Viewing Message #25
Time : Tue 09-Jan-2007
From : newsletter admin
Subject : Newsletter No21
Message :
Issue No 21. 09/01/07
The newsletter of the Sapiens Movement.
Happy New Year to everyone! I write that seasonal greeting as a slave to convention. My thoughts are otherwise. With the impending announcement of Bush’s “surge’ of troops into Baghdad “coinciding” “coincidentally” with an increasing crescendo of “leaks” coming out of Israel, which are clearly designed to groom Western opinion to accept their proposed use of tactical nuclear weapons against Iran, the New Year is likely to prove more interesting than happy.
One has to be alarmed at the degree to which the world’s greatest democracy is out of democratic control. Despite the most dubious goings on at the polls, the American public still managed to express its deep dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq by voting to power a Legislature opposed to the war’s prolongation. The reaction of the Executive to this expression of the wishes of the American people is to be a prolongation and intensification of the war on the advice/request of the most unrepresentative cabal of Neocons and Zionists that the Washington think tanks can spawn.
This is the final fling of Bush and his Neocon advisors who got the world into this mess. It is a last gamble to pull their reputational chestnuts out of the fire. What they are playing for is the ability to say to history “Look! Mission accomplished - we were right after all.”
In their attempt to win this paltry prize, (actually that is a bit unfair – they also want to win permanent control of Middle East oil and perpetuate Israel’s possession of stolen lands) they are prepared to gamble with the future of all Humanity. Until the ball has stopped rolling, we will not know the outcome. However, if it doesn’t fall into the one in thirty-six chances “mission accomplished” slot, there is a very wide choice of other (and all nasty)outcome slots awaiting it. One that exists and which, to my mind, the faintest possibility of the ball rolling into it, should preclude all further Iraqi adventurism on the part of the USA, is nuclear war.
This scenario unfolds with the surge of another 20-30,000 US troops, reluctant, tired, ill-trained and demoralised, into Baghdad. (We are not short of statements from senior US officials, Colin Powell among them, who say even without this surge, the army is already close to breaking point.) We are also not short of evidence of the poor quality of the training and equipment and motivation of the Iraqi government’s milice, who will accompany the Americans. This is a sure-fire recipe for a massacre. Whole neighbourhoods will be cleared of their populations and then levelled. What happened to Fallujah, a city of less than half a million people is now likely to happen to a city of five million.
In contrast to Fallujah, the Pentagon will not be able to keep what is happening out of the world’s media. Under these circumstances, domestic pressure on the Iranian government is likely to rise to a point at which it becomes politically impossible for it to refuse to intervene. At that point the world will face the strong possibility of the use of tactical nuclear weapons by Israel or its American ally. I have no doubt that some of the actors in this drama are intending that that should be the outcome. Indeed, I know that many of the actors have been working for this outcome since before the invasion of Iraq.
It would be pleasant to believe that one day the criminals responsible for all this suffering, will face trial. Sadly, it is highly unlikely that that will ever transpire.
I must apologise for the above. I have allowed myself to be distracted by the extremely bad news of future intentions coming out of Washington and Tel Aviv in the last few days. I had been planning to confine this newsletter to the article below. Here in contrast to the political leaders who can define their own impunity, are details of some criminals who, even if they cannot be arraigned for crimes against humanity, can be identified and possibly be sued by the many individuals who will suffer as a result of the international complacency they have deliberately engendered.
Over Christmas I have been working on a power-point presentation for Simpol-NZ. One of the sections deals with FAQ’s. The most common FAQ is based on an argument that Simpol’s agenda is too heavily grounded in Climate Change – “which isn’t a proven fact” and which is, in the minds of the questioner, “quite likely to be a figment of scientific imagination.”
On Simpol’s list of urgent “must-do” Simultaneous Policy measures to be introduced, is that of bringing multinational corporates under democratic control.
Again, Happy New Year. Hugh
WASHINGTON, DC, Jan. 3–A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists offers the most comprehensive documentation to date of how ExxonMobil has adopted the tobacco industry's disinformation tactics, as well as some of the same organizations and personnel, to cloud the scientific understanding of climate change and delay action on the issue. According to the report, ExxonMobil has funnelled nearly $16 million between 1998 and 2005 to a network of 43 advocacy organizations that seek to confuse the public on global warming science.
"ExxonMobil has manufactured uncertainty about the human causes of global warming just as tobacco companies denied their product caused lung cancer," said Alden Meyer, the Union of Concerned Scientists' Director of Strategy & Policy. "A modest but effective investment has allowed the oil giant to fuel doubt about global warming to delay government action just as Big Tobacco did for over 40 years."
“Smoke, Mirrors & Hot Air: How ExxonMobil Uses Big Tobacco's Tactics to "Manufacture Uncertainty" on Climate Change” details how the oil company, like the tobacco industry in previous decades, has · raised doubts about even the most indisputable scientific evidence · funded an array of front organizations to create the appearance of a broad platform for a tight-knit group of vocal climate change contrarians who misrepresent peer-reviewed scientific findings · attempted to portray its opposition to action as a positive quest for "sound science" rather than business self-interest · used its access to the Bush administration to block federal policies and shape government communications on global warming
ExxonMobil-funded organizations consist of an overlapping collection of individuals serving as staff, board members, and scientific advisors that publish and re-publish the works of a small group of climate change contrarians. The George C. Marshall Institute, for instance, which has received $630,000 from ExxonMobil, recently touted a book edited by Patrick Michaels, a long-time climate change contrarian who is affiliated with at least 11 organizations funded by ExxonMobil. Similarly, ExxonMobil funds a number of lesser-known groups such as the Annapolis Center for Science-Based Public Policy and Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow. Both groups promote the work of several climate change contrarians, including Sallie Baliunas, an astrophysicist who is affiliated with at least nine ExxonMobil-funded groups.
Baliunas is best known for a 2003 paper alleging the climate had not changed significantly in the past millennia that was rebutted by 13 scientists who stated she had misrepresented their work in her paper. This renunciation did not stop ExxonMobil-funded groups from continuing to promote the paper. Through methods such as these, ExxonMobil has been able to amplify and prop up work that has been discredited by reputable climate scientists.
"When one looks closely, ExxonMobil's underhanded strategy is as clear and indisputable as the scientific research it's meant to discredit," said Seth Shulman, an investigative journalist who wrote the UCS report. "The paper trail shows that, to serve its corporate interests, ExxonMobil has built a vast echo chamber of seemingly independent groups with the express purpose of spreading disinformation about global warming."
ExxonMobil has used the laudable goal of improving scientific understanding of global warming — under the guise of "sound science" — for the pernicious ends of delaying action to reduce heat-trapping emissions indefinitely. ExxonMobil also exerted unprecedented influence over U.S. policy on global warming, from successfully recommending the appointment of key personnel in the Bush administration to funding climate change deniers in Congress.
"As a scientist, I like to think that facts will prevail, and they do eventually," said Dr. James McCarthy, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Biological Oceanography at Harvard University and former chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's working group on climate change impacts. "It's shameful that ExxonMobil has sought to obscure the facts for so long when the future of our planet depends on the steps we take now and in the coming years."
The burning of oil and other fossil fuels results in additional atmospheric carbon dioxide that blankets the Earth and traps heat. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased greatly over the last century and global temperatures are rising as a result. Though solutions are available now that will cut global warming emissions while creating jobs, saving consumers money, and protecting our national security, ExxonMobil has manufactured confusion around climate change science, and these actions have helped to forestall meaningful action that could minimize the impacts of future climate change.
"ExxonMobil needs to be held accountable for its cynical disinformation campaign on global warming," said Meyer. "Consumers, shareholders and Congress should let the company know loud and clear that its behavior on this issue is unacceptable and must change."
Commentary <http://www.ucsusa.org/news/commentary/>
Determined
The newsletter of the Sapiens Movement.
Happy New Year to everyone! I write that seasonal greeting as a slave to convention. My thoughts are otherwise. With the impending announcement of Bush’s “surge’ of troops into Baghdad “coinciding” “coincidentally” with an increasing crescendo of “leaks” coming out of Israel, which are clearly designed to groom Western opinion to accept their proposed use of tactical nuclear weapons against Iran, the New Year is likely to prove more interesting than happy.
One has to be alarmed at the degree to which the world’s greatest democracy is out of democratic control. Despite the most dubious goings on at the polls, the American public still managed to express its deep dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq by voting to power a Legislature opposed to the war’s prolongation. The reaction of the Executive to this expression of the wishes of the American people is to be a prolongation and intensification of the war on the advice/request of the most unrepresentative cabal of Neocons and Zionists that the Washington think tanks can spawn.
This is the final fling of Bush and his Neocon advisors who got the world into this mess. It is a last gamble to pull their reputational chestnuts out of the fire. What they are playing for is the ability to say to history “Look! Mission accomplished - we were right after all.”
In their attempt to win this paltry prize, (actually that is a bit unfair – they also want to win permanent control of Middle East oil and perpetuate Israel’s possession of stolen lands) they are prepared to gamble with the future of all Humanity. Until the ball has stopped rolling, we will not know the outcome. However, if it doesn’t fall into the one in thirty-six chances “mission accomplished” slot, there is a very wide choice of other (and all nasty)outcome slots awaiting it. One that exists and which, to my mind, the faintest possibility of the ball rolling into it, should preclude all further Iraqi adventurism on the part of the USA, is nuclear war.
This scenario unfolds with the surge of another 20-30,000 US troops, reluctant, tired, ill-trained and demoralised, into Baghdad. (We are not short of statements from senior US officials, Colin Powell among them, who say even without this surge, the army is already close to breaking point.) We are also not short of evidence of the poor quality of the training and equipment and motivation of the Iraqi government’s milice, who will accompany the Americans. This is a sure-fire recipe for a massacre. Whole neighbourhoods will be cleared of their populations and then levelled. What happened to Fallujah, a city of less than half a million people is now likely to happen to a city of five million.
In contrast to Fallujah, the Pentagon will not be able to keep what is happening out of the world’s media. Under these circumstances, domestic pressure on the Iranian government is likely to rise to a point at which it becomes politically impossible for it to refuse to intervene. At that point the world will face the strong possibility of the use of tactical nuclear weapons by Israel or its American ally. I have no doubt that some of the actors in this drama are intending that that should be the outcome. Indeed, I know that many of the actors have been working for this outcome since before the invasion of Iraq.
It would be pleasant to believe that one day the criminals responsible for all this suffering, will face trial. Sadly, it is highly unlikely that that will ever transpire.
I must apologise for the above. I have allowed myself to be distracted by the extremely bad news of future intentions coming out of Washington and Tel Aviv in the last few days. I had been planning to confine this newsletter to the article below. Here in contrast to the political leaders who can define their own impunity, are details of some criminals who, even if they cannot be arraigned for crimes against humanity, can be identified and possibly be sued by the many individuals who will suffer as a result of the international complacency they have deliberately engendered.
Over Christmas I have been working on a power-point presentation for Simpol-NZ. One of the sections deals with FAQ’s. The most common FAQ is based on an argument that Simpol’s agenda is too heavily grounded in Climate Change – “which isn’t a proven fact” and which is, in the minds of the questioner, “quite likely to be a figment of scientific imagination.”
On Simpol’s list of urgent “must-do” Simultaneous Policy measures to be introduced, is that of bringing multinational corporates under democratic control.
Again, Happy New Year. Hugh
WASHINGTON, DC, Jan. 3–A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists offers the most comprehensive documentation to date of how ExxonMobil has adopted the tobacco industry's disinformation tactics, as well as some of the same organizations and personnel, to cloud the scientific understanding of climate change and delay action on the issue. According to the report, ExxonMobil has funnelled nearly $16 million between 1998 and 2005 to a network of 43 advocacy organizations that seek to confuse the public on global warming science.
"ExxonMobil has manufactured uncertainty about the human causes of global warming just as tobacco companies denied their product caused lung cancer," said Alden Meyer, the Union of Concerned Scientists' Director of Strategy & Policy. "A modest but effective investment has allowed the oil giant to fuel doubt about global warming to delay government action just as Big Tobacco did for over 40 years."
“Smoke, Mirrors & Hot Air: How ExxonMobil Uses Big Tobacco's Tactics to "Manufacture Uncertainty" on Climate Change” details how the oil company, like the tobacco industry in previous decades, has · raised doubts about even the most indisputable scientific evidence · funded an array of front organizations to create the appearance of a broad platform for a tight-knit group of vocal climate change contrarians who misrepresent peer-reviewed scientific findings · attempted to portray its opposition to action as a positive quest for "sound science" rather than business self-interest · used its access to the Bush administration to block federal policies and shape government communications on global warming
ExxonMobil-funded organizations consist of an overlapping collection of individuals serving as staff, board members, and scientific advisors that publish and re-publish the works of a small group of climate change contrarians. The George C. Marshall Institute, for instance, which has received $630,000 from ExxonMobil, recently touted a book edited by Patrick Michaels, a long-time climate change contrarian who is affiliated with at least 11 organizations funded by ExxonMobil. Similarly, ExxonMobil funds a number of lesser-known groups such as the Annapolis Center for Science-Based Public Policy and Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow. Both groups promote the work of several climate change contrarians, including Sallie Baliunas, an astrophysicist who is affiliated with at least nine ExxonMobil-funded groups.
Baliunas is best known for a 2003 paper alleging the climate had not changed significantly in the past millennia that was rebutted by 13 scientists who stated she had misrepresented their work in her paper. This renunciation did not stop ExxonMobil-funded groups from continuing to promote the paper. Through methods such as these, ExxonMobil has been able to amplify and prop up work that has been discredited by reputable climate scientists.
"When one looks closely, ExxonMobil's underhanded strategy is as clear and indisputable as the scientific research it's meant to discredit," said Seth Shulman, an investigative journalist who wrote the UCS report. "The paper trail shows that, to serve its corporate interests, ExxonMobil has built a vast echo chamber of seemingly independent groups with the express purpose of spreading disinformation about global warming."
ExxonMobil has used the laudable goal of improving scientific understanding of global warming — under the guise of "sound science" — for the pernicious ends of delaying action to reduce heat-trapping emissions indefinitely. ExxonMobil also exerted unprecedented influence over U.S. policy on global warming, from successfully recommending the appointment of key personnel in the Bush administration to funding climate change deniers in Congress.
"As a scientist, I like to think that facts will prevail, and they do eventually," said Dr. James McCarthy, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Biological Oceanography at Harvard University and former chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's working group on climate change impacts. "It's shameful that ExxonMobil has sought to obscure the facts for so long when the future of our planet depends on the steps we take now and in the coming years."
The burning of oil and other fossil fuels results in additional atmospheric carbon dioxide that blankets the Earth and traps heat. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased greatly over the last century and global temperatures are rising as a result. Though solutions are available now that will cut global warming emissions while creating jobs, saving consumers money, and protecting our national security, ExxonMobil has manufactured confusion around climate change science, and these actions have helped to forestall meaningful action that could minimize the impacts of future climate change.
"ExxonMobil needs to be held accountable for its cynical disinformation campaign on global warming," said Meyer. "Consumers, shareholders and Congress should let the company know loud and clear that its behavior on this issue is unacceptable and must change."
Commentary <http://www.ucsusa.org/news/commentary/>
