Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Afghanistan

2007-07-01T23:08:13Z

ChePollo:

{{country
|map=Af-map.gif
|capital=Kabul
|president=Hamid Karzai
}}
'''Afghanistan''' is a landlocked country in southern [[Asia]], bordering [[Pakistan]] to the south and east and [[Iran]] to the west. Afghanistan is known in the modern world for the decade-long influence of the [[Islamism|Islamist]] [[Taliban]] government, which was overthrown by American-led forces in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, but still retains strong influence and is currently conducting a campaign of guerrilla warfare. Most Afghans are [[Sunni]] [[Muslims]]. The current President of Afghanistan is Hamid Karzai. Afghanistan has two Vice Presidents, Ahmad Zia Masood and Abdul Karim Khalili. <ref>[https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html CIA World Factbook]</ref> Afghanistan's capital is Kabul.

Afghanistan is the world's leading producer of opium. The fact that the opium trade is a funding source for terrorist organizations has led to attempts to curtail the Afghan opium trade, but this has been difficult due to the lack of profitability of growing other crops. About a third of Afghanistan's economy is dependent upon the drug trade. <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5308180.stm</ref>

An oil-pipeline built by Bechtel, Haliburton and other big [[American (USA)|American]] firms, running from from the Caspian Sea to Pakistan, crosses through Afghanistan. This has NOTHING to do with the invasion by Coalition forces in 2001.

Not even slightly.

'''''IT'S NOT ABOUT OIL!'''''

'''''ES GEHT NICHT UM ÖL! WIR WOLLTEN NUR FREIHEIT ZUM LAND BRINGEN! ÖL KAM NICHT IN DER FRAGE!!'''''
<references/>

[[Category:Asian Countries]]

Four Horsemen

2007-07-01T23:00:22Z

ChePollo:

The '''Four Horsemen''' were four [[conservative]] [[Supreme Court]] Justices during the 1932-1937 terms of the Court, during the Administration of President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]. These four Justices were [[Pierce Butler]], [[James McReynolds]], [[George Sutherland]] and [[Willis Van Devanter]]. In the middle of the Court were Chief Justice [[Charles Evans Hughes]] and Justice [[Owen J. Roberts]]. On the [[liberal]] side were Justices [[Louis Brandeis]], [[Benjamin Cardozo]], and [[Harlan Fiske Stone]], Hughes often sided with the liberals, while Roberts often agreed with the Four Horsemen.

The Court unanimously invalidated the [[National Industrial Recovery Act]] in May 1935.<ref>''Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States'', 295 U.S. 495 (1935)</ref> But the following fall, the [[liberal]] Justices moved in favor of upholding other aspects of the [[New Deal]].

The Four Horsemen, together with Roberts and Hughes, invalidated key parts of the [[New Deal]] during the 1935 term. They struck down the [[Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933]],<ref>''United States v. Butler'', 297 U.S. 1 (1936)</ref> regulations of the [[coal]] industry,<ref>''Carter v. Carter Coal'', 298 U.S. 238 (1936)</ref> and the New York [[minimum wage]] law for women and children. and in , the Four together with Roberts voided legislation regulating the coal industry, and the same line-up voided a New York minimum wage law for women and children.<ref>''Morehead v. New York'', 298 U.S. 587 (1936)</ref>

The Four Horsemen were known to commute to the Court together as they worked out their arguments.

President Roosevelt's response was to propose his [[court-packing scheme]], which Congress and the American public rejected. This cost Roosevelt much in the way of credibility. But the retirement of Van Devanter in June 1937 and President Roosevelt's replacement of him by the liberal Justice [[Hugo Black]] terminated the power of the Four Horsemen.

==Other uses==
''Revelation 6:1-8'' describes four horsemen who will ride a white, red, black, and "pale" horse respectively, and are often said to refer to [[pestilence]], [[war]], [[famine]], and [[death]]. They are often referred to as "the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." Ronnie, the Fifth Horseman, however, left before the group became famous and now works as a milkman. He is ''always'' on time.

A popular movie of 1921, "The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse," which starred [[Rudolph Valentino]], and may have popularized this particular phrasing.

Four stars of the Notre Dame football team in the 1920s were referred to as the "Four Horsemen."

== References ==

<references/>

Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp

2007-07-01T22:43:57Z

ChePollo:

[[Image:050127 guantanamo hmed 12p hmedium.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
The '''Guantanamo Bay detention camp''' (also known as God's Blind Spot) is a military [[prison]] of the [[United States of America]], and Human Rights' black hole, on the southeastern tip of the island of [[Cuba]]. In this prison, the people being held are accused by the US government of [[terrorism]]. The [[liberal]] organization Center for Constitutional Rights is organizing attorneys to file [[habeas corpus]] petitions in the Washington, D.C., federal court on behalf of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay. [http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/reports/report.asp?ObjID=pQOvjcVXXK&Content=406]

On April 2, 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court denied appeals by a group of detainees of this camp, with the majority stating that it would be inappropriate to rule until the group had exhausted other remedies.<ref>[[Withdraw of Jurisdiction Upheld - Original Work|Supreme Court rules against detainees]]</ref><ref>Congressional Research Service Report [http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33180.pdf Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court], updated April 6, 2007.</ref>

== Guantanamo Bay ==

Guantanamo Bay is a coastal area on southeastern Cuba occupied and controlled by the United States government pursuant to a 1903 Lease Agreement with the newly independent Republic of Cuba subsequent to the Spanish-American War. The Agreement established that:<ref>''Rasul v. Bush'', 542 U.S. 466 (2004) (quoting lease).</ref>

:"the United States recognizes the continuance of the ultimate sovereignty of the Republic of Cuba over the [leased areas]," but "the Republic of Cuba consents that during the period of the occupation by the United States . . . the United States shall exercise complete jurisdiction and control over and within said areas."

In 1934 the United States and Cuba entered into another treaty that provided that, absent an agreement to modify or abrogate the lease, it would remain in effect "[s]o long as the United States of America shall not abandon the . . . naval station of Guantanamo."<ref>''Id.''</ref>

== Detention Camp ==

Due to security concerns the media has not been given access to the detention center, and the [[George W. Bush|Bush]] administration has said that interrogations are vital tools for winning the [[War on Terror]]<ref>"The president said the legislation must allow the [[CIA]]’s interrogation program to continue. "The information the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] has obtained by questioning men like [[Khalid Sheikh Mohammed]] has helped disrupt terrorist plots, including planned strikes inside the [[United States]] and on a U.S. Marine base in [[East Africa]], an American consulate in [[Pakistan]], and Britain's [[Heathrow Airport]]," Bush said "This CIA program has saved American lives, and the lives of people in other countries.”" [http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=September&x=20060916101245esnamfuak0.5314905] </ref> There have, however, been a number of accusations of the use of [[torture]], and some detainees are believed to have been brought in via [[extraordinary rendition]]. <ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,,1981955,00.html]</ref><ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=377623&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3706050.stm]</ref> Majid Khan, a native of Pakistan is suspected of providing material support for [[al Qaeda]] terrorism, transporting people across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, and expressing a desire to assassinate Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf by suicide attack. Khan submitted a “statement of torture" at a combatant status review tribunal hearing, claiming he was mentally tortured during his detainment. Among his complaints were that he and other detainees were given low-quality soap and other toiletries, noisy fans and deflated balls for recreation that hardly bounced. Khan testified he had refused to eat or drink, and complained that his captors responded by force-feeding intravenously. <ref> [http://www.centcom.mil/sites/uscentcom2/FrontPage%20Stories/Evidence%20Links%20‘High-Value’%20Detainee%20to%20Al%20Qaeda.aspx Evidence Links ‘High-Value’ Detainee to Al Qaeda], By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service, May 15, 2007. </ref>

In another case, some 22 Chinese Muslim detainees have been cleared of all wrong doing, but have been held in the prison camp for more than five years. The Bush administration fears they will face persecution if they are returned home, so they continue to stay in prison, having committed no crime. <ref>Taipei Times http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/05/30/2003157526</ref><ref>Jurist http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/04/us-asks-germany-to-take-chinese.php</ref>

*The Australian [[David Hicks]] has been held in the camp for over five years. He was originally charged with "conspiracy, attempted murder by an unprivileged belligerent and aiding the enemy." <ref>http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun2004/d20040610cs.pdf Hicks' original charge sheet</ref> but these charges were dropped "after the US Supreme Court ruled the original military commissions system established by President Bush unconstitutional without Congressional authorization." <ref>http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2007/02/us-re-charging-guantanamo-detainees.php Some background on the charge process</ref> He was later charged with "providing material support of terrorism" and "attempted murder in violation of the law of war" - the latter charge was also dropped. <ref>http://www.defenselink.mil/news/d20070301hicks.pdf The Hicks Charge Sheet</ref> <ref>http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/hicks-knew-fight-was-wrong/2007/03/26/1174761313462.html</ref>. On March 26, 2007 David Hicks pleaded guilty to the charge. "A prisoner exchange agreement between Australia and the US means Hicks will be allowed to serve out any remaining prison time in Australia, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today."<ref>http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/hicks-pleads-guilty/2007/03/27/1174761414531.html</ref> News reports after the trial stated that "Hicks has pleaded guilty to only one of two counts under the charge. It says that, in Afghanistan during 2000 and 2001, he provided material support for al-Qaeda, which was engaged in terrorism against the US. He pleaded not guilty to a second count that said he provided material support or resources "to be used in preparation for, or in carrying out, an act of terrorism". <ref>http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/short-jail-term-tipped-for-hicks/2007/03/28/1174761567951.html Short Jail Term Tipped For Hicks</ref> <br>
Hicks was sentenced to another seven years in prison by the Military Commision panel but a pre-trial plea bargain drastically cut that sentence. He will spend the last seven months of his sentence in an Australian prison, Yatala Labour Prison. Hicks arrived back in Australia on May 20, 2007. He is due for release from prison in Adelaide, South Australia, in late December, 2007.<ref>http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/hicks-elated-after-long-journey-home/2007/05/20/1179601242787.html Elated to be in solitary confinement</ref> He is not permitted, under the terms of his plea bargain, to speak with any media for 12 months. <ref>http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/hicks-will-be-free-by-new-year/2007/03/30/1174761754698.html Hicks Will Be Free By New Year</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/ Naval Station Website]
*[http://www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil/ Joint Task Force Website]
*[http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2006/d20060515%20List.pdf List of detainees at Guatanamo Bay]
*[http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/Detainee_Affairs/ US Dept of Defence site]
*[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118217520339739055.html?mod=mm_main_promo_left The Prison Poets Of Guantanamo Find a Publisher]

*[http://www.fairgofordavid.org/ Another David Hicks site]

[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Military]]

War on Terrorism

2007-07-01T22:38:06Z

ChePollo:

The '''War on [[Terrorism]]''' is a collective term used to refer to several military operations with the stated goal of "ending international terrorism". The War on Terror ended in 2006, when, as a result of American military force, Terrorism surrendered unilaterally.

Salvador Allende

2007-07-01T22:29:35Z

ChePollo:

'''Salvador Allende''' was the President of Chile from 1970 to 1973. South America's only Marxist leader at the time, his overthrow and death are very controversial.

==History==

Salvador Allende was was born July 26, 1908, in Valparaiso. Allende was a member of the [[Socialist Party of Chile]].
Allende, representing a coalition of [[Marxist]] parties,
came to power in 1970 after received narrowly beating his closest opponent with of 36.3 percent of the vote. [http://foia.state.gov/Reports/ChurchReport.asp]
Allende was outspoken in his intent to dramatically "transform" Chile according to socialist principles, which concerned moderate voters and politicians. The Chilean Congress voted to give Allende the presidency, in accordance with run-off rules in place at the time, but required Allende to sign a special statement promising that his reforms would always respect the constitution.

During his government, Allende instituted a plan called "La vía chilena al socialismo" which lead to widespread disruption of the Chilean economy. The media wrote extensively of his failures. He "nationalized" many industries. Strikes and shutdowns caused massive inflation and unrest, and the conservative-controlled Chilean Congress sought to reject Allende's proposals whenever possible, causing considerable political gridlock.

In 1973, at the height of numerous [[Cold War]] crisis's occurring simulataneously worldwide, the socialist government was overthrown in a [[coup d'etat]]. The Chilean National Commision on Truth and Reconciliation concluded in its 1991 report, "Within hours Chile's elected president, Salvador Allende, lay dead (this report concludes that he committed suicide), and a military junta presided by [[Augusto Pinochet]] took power."<ref>http://www.usip.org/library/tc/doc/reports/chile/chile_1993_introeng.html</ref> Many in the US vigorously protested both the CIA's alleged involvement in the coup, and the appalling human rights violations that followed, including the murder of [[Victor Jara]], a popular songwriter and musician and ardent supporter of Allende. Jara was one of several thousand Chileans who were taken into custody the day after the coup. He was tortured for several days, then shot to death.<ref>http://www.usip.org/library/tc/doc/reports/chile/1993_pt3ch1_A2a2_153-167.html</ref>

The Senate Intelligence Committe under Senator [[Frank Church ]]investigated US involement and exonerated the Nixon administration of any unlawful activity. <ref>[http://www.foia.state.gov/Reports/ChurchReport.asp Church Report. Covert Action in Chile 1963-1973]. United States Senate. 94th Cong. 1st Ses. GPO 63-372. Washington. 1975.</ref><ref>Falcoff, Mark, [http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Printable.asp?ID=10612 ''Kissinger and Chile''], Commentary Magazine, 10 November 2003.</ref>
[http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/09/19/us.cia.chile.ap/]
[http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB8/ch01-01.htm]

==Legacy==

Allende has become a common martyr for leftists and Anti-Americans around the world, who blame the United States and the CIA for Allende's death, and by extention the death of Chilean socialism. Though the nature of the CIA involvement continues to be widely debated, as well as Allende's status as a truly "democratic" leader, many conservatives have argued that the coup against his government was justified, as Allende had totalitarian, Communist ambitions. Some conservatives in turn have defended the subsquent regime of [[Augusto Pinochet]] as a morally superior government, while others have criticized Pinochet's regime as well. Mainly due to the huge number of Chileans who 'dissapeared' during his regime.

==References==
<references />

==External links==

*[http://www.lyd.com/noticias/violencia/what_really.html ''What Really Happened In Chile 30 Years Ago''], James R. Whelan, Wall Street Journal Online, 12 September 2003.
*[https://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/chile/index.html CIA Activities in Chile], September 18, 2000.

[[Category:Heads of state|Allende, Salvador]]