Thai Independent: 2009

Thursday, December 31, 2009

8 US CIA Agents, 5 Canadians Killed in Afghanistan -- News from Antiwar.com

8 US CIA Agents, 5 Canadians Killed in Afghanistan -- News from Antiwar.com

Forward Operating Base "Gym" Actually a CIA Surveillance Center

by Jason Ditz, December 30, 2009

More details have emerged in this morning’s perplexing story, in which a suicide bomber attacked what officials called a “gym” on a military base in Khost Province, killing eight Americans the military identified as “civilians.”

Now US officials admit that all eight Americans slain in the attack were actually CIA agents, adding a reason why the Haqqani network was so quickly blamed, as CIA drones have been bombing the Haqqanis in North Waziristan for over a year.

Moreover, the “gym” at the Forward Operating Base was actually being used as a CIA “operations and surveillance center,” explaining the conspicuous lack of military personnel harmed in the attack.

One former CIA official was quoted as saying the attack was “the nightmare we’ve been anticipating since we went into Afghanistan and Iraq,” adding that the CIA agents operating in the warzones often lack adequate protection.

Exactly how the bomber was able to infiltrate the base and reach a secret CIA facility was unclear, and some suggested that the attacker may have been affiliated with one of the Afghan groups working on the base.

In addition, five Canadians were killed on patrol in Kandahar Province. The five, four soldiers and an embedded reporter were killed when their armored vehicle hit a roadside bomb.

Finally, though details were not readily available, a Jordanian army captain was slain in Afghanistan, the first death among Jordan’s tiny Afghan contingent since the war began.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Homeland Security Chair: Lap Bomber Could Block Gitmo Closure -- News from Antiwar.com

Homeland Security Chair: Lap Bomber Could Block Gitmo Closure

Failed Attacker's Amazing Clout Grows

by Jason Ditz, December 28, 2009

For a man whose major accomplishment is setting his own lap on fire with a condom full of explosives, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s influence on American policy both foreign and domestic has positively exploded.

Not only has he managed to force a major crackdown by the TSA, including a virtual ban on laptop computers and most carry-on luggage, he is also setting the stage for a war against Yemen based purely on his claims that he was there at one point.

But if that wasn’t enough, House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) now says Abdulmutallab may further delay President Barack Obama’s already broken promise to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.

Several Republican Congressmen have also chimed in, declaring the lap bomber as reason enough all by himself not to close the detention center, essentially ever. Can one man really have this much power?

Adding to the fuel to keep the facility open, ABC News even claims that a pair of former detainees are to blame for the plot. The logic is convoluted: two former detainees were shipped to Saudi Arabia for “art therapy” and eventually went to Yemen, where officials say they joined al-Qaeda. Abdulmutallab has apparently been to Yemen and claims to be in al-Qaeda. Somehow, this “connection” has been seized upon eagerly, and with the bombs already falling on Yemen (for weeks before the attack, for what that’s worth) the need to manufacture a ex post facto justification has pundits in high gear.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Ampatuan patriarch gave Arroyo big win that fueled his rise to power - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Ampatuan patriarch gave Arroyo big win that fueled his rise to power - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

By Manny Piñol
Philippine Daily Inquirer

(The writer is a former journalist, a three-term governor of North Cotabato, and incumbent vice governor of the province)

THE POLITICAL POWER AND influence of Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. reached great heights in the 2004 presidential election when he engineered a lopsided victory in Maguindanao for President Macapagal-Arroyo against popular actor Fernando Poe Jr.

It was undoubtedly a feat that won for Ms Arroyo the presidency, never mind the charges of massive cheating. The fact remains that the patriarch of the Ampatuan clan used every means foul or fair to show to Malacañang that he could deliver.

This ensured his own political ascendancy, until the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people. His family has been tagged as the mastermind of the worst political violence in the nation’s history.

Ampatuan ran unopposed for a second term as governor of Maguindanao in the 2004 election.

In 2005, the President endorsed the candidacy of Ampatuan’s son, Zaldy, for governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). It was, in fact, a political anointment.

The young Ampatuan handily won over Datu Ibrahim “Toto” Paglas III, a former mayor of Datu Paglas town who was supported by Muslim civil societies and many Mindanao political leaders, including myself.

As ARMM governor, Zaldy Ampatuan facilitated the realization of his father’s political plans. New towns were created out of four to five barangays to allow political underlings to dip into IRAs (internal revenue allotments).

Ampatuan also attempted to create a new province, Shariff Kabunsuan, where he had intended to establish a new political arena for the Masturas and Sinsuats, thus eliminating these two influential and powerful political families from Maguindanao.

He also worked for the creation of a third province for the Mangudadatus and the Paglases, obviously to make sure that there would be no more threat to the Ampatuans in Kabuntalan Valley.

Court scuttles partition

But Ampatuan’s plans backfired. I did not agree to his idea of yielding the town of Pikit in North Cotabato to Maguindanao to satisfy the land area requirement for the third province. The Supreme Court also rebuffed the ARMM legislation creating the new province, saying it was not within the powers of the regional government.

Ampatuan’s advisers used the court decision on the Shariff Kabunsuan case as a reason for him to resign as governor of Maguindanao. Zaldy Ampatuan later appointed his brother, Sajib, as Maguindanao acting governor and his brother, Akmad, as acting vice governor.

According to insiders, the plan was actually to allow Ampatuan to run for a new term again in 2010 as he had not completed his third and final term.

The appointment of Sajib was reportedly protested by his brother, Andal Jr., the patriarch’s favorite son who wanted to be governor. This almost led to a family tragedy as Sajib, according to reports, instructed his men to stop Andal Jr. at all cost.

In spite of his legal setbacks, the elder Ampatuan continued to wield power and amass wealth beyond imagination.

Amassing great wealth

For a politician who backed out of a plan to run for Maguindanao governor in 1998, purportedly because “he only had P30 million in his war chest,” it is mind-boggling how Ampatuan Sr. and his family could have accumulated such wealth in just eight years.

The misuse of the IRA in the ARMM areas is public knowledge. Most politicians in the area consider the IRA as their own personal funds, a reward for their political victories, which also cost them tens of millions of pesos.

It is not surprising to hear of stories of town mayors within the region living outside of their towns for the whole period after the election and coming back only during election time to buy votes and win again. Then, they will disappear again.

But the IRA alone, even including that of the ARMM, would not be enough for Ampatuan and his family to amass so much wealth within such a short period of time.

There are suggestions that a flourishing illegal drug trade in the region was behind the wealth, but this seems unbelievable.

What is believable is a moneymaking scam which involves the connivance of national officials with local government units. It is called “downloading” and it involves the transfer of funds from the different departments to provinces and municipalities through facilitators who get between 40 percent and 50 percent of the amount for them and their patrons.

With 40-50 percent already taken off, what usually happens is the projects will never be implemented.

Blood in their hands

Among the most notorious departments linked to this scam are the Department of Agriculture and its agencies, including the National Irrigation Administration; the Department of Public Works and Highways, through the road right of way settlements and the Road Users Board; and the Department of Agrarian Reform, through the VOS (voluntary offer to sell).

Congressional funds have also been identified as the source of the Ampatuan wealth.

The biggest contributor to the Ampatuan cash cache is reportedly the agriculture department. In fact, there are reports that shortly before the massacre, a P50-million fund was downloaded by the department to Maguindanao.

Ampatuan Sr. and his local government units were the most preferred destinations of these fund transfers because of his perceived influence at the top echelons of government and his capability to cover his tracks.

Now that he is out of power, it would be interesting to know which agencies of the government transferred funds to the ARMM and Maguindanao, and how much. The people in these agencies have the blood of the massacre victims in their hands.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Aquino solidifies lead - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Aquino solidifies lead - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

But Roxas, Legarda in close race for VP post

By Christine Avendaño, Cathy C. Yamsuan, Cyril Bonabente, Inquirer Research
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:22:00 12/22/2009

MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III consolidated his “sizeable” lead in the presidential race, but Senators Loren Legarda and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II were locked in a close fight for the vice presidency, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey.

Forty-five percent of 1,800 adults interviewed nationwide from Dec. 8 to 10 said they would vote for Aquino if elections were held at the time.

Nearly 50 million Filipinos will select a president, a vice president, nearly 300 lawmakers for the two houses of Congress and more than 17,500 local positions in the May general elections.

Considering the survey’s margin of error of plus-or-minus 2 percentage points, Aquino’s rating was virtually the same as the 44 percent he got in a similar survey in October.

“The support for Senator Aquino remains virtually unchanged,” Ana Maria Tabunda, chief research fellow of Pulse Asia Inc., said in a statement, comparing the latest results with the previous survey.

Way behind Aquino were Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr. (23 percent, up 4 points) and deposed President Joseph Estrada (19 percent, up 8 points).

At the bottom were former Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. (5 percent, up 3 points), Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon (1 percent), and evangelist Eduardo “Bro. Eddie” Villanueva (1 percent).

Other presidential candidates got less than 1 percent each.

Escudero factor

Tabunda said it was possible that votes for Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who announced on Nov. 24 his decision to drop out of the 2010 presidential race, went to Estrada and improved his rating.

“While it was expected that votes for Escudero would be proportionately distributed to the remaining presidential candidates, support for Villar did not go up that much, possibly because of his party’s decision to support the senatorial campaign of Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and militant party-list Representatives Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo,” Tabunda said in an interview.

Marcos is the son and namesake of the late dictator who jailed Ocampo and other political activists during martial law.

Pulse Asia asked respondents to choose from a list of 15 presidential, 15 vice presidential and 80 senatorial hopefuls. They were allowed to make up to 12 senatorial preferences.

Last week, the Commission on Elections approved the certificates of candidacy (CoCs) of eight presidential aspirants, the CoCs of eight vice presidential hopefuls, and the CoCs of 58 senator wannabes.

Vice presidential race

Legarda gained 14 points (37 percent), closely following Roxas (39 percent, up 2 points) in first place in the vice presidential race.

They were followed by Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay (14 percent, up 1 point), former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Bayani Fernando (2 percent, up 1 point) and actor/TV host Edu Manzano (2 percent). It was Manzano’s first time to be included in the survey.

Tabunda said that unlike Aquino who had a big lead over Villar and Estrada, “Roxas’ lead over Legarda is more precarious because there are no corruption allegations against her.”

Estrada was convicted of plunder in September 2007, but was later pardoned by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Villar has been accused of double funding the C-5 road extension project.

Tabunda said Legarda’s 14-point increase could also be attributed to her environmental advocacy, the relevance of which has been highlighted by recent Copenhagen talks to fight global warming, and to a more active campaign.

“Legarda made herself scarce when she was still being considered a presidential candidate. But after finalizing her decision to run for vice president … she has been more active on the campaign trail,” Tabunda said.

Senatorial race

In the senatorial race, 14 had a statistical chance of winning. Six of them were reelectionists and four were former senators.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada of Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) was No. 1 with 55.1 percent, followed by Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. of Lakas-Kampi-CMD (52.7 percent) and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago of the People’s Reform Party (51.4 percent).

Former Senate President Franklin Drilon of the Liberal Party (LP) (48.4 percent), Sen. Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano of the Nacionalista Party (43.1 percent).

Former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto of the LP (43.1 percent), Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile of the PMP (42.7 percent), former Sen. Sergio “Serge” Osmeña III, an independent candidate, (40.2 percent), former Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (40.2 percent).

Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (31 percent), Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III of LP (28.5 percent), Jose “Joey” de Venecia III of PMP (24.3 percent), Sen. Manuel “Lito” Lapid of Lakas-Kampi-CMD (23.1 percent), and Muntinlupa Rep. Rozzano Rufino “Ruffy” Biazon of LP (22.9 percent).

Thrust into limelight

From a political lightweight with no significant achievements in his 11 years as a legislator, the son of the late democracy icon Corazon Aquino was thrust into the limelight when his mother died in August.

Senator Aquino took advantage of the massive outpouring of emotional support for his mother to catapult himself into the national consciousness. He announced his candidacy in September.

Aquino’s camp was elated about the latest Pulse Asia survey results.

“The survey results validate our belief that the Filipino people continue to support our campaign for an honest government,” said lawyer Edwin Lacierda, Aquino’s spokesperson.

Lacierda said the survey results came at a time “when our many opponents are desperately trying to bring us down through lies and black propaganda.”

He said the results proved that “their dirty tricks are not working.”

For his part, Roxas, running mate of Aquino, said Aquino’s lead reinforced their bid “to fight for a straight, honest and clean government which the country badly needed.”

Villar doing better

“I’m happy with the results. We are on target,” Villar said at the Laurel House in Mandaluyong City. “There’s still four and a half months to go.”

He said his campaign would focus on the value of hard work—“sipag at tiyaga”—which was also his slogan when he ran for senator in 2001 and 2007.

“I remain confident, especially now that there are fewer candidates. The choices in the future surveys will be clearer,” he said. “I will not run for president if I’m not sure of winning.”

Too early to tell

Estrada remained confident despite merely placing “third” in the survey, saying “it’s too early to tell.”

He said it might even be “a disadvantage to peak this early” in the surveys with more than five months to go before the May elections.

“Come February or March, that’s when we will really know, because by then 90 to 80 percent of the voters would have already decided,” Estrada said when reached on the phone Monday.

Estrada’s reelection bid has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

A spokesperson of Teodoro said the presidential election was more than four months away.

“We are confident that his ratings will climb dramatically as more Filipinos get to know his program of government, his character and his integrity in public office as the epitome of the new generation of high-achieving Filipino leaders,” Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay said in a statement.

Gordon said his survey numbers would improve greatly once people become aware he was gunning for the presidency.

“When people find out that I am already a candidate for President, this survey is going to change, because they are now going to look at a real candidate with a real track record and a record of leadership and integrity,” Gordon said in statement.

He noted that the survey was taken immediately after the CoCs were filed which he said was when people “were not quite sure whether I was a candidate until on that day.”

Legarda pleased

Legarda expressed confidence that as the campaign period neared, she would emerge on top of the vice presidential race.

“I am very pleased with the results of this latest survey. It validates my belief that a green platform is precisely what this country needs, and that the Filipino electorate approves of my efforts in pushing a pro-environment agenda,” Legarda said in a statement.

Legarda is the running mate of Villar.

Asked about his own rating that saw him tying with Legarda, Roxas could only say that “it goes with the campaign.”

“For the past two to three months, I have been concentrating on the campaign for Senator Noynoy and this January when the campaign period starts, the results would surely change,” he said. With reports from Reuters and Agence France-Presse

Sunday, December 20, 2009

CHR slams journalists for attack on Ampatuan - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

CHR slams journalists for attack on Ampatuan - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

By Nikko Dizon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:42:00 12/21/2009

MANILA, Philippines—Even suspected mass murderers like Andal Ampatuan Jr. have rights.

Leila de Lima, chair of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Sunday slammed media men for going “overboard” on Friday when they attacked the alleged mastermind of the election-related massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao Nov. 23.

The dead included 30 news people, making the incident the world’s largest slaughter of media practitioners and the Philippines the most dangerous place on earth for journalists, after such conflict zones as Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“Yes, overboard. Expression of outrage can be done without physically harming the object of outrage. Without rule of law and restraint, we will all descend to a society where atrocities and vigilantism become a way of life,” said De Lima in a text message to the Inquirer.

Angry journalists mobbed Ampatuan as he was being led out of the Department of Justice (DoJ) by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after his preliminary investigation on multiple murder charges.

A photographer struck Ampatuan in the head with his camera.

The NBI said it would review its security arrangements for the mayor of Datu Unsay town who reportedly sustained injuries in the incident.

“Irrespective of what we think or feel, everyone has human rights, even suspects and convicted criminals. Violators of the law have limited rights but have rights nonetheless. The only limitations are those set by law, such as restrictions to right of liberty on account of detention,” De Lima said.

However, she stressed that anger at those who broke the law or were charged even with heinous crimes did not justify violation of their rights.

Presumed innocent

While individuals have freedom of expression, to express their outrage and to condemn Ampatuan, he also has the right to be presumed innocent, De Lima said.

“If journalists feel he should have no rights, they may be justified in saying such. But in so far as the mechanisms for justice are concerned, there is no alternative to respecting the accused’s rights. Lady justice is blind to public sentiment,” she said.

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court will hold at Camp Crame on Tuesday the first hearing of multiple murder charges against Ampatuan, Supreme Court spokesperson Midas Marquez said Sunday.

Senior State Prosecutor Leo Dacera also told the Inquirer that investigators had completed evidence to charge Ampatuan with 57 counts of murder, after receiving the latest results of investigations on 17 other victims.

Among those killed were the wife and two sisters of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, who were in the convoy that he had sent to file his candidacy for governor of Maguindanao against Ampatuan.

190 under investigation

The NBI and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have also filed multiple murder charges against 190 people in the DoJ, including Ampatuan’s father, Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., and several other members of the powerful political clan.

Senior State Prosecutor Rosanne Balauag, chair of the DoJ panel conducting the preliminary investigation, told reporters on Friday that it had 60 days to decide if there was probable cause to elevate the case before the court.

Sigfrid Fortun, lawyer for the Ampatuan family, has told the panel that his clients will not answer the police and NBI allegations.

Transfer of Ampatuans urged

In General Santos City, the local council on Thursday approved a resolution opposing the continued detention of the Ampatuans at the headquarters of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), saying that they should be confined at the place where they would be tried.

Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and three of his brothers are detained at the CIDG facility in General Santos on rebellion charges. Their father is being held at a military camp in Davao City on the same accusation.

Also facing rebellion is Ampatuan Jr., who is confined at the NBI detention facility in Manila.

Vice Mayor Florentina Congson told reporters that the detention of the Ampatuans in the city did not only put to risk the security of the city but also showed insensitivity to the feelings of the victims’ families.

“We all know that the families of many journalists killed in the Maguindanao massacre are residing here. I think it is unfair that the Ampatuans are being detained here,” Congson said. With reports from Norman Bordadora in Manila, and Aquiles Zonio, Inquirer Mindanao

2 million troops have deployed since 9/11

By Michelle Tan - Staff writer, Marine Crops News
Posted : Friday Dec 18, 2009 16:30:29 EST

In the eight years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, American troops have deployed almost 3.3 million times to Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Defense Department data.

The numbers, as of October 2009, show that more than 2 million men and women have shouldered those deployments, with 793,000 of them deploying more than once.
Here’s a look at how the numbers break down by service:

• Army. More than 1 million soldiers have deployed since the beginning of the wars. These 1 million soldiers have completed 1.5 million deployment events, with 352,700 deploying more than once.
In October, 172,800 soldiers were deployed to the war zones.

• Navy. More than 367,900 sailors have deployed since the beginning of the wars, with 147,200 deploying more than once. In all, the sailors have logged 595,700 deployments.
In October, 30,000 sailors were deployed.

• Marine Corps. More than 251,800 Marines have deployed since the start of the wars, completing 392,900 tours. More than 106,400 have deployed more than once.
In October, 20,900 Marines were deployed.

• Air Force. More than 389,900 airmen have deployed since 2001, with 185,500 going more than once. In all, airmen have completed 771,400 deployment events.
In October, 31,500 airmen were deployed.

• Coast Guard. More than 4,370 Coast Guardsmen have deployed since 2001, with 650 deploying more than once. The Coast Guard has 5,333 deployments on file, and in October, 438 were deployed.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

US Attacking Yemen After All -- News from Antiwar.com

Cruise Missiles Hit Multiple Sites in Concert With Yemeni Govt

by Jason Ditz, December 18, 2009

Email This | Print This | Share This | Comment | Antiwar Forum

Just one day after a very public denial that American forces were in the process of attacking sites in Northern Yemen, President Barack Obama ordered multiple cruise missile attacks on sites across the tiny, coastal nation.

The air strikes were coordinated with the government of President Ali Abdallah Saleh and the attacks left 120 killed, many of them civilians according to witnesses. President Obama called Saleh after the attack to “congratulate” him on the killings.

The Yemeni government denied any US role in the attacks, despite American officials’ admissions. This is largely in keeping with the Saleh government’s policy, as they angrily denied reports of Saudi attacks in the north as a myth even as the Saudi government was giving a press conference detailing the attack.

One Yemeni official however claimed that a local al-Qaeda “deputy” named Mohammed Saleh Mohammed Ali Al-Kazemi was slain, and that “scores” of al-Qaeda members were killed in the assorted attacks.

The conflict with al-Qaeda is just one of many conflicts currently going on in Yemen, including an enduring separatist movement in the south and an increasingly violent insurrection in the Shi’ite north. Technically Wednesday’s State Department denials appear to have been accurate, as the missile strikes were in a completely unrelated conflict from the one they were accused of taking part in.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

British Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Israeli Opposition Leader -- News from Antiwar.com

British Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Israeli Opposition Leader

Former Israeli FM Cancels London Visit in Face of War Crimes Charges

by Jason Ditz, December 14, 2009

Israeli opposition leader and former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was forced to cancel a planned visit to London at the last moment, following news that a British court had issued a warrant for her arrest.

Livni faced potential war crimes charges for her role in the January invasion of the Gaza Strip. Around 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed in the invasion.

The former foreign minister issued a statement today claimed that the cancelation was merely do to a “scheduling conflict,” but the Israeli government was able to confirm that the warrant was issued and the cancellation came after that time.

The British government claims “universal jurisdiction” in the case of certain war crimes, and while it traditionally grants immunity to war crimes charges to current foreign ministers, the immunity for former officials has been weakened over the years (as seen in the 1999 arrest of Augusto Pinochet).

Israel has repeatedly slammed attempts to prosecute its officials over the killing of civilians, insisting that the charges are “politically motivated” and that the assorted actions have all been perfectly legal.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Maguindanao called ‘Republic of Ampatuan’ - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Maguindanao called ‘Republic of Ampatuan’ - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines—The Ampatuan clan and its supporters, who gave President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her allies controversial victories in the 2004 and 2007 elections, were labeled rebels on Monday.

Clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr., a three-term governor of Maguindanao province, was called the leader of the rebellion by Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera.

She said supporters called Maguindanao the “Republic of Ampatuan.”

“It’s really a government already, all on its own, headed by the Ampatuans.”

Devanadera made a distinction between the charges to be filed against the Ampatuans in connection with the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people and rebellion.

On Saturday, Ampatuan was arrested in his Shariff Aguak home in Maguindanao under the martial law proclamation of Ms Arroyo on Friday to combat the threat of rebellion, Devanadera said.

Ampatuan’s four sons—the acting governor and vice governor of Maguindanao, the governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and the Shariff Aguak mayor—were among those arrested on Saturday in a crackdown that has so far netted 67 suspects.
Devanadera said the 70-year-old Ampatuan patriarch would be charged with murder within 72 hours.

“Murder is one offense and rebellion is another,” she said.

Devanadera said inquest proceedings for rebellion started Monday against 24 people, including Ampatuan and ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan. She said the rebellion charges would be filed on Tuesday in the Cotabato Regional Trial Court if the prosecutors established probable cause.

Under the Constitution, those arrested without warrants under a martial law situation should be released within three days unless formally charged.

Ampatuan’s namesake son, the mayor of Datu Unsay town, is detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila for multiple murder.

Accusations that Ms Arroyo stole the 2004 presidential election—a charge she has vehemently denied—stemmed from revelations in the so-called “Hello Garci” tapes of vote-padding in Central Mindanao, which includes Maguindanao.

In the 2007 senatorial elections, administration candidates scored a 12-0 shutout in the province.

Ampatuan seized at hospital

On Sunday night, the military forcibly took Ampatuan from Davao Doctors Hospital and brought him to the medical facility in Camp Panacan in Davao City.

The soldiers had to break the door of Ampatuan’s suite after relatives and lawyers locked it in a bid to prevent authorities from taking him into custody.

He had been brought to the hospital hours after he complained of chest pains following his arrest at Shariff Aguak on Saturday.

Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, commander of the 10th Infantry Division, confirmed that soldiers had taken Ampatuan into custody, but denied using excessive force.

“We are only ensuring his safety,” Holganza said.

Maj. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesperson of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said Ampatuan’s family was delaying his transfer to Manila to face multiple murder charges.

No basis for rebellion

The opposition in the House of Representatives Monday said there was no factual basis for the government’s claims that rebellion existed in Maguindanao and the Ampatuans could argue that they could not be held liable for this charge.

“Rebellion subsumes all acts like murder,” said Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo.

“If they are acquitted of rebellion, the murder charges would also be done away with,” Ocampo told reporters.

Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino pointed out that Moro National Liberation Front leader Nur Misuari was recently acquitted of rebellion for the deadly attack on a military camp in Sulu in which 100 people died.

Aba-Ako party-list Rep. Leonardo Montemayor also wondered why the President saw it fit to declare martial law in Maguindanao, but not in other parts of the country where rebellion is also taking place, such as those areas controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Rebellion in other areas

“Why limit it to Maguindanao?” Montemayor asked.

In a report, Malacañang said that it could have gone after the suspects in the massacre had not the Ampatuans blocked their efforts.

“More importantly, a separatist group based in Maguindanao has joined forces with the Ampatuans,” it said.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile Monday said that rebellion should be a separate charge against the Ampatuans because the massacre “happened prior to the onset of...a rebellious act.”

Enrile said that what could be absorbed would be the charge of illegal possession of firearms. He said rebellion carried a far heavier penalty than illegal possession of arms.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said that if the Ampatuans were charged with rebellion, they would suffer a lower penalty than that for multiple murder and would even quality for pardon or amnesty.

“These people have not even expressed any semblance of ideology, and therefore they cannot even be considered political offenders,” she said.

The Ampatuans, she said, should be treated as “terrorists” and “megacriminals.” With reports from Christian V. Esguerra, Dona Z. Pazzibugan, Leila B. Salaverria, Christine O. Avendaño and Dennis Jay Santos and Jeffrey Tupas, Inquirer Mindanao

Thursday, December 3, 2009

79% won’t back Arroyo bet—Pulse survey - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

79% won’t back Arroyo bet—Pulse survey - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

4 Dec 2009

MANILA, Philippines - Four out of five Filipinos said they would not support a presidential candidate endorsed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, according to results of a Pulse Asia nationwide survey released Thursday.

A combined 79 percent of the respondents said they would “surely not vote for” (43 percent) and “probably not vote for” (36 percent) a presidential candidate endorsed by Ms Arroyo.

The outgoing President has endorsed her party mate, Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro.

Only a combined 15 percent of the respondents said they would “surely vote for” (1 percent) and “probably vote for” (14 percent) the candidate Ms Arroyo endorsed.

Three percent said Ms Arroyo’s endorsement would have “no effect” on their choice. The same percentage of respondents was unable to say what impact such an endorsement would have on their choice.

Conducted by Pulse Asia from Oct. 22 to 30 using face-to-face interviews, the survey covered 1,800 adults in Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The opinion poll has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2 percentage points.

Unfazed by public dissatisfaction with Ms Arroyo, Teodoro has scoffed at opposition leaders who claim that the President’s endorsement will doom his chances.

“There will come a point when the public will already get to brush off this ‘kiss of death’ thing. It’s a politically expedient tactic right now. The more important thing is what you want to do for the country in the future,” Teodoro said in September.

Staying away from Gibo sorties

On the day the survey results were released, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Ms Arroyo would not only stay away from Teodoro’s sorties but would also give the administration’s candidate free rein to mount his own campaign.

“I don’t think she will do that (join Teodoro’s sorties),” Ermita said. “As she said, she wants to concentrate on governance.”

In what was seen as a break with tradition, Ms Arroyo did not raise the hands of Teodoro and his running mate, actor-TV host Edu Manzano, during their Nov. 19 proclamation rally at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Since then, some observers have noted an apparent attempt by the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD coalition not to make Teodoro and Ms Arroyo share a stage.

After Ms Arroyo filed her certificate of candidacy for Pampanga’s second congressional district on Tuesday, Teodoro, a former defense secretary, said he should be judged based on his qualifications, and not on his ties with the President.

But Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, vice presidential candidate of the Liberal Party, said Ms Arroyo’s unprecedented move to run for a seat in the House of Representatives showed that she had given up on Teodoro.

“They all know that this [Ms Arroyo’s candidacy] has a negative effect on Gibo’s [Teodoro’s] candidacy, but they pursued this. So the question is who is GMA’s [Ms Arroyo’s] real candidate?” Roxas said in a text message.

Pacquiao, Kris Aquino

In the survey, “big pluralities” to “sizeable majorities” said they would surely/probably not vote for candidates endorsed by boxing champion Manny Pacquiao (71 percent), former President Joseph Estrada (59 percent) and TV personalities Willie Revillame (58 percent) and Kris Aquino (49 percent).

A combined 45 percent said they would surely/probably vote for the candidate endorsed by Aquino, while 36 percent said they would surely/probably vote for someone endorsed by Estrada.

Thirty-seven percent said they would surely/probably vote for a candidate endorsed by Revillame, and 21 percent would surely/probably vote for Pacquiao’s presidential candidate.

Kris Aquino is backing her brother, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, presidential candidate of the Liberal Party. Revillame is supporting Sen. Manny Villar, standard-bearer of the Nacionalista Party. Estrada himself is running for president.

Pacquiao, who is running for congressman in Sarangani, has not formally endorsed a presidential candidate.

As for the candidates endorsed by the respondents’ Church, 52 percent said they would surely/probably vote for them. In contrast, 43 percent said they would surely/probably not vote for a presidential candidate endorsed by their Church.

Independent-minded

Ermita, chair of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD advisory council, doused speculations that Teodoro was consciously trying to distance himself from Ms Arroyo.

“Gilbert Teodoro is a very intelligent person. He’s very capable, as shown by all the mock polls after every debate among presidentiables. He can stand and think on his own,” he said.

Ermita said the best instance that Teodoro showed his being independent-minded was when he recommended the expulsion of members of the Ampatuan clan from the administration party in the aftermath of the Maguindanao massacre.

“Did Gibo have to ask Malacañang when he said ‘we’re expelling the Ampatuans from the party?’ No, we did it on our own as a party. That’s how independent-minded Gibo is. He’s his own man,” he said. Reports from Eliza Victoria, Inquirer Research; TJ Burgonio and Michael Lim Ubac

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Charter change top Arroyo agenda - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Charter change top Arroyo agenda - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Christian V. Esguerra, Dona Pazzibugan, INQUIRER.net: Philippine Daily Inquirer, 3 Dec 2009

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang is not desperate to douse the long-running suspicion that the point behind President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s run for Congress in 2010 is to push Charter change (Cha-cha)—and possibly bring about a shift to a parliamentary government, where she could bag the post of prime minister.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita Wednesday acknowledged that the amendment of the 1987 Constitution remained a priority of Ms Arroyo, who did the unprecedented when she filed her certificate of candidacy for Congress on Tuesday.

“Yes, even in the previous SONA (State of the Nation Addresses) of the President, she said she was gunning for it,” Ermita told reporters at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City.

Ermita expressed confidence that Ms Arroyo would easily win as representative of the second district of her home province of Pampanga, and that she would continue to wield influence in the 15th Congress.

“Let’s be realistic—the President is the President,” he said. “Because of her stature, when she gets [elected], definitely she will have a lot of clout on anything in Congress ... You can be sure that should she be elected, definitely she will have clout among the congressmen.”

CBCP to oppose

With Ms Arroyo almost assured of election as a member of the House, Catholic Church leaders are rethinking their avowed support for Charter change after she steps down from the presidency in June 2010.

Boac Bishop Rey Evangelista said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) would oppose the amendment of the Constitution at that time if strong indications arise that it would be used to perpetuate “a few people” in power.

Evangelista said neither he nor the Filipino people were convinced that Ms Arroyo would be content to serve as a mere congresswoman.

“I do not believe that that is her only intention. And the Filipino nation also does not believe it, no matter how her allies deny it,” he said in Filipino over the Church-run Radio Veritas.

Democracy

But Ermita said it remained to be seen whether Ms Arroyo would actually push for Charter change when she wins a seat in the House of Representatives.

“I am not privy to the thoughts of the President on her advocacy when she becomes a congressman,” he said. “The problem with [critics] is they create scenarios, then throw them at the President as if they were her scenarios.”

But when asked if Ms Arroyo could be trusted not to position herself as prime minister in the future, Ermita said: “We are in a democracy [and] everyone is free to do things that they wish they should do, for as long as they are within the bounds of law.

“Everyone has to face up to his or her future, if and when they’re elected.”

Malacañang allies in the House, who include Ms Arroyo’s two sons, repeatedly pushed but failed to have the Constitution amended in the current Congress. The attempts at Charter change included proposals to lift term limits on the President and other incumbent officials.

Ms Arroyo is the second longest-serving Philippine president after the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, having come to power upon the ouster of President Joseph Estrada in January 2001.

She once promised not to seek the presidency in 2004 but did so anyway, scoring a disputed victory over the late opposition standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr.

Just a step

Bishop Evangelista voiced the suspicion that Ms Arroyo would take advantage of fresh attempts to overhaul the Constitution to shift from the presidential to the parliamentary system of government, and then get herself elected as prime minister by her allies in Congress.

“She should not run for congressman anymore. Even if she says her intentions are good for [Pampanga’s second] district, we cannot prevent the entire nation from thinking otherwise,” he said, adding:

“Many Filipinos believe that this is just a step for a bigger plan after she is elected as congressman.”

Evangelista said that with no real alternative candidate and given the government resources at her disposal, Ms Arroyo could easily get elected as Pampanga representative.

“But it doesn’t end there. She will not just serve her district; she will go to Congress. There is the analysis that she will be voted by her allies in Congress as Speaker of the House. And after she becomes Speaker of the House she will move for Charter [change] to shift [to a parliamentary] form of government and have herself elected as prime minister. Then she will be back as head of state,” he said.

Evangelista called to mind how the late strongman Marcos perpetuated himself in power by imposing martial law in 1972. “We hope our country does not experience it again,” he said.

‘Church won’t allow it’

While the CBCP has firmly opposed the moves of Ms Arroyo’s allies in the House to overhaul the Constitution, it has also said it would welcome Charter change after her term ends.

But Evangelista said the likelihood that Ms Arroyo would get elected as Pampanga representative left suspect the motives for amending the Constitution in 2010.

“Of course there are things that need to be improved in the Constitution, but amending [it] for the sake of a few people or anyone with the intention to perpetuate themselves in power, the Church will never allow that,” he said.

The bishop said he himself was open to revisiting the Constitution, “but to change it for the sake of a few people, that should never happen.”

“Most likely that is what’s going to happen, and the Church will oppose it,” he said.

Addiction to power

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz, a vocal critic of Ms Arroyo, aired a similar opinion.

“Once she becomes congresswoman, she would immediately put in Charter change. Don’t tell me she can’t do this. She can because she has a lot of money, a lot of resources. Once we have Charter change and a parliamentary [form of government], she will lobby in the parliament to be prime minister,” he said.

Cruz said Ms Arroyo’s candidacy betrayed her “addiction to power.”

“The devil has an addiction to power. So he tempted Christ. He said, ‘I will give you everything, the world, etc., if you will worship me.’ So addiction to power is very dangerous,” Cruz said.

According to Cruz, Ms Arroyo refuses to heed her consistently dismal trust ratings: “[She] knows that ... more than half of the people do not like her. That’s not a few people. But you do not listen, you go on. Now she will go for a lower office; that is addiction to power. Maybe next time [she will run] for barangay captain.”

Too much

But “patience has an end,” Cruz said.

He added: “It might come to a point that most Filipinos will say, ‘Tama na, sobra na (That’s too much).’ That is how I read the situation. [It] may erupt any moment from now ... The volcano may erupt. We hope not, but if it happens, we understand why.”

Monday, November 30, 2009

Govt cancels Thai road loan

Monday, 30 November 2009 15:01 Cheang Sokha and James O'toole

Photo by: Heng Chivoan

The mother of a Thai national being held on spying charges arrives Friday to visit him in prison.

CAMBODIA annulled a US$41 million loan from Thailand on Friday, as family members visited the jailed Thai engineer who has become embroiled in the diplomatic spat between the two countries.

The loan, which had been finalised in August, was to have funded renovations of National Road 68, connecting Siem Reap and Oddar Meanchey provinces with Thailand.

“We have sent the diplomatic note for the cancellation of the loan agreement because Cambodia has its own ability to build this road,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Koy Kuong said, adding that Prime Minister Hun Sen will preside over a groundbreaking ceremony for the project on December 5.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva called the loan cancellation the result of “confusion”, downplaying the move’s political significance.

“On one hand, they wanted us to confirm we would lend them the money, and on the other hand, they were afraid we would not extend the loan to them. So they opted to cancel the loan first,” Abhisit told Bangkok’s The Nation newspaper.

Also on Friday, Sivarak Chutipong met with his mother and brother, Simarak Na Nakornphnom and Pongsuree Chutipong, at Prey Sar prison.

Sivarak was arrested on November 12 after leaking the flight schedule of Thai former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to the Thai embassy during the fugitive billionaire’s visit to Cambodia earlier this month.

Sivarak, who faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of spying, is scheduled to stand trial on December 8.

Civil society groups urge for complete investigation of Bank Century scandal

Irawaty Wardany , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 11/30/2009 7:34 PM

The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Civic Community declared their joint statements Monday to encourage the government to complete its investigation of the Bank Century bailout.

“We have a deep moral and political concern for the state of political ethics in this country regarding the investigation of the Bank Century scandal,” Ray Rangkuti from Lima read the joint statements at the Muhammadiyah headquarters at Cikini, Central Jakarta.

The civic community comprises of among others, Lima, Muhammadiyah and the Anti-Corruption Civil Societies (Kompak).

The joint statement declaration was attended by the Muhammadiyah chairman, Din Syamsuddin, and the former coordinating minister for the economy Kwik Kian Gie as well as several other national figures.

They said the Bank Century scandal was a crime against the state and the decision to provide a Rp 6.7 trillion (US$ 710 million) bailout was a systemic robbery facilitated by a corrupt state policy.

The takeover of Century by the government, via the Deposit Insurance Agency (LPS), led to an Rp 6.76 trillion bailout - much more the preliminary estimates of fewer than one trillion and three times the later calculation of Rp 2.27 trillion - figures that have drawn severe criticism for their lack of transparency.

The community urged all levels of society to monitor the investigation of the Bank Century scandal.

Arroyo bid sparks outrage - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Arroyo bid sparks outrage - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

By Inquirer Staff, Philippine Daily Inquirer, First Posted 01:22:00 12/01/2009

MANILA, Philippines—Within hours of her declaration that she was running for Congress in May, a firestorm of criticism swirled around President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, with one critic accusing her of being drunk with power and others saying her aim was to shield herself from “a landslide of lawsuits.”

The criticisms, as well as concerns, came both from her well-known political enemies and from some Church leaders.

The biggest worry of Ms Arroyo’s political foes appeared to be that she might use a seat in Congress as a launching pad to become prime minister, in case of a shift to a parliamentary government.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz, for so long a vocal critic of Ms Arroyo, said the framers of the Constitution did not think of imposing a ban on an outgoing president running for a lower office simply because it was unthinkable.

“There appears to be no reasonable cause for such a constitutional prohibition as really there is no person in his or her sound mind who will do such a funny and demeaning political circus,” Cruz said.

Cruz denounced Ms Arroyo’s “addiction to power.”

Temptation of power

Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), wasn’t caustic but his message was also clear—he said it was time for Ms Arroyo to retire.

“I wholeheartedly suggest she give others a chance to serve and not give in to the temptation of power,” Lagdameo said.

Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, running mate of Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, claimed Ms Arroyo’s bid for a seat in the House of Representatives was meant to reduce her successor into a mere transition president.

“Her ultimate goal is to become House Speaker and ram through her burning desire to change the Constitution,” Roxas said.

“Since she cannot hope to beat Noynoy, her next best option is to render his victory useless and lead the change in the form of government,” he added.

Protect her back

Running for Congress would also allow her to use her House seat to defend herself from a “landslide of lawsuits” that would be filed against her after she leaves the presidency, Roxas said.

Sen. Francis Escudero said that while it was well within Ms Arroyo’s right to run for a lower post, “it surely leaves a bad taste in the mouth.”

“What else does she need to prove and accomplish?” Escudero asked.

It’s her desire to hang on to power and “protect her back” that pushed Ms Arroyo into deciding to run for the House of Representatives, other senators said.

“She still wants to be in power,” Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said in a phone interview.

Estrada, whose father Joseph Estrada was jailed for plunder and later pardoned by Ms Arroyo, said she probably wanted to have control of the House so she could be installed as prime minister if a change in the form of government ensued.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said on the phone that Ms Arroyo’s decision was designed to “protect her back from the innumerable charges that are bound to come her way.”

This “sets a horrible example for politicians to follow,” he said.

United Opposition president and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay voiced the same fears.

“The real agenda is to ... shift to a parliamentary form of government and snatch power from whoever is elected president in 2010 by becoming prime minister and head of government,” Binay said in a statement.

In a spot

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo said Ms Arroyo’s decision would put Pampanga voters in a spot. Ocampo is a resident of Pampanga’s second district and thus may end up being one of Ms Arroyo’s constituents if she wins.

“The main burden there would be on the voters,” Ocampo said. “It may be a bit hard to explain if they will vote for her and put her in Congress considering the nationally consistent rejection of her as shown by the surveys.”

Ocampo said he suspected Ms Arroyo would fund the candidacies of many administration allies so that she could control majority of the House if she won.

“She is drunk with power and can’t get enough. I think she needs professional help,” said Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño.

The militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said in a statement: “This is a dark day for the Philippines.”

Arroyo son’s sacrifice

Sen. Edgardo Angara, an ally of Ms Arroyo, would rather accept at “face value” her explanation that she was running for Congress so she could continue to serve the people.

Still, Angara said there were “many more meaningful ways” that Ms Arroyo could do other “than stepping down to a lower position.” He said she could do philanthropy or charity work or go into teaching.

Ms Arroyo’s elder son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo said that he “sacrificed” another term in Congress to yield to the clamor of his constituents who wanted his mother to take his place.

“I was the one who insisted she run for Congress as we believe she is more [able] to serve better given her political expertise and technological know how,” Mikey said in a text message to reporters.

Administration standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr. distanced himself from the uproar.

“I am focused on my own candidacy... her plan doesn’t mean anything to me because it’s a decision made by the President,” Teodoro told the Inquirer.

More Church comments

Other Catholic Church leaders also spoke out against Ms Arroyo’s plan to run for a congressional seat. The prelates’ comments were posted in the news website of the CBCP.

Catarman Bishop Emmanuel Trance said that while there was no legal prohibition against her seeking a lower office, “she would have shown some statesmanship or political delicadeza if she does not run.”

Laoag Bishop Sergio Utleg said Ms Arroyo “should retire.” Basilan Martin Jumoad said: “It’s not proper for a former president to seek a lower position.”

Virac Bishop Manolo Delos Santos said that since there was no legal impediment for her to run as congressman, “let her constituents decide.”

Legazpi Bishop Emeritus Lucilo Quiambao said Ms Arroyo’s “self-demotion” as a congressional candidate “might be interpreted (as an act) to cover up for something.” Reports from Gil C. Cabacungan Jr., Dona Pazzibugan, Christine O. Avendaño, Leila B. Salaverria, Allison W. Lopez, Jocelyn Uy and Nikko Dizon

Friday, November 27, 2009

Blair may have ‘signed in blood’ to topple Saddam a year before war

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6933284.ece

Tony Blair and President Bush might have secretly “signed in blood” a deal to overthrow Saddam Hussein a year before ordering the Iraq war, according to a former senior diplomat.

Sir Christopher Meyer, Britain’s Ambassador to Washington in the run-up to the war, said an agreement to aim for “regime change” may have been reached during a private meeting at the President’s Crawford ranch in April 2002.

He also said that, in his view, Baroness Thatcher would have had a clearer grip on Britain’s policy towards Iraq. Giving evidence on the third day of the Chilcot inquiry into the war yesterday, he criticised Mr Blair’s failure to defend Britain’s national interest and to insist on much tougher conditions for his support for the US-led invasion in March 2003.

Sir Christopher said the decision to overthrow Saddam had been taken in the absence of advisers by Mr Blair and President Bush during a meeting at the Texas ranch. Afterwards, Mr Blair referred to “regime change” in Iraq for the first time.

“To this day I am not entirely clear what degree of convergence was, if you like, signed in blood at the Crawford ranch.” he said. “They weren’t there to talk about containment or strengthening sanctions.”

Sir Christopher said that Mr Blair would have been more influential if he had attached more conditions to British support. “I think that would have changed the nature of American planning,” he said. “By the time you get to the end of the year it’s too late. I did say to London that we were being taken for granted.”

Once the US miliary had started planning its strategy for an invasion in the spring of 2003, it was impossible to delay, even though the diplomatic work for a possible peaceful solution had not finished, he told the inquiry.

Sir Christopher said that he was “not making a party political point”, but Lady Thatcher had been much tougher on the “special relationship” with the Americans. He expressed frustration over the failure of the allies to agree a diplomatic strategy to overthrow Saddam or to prepare properly for victory, which would have prevented the country’s descent into chaos.

“Quite often I think what would Margaret Thatcher have done,” Sir Christopher told the inquiry. “I think she would have insisted on a clear, coherent political-diplomatic strategy. I think she would have demanded the greatest clarity about what the heck happened if, and when, we removed Saddam Hussein.”

Even though refusing to send troops to Iraq would not have damaged British interests in America, said Sir Christopher, he could not envisage Mr Blair following the example of Harold Wilson, who refused to send British forces to Vietnam.

“I couldn’t conceive that Prime Minister Blair . . . would have done a Harold Wilson,” he said, “I can’t image in period post 9/11 that Tony Blair, like Harold Wilson, would put distance between himself and the White House.” Sir Christopher, Ambassador to Washington from 1997 to 2003, also compared John Prescott unfavourably with Dick Cheney, the American Vice-President.

“I remember saying to London ‘This may be the most powerful Vice-President ever’. I mean, his institutional opposite number was the Deputy Prime Minister,” said Sir Christopher. “This was an unbalanced relationship and probably didn’t reap the dividends that we might have expected.”

Sir Christopher said that the political strategy should have delayed the invasion until the autumn of 2003. But the “contingency military timetable” had been decided even before the UN inspectors went into Iraq to search for weapons of mass destruction.

His words will draw comparisons to suggestions by some historians that the start of the First World War was decided partly as a result of Germany’s need to prepare its railway timetables for troop movements.

Although President Bush agreed to wait for the UN to pass resolution 1441 on Iraqi disarmament and send Hans Blix to make inspections, there was no time to come up with the evidence required before the scheduled start of the invasion, said Sir Christopher.

“You found yourself in a situation in the autumn of 2002 where you could not synchronise the military timetable with the inspection timetable,” he said.

“We found ourselves scrabbling around for the smoking gun. And we — the Americans, the British — have never really recovered from that because, of course, there was no smoking gun. The key problem was to let the military strategy wag the political and diplomatic strategy. It should have been the other way round.”

Sir Christopher expressed frustration that Britain was unable to gain much diplomatic leverage from its position as America’s chief ally.

“I said to London the key thing now, quite apart from Iraq, is to translate this popularity into real achievement, which benefits the national interest.”

But Britain failed to persuade America to liberalise transatlantic air travel and, almost on the day when British commandos joined the fighting in Afghanistan, the US imposed tariffs on imports of specialised British steel.

The inquiry will continue today with evidence from Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Britain’s Ambassador to the UN at the time of the invasion.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Cambodia: NGO law is on the horizon

Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Sebastian Strangio and Khouth Sophak Chakrya

PRIME Minister Hun Sen announced Tuesday that the government has moved ahead with drafting a law to regulate the activities of NGOs, prompting fresh concerns that the proposed legislation will be used to clamp down on the activities of advocacy groups.

At a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the cooperation between NGOs and the government, Hun Sen said the presence of 3,000 NGOs in Cambodia requires new rules to weed out groups engaged in “opposition” politics.

“NGOs demand that the government shows transparency, but they can’t show the same to us,” he said.

“We respect the local and international NGOs whose activities serve humanity and help the government of Cambodia.... They will not be threatened by this draft law. But we believe that some NGOs whose activities seem to serve the opposition party will be afraid of it.”

Hun Sen also said that after the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979, very few NGOs came to Cambodia’s assistance due to an aid embargo among Western nations, but that now there were thousands of groups, some of which used their NGO status as a cloak to “play politics and support the opposition party”.

The premier’s comments echoed statements made at a cabinet meeting in September last year, in which he expressed concerns that NGO funding could come from “terrorist groups”.

Despite Hun Sen’s assurances that the new law will not restrict the scope of NGO activities, some civil society activists are concerned it could conflate advocacy with political affiliation.

“Some associations and NGOs are mandated to do national and international advocacy on human rights and other issues, but it should not be concluded that these groups are affiliated with any political parties,” said Naly Pilorge, director of rights group Licadho. “NGOs are by nature nongovernmental and non-political.”

She said that from communications with the ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, Licadho had learned that the draft law will cover both international and local associations.

“I do not understand why a law for associations and NGOs needs to be drafted to combat terrorism and other crimes when existing laws already cover such crimes,” she added.

Sin Somuny, executive director of Medicam, a national umbrella organisation for health-sector NGOs, said it was fair to ask that NGOs practice what they preach in terms of transparency, but that the potentially broad definition of “political interference” made the new law a hazard for advocacy groups.

“In America, NGOs advocate for policy change – are these kinds of things considered ‘politics’? If they are, what kind of role can civil society play?” he said.

Sin Somuny, a speaker at Tuesday’s ceremony, said that though NGO activists and opposition politicians often fall on the same side of arguments, their relationship is “ambiguous” and did not indicate any allegiance.

Chith Sam Ath, executive director of the NGO Forum on Cambodia, said he “welcomed” the premier’s comments that the law would not restrict the NGO activities but could not comment further, as he had not read the draft law.

Suspects in Maguindanao slays arrested—PNP chief - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Suspects in Maguindanao slays arrested—PNP chief - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Several gunmen linked to a powerful Philippine politician were arrested Thursday over the election-related massacre of at least 57 people, the country's police chief said.

"We don't have an exact number [of those arrested], but our policemen in the area have arrested several," national police Director General Jesus Verzosa said on dzBB radio.

He identified the suspects as militiamen under the control of Andal Ampatuan Jr., who is accused of masterminding Monday's killings in the southern province of Maguindanao.

"Andal Ampatuan Jr. is a suspect. He has sent feelers and Secretary Dureza will accompany him to submit to an investigation," Verzosa said, referring to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's adviser on the southern island of Mindanao.

The massacre occurred after about 100 Ampatuan gunmen allegedly abducted a convoy of aides and relatives of a rival politician, Esmael Mangudadatu, plus a group of journalists.

The victims were snatched as they were traveling in a six-vehicle convoy to nominate Mangudadatu as the opposition candidate for provincial governor in next year's elections.

They were shot at close range, some with their hands tied behind their backs, and dumped or buried in shallow graves on a remote farming road close to a town bearing the Ampatuan name.

Fifty-seven bodies have been recovered so far, and police are still searching for more potential victims.

Ampatuan Sr. had been grooming his son, currently a local mayor, to take over as governor of Maguindanao.

The victims' relatives alleged the Ampatuans organized the murders so that Mangudadatu would not run for that post.

Thursday's actions by the police were the first arrests in relation to the massacre.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Maguindanao death toll rises to 22—military - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Maguindanao death toll rises to 22—military - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 08:16:00 11/24/2009

MANILA, Philippines – The death toll from an attack on a group of journalists and politicians in the lawless southern Philippines has risen to 22 with the recovery of one more body, the military said Tuesday.

The victims were among a group of more than 40 people abducted by gunmen linked to a powerful politician on the southern island of Mindanao on Monday.

"We have recovered 22 bodies," military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Romeo Brawner told Agence France-Presse. "Most of the bodies bore gunshot wounds."

Brawner said the group had been abducted by gunmen linked to Andal Ampatuan, leader of a powerful political clan in the area, and that the kidnap victims included the wife of his rival, Esmael Mangudadatu.

He said the military was searching for the other people still missing, as well as hunt down the gunmen.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Gas prices start going up - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines — Two days after Malacañang lifted the price caps on fuel, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Petron Corp. and three small oil companies began raising their prices—diesel by P2 a liter, gasoline by P1.25 to P1.50 a liter and kerosene by P1.50 a liter.

The liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) of Pilipinas Shell and Petron will go up by P2 a kilogram.

Pilipinas Shell, Petron, Eastern Petroleum Corp. and Flying V Philippines Tuesday said the price increases would take effect at their gas stations at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

US+mosque+seizures+attacked+-+The+National+Newspaper

US mosque seizures attacked - The National Newspaper

WASHINGTON // Already facing a potential backlash from the recent shooting rampage in Texas by a Muslim military psychatrist, Islamic leaders say they are concerned that tensions could escalate further after federal prosecutors took steps to seize assets – including mosques and Islamic schools – owned by a non-profit group with alleged ties to the Iranian government.

A New York district attorney filed papers last week seeking the forfeiture of properties belonging to the Alavi Foundation, claiming the group was secretly working for the Iranian regime and illegally transferring funds to Iranian banks. The properties include the Piaget building, a 36-storey skyscraper in New York, and Islamic centres and mosques in Maryland, Texas and California.

The justice department stressed in a statement that prosecutors were not targeting mosques or those who pray in them.

“There are no allegations of any wrongdoing on the part of any of these tenants or occupants,” the statement said.

Still, Ibrahim Hooper, the spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said the probe could further inflame anti-Muslim sentiment at a time when it was already heightened because of the shootings at Fort Hood, where Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a man of Palestinian descent who was reported to have referred to himself as a “soldier of Allah”, killed 13 people this month.

“The timing of the government move really couldn’t be worse,” Mr Hooper said, noting that although CAIR often received threats of violence, the number of such threats had increased substantially since the Fort Hood killings.

“There’s a feeling that every day something negative is happening that is related to Islam and Muslims,” added Salam al Marayti, the executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, who nevertheless praised US government officials for frequently emphasising that no one is targeting Islam. Mr al Marayati said his group has also seen a spike in death threats.

Calls to the Islamic Education Center in Potomac, Maryland, which is among the sites targeted by prosecutors, were not returned. The Islamic Education Center of Houston, Texas, another targeted site, said in a recorded statement on its phone lines that the centre, including its private Islamic school, would continue to operate as normal.

If there is a major backlash, for now, it is not occurring on the same scale that it did after the September 11 attacks, when hate crimes against Muslims surged to record highs and some, including a Sikh man who was mistaken for a Muslim, were killed. But the string of unflattering headlines tied to Islam and stepped-up anti-Islamic rhetoric, particularly from right-wing conservative talk-show hosts and bloggers, has at the very least raised the spectre that such an atmosphere could return.

On a programme last week, Rush Limbaugh, the controversial radio personality known for his inflammatory remarks, criticised Barack Obama, the US president, for referring to Major Hasan and other Muslims who turn to violence as “extremists”. “They are not extremists. They are mainstream in their sect of Islam,” Mr Limbaugh said. “There are hundreds of millions of them.”

Bryan Fischer, the director of issues analysis at the American Family Association, an ultra-conservative Christian group that usually targets gays and lesbians, wrote this month on the group’s blog that all Muslims should be barred from joining the US military.

“The more devout a Muslim is, the more of a threat he is to national security,” Mr Fischer wrote. “As soon as Muslims give us a foolproof way to identify their jihadis from their moderates, we’ll go back to allowing them to serve.”

For Muslim-Americans, such rhetoric stings even more now that Mr Obama, the son of a Muslim man, occupies the White House. Many hoped that Mr Obama, who has sought new ways to engage Muslims abroad, would also usher in a new era of tolerance at home.

“Unfortunately,” Mr Hooper of CAIR said, “a lot of that hope has gone by the wayside.”

sstanek@thenational.ae

Friday, November 13, 2009

US pushes RP on MILF - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines – Strike while the iron is hot.

Urging quick action, visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the government and the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front should not waste the opportunity to strike a peace deal before President Macapagal-Arroyo steps down next June.

Saying that the negotiating environment could change under a new administration, she said “the conditions for peace are ripe” and Ms Arroyo was “very committed” and “fully prepared” to make the difficult decisions needed to achieve peace with the MILF.

Thaksin Shinawatra attacks enemies as Cambodia-Thailand row worsens - Times Online

Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted Thai Prime Minister, accused his enemies of “false patriotism” yesterday as the fierce dispute over his visit to Cambodia led to a further deterioration in relations between the countries.

The neighbouring states expelled each other’s diplomats, and Thailand moved to cancel a road project involving loans to Cambodia of some 1.4 billion baht (£25 million).

The Thai stock market fell by 3 per cent, with fears of further political instability in the country.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

US Moves to Seize Four Mosques, Claiming Secret Iranian Control -- News from Antiwar.com

US Moves to Seize Four Mosques, Claiming Secret Iranian Control -- News from Antiwar.com

In a move being touted as “a sharp blow against Iran,” the United States government is attempted to seize four Shi’ite mosques across the United States, calling it the largest ‘anti-terror’ seizure ever and claiming the non-profit which operates them is secretly a front for the Iranian government.

Report: Obama Wants ‘Revised’ Afghan Options -- News from Antiwar.com

Report: Obama Wants ‘Revised’ Afghan Options -- News from Antiwar.com

In a hint that the several month long administration debate on just how large the Afghan escalation should be isn’t quite over, officials are now saying that President Obama has rejected all four options he was given and has called for “revised” options.

Freed Irish priest clears MILF rebels - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines — Irish missionary Fr. Michael Sinnott Thursday cleared the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of involvement in his abduction, saying a “lost command” and the “original lumad” (indigenous people) of Mindanao were responsible.

“[My abductors] are not the MILF … They want it to be known that they are the original lumad of Mindanao who lost their homeland and everything else when the merchants came in,” said Sinnott, who was freed early Thursday after 31 days as a captive.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Richard Lloyd Parry and Thaksin Shinawatra accused of lèse-majesté - Times Online

Richard Lloyd Parry and Thaksin Shinawatra accused of lèse-majesté - Times Online

Catherine Philp, Diplomatic Correspondent

Cambodia refuses Thai request to arrest Thaksin Shinawatra - Times Online

Cambodia refuses Thai request to arrest Thaksin Shinawatra - Times Online

Richard Lloyd Parry, Asia Editor

Tension grows between China and India as Asia slips into cold war - Times Online

Tension grows between China and India as Asia slips into cold war - Times Online

Jeremy Page in Delhi

Irish priest Sinnott freed - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

ZAMBOANGA CITY – (UPDATE 2) Irish missionary Michael Sinnott has been freed by his kidnappers on Thursday morning, according to officials from the military, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Irish government.

Lieutenant General Ben Dolorfino, Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief, said Moro Islamic Liberation Front members, who were tasked to help free Sinnot, turned over the priest to Ambassador Rafael Seguis, chairman of the government peace panel, and Major General Reynaldo Sealana, head of the government's Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities.

Thai tensions rise over Thaksin Shinawatra’s Cambodian role - Times Online

Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand were inflamed yesterday after Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted Thai Prime Minister, was welcomed in Phnom Penh.

Relations between the neighbours — engaged in a border dispute — deteriorated further after Thaksin accepted a new role as economic adviser to the Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen.

The move was seen in Bangkok as a provocation and Thai opponents of Thaksin threatened to demonstrate against his return to the region.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

State Department: Direct Talks with North Korea by Year’s End -- News from Antiwar.com

State Department: Direct Talks with North Korea by Year’s End -- News from Antiwar.com

The US State Department has announced today that special envoy Stephen Bosworth will travel to North Korea at some point in the next two months to hold direct talks with the nation regarding its nuclear weapons program.

At Least 34 Killed in Pakistan Market Blast -- News from Antiwar.com

A car bomb struck a crowded marketplace in Charsadda, just north of Peshawar, today killing at least 34 people and wounding over 100 others, many of them women and children.

The attack tore through the produce market, tearing off roofs and shattering windows,. So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials assume it was the Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

France fears Israel does not want peace deal

PARIS (Reuters) - France fears that Israel no longer wants a Middle East peace deal, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Tuesday, and that Paris remained deeply opposed to Jewish settlement building in the West Bank.

Later, French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has said he does not want to run for re-election in January.

Senate says Arroyo must be impeached - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is “answerable” for the “stinking” $329-million National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corp., according to a report by a Senate investigating panel led by the blue ribbon committee.

In the report that was made public Tuesday at a press conference by blue ribbon chair Sen. Richard Gordon, the joint committee sought the impeachment of Ms Arroyo and the prosecution by the Ombudsman of 11 others, including her husband Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, for allegedly conspiring to defraud the government in exchange for “kickbacks” from the since scrapped contract.

Monday, November 9, 2009

DOE: Oil supply falling - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines—The country’s inventory of finished petroleum products has dropped to less than two weeks from the usual three as oil firms that do not refine crude have halted importation of gasoline and diesel due to government-imposed fuel price caps in Luzon.

“Don’t panic. Government will not allow shortages. We don’t even have to talk about contingencies because we’re not in a problem situation yet,” Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes Monday assured the public.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Oil firms, Palace in standoff - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

The black gold empire has struck with merciless retaliation in a face-off with Malacañang over Executive Order No. 839 that puts a lid on spiraling prices of petroleum products, which are critical to the rehabilitation of areas in Luzon devastated by storms.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Shell sues Palace over price freeze - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

MANILA, Philippines – The oil industry is taking its fight against the oil price freeze to the courts.

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. has filed an urgent petition with the Makati Regional Trial Court to order Malacañang to lift Executive Order No. 839 freezing the prices of petroleum products in Luzon.

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Thursday, November 5, 2009

Italian Judge Convicts 23 CIA Officers for Kidnapping -- News from Antiwar.com

Italian Officials Complicit in 2003 'Rendition' of Cleric

by Jason Ditz, November 04, 2009

Completing one of Europe’s most high profile terror related trials, an Italian judge today convicted 23 Americans, 22 of them confirmed by the prosecutor as CIA agents, to sentences of between five and eight years in prison related to the 2003 kidnapping of a cleric from the streets of Milan.

Fugitive Renditioner Robert Seldon Lady

The longest sentence went to Robert Lady, America’s former Milan CIA chief. All the Americans were tried in absentia and are now considered fugitives from justice by the Italian government. The CIA declined comment.

The incident, dubbed the “imam rapito affair” by the Italian press, involves the abduction of Milan’s imam, Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, an Egyptian cleric who was in Italy on an asylum passport. The CIA agents kidnapped Nasr off the streets of Milan and shipped him to Egypt.

Once in Egypt, Nasr spent the next several years in and out of prison, where he was tortured repeatedly. An Egyptian judge finally ordered his release in 2007. His only charge during the whole time was membership in a banned organization, though even this was eventually dropped.

Lady has insisted he was acting on the orders of his superiors with respect to the “rendition.” Two Italian officials were also convicted today as accomplices to kidnapping, though the Italian government’s declaration of “state secrecy” prevented more serious charges and pointed to official complicity in the incident.