organization:north atlantic treaty organization

Selon un rapport d’experts, les résultats de l’OTAN en Afghanistan seraient exagérés - LeMonde.fr
►http://lemonde.fr/asie-pacifique/article/2011/10/13/selon-un-rapport-d-experts-les-resultats-de-l-otan-en-afghanistan-seraient-e

Les spécialistes de l’Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), une organisation basée à Kaboul, estiment dans un rapport publié jeudi 13 octobre que la force internationale de l’#OTAN en #Afghanistan (ISAF), menée par les Etats-Unis, a tendance a exagérer le succès de ses opérations contre les talibans.

Voir aussi là, on y trouve le rapport

The data shows differences in operational pace and impact across the country, and provides insight in the use of ISAF terminology with regard to ‘leaders’ and ‘facilitators’ and reveals some important inconsistencies.

►http://aan-afghanistan.com/index.asp?id=2152

ou là, quelques données et #carto

Every Nato kill-capture mission in Afghanistan detailed and visualised

“Kill/capture” missions by Isaf in Afghanistan mushroomed under General David Petraeus. But did they achieve anything? A comprehensive new database attempts to find out
►http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/oct/12/afghanistan-nato-kill-capture-raids-isaf-petraeus

Nato success against Taliban in Afghanistan ’may be exaggerated’
►http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/12/nato-taliban-afghanistan-exaggerated

The success of one of Nato’s principal tactics against the Taliban – targeted night raids aimed at killing or capturing leaders of the insurgency – may have been exaggerated to make the military campaign in Afghanistan look more effective, according to a report published on Wednesday.

McChrystal : after 10 years, Afghan war only half done
►http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/07/stanley-mcchrystal-afghanistan-us?CMP=EMCGT_071011&

The US began the war in Afghanistan with a “frighteningly simplistic” view of the country and even 10 years later lacks the knowledge that could help bring the conflict to a successful end, a former top commander has said.

Retired US army general Stanley McChrystal said in remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations that the US and its Nato allies were only “a little better than” 50% of the way to reaching their war goals.

Rappel du principe de 1984 : la guerre, c’est la paix. Et on ne sait toujours pas ce que sont ces « buts de guerre ».

Civilians accuse NATO of massacre in Sirte raids | The Australian
►http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/civilians-accuse-nato-of-massacre-in-sirte-raids/story-e6frg6so-1226148378383

THE civilians pouring out of the besieged city of Sirte accused NATO of genocide yesterday as rebel forces called in reinforcements and prepared for a fresh assault on Muammar Gaddafi’s home town.

Long lines of civilian vehicles were leaving after a night of NATO air attacks on the town. Rebel forces fighting for the National Transitional Council added artillery and mortar fire.

The people leaving the town, many looking scared, said conditions inside Sirte were disastrous. They made claims which, if verified, are a challenge for NATO - which operates under a UN mandate to protect civilians - saying the NATO bombing raids hit homes, schools and hospitals.

“It was worse than awful,” said Riab Safran, 28, as his car was searched by rebel fighters outside Sirte. His family had slept on the beach because the houses were being bombed, he said. “They hit all kinds of buildings - schools, hospitals,” he said.

Jacob Levich, «Intercepted Phone Call: NATO Ground Troops Assisted Tripoli Invasion; ’Mass Graves’ in Misurata»
►http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/levich200911.html

US and European troops participated in the invasion of Tripoli and are still stationed there, according to an intercepted telephone call between officials of Libya’s National Transitional Council, the body purporting to represent NATO-allied rebels in the Libyan civil war.

The call also reveals the existence of mass graves in or near Misurata which, one of the rebels says, “we are not supposed to talk about.”

►http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K3DoUZuHB8&feature=player_embedded

Malalai Joya : Democracy never comes with invasion (Relevé sur le net)
►http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/48649

You have often said that the US and NATO forces have pushed Afghans from the frying pan into the fire. What do you mean?
Politically, the Northern Alliance fundamentalist warlords are the same as the Taliban: they killed more than 65,000 people, destroyed our national unity, raped children of just four years old as well as grandmothers and committed many other crimes. (...)

Intervening in Libya - Rep. Kucinich’s View - NYTimes.com
►http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/opinion/intervening-in-libya-rep-kucinichs-view.html

There is a lawless interventionism afoot. It is redefining America. The pretext in Libya: a massacre “could” occur. A United Nations resolution to protect the people became a vehicle to overthrow the government. Civilian casualties in Libya mounted after the United States and NATO attacked.

The United States, through NATO, ignored the Constitution and violated international law with impunity. Capitalizing on the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people, the United States and NATO (with cooperating oil interests) prevaricated to gain access to Libya’s wealth. Isn’t this what we did in Iraq?

UN ’plan for post-Gaddafi Libya’ leaked - Al Jazeera
►http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/08/20118291127750603.html
#Libye : d’après Inner City Press, les Nations unies ont un plan pour l’après-Kadhafi, et un argument particulièrement spécieux pour justifier le maintien de l’#OTAN :

“The Security Council’s ’protection of civilians’ mandate implemented by NATO forces does not end with the fall of the Gaddafi government, and there, NATO would continue to have some responsibilities.”

Popular Rebellion & Imperialist Designs by Gilbert Achcar | ZNet Article
►http://www.zcommunications.org/contents/180818

At the moment, however, it looks like this scenario is doomed because of the unexpected sudden collapse of the structures of the regime in Tripoli. It looks like it was only wishful thinking for NATO to believe that they could keep the basic repressive structures of a regime which has been shaped over decades as the private business and private militia of the ruling family. It can’t work that way in a situation where the people are being armed, with a majority of the armed rebels being civilians turned fighters for the occasion. This is a real popular revolution, a real popular rebellion. A lot of the rebels would hardly accept the continuation of the structures of Gaddafi’s regime.

[...]

Many Libyans believe that in some way they hired NATO’s services like Gaddafi hired mercenaries. They called for help and got it from the Western powers that are looking forward to being remunerated for that, and they assure them that they will get rewarded. They will tell you, “We will carry on making deals with them as Gaddafi’s regime was doing anyway.” Believing this is an illusion of course. But the belief that NATO can control the situation from afar and without boots on the ground is also an illusion. Many people in NATO circles are aware of that and have therefore designed plans for sending troops on the ground.

#lybie

Libya: The Ruined Revolution | As‘ad AbuKhalil | Al Akhbar English
►http://english.al-akhbar.com/blogs/angry-corner/libya-ruined-revolution

Western oil companies are scrambling to get a foothold in the new Libya, just as they competed to win favor with Qaddafi’s’s regime. The Libyan Transitional Council does not bode well: it is headed by Qaddafi’s Minister of Justice and his second-in-command is the former mentor of none other than Gaddafi’s son Sayf Al-Islam. The Gaddafi era may have ended, but with NATO in charge, it is likely that the new leader of Libya is another Hamid Karzai or an even more compliant client of Western powers. Mustafa Abd al-Jalil will be the weakest leader of any Middle East country; With NATO in charge, it is certain that Libya won’t be free. For that to happen, the Libyan people have to rise up again, this time against the external forces of colonial powers, and against the reactionary ideologies that the new Libyan government will bring along with it.

Libya’s imperial hijacking is a threat to the Arab revolution | Seumas Milne | The Guardian (via @angryarab)
►http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/24/libyas-imperial-hijacking-threat-arab-revolution

But the facts are unavoidable. Without the 20,000 air sorties, arms supplies and logistical support of the most powerful states in the world, they would not be calling the shots in Tripoli today. The assault on the capital was supported by the heaviest Nato bombardment to date. Western intelligence and special forces have been on the ground for months – in mockery of the UN – training, planning and co-ordinating rebel operations.

It was the leading Nato states that championed and funded the Transitional National Council – including members with longstanding CIA and MI6 links – and officials from Nato states who drew up the stabilisation plan now being implemented on the ground.

NATO mulls marriage with Israel | The Electronic Intifada
►http://electronicintifada.net/blog/david/nato-mulls-marriage-israel

Bisorgniero described Israel’s idea of a SOFA as “sensitive”, according to the cable. It could be problematic, he suggested, for NATO to conclude such an agreement with Israel, unless similar arrangements could be found with some Arab countries. Since 1994 NATO has been involved in a process called the Mediterranean dialogue with states neighboring members of the alliance. Along with Israel, those states are Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan and Mauritania. Israel has used this forum for dialogue to forge greater ties with the alliance than all of the others, however.

It is telling that the cable does not allude even once to Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s assault on Gaza in 2008 and 2009. NATO gave its tacit approval for that act of aggression earlier this year. When Gabi Ashkenazi, the Israeli military chief who oversaw Cast Lead, visited Brussels in January, he was treated to a farewell dinner to mark his imminent retirement as head of the world’s “most moral army.”

Gadhafi son offers to broker Libya cease-fire - CNN.com
►http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/08/24/libya.saadi.gadhafi

In an e-mail exchange with CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson, Saadi Gadhafi — whose capture had been announced by the rebel leadership on Sunday — said he had the authority to negotiate and wanted to discuss a cease-fire with U.S. and NATO officials.

Encore un fils de Houdini.

Nous avons donc :
– Saif al Islam annoncé capturé, mais libre à la télé le lendemain :
►http://seenthis.net/messages/32115
– Mohammed Kadhafi annoncé capturé, mais libre le lendemain,
– Saadi Kadhafi annoncé capturé, mais libre aujourd’hui.

Week In Photos | Al Akhbar
►http://english.al-akhbar.com/photoblog/week-photos

Monday Aug 22 2011

http://english.al-akhbar.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/6cols/photoblogs/udate_en_pic4.jpg

A man stands by a roadside as smoke rises from tankers which were carrying fuel for NATO forces in Afghanistan, as they explode after being attacked on the outskirts of Quetta. (REUTERS - Naseer Ahmed)

Opposing International Gangsterism in Libya
►http://networkedblogs.com/m37t9

As a believer in non-violent resistance, it is unlikely you’ll ever see me being a cheerleader of violent revolution.

That said, maybe you think I should join Yvonne Ridley, a British commentator who recently proclaimed herself “wrong, wrong, wrong” for opposing NATO intervention. I understand that 41-years of dictatorial rule is nothing to sneeze at. I’ve read Mother’s Jones coverage of the Libyan uprising. I’m not trying to cast judgment on the Libyan people’s decision to take up arms against the country’s dictator.

NATO’s “Conspiracy” Against the Libyan Revolution by Gilbert Achcar | ZNet Article
►http://www.zcommunications.org/contents/180589

Rebel determination to purge those who took the side of Gaddafi against the insurrection is actually the key to understanding NATO’s paradoxical behavior described above. NATO powers do not want the rebels to liberate Tripoli by their own means, as the London Economist stated bluntly (16 June):

“The hope among Western governments is that the rebels will not capture Tripoli after a headlong advance from the east, with the attendant risks of retribution being inflicted on Qaddafi loyalists en route. Rather, the preference is for the regime to implode from within and for the people of Tripoli to rise up to remove the colonel — an eventuality widely reckoned, in Western government circles, to be getting close.”

Tom Dale has commented on this NATO preference for an “implosion from within”:

“But why would the western powers prefer a coup by Gaddafi’s inner circle to victory by the rebel army? Such a coup would imply a negotiated settlement between the elements of the old regime still around Gaddafi, and the rebel leadership — which itself incorporates many ex-regime figures. Western governments want stability and influence, and they see the figures of the old regime, minus the Gaddafi family, as the best guarantors of that.”

#libye

Who Will Save Libya From Its Western Saviours?
►http://www.counterpunch.org/bricmont08162011.html

On March 17, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1973 which gave that particular “coalition of the willing” the green light to start their little war by securing control of Libyan air space, which was subsequently used to bomb whatever NATO chose to bomb. The coalition leaders clearly expected the grateful citizens to take advantage of this vigorous “protection” to overthrow Moammer Gaddafi who allegedly wanted to “kill his own people”. Based on the assumption that Libya was neatly divided between “the people” on one side and the “evil dictator” on the other, this overthrow was expected to occur within days. In Western eyes, Gaddafi was a worse dictator than Tunisia’s Ben Ali or Egypt’s Mubarak, who fell without NATO intervention, so Gaddafi should have fallen that much faster.

Five months later, all the assumptions on which the war was based have proved to be more or less false. Human rights organizations have failed to find evidence of the “crimes against humanity” allegedly ordered by Gaddafi against “his own people”. The recognition of the Transitional National Council (TNC) as the “sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people” by Western governments has gone from premature to grotesque. NATO has entered and exacerbated a civil war that looks like a stalemate.

But however groundless and absurd the war turns out to be, on it goes. And what can stop it?

Syrian repression – Angry Arab
►http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/08/syrian-repression.html

The savagery of the Syrian regime has given the Syrian people the right to mount an armed rebellion against it. But no Arab government can be trusted in that effort (they are NATO clients, those regimes), and no Arab government really cares about the welfare of the Syrian people. And armed Arab groups, like Hamas and Hizbullah, are aligned with the Syrian regime although both organizations have been silent as of late. Indicatively, even the pro-Syrian regime newspaper, As-Safir, has published critical articles by its publisher, Talal Salman. The Syrian regime also benefits from the unity of the armed forces: defections have been scant and minimal and security agencies continue with the brutal crackdown with little organizational fissures. It is unclear how things will turn out in Syria: the regime—rightly or wrongly—seems to operate on the assumption that a large sector of the population is on its side. There is a class element: many pro-regime websites and some Syrians on FB refer to protesters as “Abu Shahhatah” (literally, Father of slippers but a reference to the “low class status” of protesters). Don’t trust Turkey: it may not be coincidental that the crackdown in Syria intensified after the visit of Turkish foreign minister. The Syrian people are alone: I don’t count Saudi exploitation of the Syrian situation, or the American, as indication of solidarity. It is much worse than that. Those would sell the Syrian people and even add fuel to repression and gunfire if Syria offers them foreign policy concessions.

Abbas: We want settlements-free state - Israel News, Ynetnews
►http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4107997,00.html

Abbas further voiced his wish that a third party – preferably one made up of NATO forces under US command – would assume responsibility for the security of the future Palestinian state.

Occupez mon pays, s’il-vous-plaît!

Libya’s neighborhoods prepare for NATO boots
►http://www.voltairenet.org/Libya-s-neighborhoods-prepare-for

Amnesty questions claim that Gaddafi ordered rape as weapon of war - Africa, World - The Independent
►http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/amnesty-questions-claim-that-gaddafi-ordered-rape-as-weapon-of-war-23

Human rights organisations have cast doubt on claims of mass rape and other abuses perpetrated by forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, which have been widely used to justify Nato’s war in Libya.

Nato leaders, opposition groups and the media have produced a stream of stories since the start of the insurrection on 15 February, claiming the Gaddafi regime has ordered mass rapes, used foreign mercenaries and employed helicopters against civilian protesters.

An investigation by Amnesty International has failed to find evidence for these human rights violations and in many cases has discredited or cast doubt on them. It also found indications that on several occasions the rebels in Benghazi appeared to have knowingly made false claims or manufactured evidence.

Voilà qui devrait intéresser ceux qui pensaient que cette guerre-là, au moins, avait peut-être de bonnes raisons d’être menée.

NATO admits civilian deaths in Libya raid - Africa - Al Jazeera English
►http://english.aljazeera.net/video/africa/2011/06/201161920139227219.html

“However, it appears that one weapon did not strike the intended target and that there may have been a weapons system failure which may have caused a number of civilian casualties.”

Le mot qui tue, aujourd’hui, c’est « weapons system failure ». Non mais regardez-moi ce chef-d’œuvre de novlangue de bidasse.

We, the people of the Internets and the World | kitetoa
►http://reflets.info/we-the-people-of-the-internets-and-the-world

Vous n’y croyez pas. C’est normal. Vous appartenez à une autre génération. A un autre temps. Vous n’avez pas vu venir la profonde transformation de cette société. Bien sûr, cette transformation n’en est qu’à ses débuts et vous pensez encore pouvoir renverser la situation à votre profit. Sauver votre système. Faire perdurer cette oligarchie qui vous sert si bien. Vous disposez depuis des siècles d’une matière première abondante. Docile, malléable. Exploitable sans limites : les peuples. Cette exploitation, coûte que coûte, pour assurer des profits jamais suffisants est particulièrement visible dans vos pathétiques tentatives de « sauver » des économies agonisantes. En Grèce, au Portugal, en Islande, en Irlande, Aux Etats-Unis. Vous faites payer le prix de la continuité aux plus démunis. Vous les stigmatisez. Vous les faites apparaître comme des « parasites » profitant des aides sociales. Vous qui ne manquez de rien. Qui n’avez jamais eu à vous soucier de trouver les ressources néc

#A_la_Une #Tribunes #Anonymous #Banques #Capitalisme #Finance #NATO #Peuples #Réserve_Fédérale

Afghanistan’s dirty little secret
►http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/28/INF21F2Q9H.DTL

So, why are American and NATO forces fighting and dying to defend tens of thousands of proud pedophiles, certainly more per capita than any other place on Earth? And how did Afghanistan become the pedophilia capital of Asia?

Sociologists and anthropologists say the problem results from perverse interpretation of Islamic law. Women are simply unapproachable. Afghan men cannot talk to an unrelated woman until after proposing marriage. Before then, they can’t even look at a woman, except perhaps her feet. Otherwise she is covered, head to ankle.

Typiquement le genre d’article qui indique que les Américains ont décidé de quitter l’Afghanistan (pour aller où ? Iran et/ou Pakistan ?) et préparent l’opinion publique (au sens Chomsky : le mouvement contre la guerre au Vietnam était inexistant jusqu’à ce que l’élite américaine considère que cette guerre n’était plus rentable ; dès lors, il fallait une campagne « pacifiste » pour justifier le désengagement).

Parce qu’autrement, ça n’a aucun sens : les Américains sont sur le terrain massivement depuis 2001, et auparavant ils se sont passionnés pour leurs alliés moudjahiddins depuis 1979, et ils découvriraient la « sociologie/anthrologie » déviante des Afghans seulement aujourd’hui ?

À noter que l’article parvient à attribuer la responsabilité de la pédophilie sur une « interprétation perverse de la loi islamique ».

Et voilà : nos mercenaires en Libye.

La principale innovation des occidentaux pour contourner les limites de la guerre conventionnelle, depuis une vingtaine d’années, consiste à faire faire leur guerre par des mercenaires (pour lesquelles on trouvera autant de néologismes élégants que nécessaire). Plusieurs articles suggèrent désormais que les occidentaux, à nouveau, lâchent leurs chiens de guerre ; cette fois en Libye. On peut le tourner comme on veut : les mercenaires n’ont jamais amené rien de bon à aucun pays.

À noter que, dans le cas libyen, le recours aux mercenaires permet instantanément de dépasser les limites du mandat de l’ONU : officiellement, on a un mandat limité ; officieusement, personne ne sait qui paie des mercenaires qui interviennent au sol et participent aux opérations offensives.

Mercenaries joining both sides in Libya conflict | News by Country | Reuters
►http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFN0229488620110602

The Guardian said contractors were helping NATO identify possible targets in the heavily contested city and passing this information, as well as information about the movements of Gaddafi’s forces, to a NATO command center in Naples, Italy. The newspaper reported that a group of six armed Westerners had been filmed by the Al Jazeera TV network talking to rebels in Misrata; the men fled after realizing they were being filmed.

U.S. officials have said the governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which oppose Gaddafi, are willing to back his opponents with money and weapons.

One U.S. official said there are indications that Qatar may be paying outsiders to help the Libyan rebels. Qatar’s embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.

[...]

The official played down the involvement of mercenaries with Gaddafi’s opponents, saying, “So far, we haven’t seen discernible foreign mercenary support on the rebel side.”

À nouveau, l’« axe » Qatar-Arabie séoudite.

Admirons le titre de l’article d’Al Arabiya, grotesque, qui permettrait tout aussi bien de justifier le recours à la torture ou au massacre des civils.

Learning from Qaddafi, opposition hires mercenaries while Libyan turns to crooks
►http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/06/01/151367.html

Former members of the Special Air Service (SAS) are among those gathering information about the location and movement of troops loyal to Colonel Qaddafi, British military sources told the paper.

They are passing that information on to NATO’s command center in Naples.

The former soldiers are in Libya with the blessing of Britain, France and other NATO countries, the sources told The Guardian.

La principale source de ces articles est l’article du Guardian :

Libya : SAS veterans helping Nato identify Gaddafi targets in Misrata | World news | The Guardian
►http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/31/libya-sas-veterans-misrata-rebels

These private soldiers are reported to be paid by Arab countries, notably Qatar. British officials said they were not being paid by the UK government.

Those countries in favour of the decision to impose a no-fly zone, and hostile to Gaddafi, would be strongly opposed to any direct – or official – link between western advisers and Nato commanders. The advisers are being kept at arm’s length, but their role is privately welcomed.