Standard Operating Procedure; a documentary by Errol Morris

I have been wanting to write a few lines about the documentary I saw last week but just could not get myself to do so sooner; Maybe because it was so hard to watch, or maybe because it made me angry to the core, or maybe because it is a hard subject to deal with…. The Documentary I would like to share with you is Errol Morris’s Standard Operating Procedure. It was made in 2008, so it’s just out on video. The documentary tries to make sense of those pretty disturbing pictures that came out in 2004 from the infamous Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Where grown Iraqi men were humiliated, abused and tortured in the most disgusting fashion imaginable. You know which ones I am talking about, the picture where one man’s hands are tied to a wire and both his hands are out on his sides while being hooded. How about the one where we see the men pyramid; where they’re naked bodies were exposed to the whole world. The most disturbing of all for me was the man who had a chain around his neck like a dog. These images are extremely hard to watch and process. Because we think of human race as above all this, or least the American culture thinks that they are above all this. It’s the Chinese, Colombians or the Turks that torture. Not us! Never! WRONG. Those pictures that shocked the world was not an isolated incident, and those people who did it were not bad apples in a good orchard. Those techniques of torture or softening a human being up were perfected over years by researchers funded by CIA. I would recommend for you to read “A Question of Torture: CIA Interrogation, from the Cold War to the War on Terror”, by: Alfred McCoy. (It’s on my reading suggestions list) CIA has been involved in perfecting torture since the cold war. Guantanamo and various black sights around the world in the last 8 years became their perfect trial and error ground. No over sight, no courts, no law….! Now, I want to talk a little about those actual “Bad Apples”: The soldiers, the torturers, the Abu Ghraib guards, and the ones who are responsible for those photos. Their defense in the documentary was “I was told to soften these detainees, I was under attack, I was stressed and I followed orders”. Ohhh That “HERD” mentally again. The behavior that seems to show its ugly head every time a group of human beings get together and do something collectively. It’s the “I followed orders” escape. The one Nazi’s used! What made me get really irritated with those soldiers was not that they were bunch of uneducated, can’t think for themselves small town morons, (which a side), it was their sneaky smiles on the side of their mouth, or when asked “would you change anything”, collective answer was “NO”. No sense of shame, guilt or culpability in a terrible act. No sense of taking responsibility for an immoral behavior. I am disturbed to my bones…. I always thought they were ashamed of their behavior but after watching this documentary, I find that they have no feelings about the whole thing a part from “I was told what to do, It’s not my fault”. I am not taking away the responsibility from the Interrogators, The CIA guys, Bush, Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, the Black Waters of this world… They are fully responsible and should be tried for their criminal behavior. These young so called soldiers were send to the other side of the world to fight a “comical enemy” which they had no understanding of it at all. I think it is pretty safe to say, they were pretty uneducated, not particularly smart, poor, young and never went anywhere but the local mall. Most of them had never left their state, let alone the United States. Everyone from top to bottom should be punished… I know the bottom few bad apples did get up to 10 years in prison. But at the very least I would have like to see some kind of remorse, or sadness in their eyes. Of course Donald Rumsfeld, George W. Bush, Condoleezza Rice, Richard B. Cheney, Robert M. Gates, Geoffrey Milller, John Ashcroft, Alberto Gonzales, should have been held accountable as well. These people and many more have covered up their tracks with the help of the law! I say watch this video, educate yourself and remember what they have done! Even if it means they made a mockery of the US Constitution in front of the whole world…

Religion and Prejudice

What a great article! I would recommend everyone to take a moment to read it…. I will give you a glimpse of my own thoughts on the subject and would love to hear your opinions on it. I, just like the author, am not religious at all. What that means is that I do not subscribe to one particular religion. I have lived most of my life in Christian countries, but come from a Muslim country with a grandmother who was Jewish. (I miss her beautiful soul). So I have respect for anyone who wishes to practice their religious values on their own time without imposing it upon the rest of us who may feel differently. However, religion can be used for control and dominance. Through out history there have been so many wars and conflicts in the name of God or a symbol that it’s almost impossible to ignore the power it has on the human race. If an opportunist talks enough of “God”, or “religious rhetoric”, then s/he is able to hijack the will of the people and as a result individuals stop asking questions. Either they are afraid or they just want to go along with the rest of the crowd. It’s what I call the “herd” mentality. I do not mean to be rude or put down anyone but I do get annoyed with people who stop asking questions and just go along with the pack. The herd mentality is the routes of hate or distrust among different groups of religious beliefs. It’s when you stop asking questions and just believe in your leaders blindly; to the point where letting them guide you to war, conflicts, hate and destruction in the name of “GOD”. These so called leaders do it using God but the real reason is either grabbing land from another group of people, taking their natural resources, or simply dominating them for further use in the future. This is when Religion becomes a tool for control and dominance, rather then for the good and wellbeing of the people. All religions are susceptible to be hijacked by a right wing ideologue, so do not think yours is superior or better then others. Because history disproves it so… We must first learn to respect one another no matter what our religious beliefs are or our ethnicity / color. We must stop the "thinking" that our particular religion, race, color are superior somehow. It simply is not true! We are all human beings who may simply look or view the world a little differently but that should not be the grounds for hate, on the contrary, it is what makes us all unique and beautiful. I know, I know, it sounds too utopian! It sounds unrealistic, right? Maybe it is… maybe it can be achieved with the right education and equal rights for all. Instead of some “Have it” and some “Don’t”. We should just learn to share. It’s not that complicated. After all we are not 2 year olds. ☺ Right? Please read the full article

All the Talk of a Depression Is, Um, Depressing

I like Danny Schechter quite a bit. He is funny and witty. His recent article has pretty much the same thoughts, fears and wishes as my previous post. I think they both go hand in hand, thats why I decided to post this one soon after. Both might be a lot to read at once, but if you have time, while sipping your coffee, read away...

Americans have never felt so excited, and yet so depressed

Gary Younge wrote an OP-ED in The Guardian of UK, analyzing the current changes in the US and how that impacts the world. He states that the US Economical dominance goes hand in hand with her cultural hegemony of the world. A good example is how the world celebrated the latest election and Obama’s victory was felt at every level. But there has been many like President Elect Barak Obama who also was elected in poorer countries such as in Bolivia or Venezuela. Who celebrated Eva Morales’s victory? Who celebrated Hugo Chavez’s victory? They are both of indigenous heritages and that was the first ever indigenous President in both countries. I understand when Mr. Younge talks about the US’s cultural dominance is prevalent and is connected to her Economical dominance around the world. With exception to a few countries, most are under the spell of this dominance. But let us not forget world is a big chessboard and pieces can shift positions very quickly where, within minutes the game can look different. US dominance is on the decline! After a major bail out, there are plans for another to save the crumbling auto industry. Iraq and Afghanistan wars are expensive and unwinnable. Not to mention how unpopular they are. The Health Care is in deep trouble where millions of Americans are uninsured, schools are under budget and stretched to their limit. Resources are diminishing in the country, which puts a lot of strain on the public. I will be very a curious to find how the empire will make its next move but as it seems right now, the game is not looking that bright….

Someone must be held accountable for the war in Iraq....!?

When I read an article, or see an image from war torn Iraq, my heart truly bleeds. My heart and soul bleeds for a whole generation of youth who lost their dignity, identity, history, homes, educational institutions, Museums, Libraries and most of all their unity as a nation. They do not have basic infrastructure like roads, bridges, hospitals, schools and many many more that do not come to mind immediately. What is amazing is, how the Bush and Blair administrations got away with their crimes. They have committed their crimes in front of the whole world watching. It’s stunning to watch how the rich and powerful will get away with their crimes, whether it’s a company like Enron, or a celebrity like Martha Stewart, or a country like USA/UK. There is no limit to their greed, sense of entitlement or arrogance. While the weak and the powerless sit and watch........... I am not sure if this type of human existence will prevail forever or one day, humans will learn to share resources of the world, show respect for one another, and love the diversity of Religions, Color and Ethnicity. A very famous and respectful man once said “ I HAVE A DREAM….. “ You must know who I am talking about…..!

Thor Steinar and the Changing Look of the German Far Right

I have spotted an interesting article in the Spiegel (German Newspaper). It is talking about how the Neo-Nazi far right groups in Germany have morphed into more mainstream style. They don’t shave their hair any longer or wear army boots with white laces, but rather dress and look just like any other German youth. However, there is one company that seems to be attracting a lot of Neo-Nazi customers. Thor Steinar clothing is the name brand. This company’s design do not use the old fashioned swastika or other far right symbols but rather have secret codes, which Neo-Nazi youth seem to be drawn to. The article also argues that this particular company was closed in 2006 but reopened with totally different look. Here is what I think! What needs to be done is more education in schools, youth clubs and churches. No matter how many times the German Government closes stores or bans symbols, what is still left is the anger and hate of the youth. Instead of banning, they should spend a lot more resources into education and praising the positives of cultural diversity. It seems the Neo-Nazi culture in Germany will not go away that quickly and needs to be eradicated once and for all! Or am I dreaming? As long as humans exist, hate exists!

Commentary: Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue

Joseph L. Galloway wrote a very powerful op-ed in the McClatchy newspaper. He argues that the Bush Administration has done so much damage to US that they need to be prosecuted to restore some justice to the country. Otherwise, the next ideologues that may come to power in the future may think that since Bush and Co. were not charged with their crimes, that gives them the green light to get away with it as well. He suggests the next Obama administration should do something about it and not stand ideally by. And I love the last sentence he wrote which I will copy for you! “The people of this nation have spoken loudly. They voted to throw the rascals out. They voted for a different way of governing, a different way of law making. They voted for equal rights under the law. If their desires aren't satisfied — if the new broom sweeps no cleaner than the old one — the next time around they may move things up a notch and throw all the bastards out — and they'd be fully justified in doing so.”… Please read!

RIGHTS-US: Activists Seek Executive Order Banning Torture

I am happy to hear that President Elect Obama wants to close the torture chamber Guantanamo as soon as he takes over the White House. It is a necessary and important move to restore some type of ethical standards to the US. Since Bush took over, he has stepped all over the Constitution, created black sights to legally torture many innocent people and endorsed what is called “illegal renditions” to capture individuals from various countries, including Europe and USA. His embarrassing behavior not only affected the American public but also many countries around the world. This is no way to combat terrorism!!! All he has done is create more individuals against his country and more people who will be willing to fight the Empire as they see it. He has done so much damage to the world that many people around the world see him as a war criminal. He should be brought to justice! Bit the spineless Democrats will not do anything about it unfortunately…

America’s Wars of Self-Destruction

Chris Hedges is a journalist that writes an OP-ED every Mondays in Truthdig.com. I follow what he has to say regularly. I try to post it as much as I can, if I feel it is important and relevant to my blog. This particular piece he wrote is very interesting and pertains a lot of my own personal views. He argues that America as an Empire is in incline, because of the greedy behavior of Wall Street pundits, energy and arms co-operations and totally mismanagement of the Republican/Democratic political parties. Just like any Empire, USA has used up all its power and good will around the world and is using wars to keep the Empire alive. Perpetual wars around world are the next move, which will bring more human suffering disaster not only to USA but also to other countries. He is criticizing the eternal ignorance of the public and extreme spending spree of individuals who are living way of their budget. Basically, he is suggesting more frugal behavior and end to unnecessary and violent wars that will over take our future, which will be disastrous to the world in general. His arguments may make some Americans very angry, but a necessary and awakening read. Please have an open mind and heart. We are all connected and we all need to live in peace...

Greens Elect Cem Ozdemir as Co-Leader in Historic Vote

Green Party of Germany has elected the first co-leader of a Turkish descend. There has never been any politician holding such a high level position in the government of Turkish background. This is definitely historic! As a fellow Turk, I am happy for Cem Ozdemir and wish him luck in his career. As a skeptic, I would be curious to know if he can change much when it comes to foreign policy of Germany in-relation to Turkey? It will be interesting to see!

Paul Krugman: When the rules don't apply

Boyyy... I would hate to be in Obama's shoes right now. The Economy is in dire straits, 2 useless and expensive wars are still very real, Guantanamo, and various other debacles left over from the Bush administration... WAW tall order to deal with.... Paul Krugman wrote an article about how to go about improving the economical debacle that the US found themselves in. He suggests further whopping 600 billion dollars bail out to help the economy. He argues that being frugal would be the wrong thing to do at this point in time. I am not sure if I agree with him. 600 billion dollars means more money out of the tax payers pockets. Which then translates into, further deterioration of the public schools, health care and general infrastructure... What to do...???

How Many Villages Must We Bomb Before We Find bin Laden?

Truthfully, the war in Afghanistan is not about finding Bin Laden or smoking him out, it's about expending the Empires hegemony in the east. It's about control and power. It's not about freedom and fighting a good war. There are no good wars. There are just wars!

Wall Street's Bailout is a Trillion-Dollar Crime Scene -- Why Aren't the Dems Doing Something About It?

Naomi Klein wrote a powerful article about the latest wall street bail out. She also wrote an incredible book called, "The Shock Doctrine" Ms. Klein is a Canadian reporter who has extensively analyzed the world politics in the last few decades and wrote a very comprehensive book about how various governments shock the public into submission in order to push for their agenda. A very necessary book to read for those who wish to think out side the box!

Blackwater likely to be fined millions in Iraq weapons case

This is great news! Blackwater is the worlds biggest mercenary army. They have been operating with out any over sight for years and can be extremely dangerous... I am happy to hear they are under the radar. If you wish to find out more about Blackwater, please read the book by Jeremy Scahill.

South African icon Miriam Makeba dies...

An activist, a beautiful voice, a fighter. a legend, Miriam Makeba passed away on the 9th of November 2008....

Cold War Hawks Nesting With Obama

I agree with Robert Scheer's statement that it is not the President Elect Obama that is worrying, but the Democratic Party Hawks that are hovering around him for power. It's the good old boys club getting together for business as usual.

Beyond the Fat Cats

Op-Ed Columnist Bob Herbert, who is pro-Democratic party and pro-Obama is talking about the Wall Street Fat cats. How they stole millions right in front of our eyes and how President Elect Obama must deal with this important issue.

An Open Letter to Barack Obama

Pulitzer Price Winning Author/Activist Alice Walker wrote an emotional letter to Obama.

Rebounding With Obama

Foreign Policy in Focus wrote a brilliant article on the last election. With a hint of sarcasm and reference to real life relationships, the article puts a smile on ones face and makes one think about the direction of the world. A necessary and important critical look at the new administration.

Shut Down Guantanamo!

This ugly stain called "Gitmo" needs to be dealt with as soon as Obama moves into the White House. Illegal renditions, black sights around world and of course Guantanamo is some of the ugly human rights violations that has been committed by the Bush Administration in the hellish 8 years. In order to see change, I would like to see this ugly stain go away and I demand closure of the torture chamber ASAP!

Paying for Eight Years of Bush’s Delusions

Obama has a lot of apologizing to do to the world.... With many thousands missing, killed and tortured, (namely) the Muslim World is waiting for Obama for some explanation of what happened in the last 8 years. Is change possible? Will it happen under Obama Administration?

The First 100 Days of the Obama Administration

Here are some list of suggestions from the editor of the Nation Magazine on what the Obama Administration must do. It may seem like a tall order, but necessary for him to distance himself from the Bush Administration's policies.

A dining table pod designed by a Turk, Fatih Can Sarioz.

What a brilliant and beautiful idea. Fatih C. Sarioz got his inspiration from flowers opening and closing in the design of the futuristic table. It looks clean, beautiful and definitely represents 21 century!

The dream of a Turkish Armenian comes true

It's up to Turkey and Armenia to reconcile their differences and not carry the hate that has been destroying both sides for years.

The Road to Economic Recovery

Senator Bernie Sanders speaks out on the state of the Economy. Where is it going? And how can it be recovered?

Now he must declare that the war on terror is over!

Obama must withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq immediately, he must declare that the "War on Terror" is over, he must clarify that "terror" is a technique not an ideology, he must stop using terminologies such as "good vs evil, Islamofashisim", he must close Guantanamo, he must leave history to historians not to the politicians in the case of "Armenian Genocide" and finally must start some kind of a dialogue between the US and countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and North Korea. This axis of Evil nonsense must end once and for all. If he is genuine in wanting to change the course of the Empire of course.

Cashing the Obama Check: Will It Come Back Marked “Insufficient Funds”?

While it is absolutely amazing to see an African-American face as the president elect, how much power he has is a huge question for a lot of skeptics like me. On the one hand I am proud of United States for electing a half black man with a middle name Hussein, on the other, looking at his future cabinet, I do not have much hope for change. Yes it is true that a black child can look up to him and think of the future possibilities but true change comes from bottom up not top down. In Obama's case, it is definitely bunch of same old elitist white man lurking in the shadows waiting to take over the white house... I hope I am wrong!

The Mandate Manipulation Machine Enters Stage Right

Does Washington want the voters to shut up and go away?

A Paradigm Shift In America’s Intellectual Community

A very important article to read for those who maybe remotely skeptical about the direction of the US Empire. Let's face it, Obama's funding comes from the same source as McCain's. At least the Republicans are honest and open in their conduct of being an Empire and keeping it that way. The Democrats scare me more. They are two faceted and sly about the whole Empire agenda. Even though they will pretend to make peace and spread good will around the world, they will continue to screw and piss of small and less powerless countries. Wait and see people! The only good thing that came out of this election is the color of the president. I am happy to see an African American on TV for a change. (the face maybe different, but agenda is exactly the same...)

Ralph Nader Speaks On An Obama Presidency

The 2 party system is not really giving choices to the voters. How many times did the Democrats sell out to big money/cooperations? How many times did they ponder to the lobbyists, who only think about their interests, rather then the public at large. Obama is part of the machine... Please watch the video!

Letter from Michael Moore

Let's see if Barack Hussein Obama will become the centralist that he really is or make changes like he really says. I do not want to dampen peoples enthusiasm around the world, but let's face it, what change can he do against forces that are far greater and stronger then him... It is going to be fun to watch the next few months!

Six Held at Guantanamo After Plot Claim Is Dropped

This travesty called Gitmo needs to be closed. What an embarrassment for a country who calls themselves "Democratic"

Armenian American Verbal Thuggery Provokes Criminal Investigation Request

Finally, the scare tactics of the Armenian Diaspora is not working any longer. This has been going on for years; the shutting down of decent, the bulling, the spread of misrepresentation of history, smear campaign are just some of the few strategies that has been working for the advantage of the Armenian Diaspora... I am glad, Turkish Americans are learning to fight back. It's about time!

The Evidence Establishes, without Question, that Republican Rule Is Dangerous: Why It Is High Time to Fix This Situation, For the Good of the Nation

There is obviously a culture war within the United States of America! If you want to find out more, then please read. How can one NOT agree with the author after, reading it objectively...

France never to adopt poisonous Armenian “genocide” bill- official

The French government is completely out of their mind, thinking they can punish anyone who denies the "Genocide" claims with a prison sentence as a consequence !!!!. That is crazy and undemocratic... what next? I am glad they did not ponder to the Armenian pressure and chose a sensible path...

A Plea From My Dad to Independents

I like Cenk Uygur. Read his father's letter....