War Update: Syria, Ethiopia, Somalia, Mali

March 11, 2013 | OpEd News

By Seth Rutledge

Syria : an alleged hacked British defense contractor email reveals a US/Qatar plan to deploy a chemical weapon false flag attack in Syria. Israel conducted an air strike on Syria; the US reportedly approved and is poised to carry out similar strikes. The US has given the rebels 50$ million. 4 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Ethiopia : In December Ethiopian paramilitaries renewed attacks on communities in Ogden in an ongoing campaign to clear the land for resource extraction. The Ethiopian government's army and paramilitaries have used rape, torture, and murder to drive communities into Internally Displaced Person camps where they are starved. There are currently 3.7 million people in need of assistance and over 1.5 million without food or water. As many as 1 million Muslims peacefully protested on February 7 demanding freedom of religion and release of political prisoners; journalists attempting to cover the protests have been detained and protestors oppressed. The UK has recently provided training and funding directly to the paramilitaries forces; the U S provides up to $600 million yearly aid to Ethiopia which is diverted to the military and paramilitary .

Somalia : The US recognized the UN appointed government of Somalia. US troops have operated in Somalia since 1992; Somalia has been under a US funded occupation since the overthrow of the Islamic Courts Union in 2007. First the Ethiopian military, and then the African Union army, destroyed tens of square miles of densely populated areas to crush the resistance and clear the land for mineral and energy exploitation. Millions of displaced Somalis are now starving in refugee camps. The separatist Putland government has ordered the execution of political opposition leaders and fired upon peaceful demonstrations. The appointed federal government is not opposed to separating Somalia into smaller states.

Mali : the Malian military has committed extrajudicial killings of the northern residents. Over 412,000 people have fled Mali, and 5 million have been affected by the fighting. The French and Malian military, with US military support, have re-captured N. Mali, but French bombings continue to batter the guerilla insurgency . Tuareg rebels sought independence in the 1960's at the purported end of French colonial rule; Tuareg rebellions in 1990 and 2008 challenged the right of French uranium mining companies to poison their land in neighboring Niger. French Special Forces have deployed to protect uranium mines in Niger, and US troops and drones are to be deployed on the Mali border .

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