Russia condemns U.S. missile shield at NATO meeting
NOORDWIJK, Holland, October 25.—Russia affirmed in a NATO meeting here today that it is not happy about the United States wanting Moscow to accept the extension of the U.S. missile shield to Eastern Europe, the AFP reports.
"None of the proposals are acceptable to us. Our position remains the same," said Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, after meeting with his counterparts from the 26 member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The United States has been negotiating for 12 months to install 10 anti-missile systems in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic, prompting the firm opposition of Russia, which perceives a threat to its vital interests.
"In terms of relations between Russia and NATO, there are a number of questions on which we do not agree. These are primarily related to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) and with the missile shield," Serdyukov emphasized.
Translated by Granma International •Is the US call to isolate Iran motivated by opposition to an oil-power that contends for regional influence, or fear of an Iranian nuclear bomb?
Our first Real News Debate features Jonathan Kay and Leo Panich.
Jonathan Kay is a columnist and Comment Pages Editor of the National Post newspaper. Kay is a regular contributor to Commentary magazine and the New York Post. His articles have appeared in Harper's Magazine, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, The Los Angeles Times and various other publications.
Leo Panich is the Canada Research Chair in Comparative Political Economy and a Distinguished Research Professor of Political Science at York University in Toronto. Panich is also the author of Global Capitalism and American Empire.
NAJAF, Iraq, April 9.—Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis demonstrated in various cities in protest at the occupation of their country by the U.S. forces.
According to AFP, people who took to the streets of Najaf, south of Baghdad, shouted slogans against the United States on the fourth anniversary of the fall of the government of Saddam Hussein.
“No, no to the United States. Yes, yes to freedom!” “We will die, but we won’t give up,” were the slogans most heard, while U.S. flags were set on fire.
Many placards bore slogans against the United States and its president, George W. Bush, like “Down with Bush!” “Down with the United States!”
Footage taken from a helicopter by the public television channel showed a human tide with thousands of Iraqi flags. “In four years of occupation, our sons were murdered and our women widowed,” explained Ahmed al Mayahie, aged 39, who joined the protest from his city, Basra (550 km south of Baghdad).
“The occupiers say that Iraq was liberated. What liberty? There is only destruction. We do not want their liberation. We are asking them to leave our land,” he added.
Translated by Granma InternationalUS Army Desertions on the Rise
WASHINGTON.—Desertions and other unauthorized absences of soldiers from the U.S. Army have considerably increased in the last four years, according to The New York Times.
In 2006, 3,196 soldiers left the army, a total showing an increase since 2004, when 2,357 U.S. soldiers fled from active service.
That trend in military units led to thousands of court martials during the period, involving both recent recruits and veterans from combat in Iraq or Afghanistan, the daily reported, quoted by PL.
Military sources state that court martials for desertion have increased since the start of the war on Iraq in March 2003.
From 2002 to 2006, the annual average for abandoning one’s duty tripled in relation to the five years from 1997 to 2002 to reach approximately 6% of conscripts, from a 2% in previous samples.
According to Dr. Thomas Grieger, a U.S. Marines psychiatric expert, the majority of the soldiers were psychologically pressured by the hazardous course of the war in the Middle East and many of them refused to return to the battlefront.
Grieger cited the case of a rookie sergeant who chopped off his trigger finger with a hatchet to avoid his mobilization.
Translated by Granma International
