East Africa Now Facing Drought Induced Famine
By : Brian McAfee - Sunday August 28, 2011 Expected rains have failed to arrive for successive seasons in and around Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. The absence has in turn caused severe shortages of food and water for millions of people. OXFAM’s Humanitarian Director Jane Cocking said, “This is the worst food crisis of the 21st Century and we are seriously concerned that large numbers of lives could soon be lost.” She added, “Two successive poor rains, entrenched poverty and lack of investment in affected (...)
read more, comments... Fight To End The Most Base Form Of Exploitation
By : Brian McAfee - Wednesday August 3, 2011 One of the most significant ongoing scourges that befalls humanity worldwide is the ongoing exploitation and sexual abuse of over two million girls and boys through sex trafficking. UNICEF estimates that two and a half million children, most of them girls, are tricked or forced into the multibillion dollar global sex industry. The struggle to save, protect and defend the safety and well-being of children at risk for this type of travesty is and will remain an ongoing, sometimes uphill (...)
read more, comments... The Pursuit For Truth In The Death, And Life, Of Two Iconic Chileans
By : Brian McAfee - Saturday June 25, 2011 The body of former Chilean President Salvador Allende was exhumed in May in an attempt to determine whether the democratically elected Socialist president was murdered by the Chilean military in the initial stages of the coup or whether he committed suicide as General Augusto claimed on that day, September 11, 1973. The 65 year old president had been in office for three years. An official investigation has also been opened in the death of World renown Chilean poet Pablo Neruda who died (...)
read more, comments... Ecuador’s Increase In Social Spending Has Lifted Many Out Of Poverty
By : Brian mcafee - Monday June 6, 2011 Ecuador’s social spending for the past four years, since President Rafael Correa took office, has almost tripled compared to the amount spent by his predecessors. In relation, "Prensa Latina" reports: "Since President Correa took office four years ago, 15.851 billion USD has been invested in public works, 2.9 times more than during the three previous governments combined". [1] An important aspect of President Correa’s policies has been a noticeable and ongoing reduction in (...)
read more, comments... Is Myanmar At A Crossroads?
By : Brian mcafee - Monday April 25, 2011 So far 2011 is proving to be an eventful year for Myanmar, formerly known as and still generally called Burma. Despite the slight easing of restraints put on Aung San Suu Kyi, the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Shan State in northeast Burma on March 24, which the junta controlled media says killed 75 people but aid agencies believe killed over 150, leads to widespread distrust of the country’s rulers and their version of reality. Now the U.S. is sending a new envoy to Myanmar, (...)
read more, comments... A Question Of Values And Ethics
By : Brian mcafee - Saturday April 9, 2011 The Muskegon Tea Party has scheduled a rally in the Muskegon area for April 15, it is important to take a look at them and their Republican cohorts to see what they are up to and what they really seem to want. First, of course, in worshipful homage to the rich there was the tax cut for the rich, 1.8 billion from Michigan’s new Republican and 700+ billion from from the new Tea Party lead U.S. House of Representatives in Washington. Who are the targets for the billions in cuts (...)
read more, comments... Japan’s Tragedy Provides Us All An Opportunity To Show That We Have A Heart
By : Brian McAfee - Wednesday March 16, 2011 The severe blow from nature with which the Japanese people were struck with on Friday, March eleventh purportedly took the lives of over ten thousand people while forever altering the lives and emotional well-being of hundreds of thousands more. The need to address the multifaceted nature and ongoing complexity of Japan’s disaster is evident with each day’s news updates. Within minutes after the 9.0 earthquake, northeastern Japan was engulfed by a tsunami that has done more (...)
read more, comments... Pakistan Hit By Worst Flood In 80 Years
By : Brian McAfee - Friday August 6, 2010 Reports out of Pakistan now indicate that about 1,500 people have lost their lives and tens of thousands have been left homeless. This years monsoon, which began July 28, is said to have affected 3.2 million people in northwest Pakistan. The most urgent need is clean drinking water followed by food, shelter and sanitation and medicines. Homes, bridges, roads and agricultural land has been swept away leaving scores of families with no homes or livelihood. The potential for disease is (...)
read more, comments... Chile Remains An Area Of Concern And Interest. by Brian
By : Brian McAfee - Wednesday March 17, 2010 Chile Remains An Area Of Concern And Interest. The massive earthquake that struck Chile February 27 continues to have a heavy impact on the Chilean people. The 8.8 magnitude earthquake and the subsequent tsunami has killed at least 497 people while about 500 remain missing. Considering the numbers injured and rendered homeless from the Initial earthquake and the numerous aftershocks Chileans will continue to need assistance. Numerous countries and aid organizations have offered and (...)
read more, comments... Natural Disasters In Asia: Harbinger Of Things To Come?
By : Brian McAfee - Friday November 6, 2009 In a span of 5 weeks and one day earthquakes, floods, mudslides, typhoons and tsunamis swept through 10 nations leaving thousands of people dead and rendering millions more homeless. The first of the natural disasters struck Manila and the surrounding area on September 26 causing massive floods and mudslides and forcing thousands to flee their homes. Tropical storm Ketsana left hundreds dead and thousands displaced. On October 3rd this happened again with Tsunami Parma. The combined (...)
read more, comments... Philippine Extra-Judicial Killings Continue, Obama’s Response In Question
By : Brian McAfee - Sunday March 29, 2009 Philippine Extra-Judicial Killings Continue, Obama’s Response In Question by Brian McAfee On March 23rd, Sabina Ariola, the leader of "Citizens for Excellence, Progress, Peace towards the Country’s Great Future," was gunned down. She is the 992nd civilian to be killed in the ongoing spree of extra-judicial killings that have been occurring since 2001, when Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (...)
read more, comments... Obama’s First Full Month Significant And Telling
By : Brian McAfee - Tuesday March 3, 2009 President Barack Obama’s first full month as president will be marked as historically significant for its shift away from the fraudulent "trickle down" economic model begun by Ronald Reagan almost 30 years ago. The first significant policy vote was to approve and increase the State Children’s Health Insurance Program or SCHIP. This program provides health coverage for children of working parents who are not eligible for Medicaid and whose parent’s employers do not provide (...)
read more, comments... DR Congo’s Historic Urgency.
By : Brian McAfee - Monday November 17, 2008 By Brian McAfee The conditions in the democratic republic of Congo are dire for millions of its people despite the fact that the Congo has more mineral wealth than any other part of the African continent. Over a quarter of a million people are displaced because of the civil war currently raging in the eastern part of the country. Women and children have been primary targets of both sides in the conflict with rape used as a weapon by both sides. The war between the government forces and (...)
read more, comments... Pakistan Earthquake Response
By : Brian McAfee - Friday October 31, 2008 By Brian McAfee With now over 300 reported deaths, 500 injured and thousands rendered homeless as a result of the October 29 earthquake that struck Baluchistan in southwest Pakistan a new need for humanitarian assistance presents itself. Many in the area have left their homes because of fear that their homes will collapse due to structural damage from the initial earthquake or the numerous aftershocks that continue to occur. UNICEF reports that over 70,00o people, 30,000 of them (...)
read more, comments... Too Few Aware Of World Orphan Week.
By : Brian McAfee - Saturday October 11, 2008 By Brian McAfee October 11 marked the end of World Orphan Week. With 133 million orphans in the world today, most in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and 15 million of them orphaned due to HIV/AIDS (according to SOS Children) we have a moral responsibility to ensure the basic needs orphans around the World. These needs include health, education and welfare. Addressing poverty issues in the various regions particularly populated with high levels of orphaned or abandoned children is being (...)
read more, comments... Pakistan As "New" Front In Terror War.
By : Brian McAfee - Friday September 26, 2008 The truck bomb that exploded in front of Islamabad’s Marriott hotel killing at least 53 people heralded in the latest salvo in the the U.S.’s and Mujahedin’s love/hate relationship. Their relationship began in 1979 in Afghanistan and Pakistan when the U.S., starting with Jimmy Carter and his National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brezezinski hatched an idea of using the most extreme militant Islamists to first draw in the Soviets (to Afghanistan) then go to war against them. (...)
read more, comments... The Afghan War’s Heavy Toll On Children
By : Brian McAfee - Wednesday September 3, 2008 By Brian McAfee Again today reports coming out of Afghanistan indicate more dead children. Three were killed and seven injured when western troops fired artillery shells at a civilian house in western Afghanistan. This occurs in the wake of the August 22 bombing that resulted in the deaths of 90 people, 60 children, 15 women and 15 men. Afghans and UN officials have confirmed the numbers but the U.S. insists there were only 5 dead children and 25 dead Taliban. Civilian casualties are a (...)
read more, comments... Bush’s False Analogies Between Vietnam and Iraq!
By : Brian McAfee - Wednesday September 26, 2007 By Brian McAfee With President Bush recently bringing up the killing fields of South East Asia as justification for the US continuing the war in Iraq [1], I could not help but think of John Pilger’s 1991 film "Cambodia: The Betrayal." This documentary investigates and outlines the West’s, particularly the US’s, behind the scenes and ongoing support for Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Indeed, this backing began during the Carter administration and it continued throughout (...)
read more, comments... Two Island Tales, The Use and Abuse of Power
By : Brian McAfee - Friday August 24, 2007 By Brian McAfee The idyllic lives of two island based populations were inexorably changed and came close to annihilation just to accommodate U.S. supposed protection of democracy. Both Bikini Atoll in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean’s Diego Garcia island were populated by thriving, self sufficient, fishing based population until coming under the radar screen of British and U.S. hegemonic interests. The disregard and callus indifference towards the effected populations show the true (...)
read more, comments... South Asia Monsoon Crisis Presents An Opportunity To Learn And Prepare For Future Crisis.
By : Brian McAfee - Wednesday August 15, 2007 by Brian McAfee. Is the South Asia monsoon a harbinger of things to come and will we be ready next time around? The perennial monsoon floods that have devastated parts of Bangladesh, India, and Nepal are said to be the worst in 30 years. The death toll has surpassed 2,200. meanwhile, the event has made over twenty million people homeless and has resulted in massive crop failure, ensuring hunger, poverty and homelessness for millions of men, women and children in South Asia for some time (...)
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