The unexplained video went viral, and the US Marine Corps is supposedly launching a thorough investigation into the origins and perpetrators of the video, and released a statement saying “While we have not yet verified the origin or authenticity of this video, the actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the Marines in our Corps.”

All this is fine and well from a media standpoint, but is the desecration of both the living and dead bodies of “enemy combatants” really not a core value of the United States Marines? The whole incident is reminiscent of the United State’s 2004 “publicity fiasco” when photos of US army soldiers abusing prisoners in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison, where detainees were stripped naked, forced into degrading positions, scared by dogs, and a long list of other abuses, all caught on camera by the perpetrators themselves.

10 years ago today, the United States cleared the way for 20 detainees to arrive at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility. Since then, 775 detainees have crossed Guantanamo’s gates, and as of January 2012, a year after President Obama promised he would have GITMO closed, 171 detainees remain behind bars there, denied their fundamental rights and subject to psychological and physical torture. 89 detainees are even cleared for release, but because of bureaucratic debate about where they should be “sent”, they remain in Guantanamo’s grasp.

But US has not limited its illegal detention and torture of detainees to Guantanamo. The US controlled Bagram prison in Afghanistan has been under suspicion since the homicide of two civilian Afghan prisoners. For the last 10 years, there have been regular reports of torture and abuse coming out of Bagram prison. Even now, as Afghan president Hamid Karzai and the US battle for control of the prison, a new investigating commission has revealed not so new continued abuses. Crowdvoice has documented articles and videos related to the past and present torture allegations, linked below.

Thrilled and captivated by the protests that have swept across the Middle East and North Africa, the United States no longer dominates media coverage about the region. And indeed good riddance. However, on this somber anniversary, with yet another piece of evidence of the dehumanizing tactics of the US military, this point must not be forgotten. The effect of US policies continues to wreak havoc on other countries and on their citizens. The human rights abuses of the US military are not exceptions to a set of “core values”; they are a systemic method of marginalizing the bodies and voices of people in the way of US policies, a marginalization that we must fight against. The suffering of Afghanistan and Iraq must not be forgotten; in fact, it must be a key part of our region’s rebirth. When strong proud voices of change from the Middle East are louder than the voices of ignorance and violence both within and outside of the Middle East, then our revolutions will be solidly on their way to success.

September brings back memories of atrocities ranging from the massacres of Palestinians in Jordan September 1970, to the CIA’s involvement in the coup that installed General Pinochet in Chile (9/11/73), to the massacre of Sabra and Shatila on 15 September 1982, and to the attacks of 11 September 2001 on the US (my second home). These tragedies are demonstrably intertwined beyond the coincidences of date and they each claimed the lives of hundreds of civilian victims. I was with my late father during the first two of these four events and his pain at hearing and seeing the news of these events on TV remains etched in my memory. In Mid September 1970 and after some Palestinian groups acted in ways that threatened his Hashemite rule in Jordan, King Hussain declared martial law and sent his tanks to the refugee camps. Routing the PLO out of Jordan meant “collateral damage” (the term Israel and the US use) of massacres of hundreds of Palestinians. Horrific stories of atrocities are recorded. Two years later, a CIA-led coup d’état against the democratically elected socialist government of Salvador Allende succeeded to place a right-wing dictator by the name of Pinochet in power. It was on September 11, 1973, that the government was toppled and Allende was assassinated. The US-supported reign of terror that followed against the Chilean people left thousands of murdered. Thousands were tortured and thousands disappeared.

Ten years later, the US-supported Israeli army invaded Lebanon June 1982 to route the PLO out of Lebanon. The invading army pounded cities and refugee camps and killed thousands of Lebanese and Palestinian civilians. Under a deal arranged by Israel’s patrons in Washington, the PLO was forced out of Lebanon on 1 Sept. 1982 in exchange for promises that refugees would not be harmed. US promises were not kept and Israel was given US weapons and diplomatic cover to commit further acts of violence. A ruthless General known to Israelis as the bulldozer (because nothing stood in his way) commanded Israel’s invading army. On 11 September 1982 he announced that the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila had 2000 “terrorists” and unleashed mercenaries to do his ghastly deed. The 150 Phalangist killers who went into the camps on September 15 not only received Israeli salaries and weapons but a direct Green light (the camp was surrounded by Israeli soldiers, and Israeli floodlights allowed continuation of the massacre throughout the night). For 40 hours straight, women were machine-gunned, children’s throats were slit, and elderly men were hacked to death. Estimates of the number of victims ranged from 750 (Israeli figure) to 2500 (Red Cross figure).

I was living near New York on 11 September 2001. The horror was felt first because for many of us, friends and relatives were in New York City and we were very worried for them and for the country as a whole. The attacks also killed many Arabs and Muslims. Immediately, the Zionist strategy was developed and implemented to blame Arabs and Muslims and use the attacks to bolster Israeli colonial activities. Some 2000 Palestinian civilians were killed by Israeli forces in the two years that followed the attack (and the Palestinian groups killed over 500 Israelis in retaliation). Later, the commission of inquiry into the events hid many facts; the most important of which is what any crime investigator asks about– the real motive of the crime. US policy in support of apartheid Israel was (and to a large extent continues to be) a taboo subject. But the official attempts to stifle discussion and force the US public to be consumers rather than citizens largely failed. (Bush’s speech after the events told citizens to simply go shopping and leave things to him and his government). People actually had a gut feeling that there are things they are not being told and they looked for sources of information.

Our activism before 2001 for Palestinian human rights meant that we were in the spotlight (both in the negative and positive sense) after the attacks. Just in the six months after the horrific attacks, I gave over 40 lectures and interviewed and appeared in media over 50 times. More than any other time in my life in the US, I experienced directly both the goodness of the US public and the treachery and meanness of those who only cared for Israel. In my upcoming book about my life in the US, I devote some pages to describe these things. Both the kindness and curiosity of average US citizens and the attacks carried on us by those in the political Zionist camp. We were subjected to email spams, computer hacking, mail fraud, FBI investigations that came from Zionist sources, physical and verbal attacks, and to deluge of letters calling us names (from terrorists to anti-Semites) sent to media, politicians, and even our academic colleagues. Not only did we weather that but we got strengthened in our resolve and much of it backfired on the aggressors and gained us even more sympathy among the American public.

Here we are 10 years after 11 September 2001 and we still have choices. Thanks to US/Israeli miscalculations and stupidity, Iran is stronger than ever as a regional power. The dictatorial governments of the friends of Israel are toppled by popular revolt (Egypt, Tunisia) or about to be toppled (Yemen). Others in the so-called “moderate” camp have been weakened or had to reassess their positions (Jordan, the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah). And while the US policy tried to balance things by working to remove dictators who are less friendly to it (Gaddafi in Libya and Assad in Syria), the outcome is far from certain (and people there may still get to decide).

But there are also other changes related to the stupidity of US/Israeli policies after 11 September 2001. Israeli forces executed nine Turkish citizens (one of them also US citizen) in a humanitarian ship in international waters and Israel refused to apologize. Turkey now expelled the Zionist ambassador and cut trade and military ties with Israel. Egyptian activists managed to enter the Israeli Embassy in Cairo and the staff had to flee with the ambassador on his way to Tel Aviv. The carrot and stick approach with the Palestinian authority was used successfully in the past to force compliance with US and Israeli demands. Now it seems to have begun to fail. David Hale and Tony Blair failed to get their way as spokespersons for Israeli policy to force a retreat in the issue of going to the UN to recognize a Palestinian state in the 22% of historic Palestine that was occupied in 1967. They are now trying to get a language that abrogates Palestinian rights (especially the right of return).

Thus, at the 10th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11, questions abound about how Israel and neocons took US policy in the past 10 years in directions that strengthened adversaries, promoted war, wrecked the American economy, and destroyed the sympathy and solidarity shown by people around the world to the US. Ten years after September 11, 2001, we still have the choice of continuing the same policies that lead to war and conflict or to insist on human rights and hold violators accountable.

On this sad anniversary, the US government can no longer afford to remain a vassal and occupied country whose congress stands obediently to applause a war criminal like Netanyahu. People shake their heads as they see 81 US Congressmen and Congresswomen take a propaganda trip to Israel during their August recess instead of spending the time dealing with the economic destruction in their own districts caused in part by the lobby that paid for their trip. People wonder how a proud country like the US could allow Israel to get away with attacking a US ship in international waters killing 28 US servicemen. How could this government then appoint lobbyists for Israel as US ambassadors to Israel (e.g. Martin Indyk) and US envoys to the Middle East (e.g. Dennis Ross)? Is it any wonder that we now learn that previous US Secretary of Defense Bill Gates had big differences on issues of policy? Many US officials now speak out while still in office not just after they leave office. It is urgent and critical.

On this sad anniversary, there are a lot of “what if” scenarios being discussed and healthy reflections around the world. For example, what if the US and Israel obeyed international law? What if we did not illegally invade and occupy Iraq and Afghanistan? What if Israel was forced to comply with UN resolutions on withdrawal from illegally occupied areas and forced to allow the ethnically-cleansed Palestinians to return to their homes and lands? In short what if we did not send the message that might makes right but rather that rights make things right? Would that not have been the most rational response to extremists whether they are wearing Turbans or wearing Kippas or wearing crosses?

Imam hasan Mujtaba (as) was born in the 15th of Ramadan,
he was the second Imam , Hasan and Hussein were 2 sons of Amir al mumenin Ali (as) and Fatima zahra the daughter of the prophet Muhammad PBUH, prophet Muhammad PBUH said many times ” Hasan and Hussain are my children.”
During his imamat, Muawiyeh who was the enemy of ali and his family had fought for taking the caliphate, he marched to Iraq the imam hasan’s place of khilafah , war continued between muawiyeh and Imam Hasan during which he corrupted the commanders of Imam hasan army and bribed them with the great sum of money and false promises, corrupted generals rebelled against Imam hasan and finally imam hasan was forced to make a peace treaty with Muawiyeh to surrender khilfah to muawiyeh under one condition that the khilafah would be returned to Imam hasan after muawiyeh’s death, but Muawiyeh was not faithful to the treaty and right after getting what he wanted he started to talk about his son’s yazid khilafatship , he also jailed and tortured Imam hasan’s family members and his companions…..even Imam hasan lived in hardship and was under house arrest ….

No wonder Muawiyeh offered imam hasan peace treaty and accepted Imam Hasan’s conditions so that he could get what he wanted, the government!

Imam hasan made Muawiyeh to bind to his conditions which needless to say he broke them later one by one, some may say this peace treaty was a great loss for imam hasan and muawiyeh won the battle , but this peace treaty was a victory for Imam hasan , it was a political plan to destroy this Umayad family, the peace treaty was a beginning of a great and successful revolution to show the ugly face of Umayad tyrants. Imam hasan peace with Muawiyeh is as revolutionary as Imam hussain’s uprising against Yazeed, imam hasan’s preventing bloodshed was as influential as Imam hussian’s blood in Ashura. Imam hasan peacemaking was different than Muawiyeh’s urge for peace, Muawiyeh’s peace making was not religious and breaking the conditions of the treaty was enough of muawiyeh dishonor , Muawiyeh wanted to achieve his ambition of controlling islamic countries, he was only an opportunist and he had the old grudge of sufyan family against the prophet PBUH and his family, he wanted governing of the whole islamic region to establish his kingdom over the ummah which he gave everything to have it. Muawiyeh took an oath but he subverted the covenant he made. with the peace treaty Imam hasan’s right to authority was clear to all but Muawiyeh took the authority with a trick and had to keep Imam hasan silent.

In my opinion Obama wants to act like muawiyeh , for example USA bribe arabic governments (do you remember the visit of Obama to middle east and his speech in Cairo university!), Obama and Arab governors force their people to ignore the real Islamic figures, their policy is to make Muslim authorities to gather a group of ignorant Muslims to fight against other muslims , for example making the AL qeada network(USA’s tool) , this is fighting islam within Islam, USA’s policy is ignorance policy just like Muawiyeh’s..but unfortunately we lack Imam hasan here, we do have muawiyeh of our time but sigh…who can act as wise as imam Hasan to prevent bloodshed of muslims in such wise way binding them to our conditions ..although we already knew muawiyeh look alike would break their oaths and follow their unlawful way, right now in Iran for example Obama claims he offered peace to Iran but Iran chose war!! (referring to nuclear issue),he says that USA offered life to Iran but they Iran chose death! ..Obama ‘s policy is all revolving
around false praise (praising a few countries like Egypt Jordan and so on ) and fake slander ( slandering Iran)!…such a false justice just like muawieyh’s justice… but I am sure Obama like Bush would make a false history as muawiyeh did.

The horrors of US empire is going on unabated, in addition Obama is worsening it , Obama does not only want to finish this ongoing war on error but also he thinks he can fight this war better, for example he has opened the new frontier in pakistan attacking civilians and now he has given an ultimatum to Iran. Obama is much more active in misinforming and misleading even his own people atop of the world (again just like what Muawiyeh did), as you may know Obama has been called messiah of course by the help of none but corporate media to show such a clean face of Obama to the world as world saviour under the continuous blood sucking policy. Unfortunately what we see from the USA republican and democrats are De facto one party system with the aim of exploiting people more and more.

Anyways, Joe went to Ashkalan (Previously known as Askalan before 1948) and visited the destroyed homes from Hamas rockets. He also received an award for his effort from Israel. Ofcousre in this war, civilians have been targeted on both sides which Im totaly against. But the number of killed and recently burned to death (by White Phosphorus Bombs) in Gaza have reached 900. So Israel has caused death and damage more than whai it claims Hamas did to its cities ih the South.

Now I call this idiot Joe (who probably is not a certified plumer by the way!) to go with the IDF soldiers and visit Gaza, or to make it simple for him, watch Al Jazeera English Channel live feed on the internet and see what this war has done so far.

Here is the link to the story