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Last Updated: May 13th, 2009 - 13:11:42 |
Navy Seals Free Ship Captain; Shoot Dead Three Somali Pirates
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| Photo from BBC News |
US Navy special forces freed an American ship captain Sunday by killing the three Somali pirates who were holding him hostage in a lifeboat. The rescue of Richard Phillips ended a five-day standoff that began when four pirates attempted to seize a US ship on Wednesday. The crew escaped harm after the captain offered himself as a hostage. Over the weekend, President Obama authorized the use of force if it appeared the captain’s life was in imminent danger. Hours before the pirates were shot dead by the Navy Seals, Admiral Thad Allen of the US Coast Guard appeared on ABC’s This Week and said an international legal framework is needed to address piracy.
Admiral Thad Allen: “I think the real issue is to create an international legal framework where there are consequences for these actions. For the past six to twelve months, we in the United States Coast Guard, with our other partners in government, have been working through entities like the International Maritime Organization to gain the UN Security Council resolutions that authorize entry into Somalian territorial waters and land to protect world food shipments. What you really have to have is a coordinating mechanism that ultimately brings these pirates to court, where they can be held accountable.”
A fourth Somali pirate is in US custody after surrendering earlier in the standoff. US officials admitted the killing of the pirates could escalate violence in the region. Somali pirates are still holding more than a dozen ships and more than 200 hostages. Piracy began in the region after Western ships started dumping toxic waste off the coast of Somalia, devastating the Somali fishing industry. Somali fishermen said they are worried about the increased presence of foreign navy warships off the coast.
Abdikadir Munganih: “We are very worried about the military activities on our sea by the international coalition who are fighting against Somali pirates, because sometimes when we go further out to sea we face a very dangerous situation because of their fleets on our sea, and since they began these operations, we catch less fish.”
US Considers Striking Al-Shabab Camps in Somalia
In other news from Somalia, the Washington Post reports President Obama is being urged by some in the Pentagon to carry out strikes against camps by the Al-Shabab militant group in southern Somalia. Others in the administration oppose military strikes, because there is no evidence the group is planning attacks outside Somalia.
Report: 687 Pakistani Civilians Killed by US Drones Since 2006
The Pakistani newspaper The News is reporting US bombing raids have killed 687 Pakistani civilians since 2006. During that time US Predator drones carried out sixty strikes inside Pakistan, but reportedly just ten of the strikes hit their actual targets.
15th Anniversary of Rwandan Genocide Marked
In Rwanda, ceremonies are being held today to mark the fifteenth anniversary of the 1994 genocide in which more than one million people died. Twenty thousand Rwandans gathered last week in Nyanza, where thousands of people were slaughtered during the 1994 massacre.
Bailed-Out Banks Scrutinized for Raising Interest Rates and Fees
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports the committee overseeing federal banking bailout programs is investigating the lending practices of institutions that received public funds, following a rash of complaints about increases in interest rates and fees. Last week, Bank of America told some customers that interest rates on their credit cards will nearly double to about 14 percent. The bank is also imposing fees of least $10 on a wide range of credit card transactions. Citigroup is pushing new loans that carry annual interest rates of 30 percent, while Wells Fargo is offering its own form of a payday loan that carry annual interest rates of about 120 percent. Last year, U.S. banks and savings institutions collected nearly $40 billion in deposit account charges and fees for everything from ATM usage to balance transfers. The fees accounted for about 25 percent of the industry’s total revenue.
A New Way Forward Protests Held in 60 Cities
And demonstrations to protest the government’s handling of the economic crisis were held in over sixty cities on Saturday. The protests were organized by the group A New Way Forward. They are calling on the government to nationalize, reorganize and decentralize the country’s banks.
Obama to Request $84.3B for War
President Obama is asking Congress for $83.4 billion in funding for the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. The request marks a complete reversal for Obama from two years ago, when he voted against war funding as a senator under former President George W. Bush. The request would bring the budgetary cost of the two occupations to nearly $1 trillion so far. Obama is also asking for $350 million for operations along the US-Mexico border and $400 million in counterinsurgency aid to Pakistan. Although the Democratic-led Congress is expected to approve the funding, some antiwar lawmakers are voicing opposition. Congress member Lynn Woolsey of California said, “Instead of attempting to find military solutions…President Obama must fundamentally change the mission in both countries to focus on promoting reconciliation, economic development, humanitarian aid, and regional diplomatic efforts.”
Marine Acquitted Despite Confessing to Killing Unarmed Iraqi
A military jury has acquitted a Marine sergeant of murdering an unarmed Iraqi prisoner, even though he confessed to the crime. Sergeant Ryan Weemer was accused of killing the prisoner during the US attack on Fallujah in November 2004. In a recorded interview with interrogators in 2006, Weemer said, “I grabbed a gun and took him to the back of the house. I shot him twice in the chest.” Weemer also said he was ordered to carry out the killing and was tormented by his actions. His attorneys argued he was coerced into making the confession.
Red Cross: US Medical Personnel Involved in Torture of Prisoners
In its once-secret report, the International Committee of the Red Cross concluded US medical personnel were deeply involved in the CIA’s torture of prisoners held in overseas prisons. The Red Cross report said the actions of medical personnel “constituted a gross breach of medical ethics and, in some cases, amounted to participation in torture.” The Red Cross’s secret 2007 report was published in its entirety yesterday by the New York Review of Books. The Red Cross also called on the United States to “investigate all allegations of ill-treatment and take steps to punish the perpetrators, where appropriate, and to prevent such abuses from happening again.”
Sentence Reduced for Shoe-Throwing Iraqi Journalist
Back in Iraq, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former President Bush has had his prison sentence reduced from three years to one. Muntadhar al-Zaidi drew worldwide attention when he hurled his shoes at Bush during a news conference in December. Zaidi was convicted of assaulting a foreign leader. An Iraqi court said Zaidi’s jail term was shortened because he had no prior criminal record.
Palestinian Doctor Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
A Palestinian doctor who lost three daughters to an Israeli bombing of his home during the attack on Gaza has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish’s voice was heard around the world after he recounted the killing of his daughters on live Israeli television moments after the attack. A well-known Gazan gynecologist, Aish has been a longtime advocate for peace between Israel and Palestinians.
Poll Shows Declining Support for Capitalism
A new poll has found more Americans are looking more favorably on the idea of socialism, while support for capitalism declines. According to Rasmussen Reports, just 53 percent of Americans believe capitalism is the best political-economic system. Twenty percent say they prefer the idea of “socialism.” A Rasmussen poll in December found 70 percent support the idea of a free market economy. The differing results could indicate many Americans don’t associate the state-reliant US financial system with one adhering to “free markets.”
CDC: US Food Safety Efforts Fail to Improve
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says efforts to improve food safety have stalled in the United States. On Thursday, the CDC called for speedier reforms to the nation’s food safety system to prevent a growing number of food-related illnesses.
Massive Cutbacks Proposed at Detroit Schools
And in Michigan, state officials have proposed massive cuts at the city of Detroit’s public schools. The plan would close twenty-three schools and lay off more than 600 teachers. Detroit is under a district-wide financial emergency with a projected $303 million deficit.
Larry EchoHawk Tapped to Lead Bureau of Indian Affairs
In domestic news, President Obama has nominated Larry EchoHawk to lead the Bureau of Indian Affairs. EchoHawk is a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and the former attorney general of Idaho. He will become the first high-profile Mormon to join the Obama administration’s senior ranks.
Antarctic Ice Bridge Collapses
In science news, an ice bridge which had held a vast Antarctic ice shelf in place for hundreds of years has shattered. Scientists said it may herald a wider collapse linked to global warming. Temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula have risen by up to about 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the past fifty years, the fastest rate of warming in the Southern Hemisphere.
© Copyright 2006 SeeingBlack.com
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