domingo, 21 de julho de 2013

Neoliberalism and public unrest: Time to make the connection

While the power of transnational corporations expands, income and wealth disparities are threatening societies.

Last Modified: 11 Jul 2013 13:08
Mandeep Tiwana

Mandeep Tiwana is a lawyer specialising in human rights and civil society issues and the Head of Policy and Advocacy at CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance


As governments rush to embrace neoliberal economic policies, public dissatisfaction and unrest is rising across the globe, argues Mandeep Tiwana [AFP]
The people are angry. In Turkey, Brazil, and most recently again, Egypt, thousands have taken to the streets to voice their anger and frustration at the lack of social and economic justice. Political and economic elites, working in tandem, have managed to neutralise the aspirations of ordinary people, in part spurring the disenfranchisement driving the protests.  
Whether it is the removal of subsidies protecting the poor against inflation and price shocks in Egypt, or the enormous cost of hosting high profile sporting events in Brazil at the expense of social services, or government plans to commercialise a beloved public park in the heart of Istanbul, the headlong embrace of neoliberal economic policies by governments is likely to cause further dissatisfaction and unrest across the globe.
Neo-liberalism, using a dictionary definition, as a "modern politico-economic theory favouring free trade, privatisation, minimal government intervention, reduced public expenditure on social services etc.," reduces the responsibility of the state while promoting privatisation to favour those with access to resources and influence. It is playing havoc with the lives and livelihoods of ordinary people.
Inside Story - Is Turkey in turmoil?
Despite mainstream perceptions, the sad reality is that free markets don't automatically regulate themselves nor do they naturally respect individual or community rights. InIndonesia, people are choking from fires set by agricultural companies to clear forests to allow mammoth palm oil plantations to flourish. In the United States, popular demands for effective gun control are being blocked by congressmen bankrolled by the arms industry. In Ethiopia, thousands have been displaced through forced villagisation programmes to make way for agricultural companies that want to make land more "productive." In Spain and inGreece, public property such as hospitals and airports are being sold to private players to make the economy more "nimble." In the UK, frustration is mounting about tax evasion by transnational corporations whose turnover exceeds the GDP of many countries, while the average citizen continues to dutifully pay their fair share of taxes.
Around the globe, people are getting increasingly frustrated by governments going out of their way to ensure an enabling environment for big business while making drastic cuts in public spending on social welfare. This is fuelling alienation among electorates, spurring protests. Of great concern, is that those seeking to expose the nexus between governments and big business are being subjected to various forms of persecution with state complicity.
In Cambodia, land rights activists opposing official plans to forcibly acquire land for big companies have been subjected to brutal attacks by security forces and lengthy prison terms. In Honduras, peasant farmers' groups involved in land disputes with companies have been subjected to murderous attacks.  InIndia, peaceful activists ideologically opposed to the government's economic policy have been charged under draconian laws of being members of outlawed terrorist organisations. In Canada, non-profit groups opposed to the conservative government's policy of loosening environmental restrictions to enable extraction of oil and gas from ecologically sensitive zones have been subjected to surveillance and funding cuts, while being accused of being obstructive of the country's economic development.
Widening income inequality
Worryingly, while the power of transnational corporations has expanded exponentially, income and wealth disparities are threatening to tear societies apart. The World Economic Forum's 2013 annual survey of global risks identifies severe income disparity as a key concern likely to manifest itself over the next decade. The International Monetary Fund's Managing Director has admitted that the top 0.5 percent of the globe's population holds 35 per cent of its wealth. Civil society group, Oxfam estimated that in 2012, the world's top 100 billionaires earned enough money to end poverty four times over. CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance has argued in its annual report that the discourse on inequality is becoming commonplace with the 1 percent vs the 99 percent meme entering the mainstream.
Counting the Cost - Austerity debunked
But despite the grave warnings from civil society, governments and financial institutions continue to spin arguments about the need to privatise services when they should be focusing on how to make the public sector fit for purpose. Shockingly, during a global economic downturn, political leaders and captains of industry have together managed to subject ordinary people to double jeopardy: having to pay taxes to the state and then having to fork out profit-adjusted higher costs for privatised health, education, public transport, telecommunications, road works, electricity, water supply and so on. These services are indeed governments' responsibility to provide as part of the social contract between citizens and the state.
In the past, the political and economic elite have erroneously sought to deride the occupy movements,indignados and anti-corruption protestors as fringe elements without clear vision or majority support. But with greater numbers of people taking to the streets to voice their dissatisfaction against corruption, environmental degradation and top down austerity policies, decision makers have a reality check staring them in the face. But will they right the ship on neo-liberal economic policies when they are privately profiting from it? Perhaps citizen action will help answer that.
Mandeep Tiwana is a lawyer specialising in human rights and civil society issues and the Head of Policy and Advocacy at CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.

Las 300 personas más ricas del planeta atesoran más que 3.000 millones de pobres


Publicado: 21 jul 2013 | 7:40 GMT 
Las 300 mayores fortunas del mundo acumulan más riqueza que los 3.000 millones de pobres.
Así lo afirma el profesor Jason Hickel de la Escuela de Economía de Londres, asesor del movimiento The Rules, que lucha contra la desigualdad, y autor de un video titulado 'La Desigualdad de la Riqueza Mundial'. 

"Citamos estas cifras porque nos ofrece una comparativa clara e impresionante, pero en realidad la situación es aún peor: las 200 personas más ricas tienen aproximadamente 2,7 trillones de dólares, y eso es mucho más que lo que tienen 3.500 millones de personas, que tienen un total de 2,2 trillones de dólares", explica el economista.  

Jason Hickel destaca que su movimiento quiere hacer algo más que ilustrar "el brutal índice de la desigualdad" y demostrar que la situación empeora día a día. Citando un estudio reciente de la ONG Oxfam, el economista recalca que el 1% de los más ricos aumentó sus ingresos en un 60% en los últimos 20 años, con la crisis financiera acelerando este proceso en vez de frenarlo.  

En el video 'La Desigualdad de la Riqueza Mundial', el movimiento 'The Rules' expone cómo crece esta desigualdad con el paso del tiempo en diferentes países. Así, durante el período colonial, la brecha entre los países ricos y los pobres aumentó de 3:1 a 35:1. Desde entonces, la brecha ha crecido hasta un nivel de 80:1.

De acuerdo al economista, el crecimiento de la brecha se debe en parte a las políticas económicas neoliberales que instituciones internacionales como el Banco Mundial, el Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI) y la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) han impuesto a los países en desarrollo durante las últimas décadas.  

"Estas políticas están diseñadas para liberalizar los mercados a la fuerza, abriéndolos a fin de dar a las multinacionales un acceso sin precedentes a tierra barata, recursos y mano de obra. Pero a un precio muy alto: que los países pobres pierdan alrededor de 500.000 millones de dólares por año de su PIB", explica el profesor citando al economista Robert Pollin, de la Universidad de Massachusetts.

Según Jason Hickel, se trata de un obvio flujo neto de riqueza desde los lugares pobres a las zonas ricas. "Los gobiernos de los países ricos celebran constantemente cuánto gastan en ayudas para los países en desarrollo y las empresas multinacionales comprueban esto mediante los informes anuales, pero ninguno confiesa lo mucho que sacan de los países en desarrollo", concluye el economista.


Texto completo en: http://actualidad.rt.com/economia/view/100621-personas-ricas-desigualdad-pobres-crisis

Gratis - de Fernando Pessoa - "Do Livro do Desassossego"

Na coluna "mais lidos" está o "Do Livro do Desassossego"

http://livros.universia.com.br/category/joaquim-nabuco-2/

Gratis - todos os livros de Joaquim Nabuco

http://livros.universia.com.br/category/joaquim-nabuco-2/

Baixe grátis o livro Resposta às Mensagens do Recife e Nazareth

Clique para baixar Baixe o livro Resposta às Mensagens do Recife e Nazareth Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (1849 – 1910), ou apenas Joaquim Nabuco, como é comumente conhecido, foi um importante político, diplomata, historiador, jurista e jornalista brasileiro, formado pela Faculdade de Direito do Recife. O escritor, assim como Olavo Bilac, também foi … Read more 
Baixe grátis o livro Porque Continuo a ser Monarquista – Carta ao Diário do Comércio
agosto 1st, 2012

Baixe grátis o livro Porque Continuo a ser Monarquista – Carta ao Diário do Comércio

Clique para baixar Baixe o livro Porque Continuo a ser Monarquista – Carta ao Diário do Comércio Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (1849 – 1910), ou apenas Joaquim Nabuco, como é comumente conhecido, foi um importante político, diplomata, historiador, jurista e jornalista brasileiro, formado pela Faculdade de Direito do Recife. O escritor, assim como … Read more 
Baixe grátis o livro O Povo e o Trono, Profissão e Fé Política
agosto 1st, 2012

Baixe grátis o livro O Povo e o Trono, Profissão e Fé Política

Clique para baixar Baixe o livro O Povo e o Trono, Profissão e Fé Política Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (1849 – 1910), ou apenas Joaquim Nabuco, como é comumente conhecido, foi um importante político, diplomata, historiador, jurista e jornalista brasileiro, formado pela Faculdade de Direito do Recife. O escritor, assim como Olavo Bilac, … Read more 
Baixe grátis o livro O Erro do Imperador
agosto 1st, 2012

Baixe grátis o livro O Erro do Imperador

Clique para baixar Baixe o livro O Erro do Imperador Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (1849 – 1910), ou apenas Joaquim Nabuco, como é comumente conhecido, foi um importante político, diplomata, historiador, jurista e jornalista brasileiro, formado pela Faculdade de Direito do Recife. O escritor, assim como Olavo Bilac, também foi um dos fundadores … Read more 
Baixe grátis o livro O Eclipse do Patriotismo
agosto 1st, 2012

Baixe grátis o livro O Eclipse do Patriotismo

Clique para baixar Baixe o livro O Eclipse do Patriotismo Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (1849 – 1910), ou apenas Joaquim Nabuco, como é comumente conhecido, foi um importante político, diplomata, historiador, jurista e jornalista brasileiro, formado pela Faculdade de Direito do Recife. O escritor, assim como Olavo Bilac, também foi um dos fundadores … Read more 
Baixe grátis o livro O Eclipse do Abolicionismo
agosto 1st, 2012

Baixe grátis o livro O Eclipse do Abolicionismo

Clique para baixar Baixe o livro O Eclipse do Abolicionismo Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (1849 – 1910), ou apenas Joaquim Nabuco, como é comumente conhecido, foi um importante político, diplomata, historiador, jurista e jornalista brasileiro, formado pela Faculdade de Direito do Recife. O escritor, assim como Olavo Bilac, também foi um dos fundadores … Read more 
Baixe grátis o livro O Abolicionismo
agosto 1st, 2012

Baixe grátis o livro O Abolicionismo

Clique para baixar Baixe o livro O Abolicionismo Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (1849 – 1910), ou apenas Joaquim Nabuco, como é comumente conhecido, foi um importante político, diplomata, historiador, jurista e jornalista brasileiro, formado pela Faculdade de Direito do Recife. O escritor, assim como Olavo Bilac, também foi um dos fundadores da ABL … Read more 
Baixe grátis o livro Eleições Liberais e Eleições Conservadoras
agosto 1st, 2012

Baixe grátis o livro Eleições Liberais e Eleições Conservadoras

Clique para baixar Baixe o livro Eleições Liberais e Eleições Conservadoras Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (1849 – 1910), ou apenas Joaquim Nabuco, como é comumente conhecido, foi um importante político, diplomata, historiador, jurista e jornalista brasileiro, formado pela Faculdade de Direito do Recife. O escritor, assim como Olavo Bilac, também foi um dos … Read more 
Baixe grátis o livro Conferência de Joaquim Nabuco no Teatro Polytheama
agosto 1st, 2012

Baixe grátis o livro Conferência de Joaquim Nabuco no Teatro Polytheama

Clique para baixar Baixe o livro Conferência de Joaquim Nabuco no Teatro Polytheama Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (1849 – 1910), ou apenas Joaquim Nabuco, como é comumente conhecido, foi um importante político, diplomata, historiador, jurista e jornalista brasileiro, formado pela Faculdade de Direito do Recife. O escritor, assim como Olavo Bilac, também foi … Read more 
Baixe grátis o livro Centenário de Lincoln: Discurso Pronunciado em Washington, aos 12 de fevereiro de 1909
agosto 1st, 2012

Baixe grátis o livro Centenário de Lincoln: Discurso Pronunciado em Washington, aos 12 de fevereiro de 1909

Clique para baixar Baixe o livro Centenário de Lincoln: Discurso pronunciado em Washington, aos 12 de fevereiro de 1909 Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (1849 – 1910), ou apenas Joaquim Nabuco, como é comumente conhecido, foi um importante político, diplomata, historiador, jurista e jornalista brasileiro, formado pela Faculdade de Direito do Recife. O escritor, … Read more 

Histórico discurso de E. Morales sobre a verdadeira dívida externa



 
Eis aí uma amostra da America Latina rebelde, da América Latina insurrecta, da América Latina antiimperialista e anti-colonialista que surge sob os escombros da velha América Latina, extremamente subserviente aos seus antigos amos. Muitos da esquerda mais radical e da direita mais intelectualizada fazem sinal de desdém quanto analisam tais fatos – mas esquecem que quando realizados regularmente minam a moral dos dominadores e criam as condições para a grande virada que inevitavelmente virá. E agora podemos entender por que alguns países europeus aceitaram se sujeitar às ordens da potencia hegemônica mundial e vetaram a passagem do avião do presidente Evo Morales da Bolívia sobre seus territórios. Vetaram por raiva, quando constataram que os povos nativos das Américas podem falar e agir de igual para igual. Jacob David Blinder    
GENIAL discurso de Evo Morales sobre a verdadeira dívida externa...
Exposição do Presidente Evo Morales ante a reunião de Chefes de Estado da Comunidade Européia
Fonte: Geopoliticablog  Publicada: 16/07/2013
 
Com linguagem simples, que era transmitida em tradução simultânea a mais de uma centena de Chefes de Estado e dignatários da Comunidade Européia, o Presidente Evo Morales conseguiu inquietar sua audiência quando disse: 

Aqui eu, Evo Morales, vim encontrar aqueles que participam da reunião.

Aqui eu, descendente dos que povoaram a América há quarenta mil anos, vim encontrar os que a encontraram há somente quinhentos anos.
Aqui pois, nos encontramos todos. Sabemos o que somos, e é o bastante. Nunca pretendemos outra coisa.

O irmão 
aduaneiro europeu me pede papel escrito com visto para poder descobrir aos que me descobriram. O irmão usurário europeu me pede o pagamento de uma dívida contraída por Judas, a quem nunca autorizei a vender-me.

O irmão rábula europeu me explica que toda dívida se paga com bens ainda que seja vendendo seres humanos e países inteiros sem pedir-lhes consentimento. Eu os vou descobrindo. Também posso reclamar 
pagamentos e também posso reclamar juros. Consta no Archivo de Indias, papel sobre papel, recibo sobre recibo e assinatura sobre assinatura, que somente entre os anos 1503 e 1660 chegaram a San Lucas de Barrameda 185 mil quilos de ouro e 16 milhões de quilos de prata provenientes da América.
Saque? Não acredito! Porque seria pensar que os irmãos cristãos pecaram em seu Sétimo Mandamento.

Expoliação? Guarde-me Tanatzin de que os europeus, como Caim, matam e negam o sangue de seu irmão!

Genocídio? Isso seria dar crédito aos caluniadores, como Bartolomé de las Casas, que qualificam o encontro como de destruição das Indias, ou a radicais como Arturo Uslar Pietri, que afirma que o avanço do capitalismo e da atual civilização européia se deve à inundação de metais preciosos!
 
Não! Esses 185 mil quilos de ouro e 16 milhões de quilos de prata devem ser considerados como o primeiro de muitos outros empréstimos amigáveis da América, destinado ao desenvolvimento da Europa. O contrário seria presumir a existência de crimes de guerra, o que daria direito não só de exigir a devolução imediata, mas também a indenização pelas destruições e prejuízos. Não
Eu, Evo Morales, prefiro pensar na menos ofensiva destas hipóteses.

Tão fabulosa exportação de capitais não foram mais que o início de um plano 'MARSHALLTESUMA', para garantir a reconstrução da bárbara Europa, arruinada por suas deploráveis guerras contra os cultos muçulmanos, criadores da álgebra, da poligamia, do banho cotidiano e outras conquistas da civilização.
Por isso, ao celebrar o Quinto Centenário do Empréstimo, poderemos perguntar-nos: Os irmãos europeus fizeram uso racional, responsável ou pelo menos produtivo dos fundos tão generosamente adiantados pelo Fundo Indoamericano Internacional?
 
Lastimamos dizer que não. Estrategicamente, o delapidaram nas batalhas de Lepanto, em armadas invencíveis, em terceiros reichs e outras formas de extermínio mútuo, sem outro destino que terminar ocupados pelas tropas gringas da OTAN, como no Panamá, mas sem canal. Financeiramente, tem sido incapazes, depois de uma moratória de 500 anos, tanto de cancelar o capital e seus fundos, quanto de tornarem-se independentes das rendas líquidas, das matérias primas e da energia barata que lhes exporta e provê todo o Terceiro Mundo. Este deplorável quadro corrobora a afirmação de Milton Friedman segundo a qual uma economia subsidiada jamais pode funcionar e nos obriga a reclamar-lhes, para seu próprio bem, o pagamento do capital e os juros que, tão generosamente temos demorado todos estes séculos em cobrar. Ao dizer isto, esclarecemos que não nos rebaixaremos a cobrar de nossos irmãos europeus as vis e sanguinárias taxas de 20 e até 30 por cento de juros, que os irmãos europeus cobram dos povos do Terceiro Mundo. Nos limitaremos a exigir a devolução dos metais preciosos adiantados, mais o módico juros fixo de 10 por cento, acumulado somente durante os últimos 300 anos, com 200 anos de graça.
 
Sobre esta base, e aplicando a fórmula européia de juros compostos, informamos aos descobridores que nos devem, como primeiro pagamento de sua dívida, uma massa de 185 mil quilos de ouro e 16 milhões de quilos de prata, ambos valores elevados à potência de 300. Isto é, um número para cuja expressão total, seriam necessários mais de 300 algarismos, e que supera amplamente o peso total do planeta Terra.

Muito pesados são esses blocos de ouro e prata. Quanto pesariam, calculados em sangue?

Alegar que a Europa, em meio milênio, não pode gerar riquezas suficientes para cancelar esse módico juro, seria tanto como admitir seu absoluto fracasso financeiro e/ou a demencial irracionalidade das bases do capitalismo.

Tais questões metafísicas, desde logo, não inquietam os indoamericanos. Mas exigimos sim a assinatura de uma Carta de Intenção que discipline os povos devedores do Velho Continente, e que os obrigue a cumprir seus compromissos mediante uma privatização ou reconversão da Europa, que permita que a nos entregue inteira, como primeiro pagamento da dívida histórica.
 

Political Assassination: The “Unnatural Death” of Dr. David Kelly

Political Assassination and the Crimes of War: The “Unnatural Death” of Dr. David Kelly

Global Research, July 19, 2013




A bearded man of avuncular appearance had started early in replying to e-mails on the 17th July 2003. He was in the office of his pretty cottage, with the scent of roses telling of an English summer. The little village of Southmoor was stirring. He was to send over 80 via one of five hard drives and mostly in reply. Some would be encrypted because he was writing to friends and colleagues who like him shared secrets in the field of “WMDs”. And some would be human and ordinary as from a father of three daughters. He had delighted in seeing a new born foal and arranged to take his daughter Rachel down the village that Thursday evening to see young life together.
Many of the e-mails in his inbox were from friends expressing sympathy for his having been put through the mangle of the state machine; his responses were hopeful. In one he spoke of arrangements having been made for his return to Iraq in 8 days; he was looking forward to that. This man from the Welsh Valleys graduated with his DSc in microbiology from Linacre College, Oxford in 1971. He joined the Civil Service in 1984 and was acting head of the Porton Down ‘Defence’ Microbiology Division for 10 years. These functions on Salisbury Plain widened (1)
In 1989, he was involved in investigations into the Soviet violations of the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention and was a key member of the inspection team visiting the former USSR between 1991 and 1994. He was much valued as an interrogator and sought after round the world for his deep knowledge and sharp intelligence.
He was a member of the UNSCOM team finding and disabling germ and chemical weapons in Iraq. He would have seen the irony that almost all of these had been supplied to Iraq by western nations, including an anthrax strain that was originally cultured from a cow in Oxfordshire before WW2 (2). He visited 37 times between 1991 and 1998, when the team was pulled out before the bombing campaign of Operation Desert Fox. (3) He must have known that UNSCOM was also a cover for spying; the coordinates of defence systems and much else were being recorded for the later destruction of Babylon.
‘The same mission folders that UNSCOM put together to inspect specific buildings and offices in its search for concealed Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD) became the basis for the targeting folders that missile launchers and pilots used in December (Desert Fox).‘ William Arkin (4)
Was he aware too during those years of the terrible suffering and the death toll of children arising from ‘sanctions’ due to foul drinking water, lack of food and medicines? This most keen observer and family man would surely have got to know.
He had the highest level of security clearance from the SIS of the US and the UK but he was not on the payroll of MI6, it is said. He was attached to the Proliferation and Arms Control Secretariat of the Ministry of Defence whilst the Foreign and Commonwealth Office paid him. His base remained the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down. He translated ‘intelligence’ into the language of science and was required to explain scientific matters within his ambit for the media when asked.
He was an important part of the complex and clandestine mechanism which was lighting slow fuses for the demolition of Iraq and for the prime benefit of an entity just two borders away. The hunt for “WMDs” in the land of the two rivers had a hollow ring given the three nearest countries – ‘Israel’, Pakistan and India have not had their nuclear weapons inspected by the IAEA. As for germ weapons (5), of the 16 non-signatory states ‘Israel’ is one and ‘No action is expected in near future.’
US, UK and UN hypocrisies flourished in the sun. UNSCOM begat UNMOVIC and UNMOVIC begat IRG. How was it this sober scientist was involved with this sham? Saddam’s Iraq had been supported in its war with Iran and April Glaspie the US Ambassador to Iraq had later passed him the green light to invade Kuwait. The litany of black lies was long and blood soaked. The ‘turkey shoot’ as Iraqi soldiers and civilians streamed back from Kuwait under white flags ended with live burial for hundreds by US army bulldozers(6). In Baghdad, the charred remains of over 400 women and children in the Amiriya bomb shelter were testament to Allied and UN evil.(7&8) And were not the two laser guided bombs WMDs?
The context in which Dr Kelly did his duty for the UN and the UK has been outlined. The intelligence for targeting, bridgeheads etc was in place. The paramount war criminal and psychopath, Anthony Blair, conspired with Bush in April 2002 at Crawford over blood oozing steaks to tear into Iraq. The black propaganda machine changed gear. A succession of signatories of The Project for the New American Century began appearing nightly, courtesy of the State Broadcaster, the BBC. We could soon tell Wolfowitz from Bolton, and Perle from Bolton. Mangold tried to scare the pants off vulnerable members of the UK public in September 2002 with sarin in the Tokyo tube and with all the focus on the rogue regime. The Sun carried the headline “Brits 45mins from doom” to its 6 million readers. The prescription of Oded Yinon from the ‘Israeli’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs was being followed to the letter (9). “Iraq, rich in oil on the one hand and internally torn on the other, is guaranteed as a candidate for Israel’s targets. Its dissolution is even more important for us than that of Syria.”
And so it was, that against majority opinion in the UK and the truth, a massive invasion and bombardment started 22nd March 2003. It had been planned since 1988. (10) A sceptical British public became more certain that the hell had been conjured up and brought to earth. On May 29 the author heard Andrew Gilligan at 6.20 am on the premier propaganda programme, the BBC’s Today, say that a source had told him the ‘September’ dossier had been enhanced. (There was probably no mention of the ‘Iraq Dossier’ of 3rd February which within 3 days was shown by Rangwala to be fake throughout. (11) ) The hunt started slowly, but soon the ‘government’ hounds were in full cry.Hoon and Campbell were out in front. Journalists were encouraged to call the MoD and to state the name of a suspect. Given that experts in the field were few, David Kelly’s identity as a possible source soon emerged. This act of treachery was wrong on two counts. Firstly the confidentiality of the names of public servants in charges of this sort is usually maintained. Secondly, anybody with his ‘security’ attachments should have had his identity concealed both for his sake and for the operational integrity of the establishments. The furore flowing from the ‘outing’ was fierce. The quarry felt the heat of slavering hounds about his neck.
He was called, improperly given his post, before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons on the 15th, two days before he ‘walked’. The BBC film of an anxious man wheeling quickly into the elaborate building with his minders was played numerous times and perhaps to reinforce a picture of a man at the end of his tether. Later, at the Hutton Inquiry, it was reported this committee had concluded he was not Gilligan’s source. He was interrogated by the Intelligence and Security Committee the next day. The transcript (12) conveys a picture of a composed and honest man. There is evidence of self-delusion however:-
Howarth How did you arrive at your figure of 30% probability? It is appears to have a kind of exactitude, or is it meant to be merely illustrative?
Kelly Its illustrative, as an estimate
Howarth Illustrating a lot,a little?
Kelly Its verging to a little rather than to a lot
Mates Two to one against!
Laughter…….
Dr Kelly had defined earlier in the hearing that he believed there was a 30% chance of ANY weapon containing biological or chemical agents. He does not appear to have revised his assessment when no such weapons were used by the Iraqi forces even though they were faced with total defeat.
Reference was made at this hearing to a letter from Hoon, the Minister of War . “…..in that normally it was Secretaries of State and heads of sections that came to give evidence and that it should not be taken as a precedent for calling in any junior official within that department.” Efforts were made to demean Dr Kelly but the evidence suggests he remained robust even though he was not used to such treatment in his very senior position.
David Kelly completed his correspondence on this the 17th of July, which included a report to the FCO, and changed from track suit into jeans and a shirt ready for a customary walk. He was described later by his wife Janice as being exhausted and shrunken within himself. She suffered from arthritis and had gone up stairs to rest on the bed. She heard him take a telephone call at about 3 pm (from Wing Commander Clarke at the MoD) and he then left for a walk. The W/Co ‘phoned again at 3.20 pm but he was away by then so Mrs Kelly answered. The W/Co ‘phoned every 15 minutes because Dr Kelly always had his cell phone with him and was always easy to contact. An ‘electronic’ voice said ‘the number you have rung is not reacting’, which is the normal one that one would expect if the telephone itself had been switched off. The number when dialled before 6 by James Harrison of the same office rang but there was no answer.
When he did not return the family were alerted. According to reports in the Guardian and Scotsman a lay search party was formed later that day, but no member was called to the inquiry (13&14). A Mrs Susan Melling was quoted. In these reports, a farmer Weaver (sic) – in fact Weaving, hailed Dr Kelly who was reported to be dressed in jeans and a shirt. Weaving might have been the last person to see Dr Kelly alive.(15) The importance of that in an inquiry into an unnatural death is obvious but he was not called either.
The family informed the police at 23.40 hours that he was missing, about 9 hours after he had left the house, and this in spite of the maelstrom swirling around the man and the very secret nature of his morbid work. The roses freshened in the night air and down the road the foal was nuzzling the mare.
David Halpin is a retired orthopaedic and trauma surgeon. He vehemently opposed the destruction of a sovereign Iraq and its people. The manner in which the investigation of this unnatural death was done and the principles of those who conducted it, will be examined in articles written by several authors which will appear twice per week in Global Research. Thus people will read what we perceive to be the truth and it will be a permanent record. We contend, on very good evidence, that due process has been subverted. We have been pleading for an inquest for 10 years and we will continue to do so as informed citizens who believe our law should rule supreme. ‘ Where ever the law ends, tyranny begins.’ John Locke 1675.
Notes