Carol Anne Grayson (Radical Sister) blog

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HELMAND, Jan. 13 – At around 03:00am local time today, Mujahideen launched coordinated attacks on 3 strategic enemy check posts located in Gerishk district’s Da Adam Khan region.

The attack in which heavy and light weapons were used lasted for about one and a half hours during which one check post was overrun, 23 Arbaki militiamen killed and many others wounded as well as 2 PKMs, 6 rifles, RPG launcher with 8 rounds, mortar tube, 4 boxes ammunition and a sizable amount of other equipment was seized.

Officials say that more police arriving at the scene this morning were also ambushed, causing the enemy further losses as well as completely destroying an APC and a pickup truck.

2 Mujahideen were also reported injured in the operation and 2 others martyred (may Allah accept them).

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

Armed drone (Image Gizmodo) 

Members of the UK’s Parliamentary intelligence watchdog will not be allowed access to all intelligence or defence information relating to the new British practice of targeted killing by drone, the Prime Minister has said.

David Cameron was asked today by Andrew Tyrie MP whether the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) would be allowed to examine the military aspect of the targeted killing programme, and whether he would commit to the Committee’s security-cleared members being able to see all the relevant intelligence.

Mr Cameron refused on both points, stating that the ISC’s job was to examine intelligence, not military affairs, and that he could not give the commitment Mr Tyrie asked for regarding the Committee’s access to intelligence.  Mr Tyrie pointed out that what the Committee is allowed to see remains under the control of the Secretary of State, and that its work on targeted killing “could be rendered meaningless” if it were barred from looking at the military operation.

The Prime Minister was taking questions from the House of Commons Liaison Committee, composed of the chairs of the various select committees.  He was also asked questions on targeted killing by drone by Harriet Harman MP, chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) which is currently carrying out an inquiry into the issue.   She asked whether he would publish the UK Government’s policy on drone strikes – Mr Cameron responded that he had already set out his position to the Commons, but that publishing a written policy might “get us into more difficulties.”

Commenting, Kat Craig, legal director at international human rights organization Reprieve said: “Despite the Prime Minister’s assurances to the contrary, the UK’s targeted killing programme is entirely ambiguous and shrouded in secrecy. Just because it may take a bit of effort to formulate a policy, it does not mean the Government can wholesale refuse to do so. In fact, the Government is under a legal obligation to formulate a policy, especially when we’re talking about state killing. Moreover, the Prime Minister’s refusal to share vital information with the ISC raises the disturbing possibility that – much like the controversial US drone programme – UK targeted killing may be beyond accountability and oversight.”

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Dr Hameedullah Zabuli

Henry Kissinger – the father of America’s foreign policy – rationalized and formulated America’s foreign policy for the twenty first century. In his book ‘Diplomacy’ he argues that America is the torch-bearer of liberty across the world. She is the beacon of light which radiates liberty and democracy across the world. Therefore she must adopt a foreign policy that spreads democracy and liberty across the world. Other nations must be coopted or – if need be – coerced to emulate her form of government.

When George Bush Junior invaded Afghanistan and then Iraq, he was presumably guided by these very same principles. America began her earnest crusade to bring democracy to the Middle East. Supposedly tyrant regimes were to be replaced with peaceful and democratic governments. Even before the 9/11 attacks many of America’s foreign policy initiatives were rationalized by the same arguments of promoting peace, human rights and democracy.

Yet if you dig deeper into America’s foreign policy and its impact you can see that this beacon of light instead of spreading light has left behind dark and ugly shadows. Shadows that hide hideous monsters in its depths. Let us take the case of Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Iraq, America toppled the Sunni-dominated government of Saddam Hussein only to replace it with an equally repressive Shite-dominated government that has killed and imprisoned tens of thousands of its citizens. During Nouri al Maliki and Abadi’s tenures, quasi-legal militias have stripped Iraqi citizens of all their rights. Summary executions, arbitrary arrests, the torching of houses, forced repopulations and systematic genocide have become the norm.

The Iraq of Abadi and Maleki is even more brutal and repressive than the government of Saddam Hussein. Yet America continues to support this government with funds, troops and military equipment. By supporting this government it flaunts its own law prohibiting assistance towards foreign governments accused of grave human rights violations.

Similarly in Afghanistan, America propped up a government that has no legitimacy within the country. Hated by its citizens the Kabul regime only survives as a result of America’s military and financial commitment. War criminals such as General Dostum and General Raziq are awarded the highest government posts for their brutality. Citizens are summarily executed, tortured, bombed, and plundered off their private property. America is the architecture of this governments and many of the policies which have created the current environment of impunity.

It was America that initiated the ALP program which led to the formation of the most brutal and violent militias currently operating in Afghanistan. Instead of punishing grave violators of international human rights, America has openly rewarded such perpetuators so long as they remain in America’s good books. Serial rights violators such as Commander Raziq of Kandahar and Commander Matiullah of Uruzgan were promoted from menial jobs and rewarded the top military posts of their provinces. Some of the most violent warlords in Afghanistan’s history – such as General Dostum, Atta Mohammed Noor, and Sayyaf – have consistently enjoyed top government posts throughout the occupation.

It is not only that America has encouraged her allies to do her dirty laundry, rather she herself has been quite eager to get her hands dirty. Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and Bagram – all operated by America at some point – have become synonymous with torture and inhumane treatment. The previous vice-president of America, Dick Cheney, to this day proudly boasts of his role in America’s torture regime.

It has not just been in Afghanistan and Iraq, everywhere you look in the Middle East you will notice America’s support of oppressive regimes. Instead of supporting the Arab Springs for example, America actively worked to counter it. They supported Sisi’s coup against the elected government of Mohammed Morsi. While they helped to topple Muammar Qaddafi, yet they then began supporting an unelected and unpopular government based in Tobruk against the other factions. In Syria they have only paid lip service to the rebellion against the genocidal policies of Bashar Assad. Instead of strengthening the opposition against Assad’s regime, she has only fragmented it by labelling some as ‘moderates’ and others as ‘extremists’. Her military campaign has only strengthened Assad’s grip on power.

When you study the lofty aims of her foreign policy as articulated by Kissinger and the ground impact of these policies you can only conclude that while America might possibly be a beacon of light for the world, this beacon in fact has dark overcast shadows that consumed all around it.

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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A Canadian national, Colin Rutherford, who was detained by the Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate some 5 years earlier in the province of Ghazni was freed on Monday 11/01/2016 on grounds of humanitarian sympathy and sublime Islamic ethics with the intermediation by the Islamic country of Qatar and in accordance with the instructions of the leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Spokesman  of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

02/04/1437 Hijri Lunar

22/10/1394 Hijri Solar                    12/01/2016 Gregorian

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

(Image via Midnight Watcher) 

A militant from Islamic State Ali bin Uqbah bin Shaheen bin Usud al-Saqr has released a statement denying the public execution of his mother Leena Abdul-Hamid. (Not Leena al-Qasim as stated in some media). The press release posted on social media could not be independently verified.

The New York Times reported the man had allegedly “killed his own mother in front of a post office in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa this week” and claims were made that she “she tried to persuade him to leave the extremist group”.

See following link for original story

Statement denying the killing reads as follows,

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

God Almighty says:
“O you who have believed, if there comes to you an unrighteous person with news, you should verify it, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.” [Surat al-Hujurat, verse 6]

The prophet (peace be upon him) said: “It’s enough of a lie for a person to narrate everything they hear.”

I hereby say: The fabricated news shared by the media/press -that I executed my mother- is a baseless lie, I was shocked when I heard it on the TV.

If I was the one who has killed his mother, I’d boldly tell. Why? Because someone who is willing to do such a thing, won’t be embarrassed to admit it.
But it’s not surprising that the anti-Islam media is telling lies all the time.
Al-Arabiya broadcasted a report on me, accusing me of killing my mother, I was sleeping during that time.. Where’s their evidence? Do they even have any? Where did I kill my mother and how? And was her encouraging me to leave the Islamic State (if she ever did that) an enough reason (in Sharia law) to kill her or to make Takfir on her? Who was the *reliable source* of these lies? and how did you, O’ criminals, share the news without verification?
It just proves your enmity and hatred for Islam & Muslim.
And here and now, I renew my ba’yah to the Islamic State, so die in your rage!

My name: Ali bin Uqbah bin Shaheen bin Usud al-Saqr.
City: Tabqa.
Birth year: 1993
My mother’s name: Leena Abdul-Hamid. Not Leena al-Qasim!

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An account by the name of A Ibrahim that posted the statement tweeted further updates,

LIES EXPOSED The Syrian #IS soldier who allegedly killed his mother in Raqqa Eng translation (posting statement)

“They spread the false news on purpose because a woman (regime agent) was killed 4 days ago in #Raqqa“

“My mom is Alawite. She’s compelled to do istitabah (repentance), &will be released from detention soon insha’allah”

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

GRAVEDIGGER – WITNESS, ATTA MOHAMMAD DEAD

Press Release:
11th January 2016

Former Guantanamo detainees, Moazzam Begg, Shafiq Rasul, Asif Iqbal and Ruhal Ahmed meet Shaker Aamer outside the US Embassy, in London with John McDonnell MP (not on photo), ahead of tonight’s vigil. (Via Save Shaker)

A day some thought might never happen, Shaker Aamer former Guantanamo “hostage” as he prefers to be called joining other “brothers” who were detained for years without trial to call for the closure of Guantanamo on the 14th anniversary of the opening of one of the most controversial places on the planet. Former detainees that will be present are as follows, Ruhal Ahmad, Tarek Dergoul, Asif Iqbal, Shafiq Rasul and Bishar al-Rawi.

Gitmo has become a byword for human rights abuses and its existence promoting indefinate detention, solitary confinement, force-feeding and alleged torture has incited the same extremism and terrorism that it was set up to address.

Huffington Post reports, President Obama “has said the facility has been used as a recruiting tool in propaganda from groups like al Qaeda, and also is far too costly to maintain. There are 104 detainees left at the prison.” This is indeed correct and let’s not forget Islamic State and Taliban that have also repeatedly highlighted Gitmo in their statements to press.

The orange jumpsuits worn by those held in Guantanamo have been used to hideous effect on Islamic State videos that often “copycat” actions of US and allies on Muslims around the world. Obama pledged to close down the military prison during the 2008 presidential election campaign but appeared to have gone back on his promise, however there may be renewed hope he will follow through with concrete action. Time reported White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough who said,

“he (Obama) feels an obligation to his successor to close that, and that’s why we’re going to do it… The president just said he’s going to present a plan to Congress and work with Congress and then we’ll make some final determination.”

Those who were once held at Gitmo and their supporters are determined to make sure this happens. Today the London Guantanamo Campaign released a statement. The organization was set up in 2006 and campaigns for justice for all prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, for the closure of this and other secret prisons, and an end to the practice of extraordinary rendition. Since 2008, the London Guantánamo Campaign has each year been the sole organiser of the UK protest to mark the anniversary of Guantánamo Bay opening on 11 January 2002.

London Guantanamo press release reads as follows:-

The London Guantánamo Campaign [1] and human rights activists will gather for a candlelight vigil, History in the Making [2], outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London, from 6-8pm, to mark the 14^th anniversary of the opening of the Guantánamo Bay prison camp.

Activists will stand outside the US Embassy holding up letters spelling out: “Close Guantánamo” and will hold a candlelight vigil calling for Barack Obama to fulfil his promise to close the prison camp during his last year in office.

Aisha Maniar, organiser from the London Guantánamo Campaign, says, “When Barack Obama became US president in 2009, he promised to close Guantánamo within one year. Now, with one year left of his term in office, there are still over 100 prisoners. Almost all are held without charge or trial after 14 years.

“While recent prisoner releases are welcome, most of these have been subject to inexplicable delay. This includes the release of British resident Shaker Aamer more than 8 years after he was cleared and the British Prime Minister sought his return.

“Obama no longer plans to end indefinite arbitrary detention for the remaining prisoners, and his plan to close Guantánamo merely involves displacing this extralegal regime, moving the prisoners elsewhere. This is extremely disappointing from a man who once made closing Guantánamo and restoring the rule of law one of his main pledges if he became president. None can be as disappointed as the remaining prisoners, who still have no guarantees they will ever be released or even know why they are held.”

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Remarkable. The picture of freedom- former #gitmo detainees Skype Omar Kadhr in Canada @StandWithShaker #gitmo14 

(Images via Dr David Nicholl and Cage )

CAGE is another organization that wants to see Gitmo shut down and that has been campaigning against the War on Terror for more than a decade. It is an independent advocacy organisation with a focus on empowering communities. Cage’s role has focused on working with survivors of abuse and mistreatment across the globe including those released from Guantanamo. They issued the following statement,

Cage Press Release

SHAKER AAMER AND OTHER EX BRITISH DETAINEES MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME TO DEMAND GUANTANAMO CLOSURE OUTSIDE US EMBASSY

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Shaker Aamer on his first protest since release from Gitmo (Image via David Nichols)

A protest is also being held outside the White House to coordinate with the London event, (Image via We Stand With Shaker) see following link,

“Jan. 11 Protest at the White House: Rights Groups Call for President Obama to Close Guantánamo!

Jan. 11 Protest at the White House: Rights Groups Call for President Obama to Close Guantánamo

Protest in Uruguay (Image, We Stand With Shaker) 

We Stand With Shaker statement,

Today is the 14th anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo prison. Please join us in Washington, London or Uruguay!!

Washington:
protest is at White House from Noon. Our campaign co-director Andy Worthington will be there with American human rights groups including Witness Against Torture. He’ll be wrangling with the Shaker inflatable symbolically taking Shaker’s message to America. They’ve printed photos of all the men still held.

Links

“Still hiding murder and torture at Guantanamo”

http://valtinsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/regime-of-lies-500-pages-withheld-

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

The commander of the foreign occupying forces, General Campbell stated in an interview with USA today magazine that he would request the Obama administration to leave troops in Afghanistan for longer that originally intended. He also stated that he would not hesitate to ask for more troops on the ground in Afghanistan.

Recently Obama declared that he would maintain the current force level of over 10,000 troops until the end of 2016 before slashing it in half in 2017.

General Campbell emphasized that he will try to maintain a maximum force level for as long as possible.

The Obama administration declared an end to its ‘combat mission’ in Afghanistan at the end of 2014 and ostensibly limited that role of the remaining troops to that of training and advising Kabul’s security forces.

Yet despite this declaration, foreign troops have taken part in pitched battles in Konduz and Helmand provinces as well as regularly carrying out night raids and indiscriminate aerial bombardment. Their activities in Konduz resulted in the illegal bombing of the Doctors Without Frontiers Hospital which killed dozens of civilians.

It should be kept in mind that that was not the only incident where foreign forces have killed civilians that year. Rather it only gained momentum and a public acknowledgement because foreign staff workers were involved. Every month Afghan civilians face such indiscriminate death but unfortunately their misery is hardly acknowledged in the media or by the perpetuators.

In recent weeks foreign involvement in Helmand province has again brought misery and death to the civilians of that province. Yet the media hardly mentions the tragedies of these villages and families.

Yet despite the suffering they have caused and the futility of their mission, General Campbell and the Pentagon continue to press with their requests for further troop involvement. Understandably the Defense Department saw a huge surge in its budget and powers following the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and now they are reluctant to relinquish those privileges.

Many analysts cite the case of Iraq after the US withdrawal or Afghanistan after the Soviet withdrawal to argue that a complete disengagement is tantamount to defeat and that the US should preserve at face-saving presence in Afghanistan to prevent a complete collapse of the Kabul regime.

Few American analysts recount the painful memory of Vietnam and how despite all their efforts, the Americans still could not prevent the North’s victory in that war. Despite all their efforts in Afghanistan, America will be forced to record another defeat in this country were nothing they do can prevent the eventual victory of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.

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Dr Hameedullah Zabuli

For many people around the world, New Year is a time to reflect on the past and to prepare for and predict the future.

And so we saw Michael Morell – former CIA chief – reflecting and making such predictions last week. He admitted that the Taliban had made major geopolitical gains throughout Afghanistan and he also stated that he expected further major gains going forward. According to him ‘they control more territory than they have in a number of years’.

Morell’s comments were an acute reflection of the security situation in Afghanistan, unencumbered by political niceties. The Pentagon’s recent report on the security situation of Afghanistan also offered similar reflections stating that in ‘the second half of 2015, the overall security situation in Afghanistan deteriorated with an increase in effective insurgent attacks and higher ANDSF and Taliban casualties’ with the insurgents remaining ‘active in their traditional strongholds while creating a sense of insecurity in parts of the country’.

It continued that ‘the insurgents are improving in their ability to find and exploit ANDSF vulnerabilities, making the security situation still fragile in key areas and at risk of deterioration in other places’.

While the Pentagon report was couched in political jargon and ventured into optimism yet its main conclusion was crystal clear – the Islamic Emirate is hitting back and it is hitting back hard.

As a result of Islamic Emirate’s gains Obama, in usual fashion, had to renege on yet another promise he made to the American people. Instead of ending all troop involvement in Afghanistan by the time he leaves office, he will instead maintain a US troop presence of 9,800 through to the end of 2016. Also – for 2017 – instead of the original drawdown to a Kabul-only US military presence, under the adjusted plan, US troops will maintain a 5,500 troop presence in Kabul and Bagram, with limited presence in the east and south of Afghanistan.

While in the initial withdrawal plan announced by Obama, US troops were to be reduced to 1,000 by the end of 2016, the indications coming from the Pentagon and its generals is that the above adjusted plan will likely also be altered. In likelihood the troop levels for 2017 will be altered with a larger contingent remaining behind for the coming year.

The pace of Islamic Emirate’s victories has completely disoriented America’s strategy planners. Their expectations for 2016 look very much different to what they initially envisioned. While their official pronouncements betray a sense of optimism, with unfounded claims that ‘the ANDSF continue to deny the Taliban population centers and strategic ground’, they are not blind to the fact that the Taliban has wrested large parts of the country from the Kabul regime and are making significant gains daily.

The soldiers of Islamic Emirate have expanded their reach from Badakhshan to Herat, and from Jowzjan to Kandahar. Even by the foreigners’ conservative estimates the Islamic Emirate controls or contests at least fourth of the official districts. The momentum of the Emirate’s victories bears an ill omen for America in 2016.

If the current course of events continues it is likely that America will be forced to change its strategy over and over again and it is very likely that by the time Obama leaves office, he will leave America even more deeply embroiled in this conflict than when he first inherited it.

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Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.