Siun

As we watch the NATO actions in Libya and listen to the discussions about “the responsibility to protect,” it does make you wonder who is looking out for the civilians of Afghanistan.

Bahraini civil rights activists plan to march again on Friday in defiance of monarchy and continuing brutal crackdown.

For so many weeks now we’ve been talking about the revolts, the people’s demonstrations – from Tunisia and Egypt to Bahrain, Iraq, Syria and Yemen as well as Libya. Much of the video footage we’ve had has been astonishing, raw rough images taken on cell phones and such, quickly uploaded and sent out to the world so we can witness – a demonstration, a brutal crackdown, a moment of victory. But in all of those videos – often taken at extreme risk to the creator – it’s often hard to really see the faces, the people who are turning the world upside down (or right side up perhaps?) They become the “protesters” or the “activists” or the “rebels” Even with their limitations they are so very important as they do bear witness.

Sarah’s videos do something else, something we can too easily miss. She brings us face to face with the individual people in those immense and wondrous crowds, she introduces us to their eyes and their voices, their children and their sorrow.

Ethan Bronner of the New York Times asks how could Bahrain tolerate disruption of the Financial Center while the head of the Bahrain Human RIghts Center is beaten and threatened with rape and the “blog father” of Bahrain is missing after 50 armed security agents come looking for him.

It’s the eighth anniversary of our invasion of Iraq, the eighth year of an occupation so brutal, so destructive that millions remain displaced and the number of orphans cannot be counted. Iraqis have been going into the streets each week – demanding such basic reforms as electricity, an end to corruption – and this week the release of political prisoners. The response from the US installed government? Beatings, arrests and curfews.

The Bahraini monarchy is continuing its repression and crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Reports are pouring in that the US has begun operations against Gadaffi forces in Libya. The US is firing Tomahawk missiles and explosions have been heard in Tripoli but details cannot be confirmed. President Obama has issued a statement saying that “Today I authorized a limited military action in Libya… We cannot stand idly by…”

Three weeks ago many of us listened to this voice, a sudden cry from inside Benghazi, calling out to the world with the message that Libyan rebels were fighting for their freedom. That voice was of Mohammed Nabbous and his livestreams became Libya Alhurra (Libya Freedom).

With 10 votes for and five abstentions – China and Russia, India, Brazil and Germany abstained. Operations could begin immediately and there are already unconfirmed reports like the following: AWACS E-3A tail nr LX-N90451 airborne out of Trapani Italy heading Malta #TakeControl #NFZ #Libya With US naval resources close to the Libyan coast already including [...]

After high level meetings with US defense officials, a brutal crackdown begins.