Comments for Prism Magazine

Comment on Prism Video: Activists Demand the Abolition of Security Certificates by Evert Hoogers

Evert Hoogers — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:43:22 +0000

A very powerful array of arguments clarifying the injustice of secret trials and security certificates, and specifically expressing the determination of human rights activists to continue the struggle to end the judicial discrimination against Mohamed Harkat

Comment on Prism Video: Activists Demand the Abolition of Security Certificates by Sophie Harkat

Sophie Harkat — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:58:16 +0000

Thank you for covering our press conference.
Your support is greatly appreciated.

Comment on Iraq: The Mess American Intervention Left Behind by Paul Repstock

Paul Repstock — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 23:07:37 +0000

Good point Richard. I think the main answer is intent.
One reason Iraq and Libya have little chance of a quick recovery, is the starting point: Both Iraq and Libya were Dictatorships when they were invaded. In an established dictatorship most of the economic and social power devolves from the Central Authority. Once the national structure is decapitated, the entire system collapses. Western people should be very aware of this danger, given our present trend to centrist control.

Another major impediment to recovery for these countries is that they had no business or industrial development. They were economic monocultures. They produced oil and sold it to the rest of the world, nearly everything else was imported. Both Japan and Germany had long histories of manufacturing production and specially in the case of Germany had much experience and many connections in the global markets. Again we should take heed of this as our government relies increasingly on the export of raw resources. Raw material exports benefit the government through royalties, but do little for the general population.

And finally, the overwhelming difference is the posture of the combatant nations and the intent thereof. In WW 2 Germany and Japan were the expansionist aggressors, and in the aftermath, the rest of the world just wanted a return to normalcy. In the invasions of Iraq and Libya, the United States and their ragtag NATO army of carpetbaggers had a definite agenda to destroy their victims and send these countries back to the stone age. The US saw no social or economic benefit to the reconstruction of these two small countries. They are not important to the global economy, all they do is pump oil which depending on the global demand for oil, may or may not be desirable.

Comment on Washington’s Secret War in Yemen Backfires by Malcolm Bush

Malcolm Bush — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:01:30 +0000

Another very enlightening article that gives a look into the complexities of things; rather than the vague simple overview known to the mass of the public. In western world we are generally given the idyllic view with ‘sound bites’ rather that any detail; consequently all is perceived in simple terms, and anything is accepted as being OK, in the ‘war on terror’.

Comment on Iraq: The Mess American Intervention Left Behind by Maher Arar

Maher Arar — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:47:31 +0000

Richard, you are raising an important question that I have never thought about. I hope someone can enlighten us what the true reasons may be. Anyone?

Comment on Iraq: The Mess American Intervention Left Behind by richard tomkins

richard tomkins — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:09:44 +0000

Somehow the western world was rather successful in turning around Japan and Germany after World War II.

Why did this not work with Iraq and Libya?

What has gone wrong?

Why do so many people in the world hate each other so much that they cannot sit down and agree they don’t like each other but they want to live in peace and properity?

Comment on Iraq: The Mess American Intervention Left Behind by Paul Repstock

Paul Repstock — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:10:32 +0000

Excellent article Mr. Fisher.
This result appears the result of strategy and intent, rather than accident.
It would seem likely that the United States and Nato are creating some sort of buffer zone of devastation and failed states between the West and Asia. The same scenario can be seen in Afghanistan, in the former Yugoslavia, in Libya, in Somalia; soon perhaps in Syria, Iran, and Pakistan. Where will it end? Is Greece the other side of the same coin? Will Turkey ‘be on the menu’?

We know that Saddam Husein had no WMD and we know that the United States did not need Iraqi oil. So what was the motive?

Comment on American Prosecutors Exploit Loopholes in Canadian Extradition Law by Maher Arar

Maher Arar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:27:59 +0000

Great comment Paul.

Comment on American Prosecutors Exploit Loopholes in Canadian Extradition Law by Paul Repstock

Paul Repstock — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:15:23 +0000

A government system which will not protect its citizens is not legitimate.
Canada is not alone in this embarasment. Around the world, people and particularly their assets are negotiable in the international marketplace.

Canada and Australia are just particularly egregious examples of how for sufficient incentive, a national government will turn their backs while citizens are abused. And Canada has in a few cases even sunk further by actually aiding in the abuse of Canadians by foreign governments.

We are all, only citizens of this country, so long as our government does not see an advantage from rejecting us.

Comment on Minister Toews Bows to Pressure on Torture Policy by richard tomkins

richard tomkins — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:26:45 +0000

An absolutely unconscionable position.

Torture succeeds in killing our humanity. It satisifes a deep depravity for the people doing it and the people that tell others to do it.

Vic Towes should go pull some fingernails out, in person, himself, with his own slimy hands.

Anyone that suggests this is an acceptable thing to do is as psycopathic as the person doing it.