ONLINE TODAY
► I READ
► DAILY MAIL 18 March 2013 - Tightrope daredevil Nik Wallenda will cross the Grand Canyon without a safety harness live on television (Nik wallenda on my post :: Newstories: Astrid Adrienne (20))
► DAILY MAIL 18 March 2013 - Dedication or insanity? Norwegian super-fan writes his name into Liverpool history
► ABC NEWS Mar 18, 2013 - Gwyneth Paltrow Reveals Possible Miscarriage, Stroke Fear || ► NY Dailynews - March 19, 2013 Gwyneth Paltrow: Cutting carbs, processed food 'changed my marriage' to Chris Martin
► BBC - 19 March 2013 : Michelle Yeoh honoured at Asian film awards
► International Day of Nowruz. The United Nations' (UN) International Day of Nowruz celebrates the start of the Persian spring festival March 21 ever year. It occurs on or around the time of the March equinox.
► Nowruz is a time when Iranians forget the past year as a new sense of hope is rejuvenated within them looking for a fresh start in the new year to accomplish all their goals and dreams. A time when friends and family members come together and reunite once again. This year due to the fluctuation in foreign currency during the past few months, prices have increased. Nowruz meaning new day is the first day of 'Farvardin', the first month on the Persian calendar which falls this year on March 21. The International Day of Nowruz was registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on February 23, 2010, and the festivities are now celebrated in many countries as far as the US and Canada. Published on Mar 18, 2013 by PressTVGlobalNews || ► President Obama's Nowruz Message to the Iranian People. President Obama sends best wishes to the Iranian people as they celebrate Nowruz. In his video message, the President speaks directly to the people and leaders of Iran about the opportunity to begin a new relationship between our two countries. Published on Mar 18, 2013 by whitehouse
► I R A Q
■ WSWS - IRAQ
■ OPERATION DESERT FOX
* BBC■ CNN December 16, 1998 - Transcript: President Clinton explains Iraq strike
* GLOBAL SECURITY
Operation Desert Storm "The Persian Gulf War". Uploaded on Sep 30, 2008
CLINTON: Good evening.
Earlier today, I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces. Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors.
Their purpose is to protect the national interest of the United States, and indeed the interests of people throughout the Middle East and around the world.
Saddam Hussein must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons.
I want to explain why I have decided, with the unanimous recommendation of my national security team, to use force in Iraq; why we have acted now; and what we aim to accomplish.
Six weeks ago, Saddam Hussein announced that he would no longer cooperate with the United Nations weapons inspectors called UNSCOM. They are highly professional experts from dozens of countries. Their job is to oversee the elimination of Iraq's capability to retain, create and use weapons of mass destruction, and to verify that Iraq does not attempt to rebuild that capability.
The inspectors undertook this mission first 7.5 years ago at the end of the Gulf War when Iraq agreed to declare and destroy its arsenal as a condition of the ceasefire.
The international community had good reason to set this requirement. Other countries possess weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. With Saddam, there is one big difference: He has used them. Not once, but repeatedly. Unleashing chemical weapons against Iranian troops during a decade-long war. Not only against soldiers, but against civilians, firing Scud missiles at the citizens of Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Iran. And not only against a foreign enemy, but even against his own people, gassing Kurdish civilians in Northern Iraq.
The international community had little doubt then, and I have no doubt today, that left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will use these terrible weapons again.
The United States has patiently worked to preserve UNSCOM as Iraq has sought to avoid its obligation to cooperate with the inspectors. On occasion, we've had to threaten military force, and Saddam has backed down.
Faced with Saddam's latest act of defiance in late October, we built intensive diplomatic pressure on Iraq backed by overwhelming military force in the region. The UN Security Council voted 15 to zero to condemn Saddam's actions and to demand that he immediately come into compliance.
Eight Arab nations -- Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman -- warned that Iraq alone would bear responsibility for the consequences of defying the UN.
When Saddam still failed to comply, we prepared to act militarily. It was only then at the last possible moment that Iraq backed down. It pledged to the UN that it had made, and I quote, a clear and unconditional decision to resume cooperation with the weapons inspectors.
I decided then to call off the attack with our airplanes already in the air because Saddam had given in to our demands. I concluded then that the right thing to do was to use restraint and give Saddam one last chance to prove his willingness to cooperate.
I made it very clear at that time what unconditional cooperation meant, based on existing UN resolutions and Iraq's own commitments. And along with Prime Minister Blair of Great Britain, I made it equally clear that if Saddam failed to cooperate fully, we would be prepared to act without delay, diplomacy or warning.
Now over the past three weeks, the UN weapons inspectors have carried out their plan for testing Iraq's cooperation. The testing period ended this weekend, and last night, UNSCOM's chairman, Richard Butler, reported the results to UN Secretary-General Annan.
The conclusions are stark, sobering and profoundly disturbing.
In four out of the five categories set forth, Iraq has failed to cooperate. Indeed, it actually has placed new restrictions on the inspectors. Here are some of the particulars.
Iraq repeatedly blocked UNSCOM from inspecting suspect sites. For example, it shut off access to the headquarters of its ruling party and said it will deny access to the party's other offices, even though UN resolutions make no exception for them and UNSCOM has inspected them in the past.
Iraq repeatedly restricted UNSCOM's ability to obtain necessary evidence. For example, Iraq obstructed UNSCOM's effort to photograph bombs related to its chemical weapons program.
It tried to stop an UNSCOM biological weapons team from videotaping a site and photocopying documents and prevented Iraqi personnel from answering UNSCOM's questions.
Prior to the inspection of another site, Iraq actually emptied out the building, removing not just documents but even the furniture and the equipment.
Iraq has failed to turn over virtually all the documents requested by the inspectors. Indeed, we know that Iraq ordered the destruction of weapons-related documents in anticipation of an UNSCOM inspection.
So Iraq has abused its final chance.
As the UNSCOM reports concludes, and again I quote, "Iraq's conduct ensured that no progress was able to be made in the fields of disarmament.
"In light of this experience, and in the absence of full cooperation by Iraq, it must regrettably be recorded again that the commission is not able to conduct the work mandated to it by the Security Council with respect to Iraq's prohibited weapons program."
In short, the inspectors are saying that even if they could stay in Iraq, their work would be a sham.
Saddam's deception has defeated their effectiveness. Instead of the inspectors disarming Saddam, Saddam has disarmed the inspectors.
This situation presents a clear and present danger to the stability of the Persian Gulf and the safety of people everywhere. The international community gave Saddam one last chance to resume cooperation with the weapons inspectors. Saddam has failed to seize the chance.
And so we had to act and act now.
Let me explain why.
First, without a strong inspection system, Iraq would be free to retain and begin to rebuild its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs in months, not years.
Second, if Saddam can crippled the weapons inspection system and get away with it, he would conclude that the international community -- led by the United States -- has simply lost its will. He will surmise that he has free rein to rebuild his arsenal of destruction, and someday -- make no mistake -- he will use it again as he has in the past.
Third, in halting our air strikes in November, I gave Saddam a chance, not a license. If we turn our backs on his defiance, the credibility of U.S. power as a check against Saddam will be destroyed. We will not only have allowed Saddam to shatter the inspection system that controls his weapons of mass destruction program; we also will have fatally undercut the fear of force that stops Saddam from acting to gain domination in the region.
That is why, on the unanimous recommendation of my national security team -- including the vice president, the secretary of defense, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the secretary of state and the national security adviser -- I have ordered a strong, sustained series of air strikes against Iraq.
They are designed to degrade Saddam's capacity to develop and deliver weapons of mass destruction, and to degrade his ability to threaten his neighbors.
At the same time, we are delivering a powerful message to Saddam. If you act recklessly, you will pay a heavy price. We acted today because, in the judgment of my military advisers, a swift response would provide the most surprise and the least opportunity for Saddam to prepare.
If we had delayed for even a matter of days from Chairman Butler's report, we would have given Saddam more time to disperse his forces and protect his weapons.
Also, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins this weekend. For us to initiate military action during Ramadan would be profoundly offensive to the Muslim world and, therefore, would damage our relations with Arab countries and the progress we have made in the Middle East.
That is something we wanted very much to avoid without giving Iraq's a month's head start to prepare for potential action against it.
Finally, our allies, including Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain, concurred that now is the time to strike. I hope Saddam will come into cooperation with the inspection system now and comply with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. But we have to be prepared that he will not, and we must deal with the very real danger he poses.
So we will pursue a long-term strategy to contain Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction and work toward the day when Iraq has a government worthy of its people.
First, we must be prepared to use force again if Saddam takes threatening actions, such as trying to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction or their delivery systems, threatening his neighbors, challenging allied aircraft over Iraq or moving against his own Kurdish citizens.
The credible threat to use force, and when necessary, the actual use of force, is the surest way to contain Saddam's weapons of mass destruction program, curtail his aggression and prevent another Gulf War.
Second, so long as Iraq remains out of compliance, we will work with the international community to maintain and enforce economic sanctions. Sanctions have cost Saddam more than $120 billion -- resources that would have been used to rebuild his military. The sanctions system allows Iraq to sell oil for food, for medicine, for other humanitarian supplies for the Iraqi people.
We have no quarrel with them. But without the sanctions, we would see the oil-for-food program become oil-for-tanks, resulting in a greater threat to Iraq's neighbors and less food for its people.
The hard fact is that so long as Saddam remains in power, he threatens the well-being of his people, the peace of his region, the security of the world.
The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government -- a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people. Bringing change in Baghdad will take time and effort. We will strengthen our engagement with the full range of Iraqi opposition forces and work with them effectively and prudently.
The decision to use force is never cost-free. Whenever American forces are placed in harm's way, we risk the loss of life. And while our strikes are focused on Iraq's military capabilities, there will be unintended Iraqi casualties.
Indeed, in the past, Saddam has intentionally placed Iraqi civilians in harm's way in a cynical bid to sway international opinion.
We must be prepared for these realities. At the same time, Saddam should have absolutely no doubt if he lashes out at his neighbors, we will respond forcefully.
Heavy as they are, the costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction. If Saddam defies the world and we fail to respond, we will face a far greater threat in the future. Saddam will strike again at his neighbors. He will make war on his own people.
And mark my words, he will develop weapons of mass destruction. He will deploy them, and he will use them.
Because we're acting today, it is less likely that we will face these dangers in the future.
Let me close by addressing one other issue. Saddam Hussein and the other enemies of peace may have thought that the serious debate currently before the House of Representatives would distract Americans or weaken our resolve to face him down.
But once more, the United States has proven that although we are never eager to use force, when we must act in America's vital interests, we will do so.
In the century we're leaving, America has often made the difference between chaos and community, fear and hope. Now, in the new century, we'll have a remarkable opportunity to shape a future more peaceful than the past, but only if we stand strong against the enemies of peace.
Tonight, the United States is doing just that. May God bless and protect the brave men and women who are carrying out this vital mission and their families. And may God bless America.
***
■ REUTERS Mar 19, 2013 : Bombs kill nearly 60 on Iraq invasion anniversary
■ CNN March 19, 2013 - Iraq War was a terrible mistake and violation of U.N. charter - By Hans Blix
■ GUARDIAN Tuesday 19 March 2013 Bombings in Baghdad kill 56 on eve of Iraq war anniversary. Twelve bombs explode in Shia areas on tenth anniversary of US-led invasion of country
■ RFERL March 20, 2013 : Deadly Car Bombs, Attacks Mark Iraq Invasion's Anniversary
► Shaun the Sheep is a British stop-motion animated children's television series produced by Aardman Animations, and commissioned by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), a constituent member of the consortium of German public-broadcasting institutions, ARD. It is a spin-off of the Wallace and Gromit franchise, starring Shaun from A Close Shave (http://www.wallaceandgromit.com/films/acloseshave/) as its main protagonist. It first aired in the UK on CBBC in March 2007. The show consists of 80 episodes in 2 series, and the third series is scheduled to air on 25 February 2013. The series has also inspired its own spin-off show, Timmy Time, which is aimed at younger viewers. The show has enjoyed success all over the world and has been broadcast in 180 countries around the world.
► Shaun the Sheep OFFICIAL channel
► Pope Francis kisses baby and disabled man at inaugural mass. Published on Mar 19, 2013 by ITN News
► Chinese chicken lays monster egg with another egg inside. A hen in Guizhou in China has laid an egg weighing almost half a pound that contained another egg inside it. Report by Jeremy Barnes. Published on Mar 17, 2013 by itnnews
► How to create an Angry American. "A clever montage of Bush administration falsehoods and denials regarding the Iraq War." - Juan Cole, Professor of History at the University of Michigan and President of the Global Americana Institute. Uploaded on Jul 14, 2007 by puppetgovcom
► 10 Years of Iraq War - Guardian UK
► Theatre of War
► Al Qaeda claims attacks on Iraq invasion anniversary || PHOTOS - Iraq war: Iconic images
► Pope Francis book to get first English translation || ► Pope sets tone for humbler papacy, calls for defense of the weak || ► PHOTOS || ► VIDEO
► Obama's gun control plans weaken in Senate
► The Pope who preached in Buenos Aires' favelas || ► St Peter's Square prepares for pope's inauguration || ► Pope Francis begins reign with grand ceremony (2) || ► Pope vows to 'embrace poorest' at grand inauguration
■ A 60 second tour of the papal apartment. March 15 - A sped-up version of Pope Francis's tour of the papal apartment which had been sealed off while the Church was without a pope. Pope Francis on Friday morning was given a tour around his new home at the Vatican. The pope arrived together with a delegation including former Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone. After a seal on the external door of the apartment was broken, Francis was handed the keys and he personally opened the door to the un-lit apartment. The papal apartment which overlooks St. Peter's Squared was sealed off on February 28 evening as the Catholic Church awaited the election of the new pope. Cardinal Bertone conducted the ceremonial sealing off immediately after Benedict's resignation took effect at 8 p.m. (1900gmt) on February 28. The doors leading to the papal study and bedroom were locked and sealed. A red ribbon with a Vatican seal was placed on the front doors. During the conclave that elevated him and ahead of moving in the papal apartment, the pope has been staying at the Vatican's Casa Santa Martha residences. Francis, who has a reputation for frugality and an understated lifestyle, on Thursday briefly stopped by a Rome hostel, where he had left his bags before entering the secret conclave on Tuesday and according to reports insisted on paying the bill.► 'Mystery' sweeps top honours at Asian Film Awards
■ 247 Wallst : Dear Pope, Africa is waiting for you.
■ MDGs - Beyond 2015: Reducing poverty after the MDGs
■ WORLD BANK : Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger by 2015
■ GUARDIAN 27 February 2013 : EU wants to be 'role model' for global environment, anti-poverty talks
■ The Guardian, Tuesday 19 March 2013 : In the war on the poor, Pope Francis is on the wrong side. In Latin America a new Inquisition has betrayed Catholic priests who risk their lives to stand up to tyrants – as I've witnessed | by George Monbiot
BBC - This World: America's Poor Kids. In the United States, child poverty has reached record levels, with over 16 million children now affected. Food banks are facing unprecedented demand, and homeless shelters now have long waiting lists, as families who have known a much better life sometimes have to leave their homes with just a few days notice. This World asks three children whose families are struggling to get by to explain what life in modern America really looks like through their eyes. Told from the point of view of the children themselves, this one-hour documentary offers a unique perspective on the nation's flagging economy and the impact of unemployment, foreclosure and financial distress as seen through the eyes of the children affected. Published on Mar 7, 2013. First broadcast
► North Korea's nuclear programme
► Rapturous crowds greet Pope Francis at inaugural mass
► New Syria rebel premier says no dialogue with Assad || ► Health, sanitary conditions in Syrian refugee camps worsen
► Ten dresses owned by Princess Diana to be auctioned
► Fifty killed on eve of Iraq war 10th anniversary
► Mixed reactions in Jerusalem ahead of Obama's visit || ► Protests against Obama's visit in Ramallah
► Sao Paulo Summer 2013 Fashion Week kicks off
► Pakistan's Malala in school for first time since shooting
► Pope Francis
■ Raw: Crowds in Vatican Could Reach One Million► Raw: Attacks Across Baghdad Kill Dozens || ► Violence Permeates Iraq War Anniversary
■ Raw: Pope Francis Rides to Installation Mass
■ Raw: Pope Francis Prays at Tomb of St. Peter
■ Raw: Pope Receives Fisherman's Ring
■ Raw: Pope Recites Eucharist Prayer
■ Pope: Protect Environment, Weak and Poor
■ Pope Francis Urges Help for Poor and Weak
► AP: Costs of US wars linger for over 100 years
► Russia says Syrian rebels used chemical arms near Aleppo
► SHOPPING - Awesome ice cube trays for your next party
► FINANCE - $175,000 Mattress Sold as 'Investment' in Good Sleep
► Rush is right on gay marriage
► PHOTOS
■ Baghdad-then-and-now
■ Iraq-war-veterans-photos-stories
■ Argentinian-cardinal-jorge-bergoglio-becomes-new-pope-francis
■ Pope-francis-celebrates-first-mass
■ Pope-francis-celebrates-inaugural-mass
■ Iraq-war-retrospective
■ Antarctica-tourism-poses-growing-threat
► Bluffing or not : Would Israel launch an attack on Iran's nuclear sites? (
.... I don't see that.)► Safe haven? Remote Afghan province 'left to the Taliban'
► Why Australian minister is being called a despot
► The US military adapted its kit throughout the Iraq War
► John Simpson: 'The Iraq memories I can't rid myself of'
► Radical Conran camera brings back element of surprise
► Key moments from Pope's inauguration
► Today's African Proverb : "You cannot kill a louse with one finger" - Sent by Janny Nyendwa and Pardon Nkandu Anthony Ngosa in Zambia, Kelvin Kaunda in Malawi and Josephine Jamu in the UK
► Hillary Clinton's hacked Benghazi emails sent to RT
► NATO nurturing Syria contingency plan - top US commander
► Cypriot parliament votes against deposit levy
► US commission paves way for anthrax vaccine testing on children
► UN concerned by Gitmo hunger strike
► Mistake or not? People who started Iraq war are having second thoughts
► Twin explosions hit Ankara ahead of ceasefire with Kurdish separatists
► Democrats abandon proposed assault weapons ban
► US B-52s imitate nuclear bombing of North Korea
► US Army lieutenant colonel accused of passing nuclear secrets to Chinese mistress
► 'No plan for after the invasion': How an effort at rebuilding destroyed Iraq
► 'US wants Syrian wealth' no matter the cost
► Francis I: The 'End of the World' Pope
► VIDEOS
■ Deadly blasts rock Iraq 10 yrs after US 'freedom' invasion
■ Tariq Ali: US, UK never faced justice for Iraq war crimes
■ Bleeding Budget: Iraq war over, US taxpayers still paying
■ Gitmo Gutter: 'Inmates cough blood, could go blind'
■ Bibi's Bother: Will Iran smash US-Israeli 'unbreakable alliance'?
► Inside Story - Is a Global Arms Trade Treaty possible?
► Iraqis long for peace on 10th anniversary
► Inside Story Americas - The rise of the global South
► Witness - Don't Tell Us Fairytales
► Talk to Al Jazeera - Murad Ebrahim: 'Islam as a means to progress'
► Argentina revels as local son becomes pope
► The Stream - The cost of power in Bulgaria
► Four Hurdles that Could Block Immigration Reform
By Alex Altman► What Bush Got Right on Iraq — and What Obama Can Learn from It
* GOP Senator Rand Paul Embraces Immigration Reform
* Rush Limbaugh and Barack Obama Weigh In On Immigration
► Here Far Away: The Visual Fables of Pentti Sammallahti
► Vintage Vegas: Scenes From a Desert Boomtown
► CNN: When Slavery Begins at 3 Years Old
► Iraq War 10th Anniversary
* Photos: War in Iraq -- a look back► In Iraq, 10 years after U.S. invasion, legacy of war lives on
* The faces of California's war dead
* Video: 10 years later
* Lives blurred together by a photo
* Timeline: War in Iraq | 2003-2011
By Ned Parker - Much has changed since the start of the war, followed by Saddam Hussein's fall and lengthy sectarian warfare. Many wonder, is it for the better? | Photos | Video | Timeline
* Iraq war 10th anniversary: A dark mark for news media
► Ex-Gov. Mark Sanford tops GOP congressional primary in S.C.
► Assault weapons ban to be dropped from Senate gun bill
► Rep. Gutierrez hopes for immigration action after Easter recess
► Rand Paul calls on conservatives to embrace immigration reform
► L.A. moves to eliminate reliance on coal-powered energy
► Many L.A. Latinos live in neighborhoods with few whites, study says
► Pictures in the News | March 19, 2013
► FRAMEWORK - Inauguration Mass for Pope Francis. Posted On March 19, 2013 - By: Marc Martin
The things seen from the appearance of Pope Francis:
- Called for his partiality to the poor
- Experiencing obesity in old age
- Lack of exercise at a young age
- There's never a 40-year-old pope
- Almost all elected pope look fat. Why?
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