Dear one, Everyone is saddened at BayFM and in the Byron Shire with the news of Terrie Well’s , aka Red Terra's,  death on Monday. The radio program presented by Red Terra “The Shakedown” has been a  regular and informative environmental program on BayFM since the station began broadcasting.  We will all miss her. Our precious earth will miss her activism.

Today a couple of stories are presented about issues that have been getting me a bit cranky. The media beat up inducing fear about Swine Flu. Not only fear of illness and death but fear of each other. The other stories taken for the Wire are about our involvement in Afghanistan. Why is the West involved in a war there?  Get Malalai Joya’s book “ Raising My Voice” , which is available in the Richmond Tweed library system, read what it is really like under ‘democracy’ for the majority of the Afghani people.

Love and peace to you

ros

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

http://www.ncahs.nsw.gov.au/news/fullstory.php?storyid=669&siteid=142

http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/swine_flu.html

Australians question war again after soldier's death

Produced by Nick Hollins

The death of 22-year-old Australian Private Benjamin Ranaudo has raised the legitimacy of Australia’s participation in Afghanistan yet again. As coalition forces push into Taliban strongholds in an effort to achieve security for the upcoming Afghan elections, some question why Australian forces are there at all. The troop surge has resulted in the highest coalition casualties of any month since the war began. The UK Government is under public pressure to look after their soldier’s safety, and in the wake of the Jakarta bombings, Prime Minister Rudd has linked Private Renaudo’s death to the fight against global terrorism. But are Australian casualties being used to justify the war effort? Featured in story: Richard Tanter, Professor of International Relations at Nautilus Institute, RMIT.

Experts challenge government line on Afghanistan and Indonesia  

Produced by Michael Edwards

Indonesia experts today questioned the government's attempt to link the death of another Australian soldier in Afghanistan, to last Friday’s terrorist bombing in Jakarta. The government’s rhetoric suggests that the global War on Terror is still very much with us. But how has terrorism in our region changed since the 2002 Bali bombings? And how real is the link between Indonesian terrorists and the war in Afghanistan? Featured in story: Professor Hugh White, Head of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at ANU; Sally Neighbour, author and ABC journalist.