Another U.S. War? Obama Threatens China and Iran

The possibility of yet another U.S. war became more real last week, when the Obama administration sharply confronted both China and Iran.  The first aggressive act was performed by Obama’s Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who “warned” China that it must support serious economic sanctions against Iran (an act of war).  Clinton said: “China will be under a lot of pressure to recognize the destabilizing effect that a nuclear-armed Iran would have, from which they receive a significant percentage of their oil supply.” The implication here is that China will be cut off from a major energy source if they do not support U.S. foreign policy — this, too, would equal an act of war.  A more direct military provocation occurred later when Obama agreed to honor a Bush-era military pact with Taiwan, a small island that lies off the mainland coast of China, and is claimed by China as its own territory. Taiwan has been a U.S. client state ever since the defeated nationalist forces fled there from China in the aftermath of the 1949 revolution. Taiwan has remained a bastion of U.S. intrigue and anti-China agitation for the past six decades.  Obama has recently upped the ante by approving a $6.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan, including: “... 60 Black Hawk helicopters, Patriot interceptor missiles, advanced Harpoon missiles that can be used against land or ship targets and two refurbished minesweepers.”  (The New York Times, January 30, 2010).  The same article quotes a Chinese government official who responded, accurately, by calling the arms sale “… a gross intervention intoChina’s internal affairs, [and] seriously endanger[ing] China’s national security…”   In 1962, When Russia supplied missiles to Cuba, nearFlorida’s coast, the U.S. interpreted this to be an act of war.  China responded harshly to the Taiwan arms deals, imposing “an unusually broad series of retaliatory measures… including sanctions against American companies that supply the weapon systems for the arms sales.”  These U.S. arms manufacturers are giant corporations who have huge political influence in the Obama administration, and are likely to further push the U.S. government towards an even more aggressive response.     Obama’s polices against China have been far more aggressive than Bush’s, making a farce out of his campaign promises of a more peaceful foreign policy. Obama’s same, deceitful approach is used inSouth America, where he promised “non-intervention” and then proceeded to build military bases in Colombia on Venezuela’s border, while giving a green light to the coup in Honduras.  Hillary Clinton also threatened China about internet censorship last week, while Obama consciously provoked China by agreeing to talks with the Dalai Lama, who advocates the removal of Chinese influence from Tibet. Still fresh in the memories of both the U.S. and China is the recent trade flair up, when Obama imposed taxes on Chinese imports; and China responded with protectionist measures against U.S. companies, which brings us to the heart of the matter.  The attitude of the U.S. government towards China has nothing to do with the Dalai Lama, internet censorship, or human rights.  These excuses are used as diplomatic jabs in the framework of a larger, geopolitical brawl. Chinese corporations are expanding rapidly in the wake of the decline of the U.S. business class, and Obama is using a variety of measures to counteract this dynamic, with all roads leading to war.  This grand chessboard of corporate and military maneuvering reached a dangerous standoff yesterday, with the U.S. military provoking Iran. The New York Times explains: “The Obama administration is accelerating the deployment of new defenses against possible Iranian missile attacks in the Persian Gulf, placing special ships [war ships] off the Iranian coast and antimissile systems in at least four [surrounding] Arab countries, according to administration and military officials.” (January 30, 2010).  The same article mentions that U.S. General  Petraeus admitted that “… the United States was now keeping Aegis cruisers on patrol in the Persian Gulf  [Iran’s border] at all times. Those cruisers are equipped with advanced radar and antimissile systems designed to intercept medium-range missiles.”  Iran knows full well that “antimissile systems” are perfectly capable of going on the offensive — their real purpose.  Iran is completely surrounded by countries occupied by the U.S. military, whether it be the mass occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan, or the U.S. puppet states that house U.S. military bases in Arab nations.  Contrary to the statements of President Obama, Iran is already well contained militarily.  Iran’s government — however repressive it may be — has every right to defend itself in this context.  It is possible that these aggressive U.S. actions will eventually force Iran’s government to act out militarily, giving the U.S. military the “defensive” excuse it’s been waiting for, so the tempers of the U.S. population can be cooled.  A separate New York Times editorial outlines the basic agreement onIran shared by the Democrats and the Republicans.  It says: “It is time for President Obama and other leaders to ratchet up the pressure with tougher sanctions.” And:  “If the [UN] Security Council does not act quickly, then the United States and Europe must apply more pressure on their own [Bush's Iraq war strategy]. The Senate on Thursday approved a bill that would punish companies for exporting gasoline to Iran or helping Iran expand its own petroleum refining capability [another act of war]” (January 29, 2010). The U.S. anti-war movement must organize and mobilize to confront the plans of the Obama administration.  Obama’s policies not only mirror Bush’s, but have the potential to be far more devastating, with the real possibility of creating a wider, regional war.  Iran and China are far more militarily capable than puny Afghanistan or Iraq; the consequences of a war with either will cause countless more deaths.  Bring All the Troops Home! U.S. Military Out of the Middle East!
globalresearch.ca

Okorocha begins delivering on ‘kerosene promise’- distributes 110,000 litres free

In an event held at the Grasshopper Stadium, Owerri, Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha flagged off his kerosene distribution programme by delivering 110,000 litres of the commodity free of charge, to several households in the state. Speaking on the programme, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Mr. Chiadi Sunny disclosed that the five tanker loads of kerosene distributed was the first free batch. He pointed out that the next batches will be distributed amongst the 27 local government areas of the state.
In the same vein, Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas, Sir. Ifeanyi Uba, who is a partner in the project, explained that the programme was sustainable because of strong arrangements with several oil companies in the country, that are producers of kerosene.

Igbodefender.com

Nigeria still on European terror watch list

ABUJA — Most European nations are yet to delist Nigeria  from their terrorist watch list,  despite the delisting of the country by America and Britain, Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, said, weekend. Ashiru, who spoke at a parley with Editors in Abuja, however, declined to comment on an al-qaeda video on the internet showing a Briton and Spaniard allegedly kidnapped in Birnin Kebbi in May.
The Minister explained  that the failure by most  European nations to follow the US and British example in removing Nigeria from their terrorist watch list had continued to expose Nigerians to unpleasant experiences, when seeking travel visas to some European destinations.

He assured that the Federal Government was taking steps to ensure that the country was delisted from European terror watch list.
He said: “We have instructed our missions abroad to write strong protest letters to these countries because I wonder why there should be delay in procuring visas like the Schengen visa.”

The Minister also expressed concern at the increasing number of young Nigerians recruited by foreign drug cartel to smuggle drugs into the West.

Ashiru, however, insisted that henceforth Nigerian missions abroad would not turn its back on any of the nation’s citizens, particularly in seeing to it that citizens get fair hearing in the case of those apprehended for criminal offences by their host nation.

He said, “Even when a Nigerian is caught on the wrong on side of the law, the embassies must ensure that he/she gets fair justice.
The Minister urged the media to partner with the Ministry to educate young Nigerians on the ills and danger of getting involved in drug trafficking and other prohibited narcotics.

On  Nigeria’s new foreign policy agenda, he stated that Nigerian missions have been instructed to assist business men  from home with right contacts in order to attract investments into the country.
Ashiru added   that henceforth the private sector will form part of government entourage to talks on bilateral trade.

“Ambassadors have been directed to spend greater part of their time on investment promotion and attracting trade to the country” he said.

He further disclosed that heads of missions have been directed to assist Nigerians in need no matter the situation as government would no longer tolerate the maltreatment of its citizens.

The minister however failed to make a clear statement on government position on a video on the internet alleging that an Italian and a Briton who were kidnapped by al-queada in Kebbi state in May.

It was alleged that a video tape in circulation showed the kidnapped foreigners linking their ordeal to Al-Qaeda.


Vanguard

Al-Mustapha’s family raises alarm our son’s life in danger following his testimony on June 12, Abiola, S’West leaders

Al-Mustapha

The family of Major Hamza al- Mustapha has raised the alarm over the security of their son following the outburst of anger from prominent Yoruba leaders concerning the revelations of the detained former Chief Security Officer (CSO) before a Lagos High Court last week.

The former CSO to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, had last week indicted South-West leaders, mainly former Justice Minister, the late Chief Bola Ige and Afenifere leader, the late Chief Abraham Adesanya of working against the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, and the validation of his mandate.

But speaking to the Press in his house in Kano , Sunday, the family’s spokesman, Alhaji Hadi al-Mustapha appealed to the Federal Government to ensure a round-the- clock security for Hamza, noting that they have reasons to believe that his life may be in danger.

Alhaji Hadi said the family had been inundated with threats from unidentified callers who were not comfortable with his evidence, even as he expressed concern that before the present episode, there had been disturbing rumours about the state of al-Mustapha in detention. “We received messages in the past that he will be killed. We received messages at one point that he had been killed. But at the end of the day, fortunately, we found out that he didn’t die,” he recalled.

Alhaji Hadi said that all these ominous signals are indeed worrisome, adding that based on these factors, the family is calling on the Federal Government to urgently increase the security around their son. He said that he will not join issues with some Yoruba leaders, who, he noted, are trying to repudiate the evidence made by Hamza or to question the creditability of the account. According to him, the matter is before a court.“ What I will say is that the case is still ongoing and the case is still in court. I will advise that you go to the court and follow up the case and see it for yourself, ” he stressed.

Alhaji Hadi believed that, “ there is no reason for keeping Hamza in detention all these years.” “There is nothing like prosecution. It is pure persecuted. And we have so many reasons to believe that he is being prosecuted. In fact, all Nigerians following this case know that it is persecution.” The former CSO had been detained since 1999. He recalled that it was public knowledge that Sergeant Rogers and other prosecution witnesses once came to court to testify that they were induced and compelled to implicate al- Mustapha in the case.

Alhaji Hadi had argued that since the same witnesses that implicated the accused had openly disclosed that they were under duress, it behoves on those holding al-Mustapha to release him thereafter. Apart from this, Alhaji Hadi maintained that it is curious that all the suspects that were arrested alongside Major al-Mustapha in connection with the 1996 murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, have been released, except him.

It would be recalled that al-Mustapha last week came up with stunning revelations of how some Yoruba leaders were used to scuttle the mandate of the late Chief Abiola. The former CSO who is standing trial in a Lagos High Court had accused the two Afenifere chieftains, the late Adesanya and Ige of alleged monetary inducement running into millions of naira by the regime of Gen. Abubakar Abdusalami to co-ordinate aggrieved Yoruba leaders on how to jettison Abiola and his mandate.

Meanwhile, al-Mustapha had backed his claims with video evidence and a letter he wrote to the late Ige, alerting him of how he was purportedly used by the then regime of Gen. Abdusalami.

Source

Ume-Ezeoke dies, finally

EDWIN Ume-Ezeoke first died 28 years ago when gunmen stormed his residence at the 1004 Flats in Victoria Island. Members of the National Assembly were quartered from 1979 until the military terminated that democratic experiment in 1983. The gunmen fired many shots at Ume-Ezeoke and left him for dead.

Some newspapers reported his death. His long stay abroad to mend the shattered face, which bore marks of that 1983 brutality till his death on Monday, testified to the intentions of the gunmen, who were never found, and who the police described as miscreants. His medical trip abroad lasted awhile, often prompting the rumour that he was dead.

Ume-Ezeoke, a lawyer from Amichi Nnewi, Anambra State, became Speaker of the House of Representatives, for four years, a little after his 44th birthday, under a power-sharing accord that his party, Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP, had with the National Party of Nigeria, NPN.

Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke
After the 1983 elections, the NPN, with a stronger stand in the National Assembly did not need an alliance to rule. Benjamin Chaha of the NPN from Benue State was the Speaker in the later part of 1983 when the military struck.
Those were the days when zoning, in the obstructive manner it is being practised, had no place. Profundity attended decisions.
Ume-Ezeoke was from Anambra State like the Vice President Dr. Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme. From Cross River State came President of the Senate Dr. Joseph Wayas. The National Assembly worked in more harmony with membership from the four political parties.
Politics of compromise was part of Ume-Ezeoke and this haunted him in later life. His massive disagreement with General Muhammadu Buhari, whose running mate he was in the 2007 presidential election marked the closing chapters of his politics.
Their electoral dispute was still in government when Ume-Ezeoke, who was the ANPP chairman, at the time, announced his withdrawal from the case and the party’s decision to join President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s government of national unity.
“As a former Head of State, I give him his respect, but I dare say that he had no electoral worth in ANPP. He is the only one who has left. I am still here. I was his vice-presidential candidate and all those who nominated him and worked for his candidature are still in the party. All the ANPP top notchers are still in the party. We are not missing him at all,” said Ume-Ezeoke, who later defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“We went into the Government of National Unity for the safety and security of this country and we are happy we took that decision and today we have peace in the land and everybody can move around unmolested. Look at what happened in countries like Kenya and Zimbabwe. They eventually came to a round table and opted for GNU after so many people had been killed through the same mass action that we rejected.” His critics say he was self-serving.
His son, Chineme Ume-Ezeoke, who was appointed Yar’Adua’s special assistant on Civil Society Relations in 2008, in a statement, said his father died at the Fortis Super Specialty Hospital in New Delhi, India. He would have been 76 on September 8. Ume-Ezeoke will be remembered as one man who extolled politics of compromise and was never ashamed in his drive for converts.

source

How FG used Ige against Abiola –Al-Mustapha

Major Hamzat al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer to late Gen. Sani Abacha, yesterday at the Lagos High Court, Igbosere,  continued his testimony with a revelation of how Chief Bola Ige, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, was used to scuttle the validation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election presumed to have been won by the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

Al-Mustapha who is standing trial for the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, also tendered a VHS video cassette of the late Chief Abraham Adesanya, Ige and other Yoruba leaders’ visit to Aso Rock.


A letter by Major Hamza al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, was read at a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, yesterday. He is standing trial for the murder of Kudirat, wife of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Al-Mustapha promised to bring the letter to court yesterday indicating how the late Attorney-General of the Federation/Justice Minister, Bola Ige (SAN) was used against the validation of the election.
Led in evidence by his counsel, Olalekan Ojo, al-Mustapha read to the court, contents of the letter in which he drew the attention of the late Chief Ige to the fact that he had been unconsciously used against the late Abiola. The court admitted the letter as exhibit.

“You will recall that you were unconsciously used to arrange and convey Chief Abiola’s family to come and see him purportedly in preparation for his release on the eve of his murder.
“You and other Yoruba leaders were unconsciously used to suppress the agitation of the people with inducement. You will recall that General Abdulsalami was honoured because of the way he was able to manage the reaction of the people over Abiola’s death. Even your present appointment was in furtherance of the same agenda.”

“I wrote the letter during the Oputa Panel sitting in Abuja in July 2001 and I sent it through my counsel, the late Chief Celement Akpamgbo (SAN)  Amobi Nzelu and Bala Ibn Na’Alla who led me at the Oputa panel, they were also aware of the letter. “Athough Chief Akpamgbo is no more, Amobi Nzelu and Bala Na’ Alla are alive.” The letter was also admitted as exhibit by the Court. In the letter, part of which was read, al-Mustapha wrote Chief Ige; “ you were only used for the purpose of the eliminating Chief Abiola, the 14th Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland for selfish political agenda,” he said.

Again, he revealed that but for sheer providence intervention, former President Olusegun Obasanjo would have been executed for the phantom coup of 1995 if the then military regime had acceded to the position of General Abubakar Abdulsalami. al-Mustapha told the court that following the death sentence passed on Obasanjo and those implicated in the coup, some officers including himself and the former military administrator of Lagos State, Col. Buba Marwa  (rtd) said that the sentence should be commuted.

According to him, at the meeting of the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) where the final fate of the convicts were to be decided, General Abdulsalami insisted that the full weight of the 1976 decree on coup, enacted by Obasanjo should be applied.
“At that meeting, General Abdulsalam said General Obasanjo should be made to face the 1976 decree he enacted for coup plotter. He said Obasanjo is one of the most irresponsible human beings.  He said other unprintable things about him.

“I recorded the meeting on video where the General said all these, even though it is illegal. I kept the tape until 1998 when General Sabo who was detained with me for plotting to overthrow Abdulsalami was released. When he was leaving detention, I whispered to him to go and get the tape where I kept it and ensured that it gets to Obasanjo to warn him about certain people pretending to be his friends,” he said.
Earlier, as promised on Wednesday, an audio visual tape on the visit of chieftains of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) led  by the late Ige was showed to the court.

The footage of the video clips showed Afenifere leader, the late Chief Abraham Adesanya responding to State House reporters who interacted with him shortly after their meeting with Abdulsalami. Responding; Adesanya denied reaching any consensus with the government, saying: No agreement had been reached with the Head of State, other than that he will consider the proposal before him.

“Our demand of Government of National Unity (GNU) still stands. We are also demanding that, Sovereign National Conference (SNC) should be convened to fashion out a new constitution for the country,” However, Chief Adesanya was non-conmittant on the death of Chief Abiola in custody.

According to al-Mustapha, the meeting with Pa Adesanya and his team was hosted by General Abdulsalami and the then National Security Adviser (NSA), General Abdulsalam Mohammed, who he said allegedly raised the memo of July 8, 1998 requesting for the withdrawal of money from the treasury of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), sums of $ 200 million USD, 75 million pounds and N500 million naira. The video tape which said was the record of the depature of the leaders revealed where they were ushered into their vehicles.  He explained that the video tape which contained the arrival of the leaders was among the tapes taken away from his residence when he was arrested in 1998.

On his relationship with General Abdulsalami, al-Mustapha said that at the critical stage when General Abacha died, there were a lot of interests trying to succeed him. “At that time, he was not the best man, but God used me to help him to ascend the throne.
“For four days, General Abdulsalami and I had meetings at Aguda House where we discussed serious national issues and I was involved in handing over of everything to him. Even the dust in General Abacha’s room, I gathered it in a nylon bag and handed it over to him along.

“During our meeting, I demanded for the safety of Chief Abiola and the immediate family of General Abacha. Those were my personal requests out of the 16-point agenda we agreed upon,” he said.
He noted that even while in Kirikiri prison, a Federal Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. Stella Onitiri, was sent to him to recruit him as a witness against the Abiola family in the suit against the Federal Government in which the family is demanding  for damages over the death of their bread winner in custody.

He also alleged that the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, tortured him and other accused persons by constantly giving instructions to the driver that conveyed them to the court to drive roughly . According to him, he narrowly escaped being killed by those who brought them to Lagos, led by Ribadu because of a disagreement between them and the then Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Mike Okiro.

He told the court that in July, 2001, he wrote a 11-page letter to the late Chief Ige in which he alerted him that he had been unconsciously used in the murder of Chief Abiola. On a final note, al-Mustapha denied any complicity in the murder of Kudirat Abiola, insisting that he had been kept in detention because his enemies, particularly viewed him as the late Abacha’s ghost, which should be done away with at all cost.

“Those who wanted Abiola dead see me as the enemy. Those who wanted to succeed Abacha but felt that I played a role in their not getting there see me as enemy, that was why they initiated this charge against me. The remote control is in Abuja but they are not telling the Lagos the truth about the matter.
“It is totally untrue that I sent anybody to go and kill Kudirat Abiola. I was earmarked for punishment. They cannot afford to have me outside. If I had conspired, they should have brought the evidence either from the SSS or military intelligence.

“I did not give any officer any UZ gun or ammunition for any assignment. I did not know anything about the burning of General Alani Akinrinade’s residence and the Rutam House,” The Guardian office,”  he said. Hearing continues on Monday, August 8.             

source

Ribadu, former EFCC boss dismisses Al-Mustapha’s claim as a joke

Former anti-graft czar, Nuhu Ribadu, has denied that he tried to kill Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer of late Gen Sani Abacha in 1998.

“Is this a joke? My attention has been drawn to comments made in court today by the Chief Security Officer to the late General Sani Abacha, Hamza Al Mustapha, claiming that as ‘escort officer’ I was recruited to assassinate him back in 1998,” said Ribadu in a statement.

“I want to strongly refute this claim as false, and perhaps as invented to help build a constituency of concern and sympathy for his case. I was never a party to any such plot, and will never be associated in a scheme to perpetrate extra-judicial murder.

For the records, however, I was the lead state prosecutor [not escort officer] in all the cases of the 1998 trialists facing murder charges before they were handed over to the Lagos State Government. I was also a passenger in the same Nigerian Air Force aircraft that conveyed them all [including General Bamaiyi, Col. Bako and others] from Abuja to Lagos to begin trial.

This would certainly not be a logical setting for assassination! I think at this point, Mr. Al Mustapha’s case is best served by keeping the substance of his murder case on the rails, and by shying away from the distraction of public performance.” culled from Daily Times