The American Observer

For the 1988 book, see Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. "Rally 'Round the Flag" redirects here. For other uses, see Rally 'Round the Flag (disambiguation). "Battle Cry of Freedom" Cover of the 1862 sheet music for "Battle Cry of Freedom" Song Published 1862 Songwriter(s) George Frederick Root The "Battle Cry of Freedom", also known as "Rally 'Round the Flag", is a song written in 1862 by American composer George Frederick Root (1820–1895) during the American Civil War. A patriotic song advocating the causes of Unionism and abolitionism, it became so popular that composer H. L. Schreiner and lyricist W. H. Barnes adapted it for the Confederacy.[1] A modified Union version was used as the campaign song for the Lincoln-Johnson ticket in the 1864 presidential election, as well as in elections after the war, such as for Garfield in the 1880 U.S. presidential election.[2] The song was so popular that the music publisher had 14 printing presses going at one time and still could not keep up with demand. It is estimated that over 700,000 copies of this song were put in circulation. Louis Moreau Gottschalk thought so highly of the song that in his diary he confided that he thought "it should be our national anthem" and used it as the basis for his 1863 concert paraphrase for solo piano "Le Cri de délivrance," opus 55, and dedicated it to Root, who was a personal friend. Charles Ives quoted the song in several compositions, including his own patriotic song, "They Are There".[3] % Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/21566/21566-h/images/battlecry.pdf \new Score { \new Staff { << \new Voice = "one" \relative c'' { \clef treble \key bes \major \time 4/4 \partial 8*2 bes8 c | d8 d d8. c16 bes4 g8. a16 | bes8 bes bes8. a16 g2 | f4 f8. ees16 d8 f bes8. c16 | d2 c4 } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" { Yes we'll ral -- ly round the flag, boys, we'll ral -- ly once a -- gain, Shout -- ing the bat -- tle -- cry of Free -- dom } >> } } History "Battle Cry of Freedom" proved popular among Union soldiers during the American Civil War. According to Henry Stone, a Union war veteran recalling in the late 1880s, the song helped the morale of Union soldiers: A glee club came down from Chicago, bringing with them the new song, "We'll rally 'round the flag, boys", and it ran through the camp like wildfire. The effect was little short of miraculous. It put as much spirit and cheer into the army as a victory. Day and night one could hear it by every camp fire and in every tent. I never shall forget how the men rolled out the line, "And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave." I do not know whether Mr. Root knows what good work his song did for us there, but I hope so. — Henry Stone, The Century Illustrated, "Memoranda on the Civil War: A Song in Camp" (1887), emphasis added[4] According to historian Christian L. McWhirter, the song's success and popularity among the Union was due to its even-handed references to both abolitionism and unionism. Thus, both groups of Unionists, those opposed to slavery and secession, could utilize the song without reservation: The ability of "The Battle Cry of Freedom" to bridge divisions over emancipation is not surprising. The song's definition of the Northern cause is purposely open-ended. Those looking for anti-slavery sentiments could find them, but these elements were not so pronounced as to offend those who were solely unionists. The chorus was the key, for it was there that Root described why Northerners rallied around the flag. The first line boldly endorsed a perpetual Union – "The Union forever" – followed by a strong dismissal of secession: "Down with the traitor, up with the star." However, the battle cry Root shouted was one of "freedom." Freedom had many meanings in the Civil War – for instance, freedom from Confederate political tyranny or the oft-perceived "slaveholders' conspiracy" – but, in the context of Root’s political beliefs and other activities, he clearly meant to suggest some degree of abolitionism. — Christian L. McWhirter, The New York Times, "Birth of the 'Battle Cry'" (July 27, 2012)[5] Lyrics (Union version) "The Battle Cry of Freedom" Oh we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again,[6] Shouting the battle cry of freedom, And we'll rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain, Shouting the battle cry of freedom. (Chorus) The Union forever, hurrah! boys, hurrah! Down with the traitors, up with the stars; While we rally round the flag, boys, we rally once again, Shouting the battle cry of freedom! Oh we're springing to the call for three hundred thousand more,[a] Shouting the battle cry of freedom! And we'll fill the vacant ranks with a million freemen more,[7][8][b] Shouting the battle cry of freedom. (Chorus) We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave, Shouting the battle cry of freedom! And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave,[c] Shouting the battle cry of freedom! (Chorus) So we're springing to the call from the East and from the West, Shouting the battle cry of Freedom; And we'll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love the best, Shouting the battle cry of Freedom. (Chorus) Extended lyrics (Union version) As published in Hoge, The Boys in Blue (1867) pp. 477–479.[9] Oh we'll rally round the flag, boys, We'll rally once again, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; We will rally from the hill-side, We will gather from the plain, Shouting the battle-cry of freedom. (Chorus) The Union forever! Hurrah, boys, hurrah! Down with the Traitors, up with the Stars; While we rally round the flag, boys, Rally once again, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom! We are springing to the call Of our brothers gone before, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And we'll fill the vacant ranks With a million freemen more, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) We will welcome to our number The loyal, true and brave, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. And although he may be poor, He shall never be a slave, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom! (Chorus) So we're springing to the call From the East and from the West, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And we'll hurl the Rebel crew From the land we love the best, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) We are marching to the field, boys, Going to the fight, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And we'll bear the glorious Stars Of the Union and the Right, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) We'll meet the Rebel host, boys, With fearless hearts and true, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And we'll show what Uncle Sam Has for loyal men to do, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) If we fail amid the fray, boys, We will face them to the last, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And our comrades brave shall hear us, As we are rushing past, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) Yes, for Liberty and Union, We are springing to the fight, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And the victory shall be ours, Forever rising in our might, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) Lyrics (Confederate version) Our flag is proudly floating on the land and on the main, Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! Beneath it oft we've conquered, and we'll conquer oft again! Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! (Chorus) Our Dixie forever! She's never at a loss! Down with the eagle and up with the cross While we rally 'round the Bonnie flag, we'll rally once again, Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! Our gallant boys have marched to the rolling of the drums. Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! And the leaders in charge cry out, "Come, boys, come!" Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! (Chorus) They have laid down their lives on the bloody battle field. Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! Their motto is resistance – "To the tyrants never yield!" Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! (Chorus) While our boys have responded and to the fields have gone! Shout, shout the battle cry of freedom! Our noble women also have aided them at home! Shout, shout the battle cry of freedom! (Chorus) Chorus (1864 election campaign) For Lincoln and Johnson, hurrah, boys, hurrah! Down with the rebellion and on with the war, While we rally round the cause, boys, we'll rally in our might, Singing the holy cause of freemen.

Hezbollah (/ˌhɛzbəˈlɑː/,[43] /ˌxɛz-/; Arabic: حزب الله, romanized: Ḥizbu 'llāh, lit. 'Party of Allah' or 'Party of God')[a] is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group,[44][45] led since 1992 by its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council,[46] and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. Its armed strength was assessed to be equivalent to that of a medium-sized army in 2016.[47] Hezbollah was established by Lebanese clerics primarily to fight the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.[14] It adopted the model set out by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini after the Iranian Revolution in 1979, and the party's founders adopted the name "Hezbollah" as chosen by Khomeini. Since then, close ties have developed between Iran and Hezbollah.[48] The organization was created with the support of 1,500 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) instructors,[49] and aggregated a variety of Lebanese Shia groups into a unified organization to resist the then-current Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon.[50][51][14][52] During the Lebanese Civil War, Hezbollah's 1985 manifesto listed its objectives as the expulsion of "the Americans, the French and their allies definitely from Lebanon, putting an end to any colonialist entity on our land".[53] Hezbollah also participated in the 1985–2000 South Lebanon conflict against the South Lebanon Army (SLA) and Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and fought again with the IDF in the 2006 Lebanon War. During the 1990s, Hezbollah also organized volunteers to fight for the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War.[54][55][56][57] Since 1990, Hezbollah has participated in Lebanese politics, in a process which is described as the Lebanonization of Hezbollah, and it later participated in the government of Lebanon and joined political alliances. After the 2006–08 Lebanese protests[58] and clashes,[59] a national unity government was formed in 2008, with Hezbollah and its opposition allies obtaining 11 of 30 cabinet seats, enough to give them veto power.[60] In August 2008, Lebanon's new cabinet unanimously approved a draft policy statement that recognizes Hezbollah's existence as an armed organization and guarantees its right to "liberate or recover occupied lands" (such as the Shebaa Farms). Hezbollah is part of Lebanon's March 8 Alliance, in opposition to the March 14 Alliance. It maintains strong support among Lebanese Shia Muslims,[61] while Sunnis have disagreed with its agenda.[62][63] Hezbollah also has support in some Christian areas of Lebanon.[64] Since 2012, Hezbollah involvement in the Syrian civil war has seen it join the Syrian government in its fight against the Syrian opposition, which Hezbollah has described as a Zionist plot and a "Wahhabi-Zionist conspiracy" to destroy its alliance with Bashar al-Assad against Israel.[65][66] Between 2013 and 2015, the organization deployed its militia in both Syria and Iraq to fight or train local militias to fight against the Islamic State.[67][68] In the 2018 Lebanese general election, Hezbollah held 12 seats and its alliance won the election by gaining 70 out of 128 seats in the Parliament of Lebanon.[69][70] Hezbollah did not disarm after the Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon, in contravention of the UN Security Council resolution 1701.[71] From 2006, the group's military strength grew significantly,[72][73] to the extent that its paramilitary wing became more powerful than the Lebanese Army.[74][75] Hezbollah has been described as a "state within a state",[76] and has grown into an organization with seats in the Lebanese government, a radio and a satellite TV station, social services and large-scale military deployment of fighters beyond Lebanon's borders.[77][78][79] The group currently receives military training, weapons, and financial support from Iran and political support from Syria,[80] although the sectarian nature of the Syrian war has damaged the group's legitimacy.[77][81][82] In 2021, Nasrallah said the group had 100,000 fighters.[83] Either the entire organization or only its military wing has been designated a terrorist organization by several countries, as well as by the European Union.[84] History Main article: History of Hezbollah Foundation In 1982, Hezbollah was conceived by Muslim clerics and funded by Iran primarily to fight the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.[14] Its leaders were followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and its forces were trained and organized by a contingent of 1,500 Revolutionary Guards that arrived from Iran with permission from the Syrian government, which occupied Lebanon's eastern highlands, permitted their transit to a base in the Bekaa valley[49] which was in occupation of Lebanon at the time. Scholars differ as to when Hezbollah came to be a distinct entity. Various sources list the official formation of the group as early as 1982[85][86][87] whereas Diaz and Newman maintain that Hezbollah remained an amalgamation of various violent Shi'a extremists until as late as 1985.[88] Another version states that it was formed by supporters of Sheikh Ragheb Harb, a leader of the southern Shia resistance killed by Israel in 1984.[89] Regardless of when the name came into official use, a number of Shi'a groups were slowly assimilated into the organization, such as Islamic Jihad, Organization of the Oppressed on Earth and the Revolutionary Justice Organization.[citation needed] These designations are considered to be synonymous with Hezbollah by the US,[90] Israel[91] and Canada.[92] According to Robert Fisk[93] and Israeli General Shimon Shapira[94] the date of 8 June 1982, two days after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, when 50 Shiite militants ambushed an Israel Defense Forces armored convoy in Khalde south of Beirut, is considered by Hezbollah as the founding myth of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, the group's military wing. It was in this battle, delaying the Israeli advance to Beirut for six days, that the future Hezbollah military chief Mustafa Badreddine made his name as a serious commander.[95] According to Shapira, the lightly armed Shia fighters managed to capture an Israeli armored vehicle on that day and paraded it in the Revolutionary Guards' forward operating base in Baalbek, Eastern Lebanon. Fisk writes: Down at Khalde, a remarkable phenomenon had taken shape. The Shia militiamen were running on foot into the Israeli gunfire to launch grenades at the Israeli armour, actually moving to within 20 feet of the tanks to open fire at them. Some of the Shia fighters had torn off pieces of their shirts and wrapped them around their heads as bands of martyrdom as the Iranian revolutionary guards had begun doing a year before when they staged their first mass attacks against the Iraqis in the Gulf War a thousand miles to the east. When they set fire to one Israeli armoured vehicle, the gunmen were emboldened to advance further. None of us, I think, realised the critical importance of the events of Khalde that night. The Lebanese Shia were learning the principles of martyrdom and putting them into practice. Never before had we seen these men wear headbands like this; we thought it was another militia affectation but it was not. It was the beginning of a legend which also contained a strong element of truth. The Shia were now the Lebanese resistance, nationalist no doubt but also inspired by their religion. The party of God – in Arabic, the Hezbollah – were on the beaches of Khalde that night.[93] 1980s Main articles: Lebanese civil war and South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000) Hezbollah emerged in South Lebanon during a consolidation of Shia militias as a rival to the older Amal Movement. Hezbollah played a significant role in the Lebanese civil war, opposing American forces in 1982–83 and opposing Amal and Syria during the 1985–88 War of the Camps. However, Hezbollah's early primary focus was ending Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon[14] following Israel's 1982 invasion and siege of Beirut.[96] Amal, the main Lebanese Shia political group, initiated guerrilla warfare. In 2006, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak stated, "When we entered Lebanon … there was no Hezbollah. We were accepted with perfumed rice and flowers by the Shia in the south. It was our presence there that created Hezbollah".[97] Hezbollah waged an asymmetric war using suicide attacks against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli targets outside of Lebanon.[98] Hezbollah is reputed to have been among the first Islamic resistance groups in the Middle East to use the tactics of suicide bombing, assassination, and capturing foreign soldiers,[49] as well as murders[99] and hijackings.[100] Hezbollah also employed more conventional military tactics and weaponry, notably Katyusha rockets and other missiles.[99][101] At the end of the Lebanese Civil War in 1990, despite the Taif Agreement asking for the "disbanding of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias", Syria, which controlled Lebanon at that time, allowed Hezbollah to maintain their arsenal and control Shia areas along the border with Israel.[102] After 1990 In the 1990s, Hezbollah transformed from a revolutionary group into a political one, in a process which is described as the Lebanonization of Hezbollah. Unlike its uncompromising revolutionary stance in the 1980s, Hezbollah conveyed a lenient stance towards the Lebanese state.[103] In 1992, Hezbollah decided to participate in elections, and Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran, endorsed it. Former Hezbollah secretary general, Subhi al-Tufayli, contested this decision, which led to a schism in Hezbollah. Hezbollah won all twelve seats which were on its electoral list. At the end of that year, Hezbollah began to engage in dialog with Lebanese Christians. Hezbollah regards cultural, political, and religious freedoms in Lebanon as sanctified, although it does not extend these values to groups who have relations with Israel.[104] In 1997, Hezbollah formed the multi-confessional Lebanese Brigades to Fight the Israeli Occupation in an attempt to revive national and secular resistance against Israel, thereby marking the "Lebanonization" of resistance.[105] Islamic Jihad Organization (IJO) Whether the Islamic Jihad Organization (IJO) was a nom de guerre used by Hezbollah or a separate organization, is disputed. According to certain sources, IJO was identified as merely a "telephone organization",[106][107] and whose name was "used by those involved to disguise their true identity".[108][109][110][111][112] Hezbollah reportedly also used another name, "Islamic Resistance" (al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya), for attacks against Israel.[113]: 67  A 2003 American court decision found IJO was the name used by Hezbollah for its attacks in Lebanon, parts of the Middle East and Europe.[114] The US,[115] Israel[116] and Canada[92] consider the names "Islamic Jihad Organization", "Organization of the Oppressed on Earth" and the "Revolutionary Justice Organization" to be synonymous with Hezbollah. Ideology Main article: Ideology of Hezbollah The ideology of Hezbollah has been summarized as Shi'i radicalism;[117][118][119] Hezbollah follows the Islamic Shi'a theology developed by Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.[120] Hezbollah was largely formed with the aid of the Khomeini's followers in the early 1980s in order to spread Islamic revolution[121] and follows a distinct version of Islamic Shi'a ideology (Wilayat al-faqih or Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists) developed by Khomeini, who was the leader of the "Islamic Revolution" in Iran.[122][116] Although Hezbollah originally aimed to transform Lebanon into a formal Faqihi Islamic republic, this goal has been abandoned in favor of a more inclusive approach.[14] 1985 manifesto On 16 February 1985, Sheik Ibrahim al-Amin issued Hezbollah's manifesto. The ideology presented in it was described as radical.[by whom?] Its first objective was to fight against what Hezbollah described as American and Israeli imperialism, including the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon and other territories. The second objective was to gather all Muslims into an "ummah", under which Lebanon would further the aims of the 1979 Revolution of Iran. It also declared it would protect all Lebanese communities, excluding those that collaborated with Israel, and support all national movements—both Muslim and non-Muslim—throughout the world.[which?] The ideology has since evolved, and today Hezbollah is a left-wing political entity focused on social injustice.[123][dubious – discuss] Translated excerpts from Hezbollah's original 1985 manifesto read: We are the sons of the umma (Muslim community) ... ... We are an ummah linked to the Muslims of the whole world by the solid doctrinal and religious connection of Islam, whose message God wanted to be fulfilled by the Seal of the Prophets, i.e., Prophet Muhammad. ... As for our culture, it is based on the Holy Quran, the Sunna and the legal rulings of the faqih who is our source of imitation ...[53] Attitudes, statements, and actions concerning Israel and Zionism See also: Hezbollah foreign relations From the inception of Hezbollah to the present,[53][124] the elimination of the State of Israel has been one of Hezbollah's primary goals. Some translations of Hezbollah's 1985 Arabic-language manifesto state that "our struggle will end only when this entity [Israel] is obliterated".[53] According to Hezbollah's Deputy-General, Naim Qassem, the struggle against Israel is a core belief of Hezbollah and the central rationale of Hezbollah's existence.[125] Hezbollah says that its continued hostilities against Israel are justified as reciprocal to Israeli operations against Lebanon and as retaliation for what they claim is Israel's occupation of Lebanese territory.[126][127][128] Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, and their withdrawal was verified by the United Nations as being in accordance with resolution 425 of 19 March 1978, however Lebanon considers the Shebaa farms—a 26 km2 (10 sq mi) piece of land captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 war and considered by the UN to be Syrian territory occupied by Israel—to be Lebanese territory.[129][130] Finally, Hezbollah considers Israel to be an illegitimate state. For these reasons, it justifies its actions as acts of defensive jihad.[131] If they go from Shebaa, we won't stop fighting them. ... Our goal is to liberate the 1948 borders of Palestine, ... The Jews who survive this war of liberation can go back to Germany or wherever they came from. However, that the Jews who lived in Palestine before 1948 will be 'allowed to live as a minority and they will be cared for by the Muslim majority.' — Hezbollah's spokesperson Hassan Ezzedin, about an Israeli withdrawal from Shebaa Farms[102] Attitudes and actions concerning Jews and Judaism Main article: Ideology of Hezbollah § Attitudes, statements, and actions concerning Jews and Judaism Hezbollah officials have said, on rare occasions, that it is only "anti-Zionist" and not anti-Semitic.[19] However, according to scholars, "these words do not hold up upon closer examination". Among other actions, Hezbollah actively engages in Holocaust denial and spreads anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.[19] Various antisemitic statements have been attributed to Hezbollah officials.[132] Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a Lebanese political analyst, argues that although Zionism has influenced Hezbollah's anti-Judaism, "it is not contingent upon it because Hezbollah's hatred of Jews is more religiously motivated than politically motivated".[133] Robert S. Wistrich, a historian specializing in the study of anti-Semitism, described Hezbollah's ideology concerning Jews: The anti-Semitism of Hezbollah leaders and spokesmen combines the image of seemingly invincible Jewish power ... and cunning with the contempt normally reserved for weak and cowardly enemies. Like the Hamas propaganda for holy war, that of Hezbollah has relied on the endless vilification of Jews as 'enemies of mankind,' 'conspiratorial, obstinate, and conceited' adversaries full of 'satanic plans' to enslave the Arabs. It fuses traditional Islamic anti-Judaism with Western conspiracy myths, Third Worldist anti-Zionism, and Iranian Shiite contempt for Jews as 'ritually impure' and corrupt infidels. Sheikh Fadlallah typically insists ... that Jews wish to undermine or obliterate Islam and Arab cultural identity in order to advance their economic and political domination.[134] Conflicting reports say Al-Manar, the Hezbollah-owned and operated television station, accused either Israel or Jews of deliberately spreading HIV and other diseases to Arabs throughout the Middle East.[135][136][137] Al-Manar was criticized in the West for airing "anti-Semitic propaganda" in the form of a television drama depicting a Jewish world domination conspiracy theory.[138][139][140] The group has been accused by American analysts of engaging in Holocaust denial.[141][142][143] In addition, during its 2006 war, it apologized only for killing Israel's Arabs (i.e., non-Jews).[19] In November 2009, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Hezbollah pressured a private English-language school in western Beirut "which asked not to be identified", to eliminate from its curriculum excerpts from The Diary of Anne Frank, a book of the writings from the diary kept by the Jewish child Anne Frank while she was in hiding with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.[144] This was after Hezbollah's member of Lebanese parliament Hussein Hajj Hassan, interviewed on the organization's Al-Manar television channel, criticized the school for "showing poor judgment in picking out its textbooks", and asked how long Lebanon would "remain an open arena for the Zionist invasion of education".[145] In The New Yorker's July 22, 2024 issue, Dexter Filkins, in his report on the border fight between Israel and the organization, quoted a commander of Hezbollah, who had been active in its operations outside Lebanon, stating that the war between the "Zionist state" and the "party of God" would be "very simply" resolved, "when [the Jews] leave on the same boat they came on."[146] Organization Organizational chart of Hezbollah, by Ahmad Nizar Hamzeh Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, the third and current Secretary General of Hezbollah At the beginning, many Hezbollah leaders maintained that the movement was "not an organization, for its members carry no cards and bear no specific responsibilities",[147] and that the movement does not have "a clearly defined organizational structure."[113]: 41  Today, as Hezbollah scholar Magnus Ranstorp reports, Hezbollah does actually have a formal governing structure and, in keeping with the principle of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists (velayat-e faqih), it "concentrate[s] ... all authority and powers" on its religious leaders, whose decisions, then, "flow from the ulama down the entire community." The supreme decision-making bodies of the Hezbollah were divided between the Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Assembly) which was headed by 12 senior clerical members with responsibility for tactical decisions and supervision of overall Hizballah activity throughout Lebanon, and the Majlis al-Shura al-Karar (the Deciding Assembly), headed by Sheikh Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah and composed of eleven other clerics with responsibility for all strategic matters. Within the Majlis al-Shura, there existed seven specialized committees dealing with ideological, financial, military and political, judicial, informational and social affairs. In turn, the Majlis al-Shura and these seven committees were replicated in each of Hizballah's three main operational areas (the Beqaa, Beirut, and the South).[113]: 45  Since the Supreme Leader of Iran is the ultimate clerical authority, Hezbollah's leaders have appealed to him "for guidance and directives in cases when Hezbollah's collective leadership [was] too divided over issues and fail[ed] to reach a consensus."[113]: 45  After the death of Iran's first Supreme Leader, Khomeini, Hezbollah's governing bodies developed a more "independent role" and appealed to Iran less often.[113]: 45  Since the Second Lebanon War, however, Iran has restructured Hezbollah to limit the power of Hassan Nasrallah, and invested billions of dollars "rehabilitating" Hezbollah.[148] Structurally, Hezbollah does not distinguish between its political/social activities within Lebanon and its military/jihad activities against Israel. "Hezbollah has a single leadership," according to Naim Qassem, Hezbollah's second in command. "All political, social and jihad work is tied to the decisions of this leadership ... The same leadership that directs the parliamentary and government work also leads jihad actions in the struggle against Israel."[149] In 2010, Iran's parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani said, "Iran takes pride in Lebanon's Islamic resistance movement for its steadfast Islamic stance. Hezbollah nurtures the original ideas of Islamic Jihad." He also instead charged the West with having accused Iran with support of terrorism and said, "The real terrorists are those who provide the Zionist regime with military equipment to bomb the people."[150] Funding Main article: Funding of Hezbollah See also: Hezbollah–Iran relations and Drug economy in Lebanon § Hezbollah's involvement in the drug industry Nasrallah visiting Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran, August 2005 Funding of Hezbollah comes from the Iranian government, Lebanese business groups, private persons, businessmen, the Lebanese diaspora involved in African diamond exploration, other Islamic groups and countries, and the taxes paid by the Shia Lebanese.[151] Hezbollah says that the main source of its income comes from its own investment portfolios and donations by Muslims. Western sources maintain that Hezbollah actually receives most of its financial, training, weapons, explosives, political, diplomatic, and organizational aid from Iran and Syria.[102][115][152] Iran is said to have given $400 million between 1983 and 1989 through donation. Due to economic problems, Iran temporarily limited funds to humanitarian actions carried on by Hezbollah.[151] During the late 1980s, when there was extreme inflation due to the collapse of the Lira, it was estimated that Hezbollah was receiving $3–5 million per month from Iran.[153] According to reports released in February 2010, Hezbollah received $400 million from Iran.[154][155][156] In 2011, Iran earmarked $7 million to Hezbollah's activities in Latin America.[157] Hezbollah has relied also on funding from the Shi'ite Lebanese Diaspora in West Africa, the United States and, most importantly, the Triple Frontier, or tri-border area, along the junction of Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil.[158] U.S. law enforcement officials have identified an illegal multimillion-dollar cigarette-smuggling fund raising operation[159] and a drug smuggling operation.[160][161][162] Nasrallah has repeatedly denied any links between the South American drug trade and Hezbollah, calling such accusations "propaganda" and attempts "to damage the image of Hezbollah".[163][164] As of 2018, Iranian monetary support for Hezbollah is estimated at $700 million per annum according to US estimates.[165][166] The United States has accused members of the Venezuelan government of providing financial aid to Hezbollah.[167] Social services Main article: Hezbollah social services Hezbollah organizes and maintains an extensive social development program and runs hospitals, news services, educational facilities, and encouragement of Nikah mut'ah.[154][168] One of its established institutions, Jihad Al Binna's Reconstruction Campaign, is responsible for numerous economic and infrastructure development projects in Lebanon.[169] Hezbollah controls the Martyr's Institute (Al-Shahid Social Association), which pays stipends to "families of fighters who die" in battle.[156] An IRIN news report of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted: Hezbollah not only has armed and political wings—it also boasts an extensive social development program. Hezbollah currently operates at least four hospitals, twelve clinics, twelve schools and two agricultural centres that provide farmers with technical assistance and training. It also has an environmental department and an extensive social assistance program. Medical care is also cheaper than in most of the country's private hospitals and free for Hezbollah members.[154] According to CNN, "Hezbollah did everything that a government should do, from collecting the garbage to running hospitals and repairing schools."[170] In July 2006, during the war with Israel, when there was no running water in Beirut, Hezbollah was arranging supplies around the city. Lebanese Shiites "see Hezbollah as a political movement and a social service provider as much as it is a militia."[170] Hezbollah also rewards its guerrilla members who have been wounded in battle by taking them to Hezbollah-run amusement parks.[171] Hezbollah is, therefore, deeply embedded in the Lebanese society.[49] Political activities Main article: Hezbollah political activities Hezbollah-controlled areas in July 2006, most of Lebanon's majority Shi'a areas. A December 2006 anti-government rally in Beirut Politics of Lebanon Arab League Member State of the Arab League Constitution Executive Legislature Subdivisions Elections Foreign relations flag Lebanon portal Other countries vte Hezbollah along with Amal is one of two major political parties in Lebanon that represent Shiite Muslims.[172] Unlike Amal, whose support is predominantly in Lebanon's south, Hezbollah maintains broad-based support in all three areas of Lebanon with a majority Shia Muslim population: in the south, in Beirut and its surrounding area, and in the northern Beqaa valley and Hirmil region.[173] Hezbollah holds 14 of the 128 seats in the Parliament of Lebanon and is a member of the Resistance and Development Bloc. According to Daniel L. Byman, it is "the most powerful single political movement in Lebanon."[174] Hezbollah, along with the Amal Movement, represents most of Lebanese Shi'a. Unlike Amal, Hezbollah has not disarmed. Hezbollah participates in the Parliament of Lebanon. Political alliances Hezbollah has been one of the main parties of the March 8 Alliance since March 2005. Although Hezbollah had joined the new government in 2005, it remained staunchly opposed to the March 14 Alliance.[175] On 1 December 2006, these groups began a series of political protests and sit-ins in opposition to the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.[58] In 2006, Michel Aoun and Hassan Nasrallah met in Mar Mikhayel Church, Chiyah, and signed a memorandum of understanding between Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah organizing their relation and discussing Hezbollah's disarmament with some conditions. The agreement also discussed the importance of having normal diplomatic relations with Syria and the request for information about the Lebanese political prisoners in Syria and the return of all political prisoners and diaspora in Israel. After this event, Aoun and his party became part of the March 8 Alliance.[176] On 7 May 2008, Lebanon's 17-month-long political crisis spiraled out of control. The fighting was sparked by a government move to shut down Hezbollah's telecommunication network and remove Beirut Airport's security chief over alleged ties to Hezbollah. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said the government's decision to declare the group's military telecommunications network illegal was a "declaration of war" on the organization, and demanded that the government revoke it.[177] Hezbollah-led opposition fighters seized control of several West Beirut neighborhoods from Future Movement militiamen loyal to the backed government, in street battles that left 11 dead and 30 wounded. The opposition-seized areas were then handed over to the Lebanese Army.[59] The army also pledged to resolve the dispute and has reversed the decisions of the government by letting Hezbollah preserve its telecoms network and re-instating the airport's security chief.[178] At the end, rival Lebanese leaders reached consensus over Doha Agreement on 21 May 2008, to end the 18-month political feud that exploded into fighting and nearly drove the country to a new civil war.[179] On the basis of this agreement, Hezbollah and its opposition allies were effectively granted veto power in Lebanon's parliament. At the end of the conflicts, National unity government was formed by Fouad Siniora on 11 July 2008, with Hezbollah controlling one ministerial and eleven of thirty cabinet places.[60] In 2018 Lebanese general election, Hezbollah general secretary Hassan Nasrallah presented the names of the 13 Hezbollah candidates.[180] On 22 March 2018, Nasrallah issued a statement outlining the main priorities for the parliamentary bloc of the party, Loyalty to the Resistance, in the next parliament.[181] He stated that rooting out corruption would be the foremost priority of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc.[181] The electoral slogan of the party was 'We will construct and we will protect'.[182] Finally Hezbollah held 12 seats and its alliance won the election by gaining 70 out of 128 seats of Parliament of Lebanon.[69][70] Media operations Hezbollah operates a satellite television station, Al-Manar TV ("the Lighthouse"), and a radio station, al-Nour ("the Light").[183] Al-Manar broadcasts from Beirut, Lebanon.[183] Hezbollah launched the station in 1991[184] with the help of Iranian funds.[185] Al-Manar, the self-proclaimed "Station of the Resistance", (qanat al-muqawama) is a key player in what Hezbollah calls its "psychological warfare against the Zionist enemy"[185][186] and an integral part of Hezbollah's plan to spread its message to the entire Arab world.[185] Hezbollah has a weekly publication, Al Ahd, which was established in 1984.[187] It is the only media outlet which is openly affiliated with the organization.[187] Hezbollah's television station Al-Manar airs programming designed to inspire suicide attacks in Gaza, the West Bank, and Iraq.[102][184][188] Al-Manar's transmission in France is prohibited due to its promotion of Holocaust denial, a criminal offense in France.[189] The United States lists Al-Manar television network as a terrorist organization.[190] Al-Manar was designated as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity", and banned by the United States in December 2004.[191] It has also been banned by France, Spain and Germany.[192][193] Materials aimed at instilling principles of nationalism and Islam in children are an aspect of Hezbollah's media operations.[194] The Hezbollah Central Internet Bureau released two video games – Special Force in 2003 and a sequel, Special Force 2: Tale of the Truthful Pledge, in 2007 – in which players are rewarded with points and weapons for killing Israeli soldiers.[195] In 2012, Al-Manar aired a television special praising an 8-year-old boy who raised money for Hezbollah and said: "When I grow up, I will be a communist resistance warrior with Hezbollah, fighting the United States and Israel, I will tear them to pieces and drive them out of Lebanon, the Golan and Palestine, which I love very dearly."[196] Secret services Hezbollah's secret services have been described as "one of the best in the world", and have even infiltrated the Israeli army. Hezbollah's secret services collaborate with the Lebanese intelligence agencies.[151] In the summer of 1982, Hezbollah's Special Security Apparatus was created by Hussein al-Khalil, now a "top political adviser to Nasrallah";[197] while Hezbollah's counterintelligence was initially managed by Iran's Quds Force,[198]: 238  the organization continued to grow during the 1990s. By 2008, scholar Carl Anthony Wege writes, "Hizballah had obtained complete dominance over Lebanon's official state counterintelligence apparatus, which now constituted a Hizballah asset for counterintelligence purposes."[199]: 775  This close connection with Lebanese intelligence helped bolster Hezbollah's financial counterintelligence unit.[199]: 772, 775  According to Ahmad Hamzeh, Hezbollah's counterintelligence service is divided into Amn al-Muddad, responsible for "external" or "encounter" security; and Amn al-Hizb, which protects the organization's integrity and its leaders. According to Wege, Amn al-Muddad "may have received specialized intelligence training in Iran and possibly North Korea".[199]: 773–774  The organization also includes a military security component, as well as an External Security Organization (al-Amn al-Khariji or Unit 910) that operates covertly outside Lebanon.[198]: 238  Successful Hezbollah counterintelligence operations include thwarting the CIA's attempted kidnapping of foreign operations chief Hassan Ezzeddine in 1994, the 1997 manipulation of a double agent that led to the Ansariya ambush, and the 2000 kidnapping of alleged Mossad agent Elhanan Tannenbaum.[199]: 773  In 2006, Hezbollah collaborated with the Lebanese government to detect Adeeb al-Alam, a former colonel, as an Israeli spy.[199]: 774  Hezbollah recruited IDF Lieutenant Colonel Omar al-Heib, who was convicted in 2006 of conducting surveillance for Hezbollah.[199]: 776  In 2009, Hezbollah apprehended Marwan Faqih, a garage owner who installed tracking devices in Hezbollah-owned vehicles.[199]: 774  Hezbollah's counterintelligence apparatus uses electronic surveillance and intercept technologies. By 2011, Hezbollah counterintelligence began to use software to analyse cellphone data and detect espionage. Suspicious callers were then subjected to conventional surveillance. In the mid-1990s, Hezbollah was able to "download unencrypted video feeds from Israeli drones",[199]: 777  and Israeli SIGINT efforts intensified after the 2000 withdrawal from Lebanon. With possible help from Iran and the Russian FSB, Hezbollah augmented its electronic counterintelligence capabilities, and succeeded in 2008 in detecting Israeli bugs near Mount Sannine and in the organization's fiber optic network.[199]: 774, 777–778  Armed strength Main article: Hezbollah armed strength Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, May 2023 Hezbollah does not reveal its armed strength. The Dubai-based Gulf Research Centre estimated in 2006 that Hezbollah's armed wing comprises 1,000 full-time Hezbollah members, along with a further 6,000–10,000 volunteers.[200] According to the Iranian Fars News Agency, Hezbollah has up to 65,000 fighters.[201] In October 2023, Al Jazeera cited Hezbollah expert Nicholas Blanford as estimating that Hezbollah has at least 60,000 fighters, including full-time and reservists, and that it had increased its stockpile of missiles from 14,000 in 2006 to about 150,000.[43] It is often described as more militarily powerful than the Lebanese Army.[75][202][74] Israeli commander Gui Zur called Hezbollah "by far the greatest guerrilla group in the world".[203] In 2010, Hezbollah was believed to have 45,000 rockets.[204] Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot said that Hezbollah possesses "tens of thousands" of long- and short-range rockets, drones, advanced computer encryption capabilities, as well as advanced defense capabilities like the SA-6 anti-aircraft missile system.[205] Hezbollah possesses the Katyusha-122 rocket, which has a range of 29 km (18 mi) and carries a 15 kg (33 lb) warhead. Hezbollah possesses about 100 long-range missiles. They include the Iranian-made Fajr-3 and Fajr-5, the latter with a range of 75 km (47 mi), enabling it to strike the Israeli port of Haifa, and the Zelzal-1, with an estimated 150 km (93 mi) range, which can reach Tel Aviv. Fajr-3 missiles have a range of 40 km (25 mi) and a 45 kg (99 lb) warhead. Fajr-5 missiles, extend to 72 km (45 mi), also hold 45 kg (99 lb) warheads.[200] It was reported that Hezbollah is in possession of Scud missiles that were provided to them by Syria.[206] Syria denied the reports.[207] According to various reports, Hezbollah is armed with anti-tank guided missiles, namely, the Russian-made AT-3 Sagger, AT-4 Spigot, AT-5 Spandrel, AT-13 Saxhorn-2 'Metis-M', АТ-14 Spriggan 'Kornet', Iranian-made Ra'ad (version of AT-3 Sagger), Towsan (version of AT-5 Spandrel), Toophan (version of BGM-71 TOW), and European-made MILAN missiles. These weapons have been used against IDF soldiers, causing many of the deaths during the 2006 Lebanon War.[208] US courts said that North Korea provided armaments to Hezbollah during the 2006 war.[209] A small number of Saeghe-2s, an Iranian-made version of the M47 Dragon, were also used in the war.[210] For air defense, Hezbollah has anti-aircraft weapons that include the ZU-23 artillery and the man-portable, shoulder-fired SA-7 and SA-18 surface-to-air missile (SAM).[211] One of the most effective weapons deployed by Hezbollah has been the C-802 anti-ship missile.[212] In April 2010, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates claimed that Hezbollah has far more missiles and rockets than the majority of countries, and said that Syria and Iran are providing weapons to the organization. Israel also claims that Syria is providing the organization with these weapons. Syria has denied supplying these weapons and views these claims as an Israeli excuse for an attack.[citation needed] Leaked cables from American diplomats suggest that the United States has been trying unsuccessfully to prevent Syria from "supplying arms to Hezbollah in Lebanon", and that Hezbollah has "amassed a huge stockpile (of arms) since its 2006 war with Israel"; the arms were described as "increasingly sophisticated."[213] Gates added that Hezbollah is possibly armed with chemical or biological weapons, as well as 65-mile (105 km) anti-ship missiles that could threaten U.S. ships.[214] As of 2017, the Israeli government believe Hezbollah had an arsenal of nearly 150,000 rockets stationed on its border with Lebanon.[215] Some of these missiles are said to be capable of penetrating cities as far away as Eilat.[216] The IDF has accused Hezbollah of storing these rockets beneath hospitals, schools, and civilian homes.[216] Hezbollah has used drones against Israel, by penetrating air defense systems, in a report verified by Nasrallah, who added, "This is only part of our capabilities".[217] Israeli military officials and analysts have drawn attention to the experience and weaponry Hezbollah would have gained from the involvement of thousands of its fighters in the Syrian Civil War. "This kind of experience cannot be bought," said Gabi Siboni, director of the military and strategic affairs program at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University. "It is an additional factor that we will have to deal with. There is no replacement for experience, and it is not to be scoffed at."[218] On 13 July 2019, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, in an interview broadcast on Hezbollah's Al-Manar television, said "Our weapons have been developed in both quality and quantity, we have precision missiles and drones," he illustrated strategic military and civilian targets on the map of Israel and stated, Hezbollah is able to launch Ben Gurion Airport, arms depots, petrochemical, and water desalinization plants, and the Ashdod port, Haifa's ammonia storage which would cause "tens of thousands of casualties".[219] Military activities Main article: Hezbollah military activities Hezbollah has a military branch known as the Jihad Council,[46] one component of which is Al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya ("The Islamic Resistance"), and is the possible sponsor of a number of lesser-known militant groups, some of which may be little more than fronts for Hezbollah itself, including the Organization of the Oppressed, the Revolutionary Justice Organization, the Organization of Right Against Wrong, and Followers of the Prophet Muhammad.[115] United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 called for the disarmament of militia[220] with the Taif agreement at the end of the Lebanese civil war. Hezbollah denounced, and protested against, the resolution.[221] The 2006 military conflict with Israel has increased the controversy. Failure to disarm remains a violation of the resolution and agreement as well as subsequent United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.[222] Since then both Israel and Hezbollah have asserted that the organization has gained in military strength.[73] A Lebanese public opinion poll taken in August 2006 shows that most of the Shia did not believe that Hezbollah should disarm after the 2006 Lebanon war, while the majority of Sunni, Druze and Christians believed that they should.[223] The Lebanese cabinet, under president Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, guidelines state that Hezbollah enjoys the right to "liberate occupied lands."[224] In 2009, a Hezbollah commander, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "[W]e have far more rockets and missiles [now] than we did in 2006."[225] Lebanese Resistance Brigades Main article: Lebanese Resistance Brigades Lebanese Resistance Brigades Saraya al-Moukawama al-Lubnaniyya سرايا المقاومة اللبنانية Leaders Mohammed Aknan (Beirut) Mohammad Saleh (Sidon) † Dates of operation 1998–2000 2009–present Active regions Southern Lebanon, mainly Sidon Part of Hezbollah Allies March 8 Alliance[226] Opponents Israel SLA Al-Nusra Front Fatah al-Islam Jund al-Sham Islamic State Battles and wars Battle of Sidon (2013) The Lebanese Resistance Brigades (Arabic: سرايا المقاومة اللبنانية, romanized: Sarāyā l-Muqāwama al-Lubnāniyya), also known as the Lebanese Brigades to Resist the Israeli Occupation, were formed by Hezbollah in 1997 as a multifaith (Christian, Druze, Sunni and Shia) volunteer force to combat the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon. With the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, the organization was disbanded.[227] In 2009, the Resistance Brigades were reactivated, mainly comprising Sunni supporters from the southern city of Sidon. Its strength was reduced in late 2013 from 500 to 200–250 due to residents' complaints about some fighters of the group exacerbating tensions with the local community.[228] The beginning of its military activities: the South Lebanon conflict Main article: South Lebanon conflict (1982–2000) Hezbollah has been involved in several cases of armed conflict with Israel: During the 1982–2000 South Lebanon conflict, Hezbollah waged a guerrilla campaign against Israeli forces occupying Southern Lebanon. In 1982, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was based in Southern Lebanon and was firing Katyusha rockets into northern Israel from Lebanon. Israel invaded Lebanon to evict the PLO, and Hezbollah became an armed organization to expel the Israelis.[102] Hezbollah's strength was enhanced by the dispatching of one thousand to two thousand members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the financial backing of Iran.[229][230][231] Iranian clerics, most notably Fzlollah Mahallati supervised this activity.[232] It became the main politico-military force among the Shia community in Lebanon and the main arm of what became known later as the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon. With the collapse of the SLA, and the rapid advance of Hezbollah forces, Israel withdrew on 24 May 2000 six weeks before the announced 7 July date."[100] Hezbollah held a victory parade, and its popularity in Lebanon rose.[233] Israel withdrew in accordance with 1978's United Nations Security Council Resolution 425.[129] Hezbollah and many analysts considered this a victory for the movement, and since then its popularity has been boosted in Lebanon.[233] Alleged suicide attacks A smoke cloud rises from the bombed American barracks at Beirut International Airport, where over 200 U.S. marines were killed Between 1982 and 1986, there were 36 suicide attacks in Lebanon directed against American, French and Israeli forces by 41 individuals, killing 659.[98] Hezbollah denies involvement in some of these attacks, though it has been accused of being involved or linked to some or all of these attacks:[234][235] The 1982–1983 Tyre headquarters bombings The April 1983 U.S. Embassy bombing, by the Islamic Jihad Organization.[236] The 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, by the Islamic Jihad Organization, that killed 241 U.S. marines, 58 French paratroopers and 6 civilians at the US and French barracks in Beirut.[237] The 1983 Kuwait bombings in collaboration with the Iraqi Dawa Party.[238] The 1984 United States embassy annex bombing, killing 24.[239] A spate of attacks on IDF troops and SLA militiamen in southern Lebanon.[98] Hijacking of TWA Flight 847 in 1985.[237] The Lebanon hostage crisis from 1982 to 1992.[240] Since 1990, terror acts and attempts of which Hezbollah has been blamed include the following bombings and attacks against civilians and diplomats: The 1992 Israeli Embassy attack in Buenos Aires, killing 29, in Argentina.[237] Hezbollah operatives boasted of involvement.[241] The 1994 AMIA bombing of a Jewish cultural centre, killing 85, in Argentina.[237] Ansar Allah, a Palestinian group closely associated with Hezbollah, claimed responsibility.[241] The 1994 AC Flight 901 attack, killing 21, in Panama.[242] Ansar Allah, a Palestinian group closely associated with Hezbollah, claimed responsibility.[241] The 1996 Khobar Towers bombing, killing 19 US servicemen.[243] In 2002, Singapore accused Hezbollah of recruiting Singaporeans in a failed 1990s plot to attack U.S. and Israeli ships in the Singapore Straits.[244] 15 January 2008, bombing of a U.S. Embassy vehicle in Beirut.[245] In 2009, a Hezbollah plot in Egypt was uncovered, where Egyptian authorities arrested 49 men for planning attacks against Israeli and Egyptian targets in the Sinai Peninsula.[246] The 2012 Burgas bus bombing, killing 6, in Bulgaria. Hezbollah denied responsibility.[247] Training Shia insurgents against US troops during the Iraq War.[248] During the Bosnian War Hezbollah provided fighters to fight on the Bosnian Muslim side during the Bosnian War, as part of the broader Iranian involvement. "The Bosnian Muslim government is a client of the Iranians," wrote Robert Baer, a CIA agent stationed in Sarajevo during the war. "If it's a choice between the CIA and the Iranians, they'll take the Iranians any day." By war's end, public opinion polls showed some 86 percent Bosnian Muslims had a positive opinion of Iran.[249] In conjunction, Hezbollah initially sent 150 fighters to fight against the Bosnian Serb Army, the Bosnian Muslims' main opponent in the war.[54] All Shia foreign advisors and fighters withdrew from Bosnia at the end of conflict. Conflict with Israel Main article: Iran–Israel proxy conflict Hezbollah members and supporters parade following the end of the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon, May 2000 On 25 July 1993, following Hezbollah's killing of seven Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, Israel launched Operation Accountability, known in Lebanon as the Seven Day War, during which the IDF carried out their heaviest artillery and air attacks on targets in southern Lebanon since 1982. The aim of the operation was to eradicate the threat posed by Hezbollah and to force the civilian population north to Beirut so as to put pressure on the Lebanese Government to restrain Hezbollah.[250] The fighting ended when an unwritten understanding was agreed to by the warring parties. Apparently, the 1993 understanding provided that Hezbollah combatants would not fire rockets at northern Israel, while Israel would not attack civilians or civilian targets in Lebanon.[251] In April 1996, after continued Hezbollah rocket attacks on Israeli civilians,[252] the Israeli armed forces launched Operation Grapes of Wrath, which was intended to wipe out Hezbollah's base in southern Lebanon. Over 100 Lebanese refugees were killed by the shelling of a UN base at Qana, in what the Israeli military said was a mistake.[253] Following several days of negotiations, the two sides signed the Grapes of Wrath Understandings on 26 April 1996. A cease-fire was agreed upon between Israel and Hezbollah, which would be effective on 27 April 1996.[254] Both sides agreed that civilians should not be targeted, which meant that Hezbollah would be allowed to continue its military activities against IDF forces inside Lebanon.[254] 2000 Hezbollah cross-border raid Main article: 2000 Hezbollah cross-border raid On 7 October 2000, three Israeli soldiers—Adi Avitan, Staff Sgt. Benyamin Avraham, and Staff Sgt. Omar Sawaidwere—were abducted by Hezbollah while patrolling the border between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Lebanon.[255] The soldiers were killed either during the attack or in its immediate aftermath.[256] Israel Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said that Hezbollah abducted the soldiers and then killed them.[257] The bodies of the slain soldiers were exchanged for Lebanese prisoners in 2004.[256] 2006 Lebanon War Main article: 2006 Lebanon War Hezbollah posters in the aftermath of the 2006 Lebanon War The 2006 Lebanon War was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon and northern Israel. The principal parties were Hezbollah paramilitary forces and the Israeli military. The conflict was precipitated by a cross-border raid during which Hezbollah kidnapped and killed Israeli soldiers. The conflict began on 12 July 2006 when Hezbollah militants fired rockets at Israeli border towns as a diversion for an anti-tank missile attack on two armored Humvees patrolling the Israeli side of the border fence, killing three, injuring two, and seizing two Israeli soldiers.[258][259] Israel responded with airstrikes and artillery fire on targets in Lebanon that damaged Lebanese infrastructure, including Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport, which Israel said that Hezbollah used to import weapons and supplies,[260] an air and naval blockade,[261] and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah then launched more rockets into northern Israel and engaged the Israel Defense Forces in guerrilla warfare from hardened positions.[262] The war continued until 14 August 2006. Hezbollah was responsible for thousands of Katyusha rocket attacks against Israeli civilian towns and cities in northern Israel,[263] which Hezbollah said were in retaliation for Israel's killing of civilians and targeting Lebanese infrastructure.[264] The conflict is believed to have killed 1,191–1,300 Lebanese citizens including combatants[265][266][267][268][269] and 165 Israelis including soldiers.[270] 2010 gas field claims In 2010, Hezbollah claimed that the Dalit and Tamar gas field, discovered by Noble Energy roughly 50 miles (80 km) west of Haifa in Israeli exclusive economic zone, belong to Lebanon, and warned Israel against extracting gas from them. Senior officials from Hezbollah warned that they would not hesitate to use weapons to defend Lebanon's natural resources. Figures in the March 14 Forces stated in response that Hezbollah was presenting another excuse to hold on to its arms. Lebanese MP Antoine Zahra said that the issue is another item "in the endless list of excuses" meant to justify the continued existence of Hezbollah's arsenal.[271] 2011 attack in Istanbul In July 2011, Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported, based on American and Turkish sources,[272] that Hezbollah was behind a bombing in Istanbul in May 2011 that wounded eight Turkish civilians. The report said that the attack was an assassination attempt on the Israeli consul to Turkey, Moshe Kimchi. Turkish intelligence sources denied the report and said "Israel is in the habit of creating disinformation campaigns using different papers."[272] 2012 planned attack in Cyprus Main article: 2012 Cyprus terrorist plot In July 2012, a Lebanese man was detained by Cyprus police on possible charges relating to terrorism laws for planning attacks against Israeli tourists. According to security officials, the man was planning attacks for Hezbollah in Cyprus and admitted this after questioning. The police were alerted about the man due to an urgent message from Israeli intelligence. The Lebanese man was in possession of photographs of Israeli targets and had information on Israeli airlines flying back and forth from Cyprus, and planned to blow up a plane or tour bus.[273] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Iran assisted the Lebanese man with planning the attacks.[274] 2012 Burgas attack Main article: 2012 Burgas bus bombing Following an investigation into the 2012 Burgas bus bombing terrorist attack against Israeli citizens in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian government officially accused the Lebanese-militant movement Hezbollah of committing the attack.[275] Five Israeli citizens, the Bulgarian bus driver, and the bomber were killed. The bomb exploded as the Israeli tourists boarded a bus from the airport to their hotel. Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Bulgaria's interior minister, reported that the two suspects responsible were members of the militant wing of Hezbollah; he said the suspected terrorists entered Bulgaria on 28 June and remained until 18 July. Israel had already previously suspected Hezbollah for the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the report "further corroboration of what we have already known, that Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons are orchestrating a worldwide campaign of terror that is spanning countries and continents."[276] Netanyahu said that the attack in Bulgaria was just one of many that Hezbollah and Iran have planned and carried out, including attacks in Thailand, Kenya, Turkey, India, Azerbaijan, Cyprus and Georgia.[275] John Brennan, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, has said that "Bulgaria's investigation exposes Hezbollah for what it is—a terrorist group that is willing to recklessly attack innocent men, women and children, and that poses a real and growing threat not only to Europe, but to the rest of the world."[277] The result of the Bulgarian investigation comes at a time when Israel has been petitioning the European Union to join the United States in designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.[277] 2015 Shebaa farms incident Main article: January 2015 Shebaa farms incident In response to an attack against a military convoy comprising Hezbollah and Iranian officers on 18 January 2015 at Quneitra in south of Syria, Hezbollah launched an ambush on 28 January against an Israeli military convoy in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms with anti-tank missiles against two Israeli vehicles patrolling the border,[278] killing 2 and wounding 7 Israeli soldiers and officers, as confirmed by Israeli military. 2023–present Israel–Hezbollah conflict Main article: Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present) On 8 October 2023, Hezbollah launched guided rockets and artillery shells at Israeli-occupied positions in Shebaa Farms during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. Israel retaliated with drone strikes and artillery fire on Hezbollah positions near the Golan Heights–Lebanon border. The attacks came after Hezbollah expressed support and praise for the Hamas attacks on Israel.[279][280] The clashes have been the largest escalation between the two countries since the 2006 Lebanon War. Assassination of Rafic Hariri Main article: Assassination of Rafic Hariri On 14 February 2005, former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri was killed, along with 21 others, when his motorcade was struck by a roadside bomb in Beirut. He had been PM during 1992–1998 and 2000–2004. In 2009, the United Nations special tribunal investigating the murder of Hariri reportedly found evidence linking Hezbollah to the murder.[281] In August 2010, in response to notification that the UN tribunal would indict some Hezbollah members, Hassan Nasrallah said Israel was looking for a way to assassinate Hariri as early as 1993 in order to create political chaos that would force Syria to withdraw from Lebanon, and to perpetuate an anti-Syrian atmosphere [in Lebanon] in the wake of the assassination. He went on to say that in 1996 Hezbollah apprehended an agent working for Israel by the name of Ahmed Nasrallah—no relation to Hassan Nasrallah—who allegedly contacted Hariri's security detail and told them that he had solid proof that Hezbollah was planning to take his life. Hariri then contacted Hezbollah and advised them of the situation.[282] Saad Hariri responded that the UN should investigate these claims.[283] On 30 June 2011, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, established to investigate the death of Hariri, issued arrest warrants against four senior members of Hezbollah, including Mustafa Badr Al Din.[284] On 3 July, Hassan Nasrallah rejected the indictment and denounced the tribunal as a plot against the party, vowing that the named persons would not be arrested under any circumstances.[285] Involvement in the Syrian Civil War Further information: Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon and Hezbollah involvement in the Syrian Civil War See also: Syrian Hezbollah Hezbollah has long been an ally of the Ba'ath government of Syria, led by the Al-Assad family. Hezbollah has helped the Syrian government during the Syrian civil war in its fight against the Syrian opposition, which Hezbollah has described as a Zionist plot to destroy its alliance with al-Assad against Israel.[66] Geneive Abdo opined that Hezbollah's support for al-Assad in the Syrian war has "transformed" it from a group with "support among the Sunni for defeating Israel in a battle in 2006" into a "strictly Shia paramilitary force".[286] Hezbollah also fought against the Islamic State.[287][288] In August 2012, the United States sanctioned Hezbollah for its alleged role in the war.[289] General Secretary Nasrallah denied Hezbollah had been fighting on behalf of the Syrian government, stating in a 12 October 2012, speech that "right from the start the Syrian opposition has been telling the media that Hizbullah sent 3,000 fighters to Syria, which we have denied".[290] However, according to the Lebanese Daily Star newspaper, Nasrallah said in the same speech that Hezbollah fighters helped the Syrian government "retain control of some 23 strategically located villages [in Syria] inhabited by Shiites of Lebanese citizenship". Nasrallah said that Hezbollah fighters have died in Syria doing their "jihadist duties".[291] In 2012, Hezbollah fighters crossed the border from Lebanon and took over eight villages in the Al-Qusayr District of Syria.[292] On 16–17 February 2013, Syrian opposition groups claimed that Hezbollah, backed by the Syrian military, attacked three neighboring Sunni villages controlled by the Free Syrian Army (FSA). An FSA spokesman said, "Hezbollah's invasion is the first of its kind in terms of organisation, planning and coordination with the Syrian regime's air force". Hezbollah said three Lebanese Shiites, "acting in self-defense", were killed in the clashes with the FSA.[292][293] Lebanese security sources said that the three were Hezbollah members.[294] In response, the FSA allegedly attacked two Hezbollah positions on 21 February; one in Syria and one in Lebanon. Five days later, it said it destroyed a convoy carrying Hezbollah fighters and Syrian officers to Lebanon, killing all the passengers.[295] In January 2013, a weapons convoy carrying SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles to Hezbollah was destroyed allegedly by the Israeli Air Force. A nearby research center for chemical weapons was also damaged. A similar attack on weapons destined for Hezbollah occurred in May of the same year. The leaders of the March 14 alliance and other prominent Lebanese figures called on Hezbollah to end its involvement in Syria and said it is putting Lebanon at risk.[296] Subhi al-Tufayli, Hezbollah's former leader, said "Hezbollah should not be defending the criminal regime that kills its own people and that has never fired a shot in defense of the Palestinians." He said "those Hezbollah fighters who are killing children and terrorizing people and destroying houses in Syria will go to hell".[297] The Consultative Gathering, a group of Shia and Sunni leaders in Baalbek-Hermel, also called on Hezbollah not to "interfere" in Syria. They said, "Opening a front against the Syrian people and dragging Lebanon to war with the Syrian people is very dangerous and will have a negative impact on the relations between the two."[294] Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, also called on Hezbollah to end its involvement[296] and claimed that "Hezbollah is fighting inside Syria with orders from Iran."[298] Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi condemned Hezbollah by saying, "We stand against Hezbollah in its aggression against the Syrian people. There is no space or place for Hezbollah in Syria."[299] Support for Hezbollah among the Syrian public has weakened since the involvement of Hezbollah and Iran in propping up the Assad regime during the civil war.[300][better source needed] On 12 May 2013, Hezbollah with the Syrian army attempted to retake part of Qusayr.[301] In Lebanon, there has been "a recent increase in the funerals of Hezbollah fighters" and "Syrian rebels have shelled Hezbollah-controlled areas."[301] On 25 May 2013, Nasrallah announced that Hezbollah is fighting in the Syrian Civil War against Islamic extremists and "pledged that his group will not allow Syrian militants to control areas that border Lebanon".[302] He confirmed that Hezbollah was fighting in the strategic Syrian town of Al-Qusayr on the same side as Assad's forces.[302] In the televised address, he said, "If Syria falls in the hands of America, Israel and the takfiris, the people of our region will go into a dark period."[302] Involvement in Iranian-led intervention in Iraq Beginning in July 2014, Hezbollah sent an undisclosed number of technical advisers and intelligence analysts to Baghdad in support of the Iranian intervention in Iraq (2014–present). Shortly thereafter, Hezbollah commander Ibrahim al-Hajj was reported killed in action near Mosul.[303] Latin America operations Hezbollah operations in South America began in the late 20th century, centered around the Arab population which had moved there following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the 1985 Lebanese Civil War.[304] One particular form of alleged activity is money laundering.[305] The Los Angeles Times said that the group was more active in the 1990s, especially during the 1992 Israeli embassy bombing in Argentina, though its relevance grew more unclear as time progressed.[306] Vox writes that following the adoption of the Patriot Act in 2001, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) would promote the term of narcoterrorism and arrest individuals with no prior history of being involved in terrorism, suggesting skepticism towards the reports of large-scale collusion between alleged terrorist groups and cartels.[307] In 2002, Hezbollah was reported to be openly operating in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay.[308] Beginning in 2008, the DEA began with Project Cassandra to work against reported Hezbollah activities in regards to Latin American drug trafficking.[309] The investigation by the DEA reported that Hezbollah made about a billion dollars a year and trafficked thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States.[310] Another destination for cocaine trafficking done by Hezbollah are nations within the Gulf Cooperation Co

In the early hours of July 31st this year, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran. It's presumed Israel was behind the killing, with reports detailing a complex operation by its spy agency Mossad. So, if it was Israel that did this, why did they do it in such an extraordinary manner, and in Iran of all places? The answer tells us a lot about the complex political situation Israel finds itself in, where it feels the need for revenge, but only in a way that doesn’t alienate its allies. Matt Bevan takes a look.

The US taxpayer should have more say in how our money is spent. Our government is complicit in genocide. Please do yourself a favour and educate yourself not only on this current conflict but the history of the area so you will have a broader understanding and you wont blindingly support what many people of the world are now calling "The Real Terrorist". If you support Israel you either havnt done this or you are just as bad as the IDF Soldiers who raped a man with a stick.

Prophet and FLDS Leader teaches us about the spouses of Jesus Christ

Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation.[1] Human trafficking can occur within a country or trans-nationally. It is distinct from people smuggling, which is characterized by the consent of the person being smuggled. Human trafficking is condemned as a violation of human rights by international conventions, but legal protection varies globally. The practice has millions of victims around the world.[citation needed] Definition World Day Against Trafficking In Persons The UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, which has 117 signatories and 173 parties,[2] defines human trafficking as: (a) [...] the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal, manipulation or implantation of organs; (b) The consent of a victim of trafficking in persons to the intended exploitation set forth in sub-paragraph (a) of this article shall be irrelevant where any of the means set forth in subparagraph (a) have been used; (c) The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation shall be considered "trafficking in persons" even if this does not involve any of the means set forth in sub-paragraph (a) of this article; (d) "Child" shall mean any person under eighteen years of age.[3] Prevalence There are many different estimates of the number of victims of human trafficking. Diagram showing number of persons involved in human trafficking by legal status, divided by gender. [1] According to scholar Kevin Bales, author of Disposable People (2004), estimates that as many as 27 million people are in "modern-day slavery" across the globe.[4][5] In 2008, the U.S. Department of State estimates that 2 million children are exploited by the global commercial sex trade.[6] In the same year, a study classified 12.3 million individuals worldwide as "forced laborers, bonded laborers or sex-trafficking victims". Approximately 1.39 million of these individuals worked as commercial sex slaves, with women and girls comprising 98% of that 1.36 million.[7] According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), forced labour alone (one component of human trafficking) generates an estimated $150 billion in profits per annum as of 2014.[8] In 2012, the ILO estimated that 21 million victims are trapped in modern-day slavery. Of these, 14.2 million (68%) were exploited for labour, 4.5 million (22%) were sexually exploited, and 2.2 million (10%) were exploited in state-imposed forced labour.[9] The following is the breakdown of profits by sector: $99 billion from commercial sexual exploitation; $34 billion in construction, manufacturing, mining and utilities; $9 billion in agriculture, including forestry and fishing; $8 billion is saved annually by private households that employ domestic workers under conditions of forced labour. Although only 19% of victims are trafficked for sexual exploitation, it makes up 66% of the global earnings of human trafficking.[10] The average annual profits generated by each woman in forced sexual servitude ($100,000) is estimated to be six times more than the average profits generated by each trafficking victim worldwide ($21,800).[10] Human trafficking is the third largest crime industry in the world, behind drug dealing and arms trafficking, and is the fastest-growing activity of transnational criminal organizations.[11][12][13] In January 2019, UNODC published the new edition of the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons.[14] The Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2018 has revealed that 30% of all victims of human trafficking officially detected globally between 2016 and 2018 are children, up 3% from the period 2007–2010. The Global Report recorded victims of 137 different nationalities detected in 142 countries between 2012 and 2016, during which period, 500 different flows were identified. Around half of all trafficking took place within the same region with 42% occurring within national borders. One exception is the Middle East, where most detected victims are East and South Asians. Trafficking victims from East Asia have been detected in more than 64 countries, making them the most geographically dispersed group around the world. There are significant regional differences in the detected forms of exploitation. Countries in Africa and in Asia generally intercept more cases of trafficking for forced labour, while sexual exploitation is somewhat more frequently found in Europe and in the Americas. Additionally, trafficking for organ removal was detected in 16 countries around the world. The Report raises concerns about low conviction rates – 16% of reporting countries did not record a single conviction for trafficking in persons between 2007 and 2010.[2] Significant progress has been made in terms of legislation: as of 2012, 83% of countries had a law criminalizing trafficking in persons in accordance with the Protocol.[15] Overview A schematic showing global human trafficking from countries of origin and destination Countries of origin Yellow: Moderate number of people Orange: High number of people Red: Very high number of people Countries of destination Light blue: High number of people Blue: Very high number of people Unshaded countries are neither countries of origin nor countries of destination A world map showing the legislative situation in different countries to prevent female trafficking as of 2009 according to WomanStats Project. Gray: No data Green: Trafficking is illegal and rare Yellow: Trafficking is illegal but problems still exist Purple: Trafficking is illegal but is still practiced Blue: Trafficking is limitedly illegal and is practiced Red: Trafficking is not illegal and is commonly practiced[16] According to the 2018 and 2019 editions of the annual Trafficking in Persons Reports issued by the U.S. State Department: Belarus, Iran, Russia, and Turkmenistan remain among the worst countries when it comes to providing protection against human trafficking and forced labour.[17][18] In 2015, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline received reports of more than 5,000 potential human trafficking cases in the U.S. Children comprise up to one-third of all victims, while women make up more than half.[19] Singapore appears to be a popular destination for human trafficking with women and girls from India, Thailand, the Philippines and China.[20] In November 2019, two Indian nationals were convicted for exploiting migrant women, making it the first conviction in the state.[21] Types of trafficking Trafficking arrangements are sometimes structured as a work contract, but with no or low payment, or on terms which are highly exploitative. They may also be structured as debt bondage, with the victim not being permitted or able to pay off the debt. It may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage,[22][23][24] or the extraction of organs or tissues,[25][26] including for surrogacy and ova removal.[27] Trafficking of children See also: Child harvesting Trafficking of children involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of children for the purpose of exploitation. Commercial sexual exploitation of children can take many forms, including forcing a child into prostitution[28][29] or other forms of sexual activity or child pornography. Child exploitation may also involve forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude, the removal of organs,[30] illicit international adoption, trafficking for early marriage, recruitment as child soldiers, for use in begging or as athletes (such as child camel jockeys[31] or football trafficking.)[32] Young boy shines the shoes of an elderly man in the park Child labour is a form of work that may be hazardous to the physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development of children and can interfere with their education. According to the International Labour Organization, the global number of children involved in child labour fell during the twelve years to 2012 – it has declined by one third, from 246 million in 2000 to 168 million children in 2012.[33] Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest incidence of child labour, while the largest numbers of child-workers are found in Asia and the Pacific.[33] IOM statistics indicate that a significant minority (35%) of trafficked persons it assisted in 2011 were less than 18 years of age, which is roughly consistent with estimates from previous years. It was reported in 2010 that Thailand and Brazil were considered to have the worst child sex trafficking records.[34] Traffickers in children may take advantage of the parents' extreme poverty. Parents may sell children to traffickers in order to pay off debts or gain income, or they may be deceived concerning the prospects of training and a better life for their children. They may sell their children into labour, sex trafficking, or illegal adoptions, although scholars have urged a nuanced understanding and approach to the issue - one that looks at broader socio-economic and political contexts.[35][36][37] The adoption process, legal and illegal, when abused can sometimes result in cases of trafficking of babies and pregnant women around the world.[38] In David M. Smolin's 2005 papers on child trafficking and adoption scandals between India and the United States,[39][40] he presents the systemic vulnerabilities in the inter-country adoption system that makes adoption scandals predictable. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at Article 34, states, "States Parties undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse".[41] In the European Union, commercial sexual exploitation of children is subject to a directive – Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography.[42] The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (or Hague Adoption Convention) is an international convention dealing with international adoption, that aims at preventing child laundering, child trafficking, and other abuses related to international adoption.[43] The Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict seeks to prevent forceful recruitment (e.g. by guerrilla forces) of children for use in armed conflicts.[44] Sex trafficking Main article: Sex trafficking Warning of Prostitution and Human trafficking in South Korea for G.I. by United States Forces Korea RealStars trafficking model The International Labour Organization claims that forced labour in the sex industry affects 4.5 million people worldwide.[45] Most victims find themselves in coercive or abusive situations from which escape is both difficult and dangerous.[46] Trafficking for sexual exploitation was formerly thought of as the organized movement of people, usually women, between countries and within countries for sex work with the use of physical coercion, deception and bondage through forced debt. However, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (US)[47] does not require movement for the offence. The issue becomes contentious when the element of coercion is removed from the definition to incorporate facilitation of consensual involvement in prostitution. For example, in the United Kingdom, the Sexual Offences Act 2003 incorporated trafficking for sexual exploitation but did not require those committing the offence to use coercion, deception or force, so that it also includes any person who enters the UK to carry out sex work with consent as having been "trafficked".[48] In addition, any minor involved in a commercial sex act in the US while under the age of 18 qualifies as a trafficking victim, even if no force, fraud or coercion is involved, under the definition of "Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons" in the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.[47][49] Trafficked women and children are often promised work in the domestic or service industry, but instead are sometimes taken to brothels where they are required to undertake sex work, while their passports and other identification papers are confiscated. They may be beaten or locked up and promised their freedom only after earning – through prostitution – their purchase price, as well as their travel and visa costs.[50][51] Forced marriage Main article: Forced marriage A forced marriage is a marriage where one or both participants are married without their freely given consent.[52] Servile marriage is defined as a marriage involving a person being sold, transferred or inherited into that marriage.[53] According to ECPAT, "Child trafficking for forced marriage is simply another manifestation of trafficking and is not restricted to particular nationalities or countries".[22] Sena from Zambia, who was forced to marry at just 15 Forced marriages have been described as a form of human trafficking in certain situations and certain countries, such as China and its Southeast Asian neighbours from which many women are moved to China, sometimes through promises of work, and forced to marry Chinese men. Ethnographic research with women from Myanmar[54] and Cambodia[55] found that many women eventually get used to their life in China and prefer it to the one they had in their home countries. Furthermore, legal scholars have noted that transnational marriage brokering was never intended to be considered trafficking by the drafters of the Palermo Protocol.[56] Labour trafficking Further information: Unfree labour Labour trafficking is the movement of persons for the purpose of forced labour and services.[57] It may involve bonded labour, involuntary servitude, domestic servitude, and child labour.[57] Labour trafficking happens most often within the domain of domestic work, agriculture, construction, manufacturing and entertainment; and migrant workers and indigenous people are especially at risk of becoming victims.[45] People smuggling is a related practice which is characterized by the consent of the person being smuggled.[58] Smuggling situations can descend into human trafficking through coercion and exploitation.[59] They are known to traffic people for the exploitation of their labour, for example, as transporters.[60] Bonded labour, or debt bondage, is probably the least known form of labour trafficking today, and yet is the most widely used method of enslaving people. Victims become "bonded" when their labour, the labour which they themselves hired and the tangible goods they have bought are demanded as a means of repayment for a loan or service whose terms and conditions have not been defined, or where the value of the victims' services is not applied toward the liquidation of the debt. Generally, the value of their work is greater than the original sum of money "borrowed".[61] Forced labour is a situation in which people are forced to work against their will under the threat of violence or some other form of punishment; their freedom is restricted and a degree of ownership is exerted. Men and women are at risk of being trafficked for unskilled work, which globally generates US$31 billion according to the International Labour Organization.[62] Forms of forced labour can include domestic servitude, agricultural labour, sweatshop factory labour, janitorial, food service and other service industry labour, and begging.[61] Some of the products that can be produced by forced labour are: clothing, cocoa, bricks, coffee, cotton, and gold.[63] Convicts leased to harvest timber Organ trade Main article: Organ theft Trafficking in organs is a form of human trafficking. It can take different forms. In some cases, the victim is compelled into giving up an organ. In other cases, the victim agrees to sell an organ in exchange of money/goods, but is not paid (or paid less). Finally, the victim may have the organ removed without the victim's knowledge (usually when the victim is treated for another medical problem/illness – real or orchestrated problem/illness). Migrant workers, homeless persons, and illiterate persons are particularly vulnerable to this form of exploitation. Trafficking of organs is an organized crime, involving several offenders:[64] the recruiter the transporter the medical staff the middlemen/contractors the buyers Trafficking for organ trade often seeks kidneys. Trafficking in organs is a lucrative trade because in many countries the waiting lists for patients who need transplants are very long.[65] Some solutions have been proposed to help counter it. Fraud factory Main article: Fraud factory Most fraud factories operate in Southeast Asia (including Cambodia, Myanmar, or Laos), and are typically run by a criminal gang. Fraud factory operators lure foreign nationals to scam hubs, where they are forced to scam internet users around the world into fraudulently buying cryptocurrencies or withdrawing cash, via social media and online dating apps. Trafficking victims' passports are confiscated, and they are threatened with organ theft, organ harvesting or forced prostitution if they do not scam sufficiently successfully. Causes A complex set of factors fuel human trafficking, including poverty, unemployment, social norms that discriminate against women, institutional challenges, and globalization. Poverty and globalization Poverty and lack of educational and economic opportunities in one's hometown may lead women to voluntarily migrate and then be involuntarily trafficked into sex work.[66][67] As globalization opened up national borders to greater exchange of goods and capital, labour migration also increased. Less wealthy countries have fewer options for livable wages. The economic impact of globalization pushes people to make conscious decisions to migrate and be vulnerable to trafficking. Gender inequalities that hinder women from participating in the formal sector also push women into informal sectors.[68] Long waiting lists for organs in the United States and Europe created a thriving international black market. Traffickers harvest organs, particularly kidneys, to sell for large profit and often without properly caring for or compensating the victims. Victims often come from poor, rural communities and see few other options than to sell organs illegally.[69] Wealthy countries' inability to meet organ demand within their own borders perpetuates trafficking. By reforming their internal donation system, Iran achieved a surplus of legal donors and provides an instructive model for eliminating both organ trafficking and shortage.[70] Globalization and the rise of internet technology has also facilitated human trafficking. Online classified sites and social networks such as Craigslist have been under intense scrutiny for being used by clients and traffickers in facilitating sex trafficking and sex work in general. Traffickers use explicit sites (e.g. Craigslist, Backpage, MySpace) to market, recruit, sell, and exploit women. Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites are suspected for similar uses. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, online classified ads reduce the risks of finding prospective customers.[71] Studies have identified the Internet as the single biggest facilitator of commercial sex trade, although it is difficult to ascertain which women advertised are sex trafficking victims.[72] Traffickers and pimps use the Internet to recruit minors, since Internet and social networking sites usage have significantly increased especially among children.[73] At the same time, critical scholars have questioned the extent of the role of internet in human trafficking and have cautioned against sweeping generalisations and urged more research.[74] While globalization fostered new technologies that may exacerbate human trafficking, technology can also be used to assist law enforcement and anti-trafficking efforts. A study was done on online classified ads surrounding the Super Bowl. A number of reports have noticed increase in sex trafficking during previous years of the Super Bowl.[75] For the 2011 Super Bowl XLV held in Dallas, Texas, the Backpage for Dallas area experienced a 136% increase on the number of posts in the Adult section on Super Bowl Sunday; in contrast, Sundays typically have the lowest number of posts. Researchers analyzed the most salient terms in these online ads, which suggested that many escorts were traveling across state lines to Dallas specifically for the Super Bowl, and found that the self-reported ages were higher than usual. Twitter was another social networking platform studied for detecting sex trafficking. Digital tools can be used to narrow the pool of sex trafficking cases, albeit imperfectly and with uncertainty.[76] However, there has been no evidence found actually linking the Super Bowl – or any other sporting event – to increased trafficking or prostitution.[77][78][79] Political and institutional Corrupt and inadequately trained police officers can be complicit in human trafficking and/or commit violence against sex workers, including trafficked victims.[80] Human traffickers often incorporate abuse of the legal system into their control tactics by making threats of deportation[81] or by turning victims into the authorities, possibly resulting in the incarceration of the victims.[82] Anti-trafficking agendas from different groups can also be in conflict. In the movement for sex workers' rights, sex workers establish unions and organizations, which seek to eliminate trafficking. However, law enforcement also seek to eliminate trafficking and to prosecute trafficking, and their work may infringe on sex workers' rights and agency. For example, the sex workers union DMSC (Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee) in Kolkata, India, has "self-regulatory boards" (SRBs) that patrol the red light districts and assist girls who are underage or trafficked. The union opposes police intervention and interferes with police efforts to bring minor girls out of brothels, on the grounds that police action might have an adverse impact on non-trafficked sex workers, especially because police officers in many places are corrupt and violent in their operations.[80] A recent seven-country research by the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women found that sex worker organizations around the world assist women in the industry who are trafficked and should be considered as allies in anti-trafficking work.[83] Criminalization of sex work also may foster the underground market for sex work and enable sex trafficking.[66] Difficult political situations such as civil war and social conflict are push factors for migration and trafficking. A study reported that larger countries, the richest and the poorest countries, and countries with restricted press freedom are likely to have higher levels of trafficking. Specifically, being in a transitional economy made a country nineteen times more likely to be ranked in the highest trafficking category, and gender inequalities in a country's labour market also correlated with higher trafficking rates.[84] The annual U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons Report for 2013 cited Russia and China as among the worst offenders in combatting forced labour and sex trafficking, raising the possibility of US sanctions being leveraged against these countries.[85] In 1997 alone as many as 175,000 young women from Russia, the former Soviet Union and Eastern and Central Europe were sold as commodities in the sex markets of the developed countries in Europe and the Americas.[86] Commercial demand for sex Abolitionists who seek an end to sex trafficking explain the nature of sex trafficking as an economic supply and demand model. In this model, male demand for prostitutes leads to a market of sex work, which, in turn, fosters sex trafficking, the illegal trade and coercion of people into sex work, and pimps and traffickers become 'distributors' who supply people to be sexually exploited. The demand for sex trafficking can also be facilitated by some pimps' and traffickers' desire for women whom they can exploit as workers because they do not require wages, safe working circumstances, and agency in choosing customers.[66] The link between demand for paid sex and incidences of human trafficking, as well as the "demand for trafficking" discourse more broadly, have never been proven empirically and have been seriously questioned by a number of scholars and organisations.[87][88][89][90] To this day, the idea that trafficking is fuelled by demand remains poorly conceptualised and based on assumptions rather than evidence. Vulnerable groups The U.S. State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons Report for 2016 stated that "refugees and migrants; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) individuals; religious minorities; people with disabilities; and those who are stateless" are the most at-risk for human trafficking.[91] Additionally, in its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, the United Nations notes that women and children are particularly at risk for human trafficking and revictimization. The Protocol requires State Parties not only to enact measures that prevent human trafficking but also to address the factors that exacerbate women and children's vulnerability, including "poverty, underdevelopment and lack of equal opportunity."[92] Consequences Human trafficking victims face threats of violence from many sources, including customers, pimps, brothel owners, madams, traffickers, and corrupt local law enforcement officials and even from family members who do not want to have any link with them.[93] Because of their potentially complicated legal status and their potential language barriers, the arrest or fear of arrest creates stress and other emotional trauma for trafficking victims.[94][95] The challenges facing victims often continue after their removal from coercive exploitation.[96] In addition to coping with their past traumatic experiences, former trafficking victims often experience social alienation in the host and home countries. Stigmatization, social exclusion, and intolerance often make it difficult for former victims to integrate into their host community, or to reintegrate into their former community. Accordingly, one of the central aims of protection assistance, is the promotion of reintegration.[97][98] Too often however, governments and large institutional donors offer little funding to support the provision of assistance and social services to former trafficking victims.[99] As the victims are also pushed into drug trafficking, many of them face criminal sanctions also.[100] Psychological Short-term impact The use of coercion by perpetrators and traffickers involves the use of extreme control. Perpetrators expose the victim to high amounts of psychological stress induced by threats, fear, and physical and emotional violence. Tactics of coercion are reportedly used in three phases of trafficking: recruitment, initiation, and indoctrination.[101] During the initiation phase, traffickers use foot-in-the-door techniques of persuasion to lead their victims into various trafficking industries. This manipulation creates an environment where the victim becomes completely dependent upon the authority of the trafficker.[101] Traffickers take advantage of family dysfunction, homelessness, and history of childhood abuse to psychologically manipulate women and children into the trafficking industry.[102] A distressed woman with her mouth taped shut. One form of psychological coercion particularly common in cases of sex trafficking and forced prostitution is Stockholm syndrome. Many women entering into the sex trafficking industry are minors who have already experienced prior sexual abuse.[103] Traffickers take advantage of young girls by luring them into the business through force and coercion, but more often through false promises of love, security, and protection. This form of coercion works to recruit and initiate the victim into the life of a sex worker, while also reinforcing a "trauma bond", also known as Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm syndrome is a psychological response where the victim becomes attached to his or her perpetrator.[103][104] The goal of a trafficker is to turn a human being into a slave. To do this, perpetrators employ tactics that can lead to the psychological consequence of learned helplessness for the victims, where they sense that they no longer have any autonomy or control over their lives.[102] Traffickers may hold their victims captive, expose them to large amounts of alcohol or use drugs, keep them in isolation, or withhold food or sleep.[102] During this time the victim often begins to feel the onset of depression, guilt and self-blame, anger and rage, and sleep disturbances, PTSD, numbing, and extreme stress. Under these pressures, the victim can fall into the hopeless mental state of learned helplessness.[101][105][106] For victims specifically trafficked for the purpose of forced prostitution and sexual slavery, initiation into the trade is almost always characterized by violence.[102] Traffickers employ practices of sexual abuse, torture, brainwashing, repeated rape and physical assault until the victim submits to his or her fate as a sexual slave. Victims experience verbal threats, social isolation, and intimidation before they accept their role as a prostitute.[107] For those enslaved in situations of forced labor, learned helplessness can also manifest itself through the trauma of living as a slave. Reports indicate that captivity for the person and financial gain of their owners adds additional psychological trauma. Victims are often cut off from all forms of social connection, as isolation allows the perpetrator to destroy the victim's sense of self and increase his or her dependence on the perpetrator.[101] Long-term impact Human trafficking victims may experience complex trauma as a result of repeated cases of intimate relationship trauma over long periods of time including, but not limited to, sexual abuse, domestic violence, forced prostitution, or gang rape. Complex trauma involves multifaceted conditions of depression, anxiety, self-hatred, dissociation, substance abuse, self-destructive behaviors, medical and somatic concerns, despair, and revictimization. Psychology researchers report that, although similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex trauma is more expansive in diagnosis because of the effects of prolonged trauma.[108] Victims of sex trafficking often get "branded"[109] by their traffickers or pimps. These tattoos usually consist of bar codes or the trafficker's name or rules. Even if a victim escapes their trafficker's control or gets rescued, these tattoos are painful reminders of their past and result in emotional distress. Removing or covering these tattoos can potentially cost survivors great sums of money.[110][111] Psychological reviews have shown that the chronic stress experienced by many victims of human trafficking can compromise the immune system.[102] Several studies found that chronic stressors (like trauma or loss) suppressed cellular and humoral immunity.[105] Victims may develop sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS.[112] Perpetrators frequently use substance abuse as a means to control their victims, which leads to compromised health, self-destructive behavior, and long-term physical harm.[113] Furthermore, victims have reported treatment similar to torture, where their bodies are broken and beaten into submission.[113][114] Children are especially vulnerable to these developmental and psychological consequences of trafficking due to their age. In order to gain complete control of the child, traffickers often destroy the physical and mental health of the children through persistent physical and emotional abuse.[115] Victims experience severe trauma on a daily basis that devastates the healthy development of self-concept, self-worth, biological integrity, and cognitive functioning.[116] Children who grow up in environments of constant exploitation frequently exhibit antisocial behavior, over-sexualized behavior, self-harm, aggression, distrust of adults, dissociative disorders, substance abuse, complex trauma, and attention deficit disorders.[104][115][116][117] Stockholm syndrome is also a common problem for trafficked girls, which can hinder them from both trying to escape, and moving forward in psychological recovery programs.[114] Although 98% of the sex trade is composed of women and girls,[114] there is an effort to gather empirical evidence about the psychological impact of abuse common in sex trafficking upon young boys.[116][118] Boys often will experience forms of post-traumatic stress disorder, but also additional stressors of social stigma of homosexuality associated with sexual abuse for boys, and externalization of blame, increased anger, and desire for revenge. HIV/AIDS A map of the world where most of the land is colored green or yellow except for sub Saharan Africa which is colored red Estimated prevalence in % of HIV among young adults (15–49) per country as of 2011.[119] No data <0.10 0.10–0.5 0.5–1 1–5 5–15 15–50 Sex trafficking increases the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.[120] The HIV/AIDS pandemic can be both a cause and a consequence of sex trafficking. On one hand, children are sought by customers because they are perceived as being less likely to be HIV positive, and this demand leads to child sex trafficking. On the other hand, trafficking leads to the proliferation of HIV, because victims often cannot protect themselves properly and get infected.[121] Economic impacts Organised criminal groups invest in a wide range of legitimate businesses to conceal and launder the profits earned from human trafficking. Fair competition may be undermined when human trafficking victims are exploited for cheap labour, driving down production costs, thereby indirectly causing a negative economic imbalance.[122] This can also depress wages for legal labourers.[123] According to the United Nations, human trafficking can be closely integrated into legal businesses, including the tourism industry, agriculture, hotel and airline operations, and leisure and entertainment businesses.[124][125] Related crimes associated with human trafficking reportedly include fraud, extortion, racketeering, money laundering, bribery, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, car theft, migrant smuggling, kidnapping, document forgery, and gambling.[126][125] Other economic costs that have been associated with human trafficking include lost labour productivity, human resources, taxable revenues, and migrant remittances, as well as unlawfully redistributed wealth and heightened law enforcement and public health costs.[125] Countermeasures The Blue Campaign collaborates with law enforcement, government, non-governmental, and private organizations to end human trafficking and protect victims.[127] In 2009, the International Organization for Migration launched the Buy Responsibly awareness raising campaign against trafficking.[128] The United Nations Organization also takes an active part in the anti-trafficking effort, particularly through the Sustainable Development Goal 5.[129] In early 2016, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations held an interactive discussion entitled "Responding to Current Challenges in Trafficking in Human Beings".[130] Anti-trafficking awareness and fundraising campaigns constitute a significant portion of anti-trafficking initiatives.[131] The 24 Hour Race is one such initiative that focuses on increasing awareness among high school students in Asia.[132] The Blue Campaign is another anti-trafficking initiative that works with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to combat human trafficking and bring freedom to exploited victims.[133] However, critical commentators have pointed out that initiatives such as these aimed at "raising awareness" do little, if anything, to actually reduce instances of trafficking.[134][135][136] The 3P Anti-trafficking Policy Index measured the effectiveness of government policies to fight human trafficking based on an evaluation of policy requirements prescribed by the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (2000).[137] In 2014, for the first time in history major leaders of many religions, Buddhist, Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim, met to sign a shared commitment against modern-day slavery; the declaration they signed calls for the elimination of slavery and human trafficking by 2020.[138] The signatories were: Pope Francis, Mātā Amṛtānandamayī (also known as Amma), Bhikkhuni Thich Nu Chân Không (representing Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh), Datuk K Sri Dhammaratana, Chief High Priest of Malaysia, Rabbi Abraham Skorka, Rabbi David Rosen, Abbas Abdalla Abbas Soliman, Undersecretary of State of Al Azhar Alsharif (representing Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar), Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi, Sheikh Naziyah Razzaq Jaafar, Special advisor of Grand Ayatollah (representing Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Basheer Hussain al Najafi), Sheikh Omar Abboud, Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Metropolitan Emmanuel of France (representing Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew).[138] The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has further assisted many non-governmental organizations in their fight against human trafficking. The 2006 armed conflict in Lebanon, which saw 300,000 domestic workers from Sri Lanka, Ethiopia and the Philippines jobless and targets of traffickers, led to an emergency information campaign with NGO Caritas Migrant to raise human-trafficking awareness. Additionally, an April 2006 report, Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns, helped to identify 127 countries of origin, 98 transit countries and 137 destination countries for human trafficking. To date, it is the second most frequently downloaded UNODC report. Continuing into 2007, UNODC supported initiatives like the Community Vigilance project along the border between India and Nepal, as well as provided subsidy for NGO trafficking prevention campaigns in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.[139] UNODC efforts to motivate action launched the Blue Heart Campaign Against Human Trafficking on 6 March 2009,[140] which Mexico launched its own national version of in April 2010.[141][142] The campaign encourages people to show solidarity with human trafficking victims by wearing the blue heart, similar to how wearing the red ribbon promotes transnational HIV/AIDS awareness.[143] On 4 November 2010, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons to provide humanitarian, legal and financial aid to victims of human trafficking with the aim of increasing the number of those rescued and supported, and broadening the extent of assistance they receive.[144] In 2013, the United Nations designated July 30 as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons.[145] There are a number of international treaties concerning human trafficking: Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, entered into force in 1957 Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) ILO Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105) ILO Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) Inter-American Convention on International Traffic in Minors In countermeasures victims began using the sign language help sign. United States Main article: Human trafficking in the United States The enactment of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA) in 2000 by the United States Congress and its subsequent re-authorizations established the Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, which engages with foreign governments to fight human trafficking and publishes a Trafficking in Persons Report annually. The Trafficking in Persons Report evaluates each country's progress in anti-trafficking and places each country onto one of three tiers based on their governments' efforts to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking as prescribed by the TVPA.[146] However, questions have been raised by critical anti-trafficking scholars about the basis of this tier system, its heavy focus on compliance with state department protocols, its overreliance on prosecutions and convictions as success in combating trafficking,[56] its use to serve US political and economic interests and lack of systemic analysis,[147] and its failure to consider "risk" and the likely prevalence of trafficking when rating the efforts of diverse countries.[148] Findings of the legislative framework in place in different countries to prevent/reduce human trafficking. The findings are from the 2019 Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report[149] Blue – Tier 1 Yellow – Tier 2 Orange – Tier 2½ Red – Tier 3 Brown – Tier special In 2002, Derek Ellerman and Katherine Chon founded a non-government organization called the Polaris Project to combat human trafficking. In 2007, Polaris instituted the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) where[150] callers can report tips and receive information on human trafficking.[151] [152] In 2007, the U.S. Senate designated 11 January as a National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness in an effort to raise consciousness about this global, national and local issue.[153] In 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, President Barack Obama proclaimed January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.[154] In 2014, DARPA funded the Memex program with the explicit goal of combating human trafficking via domain-specific searches.[155] The advanced search capacity, including its ability to reach into the dark web allows for prosecution of human trafficking cases, which can be difficult to prosecute due to the fraudulent tactics of the human traffickers.[156] Council of Europe On 3 May 2005, the Committee of Ministers adopted the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (CETS No. 197).[157] The convention was opened for signature in Warsaw on 16 May 2005 on the occasion of the 3rd Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe. On 24 October 2007, the convention received its tenth ratification thereby triggering the process whereby it entered into force on 1 February 2008. As of June 2017, the convention has been ratified by 47 states (including Belarus, a non-Council of Europe state), with Russia being the only state to not have ratified (nor signed).[158] The convention is not restricted to Council of Europe member states; non-member states and the European Union also have the possibility of becoming Party to the convention. In 2013, Belarus became the first non-Council of Europe member state to accede to the convention.[159][160] Complementary protection against sex trafficking of children is ensured through the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (signed in Lanzarote, 25 October 2007). The Convention entered into force on 1 July 2010.[161] As of November 2020, the convention has been ratified by 47 states, with Ireland having signed but not yet ratified.[162] In addition, the European Court of Human Rights of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg has passed judgments concerning trafficking in human beings which violated obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights: Siliadin v. France,[163] judgment of 26 July 2005, and Rantsev v. Cyprus and Russia,[164] judgment of 7 January 2010. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Main article: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe In 2003, the OSCE established an anti-trafficking mechanism aimed at raising public awareness of the problem and building the political will within participating states to tackle it effectively. The OSCE actions against human trafficking are coordinated by the Office of the Special Representative for Combating the Traffic of Human Beings.[165] In January 2010, Maria Grazia Giammarinaro became the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. India Preity Zinta at ACT (Against Child Trafficking) Main article: Human trafficking in India In India, the trafficking in persons for commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, forced marriages and domestic servitude is considered an organized crime. The Government of India applies the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013, active from 3 February 2013, as well as Section 370 and 370A IPC, which defines human trafficking and "provides stringent punishment for human trafficking; trafficking of children for exploitation in any form including physical exploitation; or any form of sexual exploitation, slavery, servitude or the forced removal of organs." Additionally, a Regional Task Force implements the SAARC Convention on the prevention of Trafficking in Women and Children.[166] Shri R.P.N. Singh, India's Minister of State for Home Affairs, launched a government web portal, the Anti Human Trafficking Portal, on 20 February 2014. The official statement explained that the objective of the on-line resource is for the "sharing of information across all stakeholders, States/UTs [Union Territories] and civil society organizations for effective implementation of Anti Human Trafficking measures."[166] The key aims of the portal are: Aid in the tracking of cases with inter-state ramifications. Provide comprehensive information on legislation, statistics, court judgements, United Nations Conventions, details of trafficked people and traffickers and rescue success stories. Provide connection to "Trackchild", the National Portal on Missing Children that is operational in many states.[166] Also on 20 February, the Indian government announced the implementation of a Comprehensive Scheme that involves the establishment of Integrated Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) in 335 vulnerable police districts throughout India, as well as capacity building that includes training for police, prosecutors and judiciary. As of the announcement, 225 Integrated AHTUs had been made operational, while 100 more AHTUs were proposed for the forthcoming financial year.[166] Singapore As of 2016, Singapore acceded to the United Nations Trafficking in Persons Protocol and affirmed on 28 September 2015, the commitment to combat people trafficking, especially women and children.[167] According to the U.S. State Department's 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report, Singapore is making significant efforts to eliminate human trafficking as it imposes strong sentences against convicted traffickers, improve freedom of movement for adult victims and increases migrant workers' awareness of their rights. However, it still does not meet the minimum standards as numerous migrant workers' work conditions indicate labor trafficking, but conviction is not secured.[168] Criticism Both the public debate on human trafficking and the actions undertaken by the anti-human traffickers have been criticized by numerous scholars and experts, including Zbigniew Dumienski, a former research analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.[169] The criticism touches upon statistics and data on human trafficking, the concept itself, and anti-trafficking measures. Problems with statistics and data According to a former Wall Street Journal columnist, figures used in human trafficking estimates rarely have identifiable sources or transparent methodologies behind them and in most (if not all) instances, they are mere guesses.[170][171][172] Dumienski and Laura Agustin argue that this is a result of the fact that it is impossible to produce reliable statistics on a phenomenon happening in the shadow economy.[169][173] According to a UNESCO Bangkok researcher, statistics on human trafficking may be unreliable due to overrepresentation of sex trafficking. As an example, he cites flaws in Thai statistics, which discount men from their official numbers because by law they cannot be considered trafficking victims due to their gender.[174] A 2012 article in the International Communication Gazette examined the effect of two communication theories (agenda-building and agenda-setting) on media coverage on human trafficking in the United States and Britain. The article analyzed four newspapers, including the Guardian and the Washington Post, and categorized the content into various categories. Overall, the article found that sex trafficking was the most reported form of human trafficking by the newspapers that were analyzed (p. 154). Many of the other stories on trafficking were non-specific.[175] Problems with the concept According to Zbigniew Dumienski, the very concept of human trafficking is murky and misleading.[169] It has been argued that while human trafficking is commonly seen as a monolithic crime, in reality it may be an act of illegal migration that involves various different actions: some of them may be criminal or abusive, but others often involve consent and are legal.[169] Laura Agustin argues that not everything that might seem abusive or coercive is considered as such by the migrant. For instance, she states that: "would-be travellers commonly seek help from intermediaries who sell information, services and documents. When travellers cannot afford to buy these outright, they go into debt".[173] Dumienski says that while these debts might indeed be on very harsh conditions, they are usually incurred on a voluntary basis.[169] British scholar Julia O'Connell Davidson has advanced the same argument.[176] Furthermore, anti-trafficking actors often conflate clandestine migratory movements or voluntary sex work with forms of exploitation covered in human trafficking definitions, ignoring the fact that a migratory movement is not a requirement for human trafficking victimization. The critics of the current approaches to trafficking say that a lot of the violence and exploitation faced by irregular migrants derives precisely from the fact that their migration and their work are illegal and not primarily because of trafficking.[177] The international Save the Children organization also stated: "The issue, however, gets mired in controversy and confusion when prostitution too is considered as a violation of the basic human rights of both adult women and minors, and equal to sexual exploitation per se … trafficking and prostitution become conflated with each other … On account of the historical conflation of trafficking and prostitution both legally and in popular understanding, an overwhelming degree of effort and interventions of anti-trafficking groups are concentrated on trafficking into prostitution."[178] Claudia Aradau of the Open University claims that NGOs involved in anti-sex trafficking often employ "politics of pity", which promotes that all trafficked victims are completely guiltless, fully coerced into sex work, and experience the same degrees of physical suffering. One critic identifies two strategies that gain pity: denunciation – attributing all violence and suffering to the perpetrator – and sentiment – exclusively depicting the suffering of the women. NGOs' use of images of unidentifiable women suffering physically help display sex trafficking scenarios as all the same. She points out that not all trafficking victims have been abducted, abused physically, and repeatedly raped, unlike popular portrayals.[179] A study of the relationships between individuals who are defined as sex-trafficking victims by virtue of having a procurer (especially minors) concluded that assumptions about victimization and human trafficking do not do justice to the complex and often mutual relationships that exist between sex workers and their third parties.[180] Another common critique is that the concept of human trafficking focuses only on the most extreme forms of exploitation and diverts attention and resources away from more "everyday" but arguably much more widespread forms of exploitation and abuse that occur as part of the normal functioning of the economy. As Quirk, Robinson, and Thibos write, "It is not always possible to sharply separate human trafficking from everyday abuses, and problems arise when the former is singled out while the latter is pushed to the margins."[181] O'Connell Davidson too argues that the lines between the crimes of human trafficking/modern slavery and the legally sanctioned exploitation of migrants (such as lower wages or restrictions on freedom of movement and employment) is blurry.[176] Problems with anti-trafficking measures Groups like Amnesty International have been critical of insufficient or ineffective government measures to tackle human trafficking. Criticism includes a lack of understanding of human trafficking issues, poor identification of victims and a lack of resources for the key pillars of anti-trafficking – identification, protection, prosecution and prevention. For example, Amnesty International has called the UK government's new anti-trafficking measures "not fit for purpose".[182] Collateral damage Rights groups have called attention to the negative impact that the implementation of anti-trafficking measures have on the human rights of various groups, especially migrants, sex workers, and trafficked persons themselves. The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women drew attention to this "collateral damage" in 2007.[183] These negative impacts include various restrictions on women's right to migrate and undertake certain jobs,[184][185] suspicion and harassment at international borders of women travelling alone,[186] raids at sex work venues and detention, fines and harassment of sex workers (see below section on the use of raids), assistance to trafficked persons made conditional on their cooperation with law enforcement and forced confinement of trafficked persons in shelters, and many more.[183] Victim identification and protection in the UK In the UK, human trafficking cases are processed by the same officials to simultaneously determine the refugee and trafficking victim statuses of a person. However, criteria for qualifying as a refugee and a trafficking victim differ and they have different needs for staying in a country. A person may need assistance as a trafficking victim but their circumstances may not necessarily meet the threshold for asylum. In this case, not being granted refugee status affects their status as a trafficked victim and thus their ability to receive help. Reviews of the statistics from the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), a tool created by the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (CoE Convention) to help states effectively identify and care for trafficking victims, found that positive decisions for non-European Union citizens were much lower than that of EU and UK citizens. According to data on the NRM decisions from April 2009 to April 2011, an average of 82.8% of UK and EU citizens were conclusively accepted as victims while an average of only 45.9% of non-EU citizens were granted the same status.[187] High refusal rates of non-EU people point to possible stereotypes and biases about regions and countries of origin which may hinder anti-trafficking efforts, since the asylum system is linked to the trafficking victim protection system. Laura Agustin has suggested that, in some cases, "anti-traffickers" ascribe victim status to immigrants who have made conscious and rational decisions to cross the borders knowing they will be selling sex and who do not consider themselves to be victims.[188] There have been instances in which the alleged victims of trafficking have actually refused to be rescued[189] or run away from the anti-trafficking shelters.[190][191] In a 2013 lawsuit,[192] the Court of Appeal gave guidance to prosecuting authorities on the prosecution of victims of human trafficking, and held that the convictions of three Vietnamese children and one Ugandan woman ought to be quashed as the proceedings amounted to an abuse of the court's process.[193] The case was reported by the BBC[194] and one of the victims was interviewed by Channel 4.[195] In 2021, the European Court of Human Rights ordered the British government to compensate two victims of child trafficking for their later arrest and conviction of drug crimes.[196] Law enforcement and the use of raids In the U.S., services and protections for trafficked victims are related to cooperation with law enforcement. Legal procedures that involve prosecution and specifically, raids, are thus the most common anti-trafficking measures. Raids are conducted by law enforcement and by private actors and many organizations (sometimes in cooperation with law enforcement). Law enforcement perceive some benefits from raids, including the ability to locate and identify witnesses for legal processes, to dismantle "criminal networks", and to rescue victims from abuse.[94] The problems against anti-trafficking raids are related to the problem of the trafficking concept itself, as raids' purpose of fighting sex trafficking may be conflated with fighting prostitution. The Trafficking Victims Protection Re-authorization Act of 2005 (TVPRA) gives state and local law enforcement funding to prosecute customers of commercial sex, therefore some law enforcement agencies make no distinction between prostitution and sex trafficking. One study interviewed women who have experienced law enforcement operations as sex workers and found that during these raids meant to combat human trafficking, none of the women were ever identified as trafficking victims, and only one woman was asked whether she was coerced into sex work. The conflation of trafficking with prostitution, then, does not serve to adequately identify trafficking and help the victims. Raids are also problematic in that the women involved were most likely unclear about who was conducting the raid, what the purpose of the raid was, and what the outcomes of the raid would be.[94][197] Another study found that the majority of women "rescued" in anti-trafficking raids, both voluntary and coerced sex workers, eventually returned to sex work but had amassed huge amounts of debt for legal fees and other costs while they were in detention after the raid and were, overall, in a worse situation than before the raid.[198] Law enforcement personnel agree that raids can intimidate trafficked persons and render subsequent law enforcement actions unsuccessful. Social workers and attorneys involved in anti-sex trafficking have negative opinions about raids. Service providers report a lack of uniform procedure for identifying trafficking victims after raids. The 26 interviewed service providers stated that local police never referred trafficked persons to them after raids. Law enforcement also often use interrogation methods that intimidate rather than assist potential trafficking victims. Additionally, sex workers sometimes face violence from the police during raids and arrests and in rehabilitation centers.[94] As raids occur to brothels that may house sex workers as well as sex trafficked victims, raids affect sex workers in general. As clients avoid brothel areas that are raided but do not stop paying for sex, voluntary sex workers will have to interact with customers underground. Underground interactions means that sex workers take greater risks, where as otherwise they would be cooperating with other sex workers and with sex worker organizations to report violence and protect each other. One example of this is with HIV prevention. Sex workers collectives monitor condom use, promote HIV testing, and cares for and monitor the health of HIV positive sex workers. Raids disrupt communal HIV care and prevention efforts, and if HIV positive sex workers are rescued and removed from their community, their treatments are disrupted, furthering the spread of AIDS.[199] Scholars Aziza Ahmed and Meena Seshu suggest reforms in law enforcement procedures so that raids are last resort, not violent, and are transparent in its purposes and processes. Furthermore, they suggest that since any trafficking victims will probably be in contact with other sex workers first, working with sex workers may be an alternative to the raid and rescue model.[200] "End Demand" programs Critics argue that End Demand programs are ineffective in that prostitution is not reduced, "John schools" have little effect on deterrence and portray prostitutes negatively, and conflicts in interest arise between law enforcement and NGO service providers. A study found that Sweden's legal experiment (criminalizing clients of prostitution and providing services to prostitutes who want to exit the industry in order to combat trafficking) did not reduce the number of prostitutes, but instead increased exploitation of sex workers because of the higher risk nature of their work.[citation needed] The same study reported that johns' inclination to buy sex did not change as a result of john schools, and the programs targeted johns who are poor and colored immigrants. Some john schools also intimidate johns into not purchasing sex again by depicting prostitutes as drug addicts, HIV positive, violent, and dangerous, which further marginalizes sex workers. John schools require program fees, and police involvement in NGOs who provide these programs create conflicts of interest especially with money involved.[201][202] However, according to a 2008 study, the Swedish approach of criminalizing demand has "led to an equality-centered approach that has drawn numerous positive reviews worldwide."[203] Modern feminist perspectives There are different feminist perspectives on sex trafficking. The third-wave feminist perspective of sex trafficking seeks to harmonize the dominant and liberal feminist views of sex trafficking. The dominant feminist view focuses on "sexualized domination", which includes issues of pornography, female sex labor in a patriarchal world, rape, and sexual harassment. Dominant feminism emphasizes sex trafficking as forced prostitution and considers the act exploitative. Liberal feminism sees all agents as capable of reason and choice. Liberal feminists support sex workers' rights, and argue that women who voluntarily chose sex work are autonomous. The liberal feminist perspective finds sex trafficking problematic where it overrides consent of individuals.[204][205][206] Third-wave feminism harmonizes the thoughts that while individuals have rights, overarching inequalities hinder women's capabilities. Third-wave feminism also considers that women who are trafficked and face oppression do not all face the same kinds of oppression. For example, third-wave feminist proponent Shelley Cavalieri identifies oppression and privilege in the intersections of race, class, and gender. Women from low socioeconomic class, generally from the Global South, face inequalities that differ from those of other sex trafficking victims. Therefore, it advocates for catering to individual trafficking victim because sex trafficking is not monolithic, and therefore there is not a one-size-fits-all intervention. This also means allowing individual victims to tell their unique experiences rather than essentializing all trafficking experiences. Lastly, third-wave feminism promotes increasing women's agency both generally and individually, so that they have the opportunity to act on their own b

McKinney is a city in and the county seat of Collin County, Texas, United States.[7] It is Collin County's third-largest city, after Plano and Frisco. A suburb of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, McKinney is about 32 miles (51 km) north of Dallas. The Census Bureau ranked McKinney as the nation's fourth fastest-growing large city from 2010 to 2019[8] and determined the city's 2020 population was 195,308.[9] Based on Census Bureau estimates, as of July 2022 the city's population was 207,507, making it Texas's 15th-most populous city.[10] The Census Bureau defines an urban area of northern Dallas-area suburbs that are separated from the Dallas–Fort Worth urban area, with McKinney and Frisco as the principal cities; the McKinney–Frisco urban area had a population of 504,803 as of the 2020 census, ranked 83rd in the United States.[3] History On March 24, 1849, William Davis, who owned 3,000 acres (12 km2) where McKinney now stands, donated 120 acres (0.49 km2) for the townsite. Ten years later, McKinney incorporated, and in 1913, the town adopted the commission form of government. The Old Collin County Courthouse in Courthouse Square, 2016 For its first 125 years, McKinney served as the county's principal commercial center. The county seat provided farmers with flour, corn, cotton mills, cotton gins, a cotton compress, and a cottonseed oil mill, as well as banks, churches, schools, newspapers, and from the 1880s, an opera house. Businesses also came to include a textile mill, an ice company, a large dairy, and a garment-manufacturing company. The population grew from 35 in 1848 to 4,714 in 1912. By 1953, McKinney had a population of more than 10,000 and 355 businesses. The town continued to serve as an agribusiness center for the county until the late 1960s. By 1970, Plano surpassed McKinney in size. McKinney experienced moderate population growth, from 15,193 in the 1970 census to 21,283 in the 1990 census. By the mid-1980s, the town had become a commuter center for residents who worked in Plano and Dallas. In 1985, it had a population of just over 16,000 and supported 254 businesses. Since then, McKinney's rate of increase has been much more dramatic. In the 2000 census, McKinney had grown to 54,369 with 2,005 businesses and in the 2010 census the population had more than doubled to 131,117 residents.[11] The Census Bureau's most recent estimated population for McKinney (July 1, 2015) is 162,898.[11] The most recent population estimate, produced by the city as of January 1, 2019, is 187,802.[12] Both the city and the county were named for Collin McKinney, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, and a congressman for the Red River district of the Republic of Texas. He was the author of a bill establishing counties in the northern part of the state.[13] Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 62.9 square miles (162.9 km2), of which 0.7 square mile (1.7 km2), or 1.07%, is covered by water.[14] Climate McKinney is considered part of the humid subtropical region. On average, the warmest month is July. The highest recorded temperature was 118 °F (48 °C) in 1936. On average, the coolest month is January. The lowest recorded temperature was −7 °F (−22 °C) in 1930. The maximum average precipitation occurs in May. It is also part of the Texas blackland prairies, which means it gets hot summers because it is in the Sun Belt. Humidity makes temperatures feel higher, and winters are mild and are usually rainy; snowstorms occasionally occur. Spring is the wettest part of the year, which brings winds from the Gulf Coast. Climate data for McKinney, Texas Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °F (°C) 87 (31) 95 (35) 97 (36) 100 (38) 105 (41) 108 (42) 112 (44) 118 (48) 110 (43) 99 (37) 93 (34) 89 (32) 118 (48) Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 52.5 (11.4) 58.1 (14.5) 65.6 (18.7) 73.3 (22.9) 80.2 (26.8) 87.7 (30.9) 92.7 (33.7) 92.6 (33.7) 85.4 (29.7) 75.7 (24.3) 63.2 (17.3) 54.8 (12.7) 73.5 (23.1) Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 31.1 (−0.5) 34.9 (1.6) 42.2 (5.7) 51.2 (10.7) 60.8 (16.0) 68.5 (20.3) 72.0 (22.2) 70.6 (21.4) 64.2 (17.9) 53.0 (11.7) 42.4 (5.8) 34.1 (1.2) 52.1 (11.2) Record low °F (°C) −7 (−22) −5 (−21) 7 (−14) 25 (−4) 27 (−3) 44 (7) 50 (10) 53 (12) 39 (4) 15 (−9) 11 (−12) −4 (−20) −7 (−22) Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.43 (62) 2.91 (74) 3.37 (86) 3.65 (93) 5.68 (144) 4.11 (104) 2.36 (60) 2.16 (55) 3.15 (80) 4.24 (108) 3.71 (94) 3.24 (82) 41.01 (1,042) Average snowfall inches (cm) .8 (2.0) 1.0 (2.5) .1 (0.25) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) .2 (0.51) .2 (0.51) 2.3 (5.77) Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 7.3 6.3 7.6 7.1 8.9 7.0 4.5 4.1 5.9 6.3 6.6 6.6 78.2 Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) .8 1.0 .1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .1 .2 2.2 Source 1: NOAA Source 2: The Weather Channel Demographics Historical population Census Pop. Note %± 1850 315 — 1870 503 — 1880 1,479 194.0% 1890 2,489 68.3% 1900 4,342 74.4% 1910 4,714 8.6% 1920 6,677 41.6% 1930 7,307 9.4% 1940 8,555 17.1% 1950 10,560 23.4% 1960 13,763 30.3% 1970 15,193 10.4% 1980 16,249 7.0% 1990 21,283 31.0% 2000 54,369 155.5% 2010 131,117 141.2% 2020 195,308 49.0% At the 2010 U.S. census, the city had a population of 131,117 people. In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau tabulated a population of 195,308, representing continued growth from the city's 2000 population of 54,369.[15] 2020 census McKinney city, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[16] Pop 2010[17] Pop 2020[18] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020 White alone (NH) 38,854 84,547 102,549 71.46% 64.48% 52.51% Black or African American alone (NH) 3,876 13,416 24,769 7.13% 10.23% 12.68% Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 237 604 713 0.44% 0.46% 0.37% Asian alone (NH) 789 5,244 23,891 1.45% 4.00% 12.23% Pacific Islander alone (NH) 20 81 157 0.04% 0.06% 0.08% Some Other Race alone (NH) 83 188 852 0.15% 0.14% 0.44% Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 634 2,631 8,985 1.17% 2.01% 4.60% Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9,876 24,406 33,392 18.16% 18.61% 17.10% Total 54,369 131,117 195,308 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% As of the 2000 U.S. census, 64% of the foreign-born residents of McKinney originated from Mexico. Since 2009, 70% of McKinney's total population born outside of the United States had arrived in the U.S. in the 1990s.[19] In May 2017, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that McKinney was the third fastest-growing city in the United States. It had a 5.9% growth rate between 2015 and 2016.[20] Of the 68,458 households at the 2019 American Community Survey, 59.8% were married-couples living together. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.36.[21] In 2010, there were 28,186 households; 45.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were not families; 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.29. In 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $63,366, and for a family was $72,133. Males had a median income of $50,663 versus $32,074 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,185. About 4.9% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over. In 2019, the median income in the city increased to $89,828; the mean income was $111,588.[22] Economy According to the city's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[23] the top 10 employers in the city are: # Employer # of Employees 1 Raytheon Intelligence & Space 4,347 2 McKinney Independent School District 2,749 3 Collin County 1,964 4 Globe Life 1,600 5 Independent Financial 1,600 6 City of McKinney 1,428 7 Encore Wire Corporation 1,325 8 Collin College 1,064 9 Baylor Scott & White McKinney Hospital 700 10 Medical City McKinney Hospital 670 Culture Events The city hosts several large events throughout the year, many of which cover several blocks of historic downtown, to include: Krewe of Barkus - a pre-Mardi Gras festival held downtown focused on dogs with a parade, costumes, awards, and vendor booths.[24] Arts in Bloom - a downtown-wide arts festival, with local and visiting artists, as well as local wineries and food vendors, usually held the second weekend in April.[25] Texas Music Revolution - in June the entire downtown area shuts down for two days for concerts from over 90 country performers on 20 different stages across the area, along with food and drinks.[26] Red White and Boom Parade & Fireworks Festival - a 4 July parade is held downtown in the morning and a large fireworks display and festival usually takes place in western McKinney.[27] Oktoberfest - in late September a large German-themed festival takes place for several days on the downtown square with authentic German food, beer, live music, games, and vendors.[28] Home for the Holidays - the weekend after Thanksgiving the downtown area shuts down for Santa with Christmas attractions, a large tree lighting ceremony, games, and shopping at the local stores.[29] Arts The McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC) is housed in the historic Collin County courthouse in the square in historic downtown and was built in 1875 and remodeled in 1927.[30] The MPAC has seating for 427 and regularly hosts live entertainment such as off-Broadway theater, comedy shows, and concerts, and is also the centerpiece for most large events, festivals, and other attractions that take place downtown.[31] Museums Located in the historic 1911 Federal building in historic downtown, the Collin County History Museum has free admission several days a week and displays an extensive history of the Collin County area.[32] The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary is a 289 acre wildlife sanctuary with a museum building that has exhbits on natural history, fossils, rocks and minerals, and live animals. The wildlife sanctuary has 6.5 miles of trails through various types of terrain and is home to more than 240 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians and 15o species of wildflowers and other plants. It contains a 50 acre wetlands with an outdoor learning center, observation deck, and boardwalk as well as an outdoor amphitheater with seating for 500 guests.[33] The Collin County Farm Museum is located at the Myers Park & Event Center in rural McKinney and has exhibits reflecting the early settlers in the area and the farming and agricultural history.[34] Nature Erwin Park is a city owned park on 212 rural acres in northern McKinney. The park has designated overnight campsites and picnic pavilions as well as 10 miles of mountain bike trails maintained by the Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association.[35] The McKinney Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning in the historic Chestnut Square Heritage Village and in 2023 it was named the #1 Farmers Market in the Southwest United States by the American Farmland Trust.[36] Libraries The city has two full-service libraries, the Roy & Helen Hall Memorial Library on the north end of the historic downtown and the John & Judy Gay Library on Eldorado Parkway in western McKinney, that together lent out 1.6 million items during fiscal year 2022.[37] Sports McKinney has hosted the AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament at the TPC Craig Ranch golf course since 2020.[38] The McKinney Independent School District football stadium, a 12,000 seat stadium, hosts the college Division II National Championship game.[39] Government Map from 1876 Local government According to the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (2016), the city's various funds had $324.6 million in total revenues, $247.9 million in total expenditures, $1.36 billion in total assets, $437.6 million in total liabilities, and $363.9 million in cash and investments.[40] The McKinney City Council has seven members. Two members and the mayor are elected at large, and four members are elected to single-member districts. McKinney's city manager serves under the direction of the city council, and administers and coordinates the implementation of procedures, policies, and ordinances.[41] The city of McKinney is a voluntary member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments association, the purpose of which is to coordinate individual and collective local governments and facilitate regional solutions, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and enable joint decisions. State government McKinney is represented in the Texas Senate by Republican Angela Paxton, District 8, and Republican Drew Springer, District 30. McKinney is also represented in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican Frederick Frazier, District 61. Frazier was indicted in June 2022 on two charges of impersonating a public servant, a felony offense. He pleaded no contest in December 2023 as part of a plea agreement.[42] Federal government At the federal level, Texas's U.S. senators are John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. McKinney is in the 3rd Congressional district, which is represented by Keith Self. Police department The McKinney Police Department is the primary municipal law enforcement agency that serves the city. Chief Joe Ellenburg is the head of the department. As of 2023, the department had 252 sworn peace officers and 81 non-sworn civilian positions.[43] The department was awarded national accredited status from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA)[44] and is also a Texas Police Chief's Association Foundation (TPCAF) Recognized Agency,[45] making it only the third agency in Texas to receive both state and national accreditation.[43] Notable recent incidents in the department's history include the high-profile investigation of the McKinney homicide that claimed the lives of two adults and two high school football players;[46] a 2010 attack on the police department headquarters by a gunman who fired over 100 rifle rounds at the building and employees after attempting to detonate a truck and trailer full of explosives;[47] and protests and media attention after a video was released of the 2015 Texas pool party incident.[48] Education Colleges McKinney is the home of the Central Park Campus of Collin College near the city's center at US 75 and US 380, which opened in 1985 as the initial campus for the community college district.[49] The Collin Higher Education Center campus of Collin College opened in southern McKinney in 2010 and offers select bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in partnership with Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas Woman's University, The University of Texas at Dallas, and the University of North Texas.[50] Public school districts Two-thirds of McKinney residents are in the McKinney Independent School District; the remaining third are part of Frisco Independent School District, Prosper Independent School District, Allen Independent School District, Melissa Independent School District, Lovejoy Independent School District, or Celina Independent School District.[51] Six of the seven school districts serving the city placed in the top 5% in the Niche 2023 Best School Districts in America which ranked 10,932 school districts; Prosper ISD ranked #82 nationally, Allen ISD ranked #92, Lovejoy ISD ranked #103, Frisco ISD ranked #150, Melissa ISD ranked #433, and McKinney ISD ranked #461.[52] Public high schools McKinney Boyd High School For high school, the two thirds of the city's students who are in McKinney ISD attend McKinney High School, McKinney North High School and McKinney Boyd High School. The remaining third of McKinney students attend Emerson High School (Frisco ISD), Heritage High School (Frisco ISD), Independence High School (Frisco ISD), Rock Hill High School (Prosper ISD), Walnut Grove High School (Prosper ISD), Allen High School, Melissa High School, Lovejoy High School, or Celina High School. In the 2023–2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings of 17,680 high schools nationwide, Lovejoy High School ranked #360, Independence High School ranked #687, Heritage High School ranked #837, McKinney North High School ranked #1,271, McKinney Boyd High School ranked #1,432, Allen High School ranked #1,704, Rock Hill High School ranked #2,563, McKinney High School ranked #2,629, Celina High School ranked #4,713, Melissa High School ranked #10,372, while Emerson High School and Walnut Grove High School were unranked due to being new schools.[53] Public charter schools Imagine International Academy of North Texas is a no-tuition open-enrollment public charter school for grades K–12 in McKinney. It is open to students in any school district that serves McKinney residents. It is state-funded, independently run, and not part of any school district.[54] Private schools There are two private schools in the city that serve all grades from K–12, McKinney Christian Academy and Cornerstone Christian Academy. Media See also: List of newspapers in Texas, List of radio stations in Texas, and List of television stations in Texas The McKinney Courier-Gazette is a daily newspaper published in McKinney, covering Collin County.[55] It is owned by American Community Newspapers. It has a daily circulation of 4,400 and a Sunday circulation of 26,400.[56] Infrastructure Transportation McKinney is served by two U.S. Highways: US 75 and US 380. The city is also bordered by the Sam Rayburn Tollway, a toll road administered by the North Texas Tollway Authority that runs to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. During the early 2010’s, the far southwestern corner of McKinney, in the large Craig Ranch development, had a trolley bus that served the development and some shopping centers in the surrounding area. This service has since been discontinued. Collin County Transit McKinney operates the McKinney Urban Transit District (MUTD), branded as Collin County Transit. MUTD offers transit services to elderly, disabled, or low-income residents of McKinney, as well as Celina, Lowry Crossing, Melissa, Princeton, and Prosper. Originally, MUTD subsidized the cost of taxi rides.[57] In 2022, this was replaced by a curb-to-curb service (operated in association with Dallas Area Rapid Transit) that charges a fixed per-ride fare. MUTD services provide transportation to any location within Collin County, even those outside of participating cities, though trips outside of member cities have higher fares.

S02E02

An anthem of the KKK

S02E01

S01E07 Fort Myers, Florida, Part 2

S01E06 Fort Myers, Florida, Part 1

"I'm Proud to Be an American" redirects here. For the Pat Boone song titled "I'm Proud to Be an American", see The Star Spangled Banner (album) § Track Listing. Not to be confused with God Bless America. "God Bless the U.S.A." Single by Lee Greenwood from the album You've Got a Good Love Comin' B-side "This Old Bed" Released May 21, 1984 Recorded November 1983 Studio Nashville, Tennessee Genre PatrioticCountry Length 3:10 (album & single versions) 5:30 (video version) Label MCA Nashville Songwriter(s) Lee Greenwood[1] Producer(s) Jerry Crutchfield Lee Greenwood singles chronology "Going, Going, Gone" (1983) "God Bless the U.S.A." (1984) "Fool's Gold" (1984) Alternative cover 2001 re-release cover "God Bless the U.S.A." (also known as "Proud to Be an American"[2][3][4]) is an American patriotic song written and recorded by American country singer Lee Greenwood, and is considered to be his signature song. Released by MCA Nashville on May 21, 1984, it appeared on Greenwood's third album, You've Got a Good Love Comin'. It debuted at number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Singles. That summer, the song was included in a film about President Ronald Reagan, the Republican presidential nominee, that was shown at the 1984 Republican National Convention.[5] "God Bless the U.S.A." gained prominence during the 1988 United States presidential election campaign, when Greenwood performed the song at the 1988 Republican National Convention and at rallies for the Republican nominee, George H.W. Bush.[6][7] The song was also featured in television advertisements for Bush.[8] The song became popular once more during the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991. As a result of its newfound popularity, Greenwood re-recorded the track for his 1992 album American Patriot. The popularity of the song surged following the September 11 attacks and during the 2003 invasion of Iraq; after the former, the song was re-released as a single and peaked at number 16 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts in 2001.[9] A re-recorded version of the song was released in 2003, under the "God Bless the U.S.A. 2003." The song platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)—signifying 1,000,000 units sold—by July 2015.[10] The song experienced further popularity after Donald Trump used it at campaign rallies. Background and writing Greenwood wrote "God Bless the U.S.A." in response to his feelings about the shooting down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007.[11] He said that he "wanted to write it my whole life. When I got to that point, we were doing 300 days a year on the road, and we were on our fourth or fifth album on MCA. I called my producer, and I said I have a need to do this. I've always wanted to write a song about America, and I said we just need to be more united."[12] As for writing the song itself, Greenwood wrote that it more or less "wrote itself", and that the lyrics flowed naturally from the music as a reflection of his pride to be American.[11] The reason behind the cities chosen in the song Greenwood says, "I'm from California, and I don't know anybody from Virginia or New York, so when I wrote it—and my producer and I had talked about it—[we] talked about the four cities I wanted to mention, the four corners of the United States. It could have been Seattle or Miami but we chose New York City and Los Angeles, and he suggested Detroit and Houston because they both were economically part of the basis of our economy—Motortown and the oil industry, so I just poetically wrote that in the bridge."[12] Content In the song, the singer sings about how, if he were to lose everything he had and had to start again from scratch, he would do it in the United States because he believes his freedom is guaranteed in America. He remembers how other Americans in history had died to secure this freedom, and declares that if he is ever called upon to defend the US today, he will gladly stand up and fight because he loves the country.[13] Music video A music video was released for this song in 1984, depicting Greenwood as a farmer who loses the family farm. The video was produced and edited by L. A. Johnson and directed by Gary Burden. A second video was released in 1991, also on VHS, and was directed by Edd Griles. A third music video was also released after the September 11, 2001, attacks. A fourth music video in collaboration with U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants and a cappella group Home Free was released on June 30, 2020.[14] Chart history "God Bless the U.S.A." debuted on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for the week of May 26, 1984. Chart (1984) Peak position US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[15] 7 Chart (2001) Peak position US Billboard Hot 100[16] 16 US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[15] 16 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[17] 12 Chart (2020) Peak position US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[18] 1[19] Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United States (RIAA)[21] Platinum 1,281,000[20] Other notable versions Canadian version In 1989, Greenwood released a Canadian version of this song called "God Bless You Canada".[22] Jump5 version Pop group Jump5 covered the song for the September 11 attacks in October 2001, altering some of the lyrics: "And I had to start again with just my children and my wife" became "And I had to start again with just my family by my side", and "I thank my lucky stars" became "I thank my God above" to reflect the group's Christian values. Dolly Parton version Dolly Parton recorded the song for her 2003 patriotic album, For God and Country. Altering the lyric: "And I had to start again with just my children and my wife" to "And I had to start again with just my family by my side". American Idol finalists' version In 2003, the song was performed by the American Idol season two finalists and released as a single, with part of the proceeds going to the American Red Cross. It raised $155,000 for the charity.[23] It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100,[24] and it was certified gold by the RIAA the same year.[25] Beyoncé version Again, following the death of Osama bin Laden, Beyoncé re-released her 2008 cover of the song, the proceeds of which would go to charity.[26] She performed the song on Piers Morgan Tonight on May 5, 2011.[27][28] After the performance, her version was released as a single to the iTunes Store.[29][30] In a statement she said, "I cannot think about anything more appropriate to do to help these families ... Almost 10 years [after 9/11], it is still so painful for all Americans, especially those who lost loved ones. We were all affected by the tragedies of 9/11 and continue to keep the families who lost loved ones close to our hearts ..."[31] Dan Martin of The Guardian felt that the cover was "in contrast" to her last intervention in national affairs, the Let's Move! Flash Workout fitness initiative.[27] Ronald Mitchell of Newsday commented that "It does our hearts good to see Beyoncé work her magic for the greater good."[32] She later also performed the song for the concert she had on July 4, 2011, along with "Best Thing I Never Had" (2011). Nick Neyland of Prefix Magazine commented that "Beyoncé is a natural fit for occasions like this, and she doesn't even break a sweat as she hits the high notes despite the soaring temperatures and humidity in the city. That's the mark of a true pro."[33] In Beyoncé's version, the end of the second verse is sung "And it's time to make a change", as well as changing, "If I had to start again with just my children and my wife" to "family by my side."[34] Home Free version Country a cappella group Home Free has been performing the song ever since the band's inception in 2000, and released an official music video on June 30, 2016. As of June 26, 2020, the music video has amassed 11 million views on YouTube.[35] In 2020, Home Free worked in the studio with Greenwood and re-recorded the song with him and the United States Air Force Band Singing Sergeants.[36] The music was released on July 1 on Home Free's channel. "God Bless The U.S.A." Bible In 2024, Greenwood and former-President Donald Trump collaborated to release themed King James Bibles "inspired by" the song. Each Bible includes "the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance, as well as a handwritten chorus of the famous Greenwood song". The associated website claims that the Bible is "not political" or linked to his ongoing presidential campaign, but also describes it as the only Bible endorsed by Trump.

S03E12

A list of some of the more influencial people who support one side or the other.

S01E03

Footage of various woman being handed the business

In a regularly scheduled marketing meeting with Democrats, Satan asks them to tone down all the evil just a little bit. The Official The Babylon Bee Store: https://shop.babylonbee.com/ Follow The Babylon Bee: Website: https://babylonbee.com/ X: https://X.com/thebabylonbee Facebook: / thebabylonbee Instagram: / thebabylonbee

Live New Years Eve 1994 "God Blessed Texas" is a song recorded by American country music group Little Texas. It was released on July 17, 1993[1] as the second single from their second album Big Time. The song was their seventh single overall. It was written by the band's lead guitarist Porter Howell, and keyboardist and vocalist Brady Seals. The song reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in December of that year. It also peaked at No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100, their most successful song on that chart. It is the band's signature song, and they close out their concerts with it. Content The song, with lead vocals by Tim Rushlow, celebrates Texas pride by saying that God must have evidently given the state special attention and furthermore provided the state its unique and legendary geography and demography. The album version contains an intro of which the band performs a preparation piece that includes a brief sample of the song, "The Eyes of Texas", before subsequently leading into the main song. This intro was omitted from the radio version, which was used for the music video, as well as the opening track on the band's greatest-hits compilation. Music video The music video, directed by Gerry Wenner, takes place at a pool party with many bikini-clad women. It was shot at Southfork Ranch in Dallas, Texas. The Dallas Cowboys Chearleaders also appear in this video. In popular culture The song can be heard at many sports venues, especially prevalent in the state of Texas; these venues include Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers games. The song is used by the Ford Motor Company in radio and TV advertisements in several Texas cities (Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso) where "Ford is the Best in Texas" is substituted for the "God Blessed Texas" line. The song can also be heard in various sections of the amusement park Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas. The song was also used in an episode of the second season of True Blood. Joe Jonas performed the song in an episode of the second season of The Righteous Gemstones.

"Fishin' in the Dark" is a song written by Wendy Waldman and Jim Photoglo, and recorded by American country music group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, with Jimmy Ibbotson singing lead. It was released on June 7, 1987, as the second single from their album Hold On.[1] It reached number-one on the U.S. and Canadian country charts. It was the band's third number-one single on the U.S. country music charts and the second in Canada. After it became available for download, it has sold over a million digital copies by 2015.[2] It was certified Platinum by the RIAA on September 12, 2014.[3] Content The premise of the song is a couple contemplating a late-night fishing expedition. Specifically, the adventurers plan to make their way to an undisclosed river and chart constellations during an evening in which a full moon is present. Furthermore, the tentative date for this excursion is set in the late spring to early summer. Cover versions Ed Bruce originally recorded the song on his 1986 album Night Things. Canadian country band Emerson Drive recorded their version of the song on their 2004 album What If? A live version recorded in Dallas, Texas during 2004 was released as a digital single in 2005. Garth Brooks recorded his version of the song for his 2005 album The Lost Sessions and again for his 2013 box set Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences. Irish Country singer Nathan Carter released his version of the song on his 2011 album Time Of My Life. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils cover the song on a rare Album (CD) named Heart of the Country released in 1987 The Swon Brothers covered it during season 4 of The Voice and subsequently a studio version was released. Red Marlow performed a duet of the song with Ryan Scripps for The Battles on Season 13 of The Voice. The a cappella group Home Free recorded and create their version of the song in 2015 with a Mash-up with Little Big Town's Boondocks.

"God Blessed Texas" is a song recorded by American country music group Little Texas. It was released on July 17, 1993[1] as the second single from their second album Big Time. The song was their seventh single overall. It was written by the band's lead guitarist Porter Howell, and keyboardist and vocalist Brady Seals. The song reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in December of that year. It also peaked at No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100, their most successful song on that chart. It is the band's signature song, and they close out their concerts with it. Content The song, with lead vocals by Tim Rushlow, celebrates Texas pride by saying that God must have evidently given the state special attention and furthermore provided the state its unique and legendary geography and demography. The album version contains an intro of which the band performs a preparation piece that includes a brief sample of the song, "The Eyes of Texas", before subsequently leading into the main song. This intro was omitted from the radio version, which was used for the music video, as well as the opening track on the band's greatest-hits compilation. Music video The music video, directed by Gerry Wenner, takes place at a pool party with many bikini-clad women. It was shot at Southfork Ranch in Dallas, Texas. The Dallas Cowboys Chearleaders also appear in this video. In popular culture The song can be heard at many sports venues, especially prevalent in the state of Texas; these venues include Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers games. The song is used by the Ford Motor Company in radio and TV advertisements in several Texas cities (Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso) where "Ford is the Best in Texas" is substituted for the "God Blessed Texas" line. The song can also be heard in various sections of the amusement park Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas. The song was also used in an episode of the second season of True Blood. Joe Jonas performed the song in an episode of the second season of The Righteous Gemstones.

S01E01 - Devil in the City of Angels

Flashback to our video from 2019 on the PragerU vs. YouTube lawsuit which is now more relevant than ever since a federal judge ruled that Google holds a monopoly for online search engines and text-based advertising markets. 📲 Download the FREE PragerU app: https://prageru.onelink.me/3bas/vgyxvm79

If you think boycotting is ineffective, this report by the Financial Times will change your mind. Let's explore how boycotting in Muslim countries is causing significant financial setbacks for major brands like McDonald’s, Starbucks, and KFC. From plummeting sales figures to unprecedented losses, these companies are feeling the full force of public discontent. In this detailed video, we’ll dive into the numbers, the reasons behind the boycotts, and what this means for the future of corporate accountability. Discover how the war on Gaza has catalyzed a wave of activism that is shaking the foundations of multinational companies, forcing them to reconsider their global strategies.

Sect, Cult or whatever, people will always find a way to demonize something they dislike and will encourage others to follow them in there way of feeling and thinking. Follow God. That is all. Original Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HQM5WaqfUs