Posted by CCafeFWD-Global Village News (64.75.147.80) on November 23, 2002 at 14:01:26:
------------------ THIS FROM KINDRED SPIRITS ---------------------
Global Village News & Resources Contents Headline Stories Global Resources Editorial Revolution In Education Steps Beyond Schools For full article, click here: Court Rules Loan Interest Illegal For full article, click here: New 'Eye-squeezer' Technology May End Need For Glasses For full article, click here: Art & Culture Funding Sources Health Native Peoples Peace Science & Technology Nelson Mandela, 84, may be the world's most respected statesman. Sentenced to life in prison on desolate Robben Island in 1964 for advocating armed resistance to apartheid in South Africa, the African National Congress leader emerged in 1990 to lead his country in a transition to non-racial elections. As president, his priority was racial reconciliation; today South Africans of all races refer to him by his Xhosa clan honorific, Madiba. Mandela stepped down in 1999 after a single five-year term. He now heads two foundations focused on children. NW: Why are you speaking out on Iraq? Do you want to mediate, as you tried to on the Mideast a couple of years ago? It seems you are reentering the fray now. NM: If I am asked, by credible organizations, to mediate, I will consider that very seriously. But a situation of this nature does not need an individual, it needs an organization like the United Nations to mediate. We must understand the seriousness of this situation. The United States has made serious mistakes in the conduct of its foreign affairs, which have had unfortunate repercussions long after the decisions were taken. Unqualified support of the Shah of Iran led directly to the Islamic revolution of 1979. Then the United States chose to arm and finance the [Islamic] mujahedin in Afghanistan instead of supporting and encouraging the moderate wing of the government of Afghanistan. That is what led to the Taliban in Afghanistan. But the most catastrophic action of the United States was to sabotage the decision that was painstakingly stitched together by the United Nations regarding the withdrawal of the Soviet Union from Afghanistan. If you look at those matters, you will come to the conclusion that the attitude of the United States of America is a threat to world peace. Because what [America] is saying is that if you are afraid of a veto in the Security Council, you can go outside and take action and violate the sovereignty of other countries. That is the message they are sending to the world. That must be condemned in the strongest terms. And you will notice that France, Germany Russia, China are against this decision. It is clearly a decision that is motivated by George W. Bush's desire to please the arms and oil industries in the United States of America. If you look at those factors, you'll see that an individual like myself, a man who has lost power and influence, can never be a suitable mediator. NW: What about the argument that's being made about the threat of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and Saddam's efforts to build a nuclear weapons. After all, he has invaded other countries, he has fired missiles at Israel. On Thursday, President Bush is going to stand up in front of the United Nations and point to what he says is evidence of... NM: ...Scott Ritter, a former United Nations arms inspector who is in Baghdad, has said that there is no evidence whatsoever of [development of weapons of] mass destruction. Neither Bush nor [British Prime Minister] Tony Blair has provided any evidence that such weapons exist. But what we know is that Israel has weapons of mass destruction. Nobody talks about that. Why should there be one standard for one country, especially because it is black, and another one for another country, Israel, that is white. NW: So you see this as a racial question? NM: Well, that element is there. In fact, many people say quietly, but they don't have the courage to stand up and say publicly, that when there were white secretary generals you didn't find this question of the United States and Britain going out of the United Nations. But now that you've had black secretary generals like Boutros Boutros Ghali, like Kofi Annan, they do not respect the United Nations. They have contempt for it. This is not my view, but that is what is being said by many people. NW: What kind of compromise can you see that might avoid the coming confrontation? NM: There is one compromise and one only, and that is the United Nations. If the United States and Britain go to the United Nations and the United Nations says we have concrete evidence of the existence of these weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and we feel that we must do something about it, we would all support it. NW: Do you think that the Bush administration's U.N. diplomatic effort now is genuine, or is the President just looking for political cover by speaking to the U.N. even as he remains intent on forging ahead unilaterally? NM: Well, there is no doubt that the United States now feels that they are the only superpower in the world and they can do what they like. And of course we must consider the men and the women around the president. Gen. Colin Powell commanded the United States army in peacetime and in wartime during the Gulf war. He knows the disastrous effect of international tension and war, when innocent people are going to die, young men are going to die. He knows and he showed this after September 11 last year. He went around briefing the allies of the United States of America and asking for their support for the war in Afghanistan. But people like Dick Cheney... I see yesterday there was an article that said he is the real president of the United States of America, I don't know how true that is. Dick Cheney, [Defense secretary Donald] Rumsfeld, they are people who are unfortunately misleading the president. Because my impression of the president is that this is a man with whom you can do business. But it is the men who around him who are dinosaurs, who do not want him to belong to the modern age. The only man, the only person who wants to help Bush move to the modern era is Gen. Colin Powell, the secretary of State. NW: I gather you are particularly concerned about Vice President Cheney? NM: Well, there is no doubt. He opposed the decision to release me from prison (laughs). The majority of the U.S. Congress was in favor of my release, and he opposed it. But it's not because of that. Quite clearly we are dealing with an arch-conservative in Dick Cheney. NW: I'm interested in your decision to speak out now about Iraq. When you left office, you said, "I'm going to go down to Transkei, and have a rest." Now maybe that was a joke at the time. But you've been very active. NM: I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of course with my wife. But the problems are such that for anybody with a conscience who can use whatever influence he may have to try to bring about peace, it's difficult to say no. MSNBC | Newsweek . Tuesday, 10 September, 2002 (In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.) See this issue of the Global Village News in full color with graphics or subscribe and unsubscribe by clicking here GVNR - Home Or going to Is your GVNR hard to read ??? If so, your computer isn't accessing the full color html version we send out. You can unsubscribe to this format at The Global Village News & Resources and other projects of Network 2012 are made possible by your tax deductible donations. Contributions may be sent to PO Box 18909, Asheville, NC. 28814, USA. For information about contributing via credit card, pay pal or bank transfers, contact Michael Lightweaver at Archive of Past News Articles, Resources & Editorials Subscribe: Unsubscribe: Advertising: The Editor Network 2012 <#top>
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 09:55:00 -0800
Subject: Global Village News and Resources - Issue No 50 - November 18, 2002
To: "Global Village News & Resources"
From:
Issue #50, November 18, 2002
á Revolution In Education Steps Beyond Schools
á Court Rules Loan Interest Illegal
á New 'Eye-squeezer' Technology May End Need For Glasses
á Art As A Healing Force Web
á Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
á Vaccination Liberation
á Native American Tribes
á Mideast Web For Coexistence
á Free Electricity
The United States Is A Threat To World Peace
An Interview With Nelson Mandela
(by Tom Masland, Newsweek Magazne)
In The News·
USA/UK - An innovative and radically different learning system has been growing in strength over the last 30 years; one that takes many different forms, occurs all over the world and spans most areas of society. Home Education.
Pakistan - The highest court in Pakistan has ruled that charging interest on money is against Islamic law and has decreed that the country should adopt an interest-free monetary system within twelve months.
USA - An American scientist says he can improve people's sight by stitching artificial muscle to the eyeball and squeezing it. The 'smart eye band' could be turned on when needed by a switch hidden on a tiny power source behind the ear.
Global Resources
Websites devoted to Positive Planetary Transformation
Art As A Healing Force Web
Art As A Healing Force Web will immerse you in the field of art and healing. By art, we always mean storytelling, poetry, music, dance, visual arts, painting, sculpture, everything that is usually thought of as creativity. We believe that art and healing are joining together to become one. As art and healing merge, the field of art will be changed and the field of medicine will be changed. For many of us, healing art is a spiritual path, a transformational process, a way of being. This site concentrates on making art to heal, on the power of the creative process of art as a healing force. We believe that making art frees the body's healing mechanisms to heal. We believe it unites body, mind, and spirit. In art and healing, no interpretation or therapy is necessary.
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
The Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program is an independent public charity whose chief mission is to support and increase philanthropy across the United States. It offers a donor-advised charitable giving fund that provides a cost-effective, tax-efficient, convenient way to potentially support your favorite causes. Our donor-advised fund is one of only a few that encourage you to donate to charities anywhere in the United States. It makes charitable giving easier, while helping you to better manage÷and even expand÷the scope of your philanthropy.
Vaccination Liberation
Vaccination Liberation is a national association dedicated to providing information on vaccinations not often made available to the public so that one can make an informed choice.
Mission Statement:
á To reveal the myth that vaccines are safe and effective
á To preserve our right to abstain
á To repeal all compulsory vaccination laws nationwide
á To expand our awareness of alternatives in healthcare
Native American Tribes
Click Here: Native American Indian Tribes
Links to the Websites of federal tribes, state-recognized tribes, and other tribal resources.
Mideast Web For Coexistence
MidEast Web for Coexistence is a non-profit organization registered in Israel for the promotion of dialog and peace education. It is a volunteer organization registered as an NGO in Israel begun in August 1999. It began from an e-conversation between myself and an Internet guru in Amman, Jordan, Ameen Hannoun, and the initiative of an Israeli father, Yisrael Zamir, who lost his son in the 1982 Lebanon war. Our idea was to use the Internet to bring people together for peace, to spread the idea of coexistance and peace education.
Free Electricity
You can be part of a new break through that could change the world as we know it! UCS of America, is close to introducing free electricity to the United States. We need your help! Before UCS can release this break through technology we need 1.6 million homes for our no charge install. You as the home owner, would receive up to 26,000 kilowatt hours of free electricity per year. It is our business to make electric generators, place them across the United States and sell electricity to local power companies. To accomplish this we need people like you to provide a small space in a garage or basement for our generator. In exchange for your space you will receive free electricity.
Editorial
The United States of America is a Threat to World Peace
An Interview With Nelson Mandela
(by Tom Masland, Newsweek Magazine)
Global Village News & Resources is published twice a month by Network 2012. For more information, go to:
Contact Addresses
Or go to
Or go to
Michael Lightweaver