UK Colonel charged with war crimes

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Saturday May 21, 2005 · 6:04 PM PDT

2005/05/21 · 18:04

Ok, so British army officers are showing the US how to make their military officers responsible for the crimes of the men under their command.

see this from the Independent in the UK:

Army colonel facing trial for war crimes

A decorated British Army commander is facing prosecution for war crimes over the death of an Iraqi civilian allegedly beaten to death by his troops, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

Army prosecutors are understood to be preparing war crimes charges against Colonel Jorge Mendonca, 41, commander of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment in Basra in 2003

Here we go again, not only do UK troops show US Marines how to fight with skill in urban areas with minimal collateral damage, UK officers charge their own for war crimes.

Since when did the US stop leading the way for humanity? 5 years ago?

"What I heard about Iraq"

redpeter

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Saturday February 05, 2005 · 8:51 AM PST

2005/02/05 · 08:51

I am a lurker, getting my best most-up-to-date news from this site.

But I read news and analysis from other, different perspectives, as do many on this site.

This article in the London Review of Books, by Eliot Weinburger, regarding Iraq blew my mind ... because it regales the reader with quotes from early 2001 to January 2005.

The quotes have a pithy and sordid accuracy, like this gem by Donald Rumsfeld, about the Iraq war:

I heard Donald Rumsfeld say: `Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.'

And, you know what, the Secretary of Defence is absolutely right!

more below.
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Cheney's CORRUPT business practices

redpeter

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Saturday October 30, 2004 · 10:08 AM PDT

2004/10/30 · 10:08

SO now we learn why Cheney's Halliburton company needs to overcharge the US taxpayer (i.e., you and me), because the company needs to bribe officials to get business, and pay penalties.

Halliburton is now under investigation in the US, France, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom, at the request of the US DoJ.

Cheney oil firm faces UK inquiry

US vice-president mired in claims of bribery and corruption against his former company in four countries

Saturday October 30, 2004, The Guardian

British authorities have opened a new front in the widening investigation into allegations of bribery at Halliburton, the American oil services business, while it was being run by the US vice-president, Dick Cheney.

The Guardian has learned that the Serious Fraud Office has joined the international effort at the request of the US Department of Justice in Washington. French and Nigerian officials are already involved in the inquiry.

<snip>

It emerged late on Thursday that the FBI had launched an inquiry into how Halliburton secured contracts in Iraq, so far worth almost $9bn (£4.9bn).

more below the fold ... Read More

A Security Guard in Iraq writes

redpeter

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Saturday October 23, 2004 · 4:02 PM PDT

2004/10/23 · 16:02

I saw this in the latest edition of the London Review of Books to which my wife subscribes. A subscription is required to see articles online. Thus I have posted it here.

A little background:

The author is writing to his former colleagues back in England. The language is colloquial, (see end for translation, or post note, and I will add further translations)

A sense of self-depreciating humor definately helps; in my experience not many US residents share this attribute, unless they have spent time in Europe (i've been here 12 years, 2 in texas).

Read without ham-fisted wing-nut reactivity.

This email is a neither for nor against, just a description of what is happening: deliberate attacks and random death.

Email from Iraq

A Security Guard

I thought that I would let you all know how things are going, what occurs and all that stuff. After flying into Jordan I was driven to a hotel (5 star, room 227 is missing the contents of the drinks cabinet, mini bar, TV remote and all the towels, old habits die hard). 'You will be here for two days,' my friendly new Jordanian driver said.

more below the fold

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