Children Held in Hutto, TX Jail Sean Penn Georgie, There's a Crowd Downstairs Dave Lindorff Innocents Abroad: Cracking Down on Gitmo Detainees Despite Overwhelming Evidence Most Are Not Terrorists Ralph Nader Going Postal Laura Carlsen Latin America's Pink Tide? Carlos Villarreal The Well is Poisoned: Victory Requires an Immediate Pull-Out Website of the Day Chuck Spinney on the Pentagon December 18, 2006 Luis J. Rodriguez En Lak Ech: Chicanos, Mayans and Mel Gibson Norman Solomon Washington Refuses to End the War: Powell, Baker, Hamilton--Thanks for Nothing! Uri Avnery Lebanon: War Without a Plan Ron Jacobs More Troops, More Body Bags Phil Gasper Afghanistan: Bush's Other War Unravels Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi Iran's Elections: The World Isn't Florida and Bush Isn't Its Supreme Leader William Blum The United States of Punishment Jim Goodman So What's the Big Deal If Wal-Mart Makes a Mistake? James Brooks Talking Surge: Let's Kill Some More Before We Go Maria C. Khoury Walking Into the Art World: Designing a Palestinian Academy for the Arts Website of the Day Got Powell December 16 / 17, 2006 Weekend Edition Vijay Prashad A Perilous Way to Socialism Saul Landau Filming Fidel Anthony Arnove The US Occupation of Iraq: Act III of a Tragedy of Many Parts Paul Cantor The Puppet and the Puppeteer: Pinochet and Kissinger Annie Nocenti Baluchistan's Fight: The Khan of Kalat Gathers the Tribes Nicole Colson Hard Times on the Killing Floor: Smithfield's Rotten Record Stephen Gowans Tehran's Holocaust Conference Jordan Flaherty A Catastrophic Failure: Foundations, Nonprofits and the Second Looting of New Orleans Fred Gardner Dustin Costa Faces 15 to Life P. Sainath There's No Such Thing as a Free Cow Seth Sandronsky The Democrats and Social Security: Watch What the Party Says and Does Nadia Hijab An AIPAC Shot Across Baker's Bow? Deb Reich Dear Santa, (Or Someone): Greetings from the Occupied Holy Lands Susie Day Cops Shoot Another Rich White Man! Albert Wan Why Does It Take 50 Bullets? Missy Beattie Will the Next Leader Stand Up? Please! Martha Rosenberg Kicking the Wyeth Habit Saves Women's Lives Lee Ballinger The Devil's Highway: Clinton, Border Checkpoints and the Deaths of the Yuma 14 Michael Dickinson Kingdom of Fear Jeffrey St. Clair Live/Evil: Listening to Miles Davis Poets' Basement Davies, Buknatski and Ford Website of the Weekend "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"   December 15, 2006 Eliza Ernshire Palestinian "Civil War" and the Israeli Chocolate Ration Virginia Tilley What Are You Going to Do Now, Israel? Mike Ferner Roll Call for the Choir: If They Vote for War, Occupy 'Em! John Ross Mad Mel's Mayan Apocalypse Fred Wilhelms The Flip Side of Ahmet Ertegun: Where Did You Get Those Shoes? Kevin Zeese Dennis Kucinich's Strange Mission: Can You Be a Real Anti-War Candidate in a Pro-War Party? David Severn Social Engineering Begins at Home: Jeffrey Skoll, Billionaire Philantropist Dave Lindorff Sen. Tim Johnson Death Watch: Senate Gridlock May Be Best Outcome Sunsara Taylor As American as Shopping and Torture Website of the Day June 2, 2004: When Iraq Was There For The Looting   December 14, 2006 Jonathan Cook The Recognition Trap Riz Khan An Interview with Jimmy Carter Jason Hribal Kasatka, the Sea World Orca Pennick / Gray The Plight of Black Farmers: Racism in the US Farm Program Richard Levins That Embezzled Anti-Castro Money Pat Williams The College Crisis: Universal Access, Student Loan Debts and Pell Grants Peter Rost, MD Simply Irresistible: Do Women Prefer Bad Boys? Website of the Day The Sound of Rummy   December 13, 2006 Patrick Cockburn Iraq is Beyond Repair Greg Moses The Dixie Chicks Come Home to Roost Elizabeth Schulte Hungry for the Holidays Joshua Frank Death By Coke Debra Eschmeyer Corporations Control Your Dinner Leon Hadar Baker's Rescue Mission: Too Little, Too Late Peter Rost, MD I've Been a Very Bad Boy Margaret Knapke Mow bé and Malachi, Presenté! 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Douglas MacGregor There's Only One Option Left: Leave! Fawwas Traboulsi Lebanon on the Brink Ron Jacobs Death of a Pig: Poetic Justice for Pinochet Gideon Levy The Cruel Line into Gaza: Elbow to Elbow, Like Cattle Mary McGrane Burning Books at Harvard Law Bernardo Ruiz The Disappeared of Oaxaca: a Message from One of the Actors in Apocalypto Website of the Day La Cancion de la Unidad Video of the Day Killing Castro: Congresswoman as Contract Killer?   December 9 / 10, 2006 Weekend Edition Alexander Cockburn Liberal Consensus for More Troops in Iraq Sen. Gordon Smith Out of Iraq: Cut and Run or Cut and Walk Greg Grandin Jeane Kirkpatrick, Mid-Wife of the Neo-Cons Paul Craig Roberts How Many More Will Die for Bush's Ego? Col. Dan Smith The Vietnamization of Iraq: Inside the Military Training Program Ralph Nader The Man from NAM: John Engler's Trail of Destruction Behrooz Ghamari The Donkey and the Date: Iran's Upcoming Municipal Elections Rev. Willliam Alberts Doing Unto Others: Pastor Haggard and President Bush James T. Phillips The James Gang: "Did You Kill Her?" Bennis / Leaver A Bi-Partisan Occupation Dave Lindorff A Congress of Hucksters and Pipsqueaks Nikolas Kozloff Robert Gates and Venezuela: Another Saber Rattler in Latin America Seth Sandronsky Activating White Racism Lucinda Marshall McKinney and Karpinsky: Silenced for Telling the Truth Mike Whitney Something's Gotta Give: James Baker vs. the Lobby John V. Whitbeck Recommendation No. 80 Faisal Kutty Is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Merely a Western Construct? Hugh Sansom Smearing Jimmy Carter: an Open Letter to the New York Times Robert Gold My South American Journey: Impunity in Colombia Boots Riley Crash and Burn: an Urgent Message from The Coup Jeffrey St. Clair Playlist: What I'm Listening to This Week Poets' Basement Engel & Buknatski Website of the Weekend Alive in Mexico December 8, 2006 Patrick Cockburn The Iraq Study Group's Cautious Appraisal Leutisha Stills Just How Progressive is the Congressional Black Caucus? Norman Finkelstein The Media Lynching of Jimmy Carter Will Youmans Mr. Lieberman Comes to Washington: Brookings Hosts an Ethnic Cleanser Peter Rost, MD What Went Wrong at Pfizer? Jonathan Demme My Friend Bruce Langhorne: a Great Musician Needs Your Help! Ray McGovern Senate Democrats Give Gates a Free Pass Lucinda Marshall What She Wore Tariq Ali / Robin Blackburn The Lost John Lennon Interview Website of the Day John Lennon's FBI Files   December 7, 2006 Alex Friedman Rev. 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Behan The Surreal Politics of Premeditated War Sophie McNeill Why Hezbollah is Broadcasting Sunday Mass December 5, 2006 Virginia Tilley Apartheid Israel: a Beacon of Hope? Sharon Smith The New Washington Consensus: Blame the Victims in Iraq Joe Bageant Somewhere a Banker Smiles Ron Jacobs A War Washington Can't Win Norman Solomon Media Consensus, Stay in Iraq! Mike Whitney Rumsfeld's Final Snowflake: "I Was Just About to Change Everything ... " Derrick O'Keefe Regimes Unchanged: Chavez's Victory Strengthen's Cuba Julian Assange The Road to Hanoi Missy Beattie Bush, the Unhappy Helmsman Website of the Day Lessons of Suez and Iraq   December 4, 2006 Alexander Cockburn Gaza and Darfur George Ciccariello-Maher Tears of the Escualidos: Election Diary, Venezuela Ray McGovern Lame Ducks, Hold That Nomination!: a CIA Insider's Take on Gates John Ross Repression on the Menu in Mexico Walden Bello Hurricane Milton: Friedman, Bayonets and Markets Peter Rost, MD Pfizer's Clueless Executives Stephen Lendman The Withering of the Bush Dynasty Gideon Levy This Ceasefire will Go Up in Flames Website of the Day The "Babes" of Hizbullah?   December 2 / 3, 2006 Weekend Edition Barucha Calamity Peller The Dirty War of Oaxaca Paul Craig Roberts Is Bush Sane?: When Denial Goes Pathological Ralph Nader The Big Boys of Financial Crime Winslow T. Wheeler Committee of Enablers: Is Gates Fit to Serve? Are the Senators? 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Taylor The Bride Wore Black: the Shooting of Sean Bell and the Resurgence of American Racism Yifat Susskind Greed, Dogma and AIDS David Rosen Made in China: the Global Trade in Sex Toys Ron Jacobs All Hands on Deck!: the New Pirates of the Caribbean Nikolas Kozloff Venezuela Prepares to Vote Talli Nauman Fighting La Choya: the Secret Toxic Dump on the Border Alan Gregory Shadow Trout: Why Hatchery Fish Aren't Real Joe Allen RFK and Hollywood Mythmaking: Emilio Estevez's Beatification of Bobby Kennedy St. Clair / D'Antoni Playlist: What We're Listening to This Week Poets' Basement Davies, Engel, Ford and Orloski Website of the Day Demo for Oaxaca   December 1, 2006 Greg Grandin Midnight in Mexico: Calderón's Inauguration Behind Closed Doors Linn Washington, Jr. The Mumia Case After 25 Years: Still More Keystone Kops Antics George Ciccariello-Maher Sleeping with the Enemy: At Home with the Anti-Chavistas Brian J. Foley Taking Responsibility for Iraq Dave Zirin Rebel Athletes: Organizing the Jocks for Justice Joshua Frank The Montana Formula: Jon Tester's Neopopulism Chris Floyd Hideous Kinky: Thomas Friedman Comes Undone Ingmar Lee Atomic Porker Strikes Indian Point Nuke Plant Manuel Garcia, Jr. Dark Fire: the Fall of WTC 7 Website of the Day No Gun Ri Revisited Video of the Day Drunken Hack Goes Ape at Aussie "Pulitzers"     Subscribe Online

January 3, 2007 Why is the Irish Government in Lockstep with the US on Cuba? A Slavish Hostility Toward Cuba By DECLAN McKENNA "EU policy towards Cuba is defined by the common position on Cuba, to the shaping of which Ireland contributed. The common position aims to encourage through dialogue and not by external pressure a process of transition to pluralist democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, a lasting economic recovery and an improvement in living standards of the Cuban people . . ." This is the most often repeated mantra in the content of answers to questions related to Cuba tabled in Dáil Éireann. Having analysed the questions and answers available on the Oireachtas web site (since 1998), we come to one inescapable conclusion: Irish governments have been and still are hostile to Cuba, and use every opportunity presented to them to express that hostility. Furthermore, Irish governments are sympathetic--perhaps even servile--to the United States, and similarly use every opportunity presented to them to express that sympathy, or servility. Almost any question related to Cuba prompts a repeat of the mantra quoted above. The only significant exception detected is in relation to trade or trade-related issues, where the questions are answered directly and to the point. A question on the case of Elián González also received a direct response. Single questions that would not naturally give an opportunity for repeating the mantra are bundled together, and magically the mantra appears. However, the mantra itself is only a part of the problem. The "common position" was established in 1996 at the instigation of José María Aznar, the right-wing prime minister of Spain, following intense pressure from the United States and specifically from the Cuban-American National Foundation (CANF), the extremist anti-Cuba organisation in Miami. The "common position" largely mirrors US policy, and where it doesn't, it complements the US antagonism towards Cuba. It is this influence that oozes out of the pores of successive Irish Ministers for Foreign Affairs and their departmental officials (or perhaps that should be the other way around). Questions on the various topics below--and on many other issues--have been asked by deputies on all sides of the house. Most of the questions appear to be genuine attempts to secure information on government policy or attitudes to the various issues. A small number of questions are genuine attempts by the deputies concerned to remind everybody just how hostile to Cuba they really are, and to give the minister of the day another opportunity to repeat the mantra. However, our spotlight is on the answers to the questions. It should be noted that most of the stated criticisms of Cuba are not confined to the answers referred to in this study: they are repeated in numerous answers, as an examination of the record shows. It is not our intention in this study to respond to or expand on the issues raised either in the questions or in the answers, only to examine the content, context and intention of the various replies from the various ministers. The Miami Five "The five Cuban men . . . were convicted in the United States on charges ranging from espionage to conspiracy in first degree murder, following an investigation into the deaths of two young Cuban-Americans when the plane they were piloting was shot down on its way to drop leaflets over Havana in support of a human rights demonstration in the city. I understand the convictions are to be the subject of an appeal. It is essential that this appeal be conducted in a manner which is fair and impartial and free from political considerations. It would be inappropriate, therefore, for me to comment on the trial." Brian Cowen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, 13 November 2002 "As the deputy has been informed in previous answers to questions on this issue, the Irish Government has no standing in this matter, which is a bilateral consular question between the Cuban and US authorities." Dermot Ahern, Minister for Foreign Affairs, 7 December 2004 (a position repeated on 4 October 2005) Cowen repeats the nonsense that the flights over Havana were to support a demonstration and completely ignores the fact that the flights by "Brothers to the Rescue" were repeated violations of Cuban air space. He then reasons that he should not comment on the trial. Dermot Ahern in 2004 and again in 2005 finds another reason to avoid comment. The problem here is that successive Irish governments have never been shy about commenting on trials in Cuba or supporting, unreservedly, the defendants in those trials. (See "Trials in Cuba" below.) Why do Irish governments apply completely opposite and contradictory standards in their dealings with Cuba and the United States? Guantánamo Bay "I have previously expressed to the house the Government's concern that the detainees in Guantánamo Bay be treated in accordance with the provisions of international human rights and humanitarian law. I understand that a number of EU partners whose nationals are being held in Guantánamo Bay are seeking to resolve this issue with the US authorities. The Government hopes that a speedy solution, ensuring that all detainees are treated in accordance with international law, can be reached." Brian Cowen, 5 March 2003 "As the deputy will be aware, I have, on a number of occasions, made known the Government's concerns regarding the treatment and status of the detainees held at Guantánamo Bay, both in this house and elsewhere. These concerns are shared by our partners in the EU. The United States is well aware of the Government's view that those detained at Guantánamo Bay should be treated in accordance with the provisions of international human rights and humanitarian law. These concerns have been conveyed most recently to the US embassy in Dublin by my Department last week. In expressing these views, I do so as a friend of the United States." Brian Cowen, 30 September 2003 In contrast to the position towards the Cuban diplomatic mission, the minister did not "summon" the US ambassador to his office for a ticking-off. On the other hand, in response to events in Cuba "the Cuban chargé d'affaires was summoned to my Department, where these concerns were conveyed directly to her". (Brian Cowen, 19 May 2004) Furthermore, there were diplomatic sanctions. "Also consistent with the basic policy set out in the EU common position and, indeed, in implementation of that policy, the EU was obliged in June 2003 to take a number of diplomatic steps . . . to limit bilateral high-level governmental visits; to reduce participation in cultural events; to invite Cuban dissidents to national day events at EU embassies in Havana and to proceed to an early re-evaluation of the EU common position, which had not been due to take place until December 2003." Brian Cowen, 7 October 2003 The minister is a "friend of the United States." Fair enough. That should not necessarily make him hostile to Cuba, although his actions would bring the matter into question. However, whatever the truth of this, it is clear that the approach to Cuba is radically different from the approach to the United States. What is the reason for this? Why does the Irish government adopt such a hostile approach to Cuba and such an accommodating, or servile, approach to the United States? "The draft resolution on the detainees in Guantánamo Bay to which the deputy refers was tabled at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) by the delegation from Cuba on 14 April 2005. The draft resolution was defeated in a vote taken on 21 April 2005, with all EU partners who are members of the commission, including Ireland, voting against, following full and detailed consideration of the issue." Various reasons were put forward in the answer, but essentially it was all Cuba's fault, and after all, the United States is doing its best. "As regards a request in the draft resolution for the United States to co-operate with the special procedures of the commission, which in effect are special rapporteurs and independent experts on the issues in question, the EU statement recalled the fundamental importance it attaches to full co-operation by all states with these mechanisms. It noted with satisfaction that the United States has already started discussions on the modalities for a visit by special procedures to Guantánamo Bay and indicated that the EU would welcome an early visit. The EU statement also noted that some countries, including Cuba, refuse to allow such visits to their own territories and prisons and called on these countries to change their attitude. In this regard, the EU statement observed that introducing a resolution calling on the United States to act in manner which Cuba refused to do, risks damage to the work and credibility of the commission. "I understand that the United States has facilitated regular visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross to Guantánamo Bay. In this regard, the ICRC does not have access to prisons maintained by the Cuban Government. I would welcome an early decision by the United States Government to facilitate a visit by special procedures of the CHR to Guantánamo Bay." Dermot Ahern, 4 May 2005 he government has been hoping for a "speedy solution . . . in accordance with international law" since March 2003. As we are all aware, there has been no solution. Neither have there been any resolutions proposed or jointly sponsored by Ireland at the Human Rights Commission, despite the fact that up to a thousand (the precise figures are unknown) so-called "unlawful combatants""including minors"have been kidnapped, subjected to "extraordinary rendition," detained without charge, subjected to indefinite detention, held incommunicado, forcibly fed, etc. In fact the Irish government and the European Union have shielded the United States from any such resolution. Blockade activities in Ireland Asked "if the Government complied with the UN Secretary-General's most recent request to provide information necessary for a report on the implementation of [General Assembly] resolution 58/7 on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba," the minister replied: "Each year, in accordance with the terms of the resolution, it is customary for the UN Secretary-General to prepare a report on the implementation of the resolution. In line with this, on 19 April 2004 the UN Secretary-General, Mr Annan, invited all UN member-states to provide any relevant information' by 16 June 2004. Since the Government has never promulgated or applied laws or measures such as the Helms-Burton Act, it has not been customary to make a submission to the UN Secretary-General on this matter." Dermot Ahern, 30 September 2004 While Irish governments have "never promulgated or applied laws or measures such as the Helms-Burton Act," the fact remains that Irish governments have never taken any measures to prevent US blockade activities from being activated in Ireland. Neither have any Irish governments reported such activities to the Secretary-General. Governments have been aware that American enterprises in Ireland have applied US blockade legislation to their activities. Numerous enterprises issue invoices on which the following statement is printed: "United States law prohibits disposition of these commodities to Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and N. Korea unless otherwise authorised by the U.S. Government." At other times, Serbia and Montenegro have been added to the list, along with warnings not to redirect commodities to "end users involved in nuclear, chemical or biological activities or missile technology unless specifically authorised by the U.S Govt." Hitachi Printing Solutions Europe (previously trading as Dataproducts Dublin) refused to supply the Cuban Embassy in Dublin with a printer cartridge, on the grounds that the enterprise was a "subsidiary of a US company." The Ford Motor Company, which now owns Volvo, will not allow its cars to be supplied to Cuban embassies under normal terms of sale. The Irish government is well aware of these activities but has done nothing to bring them to an end. Yet in the Dáil the minister blatantly declares that Ireland is not involved in blockade activities and has nothing to report regarding the Secretary-General's specific requests for information on such activities. Elián González "On 5 January, the US Immigration and Naturalisation Service determined that Juan González, the father of Elián González, has the sole legal authority to speak for his son on immigration issues and that Elián should be reunited with his father . . . I warmly welcome the decision of the US authorities that this little boy should be reunited with his father." David Andrews, Minister for Foreign Affairs, 26 January 2000 Elections in Cuba "The National and Provincial Assembly elections which took place in Cuba on 19 January last did not correspond to Irish or European definitions of free and fair elections in a pluralist democracy. Under Cuba's one-party system, 609 candidates were nominated for 609 National Assembly seats, and 1,119 candidates were put forward for 1,119 seats in the provincial assemblies." Brian Cowen, 23 March 2003 This answer displays a breathtaking ignorance of the system of elections in Cuba"irrespective of whether the minister agrees with the electoral system or not. Alternatively, the minister deliberately misled the Dáil in his answer. Trials in Cuba "I have learnt of the mass arrests in Cuba, over recent days, of more than fifty critics of the Havana Government, some of them close associates of Mr Oswaldo Paya, apparently because they had simply exercised freedom of expression." Brian Cowen, 25 March 2003 "Following the summary trial and lengthy prison sentences imposed by the Cuban authorities in March and April of last year on seventy-five dissidents for exercising their right to freedom of speech . . ." Brian Cowen, 19 May 2004 While the minister allows for other possibilities in his first answer, he allows no such possibility after the conviction of the defendants on charges entirely unrelated to "freedom of expression." The defendants were convicted of various crimes related to working to undermine the Cuban revolution and collaboration with various US agencies. The minister entirely rules out any possibility that any of the defendants broke any Cuban laws under which they could be properly convicted, or found innocent. The minister's position is, on the other hand, exactly in line with that of the US government. Press freedom "A recent report by the NGO Reporters without Borders ranked Cuba in second-last place worldwide for press freedom." Dermot Ahern, 20 November 2004 The minister is relying on a report published by Reporters sans Frontières, a French organisation that has been feverishly attacking Cuba in recent years. This organisation, which is partly funded by US interests directly involved with the promotion and implementation of the US blockade against Cuba, has been linked directly to Publicis, the global advertising giant in which Saatchi and Saatchi is a major partner. Among its most important clients, Publicis has contracts with the US Army and Bacardí. Bacardí lawyers were the chief architects of the Helms-Burton Act. The general secretary of Reporters sans Frontières, Robert Ménard (who devoted himself in the 1960s to infiltrating left-wing organisations), has acknowledged on several occasions that the huge commercial propaganda firm Saatchi and Saatchi is behind his attacks on Cuba, and confirmed that it provides its services free of charge to him. The concealed links between Bacardí, the Cuban-American National Foundation (CANF) in Miami, and Bush, and the links with the former Spanish prime minister José María Aznar and the European extreme right, have also contributed to the present difficulties between with the European Union and Cuba; the "common position" and the various "understandings" that have been dictated by the United States and adhered to religiously by Ireland and the European Union are just some examples of the fruit of their collective labours. The minister's reply to the question on press freedom in Cuba, in which he cites Reporters sans Frontières as his only source, is another example. The "axis of evil" On being asked whether he had expressed concern to the US administration regarding the inclusion of Cuba on the list of countries designated by the United States as a so-called "axis of evil," the minister replied: "I am not aware that the US administration has taken the action described by the deputy. I am aware that Dr Rice referred to Cuba as an outpost of tyranny' at her confirmation hearings in the US Senate. The Government has long been concerned about human rights abuses in Cuba. At the same time, we continue to encourage a process of peaceful transition to a pluralist democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in that country, as well as wishing to see a sustainable economic recovery and an improvement in the living standards of the Cuban people." Dermot Ahern 27 January, 2005 Seriously, that was his answer. No hint of concern for the consequences of such a declaration for Cuba or its people; no "summoning" of the US ambassador for an explanation"just a repeat of the mantra. Terrorism against Cuba On being asked if he would urge the US government to investigate the activities of terrorist groups based in the United States that attack the people of Cuba, the minister replied: "In the absence of more detailed information on the identity and the nature and activities of any such groups, I am afraid that I am not in a position to make a comment." Dermot Ahern, 16 November 2004 Terrorism against Cuba? The Irish government cannot even be bothered to be bothered. Terrorism against the United States? Now that's a different story. The Irish government is prepared to bend over backwards and is very understanding and tolerant of many "irregular" responses, because Ireland "is a friend of the United States." The blockade a "bilateral issue" "The European Union believes that United States trade policy towards Cuba is fundamentally a bilateral issue. Nevertheless, the European Union and its member-states have clearly expressed their opposition to the extraterritorial extension of the United States embargo, such as that contained in the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 and the Helms-Burton Act of 1996." Dermot Ahern, 30 September 2004 (and various other occasions) The US blockade of Cuba is not a bilateral issue. The United States introduced extraterritorial dimensions to its laws, and as long as those extraterritorial dimensions remain no country can claim that the blockade is a bilateral issue. And even if it was a bilateral issue, that would not in itself absolve other countries from taking a position on the issues involved. The very existence of the "common position" and various "understandings" emerged in part or directly from the discussions (if that is what you could call them) between the United States and the European Union over the Helms-Burton Act and its extraterritorial aspect. Some of the extraterritorial aspects that directly affront the sensibilities of European countries are repeatedly suspended by successive US presidents on condition that the European Union places issues such as human rights and democracy at the forefront of its relations with Cuba. In effect, the European Union declares that it is opposed to the blockade and votes against the blockade at the UN General Assembly. On the other hand, to avoid some of the ramifications of the extraterritorial aspects of the blockade legislation, the European Union has reached an agreement with the United States to adopt aggressive policies towards Cuba in return for the suspension of the offending sections (offending to European countries) of the legislation. In fact the European Union"if it is to defend its own legislation and legislation in the individual member-states in relation to external interference in their affairs"has no choice but to vote against the blockade at the UN General Assembly. It is not a principled position, only a necessary one. However, the "common position" and the various "understandings" that exist between the European Union and the United States are matters in which the European Union can take whatever position it chooses; and it chooses to be aggressive and hostile towards Cuba. It should hardly be necessary to remind the Irish government and the European Union that Cuba is the victim and the United States is the aggressor. A further look at the statement above exposes the Irish government's real position. "United States trade policy towards Cuba" is a how the minister describes a devastating and illegal blockade; and describing this "trade policy" as "fundamentally a bilateral issue" is simply code for siding with the United States on whether this "trade policy" is a blockade or is illegal or otherwise. "The blockade is easing" "I have already welcomed President Clinton's announcement of March 1998 on the opening of a number of contacts with Cuba. Last month the US announced proposals for further measures, including fewer restrictions on flights to Cuba and on remittances to Cubans, a direct mail service with the island, and a system that allows private Cuban entities to buy US food and agricultural inputs." David Andrews, 16 February 1999 "It is encouraging to note that there has been some recent progress on this matter. Following developments during the summer in both the US Senate and House of Representatives, Senate and House leaders on 5 October agreed provisions lifting restrictions on the sale of food and medicines to Cuba. If these measures are approved by formal vote, they will represent a significant partial step towards lifting the embargo." Brian Cowen, 11 October 2000 "It is regrettable that the partial easing of the US embargo, after a vote by the US Congress in October 2000 to lift the ban on the sale of food and medicines, has not been followed up by the embargo's complete removal. Nevertheless I welcome the fact that the relaxation of the embargo has enabled Cuba to purchase a considerable volume of US food products; for which, however, Havana has had to pay cash, as US financial institutions remain prohibited from extending credits for such sales. Ireland wishes to see a full and final end to the embargo. It is our belief that the effect of the embargo even in its now somewhat modified form is to work contrary to stated EU and US aspirations for a democratic and prosperous Cuba." Brian Cowen, 27 February 2003 Talk about grasping at straws! The US blockade of Cuba is probably tighter now than it has ever been. In addition, relations between the United States and Cuba are at their most dangerous level in decades. Yet the government always looks on the alleged bright side, as long as the bright side is emanating from the United States. It never matters what the Cubans have to say on the matter, even though they are on the receiving end of the continuing blockade. Vote against Cuba at the Human Rights Commission "At the recent session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, Ireland, together with all our EU partners on the Commission, voted against the proposed Cuban amendment to the resolution on human rights in Cuba tabled by four Latin American countries. This amendment, in essence, condemned the US economic embargo. However, Ireland and many other countries took the view that the amendment was inappropriate to a human rights context." Brian Cowen, 18 June 2003 It should first be noted that the resolution tabled by the four Latin American countries was described by Cuba as having been drafted by and presented on behalf of the United States. The resolution itself was of course a condemnation of Cuba. When Cuba introduced an amendment that condemned the US blockade on human rights grounds, the Irish and other EU delegations voted against the amendment, declaring that this was not a human rights issue. This again exposes the fact that neither the Irish government nor the European Union has ever considered the human rights infringements suffered by the Cuban people as a result of the blockade; and judging by the position adopted above, they have no intention of doing so in the future. The US blockade is never referred to with regard to its effects on the human rights of the Cuban people, despite the inclusion of a ban on trading food and medicine, for instance. The nearest the Irish government has come to acknowledging the harm done to the people of Cuba was the following statement: "The Government, in common with our partners in the EU, believes that the US economic embargo on Cuba seriously hampers the economic development of Cuba and negatively affects all of its people". Dermot Ahern, 24 November 2004 Venezuela There are those who would argue that there are historical reasons for the position of the Irish government on Cuba, that these are difficult to overcome, and that the political, economic and civil structures in Cuba do not make it easy for the Irish government to be a "friend of Cuba." In the past this might have been a view worth considering. It might even have been possible to believe that Irish and EU policies towards Cuba were not being framed"directly or indirectly"by the United States. All this might have been worth an argument, except for one event. In February 2006 the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, was asked for "his views on recent aggressive statements made on behalf of the United States Government by its Secretary of Defence, Mr Donald Rumsfeld, with respect to certain democratically elected heads of state in Latin America, including the likening of President Chávez of Venezuela to Adolf Hitler; his further views on continuing allegations of United States conduct of espionage, support for a general strike, and other efforts to undermine and remove the Government of that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter." To all intents and purposes, Ahern's response might have been written by Donald Rumsfeld. The minister failed to respond to most of the important issues raised in the question and concentrated on attempting to undermine a properly elected head of state, and mimicked US policy as if he was a parrot. His reply (below) requires, and deserves, no further comment. "I am aware of recent comments which [the] US Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, has made, including a likening of President Chávez to Adolf Hitler. Such comments reflect continuing tensions in relations between the United States and the Government of Venezuela, which are also reflected in, inter alia, accusations of espionage. It goes without saying that any political change in Venezuela should not occur other than peacefully and democratically. "The EU continues to follow the situation in Venezuela with great interest, in particular efforts to promote national reconciliation and respect for democratic principles, tolerance, and dialogue. The legislative elections which took place in December 2005, unfortunately, did not contribute to the reduction of divisions in Venezuelan society, which is characterised by extreme political polarisation and regular acts of political violence. In this sense, they represented a lost opportunity. The EU remains concerned about aspects of a number of policies being pursued by the Venezuelan Government, particularly in relation to the independence of the judiciary and the media. We will continue to monitor the political situation in Venezuela and seek to engage constructively with the Administration of President Chávez.""Dermot Ahern, 22 February 2006 "Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral" (Paulo Freire, 19211997, Brazilian educationalist). However, Ireland has not contented itself with washing its hands of the problem presented by US aggression against Cuba. Ireland has joined in the oppression at every opportunity and made itself a willing accomplice in a crime against the Cuban people. The US blockade of Cuba is a crime"a crime that has been condemned again and again at just about every international forum worth talking about, including the General Assembly of the United Nations (fourteen successive resolutions) and the most recent EU-Latin American summit meeting. The scale and extent of the crime are such that no country can claim ignorance of what has been going on for almost fifty years. The most recent review of the "common position," in June 2006, continues to complicate the situation. Under the guise of offering "constructive engagement" the EU position actually continued the aggression. One of the issues that needs to be addressed is the overt and covert interference in Cuban domestic affairs and how Cuba responds to that interference. However, the European Union's and Ireland's position allows for no such discussion. Cuba is supposed to behave as if it exists in a world of peace and harmony, instead of in the grip of the longest economic, commercial and financial blockade in modern history (not to mention the military interventions perpetrated against it by the United States). While Irish governments and most other European governments reserve the right to enact and operate special legislation to protect themselves from internal or external threats (Offences Against the State Act, Special Criminal Courts, Drugs Act, etc.), Cuba is allowed no such luxury to protect itself from the external and internal threats it faces. In typical "First World" style, the demands are being made of the victim and not of the aggressor"particularly when the aggressor is of "First world" origin. Why should Cuba not protect itself? Do the measures adopted in Cuba to protect itself from US aggression have to be approved in the Dáil before they can be implemented? More to the point, Why do the European Union and Ireland not demand that the United States desist from interfering in the domestic affairs of Cuba? The United States is acknowledged as the aggressor, but the EU response (supported by Ireland) is to direct further aggression against Cuba, either on its own initiative or, more likely, under US direction. The extraordinary aspect of Irish and EU policy towards Cuba is that Ireland, and all the other EU countries, cannot but be aware of the scale of US aggression against Cuba yet side with the oppressor in almost every aspect of the aggression. Even the European Parliament as far back as 1993 stated that "the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed by the United States is affecting the civilian population above all, depriving them of food, medicines and basic necessities." While they never tire of telling us that they vote against the blockade at the General Assembly, they also avail of every opportunity to side with the United States on matters relating to Cuba. For all our talk about human rights, Ireland has never lifted a finger to protect the Cuban people from US aggression or from the effects of US aggression. In relation to human rights and democracy, the least we can expect is that Ireland should look at these issues as they apply in the United States as closely as it looks at how they apply in Cuba. There is no question of Irish links with the United States (including trade and diplomatic links) being linked to, or dependent on, its performance in the areas of human rights and democracy. Yet these issues come to the forefront in Ireland's relations with Cuba. We believe that it is no coincidence that Ireland's position towards Cuba is so close to that of the United States. The shame of all this is that the aggressor continues to set the agenda, and Ireland continues to perform like a ventriloquist's dummy. The United States has now declared Venezuela the number 1 enemy in South America, and the ventriloquist's dummy has joined the chorus of "concern" about developments in Venezuela under the baton of the United States, with a little "constructive engagement" thrown in for good measure. In the solidarity movements we have a saying: "Cuba is not alone!" Now that Venezuela has joined the undesirable list, the Irish government appears to have stolen our slogan, but in the most disgraceful and predictably slavish manner possible. The Cuba Support Group is available on request to deal in detail with any of the issues addressed in this study. Email: cubasupport@eircom.net Declan McKenna is a former Co-ordinator of the Cuba Support Group-Ireland.

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