Barack Obama campaigned for the US presidency on a pledge to fight a smarter war. This means covert operations, drone strikes and assassinations.

For example, in 2009 US Commandos stormed a compound in Afghanistan that they believed was housing a Taliban cell. They killed 5 people, 3 of them were women, 2 of them pregnant. One was a senior police commander trained by the Americans to fight the Taliban. None were Taliban.

Instead of realising they had been fed bad intelligence and owning the fact that they had killed these people, the Americans dug the bullets out of the bodies of the people they had killed and then tried to blame it, alternately on the Taliban and also on an honour killing, implying that the women had been killed by their own murderous families.

America only admitted this cover-up after evidence was exposed in the form of a video taken weeks after the raid showing the leader of the raid, William McRaven - at the time the head of the most secretive and elite force available to the President of the United States (JSOC) - offering to sacrifice some sheep to the family in apology.

This is just one of many examples investigated by war correspondent, Jeremy Scahill in his book and documentary, ‘Dirty Wars’, detailing America’s failing ‘War on Terror’ and how their actions around the world are only serving to further radicalise people against them.

Dirty Wars will be shown at the New Zealand International Film Festival 2013.

www.dirtywars.org/jeremy-scahill

FURTHER DISCUSSION:

A Radio New Zealand (Kim Hill) interview with Scahill:

An RT interview with Scahill:

Animation by Sam Webber with music by Zach Webber, aka Paperghost.

These photos were taken April 24th by Chris Andrews of thebigcity.co.nz.
View the full photoset > here. Thanks Chris!

April 23rd. We bid farewell to our dreamtime in Marahau and hit the road for Christchurch…

The morning view from Tim’s Place, Marahau

Tim’s Place

Our sleeping quarters!

A cup of tea and sultana loaf thanks to team Morrison.

On the inland road to Christchurch…

Simo’s kebab caravan on Bealey Ave, Christchurch.

Cash the dog.

Photos from 22nd April, when the sun finally came out and let us go exploring!

For those who don’t know, Marahau is a small town (Pop. 500) just out of Motueka in the South Island of New Zealand, with a sweeeeeeeeet venue in a big hall by the name of ‘Tim’s Place’, aka the home and workshop of the wood carver and legendary dude, Tim Wraight.

The show was great, with ‘locals’ from as far away as Nelson making the journey (coz that’s how they roll!). Tim granted us the luxury of hanging out for a few days while some incessant rain kept us all cozied up… These photos from 20th & 21st of April… The sun came out the following day so we could check out the Abel Tasman National Park (pics to follow…)

All Seeing Hand @ Tim’s Place, Marahau

Marahau beachfront.

Fog galore.

…more »

Check out this sweeeeet couple of tracks from Grayson Gilmour and Paperghost!! Name your price for the download.

graysongilmour.bandcamp.com/album/in-a-former-life-i-worshipped-the-sun

We’re back in Wellington after a wonderful ten-day tour (with six shows) around the South Island of New Zealand. Here’s some pictures from day one - embarking from Wellington, April 19th… more pics to come!!

Early start / view from Roseneath, Wellington.

Cook Strait ferry

Ben Knight drinks tea

David Morrison looks cool

Misty Marlborough sounds

Ferry breath

Overboard

Jonny Marks throat singing on the ferry!

…more »

Hey there! Are you in Wellington? Perhaps you might like to see some painting, drawing & sculptures by the lovely Georgette Brown ?!

@ 19 Tory St, Wellington, May 1st - 4th only.

georgettebrown.tumblr.com

SCR023 - Sacred Space
: A vast collage of synth, vocal and resonance explorations. Originally composed for an exhibition of art by Georgette Brown - ‘Calming Deities & Sacred Spaces’ in 2012. Download only, pay what you like (no minimum!).
: 1 track, 20 minutes.
> www.iryoko.bandcamp.com/album/sacred-space