Libya: 'Mass killing' sites in Tripoli

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14729083

I have been keeping up with the Human Rights Watch details through BBC for the past week and a half or so, and the details are pretty disturbing. What worries me is that there have been no answers as to who has been committing these atrocities. There were 200 plus bodies found in the Abu Salim Hospital were abandoned by the staff, due to fighting in the area, but there is still doubt if that really was the case, and if orders were given to leave the wounded. But there is no link yet as to who gave the orders. What I feel is the real news in the past week is that the 32nd Brigade, or "Khamis Brigade," headed by Col. Gaddafi's son was using a warehouse as a temporary prison, where they executed at least 47 prisoners. This evidence actually points at someone who can be convicted of war crimes. Up to this point in the Libyan conflict there has been no clear cut culprit to specific crimes, and now we have evidence of a specific name that goes with a specific crime. Human Rights Watch has witnesses that can testify what happened there as there are 20 some escapees. What is more disturbing, is that pro-Gaddafi forces are not the only ones who have allegedly committed crimes. Outside of Bab al-Aziziya, there were pro-Gaddafi forces found dead, most wearing the loyalist green, some with their hands tied, and bullet wounds to the head. I find it hard to believe that loyalists would kill other loyalists execution style. This points to war crimes committed by the rebels. The question now is if HRW puts members of the regime on trial, they cannot go without putting the rebels on trial. These investigations are no where near over, but I feel as though there will be many of these instances where there is no ultimate resolution or conviction of the people holding decision-making power.

Ben Bernard (9am Friday)

Syrian town of Rastan 'surrounded by tanks'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14706236

The rest of the middle east quickly tiring of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore his treatment of his citizens. Syria's rebels are most likely heartened by the success seen (so far) by the rebels in Libya and are not likely to give up this fight. In my opinion, if President al-Assad does not secede his power soon, the fighting will worsen and the rest of the world, including Syria's allies, (among them Iran and Russia) will have no choice but to take some kind of action.

Alex Chesna (Friday 9am section)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pamela-gerloff/the-psychology-of-revenge_b_856184.html?ref=fb&src=sp

An extremely on point article. I'm boggled with the whole "justice has been served" notion coming from all of this. To think that a lot of people see this as the end to the "war on terror" is also a bit confusing. I am all for ending the war, but when someone only says that after OBL has been killed is frightening. That means that they equate everything thats happened to the sole purpose of killing him. Lets take a second to regard the costs that it took to get us there. Or better yet lets ask the families of all of the innocent people in the Middle East. All of the people, American or not that were killed around the world due to the belief that Osama was the reason. Can they find justice within the bullet in him? Bin laden was not only responsible for the lives of Americans but countless others including the tarnishing of the name of Islam. Its important to note that not celbrating his death does not mean you somehow support Osama or are not grateful that it occured. Its about introspection and taking things beyond either celebrating in the streets or building a shrine in his memory.

Razan Abu-Hashish
Ryan; Friday Section at 11

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/02/osama.bin.laden.emotions/index.html

This entire topic has been troubling to me. I understand what he did and what he represents but celebration over his death does not sit well with me. Are we celebrating revenge or justice? Either way I don't understand how people can react the way they do. This may be a sigh of relief but it should be something we accept and move on from. He is just a symbol and nothing has really changed in my opinion.

Tyler Smith
Armel, 1:00 PM

Polish-Lithuanian row grows worse

http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2011/04/poland-lithuania

Poland and Lithuania have been at odds with each other, especially in the past six-eight months. Historical tensions between the two countries have kept relations icy since Lithuania regained independence with the fall of the Soviet Union and the issue now is the treatment of minorities. Lithuania, as an EU member, has to uphold a certain standard of treatment for minority populations, most notably its large Polish population centered in/around Vilnius. The Polish minority claims that they are receiving unfair treatment, especially over the inability to spell their names using Polish letters. This seems like a trivial issue to outsiders but to Poles and Lithuanians its a major point of contention. Poles see their inability to spell their names in proper Polish orthography (Lithuanian is the only recognized language) as a domineering Lithuanian stance. Lithuania would have to change its constitution to allow this change and that seems right out to them; the efforts by Poland and Polish Lithuanians to change these seems like bullying from their larger neighbor that ties into the history of antagonism between the two groups. The row between these two countries has led to Poland seeking closer ties with other neighbors and they are seeking to sell an oil-refinery that they owned in Lithuania as well as cancelling plans to build a power plant that would serve these two countries and the other Baltic states.

Cullen
Ryan@11

Obama Says He Won’t Release Photos of Bin Laden’s Corpse

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/05/us/politics/05binladen.html

After some days of debating at the White House, President Obama decided that he will not release picture's of Osama Bin Laden's body. His main argument behind this decision is that putting those pictures on the internet will only "inflame tensions" in the Muslim world and would do little to convince skeptics.

Personally, I understand the president's reasoning and I do agree that by not releasing the photos he will avoid violent acts that could arise from Bin Laden supporters. As I have been reading about Osama Bin Laden's death, I have encountered many arguments lead by skeptics in which they argue that without proof in the form of photographs, they cannot be sure that Osama was actually killed. Looking at the issue from the skeptic perspective I understood their point, but how would those skeptics know that the photos are real? If we are going to be completely skeptic, we might as well argue that in current times the government possesses the adequate technology to release "fake" pictures, and therefore the photographs would NOT constitute enough evidence to convince the public.

Although it is true that the public deserves to know of the details of the operation and what was done afterwards (i.e. why did authorities decide that they would throw the body into the sea? that struck me as an interesting decision), I agree that it is more important to be cautious about how the information impacts the Muslim world. As Representative Mike Rogers, Republican of Michigan and chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, explains in this article "Imagine how the American people would react if Al Qaeda killed one of our troops or military leaders, and put photos of the body on the internet (...) Osama Bin Laden is not a trophy. He is dead, and let's now focus on continuing the fight until Al Qaeda has been eliminated".

Laura Zocchi

Ryan Maness Friday Section 1pm

Cyber-attacks by North Korea

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/03/korea-north-cyber-idUSL3E7G31BT20110503

North Korea has been launching cyber attacks on South Korea. In this cyber terrorist attack, North Korea disrupted a firm's computer system that prevent customers from using their credit cards. I wonder what other kinds of cyber terrorist attacks can be done. Additionally, if a cyber terrorist attack really hinders South Korea, I am curious as to how South Korea would retaliate to this kind of situation.

Kevin Ho

Armel - 1-1:50 p.m. Fridays